Sin Stigmatized, Part 2 · Section 199
§ 199.
3 OUr entireneſſe with wicked men feoffes us, not only in their ſinnes, 3 That we may not be infeoffed in their puniſhments.but oftentimes in their puniſhments alſo; as it fared with the 36. men which were ſlaine before Aye, for Achan's ſake, Ioſhua 7. where we ſee the innocencie of ſo many thouſand Iſraelites was not ſo prevalent, to expiate his one ſinne; as his one ſinne was, to tainte and bring judgement upon all Iſrael. If the Storke be taken damagefeceant with the Cranes, ſhe is enwrapped in the ſame net, and cannot complaine that ſhe is ſurpriſed. He that walketh with the wiſe (ſaith Salomon) ſhall be wiſe; but a companion of fooles, ſhall be afflicted, Pro. 13.20. This Auguſtine well obſerves, ſpeaking of the religious, taken amongſt the reſt of the Gothes, Iure amaram vitam ſentire, quia peccantibus amari eſſe noluerunt. And hereupon Moſes ſeparates Iſrael from Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, ſaying, depart from the Tents of theſe wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs; leaſt ye periſh with them, Num. 16.26. And doth not God himſelfe ſay to his people, touching Babylon, Goe out of her, my people, that ye be not partaker of her ſins, and that ye receive not of her plagues? Rev. 18.4. Where ſinne is let in, puniſhment will not be kept out. Yea, if Lot had ſtayed in Sodom, he had beene deſtroyed: if his Sonnes would have gone out, they had every man eſcaped.
Indeed, we cannot be too farre off from ſuch company; and it were happy if they were kept by themſelves; for ſo long as the infected perſon is ſhut up, his plague doth not ſpread. And beſides the benefit of our ſafety, wickedneſſe would ſoone be aſhamed of it ſelfe, if it were not for the encouragement of companions. Solitarineſſe is the fitteſt Antidote for ſpirituall infection. It were happy for the wicked man, if he would be ſeparated from himſelfe. Antiſthenes would often ſay, It was a great overſight, ſithence they purged their Wheate from Darnell, and their warres from cowardly Souldiers, that they purged not their common wealth from lewd and wicked people.
Or if our perſons eſcape ſcot-free, yet we may ſuffer in our eſtates, and be croſt in our moſt weighty deſignes and determinations, only for joyning in league or friendſhip with Gods enemies. Becauſe thou hast joyned thy ſelfe with Ahaziah (ſaith Eleezar to Iehoſophat) the Lord hath broken thy workes; and the Ships were broken, that they were not abe… to goe to Tarſhiſh, 2 Chro. 20.37.
But admit they can not infeoffe us, either in their ſinne or puniſhment: yet their ſociety will be a ſhrewd vexation to us. As let a religious man fall into their company, as an honeſt man may fall into the hands of theeves, they will conſpire how to afflict his eyes, with unchaſt viſions; his eares, with fearefull oathes, his unwilling appetite, with drunken healths; which even a civilized Pagan would abhor. We read that Clitomachus the wreſtler (though a great company-keeper, yet) if he had heard but one filthy word, would preſently depart. How was juſt, Lot vexed with the uncleanly converſation of his wicked neighbours? Sodom was worſe then a Jaile to his righteous ſoule: and report lyes, if our Jailes be not much like to Sodom, the very dens of miſchiefe, the Scholes of wickedneſſe: a Malefactor learnes more vilany there, then ever he knew before: drunkenneſſe and blaſphemy, uſurpe the place of mortification and humility.
Or laſtly, if their ſociety be not a vexation to our minds; at leaſt it will be a great diſparagement to our names: every one will conclude, almoſt infallibly, ſuch as our company is, ſuch is our diſpoſition. The common Proverb is, like will to like, And, Birds of a feather, will flock together. When Iepthah was himſelfe in baniſhment, there gathered to him idle fellows, ſuch as himſelfe, Iudges 11.3. When David was in trouble, and vexed in minde himſelfe, their flockt unto him all thoſe that were in trouble, vexed in mind, or that were in debt, even foure hundred of them, to the Cave of Adullam, 1 Sa. 22.2. Yea, our Saviour meetes no leſſe then ten Lepers in one knot. Fellowſhip is that we all naturally affect, though it be in Leproſie: even Lepers wil flock to their fellows, where ſhall wee finde one ſpirituall leper alone? drunkards, prophane perſons, hereticks, will be ſure to conſort with their matches. And hereupon the Lacedaem onians, when they would certainly bee informed, what the diſpoſition and behaviour, of any one was, would wiſely inquire with what perſons, they were linked in fellowſhip. and indeed, he that makes himſelfe a companion of all, ſells his reputation very cheape: it being as great an indecorum, for a holy Chriſtian to be in the company of graceleſſe perſons, as it is for a reverend Divine to ſit upon the Stage in a publike Theater; or an old man to dance with little children in the ſtreetes.
Baſe company (ſaith one) kills both our fame, and our ſoules: it gives us wounds, which will never admit of healing. How many have irrecoverably loſt their good names, by keeping company with ſuſpected perſons? and whether the report bee true or falſe, it is no eaſiething to diſprove a ſlaunder, for like an unruly ſpirit once raiſed, 'tis hard to conjure downe againe. A mans good name is much eaſier kept, then recovered,
And thus you ſee, that evill company endangers our ſoules: or could our ſoules be free, yet our perſons are in danger; or could our ſoules and perſons both bee ſafe, yet our eſtates are in jeopardy: or could our ſoules, bodies, and eſtates be ſecure, yet our fame would ſuffer, and our good name lye at the ſtake. Wherefore &c.