Knowledge and Practice, Part 2 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
FRequent good company, that may further thee, and help thee forward in the way to Heaven. And though thy Calling, Neceſſity of buſineſſe, Charity to their ſouls, and a deſire to do them good, may draw thee ſomtimes to converſe with, yet be not willingly, ordinarily, and unneceſsarily a companion of wicked and ungodly men; who by their vain, unſavoury diſcourſe, and ſinfull converſation, will be apt to draw thy heart unto a neglect and ſlighting of ſpiritual things. 'Tis exceeding dangerous to be ordinarily in ſuch company, as will be ever hindring, never helping us forward in the way to Heaven; and where we ſhall hear no talk of Religion, but in diſtaſt and contempt. Believe it, Thouſands have been everlaſtingly undone by evil company.
That therefore thou maiſt be more wary in this …ticular, I ſhall deſire thee to conſider of theſe things.
I. Ill company muſt needs be exceeding dangerous, becauſe ſin is of an infecting, contagious nature. It quickly ſpreads among ſuch, as ordinarily and familiarly converſe together. Why ſhould we not be as much afraid of being infected with ſin, as with a contagious diſeaſe? but that we are carnal, and fear the evil of the body which is death, more than the evil of the ſoul, which is ſin and damnation. The ground of that dreadful Church-Cenſure, Excommunication, is the contagion of other mens ſins. Purge out the old leaven, ſaies the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 5.7. Which was the inceſtuous perſon. And why? becauſe a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. There is a ſtrange power in ill company, to infect and deprave the beſt diſpoſitions. Can a man touch pitch, and not be defiled? ſaies the ſon of Sirach, Chap. 13.1.
1. By frequent & familiar converſe with ſuch, there ſteals upon a man ſecretly & inſenſibly, a diſlike of Religion, and the waies of Godlineſs, as too ſtrict and reſtraining to humane nature.
2. He uſually comes by degrees, to approve and delight in ſenſual courſes, and ſinful practiſes.
3. At laſt he comes to be an utter enemy, and oppoſer of the waies of Holineſs. And no wonder, for ſuch as men uſually converſe with, ſuch (for the moſt part) they prove to be Ungodly company is the deep ditch, out of which few eſcape.
II. To delight in ungodly company, is a ſure ſign a mans heart is naught. Similitude is the cauſe of love: Like will to like, whether good or evil. Though many will not be drunk or ſwear, &c. Yet if they delight in the company of thoſe that do ſo. 'tis plain their diſpoſitions are againſt Godlineſſe. David having a Godly frame of heart, declared it in this, that in the Saints of the Earth, and the excellent was all his delight, Pſal. 16.3. & Pſ. 119.63. He ſaies, I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy Precepts. Eccleſiaſticus tels us, Ch. 13.16. All fleſh conſorteth according to kind, and a man will cleave to his like. What fellowſhip hath the wolf with the lamb? So the ſinner with the Godly? When you chooſe wicked, looſe company, when you may have better, and find delight and content in ſuch, you plainly declare what you are. There is no reaſon he ſhould be accounted Gods friend, who familiarly converſes with his profeſſed enemies.
III. By frequenting ill company, thou doſt harden, encourage, and embolden them in their ſinful courſes. How can they think, but thou approveſt their waies, ſeeing thou delighteſt in their ſociety: Whereas the Apoſtle commands us Eph. 5.11. To have no fellowſhip with the unfruitful works of darkneſſe, but rather reprove them. David's eyes ran down with rivers of tears, becauſe he ſaw men kept not Gods Law, Pſal. 119.136. And Lots righteous ſoul was vexed with the unclean converſation of the wicked among whom he lived. So far is it from the temper of a gracious heart to hold a delightful familiarity with wicked companions.
IV. Conſider ill company is a great hinderance to converſion. Wicked companions (like Herod) kill the young beginnings, and firſt tendencies of the heart towards God. One wicked perſon, by his ſcoffs and flouts has done more hurt, than many Sermons have done good. Scoffers at Religion, and deriders of true Piety, and Holineſſe, make things of the ſaddeſt and moſt ſerious concernment, to ſeem ridiculous. And when once the awe of theſe great Truths is weakned, men are eaſily induced to caſt off all care and profeſſion of Religion. Many have been jeer'd from the practiſe of Godlineſſe, and a holy life, that could never by ſerious Arguments be diſputed or diſſwaded from it. Mockers and Scoffers at Religion, are uſually the worst of ſinners. In Pſal. 1. there are three degrees of ſinners mentioned; and the higheſt rank are they that ſit in the ſeat of the ſcornful: Which the Septuagint render the chair of peſtilence: They being indeed the peſts of mankind. 'Tis better to go with the frowns and ſcoffs of carnal friends to heaven, than with their love to hell.
V. Remember, 'tis not only the openly prophane and diſſolute, the ſwearer, the drunkard, and the profeſſed open enemies of Godlineſſe, that thou art to avoid, as hurtful companions; but thou muſt alſo take heed of too frequent ſociety with dead hearted formaliſts, and perſons meerly civil, whoſe conference is uſually barren and unſavoury, nothing conducing to the raiſing the heart Heaven-ward. And by converſing much with ſuch, though thou doſt not endanger thy ſoul as to infection with ſin, yet thou doſt, as to defection from gracious courſes. Such lukewarm profeſſors are uſually remiſs, and ſlight and indifferent in Religion; and though they run not into ſuch exorbitant courſes, as the openly prophane do; yet uſually they love not ſtrictneſs, nor the power of Godlineſſe, thinking it more ado than needs. And by frequent, familiar converſe with ſuch, thou wilt be in danger to content thy ſelf with a little goodneſſe, and ſeem ſome body in thy own eies, having no better patterns before thee (as he that hath but half an eie, is a King among them that are blind.) Whereas among wiſe, holy, ſpiritual, improv'd Chriſtians, thou wilt ſtill have matter of imitation and provocation to aſpire to a greater perfection in goodneſſe. He that walks with the wiſe, ſhall be wiſer (ſaith Solomon) but a companion of fools ſhall be deſtroyed, Prov. 13.20.
VI. Conſider, our company will be part of our happineſſe in Heaven. Communion of Saints here, is the lower Heaven of Saints. O what comfort, what benefit, may we reap from good ſociety? How many thouſands have cauſe for ever to bleſſe God, that ever they liv'd neer, or came acquainted with ſome perſons ſeriouſly Godly? From ſuch company a Chriſtian comes away revived, quickned, encouraged to walk in the waies of Holineſſe. He finds a good reliſh on his Spirit; and his heart drawn Heaven-ward: He finds himſelf provoked to preſſe forward towards the mark of his high calling: But from wicked company, 'tis ten to one, but either a man brings away a guilty Conſcience, or a ſad heart, or both. Upon all theſe conſiderations, labour to make thy acquaintance and familiar converſe with thoſe here, who muſt be thy companions in Heaven, if ever thou comeſt thither.
Rom. 12.2. And be not conformed to this world, &c.
1 Pet. 4.4. —They think it ſtrange, that you run not with them, to the ſame exceſſe of riot, ſpeaking evil of you.
1 Cor. 15.33. Be not deceived, evil communications corrupt good manners.
Prov. 12.26. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour; but the way of the wicked ſeduceth them.
Iſa. 3.10. Say ye to the righteous, that it ſhall be well with him; for they ſhall eat the fruit of their doings.
V. 11. Wo unto the wicked, it ſhall be ill with him; for the reward of his hands ſhall be given him.
Mal. 3.18. Then ſhall ye return, and diſcern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that ſerveth God, and him that ſerveth him not.
Prov. 19.29. Judgments are prepared for ſcorners, and ſtripes for the back of fools.
Iſa. 28.22. Now therefore be not mockers, leſt your bands be made ſtrong —
Mat. 18.6. But whoſo ſhall offend one of theſe little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a Mill-ſtone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea.
Prov. 23.20. Be not amongſt wine-bibbers, amongſt riotous eaters of fleſh.
V. 21. For the drunkard and the glutton ſhall come to poverty, and drowſineſſe ſhall cloath a man with rags,
1 Cor. 5.9. I wrote unto you in an Epiſtle not to company with fornicators.
V. 10. Yet not altogether with the fornicatours of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with Idolaters; for then muſt ye needs go out of the world.
V. 11. But now have I written unto you, not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother, be a fornicatour, or covetous, or an Idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with ſuch a one, no not to eat.
2 Theſ. 3.14. And if any man obey not our Word by this Epiſtle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be aſhamed.
Zeph. 1.12. And it ſhall come to paſſe at that time, that I will ſearch Jeruſalem with candles, and puniſh the men that are ſetled on their lees, that ſay in their heart, the Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil.
2 Tim. 3.5. Having a form of Godlineſſe, but denying the power thereof, from ſuch turn away.
Iſa. 3.9. The ſhew of their countenance doth witneſſe againſt them, and they declare their ſin as Sodom, they hide it not: Wo unto their ſoul, for they have rewarded evil unto themſelves.
Heb. 6.12. —Be not ſlothful, but followers of them who through Faith and patience inherit the promiſes.