293 Walking with Wife Men, S E R M. and bad ; good offices of fellow citizens, and XII. a corefpondence for the pupofes of fociety, `VJ are not appropriated to the wife, though it is certain they are the molt ufeful members, in proportion to the meafure of their wifdom or virtue. Nay, in nearer relations, fcarce is there any fo happy as to be free from the company of fools; even families are feldom fo well conflituted but that the virtuous are joined in them with the froward and vicious ; yet in filch cafes it doth not become immediately our duty to difcharge ourfelves with violence from the obligation, and break off all oc, cations of fuch correfpondence ; on the con- trary, the fcripture, in fuch a cafe, prefcribeth patience, meeknefs, and compaffion to the evil. The apoflle direteth chrifiians to carry it fo to their fellow profeffors of the gofpel, whole immoral lives difhonour it, as to teffify an abhorrence of wicked prat, tices, and to preferve themfelves from in- fet.ion by ill example. i Cor. v. r i. I have written to you, not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother (that is a chrif- tian) be a fornicator, or covetous, or an ido- later, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with fuch an one no not to eat : He carrieth fo far as to the avoiding, when it can be done,
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