3co Walking with LT/ife Men, E R M, feflion difcountenance vice in profeffed chri- XII. ftians ; for faith he, at the loth verfe, not -v""'' altogether (to alai-lain from the company of) the fornicators of this world, or the covet- ous, or extortioners, or idolaters, for then mull ye needs go out of the world. On the other hand, it is not to be fup- pofed that the mere advantage of any man's providential fituation will entitle him` to the benefit of walking with wife men. His lot may be with the heft and moft virtuous without any good defign on his part, or without any other views than to his fecular intereft, and therefore without any advantage to his obtaining wifdom. The queen of Sheba celebrateth the felicity of Solomon's fervants, becaufe they flood before him, and heard his wifdom ; but if any of them was not in- duced to make that happy flation his choice, from a defire and profped of in- ftruIion in virtue, but merely for the ho- nour and outward emolument which attend- ed his place, there was nothing praife- worthy in his being fo near that wifeft of men, nor did it Thew any difpofition to be wifer and better. Upon the whole, to underftand what it is to walk with the wife, we muff return to what I faid at firfi ; it is voluntarily to affociate,
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