a Means of attaining to Wifdom. 3 i r may not affect us fo fenfibly, nor can be S E x M. fuch confiant remembrancers to us of our XII. duty, as the lefs celebrated inílances of piety and virtue in our own familiar acquaintances: Their good converfation every day upbraid - eth our faults ; and befides their words, which it may be expected will convey in- ftru &ion to us, and tend to recommend re-. ligion, and be, as the apoftle faith, fuch as may be to the ufe of edifying, and minißer grace to the hearers : Befides this, I fay, their pra &ice itfelf is a friendly admonition to walk, as they do, circumfpectly, blame - lefs, and harmlefs, in the midfi of a perver fe generation. Thus the advantage of walking with wife men is very evident, in order to our be- coming wife and virtuous ; as on the other hand, the pernicious tendency of chufing the company of fools, will appear to any one who confidereth it. As the good works of fincere chriftians fhining before men, induce them to glorify God, to acknowledge the reality of religion, and fo fall into the prac- tice of it ; the evil works of bad men, efpe- cially who make a religious profeffion, have the directly oppofite tendency, namely, to perfuade carelefs unattentive men, that virtue is but an empty fhadow, for which it is not X 4 rea-
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