boo ,Ephlefians, Chap. 5. V t R.8. with them. He that will throw a ftone forcibly mutt ftandfoam good diffance from the thing he would fmite. 4. It is offenfive toweake ones. objet. But you.willfay,May weat nohand dealewith them c_4n(w. We may enter leagues thus farre with them not to doe Rom.is.ts: them hurt, as Labanand Jacob, Ifaacand .,.dbimelech:Have peace with all men, fo much as inyou licth. 2. Wemay commerce with them. Davidand Solomon, with Hi- ramand his men. 3. Wemay bee fometimes in familiar meetings with themto feeke themand gainethem to God, for thefick have need of the Phyfitian amongft them, and thus Chrift did companywith Publicans and fin- nets on this ground,that mercywasbetter thenfacrifice. ref:. This being thus, that we fhould not be great and familiarwith car- nallmen, it dothrebuke manyof us who can walke nand in hand in meetings, in recreations, and be all onewith thofe who are nobetter then Atheifts in converfation. Yea fome think through weakneffe (either fearing to be fmitten with their tongues, oraccounting it credit to have their good words, or admiring too much the externall things wherewith they areendowed) they think it their advantage, that they may be graced fofarre as tobe their familiars. Againe , how many having no regard ofReligion in their choice of friends and fervants doe bring a neceffity upon themfelves ofdwelling as it were in the tentsofKedar e Howmany like Lot, and thofe that would have kept Hill in Babylon,care not what theneighbourhoodbe, iffobe they may dwell inforce faire and fruitfull fcituatione And it dothteach us that wee muff follow this advice, avoid the wicked, great is the force ofexample, the counfell againft the plague is here the beft, flyquickly farreenough, rectum lateenough, efpeci- allyefchew thefegood natures (aswe call them) when they are per- verted; for as in drinkes, the fweeter they arc , when they turne, they make fomuch the fowrer telifh : So thofe good natures corrupting, prove the mothpeflilent luresofthe devill : Andefpecially theyoung mull take heed; for as corne Browne up isnot hurt, when that which is in the hearbe will eafilybe fmothered. Andwee muff all pray for good refolution, for they areenveigling,their externall parts amiable : the fad ofdeclining ever falfely charged as pride, fingularity,&c. but no childifhfeares muff keepe us from doing the willofGod, nor no prakra.3: Syren-like fongs muffbewitch us fromyeilding obedience ; I know Pfal.uy.o;' noman afiertheflefh. Let us be farre from delighting in any, or the prefenceofanybut the Saints, Allmy delight is in the Saints;and,t am 4 companion to allthat faare thee. VERSE E. VERSE 8. Forye were fometimes darkne/e, bat nowye are light in the Lord, walke as childrenof thelight. Now followeth the reafon which firth doth lay downe their elate, amplified from their former condition. 2. It hath an exhortation annexed. Fiat, toconfider their conditions; then how the reafon flan- dech,
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