Generadireflimsfor a 11.....r4..,. Tim.3.g. him ? What Chriflian inhis right' min& fpiritually, having any feareofGod in his heart,life in his foule,or tenderneffe in his confcience,wil delightfully thrufl himfelfe into thecome pany of (wearers, drunkards, (corners, filthy talkers, pro- phaneiefters, orany fellowes of fuch infamous ranke ? efpe cially fith the foule is a thonfand times more capable of the contagion of finne, then the body of any infeEtiousdifeafe The hurt which the Chriflian doth take in this regard, is mofi from meerely civil' men, as fuch as onely profeff:. in forme ; who being more tolerable and plaufible compani- ons and yet difacquainted with the great Myfiery of God- unfeafoned with the power of inward fanaification, andunpradifed in the wayes of fincerity, doe fecretly and infenfibly infufe, if not a notorious infeaion with Come fcan- dalous finne ; yet many timesa fearefulldefection from zeale, forwardneffe , and fervency in the wayes and Cervices of God. Throw a blazing fire-brand into the Snow, or raine, and its brightneffe and heate will bee quickly put out and quenched : let aChriflian but for a while abandon his holy conference,and comfortable communion withGodschildren, and plungehimfelfe into the companyof thole whoare but cold and careleffe, lazy and luke-warme Profeffors ; and hee shall in very Ilion time finde his zeale tobe very much coo- led, his forwardneffe abated,the tenderneffe of his confcience too much qualified withworldly wife-dome; much dulnefre ofheart, deadneffe of fpirit, drowzineffe, and heartlefneffe in his affeaions to holy things, and an univerfall decay of his graces infenfibly togrowupon him. In this refpe& many Chriflians doe themfelves much wrong, and afflia their conies with many unneceffary fpiri- tuall miferies. For they doe lometimes unadvifedly, by re - fon of kindred; for old acquaintance, advantage, andcarnall contentment, becaufeof the worldly wifedome, immunity from groffe fronts, and other good partsof the parties, hold a too neerc, intimate, and delightful! correspondence with fuch as arebut onely civil( men, or Pharifes at thebeft, with whom fpending mofi of their time, and they wanting both heart
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