General!direr<áions fora him What Chriftian in his right mind fpiritually, having any feareofGod inhis heart,life inhis foule, or tendernefle in his confcience,will delightfully thruft himfelfe into the com- pany of fwearers, drunkards , fcorners, filthy talkers, pro- phane jefters, orany feilowesoffuch infamous ranke ? efpe- cially fish the foule is a thoufand times more capable of the contagion offinne, then the bodyofany infeó iousdifeafe. a Tim. q s The hurt whichthe Chriftian cloth 'take in this regard, is molt frommeerely civili men, as fuch as onely profeffe in forme; who being more tolerable and plaufible compani- ons, and yetdifaquainted with the great Myftery of God- linefÏe, unfeafonedwith the powerof inward faniificatiorç andunpraóifed in thewaies of finceritie, doe fecretly and infenfibly infufe, ifnot anotorious infeaionwith fome fcan. dalous finne; yet many times a fearefull defaóionfrom zeale, forwardneffe , and fervencie in the waies and fervices of ,God. Throw a blazing fire-brand into the Snow, or raine, and its brightneífe and heate will bee quickly put out and quenched : let a Chriftian but for awhile abanfionhis holy conference,and comfortable communionwich Gods children, and plunge himfelfeinto the companyof thofe who arebut coldand careleffe, lazy and luke-warme Profeffors; and hee (hall in very íhort time find his zeale to bee very much coo- led, his forwardneffeabated, thetenderneífeofhis confcience too much qualified with worldly wifedome; much dulneffe ofheart, deadneffeof fpirit, drowzinefle, and heartlefneffe in his affect ions to holy things, and an univerfall decay of his graces infenfibly to growuponhim. In this refpea many Chriftians doe thernfelves much wrong, and afflia theirfoules with many unneceíläry fpiri- tuall miferies. For they doefometimes unadvífedly, by rea- fonofkindred, for old acquaintance-advantage, and carnali contentment, becaufe ofthe worldlywifedome, immunitie fromgrolle fines, and other good parts of the parties, hold a tooneere, intimate, and delightful! eorrefpondence with fuchas are butonely civill men, or Pharifes at the belt, with whom fpendingmoll oftheir time, and they wanting both heart
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