518- Mr. Beerman's Faiewell Sermon, Aug. 17. proofs maydo him any good, if there be, then goon ; if not, draw back, avoid them, fly from them, for their iteps tend" to perdition. By wicked company thole two thiNs have been effeCted. Good men made worbad. d { k-. Ba Good men have been made bad by wicked company, gehofophat that goodKing is anexample of this, who by the companyof wicked Ahab, was 4:trawl). to fight againtt chofe whomGod favoured, and to help Ahab in his wicked encerplife. Bad men nave been madeworfe byevil company : Ahab was made wo le by the infligation of his wicked wife Jezabel. Oh can you bear when you are in their company to hear them blafpherne the holy name of God, and not reprove them. Truly, if you can, it is a fign you are not fo good as you fhould be. Sixth!y, my fixth Caution is this : Oh have a care of having the least finger on your hand againa a Saint, it is dangerous to have a t)ought,word or aa againtt the people of God,it is dangerous to have a thought amiffe of them (Pfe.1.62.3.)They imaginemirchief againft man (that is, againfl a Saint ) therefore they ihall Ili be flan, for their bare imagination they (hall be cut off. It is dangerous to freak againii them, Howdurfi thou faithGod to Miram) to f elik againfl. my fervant Mops ; and immediately he fmote her with leprotieas white as. Snow ; It is dangerous to a& againil them, and it is forbi.iden by God ( Pfa. t o 5. 5.) Touch not my annointed nor do my Prophets no harm. Perhaps you would fay you would nof`do them any harm, if you thought they were cods People. Oh but take heed let} they prove Gods People, and then it were better for you, if a mililone , were hung about your neck and you cat} into the Sea, than to offend the leaf} of them. Seventhly, Let me befeech you all to take heed ofcomplyin g with this finful World, whoever doth, do ttOt you ; but take up tbar good refolution of 3-ofloods, Asfor me andmy Houfe,we willferve the Lord. Though all elfe forfake God, yet will not I, yet let not us, I befeech you (faith he) that you world not conform yourMyer to the fathions and manners of this wicked world. Oh take hed of conforming your felves to the Gonverfation of this world, but walk barmleffe, and thine as lights in the mid(' of a crooked, and perverfe generation, if r will comply with the world, I mean to be as moil of the world are, that is temporizers, time-fervors, preferring the pleafing of a man, before the pleatingof God, then we mull lye in wickednefs, as all the wild cloth (t john 2. o.) for all that is in the world is either the bstof the PP>
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=