?'hat thefriend/hipofwicked worldlings is to becontemned. I7 3 on the one fide we frequent their company, fee their cuill examples, heare their wicked fpeeches and difcourfes, and giue them audience,when as they allureand intice vs vnto línne; and on theother fide are readie to yeeldveto them in all their defires,for feare ofdifpleafing them ; and to like ofall they doe, becaufe wee affe& theirperlons. In regard whereofone faith, that that fricudfbip is very harmefull,which2Coxia Ant is contralledwithmalictoufneffe. For it is the andcouditi- amicitia qua onofthisfriendfbzp, byafimilitude and ltkeneffe ofnature to en- cummalizia contrahuntur, fufewickedneffe into thofe who are inamidewith them. For as &c Bafzl. in pe(lilent places,theaireflealingly andby littleandlittleattrot- Hom.9.daira. lied,dotb infra the bodie ?frith an hidden dinar; fo through wickedacquaintance, we fuck¿ein manifold euils, althoughwe doenot prefent1yperceiue thedifcornmoditie ofit. In which re- fpe& wee are to contemne, yea, to hate this friendfhip of wicked worldlings,asbeing butlike fugar, which inticeth. vs todrinke the poifon offinne ; and the diuels moll preuai- ling orator,inperfwadingvs tonegle& all dulie, and to let: our hearts openforthe entertaining offinne. And thus hauel (hewed the manifoldeuils which come 4,Secd:$. vntovs,through the familiar fociety & friendfhip ofwicked Their obiellion worldlings. Againfl which,ifany Thal obie& their owne ex-- as¡mered,rcho perience,namely, that they haue frequented fuchcompany, fay hey brt by and intertained fuch loue and amitie, and yet fide them- thelrkurt b felues neuer the worfe : to fuch I anfwere, that either they ohthemil '(ed. are fobad alreadie, that they cannot be made muchworfe; orhaue but a while bin lincked in this fellowfhip,and fo the poifon bath not as yethis operation;or iflonger time they haue confortedwith them, and yet feele no ill, it is becaule wickedneffe bath growne on them by degrees, and bath therefore through their negligence bin infenfible, theyha- San? name re- uing rather declinedby little and little,then fuddenly fallen pmtt fst,tr íx into thefemifchiefes. But let not this incourage them, in PGquisinhunc their courle, their cafe herein being common with chofe affetiam ne- whoare deepelyplunged into finne; For there isnotany man quitza nífpra- that is fuddenlyoutraziou!lie wicked,bue commeth to the height ua confuteudint ofthisdiuell:fhhabit, bydegrees, and through a continual)euill Beetna aida oifte te. Great floods doe not fuddenly rifc,but after much clamat.in dropping; Mat., 9.
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