Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

?'hat the friend /hip ofwicked worldlings is to be contemned. 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 allure and intice vs vnto línne; and on theother fide are readie to yeeld veto them in all their defires,for feare ofdifpleafing them ; and to like ofall they doe, becaufe wee affe& their perlons. In regard whereofone faith, that that fricudfbip is very harmefull,which 2Coxia Ant is contralled withmalictoufneffe. For it is the and couditi- amicitia qua on ofthis friendfbzp, by afimilitude and ltkeneffe ofnature to en- cum malizia contrahuntur, fufe wickedneffe into thofe who are in amide with them. For as &c Bafzl. in pe(lilent places,the aireflealingly and by little and little at trot- Hom.9.daira. lied,dotb infra the bodie ?frith an hidden dinar; fo through wicked acquaintance, we fuck¿ein manifold euils, although we doe not prefent1y perceiue the difcornmoditie of it. In which re- fpe& wee are to contemne, yea, to hate this friendfhip of wicked worldlings,asbeing butlike fugar, which inticeth. vs to drinke the poifon offinne ; and the diuels moll preuai- ling orator,inperfwading vs to negle& all dulie, and to let: our hearts open for the entertaining offinne. And thus hauel (hewed the manifold euils which come 4,Secd:$. vnto vs,through the familiar fociety & friendfhip of wicked Their obiellion worldlings. Againfl which,ifany Thal obie& their owne ex-- as ¡mered,rcho perience,namely, that they haue frequented fuch company, fay hey brt b y and intertained fuch loue and amitie, and yet fide them- thelrk urt b felues neuer the worfe : to fuch I anfwere, that either they ohthe mil '(ed. are fo bad alreadie, that they cannot be made much worfe; or haue but a while bin lincked in this fellowfhip,and fo the poifon bath not as yethis operation;or iflonger time they haue conforted with them, and yet feele no ill, it is becaule wickedneffe bath growne on them by degrees, and bath therefore through their negligence bin infenfible, they ha- 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- who are deepely plunged into finne; For there is not any man quitza níf pra- that is fuddenly outraziou! lie wicked,bue commeth to the height ua confuteudint of this diuell:fh habit, by degrees, and through a continual)euill Beetna ai da oifte te. Great floods doe not fuddenly rifc,but after much clamat.in dropping; Mat., 9.