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at length, wear out all ferious impreffions, than frequenting loose and vicious company? Let me befeech you, therefore, in the words of the apostle Peter, to "beware, left ye alfo, being led away with the ་་ error of the wicked, fall from your own ftedfast"nefs (a)." But frequenting the company of the wicked, is not only apt to weaken, and, at length, eradicate, all ferious impreffions; it has likewife a tendency to ftir up the mind against the power and life of religion. Look abroad into the world, and judge for yourselves. Obferve, for inftance, a good perfon, who has been pioufly educated: No fooner does he frequent bad company, than he begins to look upon prayer, and other religious duties, as unneceffary, and to think his parents too fevere, when they endeavour to make him abandon his finful pursuits. Having now become licentious in his behaviour, and libertine in his opinions, he is ready to think a godly minister too stiff and precife, because he faithfully reproves the lovers of pleafure; and thus, by degrees, he not only lofes all that regard for religion, and the people of God, in which he was brought up, but, at length, walks with confidence in the counfel of the ungodly, and fits in the feat of the fcornful. I do not ask you, whether this be really the cafe or not. The fact is too evident to be denied, too melancholy not to be lamented. Many who have had a religious education, nay, who once difcovered a fober and ferious difpofition, by falling into loofe and profane company, have not only loft all relish for religion and virtue, but feel in themselves a diftaste, and, what indeed would appear incredible, if it were not confirmed by experience, a contempt of every thing ferious and facred. And this will ftill appear with greater evidence, if you confider likewife, that frequenting bad company is a fad inlet to all manner of fin, and often leads men into the practice of the moft fhameful and pernicious vices. "Be not de"ceived," fays the apoftle; " evil communications ❝ corrupt

(a) 2 Pet. iii. 17.

corrupt good manners." There is in all men a natural inclination to vice; and every one acquainted with himself, knows how difficult it is to refift this inward propenfity, even with the affiftance of good: instruction, and virtuous example. How much more difficult then, muft it be to refift it, amidft the infinuating arguments, and enfnaring examples of pro-fane and vicious company! Difficult, did I fay? nay, it is almoft impoffible; for the corruption of our na ture is like tinder, apt to catch fire, and be kindled. by the least spark of temptation. Can a man touch pitch, and not be defiled? Can he walk through the flames, and not be burnt? No more can they who affociate themfelves with the impious workers of iniquity, efcape being hurt by their contagious principles and conduct. How often have we feen men, through the influence of bad company, trifle away their precious time, day after day, in idleness and diffipation! How often have they, by this means, learned to blafpheme the name of God; to profane and pollute the Sabbath; to dishonour parents, and fpeak evil of dignities; to injure their neighbour in his character and perfon; to debauch, to trick, to rob, to steal, to lie, to deceive, and to covet unlawful gain! How many have lamented these things upon a deathbed or a scaffold, and curfed the day that introduced them to the company of thofe, by whofe converfation and example, the foundations of their religion and their morals had been overthrown!

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And now, to you that are the profeffors of religion, and were yesterday at the table of the Lord, I would addrefs myself on this fubject. You have heard what that obedience is which the gofpel requires; and, as communicants, you are under the most folemn obligations to perform it: nay, you have declared in the prefence of the omnifcient JEHOVAH, and even appealed to him as the witness of your fincerity, that you will deny all ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, and live foberly, and righteously, and godly, in this prefent world. Would you then be faithful to God in keeping

keeping his commandments, avoid, as much as half be in your power, all loofe, profane, and licentious company; mix not with their fociety: beware, efpecially, of cultivating an intimate acquaintance with them, "left," as the wife man expreffes it, "you "learn their way, and get a blot to your fouls ?" This is the advice of the Spirit of God to you, and it is inculcated with a peculiar earneftness of expreffion: "Enter not," fays he, " into the path of the "wicked, and go not in the way of evil men: avoid "it, pafs not by it; turn from it, and pafs away (a).” Let me intreat you to confider what an abfurd thing it is; how inconfiftent with your character and profeffion, if, while you pretend to be the friends and difciples of Chrift, you affociate yourselves with his enemies! For, what fellowship hath righteoufnefs with unrighteoufnefs? what communion hath light with darknefs? and what concord hath Chrift with Belial? How indecent is it, nay, what a contradiction, to be feen to-day at the table of the Lord, and to-mor row, among the workers of iniquity! To join, at one time, with the faints, in Chriftian communion, and, at another, with the ungodly, in drinking the intemperate cup, in their wanton fongs, and profane jefts! Are not fuch fhameful hypocrify and falfehood, a reproach and a condemnation? How can you answer it, you carelefs profeffors, to God, to the world, or to your own confciences? You confirm the infidel in his unbelief, you harden the finner in wickedness, and give occafion to the enemies of religion to blafpheme. I charge you, therefore, before God, and the Lord Jefus Chrift, who fhall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing, as you have named the name of Chrift, that you depart from all iniquity. And I intreat you in the most earnest manner, and even, for God's fake, befeech you, that you guard against the infectious company of the wicked and ever fay, with the Pfalmift, in our text, Depart "from me, ye evil-doers; for I will keep the com"mandments of my God."

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(a) Prov. iv. 14, IS.

But perhaps you will fay, What! fhall we be fin gulár and precife? Shall we be pointed out as feparatifts from the way of the world? This will draw upon us the odium and the cenfure of all our acquaintance; nay, it will expofe us to fcorn and ridicule, and may even be prejudicial to our temporal interefts. I acknowledge, indeed, that in things lawful, or at least indifferent, fingularity ought to be avoided. But, in things where your duty to God is concerned, you must neither be afhamed, nor afraid to be fingular. Is fingularity, in this cafe, to be deemed a reproach? Does any man, fuppofe a phyfician, a lawyer, a divine, or a tradefman, reckon it an affront to him, to be pointed out as one of fingular eminence in his own profeffion? And fhall a Chriftian, whofe profeffion is, of all others, the most excellent, think it a difparagement to him, a thing that he needs to be ashamed of, to be remarked and taken notice of by others, as one fingularly eminent in religion? He that can think fo, muft have a mean fpirit, and a vitiated tafte. Remember, that you make it your chief care to please men, you

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cannot be the fervants of Chrift. You must therefore get above the fear of the world, and the fhame of practising strict godliness; and study, above all things, to approve yourselves unto God; for it is by his judgment you must ftand or fall. And if God be for you, who can be against you? On the other hand, if he be against you, who can be for you? or what advantage can you derive from the favour and friendship of men, if he be your enemy?

And now, to conclude, would you be preferved from the enfnaring arts of the wicked, in order to keep the commandments of God ;—

1. Labour to maintain a firm belief of the important truths of religion, and to live always under a lively and affecting impreffion of them. For nothing tends more to corrupt the minds and morals of men, than atheism and infidelity: And, even though you

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have not come the length of disbelieving the principles of religion; yet, if you neglect to confider them, if you fuffer them to lie, as it were, dormant in your minds, and take no care to live under their influence, you will be continually in danger of being made a prey by every vile and worthless feducer.

2. Be always on your guard against the folicitations of fuch as would draw you into bad company: And beware of trufting to the firmnefs of your own virtue, as if you were able to ftand fecure against all the wiles which they may employ to enfnare you. Believe it, it will be dangerous for you to try the experiment; for God may leave you, and then all your good refolutions will be ineffectual.

Laftly, Pray much to God, in the name of Christ, that he, by his grace, may preferve you from the fnares. of the wicked. Make frequent ufe of that petition in the Lord's prayer, "Lead us not into temptation, but "deliver us from evil" For, except you depend upon God, and earnestly implore the affiftance of his. grace, all your caution and watchfulnefs will be in vain.

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