Luft, Pride, Envy, Ambition, Sot-Vol.II. tifhness, or Vanity? what but polluted Streams can flow from a polluted Fountain? what but Evil can an Evil Man bring forth out of the evil TreaSure of the Heart? Matth. 12. 35. how hard is it then even for a good Man to maintain the Charity and Dignity of his Mind, where Cenfures and Slanders, malicious Wit or Trifling and Impertinence make up the Conversation? how hard is it, even for such a one, to preserve the Purity and Sobriety of his Mind? where Riot and Luxury is the Business they meet about ; where Pride and Oftentation of Life is the only thing admired; and nothing has any favour in it, that is wife or good, devout or humble and if a virtuous Person can in fuch Company scarce keep his Ground, how eafily are those borne away by the Stream, who are of themselves but too prone to Evil, and too fond of Temptation.

2. Ill Company does naturally inftill and propagate vicious Principles, worldly Maxims, fenfual, carnal Improvements: Here we are furnished with Objections against God and Providence, with Excufes and Apollogies

for

Vol. II. for Sin; here we learn to ridicule Religion and Conscience, and dispute our felves out of all Senfe and Duty. "Tis of this fort of Communication St. Paul speaks, when he faith, That it corrupts good manners. And at this day, thofe Errors which fret like a Canker and confume every thing that is wise and ferious in us, have multiplied fo beyond measure, that they are no longer the enclosure of fome few Pretenders to Freedom and Reason, but the foolishest and meaneft, as well as the most vicious part of Mankind are deeply ting'd with them.

"

3. Ill Company creates Confidence in Sin; a custom of talking unconcernedly and loosely, does naturally make way for carelesness and liberty in our Actions; and if we repeat either often, we fhall foon grow bold and stupid in Sin; for if we neglec to make any Reflection upon our Words or Actions, we shall be insenfibly betrayed into a hardness of Heart, or if (what is worse) we be driven by the Reproaches of our Conscience upon Reflection to take Sanctuary in the Cheats and Impostures, whether Vulgar or more Refin'd, which

Sinners

Sinners are wont to put upon them. Vol. II. felves, we fhall foon fink into Prophaneness and Atheism. Having thus unfolded to you the Truth of the firft Propofition, and fhew'd you that Men become fuch as their Company, I am next to proceed to the

2. That Happiness is the Fruit of Wifdom, and Mifery of Folly. Men may flatter themselves as they please, and delude themselves with vain words; they may call the Proud and Rich happy; they may admire the prosperous Sinner, and in a fenflefs fit applaud themselves in their vicious Pleasures ; but they must bid defiance, not only to Revelation, but even Reason and Experience too, e're they can promife themselves a true and lasting Satisfaction in any thing but Virtue. Revelation tells us plainly, that godliness, and that only, has the promises of the life that now is, and of that which is to come, 1 Tim. 2. 8. That if we fowe to the flesh, we shall of the flesh reap corruption; but if through the Spirit we mortifie the deeds of the body, we shall live, Gal. 6. 8. That we must all appear before the Judgment feat of Chrift, that we may re

Vol. II. ceive according to what we have done in the body, whether it be good or evil, 2 Cor. 5. 10. and both Reafon and Experience, as well as Revelation, tells us, that fin is fruitless and dishonourable, Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had je then in those things whereof you are now afbamed. That there is no peace to the wicked: That they are like a troubled Sea when it cannot reft, continually throwing up its own mire and dirt, Ifa. 57. 20. That the Miseries and Calamities of Life spring from Sin; that Sin blasts our Enjoyments and Poffeffions; that it gives fting and edge to all our Miseries and Misfortunes: for if we did not dote upon the Body and the World, the Evils of Life could not wound us fo deeply. In a word, Revelation, Reason, Experience affure us, that Righteousness fills the Mind with Peace and Joy; that Sin tortures it, with contradictions and unreasonable Paffions, with the Guilt and the Terrours of the Lord; and what think we must be the refult of both in another World? In the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God, Rom. 8. 5. Muft the nature of things be alter'd that the Sinner may be

fav'd? müft Religion be an Imposture, Vol. II. that Madness and Folly may prove Wisdom ? muft Reafon be a meer Amusement, that Luft and Fancy may be infallibleGuides ? muft the Judgment of another World contradict all our Sense and Experience in this? that little Raillery and Sophiftry of the Loose and Vicious part of Mankind, may prove the only thing that has Solidity and Weight in it? These are Things too abfurd and ridiculous to be fancied. I will enlarge no longer on a truth which is controverted by none, except the Prophane and Atheistical, but will on to the third thing proposed.

3. To give you fome Advice for jour better Conduct, as to Society or keeping Company. This may be reduced to three Heads.

1. We must be very cautious what Com-
pany we keep.

2. We must endeavour to make the best
use of it.

3. We must be fully perfuaded that the due government of our felves in this point, is a matter of the highest mo

ment.

H

1. As