A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties

§. Sect. 4 Of the choice of our company at our meals.

§. Sect. 4 Of the choyce of our company at our meales.

The last duty in our eating and drinking respecteth the choice of our company: for if we be of ability, it were to be wished, that we would follow ¹Jobs practice, who would not eat his morsels alone, making to this end choice of fit company to consort with us. Neither is it commendable in a Christian to keep open house for all comers, and so to make it worse then a common Inn, a cage of unclean birds, and a place of all mis-rule and disorder, which was the hospitality of able men in the days of ignorance, who are more to be praised for their bounty and zeal to house-keeping, then for their piety and prudence. But seeing our guests must be our companions for the time, of which there ought to be made great choice; therefore besides those whom bonds of society, kindred, trading and commerce, and such like respects; and those that resort unto us as strangers, or by some casual and extraordinary accidents; we are in our common course, as near as we can, to make choice of such only, as are known unto us (at least in the judgement of charity) to be virtuous and religious; and ⟨p. 293⟩among these, such especially as are most fit for our spiritual trading, either to make us more rich in knowledge, faith, obedience, and all spiritual graces, or at least to be enriched of us. By which kind of meetings we might receive singular comfort and benefit, seeing this good society and kind familiarity between Christians, is a notable bond of love, and an excellent and effectual means for the mutual stirring up of Gods graces in one another, and for their strengthening & encouraging unto every good duty. In which respect it were much to be desired, that that ancient custom in the Primitive Church, of love-feasts among Christians, were more in use in these ²