I never expect thy Conversion from sin, unless thou art brought to some self-denial, as to fly the occasions. If thou wilt be nibbling at the bait, and playing on the brink, and tampering and meddling with the share, thy soul will surely be taken. Where God doth expose men in his providence, unavoidably, to temptations, and the occasions are such as we cannot remove, we may expect special assistance in the use of his means. But when we tempt God by running into danger, he will not engage to support us, when we are tempted. And of all temptation, one of the most fatal and pernicious, is evil company. Oh what hopeful beginnings have these often stifled! Oh the souls, the estates, the families, the Towns, that these have ruined! How many a poor sinner hath been enlightened, and convinced, and hath been just ready to give the Devil the slip, and hath even escaped his snare, and yet wicked company have pulled him back at last, and made him sevenfold more the child of Hell. In one word, I have no hopes of thee, except thou wilt snake off thy evil company. Christ speaketh to thee, as to them, in another case. If thou seek me, then let these go their way, Job. ⟨p. 176⟩18. 8. Thy life lies upon it: Forsake these, or else thou canst not live, Prov. 9. 6. Wilt thou be worse than the beast, to run on, when thou seest the Lord with a drawn sword in thy way? Num. 22. 33. Let this sentence be written in Capitals upon thy conscience, A COMPANION OF FOOLS SHALL BE DESTROYED, Pro. 13. 20. The Lord hath spoken it, and who shall reverse it? And wilt thou run upon destruction, when God himself doth forwarn thee? If God do ever change thy heart, it will appear in the change of thy company. Oh fear, and fly this Gulf, by which so many thousand souls have been swallowed into perdition. It will be hard for thee indeed, to make thine escape. Thy Companions will be mocking thee out of thy Religion, and will study to fill thee with prejudices against strictness, as ridiculous and comfortless. They will be flattering thee, and alluring thee; but remember the warnings of the Holy Ghost, My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, come with us: cast in thy lot among us: Walk not thou in the way with them, re•rain thy foot from their path. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For the way of the wicked is as darkness, they know not at what they stumble.
I never expect thy Conversion from sin, unless thou art brought to some self-denial, as to fly the occasions. If thou wilt be nibling at the bait, and playing on the brink, and tampering and medling with the share, thy soul will surely be taken. Where God doth expose men in his providence, unavovidably, to temptations, and the occasions are such as we cannot remove, we may expect special assistance in the use of his means. But when we tempt God by running into danger, he will not engage to support us, when we are tempted. And of all temptation, one of the most fatal and perniclous, is evil company. Oh what hopeful beginnings have these often stisled! Oh the souls, the estates, the families, the Towns, that these have ruined! How many a poor sinner hath been enlightned, and convinced, and hath been just ready to give the Devil the slip, and hath even escaped his snare, and yet wicked company have pull'd him back at last, and made him sevenfold more the child of Hell. In one word, I have no hopes of thee, except thou wilt snake off thy evil company. Christ speaketh to thee, as to them, in another case. If thou seek me, then let these go their way, Iob. ⟨p. 176⟩18. 8. Thy life lies upon it: Forsake these, or else thou canst not live, Prov. 9. 6. Wilt thou be worse than the beast, to run on, when thou seest the Lord with a drawn sword in thy way? Num. 22. 33. Let this sentence be written in Capitals upon thy conscience, A COMPANION OF FOOLS SHALL BE DESTROYED, Pro. 13. 20. The Lord hath spoken it, and who shall reverse it? And wilt thou run upon destruction, when God himself doth forwarn thee? If God do ever change thy heart, it will appear in the change of thy company. Oh fear, and fly this Gulf, by which so many thousand souls have been swallowed into perdition. It will be hard for thee indeed, to make thine escape. Thy Companions will be mocking thee out of thy Religion, and will study to fill thee with prejudices against strictness, as ridiculous and comfortless. They will be flattering thee, and alluring thee; but remember the warnings of the Holy Ghost, My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, come with us: cast in thy lot among us: Walk not thou in the way with them, re•rain thy foot from their path. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For the way of the wicked is as darkness, they know not at what they stumble.
