2. As evil company will quench and cool your affections unto what is good, so they will insensibly infect you with what is evil. You see how it is with Diseases, though a man have an infectious disease yet if I keep at a distance from his Breath, and the like I am not infected therewith; but if I come near him to suck in his breath, then I am infected. So here though evil wicked men are very infectious, yet if Et solent vitia alibi connata in propinqua membra perniciem sua• efflare, sic improborum vitia in eos derivantur, qui cum illis vi• habent consuetudinem. Tertul. advers. Volent. ⟨p. 83⟩keep at a distance, I shall not be infected with them; but if I come so near, as to suck in their breath by keeping them company, then I am infected by them. A little Leaven, saith the Apostle, leaveneth the whole lump. And he speaks of persons, though you think there is but a little leaven or malice in such or such a mans company; yet it is leaven, and a little of that leaven will leaven all the lump. Who would have thought that Alexander should be infected with the fashions of the Persians whom he conquered; yet by conversing with them, he was infected by them, say Histories. Were not the Jews infected with the superstition of Egypt, by their conversing with them? Had not Joseph learned to swear by the life of Pharaoh, by being in his house? Was not Peter infected in the High priests Hall, by his converse with them? Did not Isaiah cry out, Woe is me, for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips? For I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. It may be you think that they shall not infect you with their principles or their practices. But they do insensibly infect. Evil company doth insensibly infect a man with Evil. You see how it is with a white Loaf that is set into the Oven, and doth stand near the brown Bread, it comes out with a black patch on the side thereof. And ye have heard what he said that went thrice to Rome, the first time said he, I saw your fashions and manners; the second time, I learned them; and the third time, I brought them away. So the first time you go into evil company, you see their fashions, and hear their Qui semel it Romam, videre scelestum; qui secundo, cognoscere, qui tertio, in patriam refer. Cluveri Histor. mundi. Epist. p. 687. ⟨p. 84⟩words; the second time ye learn them; and the third time you bring them away.
2. As evil company will quench and cool your affections unto what is good, so they will insensibly infect you with what is evil. You see how it is with Diseases, though a man have an infectious disease yet if I keep at a distance from his Breath, and the like I am not infected therewith; but if I come near him to suck in his breath, then I am infected. So here though evil wicked men are very infectious, yet if Et solent vitia alibi connata in propinqua membra perniciem sua• efflare, sic improborum vitia in eos derivantur, qui cum illis vi• habent consuetudinem. Tertul. advers. Volent. ⟨p. 83⟩keep at a distance, I shall not be infected with them; but if I come so near, as to suck in their breath by keeping them company, then I am infected by them. A little Leaven, saith the Apostle, leaveneth the whole lump. And he speaks of persons, though you think there is but a little leaven or malice in such or such a mans company; yet it is leaven, and a little of that leaven will leaven all the lump. Who would have thought that Alexander should be infected with the fashions of the Persians whom he conquered; yet by conversing with them, he was infected by them, say Histories. Were not the Jews infected with the superstition of Egypt, by their conversing with them? Had not Joseph learned to swear by the life of Pharaoh, by being in his house? Was not Peter infected in the High priests Hall, by his converse with them? Did not Isaiah cry out, Wo is me, for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips? For I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. It may be you think that they shall not infect you with their principles or their practices. But they do insensibly infect. Evil company doth insensibly infect a man with Evil. You see how it is with a white Loaf that is set into the Oven, and doth stand neer the brown Bread, it comes out with a black patch on the side thereof. And ye have heard what he said that went thrice to Rome, the first time said he, I saw your fashions and manners; the second time, I learned them; and the third time, I brought them away. So the first time you go into evil company, you see their fashions, and hear their Qui semel it Romam, videre scelestum; qui secundo, cognoscere, qui tertio, in patriam referre. Cluveri Histor. mundi. Epist. p. 687. ⟨p. 84⟩words; the second time ye learn them; and the third time you bring them away.
