Bridge's remains, being VIII sermons

3. You know and must remember what the Apostle saith, If any one that is called a Brother, does walk inordinately, from such turn away and avoid them. So that though I must keep company with those that fear the Lord, while they stand right; yet if they do not stand right but do walk disorderly, then I am commanded by another Scripture to avoid them for a while, that they may be ashamed. And thus now I have answered to those several Cases of Conscience, and have cleared the Doctrine.

Application.

Now by way of Application, if a good man will keep good company, then what shall we think of those that never kept good company all their days? 20, 30, 40, years old, yet never kept good company. It may be they have kept company with Civil Moral men; but saith David, I am a companion of those that fear thee, and do keep thy Precepts. Or it may be they have sometimes occasionally fallen into good society, ⟨p. 91⟩but they have not chosen the company of such as do fear the Lord, and keep his precepts. Now if a good man will keep go d company, what shall we think of those that never kept good company all their time? Yea, what shall we think of those that have kept, and do keep bad company? Every man is as his company is. The Heathen co•ld say, Noscitur ex comite, ¹&c. he is known by his company that cannot be known by himself. A mans company is a Commentary upon his Life, thereby you may understand a man though he be never so close and mystical. Its recorded of Augustus Caesar, that he came thus to know his Daughters inclinations; for being once at a public show, where much people were present, he observed that the Grave Senators talked with Livia, but loose youngsters, and riotous persons with Julia, whereupon he concluded, that the one w s grave, and the other light and vain. And if ye look into the 50 Psalm, ye shall find that God doth conclude a man to be a wicked man, by his converse, and partaking with those that are wicked, verse 16. But to the wicked (saith God) What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldst take my Covenant in thy mouth? Dost thou come to the ordinance, and dost thou speak of the Covenant of Grace? These do not belong to thee; Why? For thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee: For when thou sawest a Thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with the Adulterers. O what a sad condition therefore are all those in that do keep bad