The plain mans path-way to heaven

Theol. The Spirit of God foreseeing the great danger of this, and ⟨p. 327⟩knowing how ready we are to be carried away with ill company, doth give us most earnest warning to take heed of it as a most dangerous thing.¹ Enter not (saith he) in the way of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, go not by it, turn from it, and pass by. The reason hereof is yielded in another place, where it is said,² A companion of fools shall be made worse. Let men therefore take heed of ill company, for many thereby have been brought to the gallows, and have confessed upon the ladder, that ill company hath brought them unto it, and therefore have admonished all by their example to take heed and beware of lewd company. Moreover the Scripture saith, He that followeth vain companions shall be filled with poverty. ³And again in the same chapter, He that keepeth company with banqueters shameth his father. Let us therefore say with David, ⁴I am a companion of all them that fear God, and keep his commandments. And on the contrary let us say with him,⁵ I have not haunted with vain persons, neither kept company with the d•ssemblers. I hate the assembly of the evil, and have not accompanied with the wicked. Let us therefore by Davids example shun the company of the wicked: for as a man ⟨p. 328⟩is, so is his company. It is the surest note to discern a man by. For as all unlike things are unsociable, so all like things are sociable. Herein let us beware we deceive not our selves with vain words, and an opinion of our own strength, as if we were as strong as Christ, and could not be drawn away with any company. No, no, we are more apt to be drawn than to draw; to be drawn to evil by others, then to draw others to good: therefore God saith by his Prophet,