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a the Example of my Friend, whofe Integrity I know, and the Efteem and Affection I have for him is apt t to beget in me a value for every thing he approves, and inclines me to be pleas'd with what he does. But thefe Arguments are too many and too copious to be dwelt on, I content my felf therefore only to have -mention'd them, and will lay before you but this one fingle Confideration: A good Life in a Companion is certainly a mighty Motive and Encouragement to us; for while we behold our Friends difcharging the parts of good Chriftians, we fee in them not only what we ought to do, but what we may do. Whatever is poffible to them, is poffible to us too; for they are clad with the fame I Frailties and Paffions, expos'd to the fame Temptations, and have no other Affiftances than what we have, or may have. In them we have plain Demonstration of the Truth and Power of Religion; We can no longer imagine that Faith is a meer Speculation or Amusement, or Vertue a meer Pretence or Name; Un

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der thefe Convictions we fhall either come to a Refolution our felves to do our Duty, or fhall fuffer the daily Repoaches of our own Minds. This is the natural Influence of Example; it Instructs, it Reproves, Exhorts, and if it doth not Prevail, it Condemns. Thus St. Paul, Heb. 12.1. Wherefore being compass'd about with fuch a cloud of Witneffes, let us lay afide every weight, and the Sin that does fo eafily befet us. And let us run with patience the race that is fet before us. Where the Apostle plainly teaches, that if the Faith and Patience of Martyrs and Confeffors, do not move us to imitate their Vertues, they will certainly ferve to upbraid and condemn us at the laft Day; and certainly the Examples of the Living, and those our Familiars and Friends, cannot but have as much Force and Power in them, as those of the Dead: Nay, much more for the Reasons I have already suggested. Will not our own Hearts be apt to reafon thus with us, on every Refletion we make on the Vertues of our Friend; What am I doing? Can he and I go

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to the fame place at laft? he pursues a Crown by Works of Faith, and shall I obtain it by the Works of Darkness? he feeks a Heaven by the labour of Love, and the patience of Hope; and fhall I gain it by Sloth and Idleness, by Senfuality and Loofuefs? he mortifies the Body while I indulge it; he prays and contends, and paffes his Life in holy fear, while I am careless and unconcerned about a future ftate. His Conduct is regular, his Difcourfe heavenly, the bent of his Soul is towards that which is good; but how little do I mind these things? How hard is it for me not to let him fee that I am wholly fet upon the Pleasures and Profits of this World? What do I mean? am I indeed in the right, and he in the wrong? is Religion indeed but a well devifed Fable? Alas! I fee the contrary. I fee that there is Truth and Reafon on his fide; I cannot but reverence him, and think him happy; I cannot but own that he follows his Reason, I my Luft and Fancy. How uneafie these kind of Soliloquies must be, and how naturally they will end, either in reforming our Follies, or

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in breaking off and quitting a Converfation which gives us fo much trouble, you cannot but fee.

I have done with the Influence of good Company, I am next to consider that of bad. This Subject, after what I have in general faid, does not require long infifting on. Daily Experience is too plain, too fad a proof of this Truth, That Sin is catching and Infectious: That Human Nature is fo prone to Evil, that it needs very little Temptation or Incouragement to it: That ill Principles and Practifes are foon propagated; and if they find any Countenance and Approbation from those we converfe with, they will easily bear down all the Oppofition which the Modefty of a Civil Education, the weak Impreflions of Reputation or Decency, or the Checks of Natural Reason can raise against them; nay, Holiness it felf, unless well grown, and deeply rooted, can scarcely refift the Contagion which ill Company fpreads. Can a Man (faith Solomon). take fire into his Bofom, and his Cloaths not be burnt? Prov. 6. 27. And evil Communication (faith St. Paul) corrupts good

good Manners, 1 Cor. 15. but we shall CA be more fenfible of the pernicious Effects of ill Company, if we confider these two or three Things.

1. Sin is the Cement of the Friendfhips and Intimacies of Sinners; Vice is the Subject of their Conversation, and fome Senfuality or other, makes up the Diverfion and Entertainment of fuch Company. And how can it be otherwife? Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth Speaketh, Matth 12.32. What can the Mouth utter but Sin and Folly, when the Heart is full of Wantonnefs, Luft, Pride, Envy, Ambition, Sottishnefs, or Vanity? what but polluted Streams can flow from a polluted Fountain? what but Evil can an Evil Man bring forth out of the evil Treafure of the Heart? Matth. 12. 35. how hard is it then even for a good Man to maintain the Charity and Dignity of his Mind, where Cenfures and Slanders, malicious Wit or Trifling and Impertinence, make up the Converfation? How hard is it, even for fuch a one to preferve the Purity and Sobriety of his Mind? where Riot and Luxury is the Business they

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