First, In ftating the Duty, I muft premife, that our Condition is much different from those Primitive Churches to whom the Apostle then wrote: They lived mingled among Heathens and Infidels, who made up far the more populous Part of all their Cities. Then the Church was in the World, as a little Leaven in a great Quantity of Meal, as our Saviour compares it, Matth. 13.33. But now, fince the Progress and Spreading of the Gospel, the World at least this Part of it) is come into the Church. We live, we converse with few or none but those who are called Brethren, and are all Chriftians, and the People of God, at least by eternal Profeffion and Vocation. And therefore,

In the First Place, As the Primitive Christians might lawfully converse with Heathens in managing their Civil Affairs in Traffick and Commerce, and whatsoever else was for the Neceffity or Convenience of their Subfiftence; the like Converse may we lawfully maintain with ungodly and diffolute Chriftians: For the Reason in this Cafe is the very fame. The Apostle allowed them to company with Heathens, though they were vile and wicked, because most of those among

whom

whom they lived were Heathens; and if this were not granted, there were no living in the World: And therefore, now that we live among none but those that are Chriftians, though the greatest Part of them should be fuppofed to be overgrown with Vice, and notoriously wicked and profane; Swearers, Drunkards, unclean and covetous Perfons; yet we may lawfully converfe with them about the neceffary Concerns of Life: Otherwife, ftill the fame Inconveniencies would prefs us, that we must go out of the World. We may trade and traffick with them, and perform all Offices of Civility and Courtely, that do not either engage us unto, or demonstrate too great a Faniliarity and Inwardness with them. Yea, the very fame Converse which was allowed the Primitive Chriftians with their Heathen Neighbours, may, by the Parity of Reason, in all Circumftances be allowed us with diffolute and disorderly Christians.

Secondly, We are not fo far to withdraw our felves from them as to violate the Bonds of Nature, or those Refpects we owe, according to the Relations in which we ftand towards them. A godly Son nuft not withdraw himself from un

der the Government and Authority of a wicked Father. And thofe who are unequally yoak'd to wicked and diffolute Perfons, muft not therefore affume a Liberty either of relinquishing that Rela. tion, or neglecting the Duties of it, because the other is lewd and licentious, Servants must not therefore reject the Commands of their Masters, and refuse Obedience to them because they are wick ed: For this would put all the World into Confufion, aud rude Diforder. Dominion is not founded in Grace. And it would be a wild. World if Inferiours fhould acknowledge no Superiour, but those who are truly and cordially subjec unto God: If Servants fhould obey no Mafter, but fuch as obey their Master Jefus Chrift: If Yoak-Fellows fhould not acknowledge one another, unless they were myftically and fpiritually married unto Chrift: If Children fhould not be fubject to their Parents, unless their Parents themselves were the Children of God: No; we ought to converse with all Perfons, be they never fo loose and diffolute, according to the Relations in which we ftand unto them: And that also with the greatest Intimacy and Familiarity, and most endeared Friendship that fuch Relations do challenge from us. For the

fame Authority that hath commanded us to withdraw from every Brother that walketh disorderly, hath commanded us likewife to love our Relations. And therefore, though they fhould remain obftinately wicked after all our Endeavours and Perfwafions to reclaim them, we ought not to withdraw either our Persons or our Affections from them.

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Thirdly, We are not to withdraw from any wicked Perfon, if we have great Hopes and ftrong Probabilities of reforming and reducing him by our Converfe. For this is to act the Phylician; and with whom fhould fuch an one be moft frequent, but with the Diseased ? And therefore we find that our Lord Jefus Chrift himself, who by the Apostle is faid to be Jeparate from Sinners, Hebr. 7. 26. was calumniated and traduced upon this very Account, because he kept fo much Company and Society with them and accused by the fupercilious and blind Pharifees (who could not diftinguish between the Leprous and the Phylician) as a Sinner himself, becaufe fo familiar with Sinners : Matth. 11.19. The Son of Man came eating and drinking, i. e, he demeaned himself affably and courteously to all, accommodating himfelf to all their Y 3 lawful

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lawful Actions; and they say, behold a Man gluttonous, and a Wine-bibber, a Friend of Publicans, and Sinners. And fo again, when they were captioufly cenfuring him for eating with Publicans, and Sinners, Matth. 9. 12. he justifies this Action which feemed fo obnoxious to them by the Charity of his Intention; They that be whole need not a Physician, but they that are fick. He was converfant among diseased Perfons, with a Design of healing them, and among wicked Perfons with a Defign of converting and reforming them. And certainly the fame Charity may justify our converfing with fuch: For fhould all ferious and pious Perfons withdraw from them, it would only leave those Difeafes, which are in themselves dan gerous, altogether defperate and incu rable. And it would fare with them, as too often with many poor Wretches in the Plague, who perifh miferably, not fo much from the Malignity of their Disease, as only for Want of Help and Affiftance.

But yet two Cautions are here neceffarily to be observed:

ft. That thou thy felf be very watchful over thine own Heart, and over thine own Actions, when thou art in wicked Company even with a Defign of doing

them