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Secondly, When by reason of common occasions in respect of the affairs of your calling, generally, or in particular, in church, commonwealth, and family, you cannot shun ill company; (1.) Be specially watchful that your conversation be honest, 1 Thess. iv. 12, unblamable and harmless, Phil. ii. 15, 16; Eph. v. 15, 16; even with a dove-like innocency, Matt. x. 16; that by your good example, they may without the word be brought to love the power and sincerity of that true religion which you profess, 1 Peter iii. 1. However, give no advantage to the adversay to speak evil, 1 Tim. v. 14, either of you, or of your religion; but, by a holy life, stop the mouths of ignorant and foolish men, 1 Peter ii. 15; or if they will notwithstanding speak against you, let your holy life shame all that blame your good conversation in Christ Jesus, 1 Peter iii. 16. (2.) Be wise as serpents, Col. iv. 5; Matt. x. 16. Walk cautiously, lest they bring you into temporal evils and inconveniences; but especially lest they infect you with their sin; for a little leaven will quickly leaven the whole lump, 1 Cor. v. 6.

That you may not be infected by that ill company which you cannot avoid, use these preservatives: (1.) Be not high minded, Rom. xi. 20; but fear, lest you do commit the same or the like sin; for you are of the same nature, and are subject to the same, or the like temptations. He that sees his neighbour slip and fall before him, had need to take heed lest he himself fall, 1 Cor. x. 12. (2.) Your soul, like that of righteous Lot, must be vexed daily with seeing and hearing their unlawful deeds, 2 Peter ii. 8, Psa. cxix. 136 - 158. (3.) Raise your heart to a sensible loathing of their sin; yet have compassion on the sinner, Jude 22, 23; and so far as you have opportunity, admonish him as a brother, 2 Thess. iii. 14, 15. (4.) When you see or hear any wickedness, lift up your heart to God, and before him confess it, and disclaim all liking of it, Psa. cxx. 5, 6; pray unto God to keep you from it, and that he would forgive your companion his sin, and give unto him grace to repent of it.

Lastly, Though you may converse with sinful com-