Images de page
PDF
ePub

lusts. Men who are bent upon walking after their own lusts, are in great danger of becoming scoffers, of getting a habit of laughing and joking about things most awfully serious. Their ignorance and their folly possibly may even be carried so far as to induce them to treat religion itself with contempt, and to say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him; or what profit shall we have if we pray unto him?

The living much with one man of this character is likely to be attended with most hurtful consequences; and the danger is dreadfully increased when such companions are many. The influence of bad example, of course, becomes more powerful and more contagious from numbers. Men in general are easily swayed, by the example of those in whose company they are. In spite, it may be, of the suggestions of reason and common sense, and of the checks of conscience, they weakly suffer themselves to be led away by their associates. They weakly think and say that they must do as others do—that they cannot stand out from the rest-without reflecting on the real nature and certain consequence of such foolish and unmanly conduct. They should rather remember the solemn injunctions of Scripture, Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil. The example of numbers furnishes no excuse for bad conduct, nor will it lessen the punishment of guilt hereafter. When numbers join together for any sinful purpose, the injury is so much the greater to the peace and well-being of society, and may even in this world require to be visited with a punishment proportionably heavy. And in the great day of retribution, the number of the guilty will be no skreen, no safeguard from the awful sentence of condemnation. Though hand join in hand,

[blocks in formation]

the wicked shall not go unpunished. Multitudes that have walked together after the way of their own hearts, in the paths of sin and folly, in the broad and easy way that leads to destruction, will together be condemned to that place of torment, which is appointed for the wicked, and for those people that forget God.

The companion of fools, says the Wise man, shall be destroyed; and no men more deserve to be numbered among fools, than those who act in such manner, as if they said in their hearts there is no God, those, who by the working of wickedness, give evident proof that they are without understanding.

One of the hurtful-the natural-consequences of associating with bad men, which must not be entirely passed over, is the injury which it does, not only to a man's own moral and religious habits, but to his character and reputation in society.

Nobody is insensible to the value of character, to the importance of preserving a fair name and reputation among his neighbours. A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches. A man often depends upon his character, not merely for his comfort and happiness in life, but even for actual subsistence. Consequently, it is generally considered, that wilfully to bring a slur upon a man's reputation, is to do him a cruel injury. Now every one sees, that nothing is more hurtful to a man's character than his associating with bad men. He must expect to be judged of from his companions. And if, in defiance of all danger and of all warnings, he still clings to their society, it is too probable that, together with all other right feelings, he will lose even his regard for his own character, will become hardened and insensible to shame, and be utterly given over to every evil word and work. Were they ashamed, says the Prophet,

[blocks in formation]

when they had committed iniquity; yea, they were not at all ashamed, neither would they blush". The being thus lost to shame, is a sad mark of hardened, incorrigible wickedness. Many a young man, who seemed to be setting out in life with every fair prospect of doing well both here and hereafter, has had all his prospects blasted, and been brought to utter ruin— ruin to his fortune, ruin to his health, ruin to his reputation, RUIN TO HIS SOUL-by unhappily falling into bad company, and then, by not having the resolution-the manliness-to extricate himself from it.

He has formed perhaps an intimacy with some young man of his own age, who has something pleasant and agreeable in his manners and general character, but has no regard for, no sense of, the obligations of religion. By him he is led into the society of other ignorant and thoughtless young men, equally devoid of religious principle. He is probably soon seduced by them into a neglect of all the duties of the Lord's day, and tempted to spend in some idle amusement, the time that ought to be devoted to public worship. Under the same bad influence he accompanies them to the public-house, and joins them in drinking to excess, where he is more and more corrupted by the loose conversation, and by the swearing and profaneness which meet his ears. haps his parents or some other friend, perhaps his spiritual pastor-the minister of the parish in which he lives being aware of and lamenting his danger, may kindly warn and admonish him. But his unprincipled associates encourage him to laugh at all such admonitions, and to treat them with contempt; and the evil pride and obstinacy which are natural to the heart of man are in unison with their suggestions. It is awful to think, that the Holy Spirit being thus resisted and grieved, may at length altogether depart

d Jer. vi. 15.

Per

from him, and leave him to make utter shipwreck of his conscience, utter shipwreck of his soul.

Let me therefore earnestly exhort you, my young friend, to be ever on your guard against the many and great dangers, which arise from keeping bad company. Avoid the first beginnings, the first inlets, of this danger. Never form an intimacy with men of bad character, men who have no regard for religion. In the various transactions, the multiplied business of life, you may occasionally be thrown into the company of such men, but do not willingly, and of choice, enter much into their society. When unavoidably engaged in their company, though you should certainly behave towards them with civility, yet you should be on your guard like a man who feels himself to be in an enemy's country, like a man who knows himself to be surrounded by danger. Remember the warning of St. Paul. I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother-that is a brother Christian-be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat e. Remember too the blessedness which in the first Psalm is spoken of as belonging to him, who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, and hath not sat in the seat of the scornful'. The sitting in the seat of the scornful, the sitting in company with men who scoff at-who make a jest of-serious things, is likely to be attended with most hurtful consequences. The men against whose society I am warning you, may have many pleasant and engaging qualities, in addition to the temptations which they hold forth to your sensual appetites; but let not any of these temptations seduce or entice you to become their associate. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. My

[blocks in formation]

son, walk not thou in the way with them, refrain thy feet from their paths—for their feet run to evil—their feet go down to death-their steps take hold on hell.

If unhappily you have already fallen much into the society of immoral and irreligious men, the sooner you can extricate yourself, the sooner you can break off the connexion, the better. I do not ask you to behave towards them with harshness, with any degree of unkindness, but firmly resolve quietly to avoid their society-society in which you cannot continue without endangering your dearest interests-without peril to your soul. Come out from among them, saith the Scripture, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing", that ye be not partaker of their evil deeds. If you continue in their society, you will hardly help being partaker of their evil deedshardly help being corrupted by their evil communications, their bad example, and consequently will be in danger of being partakers of their punishment. If you wilfully keep company while on earth with the enemies of God and goodness, you will be in danger of being condemned hereafter to live for ever in the wretched society of wicked spirits in hell. It is a most awful consideration, that in the world to come every one of us must be either the companion of devils, or the companion of angels.

Endeavour then, I entreat you, more and more to cultivate the acquaintance, to seek the society, of those who love God, and humbly try to keep his commandments, those who sincerely believe in the Gospel of his Son Jesus Christ, and shew the reality of their faith in the unblameableness and holiness of their life. So, by the help of the divine Spirit, may you become more and more prepared to become hereafter a member of the society of the blessed, the society of an innumerable company of angels, the

[blocks in formation]
« PrécédentContinuer »