affociate, and of choice enter into intimacies SER M. of friendship with them. The general in- XII. clination of mankind determineth them to society, and this natural inclination exerteth itself not only in forming particular affociations, fuch as civil communities larger and leffer, and families, for fpecial ends in life; it engageth us to converfe together for mutual fatisfaction. Thus we find, univerfally, men of all capacities and conditions fhew a defire of converfation, though very different, according to the diverfity of their tastes, occafioned by education, degrees of underftanding, prevailing affections, and outward circumstances. There is none even in the lowest station, and of the weakest understanding, and whofe difpofition to society hath been the least improved, but incline to company of fome fort or other; none of fuch a contemplative genius, or that can best entertain himself in folitude with his own meditations, and even the highest pleafures of felf-reflection and devotion, but that he needeth converfation both for his improvement and pleasure. There is no man fo full of himself, and who hath such a high conceit of his own fufficiency, and contempt of others in comparison with himself, but he will find himself obliged, so ftrong

SERM. ftrong is this propenfity of human nature, XII. to defcend fometimes from his heights of pride and vanity, to a friendly communication with his fellows.

But this general inclination, or instinct I may call it, exerteth itself freely, and, as I obferved before, with a great difference; and it is the agreeableness of character and difpofition which directeth our choice. The fenfual, the men of business, the curious triflers, the learned, and the pious, join with one another, and take pleasure in converfing together. To walk with wife men, then, or with the virtuous and good, is to fingle out perfons of that character, in preference to all others, for our intimate companions.

And, in the next place, it must import the improvement of converfation for the purposes of wisdom. If men of that character, in any inftances depart from it, and converse foolishly, fpending their time in trifling vanity, or much of it in an indifferent manner, about the affairs and innocent amufements of life, as often they do, in so far they do not walk together as wise men, or to the purposes of wisdom; though I do not fay that, in all the cafes mentioned, they act inconfiftently with their general character ;

character; and, no doubt, the stricteft vir- SERM. tue alloweth them, at proper times, to con- XII. verfe together about worldly affairs and lawful recreation; but what I think the text chiefly importeth is, that wisdom and virtue Thould be the principal fubject, and the main defign of their focial communications.

Farther, it follows, that in all our voluntary affociations, even those which are entered into for the purposes of this life, our choice fhould be determined with a regard to virtue, and fuch perfons taken into our company as are wife, fo far as the ties of nature and providential circumftances will allow. A good man may have his lot affigned him by providence among the wicked, and in that cafe it must be his endeavour to preferve his integrity; but he would make it his choice rather to be in a place where he should be lefs expofed to temptations, and where the practice of virtue is not discouraged, but promoted rather, by well-difpofed fociety. A wife man may have domeftic affociates. of a contrary character, as parents or children; but in voluntary relations he should be careful to enquire into the difpofitions of the perfons he joineth with, and his care in this should be proportioned to the intimacies of the friendship to be contracted. Solomon

himfelf

SERM. himself was not wife enough in the affinities XII. he made, by fome of which he was en

fnared and drawn away from the paths of wisdom. His pious father made an excellent refolution, Pfal. ci. 4, 6. A froward heart Shall depart from me, I will not know a wicked perfon. Mine eyes fhall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me. Thus I have endeavoured to fhew you what it is to walk with wife men in the fenfe of this text; I come, in the

Second place, To confider the influence and efficacy of it as a means for our attaining wisdom. It is certain that company hath a great share in forming the tempers and manners of men, experience abundantly demonftrateth it. Any one who is acquainted with the world, and hath made it his bufiness to study mankind, will fee that their way of behaviour, even their likings and averfions, depend in a great measure on the fociety they have been the moft converfant with; and this goeth fo far as to their moral difpofitions; I do not fay neceffarily and univerfally, for there are fome fo obftinately wicked and perverfe, as to defeat the efficacy of the best converfation and example, as well as all other means for reforming them; and

fome

fome rare examples of virtue, who have SER M. made a successful stand against the strongest XII. temptations, and maintained their unfpotted innocence against the infection of the worst company, the prevailing corruption and impiety of the worst times and places wherein they have lived. But, generally speaking, it is not fo; which is fufficient to our purpose, that is, to fhew that walking with wife men is one useful means of acquiring wisdom, and to keep company with fools is the way to be corrupted.

But to explain the nature of this influence more particularly, I think it must be attributed to two causes; firft, a defire to be agreeable to those we familiarly converfe with; and, fecondly, the force of example. First, a defire to be agreeable to those we converse with; and this we find to be very powerful in human nature. Who is there of mankind that doth not love approbation? A great part of our actions are thus only to be accounted for, without any prospect of advantage to ourselves; nay, when we are fure of disadvantage to our private interests, and when the best principles of action are very weak and little regarded, we do a great many things merely to please others, and gain their esteem. Intereft is denied, even VOL. III. X

life