Evil Company
From
Thomas Watson's exposition of Shorter Catechism
A London-based Presbyterian,
Thomas
Watson
(1620-1686) was a
learned and highly popular preacher and writer, especially renowned for his
gift of extemporaneous prayer. His exposition of
the Westminster Assembly's Shorter Catechism is still highly prized and is an
excellent introduction to Puritan teaching.
If you
would not miss the kingdom of heaven, take heed of evil company. There is a
necessary commerce with men in buying and selling, or, as the apostle says, we
must go out of the world, but do not voluntarily choose the company of the
wicked. 1 Corinthians 5:10. 'I have written unto you not to keep company.' 1
Corinthians 5:11. Do not incorporate into the society of the wicked, or be too
much familiar with them. The wicked are God-haters; and 'Shouldest thou love
them that hate the Lord?' 2 Chronicles 19:2. A Christian is bound, by virtue
of his oath of allegiance to God in baptism, not to have intimate converse
with such as are God's sworn enemies: it is a thing of bad report. What do
Christ's doves among birds of prey? What do virgins among harlots? The company
of the wicked is very defiling, it is like going among them that have the
plague. 'They were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.' Psalm
106:35. If you mingle bright armour with rusty, the bright armour will not
brighten the rusty, but the rusty armour will spoil the bright. Such as have
had religious education, and have some inclinations to good, by mixing with
the wicked, are apt to receive hurt. The bad will sooner corrupt the good,
than the good will convert the bad. Pharaoh taught Joseph to swear, but Joseph
did not teach Pharaoh to pray. There is a strange attractive power in ill
company to corrupt and poison the best dispositions; they damp good
affections. Throw a fire-ball into the snow, and it is soon quenched. Among
the wicked, the heart of zealous affections is lost. By holding familiar
correspondence with the wicked, they will dissuade us from strict godliness,
and debar us our liberty and pleasure. 'This sect is everywhere spoken
against.' Acts 28:22.
Hereupon
he, who before looked towards heaven, begins to be discouraged, and
gradually declines from goodness. There steals upon him a dislike of his
former religious course of life; he thinks he was righteous over much,
stricter than needed. There is instilled into his heart a secret delight of
evil. He begins to like foolish scurrilous discourse; he can hear religion
spoken against, and be silent, nay, well pleased; he loves vanity, and makes
sport of sin. He is by degrees so metamorphosed, and made like the company
he converses with, that he now grows into disgust and hatred of his former
sober ways. He is ill-affected towards good men, transformed into scoffing
Ishmael, a breathing devil; and becomes at last as much the child of hell as
any of that graceless damned crew he conversed with. And what is the end of
all? A blot in the name, a moth in the estate, a worm in the conscience. Oh,
if you would not miss the kingdom of heaven, beware of evil company! Bad
company is the bane and poison of the youth of this age. Such as were once
soberly inclined, by coming among the profane, grow familiar, till at last
they keep one another company in hell.
Reference
The Lord's
Prayer by Thomas Watson.
Published by The Banner of Truth Trust, 1982.
pp119-120.
