But he is
gone, as I said; let him go, the loss is no man's but his own; he
has saved us the trouble of going from him; for he continuing (as
I suppose he will do) as he is, he would have been but a blot in our
company: besides, the apostle says, "From such withdraw thyself."
FAITH. But I am glad we had this little discourse with him; it
may happen that he will think of it again: however, I have dealt
plainly with him, and so am clear of his blood, if he perisheth.
{207} CHR. You did well to talk so plainly to him as you did;
there is but little of this faithful dealing with men now-a-days,
and that makes religion to stink so in the nostrils of many, as it
doth; for they are these talkative fools whose religion is only in
word, and are debauched and vain in their conversation, that (being
so much admitted into the fellowship of the godly) do puzzle the
world, blemish Christianity, and grieve the sincere. I wish that
all men would deal with such as you have done: then should they
either be made more conformable to religion, or the company of
saints would be too hot for them. Then did Faithful say,
How Talkative at first lifts up his plumes!
How bravely doth he speak! How he presumes
To drive down all before him! But so soon
As Faithful talks of heart-work, like the moon
That's past the full, into the wane he goes.
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