diligent heede is to be taken
of all men / that they do not from ony man or place gett vnto
themselues infecting vices of the minde. Our Nature / and
disposicion through our naturall and birthe syn is now so
corrupt / (as both the holy scripture doth warn vs / and infinite
examples of dayly experience do teache vs) that we neade not to
dowt at all / but that we shall easily receyue the poison / and
infection of other mens synnes / if we do not fle farr from them:
And as with no great labour they will cleaue vnto vs / so after
they be ons crept and roted vnto vs / then hardly and not without
great payn and labor / will they be thrust out agayn.

[[In Ioemm. hom. 56.]]

Wherefor Chrisostom in the afore named place semith to say well.
If (saithe he speaking of the vnbeleauers and wicked) we coulde
make them better / and not hurt our selues / all thinges wer to
be doone: but when we can not profite them / bicause they be
incurable / and such as will not be amended / and yet we hurt
our selues / they ar vtterly to be cutt of. And to the end that
he might the more strongly confirme his saying / he alledgith
that sayinge of Paul:

[[1. Cor. 5.]]

Put awaye the euell from among yowe. Which wordes of Paule ar
not to be vnderstonded of the synne / for the greke word is in
the masculyne gendre / +ton pone:ron+ / and therfor he meanith by
it / the wicked man. The same wordes I will now sumwhat bend /
vse / and turn / vnto the profite of you that be weake / and
thus saye vnto yowe. Put awaye your own selues from the euell men
that ar emongst you: for seing ye ar but priuate men / and
vnlearned / and therfor can not put away the euell from among
you / yet your selues ye may ridd / and conuey awaye from being
emongst the wicked / and the euell men.

Morouer it happeneth that whilest the weake and vnlearned do
thus familiarly accompanie the vnbealeuers / They can not chose
but they must heare many subtill reasons and see many other
thinges which do mutch make against the true religion that they
do profes: Which thinges when they se and be not able to
disproue and confute / They do it not: And so they ronne into two
mischeifs. The furst is / That they ar as it wer witnesses of
the blasphemie / and of the reproche that the vnbeleauers do to
the truthe: the seconde / that they maie happ to haue summe
stinge left sticking in their concience / with which they shalbe
longer / more greuusly and daungerusly tormented / then eit