First, though thou hast many acquaintance; yet make not any thy familiar friend, but he that truly *fears God: Such a one, thou never needest to fear. For though you should in some particulars fall out, yet Christian love, the main ground of your friendship, will never fall away; and the fear of God will never suffer him to do thee any villainy. Secondly, do nothing in the sight of a† civil friend, for which thou canst not be safe, unless it be concealed, nor any thing, for which (if just cause be offered) ⟨p. 171⟩thou needest fear him, if he proves thine unjust enemy. If thou hast done any thing amiss, ask God forgiveness, and persuade thy self rather than thy friend, to* keep thine own counsel. For be assured, that what friendship soever is grounded upon any other cause than true Religion; if ever that cause fail, the friendship falleth off: and the rather, because that as God breeds among men, Truth, Peace and Amity, that we should live to do one another good; so the Devil daily soweth falsehood, *discord and enmity, 5to cause (if he can) the dearest friends to devour one another.6
First, though thou hast many acquaintance; yet make not any thy familiar friend, but he that truly *fears God: Such a one, thou never needest to fear. For though you should in some particulars fall out, yet Christian love, the main ground of your friendship, will never fall away; and the fear of God will never suffer him to do thee any villany. Secondly, do nothing in the sight of a† civil friend, for which thou canst not be safe, unless it be concealed, nor any thing, for which (if just cause be offered) ⟨p. 171⟩thou need'st fear him, if he proves thine unjust enemy. If thou hast done any thing amiss, ask God forgiveness, and persuade thy self rather than thy friend, to* keep thine own counsel. For be assured, that what friendship soever is grounded upon any other cause than true Religion; if ever that cause fail, the friendship falleth off: and the rather, because that as God breeds among men, Truth, Peace and Amity, that we should live to do one another good; so the Devil daily soweth falshood, *discord and enmity, 5to cause (if he can) the dearest friends to devour one another.6
- *Vera amicitia tantummodo est inter bonos. Mali nec inter se amici sunt, nec cum bonis.
- †Civilem amicum sic habeas, ut putes posse inimicum fieri.
- *Quod taceri vis, prior ipse taceas.
- *Bellum non est hominum sed (quod verbum sonat) belluarum & cum vitiis non hominibus gerendum.
- 5Eph. 5. 4.
- 6Psal. 15. 3.
