First, That thou prefer those whom God prefers; I mean such as have most grace; Its a sign of a Coward to choose a weak enemy, and its a sign of little grace to choose the weakest Christian friends; He that hath most of Gods heart, deserveth most of thine; I am ready to think, that Peter, James, and John, that had more of Christs love then the rest, had more of his Likeness and Image then the rest. I confess some respect in the choice of a bosom friend, ought to be had to his prudence. Some men (though holy) are indiscreet, and in point of secrets are like Sieves, can keep nothing committed to them, but let all run thorough. A blab of secrets, is a Traitor to society, as one that causeth much dissension. Its good to try ⟨p. 120⟩him whom we intend for a bosom friend, before we trust him;1 As men prove their Vessels with Water, before they fill them with Wine. If we find them leaking, they will be useless as to that purpose; Too many are like the Dead Sea, in which nothing, saith Aristotle, sinks to the bottom, but every thing thrown into it, swims at the top, and is in sight. Nakedness in mind, is as well a blemish, as nakedness in body. Its wonderful folly, which some persons manifest in stripping themselves naked before every one, and unbosoming themselves whoever stands by. Pictures that have no Curtains before them, gather much dust, and so do those minds that are ever open and exposed to every mans view. Others are like the Sea, full of wealth and worth, of great abilities in spiritual things, but there is no coming at it, they are so concealed, that none is ever like to be the better for it. Those golden Mines that are never known, enrich none.
First, That thou prefer those whom God prefers; I mean such as have most grace; Its a sign of a Coward to choose a weak enemy, and its a sign of little grace to choose the weakest Christian friends; He that hath most of Gods heart, deserveth most of thine; I am ready to think, that Peter, Iames, and Iohn, that had more of Christs love then the rest, had more of his Likeness and Image then the rest. I confess some respect in the choice of a bosome friend, ought to be had to his prudence. Some men (though holy) are indiscreet, and in point of secrets are like Sives, can keep nothing committed to them, but let all run thorough. A blab of secrets, is a Traytour to society, as one that causeth much dissention. Its good to try ⟨p. 120⟩him whom we intend for a bosome friend, before we trust him;1 As men prove their Vessels with Water, before they fill them with Wine. If we finde them leaking, they will be useless as to that purpose; Too many are like the Dead Sea, in which nothing, saith Aristotle, sinks to the bottom, but every thing thrown into it, swims at the top, and is in sight. Nakedness in mind, is as well a blemish, as nakedness in body. Its wonderful folly, which some persons manifest in stripping themselves naked before every one, and unbosoming themselves whoever stands by. Pictures that have no Curtains before them, gather much dust, and so do those minds that are ever open and exposed to every mans view. Others are like the Sea, full of wealth and worth, of great abilities in spiritual things, but there is no coming at it, they are so concealed, that none is ever like to be the better for it. Those golden Mines that are never known, enrich none.
- 1Diligentes Agricolae terram prius notulis quibusdam deprehendunt, & explorant, priusquam illi credant sementem. It a explorandus am•cus antequam committas arcanum. Erasmus.
