Reader,1 If thine end be good in desiring Companions, thou wilt be wholly frustrated in it, unless thou art wise in thy choice. Canst thou think that he can love thee sincerely,2 who is Hypocritical in his love to his own soul? Jonathan was a true friend, and loved David as his own soul. So tis said of Basil and Nazianzen, Anima una inclusa, in duobus corporibus; A wicked man quickly love thee as his own soul, but not ⟨p. 108⟩in Jonathans sense; He loved David as his own soul, according to a renewed and spiritual light, as one that saw the worth of his soul, and his eye affected his heart; but a wicked man hath no love to his own soul in this sense; he loveth (or rather seemeth to love it, by carking and caring to please and pamper it, for indeed he hateth) his dying flesh, but he careth not at all for his everliving spirit, mindeth not whether it sink or swim for ever; Now is it likely that he should be a faithful friend to thee, to direct thee in thy doubts, reprove thee for thy faults, who is such a cruel enemy to himself; Such a one may scare Birds, but he will never secure a Christian; As the Dolphin in a calm Sea, he is never from the sides of the Ship; but if a tempest arise, he is gone; He may indeed shroud his private aims under the cloak of friendship, 3but this the very Moralist will tell thee, non est amicitia, sed mercatura, is only to make a trade and merchandise of one another. There may be fire in the Pan, when there is none in the Barrel of the piece; there may be a profession of love in his words, but there is no love in his heart. I cannot more fitly compare such a mans friendship,4 then to some plants in Rivers, which have broad leaves at the top of the water, but scarce any root at all. He may make a great show of love, and tell thee, you shall never know what I will do for you (and then he speaks true) but his high building hath no bases, his great profession hath no root, and therefore is rotten.
Reader,1 If thine end be good in desiring Companions, thou wilt be wholly frustrated in it, unless thou art wise in thy choice. Canst thou think that he can love thee sincerely,2 who is Hypocritical in his love to his own soul? Ionathan was a true friend, and loved David as his own soul. So tis said of Basil and Nazianzen, Anima una inclusa, in duobus corporibus; A wicked man quickly love thee as his own soul, but not ⟨p. 108⟩in Ionathans sense; He loved David as his own soul, according to a renewed and spiritual light, as one that saw the worth of his soul, and his eye affected his heart; but a wicked man hath no love to his own soul in this sense; he loveth (or rather seemeth to love it, by carking and caring to please and pamper it, for indeed he hateth) his dying flesh, but he careth not at all for his everliving spirit, mindeth not whether it sink or swim for ever; Now is it likely that he should be a faithfull friend to thee, to direct thee in thy doubts, reprove thee for thy faults, who is such a cruel enemy to himself; Such a one may scare Birds, but he will never secure a Christian; As the Dolphin in a calm Sea, he is never from the sides of the Ship; but if a tempest arise, he is gone; He may indeed shroud his private aims under the cloak of friendship, 3but this the very Moralist will tell thee, non est amicitia, sed mercatura, is onely to make a trade and merchandise of one another. There may be fire in the Pan, when there is none in the Barrel of the piece; there may be a profession of love in his words, but there is no love in his heart. I cannot more fitly compare such a mans friendship,4 then to some plants in Rivers, which have broad leaves at the top of the water, but scarce any root at all. He may make a great shew of love, and tell thee, you shall never know what I will do for you (and then he speaks true) but his high building hath no bases, his great profession hath no root, and therefore is rotten.
- 1Inter dispares mores firma, non potest esse amicitia. Aug. de Am•citia. cap. 14.
- 2Omnium societatum, nulla praestantior est, nulla firmior est, quam cum viri beni moribus similies sunt familiaritate conjunct•. Sen. Epist. 11.
- 3Sen. Epist. 9.
- 4Amicus est qui amat, & redamatur, Arist. lib. 2. Rhet.
