Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

272 That the friendfbip ofwickdworldlingsit to be contemned, 4,Sta,6. Yea,thefe worldly friends do not onlybecome in time of Worldlyfriends aduerfitie,as vnprofitable as f rangers,but alto as hurtfull as in time ofad- enemies,their kindneffe and lotie degenerating into malice nerjisieoften- and hatred:and this the former authoralfoobfcrued. There times enemiesome issome friend faith he, that tnrneth to emnitie,andtaketh part Eccld.6,9, .igainft thee,and in contention he will declare rhyiZ'ume. And in another place:There ss fome companioe,which in profperitie re- Cap.37.4, ioyceth with his friend, but in the time of trouble he se again'? him. Of which the Prophet Dauid hauing experience,com- pl aineth, Myfamiliarfriend(faith he) *horn I treed, which Pfal.4t.9. did eats of my bread,hath left zip his heele agate me. So that in this world! friendship the prouerb truelie taketh place; Too much friendship maketh way for hatred ; yea 'in truth 4miiitianx there is no emnity fo dangerous, as that whichhath t foun- mia faeitodq dation vpon the ruines of loue ; and as in nature,the purefl loam. fubflance is turned into the tnoft loathfomecorruption; fo the hottefiloue,which bath no other groundbut carnallre- fpeéìs,degenerates oftentimes into the mofl deadly hatred, and hurtfull entnitie. For being priuie to all theirfriends fe- crets and counfels,and well acquainted with their flateand condition,they are the more enabled thereby to doe them the greater mifchie.fe when their loue is turned to fpite and malice. Euen as a traitor is much more dangerous then a profeffed enemie,and a fugitiue fouldiermoreperniciousin time ofwarre,then he that affaulteth with open violence.To ,3nimitef vi- which purpofe one faith : that an enemy may be"banned, but tartpeteJt,ami_ P P }' % cus non poteft a friendcannot,ifhe meaneth to be treacherous ; and we may ea- fi in fdiare ve. filie take bead of hem, vnto whom 'lote he net committed our lzt, &t.Amb, counfelr, but it is farce peible to pressent his mifchiefes, to ofñc.lib.3, whom we haue entru/lcd.them. eáp' 3' But as thisworldly friendship is very dangerous and hurt- Worldly full to our outward efiate when it breaketh off;fo it is much .tpippr ci, more perniciousto our foules, and fpirituall eflatc whilefl it 'PPe nituut p s P toourfoules. lafleth and continueth; as being one ofthe moil forcible meanes which either Satan.or theworld hath.to poison and corrupt vs with finne ; and one of the moil pearcing ar- rowes in al.their quiuer oftentations,wherewith they inTh& deepe and incurable wounds intó our confciences : while(à examples,