Known Wolves, we Kuow likewiſe that they are not to be Confided in. But this Wolfe (I muſt Confeſs) with a Lambskin over his Shoulders, might have paſt Muſter for a Goſpeller in Sheeps Cloathing; which would have made it a more Dangerous Impoſture, We are to Gather from hence, that there’s no Truſting to the Fair Words and Appearances of a Falſe, and a Malicious Enemy; for their very Kindneſſes are no better then Snares. Treachery is a kind of a Lay-Hypocriſy, and they are Equally Odious both to God and Man: Over and above the Corruptingg of our Manners, the Hardening of our Hearts; the Diſſolving of all the Bonds of Faith, Confidence and Society, and the Extinguiſhing of Good Nature it ſelf: And all This in our own Defence too.
Fab. CLXXXVI.
Hares, Foxes, and Eagles.
THere goes an Old Story of a Bloudy War betwixt the Hares; and the Eagles; and the Hares would fain have drawn the Foxes into their Alliance, but very Franckly and Civilly, they gave them this Anſwer, That they would ſerve them with all their Hearts, if they did not Perfectly Underſtand both the Hares themſelves, and the Enemy they were to Cope withal.
The Moral.
REFLEXION.
'TIS a Folly, to the Higheſt Degree, for Men to run the Riſque of their Lives and Fortunes, by Entring into Leagues with the Weak, againſt an Adverſary that is Manifeſtly too Strong for them Both. 'Tis Hazzardous to Contract Unequal Friendſhips and Alliances, and there’s an Inequality of Diſpoſition an Humour, as well as of Power. The Falſe are as Dangerous as the Fearful: Only with this Difference, that the One will do a Man Hurt, and the Other can do him no Good. The End of Leagues is Common Aſſiſtance and Defence; And he that joyns Intereſt with thoſe that cannot Help him, ſtands as ſingle as he did before; which deſtroys the End of Common Union; for where there’s no Hope of a Reciprocal-Aid, there can be no Reaſon for a Mutual Obligation: And it is the ſame Thing in Bus'neſs, Councel, and Commerce, that it is in Arms and Force. The Caſe of the Hares and Foxes in a Confederacy againſt the Eagles, is a Common Caſe betwixt Kingdoms and Common-wealths.
Fab.
