A Good Man would not Willingly lye under any Obligation to a Person of
a Lewd Character and Conversation; for beside the Danger he Incurs, it
would not be for his Credit neither, where Presents are Scandals, and
rather Snares than Benefits. ’Tis a kind of Incumbrance upon the freedom
of a Generous Mind, to be in debt to an Ill Man, even upon any Score
whatsoever, that does but carry the face of Good Will, or Respect; for
’tis a Debt that a Man’s both Asham’d and Weary of, ’till ’tis paid
off. He lives uneasily under the Burden of it, and Consequently, it is
the Debt of All Others that ought first to be Answer’d. And there’s no
Cancelling the Bonds of Honor and Justice. Kindnesses are to be paid _in
specie_, as well as Money. That is to say, there must be Affection in
the Return, as well as Justice. Now as there can be No True Friendship
betwixt a Good Man and a Wicked Man, there should be no Intercourse
betwixt them that looks like Friendship, and therefore the Less Commerce
the Better. As _Jupiter_, we see, would have Nothing to do with the
_Serpent_.