Content Hast thou God for thy God Christ for thy Saviour the Holy Spirit for thy Comforter and yet not Content Nay doth God Christ and the Holy Spirit dwell with thee and yet not Content Hast thou received True Godlinesses glorious Retinue into thy house to abide with thee to enrich thee strengthen thee to comfort thee and make thy life sweet to thee and yet not Content Are thy sins pradon'd thy soul justified hast thou Union and Communion with the Father and Son and yet not Content Is thy Name writ in the Book of Life shalt thou dwell with God and Christ for ever is Heaven thy Inheritance art thou an Heir of a Crown and Kingdom that fadeth not away and yet not Content Nay let me tell thee all these things and many more are absolutely thine with Contentment Come are thou willing to possess them to make them thy own and to enjoy them for ever yea or no if thou wouldst be sure of them then get Contentment to dwell with thee for Godliness with Contentment is great gain 1 Tim. 6.6 It doth not say Godliness without Contentment but with Contentment 'T is this glorious Prince it appears who puts thee into the sure possession of all true happiness and yet not Content Thirdly Ponder saith Consideration upon the excellency of Contentment for a Saint never looks like himself acts like himself acts like a person of such Rank and Quality a person who hath received so many glorious and excellent Graces and Priviledges but when in all conditions he is therewith contented Fourthly Ponder saith Consideration upon the Evils of Discontent Oh what dishonour doth it bring unto God! what reproach to True Godliness and what great wrong to thy own Soul Fifthly 'T is below thy Christian Relation saith Consideration to be discontent It was the Speech of Jonadab to Amon why art thou being a King's Son lean from day to day But that was as one observes for a wicked Cause he saw his Spirit was troubled for otherwise he was fat enough 'T is below thy Relation to God who is thy Portion thy Shield thy Sanctuary thy Father David thought it no small matter to be a Son-in-Law to an Earthly King and art thou the King's Son of Heaven and Earth and yet not content 'T is beâ—ow thy relation to Jesus Christ What art thou the Spouse of Christ a Member of Christ the Brother and Friend of Christ an Heir with Christ and yet not content 'T is below thy relation to the holy Ghost Is he thy Comforter Guide Witness Strength and art not content 't is below thy relation to the holy Angels who are thy Guard thy Attendance thy Friends thy Watchmen Hast thou Millions of those glorious Spirits to minister to thee to fight for thee keep thee in all thy wayes and yet not content 'T is below thy relation to the Saints and heavenly family Art thou brought home then to sit down with them to partake of all the sacred priviledges of God's House with them and to have a share in all their prayers and yet not content 'T is below the high and sovereign dignity thou art raised to Art thou born from above a Prince a Favourite of Heaven an Heir of both Worlds and yet not content Sixthly 'T is below those Graces Divine helps and endowments thou hast received Art thou in the Covenant of Grace Has God tyed and bound himself by promises and holy Oath to help thee uphold thee and keep thee from falling and yet not Content Is thy Eternal Estate secur'd art thou made sure of Heaven and yet discontented Lastly Consider all thy affictions troubles and sorrows are nothing in comparison of what other Saints have met with nay to those Jesus Christ met with himself for thy sake and art not content besides are they not less than thy sins deserve and yet not content nay and all those hard things thou meetest with God will cause to work for thy good and yet not content all the bitter things thou art ever like to meet with will be in this World nothing but sweet hereafter and yet not content all thy troubles will be soon gone they are but for a moment besides they are intermixt with much sweet and yet not content nay and all thy sorrows will be turned into joy and all tears will be wip'd off from thine eyes and yet not content No sooner had Consideration laid all these things and many others of like nature before him but lo to his eternal joy Contentment came in and was immediately gloriously welcomed by Godlinesses heavenly Retinue yea it cannot be imagined what rejoycing now there was in poor Thoughtful's house it would do also ones heart good to see how the scattered powers of the enemy were forced to fly into holes Apollyon himself was fain to pull in his horn Despond was vanquished cursed Disquiet and Murmur could find no more place in his house O this to him was the day of dayes Upon this perceiving Glorious Content with Triumph was entred into his house to dwell with the rest of True Godliness's heavenly Retinue and that there was now nothing wanting to make his life life comfortable here and happy hereafter he fell a singing of sweet Hymns of Praise and Thanksgiving to God A sweet Hymn of Praise 1. True Godliness is come to me And with him also lo I see His glorious Train who will attend My precious soul unto the End No day like this hath ever bin Content with Triumphs enter'd in 2. I love thee and admire thee too What Work remains thou'lt help me do My chiefest business it is done Possess the house which thou hast won The fruits of Conquest now begin Content with Triumphs enter'd in 3. What 's this don 't boast what can it be Remains there still an enemy Have I o'er come all deadly foes And shall this Old-man me oppose The fruits of Conquest now begin Content with Triumphs enter'd in 4. I shall I 'm sure be rid of thee And then how happy shall I be When Godliness in me doth reign Alone with his most glorious Train And not a foe dares once appear O then what Triumphs shall I hear 5. Can man on Earth more happy be I Peace possess I Glory see God and Christ with me do dwell I 'm sure of Heaven sav'd from Hell The fruits of Conquest now begin Content with Triumphs enter'd in FINIS BOOKS Printed for and are to be Sold by John Dunton at the Black Raven in the Poultrey over against the Stocks-Market London Note Those Books that are mark'd with a Hand are lately Printed Folio A General Martyrology containing a Collection of all the greatest Persecutions which have befaln the Church of Christ from the Creation to our present Times wherein is given an exact Account of the Protestants Sufferings in Queen Maries Reign whereunto is added the Lives of 32 English Divines famous in their Generations for Learning and Piety and most of them
to me are unholy quarrelsome given to strife debate and contention falling out with their Neighbours making causeless disturbance in the Town Place or House where they dwell I do this day disown them and indeed I fear 't is they who have in part exposed me to reproach and contempt in these evil dayes I am accused also with Sedition and Faction and for being the chief ring-leader of Sects c. But I may well say with my old friend St. Paul who was accused by Tertullus in like sort being called a pestelent Fellow and a mover of Sedition c. Acts 24.5 I am clear from this evil Charge neither can they prove this Accusation against me I have been travelling up and down in most parts of the earth for almost six thousand years and 't is strange were I really guilty that none should come forth and prove it against me Therefore know ye that the Doctrine I True Godliness the Off-spring of Jehovah the darling of Heaven do and ever did teach upon this account is this viz. That Husbands ought to love their Wives Wives to obey their Husbands Children to honour their Parents and Parents to carry it wisely towards their Children and to bring them up in the fear and nurture of the Lord. Servants to obey their Masters and Masters to carry it well towards their Servants and Neighbours to live in love one with another and Subjects to obey their Prince Did I not ever teach this Doctrine viz. That all Men ought to be subject to Principalities to obey Magistrates and to be ready to every good work Tit. 3.1 And if Christians at any time are by their Superiors required to do such things that they conceive are contrary to the Word and Will of God then I bid them patiently to suffer and not to resist but to learn of my blessed Master who when he was reviled reviled not again and when he suffered he threatned not But palpable 't is if men are bound to submit to their Superiors in all things in Divine matters whatsoever then the Apostles were faulty who in spiritual things cry'd out Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken to you rather than God judg ye Besides this would cause Persecution for ever to cease and charge all the Martyrs in every Age of the World not only with disobedience but also with folly and then also it would follow whatsoever Religion in any Nation the chief Magistrate thereof does set up must be subjected to which sure no wise man will say ought to be done therefore I am for rendring to Caesar the things which are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods Mark 12.17 But these things are not the whole cause of my Lamentation but there are many other reasons Alas I am not only abused and laid under reproach and infamy by my open enemies but also basely slighted by many of those who pretend love and respect to me most indeed now a dayes do but complement me they speak me fair to my face but their hearts are not with me Was there ever more Godliness professed and less practised and more without doors and less within Did ever Pride Covetousness Vain-glory Self-love Slavish-fear Carnality and Luke warmness attend any People who called themselves Christians Saints and Members of Christ as in these days There are some who profess love to me that I am ashamed of they do me more wrong than the open profane I may cry alas and call long enough upon many in these dayes nay beg as it were upon my bare knees to be entertained by them and all in vain for they will not mind me nor take me in I meet indeed with nothing but feigned promises from the most of people I will open to you Sir I intend to let you in I am resolved to embrace you hereafter c. And thus I am put off and slighted from day to day O How long have I waited at the doors of some of these deceived Souls even till they are grown old and all to no purpose for I have seen death often seize and carry them away before I could get into their houses that so I might save them from Hell where now 't is to be feared they are O with what unkind dealings do I meet withal Is it not sad that Vice and Vngodliness should be by many so countenanced and I hated resisted and contemned in every place almost by every body for Riches contemns me Poverty dislikes me Youth derides me Old Age will not know me Legalist miscalls me and Formality playes the hypocrite with me and the Babylonians seek to take away my life I have a multitude of enemies and but a few friends But in the midst of my Lamentation the thoughts of those glorious promises of God concerning what he hath said of me in the latter dayes does revive my heart for though I have few to plead my cause or to clear my innocency and am like to be run down by Apollyon and his spurious Off-spring Lust and Vngodliness yet I see my day is a coming when sin shall be ashamed and iniquity stop her mouth Psal 107.42 When the Holy of the Lord shall be esteemed honourable and it shall be a reproach to be wicked Though I am now slighted I shall then be prized Jehovah will make my Glory to shine forth In the midst of all Nations and my Children shall flourish in every place and in that day none shall dare to open their ungodly mouths against me nor shall I need to travel up and down to seek for entertainment For the knowledg of the Glory of the Lord shall cover the Earth as the Waters do the Sea In that day there shall be upon the Bells of the Horses Holiness unto the Lord and the Pots in the Lords House shall be like the Bowls before the Altar Yea every Pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be Holiness unto the Lord of Host and all they that Sacrifice shall come and take of them and seeth therein and in that day there shall be no more a Canaanite in the House of the Lord of Hosts Zach. 14.20.21 Nay and this also adds to my joy in the midst of my sorrow this longed-for-day is near and hastens greatly 't is but a little while and there will be a great alteration in the World the Angel who enlightens the Earth with his Glory will suddenly cry Babylon the Great is fallen is fallen Rev. 18.13 2. CHAP. VIII Shewing how True Godliness after this Travelled towards the City Jerusalem near to which was a small Village called Religion in which dwelt one Mr. Legalist at whose Door he knocked shewing the Cause also why he did not entertain him GOdliness having hitherto happily escaped with his Life thought it now full time to leave those Parts where he had Travelled up and down a great while and suffered many hardships being generally baseâ—y slighted and contemned by all wheresoever he came and
most rich and glorious Presents of the choicest things of Heaven the worth of which is infinite or beyond computation But since I perceive he is come to a certain Town where one Riches dwells and is now at his Door let us see what Entertainment he meets with at this place Now Godliness knock'd very hard and often before any within would give an Answer Riches being full of business for either he was telling of his money or casting up his Accounts to see what his Neighbours owed him or else consulting new Projects to encrease his store for I perceive he is a person never satisfied besides the Times being very perillous his mind was filled with perplexing and vexatious thoughts how to save and keep what he had already gotten so that he had no leasure nor time to listen to the continual knocking of True Godliness at his Door insomuch that Godliness was forced to stay there a long time and that which grieved this High-born Prince most of all was this viz. he perceived that no sooner than some other Guests came to his Door who were persons much interiour as to Birth and Quality to him and indeed not worthy of the least regard and not having business of that great weight and moment with him as Godliness had yet he opened his Door immediately to them but before this Renowned Hero and Darling of Heaven could get in Riches had so many base and ill-bred Servants in his House that they clapp'd to the Door so that he could not get so much as one foot in Now the Guests he so readily opened unto were as I take them these following viz. The Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life These be took much delight in kept company with continually sometimes they had him to the Tavern sometimes to the Play-Houses and sometimes to recreate him at Bowls Cards and Dice and with divers other Sensual Sports and Pleasures but at last it so fell out that he was taken very sick and Godliness still waiting at his Door it happened at this time one was in his House who forced him to listen to this earnest and continual knocking his name was Mr. Fearful he is one that Riches doth not at all love but when sickness comes he is grievously troubled with him and he made him at this season to cry out who is there who is at my Door Godly I am here and have a long time waited at your Door Riches What is your Name Godly My name is True Godliness one that you have a little reason to slight neglect and contemn as you have done for there is none you stand more in need of nor can you do that good as I can and will do you if you please but to open your Door and let me in Riches Sir I am troubled I have not minded you all this while for I have a great reverence and respect for Godliness God forbid I should keep you out any longer Upon this the whole House was in an uproar for he had as I told you before divers loose ill-bred or rather Hell-bred Servants all bitter Enemies to True Godliness their Names were Presumption Pride Vnbelief Ignorance Malice Vain-hope and Covetousness c. These and several other base companions of like quality whom he had brought up and a long time cherished in his House seemed mightily concerned that the least heed or attention should be given to True Godliness they also enquired who was the cause of it at last they understood it was Mr. Fearful they then presently joyned together to fall upon Fearful and turn him out of the House Presumption struck the first blow and spake also to this purpose Presump Are not you a base Fellow thus to disturb my Master as to cause him in the least to doubt of the strength of his strong and impregnable fortification wherein he hath placed his long confidence and now to force him to incline to open unto True Godliness who is our utter Eemy Is he not an honest man what can you charge him with What cause or ground is there for this disturbance Hath he not done much good in the Parish where he lives and given many a piece of Bread at his Door I warrant you it will go well with him Fearful what do you say Fearf Truly Sir I seeing him very sick thought he might die Presumpt Thou Fool what and if he should did not Jesus Christ die for sinners God is merciful and will forgive men their sins at any time even at the very last hour if they do but call upon him Besides Fearful are you mad to give way much more to force him to encline to open to True Godliness for if once he is let into the House you will be immediately turned out and hardly if ever have one Meals-meat more nor the least countenance Fearf Truly Presumption the fault was not principally mine I was partly forced to do what I did Presumpt Forced by whom who forced you Fearf 'T was the Steward of the House who keeps the Records or an Accompt of all that is done whose name is Conscience he finding much guilt lying upon him through his cruelty hard-heartedness and debauched life stirred me up to what I have done nay Conscience told him he had been such a vile and graceless wretch that if he died he would go immediately to Hell therefore you cannot blame me for disquieting of him Pride Hearken to me a little Is it not my Masters below such a brave and Heroick Spirit that alwaies attends Riches to be troubled about sin or to give way to a bawlling Conscience and this ill-bred fellow Fearful I hate the thoughts of it this is the way to bring him to reproach and shame amongst his Neighbours and to make great men to laugh at him and contemn him who have been his companions My great Prince Lucifer sent me into his service and I will not betray my trust ever to give way that this unwelcom and hateful Traveller true Godliness should be let in who would beguile my Prince of his right Vnbelief Alas Sirs there is no danger I agree with my Friend and dearest Brother Presumption that hss condition is good enough let Conscience say what he will for if there be a Hell for I much question it yet he will go should he die I will assure you to Heaven Ignorance What a stir is here if our Master was poor and had not so many Bags of Gold and Silver there might be some ground for this base Fellow Fearful to disquiet him But I can give as good counsel as any of you Do you not know if he does but send for a Romish Priest with a good piece of Money he may have a full pardon for all his sins for there are many they say just now come over fresh out of the Mint from his Holiness this being done if he should die he will I will warrant you be
you should chance to call at my Door when I am Old I may then possibly see cause to Entertain you nay Sir I promise you I will then open my Doors to you Godli Alas Sir present Promises to open hereafter to God and True Godliness seldom ever ends in real performance He who promised to go and work in his Masters Vineyard went not such who put me off with promises to become Godly hereafter 't is evident do purpose to be wicked for the present besides do you know you shall live to be Old Or if you should that God will send me then to knock at your Door Nay and let me tell you if I should then visit you I fear it will be to no purpose because Sir you ripen apace already in Wickedness and Sin is of an hardening Nature evil Habits are not easily changed the * Blackamore may as soon change his skin or the Leopard his spots as you may learn to do well and open to me when you have been a long time accustomed to do evil Therefore open to me now Youth Sir you will raise my Spirits anon if you leave not off your Canting the sooner you are a Gentleman I am sure few or none cares for Have any of the Rulers and Nobles of the Nations embraced you I mean strict Godliness Why do you not see if they will entertain you Godliness Nay pray be not offended with me I seek your profit I will do you no wrong you shall not lose any thing by me if you will let me have a Lodging with you though possibly you may lose something for my sake but if you do I will repay you again an hundred fold in this World and in the World to come you shall have Life Everlasting And what though not many Mighty and not many Noble ones do love me or will entertain me 'T is not because I do not deserve esteem from them but because they are incensed against me by the Devil and are so in love with Vice my Mortal Enemy Sir I am abused and rendred very odious by wicked men as if I were a factious restless and sediteous Fellow and this is one Reason why I am so slighted and contemned Youth I and to speak the truth I cannot believe but you are the cause of all the present Discord Animosities and Confusions that are amongst us for since you came into this Countrey what Disputes Contentions and Distractions hath there been when sweet Popery was generally received in this Land it was not thus Godliness I and my Children ever I must confess were thus censured and falsely accused though never so stigmatized as now of late Jerusalem of Old was called a Rebellious and bad City because I dwelt in it and my Enemies said of Old Time Sedition had been there and that it was a great Enemy to Kings and Governments But it is no marvel I am thus abused considering my Lord and Master himself was loaded with like Calumnies being accused with Sedition and called an Enemy to Caesar likewise But let not this discourage you from receiving me into your House for all these things are utterly contrary to my Nature and abhorred by me and all my good Friends and therefore pray let me come in Youth It will not be for my Honour I shall be derided and scoffed at should I do it and be looked upon as a dangerous person Therefore pray be gone from my Door Godliness What if you lose the Honour of this World I will raise you to far greater For Honour and Riches are with me yea durable Riches and Righteousness They that receive me and serve Christ God will Honour Youth Pray let me alone till another time until I am a little older Godliness Sir my Master commands you to remember him now in the daies of your Youth and to remember him is to embrace me And let me tell you to reject me is Rebellion against him who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords shall not what he requires you to do be done Youth I have other business at present of greater Concern than to attend on such a Guest take an answer therefore and be gone Godliness Nay do not mistake your self for to attend upon me and to lead a Godly Life is business of the greatest Concernment in the World Were you not made and sent hither on purpose to serve and honour your Creator and not to live like a Bruit to satisfie your Lust and serve the Devil as heretofore you have done and if you do persist in these Courses be sure you will perish in Hell at last for evermore Upon this the Young Gallant was in a great Rage and swore Damn him he would be revenged on him and on all his Friends and never endure True Godliness more Nay and presently all his Companions and Attendants who were in his House mentioned before stirred him up to fall upon Godliness immediately and force him away Pride swelled like a Toad Vain-glory vaunted himself and both bid him disdain the very motion Godliness had made Time-server and Please-friends bid him mind what was the All-a-mode of the Times and do as other Young Gallants did Scornful looked with Contempt upon True Godliness Toss-pot had the Young Man away to the Tavern and Gamester after he came there set him to play at Cards Dice c. Love-lust enticed him to a Whore-house Scoffer and Scornful loll'd out their Tongues at Godliness jearing and deriding him shamefully Nay and not only so but also made base Songs of him crying Hie Boyes up go we And Hate-good commanded them all to fall upon him and rid him out of the World and had it not been for fear of some Neighbours who though they were but Moral People he had doubtless been utterly trod down under their Feet But Blessed be God he escaped this time also and got away leaving the poor Debauched Youth to himself to gratifie his own Sensual and Luxurious Appetite O how perverse is Flesh and Blood in whom All Vice abounds and Blossoms from the Womb What God commands Youth is adverse unto But what Hell bids O that 't is that he 'll do The Rich the Poor with Youth I do espy Act in their Parts in Life's short Tragedy But are they Men or Beasts See view them well Souls they have but what in them does dwell You may perceive if you do cast your Eyes On what they choose and love and what despise CHAP. VI. Shewing how Godliness came to knock at the Door of one Old-Age as also the cause and Reasons why he refused to entertain him GOdliness being rejected both by Riches Poverty and Youth resolved to see whether he might not be entertained by a cerain decripped and feeble person called Old-age concluding within himself that 't was very probable his dear Friend Consideration whom he had a long time sought for might lodg in his
will help you to be holy and not to depend upon it to be righteous but not to trust in it I will lead you to say In the Lord have I righteousness and that he is made unto us of God righteousness c. I tell you plainly I cannot speak peace to you but if I come into you you must turn out of your house those helpless and unprofitable servants you have got Legal What Servants would you have me turn out Godli Why you must turn Moses out Do you not read he was not to abide in the house for ever Mr. Missbelief and Good Opinion and Self-righteousness you must turn out Nay in a word you must also remove your Dwelling further off from Mount Sinai for look about you be gone quickly for I see dreadful Flashes of Lightning the Mountain seems to be all on fire and heark don 't you hear it Thunder Legalist God is angry with you Sir there is no seeing of his face but through a Mediator Legalist What must I turn holy Moses out of doors Godli I Sir that you must don't you remember that those who said they were Moses's Disciples cast out the poor blind man that received my dear Master 'T is not Moses nor Elias but Jesus only that must dwell with you Nay and you must cast out Blind Zeal Ignorance and Legal Heart too for these are dangerous Fellows and in their room I will place True Zeal Right Faith Broken Heart and Good Vnderstanding Nay Sir and let me tell you if you do not and that quickly expel these out of your Tabernacle you will be undone and perish in your sins for notwithstanding your great hopes of Heaven they will soon thrust you down to Hell for Publicans and Harlots go into Heaven before you Upon this he began to be very angry and gave True Godliness hard words calling him Libertine and Antinomian one that True Godliness does as little love as he Moreover Mr. Legalist told him that he was sure that he whom he had already received into his house was True Godliness and saieth he you are but an Impostor and in a great rage bid him be gone from his door Upon this Godliness perceiving Mr. Legalist was so wedded to his own Opinion that there was no hopes of getting entertainment in his House he left him and travelled a little further into the Town being told one Mr. Formalist lived not far off whereupon he resolved to go directly to his House Sad case most Noble Prince what travel still From place to place and yet is there none will Thee embrace what not in such a Town Doth Legalist thus basely tread thee down Nay of all men I see there 's cause to fear He never will Blest Prince to thee adhear What slighted by Professor and Prophane Where 's then the man who will thee entertain Some men are blind and therefore perish do And those who think they see these perish too CHAP. IX Shewing how Godliness came to one Mr. Formalist's Door who bid him very welcome but he suspecting his Integrity and that he harboured divers grand Enemies of his particularly one Hypocrisie refused to go in also How Hypocrisie came to be discovered wherein you have his Character or a clear and compendious Discription of him shewing likewise how Mr. Formalist at last refused to entertain True Godliness GOdliness being as I told you informed that there was another great Professor living in this Village or Town of Religion he tought it was convenient for him to see whether he might not get a Lodging in his House because he was a man whom all the Neighbourhood said had a great Love to True Godliness nay many verily thought he had for a long time taken up his Lodging with him and wondered when they heard him ask for his House for by that means they perceived he was a stranger to him but it was a considerable time before he could find where he dwelt For it appeared he was called by another Name viz. Devotion but at last coming by one man's door and by another he heard a man at Prayer and he spoke so loud that all who walked along the Street with much ease might hear him he then presently concluded it was very probable he might dwell there and to his door he came and knock'd as he us'd to do and was soon heard Formal Who 's there Godli My Name Sir is True Godliness Formal True Godliness Pray Sir come in there is none in all the World I love more dearly the best Room in all my house is at your Service pray where have you been and what News do you hear Are the Imperialists and Turks yet come to engage how goes things in the World How doth it fare with our poor Protestant Brethren in France What News from Scotland when will the Times be better I hear the Penal Laws are prosecuted severely against Dissenters Many such Questions he asked and professed abundance of Respect to True Godliness and as you heard bid him come in but never went about to open the door Godliness was grieved to find him so full of words but more especially because he took up his time and troubled his head so much to enquire after News nay and that too when he should open to True Godliness and just upon ending his Devotion for it appears he had newly done Prayer yet nevertheless Godliness very coolly answered him to this purpose Godli Sir As to your first Question I answer being willing to inform you where I have been I have wandred about from place to place to seek entertainment I mean a fit and convenient Lodging for a little time for it will not be long e'er I have done travelling but I am fallen into such an evil and perilous time that scarcely any body will shew me the favour as to take me in and make me welcome Riches Poverty Youth and Old-age have all refused me and shut their doors most basely upon me and since I came into these parts and particularly to your Town where every one concluded I should be most kindly embraced the very first man I came to hath denied me entertainment nay and not only so but also called me at his pleasure Formal What man 's that for God's sake Godli Friend don't take God's Name in vain I cannot bear it but to answer your Question the man is called Legalist Formal O Sir there is not a man in all this Town more haughty proud and conceited than he he concludes I warrant you that he hath Godliness enough already he makes in truth the whole of Religion to consist in Principles of Morality I have heard him say that if a man do lead or square his Life but as near as he can according to the Law of the Ten Commandments not being guilty of gross Sins or wilfully breaks any Precepts of the Two Tables he shall be saved Now he never considers all the while the necessity of Faith and Regeneration and
not being like to find Entertainment any where since Riches and Poverty both had refused to receive him yet he was resolved to pursue his Journey not being without hopes of finding his dear Friend at last called Consideration whom he sought for and coming into a famous City where one Youth dwelt could not tell but he might meet with him at his House calling to mind what kindness Young Joseph Moses Samuel David Obadiah Josias John and Timothy of Old and many others had shewed him and therefore came boldly to his Door and desired Entertainment Now it appears this Youngster was a great Gallant but though he had been brought up to Learning and lived in a place where the Gospel was powerfully preached yet was very ignorant as touching the best things though very complisant And after Godliness had in a grave and sober manner desired a Lodging with him he asked him what he was as also his Name Godli Sir I am a Person of Noble Descent being nearly Allâ—ed to a great and mighty Prince and my Name is True Godliness being by him sent to Travel hither to commend his Soveraign Grace and Clemency unto the Inhabitants of thâ— City and I have also brought along with me as Tokens of his Eternal Favour and good Will to such who will receive me very rich Presents and I shall bestow them on you if you will be pleased to Entertain me Youth Your most Humble Servant I must confess I have read and heard much of you but why do you choose to take up your lodging in my House there being many Grave and Ancient Gentlemen near I know not but you seem to be one whose Company would better suit Men of Riper Years Godli Sir my Master gave me orders to commend his Princely Grace and Favour unto you if your Name is Youth besides he hath chosen your House for my Lodging above others nay and he hath made more Blessed Promises upon your kind and loving Reception of me than he hath to any besides in the World Have you not read that Word I love them that love me and they that seek me early shall find me And that Word Seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all other things shall be added unto you Matth. 6. 33. Youth As for those other things I need them not I have enough of the World Godli Aye Sir but you want my Masters Righteousness and also a part in his Kingdom and those are some of those Glorious Commodities I have to bestow upon you if you will Entertain me Youth Aye there it is I perceive I must Entertain you if I would have them but I tell you plainly your Company does not suit with my Age why should you force your self upon me Godliness Why would you have a part in the Righteousness of Christ and in his Kingdom and not receive True Godliness No Sir that will never be you must believe in him and lead a Godly Life or you will have no Lot nor Part in this Matter He that believeth not shall be Damned Mark 16.16 Youth Pray Sir do not trouble me you are going to preach Godliness 'T is sad you should think I trouble you because I desire you to let me have a Lodging with you Yoâ—th Sir you will spoil all my pleasure and sensual delights if I entertain you I know your Manners well enough You will cause me also to turn out of my House my familiar Friends and Consorts that rejoyce my heart in these youthful daies of mine Now those he called his Friends were these following Pride Wanton Vain-glory Love-lust Ambition Gay-clothes Toss-pot Gamester Please-friend Time-server Scornful Hate-good and Scoffer Godliness Young man believe me those pleasures and delights which your heart is so much set upon are bruitish and very hateful to God and do also debase your noble Soul which is of a sublime Extraction Nay furthermore hear what wise Solomon saith Rejoice O Young-man in the daies of thy Youth and walk in the waies of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes May be you will say O this is brave I but after the flash of Lightning comes a clap of Thunder enough to make you quake But know that for all these things God will bring thee to Judgment Your sweet Meat young man is like to have sowr Sauce you will pay dear at last for all your sensual pleasures and vanities Youth But for all your haste wise Solomon made trial of all the delights of the Children of men before he condemned them and so will I too as far as I can Godliness 'T is true Solomon did so and doth he not by the sad experience he had of them tell you all was vanity and vexation of Spirit Come Sir you had better believe the Poyson in the Cup is deadly than to taste of it Youth Sir pray speak no more I have not sowed all my Wild Oats yet let me alone Godliness Wild Oats indeed Come let me perswade you to sow no more of them for 't is but sowing to the Flesh and he that soweth to the Flesh shall of the Flesh reap Corruption You had better far to sow to the Spirit And now I will tell you what a kind of Crop you will have at Harvest by sowing that cursed Seed which you call Wild Oats unless by Repentance you pluck them all up again Youth Why Sir what a Crop shall I reap Godliness You are like in the first place to reap here in this World a Crop of loathsome Diseases for Drunkenness Rioting and Whoring doth commonly produce that Secondly you will reap a Crop of Infamy and Reproach for sin is the shame of any People or particular Soul and it will be much if you reap not a Crop of Want and Beggary too in the end Thirdly You will reap a Crop of horrible and unsupportable Guilt by which means your Conscience will torment and lash you after such a sort that you will not be able to endure it unless you go on in these ungodly courses so long until he is feared with a hot Iron and then you will reap a Crop of a hard obdurate and impenitent Heart Fourthly You will reap a full Crop of all manner of foul and detestable Filth and Pollution yea such Corruption that will cause God to loath your Soul Fifthly You will reap also a Crop of all the fearful Plagues and Curses that are in the Book of God pronounced against wicked and ungodly Sinners Sixthly and lastly At the great and terrible day of Judgment you will reap a full Crop of Gods eternal Wrath and Vengeance a Crop of brinish though fruitless Tears Groans and endless Torments in Hell fire Now if you like to gather in at Harvest such Crops as these go on and sow your Wild Oats plentifully Youth Sir I intend to sow other Seed hereafter I desire only liberty for the Flesh in these my Youthful daies If