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
Arms and spend their daies in Tears and Weeping hearken not to him for he will certainly infuse sad thoughts into your Mind and give you nothing but Gall and Vinegar to drink 2. He said moreover Consideration had made many men go besides themselves and if he did adhere to him about this Affair he would be distracted 3. He insinuated also that if he did seriously muse upon this Matter or give place to Consideration so that Godliness came to be let in he would be undone and utterly ruin'd the Times were such Worldly Cares proved as great an Enemy to Consideration as any of them for he could not seriously muse or think upon Eternity or the present condition his poor Soul was in he was so hurried in his Mind about the affairs of this Life nay no sooner at any season that he set himself to ruminate or ponder them in his mind but Worldly Cares would expel and drive such thoughts away Old Companions and Carnal Company did greatly abuse Consideration by endeavouring to make him out of love with a virtuous Life These labour'd to fawn him into Misery and tickle him into an eternity of Torment they turn'd Religion and Godliness into a Jest and made the Precepts of the Gospel matter for Railery and told him that those men that seemed most serious were the most seditious and that their Profession savoured of nothing but of Pride Singularity and Hypocrisie Now after they had spoke their Pleasure and almost silenced nay quite routed poor Consideration his Mind was so fill'd and hurried about many things which Godliness though not yet let in over-heard and presently took them all up and answered them one by one And first he spake to this purpose Honest Thoughtful I would not have thee to be discouraged by those ill-bred Fellows thou hast within to slight poor Consideration for he is thy very good Friend and as able a Counsellor as most in this Town Moreover very great Inconveniences also have alwaies followed those who have unadvisedly gone about to slight and contemn him Nay I must tell thee most of all those great Miseries and heavy Judgments that have befallen Nations Cities Towns Churches and particular Souls hath been occasioned through their great neglect to hearken to Consideration This was the cause of Israels ruine of old God by his merciful Providence sent to them by his Prophets to advertise and warn them of their perilous estate and condition by reason of their sins and not only told them of their imminent danger thereby but also revealed the true Causes thereof and how they might easily provide Remedies for the prevention of it but they refused to lay it to heart or give way to Consideration about it which made Jehovah to bewail their future misery after this manner O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end Among other Causes of their dismal Calamities none is more general or often alledged than the lack of Consideration and 't is through this means as by a common snare and deceit of the Adversary most men fall into sin and reject me and are holden also perpetually in Satans Bonds to their destruction and perdition men go on in their abominable Lusts Pride Oppression Excess of Riot Drunkenness and all manner of Debauchery without considering what the end of these things will be Wo unto them saith the Lord that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink and continue until night till Wine inflame them and the Harp and Viol the Tabret and Pipe and Wine are in their Feasts but they regard not the work of the Lord neither Consider the operation of his hands Their cursed Lusts and beastly Sensuality brought them to neglect Consideration and Inconsideration brought them to the pit side or brink of Hell Propterea captivus ductus est populus meus quia non habuit scientiam saith God in the same place by the Prophet therefore and for this cause is my people led away captive c. for they have no knowledge no understanding of the time to come no Consideration of their danger He that will not lend an ear to Consideration renders himself little better than a Brute and what follows this folly and madness Therefore saith the Holy Ghost Hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure and their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoyceth shall descend into it A brutish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this when they wicked spring as the grass and when all the workers of Iniquity do flourish it is that they should be destroyed for ever The Oxe knoweth his Owner and the Ass his Masters Crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Negligence Carelesness Ignorance and want of Consideration as it brought Jerusalem down wonderfully so it hath been the bane and common perdition of unthinking and wretched man from time to time and will be yours if you hearken to these evil enemies of your Soul and suffer Consideration to be expelled your Tabernacle Why at this day are there so many people who drink up iniquity as the Fish drinks Water that commit all manner of Sin all outrages all injustice all turpitude treading down the poor and contemning me True Godliness without remorse of Conscience or dread of God's wrath and fearful vengeance that doth pursue them but for the lack of Consideration of that which is like to be their reward and punishment for all their abominable doings in the end Thus saith the Lord Consider your waies Consider your doings Consider this ye that forget God least he tear you in pieces and there be none to diliver you I but they will not consider it nor lay it to heart they will not know in this their day the things that belong to their peace but inconsiderately put the evil day far away and harden their hearts against God provoking him to draw his Sword and cause his hand to take hold of Judgment for nothing doubtless can be more intolerable in the presence of the Almighty than this iniquity sith he hath published his Law declared his pleasure against ungodliness charging all to bear it in their minds to ponder it in their hearts to study and meditate upon it both day and night at home and abroad when they rise up and when they lie down to make it their cogitation and rumination continually c. And O that men should ever notwithstanding all this contemn it and make it no part of their thoughts but rather flee the knowledg thereof God makes his complaint and denounceth Judgment but no man as the Prophet Jeremiah sheweth will enter into Consideration nor mind why the Land mourns none cry out What have I done All men alas are set upon their own courses and run on in the same with as great vehemency and fierce obstinacy as a
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
THE TRAVELS OF TRUE Godliness FROM THE Beginning of the World to this present Day in an apt and Pleasant ALLEGORY SHEWING The Troubles Oppositions Reproaches and Persecutions he hath met with in every Age. TOGETHER WITH The Danger he seems to be in at this present Time by Vice Papistry and other Grand Enemies Also where he makes his last and final Abode By B. K. Author of War with the Devil and Sion in Distress The Third Edition carefully Corrected London Printed for John Dunton at the Raven over against the Stocks-Market MDCLXXXIV London Printed for Iohn Dunton at the Black Rauen In the Poultrey over against y e stocks market 1683 Babilon Apostates Apostate Godlines Knowledge Faith Love â—incerity Order discipline Thoughtfull Religion Ierusalem THE EPISTLE TO THE READER IN this Tract is shewed the many Snares and Temptation that attend both Riches and Poverty Youth and Old-Age together with the chief Reason why most Men of all Ranks and Qualities are such great strangers to True Godliness The Legalist and Formal Hypocrite may also here see the danger they are in Moreover True Godliness is opened in his own primitive Internal and External Beauty and Glory being vindicated from all those foul Calumnies and Reproaches cast upon him in this and former Ages With his sad Lamentation in respect of the prevailing power of Vice Ungodlines and that great danger he seems now to be in by Papistry and other Enemies Also the usefulness and necessity of Consideration and the Creatures utmost care and diligence in order to their Conversion is clearly evinced with the chief means nature and excellency thereof Together with the cause and dismal Consequences of Apostacy c. If thou art a Saint read with delight but if thou art an Enemy to True Godliness read and tremble For the happy estate of the one and the miserable condition of the other is here set out before your eyes In this Treatise you may see the little cause the one has to mourn in the worst of Times and the other to rejoyce what times soever they live in I hope none will be offended because True Godliness is here presented in an Allegory sith the Holy Scriptures abound with them and so fully justifie our practce herein However 't is now exposed to publick view and since it hath its Birth in such a juncture as this I expect it will meet with different entertainment but whatsoever censures it passeth under yet if but one soul reaps real benefit by it it will requite me for my pains I can say it hath been sweet to me in writing God grant it may prove so to thee in reading and I shall say no more but shall leave it to the Blessing of Jehovah in whom I still remain through infinite Grace Thy Souls Friend and Servant B. Keach THE TRAVELS OF TRUE GODLINESS CHAP. I. Shewing what true Godliness is as also his Pedigree Original and Antiquity TRUE Godliness being of late as well as in former daies become so great a stranger to most men and indeed not known but by a very few in the World I shall in the first place before I Treat of his Travels and of the Entertainment he meets with where he comes give you a description of him and the rather because many persons I perceive are subject to so great an errour as to take Mortality for him and others out of ignorance to say no worse Rail and ignominiously call and abuse him by the names of Singularity Stubbornness Pride and Rebellion as if he were not fit to live or have a being in the World he being rendered a make-bate a seditious and common disturber of all Kingdoms Cities Towns and Villages wheresoever he comes and is entertained Yea such a factious and quarrelsome companion that he is indeed the only cause and stirrer up of all those unhappy differences divisions troubles and miseries that are this day in the world This being so I conclude nothing is more necessary than to take off that ugly Mask or Visard which his implacable enemies have put upon him and clear him of all those soul and unjust slanders and cursed reproaches of the Sons of Belial that so he may appear in his own original primitive and spotless Innocency that none may be afraid of him or be unwilling to entertain him nor ashamed to own him and make him their bosome-companion Know ye therefore in the first place That Godliness consists in the true and right knowledg of Divine Truths or fundamental principles of the Gospel which all men ought to know and be established in that would be saved without Controversie great is the mystery of Godliness God manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World and received up to Glory These great Truths of the Christian Religion are called Godliness many men conclude 't is no matter what faith or principle they hold and cleave to provided they do but live a sober and honest life doing to all men as they would be done unto supposing that the whole of Religion and Godliness consists in these things but alass they are greatly mistaken Godliness is another kind of thing than they imagine it is impossible to receive or entertain True Godliness whilst we shut out of doors the Essentials of the Christian Religion and instead thereof imbrace Superstition Errour and Heresie there being damning principles as well as damning practices 2 Pet. 1.2 3. Now should any demand further to hear more particularly what those principles of divine truths or fundamentals of Christian Faith be which are the Essentials of True Godliness 1. I answer the Doctrine of the Blessed Trinity or the three distinct Subsistances in the Glorious Deity 2. The Unity of the two natures in the person of Christ viz. that he is really God and man in one person David's Lord and yet David's Son David's Root and yet David's Off-spring 3. The Doctrine of Attonement or that plenary satisfaction and reconcilliation the Lord Jesus hath made by his glorious understaning on man's behalf 4. The Doctrine of Justification by Faith alone or the imputation of Christs Righteousnes to those who do believe 5. The Doctrine of Regeneration Resurrection Judgment the World to come c. Now I say in the true knowledg of these and such like principles of divine truths and being truly established in the stedfast belief thereof does True Godliness in part consist But secondly Godliness as to his inward and more hidden parts and power is a holy conformity to these sacred and divine principles which natural men may understand Religion by but True Godliness consists in the light of supernatural truths and life of Grace God manifesting himself in the light of those glorious principles and working the life of supernatural grace in the soul by the Holy Ghost it consists in the saving and experimental knowledg of God and Jesus Christ in having all the evil
and base-born Monster and Spawn of the Devil Vice abounding in all manner of horrible wickedness who for this very reason were destroyed with their Cities by Fire and Brimstone from Heaven yet nevertheless before they were consumed so great a lover is Jehovah of Godliness that he told Abraham if there were but ten righteous persons in that City viz. such who had entertained Godliness and were true lovers of him he would spare the City for their sakes but it appeared there was but one man who shewed him countenance and was in love with him And yet before the City was burned the Angels bid him haste and be gone for Godliness was such a sure defence to him the Angel could do nothing till he was gone forth Sodom could not take Fire whilst righteous Lot was in it I might proceed further and shew you who they were that entertained Godliness in the succeeding Ages for the space of more than two Thousand Years and what great blessings he brought unto them and what they suffered for his sake but I can but give a brief hint or two upon this account 't is known to all what Joseph suffered for him by his envious Brethren and how Godliness advanced him for his Integrity to him at last Moreover the Children of Israel after Joseph was dead were through that love they bore to him grievously oppressed by the mighty King of Egypt but it proved his own utter Ruine in the end David for the love he bare to him was for many Years together greatly persecuted but afterwards Godliness raised him to great honour and made him very ich and sat a Crown upon his Head All along I might shew you in Ancient daies he was very much hated and persecuted nay and some of his true Friends and Favourites were for his sake cast into a fiery Furnace and another into a Lions Den yet they never lost any thing by him nor did they ever repent the Entertainment they gave him If we should come lower into the Times of the Gospel 't is well known what usage he met with in our Lord and Saviour Jesus and his Blessed Apostles afterwards also by the Heathen Emperours he was most abominably hated and persecuted and all those who entertained him were put to all manner of cruel Deaths and Torments imaginable Lastly we might also shew you what hard usage he met with by counterfeit Godliness I mean Papistry for near 1200 Years how many of his dear Children and Servants have for the sake of him been burn'd to Death and otherwaies tormented in most Nations of Europe but let what hath been said suffice touching the Antiquity gray Hairs and usage of True Godliness in former days CHAP. II. Shewing who the chief Enemies of Godliness are HAving given you a brief Account of the Pedigree Original and Antiquity of True Godliness wherein occasionally hath been hinted some of those great Abuses he met withal in Ancient times I judg it may not be amiss before I come to treat of his Travels and Entertainment in these latter daies and how it fares with him at this present juncture to give a Description of some of his chiefest Adversaries to the end the true lover of Godliness may be aware of them and those who have a mind to be accquainted with him and are hindred from receiving him into their Houses may know the Cause and Reason of it now 1. One of the chiefest Enemies of this great Prince and Favourite of Heaven is the Devil nor is there any one that hates him more 2. Sin alias Vice alias Lust 3. The Flesh 4. The World But because this general and common description is not sufficient to discover the great danger Men and Women are in by certain other secret and domestick Enemies who are the cursed Agents and Servants of those grand Adversaries of True Godliness some of which many are ready to entertain as Friends not suspecting the fatal danger they are in thereby I shall upon this therefore give you an account of a few of them and tell you their Names The First I shall begin with is Vnbelief a very dangerous Fellow 2. Pride 3. Vain-glory. 4. Formality 5. Hypocrisie 6. Oppression 7. Heresie 8. Superstition 9. Idolatry alias Papistry 10. Prosperity 11. Persecution 12. Ignorance 13. Blind Zeal 14. Vain Hope 15. Sloth alias Idleness 16. Covetousness 17. Old Custom 18. Evil Example 19. Self-Righteousness 20. Presumption 21. Despair 22. Slavish Fear 23. A Sensual Pleasure And 24. Apostacy with many other of like quality too tedious here to reckon up but by mentioning the Names of these you may easily discern who and what the others are who with their Attendance are all implacable Enemies to True Godliness and as much as lies in them endeavour to hinder his being entertained wheresoever he comes as you will find in the ensuing History of his Travels Now the Reason why True Godliness hath so many Enemies I had thought to have shewed in this place but because I will not hinder you from the main scope and design of this Treatise I shall reserve them for a more convenient place CHAP. III. Shewing how Godliness having received a Commission to Travel and visâ—t the Children of Men comes to a certain Town on the Confines of Babylon where one Riches dwelt and of his usage and evil intreatment there THE Great and Mighty Jehovah the God and Father of true Grace and Godliness out of his great Mercy and Infinite Goodness to Mankind graciously was pleased to send them a Saviour yea a great and mighty Saviour or one able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him and to the end that they might have the knowledge of this Blessed Saviour he hath sent the Gospel amongst them but in his eternal Wisdom hath so decreed and ordained it that no Man should have any saving benefit by this Glorious Saviour but he who doth receive entertain and kindly embrace True Godliness whensoever he is sent to visit them and to the end therefore that they might not miss of so great a Blessing which Godliness brings along with him I may safely adventure to say according to my present Method and to pursue my Allegorical Discourse Godliness hath received Commission from the King of Heaven and Earth to travel to see who would embrace and entertain him Moreover it appears his Commission was very large he was not limitted to the small Confines of Jury nor to ttravel only in the Land of Canaan but to go into all the World or to travel into all Nations Countries and Kingdoms of the Earth and to visit the Rich and Poor the Old and Young as well the King on the Throne as the Beggar on the Dung-hill even all Bond and Free Male and Female nor was he sent to travel alone but had a very rich and glorious Retinue alwaies with him neither did he come o any man's House empty handed but brought along with him
would now and then curse it lov'd to read Romances and Song Books But poor Conscience being stifled in a little time he gave content to the whole Family in that he could mumble over a few Prayers out of a Book And that in rhe second place he could Bowl drink Healths be Drunk and cry God damn him with any of them and there was indeed never a one in all the Family that hated True Godliness more than he for he made songs of him and scoffed jeered and derided him continually and made himself and others merry with his mean low and distressed condition and also stirr'd up all the Neighbourhood to find fault and quarrel with all those who were friends and true lovers of him Godliness now perceived he was like to have but cool Entertainment at this House having waited at Riches Gate till his patience was almost worn out began to think of a removal and to Travel to some other place but before he took his final farewel he was resolved to speak his mind freely to him thereby to leave him without any kind of excuse whatsoever and therefore addrest himself to him after this manner being at door ready to depart Godli Well Riches I see now very plainly you did but flatter me when you began to hearken to your poor Steward Conscience in order to the letting me into your House for evident it is you are grown far worse than before and have blinded his eyes by entertaining another who calls himself by my name instead of me but before I do depart I will shew you the great danger you are in and the cause of it the truth is you have got such a Crew of lose base and deceitful Servants that they will utterly undo you and bring upon you the eternal ruine of your poor soul which I design'd by my coming to you to save and make happy for ever for indeed whether you will believe it or no there was never any who entertained these graceless Villains and enemies of God but were for ever ruin'd by them at last nay and not only eternally hereafter in the World to come but many times externally here in this World therefore I advise you to do what you can to get rid of them and I will help you to far better Servants in their stead For first of all can you think it will be safe for you to keep Presumption still in your House since there is scarce a more deceitful and bloody Wretch in the World how many thousands of poor souls hath he impudently destroy'd by causing them to presume on the mercy of God and the death of Christ and yet live in Sin Pride and Covetousness and in a vile manner hating and contemning me that is to say True Godliness Doth not God say it is harder for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and yet you are perswaded by him to think it is an easie thing and doth not the Scripture say Except your righteousness do exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God And yet he tells you that by doing a few good deeds or by giving a little of your great abundance to the Poor your state is good enough whereas many of the Pharisees did as to acts of Charity exceedingly out-do you nay doth not St. Paul say Though he gave all his goods to feed the Poor and his Body to be burned yet without Charity that is to say true love to God and Godliness he was nothing and yet you though you slight and contem God and Godliness are taught to presume on God's Mercy who hath notwithstanding positively said concerning you and such as you are He that made them will not save them and he that form'd them will shew them no favour Isa 27.11 And then as touching your Servant Vnbelief he is such a bloody and devouring Monster that he hath sent Millions to Hell by hindring them from believing what God hath said in his Word touching his Grace and Clemency to the truly penitent and of his wroth and vengeance to the Impenitent and unbelieving Soul he will not suffer you to believe nor give credit to that word If any man loves the World the love of the Father is not in him 1 John 1.15 Nor to that word neither Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God John 3.3 And he that believes not shall be damned Mark 16.16 And many like dreadful Sentences which he will not suffer you to regard nor give the least credit to and thus he teaches you to make God a Lyar for he hath said you shall without Repentance be damned and perish in your sins but he says ye shall be saved though ye live in your sins Thirdly as to what Ignorance says of getting Pardon of Sins for a piece of Money by sending for a Popish Priest he deserves to be cheated of his Soul that will hearken to such a blind Sot who can forgive Sin but God Shall any believe that Pardon which is the gift of God can be bought with Money Sure his Holiness never learn'd this Doctrine of St. Peter whose Successor he says he is for St. Peter said to such a one as thou art Thy money perish with thee Acts 8.20 Fourthly As concerning Pride whom you entertain and hug in your bosom as a sweet and beloved Friend he hath been the ruine of many Souls likewise nay and not only Men but Angels also for 't is thought he was the principal Agent who wrought their eternal destruction and from Heaven cast them down to Hell and of Angels of Light made them Devils But Sir pray remember that word Pride goes before Destruction and a haughty Spirit before a Fall What became of the great King of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar for entertaining this Fellow was it not Pride that brought him down with a vengeance and turned him a grazing to eat straw like Oxen Dan. 3.4 Moreover what became of Herod the Great who was so fond of this Companion Did he not bring God's heavy wrath upon him in such a fearful manner that a blessed Angel was sent to smite him with Death immediately and he was eaten of Worms Acts 12.23 Have you not read that the day cometh which shall burn as an Oven and all the proud and all that do wickedly shall be stubble Mal. 4.1 This haughty Villain Pride is one of those seven things as Solomon shews which God hates Prov. 6.16 If you will not Riches be perswaded from hence to turn him out of your House even take what will follow Fifthly Vain-hope I know is one that hath kept up your spirits and spoke peace to you all along but he is fitly so called for he will leave you like a deceitful false-hearted and treacherous Friend when you come to fall into distress You hope to be saved and so did many thousands that are now in Hell but alas what
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
but they having an implacable hatred against him because they know he is an utter enemy to all Treasons Idolatries Superstitions Murthers Fornications Witch-crafts and all other horrible Crimes and cursed Abominations of their unchast defiled and bloody Mistress in a clandestine way endeavoured to bring True Godliness and many of his Friends and Favourites into Contempt and thereby set all the Inhabitants of the Isle against him which Designs of theirs was managed divers manner of waies and though some of their Stratagems were happily discovered yet some others of them too far prevailed amongst the generality of People who God knows Naturally are adverse to him having as you have heard grievous Enmity in their Hearts against him Now True Godliness perceiving how the Inhabitants of the said Island were Corrupted partly by these Babylonians and partly by other evil Impostors and Seducers whose Errors greatly prevailed and how generally People of all sorts were drawn away by the subtilty of Appollyon and the Pollution and Treachery of their own Hearts to all manner of Vice and Ungodliness he being by this means brought into great Contempt began to be very sad considering what a brave Isle for Grace and Holiness it had formerly been nay and that which added to his Trouble was those great Divisions and Animosities that were amongst those who Professed themselves to be his chiefest Friends together with the consideration of the great Evils and Enormities of their Lives for it was come to such a pass that it was hard to discern the Professor as they were called from the Profane Pride Covetousness want of love and zeal to him abounding wonderfully amongst the generalty of them so that he evidently saw that he was grievously slighted disowned and neglected almost by all sorts whatsoever and that the favour and countenance which most people shewed him was but from the teeth outwards and that they not heartily and cordially love and delight in him Moreover he perceived also that there was a grand Conspiracy carrying on by Apollyon and his Emissaries in many Countryes where he had been formerly countenanced and that the Babylonians were in great hopes to get counterfeit Godliness set up in his stead began to make a grievous lamentation after this manner Godliness's Lamentation HOW shall I express my grief or utter my complaint O the sorrow that seizes on my Soul I that am the noble Off-spring of the universal Monarch of the whole World the true Favourite of Heaven the true interest of all Nations Kingdoms and Common-wealths a fit companion for Princes and all the noble ones of the Earth the only benefactor of all Mortals that continually seeks the good and eternal felicity of their Souls who strives to deliver them from Wrath and Judgment and to stop the destroying Angel from executing vengeance Should this day be thus slighted villified censured and stigmatized and have all manner of cursed and detestable evils and abominations laid to my charge Foâ— First I am charged with Heresie an horrible crime indeed but 't is no other than I was of old times accused with But what is the Heresie What my Doctrine is is shewed in the first chapter of this Book to which I refer the reader but I may say with St. Paul After that way which they call Heresie so I teach men to worship the God of their Fathers and not to believe any thing but what is written in the Old and New Testament Counterfeit Godliness 't is true may be justly charged upon this account whose errors are capital as hath been evinced again and again by many worthy Protestants Secondly I am accused to be a common Disturber a meer Make-bate setting one man against another the Father against the Son and the Son against the Father the Mother-in-law against the Daughter-in-law and the Daughter-in-law against the Mother-in-law dividing Cities Towns and Villages setting Neighbour against Neighbour O how doth this wound my heart Was ever any dealt with as I am Shall such things as these be fathered upon me I do this day protest and declare before God and all the World I am abused and unjustly charged for I am for Peace Unity and Concord and alwayes do teach it I abhor Strife and Contention and every evil work and have endeavoured to bring all men to live in love one with another but if it fall out at any time where I am received that the Father is set against the Son and the Son against the Father or one Neighbour against another 't is not I that am the cause of it but that cursed enemy Pride Vnbelief and Sensuality that is in the hearts of the adverse party they having espoused the interest of Apollyon my grand Enemy and alas it will be so unless I could connive at or bear with those cursed evils which are in the hearts of men But can it be supposed that Virtue should wink at or side with filthy Vice or True Godliness allow of and indulge men in Ungodliness or Truth joyn or close in with Error Alas should I do this I should lose my very being and be no more what I am for as 't is impossible for Light to have fellowship with Darkness or Christ to have concord with Belial so 't is for me to allow of or bear with any of the evil enormities of the children of men should my Children do it they would at that very instant cease to be my Children therefore let all the World bear me witness this day that I clear my self of those foul crimes and calumnies that I am charged with And further to vindicate my self I call in my old friend Saint James pray hear what he hath to say about the horrible charge brought against me St. James pray speak to this great case from whence come that Strife Wars and Contention that is in the World Am I the cause of it James From whence come wars and fighting among men Come they not hence even of their lusts that war in their members Ye lust and have not ye kill and desire to have and cannot obtain c. If you have bitter envyings and strife in your hearts glory not lie not against the truth mark that this wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual devillish O blessed St. James thou hast cleared me for I True Godliness am the Truth whosoever receives me receives the Truth the Doctrine of Truth and the Truth of Grace But pray St. James go on Where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work But the wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits without wrangling and without hypocrisie It is enough I alwayes teach men and women who embrace me to be holy peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated full of mercy to hate hypocrisie and all the deeds of the flesh Therefore take notice if any who are called by my name or profess love
to open the door to me he is a great enemy to Sloth and Idleness causing men to watch their hearts and keep the door of their mouths he makes them rise betimes in the morning to call upon God and to read God's Word and pry into it very diligently and also to do what they can to brydle all the unruly passions of their hearts he will cause thee to incline thy ear to what Conscience saies and make thee tremble at his Reproofs and Accusations when you sin against God if you will but take his Councel He will also cause thee to go to hear Sermons and not to sleep when you come there nor neglect nor slight Convictions nor be careless and remiss in any duty and will put thee in a way to kill the Old-man with all his deeds Thoughtful O Sir this is the Friend I want and blessed be God I have found him I am resolved to make use of his help and assistance continually Now Old-man look to your self Laborious I hope will do your Business and I shall quickly prevail and open the door to True Godliness Upon this he became very diligent in attending upon all the means of Grace Moreover by the help of Endeavour he cut off some one or two of the Members of Old-man that cursed body of sin and prayed Morning and Evening eschewing all open Prophaneness and scandalous Sins and would not speak at random with his Tongue nor neglect to hear one good Sermon if possible he could get an opportunity and became mighty just in all his dealings and commerce with men But soon upon this Apollyon by the treachery of Old-man raised up another Enemy which had almost insensibly undone him his Name was Self-righteousness a very great Enemy to True Godliness which Godliness soon perceived and called upon him to open the door for it appears he had not received him yet Godli Thoughtful What is the cause of this great neglect what shall I not yet be received O what a long time have I stood at your Door what is the matter now Thoughtful Truly Sir I concluded now the door had been open by the help of my good Friend Laborious for I have done what he required of me Godli No no Thoughtful I am still kept out Wilful Will and Old-man have beguiled you and have let in another dangerous Enemy whose name is Self-righteousness this was he that quite undid poor Legalist and will ruine you too if you take not heed I would not have you to slight Endeavour but not to make an Idol of Endeavour If you be found in your own Righteousness you will be lost by your own unrighteousness Duties can never have too much of your diligence nor too little of your dependance 't is not the salt Seas of thy own Tears but the Red Sea of Christ's Blood must wash away thy sins You owe the life of your Soul to the death of your Saviour If you have no better Righteousness than what is of your own providing you will meet with no higher happiness than what is of you own deserving you must take up duties in point of performance but lay them all down again in point of dependance There is as much cause to fear you now as ever there was before what will you do Thoughtful Lord help me what shall I do indeed O how are many deceived who think it is an easie thing to be saved sure I shall never obtain to a state of Grace and true Conversion Upon this a melancholly and very dangerous fellow called Despond fell upon him and almost knock'd him down nay I perceive he broke some of his Bones wounding him so grievously that he was left a bleeding in such a sort that he concluded there was no hope of life At this he was wonderfully overwhelmed with trouble and that which grieved him most of all was to think that all this time not only True Godliness but Christ himself also waited at his door Godliness perceiving what a sad condition he was in spake to him after this manner Godliness Poor Thoughtful do not give way to Apollyon that cursed Prince of Darkness for 't is he who hath stirred up that cruel enemy Despond to take away thy Life that bloody villain hath sent many thousand Souls to Hell Come though thy own Righteousness is worth nothing being but like filthy rags yet Christ's Righteousness is sufficient to cover thee and his Blood to heal all thy Wounds Your great business is to believe viz. Wholly to go out of your self and relye upon Christ's blessed Merits and know assuredly that that very moment you do cast your self by a lively act of faith upon Jesus Christ I shall come into your House Thoughtful Christ's Righteousness hath more worth in it to save you and raise you up to Heaven than your own Unrighteousness has weight to cast you down to Hell You say you are a great black and bloody sinner but you can be but a sinner and Christ died for sinners and never any threw themselves by an act of true faith upon him but were saved by him alas he died for the chiefest of sinners and do you not hear him say Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Sir He that believes not makes God a liar for he hath said in his Son There is life and Salvation for you and all that come to God by him Thoughtf O that I could believe my sins my sins No sooner had Godliness shewed him what it was to open the door and laid before him the necessity of Faith in order to union with God but Apollyon with the Old Man and other cursed enemies began to cause dreadful Combustions in his house for nothing doth the Devil fear more than true Faith and Thoughtful finding it very hard to believe Wilful-will being such a stubborn crooked and perverse fellow also Apollyon tryed his skill many other wayes to undo him so that he was hard beset but when Apollyon saw none of those wayes were like to do he laid before him the outward danger he would be in if True Godliness was embraced he told him he was like to suffer great Persecution it being the portion of all who entertained True Godliness in so much that his very life might be in danger but Godliness comforted him sweetly with many precious promises telling him also he had such a glorious Retinue to attend him which he would bring into his House with him that he need not to fear any difficulty provided that he would but let him in but he seeing he was not able to open the door his enemies being too strong for him notwithstanding his own strength To his joy he told him there was one friend of his whom if he could prevail with to come into his assistance he would soon make the way clear and open the door Who is that said Thoughtful Godliness then discovered immediately the excellency of his
continually in private which he was in publick by the assistance of filial fear Sixthly and that also he gave according to his ability at all times to Theology Christs Minister and to the poor Saints the one by the aid of New Obedience Bounty Liberality and Godly Zeal and the other by the help of Christian Charity Seventhly that he did nothing to be seen of men or for vain glory sake by the directions of Holy Ends and Aims Eighthly That there was done by the power of Heavenly New man Ninthly and that he was alwaies constant in his love to and his esteem of True Godliness being as much for the work of Godliness as for the wages by the assistances of Faithful Tenthly That he did not inordinately love nor set his affections upon the things of this life by the help of temperance and sobriety Eleventhly that he laboured to live a spotless Life being taught so to do by sweet Purity and harmless Innocency Twelfthly that he bore up bravely in the profession of the Gospel not being ashamed nor afraid to own Jesus Christ before men by the means of stability and Christian Courage Thirteenthly and that he did not faint under afflictions and tryals by the help of blessed experience patience and precious promises Fourteenthly That he was not corrupt in principle nor led into errour by the means of excellent knowledg Now Conscience and self-clearing having thus freed Thoughtful from the false Charge about harbouring Hypocrisie he came to perceive what excellent advantage he had and should receive by Godlinesses noble and heavenly Retinue and hereupon he fell so in love with them that he never would go any where nor do any work without their company which Apollyon perceiving knew it was in vain to assault him any more in that sort but being filled with hellish rage and malice against him he raised up mighty forces and powers upon him from without for first he stirr'd up abundance of base Fellows of the worser sort to abuse him amongst which were these following Hate-good Time-server Pride Toss-pot Outside Ryot Ignorance Belly-god Hard-heart Scoffer Please-all Love-lust Make-bate Giddy-head Pick-thank Rob-Saint Temporizer Idolater Opposer Avarice Shameless Rash Highminded Lofty Sear'd-Conscience and many more of like sort like Bees compassed him about miscalled and abused him in a cruel and unmerciful manner which made him wonder what the cause should be but at last he perceived the ground and reason of it was only because he had received True Godliness Remembring that word of Jesus Christ Marvel not if the World hated you And that word They shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my Name sake with the saying of the Apostle And all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution At this he was somewhat troubled and cast down in his spirits seeing nothing could be expected but that these Fellows would utterly undo him as touching the things of this world and tho' by the help he had by Godlinesses glorious Retinue he was supported and established in the waies of Grace and true Holiness yet he was somewhat disquieted in his mind which Godliness soon perceiving begun to consider what the cause of it should be but he quickly found out the reason of it for upon enquiry he understood amongst all the good Company Thoughtful had got in his house yet there was one whom Godliness dearly loved and Thoughtful could not be without was wanting whose name it seems was Christian Contentment and also it appeared that this noble high born Hero Content had been a long time a wandring about in the wilderness of this world and to seek a fit companion to co-habit or dwell with but could find not one CHAP. XIII Shewing how Thoughtful meeting with his dear Friend Contentment finding now nothing wanting in order to the making his Life sweet and comfortable here and eternally happy hereafter fell a singing Allelujahs Hymns of Praise and Thanksgiving to God and the Lamb. THoughtful Christian for so now we must call him notwithstanding all the high and unutterable Blessings Riches and Honour he had arrived at by his late embracing True Godliness remained very sad and melancholy being attended with many desponding Cogitations by perceiving not only the great Distresses and Troubles which his Wife and Children were like to meet with in this world but also what sad unsettled and unhappy daies he was fallen into and of the abounding Evils and horrible Blasphemies which star'd him in the face where-ever he came together with the low and deplorable condition the Church of Christ and True Religion was in in this dismal hour which Godliness perceiving told him of one Contentment whom he saw he had not yet found and that if he could but obtain that favour to perswade him to dwell with him his mind would remain sweetly settled and composed and that he would enjoy all calmness and serenity of Soul imaginable being delivered from all Anxious Thoughts about all present and future Events of things and undergo all Crosses and harshest Accidents with equanimity and acquiescence of Spirit wholly submitting unto and being fully satisfied with the Divine Disposal Now this glorious noble and Renowned Prince Contentment had been it seems travelling from place to place like a poor Pilgrim as True Godliness had done seeking a fit resting place but could find none for he had been to visit Riches but no dwelling there and Poverty also but found no lodging there with Youth he could find no abode and Old Age was a stranger to him Pleasure could give him no entertainment Honours were forc'd to say I know him not he was not lodged in the Princes Palace nor in the Pesants Cottage the unmarried sought him but could not find him ' and the married wisht for him but there was no abiding for him neither for none of all these States and simple Conditions of men could yield perfect Peace Content and Serenity of Mind but Thoughtful hearing Godliness speaking of him that he was used to dwell with him or where he took up his Lodging sent presently his old Friend Consideration to seek out for him and by the providence of God it was not long before he found him yet for the information of my thinking Reader I shall shew the way how Consideration by the assistance of Faith met with him and brought him home to his dear Master Thoughtful Christian and fixt Companion viz. First Consideration led him forth to ponder upon the Divine Attributes Providences and Promises of God he caused him to consult infinite Power Wisdom Omniciency Holiness Mercy Goodness Truth and Faithfulness c. Secondly He also stirred him up to seek for Contentment by pondering upon his present state and condition What saith he hath God done for thee Thou wast in the gall of bitterness and bond of Iniquity and God hath brought thee out and yet not Content Thou wast a a Child of Wrath and now art a child of God yet not