The Travels of True Godliness, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Shewing how poor Thoughtful, though he had embraced Conſideration, and was reſolved to receive Godlineſs into his Houſe, was hindred by one Old-Man, Wilful Will, Carnal Affections and Apollyon; alſo ſhewing how he met with his good Friend Laborious, who did what he could to help him, but had not prevailed, had it not been for another who came in to his Aſſiſtance.
THoughtful having with much joy and gladneſs embraced Conſideration, and moſt bravely overcome the Snares and Impediments, thoſe Adverſaries (we mentioned before) laid in his way, was now reſolved to receive True Godlineſs, and ſpeedily cloſe with Jeſus Chriſt; but lo! on a ſudden, other Enemies (that ſeem'd to lie ſtill in his Houſe before) roſe up and made ſtrong oppoſition againſt his entertaining this new Gueſt: But a he met with freſh oppoſition from other Enemies, whoſe Names were Old-man, Carnal Affections, and Wilful Will, all ſtirr'd up by the envious and black Prince Appollyon, and other Powers of Darkneſs, ſo he had by the means of Conſideration, and the light of God's Word, ſome new Friends to help and aſſiſt him; their Names were Conſcience, Informed Judgment, alias enlightned Ʋnderſtanding. Now Apollion being in great fear that Thoughtful, by the help of Conſideration, Conſcience, and enlightned Ʋnderſtanding, would embrace True Godlineſs, roſe up in great fury, and ſpoke to the reſt of the infernal Crew to this purpoſe;
Moſt mighty Pow'rs, who once from Heav'n fell!
To raiſe this Throne and Monarchy in Hell;
Beſtir your ſelves with ſpeed, or all is gone,
For Thoughtful hath almoſt the Battel wone:
'Tis hateful in my ſight to think that we
Should by this thinking Thoughtful worſted be;
Shall Godlineſs, that curſed foe of ours
Prevail againſt all Hells infernal Pow'rs?
I ſwear in ſpight of Heaven it ſhall not be—
And preſently he roſe from of his Seat,
Ready to burſt with rage and malice great,
And caſt a terrible look on Thoughtful, who
Stood muſing ſtill, but knew not what to do;
At this another Fiend stept in and ſaid,
Let ne'r a Devil of us be afraid;
Lo, don't you ſee th'unwary Wretch doth lie
Ope to your Arms in great ſecurity.
What though ſome Ground is loſt? we'll ſeek about
To find ſome way to keep this Traveller out.
We in the Houſe have a ſtrong party yet,
Who in our Bands keep his unwary feet:
But ſad it is the Wretch ſuch Light ſhould ſee,
As to perceive his woeful Miſery.
We muſt beſtir us, and give new Directions,
And by all means keep faſt his Souls Affections.
Affliction ſtill by Old-man is directed,
And Wilful Will to us is well affected,
Let us purſue our preſent Enterpriſe
With all the power and craft we can deviſe.
This Conſideration hath the miſchief done,
Whom I do wiſh all Plagues to light upon.
Appollyon and all the Powers of Hell having thus combin'd together, to find out new waies to prevent Thoughtful from receiving True Godlineſs, endeavoured to ſtir up Old-man, and his curſed Darling Carnal Affections, to do what they could to place his Mind and Thoughts upon the periſhing things of this Life: which being done, this put poor Thoughtful unto a ſtand; one while he was reſolved to open the Door, but then on a ſudden his heart was captivated with the Pleaſures and Delights of this Life, which came to paſs by reaſon his Affections were not yet throughly changed, nor the evil qualities of his Soul removed; for Old-man had grievouſly corrupted all the Powers and Faculties thereof, which Godlineſs (who with patience waiting ſtill at his Door) perceiving, aſked him what the matter was he did not let him come in.
Thoughtful anſwered, he was hindred by a baſe Fellow that he had got in his Houſe.
Upon this, Godlineſs and he fell into a ſerious Diſcourſe again.
Godli.
Who is it Thoughtful, that obſtructs my being received?
Thoughtful,
His Name is Old-man.
Godli.
He is indeed I know my grand Enemy and hath been near this 6000 Years; (for ſo old this Villain is) and there is not one in all the world, that has done me more wrong, to tell thee plainly, than he and his curſed Daughter Carnal Affections.
Thoughtful,
Ay Sir, but I find alſo one Wilful-will is utterly againſt your coming in; Lord what will become of me, I know you are a perſon worthy of entertainment; and O who am I that you ſhould come to be Gueſts to ſuch a vile and unworthy wretch.
Godlineſs,
Nay, Thoughtful, I do not ſtand alone, but here are others waiting at thy door to come in with me alſo, who are perſons of no mean quality.
Thoughtful,
Others pray, who are they?
Godli.
Why here is my Father the Eternal Jehovah, with Jeſus Chriſt, the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, and the Holy Spirit, Rev. 3.30.
Thoughtful, Lord, what ſhall I do? O infinite and admirable Grace and Condeſcention! God and Jeſus Chriſt, and the Holy Ghoſt at my door, and I not let them in, O this is an amazing Conſideration!
Godli.
Nay Thoughtful 'tis ſo, and more I muſt tell thee, they have been waiting here a long time, even ever ſince I came firſt to knock at thy door, and I told thee ſo too, but I perceive thy memory proves falſe to thee; likewiſe, he is doubtleſs miſled by that baſe Old-man; but if thou doſt not open to me the ſooner, they will leave thee, for they never come into any man's Houſe who keep their doors ſhut againſt True Godlineſs. Why doſt not knock the Old-man down, and lay him a bleeding, 'tis not enough to cry, What, Lord, ſhall I do? but thou muſt ſhake off that lazy Fellow Sloth, and like a brave and couragious Soul acquit thy ſelf.
Thoughtful,
Alas, what can I do, this Old-man is too ſtrong for me, and Wilful-will is a very ſtubborn Fellow too, I am no match for them.
Godlineſs,
Why, I will tell thee, there is one in thy Houſe that will help thee, if thou hearken to him.
Thoughtful,
What is his Name Sir?
Godli.
His Name is Conſcience.
Thoughtful,
Sir, I know him very well, he has ſince his eyes were opened been a very good Friend to me. But for a great while he lay in my Houſe as one dead, and I found his eyes almoſt quite put out by that curſed Old-man; but all that he can do is not ſufficient without further help.
Godli.
Thou ſaiſt right thank Enlightned Ʋnderſtanding for that; Conſideration, by bringing thee to read and hear God's Holy Word, opened his eyes alſo, but is there never another Friend of mine in thy Houſe, who can lend thee a little aſſiſtance in this time of need.
Thoughtful,
Alas Sir, who have I elſe that can do any thing for me, for my Houſe is full of curſed adverſaries; never was a Cage fuller of unclean and hateful Birds, than my houſe, I mean my heart, is full of baſe and filthy Enemies to True Godlineſs.
Godli.
Thou ſaiſt right, I believe thee poor Thoughtful; But prethee ſee if thou canſt not find a Friend that I dearly love, and have a long time ſought for.
Thoughtful,
Pray Sir, who is that, tell me his Name.
Godli.
His Name is Endeavour alias Laborious, you can't Thoughtful, imagine what great things he hath done at a dead lift; O, I love him dearly, he helpt Noah to build the Ark, and Jacob to get the bleſſing and to wreſtle with the Angel, and to prevail too; and Solomon to build the Temple, Conſideration, 'tis true, cauſed David to think on his waies, but it was Endeavour that turned his foot to keep God's Statutes; Conſideration alſo brought the poor Prodigal to his right mind, but it was my Friend Endeavour that ſent him home to his Fathers Houſe; 'twas he that made him find his feet; nay, I could tell thee, I have taught him to get many a bleſſing by Prayer. Prethee who was that got the three Loaves in the Goſpel, was it not this importunate Laborious? Was it not he likewiſe that made the poor Widow to prevail with the unjuſt Judg, to avenge her of her Adverſary; nay, in a word, the Promiſe of God is made to him, If you follow on to know the Lord, then you ſhall know him. 'Tis this diligent painful perſon that makes men (with God's bleſſing) rich, I mean ſpiritually rich; and this I muſt tell thee too, unleſs thou canſt get his help, I ſhall never come into thy Houſe; I do not ſay, Thoughtful, that he is of himſelf able to open the door: but the promiſe of better aſſiſtance is made to this my dear Friend ſweet Endeavour, have you never read in Aeſop's Fables of a man that was fallen into a ditch, and lying there almoſt drowned, he called to Jupiter to help him out; But Jupiter Anſwered, Endeavour to get out, and Jupiter will help thee. Though 'tis but a Fable, yet the Moral is very teachable. Now what doſt thou ſay Thoughtful, canſt thou find thy good Friend Endeavour.
Thoughtful,
Truly Sir, now I, think of it, I hope, I have, but he has been here but a little time, if I have found him, and God knows too much neglected by me, for I did not underſtand its great worth till now. But pray wherein will he be ſo uſeful to me: What are his Properties?
Godli.
Why he commonly ſtirs up men to do what they can 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; 'tis 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 'tis 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, Mat. 11.28, 29.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 Perſon, and the nature of his Operations, by which he ſoon underſtood it was the Holy Ghoſt; upon this he was not a little glad, but preſently cryed out as one whoſe life is in danger, to God to ſend the Holy Spirit to aſſiſt him, O Lord, the Spirit, the holy Spirit, now Lord! thus he cry'd, and preſently there was ſtrange ſtruglings indeed, yea, ſuch a conflict, that he never met with in all his life, Judgment in the combate behaved himſelf bravely; Conſideration was not wanting; Conſcience laid on home blows, being back'd with Endeavour, alias Laborious; but at laſt, in the middle of the battel, in comes the Holy Spirit, and with him Faith, and ſome other of Godlineſs's Attendants, and the door flew open, and Old Man immediately went to the walls, crying out quarter, pleading his great Age, but had no mercy ſhewed him. Wilful-will ſtraitway ſubjected himſelf (that Scripture being made good, My people ſhall be willing in the day of my power) and became Thoughtful's very good Servant, Carnal Affections changed their minds, and were made heavenly, and ſo they abode, to his great joy, until his dying day.
True Godlineſs being now entred into his Houſe, with his Attendance, Thoughtful was not a little comforted. Now Godlinsſs's Retinue, who came immediately in with him, were theſe following (ſome of which you had an account of before) viz. Heavenly New-man, True-love, Innocency, Humility, Sobriety, Sincerity, Temperance, Self-clearing, Faithful, Excellent Knowledge, Bleſſed Experience, Godly Zeal, Filial Fear, Precious Promiſes, Holy Revenge, Vehement Deſire, Conſtant Supplication, Spiritual Indignation, Chriſtian Courage, Sincere Aim and Ends, Careful, Patience, Hoſpitality, Stability, Charity, Liberality, Chaſtity, Purity, Holy Sympathy, Wake-man, Watch-well, Peaceable, Harmleſs, Gentleneſs, Brotherly-kindneſs, and Love-all; beſides ſeveral others of like quality and by reaſon theſe, as I formerly told you, were all great Nobles, or Perſons highly deſcended, being the Offſpring of Heaven; they had I perceiv'd alſo a moſt glorious Attendance to accompany them; and to the end you may know what a happy man poor Thoughtful is now become, and with him every true Chriſtian, I ſhall let you know who they were. The firſt I ſaw was the Father of true Godlineſs, for he alwayes dwells where he dwells, and abides with this his glorious and heavenly Attendance. Secondly, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt which brought that word to my remembrance, If any man loves me, he will keep my Words: John 14.23.and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Alſo the other word, I will come in to him, and Sup with him, and he with me. 3. The Holy Spirit, Rom. 3.20.for he alſo is ſaid to dwell in us;2 Tim. 1 14. and beſides theſe, there was, 4. Juſtification, 5. Reconciliation, 6. Acceptation, 7. Ʋnion and, 8. Communion with the Father and Son, 9. Adoption, 10. Pardon of Sin, 11. The Image of God, 12. Peace of Conſcience, 13. And Joy in the Holy Ghoſt, 14. Free acceſs to the Throne of Grace, 15. A place in the heavenly Family, 16. Fellowſhip with Saints, 17. The earneſt and ſealings of the Spirit, 18. Increaſe of Grace, 19. The Attendance of an innumerable company of Angels, 20. Divine Protection or ſure Refuge in God, 21. A full aſſurance of Heaven, but was a great while before he could ſee him, he lay hid it appears, though he came in with the reſt, 22, Laſtly, Final Perſeverance But lo, I looked, and beheld a good way off, I eſpied another glorious Train followed, In the midſt of which I plainly diſcerned amongſt others (whoſe Glory was ſo great I could not behold them) theſe following, Immortality, Incorruption, Perfection, Glorious Victory, Heavenly Triumph, the Beatifical Viſion, Rivers of Pleaſures, The Tree of Life, the King in his Beauty, a white Throne, Manſions of Glory, the Holy City New Jeruſalem, the Streets whereof were all pav'd with pure Gold, a Crown of Righteouſneſs, which ſo gliſtered, that it dazled mine eyes in ſuch a ſort, that could notlook downwards like ſome men, ever ſince; moreover I ſaw Millions of Millions of Glorified Saints (coming amongſt the Holy Cherubims and Seraphims and all the Hoſt of Heaven) with Palms and Harps in their hands, ſinging Allelujah to God and the Lamb; they made ſuch Melody, that it was enough to raviſh ones Soul in ſuch a manner, as to leave no heart nor ſpirit in us to the empty things of this World.
Now the two firſt glorious Companies who attend True Godlineſs here, theſe entred in with him immediately, and the other Glories, Thoughtful was ſure of poſſeſſing after a few daies, ſo that he was wonderfully fortified againſt all Domeſtick Commotions, or foreign approaching dangers whatſoever; for he could not but expect that new Troubles would be raiſed againſt him both from within and without: And ſo indeed it ſuddenly came to paſs; for Apollyon the curſed Prince of Darkneſs firſt raiſed up all his ſcattered forces which ſtill remained within, who lurked in holes and ſecure corners of his houſe; for particularly Old-man though he was dangerouſly wounded, his head broke, and laid a bleeding, yet it appears he was not quite dead, yet was committed cloſe priſoner under the charge of one of Godlineſs his Servants, called Holy Revenge; and though he had a ſtrict Command to kill, him yet he ſaw he could not preſently do it; by which means it fell out, that in a little time he ſeemed to revive again; and poor Thoughtful thereby was continually plagu'd with Indwelling Sin to his dying day, which was a great grief to him, and an hindrance alſo to True Godlineſs at all times; and the worſt of all was, this inward Corruption, alias Old-man, alias Body of ſin, getting too great power by the treachery of Mrs. Heart and Apollyon, the Prince of Darkneſs; for they laying before him his manifold evils, and remiſneſs in holy Duties, perſwaded him that he harboured in his houſe an Enemy of True Godlineſs, called Hypocriſie, and that he was like upon that account to loſe all his hopes here, and that happineſs which Godlineſs aſſured him of hereafter; and had not Sincerety come in with Godlineſs, he had been utterly undone; but as God would have it, Self-clearing, by the help of poor Conſcience, made it appear to him, that Hypocriſie was not hid in his houſe, nor in the leaſt countenanced by him; for firſt, they made it out he had a general hatred of all iniquity, and did not allow of, nor connive at any ſin whatſoever, by the aid of Spiritual Indignation: And ſecondly, That there was no one duty which he was convinced of, but he readily ſubjected to it by the help of New Obedience. Thirdly, That he was mighty careful of, and had alwaies (by the help of Chriſtian Watchwel) kept a ſtrict eye over Mrs. Heart whom he moſt of all miſtruſted, and had great Jealouſie of. Fourthly, That he reſted not upon the external performance of any Duty, but did all he did, to the praiſe and glory of God, by the help of true love. Fifthly, that he was the ſame 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.