The Travels of True Godliness, Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Shewing how Godlineſs travelling further into the Town (called Religion) ſaw abundance of People, who had been great Profeſſors, getting away out of the Town as faſt as they could. Shewing alſo what Diſcourſe he had with one of them; wherein the Nature and Danger of Apoſtaſie is plainly opened.
GOdlineſs had no ſooner left Formaliſt's door, and gone a little further into the Town Religion, but he eſpied a great number of People haſting out as faſt as they could go: nay, he obſerved ſome of them ran, though others of them went very ſoftly: At firſt he wondred what the matter was; becauſe the Town was a little before look'd upon to be a very ſafe and honourable place to dwell in, as any in all the Countrey, and had as great and glorious Priviledges belonging to it; but upon enquiry, he was told there was a number of Lions, Evening-Wolves, and other evil Beaſts (who had for a long time been ſhut up in their Dens) a getting out, and they having a great while been kept without prey, they were afraid they ſhould be torn in pieces: But he obſerving which way they went, was the more amazed; for he perceived plainly they all ſteer'd their courſe directly towards the great City Babylon, Babylon's Fall very nigh.which he ſaw likewiſe a falling, and was ſure would ſuddenly in one hour be utterly dſtroy'd.
True Godlineſs at this ſeemed ſo mightily concerned, that he could not let them all paſs without ſpeaking to them; and minding one of them to look like a ſober man, though he hung down his head as if he had been aſhamed, reſolved to have a little Diſcourſe with him, to whom he ſpake after this manner.
Godli.
Sir, What is the matter you leave this Town and haſte away ſo faſt? When you firſt took up your dwelling here, did you not intend to abide in it as long as you liv'd?
Apoſtate
(for that it ſeems was his Name) truly, Sir, I did intend it; I had a great love for this poor Town; but I muſt remove out and be gone now.
Godli.
Why muſt you? Is there a neceſſity laid upon you to acquit this place, this honourable Town Religion?
Apoſtate,
Sir I ſhall be deſtroyed elſe; for the Walls of late are much gone to decay; I do not ſee that ſafety to reſide here as formerly: Beſides, they ſay there are a great number of Lions, Romiſh Wolves, and other Beasts of Prey a breaking out upon us; and I am afraid if I ſhould eſcape with my life, yet having a few Sheep and Lambs, they will devour them: Truly Sir, I do it to ſave what I have, yet I wiſh very well to the place.
Godli.
'Tis very like you ſpeak the truth in this; but Sir, pray whither are you going?
Apoſt.
I am a going towards the Confines of Babylon, that great City.
Godli.
I am heartily ſorry for you; let me perſwade you to return back, and reſt in this Town, Sir; do not fear thoſe Lions you ſpeak of; for God hath ſaid he will break the teeth of the Lions, Job 4.10.the old Lion, and the Lions whelps;Pſal, 56.6. but what though they ſhould deſtroy your ſubſtance,Matth. 26.26. is not your Soul worth more than all the world? Come, go back again with me, and I will dwell with you and be a ſure defence to you, ſo that you will not be hurt, let Lions Woolfs, and Devils too do what they can, My name is True Godlineſs, Sir I have ſaved many thouſands from ruin in as great danger as you can be in.
Apoſt.
Sir there will be no ſafe living for me, I muſt acquit the place, the Town is beſieged.
Godli.
What though it is beſieged God is able to defend it, and will be a wall of fire about it; but why Sir, do you chuſe that great City you ſpeak of for your Habitation? I perceive you intend to go far enough.
Apoſt.
Sir don't miſtake me I do not intend to go ſo far; but to return again when the danger is over, at preſent I will go but a little way out of the town.
Godli.
Sir, you ſhew your ſelf to be a naughty, and trayterous and hypocritical perſon; will you leave this Town in its diſtreſs? if the danger be great which attends it, you had the more need to abide in it, to ſtrengthen and encourage the poor Inhabitants. Pray Sir, do not ſhew ſo baſe and cowardly a Spirit: What is this leſs than to betray rhe Town to the enemies? Is not the ſtrength of any place the People? Beſides, your flying mightily encourages the Adverſaries; for by this means they may think to frighten all out, and then with much eaſe take the Town, and utterly deſtroy it: Alſo you weaken the hands, and ſadly grieve the hearts of all true Proteſtants, whoſe chief Treaſure lies in the Town, and cannot be removed out; and it being alſo their Spiritual Native place, they reſolve to abide in it to the laſt, let what will come, You ſay you intend to return again when the danger is over. What dangers you ſee above others, to move you to acquit the Town, I know not; but let me tell you, few who leave this Town out of fear of humane loſs or danger, do return again.
You ſay, you intend to go but a little way; alas, you can't tell where you ſhall ſtop; when once you leave the True Religion, you deſert Gods gracious protection; you may not only cleave to Papiſtry, but Atheiſm, or any thing: Come go back, let me ſave you from a fall: Why will you leave that Religion you have been ſo long eſtabliſhed in?
Apoſt.
Sir, I retain the ſame Principles that I formerly held, and my love is the ſame to the Town as it was.
Godli,
Poor wretch, you own the Principles of the True Religion, and yet cleave to Idolatry and Superſtition. The three Worthies of old by your example might have retained Faith and right Principles in their hearts, of the true God, and yet have bowed down to the Golden Image, and ſo needed not to have expoſed themſelves to a hot fiery Furnace.
Nay, by this Doctrine, who needs ſuffer Perſecution? Beſides, it renders all the Martyrs of old to be meer fools and madmen. What do you ſay, will you return? my company one would think, might allure you.
Apoſtate,
No Sir, I have formerly had your company, and I don't find you ſo pleaſant a Companion; beſides, the Town is ſadly divided amongſt themſelves, thoſe who love you, do not agree,
Godli.
Nay Sir, now you are out; for you and I never dwelt together yet; for if I had ever took up my dwelling with you, I would have kept you from this great Fall: you will prove your ſelf a meer Hypocrite, one that never loved God nor this Town Religion in your heart. Sir, Uprightneſs and Sincerity of heart preſerves from Apoſtacy; and what though the Town is divided, it is my great grief to ſee it, but you had the more need to abide in it, to do what you can to perſwade them to love and Union, however to unite in Affection. Come, humble your ſelf before God for this great Sin, and let us dwell together now, and thou ſhalt abide ſecure, notwithſtanding the Diviſions within, and Troubles without, and have moſt ſweet peace, and inward joy; yea ſuch as thou never hadſt in all thy Life. What doſt ſay?
Apoſt.
Sir, hold your peace, and ſay no more; I am reſolv'd to be gone.
Godli.
Well, ſince I ſee I cannot perſwade you to return, but that you are reſolved to leave Religion, and not receive True Godlineſs, I will tell you what your preſent ſtate is, and what your future portion is like to be for ever hereafter.
Apoſt. Sir, pray be ſilent, I do not love to hear it.
Godli.
I do not care whether you do or no, I will ſhew it.
Firſt, It appears (as I hinted before) that you were never truly converted,Matth. 13. being no part of that good ground Chriſt ſperks of.
Secondly, You are (it appears) forſaken of God; he hath left you, or elſe you would never think of cleaving to Myſtery Babylon.
Thirdly, Either God will let Conſcience out againſt you to torment you (as he did upon Francis Spira) or elſe wholly give you up (as he did Iſrael of old) to your own hearts Luſts, to walk in your own counſel.
Fourthly, Your Sin tends towards the Sin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, that ſhall never be forgiven, neither in this world nor in that which is to come: for you have been a perſon (I hear) much enlightned,Heb. 6.4.5. and now wilfully caſt off God,Heb. 10.26.28. and Religion, pray read theſe Scriptues.
Fifthly, Jeſus Chriſt will be aſhamed of you at the laſt day, when he comes in the glory of the Father with all his holy Angels.Mark 8.38.
Sixthly, Thoſe who ſet their hands to the Plough, and look back (remember) are not fit for the Kingdom of Heaven;Luke 9.62. nor will Gods Soul take pleaſure in them.Heb. 10.37.
Seventhly,Rev. 14.10. without you return back, you are like to have the hotteſt place in Hell.
Eighthly, The place you are going to, is like ſuddenly to be deſtroyed. Do you not read how juſt at the time when her judgments come upon her, ſhe ſaith in her heart I ſit a Queen, and ſhall ſee no ſorrow, nor know Widdow-hood, nor loſs of Children any more.
Ninthly, Remember the fearful end, and what dreadful Judgments God hath many times in divers Ages, brought upon ſuch falſe and trayterous perſons as you are. Beſides, who will truſt you? For you that are falſe to your God, and to your own Soul, will never be faithful to men. Come, that very way you think to ſave all, you may looſe all. Beſides Sir, let me tell you, Light is ſown for the righteous (though is is a dark time now) and Joy for the upright in heart. Nay, and this precious Seed is ſown (as I could ſhew you) in this preſent diſpenſation; but I am in haſte: What do you ſay to theſe things? Will you return?
Apoſt.
I dare not Sir, at preſent.
Godli.
Well then, I ſee you love the world above Chriſt. I have but little more to ſay unto you; but Sir, what man in his right mind, would to prevent a few ſparks, leap into the fire, or to ſave his hat, loſe his head? Alas, whilſt you ſeek to ſave your Eſtate, you are like eternally to looſe your poor Soul.
Apoſt.
Well Sir, trouble not your ſelf; I will talk no more with you; Farewel.
Godli.
Adieu then poor deceived Soul
Away he went as faſt as he could go towards the great City Babylon.
Godlineſs having thus parted with him, at laſt he met a man travelling into the Town Religion, being not very rich nor very poor, but in a middle ſtate, between both; and he lookt as if he had a mind to take up his dwelling in this place; for he enquired where he might have a convenient Houſe? Godlineſs was much pleaſed with this perſon, becauſe when others were haſting to leave the Town, he was haſting into it; beſides, he had a very ſerious countenance.
Now he had no ſooner ſetled himſelf in a habitation, but Godlineſs knocked immediately at his door, not doubting now but he ſhould find his ſweet Friend Conſideration.
Farewel, Farewel, thou Monſter of Mankind,
Look Eaſt and Weſt, ſee, ſee, if you can find
A man who may with this ſad Soul compare:
Will he return? or if he does, is there
A ground to hope Repentance he may meet,
Who treads the Truth, nay Jeſus under feet?
Can any man on earth ere come to be
A full, compleat and juſt Epitome
Of Sin and wrath? O then Sirs this is he.
Who turns his back on Chriſt, to Babel flies.
He unto Falſhood cleaves, the Truth denies.