The Travels of True Godliness, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
Shewing how Godlineſs, in his Travels, came to a poor Cottage, where dwelt one call'd Poverty, with whom he earneſtly deſired to make his Abode; and how he was ſhamefully denied Entertainment there alſo.
GOdlineſs finding how baſely he had been ſerved by Riches, and that he could not with all the ſtrongeſt Arguments and Motives imaginable get any Entertainment with him, travelled further, and as he wandred up and down in the Wilderneſs of this World, at laſt he chanced to come to a ſmall Village, at the furthermoſt end of which (upon the Common) he eſpied a little Cottage, a poor old ruinous thing it was, the Windows being all broke, only they had cramm'd into the holes ſome old Rags to keep out the Cold, and by the propping it up, it ſeemed as if it was ready to fall; but however, he remembring what his bleſſed Lord and Maſter ſaid, The Poor receive the Goſpel, reſolved to go thither, and ſee whether he might not meet with Entertainment there; (for he is no reſpector of Perſons, he is as willing to be Gueſt to the poor, as to the rich, and to dwell with the Peaſant as with the Prince; or to make his Abode in a Cottage as in a Palace:) And being come up to the Door, he underſtood the poor man's name who dwelt there, was Poverty: Now Godlineſs knocked five or ſix times before he could have any manner of Anſwer for it ſeems he was aſleep in Bed with his Wife; but at laſt being between ſleeping and waking, he aſked (though very faintly) Who's there? who's at the Door?
Godlineſs,
I am here; pray ariſe, and let me in.
Godlineſs liſtned, but he could not hear what Poverty ſaid, by reaſon of the noiſe that was within; for he having many Children, it happened that by this time they were wak'd, and fell into a fit of crying; ſome wanted Victuals; and ſome of them cried for other things which he had not to give them; which made him one while to weep, and another while to fret and ſtorm at the poor Children, ſo that Godlineſs could have no anſwer till he knock'd again; which he did, and that pretty hard.
Pov.
Who is at my Door.
Godli.
A Friend; my Name is True Godlineſs.
Pov.
Godlineſs! Pray what buſineſs have you here?
Godli.
I want a Lodging.
Pov.
From whence come you ſir? I doubt you have loſt your way; Is this a likely Houſe to afford Entertainment to a Traveller?
Godli.
I came laſt from a great man's Houſe not far off, whoſe Name is Riches.
Pov.
Well! had he no Lodging for you, that you are come to me?
Godli.
No, he hath utterly refuſed to entertain me; and not only ſo, but hath baſely abuſed me, calling me at his pleaſure, and alſo rais'd all the rude Rabble of the Town upon me.
Pov.
He had ſome reaſon for it, I warrant you; and truly I my ſelf do not like very well what you talk of; for he is a man ready enough to open his Door to any who are worth entertaining; I mean profitable Gueſts: if you could get no lodging at his Houſe, what ground have you to think you ſhould meet with any here; beſides, though I cann't deny but that I have heard of your Name, yet I know you not; and moreover, I am forbid by certain Edicts of this Country, to entertain one who goes by your Name, and it may be you as far as I know: 'Tis Sir, a dangerous thing to open ones door to ſtrangers at any time, but more eſpecially now, when there are ſo many grand Cheats and Robbers abroad: Sir, though I have not much to loſe▪ yet my life is as dear to me as any man's; and ſhould I let you in, how you would deal with me, God knows; for I have heard that many thouſands through your means have loſt their ſweet Lives as well as their Eſtates.
Godli.
I will, poor Soul? do thee no wrong, but contrariwiſe, if you pleaſe to open the door, and kindly entertain me, you ſhall find me the beſt friend that ever you met within all your life.
Pov.
You ſpeak well; but what is it you will do for me? Have you any money to give me to buy my Family a little good Victuals (for we have had little elſe beſides Bread and Water a great while to live upon) and ſome better Clothes? for my poor Children go almoſt naked.
Godli.
I cannot at preſent aſſure thee of much earthly fulneſs, or worldly good things; I do not uſe to proffer men money, or hire them to open their doors to me; no I hate the thoughts of ſetting one foot in ſuch a perſons houſe; If I am not freely and heartily received, I will not come in at all: Friend, I do not trade in Gold and Silver; but this I will promiſe thee, if thou wilt kindly let me in, whatſoever good thing the Lord ſees thou doſt need, thou ſhalt upon my honeſt word, nay, and upon the word of Chriſt himſelf, have it; Seek firſt the Kingdom of God and his Righteouſneſs, and all theſe things ſhall be added unto you. Matth. 6.33.You complain of Want, come open to me; do you not remember that Word, They that fear the Lord ſhall not want any good thing;Pſal. 34.10. the Lord will give Grace and Glory,Pſal. 84.11. and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprighty. What doſt thou ſay Poverty.
Pov.
I am in a very low condition; what you mean I cannot tell, but this I know, my head and heart is fill'd about other things; alas, what can you think to meet with, or expect from me; do you not ſee what abundance of poor hungry and ragged Boyes and Girls I have? 'Tis enough for me to get Bread for them, I muſt leave ſuch things which you talk of, to my Betters; I mean ſuch who have more time to mind them, and are better learned; God help me, I cann't tell what to ſay to yo.
Godli.
Come, let me in; that is to ſay, become a true Convert, get a right Faith, and lead a good and holy life, and I ſhall teach thee to be more diligent and induſtrious in thy Calling than thou haſt been, and nor fooliſhly and idlely to waſte ſo many daies work in the monethmonth: Thou wilt gain, thou wilt find every way by True Godlineſs.
Pov.
Truly we poor Folks in the Country, think 'tis Godlineſs enough for us to bear an honeſt mind, and pay truly for what we have, and go to Church now and then to hear ſome good Prayers there, and ſay the Creed, the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer now and then at home when we come from work, if we do not chance to fall aſleep firſt; for it has been ſo with me, God knows, many a time, the Lord help me; but if I thought it would be for my profit, I could find in my heart to open to you.
Godli.
Poverty, I will aſſure thee it will be infinitely for thy advantage; haſt not read?—
Pov.
I cannot read, Sir.
Godli.
But have you not heard then of that Word, Godlineſs is profitable unto all things, having the promiſe of the Life that now is,1 Tim. 4.8. and of that which is to come; and that other Word, Godlineſs with contentinent is great gain: And now becauſe I ſee you are weak, I will tell you of ſome of thoſe great Bleſſings you will gain, if you do receive me in truth: Firſt, I whereſoever I come, bring along with me Reconciliation with God, pardon of Sin, peace of Conſcience and joy in the Holy Ghoſt; nay, I raiſe men to honour too; I will make thee a Son of God, an Heir of Heaven, and at laſt ſet a Crown of endleſs Glory upon thy Head? What doſt thou ſay Poverty?
Pov.
I had rather have ſome better Clothes, and and ſtore of good Proviſion, and a better Houſe to live in; theſe things ſuit my preſent neceſſity; but as touching thoſe things you talk of I do not well underſtand what they are, they may be but fancies as far as I know: beſides, what work will you ſet me about? I cannot endure hard labour.
Godli.
But ſtay Poverty, What kind of Fellows are thoſe you have got in your Houſe?
Pov.
what is that to you? why do you not anſwer my Queſtion.
Godli.
Why then I'ill tell you; you muſt very fervently read the Holy Bible, and every Lord's-day with great reverence and ſeriouſneſs hear God's Bleſſed Word, and pray at leaſt twice a day; alſo you muſt believe in Chriſt; nay, and I ſhall teach you to be more painful and laborious in your Trade and worldly Buſineſs; but this I know cannot be done, unleſs you put away that Crew of looſe and naughty Fellows in your Houſe.
Now Poverty had it ſeems, divers baſe and lazy Companions, who were all grand Enemies to True Godlineſs; alſo ſome of them 'tis ſaid, were his own Children, or Natural Off-ſpri…g; their Names were theſe; viz. Ʋnbelief, Ignorance, Sloth, alias: Idleneſs, Waſtful, Light-fingers, Faint-heart, Carping-Cares and Fear-man, together with ſome others: Now when he began to open to Godlineſs theſe hindred him.
Firſt, Sloth and Idleneſs would not ſuffer him to riſe up out of his Bed of Security, to call upon God, nor take pains to pull up the Briars and Thorns that grew in his heart; by which means his Field lay barren and untill'd, nothing growing therein, but what the Ground brought forth naturally. Nay, theſe made him of ſuch a ſluggiſh Temper, and ſuch a lover of Reſt, that he complain'd many times becauſe he could not go without motion; nay he was unwilling to be at the trouble of feeding himſelf; therefore would wiſh that men might live as Trees and Plants do: and though there was offered him a Cabinet of rich Jewels, yet he would not ſo much as ſtretch out his Arm to take hold of it, and notwithſtanding he had many fiery darts ſtuck in his Breaſt, yet he would not be at the pains of pulling them forth; by which means he was in a ſad and lamentable condition. I remember a very wiſe man told me, that he hides his hand in his boſome, Prov. 26.15.and it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth, by the means of theſe two lazy Felows, Sloth and Idleneſs.
Ignorance told him, he had received True Godlineſs already, and that he had dwelt in his houſe ever ſince he was a Child, and that Baptiſm brought him in; and that the chief buſineſs which God required of him, was to get Bead and Clothes for his Family.
Ʋnbelief told him, that thoſe things which Godlineſs talked of, were meer Fictions; being unſeen things; there was no reallity in them: But when he queſtion'd the truth of what Ʋnbelief ſpoke upon this account, then the Wretch told him, however, they were things far out of his reach, and that he had no part nor lot in them, neither could they (if it was poſſible to obtain them) anſwer his preſent neceſſities.
Light-fingers told him, he had been for a great while his beſt Friend; and if it had not been for him, he had been ſtarved to Death long before now.
Diſtruſt fell into diſcourſe with his thieving Brother, and poſitively ſaid, if he turned Light-fingers out of his Houſe (as he knew he muſt if Godlineſs came in) he would certainly go a begging from door to door.
Waſtful told him that True Godlineſs, if entertained, would never ſuffer him to buy ſuch good pieces of Beef and Mutton, &c. as he was us'd to do on truſt, unleſs he knew he was able to pay for them; and that he would not ſuffer him to go any more to merry Meetings, and carowſe it amongſt good Fellows at the Alehouſe, nor recreate himſelf at Cards, Bowls, Nine-pins, and other Sports, for Money on Holidays; and that he muſt be content with ſuch mean Clothes and Fare he had got, and never loſe a days work to gratifie the luſts of the Fleſh; and that alſo he muſt change his Company; which particularly was grievous to Poverty to hear.
Carping-Cares filled his head ſo full of diſtracting thoughts, that he had no time to think of God, Chriſt, nor his own Soul, from one weeks end to another; but his great ſtudy was, either to think where to borrow Money, and ſo get more in debt or elſe how to pay what he ow'd, to get out of debt, or what he ſhould do for work, Trade being grown (by the badneſs of Times) very dead; by this means Villain) fill'd with ſad thoughts, not knowing how he ſhould get more Bread, when that he had was eaten up, and more Clothes, when they he had would hang on no longer; beſides, it could not go out of his mind, but that at one time or other he ſhould be Areſted, and thrown into a Goal, having many times fearfully broke his word.
Faint-heart and Fear-man preſented to him the danger he would be in upon any conſideration, if True Godlineſs were entertained
For firſt, they told him how contemptible Real Godlineſs was grown at this preſent time, being of very little credit or eſteem amongſt any ſort and degrees of men in the world, by reaſon of Vice, which which was never more rampant; inſomuch that True Godlineſs was like to be driven out of the world, and forc'd to flye into ſome hole or corner of the Earth to hide himſelf. Mr. Riches, who is the Lord of the Mannor hath beat him away from his door, and hateth him with a perfect hatred? now if you entertain him, he will ſoon hear of it, and ſo will become your deadly Enemy, and pull down your Cottage, or warn you out, or be ſure, not let you have a farthing of the Poors Money, nor never ſet you to work any more; and what will become then of thy poor Wife and Children? Nay, ſaid they, we will tell you more; Do you not hear what cruel Edicts the Prince of the Ancient Gauls Countrey hath made againſt True Godlineſs?The French King. and how many of the Proteſtant Churches he hath pulled down and utterly demoliſhed? and how he is perſecuted almoſt every where? Come, ſay they, 'tis that pleaſant and lovely Form of Counterfeit Godlineſs,Papiſtry. that will in little time be generally embraced, and thoſe who entertain True Godlineſs, muſt expect to be reproached and baſely reviled. Moreover, do you not hear how many Thouſands in France, and in other places, who have for a long time entertained him, have turned him out of doors; they are weary of him, or afraid to own him: and is this a time for you to think of embracing him, Poverty? (ſaid they) pity your ſelf, and have more wit, you are poor enough already, and this is the way to make you more miſerable: If Riches will not entertain him, who hath many advantages to relieve and help himſelf in diſtreſſing Times, and ſad exigencies, over what Poverty hath, or can promiſe himſelf, there is no ground of encouragement for you to open to him.
Upon this poor Poverty reſolv'd not to let True Godlineſs have a Lodging in his Houſe; but rather inſtead thereof, to put ſtronger Bolts and Bars on his Door. Godlineſs having waited all this while, to hear what theſe curſed enemies of his would ſay, and perceiving they had now done, he broke ſilence, and began of ſpeak after this manner;
Godli.
Well Poverty, I expected but little leſs from you, when I perceived you were reſolved to hearken to thoſe graceleſs Villains you lodg in your *Heart.Houſe; for they (I hear would do their worſt to keep me out; but I ſhall now however, to undeceive you, anſwer them all.
Firſt, as to theſe lazy Companions, Sloth and Idleneſs, who will not ſuffer you to labour for the good neither of Body nor Soul, they have in part brought you into this poor and miſerable condition you are in. Oh how many have they brought to beg their Bread from door to door! and ſtirred up others to rob, ſteal and commit horrible Murders, to uphold them in their looſe, lazy and ungodly lifes; by which means they have brought, and daily do bring a number of men and women to the Gallows: but the greateſt miſchief they do, is to the Souls of men; for they have caſt thouſands into ſuch a deep ſleep, that never awake until they lift up their eyes in Hell; they will not ſuffer men to labour to find out their great danger, till it is too late; and others, when they do perceive their woeful condition, are hindred by them from endeavouring timely and in a right manner to get out; they many times cry, Lord help us, and Lord have mercy upon us; but never ſtrive to take hold of the offers and tenders of his Grace and Mercy, by cleaving to Chriſt, and leaving all their abominable wickedneſs. 'Tis the idle Soul that ſuffers hunger; who ſhall beg at harveſt, and have nothing, though there is Bread and enough to ſpare for you in Gods Houſe, yet they will not ſuffer you to ſeek out for it, but cauſe you to cry, yet a little ſleep, yet a little ſlumber, Prov. 24.33.yet a little foldidg of the hands to ſleep: Is it not ſad notwithſtanding your Houſe is on fire, and you like to be burnt in your Bed, yet cannot through this baſe Sloth and Idleneſs riſe up; you are juſt ready to drop into Hell, and yet will not endeavour to deliver your own Soul. O remember that Word,Mat. 25.30. Take the ſlothful and unprofitable Servant, and bind him hand and foot, and caſt him into utter darkneſs, there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of Teeth.
And then ſecondly, as to Light-fingers, he is a Thief; and if you follow his Dictates, he will bring you to the Gibbet, beſides,1 Cor. 6.10. no Thief ſhall enter into the Kingdom of God.
Thirdly, Waſteful, his Brother, for all his Huffing, is almoſt as bad as he; 'twas this vain Fellow that brought the poor Prodigal to eat husks with the ſwine;Luke 15. 'tis he, not only cauſes you to waſte, and fooliſhly ſpend your money (when you have got a little) but alſo your precious time, which ſhould be improved for the good of your poor periſhing Soul. Poverty, can it do you any harm to be taught to become a better Husband, and not to conſume the little you ſometimes get amongſt Riotous Company, which might be a great comfort to your poor Wife and Children; alſo I will appeal to my Neighbour Morality, whether there is any ground for you to refuſe to entertain me, becauſe I teach you to be content with mean things, hard fare, and do put you upon hard labour, and not to run into debt, unleſs you knew which way to pay it.
Ignorance is a Murtherer, and hath deſtroyed millions of Souls, though there was a time indeed when God ſeemed to wink at him, *Acts 17. 30.i. e. did not lay (as it were) his hands immediately upon him; but now he is left altogether inexcuſable, becauſe God hath afforded you a ſufficiency of Light to bring you to the true knowledg of Salvation, the neceſſity of Faith and True Godlineſs, if you would eſcape the damnation of Hell. Ʋnbelief, I found the other day with Riches, and indeed I am come to no Bodies door but I find him within; I gave a plain Character of him then, to which I refer you, if you have a mind to know what a dangerous perſon he is; but however, take one word or two in anſwer to what he ſaies to you againſt me; he affirms, that all my promiſes are fictious, being unſeen things, they have no reallity in them, or things that you can never attain unto, if you could, yet they could not anſwer your preſent neceſſities. If you will give credit to ſuch a notorious Liar, Murtherer and Blaſphemer, who certainly in a ſlie and treacherous manner ſeeks to ſtab you at the heart, who can help it? Are Chriſt's Promiſes of Grace and Peace here, and Glory hereafter, becauſe not ſeen with external Eyes, fictions? He will tell you alſo ere long, if you will believe him there is no God nor Devil, Heaven nor Hell, becauſe not ſeen with viſible eyes; he may ſuggeſt the one to you as well as the other. Come, Poverty, thouſands of my Children, by bleſſed experience have found my Promiſes no fictions nor idle fancies, but things full of reality, marrow and fatneſs: O taſte and ſee how good the Lord is. And why may not you obtain theſe glorious good things, viz. Union and Communion with God, Pardon of Sin, Peace of Conſcience, and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt, as well as others? They were commonly given in the time of the Goſpel to the Poor. Come, Poverty, theſe things are thine (as ſure as God is in Heaven, if thou wilt but let me in) poor Laſarus underſtood them, and experienced the ſweetneſs of them, and ſhall to Eternity. And then laſtly, have you no need of theſe good things of mine, becauſe they may not ſo directly anſwer your outward neceſſity? Are not the neceſſities of your Soul more to be minded than to get ſtore of Meat, Drink, Clothes, Silver and Gold? What are all theſe things to the love and favour of God, an Intereſt in Chriſt, and to have a Right to the Kingdom of Heaven? How ſoon, alas, may your Life be gone, and what good will thoſe things do you; do you not ſee they periſh in the uſing? And as they are corruptible, ſo likewiſe they can never ſatisfie nor fill the deſires of your Soul, nor do they ſuit the neceſſities thereof. Conſider, can any of theſe things make thy Soul happy? Can Gold or Silver enrich it, or the rareſt worldly dainties feed it, or Wine chear it? No, Poverty, if thou hadſt the things of this World in never ſo great abundance, yet till thou letteſt me in, and makeſt me thy chief Companion, thy Soul would be miſerable. What is it to have plenty of all good things, and no God, no Chriſt, no Pardon, no Peace, but contrarywiſe, the Curſe of God, Horror of Conſcience, and Hell at laſt? Thou wilt, Poverty, become more happy if thou doſt open the door to me, and thou and I dwell together, than the proudeſt and haughtieſt Monarh in the World; thy Comforts, inward Peace and Joy will excell theirs, and thy Riches be more abundant in Quantity, beſides the rare and excellent Quality of them; nay, and thy Glory will be far more tranſcendent; and beſides, 'twill abide with thee to the daies of Eternity,
As touching-Carping Care, he hath almoſt broke thy heart already; he will not let thee ſleep a nights, he by telling thee of thy wants and neceſſities ſadly diſturbs thy mind, but never helped thee to a Farthing in all his life, and why shouldſt thou hearken to him any longer, he is thy utter Enemy as well as mine: Hear what the Lord Chriſt ſaith, Who by taking thought can add one Cubit unto his Stature, Mat. 6.27.
He has even eat up thy very Spirits, and weakned thy Body, marr'd thy Senſes, eſpecially the Spiritual Senſes of thy Soul, ſo that thou canſt not think one ſerious thought all the day for him; nay, when Sloth and Idleneſs will let thee go to hear Gods Word he follows thee thither too, and ſo confounds thy mind with wandring Cogitations, that all thy devotion is ſpoiled, you can profit nothing: Therefore I beſeech you do what you can to thruſt him out.
Diſtruſt, That faithleſs Fellow, ſets on this baſe Wrerch, Carping-Care, to perplex thy mind; and this is not all, for he tells thee if thou turneſt Lightfingers out of door, thou wilt certainly go a begging. Come, Poverty, they are a pack of curſed Villains, ſet on by their great Maſter Apollyon, to bring thee to ſhame, as if there was no waies to live, but by breaking of Gods Commandment▪ Thou ſhalt not ſteal; and is he not a Wretch, that ſhall call into queſtion the Care and Faithfulneſs of God, whoſe Promiſes are to Feed *Iſa. 40.11 Pſal. 34.9, 10and Cloath thee, and to ſupply all thy neceſſities in the way of thy Duty, ſo that thou ſhalt want no good thing, (as I ſaid before) though thou poſſibly mayſt think that good for thee, which God knows is not.
And now in the laſt place, let me ſpeak a few words to thoſe cowardly fellows,Iſa. 51.12. Faint-heart, and Fear-man; theſe are they that would have you fear man more than God; and yet I am ready to believe ſome of their words take much place upon your heart as any thing you heard from the other.
But what reaſon there was or is for it, we will come now to conſider.
Firſt, they ſay I am grown here of late very contemptible, and am of very little eſteem or credit * amongſt any ſort or degrees of men;Iſa. 53.3. and that I ſhall ere long be forced to flye into a corner to hide my ſelf, &c
To this I anſwer, firſt I never had much eſteem amongſt great men; nay, in every Age of the World very few gave credit to me; and now being come (almoſt to the end of my Travels) into the laſt and worſt Age, I could expect no other uſage than what I meet withal. How ſhould I have many to admire and fall in love with me, when the Text poſitively ſaies, All the World *Revel. 13.3.Wonders after the Beaſt. That is, they are in love with, and admire counterfeit Godlineſs; and the truth is, I marvel not at it, becauſe all along the falſe Prophets were more readily embraced than the true, and their words generally believed. If another comes in his own name (ſaid Jeſus Chriſt) him you will *John 5.43.receive; the reaſon is eaſily diſcerned, becauſe they *John 5.43.ſmooth the People up in their ſins:1 Kings 22.13 22. Alas, don't you ſee how counterfeit Godlineſs gives liberty to men to pleaſe their ſenſual and Bruitiſh Luſts, teaching an eaſier way to Heaven than ever I did or can, for I alwaies taught, as at this day the Doctrine of *Mark 8.34.Self-denial, the neceſſity of Faith in Chriſt, *John 3.5.Regeneration and Mortification of Sin, &c.
Secondly, whereas they ſay, I ſhall ere long be forc'd to flye into ſome corner; that is, I know the fear of theſe paltry Fellows; but if it ſhould chance ſo to come to paſs, woe be to you, and all the World beſides, if True Godlineſs once finds no place nor countenance in any Nation of the Earth, and indeed you had the more need with all ſpeed receive me into your Houſe, leaſt hereafter you find me not, and ſo periſh in your Sins, John 8.22.
Thirdly, What though Riches hath rejected me, he never had much kindneſs for me, but was generally alwaies my enemy, and whereas they ſay, he will be diſpleaſed with you, and warn you out of your Houſe if you entertain me. What then Chriſt will receive you into his Houſe, and you were better have him to be your Friend than any Potentate of the Earth; When my Father and Mother, saith David, *Pſal 27.10forſakes me, the Lord will take me up. Have you not read of that poor man which the Phariſees Excommunicated for cleaving to me,John 9.35. and how the Lord Jeſus graciouſly received him. Come, Poverty, don't fear, the worſt that men can do, God will help you, and he is above them all, and it will be but a little while before that word ſhall be made good. Your Brethren that hated you, and caſt you out for my Names ſake, ſaying, Iſaiah 66.5.Let the Lord be glorified, but he will appear to your joy, and they ſhall be aſhamed. And what though ſome great Potentates of Rome combine together to tread me under their feet, and ſet up Idolatry, Popery and Superſtition, ſhould this deter you from receiving me? Alas man, the time is at hand when all will be undone, and be forc'd to cry out, Woe, woe, woe, that ever they were born; but thoſe only who have made me the Joy and Delight of their Hearts ſay to the Righteous, Iſaiah 3.10.it ſhall go well with him. Woe to the wicked, it ſhall go ill with him. 'Tis ſaid indeed to ſee any leave me in my Adverſity, but they were falſe *John 6.66.Friends, and let them go, they never loved me in truth; but do thou but kindly embrace me, and I will keep thee from falling; nay, *Pſal. 9.9.thou ſhalt find me a ſure refuge and defence to thee in the day of diſtreſs; yea, and I will ſtore thee with all good things which the rich have not; I am reſolved to *Iſa. 25.6.feaſt thy ſoul continually, and never leave thee unto thy dying day. Come thee, and I ſhall live ſplendidly together, notwithſtanding thou art poor, if we can but get my dear friend *1 Tim. 6.6.Content to dwell with us: What doſt thou ſay, Poverty, ſhall I come in? but notwithſtanding all that Godlineſs could ſay, Poverty would not give way to him, but began to give him reviling words, ſaying, He was born a Gentleman, tho' he was fallen to Decay; and that he would not ſuffer ſuch Tumults at his Door (for it ſeems while Godlineſs was praying and preſſing for entertainment, one Perſecution, the Off-ſpring of Adam's eldeſt ſon *Gen. 4.8.Cain, had raiſed abundance of lewd Fellows together to drive Godlineſs away from Poverty's Door: ſo that by the oppoſition within Doors and without, Godlineſs found no lodging there neither; yea, and eſcaped not without many bitter threatnings, Execrations and Blaſphemous words. Now one Reaſon why Riches and Poverty did not receive True Godlineſs was, becauſe Conſideration dwelt with neither of them, who being a grave Counſellor, might poſſibly have given them better advice than to deny entertainment to ſo ſweet a Friend. Godlineſs after this began to be at a ſtand which way to Travel next; but hearing of one Youth, who lived not far off, he reſolved to ſee whether he might not get a dwelling with him, becauſe he was one that his Commiſſion particularly directed him to viſit.
Sad is the ſtate of Woeful Man I ſee;
Riches ſlights Chriſt, and ſo does Poverty.
The Snares are great which doth Riches attend,
And Poverty to Virtue proves no Friend;
But this poor Wretch I pity moſt, for why,
He has no Portion here, yet does deny
To Entertain True Godlineſs, that ſo
He might have Heaven above, though none below.
But by curſt Foes he is ſo perplex'd, that he
Cann't find the way to true Felicity.
Not many Rich, nor many very Poor,
Ʋnto True Godlineſs do ope their Door,
But rather ſuch who in a medium be,
Betwixt great Riches and low Poverty.
This ſtate, with Agur, Lord, I beg of thee.