The Travels of True Godliness, Chapter 6
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 'twas very probable his dear Friend Conſideration (whom he had a long time ſought for) might lodg in his Houſe; For, ſaid he, ſurely Wiſdom, though he dwell not with Riches, Poverty nor Youth, yet doubtleſs he doth with the *Job 32.7.Aged, and therefore made up directly to his Door, where he knocked and called a conſiderable time without any anſwer, but at laſt Old-Age enquired who was at his Door?
Old-Age,
Who are you?
Godlineſs,
Your real Friend True Godlineſs, who would fain have a Lodging with you now at laſt.
Old-Age, Godlineſs,
I have heard I think, of you, but I do not know you. Beſides, I am not able to riſe up from my Chair to let you in, I have ſuch a weak and crazy Carkaſs, and ſo full of pain and Aches that I have enough to do to ſuſtain my own infirmities: pray come another time, don't trouble me.
Godlineſs,
Alas Father, you may not live another day, Death may ſeize you before to morrow *Prov. 27.1.morning, why ſhould you put me off, I was formerly at your door when you was young, and then you told me you could not open to me, becauſe you had not ſowed all your wild Oats, and you were too young, and I was not a fit Companion for Youth. Moreover, you then ſaid, when you were old you would let me in; and will you put me off now too, pray riſe and open to me.
But all the waies and means Godlineſs could uſe, ſignified nothing he was *Jer. 48.11. Zeph. 1.12.ſettled ſo on his Lees, and had ſuch abundance of ſtubborn and rebellious Servants and Children, that they would not ſuffer him to ſhew Godlineſs the leaſt favour; the Names of ſome of them were, beſides Weary-limbs, Dim-eyes and Peevish-hardheart, Impenitency, Self-conceit, Enmity, Ʋnbelief and Ignorance, with many more of like ſort; the firſt I named were his own Natural-Off-ſpring, and ſomewhat younger than the reſt; Hard-heart *Mark 6.52.he had nouriſhed and fed continually from his Youth, for Godlideſs found him at his Houſe when he gave him a viſit in the prime of his Daies. But now he was grown a very ſtout, ſtubborn and obdurate Piece; this Fellow made Old-Age not to regard at all, nor fear the threats of God. And he was ſo void of Pity, that he ſtirred Old-Age up to ſtifle poor Conſcience, who kept his Accompts; and at every turn, to tread him under foot, if he had at any time ſo much light and power as to tell him of his Debts, viz. what abundance of abominable ſins he had committed againſt God, nay not only ſo, but not to regard nor pity the ſad eſtate of his own Soul; nor did he concern himſelf with the low condition of God's Church, and the Proteſtant Religion in this diſmal hour, but would curſe and ſwear, and tell many ſtories and filthy Lies, and now and then be Drunk, notwithſtanding he was even ready to drop into Hell, and but ſeldom cry, God forgive me; and all this comes to paſs through the evil nature of this curſed Hard-heart, and his Companions Enmity and Ʋnbelief.
Theſe three alſo had bred up another graceleſs Villain as bad as themſelves, one Impenitency, ſo that all that could be ſaid to him by Godlineſs and his ſervant Theology, concerning the deteſtable nature of ſin and his miſerable condition, yet he could not be brought to repent, nor to let one tear fall for his ſins, ſo that that word of the bleſſed Apoſtle was made good in him, But after thy hard and impenitent heart, treaſureſt up unto thy ſelf wrath againſt the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous Judgements of God; Rom. 2.5.6.Who will render to every man according to his deeds.
Ignorance was in Young-mans Houſe, and in Poverty's Houſe, but not ſuch a ſottiſh Ignorance as ſeemed to be with this Father Old-Age, for he told him God did not mind nor trouble himſelf to take notice of what men did here below, but was taken up about high matters in Heaven; neither indeed could he believe he ſaw through the thick Clouds; Is not God (ſaid he) in the height of Heaven, and behold the height of the Stars how high they are. And how doth God know? can he judg through the dark Clouds? Thick Clouds are a Covering to him that he ſeeth not; and he walketh in the Circuit of Heaven, Job 22.12, 13, 14.
Moreover, He and Ʋnbelief told him, though he was a notorious Swearer, Lyar and a very drunken Sot, that he had as good a heart as the beſt, and that to read and hear ſome good Prayers, and to mean well, was godlineſs enough for him. Beſides, they would not ſuffer him to believe that God would ever caſt any of his Creatures, whom he had made, into a Lake of Fire and Brimſtone, for ſuch a ſmall frivilous thing as Sin was; nay, he was perſwaded by them to believe there was no Hell at all. And as touching Heaven they told him, there might be ſome ſuch thing, and that though he might not have ſo good a place there as ſome men, yet he ſhould get in amongſt the Crowd, and find ſome corner or other, for Heaven was a very large place.
Self-conceit cauſed him to think ſo highly of himſelf, that notwithſtanding all that Godlineſs could ſay to confute Ignorance and Ʋnbelief, he did not mind at all, for he ſaid they were all Fools who troubled themſelves about ſin and another World, and that he who had lived ſo many years, underſtood better, and he knew what he had to do, and bid Godlineſs (in concluſion) hold his prating, For, ſaith he, every Tub muſt ſtand upon his own bottom, and ſure I am, God will not caſt away an old man; I was born a Chriſtian, and made a Child of God, a Member of Chriſt, an Heir to the Kingdom of Heaven by my Baptiſm; (our Miniſter told me ſo) and would you perſwade me to think my condition is bad at laſt; no, Sir, I underſtand what Religion is very well; do not miſtake your ſelf, for I do not ſee I am much preſſed by my ordinary to ſtrike Godlineſs. But to come now and then to hear Prayers, and receive the Sacrament, and this I reſolve to do, and though my condition is r…ndred ſo bad by you, I am ſure there are many in our Pariſh, yet good Church-men, as bad, nay far worſe than I.
Godlineſs by this time perceived Old-age was ſo hardened in his Sin, and trained up by Ignorance ſo long a time, that 'twas next to an impoſſibility ever to think the evil habits he hath got by being accuſtomed ſo long to thoſe evil waies of Vice and Ʋngodlineſs, ſhould ever be changed, conſidering he was become ſo unteachable and Self-conceited, was reſolved to leave him, not thinking it was worth his time to wait longer at his Door, nor give any reply to thoſe baſe-bred Children, and Servants he kept in his Houſe; for Peeviſh made him ſo phroppiſh, that there was no ſpeaking to him, remembring that word of the Prophet, Can the Aethiopian change his Skin, or the Leopard his Spots? Jerem. 13.23.then may you who are accuſtomed to do evil, learn to do well. Yet he could not but take pity of him, conſidering his Age, therefore gave him this following general Reply, and departed.
Godlineſs,
Father Old-age it grieves me to find you thus blind, and hardened in your evil waies; and the rather, becauſe I ſee your enemy Death, alſo ſtanding with his Sword drawn here at your Door ready to enter in, and Hell is at his heels. Alas, Death who now ſhakes his Sword over your head, will ſoon ſheath it in your heart. What will you do who contemn True Godlineſs through Ignorance, when you come to ſtand before God in Judgment, there is but a little airy breathings between you and Eternal Burnings; it's better to have your eyes open on Earth, to bewail your Sins, than to have your eyes open in Hell to bewail your Sufferings, though you will not let me in now, who would make you happy, yet you will not be able e'er long to keep Death *Pſalm 89.84.out, who will make you eternally miſerable. 'Tis ſad you will not ſee your danger till you cannot eſcape your danger. As I now ſtand at your Door, ſaying, Open to me, but am not let in: ſo you e'er long will ſay, Lord, Lord open to you, but you ſhall be kept out, for none but thoſe who receive me into their Hearts on Earth, ſhall be received by Chriſt hereafter into Heaven. Thoſe who contemn Godlineſs here, ſhall be condemned for their ungodlineſs hereafter. Your poor deluded Soul, who thinks its ſtate ſo good without Grace and Regeneration, will find it bad e'er long under wrath and condemnation, For except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, John 3. 3.
This is the day of Gods long-ſuffering, but quickly will come the day of your long-ſuffering; for He whoſe mercy you have abuſed while you live, will let out His *2 Thes. 1.8, 9.Vengeance againſt you to Eternity when you die; much to the ſame purpoſe he ſpoke to him and with abundance of ſorrow, left him to periſh in his ſins.
How ſad's the caſe of frail and mortal man,
Whoſe time is ſhort, its length is but a ſpan.
In Youth he's proud, Ambition then ſo Raigns,
That he true Grace and Godlineſs diſdains.
Virtue is then contemn'd, 'tis Vice which he
Doth make his choice, but yet does hope to be,
When Old-age comes, another man, for know
He would have Heaven, but not let the Earth go;
But when he's old, ſin in him's grown ſo ſtrong,
He's more adverſe to Grace than are the Young.
Take heed you don't upon Old-age depend,
Leaſt he deals by you like a Traiterous Friend.