A Christian Library, Chapter 9 – Chapter 1
CHAP. IX.
§ 1. I Begin with the Loose Libertine, or openly prophane: for he shall lead the Troop, as Judas led the Souldiers.
Thou that art openly pro…hane dost so manifestly prove and profess thy self to be one of those ignorant, unbelieving, ingrateful, & wicked wretches herein co…cern'd: yea, to be one of the children of disobedience whom Satan hath blinded: that in respect of others, I should think it needlesse to spend time in further proof thereof: yet I would gladly say something to shame thee out of thy self: wherefore briefly thus: Thou art kept by the Devil in a snare, and taken captive of him at his will: he ruleth, and worketh his pleasure in thee, as being thy God and Father, and Prince, and M…ster, 2 Tim. 2.26. Joh. 8.44. and 14.30. 2 Cor. 4.4. Thy odious qualities are these and the like: thou doest ban…h all civility, and give thy self over to sensuality: and art neither afraid nor ashamed; to let thy wickedest thoughts break forth into actions. Yea, thou thinkest thy self th… honester man for it: and boastest thou art none of those dissembling Hypocrites that seem to be what they are not. Thou art a common Drunkard: in…tead of quenching thy thirst, thou drownest thy senses and wilt leave thy wits, rather then the Wine behinde thee.
§ 2. Thou desirest not the reputation of honesty, but of good fellowship ▪ Thou art a continual swearer, and that of bloody oaths. One of our Ruffians, or sons of Belial: who when thou art displeased with others, wilt flie in thy Makers face, and tear thy Saviours Name in pieces: even swearing away thy part in that blood, which must saye thee if ever thou beest sayed. Yea, if thou art neve… so little provoked, curses with thee, strive for number with oaths, and lewd speeches with both. Thou knowest no other dialect, then roaring, swearing, and banning: the language of Hell, which thou learnest before thou comest thither: and in case thou art reproved for it, thou wilt say, We take too much upon us: as Corah and his complices twitted M…ses, Numb. 16.3. not knowing how strictly God commands, and requires it, Levit. 19.17. Heb. 3.11. 2 Tim. 2.25. Ezek. 3.18, to 22. 2 Pet. 2.7, 8. Whence as the chief Priests answered Iudas; What is that to us? so thou wilt blaspheme God, tear Christ in pieces, and more then betray; even shed his innocent blood, digging into his side with oaths: and say: when told of it, What is that to us? When thou mightest as well say; What is Christ to us? What is Heaven to us? or what is salvation to us? For to us the one cannot be without the other. We shall never inherit part of his glory in Heaven, if we do not take his glories part upon Earth. And with God it is much about one; whether we be doers of evil, or no hinderers. For if we must not see our neighbours Ox, nor his Sheep go astray; or fall into a pit: but we must reduce him, and help him out of it, Deut. 22.1. We are much more bound, to help our Neighbour himself, from dropping into the bottomless pit of Hell. And what know we? but we may win our brother, and so save his soul? Matth. 18.15. Again, thou art an usual companion of Harlots, thy summum bonum is a Punk ▪ and thou wilt rather burn in hell, then marry: All thy felicity is in a T…vern, or Brothel-house: where Harlots and Sycophants rifle thy estate, and then send thee to rob. Thou art one of those that St. Peter speaks of: thou hast eyes ful of adultery, & that cannot cease to sin. Thou gazest upon every fair face; and lustest after every beautiful woman: Thy speech is lewd, and obscene: thy discourse scurrility, lascivious thy behaviour. Thou art a frequent slanderer of thy Neighbour: an open Sabbath-breaker: Canst boast of sin, and mischief, and if need be defend it.
§ 3. Like the Salamander, thou art never well, but in the fire of contention: And art apt to quarrel, yea, kill a man for every foolish trifle; be it but for the wall, or refusing to pledge thee; as if thy honour were of more worth then thy soul. Yea, the Devil hath so blinded, and bewitcht thee: that thou thinkest every wrong, or disgraceful word quarrel just enough, to shed blood: that true valour consists onelyonly in a brave revenge and being implacable: that patience is but an argument of baseness; and therefore thou wilt rather suffer a sword in thy bowels, then a lie in thy throat. I confess, thou wilt fight in no quarrel but a bad one: and sooner in thy Mistresses defence, then in thy Makers.
§ 4. Thou art of a reprobate judgement touching actions and persons: esteeming good evil, and evil good, Prov. 17.15. and 29.27. Isai. 5.20. Thou doest stifle thy conscience, and would'st force thy self to believe if it were possible: that in case men will not swear, drink drunk, conform to thy lewd customes, and the like: they are over-precise; and to forbear evil, is quarrel sufficient for thee. Thou speakest evil of all, that will not run with thee to the same excess of riot, 1 Pet. 4.4. making them a by-word to the people, Job 17.6. and a song amongst thy fellow Drunkards, Psal. 69.12. Thou art so desperately wicked, that thou wilt mock thy admonisher, scoff at the means to be saved; and make thy self merry with thy own damnation.
§ 5. Instead of hating the evil thou doest, and thy self for doing it: thon art glad of it, rejoycest in it, boastest of it; yea, pleadest for it, and applaudest thy self for thy wickedness: God is not in all thy thoughts, except to blaspheme him, and to spend his dayes in the Devils service. And rather then abridge thy pleasure, thou wilt hazard the displeasure of God. Thou doest not honour, but art stubborn, and disobedient to thy parents: a Rioter, &c. If they stand in need of thee; thou wilt not nourish, or maintain them, as they did thee in thy need. Thou takest no care to provide for …hine own family; but drinkest the very blood of thy Wife, Children, and Servants: and art therein worse then an Infidel. Thy greatest delight … in devillish cruelty: as to see the poor innocent Creatures fight, pick …ut one anothers eyes, and tear each others flesh. Yea, to see two men fight, …nd kill one another: thou accountest but a sport, or playing, 2 Sam. 2.14, …0 17.
§ 6. Thou wilt borrow, or run in debt with every one; but nev… …arest …, or satisfie any one: except it be thy Hostess for … lest she should never more trust thee. Thou wickedly spendest thy patri…mony in riot, and upon Dice, Drabs, Drunkenness. Thou hast never th… wit to think upon sparing, until thou comest to the bottom of the Purse like an hour-glass turned up, thou never leavest running till all be out Shouldest thou live never so long, thou wilt never attein to the years o… discretion: thou wilt never become thine own man, until thou hast no o…ther: nor ever see want, until thou feelest it. Thou art onelyonly witty t… wrong, and undo thy self: and which is worse then all; if death finde thee as banquerout of spiritual; as of worldly goods: it will send thee to an eternal Prison. Thy pride so swels thee, and makes thee look so big ▪ as if the river of thy blood, would not endure to be banked within the channel of thy veins. Thou must have shift of attire, though thou cans… not shift thy self out of the Mercers books, until thou hast sold the othe… Farm, or Lordship: thou wilt pay the whole reckoning, that thou may… be counted the best man: a bare head in the streets, does thee more good▪ then a meals meat. Thou wilt soon bring a noble to nine pence: an inheritance of five hundred pounds per annum, to five hundred shillings ▪ Thou art a vain glorious fool, and scornest any employment, or to be of any calling: which is a pride, without either wit or grace.
§ 7. As good men by their godly admonition, and vertuous example; draw all they can to Heaven: so thou by thy subtile allurements, and viclous example; drawest all thou canst to hell. For as if it were too little, to damn thy own soul: or as if thine own sins would not press thee deep enough into hell: thou doest all that possibly thou canst, to entice and enforce others to sin with thee: for thou doest envy, hate, scoff at, nickname rail on, and slander the godly; that thou mayest flowt them out of their faith, damp, or quench the spirit where thou perceivest it is kindled; discourage them in the way to heaven, to make them ashamed of their holy conversation, and religious course: pull them back to the World, tha… so thou mayest have their company here in sin, and hereafter in torment.
§ 8. Thou fearest a Iayl more then thou fearest hell: and standest more upon thy sides smarting, then upon thy soul. Thou regardest more the… blasts of mens breath, then the fire of Gods wrath: and tremblest more a… the thought of a Ser…eant, or Bailiff, then of Satan, and everlasting perdition. Thou takest incouragement from the Saints falls, and sins of God… people, to do the like: when they should serve thee as Sea-marks, to mak… thee beware. Yea, thou doest most sordidly, take liberty, and incouragement to go on more securely in thy evil courses; because God is merciful… and forbears to execute judgment speedily: and to defer thy repentance, be…cause the Thief upon the Cross, was heard at the last hour. Thou wilt boldl… do what God forbids; and yet confidently hope to escape what he threatens ▪ Thus I could go on, to tell thee a thousand more of these thy wicke… thoughts, words, and actions; had I not already done it. But because I would not present my other Readers, with Cole-worts twice sod: be perswaded to take view of them, in my other small Tract, entituled, The odious, despicable, and dreadful condition of a Drunkard, drawn to the Life: though indeed, even a tithe of these are sufficient evidences, to prove thee one of those ignorant, unbelieving, ingrateful, and notorious wicked wretches before spoken of: and to make thee confess that thou art in a most damnable condition. But stand thou by, and let the Civil Iusticiary, and formal Hypocrite hold up their hands, and hear their Charge.
And so much for the first Division allotted for such as are notoriously wicked. For though I determined to have made of all but one Volume; yet now new thoughts have taken place, and caused me to melt the whole again; and cast it into several Divisions: whereby being sold single, every man may have his proper portion apart. My reasons are these, & the like.
1 It is because many (be they never so short-breath'd, in well doing) will read a few leaves: that will not once look upon a large Volume.
2 Divers will be at the cost of a few pence, that would rather perish then lay out a pound.
3 Some, as they have but little money; so they have less time to spare, (as they use the matter) for the good of their souls.
4 Admonitions, and instructions if they exceed: are wont as nails, to drive out one another.
5 Should the Civil Iusticiary read the prophane mans Character; or the open-handed Prodigal, the close-fisted, and griping Oppressors: this would rather encourage, and strengthen them in their wickedness, then fright them from it.
6 Some have such queasie stomacks, that if they see their potion big, as well as bitter; they will choose to die, rather then take it.
And because I have found by ample experience, that many have a minde to read good Books yea, a zeal (such as it is) to reclaim others from evil, so it may cost them nothing: who otherwise have no stomack to either. (For when the like was to be given about, swearing and cursing: even the better sort of men and women could fetch them by a thousand a week from all parts of the Kingdome. But since they have (for some reasons) been sold, for eight a penny: not one of an hundred could finde in their hearts to give that peny, were it to save eight of their friends souls: which shews both how they love money; and what hollow-hearted devotion they have. The Lord discover the same unto them.) There is (over against the High Constables short of Shoreditch Church) of this first part, or division to be given freely, together with the cure of cursing and swearing: provided, they that desire them can read very well: for otherwise they will so nick-name words, and make it such non-sense, that one would rather his lines should never be read, then so brokenly. And I could wish that men would not fetch them for base ends, as one did formerly fetch many hundreds of that against Swearing, and Cursing: onelyonly to save the buying of waste Paper (though he had many fair pretences of sending them to Graves-end, Canterbury, Dover, and all other places, where Sea-men resorted:) which being found out, made the Donor with-draw his gift until now.
It was, I think, a most wicked act, for which he deserves to be stigmatized and made an example to others. And let men take heed of abusing things Dedicated to holy uses; for they are the sharpest kinde of edged tools, and therefore are not to be jefted with: Neither will God so be mocked.
The end of the first Division.
POSTCRIPT.
AUgusti…e that his ignorant hearers might the better understand him, would sometimes speak false Latine: and I for my accidental Readers good, have (and that purposely) done as absurdly in another kinde: viz. used the same expression in one Tract (when I have deemed it weighty and convincing) that may be found in another: which to many will not be discernable, though obvious enough to some: Who may if they please censure it and me for it: But presuming that the more charitable, and ingenuous would not have it otherwise, it shall not much trouble me.
LONDON, Printed by R. and W. L. for Iames Crump, in Little Bartholomews Well-yard.
A LEAFE From the TREE of LIFE, Wherewith to heal the NATION of all Strife and Controversie and to settle therein PEACE and UNITIE.
By R. Younge a Roxwell Bee, whose sting is as Soveraign as its Honey is sweet, and whose Enemies have no less cause to love him then his Friends.
Sold by Iames Crump in Little Bartholmews, Well-Yard, and Henry Crisps in Popes Head-Alley, 1661.
CHAP. I.
Reverend Sir,
SOme time since I heard you upon Ier. 51.9. We would have healed Babilon, but she would not be healed, &c. What change it hath wrought in me, I forbear to mention: But certainly Satan and the World fear they have lost, the one a subject or prisoner, the other a limbe or member ever since: for whereas they never molested me formerly … now as if I were rescued out of Satans clutches, that Lyon foams and roars, and bestirs himself to recover his losse.
And as for my old acquaintance, they so envy to see themselves casheered, and so mortally hate me, for that I will no longer continue miserable, nor run with them (as I have done) to the same excesse of riot, 1 Pet. 4.44 that they make me weary of my life, as the daughters of Heth d…d Rebeckah, Gen. 27.46.
Yea I am so scoft at and scorned, both by Parents, Friends, and Enemies, that it not only hinders me from doing the good I would, or appearing the same I am; but it almost beats me off from being religio…s back to the world.
And certainly he must be more spirit then flesh, that can contentedly make himself contemptible to follow Christ; be pointed at for si…gularity, endure so many base and vile nick-names; have his Religion judged hypocrisie, his godly simplicity, silliness; his zeal, madness; his contempt of the world, ignorance; his godly sorrow, dumpishness; and the like malicious and mischievous constructions made of whatsoever he speaks or does. For my part I could better abide a stake (God assisting me) then the mocks, … …nd scorns, which every where I meet withall. It is death to me to be … …s it fared with Zed…kiah, Jer. 38 19. Nor is there above Hell, a … …ishment in my j…dgement, then to become a San…, a subject of … …ampson (I doubt no…) found … …tion of his goods, nor his banishment, nor the wounds he received in his body, were so grievous to him, as one scornful word from his enemy Ctesiphon.
Yea doubtlesse our Saviours car was more painfully pierced, then either his brows, or hands, or feet. It could not but go deep into his soul, to hear those bitter and g…rding reproaches from them whom he came to save: A generous nature is more wounded with the tongue then with the hand.