A Christian Library, Chapter 4 – Text 2
CHAP. 4.
ANd so you have three Chapters, taken out of the prevention of poverty. In Gods goodnesse and Englands unthankfulnesse by the same Authour? I find this ensuing Character of a Prodigall or Loose Libertine: it is in Chapter the 9th. where he is appointed to lead the Troop, of Ignorant, unbeleiving, Ingrateful and wicked persons; as Iudas led the Souldiers. It begins, and goes on as followeth.
Thou that art Openly profane; dost so manifestly prove, and profess thy self to be one of those ignorant, unbelieving, ingrateful, and wicked wretches herein concern'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 Master, 2 Tim. 2.26, Joh. 8.44. and 14.30. 2 Cor. 4.4. Thy odious qualities are these and the like: thou doest banish 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 the 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 stead of quenching thy thirst, thou drownest thy senses.
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, will … in thy Makers face, and tear thy Saviours Name in peices: even swearing away thy part in that blood, which must save thee if ever thou be…st saved. Yea, if thou art never 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: and in case thou ar… reproved for it, thou wilt say, We take too much upon us: as C…ah and his complices twitted Moses, Numb. 16 3. not knowing how strictly God commands, and requires it, Levit. 19.17. Heb. 3.11 2 Tim. 2.25 … 3.18 to 22.2 Pet. 2.7, 8 Whence as the Chief Priests answered … is that to us? so thou wilt blaspheme God, tear Christ in pieces, and … 22.1. We are much more bound to help our Neighbour himself, from dropping into the bottomlesse 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.
Thou art one of those that St. Peter speaks of: thou hast eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease to sin. Thou gazest upon every fair face; and lustest after every beautiful woman: …hy speech is lewd and obscene: thy discourse scurrility, lascivious thy behaviour. Thou art a frequent slanderer of thy Neigbour: an open Sabbath-breaker: Canst boast of sin and mischief, and if need be defend it.
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 only in a brave revenge and being implacable: that patience is but an argument of basenesse; and therefore thou wilt ra…her suffer a sword in thy bowels, then a lye in thy throat. I confesse, thou wilt fight in no quarrel but a bad one, and sooner in thy Mistresses defence, then in thy Makers.
Thou art of a reprobate judgment touching actions and persons: esteeming good evil, and evil good, Prov. 17.15. and 29.27. Isa. 5.20. Thou doest stifle thy conscience, and wouldst 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 excesse 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. …. Thou art so desperately wicked, that thou wilt mock thy admonisher, scoffe at the means to be saved; and make thy self merry with thy own damnation.
In stead of hating the evil thou dost, and thy self for doing it; thou … of it, rejoycest in it, boastest of it: yea, pleadest for it, and appla…ed … self for thy wickednesse: God is not in all thy thoughts, except … him, and to spend his days in the Devils service; And rather … thy pleasure, thou wilt hazard the displeasure of God. Thou doest not … but art stubborn, and disobedient to thy parents; a Rioter, &c. If they stand in need of thee; thou wilt not nourish or maintain … they did thee in thy need. Thou takest no care to provide for thy … Thou wilt borrow, or run in debt with every one; but never carest to pay, or to satisfie any one: except it be thy Hostesse for drink, lest she should never more trust thee.
As good men by their godly admonition, and vertuous example; draw … they can to Heaven: so by thy subtile allurements, and vicious example, thou drawest all thou …anst to hell. For as if it were too little to damnthy own soul, or as if thine own sins would not presse 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, scosf at, nick-name, rail on, and slander the godly; that thou mayest flout them out of their faith, damp, or quench the spirit where thou perceivest it is kindled; discourage them in there way to heaven, to make them ashamed of their holy conversation, and religious course: pull them back to the World, that so thou mayest have their company here in sin, and hereafter in torment.
Thou fearest a Gaol 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 at the thought of a Serjeant or Bailiff, then of Satan, and everlasting perdition. Thou takest incouragement from the Saints falls, and sins of Gods people to do the like: when they should serve thee as Sea-marks, to make 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 judgement speedily: and to defer thy repentance, because the Theif upon the Crosse, was heard at the last hour. Thou wilt boldly 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 wicked 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 Tyth of these are sufficient evidences to prove and to make thee confesse that thou art in a most damnable condition. But stand thou by, and let the civil Iusticiary, and formall Hypocrue hold up their hands, and hear their charge.
Here ends the Prodigals Character with which I will conclude.
FINIS.
The Prevention of Poverty, Together with the Cure of Melancholy, Alias Discontent.
Or the best and surest way to Wealth and Happiness: being Subjects very seasonable for these Times; wherein all are Poor, or not pleased, or both; when they need be neither.
By Rich. Younge, of Roxwel in Essex, Florilegus.
Imprimatur Ioseph Caryl.
LONDON Printed by R. & W. Leybourn, and are to be sold by Iames Crumpe, a Book-binder in Little Bartholomews Well-yard, 1655.
Of the Prevention of Poverty.
By R. Y.
VErtue is distributive, and loves not to bury benefits, but to pleasure all she can: And happy is he, that leaves such a president; for which both the present and future Ages shall praise him, and praise God for him. It was no small comfort (I suppose) to Cuthemberg, Anaximenes, Triptolemus, Columbus, and other the like; whose happiness it was to finde out Printing, the Dial, the Plough, to enrich the World with the best of Metals, with the Loadstone, and a thousand the like: But had they smothered their conceptions, as so many lights under a bushel; and not communicated the same for the publick, it had argued in them a great dearth of charity; whereas now (to the glory of God,) all men are the better for them.
Nor is any employment so honorable, as for a man to serve his generation, and be profitable to many: When like the Moon, we bestow the benefits received from God; to the profit and commodity of others. It is the Suns excellency, that his bright rayes and beamns, are dispersed into every corner of the Universe.
The Tragick, Buskin (as they say) would fit all, that should put it on: Here is that will much benefit thee, (being made use of) be thy condition good or bad, rich or poor, learned or unlearned, mental or manual. The which to conceal, would argue in the Authour, either too much lucre, or too little love. Even the Physician, that hath a sovereigne Receipt, and dieth unrevealing it: robs the world of many blessings, which might multiply after his death: leaving to all survivors this collection, that he once did good to others, but to do himself a greater.
C. E.