The travels of true godliness, from the beginning of the world to this present…

Godly. Well Riches, I see now very plainly, you did but flatter me when you began to hearken to your poor Steward Conscience, in order to the letting me into your House; for evident it is, you are grown far worse than before, and have blinded his eyes by entertaining another, who calls himself by my name instead of me, but before I do depart, I will show you the great danger you are in; and the cause of it, the truth is, you have got such a Crew of lose, base and deceitful Servants, that they will utterly undo you, and bring upon you the eternal ruin of your poor soul, which I designed by my coming to you, to save and make happy for ever; for indeed (whether you will believe it or no) there was never any who entertained these graceless Villains and enemies of God, but were for ever ruined by them at last; nay, and not only eternally hereafter in the World to come, but many times externally here in this World; therefore I advise you to do what you can to get rid of them, and I will help you to far better Servants in their stead. For first of all, can you think it will be safe for you to keep Presumption still in your House, since there is scarce ⟨p. 29⟩a more deceitful and bloody Wretch in the World; how many thousands of poor souls hath he impudently destroyed, by causing them to presume on the mercy of God, and the death of Christ, and yet live in Sin, Pride and Covetousness, and in a vile manner, hating and contemning me, that is to say True Godliness. Doth not God say it is harder for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; and yet you are persuaded by him to think it is an easy thing; and doth not the Scripture say, Except your righteousness do exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God. ^*And yet he tells you that by doing a few good deeds, or by giving a little of your great abundance to the Poor, your state is good enough; whereas many of the Pharisees did, as to acts of Charity, exceedingly out-do you; nay doth not St. Paul say, Though he gave all his goods to feed the Poor, and his Body to be burned, yet without Charity (that is to say, true love to God and Godliness) he was nothing^*; and yet you,³ though you slight and contemn God and Godliness, are taught to presume on God's Mercy, who hath notwithstanding positively said concerning you, and such as you are;