Godly. Alas, Father, you may not live another Day, Death may seize you before to-Morrow Morning, Prov. 27.1. 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 ⟨p. 64⟩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 Ways and Means Godliness could use, signified nothing, he was settled on his Lees, and had such abundance of Stubborn and Rebellious Servants and Children, that they would not suffer him to show Godliness the least Favour, Jer. 28.11. Zeph. 1.12. The Names of some of them were, besides, Weary-Limb, Dim-Eyes, Peevish, Hard-Heart, Impenitency, Self-conceit, Enmity, Unbelief, and Ignorance, with many more of the like sort; the first I named were his own natural Off-spring, and somewhat younger than the rest; Hard-Heart, he had nourished and fed continually from his youth, for Godliness found him at his House when he gave him a Visit in the prime of his Days. But now he was grown a very shout, stubborn and obdurate piece; this Fellow made old Age no• 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 Accounts, 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.
Godliness by this time perceived Old-Age was so hardened in his Sins, and trained up by Ignorance so long a time, that 'twas next to an Impossibility ever to think the evil Habits he had got by being accustomed so long to those Ways of Vice and Ungodliness, should ever be changed, considering he was become so unteachable and self-conceived, 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 ⟨p. 65⟩his House; for Peevish made him so foppish, that th•re was no speaking to him; remembering that Word of […] Prophet, Can the Ethiopian change his Skin, or the Leopard his Spots? Then may you, who are accustomed to do E••• learn to do well, Jer. 13.23.
Godli. Alas, Father, you may not live another Day, Death may seize you before to-Morrow Morning, Prov. 27.1. 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 ⟨p. 64⟩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 Ways and Means Godliness could use, signified nothing, he was settled 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, Jer. 28.11. Zeph. 1.12. The Names of some of them were, besides, Weary-Limb, Dim-Eyes, Peevish, Hard-Heart, Impenitency, Self-conceit, Enmity, Unbelief, and Ignorance, with many more of the like sort; the first I named were his own natural Off-spring, and somewhat younger than the rest; Hard-Heart, he had nourished and fed continually from his youth, for Godliness found him at his House when he gave him a Visit in the prime of his Days. But now he was grown a very shout, stubborn and obdurate piece; this Fellow made old Age no• 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 Accounts, 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.
Godliness by this time perceived Old-Age was so hardened in his Sins, and trained up by Ignorance so long a time, that 'twas next to an Impossibility ever to think the evil Habits he had got by being accustomed so long to those Ways of Vice and Ungodliness, should ever be changed, considering he was become so unteachable and self-conceived, 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 ⟨p. 65⟩his House; for Peevish made him so foppish, that th•re was no speaking to him; remembring that Word of 〈…〉 Prophet, Can the Aethiopean change his Skin, or the Leopard his Spots? Then may you, who are accustomed to do E learn to do well,
