The gentile sinner, or, Englands brave gentleman characterized in a letter to a friend both as he is and as he should be.

§. 3. His Calling or Imploiment.

The Gallant's Generall Calling and Em∣ploiment is, to scorne all businesse, but the Study of the Modes and Vices of the times: and herein he spares not to rack his brains, and rob his soule as much of her Naturall as her Spirituall rest, to supply the wanton world with variety of Inventions. He takes an especiall care that nothing may ever ap∣peare old about him, but the Old Man of Sin, and him he every day exposes to Pub∣lick view in a severall Dresse, that (if it be possible) he may perswade the world to believe that all there is New too. Indeed so miserably happy is he in Inventions of this sinfull Nature, that any man, who had not a Spirituall eye, to discerne the same Proud and Luxurious Divell in all his Acti∣ons, would almost think he had a new Na∣ture as well as a New Suit for every day throughout the Yeare.

Thus he that thinks it so much below him, to be reckon••d amongst the Labou∣rers in God's House or Vineyard; and dis∣daines to receive his Penny, with those he

should call his brethren, either as a Re∣ward, or a Gratuity; but seems rather to expect it as a Debt, or Portion due by Inhae∣ritance: Yet is he Content to sit all day long in Sathan's Shop, one of his Slavish Prentices or Iourny-men, who feeds him with course and Empty Husks here, and will reward him with an Hellfull of tor∣ments for his labour hereafter.

He is all but a Proud and Glistering Masse of Swaggering Idlenesse: and he makes it his chiefe Study to Demonstrate to the world, how many severall wayes Idlenesse has found out to be busy. He takes this for granted (as well he may) that he is not Idle but Dead that does just Nothing. It is his task ever to be doing, Nothing to a Good but much to a bad or no Purpose. Though he may often seem to sit still, and not to move so much as a little finger, yet even then is his soule close at worke, plotting and Contriving how he may for the time to come be most Pausibly Idle. He acts so little for the Publick Good, as if he were afraid he should be thought a Member of Mankind; or as if the onely businesse God intended him,

were but to take care, that he continue breathing. He lives indeed as if he meant to prove, that God Almighty had made him to no other End but this, to show the world that he could make something where∣of he had no need when made; as if whilest he created other men for use and Service, he intended him onely, as Artists doe some of their neat••st but Slightest pieces of work to stand upon the stall, or hang out for a signe at the Shop-windowes, to show pas∣sengers with what the Shop is furnish'd within. Or if you will, you may looke upon him as upon the painted signe of a Man hung up in the Ayre, onely to be toss'd to and fro, with every wind of Temptation and Vanity. Such a vain shadow or Picture is he, that were there no more but himselfe I should take the boldnesse to Affirme there were no such Creature as a Man in the world.

To me he seems of no more worth then a Piece of Out-cast Iron, lying uselesse upon the face of the Earth, 'till his soule be even eaten away with Rust and Sleath. God made him a Man, but to prove himselfe his own God by a Second Creation, he endea∣vours

to make himselfe a Bruit, nay a sense∣lesse Carkasse that only Cumbers the Earth, & is fit for nothing but to dung the ground it lies upon, and Stink in the Nostrils of the most High. If ever he Sweat, it is in pursuit of a feather, at his play and sport, in running away from his Worke, and in the chase after his Ease: And yet even in that he can never rest, this indeed being the Naturall fruit of Idlenesse, that it makes the Sluggard weary, not onely of what∣soever he doth, but even of Idlenesse it selfe.