The Poor Man's Misery, OR Poverty Attendeth Vain COMPANY, WITH A Speedy Call to Repentance from their ways.  
Wherein you may behold who they are that are reckoned in the rank of vain persons, and also the great danger they live in, whilst they live in Vanity, and follow the ways of sin and wickedness, Very necessary for all to Read and consider of the danger thereof in this day, wherein so many take pleasure in sin, and wicked company.  
By Roger Hough a lover of Sobriety.  Psalm 119.63. 
I am a Companion of all those that fear thee and keep thy precepts.  2 Thessal. 3.14. 
If any man obey not our word by this Epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.  
London, Printed for Tho. Passenger at the sign of the Three bibles on the middle of London-Bridge. 1670.   

To the Reader.  
Courteous Friend, in this my labour small,  
Thou mayst behold a Duty great withal:  
Read and Consider, and get good hereby,  
If thou art vain, to God for mercy cry.  
For sure vain company will ruin bring,  
For vanity doth 〈◊〉 with it a sting;  
The slugard may unto the Ant repair,  
Because he take no early harvest care  
Vain idle company then flee thou from,  
And in the place of wickedness, by no means come.  
If that thou profit by this labour small  
Give God the glory for his graces all   
Proverbs 28.19. 
He that followeth vain persons, shall have poverty enough.  
THe wise man by the Moral virtue of the laborious man, holds forth the bad consequences that do attend the contrary: He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of herad, but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough. The serious consideration of the folly and madness of wicked men at this day, if matter of great lamentation to all those th●t truly fear God, to so men through their own ●olly and ignorance ●o run their poor souls upon the hazard of eternal destruction, by their associateing themselves with vain persons: My dearly beloved friends, I desire you may seriously consider it, and lay it to heart: what profit can you have in wasting, your precious time, and letting slip over the days of ●our youth, and dishonouring your Heavenly Father, by your unequal walkings: herein Solomon the Son of David King of Israel, that was the wisest man that ever was before him, or that ever should come after him, 1 Kings 3.12. saw the evil of this, and in this Text if ●ee●●●●●, he makes it known unto us; He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread, but he that followeth after vain persons sh●ll have poverty enough: in which w●●●● 〈◊〉 man learn this necessary reason.  
That poverty attendeth vain company.  
When persons leave off their honest and lawful casting, to follow after vain and idle company, this their folly will bring them un●o poverty Prov. 12.11. He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread, but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding. Sirs, as you love the lives of your ●●●cious and immortal souls, look to your Companions, vain Company will be the ruin and bane of your immortal souls without deep repentance, look but to that example or the prodigal, Luk. 15. 16. who when his substance was gone, and he left in a disconsolate condition, would have been content to have fed upon the Husks that the Swine did eat, and no man gave them unto him; then this is the condition you are brought unto by associateing yourselves with evil Companions, If any question who they are that are vain persons, who are to be considered under this notion; I Answer in the General they are such persons, as daily delight in vanity, then are such persons as live in wickedness: Vanity is unprofitableness either to the soul, or to the body, but more particularly there is a threefold vanity, and a threefold poverty, that attends that threefold vanity.  
First, There is a vanity of common known Sinners.  
Secondly, There is a vanity in the self Righteous Moral, Worldly man, the civilest men of the world; And,  
Thirdly, There is a vanity in unsound Professors: now the poverty that attends these three Ranks of Vanity are:  
First, Temporal want to the outward estate of Man, attends your communion with known sinners.  
Secondly, Spiritual blindness, and self-confidence, without a sure foundation, or a real reliance upon Christ, that attends the second Rank of Vain persons; And,  
Thirdly, Eternal misery in Hell for ever, besides the shame and disgrace they meet with on this side the grave, amongst those that fear God, when their Hypocrisy is discovered, and the filthiness of their shame is made known: This attends the third Rank of vain persons.  
For the first of th●se, who are these common known sinners, that are to be avoided; they are persons that live in sin and sinful courses, idle-headed persons, that to fulfil their own lusts, and nourish vice and wickednesses ●un on headlong to their own deft action: from such therefore turn aside, every known sin that any man lives in, he transgresseth against God in his sin, and herein doth his vanity appear, every wicked man's a vain person, wicked sinners are vain persons.  
A●l L●●rrs, Idle Discoursers, Common S●●earers, Tale-bearers, Strife mongers. D●sc●n●o●●-sectors, Flatterers, Deceitful Talkers, Drunkards, Whore m●nmers, Sabbath-breaker●, Contemners of God's People D●su●●ers of his Ministers, and D●d●●●nces, Grinders of the faces of the Poor Proud Persons proud in Words, proud In A 〈◊〉 is, ●nd F●●●ions of the times, common G●un●ste●s, Stage Players, Sorcerers, Jugglers Murderers, Chieves, Charmers ●uchau●ers Errortioners Usurers, Usurpers of other ure●s powers. Busi●-Lod●es in other men's matters, without a law ul●call thereunto, Quari●●ous Cavil●rs, C●i●hers of Iumot●nt persons by Injustice, Despisers, Markers, S●orners, and Persecutors of God's People, Imvezellou●s, Wasters and Destroyer's of their own and other men's substances, whatsoever known sin any man lives in and delights in, that sin makes him a vain person, therefore to follow after such sins, or such sinners, will bring poverty; For poverty attendeth vain company.  
Now sirs consider before we pass to the second Rank. what profit can you get by your accompanying with any of these sinners? do you not learn with the Liar, to pass a way your time for idle stories, and with the profane, to be profane? do you not learn with the deceiver, to deceive? and what can you get by flatterers and deceitful talkers, and such like? David was of another mind, when he said, Psa. 101.4, 5, 6, 7. A froward heart shall departed from me, I will not know a wicked person; whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off; him that hath a high look and a proud heart will not I suffer; mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the Land, that they may dwell with me, he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me: he that worketh deceit shall not dwell in my house, and he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight: Well then, let this teach you sirs to put forth of your Society and Company, those that good David will put forth of his sight: But,  
Secondly, There is a Vanity in the self Righteous, Moral, worldly man, or the civilest men of the world.  
There is vanity in them though there is in them to the outward show, a Civil carriage and a fair show of uprightness, yet where there is not a true zeal for God, and a reliance upon Christ's merits for salvation, they are yet in the dark paths of ignorance, notwithstanding this their gilded carriage in the world, the young man in the Gospel, he had kept all the Commandments from his youth, Mat. 19.20. here was a Moral man, he had done his outward duty towards God and towards his Neighbour, and thereupon he might be reputed that he had done no man wrong, he was therefore as touching the Law blameless, yea, that which was yet more, he came to Christ for Counsel, he supplicated for eternal life in the 16. verse at his very first entrance, and when jesus had repeated the commandments of the Law to him, all these have I done, verse 20, what lack l yet, he is frill Enquiring after heaven, but comes not to the price thereof, but when he must part with all his substance, he would keep that, And so he went his way sorrowing, that one thing needful he could not attain unto, because he could not part with that one thing burdensome; for the text saith, he had great possessions, and they were such a burden unto him that he went away sorrowing, if God contend with such men, they are not able to stand before him, the Civil Moral men of the world, though they carry themselves uprightly to the outward eye of man, yet they are too low for heaven, he that is too high for grace, is too low for glory, and herein their poverty appears, as being deprived of the best things which are durable for a few fading worldly endowments that leaves them when death comes to arrest them: Nichodemus could come & reason with Christ, that was a great Ruler, about Regeneration: yet understands not the words of Christ, though he was a Master in Israel, John 3.10. Also Gamahel a Doctor of the Law, could stand up in the Council, to defend the lives of the Apostles, Acts 5.34, to 40. but believed not himself. Now a spiritual blindness and self confidence, without a sure foundation or r●al reliance upon Christ attends this the Moral man's vanity. Indeed by the company of these worldlings, you come to no outward standers o● disgraces, as you may do by the first rank. But you get nothing by their company, but learn to see●le yourselves and take root in their self-confidences; though you waste not your outward substances hereby, yet you lose your precious time, for that which prof●teth not, and settle yourselves upon false rests. As first, upon a civil life and chaste carriage, & think by that means to merit heaven. Secondly, by self righteousness they will walk uprightly, and use what they have of the world to their best advantage, and not offend: Is it because they will deal uprightly in all outward appearances, and think thereby to Merit heaven. Thirldly, Some others will be very charitable to the poor, and freely impart what the Lord bestows upon them, thinking thereby to attain eternal life. Fourthly, Others there are that will come nearer to the mark of profeshion, and diligently attend the Ordinances of God in public, and go daily every Lord's day to hear the Word preached, & think thereby to obtain heaven. Fifthly, Others will do their duties incombent upon them by the Word of God, they will read and pray in their families, and maintain family Duties, and think thereby to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Nay, sixthly and lastly, there are some persons will do all these duties, and repeat Sermons in their ●amthes and declare to others what external gifts they have received front God, and discourse much of Heaven and Eternity in a high manner, and yet for all this fall ●hor● of eternal happiness, because they rest themselves upon these slaves, on the Ladder of Eternity. My beloved friends, these things you must do, if ever you intent to be saved, but ●here is not any of these to be rested on, the way to heaven is by faith in jesus Christ, for faith without works is a dead faith, you must have works to accompany your faith, James 2.17. Even so faith being without works, is dead being, alone: But,  
Thirdly, There is a vanity in unsound professors, and false worshippers of God; all such as worship God in a false way contrary to the rule of the holy Scriptures, these are vain persons, such are all Papists, Idolatrous, Will-worshippers of God, and such as worship God by a rule of men's Inventions, and not according to his Will, all unsound Teachers, that speak without the life, feeling, and scence of the holy Spirit of God, strengthened and Authorized by the rule of the Scriptures, to guide and direct them in the truth, and to be the touchstone of trial, to strengthen, uphold, and maintain them, and herein all such scismacical and heritical opinianists, show forth nothing but vanity; such Craft, mongers, and soul-deceivers win God take in their own crastivess, John 5.13. Because such when they know God they glorify him not as God, neither are they thankful, but become vain in their imaginations: their foolish hearts being darkened, professing themselves wise they became fools, Rom. 2.21, 22. and therefore all such as follow them in their dark paths, though it may be in the way of a profession, shall have poverty enough.  
For where the sound bread of life is dejected, the soul for want thereof may be infected, now the poverty that attends these, is eternal misery in hell for ever (without a hearty and deep repentance) besides the shame and disgrace they meet with on this side the grave, amongst those that fear God, when their hypocrisy is discovered, and the filthiness of their shame is made known.  
As first the Papists their cruelty against the truth, their idolatrous worshipping of Saints and Angels, unnecessary consecrations and all their idolatrous ceremonies, where with they delude the simple, and stéep them in ignorance and blindness, which impostrous Religion path deluded many poór souls: And then  
Secondly, All such as contemn and despise the Ordinances of God, in a way of profession by corrupt opinions, springing up amongst them, as your Socinians and Frée-willers, that would de●sure and publish Frée-will, and a general Redemption to the world, with many other opinianists, that I shall not here stand to name because I am scanted of Room in this small Treatise, and therefore must hasten to draw to a conclusion: Therefore take heed my beloved that you grow not wilfully ignorant, that this spiritual and eternal poverty do not overtake you: Sirs, you here see the evil consequences that attends vain persons: that is poverty Temporal, Spiritual, and Eternal.  
Now there is same reasons-why it is that poverty attends vain persons: And they are these.  
First, Because vanity is thee ●o●ked with poverty, look upon the outward frame of wickness, and you will find poverty ever attending vanity, Psalm 62.9. Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are as a lie to be laid in the balance they are altogether lighter t●en vanity, Now I do not say th●●●very poor man in the world is a vain person: poverty is servant to vanity, but vanity may not be a servant to poverty: we read of poor Job, but not of vain Job, his poverty was not vanity, nor poor Lazarus was not vain, Lazarus vanity, would be no servant to poverty, neither to Job nor to Lazarus, but yet for all this, there is a poverty that attends vanity, either Temporal or Spiritual, if not Temporal, yet for the most part Spiritual or Eternal; Dives had not Temporal poverty, but when he was in hell, he had so much poverty as satisfied for his cruel covetousness, for whereas before on earth he would not give one crumb, in hell he must not have one drop: surely then sirs, here was poverty enough, so much poverty, as to make him eternally miserable.  
Secondly, Poverty attends vain persons, because of the vain glory that is in them, vain persons take glory in their vanity, like unto the Church of Laodicea, Rev. 3.19. That said she was rich and increased in goods, and did not know her poverty, Now that she was, wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.  
Thirdly, Poverty attends vain persons, because of that ignorance that is in vain company, there is a palpable ignorance in vain persons, Ephes. 4.17, 18. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles, walk in the vanity of their mind; Having their understanding darkened through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. Surely 〈◊〉, where there is ignorance, there is blindness and poverty.  
Fourthly, Poverty attends vain company, because of their evil Council, vain persons are vain counsellors, this you may see plainly in Roboam King of Israel, when he forsook the Council of the Ancients that stood before Solomon his Father, and took Council at his Companions, that we called young men that were brought up with him, 1 King. 12.8. than the judgement came upon him, and all the Tribes were taken from him, to be governed by Jeroboam, save only the Tribe of Judah, which he and his Posterity reigned over: So you 〈◊〉. Beloved, that there is reason why poverty ever attends vain company, because ●●●verty is yolked to vanity: poverty is seen 〈◊〉 the vain glory of vain persons; there is a palpable ignorance in vain company, and because of the evil of the bad council that vain persons are apt to give to those that attend them, and company with them: I might give several other reasons, as grounds to confirm this truth, why poverty attends vain company, as the unprofitableness of vain company, the discredit that you shall have by following of them: the evil of their ways, the loss of ●our precious time with several other grounds that for brevity sake I omit at this time.  
But now by way of Inference my Beloved (if poverty attend vain company) In the first place, this lets us see the great unprofitableness that is in vain company, as for the first r●nk of vain persons before spoken of, expertence may teach you the proof hereof, how many have we seen in England, by wasting their precious time (and sp●●in●g thereof) become temporally poor, by following after vain jesters, and i●le s●oriors, and by del●g●●ing in their lies, 〈◊〉 ●éen given up to strong delusions, to 〈…〉 before then will i●h●ace the 〈…〉 Thess. 2.11. and have not only ●alled 〈◊〉 outward estates, but are by this ine●●ns brought into the state of eternal misery, without speedy repentance, for which end they were given up to the strong delusions, vers● 12. that they all might be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Again, how many persons have we see by experience amongst, us; that have been possessed of good estates, in this Nation, I think I may say without fencible error, that almost every Wila●e, Town, throughout England, can exsperience it, as many ●a●● wasted all their outward estate by following after vain drunkards and whoremongers and common gaming and gamest●●d, and such like Company, which companying with them, hath brought them into the depth of poverty, so that then have thereby consumed their outward estates, and brought themselves to beggary, and thrown themselves, down under poverty temporally, wanting necessaring for the outward man, but it were well it this w●re the ●●rit, 〈◊〉 this is lu●t the smallest l●sse 〈◊〉 ●●the by, they are in w●●● of all things that should he ●e●●e● to the s●●●, they want spiritual strength to stand, they want spiritual power to pray, they want spiritual relief for the soul, for in such company they never hear of, or see, or fóel any good, or comfort for the souls refreshing, and is not this pover●p enough think you, Nay, that which is more, this begets your eternal milery both of body and soul, at the day of judgement, when we shall all appear before the judgement seat of the Almighty God, there c●●●●ive our sentence of salvation or damnation, if then you be put on the left hand, with this sentence, Go you cursed, Mat. 25.41. Is not this poverty enough think you to be deprived of heaven, and thrown into eternal misery ● nay you shall find many that have made profession of Christ. many that have received the Ministry, and teachings of Christ, to the outward ears, that have done duties, and sought after Christ, to fall short of heaven, and surely this you may see, Mat. 7.22, 23. Many will sa●● to me in that day, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out divess, and in thy name have done wonderful words; Sirs you see here are people making a great profession in duty, they have prophesied in the Lord's name; Nay, that which is more, in his name have cast out devils, these people a man would think should be in high labour with God, they had done wonderful works too: I pray you consider of it these were for from vain persons that could prophesy, cast out devils, and by wonderful works, and yet shall short of heaven, yea verily, vers. 23. and then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, Depart from ye workers of iniquity. Ah! poor souls, that are running the hazard of your upon destruction. Consider this, if these men that have thus outwardly pro●est Christ, by prophes●●g in his name, & casting out of Devils, and doing wonderful works shall be shut out of heaven, what will become of you that have done none of these things. Again, what do you think by as such as are despisers of God's People Scoffers, and Scorners of them that profess Religion, and the ways of godliness; Beloved, all manner of wickedness is vanity and nothing, wicked persons are vain persons they say, as in Psalm 12.4. We have said with our tongues we will prevail, our lips are our own who is Lord over us, the Prophet David was hear complaining, v. 2. Saith he, they speak vanity every man to his neighbour, with flattering l●ps and with a double heart, do they speak well, saith he, verse 3. the Lord will cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Sirs, you see here the palpable wir●●ediness of vain persons, therefore he persuaded so look so pant companions, As for the●●. Fansso●valst persons ●●cious, mortal woudly many thyself righteous men, you 〈◊〉 no good nor inward comfort by them; Because they want that one thing u●●dful there is one thing lacking, & that is their following of Christ, and pasting with the world; the young man in the Gospel was Morra●●● righteous, he had kept the commandemeni●● of the Law, yet onething was lacking, Go, sell all that thou hast and follow me and thou shalt have crea●●e in heaven. Beloved, a man may be 〈◊〉 careful in obserding his duties, and 〈◊〉 the commandments of God, and pro●●●● have Inage possessions of the world in his heart, he may be ●●●ned to many super●it●o●● worldly ●●●onts, be 〈◊〉 have his he gre●●● upon the treasures in the world, or 〈◊〉 the Pleasures of the world, many a 〈…〉 maken profession, and yet the 〈◊〉 of the world draws away his heart, of the Pleasures of the world draw 〈◊〉 off, 〈◊〉 becomes ●ain: we read 〈◊〉 Mar●●● 〈…〉 busie-avaine the world, into 〈…〉 thing the 〈◊〉 when as Mary 〈…〉, word the aching in 〈…〉 of Marry, there ●●one thing needful, & Mary had chosen the better part.  
Thirdly, The third rank is unsound professors of Christ, these are as dangerous as the first, nay mo●●da●●● is in false professors of Christ, a man may as well never profess Christ at all as profess him in an e●●onias may the Papist those Pass mon●ers that profess Christ under a notion of Image worship, & men's traditions, & indentions of men cense●●● 〈◊〉 Darers of Popes, and Cardi●olls; and as they say the Auriquitie of the 〈◊〉 of Rome, whom they firm to be the Mat ●er Church of the World, and the Pope the head thereof, declaring him to 〈◊〉 Peter Successor● and to fit in Peter's their whose Declaration is false, and their Religion pernicious, and the Pope himself an Im●●●● the 〈◊〉 Antechrist of the Wor●● 〈…〉 of that danger of them but 〈…〉 fined to keep in 〈…〉 Sosinians, 〈◊〉 will not allow the Desep of Christ, prede three substances in the God heart, whic● is false and 〈…〉 Script 〈◊〉 there is a substance of the Fathering making man at the first 〈◊〉 his own. 〈◊〉 that be not suff●●●● to prove the substance of a person, Christ is called, Heb. ●● the expressed Image of his Father's person Secondly, Christ his self come down from his Father's bosom, took upon him the similitude of man and died yielded his body to the smiters; sursly here was the similitude of a person in C●●ist, who had a humane body given unto him. Thirdly, the Holy Ghost He then affirm not to be a person: if that perticle (He) be not sufficient to prove him a person in the Deity; where Christ saith (He) shall tell you all things, yet there is a bodily shape put upon him when Itsus was baptised by John in Jordan, in the 3. of Luke, it is said, the Holy Ghost descended upon him like a Dove, there was a bodily shape, to prove this undeniable truth; and then the Arminians that hold Free, will, and general Redemption, as if persons had power within themselves, of themselves to stand or to fall at their own will and pleasure; These-company beloved are very dangerous to comply with for the avoiding of which, take this word of exhortation, if it be so that poverty attende●● vain company, then ●●ee vain company & the company of vain persons, & that you may thus do.  
First, Consider the discredit that is attained by vain company, it is a disgrace to be found complying with vain persons Pro. 28 7. Whoso keepeth the Law, is a wise son, but he that is a companion of riotous men, snameth his Father, Prov. 13.5. a wicked man is loathsome and cometh to shame, Secondly, Consider the great waist you come by, by following vain persons, whose society many times wasteth your outward substance, Prov. 29.3. Whoso loveth wisdom, rejoiceth his Father, but he that keepeth company with Harlots spendeth his substance: the Prodigal in the Gospel wasted his substance after this manner. Luk. 15.13. Thirdly, Consider the advice that is given you by the holy Scriptures, the Apostles & followers of Christ, exhort you to fly had company, 1 Cor. 5.9. I wrote unto you in an Epistle, not to company with fornicators, ver. 10. Yet not altogether with fornicators of this world, nor with covetous not extortioners, for than must you needs go out of the world, but now have I writ unto you ver. 11. not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such a one do not ea●. Fourthly, Consider that such companions are reserved for destruction, & shall be thrust out of heaven without repentance, Rev. 21.8 The fearful and unbeleiving, the abominable and murderers, and whore mongens, & & forcerers, & idoliters & all Ipers, shall have their portion in the lake which burns with fire and brimstour now beloved, if you ask what you may do to avoid the evil, take these helps along with you.  
1. Eye your company, watch ●v●● yourselves, while you enjoy the presen●● of your Companians, and cry them up the Word of God in their discourses, for with the holy thou shalt be holy, and with the profane, thou shalt learn profaneness, 2 Thes. 3.14 If any man obey not our word by this Epistle note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. 2. Get into the company of all those that fear God & keep his commandments, Psalms 119.63. I am a Companion of all those that fear and keep thy precepts. 3. Set your delight on such as fear God really, let your soul delight in them, Psa. 16.2, 3. O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee: but to the Saints that are in the earth, & to the excellent its whom is all my delight.  
Dear beloved in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, consider of these things, you have heard what evil attends vain company & the Lord of his infinite mercy and goodness, in Jesus Christ the great Shepherd and Bishop of our sou●s, set it home upon your hearts, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever, Amen.  
FINIS.