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A67626 The baptized Turk, or, A narrative of the happy conversion of Signior Rigep Dandulo, the onely son of a silk merchant in the Isle of Tzio, from the delusions of that great impostor Mahomet, unto the Christian religion and of his admission unto baptism by Mr. Gunning at Excester-house Chappel the 8th of Novemb., 1657 / drawn up by Tho. Warmstry. Warmstry, Thomas, 1610-1665. 1658 (1658) Wing W880; ESTC R38490 72,283 176

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declare unto thee his WORD his name is Christ And they say that Christ was stiled by that name because he was not born but of the onely Word of God the manner thereof they thus express God said be thou without the help of Father In the ascribing this name unto Christ they agree so far with that of Joh. 1.1 In the beginning was the Word though they reject the true sence and meaning of that title implying the divine person of Christ they say also that he is sermo verus Dei The true Word of God So the Alcoran This Jesus is the true Word or Speech whom the Jews call an Imposter and a Lyar the Christians the Son of God he is called also by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of God because as they interpret he hath the Spirit that floweth like seed from the living Father because he is indeed brought forth of God and by his absolute power though they give that title also unto the Angel Gabriel as the Commentary intepreteth that place of the Alcoran We sent to her that is to Mary our Spirit that is Gabriel They say also that Christ is the Apostle of God which is indeed a great Office of Christ that seems specially to be foretold in that name Shiloh Missas or Sent as it may be interpreted and is intimated by our Saviour in several places of Scripture where he is said to be sent of the Father for Apostolus or Apostle is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to send which I mention for the sake of those that are ignorant of so ordinary a matter so that it signifieth one specially sent and in sacred use one sent to teach and govern the people of God in order to Gospel-Truth Grace and Salvation This Office of Christ we have expresly and eminently mentioned Heb. 3. And this is it which he hath derived from himself unto the Apostles and their Successors in the Church As my Father hath sent me so send I you This Office is at least in the name acknowledged by the Turks and yet as it is thought is too too much slighted in the succession thereof by too many Christians that have rejected the Apostles Successors and the ancient Government of the Church I wish they that have power in this Nation would consider of this matter and remember it in their publick consultations The Turks acknowledge Christ the Apostle of God but they do not honor him nor advance him in the acknowledgement of this Office as they should since they ranck him in a fort with other Legates or Prophets Christus filius Mariae say they non est nisi Legatus ante quem jam alii venerunt Legati Christ the Son of Mary is but an Ambassador before whom other Ambassadors have already come And his condition in revelation say they is like the condition of the rest of the Prophets that have gone before Revelation say they is Sermo occultus qui cito fit An hidden speech coming suddenly and this they say is of three sorts 1. By Inspiration unto which Dreams are referred 2. By a Voice or Call 3. Or by a Legate or Angel In the first manner God they say spake to Abraham In the second to Moses and so unto the Angels themselves which kinde the Alcorn calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 post velum behinde the Hanging or Curtain where a voice is heard but the speaker not seen for none say they hath seen God and therefore they say that neither Moses nor Mahomet saw God 3. By the sending of an Angel As God spake unto the other Prophets beside Moses unto whom they say he spake immediately as to an Angel To Christ they say he spake as unto the rest of the Prophets by an Angell And they say the Gospel was sent him from Heaven with the testimony of Miracles and amongst the rest they say he made a Bird of clay and inspired it with life And they say Jesus was famous in this life by Prophesie and in the other life by intercession and exaltation of degree ia Paradise that he might be amongst those that stand before the Throne and a companion of Angels So they hold Christ to be an Intercessor for the godly Whosoever readeth Surat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for him Jesus hath prayed for the forgiveness of his sins as long as he liveth in this world and at the last day he is his companion They acknowledge the day of Resurrection which they call the day of Congregation But though they thus exalt Christ in Paradise yet they say Mahomet is much more exalted in the other life being honored or celebrated by the Angels together with God and that four of them say Praise be to thee O God and to thy Mahomet Praise be to thee for thy Clemency after thy Power And four say Praise be to thee O God and to thy Madomet for thy Gentleness after thy Wisdom Thus they doat and rave They say that Christ was taken up to Heaven but Mahomet is more excellent who was sent unto men in general and to whom sins were forgiven both which he committed before and which he afterwards committed as if God had given Mahomet a dispensation to commit sin Mark the the Impiety and Blasphemy of this saying And they say that Mahomet concluded the number of the Prophets They say that Christ was presently heard as often as he called upon God And they have a strange story of a Table and a Fish broiled that was sent down from Heaven to him and his Apostles at his prayer and that he revived the fish and turned it presently again into a broiled fish and that the Table afterward vanished And that the Apostles when they afterwards rebelled were turned into Apes and Swine They say as the Law was given to Moses the Psalms to David so the Gospel to Christ and that it was sent from Heaven the Thirteenth day of Ramdan as the Alcoran was sent down the Twenty fourth day of that moneth They say that God exalted Ramdan amongst the Moneths and Friday amongst the Days because the Sun rose upon that day and Adam was created and cast out into the Earth upon that day and that the Day of Judgment shall be upon that day They say which is very observable for the conversion of Turks that Mahomet confirmed the Law and the Gospel and commanded to believe the truth of the Prophets and Apostles and whatever of Books was sent down unto them and that in the Gospel there is the right way light and instruction for the godly and they profess to believe whatsoever is written in the Law and Gospel Thus we believe in God and that that was sent down to Abraham Ismael Isaac Jacob and the Tribes and that was delivered to Moses to Jesus and to the Prophets from God and we make no difference between any of them so as less to believe them But they say falsely that the Gospel hath been changed for they
for that your own Religion doth confess and witness that already and if Jesus Christ were not a true Prophet come from God Mahomet must confess himself a false Prophet It remains therefore as I told you and now this second time expect your deliberate Answer viz. That you bring some proof that Mahomet hath received from God any such supernatural Revelation for the founding of his new Religion I askt you if it can be well proved concerning any supernatural Miracles which he wrought or any Prophecy concerning him that had been known or affirmed by any before his affirming it himself Sig. Dandulo I told you that Christ Jesus himself did foretell of Mahomet to come Mr. G. If this can be proved you say well and beleive well for I having proved the Truth of Christianity from the Confession of Mahometanism if you can prove the Religion of Mahomet from the Prediction of Christ then you have also the confession of Christianity But now I Convene your Conscience and require you before Christ Jesus whom you call The Spirit of the living God and we the Word and Son of the living God to whose Prediction you now appeal and to which we Christians must certainly be most obliged and willing to stand to alledge and assign if you can through all that six hundred years that past 'twixt Christ and Mahomets time any words witnessed to have come from Jesus Christ by any Disciple of his or any deriving from them or any Book extant before Mahomets birth written by any of the followers of Jesus Christ or by Jesus Christ himself or thirdly any Company or communion of men that profest Religion in Jesus Christ who lived in that six hundred years 'twixt Christ and Mahomet that ever witnessed that any such prediction or promise was made by Jesus Christ concerning Mahomet or held any such Tradition amongst them If you are able to name any let us hear the Author of such words or Books or such company or communion of men where or when they lived or who ever heard of them In sum shew any thing of Christ's or Christians speaking concerning Mahomet before Mahomets first saying it of himself Or else if nothing can be shewed then tell me what could an Impostor have done other then Mahomet hath done in this viz. either himself onely to witness of himself without doing any supernatural Miracles which might bear witness to him or to alleadge a witness for himself which none ever heard speak nor ever said that he so witness'd except and before himself If to this you are still unable to reply any thing we are both willing to put our selves upon that issue for the tryal of our grounds of our beleiving in Christ which Jesus Christ himself offered his Adversaries for the proof of his Doctrine (a) Joh. 10.25 The works that I do they bear witness of me (b) Joh. 10.37 38. If I do not the works of my Father beleive me not but if I do though you beleeve not me beleeve the works (c) Joh. 15.24 And in another place if I had not done among them the works which none other did they had not had sin And secondly We are ready to alledge numberless Volumes written by the followers of Jesus Christ within that six hundred years betwixt Christs Ascension and Mahomets coming and living Societies of Christian Professors throughout the World and throughout those six Ages which witnessed to certain Books as containing the Doctrines and Institutions and Precepts and Predictions made by Jesus Christ in all which Books according to any Copies in any Language extant within those 600 years there is not any word of mention concerning such a Prophet as Mahomet to come nor any Tradition ever heard of amongst those Christians concerning such a Prophet to come Whereas we fetch our witness concerning the Prophesies of the coming of Jesus Christ from Books written many Ages before Christs coming which our bitterest Adversaries the Jews keep and attest and own as the Oracles of God confirmed to be such at first by supernatural miracles and which Books our other Adversaries the Pagans had read and acknowledged to be extant before the coming of Christ Indeed whereas Jesus Christ prophesied that after his departure he would send the Holy Ghost the Paraclete to lead his Apostles into all truth and so it must needs be whilst the Apostles were yet alive he having promised it to them Simon Magus first about the fortieth year of Christ gave out himself to be that promised Holy Ghost or Paraclete among the Gentiles and about the year 220. after Christ (d) Epiph. Haeres 48 Aug. Haeres 20.86 Montanus pretended that he was that Paraclete and that Jesus Christ had prophecied of him and about the year 278 after Christ (e) Epiph. Haeres 66. Aug. Haeres 46. Manes or Manicheus gave out himself to be that Paraclete and that Jesus Christ had prophesied of him all which could shew in the Books of Jesus Christ a Paraclete foretold should come but no reason of their blasphemous affirmation that they were that Paraclete Then 600 years after Christ Mahomet pretends that Jesus Christ had prophesied of him as a great Prophet that should come into the world but he not able so much as to shew any such Prophesie of any Prophet now this Imposture being so gross what can your Conscience have to answer before God to follow longer and to transmit to posterity by your adhaesion such a cousenage in so great a matter concerning the Religion of the most High God and the eternal woe or welfare of your own and others immortal Souls contrary to the Religion both that which the light of Nature and right Reason I told you taught us both and that which he whom you call the Spirit of God and we call the Word of God by and from whom all Prophets if Prophets of God must speak hath taught the whole world and which Prophets cannot speak contrary one to another nor to the Spirit of God by whose inspiration they are prophets nor to the Word of God who speaks by them Sir I pray tell me need I further to prove to you Christianity or need I further explain to you the Articles of Christianity then has been done Sig. D. No They are true Mr. G. If so you beleive will you be baptized into that Faith Sig. D. How think you I can do that without danger to my life except I should resolve never to see more my Country and Parents and Friends and all that is in this world dear unto me Mr. G. I know well and consider that you cannot without suffering that loss for Christ his sake and yet for your own sake also for you must remember that we took the rise of our discourse from what we were both agreed in viz. the Light of Nature and Right Reason which teacheth us and hath taught many Heathen Philosophers that the eternal concernment of our immortal Souls after
bosom such poor sinners returning unto him and of the great treasures of his goodness and Bowels of his mercy that he is ready to open and pour out unto them And by way of Application I shewed him that he was in the several parts of that Chapter he was the lost sheep that Christ was even now seeking in the endeavors of his Ministers for his Conversion that he might bear him upon the shoulders of his heavenly strength and mercy unto the Fold of his Church He was the lost peece that had been trodden under the feet of the spiritual adversaries and defaced by the filth and pollution of error and sin which the Lord was now about to recover into his treasury He was that wandering and wretched Prodigal that had been feeding upon the husks of error and vanity and that was brought unto great misery whom the tender Father though he saw him afar off at the great distance of the errors and imperfections that were in him yet would run to meet if he would but turn to him with sincerity and would entertain him with great love mercy and joy would fall upon his neck and kiss him with thckisses of divine love would put the Ring upon his finger would marry him unto himself and give him the pledge of his everlasting love would put the best Robe upon him even the Robe of the righteousness of Christ for his justification and of the ornaments of the holy and heavenly graces of his Spirit for the sanctification of his soul Would kill the fatted Calf would feast him with the mercies graces and comforts of the Gospel in Christ Jesus who died for his salvation Would refresh him and solace him with the heavenly musick and harmony of Divine Peace and his heavenly love c. And thus the Lord was pleased to fasten another chain of his Divine Providence upon his Soul and added unto that dream in his sleep another testimony of that watchful care that he had over that business we had in hand for his good CHAP. XI A Discourse concerning this last Observation and for the justification thereof by the proposal of divers examples of Admonitions given and taken from Providential occurrences of the like sort out of Scripture and other Histories BUt this observation will perhaps be accounted frivol us and superstitious by some and may be abused by others and therefore I crave leave a little to say something for the vindication of it from the first and to give some cautions for the prevention of the second And first That it may not be thought frivolous or superstitious that we have taken notice of that Providential occurrence I shall give you some warrant for the justification of our observation both out of the Scripture and other approved Authors First We finde the divine providence in a kinde not much unlike this commended unto our consideration in the holy Book of God such was that that fell out unto the Eunuch when the like work of conversion was drawing near upon him and that in order to the promoting of that like gracious design that God had upon him Act. 8.27 to 34. Act 8.27 to 34. where it was so ordered by the divine wisdom and Providence that that place of Scripture Isa 53.7 Isa 53 7. was then in reading by the Eunuch when St. Philip was sent by the Spirit of God to draw near unto his Chariot by the explication whereof from the mouth of St. Philip he was converted to the Faith of Christ and was baptized in the way as he went God making use of that Providential occurrence to promote his commersion to the Gospel-truth meeting him in his passage Act. 9. as he met St. Paul in his journey In the Fourth of Luke Luke 4.16 17 18 c. we read that our blessed Savior being in the Synagogue at Nazareth there was delivered unto him the Book of the Prophet Isaiah and when he had opened the book he found the place it may not improbably imply that upon the opening of the Book he found that excellent place of Scripture Isa 61.1 2 Is 61.1 2 c. wherein is contained our Saviors annointing and commission for the sulfilling of that great Office of the Savior of the World offered it self by Providence first unto his view that it might give him the occasion of that holy discourse that he made then unto the people shewing how that very place was fulfilled in him that day before their eyes Whether he looked for it or fell upon it by providence is uncertain saith one of our late Commentators I confess it is not very certain but yet the words do unto me seem most probably to imply so much that he fell upon it by Providence especially in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. In the opening or upon the opening of the Book he found the place where it was written I am sure enough we may safely think so for as all things that seem most casual even to the falling of a Sparrow nay of an hair from the head are under the care and guidance of the divine providence Mat. 10.29 30. Matth. 10.29 30 so we may assure our selves that that Divine Providence is especally watchful for the ordering of all things even the smallest matters that can be thought of in the world to serve that great design of the bringing of Gods people to salvation by Christ Jesus That Greek sentence is excellent which Mr. Down hath he telleth us not from whence in his Treatise about Lots in gaming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that speak of the laying of stones tell us that the great stones cannot be well placed without the smaller So saith he also in the Government of the world for the better erdering of the greatest things God takes care of the smallest also Something very observable of a nature near unto our case we may find in the sixth of Esther ver 1. where we finde a multiplied Providence in the ordering of matters in esteem casual for the diversion of that cruel design that Haman had for the procuring of the death of Mordecai when the Gallows was made for poor Mordecai and the next morning that great Favorite that thought he had the key and the stern too of the Kings heart in his mouth intended to sue out the Commission for his execution whose life was the blast of all his comforts God orders the matter so by the ministry of an Angel as one supposeth that the King could not sleep that very night for we may assure our selves no man can at any time sleep when God hath any thing to do with his waking for the good and benefit of his people not the softest beds not the darkest night nor the weariest journeys or labors in the day nor the plentifullest cups nor the warmest cloaths nor the quietest heart nor the strongest opium can prevent or disappoint such a purpose of the Almighty God kept Ahasuerus waking
because he had some business to do with him about Mordecai to counterplot the design of Haman and when he found that he could not sleep God finds him out an employment to pass away the tediousness of a waking night It is the observation of Cornel. à Lapide out of Herodotus as I remember that it was a laudable custom received among the Persians That those good and meritorious performances whereby any man had deserved well of the King or Kingdom should be recorded in the publick Annals or Memorials that they might not be forgotten in the reward And this agrees well with our story in Esther such a record there was of that faithful service that Mordecai did Esth 2.21 Esth 2.21 c. This lay asleep for a time and was forgotten but when the time of need cometh then God revives it who lays up mercies aforehand for his Children and brings them out when opportunitie requires and this was a now or never for after the next mornings work if Haman had sped it had been too late Therefore now in this very night that he might be sure to remember it in the morning and that he might prevent the design and suit of Haman the King being deprived of his rest must needs call for the Records of the Chronicles little thinking what Gods purpose was or what a Lecture God had to read to him in that Book And when this Book is brought unto him That must be the place by Divine Providence that must then needs be read unto him either in the course of the reading or perhaps by chance where poor Mordecat's Neck-verse was where it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh two of the Kings Chamberlains the keepers of the door who sought to lay hand on the King Ahasuerus honest Moràecai would not be an accessary no not so much as by concealment unto Treason or Treachery against a Heathen King and see how God blesseth Fidelity and allegiance this faithful and honest act of his is in bank for him against the time of his necessity and is by this providential disposition of the Almighty in this nick of time presented before the eyes of the King to the turning of Hamans wicked design for Mordecai's shame and death to his safety and honor and to return at length his intended mischief upon himself whilst Mordecai's escape gives the time for the procuring of Hamans condemnation and for the defeat not onely of that bloody purpose which he had now for the ruine of Mordecai but of that also which he had for the destruction of the Jews and all this great evill is prevented and so great good so joyful a deliverance brought to pass by the perhaps casual turning of the leaf of a Book or by the order or course which then fell out in the Kings reading of the Chronicles Natura nusquam magis quam in minimis so saith one and we may further say I think Providentia nusquam magis quam in minimis The Providence of God is very wonderful in turning the greatest scales with the smallest grains in making so small so inconsiderable a matter as the turning of a leaf in a Book at such a time to be the means to prevent the ruine of a Nation Oh learn to admire and observe the Providence of God in the smallest matters An holy curiosity of this kind is both pious and profitable who can consider it and not adore him And consider withal with how small a matter God can deliver a Nation even with the turning of a leaf and what great use he can make of the orderly course of reading who can think on it and not fear him and trust in him He that did this with the turning of a leaf can do as much with the turning of a straw Thirdly Consider what great blessing the smallest matters in the world may minister unto us if they be guided to our good by the gracious Providence of God and what misery and mischeif may grow up out of the smallest seeds the poorest and most inconsiderable occurrences if God do not shine through them unto us and do not order them for our benefit or shall appoint them to be instrumental to our hurt or destruction And lastly See here not onely the truth but the reason of Gods universal Providence in the ordering of the smallest things and motions of the world since we see that he makes even the smallest matters servsceable to his great aad wonderful mercies and judgments We cannot tell what God hath to do with a single straw that swimmeth down the water And may not this without offence make something to the perswading of people not to be so much out of love as they have been with the orderly course of the Churches readings We have discovered I hope so much countenance from these examples in Scripture that may secure us from any just charge of superstition in that observation that we have made of that which fell out in the course of the reading by the course of the Church in order to the conversion of this person And having taken notice of this I hope we may with the greater freedom and confidence offer to consideration some other passages of the like nature that have befallen others in the records of the succeeding times Sulpitius Severus in the life of Martinus Sulpit. Severus in vita Martini hath a relation to this purpose that when the people of Turonica were about to chuse that holy man to be Bishop of that place and one of the Bishops that were then present whose name was Defensor amongst others was a principal opposer of his election The Reader whose office it was to read the Scriptures that day being wanting another that was present taking up the Book of Psalms fell a reading at that place which presented it self first unto his view which was Psal 8. at the second or as it is there cited at the third verse of which Psalm the words in that Translation which was then used Ps 8.2 3 are thus rendered Ex ore infantium lactantium perfecisti laudem propter inimicos tuos ut destruas Defensorem Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings thou hast perfected praise because of the Enemies and that thou mayst destroy Defensor or the Defender which having such a reflexion on his name as it was apprehended the people took as a testimony from Heaven against him and his attempt in opposing the election of their Bishop as if that Psalm had been appointed by Divine Providence to be then read upon that occasion and so the people fell a shouting and the contrary party was confounded It may be this may seem a little too light nor do I press it to be valued any more then the weight of it shall perswade These that follow will I hope be admitted to be considerable to our purpose As first Austin Confess l. 8. c. 12. That which St. Augustine