intended And O that Rome and we were both as one In life and faith pleasing to God alone And ever strive each other to excell In Grace and Peace where e're we live or dwell I unto Rome do bear that free respect That 's due to her and every Church or Sect And keep the Peace what in me lyes with all Provided that by none I stand in thrall And let them all give thanks to God and me His Servant bold for this discovery Thus from the left hand turning to the right From the Black House I 'le lead you to the White And having shewn you both not to deceive you Unto your own Election I will leave you Thus much of the Unconverted Parties Principle and Property in Reference to the Gallant Youth in his Natural State The Converted State and Party followeth The Exception or Excepted Party under a True Conversion Shewing what is meant by this Youth in his Converted State namely the Church Elect out of the World though in the World As also the Mind of Men in its New Birth and in its new essential Property or Principle of Divine Light and Grace THus having pass'd through Babylon the Great We now are come to Syons Holy Seat Where the true Church of Christ doth firm abide The Church Select that 's call'd his faithful Bride Whom he hath chose and mark't out for his own With his two Seals of Truth and Love well known And by those Marks as Sacred Scriptures tell You well may know them all where ere they dwell Not who they be but what they be I show How many or how few no man doth know And having told the Mystery of sin The Mystery of Grace I here begin The First Mystery of Grace and Godlyness opened Namely Purity of Life The First Mark. THough I in general terms have spoken much Of the Worlds way I mean not all are such All are not caught with snares of Lust and Pride Some few there are who have themselves deny'd There are some thousands never bow'd to Baal And a few names in Sardis righteous all Those Virgins chast and pure those few I mean Who like true Nazarites keep their Garments clean Such as are said to walk with Christ in White And are accounted worthy in his sight Who from the World do keep themselves unspotted And now no more are with her Wine besotted And whom no Romish Gentry can defile Nor whom the Baits of Mammon can beguile Nor yet the Gloryes of the Scarlet Whore This Church Elect is not her Paramour Having their senses exercis'd to know What 's good what 's ill and what they should forego Who keep the faith and true belief in God Ever depending on his Staff and Rod For they are taught of him and dayly learn 'Twixt right and wrong the difference to discern The Second Mystery of Grace opened being the Second Mark of the Church or Mind Elect Called Lowliness of Spirit A Gallant 's one who never knew the smart Of a Converted new created heart Nor ever felt the pangs and sharp affliction Of the souls inward work and true Conviction Nor ever found what a Desertion meant What 's right contrition what t is to repent His Tongue 's his own without controle he talks His Sword 's his own without a check he walks But with these Virgin Saints it fares not so All walk in life and spirit wonderous low For oft they pass the sharp and fiery tryal And so remain in humble self-denyal Yea they are Mourners all in meek behaviour Longing for him they rightly call their Saviour O 't is a comely and a glorious sight To see Saints walk lowly in the light A signal mark like to the Red Cross sayle Of the true Church when all the rest do fail The Third Mystery of Grace opened Or the Third Mark of the Church Elect Namely Soundness in Conversion LEt now some Gallant tell me if he can When from a Beast he turned to a man Or when from darkness he was brought to Light Or when with sin and Satan he did fight When he from Babel travelled to Sion When to a Lamb he turned from a Lyon When he began to be a Christian first Or for Christs bloud did find himself a thirst When first from greatness he to goodness changed Though he long time in his wild course had ranged And so transformed in his inward mind Became thereby a creature new in kind For this the Holy new-born Church can do Throughout the world here and beyond seas too They can declare their several alterations From ill to good and several operations Of Gods good spirit working by its grace Their total change they know both Time and Place And in their hearts an Altar do erect Of Thanks Remembrance and sincere respect On which they offer dayly Sacrifice As Abel did accepted in Gods eyes This is a Mystery of Grace I tell Which all that have found Grace do know full well The Fourth Mystery of Grace or Fourth Mark of the Church Elect Namely True Wisdom or the knowledge of the saving Truth THe World is full of knowledge in its kind And yet remains dark ignorant and blind But sure one beam of true and heavenly light More clears the soul then all that wits can write A mark infallible of this Church Elect Keeping it safe from errour and defect For the false light dares all Gods laws withstand And all the Ten Commandements command But the true light doth keep obedient still To all his laws and to his written will False light can turn the truth into a lye But the true light doth all its shifts descry Such is this Church Elect where all agree In saving truth and truth doth make them free Blest are those souls in whom the truth resides And as a living Principle abides A pure informing and reforming Spirit Working by Faith and Mercy not by Merit For Truth 's no notion but a substance bright A Heavenly real and essential light A firm Eternal and Immortal Being Which gives to all that have it life and seeing O with what freedom will the earth be blest When Truth shall spread its Wings from East to West When Wars and jars laws and Religions all On bended knees before the truth shall fall When no false Leaders reign in any Sect Or Church or State to bind blind or infect For sure the Badge of the true Church is truth By whom is meant this New-converted Youth The Fifth Mistery of Grace opened being the Fifth mark of the Church Elect Namely Love Divine or oneness of Spirit A Farther secret Readers here I tell They all are one though far remote they dwell All one in faith in life and spirit pure And Doctrine sound infallible and sure An Homogeneous body of one breed Descended from one Father and one Seed And as a thousand Needles far asunder Point to the North in their Magnetick Wonder All with the Loadstone toucht and set betwixt
the Spirit would the Flesh give place Pride still would be Supream and Carnal Lust Would Reign and Rule and be accounted Just. His Wit his Will Fancy all cry Treason Against the Truth in his Anointed Reason Old Satan too if possible would fain The Castle he hath lost once more regain But in this Converts heart Grace keeps the Field ' Til all at last to Truth and Reason yield And this good News he to his Friends imparts Who feel find these Warrs in their own hearts O that the Gallants of this Age as well As Forreign News this Home bred News could tell And fill our News Books with these Holy Warrs In stead of Christians most Unchristian Jarrs 5. The Fifth Particular Vanity in Talk Forsaken Namely Religious Debate AS for the Sects and Churches their wayes His Heart 's his Church he none of them gainsays Though they gainsay each other opose Each others Tenets both in Verse and Prose Sect against Sect Church against Church ingage Swords against Swords tongues against tongues do rage What some call truth som others hold for lies What one Condemns another Justisies And 't is impossible to please them all 'Till they have more of Honey less of Gall. Some Preach by Books some Reason some by Spirit Some Preach Free grace some Free-will some Merit Some for the Churches Institution stand And some against them rise throughout the Land Thus Pro and Con tossing the Ball about They fill the Land with wrangling with doubt And wilst each Party strives to get the Ball Sometimes they give and sometimes get a fall ☞ Reason's Advice in this Case But peaceful Reason in his low Contrition Bids him sit still and mind his own Condition Gentle to hear all sides with patient Ear But unto nooe save Christ's own voice adhere For as in life he 's neither vain nor vicious So he 's no wrangling Make bate or Seditious A fit Companion for those Souls alone Who with the whole Creation sigh and groan For such a one each Gallant ought to be And so make good this Converts Historie The end of the Fourth Degree Descending Called Rationality in Speech and Bridling the Gallant Tongue 5. The Fifth Mortifying Grace or Virtue being the Fifth Step or Degre in his Conversion Descending Namely Abstemiousness or Continence in Meats Drinks Cloaths and all Sensuality THus when his Reason into Light was brought And from its dark Eclipse to clearness wrought Having first learn'd himself thus to deny Of Gentile talk and all Vaniloquie Lo this Young Heir born to a large possession Leaves all to follow Christ in strict Profession And in New-life with dayly Sin-denyal Bears his first Cross in many a tempting tryal For now his Joyes run a contrary way Quite cross to what they ran in his First-day His Hawks and Hounds he leaves for all his care Is to find out the Truth not hunt the Hare His Fleet-Race Horses all are quite out-run For he hath now a larger Rarce begun His Tables Cards and Dice he flings away For he hath now a harder Game to Play Whilst Tears do trickle from his mournful eyes With sad remembrance of his Vanities For he play'd wrong before and doth begin A second Game against each youthful Sin His costly Dishes and delicious Fare And gaudy Dress which he was wont to were He claims no more For Pride or Ornament But having Food and Raiment is content And with a Dish of Herbs or Garden-sallet Can Dine or Sup and satisfie his Palate His Sword and Belt his Periwigge and Plumes His whiting Powders and his strong Perfumes All sent and smell like Adled Eggs quite rotten Or like good Chear long vented and forgotten To both th' Exchanges he now bids farewell With all the Modes and Fashions there they sell All the Attractive shooing hornes of Vice He hates as Vermin and Aegyptian Lice His Moderation and Gratitude Thus in his moderate Food and comly Dress He keeps the mean and balks all vain excess What e're he wears what e're he eats or drinks Of Christ's last Supper or his Cross he thinks And setting all his old Excess a part He keeps a daily Eucharist in his heart Perpetual Thanks do Transubstantiate And Change his Mind into a Heav'nly state For that is the right Transubstantion Which most mistake in gross imagination Who in their blinded Superstition strange Themselves unchanged think the Bread should change And this vain Error for four hundred years Hath fill'd the Christian world with doubts fears But this wise Convert in his changed Sight Free from that Errour Ears and Drinks aright For he himself is changed and his Food In his New-change is by due Thanks made good And as a Nazarite thus he doth endure Both in his Diet and his Habit pure For such a one each Gallant ought to be And so make good this Converts Histerie Th end of the Fifth Degree Descending Called Abstemuousness or Continency Touching Sensuality The Sixth Mortifying Grace or Virtue Being the Sixth Step or Degree in his Conversion Descending Namely Solitude or Separation from all Uain and Uicious Society WHo e're hath learn'd to bridle in his tongue No more to vain acquaintance doth belong And so remains the last and greatest Wonder The Heaviest Cross and hardest to come Under As if the Soul from Body were Divided And with the Flesh no more the Spirit Sided For now his Old Aquaintance and Sweet Friends Whom as his Soul he lov'd he reprehends His Consorts kindred and Relations dear He baulks he Shunns Seldome doth come neer He keeps aloofe from All and doth not dare To eat or drink with those who Lye or Sweare Vain Company he Loathes Pure Grain from weeds He now discerns No more with Swine he feeds Yet if Occasion chance to draw him in His Care is then to keep himself from Sin And as a Sheep feeding among the Beasts He 's all alone though present at their Feasts For ' though among them yet he is not of them And rather doth bewail then scorn or scoffe them From Sin and Sinners both he turnes away And their Allurements scorns though ner'e so Gay For all his Joy is fix't on higher-Things A fit Companion for the best of Kings For now the King of Saints doth not disdain To sup with him and in his heart to Reign Yea after all he leaves the glorious Court With all his Pomps Pleasures Game Sport And one day by his Cross had rather ' bide Than in the Court a thousand dayes beside The Painted Madams and the Spotted Faces VVith Amorous Arms he now no more embraces And to his Tempting Miss dares boldly say I am not I begone away away That Park he baulks where Gallants Sacrifice To Venus and her Nymphs their Hearts and Eyes At the She-Bulls he laughs and turns his Eyes From the beholding of those Vanities For he is turn'd another Creature quite Nor Sin nor Sinners can give him
Ascending viz. Upright Dealing and Sincerity in his place and calling The Third Degree in his Conversion Ascending consisting of Liberality Hospitality Bounty Charity And the like Uertues proper to his Calling GO and sell all thou hast House Land and Store Saith Christ unto the Rich and give the Poor So come and follow me and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven and thine own soul save This rich young man believing what Christ says Unto his Word submits and it obeys In love to him he visits oft the poor And oft doth feed the hungry at his door Yea oft he cloaths the naked in compassion For Christs own sake not for vain praise or Fashion Oft doth he aid the pious in distress And feeds the woman in the Wilderness Nor is he wanting to the Painful Preacher To every faithful Flock and faithful Teacher He frees the wrong'd and pleads the poor mans cause That is opprest by violence of Laws And to the Prisners oft his Bowels turn Who in their Bonds without all mercy 〈◊〉 All his delight is now in doing good Unto the good with rayment and with food With Gold and Silver and with his best store And only grieves that he can do no more For he counts nothing now his own but Grace And only is a Steward in his place Thus by his Love to Christ most firmly wrought To perfect Self-denyal he is brought Lo such a one each Gallant ought to be And so make good this Converts History The end of the Third Degree Ascending viz. Liberality in his place and calling The Fourth Degree of his Conversion Ascending Consisting of Verity Essentiality and Reality in his Words Belief Prayer c. in his Calling IN his next step he unto great and small Now speaks the Truth the hardest talk of all Without Excust or Mentall Reservation A double Tongue or slie Equivocation For what to Gallants is more hard or rare Then to speak Truth and neither lye nor Swear Nor yet to laugh and scoff to jest and jeer To boast and brag to dare and domineer A work which one of thousands cannot do So hard it is to Mankind to speak True In all mens trades or talk we seldome find The Man whose words hold current with his mind Yet truth he speaks the mark of his Profession Seal'd in his inwards by a deep impression His Promise is his Bond his Word full sure His Yea and Nay more firm then Law endure And next a true Belief to all Intents He now doth yeild to Gods Commandements A Work full rare 't is to believe indeed The Word of God and to obey our Creed O where 's the Man that doth believe aright What he believes and followeth his own light Two kinds of Faith there are both known full well One Saves on Damns one Heaven makes one hell This saving Faith this Convert hath obtain'd The other he hath left and quite disclaim'd Besides both these a wonder strange to tell He Prays aright his words all ordered well A true Confession now he makes of sin And so a true remission followeth in His new Devotion doth his old surpass With real Prayer not with verbal Mass And thus this Convert makes the truth his care Truth in his talk in his Belief and Prayer Lo such a one each Gallant ought to be And so make good this Converts History The End of the Fourth Degree Ascending viz. Uerity and Reality in his words Belief and Prayer in his Calling The Fifth Degree of his Conversion Ascending Consisting of Equity Justice Impartiality Magnanimity Wisdom and the like Vertues in the Administration of Justice call'd thereto HAving well learn'd to rule himself aright He 's fit to rule th' unruly by his light By truth's just light I say not might alone For might ne're governs well when light is gone Thus arm'd with Christian Courage Truth and Grace He next accepts a Ruling Elders place Resolv'd to serve his Country with his Sword Like Joshua dreading no mans look or word Adorn'd with every virtue power and state Essential to a true-made Magistrate To guide and judge to Counsel and direct To curb the Proud and lowly to protect For he keeps not his Courts of Law and Leet For Fees and Fines but Justice due and meet His Sword and Belt are now no more his own But Consecrate to Justice and her Throne His two-edg'd Blade he wears no more in vain For Fancy Fashion Favour Feare or Gain But as a needful Instrument of Power Vertue to serve when Vice would her deflowre For he that 's just himself may others guide And wear the Sword of Justice by his side A Joy to good and to the bad a Terrour A Friend to Truth a Foe to Vice and Errour The Sword belongs unto the just and true To give to Just and Unjust both their due And for no other end should it be worn By any man that to the Truth is sworn Lo such a one each Gallant ought to be And so make good this Converts History The End of the Fifth Degree in Conversion viz. Impartial Iustice in his Office Place and Calling The Sixth Degree in his Conversion Ascending Consisting of Sanctification Illumination Divine Knowledge Right Information and Instruction with the like Graces proper to an Eminent Converted Person in his Calling RIghtly adorn'd with Robes of Sanctity He takes his highest and his last Degree Which to the top of Syon Hill doth reach Where he the true and living word doth Preach For fill'd with Light Divine free from all taint He of a Gallant â—urnes a Preaching Saint Not for base Lucre Honour or Renown A Golden Miter or a Triple Crown Nor yet for high Preferment Tythes or Hire But from an inward call and free desire He to his birth accounts it no disgrace Well to perform a Teaching Elder 's place To high and low he doth Instruction give Exhorts Reproves and shews them how to live Confuting all the Atheists of the Land And all Apostates who the Truth withstand Yea in the Faith his Family he teaches His House a Temple is in which he Preaches Nor doth he Preach by Notion or conceit From other hands which often proves a cheat He needs no book the book he preacheth by In his own soul doth ever open lye For he that speaks the thing that he is not Is often hit and often makes a Blot But he that writes or speaks the thing he is Can neither write or speak that thing amiss For he is taught of God who well can teach Both high and low his saving truth to preach And now he wears a Breast plate shining bright With twelve rich Pretious stones all full of Light The Vrim and the Thummim he doth wear Both his pure life and his pure Doctrine are For there is none too Great or Honourable To preach a Saviour born within a Stable To Preach Christ Jesus in the open light There 's none forbidden neither Lord nor Knight For he
is Lord of all the Lord of Lords Who laughs to scorn their bul-rush glit'ring swords He wears a Sword bright shining on his thigh That soon cuts down all Pride be 't ne're so high And this our Convert Galiant here well knows ☞ This saving truth too high and low he shews He tells how God by his own power and might Hath brought his soul from darkness into light And shews by what degrees that light is wrought Within the heart and to perfection brought And let none murmur at his Heav'nly unction A gift Divine above each earthly function For he fears not the persecuting rage Of Rome's conforming and confining Cage Nor yet her bloody power which ever acts By Fire and Sword Imprisonment and Wrack But on he goes the Truth still to dispence ' Though all the Fiends of Hell should take offencâ— Because his Faith on that firm rock is grounded In his New-Birth which cannot be confounded Lo such by right each Christian ought to be Of whatsoever title or degree The end of the Twelve Graces or Degrees in True and real Conversion The Six first Descending and pointing to Repentance The six last Ascending and pointing to Obedience in the Faith dying to sin and living to Righteousness Objection to this Story SUre this rare Phaenix all would gladly see This Bird of Paradise what ere he be Of whatsoever Family or Race Of whatsoever Quality or Place But some will say he is not to be found Within the Clymate of our English ground For what young Papist or young Protestant can Subscribe himself this New-Born Gentleman Our Natural Groves and Forrests cannot yield This Bird of Wonder nor yet Fen or Field Parrats and Peacocks in our Land are many But such a Phaenix in our coasts scarce any Who thus to death in his own Ashes burn'd To a New Creature is reviv'd and turn'd The Answer to the Objection BUt well who ere in mind is thus transform'd And with these Graces in his life adorn'd He by these steps attains the Holy Hill On which the dewes of Heaven do distill Which Heav'nly dewes the vertues are here taught By which his soul to peace and rest is brought For the receiving of the rest begun Is earnest given for the rest to come And a perpetual Sabbath now he keeps whil'st in his Saviours bosome safe he sleeps His yoak is easie and his cross made sweet For now the Cross and Crown each other greet And he sits down a Conquerour in peace The Field is won and all his labours cease The World the Flesh and Sin all thus eschew'd Lo Hell and death are vanquish't and subdu'd Death is no Death to him when his life ends It to Eternal Life forthwith extends And so concluding here I 'le fix my staff And end this Story with his EPITAPH The True Converts EPITAPH AFter a sharp and weary fight with sin And sinners both in hope the Crown to win Lo here I rest in this soft bed of dust Waiting the Resurrection of the Just. Twice was I born and so two births have seen Twice did I dye two deaths to me have been I Phaenix-like have my first rising known And so on wings of Love am upwards flown My Heav'nly part ascended is on high Whil'st here in hope my earthly part doth lye Till it shall rise again in Glory blest With all the Saints in their eternal rest Ye Gallants all who view my History So live and dye as you may rest with me The Conclusion to this First Part. ANd thus some Readers may perhaps make bold â—o argue and object as I have told â—ouching the story of this New-born youth Which most will doubt and few receive for truth And yet perchance there may be such a one Here and there found like some rare pretious Stone Yea partly I believe and partly know â—ome few there be who truth will not forego â—uch as in Prim'tive Times old Records say â—rom Gallants turn'd to Martyrs in their day Though the same cause of suffering is not now â—s then when Saints to Idols would not bow We for opinions suffer oft head-strong â—nd seldome suffer right but often wrong He 's the True Martyr and the Sufferer too Who dyes to sin as all true Converts do The Transition ANd so I pass from substance to intent And plainly shew what by this youth is meant Both in his Natural and Converted State Observe it well whilest I the truth relate That you may be enabled to apply Both States unto your selves Impartially For though at first all can't reform with speed Yet all may be inform'd by what they read And they that would true Reformation win With Information they must first begin Light before life was made 'i th first Creation And so is still in Mans Regeneration The End of the First Part of the Book And of the first Direction General to the Readers of the foresaid Divine Poem Written by B. K In order to the substance of the Personal History thereof THE Second Part of this Book And Second Direction TO THE READER OF THE Foresaid Divine Poem touching the Young Converted Gallant In reference to the Intent Moral and Mystery thereof The Entrance thereto THus have you heard the story plainly told Touching the person of this Convert bold Though here not nam'd But now lets inward look Into the Mystery of that Sacred Book What that deep Allegory here implyes And what that Mystick Story signifies Two kinds of men this Youth here represents In his two Natures and his two intents Worldly the one and heavenly the other Which never can agree with one another One good one bad from which two properties Two general flocks or partyes do arise Readers observe them well and you shall see With which of these your lives and Faiths agree And by the marks distinct I will you shew The one Tribe from the other you shall know For it is worth your knowing that thereby You may both them and your own selves descry The First of these is of this worlds vain ways The other her Hypocrisie gainsays And in Reality doth still delight That his good life may shine in open sight Now with the first of these we will begin And trace the world in each peculiar sin And having done with her we will proceed To a more holy and more heav'nly breed 1. The First Mystery of Iniquity opened viz. The Worlds Whoredome and Sorcery See 1 John 2.15 16. ☞ WHo ere shall view our Authors work once more Shall hear it tell that this vain Worlds a Whore A Whore in Grain in Purple and in Scarlet Oft stript and whipt and branded for a Varlet A Tempting Bawd and an Enticing Punck Who with her Wine makes all the Nations drunk And besides that a most notorious Witch ☞ With her Inchantments charming poor and rich All more or less are still bewitched by her And all admire this Whore this Witch this Lyar. Circe she 's nam'd of old for to all shapes
She could transform them all Hogs Dogs or Apes This is that Gorgon Witch whom Perseus slew For all to stones she turn'd that her did view Nay besides this a Goddess of great Fame ☞ She was and is Diana call'd by Name A Temple large she hath o'relaid with Gold Where thousand thousands Worship young and old The Grave Divine the Lawyer and Physitian The Poet Player Painter and Musitian The Tradesman rich and Scholar in his Gown The Lord the Lady and the Country Clown All do fall down and worship at her Shrine If once they tast the Sweetness of her Wine Pleasant unto the Mouth but yet alas A Serpent lyes i' th' bottome of the Glass Line upon Line Book after Book men write Yet still this Whore doth Reign the Fools delight Christ and his Twelve Apostles all condemn her All did renounce abhor her and contemn her Yet the Proud Fools her Mintons all adore her All doe her Service and fall down before her And still exalt her Power and Dignity Above Gods Laws and God Himself on high And Solomon tells how the young fool she mocks With her fair tongue and brings him to the Stocks Where he becomes her Captive bound in Chains Of Fettering Lusts thus ore his heart she reigns Till through his Liver she conveighs a dart That strikes him dead and wounds him to the heart Then he 's her own and she hath made him sure He is her Servant she his Quean and Whore This Whorish Woman Solomon means the World With her Perfumes and Amorous Tresses curl'd One hair whereof when she is pleas'd to do it Can draw a world of Conquered Lovers to it And by this Youth he means the Humane mind In its first foolish unconverted kind Like to a wanton youth or wild young Fool Or as a Treuant running from the School Or like a Vagrant Rogue that scorns all Law And whom no Rod nor Reason well can awe Though in a Mortar you this Fool should bray He still will be the same what ere you say For he doth hate to be reform'd and taught Or unto wisdome by instruction brought And such we all in our First Nature are ☜ Whom this vain world doth with her sweets insnare For all through Lust and Pride do subject stand To her strong Charms and live at her command All are this Fool if not by Grace control'd The learned and unlearned young and old Both Turk and Jew and Christians Unconvert Who the true Faith and Cross of Christ desert Thus in the First place you perceive what 's meant By this brave Youth and what 's the first intent According to his First and Natural State Of which you all at First participate The Second Intent and Second Mystery of Iniquity Opened Touching the Worlds two chief Temptations or Fruits of the Wild Nature NOw this Grand Whore two lovely Daughters hath Like to her self voyd of all Truth and Faith And with their Natures their two Names agree That all may know their Natural Pedigree For Sensuality the First is call'd Gentility the other is install'd These are thy Imps O Antichrist thou man Of Sin unjustly call'd a Christian. These are thy Gods false Christendome and thou Both these do'st worship and to these do'st bow Thy two great Idols like those Calves of Old Whico Israel did adore both made of Gold And from Beersheba now as far as Dan Both are set up by each false Christian Man The one doth savour more of Fleshly Lust The other more of Divelish Pride unjust Yet both of Wrath and Earthy Avarice Haters of Virtue Lovers both of Vice And so as 't were in two plain Looking-Glasses I 'le shew you these two Madams or brave Lasses The First I first must strip and shew you how To her command you all doe bend and bow A goodly Idol which you all adore As all your Sires and Grandsires did before Observe it well with open ear and heart Lest for your sin through ignorance you smart The Third Mystery Opened Wherein Sensuality is described THe hired Whore ten thousands may Eschew But this rich Whore not one of thousand do I mean not such a Whore as doth live by 't But the allurement of the worlds delight Her golden Apples and forbidden fruit With humane Natures all so well do suit That all are drawn by her alluring eye With cords of Lust to every vanity View all degrees of men all trades and see From high'st to lowest how few souls are free Unto themselves many seem chast and good Whil'st in a civil sense 't is understood But if they look into themselves more nigh They soon will find a deeper Mystery A Mystery profound that will declare How vile how vain and Whorish too they are Lightness of mind begetteth Lustful mirth The first wild fruit of the dark natural Birth From lightness of the mind you next proceed To bold Presumption in each word and deed And that begets a custome to be Evil Till you become fine actors of the Devil Last follows hardness thinking all is well Whilst Whores you live and dye and drop to Hell But if you think I falsely charge you here Conscience and I will make it yet more clear A further Demonstration hereof HOw can men boast of their civility As if from Vice and Whoredom they were free Alas in every thing the Whore appears What e're man Feels or Tasts Smells Sees or Hears For with her baits your senses she beguiles And like the Serpent takes you by her Wiles And as the Tinder with one spark of Fire So are you set a flaming in desire In every thing your sensual appetite Doth take you napping in your vain delight In all you eat or drink weare buy or sell If you have not a care this Whore will dwell The bed the board the belly and the back Will have their Whore if temperance you lack For all your Faith your hope and all your joys Are swallow'd up in the deep gulf of toyes The Sword and Belt the Perewig and Muff Silk Velvet Sattin and imbroidered stuff Wine and strong drink tobacco and high fare Sweet powders and perfumes to scent the hayr The Coach and Chariot and the Horse for Race The Hawk and Hownd the Forrest and the Chase Pearls Plates and Jewels with a thousand more Are every one become a common Whore Yea I might tell how meanest creatures too May soon turn Idols and your souls undo The Plow and Cart the Ass and labouring jade The Cow and Sheep may be an Idol made Life wife and children husband house and land All do stand subject to this Whore's command From the First age she set her snares and ginns To draw the senses into deadly sins Beauty 's a snare she sets before the eye As a fair Bait to all Unchastity And so is Gold and all brave Ornaments Which gaudie Mammon to that sence presents Smells for the scent and Musick for the Eare And for the tast
The Heavenly Poles i' th' Compass rightly sixt All to the North-star look with one Aspect And there do meet all in a line Direct East West North South in every Coast or Land All by Instinct fixt to the North poynt stand Such is this Church of which I here do write Whose hearts all pant after the Heav'nly light Magnetick Love unto the Truth doth draw them Into one Center where no force can awe them For where the Carkass is the Eagles gather Not to themselves but to the Carkass rather The New Birth is this Load Star which doth draw Thousands of Hearts by its Magnetick Law And all that so do congregate are one All built together on the corner stone For without Love knowledge is but a sound Like babbling Ecchoes from an hollow ground 'T is perfect Love that makes Conversion clear The Sealed Mark of these true Converts here With whom there are no Schisms or Divisions No scofflng of each other or derisions And thus united in a Spiritual Peace They persevere in Love which cannot cease But yet I nominate no Church or Sect Person or People for a by-respect Yet such undoubted in this world there are Dispersed here and there though few and rare Some in the farthest Indies some neer hand Some in each City some in every Land All known to God and to their Saviour dear In whom they live united far and near Blessed are all who in this Church do dwell And so make good the Wonder which I tell The Sixth Mystery of Grace opened Being the sixth Mark of the Church Elect viz. Reality of Mind and Spirit BUt yet what I have said of Piety Of Grace of Vertue or Society There still remains one Mark to perfect all Which some of late Reality do call An Ens Divine a substance from on high A serious and a solid entity A strength of mind persisting in the good And making that its true Essential food Truth in the inward parts without pretence Or a false shew in its obedience From which no Church in all the world is free But the true Church in its Edentitie The Worlds Religion is a Frolick Queen Which loves of all both to be heard and seen But this alone serves God in real wise In Spirit and in Truth without disguise And where this Essence this Elixar's sound Lo there 's a Church with high perfection crown'd But if you think there 's no such Church yet come Nor like to be before the day of doom Yet wonder not for every faithful man Makes good this Church that 's truly Christian. For as they are but one in general So one just man doth represent them all The Conclusion hereof THough many Signals more I might relate Of this pure Church pure mind and heav'nly State Yet having done with the two several kinds Of men and manners in their several minds I leave you to your choice which you will follow The Sound Young Convert or Apostate Hollow The End of the second Part and second Direction General THE Third Part of this Book And Third Direction TO THE READER OF THE Book aforesaid Concerning the Consequence or Doctrine following the History and Mistery thereof THus have you seen the Mistery drift and end Which that vai'ld History closely did intend And now the consequence thereof we 'l view And try what Doctrine may from thence ensue The First Consequence or Doctrine viz. Concerning the Wills Rejection of Evill Whoever would be sav'd or hopes to see The face of Christ to all Eternity On this Foundation he must first begin That Conscience gives no Latitude to sin Neither to good nor bad to Church nor State To high nor low to Prince nor Potentate Nor Pope nor Priest can give Indulgence to it Nor Lord nor law can tolerate man to doe it For Conscience is a Lord above all Lords A Law above all self-made laws or Swords A Judge Impartial who cannot dispence With any sin of pride or Negligence Man must renounce each sin in general In thought in word and deed be 't ne'r so small His will must be a Virgin not consent Or yeild to sin nor take therein content Be 't ne're so noble gallant sweet and brave He must not be to his dear sin a slave Not to live freely in it nor yet by it For wealth or want but for Christ's sake deny it That man lives well who e're doth chuse to dye Rather then sin that he might live thereby The several kinds of Sin to be Rejected ALL Sensuality man must reject And never more on this worlds toys reflect In Meats and Drinks brave Cloaths or Fashions Fine Or the Temptations of the Golden Mine Or the large offers of her Gallantry With which the most commit Adultery For all who Christ do chuse must freely part From their Gentility both in Life and Heart Since 't is an Idol that can never stand With Christianity in a perfect band Because it is not real pure and sound Nor in the Role of Christian Graces found For in Christs Kingdom there 's no Lord nor Knight But all are Saints and Children of the Light No Titles there of Honour or Degrees But all in self-denyal bend their knees There 's no respect of persons high or low All are accepted who their sins forgo Other sins Rejected THerefore a just and Conscientious man Doth evermore his mind and actions scan Least he should lodge some sin of high ambition In his vain heart or else some superstition Setting the Creatures in his thoughts too high For that 's False Worship and Idolatry Nor doth he wink at his Impediments Or in the least excuse his false intents Nor lay the fault upon his natural frame Thereby to salve his Conscience and his fame And by that weak pretence to justifie His sin and self in his Hypocrisie He doth connive at no such weak defect But at all times all vain excuse reject O let no Convert palliate his sin A thousand ill effects are lodg'd therein For then each Grace he stifles in the bud And so he dayly feeds on strangled bloud All his good motions unto death do bleed Whilst he with vain excuse his sin doth feed Or is content in Ignorance to lye As a fair plea for his infirmity The Gospel doth allow no such evasion Nor the sound conscience such prevarication Christ and the world no man can serve at once One of these two he must and will renounce Therefore take heed which of these two ye chuse And which of these you do in heart refuse For this be sure that on your own Election Depends your own Salvation or Rejection The Second Consequence or Doctrine viz. Concerning the Wills Election of the good or better part WHatever God hath made is wondrous good And in each thing the * Godheads understood So man must have a care by Scripture Light How to serve God in every Creature right In every thing of Nature and of art With
rude way With Hat and Hand and Foot as well as they Your Humble Servant Sir they all can cry Though oft their Conscience tells them that 's a lye And thus there is no vanity or Pride That is not acted by the vulgar side Yea view all Pride in Country Court or Town There 's none like that that 's acted by the Clown There 's no Hectorian Gallant can compare In Pride with him nor yet so boldly swear Perhaps some will not swear yet at the least If they 'l not swear they 'l lye and cheat at best For lying now is grown the Tongue in Fashion The Mother Language through the vulgar Nation The very Children act the Parents part For they can lye and swear as taught by art The Retreat to the Rear of Pride YE desperate Rebels who dare God defie And offer violence to his Majesty Who dare blaspheme and rend his sacred name With your proud tongues voyd of all fear or shame Who by your Maker swear in your loose sports â—n your full Cups and all your vain resorts Who make of sin a Jest and Jest no sin And scarce can speak without a lye therein Know of a certain not a word doth fall From your loose lips without account for all All stand recorded in that dreadful book Of dire Revenge wherein you scorn to look The dreadful Book of Conscience in the soul Which all the Powers on Earth cannot controul And when that opens where will you appear â—n vain 't is then to swear or ly or jeer Your Tongues poor fools will all be stopt and still'd And your wide mouths with flames of Hell be fil'd O prize my words and take them deep to heart Ere for your sins you feel the Hellish smart For Conscience is a Judge can tame you all When he your pride shall unto Judgment call You are this Gallant Sirs I here intend Among the rest O that you now could mend Your sinful lives like him and so become Repenting souls before the final doom As thousands in this Nation have of late Chang'd from their Natural to a New-born State Who once were wild and vain nnd rude like you But now are your examples just and true Sober and wise from quarrels free and strife In carriage low in language chast and life And though you scorn and scoff them in disgrace They still remain True Converts to your face And so as new-born Creatures in behaviour They plainly show that they have found a Saviour For such by right the vulgar ought to be And so make good this Converts History The Authors good wishes With several Applications to several sorts of Persons and People Homebred and Foreign ANd now my Applications I will end With my best wishes unto foe and friend I wish to all that mercy grace and stay Which I oft found in my Afflicted day When in desertions humbled by the rod I sought and found a Saviour and a God I wish that all may find the same Delight In every path of vertue just and right I wish that peace to all which I now find Towards every Church in my inlightned mind I wish that truth in which I have my part Did shine as clear in every Christians heart That all might see what Bondage they are in To self and Satan Vanity and Sin And so convinced by a new wrought light Might shine true Converts all in * open sight O that one Convert might at least be made To prove the truth of all that I have said And if'mongst thousands one soul thus repents I shall rejoyce o're him with all the Saints A good wish to all not yet entred into this Spiritual Warfare And to those who are entered 1 Rank no Souldiers of Christ. THree Ranks of Christians in the world I find The First a Coward is in his false kind To all therefore that never yet durst enter I wish a good beginning and to venter Life Soul and Body in this holy war Till they both conquered and Conquerours are 2 Rank New Soldiers of Christ. But unto those who have this war begun I wish a Progress till the race be won And that they may so run as to obtain So Fight as they the Victory may gain For they shall meet fresh on-sets every day Satan will not at first forgoe his Prey 3. Rank of Christians old Soldiers of Christ. Lastly to those who have gain'd more perfection I wish increase and so by truths direction To number out the remnant of their days In contemplation of their Saviours praise By whom they are made conquerours and rest Under his Banner here and ever blest For he hath set their feet upon a Rock Above each enemies reach or Satans stroke No Racks nor Prisons nor a thousand harms Can pull these Soldiers from their Saviours arms For these be none of those who live as Hogs And dye at last in shame and pain as Dogs But these be they and only they we see That thus make good this Converts History The Authors good Wishes Applied to Foreign Parts and Churches Grecian Romane and Reformed beyond Seas UNto the Grecian Church which now doth lye In Bondage to the Turkish Monarchy I wish a good deliverance in due time When they are made more knowing of that crime Which caus'd that heavy judgment to come down With fire and sword upon that stately Crown Their pomp and Pride their Gallantry in Wars Their Church Dissentions and intestine jars Their frolick lives their Luxury and excess And sins in gross which no pen can express These these did cause their dire calamity A Vengeance just for their iniquity And still in bondage sad are like to live Till they repent and God their crime forgive Yea till they turn true Christians such as were When Paul first planted Primitive Churches there For such by right you Grecians ought to be And so make good our Converts History Good Wishes to the Roman Church UNto the Roman Church as now it stands Supported by the Pope and Emperours hands By France and Spain and House of Austria I scarce know what to wish much less to pray Unless I wish confusion to her pride And a conclusion to her Lust beside If I should wish her Eye-salve 't is in vain For she 's supreme and counsel doth disdain If I should wish Conversion unto Rome I fear I am prevented by her doom Only I wish Repentance to those Kings Which she still broods under her Eagles Wings Who in false zeal obedient to her Laws Have shed much bloud in her Apostate cause O that they could be wise and now recall Their Slavish Scepters from their antient thrall But of her Kings and her I 'le say no more Because I know the Judge stands at the door Who soon will shew them all what 't is to Fight And persecute their brethren in despight Good wishes to the Reformed Churches BUt you Reformed Churches here and there Swede Dane and Dutch with all the rest
you see and read I have â—lso finished the whole matter throughout the four â—arts thereof hoping that you have perused it â—ith a right Mind in a right understanding for â—se it will signifie little and edifie less but remain dark letter to you all For without a right unâ—erstanding of the Truth there can be no true and â—â—ght real Conversion in any one And here are many positive Fundamental Truths couched and many doubts and controversies briefly resolved and if you diligently and with serious eye do observe them they will be very helpful to you all and so likewise very acceptable without offence but if any be offended they will turn to his damage The careless scornful slight Reader will profit nothing by this Book who reads here a little and there a little like some News Book and so flings it aside in him the Fire is quite gone out and all his fuel is turn'd to ashes there is no spark of conversion left in him in vain it is to add the breath of the Bellows where there is not a spark of fire left to begin withal But whereever there is a spark of goodness left or lyes hid in any heart verily it will receive life and light from this truth and will revive and grow up into a holy flame and desire after the Truth more and more I say this writing will certainly have an influence and a good effect upon every one that reads it night and morning with serious meditation Therefore let none be offended at the Truth here written either high or low Gentry or Commonalty learn'd or unlearn'd Roman Catholick or Protestant the sound reacheth you all and you hear it that Pride and Lust may have a fall and many high and low will repent thereof and become the Converts there described but many will not till destruction overwhelm them in their sensuality sin and ignorance as it is written Many in the last Times shall be purified whitened and tryed but the wicked shall do wickedly and none of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand Therefore so read as you may understand what you read distinctly even to a Conversion visible to all that all who see your new carriage new Life new looks new habit and conversation may reod a right Conversion in you and glorifie God through your example And be not ashamed of Jesus Christ and his Cross into which you say you were baptized and vowed to fight under his Banner against the vanities and pomps of this world be not found lyars before him but make your vow and promise good in laying down the Pride of your Gentility and the lust of your sensuality the two Temptations here set before you in this book for a warning to you all in this last age And for this end observe yet more punctually what I have set down in the 66 page hereof for your better Intelligence concerning the three Ranks of Christians in reference to the title of our Authors Book on which I here write call'd War with the Devil craving his acceptance and yours of these my labours seconding his though he and you are altogether unknown to me and I to him and you The three Ranks of Christians as to Christs Cross. 1. The first Rank I call Cowards or Runagadoes in Christianity and are as yet no Soldiers of Christ under his Cross and Banner 2. The second are the Beginners or new Soldiers of Christ who have begun to fight under his Banner Listed Soldiers 3. The third are called the old Souldiers of Christ Veterani old standers in the Army that have fought the good fight under the Cross of Christ nigh or even to the end And in these three Looking-glasses every man and woman may easily discern in which of the 3 Ranks they are found ☞ 1. By the first therefore understand loose Christendome in general the formal and verbal Professours of Christianity of Christ and his dayly Cross living still in their sensuality and Pride of Gallantry Unconverted turning the back in the Battle against the World the Flesh and the Depil meer Hypocrites as yet that are ashamed to own the Cross of Christ in self denyall least they should want a livelyhood or be laugh'd at for their Conversion These are call'd Christians secundum dici not secundum esse ☞ By the second understand that Church of Christ and those Christians who are as it were come out of Babylon Travellers toward Jerusalem and their Heavenly rest but are not yet fully come thither Notwithstanding they have given up their names to Christ their Captain and are sworn listed and inrolled Soldiers Converted to the real Profession of the truth and pure life as it is in the Leader Jesus the Saviour Guide and Governour of them by his word and spirit in the renewing of their Faith and Conscience and these are Christians Secundum esse ☞ By the third Rank understand that small Church of Christ few and rare and hard to be seen who not only are come out of Babylon in this world but have travelled quite through from Babylon to Jerusalem even to Mount Sion the place of rest and Peace in their Faith and Conscience and this is the persevering party even to the end in this Holy War or Spiritual War-fare having put on the whole Armour of God and not put it off till they be Conquerours over themselves and all their spiritual enemies These follow the Lamb whereever he goeth cloathed in white The World knows them not for they are not of this World though in it for their Conversation is in Heaven and their love in Heavenly things And thus they rest from their sins from Avarice Pride Lust Ambition Extortion Oppression Drunkenness Wantonness and every iniquity and at their death they rest also from their labours troubles persecutions and afflictions And these I have typed forth by a similitude of the Magnetick Needle in the Marriners Compass ever Pointing to the North Star where it Resteth and no place else through a secret instinct in the inward hidden attractive love point The Portraicture of the Marriners Compass by Sea and Land in the 32 Points thereof wherein the Needle first touched with the Magâ—es or Loadstone never resteth till it come to the North-point and there standeth fixed And here are only 12 Figured instead of many thousands pointing all to the same place though thousands of miles asunder and so make a full Communion Behold in these 12 Figures a lively Type or Similitude of the True Church or Communion of Saints throughout the world at this day Whose Hearts all pant and point one way and so are already in Heaven where their Conversation is looking to the true North Star there Jesus Christ their hearts all touched with one and the same spirit though far distant in place from each other yet there they fix and rest as one full body all of one mind and one kind An Explanation of