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
Christ is to none that turn to Christ deni'd The smallest grain of Faith in time of need Prevails with him and never fails to speed By whom the peace is made for ever sure 'Twixt God and Man which can and will indure Through a Resigned Will to his good pleasure Taking what he will give and wait his leasure Christs will with mans united in mans heart Make that firm tye which time can never part Grace and free-will set both their Seals thereto Which all the powers of hell cannot undoe But the Seir'd heart whether men chide or praise it No Counsell can to Grace or free-will raise it â—ecause it can no true Repentance find â—or Faith nor Conscience nor least change of mind Thus some attain that everlasting Bliss Which others by neglect for ever miss â—he Saints above in several mansions raigne â—nd several Regions sure in Hell remain â—nd thus according as our works shall be â—ach man receives his Measure and Degree â—is measure and degree in joy or pain â—nd so shall rise in glory or in shame â—he End of the Third Part of this Book and of the Third Direction to the Reader THE Fourth Part of this Book And Fourth Direction TO THE READER OF THE Book aforesaid Concerning the Application thereof in general and in special ☞ The First Application General Directed to all Real Converts and real Readers hereof as lovers of the Truth and as Legitimate and true Christians I Love that Reader who shall view this Book With serious thought and to himself doth look Who learns to read his inward soul thereby And the whole matter to himself apply â—or 't is not made for vain applause or praise Or the vain glory of the Poets Bayes But for a light to every one that reads To guide him right in all his words and Deeds â—nd though some few should give it commendation â—nd thereto set their seal of Approbation Yet he 's the Reader whom my soul most loveth Whom this small Book commendeth and approveth To praise the Truth is but lip-labour vain Except the truth doth him approve again Him do I love whom these lines justifie â—nd so makes good this Converts History And blest is he that rightly can apply This story to himself without a lye â—ea happy is that Convert who can say My Friends 't is I I am this youth this day This day I find and tell what I have found That my Conversion's built upon sure ground â—is no Fiction which was told to you â—y me this day the Story is made true â—ecause I hear and fear and do obey â—nd murder not my Conscience any way And besides this I clearly feel and find Christ's Kingdom ruling in my heart and mind â—nd thereby know I am his promis'd Wife â—nd that my Name stands in the book of Life With all those faithful Converts now at rest 〈◊〉 Abrahams Bosome and their Saviours Breast The Second Application General directed to Apostate degenerate Christendome And all false Hypocritical Christians LEave Christian leave thy old Hypocrisie And learn to own thy close Adultery Which thou do'st act as I before have told In the wrong use of Creatures manifold Leave leave thy Church and good books read no more Till thou for shame leav'st playing of the Whore Though to thy self thou may'st seem chast and just The Holy Law will manifest thy Lust For all Gods laws and each Commandement Were writ by his own hand and so were sent Into the World to teach man how to serve And Worship him without a close reserve In spirit and in truth man must obey them Without excuse and in no wise betray them Watch therefore thy false Heart thine eye and ear And keep within the bounds of holy fear Have a suspition and just jealousie O're thy best deeds thy zeal and piety â—rove thy Conversion out that it be right â—east thou be found within the ballance light When Law and Death before Christ's Throne shall cite thee â—nd with a Cat'logue of thy sins Indite thee â—nd tell thee how thy Conscience thou hast slain â—nd Crucifi'd the Lord of Life again Thy light thou hast extinguisht oft in Theft â—o many Murders and Adulteries left Which thou count'st good and lawful for thy part â—ecause Gods Law 's not written in thy heart But now be wise and just why wilt thou dye â—â—ke to a fool in thy Hypocrisie Learn to escape O man that secret snare Of the Great Whore by which most ruin'd are To the Female Sex in General Gentry and others AN honest Wife in some respects may be Her Husbands Whore when both in sin aâ—gree Yea she that ne're knew Man may be a Whore To her own self and to a thousand more When Woman of Mans Rib at first was made She was ordain'd for his meet help and aid But she became his Murderer in part A deadly wound she gave him to the heart For she soon turn'd unfaithful and unjust And so upstart his Whore in Pride and Lust. His Wife became his Whore and tempted him To Whoredom first by acting unknown sin For till that time sin was as yet unknown Though now with men women common grown Thus in the sin the woman was the first And man the next so both became accurst â—et when to God their Whoredom they confess'd â—â—eir curse was taken off their Marriage blest And to this day most women act the woman Eve first did by tempting to undoe man 〈◊〉 so to boot undo themselves for ever â—hen death at last shall soul and body fever â—â—less they first turn Converts in their lives â—nd so become true Virgins and true Wives For lo this story doth concern you all â—f that fair Sex and sounds a General call â—oth to the Married and Unmarried lass 〈◊〉 view themselves in this unspotted glass â—hat e're is said of this young Gallant here â—â—tends to every Female far and neer For Lust and Pride is their Inheritance 〈◊〉 they run on within the Devil's dance â—â—om head to foot they put his livery on â—all vain fashions by the vain begun 〈◊〉 meats and drinks in cloaths and dresses brave â—hich many damn but never any save And thus they play the Whore with ev'ry creature 〈◊〉 several Fashion and of several Feature â—he very Church is now become a Stage â—f all She-Gallantry this wanton age â—he poor do act the rich the rich each evil 〈◊〉 Eve when first she hearkned to the Devil And so her Maydenhead she lost though young Unto the Devil by a Serpents Tongue And thus the Serpent in you seems to dwell Of him you savour and of him do smell Your wanton nimble Tongues so full of Tattle Within your lips incessantly do rattle Tale upon tale and story upon story Boasting and telling of your own fine glory Thus on you go in Pride in Lust in Lying O that you went as fast in self-denying That in this worst last age you all might be The
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
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
elsewhere I wish I had no cause here to declare From your first Love how you declined are And with a panting Heart I deeply wish Some were not Neuters neither Flesh nor Fish Lest when e're long the judge in clouds shall come You all be found Apostates like old Rome Therefore I wish that as you have begun To mend Religion and a new-course run So would to God you might your lives refine And unto Papists as pure Patterns shine For all Reformed Churches such should be And so make good this Converts History Application and good wishes to the Modern Sects of Great Britain Concerning Religious Pride and Gallantry ANd now a fault of yours to you I 'le tell Religious Sects because I wish you well My words shall not be many rude or rough A word in Love is to the wise enough The Fault in General Of twenty several Sects well known by name I n'ere found two in judgment yet the same Nor yet in love in kindness and affection In sweet discourse in counsel and direction But all as cross and different in their minds To one another as contrary winds So shy they look and so with scornful eye Upon each other glance yet none know why And for my part as oft as I have seen them I never yet could state the case between them For in the midst of such a different throng 'T is hard to know who 's in the right or wrong Long have I been amongst them a Spectator In all their ways a faithful Observator And this I find that prejudice and pride Wanting true love hath poisoned every side A deadly Weed that doth the Sects besot Like th the Night shade in the Prophets pot A Scab it is infecting every fold And breeds ill bloud with humours hot and cold This is that spot which doth your light deface And all your sober carriage too disgrace Like to the Goat that fills the milking Payl And strikes all down again with heel or Tayl. Advice in this Case O Let no prejudice prevent the good Of Mutual Love which is the Saints sweet food Nor charge ye one another in despight With any errour till you have full sight Of that you charge then friendly write unto them And gently try unto the truth to woe them And so 'twixt right and wrong the truth discern And gladly teach and gladly also learn But for this End make Scriptures still your guide Above all humane wit or light beside Prize Love ye Sects above all self-fram'd sight Least you be found within the Ballance light Though you the Tongues of Angels could surpass And yet want Love all is but Sounding Brass 'T is Holy Love that Crowns all with perfection The surest mark of free grace and election By this shall all men know as Christ doth tell That you are his if you in Love excell That Love Divine the very bond of peace Which ceasing not makes all things else to cease All quarrels end and all disputes must fall When Love without dispute o're comes them all For unto Love must all Religions yield And all mens high opinions quit the field Therefore on this young Gallant fix your eyes Whose Pride in your own way you equallize For Robes and Silks do not a Gallant make But the high thoughts man of himself doth take Come down a step or two and you will see You need Humility as well as he Mark well my Counsel Sirs to what it tends Not light but Love can make you perfect friends Yet light is good when guided well by Love And Heavenly Grace descending from above And what I say to you I say to Rome And every Church throughout large Christendom That all should be Baptized as you see In the pure Fount of Peace and Amity Least at the last they wither quite away Like Churches old of Greece and Asia Therefore I wish that all who now be foes Might in the bond of Love united close For such by right all Christians ought to be And so make good this Converts History Application To the Iews ENough to Christians Now I 'le change my stile And to the scattered Tribes draw near a while Ye forlorn Jews since unto Sion hill You have a longing and a deep good will That you the better may attain your end Mark by what steps you thither must ascend For Scriptures yield a Promise and a call That when you turn to Christ your Vayl shall fall You are not cal'd to a veyl'd form or Letter But unto substance and a light far better Not to an outward Temple made with hands Framed of stones and built upon the sands For Christ is come to him your service yield And on that corner stone your Temple build For your old Temple is consum'd and gone And not a stone is left upon a stone Nor are you call'd to Sacrifices old Fetch'd from the wandring Herd or from the Fold A Contrite Heart is the true Sacrifice Required of all Jews with weeping eyes O Mourn a part in tears and sorrow due Turn to your Lord and he will turn to you For till you kiss his pierced feet and hands There 's no returning to your ancient Lands And then shall wandering Judah once more shine As new-born Christians in their Holy Shrine The Turk the Tartar will turn Christian Jews And India too Converted at the News Peace then will be on Earth both far and nigh Good will to Men Glory to God on high Amen The Address Wherein the Author Appeals to the Iudgment of the Conscientious Self-judging Readers who have Iudged the Whore within them JUdicious Friends who by an inbred light Can judge of truth beyond the vulgar sight To you I here appeal for I am sure There 's none but you can real truth endure And since to you an equall judgment 's given To weigh each word within the Balance even To your impartial eye I recommend These few Directions for the Truth 's sake pen'd Not that you need Direction from my hand But that by you the Victory may stand Against all those who the true light controle Though shining nere so bright in our North-Pole For truth hath many foes and friends but few Yet such it finds and such dear friends are you To you I here submit in equity You shall be Judges 'twixt this Whore and me Against whose Pride I yet have more to say When God and time permit a Judgment day Then will the stout and lofty like this youth Stand all as Mutes before the Throne of truth Learning and Valour Honour and high blood When that day comes will do the Whore no good Yours Veriloquus Dum relego scripsisse juvat quia Plurima Cerno Digna legi Populo principe digna legi THE Postscript INtelligent Readers either Convertible or Converted for your sakes I begun this small Book of Conversion under the Title of a Young Converted Gallant as a new and rare subject and now as