War with the devil, or, The young man's conflict with the powers of darkness, in a dialogue discovering the corruption and vanity of youth, the horrible nature of sin, and deplorable condition of fallen man, also, a description of the power and rule of conscience, and the nature of true conversion. : To which is added, an appendix, containing a dialogue between an old apostate and a young professor, worthy the perusal of all, but chiefly intended for the instruction of the younger sort. / By B.K. author of Sion in distress, or The groans of the Protestant church.

Author: Keach, Benjamin, 1640-1704.2007-01

[Page]

War with the Devil, OR, THE Young Man's Conflict WITH THE Powers of Darkness, In a Dialogue Discovering the Corruption and Vanity of Youth, the horrible Nature of Sin, and Deplorable Condition of Fallen Man,

Also, A Description of the Power and Rule of Conscience and the nature of True Conversion. To which is added, An Appendix, containing a Dialogue between an Old Apostate and a Young Professor, Worthy the Perusal of all, but chiefly intended for the Instruction of the Younger sort.

By B. K. Author of Sion in Distress, or The Groans of the Protestant Church.

The Twelfth Edition.

Where-with shall a Young Man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto, according to thy Word, Psa. 119 v [...]

[Page]


By a Friend, in Commendation of these 
Poems.MY Muse is dull, although I have a will
This Book for to commend, I want the skill.
I know not how its worth for to declare,
Few 
Poems doubtless, with it compare;
Not for rare elegent Scholastik strains,
Which flow alone from those quick witted brains▪
Who with their Rhetorick and curious Art
Strive to effect the fancy, not the Heart.
This 
Treatise read (kind Friend) and thou shalt see,
'Tis cheifly fill'd with choice Divinity,
The Author soars on high, his main design
Is to instruct that precious Soul of thine
I'th' path Caelestial, shews thee very plain,
How thou in Christ an Int'rest may'st obtain,
Or i
 [...] in Christ thy Soul has got a place,
He, to thy Joy, shews forth thy happy case;
This 
Poem's like a messenger sent forth,
To give a visit to the drouzy Earth;
The sluggish Soul it strives for to awake,
Before it drops into the fiery Lake.
There's very few on Earth do live,
But might from hence some Benefits receive.

[Page] 
 [...]or though it is brought 
 [...]rth in this our Clime,
Yet 'twill agree with every place and time.

 [...]ts Message is of such a large extent,
It may in truth to all the World be sent:
To 
Male and 
Female, low and high degree
He speaks a word to 
b
 [...]nd as well as 
free.
All, in whom Conscience dwells he lets them see
Consciences great pow'r and Authority.
When Heav'ns hot thunder-bolts with fire & hail,
Made 
Aegypts mighty▪ Monarch's courage fail;
Conscience st
 [...]pt in, made him cry out amain,

The Lord is just; I, and my Wicked Train


 [...]ve sinn'd: Yea, Conscience also brings

Saul Son of 
Kish, the first of Israel's Kings,
Before the Prophet humbly to confess
That he had sinn'd, and acted wickedness.
Conscience made 
David to cry out amain,

'Tis I have sinn'd: I have Uriah 
slain.
Though 
David 
 [...]lew a Lyon and a Bear,
And did not the great Gyants courage fear;
Yet Conscience made him stop and tremble too:
And more than this you'l find Conscience can do.
Here's Counsel for Professors and Profane,
Choose or refuse, here's loss and also gain.
One Reason, 
Reader, of this Mode or Stile,

 [...] that it might with honest craft beguile,
Such curious Fancies who had rather chuse
To read ten lines in verse than one in Prose,
And as the nimble Fly, that lightly springs,
Against the flames, until she burns her wings,

 [...] taken Captive with that sulph'rous flame,

 [...]ith which she only sought to sport and game:

[Page]So whilst those curious fancies think to play,
With this small piece, 'twill secretly betray
Them to their Conscience, and if Conscience send
Them to God's Word, the 
Author has his end,
Provided that unto the same they yeild,
And Grace and Conscience do obtain the Field.
Farewell, W. B.

To the Reader; in Vindication of this Book.ONe or two lines to thee I'll here Commend,
This honest POEM to defend
From Calumny, because at this day,
All Poetry there's many do gain-say,
And very much condemn, as if the same
Did worthily deserve reproach and blame.
If any Book in Verse, they chance to spy,
Away Prophane, they presently do cry:
But tho' this kind of Writing some dispraise,
Sith Men so captious are in these our days;
Yet I dare say, how e'er the scruple rose,
Verse hath express'd as secret things as Prose.

[Page]Though some there be that Poetry abuse,
Must we therefore, not the same method use?
Yea, sure, for of my Conscience 'tis the best,
And doth deserve more honour then the rest:
For 'tis no humane knowledge gain'd by Art,
But rather 'tis inspir'd into the Heart
By Divine means; for true Divinity
Hath with this Science great Affinity:
Though some through Ignorance, do it oppose,
Many do it esteem, far more then Prose:
And find also that unto them it brings
Content, and hath been the delight of Kings.

David, altho' a King, yet was a Poet,
And 
Solomon also, the Scriptures show it.
Then what if for all this some should abuse it?
I'me apt to think that Angels do embrace it,
And though God giv't here but in Part to some,
Saints shall hav't perfect in the World to come.
E. B.

[Page 1]


Youth in his Ʋnconverted state.Youth.
THE Naturalists most aptly do Compare
My age unto the Spring, whose beauty's rare,
When Sprightly 
Sol enters the 
 [...]olden Sign,
Which is call'd 
Aries, his glorious shine
And splendent Rays do cause the Earth to spring,
And Trees to bud, and quicken every thing,
All plants and Herbs and Flowers then do florish;
The grass doth sprout the tender Lambs to norish.
Those things in Winter that seem'd to be dead,
Do now rise up and briskly shew their head,
And do obtain a Natural Resurrection,
By his hot beams and powerful Reflection.
How in the Pleasant fruitful Month of 
May,
Are Meadows clad with flowers rich and gay;
And all Earth's Globe adorn'd, in garments green
Mix'd with rare Yellow, crown'd like to a Queen
The Primerose, Cowslip, and the Violet,
Are curiously with other Flowers set.
And chirping birds with their melodious sounds
Delight Mans heart, whose pleasure now abounds
The Winter's past, with stormy Snow and Rain▪
And long 'twill be e'er such things come again;
Nothing but joy and sweet delights appear,
Whilst doth abide the spring-time of the Yea
 [...]

[Page 2]Thus 'tis with me who am now in my Prime▪
In merriment and joy I spend my time;
And like as birds do in the lovely Spring,
I so rejoyce with my Consorts, and Sing,
and spend my days in sweet pastimes and mirth,
And nought shall grieve, or trouble me on Earth:
I am resolved to search the world about,
But I will suck the sweetness of it out.
No stone I'll leave unturn'd, that I may find
Content and joy unto my craving mind:
No sorrow shall, whilst I do live, come near me;
Nor shall the Preacher with his fancies scare me;
At Cards and Dice and such brave Games I'll play
And like a Courtier, deck my self most gay;
With Periwig and M
 [...]ff, and such fine things,
With sword and Belt, Goloshoos and Gold-rings,
Where Bulls and Bears they bait, and Cocks do fight
I do resort with speed, there is my delight.
To drink and sport among the jovel Crew,
I do resolve, what ever doth ensue:
And court 
 [...]ir Ladies, that I also love,

 [...]nd of all things very well approve,
Which tend my sensual parts to satisfie,

 [...]rom whence comes all my choice felicity.
What e'er mine ears do hear and Eyes behold,
Or Heart desire, if so that all my Gold

 [...]nd Silver can for me those things procure,

 [...] spare no cost, nor pains, you may be sure,

 [...]hus is my Life made very sweet to me,

 [...]hilst others hurried are in misery;

 [...]hose minds with 
strang
 [...] conceits troubled remain,

 [...]inking by losing all, the way to gain.

[Page 3]Such Riddles I can't learn, I must them leave,
What's seen and felt I am resolv'd to have,
Let every man his mind and fancy fill,
My Lust I'll satisfie, and have my will;
Who dares controul me in my present way,
Or vex my mind i'th' least, or me gain-say?
What state of Life can equal this of mine?
Youths gallantry so bravely here doth shine.

Conscience
 [...]
Controul you, Sir! in truth and that dare ī,
For your contempt of my Authority.
You tread on me without the least regard,
As if I worthy were not to be heard;
You strive to stiffle me, and therefore I
Am forc'd aloud, 
Murder, with speed to cry,

 [...] can't forbear, but must cry out amain,

 [...]uch is the wrong which from you I sustain.
Youth.
What are you, Sir, you dare to be so bold?
scorn by any He to be contrould.

 [...]er I have done with you, I'll make you know,

 [...]ou shall your Power and Commission sh
 [...]w.
Conscience.
Be not so hot, and you shall know my Name,

 [...]nd also learn from whence my power came.

 [...]n no Usurper, yet I do Command

 [...]u for to stop, and make a present stand.

 [...]ur Pleasures you must leave and Vicious Life,

 [...]e there will grow a very bitter strife

 [...]ween you and I, as will appear anon,
From these Courses you don't quickly turn,

[Page 4]For all the courage which you seem to take,
The News I bring's enough to make you quake.
Youth.
Who e'er thou art, I'll make you by and by
Confess you have accus'd me wrongfully.
From Murder I am clear in thought and deed,
Thus to be charg'd, doth cause my heart to bleed;
Pray let me crave your Name, if you are free,
If you provoke me, worse 'twill quickly be;
You seek occasion, and are quarrelsom,
And therefore 'tis I do suppose, you're come,
But if your Name you don't declare to me,
I am resolv'd to be reveng'd on thee.
Conscience.
What violence (alas!) can you do more,
Than that which you have done to me before?
Forbear your threats, be still and hold your hand
And quickly you shall know and understand
My Name, my power, and place of Residence,
Which may to you prove of great consequence,
I am a Servant to a Mighty King,
Who Rules and Reigns, and Governs every thin
 [...]
Who keeps one Court above, and here below
Another he doth keep, as you shall know;
O're this inferiour Court placed am I
To act and do as his great Deputy.
I truly judge, according to my light,
Yea, do impartially to each Man right.
Those I condemn who vile and guilty are,
And justifie the holy and Sincere.

[Page 5] 
 [...] order'd am to watch continually,
O're all your Actions with a wary Eye,
And I have found how you of late time
Committed many a bold and horrid Crime,
Of Murder, Treason, and like Villany
Against the Crown and gracious Dignity
Of that great Prince from whence you have your breath,
Who's King & Ruler over all the Earth.
I am his Judge, Attorney-General,
And have Commission also, you to call
Unto the Bar, and make you to confess
Your horried Crimes and fearful guiltiness;
A black Indictment I have drawn in truth,
Against thy self, thou miserable Youth
Thy pride 
I shall abate, thy Pleasure mar,
And bring thee to confess, with tears, at bar,
Thy sport and Games, and youthful Lust to be
Nought else but sin and cursed Vanity.
And for to put you also out of doubt,
My Name is 
Conscience which you bear about,
No other then th' accusing faculty,
Of that dear Soul which in thy breast doth lie:

I by that Rule, Mens thought and way compare,
By which their Inward parts enlightned are;
And as they do accord, or disagree,

I do accuse, or clear immediately,
According to your light you do not live,
But violate that Rule which God doth give
To you to square your life and actions by;
From hence comes in your woe and misery.
Youth,
[Page 6]
Conscience art thou? why did'st not speak e'er now▪
To mind what thou dost say I can't tell how.
Thou melancholly Fancy, fly from me,
My pleasure I'll not leave in spight of thee.
Other brave Guest, you see, to me are come,
And in my House for thee there is no room▪
Dost think I will be check'd by silly thought,
And into snares my foolish fancy brought?
Is't you which cry out Murther, only you?
A Fig (alas!) for all that you can 
 [...].
For though against me you do prate and preach,
Your very Neck I am resolv'd to stretch.
I'll swear, corouse and whore, say what you will,
Till I have stiffled you, and make you still,
I'll clip your Wings, and make you see at length,
I do know how to spoil you of your strength,
When you do speak, I will not lend an ear;

I'll make in truth as if I did not hear.
If you speak loud when 
I am all alone,
I will rise up, and straight way will be gone
To the brave Boys who toss the pot about;
And that's the way to wear your Patience out,
I'll go to Plays and Games, and Dancing too,
And e'er a while, I shall be rid of you.
Conscience.
Thou stubborn foolish Youth, be not so rash,
Lest e'er you be aware you feel my Lash.
I have a sting, a whip, yea, and can bite,
Before you shall o'ercome, 
I'll stoutly fight;

 [...]'ll gripe you sore, and make you howl anon,
If you resolve in sin still to go on.

[Page 7] 
 [...]'ve o'recome strong hearts, & made them yeild,

 [...]nd so shall you before 
I quit the field;

 [...]o where you will, be sure 
I'll soon come after,

 [...]nd into sorrow will I turn your laughter.

 [...]Twill prove hard work for you to shake me off,
Tho' you at me do seem to jeer and scoff;

 [...]s if o'er you 
I had no Jurisdiction,
Or was a Dream, a Fancy, or some Fiction.

 [...]or all your wrath, 
I yet must you disturb,
Tho' you offended are, 
I can't but curb

 [...]nd snib you daily, as 
I oft have done,

 [...]ill you repent, and from lewd Courses turn.

 [...]or till the cause be taken quite away,
Th' Effect will follow, what e'er you say:

 [...]nless your light wholly extinguish'd be,

 [...] sin remains, disturbance you will see.
Therefore 
I do beseech you soberly

 [...]or to submit to my Authority,

 [...]bey my voice, 
I prithee make a tryal,

 [...]efore you give another flat denyal.

 [...] more sweet comfort 
I don't yeild to you,
Then all which doth from sinful actions flow,

 [...]hen me reject; but otherwise, my Friend,

 [...]y Checks receive, and to my motions bend.

 [...]et peace within what ever thou dost do,

 [...]nd let vain pleasures and corruptions go;

 [...]at will be better for thy soul at last,

 [...]han Gold or Silver, or what else thou hast:

 [...]nd since we are alone, let thee and I

 [...]ore mildly talk aboue Supremacy.

 [...]'t best for you that pride and Folly reign,

 [...]hich nought doth bring, save sorrow, shame and Pain,

[Page 8]And Conscience to reject, who perfectly
From guilt and bondage strives to set you free
Have not these lusts by which thou now art led▪
Brought many a man unto a piece of Bread?
What brave Estates have some consum'd thereby▪
And now are forc'd in Barns on Straw to lie?
How has the Wife been ruin'd with the Child,
Besides poor Conscience grievously turmoyl'd?
Nay, once again, give ear, I prithee hark;
Han't many a brave and curious Spark
Been brought in stinking Prisons there to lie,
For yielding to their Lust and Vanity?
How many swing at 
Tyburn every year,
For stabbing Conscience without care or fear?
And some also out of their wits do run,
And by that means are utterly undone:
Some men so stiffle me, I cannot speak,
And then they sport and play, and merry ma
 [...]e,
Resolving that I shall not gripe them more,
But quickly then afresh I make them roar.
Some of them I do drive into Dispair.
When in their face I do begin to stare,
No rest nor peace at all their Souls can find,
I so disturb and still perplex their mind.

What say you now, 
young-man, will you submit?
Weigh well the danger, and the benefit.
The danger on the one hand will be great,
If me you do oppose, and ill intreat.
Sweet profit comes, you see, on th
 [...] other hand
To such who subject are to my command.
What dost thou say; shall I embraced be?
Or, wilt thou follow still thy Vanity?
Youth.
[Page 9]Was ever young-man thus perplex't as I,

 [...]ho flourished in sweet prosperity?

 [...]here-e'er I go, 
Conscience dogs me about,

 [...]o quiet I can have, in doors nor out.

C
 [...]nscience, what is the cause you make such strife,
I can't enjoy the comforts of my Life?
I 
 [...]m so grip'd, and pinched in my breast,
I know not where to go, nor where to rest.
Conscience·
'Cause you have wronged and offended me,

 [...]ving vain Pleasures, and Iniquity.

 [...]he Light you have, you walk not up unto,

 [...]ou know 'tis evil which you daily do.

 [...]y witness 
I must bear continually

 [...]r the great God, whose glorious Majesty,

 [...]d in thy Soul give me so high a place,

 [...] for to stop you in your sinful race;

 [...] must reprove, accuse, and you condemn,

 [...]hilst you by sin, his Sov'raignty contemn;

 [...] can't betray my trust, nor hold my peace,

 [...]ll I am stabbed, fear'd, or Light doth cease;

 [...]ll you your life amend, and sins forsake,

 [...]hall pursue you, though your heart doth ake.
Youth.
How bold and malepert is 
Conscience grown!

 [...]ough I upon this Fellow daily frown,

 [...]d his advice reject, yet still doth he

 [...]ock at my Door, as if he'd weary me.


 [...]science I'll have you know, in truth, that I,

 [...]erson am of some Authority:

[Page 10]Are you so saucy as to curb and chide
Such a brave Spark, who can't your ways abide
'Tis much below my Birth and Parentage,
And it agrees not with my present age;
For to give place to you, or to regard
Those things from you I have so often heard.
Conscience.
Alas! Proud flesh, dost think thy self too high,
To be subject to such a one as I?
Thy betters I continually gain-say,
If they my Motions don't with care obey.
My Power's great, and my Commission large,
There's scarce a Man, but I with folly charge.
The King and Peasant are alike to me,

I favour none of high or low degree:
If they offend, 
I in their faces 
 [...]ly,
Without regard or fear of standers by.
Youth.
Speak not another word, don't you perceive
There's scarce a Man or Woman will believe
What you do say, you're grown so out of date?
Be silent then, and longer do not prate.

I'th' Country your credit i
 [...] but small,
There's few care for your company at all:
The Husband-man the Land-mark can't remove,
But you straightway him bitterly reprove;
Nor plow a little of his Neighbours Land,
But you command him presently to stand▪
There's not a Man can go i'th' least a wry,
But out against him fiercely you do fly.
The People therefore now so weary are,
They've thrust you out almost of ev'ry Shire:

[Page 11]And in the City you so hated be,
There's very few do care a rush for thee:
For if they should believe what you do say,
Their Pride and Bravery would soon decay,
Their swearing, cheating, and their drunkenness,
Would vanish quite away, or grow much less.
Our craft of Profit and our Pleasure too,

 [...]ould soon go down, and ruin'd be by you.
The whores and bawds, with the Play houses then
Would be contemned by all sorts of Men.

 [...]ou strive to spoil us of our sweet delight,

 [...]ur Pleasures you oppose with all your might.
The Fabrick of our Joy you would pull down,

 [...]nd make our Youth just like a Country clown.

 [...]e half Phanaticks should be made ('tis clear)

 [...] unto thee we once inclined were.

 [...]t this amongst the rest doth chea
 [...] my heart,

 [...]here's very few in 
London take thy part.

 [...]re and 
 [...]here one, which we Nick-names do give,

 [...]ho hated are, and judg'd not fit to live.
Tis out of fashion grown, 
I daily see,


 [...]nscience for to regard i'th' least degreee.

 [...] that can't whore and swear without controull,

 [...]e do account to be a timerous Fool.

 [...]erefore though you so desperately do fall

 [...]o
 [...] poor me, yet 
I do hope I shall

 [...] loose from you, and then 
I'll tear the ground,

 [...] in all joy and pleasure will abound.
Conscience.

 [...] poor deceived Soul! dost thou not know,

 [...] most of all mankind i'th' broad way go?

[Page 12]What though they do most wickedly abuse me?
Wilt thou also in the like manner use me?
What though they will of me no warning take,
Till they drop down into the 
S
 [...]ygian Lake?
Wilt thou be-friend the cursed Serpent so,
As to go on till comes thy Overthrow?
What though 
I am in no request by them,
Don't they likewise Gods holy word Condemn,
Don't they the Gospel cast quite out of sight,
Least from their Pleasures it should them afright?
What tho my Friends are toss'd about and hurl'd,
Their Inward Peace is more then all the World
Can give to them, or from them take away,
Whilst they with diligence do me obey.
As 
I enlightned am by God's Precepts,
Which are a guide and Lanthorn to my steps.
O come proud Heart, and longer don't contend,
But leave thy Lusts and to my Scepter bend:
For 
I'll not leave thee, but with all my pow'r

I'll follow thee, unto thy dying hour.
Youth,
Into some private place then will 
I fly,
Where 
I may hide my self, and secretly
There 
I'll enjoy my self in spight of thee;
And thou shalt not i'th' least know where 
I be.
Conscience,
Nay, foolish Youth, how can that thing be done,
From 
Conscience it is in vain to run;
No secret place can you find out or spy,
To hide your selves from me, such is my Eye,

I see i'th' dark as well as in the Light,
No doors nor walls, will keep thee from my sight.

[Page 13]Where e'er thou art, or goest, am 
I not near,
Thy Soul with horrid guilt to scare and fear?
Could 
Cain or 
Judas, get out of my reach,
When once between us there was the like breach?
Did 
I not follow them unto the end,
And made them know what 'twas for to offend
My glorious Prince, and me his true Vice-Roy?
Vengeance doth follow them who us annoy.
My Counsel then 
I prithee take with speed,
For thats the way alone for to be freed
From Vengeance here, and Wrath also to come,
When thou dost dye, and at the day of Doom.
Youth.
What! can't 
I 
 [...]ly from thee▪ nor thee subdue?
Then 
I entreat thee, 
Conscience, don't pursue,
Nor follow me so close; forbear a while,
Don't yet my Beauty, nor my pleasure spoil.
This is my Spring and flower of my Age;
Oh! pity me, and cease thy bitter rage:
Don't crop the tender Bud, it is too green:
Oh! let me have those dayes others have seen,
Forbear thy hand till my wild Oats are sown;

 [...]hey must be ripe also, before they're mown;
Thou hast forborn with some for a long time,
That which 
I ask of thee is but the Prime,
Of those good days which God bestows on me,
Oh, that it might but once obtained be!

 [...]Tis time enough for to adhear to thee,
After 
I've spent my time in Gallantry,


 [...]n earth's 
sweet joy and such transcendent pleasures,


 [...]hich Young Men do esteem the chiefest Treasures.
Conscience.
[Page 14]After all voilence and out-rage great
Done to poor 
Conscience, do you now entreat,
Thinking for to prevail by flattery?
But that in truth 
I utterly defie;
'Tis quit against my Nature, you must know,
Unto vile Lust fond pity for to show;
God has not given such a dispensation,
For me to wink at your abomination;
If God doth once but blow your Candle out,
I shall be quiet then, you need not doubt,
(But woe to you, as ever you was born,
If God doth once his light to darkness turn.)
But while in you remains that legal Light,
Your sins I can't endure in my sight.
No liberty, God, (I am sure) will give,
To any one in horrid Sin to live;
Nor will he give allowance for a day:
'Tis very dangerous for to delay
The work of thy Repentance for an hour,
What thy hand finds to do, do with thy pow'r.
If me you don't believe, I prithee Youth,
For to resolve thy self, go to God's Truth.
Youth.
Well! since that you no comfort do afford,
I will enquire of God's most Holy Word:
So far I will your Counsel take, for I
Am sorely troubled; whither shall I fly?
I will make tryal, I resolve to see,
Whether the 
Truth and 
Conscience do agree.
The lip of 
Truth can't lye, though 
Conscience may,
When that mis-guided is, it leads astray.

[Page 15]If 
Truth and 
Conscience speak the self-same thing,
'Twill some amazment to my spirit bring.
That now I ask for, and earnestly crave,
Is some short time in sin longer to have,

Conscience denys it me: 
Truth, what say you?
Oh! that you would a little favour shew
To a poor Lad, alas! I am but young,
Like to a flower which is lately sprung,
Out of the ground, and 
Conscience day and night▪
Strives for to tread me down with all his might;
Or, as the Frost the tender Bud doth 
 [...]il,
So has he striven to do a great while;
Must I reform, and all my sins forsake?
Some fitter season then▪ O let me take.

For all things there's a time under the Sun,
And when I older am 
I will return.
Truth.
Nay, hold, vain Youth, you are mistaken now,
No time to sin God doth to thee allow.
If 
I may speak, attend, and you shall hear,

I with poor 
Conscience must witness bear;

I am his guide, his Rule, 'tis by my Light
He acts and does, and speaks the thing that's right,
You are undone, if you don't speedily
Leave all your sins and cursed vanity.
Art thou too Young thy evil ways to leave,
And yet hast thou a precious Soul to save?
Art thou too young to leave Iniquity,
When Old enough in Hell for sin to lie?

 [...]ome fitter season 
(Youth) dost think to find?
The Devil doth dart that in thy mind.

[Page 16]No time so fit, as when the Lord doth call;
Those who rebellious are, they one day shall
Smart bitterly for their most horrid evil,
In yielding to, and siding with the Devil.
But once again, prithee heark to me;
Don't God, whilst thou art young, call unto thee?

Remember thy Creator therefore now,
And unto him with speed see you do bow.
The first ripe Fruit (of old) God did desire,
And so of thee he likewise doth require,
That thou to him a Sacrifice should'st give
Of thy best days, and learn betimes to live
Unto the praise of his most Holy Name;
And not by sin so to prophane the same.
This is 
(Young Man) also thy choosing time,
Whilst thou therefore dost flourish in thy prime,
Place thou thy heart upon the Lord above;
And with Christ Jesus also fall in Love.
Did not 
JEHOVAH give to thee thy Breath,
And also place thee here upon the Earth;
And many precious blessings give to thee,
That thou to him alone should'st subject be?
God out of Bowels sent his precious Son,
Thy Soul from evil ways with speed to turn;
Who for thy sake was nailed to the Tree
To free thy Soul from Hell and misery.
And whilst in sin (vile wretch) thou dost remain,
Thou dost, as 'twere, him Crucifie again;
Thy sins also (
O Young Man) God doth hate,
His Soul doth loath, and them abominate;
Nought is more odious in his blessed fight,
Than those base Lusts in which thou tak'st delight.

[Page 17]And wilt thou not, 
O Young Man! be deterr'd
From thy vain ways? what, is thy heart so hard!
Shall nothing move thy Soul for to repent,
Nor work Convictions in thee to relent?
Give ear to 
Truth, Truth never spoke a lye,
And fly from sin and youthful vanity.
Those that do seek Gods Kingdom first of all,
And do obey Gods sweet and gracious call,
They shall find Christ, and lie too in his Breast,
And reap the Comfort of Eternal rest.
But if thou should'st this golden time neglect,
And all good motions utterly reject;
And 
 [...]light the day of this thy visitation,
That will to God be such a provocation,
That he'll not wait upon thee any more,
Nor never knock hereafter at thy door.
While terms of peace God doth therefore afford,
Subject to him, lest he doth draw his Sword.
If once to anger him you do provoke,
He'll brake your bones, and wound you with his stroke.

Who can before his indignation stand,

Or bear the weight of his revengeful hand?
How darest thou a War with him maintain,
And say, o're thee Christ Jesus shall not Reign?
Wilt thou combine with his vile Enemy,
And yet presume on his sweet clemency?
Wilt thou, vile Traytor-like, contrive the death
Of that 
great King, from whom thou hast thy breath?
Wilt thou, cast dirt upon the Holy One,
And keep Christ Jesus from his rightly Throne?
Is't not his right thy 
Co
 [...]science for to sway?
Ought he not there to Reign, and thou Obey?

[Page 18]Dar'st thou resist his dread and Soveraign power?
Yea, or hold parley with him for an hour,
To gratifie the Devil, who thereby
Renews his strength, yea, and doth fortifie
Himself in thee, and makes his Kingdom strong,
By tempting thee to sin whilst thou are young?
The Blak-a-moor as soon may change his skin,
As thou may'st leave and turn away from sin,
When once a habit and a custom's taken,
Then sinful wayes are hard to be forsak
 [...]n.
Dar'st thou, vile wretch, Christ's Government op­pose
And with the Devil and corruption close?
Had'st rather that the Devil reign o're thee,
Than unto God Almighty subject be?
Which will be best, dost think, for thee i'th' end,
The Lord to please, and Satan to offend?
Or Satan for to please, and so thereby,
Declare thy self 
JEHOVAH's Enemy?
For those who live in sin, 'tis very clear,
They Enemies to GOD and JESUS are.
And wilt thou yield unto the Devil still,
And greedily also his will fulfil?
Dost think, 
vain Youth, he'll prove to thee a friend,
That thou do'st so his cursed ways commend?
Has Sin (which is his odious excrement)
So sweet a smell, yea, and a fragant scent?
Shall that which is the superfluity
Of naughtiness, be precious in thine e
 [...]e?
And dost thou Value Christ and all he hath,
Not worth vain pleasures here upon the Earth?
Shall he esteemed be by thee (vile dust!)
Not worth the Pleasures of a cursed Lust?

[Page 19] 
 [...] there more good in sinful Vanity,

 [...]han is in all the Glorious Trinity?

 [...]hat which men think best, that will they chuse,

 [...]hings of small value 'tis they do refuse.

 [...]hat thoughts hast thou of Christ then, sinful Soul,

 [...]hat thou his Messengers do'st thus controul,

 [...]d do'st to him so turn a deaf ear,

 [...]s Knoks, his calls, and wooings wilt not hear,
Nor him regard, though he stand at the door▪

 [...]ith Myrrhe and Frankincense, yea, and all store
O
 [...] rare Fruit, and choice Spice, as 
Cinnamon


 [...]es, Spikenard, Camphire, and Saffron?

 [...] precious things, Poor Soul! of Heaven above,

 [...] hath with him, yet nothing will thee move

 [...] ope the door: for all his calls and knocks

 [...]ou let'st him stand until his precious locks

 [...] wet with dew and drops of the long night.

 [...]us thou do'st him despise, reject and flight.

 [...] rather keep'st thy Lust and Pleasure still,

 [...]an that Christ should thy Soul with Heaven fill,

 [...]nough he ten thousand Worlds doth yet excell,

 [...] makes that heart where he in truth doth dwell,

 [...] be a Heaven here upon the Earth,

 [...]ng the Soul with precious joy and mirth,

 [...]ich makes gray headed Winter like a spring,

 [...] Youth like to Caelestial Angels sing;

 [...] Soul he doth so greatly elevate,

 [...]t it disdains and doth abominate

 [...]ensual pleasures in comparison

 [...]esus Christ his dear and only Son.

 [...]e perswade thee for to taste and try

 [...] good Christ is, for then assuredly,

[Page 20]Thou wilt admire him, yea, and Praise the Lord
That ever he did to thy Soul afford,
Such a dear saviour, and such good Advice,
To lead thy Soul into sweet Paradice,
For none do know the natute of that Peace
That inward joy the which shall never cease,
But he himself who doth the same possess▪
Oh! 
 [...]aste and see, for then you will confess,
No pen can it express, no tongue declare,
It's Nature's such (O Young man!) 'tis so rare
Christ is the 
SƲMMƲM BONƲM, it is h
 [...]
In whom alone is true felicity;
Such is the nature of Mans panting Breast
There's nought on Earth can give him perfect res
 [...]
'Tis not in Honour, that is Vanity:
For such, like beasts, and other mortals dye,
Kingdoms and Crowns they tottering do stand,
The Servant may the Master soon Command.

Belshazzar, who upon the Throne did 
 [...]it,
His Knees against each other soon did hit,
How was he scared when the writing came
And wrote upon the Wall, ev'n the same
That afterwards befel, his end being come,
Receiv'd his fatal stroke, which was his Doom.
Great men oft-times being fil'd with great fear;
Being perplext they know not how to stear.
Tall Ceaders fall when little shrubs abide,
Though Winds do blow and strangely turn 
 [...] Ti
 [...]
For man in honour lives but a short space.
He dyes like to the beasts, so ends his race:
Where's 
Nimrod now that mighty Man of old,
And where's the Glory of the head of Gold?

[Page 21]Great Monarchs now are moulder'd quite away,
Who did on earth the Golden scepter sway,
In highest place of Humane Government:
None ever found therein solid content.
Of 
Alexander 'tis declar'd by some,
How he sate down when he had overcome
The Eastern World, and did w
 [...]ep very sore
Because there was one World and no more
For him to Conquer. Thus also 'tis still,
This world's no
 [...] big enough Man's Soul to fill,
Riches and Wealth also can't satisfy,
That precious Soul which in thy breast doth lie.
If store of Gold and Silver thou shouldst gain,
'Twould but increase thy sorrow, grief and pain.
Riches, (O Young Man) they are but empty things,
And fly most swift away with Eagles wings.
When riches thou dost heap, thou heapst up sorrow,
They'r thine to day, alas! but gone to morrow,
Fires may come and thy Treasures burn,
Or Thieves steal them, as they have often done.
He that hath thousands by the Year, this night
May be as poor as 
Job before 'tis light.
And as for pleasure which thy Age doth prize,
Why should that seem so lovely in thine eyes?
'Tis but a moment they with thee will last,
And sadness comes also when they are past,
The Brute his pleasures hath as well as thee,
Man's cheifest good therefore can't pleasure be,
And whilst thou striv'st thy evil Lust to please,
Thy raging Conscience (
Youth) who shall appease?
With this sweet Meat, I tell thee also, Friend,
Thou shall't have sour sauce before the end.

[Page 22]And as for Beauty, that also is vain,
Unless thou canst the inward Beauty gain.
What's outward Beauty, save an evil snare,
By which vain ones oft-times deceived are?
That beauty which mans carnal heart doth prize,
Renders not lovely in 
JEHOVAH's eyes.
Though deckt with Jewels, Rings and brave attire,
The glorious King their beauty don't desire;
His hearts not taken with't, but otherwise
The Beauty of vain ones he doth despise.
Thouh very fair, yet if de
 [...]'d with sin,
They like unto Sepulchres are within,
Loathsome and vile i'th' sight of God are they,
And soon their seeming Beauty will decay:
It fades and withers, and away doth pass,
Just like unto the flower of the grass.
The curled Looks, yea, and the spotted Face,
God 
 [...]'re a while will bring into disgrace.
Those Ladies which excel all others too
Must feed the Worms within a day or two,
Death and the grave will spoil their beauty quite,
And none in them shall never more delight.
As for thy Age, in youthful dayes we see,
Youth minds nought else save cursed vanity,
Soon may thy Spring also meet with a blast,
And all thy glory not an hour last.
The Flower in the Spring which is so gay,
Soon doth it fade and wither quite away.
Nothing on earth canst thou find out or 'spy,
That will content thee long, or satisfie
That Soul of thine, if still you search about
Till you do find the rarest Science out.

[Page 23]For if on Learning once you place your mind,
Much vanity in that also you'll find.
For Humane Knowledge and Philosophy,
Can't bring thy Soul into sweet Unity
With God above, and Jesus Christ his Son,
In whom, poor Youth, is happiness alone,
Dote not on Honour then, nor yet on Treasure,
Nor Beauty, Learning, Youth, nor Pleasure;
All is but Vanity that's here below,
Truth and Experience both the same do show.
Come, look to Heav'n, seek thou for higher joys,
Let Swine take husks, and Fools these empty toys.

Come, taste of Christ, poor Soul, and then you will
Of joys Caelestial receive your fill▪
If thou dost drink but of the Chrystal Springs,
These outward joys thou 'lt see are trifling things.
If Heavens sweetness once thou hadst but caught,
Thou wouldst account Earth's best enjoyments naught
Honour & riches too Christ has great store
And at's 
Right hand pleasures for evermore.
Dost think that he who makes Mans life so sweet,
Whilst he with grievous troubles here doth meet,
And in believing hath such sweetness placed,
Though his own Image greatly is defaced,
Can't give to him much greater Consolation;
When all the sowr's vanisht of Temptation?
If with the bitter, Saints such sweetness gain,
What shall they have when they in Glory reign?
Youth.

Be silent Truth, 
leave o
 [...], for I c
 [...]n't 
 [...]ear

Your wh
 [...]ning strains, nor will I l
 [...]g
 [...]r 
 [...]

[Page 24] 
Such melancholy Whimsies, they're such stuff,

Which suits not with my age: I have enough

O
 [...] it already, and also of you,

S
 [...]h you my in 'rest strive to overthrow.

When I appeal'd to you I was perplext,

And with sad melancholy sorely vext:
But since I do perceive the Storm is o're,
You I don't think to trouble any more.
Long winded Sermons, Sir, I do not love,
Nor of your Doctrine in the least approve.
No liberty to me I see you'll give,
In sweet delights and pleasures for to live.
I don't intend Phanatick yet to turn,
Nor after such distracted People run;
An easier way to Heaven I do know,
And therefore, Sir, Farewel, farewel, to you.
My bride, my sports, and my old company,
I will enjoy, and all my bravery
I will hold fast, yea, wantonly fulfil
My fleshly mind, say Preachers what they will?
Conscience.
Ah Youth, ah Youth! is'
 [...] so in very deed,
Wilt thou no more unto God's truth give heed?
'Twas 
 [...]ut my mouth to stop, I now do find,
That unto Truth you seemingly inclin'd.
But this, O Soul, I must assure to thee,
What thou hast heard has much enlightned me,
And my Commission too it doth renew,
As will appear by what doth next ensue.
Have you from God been called thus upon,
And shall your heart be hardned like a stone?

[Page 25]You can't plead ignorance, Oh Youth, 'tis so,
You plainly now have heard what you should do,
Your sin will be with grievous Aggravation,
If quickly you don't make a Recantation.
Your sin will now be of a scarlet dye,
And many stripes prepared 
I espy,
With which you must he beat; because that you,
Your Masters Will so perfectly do know,
But for to do the same you still refuse,
And your poor Conscience wickedly abuse:
You'll shew your self a cursed Rebel now,
If unto Christ with speed you do not bow▪
Wilt thou thy sins retain, when thou dost he
 [...]r
How much against the Living God they are?
Wilt thou cast dirt into his Blessed Face?
Oh! tremble Soul, and dread thy present case.
Youth.
Now my good days, I see they will be gone,
My inward thoughts will ne'er let me alone;
Ah that I could but sin without controul,
And Conscience would no more disturb my Soul;
His bitter gripes much longer I can't bare,
He's grown so strong that little hope is there;
But he'll prevail, such conflicts do I feel,
My Courage now and Resolutions reel:
But yet I am resolv'd once more to try,
And struggle will to get the mastery.

I cowardly will not acquit the Field,
Nor at the second Summons will 
I yeild.
I'll make once more another stout essay,

 [...]'re unto Conscience 
I will yeild the day,

[Page 26]Ah! how can 
I my sweet delights forsake,
Without resistance to the last 
I make?
Conscience, although 
I sinful am, I see,
There's many thousand sinners worse than me,
There's none can live and from all sin be clear,
That I from 
Truth did very lately hear.
My heart is good, though it is true, that I
Am overcome through humane frailty.
Conscience.
O cutsed wretch! dar'st thou thy heart commend?
Come tremble Soul, and it to pieces rend,
Don't I most clearly in thy heart behold
Most horrid lust, 'twould shame thee were it told:
All rottenness and filthy do I espy,
In that base heart of thine to lurk and lie:
There Vipers breed and many a Cockatrice;
The spawn of every Sin and evil Vice.
Like a Sepulchre, Soul, thou art within,
N
 [...]ught's there but stink and putrifying sin,
Out from thy heart all evil doth ascend,
And yet wilt thou thy filthy heart commend?
And dost thou think thy state good for to be,
Cause thou dost find many as bad as thee?
You are so naught, if you from sin don't turn,
You must for sin in Hell forever burn,
Except ye do repent. 
Truth tells you plain,
You perish must, 
 [...]n everlasting pain.
Youth.
Well, say no more, if this be so, I must
Go unto 
Truth again, or I shall burst;
My heart will break, I clearly do discern,

I therefore now must yield, and also learn

[Page 27]What's my state, my Nature, Oh! that I did k
 [...]ow,
Come, 
Truth, I pray, will you this favour show.
As to explain this thing to me more clear,
For 
Conscience doth my Soul with horrour scare,
Is he i'th' right, Oh 
Truth, or is he wrong?
I find Convictions in me very strong.
What is my state? declare it unto me,
And set my troubled Soul at Liberty.
Truth.
What 
Conscience speaks (
O Young Man) is most right
And vain it is with him longer to fight

Conscience against thee doth his witness bear,
And dreadful danger also doth declare,
Those he condemns by light received from me,
Th' Ete
 [...]nal God condemns assuredly;
And God is greater than thy heart, Oh Soul!
Who can enough thy grievous state condole
If 
Conscience doth its Testimony give,
That you in sin and cursed ways do live,
And that thou art an unconverted Wretch:
If 'tis from hence, between you there's a breach,
And this be so, as it you can't deny,
What would you do, if you this night should die?
If in this state this life you do depart,
Undone for evermore (
Young Man) thou art,
As sure as is the mighty God in Heaven,
Against thy Soul the Sentence will be given.

Conscience his power did from God receive,
And if you don't obey, and him belive,
But do reject his Motions, 'tis all one,
As if Christ Jesus you did tread upon;

[Page 28]Whilst he doth Rule by Laws that are Divine,
'Tis Treason him to stop or undermine.
And once again, to shew thee thy estate,
Thou being, 
Young Man, not regnerate,
No God nor Christ have you; 'tis even so,
And this indeed's the sum of all your W
 [...].
In God no int'rest (
Youth) hast thou at all,
He's quite departed, ever since the Fall,
And is become thy dreadful Enemy,
His angry Face is set most vehemently
Against thy Soul, and that's a fearful thing,
Enough thy Pride with vengeance down to bring;
Each Attribute against thy Soul is set,
And all of them also together met.
To make thee every way most Miserable;
Which Wrath for to with-stand, what Man is able
He'll suddainly thy Soul to pieces tear,
And his Eternal Vengeance make thee bear;
His Wrath it will upon thy Soul remain,
Till you by Faith are truly born again.
Youth,

This Doctrine which to me you do declare

It is enough to d
 [...]ive one to dispair;

If it be so, I grant, I am undone,

But God is gracious and has sent his Son.
He's full of Bowels, 
therefore hope do I,

He'll not on me his Justice magnifie.
Truth.
'Tis true God's gracious, yet he will not clear,
Those guilty Souls who don't his Justice 
 [...]ear:
He's very gracious, yet he's full of ire,
And is to such like a consuming 
 [...]ire.

[Page 29]He sent his son, 'tis true, for Souls to dye
But many miss and fasly do apply
His precious Blood; therefore my Counsel take▪
Don't you too soon an application make,
O
 [...] Gods sweet Grace, nor yet of Christs dear Blood
Until by you the Gospel's understood.
Those who are whole, no Physitian have,
The Sick and Wounded Soul Christ came to sae.
What dost thou judge thy present state to be,
How do's it stand, and is it now with thee?
Youth,

I am a Sinner, and my heart doth bleed,

My sin-sick Soul doth a sweet Saviour need,

My Conscience tells me that I am most vile,

And grievously, for sin, doth me turmoil.
Truth.
No Saviour can you have, unless you do
Resolve to leave your Sins, and let them go:
Nor for your Wounds is there a help, be sure,
'Till Causes be remov'd which do procure,
And bring on you that pain and bitter smart,
Which you cry out of in your part.
Youth.
My trembling Soul's amaz'd and fill'd with fear;
Another way, 
Oh Truth! thy course I'll steer;
I must forsake all evil ways, for I
Do see the danger and the Misery,
Which doth attend the way that 
I am in,
Whilst I do keep and hug my cursed sin.
There's scarce a night which passeth o're my head,
But dread I do the making of my Bed;

[Page 30](E're Morning comes) in the sad depths of Hell.
My Conscience therefore now does me compel
To bid adieu to all sweet joy and pleasure,
To Lyes and Fraud and all unlawful treasure,
In sports and games I
 [...]ll take no more delight,
But contrariwise I'll PRAY both day and night,

Conscience has overcome me with his gripes,

Tr
 [...]th follows him so with his threatn'd stripes,
The wall's broke down, the Old Man runs away,
And 
Conscience follows close to cut and s
 [...]ay:
And threatens too no Quarter he will give,
And seems before him every thing to drive,
Lust forced is in Corners now to to 
 [...]ly,
Where it doth hide it self most secertly,
And watcheth also, thinking for to get
An opportunity once more to set,
And fall on 
Conscience, which it doth disdain,
'Cause 
Conscience says Corruption must be slain,

I side with him, because 
I would have peace,
But still 'tis doubtful when these Wars will cease.
Devil.
What pity is't thy Sun should set so soon,
Or should be clouded thus before 'tis noon;
No sooner risen in thy Horrizon,
And sweetly shine, but presently is gone?
Shall Winter come before the spring is past,
And all his fruit be spoil'd with one sad blast?
Shall that brave flower which doth seem so gay,
So quickly fade and wither quite away?
What pity 'tis that one so young as thee
Should thus be brought into Captivity.

[Page 31]Heark not to 
Conscience, for 
I dare maintain,
'Tis better for to hug thy Sins again.
Thy 
Conscience (Youth) thou hast too lately found,
Doth but amaze and give thy Soul a wound.
Consider well, advise, and thou shalt see,
My ways are best, come hearken unto me,
I'll give thee honour, pleasure, wealth and things
Which prized are by Noble Men and Kings;
Let not this make-bate with an angry frown,
Throw all thy Glory and thy pleasure down,
Let not strange thoughts distress thy trubled mind,
What satisfaction canst thou have or find,
But that which floweth from this World alone?
'Tis I must raise thee to the sublime throne,
The 
Hell thou fearest may be but a story,
And Heaven also but a feigned Glory,
If this don't 
 [...]artle thee, then speedily
I will stir up an other enemy·

Old Man, rouze up, 
I charge you to awake
And swiftly too, your life lies at the stake.
And 
Mistriss Heart, stir up your willful Will.
Is this a season for him to sit still?
If unto 
Truth and 
Conscience he gives place,
Our Int'rest will, you'll see, go down a pace;

Judgment is gone already, and doth yield,
And 
Courage too, I fear, will quit the field,
Some sins are slain, and in their Blood do lie,
And others into holes are forc'd to fly
As for 
Affection he doth hold his own,
Though 
Conscience doth upon him sadly frown.

Remembrance will unto him trai
 [...]rous prove,
If I his thoughts from Sermons can remove,

[Page 32]I'll make his mind run after things below,
And raise up trouble which he did not know,
And he'll forget what he did lately hear,
And cease will then his former thoughts and fear.
If I can please his sensual appetite,
There is no fear of any sudden flight;
His Breast is tender and apt to entertain
The sparks of Lust which long he can't restrain,
I'll blow them up and kindle them a-new,
And to Conviction soon he'll bid adue.
New objects I'll present unto his sight,
In which I'm sure he can't but take delight,
I have such hold of him, there is no doubt
But I once more shall turn him quite about.
His old Companions also I'll provoke,
At's door again to give another knock:
Their strong enticements hardly he'll with-stand,
They can (you see) his spirit soon command.
Youth's old Companions.
How do you sir? what is the cause that we,
Can't (here of late) enjoy your Company?
It seems to us as if you were grown strange,
As if in 
Youth there was some sudden change.
Youth.

I have not had the opportunity,

Besides on me there doth some burthen lie,

Which doth press down my spirits very sore,

And makes me seldom go forth o'th' door.
Companions.
I warrant you, Sirs, 'tis Sin afflicts his Soul,
And he's just going now to turn 
 [...]ool.

[Page 33]Come, come away, to 
Age such grief belongs,
To 
Youth, brave mirth and sweet melod'ous songs.
Come drive these thoughts away with Pipe and Pot
Sing and Carouze till they are quite forgot.
The lovely strains of the well tuned Lute,
Where Plays they Act, do with our Nature sute.
Come▪ go with us upon a brave design,
The which will chear that drooping heart of thine,
Come, generous Soul, let thy ambitious eye,
Such foolish fancies and vain dreams defie.
Shall thy Heroick spirit thus give place
To silly dotage, to thy great disgrace?
Vicinus.
The Young Man yields, being possess'd with fears,
They would reproach him else with scoffs and jears
But afterward his head begins to ake,
And 
Conscience then a fresh begins to wake,
And stings him after such a bitter sort,
It puts a period unto his Jovial sport.
The thoughts of Death, which Sickness doth presage;
Doth trouble him, he cannot bear the rage,
And inward gripes of his enlightn'd breast,
And therefore now again he thinks 'tis best
To heark to 
Conscience, whom he did refuse,
And grieviously did many times abuse.
Conscience,
Go mourn, thou wretch, for sad is thy Condition,
Pour forth a-main the water of Contrition.
Wilt thou appear to men Godly to be,
When all is nothing but Hypocrisie?
Wilt thou to 
Truth so often lend 
 [...]n 
 [...]ar,
And yet to 
Satan also thus adhere?

[Page 34]You were as good have kept your former station,
As thus to yeild afresh unto Tentation;
Go unto 
Truth, if God give space and room,
Before I do pronounce your final Doom.
Truth.
Come, come, 
Young Man, Don't thy Con
 [...]ictions lose,
But cherish them, & timely also chuse
The one thing needful, which alone is good▪
That God may wash thy Soul in Christ his Blood.
Thy Soul is precious, 'tis of greater worth
Than all the things that are upon the Earth;
For if that the whole world you now could gain,
And all the plesures of it could obtain,
And in exchange your Soul should lose thereby,
What would your profit be when you must dye?
When once thy Soul is lost, thou losest all:
Oh! that will be a very dismal fall!
Do'st thou not know what I of Hell declare,
Of th' hideous Howlings of the damned the
 [...]e?
How canst thou with devouring Fire dwell,
Or lie with Devils in the lowest Hell?
Those who do in their natural state remain,
Must live forever in that restless Pain.
All 
Fornicators, Drunkards and the 
Lyar,
Must have their Portion in that Lake of Fire;
With 
Thieves, Revilers and 
Extortioners,
And such who are most vile Idolaters;
The 
Proud, the 
Swearer, and the 
Covetous,
God doth pronounce on them the sel
 [...]-s
 [...]me Curse.
And those who live in vile Hypocrisie,
Or do back-slide into Apost
 [...]cy;

[Page 35]Let such unto my present words give heed,
Their Pain and Torment shall all mens exceed.
What wilt thou do, or whither canst thou fly,
Where canst thou hide from the great Majesty?
Who tries the reins, and searches every heart,

Conscience declares that thou most guilty art.

Condemned Soul! thou know'st that this is so,
And this moreover which 
I plainly show,
Will come to pass, as sure as God's above,
If from all sin with speed you don't remove;
As sure as you do live, where e're you dye,
To Hell you go to all eternity:
Except Repentance in your Soul be wrought,
With vengeance thither you
 [...]ll at last be brought,
You are the Man for whom God did prepare
That dreadful Toph
 [...]t, where the Damned are,
The which is made exceeding large and deep,
The Damned in that doleful place to keep,
Oh! call to mind what 
Conscience doth this day
Charge you withal, before you're swept away;
Lest you from him do hear no more at all,
Till you into those scorching flames do fall;
What mercy is't that 
Conscience strives so long,
And his Convictions still in you are strong!
Oh! fear, lest sin do fear your 
Conscience quite,
And God also put out your Candle light!
And give you up unto a heart of stone,
As he in wroth has served many a one;
Then to repent, it will be much too late,
Such is the danger of a lapsed state.

You
 [...]g M
 [...]n, take heed you don't this work delay,
And put it o
 [...] unto another day.

[Page 36]Your own Experience may discover this,
M
 [...]n's Life a bubble and a vapour is
Alas! thy days on Earth will be but few,
They fly away like to the morning dew,
Like as the cloud and shadow swiftly flies,
Or, dew doth pass as soon as th' Sun doth rise:
So fly thy days, thy golden months and years,
Much like the blossom 
 [...]that most gay appears;
And on a sudden fades and does decay;
So 
Youth oft times doth wither quite away▪
Thy Age thou do'st unto the Spring compare,
And to the Flowers which appear so rare.
From hence, 
O Young Man, learn Instruction now,
Don't thy Experience daily teach thee how,
The Flower withers and hangs down its head,
Which curiously of late so flourished;
The Meadow's clad in glorious aray,
But's soon cut down, and turned all to Hay.
Like 
Jonah's Gourd, which sprang up in a night,
And perished as soon as it was light.
Or like a Post which quickly passeth by,
Or Weaver's Shuttle, which he maketh fly,
Or as a Ship when she is under sail,
Doth run most swift when she has a full gale.
So are thy days, they in like manner fly,
How many little Graves may'st thou espy?
Come measure now thy days, and see their length,
Number them not by years, by health nor strength;
All these uncertain rules you must refuse,
Though that's the way which most of men do use▪

 [...] to live till they old aged are,
'C
 [...]us
 [...] their p
 [...]og
 [...]o
 [...]s long lived were.

[Page 37]That Rule from 
Truth you see doth greatly vary,
And which Experience sheweth is contrary.
You hear the things which you should reckon by,
Things swift in motion's gone most speedily.
Thy Life's uncertain, (
Youth) 'tis but a blast,
Thy Sand is little, long it will not last,
Thy house, though new, yet it is very old,
Gone to decay, and turning to the mould,
You're born to dye, and dead also you were,
Before you liv'd or breathed in the Air.
And dye you must, before that live you do,
Except you dye to live as 
I do shew.
Thy dreadful ruin, (
Soul) is very nigh,
Unless thy Tears prevent it speedily.
What is thy purpose now, what's in thy mind?
Which way dost think to take, how art inclin'd?
Youth.
Thy ways, (
O Truth) I am resolv'd to run,
And never more will 
I to folly turn.

I tremble, at the thoughts of Death and Hell,
My Soul is wounded and my wounds do swell.
My pains increase, Therefore my purpose now
Is far more strict to be, and for to bow

 [...]nto 
Christ JESƲS, that I may obtain,
Some healing Medicine to remove my pain.
No rest can I, save in my Duty, find,
I unto prayer am very much inclin'd.
God wi
 [...], 
I hope, these latter sins forgive,
Since 
I more Godly do intend to live,
And so resolve to wait and take such care,
That Satan shall no more my Soul insnare.
Vitinus.
[Page 38]He from this day becomes a great Professor,
Though far from being yet a true Possessor.
Christ he has got into his mouth and head,
And not internally rais'd from the dead,
But in Old 
Adam still does he remain,
Not knowing what 'tis to be born again.
When Satan sees it is in vain to strive,
The Soul into its former state to drive,
But that it will forsake gross wickedness,
And will also the Truths of Christ profess,
He yields thereto, resolving secretly,
To blind its eyes in close Hypocrisie,
And so appears under a new disguise,
Most subtilly thy Soul for to surprize,
Perswading him, the War which he doth find
Daily to be within his troubled mind,
Is saving Grace against iniquity,
Which has prevail'd and got the victory;
When it is common Grace (we do so call)
And not the Grace that's supernatural.
He takes the work of Legal Reformation
For the only work of true Regeneration.
Here he doth rest and seem to be at ease,
When all is done his Conscience to appease.
But I'le give place to this Religious Youth,
To hear discourse between him and the Truth.
Youth.
Oh! happy I, and blessed be the day,
That unto 
Truth and 
Conscience I gave way.

I would not be in my old state again,
If I thereby some thousands might obtain.

[Page 39]From Wrath, and Hell, my Soul is now set free;
For I don't doubt, but I converted be.
The Word, with power, so to me was brought,
A glorious change within my Soul is wrought.
Truth.

Young Man take heed, lest you mistaken are,
Conversion's hard, it is a work so rare,
That very few that narrow passage enter,
Though far that way there's thousands do adven­ture,
Yet miss the mark for all their inward strife,
They fall far short of the new Creature-life;
Come, let me hear your Grounds of evidence:
For I don't like your seeming confidence.

I doubt I shall find you under God's curse,
And still your Case as bad, if not much worse,
Then 'twas when you did no Profession make,
But did your swing in all Prophaneness take.
The 
Pharisee was a Religious man,
Yet nearer Heaven was the 
Publican.
If short of Christ you fix or fasten do,
'Twill be your ruin and your overthrow.
Youth.
What do you mean? this Doctrin's too severe;
For all might see that I converted were.
But if my Grounds you are resolv'd to weigh,
You shall forth-with hear what I have to say;
And the first Ground which I resolve to bring,
For to evince, to clear and prove the thing,
Is from Convictions which I have of sin;
Which once I hugged and delighted in.
Truth.
[Page 40]Alas poor Soul! this Reason soon will fly,
For most do see their vile Iniquity.
They are convinced by their inward light,
That sin is odious in 
JEHOVA'S sight,
But yet vile Sinners are nevertheless,
And don't one d
 [...]am of saving Grace possess.
King 
Pharaoh, Esau, yea, and 
Judas too,
They were convinced of their sins (you know:)
That they were Saints, there's no Man doth be­lieve;
For all those three the Devil did deceive.
As he beguiled them, he may likewise,
With cunning Stratagems your Soul surprise.
Nay, and he has, so far as 
I can judge,
Unless you do some better Reason urge,
To prove Conversion in your Soul is wrought;
I do declare your state is very nought.
How many Men under Convictions lie,
Yet never born again until they dye?
What hast thou else to say and to produce,
Sith slight Convictions are of little use?
Youth.
I do not only see my sin, but I
Do mourn and grieve for sin continually.
And those which so do mourn they blessed are,
Don't you also the self same thing declare?
Truth.
Nay hold a little, thou may'st weep amain;
And yet in thee may many evils reign.
And thou may'st mourn for sin, as many do,
Because of shame, of bitter pain, and wo,

[Page 41]Which now it brings and leads unto i'th' end,
And not b
 [...]cause thereby you do offend
The living God, and wound your Saviour, who
Did for your sake such torment undergo.
Mourn more for th' evil which doth come thereby▪
Than for the evil which in it doth lie.
Th
 [...] ground is weak, for 
Esau it appears,
D
 [...]d mourn and weep, and let fall bitter tears:
And yet you know that 
Esau was prophane,
And fa
 [...] was he from being born again.
Youth.
But I go further yet, I do confess,
My horrid evils and my guiltiness;
If I confess my sins, as I have done,
God he is just, and is the faithful One;
Who will my sins forgive and pardon quite,
And blot them out of his own precious sight,
This being so, what cause then can you see,
But that I'm turn'd from my Iniquity?
Truth.
This will not do, 'tis not a certain ground;
Some do conf
 [...]ss their sins whose heart's unsound.
When 
Phara
 [...] saw the Judgment of the Hail,
His heart began then greatly for to fail.
I've sin'd this time, the Lord is just, said he,
I, and my People (also) wicked be.
Though 
Pha
 [...]aoh, Saul, and 
Judas, each of them,
God did reject, and utterly condemn;
Yet these, when under wrath, are forc'd to cry,

Lord we have sin'd; their Conscience so did fly
Into their Faces, that it made them quake,
And unto God Confession strait to make.

[Page 42]Confession may be made also in part;
And not of ev'ry sin that's in the heart.
Men may confess their sin, and their great guilt,
Who the dire nature of it never felt.
Confess their sins in their extremity,
When Conscience pinches them most bitterly.
Confess their sins which they committed have,
Yet don't intend those cursed sins to leave.
Youth.
But I confess, and also do forsake,
My state therefore, 'tis clear, you do mistake▪
Those who confess and do their sins foregoe,
God will to them his precious Mercy show.
Therefore don't trouble me, 'tis very plain,
I for my part am truly born again.
Truth.
In this also you may deceived be.
Men may forsake all gross iniquity,
Yet in their Souls may some sweet morsel lie,
Which they may hug and keep close secretly.
They may sin leave, but not as it is sin;
Which has too often manifested been
If the least sin thou didst forsake aright,
All sin would then be odious in thy sight.
Judgement and Reason may your sins oppose,
And utterly refuse with them to close;
Yet may thy will and thy affections joyn,
To favour still and love those sins of thine.
If sin's not out of thy Affection cast,
Thou wilt appear an Hypocrite at last;
If sin's i'th' Will and in th' Affections found,
'Tis a true sign thy heart is unsound.

[Page 43]When they do meet with 
storms & with 
bad weather,
Lest all their Goods and Ship do sink together,
When in the Soul great storms and tempests rise
The Devil then may subtilly advise,
The Soul to throw some of its sins away,
To make a Calm that so thereby he may,
Perswade the Soul the danger is quite gone,
And that the work in him is fully done.
'Tis not enough therefore some sins to leave,
But every sin you must resolve to have
And cast o're-board, yea, and that willingly,
Or else you sink to all Eternity.
Not by constraint as 
Conscience doth compel,
As some are forc'd to do who like it well,
Who leave the Act, but love to it retain:
Such leave their sins, and yet their sins remain.
Youth,
These are hard sayings which you do relate,
And 
I indeed should question my estate,
Were't not for other grounds and reasons clear,
By which I know that I converted were.
Sir, there's in me a very glorious change,
Most Men admire it, and do think it strange,
That one who lately did both scoff and jear,
Those men and People, which I now do hear,
And follow'd Vice and ev'ry vanity;
Should on a sudden thus reformed be,
And utterly my self also deny,
Of my sweet joys, and former Company.
Truth.
From outward filthiness a Man may turn,
And not be chang'd in heart when he has done:

[Page 44]A legal change I grant he may be under,
Yet may not Soul and Self be cut asunder.
An outward change in Men there may be wrought,
And yet their hearts within be very nought.
The Swine that wallows in the mire now,
May washed be, but still remains a Sow.
Persons may cleanse the out side of the Cup,
And Dogs may spew their nasty Vomit up,
But yet do keep their beastly Nature still,
And e're a while they manifest it will.
Many Professors fall a way and dye,
For want of being changed thorowly,
The 
Pharisee was chang'd, he did appear
As indeed a precious Saint he were;
He differ'd quite from the poor 
Publican,
He thought himself a far more happy Man.
But all this was in shew, and not in heart;
He therefore had in Christ no share nor part.

Except your Righteousnes doth his excel,
You in no wise shall in God's Kingdom d'well.
'Tis a false change, and cannot be a true,
Unless you are in all things wholly new,
Old 
Herod will reform in many things.
When once he finds his Conscience bites and sting
 [...],
To hear 
John Baptist also was 
 [...]e led,
Yet after wards depriv'd him of his Head,
So far this seeming Saint was turn'd aside,
That he also our Saviour did deride;
And when his Men of War set him at nought,
Whilst Accusations they against him brought.

Simon the Sorcerer, also you read,
Was changed so, he gave great care and heed,

[Page 45]To 
Philips Preachings; yea, and suddenly
He leaves his Witch-crafts and his Sorcery;
But was a coursed Caitiff all the while,
Like a Sepulcher painted inward vile.
Another man in shew, 'tis like thou art,
Yet not made new, and changed in thy heart;
Men in thy Life may no great blemish spy,
Yet in thy breast much rotenness may lie,
Towards all men thy 
Conscience may be clear,

Conscience so far may for thee witness bear,
That you in Morals it doth not offend,
Yet unto God it may not you Commend;
But otherwise, it in your face may fly,
And you condemn for sin continually,
For secret evils which it's privy to,
Which none knows of sa
 [...]e only God and you,
Therefore (
O Young Man) if you look about,
Of your Conversion you have cause to doubt
Satan so greatly may your heart deceive,
That not one dram of Grace thy Soul may have,
Which saying is and of the purest kind,
For that, alas! there's very few do find.
Youth.

But I am call'd of God and do obey

The Voice of Truth and Conscience every day▪

God's called Ones, I'm sure you can't deny,

But they are such whom he doth Justifie:

Therfore tis clear and very evident,

That Grace alone hath made me penitent.

My heart is sound, my Grace true also,

My Confidence there's none shall overthrow.
Truth,
[Page 46]Thou seemest too Confident, 'tis a bad sign;
For fears attend, where saving grace doth shine.
I tell thee 
(Youth) that many called be,
But few are chosen from eternity.

Judas was call'd, and did obey in part,
And yet he was a Devil in his heart.
There is an outward and an inward call,
The latter only is effectual.
Therefore you must produce some better ground,
For this don't prove that your 
Conversion's sound;
But that thou may'st stick fast still in thy birth
Or prove Abortive, when thou art brought forth.
'Tis rare, 
O Youth! for to be born a-new,
And hard to find out when the work is true.
Youth.

Though it be so, what cause have I to fear,

When that 
 [...]y Evidences are so clear?

I do belive and trust in GOD through Faith,

And he which so doth the witness hath

Within him self, and shall assuredly

Be saved also when he comes to dye.
Truth.
Thou may'st belive as most of people do,
And yet to Hell at last thy Soul may go.
The Faith of credence it is like you have,
Which cannot quicken, purifie or save.
Some 
Jews believ'd in Christ, you also find,
Yet to their Lusts there hearts were still inclin'd;
And out of Satans Kingdom were not freed,
Nor made Disciples of the Lord indeed.

[Page 47] 
Simon the Sorcerer, he did believe,
Yet did his Soul no saving grace receive▪
But was a child of Satan never the less,
And still was in the the Ga
 [...]l of bitterness.
The stoney ground with joy receiv'd the seed,
And for a time brought forth as you may read,
And yet their hearts they were but hearts of ston
 [...]
Their Faith was temporary, soon 'twas gone.
The 
Devils do belive as well as you,
Yea, and Confess that Jesus they do know:
They tremble also, when some men can't say,
They ever did unto this present day.
Such Faith as Devils have must Men obtain,
Which serves for nought, 
save to augment their pa
 [...]
If on a Death-bed 
Conscience do awake,
'T will cause them then to tremble and to quake▪
And roar like Devils when they do espye,
The dreadful wrath of that great Majesty,
Whom they offend, and against purest Light,
And knowledge too most wickedly did slight▪
This faith will serve their grief to aggravate,
But not to help them out of that estate,
'Tis easie to belive that Christ did dye;
But hard his blood, in Truth, for to apply▪
Men may raise up the dead to life again,
As easie as true saving Faith obtain
By their own power, an inherent skill,
Nought doth oppose it more than Mans own will;
Until Almighty power makes it bend,
'Twill not to Grace, nor Jesus condescend.
That power which rais'd up Jesus from the dead,
Works Faith in Saints, where by they'r quickened:
The Faith of Credence, and Historycal,
Is easie had. I ne're deny it shall;

[Page 48]But preicious Faith, the Faith of Gods Elect,
As 'tis a Grace and gloriously bedeckt
With other Graces, so twill never grow
But in the honest heart, where God doth sow
The blessed seed, which, like a gardon pure,
Doth yield its fruit to th' last, you may be sure.
And when this Faith is wrought in any Soul,
It throws down selfe, and wholy then doth rowl
On Jesus Christ, as its beloved one,
On whom it rests, and doth depend alone.
If God has wrought this preicious Grace in thee,
Sin thou dost hate, yea, all Iniquity;
And Lust doth not predominate and reign,
If thou by faith art truly born again.
Christ thou exalt'st as he is priest and King,
And as thy prophet too in every thing;
He does in thee wholy the scepter sway,
And thou art govern'd by him every day:
Sin can't prevail, such is thy happy case,
If thou hast got this rare Victorious Grace:
It purges and doth purifie thy heart,
Wholy renewing thee in every part.
Men by its Fruits true Faith do come to know,
And by their works the same do also show;
What Faith is thine? what think'st thou now of it?
I greatly fear 'twill prove a counterfeit.
Examine thy Estate, and take good heed,
To close with Jesus Christ, and that with speed.
For at th' Body without the spirit's dead,
The same of Faith you know is also said;
Without Obedience doth thy Faith attend,
Yet for all this you'l perish in the end.
Youth.
[Page 49]
I am obedient, and am free to joyn

In fellowship with Saints, such Faith is mine

I willing am to do, as to believe;


 [...]he Devil can't therefore my Soul deceive.


 [...]or I have clos'd with Christ already so,

That none my Faith shall ever overthrow.

The many prayers I make both day and night,

Do doubtless prove that my conversion is right.
Truth.

I tell thee Soul, Men may do more then this,
And yet they may of true Conversion miss.
God's Ordinance many do obey,
And Members of God's holy Church are they,
And of its Priviledges seem to share,
As if that they truely Converted were.
They may discourse, and seem to be devout,
And may not be descerned, nor found out:
They with the flock may walk, lye down and feed,
And so remain till many Years succeed:
Nay, not discover'd be until they stand
Among the Goats at Jesus Christ's left Hand.
The foolish Virgins joyn'd themselves with these
And fore to meet the 
Bridegroom did arise,
But e're the 
Bridegroom came, their case was sad
For they nought else but emty vessels had:
A bare profession, and a meer out-side,
And did no Oyl, nor saving Grace provide.
Many great Preachers, and disputers too,
Christ will not own, nor any favour shew;
Tho' in his Name they mighty works have done
He'll to them say, 
ye wicked one be gone,

[Page 50] 
I know you not therefore be gone from me,

All you vile Workers of Iniquity;
You say oft-times you seek the Lord in prayer;
That you may do and let fall many a tear,
And yet not be in a Converted State;
For many seek with tears when 'tis too late;
Others, like Sea-men, in a storm do cry,
When Conscience doth rebuke them bitterly.
And some under afflictions do cry and howl,
And grievously their state do then condole;
Then promises and resolutions make,
That they such courses will no longer take
But when the storm and the afflictions o're,
They are as bad, nay, worser then before.
Some pray in form, and others pray by art
And some to mend the badness of their heart;
Their hearts are wounded, and then speedily,
Their prayers to heal it they do straight apply.
The Sin in th' day, and pray when it is night:
They sin again, but prayer doth heal it quite.
They think 'tis well, if tears they can let fall,
Their tears and Pray'r, they think will cure all,
And so that way poor Conscience they beguile,
They silence him, yet siners all the while.
Their pray'rs, alas, can't wash their filth away,
Though they do nothing else both night and day,
'Tis on their prayers they rest, and do depend,
Which, like a broken staff, they fall i'th' end.
A Saint in prayer, no rest nor ease can gain,
Unless Christ's Blood thereby he doth obtain;
And Grace also, his sin to mortify;
For Christ, as well as pardon he doth cry:

[Page 51]But otherwise it is with most of Men,
They cry for pardon, and do also then
In their vile hearts regard iniquity;
And for this cause God doth their suit deny.
Their prayers are to God abomination,
Whilst they do hide and cover their transgression▪
Some out of Costom do perform their prayer,
Not out of Conscience or from Godly care;
And others also for vain-glory sake,
Like 
Pharisees they many prayers make.
In sight of men, in publick such will pray,
But in the Closet lettle have to say.
And some to God also seem to draw near,
Yet not in love, nor out of filial fear,

They with their mouthes and tongues much kindness show,
When as their hearts are fix'd on thing below.
'Tis for the heart that Christ doth cheifly call,
And reason 'tis that he should have it all;
For he the same did buy, and purchase dear,
Yet Satan has the chief possession there.
God at the door, and in the porch doth stand
Whilst Satan may the bravest Room Command.
They lope to him, and keep JEHOVAH out,
And yet in prayer they seem to be devout.
There's some will pray, and up his duty keep,
When th' soul is quite, and th' Body near asleep.
Who ever prays, and pra
 [...]s not fervently,
In faith, in truth, and in sincerity;
Their prayers are sin, and them God will not hear
Nor mind their cry when they to him draw near.
'Tis not enough a Duty for to know,
But how also each Duty you should do.

[Page 52]For men may pray, read, hear, and meditate,
And yet be in an unconverted state.
They out wordly may many truths profess,
But not in heart, the power of them possess.
The Law i'th' Letter keep, yea, have the shell,
Yet feed on husks, and want the true kernel
The Young Man which to Jesus Christ did run,
He many things as well as you had done;
And yet fell short, as you may plainly see,
Of the chief part of true Chrstianity.
What say yon now O 
Youth, do you not fear,
That you by Satan much deceived are?
Have you no 
Dalilah, which secretly
Doth in your heart or in your Bosom lye?
Don't you to sin some secret love retain;
If it be so, you are not born again.

Conscience I fear, and God's restraining grace,
Has only stop'd you in your former race.
Like to a Dog that's kept up by a chain,
So 
Conscience does from sin oft-times restrain.
But if the chain should slip, then loose he goes,
And presently his churlish nature shows;
To your own righteousness do you not trust,
I fear you do, come speak, or 
Conscience must,
Don't you conclude God is oblig'd to you,
Since you have let so many evils go?
And are so holy here of late become,
Are not your duties set up in the room,
And place of Christ? Oh! see you do not make
A saviour of your own for Jesus sake,
Did ever sin, sinful to you apear?
And, as 'tis sin, to it great hatred bear,

[Page 53]Would you not sin, were there no hell of pain,
Because you know the Lord doth it disdain?
Rather, it's not fear of Punishment,
That you of late seem thus for to relent?
Or doth there not some carnal base design,
Move thee so far unto God's Truth to joyn?
Is not thy end to get a name thereby?
Or only done, 
Conscience to satisfy?
Or done to free thee from reproach & shame,
Which sin doth bring upon a person's name
Ha'st not it done, and wisely cast about
This way, for to prevent a Bank
 [...]rut?
Or done for to augment thy outward store
To save thy stock, and add unto it more?
For riotous living, which attend thy age,
Consumes apace, and want it doth presage.
Come speak, O 
Youth, and be not thou unfree
To let me understand how 'tis with thee.
Come call to mind what thou hast heard of late
And thereby judge of this thy present state.
Youth.

I do not see but my Condition's good,

I have such hopes and Faith in Christs dear blood,

Though many imperfections I do see,

Yet God is gracious and will pardon me:

For many failings there are in the best,

That is amiss I'll mend and so do rest.
Truth▪
Thy Hope will fail like to a Spider's webb,
Thy flood of Confidence will have its ebb,

[Page 44]If thou prove guilty of those things which I,
Did unto thee so lately signifie.
Thy spots will not be like the spots of those,
Which God for Children to himself hath chose:
And since you are so loath for to be try'd,
And lest you should also some evils hide;
To 
Conscience I'll appeal, you have done wrong
To stop his mouth and hinder him so long:
He's so enlightened now he can declare
As much as we at present need to hear.
He'll speak the truth, and his opinion show.
And nothing will he hide which he doth know.
If unto him you will attend with care,
Of other witnesses no need is there.
If he, O 
Young-man, be but on your side,
And is your Friend, you need none else provide.
But if against you, and, do prove your Foe,
With vengeance then be sure down you will go.
But if you will not hear what he shall say,
He'll make you tremble in the Judgement day.

Conscience, I do i'th' Name of the great King
Require you forth your evidence to bring
Against this Man, accuse, or set him free,
According as you find his state to be:
Stand up for Christ your dread & Soveraign Lord,
And Judge for him as he doth Light afford.
Be not deceiv'd by L
 [...]st, a Bribe to take,
But Judge by Law; Christ's honour lies at stake.
For to speak h
 [...]m
 [...] and loud have you forgot?
Is he converted now or is he not?

[Page 55]What do you say? your Testimony give:
Is all sin dead, or doth there any live?
Is he new born, and chang'd in every part?
Or is't in shew only and not in heart?
Conscience.
Sir, say no more, I am at your Command,
And you shall hear how things at present stand,
He hath, 
O Truth, almost deceived me
By's late pretences unto Sanct
 [...]ty:
But having now afresh receiv'd more light,
I must declare he was an Hypocrite.
He's not renew'd or truly born again.
Which I to you shall clearly now explain.
For, first of all, his Faculty, call'd Will,
That is perverse and very wicked still;
Though I stir up to goodness every hour,

Will doth oppose it with his greatest pow'r.
He'll never pray in private day nor night:
But I must force him to't with all my might.
The old man is not slain 
I do espy,
But has much favour shown him secretly,
Though I do force him into holes to run,
Yet he doth nourish him when all is done.
His Love and his Affections are for sin,
And so in Truth they ever yet have been.
He's troubl'd more at sin because of guilt,
Than at the 
Odium of its cursed filth.
When he's abroad amongst Religious Men,
Precise and Zealous he is always then:
But when amongst such who ungodly be,
He suits himself to their vile company.

[Page 56]Some sins are left which 
Men condemn as gross,
Yet one he keeps, and hugs it very close:
Lust doth bear rule and much predominate,
And he on it doth love to ruminate.
'Tis shame an outward fear doth him restrain,
Or else the act he would commit again.
If he from outward blots can keep his Name,
That Saints can't him accuse nor justly blame,
He's satisfied, and very well contenr,
Though to his Peace I never gave consent.
Peace he oft-times doth speak unto his Soul,
And scarce will suffer me him to controul.
When I sometimes do catch him in a lye,
And do reprove him for Hypocrisy:
To stop my Mouth he vowes he will with speed
Amend what is amiss, and take more heed▪
And more than this of him I could relate,
And shew how you have hit his present state:
But that he will not suffer me to speak,
He blinds mine eyes, that so I might not rake
Into his heart and life, lest he thereby
Meet with great shame for his iniquity.
Truth.

Conscience, forbear, you need not to inlarge;
If you do lay these things unto his charge,
He is undone, alas! his precious Soul
Is under wrath; who can enough condole
His sad estate? the Gospel he'l profess,
But still remains i'th' gall of bitterness.
Is this the Saint which seemed so precise,
And did appear God's Statutes much to prize?

[Page 57]A Saint in shew, a Devil in his heart;
And must with Devils also have a part
This day is coming, and is very near,
When Hypocrites shall be surpriz'd with fear;
The everlasting burning fiery Lake.
Is made more hot on purpose for his sake
But since you are not sear'd, nor I yet gone,
Before we leave him quite do you go on;
Let us pursue him still, for who doth know
What God may yet upon his spirit do?
If God grant him one dram of saving Grace,
That will yet do; though 'tis a doubtful case,
Whether or no God will his Grace afford
To such as he, who thus offend the Lord,
For such whom Satan doth this way deceive,
'Tis hard to bring them truly to believe.
He never was convinced thorowly,
Of Sin, and of his nat'ral misery.
His lost estate he truly never saw,
Nor what it is for to transgress God's Law,
How he's undone thereby he never knew,
Nor what for sin original was due.
And as he did for sin ne're kindly bleed:
So of a Christ he never saw the need.
The absolute want and great necessity
Of JESUS Christ, he never did espy.
But on false bottoms he has built 'tis clear;
I do conjure you therefore to declare
Him utterly unclean from top to toe,
And let him understand you are his Foe.
The Plague is in his head, and no place free,
But in his heart it rages vehemently.

[Page 58]Lance him unto the quick, and make him feel,
Lay on such blows as may cause him to reel.
Conscience.
Come, come, O 
Young-Man, listen unto me,

I will no longer thus deceived be.
I from God' word, commission have a-new,
To, tell, thee what is like for to ensue;
For all thy hopes and seeming goodly show,
Thou art a wretched sinner thou dost know,
Think'st thou on Conscience to commit a Rape
And yet God's dreadful Vengeance to Escape?
Dar'st thou again under a new disguise,
Encounter with those former enemies?
You are the same i'm sure, although you have
Changed your coat, poor mortals to deceive.
Ungodly wretch, dost thou not dread my name
Who'm come once more against thee to proclaim
A second War, and to declare also,
God's still thy Enemy and bitter Foe.
His Sword is whet, his Bow he'll also bend,
To cut down those that do like thee offend.
Nought he hates more than vile Hypocrisy,
And from his Presence, Youth, thou canst not fly.
Youth,

Conscience, be still, though I a sinner be,
There's none doth know it now save only thee.
Conscience.
Deceived Soul! doth none know it but 
I?
Where's the great God, is he not also nigh?
Dost think, vain Youth, the interposing Cloud
From God's all searching Eye can be a shroud?

[Page 59]Or dost thou think God's Seat is so on high,
That he cannot thy inward thoughts espy?
None know't but me! know'st thou not who I am?
Have 
I not power for to accuse and damn?
Should 
I be still, it would be a sad day,
Unless thy sins were purged clean away.
And whilst 
I speak, and thou dost stop thine Ear,
Nothing but War and tumult thou wilt hear.
I'll never side with thee nor take thy part,
Whilst horrid guilt remains in thy heart.
Nor would I mind thy flattery or frown;
Wert thou the highest Prince of great'st renown,
That ever did on earth the scepter sway,
Before thy face I would thy evils lay.
At the smallest sin, be sure, I can't connive;
And therefore with me 'tis in vain to strive.
For where 
I am an enemy indeed,
I'll plague that heart until 
I make it bleed.
A close and secret Foe, 
Young Man, am 
I,
Who am also with thee continually.
What e're you think or speak, yea, act or do,
Of it (Poor Soul) I very well do know:
Thy secret Lust, and what is done i'th' night
Which thou ashamed art should come to light,
I then am nigh and know it very well,
And more then this I am resolv'd to tell;
I unto thee shall prove an enemy,
When thou art brought into adversity;
When death and sickness comes, 
then thou shalt see,
How thou with horror shalt amazed be.
Then my black Bill against thee will be large,
For then against the I will bring a charge,

[Page 60]Which will make thy sad face like Ashes look,
And wound thy Soul as if a knife was struck
Into thy very heart, and make thee mourn,
And curse the day that ever thou wast born.
I'll make thee understand (clearly) in the end,
What 'tis (vile wretch) poor 
Conscience to offend
Heark once again, for I have more to say;
When this life's ended, there's another day.
Look now about thee, 
Youth, for there's to come,
The black, the dark, and dreadful day of Doom.
When thou dost dye, I'll bite and sting thy Soul,
Whilst that in flames doth burn and doth condole
Its damned state for yielding unto sin,
Which has alone the ruine of it bin.
And also when i'th' Judgment Day you stand▪
Amongst the Goats at Jesus Christs Left hand,
Thy dreadful state and tryal for to hear,
Then I against thee straitway must appear;
Yea, and shall speak more plain than now I can,
Because I am clouded by the fall of Man;
And am by Satan often-times misled,
And utterly unable rendred
A true and right decision for to make,
He so beguils me that I do mistake,
And a wrong Judgment often times retain,
Till 
Truth sets me into the right again.
But Satan then shall no more power have,
The heart of any man for to deceive.

I in that day shall you provoke and urge,
For to confess with shame before the Judge,
Thy evil Lust and close Hypocrisy,
Unto thy own eternal misery.

[Page 61]I shall accuse thee so in that great day.
Thou shalt not have one word (
Young Man) to say
Thy inward parts so opened then shall be,
That nothing shall be hid i'th' least from me,
And I before the dreadful Judge shall show,
All secret things that ever you did do;
And in your face so fiercely shall fly,
That you with horror shall be forc'd to cry,

Guilty, guilty, O LORD! then thou must hear
The dreadful Sentence, which no one can 
 [...]ear;

Go, Go, ye Cursed! that's a word of 
 [...]ire,
And you must down into eternal fire,
Where Hypocrites and Unbelievers lie,
Broyling in pain to all Eternity.
And as the fire evermore will burn,
And thou from thence shalt never more return▪
So also I shall then afflict thy Soul,
Whilst thou in scalding Sulp
 [...]er flames dost rowl,
I like a Worm, or Serpent, then will
 [...]bite,
And gnaw thy Soul, thou crursed Hypocrite,
Those inward stings which always thou wilt find,
Of cruel gnawing in thy tortur'd mind
Will then increase and aggravate thy woe,
In such a sort there is no Tongue can show.
You then will think how you did me abuse,
And my good Counsel bitterly refuse.
And how you labour'd to put out my Light,
Who in Gods paths would lead your feet aright
Your base delays and put-offs you'l repent,
And that your time so foolishly was spent
That you for love which unto Lust you bore,
Should lose your Soul, and that forever more.

[Page 62]To think how near you were unto salvation,
Will prove another grievous aggrevation:
To bid so fair for Heaven, yet to miss,
What greater trouble can there be than this?
To see the ship i'th' mouth o'th' Haven lost,
That doth, ye know, Preplex the Merchant most.
I'll tell you also how you wilfully
Brought on your self that dreadful misery:
And how I did oft-times to you declare
The bitter torments which you then must bear,
And what your Pride and Lust would bring you to,
If you did not resolve to let them go.
Ah! thou'lt see how thou art quite undone,
And how all hopes for evermore are gone.
Thoughts of those golden Seasons once you had,
And vainly lost, will then be very sad.
Thou might'st, 
hadst thou improv'd the means of Grace
Beheld, with Saints, Gods reconciled face
And enter'd Paradice, where Angels sing
Anthems of Joy to the Eternal King;
Thou might'st have sung to him melodious Psalms
With those whose hands shall bear 
triumphant Palms
Who with Eternal love shall ravish'd be,
Reigning with CHRIST to all Eternity.
Heaven is a place whose Glory doth excel;
The Thousand part of it no tongue can tell
Man's heart (
Truth says) cannot i'th' least conceive
What those shall have who truly do believe.
Who would lose Christ and his immortal treasure,
For one base Lust and moments time of pleasure?

[Page 63]But if what's said of Heaven will not invite thee,
Then let hell-torments with black vengence fright thee
And make thee yield to 
Truth without delays,
Before God puts a period to thy days.
As Eye can neither see nor Tongue express,
The glory which Gods Saints in heaven possess:
So there's no man which can conceive the wo,
That Souls shut up in hell do undergo.
If men could number all the stars of Heaven
Or count the dust which by the wind is driven,
Or tell the drops of water in the seas,
Or count the Sands, then might a man with ease
Declare the nature of that dreadful pain,
Which damned Souls forever must sustain.
But Stars, nor Dust, nor Drops, nor Sands can be
Number'd by any man, neither can be
Express the nature of God's dreadful ire,
Which Souls lie under in Eternal fire.
In Hell all's darkness, not one beam of Light:
Whats greater sorrow than eternal Night?
In Hell all's Death, and yet there is no dying,
Nought there is heard but most hideous crying,
Their pains end not, from it there's no exemption,
Their Cries admit no help, there's no redemption,
Nor none to pity them, nor hear their groans
Whist they do make their lamentable moans.
The Lord who dy'd will then rejoyce to see,
Vengeance pour'd forth upon those Souls that be
Vessels of Wrath, who for rejecting Grace
Must have their portion in that doleful place,
No Earthly pain or torment can declare
The woful Anguish which the Damned bear;

[Page 64]For if those Plagues could be defin'd by men,
Infinite punishment 'twould not be then.
Infinite Wrath it is to satisfie;
And God be sure, will Justice magnifie.
Didst thou but hear the groans and hideous cry
Of Souls 
Condemned to all Eternity,
How would it scare, and cause thy heart to ake,
And every limb of thee to tremble and to quake,
Then, think on this, before the time doth come,
That God doth pass on thee thy final Doom.
Truth.
What say'st thou now? how can'st thou sleep in peace,
Until these inward gripes of 
Conscience cease?
How canst thou think i'th' least thy state is good,
When 
Conscience swells & makes so great a flood?
Or raises storms and tempests in thy brest?
Because of sin he will not let thee rest.
Come, make a search, 
Conscience is not misled,
The very Truth before thee he has spread.
What will you do at death and Judgment day,
If 
Conscience thus you slight and disobey?
Make peace with God, for worser are his cryes,
Than if ten thousand witnesses should rise
Against thy Soul; 'twill be a dreadful thing
To have thy 
Conscience then to bite and sting.
Youth,
Some comfort, Truth, alas, my Soul doth melt,
Such gripes as these, what Man has ever felt?
I have some doubt my state is very nought,

 [...] that Conversion is not truly wrought.

[Page 65]My heart condemns me and doth me reprove;
'Tis thou alone which canst my grief remove.
Truth.
Before you have a Plaister for your sore,
Your wound must yet be search'd a little more:
If slightly heal'd only for present ease,
The Remedy's as bad as the Disease.
Dost know what time thou didst this wound receive
'Tis worser far, I fear, than you believe:
'Tis deep, it stinks▪ yea, and 'tis venomous;
And doth expose thee to God's dreadful Curse.
The sting or dart sticks fast too in thy Liver,
Which doth thy smart and bitter pains procure.
Thy state is bad, thou hast thy mortal wound,
No Limb, or any part of thee is sound;
If thou couldst live, and never more offend,
Yet by the Law thy Soul is quite condemn'd:
If from all actual sin you should be clear,
Yet by the Law you still most guilty are
Of former Crimes, Treason and Felony,
And justice doth aloud for Vengeance cry,
Nor will she pardon, or reprieve give forth
To any Sinner living on the Earth.
Against thee too the Sentence is forth gone,
And th' Day of Execution doth draw on:
Nought is between thee and eternal Death;
But some short hours of uncertain breath:
Sin is so vile, and Justice so severe,
That in the least 'twould not 
Christ Jesus spare;
But Justice he must fully satisfie,
Who came to be man's blest Security.

[Page 66]And since in Christ thou hast no share nor part,
See what a self-condemned Soul thou art.
Youth.
O cursed Sin! is this my sad condition.

Truth I believe hath made a right decision.
I have my Soul deceived all along,
Though in my heart Convictions oft were strong.
Oh! horrid Lust, and base deceitful Devil
Is this the fruit of your sweet pleasing evil?
And thou, false World, what art thou now to me?
For I alas! am ruined by thee.
O whither shall I fly? what path untrod
For to escape th' incensed wrath of God?
Will none for me some secret place provide,
Where I from flaming Vengeance close may hide?
Truth.
Vain is all this, for none can find a place
To hide from God (such is thy bitter case)
If to the ends of all the Earth you fly,
Vengeance will you pursue with 
Huy and 
Cry.
If you should take a sudden hasty flight,
To seek some shelter in the shades of Night;
'Twould also fail thee, though it should be done;
For unto God Darkness and Light is one.
No, if thou couldst some solid Rock espy,
To hide thee from God's dreadful Majesty,
Can Rocks, dost think, prevent, yea, or restrain
The stroke of Justice, and not fly in twain?
There is no Sea, nor Shade, nor Rock, nor Cave
Which can from Vengeance shelter thee or save,
The Sea would part, the hardest Rock will split;
Where Justice aims, her fiery Darts must hit.

[Page 67]Canst thou escape? alas! what place is there
To hide from him who's present ev'ry where?
Youth.
Oh 
Truth! what shall I do, how can I stand,
Or bear these Tortures of God's heavy hand?
My Spirit may infirmities sustain,
But who can bear this inward cutting pain?
Is there no help, no Salve to heal my Wound;
What, no Physician for me to be found?
Will Tears nor Prayers no help at all afford,
Watchings, Fastings, nor hearing of the Word?
Or if that I could live and sin no more,
O what is sin, and what's my Gangrene sore?
O what's the nature of iniquity,
If nought my soul can cleanse or purifie?
Rivers of Oyl, much Gold, or Earthly Wealth,
Will not redeem my Soul, nor purchase health.
Ah! I am lost, the cause is truly so,
I am undone, and know not what to do,
Have you no word of Comfort now for me?
Oh, must I dye in this extreamity?
Truth.
Dost find thy self sick at the very heart?
And doth my searchings make thy Wounds to smart
Doth sin, as sin, upon thy Spiritly?
And doth its weight and burden make thee cry?
Dost know thy wound is Epidemical?
And that for thee there is no help at all
By Law nor Levite? dost thou see thy loss,
And thy own Righteousness to be but dross)
Youth,
[Page 68]I know not what to say, 
I am in doubt
Some sin is hid, which yet I can't find out.
My heart is deep and very traiterous;
Every day I find it worse and worse;
I grieve for sin, and yet I am in dread
That I in sin am greatly hardened.
Yet this, O 
Truth, I hope is wrought in me,
Sin I do hate, as 'tis Iniquity,
I would not Christ offend nor grieve again,
Were there no Hell or place of future pain:
O that e're I against the Lord should sin,
Who has to me so good and gracious bin!
Against the Lord, against the Lord alone,
Have 
I this horrid evil often done.
Oh! I do see that 
I in sin am dead,
And my iniquity's gone o're my head
As a great burden which I cannot bear,
Oh! that I might but of a Saviour hear,
All my own Righteousness 
I prize no more
Than stinking refuse of a Common-shore.
Truth,
Come Youth, chear up, if this be so indeed,

I tell thee then, Christ for thy Soul did bleed,
Glad tydings now I unto thee do bring,
There's Mercy for thee in the Heav'nly King.
Christ to appease God's Wrath did hither come,
And I am sent by him to call thee home.
Rise up, rise up, his blood for to apply,
And thou shalt soon be healed perfectly.
Youth,
[Page 69]Ah, could I but believe what thou dost say
Unto my Soul, 'twould be a joyful day.
Alas, on me a mighty burden lies,
I cannot stir, nor power have to rise.
Can 
Lazarus, who in the grave doth lie,
Death's cruel Fetters and strong Bands unty?
Can he awake? what power has he to strive,
When dead, and stinks? alas, he can't revive,
Although dead but four days, then how shall I,
Who have lain dead in my iniquity
Ever since 
Adam (as it plain appears)
Which is indeed above five thousand years?

Jehovah which at first my heart did make,
Must by his Pow'r it into pieces take;
That so he may create my heart-a-new,
E're good from Christ doth to my Soul accrue,
'Tis he must give me pow'r to will and do,
And raise me up, e're I can creep or go.
Truth.
Though that be true, yet hearken unto me,
And take the Counsel which I'le give to thee?
And thou shalt find, as sure as God's above,
He will thy Fears and all thy Doubts remove,
And raise thee up out of the empty Pit,
And on a Rock also still set thy feet.
First thing of all which to you I commend,
Be sure you don't your Conscience more offend,
Do not grieve that, but always take great eare
In every thing to prove your self sincere.
He that in Morals walks not faithfully,
No marvel 'tis if Christ do pass him by:

[Page 70]In ev'ry Nation those accepted are,
Who walk uprightly, and the Lord do fear,
Those who do follow on to know the Lord,
He will to them his saving help afford.
I do exhort you in the second place,
For to attend upon all means of grace.
Do not neglect to hear God's blessed Word,
But prize each season which the precious Lord
Is pleas'd in Mercy on you to bestow,
For unto you thereby much good will flow.
My third advice make use of speedily,
Lift up your voice unto the Lord on high,
pour forth your Soul to him both night and day,
And you'l prevail, though he at first say nay.
Though you at first may with repulses meet,
Your Soul yet prostate 
JEHOVAH's feet.
He's ful of bowels, long he can't refrain
E're he comes forth to ease you of your pain.
Thy Prayers and tears and spiritual contrition,
Will move his heart to send thee a physician,
Who will apply a plaister to thy Wound,
Which will hereafter ever make thee sound,
Christ's Blood will heal, 'twill cleanse and purify,
If now the same by faith you do apply.
Such grief is thine, no Medicine will be good,
Nor heal thy Soul, but thy dear Saviour's Blood▪
The good 
Samaritan will cast a look,
Though thou of Priest and Levite art forsook?
Into thy Wounds he will pour in Oyl and Wine,
The which will heal that bleeding Soul of thine.
O Cry to God, my Sister (Grace) to send,
'Tis she at last will prove thy special Friend.

[Page 71]If God is pleased but to send her down,
Thy head with Glory she will straitway crown,
But here I'll advertise thee first of all,
Be sure you do for the right Sister call:
For there are two, and both of one Sir-name,
The one is lovely fair, the other lame,
The one is common, the other chast and pure,
And will be true to thee, you may be sure,
The one will dwell where sin predominates,
The other loaths and bitterly it hates,
And makes a thorow change where she doth dwell,
And will all filth out of that heart expel,
Where she doth take up her sure resting-place;
Rare is the nature of true saving Grace.
Thy stubborn Will she'l make for to submit,
And thy affections change as she thinks fit.
Thy heart she can new mould, and make it soft,
And will bring down each high and sinful thought.
The Old-Man she will into pieces tear,
She'l cut and kill, and nothing will she spare
That's opposite unto the Prince of Light,
She'l put the Devil to a speedy flight;
She'l make him leave his strongest hold, and run,
And quite forsake his former Garrison.
She'l take no pity on the Old-Man's Age,
She'l pay him off for all his wrath and Rage,
And cursed Malice, Pride and every sin,
Which of long time he has the Author been,
'Tis she can work upon the Covetous,
And change his heart to keep an open house,
To give and to distribute of his store
To th' cloathing and refreshing of the Poor.

[Page 72]'Tis she brings down the proud and lofty mind,
Which nat'rally was to that vice inclin'd.
'Tis she can tame the wild strong-headed Youth,
And make the Lyar always tell the truth.
'Tis she which makes the froward very meek,
And the revengeful not revenge to seek.
'Tis she which quenches Young-mens lustful fire,
And makes them to disdain that base desire.
'Tis she will make thy Soul for to defie
Each 
Dalilah and all Hypocrisie.
She's like to Oyl and Wine, and will give peace
And inward joy, which never more shall cease.
'Tis she must put Christ's blessed Robes on thee,
And bring thy Soul out of Captivity.
'Tis she must thee adorn and beautifie,
And make thee lovely in Christ Jesus Eye
Oh she'll inflame thy Soul with precious love
To Christ alone, which none shall e're remove.
'Tis she which tyes that conjugal blest knot,
Which can't be broke, nor ever be forgot.
'Tis she that makes Christ and the Saints but one,
And makes them of his very flesh and bone.
'Tis she will help thee in this time of need,
Yea, a Disciple will make thee indeed.
And this to thee also 
I must declare,
Thou of this 
Grace shalt have a part and share.
Since 'twas for thee thy precious Lord did die,
He can't thy Soul of saving Grace deny;
Give him no rest, 'till more he doth give forth,
For to compleat in thee the second Birth,
Be earnest with him, strive to hold him fast,
And thou, like 
Jacob, wilt prevail at last.

[Page 73]Though he at first may seem to stop his Ear,
Y
 [...]t importunity will make him hear.
Thy time, I'm sure, it is the time of love,
And thy deep wounds will make him from above
To pity thee, and for to cast an eye,
As thou polluted in thy blood dost lye;
What e're is needful to thee, he will give,
And raise thee up to life, and make thee live;
Yea, manifest to thee such consolation,
As for to cloath thee with his own salvation.
Come, make a tryal, and do not despair,
Look up to Heaven, Soul, thy help is there.
Youth.
Thy Counsel I resolve to take with speed,
If 'twas for me Christ on the cross did bleed;
I will send up a sigh, a bitter groan,
And earnestly implore his gracious Throne.

Most Holy God, who dwellest in the light,

Ah, What am I before thee in thy sight;

Wilt thou attend, or listen to my Cry,

Thou know'st my grief, and where my pain doth lie,

Canst thou not ease my deeply wounded Soul,

Who in my blood am forc'd to lie and roul?

Is there no Balm in Gilead, 
is there none?

Into dark silence then, Lord, I'
 [...]e be gone.

Where are thy Bowels, is thy Mercy 
 [...]l
 [...]d?

Lord, think upon the Blood Christ Jesus shed;

If thou can't heal my Soul of all its grief,

Then let me perish without al
 [...] relief.

Why were thy sides pie
 [...]ced? Lord Jesus, why?

Didst suffer 
 [...]or thy own i
 [...]i
 [...]ity?

[Page 64] 
There was no sin, I' 
 [...]e sure, nor guilt in thee

That caus'd thy pains; didst thou not die for me?

Didst thou not Justice fully satisfie,

And pay the Debt? Must I in Prison lie,

When Restitution's made i'th' highest degree?

Oh, come
 [...] and set my Soul at liberty,

Knock off these bolts and chains, and bring me forth

Out of this pit, deep Mi
 [...], and bands of Death.

Lord, must I bleed? did I not bleed before

In thy sad Wounds? can Justice challenge more?

O, shall my heart-strings break? my Soul doth groan

I languish, Lord, whilst thou stand'st looking on.

Lord, dost thou hear the Ravens when they cry?

And wilt thou not my present wants supply?

Wilt thou the door of Mercy ne're unlock?

Lord, open unto me, now I do knock.

O Son of David, 
help; think on thy Word,

And unto me some Mercy, Lord, afford.
IESUS.

What voice is this? who is't that makes this cry?

What sinful Wretch is in extreamity,

That thus implores for help, and follows me?

That takes no nay, although I silent be?
Youth.
Lord, 'tis a poor dejected piece of Earth,
That is undone, and sighs for a new birth.
IEsus.

Was I not sent only to Jacob's 
race?

How c
 [...]'st thou then to have so 
 [...]old a face

To importune me, when ye know full well

You are not of the flock of Israel?

[Page 65] 
Come you not of the cursed Gentile 
seed?

Be gone from me, and further don't proceed.
Youth.
Ah! help dear Lord, and some Compassion show
For to whom else, or whither can 
I go?
Iesus.

Is't meet that I 
should give to Dogs that Bread,

With which the Children should be nourished?
Youth.
True, Lord, that I grant, and ever shall,
Yet may the Dogs eat up those Crumbs which fall
From their own Masters Table: though a whelp,
Lord, look on me▪ O precious Saviour, help.
Iesus.

What ailest thee, poor Soul, what's thy condition,

Which makes thee shed th
 [...]se tears of sad contrition?
Youth.
My grief, my pain, and great extremitie,
Lord, thou dost know, and all my wants dost see.
Ah! I have sinn'd, and am so vile and base,
I hate my self, and loath my present case.
I am a lump of filth, wholly unclean,
A viler Creature there has never been.
I languish, Lord, my wounds they are not small:
And 
I have wounded thee, that's the worst of all·
Iesus.

Come, cease thy grief, what is't thou dost desire?

My Soul doth melt, my heart is set on fire,

My bowels yearn, I 
longer can't refrain

From tears, as well as thee I 
am in pain:

Thy wounds afflict me, and thy bitter cry

Doth pierce my heart, I 
know thy misery ▪

[Page] 
What is it, Soul? speak forth thy mind to me;

What dost thou crave, or shall I 
do for thee?

Come, ope thy heart to me, for I 
am nigh

Thy suit to grant, thy want: for to supply.
Youth.
'Tis not for Riches, nor for pleasure here,
Nor Honours, which by men so prized are,
Nor length of days, Lord, do I seek or crave,
'Tis something else my Soul doth long to have,
The Earth's a blast, and all the World's a bubble:
There's nothing in't can ease me of my trouble.
Such is my state, nought but thy hand can save,
'Tis thou must raise dead 
Laz'r
 [...]s from the grave.
Knock off these bolts, and set thy Prisoner free,
And give thy grace (Lord JESUS) unto me.
My fainting Spirit comfort and refresh,
O spare my Soul, but crucifie the flesh;
Compleat thy Work (Lord Jesus) on my heart,
And thy own Righteousness to me impart.
There's nought, I see, will do me any good,
Save the dear Merit of thy Precious Blood.
My bleeding Soul will faint away and dye,
If thou dost not thy Blood with speed apply.
How has my panting brest sent many groan,
With bitter tears unto thy gracious Throne,
For one sweet look and aspect of thine Eye?
There's nothing else which will me satisfie:
Oh! manifest thy Love unto my soul,
For that will cure me and soon make me whole.
My gasping Soul's dissolved into ears,
Whilst pleas'd with hopes, and yet possess'd with fears▪

[Page]My great Request, alas! is only this,
Come seal thy Love to me with a sweet kiss:
For nought is there on Earth, nor Heaven above,
Which I esteem or value like thy Love.
A promise grant, some Word to lie upon,
Before my life and little hopes be gone.
My Soul's afraid, and trembles, thou dost see,
Because I know that I unworthy be:
Ah! I have made thee bleed, 
I am so vile,
Thy frowns I do deserve, but not one smile.
How did I grieve and put thy Soul to pain!
The thoughts of it doth cut my heart in twain,
Thy Messenger, how did my Soul refuse,
and my poor 
Conscience, wickedly abuse,
Who did receive Commission from above,
Either to clear, or sharply to reprove,
I unto 
Truth oft-times turn'd a deaf ear,
And unto 
Satan rather did adhere.

I slighted thee, and sin I did embrace,
Which shames me greatly to look in thy face.
If thou shouldst pardon such a one as 
I,
And save my Soul to all eternity,
And me embrace in contract of Love,
And all thy wrath forever quite remove:
It would be Grace and Love beyond degree,
And such which never can expressed be:
O, wilt thou speak again, dear Saviour, do,
A Promise, Lord, or I'll not let thee go.
Iesus.

What Faith hast thou, poor soul, canst thou believe,

And stedfastly my benefits receive?

[Page 78] 
Dost think that I have power and a heart

To save, or help, and free thee from thy smart?
Youth.
My faith, alas, is weak, O send relief,
Lord, I believe, O help my unbelief,
That precious voice which I did lately hear,
Will soon remove my doubts and all my fear.
If Love, as well as pity, thou dost show,
'Twill give me joy, and take away my wo.
But thou mayst, Lord, my Soul commiserate,
And yet may I be in a dying state.
Over 
Jerusalem thou didst Lament,
Who had no saving Grace for to repent.
Is there in thee such Bowels of compassion,
As to bestow thy self and thy Salvation,
On such a Worm as I, whose wounded brest
is heavy loaded, and would fain have rest?
O help, dear Lord; my fainting Soul will dye,
Without an answer from thee speedily.
Iesus.
Look up to me and see my Love descending,
'Tis from Eternity, and has no ending.
Canst thou have more, dear Soul? thou hast my heart;
What e're is mine, to thee I will impart.
Thy scarlet sins are washed quite away,
Not one of them unto thy charge 
I'll lay
Pull up thy drooping heart, be of good chear,
Thy sins, though never so great, forgiven are.

I able am to save to the uttermost

All those who do in me put 
all their trust.
Those which do come to me, 
I in no wise
Will cast them out, therefore lift up thine eyes▪

[Page 79]Behold my hands and feet, and do not doubt,
For 
I have wisht and cleans'd thy Soul throughout.
Thy debts I've paid, and quitted thy old score;
Thy former faults 
I ne'er remember more.
Enter the Royal Fort, thou hast obtain'd:
Th' holy fountain of pleasure, holy Love unstain'd
Take up thy Lodging in Eternal Love,
What's here below, thy treasure is above.
Chear up, poor heart, I tell thee thou art mine.
My blood was shed to save that Soul of thine:
With endless joys thy Soul 
I'll satisfie,
And in my Bosom ever shalt thou lie.
In my enfolded Arms I now thee take,
And do engage 
i'll never thee forsake.
In the fire and in the Water 
i'll be near,
And help thee through 
all grief and trouble here,
Yea, I'll be with thee always to the end,
And Death at last I'll cause to be thy friend;
And make its passage also unto thee
Only an entrance to felicitie.
Rivers of pleasures thou shalt have to the brim,
Wherein the prophets and Apostles swim,
And with great Glory thou shalt Crowned be,
And on the throne sit down with me.
World, Death nor Devil ever shall remove
My heart from thee, for those I truly Love,
I Love the end: Ah, Soul 'tis thou shalt lie
In my own Arms to all Eternity.
Youth.
Darkness is gone, daylight begins to spring,
Heavens melody 
I find the sweetest thing.

[Page 80]The Sun is risen now, it is broke forth,
And gloriously enlightens my dark earth.
My Soul is ravish'd with this joyful sight,
Yea, and dissolv'd with Love and true delight:
My heart is melted with Coelestial fire,
And has obtained at length its own desire,
My frozen Soul must needs run down a main,
Which such hot beams from 
Jesus doth obtain;
The door is open'd, Christ has given a knock
Has made it fly, and has dissolved the rock.
My heart which was so hard is made to yield,
Christ has overcome me now and won the field.
The war is ceas'd between the Lord and I,
A peace is made to all Eternity.
What joy is this! Ah, 'tis beyond all Measure:
There's nothing like to inward joy and pleasure.
As was my burden, so I find my rest,
O that was great! and this can't be exprest.
What heart can taste of these transcendent joys,
And not account Earth's pleasures empty toys!
Such is the nature of a second birth;
Makes Heav'n on Earth, turns sorrow into mirth.
Once was I blind, senceless, bewitch'd, nay, mad,
I thought in Christ no comfort could be had:
Religion was, I thought, a foolish thing,
Which could no pleasure nor profit bring.

I thought Professors greatly were misled,
When 
I beheld what things they suffered:
But now 
I am convinc'd of my mistake,
For 
I my self could for Christ Jesus sake,
Any derision or Affliction bear;
Such inward peace in him, and joy is there▪

[Page 81]What man would not all earthly glory slight,
For one small dram, or taste of such delight?
To have Christs Love, and in his Bosom lie,
Yields true content, and sweet felicitie.
Ah happy 
 [...] ▪ I live! my Soul's involv'd,
In secret raptures, sighs to be dissolv'd,
And be with Christ, my home and resting place,
For to enjoy and see him face to face.
And in the int'rim, Lord, whilst here I stay,
I faithfully will do what thou dost say.
And help, me Lord, thy praise for to declare
Unto all precious Children far and near.
O help me to lift up my voice on high!
Let joyful 
Hallelujahs pierce the sky.
And eccho back again, resound on Earth,
Since thou hast wrought in me the second birth:
Let me with the Coelestial Angels sing,
And make thy praises round the world to ring,
Thou'st brought my Soul out of the lowest pit,
And in the paths of Sion set my feet,
Thou hast from Darkness brought me into Light,
And to my eyes thou hast restored sight,
Nay, hast my Soul sav'd from Eternal death
And shall not I thy praises, Lord, sing forth?
O let my tongue, my heart, and life make known
The favour, Lord, which to me thou hast shown
Let me aloft, by thy best Grace, aspire
To sound thy praise with the Coelestial Quire.
With swift wing'd 
Cherubims, Lord, let me joyn,
To magnifie that glorious Name of thine.
Let not remainders of the flesh disturb
My precious peace that's new▪ O do thou curb,

[Page 82]Yea, kill and crucifie each evil thought,
With vengeance let those Rebels down be brought,
And let me on the Earth live all my days
Unto thy Glory and transcendent praise.
And then, great God, when these short days are o're,
With 
S
 [...]raphims I'll sing for evermore.
Truth.
What Melody and triumph do I hear?
Whose voice is this that soundeth in my ear?
What Eagle-ey'd Soul's this that soars on high,
That with swift wings aloft doth mount and fly;
And in Eternal Love seems to lie down,
Adorn'd with Grace, and ravish'd with the Crown
Of inward peace? that taketh up its rest
At Jesus Christ's sweet satisfying breast,
And breaking forth in raptures can't express,
As he would do, his humble thankfulness?
Youth.
'Tis I, blest 
Truth, the Conquest now is won,
Grace has prevail'd, I am the Conquer'd one.
My Grief is turn'd to joy, yea and my night,
Is also turn'd into Eternal light,
Thy power's great when 
Grace doth work with thee,
Ye soon do then obtain the Victory.
Blest be the day that ever thou wert sent,
To change my heart, and move me to repent,
Dear love to thee, O Truth, 
I shall retain,
So long as I upon the Earth remain.
I'll keep thee close, and hide thee in my heart,
For thou more precious than rich jewels art.
I'le lose my all before i'le part with thee,
So much 
I love and prize thy company.

[Page 83]Though Satan stir up foes never so cruel,
Devil nor men shall rob me of this Jewel.
J am resolv'd a thousand deaths to dye,
Before J will Gods Blessed Truth deny.
Though of Deceivers there are multitude,
Yet none of them shall my poor Soul delude.
Though they do thee reproach, slight and contemn,
J by Exper'ence can refute all them,
Who say thy words nought but dead letters are,
Which men may burn or into pieces tare;
The out-side of the Book they only see,
Who thus do speak reproachfully of thee:
For did they but thy inward power know,
They'd never speak, as often times they do;
But soon they would God's written word extol,
Above that Light which they cry up in all.
The Light which 
Conscience unto me doth give,
J'll always own as long as J do live,
But from God's word doth its chief light descend;
Therefore the Scriptures I'll commend:
For had we not God's Word to light our hearts,
The Heathen which do live in Forr
 [...]ign parts,
Who never heard of Christ, might understand
As much as any do in this our Land,
Alas! we should have been unto this day,
In all respects as ingnorant as they.
But I'll forbear, because I must with speed
Attend upon Gods Truth with care and heed,
To hear what will he say. O Truth, wilt thou
Concerning me shew forth thy Judgment now!

I do entreat thee Prove me thorowly,
For still 
I do retain a jealousie

[Page 84]Over my heart, because that 
I have seen
How 
I deceived often times have been.
Truth.

Conscience, to thee 
I must once more descend,
The Controversie thou alone must end:
How is it with him now? what dost thou say?
Hast any thing unto his charge to lay?
Remember what 
I formerly have shown,
And let thy present thoughts with speed be known.
Conscience.
I always ready am Judgment to give,
According to the Light I do perceive,
And never was more free than now am I
My thoughts to shew; your suit I can't deny.
O Sir! the case is chang'd; I am his Friend,
His sweet Condition I must needs commend.

Grace has subdu'd corruption in his heart,
That he's made clean, and wash'd in every part;
My testimony you may take for truth,
He's now become a very humble Youth;
He's truly Godly, Faithful, and sincere,

I do for him, and shall my witness bear:
All kind of Evil doth his Soul defie,
He hates above all things Hypocrisie;
Will and Affections now are changed quite,
That in the Lord alone is his delight.
There's no Command of Chirst, not any one
That he's convinced of, but he has done;
He faithfully also the Lord obeys,
Without excuses, put offs, or delays,
He grieveth most for sins that secret are,
Which unto men do not i'th' least appear.

[Page 85]He's more in substance than he is in show,
When high'st in joy, his heart is very low.
All his own Righteousness he doth disown,
And does rely on Jesus Christ alone,
Christ is become so precious in his sight,
He's first with him i'th' morn, and last at night.
He willingly has taken up the Cross,
And doth account, what-e're is his but dross,
And parts with it most freely, Christ to gain,
Since he hath found Earth's best enioyments vain.
Christ he exalts as King i'th' highest degree,
And gives each Office its full dignitie,
He uses me also most tenderly,
Because he knows that my Authority
Is from above, it is for Jesus sake
He sides with me, and doth resolve to take
My part alwayes, what e're he doth sustain,
He'l rather suffer than would make me gain.
Christ has in me set up his blessed Throne,
And over me no other King he'l own;
Christ must alone in me the Scepter sway,
And he will die before he'l give away
Christ's Right and Soveraignty in his dear Soul.
He is resolv'd to suffer no controul,
In things alone which to me appertain,
Fear lest thereby Christ's Glory he should stain.
Truth,
Oh! happy young man! blessed from above,
Blessed with Grace, and ravish'd with the love
Of the Eternal Lord, in whose sweet breast
Thou now dost lie, and ever more shalt rest.

[Page 86]Thy honour's lasting, now it can't decay.
Thy treasure's sure, thieves cannot steal't away;
Thy Pleasures are beyond thoughts or conceit,
And thy rare Beauty is without deceit.
Thy strength, thy Wisdom, nor thy Youth shall fade
Nor canst thou die, thou art immortal made.
Eternal Life is given unto thee,
And thou shalt reign to all Eternitie.

Vi
 [...]inus.
There's none on Earth is able to express
The inward peace this 
Young-Man doth possess:
Whilst to his joy he clearly doth espy
This blessed Concord, and rare Harmony:

Conscience and 
Truth most sweetly do agree,
He's free'd from bondage and Captivitie.
Christ's Spirit doth with 
Conscience witness bea
 [...],
He's born of God, and is become an Heir
(With his dear Saviour) of Eternal bless:
What Consolation can there be like this?
But whilst thus fill'd with joy and true delight,
The Devil falls on him with all his might;
With strong assaults, his Faith for to destroy,
Which much abates and mitigates his joy,
But Satan failing in his Enterprize
In one respect, another way he tries;
And with malicious threats he breaketh forth,
Spitting his venomn and his hellish wrath;
Which in some measure may to you appear,
By what immediately doth follow here.
Devil.

Heark, heark, thou cursed wretch, vengeance is mine,

And I'le repay't upon that Soul of thine;

[Page 87] 
In dreadful wrath I will contend with thee,

If thou wilt 
 [...]o
 [...] again submit to me,

Will not my shining Glory thee invite,

Nor all my Agents fell thy Soul affright

To leave those cursed ways in which you go?

Then I'le s
 [...]me way contrive your overthrow.

Though out of your Dominions I am bea
 [...],

And forced am at present to retreat;

Yet I'le return like a Lyon strong,

And break thy bones in pi
 [...]es ere't be long.
Youth,
Father of Lyes, do'st think I dread thy frown?
'Tis past thy skill to throw my Glory down;
Thy head is broke, thou art a beaten Fo,
And chained up; alas, thou canst not do
According to thy wrath and cursed spight,
Christ's Pow'r is mine who stronger is in Might;
Me he'l not leave, though tempted am by thee,
Yet he knows how to help and succour me.
What matter is't although thou art inraged,
When the great Pow'r of Heaven is ingaged
To side with me always, and takes my part?
Though thou a Lion and a Serpent art,
Yet may'st as soon the Lord of Life o'recome,
As to produce or work my final Doom,
So Long as I do for his Glory stand,
And am obedient to his best Command.
Devil.

But I 
have so much craft and subtilty,

That I 
can make the Lord thine Enemy;

Though thou do'st think he i
 [...] become thy Friend,
I
'le by temptation move t
 [...] to offend

[Page 88] 
Him ere't be long; and soon you will espy

In's anger you he'l cast off utterly:

And then I
'le tear and rend you as I 
list,

And you shall have no power to resist.
Youth,
God has bestow'd on me his precious Grace,
That I abhor the thoughts of giving place
To thee, O Satan, though thou dost entice,
God will preserve my Soul from deadly vice;
But if through weakness him I should offend,
In Bowels he'l to me his pardon send.
Christ is my Advocate; God will pass by
All sins of Weakness and Infirmity.
Although he use the Rod, his precious Love
I'm sure from me he never will remove.
Devil.

Your hopes will fail, alas, black clouds will hide

Your glorious Sun, your steps will quickly sli
 [...]e;

Your morning's bright, but soon 'twill over-cast,

And all your joy will scarce a moment last.

Though Truth 
doth now thy present state commend,

Yet you will find the Proverb's true i'th' end,
That the young Saint will an old Devil be;

You'l die and perish in Apostasie.
Youth.
'Cause thou hast lost thy former happy state,
With malice thou stir'st up thy bitter hate
Against my Soul, thou shew'st thy wicked spight,
But thy vile teeth are broke, thou canst not bite.
Thou dost on me cast forth an envious frown,
Because thou hast forever lost thy Crown.

[Page 82]Because thy Morning's turned into night,
Dost think thou shalt my Soul amaze and fright,
With such insnaring thoughts? I thee defie;
Nothing can break that blessed band and Tie,
Or Covenant which Christ with me has made,
My standing's 
 [...], my Crown can never fade.
He that has in my Soul this work begun,
Will finish it, I'me sure, e're 
 [...]e has done.
There's ne're a Lamb or Sheep of his dear fold,
But he will keep, he has of them such hold,
That in the midst of danger they shall stand,
And none shall pluck them out of his strong hand,
They by his Pow'r are kept in ev'ry Nation,
Till they are safely brought unto Salvation.
Upon the Rock of Ages I am placed,
And my foundation never can be razed;
Though Mountains should depart & Hills remove,
Yet Christ will never change in his dear Love.
Nor cause his Covenant of l
 [...]sting peace
To be remov'd, nor his sweet Mercy cease.
Thus 
Truth and 
Conscience both joyntly agree,
That the new-birth is truly wrought in me.
Th' Immortal Seed, I'm sure, must needs bring forth
A Babe Immortal; and my Heav'nly birth
Doth shew to all, and clearly signifie,
I cannot perish in Apostasie.
The Head and Members of one Nature are,
Or else Christ's Body a strange Monster were.
As sure as he's in Heaven so shall I,
And reign with him to all Eternity,
Devil.

My words, I 
see, no place at all can find

Within the Center of thy evil mind;

[Page 89]I
'le leave thee therefore with my dreadful Curse,

Which is as bad as Hell, nay, it is worse

Than all the Plagues of the infernal Lake;

And let all those who love me, vengeance take

Ʋpon so vile a Wretch; and though I 
do

Forsake thee now, within a day or two
I
'le come again, and will thy Soul torment

Till thou of thy Repentance shalt repent.
Youth.
O Lord, I praise thee for that glorious Pow'r,
Which helpt my Soul in such a needful hour
Of strong assaults from the vile wicked one;
Thou help'st me to resist him, and he's gone.
Therefore, dear God, be pleased to inflame
My heart with Grace to magnifie thy Name;
And when he comes again, O then be near,
And let thy 
Truth also for me appear,
Though I am young and weak, I shall thereby
Not fear th'assaults of any Enemy.
Come speak, O 
Truth, wilt be on my side,
'Tis in thy strength still I very much confide.
Though I am feeble, thou art mighty strong;
And whilst for me, there's none can do me wrong.
Truth.
I will, dear Soul, support thee whilst on Earth,
And save thee from the rage of Hell and Death:
I will assist thee by a mighty Arm,
And keep thee day and night from hurt and harm;
And with my glitt'ring Sword cut down and slay
All cursed Enemies who thee gain-say.
Grace.
[Page 91]If 
Truth should fail, I will thy wants supply,
Thou need'st not doubt of my sufficiency,
Light I will be in Darkness, Joy in Grief,
And when in Trouble great, I'le bring relief.
If always thou dost on my Arm rely,
The Devil will be forc'd with speed to fly.
Never on me did any Soul depend,
But they obtain'd Deliv'rance in the end.
I'll help thy Soul through all its Christian strife,
And bring thee safe to Everlasting Life.
Conscience.
I'le be 
third that will lend thee an hand,
We'll all combine to make a triple band.
A threefold Cord can't eas'ly broken be,

I'le be a Friend in thy Adversitie,
There's not a Foe on Earth thou need'st to fear,
So long as 
I for thee my witness bear,
That thou in Truth dost walk before the Lord,
And that thy ways do with his Word accord.
The evil Fo shall be ashamed quite,
Whilst faithfully thou walk'st up to thy Light;
And Satan never can get any ground,
Whilst I declare thy heart is truly sound.
Clear up, poor Soul, 
I'le feast thee constantly,
And plead for thee before the Enemy,
My sweetest wine also 
I'le keep to th'end,
At death 
I will thy Soul with that befriend.
God's Word that is thy ground in every thing,
His Glory is thy aim, from thence doth spring
All service thou dost do towards the Lord,
His Spirit therefore to thee he'l afford;

[Page 92]That doth bear witness for thee, so do I,
And will also when thou do'st come to dy.

The Young-Man Experiencing Conversion truly wrought in his Soul, and that he's delivered from the Power of the Tempter, breaks forth into these following Hymns 
of Prayer and Praises to GOD.

A Mystical Hymn of Thansgiving.MY Soul mounts up with Eagles Wings,
And unto thee, dear God, she sings;
Since thou art on my side
My enemies are forc'd to fly,
As soon as they do thee espy;

Thy Name be glorify'd.
Thou makest Rich by making poor;
By Poverty add'st to my Store;
Such Grace dost thou provide.
Thou wound'st as well as mak'st whole,
And heal'st by wounding of the Soul;

Thy Name be glorify'd.
Thou mak'st men blind by giving sight,
And turn'st their darkness into light;
These things can't be deny'd.
Thou cloath'st the Soul by making bear,
And givest food when none is there;

Thy Name be glorify'd.
Thou killest by making alive,
By dying dost the Soul revive,
Which none can do besides;

[Page 93]Thou dost raise up by pulling down,
And by abasing thou dost Crown,

Thy Name be glorify'd.
By making bitter thou mak'st sweet,
And mak'st each crooked thing to meet;

I'th' Soul which thou hast try'd;
The fruitless tree thou mak'st to grow,
And the green tree dost overthrow;

Thy name be glorifi'd.
The conquer'd the conquest gains;
By being beat the field obtains,
Which makes me therefore cry,
Lord, while 
I live upon the Earth,
Since thou hast wrought the second birth,

Thy Name I'll magnify.
Thou mak'st Men wise by coming fools;
By emptying thou fill'st their Souls,
Such Grace dost thou provide;
By making weary thou giv'st Rest,
That which seem'd worst, proves for the best;

Thy Name be gloryfi'd.
Thou art far off and also near,
And not confin'd, but ev'ry where,
And on the clouds dost ride.
O thou art Love, and also Light;
There's none can get out of thy sight;

Thy Name be glorifi'd.
Lord thou art great and also good,
And fit'st upon the mighty flood,
By whom all hearts be try'd;
Thou art a Tree, yet art but One,
And comprehended art of 
 [...]
[Page 95]

The Exellency of peace of 
Conscience.My 
Conscience is become my Friend,
And chearfully doth speake to me,
And I unto his motions bend,
Althoug that I reproached be;
I matter not who doth revile,
Since 
Conscience in my face doth smile.
My 
Conscience now doth give me rest,
My burthen's gone, my Soul is free;
Again I would not be oprest
In the old bands of miserie,
For Kingdoms nor for Crowns of Gold,
Nor any thing that can be told.
My 
Conscience doth with precious food,
Feed my poor Soul continually;
Its dainties also are so good,
All sinful sweets do I defy:
This Banquit's lasting, 'twill supply
My wants, and feed me till I die.
My 
Conscience doth me chearful make,
When I am much possest with grief;
And when I suffer for its sake,
'Twill yield me joy and sweet relief:
Though troubles rise, and much increase,
I in my 
Conscience shall have peace.
When others to the Mountains fly,
And sore amaz'd do trembling stand;
A place of shelter then have I,
And 
Conscience will lend me its hand

[Page 94]To lock me in the Chamber fast,
Till the Indignation's over-past.
At Death, and in Judgment Day
What would men give for such a Friend?
All those which do him disobey,
They'll it repent i'th' end;
When such are forc'd to howl and cry,
My Soul shall sing continually.

An Hymn on the six Principles of 
Christ's Doctrine. 
Heb. 6.1, 2.REpentance is wrought in my Soul,
And Faith for to believe;
Whereby on Jesus 
I do roul,
And truly him receive.
As my dear Lord and Soveraign,
Him always to obey;
And in all things o're me to reign,
And govern night and day.
Christ's Baptism it is very sweet,
With laying on of Hands;
My Soul is brought to Jesus feet
In owning his Commands.
Those Ordinances men oppose,
And count as carnal things;

I have clos'd with, and tell't to those,
From them rare Comforts spring.
My precious Lord I must obey,
Though men reproach me still;

[Page]I'll do what ever christ doth say,
And yield unto his will.
On Christ alone 
I do rely,
Though men Judge otherwise;
Because 
I can't Gods Truth deny,

I am reproach'd with lyes.
Let them deride, yet for Christ's sake
Resolved now am 
I,
in his own strength the Cross to take,
Yea, and for him to dye.
Before J'll ever turn my back
On him whom J do love;
For J do know J shall not lack
His presence from above.
For he has promis'd to the end,
To me he will be near;
And be to me a faithful friend,
Which makes me now to fear.
Whatever Men or Devils do
In secret place design,
He soon can them quite overthrow,
And help this Soul of mine.
The Resurrection of the Dead
I constantly maintain;
When all those which lie buried,
Shall rise to life again.
And that the Judgment day will come,
When Christ upon the Throne
Shall pass a black Eternal Doom,
Upon each Wicked one.
[Page 97]
But all the Saints then joyfully
With Bowels he'll embrace,
And Crowns to all eternity
Upon their heads he'l place,
And in the Kingdom shall they reign,
Prepared long before,
And also shall with Christ remain,
In bliss for evermore.

A Spiritual 
Hymn.THe Sun doth now begin to shine,
And breaks forth yet more and more,
Meer darkness was that light of mine,
Which I commended here-to-fore.

I was involved in my sin;
Had day with out, but night within.
My former days 
I did compare,
Unto the sweet and lovely Spring;

I thought That time it was as rare,
As when the chirping Birds do sing;
But 
I was blind I now do see
There was no Spark nor Light in me.
My Spring it was the Winter-time,
Yet, like the midst of cold December;
The Sun was gone out of my Clime,
And also I do now remember
My heart was cold like any stone,
My leaves were off, and sap was gone.
God is a Sun, a shield also,
The Glory of the World is he;

[Page 98]True Light alone from him doth flow,
And he has now enlightned me;
The Sun doth his sweet beams display,
Like to the dawning of the day.
How pre
 [...]ious is't to see the Sun,
When in the Morning it doth rise,
And shineth in our Horizon,
To th' clearing of the cloudy Skies!
The misty Fogs by this strong Light
Are vanish'd quite out of our sight.
Thus doth the Lord in my poor heart,
By his strong beams and glorious rayes
The light from darkness clearly part,
And makes in me rare shining days.
Though fogs appear and clouds do rise,
He doth expel them from mine eyes.
Were there no glorious Lamp above,
What dark confusion would be here!
If God should quite the Sun remove,
How would the Sea-man do to steer!
My Soul's the World, and Christ's the Sun,
If he shines not, 
I am undone.
In Winter things hang down their head,
Until Sol's beams do them revive;
So 
I in sin lay buried,
Till Jesus Christ made me alive:
Alas, my heart was Ice and Snow,
Till Sun did shine and Winds did blow.
Until warm Gales of Heavenly Wind
Did sweetly blow, and Sun did dart
Its Light on me, I could not find
No heat with in my inward part

[Page 99]Then blow thou wind and shine thou Sun,
To make my Soul a lively one.
In nat'ral Men there is a Light,
Which for their sins doth them reprove,
And yet are they but in the 
Night,
And not renewed from above:
The Moon is given (it is clear)
To guide men who in darkness are.
The Sun for brightness doth exceed
The Stars of Heaven or the Moon;
Of them there is but little need
When Sun doth shine towards high noon.
Just so the Gospel doth excel
The Law God gave to 
Israel.
All those who do the Gospel slight,
And rather have a Legal guide;
The Sun's not risen in their sight,
And therefore 'tis that they deride
Those who commend the Gospel-Sun
Above the Light in every one.
Degrees of Light 
I do perceive
Some of them weak and others strong;
That which is saving none receive
But those who unto Christ belong;
Yet doth each Light serve for the end,
For which to man God did it send.
[Page 100]

Divine Breathings. A Hymn.LEt not the Sun Eclipsed be,
Nor any dark Cloud interpose
Between thy self (dear Christ) and me,
Who art that blessed 
Sharon's Rose:
O let thy face upon me shine,
Since thou by choice hast made me thine.
Always let me walk in the Light,
Till Grace doth me with Glory crown;
Turn not my Morning into Night,
Nor let my Sun go down;
O let thy face upon me shine,
Since by dear Purchase I am thine.
Let not thick Fogs, O Lord, arise
From the gross Lump of inward Earth,
To th' hiding of the glorious Skies,
The thoughts of that's as bad as Death:
O let thy Face upon me shine,
Since by Adoption I am thine.
Lord, let my Morning be more bright,
And my Sun shine to th' perfect day;
And let mine Eyes have stronger sight,
That I behold its glory may.
O let thy face upon me shine,
Since God by Gift has made it thine.
[Page 101]
Lord shine and make my heart more soft,
And temper it, the seal to take;
Make it according as it ought,
Lord do
 [...]t for thy own Names sake.
O let thy face upon me shine,
Since by sweet Contract I am thine.
The Light of thy dear Countenance,
It is the thing 
I only prize;
Let not therefore mine ignorance
Darken the light of my dim eyes:
O let thy face upon me shine,
Since I by Faith am wholly thine.
O be my Strength, my Light, my Guide,
Always until 
I come to dye;
And from thy paths ne're let me slide,
But light me to Eternity:
O let thy face upon me shine,
For I my self to thee resign.
There's many, Lord, who daily cry,

Oh! who will shew us a
 [...]y good?
'Tis in thy self, Lord, it doth ly,
Although by few 'tis understood:
O let thy face upon me shine,
For I by conquest now am thine.
Lord, in the Light 
I thee enjoy,
And with thy Saints Communion have,
No Devil can that soul destroy,
Whom thou intendest for to save:
O let thy face upon me shine▪
For I can 
 [...]ay, Lord, thou art mine.
[Page 102]
Let not the Sun only appear,
For to enlighten my dark heart;
But to poor Souls both far and near,
The self-same Glory. Lord, impart:
O let thy face upon them shine
As it doth now, dear▪ God, on mine.
Let Light and Glory so break forth,
And Darkness fly and quite be gone,
That all thy Saints upon the Earth
May in the Truth be joyn'd in one,
O let thy face so brightly shine,
As to discover who are thine.
Let Grace and Knowledge now abound,
And the blest Gospel shine so clear,
That it 
Romes Harlot may confound,
And Popish darkness quite cashier:
O let thy face on 
Sion shine,
But plague those cursed Foes of thine.
Let 
France, dark 
Spain, and 
Italy
Thy Light and Glory, Lord, behold;
To each adjacent Countrey
Do thou the Gospel plain unfold:
O let thy face upon them shine,
That all these Nations may be thine.
Let 
Christendom new Christ'ned be,
And unto thee O let them turn,
And be Baptiz'd, O Christ, by thee
With th' Spirit of the Holy One,
O let thy face upon it shine,
That 
Christendom may all be thine.
[Page 103]
And carry on thy glorious Work
Victoriously in every Land;
Let 
Tartars and the mighty 
Turk
Subject themselves to thy Command,
O let thy face upon them shine,
That those blind People may be thine.
And let thy brightness also go
To 
Asia and to 
Africa;
Let 
Egypt and 
Assyria too
Submit unto thy blessed Law,
O let thy face upon them shine,
That those dark Regions may be thine.
Nay, precious God, let Light extend

Chinia and 
East-India;
To thee let all the People bend,
Who live in wild 
America:
O let thy blessed Gospel shine,
That the blind Heathens may be thine.
Send forth thy Light like to the morn
Most swiftly, Lord, O let it fly
From 
Cancer unto 
Capricorn;
That all dark Nations may espy
Thy Glorious face on them to shine,
And they in Christ for to be thine.
The Fulness of the 
Gentiles, Lord,
Bring in with speed, O let them fear
Thy Name in Truth with one accord,
Live they far off or live they near:
O let thy face upon them shine,
And let us know, Lord who are thine.
[Page 105]
And let also the glorious news
Of thy Salvat
 [...]on, yield relief
Unto the sad distressed 
Jews,
Who hardned are in Unbelief;
O let thy face upon them shine
For 
Abram's sake, that Friend of thine.
O don't forget poor 
Israel,
But let Light and Glorious Rayes
Cause their rare Beauty to excel,
Beyond what 'twas in former days,
O cause thy face sweetly to shine
That 
Jews and 
Gentiles may be thine.
O let all Kingdoms now with speed,
And all the Nations under Heaven,
From all gross Darkness now be free'd,
And power to thy Saints be given;
That they in Glory, Lord, may shine,
According to that Word of thine.

[Page 106]


An APPENDIX, Containing a Dialogue between an Old 
Apostate and Young 
Professor.Apostate.
HOw many straights and crosses have 
I met,
Since I my self to seek for 
Canaan set!
Red Seas and Wildernesses lie between;
Why venture 
I for what I ne'er have seen?
Why can I not, where 
I am now, Remain?
Or to my old delights turn back again.
My head has been perplext with cares and fears,
Since to these Preachers 
I inclin'd mine ears.
They were but fancies that disturb'd my mind,

I sought for something which 
I could not find.
Would God in 
Egypt I had still remain'd,
For there's no 
Canaan likely to be gain'd.
Conscience be silent, don't disturb me more.
Upon such things I will no longer pore,
For back to 
Egypt I will now retire
Where 
I shall have things to my hearts desire.
Devil.
Pursue thy purpose, thou shalt under
 [...]n
 [...]
What-e're 
I have shall be at thy command▪
My Kingdom's great, this world is whol
 [...] 
 [...]ine,
Bow down to me, and all shall then be th
 [...] ▪

[Page 106]Afraid I was I should have lost thee quite.
The
 [...]'s nought like that which here's now in th
 [...] sig
 [...]
Behold the Bags of Gold which thou shalt have,
Honours on earth, riches and pleasures brave,
When others forc't in Prison are to lie,
Thou shalt enjoy thy precious liberty.
When Kings and Princes do upon them frown,
Thou shalt be held in honour and renown.
Thou hast much goods laid up for many years,
And long shalt live free from all cares and fears.
Thy seed establish'd too shall be on earth,
And thou shalt spend thy days in joy and mirth.
Thoughts of Religion utterly disdain,
Nor think of God, or Jesus Christ again,
Phanatick fables never more regard,
The pains of Hell, of which thou oft hast heard,
Are nought, save fictions of their crafty head;
With fear of nothing are they frightened,
That mad-men like, they do tread under feet
Those lovely joyes which wise men find most sweet
Religion's nought but a devised thing,
Which up at first some crafty head did bring
To awe the minds of fools, who wanting wit,
Take that for Gold that's a meer counterfeit.
The truth of Scripture thou hast cause to doubt,
For divers places thou may'st soon find out
Which inconsistent to each others be,
Of what it speaks there is no certainty.
Conclude in Truth there is no God at all,
Why should'st thou be so foolish as to call
On him, whom thou did'st never see or know,
Unless its thus, because that most do so?

[Page 107]Let Melancholy fancies now therefore
Ne're vex thy mind, nor grieve thee any more.
Enjoy thy self on Earth, and heap up Gold,
No good like that which purse and bags do hold.
Come eat and drink, to morrow thou must dye;
And afterwards there's no Eternity,
As some suppose, for thou i'th' grave shalt rot,
And as the Beast be utterly forgot:
But since you know it is reproach to them,
Who all Religion utterly contemn,
Thou may'st Religious also seem to be,
For there is one that's very fit for thee.
Melodious sounds, sweet mirth, and Musick rare,
Do much affect the heart, and charm the ear.
No worship on the Earth doth suit so well
With flesh or blood, or doth for ease excell,
Or with man's interest doth so well agree,
Like what's maintain'd in f
 [...]mous 
I
 [...]aly.
That, that's the worship which for thee I 
 [...] ▪
I'me not against thy turning Catholick.
If there's a Heaven of this thou need'st not 
 [...]
An easier way for thee 
I can't find out.
The way's so broad, whole Nations walk there 
 [...],
And persons of all sorts, no let is sin.
Wer't thou at 
Rome, thoud'st hear melodious soun
 [...] ▪
Sweet ioys and mirth on every side ab
 [...]unds;
Fine boys and men ravishing Notes do sing,
Whil'st Organs play in Consort, and Bells ring;
In that brave w
 [...]y thou'st have thy liberty
To do such things as others do deny.
Thou may'st be mad▪ carouze and domineer,
Strict 
Roman Cat
 [...]olicks such things can bear;

[Page 108]If thou dost 
swear, drink healths, yea, 
or should'st curse

There's few i'th' Ch
 [...]rch would like thee ever the worse,
Or if thou should'st some curious 
Lady spye,
Or view some pretty Maid with wanton eye,
To court or play with her thou need'st not fear,
For Venial Sins, alas! all such things are;
And one great help and remedy thou'lt have,
Which from all grief and danger will thee save;
If it fall out by chance at any time.
Thou shouldst commit some great and henious crime
There is straight-way the blessed Absolution,
A present help and yet no Superstition.
For a small sum of Money soon is had
A pardon for all sins tho' never so bad.
His holiness for a few Shillings can
Murder and Perjury forgive to any Man;
Nay, unto thee can grant a Dispensation
To kill and Murder any in a Nation,
Who us and th' Holy Church hate and deny;
Come, trouble not thy self, but straight comply
With this fam'd 
Church, to whom such power's given
To ope and shut with ease the Gates of Heaven.
And make that sin to day which ne'er was sin,
and that lawful, which lawful ne'er has bin.
Come, buy the Beads and Crucifix also,
And as the Church believes believe thou too.
For this I hope to see over a few days
some thousands more cleaving unto those ways,
And thou wilt not such an advantage gain,
As now thou may'st with ease, I am sure, obtain
And since in kindness and affection dear,
I've shew'd thee how to be preferred here,

[Page 109]And do engage thy faithful Friend to be;
There's some small things I'de have thee do for me;
Speake evil of the way thou late wast in;
Belye them all, and charge them too with sin,
Their faults lay ope, set nought at all be hid,
Revile, reproach, and slander in my stead;
Shew how they differ, that they can't agree,
There's little Love, and want of Charitie.
Of 
Canaan's Land raise thou an ill Report,
To turn them back who are going for't▪
One thing at present I would have thee do,
There is a friend of mine which thou dost know,
Who has a Son which is indeed his Heir,
That to his foolish Notions doth adhere,
If he should visit thee, with speed do thou
Treat with this pievish youth, 
I'll teach thee how
To controvert the cause, my place supply,
And do what I could not do formerly.
His forward zeal will do my Kingdom wrong,
Cause others also in that way to throng.
And you shall also some derision bear
Through his hot zeal, if that you ha'nt a care.

Vi
 [...]inius·

The thoughts, which Satan darts into his mind,

He closeth with, and fully is inclin'd

His Counsel for to take, what-e'er become

O
 [...] his poor Soul at the great Day of Doom,

An Atheist 
he's become in heart and li
 [...]e,

And hath abandon'd all his Christian strife,

He's ready 
 [...]w, and 
 [...]it for any 
 [...],

An 
 [...] prepared for the 
 [...].

[Page 110] 
But since the Gentleman and he are met,

I will give way and hearken how they treat,

About this Youth, that has o
 [...] La
 [...]e begun,

Resolvedly to Hea
 [...]en for to run

You'l hea
 [...] how this Apostate 
will engage,

To turn him from his blessed Pilgrimage.
Apostate.
What! my old Friend 
E. R. Sir, I am glad
To see you once again, yet I am sad,
And grieved sore to see you look so ill;
What evil, 
Sir, I pray has you befell?
What is the cause of this your present grief?
If I can give or help you to relief,
Or comfort you i'th' least, I willing am,
And shall rejoyce also I hither came.


 [...]enr.
Ah, 
Sir, my Son, my Heir, doth grieve my mind,
He from whom I most comfort hop'd to find,
Contrariwise will prove a plague to me,
Unless he can with speed recovered be.
He'l be a Preacher, I do think, er'e long,
He's such a Bookish-fool, and so headstrong,
That I have little hopes he'l e're be good;
Here's cause of grief, if rightly understood.
He is become such a vile Heretick,
That 
Rome's good 
Church, and the true 
Catholick
Most vilely, I perceive he doth disdain,
And doth, 
forsooth, tell me, he's born again.
I do beseech you, 
Sir, do what you can,
If you can't change his mind, there's not a Man

I think, in truth, that ever prevail will;
O arm your self therefore, and try your skill;

[Page 111]If you can turn him from those ways, then 
I
Shall be engag'd to you until 
I dye.
You were deceiv'd your self some time ago▪
And therefore now more able are to show
The vanity of these devised ways,
And Bookish Fables of these silly days,
Having the Scripture in our Mother-Tongue
Has been the ruin of us all along;
For, since men did our holy Church forsake,
And up new Notions of Religion take,
Nought but confusion in the World we see,
And otherwise, in Truth, 'twill never be,
Until their Books i'th' fire all do burn,
And they unto the Ancient Church do turn.
Apostate.

I am, good Sir, of that opinion too,
And sorry am to hear what now you do
Relate to me, and will also, in truth,
Do what I can to turn that silly Youth;
For 
I can shew and make him understand
The danger that attends on every hand.
The hope of unseen things will him deceive,
And Faith's but a meer fancy, 
I believe:
That's the chief good which Man doth here enjoy,
And that's the evil which doth him annoy,
Or doth deprieve him of his joy and bliss,
None but 
Phanaticks will deny me this;
Who boast of that they never did possess;
They lye, alas, and are (in truth) no less
Than frantick fools, for 
I could never see
Of what they speak, there's any certainty.

[Page 112]I will therefore endeavour out of love,
Your Son from these delusions to remove:
And since I do perceive he's near at hand,
I'll take my leave
Your Servant to Command.

THE PROLOGUE.ATtend, kind Friend, read with a serious eye,
And thou shalt a sharp Conflict soon espy
Between a Man quite void of Godly fear,
And a dear Youth, most holy and sincere.
The one affirms all Godliness is vain,
The other counts it for the greatest gain.
Mark thou the end of both, and thou shalt see
What's best to chuse, Grace or Iniquity.
Apostate.
Well met, good Sir, from whence pray do you come?
Professor.
I am a stranger, and am trav'lling home.
Apostate.
Are you a stranger in this Country?
Professor.
Yea, as were our Fathers formerly.

[Page 113]an old Apostate and Young Professor.
Apostate.
But from whence came ye? lets confer together.
Professor.
From 
Egypt, Sir, 
Apost. I am Trav'lling thither,
Apostate.
What is your business, 
Sir, that thus in pain
You strive against the wind with might and main?
E're further you do go, sit down, account,
See whether that you run for, will surmount
The labour great, and loss you will sustain
Before the prize in truth you do obtain.
What place is this to which you think to go,
That t
 [...] 
 [...]ise you▪ may fully know.
For good instructions to you I'll afford,
When I this thing from you have plainly heard,
Professor.

I am for Canaan that most holy Land,
I'll travel there, as God doth command;
Whose worth and value 
I do know f
 [...]ll well,
For Riches it doth, far, all things excel.
And though all things I lose e're I come there,
'Twill all my losses, I am sure, repair.
The worth of that therefore for which I run,
I did account before I first begun.
Apostate.
Know you of certain that the place is so ra
 [...]e?
You may mistake, for you was never there,
Professor.
Ah, Sir, of it I have a glorious sight,
Which doth my Soul transcendently delight,

[Page 114]Although in person there I have ne'er been,
Yet I most plain sweet 
Canaan oft have seen,
Besides, I lately spoke with a dear friend,
Who did the other day from thence descend;
And unto me its glory he did show,
Its precious worth from him 
I came to know:
Some of its fruit also to me he gave,
Which makes me long till 
I possession have.
Apostate.
Is't not the fancy of thy crasy-head?

I have likewise of such a 
Canaan read;
It may be so, or so it may not be,
It ne'er seem'd real truly unto me.
Who would for things which so uncertain are,
Such losses suffer, and such labour bear.
A bird i'th' hand's worth two i'th'bush, ye know,
This Zeal (
poor Lad) will work thy overthrow.
Professor.
You vainly talk, and live by fight and sense,
I walk by faith, which is the evidence
Of things not seen, here with an outward eye.
What thou see'st not, I clearly do espy,
'Tis not the fancy of a crasy-brain,
For Moses, that its glory he migh gain,
All Egypts Treasure quickly did forego,
Was that the way unto his overthrow?
No, no, dear Sir, he saw it was the way
To peace and honour in another day;
The glory real, did his Soul behold,
To be so great, that never can be told.
If thou had'st drunk but of its glorious springs,
Thou would'st it prize above all Earthly things,

[Page 115]If thou had'st tasted but of 
Canaan's honey
Thou would'st esteem it more than bags of Money,
Altho' 
I make, alas, a poor profession,
Yet 
I have now something in my possession,
Lock'd up most safe in my refreshed brest
More rare than Pearls within a golden Chest.
True peace of Conscience, that, thro' grace 
I have
Which passeth all mens knowledge to conceive.
I would of it not be deprived again,
If that 
I might ten thousand worlds obtain.
Apostate▪
Tush s
 [...]lly fool, kick Conscience quite away,
Ne'er mind his motions, nor what he does 
 [...]y.

I stifl'd him, and that a good while since,
And took revenge of his Proud Insolence▪
His gasping groans I no ways did regard,
But let my heart against him grow so hard,
That 
I do judge 
I have his business done.
He's dead, in truth, and to dark silence gone,
That now 
I can without the l
 [...]st controul,
Have any pleasure which delights my Soul.
Professor
Ah, Sir, go on, if thats the choice you make,

I never will such cursed Counsel take.
Who ever doth his Conscience so abuse,
Doth his dear Maker in like manner use
And though in you, poor Conscience now lies s
 [...]ain

I'th' Judgment day he will revive again,
And then against you his sad witness b
 [...]a
 [...],
And in your face most ghast fully will st
 [...]re
You'l have the worst at last, 
I grieve to see
You hardned thus in your iniquity.
Apostate.
[Page 116]My sorrow's gone, but thine, alas! will double,
Concerning me thy self do thou not trouble.
The storms and blustring winds are over-past,
And very safe 
I am arrived at last,
In that same Port where Princes do delight
For to repose and harbour day and night,
Toss'd 
I have been upon the boistrous Seas,
And 'till of late ne'er could find rest nor ease.
But now 
I am safely landed, and with good
Shall satisfied be, whilst thou art toss'd i'th' flood.
Thou shalt, 
poor Youth, in dreadful storms be hurl'd
Whilst I shall find a very quiet World.
All thy best days are gone, and plung'd thou'
 [...]t be
Into sad Gulfs of woful Misery.
Unless thou dost recant and stop thy course,
Thou'lt see things with thee 
will grow worse & worse.
Those fools who do their nicer Conscience mind,
E're long they shall but little friendship find.
Professor.
Sir, Storms and Tempests, do 
I know, attend,
Those who resolve poor Conscience to befriend,
Paul's Portion 'twas, who from his very youth
Had kept good Conscience, and obey'd the truth.
He met with blustring winds, was toss'd about,
Yet did bear up for Canaan most devout,
Till he at last the glorious voyage made,
Getting the Crown which never away shall fade.
All those who sail'd this way, have all along
Met with groat opposition and much wrong
From Pyrats, Spoylers, and usurpers, who
Contrived have the Righteous to undo.

[Page 117] 
 [...]his terrifies me not because that 
I

 [...]now 'tis the way to true Felicity.

 [...]he gold and precious things the Merchant gains,

 [...] quit his cost, and recompence his pains,

 [...]he Riches which he brings at his return,
Makes him great dangers often-times to run.

 [...]o hopes of joys, the which Coelestial are,
Makes me no labour, nor no cost to spare.

 [...]ou are for present things, 
I further see,

 [...]ou are for Earth, but Heaven is for me.

 [...]ou are for pleasures, and for bags of Gold,

 [...] am for that which Moses did behold.

 [...]ou are for ease, whatever it doth cost,
And honours here, tho' Soul for it be lost.
Who makes the wisest choice, let him declare,

 [...]et Death and Judgment shew who wise men are.
My purpose 
I'll pursue, what e're 
I meet,
My portion's great, my peace no counterfeit.

 [...]eaven is my port, there's such a place 
I'm sure,

 [...]ought shall entice me, nor my Soul allure

 [...]o loose my hold, 
I'll keep firm in my station,

 [...]hough in my way 
I meet with tribulation.

 [...]et 
I most safe shall there at last arrive,

 [...]o men nor Devils ever shall deprive,

 [...]y Soul of that Eternal dwelling place,

 [...]uch confidence 
I have obtain'd, through grace.
Apostate.
If 
I should grant things which so doubtful are,
That there's a Canaan or a Heaven, where

 [...]weet joys abound, beyond what's here below;

 [...] hard it is for any man to know,

[Page 118]The ready way unto that seeming place,
Consider this, Oh, 'tis a weighty case!
For there so many ways and vices be
How thou shouldst find the right I do not see.
Thou art a stranger too, thou told'st, be plain;
Come, come, Young man, turn with me back again
Youth.
Nothing (
dear Sir) more certain is than this,
That there's a Heaven or eternal bliss.
The Heathen could by natures light espy
Mans cheifest good or best Felicity,
Must needs excel the high'st enjoyment here,
And shall this doubtful unto those appear
Who have Gods works most dreadfully made known
Yea, and his word, which very few or none
Who live in any Land the like have had;
Shall such turn 
Atheists? this is very sad.
Is not JEHOVAH every where made known
By fearful Judgments, which are dayly shown?
And, why, think you, 
I can't the true way find,
Seeing Jesus has in writings left his mind
In plain Characters; and whil'st I observe,
J from the truth am sure no ways to swerve;
he came from thence himself the other day,
And gave directions how to find the way;
This writing's firm, 'tis signed with his Blood,
That the Old dragon, with his mighty flood
Of Superstition, and persecuting fire,
Could not it spoil nor gain his curst desire.
The holy Scripture God to us has given
To guide our Souls in the right way to Heaven.

[Page 119]Though Satan has made oppositions strong,
Yet still we have it in our Mothers-Tongue.

 [...]nd by this means, most plain J come to know,
The very foot-steps where the flock did go.
Apostate.
Though you of Scripture seem to make your boast,
Your hopes of that will sudenly be lost.

 [...]or you much longer it an't like to have,

 [...]our Souls and others thus for to deceive,

 [...]or holy Church once more will quite destroy
This English God which they seem to enjoy.
Thou art unlearn'd, the Scripture dost not know,

 [...]ut wrestest them unto thy overthrow.
Youth.
They are unlearn'd whom God has never taught,

 [...]ut have in 
Popish darkness up been brought,

 [...]hey are unlearn'd who never had the Spirit,
Who think they can by Works Salvation meri
 [...].
They are unlearn'd, who foolishly deny

 [...]he Spirits Teachings and Authority

 [...]or to excel all humame Arts and Science,

 [...]nd on man's teaching wholly have reliance.

 [...]hey are unlearn'd, or very poorly read,

 [...]hat teach Christ Jesus is a piece of bread,

 [...]hich Rats and Mice may eat, and vomit up,

 [...]nd do deny the Laity the Cup.

 [...]r those for whom Christ did his Body break

 [...] of the Cup did bid them all partake.

 [...]hey are unlearn'd, who think that Purgatory,
On be ought else than a meer feigned Story.
They are unlearn'd, whose Doctrine doth declare,

 [...] Church two heads doth on its shoulders bear,

[Page 120]That Woman which has any Husbands more
Than only one, is a notorious Whore.
That man's unlearn'd, who learned never hath
The 
ABC of the true Christian Faith.
That man 
I grant is wholly yet unlearn'd,
Who ne
 [...]er knew himself, nor yet discern'd
The cursed nature of his heinous Sin,
Nor what estate by nature he is in.
That man's unlearn'd who never went to School,
To learn, for Christ, how to become a Fool.
That man's unlearn'd, yea, and a very Sot,
Who hath his Soul and Jesus Christ forgot,
And doth esteem Earth's empty vanity,
Above that good which Saints in God espy.

I am unlearn'd, and yet have learned how
To crucifie the flesh, yea, and to bow
To Jesus Christ, and for his precious sake,
His yoke and burden willingly to take,
And follow him where-ever he doth go,
And him alone determine for to know.
Who for my sake upon the Cross did dye,
Him I have learn'd alone to magnifie,
And to exalt him as he's Priest and King,
And as my Prophet too in every thing.
And this, through grace, I learned have of late
To be content what ever be my state.
Some things, I must confess, I ne'er could lea
 [...]
Nor any ways perceive, see, or discern.

I never read of 
Peter's tripple Crown,
Nor that he ever wore a Popish Gown.
I never learn'd that he did Pope become.
Or Rule o'er Kings like to the beast at 
Rome.

[Page 121]J never learn'd that he kept Concubines,
Or ever power had to pardon sins.

I never learn'd he granted Dispensations,
To poison 
Kings or 
Rulers of those 
Nations,
Who were prophane, or turned Hereticks,
Or did refuse the Faith of Catholicks.

I never read he was the Churches head,
Or did forbid the Clergy for to wed.
I never read that he had 
 [...]h
 [...]sts of Gold,
Or that great business by 
 [...] 
 [...]ere Sold,
I never read he's call'd His Holyness,
Yet had as much as any 
Pope, I guess.

I never learned 
Peter did magnifie
Himself above all Gods, or Gods on high,
Or that upon the neck of Kings he trod,
Or ever he in Cloth of Gold was clad.

 [...] never read that he made Laws to burn

 [...]uch as were hereticks or would not turn

 [...]o Jesus Christ, much less to murder those
Who did in truth Idolatry oppose.

 [...] never learn'd nor could unto this day
That th' 
Pope and 
Peter walk'd both in one way,
Yea, or that they in any thing accord,

 [...]ave only in denying of the Lord.

 [...] that they also greatly differ do,

 [...]f which I think to give a hint or two,


 [...]eter deny'd him▪ yet did love him dear,

 [...]he Pope denyes him, and doth hatred hear

 [...]o him, and to all those that do him love,

 [...]ho bear his Image, and are from above.


 [...]eter deny'd him, and did weep amain,

 [...]he Pope denyes him with the greatest disdain.

[Page 123] 
Peter deny'd him yet for him did dye,
The Pope in malice him doth crucifie.

Peter denyed him thrice, and then repented,
The Pope a thousand times, but ne'er relented.

Peter and 
John no mighty Scholars were,
Yet few for knowledge might with them compare.
Poor Fisher-men do find the way to Heaven,
When Scholars go astray, who Arts have seven.
The Learned School-men put our Lord to Death,
And very few of such Christ called hath.
But poor despised persons he doth call,
And passeth by the high-flown Cardinal.
For human learning, and such kind of preaching,
Is nothing to the blessed spirits teaching.
I Learning like▪ and grant that men may use it,
Yet would I not have them to abuse it.
Apostate.
Leave off these canting strains, and don't deride
Our holy Father, for I can't abide
To hear such prating fools. Are you so wise?
Dare you the holy mother Church despise?
'Tis that Religion I like best of all.
The Pope 
I do adore and Cardinal.
There's Pomp and Riches, and a worldly glory,
What you talk of, is an unpleasant story,
There's Pleasure, Profit, safety and much ease,
Which doth the flesh as well as spirit please.
Here's Heaven and Earth, 
what canst thou more desire ▪
Or of thy God, or any man require?
Thy way th' hast lost, and 
Canaan wilt not see,
Therefore with speed turn back again with me,
Professor.
[Page 123]Could I no other Reason give or urge
To prove 
Rome's Church untrue, I can't but judge
This which you speak, doth plainly it declare,
For in Christs Church no such vain 
Pomps appear;
No worldly glory doth Christs Church adorn,
For she's afflicted, much despis'd and torn.
Her beauty can't with outward eyes be seen,
Her beauty and her glory are within.
When 
John sets forth the Anti-christian state,
Much 
outward P
 [...]mp, 'tis true, he doth relate;
The 
Whore is deckt with 
Gold, brave stones & 
Pearl,
Who at poor 
S
 [...]n doth with envy snarle.
No liberty to th' flesh the Lord doth give;
Saints must alone after the Spirit live;
No serving God and Mammon, 
Sir, 'tis plain,
To hell you go, except you're born again.
If you'll be 
Christs, with 
speed then turn you must
To crucify the Flesh, with all its lust.
No cause have I to 
 [...]ar to go astray,
Whilst I walk daily in the narrow way.
All those who do Gods holy Word contemn,
No Light nor Truth is there at all in them.
Their feet on the dark Mountains soon will fall,
And utter Ruin will o're-take them all.
But as for me, no cause have I to doubt,
But I shall find this blessed 
Canaan out.
To turn to 
Aegypt with you, back again,
The thoughts of it my soul doth much disdain.
Dost think I'll leave my 
Qu
 [...]ils and 
Manna rare,
For 
stinking Garlick, and 
b
 [...]e Onions there?
Apostate,
[Page 124]For all your Courage, Sir, I do suppose,
You will repent that ever you have chose
To leave the Comforts of a preci
 [...]us World,
And with sound zeal thus blindly to be hurl'
 [...]
You are a man that might 
 [...] be
Unto great honour, state and di
 [...]nitie.
Your Father's Master of a good Estate,
And you too are his heir, I 
 [...]ear of late.
But if you don't this new Religion leave,
One Groat of him you are not like to have.
Professor,
This World in a just Ballance oft I try,
And find it lighter far than Vanity.
Riches, alas! they are but bags of cares,
And 
honours nought, save fool-bewitching snare
 [...]
Your outward joy will turned be to sadness
Your pleasure into pain, your 
wisdom's madness▪
You catch at nothing, 'tis at best a bubble,
Which long you cannot keep, altho' you double
Your diligence, and think to hold it fast,
'Twill fly with speed, 'tis but an empty blast.
What frantick fit is this? Will you destroy
Your higher hopes for such a fancy'd joy?
This 
World's just like th'S
 [...]rump
 [...]t, of whom 
 [...]'
 [...]e rea
 [...],
Who with sweet Fumes in
 [...]ice
 [...]h to her Bed.
With amorous G
 [...]ances promises a bliss,
And hides destruct on with a feigned Kiss.
She has her Tricks, and her ensnaring Wiles,
But lodges Death under deceitful Smiles.

S
 [...]e 
 [...]ugs t
 [...]e S
 [...]ul she 
 [...]tes, yea, and doth prove
A very 
J
 [...]das where she feigns to love.

[Page 125]Take heed therefore, 
lest you be catch't i'th' snare,
And buy your late Repentance much too dear.
These 
Comforts here, which you do 
precious call,
Each wise man sees they're vain and flitting all.
To think I should repent, no cause is there,
If things by you rightly consider'd were.
What 
Moses chose of Old, the same do I,
All vain allurements I do quite defy.

 [...] knew, when first my Journey I did take,
I must my Fathers house learn to forsake.

 [...]n 
Abraham's steps I am resolv'd to go,
What-ever 
I exposed am unto.
What-e'er 
I lose, 
Christ will make't up to me,
When 
 [...] of 
Canaan shall possessed be.
I seek no honour here from any one,
True honour comes 
(dear Sir) from God alone.▪
To be an Heir unto a great Estate,
Or Son unto some earthly Potentate,

 [...]s nought to what, by Grace, 
 [...] am born to.
My Portion's great, i know not how to show
I'm heir unto the mighty King of heaven.
To me, e'er-long, sweet 
Canaan will be given.
I do resolve to hold out to the end,
Altho' I han't one Groat nor earthly Friend
To favour me; I never will return
Until this glorious 
Canaan I have won.
Apostate,
What ground have you (
my friend) for to believe
If you forsake all things, you shall receive

 [...]his land you speak of, for your own possession?
Unto your heart 'tis good to put this question;

[Page 126]For divers do unto great things lay claim,
Yet some oft-times, I see, and sure I am,
Unto such Lands can no good title shew,
Although they strive for them, as you may do.
If you should sell what-e'er you have for this,
And yet at last should also of it miss,
You'l see your self at length then quite undone
Consider of't and back with me return,
For no good title of it can be had,
'Twas this, alas! which once did make me sad
To save my own, I thought, 'twas best for me
Unless of this I could assured.
Professor.
Don't think you shall my zeal for Heaven co
 [...]
Nor my dear Soul with fancies thus be fool.
Rouse up 
(my Soul) now in thy own defence,
And shew thy clear, thy precious evidence.
Can any thing be plainer here on Earth,
'Twas purchas'd for me by Christ 
Jesus's Death.
The Father doth his Kingdom own, and he
For his own Child has late adopted me.
And if a Child, I also am an Heir,
And shall with Jesus this like glory share.
Apostate.
How do you know you be his Child? in this
You may mistake, and so may 
Canaan miss.
Professor.
My late conversion doth most plainly prove,
My inward birth is truly from above.
The Truth and Conscience both agree in one,
I am through Grace no Bastard, but a Son.

[Page 127] 
 [...]ose whom God doth by his own Spirit lead,

 [...]ey are his Sons, you in the Scripture read.

 [...]ies all this, since I did first believe,

 [...] earnest of this Land I did receive.
A
 [...]d divers promises also there be,

 [...]ich bind it firmly over unto me.

 [...]ot my title unto Heaven good,

 [...]hen sign'd and seal'd to me by Christ his blood?
Y
 [...]u see by these I have a certain ground,
And good assurance for Gods Kingdom found.

 [...] you, as it appears, do quite dispair,
Without all hopes of ever coming there.
Apostate.
Nay, stay a little, don't affirm that neither,

 [...]y may not I as soon as you, come thither?

 [...]ough in that way in which I late did walk,

 [...]as deceiv'd with many other folk;

 [...]d thought that heaven was intail'd to those

 [...]hich did the 
Pope and Church of 
Rome oppose.

 [...]inking a man a separate must be

 [...]m that same Church or else could never see,

 [...]d, nor injoy eternal Peace and Rest;

 [...]d therefore I, like others, did protest

 [...]inst that Ancient Mother-Church, whom now

 [...]n resolv'd to own, yea, and to bow

 [...]wn unto her, with all humble subjection,

 [...]inking tis best for safety and protection,

 [...]solving never more to vex my mind,

 [...] 
I have done; for I shall sooner find

 [...] this smooth way, assurance for Salvation,

 [...]an if I had kept in my former station.

[Page 128]Hopes I may have, no certain ground I know
The Church affirms we can attain unto.
But Promises most clear are made to those
Who seek for the Old Way, and with it close:
And that 
Rome's Church can plead Antiquity,
No 
Protestant I'm sure can it deny:
Yea, and must grant, whatever's their professi
 [...]
That none, save 
Rome, can prove their true 
Success
 [...]
From those brave Churches which first 
planted 
 [...]
By the Apostles as their 
Acts declare.
And therefore (
Youth) you must no longer boast
Of 
 [...]ith and Confidence, for you have lost
Your Way to heaven; and must therefore look
Unto that Church which long has been forsook.
From the true Church to rend and schismatize,
Is a sad thing, though many it dispise.
For though Corruption in the Church there be,
Yet all should walk in uniformity.
Professor.

Sir, I deny your Churches Constitution,
Which makes me loath you, & for your pollution
Corruption, and vile spots, they are so bad,
No Church of Christ the like hath ever had;
Which 
I resolve fully to make a pear
Before I'll leave you, if you'r pleas'd to hear.
Apostate.
Rome
's Church was rightly gather'd that's most clea
 [...]

Saint Paul 
himself to this doth Witness bear.

Faith and Repentance truly did they own,

And were baptized in due form 'tis known;

N
 [...] Church in Constitution right has been,

If that our C
 [...]ur
 [...]h i'th' least doth 
 [...]ail herein.
Professor.
[Page 129]
 [...] Church▪ 
I grant, was true i'th' Apostles days,

 [...] yours from that doth differ many ways▪


 [...]me's Church was very famous heretofore,

 [...]t is become the scarle
 [...] coloured Whore.

 [...]om the true Faith she has departed quite,

 [...]d the true Church was forc'd to take her flight

 [...]to the dark and howling wilderness,

 [...]here she lay hid in sore and great distress,

 [...]om the vile Beasts, and Dragons furious rage,
And so remained until this latter Age.

 [...] 
Rome's Church now were like unto the old,

 [...]hen with the 
Romanists we all would hold,
But when she is become Christs Enemy,

 [...] 

 [...]d out of Babylon doth bid us fly.

 [...]f you can prove 
Romes Church hath not declin'd

 [...]rom that Church-state by 
Paul himself defin'd,
Then you will undertake for to do more,
Than any Papist ever did before.

 [...]he 
Jewish Chu
 [...]ch God once did own and love,

 [...]ut for their Sins he did them quite remove

 [...]ut of his sight, they'r broken for their sin,

 [...]ith other Churches, which have famous been,

 [...]nd yet do keep some outward form and show

 [...]f Worship and Church-state, as Rome may do.

 [...]ho has, in Truth, nought left save a bare name,

 [...]s has been clearly prov'd by men of fame.

 [...] you would bring your Visibility,

 [...]o prove your Church is true; I do reply,

 [...] 
 [...]etter Argument I need not bring

 [...]o prove you'
 [...] false, than that same very thing.

[Page 130]For the true Church was hid, did not appear
A thousand two hundred and sixty year.
And then wheras you in the second place
Mention Antiquity, 'tis a clear case
Your Church is under age, yea much too young
Out of th' Apostacy, alas, she sprung.
A Bastard Church, base-born, meer National,
And therefore that's for you no proof at all.
The fleshly seed i'th' Church must not be brough
 [...]

John Baptist and our Saviour both so taught.
Christ's Church is gather'd by regeneration,
and not as 'twas in former dispensation.
You in a lineal way do go about,
To take in those whom Jesus hath shut out.
The Ax is now laid to the root o'th' l
 [...]e,
And every one true penitent must be,
And must obtain of God true saving Grace,
Who in his holy Church would have a place.
Your Church is not so gather'd, therefore I
Deny your Church and its Antiquity;
That Church which is uph
 [...]ld by th' carnal Sword,
And not by th' Power of God's holy Word,
Is very false. And that 
Romes Church is so,
Not a few worthy Authors plainly show.
And whereas she much boasts of Holiness,
No People, doubtless, in the World have less;
For 
Rome, like to a stinking common shore,
Receives what every one casts forth o'th' door.
She's like a cage of every hateful 
 [...],
As is recorded in Gods sacred Word.
The Coun
 [...] which an ancient Author gave,
Let ev'ry Soul with special care receive.

[Page 131] 
He that w
 [...]uld holy li
 [...]e, from Rome 
be paking,

There's all thi
 [...]gs else, but Godliness i
 [...] l
 [...]king.
She also doth Doctrines of Devils hold,
According as th' Apostle hath fore-told.
In charging people to abstain from meat,
Which God alloweth us freely to eat.
And in denying persons for to wed,
Though God allows the undefiled Bed.
By means of these most cursed Prohibitions
Your Clergy stinks alive with gross pollutions.
And many of your filthy Popes of 
Rome
Have 
Sodomites and 
Buggerers become;
Whor
 [...]dom and Incest they have minc'd so small,
As scarce to count them any sin at all.
Most cursed 
St
 [...]ws allowed a
 [...]e by them,
Whom none i'th' 
Popedom dare i'th' least condemn.
Vile 
Ni
 [...]m
 [...]n
 [...]ers many of them were,
Haters of God no sin (in truth) is there,
But some o'th' 
Popes of it have guilty been,
As may upon Record be early seen.
Is this your holy 
Head and reverent 
Father,
Next unto Christ Supream? is he not rather
A Devil incarnate? the worst of Mankind,
Who can in Hell a viler Sinner find?

I
 [...] Rome Christ's Church, Christ's Spouse, his only Love,
His und
 [...] 
 [...] One, and spotless Dove?

Si
 [...], don't mistake, she is that 
Scarlet Whore,
Whom 
Jo
 [...]n characterized heretofore.
Which 
I shall full evince and make appear,
If you with patience will but lend an ear.
Apostate.
[Page 132]I find you in Reproches free enough,
But shall expect you so too in your Proof.

Those Common Epithets of Beast 
and Whore,

Are daily flung at every bodies doore,

But for to warrant your severer doom,

Prove that they properly belong to Rome.
Professor.
That truth Gods secret Word doth well explain;
That City which o're Kings of th' Earth did reign,
Was that same Whore, the Spirit clear doth show,
And that Rome was the City, all men know,
Who then above all others bore the sway,
'Twas 
Rome the Nations fear'd and did obey.
And still you Papists to her Bishops give.
Headship ov'r all who on the Earth do live:
Before him Kings and Emperors must submit,
That so he may the mighty Monarch sit.
Whil'st absolute pow'r he claims, and 
Soveraignty
Above all Princes, by his Tyranny.
From whence all persons may conclude it true,
By their first Mark, the title is his due.
The second Character of 
Babylon,
Is 
Pompe and 
Sate, wherein she proudly shone.
That 
Rome has been a rich gay costly Whore,

England once found, I wish she may no more.
Infinite Sums almost she squeez'd from hence,
For Pardons, Obits, Annates, 
Peter-pence

And through each Land, where she her t
 [...]i
 [...]m
 [...]hs led,

Wh
 [...]l
 [...] swarms of Lucusts, Priests, and Friers were p
 [...]ad,
These (as the 

 [...]zar
 [...]s to the 
Tu
 [...])
Were faithful slaves 
 [...]i
 [...] to promote her work.

[Page 133]Whilst to maintain those drones she swept away,
The fat and we
 [...]l
 [...]h of Nation
 [...] for their prey.
In the thir
 [...] pla
 [...], 
she doth mens Souls 
 [...]nslave,
This mark in 

 [...]m ▪ most evident we have.
With dangerous Vows, unwarranted Traditions,
Implicit Faith and thousand Superstitions,
Pretended Miracles, Apparent Lyes,
Damnable Errors and fond Fopperies,
She clogs the Conscience, and to make all well,
Boasts all her dictates are infallible:
And then (to fill her measure) i'th' last place,
'Tis said she would Gods precious 
Sion raze.
This can of none but 
R
 [...]me be understood,
That drunken 
Whore, who reels in Martyrs blood;
As I more largely now shall make appear,
And then with patience your excuses h
 [...]ar.
Within the compass of six t
 [...]us
 [...]nd years,
Has been presented to the Eyes and Ears
Of future Ages, the most s
 [...]d Contents
Of bloody Tragedies, the dire events
Of dreadful Wars, in sev'ral Generations,
The overthrow of many fruitful Nations:
But all comes short of 
Romes most 
 [...]lood
 [...] bill,
Which doth the Earth with Sanguine vo
 [...]umns fill.

Jerusa
 [...]em that City of Renown,
Sack't by 
Vespasian, burnt and bro
 [...]n down;
It was indeed a dreadful Desolati
 [...]n,
And so have Conquerors dealt with many a N
 [...]tion
All Conqu'rors e
 [...]er found a time to cease,
When once they'd conquered, t
 [...]n they were at peace.
They murder'd not, but such as would 
 [...] yield,
To own them for their Lords: and in the field

[Page 134]They slew them too, with weapons in their hand,
For their defence, and always ready stand
To give Quarter to those that it demand,
But this 
vile Strumpets blood-be-dabbled hands
Finds not a period, never countermands
Her cruel rage, her murders know no end,
She slaughters when she pity doth pretend:
Years terminate not her blood-thirsty acts,
She slays without examining their facts.
In times of Peace her treach'rous hands have shed,
Blood without measure: she hath murthered
By cursed 
Massacrees, her Neighbours, when
They thought themselves the most secure of men.
One might fill volumns with her bloody story,
In which she still persists: Makes it her glory
T' invent strange 
Torments to deprive the breath
Of 
Christians, by a tedious lingring death.
The brutish 
Nero first of Tyrant Kings,
From whose base root nine other Tyrants springs,
Whose most inhumane Acts, not to their glory,
Did leave the world a lamentable story;
And to their lasting and eternal shame,
Did purchase to themselves that hateful name
Of 
Bloody Monsters in the shape of men,
Whose cruel acts deserve an I
 [...]on 
Pen,
That might perpetuate to after-times,
These Heathens Cruelty; record the Crimes
For which these 
Christians willingly laid down,
Their earthly houses for a heavenly Crown.
Refl
 [...]ct a while (
Sir) and but cast your eye,
First on those Heathen Emp'rors cruelty.

[Page 135]Then view the bloody 
Papists, and compare
Their Cruelties together, and as far
As 
Egypts Darkness did exceed our Night,
Or Midnight differs from the Morning-light,
So far the 
Papist's Cruelty does exceed
The worst of 
Heathen Tyrants, and indeed
The worst of Tyrants, since the world began,
Or since dissention fell 'twixt man and man.
If 
Cyp
 [...]ians and 
Eusebius words be true,
These persecuting Emp'rors yearly slew
Millions of Souls, shedding their guiltless Blood,
Which ran like waters from a mighty flood.
So void their hearts were of all humane pity,
They spar'd no 
Age, nor 
Sex, nor 
Town, nor 
City.
The things wherein these Christians did offend,
Were only this, they did refuse to bend.
Their Heaven devoted knees, or fall before
Those Idol-Gods th
 [...]se Emp'rors did adore.
They did believe 
One God created all,
They did believe in 
Christ, and down did fall
Prostrate upon the Earth, and daily bring
S
 [...]crifice only to that Heav'nly King.
Their Emperors Gods these 
Christians did deride,
This was the cause so many Millions dy'd.
These Emperors thinking themselves engag'd
Their Idols to revenge grew more enrag'd,
To see the Christians boldly to despise
Their Gods, and honour 
Christ before their Eyes:
They did conclude the nature of th' offence
Deserv'd no less tha
 [...] Death for recompence.

 [...] may we 
 [...]
T
 [...]se Heathen 
 [...] such Cruelty.

[Page]'Twas not because they 
worship not aright,
But worshipt not at all, nay, did despight
Unto these Idols which they Gods did call,
Affirming, that they were no Gods at all.
An act not to be born by flesh and blood,
To have the Edicts of their Gods withstood.
Yet in the midst of all those Tyrants rage,
Serious advice a little would asswage
Their hellish Fury, and for some time cease,
And give the Christians a breathing space.
And when as those 
ten Em
 [...]e
 [...]ors ceas'd to be,
Then terminated all their Cruelty.
3 Hundred years accomplisht their 
fi
 [...]rce wrath,
And then the 
Heathens own'd the 
Christian Faith.
And now their Emp'rors do as much adore
The God of Heaven and Earth, as they before
Had done their Idols; and zealous for the Church,
Give great donations, make their Bishops rich.
And now proud 
Rome, since 
Constantine the great
Thou by degree
 [...] hast taken up thy Seat;
Puft up with Riches, swo
 [...]n with filthy Pride,
From Gods pure Laws hast quickly turn'd aside
And now such Bishops only dost thou chuse,
As God doth hate, and utterly refuse;
Proud, sensual, and void of th' holy Spirit;
Such as the Lord hath said shall not inherit
Eternal Glory; such thy Bishops be;
Who should be fill'd with Truth and Purity.
Shining like lights before the Flock, that they
The better might discern the perfect way.
B
 [...]t now inst
 [...]ad of such as these, behold
They are 
presumpt
 [...]ous proud, imp
 [...]rious, bold;

[Page 127] 
Changing the Worship that the Lord makes known,
And in its stead will introduce their own.
Yea, so presumptuous are they in their Pride,
As to affirm God's holy Word's no guide
For men to walk by; the only Rule that they
Do counsel men, nay, force them to obey,
Is their Traditions, which th' affirm to be
Far more authentick then our Lords Decree,
Within his holy Word he us hath given,
For a sure light to guide our steps to Heaven.
And now these 
Christians whose most tender heart
Dares not believe them, fearing to depart
From Gods directions, which in his bless'd word
He hath so plainly left upon record:
These are the men this wicked Strumpet hath
So often made the objects of her Wrath,
Making the Earth to drink the guiltless Blood,
Of such as for Gods holy Word have stood.
Oh! Let the blood-drunk Earth ne're cease to cry
Unto the Heaven enthroned Majesty,
'Till God take vengeance, as he did on 
Cain,
For all the righteous 
Abels she hath slain.
Not for denying, but honouring the Lord,
Yea, for believing that his sacred Word
Is the most perfect, and the truest guide,
The Rule by which all Doctrines should be try'd.
Our blessed Lord bids search them, for saith he,
They are the words that testifie of me.

 [...] h
 [...]re's the cause, behold the reason why

 [...]e Whor
 [...] h
 [...]s acted so much cruelty.

In 
 [...] 
 [...]hers doth this 
W
 [...]e 
 [...]vent,
W
 [...]reby she daily sl
 [...]ys the innocent.

[Page 138]The numbers she hath murder'd do surmount
The strictest of Arithmeticks account
What Country hath not tasted of the Cup,
That her most bloody hands have filled up?
How hath she stirr'd up Nations to engage
Against each other, to satisfie her Rage?
Where 
Millions have been brought unto the dust,
Only to satisfie this Strumpets lust;
That she the better might ingross the power
Of Hell into her hands, and so devour
At her blood-thirsty pleasure, such as she
Could not perswade to love Idolatry.
Perfidious 
France! whose most 
inhuma
 [...]e wrath
Passing the limits of a Christian Faith
Within the space of eight and twenty days,
Thy bloody hands most treacherously Betrays
Ten thousand Souls, and to that bloody score,
Adds quickly after twenty thousand more.
How many 
murders more that 
Popish Nation
Have done, the 
Romish Hist'ries make relation;
And yet from Cruelty, 
Rome has not ceas'd,
But as her years, her 
Murders have increas'd;
And swoln to bigger numbers in less space,
As 
Bellarmine affirmeth to her face;
Who thus attests, that from the morning light
Until the Sabel Curtains of the night
Were closely drawn, her bloody hands did 
 [...]ay
A hundred thousand Souls; O! let that day
In Characters of blood recorded be,
That may remain unto Eternity.
O let the E
 [...]th that drinketh in the rain,
That did receive the blood of all the slain;

[Page 139]Let both the Heavens, and the Earth implore
The God of Heaven to confound the Whore.
O poor 
Bohemia! thou hast had a taste,
When wicked 
Julian laid thy Country waste.
Burning thy Towns and Villages with fire,
Sparing not Young nor Old, nor Son nor Sire,
What multitudes unnumbred were thy slain,
Which in the field unburied did remain!
Thou found'st the Wolvish Popes in every age
Contrive thy ruin, many times engage
Thy Neighbour Nations to shed forth thy blood,
Only because faithful 
Bohemia stood

 [...]or Gods pure Worship, 
Martin the s
 [...]xth excites

Emperours, Kings, Dukes, Barons, Earles and 
Knights,
With one consent to fall upon that Nation,
On no less terms, than on their own Salvation;
Promising also upon that condition,
To give a full and absolute Remission
Unto the vilest sinner that e'er stood
Upon the earth, that would but shed the blood,

 [...]ough but of one 
B
 [...]hemian; O rage!

 [...]ot to be parallel'd in any age;

 [...]xcept that Monster, who did sore rebuke

 [...]he over charitable Popish Duke
Of 
D' Alva; and would you know his Crime?

 [...] was because that he in six years time,

 [...]rough too much lenity, caus'd not the earth
To drink more 
Christian b
 [...]a
 [...]d than issued forth

 [...] eighteen thousand Souls; 
 [...] the Duke

 [...]as thought by Papists worthy o
 [...] 
 [...]buke.

 [...]ighteen thousand in six years, so 
 [...]w,

 [...] of your 
 [...],

[Page 140]In humanely to murther? yea, indeed,
Because their former Numbers did exceed.
But if the Duke of 
Alva's bloody bill
Came short in number, yet his hand did fill
It up with Torments, so dreadful to rehearse,
As that the very thoughts thereof would pierce
A Marble heart, make Infidels relent;
Torments that none but Devils could invent,
But if all this was over, little still,
His Predecessors added to the bill.
For from the time that hellish Inquisition
Did from the Devil first receive Commission,
As well approv'd History doth relate,
Till thirty years expired had their date.
By cruel Torments which they still retain,
Was a hundred and fifty thousand slain:
And yet before they took away their bre
 [...]th,
They for some time did make each day a death.
Depriving them, as far as in them lay
O
 [...] all th' comfort that either night or day
Affords mankind; for them there was not found,
So much Sun-light as to behold the ground
On which they stood: Each day that giveth light,
Was unto them like 
Egyp
 [...] darkest Night

 [...] H
 [...]l
 [...]ish darkness thus they made them spend
Their weary hours, and kindly in the end
Destroyed them: the Company they had
Within those darksome Caverns, was their sad
And 
melancholy thoughts, their 
s
 [...]ghs and 
groans,
Their doleful Lodgings was upon the stones,
If noysom Creatures bred and foistr
 [...]d there,
Th
 [...]se 
noysome Creatures their Companions were

[Page 141]What food they eat, was only to secure
Their Souls alive, that so they might endure
The several Torments that they did provide,
And so a hundred and fifty thousand dy'd,
Beside what dy'd by persecuting hands,
Within the 
Popes Confines in several Lands.
Thus may I sooner spend my 
strength and 
tears,
And tire (if you regard) your eyes and ears,
Than give a full and absolute relation,
Of all the acts at 
Romes Abomination.
Oh! may my native Country rather hear
Their bloody Acts, than in the least part bear

 [...]er burthen, or behold her murd'ring hand
Once more spread thro' the Confines of our land.
But I perceive these truths are dully heard,
And that you little my discourse regard.
Apostate.
Yes, yes, I hear and smile, what 
Tragedies
You make of lawful just severities.
The Martyrs you applaud were Rebels too,
And still against Authority would go

 [...]f then they suffer'd, who (pray) is to blame?
Professor
That I have shewn already to their shame.

 [...]nd I would have my Country-men to take
Another taste, that may preserve awake
Their drowsie Souls, who take a dying nap,

 [...]uch like deluded 
Sampson on the lap

 [...] lustfull 
Delilah, whose treacherous breath

 [...]nds forth the Messenger of 
Sampsons death

 [...] not the Strumpets sugar'd words 
 [...]

 [...]hee to give credit t'her, that'
 [...] 
 [...]

[Page 214]To promise fairest when she doth intend
To deal falsest, she doth betray her friend,
Like wicked 
Cain, first of that sinful race
That slew his Brother smiling in his face.
From the first time that e're the hellish rage
Of Jesuits appeared on the stage
To act their parts in 
England, France, and 
Spain,
And 
Italy her bloody hands hath slain,
Nine hundred thousand souls or there about,
E're many years had run their hours out.
Of the 
Americans by 
Popish Spain,
In fifty years was fifteen Millions slain.
The poor religious 
Waldenses, whose e
 [...]e,
Like the quick-sighted 
Valtur, did espy

Romes filthy whoredoms, and freely disclaim
Her vile Idolatry, and hate the same;
Drunk dreadful draughts of 
Romes most bloody 
 [...]
Which she with Hell-bred fury poured up.
And for no other cause, her bloody hands
She did stretch forth, with hell inraged band
 [...],
Being sent abroad, forthwith to put to death
Both young & old, each man that draweth breat
 [...]
And yet, as if she had not been content
To murder Parents with their Innocent
And harmless Babes, as if their hellish-breath
Had now been spent with putting souls to deat
 [...]
Fourscore sweet Babes that never did offend,
Famish'd to Death, their harmless lives did end
Search, search into the deep Abyss of hell,
And see if all the Devils can parallel
So vile an act, O most imperious Treason
Against the King of Kings 
 [...] of 
 [...]

[Page 143] 
 [...]re Papists Christians, and are these their 
Acts

 [...]o punish such as ne're committed 
Facts?

 [...]re those right actings, fitting Gospel-times,

 [...]o lay on babes the weight of highest Crimes?
Did Christ do thus, or has he ever given
Them leave to deal so with the 
heirs of Heaven?
Those Murdered Souls under the Altar lie,
Crying, 
How long Eternal Majesty,

How long wil't be e're thou avenge thy Saint
 [...],

And lend an ear unto their Sad complaints?
These 
Waldenses being overcome and dead,
A little Remnant, that escaped, fled,
Taught by Dame Natures Moral Laws to save
Their much desired lives within a Cave
Did hide themselves, hoping at last, that they
Taking advantage of an another Day,
When Golden 
Titan had laid down his head,

 [...]pon the pillows of his Westren Bed,
And 
Pr
 [...]serp
 [...]na, Lady of the Night,
Had drown her Sable Curtains, then they might
Transport themselves into some other Land,
And so escape out of the Hunters hand.
But as the 
Hound that hunts the wearied 
Heart,
Doth ply their steps and never will depart
The Fields and Meadows or the silent Wood
Till they Surprize the Beast; ev'n so these blood▪
Devouring Monsters having found the Cave,
Most barb'rosly did make that place their grave,
Wherein four hunderd yielding up their breath,
Were in a barb'rous mannner choak'd to death.
No Nation in the World hath ever seen,

 [...] Foe so dreadful as the Whore has been,

[Page 144]It is far better to be overcome
By 
Turk or 
Heathen than by Christian 
Rome.
What part of 
Europe now can make their boast,
And say they have not tasted to their cost
Of 
Romish Mercy? Some are yet alive,
Whose Perants felt the Death she did contrive.
O 
Germans! thy poor distress'd Estate
Will speak to future Ages, and relate
Whole volumns of her bloody Murders, and
The Murder'd Souls of bleeding 
Ireland
Cry night and day for Vengeance, and implore
Gods 
Heaven enthroned Majesty e'er more,
To put a period to her Hellish Power,
That we may overtake her in an hour.
Those dreadful Murders, have the eyes and ears
Of some now living, heard and seen the Tears
Of Soul-afflicted Parents, whose sad eyes
Beheld their Murder'd Babes, and heard their cryes.
Their 
Daughters Ravish'd, and when that was done.
Cruelly Murdered; and the hopeful Son,
By unheard Torments, slain before their eyes,
Whilst they beheld their Childrens miseries:
Their Children murder'd, and their Wives defil'd,
Whose Bodies they ript up, being great with Child.
And all this, while Parents and Husbands were
Forc'd to behold, what flesh and blood can't bear
the bear Relation. What 
Adamant heart
Melts not, when I these dreadful things Impart?
Riping up Child-great-Women was not all,
For that, although inhumane, was but small,
Compar'd with othe
 [...] Torments they endur'd;
Whose Patience bore what could not else be cur'd;

[Page 145]Tearing out Bowels▪ Boyling Men alive.

These Dea
 [...]hs, and w
 [...]rse, those monsters did contrive.
We see how they have dealt with every Nation;
And shall we think at last to find compassion?
The piteous Cries of Parents ne're could move
Them to extend the smallest dram of love.
The Tears that ran from dying Infants eyes
Like plenteous showers from the darkned Skies,
Whose great abundance might have made a River,
Yet all these floods of bri
 [...]ish Tears could never
Enter a Papists heart so hard condens'd,
So voide of pity, and all humane sence.
To hear the doleful shrieks, and dying groans
Of poor distressed Babes, who make their moans,
To Soul-Afflicted-parents e'er they part,
These are the things delight a 
Papists heart;
To see the dying gasps before the Death
Of tortured Souls, whose life-forsaken breath
Had waited many a tedious hour past,
When their 
tormented Souls should breath their last.
Whose dolorous sighings penetrate the Skies,
Those objects do delight a 
Papist's eyes.
And can we now at last expect to find

 [...]hat 
Rome's grown merciful, and 
Papists kind?
No, no, we cannot do't, if we but fix
Our serious thoughts upon late Sixty Six:
When 
London was consum'd, that Famous City,

 [...]ts Ruins do be-speak them void of pity.
By 
Rome's contrivance was fair 
London burn'd,

Englands Metropolis to ashes turn'd.
T
 [...]eir Merchants of their Riches quite bereft,
To day Rich men, to morrow nothing left.

[Page 146]Their Wives and Children harbourless became,
Their substance all consumed in the Flame;
To day this Famous City's deck't in Gold,
To morrow an amazement to behold.
The doleful Shreiks, and lamentable Cries,
The floods of Tears that ran from weeping eyes,
As true resemblances, bid represent,
The sorrows that our Neighbours underwent.
And can we think that Hell-begotten Rage,
That did provoke so many to engage
In such an Act, far worse then th' 
Powder Treason,
Can we suppose, if we consult with Reason,
The Fury of their Hellish Rage expir'd
So soon as e're that famous place was fir'd?
No, no, (
good Sir) your Pardon, I presume,
Those Hell-engendered Flames that did consume
So fair a City in so short a space,
Hell gave those 
flames Commission down to raze,
Not only 
London, but every Soul that hath
A heart resolved to maintain the Faith
Of 
JESƲS, Protestants, both great and small,

Rome hath determin'd their eternal fall.
And those more Formal 
Protestants, whose Zeal
May secretly perswade them to conceal
Their seeming Faith, and feignedly to close
With 
Romes Erroneous Doctrine, and suppose
Thereby to save their Lives; let none believe
Such vain Perswasions, many did deceive
Themselves; for 
Rome, that painted Whore,
Will deal with them as she hath done before,
With such as hoped in the self-same kind,
To meet with 
Mercy, but nought less did find.

[Page]Christ never gave unto his Church Commission
For to make Laws for grievous Persecution.
No outward Force were they, i'th' least, to use,
Much less poor Innocents for to abuse,
By Burning, Starving, Roasting on a Spit,
And tauntingly to make Sport of it.
The holy Saints and People of the Lord,
Their only Weapon was Gods sacred Word.
With that bless'd Sword always they overcome,
And did Refute all Hereticks; but 
ROME
Makes use ('tis plain) o'th' Carnal Sword and Fire,
'Tis 
Blood, 'tis 
Blood, this Locust doth desire,
Death without Mercy, Acts of Cruelty,
The matter must decide continually.
The way they use to turn a Soul from Error
Is the most dreadful Flesh-amazing Terror
Of horrid Rack
 [...], whereon a Man must lie
Tortur'd to Death, dying, yet cannot dye.

 [...]trange kinds of Instruments devis'd to tear
The 
flesh from 
 [...]ff the Bones; These sometimes were
Her friendly Admonitions to reclaim
Such whom she doth for Hereticks defame.
What 
Massacrees hath she contriv'd by Night,
When Nature doth to Rest, each Man invite!
When 
sleep hath clos'd their Eyes, no 
thoughts of harms,
Did them possess, but in their folded Arms
Their 
Wives & 
Children lay, with hope, that they
Thro' Grace, might live to see another Day.
Then came 
these Murd'ring Butchers, sent from Hell,
Nothing but 
BLOOD would their vile Rage repel;

 [...]aying dear Babes and Mother in their gore,

 [...]ll all were dead they scorned to give o'er:

[Page 148]If these Church-dealings will not work contrition
She can erect a cursed Inquisition:
A dreadful place of Cruelty and blood,
Whose Torments scarcely can be understood.
A loathsom Dungeon and vile stinking Cell,
A place of Darkness, representing Hell;
VVhere nothing is so plentiful as Tears
And bitter sighs, and yet can find no ears
To hear their cryes and lamentable moans,
Nor hearts to pity them for all their groans,
VVhere many tedious days and nights they spend
Not knowing when their sufferings will have end,
If such like Arguments (
Sir) will confute
A Heretick, the 
Papists may dispute
VVith all the world, nay, 
Heathen Rome could never
Come nigh a 
Papist with their best endeavour▪
They scorn all 
Turk or 
Pagan (for contrival
Of Barbarous Cruelties) should be corrival;
For Inhumanities they most defie,
And scorn that 
Cann
 [...]bals should them come nigh.

A bloody 
Papist strives to counterfeit
The Plague of Hell, as far as Mans conceit
Can reach unto, or Devils could invent;
This is a 
Papists knocking Argument.
Thus, thus is 
Rome drunk with the 
Martyrs blood,
VVhich has run down like to a mighty flood.
O! it is 
Rome, that is that Scarlet Whore,
Which thus doth hate and persecute the poor,
And all which are unto Truth inclin'd,
To serve the Lord with a most perfect mind,
Accord
 [...]n
 [...] to the tenor of his Word:
All such the strives to put unto the Sword:

[Page 149]And suffers none to buy, nor sell, nor live,
But such as homage unto her would give.
Upon her head also Saint 
John did see
Was writ the cursed name of Blasphemy:
Setting her self on Gods Imperial Throne:
Saving, 
I am, besides me there is none.
I have the Keys of Heaven in my hand,
Both earth and Hell is at my sole command.
I shut and open unto whom I please,
I Torment give to some, to others ease.
Lo, thus God's secret Word doth point her forth,
This, this is she, there's none in all the Earth
That ever did adventure to lay claim
To that persumptuous and Blasphemous Name,
As King of Heaven, Earth, and Hell, but she,
Therefore 
Romes Church must the 
vile Strumpet be.
Apostate.
Sir, speak no more, forbear your sland'rous lyes,
The holy Church such murd'rous acts defies:
Do not believe all stories you do hear,
'Tis hard for you to make these things appear.
Professor.
These things were not (Sir) in a Corner done,
Besides, I never yet have heard of one
That is for you, or standeth on your side,
Who by just proof these things ever deny'd;
For they, alas, notoriously are known,
And many 
Papists also them do own:
Besides, 'twas late some of these Cruelties
Murder and Blood, and barb'rous Tragedies

 [...]ere done, and acted; some alive now be
Who with their eyes these villanies did see.

[Page 150]About the Year (dear Sir) of Fifty five
A dreadful Massacree did 
Rome contrive
Near unto 
France, i'th' Dukedom of 
Savoy,
Where thirty thousand Souls she did destroy,
Who were Commanded without all delays

Papists to turn, and that within three days;
Who for refusing were then presently
Put unto Death with barb'rous Cruelty,
Some with 
sharp spears thrust thro' 
their privy parts,
Whil'st others stabbed were unto their h
 [...]arts.
Some 
Babes they cut in pieces, some they Roasted,
And some upon the tops of spears they tossed:
Virgins were Ravish'd, Widows and Wives,
All barb'rously deprived of their lives:
Some were drove forth on bitter Ice and Snow,
And many knock'd o'th' head as they did go.
Thus were those Souls brought into misery;
See it at large in 
Morlands History.
Two hunderd thousand Protestants or more
Were Massacreed by this vile bloody Whore

In Ireland; there's many now alive
who saw what kinds of deaths they did contrive,
By which some of their dear Relations then
Were tortured by those most bloody men.
How can you, Sir, these things i'th' least deny,
Which are so obvious unto ev'ry eye?
Apost.

Youth, 'tis the Faith of Roman 
Catholicks,

Thus for to deal with all vile Heretick;

Yet 'twas Rebellion too, say what you will,

For wh
 [...]ch the Church did many thousands kill▪

To Magistrates they d
 [...]sobed
 [...]ent were,

And therefore they just punishment did 
 [...]ear.
Professor
[Page 151]
Peter and 
John they Rebels were also,
By that same argument which use you do,
To Magistrates they did refuse to bend,
VVherein they knew they should the Lord offend.
In Civil things they always did submit,
And preached also, 'twas a thing most fit,
In things which unto man do appertain;
But Christ o're Conscience ought alone to reign.
Ev'n so those Martyrs bare an upright mind
Unto their Prince, and ever were inclin
 [...]d
In al
 [...] just things obedient for to be;
Yet did stand up for Christ his Soveraignty,
And were resolv'd in matters of their Faith,
To worship God, as holy Scripture saith,
According to that light which he doth give,
Up unto which each Soul on Earth should live.
And though your 
Church doth 
put poor men to Death,
'Twas from the Devil such curst Laws came forth.
The tares with wheat should grow unto the end,
Till God is pleas'd the Reapers for to send.
That 'twas from Satan, I don't doubt i'th' least,
For he did give unto this bloody Beast

 [...] Pow'r and Seat, and his Authority,

 [...] to effect all cursed villany,
Apostate.

T
 [...]y were some evil Persons, without doubt,


 [...] 
 [...]ept into the Church, that work
 [...] about


 [...] Murderous Deeds, the Church did not allow,


 [...] u
 [...]terly against them did a
 [...]
Professor.
[Page 152]The filthy Pope, and evil Cardinal,
With Bishops, Monks and Fryars you so call,
With fiery Jesuists, for to be brief,
In all these Murd'rous Acts these were the chief.

Bulls, false Pardons and 
cursed Dispensations
From bloody 
Rome has ruin'd many Nations.
You can't deceive, nor hood-wink the world more
Time has discovered the Scarlet Whore.
We now know how clearly to bring our Charge,
As I could shew, but that I can't enlarge.
Apostate.

I know not how further (Sir) 
to excuse

The holy Church; you put me in a Muse;

But she's more kind and gentle grown of late,

And doth such Cruelties Defy and hate.
Professor.

ROME to a Wolf may fitly be compar'd,
Who whilst against his will is quite debar'd
From seeking of his Prey, being ty'd in Chains,
Seems very peaceable, though he remains
A VVolf in Nature still, if ever he
At any Rate can get his Liberty,
Doth straight-way run, impatient of delay,
And cannot rest until he's got his Prey.
So 
Rome seems kind and gentle, until she
Can find again an Opportunity,
VVhich with unwearied Pains and often Tryal
She ever seeks, and hardly takes Denyal;
VVhich if she once obtains, she will not stay
From shedding Blood on Minute of a Day.
Apostate.
[Page 153]'Tis a vain thing with you for to Contend,
And therefore 
I had rather make an end;
'Tis out of love I speak, to have you leave
Your evil Errors, speedily to cleave
Unto that Church who only can decide
All Controversies, even to divide
The Truth from Error, Light from Darkness, so
That every one the ready way may go.
But you seem so resolved in your mind,
That little hopes, alas, of you I find.
But (
Youth) consider once again, I pray,
The Troubles of a now approaching day.
For sore Amazements will you overtake,
Unless you do your Purposes forsake.
If once our Church the Day obtains, be sure
Then down you Hereticks must go forever.
Let former stroaks of Justice take such place
As for to move you wisely to imbrace
That Counsel which in tender love I give,
That in Safety evermore you may live,
O
 [...] you'll Repent that ever you begun
These dangerous ways of Heresie to run.
'Tis a dark, doleful, dangerous Path you go,
Recant therefore as many others do.
Professor.
You may Mistake, sometimes the waters flow,
Yet on a sudden I observe them low.
A 
Hamon may maliciously devise
Poor 
Mordicai and others to surprize,
Yet may h
 [...]s Purp
 [...]ses meet with a Blast,
And he himself be hanged too at last.

[Page 154]The flesh with all its Lusts to Mortify,
Is hard to those that love Iniquity.
The Way to 
Papists wholly is Untrod,
And unto all who haters are of God,
The VVay seems Dark to you, Untrod, Uneve
 [...]
Hard 'tis to th' flesh, yet 'tis the way to Heaven
'Tis dark to you, because that you are blind,
And can't Gods Purpose in dark foot-steps mind.
I've a sure hand to lead my trampling Paces,
To 'scape the danger of those dang'rous Spaces.
I shall pass safe, by means of my best Guide,
Tho' thousands fall by me on every side.
For to turn back will prove a doleful fault,

I think upon the Monument of Salt.
I am Resolv'd a thousand Deaths to dye,
Before I'll ever yeild to 
POPERY.
Apostate.

Thou art too strict, too righteous and p
 [...]ecise,

Thou s
 [...]ight'st such things which prudent men do prize

Thou may'st have Christ, Pleasure and Honours too,

And saved be without half this ado.

There's very few, alas, are of your Mind,

Who unto Rome 
are not at all inclin'd.
Professor.
You now condemn me for my holy Life,
Wherein, 'tis true, I met with straits and strife
But when, 
dear Sir, you come at length to dye,
You'll blame your self, and me you'll justify.
Did ever any one on a Dying Bed
Lament that they were by Gods Spirit led
To crucifie their sins, and undertake
All things to leave for the Lord Jesus sake▪

[Page 155]If Righteous Ones, alas! scarce saved are,
It greatly doth behove me to take care
In holiness to walk, what e're you say,
I from the Paths of Life will never stray.
The Way I know is rough, 'tis hard and streight,
And leads me also through a 
Thorny gate.
Whose scratching Pricks are very sharp and fell,
The way to 
Heav'n is by the Gates of 
Hell.
Your way, 'tis true, seems very smooth and wide,
Since you from Christ have lately turn'd aside.
My Paths seem long, yours short and very fair,
Free from all Rubs and Snares, 
yet (Sir) beware,
The safest Path is not alwayes most even,
The way to 
Hell's like to a seeming 
Heaven.
Shall proud Flesh wantons for a moments pleasure,
Expose themselves to shame, and loss of Treasure?
They'l spend their 
strength, their 
Gold, and their 
E­states,
Amongst their sensual Dame hellish-Mates.
Shall cursed Pleasures thus be priz'd, and must
The joyes above be cheaper than a Lust?
Th'ambitious Gallant, for to hoyst his Name
Upon the wings of Honour and of Fame,
How will he venture on the point of Spears,
And face the mouths of Canons! nought the fears:
With Courage stout, how will he fight i'th' Flood,
When Brinish Seas are mixt with human Blood!
Shall wretched Man be at the Devils will,
And dangers run his Lust for to fulfil?
And shall not I, when God commands me forth,

 [...]ngage for him with all my might on Earth?
Or shall the promis'd Crown of endless Life,

 [...]e judg'd a Trif
 [...]e, and not worth a strife?

[Page 156]That which vain man accounts to be most rare,
Is not obtain'd but with much cost and care,
Things of great worth on Earth are got by pains,
And he who ventures nothing, nothing gains.
And shall I then be Startled with a Frown,
When full assur'd of an Eternal Crown?
The Strife which doth an holy Life attend,
Will recompenced be, I'm sure, i'th' end.
I will go on, since 
JESƲS doth invite me,
His strength is mine, and nothing shall afright me▪
Apostate

I do perceive you are resolv'd to run

In your strict Ways, until you're quite undone,

Yet hear a little what I have to sp
 [...]ak,

And you will find, 'tis best for you to take

The Counsel which I give; for you
 [...]l espy

Great Ruin fall upon you suddenly.

Your Father will 
 [...]o
 [...] own you for his Son,

If in this foolish strictness you'l go on;

His face expect hereafter not to see,

If this your purpose and you
 [...] pleasure be.
Professor.
If 
Father, Mother, and dear 
Brethren too
Forsake me quite, yet still, I well do know
My precious Saviour will my Soul embrace,
And I shall see sweet Smiles from his dear Face.
My self and my Relations all (though dear)
I do deny, such is the love I bear
To my dear Lord, whose Servant now am I,
And do resolve to be until I dye.
Come Life, Come Death for 
Canaan I'll endeavour
It is my home and resting place forever.

[Page 157]Better it is that Earthly Freinds abuse me,
Then that Christ Jesus should at last refuse me.
I'de rather bear my Fathers Wrath and Ire,
Then to be cast into Eternal Fire.
Apostate.
Fie, fie, 
Young-man, forbear, and take advice,
Let not hot zeal thy fancy thus intice,
For to refuse those pleasant things which you
May here enjoy, as many others do
'Tis much too soon for thee to mind these things,
For nought but Grief and Dotage from it springs;
'Twill dull thy wit, and make thee like a drone;
And thou'lt be slighted too by every one.
How mightst thou live at ease and pleasure have,
If once these ways thou wouldst resolve to leave;
And like a Flower flourish in the spring,
And with young Gallants might'st rejoyce and sing,
And spend thy days in Pleasure sweet and rare?
I prethee, 
Youth, consider, O take care
To chear thy heart; behold now in thy sight,
What Earthly joys most sweetly do invite.
Professor,
Young it is true, I am, and in my Prime,
Therefore resolve for to Improve the time;
The flower of my days, dost think I will
Give to the Devil, Lust for to fulfill?
Shall 
Satan have the primest of my days,
And put off Christ with base and vile delays,
Until Old Age, and then at last present
The dregs of Time to him? I'll not consent
To such vile thoughts, I will not lend an ear.
I to my saviour more aff
 [...]ction bear.

[Page 158]Since first of th'living Spring my Soul did drink.
All sinful Pleasures in my Nose do stink
More precious Joy I find in my dear Lord,
Than all this World doth, yea, or can afford.
If I am slighted for Christ Jesus sake,
And judg'd a Fool or Drone, yet I can take
All for him, who for me has under gone
More shame than this before his work was done.
This is my chosing time, I have made choice,
Gods Word I will obey and hear his Voice.
Gods Counsel 'tis, that first of all in Youth
I should him seek, and cleave unto the Truth
Your Counsel I abhor shall Iustful fire
Be kindled in my brest? shall my desire
Run out again to 
Aegypt's cursed stuff,
I know 'tis nought, of it I have enough.
Apostate.

Alas! the Journey's long, you'll wearied be,

And faint before that Kingdom you do see.
Professor.
Nay, 
Sir, be silent, that is false; for I
By Faith most clearly do the Land espy.
But is the Journey long? blame me no more,
Betimes i'th' morning I set out therefore.
Why didst thou say it was too soon for me
For to set out, if long the Journey be,
I do resove in Youth with speed to strive,
Lest I too late at last should there arrive.
While 
strength and 
youth do last, I'll bend my mind
To travel hard, because I clearly find
Old Age and weary Limbs quite out of case
To go a Journey or to run a Race

[Page 159]Alas! when night is ready to come in,
That's not a time this Journey to begin,
When Sun and Moon and Stars all darkned be,
And clouds return, that we no light can see;
When Rain and tempests do most sore appear,
And th' Keepers of the house all trembling are;
When the strong Men themselves are forc'd to bow,
And Grinders cease also, because that now
They are but few, and ready to fall out,
And those through windows which do look about,
Are become dim, nay, darkned, without Light,
And doors too in the street are shut up quite.
When the low sound o'th' Grinders scarcely heard,
He riseth up too at the voice o'th' Bird;
And all the Daughters of sweet Musick rare,
Are brought too low, don't for such Musick care;
And fears increase in thoughts of what's on high,
Fears in the way, and fears for what is nigh.
When flourish shall the Almond-Tree also,
And th' Grass-hopper shall be a burden too
When loosed is the precious silver Cord,
And Golden Bole is broken, as we have heard;
When the weak Pitcher at the Fountain's broke,
And th' Wheel at th' Cistern with a heavy stroke
When desire fails, and there, alas! is none,
What will such do who han't this Race begun?
Besides, tis clear, my Days Uncertain be
Old Age, alas, I may not live to 
 [...]ee.
Young Men are quickly gone; for 
I behold
D
 [...]ily, as Young as 
I, are turned to th' Mould,
M
 [...] own Experience doth discover this:
My Life a Bubble and a Vapour is▪

[Page 160]The Flower which doth spread, and is so gay,
Soon may it fade and wither quite away.
If I therefore have still much work to do,
Or, as you say, so long a way to go;
It doth concern me then, with all my power
For to improve each day, yea, every hour:
For days to come, I see, may not be mine,
My time I'll spend, not as thou spendest thine;
My weights I'll cast away this Race to run,
Stand still I must not, nor with thee return.
I must provide me Oyl, get Grace in store,
For e'er a while I shall be seen no more
This side the Grave; I haste therefore to meet
The glorious Judge at the great Judgment seat.
I must make haste, be swift like to the Sun,
Lest that my work's to do when Time is done.
Apostate.
To you, 
Young Man, I have declared much
Of the sad danger, but your Zeal is such,
Nought that I say, with you, takes any place;
You don't believe me, that's the very case.
But what's the Reason, 
Youth, so many folk
Decline those Paths in which you now do walk?
Were ways of your strict Holiness so sweet,
They in this sort would never back retreat;

I did resolve with others for to try,
And find you all deceived utterly;
Your whole Religion's nought but meer conceit,
Let none therefore thy Soul with fancies cheat.
Since wise men daily do your Ways for sake,
Be thou advis'd and other Counsel take.
Professor.
[Page 161]If thousands fall away it is no more
Th
 [...] 
 [...] the Scripture shews was heretofore.
Thousan
 [...]s of old from 
Egypt did adventure,
And yet 
 [...] of them did 
Canaan enter,
They never 
 [...]d of Christ a saving taste,
Who quite away their seeming hopes do cast;
Their hearts, al
 [...], are R
 [...]tten and Unsound,
Who in Christ J
 [...]sus never Sweetness found.
But what of this? Shall I my LORD deny,
Because that you some Hypocrites espy?
Those who do murmur in the Wilderness,
The Land of Promise never shall possess.
But if they will the gracious LORD revoke,
Shall I from thence resolve to slip the Yoke?
Because they don't the glorious Lord believe,
Shall 
Caleb think the Land he can't receive,
Because so many walk i'th' way to Hell,
Shall I conclude, that Heav'n don't excel
The vain enjoyments of an evil World?
Or shall with fancies thus my Soul be hurl'd?
To think, because that Swine the grains do chuse,
And Pearls do tread upon, and them refuse,
There is more worth in those base stinking grains
Than in those true 
Pearls which the 
Merchant gains?
Because these silly men have lost their Way,
Shall I on purpose therefore go astray?
Because that 
Judas did for thirty Pence
Sell his dear Lord, shall I conclude from thence

Peter a Fool, who priz'd his favour so,
That for his sake all things he'd under go?

[Page 162]If fearful Souldiers basely quit the field,
Shall valiant Chapions therefore strait way yield
Most Cowardly unto their treacherous Fo,
Whom they assured were to overthrow.
If Mariners unskill'd in Navigation
Are split on Rocks, shall then in the Nation
That have that curious Art resolve therefore
Never to use the Art of Sailing more?
Because the Sluggard sees the Winds do blow,
The rain descending with cold Hail and Snow,
He doth give o're, and says, no longer will
Remain i'th' field his barren Land to till.
Shall faithful Husband-men from the like ground,
Who have oft times by good experience found,
Without they sow, no Harvest they can have;
Resolve the painful labour quite to leave?
He that won't Plow because o'th' Snow and Rain,
Shall beg at Harvest, and shall nought obtain.
So in like sort, to mind my present case,
'Cause persons void of God's true saving Grace
D'Apostatize, as you your self have done,
Must I to th' Devil with you headlong run?
'Cause some Professors secretly do love
Some base Corruptions, doth this therefore prove,
There's none sincere for God in all the Earth,
Whose Souls exper'ence do the second birth?
I for my part, through Grace, have this to say
I never shall, nor can I fall away.
All those whom God has unto Jesus given,
They never can be dispossess'd of Heaven;
The promise o
 [...] Eternal life is theirs,
And they like 
Isaac, even so are Heirs,

[Page 163]Who could not miss nor dispossessed be,
Unless God's Word's made a meer Nu
 [...]lity,
God's Covenant also with Christ doth stand,
Who can supply our wants on ev'ry hand.
Sin shall not reign, such is our happy case,
We are not under th' 
Law, but under 
Grace.
This Covenant is not like to the Old,
We of a surer Person now have hold
We stand not now as 
Adam did, 'tis plain,
God never will trust that Old Man again.
Our Credit's nothing worth, our Surety
Is in our room, our wants he must supply.
Besides all this I'le hint another thing,
Which to my Soul doth much refreshment bring:
He that's the Author of my Faith, 
I spy,
Will finish it himself assuredly.
He that in me has a good Work begun,
Will perfect it also, e're he has done,
Within God's Saints Eternal Life doth dwell;
This would remove the doubt, consider'd well;
Those unto whom Eternal Life is given,
How can it be that such should miss of Heaven?
And now to 'breviate, 'tis my intent,

Sir, if you please, to frame an argument.
If the new Creature in the Souls of men,
Is of God's Spirit born, I argue then,
The same in nature, it, be sure, must be,
Which cannot death, or like mutation see;
But that 'tis of God's Spirit born, is clear,
As 
John the third doth make most plain appear.
The Seed also doth in their souls remain,
They cannot sin to death, who're born again;

[Page 164]Gods fears moreover is so in their heart,
That they from him shall never more depart.
Thus is my standing very firm and sure,
And to the end I know I shall endure,
And as for those who fall away and dye,
I shall discover clearly, by and by,
What kind of Men and Women they are all,
Which will hold forth the cause too of their fall.
Apostate.

Most confident, I do perceive, you are,

Daunted at nothing, yet pray let me hear

Those Persons Names which you did lastly meet,

Who finally resolve for to retreat,

And leave those paths which you seem to commend;

Come, speak to this, and we will make an end.
Professor.

Sir, unto me it doth most plain appear,
As if they Cowards and faint-hearted were;
Under their Tongues also close secretly,
Some pleasant morsels, I am sure do lie:
And in them all doth reign some cursed evil,
VVhich makes them to conform unto the Devil
Apostate.

As you supose, but pray (Youth) 
have a care,

For they sincere and sober People are.

And I do question whether yea or nay,

Thou do'st them know; what further hast to say?
Professor.
I told you, (
Sir) I knew them very well,
And since you urge me, I resolve to tell
What kind of folk they are, and also shall
Their Names discover unto great and small;

[Page 165]Master 
Fea
 [...]ful was one that I did see,
With him was goodly 
Sensuality.
With Dame 
Mis-belief, and Goodman 
Out-side,
Who turn'd from Christ, as soon as they were try'd:
One 
Ʋnbelief, a very wicked man;
Turn him out of his way, there's no man can.
Besides them also, there's one 
Earthly heart,
Who loves nothing so well as Plow and Cart:
Also, there's 
Esau Faint-heart, most Profane,
That sells his Birth right, Pottage to obtain;
With 
Belly god, a Man that I do find
Flesh-pots and Onions chiefly he doth mind.
There's Mistress 
Discontent too, with the rest,
Who would have nought but what she liketh best.
Master 
Hot-love, Soon-Cold also was there,
Lately, for zeal, with him few could compare;
There's 
Ishmael Legal-heart, in truth also,
When Troubles rise, he strait away doth go
With Master 
Balaam, who doth Jesus leave
The Wages of Unrighteousness to have.
Some People also I have lately met,
Who were with sin most easily beset;
And divers heavy weights also they bore,
Which wearied them, and made them to give o're.
A Gentleman I also did behold,
Whose trade was great, and store he had of Gold,
He's going back with sorrow, I do know,
Because he can't have 
Christ and the 
World too.
One Master 
Atheist, that I think's his Name,
As like your self as if he were the same;
He's fallen back so far, and turn'd aside,
That at Religion he doth much deride;

[Page 166]He thinks Religion's but a foolish thing,
Which doth no comfort, nor no profit bring.
This is too true, you also are the man,
To clear your self, deny it if you can;
No marvel 'tis you play the Devils part,
In labouring thus for to deceive my heart,
And blind mine eyes, if that thou knewest how;
Thou'dst make me like thy self, and therefore now
I am resolv'd with thee for to ingage,
Who striv'st to stop me in my Pilgrimage.
A Foe more vile than you, what Soul can meet?
I'l therefore bring you down unto my feet.
Some stones I think to fetch out of God's Book,
Though like 
Goliah you'd seem to look,
Yet in his Name, whom you so much defy,
I shall prevail against you, by and by.
I thought, I must confess, some years ago,
I should not in the least been stopt by you;
Or that I should have met with Opposition
With such a Foe to add to my affliction.
But since this is my sad unhappy fate,
I'll add a line or two to vindicate
The Dreadful God, so far as lies in me,
I'll vindicate that Glorious Deity;
Who in my Soul his Image so has set,
That I his Glorious Being can't forget.
Shall he which form'd both Heaven and the Earth,
From whom 
I have my precious life and birth,
Be trod upon, nay, utterly deny'd?
What Soul can such a sinful Wretch abide.
Who strives at once, if that you could it do,
The life of Religion to o'erthrow.

[Page 167]Hast thou got ought to speak, and wilt thou enter
On the debate? yea, durst thou to adventure
To o'pe thy mouth i'th' least for to defend
Those thoughts of thine, which clearly ascend
From hell beneath? thou'lt prove thy self thereby
The Devil's Friend, 
Jehovah's Enemy.
Apostate.

Thou childish Lad, do'st think I am afraid

For to declare my self, or am dismay'd

By silly dreams and Fa
 [...]ies, which afright

Those simple Ones who dare not walk i'th' night;

Who startle at the shadow which they see,

And think the Devil's 
near, when 'tis a tree?

And since I do perceive you understand

What my Opinion is, I do demand

How you can prove, and fully make appear

The
 [...]e is a God; for none at all I fear.

No God nor Devil I at all believe,

Nor is there any Heaven to receive

T
 [...]e Souls of Holy Men when they do dye ▪

Nor is there any Hell of Misery

For Sinners after death, as you co
 [...]ceit;

A
 [...]l is no
 [...]ght else, save a Rel
 [...]gious C
 [...]eat.
Professor.
Dare you your Maker, thus with impudence,
Deny and tread upon? Such insolence
What Soul can hear! what Age can shew the like,
Where so much Light hath been! shall Mortals strike
At the great God, and glorious Deity?
Whose dreadful Being and Existency
The 
Heathens did find out, and gre
 [...]tly fear▪
His God-head did to them most plain appear

[Page 168]By the Creation, Man, as in a glass
May there behold who his Creator was.
'Tis time to arm my self, and look about,
When by an 
Atheist I am challeng'd out:
When th' whole of all Religion lies at stake,
'Tis time to rouze, and also for to shake
Off sloath and Idleness, and to engage
With such a Foe in this my Pilgrimage·
If once I should unto an 
Atheist yield,
And treach' rously also acquit the Field;
The strongest hold of Truth betray should I
Into the hands of its worst Enemy:
And should Unman my self of 
Christian too,
And my dear Soul of reason overthrow.
I should debase my self, should I deny
My Noble Birth from the great Deity.
Man's chiefest glory springs from's Supream Hea
 [...] ▪
In his descent from him, who made and br
 [...]d
And brought him forth, and doth his life maintain▪
From hence Man doth his greatest honour gain,
'Tis power Divine that Man doth greaten thus
As to make, him King of the Universe.
Who e're disowns his blessed Pedigree,
Doth prove himself Unnat'ral for to be.
For Man to say, he came by hap or chance,
As 'tis a piece of wilful Ignorance,
Himself also he doth depose thereby,
From his own honour and rare Dignity;
And vile Contempt upon himself doth bring,
As well as dirt upon that Essence fling,
Who form'd his Soul, and gave to him his Bre
 [...]
And made him Ruler here upon the Earth.

[Page 169]But to proceed, and lend my helping hand,
In the defence of Sacred Truth to stand,
And vindicate my great Creator's Cause,
By Natures Light, and also by those Laws
Which Supernat'ral are, and most Divine,
Whose Light excells, yea, and whole Glories shine.
You ask me, How 
I can make it appear,
There is a God, Attend, and now give ear,
And weigh my Arguments and Reasons found,
And let not Satan more your Soul confound,
And Reason quite destroy as he hath done,
Lest to the Devil you do head-long run.
Apostate.

Before you do proceed, this you must know,

If you a God do th
 [...]k to pr
 [...]ve or show,

Be sure of this (Young-Man) 
it must not be

By Scripture proof, 
for its Authority

I do deny, and cannot it believe,

You neve
 [...] shall that way my hea
 [...]t deceive;

The Knowledge which you Supernatural call,

Is a meer Cheat, I m
 [...]nd it not at all.
Professor
Though Supernatural Knowledge you despise,
And count Gods holy Word to be but lyes;

I briefly shall stand up in its Defence,
And shew your Pride and cursed Insolence.
That all may love Gods Word, prize it, and see
Its worth and weight, and its Authority
To be Divine, and by 
Jehovah given
To lead poor Souls in the right way to Heaven:
One thing of you i'th' first place, 
I demand,
Pray let me know, and 
 [...]ully understand

[Page 170] 
 [...]hen this supposed Cheat did first commence,

 [...]nd in what part o'th' world, bring evidence.


 [...]ypt stands mute, saith it commenc'd not here,

 [...]or did the 
Jews invent it, that's as clear.

 [...]sk all the 
Heathens too in every age,

 [...] their Philosophers brought, on the Stage.

 [...] you can find it out, pray bring't to light,
Or else confess your darkness worse than night.

 [...]Tis strange that such a universal Cheat

 [...]hould thus be put upon the World, and yet
No one can shew who did the same devise,
Nor how, nor whe
 [...] the same at first did rise.
Since all the world stands silent, and is mute,
This might a
 [...] period put to the Dispute.
But, 
secondly, I argue once again,
There's none of them who do so much disdain
The Holy Scriptures, who just Proof can bring
To shew, i'th' least, they were a forged thing;
If none can them disprove, O then, say 
I,
What ground have you the Scripture to deny?
The Scriptures also, 
I observe, have been
Strangely preserved by a pow'r unseen;
In every Age, kept, both in word and sence,
From secret Fraud and open Violence,
Against the num'rous Armies of all those
That were both secret, yea, and open Foes;
No wicked or malicious men could ever
Subvert the Scripture, though they did endeavour:
The beastly Clergy of the Church of 
Rome,
Thorow whose hands to us the Scriptures come;
Though guilty of most vile Abomination,
As ever was committed in a Nation,

[Page 171]Their cursed sins are hateful to relate,
Which they committed, and did tolerate;
And that they might more freely do the same,
And so be kept from sad reproach and shame,
They say, the 
Pope himself may change the Laws
Of th' Holy Gospel, as himself sees cause;
And make the sence of Scripture to agree
With tim and place, as he most fit doth see.
How free those Sacriligious Monsters were,
(Had God admitted) to extinguish clear
The Sacred Scripture, and put out their light
And fill'd the world with an eternal Night?
But we may see, although it made its way
Thorow those muddy Chanels, yet have they
Been still kept pure, and still remain a Law
To keep most men (save 
Bloody Popes) in awe▪
Now if against so many Enemies,
Who us'd all means that devils could devise
T'obliterate that Soul-informing-Word
It was preserv'd, and not by humane Sword,
How dare you, 
Sir, perfume for to deny
Its blessed and Divine authority?
Another ground and Reason I shall urge,
Which proves Gods Word Divine, as I do Judge;
'Tis taken from that influence they have
Upon their hearts whom God intends to save;
It turns them from those cursed ways of sin,
Which once they loved and delighted in.
It brings them out of Darkness into Light,
Yea, and discovers 
JESƲS to their sight
Filling their Souls with inward Life and Peace
And precious joys, the which shall never cease.

[Page 172]The Glorious Power which God did afford
Always for those who stood up for his Word
Most clearly shews, Methinks, to every eye,
The Scripture's true, and their Authority
To be Divine, what-ever you may say,
I cannot give this Argument away.
How have they been supported in the flames?
Which as it did perpetuate their Names,
So God thereby did stir up ten for one,
To stand up for his Word, when they were gone,
Ah! how did they rejoyce, 
Sir, in the fire,
Which made their very Enemies admire!
Wouldst thou one Instance have, I could give two,
And ten times twenty more, if that would do.
But if I should, I'm sure, I should transgress,
And over-charge th' Appendix and the Press.
And therefore I will add one reason more,
To prove Gods Word Divine, and so give o're.
How has the Scripture made the 
Atheist quake,
And all his Limbs with dreadful horror shake!
VVhen on a Death-bed they have come to lie,
Their Conscience waking in their face did sly,
Though in their health they did it much despise,
And did affirm it was made up with Lyes.
Yet has it made them howl at last, and cry,

We are undone to all ETERNITY.
'Twas like unto the writing on the VVall,
VVhich did fore-tell profane 
Belshazzer's fall
VVhich was so terrible, yea, and so strange,
It wrought amonst them a most sudden change,
Their Mirth and jollity doth now expire,
And the proud King doth earnestly desire

[Page 173]To hear it read, nought then would serve the turn
But an Interpreter; his heart did burn,
His tremling knees smote one against another,
As if his Joynts were loosed from each other.
Thus those that won't confess 
JEHOVAH's 
Name,
Are forc'd to own him to their utter Shame.
And those who will not of Gods Word allow,
Are forc'd by Conscience under it to bow.
These being weigh'd 
may make you quite give o're,
Yea, and Gods Word thus to oppose no more.
Now if the Scripture cannot be gain-said,
Methinks each Soul should be exceeding 'fraid,
How they condemn that glorious Deity,
Whom they so clearly shew and magnify.
But to leave this a little, and descend
To mans own reason which you so commend,
How many 
Heathens did alone thereby
Find out (
dear Sir) Gods glorious Majesty?
If you your Reason would but exercise,
From 
Atheism, doubtless soon might rise,
And hate also this Soul-destroying evil,
Thus siding with, and yielding to the Devil.
Apostate

Amongst the Heathen (Youth) 
were men of same

Who for their skill in nature had the Name

Above all others, which did quite deny

There was a GOD or such a Deity.
Professor
Your 
Epicurus, and old 
Aristotle,
With 
Theodorus, Bion, and the Rabble,
And such like 
Atheists, I must grant to you
Deny'd there was a God as stories shew.

[Page 174]Philosophy is good, but men abuse it.
When they like those old Heathen Authors use it.
God doth sometimes mens Reasons darken quite,
For not improving of the means of Light.
To vile affections up God doth them give,
Because on Earth, like Brutes, they seem to live.
But though these natural Sots could not espy,
By all their skill th' eternal Deity,
Yet many thousand 
Heathens, I might show,
By natures light alone did come to know
There was a God, they searched so about
Into Gods Works, they found this God-head out,
For when they gave themseves up seriously
To study natures Book, and came to pry
Into the cause of all things here on Earth,
And their effects did clearly see birth
Or first Original of every thing,
From such an essence to descend or spring.
The very Novices in Natures School,
May soon convince that man to be a fool,
Who by the Creatures glory can't discern
The being of that dreadful Soveraign,
Who did them form and make, for every where
His glorious God-head they to all declare,
Had 
I but time, I would some pages fill,
To shew to you how that Mans reason will
Teach him there is a God, for if he mind
The nature of his Soul, this he might find.
Man's Soul is like a spring, or like to fire,
It resteth not aloft, it doth aspire.
And unto 
Noah's Dove I'll it compare,
God is the Ark▪ Souls Rest alone is there.

[Page 175]The flesh dams up the spring, quenches desire,
Keeps out of th' Ark, to which it would retire,
Since I perceive Mans Soul doth search about
To find some higher Good and Being out;
Which doth excel all things which are below,
This doth to us Gods glorious being show.
But to conclude this, no man can disown,
God by his Judgments daily is made known.
What sad examples daily do we hear
Of Wrath and Vengeance almost every where?
Some 
Drunkerds and 
Blasphemers struck down dead,
And others with strange Judgments tortured?
Some have persumed the holy God to dare,
Whom he would not one little minute spare.
If this will not Convince you of your Error,

I fear you will e're long fall under Terror,
For if you will not now Example take,
God may of you a sad Example make.
Your state, alas! above all men is sad
Because of God you once such knowledge had,
And of his ways, which now you loath and hate;
O 
Sir! Consider this your woful state,
And cry to God, if peradventure He
May give you Grace, whereby your Soul may see
Your hainous sin, that so you may repent,
And turn to God before your days are spent.
Apostate.

I must confess 
I know not what to say,
If there's a God, then cursed be the day

 [...] 
I was born; for 
I do know
He never unto me will Mercy show;

[Page 176] 
 [...]now resolve to open my condition,

 [...]hough all's in vain; for there's no contrition
Will do me good, 
I utterly am lost;
For 
I have sinn'd against the Holy Ghost.

I wilfully have sinn'd, and there remains
Nothing for me but everlasting pains.
O that there was no God! for then should 
I
Be like the Beast, when e'er 
I come to dye.
For Love o'th' World and for my present case

I am become like to the troubled Seas.
No Rest nor Comfort ever shall 
I find,
Curs'd be the day that ever 
I declin'd
From these good ways in which (
dear Youth) you go,
Or ever 
I did 
GOD or 
JESƲS know!
For if 
I had not known, them it is clear
My Sin would not so henious now appear.
My Conscience doth prick me to the heart,

I never shall be eased of that Smart.
O that 
I were in Hell! for then should 
I
Soon see the worst of my Extremity.
Thou shalt 
(dear Youth) forever happy be,
For thou art Chosen from Eternity,
To be an Heir of the Eternal Bliss;
But 
I, alas, am damn'd! what Wo like this?
The Devil with his glistring Golden Ball
Hath me deceived, but now 
I see my fall
To be so bad, no tongue can it express,
My woful Pain is quite Remediless
The checks of Conscience 
I did greatly slight,
And loved Darkness greatly, hated light;
Yea, and of good 
I never lov'd to hear,
Though 
I of him had hints oft-times most clear;

[Page 177]And now will he my Soul to pieces tear,
And make me his Eternal Vengeance bear!
Let all Back-sliders of me warning take,
Before they fall into the 
Stygian Lake;
Yea, and return and make with God their Peace
Before the days of Grace and Mercy cease;
For mine are past for ever, Oh! condole
My sad estate and miserable Soul.
My days will quickly end, and 
I must 
lie
Broy
 [...]ing in flames to 
all Eternity.
FINIS.

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Author: Keach, Benjamin, 1640-1704.2007-01

A Mystical Hymn of Thansgiving.

The Exellency of peace of Conscience.

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A Spiritual Hymn.

Divine Breathings. A Hymn.