Did hell's malicious mouth in dreadful shape
Gainst innocence itself malignant gape?
Then sacred truth's devoted vouchers may
For dire reproach their measures constant lay.
With cruel calumny of old commenc'd,
This sect will ev'rywhere be spoke against ;*
While to and fro he runs the earth across,
Whose name is Adelphon kateEGOROS.†
In spite of hell be then our constant strife
To win the glorious Lamb a virgin wife.

* Acts xxviii. 22.

† Or, The accuser of the brethren.

CHAPTER VI.

AN EXHORTATION TO ALL THAT ARE OUT OF CHRIST; IN ORDER TO THEIR CLOSING THE MATCH WITH HIM: CON

TAINING ALSO MOTIVES AND DIRECTIONS.

READER, into thine hands these lines are giv'n,

But not without the providence of Heav'n;

Or to advance thy bliss, if thou art wise,
Or aggravate thy wo, if thou despise.

For thee, for thee, perhaps th' omniscient ken
Has form'd the counsel here, and led the pen.
The writer then does thy attention plead,
In his great name that gave thee eyes to read.

SECTION I.

CONVICTION OFFERED TO SINNERS, ESPECIALLY SUCH AS ARE WEDDED STRICTLY TO THE LAW, OR SELF-RIGHTEOUS, THAT THEY MAY SEE THE NEED OF CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Ir never yet thou didst fair Jesus wed,

Nor yield thy heart to be his marriage bed,
But hitherto art wedded to the law,

Which never could thy chain'd affections draw

From brutish lusts and sordid lover's charms;
Lo! thou art yet in Satan's folded arms :
Hell's pow'r invisible thy soul retains
His captive slave, lock'd up in massy chains.
O sinner, then, as thou regard'st thy life,
Seek, seek, with ardent care and earnest strife,
To be the glorious Lamb's betrothed wife.

For base co-rivals never let him lose
Thy heart, his bed of conjugal repose.
Wed Christ alone, and with severe remorse
From other mates pursue a clean divorce;
For they thy ruin seek by fraud or force.
As lurking serpents in the shady bow'rs
Conceal their malice under spreading flow'rs;
So thy deceitful lusts with cruel spite
Hide ghastly danger under gay delight.
Art thou a legal zealot, soft or rude,
Renounce thy nat'ral and acquired good.
As base deceitful lusts may work thy smart,
So may deceitful frames upon thy heart.
Seeming good motions may in some be found,
Much joy in hearing, like the stony ground ;*

Luke viii. 13.

Much sorrow too in praying, as appears
In Esau's careful suit with rueful tears.*

Touching the law, they blameless may appear,†
From spurious views most specious virtues bear:
Nor merely be devout in men's esteem,
But prove to be sincerely what they seem,
Friends to the holy law in heart and life,
Suers of heav'n with utmost legal strife;
Yet still with innate pride so rankly spic'd,
Converted but to duties, not to Christ,
That publicans and harlots heav'n obtain
Before a crew so righteous and so vain.
Sooner will those shake off their vicious dress
Than these blind zealots will their righteousness,
Who judge they have (which fortifies their pride)
The law of God itself upon their side.
Old nature, new brush'd up with legal pains,
Such strict attachment to the law retains,

No means, no motives can to Jesus draw

Vain souls so doubly wedded to the law.

But wouldst the glorious Prince in marriage have, Know that thy nat'ral husband cannot save.

*Heb. xii. 17.

+ Phil. iii. 9.

+ Matt. xxi. 31.

Thy best essays to pay the legal rent

Can never in the least the law content.

Didst thou in pray'rs employ the morning light,
In tears and groans the watches of the night,
Pass thy whole life in close devotion o'er;
"T is nothing to the law still craving more.
There's no proportion 'twixt its high commands,
And puny works from thy polluted hands;
Perfection is the least that it demands.
Wouldst enter into life, then keep the law ;*
But keep it perfectly without a flaw.

It wont have less, nor will abate at last

A drop of vengeance for the sin that's past.
Tell, sinful mortal, is thy stock so large

As duly can defray this double charge?
"Why, these are mere impossibles," (say'st thou.)
Yea, truly so they are; and therefore now,
That down thy legal confidence may fall,

The law's black doom home to thy bosom call.
"Lo! I (the divine law) demand no less

Than perfect everlasting righteousness;

But thou hast fail'd, and lost thy strength to do: Therefore I doom thee to eternal wo;

* Matt. xxi. 17.