N01010:535
War with the devil, or, The young man's conflict with the powers of darkness,…
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 Zion in distress, or The groans of the Protestant church.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.
New York: printed by William Bradford, 1707
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
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 Denied there was a God as stories show. ⟨p. 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 the' 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 themselves 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 Sovereign, 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 show 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. ⟨p. 175⟩The flesh dams up the spring, quenches desire, Keeps out of the' 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 Drunkards and Blasphemers struck down dead, And others with strange Judgments tortured? Some have perfumed 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 ere 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;