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WHosoever shall take but a view of those things that have been disco∣vered concerning the madness and vanity of the Mahometan Religion, they would have cause enough to wonder that a mete∣or made up of such earthy and corrupt ex∣halations should last so long, & have such a
powerful influence upon the minds of such multitudes of those creatures that have principles of Reason and Religion in them, but that the terrors of the World, and carnal apprehensions and interests have so embased the hearts, and dazled the eies of poor mortals, that most men worship a flaming Sword, especially when the Hilts of it are enchased with transitory delights and advantages. And the greatest part of the world may seem to have their Religi∣on cut out unto them by the weapons of their conquering Subduers, rather then commended unto them by the force of convincing Arguments.
And indeed were not the souls of those that profess the Mahometan religion wrap∣ped up in a dark vail of ignorance, under the cloud whereof they are purposely kept, it might seem almost incredible that they should not easily disclaim such impious er∣rors, the falshood and impiety whereof are abundantly convinced by the very dis∣play and discovery of the very tenets and practises themselves; and yet a very rare thing hath it bin to hear of one bred up in that imposture of Turcism, converted to the glorious light of the Gospel.
It may easily be perceived by what hath been delivered, what great advantages
there lie before us, even in the great ab¦surdity of their opinions where they are at opposition unto us, and in those ap∣proaches that they make toward Christi∣anity in some other things that they hold, as hath been shewed, for the undertaking and promoting their conversion, which will render it the more unanswerable and unexcusable, that there have been no more adventurers to that purpose: Since the Church which is the illuminated part of the world, as it hath a charge of the great work of the conversion of the rest there∣of unto that truth which God hath reveal∣ed unto her, not onely for her own sal∣vation, but also for the guidance and di∣rection of others, according to that Com∣mission which is yet in force, and hath in it the power of a command or heaven∣ly injunction from Christ, Go and teach, or make Disciples of all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and if there had been but the tenth part of those lives ventured upon a suffering account for the propaga∣ting of Gods truth, that have been hazard∣ed and lost in the bloody quarrels of Am∣bition, Covetousness and Revenge, and for the propagating of Dominion by in∣vading
of the rights of other Princes and people, in the way of bloody and active violence, in all probability the world ere this time might have been reduced unto the holy Gospel of Christ Jesus, and that Prophesie fulfilled which we yet hope for, (and God may promote it even from such a beginning as this) that in the last days the mountain of the Lords house shall be esta∣blished in the top of the mountains,* 1.1 and set above the hills, and all Nations shall flow unto it.
But this is like to be the work rather of the cross then of the Sword. In hoc signo vinces, is still the Christians Motto. Our Victories are to be obtained under the Ban∣ner of the cross.
But that I may draw to a Conclusion; The more then ordinary knowledge that our Convert seemed to have obtained not onely of the Turkish Religion, but also in some measure of the Christian, by means (as it may be conceived) of his Chri∣stian Mother, gave some good advantage to our work.
The first attempt whereof was an en∣deavor to bring him into some good sense of the great concernment of his Soul in the embracement or rejection of the truth,
no less then in his eternal greatest good or evill, and to bring him into dislike, or at least into a doubt of that erroneous and impious way that he embraced, as being uncorrespondent and unsatisfactory to that which is, and needs must be the aim of every wise and serious man, in the choice or embracement of any Reli∣gion, which is a well grounded hope and succeeding attainment of the salvation of his Soul in another world, and here in this life the peace of a good Conscience next to the glory and honour of God, which as it was shewed him, could not be found without a remedy for sin, which ex∣posed unto Gods wrath and to eternal death and condemnation: And that there could be no remedy for this deadly disease but by a satisfaction to Gods Justice, That Mercy and Truth might meet to∣gether, and Righteousness and Peace might kiss each other; which remedy or satis∣faction was not at all offered in that Re∣ligion that he embraced.
He said that God gave pardon upon repentance; but it was shewed him that his repentance, and the repentance of all others was imperfect; and no man was so cleared thereby from sin, but
that there would still need a satisfacti∣on for the failings even of repentance and of the best ordered life that is to be found amongst men in this life. That this satisfaction is clearly and fully of∣fered in the Christian Religion, in the blood, and sufferings, and righteousness of Christ Jesus, who being God and Man, and the eternal Son of God, became a fit Mediator between God and Man, and offered himself a sufficient Sacrifice unto the Divine Justice for the sins of the whole World: The benefit whereof, as it is proposed in the Gospel unto repen∣tance, and to all true penitent sinners, so it is to be received onely from and in Christ Jesus, and by the true faith of the Gospel.
Upon this discourse, or to this purpose, with some other, which I cannot well now remember, he seemed to be something startled, and to doubt whether the ground whereon he stood was sound or no: And as I remember expressed some desire that God would direct him to the Truth.
Some further Argumenrs were used to discover yet further unto him, not one∣ly the insufficiency, but the impiety and
vanity and great uncertainty of that Re∣ligion he had embraced; as that which countenanced cruelty and oppression, was carried on by violence and carnal ways, and proposed low and carnal de∣lights for the reward, below the excel∣lency of the spiritual Soul of Man; Coun∣tenanced wickedness, as Impurity and Re∣venge; and proceeded from a person of a carnal and lascivious temper and con∣versation, who pretended a more then ordinary Commission and allowance for lust, as a priviledge belonging to him as the great Prophet. That pretended in∣deed revelation from Heaven, but had no testimony from God to commend it to the Souls of men; but depended up∣on the bare assertion of Mahomet, which if he be considered in the singleness of his person, being a man subject to error as well as others; especially if he be con∣sidered in his lascivious and wicked qua∣lity and condition, is too sandy a founda∣tion, and of more then much too weak a credit, that the venture of the eternal good and safety of one single Soul should be committed thereto, much less of ma∣ny millions, or of the whole world: That it was a Religion stuffed with mon∣strous
lies and legends, as may be seen by those things that have been set down
Whereas on the other side the Chri∣stian Religion hath upon it the very stamp of Gods image, which is his seal, in the high, excellent, mysterious and spi∣ritual wisdom, too high for humane Impo∣sture in any likelihood to invent; since it is so far too high for humane Wisdom or Un∣derstanding, even since it is revealed, to conceive, which is exactly answerable and uniform and correspondent to it self in all the members and parts thereof, which all make up a sweet and excellent tune and harmony amongst themselves, without any jar or discord between them; and all the Writers thereof, though be∣ing many, and living in many and seve∣ral Ages and places, were forbidden thereby to conspire in falshood with one another; wherein there must needs have been much boggling in matters so high above humane reason and comprehension, if there had not been an infallible rule of divine Light and Truth to guide and u∣nite them together at so great a di∣stance.
Besides the wonderful and excellent
consent that is between the Types and Prophesies, and the fulfilled events there∣of: The former whereof are for the most part consigned over unto us by the Jews, professed enemies unto the Christian Truth, who maintain themselves, and have delivered over unto us the predicti∣ons, the completions whereof yet them∣selves now deny: And so it is fulfilled of that blinded Nation of the Jews, that is said by one, I know not whom, of them, that it is Asinus portanus vinum & bi∣bens aquam, An Ass that carrieth wine, and drinketh water: They carry the wine of the holy Prophesies, and drink the water of their own foolish and malicious mis-interpretations and traditions.
It hath the stamp of the Divine wisdom and goodness upon it, in that holy poli∣cy established in the bond of Divine and Christian Love, whereby it unites all in the love of God, and in a mutual love unto, and a mutual charge of one ano∣ther, and of all men, even greatest Ene∣mies, in all their concernments, and in holy peace providing for all, and carry∣ing on all things with a heavenly and publick spirit; so that if it were but ge∣nerally embraced, it would make the
world happy, and establish a kinde of Heaven upon Earth; when every man should have a care of another as of him∣self in soul and spiritual good, in matter of Life, Estate, Health. Reputation, and all other matters wherein their good is con∣cerned, whereby that wicked voice of Cain, which crieth so loud in the hearts and practices of the world, would be si∣lenced and excluded out of the society of mankinde, Am I my Brothes keeper? since it maketh all men keepers of one ano∣ther, and teacheth all to take care of the publike good of all, and thereby enlarg∣eth the riches and content of all parti∣culars, teaching them to joy and delight in the good and blessing of others, as well as their own.
It hath the stamp of Gods Holiness and Righteousness upon it, in the utter opposition that it hath unto all sin, in the admirable and perfect rules of Justice and Piety, and purity which it establisheth, both in regard of inward motions, thoughts, and affections, and in outward carriage and conversation of life, setting up the right mark before us, which is Gods glory, and eternal happiness in him to be pursued by all, in all thoughts,
words, and actions, in all their Offices, Trades and Vocations; so bringing in the whole life of man to be an holy sacrifice to God. And directing us unto this glo∣rious Goal or prize in the holy road, or way of the holy commands of God, en∣couraging and facilitating our obedience thereunto by gracious promises, outbid∣ding all that the World or the Flesh, or the Devil can offer to hire us or move us to sin or wickedness, and so by another great and holy policy, engrafting our in∣terest into all our duty; so that we cannot sin against God, but we must sin against our own felicity, nor advance in holiness but we must also advance in happiness, making holiness and happiness upon the matter one and the same thing, though they seem two unto us by the weakness of our sight, as one Candle seemeth two unto a distempered or weak eye.
It hath the stamp of Gods Meekness and Mercy upon it, not onely in revealing it unto us, and pouring it out upon us in the wonderful works of Redemption and Sal∣vation by Christ Jesus, at which the An∣gels and host of Heaven stand amazed, whilst wicked and unthankful mortals de∣spise and contemn it; but in the holy con∣formity
which it enjoineth unto all, and worketh in the hearts and practices of true Christians thereunto, forbidding all man∣ner, and every degree of cruelty and vi∣olence, of hatred, malice, envy, and re∣venge both in the root and the fruit there∣of, and enjoining all acts of Mercy and compassion towards others, even our greatest adversaries and strangers, how∣ever different from us in judgment or af∣fection, allowing no hatred unto any thing but sin, thereby opening a door of love unto the whole world for their edi∣fication, and bringing in unto Christ Jesus, and to the Truth, Grace and Salvation of the Gospel, which is too little thought on and less practised by the new and strange Christians of our days, whom God will convince either to condemnation or to conversion, as may be hoped by such as this our Convert and others whom he shall bring home unto his truth and love, making even them to provoke us to jea∣lousie, and to be not onely Professors with us, but Reformers of us.
And these Rules of Love, Compassion, and Mercy are established in an excellent and most exact and perfect order and me∣thod both in regard of the objects and o∣perations
thereof, they being first to be regarded that are nearest and dearest to God and us, or whose preservation and good is of greatest or most general con∣cernment. And the operations to be ex∣ercised as in none but just, and pure, and holy, so chiefly and specially in spiritual ways. And this mark of love and tender compassion amongst Christians was that that made them antiently as glorious in the eyes of God and Man, as the contrary cruelty and unmercifulness hath rendred inglorious and ignominious the degene∣rate and false Christians of our days. So that the very Heathens are said to have fallen into an admiration of their mutual mercy, with an Ecce quam se invicem di∣ligunt, ecce quam pro se invicem mori pa∣rati sunt; Behold how these Christians love one another, Behold how these Christians are ready to die for one another! As now Turks and Heathens may cry out with a∣bomination against the Christians and self Canonizing Saints of our days, Ecce quam se invicem oderint, ecce quam se invicem interficere parati sunt! it is translated in letters and language of blood, and written all over our age and Nations; Behold how these Christians hate one another, behold
how these Christians are ready to kill and destroy one another!
This and other wicked practises of those that walk under the names of Christi∣ans, so diametrally opposite unto the ho∣ly and merciful rule and constitution of Christ Jesus, are those that have cast re∣proach upon the name of Christ, and have clouded up the beauty and splendor of the Gospel and the Christian Religi∣on, and do continually blast and hin∣der the conversion of Jews, Turks, Hea∣thens and others thereunto, who are thereby confirmed and encouraged in their evill ways. For the love of God and our own souls let us think upon it. The wick∣ed lives of Christians will answer for, and be charged with the destruction of the rest of the world as well as for their own, and theirs amongst whom they live. But God is true, though every man be a lyar.
Christian Religion hath upon it the stamp and testimony of the great and un∣blemished innocency and piety of Christ Jesus, in the holiness of his Life and Do∣ctrine acknowledged by the Turks them∣selves.
Of the great power of God in his won∣drous
Incarnation, and miraculous con∣ception and birth; whereby he was a mi∣racle himself above all other miracles whatsoever. The latter whereof, to wit, his wonderful conception and birth is ac∣knowledged by the Mahometans them∣selves.
In the many and great wonders that he wrought, which they themselves also confess it is testified unto: As also by his Resurrection from the dead, and his A∣scention ineo Heauen, which, to wit his Ascention, they aver, though they deny his Death and Resurrection By the voice from Heaven at his Baptism and transfigu∣ration. By the descending of the Holy Ghost both upon himself in the form of a Dove, and upon his Disciples in the form of fiery cloven tongues after his ascention upon the day of Pentecost, to the enduing of them with those wonderful gifts of all Lan∣guages which they exercised in the pre∣sence of many witnesses of several parts and Nations, who by Gods providence were then at Jerusalem, which was then made, as it were, the Representative of the World, that it might be the Theater of so glorious a spectacle.
To this may be added the great effi∣cacy
and power of the Gospel grace, shining in the lives of true Christians, and in the glorious sufferings of the Mar∣tyrs.
The spiritual and heavenly proposals of the Gospel.
And the spiritual wayes contrary to humane wisdom and carnal interest with∣out humane force, whereby it hath been carried on.
And the standing testimony that is unto this day, in the dissipation, and afflicted, and wretched, and hateful con∣dition of the banished Jewish Nation, scattered over the world, having been under that judgement for the space of One thousand six hundred years and up∣wards, as was foretold by Daniel, and our Blessed Saviour himself, that they may be witnesses to the world in the several Nations where they are scattered, and against themselves, of the truth of the Gospel and the glory of Christ, whose blood is upon them to this day, according to that dreadful curse that they laid upon themselves.
I have been bold to enlarge some∣thing more upon this then I did in the pressing of it upon the Turk; I hope it
may be for the good of him and others: Now because we found that he acknow∣ledged the Law, and Prophets, and the holy Evangelists; we had recourse un∣to them for the conviction of him in the Three great points of Christianity, which he opposed, viz. The God-head of Christ, and that he is the Son of God, and that he died and satisfied for the sins of the World, and so became the Sa∣viour and Redeemer of Mankinde. He was acquainted therefore by me with some passages of the Fifty third of Isay, and as I remember with that wonderful Prophesie of the Ninth of Daniel, where the death and satisfaction of the Messiah or Christ, are so clearly and evangelically expressed.
Mr. Gunning pursued the work that was begun with great industry, ability, and diligence; shewing him that his Re∣ligion had no warrant of truth in it, having neither the testimony from reason, not from heavenly revelation, made known by miracles, or any such heavenly evi∣dence, which give abundant witness to the truth of Christianity; and when he vainly pretended, as it seems he had been inform∣ed, that there was a Prophesie in the Scrip∣ture,
that another people should come to inform the World after the Christians, which it seems, was a misprision of that place in Daniel 9.26. The people of the Prince that shall come shall destroy the City and the Sanctuary, &c. we shewed him as I remember, the true interpretation of the place, that it was a Prophesie of the de∣struction of Jerusalem by Titus Vespa∣sian, and the Roman people. And having obtained of him that Christ was a true Prophet, and that all that he spake was truth, and that the Gospel of the Evan∣gelists was true; The Divinity of Christ, and his being the Son of God was proved unto him out of the first of John the first verse. &c. if my memory fail not, and out of the words of our Saviour, who de∣clared himself to be the Son of God. But that that especially prevailed with him was drawn from that acknowledgement that the Mahometans have of Christ, that he was the Spirit of God, from whence it was shewed him that since the Spirit of God could be none other then God himself, that Christ then must needs be God, as the spirit of man is principal∣ly the man himself; which although it is to be warily understood, and so as not to
make any confusion between the persons of Christ and the Holy Ghost; yet it was Argumentum ad hominem, ex concesso, and he seemed thereby to be convinced of the truth of his Divinity, and of the falshood and contradiction of the Mahometan Re∣ligon, that acknowledged Christ to be the Spirit of God, and yet denied him to be God. And two persons being granted, it was now easie to prove the third, which Mr. Gunning laboured in by setting forth the divine reason of the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Essence.
After these things he seemed to be left without reply or contradiction in a sort, and therefore was earnestly sollicited to be baptized, by urging the command of Christ for that purpose, which he seemed not to deny, but was held off by delays, and some reluctancies of spirit, which we endeavored to remove by shewing him the great danger that hung over him, if he should refuse to yield to those convictions that were upon him, and urged the ex∣amples of divers in the Scriptures that were speedily baptized upon their con∣version. At last he was perswaded, so as with great earnestness to desire it, as hath been before declared. And now
nothing remained but to prepare him for the blessed work of his solemn admission into the Christian Church. To which purpose he was committed to me at Chel∣sey for his instruction, and that he might be commended to God in prayer, with the help of Mr. Samois, who did the Of∣fice of an Interpreter; amongst other discourses I had with him, I pressed him hard to look to his sincerity, and shew∣ed him that if he should deal falsly with God, he might provoke him to great judgments. And I drew up an Expositi∣on of the Apostles Creed for him, which I intend, if it shall be thought fit, to pub∣lish for the good of him and others.
Upon the Friday before the Lords Day, on which he was to be baptised, I brought him into Mr. Gunnings Congrega∣tion at Excester-house, and after that de∣livered him unto him for some further pre∣paration of him. When the day came, and the holy and solemn business of his Baptism was to be performed in Excester house Chappel, (I having been before this work of conversion turned out of my in∣terest in the Parish Church of Westminster, upon the occasion of my being so bold as to give the Congregation and the Parlia∣ment-men
a Sermon in the Abby, where after two Psalms sung out in the ex∣pectation of a Minister, none came to supply the place that I saw or knew of) a full and chearful Congregation being there assembled, Mr. Gunning officiated; and after the first part of the Service ended, the Convert came in in his Turk∣ish Habit; and at his enterance into the Congregation desired several times that he might be admitted to the Baptism of the Christian Church, which being grant∣ed him, and these honorable and wor∣thy persons, the young Countess of Dorset, the Lord Gorge, and Mr. Philip Warwick, being Witnesses at his Bap∣tism.
He having made confession of the Christian faith in the Apostles Creed; and having answered the questions con∣cerning the Christian Covenant and Pro∣fession for himself, which have been u∣sually answered by the Godfathers and Godmothers at the Baptism of Children, and being commended to Gods Grace and Mercy in the prayers of the Con∣gregation, with such alterations as were necessary for the extraordinary case, he being stripped of his Garment to his
Waste, received his Baptism upon his knees with great humility, and was na∣med Philip.
The Baptism being performed, by Mr. Gunnings permission, I preached upon the occasion, and took my Text out of the Fifteenth Chapter of St. Luke, at the Seventh Verse, being the words of our Saviour, I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in Heaven for one sinner that repenteth, more then for ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance. Of which Sermon it may be there shall be a further account given hereafter. And if God and Angels rejoyce, surely it is the duty of all good Christians to keep consort with them, and by the loving and charitable entertainment of this our Convert, to give enconragement to others to come in unto Christs fold.
In the afternoon of the same day he came in another Habit, after the English fashion (which was charitably provided for him by reverend Doctor Bernard of Grayes-Inn) and then Mr. Gunning preach∣ed a learned Sermon upon Psal. 68. Vers. 31. as it is in the Liturgy translati∣on; The Morians land shall soon stretch ont her hands unto God. And so the com∣fortable
solemnity of that happy day was ended. Our new Convert having since declared that he found extraordinary joy and solace in his soul at the time of his Baptism.
He for the present lives in Holborn, at the house of the honourable and vertuous Lady Hatter, and is I conceive much improved in the Christian know∣ledge, as appeared by a discourse he had lately at Chelsey, and I hope will prove an eminent Christian.
Psalm 45.4, 5, 6. And gird thee with thy sword upon thy thigh, O thou most mighty: according to thy worship and re∣nown.
Good luck have thou with thine honor: ride on because of the word of truth, of meekness and righteousness, and let thy right hand teach thee terrible things.
Thine arrows are very sharp, and the people sholl be subdued unto thee: even in the midst among the Kings enemies.
Psal 67. vers. 1. God be merciful unto us, and bless us: and shew us the light of his
countenance, and be merciful unto us.
2. That thy way may be known upon earth: thy saving health among all nations.
3. Let the people praise thee, O God: yea, let all the people praise thee.
4. O let the nations rejoyce and be glad, for thou shalt judge the folks righteously: and govern the nations upon earth.
5. Let the people praise thee, O God, let all the people praise thee.
6. Then shall the earth bring forth her encrease: and God even our own God, shall give us his blessing.
7. God shall bless us: and all the ends of the world shall fear him.
Ecclesiasticus 36. ver. 1. Have mercy up∣on us, O Lord God of all things, and be∣hold us, and [shew us the light of thy mor∣cies.]
2. And send thy fear among the Nati∣ons, which seek not after thee, [that they may know that there is no God but thou, and that they may shew thy wonderous works.]
3. Lift up thine hand upon the strange nations, that they may see thy power.
4. As thou art sanctified in us before them, so be thou magnified among them before us.
5. That they may know thee, as we know thee: for there is none other God but onely thou, O Lord.
6. Renew the signs, and change the won∣ders: shew the glory of thine hand, and thy right arm, that they may shew forth thy won∣derous acts.
8. Make the time short: remember thine oath, that thy wonderous works may be prais∣ed.
10. Smite in sunder the head of the prin∣ces that be our enemies, and say, There is none other but we.
11. Gather all the tribes of Jacob toge∣ther, [that they may know that there is none other God but onely thou, and that they may shew thy wonderous works] and inherit thou them as from the begining.
12. O Lord, have mercy upon the people that is called by thy name, and upon Is∣rael, whom thou hast likened to a first born son.
13. Oh, be merciful unto Jerusalem the city of thy sanctuary, the city of thy rest.
14. Fill Sion, that it may magnifie thine oracles, and fill thy people with thy glory.
15. Give witness unto those that thou hast possessed from the beginning, and raise up the prophecies that have been shewed in thy name.
16. Reward them that wait for thee, that thy Prophets may be found faithful.
17. O Lord, hear the prayers of thy ser∣vants according to the blessings of Aaron o∣ver thy people, [and guide thou us in the way of righteousness,] that all they which dwell upon the earth, may know that thou art the Lord, the eternal God.
Isa 2.2.