THE Christian's SPIRITUAL CONFLICT. Derived from Scripture by a Learned Divine.  

[1]  
MUse oft from whence thou cam'st, but blushing muse: 
Psal. 51. 5. 84. 3. Gen. 3. 19 Rev. 20. 12. Eccles. 2. Eccles. 12. 7. Matth 13. 41, 42, 43. Revelat. 14. 13. Revelat. 20. 5.   
From Dust thou cam'st, to dust thou must return.  
Muse oft where go thou must, but trembling Muse:  
What! cause to joy, sure cause thou hast to mourn:  
Thy Soul from God it came, and must return  
In Heaven to rest, and joy, or in Hell burn.   

[2]  
Death certain is, and never fails his part: 
Gen. 6. 3. Job 14. 1, &c. Isa. 40. 6. Luk. 12. 46. Mat. 24. 36. Mark. 13. 32. 1 King. 15. 14. 2 King. 18. 3. 22. Psa. 1. 2. 119. Mat 16. 18. Rev 14. 13. Psa. 37. 37. 1 Ioh. 3. 20, 21.   
The Day's uncertain; more the Hour, and Way:  
If thou the Lord hast served with perfect heart,  
Nor Hell, not Death, then may thee much dismay.  
Against all Cares, yea Death, or what's termed grief,  
A well led life's, a sure and sweet relief.   

[3]  
Thy humble Soul do wicked thoughts molest; 
Mat. 4 1. Rom. 7. 18, 19 1 Cor. 10 13. 2 Tim. 1. 3. 12 Iam. 1. 2. 12. Heb. 2. 18. 12. Chap. 1, 2, 3. Rev. 7. 14. In pleniorem satisfactionem vide Perkins Case, page 94.   
Why? this is Satan's Sin, if no consent  
To them thou givest, but wholly to detest  
And eke abhor them all, thine heart is bent:  
Let them as freely go, as they do come,  
The more thou strivest, the more they'll prove irksome.   

[4]  
With Sins presumptuous, though they Soul be gored, 
Mat. 12. 31. 2 Chr. 33. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Iob. 6. 4. 13. 26. 10. 9 Ps. 6. 77. 31. 22. Mat. 18. 22. 9 12, 13. Luk. 4. 18. 2 Cor. 5. 20. Mark 9 23. Act. 2 38. Mat. 3. 8. Mark. 1. 4. Prov. 24. 16. Luk 13. 27. Ioh. 5. 14.   
Or though Despair by fits thy Soul hath seized;  
Yea, or Relapse, dangerous to be deplored,  
By Faith, and Sorrow, God may be appeased.  
To err and fall is common and human.  
But to persist War, that's a devilish strain.   

[5]  
Then be not Faithless, nor in Sins persist, 
Ioh. 20. 27. Heb. 11. 6. Ier. 3. 23. in the Lam. Act. 2. 38. 2 Tim. 2, 19 Isa. 57 15. Luk. 15. 12. usque ad finem Prov. 28. 13. Ezek. 18. 21.   
With his, his Mercy God renews each morn,  
Be penitent, from all thy Sins desist:  
If truly grieved, than ne'er thou art forlorn.  
A fit of Sorrows, but a fit not right,  
Repentance, but amendment's God's delight.   

[6]  
Serve thou the Lord with pure and perfect will, 
1 Sam. 30 6. 26. Rom. 8. 28. Ezek 43. 7, 8. Iosh. 7. 10, 11, 12. 2 Sam. 11. 27. 12. 1. 14. Psal. 32. 3, 4, 5. Iam. 2. 10. Ioh. 9 31. Ioh. 3. 22.   
whatsoe'er befalls thee, then count it for best:  
But if that thou persist in aught that's ill,  
Till thou forsake it, never look for rest.  
If thou but walk in one of Satan's ways,  
So long thou dost Eclipse Jehovah's rays.   

[7]  
Else seventy seven times, though thou sin'st or more, 
Matth. 18. 22, 23. 2 Chron. 23. 9 10. Isa. 1. 18. Rom. 5. 20. Ioh. 1. 29. Iob. 19 34. Ioh. 16. 26. Matth. 1. 21.   
And eke in Sin hast swom, as in a flood;  
Where Sin abounds, there Grace abounds much more,  
A world of Sin is cleansed by Christ's dear blood:  
Behold it streaming forth with Arms outspread,  
Thy Mediator, Saviour, and Head.   

[8]  
Recall to mind how God hath been thy friend, 
Psal. 77. 10. Io. 10. 29. Heb. 13. 6. Isa. 49 15. Ezek. 18. 21, 22. Psal. 19 13. 1 Cor. 19 9 10. Numb. 14. 45. Ez. 18 24.   
God ne'er his Glory will give to another.  
Whom God once loves, he loves unto the end.  
Sin, nor Satan, can his Grace quite smother.  
Presume not yet, nor tempt the Lord on high,  
Lest as the Tree that falls, block-like thou lie.   

[9]  
Unfeigned Desire, haste thou to cry and moan, 
Psal. 10. 17. 145. 19 Eze. 9 4. Psal. 34. 18. 102. 20. Io. 7. 37. Rom. 8. 26. Isa. 55. 1, 2, 3. Perkins Case 60. foll. 167. 2 Cor. 8. 12.   
To grieve for Sin, in Christ for to believe.  
Canst Pray? or, canst thou not? Canst sigh, canst groan?  
Of all thy Sins than thou thyself mayst shrieve.  
Thy honest mind for deed, will be repute,  
Blot out thy sins, and never them impute.   

[10]  
Dost love a man, because he loves the Lord? 
1 Io. 3. 14. Matth. 10. 41. Luke 10. 6. Coll. 3. 14. Perkins Case, foll. 107. Isa. 43. 25. Mich 7. 18, 19 Mark 3. 16, 17.   
Why? this is Grace; as in a fading Tree,  
There's life, if but one Branch her juice afford.  
So in a Soul distressed if Charity;  
For God accepts what's his, remitting thine;  
So much his Soul to his, still doth incline.   

[11]  
So though they Sins in dreadful tropes appear, 
Isa. 55. 7. Matth. 11 28. Isa. 4. 10. Psal. 34. 9 Isa. 57 15. Matth. 11. 29. Isa. 4. 7. 1. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 6, 7.   
Draw near unto thy God, the humble Soul  
He dwells with, to revive, and for to cheer.  
If thou dost seek him, Satan he'll control;  
What though he hides his face, his seal is sure,  
'Twas but to try thee, if thy Faith endure.   

[12]  
Be humble, yet despair not though he hide 
Matth. 5. 3. Isa. 4. 6. Psal. 22. 2. 69. 3. Ephes. 6. 18. Matth 4. 17. Isa. 62. 6, 7. Heb. 13. 16. Matth. 9 23. Perkins Case, foll. 101.   
His face till death, his Grace stands sure for aye;  
Believe, repent, amend, praying abide,  
Then can he never leave thee, though delay:  
Impenitent faithless hearts debar God's face,  
Else all thy Sins cannot exclude his Grace.   

[13]  
Exclude then by thoughts, limit not the Lord, 
Isa. 1. 2. Ephes. 6. 13. 16. Psal. 145. 9 1 Cor. 10. 13. 2 Cor. 12. 19 Heb. 2. 18. Matth. 9 12, 13. Acts, 10. 43. Acts, 4. 12. Rev. 22. 17. Heb. 11. 4, 5, 6.   
For this, or that Sin, whatsoe'er thy grief;  
Sufficient is his Grace, and will afford,  
In all distress, some comfort and relief.  
Take hold on Christ, on any terms whatsoe'er  
If thou him lose, than thou art lost for e'er.   
FINIS.