thou nothing fear But Christ thy Jesus will be with thee still And give thee strength thy heart with comfort fil Then hye thee on thy life is as a race Keep on thy way there 's but a little space Of time but thou thy race wilt run to th' end Then slothful be'nt but rather thy pace mend Neither turn back nor into by paths step And thou the benefit thereof wilt reap Be'nt weary faint not follow this way still The other is the broad way and that will Lead to destruction many that way find This leads to Life then loyter no behind But like a nimble Racer run thy Race And that thou maist the better run apace So run as one that doth not beat the air Nor of thy sinful body make no spare But keep it down else thou the fool wilt play Faint and give ore and be a cast-away Good Racers when a Race they run they strip That so they may the better leap and skip Through all the dirt and ore the hills and wayes That they may meet with in their racing playes They mind the Gole to touch to win the Prize Ther 's nothing more that they have in their eyes So thou my soul see that thou cast away All weights that in thy running may thee stay The sin that doth so easily beset thee Be sure thou lay aside for that will let thee With patience run the Race thou hast to run The end is Rest when thou the Prize hast won As thou a Journey hast my soul to go As thou a Pilgrim-stranger art also And as thou hast a Race to run so now Give ear unto me once again for thou Wilt in this Race and Journey have such foes As will assault thee many times with blows And therefore thou a Souldier too must be The fight of Faith to fight couragiouslie For potent Enemies thou hast a many But t' help thee in this fight thou hast not any Save him that is the Captain of Salvation Yet stand unto 't be sure thou keep thy station There are a sort of enemies will sally Forth to confront thee and will stoutly rally Up all their force with malice and with spight To overcome thee in this warlike fight For know thou art not only now to wrestle With flesh and blood but others will thee justle For lofty Powers and Principalities VVill new make war with thee against thee rise As once Goliah did ' gainst little David If thou a coward art thou 't be out braved Besides those Principalities and Powers That will lay siege against thee dayes and hours There 's Rulers of the darkness of this world That ' gainst thee many fiery darts have hurl'd VVith wicked spirits which are in high places VVill all against thee proudly set their faces And thou against them all must now engage And stoutly on them fall their pride asswage Then ne'r give ore give them no place nor room But fight on stoutly till thou overcome That so thou maist it 's very good I see Thou shouldst now know from whence thy strength must be For thou against this rabble in thy sight Hast goâ— no strength nor pow'r no force nor might For all thy strength is only from the Lord Fear not engage he will thee strength afford And will thee fill with courage to the brim Go on but let thy eyes be towards him If thou good courage take and play thy part He is engag'd to strengthen thy weak heart The quarrel is the Lord's thou needst not fear But he 'l be with thee both in front and rear And fight thy battels for thee alwayes so That thou shalt be a terror to thy foe And bring him to thy foot with such contrition He 'l lay his weapons down with all submission But lest thy frailties should start some objection And want some satisfaction and direction How thou this Fight of Faith maist fight manage With such discretion prudence and advantage All times unto thy self against thy foes That thou maist wound and smite them with such blows As may prove fatal to them and may crown Thee with the Victory I 'le here lay down Such Rules as may prove helpful unto thee Then take good heed to them and these they be First in this fight my soul do'nt fail to take God's Armour for no doubt but that will make Thee able to withstand in such a day As evil is that thou maist give no way Nor ground to any foes or enemies For if thou shouldst they will thee soon surprise Stand therefore to 't thy loyns begirt about With Truth lest they should put thee to the rout And never fail to have that Breastplate on Of Righteousness ev'n Jesus Christ alone Thy feet shod with the Preparation of The Gospel Peace Atonement Grace and Love Above all take the Shield of Faith whereby Thou maist with ease at all times constantly Quench all the fiery darts of all the wicked Until thou hast their wiles and snares detected For Satan's such a fearful coward he Will never stand thee long but from thee flee Do thou by Faith resist him stedfastly He 'l take his heels and straight away he 'l fly Forget not in this Fight this warlike station To take to thee the Helmet of Salvation Nor go not forth to fight without that Sword The Sword of the Spirit God's holy Word And alwayes pray with Prayer and Supplication With fervent constant earnest Intercession So in the Spirit watching thereuntoo That no Temptation may thee so pursue Not Satan may not foil thee nor 's adherance Watch thou to pray'r with constant perseverance When all this Armour put on thee thou hast And art assured it is fixed fast Then march forth bravely in this warlike posture So full of strength and prowess might and luster Thy foes to conquer kill slay and subdue Until there be no more left to pursue Thee any longer with their wiles and snares Nor thee no more disturb with warlike cares And seeing now my soul I have thee told What Armour thou must have thy ground to hold Wiâ—h me of which thou maist thy self defend From all thy foes and hold out to the end And overcome but now it 's requisit I should not leave thee so lest thou forgit What is thy duty what thou maist procure In those great Conflicts which thou wilt endure Then first it 's needful thou shouldst understand Who is thy Captain under whose Command And Conduct thou a Souldier now art listed To be commanded by to be assisted And taught thy Arms to handle and to use With greatest disadvantage to thy foes Then know my soul thy Captain is no other Than Jesus Christ thy Prince thy elder Brother Who did before thee in this War engage VVhen he was here upon this earthly stage VVho by his valour strength courage and might Did all his foes o'recome and vanquish quite He trampled on the world the flesh the Devil And ne're was overcome by any
SOME Prison-Meditations AND EXPERIENCES WITH Some Hints touching the Fall of the Mother of Harlots and the exaltation of the SON of GOD upon the Throne of DAVID Written in Newgate by JOHN GRIFFITH a Prisoner there My heart is inditing a good matter I speak of the things which I have made touching the King Psal 45.1 Thou wilt shew me the path of life in thy presence is fulness of joy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee Psal 73.24 25. And there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is fallen that great City because she made all Nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication Rev. 14.8 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion Psal 2.7 Printed in the year 1663. The Epistle Dedicatory To all in every place that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and Truth and that wait for his glorious appearing more especially unto that Remnant to whom I stand more particularly related Grace be multiplied with encrease of Faith and Love from God the Father and his Son Jesus the Anointed through the Comforter Christian Salutation Well-beloved ITs matter of comfort to the Lords poor despised people in a dark day that he is pleased not to leave his nothing-ones that either have or do suffer any thing for the sake of blessed Jesus without some signal tokens of his comforting and strengthening-presence with them by which they are in a good measure kept from fainting and that he doth seal up instruction to their souls leading them to the Rivers of Pleasures causing them to drink deep of his Love and Free-Grace in his dear Son Oh what a choice Mercy it is that the Most High God should so far condescend as to have regard to such worthless Creatures who in the day of their fulness so much provoked the Eternal God by their unthankfulness and mis-improvement of such Choice Mercy as the Mercy of the Gospel is It is wonderful Grace that God should notwithstanding such provocations wherewith he hath been provoked by Congregations in general and by every Member in particular still continue the good savour of his Grace upon the hearts of any of them or that he should account any of his poor servants worthy to suffer Reproach and Bonds for his sake Which Mercy which I esteem very choice and sweet to my soul he hath been pleased for some time to let me enjoy which is wonderful in my sight that such a nothing empty Creature as I am should be employed by him in such a Noble Work and in such a Noble Cause as to suffer Bonds for the sake of blessed Jesus Yet notwithstanding the length of time I have been in durance I find my heart is not so cleansed and brought to the foot of Christ as I hope it may and wait it should And if it so please the Lord to sanctifie these Bonds that I may by the help of his holy Spirit so crucifie the remains of Corruption that I find still in my heart and subdue and bring in subjection every vain imagination that every high thing that exalts it self may be brought in obedience to the King then may I bless the Lord for the day that ever I lay in Newgate The which I may say I am engaged and not without cause already to do for asmuch as God hath let me see my self and the baseness of my own heart the unbelief and diffidence that lodgeth there in some measure which giveâ— occasion to me to magnifie the Grace of God the more in that he should be graciously pleased to accept such an unworthy Worm as I am in his dear Son A clear evidence of which through Grace I can say I am not without in my soul yet not so as wholly to be without ups and downs occasioned by temptation working upon my Frailties which my dear Lord Jesus is pleased to assist me in and cause them to work for good unto my soul Blessed be Jehovah I have in this Poem rudely scattered here and there some of those MEDITATIONS and EXPERIENCES that God hath been pleased to visit my Soul with the which I present to the view and commend to the serious thoughts of all the Faithful but more particularly to that Remnant and chosen ones to whom I stand more immediately and particularly related in the bonds of the Gospel Hoping all the Spiritual will take them in good part and judge of them in the Spirit of Love to whose Christian correction I readily subject my self and Labours hoping also thâ—â— they will put the fairest construction and interpretation both upon them and me that Brotherly Love and Duty binds them to I could not willingly pass to the Conclusion of this poor Work until I had first hinted something touching the Fall of Mysterie Babylon that old and great Whore and of the Exaltation of our dear Lord the thoughts of which now in my bonds makes me very merry and is as a cordial to comfort my poor heath for which I wait and to which time I trust he will keep that which I have committed to him My dear Brethren 'T is but a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry In this time of our Pilgrimage let us labour to exalt him in our hearts that he may be chief and rule as Lord and King there that when we come to lay down this house of clay we may be cloathed upon with our House from Heaven and be found of him without fault at his coming To which end wait diligently upon the Lord in his Word and Ordinances Be much with God in Prayer praying for all Saints and for me the most unworthy Servant of Christ that I may be kept faithful to death and let your walks be in Heaven So shall the King greatly desire thy Beauty for He is thy Lord and worship thou Him Farwell Grace be with you all Amen From my poor pitiful Study in Newgate Septem 22. 1663. Your Brother in the dear love of Jesus JOHN GRIFFITH COurteous Reader by reason of the Authors absence many faults have escaped the Press which thou art desired to mend with thy Pen. SOME Prison-Meditations AND EXPERIENCES c. AS I in Prison lie I sometimes muse What should the reason be they me so use That they contrary unto Law Reason Should keep me here in Jayle so long a season No crime or charge against me can they lay Yet I shall lye in Prison still they say I think their will 's their Law I cannot see But that the reason is they thus use me What should the reason be they nought will have But what 's their will to keep me as their slave Within stone walls and bars of iron strong As if I had done unto them such wrong
Or had committed crimes of such a nature So filthy and so foul with so much rancour Against their Worships What have they no Law To try me by Or have they got no maw To do me right What should the reason be I am an English man and am born free My Birth-right is not then without just cause To lie in Jayle contrary to the Laws But there 's a reason which I now espye Why they will make me still in Prison lye And that 's because they say I am a Preacher And of Phanatiques am a constant Teacher And therefore 't is they me in Prison hold Unless I would be wickedly so bold To promise them that I will preach no more Then will they me to liberty restore If I 'le conform then they will shew me favor Methinks to me these things have no good favor But what is 't now a crime to Preach and Pray That I must lie in Prison night and day For that and for no other cause do know But preaching Truth must I be used so Full seventeen Months and more as I have been In Prison now is Preaching such a sin That such as preach and have not their consent Can't be redeem'd except they do repent But must be kept in prison all their dayes As I shall be sometimes then Worships says The Prophet Moses was not of this mind For he would not Gods holy Spirit bind Nor limit it to this or t'other man He was content that those should preach that can For when complaint against some to him came Eldad and Meâ—al were the men by name Of whom 't was said These men do prophesie What for my sake saith he dost thou envie I would to God the Lords poor people all Were Prophets and that on them all might fall Such measures of the Spirit from the Lord That may enable them to preach his Word But now the case is alter'd much I see Their Worships will not so contented be As Moses was to prison he must go That preacheth now without their leave I know They would not be so serv'd themselves if they Should be forbid to either preach or pray Be clapt in prison for it when they should Do either of them I believe they would Not take it well to walk so in the dark The Priest forgets that ere he was a Clark Would they be us'd so by Romes brats and be Forc't to conform to Romes idolatry They do profess from Rome they 're separated And that by them Romes cruelty is hated And yet will they the conscience force of those That cannot with them in their Worship close Methinks in this they do not do by me As they themselves by Rome would used be But 't is my comfort in the midst of all My many troubles which some count but small They cannot charge me justly with a fault Which can by Law give cause thus to assaults My Carkase so to keep it thus in Jayle Against their Law refusing to take Baile Nay though they were commanded by the King They would not him obey nor me forth bring To any Legal tryal that I might Receive that just reward which is by right My due for more of them I do not crave And 't is but reason that I that should have Had I by Law deserved Bonds or Death I should contented be to lose my breath But if I have not any Law offended 'T is time I trow my trouble now were ended But I a Preacher am I don't deny Though much unworthy of the Ministry A worthless Worm unworthy of that love That Grace and Mercy which came from above Into my soul by which I did receive A Mission for to preach without their leave The Bishop of our souls did me ordain To preach his Grace I trust is not in vain That he bestow'd on me to preach his word And to declare his wondrous works abroad And though for this I do in prison lye I can in him rejoice most heartily And praise that God alone that doth esteem Of such a worthless one as I and deem Me worthy of the cross that for his Name And for the sake of Christ to suffer shame But yet some say I am a fool to lie In Jayle so long depriv'd of liberty Why should not I to them a promise make That I all kind of preaching will forsake For 't is against the Law that such as I Should preach unless I were ordained by The Bishops then without all doubt I may But might they not upon as good ground say The blessed Martyrs in the Marian dayes Did act against the Law for Bonner sayes You are not by the Law to preach or pray Except you do conform such prayers say As by the Queen and Church are now thought fit Should used be throughout the Land but yet Those Martyrs then would not perswaded be But stoutly stood to Non-conformity They rather chose in fiery flames to burn Than from what truth and light they had to turn There are two sorts of fools as I have read And one of them 't is true I am indeed The one wise Solomon so plainly paints In their own colours such will nere be Saiths For Fools saith he are such as knowledge hate Such is their dreadful miserable state That they the fear of God do never chuse Because they would not Wealth and Honor lose Such set a high esteem upon their lusts Their Pride and Pleasure and their gold that rusts In such like fools iniquity abounds And both in City and in Countrey sounds Fools belch out Oaths and dreadful Execrations Which are unto the wise man great vexations Fools call on God most wickedly to damn 'um And dare him to his face as 't were to ram 'um Into the very pit of Hell Fools say There is no God to hear when men do pray Their Oaths to hear or punish them for sin Which they with greediness do wallow in As quassing off of bowls of Beer and Wine Until they are as drunk as any Swine With whoring roaring and their sports and play That by them now are used ev'ry day As baiting Bulls and Bears with dogs and such Like sports as these of which there is too much With idle Stage Plays too and such like trade There 's many souls destroy'd that God hath made He then 's a fool that for these earthly toys Doth lose eternal life and heav'nly joys There are another sort if fools I find But those fools are quite of another mind These fools all worldly glory do despise Becoming fools that so they may be wise All worldly wisdom these for Christ account But loss and dung to win Christ doth furmount All Arts and Sciences all worldly treasure There 's none to them like him these take no pleasure In world or worldly things they are but dross Who offers them the world bids them to loss These do the glory of the world disdain Because its greatest glory is but vain An empty shell a water-bubble
thy self from such another storm And likewise they 'l suggest the world 's a glory A famous lovely thing or such like story The wealth and honor of it worth the having The love of money nothing else worth saving The friendship of the world is very good That which a man may have and yet love God And that it would be mighty fine and brave If thou shouldst such or such a Living have And O how gallant would it he to meet An honorable person in the street If such a one should kindly thee salute And entertain with complements to boot Give thee respect and offer favours and I am your servant Sir at your command Then stand not out thou fool but with them close They may become thy friends that are thy foes And by that means thou maist thy state much better Than now it is by far and that were fitter Than thus to lye in Gaol and spend thy little Why sure thou shouldst be of another mettle There was a time when thou didst look more high Than so for shame wilt thou in New gate lie That dismal stinking foul and filthy place Fye be asham'd thy self so to disgrace With these and such like things thy flesh would please And so delight thee by proposing ease And pleasures of the world that so they might Cause thee to love the world and make thee slight Thy watch thy guard and garrisons and all And then what then thou' rt gone and soon wilt fall Into the pit the snare that they have made To take thee in on purpose they it laid Well then its time about thee now to look Account it mercy that thou art not took Prize it and well consider that it s now High time to use what strength thou canst but how To manage this affair against this so Come learn of Christ hee 'l shew thee what to do His Grace implore if thou dost wisdom lack Ask it of God he will not turn thee back Nor thee upbraid he giveth liberally Ask thou in faith he will not thee deny Moreover if thou mean'st the field to win Abstain from ev'ry lust all kind of sin Thy members on the earth now mortifie To all of them see that thou daily dye Account thy self alive to God to sin Live not but dye if thou the field wilt win Abstain from all appearances of evil Abhor the works of darkness and the Devil As for thy flesh provision no time make The lusts thereof to satisfie nor take No pleasure in a fleshly carnal mind Nor in a frothy spirit thou wilt find Them hurtful to thee prethee me believe A carnal mind doth oft God's Spirit grieve For they that have a fleshly carnal heart Stil mind the flesh and with their lusts won't part But such as are born of the holy Spirit Will mind those things they shall one day inherit Besides a carnal mind to death will lead And many foul and filthy lust doth breed But to be minded spiritually Is life and peace to perpetuity A carnal mind ' gainst God is enmity Nor is it subject to his Law but why Because it is an evil ill disease Who ever hath it can by no means please The Lord for thou maist well be sure of this He that Christs Spirit hath not is not his This is my soul a Maxime certainly Who lives after the flesh shall surely dye But If thou by the Spirit dost endeavour To mortifie the flesh thou 'lt live for ever Now here 's the war the battel is begun Hold out my soul till thou the field hast won The flesh against the Spirit now will lust The spirit against the flesh these twain are just Contrary unto each in opposition There can nor must be granted no admission Of peace or of agreement 'twixt these twain Then give not o're till thou the flesh hast slain Nor lend no ear to what thy flesh doth say But fervently in Faith against it pray And take thy Sword that holy Word of God To thy assistance 't will thee help afford And hide it in thy heart lay 't up within That thou against the Lord maist never sin Thou wilt not be asham'd when thou shalt have Respect to all his Precepts and them crave As for those things wherewith the flesh doth still Seek to deceive thee and doth sometimes kill Thee with so many fancies and thy mind Disturb with them and seek thy eyes to blind Thou might'st not see the glory that 's beyond The Grave and tell thee often that its fond To think of such and such brave things above But would have thee the world embrace and love But hearken unto me I 'le thee inform How thou against this Enemy shalt arm Now then my soul suppose wee 'l put the case That thou shouldst be so cowardly and base To hearken to the flesh and to it cleave And shouldst it follow and the Spirit leave And put the case my soul that thereby then Thou shouldst become as great as any man Encreas'd with wealth and worldly honor have Be counted wise enjoy what ere is brave Have th' world and all its glory in a string So much that thou needst not want any thing The flesh can wish or what thy heart can crave But it command and presently it have And what if with all these vain things together Thou shouldst a Rapier wear a Hat and Feather And be so proud so lofty and so stout That from a man thou 'lt scorn to take a flout And be so full of complements and gallant So full of valour quarrelsome and val'ant That if one should but give to thee the lye Make no more on 't but stab him presently Suppose I say that thou hadst all these things And all the glory this world with it brings What art the near in death they can't thee serve Nor from his dreadful strokes thy life preserve For when the King of terrors to thee comes Thee to arrest and seize then all the sums The world affords if all of them were thine Would insufficient be there 's no such Fine That he of thee will take thy life to spare Thy life must go he will not stay nor care For all the world if thou the world couldst give Then dye thou must and must no longer live And go to dust and leave the world behind thee And as thou dy'st just so shall judgment find thee For after death there is a day to come Which some men call the dreadful day of doom A dreadful day indeed a day of wrath Too late then to repent thee of that froath Thou livedst in while thou wast here so brave And then wilt rue that ere thou wast a slave Unto the flesh the devil and the world If head-long into Hell thou shouldst be hurld Oh then my soul consider well and see That all the world will nothing profit thee For there 's a time to come that shall and will All those that serve their lusts with horror fill When
most precious blood He undertook for you in your place stood And now hath made you Kings Priests by birth And one day you shall reign with him on earth Then shall that Princely Heav'nly song be sung On Harps of God most sweetly tun'd and strung The song of Moses who Gods servant was The holy Lambs song likewise this song is Which song methinks before I further go I must insert that you this song may know Most great and marvellous all thy works are Lord God Almighty who shall not thee fear And glorifie thy Name for thou art holy And just and true thy ways are righteous wholly All Nations shall now come and worship thee For now thy Judgements manifested be Thou King of Saints most true just are thy wayes This song then Saints shall sing him shal praise Such perfect heav'nly frames of heart they shall Be alwayes in their glory won't be small But such as always shall their souls so fill With joy they 'l sing praise to the Lamb and will Continually rejoice set forth the praise Of him who is the Ancient of all Dayes For then the glory of the Lord they 'l see The Lamb will always with them present be They then will God see face to face no blame Will he find in them but will write his Name Upon their foreheads he will dwell with them And they for evermore shall be with him They then shall be his people he will be Their God for ever to eternitie Then shall they hear no sighing nor no cries All tears he 'l wipe away from off their eyes No death nor mourning sorrow greif nor pain Shall ever overtake those souls again For such things then there will be left no room Because the Bride enjoys her dear Bridegroom If she rejoiceth now to hear his voice When she his face shall see she may rejoice When she beholds his person and doth see His Beauty Glory and his Majestie All former things with her will pass away Now she can sing and on Gods Harps can play Nothing can her to grief or sorrow move How can she mourn that hath her fill of Love What ere she did here in this mortal state She 'l now rejoice to mourn it is too late The Bride did mourn and weep while he was gone Who is her Bridegroom though she wan't alone Her heart was with him he with hers and still He with his Spirit did her always fill With full assurance that she was his Bride And that he from her went but to provide A City and a Mansion for each one And then he 'd come and leave no more his own And wel-beloved Spouse his chiefest Joy His Darling to the Lions to anoy Who can report the joy when she goes thither She there wil meet with when they meet together Thus have I hinted as I said I would In such a place so well as well I could The doubtless fall of that great Scarlet Whore Who in her loftiness and pride doth soar Above the Throne of Kings but she shall be Thrown down from thence into the deepest Sea From whence she nevermore shall rise again The healing of her breach will be in vain And as I promis'd so I 've now perform'd To hint that Christ shall one day be enthron'd Yet one or two words more by way of use I still have yet to say which may produce Some good effect to some though not to all But to the Whore I think 't will none at all But some there be which are of her that yet Adore her much if they 'l reade what is writ I mean her plagues here hinted in this book It may provoke them now about to look If they 'l consider well what Sorcery What Fornications and Idolatry What guiltiness there is upon her still Of th' Martyrs blood which she a Sea did spill Who knows but that it may a motive prove Some one or more from off their lees to move And who can tell but this may call forth some From out of her lest they share in her doom When they shall reade her sins her plagues withal Or else partake with her in her great fall And therefore let it be a use of terror Of great astonishment of fear and horror Unto the Pope and all his Cardinals His Moncks and Friers ev'n those Canibals Who eat the flesh of men trade with their souls And drink the blood of Saints as Wine in bowls Let pains and pangs and sorrows on them seize The time doth hasten now when God will ease Himself of such an evil Generation Who are such foes to Christ his Death and Passion Whom they would tear pluck out of his throne If they thereby could but keep up their own The next and last word I intend to speak At this time is unto the poor and meek Those filly harmless Lambs the lot and stock Of Jesus Christ our Lord that little flock Here 's comfort new for you and consolation That follow hard in the Regeneration That blessed Lamb of God which went before Whom follow after fully for the more You follow him the more your peace will be Here and hereafter your felicitie Though he lead thorow many rocky wayes To that sweet place of rest yet see you praise Your Prince it is the certain way that leads Unto God's Kingdom though it trouble breeds Unto the flesh to climb such rocks and hills He will go with you that with pleasure fills Your souls there can be then no cause of fear To go that way that Christ is with you there For he hath been and is strength to the poor Help to the needy in distress and more A refuge from the storm and from the heat A shadow is when grievous storms do beat The storm of furious ones whose blast doth fall As doth a mighty storm against a wall Know where you cannot go he will you carry And he that shal come wil come and won't tarry Fear not then little Flock rejoyce and smile At this it 's but a very little while But he will come and wil you all imbrace Then shal you see his glorious shining face The way 's but short the labour 's smal you spend Faint not you 'l soon come to your journeys end Afflictions are but light the Glory 's pondrous But a moment eternal Glory 's wondrous There 's no comparison between these twain If for a light Affliction you can gain A weight of Glory for a moment you Receive eternal-Glory with Christ doo What loss can't be who would not walk a path That dirty is if it an ending hath In Rest and in unutterable Joys Rather than one that leads to nought but toys The best and all of them this great fault have They leave a man when he goes to his grave Nay more while he is but on toys a poring And is them like to petty gods adoring They steal away his heart if he intend To follow that way still 't wil in the end Lead him to death that death to never dy But live in torments to eternity Then wait with patience for your Prince and King When ha appears he then will with him bring Such great rewards will make up all your losses Your suffrings trials troubles and your crosses Content your selves be satisfi'd and rest In this that you have such an interest In Christ and in his Glory that no man Though nere so mighty or so great that can Deprive you of 't God greater is than they None can you harm if he but say them nay Admit they should do what with their will stands They can't you pluck out of your Father's hands Beware then that you don't his love disdain Take heed you don't his holy Name prophane By any sin or unbeseeming walking By any foolish jesting idle talking But I the Prisoner of the Lord beseech You all to study and consider which Way you may sanctifie that holy Name And bring forth praise and hounour to the same That sacred Name of God which now doth seem To be reproach'd which some do much blaspheme Walk worthy of that calling wherewith ye Are called and be sure you alwayes see Your conversation all times cloathed is With lowliness that Christ-like grace of his That unto all men you may make 't appear That as was Christ so you like-minded are And be not rash but meek enduring wrong If you be like to Christ he suffer'd long Forbear ye one another live in love And God will still be with you from above And keep your hearts minds through Christ our Lord If you like brethren do in love accord Then make it ev'ry one your great endeavour And do at all times in the same persever To keep the Spirits unity and peace That God may dwell with you and you increase In all the fruits and graces of the Spirit You may esteem'd be worthy to inherit A Crown of life a Kingdom and a Throne Which will enjoyed be by those and none But those that faithful are unto the death For so God's holy blessed Spirit saith I now conclude and end and take my leave Hoping these lines though rude you will receive And mend those faults in love you may there find If any benefit you reap then mind To give the praise to God the honour 's his Give none to me but all to him whose ' t is All Glory be to him that ever liveth I 'm yours in him to love and serve John Griffith FINIS