Classic Poem

To those that are, or hereafter may be in Affliction.

1

And now my Christian Friend,
That shalt these Lines peruse;
Oh that they might thine heart perswade
The Cross of Christ to chuse!
And to esteem it more
Then greatest Worldly Treasures!
Light grief would bring thee glorious joys,
Short pain Eternal Pleasures.

2

I have endeavoured
The Cross for to adorn,
By setting forth its comeliness,
Although the world it scorn
I have discours'd in brief
What profit comes thereby,
That thou might'st be encouraged
To bear it patiently.

3

I have before thine eyes,
An humble gracious Saint,
Bearing the Cross upon his Back,
Endeavoured to paint.
Now strive to immitate,
After this Copy write:
This is the onely end for which,
I did the same endite.

4

I would not for this world,
Were it a world of Gold,
(Yea for a thousand times as much
And more then can be told,)
I would not Rules prescribe,
And unto thee commend,
And yet me self be negligent,
Those Rules for to attend.

5

It is my daily Prayer,
Lord let me never teach,
That unto others which my self
Have little care to reach.
I have not told thee Tales,
Of things unseen, unfelt,
But speak them from Experience:
Believe it how thou wilt.

6

Yet I shall tell the Truth,
And nothing from thee keep;
Before I wrote this sentence out
I sat down twice to weep
Tears of remorse and sorrow
Because I am so poore
In these rich graces, and because
I have attain'd no more.

7

That having been so long
A Scholar in this School,
I have so little progress made,
And been so great a fool
But I shall say no more,
But pass from this discourse.
My weeping tears do blind mine eyes,
And me thereto enforce.

8

My son despise not thou
The Lords chastising hand,
Nor faint when thou corrected art:
But turn at his command.
Oh be not obstinate
(No better then before)
Lest God provoked be to smite,
And lay on seven times more.

9

For this he threateneth,
If that ye will not be,
By all my strokes reformed yet
But still walk cross to me.
Then will I also walk
Contrary unto you,
In wrath and fury, and seven times
More plagues will on you throw.

10

Dear Brother, Christian Friend,
Be wise for thine own ease,
And do not wilfully thy God
And Father mild displease.
He loveth not to grieve,
Nor Crush the sons of men:
Why should'st thou love to anger him,
Or for to grieve him then?

11

It may be thou hast been
Some head-strong Bullock like,
Kicking and spurning at the Rod,
And running on the Pike.
Now then bemoan thy self,
And cry, Lord turn thou me,
That have a stubborn sinner been,
And I shall turned be.

12

If Ephraim thus repent
And pray; God quickly hears,
Embraceth him as his dear Child,
And wipes away his tears.
God listeneth for to hear,
The voice of True returners,
And is most ready to speak peace,
To broken-hearted mourners.

13

Oh let New-England turn,
When gentler Warning's given:
Lest by our sins the Lord to use
Severity be driven.
It will be to our cost
To put him thereupon:
Oh therefore let's repent in time,
Before we be undone.

14

Incorrigibleness,
God's Anger will increase:
True penitence, and Faith in Christ:
This anger will appease.
And nothing else can do't,
Lord give us hearts to say,
Turn us to thee, and all our sins,
Purge out and wash away.

15

Come let's return to God,
He hath us torn, He'll heal:
He hath us smitten with his Rod,
And bind us up he will,
After two dayes are past,
He will us so revive,
And on the third day raise us up,
That we in's sight shall live.

Tum us again Lord God of Hosts,
And make thy Countenance,
To shine upon us, and so we
Shall have deliverance.