THE

Evangelical Magazine,

For MAY, 1799.

BIOGRAPHY.

MEMOIR OF THE LATE REV. JOHN GRIFFITH.

MR

R. GRIFFITH, the fubject of this Memoir, was born at London, in 1714, of parents of fome refpectability, though not elevated in the world. His father was profeffedly a churchman; but his mother was a Proteftant Diffenter, and a member of the Chriftian Society, under the paftoral care of the late celebrated Mr. Thomas Bradbury. Mrs. Griffith took every method in her power to bring up her fon in the fear, nurture, and admonition of the Lord: but to him, all religious exercifes were a great burthen and the difcipline the found neceffary to make use of, was confidered by him as a want of tenderness of heart.

While yet a boy, he was frequently in danger of being drowned. Five or fix times did the Lord preferve him from a watery death. At twelve years old, he loft his pious mother, which lofs was the more felt, as his father was too little attentive to him in a religious view. At a proper age, Mr. G. (like many others who are afterwards called to the miniftry was bound apprentice to a handicraft bufinefs, in aily where there was no real religion. Before he had ferved fix years, his mafter died, and the remainder of his time was foon after purchased. Mr. G., now wholly uncontrolled, gave himself up to every youthful folly, even upon the Lord's day; and gaming and dancing were his chief delights. Though nominally a member of the eftablifhed church, he very feldom went there, which often occafioned painful checks of confcience; but he went on in fin, and thought of repenting when he thould grow old. Mr. G. was once fpeaking to this effect in the hearing of an old man, who commended a fober, religious life. His countenance changed at this reproof, and the good man left VOL. VII. Cc

him

him, faying tenderly, "As the tree falls, fo it lies:" and added, "There is no repentance in the grave." This laft word, made fuch an impreffion on him, that he refolved to amend his life, though he very foon forgot his refolution. A friend perfuaded him to receive the facrament at St. Ann's church; but while partaking thereof, and afterwards, he was dreadfully befet by Satan, with horrid blafphemies, which made him fear that he had eaten and drank his own damnation. However, these words of the apoftle James, "My brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations," calmed his mind, and he renewed his refolutions; but as they were made in his own ftrength, he foon went on again finning and repenting. Often was he ensnared into evil company, but this he thought atoned for, by going to the facrament.

Mr. G. now married; and as he ufed to express it, "The Lord chofe a helpmeet for him." A married ftate he fuppofed would enable him to live more confiftently with his religious profeffion; but he foon found that this ftate alfo is not without its fnares. Thus fituated, he was informed by an acquaintance, that a Mr. Seagrave preached at Lorimer's Hall, and that none could be faved who did not believe his doctrines. This excited Mr. G's curiofity, and one Lord's day evening he went to hear him. The difcourfe feemed fuitable to his condition; but after the worthip was over, hearing fome of the congregation mention their attending the miniftry of certain diffenting minifters, this quite difgufted him, as he gloried in being a churchman, and even defpifed and hated the Diffenters. Mr. G. therefore adherred to the eftablishment; but his convictions increased, and he found the want of something which the preaching he attended, did not fet before him; not even when hearing a bishop, from which he had indulged great expectations. Once more, therefore, he ventured to hear Mr. Seagrave, who preached Chrift and him crucified, which was what his foul had began to thirst after. He alfo, fometimes, attended the Tabernacle, Moorfields, and was providentially led to Mr. Stockell's Meeting Houfe, in Red-crofs Street; where he afterwards became a member, and in a courfe of time, the paftor of the church. Salvation by grace was now to him a joyful found: but he could not give up the established church, though he could feldont hear the gofpel in it. He therefore contented himfelf with going to meeting occafionally; when, as the word frequently melted him into tears, he endeavoured to

get

get into fome corner, where he might not be seen, as he thought himfelf particularly pointed at by the preacher. Yet all this time he was going on too much upon a legal plan; until one day being at prayer, confeffing his fins, and recollecting his former promifes of obedience, thofe words came as a dagger to his foul, "Thou haft not lied unto men, but unto God." This paffage was fo impreffed upon his mind, that all his tears and prayers, almfgivings and facraments, would no longer fatisfy his confcience. He was now more miferable than ever, and felt himself a loft creature. This happily led him to Chrift; but Satan, taking advantage of his diftrefs, harraffed him with blafphemous thoughts, to deprive him (if poffible) of all hope of mercy, and to make him think that he had committed the unpardonable fin. The awful expreffions in the 6th and 10th chapters of Hebrews fo diftreffed him, as to make him a terror to himfelf and all about him. He derived, however, fome little hope of mercy from the language of Manoah's wife, "If the Lord were pleafed to kill us, &c*. He now found no food for his foul in parish churches, where had gloried in attending, but where the gofpel was then feldom preached; yet was he ftill loth to give up the church, and very anxious to know which was the right way. The words of Chrift, I am the way," now gave him much comfort; and Bunyan's treatife of "Come and Welcome to Jefus Chrift," was very ufeful to him.

The good work being thus truly begun was gradually carried on. Election, however, was for a time a great ftumbling block to him; he faw clearly that it was revealed in the word of God, but had many doubts and fears whether or not he was interested in it. In this ftate he continued until one Lord's day morning, according to his ufual custom, he was crying to the Lord to fend him fome word of comfort, and his prayer was that day anfwered. For going to hear Mr. Stockell, he was under that fermon fet at liberty, and in a rapture of joy exclaimed, "Why me! Why fuch a wretch as me! when my companions in fin are left in ignorance!" His comforts were now great; but Satan foon hook his confidence and tempted him again to doubt whether all were not a delufion. By thefe trials and temptations the Lord was pleafed to fhew him much of his own heart; and he was imperceptibly prepared for the work of the miniftry (of which at this time he had no

* Jud. xü. 23.

thought)