Acacia John Bunyan

A Book for Boys and Girls
or
Temporal Things Spritualized.


By J O H N.B U N Y A N.

Licensed and entered according to order.


L O N D O N,
Printed for, and sold by, R. Tookey,
at his Printing House in St. Christopher's Court,
in Threadneedle Street, behind the Royal Exchange, 1701.

First published thirteen years after John Bunyan's death.



VIII.

UPON THE FLINT IN THE WATER.

This flint, time out of mind, has there abode,
Where crystal streams make their continual road.
Yet it abides a flint as much as 'twere
Before it touched the water, or came there
Its hard obdurateness is not abated,
'Tis not at all by water penetrated.
Though water hath a soft'ning virtue in't,
This stone it can't dissolve, for 'tis a flint.
Yea, though it in the water doth remain,
It doth its fiery nature still retain.
If you oppose it with its opposite,
At you, yea, in your face, its fire 'twill spit.

Comparison.

This flint an emblem is of those that lie,
Like stones, under the Word, until they die.
Its crystal streams have not their nature changed,
They are not, from their lusts, by grace estranged.



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