An Elegy upon the death of that faithful servant of the Lord, and dear and never-to-be-forgotten friend, Mr. John Wells minister of the Gospel, who was suddenly taken out of this vale of misery June 18, 1676.

An Elegy upon the death of that faithful servant of the Lord, and dear and never-to-be-forgotten friend, Mr. John Wells minister of the Gospel, who was suddenly taken out of this vale of misery June 18, 1676.

Table of contents

AN ELEGY Upon the DEATH of that Faithful Servant OF the LORD, And my Dear and Never-to be-forgotten FRIEND Mr. JOHN WELLS, M•nister of the GOSPEL, who was suddenly taken out of this V•le of Misery June 18. 1676.

THE EPITAPH.

§

[Page]

AN ELEGY Upon the DEATH of that Faithful Servant OF the LORD, And my Dear and Never-to be-forgotten FRIEND Mr. JOHN WELLS, M [...]nister of the GOSPEL, who was suddenly taken out of this V [...]le of Misery June 18. 1676.

HARK! Hark! you Heaven-bound-Souls, do you not hear

A fresh Alarum Tingle in your Ear?

A Cedar falls! A Star does disappear.

A Summons sent you to prepare for Death,

And shew the fleeting state of Mortal Breath?

Man is a World, and Death's the Ocean found

Wherein that Worlds Inferiour Pa [...]ts are drown'd;

This Sea Encircles All; And, though as yet

God hath set Marks and Bounds 'twixt us and it;

Still it does Roar, and daily Threatnings send,

And breaks our Bank whene're it takes a Friend;

But when our Prophets too are swallow'd there,

'Tis a sad Sign an Inundation's near.

Ah, how may we our Sodom fate bemoan,

And look for Fire when all our Lots are gone!

When storms of Vengeance are on Whirlwinds hurl'd,

To punish this our Sin polluted VVorld;

VVhere is the Moses in the Gap to stand,

And with loud Prayr's disarm Jehovah's Han [...]:

The Shepherds thus Removed, who shall keep

From VVolves of Romulus, the scatter'd Sheep.

I' th' Path of Duty how may we not stray,

VVhen our best Guides so fast are took away.

Grave pious VVELLS so suddenly was snatch'd,

As if an Ambuscade of Angels Catch'd

His Tow'ring Soul, which long'd for Heav'n before,

And now is Crown'd in Bliss for evermore.

Yet could not Death surprize him (though so nigh)

For 'twas his Practice, every day to dye.

About his Gospel-Labour* he was going,

Blest Servant whom his Master sinds so doing.

Christ was his study, Gods Glory his Aim,

It was his Heav'n to advance the same.

He was not like Wells without water, dry

And empty Readers of Morality.

But from his Lips Wells of Salvation flow'd,

And every gracious Heart that heard him, Glow'd;

By lively faith He being dead yet speaks,

And still his Works shall Praise him in the Gates;

Long since we know he fixt a steady Eye,

And Pointed others to ETERNITY.

Long since he taught enravish'd Saints to sing

Loud Hallelujahs to their God and King;

And now joyns Consort in such Songs of Love,

VVith all the Quire of Seraphims above.

Original Corruption he display'd,

How Heirs of Wrath by Nature all are made.

O'th' Holy Sabbath Learnedly he wrote

A Treatise that shall never be forgot,

That day he Hallow'd both in's life and death,

And on the same Resign'd his latest Breath;

Entring, Just when temporal Sabbath ceas'd,

Into a Sabbath of eternal Rest:

He was a VVatchman could not well be blam'd,

A VVorkman such as need not be a [...]ham'd.

No Proteus that could change to every shape,

No servile-spirited Preacher that could scrape

And Cringe to please the lusts of wanton men,

He would not say and streight unsay agen;

But[?] full of Truth and Power his season'd words,

Did pierce iike Nails and Cut like sharpned Swords,

His Minister'al Accomplishments were rare,

His constant Pains, his Diligence, his Care

For souls in Holy Things, who can express?

He might have longer liv'd, had he liv'd less;

Oh melting Suppliant! whoe're did know

His Prayers to Heaven without some Tears to go:

The secret Ravishings poor Souls have sound,

VVhen from his Mouth the Word of Life did sound;

But—

[...]ings hold not Histories, who can rehearse

His v [...]st Perfection in a narrow Verse;

Take Vertues, Graces, Gifts, and all you can,

All were Concentred in this Holy M [...]n.

THE EPITAPH.

A Minister under this Tombstone lies

Enshrin'd, not Dead, for Vertue never dies.

Life's Great Example, one whose well-spent Days

Began with Goodness, and Expir'd with Praise;

His Lamp was ever Burning never Hid,

And when his Tongue Preach'd not, his Actions did,

His Body to Earth's Custody's Confin'd.

But Heaven (which always had) enjoys his Mind.

His Work was Preaching here, and so 'tis still,

And Preach his Name we hope for ever will.

FINIS.

§

§

LONDON, Printed [...]r B. H. 1676. ⟨88.⟩

Information about this book

Title statement

An Elegy upon the death of that faithful servant of the Lord, and dear and never-to-be-forgotten friend, Mr. John Wells minister of the Gospel, who was suddenly taken out of this vale of misery June 18, 1676.

Edition statement

1676

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2009-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A39197

ID [STC]

Wing E469C

ID [STC]

ESTC R36264

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

15623280

ID [OCLC]

ocm 15623280

ID [VID]

104236

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Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A39197)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 104236)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1591:53)

Source

— An Elegy upon the death of that faithful servant of the Lord, and dear and never-to-be-forgotten friend, Mr. John Wells minister of the Gospel, who was suddenly taken out of this vale of misery June 18, 1676.,

Extent

1 broadside.

Printed for B.H.,. London :: 1676.. (In verse.) (Within mourning borders.) (Reproduction of original in the Harvard University Library.)

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