To the Memory of my dear Friend and Brother, Mr. William Taylor, late Preacher of the Gospel in St. Stephens Coleman-street.
IS Taylor dead? Taylor of Coleman-street?
That learned Orthodox Divine, that sweet
Evangelist; that true Nathaniel,
An Israelite, in whom no guile did dwell:
Simple, yet Compounded, vertues combin'd
Within his heavenly bosome were enshrin'd.
Who can compute our loss? for in this one
We, truly, seem to lose a Million.
Strife was 'twixt's Life and Doctrine t' inherit
The Preeminence, either did it merit;
But 'twas concluded, to decide the strife,
Life was in his Doctrine, Doctrine in his life:
He taught by both, his Congregation,
He Doctrine Preach't, liv'd the Application.
So great a Student, one would think that he
Neglected had his publique Ministry,
And yet in publique, so did he abound,
You'd think no time for study could be found;
Save that the hearer well might judge that he
Such notions never Preach't Extemporie.
Some for op'ning the Text, do passing well;
Others in Application do excell;
Some men with skill in Languages abound,
In th' Antient Fathers others are profound.
Some for School-Divinity, famous are,
Some Practical, some for Polemik rare,
The gift of some doth most in Prayer lie,
In Preaching others claim their exc'llency:
Taylor excell'd in All, as if that He
Of All these gifts had the Monopoly.
Sweet in converse, deligh [...]ful, but not vain;
Nothing impure did his Communion stain.
Humble, but not buse; Grave, but not austere;
Not rash, but valiant; joy was mixt with fear.
Meek in his own Cause, but in Gods so stout,
The Zeal thereof did wholly eat him out.
Psal. 69. 9.
His bounty had undone him, but that he
Did give in Faith, as well as Charity.
He ey'd the Promise which saith not in vain,
Prov. 11. 25.
He that waters, wat'red shall be again.Thus he
Isa. 32 8.
thriv'd by giving, for thereby,The bread which Love did break, Faith did break, Faith did multiply.
Cases of Conscience, skilful to untie
He was, and balm to wounded souls apply.
His dear Relations so fulfil did he
With fruitful influence, and Piety,
That Wife, Children, Servants, Familiars All
Rising up early, did him Blessed call.
Faithful he was to his Religion,
His Principles, Trust, and his Commission.
Faithful to Christ, till death, nothing could make
That precious Saint once to prevaricate;
Not Wife, or Children, nor of all most dear,
His Ministry; Nothing did lie so near
His heart as th' interest of Christ: For Him
Death in its horrid'st shape had welcome bin.
Nothing too dear for Christ: He knew full well,
Christ had redeem'd him from the lowest Hell.
In short, this was the Value of the man,
Each mans p [...]rfection made his Anagram.
And is he gone? Let England mourn, 'cause she
Hath lost a Mourner, a true Jeremie;
Another Elijah, who for her sake,
Intercession unto God did make
Ʋncessantly. Let London weep a tear,
Because a light is fallen from her Sphere,
Of sweetest influence, and perfection,
No single Star, but a Constellation.
Yea, let his Orphane Congregation weep
Forth sad laments; Now left as sheep
Without their Shepherd; Let Wife and Children moan,
Her Guide of youth, Her Bosome-Teacher's gone;
Their Father, who by Paul-like Prodigie
Chang'd Sex, and travell'd, their New-birth to see.
Let Friends lament, to whose Arcana He
Was wont both Ark and Oracle to be.
And oh that mine head were waters, mine eye
Of tears a fountain day and night to cry
My sad complaints, for loss of such a Friend,
Who as another Soul to me hath bin.
Credere unam animam in duobus esse divisam. Min. Hel. Octav.
At the report of so sad a story,
Who can forbear,
Jer. 22. 18.
Ah Lord, and ah his glory!This Aggravates our sorrows, that his Sun
Did set at Noon, before his work was done.
Before his work was done! I must unsay
That word, His work was done in half his day:
So fast he wrought, and being girt with might,
Thought his task to double 'fore 'twas night;
Death snarl'd, yet fearing th' encounter; at length
Layes Ambush for him; and consumes his strength
By lingring sickness, promising thereby
A Consumption.
Unto himself the easier Victory.
But was no means applied in due time,
To have prevented Death's fore-seen design?
Why were not Learned Physitians feed
To consult his Cure? Ah, there was no need;
Of so great worth, so much belov'd was he,
They feed Him, their Patient for to be:
That Proto-Medicus of Court, sans compare,
Invites him home, to be his Bosom-Care,
And Studies him with such anxiety,
As, if Taylor liv'd not, Himself must dye.
But all in vain: Then where Physitians end,
Divines begin; whole dayes in prayer they spend,
As Luther for Miconius once did pray.
Melch. Ad.
As if they mean't not God should say them nay;
Not like success! Prayer, that could command
The
Josh. 10. 12, 13.
Sun stand still once an whole dayes space, andBring
2 King. 20. 11.
back the shade in King Ahaz Diall,By ten degrees gone down, could not recall
The Setting Sun of holy Taylors life;
Nor all the cryes, of Children, or of Wife:
His work was done; Then said his Lord to him,
Mat. 25. 21, 22.
Well done Good Servant, Faithful thou hast bin,In what is less, Come take thy Robe and Crown,
And
Rev. 3. 21.
Reign with me for ever on my Throne.A joyful word it was; for when as he
Death, as his Fathers Messenger, did see
Make his approach, He, Welcome Death, did cry,
Welcome my best friend, welcome Eternity.
But Death retreating; much he did complain,
Death retreating; much he did complain,
As one near Shore, hurl'd back into the Main
Of Disappointment; ceased not to mourn,
Untill eft-soon Death hast'ned his return;
And from the Court of Heaven, his fiat brings:
Then Bowing head Swan-like (this Song) he sings,
Into thy hands, Lord, I commit
My spirit, which is thy due,
Psal. 31. 5.
For why thou hast redeemed it,
Oh Lord my God most true.
I'le say no more, but add to Balaam's wish,
LET HIS LIFE BE MINE,
Numb. 23. 10.
my last end like His.Sic maerens flevit T. C.