An elegy on the death of the Rev. Mr. John Wesley, who departed this life March 2, 1791, in the eighty-eighth year of his age. : [One line of quotation] / By Elhanan Winchester.

AN ELEGY, &c. AWAKE, my muſe, and ſeek great WESLEY fled! This righteous man is number'd with the dead. How ſad and awful is the parting ſtroke, Which hath the long ſubſiſting union broke! WESLEY is ſet, that bright that ſhining ſtar, Which oft conducted ſtrangers from afar, To come by faith, and taſte their Saviour's grace, And humbly bow their ſouls before his face. How long he labour'd in the goſpel field! While hundred thouſand ſouls his Miſſion ſeal'd: Who heard the goſpel from his willing tongue, Upon his lips with fix'd attention hung: Heard for their lives, and fled from wrath to come And found in Jeſu's arms a welcome home. What regularity his life diſplay'd! By rule he liv'd; his mind on God was ſtay'd. Jeſus he lov'd, his Goſpel he purſu'd, And wiſh'd, like him, to be divinely good; His temper cultivated in his breaſt, He learnt of him, and found the promis'd reſt; Thought, ſpoke, and acted like his Lord divine, And in the ſight of men his light did ſhine. His works of love, known only to the Lord, Inſure for him a rich, a large reward: Ten thouſand acts of gen'rous kindneſs ſhown, Have gain'd him honour, glory, and renown. Many have done great things, and are approv'd, But he excell'd them all, for much he lov'd. Long did he move in Wiſdom's pleaſant ways; He lov'd and ſought her in his youthful days: And to his lateſt years advancing ſtill In that bleſt way that leads to Zion's hill, He gain'd at laſt the bright, the glorious prize, The tree of life, which grows in Paradiſe. His life was dedicated to the Lord; And more than ſixty years he preach'd his word: Some millions heard his ready tongue proclaim The wonders of the great Redeemer's name. The univerſal Saviour he confeſs'd, And ſought to bring mankind to taſte his reſt. Proclaim'd abroad "He taſted death for all;" And that his grace extenſive, as the fall, Is freely given to ev'ry willing mind, Who ſeek their Saviour and their God to find: That none were reprobated by decree, But that God's ſaving grace for all is free. He taught mankind their hopes of heaven to place Upon the Saviour's merits, and his grace, Proclaim'd Repentance, Faith, Hope, Joy, and Love: Taught men the way that leads to God above: Five words well underſtood will ſhew the way, Repent, Believe, Hope, Love, and then Obey. This was the glorious doctrine which he brought, This to the human race he freely taught; And this to many thouſand ſouls was bleſt, Brought weary wand'rers unto Chriſt for reſt. How vaſt, and, oh! how regular his plan, For God's great glory, and the good of man! How wide, and yet how pow'rful was his ſphere! He ſhed his influence far, as well as near. His ſermons and his num rous writings ſhin'd, With heav'nly light, a bleſſing to mankind. His active ſoul flew ſwiftly to perform His Father's will, his heart was always warm. With God like Enoch he did ſpend his days: Good works his buſineſs; preaching, pray'r and praiſe Theſe were his choiceſt pleaſures ever high: He wiſh'd in Jeſu's cauſe to live and die. The greateſt ardour of his active mind Was to proclaim the Goſpel to mankind; And make the Saviour's name and nature known To all whom he had purchas'd for his own. He joy'd to ſee the blood-bought human race Partakers of the Saviour's love and grace: He lov'd to ſee them walk in Wiſdom's ways, Hold faſt the truth and joyful end their days. He ſought by every method in his pow'r To ſpread the ſacred Goſpel more and more, To turn the ſouls of men from death and ſin, And make them feel a Heav'n begun within. He wiſh'd to ſee our Jeſus rule and reign, In every heart, that ſin might all be ſlain: That every ſoul might full ſalvation know, And thus enjoy a Heav'n begun below. How did he pray, and thirſt, and pant, and long, That Jeſus might be prais'd by ev'ry tongue: That all the world might taſte redeeming love; And be prepar'd for Heav'ns bright courts above. And whereſoever he beheld a ſign That any heart was touch'd with pow'r divine, It gave him joy beyond what harveſt yields, When plenteous crops are gathered from the fields But hence my Muſe: Come take a lofty flight, Purſue this holy man to realms of light: Behold him introduc'd to Heaven's high King? Hark! how the Heav'nly arches loudly ring. He comes, the faithful perſevering man! Whoſe life was govern'd by his Saviour's plan! Who thought, ſpoke, acted, like his glorious Lord, He comes to taſte a part of his reward! Behold his happy ſpirit ſwiftly riſe! To Heav'n he lifts his joyful wond'ring eyes! Convey'd by angels ſwifter far than light, The Heav'nly city ſoon appears in ſight. The ſhining gates of pearl are open'd wide, And holy angels are his guard and guide. How ſwift he marches on! freſh glory ſees; And traverſes the ſacred plain with eaſe. But who is that ſtands waiting at the gate? To bid him welcome in? What heav'nly ſtate Attends that glorious perſon? O 'tis he; My Lord, the glorious man that dy'd for me; He comes to welcome in his ſervant, John! He takes him by the hand, and ſays, WELL DONE. "Well done thou good and faithful ſervant, come, "Partake of glory, Heav'n is now thy home. "Thou ſhalt obtain the plaudit of thy God, "And in his temple have thy fix'd abode. "As thou haſt faithfully his will obey'd, "So ſhalt thou be a greater Ruler made: "Far greater honour I'll on thee beſtow "Than ever was enjoy'd by kings below. "Thy works of love were great, and not in vain, "And from my hand thou ſhalt the prize obtain. "With me thou ſhalt deſcend, and with me ſhare "The kingdom, ſceptre, and a crown ſhall wear. "Mean time, inherit now a glorious reſt, "And be with thouſands of thy children bleſt." As thus the Saviour ſpake, his ſervant bow'd Adoring low before him; while aloud, All heav'n reſounded with the Saviour's praiſe, Who takes ſuch pleaſure worms of earth to raiſe To higheſt glories in the realms above; He honours them who ſhew, that "God is love," But while my muſe beholds this heav'nly ſcene, Who can inform me what thoſe triumphs mean? Such crowds of ſhining ſpirits fly to meet, This venerable man, and loudly greet, And bid him welcome to the bliſs divine: Pray who are theſe, that in ſuch glory ſhine? Theſe, ſays my kind inſtructor, are the bands By him reclaim'd from ſin, from Satan's hands, Prepar'd for glory by his doctrine clear, Went home before him, ſhout him welcome here. See Fletcher, holy man, whoſe zeal and love, Was ſo eſteemed by all the hoſts above; Whoſe labour, faith, and patience to the laſt Held out, till fears and dangers all were paſt. See how he ſhines in glory ever bright, And how he hails his friend to realms of light! FLETCHER; that favourite of God and man, How clearly he beheld Salvation's plan; Saw through the parts, beheld the glorious whole; Explor'd the goſpel, with capacious ſoul! Saw farther than he hath in words expreſt, But ſouls akin to his, can gueſs the reſt. His ſpirit, ſoul, and heart, were fill'd with love, Love drew him on, and made him ſwiftly move. While life immortal all his pow'rs inſpir'd, Sweetly he went to Chriſt as he deſir'd. His laſt day's labour in the houſe of God, Puſh'd on his eager ſoul to its abode. With what immortal pleaſure did he riſe To join the happy millions in the ſkies! Now he with rapture ſees his ancient friend, Come to poſſeſs thoſe joys that never end. His brother CHARLES, his fellow lab'rer dear, With joy receives him, bids him welcome here. He ſweetly ſang on earth, now ſings above, And ſhouts the Saviour's univerſal love. How noble were his ſtrains! how unconfin'd! Vaſt was the ſcene which open'd to his mind! His thoughts were boundleſs love, his voice was praiſe; He liv'd to God, and joyful clos'd his days. His ſweet compoſures cannot be forgot, His name, his memory ſhall never rot. Th' immortal God his numbers did inſpire, They glow'd with more than bare poetic fire. The love of jeſus was his darling theme, Who ſhed his blood for all, dy'd to redeem The race of men, without excepting one, Who were by ſin, and by the Fall undone. Nor can I here omit that herald bright, Who preach'd the Goſpel with unrivall'd might; WHITEFIELD, a name to many thouſands dear; Who ſat with great delight his voice to hear, Who like an Angel ſeem'd thro' heaven to fly, Proclaiming, "Fear the God who made the ſky, "The earth and ſeas, and water fountains deep; "Worſhip JEHOVAH, his commandments keep." But Jeſus was his moſt enliv'ning theme; How ſhone his face whene'er he ſpoke of him? So glorious were his talents, all confeſs'd That as a ſpeaker he excell'd the beſt. No leſs than thirteen times he croſs'd the main; The love of Jeſus did his ſoul conſtrain, In Europe and America to preach, That ſinners he might call, warn, and beſeech; And pray them to be reconcil'd to God, Through Jeſus Chriſt, and his attoning blood. How ardently he labour'd for mankind, That peace and pardon they thro' Chriſt might find! And ſpent his precious life in acts of love, Till Jeſus call'd his ſoul to dwell above. There univerſal love fills all his ſight, He ſwims in the broad ocean with delight; He ſees what once he hardly dar'd to ſcan, That God is loving unto every man. His ſoul was fitted for the realms of day, And holy tempers in his heart bore ſway, And therefore upward did his ſpirit riſe, To meet his glorious Lord in Paradiſe. He knows his ancient friend and brother's face, And bids him welcome to that bleſſed place: Where all diſputes are over, wranglings paſt. But perfect peace and pleaſures always laſt. United now, each other they embrace, Redeem'd alike by Jeſus, ſav'd through grace: They view with pleaſing eyes the num'rous train Of blood-bought ſouls, for whom the Lamb was ſlain Who firſt by them alarm'd, have ſought and found. Through Jeſus Chriſt, free grace and love abound. And having perſever'd in holineſs, Have enter'd Heav'n, and glory now poſſeſs. Hundreds of ſhining heralds, who proclaim'd The Goſpel, where the Saviour ſcarce was nam'd, Who firſt invited home by WESLEY'S tongue, Felt Jeſu's pow'r, and join'd the happy throng: Publiſh'd ſalvation to their fellow men, Call'd and invited them, and call'd again: At length their Saviour call'd their ſpirits home To dwell with him, where troubles never come. Now they rejoice, to ſee their leader riſe, And take poſſeſſion of the heav'nly prize. While hundred thouſands' turn'd from ſinful ways, Liv'd holy lives, triumphing clos'd their days, Now hail their firſt inſtructor to that ſhore Where ſin and ſorrow, pain and death's no more. Oh, what amazing pleaſures now he feels, To view ſuch multitudes of heav'nly ſeals! Souls that were giv'n him for his joyful crown, Procure him from his Lord the beſt renown. For whoſoever winneth ſouls is wiſe, (Souls are thoſe treaſures we ſhould highly prize.) And ſuch as men to righteouſneſs ſhall turn, Shall ſhine like ſtars, thoſe lamps of Heav'n that bur Many hath WESLEY turn'd to righteouſneſs, And therefore, he this honour ſhall poſſeſs. Nor him alone, for Chriſt, the living Lord, Will give to all his faithful ones reward. And we that labour in our little ſphere, If we are faithful in his ſervice here, Shall gain the plaudit of our Lord divine, And in his heav'nly kingdom ever ſhine. But as this man of God did honour him, Who ſhed his blood, all ſinners to redeem, So Jeſus gave him favour and ſucceſs, And wond rouily his miniſtry did bleſs. Long did JEHOVAH lengthen out his time, And long his faculties remain'd in prime: His influence vaſt continu'd all his days, And great deſigns fulfill'd to Jeſu's praiſe, He labour'd to the laſt with ardent pain, And ſought the wand ring ſouls of men to gain. But juſt one week before his dying day, With love and fervour he did preach and pray, "Seek ye JEHOVAH while he may be found, "Call on his name, while mercy doth abound; "O put not off, until another day, "Now while he's near at hand, ariſe and pray. "Now let the wicked man forſake his crimes, "And to our God JEHOVAH turn betimes. "And let th' unrighteous man his thoughts forſake: "His evil tempers, and to pray'r betake: "Then God his grace and mercy will beſtow, "Their ſins forgive, and ſave their ſouls from woe." The point he labour'd long with earneſtneſs, And on his hearers did repentance preſs. Thus nobly clos'd his public labours then, Finiſh'd his work on earth. Now gone from men, He walks with Jeſus, ſees him as he is, High in ſalvation, and the Climes of Bliſs. In Heav'n is joy, fullneſs of joy in ſtore, At God's right hand are pleaſures evermore. And what from mortal eyes muſt be conceal'd, Is to the heirs of glory there reveal'd. Freedom from ſin and ſorrow, guilt and pain, And ev'ry evil inclination ſlain; Beholding Jeſus Chriſt with open face, Reſting for ever in his lov'd embrace: Being conform'd to him in perfect love; And join'd to all the heav'nly hoſts above; Praiſing the name of God in loudeſt ſtrains, Adoring Chriſt, who high in glory reigns; If this is Heav'n and this their bleſt employ, Who dwell in Jeſu's preſence, ſure 'tis joy, Lord let us enter there when life is paſt, And, taſte thoſe joys which ſhall for ever laſt. FINIS.