Upon the DEATH of that Aged, Pious, Sincere hearted CHRISTIAN, JOHN ALDEN, Esq Late MAGISTRATE of New-Plimouth Colony, who died Sept. 12th, 1687, being about eighty nin● years of age.  

THE staff of bread, and water eke the stay,  
From sinning Judah God will take away,  
The prudent Counsellor; the Honourable,  
Whom Graced and Holiness makes delectable,  
The Judge, the Prophet and the ancient Saint,  
The deaths of such cause sorrowful complaint,  
The Earth and its Inhabitants do fall,  
The aged Saint bears up its pillars all.  
The hoary head in way of Righteousness  
A crown of glory is. Who can express  
Th' abundant blessings by Disciples old  
In very deed they're more than can be told.  
The guise 'tis of a wanton generation  
To wish the aged soon might quit their station.  
Tho' truth it be, The Lord our God does Jrown,  
When aged Saints by death do tumble down.  
What tho' there be not such Activity,  
Yet in their Prayers there's such Fervency  
As doth great mercy for a place obtain,  
And gracious presence of the Lord maintain.  
Tho' Nature's strength in old age doth decay,  
Yet th' inward man renewed is day by day.  
The very presence of a Saint in years.  
Who lifts his soul to God with prayers and rears,  
Is a rich blessing unto any place  
Who have that mercy to behold his face:  
When sin is ripe and calls for desolation  
God will'call home old Saints from such a nation.  
Let sinners then of th' Aged weary be.  
God give me grace to mourn most hearty  
For death of this, dear servant of the Lord,  
Whose life God did to us so long afford:  
God lent his life to greatest length of days;  
In which he lived to his Redeemer's praise.  
In youthful time he made Moses his choice,  
His soul obeying great JEHOV AH's voice,  
Freely forsook the world for sake of GOD,  
In His House with His Saints to have abode.  
He followed GOD into this Wilderness;  
Thereby to all the world he did profess,  
Affliction with the Saints a better part  
And more delightful to his holy heart  
Than sinful pleasures, lasting but a season:  
Thus said his Fa●●● so saith not carnal Reason  
He came one of 〈◊〉 first into this Land,  
And here was kept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●od's most gracious hand  
Years sixty-seven which time he did behold.  
To poor New-England mercies Manifold:  
All God's great works to this His Israel  
From first implanting what to them befell:  
Of them he made 〈◊〉 serious Observation,  
And could of them present a large Narration,  
His walk was holy, humble, and sincere,  
His heart was filled with JEHOVAH's Fear  
He honoured GOD with much integrity,  
God therefore did him truly magnify.  
She hearts of Saints entirely did him love,  
His Uprightness so highly did approve,  
That whilst to choose they had their liberty  
Within the Limits of this Colony  
Their Civil Leaders, him they ever chose.  
His Faithfulness made hearts with him to close.  
With all the Governors he did Assist;  
His Name recorded is within the List  
Of Plimouth's Pillars to his dying day.  
His Name is precious to eternal Ay.  
He set his Love on God and knew His Name,  
God therefore gives him everlasting Fame.  
So good and heavenly was his Conversation,  
God gave long life, and showed him His Salvation.   

His work now finished upon this earth;  
(Seeing the death of what he saw the birth)  
His gracious Lord from heaven calls him home,  
And saith, My servant, now to Heaven come:  
Thou hast done good, been faithful unto Me,  
Now shall thou live in bliss ETRNALLY,  
On dying bed his Ails were very great,  
Yet verily his heart on GOD was set.  
He bore his griefs with Faith and Patience,  
And did maintain his lively confidence:  
Saying to some, The work which God begun,  
He would preserve to its perfection.  
His mouth was full of blessings till his death  
To Ministers and Christians all: his breath  
Was very sweet by many a precious word  
He uttered from the Spirit of his Lord.  
He lived in Christ, in Jesus now he sleeps:  
And his blessed soul the Lord in safety keeps.    

JOHN ALDEN. Anagram End all on hi.  

Death puts an End to all this world enjoys,  
And frees the Saint from all that here annoys.  
This blessed Saint hath seen an end of all  
Worldly perfections. Now his Lord doth call  
Him to ascend from earth to heaven high,  
Where he is blest to all Eternity.  
Who walk with God as he, shall so be blest,  
And evermore in Christ His bliss shall rest.   

Lord, Spare thy remnant, do not us forsake,  
From us do not thy Holy Spirit take.  
Thy Cause, thy Interest in this land still own:  
Thy gracious presence ay let be our Crown.   
J. C.