An ELEGY upon the Death of that able and faithful Servant of God, Mr. Samuel Sowthen, who died the 2d of July, 1665.  

COme, pensive Pen, thy mourning drops distil,  
And let thy sable Tears this Paper fill:  
Yea, shouldst thou not stay here when this is done,  
But still proceed to wet more cheeks than one,  
Thou wouldst companions have; some are oppressed  
With heaviness; sorrow hath filled each breast,  
And streaming Tears (the Indices of Grief)  
Flow from their Eyes, to give their heart's relief:  
For SAMUEL SOWTHEN's dead, a man so rare,  
That few are left that with him might compare.  
He was that Son of which the Wiseman spoke, 
Pro. 23. 24, 25.   
From whom his Parents did much Honour take.  
He was a Husband, and a Parent dear,  
And to his Brethren bore a love sincere.  
A Master gentle; his Vicinity  
Was peaceful, doing no man injury:  
And to his Friends a faithful Friend indeed,  
Ready and helpful in a time of need.  
Courteous and affable, sober, and wise;  
Safe was his Counsel, worthy his Advise.  
All his Acquaintance sensibly perceive,  
That by his absence they a loss receive.  
So full of Goodness was his Spirit filled,  
That to his Person it did lustre yield.  
As God of this world's Good had given him store,  
So was he bountiful unto the Poor:  
Of what God did bestow on him, a part  
He did bestow on them with cheerful heart.   

But though these things declare a virtuous mind,  
Yet greater still than these remain behind.  
For his sublim'st, his highest commendation  
Ariseth from his careful observation  
Of those Commands, those Laws, those Statutes all,  
Which God hath made, and charged great and small  
To keep inviolable; those kept he  
Placed before his eyes continually:  
And those he made the Standard of his ways,  
Directors of his Actions all his days.  
Those choice Perambulations, which did please  
His heavenly mind, were compast-in with these:  
Wherein he found Paths lovely, large and sweet;  
Light to his ways, a Lantern to his feet.   

The Goodness, Mercy, Bounty, and rich Grace  
Which he found was in God, caused him to place  
His trust in Him alone; his care he cast  
On Him also, whose care his own surpassed.  
By which means freed from such Anxieties,  
Disquietness of mind, Perplexities,  
Which commonly do hinder and annoy  
Men, when for God their hearts they should employ.  
Being free (I say) from these obstructions noted,  
And from some others too, himself devoted  
To serve the Lord with all his power and might,  
Observing what was pleasing in his sight:  
Whose Dictates and whose Will he would obey,  
And teach them too, though men in Power said nay.  
For that which he had heard and seen of God,  
He could not choose but spread the same abroad.  
By painful labour night and day he wrought,  
And spent himself, that others might be brought  
Into the Fold of Christ, and there continue  
Among the number of that blessed Retinue;  
Who wait until he shall again descend  
In Clouds, as heretofore he did ascend;  
And that they might be free from spot or slain,  
Meet to be Kings with Christ, their head, to reign.   

Such zeal for God did in his breast reside,  
That when he saw his Laws were nullified,  
And humane Ordinances placed in stead,  
It to his pious soul much trouble bred.  
To check which insolency (bold and daring  
Of God himself) our Sowthen was not sparing,  
As well by openly declaring, as  
He by his walking exemplary was:  
For he well knew that the Prerogative,  
In Sacred things to be Legislative,  
Was His alone, whose Wisdom, Goodness, Care,  
Exceedeth humane skill and judgement far:  
And for his Church, whate'er was necessary.  
Appointed hath, from which they should not vary;  
Nor harken to the voice of any stranger,  
That tells them in their liberty is danger;  
Or, that the Way of God in any thing  
Was aught too strict, or would an evil bring.  
Wherefore he mightily endeavoured  
That all might by God's Word alone be led:  
'Cause those who do with humane Laws comply,  
Do in their works God's Sovereignty deny.  
And though from men he had but small regard,  
From God he knew he should have great reward.   

Some said he was too strict, because he could  
Not yield to that which many others would.  
Let these beware lest they too lose be found,  
Unstable in their ways, at heart unsound.  
For Festus thought Paul did his wits outgo, 
Acts 26. 24, 25.   
When what he said was true and sober too.  
The Jews likewise supposed they spoke no evil,  
When they affirmed the Just-one had a Devil. 
John 8. 46, 52.    

Besides, God oftentimes complaining, said,  
MY Word, MY Law, MY Voice ye have not obeyed: 
Jer. 9 13. & 11. 8-10.   
But have, as though my Judgements you forgot,  
Been doing things Which I Commanded Not. 
Jer. 7. 31. Isa. 29. 13.   
Also, your fear to me is taught by Men.  
These Scripture-saying, and more like to them,  
Do mount unto a pregnant Testimony,  
That no Command, no Law, no Ceremony  
Ought to be practised, but only those  
Which God himself did order or impose.  
And others should, as contrary to him,  
Be disregarded quite, though ne'er so trim;  
As being a disloyalty to Heaven,  
When any Honour unto them is given.  
Else know I not what suchlike say mean,  
Nor what 'tis to be spiritually unclean.  
But I shall leave these men to stand or fall  
To their own Lord, who them to count will call,  
And now again return to him, who is  
Upon his way unto eternal Bliss.   

His Spirit and Gift in Prayer did excel,  
And he accordingly improved it well:  
ne'er saying to this gift of God, Give way  
Whilst I sometimes by men's assistance pray.  
This was enough, and better far than Man  
Can help him to, and do the best he can.   

But now he's gone, God hath so judged it fit,  
And 'tis our duty humbly to submit.  
Yet cause the loss is great, his worthy Wife,  
Who tendered him full dearly in his life,  
Can scarce be comforted, cause she's alone,  
And her so much esteemed Friend is gone.  
His Parents and his brethren's faces show  
Their love to him, as his to them, was true.  
His Consort's Sister grieves too (for another)  
Saying he was like Father more than Brother.  
Also his Christian Friends are much affected,   

'Cause such a Member is from them dissected.  
The World have lost him too, who was a debtor  
Unto them in such things as were far greater  
Than this life could afford: and know God useth  
To take from man that good which he abuseth.  
Let's all therefore redeem the time mispended,  
Repecting what shall be when life is ended.   

But in the midst of grief we comfort have,  
For he that now is laid into his Grave,  
With heart believed, with mouth he Christ confessed,  
And died in the Lord, and therefore blessed  
He is pronounced by the Holy Ghost,  
'Cause now with toil and labour he's not tossed;  
And 'cause his works do follow him, 
Rev. 14 13.  that he  
May live in Glory to eternity.   
FINIS. 51.