AN ELEGY Upon the DEATH of that Faithful Servant OF the LORD, And my Dear and Never-to be-forgotten FRIEND Mr. JOHN WELLS, Minister 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 Alarm Tingle in your Ear?  
A Cedar falls! A Star does disappear.   
A Summons sent you to prepare for Death,  
And show the fleeting state of Mortal Breath?  
Man is a World, and Death's the Ocean found  
Wherein that World's Inferior Pa●ts are drowned;  
This Sea Encircles All; And, though as yet  
God hath set Marks and Bounds 'twixt us and it;  
Still it does Roar, and daily Threaten send,  
And breaks our Bank whenever it takes a Friend;  
But when our Prophets too are swallowed 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 hurled,  
To punish this our Sin polluted World;  
Where is the Moses in the Gap to stand,  
And with loud prayer's disarm Jehovah's Han●:  
The Shepherds thus Removed, who shall keep  
From Wolves of Romulus, the scattered Sheep.  
I' th' Path of Duty how may we not stray,  
When our best Guides so fast are took away.  
Grave pious WELLS so suddenly was snatched,  
As if an Ambuscade of Angels Catched  
His Towering Soul, which longed for Heaven before,  
And now is Crowned in Bliss for evermore.  
Yet could not Death surprise him (though so nigh)  
For 'twas his Practice, every day to die.  
About his Gospel-Labour* he was going,  
Blessed Servant whom his Master finds so doing.  
Christ was his study, God's Glory his Aim,  
It was his Heaven to advance the same.  
He was not like Wells without water, dry  
And empty Readers of Morality.  
But from his Lips Wells of Salvation flowed,  
And every gracious Heart that heard him, Glowed;  
By lively faith He being dead yet speaks,  
And still his Works shall Praise him in the Gates;  
Long since we know he fixed a steady Eye,  
And Pointed others to ETERNITY.  
Long since he taught enravished Saints to sing  
Loud Hallelujahs to their God and King;  
And now joins Consort in such Songs of Love,  
With all the Choir of Seraphims above.  
Original Corruption he displayed,  
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 Hallowed both in's life and death,  
And on the same Resigned his latest Breath;  
Entering, Just when temporal Sabbath ceased,  
Into a Sabbath of eternal Rest:  
He was a Watchman could not well be blamed,  
A Workman such as need not be ashamed.  
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 straight unsay again;  
But full of Truth and Power his seasoned words,  
Did pierce iike Nails and Cut like sharpened 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 lived, had he lived less;  
Oh melting Suppliant! whoever did know  
His Prayers to Heaven without some Tears to go:  
The secret Ravish poor Souls have sound,  
When 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 Virtues, Graces, Gifts, and all you can,  
All were Concentred in this Holy M●n.    

THE EPITAPH.  

A Minister under this Tombstone lies  
Enshrined, not Dead, for Virtue never dies.  
Life's Great Example, one whose well-spent Days  
Began with Goodness, and Expired with Praise;  
His Lamp was ever Burning never Hid,  
And when his Tongue Preached not, his Actions did,  
His Body to Earth's Custodies Confined.  
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