AN ELEGY Upon the DEATH of that HOLY, REVEREND and LEARNED Minister of CHRIST, Mr. RICHARD BAXTER, Who in the 77th Year of his Age departed this Life Decemb. the 8th 1691.  By N. VINCENT Minister of the Gospel, a true Mourner at his FUNERAL. 

Blessed Man! In singing forth thine Elegy,  
Now every Muse should turn 
* Melpomene was the weeping Muse of the Nine.  Melpomene!  
There's not an Eye, that saw what's worth; but will  
For loss of Thee, a shower of Tears distil!  
Who would thy Life in Truth describe, must tell,  
Its Length, and usefulness, was Miracle.  
That Tongue, by which, Thy Parts and Grace are shown,  
Must be an Angels, or one like thy own.  
He that did wish th' Apostle Paul to hear,  
Thy powerful Preaching, Praying, if his Ear  
Had once been blessed with: this would granted be,  
Only Inspired Ones excelled Thee!  
Thy 〈…〉 thee, Star; and truly None,  
Brighter than Thou, in this 〈…〉  
The Sun of Righteousness did sure dispense  
Such Light to Thee, with so great Influence  
The Prince of Darkness was (how often!) foiled;  
His strongest Holds thrown down! his Weapons spoiled!  
Thee Spiritual Father, a large Offspring call;  
Thy Crown thy Glory, and thy Joy; these all  
Will at the last be found; and These with Thee  
Will live, love, praise unto Eternity!   

Thou didst aloud the Unconverted Call;  
Heaven blessed thee with Success, so that the fall  
Of Many into Hell was hindered; Greater skill,  
To win Souls to thy Lord; and to his Will  
To subject them; Who in this Age has had?  
The worst of all the Ages that were bad.  
Hard Hearts before Thee melted, and their Grief  
Was Angels Joy, when some of Sinners chief  
Repent; then Heavens Sons were glad to see  
Those so near Hell, snatched out of Misery.   

Thou wast the World's Eclipse; Thy noble flight  
Towards the things Eternal, out of sight  
Of Mortal Eye: was to the Worldlings shame,  
And strong Conviction. Conscience did them blame,  
Because their Hearts were placed on, what thy Feet  
Did trample under, as it was most meet;  
Earth's Vanities deserved no better treat.  
Thy Faith did make Thee Mammon's Conqueror  
Wealth, Pleasure, Honour; even the whole World's store  
Was in thine Eye contemptible and poor.  
This Age of Infidels might plainly see  
That Christ did die, and rose again, in Thee!   

How wondrous was thy Art (when Hearts did groan  
Burdened with Sin and Sorrow; making moan,  
Because of Wounds intolerable) to apply  
That 
* Panacea signifies an ●niversal Medicine curing every Malady.  Panacea of Iniquity,  
The Blood of Jesus Christ! Thou didst divide  
The Word aright, and most exactly guide,  
That trouble might be true; yet not exceed  
Due Measure and overwhelm: when once the need   

Of Christ and Grace was seen, sweet was thy Word  
Reviving, Comfort, Peace, it did afford.  
The Merciful High Priest did Thee employ,  
And no man more, to make them reap in joy,  
Who sowed in tears. Now surely at thy Grave  
Tears would become a Deluge; where to have  
Relief, we should not know, but that we all  
In thy Divine Discourses practical;  
Thee living, breathing, speaking still may find,  
Though dead, This Treasure Thou hast left behind.   

In Controversies Theological,  
Thy skill was great; the Adversaries all  
Of Truth and Thee, thou easily didst confound,  
And unto Error give a mortal Wound,  
A readier Disputant who ever was?  
〈…〉 through the Schools of Learning pass.  
Both Universities may 〈…〉  
That neither from Thee honour can receive!  
But though Thou wast so able to defend  
The Cause of Truth, yet once to see an end  
Of strife and wrangling, was thy Heart's desire:  
Strife, thou well knewest, is a consuming fire.  
'Tis thy great glory, in this wrangling Age,  
●hen Pride, Malignity, and brutish Rage  
Are all so high, Thou wert a Man of Peace.  
That sharp Contentions in the Church might cease,  
Was thy desire in praying, and thy aim  
In Preaching, Writing, Blessed we proclaim  
●● ee from thy Lord's own Mouth. 
Matth. 5. 9  Thou sparedst none  
〈…〉 real Faults, on every side, were shown:  
●●y Wisdom was without Hypocrisy,  
〈…〉 had not Partiality.   

〈…〉 Patience in Affliction, and thy Faith,  
〈…〉 exercise sufficient; yet who saith  
●●at either failed, would wrong thee. Surely He  
Whose Arms all things uphold, did sustain thee!  
To preach, pray, study, praise, though in great pain,  
●s Thou didst, was peculiar: Ah! 'tis vain  
To seek thy Equal, who does bear the Rod  
So well, and does so very much for God   

But Death has eased Thee of all thy pain,  
Nor Sin, nor Trouble, shalt thou feel again.  
The King of Terrors, the last Enemy,  
Long looked for, was not Terrible to Thee.  
When Usher, Gataker, and Vines did sleep,  
Thou saidst Three Nations should consent to weep:  
Let these three Kingdoms join in doleful moan,  
The Tears of All, Thy Death deserves alone.   
Saecula vix referent, quem tulit una dies.   

LONDON: Printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside. 1691.