To the Memory of my dear Friend and Brother, Mr. William Taylor, late Preacher of the Gospel in St. Stephen's Coleman-street.  

IS Taylor dead? Taylor of Coleman-street?  
That learned Orthodox Divine, that sweet  
Evangelist; that true Nathaniel,  
An Israelite, in whom no guile did dwell:  
Simple, yet Compounded, virtues combined  
Within his heavenly bosom were enshrined.  
Who can compute our loss? for in this one  
We, truly, seem to lose a Million.  
Strife was 'twixt's's Life and Doctrine t' inherit  
The Preeminence, either did it merit;  
But 'twas concluded, to decide the strife,  
Life was in his Doctrine, Doctrine in his life:  
He taught by both, his Congregation,  
He Doctrine Preached, lived the Application.  
So great a Student, one would think that he  
Neglected had his public Ministry,  
And yet in public, so did he abound,  
You'd think no time for study could be found;  
Save that the hearer well might judge that he  
Such notions never Preached Extemporie.  
Some for opening the Text, do passing well;  
Others in Application do excel;  
Some men with skill in Languages abound,  
In th' Ancient Father's others are profound.  
Some for School-Divinity, famous are,  
Some Practical, some for Polemik rare,  
The gift of some doth most in Prayer lie,  
In Preaching others claim their exc'llency:  
Taylor excelled in All, as if that He  
Of All these gifts had the Monopoly.  
Sweet in converse, delightful, but not vain;  
Nothing impure did his Communion stain.  
Humble, but not buse; Grave, but not austere;  
Not rash, but valiant; joy was mixed with fear.  
Meek in his own Cause, but in Gods so stout,  
The Zeal thereof did wholly eat him out. 
Psal. 69. 9   
His bounty had undone him, but that he  
Did give in Faith, as well as Charity.  
He eyed the Promise which saith not in vain,  

* Prov. 11. 25.  He that waters, wat'red shall be again.  
Thus he 
* Isa. 32 8.  thrived by giving, for thereby,  
The bread which Love did break, Faith did break, Faith did multiply.  
Cases of Conscience, skilful to untie  
He was, and balm to wounded souls apply.  
His dear Relations so fulfil did he  
With fruitful influence, and Piety,  
That Wife, Children, Servants, Familiars All  
Rising up early, did him Blessed call.  
Faithful he was to his Religion,  
His Principles, Trust, and his Commission.  
Faithful to Christ, till death, nothing could make  
That precious Saint once to prevaricate;  
Not Wife, or Children, nor of all most dear,  
His Ministry; Nothing did lie so near  
His heart as th' interest of Christ: For Him  
Death in its horrid'st shape had welcome been.  
Nothing too dear for Christ: He knew full well,  
Christ had redeemed him from the lowest Hell.  
In short, this was the Value of the man,  
Each man's perfection made his Anagram.  
And is he gone? Let England mourn, 'cause she  
Hath lost a Mourner, a true Jeremy;  
Another Elijah, who for her sake,  
Intercession unto God did make  
Uncessantly. Let London weep a tear,  
Because a light is fallen from her Sphere,  
Of sweetest influence, and perfection,  
No single Star, but a Constellation.  
Yea, let his Orphan Congregation weep  
Forth sad laments; Now left as sheep  
Without their Shepherd; Let Wife and Children moan,  
Her Guide of youth, Her Bosome-Teacher's go;  
Their Father, who by Paul-like Prodigy  
Changed Sex, and travelled, their New-birth to see.  
Let Friends lament, to whose Arcana He  
Was wont both Ark and Oracle to be.  
And oh that mine head were waters, mine eye  
Of tears a fountain day and night to cry  
My sad complaints, for loss of such a Friend,  
Who as another Soul to me hath been. 
Credere unam animam in duobus esse divisam. Min. Hel. Octau.   
At the report of so sad a story,  
Who can forbear, 
* Jer. 22. 18.  Ah Lord, and ah his glory!   

This Aggravates our sorrows, that his Sun  
Did set at Noon, before his work was done.  
Before his work was done! I must unsay  
That word, His work was done in half his day:  
So fast he wrought, and being girt with might,  
Thought his task to double before 'twas night;  
Death snarled, yet fearing th' encounter; at length  
Lays Ambush for him; and consumes his strength  
By lingering sickness, promising thereby 
A Consumption.   
Unto himself the easier Victory.   

But was no means applied in due time,  
To have prevented Death's fore-seen design?  
Why were not Learned Physicians feed  
To consult his Cure? Ah, there was no need;  
Of so great worth, so much beloved was he,  
They feed Him, their Patient for to be:  
That Proto-Medicus of Court, sans compare,  
Invites him home, to be his Bosom-Care,  
And Studies him with such anxiety,  
As, if Taylor lived not, Himself must die.   

But all in vain: Then where Physicians end,  
Divines begin; whole days in prayer they spend,  
As Luther for Miconius once did pray. 
Melch. Ad.   
As if they meant not God should say them nay;   

Not like success! Prayer, that could command  
The 
* Josh. 10. 12, 13.  Sun stand still once an whole day's space, and  
Bring 
* 2 King. 20. 11.  back the shade in King Ahaz Dial,  
By ten degrees gone down, could not recall  
The Setting Sun of holy Tailor's life;  
Nor all the cries, of Children, or of Wife:  
His work was done; Then said his Lord to him,  

* Mat. 25. 21, 22.  Well done Good Servant, Faithful thou hast been,  
In what is less, Come take thy Robe and Crown,  
And 
* Rev. 3. 21.  Reign with me for ever on my Throne.  
A joyful word it was; for when as he  
Death, as his Father's Messenger, did see  
Make his approach, He, Welcome Death, did cry,  
Welcome my best friend, welcome Eternity.  
But Death retreating; much he did complain,  
Death retreating; much he did complain,  
As one near Shore, hurled back into the Main  
Of Disappointment; ceased not to mourn,  
Until eftsoon Death hastened his return;  
And from the Court of Heaven, his fiat brings:  
Then Bowing head Swanlike (this Song) he sings,   

Into thy hands, Lord, I commit  
My spirit, which is thy due, 
Psal. 31. 5.   
For why thou hast redeemed it,  
Oh Lord my God most true.   

I'll say no more, but add to Balaam's wish,  
LET HIS LIFE BE MINE, 
* Numb. 23. 10.  my last end like His.   
Sic maerens flevit T. C.