AN elegiac ESSAY UPON THE DEATH Of the Reverend Mr. Thomas Gouge, Who Deceased Jan. 8. 1699/ 1700.  
By J. M. Philo-Musus.  
LONDON: Printed for John Marshall, at the Bible in Grace-Church-Street. 1700.   

AN elegiac ESSAY UPON THE DEATH Of the Reverend Mr. THOMAS GOUGE: Who Deceased Jan. 8. 1699/ 1700.  

GO, sorrowful Muse, lamet Great Gouge's Death,  
Who to our Grief has now resigned his Breath:  
Go, mournfully our Loss, his Gain set forth,  
His Piety, his Learning, and his Worth.  
Go, and lament distressed Sion's State,  
Attempt his Excellence to predicate.  
One in this Work, 'tis true, has been employed,  
But is there nought for me to writ beside?  
Sure that Muse ha'n't said all. Why may not mine  
Say more? Shall we to One his Praise confine?  
Why should it not be Sung by All the Nine?  
Shall but One Muse accompany his Hearse,  
Singing his Praise in elegiac Verse?  
If others then are silent, why may not I  
Attempt, at least, to writ his Elegy?  
'tis true, his Worth deserves far greater Praise,  
Than my poor unaccustomed Muse can raise:  
Being so great, that it may seem a Crime,  
For me t'attempt to put it into Rhyme.  
But Love to him says, Try. Nay then I will,  
And let that Love atone my want of Skill.  
O how uncertain are all things below!  
Scarce have we got our Mercies, but they go.  
Those Blessings which Mortals esteem most Rare,  
They no more pleasing than uncertain are.  
Yet so't must be, else desired Happiness  
Would dwell with us below; whereas Distress,  
And Death, the dreaded Progeny of Sin,  
When Happiness left this World, first entered in.  
How many Faithful Ministers of late  
Has Sion lost? Which Losses do create  
Dire Fears within her anxious Breast, when she  
Sees them departing, whom she hoped might be  
Her Faithful Leaders in her Pilgrim-State  
Much longer. But nought now can mitigate  
The Torrent of her Grief, when after th' Rest  
Who 're gone before, and are of heaven possessed,  
She sees the reverend Gouge departing too;  
This makes her weep, because t'augment her Wo.  
But why must Gouge go now? couldst thou not spare  
Him longer here below?( How short-lived are  
Our Mercies! How uncertain!) In his Light  
We for a while rejoiced; but tho' 't was bright,  
Yet, to our Sorrow, 'twas eclipsed soon,  
His Sun went down, scarce having past its Noon.  
Had it not been decreed that all must Die,  
Sure we had begged his Immortality.  
Not that we envy in the least his Bliss,  
Nor that we grudge his perfect Happiness:  
But yet we want him here; sand more, we pray,  
Lest into Night be turned our Gospel-Day.  
Should we but trace from his first happy Breath,  
To his lamented, and mushroom Death,  
Through his whole Life, 'twill plainly then appear,  
A Glorious Star has left our Hemisphere.  
In him the Graces of God's Spirit shined,  
Th' Endowments of a truly Noble Mind.  
How firm his Faith, showing itself in Love,  
And in Desire, fixed on the Things above?  
How noted for his Early Piety,  
Serving the Lord, while young most zealously?  
How sweet his natural Temper, not inclined  
Wrongs or past Injuries to call to Mind?  
How Closely with his God, and how Uprightly  
Did he walk here, and how Exemplary?  
And as he was adorned with Grace, the Heart's?  
Best Ornament, so with the greatest Parts,  
And no less learned, as well in Tongues as Arts,  
Thus a Great Christian, greatly Learned too,  
How was he fit, his Master's Work to do?  
How faithfully was he engaged therein;  
Endeav'ring Subjects to his Lord to bring?  
How sound his judgement? How from Errors free?  
And able to oppose all heresy?  
Tho' weak by Nature, by Sickness weaker made,  
So that while he was young, his Strength decayed.  
Yet how did he always his Work pursue  
With Eagerness, and great Affection too?  
How steadfast was his Hope? His Piety  
No less conspicuous. How did he Die?  
Not the least questioning his Interest  
In those blessed Mansions, where he's now at rest.  
So Great a Man was he, such Happiness  
Had his late Church, Great sure beyond express.  
Had they but known, and suitably inprov'd  
Their Mercies, while they were not yet removed.  
And his blessed Soul past without least annoy,  
Into the Regions of Eternal Joy,  
Where Everlasting Praises it employ.  
Then let's not Weep for him, knowing his Gains  
Abundantly reward him for his Pains:  
But rather for ourselves, because o' th' State  
Of Christ's poor Church, the Object of the Hate  
Of Wicked Men: But this great Comfort gives,  
That tho' Men Die, yet JESUS ever Lives.    

EPITAPH.  

THE Soul of reverend Gouge being now above,  
Here lies his Dust, waiting till by the Power  
Of God it raised shall be, and for his Love  
Made fully blessed; and that for evermore.  
A glorious Light he was whilst here below,  
Shining most brightly; 'twas his main Delight,   

GLORY to GOD to bring, his Will to do:  
Of whose blessed countenance he enjoys the Light.  
Under this ston his Body rests till th' Day  
Gladly when it shall meet it's Soul, and they  
Ever enjoy that Bliss, where Grief is chac'd away.    

A Catalogue of Books Sold by John Marshall, at the Bible in Grace-Church-Street.  

GOOD Company; or, Sudden Thoughts; or, A Collection of Three Hundred Divine Sentences; being a Guide to a Holy Life.  
The Government of the Thoughts, Prefatory to the Government of the Tongue, by the Author of The Whole Duty of Man.  
An elegiac Essay on the Pious Memory of Mr. Matthew Mead. Price 6 d.  
The Heavenly Foot-Man; or, A Description of the Man that gets to Heaven. By John Bunyan, Author of The Pilgrim's Progress.  
A Declaration against Antinomian errors. The Second Edition.  
A Choice Drop of Honey from the Rock CHRIST.  
The Traveller's Song. In Verse.  
Rich's Short-Hand. A speedy Way to attain the Art of Short-Writing. Where you may be supplied with the Testament and Psalms in Short-Hand.  
The Ten Commandments in Verse, from a large Copper-Plate. Where you may be supplied with variety of Pictures, of most sorts.  
Mr. Gouge's Funeral Sermon. By J. Nesbitt.   
FINIS.