The Mirror or Miracle of Gods Love Unto the World of His Elect, Epitaph
A Pillar, erected on the Graue, and inſcribed, to the deere memory of that learned and godly Diuine, Mr. PAVL BAINE. By I. E.
SOme Men in ſhape, are Diuels: and other ſome,
Mis-ſhapen monſters, we may truely ſay:
Brute beaſts full oft in humane ſhape doe come,
Whom carnall ſenſe and furious rage doth ſway.
The forme and name of Men many retaine,
That come farre ſhort of the right humane ſtraine.
Againe: Some babes are demy-men, I know;
In whom of man ſome ruder lines appeare:
But to mans ſtature few there are that grow,
Or the ripe nature of a man doe beare.
In troupes of men, to finde a Man at Noon
(With Torch-light) were a taske not eaſily doon.
Aye me! (deare Baine) what treaſure then we had
Whil'ſt thou amongſt vsus didſt aliue remaine!
And by thy death (which good men made ſo ſad)
What loſſe vnvalued doe we now ſuſtaine!
Ah, harmefull Death! what Age ſhall vsus requite
So great a dammage, and ſo foul deſpite!
Deere worthy Baine, a man complete to be,
And more then any one meere man, I finde.
The vertues, which in moſt we ſingle ſee,
As choyſe Ingredients were in him combin'd,
Him to ſet forth; though made of humane bloud,
A rich Pandera of diuineſt good.
Rare is a faithfull, zealous Chriſtian:
More rare, good conſcience and great learning meet.
One, of a thouſand, proues a godly man.
A learned Scribe; a skilfull, a diſcreete,
A watchfull Paſtour; Teacher excellent;
Such who can finde? vnleſſe Paul Baine be meant.
There was in him a blameleſſe innocence,
A feruent zeale, ſound iudgement, pearcing wit,
Not vulgar learning, moouing eloquence,
An vnderſtanding of deepe points, to it
An hart high-mounted, farre aboue the sky;
Yet low as earth, in true humility.
O Death! I nere ſhould ceaſe of thee to plaine,
Who of ſuch treaſure haſt vsus now bereft;
Did not our loſſe turne to his greater gaine,
And had he not a world vnthankefull left;
Which ſets at nought (as droſſe and baſeſt Mine)
Moſt precious Pearls, and of the brighteſt ſhine.
Worthy Eliſha, when thy Maſter deere
In flaming coach was rapt vp vntounto God,
Thou did'ſt obtaine, that (O thou happy Seer!)
His doubled ſpirit on thee might make abode.
Oh! well were mee, if ſo within my breſt
But halfe the ſpirit of this bleſt Saint might reſt.
I. E.
End of the text · Paul Baynes, The Mirror or Miracle of Gods Love Unto the World of His Elect (1619)