The Life and Funeral Sermon of the Reverent Thomas Brand, Elegies – To the reader
Elogies were ſent, in all the Languages Chriſt's Epitaph was written, (if I may ſo call the Inſcription upon his Croſs) but I'll only preſent you with theſe;
Ʋpon Reverend Mr. Brand.
T he helpfulleſt of Miniſters and Saints:
H is Work God bleſt with Grace, or with reſtraints.
O n thoſe who felt neither of theſe effects:
M uch may they fear, their hardning for neglects.
A ll ſorts who knew him beſt, they him moſt pris'd.
S trangers alone they were who him deſpis'd.
B ehold, Report, Admire, never Diſdain:
R ead'ly to imitate him Heaven to gain.
A ll worldly Happineſs, it ſhrinks before:
N ever to vy in competition more:
D eath is at hand to open you the Door.
t' a Wake, eXhort, proVokes the Vſe o'th' Story,
DeCeMber the firſt he Was taken to Glory.
…. A.
Ʋpon Reverend Mr. Brand.
WHen Primitive Devotion, Zeal and Love
Fled back to th' Ark like Noah's weary Dove,
Heav'n left ſome Sparks behind, to let us ſee
What once we were and ſtill we ought to be;
Some few good Men, and this was one, to ſave
A ſinking World, not only juſt but brave:
Nobly he ſtemm'd the Tide; vaſt Seas roll by
And daſh the Rock, but could not mount ſo high:
The firm Foundation could not ſink or ſtart,
'Twas deep and ſure, a meek and humble Heart.
The noiſy Bar the Road to Wealth and Fame
He ſhuns thoſe gawdy Toys below his aim,
The deſpiſ'd Goſpel all his Thoughts did claim:
Nor raſhly did the ſacred Charge invade,
He choſe it as an Office, not a Trade,
Trembling the weighty Task he undertook,
But when engag'd did never backward look.
His Zeal alike well plac'd and well deſign'd;
Neither luke-warm, nor raging, cold nor blind:
Sworn to no Party, in no Intereſt he
But that of common Chriſtianity.
So ſweet, ſo affable, his Mind, and Face,
He prov'd, Good-nature was no Foe to Grace.
His Charity, like Heav'ns, confin'd to none;
Not, even the worſt but ſhar'd his Rain and Sun,
Tho' with a kinder Influence ſtill he view'd
Thoſe few, who ſpite o'th' Faſhion, dared be good.
Improv'd ev'n old Diſciples, gain'd the young,
And dropt Inſtruction from his ſilver Tongue.
Theſe had his Soul, and his true Friendſhip try'd,
With theſe he pray'd, for theſe he liv'd and dy'd.
Lov'd 'em ſo well, that when Heav'n call'd away
Almoſt he's in a ſtrait to go or ſtay.
Till Meditation did the Clouds remove
And ſhow'd the Glories of tho Bleſt above.
What Manſions in his Fathers-houſe prepar'd,
What Joys by Mortals never ſeen nor heard:
Then like the Hart whom the hot Chaſe invades,
Who plunges in the Brook from his lov'd ſhades,
His thirſty Soul breaks out with eager haſt
And finds thoſe Streams of Bliſs he dy'd to taſte.
S. W.
Upon the Death of the Reverend Mr. Thomas Brand.
I.
DEath Commands ſilence; but his Death Forbids:
He Dead muſt Speak by his ſurviving Deeds;
Whoſe Life was Action, and his Actions Life;
Purg'd from Dead Works; in Vital Iſſues Rife:
When once the Quick'ning Spirit from above
Breath'd in a Living Faith, and Active Love:
But Slew him firſt; while to his Naked Eye
It did preſent that Dreadful Majeſty,
Which put him to Iſaiah's doleful Cry.
His Lips unclean, and Their's amongſt whom he dwelt,
Himſelf undone; till the Live Coal he felt
From off God's Altar, purging Sin away,Iſa. 6.
Then anſwer'd, Here I am, ſend me, I pray.
Our Goſpel-Altar gave that Holy Fire,
Which to a Goſpel-Temple did aſpire:Pag. 7.
That of our Law no longer could content;
Seraphick Love muſt on God's Work be ſent.
And ſent he was much like another Paul,
Struck down, he Heard, Reviv'd, Roſe at Chriſt's Call;
Amongſt his Brethren Labour'd more than all.
II.
To's Father's Name, or Church was no Diſgrace;
None he would do: Had no deſire to Raſel
Whilſt Build he might not, in his Father's place:
Who Dignify'd by her, yet far outvy'd
That Grace, and her more highly Dignify'd
By ſuch a Son: Whom (ah!) ſhe had not known,
When in a Croud, ſhe did him too diſown:
Had ſhe foreſeen, ſure, for his ſake alone,
Black Barth'l'mew had never Outed one.
But he his Filial Duty ne'er forgot;
No more her Name, than his own Soul would blot:
Strokes, aim'd at her, he'd with his Peril Ward;
And to her Worthies paid a juſt Regard;
Nor Brib'd; Whilſt he with Generous Content
Her Titles mis'ſt, his own fair Income ſpent,
Not Held of her; yet Turned to her Ʋſe:
For that's True Schiſm, and the worſt Abuſe,
Which Vogues Our Church not ſerved, but undone;
When Souls to Chriſt's by all apt means are wone.
III.
This his grand Project; this his ſingle Aim
Not ty'd to Party, Intereſt, or Name:
The Chriſtian Sum with differing ſide agreed,
In God's Ten Words, Chriſt's Pray'r, the Apoſtle's Creed:
No Fire-brand but a burning, ſhining Light,
His Love as fervent as his Knowledge bright:
This Pufft not up his Mind; That Edify'd
His, and who knows, how many Souls beſide?
His Tongue, Feet, Hand, and even Purſe could Teach:
His Seaſon'd Speech would daily hourly Preach;
Yet ſweetly flowing Charm'd, and Chain'd the Ear,
Whilſt he could ſpeak, ſwift and intent to hear.
What ſome would ſtories call, were Parables,
At once to Pleaſe and Profit; Sacred Spells,
Could Heav'n lure down to Earth, Earth ralſe to Heav'n:
Such Help to Men; Such Grace to him was given!
Words, backs (and edg'd) by his rare Bounty, cou'd
From Flint ſupply the Deſart with a Floud.
His wiſe Reproofs, as Light'ning darted in,
Could melt hard Hearts, and never raſe the Skin;
No Scar would make will out yet wrought the Cure within.
IV.
His Sermon not a Chance ſtarcht Common place;
But drawn to ſuit the Peoples ſtudied Caſe,
From a Try'd Word, by Pray'r, and ſearching Thought,
With one days Waiting, Weekly to be Taught
Himſelf of God to Teach Men, as he ought.
His Text he'd follow home, and Hearers too;
What Preaching could not, Conference might do:
On all, and each he'd ſpread the Goſpel-Net:
Not only ſow at large, but ſingly ſet.
He'd plow, or even dig the fallow Soil;
Plant, and then water with inceſſant Toil:
Would do the Work of an Evangeliſt,
Humbly Conceal'd under the Catechiſt.
V.
A Catechiſt accompliſht every way,
Truth to Commend, as well as to diſplay:
A Maſter-builder, who could ſurely lay
The right Foundation 'gainſt a Trying day.
Looſe Truths, he knew leſs underſtood, ſoon loſt;
And Pulpit-Summaries too big for moſt:
An oft Rehearſed Scheme they muſt retain;
Well might conceive, what their own Words made plain:
Hardly could doubt, what they were brought to prove;Pag. 48.
Or from their undertaken Duty move;
And leaſt of all, when wrought into their Love:
Perſons he'd ſingly, Truths conjunctly Teach;
Hearers ſhould ſpeak them; and the People Preach,
Call'd, and Conducted to a ſound Reply
By Queſtions fitting each Capacity.
And well he knew, under ſuch gentle Rain,
"The leaking Sieve muſt yet a Dew retain;
"And Fruitleſs Trees a Leafie Verdure gain.
He taught not Parrots, nor would whiſper in
Such ſounds, as empty Heads ſhould give agen:
Would ſence by Words, conveigh with holy ſlight;
Apt Words ſuggeſt by ſence conveigh'd aright.
Mind, Conſcience, Will he'd throughly Catechize;
Yet not Confeſs the Man; Each power ſurprize
By Chriſtian Wiles for Chriſt; with Holy Paul
Would, to ſave ſome, become all things to all.
VI.
He far above the World, could yet deſcry
Wiſdom's hid Paths below; But drew the Eye
Still to attend th' unerring Pole above,
By which himſelf did ſafely, calmly move.
His Morning, Evening-Dews the Word, Praiſe, Pray'r,
(And even theſe a Heavenly Manna were)
The Happy Horſe ſhould with his Cloſet ſhare;
This knew him early oft, long on his Knees,
Conſtant at ſtudy, and to him, who ſees
In ſecret often Faſting, to prepare
The Food of Souls with utmoſt Pains and Care.
There a John Baptiſt; Coming thence he'd be
Sweet, like his Lord, and innocently free;
Wiſe to win Souls by Chriſtian Curteſie.
Thrice Happy Orb, where e're this Sun did ſhine,
Whoſe Heav'nly Courſe ſhed Influence divine,
Meted the Hours, and number'd out each Day
For all, that would obſerve his conſtant way:
His daily Weekly Motion; yea his Reſt
So Meaſur'd, they were Meaſures for the Beſt
Standing one day, or going back had been
A Miracle, in him was never ſeen.
Heaven's Kindneſs in him ſhone to Good and Bad
Thoſe his Light bleſt, and theſe his Warmth made Glad.
Forth from his Native Eaſt this kinder Sun
Rejoyc'd a large, repeated Courſe to run;
To barren Climates he would gladly bring
Thrô ſmarteſt Winter-ſtorms a Gospel-ſpring:
But (ah!) more ſwift than ſtrong ran out of Breath,
Sunk in a Sea of Tears, that wail his Death;
Yet from his Higheſt South did not decline;
Set upon Heaven's Prime Meridian Line:
There does, thô Hid from us, more brightly ſhine.
VII.
But, O the Light diſperſt throughout this Land,
(Yea Life convey'd) by his Inſtructive Hand;
Which rightly found what here he had to do;
Writings, too many were; Readers too few:
There he'd Cull out the Beſt; Here all invite
On Free-coſt; or for Colour ask their Mite,
Who Starving, yet his Treat accepted not,Pag. 57, 58.
Till they might ſeem, at leaſt; to Pay their ſhot.
Spred thus the Sacred Writ more common grew;
Yet, better known, was held more Sacred too.
None Bought more Truth, or Weightier than he;
None would leſs Sell, or Give it out more Free.
The Happy Scheme, that Great Aſſembly drew,Pag. 46.
By England's publick Doctrine wouched True,
By Ireland's Learned Primate voted beſt,
With Cumber's for the Temple Service dreſt,
Sent out by Thouſands lodged every where,
Freely to Teach God's Knowledge, and his Fear.
VIII.
That Hundred thouſand times repeated [Call,]
Anſwer'd by Thouſands; yet not heard by all;
[Directions] too, with [Now or Never] preſt,
And many more by [Everlaſting Reſt]
Commended he from the Great Baxter's Pen
Spred in an Age how bleſt with two ſuch Men!
He, at the Head of Twenty thouſand [Guides]Pag. 55.
Drew after thoſe as many more beſides;
All Offering Freely, or at loweſt Price,
To lead Men to the Heavenly Paradiſe.
Pink, Caley, Wade, Dent, [Scudder's Daily Walk]Pag. 56.
With [Reyner's Rule] and (to prevent a Balk)
The [Vindication] of that Godlineſs,
They Teach, ſome Mock, few Live; thô moſt profeſs:
Theſe giv'n to make Men Practically Wiſe;Pag. 57.
To ſuch a Word Polemick might ſuffice;
Pool againſt that which Moſt, Worſt Errors does comprize.
With more and larger Volumes, ſhowing forth
At once their Authors, and the Donor's worth:
Some in the Plainer Dreſs of Charity;
Others to Court Acceptance by the Eye:
Here Golden Drops; but there a Learned Show'r
Into ſome Students Laps he'd frankly pour.
IX.
His Purſe as free, as were his conſtant Pains;
Souls to deliver from their Captive Chains:
On froward Patients, backward Clients. He
Would rare Advice bind with as rare a Fee,
Anſwer'd their Need, or honour'd their Degree.
Whilſt he the Body fed; Twice Welcome Gueſt,
Whoſe Soul would Welcome its Preſented Feaſt!
They whom his Coſt could fit for an Employ
Civil, or Sacred, were his Crown his Joy.
The Care and Charge of num'cous Churches he
Suſtained by Apoſtilick Charity;
As firſt he rais'd the People, Paſtor, Place,
Which oft his Pains would help, his Preſence grace.
The Catechiſt he planted every where;
And oft would be, throughout his ample Sphere.
Hir'd not a few to Teach, more to be Taught;
Books for the moſt, and Time for many Bought,
Outdoing Mammer's Pay, the Poor had earn'd,
While they God's Work (their Chriſtian Calling) Learn'd:
Conform to Chriſt, He, to enrich the Poor,
Made himſelf ſo; Would ſtill exhauſt his ſtore;
As that came on, his Bounty did advance;
Reſerving but the Entail'd Inheritance,
A Root of Growing Liberality,
Which, whilſt he liv'd, was certain not to Die:
(May but his Spirit with that Mantle go;
And Charity ſhall never fail below.
His Income, all Return'd each Year above,
Put out to Uſe by Acts of Faith, and Love,
He's now admiring in its vaſt Encreaſe,
Made ſure for ever, Crown'd with joyful Peace.
X.
How Bleſſed he, who only would receive
Of Heaven's Free Gift, that he might freely give:
God's Almoner, a Biſhop thô no Peer,
[To Church, and Poor a Juſt, kind Overſeer.]
He knew his Order free for Marriage-bands;
Was Free in them; they could not Tie his hands:
A Match (for him by Heaven's Care deſign'd)
He found Well-fitted to his Generous Mind:
Thus, Clear of Popiſh, feigned Chaſtity,
Did ev'n their Fame of Charity outvy:
Thô … can ſcarce be told, his Right-hand did,
Which from his Left induſtriouſly was Hid.
Children he had; Born, not for Earth, but Heav'n;
To him, that gave them, ſo intirely given;
The Covenant for them, ſo Improv'd and Preſt,
God took them Early Ripe to Endleſs Reſt.
Thus, was he ſtill Surviving Glorify'd;
He walke, his liv'd with God: And when he dy'd,
Left a Name better than of Children here;
Souls Born to God, and Nurtur'd in his Fear.
XI.
His Care for Heaven was: He Heaven's Care;Pag. 62, 64.
None ſhould be ſet; or he eſcape the Snare:
Once Way-laid, to be ſeiz'd Hell's Priſoner;
Made Heaven's, at Large, juſt till the Coaſt was clear:
'Twas fit His Feet ſhould hold their Liberty;
Whoſe Tongue, Hand, Purſe, to Hell's deſpite were free
But (Ah!) He ſpent himſelf too Laviſhy:
His Body …'d not Reſpite, ſcarce Repair;
Souls did ſo far Engroſs his Time and Care.
Till, forced leſs to Work, he ſeem'd Confin'd;
Earth grew a Priſon to his Heav'nly Mind:
His Three Years Weakneſs, and continued Pain
Hung on his active Soul, a heavy Chain;
Fo…'d in the Feverish Fire of Native heat,
By Pious Travel rous'd, enrag'd by Damping Wet:
His Legs, now Fetter'd, Swell; Thrô ev'ry Part
Pain ran, in vain Purſu'd by Medick Art;
Yea thô it ſometimes made a daring Halt,
As from his Side the Vitals to Aſſault;
Or fixed like (thô ſince 'tis fully known
His Temperament had nothing of) the Stone:
An Aſthma too Eſſay'd to ſtop his Breath
What Skill could Looſe ſuch Twiſted Bands of Death?
XII.
He meekly follow'd as his Captain Led;
In doing, and by Suffering Perfected:
Sence overwhelm'd, Faith was his Eaſe, and Reſt:
His Soul, in Patience quietly poſſeſt,
Humbly ador'd God's Love and long'd to ſee
The Face ſo ſought by Faith, Hope, Charity
He Greateſt in this Greateſt of the Three.
Miſgiving Fear could not his Torment prove.
Who was ev'n here ſo Perfect grown in Love:
When Work he might not; Fain he'd go to Reſt;
Could chooſe to be Diſſolv'd, as far the Beſt:
Prepar'd, as one Wiſe even to Preſage
That Midnight-Cry, which C…'d him off the Stage
Who, like his Saviour, (thrô him Crucify'd.)
But Eaſier far, a Bleeding Victor dy'd;
And went in Triumph to Heav'n's Wedding-Feaſt
If Love be Welcome there, a Welcome Gueſt.
The Honour due to ſuch a Memory
Muſt lay a Tax on all Poſterity:
A Minor Prophet and a far leſs Poet
For his own Age alone can never ſhow it:
Men, Chriſtians, Miniſters, ſo many Made,
More by his means Improv'd, yet more Eſſay'd;
With all, who Owe a Service to that Lord
He ſo well Serv'd; ſhould their beſt Aids afford,
His Name with juſt Acknowledgments to Grace.
And with his Vertues fill the vacant Place:
This Compoſition needs muſt fall too Law
All I can Pay, is not the Tythe
J. O.
To the READER
On the BOOK.
REad here the Effigies of a lovely Soul,
Compos'd with a myſterious Harmony
Of what ſoe're was great and good; Behold,
The Parts rude draught the curious Texture, he
Alone that formed it ſo good
With that ſame Wiſdom underſtood,
A Soul too pure to act a Body here,
Too great to be confin'd to a Clod of Earth;
And ſhackling dull Mortality to bear,
Impatient to be gone as 'twas for birth,
Too reſolutely brisk by far
To keep's frail Cottage in repair.
Bleſt Martyr (ſo I dare that Hero call,
As well as thoſe who mount the Heav'n by fire,
Who ſacrifices quiet Life and all
Puſht on by uncontroulable deſire
To ſerve the Lord) thy Mem'ry ſhall
(Without our Praiſes) grateful be till this vaſt Fabrick fall
J. E.
FINIS.
End of the text · Samuel Annesley, The Life and Funeral Sermon of the Reverent Thomas Brand (1692)