Counsel for the Living Occasioned from the Dead, Elegy
An Elegy on the Deaths of Mr. Bampfield and Mr. Ralphſon, who Dyed Priſoners for Chriſt, in the Preſs-yard, Newgate.
May not all fear, when Heaven denounceth woes
Aloud by Signal and by Fatal blows,
Smiting the Shepherds, Calling Guides away,
That Flocks are left to wander, ſtarve and ſtray,
Even when the Wolves, the Foxes, and the Boar,
Rage for the Prey, and harmleſs Lambs devour.
Was it for nought that Bluſtring Sparkling Rays
Of ſtrange ſtupendious Comets did the Eyes
Of Earths Inhabitants ſo long detain
In times but lately paſt? who can refrain,
Conſidering our Stroaks, ſo great, ſo ſad,
Heightned with Circumſtances dark and bad,
All ſaying, Sure theſe wonders did Preſage
Some Future Tragedy to this poor Age?
Its Progreſs now makes many People think
The following things will make mens Spirits ſhrink,
Since many ſplendid Lights Extinguiſh'd are,
As now thoſe Stars, thoſe lovely ſhining Pair;
Theſe are put out, and we Depriv'd of Light,
And left to ſtumble in ſo dark a Night.
By Tongue I cannot, nor by Pen Expreſs
My Thoughts of them, and their great Worthineſs.
Of their Refined Zeal, their Heart Contrite,
Of their Compaſſions, with a publick Sp'rit.
Their Liberal Souls were highly to be Priz'd,
Alſo their Stedfaſtneſs ſome Magnifies,
O Zealous ones, who in the Gap did ſtand!
True wreſtling Watchmen to preſerve the Land,
Striving with all the Goſpel to promote,
Whoſe Trumpet ſounds a true and certain Note.
In Faithfulneſs they duely warned all,
As did that Hand by writing on the wall,
Show Belſhazzar his Sacriledge and fall.
Thoſe Seers are both removed from their Station,
A ſignal Loſs both to the Church and Nation,
Leaving now off their Cry'd, their Sighs and Groans:
Petitions, Pleadings, Tears, Complaints and Moans;
Their ſublime Souls, in Priſon Languiſhing,
Groan'd for Relief, Cries to their Heavenly King
Help Sio…, Lord, her Controverſy Plead,
Remove her Sorrow, and increaſe her Seed.
How long O Lord? when, when wilt thou relieve
Thy toſſed Church? when wilt thou Freedom give?
VVhen men thoſe Seers from Preachings did Reſtrain,
Their Meeting-Houſes clos'd up did remain;
Through Watch and Ward then none could entry take;
They thus depriv'd, by Life and Pen did make
Apologies, and worſhip true defended,
Which ſtill doth Preach, although their Preaching's ended.
After that they to Priſon both were ſent,
And finding divers Diſhes, were content
To diſtribute what in their Basket came
From their Kings Table, and divide the ſame;
Gave through the Grate, that hungry Souls might ſhare
With them, partaking of their Priſon-fare.
What double Grief to their Seraphick mind
Was it, to be Impriſon'd and Confin'd,
And ſo Reſtrain'd from ſerving of their Lord,
From Publiſhing and Preaching of his word;
While many Souls were crying out aloud,
Starved almoſt for want of Heavenly Food,
Of Goſpel Springs and Ordinances pure,
The ſadeſt loſs that any can endure.
Come join and mourn with me; O come, O come,
And help me to expreſs, now ſitting dumb,
In Melancholy Muteneſs, and in Tears,
Sob forth our preſent loſs, and ground of Fears.
But ſtop a little, though there's Cauſe to weep,
That thoſe great Seers are both fallen aſleep
Yet they Tranſported in Triumphant Fame,
Rejoicing praiſe the great JEHOVAHS Name:
Free from all Cares, have now Eternal reſt,
With ſuch Delights as cannot be expreſt.
Let none grudge this praiſe to their Memory,
No Pen is fit to write their Elegy:
Their works are finiſh'd, they have run their race,
And who's behind for to ſupply their place!
Since thoſe Elijahs Heaven have aſcended,
Convoy'd with Holy Angels, who attended
Their Souls to Glory, ſince they did defend
The Cauſe of Sion to their very End,
By Tongue and Pen the Deluge ſought to ſtop,
And in aſcending did their Mantles drop;
Let all her Children pray, yea plead and call
For ſome Eliſhas to appear, who ſhall
Their Mantles take, and with a double meaſure
Of Holy Wiſdom and Celeſtial Treaſure,
Supply their place; Truth teach, and Truth defend,
And haſte the Scarlet Whore to her laſt end;
That ſo all theſe Terreſtrial Kingdoms may
Chriſts Kingdoms be, let Sions Children pray.
For their work's finiſhed, they're both ſet free,
Call'd from a Priſon to Felicity.
To Heavens rich Manſions, to Salvations wells,
To Gods right hand, even where all fulneſs dwells.
Their Gracious Lord, mov'd by their Sighs and Groans,
Their Grievances, their Tears, and bitter Moanes,
Sends ſpeedy Help, his Priſoners relieves,
And calls them thence out of a Den of theives.
So Graciouſly Conveys their ſouls above,
To full fruition of his Matchleſs Love;
Where they enjoy what no man can expreſs,
Celeſtial Joy, Perpetual Happineſs:
VVith Living Streams, Solac'd without Ceſſation,
Triumphant Glory, Endleſs Conſolation.
Joyning in Praiſes, Songs, and Heavenly Hymns,
VVith Angels, Saints, Arch-Angels, Seraphims.
FINIS.
End of the text · Hercules Collins, Counsel for the Living Occasioned from the Dead (1684)