Kneeling to God at Parting with Friends, Poem 1 – Poem 2
A POEM. Upon the Triumphant TRANSLATION of a Mother in Our ISRAEL, Viz. Mrs. ANNE ELIOT. From This Life to a Better. on March 24th 1687. Aetatis Suae. 84▪
ALL Hallelujahs, Oh ye Heav'nly Quires,
Ye Powers, ye Winged & Immortal Fires!
Redouble to the Highest ONE:
Here's Joy, to your Eternal Jubile
Advanc'd, by th'New come welcome Company
Of a B…ight Soul, but lately flown.
Congratulate
Eternally,
With Sacred Symphony,
Her happy State
Haile! Happy S…ul ▪ In Luſter excellent
Tranſcending far the Starry Firmament,
Wh…ch is thy Footſtool now become:
With all the World, America ſhall Vve,
For to Produce thy Peer: Now caſt thine Eye
All round about that Spacious Room,
None ſhalt thou ſee
Of Beſt Women,
Much more Triumphant than
Thy ſelf to be
Haile! Thou Sagacious & Advent'rous Soul !
Haile, …! Created to Controll
Weak Nature's Foes, & t'take her part,
The King of Terrours, Thou, ('till the Command
Irrevocable came to Stay thy Hand,)
Didſt oft Repel, by thy Choice Art:
By High Decree,
Long didſt thou ſtand
An Atlas, in Heav'n's Hand
To th' World to be.
All Halle…ujahs to His bounteous Care,
That ſuch a Peerleſs Conſort did Prepare
For HIM, whom Sacred Things with…held
From Seculars; Who was to Goſpellize,
And Preach Redemption to GODS Enemys
Beyound all Memory, Rebell'd:
For his ſake, ſure,
Thine Aged Life
It did with Death in Strife
So long endure.
Heav'n's Richeſt Spices, Choiceſt Graces were▪
[Queen Eſther like,] allotted to Thy Share,
For to Prepare Thee for thy KING:
Thee, to Pay Tab…e, for Full Recompence,
With Intereſt, for all thy Vaſt Expenſe,
Angels, on Wings of Grace, ſtrait, bring:
As Pha…tiel,
Thy CONSORT Dear
Mourning, Thee follow'th near,
To bid FAREWEL.
I. D.
A POEM. To the Bleſſed MEMORY of the Venerable Mr. JOHN ELIOT, TEACHER to the Church of CHRIST in Roxbury, and a PROPAGATOR of the Goſpel to the Indians in N-England. Who reſted from his Labours, May, 20. Anno Dom. 1690. Aetatis Suae. 86.
SHall ELIOT ſlip away? & not his Sons
Spy & Regret it, with Athletick Groans?
None Cry Alarm, when Horſe & Chariots taken?
None Feel, when Iſrael's weal's Foundation's ſhaken?
Lately, a ſtately Stone pluckt out; n…ne 'ſpy it?
Nor run to ſtop the woful Breach made by it?
Where's ſweet Tongue'd David, ſad Song'd Jeremiah,
Jon'than to 'wail, to Elegize Joſiah?
Where's matchleſs Moſes's Muſe? Had I his Staff,
I'd find one Grave, and 'Grave one Epitaph.
Engliſh and Indian Work, he did ſo well,
Define we cannot, which did which excell▪
Pagans, This Paul converts; Peter doth uſe
His Talents chiefly to confirm the Jews.
Paul to Barbarians, own's Himſelf a Debtor;
Our John a brave Divine, T'Himſelf, no better
Dares ſupererrogate, in the vaſt Coſt
And Pains, expended to Reduce the loſt.
A brave Divine, ſaid I? I had not miſt,
Sure, had I Stil'd Him an Evangeliſt.
To Trace their Pagan Genealogies
Was not his Task, yet would his curious Eyes
Maugre oblivions Duſt, 'ven…ure to ſcan
At leaſt by gueſs, Theſe hideous Wrecks of Man:
And thought, he trackt, to Paleſtina's Strand▪
How e're; He was reſolv'd, to th' Holy Land
Them to reduce; [might Heav'n a Moſes make him]
Nor did their barb'rous Heatheniſm ſhake him.
Th' Eternal Mind in Mortal Airs, nev'r blew
Unformed Blaſt; His Sov'reign Sha…ms yet flew
On Syri…c Wings; His Gentleneſs …quips
His Sacred Chariot with Chaldean Chips:
Three Other, His own Mother-Tongue b…ſide▪
Upon His Paſcal Croſs, He Sanctify'd▪
His Tharſian-bred Apoſtle don't refuſe
To ſharp his Tools with Philistines, to uſe
Greek Po…ts, cited to the Sacred Bar,
T' wait on Effata's more Oracular.
Like Hercules toils ELIOT, leſt that He
Should to Barbarians, a Barbarian be.
Since Babel's Trait'rous Tower was Thunderſmit,
By Heav'ns In…aged Ire, & fell, & ſplit
One Tongue into a Thouſand Shivers, none
Can tell the Wounds, which this one W… alone,
Hath more than ſcarr'd the World with; next th' Expulſion
At firſt from Paradiſe, & th' next Convulſion
In Grandſire Japheth's Time, no Storm before,
The Univerſal World e're delug'd more:
But now, thro' matchleſs Grace, to Eliot's given
The Key t'expel what lockt men out of Heaven.
His Tongue ſails right, with Indian Tempeſt toſt;
Puts in for Peter's Plea, at Pentecoſt.
The Ambaſsadour unto Them dares preferr
Offers of CHRIST, without Interpreter.
Th' Incarnate Furys, ſtraitway from the Pit
Of Darkneſs worſe than Egypts, Riſe, & Spit
On all their Daemons, whilſt their Breaſt & Brow
They to the LORD, & to His Baptiſt vow.
One Teſtament Seventy Interpreters
Tranſlate to Greek Antiquity avers;
Both Testaments, yet ELIOT alone
Converts into the Indian Tongue & Tone;
Abel, tho' dead, yet ſpeaks, in one Tongue more;
Isa…s, Apollo's Eloquence, before,
Ne're Rode in ſuch a Chariot: Luke Phyſician,
('Tho' skill'd in Pulſe,) would ſcarce tell the Condition
Of His own Goſpel: Pau…, with his much Learning
Would here be Poſed: —
For 'though to many Regions He did paſs,
Yet no West-Indian Antiquary was.
Sir Thomas Eliot was Great Brittains Glory:
Our Saint ſhall have a Chronicle in Ages Story:
Great XAVIER brings the Crucifix & Libel,
To Indian Souls, of Maſses; Ours, the Bible.
Sanctius, for this, owns Him a Tutelary:
Calls on him & him joyns with GOD & Mary:
Eliot before ſuch curſed Adoration,
Would chuſe much rather, an Annihilation.
Yet made His Works before mens Eyes to ſhine,
That they might Glorifie the Name Divine,
The Indian-Work lay greatly on his Heart;
Until the Laſt, when He and That mu… part.
They parted not without moſt ſolemn Bleſſing,
While Clouds thereon were to his Soul Diſtreſſing ▪
He dyes; His Work, when Time Dyes ſhall ſurvive;
'Tho' Dead, yet ſpeaks, that th' Indian Work may Live,
And …o's Suceſſors doth good Counſel give▪
'Addreſs (I pray) our … for good Orders,
'To Civilize the Heathen in our Borders▪
'Vertue muſt turn into Neceſſity;
'O… this brave Work, will in its Urn ſtill lye.
''Till Agriculture, and Cohabitation,
'Come under full Conſtrain… and Regulation,
'Much you would do, you'l find Impracticable,
'And much you do will prove Ʋnprofitable ▪
'In common Lands that lie unfenc'd you know
'The Husbandman, in vain doth plow & ſow:
'We hope in vain, th… Pla… of Grace ſhall thrive
'In Forreſts, where Civi…i…y can't Live.
'In Engliſh Towns, when they their Months do spend,
'Make Them, Gods Worſhip with us, to attend.
'Whilſt I us'd (as you muſt) ſharp Diſcipline,
'The ſaving Gains were Theirs, the Pains were mine ▪
'Their Tender Sons to Sacred Learnings Throne
'None can advance, but ſuch Divines alone,
'As are moſt Expert in their Dialect,
'If Teaching in their own Tongue we reſpect:
'Such Youths, (if GOD vouchſafe to Sanctify
'The… …tudious minds) the ſacred Ours may Ply,
'Each …bath too, through Starry Arches bring,
'Their C…mmon Homage to our Mighty King.
'Look well to the Ʋpriſing Nurſery:
'You know full well, none more for Schools than I
'To drown their Woes, ſome drown their Wits, and All
'Their Common Grace: Correct that Fault you ſhall.
'If you be Inſtant, only out of Seaſon,
'Your Hope ſoars out of ſight of all my Reaſon,
'If you expect, (while Lords Days hold their Station)
'To Lecture them, on Week-Days, to Salvation.
'Is it Impoſſible to make a Purſe,
'T' Invite a Lecturer, in Turns, to Nurſe
'Your Engliſh Flocks, That thoſe may have good Dreſſing
'That have moſt need, upon the Day of Bleſſing
'Their Indian Teachers are but Weak; I Wiſs;
'Their Preaching, by their Hearers, ſlighted is:
'Take then this Way, to readvance the Standard
Of H…lineſs, by late backſlidings Slander'd.
'Let fire-hot Zeal, boile in your thirſty Veins,
'To ſave poor Cai…iffs from E…ernal Pains
'Our Antient Heroes, with their Engliſh Prayers
'Did edify Their Souls; yet then, ſuch Ayres
'Were Ʋnintelligible, more by far,
'Than now adays, (ſi…ce long Converſe) they are
'Call many Engliſh Suppliants: Let the… Kneel,
'With Them & for Them; for their ſaving Weale.
'Joyn hand in hand: Help up the Weak, Heav'ns Stairs:
'Salvation, ſerves in pay of Joyned Prayers
'The Friends of Chriſt, & Souls, Let … mute
'In any Tongue, that can GODS Throne ſalute:
'FAST with and for Them alſo twice a Year,
''Twill ſhew, and bring their Reſurrection near.
'May GOD in Heav'n, & may poor Heathens ſee
'That much affected, & concern'd All be:
'Chriſts Interceſſions may they have rebound,
'Echo'd from hence, 'Twill to their Weal redound
'(Grand Uſurer) I, nev'r gave Heav'n a Mite
'But gain'd, & gather'd, Thouſand Mil…ions by't
'Never Regret (Brave Hearts!) your vaſt Expence
'Of Time & Pains: Mark well the Difference
''Twixt Indian Trade…s & their Teachers made;
'What Bleſſings Theſe, what Blastings Thoſe Inv…de
'Thoſe often are annoy'd with miſchiefs, whiles
'Theſe doe enjoy moſt ſw…et Coelestial ſmiles.
His Counſels, we have done with; And return,
'…o cloſe the Aſhes of his Sacred Ʋrn.
When Pious Grandſir lately came to viſit
This Saint, then at Heav'n's Gate, And ſaid, How is it?
…uch was his ſenſe, he ſagely made reply,
I am Afraid: But not afraid to Dy:
Sir! Thankfull Joy, My Motto is, (Quoth He)
Unto Another; And I Joy to ſee
What Lights Chriſt ſets in's Churches, & that ſtill
GOD hath His Folk, that doe His Temples fill.
How ſolemnly He Bleſt 'em, ſome can tell;
Like Paul; Begging, mean while; their Pray'rs as well:
And may they Bleſsed be! May they inherit,
A Double Portion of Elijah's Spirit.
On …olden Letters of His Name I muſed;
JOHN, diſtill'd Hony; ELIOT, Toile produced:
Pains bring in gains; for ſweets, be ſweats: thus frau't
With richeſt Lading, To His Port, He's brought.
This Veſſel yet of Honour, had not been
So ſoon ſeen under Saile, Had not our Sin
Deſerved & Provoked ſuch a ſign
Of Woe deſcending from the Wrath Divine.
This b…urs the Trophy… of our New Elections,
With Interlinements o… ſad Interjections.
Indians! Your Hearts are Marble, if Diſtreſs▪
Seize you not, for Unprofitableneſs.
Fear you not Wrath poo… Souls! will you not grieve
Th' Ambaſsador of Peace ha… tak'n his Leave.
He Lov'd your Nation dearly; did He not?
(Adding your Language to the Polyglott;)
In ways unpar…llell'd, his ſtrange Compaſſio…
Drew Soul & Subſtance out, for your Salvation.
Heav'ns Fiery Balls, Flames, Smoke & Thundring Shot
And Bloody D…ops, (late Prodigies) are not
More ſignal than this Death, at ſuch a ſeaſo…d
Such was Meth…ſelah's: and we have Reaſon,
May we have Grace, t' repent the Provocation,
With ſpeed, that crys aloud for D…ſolation.
Yet Muſe! Don't overgroan… thy Fathers Glee
In's reimbraced Colleague ſhould with Thee,
Advance new Sonnets to His Jubilee
Indulcify'd, ſweet ELIOT by Thee.
I. D.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Danforth, Kneeling to God at Parting with Friends (1697)