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<DATE>2009-04-01</DATE>
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<NAME>Mona Logarbo</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B080915.pdcc.</ITEM>
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<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B01365">
<STC T="W">a2976D</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99886955</BIBNO>
<VID>181517</VID>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="elegy">
<PB REF="1" MS="y"><!-- PDF PAGE 3 -->
<HEAD><FIGURE>
<P><GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="page cropped" EXTENT="1 span"> Conquer</P>
<FIGDESC>outline of tombstone including emblems of Death which surrounds text</FIGDESC>
</FIGURE></HEAD>
<HEAD>AN ELEGY On the Death of that Learned, Pious, and Laborious Mini&s;ter of Je&s;us Chri&s;t M^R^. RICHARD BAXTER, Who departed this Mortal Life on <DATE>the 8th Day of <HI>December,</HI> 1691.</DATE></HEAD>
<L>HOW hardly we &s;ad doleful Truths believe!</L>
<L>And though prepar'd, unwllingly we grieve.</L>
<L>But here's a Subject calls for Floods of Tears,</L>
<L>For who of <HI>Baxter</HI>'s late Departure hears,</L>
<L>But is prepar'd to Weep? Yet Tears are vain,</L>
<L>Not us they profit, nor that happy Man</L>
<L>Who from the Vale of Sorrows is remov'd,</L>
<L><HI>Baxter</HI> &s;o much E&s;teem'd, Admir'd, Belov'd;</L>
<L>Who&s;e pious Words which from his Mouth did come,</L>
<L>Di&s;till'd with Sweetne&s;s like the Hony-Comb,</L>
<L>Is &s;ilent&mdash;Yet that Word I mu&s;t recal,</L>
<L>Tho' Dead, <HI>his Words yet &s;peak unto us all.</HI></L>
<L>Who can attempt the Subject of his Prai&s;e?</L>
<L>All we alas! can &s;ay, are faint E&s;&s;ays.</L>
<L>But &s;till Repect to's pious Worth is due,</L>
<L>We cannot flatter, but we mu&s;t be true:</L>
<L>Learn'd tho' he was with all that Human Skill,</L>
<L>Which empty Heads with Wind too often fill,</L>
<L>Yet humble without Pride&mdash;his Learning he,</L>
<L>Still made the Handmaid to Divinity;</L>
<L>Tho&s;e Parts which other Men &s;o much abu&s;e,</L>
<L>He &s;till improv'd to a Religious u&s;e,</L>
<L>Witne&s;s his Works in which tho' Learning &s;hine,</L>
<L>Yet &s;erv'd as Foils to &s;et off Thoughts Divine.</L>
<L>But who his Heavenly Piety can paint?</L>
<L>He did not &s;eem, but &s;urely was a Saint:</L>
<L>His private Notions, though &s;ome Men condemn,</L>
<L>Not Envy could his Life and Actions blame;</L>
<L>So much of Heaven in his Talk was known,</L>
<L>Athei&s;ts from him have with Convictions gone;</L>
<L>To prove the Truth &s;ome Men much time have &s;pent,</L>
<L>He was <HI>Religiou's Living Argument:</HI></L>
<L>For who&s;oe're his pious Actions knew,</L>
<L>He mu&s;t believe Religion to be true.</L>
<L>If as a private Man his Graces were</L>
<L>So bright; What was he as a Mini&s;ter?</L>
<L>That Holy Function he his Plea&s;ure made,</L>
<L>Religion was his Bu&s;ine&s;s, not his Trade:</L>
<L>With empty Shews his God he did not mock,</L>
<L>He neither car'd to fleece nor &s;tarve his Flock;</L>
<L>Painful in Preaching, con&s;tant &s;till in Prayer,</L>
<L>The good of Souls was his&mdash;his only care.</L>
<L>His Doctrins he &s;o well apply'd, that all</L>
<L>Who came to him for help, did never fail:</L>
<L>To Weak gave Strength, to Scrupulous gave ea&s;e,</L>
<L>And Balm apply'd to wounded Con&s;ciences;</L>
<L>The kind Phy&s;ician of the &s;ickly Soul,</L>
<L>How many now in Grief his Lo&s;s condole!</L>
<L>Altho' we cannot reach his Graces height,</L>
<L>Yet lawfully we all may imitate.</L>
<L>The Sweets of Sin how quickly are they pa&s;t!</L>
<L>The Godly Life brings plea&s;ure at the la&s;t.</L>
<L>This Truth full well the Reveread <HI>Baxter</HI> knew,</L>
<L>Who when he dyed, had nothing el&s;e to do:</L>
<L>His Peace with God was made, how few alas!</L>
<L>Of bright Profe&s;&s;ors are in &s;uch a Ca&s;e?</L>
<L>If for Degrees of Grace are here attain'd,</L>
<L>Degrees of Glory are in Heaven gain'd.</L>
<L>Sure Pious <HI>Baxter</HI> may be thought to be,</L>
<L>A Star in Glory of the fir&s;t Degree;</L>
<L>Who after a long Life of Pains and Age,</L>
<L>Death took him from this Frail, this Mortal Stage;</L>
<LG>
<L>Who now in Heaven undoubtedly is ble&s;t,</L>
<L>With what he in his Works &s;o well expre&s;t,</L>
<L><HI>The Saints</HI> expected <HI>Everla&s;ting Re&s;t.</HI></L>
</LG>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="epitaph">
<HEAD>EPITAPH.</HEAD>
<L>COn&s;ider, Reader, who lies here,</L>
<L>And for thy Lo&s;s then Drop a Tear;</L>
<L>'Tis <HI>BAXTER,</HI> who&s;e unwearied Pen</L>
<L>Strove to Reform the Lives of Men:</L>
<L>Who Godline&s;s and Learning joyn'd</L>
<L>To all the Beauties of his Mind;</L>
<L>Of God and of good Men belov'd;</L>
<L>None e're their Talents more improv'd;</L>
<L>Heav'n lengthned out his Gla&s;s, that we</L>
<L>By him might learn true Piety:</L>
<LG>
<L>His Soul is gone, true Bli&s;s to find,</L>
<L>His Body here is left behind,</L>
<L>And through the World the Product of his Mind.</L>
</LG>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed for <HI>Richard Baldwin,</HI> MDCXCI.</P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
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