An elegy on the death of the reverend and pious Mr. Thomas Wadsworth, sometime preacher of the Gospel in Newington-Butts, and late of London, who departed this life the 29th. of Octoben [sic], 1676.

AN ELEGY On the Death of the Reverend and Pious Mr. Thomas Wadsworth , Sometime Preacher of the Gospel in Newington-Butts , and late of London , who departed this Life the 29th . of October , 1676. IS Wadsworth Dead ! how can this be resolved ? Wee 'll grant you the Compositu●… that 's dissolved ; But for his Soul , it lives among the Blest , His Body 's but asleep , and gone to Rest . He Preacht and Writ o' th' Souls Immortality , Which Doctrine he finds true , now in Glory . If Soul-sleepers could into Heaven peep , They would convinc'd be , the Soul goes not to sleep . For then and there , they quickly would behold Holy Wadsworth's Soul , shine more bright than Gold . Acting its Part mongst that Heavenly Quire , With lively vigorous Zeal as hot as Fire : Where living , He shall Live , and never Dye , No more Tost , nor Green through Pain and Cry ; For Kidney , Vlcer , and Stone in Bladder , Hath proved to him a Happy Jacob's Ladder . Which thought 't was painful for him to ascend , Yet come to Top , it did in Glory end . So Death to him , save One , proved his best Friend . Which One is Christ , through whose Blood and Merit , Alone 't is that , He 's with God in Spirit . Which Truth 's believed , proves Souls Immortality ; Also disproves blind Popes Purgatory . And what a joyful Meeting may one think . Had this Blest Soul , upon an Eye - 〈◊〉 wink . With that Blest Company which is above : Where met with Patriarchs , Martyrs , and Holy 〈◊〉 Also with Others of a later Date , Who went to Heaven at a cheaper Rate ; As Golden Havilah and Holy Jesse , Reverend Caryl , Venning , and blest 〈◊〉 , With Learned West , Pledger , and many more , Who now shall have Pleasure for evermore ; And not to forget Reverend Mr. Well , Who spent himself to save poor Souls from Hell . But now himself to Heaven's gone from Earth , And Blest Wadsworth last hath yielded up his breath , And with them hath had a happy Meeting , And to each performed a joyful Greeting . But what was Wadsworth that thus much is said Of him whose Body now in Grave is laid . Was he a Man who in his life deserved To be at 's Death so Honourably served ? Yea , He was a man , whose Life deserved it , Let none therefore envy his Death hath it , The Honour now which he hath with God in Spirit , He hath alone for th' sake of Christ's Merit . But , th' Honour which to him 's given at 's Death , His Life deserv'd in spending of his Breath , For Welfare and th' good of Mens Immortal Souls , To●…t , and them , prepare 'gainst the Bell touls . When first He came from Vniversity , At Newington-Busts he lift up his Cry , To make Dead Souls to hear his Masters voice . And so leave Sin and serve God our of Choice : And so loud Cried to Sinners gone astray , That many he brought back to Heaven's way . Two Sermons he did Preach every Lord's day , Each Morn in th' Week he did Expound and Pray ; Besides he often visited his Flock , And at their doors most frequently did knock , To see and know each Soul's stare and condition , In which he shew'd himself a good Physician , And , cordingly his Remedy applied ; The Weak with Strength , the Sad with joy supplied . And as hungry Souls by him was sad with Food , So was hungry Bodies with that which was good He sought the Flock more these he did the Place . To do Them good was both is Joy and Peace . He sought not as some their Silver but their Soul What ere he lost , he would their Sin 〈◊〉 : To Rich and Poor , he Preached 〈◊〉 Thus he serv'd 〈…〉 In Faith and Lore , and Godly Fear : And when for 〈…〉 turn'd 〈◊〉 In Countrey Towns and City 〈…〉 And though God gave him great Ability , Yet still he shew'd forth as great Humility . At length God's providence , which ruleth well , At Tibbals plac'd him , to save some from Hell ; And there he did not Preach nor run in vain , Some fruit God gave him to reward his pain ; For many there by him was converted , Which from th' Faith of Christ was much departed . Keeping still his Flock he had at London , Though for it he was like to be undone . Yet when a place was here for him builded , Yet still at Tibbals he as Pastor ruled ; Keeping Pluralities , but not for Gain ? But to save th' more Souls from Eternal Pain : And when th' Persecution was most hot , He neglected not to feed his Flock a jot ; But Preach he would by Day or by th' Night , Though sometimes rude Souldiers did him fright . And thus he serv'd both places , though by strealth , Until he found it did impair his Health ; And then with Counsel did himself advise How to scape being th' Peoples Sacrifice . One place he now must leave , though both lov'd him well , He lov'd them again , therefore could not tell , Which People to leave , both were to him so dear : This thing to Decide cost him many 〈◊〉 . Also both Flocks a Claim to him did lay , Whose Shepherd to be , to guide them Heavens way : From whence some small Contention did arise 'Tween both Flocks , yet both were Godly wise . At length by counsel he did come to dwell At Pickle-Herring , a place known full well ; But when Preach'd Two Sermons had at Dead-place , His Master sent Grim Death to look him int h ' Face . Preaching the last , He made us all to wonder , He did so long and loud 'gainst Sin thunder ; And before he ended , and went his way , Did summon the World to meet him at Judge day . And so it prov'd , for him they 'l see no more , Till they meet to see him the Lord before . For on Twenty ninth October , th' Lord 's own day , 'Bout two o' th Clock his Lord took him away . He hath sought his Fight , and run throughout his Race , And now to Heaven 's gone to take his place : But what a great Loss this is , who can tell ? None till Experience to Us it spell . Great loss toth ' Church , no less to his Relation ; Yea a great loss toth ' whole English Nation . Therefore let all that doth this sad News hear , Endeavour to bedew it with a Tear : Let Sinners all , them of their Sin Repent , Which hath provoked God to make this Rent . Let all God's People in Love united be , That he may not from them take their Ministry : Let Magistry , Ministry , and People all , Turn from their Sin , and upon the Lord call For Mercy to be shewn to this Nation , That we become not a Desolation . Let all that go hear at Dead-man's-Place , Mourning , remembers Blessed Wadsworth's Face ; And pray his Death may Preach now he is Dead ; That Sinners dying may find th' Grave a Bed , That at th' morning of the Resurrection , May meet 'gain with him with a good Complexion . Let Tibbals People improve this Loss so well , As to come to Heaven and escape Hell .