IN MEMORY OF That Faithful DISCIPLE OF THE LORD WILLIAM MECHO, OR, the substance of his Legacy to his Friends the Lord's Day before he sickned Who fell asleep in the Lord the 13 of the 8th Month 1676.
Printed, Anno Domini 1677.
In memory of that faithful Disciple of the Lord, WILLIAM MECHO, Or, the substance of his Legacy to his Friends, &c.
ALL
Sions Members should be friends in trust
Ps. 30.4.
To keep up some remembrance of the Just,
The Lord so order, and direct my heart,
That in his
Wisdom I may have a part.
This gracious
Soul that now attends upon
the
King of
Kings in his Imperial Throne:
Jam. 1.17.
As if he knew his
Travels here to be
Near their full
period, left this
Legacie,
To his surviving friends, which here I do
Impart (though weakly) Reader, unto you.
Upon the
Lords day ere he sickned,
2
Pet. 3.18.
hePres'd that our graces should enliv'ned be;
Rev. 3.2.
And those things strengthened,
Num. 25.4
that are like to die,That Gods just anger might be turned away.
To
Watchfulness he strongly did exhort,
Mat. 24.44.
Least by surprize the Lord should cut us short;
And then to such as have
Backsliders been,
Rev. 16.15
Shew'd their damn'd state,
Pro. 14.4.
if grace steps not betweenTo work
Repentance,
Hos. 14.4.
that sin-healing
GraceThat in the Gospel has so high a place
2
Cor. 7.9.10.
Then as that one thing needful,
Luke 10.42.
did discryA Walk well pleasing to th' All seeing eye,
Hab. 2.4.
The threefold
Path that leads to happiness:
Rom. 14.23.
Without the
first, no man can please the Lord
As he hath told us in his Holy Word;
Josh. 24.14.
And
holiness bespeaks a reall Saint,
Whose high profession's
substance, and not
paint;
1
Cor. 1.12
Sincerity, a pleasing lustre casts,
Psal. 93.5.
Its sweet unblemish'd beauty never wasts;
Heb. 12.14
It seasons duty, and supplys the wants
Heb. 11.6.
Of many taking outward Ornaments:
Mat. 6.30.
Then on the other side he did express,
The dread of being contrary to these,
As,
Faithless, Formal, Hypocritical,
Which from the Lord for heavy Vengeance call;
For
Ʋnbelief's the great condemning Sin
Heb. 3.19.
That barrs a soul from Heaven, and tumbles in
Millions of Spirits to a Hell of horror
To feel the Wrath of God in endless terror:
Therefore he that in Christ will have a share,
Must of that dreadful sin have special care,
Hypocrisy, though of a specious hew,
Yet tis as plain, and naked to the view,
Pro. 15.3
And notice of the highest Majesty
As are the Sunbeams to a seeing eye,
Therefore though some dissemble to their cost,
Yet all their labour to deceive is lost:
How then are we concern'd to try our hearts,
Least this sad plague infect our better parts!
Formality's the Alamode in fashion;
The Lord assist us to make preparation
To 'scape the Judgments that the Lord will reach
To such prosaners of his name; that teach
Men empty forms of
Godlyness, but want
The
power of Faith, the blessed'st
Ornament.
2
Tim. 3.15.
About an hour before he yielded up
His breath, and longing with his Christ to sup;
He with great Courage striv'd to enter at
The narrow Portals of the straiter Gate;
Courting th' attention of his Auditory
To sing forth Praises to their Makers glory;
Psal. 10.4.
[Page 3] That when Rebellious,
1
Cor. 15.22.
Sinful Man had lostHis Makers Image, and no other
Cost
Could re-instamp it, but the bloud o' th' Lamb;
He in the form of a poor
Sinner came,
Phil. 2.7.
To clear
Believers from that horrid guilt,
And cleanse his Creatures from a Sink of filth;
The glorious working of
Regeneration,
Tit. 3.5.
He told us must be th' only
preparation
To fit us Mortals for
Divine Communion,
With God in Christ through the blest Spirits
Ʋnion,
He told us that for blessed ends our God
Isa. 48.10.
Makes us acquainted with
afflictions Rod;
The
Staff of his support he found always
Psal. 23.4.
Afforded matter for his Saviours praise.
For his
Relations both in flesh and spirit,
He pray'd that they those graces should inherit,
Which
Christ bestows upon the faithful soul
That leaves himself, and will on
Mercy role.
He saw his
Sins before him largely spread,
Isai 55.7.
Yet all in
Christ bloud freely pardoned.
Micah 7.18.
He with great fervour did beholders call,
To be joyn'd to the
Body mystical;
For though some bones seem to be out of Joynt,
Christ has a saving vertue to anoynt,
1
John 2.27.
Till they are sound. He said none could endure
Unto the end,
Jer. 8.22.
unless their standing's sureUpon the
Rock of
Ages,
Mat. 7.24, 25, 26, 27.
Winds will tossAll other bottoms with a dismal loss.
Nothing but that, (and that) will surely save,
If we an Interest int's
Attonement have;
He did exhort us to amend our
pace,
And not to loyter in our Christian
race;
Heb. 12.1.
For times a sliding Talent,
Eph. 5.16.
and grim Death,We know not when will take away this breath
That's now so lavisht.
1
Cor. 15.55, 56.
O the sting of horror!That doth attend this mighty King of terror
But if it once be took away, the same
Is onely sleeping by another name.
Now you that hear these weighty dying words
And savour what this
Legacy affords,
That shape your Journey through the path of grace,
Till you converse with
Jesus face to face.
In real hearty
sense with me lament
The mis-improvement of a talent lent;
O that our hearts were seasoned, that we may
Do all our work whilst it is call'd to day.
His love was universal, could he find
The smallest symptons of an honest mind;
He truly follows in his steps, that hath
His love in special for the house of
faith;
And makes Relation unto
Christ the rule
Of his affection unto every soul;
And not the sameness of
Opinion,
He was for
healing, not
division:
A pow'rful Wrestler
Jacob-like in prayer,
Gen. 32.26
For
Sions breaches, and its quick repair:
A divine savour did adorn his speech,
Eph. 4.29.
Ministring grace unto the persons, which
Took councel with him. Oh how few are found
Like him! But
Christ is healing for the
wound:
He is the great repairer of our breaches,
And Soul-Physitian, that can healing teach us.
EPITAPH.
Here lyes a holy man intomb'd in dust,
Ʋntil the Resurrection of the Just.
His love was dear to Christ, and's Interest;
His soul's gone hence, but to be further blest.
A DIALOGUE Ʋpon this Occasion BETWIXT SENSE and FAITH.
Sense.
O That my head were waters, and mine eyes
Jer. 9.1.
A Well of tears to weep his Obsequies;
Pao. 10.7.
His dear remembrance calls for some arrears,
2
Sam. 6.26.
Which must be paid him in a flood of tears;
Where love is mutual and of equal force,
'Tis cutting grief to 'feel a quick
Divorce.
Faith.
Forbear mistaken Sense,
Mat. 10.28.
thy fruitless crys
Bespeak impatience; 'tis but Flesh that dyes
His active Spirit is advanc'd, you know
He is but gone where you must quickly goe.
2
Sam. 12.23.
Pale death's the portal, that lets into Glory,
Our Writ of Ease from all things transitory.
Sense.
He is but gone; that soul dividing word
Begets more terror then the sharpest sword,
I dy by halves, why did not deaths arrest
As well as his, reach my tormented brest?
'Tis but the rage of unappeased Hosts,
To tear insunder our expiring Ghosts.
Faith.
These exclamations, this thy fond desire,
Is passion drest in passionate attire!
His work was done; thou art not ripe for Heaven,
Thy longer space is for Repentance given,
Rev. 2.21.
Thou may'st be quickly lifeless, 'tis Gods grace
To take the fit, and leave th' unfit a space.
Sense.
[Page 6]
If gasping
Sion must endure such rubs,
When
Cedars fall, what will become of
Shrubs?
Or if successive blows our strength must break,
How shall our walls be manned by the weak?
If men of prayers must thus cut off be,
Sion will loose its best Artillery,
Faith.
Can Sion
fear, or overthrow, or harm,
Psal. 136.12.
When great Jehovahs
strong out-streched Arm
Becomes its Bulwark? can we fear a want
Deut. 4.34
Of leaders, when Gods so by Covenant?
Deut. 11.2
Although our Lord doth home some servants call,
Exod. 6.7.
He still supplys us, and is All in All.
Ex. 19.5.
Sense.
Ah! but how often do our sins provoke
The Lord in judgment to repeat his stroke!
Who can but shake in storms? can it be hop'd
The Church can stand, when it is thus unpropt?
Ah how my troubled Soul's amaz'd to think
That fainting
Sion will like
Peter, sink.
Mat. 14.30.
Faith.
All must once die, the Prophets have you see
Heb. 9.27.
No pattent for their immortality;
Zach. 1.5.
When they've done that for which they hither came,
Mat. 3.9.
God can of stones raise sons for Abraham;
Mat. 14.31.
When Peter
sinks, Christ is at hand to heave him
And by his promise he will never leave him.
Luke 22.32.
Sense.
Gods hand is heavy, and his Anger's sore.
His frowns are deadly, and his strokes much more,
Such mortal visitations have a voice,
To make friends mourn, and enemies rejoyce,
What temper's so well set, but will be soon
(As broken strings make musick) out of tune?
Faith.
As tender parents exercise the rod,
Heb. 12.6.
Not to destroy, but to reform, so God
1
John 3.1.
Is pleased to manage his rebukes, he hath
1
John 4.8.
Full show'rs of love, as well as drops of wrath▪
Rev. 3.9.
Gracious effects he gives of seeming crosses,
Mat. 10.39.
A future purchase by our present losses,
Sense.
[Page 7]
Mine eyes must vent my grief upon his Herse,
He weeps in earnest, that does weep in verse:
When
Jonathan was slain,
2
Sam. 6.26.
a Royal eyeIn doleful accents wept his
Elegy.
So must I take like priviledge to mourn
In Ink, as well as Tears, upon his Urn.
Faith.
The time consum'd in fruitless crys was lent
Not for such wast, but to be better spent.
If thou wilt murmur' when the Lord do's strike,
The Rod provok'd may treat thee with the like.
In Faith and Patience wait, times almost come
T' Exchange this frail, for an eternal home.
What needs this grief? if God will take his due,
I will not murmur, as some mourners do.
Lord he was thine, and to the earth but lent,
Let none repine, if for your own you sent;
If't be severe t'extinguish such a light,
Ah! 'twas our sin procur'd it, for we might
Make more of mercies which are sent for gain.
Men when full fed have little sence of pain:
Eternal Parent, mollifie our doom,
Correct thy Children, but do not consume:
How blacks the cloud that menaces a shower!
O shelter
Sion by thy mighty power.
That so protected we may sing always
David-like
Hallelujahs to thy praise.
FINIS.