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An Elegy on the Death of John Norcot

Benjamin Keach (1640-1704) · 989 words · 4 min

The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A47480.0001.001

Project Note

This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.

The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.

This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.

Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.

However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.

This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.

Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org

AN ELEGY On the Death of that most Laborious and Painful Minister of the Gospel Mr. JOHN NORCOT, Who fell asleep in the Lord the 24th of this instant March 1675/6.

HOw doth my troubled Soul amused stand,
On thoughts of God's most sore Chastising hand;
Let Heaven assist my Pen, and help indite
This Mournful Elegy I am moved to write.
My grieved heart knows not what way to take,
Its love to show and lamentation make.
David for Jonathan was sore distrest,
And in like sort has sorrow seized my Brest.
Beloved John is gone, dear Norcot 's dead;
That Man of God, who hath so often fed
Our precious Souls with Manna from above:
Whose powerful preaching did engage our love
To Jesus Christ. O! he had care and skill
To feed poor souls and do his Master's will.
But is he from us also took away,
What, breach still upon breach! Lord Jesus stay
Thy hand, such strokes are hardly born,
Here's cause for hundreds to lament and mourn.
The loss is great the Churches do sustain,
Poor sinners too like cause have to complain.
There's few like him surviving to arouse
Their sluggish souls out of their sinful drouse.
They now may sleep secure and not awake.
Until they fall into the Stygian Lake.
This Golden Trumpet's stopped, 'twill sound no more,
To warn them of what danger's at their door.
To win sinners to Christ he did not spare
His strength nor time, thought nothing was too dear
To part with all, if any ways he might,
Their Souls turn from false ways unto the right:
Like as a Candle which much light doth give,
Doth waste itself, whilst from it we receive
Much benefit; so did he clearly burn,
To the wasting of himself unto the urn.
This godly Preacher in a little space,
Much work did do, he swiftly run his race;
With's might performed what ere he found to do.
God graciously did bless his work also,
Yea few (I think) have had the like success,
In turning sinners unto righteousness.
O were the worth of this good man but known,
It might produce an universal groan.
Let Brethren dear of different minds lament,
For he for you in prayers much time has spent;
He loved you all, though I have cause to fear,
The like affection some did scarcely bear.
'Twould pierce ones heart to think in such a time,
Obedience unto Christ should be a crime;
Or that offense should in the least be took,
'Cause from God's word he durst not turn nor look.
He would own naught but what thus saith the Lord,
Add would not he nor minish from God's Word.
Come let us live in love, we 〈…〉 ,
When at his Port we all arrived 〈…〉
Let sinners mourn, who shall their loss repair,
Who for their Souls so naturally did care.
Well may ye fear God will proclaim new wars,
When he calls home his choice Ambassadors.
What may a Sodom look for from above,
When such who stood 'ith gap, God doth remove.
O tremble City, what is God about,
Look for new flames, thy Lots are calling out.
And now chastized flock a word or two,
I have double sorrow when I think of you.
When that the Harvest doth for Reapers call,
To lose your Labourer, this wound's not small.
O who shall bear the burden of the day,
If God doth take the Laborers thus away.
When Pylots die, how shall the Seaman steer,
'Mong'st Rocks and Sands, when storms also appear.
Have we not cause to think the crafty Fox,
Will out abroad and prey upon the flocks.
And Ravening Wolves also will grow more bold.
And scare some silly Lambs out of the fold;
If God proceed to call the Shepherds home,
O what will of so many flocks become.
'Ith' midst of all, in this doth comfort lie,
The chiefest Shepherd lives when others die.
And he be sure who for the Sheep did bleed,
Will stick to them in times of greatest need.
Come cease your grief, donit you know very well,
The care God has of his own Israel.
And its no more which now is come to pass,
Then what by you some time expected was,
And what is done is but our Fathers will,
Therefore be silent, everyone be still:
For should we yield to passion I have fears,
We should grieve Christ and wound our Souls with tears.
The narrow Sluces too of dribling eyes,
Would be too straight for those great Springs that rise.
But since our Vessels fills up to the top,
Lets empty them, for every sin a drop.
For it lets wish we were composed of Snow,
Instead of Flesh, yea made of Ice, that so
We might in sense of sin and it loathing,
Melt with hot love to Christ, yea thaw to nothing.
And should our sins deprive our Souls of him,
Let tears run from our Eyes till Couches swim.
Yet let's not grudge him that most happy bliss,
Who now in glory with Christ Jesus is.
He did his work apace, his Race is run,
He'as touched the Gole yea and the prize hath won.

AN EPITAPH.

A Sweet and godly Preacher doth lie here,
Who did his Master Jesus love so dear,
And sinners Souls, that he his strength did spend.
And did thereby ('tis thought) hasten his end,
He brought himself by preaching to the Grave,
The precious souls of sinners for to save.
He lies but here asleep, he is not dead:
To God he lives, to Christ his soul is fled,
And over while must he awake again,
And evermore with Christ in glory reign.
By B. K.

London, Printed for Ben. Harris at the Stationers Arms in Sweetings Rents near the Royal Exchange, 1676.

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