Tell him here's one distress'd much in mind,
Good Soul! saith he, God grant you comfort find.
For ev'ry thing that's winning, worthy, well,
I 'le give you leave, find me his parallel.
He liv'd, he lov'd, and loved was by all,
A Cedar Tree grown up exceeding Tall.
Yet now cut down; alas! must I say so,
What in the World shall I, poor I! now do.
Full fifteen years I had his Company,
Now lonesome left, sad and solitary.
Oft in God's House together, when all was done, Home with me came; now I must Home alone. If any was, is, or will true Mourners be,
So was, so is, so must, so will E. P.!
"Who being Dead, yet speaketh."
The Work of God lay on my heart,
Before this Life I did depart.
This land I lov'd wherein I dwelt,
Some pain for it I often felt.
My Bowels, my Bowels within were turn'd,
To see this Land with Judgments burn'd.
Sin and Sorrow, much intermixt,
Your Glory going out, them betwixt.
Your Ancient Rights remov'd away,
Foundations fall'n into decay,
Religion sweet, going on to die,
All men almost on it look shie.
The Channel of New England zeal,
Diverted much, where, who can tell?
This Rings Religion's Passing Bell,
And Lebanon hath lost her smell.
New upstart modes now gains more room,
Than kind offers of our Bridegroom.
Christ's Fishers Row and tire and toil,
Yet Roast but little of the spoil.
The nervous Cords of Gospel Wooings,
Enervate lie, amidst our rowings.
Seas of Pleasures, or Sinks of Sin,
Emerge the Seed; make Converts thin.
Th' old serious sort of Piety,
Evaporates in Oratr'y.
These things I saw, I mourn'd, I wept,
I fear'd New England must be sweapt.
Sometimes I said I 'll live and die,
In hope that God would not deny,
To fix this vine in former Bliss,
For which I prayed Semel and Bis.
Now then by me be yet advis'd,
Let drop your Fears, be not disguis'd,
Appear for God, for Christ, for Truth,
Old men and Babes, Young men and Youth.
Behold the Lamb on Zion Hill,
Learn his new Song, so sing on still:
Take your good Mother by the Hand,
So Glory rest shall in your land.
I Often told you what you see fulfill'd, That I, to stroke of Death myself must yield. I found it hard to scuffle with that Foe, Yet did submit, since God would have it so.
Now farewell Flock most kind, my people all,
Oh! that best Blessings down on you might fall.
For you I pray'd, I preach'd, I thought, I spake,
I willing was with all, for your sake.
A Father I, you Sons, now Orphans left,
God lent, God took, you must not call it theft.
And now my will I leave you all, is this;
I will you Christ, love, joy, peace, heaven, bliss.
Me you must hear no more! no more! no more!
Now gather what is sown, lay up in store.
Oh! Sinners! Sinners! Sinners! pray don't die,
I dead, yet speak, me hear once more, I cry,
To your poor simple souls! turn in and live,
That I of you some good account may give.
In fine, live all in Faith, in Love, in fear,
So travel on, until you all come here.
I longed for you all, God knows I did,
Pray mind your souls, now I am laid Bed-rid.
I was a Pastor, Husband, Father, Master, now
Sustain no such Relation to you, or you
My Flock, my Wife, my Children all to me were dear
While in the World; but not so much since I came here.
Yet let me drop few words 'mongst them I leave behind,
Though now I need you not, yet would not be unkind.
Dear Wife! to me thou always wer't a friend,
In troubles all thou beard'st the bigger end.
I might lie down and sleep, and take my rest,
Thou busie still to order things for th' best;
Good while we liv'd together in content,
God broke the league, and I away am sent.
Mine eyes are clos'd that oft saw thee with joy,
God grant no ill may henceforth thee annoy;
God be thy guide, thy head, thy help, thy all,
I know thy cup's now full of wormwood Gall;
Fulfil thy Race in joy, live cheerfully,
I hope again to have thy Company.
Our lovely Babes whose death oft made us groan,
Here fast by Christ I find they make no moan.
My Children six, that yet alive remain,
My death to you, I wish may be much gain.
Now if you cry and say, how can that be,
Be more inflam'd with zeal to follow me ;
Live well, win Christ, get Grace, pray hard, hate sin,
By all means strive to gain more wealth within.
Your Father in Heaven is, look that way more,
Thus you 'll gain wealth, and much increase your store.
At Rogers's Head and Shepard's Side,
In Creeps this Saint, and's not deni'd;
Come Brother Phillips, come to Bed,
Here's room enough, lay down thy head.
Thou held'st out long, it's time give out,
Come rest with us, here is no rout.
Let's fall to sleep, and silent be,
A little while; I, thou, and he.
Thus these three Saints in silence lie,
Scarce whisper aught to him that's by.
These Triumvirs got into their old Mother,
Lye very still, and sweetly sleep together.
There we must leave them at their quiet sleep,
Though't fills our eyes and hearts with sorrows deep.
Come, let's return, go home, and this lament,
Until our race be run and time is spent.
Ita Luget ab imo corde Affectus.
It was during Mr. Payson's ministry, the following orders were adopted, viz.
1697. A new meeting-house having been built, a committee of seven was appointed by the town, to seat the people therein. The rule for seating was age, office, and
amount paid towards building said house.
1708. Leave was granted to Samuel Prime, Mark Prime, Samuel Lancaster, and Robert Greenough, to build themselves a pew in the north corner of the meeting-house, in the gallery, and another for their wives in the easterly corner, in the gallery. These were the first pews, except the minister's, that were built in this house.
1715. Ordered, That people be seated in the meeting house according to age, and amount paid to the two last minister rates.
1703. The meeting-house bell was sent to England and recast with addition. In 1742, the bell was once more sent to England, to be recast with addition, and again received the next year; this bell weighed 334 pounds, in 1808, it was exchanged in Boston for another weighing about 900 pounds.
1707. Ordered, That Goodman Thomas Palmer ring the bell on Sabbath days, and at nine o'clock every night, and on other occasions, and sweep the meeting-house clean once every week, and to have £ 5. 10. 0.
The Rev. Jedediah Jewett, and Elizabeth, his first wife, had two children, viz. 1. Dummer, born April 25, 1732,
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