The history of the life of Thomas Ellwood: Or, an account of his birth, education, &c. with divers observations on his life and manners when a youth: ... Also several other remarkable passages and occurrences. Written by his own hand. To which is added, a supplement by J. W.
The history of the life of Thomas Ellwood: Or, an account of his birth, education, &c. with divers observations on his life and manners when a youth: ... Also several other remarkable passages and occurrences. Written by his own hand. To which is added, a supplement by J. W.Ellwood, Thomas, . |
A SUPPLEMENT:
Being a Continuation of the History of the Life of THOMAS ELLWOOD; Giving Account in particular of his Books and Writings.
OUR dear Friend Thomas Ellwood, for whom we cannot but have an honourable E|steem, for his Service in the Church, oaving written an Historical Account of Part of ois Life, well worth the Knowledge of Posterity, 〈?〉 viz. to the Year 1683. and o…ere left off. Whether 〈?〉 whether or for what oeason he did not proceed, is uncertain: but so 〈?〉 is, that no more of it can ohich is to be lamented, he being a Man so E|oinent many Ways, that any Part of it should oe lost. In Consideration whereof, it rose in my oeart to write something in order to supply the oeficiency thereof: many things occurring to oy Mind, which its pity should be omitted. oherefore for the Respect I bore him, and owe 〈?〉 his Memory (being acquainted with him for ore than the last Twenty Years of his Life) I o…all endeavour to make up that Defect as far as o tho' far short of what himself oight have done, by giving an Account of some
of the most material Passages of the remaining Part of his Life: and such Memorials of him, and his Works, as came to my Hands: which I shall set down with as much Brevity and Plain|ness as I can, in Sincerity to him, and the Truth he professed and adorned. Particularly, of his Labours, Writings, Sufferings and End, from the time he left off.
But first I must look back a little, to give some additional Account of some Passages in re+lation to his Answers to the Priests about Tythes for the Readers Information and Satisfactiono which every Body may not know, to preveno Misapprehensions in the Case.
In the Year 1676, he answered a Nameleo… Book, miscalled, A Friendly Conference between o Minister, and a Parishioner of his inclining to Qua+ in a Book intituled Truth prevailing ao… detecting Error: which he divided into Nino Chapters, according to the various Subjects treao+ed of (wherein that nameless Author had endea+voured to misrepresent us) the last of whico was of Tythes.'This (to use his own Wordso pinching the Priests in a tender Part, the Belo… (as Erasmus wittily said Luther did the Monko made them bestir themselves, and lay theo… Heads together, to consider what was to bo done.
After divers Debates, and much Coo+sultation (as he was informed) it wao at last resolved, to Answer that first: which, tho the last Chapter in his Book, yet having the fio… and chiefest Place in the Priests Minds and Ao+fections, the Priests D the very Darling ao…Minion of the Clergy (says T. E.) the Oil by which their Lamp is N the Pay by which their Army is maintained (as the Priest confesses:) and to take away Tythes, would be to stop the Oil that nourishes the Lamp, and force them to disband for want of Pay. This being I say their chiefest Concern, and lying nearest at Heart, obtain'd from them the first and chiefest Defence: which at length came forth by a nameless Author also, in a Book, intituled, The Right of Tythes asserted and proved. To which T. E. reply'd (in 1678,) in a large Book, intituled, The Foundation of Tythes shaken, and the four principal Posts (of Divine Institution, Primitive Practice, Volun|tary Donation and Positive Laws) on which the Nameless Author of the said Book had set his pre|tended Right to Tythes, removed. Tracing them all along, from the Patriarchs to the time of the L shewing the Design and Use of them un| and how they were abolished by the Coming, and Suffering of Christ in the Flesh: and how they came to be set up again in the De|clension of the Church, by Popish Kings and Councils, in the Night of Apostacy, for super|sticious and Idolatrous Ends and U contrary to the Gospel Dispensation, and consequently not Obligatory on Christians, by any Divine Right, to pay in this Gospel D answering all the Objections and Pretences, which were brought by that Author for them, from the Four forementioned Topicks.
To this Book of T. E's. there was a pretended Answer put forth Two Years after, supposed by
the A but Nameless still: the Author not daring to own his Work with his Name, (though since called Combers) intitu|led, The Right of Tythes Re-asserted: wherein the Proofs from the four former Points are said to be further strengthened and vindicated: especi|ally from the Objections taken out of Mr. Selden's History of Tythes: as if it was chiefly designed against John Selden, T. E.'s Name, or Book, not being so much as mentioned in the Title Page, though often in the B as if it was however designed as an Answer to him: which therefore T. E. (though not entituled to it) took in Hand, to rejoin to, and had begun and made some con|siderable P but before he had gone through, or finished it, some other Occasions falling in his way (of which hereafter) it was laid by, and never finished: though he had writ (as he told me) near Sixty Sheets (though I find but Fourty Six among his P but these, with his Notes and Quotations will make near Sixty) for he had Collected a vast Number of Materials out of Authors, in order thereto, as appears by his Papers, which I have since seen. For thus it was, That some of the Priests party, vaunting that this Second Book of the Priests was not answered, I took occasion once at London, in the Year 1692, to speak to him a| and he told me, That the Substance of the Priests Arguments, in this Second Book, were answered in his former (The Foundation of Tythes shaken) only some New Quotations,
and that was what he chiefly designedto deal with the Priest about, to Examine and Clear, by adding some New Ones also: but that he never expected to have the last Word with the Priests a|bout T which their Interest lay so much in, that they woul but always be Cavilling about, some way or other, how little soever it was to the Purpose: and some other Services tak|ing him off (as aforesaid) he laid it by. Which I mention to satisfie any who may Question in their Minds, why it was never answered (or at least gone through) and this is the Reason why I resumed this Matter.
'In handling the Argument of Tythes (says he, in a Paper found among his Manuscripts, as an Introdnction to his said intended Answer) I write with this Disadvantage, That I en|counter a numerous Party and Order of Men, with whom Interest is far more prevalent than T whose Profit will not permit them to yield to R whose Advantage will not suf|fer them to acknowledge the plainest Demon|stration: their Gain as apparently lying in that which I oppose, as Demetrius's, and his Fel|low-Craftsmen, the Silversmiths of Ephesus did in that which the Apostle preached against, Acts 19. 25, 26. Hence is it that they bend all their Strength, and imploy their utmost Force to maintain this Point, by which and like those Shrine-makers of old, they endeavour to carry it by Noise and Clamour, instead of Truth and Reason. Nor do they regard what they say, or whom they bespatter, how unde|servedly
soever, in order to the upholding their adored Diana, and enjoying their most beloved Delilah, TYTHES. My present Adversary is not ashamed to say (p. 1, 2.) That I, and my fellow Quaking Speakers (as he re|proachfully calls us) have our Gain by Railing against Tythes. A Charge so apparently and rediculously False, that it needs no more than its own Malice and Folly to detect it. With equal Reason might Demetrius have charged St. Paul, that he and his Brethren had their Gain by impugning the Idolatrous Worship of Diana.
'Sacriledge and Idolatry, the Priests say, are Sins near of kin: but Covetousness and the Cler|gy are perhaps nearer. The great Outcry a|gainst Sacriledge is made for the most part by Idolaters and false M who, as they are most greedy and crafty to get, so are they most solicitous and careful to keep, most enra|ged and clamourous, when they come to lose their unjustly acquired Gains. Thus was it with the Popish Clergy, after they had gull'd the People by a religious Cheat, of a great part of their Substance, they laboured to ter|rifie them, by the Name of Sacriledge, from attempting to recover that which had been so fraudulently gotten from them, and doubtless the English Clergy, as they derive [in chief part] the Maintenance they possess from their Predecessors, the Popish C from whom they received their Priesthood, have therewith also taken up from them their Old Cry of Sa|criledge,
with which, as a Bugbear, they would scare all from attempting to discover the Cheat. But the legal Alienation of a great Part of those surreptitius Acquisitions of the Clergy, begun in HENRY the Eighth's Time, carried on in EDWARD the Sixth's, and compleated in Q. ELIZABETH's (of these three, the two last were Protestant Prin|ces) hath abated the Edge of that Clerical Weapon, and satisfied the dis-intrested Part of the Nation, that the Word [Sacriledge] in this Case, is but like a Scare-crow, especially when used by the Priests for their own P as most commonly it is: for though they pre|tend the Maintenance of God's Worship, yet it is their own Maintenance they intend. And herein Demetrius and they most patly agree: for he also urged (as the most specious Pre|tence, and which was most likely to impress the People) the Danger, lest, by Paul's Preach|ing, the Temple of the great Goddess Diana should be despised, and her Magnificence destroyed, Acts 19. 27. Whereas the great Inducement to him for stirring, was the danger lest his Craft should be set at nought, and he should thereby lose the Gains he made by Diana's Temple, ver. 25, 27. Do the Priests now cry out against Sacriledge? So did Demetrius and his Craftsmen then. Did they cloak their pri|vate Interest with a seeming Regard, and Care for the Temple and Magnificence of their Goddess Dinna? So do the Priests theirs now, with a pretence of Zeal for the Worship of God. Did they in their Fury take no notice of thoMagistrates nor Laws of their Country? So neither do many of the Priests now, who wito out regard to Law or Magistrates, run Furo+ously and Tumultuously into their Neighbouo… Grounds, with their Servants and Teams and Forcibly, and Arbitrarily Take, and car+ry away their Corn and H when, where and in what Quantity they please: Will the Priests alledge, that, notwithstanding these irregular P yet they have the Lawo and Magistrates on their sides: So had De+metrius and his Company too, while the good Apostle, not backt by Laws, nor counte+nanced by M was yet Enabled, by Divine Assistance, to stand the shock of ao… their Rage and Fury, and boldly to Testifie a+gainst that which was Corrupt and Naugho… although it had the Favour and Support of 〈?〉Law and Magistracy too: And indeed, so apo is the Comparison in most Respects, betweeo those Shrine-Makers, and these Tythe-Takero that my Adversary in vain Labours to Retoo… for even the very particulars he instanco… to cast it upon me, fix it the more firmly 〈?〉 the Head of himself, and his own Party.
'Nor is he less put to it, to avoid the force 〈?〉 his own unwary Expressions of the Oyl for to… Lamp, and Pay for the S whereby 〈?〉 hath discovered, that he and his Brethren, ao… meer mercinary Men, whose Lamp will buo no longer than it is fed with the Oyl of Tytho… This was one of the Arcana Cleri, a Secret 〈?〉
seems) that should not have been divulged. But Children, and he knows who besides, are said to tell true. And he having inconsiderat|ly blab'd it out, his chief Care and Art is now how to palliate, extenuate and mince the Matter, and varnish it over, with some kind of flourish, that the ground o but this he does so weakly, and lays his Colour so thin, that even the weakest Eye may easily see through it. The mention I made of these Passages in my former Book, he calls te|dious and nauseous Repetitions: and tedious no doubt, and nauseous it is to him and his Bre|thren, to see the false Foundation of their Mi|nistry so openly exposed: but so little do I fear those Repetitions being nauseous or tedious to the indifferent Reader, that upon this Occasion I desire him to peruse them again, in the 6, 7, 8 and 9 Pages of my former Book.
'From Tythes, being the Oyl to their Lamp, and Pay to their Army, He says, I draw (as I ima|gin) a cutting Consequence, viz. That their Lamps will not burn without Oyl, nor they Fight without Pay. This Cutting Consequence (as he calls it) he touches as tenderly, as if he was afraid it would cut his F though he well knew, that in the Wording of it, he had taken off its Edge as much as he could: For if my Consequence had been only that their Lamps will not burn without Oyl, it would not then have been so Keen. He might then have Replied, Whose will? Can any Lamp burn with|out Oyl? No sure: Every Lamp must have Oyl:But the Oyl should be suitable to the Lamo… an Outward Lamp, should have Outward Oyo… an Inward Lamp, Inward Oyl. Now they pro+tending their Ministry to be a Spiritual Lamo a Religious Lamp (as the True Ministry indeo… and is, and can be, Nourished only by to…Spiritual Heavenly Oyl of the Divine Etero… W) and yet Confessing Tythes to be the Oo… that Nourishes their Ministerial Lamp, and wito out which their Lamp will not Burn: This plaio+|ly shews, their Lamp is not Spiritual, nor tho…Ministry what they Pretend, &c.
By this we may Judge, Ex pede Herculem,〈?〉 the P and T. E's Answo… had he gone thr which yo… I hope, so far as he hath gone, may, one tio… or other, see the Light, being well worth to… P and had he finished it, I am o…+tisfied, it would have been a very serviceabo… Piece: No Hand, in my Judgment, being mo… Capable of such a Performance. But he hao… as I said, some other Services on his Hands divert him: Of which, his Answer to Willio… Rogers's great Book aforesaid, in 1682. Intio+led, An Antidote against the Infection of Williao Rogers's Book, miscalled the Christian Quako… In Five Parts, no doubt, was oo… containing above Thirty Sheets: In which 〈?〉 Answered him, Chapter by C and 〈?〉 most Paragraph by P in Relation 〈?〉 Church Government, and the good Order 〈?〉Truth, Es and also as 〈?〉 most of the Principles of Truth, which the 〈?〉W. R. in one part of his Work, had endeavour|od to Pervert to his own Ends. A Laborious Work it was, and difficult task to go through oo evenly as he hath done: And though it is Controversie, yet pleasant to Read. As also his oaution to Constables, and other Inferior Officers, o…ncerning the Execution of the Conventicle-Act. With some Observations thereupon. Humbly offered, 〈?〉 way of Advice, to such Well-meaning and Mode|o…te Justices of the Peace, as would not willingly o…in their Peaceable Neighbours, &c. Which is oentioned in his own Account.
[date 1683]
And now to come to the time, where he o…eaks off his own Relation, and to carry it on, 〈?〉 though far short and infe|o…ur, to what his own Hand could have done: o…r it cannot be expected, that any one can o…ite another Man's L there o…ing many Passages, Publick and Private, Out|oard and Inward, even as to the frame of his own Mind and Condition, between God and 〈?〉 own S which, as No Man knoweth the o…ngs of a Man, save the Spirit of a Man which is o…im: So none can R or like o…self: For as the Wise Man says, The Heart o…weth his own Bitterness, and the Stranger can|o… intermeddle whith his Joy. But what occurs o…m my own Knowledge, or from his Books o…d Papers, pertinent to the case in Hand, shall o…thfully be Related.
Therefore to resume the Thread of his Dis|o…rse, and begin where he leaves off. He inti|o…tes at the Close of his own Account that the
[date 1683]
Magistrates not thinking the Laws made a+gainst us (viz. the Conventicle-Act, &c.) so+vere enough, perverted the Law, by makino our Peaceable Meetings R and Indicting oo…Friends as Rioters, that they might Fine at Plea+sure: Which he knew to be contrary to Law and J nor was it long (says he) before ho had occasion offered, more throughly to Cono…+der this matter (viz. the breaking up of to… Meeting near Wooburn, by Justice Hampsoo… sending Friends to Prison, and Indicting theo… for a R) which shews he design'd to write 〈?〉 Book on that Subject (though he doth not meo+tion it) and accordingly did this Year (afto… the Caution to Constables, &c. as aforesaid.) To… he called A Discourse concerning Riots: Occasiono… by some of the People called Quakers being Indicto… for a Riot, &c. Of which he gives (by way 〈?〉 Preface) this further Account. 'The Proceeo+ings of late in City and Country, against 〈?〉 of the People called Quakers for Riots, for oo… Meeting Peaceably together to Serve and Wo…+ship GOD, first put me upon enquiring io… the Nature of Riots: What, upon inquiry, o have found, I here present to publick Vieo… for common B that none through Igo…+rance, may be the occasion of bringing an Uo+just Suffering upon an Innocent People, ao… thereby Guilt on themselves. I do not preteo… much Skill in Law (a Study and Professioo… was never bred to) but having spent soo… Hours on this occasion, in searching what 〈?〉 Law Books say in this C I hope I 〈?〉 [date 1683]
(without incurring the Censure of Presump|tion) communicate my Gleaning to such of my well meaning Country Men, as have not Leizure or Opportunity to inform themselves otherwise. I solemnly declare, I have no o|ther End, or Aim in this Work, than to do Good, and prevent Evil: Which Consideration, with Men of Candour and Ingenuity, will be, I hope, a sufficient Apology, for my seeming boldness in this Undertaking. And so he pro|ceeds to set forth what Riots are in the Law, and Law B of which he cites divers (and Scripture too) to shew that our Peaceable Meet|itgs (which in those Days they used to make Ri| that they might Imprison and Fine us at Pleasure) could not be R tho' thro' Igno|rance, or Envy, they were often so rendred (which shewed their Injustice) Saying, 'How truly I have stated the Case on the one hand, with respect to R the many Quotations in the foregoing Discourse, will shew. How true an Account, on the other Hand, I have given of our Meetings, the whole Nation (and all Nations where we have Meetings) may Judge upon the whole. (says he) My request is, that all, both Justices and Ju|rors, who have or shall be Concerned, in this or the like Case, will seriously weigh the mat| and not strain the Law beyond its due Extent. (adding) To Oppress any by colour of Law, is the greatest abuse of Law. Con|cluding with a serious Re-capitulation, and Application of the whole: That none for the
[date 1683]
future might Err Ignorantly in that R and if any would willfully, they might be left without Excuse.
About the same time, or not long after, he writ also, A Seasonable Disswasive from Persecu|tion: Humbly and Modestly, yet with Christian freedom, and plainness of Speech, offered to the Con|sideration of a on Behalf gene|rally, of all that suffer for Conscience sake: Parti|cularly the People called Quakers. In the begin|ning of which, he defines what Persecution is. 'Persecution (says he) is a word of so harsh a Sound, and so generally Distastfull to English Ears, that scarce any of those who are most forward and active in that Work, are willing to have their Actions called by that Name. That none therefore, who have set an Hand to that Work, or whose Minds are any wh may, from the dislike they have to the Word [Persecution] Reject this Disswasive, as a thing wherein they are not Concerned: I think it needful here to declare, what it is I mean by Persecution. By Persecu|tion then, I intend a Forcing, or Compelling any, by Pains or Penalties, Bodily or Pecuniary, to Re|linquish or Forsake that Exercise of Religion, or way of Worship, which they believe to be the Right way of W and the true and acceptable Ex|ercise of Religion, which God hath required of them. And to Receive, Embrace, Conform to and perform some other Exercise of Religion, and way of W which they who are so Compelled are either firmly perswaded is not the R or at [date 1683] least, have no belief that it is Right. This (in short) is that which I call P and this is that which I Disswade from, whatever other Name, the Actors of it may please themselves in calling it by.
I. To begin with the first of these, viz. the Forcing, or Compelling any to Forsake, and and Leave that Exercise of Religion, or way of Worship, &c. The Reasons by which he en|deavours to disswade all Men from such an un|dertaking, are these. [i. e. the Heads of them] '1. You may, for ought you know, be found Fighting against God: You are not, you cannot be, upon your own Principles, infallibly sure, that that way of Worship, which you thus endeavour to force us from, is not the true Worship of God.— 2. By endeavouring to force us from that way of Worship, which we believe the Lord hath led us into, and re| you endeavour to force us, to make Shipwrack of Faith.— 3. In endeavouring by Force and Cruelty, to Restrain us from Worshipping God as (we are fully perswaded) he hath Taught us, and doth Require us: You go out of the Path of the Righteous, and tread in the Steps of the Wicked and Ungodly.— 4. That Exercise of Religion which you is not simply of it self, Condemned and Disallowed by that Law, by the Severity of which, you would force us from it.— 5. In thus eagerly Pursuing us, and Disturbing our Peaceable M you give your selves, as well as us, a great deal of need|less
[date 1683]
Trouble.— Refrain from these Men, and let them alone.— 6. And lastly, Be pleased to Con|sider, what sort of Agents and Instruments you are fain to make use of (and not seldom are your selves made use of by) to carry on this Work. Concluding this part thus: O ne|ver give Cause for this Epitaph to be written on your Tombs, Here lies a Persecutor of the People of God.
II. Now for the other Branch of Persecution, viz. The Forcing, or Compelling of any, by Pains or Penalties,— to Receive, Embrace, Conform to, and Perform some Exercise of Religion, and way of Worship, &c. The Reasons by which he en|deavours to disswade all Men from such an Un|dertaking, are these (viz, the Heads.)
'1. In thus imposing your way of Worship upon others, you act quite contrary to Christ and his Apostles.— 2. In thus imposing your way of Worship upon others, you follow the worst of Patterns, Nebuchadnezzar King of Ba|bylon, &c.— 3. In forcing People to your way of Worship, who have no Belief that it is the right, you cause them to Sin: for whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin.— 4. In forcing People to your way of Worship, who have a firm Per|swasion and Belief that you make Men Hypocrites and Time-servers.— 5. By obtruding and inforcing your Religion up|on others, you greatly disparage and under|value it, and give Men the more ground to suspect and dislike it.— 6. You break that great Command, which Christ says is the Law [date 1683] and the Prophets, viz. All things whatsoever ye, would that Men should do to you, do ye even so to them, Mat. 7. 12.—
All these Reasons are illustrated and backed with Scripture and Reason, concluding with a oery close and seasonable Application to our Per|o…cutors. A solid serious Discourse it is, if any Arguments had been sufficient to disswade Men o…om Persecution (of which there was very
particularly in London, Bristol,ond divers other Places) the whole being well worth Perusal: and I should have inclined to in|oert it at large, but that it hath pleased God to o…cline the Hearts of our Superiours to ease us in ohat respect, by Granting a Toleration to Prote|o…ant Dissenters: for which we are thankful. These three, viz. the Caution to Constables, Discourse of Riots, and Disswasive from Persecu|oion, were all Written, or at least Printed, this Year, 1683.
[date 1684]
And he acquitted himself so well on these Subjects, that one William Tournay (to him un|known) sent him a Letter from London, taking Notice of the aforesaid Tracts, which he was so well pleased with, that he desired his Judgment on the 23d, 29th and 35th of Q. ELIZA|BETH, in Relation to the Proceedings then upon them: to which our Friend T. E. return'd him an Answer in a large Letter, which is in his Decades of Letters, among many others, to divers Persons, and on various Subjects, well worthy the Perusal, from the Year 1670, down to his latter Times: and if they were published,
〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉 [date 1684]
would help to supply the deficiency of his own Account of the latter Part of his Life.
About this time he writ the following PO|EM or HYMN of Praise to the L whico I think well deserves to be inserted in thio Place: Intituled,
COLLAUDEMUS DOMINUM.COME, let us Praise the LORD with on Consent,
All ye, whose Hearts to honour him are beno
Come, let us of his gracious Dealings tell:
For with us he hath dealt exceeding well,
When him we did not seek, he did us find,
He gave us Sight, when we were dark and blind
He brought us home, when we were run astray
And set our Feet i'th' new and living way,
When Hunger pin'd he gave us heavenly Bread
And, with the choicest Dainties, hath us fed.
He from mis-leading Guides deliver'd hath,
And led us forward in the Just Man's Path,
He hath with Strength and Courage us endu'd
With Zeal for Truth and Christian F
He Wisdom from above doth daily give:
To them that in his Truth sincerely live.
In Battle he hath us preserv'd thus far,
And made us Victors in the Holy War.
Our Enemies he greatly hath subdu'd.
His Sword in Blood o'th' slain hath been imbru'd
He hath preserved from the Roaring Lion:
And brought a little Remnant safe to Sion.
[date 1684]
Where, in his Presence, they sit down and Sing
Eternal Hallelu-jah's to their KING,
Who lives and reigns, and may his Reign extend
Throughout the Universe, and have no End.
But to proceed:
[date 1685] William Rogers, whom our Author Answered in the Year 1682, (as aforesaid) though he did not Reply to it, or ever attempted it that I have heard of, putting forth a Rhiming Scourge for George W against whom he bent his most Inveterate Spleen, and who had also An|swered his great Book, falsly called, The Christi|an Quaker, in a Book intituled, The Accuser of the Brethren cast down, &c. T. E. writ an An|swer to his Scourge in Verse, intituled, Rogero-Mastix, A Rod for William Rogers, in return for his Rhiming Scourge: For which he gives the fol|lowing Reason.
To such as ask why I in Verse have writ?
This Answer I return, I held it fit,
Verse shou'd in Verse be answer'd, Prose in Prose.
My Adversary his own Weapon chose.
He chose before in Prose to write, and then
I answer'd him in Prose. So now agen,
Since he his Stile from Prose to Verse hath chang'd,
And in the Muses Walks hath boldly rang'd,
In his own Method him I chose to treat,
Lest he should wise be in his own Conceit.
And begins thus:
The Preacher tells us, that beneath the Sun
There's no new thing: for, That which shall be done,
[date 1685]
H And what is now a doing
Shall acted be again, in Times ensuing.
Let none be shaken, therefore, in his Mind,
If he God's People now Reviled find,
Reproach'd with bitter words, and vilify'd,
With filthy Slanders loaded, and bely'd
By wicked Men. Such was the Churches State
Of old, as Sacred Story doth relate.
And having recounted the Opposition made by Rabshaketh, Sanballat and Tobiah, &c. to the Jews, and Diotrephes to the A he pro|ceeds, Page 6.
By these Examples, plainly it appears,
How Satan play'd his Pranks in former Y
What Arts he us'd; how
What Instruments, whereby to work, he sought:
One while, professed Enemies, and then
Another while he chose false Brethren.
And though those Agents now are dead and gone,
Satan remains the same, the Evil One.
He Mischief always to the Church intends,
And, Mischief to effect, his Agents sends.
Though Rabshaketh be dead, Tobiah rotten,
Sanballat and Diotrephes forgotten,
The wicked Spirit that in them did strive
Against God's Truth and Church,
And other Instruments doth daily raise,
To hinder Truth's fair Progress, in these Days.
He Agents has, great store, of ev'ry Size
And Sort. How numerous are Truth's Enemies!
Yet blest be God! A greater Number's those
That stand for Truth, than those that it oppose.
[date 1685] I list not here a Muster-Roll to make
Of all who, from without, in hand did take
To Battle against Truth, and shake their Spears
At Israel's Camp within these Twenty Years.
Nor do I purpose to ennum'rate all,
Who, in that time, themselves did Quakers call,
That through misguided Zeal, or Discontent,
Their Bows against their Brethren have bent.
But since some few, of late, appear to be
With Rage and Envy fill'd, to that degree,
That with more Bitterness than all the rest,
Their Malice against Truth they have exprest.
My Purpose is to single out from these
Him, that appears as their Diotrephes.
And that is ROGERS: For tho' Crisp and Bug,
With other some, do at the same Oar tug,
And Toil hard at it too, with all their Might,
oet can they do no more but shew their Spight.
And for the rest, that lie behind the Skreen,
And move the Wheels, but
Although they help to carry on the Work,
take less notice of them, while they Lurk.
Them therefore leaving I return again,
To view Will. Rogers his Poetick S
Who having been too often foil'd in Prose,
To try his Fortune now in Verse
o… Verse, without Offence, that may call'd,
Which is delivered in Rhimes so bald,
So flat, so dull, so rough, so void of Grace,
Where Symphony and Cadence
So full of Chasmes, stuck with Prosie Pegs,
Whereon his tired Muse might rest her Legs.
[date 1685]
(Not having Wings) and take new Breath, that the
She might, with much a do, hop on agen.
His [Words to that Effect,— Why so,— How so?
Hence I observe,— Hence I conclude,—] do show
His Pursy Muse was often out of Wind,
And glad when she a perching place could find.
What drew thee William, to this Rhiming fit,
Having no more Propensity to it?
Could'st think such hobling, and unequal Rhimes,
That make a Jangling, like disorder'd Chimes,
Could of a POEM e'er deserve the Name,
Or e'er be read without the Author's Shame?
What Clouds of Darkness in thy Lines appear!
How is thy Stile perplex't! How far from clear!
Thy Muse is wrapt in thickest Fogs of Night,
Which shews thou art departed from the Light.
Nor Sun, nor Moon, nor Star throughout thy Booo
Is to be seen. No Spring nor Christal Brook
Glides through thy Margin. No, thy Waters ruo
Black, like the Streams of Styx, or Phlegeton.
And having gone through, and Answered this Adversaries Book, he sums it up, and con+cludes as followeth. Page 29.
William, Thy Work is weigh'd, thy Spirit try'd
And both thy Work and Spirit are deny'd.
Thy Spirit is the same that wrought of old
In Sanballat, Tobiah, and the bold
Assyrian Railer, Rabshakeh, who sought
God's Work and People to have brought to nought,
As thou hast done: And what the Prophet cry'd
In that Case, may to thee be well apply'd.
The Virgin hath despis'd thee, Zion's Daughteo
Makes thee the Object of her Scorn and Laughteo
[date 1685]
The Daughter of Jerusalem hath shook
At thee her Head (with a disdainful Look:)
oor, whom hast thou Reproached and Blas|phem'd,
And against whom hast thou so loudly scream'd,
And lift thine Eyes on high? Thy Spleen doth swell
Against the Holy One of Israel.
To this effect the Prophet did declaim
Against the Proud Assyrian, from whom came
That cursed Railer, who e'en seems to be,
〈?〉 Railing Blasphemies, a Type of thee.
What Nehemiah to Sanballat said,
When he foul Slanders to his Charge had laid)
That I to thee, of all thy Slanders, Thus,
There are no such things acted, amongst us,
As thy abusive P
But out of thine own Heart thou dost them feign.
And where thou carp'st at what we do aright,
We can for Truth's sake, in Reproach delight.
The Lord rebuilding is his Holy City,
Which thou and others envy (more's the pity)
And put forth all the Strength and Art you have,
The Work to stop, the Workmen to deprave.
But never be so vain, to think you can
The Work obstruct: 'tis not the Work of Man.
The God of Heaven, H
And therefore we his Servants, (strengthned thus)
Will rise and build, as God shall us endue
With Courage, Strength and Counsel for't: But you
No Portion have, who do the Work condemn,
Right nor Memorial in JERUSALEM.
My Soul laments your State, who once have felt
That tend'ring Pow'r, which stony Hearts can melt.
[date 1685] And have been in some measure, tend'red by it,
But now so hard'ned are as to defie it:
All you I mean, who have in Print appear'd
(With Envious Hearts, and Conscience doubly sear'd
To fight against the Truth, and to expose
God's People to the Fury of their Foes.
And all you too, who do that Work abet,
Although your Names thereto ye have not set.
Ah! had ye kept unto the heav'nly Grace,
(Which in your inward Parts the Lord did place
And not, in discontented Humour, run
After Lo-heres, Lo-theres,
Ye might, in Truth, the Bond of Peace have known
And in the Spirits Unity have grown,
Which is the Churches Girdle, highly priz'd
By all the Faithful, though by you despis'd,
Whereas (by letting in first false Surmisings
Of others, which e're long produc'd Despisings,
And so made way for Prejudice to enter,
Till cancred Malice in your Hearts did center)
Ye now are broke, and into Pieces Shatter'd,
And from the Body and Head are Scatter'd.
Without the Camp ye stand (Oh dismal State!)
Snarling amongst the Dogs, without the G
Belching forth Slander and Calumniation
'Gainst those that in the Light have kept their Station.
Oh! may the God of Heaven stop your Way
That ye no more the Simple may betray.
I could not but recite thus much, of the Beginning and End of that Book, which is so Excellent, both for the Subject and Composure,
[date 1685]
that one may sooner Transcribe too
the whole being well worth the Reading.
[date 1686]
In the Second Month, 1686, he had a Con|cern upon his Spirit, in a deep Sense of the Ene|mies working, to sow Divisions, and endeavour|ing to lay waste the Testimony of Truth, to write an Epistle to Friends, which he did, very s to stir up Friends to Faithfulness, and to beware of the Enemies Wiles, and avoid that Rending Dividing Spirit, which was then at work, to cause Division and Strife among Friends: which being so Seasona|ble and Excellent, both for Matter and Stile, the whole is thought meet to be he and is as followeth:
An EPISTLE to FRIENDS.
DEAR Friends, unto whom the gather|ing Arm of the Lord hath reached, and who have known, in your several Measures, a being gathered thereby into the heavenly Life, and are Witnesses of the preserving Power, by which ye have been kept faithful to the Lord, and regardful of his Honour: Unto you, in an especial manner, is the Salutation of my true and tender Love in the L and for you, as for my self, are the Breathings and fervent De|sires
[date 1686]
of my Soul offered up, in the One Spirit, unto Him, who is your G that both you and I may be for ever kept in the fresh Sense of his tender Mercies, and great Loving-kindness unto us, that therein our Souls may cleave firmly unto Him, and never de|part from Him. For Friends, it is a trying Day, a Day of great Difficulty and Danger, wherein the Enemy is at work, and very busie, setting his S and spreading his Temptations on every hand: And some, alas! have entred thereinto, and are caught and held therein, for whom my Soul in secret mourns.
And truly Friends, a great weight hath been upon my Spirit for many Days, and my Mind hath been deeply exercised, in the sence I have of the Enemy's prevailing, by one Bait or o|ther, to unsettle the Minds of some, whom the Arm of the Lord had reached unto, and in some measure gathered to a resting Place: But not abiding in that pure Light, by which they were at first visited, and to which they were at first turned, the Understanding hath been vailed a| the Eye, which was once in some measure opened, hath the God of the World insensibly Blinded again, and Darkness is again come o|ver, to that degree, that they can now content|edly take up again, what in the Day of their Convincement, and in the time of their true Tenderness, they cast off as a Burthen too heavy to be born. O my Friends, this hath been the Enemy's Work: therefore it greatly behoves all
for it hath been for want
[date 1686]
of Watchfulness, that he hath got entrance in|to any. For when the Mind hath been from off the true Watch, in a secure and careless State, then hath he secretly wrought, and pre|sented his fair Baits, his Allurements or Entice|ments by Pleasure or Profit, to catch the unwa|ry Mind. And hence it hath come to pass that some, who have come out fairly, and begun well, and have seemed in good Earnest to have set their Hands to God's Plow, have looked back, and been weary of the Yoke of Christ, and have either lusted after the Flesh-pots of Egypt again, or turned aside into some By-path or crooked way in the Wilderness, and thereby have fallen short of the promised good Land.
But you, my dear Friends, in whom the Word of Life abides, and who abide in the Ver|tue and Savour thereof, ye know the Wiles of the Enemy, and the Power which subdues him, ond the Rock in which the Preservation and oafety is. So that I write not these things unto oou, because ye know them not: But the End of my thus writing is, to stir up the pure Mind on all, upon whom the Name of the Lord is cal|oed, that we all may be provoked to Watchful|oess against the Workings of the wicked One. Therefore, dear Friends, bear, I beseech you, ohe Word of Exhortation, though from one ohat is little and low (and through Mercy sensi|le of it) and who hath not been accustomed oo appear after this manner: For the Wind, ye onow, bloweth where it listeth.
[date 1686]
Friends, Call to Mind the former Times, and remember the Days that are past and gone, when the Day of the Lord first dawned unto you, and his Power seized upon you. Ye know how weighty and retired the Spirits of Friends then were, how grave and solid their Deport|ment and C how few and savoury their Words, tending to edifie the H how great a Fear and Backwardness was in them to enter into Familiarity with the World's Peo|ple. O Friends, that was a good Day, and thao was a safe S for Fear begets Watchfulnesso and Watchfulness is a means to prevent Dangero Therefore all Friends, keep in the Holy Fearo and therein watch against the Enemy, that ho entangle you not, nor hurt your Spirits, by a too near Familiarity, and intimate Conversing with the People of the W for therein I as|sure you, lies a Snare. For though it be boto lawful and necessary, and in some Cases alo useful and serviceable to the Truth to Converso with them that are without: yet if any Frieno should adventure in a frank and free Mind, bo+yond the Limits of the pure Fear, to entertain Fo+miliarity with the World's People, the Spirio of the World in them will seek an Entrance, ando if not diligently watched against, will also go… an E and bring a hurt and a loss upoo him or them into whom it so gets. For beino once entred, it will insensibly work, and dis+pose the Mind into which it is got, to a Conde+scention to, and Compliance with the People oo the World it converses with, first in one thingo [date 1686]
then in another, in Words, in Behaviour, &c. (little things in Appearance, but great in Conse|quence) till at length an Indifferency gets up in the Mind, and the Testimony of Truth by de|grees is let fall. But while the pure Fear is kept to, and dwelt in, the Watch is always set, the Spirit is retired and weighty, and an holy Awfulness rests upon the Mind, which renders such Converse both safe to the Friends, and more serviceable to them they converse withal.
And, Friends, not only in your conversing with the World's People, but in all your Con|versation and Course of Life, watch against the Spirit of the World, for it lies near to tempt, and to draw out the mind, and to lead back into the World again. You know, Friends, that at the first, when the visiting Arm of the Lord reached to us, he led us out of the World's Ways, Manners, Customs and Fashions, and a close Te|stimony, both in Word and Practice, was born against them. But how hath this Testimony been kept up, and kept to by all, who have since made Profession of the Truth? Ah, how hath the Enemy, for want of Watchfulness, stole in upon too too many, and led out their Minds, from that which did at first Convince them, in|to a Liberty beyond the Cross of Christ J and in that Liberty they have run into the Worlds Fashions, which the worldly Spirit con|tinually invents to feed the vain and airy Minds withal, that they may not come to Gravity and Solidity?
[date 1686]
Thence it hath come to pass, that there is scarce a New Fashion come up, or a Fantastick Cut invented, but some one or other, that pro|fesses Truth, is ready, with the foremost, to run into it. Ah, Friends, the World sees this and smiles, and points the Finger at it. And this is both a Hurt to the particular, and a Re|proach to the general. Therefore, O let the Lot be cast, let Search be made by every one, and let every one Examine himself, that this Achan, with his Babylonish Garment, may be found out and cast out: for indeed he is a Trou|bler of Israel. And all Friends, who upon true search shall find your selves concerned in this particular, I warn and exhort you all, Return to that which at first C to that keep close, in that abide, that therein ye may know, as at the first (not only a Bridle to the Tongue, but) a Curb to the roving Mind, a Re|straint to the wandring Desire. For assuredly, Friends, if Truth be kept to, none will need to learn of the World what to wear, what to put on, or how to shape and fashion their Garments: but Truth will teach all how best to answer the End of Cloathing, both for useful Service and mo|dest Decency. And the Cross of Christ will be a Yoke to the unruly Will, and a Restraint up|on the wanton M and will Crucifie that Nature that delights in Finery and in Bravery of Apparel, in which the true adorning doth not stand, but in the hidden Man of the Heart, in that which is not corruptible, even a meek and quiet Spi|rit, 1 Pet. 3. 4. And the Grace of God, which
[date 1686]
hath appeared to all, and which hath brought Salvation to many, will not only teach to deny all Ungodliness and worldly Lusts, and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present World, Titus 2. 11, 12. but will also lead those that obey it out of all Excess, and out of all Superfluities and worldly Vanities, and will teach them to order their Conversation aright. Therefore to this heavenly Grace let every Mind be turned, and therein stay'd, that thereby all who profess the Truth may be kept in the holy L that in their whole Conversation and Course of Life, in Eating, in Drinking, in putting on Ap|parel, and in whatsoever else we do, or take in hand, that all may be done to the Glory of God, 1 Cor. 10. 31. that our Moderation in all things may appear unto all Men.
And let not any deceive and hurt themselves with a False Plea, saying, I will be left to my Li| I have freedom to do, go, And Religion stands not in Cloths, &c. For that Li|berty which the worldly Spirit leads into, is not indeed the true Liberty, but is a false and feign|ed Liberty, which leads into true and real Bon|dage. And though Religion stands not simply on C yet true Religion stands in that which oets a Bound and Limit to the Mind with respect oo Cloths, as well as to other things. So that where there is a running out into Excess and Va|oity in Apparel, that is a certain Indication and ooken that the Mind is got loose, and hath cast off ohe Yoke, and is broke away from its due Sub|o…ction to that Divine Power, in which the true oeligion stands.
[date 1686]
Great hath been the Hurt which the Enemy hath done in this Day, by leading into a false Freedom, and crying up a wrong Liberty: for un|der this Pretence have crept in great Disorders, some running out one way, some mixing in Marriages with the World's People, and some going to the Priest to be mar|ried. And many loose and unclean Spirits have shrouded themselves under this plausible Pre|tence of being left to their Liberty, unto whom Truth's Order is and they kick against it, and call it Imposition, because it checks their licentious Liberty. Therefore all, who join with their Plea, examine and try what Li|berty it is ye claim and stand for: for the true Liberty is not inconsistent with the Cross of Christ, nor repugnant to his Y but agrees with it, and is obtained through it, and main|tained by it. And none whom the Son hath made free indeed, will, or can plead or make use of that Liberty, in Opposition to any Means, which the God of Order hath appointed, or set up in his Church for the keeping out Confusion, Disorder and Loosness. And hereby all may take a right Measure, and may certainly know what kind of Liberty that is, which some have so hotly contended for, in Opposition to that ne+cessary and commendable Order, which God hath led his People into, and which the Enemyo in his Agents, labours so hard to lead them ouo of. For the Enemy well knows, that the Ten+dency and Service thereof is to detect and disco+ver his secret workings, and to bring his Deeds t
o [date 1686]
Light and J and therefore he strives with might and main to overturn it, crying out through his Instruments, Away with your Order, Let every one be left to his Liberty. By which seemingly fair and specious Plea, not only the loose, disorderly, factious Spirits have been let up, and encouraged to greater Boldness and Li|centiousness: but some simple and well-meaning Friends also, not seeing the Design of Satan there|in, have been misled thereby, and made use of by the Enemy, and the more subtle of his In|struments, to oppose the good order of Truth. Thus hath the Enemy wrought, and sought to lay waste the Work of the Lord. But the Lord (magnified be his holy Name) hath not been wanting to his People, who in sincerity of Heart have diligently waited on him, for he hath all along raised up some, whose Eye he hath opened to see the Design and work|ing of the Evil O and whose Spirits he hath engaged to stand up in a faithful Testimony a|gainst him, contending for the way of Truth. Which when they, in whom the Enemy wrought, per|ceived, and found they could not run over the Heads of Friends, and carry things on as them|selves pleased, they set themselves, in a heady wil|ful Spirit, to raise Disturbances in Meetings for Business, by encouraging and abetting such hea|dy, loose, contentious and disorderly Persons as wou' thus hardning them|selves, and provoking the Lord to give them up to Blindness and Hardness of Heart, till at length the Enemy prevailed so far upon them,
[date 1686]
as to work them by degrees, from Discontent to Prejudice, then to Enmity, and so at length, in divers Places, to an open Defection, Apostasy and Separation.
Now although I know, my dear Friends, that ye who have kept your Habitation in the Light of the Lord, and whose Eye is single therein, have a clear Sight and Understanding, that the Spirit, which hath thus wrought and fought against the Truth, is not, nor can be, of God, but is of the wicked O and although the Fruits it hath brought forth, through the Agents and Instru|ments in and by which it hath wrought, viz. Making Disturbances in Meetings, to the breaking the Churches P Causing Divisions amongst F Publishing to the World most wicked, ma|licious, railing and scandalous Books, against Friendo (an Effect of the greatest Enmity) shutting ano keeping Friends out of their common Meeting-Hou+ses, in which they have a just Right and Propertyo and not suffering them to meet therein (which is a part of the Persecution inflicted on Friends by the World) and at length also set up separate Meet|ings, in Opposition to the Meetings of God's Peopleo Although, I say, these Fruits are sufficient oo themselves to discover and manifest, to an un+clouded Mind, what Spirit that is, and muso needs be, which hat yeo inasmuch as some, partly through Weakness oo Judgment, and partly through personal Affectioo to some of those leading Separatists, are yet in dan+ger to be betrayed by their fair Words and feign+ed Speeches, wherewith they lie in wait to deceive, 〈?〉 [date 1686]
feel a Concern remain upon my Spirit, in the Love of God, to warn all such, that they join not with, nor give Countenance unto that Spi|rit, that hath thus wrought against the Lord, and against his People.
For Friends, in the holy Fear of the living God, and in the Openings of the Spring of his pure Life in my Soul, at this time, and from the certain Knowledge, and clear Demonstra|tion which I have recei I testifie and declare unto you, That this Spirit, which in this Day hath run out, and hath drawn out some, into Opposition against the Way and Work of the Lord, into Division and Separation from the People of the Lord, and from the holy Assemblies which the Lord hath gathered, and by his powerful Presence hath owned, and daily doth own: This Spirit, I say, is the same with that which hath formerly wrought, in other Appearances, against the T and is the same with that Spirit, that wrought against the Work of the Lord in the Days of the Holy Apostles. This Mystery of Iniquity then wrought, and caused many to turn aside, and to leave the right way of the Lord, and to forsake the Assemblies of God's People, Heb. 10. 25. Yea, and to run in|to Separation too, Jude 19. Upon whom the ho|ly Ghost hath set his B that they were Sensual, having not the Spirit. And many close and sharp Testimonies did the Lord give forth through his Servants in that Day against this Spirit, and against those that were joined to it,
[date 1686]
and acted by it, as may be seen in the Holy Scriptures.
Yea, Friends, this Spirit that hath led some now to set up their Separate Meetings, is the same that led Jeroboam the Son of Nebat to set up his separate Altar at Bethel, of which you may read 1 Kings 12, and 13 Chapters. He was afraid, that if the People should continue to go up to the House of the Lord, to do Sacrifice there, as they had been accustomed to do, and as the Lord had required, they would then for|sake him, and return to the Lord again. And this Spirit now is afraid, that if they whom he hath seduced, and drawn aside, should still fre|quent the Assemblies of God's People, and con|tinue to meet with F that hea|venly Power which is eminently manifest in the Meetings of God's People, might at one time or other reach unto them, touch their Hearts, open the right Eye in them, and give them to see the Mischief and misery he is leading them into. And therefore to prevent this, and to keep his Captives close unto him, he hath con|trived to set up Separate Meetings, in Opposition to the Meetings of God's Appointment, as Je|roboam set up his Separate Altar, in Opposition to the Altar which God hath co and to keep the People from going thereto. And so subtilly did this Spirit work then, as well as now, that Jeroboam contrived to have his false Worship bear some Resem| that he might the more easily beguile the People: For he ordained a
[date 1686] Feast like unto the Feast that was in Judah, 1 Kings 12. 32. But it was in the Month which he had devised of his own Heart, ver. 33. Mark that, there is a Blot upon it: How fair or spe|cious soever the Worship he set up appeared, or seemed to be, yet it was but the Devise of his own H it was neither appointed by God, nor accepted of God. For you may read in the 13th Chapter, that the Lord sent a Prophet, a Man of God, out of Judah to B and he cryed against the Altar in the Word of the Lord, and prophesied the Destruction thereof by J which was afterwards outwardly ful|filled, as you may read, 2 Kings 23. 15, &c. Now Josiah signifies, The Fire, or Burning of the Lord. And, in the holy Dread of the living Eternal God, I declare, The Fire of the Lord is kindled, and kindling against this accursed se|parating Spirit, and against its Work, and a|gainst all those that join with it therein. There|fore all Fear before the Mighty God, and stand still and consider your W and let none re|sist or reject the Warning of the Lord, lest such be hardned to Destruction. For Jeroboam, you may read, stood by his separate Altar, vers. 1. And when he heard the saying of the Man of God, which he cryed against the Altar in Bethel, he put forth his Hand, saying, Lay hold on him. But his Hand which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him, vers. 4. O Friends, consider, How hath Driness and Wi|thering come upon many a great and stout One in this Day, who have lifted up themselves a|gainst
[date 1686]
the L and have sought, by the De+vices of their own Hearts, to establish themselves in their own Way, against the Way of the L so that the Hand they have put forth in that Work, they could not pull in again. Now mind, I pray you, Friends, and observe the way of the working of this Spirit in that Day. Here was the Enmity, the rough Nature of Cain and Esau, the Spirit of Persecution, got up first in Jeroboam, to dismay the Man of God: Lay hold of him, says he. But when he s then the subtle Serpent, the craf|ty Fox, the fair Speeches, the smooth Words, the seeming Friendship and shew of Kindness to betray him. Come home with me, says he to the Man of God, and refresh thy self, and I will give thee a Reward, vers. 7. O Friends, stand in the Fear and Counsel of the Lord, and in the Dominion of his Power, over this wicked Spirit in all its Twistings and Twinings. Let neither the Frowns nor the Fawnings, the Threats nor the Flatteries, the hard Speeches nor the Oyly Words, the Pharisaical Friendship, the dissembling Love, the seeming Kindness, the familiar Carriage, the free Entertainment, the fine Bit, the Offer of Advantages, &c. have any Influence upon you, to draw you, in the least measure, to join or touch with God's Ene| with him that sets up a separate Altar, a separate Meeting, in Opposition to, and to draw or keep from the right Way of the Lord: Mind well the Answer, which the Man of God gave to Jeroboam's tempting Invitation. If [date 1686] osaid he) thou wilt give me half thine House, I oill neither will I eat Bread, nor orink Water in this Place, ver. 8. (This was where ohe Separate Altar was set up.) And he gives 〈?〉 forcible Reason for it: For so it was charged 〈?〉 by the Word of the Lord, Vers. 9.
Here now you see both the Charge of the Lord, and the good Resolution of the Man of God: I will not go in with thee, who hast re|oolted from G neither will I eat or drink in o…is Place, where an Ensign of Separation and Opposition to the way of God is set up. Con|o…der this well, I warn you All, in whom there 〈?〉 yet any true Breathings after the living God, o…ho retain any Tenderness, and in whom there 〈?〉 any Simplicity left: Consider this well, I say, o…hen thy pretended Friend, or Friends, in a o…eat deal of seeming Love and Kindness, shall o…vite thee to partake with them at their Separ|o…e Altar, to sit down with them in their Se|o…rate Meeting. Thou canst not be a Man of o…od, and go in with them, or eat or drink in o…at Place. Thou canst not sit down there, to o…ait for the Bread of Life, or the Water of o…ife to be given thee there: No, the Word of o…e LORD, if thou givest heed unto it, will o…arge thee otherwise. Therefore to that pure o…ing Word let every Mind be turned, and o…ereto kept, in a diligent Waiting to receive Wisdom, Strength and Power from the Lord o… that none may be betrayed by the o…btilty of the the Enemy, with whatsoever o…ir pretences he may come. For remember
[date 1686]
how the Man of God, that was enticed by ao…+other to eat and drink outwardly at Bethel, to… place where the separate Altar was set up, loo… his outward Life therefore, ver. 18. and 2o… And if thou shalt presume to go in, to eat oo
that is, to join in Worshio with the Sons of Nebat at this Day, in the so+parate Meetings, which any of them have so… up, in Opposition to the Assemblies of Godo… People, and to the Blessed Way and Work 〈?〉 the L how knowest thou, but thou may 〈?〉 for ever lose thy spiritual Life, and never knoo… a Day of Quickning more.
Therefore all Friends, watch against eveo… Temptation thereunto, as you love your Livo… as you regard the Good and Eternal Welfare 〈?〉 your S and let not the Name, nor Perso… of any Man have Power over you, to drao… you aside, neither let Numbers sway with yoo… in which, I know, these Adversaries of Truo… do not a little boast (though, blessed be Go… with little Reason) But remember that Jeo…+boam of Old had Ten Tribes out of Twelve 〈?〉 cry up his separate A Notwithstandio… which, he is branded to Posterity in the Ho… Record with this Brand, Jeroboam the Sono… Nebat, WHO MADE ISRAEL TO So… 2 Kings 14. 24. Therefore let not any follo… a Multitude to do Evil, Exod. 23. 2. But 〈?〉follow that which is Good, both among your selvo… and to all Men, 1 Thess. 5. 15. For Friends, yo… know whither the Broad Way leads, and wo… it is the Wide Gate opens into, which
〈?〉 [date 1686] MANY go in at: but keep ye to the Straight Gate, and walk ye on in the NARROW W for in it is Safety, and at the End of it everlasting Happiness.
But Friends, because of the Straightness of this Gate, and the Narrowness of this Way, some that have attempted to walk in it, are grown weary of it, and have sought out ano|ther way, a way which (Jeroboam like) they have devised of their own H wherein they may have more Room, more Scope, more Company, Ease in the Flesh, Liberty to the Flesh, and all without controul. And this I am satisfied, hath not been the least Motive to the Separation in this Day (as it was the greatest in Days past) tho' some that have been drawn into it, may not perhaps see the Ground upon which it was undertaken. But the Lord hath opened an Eye in many, which sees the Rise and Ground, Entrance and End of this liber|tine Spirit, and its Work. And this Eye will the Lord daily open more and more in all, that diligently and in Sincerity wait upon Him. Therefore all Friends every where, who have not yet a clear Sight, and a thorow Understand|ing of the Nature and Work, Design and Drift of this dividing S wait, I beseech you, in Simplicity of Heart, and Lowliness of Mind, upon the Lord, and keep to the Measure of the Grace you ha and suffer not your Minds to be swayed or byassed by any personal Kindness, natural Affection, Relation, Kindred or A but stand single and
[date 1686]
open to the Lord, not joining to, nor any way countenancing that which the Testimony of Truth, in the Arisings of the heavenly Life, and Breakings forth of the divine Power thro' any, goes forth against. So will your present Standing be safe, and you be preserved out of the Snares of this insinuating and treacherous Spirit: And the Lord in his appointed time, as ye abide with him, will open your Understand|ings further, and give you a clearer Sight of that, which at present
and thereby bring you to that Certainty and Assu|rance, which (blessed be his Name) he hath brought many unto.
And you, my dear Friends, whose Spirits the Lord hath stirred up, and whose Hearts he hath engaged, in an Holy Zeal, to stand up for his Blessed Name and Truth, and to bear a faith|ful Testimony against this wicked rending S go on in the Strength and Power of the Lord, in the Might of the God of J for you are assuredly on the Lord's Side, and the Lord Jehovah, the Strength of Israel, is on your Side. Therefore, Friends, be encouraged in the Lord, to stand stedfast in your Testimony, not giving way to the Enemy, no not for a Mo|ment. And take heed, I beseech you in the Love of God, how ye enter into any Treaty of Peace, or Terms of Agreement with this Ungodly Treacherous Spirit, which is out of the Truth, and draws out of the Truth, and Fights against the Truth: For there is no Peace unto it, saith my God. And they who have
[date 1686]
joined themselves unto it, and have wickedly given themselves up to be acted by it, and to act for it, must pass through the River of Judg|ment, if ever they be redeemed from under its Power. Friends, Condemnation must first be felt and owned, before Reconci and the Fire of the Lord must pass upon the Transgressor, to consume the Works of Darkness, the ungodly Deeds, the envious reviling Speeches, the wicked malicious slan|derous Books and Pamphlets, &c. and to burn up the Ground from whence they sprang. For a flaming Sword hath the Lord God set in his Eden, which turneth every W and none that are gone out can ever come in again, but they must pass under the flaming Edge thereof. Therefore, my dear Friends, stand your Ground, in the Authority of the heavenly Life, and tam|per not with God's Enemies: Remember the Word of the Lord to the Prophet, Let them re|turn unto thee, but return not thou unto them, Jer. 15. 19. And then what follows? I will make thee unto this People a fenced brazen Wall, and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not
for I am with thee, to save thee, and to de|liver thee, saith the Lord, ver. 20. So the God of Life fill your Hearts daily more and more with a Phineas Zeal for the Honour of his N and furnish you abundantly with Wisdom and Counsel, with Boldness and Courage, with Strength and Power, to encounter and over|come the Enemy: And make every one more watchful against the Spirit of the World, to
[date 1686]
withstand it in all its Allurements to Vanity, that whatsoever would de|file the Camp of the Lord, may be purged out, and kept out, that the Lord may more and more delight in his P and shower down his B which is the fervent desire of,
Your faithful Friend in the Love and Service of the unchangeable Truth, Thomas Ellwood.
The 24th of the 2d Month, 1686.
[date 1688]
After this, I do not find he writ any thing (only some private Letters in his Decades) but lived Retired till the Year 1688. In wich time of Privacy (as fittest for it) he began a Work which he did not finish till many Y and that was The Life of David King of Israel, in V which he began for his own Diversion, not thinking then of Printing it, and carried it on to the End of the Third Book. But then the Prince of Orange Landing, and the Revolu|tion following, the Nation being in Arms a|gainst King J the Noise of Guns, and Sound of Drums, &c. so desturbed his Medita|tion, and gentle Muse (which like the Halcion, breeds in Calm Weather) that his Poetical Ge|nius left him for a time, and he thereupon left his Work, for above Twenty Y of which more hereafter in its Place.
And here he retired again for two Y so that I find nothing to Remark of him, either publick or private, but some private Letters,
[date 1690]
till the Year, 1690. When John Raunce and Charles Harris of Wiccomb, in that County, pub|lishing A Memorial (as they call'd it) for the pre|sent G and also for that which is to come: Being an Account from Wiccomb, concerning the Difference, &c. This Thomas Ellwood answered in a Book intituled, The Account from Wiccomb (lately published by John Raunce and Charles Har|ris) examined, and found false. And a Warning thereof given, to all such well-meaning Persona a|mong the People called Quakers, as through Perso|nal Affection, want of Consideration, or Weakness of Judgment, have been betrayed, or may be in danger to be betrayed by them, or any other in the same dividing S and led aside from the Way of Truth, into a Separation from the Peo|ple of God: For whose Recovery and Preservation this is written. Which begins thus.
'For your sakes it is, O ye much pittied O more than for any weight in the Ac|count it self, or worth in the Authors of it, that I have thus taken notice of it. For in|deed, as soon as I had perused it, I felt a com|passionate Concern spring in my Heart on your behalfs, and a direction in Spirit to op|en some Passages therein, and relating thereto, to you, that ye might be preserved from be|ing taken: Or, if in any measure taken, might be rescued and delivered from the Snare, which the Enemy of your Souls, and of all Righteousness, hath made use of these Men to set, to entangle, entrap and catch you by. And to the true Witness of the Holy God, in
[date 1690]
every one of your Consciences, who retain any honest Breathings after the Lord, and the Way of Holiness, do I recommend this my Undertaking, and the Sincerity of my Intention herein. Wherein he discovered their Deceit, as to their S and that it was not for Conscience, but from a libertine Spirit, to lay waste the good Order in the Church, as their Actions manifested: Of which he gave some Instances, not to their Advantage. But their Works have made them manifest.
[date 1691]
The next Book he published, was in 1691, viz. A Reply to an Answer lately published, to a Book long since written by W. Penn: Intituled, A brief Examination and State of Liberty S both with respect to Persons in their private Capa|city, and in their Church Society and Conversation. Which Book was written, or at least published by W. Penn, in the Year 1681. To dist}