of Sin for a Season, and it pleafed the Lord to fit him. with Wifom and Counfel, fo that he was made able to give Judgment in difficult Cafes, wherein many of us have particularly received Benefit, and therefore have Caufe to lament the Lofs we have by his Removal. And ob! fay our Souls, That the Lord would raife up many more in his Room, to the Praife and Honour of the good Hufbandman. And it is our Defire that we, who are yet behind, may be made able fo to fteer our Course through this troublefome World, that when our End comes, we may lay down our Heads in Peace with the Lord, and leave a good Savour behind us, as this our Friend bath done. This is written in true Love and Refpect to the Memory of our deceafed Friend, as it pleased the Lord to move upon our Hearts, And being read and approved in our Womens-meeting at Hungerhill, the 4th of the eleventh Month 1713, was fubfcribed in Behalf of the faid Meeting by us, MARY BAKER, Concerniug Concerning our dear Friend THOMAS ELLWOOD, of Hunger-bill. H' E was much esteemed amongst good Men: Good. Men, in their Day and Station upon the Earth, reprefent Him who made all Things good in the Beginning, who faid, Gen. i. 3. Let there be Light, and there was Light. And also faid, ver. 26. Let us make Man in our Image, after our Likeness. Oh, high Favour! So God created Man in His own Image, in the Image of God created He him; Male and Female created He. them, ver. 27, and blessed them, and gave them Dominion under Himself; for He was chief Commander then; and fo He is witneffed to be now, where His heavenly Image is come into again, and Men live in it, as did this our dear Friend, who did Good in his Day and Generation: Counsel was with him, to give to fuch as needed, and did apply to him: He was of a tender Spirit, and bad Dominion over Paffion, over Pride, and over Covetoufnefs: So he was comfortable to, and in his Family. He was amiable in the Church of Chrift, and a Doer of Good amongst his Neighbours. And being an Elder amongf, and with the Elders, be bath not only obtained a good Report, but also the Bleffing in the promised Seed, which bruifes the Serpent's Head. He was valiant in fuffering for bis Teftimony which he held in the Truth; and may not I fay, unwearied in his Labours for the fetting forth the Fame and Excellency of it: Whereby we fee what the Truth makes Men to be, who do come under the Conduct and Power of it; even as fixed Stars in the Firmament of His divine Power, who has caused the Morning of His heavenly and glorious Gospel-day to break forth; and as with the Day that fprings from high, in tender Mercy bath He vifited many Souls. And early did this our worthy deceased Friend embrace it, as it appears by his Teftimony concerning that eminent and bleffed Meffenger and Minifter of the Goffel, George Fox. And And now, he having endured the Times of Proving, and the Days of Tribulation and Suffering, together with the Perils and Slights, and Undervaluings of falfe Brethren, against whofe ungodly Work he was engaged to ftand as a noble Warrior, in the Defence of, and for the glorious Gofpel of Chrift: Not admiring Mens Perfons, but the Work of the Gospel-power. And although he was endowed with Parts and Accomplishments above many, he was humble and grave; not Self-feeking, but efteeming the Power of Truth, though it did appear through mean Inftruments. He was honourable, and bonoured, for that he fought not his own Honour, but the Honour of Truth; not only by bis Sufferings for it, and Labours in it, but also, in ftanding firmly against the loofe libertine Ones, who would have thrust in amongst the Lambs and Flock of Chrift, in an unclean adulterating Spirit, from the Life of the true Shepherd, and heavenly Husband, Christ Jesus: But to the tender hearted, and fincere minded, he was strengthening and comfortable. I knew him when I was but young, and I can truly fay, my Heart has often been affected, on his Behalf, with Thankfulness to the Lord, who made him as a ftrong Pillar, in His Spiritual Houfe, with many more of His dear Servants and Children, who fhall no more go out. His Memory is in my Heart esteemed beyond what I can write. Ob furely! The Righteous fhall be had in everlasting Remembrance, Pfal. cxii. 6. And they that be wife, fhall fhine as the Brightness of the Firmament: And they that turn many to Righteoufnefs, as the Stars for ever and ever, Dan. xii. 3. Hunger-bill, the 5th of the feventh Month, 1713. ELIZ. RICHARDSON. 2 RICHARD VIVERS his Teftimony concerning THOMAS ELLWOOD. E was a Man of great Wisdom and Understanding, and the Lord, the Giver of it, being pleased to vifit him in his early Days, made Choice of him, and by the Sanctification of His holy Spirit, fitted and prepared him for His Work and Service, whereunto be was called. And altho' he did not often appear as a Minifter, yet in thofe Meetings fet apart for the Affairs of Truth, he often appeared in great Wisdom, having an extraordinary Talent given of the Lord for that Work, more than many other Brethren; and faithful he was in waiting for Inftruction from God, to improve the fame to His Glory, and the Churches Advantage; for nothing was more defirable to him, than to be employed in the Lord's Service: So it pleafed the Almighty to furnish him with Understanding and Strength, faithfully to do his Day's-work. And now He bath taken him to Himself, where his Soul is at Reft; and altho' our Lofs be his Gain, therein I with many more are greatly comforted, for I can truly fay, I loved him, in the Truth, from the first of my Acquaintance with him, and fo it remained to the End of his Courfe, being near forty Years fince we knew each other: And whenever we converfed together, our Difcourfe was chiefly concerning heavenly Things, and the Affairs of the Church; and I always thought my Time well Spent with him, although Opportunity would not ferve for fo much of it as I defired, had it been the Will of God. xxvi RICHARD VIVERS his Teftimony, &c. And this I can fay, according to my Obfervation, He was a Man true to his Friend, and deliberate in the Choice of his Acquaintance, to whom he fhewed real Love and Sincerity of Heart. And he was one of a Steady and found Judgment, as to the Things of God; often defiring, that those who came amongst us, especially Children of believing Parents, might not fettle down only in a Form of Godliness, without the Power (at which Door the Apoftacy entred) but that they might be raised up to walk in that, wherein the Saints FellowShip doth ftand, which is the Light of our Lord Jefus Chrift, enlightening every Man that cometh into the World: And then the ancient Testimony of Truth will be more and more raised up in their Hearts, and they being preferved of the Lord in it, it will more be maintained in its feveral Branches, as in former Days. Bieffed be the Name of the Lord, who hath a People in thefe latter Ages of the World, to whom He hath given Power to ftand for His Truth, whilft on Earth, and to be tender of the Honour of His Name; of the Number of whom, this our deceased Friend and Brother was; who, altho' dead, yet his Memory liveth, and will be preferved amongst the Righteous in Generations yet to come. Banbury the 30th of the RICHARD VIVERS. THE |