day's rest, in the first week of the creation, have generally divided the ages of the world, from Adam until now. 6. Of these three parts, the first reaches from the creation to the death of Moses, when the children of Israel, being come to the borders of the promised land, the second time, were ready to enter in ; and contains the remarkables in the five books of Moses, taking in Job between Genesis and Exodus. 7. The second part beginning with the book of Joshua, goes through that, and the book of Judges, with the first book of Samuel, and carries on the history from the death of Moses to the death of Saul, and the account that was brought to David of it. In which are recounted the transactions of chief note under all the Judges and Saul, the first anointed king of Israel. 8. The third part (by much the largest) goes on with the second book of Samuel, through the rest of the canonical scripture, sets forth the reigns of the kings of Israel and Judah, throughout the Jewish monarchy, with the most remarkable acts and occurrences therein, from David to the return of the last Babylonish captivity, and rebuilding of the temple; taking in the Prophets, as near as may be, in their several times.

Then he gives account who hath wrote on this subject; particularly a treatise called The General View of the Holy Scriptures, supposed to be the learned Broughton's; which Thomas Ellwood commends as an useful discourse in its kind. And of late And of late years, Chris

topher Ness' History and mystery of the Old and New Testaments, in four volumes. A book, says he, well fraught with variety of useful matter; but wittily observes, the mys tery is not only interwoven with the history, but hath also so much overgrown it, that the reader who desires to peruse the history by itself, will be at some loss in that respect. And that which promises most to answer his end, he says, is R. Blome's History of the Old and New Testaments. A work indeed, not only instructive and delightful, but pompous and magnificent. A character that may justly be applied to his own (except the word pompous.) A work indeed it is, both pleasant and profitable; such judicious observations, and witty (though grave) turns on passages and things, as make it, as well as his other writings, not only pleasant to read, but profitable to the reader. A work that will remain a monument of his worth and ingenuity, to generations to

come.

I would only add, that there is a book of Sulpitius Severus, entitled Sacred History; but as that is in Latin, and far short of this of Thomas Ellwood's; so this cannot interfere with that, or be justly thought to be in imita tion of it.

About this time we entered into a more particular correspondence by letters on several Occasions; which we continued at times, almost till his death. So that I usually imparted to him the most remarkable occur

rences that passed here; and often advised with him in the most important affairs, as I had occasion; and he, in requital, was always ready to answer me, in a very obliging manner, in any thing I desired. And I must acknowledge, he was very helpful to me, by his advice, in some controversies I had with some late adversaries; which I shall not now name, some of them being gone to their graves; and his friendly correspondence was always very acceptable, and instructive, as well as grateful to me, in his agreeable letters, of which I have many by me. Some of which he hath inserted in his decades.

1706. The next year, viz. 1706, there followed an intercourse of some letters between him and William Sewell of Holland, upon some particular points; which led into a friendly correspondence between them, in some other matters not unpleasant to read. Several of which letters of Thomas Ellwood's are in his decades; with many others to divers persons, Friends and others, on various subjects; which, if ever it should be thought meet to publish them, or any of them, they would, I doubt not, be very instructive as well as diverting.

His next public work was on this occasion. About this time a book was published by a nameless author, called A Divine Treatise, written by way of Essay, (pretending) to demonstrate, according to the Mosaical Philoso phy, Water-baptism, Imposition of Hands,

and the Commemoration of the Death and Passion of our ever-blessed Lord and Saviour under the Species of Bread and Wine, &c. This treatise coming accidentally or providentially to our friend Thomas Ellwood's hands, (as he says in his preface) he observed that the design of the author therein was, to reintroduce and set up again those typical representations therein treated of, among those who have been led by the Lord out of the use thereof, into a more spiritual dispensation. And finding his understanding in some measure opened, to see the danger and mischief of that undertaking, and his spirit withal stirred in him against it, he felt a concern upon his mind to publish his Observations which he had made thereon, that others might the more clearly see and readily escape the snare therein laid to entangle them, and draw them into bondage to outward ceremonies, and elementary shadows again. This he did in a book printed 1707, entitled, The glorious Brightness of the Gospel-day, dispelling the Shadows of the Legal Dispensation, and whatsoever else of Human Invention hath been superadded thereunto. And hoped to make it evident, that they are not of the nature of the gospel dispensation; nor have by any divine institution a continued place or service in the church of Christ, without taking notice who or what he was that wrote it, Since the author of the treatise, says Thomas Ellwood, under my observation, hath thought fit to conceal his name, I shall not pry behind the curtain

which himself hath thereby drawn before him, or concern myself to enquire either who or what he is, or has been; but without any regard to that shall directly apply myself to give a plain answer to the most material parts of his trea. tise:' which he did to the purpose, in a close and nervous answer; it being indeed an excellent treatise, well worth the perusal of every impartial reader; to whom therefore I recommend it.

1707. And now I must say something of him under another consideration as well as writing. He had wrote several books against tithes, as before hinted, to shew the unsuitableness of them to the gospel dispensation, being Jewish in their original, and Popish in their revival; and that the obligation of paying them was ceased under the gospel, as to any divine right from scripture. And now it fell to his lot to suffer also in his turn for his testimony against the payment of them, for to him it was given, in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, and bear witness to his coming in the flesh, and offering up himself, to put an end to the law and priesthood, tithes and offerings, but also to suffer for his sake; being prosecuted with three Friends more, viz. John Penington, Abraham Butterfield and William Catch, in the exchequer for tithes, at the suit of Joshua Leaper, tithe-farmer of Amersham in the county of Bucks under Humphrey Drake, clerk, rector, and parson, so called, of the rectory and parish-church of Agmondesham, alias Amersham, aforesaid.