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A39303 An epistle to friedns [sic] by Thomas Ellwood. Ellwood, Thomas, 1639-1713. 1681 (1681) Wing E619; ESTC R37790 10,254 11

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which is a part of the Persecution inflicted on Friends by the World and at length also setting up separate Meetings in Opposition to the Meetings of God's People Although I say these Fruits are sufficient of themselves to discover and manifest to an Vnclouded mind what Spirit that is and must needs be that hath brought them forth Yet inasmuch as some partly through weakness of Iudgment and partly through personal Affection to some of those leading Separatists are yet in danger to be betrayed by their fair words and fained speeches wherewith they ly in wait to deceive I feel a concern remain upon my Spirit in the love of God to warn all such that they joyn not with nor give Countenance unto that Spirit 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 demonstration which I have received from him therein 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 Truth in our time and is the same with that Spirit that wrought against the work of the Lord in the dayes of the holy Apostles This Mistery 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 Gods People Heb. 10.25 yea and to run into Separation too Jude 19. Upon whom the Holy Ghost hath set this Brand 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 joyned to it 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 Ieroboam the Son of Nebat to set up his Separate Altar at Be●hel of which you may read 1 Kings 12 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 forsake 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 frequent the Assemblies of God's People and continue to meet with Friends as before that heavenly 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 contrived to set up separate Meeetings in Opposition to the Meetings of God's appointment as Ieroboam set up his separate Altar in Opposition to the Altar which God had commanded to be set up and to keep the People from going thereto And so subtill● did this Spirit work then as well as now that Ieroboam contrived to have his false Worship bear some resemblance to the true that he might he more easily beguil the people For he ordained a 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 vers 33. Mark that there is a Blot upon it how fair or specious soever the Worship he set up appeared or seemed to be yet it was but the device of his own heart 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 Iudah to Bethel And he cried against the Altar in the Word of the Lord and prophesied the Destruction thereof by Iosiah which was afterwards outwardly fulfilled as you may read 2 Kings 23 15 c. Now Iosiah 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 separating Spirit and against its work and against all that joyn with it therein Therefore all fear before the mighty God and stand still and consider your wayes and let none resist or reject the warning of the Lord lest such be hardened to destruction For Ieroboam 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 dryed up so that he could not pull it in again to him ver 4. O Friends consider How hath driness and withering come upon many a great and stout One in this day who have lifted up themselves against the Lord and have sought by the devices of their own Hearts to establish themselves in their own way against the way of the Lord 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 Ieroboam to dismay the man of God Lay hold of him says he But when he saw that would not do then the Subtle Serpent the Crafty 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 ver 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 joyn or touch with God's Enemy 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 Ierobam's tempting invitation If said he thou wilt give me half thine house I will not go in with thee neither will I eat
Bread nor drink Water in this place ver 8. This was where the Separate Altar was set up And he gives a forcible Reason for it For so was it charged me by the Word of the Lord ver 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 revolted from God neither will I eat or drink in this place where an Ensign of Separation and Opposition to the way of God is set up Consider this well I warn you All in whom there is yet any true Breathings after the living God who retain any Tenderness and in whom there is any Simplicity left Consider this well I say when thy pretended Friend or Friends in a great deal of Seeming love and kindness shall invite thee to partake with them at their Separate Altar to sit down with them in their Separate Meeting Thou canst not be a Man of God and go in with them or Eat or Drink in that place Thou canst not sit down there to wait for the Bread of Life or the Water of Life to be given thee there No The Word of the Lord if thou give heed unto it will Charge thee otherwise Therefore to that pure living Word let every mind be turned and thereto kept in a diligent waiting to receive Wisdom Strength and Power from the Lord therein that none may be betrayed by the Subtilty of the Enemy with whatsoever fair pretence He may come For remember how the Man of God that was enticed by another to eat and drink outwardly at Bethel the place where the Separate Altar was set up lost his outward life therefore vers 18. and 24. And if thou shalt presume to go in to Eat or to Drink Spiritually that is to joyn in Worship with the Sons of Nebat at this day in the separate Meetings that any of them have set up in Opposition to the Assemblies of God's People and to the Blessed Way and Work of the Lord how know'st thou but thou mayst for ever lose thy Spiritual life and never know a day of Quickening more Therefore all Friends watch against every Temptation thereunto as you love your lives as you regard the good and eternal welfare of your Souls and let not the Name nor person of any Man have Power over you to draw you aside neither let Numbers sway with you in which I know these Adersaries of Truth do not a little boast though blessed be God with little reason but remember that Ieroboam of old had Ten Tribes out of Twelve to cry up his separate Altar Notwithstanding which he is branded to Posterity in the holy Record with this Brand Jeroboam the Son of Nebat WHO MADE ISRAEL TO SIN 2 Kin. 14.24 Therefore let not any follow a Multitude to do Evil Exod. 23.2 but all follow that which is good both among your selves and to all Men 1 Thes. 5.15 For Friends you know whither the broad way leads and what it is the wide Gate opens into which the MANY go in at But keep ye to the strait Gate and walk ye on in the NARROW way sor in it is safety and at the end of it everlasting happiness But Friends because of the straitness of this Gate and the Narrowness of this way some that have attemped to walk in it are grown weary of it and have sought out another way a way which Ieroboam like they have devised of their own Heart 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 though 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 libertine 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 Understanding of the Nature and Work Design and Drift of this Dividing Spirit Wait I beseech you in Simplicity of Heart and Lowliness of mind upon the Lord and keep to the measure of the Grace you have received from him and suffer not your minds to be swayed or byass●d by any personal Kindness natural Affection Relation Kindred or Acquaintance but stand Single and open to the Lord not joyning to or any way countenancing that which the Testimony of Truth in the arisings of the Heavenly Life and breakings forth of the divine Power through 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 understandings further and give you a clearer Sight of that which at present you do not fully see and thereby bring you to that Certainty and assurance 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 faithful Testimony against this wicked rendring Spirit Go on in the strength and power of the Lord in the might of the God of Iacob for you are assuredly on the Lord's side and the Lord Iehovah 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 moment 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 joyned 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 Iudgment if ever they be Redeemed from under its power Friends Condemnation must first be felt and owned before Reconciliation can be known 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 slanderous 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 way and none that are gone out can ever come in again but they must pass under the flaming Edg thereof Therefore my dear Friends stand your ground in the authority of the heavenly life and tamper not with God's Enemies Remember the word of the Lord to the Prophet Let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them Jer. 15.19 And then what follows I will make thee unto this People a fenced Brasen Wall and they shall fight against thee but they shall not prevail against thee for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver 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 Name and furnish you abundantly with Wisdom and Counsel with Boldness and Courage with Strength and Power to encounter and overcome the Enemy And make every one more watchful against the Spirit of the World to withstand it in all its allurements to vanity of whatsoever kind that whatsoever would defile the Camp of the Lord may be purged out and kept out that the Lord may more and more delight in his People and shower down his Blessings upon them which is the fervent desire of Your Faithful Friend in the Love and Service of the Vnchangeable Truth Thomas Ellwood The 24th of the 2 d. Month. 1686.