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A62048
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The life and death of Mr. Tho. Wilson, minister of Maidstone, in the county of Kent, M.A.
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Swinnock, George, 1627-1673.
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1672
(1672)
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Wing S6277; ESTC R34633
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41,246
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112
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for sports on Sundays and giving disdainful words toward Power the Apparitor and Officer of the Court. RESP. I said unto the Apparitor remember you to keep Holy the Sabbaoth day and added no more words I refused to read the Book mentioned not out of any contempt of any Authority but as being commanded by no Law for the Kings Majesty doth not in the Book command or appoint the Minister to read it nor it to be read but published neither came it with nor know I of any Seal to confirm it so that I dared not take notice of it to be the Kings Book for as I understand all his Majesties Writs Proclamations and Mandats use to come with a Seal and his Majesty intended as I conceive not to trouble any that refused to read it seeing there is no penalty threatned nor authority given that I know of to any to question them that refuse to read it my refusal to read it was upon sufficient grounds of Law and Conscience which for satisfaction to his High Court and to clear me from contempt I shall here by way of Answer briefly and fully express thus His Majesties express Pleasure is that the Laws of the Kingdom and Cannons of the Church be observed in all places of the Kingdom Book Pag. 8. and therefore in Kent and in Otham now this Book as I conceive is contrary to both 1. It is against the Law as the Statute Edward VI. Anno 5. Cap. 3. Christians on all Holy days and times appointed should apply themselves only and wholly unto holy works properly appertaining to true Religion and such times be dedicated onely to God and his true Worship and be separated from all prophane uses but say I no civil recreation is any part of Gods true Worship the Stature Caroli Anno 1. Cap. 1. the Holy keeping of the Lords day is a principal of the true service of God and it is now prophaned by a disorderly sort of people by interludes and other unlawful exercises and pastimes the 13. Cannon all manner of persons shall keep the Lords Day according to Gods Holy will and pleasure 2. Our Church is against it First In Homilyes which contain Godly and wholesome Doctrine and necessary for these times We keep now the first day of the week which is our Sunday and make that our Sabbaoth by the fourth Commandment God Commands one standing day in the Week and all Men and Women and Children and Servants be to keep it in a holy rest and use it Holily and give themselves wholely to Heavenly exercise of Gods true Religion and Service but I say Archery May-poles May-games Dancings Morrice-dancing and the like be not exercises of Gods true Religion and Service Secondly In the Liturgy a Minister in enjoyned to read the fourth Commandment Remember thou keep Holy the Sabbaoth Day and all are to intreat Gods Mercy to incline their hearts to keep this Law Ps. 118. 24. is appointed to be read on Easter day as proper to it it shews V. 24. This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it so that the Lord instituted it Bishop Andrews on Easter-day 1611. Preaching on that Psalm 118. Psal. 22. c. Thirdly In the Exhortation fit for the time upon the Fast-days 1625. declaring the apparent cause of the Plague saith the Lords Day is not kept holy but polluted and the Ministry of the Word despised and in the end of that Book mention is made of Playes Pastimes Idleness Drunkenness the proper sins of our Nation which pulled Gods wrath upon us and I dare not by reading seem to allow what did bring the Plague of God on the Land that year 3. It is against Scriptures Exod. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbaoth-Day to keep it Holy where we are commanded to keep holy the Lords Day as I learn out of Authors Zanchy on the fourth Commandment we keep holy the Lords Day and Sanctifie it Iunius in Animadvers in Bellar. Controv. Lib. 7. Cap. 10. The Lords Day answereth to the Sabaoth and its proportionable to it and is commanded in Exod. 20. 8. again in Gen. 2. 82. This Law is established by the fourth Commandment of the Decologue to be observed of all Alexander Alensis Tom. 3. Q. 32. Memb. 4. Art 4. In the observation of the Sabboath is commanded the observation of the Lords Day chiefly according to intermination Isa. 58. 13. If thou turn thy foot from the Sabboath from doing thy pleasure on my Holy Day and call the Sabbaoth a delight the Holy of the Lord honorable and shalt honor him not doing thine own ways nor finding thine own pleasures nor speaking thine own words and Cultetus in locum saith they took away the Sabbaoth by scandalous deeds that hinder Gods worship as drinking sports and idle wandring Isa. 56. 2. The man is blest that keepeth the Sabbaoth from polluting it Vers. 4. God rewards such abundantly Vers. 67. Such a one shall be made joyful in Gods House which is true in the day of the Gospel when Gods House is a House for Prayers for all people 4. It is against Councels Concil Toletan 4. cited by Zanchy on the fourth Commandment Let there be no dancing on Holy Festivals nor filthy Songs but let all be at leisure for Godly duties and Divine Worship Concil Laodice Cannon 59. In the Church there ought not to be sung any common Service nor Books be Read besides the Connonical Scripture but only the Sacred Volums of the Old and New Testament 5. It is against Divines Ancient Augustine on the Ps. 32. concio It s better to Delve then to Dance on the Sabbaoth and on Iohn 1. Tract 3. It s better to Spin then to Dance on the Sabbaoth Chrysost. on Gen. Hom. 10. God intimateth from the beginning that in the circle of the Week one whole entire day should be seperated and set by for Spiritual works Ireneus Lib. 4. Cap. 30. The Sabbaoth requires and Teaches the continuance of the whole day in the service of God Ignatius in Epistol ad magnes Let every one keep the Sabbaoth Spiritually rejoycing in the Meditation of the Law not in the recreation of body let every one that loveth Christ now keep holy the Lords Day 2. Modern and late Divines Rabington Bishop of Worcester on the fourth Commandment saith to keep Holy the Sabbaoth day is to separate and consecrate it to all Godly exercise wherein our Faith and Obedience to God is shewen Zanchy on the fourth Commandment All the day is to be consecrated to the Worship of God by day understanding the true natural day the true observing of the Sabbaoth is that we do not what we please but what Gods will is the rest on Holy days is not to be set a part for our lusts and pleasure plays and sins but for Gods worship onely They do not keep holy a day which instead of Gods worship give themselves to pleasure Iunius on Numbers 15. He who
he exhorted to fear God be times and directing his speech to his eldest daughter he said Look to it that you meet me not at the day of Iudgment in an unregenerate estate He commended all his Children to the Lord and left them with him in much Faith in the Covenant which God had made to him and his When Christian Friends came to visit him he always laboured to require their kindness in Godly counsel and exhortations he wisht them to be frequent in reading the Scriptures to prize highly and meditate much on the promises to be holy and blameless in their conversations by no means to forsake but to stick close to ordinances and to hold on in communion with the people of God in the Town When Epictetus broke his leg it s reported of him he discoursed as if his soul had been in another mans body And when the bones of Mr. Wilson were sore vexed with the violence of his disease he would discourse in such a composed Heavenly manner as if he had ayled nothing When one or two of those who had separated from communion with him came to see him he did with much affection bewail their Schism prayed that God would bring them back again and told them that he could willingly lay down his life so they might joyn in Communion with the other Godly people in the Town As Iacob when he was dying worshipped leaning on his staff Heb. 11. 21. So he on his dying bed was frequent in praying to and praising his God It was but two nights before his death though he were very sick yet he made his bed his Pulpit out of which he preached to some that came to see him concerning the preciousness of the promises bid them look the 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding rich and precious promises we are made partakers of the Divine Nature and concerning the preciousness of Christ to Believers desired them to turn to 1 Pet. 2. 7. Vnto you that believe he is precious And oh with what affectionate expressions would this Minister and Member of Christ Commend his head the Pearl of great Price and the Promises he had purchased saying to his visitors that one Promise was more precious then a World He kept a pure conscience while he lived and through mercy had a peaceable conscience when he died It s said of 〈…〉 Lampadius that being asked on his death bed by one whether the light did not offend him clapping his hand on his breast answered Hic sat lucis Here is light within Mr. Wilson all along in his sickness manifested much peaceableness and calmness of Spirit Dr. Taylor when he came within two miles of the place of Execution leaped saying God be praised I am almost at home and have not past a mile or two and I shall be at my Fathers House Mr. Wilsons apprehension that Death drew near was very comfortable to him A Gentlewoman of his society coming to take her leave of him being to remove out of the Town he pleasantly said to her What will you say good Mistriss Crisp if I get the start of you and get to Heaven before you get to Dover When another came to see him he asked her what she thought of him who answering truly Sir I think you are not far from your Fathers House he replied Oh that is good news indeed which would make one to laugh for joy When others spake to him of his death in a mornful way he said to them I bless God who hath suffered me to live so long to do him some service and now after I have done the work appointed me is pleased to call me away so soon Thus in the breathings of his Faith and hope he departed this Life and commended his Spirit into the hands of him that redeemed it and that on the Lords Day that day on which he was wont to work so hard was the day of his entrance into eternal rest to keep an endless Sabbath He needed no Picture or Monuments to preserve his Memory His good works though transient in themselves are yet permanent in the hearts of many and praise him in the Gate for as Agesitaus dying said If I have done good that will be my Monument if ill all the Statues you can make will not keep my good name alive He was when he died about 52. years of Age of a strong constitution for strength and might in a course of nature if God had so pleased have lived much longer But he brought forth fruit early and was ripe when others of his age began but to blossom and therefore no wonder that he was gathered by God so soon He was in his Meridian when others were but just peeping above the Horizon and so might well set before them It was much desired and prayed for that his life might have been lengthened but his time was come he had fought a good fight he had finished his course he had kept the Faith and his Master call'd him to receive his Crown It may be said of him as one did of Bishop Iewel in Seneca's Phrases Diu vixit etsi non di◠fruit He lived long and much though he was not long on Earth he did not wast out with the rust of idleness but wear out with labour yet he was a light that did not blaze out needlesly and unprofitably but burn out for the enlightning many and directing them in the way of life which life he now enjoyeth and happy are they whom their Lord when he cometh shall find so doing of a truth I say unto you he shall make them Rulers over all that he hath Heb. 12. 43 44. Master Bright Minister of Gondhust in Kent his Testimony concerning Mr. Wilson in a Letter directed to a Friend in Maidstone SIR FOr Mr. Wilsons practical actings in Preaching and Life I need say nothing your self feelingly and experimentally knowing more then any can relate his natural parts were generally known to be very high in depth of Judgement readiness of Memory and quickness of Apprehension he was the best at much in a little with clearness of Judgement and exactness of method that I have heard or am ever like to hear His Spiritual endowments for graces and gifts were answerable in his Ministerial abilities he was taller by the head and shoulders then most of his Brethren his indefatigable pains answerable to his parts wore out his Spirit and spent him for good to be the sooner with God and that which to me adorned all was the depth of his humility in the height of his Sanctity He had much learned that hard lesson to receive much from God yet to be little in his own eyes his memory is still precious to my thoughts the general loss is great yours in particular greater I shall heartily desire his indefatigable labours and pious exemplary life may still live in your lives in which he dead yet speaketh c. Yours in Christ Edward Bright ARTICLES Objected