THE Last WORDS AND TESTIMONIES Of and for William Allen. Late of Cowen in Essex a faithfull Servant of the Lord who finishing his Testimony departed this Life the 21. of the 11th Month 1679. LONDON Printed and sold by Benjamin Clark in George yard Lombard-street 1680. The last Testimony and living Words of our dear Friend and Servant of the Lord William Allen who departed this Life the 21. of the 11th Month 1679. THe Earth is filled with the glory of the Lord Praises Praises unto my God who Reigns over all who hath Redeemed my Soul from the Grave and my Life from the horrible Pit who hath plucked my Feet out of the mire and Clay Glory Glory be unto thy great Name Oh my good God! As for my part I have fought the good Fight and have kept the Faith and a large share of the Glory of my God is sealed unto my Soul it s but an earnest of it that I have here of that Crown of Life and Glory which my Father hath in store for me It hath pleased the Lord to exercise me as he did my Father Job for the tryal of my Faith and Patience I have troden his Steps these twelve Months A full reward thou hast given me of Life and Glory Oh my good God! how good art thou to me I have received abundance of good at thy hand and shall I not receive a little evil Blessed be thy name for thy goodness my Cup overflows I cannot utter it And so continued at times oft expressing the glory of the Lord and the Immortality that rested upon him and charged friends to be faithful and that the dread of God might always be upon their hearts that they might answer his Love in yeilding Obedience to his requirings and then though they might meet with Exercises for the tryal of their Faith yet the Lord would be with them if they abode faithful to the end And the same Crown of life they should enjoy which he had an assurance of Therefore said he Watch and keep your Garments and Oyl in your Vessels that ye may be ready to enter with the Bride-groom But as for those that shall continue in Hypocrisie and Disobedience shun the Cross of Jesus and neglect to work while it is day the night will come upon such and that at unawares when neither the Father nor the Son works and the foolish Virgins state they will be found in and though they may desire Oyl of the Wise they will have none to spare âut the door will be shut upon such and the Sentence will be time shall be no more then woe and misery will be their Portion for âver He divided the word aright to his two Daughters and giving them good Counsel and Exhortation said there was a blessing for âhem for their Fathers sake if they should bow âo Truth and abide faithful therein He longed he said to hast away but was âilling to drink the Cup at his Fathers hand ând wait his pleasure More was spoken by him as friends came ãâã to see him and as his strength would perâit which was not taken in writing Then his âpeech growing very low he could not well âe heard and seemed for some hours to lie as âhe was departing at last he said to a friend was almost gon but I cannot go yet there is âme secret counsel of God in it which cauâd friends to believe that he had yet a farther âestimony to bear to some which was so for ââer some little time more friends coming in he was beyond outward likelyhood enabled to declare much to them and exhorted to faithfulness and said I am glad to see my friends about me I go to my God and your God my Father and your Father my bosome is full of Love to all my Fathers Children And then said now Lord Jesus how acceptable is it to leave all the World and be gathered up to thee And so commiting his Spirit to the Lord soon fell asleep and is entred into Rest and Immortal Glory The Testimony of Martha Allen concerning her deceased Husband William Allen. I Have parted with a man of God a Minister of Jesus Christ an ancient in Israel who hath fought the good Fight and kept the Faith and is entred into his rest He would often lament for those that set down in an easful State and would often say that a terrible day would overtake those that are careless and at ease in Sion that slumbers away their time who are in the Holes and Caves and Dens of the Earth And in the time of his health that he was able to go forth and visit friends he would oft say to me God hath made me aâ Huntsman I must visit many of them there as ân their Holes and Caves I must be clear of âheir bloud And would oft speak of the âore travel and pangs that he had for some which made his Soul oft sorrowful as unto death So in that truth light and life that dwelt in him am I given up to follow the Lord to the end of my days till my change comes who am a Companion to all that fears the Lord. Martha Allen. This is the Testimony that lives in my heart âoncerning my dear and well beloved friend William Allen who died the 21st day of the 11th Month 1679. Who in his life time was a man of an upright heart and walked in the integrity of the Gospel of Christ of which he received a dispensation in the early days of his convincement about the year 1654. And the Power of the Lord made a speedy change ân him and stirr'd up a Zeal in his Soul against âhe false ways and worships superstitions and prophaneness of those times Which Zeal for God produced living Testimonies from him in divers Towns and places where he travelled against those things which were evil which sometimes occasioned him to come under hard sufferings bonds and imprisonments In all which he behaved himself as a Faithful and Couragious Souldier of Christ Jesus and a good example to his fellow sufferers Preaching the Gospel of peace both in life and doctrine stopt the mouths of many gainsayers And had a sweet and comfortable effect upon many who were reached in their Consciences by his Testimony and Ministry and by his innocent Conversation so that they embraced the Truth he Preached and suffered for and became Heirs of the Salvation of God to their everlasting comfort and the furtherance of the Gospel I have known him about 24 years In all which time his Conversation in the Churches of Christ where he was led to labour and travel was amiable and lovely and his Testimony received with good acceptation among the faithful He was a man of a severe carriage to such as made a profession of Truth and walked not with a streight foot in the Gospel but very tender over all such as were young and under exercises about their inward condition and did sometimes speak very effectual to
their conditions to the easing their afflicted Spiriâ as divers have testified and can testifie He was a good example in this Countâ where he lived encouraging friends both bâ exhortation and diligence in observing thâ good order of truth to keep things cleaâ and to keep the Gospel void of offence ãâã much as in him lay and after he fell into ãâã way of trade in the World his care was ãâã keep his word and that men might be paid iâ due time according to their expectations ãâã which thing it would be well if all the profeâsors of truth would follow his examplâ He was a man that never exalted himseââ above his Brethren but carried a good respect to them and to their counsel and judgment according as God had given judgmenâ and wisdom to his Children neither did hâ exercise himself in things too high for him but dwelt in a contented Habitation in thâ measure and dispensation of the Grace anâ Gospel committed to him serving the Lord Jesus and his Church and people therein with out weariness to the end of his days noâ eying his own Interest thereby but in simplicity of heart ministred to every ones condition according to the leadings of the gift oâ God that was in him In fine His Life and Conversation made ân lovely and his End was honourable and ãâã is crowned with Immortality and eternal âfe and hath left the World in a good age âving attained to about 63 years and hath ât an example of Innocency and Sincerity to âem that are left behind and blessed will all âey be that in Faithfulness follow the same âd fulfill their Race as he hath done they all also partake of the same Crown of Imâortality and eternal Life Steven Crisp Great hath been the loving-kindness of the âue God who after a long night of darkness âat hath been over the Nations yet he hath ât left himself without a Witness which in âery Age and Generation strove with the âns and Daughters of men and bore witness âto him and gave men to see what it was âat he required of them and in this Age as ãâã other Generations he hath raised up Witâsses and Ministers who has born testimony ãâã the Coming of Christ and of his being âade manifest in Spirit in the hearts of Men âd Women among whom was this faithful âervant and Minister William Allen who is gone to his Rest prepared for him having ânished his course in a good time in the feeâing of the Power and Majesty of the Lorâ of which I am a Witness with him I beiâ with him a few days before his departurâ when I saw him in great weakness of Bodâ yet bearing a sweet and heavenly Image aâ his spirit livingly breathing to God whiââ brought the day of my tender years in whiâ I first saw him into my remembrance whâ first the Lord shined upon me and gave me sight of the good Land this man of God bâing the first publick Minister of the Gospel ãâã Jesus that ever I saw whose appearance wâ beautifull and lovely and God's Image wâ upon him and he bore the Image of the heâvenly his words were weighty and graâ Sentences who looking upon me and peâceiving my weak condition he breathed uâ to God for my growth and preservation ãâã the Truth which blessed be the Lord Goâ heard his Prayers and answered the desire ãâã his Petition for indeed I was as a Branâ pluckt out of the fire This was the Love ãâã the long-suffering God who waited to ãâã gracious to the workmanship of his hanâ Oh Lord keep me in the remembrance of thâ ây for ever that thy Name may be honoured ãâã me for surely thy Love is great and thy âercy endureth for ever to thy seed that âeaths after thee and cannot be satisfied âithout the enjoyment of thee praises to thy âame for ever âorwich the 3d. 1. Mo. 1679 80. John Fediman The Lord having visited a Remnant in our âge and Generation with the knowledge of âs everlasting Truth by causing his Day to âwn from on high did raise up several faithââll Ministers as Instruments in his hand for âe carrying on of his Work and redeeming âs people from the Kindreds Tongues and ânguages and from the many by-ways âere they were scattered upon the barren âountains to bring them to the one Shepâârd and one Sheepfold among whom was âr deceased Friend William Allen who was âlled forth near the beginning of the day âd endued with a living and powerfull Miniâây whereby many by him were turned from ârkness to light and from Sathan's power to âe power of God some of whom remains âis day as the seal of his Ministry which though it was not adorned with the words ãâã man's wisdom yet it was reaching and coâvincingly effectual unto many who weâ made sensible of the Life that dwelt in hiâ and by which he sounded a certain Alarm ãâã those he travelled amongst being mostly iâ Norfolk Suffolk Essex and Cambridgeshirâ and Parts adjacent and was read and undeâstood by the breathing travelling Babes tâ whom he ministred suitably giving Milk tâ them and Meat to those of riper age hâ being skilfull in dividing the Word aright so that by him the mourners were comforteâ and the feeble strengthned and encouraged tâ persevere on in their most holy Faith but hiâ testimony was as a sword to the rebelliouâ and disobedient and would oft declare thaâ the Message committed to him was not onlâ to proclaim liberty to the captives and glaâ tidings to the meek but the day of vengeancâ of our God to all that obeyed not the Gospel that being convinced of the truth satâ down in a whole-hearted state and knowinâ God did not like to retain him in their knowledge and therefore would oft cry In aâ much as the day hastens wherein the Lord would take vengeance on such in flames oâ fire Come away come away haste flee for our lives come out of Babylon stick not ãâã her skirts partake not with her of her sins âst you partake of her plagues but come up âome up to the holy Hill that you may beâold what the Lord is doing in his Sanctuary âho is creating Jerusalem a praise and her âeople a rejoycing the day being now come âat was prophesied of that she should be inââbited without walls the Lord himself beââg a wall of fire round about her and her âory in the midst of her Therefore let the âhabitants of the Rock now sing and shout âoud for joy for Sion's Light is come and ââe Glory of the Lord is risen upon her and ãâã now become as an overflowing Stream And it was not only given to him to beââeve but also to suffer for the Testimony comâitted to him being in perils and prisons oft âs at Colchester Castle being taken at Weathersâeld as he was going to a meeting near that âown and committed by Dudly Templar âalled Justice Anno 1658. as also at Camâridge-Castle Ely and Lyn while he
was at ââe Castle at Colchester he having after some âme some liberty granted him was made âerviceable there sounding forth the everlasting Gospel so that divers were awakenâ and gained to the Truth amongst others ãâã was made instrumental to me and hath beâ as a Father to me for these divers years seeâing and travelling for ây preservation in tââ way of life so that we were near and dear ãâã one another and oft have I been refresheâ with many more through that stream ãâã Life that ran through him in the Assemblies ãâã the Lord's people so that I can truly say ãâã was pleasant to me to sit and hear the sound ãâã Life through him his care being as he wouâ oft by way of counsel say to others to waâ that God might give the breath that wâ might be as Trumpets in his hand for theâ only it gave a certain sound his heart wââ upright to God and his care was over thâ Flock of God where his lot was cast whoââ glory he sought above all and hath his râward with him in Glory for ever though hâ met with exercises as to the outward man incident to mankind while in this Tabernaclâ of clay especially within a year and haâ before his decease being much afflicted witâ bodily Weakness and Sickness but would oâ say he was content in the Will of his Fatheâ and to drink the Cup at his hand In whicâ âime he shewed forth the Meekness and Patiânce of him that dwelt in him and a large share âe had of his Father Job's exercises as he âould himself say But the Lord in due time âeeing it was enough and that he had born a ârge share of the heat of the day spending ând being spent for the Gospel put a period âo his days Who was filled with the glory of âhe Lord to the last so that he said he could âout for joy but that he wanted strength of âody which he said was but an earnest of âhat he should more fully enjoy when this âarthly Tabernacle was dissolved Who now ãâã entred into his rest and shines as a Star in the âirmament and his memory is blessed who âet lives and with whose Spirit we feel uniây and Fellowship though the earthly Taberâacle is returned to its center which unity âsts and endures through ages and generations âhere the Spirits of just men made perfect are âelt that are gon before us and that life which âwelt in them remains with us which is our âoy Comfort and Encouragement to perseâere on in the way of life and to us is a cerâain Testimony that though the Lord is pleaâed to remove his Servants and Prophets from ãâã he will not leave nor forsake us but will still lead his people as a Flock to the fresh Pastures of life there to lie down where none can make afraid wherein the blessed sence of the overcomings of his love the holy high praises is offered up unto him who is worthy of it for all his Mercies and Blessings daily enjoyed increased and multiplyed upon us who hath been our preserver and upholder to this very day and is our stay and strength in the deepest exercises Blessed are they who keep to him they never are forsaken To him be the Glory and Praise for ever John Furly Junior The Testimony of Ann Furly the Elder concerning our deceased Friend William Allen. HE was a man whom God made instrumental to my being convinced of the blessed Truth and in whom the Power of God much dwelt his Ministry was a living Ministry he lived in that which he declared of he did not only exhort to faithfulness but he was always found in it himself he was Valiant upon Earth for Gods blessed truth and as the Lord required it of him he thought not his life dear but did hazzard it many a time in particular here at Colchester where he exposed himself to the rage of the cruel Troopers to the apparent hazzard of his life in the time of their sore beating and abusing friends when assembled together he then openly declaring the truth amonst us but the secret arm of the Lord preserved him and his people that day that was no hurt done for which the Lord was praised for his great deliverance for it was his Wonderful hand only that effected it And now after all his labours the Lord hath given him a good reward and received him up to glory as he will do every one who abides faithful to what he makes manifest Ann Furly the Elder The Testimony of Martha King concerning our dear Friend William Allen. THis dear worthy of the Lord and Valiant in Israel who engaged in the Lambs Warfare till he overcame he was made aâ Pillar in the house of God and as a Trumpet that gave a certain sound Sounding forth an alarme from Gods holy Mountain whereby many were awakened to righteousness and their Spirits quickened and a remnant are the seal of his Ministry at this day to whom he was an instrument in the hand of the Lord for the turning their minds from darkness to light and from Sathans Power to the Power of God My Spirit is bowed before the Lord and the cry of my Soul is that all who were so turned by him may for ever walk worthy of the Lords goodness and answer his âarge love to our Souls so shall we answer the âabour and travels of this our dear deceased âriend that they be not bestowed upon us in vain who breathed for the prosperity of Sion that all whose faces were turned Sion-wards night not look back nor linger in the Suburbs of Babylon those that did so he would oft declare should be left behind and Amalek should prevail over them Much might be written concerning the blesâed life and power which dwelt in this our dear âriend wherein he obtained a good increase âhrough his faithfulness to the Lord the streaning forth thereof was very sweetly refreshing ând consolating to those whose hearts were truây bowed to God Now this remains that we follow his steps ân all faithfulness holiness and Godly fear and pure obedience to the Lord watching to his Power having a single eye to him the living fountain from whence all our refreshings come that we may have bread in our own Houses and water in our own Cisterns and witness a growth and increase in the increases of God so shall we also finish our course with joy and lay down our heads in rest and peace with the Lord as he hath done Martha King OUr dear friend William Allen is gone and Immortal is his Crown and he is at rest in his Fathers bosom In his sickness he would say that he was filled with the joy of the Lord and with the presence of his Father Our loss is great for I can truly say that he was an Instrumennt in the hand of God to do good to my Soul and to many more and the living presence of the Lord was with him for our Souls have been refreshed with his living Ministry many a time and although his body is removed from us yet we injoy him in that I which is Immortal as we abide faithful Susanna Potter Colchester in Essex 11th 1. Mo. 1679 80. Dear Friends There is something in my heart to wriââ concerning our dear Friend William Alleâ whom the Lord hath taken out of the Bodâ but his Life still lives with the upright in heart he was a man that did truly fear the Lord and sought his Glory alone he turned manâ from darkness to light and from Sathan power to the power of God and there arâ many living Witnesses thereof The Lord was good to him night and day beyonâ what words can declare and although hâ felt Exercises as to the outward man to abound yet his consolation in the heavenly power much more abounded for the Lord fill'd him with the flagons of his Love and new Wine of the Kingdom that he was straitned in the earthly Tabernacle being so filled with the living presence of the Lord ââat he would say he wanted room Let me âo Much might be spoken as to that living âower that wrought in him and his faithââlness thereunto and many of his living âxpressions doth remain with me as conâerning Friends keeping low in the middle âath of judgement where the Redemption âf Sion comes to be witnessed But not ânto us not unto us but unto the heavenly âower Spirit and Life that wrought effeâtually in him and preserved him to the ând of his days be all praise power domiâion and thanks given for ever and evermore Amen saith my Soul Elizabeth Fryet FINIS