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departed this life the 1st of the Third month, 1713, about the second hour in the morning, in the 74th year of his age. He received the truth in the year 1659, and lived in fellowship with the friends of it about 53 years. And I think it may be truly said of him, That as he lived so he died, the servant of the Lord and his people, and hath left a sweet savour behind him, and his memory is blessed with the righteous for ever, Amen.

Eighth month, 1713.

GEORGE BOWLES.

A Testimony from the Monthly Meeting at HungerHill, held the seventh of the Fourth Month, 1713, concerning our dear and well-beloved friend and brother in the truth, Thomas Ellwood, deceased.

THAT the dead which die in the Lord are blessed of him, we have great assurance of, from John the Divine, when writing to the seven Churches, Rev. xiv. 13; where he tells them, that he heard a voice from heaven, saying, Write blessed are the dead which die in the Lord: from henceforth; yea, saith the spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. Of which number, we have no cause to doubt, but this our dear friend is one; who was eminently useful in the church of Christ. A man to whom the Lord had given a large capacity, beyond many, and furnished him with an excellent gift; whereby he was qualified for those services in the church, in the performance of which, he did shine as a star, which received its lustre and brightness from the glorious Sun of Righteousness. He was wise, but humble; condescending to the weak, and ready to help where he saw and felt sincerity; but sharp to that which he apprehended to be insincere and deceitful; for which

cause he was not acceptable to hypocrites and disorderly walkers; yet he was a man of a very acceptable and agreeable conversation, as well as sober and religious, both in the church and in the world; being of a free and affable temper and disposition, far from affectation; but of a courteous behaviour and graceful carriage to all, and very serviceable to and amongst his neighbours. He was very near and dear to many of us, who were most intimately acquainted with him, and his memorial is sweet to us. His services in our meetings, and in the quarterly meeting for the county of Bucks, were very great, and of many years continuance; in which he showed great diligence, being of a ready mind, willing to serve the church according to that ability which the Lord had given him; and his heart and house was open to his friends, and the monthly meeting was kept there more than forty years, and remains there to this day. Our loss is great by his removal: but in this we are satisfied, that it is his everlasting gain; being gathered, as we have good cause to believe, to his eternal rest. The knowledge we had of him, and the good account which we have received of him, in the time of his last illness, by those who were most constantly with him, and of his quiet and peaceable departure, doth sensibly engage our hearts to acquiesce in the will of the Lord; and therein we have peace and comfort. He departed this life, the 1st of the Third Month, 1713, and was honourably buried in Friends' burying place, at NewJordans, in the parish of Giles Chalfont, in the county of Bucks, the 4th of the same month.

Signed by the appointment of the Monthly Meeting, by

GEORGE BOWLES,
WILLIAM GRIMSDALL,
JAMES SMITH,

DANIEL WHARLEY,

DANIEL ROBERTS,
ABRAHAM BARBER,
THOMAS OLLIFFE.

A Testimony from the Women's-Meeting, concerning Thomas Ellwood.

A concern is upon our spirits, to write somewhat concerning our dear deceased friend and elder, Thomas Ellwood, who was highly valued by us, for that wisdom and counsel were with him; and being of a free and affable temper, ready to assist those which stood in need thereof, encouraged many to apply to him for advice, under the divers circumstances, and various exercises which this uncertain world affords; which we have found to be for our good, as we followed it. He was an early comer to meetings, seldom hindered by weather (though he lived three miles distant) when bodily weakness did not hinder, of late years, being oft indisposed as to his health.

The

monthly-meeting was held at his house about forty years, and he always looked very kind and courteous on Friends, when they came there, and took care and notice of the meanest, who came in sincerity. He was zealous for good order, and against such, who being in an apostatized spirit, opposed it; and may well be numbered amongst the worthies, whose names are upon record for their valour; so is this our friend worthy to be ; who never turned his back on such who opposed the truth; but stood his ground, as his printed sheets on such occasions do shew. As also his other works of several kinds, do manifest how great endowments God had bestowed on him, (yet we, who knew him in his conversation, are engaged to set forth how kind and condescending he was to the weakest capacity, and would help out when they wanted a word) that generations to come may learn how good it is to forsake all and follow Christ Jesus, as this our friend did, and the account of his life following, shews; who not only gives wisdom but teacheth humility also.

He was greatly respected by his neighbours, for his services amongst them. His heart and doors were open to the poor, both sick and lame, who wanted help, and had it freely, taking care to provide things useful for such occasions, (blest also with good success) often saying, he mattered not what cost he was at to do good. Such lament their loss; what then may we do, who miss him in an higher station, in his great service in the church of Christ, but even desire to be resigned to the will of the Lord? who preserved him through all his hardships, to a dominion over false brethren, and is now out of their reach, and of temptation too; on whose head, the bles sing asked for Joseph, rests; who as a fruitful bough, his branch spreads over the wall of opposition, and his bow abode in strength, the hands of whose arms were made strong, by the help of the mighty God of Jacob, to whom be the glory for what he hath wrought in our day, whose own works praise him for evermore. And the tears of sorrow that we shed, for the loss of this our deceased friend, let them be remembered to bow our spirits, each of us, into a godly care, that we may come up according to our several capacities to follow the Lord faithfully, in a godly zeal for his honour; and so come to lay down our heads in joy and peace, as this our friend expressed he did.

This eminent servant of Christ, was early convinced of the way of truth, wherein he continued to the finishing of his days: for the sake of which, he soon became a sufferer; not only by imprisonment, for worshipping God in the assemblies of his people, but also from his Father, by whom he was made as an outcast, for no other cause, but for his faithful testimony in taking up the cross to the world's be haviour and language: whereupon he was invited by his much valued friend Isaac Penington, to his house, where he abode several years, until he mar ried. He was a blessing in, as well as a great.com

fort and help to that family; and by his wise conduct therein, gained much esteem, not only from the elders, but the youth, whom he instructed in learning; and though most of them are by death removed, yet one still remains, who from certain and experimental knowledge, can commemorate his worth: being engaged thereto, from a sense of the benefit of his good and wholesome advice, given at sundry times, and on divers occasions. Which friendship continued firm to the last.

His natural capacity was large, and his understanding, in the things of God very deep; which excellent qualifications meeting in one, rendered him useful beyond many, to his country, as well as very serviceable in the church; by both which he is, and will be greatly missed. But he is gone to his grave in a full age, and gathered as a shock of corn in its season, having done his day's work faithfully, so that saying may be verified in him, the end crowns

all.

His sickness was sudden, which soon deprived him of the use of his limbs, yet he retained the faculties of his inward and outward senses clear all along; and notwithstanding, at times, his pains were great, his exemplary patience, and composed resignation, was remarkably apparent to those that visited and attended him, so that their sorrow in parting with so dear a friend, was intermixed with comfort, in beholding the heavenly frame of mind wherewith he

was adorned.

Thus after all his labours, he entered into everlasting rest, and left many behind weeping, though not without hope, that they shall again meet at the general assembly of saints, where the redeemed shall sing praises to their blessed Redeemer, whose right it is to reign for ever.

We have this further to add, namely, that our esteem of him was great, because of that real worth

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