Letter Written Day Before His Imprisonment, Letter
A LETTER TO A Perſon of Quality, WRITTEN BY Mr. Edward Bagſhavv, The Day before his COMMITMENT Cloſe-Priſoner to the GATEHOUSE.
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1663.
A LETTER to a Perſon of Quality, written by Mr. Edward Bagſhaw.
Noble Sir,
I Believe you will be much ſurprized, when you underſtand that I write this, juſt as I am going to London, in obedience to a Warrant wherewith I was ſerved laſt Saturday. And, that I may not qualifie, but heighten your wonder, I purpoſe to give you a brief Account of my Life and Studies, wherewith I think I ſhall not only ſatisfie you, but likewiſe the World (if you think fit to communicate this Paper to them) that my carriage hath been ſuch as did not deſerve this rigor, to make it publickly taken notice of.
When I came, or rather when I was driven out of Ireland, on September 17. (by the violence of ſome men, who could neither preach themſelves, nor permit it in others) I took up a reſolution (as David ſometimes did, when he was tired out with Saul's perſecution) that as ſoon as ever I arrived to ſome fixed place of abode, I would quit that Calling of the Miniſtry, which hitherto (almoſt ever ſince my undertaking it) had only engaged my pains, and exerciſed my patience; and ſo betake my ſelf to ſome other employment, whereby I might perhaps equally profit others, and likewiſe certainly procure more advantage, at leaſt more quiet, to my ſelf. Nor did I think this reſolution could be blamed in me by any, eſpecially by thoſe of the Epiſcopal Perſwaſion, ſince they without any ſuch neceſſity lying upon them, yet make no ſcruple to mix ſome Temporal with their Spiritual Employment, or rather ſo much attend the firſt, that they leave themſelves very little time for minding of the other.
But how plauſible ſoever my Change might be, yet in ſo important a matter (wherein the whole courſe of my Life and method of my Studies was to be altered) that I might do nothing raſhly, I thought it my duty to communicate my deſign unto my Father, whoſe conſent could I once obtain, I purpoſed then to addreſs my ſelf unto the ſtudy of the Law, in which his known abilities made him ſo good a guide, that I promiſed my ſelf much happineſs in having his Aſſiſtance, as a Clue, to lead me through all thoſe tedious Labyrinths and Meanders of our Engliſh Laws.
Being full of theſe thoughts, I arrived at Morton, my Fathers houſe, on Octob. 4. and within few hours obtained not only his Aſſent to, but his Approbation of my Deſign, which I waited only his Recovery effectually to purſue. But it pleaſed God to daſh all this Project, by putting an end to my Father's dayes, who within ten dayes after my arrival, exchanged this Life for a better, and now in an higher and moſt impartial Court, hath received that Reward for his Piety and Loyalty, which on Earth he neither had, nor hoped for.
With him, my Plot upon the Law proved abortive, and died too; and now more than ever, I thought my ſelf obliged to attend the Study of Divinity, as being hopeleſs of ever attaining to any competent knowledge in the other, ſince my Director was taken away, who alone was both able and willing to ſmooth thoſe rugged wayes, and make them plain to my enquiry: And thus I bad the Law adieu; firſt, bleſſing God, for his mercy in that, what I thought to be an harſh Providence, viz. my removal out of Ireland, was by God overruled, meerly to bring me home, to receive the laſt words and Bleſſing of my honoured Father; who, rather diſſolved by Age than broken by Sickneſs, in a moſt calm and Chriſtian manner expired in my Arms.
The Funeral Solemnities were no ſooner over, but I went up to London, partly, to fit my ſelf with Mourning, but principally, to take my final leave of that Honourable Family to which I was formerly related, and within eight dayes I returned to diſcharge a double duty, both to my Mother that was living, and to my Father that was dead, part of whoſe laſt words were, that I ſhould love my Mother; which I thought I could not more effectually manifeſt that I did, than by continuing with her in her ſolitude.
Accordingly I brought all my Books to Morton, and being now fully ſetled upon the exerciſe of my Miniſtry, I laid hold of ſuch opportunities for Preaching, which in that place the abſence of the Miniſter did afford me: To which, beſides the Invitation of the People (who were as Sheep ſcattered without a Shepherd) I had theſe Motives.
Firſt, The very Office of the Miniſtry is by the Apoſtle called a Stewardſhip, which ſhews that the gifts whereby any is qualified for the diſcharge of it, are entruſted not for his uſe that hath them, but for theirs who need them. Stewards muſt not lay up, but lay out their Lord's Money; which the Apoſtle implies, when having premiſed, that he would have himſelf and others ſo accounted, as Miniſters of Chriſt, and Stewards of the Mysteries of God, 1 Cor. 4. 1, 2. he preſently ſubjoyns foreign, what remains, it is required in a Steward that he be found faithful. Now that this faithfulneſs is nothing elſe, but a careful and diligent miniſtring of what he hath received, appears in that the Apoſtle ſaith in another place, 1 Cor. 9.16, 17. Yea, wo unto me if I preach not the Gospel, for a diſpenſation, or, as in the Greek, a Stewardſhip is committed to me; ſo that without incurring that Woe, I did not ſee how I could ſilence my ſelf, or ſurceaſe from Preaching.
Secondly, The nature of Miniſterial gifts, requires a continual Exerciſe for the improvement of them; for they encreaſe by uſing: To him that hath, i. e. to him that well uſeth what he hath, more ſhall be given; whereas the ſlothful ſervant, who pretended fear, and therefore would not imploy his Talent, had it preſently taken from him: as Fire, if not blown up, inſenſibly decayes; or as Water, if it hath not a conſtant currant, dryes up, or elſe corrupts and putrifies: So theſe Gifts of God's Spirit, which are compared to Fire and Water, if they be not imployed for the Edification of others, for which end they were imparted, they are withdrawn, as the Kingdom of Heaven was from the Jews, and given to thoſe who bring forth the fruits of them.
Thirdly, In my moſt impartial thoughts, I could ſee no reaſon why I ſhould forbear Preaching, but meerly ſuch prudential motives, which, though many little ſtreams, yet at laſt reſolved themſelves into that great Channel, namely, the fear of men, againſt which there are ſuch ſpecial Caveats, ſuch poſitive Threats, ſuch conſolatory Promiſes, in Scripture, that of the two, I thought I did moſt like a Chriſtian and a Divine, if I choſe to be wholly byaſſed by the fear of God, in which alone I promiſed to my ſelf a final peace, and ſince I have found the happy effects of it.
Upon theſe and ſuch-like Arguments (which I would inlarge, were I not confined to the limits of a Letter) whilſt I ſtayed at Morton, I conſtantly preached, and that in the Church, ſo oft as the place was unſupplied by others; and that I might give an Evidence to the World, how little factious or humourſome I was in my Opinion (although I have but little reverence for Church Holy-days, yet, that I might be inſtant out of ſeaſon, as well as in it) I did on Chriſtmas-day give the Pariſh a Sermon, though there hath been none for above twelve years before.
Thus far I enjoyed a quiet, a greater than which I could not be ambitious of, when on the ſudden I was alarmed, firſt with flying Rumors, then with certain Information that there were Warrants iſſued out to apprehend me; and this I heard above a fortnight before that any was actually ſerved upon me.
I had time and leaſure enough in this interval to take advice, what in that juncture of time would beſt become me to do: and though many of my Friends did counſel me to with-draw my ſelf, urging that of Solomon, A prudent man foreſeeth the evil, and hideth himſelf; but a fool rageth, or ruſheth on, and is confident: and this they enforced both by our Saviours advice to his Apoſtles (when they perſecute you in one City, fly to another) and by his practice in himſelf, who frequently concealed himſelf from the Peoples rage, and at laſt when the Phariſees had fully concluded of his Arraignment and Tryal, it is ſaid expreſly, That Jeſus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but went thence into a Country near to the Wilderneſs, and there continued with his Diſciples, Joh. 11.54. Theſe Examples joyned with the Entreaties of my neareſt Relations, might have warranted me, ſhould I have taken that way to ſecure my ſelf, which the Law of Self-preſervation (without any other inducements) doth prompt moſt others unto. Yet with me none of theſe Arguments did prevail, but I continued fixed in my Reſolution, to abide where I was, and wait the iſſue of all theſe Reports; and that
Firſt, Becauſe I was not conſcious to my ſelf, that I had done any thing to deſerve either death or bonds, and therefore I would not by flight betray my own innocency, or by concealment give too juſt an occaſion of ſuſpition.
Secondly, Becauſe I had writ many things concerning matters now in controverſie, for which perhaps I might be queſtioned, and ſhould I have fled from the Tryal, I could never make amends to the Truths I had formerly aſſerted; ſince he ſcarcely deſerves the name of a Chriſtian Writer, who, in the things of God, is not willing to die, for what he hath once upon good grounds defended.
Thirdly, I had frequently exhorted others, not to decline Afflictions, but if the cauſe was for Righteouſneſs ſake, to look upon all ſuch Tryals as marks of honour; and ſhould I my ſelf have flinched, and becauſe trouble was near, I ſhould not only have contradicted the truth of my Doctrine, but likewiſe, amongſt all my hearers at leaſt, have diſcredited the ſincerity of my Profeſſion.
Fourthly, I found upon ſurvey and meaſuring of my own ſtrength, (I mean my own, no otherwiſe than as given me by God) that death was not at all terrible to me, but a Priſon was very dreadful; for having been ſo long uſed to the air of liberty, I could ſcarcely with any patience, think of Confinement. This Weakneſs I durſt not indulge, and therefore reſolved to wait and ſee what God would call me to; of whom I might the more confidently beg aſſiſtance, when I had done nothing for my own eaſe, to avoid his diſpoſal. Nor had the contrary Arguments much weight in them; For,
Firſt, That Speech of Solomons, as moſt of his Proverbs, holds true only in Political Diſtempers, or State Commotions; then indeed it is prudence for a wiſe man to eſcape the danger; but hath no place at all in Chriſtian Tryals, where he that ſuffers when he is called to it, is alwayes on the ſafeſt ſide, as acting moſt ſutably to Goſpel Principles.
Secondly, Our Saviours advice to his Apoſtles, was only temporary for that ſeaſon, till they had finiſhed their Miniſtry in Judea, and poſſibly at that time there might be ſome reſpect had to their weakneſs, by comparing this place with that in Matth. 9.15, 17. but after our Saviours Reſurrection, we read no more of their flying, but of their perſiſting in Jeruſalem, even when the violence of the Perſecution had ſcattered others.
Laſtly, Our Saviour knew the exact and critical manner and minute of his death, and therefore it is ſaid more than once, that he did this and that, becauſe he knew all things that ſhould befal him, and his time was not yet fully come; and this might occaſion his frequent removal: whereas our ignorance of what is to come, ought to make us conceive, that every Tryal which God in his Providence brings upon us, ought without demur to be encountered and undertaken by us, as that whereby he intends himſelf ſome glory, which, by careing for our ſelves, we may, intentionally at leaſt, defeat him of.
Being thus reſolved, I waited with patience, to ſee what would be the iſſue of all theſe Rumours; but after a fortnights ſtay, finding no effect of them, I concluded, the whole fame to be falſe and frivolous, and therefore went on Saturday, Jan. 3d. to a Noble Kinſmans houſe of mine (whoſe Name and Worth you know) to fetch home my Siſter, who had there ſpent her Chriſtmaſs; within leſs than an hour after my arrival there, one that was Clerk to Sir John Bernard, a Juſtice of Peace in our County, brought the Warrant to me, and that very night, about eight a clock without more a-do in obedience to it, I rode ſix or ſeven miles to Sir John Bernard's houſe; and now from thence, to uſe the Apoſtle Pauls words with a little alteration, I go bound in the Spirit to London, not knowing the things that ſhall befal me there, ſave that my Friends are ready to conjecture, that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of theſe things move me, neither count I my life dear unto my ſelf, ſo that I may finiſh my courſe with joy, and the Miniſtry which I have received of the Lord Jeſus, to teſtifie the Goſpel of the Grace of God, Acts 20.22, 24.
Thus wiſhing you all happineſs, and begging your Prayers, that I may be endued with courage equal to my innocency. I reſt ever, Noble Sir, Your moſt affectionate, and humble Servant, Edward Bagſhaw. Dunſtable, Jan. 5. 1662.
POST-SCRIPT.
SIR,
I Have read this Letter (though haſtily writ) once over, and in caſe you are not ſatisfied with the Reaſons I give againſt flying from Perſecution; pray conſider them not as univerſally intended for all Perſons, but only to ſhew what grounds I had for my ſtay: hereafter, if it pleaſe God to give me life and liberty, I may ſtate the whole Queſtion more fully.
FINIS.
End of the text · Edward Bagshaw, Letter Written Day Before His Imprisonment (1663)