The life and death of Mr. Tho. Wilson, minister of Maidstone, in the county…

There was at Otham before his coming an ill custom, for the Fulling Mills there abouts, to work every Lords day, but he convinced the owners so throughly of the unlawfulness thereof, that they forbore presently, and suffered their Mills to lie still on that day many years after he left them.

But the only wise God, who governeth the world, saw fit for some time to lay this useful person aside, for he had not been many years at Otham, before the Book, commonly called the Book of Sports on the Lords day,¹ came forth, and was presented to him, with a Command, that he should publish it the next Lords day in his Church, which he refused to do, (of which refusal he giveth the reasons, which you may see in his answer to several Articles objected against him,² annexed to this Narrative,) and upon his refusal was suspended ab Officio & Beneficio. Upon his suspension his Cure was committed to such persons as he could not comfortably own or join with, which caused him to remove his Habitation to Maidstone. To the Christians there he was a great help, whilst his suspension lasted, and from them he received some support and supply for himself and his Family.

But the only wise God, who governeth the world, saw fit for some time to lay this usefull person aside, for he had not been many years at Otham, before the Book, commonly called the Book of Sports on the Lords day,¹ came forth, and was presented to him, with a Command, that he should publish it the next Lords day in his Church, which he refused to do, (of which refusal he giveth the reasons, which you may see in his answer to several Articles objected against him,² annexed to this Narrative,) and upon his refusal was suspended ab Officio & Beneficio. Upon his suspension his Cure was committed to such persons as he could not comfortably own or joyn with, which caused him to remove his Habitation to Maidstone. To the Christians there he was a great help, whilst his suspension lasted, and from them he received some support and supply for himself and his Family.