Dæmonologia Sacra; or, A Treatise of Satan's Temptations: In Three PartsGilpin, Richard
Religion
Dæmonologia Sacra; or, A Treatise of Satan's Temptations: In Three Parts
Gilpin, Richard
Devil -- Early works to 1800; Temptation -- Early works to 1800
With these minor ‘troubles’ now and again annoying him,—for they ended
in the setting up of Quaker ‘tabernacles’ in the district, remains of
which survive until now,—the Rector of Greystoke fulfilled his ‘labour
of love,’ as a good servant of Jesus Christ, until the Restoration.
That event found him with a mind made up and ‘ready’ for all loss
and sacrifice. Unable to accept the notorious ‘Act’ of Uniformity,
he anticipated the memorable ‘Ejection’ of 1662 by withdrawing from
Greystoke; whereupon the former ‘sequestered Rector Morland re-entered
on possession.’
We turn to the Family-Manuscript,[37] formerly quoted, for the
circumstances of the resignation. ‘After the Restoration,’ observes
Prebendary Gilpin, ‘when Episcopacy again took the lead, the
Presbyterian party made what stand they were able. But the Act
of Uniformity passed, and was executed with rigour. Dr Gilpin,
notwithstanding his moderation, could not subscribe it in all its
parts, and therefore resigned his benefice, trusting God for the
maintenance of himself and family, which consisted of a wife and five
children.’[38]
The good Rector was not without a home when he thus left his beloved
Greystoke—which was turned into a Bochim when his ‘parishioners’
looked their last upon him. During his incumbency he had invested what
‘monies’ he had at his disposal in the purchase from the Musgraves,
of the Castle and small estate of Scaleby near Carlisle—filling up
the amount of the purchase-money by a mortgage. Thither accordingly
he retired into privacy; but holding with the old Nonconformists
the indefeasibility of his office as a preacher of the gospel by an
ordination more sure than that from quasi-apostolic hands, he was
wont to assemble his employés and neighbours in a ‘great room’ of
the old Castle—originally a Border-fortalice erected against the
Scots—and there ‘preach’ to them on the Sabbaths.[39] Moreover,
he resumed his previous medical studies and practice, to the great
advantage more especially of the poor. ‘How acceptable,’ says our
Manuscript, ‘his services were among the poor people of those parts,
and how much they revered him for wisdom and sanctity, appears from
the superstitious respect they paid him. During many years after his
death, it was believed among them that he had “_laid the devil_,” as
they phrased it, in a morass not far from his house.’[40] Besides
these semi-professional duties, he set about improving the somewhat
dilapidated castle, and the lands, more particularly planted trees
extensively; the result of which was an entire change of the appearance
of the estate, and now the fine woodland within which venerable Scaleby
lifts its gray towers, still worthily held by a descendant through the
female line.[41]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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