guifh'd himself by nothing so much as Solid and fubftantial Piety; his Converfation gave frequent Inftances of a profound Humility, and admirable Meekness of Spirit, and Sweetness of Difpofition; an anfpotted Integrity, and a blameless Sincerity; an univerfal Charity, and a particular Concern for the Neceffities of the Poor; a great Tenderness for the Affli cted, and an extreme Defire to do Good to all the World: There was remarkable in Him, a great Love of Devotion; an entire Submiffion to the Will of God, and a true Contempt of the World, by not Juffering it to allure or affright Him from his Duty; a mighty Patience under all Afflictions, and so perfect an Abhorrence of all Sin, that he started even at the very Appearance of it; the Flame of prudent Zeal burnt bright in his Mind and as nothing gave him a greater Concern, than the hazard Men expose themSelves to, by the neglect of their Eternal Salvation, fo his chief Sollicitude and Care was always to fearch and contrive Means to prevent their Everlasting Ruin; and his Thoughts were employ'd how to rescue Souls from thofe Snares which are laid for them by the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. Though Though his Intellectual Faculties improved by the Advantages of a Learned Education, might place him in the first Rank of confiderable Men; yet what he valued more in others, and upon which account he was really more valuable himfelf, were his Moral Accomplishments, his Pious Temper, and Difpofition of Mind, his true Chriftian Spirit: For Learning, and Great Parts, feparated from Meeknefs and Humility, are like a dangerous Weapon in the Hands of a Mad-man, who ufes it indifferently against himself and others; and the Compiler of his Life will have no great difficulty to find variety of Inftances to juftifie this part of his. Character; for he showed out of a good. Converfation his Works with Meeknefs of Wisdom. I cannot forbear upon this Occafion to mention his controverfial Writings, which bear evidence in this Cafe, and are a genuine Proof of what was fo very commendable in him; He never treats his Adverfaries with ill Language, Scorn or Contempt, nor with perfonal Reflections, or injurious Surmifes; nor because he thought they erred in one Point, did he ever endeavour to make them Guilty of all; nor does he confecrate any unchriftian beat under a pretence of defending Truth; a danA 3 gerous gerous Rock whereupon many Learned, and otherways good men have fatally split; as if while a Zeal was exprefs'd in matters of Belief, the weighty matters of Practice might be neglected, and if while we fhew our felves warmly concern'd for God's Honour, we were exempted from all Chriftian Rules in the Profecution of it; but the Wrath of Man worketh not the Righteousness of God; it being a very irregular Method to defend his Caufe, by the breach of many of his Precepts, and as improper to expect to convince a Man's Reafon, when we provoke his Indignation by any uncivil Treatment. The Suggestions of a Hear then in this Particular are very pertinent, who advifes, To give way to falfhood with Mildness. Whereby as his Commentator, Hierocles affirms, He doth not λέγηται mean we should embrace it, but only saws - give it a patient Hearing, and not to 2. Py- count it fuch a strange thing, if Men fall off fometimes from Truth And that excellent Moralift, a little before admanishes those who are able to deftroy Errour, not to do it vehemently nor infolently. ξένδος δὴν πέρτι πράως ε tha. Carm. Μήτε σφος Moreover Plutarch, that great Ornasasunts ment of Moral, as well as Hiftorical Lear vgisins. ning, makes the way of managing a Difcourse with modefty and mildness of Hiero. P. 145. Temper, Tom. 2. , p. 80. Temper, neither fuffering our felves to engage with Vehemency and Paffion nor to be hot and concern'd in urging an Argument, nor to rail and give bad Words, even tho' we are non-plush'd, to be a true fign of a great Proficient in Vertue. And the celebrated Roman Ora- De fin. Bon.& tor, gives it as his Opinion, That Disputes Mal. lib. accompanied with Reproaches, and opprobrious Language, with Paffion, and obftinate Contention, are unworthy of that Man that makes Profeffion of Philofophy. I am fure the Precepts of our Bleffed Saviour are full to that Purpose, Quæ cum legimus quem Philofophum non contemnimus? And that perfect Model of Piety bath fet an Example of great Meekness, in inftructing those that oppofed themselves, and exercised an abundance of Patience, in bearing with the Infirmities of Men, and above all recom mends the Pattern of his Meekness, as the furest method of acquiring a Likeness to him, to which Purpofe he was pleafed to be reprefented by a Lamb; and the Spirit that taught Chriftianity came down in the Shape of a Dove. How charitable and beneficial a Mind he had, appeared in the whole Course of his Life, which was spent in profecuting the A 4 noblest nobleft Ends of making others Happy; either by his pious Converfation, or charitable Offices, by his judicius Writings, or profitable Sermons, which were always adapted to the neceffities of his Flock, and gave warning of thofe Dangers which threatned them: He was ready upon all Occafions to fupply the wants of the Poor according to his Abilities; and the affiftance he gave the Sick in his Parish by fome skill he had that way, was made ufe of as a favourable Opportunity to inftill his heavenly InftruEtions, and ferved as a Vehicle to convey Nourishment to their precious Souls; nothing could fet bounds to his large Mind, but that Period which will fet bounds to all things; for his Inclinations of doing good were particularly confpicuous at his Death in that confiderable Settlement he made for ever upon the Poor of the Parish where he was born in Yorkshire. I call it confiderable, because Five and twenty Pounds yearly Revenue in that County very well juftifies it; befides it will more defervedly appear fo, when the Reader fhall know 'twas near half of his Eftate; the remainder was Dedicated to the affistance of thofe Relations, whofe Circumstances most requred his Help: but fince God had not Blessed him with Children, he gladly adopted the poor Members of Christ, as |