drew up met with the general approbation of the body, and was presented to the Queen at Windsor, June 17, 1706, by the Rev. Mr. John Spademan, introduced by the Lord Treasurer Godolphin. It had the honour to be highly commended by the Lord Chancellor Cowper. Mr. Stennett's character being now so well known, he wanted not for such temptations, as, considering he had a large family, and little to support it, might have been thought capable of prevailing, if he had not been very steady to the principles he professed. He had several considerable offers made him in the established church, if he would have conformed; and a late eminent prelate once said to an intimate friend of Mr. Stennett, "That if he could but be reconciled to the church, not many preferments in it, he believed, would be thought above bis merit." But how little impression such proposals made on him, appears from what he said on one of those occasions to a friend of his yet alive: "That he blessed God he could hardly allow these things to be called temptations, because he never felt in his mind the least disposition to enter into any treaty with them." At a critical juncture of public affairs, when the Parliament was called, in the year 1708, it was the opinion of many eminent citizens, with the approbation of several noble and zealous assertors of the English liberties, that a paper of advice, presented by the citizens of London to their representatives, would be very seasonable, Mr. Stennett's pen was made choice of for this service; which he performed with a spirit so becoming the persons in whose names it was written, and with so decent a regard to the characters of those gentlemen to whom it was directed, as was greatly commended; but for some reasons it was not presented. " When the scene of affairs al tered towards the latter end of the reign of Queen Anne, it happened that a noble friend of Mr. Stennett fell in with the change; and as many addresses waited on her Majesty with congratulations on the peace concluded with France, so great endeavours were used to engage the dissenters to compliment the Queen and her ministers on this occasion; and when they could not, in their united circumstances, be prevailed on, it was thought proper to try if any of the denomi nations singly could be brought into those measures. That noble lord, with the assistance of another noble peer, was employed to try what could be done with the Baptists. Mr. Stennett was presently sent for; and it was presumed that if they gained him, a considerable step would be made towards effecting the design. Some things were insinuated to him, which tended to create a diffidence between the Baptists and the other bodies of dissenters; and he was assured, at the same time, that such an acceptable compliance as this with the expectations of the court, from him and his brethren, would bring them highly into the royal esteem, and secure them any favour they could reasonably expect. But he assured their lordships, that neither himself nor his brethren could ever be brought to justify with their hands, what their hearts. disapproved; and that no particular advantages to themselves could ever counterbalance their regards to their country. Robert Harley, Esq. after-midst of all his other engage wards Earl of Oxford, attempted ments, to afford them very consi at the same time, with powerful derable assistance. insinuations, to influence Dr. Williams; but met with a brave and steady repulse. And the Whig lords deputed a noble earl, who then bore a principal figure among them, to make due acknowledgments for this seasonable stand of the dissenters. Many young ministers likewise resorted to him, for his advice; and his judgment, as a divine, was so considerable, such his knowledge of mankind, and serious concern about religion, and such the candour with which he treated them, that it is easy to judge of the profit and pleasure they received by consulting him. To give one instance of his many prudent counsels: he advised, that when they proposed to discourse upon any text of scripture, they should, after seeking the Divine assistance, first consult their own unbiassed thoughts, by a close study of the text itself, compared with what goes before or follows after, and with other parts of scripture relating to it, before they looked into any commentator. By this means, he observed, confusion of thoughts would be avoided, and their Mr. Stennett had indeed a truly public spirit, and was not only continually engaged in promoting the interests of religion and the good of his country in his own time, but likewise solicitously concerned for future generations. With this view he industriously endeavoured to promote such measures as he thought most likely to supply the churches with a succession of useful ministers. It was greatly wished by many, that he could have had leisure and health enough to employ some part of his time in fitting young persons for this work; for which his piety, learn-minds prepared to judge of the ing, and excellent temper, so abundantly qualified him. But his other public engagements were more than his bodily strength could well bear, and would not admit of his undertaking such an affair as this. For his constitution was naturally weak, and the extraordinary ap- In the beginning of the year plication of his mind to study in 1713, his health apparently dehis younger years, is thought to clined. Many heavy afflictions have laid the foundation of those at that time crowded upon him, disorders which attended him which affected him more than all the after-part of his life, and ordinary, though he had been deprived the world so soon of used to various trials during the such a valuable blessing. How-whole course of his life, and had ever, towards the latter part of a temper of mind fitted for such his time, several young gentle exercises. During his illness he men, who were designed for the lost his dear friend, the Rev. Mr. ministry, boarded at his house, John Piggott, with whom he had for the advantage of his conver- lived in a constant and most insation and direction in their stu- timate friendship for many years. dies; and he failed not, in the His Funeral sermon, which bas " propriety of those explications or illustrations which they should afterwards meet with in the works of learned men; but without such a conduct they would seldom be able to say or write any thing which they could justly call their own. manner, a firm and well-grounded hope of a blessed condition in the eternal world; and to one, in particular, who asked him in what disposition his mind was, under his low state of body, and in the prospect of his great change," I rejoice," said he, been highly esteemed by the best judges, was the last Mr. Stennett preached; in which he has given a just character of that valuable person. He intended a poem likewise to his memory, and made some progress in it; but his weakness, which was followed by his death, prevented" in the God of my salvation, his completing it. This piece, unfinished as it was, would, probably have been acceptable to the public: but it is unhappily lost, except a small fragment, printed among his poems. Being advised by his physicians to remove into the air, he went to Knaphill, in Buckinghamshire, the house of his brother-in-law, Mr. Morton. Here he declined apace; and his honoured friend, Dr. Mead, being consulted, who had formerly been exceeding kind and serviceable to him in a dangerous disorder, he soon discovered by the account sent him, that he was past hope of recovery; which soon after proved to be fatally true. When he drew near his dissolution, he called his children about him, and in a particular manner gave his dying advice to his eldest son, with respect to the management of his studies, and the conduct of his future life; and having charged upon them all due obedience to their mother, he pressed them, in a special manner, to a proper concern for their souls; declaring to -them, with the greatest'assurance, and a pleasant smile in his countenance, "That if they were found walking in the ways of true religion, his God would be their God, to whose providence he could in faith commit them." He likewise signified to several about him, in a calm and sedate VOL. X. who is my strength and my God." Thus he gradually sunk away; and slept in the Lord on the 11th of July, 1713, and in the forty-ninth year of his age. His active mind was indeed removed out of a weak and crazy tabernacle, from which it had often groaned for a release; and he left a world of labours, cares, and many sorrows. But the loss of a person endowed with such valuable accomplishments, and so useful to the world, just in the maturity of his years, was an unspeakable affliction to his friends, and greatly lamented by all the lovers of learning and virtue who were acquainted with him; several of whom came from London, and other parts, to attend his body to the churchyard of Hitchenden, in the county of Bucks, where it waits for the resurrection of the just. Dr. Joseph Stennett, who became the pastor of the church, in Little Wild-street, London, was his son; and Dr. Samuel Stennett, his grandson. The Rev. Joseph Stennett, now pastor of the church at Calne, is the great grandson of this truly eminent minister, whose name is still fragrant among the members of the Baptist denomination, of which he was, probably, the brightest ornament. A friend of Mr. Stennett drew up a Latin epitaph to his memory, of which the following is a translation: 2 U Sacred to the Memory of Who was adorned with an excellent understanding and extensive learning; Who was endowed in early life with so great a degree of piety, That it is difficult to say, whether he was most eminent for religion or learning; He was very conversant in sacred literature, And discharged most assiduously every part of the sacred function. He endeavoured to adorn his Christian profession by an upright life, With scarcely less diligence in his own example, Than by study and eloquence to gain the approbation of others, He studied to recommend, as well in his preaching as in his writings, The chaste and pious muse. He employed himself in the praise of divine love, and of the great Redeemer In the celebration of sacred things, in which he excelled by the rules of art. But though he devoted his attention principally to heavenly objects, It was not to the total neglect of things earthly. At one time he discovered a persuasive elocution in the presence of his prince; And at other times he vindicated in his writings But he also discovered great modesty in what related to himself, But he was by no means to be diverted from what he apprehended to be the truth As contained in the sacred oracles, Being rather confirmed in them. He was born A. D. 1663, at Abingdon, in the county of Berks. Where, after three years, he married Susanna Gill, Relinquished considerable property on the score of religion. He continued with great circumspection to feed and watch over them, Till at length, being worn out with the weight of cares, studies, and labours, He bid adieu to life, and slept quietly in Christ, A WORD TO SINGERS. HAVING been lately on a visit to N *****, I was pained to find the Psalmody of the congregation carried on in a very slovenly and improper manner. On making the observation to a friend, he said, "that they had just formed a small choir to correct the evil, and that they would meet on the ensuing evening, to practise some tunes, that they might be better prepared to conduct this most Profitable and delightful part of public worship." In my interview with them, I was led to make a few plain remarks, which were certainly designed to do them good; and which, I hope, will be found to have had that beneficial tendency. The sentiments advanced on the occasion to which I allude, were nearly as follows: and believe, on the contrary, that you usually conduct yourselves with propriety. But there are certain practices which, as singers, you are in danger of falling into imperceptibly, without watchfulness and care, and which are certainly very reprehensible. I will mention a few of these. A greater solicitude to sing for your own credit and reputation, than for the honour and glory of the blessed God;whispering and talking, as though the other most important parts of divine worship; - occasionally humming the air of some tune, in a low tone, as if the house of God were designed for a musicschool;-turning over your tunebooks, during prayer or preach "I understand that you intend to afford your neighbours and brethren all the aid in your power to render the singing in your congregation pleasing and respectable. In order to accomplish this end, you are now met together. Your design is, in a high degree, praise-worthy, and if you properly carry it into exe-you had no kind of concern in cution, you will merit and receive the thanks of those with whom you usually associate. Every one should aim at being of some use in the house of God. The meanest offices are, in some measure, dignified, which add to the comfort and pleasure of di-ing, so that a stranger might vine worship. I hope I should readily suppose, you were really regard no duty as beneath me, examining the different composiby which I might give the small- tions, in order to write a critique est degree of interest to the ser- on them ;-perpetually introducvice of the sanctuary. I think ing new tunes, evidently intiDavid meant to affirm the same, mating your conviction, that the when he said, that he preferred singing was designed for the disbeing a door-keeper in the play of your fine talents, rather temple, to the highest post of than the spiritual edification of a honour in palaces of ungodliness. whole people ;-singing so terriI hope you will all be actuated bly loud, that one might reasonby a similar spirit, and you will ably imagine there was a serious not fail being useful, respectable, contest among you, who should and happy, in the Christian so- make the most noise. I hope ciety to which you belong. And you will not misunderstand me. that this may be the case, I would None, but a person whose opinion recommend three things to your is of very little consequence, serious reconsideration. The would condemn you, because first is, Decency in your general you sing with much scientific deportment; the second is, Har-skill; or, because you now and mony among yourselves; and the third is, An anxious solicitude to sing with melody in the heart unto the Lord. "I. Be decent in your general deportment. Do not, my good friends, be alarmed; I am not going to charge you with the want of good manners; I hope then exchange a word with one of your companions; or turn over a leaf or two of a tune-book; or sometimes sing a new composure; or, because you generally perform the part allotted you with spirit. Yet I do think, that our singing would be more impressive, if there were a large pro |