rough in Auguft 1788, and his refources for Mr. Griffin failing, proved a disadvantage to him.

The poor people at Avebury being very strongly attached to him, and many youths having been awakened under him, it was judged expedient that he should return to them. He had learned to write a very fair hand, and had carried his ftudy of figures beyond the common rules, and had fome knowledge of Algebra, fo that he abfolutely was qualified for a country fchool-mafter. He raised a school, and taught in the meeting-houfe; his miniftry was regularly attended; the hearers increased; and before he left them, a regular church was organized by the late Rev. Mr. Phene, of Bradford, and he was folemnly fet apart to the pastoral office, Meffis. Winter, Jay, Sloper, &c. engaging in the fervice, which was performed in a barn, a large congregation being prefent.

It has been doubted by fome of his friends, whether by leaving the people at Avebury, he did not ftep out of the path of Providence; but there are thefe apologies to be made for him: The people did not raife him above eight or nine pounds per annum; his fchool hardly produced him four fhillings per week; he could not have the domestic helps which were neceffary; his time was fo engroffed between teaching school, performing neceffary offices for himself, and attention to the pulpit, that he could not advance, as he wifhed, in ftudies, for which he had a strong inclination; and his clofe confinement was fo injurious to his health, that he feemed one time to be threatened with a confumption. He often fufpected whether his ordination had not been too precipitate, and the fufpicion gave him pain.

At the inftigation of Mr. Čadman, an aged minifter, at Mitchael Dean, in Gloucefterfhire, he left Avebury to take his charge, at leaft to be his affiftant; and for near two years he was engaged in that fervice with confiderable fuccefs; but the full trial convinced him it was not more conducive to his comfort than Avebury, and that which was a very material objection to it was, that the gratuities he received here for his labours were a reduction of Mr. Cadman's fubfiftence, which at beft is very narrow. The people and Mr. Cadman parted with him very reluctantly; there were inftances here, as in other places, of feveral perfons awakened under him, particularly at Rural Dean, between which and Mitchael Dean the labours of the fabbath have for many years been divided by Mr. Cadman. Having left this fituation, he itinerated over a large extent of country in the

counties

counties of Gloucestershire and Wilts, walking with a bundle in his hand, and a book in his pocket, making manifeft the favour of the name of Chrift wherever he went. He conceived for the foul to be without knowledge is not good, and expreffed an inclination for retirement, that he might indulge ftudy, and add to his little acquirement. His mind and body appeared to be more than ever inured to fatigue. He fuppofed fuch a fituation as was fuited to his genius, and which would afford him a neceffary fubfiftence, might be obtained within the vicinity of London. He was ftruck with an advertisement on the cover of the Evangelical Magazine, and requested an introduction to Mr. Wilks, who fays, "I defired him to pray in my family when here, and was much pleafed with his exercife, which induced me to recommend him to Mr. E. He liked him much; the people where he went were charmed with him on the fabbath, and promifed themselves great bleffings under his future miniftrations."

A friend in London writes, "We have had Mr. Griffin; I think his preaching evangelical and experimental." An extract from Mr. E.'s letter of September the 17th, is of importance to the conclufion of this memoir. To Mr. Winter he writes thus :

"I am forry circumftances prevented an earlier answer to your kind letter refpecting Mr.Griffin, whofe unexpected death greatly depreffed my fpirits for a while, nor can I to this moment reflect on it without feeling a painful concern. Though my acquaintance with him was fhort, my attachment was confiderable. At the first interview my heart was united to him, and my affection increased in proportion as I difcovered the depth of his experience and the fweetness of his difpofition. I never heard him preach; but from your recommendation, and the little fpecimen I had of his talents in converfation and prayer, I cordially received him as a fellowlabourer in the work *, in which I flattered myself he would be eminently useful. But God, in whofe difpofal I defire to acquiefce, foon affigned him another station; for just as I was hoping to be favoured with an account of the first efforts of his miniftry among the people to whom he went, I was informed of his removal to heaven.

Leaving London on Saturday, the 13th of August, he proceeded to Midhurst, in Suffex, where he preached the next morning, and at Shot-over-Mill in the evening. The

* The Itinerancy mentioned in the Preface, page 2d of the last Number. VOL. V.

H

week

week he spent with feveral pious people, with a view to his arrangement for future operations. On the fucceeding fabbath, he preached again at Midhurst in the morning, and in the evening at Redford, where he fickened as foon as he came out of the pulpit.

"The fmall pox, which were of the malignant kind, made their appearance the day following, and on that day fe'nnight, the 24th of Auguft, at ten in the morning, he died.

"He frequently uttered the moft humiliating fense of his fhort comings, renounced all dependence on his own rightcoufnefs, and expreffed unfhaken confidence in the merits of his Saviour. When queftioned about temporal concerns, he declined the converfation. His reafon was to the laft unimpaired by the difcafe; and, perceiving his end fast approaching, he blessed God, and told a ferious friend, who attended him in his illness, he defired to depart, and to be with Jefus: Soon after this, the Lord granted him the defire of his heart."

Thus lived and died a faithful man, who knew not how to give flattering titles, or to fupprefs reproof where he faw it neceffary. If he conceived perfons acting inconfiftent with their profeffion, he would not conceal his fentiments concerning them. His great integrity would not admit of connivance. Perhaps this was one of his failings, that the detection of improprieties, in felect perfons, would dispose him to defert a whole congregation; and he hardly made the allowance that fometimes is due. He really lived by faith, and would conclude that neceffaries, the want of which at any time were pointed out to him, would come in the Lord's time and way. He never withheld the mite, at any time he thought himself called to give, because he had hardly a fecond, but was generous beyond his power. He taught many children gratis, while engaged at Avebury, whofe affection to him made them lament on hearing of his death. So worthy of imitation was his example, that if it were followed by many who come forth in the irregular way to preach the Gofpel, the world would have no cause given to reproach religion. We fupprefs fome interefting anecdotes which might be added to what has been faid, and refer all to the great day of account, when, with all the faithful fervants of God, we are perfuaded he will thine as the ftars for ever and ever.

ON

ON THE IMMACULATE LIFE OF OUR LORD

JESUS CHRIST.

PART THE FIRST.

HE character and work of Chrift form a very confiderable part of the Gofpel embaffy. The attention of Chriftians in all ages has been defervedly drawn towards this important fubject. His Godhead, his manhood, his miraculous conception, his life, death, refurrection, afcenfion, and interceffion at the right hand of God, are topics, each of them fuil of the richeft confolation to believers. There is nothing pertaining to Chrift which is uninterefting. It has lately ftruck my mind that the immaculate life of Chrift is a fubject that has not been infifted on in our fermons and bodies of divinity in proportion to its importance in the evangelical fcheme. The thoughts which I have to offer upon this fubject will be contained in two parts. In the first I fhall take a view of the evidences with which it is fupported; and, in the fecond, confider its connection with the truth of Christianity, and of fome of its leading principles.

The evidences by which the immaculate life of our Lord Jefus Chrift is fupported, are as follows: First, His friends, who knew the most of him, and who wrote his life, defcribe him as without fault. The characters of men are often beft efteemed by thofe who know the leaft of them. Like works of art, they will not bear a clofe infpection: But thofe, who were most converfant with Jefus, beheld his glory, and loved him beft. Peter tells us, "He did no fin, neither was guile found in his mouth*." He defcribes him as a lamb without a fpott." Paul speaks of him as being "made fin for us who knew no fint." John teaches that "He was manifefted to take away our fins, and in him was no fin." And the whole company of the disciples, in their address to God, fpeak of him as " his holy child Jefus." Acts, iv. 27. It is true, fome of the Evangelifts do not make exprefs mention of his perfect innocence; but they all write his life as faultlefs. There is not a fhade of imperfection that attaches to his character from the beginning to the end of their accounts of him. This evidence derives peculiar weight from the evident impartiality of thefe writers in other cafes: They do not hide each other's faults, nor even their own. The

* 1 Pet. ii. 22. † Pet. i, 19.

+ 2 Cor. y. 21. H 2

John, iii. 5.

imperfections

imperfections of the apostles during Christ's life upon earth were numerous, and in fome cafes affecting; yet they narrate them with the greateft fincerity. Even thofe faults which are most degrading to dignity of character, and the moft mortifying to reflect upon, they never affect to conceal. They tell of their little foolish contefts for fuperiority, of their carnality in defiring an earthly kingdom, and of their cowardice in forfaking him in the hour of extremity; but never do they fuggeft any thing to the difadvantage of their Lord and Mafter.

Secondly, his worst enemies have never been able to fubftantiate a fingle charge against him. Though our friends have the greatest advantages of knowing us, yet, it may be alledged, they are partial; and that the fcrutiny of an adversary is moft likely to discover our imperfections. Be it fo: It is to the glory of Chrift's character that it will bear the test of both. A public challenge was given to the Jews, his most inveterate enemies, to "accufe him of fin*," and not one of them dared to accept it. That which adds peculiar weight to this evidence is the circumftance of Christ having just before inveighed against them with the keeneft leverity. "Ye are of your father the devil," faid he, "and the lufts of your father ye will do. He was a liar from the beginning and because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not." v. 44, 45. Under fuch charges from him, if there had been any fhadow of a ground for accufation, they would moft certainly have feized it. The apoftles gave nearly a fimilar challenge on behalf of their Lord as he had given for himfelf: They taxed their countrymen with having "denied the Holy One and the Juft, and preferred a murderer before himt." How are we to account for the filence of these adverfaries? It was not for want of will; it must therefore be for want of power.

But there were fome who in the life-time of Jefus did accuse him: They faid, "he is a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and finners:" They infinuated that he was ambitious. Jefus having declared, faying, "I am the light of the world;" they answered, "thou beareft record of thyfelf, thy record is not true;" and the fame objection is repeated by a modern Jewish writert. They alfo charged him with blafphemy, in that he, being a man, made himself God: And for this fuppofed blafphemy they put him to death. To the former part of these charges it may be answered, that they

* John, viii. 46. † AЯs, iii. 14.

Mr. Levi,

who