yet

he could never bring his mind to it; What fhall my Poor then do? faid he, 'tis even beft for me to die in my Station and in my Imployment.

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Such was his Vigour, fuch his Induftry. And God was pleas'd to bless him with faitable fuccefs; fo that 'tis not eafie to express his Felicity in mollifying the most obdurate Creditors, in reducing them to terms of Moderation and Charitable composition, in reconciling differences,and in fweetning the most alienated and exafperated minds.

Thirdly, His Delight. It was one of his darling Propofitions which he fet a high rate upon, That the Life of Man is to be estimated by the usefulneß of it; and accordingly that portion of his Life was always moft delightful and valuable to him, wherein he was moft fuccessfully active in fome defign of Charity; his Spirit rejoiced within him, when God had bleffed him in the accomplish. ment of any good work; and I may confidently fay, that never Souldier entertain❜d Victory, or Trader the increase of his Wealth with a truer fatisfaction than he did the fucceffes of his Charitable Labours. I confess, that taking notice, how much he was pleas'd

with reflecting upon and repeating himself several of his atchievements, and with hearing the Echoes and Rebounds of them from others, I grew fometimes jealous of him, left Dead Flies fhould corrupt this Oyntment, and a filly affectation of Praise and vain glory fhould blaft his Charity and bereave him of the Fruit and Reward of it; but upon narrower Inspection into the Root of this matter, I found that this (prung from the pleasure he took in the Comfort and Happiness which he procur'd to others: his pious Soul, as it did fuffer in the misery, fo did it exult in the Profperity of his Brother, as he was ready to weep with thofe that wept, fo alfy to rejoice with thofe that rejoiced, and fo much the more whenever God had made him the Inftrument of their Joy, fo that it was not his own praise that created his Satisfaction, but the good procur'd his Neighbour, and the honour which did from thence redound to God.

Shall I now after all, add his Justice, Integrity and Diligence in all his dealings and undertakings? His Simplicity and Candour, his Ingenuity, Meekness and Humility in all his Convería

tion? His Plainnels, Sincerity and Zeal towards his Friend, fhewed it felf especially in his tenderness for his Eternal Intereft? The sweetness and obligingness of his carriage, not towards bis Children only, but even towards the meaneft that had any Relation to him? Shall I add his Chriftian Moderation, and Comprehenfive Charity, for all peaceful humble, and upright Chriftians of every perfuafion? Shall I infift upon his Purity and Heavenly mindedness, not only to an Indifference, but (I may almoft say) even Contempt for the things of this World, Wealth, Power, Honour and the Oftentation of Life? Shall I finally remember his strictnefs and Sobriety, which was fuch, that I had much ado to remove fome Scruples out of his mind about the use of fuch things, as I judg'd neceffary to the fupport of his age, and the maintenance of his health and ftrength? These and other Vertues of our deceas'd Friend, I might infift upon, and in all this, I fhould have the teftimony and Approbation of all that knew him: But the time would fail me, and I have said enough, enough to do right in fome measure to the memory of this excellent

perfon,

perfon, for the Righteous fhall be had in everlasting Remembrance; enough to adminifter unspeakable comfort and fatisfaction to his Relations, and enough, I hope, to excite and ftir up all that hear me this Day to the Imitation of this good man's Vertues, especially when we fhall add the confideration in my Text, that this will fortifie us against all the Terrours of Death; this will give us comfort and Affarance in the approaches of it. Then fhall we be able to affure our felves that we are the Children of God, when we imitate his goodness, and rejoyce, as he doth, in the works of Mercy and Charity: Then fhall we be able to affure our selves that we are the true followers of Jefus, when we are led by the fame fpirit, when we glorify God upon Earth, and finish the works which he has given us to do: And then fhall we be able to lie down in the affured expectations of a blessed Refurrection. This was the happy state of this excellent man; Death was his Meditation, Death his Expectation; and when he met it, he met it with a chearful and ferene foul; the Laft words I had from him when I bid him my last farewel on Sunday, were, You and I shall

meet

meet again in another World, I do not queftion it at all. Ah! that we could all live fo as to have no fears, no doubts about eternal Life when we are come to die! O think of the blessedness of fuch a ftate! and then remember that this affurance arifes from the conscience of a well spent Life, that nothing but a faithful difcharge of our stewardship can enable us to meet God with comfort, and give us an Inheritance with Saints in glory, and enrol us amongst the Spi rits of Juft men made perfect.

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