Magazine of Magazines

4 ^ ^ ^ A G A ^ I ^
was Scandalous. or oS ill report ; but
on the contrary, very laudable and
imitable. What Secret deSects be might
have, was known to God and himSelf:
and I beliese he could Sav with St.
Paul, 1 know nothing by rnysef (nothing
inconsistent, with that uprightness,
that is attainable by man in this life)
yet am i rat hereby jestisied,
I should have given Some description
as the very Sorm and lineaments of his
body, the habitation, where his Sweet
and good mind dwelt Sor near sixtyfive
years. His countenance was Sait,
ana very amiable ; his face round, Iris
eyes vivid, and his air and afpect very
ingenious ; all which were the index
of his excellent Soul and Spirit, His
hair brown and bushy ; he was moderately
tall ; very slender and Sparing
in his youth; his constitution but lender
and frail to outward appearance.
He became corpulent and fat, when
grown in age; which increased more
and more as leong as he lived ; but yet
was not a burden to IiimSels, nor in
the least unseemly to others. The vi-
.gour of his mind, and perspicuity os
bis understanding, continued to his last
Seizure, and his knowledge and remembrance
to his death, as I have been
told ; which said leisure indeed was very
Sudden, and soon proceeded to
snake an cod of his life ; thai believe
it was no surprize to himSelf, being
habitually prepared for death ; a life,
which had been so beneficial to the
uburcb, and to this nation.
The following account of his death
is given in Mr. Bt'rc/rs words, a sa Spetianen
of his manner.
< He did not hong survive the wtr-
< ting of this letter. for on Sundry the
' i 8th of November 1694, he was Seized
' with a sudden illnels, while he was
< at the chapel in Hhrtehal! Bait the'
• bis countenance shewed that he was
^ indispos'd, he thought it not decent to
< intertupt the Service. The fit came
^ indeed slowly on, but it Seem'd to be
< fatal, and soon turn'd to a dead pal-
' fy. Tbe oppression of his distemper
< was so great, that it became very un-
• eaSy for him to Speak ; but it appear-
• ed, that his understanding was still
• clear, tho' others could not have she
< advantage oS it, He continued tc-
• rene and calm, and in broken words
• Said, that he thank 'd God he was
• quiet within, and had nothing then
< to do, but to wait the will of heaven.
< He was attended the two last nights
• of his illness by his friend Mr. Nsttrr,
• in whose arms he expired em the f fih
< day of it, Thiirfbly, November 22/.
• at five in the afternoon, in the 65th
• year oS his age.'
ft is remarkable of this extraordinary
person that tho' he ufed what was in his
time called conceived prayer, and greatly
excelled Sorthe readiness anal pertincncc
of his expression, yet as if this
was really a peculiar gift, he could never
preach but by reading, and having
once attempted to deliver an extempore
discourse on the most copious text he
could Select, 11 e must all appear before
the judgment seat of Christ, he was erbliged
to leave the pulpit. alter fprndm^
ten minutes in hesitation, repetition;
blushes. and confusion.
He lived at a time in which all his
abilities, his virtue, and his piety, could
not Screen him from the imputation eS
Servility, treachery, heresy, and ingratitude
; and indeed he was So well apprized
oS the danger of publick and elevated
life at that critical period, that
he prevailed upon his friend Mr. Ne/rie
to relinquish bis purpose of purchali^
a place at court, by telling him it would
expose him to Such temptations as
• would Set the firmest virtue hard, e-
< ven that os his friend of whom he had
< so good an opinion.'— A circumstance
from which this obvions and imports^
inference ought always to be dratvti,
that those should not be too Severely
cenfured, against whom nothing can lit
alledged, but suat they sell by tens nations,
which in TiHotsin's opinion
Scarce be relisted bs her man frailty- ^