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in his original Frame and Constitution. But then, His Sentiments and Expreffion were fo masterly; His way of explaining the Phrafeology of Scripture, by collecting, and comparing together, all the Parallel Places truly relating to any Subject, was fo Extraordinary and Convincing; that fuch a Delight of Satisfaction went along with it, as more than made amends for the Want of the Other. And in this Method of Preaching, He was fo univerfally acceptable, that perhaps there was not a Parishioner He had, of any Rank, (whatever might be his way of thinking in our divided World,) who was not always pleafed at his coming into the Pulpit; or who was ever weary of his Inftructions from thence. However We differ in Some matters, We defire to See No other Perfon in the Pulpit; was, I know, a Saying amongst Them. And it is for their honour, that I mention it.

THESE Accomplishments of Nature and Learning not only made his Preaching thus Excellent; but render'd his Converfation amongst his Friends in fo high a degree Useful and Inftructive, that It might be ftyled An Easy Continuation of

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his own Studies, and a School of Knowledge to Those who partook of it. Indeed, if I might be allowed to judge in What that peculiar Excellence lay, which most distinguished Him from other Great Men; I would place it in That Readiness of Thought, and Clearness of Expreffion, which hardly ever failed Him, when His Opinion was asked, upon All forts of Important and Trying Questions, The Pleasure and Satisfaction which appeared where He converfed with any Freedom, could not but be very great; to hear Many of the Difficulties which had perplexed very Able Men in their feveral Profeffions and Studies, though ftarted all on a fudden, vanishing almost as fuddenly; leffening continually as faft as He fpake, and generally ending with his Difcourfe. Here indeed, it was That He triumph'd without a Rival. They who fancied Themselves in Doubts never to be fatisfied, often found Light from Him, after having vainly tried to find it elfewhere: and They who did not fee to the End of their Difficulties immediately, yet had This Comfort, That They always understood Him, as far as He went; and

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at least that Satisfaction which is the next to finding out the whole Truth, I mean The Satifaction of being convinced that it was in vain to expect it. Those who knew Him, have been daily Witnesses to what I now fay, in Mathematical and Critical, as well as Theological and Metaphyfical Subjects: Upon the laft of which indeed, He was one of the very Few, who could, or would, always talk intelligibly. His Difcourfe of this fort was without one Word or Term, which he was not as ready to give a plain Senfe to, as He was to make use of it; and in a Style which he would take as great a pleasure to adapt to the Understanding of All perfons of Senfe, as Many would do, to raise their Language even out of their own reach, as well as that of Others. For He judged, That as the Use of Language was to exprefs Thoughts; fo Those founds could not be justly called Language, which represented No Thoughts at all. Such was his Converfation amongst his Friends: always far removed from Pedantry; and never arifing from his own affectation of introducing Learning into it; but from the Enquiries of Others, or the Occafions

which naturally and unavoidably led to it..

WHAT added a Force to his Preaching and Inftructive Difcourfe, was his own Unblameable Example, and Perfonal Conduct, in all the Duties of a Man, and a Chriftian. His Piety was Manly and Unaffected; built upon the most folid Grounds, and free from all Pomp and Shew. The Charity of his Temper and Good-will was as extenfive as the Whole Rational Creation of God. The Charity of his Affiftance and Beneficence, as Extenfive as the Circumftances of his Family would prudently admitt. His Love of the Religious and Civil Liberties of Mankind, was a Ruling and Powerful Principle in His Heart and Practice. In a word, His Morals, from the firft of his Days, to the last, were without Reproach. There was an Innocence and Inoffensiveness remarkable through his whole Behaviour: And his Life, when He came into the View of the Great World, was an Ornament and Strength to that Religion which his Pen fo well defended.

No wonder that a Perfon of fuch a Genius, and fuch Acquirements was fought after

after by the greatest Lovers of Virtue and Knowledge. This was his Cafe, to fuch a Degree, that, thro' his laft Years, He could command but very little time for his own Studies, even in the Morning; and after the Morning was over, He was almost Every day invited and prefs'd amongst his Friends abroad; not only Those of his own Parish, who were equally defirous of his Company; but many in all the other Parts of the Town.

THE Chief Perfons of the Law will forgive Me, if I can't pafs over the Singular Regard They paid to this Great Man : which was fo remarkable, that it seemed. to be a fort of Contest amongst them, who fhould fhew it moft. The Lord High Chancellor, The Mafter of the Rolls, The Lord Chief Baron, and several of his Brethren the Learned Judges, (not to mention Others) will, I am confident, esteem it their Honour to have it faid, fince it can be faid with Truth, That there never yet appear'd a Divine amongst Us, (not related to Them by his Office,) who received fuch continued and fuch particular Marks of the highest Respect from fo many Ornaments of that Honourable Profeffion, as He

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