ment, and uncommon capacity of diftinguishing the differences, and difcerning the true ftate of things. There was a marvellous ftrength and connection in his thoughts and expreffion, upon any fubject, in his preaching and his converfation. His vivacity and quickness joined with fo great a judgment, made a very rare and uncommon mixture. He had the folidity of cool and fedate minds, and the life and quickness of thofe of the warmest imagination. His induftry and diligence was indefatigable; he could bear hard ftudy, and go through a great variety of bufinefs with eafe and dilpatch: he was peculiarly made for the active life, and was not eafily tired or difcouraged by the difficulties of an attempt. His prudence was often seen in conducting any intricate affairs, or managing a debate of confequence; in fore feeing probable difficulties, and finding out proper expedients, in which he was often fingularly happy.

He excelled in feveral virtues of the chriftian life. He had great integrity and opennefs of mind: there was an bonefty and frankness in his temper, which never fuffered him to crouch or diffemble: he knew not how to flinch or flatter: you saw his heart at once, and might depend upon his word. He detefted the low methods of flander and cenfure, without a fufficient ground, or any proper call, as a great wickedness. The fame greatnefs and generofity of mind, which led him to do all manner of good to others, fet him above doing the least hurt to any. He was fteady and immovable in what he apprehended right, and thought of importance. He knew no friend, and feared no danger, in the way of his duty; though no man was a truer friend, or had a greater zeal, or a grerter pleasure in friendship; as no man was more generally loved and esteemed. I think I may be allowed to know it, and I have a right to say it, after living with him above fix and twenty years, in the full confidence and endearments of friendship, in all the fervices and struggles of life, without the leaft difguft or difference: God only knows how great a share I bear in the lofs, and in the affliction; and how truly I can fay, "I am diftreffed for thee, my brother."

His piety was a fteady regular course of ferious regard to God, in his daily walk, with great fobriety of mind,

2 Sam. i. 26,

and

and without the leaft tincture or tendency to enthusiasm, notwithstanding fome natural warmth and eagerness of temper. His religion was not confined to God, or the mere acts of worship, but extended to all his fellowcreatures; he was of a public fpirit, and had a zealous regard to the common good. No inan was more ready to do good offices to others, to promote any worthy defign, or to help any cafe of distress; and no man ever ferved the intereft of fo many others, with greater selfdenial, or less advantage to his own. Though he had an unusual firmnefs of mind, and oftentimes a noble neglect of what concerned himself, yet he had a greater tenderness to others afflictions, than comported with the comfort of his life, or the convenience of his circumftances. His compaffionate heart to others wants and miferies, made him fometimes willing not only to his power, but greatly beyond his power. His principles in religion were fober and moderate, without any zeal for useless fpeculations, or running into any extremes : he much attended to what was profitable. He was strong in his fentiments of the scripture perfection, and of christian liberty, against all principles of tyranny and impofition. The Bible only was his religion and rule, and the great encouragement and fupport in all his trials and conflicts, living and dying. He was foberly orthodox, and thoroughly catholic; disposed to think well of all of every denomination; and to honour fuch differed from him, if they appeared upright and deferving. He knew no distinction in his affection and esteem between one good man and another, but what the different degrees of their goodness manifested.

as

His laft fickness was a complication of diftempers, which gradually broke his conftitution, though it feemed built for a longer ftanding; and became grievous to him, not only as a confinement from active fervice, which he most dreaded; but as it was fometims very painful and diftreffing. He preserved, however, an immoveable steadiness and compofure of mind through so

*He poffeffed the true chriftian temper, devoid of all that narrownefs of spirit and bigotry which is frequently too prevalent a-" mong churchmen as well as diffenters. He was intimately acquainted with, and greatly refpected by, learned and valuable men of both parties and always efteemed a good man of another persuasion, much better than a bad one of his own.

long

fhould allot.

long an exercife, with a profound fubmiffion to the divine will, and an exemplary patience under the greatest diftrefs; and was ready to wait the event which God Indeed the long continuance of the di order, and frequent intervals of it; the many daily prayers offered up for his welfare, and the uncommon concern in all this part of the metropolis, for fo eminent and useful a perfon, fometimes flattered us with hopes of recovery: but the wife Sovereign of the world had de termined otherwise.

His lingering illness gave him an opportunity of dropping feveral paffages which were inftructing and affecting. He had the sentence of death in himself a confiderable time, and rejoiced in the views of eternity. He would fometimes check himself in the midft of exquifite pain, "But I must not complain: God is good, and the "will of the Lord be done." He once faid, "Though "I cannot express myself in the words worthy even of an apoftle, of a late venerable minifter* a little before "his death," "I have no more doubt of my acceptance with 'God, than I have of my own existence," " yet I have good

hope through grace, and fuch as I am perfuaded will "never make me afhamed." He was fenfible, he owned, of many failings, yet he could appeal to God, "That he "had walked before him with integrity." When he was in acute pain, he said to his worthy friends, where he was treated with fuch high respect and tender care, "The formality and ceremony of taking down this tab"ernacle by degrees, is irkfome and grievous; how "much better were it, if it pleafed God, that it might "tumble all at once! but the will of God be done.". When he looked upon his body, fwelled with his diftemper, he would often obferve with pleasure," This corruptible fhall put on incorruption. O glorious hope." He was full of thankfulness to God for any intervals of reft: when he found himself toleraby easy, "Thank God for this." When in great pain of body, "Bleffed be God for the peace of my mind."

He told a particular friend who vifited him, "That "he was obliged to his friends who expreffed fo great a (6 concern for his life, but it was not so much his own "defire." He added, “If I might be continued for

The very pious and learned Mr. WILLIAM LORIMORE,

B

"further

"further usefulness in the church of Chrift, I fhall be "glad to live; but if not, it is my earnest desire to fin"ifh at prefent."-He faid with earnestness and tears, "I have reason to thank God for an early sense of reliGo gion, and an early dedication to God; I have endea"voured to order the main part of my life as before "God: and have ever defired to be faithful in the min"iftry: I am confcious of many failings in public and "private life; but I can reft upon the gospel for mercy: "I am fully persuaded of the truth of it, and defire no "other falvation." He faid at another time, "I die in the faith and hope of the gospel I have preached, and "find great comfort in it." Upon the occafion of the prayers on his account, he remarked, "I heartily with that my affliction may occafion the reviving a fpirit of

prayer; I fhall not think much of any thing I en"dure, if it may have that effect." He spent whole nights in prayer to God, when he could not fleep, for himself, his family, his friends, and the church of God: it was the proper breath of his foul. He faid to an old and intimate friend, "That the greateft difficulty he tound in the thoughts of leaving this world, was part"ing from the company of his brethren, whom he had "always loved, and with whom he had conversed with

fo much pleasure." He began to write fome hints of meditation for the use of himself and friends, fome days before his death, with a trembling hand.; the infcription of it was, "What I am as a creature; as a reasonable "creature; as a finful creature; as a redeemed crea"ture; as a creature in a state of trial for eternity; as a "focial creature, and related to other beings about me.” But it was only begun. The laft thing remarkable, while he was fenfible, and fome of the laft words he was heard to fay, were, lifting up his hands, "All is well, "all is well." Indeed he had a firm undaunted spirit upon chriftian principles, through his long illness; and he truly finished his courfe with joy.' From fo moving an example, and encouraging a motive, may we go and do likewise.

God grant that in the words of the apostle to the christian Hebrews, we may *Remember them who have had the rule over us, and have spoken to us the

*Heb. xiii. 7.

word

word of God, following their faith, and confidering the end of their conversation."

Dr. EVANS was of an uncommonly tall ftature, yet not a lufty man. There was fomething very pleafing, folemn, and commanding in his countenance.

He married a lady of family-and had a daughter, fuppofed to be a confiderable fortune; but it proved otherwife and at his death there was a very handsome provifion raised for his wife and daughter by the congregation, out of the very great refpect they had to his memory as an accomplished preacher, and a moft excellent man..

It was not known, till after his decease, that he had been tempted to make private fhipwreck of his large fortune in the fatal South-fea year, so destructive to multitudes of others as well as to him. The weight of which fecret lay on his mind, and was in some meafure, perhaps, productive (so one of his intimates thought) of his flow, but certain death. He was buried with great folemnity in Dr. Williams's vault, in Bunhill Fields. Dr. Harris spoke the funeral oration over the grave, and preached the funeral fermon,