its influence into the soul, it not only becomes so inwardly mollified into that tenderness and compassion, as to make all such sincerely love those who are truly good, but it also begets in them great piety, and a merciful disposition, even towards enemies, or those who are in error; all cruelty, and sourness of temper, the great engines and instruments to support all false religions, is so softened and mitigated, that St. Paul, who was a fierce persecutor while he was a zealous Jew, became a wonderful instance of gentleness when this spirit of Christ was formed in him; a true Christian is peaceable, mild, and easy to be entreated. Piety towards God, and holiness of life, are to be found in other religions, but a universal charity, and brotherly kindness, are peculiar to our most holy faith; so that, as far as any church, or sort of men, depart from the rules of truth and goodness, so far they fall from the Spirit of Christ, and bear the character of the lapsed apostate spirit, who was a liar, and a murderer from the beginning! Hence may every one make a judgment of the spirit that moves and appears in the conduct of any church, whether it be a spirit of truth and goodness, or of falsehood and cruelty; the former is the spirit of Christ, the latter must be the spirit of the devil, and of antichrist. Sermon on Popery.

GILBERT BURNET was born 1643, at Edinburgh, and educated by his father. He is said at ten years of age to have understood the Latin language. Sending him to Aberdeen University, he became a good

G

Greek scholar, and took the degree of A. M. at 14 years of age! He first studied the law, and then turned his attention to divinity. In 1665, he was ordained by the Bishop of Edinburgh, and presented to the living of Saltoun, where he discharged his duties with singular fidelity. In 1669, he was made Professor of Divinity. His liberality made him many enemies, but he disregarded every species of bigotry. For his Vindication of the Church and State of Scotland he was offered a Bishopric, and the next vacant Archbishopric, but refused them. He now came to London, was a popular preacher at the Rolls Chapel, and published his History of the Reformation. On the death of Charles he went abroad, and on his return published his Travels. He became acquainted with the Prince of Orange, and came over with him at the revolution of 1688! He was soon raised to the see of Salisbury-publishing his Pastoral Care, and also his Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England. He died, 1714, aged 74, and is interred in Clerkenwell. After his decease was published The History of his own Times, a valuable and interesting work. Distinguishing himself both as politician and divine, he had many enemies and friends, but was a warm friend of the civil and religious liberties of mankind.

18.

ROBERT LUCAS, D. D.

PREBENDARY OF WESTMINSTER.-DIED 1715. NEED I fix or state the various degrees of zeal? Alas! it is not requisite: zeal being nothing else but an ardent thirst of promoting the divine glory by the best works. 'Tis plain the more excellent the work, and the more it cost, the more perfect, the more exalted the zeal that performs it. In a word, zeal is nothing else but the love of God made perfect in us. And if we would see it drawn to the life, we must contemplate it in the blessed JEsus, who is the perfect pattern of heroic love. How boundless was his love, when the whole world, and how transcendent, when a world of enemies was the object of it! How indefatigable was his zeal! how wakeful! how meek! how humble! how firm and resolved! His labours and travels, his self-denial, prayers, and tears; his silence and patience; his agony and blood, and charitable prayers, poured out with it for his persecutors, instruct us fully what divine love, what divine zeal is. And now, even at this time, love reigns in him as he reigns in heaven; love is still the predominant, the darling passion of his soul. Worthy art thou, O Jesus, to receive honour, and glory, and dominion! Worthy art thou to sit down with thy Father on his throne! Worthy art thou to judge the world, because thou hast loved, because thou hast been zealous unto death, because

thou hast overcome! Some there are, indeed, who have followed thy bright example, though at a great distance. First, martyrs and confessors; next, those beloved and admired princes who have governed their kingdom in righteousness; to whom the honour of God, and the good of the world have been far dearer than pleasure, than empire, than absolute power, or that ominous blaze that is now called glory. And next follow-hold! this is the work of angels, they must marshal the field of glory in the end of all things. O my God! may I, at least, be one to fill the train of this triumphant procession in that blessed day, when thou shalt crown the zeal and patience of thy saints.

Enquiry after Happiness.

RICHARD LUCAS was born, 1648, near Presteign, Radnorshire. Having received the usual foundation of school learning, he went, 1664, to Jesus College, Oxford. He entered into holy orders about 1672, and was for some time Master of the Free School at Abergavenny. From hence he removed to London, and, in 1683, was chosen Vicar of St. Stephen's, Coleman-street. His last preferment was in 1696, when he was installed Prebendary of Westminster. About this time his sight, which was always weak, totally failed him, and thus he passed the last twenty years of his life. In 1715 he died, and was interred in Westminster Abbey. His writings, which are excellent for their good sense and practical tendency, are numerous. Their titles are, "Practical

Christianity."" An Enquiry after Happiness,""The Morality of the Gospel," "Christian

Thoughts for every Day in the Week,"-" A Guide to Heaven," "The Duty of Servants," and Sermons, in five volumes. He left a son of his own name, bred at Sydney College, Cambridge, who published some of his father's works. Dr. Lucas was an eminent divine, and his valuable writings will preserve his fame to posterity.

19.

HUMPHREY PRIDEAUX, D.D.

DEAN OF NORWICH.-DIED 1724.

THE churches of the east, once the most flou rishing, having drawn the abtrusest niceties into controversy, which were of little or no moment to that which is the chief end of our holy Christian religion, and divided and subdivided about them into endless schisms and contentions, did thereby destroy that peace, love, and charity, from among them, which the Gospel was given to promote; and, instead thereof, they continually provoked each other to that malice, rancour, and evil work, that they lost the whole substance of their religion, while they thus eagerly contended for their own imaginations concerning it; and, in a manner, drove Christianity quite out of the world, by those very controversies in which they disputed with each other about it. So that, at length, having wearied the patience and