only admit me mournfully to complain, with the Prophet, "My father!"-" My father!"— ashamed and confounded while I meditate on my own unworthiness, and the little improvement of so great a talent!

I cannot but remark that Mr. C. possessed opposite points of excellence beyond most men. While he was generous and liberal to others, I have known him much wanting to himself. He has often, after walking in great pain and fatigue, come into his house faint and exhausted, rather than allow himself the accommodation of a coach; and, when I have remonstrated with him upon it, he would reply-" You know I have great demands, and enough to do to meet them." Not that he did not see the mistake, when too late to remedy it; and, had it been for myself or a child, he would have lost sight of the expence, and regarded only our relief: nay, perhaps the very next hour his compassion to others would lead him to give to a poor distressed object at his door. Here was high principle,-humanity, and self-denial. He was neither extravagant nor penurious; but endeavoured wisely to steer between both these extremes. He was abstemious to an unusual extent.

It has been remarked by some, that it was a defect in Mr. Cecil, that he did not lay by something for his family. This objection could only arise in the mind of those, who were not acquainted VOL. Í.

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with his circumstances; and from a mistaking view of his affairs: the error of which would evidently appear, on a full investigation of both. But it is not my intention to enter into these particulars. The man, who felt it a duty to forego taking a coach, that he might not add to the common demands of his family, sufficiently proves that he had nothing to lay by. Yet I do not speak in respect of want: that God, whom he served in his spirit, did not leave him to want; but rather taught him to live by the day in dependance on his gracious providence, which often appeared conspicuous, by timely interferences and most unexpected helps, when he has been reduced to his last resource, and perfectly ignorant by what means he could possibly meet the next demand; and he had serious and delicate objections to borrowing-but, in the mount of the Lord, his arm has been seen.

Indeed if any objections may have been formed to any part of Mr. Cecil's conduct, I must be permitted to believe, that they arise only from a partial knowledge: but, should they, in any case, originate in a want of liberality and charity, I would say," Restrain reflection. Go thou, and do like him. Go, like him, and mourn over defects in secret. Go, like him, and pray against them in the closet. Go, like him, and correct, and bring them into subjection. Go, like him, and keep under thy body, thy thoughts, and thy tongue."

It has been well remarked by an old writer"That nothing softeneth the arrogance of our nature, like a mixture of some frailties. It is by them, we are told, that we must not strike too hard on others, because we ourselves do so often deserve blows: they pull our rage by the sleeve, and whisper gentleness to us in our censures, even when they are rightly applied."

May I be allowed to digress for a few moments, with remarks not altogether irrelative to this narrative; and to explain some points in Mr. Cecil's character and conduct, which have been either LITTLE UNDERSTOOD, or altogether MIS-UNDERSTOOD..

It has been conceived by some, that he possessed a proud independence of spirit; which discovered itself in the refusal of favours offered by generous friends, who not only would gladly have administered to his necessities, but to his comfort. In his single state, his necessities were comparatively few: his ardent mind, and his conceptions of the ministerial character, naturally led him to fall in with the sentiment of the Apostle-Willing to endure hardship, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

It is to be considered, that, not only when a single man, but AT ALL TIMES, his whole soul was under the influence of a sacred dedication to the grand object which he had in view. He was naturally intrepid, and did not appear to possess with men in common the fears and anxieties attending poverty. There was NOTHING, which he

would not have made a willing sacrifice to his grand object- the Church; with a firm determination to avoid all impediments in the way of his reproving and exhorting with all authority, in the midst of a corrupt generation-striving to become a LIGHT, and not a STUMBLING-BLOCK among them. He was, therefore, while gratefully alive to favour and friendship, not to be FETTERED by any -not to be SHACKLED BY OBLIGATIONS TO THE CREATURE, SO as to endanger his faithfulness: but, with a DIGNIFIED and CHRISTIANIZED independence, he pursued his course, unconcerned as to what might befal him in the way. Thus he recommended himself to every man's conscience; and proved the reality of his faith, and the integrity of his heart.

With respect to offered favours, he was much influenced by TIME-MANNER-and CIRCUMSTANCES. If he could trace them as arising from any intimations FROM HIMSELF, however accidentally brought out, he felt a noble, as well as delicate recoiling: or, if the persons giving were not in easy circumstances, his benevolence of heart revolted at availing himself of their liberality; and, ON SUCH OCCASIONS, he has refused favours, though most kindly offered. On the other hand, where any thing appeared to him to come in the course of providence, and he had sufficient evidence of this, no man more humbly or more willingly accepted whatever was presented to him. For the

smallest gift, he has expressed the greatest satisfaction; and always felt particular pleasure in any thing however small, being presented to him as a token of affection. It was under these impressions that he said, with reference to his accepting a benefit of considerable magnitude afforded him by a friend-" I quiet myself with thinking, it pleases God to quarter me upon helps out of myself, to make me feel my utter dependence." It may, indeed, easily be conceived, that a man so justly beloved, and with so many friends, might have enriched himself, had not some higher principle guided his conduct.

Duty varies with circumstances. Whatever Mr. C. perceived to be a DUTY, he never asked a question upon. When it pleased God rapidly to encrease his family, and thereby his expenses, he readily and thankfully received whatever Providence was pleased to send; and considered it as granted for the express purpose of supplying his need:-THAT being evident he refused no assistance, where he did not see some clear and delicate reason, why it was improper, all things considered, to do otherwise. Herein appeared not only his integrity and his faith, but his SUBMISSION to the will of that God whom he served in his spirit, thus made known to him: he used cheerfully to say, on a child being added to his family, "I now expect an addition to my income, though I know not from what quarter." In the year 1781, he had