Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

Works, which appear to be a fair and full Portraiture of his Mind. As to the reft, all that I can at prefent learn, will lie within a very small Compafs. He was born and bred in Scotland; and was ordained and beneficed in the Epifcopal Church there: But meeting with fome Difcouragements, under an unfettled State of Affairs, and having a Profpect of difcharging his ministerial Function more ufefully elsewhere, he quitted his Preferments there, and came over into England, fome time in the latter End of King Charles the Second's Reign. It was not long before he was taken notice of by the then Bishop of London (Dr. Compton) who prevailed with him to go as Miffionary (about the Year 1685) into Virginia: where by his regular Conversation, exemplary Conduct, and unwearied Labours in the Work of the Ministry, he did good Service to Religion, and gain'd to himself a good Report amongst all: So that the fame Bishop Compton, being well apprized of his true and great Worth, made choice of him, about theYear 1689, as his Commiffary for Virginia; a very weighty

weighty and creditable Poft, the highest Office in the Church there: Which, however, did not take him off from his Paftoral Care, but only render'd him the more shining Example of it, to all the other Clergy within that Colony.

While his Thoughts were wholly intent upon doing good in his Office, he obferved with true Concern, that the Want of Schools, and proper Seminaries for Religion and Learning, was fuch a Damp upon all great Attempts for the Propagation of the Gospel, that little could be hoped for, without firft removing that Obftacle. Therefore he formed a vaft Design of erecting and endowing a College in Virginia, at Williamsburgh, the Capital of that Country, for Profeffors and Students in Academical Learning. In order thereto, he had himfelf fet on foot a voluntary Subscription, amounting to a great Sum: and not content with that, he came over into England, in the Year 1693, to follicit the Affair at Court. The good Queen (Queen Mary) was fo well pleased with the noble Defign, that she efpoused it with a partiçular

A 3

[ocr errors]

a

cular Zeal; and King William also, as foon as he became acquainted with its Ufe and Excellency, very readily concurred with the Queen in it. Accordingly, a Patent paffed for the Erecting and Endowing a College, called from the Founders, The William and Mary College: And Mr. Blair, who had had the principal Hand in laying, and folliciting, and concerting the Design, was appointed Prefident of the College. Our Author, it seems, has now been a Minifter of the Gospel 58 Years, or thereabouts; a Miffionary 54 Years; Commissary 50 Years; and Prefident of the College about 46: A faithful Labourer in God's Vineyard, from firft to laft; an Ornament to his Profeffion and his feveral Offices, and now in a good old Age, hourly waiting for (if not, before this, gone to enjoy) the High Prize of his Calling.

As to the Difcourfes here following, they had the Advantage of being com

pofed

2 See fome Account of this Matter in Bishop Burnet's Hiftory of his own Time, Vol. II. p. 119. And in Dr. Humphreys's Hiftorical Account of the Incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gofpel, p. 9, 10, 11.

pofed at a mature Age, after a Course of ferious Studies, after much Experience in the Work of the Ministry, after wide and large Obfervations made upon Men and Things; and, in fhort, after an improved, experimental Knowledge gained in the School of Chrift. They had their first Impreffion in the Year 1722; drawn into publick Light by the repeated Importunities of several worthy Prelates, and other Clergy of our Church, (who had perused a few of them in Manuscript) and by the particular Encouragement of the then Metropolitan, Archbishop Wake, and of Dr. Robinson then Bishop of London, to whom the Sermons were dedicated. When that Impreffion was gone off, and Copies were become very scarce, the Executors of the late Revd Dr. Bray (to whom the Author had previously transferred his Copy-right) thought of a new Impreffion, and communicated their Defign to the worthy Author: Who accordingly, in the Year 1732, revised the Work, corrected the Errata of the Prefs, added Indexes of Texts and Matters, and prepared a new Dedica

A 4

Dedication, addreffed to The Right Reverend Father in God, EDMUND Lord Bishop of London. How the Edition then intended came to be retarded till this Time, I know not; neither is it of Moment to enquire: It is well that now at laft, the Publick once more enjoys this valuable Treasure of found Divinity, of practical Chriftianity. But when I fay Practical, let no one be fo weak as to take that for a diminutive Expression; which is indeed the highest and brightest Commendation that a Work can have; whether we look at the intrinfick Use and Value of it, or at the real Difficulties of performing it to a degree of Exactness, or at the Talents requifite for it. A Man bred up in the Schools, or converfant only with Books, may be able to write SyStems, or to difcufs Points, in a clear and accurate Manner: But That and more is required in an able Guide, a compleat practical Divine, who undertakes to bring down the most important Truths to the Level of a popular Audience; to adapt them properly to Times, Perfons and Circumftances; to guard them against latent

Prejudices,

« AnteriorContinuar »