lowing Providence, and the other by denying himfelf. Tho' indeed afterwards the fame good Providence, with which he was always willing to comply, doubled his Preferment upon him, his good Lord and Patron giving him the Parfonage alo. Which I mention to you, not by way of: Information, but as a particular Providence that attended him in enjoying that, when he could no longer hold his Vicarage by not taking the Oaths; which he did not rafhly refufe, but ftudied the Point; and to my Knowledge made a Journey on purpofe to London (calling at Oxford by the way) in Order to his Satisfaction. He was alfo a very Communicative Perfon: He did not hoard up: Learning for himself, but was willing alfo to impart any of it to his Friends; and that not out of Oftentation to fet out himself, but purely for the Benefit of others: He did not light his Can dle, and put it under a Bufhel, but on a Candle-i Stick that it might give Light to all that were in the House.

He was moreover remarkable for his good Temper and Difpofition, which expreffed it felf not: only in Courteoufnefs and Aftability, which to him was natural, but alfo in doing of good Offices and fo gave Proof of his Kindnefs by a Demonstration of it. Nay, fuch was his Readinefs to do good, that when any one almoft had a Suit to him, (when there was no Concern for De-. fert for that with him always took place) he commonly (like the Emperor Titus doubled the Favour by his Forwardness in granting it: And when he had fo done, he ufed to lay no Stress upon it afterwards, to draw on an Obligation; contrary to many others in the World, who love either to magnify their Favours, and fo in Effect. leffen them, or elfe by their Backwardness of Confent

Confent render them extorted. But give me the Kindness, and the Honey (fweet alike) that comes without preffing. He was moreover a very temperate Perfon, fo far from being guilty at any time of Excefs, that he did not fo much as mind the indulging of his Appetite, or gratifying his Palate And that not for want of Tafte, but out of Self-denial, according to that of the Poet, Eft Virtus placitis, &c.

Yet that he might not seem to affect Singularity, his Rule, to my Knowledge, was that of St. Paul (in the Letter, tho' not in the Senfe) namely, to partake of whatsoever was fet before him, without any Obfervation, except that of Moderation and Thankfulnefs: So that whatsoever he ate or dank, or whatfoever he did elfe, he might be faid to do all to the Glory of God.

I fhall confider Mr. Kettlewell next in his Wrritings, in his Sermons, and in his Prayers. And firft in his Writings, which I fhall not go about to give any particular Account of, but only fuggeft to you, that in all of them he had an Eye to the Practical Part, as well as to the Inftructive; knowing that as without Understaanding, fo alfo without doing his Duty, a Man is certainly defeEtive, either blind or lame: For this I fhall only give the Inftance of his Practical Believer. Another thing I would hint to you, to wit, That in all his Difcourfes he had regard not only to the Learned, but alfo to the meaner Capacity, for which he thought nothing could be too plain; which is the Reafon, to my Knowledge, why fome things which might have been expreffed fhorter, are at large, and others, which might have been omitted, are repeated. Secondly, I fhall confi

der

t

der him next in his Preaching, which was always' upon Useful Texts; for his Aim was not to speak to the Heads and Ears, but moreover to the Hearts of his Auditors; which he also the rather did by' his affectionate Way of Delivery, and fo as it were by one Fire kindling another. He had indeed no good Voice; yet he knew how to make the beft of it, and to give every Word its due Weight. He was not for any Harangues, but very much for Method' in his Sermons, which made them both the more taking, every Head being as it were a fresh Subject; and alfo the more ufeful, as being the more eafily remembred. And indeed Method is a wonderful Help to Memory; and fo much the greater, and therefore the better, the more Eafy and Natural it is. And this I the rather mention, because tho' at his own Cure he ufed to enlarge extempore, yet he ftudied the Heads of his Sermons, and took Notes of them and indeed, as to himself, there was no need of doing more, he having befides a Quickness of Invention, a Volubility of Tongue, and a Supply of Confidence, a great Prefence of Mind, which are all neceffary to preaching unwritten, He had moreover another Help always at Command, to wit, his First Book, which being as it were a Body of Divinity, (and he abfolute Master thereof) has, as he has told me, upon Occafion been very serviceable to him. As to his Di ligence in Preaching, I refer you to Mrs. Kettlewell, which if I miftake not, was commonly, if not conftantly, Twice a Day; which I look upon as very convenient in great Towns, to keep the Flock from ftraggling abroad, or from falling into the Hands of other Shepherds that come not in at the right Door. He was indeed a true Shepherd, according to our Saviour's own Character

of

Modefty, which in a Matter fo nearly concerned his own prefent Intereft, he would never be "induced to enter into a Difcourfe about it. Of which referved Modefty his Lordfhip did often take particular Notice to fome of his nearest Relations. Tho' for my part, I think in that refpect he was over modeft: For tho' he might have wav'd a Difcourse concerning his own Intereft, yet he fhould not have over-looked that of the Church, which were conftitute together. I pray God preferve your Life and Health, that you may be able to finifh more good Undertakings, (as you have done fome of late) for the further Benefit of the Publick, and remain, with very great Respect,

Shabington, Aug. 2, c. 1698.

Your Humble Servant.

FINI S.