rightness; was ftrictly temperate, exactly juft, and exceeding confcientious in all his Ways; was moit apparently fpiritually minded, and of a heavenly Converfation; walking by Faith, not by Sight; and adding to his Faith, Fortitude. For, though he was low of Stature, and had a thin and feeble Body, as well as a low and weak Voice; yer he poffefs'd a great Soul, had a fingular animal Vivacity, with a good Measure of natural Firmness and Courage, which being fanctify'd, were of Advantage to him, when call'd to appear in the Cause of GOD our Saviour. He had a Zeal of GOD, and this according to Knowledge; being happily temper'd with Meeknefs, Lenity, and Charity, govern'd by Prudence, and recommended by a vifible Sincerity and Lowlinefs of Heart.-He was of a moft ingenuous Spirit, abounding in Candour; was a candid Difputant, a candid Hearer of Sermons, a candid Interpreter of others Words and Actions; exceeding distanc from all Cenforiousness and Detraction, from all Bitterness and Acrimony; yet was a faithful Friend, and knew not to give flattering Titles, nor ufed be flattering Words, or airy Compliments. Very refpectful was he to his Superiours, though fervilely obfequious to none; full of Condefcenfion to his Inferiours; and in Honour preferring his Equals. He was of a moft placid, and pacifick Temper, never embroil'd himself in Controverfy, kept out of all Contention, and ever followed the Things that made for Peace.-He was very averfe to entangling himself in the Affairs of this Life; whatever Occafions there might fometimes be for it, as having a numerous Family, and an Income small, comparatively. However, being fuch a great Lover of Learning, he gave three of his Sons a liberal Education, by the Affiftance of generous Friends, and at the Expence of fome Self-denial at home.-He was inclined to live as retired, and to keep as much in his Study, as poffible, for devotional, as well as literary Purposes; and his VVork was almoft his only Recreation. The Confequence of this, his Friends thought to be Gain to them on some valuable Accounts, yet a Loss to them by the Infrequency of his defirable Vifits. Though

Though he was but feldom abroad,in Company,and did not affect Abundance of it at home, yet was eafy of Access, and receiv'd his Vifitors with much Courtesy and Affa: bility. There was a vifible Sweetness, under all his Referve; and in Conversation, where he might ufe a Liberty without Danger of giving Offence, he was modeftly free and facetious, pleafant, and entertaining; always ingenious, always communicative and inftructive; but never loud and noify, nor over talkative; never affuming, nor over bearing, nor indecently interrupting, in any Debate or Difcourfe: nay, rather flow to speak, as well as flow to wrath, but fwift to bear, and readier to attend to others, than to exert himfelf. Neither did he love Trifling and meer Amufement; but was always grave, in the midst of Chearfulness, and wou'd ever (if he might) be difcourfing on Topicks that were ferious, or important and profitable; or otherwife be filent. His Converfation turned much on the State of Learning, and what pafs'd in the letter'd World, but more efpecially on the State of Religion, in the profeffing World: or elfe on fome religious Subject, commonly fuch as he had lately been reading on; and wou'd often cite remarkable Paf fages (especially from Authors in the French Language) which we were not fo likely to have met with. Indeed, above all, he lov'd to be talking of a glorious CHRIST, and the Grace of GOD in Him, of his Truths and Ways; the Affairs of his Kingdom here, and the Hope laid up for his People bereafter.-He ever bore upon his Heart the Concerns of the Chriftian Church, in general; but especially thofe Parts of it inGreat Britain, Ireland, France, and Germany; and was very inquifitive about the State of Things in them. Nothing, of that Nature, lay more on his Thoughts, or nearer his Heart, than the Safety and Profperity of the Proteftant Intereft. His Heart, like ELI's, trembled for this Ark of GOD; greatly lamenting to hear of Degeneracy among Proteftants, at home or abroad, whether in Principles or Manners; but equally rejoicing in well attefted Informations of a Revival of

pure

pure and practical Religion any where. He thankfully admir'd the Conduct of Providence in bringing about the Settlement of the Crown of Great Britain in the illuftrious Houfe of HANOVER; and fcarce ever made a Prayer, at least, in Publick, but one of his most fervent Requests to GOD was for the Security of the Proteftant Succeffion to the British Throne.

Simeon's Character was his, a juft Man and devout. He gave himself to Prayer, as well as to the Miniftry of the Word. He appeared to have habitually much of the Spirit of Grace and Supplication, and to be much in the Practice of Ejaculatory Prayer. Befides his ftated Prayers in Private and in Publick, and other occafional ones, particularly in his paftoral Vifitations of the Sick, and at Funerals, Catechifings, &c. he affociated with his People at their Family Meetings for religious Exercifes, where he conftantly made one of the Prayers, whoever preached, or read the Sermon.-And he always appear'd eminently qualify'd both with the Gift and the Grace of Prayer: nor is it easy to fay, in which he feem'd moft to excel. His Prayers were a continued Series of raifed, but unaffected Devotion, filial Réverence and Confidence towards God, Faith in the Mediator, Self-Abafement, Zeal for the Cause. and Honour of Chrift, Love to his Church and People, Afpirations after fpiritual Bleffings in heavenly Places in CHRIST JESUS.-For the Matter of his Prayers, they were adjusted to thofe peculiar Doctrines of the Gospel, which he ever contended fo earnestly for. And indeed it was a Maxim with him, that as thofe Practices muft be bad, which one can't pray over, fo thofe Principles may well be fufpected, which cannot properly be turned into Prayer. This, he thought, look'd with an unfavourable Aspect on the Arminian Scheme, in particular: the Friends of which are wont to pray Calvinistically, how differently foever they may preach. And for the Manner of his Prayers, they were all in a very natural Method appolite to the Occafion; exprefs'd in the easiest and moft proper Language; fententious and concife; argumentative,

mentative, and enliven'd with pertinent Scripture Pleas; utter'd with a fubmifs, Voice, and with a Mein the ferious, humble, affectionate; in the whole, never prolix. There was this remarkable in his Prayers, that he frequently called on the Name of JESUS CHRIST our LORD, more directly and explicitly than is ufual. Particularly it was his conftant Practice, in the Adminiftration of the LORD's Supper, to address one of the Prayers to the Son of .GOD; adoring his Divine Perfon; giving him the Glory of his Divine Excellencies, manifefted in the Works of Creation and Providence, but efpecially in the aftonish ing Work of Redemption; acknowledging Him in his mediatorial Offices; celebrating his wondrous Love, in his Humiliation and Sufferings for his People; profeffing Repentance for Sin, and Faith in the Blood of CHRIST, as the only and perfect Atonement for Sin, and in his prevalent Interceffion, as our Advocate with the Father; profeffing to embrace the Promifes, as in him; renouncing all Sin, as against him; engaging to do all Duty, as unto him,in his Name; expreffing a Dependance on him alone, for Righteoufnefs, and Strength; and a Hope in his Power and Grace, as raifed from the Dead, and exalted to be Prince and Saviour, Head of his univerfal Church of Men and Angels,and Head over all Things to the Church, which was now also commended to his fpecial Care.-Another Thing we fhall take Notice of, is, that as he never practifed giving Characters of deceafed Perfons in FuneralSermons, fo his Prayers at the Houfe of Mourning were calculated to affift the Devotion of the Living, rather than to honour the Name of the Dead. So averfe was he to Flattery, that he studiously avoided all Appearances of it, and all Approaches to it.-[For this Reafon, in part, he declined preaching on a certain great and annual Occafion, when chofen to do it.]-When he catechifed the Children of his Flock, befides praying with them, he was wont to give them a fhort and familiar Lecture on fome Part of the Aembly's Catechism: which Practice he continu'd, fo long as his Strength would well allow him.

As

As a Preacher, be was juftly admired by all that heard him, and has been often recommended for a Pattern.

The Matter of his Preaching confifted of the great Things of God's Law and Gofpel. He often entertained his Hearers with affecting Meditations on the guilty, depraved, condemned, undone Eftate of the Race of Adam by Nature, in Confequence of the first Apoftacy, and by means of their increased Wickedness; and on those eternal Miferies hereafter; which they are every Moment expofed to. Whereby, he labour'd to awaken the Confciences of Sinners, to alarm their Fears, and excite their Concern to obtain the Salvation which is by JESUS CHRIST. And then his most beloved Themes were the wondrous Counfels and Works of the DIVINE TRINITY, refpecting this great Salvation; the Divine FATHER'S Appointment and Miffion of his Son to purchase it for us, and of his SPIRIT to reveal and apply it to us. Thefe were, either directly or reductively, the Subjects of his Preaching, in general.More particularly, his frequent Theme was the admirable Perfon of CHRIST, in his two diftinct Natures, of God and Man; his glorious Office of Mediator, in its various Views, Acts and Exercifes; his aftonishing Humiliation and Sufferings, Atonement for Sin, and Satisfaction to Divine Juftice; his perfect active and paffive Obedience, its infinite Value and Merit, and the everlafting Righteoufnefs brought in thereby; his victorious Refurrection, his triumphant Afcenfion into Heaven, and his Exaltation there to the Government of the whole Creation, and the Mediatorial vital Headship of his People; his continual Sympathy with them, and prevalent Interceffion for them, as their merciful and faithful High-Prieft; and his final Appearance, as the great Judge of Quick and Dead, when he shall be glorify'd in bis Saints, and admired in all them that believe.-Alfo the Divine Excellencies of the HOLY SPIRIT, the Neceffity of his Miffion and Agency, and eminently of his fpecial and efficacious Grace, or faving Influence on the Hearts of Men; convincing them of their Sin and Mifery, enlightning their Minds in