COncerning Nathanael, the Sub­ject of what is here said in the Text, these Four things may be consider'd by us, Who he was? What was his Country and Profession? What the man­ner of his Conversion? And what's the sense and meaning of this Character here given him by our Saviour?

[Page 2] 1. For his Person. Several Learned men have concluded that this holy man and St. Bartholomew were one and the same Person, it being usual with the Jews to be call'd by two Names, their own, and that of their Fathers; So Peter is call'd Barjona, Joseph, Barsabas; Joses, Barnabas; and Nathanael, Bartholomew; that is, the Son of Tholmai: And that which gives credit to this Opinion, is first, That Nathanael is reckon'd up with the other Apostles, to whom our Lord ap­pear'd at the Sea of Tiberias after his Resur­rection; There were together, says the Text,John 21. ver. 2. Simon Peter, and Thomas and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the Sons of Zebedee, and two other of his Disciples. 'Tis also observ'd, that, as our Evangelist St. John never sets down Bartholomew in the number of the A­postles, so the other three take as little no­tice of Nathanael; and as in this Chapter, Phillip and Nathanael are joyn'd together in coming to Christ, so the rest of the Evange­lists have Phillip and Bartholomew.

2. For his Country. And that we are told plainly in the fore-quoted place, was Cana in Galilee: What his Profession was, is [Page 3] not so certain;Tract. 7. in Joan. St. Augustin tells us that he was a Civilian, a learned Doctor of the Law; But, if we take him to be the same with Bartholomew, that, which Theodoret, and some other of the Fathers affirm, is the more likely, viz. that not only he, but all the A­postles in general, were Fishermen. God making choice of such mean Instruments to propagate the Gospel, that so his power in carrying it on might be made the more con­spicuous through their weakness.

3. For the manner of his Conversion. We have that in the 45th Verse of this Chap­ter; he was first brought to Christ by Phillip, who told him, That they had found him, of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth the Son of Joseph. And when he alledg'd that no good thing could come out of Nazareth, and consequently that the Messiah could not be born there (as in­deed he was not, but at Bethlehem, but only supposed to be of Nazareth, because he was educated there) Phillip bids him come and see the Person, and satisfie himself: At his first approach our Saviour welcomes him with this high Encomium in the Text, Be­hold [Page 4] an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile. Nathanael wondring at the Salutation, asks our Saviour, how he came to know him so well, since he had had hitherto no acquaintance with him; Our Saviour answer'd him, Be­fore that Phillip called thee, when thou wast un­der the Fig-tree, I saw thee. Convinc't with this instance of our Lords Divinity, forth­with he makes this Confession, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel. As if he had said, I do now believe, not be­cause of Phillips saying, but because I have heard thee my self, and know that thou art indeed the promised Messiah, the Person or­dained by God to be the King and Gover­nour of his Church.

4. We are now come to consider the Character here given him by our Saviour. An Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile; that is, he was a true honest hearted man; a person of great simplicity and integrity; An Israelite indeed, like Jaacob the Father of them,Gen. 25. 27. a plain man.

For the better and more useful understand­ing of this Particular, I shall do these two things. [Page 5]

• 1. Shew you what it is to be an Israelite in­deed, A person without guile.
• 2. What are some of those Considerati­ons that may engage us to be so. For there­fore does our Lord call upon us to behold Nathanael, that so we might endeavour to be like him, and to imitate his Exam­ple.

1. To shew you what it is to be an Israelite indeed—&c. In general hee's one, whose Principles are right, and whose Actions are conformable to his Principles; who in eve­ry case does that, which upon mature deli­beration appears most just and fit to him; who squares all his projects and practices by the sure rule of Gods Law and sound Rea­son, and, whom, it is not in the power of temptation, passion or prejudice, to warp from truth, or to bend into any sinful com­plyances: In our Saviours words, hee's one Matth. 22. 37 [...] 39. who loves God with all his heart, and loves his Neighbour as himself; In St. Paul's lan­guage, one, whose greatest care Acts 24. 16.and exercise it is, to keep a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards Men.

[Page 6] But that I may give you the more lively Portraiture of him, and thereby propose him with the greater advantage to your i­mitation, I shall be a little more particular; and, first, give you an account of his Religi­ous deportment towards God; and, se­condly, of his Civil conversation with men.

I. For his Religious Deportment towards God; and so he is one,

1. Who is Religious out of good Princi­ples; such as these, that there is an eternal God, infinitely good, wise land powerful, who is in every place, sees every thing, and not only takes notice of our actions, but knows our very hearts, and the most in­ward thoughts and intentions of them. That this God, as Governour of the World, and Judge of men, concerns himself in all humane affairs, disposes of all events, requires punctual obedience to his Laws, and will justly reward every man according as their hearts and practices bear a conformity to them. By such Principles as these, he is influenc'd on all occasions; here he begins and here he ends all his actions; thus he considers and [Page 7] proposes to himself; Verily there is a Re­ward for the Righteous, therefore I'l be just and righteous in all my Dealings; the Poor in Spirit shall inherit Heaven, therefore I'l la­bour to subdue my Pride; I'l forgive the In­juries that are done to me, because he that forgives, shall be forgiven; I'l be merciful to them in misery, because the merciful shall obtain mercy; I'l love my Enemies, because this makes me like to God and fit for Heaven; I'l bless them that curse me, because they that bless shall at last be most certainly bles­sed.

2. Whose Religion is inward, in the heart and soul, and not only in the outward Acti­on; whose Religion consists not meerly in External Services, or Bodily Exercises, but in an inward good complexion and virtuous disposition of Soul. This is that our Savi­our told his Disciples, and in them us, Matth. 5. 20. Except your Righteousness shall exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: The Righ­teousness of the Scribes and Pharisees was an External Righteousness, consisting of Exter­nal Rites, as Circumcision and Sacrifices; [Page 8] depending upon External Priviledges, as be­ing of the Seed of Abram and Stock of Is­rael; pretending to an external Sanctity and blamelesness of Conversation; These were the great Doctors of the Jewish Church, and they Expounded the Law no farther; with them no man was a Murderer, but he that sheath'd his Sword in his Brothers bowels; no man, an Adulterer, but he that actually lay with his Neighbours Wife; they thought it no Injustice or Irreligion to return an Eye for an Eye, and a Tooth for a Tooth, to re­taliate and revenge in the highest degree; so that, at the same time, their outward man might keep the Law, whilst their inward man brake it. But the Religion of a true Israe­lite sinks deeper, enters into his Soul, renews his Nature, curbing every exorbitant desire, and suppressing every irregular motion and affection of the Heart; hence, he is said to beGal. 6. 15. a new Creature, John 3. 3. to be born again, Eph. 4. 23. to be renew­ed in the spirit of his mind: and to this pur­pose are those words of St. Paul applicable, He is not a Jew that is one outwardly, neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh, Rom. 2. 28. but he is a Jew that is one inwardly; and Cir­cumcision [Page 9] is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God.

3. Whose Religion is regular and peacea­ble as well as pure; he never runs away with Objections upon hear-say, nor bespatters a­ny legal Constitutions before he examines them; he scruples not the use of some things that seem inconvenient to him, provided they are not sinful, (there being no Church under Heaven free from all exceptions as to matters of Discipline and Worship) and quietly and prudently submits to the lawful, nay, doubtful appointments of men, rather than the Bonds of Peace and Unity should be broken. He very well knows what a mortal Enemy all Factions and Divisions are to Religion, how, like a Canker, they eat out the Soul and Life of it, and therefore he sets himself with all his might and skill to com­pose and suppress all religious Differences, and like that brave Roman, is ready to Sacri­fice himself to fill up the wide Gulph that mens Contentions have made in the World. All separating Principles he abominates, and thinks nothing too deare a price to be laid [Page 10] down for Peace but Truth and Holy­ness.

4. He never takes up a Religion to serve a turn, to make it an Art to thrive by, or a Footstool to climb up to his affected Great­ness. He hates nothing more than to see men make Religion a Pander to Vice, and an Engine to give credit to their unwarrantable Undertakings; than to see them entitle God to their Villanies, and father their Pride and their Passion, their Enthusiastick Freaks and Delusions upon his Holy Spirit; such are they, who personate the Saint that they may with less suspicion play the Devil; that pro­stitute Religion to bad purposes, and use it as a paint to make ugly Designs look well-fa­vour'd. 2 Sam. 15. 7. Such an one was Absolom, who un­der the pretence of Devotion, and paying his Vows to God, design'd and plotted Rebel­lion against his Prince and Father; such an one was Ahab, 1 Kings 21. 9. who proclaim'd a Fast that he might kill Naboth, and take possession of his Vineyard; such were the Pharisees of old,Matth. 6. 16. what heavenly looks, what devout ge­stures, what long prayers, what frequent fastings, had they more than other men? [Page 11] you might have found them praying in eve­ry corner of the Street, and some of them did almost nothing else but pray; and yet all this did these demure Hypocrites make use of but as a Cloak to cover their Malice and ill Nature, their Rapine and Vio­lence.

5. As he does not take up Religion out of any worldly ends and designs, so neither does he lay it down upon such. As he de­spises the flatteries of the World, so hee's not afraid of its frowns; he fears not them that can kill the body, and chooses rather to loose all, than to let go his Integrity. How yielding and complying soever he may be in all matters of an indifferent nature, yet in a matter of plain Duty, when the honour of God and the interest of Religion is at stake, he is a man of the most steady and unshaken Principles, whom not all the ter­rors of his Adversaries can make to flinch or give way. How easily might Daniel, by omitting his Devotions to the God of Israel but thirty days,Dan. 6. 7. have outwitted his Enemies Malice, and disappointed the Law, that he knew was contrived on purpose against him, [Page 12] viz. That whosoever should ask a Petition of a­ny God or Man for thirty days, save of the King, should be cast into the Den of Lions; yet, what does he? he was neither afraid of theirs, nor the Lions rage, but although Dan. 6. 10. he knew the Writing was sign'd, went into his House, open'd his windows, and pray'd three times a day to his God as afore time. What a little measure of cunning and policy would many times have serv'd to have brought off the primitive Christians,Euseb. l. 8. c. 3. when they were apprehended and arraigned at the barr of their bloody Persecutors? when with money they might either have been excus'd from sacrificing, or suborn'd Witnesses that they had done it, though they did it not; when by making Friends, or complying in any the least par­ticular with their Idolatrous Worship, they might have escap'd; they chose rather to dye, than to be guilty in any degree of dis­sembling their holy Religion. The time would fail me, should I speak of the un­bended Constancy (or as the Heathens stil'd it,) obstinacy of Ignatius, Policarp, Justine, and those innumerable Armies of holy Mar­tyrs, who, with one word (Christiani sumus) [Page 13] tired out the Cruelties, and vanquisht the Tyrannies of their proudest Persecu­tors.

Having thus given you an Account of the true Israelite's religious Deportment towards God; I proceed

II. To represent to you his Civil conver­sation with men. As he throughly under­stands his Relations, Duties and Concern­ments in respect of men, so hee's careful to discharge them with no less uprightness and integrity. But here, that I may not be te­dious, I must croud up many Particulars in a little room; He is one,

Who is immoveably Loyal to his Prince, and thinks himself bound to be so by the same Principles, as he is, to be Religious, namely, of Conscience and the highest fear. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, Rom. 13. 2, 5. not only for wrath, but for conscience sake: They that resist, receive to themselves damnation.

Who is sincere in his words, and when­ever he speaks, takes care that his words tru­ly express the thoughts and intentions of his mind. And though sometimes, for good [Page 14] reasons he may conceal his mind, and not at every turn shoot his Bolt, and satisfie every impertinent Enquirer, yet he never denies or minces the Truth when he ought, and is cal­led to declare it. His mind and his tongue ever go together, and without the help of an equivocation or mental reservation, are al­ways found at a perfect agreement with one another. This is that simplicity of Con­versation our Saviour requires,when he says, Matth. 5. 37. Let your Communication be Yea, yea; Nay, nay.

Who is faithful in his Promises, and ne­ver fails to make them good, although it be to his own prejudice; as he is careful not to run himself into Inconveniences by hasty Promises, so he is as sollicitous to crown them with honest performance; choosing rather to keep his word with loss, than to break it for his advantage. Remembring that Gods Promises are Yea and Amen; hee's never at ease till his are so too, and it can be nothing but an utter disability in him, if at any time he proves worse than his word. This the Psalmist makes one chief ingre­dient in the true Israelite,Psalm 15. 4. He that swear­eth [Page 15] to his own hurt, and changeth not.

Who is upright in his Dealings; whom no temptations of profit, nor freedon from the fears of discovery can entice, either by fraud or violence, to do the least wrong or injury to his Neighbour; He takes advan­tage of no mans ignorance or unskilfulness to outwit or over-reach him; of no mans over­sight or mistake, to turn it to his own bene­fit; of no mans easiness or confidence in him, to beguile or betray him: The more likely he is to be believ'd, the more careful he is what he speaks; the less liable to be suspected, the closer he keeps to the Rules of Honesty: So exact is he in his Trading, and so afraid of the unclean portion of In­justice, that he studiously declines all those ways of gaining that have but a bad name, and are only suspected to be evil, choosing rather to be poor,Jer. 17. 11. than to get riches, and not by right.

Who is above all flattery and dissimulati­on; he never fawns upon any mans person to gain his favour, nor complies with any mans humour by speaking or acting against the sense of his mind; and although he be [Page 16] a man of great Candour and Ingenuity, of great sweetness and obligingness in his Dis­course and Conversation, yet he never speaks, only to please, but to edifie, and cares not much what offence his Discourse gives,Eph. 4. 29. so it be useful and according to Truth.

Who perfectly hates all Slander and Ca­lumny; who is so far from inventing evil things, and falsly imputing them to his Neighbour, that he always thinks and speaks the best of men, puts the most favou­rable construction on their words and acti­ons, and when an evil Report is brought to him, chooses rather to let it dye in his hands, than to add to it, or make it worse in the telling of it.Psalm 15. 3. He backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doth evil to his Neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his Neigh­bour.

Who is of a tender heart and open hand to the poor and needy: whose Charity con­sists not in empty good will and good wishes, in unprofitable good words and fair promi­ses without performance, like that men­tion'd in St. James, James 2. 16. Depart in peace, be warm'd, [Page 17] be fill'd, but giving nothing; but, in good Deeds, in free and liberal Contributions, in an active,1 Thess. 1. 3. expensive, indefatigable Bene­ficence, call'd by the Apostle, Heb. 6. 10. a work and la­bour of love.

To name no more: Who is true to his trust, and if by the Providence of God he comes to be rais'd to the Office of a Ma­gistrate, he considers more the duty of his place than the honour and dignity of it; and laying aside all by-ends of popular ap­plause and worldly advantages, not re­garding the smiles or the frowns of men, their dislikes or their approbations, sets himself to do that, which in his Conscience he thinketh to be just and fit, most condu­cive to the Glory of God and the publick Good.

Having thus shewn you what it is to be an Israelite indeed, I come now to set before you those Considerations that may engage you to be so. To this purpose

[Page 18] 1. This is the best and most honourable Character that can be given of a man. Therefore it is that our Saviour calls us to behold Nathanael, as a rare and excellent Person. Behold an Israelite indeed. After the same manner does God speak of Job, he brings him in, (if the expression may be pardon'd) as it were in a boasting man­ner, Job 1. 8. Hast thou consider'd my servant Job, that there is none like him in the Earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? This is the Character of a man that's blessed, and to whom God im­putes no sin:Psalm 32. 2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sin, and in whose spirit there is no guile. The Character of a man that's fit to approach the Glory and Presence of God; Lord, who shall dwell in thy Taber­nacle? who shall rest upon thy holy Hill? he that walketh uprightly and worketh righteous­ness, and speaketh the Truth in his heart. This is the Character, that's given of Christ him­self, 1 Pet. 2. 22. who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.

[Page 19] 2. The upright man is most likely to find safety and protection in this World. He designing only that which is fair and reasonable, he giving no just occasion of offence or provocation to any, is not likely to meet with many Adversaries, at least not with many such as will prove very mischievous and mortal to him. No Wise man will trouble him, all good men will love him, and so prudently does he mannage himself and his Affairs, that those that love him not, cannot easily find an occasion to do him much hurt; Who is he that will harm you, says the Apostle, if ye be followers of that which is good? 1 Pet. 3. 13. To this we may add, that his integrity entitles him to the promise of God, and the care of his particular Providence. Righteousness being the Glory of Gods own Nature, and that for which he infinitely loves and e­steems himself, cannot, wheresoever it re­sides, but engage God for its protection: There is a near resemblance, and conse­quently a kind of friendship between God and all good men, so that it is not in his [Page 20] power not to be good to the good.Psalm 11. 7. The righteous Lord loveth righteousness, his coun­tenance beholds the upright. God is the Go­vernour of all men in general, says Salvian, but especially of those that deserve to be go­verned; that is, that deserve better than o­ther men. Great was that saying of Hermoge­nes in Plutarch, The Gods that know all things, and can do all things, are so much my Friends, and so highly concern'd for my welfare, that I am ne­ver night nor day out of their watchful Provi­dence; whatever I do I have their assistance; what­ever I design I have their direction; wherever I go I am under their wing and protection. Now the protection God affords good men is usually by the Ministry of holy Angels. The Platonists tell us, That as men change their Natures, and grow either better or worse, they have the higher or lower Genij or Angels to attend upon them. And so much is said of Socrates's Genius, that it hath fill'd the Antients with matter of Dis­course and Writing too: This is certain, that all good men are the particular charge of holy Angels; for them do those morn­ing Stars rise and set; for them do those [Page 21] winged Messengers of Heaven go forth and return.Psal. 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord pitcheth his Tents about those that fear him, and deli­vers them. Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all Ministring Spi­rits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation?

3. The Upright man is most certain to find comfort and support in the midst of all those Troubles and Calamities that be­fall him in this World. Integrity indeed is the best Security that can be against them; but so bad is the World, that sometimes an Upright man suffers in it, and that too, for his uprightness; but then his uprightness fills him with joy and peace unspeakable in the midst of them.Psalm 119. 16▪ Great peace have they who love thy Law, says the Psalmist, and nothing shall offend them: Not, but that the Winds may blow as fiercely, and the Storm fall as heavily upon them as upon others; but then, they have that within, which others want, a good Conscience and a sense of the Divine Favour, to bear them up from fainting under them. A strong high wind may shake his Branches, and cause his Leaves to fall, may strip him [Page 22] of all his outward Beauty and Glory, but it can never pull him up by the Roots, and make him fall. A violent Storm and a ra­ging Sea may tare his Tackling, and rend his Mast, but he shall escape with little or no damage whilest he sees others sink down and perish.Isa. 43. 2. When thou passest through the Waters I will be with thee, and through the Rivers, they shall not overflow thee. Well might the Apostle call it the Eph. 6. 14▪ Breast-plate of Righteousness. So long as he is at peace with his own Mind, he has such a Castle of De­fence to fly to, when he is beaten out of all other Holds, which no Violence nor Malice can storm and batter; what cares he for all the Threatnings of his Adversaries, who knows that his heavenly Father holds their Malice in a Chain, and how fiercely soever they may bark, will not suffer them to bite him, but when it is for his good, for his Spiritual Improvement and Advan­tage.

4. The Upright man is in the direct way to Eternal Happiness: At that great and last Day of Reckoning, when all the deceitful [Page 23] Works of Darkness shall be discover'd, and all mysterious Wickedness shall have its Masks pull'd off; when persons and things shall appear, as they are, without any Var­nish or Paint to set them off; when all per­verse Intrigues shall be unravell'd, and all practices of unjust and malitious Guile be expos'd to shame; when no man shall de­ceive God, as he did Men, with a disguise of Piety, nor no Wolf in Sheep's clothing steal on his right hand; then shall the Righ­teous man stand forth in great boldness, his Case shall be rightly stated, his Person fully clear'd from all slanderous Aspersions; what he hath done shall be approved; what he hath lost shall be repay'd; his Mistakes and Infirmities shall be overlook't and par­don'd; his Alms and good Works shall be remembred and abundantly rewarded. 1 Cor. 4. 5. God will judge the secrets of men, and make mani­fest the hidden counsels of the heart, and then shall every man have praise of God. Psalm 37. 37. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace.

[Page 24] What I have here said of the Upright man in general; 'tis most easie to Apply. I believe it hath been done all this while by them that knew the Vertuous and Gene­rous Mind that lately inhabited this Body. They know the truth of all I shall say, and much more that might be justly said in his Praise and Commendation.

To pass over the Quality of his Birth and Extraction, although he had the Blessing to be descended from a Worthy and Anti­ent Family, whose Zeal for God and his Church, as well as the Advantages of Birth and Estate made them eminent in their Country.

Not to mention likewise the Natural En­dowments of his Mind, though they were much above the rate of ordinary mens; in whom was found so happy a Conjunction of a tenacious Memory and strong Judg­ment, of a sharp Wit and piercing Under­standing, that it made him excellent in his Profession, admirably accomplisht for a [Page 25] discreet dispatch of Business, and a most useful Member to the Publick in his Gene­ration.

Not to insist on these, I choose to speak of his Moral qualifications, and these the rather, as being in the Judgment of Christ himself, most deserving our notice and ob­servation: Here then also you may behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there was no guile.

I need not tell you, that His Profession was that of the Reform'd Religion, as the Doctrine and Discipline of it is establisht by Law in the Church of England; and in­deed, if a constant and devout attendance on the Worship and Service of God, a pas­sionate Zeal for his Church, an uncessant Care for it's Prosperity, an universal love and concern for all that own'd it, be any convincing Arguments of a man's Since­rity in his Religion, never was there any Person who gave a clearer testimony of it, than he did. Such was his love to all pub­lick [Page 26] Solemnities of Worship, that he sel­dome fai'd (unless prevented by Sickness or most indispensable Occasions) to be present at them; and so humble and de­vout was his Carriage and Demeanour in them, that 'twas hard for any person to observe it, and not to be warm'd and ex­cited by his Flames. So steady and devo­ted a Member was he to this Church, that he could not speak of its Dangers without some disturbance to himself, nor mention its Divisions without tears; How unwea­ried was he in his Endeavours to promote its Interest, to win upon its Enemies, and to encourage its Friends? Amongst others, the Clergy and Ministers of it had not the least share in his esteem and affection; he never seem'd more chearful than when he was in their Company; never better pleas'd than when they were at his Table: To all men he was very Courteous and Obliging; but 'twas here that he shew'd his respects with delight and complacency.

[Page 27] Answerable to this his Behaviour to­wards God, was his Conversation with Men. It would be too tedious to name all Particulars; therefore not to mention the Vertues that are more common, those that shone brightest in him, were such as in this loose and distracted Age, are not to be found in many, I mean, his Loyal­ty to his Prince, and his Charity to all that stood in need of it.

His was true primitive Loyalty, without any Roman Shifts or Jesuitical Evasions or Fanatical Distinctions, holding himself oblig'd in all Cases that are not sinful, actively and chearfully to obey, but in no case and for no reason whatsoever, to resist, Authority. He was the man, that instead of finding fault with Governours, sought God for them; instead of scanning and censuring Acts of State, earnestly im­plored Gods direction of them; instead of venting complaints about the state of things, daily petition'd God for the Setlement of of them in good order.

[Page 28] And of the same genuin stamp was his Benevolence and Charity to his Fellow-Subjects, which he on all occasions ma­nifested, by composing their Differences and relieving their Necessities. These were more than any thing his daily business, his Meat and Drink, his Pleasure and Re­creation: In his younger years, when he practis'd, what pains would he take to loose a Client, and to prevent a Law Suit? How ready was he at all times to take up Quarrels, and how unwearied, till he had put an end to them, never medling with o­ther mens business, but only when 'twas to oblige them, or to make them Friends?

To this blessed work of making Peace, did he add that other of shewing Mercy. His Charity was very large and diffusive, not confin'd to his Kindred and Relations, but flowing in several Channels, to all that need­ed it, to more than ask't it, most of all to the Widows and Orphans of such, especial­ly Churchmen, whose narrow Fortunes, or untimely deaths, whose Fidelity to the [Page 29] Crown, or Sufferings for the Church, had disabled them to make any better provision for them; a considerable number whereof, as I am credibly inform'd, had the greatest part of their Livelyhood, if not their total Subsistence from him. And as he liv'd daily doing good, so was he not unmind­ful to leave sufficient Evidences of his kind and charitable Disposition at his Death, having bequeath'd, almost to all the places where he had spent any considerable part of his Life, several large Legacies either for the Poor's Relief, or other pious and pub­lick Uses. In sum, such was his uniforme and comely Demeanour, such his comply­ant and inoffensive Conversation, such his fair and punctual Dealing, such his univer­sally-loving and benign temper of Mind, that they deservedly begat in all that ob­serv'd him, a very great esteem and vene­ration for him, insomuch, that its not easie to name the Person, that had more Friends or fewer Enemies.

I have but one thing more to add, which [Page 30] yet gives a farther lustre to this excellent Per­son, and that is, the admirable Patience and great constancy of Mind, wherewith he en­dured his Disease, encountred Death, and triumpht over it. For any man to bear mise­ry well, has been ever accounted so great an honour, that some of the Ancient Heathens have too extravagantly thought, it equal'd men to God himself, who is not capable of Mi­sery; That (says one of them) is truly Divine, to have the frailties of a man, the security of a God. Now in all the time of his long and painful Sickness; who ever saw him discomposed? who ever heard an impatient or discontented word from him? It was my happiness to be frequently with him, (I call it so, there being very much to be learn'd from his example) at all times I saw great cause to admire his Faith towards God, his Zeal for his Church, his constancy of Mind, his contempt of the World, his willingness to dye, and his chear­ful hopes of Eternity. And in this serene and undisturb'd temper of Soul, full of Faith and Hope, he fell asleep, and exchang'd this Life for a better. Now farewel pious and [Page 31] vertuous Soul, the Poor's Relief, the Wi­dow's Patron, the Church's Friend, the King's Loyal Subject, and Gods most faithful Ser­vant. May thy Name and Memory ever live in our breasts! And may thy Vertues and Example be ever fruitful in our Lives! That so at the great and last day we may meet to­gether again in unspeakable Joy, where Sin and Sorrow and Death shall be no more. Which God of his infinite Mercy grant, &c.