DAVID BOSTWICK, A. M.

MR. DAVID BOSTWICK, if not a Scotchman born, was

at least of Scotch extraction, and bred up in the Presbyterian persuasion. The time of his birth appears to be about the year 1719. When or where he took upon him the office of a pastor, we cannot learn; but Mr. Smith, in his history of New York, says, that he was translated from Jamaica [a small village upon Long Island] to New York, by a synodical decree, in the year 1757. The place of worship where he officiated, stands, or rather stood (for it has been much injured by the civil war in America), near the scite of Trinity Church in that city. This church was wholly demolished by the conflagration, occasioned by some incendiaries among the Americans, after the flight of their army in October 1776. The late Mr. Whitefield preached several times in Mr. Bostwick's weeting-house, while he was at New York. About twelve or fourteen hundred souls composed the congregation under Mr. Bostwick's pastoral care. In this charge he continued from the year above-mentioned to the 12th of November in the year 1763; when he was called from the church militant on earth to the church triumphant in heaven. He departed this life in the forty-fourth year of his age, in the misdt of life and of usefulness. But the righteous are often taken from the evil. The heats, distractions, and bitteraway ness, which rose about or soon after his death, would have distressed his placid spirit, which was by no means calculated to mingle in public confusions, nor, when excited, to appease them. He left a widow with ten children to the goodness of Providence; and his remains lie buried in the front isle of the meeting-house, where for near seven years he had faithfully preached.

In the history of New York above-mentioned, which was written before Mr. Bostwick's decease, the author (in p. 193.) gives this testimony of his character. Mr. Bostwick is of a mild, catholic disposition; and, being a man of piety, prudence and zeal, confines himself entirely to the proper business of his function. In the art of preaching, he is one of the most distinguished clergymen in these parts. His discourses are methodical, sound, and pa

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thetic; in sentiment, and in point of diction, singularly ornamental. He delivers himself without notes, and yet with great ease and fluency of expression, and performs every part of divine worship with a striking solemnity."

The religious world has been blessed with but two publications, composed by this excellent man. The one is a sermon, preached by him at Philadelphia, before a synodical meeting, on the 25th of May 1758, and published at their request. The title of it is, SELF disclaimed and CHRIST exalted: And it has since been reprinted by Mathews in the Strand, London, in the year 1776. The English editor, in an advertisement prefixed, says, That it was so cordially received by the audience (which is very seldom the case with heart-searching discourses like this) that, at their earnest desire, it was sent to the press; and the late Mr. Gilbert Tennent gave it his warm recommendation.' And very justly. It is a sermon for MINISTERS, and enters more deeply into the subtle workings and base motives of the human heart, than any sermon of the kind we have ever seen. It is written with great plainness, but not with a "slovenly" plainness: On the con trary, it is a perspicuous, methodical, and affectionate discourse, and just such as every sincere minister would wish to speak to his own soul. There are indeed no affected turns, no studied phraseology; but there is, what is infinitely better to a spiritual mind, a deep acquaintance with the things of GoD, and an hearty zeal for the glory of Jesus Christ and the good of souls. It is not carefully ornamental, yet sufficiently correct; not tricked off with the wisdom of the flesh, yet clear and convincing in the demonstration of the Spirit. Every man, who ventures to speak for GoD, would do himself a favour to have this very excellent sermon in his closet; as, we might be bold to say, he ought to hold his tongue, if he has not the principles of it engraven upon his heart.

The other Tract is entitled, "A fair and rational Vindication of the Right of Infants to the Ordinance of Baptism, being the substance of several discourses from Acts ii. 39." This, though a posthumous piece, is an able performance; and perhaps one of the ablest, in a small compass, on that side of the question. We are told by the American editor, That the author composed it for the pulpit, and delivered it in sundry sermons, but a few weeks before his decease; which being found to have a very happy effect, in the confirmation and establishment of some wavering minds among his own people, he was urged to transcribe his notes

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for the press; but soon after he had begun this work, he was (as to the particular time of it) unexpectedly called to his superior station in GoD's temple above. Yet, by a kind providence, a few days before his last illness, a young minister who had a desire to improve himself by Mr. Bostwick's notes, which were written in a kind of shorthand of his own invention, applied to him; and, at his request, Mr. Bostwick spent several hours in teaching him to understand them, and, by his means, the copy was recovered from oblivion.'

His character yet lives in New York, though perhaps few men confined themselves more within their circle of duty, or felt more humility, or shewed more freedom from all ostentation. He not only preached the gospel, but lived over what he preached, respected by good men of all denominations. His conversation, led by the Spirit of his meek and lowly Master, breathed nothing but peace and gentleness to all men. He was sorely grieved, when some of his flock became, not fervent Christians, but furious politicians. Mr. Bostwick's heavenly temper and quiet deportment did not perfectly please these religio-political professors; for he knew, that his Saviour's kingdom was not of this world, and that it was no part of a Christian minister's duty to entangle himself with it. He abhorred, as he ought, the too frequent mixture of divinity and politics, and much more the abominable turpitude of making the former subservient to the latter. Thus he lived, and thus he died, an example worthy of imitation, but unhappily not followed, even by those for whom his affections and concern were more immediately engaged!

We are obliged for the further account of this great and good man, which we shall subjoin, to the Editor of his Tract on Baptism."

'As a man, he was something above the middle stature, comely, and well-set, his aspect grave and venerable; formed by nature with a clear understanding, quick apprehension, prompt elocution, and solid judgment; his imagination strong and lively, and his memory very tenacious. Of all these, he gave the most convincing proofs, both in public and private life. He directed the course of his studies, in a close and intimate subserviency to the great business of his profession. The apostle's direction, Give thyself wholly to these things, might have been his motto. In divinity his great strength lay. He had an admirable discernment of truth and error in their causes, connections, and consequences; and believed and taught the pure doctrines of Christianity,

Christianity, as contained in the Holy Scriptures, and as declared in the public confessions of the reformed churches, in their original and genuine meaning. He beheld his BIBLE with reverence, as the grand charter of life eternal. One of the reformed churches distinguished it by this title, Ecce paradisus noster! Behold our paradise!' He knew it to be a revelation from God, and the most wonderful book in the world. He saw its external and internal evidence, not only by nature's light, aided by human learning, but also by special illumination from above. He considered it not only as a system of divine knowledge, but as revealing a practical and experimental discipline; and felt its vital energy, and had its truth sealed on his heart, with that kind of evidence, which would doubtless have stood the fire upon the severest trial.

He had those gifts which rendered him a very popular preacher. With a strong commanding voice, his pronunciation was clear, distinct, and deliberate; his speech and gesture decent and natural, without any affectation; his language elegant and pure, but with studied plainness, never below the dignity of the pulpit, nor above the capacity of the meanest of his auditory. The strength of his me mory, and the flow of his elocution, enabled him to preach without notes, but seldom or never extempore: He furnished the lamps of the sanctuary with beaten oil; and the matter and method of his sermons were well studied.

In treating divine subjects, he manifested an habitual reverence for the Majesty of heaven, a deep sense of the worth of souls, an intimate knowledge of the human heart, and its various workings in its two-fold state of nature and grace. He dealt faithfully with his hearers, declaring to them the whole counsel of GoD, shewing them their danger and remedy. He always spake from a deep sense of the truths he delivered, and declared those things which he had seen and which he had heard, and his hands had handled of the word of life; and delivered nothing to his auditory but with a solemnity that discovered its importance.

His mind had a poetic turn. His style was copious and florid. He sometimes soared, when his subject would admit of it, with an elevated wing; and his imagination enabled him to paint the scene, whatever it was, in very strong and lively colours. Few men could describe the hideous deformity of sin, the misery of man's apostasy from Gon, the wonders of redeeming love, the glory and riches of divine grace, in stronger lines and more affecting strains than be. VOL. IV.

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In the conduct of life, he was remarkably gentle towards all men, vastly prudent and cautious, and always behaved with the meekness of wisdom.-He preached not himself, but Christ Jesus his Lord. In this view his eve was single, and he regarded no other object. He knew in whose place he stood, and feared no man. He dared to flash the terrors of the law in the face of the stoutest transgressor, with the same freedom as he displayed the amiable beauties and glories of the gospel for the comfort and refreshment of the penitent believer.

As he highly honoured his divine Master, he was highly favoured by him, of which take one instance:

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In a former illness, from which it was thought he could not recover, which happened some months before he died, he was greatly distressed by a deep concern for his widow and his great family, on the event of his death. But GoD was pleased, in a time of great extremity, to grant him a glorious and astonishing view of his power, wisdom, and goodness, and the riches of his grace, with a particular appropriation to himself and his. Such as dispelled every fear, and at that time rendered him impatient (or averse) to live; but at length, on his recovery, which commenced immediately on the removal of this distress, his mind settled into a divine calm: He seemed equally willing to live or die, as Goo pleased. In this temper he continued to his last moment, when placidly he resigned his soul and all his mortal interests, into the hands of HIS SAVIOUR and HIS GOD! Such intercourse sometimes passes between the Father of Spirits and the human spirit, and such honour have they that fear God!'

GEORGE WHITEFIELD, A. B. SCARCE

CE any man since the apostolic age, has more fully met with at least the treatment of the apostles, mentioned by St. Paul, than the subject of the present memoir : For the exercise of their ministry was, indeed, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things, 2 Cor. vi. 8, &c. They who can justly solve this paradox,