fully upon his soul, that he became an excellent preacher of the gospel, and had a happy art of conveying saving truths into the minds and hearts of men. He did not entertain his bearers with mere curiosities, but with spiritual food, faithfully dispensing the bread of life, whose vital sweetness and nourishing virtue is by the Holy Spirit rendered both productive and preservative of the life of souls. He preached Christ crucified, our only wisdom and righteousness, sanctification, and redemp tion. His great design was to convince sinners of their absolute want of Christ, that with flaming affections they might be led to him by his convincing Spirit, and from his fulness receive divine grace. This is to water the tree at the root, whereby it becomes both flourishing and fruitful; whereas only laying down moral rules for the exercise of virtue, too frequently ends in words only, without any real effect in the life and conversation. short, his sermons were clear, solid, and affectionate. His words came from his soul, and from warm affections, and they entered into the breasts of his hearers: Of this many serious and judicious persons were witnesses, who long attended upon his ministry with profit and delight. In His constant diligence in the service of Christ was becoming his zeal for the glory of his master, and his love to the souls of men. He preached thrice a-week while he had opportunity and strength, esteeming his labour in his sacred office both his highest honour and his pleasure. At the first appearance of an ulcer in his mouth, which he was told to be cancerous, he was observed to be not more concerned thereat, than as it was likely to hinder his delightful work of preaching; and when he enjoyed ease, and after wasting sickness was restored to some degree of strength, he joyfully returned to his duty. Nay, when his pains were tolerable, preaching was his best antidote when others failed; and after his preaching, the reflection upon the divine goodness, that had given him strength for the discharge of the service, was a great relief of his pains. His sermons, which, we have observed, were clear, solid and affectionate, were printed in a fair and lively character in his conversation. He was an example to believers, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. He was of a stayed mind, temperate passions, and moderate in counsels. In managing affairs of moment, he was not not vehement and confident, not imposing and overbearing, but receptive of advice, and yielding to reason. His compassionate charity and beneficence were very conspicuous amongst his other graces. His heart was given to Gon, and his relieving hand was open to the living images of GOD, whose pressing wants he felt with tender affections, and he was greatly instrumental in supplying them. As his life adorned the gospel, so also his death was exemplary to others, and gracious and comfortable to himself. The words of men leaving the world make usually the deepest impressions, being spoken most feelingly and truly, and with the least affectation. Death reveals the secrets of men's hearts: And the testimonies of dying saints, how gracious a Master they have served, and how sweet his service has been to their souls, have a mighty influence upon those about them. In his last sickness, which was long and painful, his first work was, to yield himself with resigned submission to the will of GOD. When a dear friend of his first visited him, he said, "I am in the use of means; but "I think my appointed time is come, that I must die : "If my life might be serviceable to convert or build "up one soul, I should be content to live; but if "GOD hath no work, for me to do, here I am, let "him do with me as he pleaseth: But to be with "Christ is best of all." Another time he told the same person, "That now it was visible it was a determined "case: The Lord would not hear the prayer, to bless "the means used for his recovery," therefore desired his friends to be willing to resign him to GOD, saying, "It will not be long before we meet in heaven, "never to part more, and there we shall be perfectly "happy: There neither your doubts and fears, nor "my pains and sorrows, shall follow us, nor our "sins, which is best of all." After a long continuance in his languishing condition, without any sensible alteration, being asked how he did, he replied, "I lie here, "but get no ground for heaven or earth :" Upon which one said, Yes, in your preparations for heaven.' "O yes, said he, there I sensibly get ground, I bless "GOD." An humble submission to the divine pleasure was the habitual frame of his soul. Whether the hope of his recovery were raised or sunk, he was content in every dispensation of providence, His patience under sharp and continuing pains was admirable. The most difficult part of a Christian's duty, the sublimest degree of holiness upon earth, is to bear tormenting pains with a meek and quiet spirit. Then faith is made perfect in works; and this was eminently verified in his long trial. His pains were very severe, proceeding from a cancerous humour that spread itself in his joints, and preyed upon the tenderest membranes, the most sensible parts, yet his patience was invincible. How many restless nights did he pass through without the least murmuring or reluctancy of spirit! He patiently suffered very grievous things through Christ that strengthened him; and in his most afflicted condition was thankful. But neither disease, nor even death itself, could disturb the blessed composure of his soul, which was kept by the peace of God that passes all understanding. Such was the divine mercy, he had no auxiety about his future state, but a comfortable assurance of the Lord's favour, and his title to the eternal inheritance. He had a substantial double joy in the reflection upon his life spent in the faithful service of Christ, and the prospect of a blessed eternity ready to receive him. This made him long to be above. He said with some regret, "Death flies from me; I make no haste to my Father's "house." But the wise and gracious GoD, who is rich in mercy, having tried his faithful servant, at length gave him the crown of life, which he hath promised to those that love him, and live and die in the Lord. His body, that poor relict of frailty, is committed in trust to the grave. His soul sees the face of God in righteousness, and is satisfied with his likeness. He died of a cancerous humour, in the Countess of Exeter's house, on the twenty-seventh of March 1687, in the sixty-sixth year of his age, leaving behind him an incomparable library of the most valuable books, in all parts of learning; which was afterwards sold by auction for thirteen hundred pounds. His funeral sermon was preached by Dr. Bates, and dedicated to the above pious Lady Exeter. His Works are, "A Commentary on the first four Verses of the viiith chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, 4to. A Treatise of Holy Dedication, both personal and domestic, written after the fire of London, and recommended to the citizens, after their return to their rebuilt habitations, and other tracts. A Funeral Sermon for Mr. M. Martin. Another for Mr. Vines, with an account of his life.-Another for Mr. Case, with a narrative of his life and death. The life and death of Mr. William Whitaker, son of the famous Mr. Jer. Whitaker. Two Sermons in the Morning Exercise.' A Sermon at St. Paul's, Oct. 26, 1656. A Sermon before the Lord Mayor, &c. at the Spittal.' JOHN BUNYAN, JOHN BUNYAN, Author of the justly admired allegory of the "Pilgrim's Progress," was born at Elstow, near Bedford, in the year 1628. His parents, though very mean, took care to give him that learning which was suitable to their condition, bringing him up to read and write; he quickly forgot both, abandoning himself to all manner of wickedness, but not without frequent checks of conscience. He was often affrighted with dreams, and terrified with visions in the night; and twice narrowly escaped drowning. Being a soldier in the parliament army, at the siege of Leicester, in 1645, he was drawn out to stand sentinel; but another soldier of his company desired to take his place, to which he agreed, and thereby probably escaped being shot through the head by a musket-ball, which took off his comrade. About this time he married, having no other portion with his wife than the two following books, left by her late father, The Plain Man's Pathway to Heaven;' and The Practice of Piety.' Bunyan often reading in these books, and his wife frequently telling him of her father's religious holy life, and how he reproved-vice and immorality both in his own house and among his neighbours, begat in him some desires to reform his vicious course of life; and accordingly he went to church twice a-day, with a great deal of seeming devotion, but still was not able to forsake his sins. One day being at play with his companions, he says, "A voice suddenly darted from heaven into my soul, say"ing, Wilt thou leave thy sins and go to heaven, or have "thy sins and go to hell?" This put him into such a consternation, that he immediately left his sport, and looking up to heaven, thought he saw, with the eyes of his understanding, the Lord Jesus looking down upon him, as highly displeased with him, and threatening him with some grievous punishment for his ungodly practices. At another time, whilst he was throwing out oaths, he was severely reproved by a woman, who was herself a notorious sinner, and who told him he was the ugliest fellow for 'swearing that ever she heard in all her life; that he was ' able to spoil all the youth of the town, if they came but into his company. This reproof, coming from a woman whom he knew to be very wicked, filled him with secret shame, and wrought more with him than many that had been given him before by those that were sober and godly, and made him, from that time, very much refrain from it. A little time after this, he fell into company with a poor man that made a profession of religion, whose conversation of religion and of the Scriptures so affected Mr. Bunyan, that he began to read the Bible, and with some degree of pleasure, especially the historical part; for as yet he was ignorant both of the corruption and depravity of his nature, and of the want and worth of Jesus Christ. This however produced an outward reformation in his life and conversation, and he set the commandments before him as his guide to heaven; which, while he thought be kept, he had comfort, but when he broke any of them, his conscience was filled with guilt and horror: nevertheless, by a partial repentance, and promises to GoD of future amendment, he quieted himself, thinking then (to use his own words) that he pleased GOD " as well as any man "in England." In this state he continued about a year, his neighbours all wondering at his reformation, and they who formerly spoke ill of him, now began to praise and commend him, both to his face and behind his back; which as he knew nothing yet of Christ, nor the nature of grace, nor faith, nor hope, only filled him with pride and hypocrisy. "I was all this while (says he) igno❝rant of Jesus Christ, and going about to establish my own righteousness, and had perished therein, had not "GOD, in mercy, shewed me more of my state by na❝ture." 66 His father brought him up to his own business, which was that of a tinker: And going one day into Bedford to seek work, he heard three or four poor women sitting together, conversing of the things of GOD. He drew near to them, to hear what they said, for by this time he was a great talker, particularly about himself, in matters of religion; "but (says he) I heard but understood not, for they were far above my reach.” Their talk was about |