fore must have high ideas of him, as having by religion and virtuous difcipline, got above the common weakneffes of human nature. There was, indeed, no part of his character more to be admired than this.

His mind was formed for friendship. He entered into the true fpirit of it, and had a great relish for those strict intimacies in which only the highest joys of it can be tafted. But it will be readily concluded from his character, that it must be with very few that he could enter into fuch intimacies. When he did, the generofity of his fpirit, the tenderness of his affection, and faithful conftancy, muft render that relation very happy to his friend. His diary fhews, that he had fome fuch friendfhips, and he frequently mentions them with a fpirit which became that facred relation.

Bur he was a hearty friend, in the general acceptation of that term, to all men of worth, and ready to do good to all as he had opportunity. He was indeed sparing in profeffions, but never failed in important acts of kindness. And where he thought refpect was due, he came fhort of no one in paying it. But had a juft fenfe how unworthy

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worthy it was of him to put on appearances of respect to the worthlefs; and a fhew of honour and regard, where difregard only and neglect were to be justly expected. From this mean vice no man was ever more free. He knew what was due to others, and what he owed to himfelf; and was peculiarly happy in maintaining the dignity of of his own character, confiftently with modefty and the greatest meekness of Spirit.

A

He took much pleasure in directing and affifting young candidates in their studies; and was always ready to enter into converfation with them upon any points, with the difficulty of which their minds were preffed and entangled. But made it his care principally to affift their reafonings, and in forming their judgments of things by argument, and according to evidence; endeavouring to encourage liberty of thinking, and to take them off from all undue regard to authority, as he was himself the most diftant poffible from claiming any, or thinking the worfe even of the youngest learner for differing from him in difputable points.

HIS

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His faithfulness to his friends fhewed itfelf remarkably in one thing, which is amongst the very tendereft offices, and requires the discreetest hand, that is, animadverting freely upon their culpable weakneffes. This he never failed of doing when there was the leaft profpect of advantage from it. And tho' he could act this part with severity enough when that was neceffary, yet it was so tempered with good-will, and an apparent intention to serve the best purposes, that no one, not quite loft to ingenuous fentiments, could be displeased with him. And he thoroughly understood how to addrefs himself to men in the most effectual manner, and could touch the affections and fprings of action, with great dexterity, fuiting his application to the various tempers of men, which no one could more readily find

out.

His first appearances, as a preacher, promifed very confiderable things, but he quickly exceeded all the expectations of his friends. Through the whole time of his ministry in the north, he preached without the use of his notes in the pulpit; yet was

feldom

feldom or ever at a lofs. A clear, composed, and affured mind, with a choice and fluency of words which never failed him, and a ftrong and faithful memory made the delivery of his fermons easy to him; as a great compafs of invention and readiness of thought, made the compofition of them. For fome years he delivered his fermons with a very great pathos, which tended to ftrike the imaginations and paffions of his hearers. But he departed very much from this in his riper age, avoiding every thing which look'd like enthufiafm, and addreffed himself more directly to the confciences of men, and the higher principles of action, in a style strong and nervous, rather than pathetic. After he came to Dublin, he constantly ufed his notes in the pulpit, not from any neceffity he was then under, which did not oblige him to it before, but from a perfuafion it was the best way, as upon other accounts, fo particularly on this, that not using notes in the delivery, may prove to some a temptation to negligence in the compofing of their fermons. How exact his own were, the reader will fee from the fermons following.

BUT

In this

BUT many thought he did not excel more in any thing than in prayer. he had a fluency of thought and expreffion, which feemed inexhauftible. And the difcerning hearer might easily perceive great fervor of fpirit, with an exact propriety of words, and very exalted strains of devotion, without any thing of the false sublime, but perfectly suitable to the gravity of a folemn addrefs to God. It appears from his diary, that he was at much pains to qualify himfelf for performing this part of the public fervice after a right manner. His prayers upon fome particular occafions were compofed with great care, and committed to memory. And as he look'd upon the fcriptural style to be the most becoming in our addreffes to God; fo he made much use of scriptural phrases, and was very happy in the choice of those which were beft adapted to the matter of his petitions, or adoration and praise.

THUS, I have given the reader the outlines of his character, which he will perceive was very uncommon. I shall no longer detain him from the perufal of the following

dif