tures. His sermons, fraught with good sense, and animated with the sacred truths of the gospel, were composed in a strong, nervous, oratorical style, that suited the forcible manner of his delivery. His action in the pulpit, which flowed from the sincerity of his heart, was either violent or temperate, according to the nature of his subject. An argument he used in favour of this mode of preaching may not improperly be introduced. "Men," he said," who are born deaf and dumb, have the thoughts of others communicated to them by external signs; those who are born blind have them communicated by words, and therefore those who have them communicated both by words and signs must receive them most forcibly." His descriptive faculties, and his command over the passions were very powerful. A gentleman told Mr. Burdy, he heard Mr. Skelton describing, in Werburgh's church, the torments of hell, in a manner so terrifying as made him tremble in his place. While he was delivering his awful lectures in his church, he has been often so much affected by his subject, that the tears trickled down his cheeks, which produced a similar effect on his hearers. The purity of his life gave an additional authority to his preaching. He prescribed no duty, enjoined no mortification, of which he did not set the example in his own private conduct. His charities, which if not well authenticated would be incredible, seem to lead us back to the pure and primitive ages of the gospel, when Christians had all their worldly goods in common. Even in plentiful times, he gave, it appears, the half of his income to feed the poor; but, in a year of scarcity, he did not allow himself the usual necessaries of life. His forgiving his indigent tenants their rent at such a season of calamity-his denying himself the use of snuff-his living on scanty fare for the sake of his poor-and, above all, his selling his books to procure them subsistence, eminently display his unbounded and uncommon charity. In their sickness he supplied them with medicine. and medical aid, and, in their necessities, with food. The fatherless, the widow, and those that were in real want, found him a benevolent assistant; yet he examined so carefully into the condition of those he relieved, that he was seldom imposed upon by improper objects of charity. It may be said, that having no wife and children to sup port, he had nothing else to do with his money but to give it to the poor: but, on examining the conduct of mankind, we shall find, that those who have no children are at least as avaricious and uncharitable as those that have. The feelings of the latter are indeed more delicate than those of the former, as their tenderness to their own offspring contributes to excite in them a sympathy for the distresses of others. To his relations he was munificent though his charity obliged him to give them only a part; had he not indeed used extraordinary frugality, he could not have been so liberal to these and to the poor. He was also eminent for the virtues of humility, sincerity, and gratitude. A clergyman, who professes himself the follower of a divine Master so distinguished for humility, should be decorated, he thought, above all others, with that amiable virtue. He therefore severely censured that pride and insolence so conspicuous in the conduct of some churchmen, who sometimes shew themselves unlike the meek author of Christianity. His sincerity was at least equal to his humility. In his private dealings he would take no advantage of his neighbours, nor even rigorously require his due, having a soul superior to every thing mean. He was entirely divested of hypocrisy and dissimulation; he strictly kept his word, and spoke the truth publicly and privately without apprehension, dreading only the reproaches of his own conscience and the displeasure of his Maker. On no occasion would he condescend to tell a lie himself, or even allow another to do it for him. It may naturally be supposed he was not well skilled in the science of flattery, often more useful than real science for a man's promotion in the world; for he could not say one thing and think another; applaud that with his lips of which his heart disapproved: he was not fit, like a supple dependent, to soothe the vanity nor soften the vices of the great; nor could he by a tacit consent, or smiling rebuke, give countenance to depravity. He openly declared his abhorrence of every mean and ungenerous deed, of every base compliance of principle for the sake of private advantage. As he would not admit of duplicity in himself, he could not bear it in others. He was remarkable indeed for a total disregard to his temporal interest, when it interfered with his duty, a virtue, it is said, not always prevalent among church men. E e 2 Yet Yet he was not wanting in respect to his superiors, but was truly grateful for the favours they conferred on him. His determination not to write against Dr. Clayton, bishop of Clogher, who gave him the first living, though he disliked his religious opinions, proceeded from the same laudable principle. He entertained, as might be expected, a grateful esteem and sincere affection for his worthy patron Dr. Garnet, the late bishop of Clogher, who was orthodox in his faith, and gentle and benevolent in his mind. In his friendship he was faithful and strenuous, always exerting the little interest he had in favour of young men of merit, or at least of those whom he supposed to have had merit. For some of these he has been able to obtain curacies; and when he could not succeed, endeavoured to make them submit patiently to the disappointment. Upon their engaging in a ministerial employment, he usually gave them some necessary cautions. To a young man who got a curacy in Dublin some years ago, he gave this salutary advice. "Your parishioners will invite you to their public entertainments, and will press you to drink intemperately; but don't do it for them; for, if you do, they will afterwards expose you." When a curate complained to him of not being rewarded in the church according to his merit, he strove to console him by this quotation from the Psalmist :-" Promotion com eth neither from the east nor from the west, nor from the south; but God is the judge, he putteth down one, and setteth up another." He was indeed warm and affectionate to his friends, and mild and forgiving to his enemies—if it were possible for such a man to have had an enemy. His mode of communicating his advice was extremely agreeable to those who received it; for he was not one of those haughty advisers who only wish, by assuming imperious dignity, to shew their own importance; his sole object being the good of the person to whom he gave the advice. His conversation and social qualities were indeed highly pleasing, and his wit in company so excellent as to extort a smile from the gravest countenance; which caused his presence to be eagerly desired. While he lived in the country he often spent whole weeks together at the houses of his friends; and at his own lodgings, particularly at Fintona; he usually had company every day he was at home, being also remark able able for his hospitality. Mr. Burdy says, he was told at Peltigo, that the horses of some gentlemen who had paid him a visit there, when they had gone twelve miles off, immediately in getting loose, came galloping back to his lodgings, which shew they were well used there. He was not one of those recluse sullen scholars that lock themselves from society; his station required him as he justly thought, to mix with the world."Do not,' he wrote to a young gentleman, "sequester yourself wholly from mankind. From their vices, follies, and dissipations, you cannot keep at too great a distance; but by nature you must be social; and your gown obliges you to be still more so; for the spirit of Christianity is a social spirit." Yet his inclination for company never turned his thoughts aside from his devotion; his private family prayers being constant and regular. At Fintona it was a custom with him to entertain his visitors by occasionally explaining a certain portion of Scripture, in a clear, simple manner, and making agreeable and improving remarks on it. He then conversed on different subjects with his usual pleasantness; for his piety had taken nothing into it of gloominess or severity, and was free from both superstition and enthusiasm. He could not therefore relish the methodistie rants. Of a clergyman who turned methodist and quitted the church, he observed that no one stood more in need of inspiration, for naturally he was a consummate blockhead. 29. (To be concluded in our next.) ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, (Concluded from page 188.) FTER 1000 to 1050. I name Rodolfus Ardeus preaching against merits, and abilitie to keepe the Law: Glaber Rodolphus, that wrote, how the Bishop of Rome should have nothing to do in another man's Diocesse; the which he also saith was the opinion of all the Prelats in France; Leuthericus an Archbishop in France, denying the reall presence. 30. After 1050 to 1100. I name Nicetas an Abbot, and the Bishops of Italie, France, and Germanie, resist ing ing Hildebrand, and deposing him, when he would restrain the Clergy from mariage. Henry the third, the Emperour with his Councell of Nobles and Bishops, holden at Wormes, withstood the Pope's supremacie now usurped, and judged him to be deposed. And Sigebert a writer living at that time, noted the Pope's excommunicating of Princes, and absolving their subjects from obedience, and calleth it noveltie and heresie. The same time Berengarius, in France, resisted the reall presence; and though the tyrannie of the Pope oppressed him, yet many were still of his mind, but they could not so easily be noted, saith Waldensis. This Berengarius was reputed a good man and holy, though his enemies the Pope's creatures have railed upon him. 31. After 1100 to 1150. I name Henry the fift, the Emperour, who against Paschalis then being Pope, maintained the right of making Bishops, and other priviledges that belonged to his ancestors, which now the Pope usurpeth. I name Bernard, who though he were superstitious in some points, yet freely noted divers corruptions then coming in, whereby we know they arose not without resistance. He is cleare against the feast of the Conception; whereby the conceit of the virgin Maries freedom from sinne should be maintained; against merits, justification by workes, freewill, keeping the law, seven sacraments, and uncertaintie of our salvation, and the Pope's greatnesse in temporalties. The same time, saith Platina, Arnulfus a famous preacher was murdered at Rome by the Clergie there, because he bitterly inveyed against their lust and wantonnesse, and reproved their pompe and raking together of riches; hence it was that their hatred and anger was stirred up, to the destruction of him that meant well. The same time one preached in Antwerpe against the reall presence. Honorius noted the bringing in of wafers into the sacrament, the which thing, saith Cassander, the author of the exposition of the Romane order took most grievously, that the loaves of bread offered in certain Churches for the use of the sacrifice, after the custome of the ancient Church, should thus be brought from the forme of true bread, to so slight and slender a forme, after the likenesse of plates or pieces of money and saith he, in contempt he calleth them scraps of offered plate, and ascribeth to them a lightnesse like an image or shadow, and thinketh them for their And slend |
