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Preparation-Sermon on the Friday preceding; he did it also on the great Festivals; he adminiftred it twice on a Day, in the Morning at Eight a clock, and at the ufual Time after the Morning-Sermon. The Number of the Communicants held a great proportion to that of his Auditors, and their Devotion was very exemplary. The Number was fo great at both Times, that it will hardly be believed by thofe Clergymen who have been confined to the Country, and have seen the small Number of those who attend upon this Holy Service: So great was the Number, that there was need of great Help of Clergymen to affift in the delivering of the Bread and Wine; and with fuch Affiftance, it was very late before the Congregation could be difmiffed: I will add, that I do not remember that I did ever behold fo great Numbers, and fo great Signs of Devotion, and a due Senfe, and profound Reverence, becoming this great Act of Divine Worfhip, in my whole Life. The Doctor took indefatigable Pains on thefe Occafions, but he was encouraged to do fo, from the great Succefs his Labours met withal.

He was not only very diligent in Preaching, and Adminiftring the Holy Sacrament, but in all other Parts of his Duty.

He took great Pains in catechifing and inftructing the Youth, in vifiting the Sick, and directing and fatisfying the Doubtful and Scrupulous, and encouraging all good Beginnings, and promoting worthy Defigns, and provoking thofe he converfed with to Love and good Works.

He

He took great Pains alfo in his own Family: He spent very much Time with his Family in conftant Prayers, Morning and Night, in reading the Holy Scriptures, finging of Pfalms, in holy Conferences, and all the Duties incumbent upon him as the Master of a Family; no Weariness, no weighty Bufinefs abroad, excufed him from the Discharge of thefe Duties; nor did he perform them flightly and perfunctorily, but spent very much Time in them; he was very affiduous, very earnest and vehement, and fhewed a very great Concern and Ardor therein: He would rife early in a Morning to thefe Exercises, and not spare his Pains, even after the very great and wearifom Labours of the Day.

Nor did he forbear his Studies, and ClofetDevotions; he spent much Time there: It appears, by a Diary, found fince his Death, and which he kept for a long Time, that he called himself to an Account every Night, for the Words, and Actions, and Converfation of the Day past; and, perhaps, few Men living were more ftrict and fevere than he was in this matter: If he had done any good that Day, he gave God the Praife of it before he flept; and few Men that lived, paffed fewer Days, (if he passed any fuch) without doing good: But when any Words or Thoughts efcaped, which he judged to have wanted due Care, he animadverted upon himself in a fevere manner, before he went to teft: He was one of the kindelt Men to others that ever lived, and one of the fevereft to himself: He needed no Confeffor to call him to account,

or to injoin him any Penance; he did not fpare Revenge upon himself, who could most cafily forgive his Enemies, and wanted no Compaffion for the greatest Criminals. He kept a continual Watch over his own Soul and strictly watching over its Actings, and Tendencies, and was therefore very fit to watch over those who were committed to his Charge.

Besides the conftant Care that was upon him from his Parish, his Family, his Clofet, and Studies, he employed himself in doing good to thofe who were more remote. He encouraged Piety wherever he came, and particularly in the younger Sort. He had the Care of feveral Societies of Young-men, whom he directed and encouraged: And because this matter hath been mifunderstood, and that, to my certain Knowledge, there was an Attempt, fince this Revolution, to blacken the Doctor on this Account, I fhall reprefent the matter just as it

was.

Certain it is, that there were fome Societies of religious and devout Young-men, under the Doctor's Government and Infpection; but whether the Doctor did move thefe Young-men at first to enter into fuch Societies, or whether they first applied to him, and he only gave them Rules to govern themselves by, I am not able to determine; thus much is certain, that he gave them Rules, and they were these that follow.

I. That all that entred into fuch a Society, fhould refolve upon an holy and serious Life.

II. That no Perfon fhall be admitted into this Society, till be arrive at the Age of Sixteen, and

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hath been first confirmed by the Bishop, and folemnly taken on himself his Baptifmal Vom.

III. That they chufe a Minister of the Church of England to direct them.

IV. That they shall not be allowed, in their meetings, to difcourfe of any controverted Point of Divinity.

V. Neither fhall they difcourfe of the Govern ment of Church or State.

VI. That in their meetings they use no Prayers, but those of the Church, fuch as the Litany and Collects, and other pefcribed Prayers; but still they shall not use any that peculiarly belongs to the Minifter, as the Abfolution.

VII. That the Minifter whom they chufe, fhall direct what practical Divinity fhall be read at thefe meetings,

VIII. That they may have liberty, after Prayer, and Reading, to fing a Pfalm.

IX. That after all is done, if there be Time left, they may difcourfe each other about their Spiritual Concerns, but this fhall not be a standing Exercife, which any fhall be obliged to attend unto.

X. That one Day in the Week be appointed for this meeting, for fuch as cannot come on the Lord's Day; and that he that abfents himself without Caufe, fhall pay Three-pence to the Box.

XI. Every Time they meet, every one shall give Six-pence to the Box.

XII. That on a certain Day in the Year, viz. Whitfun-Tuesday, two Stewards fhall be chofen, and a moderate Dinner provided, and a Sermon preached, and the Money diftributed, (necessary Charges deducted) to the Poor.

XIII. A

XIII. A Book fhall be bought, in which these Orders fhall be written.

XIV. None fhall be admitted into this Society, without the Confent of the Minifter, who prefides over it; and no Apprentice fhall be capable of being chofen.

XV. That if any Cafe of Confcience arife, it shall be brought before the Minifter.

XVI. If any Member think fit to leave the Soci ety, he fhall pay Five Shillings to the Stock.

XVII. The major Part of the Society to conclude the reft.

XVIII. The following Rules are more especially to be commended to the Members of this Society, viz. To love one another: When reviled, not to revile again: To Speak Evil of no Man: To wrong no Man: To pray, if poffible, Seven Times a Day: To keep clofe to the Church of England: To tranfact all things peaceably and gently: To be helpful to each other: To use themselves to holy Thoughts in their coming in and going out: To examine themselves every Night: To give every one their due: To obey Superiors, both Spiritual and Temporal.

This is the Subftance of what the Doctor directed on this Occafion. I did, many Years ago, lay thefe Things before a very great and worthy Prelate, (who is now living) to whom I thought it was highly fit that they fhould be communicated. I advifed with him upon the whole matter; and the Occafion was this: There was a certain Number of Young-men, who were defirous to make fuch a Society, and to be concluded by these Orders: They

applied

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