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SERM. II. at first View ftrongly abhorrent. He never

therefore deviated from the plain High

Road of Honefty into those crooked and intricate By-Paths, in which, where one has shortened his Way to Riches, hundreds have loft and bewildered themselves.

That he was an affectionate Hufband to one of the beft and tendereft of Wives, and a kind indulgent Mafter to his Servants, are; confeffed Parts of his Character; and yet these are the fureft Tefts of an habitual Good-Nature, and a prevailing Sweetness of Difpofition.

Being bred a Scholar, he had a Capacity and Knowledge, but not a Mind and Spirit, above his Profeffion: For he as diligently applied himself to it, as if he had been by Nature and Education only fitted for that Sphere. Before his Retirement from Business and the World, he had an enlarged Converfation in it: But though he often kept Company with Men of loofe Principles, he never departed from his own, which he had early imbibed, and thoroughly digefted. For Men of this Stamp feldom make any lafting Impreffions upon Perfons of ftrong Senfe, and a thoroughlygood Difpofition: The utmoft they, can do

is to ftagger weak Men, and to make thofe SERM. II. that are already in fome Degree bad, much

worse. He was a conftant Frequenter of the Church, during his Health; and, when his Illness confined him to his House, a conftant Communicant at the three great Seafons, and received the Sacrament with that awful Composure of Behaviour, which bespoke a Mind recollected and attentive, and affected all about him with a correfpondent Seriousness.

His Faults and Frailties were fuch as all Men are liable to: But his Perfections were the Attainments of few in Comparison; particularly the great Patience with which he bore the fevere Trials which God laid upon him. He feemed to enjoy himself and his Friends under fuch afflictive Circumftances, as would have made most others a Burthen to themselves, and uneafy to every one that came near them; and was a fignal Example that the greatest Advantage one Man can have above another in this Life, arifes from the Temper and Difpofition of the Mind; that Temper, which foftens every Care, and improves every Bleffing. For he seemed to have had more true Peace of Mind under a lafting

Compli

SERM. II. Complication of Diftempers, than others are poffeft of in the Fulness of Health and Vigour who want they know not what, and are uneafy they know not why: And if at any Time his Spirits were depreft by long-continued Pain, Conversation with an intimate Friend would break the Gloom that hung upon him, and brighten up his Soul. Indeed his Malady grew upon him to that Degree, that it was almost cruel to with him a longer Continuance among us : All that his Friends could defire, was an eafy Paffage out of this World into a better, where there is no Pain or Sorrow. His Soul is now enlarged from that corruptible Body to which it was united; and released from those Miseries, which, by Virtue of that Union, it underwent. How foon we, who in the Midft of Life are in Death, may follow him, God only knows: Each Day brings us nearer to Eternity; and it should be our main Endeavour, that each may bring us nearer to a blessed Eternity.

But, while we are in the Body, we must more or less struggle with Difficulties, and combat with Temptations. While we live, we must persevere, without flackening our Industry, to fight this good Fight: When

we

we die, we have gained the decifive Victo- SERM. II. ry: and when we come before the Throne of Grace, we shall receive a glorious Triumph; a Triumph indeed, where instead of the fenfelefs Noife of an undiftinguished and undistinguishing Populace: a numerous Choir of ennobled Spirits fhall hail with joyful Acclamations their happy FellowServant: While, to crown all, the great Judge pronounces the bleffed Sentence: Well done, thou good and faithful Servant! Enter thou into the foy of thy Lord,

SERMON

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