sure it will be highly uncharitable for them to contradict me. I cannot deny, but that as he was a man, so he had the frailties of a man, which common charity obliges us to bury in silence and oblivion but with those frailties he had a great many excellent qualities, in which I heartily wish some men would be as forward to imitate him, as they have been to censure and traduce him: for I am sure, if they were, it would turn to a much better account to them, both here and hereafter. As for his religion, I speak it upon certain knowledge, he was a firm and hearty protestant of the communion of the church of England; that church which, however it may be now reproached and vilified by an ungrateful generation, was, not long ago, the fence of the English laws and liberties, and the only standing bank against the inundations of popery, when it was threatening to overwhelm us all of this church was our deceased friend a cordial and an affectionate son; he loved its constitution, frequented its worship and communion; and could his honest zeal to it have permitted him to trincle with popery, (as some others did who made the loudest noise against it when there was no danger in view,) and given it but a helping hand to destroy those legal securities which stood in its way, and (under God's providence) were the only insuperable fence against it; he might have been, to my knowledge, lord mayor soon enough to have outlived his mayoralty: and how well and wisely he behaved himself in it, under the most difficult circumstances; how effectually he consulted the city's peace and security, when dangers environed her on every side; how equally he poised himself amidst all extremes; how prudently he weathered the

threatening storm of military force that hung-over it; how happily he stemmed the difficult tide of popular commotion, which in other parts bore down all before it; will perhaps be remembered to his immortal honour, whenever a more grateful age succeeds. I know he hath been frequently charged with keeping secret correspondencies with the enemies of our laws and religion, and therein of betraying the great trust reposed in him. But this is a calumny as ridiculous as it is false: for how was it possible for a person of my lord mayor's figure to convey himself invisibly (as this story pretends sir John Chapman did) from one end of the town to the other, without the privity of his own numerous family, who knew nothing of the matter, or the cognizance of all that populous city between? But this I certainly know, that, so far as the laws of civility and duty would admit, he always industriously avoided all secret conversation; and made it the leading principle of his conduct, through all that difficult scene of affairs, to act upon no other secret orders or counsels, but what were first proposed and consented to by his worthy brethren of the court of aldermen. And as he thus acted upon the square in all his public administrations, so in his private capacity he was a person of unspotted integrity and justice in all his intercourses with men; one, who, as I verily believe, did never wilfully wrong any man in the world: of the truth of which, take one instance for all. He having, many years ago, had great dealings with a certain person, well known in this city, there remained a large account between them, which at length was evened, adjusted, and discharged on both sides: but several years after, he

having some occasion to review this account, found there was a great mistake in it, and that there remained a very considerable sum of money due to his correspondent; upon which he immediately goes and acquaints him with it, and pays him to the utmost farthing. An example of justice, which I would to God those men would imitate that make so bold with his memory. Nor was he less benign and charitable, than he was honest and just for as he was a good neighbour and a hearty friend, so he was a general lover of mankind, always free and forward to render good offices to all that needed and craved his assistance.

And then, as for his alms, I must crave leave of his ashes to do a right to his memory, against his own inclinations: for in his lifetime he was so severe an observer of our Saviour's caution, Take heed that ye do not your alms before men; so utterly abhorrent of that pharisaical humour of performing his good works in a clear echo that might be sure to resound them after him in praises and commendations, that perhaps he too much affected privacy and concealment and was so far from desiring that his light should glare out in vanity and ostentation, that he would not suffer it to shine out enough before men, to provoke them, by the sight of it, to glorify our common Father in heaven: for his charity ran underground in such secret channels, that some, I know, were apt to question whether the spring were not dry, or at least very scanty in its communications. But now he is gone, his memory, like the leaves of roses, smells sweet and fragrant after the rose is dead for now that he is out of hearing, and those few that knew his charities, and those many

:

that were refreshed by them, dare own and attest them, without fear of offending his modest piety, it appears, by several hundreds of pounds which he gave in his life upon several charitable occasions, besides the charitable legacies he hath bequeathed at his death, that he was, not only in word, but in deed, a true benefactor to mankind. And then, as for his relative duties, he was that which every good man is, (and without which, it is fulsome hypocrisy for any man to pretend to religion,) viz. a kind and obliging husband, a tender and provident father, a courteous and benevolent master; and in all the degrees of his relation, a ready assistant, a useful friend, and a generous benefactor. Such was his life. And as for his last sickness, though it now and then interrupted the exercise of his reason, yet no sooner was it restored to him, but he gave all the indications of a truly pious and devout mind. He heartily lamented the failings of his life, and bound himself in new resolutions of amendment: he underwent his pains with a calm and constant mind, and seemed full of good thoughts and holy affections; full of hearty submissions and resignations to God: and in this excellent posture of mind he expired into eternity. Where, God grant, that with him, together with all those that are departed this life in the true faith of Christ's holy name, we may all have our perfect consummation and bliss both in body and soul, in everlasting glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord: to whom, with the Father and eternal Spirit, be ascribed all honour and praise, now and for ever. Amen.

SERMON XI.

PREACHED

BEFORE THE QUEEN, MAY 22, 1692. UPON OCCASION OF THE VICTORY OBTAINED BY THEIR MAJESTIES'

FLEET OVER THE FRENCH.

PSALM 1. 14.

Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High.

IN the foregoing verses the Psalmist (whether he were David or Asaph, is uncertain) introduces God as delivering his own sense concerning the ritual and ceremonial religion of the Jews, upon which they so much valued themselves, and laid such mighty stress. Ver. 7. Hear, O my people, und I will speak; 0 Israel, and I will testify against thee: or, I have something of high moment to speak to thee, I am God, even thy God; that God who, under the title of The Lord thy God, brought thee out of the land of Egypt, and gave thee the moral law comprised in ten commandments. I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices and burnt offerings, to have been continually before me: I know thou art exact enough in the observance of these my ritual commands; and therefore, as to this matter, I do not blame thee. But this is not the thing I chiefly value and esteem: it is the observance of my moral laws, in which thou art extremely defective, that I principally insist on. As for those sacrifices with which thou causest mine