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Nor was this Religious Zeal for the Honour of God, and Sorrow for the Reigning Impieties of the World, only the Effects of Age, and more confirm'd Habits of Piety. The following Meditation Compos'd at London, in the Twenty Seventh Year of his Age, will fhew the contrary.

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'O my God! For the Contradiction of Sinners, when will it have an end! How long fhall I live among those, that are Enemies to Righteoufnefs, to Thee, thy Word, my Soul, and their own! And yet I live in a Land, where thy Religion is Establish'd and Profefs'd; thy Death, O dear Jefu, Granted and own'd. My Soul is weary of the Blafphemies of Atheists, of the Horrid Oaths and Imprecations of Profane, and Sly Objections of Malicious Sinners: While we hope to be Sav'd by thy Death, why do we not all Rejoice in it; and alike Believing it, alike make ( our Difcourfe of it? O that with one Confent on thy Day, the Mouths of all the People of this Land, might be fill'd with < thy Praises and Wonderful Works! That wherefoever we cou'd go, we might pals but from one Difcourfe of thee to another; that it might be Natural among us, froni the Greatest to the Leaft, familiarly to "Converse of Thee and thy Laws; and with one Heart, and with one Mouth, make ' mention of thy Name; and all join in owning the Miraculous Hiftory of thy Providence, and Works of Old; and the,

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Life and Death of our Adorable Redeemer, in the Fulnefs of Time. But who may hope for this, in the midst of our Profanenefs! Is it not enough for me, to defire that there may be among us, a Select Number of thofe who fear the Lord? And therefore Two things, Lord, I hum८ bly Crave; Let their never fail in these Lands, fuch an Elect Number, as have < not bow'd there Knees to Sin, nor bent their Minds to Atheism and Profaneness.

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And next, let it be thy Bleffed Will to caft my Lot among them, and make me one of that happy Number; let me spend my Days with them; and among them let my 'Life end; and when I come abroad into the World, let their Spirit follow and act me, that I may continue uniformly the fame Man in all places. Let not the Overflowing of Ungodlinefs be able to extinguish my Devotion, nor cause me to comply with, or approve of their wicked • Practices. In Conclufion, O that all the People of thefe Lands, were the Lord's People; that thy Will may be done by all upon Earth, as it is by all in Heaven! That where-ever we come, we might find C every Heart fill'd with thy Love, and every Mouth with thy Praife, especially on thy Day! Accept, O Lord, of my Un. worthy Prayers; and answer them fo far, as is good in thy fight; but vouchsafe to leave a Bleffing upon thy Servant.

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The Religious Societies, which began in Is a great Dublin about the Year 1693, gave him great Promoter of Comfort and Joy; he not only approv'd of the Religious that Pions Defign, but did very much en- Societies. courage and Promote it. He pleaded their Caufe, writ Letters in their Defence, and was one of their most diligent and Prudent Directors. He confider'd very well the Abufes, to which, by length of Time, decay of Zeal, and the Neglects of those who are principally Concern'd to Overfee and Govern them, thofe Societies might be liable; but he found they did prefent Good, and that made him Rejoice; and he us'd to argue, That the Poffibility of a Thing's being Abus'd, is no Reafon to decline the Ufe of it. He was likewife a zealous Promoter of the Societies for Reformation of Manners, who apply themfelves to the Suppreffing of Profaneness and Vice; He was always prefent at their Meetings, Laid their Design truly to Heart, and Thought much of it; He contributed liberally towards its neceffary Charge, and conftantly pray'd for their Succefs. And all who wish well to them, or their Caufe, are fenfible, how Useful a Friend they have loft, by Mr. Bonnell's Death; tho' he, no doubt, enjoys the Reward of his Indefatigable Zeal, in fo Glorious an Undertaking.

Agreeable to his Zeal for the Religions Societies, and all Publick Undertakings which might ferve the Interefts of Piety, were his Private Endeavours to promote it in all he convers'd with; but he chiefly apply'd

ply'd himself to Young People, and took a particular Pleasure, in Forming their tender · Minds to the Love of God and Religion; he catch'd at all Occafions of fuggefting good Thoughts to them; and Encourag'd, Directed, and even Reprov'd them, with fuch Tendernefs, Concern, and Addrefs; as first to gain upon their Affections himself, and then, fo to improve the Power he had with them, as to make them in love with their Duty, to excite strong Defires after Holiness in their Hearts, and to arm them with firm Refolutions of adhering to it.

A great Pro- And as he Induftriously embrac'd all Opmoter of Reli-portunities of gaining Profelytes to Piety, fo gious Conver-he ftudy'd to make Religion the Subject of Jation. his conftant Conversation; and talk'd of nothing else with Pleasure. He had a peculiar Art of engaging Company, upon fuch Subjects; and manag'd his part of fnch Difcourfe, with that Modesty and Prudence, that there appear'd nothing of Artifice or Defign; nothing that aim'd at magnifying himself, or raising his own Character: But when he

fpake of Religion, it was with a natural Eafinefs, with Calmnefs, and Humility; and never four'd fuch Converfation with Uncharitable Reflections upon Others, who either differ'd from him in Opinion, or fell fhort of him in Practice.

But his Judgment of Religious Converfation, chiefly as to the manner of it, and with what Modefty and Caution he manag'd it himself, the following Letter will fufficient

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ly fhew written to a Religious Friend upon

that Subject.

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'I think I cannot better employ this Day,St. Peter's than in taking the Leifure it affords me, Day, 1693. to Entertain my felf with my Dear FellowServant of our Great Mafter; in fome fuch Matters, as we fhou'd perhaps be Talking ot, if we were together: There is parti<cularly one Thing, that I have started in • Difcourfe, which I intended, when I got Leifure, to speak of, more at large in Writing; and that was, about outward Expreffions of Piety. I confefs, as to my felf, I have been always Referv'd in them; fuch I mean, as were eafily Imitable, by Perfons of any fort; as Lifting up the Hands, and Eyes; godly Words and ExC preffions of Endearment, concerning God. > Since I have Converfed with you, I have 'fpoken more of thefe Things, than ever I 'did before; but I have comply'd with it, L only towards You. Now the Cafe, I think, is this; It is our Duty, on fit Occafions, to 'Declare our felves publickly for God, and for the Caufe of his Holy Religion, when it may be for his Glory, and the Edification of others; and the Engaging and Riveting our Selves in his Service, by fetting the Eyes of the World upon us; and inaking them Witneffes against us, if we swerve or Faulter from our Profeffions. But then, this ought to be done, by fome folid, Effential Expreflions of true Piety, which none but thofe that are indeed truly Pious, can

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