How happy am I, in having difengag'd my felf from the World before this Difficulty! How gracious has my God been to me, in having led me to it by the Hand; < that 1 might be light and free from all Incumbrances, to follow his Bleffed Will, without Uneafinefs! I thought to have · paft out of the World, into a nearer Attendance on thy Service, with Eafe, Joy, and Triumph. Thy Wisdom bath overC rul'd my Foolish Measures: Thou haft thought fit, that this Change fhou'd not be without fome hardship. But fhou'd I think worse of it for that? Are not the greatest Things, brought about by Conflicts? To Silence all the reft, was not the Redemption of the World, brought about by the Bitter Agony of thy Dear Son? Shall I be afraid to follow his steps, or think it lefs leads to a Glorious Iffue, because Thou leadeft me to it through Trouble?

And what Pains he took, to Arm himfelf with this Divine Charity to Enemies ; and what his Thoughts of Injuries and Refentments were, the Two following Meditations will convince us.

O my God, I am thy Creature; and if 169. I may have leave to fay, Thou art my God; All is well, and I am Happy. Two things I have always dreaded Difgrace, and C Enemies; left I hou'd not be able to bear the One, or forgive the Other. How great is thy Goodness to me, in leffening

the

the dread of both! He is Happy, not who enjoys Eafe, but who can bear Uneafiness. • A Bishop of general Efteem and Repute, who cou'd bear being Whipt in the Publick Streets, on an Unjuft Accufation, and not lofe his Countenance, wou'd, be the happiest Man alive. For if fuch a thing were done, we must fuppofe the higher Pow· ers to be fet against him; and the Faction fo ftrong, that none dar'd to Pity him, or appear for him: But tho' he were Faultless, yet all fhou'd look upon him as "Criminal enough, in being the object of the Government's Difpleasure. A Prophet among the Jews was as Venerable as a Bishop can be among us; especially fuch a Prophet as our Bleffed Saviour, who went about doing good: Of whom the People cry'd out never Man fpake as he did; and who by the Fulness of his Grace and < Truth, fhin'd with the Glory of the Son of God. Can we Figure a greater Ignominy than for him to be Scourg'd? We know how Reproachful that is among us now: But we know not how much more fo it < was among them, fince it was the Punish< ment of Slaves, of which we have none, "He bore Scourgings and Reproaches, without Murmurs and Complaints; and his "Grace can produce the fame Effects in

me.

As to Enemies; he is a great Man who can speak to them with indifference, without disturbance, or change of Countenance:

! Not

Not from a Court Diffimulation, but from a Confideration that these are more immediate Instruments, (perhaps than our 'Friends) of Good to us; and that God is 'nearer behind thefe, when we converse ' with them,than behind many of our Friends. 'God's Prefence is faid to be, where he • most manifefts himself: Now he manifefts ' himself more certainly, in his Corrections, than in his Favours.

The other Meditation is as follows.

How easie is it for a Child of God, that has his Portion and Inheritance in Heaven, to pray for his Enemies? For he faith, 'this Perfon Injures me in those things that are of no Efteem with me: He Injures

me in Trifles, and things of no value : • But even in thefe Trifles, he endangers the 'Eternal Ruine of his Soul. And fhall I not 'Pity him for this; and befeech my God to Pity his Folly; and fave him from those things which are nothing to me, but may prove infinitely Prejudicial to him? Father forgive them for they know not what they do, fays our Saviour. They knew that they took away the Life of an Innocent Man: They took away his Reputation, his Comfort and his Eafe: But besides that they 'Crucifi'd the Lord of Glory, they knew not that they Ruin'd themfelves, in those things that were little Valu'd by him. They think to be Reveng'd on me, and to do me a great Injury: But Father forgive them,

for

for they know not that they do no Injury to me, but all Injuries to themselves,

I. fhall add only one Inftance more, of Mr. His Charity to those who Bonnell's Charity, which falls in naturally afdiffered from ter what went before; and that is, his Charihimin Religi-ty to thofe of different Perfwasions in Religi

an.

on. He throughly confider'd the Educations and Capacities of Men, their various ways of thinking and expreffing their Thoughts, and judg'd it unreasonable that all Mankind thou'd be oblig'd to think and fpeak juft as we do. Tho' no Man was firmer to the Protestant Religion Establish'd among us, and more truly zealous to fupport and enlarge it; yet Force and Violence he esteem'd the unfitteft means in the World, to attain that End. And he utterly condem'd all Perfecutions for Religion, and violence to Men's Confciences. Thus in one place, after confidering the many Wars and Revolutions, which almost every Forty Years have happen'd in Ireland, he affigns this as one Reason of these Fatal Confufions; that we are a mixt People, of different Nations and Religions, and have very little Love, or Regard for one another; and thus concludes.

There is no way poffible, to prevent the Forty Years Periodical Revolution of Commotions in this Country, but by making all in it, one People, and of one Religion. How fhall this be? By Force? God < forbid. This is a Sieve that Winnows out the Good,and faves only the Bad; beC caufe

caufe the Good will be deftroy'd by it, and the Bad only brought over. It is a 6 pretty device for lazy Chriftians to make ufe of, to convert the World: Such as • care not to be at the Pains of good Living, or pious Preaching; fet the Temporal Power, and Rude Soldiers on Work, to bring over People to their Folds, that they may enjoy the Glory of having greater Numbers: Or being Men altogether worldly Minded, and of fecular Designs, they defire greater Numbers on their fide, 'to ftrengthen their worldly Interest, and • fecure their Caufe and Party.

C

His Charity was fo generous and Noble, that it effectually fecur'd him from all narrowness of Temper, and Morofeness of Behaviour, towards thofe who differ'd from him in Opinion. He us'd frequently to fay, that most differences among Chriftians, were chiefly in Words; and that their Sentiments were much nearer than their Expreffions: And he had always Instances at hand, to prove this: And compar'd the Quarrels of Parties among Chriftians, to Engagements that happen in Armies; when they fall foul on their Friends, thinking that they are Enemies: But the Animofity ceafes, when the discovery is made; which fhall be the Happiness of good Men in Heaven, whatever Heats and Miftakes may be among them here. And what charitable Thoughts he had of good Men, tho' of different Perfwalions will appear from what follows • Were