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'Praises be always in my Mouth. And when God gives a Child that can begin to talk, let it be both my Wifes concern and mine, with equal zeal, and equal naturalness, to make the works of God the conftant matter ' of our Discourse, and Instruction to our 'Child. As others talk to their Child of a

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Grand Mother, an Aunt, or the Vanities of 'the World, let us talk to ours of its Maker and our Father, God; and of the Place whither we hope to go, Heaven; and of the Company we shall have there,the Blessed Angels. Let me therefore have a Wife of a 'natural, free, ingenuous and noble Piety, which fhall not confift in Phrases, and Tone, and Melancholy, and Cenfure, but in vigorous Zeal, Uprightnefs, and Integrity and 'faithfulness of Heart to God: A clear chearful unaffected Difpofition, with a most ardent and bold Love to God. So that we may not converfe of God because it is our Duty, but because our Hearts are full of him, and we are us'd to it, fo that we shall do it before we are aware. Then shall we fleep and awake with him, walk and fit in 'his Prefence, and live the Life of Angels с upon Earth. Nor fhall it be in the Power ⚫ of the Wicked one to inject Peevishness or 'Quarrels, or Difpleafures, as being out of 'Humour, the Effects of Folly and Impiety, but we fhall ever be one in the Lord. The Lord, if any, Grant me fuch a Compa

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He

He continu'd in a Marri'd ftate Five Years, and Five Months; but the latter part of that time, it pleas d God to allow him but little Health; the laft Year efpecially, when his Disorders return'd more frequently, and with greater violence than before. Thofe Bodily Distempers fhock'd his Refolutions of entring into Holy Orders, at least thus far, that if he fhou'd take that facred Character upon him, he would apply himself to the Duties of it fo far as he was able, but without undertaking a Parochial Cure: For thus I find him expreffing himself, fome Years before his Death. If my want of Health fhould hinder me from taking a Cure which I very much apprehend, I con'd contentedly Spend my time in the most profltable manner I was capable of, for the good of the Church, particularly in devotional things which - feem to be my Talent, and in which without much more Study Imight hope to fucceed. And fuch high Thoughts had he, of the extent and difficulty of the Pastoral Duty, that he esteem'd his frequent returns of Sickness, equivalent to a declaration of Providence, that he was not defign'd for the more laborious performances of it, tho' the Bent of his defires was continually that way.

But even these Defires were at last inter- His Sicknes rupted, by that Fatal Sickness which brought and Death him to his End. For in April 1699 he was feized with a Malignant Fever, which about that time reigned very much in Dublin; by it, his Head was fo much affected, that he had not a conftant command of his Thoughts,

nor

nor that unisturbed Exercife of his Faculties which all Men defire in thofe Extremities. For fome Days of his Sickness, his Reason was clear, and to the laft, he had frequent Intervals of perfect Understanding. And then 'tis impoffible to conceive One in the greatest Pain and Anguish, more Submissive, more Patient, more Refign'd to the Will of God: Then Prayers and Praises were his only Language, or calling upon others to Pray for him. But no Murmur, no Complaint, came out of his Mouth. And tho' no doubt he had all the Comforts of a good Confcience, and powerful Supports from God, in that great conflict of Nature, yet he exprefs'd himself with all that Humility and awful Concern which becomes a Sinner, when he Reflected upon that Pure and Holy God, at whofe Bar he was foon to be Try'd. Now (fays he) must I ftand or fall before my great Fudge. And when it was anfwer'd that no doubt he wou'd ftand firm before him, through the Merits of our Crucified Saviour: His Reply fhews, upon what a firm Foundation, he built his Dependance and Hopes: It's in that (fays he) I truft; he knows it's in that I truft. And his laft Moments of Reason, were spent in those Heavenly Exercifes, wherein every good Man wou'd defire to breath out his Soul; and which" to him, no doubt, were the happy beginnings of endless Praises above. He Dy'd the Twenty Eighth Day of April 1699, in the Forty Sixth Year of his Age; and his Body lyes Interr'd in St. John's Church in Dublin. Of

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Three Children (Two Sons and a Daughter) wherewith God had Bleffed him, the Daughter only Surviv'd him. And he left behind him a truly afflicted Widow, who, I am perfwaded, will perfevere to fhew the World, How justly the priz'd his excellent Qualities and tender Love; and who has fpar'd no Pains to get his Life and Character publish'd, that fo fome Justice may be done to his Memory, and the World benefited by his Example. And even that Child which did furvive him, has fince followed her Father, after having liv'd fo long as to fhew that she Inherited his Virtues, the sweetness of his Temper, his Devoutnefs and Patience, fo that had it pleas'd God to have continued her in the World, fhe promis'd to have been a very fhining Example of Piety and Goodness. And indeed both from what I faw in her my felf, and from the Informations of others upon which I entirely depend, I have been strongly Inclined to mention fome of her particular Sayings and Actions, and to have given Inftances of her Piety and Patience at Four, Five, and Six Years Old. But they are fo extraordinary, that I choose to fupprefs them, because they would hardly obtain belief. I fhall only obferve from what I knew of that Child, that Parents don't begin time enough to form their Childrens Minds to Religion. Sin gets the first Poffeffion of their Hearts,and they are taught Lying and Vanity much fooner, than to Love God or pray to him. Whereas

Whereas if the fame early Care was us'd with the generality of Children, as was taken with her, to give them fuch Apprehensions of God, of Sin, of Truth, of Heaven and Hell as they are capable of, tho' the Succefs would not in many be equal to what it was in her, few having fuch natural Difpofitions to Goodness as appeared in her, yet wou'd it be fuch, as wou'd go a great way in Reforming the world, and making the next Generation Good and Virtuous.

PART