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PART II.

Aving thus gone through the most remarkable Passages of Mr. Bonnell's Life, and withal given the Reader fome general view of his Piety and Virtue, I fhall now enter upon that part of this Work, for the fake of which the reft was put together, and without which the World is not much concern'd to know his Story: And that is, particularly to describe his Character and Excellencies; to recommend him as a Pattern worthy our Imitation, in all the duties of the Chriftian Life; and to fhew from him, how Beautiful Chriftianity is, when reduc'd to Practice; when it becomes a rule of Life and Manners; and not, as it is with most Men confin'd to the Thoughts, and made an unactive Notion of the Mind.

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As to his Perfon; He was Tall,well Shap'd, His Perfon, and Fair. His Afpect was Comely, and fhew'd Temper and great sweetness, mix'd with Life and Spright- Accomplishlinefs. There was a venerable Gravity in his Look, a natural Modefty, and fincere Opennefs. But in the House of God, his countenance had fomething in it, that look'd Heavenly and Seraphical; an undiffembled Piety, a Devoutness that never can be imitated nor acted, when it does not refide in the Heart;

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and appear'd always eafie and unforc'd. His natural and acquir'd Serioufnefs, was temper'd with a very engaging Chearfulness in Converfation.

He was Master of the Accomplishing,as well as Neceffary parts of Learning; had throughly digested the Greek and Roman Authors, understood the French Language perfectly well, and had made good progrefs in the Hebrew. In Philofophy and Oratory, he exceeded most of his Contemporaries in the University; and apply'd himself with good fuccefs, to Mathematicks and Mufick. In the courfe of his Studies, he read several of the Fathers; and among his Private Papers, I find fome parts of the Greek Fathers, particularly Synefius, Tranflated by him into English. He had a Delicacy of Thought and Expreffion, that is very rarely to be met with; fo that there was a particular Beauty and Flame, in any thing that he Compos'd, especially upon Pious Subjects. He had a nice Taste both in Men and Books, and was very converfant in our best English Divines: But he particularly admir'd Hooker; whom he us'd to commend, as an Author who writ with a Primitive Spirit, but modern Judgment and Correctness. All Books of Devotion he read with with a very fenfible Pleasure, but was parti cularly fond of two Authors, Kempis: and Sa les, and has left behind him a correct Translation of The Introduction to a Devout Life written by the latter. But the Holy Scriptures were his conftant and daily Study; He read

them

them,he thought them,nay,he pray'd them over too, abundance of his Meditations taking their rife from those paffages of fcripture he then read. Few understood, or practic'd better, the Arts of gentile Converfation; and none more industriously avoided all Difcourfe that look'd affected and vain, or any way feem'd to aim at railing his own value. He feldom talk'd with any, but (without defigning it) he gain'd upon them, and had a particular Art of Ob liging. His Abilities for Bufinefs, are very well known to all the Officers of the Revenue, and many Others, who had the experience of them besides: And those who were oblig'd to attend him, were fo treated by him, as if it had been his Duty to wait on them: It being his great study to give every one Ease and Dispatch; and none knew what Delays or Difficulties meant, where he was concern'd, or had power to remove them.

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But these are things of a lower nature (tho' very excellent in themselves) when compar'd with his Piety towards God, his Justice and Charity to Man, his Sobriety and Temperance with respect to himself: I fhall therefore in the Profecution of this Work, confider Mr. Bonnell as a Chriftian; and give the jufteft account I can, from fuch Materials as I have before me, of his discharging the feveral Duties we owe to God, our Neighbour, and our Selves,

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His Love to

Gods

The Love of God the first and greatest du ty of the Law, was what he earnestly endeayour'd to excite and confirm in his Soul. His Papers are full of excellent Meditations, to engage us to love God, with all our Faculties and Powers; and Penitential Complaints of his Loves falling fo fhort, both of his Duty and Defires. And he took the true way, to kindle this Heavenly Flame of Divine Love in his Heart, even by frequently contemplating those Attributes of God, which are apteft to command our Love; His infinite Goodnefs and unlimited Bounty; His paternal Care, and watchful Providence; But chiefly that ftupendous Inftance of his Love, the Redemption of the World, by the Death and Paffion of his Son.

He had great and noble thoughts of Chriftianity, and never reflected on the wonderful Compaffion of God in fending his Son to Dye for us, without the ftrongest Emotions of Love, and Thankfulness, and Wonder. The Love of Chrift was the Subject of his daily Thoughts;. It fill'd his Heart and employ'd his Pen. And his Private Meditations upon the astonishing Love of our Redeemer, do fhew of what Spirit he was, that Compos'd them; a Spirit truly affected with that infinite Love, all over Humility and Gratitude, and overflowing with Love, Acknowledgements and Praife.

I fhall here Infert a few of thefe Meditations, by which the Reader may Judge of the Reft.

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Can my Soul Jays he in one place ever think Meditations enough, O my God, of the wonders of thy to excite our Love, in all that Thou haft done for Thy Love to God. • Creatures! That the Majefty of Heaven,

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and the whole incomprehenfible Trinity, 'fhou'd be concern'd and engag'd, for our Redemption, when one word of Thine, O my God, might have made infinitely more Creatures than all the Sons of Men! By this the Holy Angels know, and wonder at the unaccountable methods of thy proceeding: One while, looking with adoration and amazement on Thee, our common Creator and Lord; and another while, on us Men, > to fee whether we are not affected with the like adoration and wonder, who are fo • deeply concern'd in it. Can ye, O Mortals, (fay they) be patient to let our God do all this for you, and take no notice of it, as if it were your Due, and not the Wonder of Heaven! Did you know, O Mortals, did you know, what our God is, that does these things for you; did you know him, as we know him, you wou'd fhrink back at the thoughts of it, and your Souls wou'd be overpower'd with confufion. O too Stupid Men! Too highly favour'd, and too little fenfible

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of it, were it not that fome few Souls among you, have burning, and reverend thoughts • of this astonishing condefcention, furely we 'fhou'd fue to the Majefty of our God, to ⚫ have leave to make you Examples of Vengeance, for your Brutish Ingratitude. But, Oye tender Souls, who honour, who adore G 2

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