most Use and Importance to Mankind; who live in a World abounding with Croffes and Disappointments, with various Miferies and Calamities, and which is also introductory to another, and difpos'd in every Particular to fubferve the Interests of it. Now, I fay, no Doctrine can be of greater Ufe and Importance to us, than that, which thus teaches us to imthe Evils and Miseries of prove very this Life; to overcome the World, and its feverest Trials; to extract Pleafure from Pain, Honour from Reproaches, and Peace from Perfecu

tion.

This Doctrine I thought, above all others, the most seasonable at this Time, and in this Place, where every Heart of every Order and Degree of Men amongst us, must neceffarily be full of Trouble under our late common Lofs. Who is there among us that has not fhared, either the Friend

ship and Favour, or the Munificence and Generosity, or the Hospitality and Charity of our late moft excellent Prelate. And we feem now to be as a Family deprived of its Master, as Children who have loft a tender Parent, comfortless Orphans! It very rarely happens, that fo great an Ability to do good, fo ftrong an Inclination, and fo clear a Judgment to direct them, do meet together in one Perfon.

If we confider him barely as a Man, under those Relations which are common to the whole Species; and fearch the World around us, we shall not be able to find in any Person a more strict Justice, a more exact Veracity, or a greater Benevolence and Compaffion; cleaner Hands, or a more tender Heart.

If we confider him further as a Gentleman, a Character which adds a Refinement to Humanity, which im

Dr. Waddington.

proves

proves the Manner, and raises the Gracefulness, and imparts a Delicacy. to Actions, we fhall find him here moft ftudious to avoid every thing that might be offenfive; so happy in his Address and Manner, that every Favour he bestowed was doubly inhanced by it; every Refufal became an Obligation, and every Reproof, which was extorted from him, fo mitigated and foftned, that it melted the Heart of the Offender, and prepared it for the most effectual Impreffions. I need fay no more on this Head, than that his Table was crowded, and his Friendship fought, by Persons of the most refined Taste, and of the highest Rank and Quality, and that he has left behind him in the Palace, a very expensive, a very elegant and lasting Monument, of his excelling in this Character.

If we confider him as a Chriftian, a Character, which raises our Ideas and enlarges

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larges our Expectations, we shall scarce find it better filled in any Age, than it was by him in this, confeffedly, very corrupt and degenerate one. He was a burning and fining Light in the midfi of a crooked and perverse Generation. Burning inwardly, and shining outwardly. His Piety was unaffected, his Faith unfeigned, not dead, but fruitful of good Works; His Hope full of Affurance, well-grounded, held fast, and improved even unto the End; His Charity unbounded and univerfal; fwallowing up and fuperfeding private Friendships; the whole Race of Mankind were his Neighbours; and they who did the Will of his Father which is in Heaven, the fame were his Brother and Sifter and Mother.

If we confider him as a Proteftant Chriftian, who could have a jufter Sense of our happy Reformation, or a greater Dread of the Return of

Popish Tyranny, Superftition, and Idolatry, or a more fincere and zealous Attachment to the Proteftant Succeffion in the moft illuftrious House of Hanover, the great Bulwark both of our Natural, Civil, and Religious Rights and Liberties.

Laftly, Let us view him in his higheft Station and Character, as a Chriftian Bishop. To fay, that he was not given to Wine, was no Striker, not greedy of filthy Lucre, not a Brawler, not covetous, would be a very mean and low Repre fentation of him. He was vigilant, fober, of good Behaviour, given to Hof pitality, apt to teach, one that rul'd well his own House, and took care of the Church of God, the spiritual Family committed to his Truft, having his Children in Subjection, with all Gravity. I cannot but take especial Notice of two Particulars relating to this Part of his Character. The first, his Aptness to Teach, and especially

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his