truth arose on his mind, he reflected its beams, in his conversations and sermons among his hearers; and though, from a conviction of his worth, they were unwilling to part with him, not withstanding the change of his sentiments, yet he found it reces sary to remove.

His next place of settlement was at Sutton Ashfield, in the same county where he began to preach in a room, called Bore's Hall. Here he formed a small church of the Calvinistic, or Particular Baptist denomination; and to this situation the religious public are indebted for the first edition of The Reign of Grace, which contains the substance of a great number of his sermons, preached first at Sutton Ashfield, and other places. This work has proved the most popular of all his publications; and with it all the circumstances of the latter half of his life are connected.

I

The manuscript had been recommended to the Rev. Mr. Venn, who hearing a pleasing account of Mr. Booth's life and minis try, desired to peruse it," though he entertained no raised expec tations concerning it; but "to my great surprize," says Mr. Venn, "there appeared to me in it the marks of a genius, joined with the feelings of a Christian heart; a vigor of style much above what is common in our best religious writers; in his reasoning, clearness and force; and in his doctrine an apostolic purity. flatter myself also, that this work will prove both so pleasing and useful to men of an evangelical taste, that some better situation may be found for Mr. Booth: a situation proper for a man whom God hath endowed with abilities, and a taste for good learning; so that he shall be no more subject to the necessity of manual labour." This recommendation, with the merits of the work itself, brought our worthy friend into public notice; and became the occasion of his settlement with the church in Prescot Street, Goodman's Fields, on the decease of the Rev. Mr. Bur ford, who died April 15, 1768.

Some of the brethren having read the book, and being much pleased with it, agreed to take a journey to hear him. They were much delighted with his labours and invited him to preach a Lord's Day or two with their friends. Mr. Booth accordingly came; preached three successive Sabbaths; and was then requested to repeat his visit, which he did: in consequence of which an unanimous call was given him; which, after due deliberation, he accepted; and was ordained February 16, 1769. Some persons, yet living, perfectly remember how well Mr. Booth's confession of faith was received; they considered it as a kind of waye sheaf, the blissful harbinger of a rich and plenteous harvest; nor have their expectations been disappointed.

Thus united with a godly respectable people, the objects of his laudable ambition were before him, and within his reach. As, therefore, his love of books had been ardent from carly life, it now increased, and became almost insatiable; so that he seems to have formed the determination, which Dr. Owen formerly

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made, that, if learning were attainable, he would, by the blessing of God, surely possess it. The circumstances of his former situation rendered it necessary for him to observe the first part of Pliny's Rule for reading: Non multa, sed multum; while his inclination impelled him to follow the second part of it: for tho' he had not many books to read, yet he read much, digested what he read, and often reduced it to common places. His being already so good a divine, and furnished with a vast variety of matter methodized for the pulpit, gave him leisure, and ministered to the execution of his plan, of which he never lost sight. After his residence in London, he was considerably indebted to the erudition of an eminent classic, who had been a Roman Catholic priest." Except the assistance which he received from this preceptor, he might fairly be denominated a self-taught scholar, whose literary acquisitions equalled, and often surpassed his means. Few were better acquainted with the writers of Ecclesiastical History, or of Jewish Antiquities; but he had another object, which seems to have been the height of his ambition; he obtained an easy access to the exhaustless stores of Theology, published abroad. Some of those, which he signalized with a peculiar regard, were Witsius, Turretine, Stapferus, Vitringa, and Venema. Nor must we omit among his favourites at home, Dr. John Owen, to whose learned and evangelical writings he has often acknowledged himself deeply indebted.

These exertions from early youth till he was more than sixty, unquestionably demonstrate of what importance sound learning appeared to him, especially for a gospel minister; and his opi nion on this head must be of consequence, as few were more capable of appreciating its value than himself: he knew its utility by his former want of it. Nevertheless, he constantly maintained, that a knowledge of the languages in which the sacred Scriptures were originally written, however highly desirable, is by no means essential to a minister of Christ.

His doctrinal sentiments were Calvinistic, according to the Confession of Faith, published in London, by the Calvinistic Baptists, in the year 1689. These he thought it his duty to maintain and defend. "Nor did he state either of them in the usual terms, that he might intentionally keep any of the rest of them out of sight. Who ever found him exalting even the glorious electing person and work of Christ, with a view to render the Spirit, a love of the Father, or the sanctifying work of the Holy mere cypher? While he sublimely asserted that the "obedience of our Lord, even unto death, " is that in worth which his person is in dignity, this infinite in glory, that boundless in me rit," and, hence, that it is a finished redemption: he never conceived of the active and passive obedience of Christ alone as a complete salvation; but earnestly contended, " that sanctification is a part, a capital, an important part of that salvation aud

blessedness which are promised to the people of God, and provided for them in Christ."

It seems also of consequence to mention how faithfully he con tended for those doctrines, at a time when the idea of the innocency of mental error was fast gaining ground, when Candour and Liberality were terms employed in favour of none but those who discovered a total indifference to the grand truths of the gospel, -when all catechisms, and creeds, and systems were execrated, except such as were in the interests of the Sabellian, the Arian, or the Socinian Heresy. At a Monthly Meeting of ministers, on that text, "Buy the truth and sell it not," he stated, with an energy of mind, and a force of argument never to be forgotten, that "if error be harmless, truth must be worthless ;" and, with a voice, for him unusually elevated, declared, that every partisan of the innocency of mental error is a criminal of no common atrocity, but guilty of high treason against the Majesty of Eternal Truth.

"But, intent as he was in defence of the whole sacred palladium of revealed truth, there is evidence to conclude, that, of late years, two points lay peculiarly near his heart. One is, the Freeness of the Gospel, as containing "Glad Tidings to perishing Sinners; or," in other words, that "the genuine Gospel is a complete Warrant for the most ungodly Person to believe in Jesus." This point he has laboured; and whatever may be thought, by different persons, of other positions in his Glad Tidings; if ever it was proved that the voice of the gospel "to the vilest of the vile," is this, "Come and welcome to Jesus Christ," he has gloriously proved it: and this has been a matter of exultation to many, as it is a truth from which many duties fairly result; and which, if practically believed, will produce an harvest of evangelical delights.

"The other of the two articles which appeared to him of so much importance is, The Doctrine of the Satisfaction of Christ; which, he was confident, lays the surest foundation for the support of personal and particular redemption, and of justification by the imputed righteousness of our Lord:" but he was not more conspicuous for his zealous attachment to the fundamental articles of our faith, than he was for his cordial regard to practical religion. Thus viewed, he was a bright example to all around him. "The doctrine of Grace and the doctrine of Duty," were clearly distinguished by him; and yet so perfectly joined together, as to breathe but one spirit, and to form but one system. Grace, sovereign grace, as displayed in the gospel, he considered as the ground of hope: the revealed will of God, as summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments, he maintained to be the rule of duty for saints and sinners; and that it must so remain for ever," while God is God, and man is ma...'

"His sermons were always good, often truly great, and mostly

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stood !"

He not only preached the doctrines of grace practically, but when he was upon the most practical subjects, his conscience would not allow him to keep the great truths of the gospel out of sight, nor even to seem to do it; but all the intelligent who heard him, perceived that " he intentionally reared the fabric of practical religion on the foundation of the glorious doctrine of sovereign grace:" and he will long be characterized as a minister who preached the duties of religion doctrinally, in unison with all the principles of his creed.

His prayers did not partake of the nature of sermons; but were solemn evangelical addresses to Jehovah. In confession of sin he was more abundant; while in every part of this duty he was fervent and devotional. His addresses for the church were generally presented to him in his paternal character; but in his intercessions for his dear native country, and for the poor oppressed Africans, he invoked him, as Isaac and Jacob did of old, in the character of God Almighty for though he did not despair of better days than the present, he assured himself, that the condition of the former, and the wretchedness of the latter, can never be ameliorated by any thing short of the exertion of a power which is infinite.

When others conducted public prayer where he was present, he was accustomed, at the conclusion, softly, yet audibly, to subjoin his amen. This practice he wished might prevail in all our congregations, and at our prayer-meetings; but his example and influence, considerable as they were, have not yet rendered it general.

As a Christian minister, he was a pastor according to God's heart; and his true character as such, was unintentionally drawn by himself in his late sermon, entitled Pastoral Cautions. This is an exact moral likeness, a whole-length picture of himself.

The members of his church found that he had the bosom of a shepherd, and the heart of a father, In some of their families he was received and consulted as a parent. All the rest recognized in him a friend; and he was remarkably affectionate to the children of Affliction and Distress. He was eminently at

tentive to the poor of his flock; and could always find time to call on them, to visit them, even if others thought themselves neglected.

The different publications of this laborious servant of the Lord have obtained for him a lasting reputation. They demonstrate that, in polemical divinity, he was an able disputant; and that in doctrinal, casuistical, and practical theology, he was an eminent divine. His writings of the latter description have been rendered a blessing to thousands. His volume on the Reign of Grace, and his Essay, entitled "The Death of Legal Hope, the Life of Evangelical Obedience," have received the honour of being translated abroad. But he was not more zealous in recommending divine things to others than he was conscientious in regarding them himself. Hence he was a brilliant example of walking with God. He shone also eminently in the exercise of the grace of prudence; but if there were any trait in his character more distinguishing than the rest, it was that of Integrity and Uprightness. His word was enough, without any other solemn engagement. Deceit of every kind was far from him, and he detested flattery; and of him it might truly be said, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" He gloried in the cross of Christ as the only foundation of the sinner's hope; but in another view, his rejoicing, his glorying, was this, "The testimony of his conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity his conversation had been in the world."

Yet no one must conclude that this faithful servant of his Lord spent a life of more than threescore years and ten without his share of trials. He met with heavy afflictions and crosses in his family. Nor was he, at all times, entirely free from troubles in his church, prosperous as have been its circumstances. No: here he has needed the exercise of patience and humility. Frequently his evangelical labours have been misunderstood, slighted, and contemned. "Some dissatisfied persons have complained of his ministry as being dry, legal, and of an Arminian cast; while others have quarrelled with it, under a supposition that it verged towards Antinomianism." In free conversation with his brethren, he has said, that in the same week, and concerning the very same discourses, these opposite complaints have been made before his face. How meekly he heard them, is not entirely unknown; for it has been admired by the complainants themselves.

He was solemnly impressed with the death of his dear wife, about four years since; but so much resigned to the will of God, that his friends were struck; and one of them remarked it to him: to whom he said, "There is great reason for my composure and serenity. About twenty-three years ago, my wife had a severe lying-in, which so debilitated her, that we feared she would never recover her strength. Her indisposition continued about two years, which occasioned our removing so near to the raceting-house. Soon after, the Lord was pleased to send the