vii had a plentiful estate, so he was of a very chari“table disposition: which yet was not so well "known to many, becaufe in the difpofal of his charity, he very much affected fecrecy. He fre"quently bestowed his alms on poor houfekeepers, ❝ disabled by age or fickness to fupport themselves, "thinking thofe to be the most proper objects of it. "He was rather frugal in expence upon himself, that so he might have wherewithal to relieve the "neceffities of others. And not only charitable in "his life, but in a very beautiful manner at his "death, bequeathing in pious and charitable lega "cies to the value of a thousand pounds to the library of the univerfity of Cambridge fifty pounds, "and of King's college, one hundred pounds, and of "Emanuel College, twenty pounds, to which college "he had been a confiderable benefactor before, hav"ing founded three feveral scholarships there to the "value of a thousand pounds, out of a charity with "the difpofal whereof he was entrusted, and which 'દ not without great difficulty and pains he at laft "received. To the poor of the feveral places where "his eftate lay, and where he had been minifter, "he gave above one hundred pounds. Among thofe "who had been his fervants, or who were so at his "death, he difpofed in annuities and legacies in mo66 ney, to the value of above three hundred pounds. "To other charitable uses, and among his poor "relations, above three hundred pounds. To eve"ry one of his tennants, he left a legacy according "to the proportion of the estate they held, by way "of remembrance of him; and to one of them, "who was gone much behind, he remitted in his "will seventy pounds. And as became his great "goodnefs he was ever a remarkably kind landlord, "forgiving his tennants, and always making abatements to them for hard years, or any other acci ૬. ❝ dental "dental loffes that happened to them. He made likewife a wife provifion in his will to prevent law"fuits among legatees, by appointing two or three "perfons of the greatest prudence and authority a"mong his relations, final arbitrators of all diffe66 rences that should arife." His felect fermons were printed at London, 1698, in 8vo, with a preface by the late Earl of Shaftsbury, author of the CHARACTERISTICKS, which collection was fince republifhed at Edinburgh, in the year 1742 in 12mo, with an excellent recommendatory epiftle, by the revd. and learned Dr. William Wifhart principal of the college of Edinburgh. Four other volumes of his difcourfes were published by Dr. John Jeffery, Archdeacon of Norwich, at London, 1702, in 8vo. We fhall conclude this fhort account of our author with the character which bifhop Burnet, that excellent prelate, gives of him. Speaking of thofe divines who were generally called Latitudinarians, he fays, "Dr. Whichcote was a man of a rare tem 66 per, very mild and obliging. He had great credit "with fome that had been eminent in the late times "but made all the use he could of it, to protect "good men of all perfuafions. He was much for liberty of confcience. And being disgusted with "the dry fyftematical way of those times, he ftudied "to raise those who converfed with him, to a noble "fet of thoughts, and to confider religion as a feed "of a DEIFORM nature: (to use one of his own phrases) in order to this, he fet young students, "much on reading the ancient philofophers, chiefly "Plato, Tully and Plotin; and on confidering the "chriftian religion, as a doctrine fent from God, "both to elevate and fweeten human nature, in "which he was a great example, as well as a wife "and kind inftructor." CON CONTENTS The Shortnefs of Human Charity. Jonah iv. 1,2. But it difpleafed Fonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the Lord, and faid, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my faying, when I was yet in my country? therefore I fled before unto Tarfbish for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful 13. For he is gracious and merciful, flow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. p. 20 The Difference of Times with refpect to religion.- Pfalm. xcv. 7. To day if ye will hear his voice, hard- The Joy which the righteous have in God. - Pfalm The fecret Blafting of Men -Pfalm xxxix. 11. When thou with rebukes doft correct man for iniquity, than evil heart of unbelief, and departing from the living God. DISCOURSE X. The Malignity of Popery. P. 146 Jam. iii. 18. The P. 160 fruit of righteousness is fown in peace of them that make peace. DISCOURSE XI. The Deceitfulness of fin. P. 182 DISCOURSE XII. XIII. XIV. XV. XVI. The Conversion of a Sinner. -Ezek. xviii. 27. When the wicked man turneth away from his wickednefs that he hath committed, and doth that which is lawful and right, he fhall fave his foul alive. p. 198. 210. 226. 241, 257. DISCOURSE XVII. XVIII. XIX. XX. The true Valuation of Man.-- Luke xvi. 25. But Abraham faid, fon, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedft thy good things, and likewife Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. p. 268. 285. 303. 320. DISCOURSE XXI. The Neceffary Repentance of a Sinner. Ifaiah i. 16. Wajh ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings. &c. DISCOURSE XXII. XXIII. The Exercise and Progress of a Christian. P. 332 Phil. iii. 12. Not as though I had already attained or were DISCOURSE XXIV. * Phil. 3.15 P. 373 DIS DISCOURSE I. The SHORTNESS of HUMAN CHARITY. JONAH iv. I, 2. But it difpleafed Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my faying, when I was yet in my country? therefore, I fled before unto Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, flow to anger, and of great kindnefs, and repenteft thee of the evil. B UT it difpleafed Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And what is the matter, that a good man, an extraordinary person, a prophet, yea, of all the prophets, a type of Chrift, in whom our Savicur doth inftance: that he is fo much offended, and that he is so very angry? We may imagine, doubtless, fome very great cause, fomething mightily amifs, and out of order: no less certainly, than one of these three things. 1. Certainly, here is fome great difbonour to God. Here is fome, fure, that declare for atheism, profaneness and irreligion, that hath so provoked the spirit of the good man. As we find good Hezekiah, he rent his clothes, and fell into a grievous paffion upon Rabfbakeb's blafphemy, and reviling the God Vol. I. A |