work with great diligence. He became much admired for his public performances; and, as his heart was much fet upon the acquifition of knowledge, he was very industrious in reading. He was, indeed, the principal life of a fociety of minifters and candidates in those parts, who, from time to time met, to spend a day in useful conversation, and in communicating their studies; an excellent design, and which was carried on for several years, not without confiderable fuccefs. He was in great esteem with the gentlemen of the first rank in the neighbourhood. The vivacity of his spirit, true wit, so corrected, as to be perfectly consistent with the gravity of his character; an exact purity of manners and good-breeding, recommended him to the best company; and his abilities foon became the fubject of general observation to his brethren in the ministry. It may be truly faid, that in the general fynod, which is a very large afsociation, there was no one more, or as much taken notice of. The greatest respect was paid him from his first appearances, as a perfon not only of very uncommon genius, but : a 4 but of admirable wisdom and difcretion, of perfect candor and great modesty. He foon became one of those, upon whom the synod most depended in the management of public affairs, and had a very large share in it. As a speaker, he was confidered as their greatest ornament: And it is very well known, that he maintained his character and esteem in these respects, through the whole of that tedious course of debates, which afterwards fell in upon the point of christian liberty, even with those, who were the fiercest antagonists to the cause he efpoused. WHEN he had been nine years in Antrim, he received a call from the dissenting congregation in Derry, who with great earnestness sollicited his removal thither. He was, indeed, so generally admired, that it was natural, the most considerable congregations should turn their eyes on him, in case of a vacancy: But this attempt was without success. He thought himself very happy in his fituation at Antrim, and that the great ends of his ministry might be served as effectually there as any where else. He loved his people, and had a pleasing prospect 1 spect of fuccess among them. The general synod, when this matter was debated before them, determined his continuance at Antrim. SOON after this, in the year 1712, his wife, by whom he had a fon and three daughters, died, which made a very deep and lasting impression upon his mind: He loved her with the greatest tenderness; and, though he bore up under his grief with all possible decency, yet there were plain appearances that it was exceedingly intense. For a confiderable time afterwards he chose retirement from the world, as much as it was confiftent with the business of his station. But whatever he suffered upon this occafion, it was abundantly compensated, by his apparent growth in knowledge and all virtuous improvements, the best proof, that he knew how to receive affliction, and make the proper use of it. He has left behind him a diary of his life, which begins February, 1712-13; it makes fix large volumes in quarto, very small writing, and very close: It is indeed an amazing work; the temper of his mind all along along represented with much exactness; the various events he met with, his reflections upon them, and his improvements of them: The whole bearing such characters of a reverence, and awe of the divine presence upon his mind, of fimplicity and sincerity of spirit, and the most careful difcipline of the heart, that, how great foever his reputation in the world was, it shews its real worth rather exceeded it. THIS diary begins with a review of his past life, even from childhood, and a very careful examination of the present moral state of his mind; which takes up many pages, and is too long to be here inferted. But it discovers a spirit thoroughly sensible of the importance of religion, fully convinced of the truth and divine authority of the religion of Christ, and in calling himself to an account, not only impartial but fevere. He searches narrowly into his own defects, and writes like one that wrote only for himself, laying open the inmost of his heart. Then he confiders the true defign of christianity by the knowledge of which we are helped to a right understanding of the terms of our acceptance with God. He obferves observes that the very effence of faith by which christians are justified, consists in a full confent of foul to the gospel, as containing the will of God for our salvation; and in pursuance of that, a chearful and unreserved fubmiffion to the laws of it; the tendency of all which is to purify the heart and life, to deliver men from the spirit of this world, that is, from pride, covetoufness and all corrupt defire; to prepare them for the love of God, refignation to him, confidence and delight in him; and for the performance of all good offices to others with undissembled charity. He observes that the gospel is admirably adapted to answer these ends, not only by the excellency of its laws, but by the love and mercy of God to mankind, and the love of our Saviour, declared in it; by the promises of all necessary divine aid, and of a happy immortality. Then he represents his own fentiments and temper with refpect to all these things, and towards the conclufion goes on thus; " I have, after calling upon : God, reviewed all that I have written upon this inquiry ; I dare say, in his fight, that my foul approves the design " of the gospel, and heartily concurs with |