Bates - HP BX5200 B3 1700

· 8oo To the Right Worfhipful, And his much Honoured Friend, Sir fl E NR Y AS HU R ST, Baronet. SIR, YOur Noble and Conftant Kindnefs to Mr. Baxter Living, andyour Honourable Rejpell to him Dead, have induced me to infcribe the following Me- - moria/ of him to your Name. He wa.s m oft worthy of your highift Efteem andTove, for the firft Impreflioizs of Heaven upon your Soul, were in Reading hio unvalued Book of the Saints Everlafting Reft. Thio kindled a mutual Ajfellion in your Breafts: hi~; Love wa.s Direlling,,.C'ounJelling, and Exciting you to Jecure your Future Happinefs : your Love wa.s Ob'flrvant, Grateful, and Beneficent to him. The Sincerity andGenerojity ofyour Friend/hip, wa.s very evident, in your appeariy,.andftanding by him, when he wa.s fo roughly and unrighteoujly handled, by one, w.fo wa.s tbe difho11our of this Ages Lauf; whofe Deportment in a high place ofJudirature, wa.s fo contrary to WijCJom, Humanity, andJuftice, that there need no foul words to make hu Name odiou;, Of thio and your other Favours Mr. Baxter retain'd adear and lafting Senfe; and in hio dying hours declared, thatyou had been the bejf friend heever had. He ha.s finifhed his Courfe, and received his Crown: His Name will /hine longer thap hio Enemiedhall bark. I cannot omit the mentioning, that Mr. Boyle and Mr. Baxter, thofe incomparable Perfons in their foveral Studies, and dear Friends, died within a./hort JPace of one another. Mr. Boyle wa.s engaged in the Contemplation of the Dejign and Architellure of the vijible World, and made rare di{coveries in theJjftem ofNature : zwt for Curiojity and barren Speculation, but to admire and adore the Perfellions of the Deity in theVariety, Orckr1 Beauty, and marvellou; Artificeofthe Creatures that comp Je this great 'lJniverfe. _Mr. Baxter was converfant in the invijible World: his Min~ was a:rzfiant!J applied to underftan1 theharmoniou,; Agreement o(the Divme AttrzbuteJ•n the Oeconomy of our Salvatzon, and to reftore Men to the Favour and Image of God. They are now admitted into the inlightned and purified Society above: where the immen{e Volumes of the Divine Wijilom are laid open, and by one gl,znce of an ~' th.ey difcover mllYe perfelll) the Gloriou; and Wonderful Works of God in Heaven and Earth, than the moft diligent Inquirers can do here, in a thoufond years Study, though they had the Sagacity of Solomon . By the Light of Glory, they fee the face of God, and are fatisfied with his likenefs for ever. 'Tis a high honour to )'OU 1 that Mr. Boyle and Mr. Baxter /hould by their Laft Will nominate you amone:{t their Executors. It wa.s the Saying ofaWife Roman, Malo divi Augufti judicium, quam beneficjum. I had ratf:ter have the Efteem of the Emperour Auguftus than his Gifts: for he wa.s an under{fanding Prince, andhis Ejteemwa.s very Honourable to aPerfan. That trr:owho fo excell'd in Wif dom andGoodnefs, ./hould commit to yourTruft the di(pofal of their Eftates {llY the Vfes of Piety and Charity, is a more noble Teftimony of their Efteem ofyour Prudence and inviolable Integrity, than if they had bequeathed to you rich Legacie;. It is a Jot isfallion to me, that I have complied with Mr. Baxter's dejire in Preaching his Funeral Sermon, and with )'Ours in Publi/hing it. I }hall unfeigned!J rec~mmend your Jelf, your excellent Lady, and virtuou; Children, to the Divine Menies: and remain, with great Refpell, S I R, Your humble and faithful Servant, VVilliam Bates.

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=