BURR. 46, JONATHAN BURR.-This truly pious divine was born at Redgrave in Suffolk, in the year 1604, and educated at one of our universities. He was the son of pious parents, and, from a child, was trained up in the knowledge of the holy scriptures, which made himwise untosalvation. While a boy at school, he lived in the fear of God, and in the constant exercises of private devotion. Having spent four years at the university, he was unexpectedly called away by the death of his pious father. This painful dispensation was, however, sanctified to his good. He used afterwards to admire the wisdom and goodness of God, in preserving him by this means from those alluring preferments, for which lie had a particular fondness. His first ministerial exercises were at Horningsheath in Suffolk, then at Rick- ingshal in the same county. In the latter situation, he bad the pastoral charge, was presented to the rectory, and, with great exactness, performed his numerous pastoral duties. On this occasion he entered into a solemn covenant with God. Though what he delivered to the people in public, be previously applied to himself in private, he sometimes complained, saying, "Alas ! I preach not what I am, but what I ought to be. ' Indeed, he was so deeply sensible of his own unworthiness, and of the numerous imperfections attending his best performances, that he often laboured under painful despondency. He was constant and laborious in the work of the Lord ; and when desired to spare him- self, he used to say, " It is better to wear out with work, than be eaten out with rust." It was his highest joy to spend his life for the honour of God and the welfare of. souls. When he found, at any time, that the Lord had been pleased to bless his labours, he would say, " Lord, I have given of thine own ; take thou the glory to thyself. As for me, let me have my portion in thyself, and not in the things of this world." He was remarkably charitable to the poor; andwhen requested to be more sparing in his liberality, he replied, " I often think on those words, He that soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly." He' was of a meek and lowly spirit, and so patient under injuries, that when he was told how meanly other persons thought. of .him, he used to say, " I think as meanly of myself, and, therefore, am content for them to think thus of me." And when he was charged with evil, he meekly replied, " If men see so much evil, howMuch does God see ?" He was always sorry to hear himself applauded, and called, his reproaches his gains. 11.11.111MMIIMIN1-1,..afSMAVA
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