BIDDLE. 411 church. He followed after those things which made for peace, and laboured always to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. After the Lord was pleased to work upon him by his mighty power, and to reveal the grace of Christ to his soul, he was of a heavenly conversation. He walked closely with God in his family. He was a saint at home as well as abroad ; and he made it appear that he was really and relatively good, by being a good husband, a good father, &c. He lived loose from the world, and made not his gain his godliness. He had no design to make merchandize of Christ and the gospel. He often refused money for preaching, especially funeral sermons ; and if, on those occa- sions, any was forced upon him, or sent after him, he soon disposed of it by giving it to the poor. His discourse was mostly upon spiritual and heavenly subjects, in which he always discovered great pleasure and forwardness. In his youthful days he was greatly addicted to vanity and ungodli- ness, which, to his own shame, and to the praise of divine grace, he acknowledged to his dying day. " His ministry was very successful, and attended by the abundant blessing of God. He was instrumental in the con- version of many souls ; and he left behind him many seals to his ministry. Every faithful preacher was not so remarkably blessed. God blessed him above scores, nay, hundreds of preachers, in the great work of conversion, by turning souls from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.' His happiness is unquestionable. Your loss is his gain. He is taken, up into glory, and there hath communion with God. He is out of the reach of all his enemies. They can now imprison him no more.. He will never have any thing more imposed upon him contrary to his conscience: He will never suffer there for nonconformity. There God will be for ever served, adored, and glorified with one heart, and with one consent". Mr. Simpson's funeral sermon, entitled, " The Failing and Perishing of good Men a matter of great and sore Lamentation," was preached June 26,1662, the dayof his interment. JOHN BIDDLE, A. M.---This great sufferer was born at 'Wotton-under-Edge in Gloucestershire, in the year 1615, and educated in Magdalen-hall, Oxford, where he took his degrees in arts. Here he prosecuted his studies with great " Funeral Sermon.
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