Hopkins - HP BR75 .H65 1710

The P 'R. E F J1 C E. ho pains eo proteCt them in their Rights; and ufed all his intereft to promote rhem as rhe)' deferved. In a word, he was every way qualified anc! adorned for that great Charge; and by conftant Preaching, a wife Government, and an even and ftcady Hand; by a winning Temper, an humble Courage and prudent Moderation, he gained upon Dilfenters, and brought many into the Communion of our Church, having fully convinced them, that her DoCl:rinc was Pure and Primitive, Orthodox and Apoftolical: And did, upon all occafions, fhew himfelf a wife, a learned, and a pious Bifhop. He every way filled his Chair, and \vas an Honour to his See, and may defervedly be enrolled in the Catalogue of his learned Predecelfors; for with fuch has that See been blelfed ever fince the Reformation. And undoubtedly his Death will be extreamly lamented in that Country· and fure I am the Poor wi.ll have great reafon to bewail it; for to them h~ wa• exceeding generous and charitable, and gave great Sums, every Year amongft them, befldes the Tenth of his Revenues, which he conftantly laid by for fuch ufes; and did alfo allow good Yearly Penfions to Students in the Univerflty, to Minifters Widows, and other diftrelfed Pcrfons, and did put Children to Trades, and largely contribute to the Building and Repairing of fame Churches, and defigned greater things, ifGod had (pared him to return. But, alas! he is gon, and our poor unferled Church has an extraordinary lofs in him: ;Tis a fharpStrokc, an additional Judgment, to lofe him now. But to Gods Holy Wt!l we muft fubm1t, as he willingly and chearfully did, wh~n Death apl'roacl1ed: He refigncd all with great Chrift1an <;::ourage, and d1fcourfed Philofoph!Cally and Drvmely of rhc Vanity and Uncertainty of all Sublunary Thing~ and fctlcd all his Defires up-- on the Things above; and, not long before h1s death, l1e difcourfed of the Neccffity and Sincerity of Repentance and Uniform Obedience in fuel\ a manner, and inveighed with fuch an Holy Zeal, againll: the Sins of thefeNarions, as might mak~ the greareft Debauchees o_f our Age quake and tremble to have heard !urn. And then, WJth reflei:bng on lumfelf, he did with great Griefand Sorrow, with Sigh_s and Tear'? bewailthe leafl: Fail: tires of his L1fe, andfpent Ius Laft D_ays m Self.esarrunauon, mRepentance, and Prayer, and w1th great Devouon receJVed the Holy Sacrament, i.ft which he found much Joy and Comfort, and had fuch Inward Peace and Antepafts of Blifs, that he longed to be d11folved and to be with Chrift, and did very often beg of God to take hun: And, on Thurfday !aft, his Prayer was heard, and God, in his Mercy, took him out of the Troublesof this Life, and called lum up amongft the Blelfed, and changed liis Fa• .cling Mitre into a Crown ofEternal Glory. What then remains, but that we imitate his Virtue, honour his Memo.. ry, and commit his Body to his Dormiro1y, there to llee~ till the Refurre8:ion, when he and all who have been dil1gent and mduft~wus, pamful ancli laborious in the Mini!hy, and have been Precedents ?f PJety and Holinefs,. of Jufrice and Integrity, will meet thm l'locks w1th Joy and Comfort and for turning them to Righteoufnefs, Jball fhinc as Stars for ever ~nd1 ever? Which God grant we l!lllf all do, &r. . The

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