within him of divine truths. From this union of zeal with his knowledge, he was excellently qualified to convince and convert fouls. The found of words only strike the ear; but the mind reasons with the mind, and the heart speaks to the heart. He was no fomenter of faction, but ftudious of the public tranquillity. He knew what a bleffing peace is, and wifely forefaw the pernicious confequences that attend divifions. By peace, the bond of harmony, the weakest things are preferved and profper; but where difcord reigns, the ftrongeft are near to ruin. The heavenly confent in the primitive church, was a principal caufe of its miraculous increase and flourifhing; but after diffentions prevailed among chriftians, that was deftroyed in a fhort time, which was built by the divine union and heroic patience of the primitive chriftians. And the glorious beginnings, that promifed the reformation of all Europe, were more obftructed by the diffenfions of fome employed in that bleffed work, than by all the power and fubtilty, the arms and artifice of Rome itself. May that Saviour, who did by his precious blood reconcile heaven and earth, fend down his fpirit to inspire that wisdom which is pure and peaceable, that those who agree in the fame principles of faith, in the fame fubftantial parts of worship, in afferting the fame indifpenfible neceffity of holinefs, may receive one another in love!

If we confider him as a chriftian, his life was answerable to his doctrine. His refolute contempt of the world fecured him from being wrought upon by thofe low motives, which tempt fordid fpirits from their duty. He would not rafhly throw himself into troubles, nor fpreta confcientiâ (at the expence of his confcience) avoid them. His charity was eminent in procuring fupplies for others, when in mean circumftances himself. But he had great experience of GOD's fatherly provifion, to which his filial confidence was correfpondent. His conversation in his family was holy and exemplary, every day inftructing them from the fcriptures in their duty. His humility was great. He was deeply affected with the fense of his frailties and unworthinefs. He confidered the infinite purity of GOD, the perfection of his law the rule of our duty, and by that humbling light difcovered his manifold defects. He expreffed his thoughts to an inti-. mate friend a little before his death, to the following effect: "If the holy prophets were under ftrong impreffions of fear, upon the extraordinary difcovery of the di

vine

vine prefence, how fhall we poor creatures appear before the holy and dread Majefty? Ifaiah, after his glorious vifion of GOD, reflecting upon himself as not retired and purified from the commerce and corruption of the world, breaks forth, Woe is me, for I am undone! because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hofts. It is infinitely terrible to appear before GOD the judge of all, without the protection of the blood of Sprinkling, that speaks better things than the blood of Abel, and without the spotless robe of the lamb of GOD for our juftification before the throne!" This alone relieved him, and fupported his hopes. Though his labors were abundant, yet he knew that the work of GOD, paffing through our hands, is fo blemished, that, without an appeal to pardoning mercy and grace, in and through Chrift Jefus, we cannot ftand in judgement. This was the fubject of his last public fermon.

The atteftation of a fellow laboror in the Lord's vineyard, is expressed in the following terms: He languished many months, but prefuming he fhould be too strong for his infirmity, neglected it, till at laft it became infuperable and mortal. Many pathetical aggravations heighten our great and fenfible lofs; that fuch a faithful minifter, of Chrift fhould be taken away, whofe preaching was fo powerful to repair the woful ruins of true godliness and vital christianity in a degenerate age; whofe prudent pacific fpirit rendered him fo useful in thefe divided times, when, alas! profeffors of the fame religion are alienated from one another, as if they had been baptized with the waters of trife: That before our tears were dried up for the lofs of other worthy minifters, the fountain of forrow fhould be opened again by this afflicting ftroke. But it becomes us to receive the difpenfations of providence with humble and quiet fubmiffion; to reflect upon our fins with an holy grief, that provoke GOD to remove fuch an excellent inftrument of his glory from us. Let us pray to the Lord of the harvest, that he will fend forth more laborers into it. He was of a middle ftature as to his perfon, and of a fair and fresh complexion, with a mixture of majesty and sweetness in his countenance. In his younger years, he was very flender; but grew corpulent in his advanced age; not by idleness or excefs, for he was remarkably temperate, and unweariedly diligent. He had naturally a little appetite, and generally declined all manner of feafts; but a fedentary life, and the long confinement

finement of the five-mile act, which he used to complain of, firft broke his conftitution. Perhaps few men of the age in which he lived, had more virtues, and fewer failings, or were more remarkable for general knowledge, fearless integrity, great candor and wildom, found judge ment, and natural eloquence; copious invention, and incredible industry, zeal for the glory of GOD, and good will to men, for acceptance and usefulness in the world, and a clear unfpotted reputation, through a course of many years, among all parties of men.'

His WORKS. "I. A practical Expofition on Ifaiah liil. II. On the Epiftle of James. III. On the Epiftle of Jude. IV. Smedtymnuus Redivivus; an Answer to an humble Remonftrance. V. The Saint's Triumph over Death; a Funeral Sermon for Mr. Chriftopher Love. VI. Four Sermons in the Morning Exercise against Popery. VII. Several before Parliament on public Occafions." After his Death. VIII. Twenty Sermons on the Pfalms, Acts, &c. IX. Eighteen on 2 Theff. ii. on the Growth and Fall of Antichrift. X. A practical Expofition on the Lord's Prayer, 8vo. XI. Several Difcourfes tending to promote Holiness, 8vo. XII. Five Volumes of Sermons in folio, viz. Vol. I. On the Whole cxixth Pfalm. Vol.II. Twenty-seven Sermons on Matth. v. Forty-five on John xvii. Twenty-four on Rom. vi. Forty-five on Rom. viii. and Forty on 2 Cor. v. Vol. III. Sixty-fix Sermons on Heb. xi. A Treatife on the Life of Faith. A Treatife on Self-denial. Several Sermons on the Lord's Supper. Vol. IV. V. Select Sermons on feveral Texts."

MATTHEW POOLE.

MAT

ATTHEW POOLE, an eminent nonconformist minifter, was son of Francis Poole, Efq; of York, by his wife, daughter of alderman Toppin, in that city, where he was born in 1624. Having laid a competent foundation of grammar learning, he was fent to Emanuelcollege in Cambridge, and put under the tuition of Dr. John Worthington. He afterwards took the degree of master of arts there; and falling in with the prefbyterian opinions, concerning ecclefiaftical polity, which then prevailed, he entered into the miniftry, and about the year 1648, became rector of St. Michael le Querne in London. In 1654,

he