tion was befides of fufficient Dignity and Credit. But in Things relating to God he conferred not with Flesh and Blood; and nothing hindered him from actually entring into Holy Orders but the Confideration that his Employment was a great Truft, and that he must render an Account to God, not only for his Difcharge of it, but for the Hands into which he fhould put it.

There might here be added, if there were room for it, a copious Narrative of many other obfervable Particulars of the Life and Virtues of this excellent Gentleman, but those that defire a full and compleat History of them may perufe the forementioned Book of Mr. Hamilton.

The late pious and charitable Sir Edmund Turnor, Knight, who was buried at Stoke in Lincolnshire, April 14. 1707. is another memorable Inftance of the fometimes thriving and flourishing State of fincere Religion, and all Virtue, in the fat Soil of Earthly Riches, without being choak'd by any of those rank and vicious Weeds in which it is too often exuberantly prolifick. Never was a great and plentiful Estate more deservedly conferred on any than on this excellent Gentleman, because (as faith Mr. Adamson, who preached his Funeral Sermon) never was an Estate lefs abused, or better managed, to the Honour of God who gave it, to the Good of Mankind who did fo largely partake of it, and to the promoting the Poffeffor's own everlasting Happiness, by a ftrictly fober enjoying, and a liberal difperfing it. It would engage me too far fhould I here reprefent him in his publick Employments and private Relations, in all which he faithfully and honourably discharged himself. But paffing by thefe, I will only confider how far his most exemplary Piety was from being in the least obstructed, or any way diminished, by the Abundance of his Riches, and how his diffufive Charity was con tinually enlarged in Proportion to the Greatness of his growing Wealth.

His

His Piety was no fuch loofe, foft, eafy Religion as could indulge all the Pleasures of Senfe, and the Luxuries and fashionable Liberties of a diffolute Age, but it was truly Chriftian, in its primitive Purity, according to the Rules of the Gospel, as profeffed and taught in the Established Church of England, of which he was ever a found Member, a great Admirer, and a glorious Ornament. He did not think the Baptifmal Initiation of Children, or the formal Profession of riper Years, though in the best and most Orthodox Communion, fufficient to denominate or conftitute any Perfons good Chriftians, or true Difciples of the bleffed Jefus, without bringing forth the real Fruits of Hólinefs and Righteoufness, in a fincere Obedience to the Laws of Chrift. And to remind him daily of this grand Truth, he had for a long Time piously plac'd before his Eyes in his Closet that excellent Saying of our Saviour in St. John 15. 8: Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bring forth much Fruit, fo fhall ye be my Difciples. Hence it was that he carefully regulated, not only the Actions of his Life, but even the Words of his Lips, infomuch that Mr. Adamfon folemnly profeffeth, that upon almoft Forty Years happy Acquaintance, and familiar Converfation with him, he never heard an immodeft or unfeemly Word, much lefs an Oath or Curfe, proceed out of his Mouth; for he often and feriously confider'd that Determination of the Apostle, St. James 1. 26. If any Man feems to be religious, and bridleth not his Tongue, this Man's Religion is vain.

He had a great Senfe of true Piety, and to preferve and increase it he conftantly and diligently attended on all the Sacred Offices of Religion, both publick and private. As to Prayer, his whole Life was almost one continu'd Aft of Devotion, with this he often confecrated the very Fields and Woods in his private Walks and Retirements, befides what he daily perform'd in his Clofet every Night and Morn

ing. In his publick Prayers he contented not himself with the ordinary Measures, being feldom fatisfy'd unless he had four or five times in the Day, been an humble and affectionate Petitioner in fome or other religious Affemblies at the publick Service of our Church. So frequent was his Participation of the Lord's-Supper, that he receiv'd it, where he had Opportunity, (as he always had in London, and at his own Seat) every Lord's-Day. And for this great Duty he kept himself in a conftant Preparation, by his ardent Devotions, ferious Meditations, and generally Weekly Faftings on the Day before.

It was no fmall Regard that he always fhew'd to every thing that any way related to the Worship of God, the Liturgy, the Utenfils, the Revenues of the Eftablish'd Church, and all Places fet apart for the publick Offices of it. Some of these he erected, others he adorn'd and beautify'd, others he endow'd with a more plentiful Provifion, for the more frequent reading publick Prayers, and adminiftring the Sacrament. And the pious Difpenfers of thefe Sacred Things, how mean foever they were upon other Accounts, were treated by him with fingular Refpects, as the Ambafladors of Chrift, and the Stewards of the Mysteries of God.

Such was his exemplary Piety, and the natural and happy Effect thereof was his no lefs exemplary and most extenfive Charity. This he tightly thought to be the best Acknowledgment he could make of the Divine Benignity in giving him fo plentiful an Eftate. Dona Dei Deo, the Gifts of God ought to be return'd to God, was his beloved Motto, deeply engraven on his Heart, as well as on the Front of his Hofpitals.

He ever rejoyc'd when any poor Chriftian was made glad by his Alms. His liberal refreshing the Hungry and Thirfty was a pleasant Refreshment, a delicious Feaft to his own Soul, and he thought him

felf

felf more oblig'd to thofe who recommended to him proper Objects for his Alms, than they who receiv'd them were to him for Relief.

Vaft were the Sums he gave to the Poor of the whole Neighbourhood round about in the Country where he liv'd, and that not as a Dispenser of others Charity (as fome fallly reported) but purely out of his own Estate, tho' he had a Son and Heir to leave it to. His occafional Alms were very great, and his free Donations for a conftant standing Relief to the Poor were much greater. He was a noble Benefactor to the Four Hofpitals, and the new Work-Houfe in London, and he erected and endowed almost as many of his own in the Country. That he might be the better enabled to do thefe great Things, he took care to waste no part of his Revenues in the extravagant Superfluities of Pomp and Luxury, chufing rather to deny himself in' many unneceffary Enjoyments of this World, than not be furnish'd with a fufficient Stock for the ample relieving the Neceffities of others. And notwithstanding all his most liberal Distributions and Donations his Eftate did ftill confiderably increafe, verifying that Obfervation of the Wife Man, Prov. 11. 24. There is that scattereth, and yet encreafeth; and there is that with-holdet h more than is meet, but it tendeth to Poverty.

His laft Sickness feiz'd his Spirits with fuch Violence, that as it gave his Friends a fad Apprehenfion of his approaching Diffolution, fo (to his Griet ) it difabled him for that more active and vigorous Exercise of Devotion which he fo much delighted in. This himself complain'd of, faying (for the Inftruction of thofe about him) That in time of Sickness one was very unfit for religious Duties, and therefore it was highly neceffary to perform them well and diligently, and do the Work of our Salvation, in perfect Health.

To

To thefe Noblemen and Gentlemen I will now only add three or four, no lefs, illuftrious Examples of the other Sex, of which the firft fhall be that most religious Lady the Right Honourable Mary Countess Dowager of Warwick, who dy'd Anno 1678, and whofe juftly celebrated Character is given us by Dr. Walker in his Virtuous Woman. She was (to use fome of the Doctor's Words) fuch an heroick Inftance of this fort, as may filence all Cavils of infuperable Difficulty and Impoffibility in a religious Life. This noble Lady had as much fecular Wealth and Grandeur to exalt her Spirit, as much Bufinefs to divert her, as much Plenty to entertain her, as much Beauty to tempt her, and as much Favour to entangle her, as any of her Rank could have, and fhe liv'd in an Age in which ferious Piety was no very modifh or fafhionable thing; and yet in the midft of all these Difadvantages fhe left behind her as noble a Pattern of bright and unblemish'd Virtue, of true, humble, unaffected, fruitful Religion, as can any where be produced.

Great was the Honour of her Birth and Family, her Father was Richard Earl of Cork, her Brothers were, Richard Earl of Burlington and Cork, Roger Earl of Orrery, Francis Lord Shannon, and the Honourable Robert Boyle, Efq; that profound Philofopher, accomplifh'd Orator, excellent Divine, and moft devout Chriftian. Her Six Sifters were nobly and honourably marry'd, and herself was marry'd to Charles Earl of Warwick. It was no fmall Luftre which all these her noble Relations did, by a mutual Reflection of their Worth and Dignity, give to and receive from her; but she shined moft refplendently in the Rays of her own Perfonal Endowments and Excellencies, both natural and acquir'd. To fay nothing of her Wit and Parts, the Quickness of her Apprehenfion, the Clearnefs of her Judgment, the Strength of her Memory, the Gracefulness, Promptnefs, and Pertinency of her Speech,