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Every godly man worships GOD in fecret; and thus conforms himself to the rule which Christ has given in Matt. v. 6. "Thou, when "thou prayeft, enter into thy closet; and when "thou haft shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in fecret; and thy Father that feeth

thee in fecret, fhall reward thee openly." He makes confcience of retiring from the world more or less every day to converfe with his GOD, and to pour out his heart before him. Moreover, if the providence of GOD have placed him at the head of a family, he accounts. it his duty to worship GoD in his focial capacity; thus taking up the refolution of Jofua, "As for me and my houfe, we will ferve the "Lord," and herein he follows the example of Chrift, who not only prayed in folitude, but with his disciples, who were his family. He also dreads the imprecation of the prophet of the Lord, Jerem. x. 25. "Pour out thy fury upon "the families that call not on thy name."

Moreover; every one who is godly profeffes á regard for the public worship of GoD, and makes conscience of attending it. While others take their pleasure openly, or carry on their bufinefs fecretly, on God's holy day, he calls the Sabbath a delight holy to the Lord and honourable; and honours him by adhering to the inftitutions of his houfe; and thus being righteous before God, he walks in all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord. B

In a word, godlinefs does not confist in talking of GOD, but in fpeaking to him, and walking before him. Where there is a conformity to GoD in holinefs, refpect will be had to all his commandments, moral and inftituted; and there will be a continuing ftedfaftly in the Apostle's doctrine and fellowship, in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Obferve, I am not defcribing a man free from frailties and infirmities. Every godly man has his imperfections, his miftakes and his paffions; but no godly man will fuffer himself to live in. any known tranfgreffion, nor in the wilful omiffion of any known duty. His heart is habitually right in the fight of GOD, and his way of life prevailingly correfponds with his religious profeffion.

How far this part of the character of a godly man agreed to our deceased brother, is known to many. Like Obadiah, in 1 Kings xviii. 12.

he feared the Lord from his youth." In his childhood, he was remarkable for fobriety; and when he was feventeen years of age, GOD wrought in him an abhorrence of all fin, and a love to that which is good. Having through: grace dedicated himfelf to the Lord, he then. joined himself to his people in the fellowship of the Gospel, and was admitted in that early part of life a member of the church in this place, under the paftoral care of the late Reverend Mr Bradbury. During the fpace of forty-four years he attended the ordinances of Chrift in

this

this church, not occafionally, as the manner of fome is in too many places, but ftatedly; and fo early as to be present at the beginning of the worship, notwithstanding his refidence in the country * during the fummer. This he made a point of; and herein he set an example. O that it were followed by every churchmember, and others in every place.

Befides his daily clofet-devotion, his houfe was a Bethel, an houfe of GOD. He looked on domeftic religion to be a duty, and it was his constant practice to worship GoD with his family. Reading of the Scriptures in course, and prayer were the exercifes of the morning and evening.

Upon fpecial occafions the prefence of feveral Minifters was defired by him, in order to affift in fupplication and thanksgivings to GoD, to feek of Him a right way for himself, his children, and all his fubftance, Ezra viii. 21. At the last of these folemn meetings for prayer and praife, which was in the month of June, in Speaking on the defign of it, viz. to renew the dedication † of his country-house to GoD, to which confiderable additions and improvements had been made; he concluded with faying, "That though he had fuch a goodly heritage "upon earth; yet whenever the Lord fhould be pleased to call him hence, he could wil-' lingly leave it all." He was then apparently

in perfect health, but fpake like one whofe heart was loofened from the world, and aspiring after an houfe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Notwithstanding his fuperior fituation in life, and his civil connection with men of rank and figure, and his obligation to affociate with some of thefe, who were far from having any fear of GOD before their eyes, though he had many temptations to fin, yet he was true to his GoD, and unfhaken in his religious principles.

I proceed, 2. To the other branch of the character contained in the word rendered, godly: It is fometimes translated merciful; particularly, in Ifa. lvii. 1. where the Prophet presents us with a fubject fimilar to that in the text. "The

righteous perifhes, and no man lays it to "heart; and merciful men are taken away; "none confidering that the righteous is taken "away from the evil to come." Merciful men, men of kindness, as it is in the margin, such as fhew kindness. As they fear GOD, so they regard man. Being placed by Divine Providence in a capacity of relieving others, their hearts and hands are open to diftribute to their neceffities.

Solomon tells us of fome in Eccl. vi. I. to whom God has given riches and wealth; yet he gives them not power to eat thereof. They ave left to their own covetous and fordid temper, that they can take little or no comfort of

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their poffeffions; nor are others the better for them. The riches of fuch owners are given them to their hurt. There are others whofe difpofition is compaffionate and generous, who can weep for him that is in trouble, and whofe fouls are grieved for the poor; but Divine Providence has not given them ability. Happy for Society where thefe two things are conjoined, viz. a ready heart, and a bountiful hand.

Such a merciful man is taken from among us, into whose hand Gop had given an abundance of the good things of this life; and who was a fuccourer of many both in city and country, without distinction of parties. Those pasfages of Scripture were verified to him, Prov. xi. 24. "There is that scatters, and yet increases:" and Isa. xxxii. 8. "The liberal deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things fhall he ftand." In a word, the poor and needy in general, the intereft of Chrift in particular, with the religious community to which he stood related for fo many years, can bear witness of his charity*.

I pafs

I hope it will not be taken amifs that I transcribe a few lines from letters of condolence I have just received from very diftant parts of the country. In one are these words, It was impoffible to hear of. Mr Winter's death "with indifference. The manner of his favouring our "cause when I waited on him, had much indeared him to me." Another begins thus, “To use the figurative ftyle of the lively Oracles, The trees may be called upon "indeed to weep, to howl, because a very useful, stately, and beautiful cedar is fallen, under whofe fhade I have fat with great pleasure, and from which multitudes have

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