Death rather than Life: And with great impatience have wish'd for the Hour of their departure out of this miferable World. But this was their Infirmity, and indeed is too common a Crime among fome People, who upon fmall Provocations, as well as under greater Trials, rafhly wish they were dead; not seriously confidering how great a Change Death will make. For a Man to wish he were dead, is to defire his Eternal State may be determin'd; and to do this precipitantly, when he knows not whether he fhall go to Heaven or Hell, be fav'd or damn'd, is frenzy and madness. Moreover, for fuch as have good Hope, through Grace, of being happy after Death, yet impatiently to defire their Diffolution, barely on the account of the Pains and Inconveniences they groan under here, 'tis alfo criminal. For tho the Apostle Paul had a defire to depart, and to be with Christ, and was willing rather to be abfent from the Body, and prefent with the Lord; yet he was content that God fhould chufe for him: And 'twas not the Trials he met with here, but the prospect he had of a more ravishing and compleat enjoyment of Christ in Heaven, that made him fit fo loose to this World, and defire a remove to the other.

(5.) Let us all live in the expectation of our great Change. Why does God chaften us with fore Pains, and with pining Sickness? but to put us in mind of a greater Change that will fhortly overtake us. And as one obferves, Every dying Year, every declining Day, every drooping Flower and falling Leaf, are but fo many Emblems of our certain Mortality. And alas, if Sickness do not blast us in the Bud, if we don't wither in the Bloom of Youth, the flower

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flower Decays of Age will be fure to mar our Beauty, and caufe us to bend towards the Earth, till we drop into that from whence we were taken. O, who of us are in a waiting Frame, looking and expecting when we shall go hence? Do we live as if every day would be our laft? God has in Wisdom and Mercy hid from us the Time of our Death, that we might be always ready.

(6.) If God has predetermin'd the Period of Human Life, then 'tis unreasonable for any to murmur against Providence, when their near Relations are remov'd from 'em by Death. Let it quiet and fatisfy our Minds, that God fix'd the time of their Departure; he call'd 'em in his own time, and has a Sovereign Right to do fo, without giving any Account of his Matters to the Children of Men.

The Holy Angels, that are frequently employ'd in Messages of Providence, probably are unacquainted with the Reasons of the Divine Procedure: and furely we that are but of Yefterday and know nothing, may be content to have these things hid from us. For this we are fure of, that God does all things wifely, and therefore well, yea even thofe things which appear to us full of Terror; as does that Providence which has filenc'd that Excellent Minifter, in whofe Place I now ftand.

I must confefs I am no Friend to the Flatteries that are too commonly us'd in Funeral Difcourfes; nor am I an Enemy to the just Commendations of fuch as die in the Lord; whofe extraordinary Worth may give occafion for it, and be very inftructive to thofe that furvive. So that in Charity to the Living, and in Justice to the Dead, I shall now attempt to

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fay fomething of that Learned and Judicious Minister of Chrift, Mr. WILLIAM COLLINS, whom God has fuddenly remov'd from the midst of us.

I defign not a Hiftory of his Life, nor am I capable to delineate the feveral Branches of his Character; yet fomething I would fay, that may give you an Idea, tho it be not fo perfect a one as I could wifh, of this Great Man.

'Twas early that he discover'd an Inclination to Study and Books, and his Progress in Learning was fwift and fure. When he had pafs'd thro Grammar Learning, and had had the Approbation of one of the most severe Dr. Busby. Criticks of this Age, he began to travel; and, if I mistake not, before that time, God had made him fenfible of Sin, and drawn him to his Son. When he came abroad, not going fo far as he at firft defign'd, he remain'd a confiderable time in France and Italy; where he finish'd the Courfe of his other Studies preparatory to that of Theology, to which he clofely apply'd himself upon his Return to England.

I fhall not mention the encouraging Offers he had to join with the National Church, which he judiciously refus'd; for 'twas Confcience, not Humour, that made him a Diffènter.

I need not fay how well he was prepar'd for the Study of Divinity by Nature, Learning, and Grace, for his Proficiency therein foon appear'd; and after he had pafs'd a little time preaching in the Country, he had a very remarkable Call by this Church for the very Day he receiv'd the Letter that invited him to London, he had folemnly kept by himself in Fafting and Prayer, for Direction about diipoT 4

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fing of himself for the conftant Exercise of his Ministry; and receiving this in the Close of that very Day, he look'd on it as an Answer of Prayer, and therefore confented to make you a Vifit: which having done, and this Church having had fufficient Proof of his real Piety, as well as of his Gifts and Abilities, you gave him a unanimous Call to the Paftoral Office. And how well he rose up to the Qualifications of an Evangelical Bishop or Elder, as recited by the Apostle Paul, you of this Church Titus 1. 7, know; and I believe will own, That he was

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blameless as the Steward of God, not felf-will'd, not foon angry, not given to Wine, no Striker, nat given to filthy Lucre: But a Lover of Hofpitality, a Lover of good Men, Sober, Just, Holy, Temperate Holding faft the faithful Word as he had been taught, being able, by found Doctrine, both to exhort and convince Gainfayers. He was apt to teach, and able, upon a fudden, to bring forth fomething proper for the use of Edifying, out of that excellent Stock of Divine Knowledg that he had treafur'd up; having more than once, when disappointed of that Help he expected, gone into the Pulpit, and preach'd an excellent Sermon, in the Opinion of competent Judges. Yet tho he was thus qualify'd, he did not ferve God nor you with that which coft him nought, but apply'd himfelf to close Study for every Sermon, when his Health would admit.

The Subjects he ordinarily infifted on in the Course of his Miniftry, were the great and important Truths of the Gospel, which he handled with great Judgment and Clearnefs. How would he open the Miseries of the Fall! And in how moving a manner would he difcourfe

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of the Excellency of Chrift, and the Virtues of his Blood, and his willingness to fave poor awaken'd burdned Sinners!

How well did he diftinguish betwixt Juftification and Sanctification, exalting the Imputed Righteousness of Chrift, without undervaluing the Work of the Spirit! So that his Sermons were useful under the Influence of Divine Grace, to convert and edify, to enlighten and establish, being drawn from the Fountain of Truth, the Sacred Scriptures, with which he conftantly convers'd in their Original Languages, having read the best Criticks, Antient and Modern; fo that Men of the greatest Penetration might learn from his Pulpit-Difcourfes, as well as thofe of the meaneft Capacity.

He did not affect a flaunting fwelling Stile, but always fpoke what was Strong and Manly, becoming the Weight of those Truths he deliver'd. He did not study to amuse, but instruct his Hearers; not fo much regarding what would please as profit them, always having on his Mind a Senfe of the Worth of Souls: and therefore he conftantly advised his Brethren of the Miniftry to take the greatest Care they could to help forward the Salvation of Sinners, to exalt Chrift, and not preach themfelves.

He had a rich Stock of Experience as well as of useful Knowledg; he felt what he preach'd, and liv'd on that Food he imparted to others. I don't mention his Skill in Phyfick, which he had well studied, as being no Branch of his Character as a Divine. Yet under all these excellent Attainments, he was one of the most modeft humble Men that ever I convers'd with, How did this Grace make him fhine! which is

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