In January 1701 he received a call from this church to fucceed Dr. Chauncy in the paftoral office, which he fignified his acceptance of the very day that King William died, notwithstanding the difcouraging profpect which that event gave to men of his profeffion, and the fears with which it filled the hearts of Proteftant Diffenters at that time. But he had "fet his "hand to the plough, and would not look back :" accordingly he was folemnly ordained to the pastoral office 18th March following.

But the joy of the church in their happy settlement was foon after damped by his being seized with a painful and threatening illness, which laid him by for fome time, and from which he recovered by flow degrees; upon which they faw it needful to provide him with a stated Affiftant; accordingly the Rev. Mr. Samuel Price, your prefent worthy paftor, was chofen to that fervice in July 1703.

But notwithstanding his publick labours were by this means eafed his health remained very fluctuating and tender for fome years. However as it increased he renewed his diligence in fulfilling his miniftry; and how were you delighted and edified with his fermons in publick, and with his entertaining and profitable conversation in the vifits which he made to your families! It was in this season of his more confirmed health that he formed a fociety of the younger memirch for prayer and religious conference,

vered the fubftance of that excellent

book which he afterwards published under the title of A Guide to Prayer. Now he went on without any confiderable interruption in his work, and with great fuccefs and profperity to his church, till the year 1712, when in the month of September he was vifited with a violent fever which broke his conftitution, and left fuch weakness upon his nerves as continued with him in fome measure to his dying day. Upon this occafion

prayer was made without ceafing of the church un"to God for him :" feveral days of prayer were kept on his account, in which many of his brethren in the ministry assisted, and wrestled earncftly with God for the continuance of fo valuable a life; and God has been graciously pleafed to answer their prayers by adding to his life more than thirty-fix years, the moll of them years though of feeble health yet of eminent usefulnefs to his church and to the world. It was not till October 1716 that he was able to return to his publick ministry. In the mean-time his Affiftant Mr. Price was, at his defire, and upon his recommendation, chofen by the church to be joint paftor with him, to which office he was ordained March 3. 1713. I hope I may be allowed, without offence or appearance of flattery, to recite a claufe in Dr. Watts's laft will in teftimony of that inviolable friendship which has always fubfifted between your two worthy pastors, and which has contributed fo much to their mutual comfort and honour, and to your cftablishment and edification. Dr. Watts ftyles him "His faithful friend and

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companion in the labours of the miniflry; "and men tions a legacy that he leaves him "as only a small testi"mony of his great affection for him, on account of "his fervices of love during the many harmonious "years of their fellowship in the work of the gospel."

But though this long interval of ficknefs was on fome accounts a very melancholy feason, yet a kind Providence made it to be the happiest era of his life, as it was the occafion of introducing him into the family of a late excellent perfont, who on a principle of the most generous friendship and compallion took him, in a very languifhing ftate of health, to his own houfe, where from that moment to the day of his death he was abundantly fupplied with all that could minifter either to the convenience or fatisfaction of his life; for though this remarkable friend of minifters of the church of God and of his country died in the year 1722, the benevolent fpirit he manifefted furvived in his worthy relic, and was inherited by his children. It would be prefumption in me to attempt to recount the numberlefs inftances of that "gene❝rous and tender care (as the Doctor expreffes it in "his laft will) fhown him by her ladyfhip and her family in his long illnefs many years ago, when he

was capable of no fervice, and alto of her eminent "friendship and goodnefs during his continuance in "the family ever fince;" yet this I will venture to fay, in allusion to the bleffing which our Lord pro+ Sir Thomas Abney Knight, and Alderman of London.

nounced on the good woman in the gospel who had bestowed a box of precious ointment on him, that wherefoever Dr. Watts's Works are read or his name remembered that of Abney ought not to be forgotten.

In the year 1728 the universities of Edinburgh and Aberdeen in Scotland did in a moft refpe&ful manner, without his knowledge, confer the degree of Doctor in Divinity on him, and on fome others of his brethren.

His laft fickness was rather a decay of nature, worn out with age and labours, than any particular distemper, therefore it was lingering and long; the springs of life were unbending by degrees, till at length the earthly tabernacle fell quite to decay, and was put off by the immortal spirit. And thus after a life of eminent fervice both of God and his generation he fell afleep in Jefus Nov. 25. 1748, in the feventy-fifth year of his age.

It would require a masterly hand to draw the portrait of this great man in its full proportion and proper colours, a task I was never equal to, and am leaft of all now, when I doubt not but your hearts will in fome measure tell you what mine feels upon the mention of his name, and upon calling the remembrance of him to mind: however I will endeavour to prefent you with an imperfect sketch of some of the principal features.

The natural ftrength of his genius, which he culti vated and improved by a very confiderable acquaintance with the most celebrated writers both ancient