exceedingly obliged to you for offering your first "living to me. Content and eafy in my present "fituation, I have not, for feveral years paft, "wifhed or defired more. About fixty pounds a << year neat, I have found fufficient to fupply me "with neceffaries and conveniencies, and cannot "think of going into Wales upon any condition "whatfoever. Life is but a fpan long; and as I "am now drawing towards the end of it, having "turned fixty-five, fresh preferment would add " rather to my pocket than my happiness. How<6 ever, I am truly thankful for your kind inten"tions, and fhall ever bear a grateful remem"brance of the many kindneffes I have received "from you, and the very great regard you have "expreffed for me, who am,

"Sir,

"Your moft obedient

" and obliged humble Servant,

"THOMAS S-,"

In the April of 1757, the abftinence of this virtuous man was put to a fecond trial by his affectionate patron; and greater preferment was offered, and refused with greater magnanimity.. The poor man's letter runs thus;

" SIR

« SIR,

April 6, 1757.

"You know that I am entrusted with a plu"rality of benefices, contiguous, and very finall

in every refpect; and as I am fo conveniently "fituated, that I am always at hand to perform "the divine offices, vifit the fick, and teach my "little flocks by conftant example as well as doc"trine, I may hope that God will accept of this "discharge of duty from me. The general good "of the Church is the principle by which every

сс

clergyman ought to direct himself: and to enter

upon a remote benefice, advanced in years, "and lefs active in life, and a cure too on which "perhaps I fhould not choose to refide long, would "fhew more of the lucrative mind than the "paftoral care. Although I fhould endeavour to << procure a fellow-labourer that would be diligent " in inftructing, exhorting, admonishing, visiting, "and comforting the people of the said parish, (c yet they would be apt to say, that my attendance CC was not for the fake of the flock, but of the "fleece; that I came to receive the wages, but "committed the work to the care of another. “I might, indeed, in a fmall parish, affist those "who moft needed inftruction, and preach to

"them,

"them, even while abfent, by putting into their "hands fome of thofe excellent little treatises "written by the worthy members of our Church, "with a defire to promote the true intereft of "religion, and teach men how to live to God's "glory, and be happy for ever. But this I could "not expect to do in a great one-therefore I "think I ought rather to disclaim the thoughts " of taking another, than perform so small a fhare “of duty in it myself, or give my best friend "repeated trouble about what I might not live "long to enjoy. I hope I fhall ever gratefully "remember your many kindneffes, and great "favours offered to me, who am,

« Sir,

"Your moft obedient

and obliged humble Servant,

"THOMAS S

As every thing in this Paper should, as far as poffible, be of the fame colour with the noble fentiments contained in the above letters, I am glad to be empowered, by the fame hand from which those were received, to lay before the reader an interesting letter from Dr. Tillotson to Sir Robert Atkins.

HONOURED

"HONOURED SIR,

May 11, 1686.

"I am forry I did not know of your being in ແ town, that I might have paid my respects to

you at your lodgings. It is upon Mr. Brabant's << request that I now give you this trouble. He "tells me you were pleafed to promife him the

living of Waltham Abbey, when it should be "void, as it is fhortly likely to be; but that he "having, fince that promife, obtained another "living, you make a doubt whether it be lawful "for him to leave that, and take another; and "that in this my opinion is defired. When he " mentioned this to me, I was afraid he had de"fired to have had both; which, with me, would “have made a much greater difficulty, especially "confidering the greatnefs of the parishes, and "the diftance between them. But I never had 66 any apprehenfion of the unlawfulness of the "other, if there be the fame probability of doing "good, which ought always to be regarded, be"caufe that is the end of our ministry. I know our "law calls a man's living his wife; but there is "no arguing from fimilitudes, if the reason be not "equal in both cafes, which I confess I do not fee.

"When by your favour and interest (which I' "must ever own with a just sense of it) I was "preferred

"preferred to Lincoln's Inn, I left a living in "the country, not doubting but that I might law

fully do it, and had reason to do fo; because I "hoped, or at least was over-ruled by my friends " into an apprehenfion, that I should be in a capa"city of doing more good there than in the country: and the fame confideration hath kept me "there fo many years, though I have twice been "offered by my late Lord Chancellor Nottingham, "and once very earnestly importuned by him to "accept of St. Martin's in the Fields, the greatest "and beft living in England; which I only men"tion, to fhew that I always thought it lawful to

66

remove from one place to another, but still with "regard to our great end, which is the probability "and opportunity of doing moft good. But I "fubmit all this to your better judgment and con"fideration; and fhall only crave leave to add, "that, unless you think the thing clearly unlawful, "the obligation of your promise is still in force. "With my very humble service to my Lady, and my hearty prayers for her fafe deliverance, and "for the profperity of your family, I reft,

"Honoured Sir,

"Your most obliged and humble Servant, "Jo. TILLOTSON."