been his pleasure to see, as he did, all of them shining examples of the ministerial character!

Among these men, distinguished more by their devotedness to the service of Christ than by their rank in the Church of England, Josias seems to have attracted the most notice. His father having prepared him for the university, entered him at Trinity College, Cambridge. He was presented to the living of St. Mary Woolnoth in the city of London, in the year 1611, where he continued to the day of his death; not for want of opportunities to obtain a more lucrative benefice, but from his own superiority to those motives which influence mercenary characters. In a small pamphlet printed in the year in which he died, entitled "An elegiacal Commemoration" of his life and death, we are informed, that he was frequently offered a better living, which he as often refused; "being unwilling," as he said, "when he had brought the souls of his neighbours part of the way to heaven, to leave them to a new convoy." This sentiment seems not to have arisen

from an overweening opinion of his own parts or piety, but he knew his own motives, he was aware that there were many of his profession ill-qualified to be spiritual guides, and as his income probably was sufficient (for he had no children by his wife) he would not quit the flock which had been committed to his care, lest it should fall into unfaithful hands. We should not be prompt to censure those ministers whose lives are broken by frequent removals, as such changes may arise from necessity or a sense of duty rather than from any censurable inclination; but assuredly it must be allowed, that the advantages of long continuance in the same post of service, exemplarily occupied, are very great; and it is devoutly to be wished, that when once a minister is settled with a charge of sufficient extent to employ his time and attention, he should be disposed to continue there for life; and never suffer his thoughts to waste themselves in the ideal recommendations of another situation.

That the talents of Mr. Shute were such as might entitle him to preferment, we have the uniform testimony of several witnesses. Grainger, in his Biographical History of England,

says, that his learning in divinity and ecclesiastical history was extensive, indeed almost universal." The preacher of his funeral sermon tells us, that he had few equals; God having enriched him with excellent parts of nature, strength of body and inind, mighty memory, a sound and perfect judgment, adorned with great varieties of literature, both for the original tongues, knowledge of arts and sciences, the histories of the Church, and the writings of the fathers." And "as the crown of all," continues the preacher, "he was like Apollos, mighty in the scriptures." Nor only was his mind thus richly fraught, but he possessed the happy gift of easily and impressively communicating the knowledge with which it was stored. His talents as an orator were so considerable, that it is said "he instantly caught and immoveably fixed the attention of his auditors." Of the reputation in which he was held for this endowment, one may judge from the circumstance of his being frequently styled, in his own time, the English Chrysostom.

His oratory, however, as is evident from the few specimens of his preaching yet extant, was consecrated to the best of purposes, as indeed were all his great accomplishments. In his funeral sermon there is a commendation expressed in a few words, which is worthy of being constantly remembered by every Christian minister "he made all his learning subservient to that one work that he intended, the preaching of the Gospel."

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His extraordinary talents being employed on the most interesting of all subjects to mankind, his Church was filled with a numerous and attentive congregation; among which were many persons of distinction both for their rank and learning. He preached twice on a Sunday, and had a lecture in his Church every Wednesday. It was at these lectures, I conceive, that he was attended by that variety of characters, who are said to have hung on his lips when he filled the pulpit; for as several of the clergy are said to have been among them, it is not conceivable that the occasions on which Mr. Shute was thus honourably attended could be on the Sunday; his clerical hearers being themselves engaged on that day in the performance of ministerial duties. One cannot better, perhaps, convey

an idea of the deference paid to him by those of his own profession, than by the following extract from the "elegiacal commemoration" before menoned. After speaking of the nobility and gentry who attended his discourses, the author thus describes the honour paid him by the clergy. "There might you see the graver divines, willing to improve their knowledge and their piety by that soundness of divinity which might be found in every day's lecture. And there might be seen young men of the cassock, lately set up, enabling themselves for their sacred employments, by attentively fixing their whole selves on him." Happy is he, whom God by his grace preserves under such circumstances from degenerating into that pitiable though perhaps admired creature, whom the scriptures describe as having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. Mr. Shute bore his honours well. He treated the people of rank among his auditors with all due respect. But as their esteem for him did not puff him up with pride, so neither did it make him base and servile, to faulter in his ministry. What he allmed at was to be approved of God, and the consciences of his hearers."* This he sought, by faithfully animadverting on the vices and vanities found among the higher orders. Nor was he so dazzled by the presence of such men in his congregation, as to lose sight of those who constituted the majority of his hearers, the untitled and unlet tered souls committed to his charge, by Him who was crucified for them. And such was his power of adapting his language to those he had to instruct, that, though fit to be heard by persons of superior education, yet "the weakest capacity went along with him understandingly all the way; so well did he comply with the meanest hearer +." It is indeed a rare talent to be both decorous and intelligible; capable of descending to the illiterate without disgusting the learned, and of facilitating the apprehension of divine things without exciting ludicrous associations. It is to be feared, however, that the uncommonness of the attainment is more generally to be attributed to the want of genuine benevolence, than to natural incapacity.

* Funeral sermon, p. 39. Elegiacal commemoration.

Were the worth of the immortal soul more seriously laid to heart, there would perhaps be greater pains taken to possess this talent; which, though in some cases difficult to acquire, might prove not unattainable, and would double the usefulness of him who succeeded in the endeavour. Instead of being of use only to one part of his hearers, he might be of use to all. The true pastor considers not himself as belonging exclusively either to the great or the little of his flock, but to all; like him who said, "I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians; both to the wise and to the unwise."

To acquire an ability to discharge such obligations, God has ordained means, and will bless those who diligently use them: but to the idle and careless he promises nothing. It should be recollected likewise, that as in other professions, so in that of a christian minister, those who attain to eminence are generally such as have laboured to cultivate the talents which confer it. Mr. Shute is to be found in this class. The edifying preacher was a laborious student. The age in which he lived was not shallow in theological learning: such reputation, therefore, as he acquired in his profession, was not to be obtained by meeting a congregation with the light effusions of a mind ready at invention, but scantily informed. Not, however, to obtain or support reputation, we conceive, but from a nobler motive, from a desire" that the man of God might be perfect, thoroughly furnished into all good works," a considerable portion of his life was spent in retirement. Scarcely a day occurred, even in the latter part of his course, on which he was not in his study by four o'clock in the morning. How he spent his time there may be conjectured from the manner in which he was received in public: it was such as leads us to suppose, that his reading was accompanied with prayer to Him "from whom cometh every good and perfect gift."

His superior talents, however, constituted but a part of his excellence: his life is said to have been "a uniform example of unaffected piety." Walker, in his account of the sufferings of the clergy, tells us, that he was

a person of a most sweet and affable temper." He was likewise of a social disposition. And though fit company

for the learned, with many of whom on the continent as well as at home he kept up a constant correspondence, yet he spent his leisure hours among persons "whom he chose rather for their free and innocent friendliness, than for any eminence of parts." His house, not accessible to every robber of time, was open to his brethren; among whom he was always pleasant; "entertaining them with friendly, gentle, and sweet dis course, without any of that superciliousness" which is sometimes visible in men of parts. Indeed humility seems to have been a very prominent feature in his character; and to this excellent quality, united with his great good sense, we are probably to attribute the disgust which adulation always gave him: for to his praise it is recorded, that "he could not bear flatterers."

His opulent friends put it in his power to gratify his charitable disposition, by depositing money in his hands for the relief of the necessitous; but he contributed to their comfort from his own purse likewise. Among other objects of his benevolence, he did not forget those who were labouring in the same vineyard with himself, at less wages than he receiv ed. He appears to have entered with a brother's heart into the difficulties of their situation. Among those whom the preacher of his funeral sermon represents as bewailing his death, he enumerates "poor distressed ministers, who, though strangers, found in him a liberal reliever of their wants."

It is with no small pleasure that the lineaments of this distinguished character are traced out; nor is the writer without hope, that his attempt to render them more visible than they were, will excite the admiration of those who are appointed to the work of the ministry, and lead them to look up to God for grace to imitate such a pattern. It may be of use, however, to apprize those who have but lately entered on the office, that excellence equal even to that which has been set before them may not secure to them the honour it deserves from men. We learn with regret, but not with surprize, that "a prejudice was conceived against Mr. Shute, which even his primitive virtues could not overbalance." He ap

pears not to have been a manfor the violent partizans of either side, in those divided times. Of course he fell under the obloquy of both. Though unshaken in his adherence to the doctrine and worship of the Church of England, he was neglected by those who had power in it: though temperate towards those who dissented from it, he was opposed by them. Who can expect to escape the effects of party violence, when such talents, such piety, and such moderation, could not shield the rector of St. Mary Woolnoth? Yet even in this difficult situation, he held forth a lesson for the imitation of his order. He went straight forward in the discharge of his duty, as the minister of one, whose kingdom is not of this world. He preached Jesus. He enforced christian tempers. He lamented the violence and the giddiness of the times; and bore his testimony against the sinful passions from which they proceeded. But this he did with an almost unequalled abstinence from the invectives which disgraces many of the pulpit compositions of that day. A volume of his discourses was pub lished from his manuscripts by Mr. Sparke, rector of St. Martin's, Ironmonger Lane, each of which is dated, as delivered in the years 1641, and 1612: a period, in which the political phrenzy of the age had risen to a great height. Yet in all these discourses, not a sentence is there to be found which was calculated to foment the dissensions of the period; while at the same time they discover none of that pusillanimity which stands in awe of successful wickedness.

Having had a taste of the violence of the times, it pleased God to save him from any further trial, by calling him home before the storm had arisen to its height. What he had to expect, had he continued longer, from those who seized the reins of power after the king had left London, may be conceived from the malevolence they discovered towards him in his last illness. He desired that Dr. Holdsworth, an eminent divine, who was then rector of St. Peter le Poor, might preach his funeral sermon. This, however, was not permitted. M.. Ephraim Udall, rector of St. Austin's, was appointed for the performance of this office: he being a person who, at that time, happened to be more a fa,

vourite with them; though he suffered severely from them afterwards.* After watching over his flock three and thirty years, Mr. Shute, though not at a very advanced age, began to decline in health. He was taken one day, soon after he had left the pulpit, with a swooning fit. From this time his appetite and strength decreased rapidly. He was advised to try a change of air; and removed for that purpose to the country house of one of his parishioners, situated about four miles from London. Here we infer, from his being endeared to his parishioners by his long residence, faithful labours, and christian example, that he was served with every comfort that veneration and gratitude had to offer. We can conceive how earnestly they who "esteemed the minister for his work's sake," would endeavour to lengthen that life from which they had derived benefit in their most important concerns.

But the welcome hour of rest approached nothing remained for him to do but to die as he had lived, instructing and comforting those who came to him-His parishioners often visited him in this retirement. A number of them came together, on one occasion, and were all admitted into his apartment. They could not refrain from tears at the sight of their dying Pastor. For so harmoniously had they lived together, that during the whole three and thirty years he was their Rector he had never had any suit with his parish. "Why weep ye?" said he to them: "I have taught you, my dear flock, for above thirty years, how to live; and now I will shew you in a very short time how to dic.

To his wife, with whom he had affectionately lived for 30 years, and whom he now saw sinking under the

To shew that this venerable man,

however they might affect to admire him for his extraordinary piety,would not countenance them in their proceedings, the following anecdote may be related. In a sermon he preacted at Mercers Chapel, where they were present, he said to them, "You much desire truth and peace: leave

your lying, and you may have truth; lay down your undutiful arms, and you may have peace." Had every minister thes entered his protest against their conduct, the blood of their King, and that of their Countrymen, had probably been saved.

distress of having her dear and long continued companion taken from her, he said, "Remember what I have taught you concerning these, and such like untying of knots; and be content, for yet but a very few years, you and I shall meet again never to part."

Though now in sight of that harbour to which he had long been directing his course, he turned a commiserating eye towards the tempestuous state in which he was leaving the nation:often in the course of his illness, mentioning with great concern the distractions of the times. On the day on which he died, he poured forth a most fervent prayer, in which, having first earnestly pleaded with God for the prosperity and peace of the Church and Kingdom, he continued for near half an hour, in a spirit of charity that embraced the whole world. In about an hour and half after this he calmly resigned his spirit into the hands of his Redeemer.

He was buried with great solemnity in his own Church. Some thousands are said to have attended his funeral: among whom were several of the nobility and gentry, and a great number of the Clergy. The scene is described by those who were present at it, as having the appearance of an universal mourning. But "blessed are the dead which die in the Lord."

As a specimen of Mr. Shute's theological sentiments, we subjoin the prayer, which he was in the habit of using before his morning sermon.

"Most glorious Lord God, and merciful father in Jesus Christ; we poor, wretched, and miserable sinners, do here prostrate ourselves before thee, humbly acknowledging that to thee belong all honour and glory, whose pure eyes can behold no iniquity, and to us nothing but shame and confusion of face, for our manifold transgressions committed against thee.

"If we look upon ourselves as we. lie in the loins of our first parents, we are a part of that tainted seed that might justly inherit thy wrath: our understandings are darkened, and our wills, instead of conformity to thine, are grown rebellious; inasmuch as that by nature there is not one good thought in us, but a proneness to all evil whatsoever.

"And if we consider ourselves in our actual transgressions, by our sins of ignorance, our sins of infirmity,