# his conversation evidenced a steady hope in God, and lively faith in the Redeemer. His frame was not rapture, but calm serenity, arising from strong confidence. "The Lord is with me," he would say; "Though my flesh and my heart faileth, God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." To another friend he said, "True, my work is almost done, and my course is nearly finished; but blessed be God, there remaineth a rest for the people of God; a crown of righteousness which the Lord will give me in that day." To the doctor he said one day, "Death did not alarm me,-I am not afraid of that enemy, he has lost his sting; dying is no more than passing from one room to another: it is taking leave of all that's painful, to enjoy every thing that is glorious, "There I shall see his face, And never, never sin; But, from the fulness of his grace, He had long evidenced how a Christian should live; and now he shewed how a Christian could die. He was indulged with the full use of all his faculties to the last moment of his life. His parting words to his mournful relict were full of tenderness, but not of distrust; for he knew in whom he had believed, and where to encourage her to deposit all her cares. His dying exhortations to his chil dren will, we trust, remain indelibly written on their hearts. Their affectionate regard to him while living, and the love they shewed to his memory after his departure, deserve to be mentioned with the highest approbation. This truly worthy servant of Christ was freed from the burden of mortality, and removed from the church militant to the church triumphant, Jan. 19, 1802; and was interred in Bunhill Fields on the 27th. The oration at the grave was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Towers; and on the following Lord's Day the Rev. Matthew Wilks preached the funeral sermon to a numerous and weeping congregation. Thus lived and died this eminently pious man, of whose intrinsic excellence the half has not been told; for whether we consider his conduct as a Christian, a minister, a hus band, a father, or a friend, we shall have ample reason to glorify God in him, RAY, RAY, JOHN, M. A. was born at Black Notley in Essex, in 1628. He had his grammar learning at a school in Braintree church, and was first entered at Katherine Hall, 1644, whence, in 1646, he removed to Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1649 he was elected Fellow, and was tutor to many gentlemen and clergymen. After the Restoration, viz. in Dec. 1660, he was ordained by Dr. Sanderson, bp. of Lincoln; after which he preached Dr. Hill's funeral sermon in the college chapel. He quitted his fellowship in 1662, because he could not comply with the Act of Uniformity, though the college were peculiarly desirous to keep him in. He afterwards lived sometimes at Chester with bishop Wilkins, and sometimes at other places. He travelled into Italy with his friend Francis Willoughby, Esq. and on his return, lived mostly with him; soon after whose decease he married, and in 1679 removed to an estate which he had purchased in the place of his nativity, where he continued till his death, Jan. 17, 1705. In the account given of him in the Compleat History of Europe for 1706, we are told that upon Aug. 24, 1662, he quitted his fellowship: but the reason of his doing it is very darkly expressed. One who knew him well, told the author, the true reason of it was, that he could not satisfy himself to declare, "That none were bound by the solemn league and covenant who had taken it," though he himself never took it. But it is observable, that though he lived many years after the obligation to sign such a declaration ceased, he was not to be prevailed with to return to the ministry. After the Revolution, when Dr. Tillotson (who was his intimate acquaintance) was advanced to the see of Canterbury, some of his friends were earnest with him to move that prelate for some preferment in the church, but he always declined it; giving this reason: That though he used the Common Prayer, and approved of it as a form, yet he could not declare his "unfeigned assent and consent to all and every thing contained in it." To another person he expressed his dislike of sponsors in baptism. He said that he thought the parents the fittest persons to be intrusted to promise for their own children, and condemned the practice of bringing scandalous and unfit persons under such a solemn vow and promise, as that required in the office for the baptiz ing of children.-These were his declared sentinients in his health: how far they agree with the account of his dying words and behaviour, given by Mr. Pyke in his funeral sermon (since published by Mr. Derham, at the end of his Philosophical Letters) must be left to the reader's candour. It is certain that he quitted his fellowship because he could not come up to the terms of the Uniformity-act. It is also certain that he preached before that act passed, but never afterwards, though he attended the service of the church of England. So that the claims of Conformists and Nonconformists (who would both have him on their own side) are to be thus adjusted. He was satisfied with lay-conformity, but not with ministerial. He is therefore justly considered as a sufferer by the act of uniformity, and a silenced minister. He was a good divine; and an extraordinary humanist, as appears by his works, which are many, for (as he says in the preface to his Wisdom of God, &c.) "As he could not serve God in the church by his voice, he thought himself the more bound to do it by writing.' 66 12. He published, 1. " Ornithologia of Fr. Willoughby, Esq." in folio; 1676. of which he wrote the two first books, and dedicated it to the Royal Society, of whom he was a fellow.—2. “Historia Plantarum," 2 vol. fol.-3. Ejusdem Tomus Tertius," 1704."-4. Catalogus Plantarum circa Cantab. nascentium."5. "Appendix," &c.-6. "Catalogus Plantarum Angliæ."-7. Fasciculus Stirpium Britann. post. edit. Catal. predict."-8. "Catalogus Stirpium in ext. Reg. observat."-9." Methodus Plantarum nova cum Tabulis."-10." Synopsis Methodica Stirp. Bitan."-11. "Ead. Synops. mu'tis Stiribus, &c. observat. curiosis passim insertis; cum Muscorum Methodo," &~ "Epist ad D. Rivinum de Methodo Plantarum."-15. Desammtario devariis Plantarum Methodis."-14. "Synops. Method Anmal, Quadrupedem, &c. Serpentini generis."-15. "Dictionary huma Trilingue."-16. "Francisci Willoughbeii Hist. Piscium cam Fig." Oxon. F.-17. "Observations Topographical, Moral, and Philological, made in a Journey through several Parts of Europe." -18. "A Collection of unusual or loca! English Words; with an Account of preparing English Metals."-19. "A Collection of English and other Proverbs." Camb."-20." A Persuasive to an holy Life."-21. "The Wisdom of God manifested in the Works of the Creation. In two parts."-22. "Three Physico-Theological Discourses with Practical Inferences."-23. “Miscellaneous Discourses concerning the Disso'ution and Changes of the World," 002; which have been since reprinted with Additions, and his Lette s.-24. Stirpium Europearum extra Britannias nascentiam Sylloge."-25. Methodus Insectorum."-26. "Historia Insectorum" Opus Posthumum.-27. "Synopsis Methodus Avium & Fiscium:" Opus Posthumum.-28. "A long Congratulation to King Charles II. upon his Return." READ, JOSEPH, was born at Kidderminster, and sent to Cambridge by Mr. Baxter, who, when he had finished his studies, took him into his house, and made him his assistant about a year at Kidderminster. After spending some time in the country, upon his ejectment from Witley Magna in Worcestershire in 1662, he went to London, and assisted Mr. Baxter there also. He used to read the Scripture sentences, the xcvth Psalm; the Psalms and Lessons for the day; sung the Psalms appointed for Hymns, and recited the Lord's Prayer and Creed, and the Ten Commandments, when Mr. Baxter preached. He fixed in the parish of St Giles's, where there were thought to be thirty thousand souls more than could come within the church, and who had no public worship or instruction. He built a chapel in his own house, with the help of friends, and was much flocked after by poor ignorant people, among whom God owned his labours for promot ing knowledge and piety. As he was preaching there, April. 30, 1676, he was taken out of the pulpit and sent to prison. He met also with much trouble on account of his Nonconformity afterwards, and yet he was reflected on by some Dissenters, as advancing too far towards Conformity. In 1682 he published His Case," which satisfied some and displeased others. Upon James the Second's liberty he continued his ministry at the chapel at Bloomsbury, and also after the Revolution. At length age growing upon him, he retired to Hampstead, where he died in 1713; and his funeral sermon was preached by Dr. Williams. He was a serious and affectionate preacher, and many had cause to bless God for him. READER, THOMAS, was born at Bedworth in Warwickshire, in 1725. His father in the younger part of life was entirely unacquainted with real religion. The circumstances which led him to the knowledge of the Gospel, end were afterwards the means of his temporal prosperity, were equally providential and singular. At the established. VOL. IV. No. 76. D church church at Bedworth, which he had been accustomed to frequent, was a minister who preached the terrors of the Jaw; but though he described the evil and punishment of sin, he never hinted at the way of salvation revealed in the Gospel. In consequence, Mr. Reader's conscience was much alarmed, and he began to be concerned about the state of his soul. Smarting under the wounds of conviction, he paid ftill more attention to the word, in hope of procuring some relief to his mind; bat he found that tlie preacher was a physician of no value," and that every sermon he heard, tended only the more to aggravate his distress. In these circumstances, he was prevailed on, after very considerable reluctance, to attend on the ministry ef the Rev. Mr. Saunders, of Bedworth. When he heard this eminent man proclaiming pardon and peace through the blood of the cross, his hungry soul was satisfied; the word was found, and he did eat it, and it was the joy and the rejoicing of his heart ;" and so precious was the Gospel of the Redeemer to his wounded spirit, that all his former prejudices were removed, and he continued till his death a zealous friend to the cause of religion. After his conversion his character procured him the esteem of many valuable friends, by whose kind attention, joined with the blessing of Providence, he rose to an opulent and respectable situation in life. This good man was happily married to a person after his own heart. Industrious, pious, and generous himself, he met with the same dispo sitions in his partner. So eminent was Mrs. Reader for piety, that her son, the subject of these pages, has frequently said, that in all his acquaintance with the religi ous world, he never once had met with her equal. The generosity of these truly respectable persons was unbounded. Their heart and house were open to every servant of God. Objects of real distress, of whatever denomination, met with their charitable assistance. Though their liberality was great, yet, as they scattered, they increased; and Mr. Reader, at his death was able to bequeath many valuable donations, and to leave his family in comfortable circumstances. These worthy persons, were particularly concerned for the spiritual welfare of their children. As the care of instructing the rising generation in 'the earliest part of life principally devolves on the mother, Mrs. Reader faithfully discharged this important trust. She was not satisfied |