terms;

licitude that he might perform the service of it in a reputable and fuccessful manner, are expreffed in his diary in very strong which fhews how naturally great modefty and great worth dwell together. Such modeft expreffions, and which speak felf-diffidence, uttered in converfation, often pafs unheeded, as having very little meaning in them, and which are sometimes used by the most petulant and affuming. But to meet with fuch expreffions where a man is communing only with his own heart, cannot but greatly engage the readers affection. Some little time after his fettlement in Dublin, he married mifs Boid, daughter of Mr. John Boid of Rathmore near Antrim ( a gentleman of character and fortune) with whom he lived in all the tenderness of conjugal affection to his Death.

It appears from the account given of the foregoing part of his life, that Mr. Abernethy was a perfon of great industry and diligence in the proper labours of his station, and very careful in improving his time to the best purposes. When he came to Dublin, tho' he was there in that stage of life in which many think they may be excufed

5

excused from laborious application to study, yet he gave himself to reading, meditation, and the compofing of fermons, with as great industry as ever. He wrote all his fermons at full length, all legible, and it that he composed one almost every

appears

week.

IN the year 1733, the diffenters, upon the encouragement they had got from fome perfons of distinction on the other fide the water, and strong affurances, that a confiderable number of members of parliament in this kingdom would be upon their fide, propofed to move the house of commons for a bill to repeal the facramental test act. When this project was firft formed, Mr. Abernethy wrote a paper to fhew the unreasonableness and injuftice of all fuch laws, as upon account of mere differences in religious opinions and ufages incapacitate fubjects, in other refpects perfectly qualified for it, to ferve their country in places of power or truft; and cut them off from priviledges and advantages to which, as free born subjects, they have a natural and just title; and particularly, that in the prefent state of Ireland, the continuing to restrain protest

ants

ants by fuch legal incapacities, is a great error in politics, and cannot but weaken the proteftant intereft, and, in confequence of that, be a real lofs and dif-service to the government. This paper was written with much spirit and strength of argument. But arguments are feeble things when fet in oppofition to the views and interefts of parties. The defign miscarried.

3. MR. Abernethy continued his labours in Wood-street for ten years, with much reputation, and found himself very happy in the fociety of his friends, who held him in the highest esteem. He did not indeed go much into mixed company when the bufinefs of his ftation did not call him to it, and often faid, as converfation was generally conducted, he had little fatisfaction in it. He therefore ftaid much at home, and applied himself to ftudy. This was not owing to any thing four or unfociable in his temper, for he had a tafte for converfation, and was of a moft cheerful, as, well as affectionate fpirit; but to a perfuafion that much of the time spent in company was loft, at least, might be much better employ'd. And that when a habit of paling time in a trifling manner was

contracted,

contracted, it must have bad effects upon the mind, unbending it too much, and begetting an indolence by which men were rendered averfe to application, and in fome measure incapable of it. He thought that, of all men, minifters had most reafon to guard against this, as it was more particularly their duty to preferve the mind always in an aptitude for the best exercifes, and avoid every thing which had a tendency to diffipate the vigor of it. Obferving likewife, that where the tafte of the company was fuch, that they could not manage conversation so as to render it worthy of men of fenfe, and good affections, that dignity of character which they ought always carefully to maintain, must fuffer by it.

To this it may be added, that, as in the prefent age modest merit is not very apt to be much fought after by the great, so no man ever lefs affected to put himself in the way of fuch than Mr. Abernethy, tho' few better qualified for their acquaintance, or more efteemed by thofe to whom he was known. He accounted it a great error, and which spoke a little mind, to court them with fuch humble application as fome are feen to do. His conftant aim was to do

good

good and adorn his own ftation, and it was no pain to him to be in the greatest obfcurity which was confiftent with this. Had he ever fuffered himfelf to be conducted by other views, he might have very reafonably hoped to have appeared in that light, which in the sense of many, is the great thing to be contended for. But as he chofe the station of a diffenting minifter, of which he never repented; fo he was perfectly fatisfied with thofe circumftances which ufually attend it, which indeed place men quite out of fight, where wealth and splendor are the principal objects of attention.

Ir may perhaps much more amaze the reader, that he fo long delayed making himfelf known to the learned world; in which it is apparent, from what is already published, he might have appeared with the greateft reputation. It was very late in life, before he appeared in it at all; otherwife, than by a few occafional fermons, and the papers he published in the controverfies in the ⚫ north. This fhews that name and character were not the things for which he laboured. And as modefty generally waits upon true greatnefs

f