heavenly Father hath not only forgiven them, but in due time hath given them an happy issue out of them, and so he will assuredly do to you."

The following appears to have been written a short time before his own death.

"I find daily more and more reason without me, and within me yet much more, to pant and long to be gone. I am grown exceeding uneasy in writing and speaking; yea almost in thinking, when I reflect how cloudy our clearest thoughts are: but, I think again what other can we do, till the day break, and the shadows flee away; as one that lieth awake in the night must be thinking, and one thought that will likely oftenest return, when when by all other thoughts he finds little relief, is when will it be day?"

In these specimens there is a naïveté, a simplicity and honesty of expression which discover the writer's soul. No art, or labour appears; but all is natural, easy, unaffected, and guileless. We see, too, that objects of the highest importance, and universally interesting, were the most congenial to Leighton's mind, The passing occurrences of the day, and the

squabbles of parties, have no place, as far as is known, in his epistolary correspondence. It is much to be regretted, that inquiries after a collection of his letters, which Dr. Doddridge possessed, have been ineffectual. Yet the valuable fragments enable us to form an estimate of the whole.

The tenor of Leighton's conversation was in perfect unison with his letters; edifying, grave, spiritual, and heavenly. His mouth was a well of wisdom, and the law of kindness was in his tongue. His words were neither trivial, nor bitter. Scarcely even an idle word was pronounced by him; and he seemed habitually to feel that frame in which a wise and good man would wish to die.

Our author, it must be allowed, was somewhat melancholy; yet without dark gloom, or forbidding austerity. This turn arose partly from constitution, and was increased by the dismal state of public affairs. The character of the times was such, through the dissipated gaiety of the court, and the horrid oppression of the country, that it was sufficient to make any man, far less sensible and feeling than Leighton, pensive and sad. Almost never was he seen to laugh, and but rarely smiled. Living so re

tired, and generally absorbed in meditation, he seldom came within the reach of those occasional and innocent sallies of fancy which embellish and amuse human life.

His temper, too, as may be supposed from the account already given, was gentle and peaceable. He retaliated no reproach, resented no injury; but overcame evil with good. Strenuous were the efforts, and great the sacrifices, which he made, to unite contending parties. In his discourse on the characters of the wisdom from above, our author, without knowing it, draws a faithful portrait of himself; -pure, peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated; full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. Peace and charity, indeed, are his favourite topics; and, like the beloved disciple, he paints from the life, and from the abundance of his own heart.

None of his discourses are written in the form, and still less in the spirit of controversy. Leighton never dipped his pen in gall; and not a particle is to be seen of the odium Theologicum, (Theological hatred) a phrase which has been used among open infidels and lukewarm professors, always without candour, and often without justice. This great divine in meekness in

structed even such bitter adversaries; and contended against error with scriptural weapons, particularly by preaching the truth.

One

of the most illustrious ornaments of the Church of England, said to the writer of the present biographical sketch, and the saying is too valuable to be lost; "Fill the bushel with good grain, and it will be extremely difficult for enemies to add chaff."

Humility was a beautiful trait in the character of this excellent man, which shaded and recommended his other great and good qualities. Far from loving the pre-eminence, and courting applause, he always kept in the back-ground; and was occasionally forced from retirement only by an imperious sense of duty. Instead of pushing himself at any time into notice, he shrunk as the sensitive plant when it is touched. The body of death sat heavy upon him, and deeply sensible of his own imperfections, our author grew in humility, as he grew in holiness. His diffidence, however, was extreme; for, though frequently solicited to publish discourses, he would never consent; and none of his invaluable works were printed during his life.

The modesty of Leighton was the more

comely and ornamental, that it was joined to high intellectual capacity and attainments, and to the graces of elocution. His acquaintance with literature was various and profound. Of a quick and capacious understanding; of an elevated genius, and refined taste; of a vigorous and elegant fancy; of a retentive memory, he drank deep at the springs of knowledge, by close application, and almost incessant study. Our author had perused with care and delight the Roman and the Greek classics. His Latin would do honour to the Augustan age; and is not inferior in purity and strength to the style of the learned and polished Buchanan. The Hebrew was quite familiar to him, and he possessed a critical knowledge of that concise and energetic tongue. He understood French well; and could both speak and write the language with correctness and ease. He knew philosophy in the greater part of its branches; and had read with attention and profit, history sacred and prophane, civil and ecclesiastical, ancient and modern. Divinity, however, was his principal study; and he was truly a master in Israel. Of the most of these rare and useful endowments his writings afford abundant and incontrovertible evidence.