vided by the church; but of this permission he did not avail himself, for fear of awakening the passions of that wild assemblage.

The people testified the honour in which they held this protestant bishop by firing a volley over his grave: they shouted, "Let the last of the English rest in peace;" and a priest who entertained a grateful recollection of the bishop's friendship and virtues, was heard to breathe forth a wish that their souls might be permitted to dwell together in the world to come.

Thus lived and died this excellent prelate, in whom were united some of the highest virtues that can adorn an individual, with a large share of those rare qualifications which might be expected in one who is accounted a primitive and apostolical bishop.

Time has since sped onward. Nearly two centuries have rolled away since the spirit of bishop Bedell forsook its earthly tabernacle, and he relinquished the staff and mitre of his sacred office. Yet still we recur with profit and delight to the records of his holy life; for the lapse of years has no power to abate the lustre of the burning lights which shine with heavenly glory. Distant though his days may have been, we watch with admiration the course of one, whose history so forcibly impresses upon us two such lessons as these:—That we ought to be content in every sphere in which the wisdom of God has seen fit to place us; and that it is our duty to employ our talents, and the opportunities of usefulness which are successively presented to us, to the glory of God and the good of his church, with constancy and zeal. Whether we regard the conduct of the subject of this memoir at Cambridge, or Bury St. Edmund's, or Venice, or Horningsheath, in the university of Dublin, or the diocese of Kilmore, we may discern one or both of these great principles remarkably illustrated.

Reviewing his private life and conversation, or his conduct in important official situations, we shall never look in vain towards him, when we desire to contemplate

the example of a pious christian, a zealous minister, or an active bishop. And since the spiritual welfare of the members of the church must always be affected by the character of their pastors and teachers, we have good reason to join in the devout aspiration of bishop Burnet:

May the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls so inspire all that are the overseers of that flock which He purchased with his own blood, that in imitation of all those glorious patterns that are in church history, and of this in the last age that is inferior to very few that any former age produced, they may watch over the flock of Christ, and so feed and govern them, that the mouths of all adversaries may be stopped; that this apostolical order, recovering its primitive spirit and vigour, may be received and obeyed with that same submission and esteem that was paid to it in former times; and that all differences about lesser matters being laid down, peace and truth may again flourish, and the true ends of religion and churchgovernment may be advanced, and that instead of biting, devouring, and consuming one another, as we do, we may all build up one another in our most holy faith.