town. from Reigate, and was met near London by the coaches of most of the persons of distinction who were then in At Somerset-house the clergy joined the procession, and accompanied it into Westminster Abbey. The body being brought into the choir, Dr. Nicholas Bernard preached the funeral sermon, taking for his text, 1 Samuel, xxv. 1. And Samuel died, and all Israel were gathered together, and lamented him and buried him. After the sermon, the coffin was conveyed to St. Erasmus's Chapel, and deposited in a grave adjoining that of sir James Fullerton, who had been his tutor in early life. Multitudes had assembled to witness these mournful solemnities. The piety, learning, and worth of the deceased primate were well known and highly appreciated, and tears were shed from many eyes. * At the time of his death, the archbishop was possessed of very little property. Some gold which he had by him, and his library, constituted the whole of it. The latter consisted of nearly ten thousand volumes, besides prints, and manuscripts, which during his prosperity he had intended to leave as a legacy to Dublin College. But his daughter had a large family, and, as she had never re * A few days before the funeral, a weekly newspaper, entitled Mercurius Politicus, informed its readers of the arrangements which had been made, in the following terms. "We had information, that the funeral of that reverend, pious, and learned man, Dr. Usher, late Primate of Ireland, will be upon Thursday the 17th of April. The body is to be brought that morning from Ryegate to George's Church, in Southwark, by 12 o'clock; where such friends as intend to honour the funeral may be pleased to meet the corpse : and from thence to Somerset-house, in the Strand; where, at one o'clock, those of the ministry and others may conveniently meet to accompany the corpse to Westminster Abbey, there to be interred in the chapel. And Dr. Barnard, of Gray's-Inn, is to preach the funeral sermon."-Mercurius Politicus. April 3 to 10. ceived anything from him, he bequeathed all that he had to her. The King of Denmark and Cardinal Mazarine desired greatly to purchase these books, and offered a liberal price for them. But Cromwell forbade their being sent out of the country; and afterwards, when the army in Ireland purchased the library, in order to present it to Dublin College, he threw some difficulties in their way, and caused it to be placed in some rooms in Dublin Castle, from which many of the manuscripts were lost. At the restoration, the king presented them to the college, where they still form a valuable part of the library. Most heartily do we join in the pious desire with which Dr. Parr concludes his "Life of Archbishop Usher;" that God "would appoint and continue in his church a constant succession of such lights; and that, particularly within his majesty's dominions, these churches may still flourish under the like pious, watchful, laborious, and exemplary ministers and bishops, who may adorn the Gospel and their own profession; for the confutation of the adversaries of our religion, and the conviction of all those who clamour against the doctrine, government, and godly worship now established in the Church of England." The virtues of archbishop Usher sprang from christian principles. From the morning of life, the light of divine truth shone upon his heart, and by its influence reformed his thoughts, directed his designs, purified his affections, and governed his deportment in word and conduct. In him we behold in an eminent degree the qualities which constitute the christian gentleman. With an unshaken adherence to his Saviour's laws and a desire to diffuse their influence, his manner was yet so courteous, affable, and kind, that his admonitions were not taken amiss. "He was of so sweet a nature," says Dr. Parr, "that I never heard he did an injury or ill office to any man, or revenged any that had been done to him, but could readily forgive them, as our blessed Lord and Master enjoins. Nor envied he any man's happiness, or vilified any man's person or parts; nor was he apt to censure or condemn any man upon base reports, but observed the rule of the son of Syrach, Blame not before thou hast examined the truth." When we consider that his acquaintance was very extensive, and included persons of very different opinions, it would be difficult for us to estimate the amount of service which he rendered to the cause of peace, good order, and sober piety, in times of political and religious ferment, by the light of his daily conversation and by his personal influence. His own opinion of himself, however, was meek and lowly; and often, when he beheld and admired the virtues of others, his mind reverted to his own state with an humble sense of his great deficiencies. The happiness he enjoyed was the fruit of his piety, and he naturally wished to sow the same seed as extensively as possible. When he found anywhere that melancholy was mixed with religion, as tares with the wheat, he would lament that any persons should by their sadness alarm those who were newly disposed to forsake their sins and to serve God, or should make it appear that their Master's yoke was heavy and his commands grievous." Sincere Christians," he would say, "ought to rejoice in the Lord, and those who have reason to be miserable are only the vicious and irreligious." He was always pleased with the society of good and wise persons; and his own conversation was enlivened by a fund of entertaining and instructive anecdotes. To rich and poor alike he was ready to impart the fruits of his knowledge and experience, and was continually doing good as a religious adviser. In the most tender and persuasive manner he warned those who were walking in evil ways. Those who were halting between two opinions he often had the happiness of persuading to make a right choice: and he was successful in removing the doubts and scruples of tender consciences; in giving comfort to afflicted souls; and in raising up those who had fallen, with renewed strength for future trials. To these notices we need only subjoin bishop Burnet's excellent sketch of the character of this admirable prelate. "In his conversation he expressed the true simplicity of a Christian; for passion, pride, self-will, or the love of the world, seemed not to be so much as in his nature; so that he had all the innocence of the dove in him. He had a way of gaining people's hearts, and of touching their consciences, that looked like somewhat of the apostolical age revived; he spent much of his time in those two best exercises, secret prayer, and dealing with other people's consciences, either in his sermons or private discourses; and what remained he dedicated to his studies, in which those many volumes that came from him shewed a most amazing diligence and exactness, joined with great judgment. So that he was certainly one of the greatest and best men that the age, or perhaps the world, has produced." |