The life & death of Mr. Joseph Alleine, late teacher of the church at Taunton, in Somersetshire, assistant to Mr. Newton whereunto are annexed diverse Christian letters of his, full of spiritual instructions tending to the promoting of the power of Godliness, both in persons and families, and his funeral sermon, preached by Mr. Newton.

His delight in Praising, &c.

In the Close, His great perfection in holiness was mani∣fest, in that he loved so much, and lived a life of Praise, and Thanksgiving. Being arrived to some perfection, he de∣sired and designed to antedate the Work and Songs of Spi∣rits made perfect. Thus David much proclaimed his per∣fection in Piety, by his so great heights in this Heavenly Employment. And its Evident that Saints most devoted

to this Heavenly repast, are most perfect; because the more Men adore and praise, the less they want, (for sad and con∣stant Complaints, and pensive Thoughts, are the Attendants of great wants) and the less men want, the more is their perfection. His Exhortations to Christians did frequently design to raise them to that sublime life of Praise and Thanks∣giving. Often hath he reproved Christians, charging them with the greatest folly and ingratitude in so much neglect∣ing this so pleasing and profitable duty, and in interessing it so little in their Religious Exercises. He much condemned them for that too general practice in thrusting so enlarging a part of their Devotions into so narrow a Room, as only the close of their Prayers. Especially did he excite Christians to this Duty on the Lord's Day, as the most proper Work for so Divine a Festival. Shaming them with the excellent Example of the Primitive Christians, who welcomed in the Sun that brought so glorious a Day as the Christian Sabbath with their Heavenly Hymnes to their Creator and Redeemer. And reproving them for so little considering and observing the proper end of its Institution. But as he respects his own practice a great, yea, and sometimes the greatest part of his Prayer was Thanks-giving, and indeed he was never so much in his Element either in Prayer, or in Preaching, as when he was extolling and adoring the Love of Christ, and marvel∣ling at GOD's infinite goodness in the Gift of his Son our Saviour.

Neither did he so gaze upon and adore Christ his Redeemer and his Redemption, as to forget to sound forth Praises of GOD, the Creator, for often he hath been heard with ad∣miration and praise, to take notice of the Divine Power and Wisdom in the Works of Creation, and therefore in the open Air, in the private retirement of some Field or Wood, he de∣lighted to address himself to God in praise, that his eyes might affect his heart, and awake his glory. And here often he hath been heard to say: That Man was the Tongue of the whole Creation, appointed as the Creatures Interpreter, to speak forth, and make articulate the Praises which they but silent∣lently intimate.

He much delighted in Vocal Musick, and especially in singing Psalms and Hymns, particularly Mr. Bartons, wit∣ness

his constant practice after Dinner else-where related. In him it may be said, in as high a degree as of most Saints on Earth, That each Thought was to him a Prayer, each Prayer a Song, each Day a Sabbath, each Meal a Sacrament, a Fore-taste of that Eternal Repast, to which he hath now Arrived.