The character of the late Dr. Samuel Annesley, by way of elegy: with a preface Written by one of his hearers.

The PREFACE.

I Am very sensible, that the Characters of Cler∣gy-Men are the most difficult in the World to be wrote, especially with Impartiality and Truth. Ministers are but Men as other Men are; and Men too, as St. Paul said of himself, of like Passions with our selves: A Truth so sisibly made out now, that 'tis not every Minister's Life will bear a Character.

Not that I design to make Reflections upon any, nor would I have my Character of one be a Satyr upon others; and when I say, that few or none does come up to the Character of Dr. Annesley, yet I wou'd not be understood as if there were not a great many left whose Eminent Piety and Vertue deserved very great Respect.

But if I must come to make Distinctions, I must say, That among the best, I neither know, nor have heard of one left, who can pretend to come up to his Degree in all Points; for I am not distinguishing between the Good and the Bad, but between the Good and the Best.

Every Good Minister does not make a Good Man; there are thwart Lines in the Dispositions of some of the best, which even Grace it self has not the power to ohliterate: And the Effects of this are most visible in

their relative Conversation. Not but that I believe a Man may be of a very ill Temper, and yet be a true Christian: But I cou'd wish no such were to be Ministers. How Beautiful is it, to see a Man that is a Minister be also a Gentleman! For certainly Good Manners are the most consistent with Christianity of any thing in the World.

Vanity and Self-esteem on one hand, Covetousness and Self-seeking on the other, are Things so frequent among our Teachers, that never was there more need for us to hear the Word of God without Respect of Persons. If this has no other effect, 'twill certainly raise the Value of such Men who keep themselves un∣spotted from the like.

And, I do confess, this has raised my Esteem for the Memory of Dr. ANNESLEY, whose ge∣nerous Soul had nothing in him that was little or mean; of whom, I am sure, one Line in the Elegy is most particularly true:

He had no Priest-craft in him, nor no Pride.

He had a native genuine Honesty; any thing that was selfish or narrow was really below him, as a Gentle∣man as well as Christian: His Temper was so good, and his Mind so calm, that the meanest Creature in the World might have the freest Conversation with him.

I think I need make no Apology for the Character, as it referrs to him, unless it be that I have said too little of him: what is weakly express'd is the Error of my Capacity, and may be mended by some body else; but I have diligently perus'd it, and cannot find that I have said any thing that is not really True of him. If I have taken any Poetick License, I de∣sire to be understood in such a Latitude as such Ex∣pressions ought to be taken in: I do no where mean, that Dr. Annesley was not a Man subject to Frailties, or Infirmities, or that he was arriv'd to a Perfection in this Life; but this I must say, He is the only Man of whom I could never hear one Refle∣ction, either by Friend or Adversary, either while living, or since dead. He had no Enemies while alive, nor has no Scandal or Slander on him now Dead. His Vertues we knew, his Infirmities none knew but God and himself. Nor do I say any where, that there have not been, or are not Men of more sublime Parts and general Learning; tho' he was ex∣traordinary in both. For in Learning, Mens Excellen∣cies differ as their Genius leads; some are more Masters of Polite Language; some write siner than they speak; some excel in Polemical Divinity, some in Contro∣versal; some are greater Linguists, some greater Lo∣gicians; some have a soft perswasive Stile, some a

sublime, and some a majestick: But these are not Clauses in which I distinguish him so much; he had a needful measure of all. Practical Divinity was his Business, and Cases of Conscience his Study. But 'tis the Zeal, the Candor, and Sincerity of his Mind; the Largeness of his Charity, the Greatness of his Soul, the Sweetness of his Temper, and the Vastness of his Designs to propagate the Kingdom and Interest of his Master. These are the Vertues which I magnifie to such a heighth in Dr. Annesley, and for which, I believe, no Man will think himself reflected on, by saying, He had no Equal.

Parties might differ in Judgment, and yet all a∣greed, That he was a Good Man; whether Confor∣mist or Nonconformist, All Lov'd him: and he comes under the woe of that Proverb, That all Men speak Well of him. He was one of those Good Men for which one wou'd even dare to die, when for a Righteous Man there is no such Obligation. I shall run on no further in his Character here, af∣ter what has been said of him in the Pulpit; his Me∣mory will live in the Minds of all that knew him, and those who did not, may read something of him in the following CHARACTER.

D. F.

vied a Character of him in Wood's AH••: Ox: Vol: 2. p. 966 where it is said histrue Name was Aneley.expand_less