his very devout and frequent receiving the Holy Communion which is a great Preparative to a comfortable Death I will repeat the Doctor 's own Words which many years ago fell from him to his hearers at the Savoy and which were verified in him many years after A worthy receiving of the Lord's Supper says he is the best preparative for death Crucisic Jesus p. 557. No man can die uncomfortably that makes it his business as often as be comes to this Table to receive worthily Death cannot hurt him c. for by his worthy receiving he hath laid up a good foundation for the time to come c. I shall now more particularly give the Character of this excellent Person and the kindness I had for him shall not prevail with â—ne to exceed in his commendation First I shall begin with his Religion and Piety towards God of which he was a very conspicuous Example His Religion had its full power and foreâ— upon him it transform'd him into the image and likeness of God It hath always been esteemed safe advice imitare cum quom tolimus i. e. to imitate him whom we worship On this account some of the Heathens excused their vices because their Poets and men of the Stage represented their Gods as having practised the same things He worshipped the true and living God the holy and mercifull the God of truth and righteousness and not only the greatest and most powerfull but the best of Beings He was a follower of God and his Divine Image was fairly stamped and impressed upon his Soul He imitated God in those two things which one of the Ancients tells us will make us like God viz. speaking truth and bestowing benefits A man of greater simplicity and veracity I never knew and there are multitudes that will witness that he went about doing good He did vow in his Baptism to renounce the Devil the World and Flesh Some men go no farther All their Religion comes from the Font. This good Man perform'd his Vow he cast out of himself the Evil One and renounced all his Works overcame the World in the noblest sense and subdued and mortified all the sinfull desires of the flesh He was a Conquerour and more than Conquerour He devoted himself intirely and without reservation to the service of his God It was not only his business but his choice and delight his meat and drink I need not say that he was much in Prayers and Fastings in Meditation and heavenly Discourse very frequent in devout Communions in reading and hearing the Word in watchings and great austerities He wisely considered that these were the means and not the end of Religion that these are not godliness but only helps and the way to it He arrived at the end of these things He had an ardent love of God a great Faith in him and was resigned to his Will He had an unspeakable Zeal for his Honour a profound regard to his Word and to his Worship and to all that had the nearest relation to him or did most partake of his image and likeness He was a Man after God's own heart He lived under a most gratefull sense of his Mercies he was governed by his fear and had a lively sense of God's special Care and Providence He had that sense of God's Mercy in giving us his Son to die for us that it was observed of him that when he discoursed of that Argument he used no measure no bounds or limits of his Discourse His heart was so affected with that Argument that he cou'd not put a stop to himself Jesus was his Lord and Master and he had his Life and Example always before him and conformed himself to it in the whole Tenour and Course of his Life His Religion was unaffected and substantial it was genuine and primitive and so great a pattern he was that he might have passed for a Saint even in the first and best times of Christianity He was of the Church of England and a most true Son of that Church and gave the greatest proofs of it Far was he from the Innovations of the Roman Church on the one hand and from Enthusiasm on the other His Writings are a sufficient proof of this I very well know that when the Church of England hath been traduced and disparaged he hath not forborn to make so vigorous a Defence that he lost a very great Man's friendship by it and felt the Effects of it afterwards by the loss of a considerable worldly advantage which he would otherwise have flood very fair for He shewed his Zeal for the Church of England when she was in greatest danger from many Enemies especially from the Church of Rome At that time when some were so wicked as to change their profession and others so tame as to sit still and not to concern themselves when the Enemies were at the Gates for there were too many that professed to be Sons of this Church and do so still who were over-awed and durst not appear with that Courage which God and all good Men might justly have expected from them then did this good Man bestir himself and lifted up his Voice like a Trumpet and undauntedly defended the Church when she most needed it God be praised there were others who did so likewise with great vigour and resolution and great hazard of their liberty and worldly Comforts And many of these had the hard hap to be traduced by their lukewarm Brethren who cry up the Church as if these were not the genuine Sons of this Church It hath not been for the advantage of the Church that those Men have been decried as not genuine Church-men who have done her the greatest service on the other hand some vaunt themselves to be such who have never been any support to their Mother in her greatest distress There are some of these who are like the Images we see in many Churches that are so placed in that bending Posture as if they bore upon their Shoulders the weight of the Building whereas in truth they are only the fancy of the Architect and bear no weight at all The Doctor believed the Doctrine of this Church obeyed her Injunctions and conformed to her Constitutions He admonished and diligently instructed his Charge kept Multitudes in her Communion and lived up to her holy Rules and was ready to sacrifice all that was dear to him in the World to promote the true Interest of this Church He would not indeed take the Cure of Souls and then put them out to nurse to some cheap and negligent Curate receive the profits and leave another man to take the pains He would not take a Vicarage and swear residence before his Ordinary and afterwards refuse to reside on pretence of some privilege or exempt Jurisdiction c. as very many have done But a Church-man he was notwithstanding Indeed the best of men have been mis-represented And there are a Number of the most useless men that
many were his constant Auditors some of the highest Rank and Quality and a very great number of very devout and pious Persons A vast Crowd there was that followed him and such a collection of most devout and conformable Persons as were hardly to be found elsewhere it was no easie matter to get through the Crowd to the Pulpit He administred the Holy Communion on the first Sunday of every Month and preached a Preparation Sermon on the Friday preceding He did it also on the great Festivals He administred it twice on a day in the Morning at eight a Clock and at the usual time after the Morning Sermon The number of the Communicants held a great proportion to that of his Auditors and their Devotion was very exemplary The number was so great at both times that it will hardly be believed by those Clergymen who have been confined to the Country and have seen the small number of those who attend upon this holy Service So great was the number that there was need of great help of Clergymen to assist in the delivering of the Bread and Wine and with such assistance it was very late before the Congregation could be dismissed I will add that I do not remember that I did ever behold so great numbers and so great signs of Devotion and a due sense and profound reverence becoming this great act of divine Worship in my whole life The Doctor took indefatigable pains on those occasions but he was encouraged to do so from the great success his Labours met withal He was not only very diligent in Preaching and Administring the Holy Sacrament but in all other parts of his Duty He took great pains in Catechising and instructing the Youth in visiting the sick and directing and satisfying the doubtfull and scrupulous and encouraging all good beginnings and promoting worthy designs and provoking those he conversed with to love and good works He took great pains also in his own Family He spent very much time with his Family in constant Prayers Morning and Night in Reading the Holy Scriptures Singing of Psalms in holy Conferences and all the Duties incumbent upon him as the Master of a Family No Weariness no weighty Business abroad excused him from the discharge of these Duties Nor did he perform them slightly and perfunctorily but spent very much time in them he was very assiduous very earnest and vehement and shewed a very great concern and ardor therein He would rise early in a Morning to these Exercises and not spare his pains even after the very great and wearisom labours of the day Nor did he forbear his Studies and Closet-Devotions He spent much time there It appears by a Diary found since his Death and which he kept for a long time that he called himself to an account every Night for the Words and Actions and Conversation of the Day past and perhaps few men living were more strict and severe than he was in this matter It he had done any good that day he gave God the praise of it before he slept And few men that lived passed sewer days if he passed any such without doing good But when any Words or Thoughts escaped which he judged to have wanted due care he animadverted upon himself in a severe manner before he went to rest He was one of the kindest men to others that ever lived and one of the severest to himself He needed no Confessor to call him to account or to enjoyn him any Penance He did not spare revenge upon himself who could most easily forgive his Enemies and wanted no compassion for the greatest Criminals He kept a continual watch over his own Soul and strictly watched over its actings and tendencies and was therefore very sit to watch over those who were committed to his Charge Besides the constant care that was upon him from his Parish his Family his Closet and Studies he imployed himself in doing good to those who were more remote He encouraged Piety where-ever he came and particularly in the younger sort He had the care of several Societies of Young Men whom he directed and encouraged And because this matter hath been mis-understood and that to my certain knowledge there was an attempt since this Revolution to blacken the Doctor on this account I shall represent the matter just as it was Certain it is that there were some Societies of religious and devour Young Men under the Doctor 's Government and Inspection But whether the Doctor did move these Young Men at first to enter into such Societies or whether they first applied to him and he only gave them Rules to govern themselves by I am not able to determine Thus much is certain that he gave them Rules and they were these that follow 1. That all that entered into such a Society should resolve upon an holy and serious Life II. That no person shall be admitted into this Society till he arrive at the age of Sixteen and hath been first confirmed by the Bishop and solemnly taken on himself his Baptismal Vow III. That they chuse a Minister of the Church of England to direct them IV. That they shall not be allowed in their meetings to discourse of any controverted point of Divinity V. Neither shall they discourse of the Government of Church or State VI. That in their meetings they use no Prayers but those of the Church such as the Litany and Collects and other prescribed Prayers but still they shall not use any that peculiarly belongs to the Minister as the Absolution VII That the Minister whom they chuse shall direct what practical Divinity shall be read at these meetings VIII That they may have liberty after Prayer and Reading to sing a Psalm IX That after all is done if there be time left they may discourse each other about their spiritual concerns but this shall not be a standing Exercise which any shall be obliged to attend unto X. That one day in the Week be appointed for this meeting for such as cannot come on the Lords Day and that he that absents himself without cause shall pay three Pence to the Box. XI Every time they meet every one shall give six Pence to the Box. XII That on a certain day in the year viz. Whitsun-Tuesday two Stewards shall be chosen and a moderate Dinner provided and a Sermon preached and the Money distributed necessary Charges deducted to the Poor XIII A Book shall be bought in which these Orders shall be written XIV None shall be admitted into this Society without the consent of the Minister who presides over it and no Apprentice shall be capable of being chosen XV. That if any Case of Conscience arise it shall be brought before the Minister XVI If any Member think fit to leave the Society he shall pay five Skillings to the Stock XVII The major part of the Society to conclude the rest XVIII The following Rules are more especially to be commended to the Members of this Society
viz. To love one another When reviled not to revile again To speak evil of no man To wrong no man To pray if possible seven times a day To keep close to the Church of England To transact all things peaceably and gently To be helpfull to each other To use themselves to holy Thoughts in their coming in and going out To examine themselves every night To give every one their due To obey Superiors both Spiritual and Temporal This is the substance of what the Doctor directed on this occasion I did many years ago lay these things before a very great and worthy Prelate who is now living to whom I thought it was highly sit that they should be communicated I advised with him upon the whole matter And the occasion was this There was a certain number of Young Men who were desirous to make such a Society and to be concluded by these Orders They applied to a Minister in London to take upon him the Inspection and Care of them I was concern'd for that Minister and thereupon laid the whole case before that Prelate He was clearly of opinion that the Young Men were not to be discouraged and that it was best to take care of them and secure that zeal which they expressed in the right Channel he was well contented to leave them to the care and management of a Minister of the Church of England Upon which encouragement they were admitted That time in which this Prelate was consulted was not over favourable to any kind of Religious Meetings And yet the Doctor had the hard measure to be censured very severely even since this happy Revolution upon this account Endeavours were used to beget an ill opinion of him in the late Archbishop and in others But upon due Information the Archbishop was intirely satisfied and was a true Friend to the Doctor to the last The Doctor had so much business generally upon his hands that he had hardly time to eat his Meat He was often sent for to sick and dying People frequently consulted by those who were doubtfull and scrupulous and addressed to with Cases of Conscience and sometimes with Cases that were very extraordinary He was also beyond all measure followed by the Poor and Needy by them that wanted Money or wanted his favour to procure them some Boon or other He was extremely prone to do good Offices this was well known and it fared with him accordingly But in the late Reign his labour was much encreased Great endeavours were used to introduce Popery and to delude the poor People No man was more stout and diligent than the Doctor at that time He preached most vigorously against that corrupt Doctrine prepared his Auditors against the day of trial and was prepared I doubt not for Martyrdom himself 'T is very well known that he declined no labour shunn'd no Conference with the Popish Priests omitted not what was in his power to do to stemm the Tide There are those living of the greatest figure and character who very well know the truth of this matter But thanks be to God the fear of Popery vanish'd upon his present Majesty's coming to the Crown But then the Doctor had another tryal His Maintenance at the Savoy was but small and in great measure precarious And yet was that all his Preferment excepting a Prebend of the Church of Exeter of but 20 l. per annum without any Corps belonging to it But it was really much less than that Charges deducted This was all his Preferment at that time and for some considerable time after He had not any house to live in but what he hired at a considerable rate He had himself a Wife and four Children to maintain and his Children so far grown that they required now a more chargeable Maintenance than formerly His Maintenance was very little Those who formerly contributed withdrew their kindness because he submitted to the present Government He lost very considerably that way This I had from his own Mouth But yet I cannot say he complained of it I confess I neheard him complain but once and that was a little before his last Sickness and then he complained that he wanted Money to give to the Poor The Poor did in great numbers resort to him at that time he gave of his own little a very great proportion and perhaps something more than might seem consistent with what was owing to his own Family But he had a generous Soul and knew not how to deny him that asked The words of our Saviour Give to every one that asketh thee made a great impression upon his Mind I found upon discourse with him that he was so very much under the power of those words that he thought he could hardly be at liberty even from a common Beggar And sometime I have taken occasion to discourse him on that subject but I shall not trouble the Reader with any thing farther in that matter In these mean circumstances he continued for several years after the late Revolution But he went on in his labours and chearfully pursued the great end of his Ministry and the purpose for which he was sent into the World It pleased God to raise up a friend who concerned himself on his behalf It was the Lord Admiral Russel now the Right Honourable the Earl of Orford He before he went to Sea went to the Queen to take leave of her Majesty and when he was with her begged of her that she would be pleased to bestow some Preferment on Dr. Horneck The Queen told him that she could not at present think of any way of preferring the Doctor and with this answer the Admiral was dismissed Sometime after this the Queen told what had passed on this occasion to the late Archbishop She added withal that she was concerned lest the Admiral should think her too unconcerned on the Doctor 's behalf and advised with him what was to be done for the Doctor 's advantage and satisfaction of the Admiral The Archbishop advised the Queen to promise him the next Prebend of Westminster that should happen to become void This the Queen did and lived to make her word good in the year 1693. The late Archbishop upon notice that the Prebend was void introduced the Doctor to the Queen and he was made Prebendary of that Church I had this relation from the late Archbishop And I mention that noble Lord who spake to the Queen on the Doctor 's behalf with all the honour imaginable Indeed that noble Family the Duke of Bedford and his noble Relatives had a great kindness for the Doctor and it ought not to be forgotten in this place I have often heard the Doctor mention them with respect He was now in easier circumstances and provided of an House and at a small distance from his People of whom he took the very same care which he did before He preached very constantly among them and discharged other Ministerial duties as before He kept in