In the year 1736 came out the third volume of the History of the Puritans and Mr. Neal's design was completed, by the publication of the fourth, in the year 1738, which brought down the history of nonconformity to the act of toleration by king William and queen Mary, in the year 1689. This and Mr. Neal's other historical works spread his name through the learned world, and justly secured to him great and permanent reputation. Dr. Jennings speaking of them says, "I am satisfied that there is no judicious and unprejudiced person, that has conversed with the volumes he wrote, but will acknowledge he had an excellent talent at writing history. His style is most easy and perspicuous; and the judicious remarks, which he leads his readers to make upon facts as they go along, make his histories to be not only more entertaining, but to be more instructive and useful, than most books of that kind."*

While this work was preparing for and going through the press, part of his time was occupied in drawing up and publishing an answer to Dr. Maddox, bishop of St. Asaph; who wrote a pretty long "Vindication of the doctrine, discipline, and worship, of the church of England, established in the reign of queen Elizabeth, from the injurious reflections (as he was pleased to style them) of Mr. Neal's first volume of the History of the Puritans." This answer was entitled, "A review of the principal facts objected to the first volume of the History of the Puritans." It was reckoned to be written with great judgment, and to establish our historian's character for an im

Nicholas-lane, February 13, 1734–5, between two Romish priests and some Protestant divines, with some remarks on the pamphlet, &c." The doctor's account is confined to the second conference, because he was not present at the first.

Soon after these Salters'-hall sermons were published, there appeared a pamphlet, in 1735, which in 1736 ran to a third edition, entitled, "A supplement to the sermons lately preached at Salters'-hall against Popery: containing just and useful remarks on another great corruption therein omitted.' The author of this tract was Mr. G. Killingworth, a respectable lay-gentleman of Norwich. The design of it was to shew, that the reasoning of the gentlemen, who preached those sermons, affected not only the Papists, but themselves, in rejecting the baptism of adult persons, and substituting in the room thereof the sprinkling of infants. The author, with this view, besides stating from the New Testament the evidence in favour of his own sentiments, shrewdly applied a great number of passages from the sermons, somewhat in the way of a parody, to establish his own conclusion; and to prove, that if those gentlemen practised or believed any thing as a part of the religion of the holy Jesus, which could not be plainly and clearly proved from the New Testament (as he conceived that they did in the matter of sprinkling of infants), they must look upon themselves as self-condemned, their own arguments being a full confutation of them. Mr. Killingworth shewed himself an able writer by other pieces in favour of the sentiments for which he was a strenuous advocate: and published also "An Answer" to the late very respectable Mr. Micajah Towgood's tract, entitled, "Infant Baptism a Reasonable Service;" by way of appendix to an examination of Dr. Forster's "Sermon on Catholic Communion." In one of his pieces, he likewise replied to the arguments of Mr. Emlyn's previous question.

Funeral Sermon, p. 32.

partial regard to truth. And it was reasonably concluded, from this specimen of his powers of defence, that, if his declining state of health had permitted him, he would have as thoroughly vindicated the other volumes from the animadversions afterward published against them by Dr. Zachary Grey.

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The pleasure Mr. Neal had in serving the cause of religious liberty had carried him through his undertaking with amazing alacrity. But he engaged in it at an advanced age, and when his health had begun to decline: this, joined with the close application he gave to the prosecution of it, brought on a lingering illness, from which he never recovered. He had been all his life subject, in some degree, to a lowness of spirits, and to complaints of an indisposition in his head. His love of study, and an unremitting attention to the duties of his office, rendered him averse to the frequent use of any exercise that took him off from his books. In the end, repeated strokes of the palsy, first gentle and then more severe, which greatly enfeebled all his powers both of body and mind, baffled the best advice, the aids of medicine, and repeated use of the Bath waters, brought him to his grave, perfectly worn out, in the sixty-fifth year of his age. He died April 4th, 1743.

During the declining state of his health, Mr. Neal applied to the excellent Dr. Doddridge to recommend some young minister, as an assistant to him. A gentleman was pointed out, and appeared in his pulpit with this view; and a letter, which on this occasion he wrote to Dr. Doddridge, and which the doctor endorsed with this memorandum, "Some wise Hints," affords such an agree able specimen of Mr. Neal's good sense, candour, and prudence, as cannot fail, we think, to render it acceptable to our readers.

"Dear Sir,

"Your letter which I received yesterday gave me a great deal of agreeable entertainment, and made me almost in love with a person that I never saw. His character is the very picture of what I I should wish and pray for. There is no manner of exception that can hear of, but that of his delivery, which many, with you, hope way be conquered or very much amended. All express a very great respect and value for Mr. — and his ministry, and are highly pleased with his serious and affectionate manner. And I am apt to think, when we have heard him again, even the thickness of the pronunciation of some of his words will in a great measure vanish; it being owing, in a great measure (according to my son), to not making his under and upper lip meet together: but be that as it will, this is all, and the very worst that I know of, to use your own expression.

"I wish, as much as you, that the affair might be speedily issued; but you know that things of this nature, in which many, and those of a different temper, are concerned, must proceed with all tenderness and voluntary freedom, without the least shadow of violence or imaginary hurry. Men love to act for themselves, and with spontaneity; and, as I have sometimes observed, have come at length cheerfully and voluntarily into measures, which they would have opposed, if they had imagined they were to be driven into them.

"I don't mention this, as if it was the present case, for I can assure you it is not: but to put you in mind, that it may possibly not always be for the best to do things too hastily; and therefore I hope you will excuse the digression. I am exceedingly tender of Mr. -'s character and usefulness; and therefore shall leave it to your prudence to fix the day of his coming up: and you may depend upon my taking all the prudential steps in favour of this affair that I am master of. I hope the satisfaction will be general, but who can answer for it beforehand? It has a promising ap'pearance; but if it comes out otherwise, you shall have a faithful

account.

"I am pleased to hear that Mr. — is under so good an adwiser as yourself, who cannot but be apprised of the great importance of this affair both to your academy, to myself, and to the public interest of the dissenters in this city: and I frankly declare I don't know any one place among us in London where he can sit more easy, and enjoy the universal love and affection of a goodnatured people, which will give him all fitting encouragement. We are very thankful to you, Sir, for the concern you express for us, and the care you have taken for our supply. I hope you will have a return, from above, of far greater blessings than this world can bestow, and you may expect from me all suitable acknowledg

ments.

"Pray advise Mr. when you see him, to lay aside all undue concern from his mind, and to speak with freedom and ease. Let him endeavour, by an articulate pronunciation, to make the elder persons hear and those that sit at a greater distance, and all will be well. He has already got a place in the affections of many of the people; and I believe will quickly captivate them all. Assure him that he has a candid audience, who will not make a man an offender for a word. Let him speak to the heart and touch the conscience, and shew himself in earnest in his work: and he will certainly approve himself a workman that needs not be ashamed. I beg pardon for these hints. Let not Mr. -impress his mind too much with them. My best respects attend.

your lady and whole family, not forgetting good Mr., &c.

I am, Sir, in haste,

"Your affectionate brother

"And very humble servant,

"DANIEL NEAL.*

"London, Saturday evening,

"May 12, 1739.

"Brethren, pray for us!"

death, rendered him This induced him to

Disease had, for many months before his almost entirely incapable of public service. resign the pastoral office in the November preceding. The considerate, as well as generous manner in which he did it, will appear from the following letter he sent to the church on that occasion: "To the church of Christ, meeting in Jewin-street, London. "My dear brethren, and beloved in the Lord,

"God, in his all-wise providence, having seen meet for some time to disable me in a great measure from serving you in the gos↳ pel of his Son, and therein to deprive me of one of the greatest satisfactions of my life; I have been waiting upon him in the use of means for a considerable time, as I thought it my duty to do. But not having found such a restoration as might enable me to stated -service, it is my duty to acquiesce in his will. And having looked up to him for direction, I think it best for your sakes to surrender my office of a pastor amongst you.

"Upon this occasion it becomes me to make my humblest acknowledgments to the blessed God, for that measure of usefulness he has honoured me with in the course of my labours amongst you'; and I render you all my unfeigned thanks for the many affectionate instances of your regard towards me.

"May the Spirit of God direct you in the choice of a wise and able pastor, who may have your spiritual and everlasting welfare at heart. And, for that end, beware of a spirit of division: be ready to condescend to each other's infirmities: keep together in the way of your duty, and in waiting upon God for his direction and blessing: remember, this is the distinguishing mark of the disciples of Christ, that they love one another.' Finally, my brethren, farewell; be of good comfort and of one mind; live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.'

"I am, your affectionate well-wisher,

"And obedient humble servant,

"DANIEL NEAL."t

The above letter was very obligingly communicated by the reverend Thomas

Stedman, vicar of St. Chad's, Shrewsbury.

+ From the MSS. account.

From the first attack of his long illness, it appears he had serious apprehensions how it would terminate; and a letter written from Bath, in April 1739, to a worthy friend,* shews the excellent state of his mind under those views.

"My greatest concern (he says) is, to have rational and solid expectations of a future happiness. I would not be mistaken, nor build on the sand; but would impress my mind with a firm belief of the certainty of the future world, and live in a practical preparation for it. I rely very much on the rational notions we have of the moral perfections of God, not only as a just but a benevolent and merciful Being, who knows our frame, and will make all reasonable allowances for our imperfections and follies in life; and not only so, but, upon repentance and faith in Christ, will pardon our past sins, though never so many or great.

"In aid of the imperfection of our rational notions, I am very thankful for the glorious truths of gospel-revelation, which are an additional superstructure on the other: for though we can believe nothing contrary to our reason, we have a great many excellent and comfortable discoveries built upon and superadded to it. Upon this double foundation would I build all my expectations, with an humble and awful reverence of the majesty of the great Judge of all the earth, and a fiducial reliance on the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. In this frame of mind, I desire to fear God, and keep his commandments."

In all his sensible intervals, during his last illness, he enjoyed an uncommon serenity of mind; and behaved becoming a Christian and a minister.†

* This friend was Dr. Henry Miles, an eminent dissenting minister at Tooting in Surrey, and a respectable member of the Royal Society, who died February 10, 1763, in the sixty-fifth year of his age. He was a native of Stroud in Gloucestershire. His knowledge in natural history, botany, and experimental philosophy, for which he had a remarkable taste, occasioned his being elected a member of the Royal Society in 1743, in the transactions of which appear several papers from his pen; and Dr. Birch, in the preface to his fine edition of Mr. Boyle's works, handsomely says, that the conduct and improvement of that edition were chiefly to be ascribed to the great labour, judgment, and sagacity, of the learned Mr. Miles, and that to him the public owed considerable additions never before published. Besides this, he could never be prevailed upon to publish more than a single sermon, preached at the Old-Jewry, on occasion of a public charity in 1738. He was a hard student. His preparations for the pulpit cost him incessant labour; and for a course of thirty years he constantly rose, two days in the week, at two or three o'clock in the morning, to compose his sermons. He lived like an excellent Christian and minister: his behaviour was on all occasions that of a gentleman; the simplicity of his spirit and manners was very remarkable; his conversation instructive and entertaining; his countenance was always open, mild, and amiable; and his carriage so condescending and courteous, even to his inferiors, as plainly discovered a most humane and benevolent heart, He was the friend of Dr. Lardner and Dr. Doddridge; and in the correspondence of the latter, published by the Rev. Mr. Stedman, there are several of his letters. See also Dr. Furneax's Funeral Sermon for Dr. Miles.

Letters to and from Dr. Doddridge, 1790, p. 358.