Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/260

 2^6 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1758.

poor his befl patients, for God, laid he, is their pay-mallcr.

The adiivityot his mind fparkled vifibly in his eyes.-r-He was always chearful, and defirous of promot- ing every valuable end of conver- fation ; and the excellency of the chrillian religion was frequently the fubjefl of it ; for he afierteu 0|i all proper occafions, the divine au- thority and facred efficacy of the fcriptures J and maintained, that they only could give peace of mind, that fweet and facred peace which paiTeth all underftanding ; fince none can conceive it, but he who has it; and none can have it, but by divine communication. He never regarded calumny, nor dc- traftion, (forBoerhaavchimfelfhad enemieb) nor ever tljijyught it ne- cefTary to confute them. * They are

' not iloiv ivi/l go out oj them-
 * /parks, faid he, ivhich if you do


 * fehves. — The fureji remedy again fi


 * fcandal, is TO live it down


 * hy a per/eojerance in •well doing ;


 * and by praying to God that he


 * ivould cure the dijiempered minds


 * of thofe n^ho traduce, and injure

efpecially as it keeps our minds contented and unruffled, whilft the hearts of our enemies, are overflow- ing with rancour, envy, and other diabolical paflions.
 * us.^ An excellent method this :

He was not to be over-awed or dppieiled by the prefence, »frovvns, or infolence of great men, butper- fiued on all occafions in doing what was right, regardlefs of the confe- qiiences. — He could, too, with un- common readinefs, and almoll to a certainty, make a conjedure of nien's inclinations and capacity by their afped. — A fagacity perhaps unequalled, and which often fur- prifed tveahis moll intimate ac-

quaintance, though they fo well knew his talents.

Being onceaflced byafricnd, who had often admired his patience un- der great provocations, whether he knew what it was to bp angry, and by what means he had fo entire- ly fupprefled that impetuous and ungovernable pafTion ? Dr. Boer- haave anfwered, with the utmoft franknefs and Sincerity, that he was naturally quick of refentment, but tha. he had, by daily prayer and meditation, at length attained to this mailery over himfelf. But this he faid was the work of God''s Grace; for he was too fenfible of hii own weaknefs to afcribe any thing to himfelf, or to conceive that he could fubdue p^ffion, or withlland temptation, hy his o^wn natural ponver : he attributed every good thought, and every laudable adion, to the Father of goodnefs.

To the will of God he paid aa abfoiute fubmiffion, without en- deavoiiring to difcover the reafons of hisunfearchablc determinations ; and this he accounted the firft and moll inviolable duty of a chrif- tian.

About the middle of the year 1737, he felt the firft approaches of that fatal illnefs, which brought him to the grave, viz. a diforder in his breaft, which was at times very painful ; often threatened him with immediate fufFocation ; and terminated in an univerfal dropfyj but du:ing this afiiidtive and lin- gering illnefs, his conftancy and firmnefs did not forfake him. He neither intermitted the neceffjry cares of life, nor forgot the proper preparationsof death. About three weeks before his difiblution, when the Kev. iMr. Schuliens, one of the

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