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BEAUTIES

OF THE

Evangelical Magazine.

BIOGRAPHY.

MEMOIR OF THE LATE REV. J. BROWN OF

E

HADDINGTON.

We love an author, from whose works our minds have

derived pleasure and improvement: we wish to be introduced to intimate acquaintance with him, that we may fee him in the undrefs of life, and mark the genuine difpofitions of his heart. To gratify a defire fo reasonable, is certainly proper. In the prefent cafe, it appears to be, in fome degree, neceffary; for the felf-denial which distinguishes all Mr. B's writings, the narrative which he hath given of himself, published in his Select Remains, and the ftrong terms in which he utters the deep fenfe he cherished of his finfulness, especially when dying, feemed to throw a veil over his real character, and conceal his spiritual excellencies. The truth of the following account, in which fome particulars will appear fingular, it is believed, will readily be admitted by all his brethren in the miniftry, who were in habits of intimacy with him during his life, and now furvive him in the vineyard of the Lord.

In learning, his attainments were eminent: they cor refponded with the infatiable ardour of his young mind. after general knowledge. His acquaintance with European languages will aftonith our minds, when we confider, that,

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excepting the space of one fingle month, he was his own teacher. He relished the beauties of the Latin poets; but of the Greek, and efpecially of the Hebrew language, his knowledge was extenfive, accurate, and critical. He could read and tranflate the French, the Italian, the German, the Arabic, the Perfian, the Syriac, and the Ethiopic. Though he underflood the Newtonian fyftem, and was not unac quainted with the different theories of the human mind, connected with the fcience of morals, his favourite ftudy was Divinity; and in fubferviency to this, the hiftory of nations. and of the church of God. He made an abridgement of the whole of the Ancient Univerfal Hiftory. In Divinity, he perufed chiefly the writings of the beft old divines, as Turrentine, Pictet, Maftricht, Owen; and of the moderns, Boston, Erskine, Hervey. But, above all, he ftudied the oracles of God. Indeed, his acquaintance with the Bible was fingular. Seldom was a text quoted, but he could accurately repeat it, explain its meaning, and ftate its con

nexion.

In piety, he was eminently heavenly-minded: prayer was his delight. Befides the regular devotions of the closet, he appeared often engaged in ejaculations to his Father in Heaven; particularly, when he was compofing or meditating on his fermons. He frequently fet apart a morning for extraordinary prayer, and often called together his domeftics to family-fafling, or thanksgiving. Though few more tenderly fympathized with the afflicted, yet he was fcarce ever feen to weep, except from the deep impreffions of divine truth on his own heart, or from compaffion for perithing fouls. Bodily pain, and the death of relations, he endured without fhedding a tear; but when he was warning finners of their danger, and befeeching them to be reconciled unto God, the emotions of his heart generally overcame his firmnefs, and frequently checked his utterance.

He was a confcientious obferver of the Lord's Day. To converfe on the common affairs of life, or even on the mere externals and trivial matters of the church, he confidered as unfuitable to the fpiritual exercifes of the day, and offenfive to God. As he would not allow himself to fay or do what he conceived to be inconfiftent with the fanctification of that holy day, fo he endeavoured to reftrain all within his houfe from fuch practices.

In converfation, it was evident to every body that his confant aim was to reform,and to edify. He feldom gave an opinion on political fubjects, or at all intermeddled with them. The remarks which he made, when others introduced fub

jects of that nature, were ufually religious. Instead of expreffing approbation, or of paffing cenfure on the conduct of our rulers, be tried to lead the attention to the operations of Providence, which manages all things for the honour of God, and the welfare of his church. The fubject of minifters ftipends he alfo ftudiously avoided in converfation; knowing that they who officiate in facred things, lie too fre quently, however undefervedly, under the odium of being mercenary men; and that few things tend more to hinder the people's edification, than a fufpicion that their minifter's leading object is worldly gain. The proceedings of the ecclefiaftical courts he feldom fpake of to private Christians; and the imprudent behaviour of any of their members, he carefully concealed. He could not fee how the mentioning of these things could any way promote the real spiritual profit of his people.

Through ftedfaft faith in the divine promises, he seems to have attained to an habitual evennefs of mind, fo ́ as ne ver to be much tranfported with joy, or much depressed with forrow. In him the promife was evidently fulfilled; " Thou "wilt keep him in perfect peace, whofe mind is stayed on "Thee, because he trufteth in Thee. On one occafion, hearing a moft tremendous peal of thunder, he faid, with much pleafant ferenity, "That's the love-whisper of my God."

For fome years before his death he took peculiar delight in reading and abridging the Lives and Experiences of ferious Chriftians.

During his laft illness he discovered a remarkably thankful frame of mind for the fmalle ft favor or affiftance given to him; and fo entirely fatisfied was he with the difpenfations of Providence, that for three or four months before he died, he was never heard to utter a peevish word.

In diligence he was unwearied. In fummer, he rose between four and five in the morning; in winter, at fix; and profecuted his ftudies till eight in the evening. The hours which thoufands wafte in fleep, he bufily employed in prayer, in reading, or writing. Formal vifits he difrelished; and often faid he would much rather compofe a fermon, than fpend an hour in thefe. His people knew his difpofition; and feldom invited him out, or called on him, without fome errand of importance. The number of his publications is a proof of his diligence; especially as he was accustomed to write his manufcripts feveral times over, and never employed an amanuensis: nor were his minifterial labours ever relaxed. Befides expounding a part of Scripture, he preached three fermons every Lord's Day, excepting a short while,

in the depth of winter. During the months, when, as Profeffor of Divinity under the Affociate Synod, he was engaged in teaching the ftudents, and his pulpit was fupplied by his brethren, he frequently went a confiderable number of miles, and preached to a congregation for whom no fermon had been provided. He vifited, minifterially, every family of his church once a year, and twice a year catechised them; be. fides his frequent inftructions, often weekly, given to the children.

In charity he was exemplary. His income was indeed fmall; but with what he had, it was his aim to do good to all, especially to the household of faith. It was his opinion, that every man is bound to devote at least the tenth part of his income to pious ufes; and, though he had a numerous family, he often exceeded this proportion. He exercifed a degree of economy in expenfes on his own. perfon, which fome of his brethren thought to be extreme. It appeared clearly, however, that his fole object in this frugality of expenditure on himfelf, was, that he might be the more enabled" to give to him that needed." His alms were frequently accompanied with good counfels, that while the body was fupplied, the falvation of the foul might not be neglected. To poor congregations who requefted a collection from his people, rather than burthen them (being small in number, and generally poor) he feveral times fent confiderable fums out of his own pocket. Frequently did he cause the widow's heart to fing for joy; while the ftream ran in a channel fo concealed, that the spring was never difcovered, fave by the family whofe withered garden was refreshed by its waters.

As a minifter, he was a faithful and humble fervant of our Lord Jefus Chrift. He poffeffed a peculiar talent in preaching difcourfes which tended to awaken the confcience and fearch the heart. But his greatest pleasure was to pub lifh the glad tidings of falvation, and the free accefs which finners, even the chief, have to the Saviour. His urgent reafoning with finners, on God's behalf, will not foon be forgotten by thofe who heard them.

He poffeffed a happy turn of mind in choofing fubjects of fermons that fuited the fpecial occurrences of Providence towards the nation in general, or the circumftances of his own congregation in particular. Though his learning was very confiderable, he never made a fhew of it in the pulpit. His object was not to exalt himself, but that Saviour whom God delighteth to honour; and to bring down, as far as poffible, the great truths of religion to the level of common

capacities. He often repeated Archbishop Ufher's faying: "It will take all our learning to make things plain." Great was his boldnefs and fidelity in addreffing immortal fouls. A refpectable English divine, who about thirty years ago heard him for fome time in his own meetinghoufe, fays, "I well remember a fearching fermon he preached from thefe words, "What went ye out for to fee?" &c. Although at that time I had no experimental acquaintance with the truth as it is in Jefus, yet his grave appearance in the pulpit, his folemn, weighty, and energetic way of fpeaking, ufed to affect me very much. Certainly his preaching was clofe, and his addrefs to the confcience pungent. Like his Lord and Mafter, he fpake with authority and hallowed pathos, having himself tafted the sweetness, and felt the power of what he delivered." If the style of his printed fermons fhould not pleafe the more polifhed reader, his own congregation will atteft, that fuch was the earnest manner of his delivery, as to make it fcarcely poffible to hear him, and not be deeply and feriously affected. Avowed infidels have fometimes been ftruck with this ; and though they laughed at others,-when they heard him, were forced to liften with gravity and deep attention. He was never backward to preach, if finners were willing to hear. Instead of reckoning it a burden, he accounted it a grace given to him to preach to the Gentiles the unfearchable riches of Chrift. It was his ufual practice, both before and after he came from public worship, to retire to his clofet and pour out his heart in prayer. Trifling converfation at any time, but especially after being engaged in the folemnities of Chriftian worship, he peculiarly detefted. In vifiting the fick, he was very induftrious. His vifits were never tedious, but, according to his opportunity, frequent, When any of his people were in affliction, he visited them immediately, if poffible, on being informed: nor was he backward to thew fympathy to thofe of other denominations, when told that his vifit would be acceptable. His public prayers were commonly fhort, except on days of fafting and thanksgiving; and then he prayed with fuch fervour and importunity, as had a remarkable tendency to elevate the devotions of his fellow-worshippers.

None more earneftly wished the fpreading of the bleffed Gofpel. He gladly undertook many long and fevere journies to congregations deftitute of paftors, where he might have accefs, to preach the glad tidings of falvation. He greatly rejoiced in the fuccefs of Brainard, and other Miffionaries; and often in preaching, when his fubject would

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