science bound to reside, and living decently and hospitably in their several parishes, are idling away their time in borough-towns, and busying themselves there about matters which do not concern them.'* With all his dignities, Bishop Sherlock had still kept possession of his favorite piece of preferment, the Mastership of the Temple, residing and preaching there during Term, and enjoying its beloved and long-cherished society. But in the year 1753,† when his increasing infirmities rendered him incapable of performing the functions of this office, he resigned it with the following letter of acknowlegement, which was received by those to whom it was addressed, with mingled feelings of admiration and regret : To the Treasurers, &c. of the two Societies of the Temple. Fulham, Nov. 5, 1753. Gentlemen, His Majesty having been graciously pleased (in consideration of my age and infirmities) to accept of my resignation of the mastership of the Temple, permit me to take the opportunity of your meeting, after the recess of the vacation, to return you my thanks for your great goodness to me, during the continuance of the long course of my ministry among you. It would be a satisfaction and pleasure to me to acknowlege these obligations, and to express the sense I have of them, in person. But as I cannot promise myself, in the uncertain state of my health, that I shall be able to do it in proper time, I shall beg leave to do it by writing; and to assure you, that I shall always remember the many instances of your favor to me, some of which were so distinguishing marks of your approbation of my services, as I must never-I can never forget; and yet *Nichols's Lit. Anecd. vol. ii. p. 342. + Even in 1751 he was obliged to use an amanuensis, as he informs Dr. Parsons, an eminent physician of that day, in a letter published by Nichols in his Lit. Anecdotes, vol. v. p. 480. to mention them particularly, might be construed as an effect rather of vanity than of gratitude. I esteem my relation to the two societies to have been the greatest happiness of my life, as it introduced me to the acquaintance of some of the greatest men of the age, and afforded me the opportunities of improvement, by living and conversing with gentlemen of a liberal education, and of great learning and experience. I am Gentlemen, Your most obedient, and most humble servant, But it was not for long that the Bishop's bodily weakness permitted him to exercise the active duties of his episcopal charge. About this time it pleased God to afflict him with a dangerous illness, by which, though he recovered from it, he almost lost the total use of his limbs, and was so far deprived of his speech, as to be unable to enjoy the advantages of a free conversation.* Yet his mind partook of none of these infirmities-he still attended to the punctual dispatch of business, giving directions, dictating letters whenever the importance of the case required it, and demanding from all whom he employed, an exact account of their various transactions. Under all his infirmities,' says Dr. Nichols, his soul broke through, like the sun from the cloud, and was visible to every eye. There was a dignity in his aspect and countenance to the very last. His reason sat enthroned within him; and no one could approach him without having his mind filled with that respect and veneration which was due to so great a character.' It was under the last stage of bodily decay, with the retention of his powerful faculties and discriminative judg * Dr. Nichols's Funeral Sermon, Gent. Mag. 1762. p. 24. ment, that he revised and published those admirable Sermons, which stand foremost among the brightest ornaments of our theological literature; and of which I conceive this to be a striking characteristic, that they make it evident by irresistible arguments, that the doctrines discussed are consistent with sound sense, and that religion in its various details is not contrary to reason, but, in fact, highly rational. In 1755 and 1756, he published four volumes of these Discourses in octavo; to which a fifth was added in 1776, when their author was no more.* Death seemed as if he delayed to strike this great and good man, allowing him to continue in the uninterrupted exercise of his mental powers, until he saw the accession of our late revered monarch; when, unable as he was personally to approach the throne, he addressed the following beautiful letter of condolence and congratulation to him who so auspiciously ascended it : SIRE, November 1, 1760. Amidst the congratulations that surround the throne, permit me to lay before your Majesty a heart, which, though oppressed with age and infirmity, is no stranger to the joys of my country. When the melancholy news of the late king's demise reached us, it naturally led us to consider the loss we had sustained, and upon what * This contains his fourteen occasional Sermons, and was undertaken at the suggestion of Mr. Southgate, Curate of St. Giles's, who furnished the copies. The publishers were those two eminent bibliopoles, Lockyer Davies and Thos. Davies, whose initials D.D. are subscribed to the Preface.-Nichols's Lit. Anecd. vol. iii. p. 214. His Sermons were translated into French by the celebrated Pere Houbigant, his Discourses on Prophecy, and his Trial of the Witnesses, having received the same compliment from the pen of Le Moine. our hopes of futurity depended. The first part excited grief, and put all the tender passions into motion; but the second brought life and spirit with it, and wiped away the tears from every face. Oh! how graciously did the providence of God provide a successor, able to bear the weight of government in that unexpected event! You, Sir, are the person whom the people ardently desire: which affection of theirs is happily returned by your Majesty's declared concern for their prosperity; and let nothing disturb this mutual consent. Let there be but one contest between them, whether the king loves the people best, or the people him and may it be a long, a very long contest! may it never be decided, but let it remain doubtful! and may the paternal affection on the one side, and the filial obedience on the other, be had in perpetual remembrance! This will probably be the last time I shall ever trouble your Majesty. I beg leave to express my warmest wishes and prayers on your behalf. May the God of heaven and earth have you always under his protection, and direct you to seek his honor and glory in all you do; and may you reap the benefit of it by an increase of happiness in this world and in the next!' : At length the summons came; when this illustrious prelate, well prepared to answer it, resigned his soul into the hands of his Maker, on the 18th of July, 1761, at the advanced age of 84. He was buried at Fulham, not in the church, but in the church-yard; exhibiting an example, like many other prelates of this see, which is well worthy of observation in this church-defiling age. A monument is erected to his memory, on which the following epitaph is inscribed : In this vault is deposited the body of The Right Reverend Father in God Dr. Thomas Sherlock, late Bishop of this Diocese, formerly Master of the Temple, Dean of Chichester, and Bishop of Bangor and Salisbury. * Compton, Robinson, Gibson, Hayter, Osbaldiston, Terrick, Lowth, and Randolph.-Lit. Anecd. vol. ix. p. 505. Whose beneficent and worthy conduct His superior genius, his extensive and well-applied learning, his admirable faculty and unequalled power of reasoning, They do honor to the age wherein he lived; and Underneath, on another tablet, is this: He died the 18th day of July, in the year which he sustained to the last with a most cheerful The side of a monument, to the memory of his lady, placed on the top of the above-mentioned tablet, is thus inscribed. Judith Fountaine, was married to Dr. Thomas Sherlock, Died July 23, 1764; aged 77. Bishop Sherlock died without issue, and left a large fortune behind him, not, as some have asserted,* shamefully amassed out of the see of London, but principally saved * Among others, Dr. King, in the 'Anecdotes of his own Times,' p. 183. |