ght have children, his answer was, "He would
not see the danger of want so far off: but being the Scripture does
so commend Charity, as to tell us that Charity is the top of Christian
virtues, the covering of sins, the fulfilling of the Law, the Life of
Faith; and that Charity hath a promise of the blessings of this life,
and of a reward in that life which is to come: being these, and more
excellent things are in Scripture spoken of thee, O Charity! and that,
being all my tythes and Church-dues are a deodate from thee, O my God!
make me, O my God! so far to trust thy promise, as to return them back
to thee; and by thy grace I will do so, in distributing them to any
of thy poor members that are in distress, or do but bear the image
of Jesus my Master." "Sir," said he to his friend, "my wife hath a
competent maintenance secured after my death; and therefore, as
this is my prayer, so this my resolution shall, by God's grace, be
unalterable."

[Sidenote: His illness]

This may be some account of the excellencies of the active part of his
life; and thus he continued, till a consumption so weakened him, as to
confine him to his house, or to the Chapel, which does almost join to
it; in which he continued to read prayers constantly twice every day,
though he were very weak: in one of which times of his reading, his
wife observed him to read in pain, and told him so, and that it wasted
his spirits, and weakened him; and he confessed it did, but said, his
"life could not be better spent, than in the service of his Master
Jesus, who had done and suffered so much for him. But," said he, "I
will not be wilful; for though my spirit be willing, yet I find my
flesh is weak; and therefore Mr. Bostock shall be appointed to read
prayers for me to-morrow; and I will now be only a hearer of them,
till this mortal shall put on immortality." And Mr. Bostock did
the next day undertake and continue this happy employment, till Mr.
Herbert's death. This Mr. Bostock was a learned and virtuous man,
an old friend of Mr. Herbert's, and then his Curate to the Church of
Fulston, which is a mile from Bemerton, to which Church Bemerton is
but a Chapel of Ease. And this Mr. Bostock did also constantly
supply the Church-service for Mr. Herbert in that Chapel, when the
Music-meeting at Salisbury caused his absence from it.

[Sidenote: Mr. Edward Duncon]

About one month before his death, his friend Mr. Farrer,--for an
account of whom I am by promise in