hath been noted to be a great part of the devotion of the primitive Christians; the Psalms having in them not only prayers and holy instructions, but such commemorations of God's mercies, as may preserve, comfort, and confirm our dependence on the power, and providence, and mercy of our Creator. And this is mentioned in order to telling, that as the holy psalmist said, that "his eyes should prevent both the dawning of the day and the night-watches by meditating on God's word," so it was Dr. Sanderson's constant practice every morning to entertain his first waking thoughts with a repetition of those very psalms that the Church hath appointed to be constantly read in the daily morning-service: and having at night laid him in his bed, he as constantly closed his eyes with a repetition of those appointed for the service of the evening, remembering and repeating the very psalms appointed for every day; and as the month had formally ended and begun again, so did this exercise of his devotion. And if his first waking thoughts were of the world, or what concerned it, he would arraign and condemn himself for it. Thus he began that work on earth, which is now his employment in heaven.

After his taking his bed, and about a day before his death, he desired his chaplain, Mr. Pullin, to give him absolution; and at his performing that office, he pulled off his cap, that Mr. Pullin might lay his hand upon his bare head. After this desire of his was satisfied, his body seemed to be at more ease, and his mind Psalm cxix. 147.

more cheerful; and he said, "Lord, forsake me not now my strength faileth me; but continue Thy mercy, and let my mouth be filled with Thy praise." He continued the remaining night and day very patient, and thankful for any of the little offices that were performed for his ease and refreshment; and during that time did often say the 103d Psalm to himself, and very often these words, "My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed where true joy is to be found." His thoughts seemed now to be wholly of death, for which he was so prepared, that the king of terrors could not surprise him "as a thief in the night:" for he had often said, "he was prepared and longed for it." And as this desire seemed to come from heaven, so it left him not till his soul ascended to that region of blessed spirits, whose employments are to join in concert with him, and sing praise and glory to that God who hath brought them to that place, "into which sin and sorrow cannot enter."

The following inscription was, by Bishop Sanderson's desire, put upon his tombstone:

DEPOSITUM ROBERTI SANDERSON,

NUPER LINCOLNIENSIS EPISCOPI,

QUI OBIIT ANNO DOMINI MDCLXII.

ET ÆTATIS SU SEPTUAGESIMO SEXTO,
HIC REQUIESCIT IN SPE BEATÆ RESURRECTIONIS.

"Here rest, in hope of a blessed resurrection, the mortal remains of Robert Sanderson, late Bishop of Lincoln, who died in the year of our Lord 1662, and in the 76th of his age."

"Depositum cannot bear an English translation: it signifies something given to another in trust; so he considered his burial as a trust left in the earth till the time that it shall be called to give up its dead."-BURNET's Life of Bedell.