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FUNERAL SERMON 
 
 THE IMPORTANCE 
 
 AND 
 
 THE IMPROVEMENT OF TiaiE. 
 
 PREACHED 
 IN ST. PETER'S CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA, 
 
 NOVEMBER 13, 1814, 
 IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE DESIRE EXPRESSED BY THE LATE 
 
 ANTHONY FOTHERGiLL, M. D. F. R. S. &c. 
 
 IN HIS LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT, 'AND IN PURSUANCE OF THE 
 PROVISIONS THEREIN CONTAINED. 
 
 BY JAMES ABERCROMBIE, D. D. 
 
 Senior jiaaiatant Miniater of Chriat -Churchy St. Peter^s^ and 
 \ St. Jamea^a. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 PRINTED POR THE AUTHOR BY JAMES MAXWELL. 
 
 1814. 
 
 J - - 
 
SERMON, &c. 
 
 I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; 
 
 The night cometh, when no man can work. 
 
 John ix, 4. 
 
 The responsibility of man, as a rational and moral 
 agent, to his omniscient and omnipotent Creator, is a 
 truth dictated by Reason, and confirmed by Divine Re- 
 velation. 
 
 The " distinguished link in being's endless chain"* 
 which man constitutes — the endowment of his mind 
 with those three high, intellectual, powers, Will, Me- 
 mory, and Understanding, not only render him justly 
 amenable to the laws of God, but exhibit him, in the 
 order of creation, as holding a rank, and occupying a 
 station, " but a little lower than the angels."t 
 
 This appears to be an innate principle, and con- 
 viction of the human mind; as, all orders of men, from 
 the untutored savage that roams the wilderness, " whose 
 soul proud Science never taught to stray, "J to the refin- 
 ed and metaphysical philosopher, who soars above the 
 unlettered throng, and vainly thinks to comprehend the 
 
 * Young. t Ps. viii, 5. \ Pop^ 
 
views and motives of Omniscience — all arc possessed 
 of a sense of moral rectitude and depravity, of right 
 and wrong, of virtue and of vice; and, therefore, are, 
 or ought to be, influenced by the expectation of merit- 
 ed reward or punishment. Hence among heathen na- 
 tions the various modes of propitiating the favour of the 
 great First Cause, and of deprecating his displeasure, 
 by copious and fragrant offerings of fruits and flowers 
 — by streams of blood from immolated victims — by 
 clouds of incense rolling to the skies — by voluntary 
 acts of devotion and austerity — and, even by death. 
 " 1 hcse having not the written law," says an 
 Holy Apostle, " were a law unto themselves, which 
 shows the work of the law written in their hearts, their 
 consciences also bearing ^^'itness, and their thoughts 
 the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another."*' 
 Hence, Jews and Christians, by the same impulses, 
 strengthened and confirmed by explicit Revelations 
 from the otherwise unknown God, have been taught 
 and assured, that '* verily there is a reward for the right- 
 eous, doubtless there is a God who judgcth the earth. "f 
 This conviction of responsibility, associated with 
 a similar conviction of the extreme brevity of human 
 life, at its most extended period, and the absolute un- 
 certainty of the attainment of that period by any, even 
 the most robust and athletic individual, has ever stimu- 
 lated che prudent, encouraged the pious, and animated 
 and impelled the timid, "■ to make their calling and 
 election sure,"t *' ^o ^v^alk circumspectly, not as fools, 
 but as wise, redeeming the time,'n *' to work out their 
 
 * Rom. u. 14, 15. t Ps. Iviii. 11. \ 2 Pet. i. 10. ^ Ep. v. i.v 
 
salvation with fear and trembling, ''* *' to stand in awe 
 and sin not; to commune with their own hearts,"! " to 
 work while it is day, because the night of death com- 
 eth," (with certainty and rapidity) ** in which no man 
 can work. "J 
 
 Our divine Instructor, Jesus Christ, whose exam- 
 ple and familiar converse were always as instructive as 
 his positive precepts, in walking through the city of 
 Jerusalem, saw a man who had been blind from his 
 birth, sitting on the ground, soliciting alms from those 
 who passed by. The singular circumstance of his be- 
 ing bom blind, induced his disciples to ask his opinion 
 with respect to the correctness of a doctrine which pre- 
 vailed among the Pharisees, and which they had deriv- 
 ed from the Egyptians; that men were punished in this 
 world for sins committed in a preexistent state, by the 
 transmigration or return of their souls after death into 
 maimed or diseased bodies; or, that the crimes of parents 
 were thus visited upon their children. " Master," said 
 they, " who did sin, this man or his parents, that he 
 was born blind?" § Our blessed Saviour very promptly 
 condemned the doctrine, by answering — " Neither hath 
 this man sinned nor his parents; but that the works of 
 God should be made manifest in him — I must work 
 the works of him who sent me while it is day; the night 
 cometh, when no man can work."|| As if he had said — 
 The calamitous condition of this afflicted man does not 
 arise from previous sins, committed either by himself or 
 his parents; but, from the natural operation of cause and 
 effect; and he is placed here by the providence of God, 
 
 * Phil. ii. 12. t Ps. iv. 4. \ Jo. ix. 4. § Jo. ix. 2. 
 
 )| Jo. ix. 3, 4, 5. 
 
in order that I may, by the performance of a miracle, 
 give an additional proof of the truth of my doctrine, and 
 of the authenticity of my character. And though it is 
 the Sabbath-day, yet, to teach you that works of mercy 
 are not prohibited on that day, and that natural and ex- 
 ternal means are to be used for the cure of diseases, I 
 will make a clay and anoint his eyes with it. And he 
 accordingly, says the sacred historian, *' spat on the 
 ground, and made clay of the spittle, and anointed the 
 eyes of the blind man with die clay; and said unto him, 
 go, wash in the pool of Siloam; and he went, and 
 washed, and received sight."* " As long as I am in the 
 world," said Christ, " I am the light of the world. "t 
 
 *' Hence we learn," says a celebrated commentator 
 upon this passage, ** that our Lord's miracles were de- 
 signed not only as proofs of his mission, but to be spe- 
 cimens of the power which he possessed as Messi- 
 ah. For example, by feeding the multitude with meat 
 which perished, he signified that he was come to quick- 
 en and nourish mankind with the bread of life, that 
 sovereign cordial, and salutary nutriment of the soul. 
 His giving sight to the blind, was a lively emblem ol 
 the efficacy of his doctrine to illuminate the blinded 
 understandings of men. His healing their bodies, re- 
 presented his power to heal their souls, and was a spe 
 cimen of his authority to forgive sin, as it was a real, 
 though but a partial removal of its punishment. Hi^ 
 casting out devils, was an earnest of his final victor} 
 over Satan, and all his associates. His raising particu- 
 lar persons from the dead, was the beginning of his 
 triumphs over Death, and a demonstration of his abiJi 
 
 * Jo. ix. 6, 7. + Jo. ix. 5 
 
••7 
 
 ty to accomplish a general Resurrection. And, to give 
 no more examples, his curing all promiscuously who 
 applied to him, showed that he was come, not to con- 
 demn the world, but to save even the chief of sinners. 
 Accordingly, at performing these miracles, or soon af- 
 ter, when the memory of them was fresh in the minds 
 of his hearers, we often find him turning his discourse 
 to the spiritual things that were signified by them, as 
 in the case before us."* 
 
 But, to return to the subject immediately suggest- 
 ed by our text. " I must work, &c." that is, I must 
 embrace every opportunity of performing my duty, 
 and executing the object of my mission into this world; 
 viz. the instruction of men and the salvation of their 
 souls — for, my time is but short; the night of death 
 is fast approaching, which puts an end to all human la- 
 bours, and precludes the possibility of all future ex- 
 ertion; for, there can be "no work, nor device, nor 
 knovWedge in the grave, "f 
 
 By this memorable declaration of our Lord we are 
 taught, 
 
 1. The necessity of activity and diligence. 
 
 2. The certainty of death, the impossibility of 
 repentance, or improvement afterwards, and the conse- 
 quent high importance of the improvement of time. 
 
 Each of these heads I shall now briefly discuss, 
 and conclude with a practical application accommodated 
 to the design of the present discourse. 
 
 First then, — Of the necessity of activity and dili- 
 gence. 
 
 * Mackiught, pp. 343. Note. t Ec. ix. 10. 
 
Can a being, in any degree capable of reflection, 
 require the aid of argument, the influence of persua- 
 sion, or the stimukis of remonstrance, to induce him to 
 desire and endeavour to obtain perfect and eternal hap- 
 piness, which is fully set before him and solicits his ac- 
 ceptance? Can he be justly termed a rational being, 
 who would estimate the imperfect and evanescent ob- 
 jects of sensual enjoyment, of worldly honour, interest, 
 or ambition, above the refined, sublime, rapturous, and 
 permanent delights of Heaven? — who would appreciate 
 the collision of human interests, the depravity of hu- 
 man passions, the glittering empty toys of time, above 
 the harmonious concord of angels, the seraphic aspira- 
 tions of pure, celestial intelligences, — the infinite, inex- 
 haustible, splendid realities of Eternity — the full frui- 
 tion of the Paradise of God? Yet, such is the infatua- 
 tion of blind, deluded, hoodwinked man, that he mad- 
 ly prefers these present transitory trifles, to future, per- 
 fect, and permanent blessings — the shadow to the sub- 
 stance. 
 
 " Yet man, fool man! here buries all his thoughts, 
 " Inters celestial hopes without one sigh! 
 " Here pinions all his wishes!" — .V. T. h. I. 
 
 The cause of this infatuated conduct originates in 
 tlie corruption of human nature. We see and know 
 our duty and our true interest, yet we want resolution 
 to pursue them. We suffer our hearts to be ** incrust- 
 ed by the world,"* conscious of its paralyzing power, 
 and of the vigilance and exertions diat are necessary 
 to destroy or counteract its deleterious influence. With 
 the holy and contrite Apostle, we " feel a law in our 
 
 • Young. 
 
members warring against the law of our minds" (Or 
 conscience) '' and bringing us into captivity to the 
 law of sin"* and of death. We know that " the car- 
 nal mind," with its depraved aifections and lusts, ** is en- 
 mity against God"t — ^^'^^ ^^^ dictates must be opposed, 
 and its desires restrained, before we can be purified 
 from its corruptions — that we must resist the devil be- 
 fore he will flee from us — that we must " strive to enter 
 in at the straight gate, "J being assured by the Son of 
 God, that " straight is the gate and narrow is the way 
 that leadeth unto life eternal;"^ and that, with all our 
 exertions, and all the spiritual aid which is offered to us 
 by the Gospel, in conjunction with the efficacy of 
 Christ's atonement, the number of those who will be 
 found worthy of admission, will, in comparison with 
 the mass of mankind since the fall, and to the termina- 
 tion of this world, be but few; for, that *' many will 
 seek to enter in and will not' be able,"|| because they 
 will seeky or desire only, with feebleness and indecision; 
 thereby "renderingthe cross of Christ," with the proffer- 
 ed scriptural assistanceof ''none effect"^ to their salva- 
 tion. The heart, with its most ardent affections and de- 
 sires, must be given to God. His requisition is " My 
 son, give me thy heart"** We must work out, as well as 
 will, our salvation, our emancipation from the manacles 
 of sin, or we shall most assuredly be " outlawed from 
 the realms of heavenly bliss. "tt 
 
 Now, brethren, when we consider tlie possibility 
 of our obtaining eternal salvation — of being admitted 
 
 * Rom. vii. 23. t Rom. viii. 7. | Luke xiii, 24. 
 
 § Mat. vii. 14. II Luke xiii. 24. •' 1 Cor. i. 17 
 
 ** Prov. xxiii. 26. ft Milton. 
 
 B 
 
10 
 
 to a never ending association with angels and archan- 
 gels, clierubim and seraphim, and " all the innumerable 
 sanctities of Heaven,"* nay — to the beatific presence of 
 the omnipotent Jehovah — the triune God, Father, Son, 
 and Holy Ghost — to a recognition of, and reunion with 
 those of our departed relatives and friends, who have 
 gone before us to the realms of glory — or, to an antici- 
 pation of that glory which they will enjoy, in full frui- 
 tion, after the general judgment. — When the magnitude 
 and wide extent of these sublime, transporting objects 
 are considered, surely the most unsleeping vigilance 
 aganist the wiles and temptations of the devil, the world, 
 and the flesh — the most strenuous exertions to perfect 
 holiness in the fear of the Lord — the most anxious care 
 to fulfil all our religious, social, and personal duties — 
 the most ardent desires to obtain all that celestial aid 
 which is offered to us through the instituted channels 
 of divine grace, to strengthen us in our spiritual \Aar- 
 fare, and enable us to go on " conquering and to con- 
 quer"! — should characterise our conduct, and influence 
 our hearts — because, 
 
 2. " The night of death cometh, in which no man 
 can work. "J 
 
 The certainty of this awfully interesting event, and 
 the uncertainty of the time of its occurrence, should be 
 habitually present to our miijds; knowing, that in that 
 night of death, no repentance of past negligence can be 
 exercised — no improvement of the talents committed 
 to us can be eflected — no consolation and aid from the 
 established means of salvation can be embraced — for, 
 the day of grace, the period of probation, beuig termi- 
 
 * Young. t Hcv. vi. 2. t Jo- ix- 4 
 
11 
 
 riated, the decision of Omniscience and Omnipotence 
 upon our past stewardship will be immediate ni its ef- 
 fect — unavoidable — irrevocable. Merciful God! how 
 tremendously interesting a moment for a rational, an im- 
 mortal soul! — an instantaneous transition from the pri- 
 son-house of clay, to the bar of infinite purity, infinite 
 justice, to be rewarded or punished, according to the 
 deeds done in the body, the thoughts, words, and ac- 
 tions of this our probationary state! — What Sinner's 
 heart is not appalled at the prospect of that dread scru- 
 tiny? — What true Christian's heart is not exhilarated by 
 that expecte##mancipation from the toils, the troubles, 
 the anxieties, the vanities of human life — from the de- 
 lusions of its promises, the frivolity of its pleasures, the 
 poignancy of its pains! And consequently, through 
 how very different a medium is the grave, that inevita- 
 ble receptacle of mortality, viewed by the Worldling, 
 and the Christian! The former, through the dense and 
 fuliginous atmosphere of human passions and earthly 
 affections, contemplates it as a distant, dark, and fathom- 
 less cave, where awful, sad, and solemn silence shall 
 forever reign — in which his hopes will be forever extin- 
 guished — his plans and expectations irremediably frus- 
 trated — his affections obliterated — his enjoyments ter- 
 minated — and, (if the idea of reanimation ever darts 
 across his mind) as an incarcerating dungeon, in which 
 he must remain, till summoned to the bar of Omnipo- 
 tence, to receive the sentence of condemnation for his 
 inattention to the calls of the Gospel, his rejection of 
 its offered means of grace and salvation, his neglect or 
 abuse of that invaluable talent time. While the Chris- 
 tian, soothed and animated bv the assurances of the 
 
1^ 
 
 Gospel, and confiding in the promises oi his Saviour 
 and his God, looks forward to the grave, through the 
 luminous channel of Divine Revelation, as a friendly 
 and blessed asylum from tlic storms of his probationa- 
 ry state — as the vestibule of eternity — the gate of ad- 
 mission into the Paradise of God. 
 
 Like the cloudy pillar which was constantly before 
 the Israelites of old, to guide them on their way through 
 the wilderness to the promised Land, it is ** cloud and 
 thick darkness"* to the Worldling, as that was to the 
 Egyptians — but it illuminates, with the mild radiance 
 of celestial light, the path of the ChristiSn Pilgrim, as 
 that also did, under the appearance of fire, the pathway 
 of the chosen people of God. 
 
 The suspension of the vital functions of the body, 
 and the dissolution of its particles — the darkness and si- 
 lence of the tomb — have induced writers of every de- 
 scription, poets, theologians, sentimentalists, and histo- 
 rians, nay, the sacred writers themselves, to character- 
 ize the intermediate state, between the extinction of hu- 
 man life and the resurrection or resuscitation of the bo- 
 dy, as **the night of death" — "the iron slumber of 
 the grave." And diat, from the similarity of death to 
 natural sleep: which indeed, some metaphysical specu- 
 latists have carried so far, as to involve in that state of 
 unconsciousness the soul also, that vital, inextinguisha- 
 ble spirit, by which die body was animated. Thus ad- 
 vocating the monstrous doctrine of Materialism, in di- 
 rect opposition to the positive declarations of Holy 
 Writ,|the dictates of sound reason, and die belief of the 
 wisest and best men in every age of the world. We 
 
 • Kx. xiv. JO. 
 
13 
 
 have ample authority for asserting, that the soul never 
 loses its activity and consciousness of identity: of which, 
 among many other passages, the parable of the rich 
 man and Lazarus,* and Christ's assurance to the thief 
 upon the cross — " To-day thou shalt be with me in 
 Paradise^t are conspicuously corroborative. The doc- 
 trine of our Church is, that the soul, immediately after 
 its separation from the body, the state of trial being 
 then over, enters upon a degree of that reward or pu- 
 nishment which its conduct while in the body hath 
 merited, the fulness of which will^iot be experienced, 
 till after the judgment of the last great day. 
 
 The body indeed becomes inanimate, and appears, 
 when deposited in the earth, to mingle with its kindred 
 dust, reposing in the solemn silence of the sepulchre, 
 and enjoying " the sad immunities of the grave," J that 
 '^ last sure refuge from the storms of fate"§ — *' where 
 the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at 
 rest. "II But it is not the everlasting rest oi annihila- 
 tion — it is not an eternal sleep — it is not the extinction 
 of existence — it is only the dissolution of the earth- 
 ly tabernacle — it is the bed of earth in which " man lieth 
 down and riseth not till the heavens are no more. "If For, 
 an hour is rapidly approaching, when an archangel, set- 
 ting his right foot on the earth, and his left foot on the 
 sea, and stretching forth his mighty arm, commission- 
 ed by him who liveth forever and ever, shall proclaim 
 that " time shall be no longer"** — then shall the dead 
 be " ransomed from the power of the grave, they shall 
 be redeemed from death."tt Then shall " the dead, 
 
 * Lukexvi. 19. f Luke xxiii. 43. \ Burke. § Gray. ||Job. iii. 17 
 ^ Job. xiv. 12. ** Rev. x. 6. ft Hos. xiii. 1 4. 
 
14 
 
 small and great stand before God, and shall be judged 
 out of those things which are written in the books," 
 (the awful register of Heaven!) '* according to their 
 works, and the sea shall give up the dead who are in 
 it, and death and the grave shall deliver up the dead 
 who iu^e in them."* 
 
 "Great day of dread, decision, and despair, 
 
 " Where, ihcn^ for shelter shall the guiltij fly, 
 
 " When consterndtion turns the good man pale?" — X. T. 1). 0. 
 
 Yet, though we arc taught, that the soul continues to 
 exist after its separation from the body, we have not 
 the smallest ground to suppose, eidier from reason or 
 revelation, that in this intermediate state there can be 
 any such repentance for former error, either in senti- 
 ment or in conduct — or any work or device practicable, 
 by which the just punishment of that error may be 
 mitigated or remitted. We are expressly told that no 
 such operation can take place; that ** the night of death 
 Cometh in which no man can work"t ^^^^ ** there is no 
 work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the 
 grave, whither we are going"! that " the dust (or body) 
 shall return to the earth, as it was, and the spirit shall 
 retuni to God who gave it"} — that *' the hour is coming 
 in which all who are in their graves shall hear the voice 
 of the Son of God, and shall come forth; they who have 
 done good unto the resurrection of eternal life, and they 
 who have done evil unto the resurrection of dam- 
 nation. "|| In short, the general tenor of Scripture teach- 
 es us, that as death leaves us judgment will find us 
 
 * Rev. XX. 12. t John ix. 4. \ Eccl. ix. 10. 
 
 § Eccl. xii. 7. }} Jbhn v. 29. 
 
15- 
 
 I conclude, therefore, brethren, in the words of 
 an holy Apostle, ** Beloved, seeing that ye look for 
 such things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him 
 in peace, without spot and blameless."* 
 
 Seeing that each of us is possessed of an immor- 
 tal soul, that must be infinitely happy or miserable 
 hereafter, according to our conduct in the present 
 state — seeing also that we are blessed with the marvel- 
 lous light of the Gospel, and the means which it offers 
 to enable us to secure perfect and eternal felicity — 
 surely the salvation of our souls is the grandest and 
 most important object that can possibly engage our 
 attention — surely it is "the one thing needful. "f But, 
 the soul cannot obtain this salvation, if it depart from 
 the body polluted by sin — if, defiled by the indulgence 
 of depraved passions, and enfeebled by the paralyzing 
 influence of worldly objects and affections, it be render- 
 ed incapable of enjoying the happiness of Heaven. For, 
 the preparation for that enjoyment must be effected on 
 earthy its probationary state. If not purified by peni- 
 tence and sanctified by prayer — if not refined by an 
 habitual obedience to the precepts of true Religion, and 
 sublimed by the holy fervour of devotional exercises — 
 it can, in no degree, be qualified to associate with, and 
 assimilate itself to, those pure and perfect intelligencies 
 which surround the throne of God, and fill the celestial 
 mansions with unceasing strains of seraphic adoration, 
 with fervent effusions of gratitude and love, and with 
 responsive Hallelujahs of exultation and of praise. 
 
 O! then, brethren, awake to righteousness; for, 
 
 *Pet. iii. 14, + Liikex. 42. 
 
16 
 
 '* Time flics — DcaUi urges — knells call — Hcav'n invites, 
 Hell threatensl"— N. T. b. 2. 
 
 And if, awful supposition! we live *' without God in the 
 world, "t when Death, the resistless Conqueror of the 
 human race, arresting each of us as his victim, shall 
 with one hand dash in pieces the glittering bubbles, and 
 dissipate the airy visions, which fascinated and enchain- 
 ed our attention — and with the other, draw up the im- 
 penetrable veil which separates us from the world of 
 spirits, exhibiting to our astonished view the stupen- 
 dous realities of eternity — when we shall behold that 
 omnipotent Jehovah whose commandments we had vio- 
 lated, or whose worship we had neglected — that Jesus 
 whose mediation we hajl rejected, whose invitations we 
 had disregarded, whose intercession we had never soli- 
 cited — that Holy Ghost, whose impulses we had resist- 
 ed, whose dictates we had silenced, and whose sanctifi- 
 cation we had not desired — those myriads of Angels and 
 Archangels — those holy Apostles, Prophets, Patriarchs, 
 and Martyrs — those spirits of the Just made perfect — 
 with all the happy company of heaven — how bitter, how 
 agonizing will the reflection then be upon our mispent, 
 murdered time, which will not only then occasion our 
 exclusion from those blest abodes, but our banishment 
 to those doleful regions of misery and despair, where 
 the worm of reproaching conscience dieth not, and the 
 fire of divine vengeance, upon wilful disobedience, and 
 obstinate ingratitude, is not quenched! 
 
 Be wise, therefore, in time — consider your latter 
 end — consider how much is to be done, and how little 
 of life, how small a renniant of your stew ardship, may 
 be remaining to accomplish it in — and instantly and 
 
 t Kph. ii. I'J 
 
17 
 
 earnestly endeavour to give your heart to God, and 
 henceforth, '' so to pass through things temporal, that 
 you finally lose not the things eternal. "f 
 
 These sentiments on the value and consequent ne- 
 cessary improvement of time, are now suggested to you, 
 in compliance with the request of a departed brother, 
 who is gone to his great account, and who was fre- 
 quently a fellow worshipper with you in this Holy 
 Temple. The person I allude to is Dr. Anthony Fo- 
 thergill, a native of Westmoreland in England, who, 
 for several years, resided in the United States, and for 
 the ^piost part in this city; and who, by his attachment 
 to the interests of science and of literature, as well as by 
 the urbanity of his manners, and the , correctness of his 
 deportment here, acquired the respect and esteem of 
 ^hose with whom he familiarly associated, many of 
 whom were our most distinguished citizens. He was a 
 regular attendant upon the service of our Church, and 
 a partaker of her most solemn ordinance, the Sacra- 
 ment of the Lord's Supper. His high sense of the res- 
 ponsibility of man, and of the consequent importance 
 of religion to prepare him for the participation of eter- 
 nal happiness, cannot, I think, be more forcibly expres- 
 sed than it has beqn by himself, in part of the inscrip- 
 tion which he directed to be engraved on his own mo- 
 nument. 
 
 " Reader, here make a solemn pause! Remember, 
 thou art ever in the awful presence of thy Creator! who 
 knows all thy actions and inmost thoughts, which are 
 all recorded; and for which thou must one day give 
 an account. ** He that formed the eye, shall he not 
 see? and he tliat formed the ear, shall he not hear?"{ 
 
18 
 
 " Remember, that on the present day hangs eterni- 
 ty, to which thou art hastening! 
 
 " Resolve, therefore, instantly, to devote thyself to 
 Virtue, Religion, and Piety, which alone can give thee 
 peace here, and everlasting happiness hereafter. 
 
 *' In short — resolve to preserve a clear conscience; 
 and be not almost but altogether a Christian." 
 
 Such arc the strong indications of the correctness 
 of his religious character. As a citizen and a man, 
 his uniform exertions to contribute to the instruction 
 and consequent benefit of society are evinced by seve- 
 ral useful and scientific publications in his own coun- 
 try, and by some valuable communications to literary 
 societies and individuals in this — in both of which he 
 was acknowledged to possess considerable professional 
 skill. His philanthropy, and the ardour and sincerity of 
 his individual attachments, are amply expressed by his 
 liberal bequests to public institutions, and to his friends 
 and acquaintance, as well as to his relatives — his sci- 
 entific investigations and communications almost uni- 
 versally tending to the relief of human misery — the al- 
 leviation of many of those various ills that flesh is 
 heir to: and, the same spirit of benevolence and dis- 
 interested charity dictating his munificent donations, by 
 will to the numerous institutions and associations esta- 
 blished for the comfort, the relief, and the support of 
 the wretched — the poor, the helpless, the accidentally 
 unfortunate, and the diseased.* 
 
 " Dr. Fothcrt^ill's incdiral and philosopliical « oinm\inir:it.ions 
 to the several literary and benevolent societies of wliich he was a 
 member, arc mentioned in the highest terms of approbation and 
 recorded in their transactions. He obtained a gold prize medal 
 
19 
 
 When such men are removed by death, it is a duty 
 to society, as well as to the deceased, to record their 
 merits: the mildness, however, and modesty of our de- 
 parted brother's disposition was such, as to induce your 
 preacher to believe, that it was by no means his desire 
 that an elaborate eulogium should be pronounced on 
 him, but only that the occasion of his death shouki be 
 rendered instrumental to the suggestion of some moral 
 and religious reflections, " on the importance and im- 
 provement of time," resulting from the elucidation of 
 the words of our text. I shall, therefore, not enlarge the 
 present brief sketch, but conclude, by earnestly recom- 
 mending his virtues to your imitation. 
 
 Now to God, &c. 
 
 from the Royal Humane Society of London, for " A Plan for the 
 preservation of petsons exposed to those accidents which sudden- 
 ly suspend or extinguish vital action.** He also received prizes 
 for other essays communicated to the Bath and West of England 
 Society, and the London Board of Agriculture — and he left, in ma- 
 nuscript, twelve volumes, folio, entitled Adversaria, Medica et 
 Philosophica — the result of much reading and research. j 
 
 He was one of the governors for life, and a director of the Roy- / 
 al Humane Society; a member of the Royal College of Physiciansi 
 and of the Medical Societies of London, Edinburgh, and Parisj 
 and also of the Philosophical Societies of Manchester, Bath, P' 
 ladelphia, &c. . 
 
 He returned to England in September, 1812; and <^^^ ^ 
 George's Place, Black Friar's Road, in the county ' ^'^^' 
 ) Ith May, 1813, aged eighty-six years. 
 
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