greatest reverence and affection. He received his claffical education at the free-school in Taunton: When he arrived at the age of feventeen, he was placed under the care of the Rev. John Lavington, of Ottery, who, for many years, honourably filled the office of tutor in the evangelical academy in that town. His unremitting application, genuine piety, and remarkable prudence, during his preparation for the ministry, attracted the notice, and raised the expectations, of his ferious relatives and friends. Having completed his academical ftudies, he received an invitation to exercife his talents in the congregation of Proteftant Diffenters, at Crediton, in the above county. Here he was folemnly fet apart to the paftoral office, Nov. 26, 1760, and continued a faithful mihifter for feveral years. On the death of Mr. Lavington, which happened December 20, 1764, Mr. Buncombe was invited to fucceed him in the capacity of a paftor to the church, the academy having been removed to Bridport, in Dorfet, and committed to the care of the Rev. James Rooker. This invitation he accepted, and came to refide at Ottery in the following year. În 1766 he married Mrs. Sarah Peream, a widow lady, to whom he invariably proved an affectionate husband, and to whofe children he continued to be a real friend and tender father. Those who had any acquaintance with Mr. Buncombe, need not be informed, that his knowledge of theological fubjects was very extenfive. Though we do not rank him with thofé, who, in the prefent day, are styled the most popular preachers, yet his talent was fuch as defervedly to entitle him to the character of an "able minifter of the New Teftament." He well knew how " to divide the word of truth, and give to every one his portion in due feafon." Towards the clofe of life, his attention was chiefly directed to the discussion of the evidences of divine revelation,-the harmony of the attributes of God, in the government of the world and in the covenant of grace, and the divinity and atonement of Jefus Chrift. On the latter, he frequently dwelt with great energy, judging it peculiarly necessary to enlarge upon and defend a doctrine, which has been much exploded by men of fashionable religion. Mr. Buncombe poffeffed a confiderable fhare of a strong and found judgment, deep penetration, quick difcernment, and was remarkable for clofe and acute reafoning. This af fociation of natural and acquired abilities, amply qualified him for an accomplished polemic. He felt, however, no in clination to enter the field of controverfy, preferring the calm retreat, to boisterous fcenes, and the smooth path of quietnefs and peace, to the rugged road of angry debate. Like the deep and placid river, he gently glided through life, communicating more bleflings to fociety, than the noify difputant, who, like the fmall rivulet, raises a mighty clamour to little purpose. His unaffected modesty invariably added a mild and pleafing luftre to all his other accomplishments. He uttered the genuine fentiments of his heart, at the ordination of a young minifter, whom he addreffed as follows: "We fhould be glad to fee you, Sir, fhine like a star of the first magnitude, although we should attract lefs attention, by reafon of your fuperior fplendor." In the discharge of his ministerial duties, he was a faithful and affectionate paftor. He looked well to the state of his flock; and watched for souls as one that must give an account. He was, as all minifters ought to be, blameless as the steward of God, not self-willed, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre, but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate, holding fast the faithful word, as he had been taught, that he might be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort, and convince gainsayers. For many years he was in the habits of training up youth in the knowledge of the languages, and qualifying them for the academy at Bridport, and when it was afterwards removed to Taunton.* In this capacity, he rendered himself peculiarly eminent and ufeful. In the government of a fchool, few excelled him; for he poffeffed the happy talent of making himself fo agreeable to his pupils, as to fecure both their reverence and affection. Many able ministers, who now honourably fill their refpective ftations in the church of Chrift, received the rudiments of their education under him, and, we believe, will all unite in venerating his memory, and will readily acknowledge, that the time, which they spent in his family, was the happieft part of their youthful days. The confcientious and holy obfervation of the Lord's day, was another striking and amiable trait in Mr. Buncombe's character. A friend, upon whofe veracity we can depend, and who, in the early part of life, refided three years *At Taunton, the academy was superintended by the Rev. Thomas Reader, a few weeks since deceased, and whose Memoirs we hope shortly to present to the Public. under his roof, affures us, that he never remembers to have obferved the Sabbath kept in any houfe, with greater-with equal fanctity. All the young gentlemen under his care were expected to remember the text, and the leading ideas of the difcourfe : And, being furnished with Bibles, were directed to fold down thofe fcriptures which were adduced in proof of the doctrine, or illuftrated in the courfe of the fermon. In the interval of the morning and afternoon fervice, they were employed in the perufal of Mr. Henry's Expofition. On their return from the houfe of God, they were required to read, or repeat from memory, the fubftance of what they had heard, together with the Scriptures which they had folded down. He would then take occafion, in a very familiar and affectionate manner, to apply to their confciences the truths they had heard, and conclude the exercife with prayer. After family worship, reading the Book of Martyrs, or the lives of eminent perfons, and the repetition of an hymn by each of the fcholars, terminated the duties of the day equally pleafing and profitable. Copious remarks on the utility of this pious and regular appropriation of the refpective parts of the Sabbath to the conveyance of fpiritual inftruction would here be fuperfluous: But for the encouragement of those who feel inclined to follow an example fo lau dible, we are happy to obferve, that the efforts of Mr. Bun combe were attended with much fuecefs; and that many who were his pupils, with pleasure acknowledge, that to his valuable advice, and paternal admonitions, they are indebted for useful and falutary impreffions, which the fubfequent fcenes of active life have never been able to efface. In a relative capacity his virtues were equally confpicuous. He was an indulgent hufband, a tender father, a kind mafter, a charitable neighbor, a faithful and zealous friend. He was remarkable for his cheerful and affable demeanor to all within the circle of his acquaintance. Thefe qualities, added to his genuine and unaffected piety, rendered him a moft pleafing companion; and very few ever left his company without deriving fome degree of improvement and pleafure from his converfation. On all occafions he difcovered an uniform averfion to a spirit of detraction and calumny. In a word, integrity, humility, and love, fo greatly pervaded the whole of his public and private deportment, as to render his death the fubject of more general lamentation, than has been witneffed, on any occafion, in the place of his refidence, for many years. But distinguished as he was for numerous excellencies, we are led to mourn that the treafure was contained in aft earthen veffel, liable to be broken in an inftant. About nineteen years ago, he was attacked with a fever fo violent and dangerous, as exceedingly to alarm his friends for his fafety. Though the Lord restored him, in answer to the many and fervent prayers of the righteous, yet fo debilitated was his conftitution by the disorder, that he was ever after unable to endure exceffive fatigue-an indication to him and his family, that the earthly houfe of his tabernacle would fhortly be diffolved. The clofe of his minifterial career at length approaches. His appointed labours are completed. He is ripened for glory, and the Lord of the vineyard defcends to gather his pleafant fruit. We cannot but obferve, that the interval of time from his laft fermon, to the day of his death, exactly correfponds with that of Mr. Armitage, whofe Memoir was given in our preceding Number. On the 16th of March, he preached on Luke, i. 72. "To perform the mercy promifed to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant." A text more appofite could not well have been selected, had The been apprifed that this was the last discourse he was ever to deliver. The doctrines which he advanced from these words, were, first, God will remember his covenant to his people in all his perfections, and all his relations, as a father -a friend-a fhepherd-a husband. Secondly, In his covenant, God will make over his Son to his people, as a prophet-a priest-and a king. The attack which brought the building to the duft, and let loose the immortal refident, was of a bilious nature, attended with symptoms of the gravel. On Friday the 21st of March, he was confined to his chamber, On the 23d, a near relative faw him, between five and fix o'clock in the evening, and told him, that fhe thought he looked better than fhe had feen him for a confiderable time. He replied, "I am better." Mrs. B. fat with him about half an hour, and took her leave of him, enlivened in her fpirits by the flattering profpect of his recovery. But, alas! thefe encouraging fymptoms were of fhort duration: For juft as the clock itruck eight, fhe received a meffage, informing her that Mr. Buncombe was very ill. Mr. Keftil, the apothecary, having been called, they both entered the room together. Mrs. B. approached the bed, and he, ftretching out his hand to take her's, faid, "Oh Mrs. B. you are come to fee a dying man!" She replied, "I hope not; how long have you been worfe?" Mr. Keftil faid, "I left Mr. Buncombe after feven o'clock, and thought him well enough to begin a course of bark to-morrow,-what is the matter, my dear Sir?""My bowels, my bowels," faid Mr. Buncombe, groaning in the greatest agony. Every thing was applied that could be thought of by Mr. Keftil, to render affiftance, but all his efforts were ineffectual. The physician was called in on Monday, to whom he faid, "I will take whatever you prefcribe, though I have no expectation of relief from it." While the attendants were adminiftering the prescription, he felt more than usual pain, and exclaimed, "Do let a dy ing man die in peace!" In the afternoon his friend faid to him, "You feem to be going to take poffeffion of the heavenly inheritance, before Mrs. L." who was then supposed to be on the borders of eternity. He replied, "I hope fo;" and added, "I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of his righteoufnefs, even of his only." Mrs. B. faid, "I hope you now find his rod and his staff fupporting you." He replied with energy, "I do." His friend then faid, "Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory." He did not hear diftinctly what had been said, Mrs. B. being fcarcely able to speak for tears. He therefore asked, "What did you fay?" She then repeated it, and added, "through our Lord Jefus Christ." "Yes," returned he, with a holy cheerfulness, "yes, that is the fource. of joy, through our Lord Jefus Chrift." During the remaining part of that night, Mrs. E. his daughter-in-law, and the Rev. John Varder, continued with him. Mrs. E. asked him if he still felt the light of God's countenance refreshing to him. He replied, He replied, "Oh! wonderfully-wonderfully!-a fund of confolation!" At another time, ex preffing his thankfulness that Satan was not fuffered to moleft him, he cheerfully faid, "I hope I am able to rely on the great falvation of the Gofpel." A perfon prefent faid, "O Death, where is thy fting?" He replied, "As to the sting of death, I blefs God I feel but little of it-Bleffed be God for truft and peace!" Some fhort time after, he endeavoured. to exprefs his faith and joy in Chrifl, as a great Mediator, and all-fufficient Saviour, but his ftrength was fo exhausted, and his breath fo short, that little more could be understood than broken fentences, and detached words. In this ftate of extreme debility, he repeated those impreffive lines of Dr. Watts, VOL. 1. "A guilty, weak, and helpless worm, H |