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THE LIFE OF DR. DODDRIDGE.

were free from it, any worldly circumstances would be more tolerable, and even more delightful, than that full flow of prosperity, by which I am so often insnared and injured. I know Christ is able to help me, and restore me to more perfect health than I have ever yet attained and my experience of his power and grace is a shameful aggravation of my negligence. Therefore with humble shame and sorrow for my former indifference and folly, I would now seriously attempt a reformation. To this purpose I would resolve; 1. That I will carefully examine into my own soul, that I may know its constitution, and its particular weakness and distempers. 2. I would apply to Christ, as my physician, to heal these distempers, and restore me to greater vigour in the service of God. 3. I would remember that he heals by the Spirit; and would therefore pray for his influences to produce in me greater devotion, humility, diligence, gravity, purity, and steadiness of resolution. 4. I would wait upon him in the use of appointed ineans for this purpose; especially prayer, the study of the Scriptures, and the Lord's supper. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. Pronounce the word, thou great Physician, and save me for thy mercy sake. Thou hast given me a degree of bodily health and vigour far superior to what, from the nature of my constitution, I had reason to expect. Yet I here record it before thee, that I desire spiritual health abundantly more. I would rather choose, if thou seest it a necessary means, to be visited with any grievous illness, that might awaken me to greater zeal for thee, and be the means of purifying my soul, than to live at a distance from thee, and sin against thee, amidst such health as I have for many years enjoyed. --I would further consider my concern in this subject as a minister. God has provided a remedy. He has appointed me to proclaim, and in some measure to apply it. many are not recovered. And why? I can appeal to thee that I have faithfully warned them. My heart does not upbraid me with having kept back any thing that may be profitable to them. I have endeavoured to speak the most important truths with all possible plainness and seriousness, but I fear, 1. I have not followed them sufficiently with domestic and personal exhortations. 2. I have not been sufficiently careful to pray for the success of my ministerial labours. It has rather been an incidental thing, than matter of solemn request. 3. I have lived so as to forfeit those influences of thy Spirit, by which they might have been rendered more effectual. I resolve therefore, for the time to come, to be more close in applying to them in their own houses, to pray for them more frequently; to set a greater value upon thy co-operating Spirit; and take care to avoid every thing, which may provoke him to withdraw himself from my ministrations. Such caution may I always maintain; and, O, may the health of my people be recovered!

Yet

Nov. 12, 1727. I preached this day from those words, I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I endeavoured to fix upon unconverted sinners the charge of not loving God, and described at large the character of the christian in several expressions of that affection. My own heart condemned me of being deficient in many of them. I humbled myself deeply before God, and do now, in the divine strength, renew my resolutions as to the following particulars: 1. I will endeavour to think of God more frequently than I have done, and to make the thought of him familiar to my mind in seasons of leisure and solitude. 2. I will labour after communion with him, especially in every act of devotion through this week. For this purpose I would recollect my thoughts before I begin, watch over my heart in the duty, and consider afterwards how I have succeeded. 3. I will pray for conformity to God, and endeavour to imitate him in wisdom, justice, truth, faithfulness, and goodness. 4. I will rejoice in God's government of the world, and regard his interposition in all my personal concerns. 5. I will pray for zeal in my master's interest, and will make the advancement of his glory the great end of every action of life. 6. I will cultivate a peculiar affection to christians, as such. 7. I will study the divine will, and endeavour to practise every duty. 8. I

"I will here record an observation, which I have found of great use to myself, and to which I may say, that the production of this work and most of my other writings, is owing; viz. that the difference between rising at five and at seven o'clock in the morning, for the space of forty years, supposing a man to go to bed at the same hour at night, is nearly equivalent to the addition of ten years to a man's life, of which (supposing the two hours in question be so spent) eight hours every day should be employed in study

will be diligently upon my guard against every thing which may forfeit the favour of God and provoke his displeasure. I resolve particularly to make these things my care for the ensuing week, and hope I shall find the benefit of it, and perceive, at the close, that my evidences of the sincerity of my love to God are more stable and flourishing than they at present are."-Thus careful was he to maintain the life of religion in his own soul, and among his people. Nor was he less solicitous to improve every other opportunity of doing good. He showed a pious concern for the welfare of the children and servants in the family where he boarded. From hints in his diary it appears, that there were few Lord's days but he had some conversation with them in private, concerning the state of their souls and their religious interests.

He was remarkably solicitous to redeem his time; and with this view generally rose at five o'clock through the whole year, and to this he used to ascribe a great part of the progress he had made in learning. He often expresseth his grief and humiliation before God, that he had made some unnecessary visits, and that in others, he had not used the opportunity of introducing profitable discourse; that there had been many void spaces, which had not been filled with any employment, that might turn to a good account. He was accurate and watchful to trace out the causes of his loss of time, and expresseth the strongest resolutions to avoid them. To prevent future waste of time, he laid down, at the beginning of every year, a plan of books to read and business to pursue; of discourses he intended to compose, and of methods that were to be taken to promote religion in his congregation. At the end of a month, he took a review of the execution of his plan, from his diary; how far he had proceeded, wherein he had failed, and to what the failure was owing. He then set himself to rectify the defect for the next month, and made such alterations in his plan, as present circumstances required. He took a more large and distinct review of the whole twice a year, on his birth-day, and New-year's-day, attended with proper devotional exercises of humiliation or gratitude, according as he had failed or succeeded in it. These days were entirely devoted to self-examination and devotion and upon those occasions he reviewed the catalogue he kept of the particular mercies he had received, of the sins and infirmities into which he had fallen, and the various events relating to him, during the foregoing period. Having expressed before God proper dispositions of mind upon the review, he renewed his solemn covenant with God, and entered into fresh resolutions of diligence and obedience through the ensuing period.-Before he went to visit his friends, and especially before he undertook a journey, it was his custom to employ some time in seriously considering, what opportunities he might have of doing good, that he might be prepared to embrace and improve them; to what temptations he might be exposed, that he might be armed against them: and upon his return, he examined himself, what his behaviour had been, and whether he had most reason for pain or pleasure on the reflection; and his previous and subsequent reflections were attended with correspondent devotions.

In October 1725, he removed his abode to Market-Harborough, near Kibworth. He continued his relation to the congregation at Kibworth, and preached to them, except when Mr. David Some, minister at Harborough, (who had taken this small society under his pastoral care, together with his own,) went to administer the Lord's supper to them; and then Mr. Doddridge supplied his place. He had been long happy in the acquaintance and friendship of Mr. Some, and was led to Harborough by his desire to be near a person of such uncommon piety, zeal, prudence, and sagacity. "In him," to use his own words," he had found a sincere, wise, faithful, and tender friend. From him he had met with all the goodness he could have expected from a father, and had received greater assistance, than from any person, except Dr. Clark, in the affair of his education." This truly reverend and excellent man and devotion." Fam. Expos. Rom. xiii. 13. note k. The manner of expression here is a little ambiguous; but his meaning is, that they would amount to ten years, made up of days of eight hours each, which is as much as most persons would be able, or choose, to spend in study and devotion; so that it is the same as if the studying hours of ten years were added to a man's life.

HIS ENTRANCE ON THE MINISTRY.

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devotion, which the calmness of his temper did not so frequently admit. He considered submission to afflictive providences, as a most considerable part of it; and thought it wisdom to confine his regards to present duty, without any solicitous concern about future events, which are in the hands of God. His powerful sense of the divine perfections gave him the most venerable and exalted ideas of that happiness, which God hath prepared for his favourites; and it was plain, through his whole life, that he regarded the interests of time and sense as nothing when compared with this.

died May 29, 1737. "God was pleased to favour him with a serene and cheerful exit, suited to the eminent piety and usefulness of his life: I am well satisfied, that, considering how very generally he was known, he has left a most honourable testimony in the hearts of thousands, that he was one of the brightest ornaments of the gospel and the ministry, which the age hath produced; and that all who had any intimacy with him, must have esteemed his friendship amongst the greatest blessings of life, and the loss of him amongst its greatest calamities."* During this period, in April 1727, two young ministers in the neigh-As these governing maxims of his life had engaged him to bourhood, who had been his fellow-pupils and intimate friends, died. The loss of them was very distressing to him, but helped to quicken his diligence and zeal in his ministerial work. Concerning the death of one of them, the only son of Mr. Some of Harborough, he thus writes to a person of quality, who, in that early part of life, honoured him with her friendship: "It hath pleased God to remove my dear friend Mr. Some, after he had lain several days in a very serene and comfortable frame of mind, and a few minutes before his death, expressed a very cheerful hope of approaching glory. He appointed me to preach at his funeral, from Psal. lxxiii. 26. My flesh and my heart fail eth; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever; which he often repeated with great pleasure in the nearest views of the eternal world. To reflect that God is the portion of our friends who are sleeping in Jesus, and that he will be our everlasting portion and inheritance, is certainly the noblest support under such an affliction; a support, which I doubt not but your ladyship hath often felt the importance of: yet, madam, though this consideration may moderate our sorrows, a stroke of this nature will be sensibly felt, especially by persons of a tender spirit. For my own part, though I have been in daily expectation of his death several months, it strikes me deeper than I can easily express, and gives me, for the present, a disrelish to all entertainments and employments, which do not immediately relate to that world, whither he is gone. Yet in the midst of my sorrows, it is with great pleasure I reflect on the divine goodness in continuing to me many excellent friends, and among them your ladyship. I desire your prayers, that God would support me under this affliction, and do me good by it; and that, now he hath removed a person of so promising a character, he would pour out more abundant influences of his Spirit upon me, and other young ministers, who remain, that we may be fitter to supply the want of his services upon earth, and to meet him with honour and pleasure in heaven."-The day after he had attended Mr. Some's funeral, he received the news of the death of the other friend, Mr. Ragg, and was invited to his funeral. These repeated afflictions pressed heavy upon his affectionate spirit; but it appears, from his letters and papers written at this time, that they had a happy tendency to increase his seriousness and fervour.

The account he sent to a fellow-pupil of the last scenes of Mr. Ragg's life is so agreeable and instructive, that I cannot persuade myself to omit it. "You desire an account of the illness and death of good Mr. Ragg; and I will transmit the most remarkable circumstances to you, in the same order as they present themselves to my mind. He was taken ill about ten months before his death, and immediately obliged to leave his place, as assistant to Mr. Watson of Mount-Sorrel, both in the school and the pulpit, and was never afterwards capable of public work. Though his circumstances were low, Providence took care of him, so that he never wanted; but could support the charge of many expensive journeys and medicines. Persons in plentiful circumstances and of the most valuable characters, were fond of an opportunity of entertaining him at their houses for a considerable time, and contributed generously to his support. I mention this, as an encouragement to myself and you, to repose ourselves cheerfully on the care of Providence, if we should be brought into such melancholy circumstances. I saw him frequently, and my esteem and affection for him rose, in proportion to the intimacy of our acquaintance. He had formed his notions of practical religion upon a deep and attentive study of the divine nature and perfections; and placed religion in the conformity of our wills to the will of God, rather than in any height of ecstatic * Doddridge's Sermons and Tracts, vol. i. p. 125, 12mo.

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a very diligent improvement of his mind, and unwearied
endeavours for the happiness of others, while he was capable
of active services, so under the decays of nature, he was re-
markably influenced by them. He was always feeble and
frequently in pain; yet I never heard one murmuring
repining word, in those months of vanity, which he was
made to possess, and those wearisome nights, which were
appointed for him. Nothing could be more amiable, than
that serenity of spirit, which he expressed through the whole
course of his illness. He was as diligent in searching out
proper assistance, and as exact in following the physician's
prescriptions, with regard to medicine, diet, and exercise, as
if all his hopes had been in this life; and yet to all appear-
ance, as easy in mind under disappointments and increasing
illness, as if he felt no disorder, and apprehended no danger.
I once persuaded him to pray with me in the chamber,
where we lay together; and never was I more affected.
Methinks in that prayer I saw his very heart. He expressed
the most entire resignation to God, and seemed to have no
will, no interest of his own. Under extreme illness, and in
the near view of death, he referred health, usefulness, and
life, to the divine disposal, with as much cheerfulness, as he
could in his most prosperous days.-When his body was
weakest, his reason seemed as strong as ever. A few weeks
before his death, I was talking over with him the plan of a
sermon on the perfection of knowledge in heaven; and
when I mentioned this obvious reflection, How unreason-
able is it, that a desire of knowledge should make any good
man unwilling to die, he observed, that our present inquiries
do not serve to give us full satisfaction, as to the subjects
of them; but rather to make us better acquainted with the
difficulties that attend those subjects, that so we may have a
more exquisite relish for the discoveries, which shall be
made in a future state. Such a sentiment was peculiarly
beautiful, as coming from the mouth of a person, who could
hardly speak or breathe. When we were talking of the
uneasiness which some worthy men give themselves through
a fond attachment to particular schemes, or unscriptural
phrases, he said, bigotry is certainly a very unwholesome
thing, and I am afraid these good men will ruin their con-
stitutions by being so angry with their brethren. He said
many other good things with a very agreeable air, though he
was so very weak; for he wore an habitual smile upon his
countenance, which was peculiarly amiable, while he was
under such a pressure of affliction.I never heard any per-
son speak with a deeper sense of the evil of sin, than he did
the last time I was in his company. He seemed particu-
larly to enter into the aggravated circumstances, which
attended the sins of christians, especially ministers.
cent and pious as his life had been, he seemed to have as
affectionate an apprehension of the need he had of the
atonement and intercession of the Redeemer, as the most
profligate sinner could have had in the like circumstance.--
There is a great deal of reason to believe, that the thoughts
of death had been familiar to his mind: frequent illness
for almost seven years had deeply impressed them. Yet
when it made its nearer approach, he started at it. In the
beginning of his last illness, he seemed earnestly to desire
it; and to the last declared, that he should deliberately
choose it, rather than the continuance of a useless, afflicted
life, and that he had no anxious fears as to the consequence
of it. Yet he told me, that he felt nature recoil at the ap-
prehension of it, and that a life of vigour and usefulness
seemed to have something more charming in it than he had
formerly seen. When he found his sickness so painful, and
as much as he could well endure, he seemed to fear the
more severe conflict, and dreaded it in one view, while he
longed for it in another. This sentiment he expressed, natu-

Inno

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THE LIFE OF DR. DODDRIDGE.

rally enough, in two lines which he spoke extempore to me, as he lay on his bed,

"Tir'd out with life's dead weight, I panting lie,
A wretch, unfit to live, awkward to die.'

He smiled at the oddness of the phrase, but told me, he could find none that was fitter to express some remainder of natural reluctance, in opposition to his rational and determinate choice. This awkwardness to die, as he called it, proceeded from a weakness of spirit, which started at every thing shocking and violent, and rendered him incapable of those lively views of future happiness, which he had sometimes experienced in more vigorous days. Though he had not those transporting joys, which some good men have had in their dying moments, yet his heart was fixed, trusting in God.-About a fortnight before he died, we kept a day of prayer on account of him and Mr. Some. As I went into the pulpit, he said to me, very affectionately, Don't be importunate for my recovery; only pray that God would give me a more lively sense of his presence, and that I may pass my trial well, whatever it may be. He apprehended his approaching end, and calmly desired to be left alone for some time. He then called in his mother and friends, talked seriously and cheerfully to them; after a painful struggle, he revived for a few minutes, expressed his confidence in God, and humble joyful expectation of approaching glory, and died very easily.-I wish these hints may be of service towards strengthening your faith, and awakening your desire after that glorious world, whither our excellent brother is gone. Let us endeavour to express our friendship by such offices as may fit us to meet him and each other there, where nothing shall separate us, or impair the joy of our mutual conversation."

In 1729 he was chosen assistant to Mr. Some, at Harborough the congregation there being desirous to enjoy his labours more frequently than before: and he preached there and at Kibworth alternately.-It was highly improbable, that such a burning and shining light should be long confined to so narrow a sphere. Some large congregations having heard much, and known something, of his worth, sought his settlement with them. But his regard to Mr. Some, love to his own congregation, and desire to have more time for study, than he could have had in a populous town and large society, led him to decline their application. In 1723, he had an invitation to the pastoral care of a large congregation in London; but he thought himself too young to undertake it; and was also discouraged by the unhappy differences which at that time subsisted between the dissenting ministers there, about subscribing or not subscribing to articles of faith in the words of man's device, as a test of orthodoxy; the majority of them being non-subscribers. In his answer to the gentleman who transmitted the invitation to him, after mentioning some other objections to the proposal, he adds, "I might also have been required to subscribe, which I am resolved never to do. We have no disputes on that matter in these parts. A neighbouring gentleman once endeavoured to introduce a subscription; but it was effectually overruled by the interposition of Mr. Some of Harborough, Mr. Norris of Welford, and Mr. Jennings, my tutor. I shall content myself here with being a benevolent well-wisher to the interests of liberty and peace."

In 1728, he received a pressing invitation from one of the dissenting congregations at Nottingham, and a few months after, from the other. There were many recommending circumstances in these invitations. The affection many of the people had expressed for him, and the prospect of greater opportunities of usefulness in such a situation, led him to take some time to consider the affair. It appears, from some account he hath left of it, that he proceeded in the deliberation with much caution, and carefully examined his heart, lest any mean, unworthy motives should influence him. He foresaw some inconveniences attending a settlement there, but professeth his readiness to expose himself to them, if he were convinced that duty required it. After he had weighed all circumstances, consulted his wisest friends, and sought Divine direction, he chose to decline both these applications, though a settlement at Nottingham would have been greatly favourable to his worldly interest. "I desire," saith he, "upon the whole, to make

this use of the affair, to be so much the more diligent in study and watchful in devotion; since I see, that if ever Providence fixes me with any considerable society, I shall find a great deal to exercise my gifts and graces, and have less time for study and retirement than I have here."

CHAP. III.

His entrance on the work of a tutor.

WHEN he left the academy, his tutor Mr. Jennings, a few weeks before his death, much pressed him to keep in view the improvement of his course of academical lectures, and to study in such a manner, as to refer what occurred to him, to the compendiums which his tutor had drawn up, that they might be illustrated and enriched. Mr. Doddridge did not then suspect, what he afterwards learned, that Mr. Jennings had given it as his judgment, that, if it should please God to remove him early in life, he thought Mr. Doddridge the most likely of any of his pupils, to pursue the schemes which he had formed; and which indeed were very far from being complete, as he died about eight years after he had undertaken that profession.

During this his pupil's settlement at Kibworth, he, agreeably to the advice of his tutor, reviewed his course of lectures with care. An ingenious young gentleman, Mr. Thomas Benyon, son of Dr. Samuel Benyon, a celebrated minister and tutor at Shrewsbury, who died in 1708, had thoughts of attempting to revive the scheme of his deceased father. In conversation one day with Mr. Doddridge, the discourse turned upon the best method of conducting the preparatory studies of young men intended for the ministry. Mr. Benyon earnestly desired he would write down his thoughts upon the subject. This he did, as a letter to his friend, which grew into a considerable volume. But when he had just finished this work, his friend, for whose use it was principally intended, died, and the treatise remained in his own hands. The Rev. Mr. Saunders of Kettering, happening to see it in his study, borrowed it, and showed it to the Rev. Dr. Watts, with whom Mr. Doddridge had then no personal acquaintance. Dr. Watts was much pleased with the plan, made some remarks upon it, and showed it to several of his friends, who all joined with him in an application to Mr. Doddridge, to solicit his attempting to carry it into execution. As they were then in a great measure strangers to him, Mr. Some was the person principally employed in managing this affair. He had long been well acquainted with Mr. Doddridge, and knew he had every important and desirable qualification for the instruction of youth. He therefore proposed his undertaking it, and pressed it in the strongest manner. He would by no means allow the validity of his plea of incapacity; but urged, that supposing him less capable than his friends believed, he might improve his time in that retirement, when engaged in such a work with a few pupils, to greater advantage, than without them. Mr. Some had likewise, unknown to him, engaged the friends of some young men to place them under his care, and thereby prevented another objection, which might have arisen; and Mr. Saunders offered his own brother to be the first pupil of this intended academy. What the state of his mind was, while this affair was in agitation, will appear from this extract; "I do most humbly refer this great concern to God, and am sincerely willing the scheme should be disappointed, if it be not consistent with the greater purposes of his glory, yea, will not be remarkably subservient to them. I depend upon him for direction in this affair, and assistance, and success, if I undertake it. While I am waiting his determination, I would apply more diligently to my proper business, and act more steadily by the rules I have laid down for my conduct. May he grant, that in all my schemes relating to public service, I may, as much as possible, divest myself of all regard to my own ease and reputation, and set myself seriously to consider what I can do for the honour of the Redeemer, and the good of the world!"

Before this affair was quite determined, he acknowledgeth it as a kind providence, that the dissenting ministers in that

HIS ENTRANCE ON TUITION.

neighbourhood agreed to meet at Lutterworth, April 10, 1729, to spend a day in humiliation and prayer for the revival of religion. Upon that occasion Mr. Some preached that admirable discourse, which was afterwards printed, concerning the proper methods to be taken by ministers for the revival of religion in their respective congregations, from Rev. iii. 2. Mr. Doddridge appears to have been greatly impressed with that discourse, as many other ministers have been. It led him to form and record some particular purposes, concerning his conduct as a minister, grounded upon the advices contained in it. To this assembly Mr. Some proposed the scheme he had concerted for the establishment of an academy at Harborough, under the care of his young friend. The ministers unanimously concurred with him in their sentiments of the propriety and usefulness of the scheme, and Mr. Doddridge's qualifications for conducting it; and promised all the assistance and encouragement in their power. This had great weight in forming his determination. He consulted some of his brethren and friends at a distance, particularly Dr. Clark. They likewise urged his undertaking this design, and at length he consented to it. One thing which much encouraged him to enter upon this office, was, the circumstance of his retreat at Harborough; the pastoral care of the congregation there and at Kibworth, Mr. Some diligently fulfilled; so that he had little to do as a minister, but to preach once a week. These were some of his reflections and resolutions upon the undertaking; " Providence is opening upon me a prospect of much greater usefulness than before, though attended with vast labour and difficulty. In divine strength I go forth to the work, and resolve upon the most careful and vigorous discharge of all the duties incumbent upon me, to labour for the instruction and watch for the souls of my pupils. I intend to have some discourse with them on the Lord's day evenings upon subjects of inward religion. I will endeavour to give a serious turn to our conversation at other times, and always bear them on my heart before God with great tenderness and affection. I will labour to keep such an inspection over them, as may be necessary to discover their capacities, tempers, and failings, that I may behave in a suitable manner to them. In all I will maintain a humble dependence on divine influences, to lead me in the path of duty and prudence; and enable me to behave in a way answerable to the character in which I appear, and those agreeable expectations, which many of my friends have entertained of me. Considering the work before me, I would set myself with peculiar diligence to maintain and increase the life of religion in my own soul, and a constant sense of the divine presence and love. For I find, when this is maintained, nothing gives me any considerable disquiet, and I have vigour and resolution of spirit to carry me through my labours. When I am conscious of the want of this, and any inconsistency of behaviour towards the Divine Being, it throws a damp upon my vigour and resolution; yea, upon all the other pleasures of life. In order to maintain this habitual, delightful sense of God, I would frequently renew my dedication to him, in that covenant, on which all my hopes depend, and my resolutions for universal, zealous obedience. I will study redeeming love more, and habitually resign myself and all my concerns to the Divine disposal. I am going to express and seal these resolutions at the Lord's table: and may this be the happy period, from which shall commence better days of religion and usefulness than I have ever yet known!"

He now reviewed his plan of academical studies, with Dr. Watts's remarks, and corresponded with him upon the subject. He read every valuable book on the education of youth, which he could meet with, and made such extracts as he thought might be serviceable in carrying on his design. Besides which, I find he wrote many letters to ministers of different denominations, with whom he was acquainted, desiring their advice in this great undertaking; particularly the Rev. Dr. Samuel Wright, of London, who favoured him with his sentiments at large, especially on the subject of divinity lectures. He thought it his wisdom to make trial first in a more private way, with two or three pupils, declining to receive others that offered.

• Mr. Clark communicated to him various transcripts from the lectures

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Accordingly, at Midsummer, 1729, he opened his academy. His first lecture to his pupils was of the religious kind; showing the nature, reasonableness, and advantages of acknowledging God in their studies. The next contained directions for their behaviour to him, to one another, to the family and all about them; with proper motives to excite their attention to them: then he proceeded to common lectures.-The wise observers of Providence will see the loving kindness of God to the church, in thus leading him into an office, which he discharged in so honourable and useful a manner. What hath been observed likewise shows the great caution with which he undertook this charge, and the deep sense he had of its weight and importance; and for these reasons I have been so particular in relating the progress of this affair.

CHAP. IV.

His settlement at Northampton.

MR. DODDRIDGE had been employed as a tutor but a few months, when Providence directed him to a station of greater ministerial usefulness. The dissenting congregation at Castle-hill, in Northampton, being vacant by the removal of their pastor, Mr. Tingey, to London, he preached occasionally to them, with other neighbouring ministers. His services were so acceptable to the people, that they invited, and strongly urged him, to accept the pastoral charge of them. Some of his brethren, particularly Mr. Some, advised his continuance at Harborough, as he would, by his connexion with Mr. Some, have more time to apply to his work as a tutor, than if he had the sole care of a large congregation; and there was another minister, who, they thought, would supply the vacancy at Northampton, though not equally to the satisfaction of the congregation. I find, in his papers, the arguments for and against his settlement there stated at large, and his own thoughts upon them; which show with how much caution he proceeded in this affair. The arguments urged by his friends above mentioned and their opinion, had so much weight with him, that he resolved to continue at Harborough. But the Supreme Disposer determined otherwise. Mr. Some, in pursuance of his view of the case, went to Northampton to persuade the people to wave their application. But instead of this, when he saw their affection and zeal in the affair, and heard the motives on which they acted, and the circumstances in which they were, he was, as he expressed it, like Saul among the prophets, and immediately wrote to Mr. Doddridge to press his acceptance of the invitation. Dr. Clark strongly urged him to it. He was nevertheless, on many accounts, averse to it; but he was willing to show so much respect to that congregation, as to give them his reasons for declining it in person. -As this was his last settlement in life, his own account of the manner in which he was conducted to it, will, I hope, be agreeable and instructive; particularly to his friends. "While I was pleasing myself with the view of a continuance at Harborough, I little thought how few days would lead me to a determination to remove from it. But Providence had its own secret designs, at that time invisible to me. I went to Northampton the last Lord's day in November, 1729, to take leave of my good friends there as gently as I could; and preached a sermon, to dispose them to submit to the will of God, in events which might be most contrary to their views and inclinations, from Acts xxi. 14. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, the will of the Lord be done. On the morning of that day an incident happened, which affected me greatly. Having been much urged on Saturday evening, and much impressed with the tender entreaties of my friends, I had, in my secret devotion, been spreading the affair before God, though as a thing almost determined in the negative; appealing to him, that my chief reason for declining the call, was the apprehension of engaging in more business than Í was capable of performing, considering my age, the large

of Mr. Jones, who had been a tutor of distinguished ability and learning, at Tewksbury in Gloucestershire.-K.

XIV

THE LIFE OF DR. DODDRIDGE.

ness of the congregation, and that I had no prospect of an assistant. As soon as ever this address was ended, I passed through a room of the house in which I lodged, where a child was reading to his mother, and the only words I heard distinctly were these, and as thy days, so shall thy strength be. Though these words were strongly impressed upon my mind, and remained there with great force and sweetness, yet I persisted in my refusal. But that very evening, happening to be in company with one of the deacons of that congregation, he engaged me to promise to preach his father's funeral sermon, from a particular text, on timely notice of his death; which it was imagined would be in a few weeks. It pleased God to remove him that night, which kept me there till Wednesday. Going in the interval to some houses, where I had been a stranger, and receiving visits from persons of the congregation, whom I had not so much as heard of, I was convinced, beyond all doubt, of the earnest desire of my friends there to have me settled among them. I saw those appearances of a serious spirit, which were very affecting to me. Several attended the funeral, who were not stated hearers there, and expressed much satisfaction in my labours. Before I went away, the young persons came to me in a body, earnestly entreated my coming among them, and promised to submit to all such methods of instruction as I should think proper." This last circumstance he acknowledgeth, in his dedication of his Sermons to Young People, was the consideration which turned the scales for his going to Northampton, after they had long hovered in uncertainty. "Upon the whole, I was persuaded it was my duty to accept the invitation. It was indeed with great reluctance; as I had gone contrary to the advice of some friends, for whom I had a high regard, and it was breaking my very agreeable connexions at Harborough. I thought there was a prospect of doing good at Northampton, equal to what I could ever hope to have as a minister; and was much afraid, if I declined the invitation, the congregation would be greatly injured. There were some steps in the leadings of Providence, which seemed to me exceedingly remarkable; and though some of my friends have much blamed and discouraged me, I could not refuse, without offering the most apparent injury to my own conscience." Some of his friends here referred to, quickly saw reason to approve his conduct, and adore the wisdom of Providence in disposing him to settle there.

December 24, 1729. He removed to Northampton; and about three weeks after entered upon house-keeping. Being desirous to begin his new relation, as a head of a family, with God, he engaged several of his friends to spend an evening in prayer with him, for the presence and blessing of God in his new habitation. On that occasion he expounded Psalm ci. and testified before God and them what were his purposes and resolutions as to family-government. Upon examining into the state of his own mind, he soon found that religion had been declining in it, through his anxiety about this new settlement, his concern to leave his Harborough friends, and the hurries attending his removal and furnishing his house. As soon, therefore, as he was fixed in it, he set himself to revive religion in his heart; and, among other methods, he determined to set apart one whole day for fasting, humiliation, and prayer, to animate his own soul, and engage the divine blessing on his family, studies, and labours. It may not be unprofitable to insert the scheme he pursued on such days, in his own words: "The Saturday immediately preceding the Lord's day on which the Lord's supper is to be administered, I propose to spend as a day of extraordinary devotion. I will endeavour to have despatched all my business, and whatever is necessary to my preparation for such a day, on Friday night; particularly I will look over my diary and other memorandums, which may be of use to me in the fast itself. I will rise early; endeavour, while rising, to fix upon my mind a sense of God and my own unworthiness, and will then solemnly address myself to God for his assistance in all the particular services of the day, of which I will form a more particular plan than this. I will then read, and afterwards expound in the family, some portion of Scripture peculiarly suitable to such an occasion, and will znake a collection of such lessons. After family worship I will retire and pray over the portion of Scripture I have

been explaining. I will then set myself, as seriously as I can, to revive the memory of my past conduct; especially since the last season of this kind. I will put such questions as these to myself,--What care have I taken in the exercises of devotion? What regard have I maintained to God in the intervals of it? What diligence have I used in regarding Providence and redeeming time? What command have I exercised over my appetites and passions? What concern have I had to discharge relative duties? How have I relished the peculiar doctrines of the gospel? And upon the whole, how am I advancing in my journey to a better world?--I will then record my sins with their peculiar aggravations, that I may humble myself before God for them; and my mercies, with the circumstances that set them off, that I may return fervent thanks for them. Having made a catalogue of hints upon both these subjects, I will spend some time in meditation upon them; and having read some psalmis or hymns, which speak the language of godly sorrow, I will go into the presence of God, particularly confessing my sins and the demerit of them, solemnly renouncing them, and renewing my covenant against them. I will then consider, what methods are proper to be taken, that I may avoid them for the future. A devotional lecture to my pupils will be an important part of the work of this day. I will after that spend some time in prayer for them, my family, and people. The remainder of my work shall be praise, with which I think I ought to conclude even days of humiliation; though sometimes a larger or smaller space of time shall be allotted to this work, as peculiar circumstances require. After a little refreshment, I will converse with some of my pupils privately about inward religion; which I may do with some peculiar advantage, after having been lecturing to them on such a subject, and so particularly praying for them. I would spend the evening in grave conversation with some pious friends, with whom I can use great freedom as to the state of their souls and at night review the whole, and conclude the day with some religious exercises, suited to the work in which I have been engaged, and the frame of my own soul; and will keep an account of what passeth at these seasons. My God, assist me in this important duty. Make it so comfortable and useful to me, that I may have reason to praise thee, that my thoughts were directed, and my resolutions determined, to it." With these pious exercises, and in this solemn manner, did he enter on his ministry at Northampton.

That he might be better qualified for, and quickened to, that large pastoral work now devolved upon him, he employed some of the time between his settlement and ordination, in reading the best treatises of the qualifications and duties of ministers; particularly Chrysostom on the Priesthood, Bowles's Pastor Evangelicus, Burnet on the Pastoral Care, and Baxter's Gildas Salvianus. He likewise read the Lives of some pious active ministers; particularly of Mr. P. Henry, which he often spoke of as affording him much instruction and encouragement. He selected the most important advices, reflections, and motives, contained in these books, which he frequently reviewed. He likewise at this time made a collection of those maxims of prudence and discretion, which he thought demanded a minister's attention, if he desired to secure esteem and usefulness.

About two months after his settlement at Northampton it pleased God to visit him with a dangerous illness, which gave his friends many painful fears, that the residue of his years of usefulness to them and to the world would be cut off. But, after a few weeks of languishing, God mercifully restored his health. While he was recovering, but yet in a very weak state, the time came, which had been fixed for his ordination. Of the transactions of that day, he has preserved the following account: "March 19, 1729-30. The afflicting hand of God upon me hindered me from making that preparation for the solemnity of this day, which I could otherwise have desired, and which might have answered some valuable end. However, I hope it hath long been my sincere desire to dedicate myself to God in the work of the ministry; and that the views, with which I determined to undertake the office, and which I this day solemnly professed, have long since been fixed. The work of the day was carried on in a very honourable and agreeable manner. Mr. Goodrich of Oundle began with prayer and reading the Scriptures. Mr. Dawson of Hinckley con

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