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Thus have I endeavoured, in the best manner I was able, to give the public an account of those circumstances in Dr. Doddridge's life, temper and character, which appeared to me most important and instructive. * I have, in the preface to this work, anticipated some things, which might properly have been added as the conclusion of the whole. I shall therefore content myself with expressing my chearful hope, that my readers are deeply sensible how excellent and honourable such a life, as the Doctor led, must be in itself; and what constant satisfaction and pleasure he must have enjoyed, from such a course of uniform, active services for the honour of his Lord and the interest of religion, and from the success which attended them; especially from the prospect of that glorious reward, which was laid up for him in heaven; and I hope they will be excited and animated, by this conviction, to emulate his excellencies and follow his steps, as far as their respective abilities, stations and circumstances in life will admit. I most heartily wish them this felicity: And I doubt not, but if they already possess it or are aspiring to it, they will join with me in entreating the Lord of the harvest to send forth more such faithful labourers into his harvest, and to pour out more of the same spirit on those who are already employed in it. It comforteth me, upon a review of this work, that I have, through the whole of it, sincerely consulted the glory of God, the advancement of real religion, and the best interests of my fellow christians, especially my brethren in the ministry; and that "it is the happiness of great wisdom and goodness (I had almost said, it is a part of its reward) to be entertained and editied, by the writings of those, who are much its inferiors, and most readily to exercise an indulgence, which itself least needs."

was well qualified to have been chosen to succeed Dr. Doddridge in the office of principal tutor; but this his modesty would not have permitted; and, upon the whole, it was undoubtedly proper that a man of more advanced life should be appointed.—K.

* Upon the whole, Dr. Doddridge was not only a great man, but one of the most excellent and useful christians, and christian ministers that ever existed.-K.

TO THE MEMORY OF THE LATE REVEREND

P. DODDRIDGE, D. D.

LONG have the Muses seen their sacred lays

Debas'd and mourn'd their prostituted praise.
While servile bards profane their heav'nly flame
To give ambition's fools and madmen fame;
While round the tyrant's brows, in gore embru'd,
Their weeping laurels blush with orphan's blood;
Neglected virtue's humble hero dies,

The friend of man, the fav'rite of the skies,
With not a bard the fatal blow to mourn,

And not a bay to shade his hallow'd urn,
O would their raptur'd sons exalt their art,
To touch, in virtue's cause, the gen'rous heart,
And pay to worth their tributary praise,

Doddridge, thy name should grace their noblest lays!
For thee would warble ev'ry verse divine,

And ev'ry voice, and ev'ry lyre, be thine.

When comets shoot their wild eccentric fire,
We dread their progress, and with pain admire;
When lightnings flash along the livid sky,

Trembling we gaze, and, while they shine, we die;
Ev'n such are heroes, by just heav'n design'd
To scourge the guilty madness of mankind.

Virtues like thine, serene as vernal day,
Pour on the world a mild and healing ray:
They charm, with modest majesty, the sight,

Chear the sad soul of care, and beam around delight.
O ever-honour'd, ever-dear, adieu!

How many tender names are lost in you!

Friend! father! tutor! in whose ample mind
All the ten thousand streams of science join'd.
If ardent prayers, if flowing sorrows shed

In all the bitterness of soul, could plead,

Our pray❜rs, blest Doddridge, had revers'd thy doom,
And tears of thousands wept thee from the tomb.
How mute the music of that charming tongue,

On which so oft our rapt attention hung!
Where's now the vivid wit, the pleasing art,
The force of reason, and the friendly heart,
Whose temper'd pow'rs inform'd the social feast,
And gave the mind a more refin'd repast?
Who to the temple of eternal truth.

Shall guide with skilful care our wand'ring youth;
O'er darken'd science shed unclouded day,
And strew with flow'ry sweets her thorny way?
Quench'd is our prophet's fire;-those lips no more
Religion's pure and sacred treasures pour,
To holy raptures wake the languid frame,
And through the breast diffuse celestial flame.

1

No more o'er guilty minds he shakes the rod,
Arm'd with the terrors of his awful God;
While chill'd with horror starts the conscious soul,
And hears appall'd th' avenging thunders roll,
Sees visionary lightnings round her glow,
And trembles o'er the gulph, that burns below.

Angels that from their sphery thrones descend
To guide the meek, the friendless to befriend,
To warm with holy flames the pious breast,
And lull the cares of innocence to rest,
Oft saw thee emulate their gen'rous part,
To turn to piety the wand'ring heart;
Unwearied, stedfast, bold in virtue's cause,
And by example best enforce her laws;
Ardent to succour want, console distress,
Thy wish, thy labour, thy delight to bless;
And from their stations look'd with pleasure down
On worth, allied so nearly to their own.

Her bays each science scatters on thy bier;
Each social virtue drops the friendly tear;
Beneath a mould'ring temple's awful shade,
Among the solemn nodding ruins laid,
Religion weeps; her bosom swell'd with care
Heaves the sad sigh, half yielding to despair:
But cheerful faith sustains her drooping head,
And whispers comfort to the fainting maid.
But ah! what pow'r of language can express
Thy widow'd consort's woe? What keen distress
Tore all her heart-strings, when thy trembling sight
Snatch'd a fond, farewell-glance, and clos'd in night?
When the felt pulse, that at her touch before
Beat with a fuller tide, now throbb'd no more?
In foreign lands abandon'd, and alone,

She heard a darling husband's parting groan;
No children there receiv'd his last command,
Wept round the couch and kiss'd his dying hand;
No sad domestic bore the sable bier ;

No mournful pupil pour'd the tender tear;
No soothing friend to minister relief,
And by dividing mitigate her grief:
She solitary brooded o'er her care.

Her only refuge plac'd in heav'n and prayer.
And when her native country to regain,
She measured back the wide extended main,
As the fleet vessel flew before the wind,
How many a melting look she turn'd behind!
How, till in undistinguish'd vapour lost,
Caught each faint glimpse of the receding coast!
Where now, for ever from her eyes remov'd,
Lie the best relics of the man she lov'd.
That dear sad sight she never more must view,
Her longing eyes have look'd their last adieu:

That dear sad sight she wishes now in vain,
While ocean rolls unnumber'd waves between.

Yet curb the fond excesses of thy grief,
And in religion seek a sure relief.

Heav'n, gracious still, our real bliss befriends,
Is kind alike in what he takes, or lends;
To him indulgent, snatch'd the saint on high,
Approv'd mature for glory and the sky;
To thee indulgent, gave to taste of woe,
And copious bid the streams of sorrow flow,
To make the gen'rous seeds of virtue shoot,
And feed and ripen her immortal fruit.
Thus rushing down the skies, the kindly rains
Give beauty to the groves and plenty to the plains.
Death not to him a messenger of woe,
Shook his grim horrors from his gloomy brow;
And through his mournful vales and caves of night
Attendant faith diffus'd a heav'nly light;
She bid in vision to his ravish'd eyes
A thousand shining scenes of glory rise;
The flaming guards, refulgent from afar;
The fiery coursers, and the golden car.
Think, that you see the radiant prophet soar
To those blest regions, where he sighs no more;
Where led in triumph to the star-crown'd throne,
Religion smiling hails her fav'rite son;
Bids the victorious garland grace his brows,
While heav'n re-echos round the loud applause.
Then stop the tear, nor sorrow for the blest,
But with his fair example fire thy breast:
His worth still lives; that living worth regard,
And with like virtue seek the same reward.

Thrice happy spirit! while you praise above
A smiling God, and sing a Saviour's love,
Before the throne with bending cherubs stand,
Or burn a seraph 'midst the flame-rob'd band;
Or the great Parent tracing through the sky
From world to world, from sphere to sphere you fly,
And with exalted thoughts and pow'rs refin'd;
Swell the wide circuit of th' expanding mind;

O, if still conscious of our bliss or woe,
You look with kind regard on ought below,
Be thou my genius! Thy propitious aid
Spread, guardian angel, round my favour'd head.
May the great purpose, may the glow divine,
That warm'd thy bosom, now inspirit mine!
To imitate my God, to bless mankind
The sweet and sov'reign passion of my mind!
Be such thy praise! Be such my glorious aim!

Till my soul, kindled at so fair a flame,

And wing'd for bliss and heav'n, like thine shall rise To join her kindred-angels in the skies.

THE

RISE AND PROGRESS

OF

RELIGION IN THE SOUL.

ILLUSTRATED IN A

COURSE OF SERIOUS AND PRACTICAL

ADDRESSES,

SUITED TO PERSONS OF EVERY CHARACTER AND CIRCUMSTANCE:

WITH A

DEVOUT MEDITATION OR PRAYER

ADDED TO EACH CHAPTER.

Testifying-Repentance towards God, and Faith towards our Lord Jefus Christ.

A&s xx. 21.

Whom we preach; warning every Man, and teaching every Man in all Wisdom; that we may pre sent every Man perfect in Christ Jesus.

Col. i. 28.

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