nion with the church under his care, if they had not been admitted elsewhere; that they might renew their baptismal engagements, and publicly avow their resolution to be the Lord's. He took pains to prepare them for an intelligent devout approach to the Lord's-supper, and often reminded them of their consequent privileges and engagements.In order to preserve and increase vital religion in their hearts, all common lectures were omitted on the Saturday, preceding the Lord's-day on which the sacrament was administered; and the greatest part of that day was spent in devotional exercises. All the pupils assembled in the lecture-room, he prayed with them, and then delivered a devotional lecture, or a discourse particularly suited to their circumstances; concerning the nature, duties, difficulties, encouragements or rewards of the ministry, the nature of christian communion, their obligations to diligence, prayer, watchfulness, brotherly love; or such other topics as were most proper for such an assembly. His discourse on "the evil and danger of neglecting the souls of men," was delivered on one of these occasions. After this lecture was finished, and singing, he concluded with prayer. Never did his heart appear more strongly affected, and devoutly raised, than at these seasons. He considered of how much importance to the present and eternal interest of thousands, the temper and behaviour of so many young men, intended for the ministry, was. His heart overflowed with benevolence, and he appeared like an affectionate father addressing his children, and commending them and their concerns to the favour of heaven. Many of his pupils have acknowledged, that they reaped more advantage by these lectures, than all the other methods used to promote their improvement. The latter part of the day was spent by the pupils themselves in religious exercises, agreeable to a plan which they had laid down, with their tutor's approbation and encouragement. The Lord's-day was most strictly and religiously observed in his family: And after the public and domestic services of it, he often took them separately into his study; conversed with them concerning the state of religion in their souls, and gave them suitable advice.

He endeavoured to behave to them in such a manner, as to gain their affections and engage them to open their hearts to him without reserve. He often reminded them, how much his own comfort and happiness depended upon their good behaviour, diligence in their studies, and improvements in knowledge and piety. When, in the year 1736, the two Colleges of the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, had concurred in conferring

upon him the degree of Doctor in Divinity, his pupils thought it a proper piece of respect to congratulate him in a body upon the occasion. He thanked them for their compliment, and told them, that "their learning, piety and zeal would be more his honour and give him ten thousand times more pleasure, than his degree, or any other token of public esteem." He heard their discourses and prayers with great candour, passed over little imperfections, which he thought growing years and experience would rectify, and encouraged them by commending what was good and pertinent. When he thought it his duty to hint to them their defects, he did it privately, and in the most soft and friendly manner. None but a pious benevolent mind can conceive the pleasure it gave him, to hear some of the first sermons of his pupils, who set out with good qualifications and right views. Concerning one of them he thus writes, in some private memorandums he kept of the state of his own soul; This day Mr. preached one of the best sermons I ever heard, concerning the happiness of the children of God. I had preached one on the subject some time before; but when I considered how much superior his was to mine, it shamed and humbled me, yet, I bless God, it did not grieve me. If any stirrings of envy moved, they were immediately suppressed; and, as soon as I came home, I solemnly returned my acknowledgments to God, for having raised up such a minister to his church, and honoured me with his education. I recommended him to the divine blessing with the tenderest affection; leaving myself in the hand of God; acquiescing in the thought of being eclipsed, of being neglected, if he shall so appoint; at the same time adoring him, that, with capacities inferior to a multitude of others, I have been providentially led into services superior to many of those, in comparison with whom, my knowledge and learning is but that of a child."He was tenderly careful of his pupils, when they were sick; and when some of them, who seemed qualifying for eminent usefulness, died, he felt for them and wept over them, as a father for his child: He endeavoured, from such events, to excite superior diligence and piety in their surviving brethren, and wrote many excellent letters of advice and consolation to the mourning parents and friends of the deceased.

After this account of his behaviour to his pupils, and concern for their usefulness and happiness, the reader, who knows any thing of human nature and the attractive influence of love, will not wonder to be told, that they, in general, reverenced and loved him as a father; and that his paternal advices and en

treaties weighed more with them, than the commands of rigid authority, or the arguments of a cooler mind, where the affection of the heart was not felt, or not tenderly expressed. They were most of them his honour and joy. His principal defect in this capacity was, that he had not sufficient resolution of temper to govern some untractable youths, who would not be won upon by mild and gentle addresses: And he was sometimes deceived by the appearance of humiliation and penitence, and fair promises of a more orderly behaviour. The natural softness and gentleness of his temper made it painful to censure and reprove: Upon every important occasion indeed, he resolutely submitted to this disagreeable task, and performed it in a manner most likely to be effectual; yet in lesser instances, where he thought the character and improvement of his pupils not so much concerned, he was, perhaps, too easy in admitting excuses, and not strict enough in exacting an observance of his established laws. This, as we shall hereafter observe, he perceived and acknowledged to be an error.He found it a great inconvenience, and the source of some disorders in his family, to have young gentlemen of great fortunes, intended for no particular profession, and young men intended for the ministry, as students together.

It was difficult to establish general laws, which would not bear hard upon one or the other. Some of those who had large allowances from their parents or guardians, were sometimes a snare to the other students, especially the divinity students, whose allowance was generally small; though it is but justice to add, that many of the former behaved in the most unexceptionable manner. He often expressed his wish, that different places of education could be provided for persons intended for the ministry and those for other professions; as he thought it would be a better security for the religious character of the former; and some indulgences might be allowed to the others, especially those of rank and fortune, that were not proper for divinity students, as few of them were likely ever to be in affluent circumstances. But whatever their rank and circumstances were, he treated them with equal regard; they were alike subject to the discipline and religious orders of his family.When any of his pupils, who have behaved well, left his academy, he parted with them with great regret, and by fervent prayer, commended them, in their future concerns and connections, to the blessing of God. It was usual, when some of them entered on the ministry together, and also when they were removing to their respective stations, to have some time spent in public prayer, to recommend them to the grace of God, and en

gage his blessing on their studies and labours. The elders of his church, together with himself and his assistant, conducted these religious exercises; and sometimes he had the concurrence of his brethren in the neighbourhood. He interested himself in their comfortable settlements, corresponded with many of them, and was ready to advise any of them in cases of difficulty, in which they desired his assistance. He employed his interest with his friends for their benefit, and was glad to serve them in their temporal, spiritual or ministerial concerns. When they had an opportunity of visiting him at Northampton, his house and his heart were always open for their receptoin: He desired them to consider it as a father's house, and he treated them there, as a good father would a beloved child, who came from a distance to visit him. He had the pleasure to see many of them unanimously and affectionately chosen by large congregations as their pastors; amongst whom they laboured with great acceptance and success. Since his decease, three of them have been chosen to preside over seminaries of this kind, and are widely diffusing the benefits they received from his instructions. ánd example.

So great was his reputation as a tutor, that the number of his pupils was large; communibus annis, thirty four, and generally increasing. He had sustained this office about twenty two years, and during that time had about two hundred young men under his care; of whom, one hundred and twenty, as far as I can learn, entered upon the ministry, and several intended for it died, while under his instructions. He had several pupils from Scotland and Holland. One person, that was intended for the ministry in the church of England, chose to spend a year or two under his instructions, before he went to the university; others, whose parents were of that church, were placed in his family, and they were readily admitted as pupils and allowed to attend the established worship; for the constitution of his academy was perfectly catholic. Some young divines from Scotland, who had studied and taken the usual degrees, in the universities there, and had begun to preach, came to attend his divinity lectures, and receive his instructions, before they settled with parishes in their native country. During their residence with him, they preached occasionally in the dissenting congregations in that town and neighbourhood, and two of them were ordained there.

When he had published some hints of his method of education, in his short memoirs of Mr. Steffe's life, he received letters from some eminent divines of the church of England, expressing

their high approbation of his plan, as affording students, intended for the ministry, superior advantages for appearing with honour in the ministerial character, than were enjoyed in some more public seminaries.

Before I conclude this chapter, it may be proper to observe that the account here given of the Doctor's lectures and plan of education is taken from what they were between twenty and thirty years ago. He might, in some circumstances, change his method afterwards; but I believe in no material point. I mention this, lest any, who have been under his care since that period, should perceive that my account does not exactly correspond with their knowledge of his academy, while they belonged to it.

Thus have I endeavoured to give some idea of the manner in which this excellent person filled up this difficult and honourable station; and I am persuaded the pious reader will, from this survey, be inclined to join with me in acknowledging the wisdom and goodness of providence, which gradually prepared him for, and, by the several steps already pointed out, led him into, so large a sphere of usefulness. May the same divine hand, that so richly endowed him with those gifts, which qualified him for this important service, raise up, through every succeeding period of the church, others, who may discover a like spirit; and who may be honoured as the instruments of forming the minds of their younger brethren, and, by this means, of transmitting the knowledge and power of religion through the most distant ages!

CHAP. VII,

Dr. Doddridge's Genius, Learning and Writings.

THOUGH I am chiefly solicitous, in this work, to represent

Dr. Doddridge under the character of a christian and a minister, as an example worthy the imitation of others; yet I cannot, without great injustice, pass over in silence his character as a man of genius and a scholar*. Nor will this view of him be foreign

*I do not know that genius can be ascribed to Dr. Doddridge, taking that word in its highest signification, as implying either a great inventive faculty in science, or that boldness of imagination which is productive of original imagery and combipations.