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me long from the Attempt. After I had entered upon it, it was interrupted for Months and Years by my ill State of Health and the neceffary Duties of my Station, which took up all the Time I could devote to Study. It hath been often quite laid afide, without Hope of pursuing it; and, thro' repeated Solicitations from fome Perfons of Eminence abroad, who knew the Doctor only by his Writings, hath, at fome lucid Intervals, been resumed. As it hath been executed with great Care and Honesty, and those of my Brethren, who have revised it, have thought it adapted to ferve the Caufe of Religion and Charity, I now, notwithstanding all its Defects, venture it abroad into the World; following it with my earneft Prayers, and defiring the concurrent Interceffions of my Friends, that GOD would be pleased to profper this feeble Attempt to quicken the Minifters of Chrift in their Lord's Work, and to promote the Holiness and Happiness of all his Difciples, into whofe Hands it may come. Amen.

Shrewsbury, Nov. 6, 1765.

JOB ORTON.

THE

SECT. 1. His uncommon Diligence, Activity and
Refolution in the Dispatch of Business

SECT. 2. His Attempts to do good, and to promote
and encourage the Zeal of others, beyond

the Limits of his own Congregation and
Family

SECT. 3. His Catholicism, Moderation and friend-
ly Behaviour to Perfons of different Sen-
timents and Perfuafions

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SECT. 4. His Benevolence, Affability, public Spirit
and Liberality

SECT. 5. His Humility and Dependence on divine
Affiftances

138

146

157

172

192

SECT. 6. His Patience, Serenity and Chearfulness under Afflictions, and upon what Principles thefe Graces were exercised and supported 202

SECT. 7. His Temper and Behaviour under unjust and unkind Treatment

SECT. 8. His Piety towards GOD, and his Devotion, as the Support of that, and every

211

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ΜΕΜΟOIRS

OF THE LATE REVEREND

Dr. P. D OD DRIDGE.

CHA P. I.

Dr. DODDRIDGE's Birth, Education, early Diligence and Piety.

I

CANNOT trace the Family from which Dr. Doddridge fprung very far back; nor is it material. Wife and good Men lay XX very little Strefs on any hereditary Honours, but thofe which arife from the Piety and Ufefulness of their Ancestors. Of what Profeffion his Great Grandfather was I cannot learn; but he had a Brother John Doddridge, who was bred to the Law, and made a confiderable Figure in the Reign of King James I. by whom he was knighted and made one of the Judges of the Court of King's Bench.

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He wrote feveral learned Treatifes in his Profeffion*. He left an Estate of about two thousand Pounds per Annum, whether hereditary or acquired I cannot learn; but it was loft out of the Family in the Time of the Civil Wars. The Doctor's Father, as eldest furviving Branch of the Family, was Heir at Law to it, and often urged by his Friends to attempt to regain it; but thro' an Apprehenfion of the great Hazard and Expence attending the Attempt, he

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* He was born at or near Barnftable, in Devonshire, and educated at Exeter-College, in Oxford; from whence he removed to the Middle "Temple, where he became fo eminent in the Practice of the Common Law, that he was first made Serjeant at Law to Prince Henry, then Solicitor-General to King James I; after that, principal Serjeant at Law to the faid King in 1607, and knighted the next Year. In 1612 he was conftituted one of the Juftices of the Common Pleas, and afterwards fecond Judge of the King's Bench, where he spent the rest of his Days, being 17 Years. He was fo general a Scholar, that it is hard to fay, whether he were better Artist, Philofopher, Divine, common or civil Lawyer. He had likewife the Character of a Perfon of great Integrity and Courage, being perfectly Proof against Interest and Fear. He died at Forfiers, near Egham, in Surrey, Sept. 13, 1628, about the 73d Year of his Age; and according to his Defire, was interred in the LadyChappel of Exeter-Cathedral, where there is a handsome Monument erected to his Memory, on which his Effigies is lively pourtrayed in Alabaster, in his Scarlet Gown and Robes, and a Court-Roll in his Hand. In an Efcutcheon are his Arms, fc. Argent, two Pales wavy, Azure, between nine Crofs Crofiets, Gules; with this Epitaph inferibed,

Learning, adieu; for Doderidge is gone

To fix his earthly to a heavenly Throne:

Rich Urn of learned Duft! fcarce can be found

More Worth infhrined in fix Foot of Ground.

NVÁC oblIt DoDerlgVs JVDeX.

Izacke's Antiquities of Exeter, p. 151, 152. Fuller's Worthies, zad Athen. Oxon. where' a Lift of his Works may be feen,

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