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daily. When an intimate friend had expressed some fear, lest his academy should be neglected, while he was preparing some works for the public, he thus wrote to him; "So far as I can recollect, I never omitted a single lecture on account of any of the books that I have published. The truth is, I do a little now and then; something every day, and that carries me on. I have wrote some of my pieces in short-hand, and got them transcribed by my pupils, and thus I do by many letters. This is a help to me, and some considerable advantage to those whom I employ. I scarce fail being in the lecture-room three hours every morning; that carries me through my stated work, and, with the concurrence of my assistant, I over-see the academy pretty well."--So great was his diligence in his master's work, that he often preached several days in a week in different villages about Northampton, and chose the evening for those services, that his lectures might not be omitted.-During his annual vacation, which continued two months, one of them was usually spent in close study, pastoral visits, or making little circuits among the neighbouring congregations, by the desire of their respective pastors; preaching to each in his way, not excepting some of different sentiments and denominations from himself. In the other month, he visited his friends in London, and other parts of the kingdom, finding such excursions and journeys serviceable to his health; yet he pursued his studies and writings, and frequently preached occasional sermons, especially in London and its environs, almost every day. I find that in some years he preached one hundred and forty times, in others many more; besides his repetitions, expositions and devotional lectures at home. So that the exhortations he gave his brethren, in his discourse on " The Evil and Danger of Neglecting the Souls of Men," came with peculiar grace and propriety from him, as they were illustrated by his own example.

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Nor must I, in this connection, omit his correspondence; which was almost large enough to have taken up the whole time of a person of common abilities and industry*. His letters were principally of business, and that of the most important kinds. Besides his correspondence with the parents and guardians of his pupils, he had many letters to write

* Sometimes he lightened his burden, by making use of the pen of his pupils, to whom he dictated his letters, while he himself went on with his Family Expositor or any other work in which he was employed. I was not unfrequently either his amanuensis on these occasions, or read to him while he answered his correspondents.-K.

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in answer to questions of moment, proposed to him by his brethren, especially those who had been his pupils, and by congregations at a distance, who applied to him for direction and assistance. His judgment was often desired by learned men, concerning critical difficulties, or works which they were preparing for the press; and his own publications would naturally enlarge his work of this kind. His correspondence with some persons of the first rank for wisdom and learning in the established church required much attention and delicacy. Several foreign gentlemen and divines, who had heard of his character and read his works, sought his epistolary acquaintance, and corresponding with them in Latin or French required some particular application. It is surprising to find how many hundred letters he received and answered in the space of one year*. I may say of him, as Pliny of his uncle, "When I consider his dispatch of so much business, I wonder at the multiplicity of his reading and writing; and when I consider this, I wonder at that." But his resolution was indefatigable, and God had given him a happy facility in the dispatch of business. He was master of the contents of a book upon a summary view, and could readily express his thoughts upon the most abstruse questions with ease and perspicuity. It is wonderful that his tender constitution should, for so many years, support such an intense application to business, so unfavourable to health. His friends were often expressing their painful apprehension, that it would impair his health and shorten his days, and addressing him with that carnal advice, Master, spare thyself: And, with regard to his last illness in particular, it might have been happy for them and the world had he regarded it. But love to God and man, and zeal for the salvation of souls bore him on. He needed no recreation; for his work was his highest pleasure. When he saw any success of his labours, and found that his writings were useful to many, it gave him fresh spirits and resolution. When he was advised, by a friend, to relax a little and not preach so often, his answer was, "Be in no pain about me. I hope that we have the presence of God among us, and that he is bearing testimony to the word of his grace. I take all the care of my health, which is consistent with do

Doddridge's correspondence was that brightest ornaments, both among the This is apparent from the collection of

A very honourable part of Dr. which he maintained with some of the clergy and laity of the established church. letters lately published. We there see how much he was esteemed, and how highly he was thought of, by the first religious and literary characters of the age.-K.

ing the proper duties of life; and when I find myself refreshed rather than fatigued with these attempts of service, I cannot think myself fairly discharged from continuing them." another friend he thus writes; "I am indeed subject to a little cough, but I never preached with more freedom and pleasure. I am generally employed, with very short intervals, from morning to night, and have seldom more than six hours in bed; yet such is the goodness of God to me, that I seldom know what it is to be weary. I hope my labours are not in vain. There are those, who drink in the word with great eagerness; and I hope it will be found, that it is not merely as the barren sand drinks in the rain, but rather that it falls on ground, which divine grace will make prolific. This animates me to my labours." In short, he lived much in a little time; and thought it was better to wear himself out in his Master's service, than rust in literary indolence, or drag on a longer life, when his vivacity and activity might be so much diminished, as in the course of nature they generally are.-The motto of his family arms was, Dum vivimus vivamus ; under which he wrote the following lines, very expressive of his general temper:

"Live, while you live," the epicure would say,
"And seize the pleasures of the present day*."
"Live, while you live," the sacred preacher cries,
"And give to God each moment as it fliest."

"Lord, in my views let both united be;

"I live in pleasure, when I live to theet."

SECT. II.

His Attempts to do Good, and to promote and encourage the Zeal of others, beyond the Limits of his own Congregation and Family.

WE have seen what uncommon and almost unparalleled diligence Dr. Doddridge exercised, and with what care he applied himself to the duties of his station, as a pastor, and a tutor.

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Dr. Johnson's opinion of these lines was, that they constituted one of the

finest epigrams in the English language.

Mr. Doddridge had a talent at satirical epigrams; an instance of which is the following, written on one of his pupils, a weak young man who thought that he had invented a method of flying to the moon.

"And will Volatio leave this world so soon,

To fly to his own native seat, the moon?

"Twill stand, however, in some little stead,

That he sets out with such an empty head."-K.

But that zeal for God and pious concern for the salvation of men, which glowed in his breast and led him to this diligence, carried him yet further; and excited him to embrace every opportunity of doing good to the souls of his fellow-creatures. He often conversed with strangers, whom he accidentally met with, about their religious concerns in a prudent and friendly manner. There are some instances of this kind mentioned in his papers, where he had reason to hope, that a serious lasting impression was made upon their hearts by such conversation.He generally attended the condemned malefactors at Northampton, with a compassionate view to promote their salvation. Besides conversing and praying with them, he expounded and preached to them; and once he expounded the fifty-first psalm to several, who were to suffer together, with which they seemed to be much affected. Moreover, he laboured to quicken all, to whom he had access, to pious and benevolent services, and to assist and encourage those, who were employing their time and abilities in them. He thought a prudent active zeal for the interest of religion, one of the best evidences of a pious heart. Thus writing to a friend, he saith, "I am just returned from visiting your relation. I find her in a peaceable and happy state, amidst almost total blindness, deafness and other infirmities of age. She is not indeed favoured with such sensible supports and manifestations of the divine love, as she could wish: but hath, what I think yet more desirable, a most affectionate zeal for the glory of God and good of men, and talks with such a hearty concern for the interest of real religion, as revived my heart."

He greatly lamented the indolence of many christian ministers; even some that were most distinguished for their philosophical and critical learning. While he saw no evidence that was applied to the grand ends of the ministry, he looked upon it as little better than laborious trifling. One of his brethren of great abilities was so fond of retirement and study, that he was averse to settling with a congregation and to any public services: To him he thus addressed in 1724; "I am sorry that you think of spending your life in a hermitage, in this learned and polite luxury. God hath endowed you with capacities, which are not always to be buried in retirement. So bright a lamp was not lighted up to consume in a sepulchre, but to be fixed on an eminence, where its rays may be diffused with public advantage, and conduct many through this gloomy desart to the regions of eternal glory.

I hope therefore and believe, it is your constant care to make all your studies subservient to the views of such services. When providence calls you to a more public appearance, I hope you will be willing to quit your cell, charming as it is, that you may enter upon employments at least more important, if not more delicate, than those, which you now pursue. This is a piece of self-denial, which duty requires us to submit to; and which will be acceptable to God in proportion to our fondness for those elegancies, which we are contented to interrupt and postpone, that we may attend to the advancement of his kingdom and interest. We know the applause of our heavenly master will be an abundant recompence for all the pleasures we have given up for his sake; and before we receive that public remuneration, we shall find such entertainment in the exercise of benevolence to our fellow-creatures, and the hope of promoting their everlasting felicity, as we shall never find in conversing with Virgil or Tully, Pliny or Addison, or any of the favourite attendants of our solitude."When he saw any of his pupils or younger brethren indolent, or not applying their time and talents to the care of souls, he would freely expostulate with them; and if ever his zeal was excessive, it was here. When he saw, how much was needful to be done for Christ and souls, and how little really was done, by many persons of great abilities and religious characters, his spirit was moved within him. He took occasion, therefore, when he preached before his brethren, to urge every consideration and motive, that was likely to increase their activity. His discourse on "The Evil and Danger of Neglecting the Souls of Men," contains many forcible arguments on this head, sufficient to rouse the spirit of every minister, that is not sunk into stupidity.

He esteemed it a fault in some worthy ministers, that they were backward to engage in public services, at the stated assemblies of ministers, and on occasional days of prayer or thanksgiving. The multiplicity of his business and the importance of his domestic engagements, might have been a reasonable apology for his absence from such meetings, or for being generally excused from performing any part of the service; yet he was seldom absent, except hindered by sickness, and made no difficulty of complying with the desire of his brethren to take a share of the work. He thought, that for ministers to decline, or to need much entreaty, to engage on such occasions, was disrespectful to their brethren, and was setting a bad example before their young associates; while it seemed to furnish their

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