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 Reverend Mr. Saunders of Kettering, happening to see it in his study, borrowed it, and shewed it to the Reverend 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 shewed 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 he 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 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 Reverend 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.

Accordingly, at Midsummer, 1729, he opened his academy. His first lecture to his pupils was of the religious kind; shewing 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

* Mr. Clark communicated to him various transcripts from the lectures of Mr. Jones, who had been a tutor of distinguished ability and learning, at Tewksbury in Gloucestershire.-K.

likewise shews 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 Castlehill, 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 connection 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 shew with how much caution he proceeded in this affair. The arguments urged by his friends abovementioned 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 was willing to shew 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; parti

cularly 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 intreaties 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 I was capable of performing, considering my age, the largeness 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