and the Demerit of them, folemnly renouncing • them, and renewing my Covenant against them. I ⚫ will then confider, what Methods are proper to be

taken, that I may avoid them for the future. A ⚫ devotional Lecture to my Pupils will be an important Part of the Work of this Day. I will after that spend some time in Prayer for them, my Family and People. The Remainder of my Work fhall be Praise, with which I think I ought to conclude even Days of Humiliation; tho' fometimes a larger or fmaller Space of Time shall be ⚫ allotted to this Work, as peculiar Circumstances require. After a little Refreshment, I will converfe with fome of my Pupils privately about inward Religion; which I may do with fome peculiar Ad-· vantage, after having been lecturing to them on fuch a Subject, and fo particularly praying for them. I would spend the Evening in grave Converfation with fome pious Friends, with whom I can 'ufe great Freedom as to the State of their Souls:

And at Night review the whole, and conclude the 'Day with fome religious Exercises, fuited to the • Work in which I have been engaged, and the

Frame of my own Soul; and will keep an Account ⚫ of what paffeth at these Scafons. My God, affist me in this important Duty. Make it fo comfortable and useful to me, that I may have Reason to praise thee, that my Thoughts were directed and my Re• folutions determined to it.' With thefe pious Exercifes, and in this folemn Manner, did he enter on his Ministry at Northampton.

That he might be better qualified for, and quickened to, that large pastoral Work now devolved upon

him, he employed fome of the Time between his Settlement and Ordination, in reading the beft Treatifes of the Qualifications and Duties of Minifters; particularly Chryfoftom on the Priesthood, Bowles' Paftor evangelicus, Burnet on the paftoral Care, and Baxter's Gildas Salvianus. He likewise read the Lives of fome pious active Minifters; particularly of Mr. P. Henry, which he often spoke of as affording him much Instruction and Encouragement. He felected the most important Advices, Reflections and Motives contained in thefe Books, which he frequently reviewed, He alfo at this Time made a Collection of thofe Maxims of Prudence and Difcretion, which he thought demanded a Minister's Attention, if he defired to fecure Efteem and Usefulness.

About two Months after his Settlement at Northampton, it pleafed God to vifit him with a dangerous Illness, which gave his Friends many painful Fears, that the Refidue of his Years of Usefulnefs to them and to the World would be cut off. But, after a few Weeks of languishing, GoD mercifully restored his Health. While he was recovering, but yet in a very weak State, the Time came, which had been fixed for his Ordination. Of the Tranfactions of that Day, he has preserved the following Account. March 19, 1729-30. The afflicting Hand of GOD upon me hindered me from making that Preparation for the Solemnity of this Day, which I could otherwife have defired, and which might have anfwered fome valuable End. However, I hope it hath long been my fincere Defire to dedicate myself to GOD in the Work of the Ministry; and that the Views, with which I determined to

• under

• undertake the Office, and which I this Day fo⚫ lemnly profeffed, have long fince been fixed. The • Work of the Day was carried on in a very ho~ nourable and agreeable Manner. Mr. Goodrich of Oundle began with Prayer and reading the Scriptures. Mr. Davfon of Hinkley continued the Ex-. • ercife. Then Mr. Watson of Leicester preached a fuitable Sermon from 1 Tim. iii. 1. This is a true Saying, if a Man defire the Office of a Bishop, he defreth a good Work. Mr. Norris of Welford then read the Call of the Church, of which I declared my Acceptance: he took my Confeffion of Faith, ⚫ and Ordination-vows and proceeded to fet me apart by Prayer. Mr. Clark of St. Albans gave the Charge to me, and Mr. Saunders of Kettering the Exhortation to the People. Then Mr. Mattock of Daventry concluded the whole Solemnity with Prayer. I cannot but admire the Goodness of GOD to me in thus accepting me in the Office of a Minifier, who do not deferve to be owned by him as one of the meaneft of his Servants. But I firmly determine, in the Strength of divine Grace, that I will be faithful to GoD, and the Souls committed to my Charge; and that I will perform what I have fo folemnly fworn. The great Indifpofition under which I labour, gives me fome Apprehenfion, that this Settlement may be very fhort: but, thro' Mercy, I am not anxious about it. I have ⚫ fome chearful Hope, that the GoD, to whom I have this Day been, more folemnly than ever, devoting my Service, will graciously use me either in this World or à better; and I am not folicitous about ' particular Circumstances, where or how. If I know any

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any Thing of my Heart, I apprehend I may adopt the Words of the Apostle, that it is my earnest Ex•pectation and Hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, • but that Chrift shall be magnified in my Body, whether it be by Life or by Death; that, to me to live is Chrift, and to die unspeakable Gain. May this Day never be forgotten by me, nor the dear People committed to my Charge, whom I would humbly recommend to the Care of the great • Shepherd!'

The annual Return of his Ordination-day was obferved by him with fome peculiar Solemnity in his fecret Devotions. Thus he writes upon it; • It is

a

this Day, fifteen Years, fince I have borne the paftoral Office in the Church of Chrift. How many • Mercies have I received in this Character! But alas! how many Negligences and Sins have I to ⚫ be humbled for before GOD! Yet I can call him to record upon my Soul, that the Office is my Delight, and I would not refign the Pleasure of it for any Price, which the greatest Prince upon Earth • could offer me.'

His Difcharge of his Miniftry at NORTHAMPTON.

R. Doddridge having entered on the paftoral Office with fo much Serioufnefs and Solemnity, we are now to fee with how much Faithfulness and Zeal he performed his Vows, and fulfilled the Miniftry he had received of the Lord Jefus.- -It was his firft Care, as a Paftor, to know the State of his Flock. As it was large, and lay difperfed in most of the neighbouring Villages, he had frequent Meetings with the Deacons and a few other Perfons belonging to it, of whom he made particular Enquiries concerning the Members and ftated Hearers, their Names, Families, Places of Abode, Connections and Characters. He entered in a Book the Result of these Enquiries, and what other Intelligence of this Kind he could honourably procure. This Book he often confulted, that he night know how, in the most prudent and effectual Manner, to addrefs them in public and private; and made fuch Alterations from Time to Time in this Lift, as Births, Deaths, Additions, and his increafing Acquaintance with his People required. By this Lift he was directed in the Course of his faftoral Vifts, and could form fome Judgment what Degree of Succefs attended his Labours. Here he inferted the Names and Characters of the lowest Ser