Page images
PDF
EPUB

to an acknowledgment of the truth which he now despises, and prevent the mischief which his fallacious discourse may otherwise do among those unhappy people, who have made it their interest to disbelieve Christianity, and are therefore searching out for any shadow of argument to support their consistency*.

And thus, dear sir, I have performed the task which you were pleased to impose, and most humbly submit these reflections to your candid examination and correction. It is a matter of so great importance, that I would not willingly be imposed upon, as I find I frequently am, by plausible shadows of argument. If I am so here, I beg you would set me

* No doubt can now be entertained but that Anthony Collins, Esq. was in principle a deist. With regard to his sincerity it may be observed, that as a man of fortune, and liberal education, he had in early life but little temptation to seek the vulgar distinction of bewildering the crowd. Indeed his conduct was at first so irreproachable, that he became the intimate and chosen friend of the immortal Locke, who in a letter to Collins thus addresses him: "If I were now setting out in the world I should think it my great happiness to have such a friend as you, who had a true relish of truth, would in earnest seek it with me, from whom I might receive it undisguised, and to whom I might communicate what I thought true freely. Believe it, my good friend, to love truth for truth's sake is the principal part of human perfection in this world, and the seed-plot of all other virtues ; and, if I mistake not, you have as much of it as I ever met with in any body." Perhaps if Locke had lived, his influence upon the mind of his friend would have led to the most happy results; as it was, Collins gradually sunk into the mere tool of a party; and in his latter writings betrayed a greater anxiety to pervert and confuse the judgment than to enlighten or convince the understanding. In private life his character was excellent, and in his public capacities as a Magistrate and as Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Essex, his conduct was highly honourable.

right, nor do I know where I could make a more successful application.

I shall expect the favour of your answer with a great deal of impatience. I know, sir, your moments are too important to be spent in trifling purposes, and that nothing will engage you to bestow them upon me, but the prospect of doing me good. I do therefore earnestly desire, that you would send me whatever directions you think proper as to the most profitable method of conducting my studies in this happy retirement, where I have a great deal of leisure; with any other instructions which may be of service to me, either as to my Christian, or ministerial conduct. Above all, I beg that you will grant me a frequent remembrance in your prayers, to the effect that God would give me wisdom and grace, and would so assist me both in my private studies and in my public ministrations, as that my poor attempts of service may be honourable to him, useful to the world, and comfortable to myself. I am, with the utmost gratitude and respect, Reverend Sir, Your most obliged and most humble Servant,

PHILIP DODDRIDGE.

TO MY BROTHER.

DEAR BROTHER,

Burton, Dec. 8, 1724, Tuesday.

I RECEIVED yours and my sister's of November the 7th with abundant satisfaction. The very superscription revived me, as it gave me ocular assurance that

you

your

were still in the land of the living; a fact of which I began to be in some doubt. I heartily accept your apology, as I know both you and her too well to mistake silence for unkindness. My temper does not incline me to uneasy suspicions, nor will the agreeable and friendly manner with which you have always treated me leave any room for them. I take this opportunity of sending by a friend; and I choose rather to write a few lines now than a great many a few days hence, as it would then put you to an unnecessary charge.

I heartily thank you for the advice which you give me with relation to solitude, which I easily apprehend to be very useful, and which I remember my Lord Shaftesbury and Dr. Burnet do both very earnestly recommend. I find it most useful to join reading and reflection, and would not entirely depend either upon myself or others. I find there are many in the world who make a considerable figure, not only as preachers but as writers, who subsist entirely upon transcribing other men's thoughts. This is a degree of humility to which I have not yet attained. And yet on the other hand, I plainly perceive that I have not yet genius enough to live upon the ....* if you will pardon so hoggish a phrase, which perhaps is not so utterly unsuitable at Christmas as it would be at Whitsuntide. In short, I consider books as a food we ordinary sort of animals cannot live without; and yet we may possibly be overcharged, if we cram ourselves with more than we can digest. I

The word omitted is wanting in the original.

have a pretty keen appetite, and would rather take up with any than with none; and yet, as I have a great variety at command, I am pretty nice in point of choice. I have lately been reading Barrow's works, and Pearson upon the Creed, which I have studied with great care. I have now before me Burnet on the Articles, in which I meet with very agreeable entertainment. Baxter is my particular favourite, and it is impossible to tell you how much I am charmed with the devotion, good sense, and pathos, which are every where to be found in that writer. I cannot indeed forbear looking upon him as one of the greatest orators that our nation ever produced, both with regard to copiousness, acuteness, and energy and, if he has described the temper of his own heart, he appears to have been so far superior to the generality of those whom we must charitably hope to be good men, that one would imagine God raised him up to disgrace and condemn his brethren, by showing what a Christain is; and how few in the world deserve the character! I have lately been reading his Gildas Salvianus, which has cut me out some work among my people, that will take me off from so close an application to my private studies as I could otherwise covet; but may, I hope, answer some valuable purposes, both with regard to myself and others.

I thought to enter into a more particular account of my scheme of study, preaching, and visiting, that I might have your advice, for which, without the least compliment, I have a very high esteem, but I must refer it, to some other opportunity. In the mean time, send me such directions as you think

proper, and I shall receive them very thankfully. I have not yet seen Watts's Logick, but I bespoke it when last in London, and expect it very speedily, with Howe, Bates, Prideaux, the Spectator, and Guardian, and a great many other good books. With them will arrive Pearse's Paraphrase on the Colossians, which I have never yet seen, but of which Mr. Burroughs sends me an extraordinary character, and tells me that he intends to go through all which Locke has left untouched. I am glad to hear that my cousin Philip is getting into business, and thinks of any thing higher than the animal life. As for the stock, with which he is to enter into partnership with a considerable trader, I suppose it is in the next lottery! unless the reversion of the estate be to be sold for that purpose. I have not yet heard from him, which I am not much surprised at, considering the sedentary deliberate temper of most of our family. I talked in the beginning of a few lines, but I have run on to a shameful length.

I am your most affectionate Brother,

PHILIP DODDRIDGE.

TO MY SISTER.

DEAR SISTER,

Dec. 8, 1724, Tuesday Morning. I AM very well, a fact which I seldom mention, but always imply; and in great haste, another which I often mention, but seldom regard when I am writing

« PreviousContinue »