from time to time with such strong consolations, with such delightful effusions of his love, that, in this connection, I am his debtor for all these afflictions; and from this growing experience of his goodness, I am encouraged, and have determined, to leave myself with him, and to have no will, no interest of my own, separate from his. I have been renewing the dedication of myself and services to him, with as entire a consent of heart as I think myself capable of feeling; and with that calm acquiescence in him as my portion and happiness, which I would not resign for ten thousand worlds." But in far the greater part of the church under his care he had much comfort, and daily rejoiced over them in the Lord. So entire was the friendship that subsisted between them, that he declined invitations to settle in other places, particularly in London, where his secular interest would have been much advanced, out of the love he bore to his Northampton friends. His great concern was to do as much service for them, and be as little burthensome to them as possible; for he sought not theirs, but them. And most of them, in return, studied to honour and serve him, to strengthen his hands, and encourage his labours. He reckoned the

Providence, which fixed him with them, among the most singular blessings of his life; and in his last will, where he could not be suspected of flattery, he bears testimony to their character, observing, that he had spent the most delightful hours of his life in assisting the devotions of as serious, as grateful, and as deserving a people, as perhaps any minister ever had the honour and happiness to serve.' I mention this circumstance, as a motive to those of them who yet remain, not to forfeit the character he gave of them; and principally, as an encouragement to ministers to imitate his diligence, zeal, moderation, and contentment, if they wish to share in the esteem, comfort, and success with which he was honoured.

CHAP. VI.

HIS METHOD OF EDUCATION AND BEHAVIOUR AS A TUTOR.

It has been already observed (chap. iii.) what pains Dr. Doddridge took to furnish himself for this important and difficult office, upon what principles he had undertaken it, and what encouragement he met with in it, before his removal to Northampton. Upon his settlement there, and his worth being more known, the number of his pupils increased, so that, in the year 1734, he found it needful to have an assistant in this work, to whom he assigned part of the care of the junior pupils, and the direction of the academy, dur ing his absence. He was solicitous to maintain the esteem of his successive assistants in the family, by his own behaviour to them, and the respect which he required from the students to them: and they thought themselves happy in his friendship, and the opportunities they had, by his converse, instructions, and example, to improve themselves, while they were assisting in the education of others.

As the method of education in the seminaries of Protestant Dissenters is little known, it may be proper to give some general account of his; which bears a near resemblance to others of the kind. He chose to have as many of his students in his own family as his house would contain, that they might be more immediately under his eye and government. The orders of this seminary were such as suited a society of students; in a due medium between the rigour of school discipline, and an unlimited indulgence. he knew that diligence in redeeming their time was necessary to their attention to business, and improve

As

ment of their minds, it was an established law, that every student should rise at six o'clock in the summer, and seven in the winter. A monitor was weekly appointed to call them, and they were to appear in the public room soon after the fixed hour. Those who did not appear were subject to a pecuniary penalty, or, if that did not cure their sloth, to prepare an additional academical exercise; and the monitor's neglect was a double fine. Their tutor set them an example of diligence, being generally present with them at these early hours. When they were thus assembled, a prayer was offered up, suited to their circumstances, as students, by himself when present, or by them in their turns. Then they retired to their respective closets till the time of family worship. The Doctor began that service with a short prayer for the divine presence and blessing. Some of the students read a chapter of the Old Testament from Hebrew into English, which he expounded critically, and drew prac tical inferences from it; a psalm was then sung, and he prayed. But on the Lord's day mornings something entirely devotional and practical was read, instead of the usual exposition. In the evening the worship was conducted in the same method, only a chapter of the New Testament was read by the students from Greek into English, which he expounded; and the senior students in rotation prayed. They, who boarded in other houses in the town, were obliged to attend his family worship, and take their turns in reading and prayer, as well as to perform it in the several houses where they lived. Those who were absent from it were subject to a fine, and, if it were frequent, to a public reprehension before the whole society. By this method of conducting the religious services of his family, his pupils had an opportunity, during their course, of hearing him expound most of the Old Testament, and all the New Testament more than once, to their improvement as students and Christians. He recommended it to them to take hints of his illustrations and remarks, as what would

be useful to them in future life; especially if their situation or circumstances prevented their having the works of the best commentators. He advised them to get the Old Testament and Wetstein's Greek Testament, interleaved in quarto, in which to write the most considerable remarks for the illustration of the Scriptures, which occurred in his expositions, and in their own reading, conversation, and reflections. The Family Expositor sufficiently shows how worthy his remarks were of being written and retained, and how his family were daily entertained and instructed. Soon after breakfast, he took the several classes in their order, and lectured to each about an hour. His lectures were generally confined to the morning; as he chose to devote the afternoon to his private studies and pastoral visits. His assistant was employed at the same time in lecturing to those whom he had more immediately under his care. He has given some general account of the course of his pupils' studies in his short memoirs of the life and character of Mr. Thomas Steffe, so that I have little more to do on this head than transcribe it.

One of the first things he expected from his pupils was to learn Rich's Short-hand, which he wrote himself, and in which his lectures were written, that they might transcribe them, make extracts from the books they read and consulted, with ease and speed, and save themselves many hours in their future compositions. Care was taken in the first year of their course, that they should retain and improve that knowledge of Greek and Latin which they had acquired at school, and gain such knowledge of Hebrew, if they had not learned it before, that they might be able to read the Old Testament in its original language. A care very important and necessary! To this end, besides the course of lectures in a morning, classical lectures were read every evening, generally by his assistant, but sometimes by himself. If any of his pupils were deficient in their knowledge of Greek, the seniors, who were best skilled in it, were appoint

ed to instruct them at other times. Those of them, who chose it, were also taught French. He was more and more convinced, the longer he lived, of the great importance of a learned, as well as a pious education for the ministry. And finding that some who came under his care were not completely acquainted with classical knowledge, he formed a scheme to assist youths in their preparations for academical studies, who discovered a promising genius and a serious temper. He met with encouragement in this scheme from the countenance and contributions of many of his friends, and had some instructed under his eye; but as it only commenced about two years before his death, much progress could not be made in it. Systems of logic, rhetoric, geography, and metaphysics were read during the first year of their course, and they were referred to particular passages in other authors upon these subjects, which illustrated the points on which the lectures had turned. To these were added lectures on the principles of geometry and algebra. These studies taught them to keep their attention fixed, to distinguish their ideas with accuracy, and to dispose their arguments in a clear, concise, and convincing manner. -After these studies were finished, they were introduced to the knowledge of trigonometry, conic sections, and celestial mechanics.* A system of natural and experimental philosophy, comprehending mechanics, statics, hydrostatics, optics, pneumatics, and astronomy, was read to them; with references to the best authors on these subjects. This system was illustrated by a neat and pretty large philosophical apparatus; part of which was the gift of some of his friends, and the remainder purchased by a small contribution from each of the students at his entrance on that branch of

* A collection of important propositions, taken chiefly from Sir Isaac Newton, and demonstrated, independent of the rest. They relate especially, though not only, to centripetal and centrifugal forces.