to take in the sense of every clause; and so, as the thoughts lie thick, and the connection is very obscure, the contents are frequently as large as the chapter. I intend to contract them at last, and to form a second scheme, which will indeed be a kind of skeleton, where I shall omit all illustrations, digressions, transitions, devotional reflections, and practical quotations; and only exhibit in a very few words the propositions and proofs of the argumentative part of these writers. As I go along I make use of those four commentators which I have. I find Locke of far greater service to me than any of the rest. I own I cannot fall in with his exposition of many particular texts; but I have very little to except against his general scheme, and his division of the matter, which seems to me to throw an additional light upon the whole."

It is worthy of remark that we here discover the origin or basis of that great work, the "Family Expositor," upon which more than twenty years were subsequently expended, in connection with other duties.

Scarcely had Doddridge entered on his regular ministerial duties at Kibworth, before pressing invitations were addressed to him to visit other much larger and wealthier churches, as a candidate for the pastorate. Congregations in the city of Coventry, at Pershore in Worcestershire, and in London, all strove to obtain his labors, and many temptations of various kinds might have allured him away, had not a strong sense of duty compelled his continuance with his small and poor flock. His answer to all of

them was substantially the same: he was but in his twenty-second year, his mental furniture was comparatively small, and he needed much study and experience to prepare him for situations of so much importance and magnitude.

To his Brother, the Rev. John Nettleton.

"BURTON, Dec. 8, 1724.

"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 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 your 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 find it most useful to join reading and reflection, and would not entirely depend either on 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. 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 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 favorite. It is impossible to tell you how much I am charmed with the devotion, good sense, and pathos which are everywhere to be found in that writer. I cannot, indeed, forbear looking upon him as one of the greatest orators that our nation ever produced, alike 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 had raised him up to disgrace and condemn his brethren, by showing what a Christian is, and how few in the world deserve the character."

It is pleasant to see here how Doddridge had improved in his piety and theology during the three years which had elapsed since he wrote, "In practical divinity, Tillotson is my principal favorite, and next to him Barrow and Scott. We have some of Goodwin's works in the library, and some of the great Dr. Owen's; but you know I am not very fond of such mysterious men."

In addition to the general rules of conduct which Mr. Doddridge had prescribed to himself at an earlier period, the following rules were laid down by him in regard to his ministerial duties at Kibworth:

"1. I will spend some extraordinary time in pri

vate devotion every Lord's day, morning or evening, as opportunity may offer, and will then endeavor to preach over to my own soul that doctrine which I preach to others.

'2. I will take every second evening in the week, in which I will spend half an hour in devotional exercises on such subjects relative to the congregation as I think most suitable on that occasion.

"3. At the close of every week and month, I will spend some time in its review, that I may see how time has been improved, innocence secured, duties discharged, and whether I advance or lose ground in religion.

'4. When I have an affair of more than ordinary importance before me, or meet with any remarkable occurrence, either merciful or afflictive, I will set apart some time for contemplation and to seek God upon it.

“5. I will more particularly devote some time every Friday to seek God, on account of those who recommend themselves to my prayers, and to pray for the public welfare.

"6. In all the duties of the oratory, I will endeavor to maintain a serious and affectionate temper.

"I am sensible that I have a heart which will incline me to depart from God. May his Spirit strengthen and sanctify it, so that I may find him in such seasons of retirement, and that my heavenly Father may accept me here, and at length openly reward me through Jesus Christ. Amen."

To his Sister, Mrs. Nettleton.

“BURTON, February 17, 1725.

"I would not put you to so much confusion as

would probably arise from the mention of the words

brother and sister, which might perhaps lead your thoughts to recollect a sort of distant relationship between us, that I once thought myself exceedingly happy in possessing. I therefore take the liberty humbly to insinuate that a few lines from your fair hand in answer to two quarto pages which I sent you about a quarter of a year ago, would be exceedingly agreeable to

"Your most obedient servant,

"PHILIP DODDRIDGE."

To his Brother, the Rev. John Nettleton.

"BURTON, August 5, 1725.

"I continue to spend an hour a day on Baxter, whom I admire more and more. And I spend another on Homer, which I read in the original, with Pope's translation and notes. I have as yet read only to the end of the eighth Iliad; but, as far as I can judge, this is one of the finest translations in the English language, and what is very extraordinary, it appears to the best advantage when compared with the original. I have read both carefully so far, and written remarks as I went along; and I think I can prove that where Pope has omitted one beauty, he has added or improved four."

The Rev. Job Orton, Doddridge's first and principal biographer, states that his remarks on Homer were sufficient to form a considerable volume.

We seldom read the lives of distinguished servants of God without being impressed with the divine goodness in preserving them from death in seasons of imminent danger. Doddridge furnished no exception