Live, while you live,' the Epicure would say, "I live in Pleasure, when I live to Thee.' His Attempts to do good, and to promote and encourage the Zeal of others, beyond the Limits of his own Congregation and Family. W unpa E have feen what uncommon and almost ralleled Diligence Dr. Doddridge exercised, and with what Care he applied himself to the Duties of his Station, as a Paftor and a Tutor. But that Zeal for GoD and pious Concern for the Salvation of Men, which glowed in his Breaft and led him to this Diligence, carried him yet further; and excited him to embrace every Opportunity of doing good to the Souls of his Fellow-creatures. He often converfed with Strangers, whom he accidentally met with, about their religious Concerns in a prudent and friendly Manner. There are some Instances of this Kind mentioned in his Papers, where he had Reafon to hope, that a serious lafting Impreffion was made upon their Hearts by fuch Converfation.He generally at tended tended the condemned Malefactors at Northampton, with a compaffionate View to promote their Salvation. Befides converfing and praying with them, he expounded and preached to them; and once he expounded the fifty-firft Pfalm to feveral, who were to fuffer together, with which they feemed to be much affected. Moreover, he laboured to quicken all, to whom he had Accefs, to pious and benevolent Services, and to affift and encourage thofe, who were employing their Time and Abilities in them.-————He thought a prudent active Zeal for the Interest of Religion, one of the best Evidences of a pious Heart. Thus, writing to a Friend, he faith, I am just re• turned from visiting your Relation. I find her in a peaceable and happy State, amidst almoft total Blindness, Deafnefs and other Infirmities of Age. She is not indeed favoured with fuch fenfible Supports and Manifeftations of the divine Love, as she could wifh; but hath, what I think yet more defirable, a moft affectionate Zeal for the Glory of GOD and Good of Men, and talks with fuch a hearty Concern for the Interest of real Religion, as revived my Heart.'He greatly lamented the Indolence of many chriftian Minifters; even fome that were most distinguished for their philofophical and critical Learning. While he faw no Evidence that it was applied to the grand Ends of the Miniftry, he looked upon it as little better than laborious trifling. One of his Brethren of great Abilities was fo fond of Retirement and Study, that he was averfe to fettling with a Congregation and to any public Services: To him he thus addreffed in 1724; I am forry, that you think of fpending your Life in a H 2 Hermitage, in this learned and polite Luxury. GoD hath endowed you with Capacities, which are not always to be buried in Retirement. So bright a Lamp was not lighted up to confume in a Sepulchre, but to be fixed on an Eminence, where its Rays may be diffufed with public Advantage, and conduct many thro' this gloomy Defart to the Regions of eternal Glory. I hope therefore and believe, it is your conftant Care to make all your Studies fubfervient to the Views of fuch Services. When Providence calls you to a more public Appearance, I hope you will be willing to quit your Cell, charming as it is, that you may enter upon Employments at least more important, if not more delicate, than thofe, which you now purfue. This is a Piece of Self-denial, which Duty requires us to fubmit to; and which will be acceptable to GoD in Proportion to our Fondness for thofe Elegancies, which we are contented to interrupt and poftpone, that we may attend to the Advancement of his Kingdom and Intereft. We know the Applause of our heavenly Mafter will be an abundant Recompence for all the Pleasures we have given up for his fake; and before we receive that public Remuneration, .6 we fhall find fuch Entertainment in the Exercife of Benevolence to our Fellow-creatures, and the Hope of promoting their everlasting Felicity, as we fhall never find in converfing with Virgil or Tully, Pliny or Addifon, or any of the Favourite-attendants of our Solitude.'- -When he faw any of his Pupils or younger Brethren indolent, or not applying their Time and Talents to the Care of Souls, he would freely expoftulate with them; and if ever his Zeal was was exceffive, it was here. When he faw, how much was needful to be done for Chrift and Souls, and how little really was done, by many Perfons of great Abilities, and religious Characters, his Spirit was moved. within him. He took Occafion, therefore, when he preached before his Brethren, to urge every Confideration and Motive, that was likely to increafe their Activity. His Difcourfe on The Evil and Danger of ́ neglecting the Souls of Men, contains many forcible Arguments on this Head, fufficient to roufe the Spiritof every Minifter, that is not funk into Stupidity.---He efteemed it a Fault in fome worthy Minifters, that they were backward to engage in public Services, at the stated Affemblies of Minifters, and on occafional Days of Prayer or Thanksgiving. The Multiplicity of his Bufinefs and the Importance of his domeftic Engagements, might have been a reasonable Apology for his Abfence from fach Meetings, or for being generally excufed from performing any Part of the Service: Yet he was feldom abfent, except hindred by Sickness, and made no Difficulty of complying with the Defire of his Brethren to take a Share of the Work. He thought, that for Minifters to decline, or to need much Entreaty, to engage on fuch Occafions, was difrefpectful to their Brethren, and was fetting a bad Example before their young Affociates; while it feemed to furnish their Hearers with fome-. thing of a plaufible Pretence for refufing to engage in focial Prayer, or even to pray in their own Families: On this Principle he was determined to act, tho' he might be, as he fometimes was, charged with Vanity and Love of Applaufe for fo doing.-In Order to make the Meetings of Ministers turn to a better Account H 3 Account, than he feared they had generally done, he endeavoured to promote more regular Associations ; that the Hands of each other might be ftrengthened by united Confultation and Prayer, and that they might concur in fome Schemes for the Revival of Religion. What he attempted of this Kind, may be feen in the Preface to the Sermon above-mentioned; and the attentive Reader of it will perceive, how well it was adapted to promote Piety, Zeal and Love among Minifters and their Congregations. He was folicitous, that fomething more might be done among the diffenting Churches, towards the Propagation of Christianity abroad, and spreading it in fome of the darker Parts of our own Land. His Scheme for this Purpose may be seen in the fame Preface: It would too much fwell this Work to infert either of the Plans in it. I mention them in this Connection, as Evidences of his fervent Zeal to ferve the Caufe of Christianity and vital Religion; and it is hoped the Publication of them hath tended to infpire a like Zeal into others. With the fame Views, he generously contributed towards publishing fome practical Books in the Welsh Language. He was a hearty Friend to the Succefs of a Society in Scotland, for propagating chrifiian Knowledge, especially in North-America, of which he was a correfponding Member. He lamented that there were fo few Miffionaries among the Indians near our Settlements there; and was very defirous to train-up fome ferious Youths of good Health and Refolution to be employed in that Capacity. Two of his Pupils were educated with this View, and would chearfully have gone upon the Service; but their nearest Relations would not permit them. |