Confent to republish it at the clofe of this Work, and I hope it will be efteemed an agreeable Part of it.

Dr. Doddridge was rather above the middle Stature, extremely thin and flender; and there appeared a remarkable Sprightliness and Vivacity in his Countenance and Manner, when engaged in Conversation, as well as in the Pulpit, which commanded a general Attention. He left four Children; a Son, who is an Attorney at Law, and three Daughters; the eldest married to Mr. Humphreys, an Attorney in Tewksbury, Gloucestershire; the others fingle. And may they inherit all their Father's Virtues, and the many Bleffings which he befought for them!

Thus have I endeavoured, in the beft Manner I was able, to give the Public an Account of those Circumftances in Dr. Doddridge's Life, Temper and Character, which appeared to me most important and inftructive. I have, in the Preface to this Work, anticipated fome Things, which might properly have been added as the Conclufion of the whole. I fhall therefore content myself with expreffing my chearful Hope, that my Readers are deeply fenfible how excellent and honourable fuch a Life, as the Doctor led, must be in itself; and what conftant Satisfaction and Pleasure he must have enjoyed, from fuch a Course of uniform, active Services for the Honour of his Lord and the Interest of Religion, and from the Success which attended them; especially from the Profpect of that glorious Reward, which was laid-up for him in Heaven: And I hope they will be excited and animated, by this Conviction, to emulate his Excellencies and follow his Steps, as far as their respective Abilities, Stations and Circumstances in Life will

admit. I moft heartily wish them this Felicity: And I doubt not, but if they already poffefs it or are afpiring to it, they will join with me in intreating the Lord of the Harveft to fend forth more fuch faithful Labourers into his Harveft, and to pour out more of the fame Spirit on those who are already employed in it. It comforteth me, upon a Review of this Work, that I have, thro' the whole of it, fincerely confulted the Glory of GoD, the Advancement of real Religion, and the best Interests of my Fellow-christians, especially my Brethren in the Miniftry; and that it is the Happiness of great Wisdom and Goodness (I had almost said, it is a Part of its Reward) to be entertained and edified by the • Writings of thofe, who are much its Inferiors, and moft readily to exercife an Indulgence, which it• felf leaft needs.'

THE EN D.

3

A

POEM

To the Memory of the late Reverend

P. DODDRIDGE, D. D.

L

ONG have the Mufes feen their facred Lays
Debas'd, and mourn'd their prostituted Praise.
While fervile Bards profane their heav'nly Flame
To give Ambition's Fools and Madmen Fame;
While round the Tyrant's Brows, in Gore embru'd,
Their weeping Laurels blush with Orphan's Blood;
Neglected Virtue's humble Hero dies,

The Friend of Man, the Fav'rite of the Skies,
With not a Bard the fatal Blow to mourn,
And not a Bay to fhade his hallow'd Urn.

O would their raptur'd Sons exalt their Art,
To touch, in Virtue's Caufe, the gen'rous Heart,
And pay to Worth their tributary Praise,

DODDRIDGE, thy Name should grace their nobleft Lays!
For thee would warble ev'ry Verfe divine,

And ev'ry Voice, and ev'ry Lyre, be thine.

When Comets fhoot their wild eccentric Fire,
We dread their Progrefs, and with Pain admire;
When Lightnings flash along the livid Sky,
Trembling we gaze, and, while they fhine, we die;
Ev'n fuch are Heroes, by juft Heav'n defign'd
To fcourge the guilty Madness of Mankind.
Virtues like thine, ferene as vernal Day,

Pour on the World a mild and healing Ray:
They charm, with modeft Majefty, the Sight,

Chear the fad Soul of Care, and beam around Delight.

O Ever

O Ever-honour'd, Ever-dear, Adieu!
How many tender Names are loft in you!
Friend! Father! Tutor! in whofe ample Mind
All the ten thousand Streams of Science join'd.
If ardent Frayers, if flowing Sorrows fhed

In all the Bitterness of Soul, could plead,

Our Pray'rs, Bleft DODDRIDGE, had revers'd thy Doom,
And Tears of Thousands wept thee from the Tomb.
How mute the Music of that charming Tongue,
On which fo oft our rapt Attention hung!
Where's now the vivid Wit, the pleafing Art,
The Force of Reason, and the friendly Heart,
Whofe temper'd Pow'rs inform'd the focial Feaft,
And gave the Mind a more refin'd Repaft?
Who to the Temple of eternal Truth

Shall guide with fkilful Care our wand'ring Youth;
O'er darken'd Science fhed unclouded Day,

And ftrew with flow'ry Sweets her thorny Way?
Quench'd is our Prophet's Fire ;- -thofe Lips no more
Religion's pure and facred Treasures pour,
To holy Raptures wake the languid Frame,
And thro' the Breaft diffuse celeftial Flame.
No more o'er guilty Minds he shakes the Rod,
Arm'd with the Terrors of his awful GOD;
While chill'd with Horror ftarts the confcious Soul,
And hears appall'd th' avenging Thunders roll,
Sees vifionary Lightnings round her glow,
And trembles o'er the Gulf, that burns below.

Angels that from their sphery Thrones defcend
To guide the meek, the friendlefs to befriend,
To warm with holy Flames the pious Breaft,
And lull the Cares of Innocence to Reft,
Oft faw thee emulate their gen'rous Part,
To turn to Piety the wand'ring Heart;
Unwearied, ftedfaft, bold, in Virtue's Cause,
And by Example beft enforce her Laws;
Ardent to fuccour Want, confole Diftrefs;
Thy Wish, thy Labour, thy Delight to blefs;

And

And from their Stations look'd with Pleasure down
On Worth, allied fo nearly to their own.

Her Bays each Science scatters on thy Bier;
Each focial Virtue drops the friendly Tear;
Beneath a mould'ring Temple's awful Shade,
Among the folemn nodding Ruins laid,

Religion weeps; her Bofom fwell'd with Care
Heaves the fad Sigh, half yielding to Defpair:
But chearful Faith fuftains her drooping Head,
And whispers Comfort to the fainting Maid.
But ah! what Pow'r of Language can exprefs
Thy widow'd Confort's Woe? What keen Diftrefs
Tore all her Heart-strings, when thy trembling Sight
Snatch'd a fond, Farewell-glance, and clos'd in Night?
When the felt Pulfe, that at her Touch before
Beat with a fuller Tide, now throbb'd no more?
In foreign Lands abandon'd, and alone,

She heard a darling Hufband's parting Groan;
No Children there receiv'd his laft Command,

Wept round the Couch and kifs'd his dying Hand;
No fad Domeftic bore the fable Bier;

No mournful Pupil pour'd the tender Tear;
No foothing Friend to minifter Relief,

And by dividing mitigate her Grief:
She folitary brooded o'er her Care,

Her only Refuge plac'd in Heav'n and Prayer.
And when her native Country to regain,
She meafur'd back the wide-extended Main,
As the fleet Veffel flew before the Wind,
How many a melting Look fhe turn'd behind!
How, till in undiftinguifh'd Vapour loft,
Caught each faint Glimpfe of the receding Coaft,
Where now, for ever from her Eyes remov'd,
Lie the bleft Relicks of the Man fhe lov'd!
That dear fad Sight fhe never more muft view,
Her longing Eyes have look'd their laft Adieu :
That dear fad Sight he wishes now in vain,
While Ocean rolls unnumber'd Waves between.

Yet