caution, and carefully examined his heart, lest any mean, unworthy motives should influence him. He foresaw some inconveniences attending a settlement there, but professed his readiness to expose himself to them, if he was convinced that duty required it. After he had weighed all circumstances, consulted his wisest friends, and sought divine direction, he chose to decline both these applications, though a settlement at Nottingham would have been greatly favourable to his worldly interest. "I desire," saith he, " upon the whole, to make this use of the affair, to be so much the more diligent in study, and watchful in devotion; since I see, that if ever Providence fixes me with any considerable society, I shall find a great deal to exercise my gifts and graces, and have less time for study and retirement, than I have here."

CHAP. III.

HIS ENTRANCE ON THE WORK OF A TUTOR.

WHEN he left the academy, his tutor, Mr. Jennings, a few weeks before his death, much pressed him to keep in view the improvement of his course of academical lectures, and to study in such a manner, as to refer what occurred to him, to the compendiums which his tutor had drawn up, that they might be illustrated and enriched. Mr. Doddridge did not then suspect, what he afterwards learned, that Mr. Jennings had given it as his judgment, that, if it should please God to remove him early in life, he thought Mr. Doddridge the most likely of any of his pupils, to pursue the schemes which he had formed; and which, indeed,

were very far from being complete, as he died about eight years after he had undertaken that profession.

During this his pupil's settlement at Kibworth, he, agreeable to the advice of his tutor, reviewed his course of lectures with care. An ingenious young gentleman, Mr. Thomas Benyon, son of Dr. Samuel Benyon, a celebrated minister and tutor at Shrewsbury, who died in 1708, had thoughts of attempting to revive the scheme of his deceased father. In conversation one day with Mr. Doddridge, the discourse turned upon the best method of conducting the preparatory studies of young men intended for the ministry. Mr. Benyon earnestly desired he would write down his thoughts upon the subject. This he did, as a letter to his friend, which grew into a considerable volume. But when he had just finished this work, his friend, for whose use it was principally intended, died, and the treatise remained in his own hands. The Reverend Mr. Saunders of Kettering, happening to see it in his study, borrowed it, and showed it to the Reverend Dr. Watts, with whom Mr. Doddridge had then no personal acquaintance. Dr. Watts was much pleased with the plan, made some remarks upon it, and showed it to several of his friends, who all joined with him in an application to Mr. Doddridge, to solicit his attempting to carry it into execution. As they were then in a great measure strangers to him, Mr. Some was the person principally employed in managing this affair. He had long been well acquainted with Mr. Doddridge, and knew he had every important and desirable qualification for the instruction of youth. He therefore proposed his undertaking it, and pressed it in the strongest manner. He would by no means allow the validity of his plea of incapacity; but urged, that, supposing him less capable than his friends believed, he might improve his time in that retirement, when engaged in such a work with a few pupils, to greater advantage, than without them. Mr. Some had likewise, unknown to him, engaged the friends of some young men, to place them under his

care, and thereby prevented another objection, which might have arisen; and Mr. Saunders offered his own brother to be the first pupil of this intended academy. What the state of his mind was, while this affair was in agitation, will appear from this extract; "I do most humbly refer this great concern to God, and am sincerely willing the scheme should be disappointed, if it be not consistent with the greater purposes of his glory, yea will not be remarkably subservient to them. I depend upon him for direction in this affair, and assistance and success, if I undertake it. While I am waiting his determination, I would apply more diligently to my proper business, and act more steadily by the rules I have laid down for my conduct. May he grant, that in all my schemes relating to public service, I may, as much as possible, divest myself of all regard to my own ease and reputation, and set myself seriously to consider, what I can do for the honour of the Redeemer, and the good of the world!"

Before this affair was quite determined, he acknowledgeth it as a kind providence, that the dissenting ministers in that neighbourhood agreed to meet at Lutterworth, April 10, 1729, to spend a day in humiliation and prayer for the revival of religion. Upon that occasion Mr. Some preached that admirable discourse, which was afterwards printed, concerning the proper methods to be taken by ministers for the revival of religion in their respective congregations, from Rev. iii. 2. Mr. Doddridge appears to have been greatly impressed with that discourse, as many other ministers have been. It led him to form and record some particular purposes, concerning his conduct as a minister, grounded upon the advices contained in it. To this assembly Mr. Some proposed the scheme he had concerted for the establishment of an Academy at Harborough, under the care of his young friend. The ministers unanimously concurred with him in their sentiments of the propriety and usefulness of the scheme and Mr. Doddridge's qualifications for conducting it; and promised all the assistance and encourage

ment in their power. This had great weight in forming his determination. He consulted some of his brethren and friends at a distance, particularly Dr. Clark. They likewise urged his undertaking this design, and at length he consented to it. One thing which much encouraged him to enter upon this office, was, the circumstance of his retreat at Harborough ; the pastoral care of the congregation there, and at Kibworth, Mr. Some diligently fulfilled; so that he had little to do as a minister, but to preach once a week. These were some of his reflections and resolutions upon the undertaking: " Providence is opening upon me a prospect of much greater usefulness than before, though attended with vast labour and difficulty. In divine strength I go forth to the work, and resolve upon the most careful and vigorous discharge of all the duties incumbent upon me, to labour for the instruc tion and watch for the souls of my pupils. I intend to have some discourse with them on the Lord's-Day evenings upon subjects of inward religion. I will endeavour to give a serious turn to our conversation at other times, and always bear them on my heart before God with great tenderness and affection. I will labour to keep such an inspection over them as may be necessary to discover their capacities, tempers, and failings, that I may behave in a suitable manner to them. In all I will maintain a humble dependence on divine influences, to lead me in the path of duty and prudence; and enable me to behave in a way answerable to the character in which I appear, and those agreeable expectations, which many of my friends have entertained of me. Considering the work before me, I would set myself with peculiar diligence to maintain and increase the life of religion in my own soul, and a constant sense of the divine presence and love. For I find, when this is maintained, nothing gives me any considerable disquiet, and I have vigour and resolution of spirit to carry me through my labours. When I am conscious of the want of this, and any inconsisten

cy of behaviour towards the divine Being, it throws a damp upon my vigour and resolution; yea upon all the other pleasures of life. In order to maintain this habitual delightful sense of God, I would frequently renew my dedication to him, in that covenant, on which all my hopes depend, and my resolutions for universal, zealous obedience. I will study redeeming love more, and habitually resign myself and all my concerns to the divine disposal. I am going to express and seal these resolutions at the Lord's table: and may this be the happy period, from which shall commence better days of religion and usefulness, than I have ever yet known!"

He now revived his plan of academical studies, with Dr. Watts's remarks, and corresponded with him upon the subject. He read every valuable book on the education of youth, which he could meet with, and made such extracts as he thought might be serviceable in carrying on his design. Besides which, I find he wrote many letters to ministers of different denominations, with whom he was acquainted, desiring their advice in this great undertaking; particularly the Rev. Dr. Samuel Wright, of London, who favoured him with his sentiments at large, especially on the subject of divinity lectures. He thought it his wisdom to make trial first in a more private way, with two or three pupils, declining to receive others that offered.

Accordingly, at Midsummer, 1729, he opened his Academy. His first lecture to his pupils was of the religious kind; showing the nature, reasonableness, and advantages of acknowledging God in their studies. The next contained directions for their behaviour to him, to one another, to the family, and all about them; with proper motives to excite their attention to them: then he proceeded to common lectures.-The wise observers of providence will see the loving kindness of God to the Church, in thus leading him into an office, which he discharged in so honourable and useful a manner. What hath been observed likewise