Mr. Doddridge, and knew he had every important and defirable Qualification for the Inftruction of Youth. He therefore propofed his undertaking it, and preffed it in the ftrongest Manner. He would by no means allow the Validity of his Plea of Incapacity; but urged, that, fuppofing him lefs capable than his Friends believed, he might improve his Time in that Retirement, when engaged in fuch a Work with a few Pupils, to greater Advantage, than without them. Mr. Some had likewise, unknown to him, engaged the Friends of fome young Men, to place them under his Care, and thereby prevented another Objection, which might have arifen; 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 fincerely .་ willing the Scheme should be disappointed, if it be not confiftent with the greater Purposes of his Glory, yea will not be remarkably fubfervient to them. I depend upon him for Direction in this Af‹ fair, and Assistance and Succefs, if I undertake it. • While I am waiting his Determination, I would apply more diligently to my proper Bufinefs, and act more fteadily 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 poffible, diveft myfelf of all Regard to my own Ease < and Reputation, and fet myfelf feriously to confider, what I can do for the Honour of the Redeemer, and the Good of the World!'

Before

Before this Affair was quite determined, he acknowledgeth it as a kind Providence, that the diffenting Minifters 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 Occafion Mr. Some preached that admirable Difcourfe, which was afterwards printed, concerning the proper Methods to be taken by Minifters for the Revival of Religion in their respective Congregations, from Revel. iii. 2. Mr. Doddridge appears to have been greatly impreffed with that Difcourfe, as many other Minifters have been. It led him to form and record fome particular Purposes, concerning his Conduct as a Minifter, grounded upon .the Advices contained in it. To this Affembly Mr. Some propofed the Scheme he had concerted for the Establishment of an Academy at Harborough, under the Care of his young Friend. The Minifters unanimoufly 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 Affiftance and Encouragement in their Power. This had great Weight in forming his Determination. He confulted fome of his Brethren and Friends at a distance, particularly Dr. Clark, They likewife 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 Circumftance of his Retreat at Harborough; the paftoral Care of the Congregation there and at Kibworth, Mr. Some diligently fulfilled; fo that he had. little to do as a Minister, but to preach once a Week. These were fome of his Reflections and Refolutions

upon

་

upon the Undertaking; Providence is opening upon me a Prospect of much greater Usefulness than ▾ before, tho' attended with vast Labour and Difficulty. In divine Strength I go forth to the Work, and refolve upon the most careful and vigorous Discharge of all the Duties incumbent upon me, · to labour for the Inftruction and watch for the Souls ' of my Pupils. I intend to have fome Difcourfe with them on the Lord's Day-evenings upon Subjects of inward Religion. I will endeavour to give a ferious 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 fuch an Inspection over them, as may be necessary to discover their Capacities, Tempers and Failings, that I may behave in a fuitable Manner to them. In all I will maintain a humble Depen⚫dence 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. Confidering the Work before me, I would fet myfelf with peculiar Diligence to maintain and increase the Life of Religion in my own Soul, and a conftant Senfe of the divine Prefence and Love. For, I find, when this is maintained, nothing gives me any confiderable Difquiet, and I have Vigour ' and Refolution of Spirit to carry me thro' my Labours. When I am confcious of the Want of I this, and any Inconfiftency of Behaviour towards the divine Being, it throws a Damp upon my Vigour and Refolution; yea upon all the other

་

• Plea

• Pleafures of Life. In Order to maintain this ha⚫bitual delightful Senfe of GOD, I would frequent

ly renew my Dedication to him, in that Covenant,

on which all my Hopes depend, and my Refolu⚫tions for univerfal, zealous Obedience. I will study < redeeming Love more, and habitually refign my• felf 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 fhall commence better Days of Religi on and Usefulness, than I have ever yet known!' He now reviewed his Plan of academical Studies, with Dr. Watts' Remarks, and correfponded with him upon the Subject. He read every valuable Book on the Education of Youth, which he could meet with, and made fuch Extracts as he thought might be ferviceable in carrying on his Defign. Befides which, I find he wrote many Letters to Minifters of dif ferent Denominations, with whom he was acquainted, defiring their Advice in this great Undertaking; particularly the reverend 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 Midfummer, 1729, he opened his Academy. His first Lecture to his Pupils was of the religious Kind; fhewing the Nature, Reafonableness 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

excite their Attention to them: Then he proceeded to common Lectures.- -The wife Obfervers of Providence will see the Loving-kindness of God to the Church, in thus leading him into an Office, which he discharged in fo honourable and ufeful a Manner. What hath been obferved likewife fhews the great Caution with which he undertook this Charge, and the deep Sense he had of its Weight and Importance; and for thefe Reasons I have been fo particular in relating the Progrefs of this Affair.

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M

CHA P. IV.

His Settlement at NORTHAMPTON.

R. Doddridge had been employed as a Tutor but a few Months, when Providence directed him to a Station of greater mi

nifterial Usefulness. The diffenting Congregation at Caftle-hill, in Northampton, being vacant by the Removal of their Paftor, Mr. Tingey, to London, he preached occafionally to them, with other neighbouring Ministers. His Services were so acceptable to the People, that they invited and strongly urged him, to accept the paftoral Charge of them. Some of his Brethren, particularly Mr. Some, advifed his Continuance at Harborough; as he would, by his Connection with Mr. Some, have more Time to apply to his Work as a Tutor, than if he had the

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