THE late Rev. Richard Frost, of Yarmouth, was born September the 10th, 1700. His father, Mr. Richard Frost, was a respectable manufacturer in the city of Norwich, and a man of great spirituality and heavenly conversation. His son, who inherited much of his father's serious spirit, had early devoted himself to the work of the christian ministry; and, with that view, received a classical education, under the Rev. Mr. Pate, master of the Free-school in Norwich. But as the spirit of the times, in the latter end of Queen Anne's reign, was very unfavour able to religious liberty, and the Protestant Dissenters had the most alarming prospects before them, he was prevailed upon by his friends to suspend the prosecution of his studies, at least for a while, and to apply himself to trade. He still, however, kept his beloved object steadily in view, and with indefatigable zeal improved every opportunity to enlarge his literary acquisitions. Upon the accession of George the First to the throne, and the fair prospect of returning liberty, he joyfully relinquished all the flattering and lucrative prospects of trade, and resolved to pursue his studies for the ministry. He first entered upon his academical course under the direction of Dr. Ridgley, of London; and having spent three years in his academy, he went over to Holland, and entered himself a NEW SERIES, No. 10. student in the University of Utrecht. From thence he removed to Leyden, where he finished his course of education. In each situation, his serious yet cheerful spirit, his prudent conduct, and uncommon application, gained him a high reputation, both with the Professors and his fellow-students. Upon his return from Leyden, with the most honourable testimonials, in the year 1726, he preached for some time at Bradfield, in Norfolk; and about the year 1729, or 1730, he was called to Yarmouth to assist the Rev. Mr. Goodwin. Mr. Goodwin soon after removing to London, Mr. Frost was ordained pastor of the church in the year 1732; and for near thirty years he faithfully discharged his ministry, and supported the character of his profession, in that place. He was distinguished for the purity of his conversation, the holiness of his life, his zeal for the glory of God and the happiness of his fellowcreatures; and he was unwearied in supporting what he believed to be the uncorrupted doctrines of the Gospel; whilst it was his constant care to remind his hearers of the practical influence of those truths, and to enforce the precepts and example of Christ upon their hearts and consciences. His style of preaching was animated and pathetic, and he was peculiarly attentive to the circumstances of afflicted, meek, and discouraged Christians; supporting them with 3 T the cordial truths and reviving promises of the word of God. His conduct in life was remarkably uniform and exact; so that, if you knew him for a day, you knew the general and even tenor of his life. In summer, he constantly rose at five in the morning; and, except the interval for breakfast and family prayer, continued in his study till twelve. He returned to his study again, after dinner, till four; and from four to six he daily devoted to visiting his people, that by inquiring into the state of their minds, hearing their religious complaints, and observing their improvements and defects, he might the better adapt his public discourses to their circumstances, and promote their edification by his ministry. He seldom omitted composing two sermons every week; which, if they had not all the accuracy of more laboured compositions, had, perhaps, for that reason, the more of that simplicity, pathos, and sentiment, which constitute the real excellence of popular sermons. He was often desired to publish particular discourses, but seldom complied. A Sermon on the Death of Dr. Doddridge; a Harvest Sermon; a Sermon against Calumny and Slander; a Sermon against Drunkenness; a Sermon at the Ordination of the Rev. Mr. Tozer at Norwich; and a useful little piece, entitled "the Seaman's Manual," were all that he published. In the whole of his conversation and public discourses, he exalted the Redeemer; and while he insisted upon the necessity of holiness and purity of life, in the professors of the Gospel, he uniformly taught them to place their dependence upon the righteousness of Christ alone for their justification-believing this to be the way that God had chosen to glorify himself, in the salvation of sinners. His eager thirst after knowledge was not merely for his own present improvement; but that he might be thereby more thoroughly furnished for every part of his work, better promote the interests of his people, and serve the cause of his divine Lord and Master. Mr. Frost was twice married. His first wife was Miss Rebekah Martyn, the daughter of Richard Martyn, Esq. Merchant; by whom he had three children-two sons, Robert Martyn and Richard, and a daughter named Rebekah. Mrs. Frost died at Yarmouth, September 22d, 1739, in the 37th year of her age. He preached her funeral sermon from Jude, verse 21, "Looking for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life;" in which he says, "She rightly placed religion in the inner man, and judged that keeping the heart was at once the most needful and most difficult work in the world. It is a just note in her papers, concerning the wisdom of this world, and the wisdom from above, The former is a false fire, 'that diverts from straight and safe paths, to dangerous pits and precipices; the latter leads to sure ' and never-failing bliss, perhaps by painful steps, but it is to everlasting honour.'" After living a widower about four years, he married Miss Mary Marsh, a niece of Justice Marsh, of Norwich. Numerous and important as were his public engagements, he spent much time in the cultivation of personal religion. On the return of a birthday, he writes in his diary, "O my soul! art thou born again?-a most important question; to which I scarcely know what answer to return. Sometimes hope, sometimes fear, weighs down the scale. Oh, my God, show me the true state of my case! and, as I have lately in public been pressing others to become thy faithful servants, Oh let me not be the servant of sin, and the slave of Satan all the while! Clear up my evidences for a better world, and 66 make me more humble, circumspect, and diligent in my holy walk with thee. Oh that this may be the best year of my life, wherein I shall do most for God's glory, for advancing my own eternal interest, and promoting that of others!" On the date of June 17, 1746, he expresses himself much gratified with a visit he had paid to his endeared friend, Dr. Doddridge: "I have just returned from Northampton, after about fifteen days' absence from my family and friends at Yarmouth. I spent a week with my excellent friend Dr. Doddridge, who received me with the highest civility. I preached three times in the Doctor's pulpit, to a very attentive audience. The Doctor's family is one of the brightest instances of living religion I have any where met with. May the Great Head of the Church long preserve so useful a life, to diffuse the savour of vital religion through the whole county of Northampton; and may his edifying writings become a blessing to the Protestant cause, and an honour to the Dissenting interest!". Upon the lamented death of this truly useful and exemplary man, Mr. Frost was much affected; and, in a funeral sermon preached upon the occasion to his Yarmouth friends,expatiates pretty largely upon his character and writings. The text is taken from Rev. ii. 1. "These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks." And the circumstance which led him to the choice of it was, that it was the last passage of Scripture he ever heard the Doctor preach upon, when he attended at Sudbury, at the Rev. Mr. Hoxtall's ordination, in the month of May in the same year in which he died. It may not be improper to mention a circumstance alluded to in this discourse, which does not appear to be gene rally known; viz. that upon the decease of a worthy tutor among the Protestant Dissenters, (the Rev. Mr. Jennings,) the neighbouring ministers made a visit to Mr. Doddridge, and, with great importunity, pressed him to undertake that charge. He long resisted their solicitations, on account of his youth; but they continuing still to be importunate, he was at last persuaded to make a trial with four or five, and acquitted himself so well in the care of these, in the sentiments of proper judges, that it was unanimously agreed he should be set at the head of an academy. And to remove Mr. Doddridge's chief objection, that he could not faithfully fill up the two important characters of a pastor, to have the whole work of preaching and ministerial visits lie upon him, and that of a tutor, the congregation generously offered to choose him an assistant. Upon this, Mr. Doddridge took upon him the important post of being at the head of an academy. It was the constant practice of Mr. Frost to take every opportunity of impressing the minds of his children with a sense of the importance of religion; and he could not for a moment entertain the idea that his engagements as a minister exempted him from the important and interesting duties of a christian parent; and he had the satisfaction of seeing his labours crowned with a divine blessing. To his son Richard, who had lately been apprenticed at Beccles, he writes, "I have sent you Dr. Doddridge's Sermons for Young People. The subjects are well chosen, and each of them very seriously and judiciously handled. May God make the serious reading of and meditation upon them of great use to you, especially on the Lord's day, when you have most time for religious exercises. I rejoice to find you have such just sentiments of the necessity of |