but an acquaintance with cases, and an observation of facts can give: That they should be well acquainted with the variouș exercises of the soul, relating to its eternal concerns, by reading the best writers upon the subject, and carefully observing the workings of their own hearts. He recommended it to them, frequently to handle these subjects with seriousness and tenderness, which would increase a people's esteem for them and their labours, encourage them to be free in communicating the state of their souls, and contribute to edify and comfort their pious hearers. To qualify them for this part of their work, he not only gave them the best directions, but often took them with him, if the circumstances of the case and the family rendered it proper, when he went to baptise children, to visit persons under awakenings of conscience, religious impressions or spiritual distress; or those that were sick and dying; that they might see his manner of conversing and praying with them, and have their own hearts improved by such affecting scenes. With the same view he introduced them to the acquaintance of some serious persons of his congregation. He thought a knowledge of their hidden worth and acquaintance with religion, and hearing their observations concerning the temper, character and labours of deceased ministers, would improve the minds of his pupils, and increase their esteem for the populace in general. He imagined that from their remarks on books and sermons, and their account of the various exercises of their own minds, where politer persons are generally more reserved, they might learn how to address to those of a low education, and be formed to an experimental strain of preaching. It was his frequent caution, that they should not despise the common people, nor think condescension to them, to be mean and unworthy of a scholar; that they should not refuse settlements, where they might be useful, because there were few wealthy, judicious and polite in the congregation: It was his advice, that in such situations, they should endeavour to improve the understandings of their hearers and make company of them; assuring them, from his own observation and experience, that they would find plain serious christians some of their most steady, affectionate friends, and their greatest joy. He exhorted them to study the temper of their people, that they might, so far as they could with conscience and honour, render themselves agreeable to them in their ministrations and converse. Thus they might hope gradually to bring them off their attachment to particular phrases and modes, prevent differences, and so far secure their affections, that they would not be disposed to differ with, or complain of, a minister, who shewed himself moderate and condescending, and at the same time applied himself diligently to his great work, though their sentiments and his should in some respects disagree. That they might be qualified to appear with esteem and honour in the world, and preside over politer societies with acceptance, he not only led them through a course of polite literature; but endeavoured to form them to an agreeable behaviour and address; maintaining the strictest decorum in his own family, and animadverting upon every trespass of it. To this end likewise, he observed their way of speaking, instructed them in the proper manner of pronunciation, and laboured to prevent their contracting any unnatural tone or gesture: And while he was cautioning them upon this head, he had the humility to warn them, not to imitate himself in an error of this kind, which he was sensible of, but could not entirely correct. To assist them herein, they often read to him, and he was desirous that they should sometimes preach before him, that he might put them into a method of correcting what was improper in their manner, before it was formed into a habit. Another method taken to render them able ministers of the New Testament was this; The senior students for the ministry, before they began to preach, used, on the Lord's-day evenings, to visit the neighbouring villages, and hold private meetings for religious worship in some licensed houses there. Two of them generally went together: A serious sermon on some uncontroverted and important subject of religion was repcated, and one of them prayed before and the other after it, with proper intervals of singing. This custom was very useful, both in exercising the gifts of the students, giving them a proper degree of courage, when they appeared in public assemblies; abating the prejudices some have entertained against the way of worship amongst Dissenters, spreading the knowledge of divine things, and instructing and comforting some, whose circumstances prevented their attending, where they would have chosen to spend the sabbath. When the assembly was dismissed, a few serious people would often stay, and spend some time in religious discourse with the persons who had been officiating. In such schools as these they learned, what no academical lectures alone could have taught them with equal advantage. It was an instance of the Doctor's great concern for his pupils' improvement, that, as often as his other business would permit, he allowed them access to him in his own study; to ask his advice in any part of their studies, to mention to him any difficulties, which they met with in their private reading, or the lectures, and which they did not chuse to propose in the lecture room. He encouraged them to ask his opinion of any texts of scripture, they did not understand; and he explained them and directed them to particular commentators, who threw light upon them. He was solicitous to improve all those moments, which he spent with them, for their advantage. He therefore used frequently at meals to enquire of them, in order, what they had been reading, or what texts they had, according to his general direction, chosen for the subject of that day's pious meditation; and would make such reflections upon them, as might be serviceable to them all as students and christians.- -From these particulars it appears, what pains he took that they might be qualified for usefulness in the ministry, or other stations, for which they were intended.He sometimes expressed his fears, least some of his pupils, who were intended for trade, should be so fond of books and studies, as to neglect a proper application to it; he gave them many friendly cautions upon this head, and often suggested to them important maxims, by attending to which, they might carry on their business with honour and success, and at the same time improve in a moral and religious character*. * As more of the young persons intended for trade enjoy an academical education now, than formerly, it may be useful to such to read some advices, which, in the year 1726, he wrote to a young man, who had a taste for reading and learning, and was entering into a merchant's compting-house, after he had left the academy. "You urge me to send you some directions about the management of your studies. I may hereafter give you some hints upon the several subjects, which I suppose you would be inclinable to touch upon. I may open to you a magician's palace, which I myself have as yet taken but a transient survey of, without visiting each of its apartments to examine the curiosities contained there. But when I consider how rich the furniture is, and how exquisite a relish you have for the entertainment' which it contains, methinks I am afraid you should grow too fond of it. The business therefore of this letter shall be, to intreat you to endeavour to bring your studies under such regulations, that they may not be injurious to health, or trade, or devotion,-As your constitution is not very athletic, if you should bear hard upon it by too close an attention to books or thought, the consequence would probably be, that, as soon as you had begun to adjust your ideas and fix your schemes for the future employment of life, you would find yourself incapable of prosecuting them, and may languish away the remainder of your days in absence from your study, when a small acquaintance with it hath made you sensible of its charms, and perhaps allured you to expect a great deal more satisfaction in it, than you would ever in fact have found. However, you would regret the loss in proportion to the expectation you had formed, whether regular or extravagant. I may add, that by impairing your health, you would become in a great measure unfit for that sphere of life, in which providence hath placed you. Let us remember, my dear and prudent friend, that we are to place our point of life, not in an attempt to know and to do every thing, which will certainly be as unsuccessful, as it is extravagant; but in a care to do that well, which providence hath assigned us, as our peculiar business. As I am a minister, I could not answer it to God or my own conscience, if I were to spend a great deal of time in studying But his main care, and what he apprehended essential to their usefulness, was, that they might be pious and holy men. With this view the strictest regard was paid to their moral character, and their behaviour out of the hours of study and lecture was narrowly inspected. Enquiry was made both of them and his friends in the town, what houses they frequented and what company they kept. No student was permitted to be from home after ten o'clock at night, under the penalty of a considerable forfeiture. When he found any thing irregular in their behaviour, or thought they were entering into temptation, he the depths of the law, or in the more entertaining, though less useful, pursuit of the nicest criticisms of classical writers. I would not be entirely a stranger to these; but these or twenty others, which I would just look into, would each of them alone, or indeed any single branch of them, be the employment of a much longer life, than I can imagine that providence hath assigned to me. Should I suffer my few she pin the wilderness to go on in ignorance of their bibles and a stupid neglect of their eternal salvation, while I am too busy to endeavour to reclaim them, God would call it but laborious idleness, and I must give up my account with great confusion. The thought with a very little variation may be applied to you. It is in the capacity of a tradesman, that you are to serve your family and country, and in that, your God. Therefore, though I would not have so fine a genius entirely discouraged from entertaining itself with the refined pleasures of a student; yet it would be imprudence to yourself, and an injury to the world, to spend so much time in your closet, as to neglect your warehouse; and to be so much taken up with volumes of philosophy or history, poetry or even divinity, as to forget to look into your books of accounts.Above all, Sir, let it be your constant concern, that study may not interfere with devotion, nor engross that valuable time, which should be consecrated to the immediate service of your God. He is the Father of our spirits, and it is upon his sacred influences that they depend for improvement in knowledge as well as in holiness. If we are abandoned by him, our genius will flag, and all our thoughts become languid and confused. It will be in vain that we seek the assistance of books; for, when he ceaseth to act by them, the most sprightly writers will appear dull; the most perspicuous, obscure; and the most judicious, trifling. Whereas if we maintain a continued regard to him, in the constant exercises of lively devotion, we shall enjoy his assistance and blessing in our studies; and then our profiting will quickly appear to ourselves and others; the most difficult task will be easy, and we shall dispatch more in an hour, than we could otherwise have done in a day.-But, which is still more desirable, when we are conversing with God, we are preparing for that world of light, where our capacities will be most gloriously improved; where we shall be surrounded with the wisest and best company, who will be daily opening new scenes of knowledge; and where God will reveal objects by another kind of influence upon our spirits, than that which we have yet known in our brightest or serenest inoments. Let us be constant and zealous in the service of God, and we shall be excellent scholars ten thousand years hence; while those, who have made the greatest improvements in human knowledge, yet have lived in neglect of God and religion, are forgotten upon earth and consigned over to the gloom of everlasting darkness. Let us remember, that by every hour which we take from God to give to our books, we forfeit some degree of future happiness, which might have been the reward of that hour, had we spent it aright: and when we consider that knowledge is a part of the happiness of heaven, we shall certainly find, that, upon the whole, we lose a great deal more knowledge, than we get, by such sacrilegious encroachment; even though our studies should succeed more prosperously, than we have reason to expect they will." privately admonished them in the most serious, affectionate manner; and, to enforce the admonition, prayed with and for them. If these private admonitions had not the desired effect, the offender was admonished before the whole society at family worship; and if this proved ineffectual, he was publicly expelled the society. On one such occasion I find him thus writing; "A very melancholy scene opened this day. We had some time spent in fasting and prayer, on account of an unhappy youth, whose folly and wickedness hath obliged me to dismiss him. I pronounced the solemn sentence of expulsion upon him, before the whole academy. I thank God, I was carried through this sad work with spirit ; yet greatly afflicted to see all that I had endeavoured to do for his good, thrown away upon him. I had an opportunity of seeing in him the treachery of the human heart, the necessity of keeping near to God, and the tendency of bad practices to debauch the principles. God has exercised me in this instance with great trouble and disappointment: but the disciple is not above his master. Lord, may I approve my sincerity and zeal in thy sight, though it should be in every instance unsuccessful! Let me but hear thee saying, well done good and faithful servant! and none can hinder my joy." But it pleased God so to succeed his pious care, that there were very few instances, in which he was obliged to have recourse to so painful an expedient, to secure the honour of his family, and the safety of his other pupils. But he could not be satisfied with their external regular behaviour, except he saw in them the genuine evidences of real religion. He thought no one ought to be encouraged to undertake the christian ministry, who was not a pious man: Therefore he advised some of his pupils, of whose real character he was doubtful, to apply themselves to secular business; while he grieved that any, who had this best qualification for ministerial usefulness, should decline it. He often inculcated upon them the absolute necessity of a heart thoroughly engaged for God and holiness, in order to pursue their work with comfort, acceptance and success*. "It is my heart's desire and prayer to God, saith he, that not one may go out from me without an understanding enlightened from above, a heart sanctified by divine grace, quickened and warmed with love to a well known Jesus, and tenderly concerned for the salvation of perishing souls. What are all our studies, labours and pursuits to this?" For this purpose he endeavoured to bring them early into commu * See his Theological Lectures, Introd. ad fins |