were made to remove him from this humble sphere, but without success. In August, 1727, he declined an invitation to Brockfield, in Norfolk. An offer also came to him from New-court, Temple Bar, but peculiar difficulties connected with the place deterred him from accepting it. Two congregations at Nottingham likewise sought his services. In April, 1728, he paid a visit to that town, preaching at the High Pavement: but though this change, like the others named, would have improved his circumstances, he preferred remaining at his post at Kibworth. The scheme of an academy at Harborough was now broached, and urged upon Doddridge as an institution which he was fitted to conduct. To smooth his way as much as possible, Mr. Some took his people under his own pastoral care, and received him as a regular assistant, relieving him of all duties as a minister, except preaching alternately at the two places. This plan was speedily terminated by the invitation to Northampton, which became the seat of his academy, and the scene of his first and only pastorate.

The time spent by Doddridge in a station of comparative obscurity was a useful preparation for after services, made so by his own industrious application to personal improvement. His familiar correspondence with intimate friends at this period has indeed been carped at. It abundantly displays the sportiveness of his temper, a fondness for harmless pleasantries, yet combined with ample evidence that these were occasional relaxations in the hey-day of ferved impassioned youth, perfectly consistent with general sobriety of character. To trifle, is not to be a trifler. He who is capable of the former may be the antipodes of the latter, a man imbued with the spirit of serious religion, addressing himself to onerous service, and capacitated to do it without asperity, but with cheerfulness, perseverance, and success, by his playful moods. The correspondent of the "sedate, methodical Clio," of "mamma," Mrs. Farringdon, who could write "zumthing in the Zomerzetzshire tongue," was one of this class; and hence soon after coming to Northampton, that series of works commenced, which plainly show, that however he had blown bubbles, he had girded on the harness for high and holy deeds. Naturally his mind was tender and elastic, alive to the gentlest impression, and keenly relishing the agreeable. His disposition was frank, his heart warm, his fancy sportive, and, as is often the case with men of strong intellect, a delicate physical frame was united with vivacious spirits. But that he was not deficient in the art of self-government, is obvious from the letters in which he freely indulges his native temperament, as well as from the labours that he accomplished; though to affirm that he never overstepped the bounds of discretion, would be to make him an angel, not a man. Expressions occasionally occur which are startling to the greater precision of modern manners, but this was a characteristic of society in the last age, a diffuse and marked gallantry being demanded

by the sex as their privilege, and universally recognised as an essential element of good breeding. The fashion has changed in this respect, and for the better; but we must not measure men by the standard of those a century in advance of them. "I have heard," Hannah More remarks, "Sir James Stonhouse say, that he never knew a man of so gay a temper as Doddridge." To this it may be added with equal truth, that seldom has there been one so devout, consistent, selfdenying, and laborious.

May 10th, 1844.

M.

THE THEOLOGY OF THE STUDY.

ONE of the most important, anxious, and interesting periods of a minister's life, is that at which he terminates his preparatory course of study, and enters upon the discharge of pastoral duties. A recollection of the privileges which he has enjoyed, and a vivid consciousness of the solemn responsibilities that await him, deeply affect his heart, and awaken in his sensitive nature, both pleasing and painful emotions. As he reflects on the past, he asks, "What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits toward me?" As he anticipates the future, he exclaims, "Who is sufficient for the service to which I am pledged?"

But we must pass over the circumstances intervening between his academical and pastoral life, because we are desirous of offering some remarks on the study of Theology, in which he engages after his induction to the ministerial office. We advert to the study of theology, for, it is obvious, he is a student still; and to be an able minister of the New Testament, he must give himself to reading, to exhortation, to prayer. It is as much his duty to study as to preach; indeed, before he speaks, he must ponder; and he can only meet the claims of the pulpit, as he meditates in the closet. To be a wise, an acceptable minister, he must be a diligent student; and to live in the pulpit, he must work in the study. With his studies, nothing that he can control must be allowed to interfere. The claims of the study on the best feelings of his heart, on the most vigorous powers of his mind, and on the brightest, the quietest hours of his time, are authoritative; and to these he must yield with an intelligent, with a good conscience. As he prosecuted his early inquiries, he was often admonished to remember that his studies were only preparatory, and that, whether he were a student for three or for six years, he could not expect to do anything more than lay a foundation for acquisitions to be hereafter obtained, and to be required, too, day by day, and year by year, throughout the whole period of his ministerial existence. Ordinarily, a theological taste is acquired at college, or at the more private seminary-for the advantages of some ministers are very inferior to those of others. Hence most of the

teachers of God's will, receive in early life, theological tendencies and impressions, which have a decided, if not a powerful influence, upon their subsequent habits, both as they think of truth and as they expound it. According to college culture, will be ministerial fruit; and the principles imbibed during the noviciate, will form the principal elements of that character, which has to be developed after the vow is publicly taken. The college does influence the study; it ought to influence it—this is its purpose and end. But the influence must be of the right kind, and in the right direction, or it will be an injury, rather than an advantage. Let a young man, somewhat rude and illinformed, yet whose heart burns with love to Christ and to souls, enter an academy only to lose his simplicity and zeal, better far would it have been for him not to have entered at all, but to have gathered the necessary information for his work from some private source, or to have been contented to occupy the lowest, the most retired post of duty that either the wants of the church or the destitution of the country render it obligatory on the faithful to sustain.

In our last communication, we ventured to hint at the connexionalmost invariable and inseparable-between academical and pulpit theology; and since this connexion is real, not imaginary,-fruitful, not inoperative, the gravest consideration should be given to it, in order that the connexion itself may be a link in that chain of holy love which binds a pastor to his people, and which binds them both to their minister, and to the institution in which he was educated for their benefit. If churches cannot afford to lose the fostering and conservative influence of the colleges, the colleges cannot, without fearful hazard, without perilous consequences, send forth unacceptable pastors. A minister studies for the pulpit; so that his usefulness must depend upon the soundness of his theological views and statements. An honest man will preach what he believes to be true and important, whether it accord with the views of his hearers or not; and his honesty is to be commended. But just in proportion to our estimate of his sincerity, is our concern for his orthodoxy. If we are sure that he will speak out of the abundance of his heart, we cannot but be anxious that he should be filled with the blessings by which God intends to satisfy the desires of those who love his name. If he be an independent thinker, or an acute reasoner, it is of the utmost importance, both for his peace and usefulness, that he should be grounded and settled in "the truth as it is in Jesus," and that he should be no less satisfied than governed by the Gospel of which he is the avowed advocate. A minister is not a prophet to reveal, but an expounder of the declared will of the "Lord of all;" and his province being to teach those truths which bring salvation to the sinner and peace to the believer, to be honoured of God and welcomed by his people, he must be "nourished up in the words of faith and good doctrine." However select his reading, and

though wise caution be observed in the purchase of books, some will pass under review, of which the least that can be said of them is, they must not be allowed either to create an appetite for publications of their kind, or to supply the place of more scriptural, more solid works. About what is termed "light reading," it is not necessary that a single remark should be offered, excepting, that as mind must have recreation, it will and may relinquish arduous pursuits for a season, and repose on sentiments that are to be gathered up in the less difficult walks of thought. A minister whose whole heart is given up to his work, has neither time to spare for useless reading, nor strength for uninterrupted hard study. It is as much his duty to guard against exhausting his mental powers, as it is to increase their vigour and resources; and as the wise employment of hours is essential to years of usefulness, the time that can be given to study, should be devoted to those subjects which yield the fullest measure of peace, purity, and power, to the renewed mind, and which are the best adapted to convince and convert the unrenewed heart. Most ministers are in sympathy with one or more of the many authors who have written on revealed truth; and the favourite writer is very often consulted. How important then is it, that, while the Bible is our statute as well as our text-book, we should give to all portions of truth their due prominence," and cherish intelligent and strong attachment, if not to the style of the seventeenth century, yet to those cardinal doctrines which were then beloved snd advocated by the wise and faithful stewards of God's mysteries!

The theology of the study should be such as will subserve the designs of our "high calling." We are the ministers of God, the servants of Christ, the overseers of the flock; and we bear these names and sustain these offices every where, and amongst all people. Once girded for the conflict, we are girded for life. Having been sworn at the altar, the vows of consecration are always upon us. We are but men; and in relation to the household of faith, we are brethren ministering to brethren of that which we have tasted of the good word of life. We lay no claim to superior sanctity; we do not aim at lordly domination; we disavow the intentions which the suspicious sometimes impute to us; aware of our deficiencies and failures, we believe that our people are sometimes humbled before God on our account, as well as on their own, and that we try their patience as well as our Master's. Still, we own, and desire to magnify, our office. We vaunt not, we would be meek and lowly; yet we trust that the Lord hath counted us faithful, putting us into the ministry, and that he hath commissioned us to preach "the glorious Gospel" to our fellow-men. The post of duty, therefore, at which he hath placed us, is the one at which we must watch and toil, without intermission. The seals of office are ours, till he shall summon us to surrender them; and till he does this, we must walk by the rules which he hath laid down for our guidance, as the

students and promulgators of his will. We are as much in office when we are in the parlour, as when we are in the pulpit; in the closet or by the wayside, we are his witnesses; and to the great purposes of ministerial life, we are to devote with untiring, with unceasing diligence, the graces and the gifts his Holy Spirit hath bestowed upon us. As we are always in office, we must never appear out of character. Our spirit, our words, our actions, must accord with our professions of allegiance to Christ, and with our acknowledged concern for the happiness of his people, for the extension of his kingdom, and for the subjugation of all nations to his authority. Any discrepancy between our sayings and our doings, is not only our reproach, but is dishonour to the name of our great Master. If we are inconsistent, he will be wounded in the house of his friends. And consistency is either personal or official; it may relate to the Christian man, or to the Christian minister. It is impossible for a pastor to err, without injuring his usefulness. Holiness is his power and his shield. He cannot violate a moral precept, without incurring the Divine displeasure. May God hold us up, and we shall be safe!

But the point of attention now before us is official consistency-the wise management of our time, the right direction of our thoughts, the gathering together of fitting materials for our work, the sanctification of the study to the high designs of the pulpit, the working the mind of God out of its own truth, that it may be laid, with simplicity and fulness, before the people, for whose salvation and joy he hath made ample provisions. The instrumentality employed in public, is prepared in private; that which is spoken of on the house-top, is conceived in the closet; preparations for the sabbath occupy no small measure of each of the six days that precede it; the student makes the preacher; and just what the learner is, the teacher will be. So that when texts are selected, when illustrations are chosen, when sermons are composed, the designs of the ministry-the leading purposes of preaching-must be kept in view; care must be taken to introduce all the doctrines of the cross; and we must be mindful as well of saints, "who hunger and thirst after righteousness," as of sinners, who know not their danger, and who are to be urged to flee from the wrath to come. Instruction may be given to the faithful when we speak to unbelievers, and attempts to console the church are often blessed to the world; yet it is our duty to examine and arrange Divine truths for those who are saved, and for those who are lost. And this must be done with so much wisdom and discrimination, that each hearer may have his portion meted out to him in due season, and be made to feel that, though one of a thousand, the Gospel has been studied for him, and that to him it has been specially preached. Direct appeals to the conscience are an order of ministration in every way adapted to the end for which the heart is assailed and pressed; and the power of an appeal very much