when he was called to preach upon particular occasions, or found his spirits depressed by bodily infirmities, or other afflictive. providences, he thought it his duty to write his sermons more largely. Of what kind they were, the world has had a sufficient specimen in those, which have been published. And it is imagined all persons of judgment and candour will allow, that they are well calculated to answer the great end of preaching. The vital truths of the gospel, and its duties, as enforced by them, were his favourite topics. He considered himself as a Minister of the gospel, and therefore could not satisfy himself without preaching Christ and him crucified. He never puzzled his hearers with dry criticisms and abstruse disquisitions; nor contented himself with moral essays and philosophical harangues, with which the bulk of his auditory would have been unaffected and uncdified. He thought it cruelty to God's children to give them stones, when they came for bread." It is my desire, saith he, not to entertain an auditory with pretty lively things, which is comparatively easy, but to come close to their consciences, to awaken them to a real sense of their spiritual concerns, to bring them to God, and keep them continually near to him; which, to me at least, is an exceeding hard thing." He seldom meddled with controversial points in the pulpit; never with those, with which he might reasonably suppose his congregation was unacquainted; nor set himself to confute errors, with which they were in no danger of being infected. When his subject naturally led him to mention some writers, from whom he differed, he spoke of them and their works with candour and tenderness; appealing constantly to the scriptures, as the standard, by which all doctrines are to be tried. He shewed his hearers of how little importance most of the differences between protestants are, and chose rather to be a healer of breaches, than to widen them. He always spoke with abhorrence of passionately inveighing against our brethren in the pul

When he had leisure to draw out his plan and the hints of what he proposed to say to a considerable extent, his discourses were often excellent in a high degree. But at other times, when he could but just lay down his scheme, with only a very few thoughts under it, his sermons, especially if he was not in a full flow of spirits, were less valuable. Once, during my residence with him, a number of pupils complained through the medium of Mr. Orton, that, though their revered tutor's academical lectures were admirable, they had not in him a sufficiently correct model of pulpit composition. The consequence of the intimation was, that his sermons became far superior to what they had sometimes formerly been; for he was the most candid of all men to the voice of gentle admonition. When, however, he took the least pains, he was always perspicuous in his method, and natural and orderly in the arrangement of his sentiments; and hence he furnished an example, from which many of the young men educated under him derived no small benefit in their future labours.-K.

pit, and making christian ordinances the vehicle of malignant passions. He thought this equally affronting to God and pernicious to men; poisoning instead of feeding the sheep of Christ. He seldom preached topical sermons, to which any text of scripture relating to the subject might be affixed; but chose to draw his materials and divisions from the text itself; and this gave him an opportunity of introducing some uncommon, striking thoughts, arising from the text, its connection, or the design of the sacred writer. When his subject was more comprehensive, than could be well discussed on one Lord's-day, he generally chose a new text, in order to supply him with fresh materials, keep up the attention of his hearers, and increase their acquaintance with their bibles. He chose sometimes to illustrate the scripture-histories, and the character of persons there recorded. He selected the most instructive passages in the prophets, relating to the case of the Israelites, or some particular good man among them, and accommodated them to the circumstances of christians, where he thought there was a just and natural resemblance. In these discourses he had an opportunity of explaining the designs of the prophecies, displaying divine wisdom, faithfulness and grace, and suggesting many important instructions. This method produced a variety in his discourses, and was pleasing and edifying to his hearers. He thought himself fully justified in these accommodations by the practice of the inspired writers of the New Testament.

He was always warm and affectionate in the application of his sermons, and experimentally described the workings of the heart, in the various circumstances, which he had occasion to treat of: Thus he came home to his hearers' bosoms, and led them to see their real characters, wherein they were defective, and how far they might justly be comforted and encouraged. He gives this reason for that warmth of devout affection, with which he addressed his hearers; "While I have any reverence for scripture or any knowledge of human nature, I shall never affect to speak of the glories of Christ, and of the eternal interests of men, as coldly, as if I were reading a lecture of mathematics, or relating an experiment in natural philosophy. It is indeed unworthy the character of a man and a christian to endeavour to transport men's passions, while the understanding is left uninformed and the judgment unconvinced. But so far as is consistent with a proper regard to this leading power of our nature I would speak and write of divine truths with a holy fervency. Nor can I imagine that it would bode well to the

interest of religion to endeavour to lay all those passions asleep, which surely God implanted in our hearts to serve the religious as well as the civil life, and which, after all, will probably be employed to some very excellent or very pernicious purposes*.

He thought it a part of ministerial prudence to take public notice of remarkable providential occurrences, affecting the nation, the town, or any considerable number of his hearers; any uncommon appearances in nature, or other events, that were the subject of general conversation; the seasons of the year and especially the mercies of harvest; and he endeavoured in his discourses to graft lessons of wisdom and piety upon them.-He chose to preach funeral sermons for most of those who died in communion with his church, even the poorest; and for others, where there was any thing remarkable in their character or removal. He imagined the minds of their relations and friends were at such times more disposed, than usual, to receive advice, and would need and drink in the consolations of the gospel. These discourses were also generally attended by the acquaintance and neighbours of the deceased persons, who were not his stated hearers; and he endeavoured to improve such occasions for conveying some useful impressions to their minds.-He never had a stated assistant, but constantly preached twice every Lord's-day, when his health permitted; except some of his senior pupils, who had entered on the ministry, were disengaged, and then they performed the services of one part of the day. But even then, so solicitous was he not to do the work of the Lord negligently, that he often preached in the evening. A set of sermons against popery, the last of which, viz. on "the absurdity and iniquity of persecution," is published, and his discourses on Regeneration, were in the number of his evening lectures. Whatever services he had performed on the Lord's-day, when there was no evening lecture, he repeated his sermons to his own family, and as many of his people and neighbours as chose to attend, at his own house; and then sometimes entered into a few critical remarks on his text, and learned reflections on his subject, for the benefit of his pupils, which would have been unprofitable to a popular auditory. It was his usual custom, on a Lord's-day morning, before sermon, to expound some portion of the scriptures, and draw practical instructions from it; directing his hearers, at

*This is the language of wisdom. True eloquence consists in the union of the rational, the forcible, and the pathetic; and to address to the affections, as well as to the reason of mankind, is the dictate of the soundest philosophy. The cold and feeble conclusions of many discourses from the pulpit, are as disgusting to a just taste, as they are unprofitable with regard to religious improvement.-K.

the same time, in what manner they should read and reflect upon the word of God.-He had an extraordinary gift in prayer, cultivated with great diligence; and upon particular as well as common occasions expressed himself with ease, freedom and variety, with all the evidences of a solid judgment, amidst the greatest seriousness and fervour of spirit. In the administration of the Lord's-supper he was remarkably devout and lively. He endeavoured to affect the hearts and excite the graces of his fellow christians by devotional meditations upon some pertinent passages of Scripture; that the substance of what he had said might be more easily recollected. He took the same method in administering the ordinance of baptism.-The hymns which he composed to assist the devotions of his congregation, have been published, and are another instance of the pains he took to promote their piety.

Besides his stated work on the Lord's-day and his lectures preparatory to the Lord's-supper, he maintained a religious exercise every Friday evening at his Meeting-place, or his own house, as the season of the year, or the circumstances of his health, rendered most convenient. On these occasions he went through the psalms in a course of exposition; afterwards the prophecies of the Old Testament relating to the Messiah and his kingdom; the promises of scripture; and sometimes repeated sermons he had formerly preached, as his friends particularly desired or might best tend to keep up an agreeable variety. For several winters he preached a lecture, every Thursday evening, at another Meeting-house in the town, which lying nearer the centre of it, was more convenient than his own. There he preached a set of discourses on the parables of Christ; and another on the nature, offices and operations of the holy Spirit.As a great part of his congregation caine from the neighbouring villages he used to go once or twice a year to each of them, and to some oftner, and preach among them. He chose to make these visits at the usual festivals and their respective wakes, as the inhabitants at those seasons had leisure to attend his services, and were in some peculiar danger of having their sense of religion weakened. At these visits he had opportunities of conversing and praying with the infirm and aged, who could seldom attend his labours at Northampton. When any of them died, he chose to preach their Funeral-sermons in the villages where they had lived, that their neighbours and acquaintance might have the benefit of them.

While I am mentioning his abilities, diligence and zeal as a preacher, I would add, that he was much esteemed and very

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popular. He had an earnestness and pathos in his manner of speaking, which, as it seemed to be the natural effect of a strong impression of divine truths upon his own heart, tended greatly to affect his hearers, and to render his discourses more acceptable and useful, than if his delivery had been more calm and dispassionate. His pronunciation and action were, by some judges, thought rather too strong and vchement; but to those who were acquainted with the vivacity of his temper and his usual manner of conversation, they appeared quite natural and unaffected.

He was very exact in the exercise of christian discipline, and in separating from the church those, who were a reproach to their christian profession. To this painful work he was sometimes called, and a congregational fast was kept on the sad occasion.When the work of religion seemed to be at a stand; when few or none appeared to be under serious impressions and convictions, or there was a visible coldness and remissness among his hearers, his heart was much affected; he laboured and prayed more earnestly, both in public and private; and days of prayer were set apart by the church, in order to obtain of God an effusion of his Spirit to revive religion among them.

He had a deep concern and affectionate regard for the rising generation. Besides an annual sermon to young persons on new year's day, he often particularly addressed them in the course of his preaching; and in his conversation also, discovered that sense of the importance of the rising generation, which he hath expressed in his sermon upon that subject, and which he hath so warmly exhorted parents to cultivate, in his Sermons on the Education of Children. He much lamented the growing neglect of ministers to catechise the children of their congregations; and to this neglect imputed many of the irregularities, which are to be seen in youth. Many parents are hardly capable of it; and many, who are, neglect it. He therefore looked upon this, as a most important part of his pastoral work, and pursued it, during the summer-seasons, through the whole course of his ministry, notwithstanding his many avocations. He was so sensible of the usefulness of this work, and the skill and prudence necessary to conduct it, that I find this, among other resolutions, formed at his entrance on the ministry, 'I will often make it my humble prayer, that God would teach me to speak to children in such a manner, as may make early impressions of religion upon their hearts.' He had much satisfaction in these pious attempts. Several children, who died while they were under his catechetical instructions, mani