quently catechifed either in the schools or in his meeting-house; and he feldom met with young perfons with out introducing fome obfervations refpecting their mifery by nature, and the method of falvation by a Redeemer. For fome years a meeting of feven or eight children was held in his manfe, for prayer, praife, and fpiritual conference; and, though it was commonly on Saturday evening, he frequently left his ftudies for half an hour, went into the little religious fociety, converfed familiarly with them, and, after giving them fome ferious advices, recommended them to God in prayer, while the dear young ones were kneeling around. He met with few trials from the fcandalous conduct of the members of his congregation; but, when any fell into open and heinous tranfgreffions, it grieved his fpirit, and not unfrequently deprived him of his night's rest. When he understood that differences exifted between any members of his congregation, he made it his bufinefs to have them speedily removed, and was peculiarly active this way, when in view of difpenfing to them the Lord's fupper. His fuccefs in the miniftry was very confiderable. In his own congregation, it is hoped that a number claimed him for their fpiritual father, and that others acknowledged him to be the helper of their faith and joy. Nor was it only at home that he was instrumental in doing good to fouls. In various parts of the country, where he had accefs to preach, there were feals of his miniftry. It is true that, frequently, fuch fuccefs was hid from him; and, while his Mafter fecured the honour of making the word efficacious, he left the fervant to cry, " I "I have laboured in vain, I have spent my ftrength for nought, and in vain." His natural modefty prevented him from cultivating an acquaintance with many who valued his writings. He was honoured, however, with the correspondence of the late Rev. John Mafon of New York, Mr Annan of Boston, with that of the Rev. Mr Philips, late of Sarum; the Rev. Mr Simeon of Cambridge, the late Countess of Huntingdon, and others. He received a kind and earneft invitation from the Dutch church at New York to be teacher of divinity among them. This invitation, as well as the laft mentioned correspondence, he fludied to keep an entire fecret. As a member of Society, his endeavour was to know the mind of God with refpect to every particular of duty; and, having found the truth, he avowed and practifed it without difguife. When truths of importance were opposed, zeal for his Mafter, and a regard for his fellow-men, excited him to come forward to the world in their defence. This gave rife to any of his writings that were controverfial. His peculiar principles, as a feceder, never appear in his practical treatifes. From a conviction that it was his duty, he joined the feceffion, and continued its steady friend as long as he lived; while he fhewed, at the fame time, the strongest affection to gofpel minifters, to private Chriftians of the Established Church, and other denominations. His prayers in public were liberal and catholic. He feemed peculiarly concerned for the antiburgher congregation in his neighbourhood, and for the parish church, particularly at the time of their facramental folemnities. With re gard gard to what is called church communion, he was ftrict; as to what is named the communion of faints, as diftinguished from it, he was truly liberal. Perhaps it is scarce worth mentioning that, for fome years, a praying fociety met in his house, some of the members of which belonged to the Established Church, and fome to the Seceffion. He manifested a fingular readiness to forgive his enemies. Notwithstanding the abuse he received from some ministers, when a student, it was remarked that he was never heard to speak evil of them, nor fo much as to mention the affair. A diffenting clergyman, who had treated him rudely, being reduced to poverty, he fent him money, and in a way which concealed the benefactor. After the clergyman's decease, he offered to take one of his destitute orphans and bring him up with his own children. When any of his students became a fettled pastor, he usually fent him a letter of advice. When any of his brethren or acquaintances died, he often fent a letter for the counfel and comfort of the furviving friends. He paid a particular attention to old acquaintances and widows. If in straitened circumftances, he was fure to vifit them, and minister to their neceffities. He was very unwilling to believe ill reports of any, especially of these in public ftations; being convinced that reports of this kind have often no foundation; and, marking their evil confequences, he would not fuffer others to attack characters in his prefence, and confcientiously avoided fuch conduct himself. As As a tutor to young candidates for the holy miniftry, his care was to give them a connected view of gospel truth, both doctrinal and practical. That they might be able to fupport and illuftrate the feveral articles of our holy religion, he endeavoured to render them mighty in the fcriptures. In his fyftem of divinity and cafes of confcience, the public have a view of the particular topics which he used to explain at large to his pupils. He alfo wished to acquaint them with church hiftory, and compiled what he published on this subject chiefly for them. He earnestly warned them against a merely philofophical way of studying divinity, and strenuously insisted, that, without heart-religion, they could not be profitable students of theology. His address to them, in his fyftem, plainly fhews that he regarded this as a matter of the first importance No man more patiently bore with the imprudence and weakness of individuals among them, and yet, when there was occafion, no one was more ready to give them a faithful admonition. He was really among them as a father among his children. He loved them, and studied their good, and they loved him, and regarded his counfel. No time of the year was fo pleafant, either to the profeffor or the ftudents, as the two months of their attendance at the hall. The folemn addreffes which he made to them on certain occafions, while with him, and efpecially when they parted, were affecting indeed, and remarkably calculated to make good impreffions. It is believed that many of his fayings, at thefe times, will never be forgotten by those who heard them. The many able, ufeful, and and acceptable ministers, both in Britain and Ireland, whom he trained up for the facred office, evince the fuccefs with which the Lord crowned his labours. HE PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING BOOKS. The Self-Interpreting Bible, 2 large quarto vols. The Chriftian Journal, or Common Incidents; Spiritual Inftructors. Explication of the Metaphors contained in Scripture, with practical reflections. A Syftem of Divinity, or compendious View of natural and revealed Religion. An Evangelical View of the Types of the Old Tef tament. History of the Seceffion. Letters on the Government of the Chriftian Church. A General History of the Chriftian Church, from the birth of our Saviour to this prefent time, 2 vols, 12mo. The Chriftian Student and Paftor, exemplified in the lives of nine eminent minifters in Scotland, England, and America. Practical Piety, exemplified in the lives of thirteen eminent Chriftians, and illustrated in cafes of confcience. The Young Chriftian, or the pleasantness of early religion, exemplified in the lives of eleven young perfons. |