7 LIBRARY AT PRI]«€ETO]V, ]¥. J. DO\ATIO\ tiF S A M U K L A G N K W , -O - i. K H H 1 1. i U K L H H I A . P A Letter No. ' ^C ^..fi^. J.^.J^^^'^, ok fj CafiCf Divfsionj: I' Shelf, Sect\.*. TO ^ PsiaesTo; A YOUNG CLERCy OSIC LETTER Dear Sir, OSfober ^, i"]*]!. I * fake, and alfo for your own, that you I * intend accepting the Curacy of Little The Dodor is a genteel, ttXVoX AM very glad for Dr.SroNHOusE's ;A. 4^ ^ 4^ ^ ^ _ good tempered man ; truly ferious, rationally evangelical, and judicioufly zealous. He will treat you like a Friend and a Brother, and you will be much pleafed and improved by his company and converfation. He preaches, during his refidence, twice every Sunday, and has a Ledlure on Wednefday evening. But /'// health obliges him to hve the greater part of the year at Brijlol^ for the benefit of the Waters there. I could fay more of his parifli every \yay, than the Doftor ^ Near Devizes^ in IViltfiiH^ 8 Letters to a Young Clergyman. Let. 2. Do6bor choofes to write to you of it bimfelf, be- eaufe he would not raife too high expedations. I am pleafed with the lift of books you intend taking with you, but you will allow me to add, that I hope you will take fome of 3'our Claffics, in order to keep up and improve your knowledge of the languages ; efpecially fuch as may increafe your critical acquaintance with the New Teftament.. I am your alTedionate and faithful fervant. Job Or ton. LETTER IL Dec, 4 Rev. and dear Sir, 77 1 COMPLY with your requeft in writing to you, though I have nothing to fay very deferving of your notice. But I am deter- mined there fhall be no defed in my friendly re- gards for you, how many foever there may be in the manner of expreffing them.. I was glad to hear of your fafe arrival at Che- verel ; though it was a mortification to me not to fee you in your way thither. You retire to a. COUNTRY VILLAGE Under fome difadvantages, arifing from the feafon of the year, and the agree- able fituation you have left.* But you have good reafon to believe that you are in the way of duty, following your great Mafter's diredions, and doing his work in that flation which he -^hath * Bridgnorth in the county of .ya/o/.—^w/cf eji natale foluifi^ Let. 2* Letters to a Young Clergyman, ^ hath appointed for you ; and I have a cheerful perfuafion, that you will be made very ufeful in it. To fee this, will add. charms to folitude, and pleafure to (ludy and preaching ; and abun- dantly make up what otherwife you would great- ly regret the lofs of. Every perfon to whom )^our labours prove beneficial, will be a faithful friend to you, and love and honour you as a fpir- itual father.. Though your diftance from your good Mother* is a painful circumftance, yet, as flie has other dutiful children with her, this will alleviate it both to her and to you. And furely our Mailer very reafonably requires us to leave father, mother, houfe, &c. yea all, to follow him. (Matt. x. 37.) And you well know what he promifes to thofe who do it with courage and cheerfulnefs. As you preach but once on a Sunday, permit me- to advife you on the other part of the day, ta give your auditory a fhort, plain and pradical Ex- ■pofition of tilt F.piftie or Gofpelfor the day ; which will be a very ufeful exercife to yourfelf — ex.- tremely agreeable to the parifli — and, if I mif- take not, it is required in fome of your Canons or Epifcopal Diredlions. (See Canon 49.) Ma- ny of our elder Clergy ufed expounding in the manner I propofe j and Bp., Burnet in his Pqftoral * Some affli<5livc circumftances, which afterwards befel this cxceU lent parent^ efpecially a paralytic feizure, reminiied her children of the following lines of Mr. Pope, which are defcriptive of their filial af- fedlion towards her : Me let the tender office long egaje. To rock the cradle of repofing age ; With lenient arts extend a Mother's breath, Make languor fmile, and fmooth the bed of death— - Explore the thought, explain the afking eye, And keep awhile oae parent froni the Iky. ro Letters to a Young Clergyman. Let. 2". Pqftoral Care, urges long Texts, andJJiort Sermons^ that is, expounding.* I fuppofe Dean Stan- HOPE*s Expofition of the Epiftles and Gofpels were dehvered in pubHc, and alfo that of Hole on the Catechifm, and others. At other feafons, it may be advifeable to catechife in pMic^ the el^ der children and youth, on that part of the Sun- day, when you do not preach, and to expound fome of the Catechifm upon Lewis's plan, uf- Ing the helps of fome commentators upon it.-f-^ And an hour once a week might be profitably devoted to catechife the younger children, either in the Chancel of the Church, or at the Parfon- age Houfe, which fuits you and' the feafon of the year beft, to v/hom you might and muft talk plainly and familiarly. You will find this very ufeful to ycurf el ^, as well as to them ; as you will thereby increafe a habit of ufi ng plain lan- guage, and will fee how far they underftand you, and by what they are moft flruck and affeded. Serious parents will like yoU' for this care and at- tention to their offspring. 1 found it of great ufe * S©e alfo Ahp. Hort's Inftrucfllons to the Clergy, p. 24, &c. and Abp. Secker's Charges to -his Clergy. f I think Lewis's Explanation of the Catechifm, {fays Mr. Orton) is as good as I have feea, (and I fuppofe is generally preferred by the Clergy) which has gone thiTiugh a multitode of editions, and is in the Catalogue of Trails difpeifed by the Society for promoting Chriflian Knowledge, and to be had by any of the Members on the terms of the Society. Dr. Adams ufed to read upon it at his Sunday Evening Ledlures upoa the Catechifm in St. Chad's C\-\\::Tch,Shre-ivfiurY. Some parts of it are not, I think, well fuppported by the texts which he advanceth in proof : But they may appear fatisfa<5lory to others, though not to me. It may be advifeable for you to procure fome commentators; and if you get Lewis's or any fmall commentator interleaved, you may add fuch remarks and reflecSlions from the other, as may be inilrudHve and ufeful to the children and others, who may attend your catechetical lectures. You will probably make this a part of your evening fervice, inflead of preaching, .and it. may be equally, if not more profitable to your congregation. JiET. 2. Letters to a Young Clergyman. n ufe to encourage the young men of my congre- gation at Shreiv/btiry^ to come to me from eight o'clock to ten on a Sunday evening, and to talk in a friendly manner to them on any ufeful fui> je£t, efpecially the Sermons of the preceding day« By this pradice I learnt much from them — what in a Sermon they did not underftand, and what they felt and were improved by in it. No ftud- ies at the Univerfity can teach this experimen- tal knowledge, this acquaintance with human nature. As I fuppofe the Dodor hath left you fome plain, practical Books to give away among ■the parifhioners, it will be natural to take oppor- tunities of afking tliem, whether they have read and underftood them. By fo doing you may introduce fome ferious difcourfe, and learn fome- thing of their charaders, which it would other- wife be difficult to do, without its appearing forc- ed and unreafonable ; and they may be led to join in the converfation, or elfe they may only give you the hearing. The principal difficulty in the paftoral care is to get our people to con- verfe freely, and to open their minds. And there is no judicioufly fuiting and applying remedies, without knowing the difeafe, and the patient's conftitution ; and this, in many cafes, can only be learned from themfelves. You are, no doubt, duly fenfible, that God giveth the increafe (i Cor. iii. 6.) ; and you will ad upon that good old maxim, bene orajfe^ eft beneftuduijje. May God multiply the feed you are fowing in public and private, and increafe in you and by you, the fruits of righteoufnefs ! Your X2 Letters to a Young Clergyman, Let. 3> Your defire of my advice in your prefent fitua- tion, muft be my apology for the freedom I have taken in this letter. As to any other particulars, I muft refer you to Dr. Doddridge's Life, and Mr. Philip Henry's,* the fituation of the latter in particular, fo exa<5lly refembling your own. If you meet with Herbert's Coun- try Par Jon, pray read it. Probably you may do this in Wiltjhire, as he was Redtor of Bemerton, in that x:ounty. I am your faithful friend, Job Orton, * The fourth edition of which was publiftied by Mr. Orton ia *7^5> price 2S. 6d. LETTER IIL Jan. 31, 1772. Dear Sir, x\S a fincere friend to the reputation and ufefulnefs of the clergy, and the honour of our common Chriftianity, I am an enemy to Plu- ralities in general. But you are fo circumftanced, that I fee no material objection to your acceptance of the curacy of Great C/iever-el.^ Your fphere of ufefulnefs will be enlarged ^ the inhabitants of that village and its environs will enjoy your la- bours, without being expofed to cenfure for rambhng from their own fold, and deferting their eftablifhed Paflor, who I find is very old, and too infirm to officiate any longer among them. I prefume, f An adjoining parifli. Let. 3. Letters to a Young Clergyman. 13 prefume, as the villages are To near to one another, all they of Little Cheverel^ who attend your Sun- day Morning Pra3'ers, will, without difficulty, ac- company you to Great Cheverel -^ and perhaps will come there with more fpirit, as they will be to hear you preach ; and they of that parith will be hkely to attend your prayers and fermons in the afternoon. This was the cafe with Mr. Jen ks,^ while he held the livings of Harley and Kenley together -, and thus he fatisfied his own well-in- formed and tender confcience, and vindicated himfelf to the world for being a Pluralifl:. The main thing to be feared (fnould you accept this curacy) is, left your proper pariih, having no fer- vice in the morning, ihould contracl an habit of profaning * The Rev. Mr. Benjamin Jenks (author of the book, of prayers, and other pradlical treatifcs) was born at Eaton Cojiantine^ in the ■County of Salop, Who his parents were, and what their rank, in life, is uncertain and immaterial. But he was related to Bifhop WiLLi.\MSj of Chick jier, to whom he \iedicates his Book, of Prayers. He was lome time Curate of Hat/ty, before he became Redlor of thut parifh. On the deatti of the preceding Incumbent, Richard Eari of BsADroRD, patron of the living, hearing Mr. Jknks fpoken of re- fpedlfuUy by the parifhioners, went one Sunday, in pri\atc, to hear him preach ; and was fo much pleafed with his diicourle, that he prefented him to tlie living, and m.ade him his chaplain. Mr, Jenks had alfo the living of Kcn/y, a fmall village about two miles from Ha/~ /ty, at both whicii churches he o/iiciated alternately, the people of eacTi pariih ufually attending him. He kept no curate until old age and infirm ites obliged him. He preached commonly without notes, and prayed without a form both before ai^d after fermon. " I have heard (fays he) Bilhops and Dignitaries, and many Dodlors and Divines of our church, ail very learned and p'xous, pray zuithcut the book, both be- . fore their fermons and upon other occafions, and with fuch a rational and railed devotion, i;s hath been lb far from being grating and often- five, that it hath been very iiiHrutflive and edifying." His people had a liigh refpedl and veneration for him ; with whom, on proper occafions, he would be very eafy and farniUar, ilill maintaining much authority over them. He was remarkable for great candour and moderation tov.t.rds woitliy peribns of dilfcrent religious perfua- fjons ; of which, the Editor of thefe Letters has in iiis polfcllion fome extraordinary B 14 Letters to a Young Clergyman. Let. 3. profaning or mifpendlng the Sabbath. But I know you will caution them on this head, and ex- hort and encourage them to go with you : And 1 hope and beheve, they have iuch a regard to you and the Docflor, and lb much fenfe of rehgion, at kail decency, that this evil will not arife. Let me entreat you to be careful of your kealth^'diS walk- ing home after preaching, and your lungs being v/armed by exercife, if the air be cold, may be in- jurious to you without great caution. Walking to Great Cheverel^ when the weather is kot^ may be equally prejudicial : and returning home late at night from funerals, may be worfe than either. I know not what is the cuRom of thofe parillies i but you ought to make a point of having the fu- nerals early. Laft night, in the midft of a thick Inow and fevcre froft, our vicar and his curate were burying two corpfes after five o'clock by candle light. This ought not to be endured. You will excufe thefe hints, as young Minifters do not always attend fuiiiciently to thefe mimitLe, If you find any ferious or teachable young men at Great Cheverel^ I fuppofe you wiU join them to the extraordinary inflances. He preached at Hurley fifty-fix years, and was allowed by the patron to nomiuate his fuccelfor, the Rev. Mr. Fainter, who refembled him in piety, zeal, and moderation. Mr. Jenks was married twice, died May ioth, 1724, in his feverfty- eighth year, and was buried in the chancel of Uarhy churcJi; where is u r.eat monument with the following iiifcription. Venerabilis \'ir. Ben. Jenks. In hac ccclefui per 56 annos ; Docemlo, vivendo, Ici ibcmdo, Animis lucrandis incul-ui:. Tandem, Domino vocante, Servus, bonvis et fidelis, Caelo maturus Intravit in gaudium seternum 10 mo Die M:\ii, A. D. 1724. .•Ei..tls fux 7^VO. Let. j. Letters to a Young Clergyman, 15 the little foclety, which you have already formed in your other pari(h,as they will not think it much trouble to come fa (liort a way to meet them. Or, if that cannot be done, perhaps they might be engaged to meet together on a Sunday even- ing, in their own village, for reading and religious converfation ; efpecially, if you can find fomc prudent and experienced Chriftian there, who will preiide over, and affift them. — I fubmit it to your confideration, whether it would not be ad- vifeable to fix on z.Jlated day weekly to vifit your new flock ; as then they will exped you, and I hope difpofe their bufinefs fo, that they may be more at leifure to receive you. You will, I doubt not, take notice (particular, tender notice) of their children ; inquire if they have learned their Catechifm, aik them a few queftions in it, which will give you a natural opportunity of dropping fome hints of encouragement. In the fame view, 3'ou will afk them what text you preached on the preceding Sunday, and whether they remember any thing which you then laid. This will give you a handle to remind them of what they lliould have particularly attended to and obferved ; en- gage their attention another time ; and inoflfen- fively admoniih and inftru^fl tlieir parents, and others of the family, who may be prefent ; who fometimes are but larger children in knowledge and underfcanding, and need milk as much as the lefs. You will fometimiCs call upon the old In- cumbent, (hew him all proper refpedl \ and you may, perhaps, have an opportunity of fuggefting a feafonable hint to him, without giving him of- fence : For many teachers need to be taught. As 1 6 Letters to a Young C/ergymaH. Let. 4. As Providence hath led you into a fphere of double fervice, I have no doubt but you will double your diligence and your prayers : in which I heartily concur, that you may have a double portion of the Spirit of your Divine Maftcr, and that his ftrength may be fufficient for you. I hope your zeal in difpofing of the books you fpeak of, was judicious.. Some fuch books, though containing bad divinity,, may be curious in an hiftorlcal view, or throw fome light into^ fome parts of antiquity ; and therefore deferve to be read and kept. 1 have often picked up a pearl from a dunghill, and fo am lefs. curious in my choice of books to read, than many others ; and, indeed, than I ought to be, h?vd I lefs time for reading;. Some valuable anecdotes from fome very trifling books, have made my fermons more entertaining and inftrudtive than otherwife they would have been : therefore it may be well to run over an indifferent book before it be ilaugh- tered. An Index Expurgatorius is a dangerous thing. I am your faithful friend and fervant, Job Orton. — -<<«^><^«»^ — ' LETTER IV. Kiddermiftfter, March 30, 1772. i AM very fenfible of your weight of bufmefs : but you will not be difheartened, efpec- ially as you will, 1 hope, more and more fee (in the mercantile flyle) that it anfwers very well. You know Let. 4- Letters to a Young Clergyman. 17 know who could do all things £y X/jjrw fK^'iv^aBvl* Phil, iv. 13. and there your eyes will be continu- ally diredled. Even St. Paul could not do without that ; and zviih that, who cannot do ? I know not what to fay about extemporary preaching. It may on fome accounts be defirable and ufetul : but 1 dare not encourage it in young Divines. I never knew an inftance of it,.but the preacher was carelefs in his ftud'ies, flovenly and incorred in his difcourfes ; and, lofing the habit of accurate compofitions, could never recover it afterwards. Yet I would by no means delire you to confine yourfelf entirely to your notes. When a thought ftrikes you, or fomething in your fermon feems to ftrike your hearers, you may addafew fentences, as you find matter arif- ing in your mind : and if you are thoroughly mafter of your fubjcvft, and have a good deal of your fermon, efpecially the application of it com- mitted to memory, thus much will be eafy, and you will not heiitate and appear at a lofs. But fuppofe you preach at your new Church, Sermons which you- have delivered at Little Chever el \\2M 2l year ago ; not exadly as wrote, but commit the fubftance, every leading thought, and the texts that )^ou have introduced into them, to memor)'', and then enlarge pro re natd. Or, you may com- pofc and write out one new Sermon every week, and let it be preached at your churches alternate- ly ; and then, on the other part of the day, have, at the other church, your plan, texts, and lead- ing thoughts only written down, and difcourfe to your people from them. So that each place will haye a complete, and a kind of extemporary - B 2 difcouric 1 8 Letters to a Young Clergyman » Let. 4^ dlfcourfe alternately. But then, if you do this a"s it ought to be done, It will very little leiTen your labour : For it will require as much pains ia ftudying your plan, texts, and fubordinate thoughts, and putting them down, as in writing a fermon at large. But let me caution you, nev- er to venture without a finiflied difcourfe in your pocket, left any indilpofition of your own, or cir- cumftance relating to the congregation, fhould difqualify you for ready conception and utter- ance. I have known fo many Minifters becom.e injudicious and unacceptable by a carelefs habit of compoiing, or rather of not compofing at all, in their younger days, and in fniali country places, that I make thefe conceflions, guarded as they are^ with fear. The other extreme is beft for a young Divine to err in. Befides, there is no way by which you will fo fpeedily and effe dually in- creafe your fund of theological knowledge, as by accurate compofures. Thus you will fludy your rubje(5t carefully, viewing and examining it on every fide ; confulting all the commentators yoxh m.ay have upon 3^our texts and parallel places, and reading what other Divines (whofe writings you may be pofTeffed of) have faid upon the fub- ject. So that were you to read nothing for a whole week, but what you would read in this method (except Hiftory, Claflics, &c. by way of relaxation) I iliould commend your diligence, and fay, you had kept to the good maxim, Hoc age 1 found lately. In the courfe of my reading, mention made of a Mr. Rowland Sfedman, a native of ^hropjliire^ who, in 1662, gave up his living Let. 4. Letters to a Yoimg Clergyman, i^ living of 300I. per annum, at Oakingham^ Berk- fiire, becauie he could not comply with the ternis- then required ; who was an excellent preacher, and the author of ieveral pradical treatifes. Is- he an anceftor or relative of yours ?* I aflure you I fhould think fuch a Divine and Confeflbr an honour to my name and family, and I believe you will think it fo to yours. Of another pious Minifter I read,, that he found his labours had little effedt upon his own parilliioners, but much upon his occafional and accidental hearers. Of another^ that being complained of by a neighbour- ing Clergyman, for drawing away his paritliiooers on aSunday,he anfwered, " 1 have preached them here; let him, if he will, preach them back again." Old Bifhop Latimer told fuch a complaining Divine -" Feed your flock better, and then they won't ftray." Such hints as thefe, from em- inent and exi:>erienced Miniffcers, have always a great weight on my mind. In reading the Lives of eminent Men, you will do well to infert in a Pocket-book, or Vade-mecum, any hints of fto- ries, fads, or remarks, which you would wifh to remember, or would be proper to quote in fer« mons or converfaiicn. Unlefs your memory be much better than mine ever was, you will fine! this neceliary. I congratulate * He was born at Co^f'ton^ in tiie parlih of DLMlehury, in ShrofJJiire^ 1630.; admitted a commoner of Baliol CoNsge, Oxford^ March 13, 1647, and. the year following removed to Univerjitv College. In 1655, he took hisraafter's degree, and foon afterwards became MiniHer of Han" ivcli^ near Brentfordy Middlcfex ; where continuing until 1 660, he remov- ed to Oakingham, in BcilJhirey-M\A from thence was ejedted for noncon- formity. He was afterwards Cliaplain to Phiuip Lor^ WHASTo>f, and died at his Lordlhip's feat at yVohourne, near Beacomjiddy Buchy Sept. 14, 1673, and lies buried in the church there, $^Q IVoQif^ /lthm(£ Qxonienfe'i^ V. II- p. 381. '2jo Letters to a Young Clergyman. Let. 5. I congratulate you on the approach of Springs when every fcene will be enlivened around you, and a country village will become a kind of para- dife. It gives me pleafure to think what favour- able opportunities of ulefulnefs you will have in your rural walks, to fee your farmers and fliepherds at work, and caHting with them and their fervaqts about their occupations, in an eafy and natural way, grafting fome religious hints upon it, di- redting them to fpiritualize their labours, and rife to God, and ChriH, and Heaven by their common occurrences. And while you exhort them in the words of Solomon, to " be diligent to^ know the ftate of their flocks, and to look well to their herds,'* (Prov. xxvii. 23.) you will, like a good fliepherd, take the hint yourfelf. — May the dews of divine grace be largely diffufed into you and your flock, that you may be adorn- ed with all the beauty of Chriflian graces, and abound in all the fruits of righteoufnefs ! 1 am your affe(flionate and faithful humble iervaut. Job Or ton. LETTER V. June 10, 1772. Dear Sir, JL HE death of the old Incumbent of Great Cheverel^ is an affefting leflbn to the laity, but efpecially to the clergy ; which I pray God they may lay ferioufly to heart. I wifh you may be continued in the Curacy, provided the new Redor Let. 5. Letters to a Young Clergyman. ^f Re6lor fliould not choofe to refide. Fellows of Colleges, who have been many years immured in their colleges, are not always the moil fit perfons to be Parlih Priefts ; not knowing well how to. preach, or converfejOr behave to common people ; except they have a heart truly ferious, and that will make up every other defeat in country places^ I am glad you are pleafed with the two vol- umes of CLtJBBE's* Trads, which I defigned for your fervice, and beg your acceptance of them. His Sermon before the Sons of the Cler- gy at Ipfvoicky'2iXii\ the Letter to a Young Cler- gyman, are very excellent. His Tract on In- fant Baptifm is lenfible and clear, and the others are entertaining, and indeed ufeful ; for they ex- pofe the folly of many writers, efpecially on fub- jeds of antiquity, and indeed of fome of the Clergy, who fpend too much of their time iri- fuch iludies^ I know not what Hijlory of England io recom- mend to you. Some are fo large, fome fo iliort, and fome fo partial, it is hard ta fay which is beft, or which is good. A general acquaintance with our hiftory is very defirable. But it is of great importance to be acquainted with fome periods of it, particularly the Reformation, Civ- il Wars,, and Revolution. 1 know none better than Burnet's Abridgment of the Preformation y and his Hifory of Ms ozvn Times. W el wood's I^femoirs is a good abridgment of our hiftory from James I. to King William. I have heard a good charader of Goldsmith's Hifory^ but have not ktn it. But I would principally rec- ommend *• Reaor of WhatfieU in Suffolk. 2 2 Letters to a Young Clergyman, Let. 6. ommend to you to get fome books of Biogra- phy.; efpeclally the Britijh Biography^ which is very full and cheap, and the beft thing of the kind I have feen. This will give you a good ac- quaintance with our hilliory in general, with par- ticular peribns and their writings, and above all, will fur nidi you with many little anecdotes and {lories to infert in your fermons, which will en- tertain and edify your hearers. There is a book which I would recom'mend to you, as extremely ufeful in this view, called " The Trimnphs of Faith^^ printed for Dilly — price, half a crown. I am your faithful friend, Job Orton* LETTER VI. Augnjl 19, 1772, Dear Sir, 1 SHOULD have wrote to you long ago, had not my great weaknefs prevented me, owing to which, I was obliged to drop all correC- pondence, but what I could carry on in fliort- hand. I thank you for your very kind and friendly Letter,, and all the encouragements and confola- tion it fuggefls. It is not only a proof of your friend fhip ta me, but an evidence, that " the Lord hath given you the tongue of the learned, to fpeak a word in feafon to them that are wea« ry i*' * and in that view it gave me peculiar pleaf- ure*. ♦ Ifaiah 1. 4, ILet. 6. Letters io a Yotwz Clervyma/i. zi ure. The long continued dry tind hot weather we have had, though fo favourable to the earth, was injurious to me; weakened my Httle flrength, and quite took away my fpirits. I have been in a ver)' lang-uiihing (late, fmce the end of June, Within a week pafh I have been confiderably re- vived ; though I have, and fhall have, returns of my diibrder, and my nerves continue in a mofh (battered condition : nor can I expect they will be much better, until we have cooler weath- er. My mind hath indeed been in a gloomy (late ; which I doubt not, as your very kind Letter fuggefts, is much owing to my corporal diforder : but when eternity feems juil in view, confcience awakens and alarms ; youthful fins, which have been deeply and daily mourned over before God, appear yet exceeding (inful ; and the fins of a profeiibr and a Mmifter^ appear pe- culiarly heinous. A thoufand defe£ls and neg- ligences in miniilerial work, and efpecially in the paftoral care, appear then ^reat (ins. You read my writings, and fee my out fide only ; but know not " the plague of my heart," the fad remains of corruptions and fenfual afFediions, dif- tracled, cold devotions, and little, languid love and zeal. Yet it hath been the main bufinefs of my life to do good ; and I think my governing principle, to ferve the Lord Chrifl. Worldly wealth, honour, pleafure and applaufe, I never fought. I have been endeavouring to ferve my fellow-creatures while I had ability, and have been attempting it in my prefent fiiate of filence, weaknefs and obfcurity ; and though confcious of innumerable imperfedions, this affords me fome comfort. -5,4 Letters to a Ymm^ Clergyman. Let. 6. comfort. I have fometlmes a cheerful hope ; at other times it is weak and wavering, and thofc fears which have torment, prevail. But in the darkefl feafons, I keep looking and crying to God for his pardon and help ; that he would dif- cover to me any latent hypocrify or fm ; and, if he feeth it good, dart a ray of light and peace in- to my foul. I place no dependence upon any works or worthinefs of my own, but lie at the foot of the crofs, as a humble, penitent believer, and fixing all my dependence there.* I write thefe things partly for your warning, partly for your encouragement ; but chiefly that you may the better know how to pray for me. I wi(h to know more clearly (and he can, if he fees good, J^iew me) how far the body darkens the profpeds of the foul, or how far remaining corruptions and failings occaiion anxious fears. I daily pray, " Shew me wherefore thou contendefL with me.'' Job X. 2. And 1 hope God will not deny a re- quefl, which his word and Spirit didate, 1 rejoice * Sir John Hawkins, in his life of Dr. Johnson, gives us the fol- lowing account. — " In :i vifit, which I made him, in confequence of a very prefiing requeil to fee me, I found him labouring under great dejedtion of miod. He bade me draw near hmi, and faid, he wanted to enter into a leriousconverfation with me; and, upon my exprelling a wiliingnefsto join in it, he, with a loois. that cut me to the heart-, told me, that lie had tiie prolpe(5l of death before him, and that he Your method of afking children and grown peo- ple whether they remember the texts on which you have been preaching the Sunday before, is very propter, and will naturally lead you into fome ferious difcourfe with them, and lead them to . fuch anfwers, as will enable you to form a judg- ment of their temper and fhate. Afet of yearly fermons to young people, to par- ents and children (which you have thoughts of preaching, Let; S. Letters to a Young Clergyman. ji preaching, and of which you aik my advice) may probably havei this inconvenience attending it, that in a few years you may be at a lofs for frefii materials. It may be done very well for a year or two. But it feems to me a better way to intro- duce thefe fubjedls by preaching upon fome fcrip- ture hiilories : as for inftance, what is faid of- Ahraham'i commanding his children and houfe- hold to keep the way of the Lord ; of JoJJmas ref- olution to ferve the Lord with his houfe ; of Da^ vid's inftrudions to his fon Solomon, and the like ; the early piety of Jofeph, Obadiah, Jabez, Solomon^ Timothy, and efpecially our Lord Jefus ChrijT, Thefe hiilories are ftriking, and will at once ex- plain and enforce the duties you recommend ; and fo with regard to all other relative duties. Your ftory of the good woman at Great Chev- erel is dehghtful, and full of inflru6lion. It fliews how abfurd, ungrounded, uncharitable, and wicked it is, to fiy af parities and congregations where tlie gofpel, in our vievv' of it, hath not been preached, " There is no religion there — not one lerious perfon — not one pious foul." See Johri i. 46 — 48. Have you ever feen and read Jenk s'sM"^J//j- t'lons /"'* If you have not, I fuppol'e you may bor- row them of Dr. Ston house. They are very ferious and excellent things, on a great variety of fubjeds ; almoft each of which contains the fub- ftance and heads of a fermon, and will furnilli ex- cellent materials for your compofitions for the pulpit j though his flyle is none of the beA". Merivale*s * In two volum-25 oi;avo, printed for Rivington, in St, Pi»«/'9 Cliurch-yard, 52 Letters to a Young Clergyman, Let. S. MfiRi vale's Daily Devotions for the Clofet^* I have, and think them excellent. The author was a mod worthy, learned and pious man, a na- tive of Northampton i and of the fame clafs with me at the academy, and afterwards divinit5^-tutor at the academy at Exeter. Sander cacK's Sermons, in two volumes, are lively, judicious, fe- rious, and familiar. Had you looked into your lexicons for the meaning of the word Chrematijiic, you would have found that it fignifies, the art of getting and fav- ing money, from X^>i/u,a, money, fubftance, wealth, &c. Xj^YifMo^i^iplog hath a different fenfe in the New Teftament, and means warned of God in a dream. Where you are in doubt about any fuch words, never reft until you have obtained fome knowledge of them. By this method you will increafe your ftock of learning, and with compar- atively little trouble. I have little to fay of myfelf. I blefs God, I am in pretty good fpirits, but weak and unfit for any bulinefs. The late wet and windy weather hath been prejudicial to me, by hindering my riding, and depriving me of comfortable fleep. But I would be thankful, that I am able to read, and fometimes to write a little to my friends, and fo I hope am not quite ufelefs in the world. I greatly want a heart to improve folitudeand in- firmities better, to feel more of the love of God, and fubmiilion to him, and better hopes as to fu- turity. In this view, I doubt not but you will continue your prayers for me. May the great Head * Price; two /hillings; printed for Buckland; in Pat?rnoiler- Row. Let. 9« Letters io a Young Clergyman: j^.- Head of the church Increafe all your gifts and; ' graces, and make you abundantly ufeiul to all. the people committed to your charge ! Lam, dear Sir, your's affectionately. Job Or ton. P. S. November 6y ^11'^^ which reminds me of the day of the year on which Dr. Doddridge died. The recollection of which event affeds me with deep humility, and at the. fame. time with much thankfulnefs. I wifh his Life may be of ufe to you* It coft me immenfe pains, and helped to hrea,k my conflitution. . But I hope it hath done, and will do, fome good ; though thofe who I think on many accounts fliould have paid the greateft attention to it, have regarded it lead. LETTER IX. March 27, 1773.. Dear Srir, 1 AM forry you meet with fo much difcouragcment from your new pariQiioners, But if you did not expedl fuch, 5^ou were too fan- guine, and did.not fufficiently confider the ftate of that parilh. It was, I luppofe, like Solo- mon's field of the ilothful, all overgrown with thorns and nettles, the fences broken down, or out of repair, and all the marks of negligence, and its bad confequences appearing in it. Were you to take a farm in that condition, you would notexpedl.to fee it become fruitful and beauti- fu4 54 Letters to a Young Clergyman, Let. 9. ful all at once, or with the utmofl: pahis you could t-ake, in a few months, or even years. But tl^^e minds of finners are more untradable than a neg- lected farm. The weeds of fin are fo many, and have taken fuch deep root, that it is not ea- fy to eradicate them, much lefs to deftroy the feeds. It is hard to break up the fallow ground of hearts, which has been long uncultivated. Hofea X. 12. But the hand of the diligent will in time do great things, and the bleffing of the Lord, which will attend it, (if his diligence ex- tends to prayer as well as labour) can break through the greatefl difficulties. You will, no doubt, ftudy fome awful fubjefts to awaken and convince obftinate fmners ; yet not dwell too much upon thefe, but try to draw them at times, with the cords of love, and the endearing, ftrik- ing motives of a glorious gofpcl. When you hear of any of them behaving ill, you will take aa opportunity of talking privately to them. But then, I think it will be beft not to enter too largely upon their particular fins and faults, (elfe they will probably be difplcafed) but reprefent to them in general the evil of fin, the temporal, fpir- itual, and eternal mifery, which men are bringing upon themfelves and their children by vicious courfes; and put into their hand fome little TraB, againfl: the vice which they are guilty of, or the v^fhole, or part of Dr. Stonho use's Admonitions againji /wearing^ jahhath-hreaking^ and drunken- nejs,* If you have any ferious, judicious Chrif- tians in either of your parilhes, who are acquaint- ed * Price one penny, or 6s. an hundred. This little tra(5l is in the caiaiogue of the Society for promoting Cliriftian KuOwIedse> "Let. 9. Letters to a Young Clergyman, 35 ed with thofe perfons who give you fo much con- cern, endeavour to prevail upon them to talk a 4itt]e feriouily to them at proper times : for in many cafes, a hint of advice given by one of the Laity hath more effed, and is better received^ than when it comes from a Clergyman, as they will think the latter is only ading ex officio, and that his exhortation doth not fo much proceed from a real concern for their reformation and iiappinefs. You will, I doubt not, confider that your cafe is the very cafe in fome degree^ o{ every faithful Minifter of Jefus Chrift. It was the cafe of the holy Apoflles (2 Cor. xii. 20j 21.) and was the cafe of their Lord and ours himfelf* And though it fhews a right dlfpofition, when a Minifter's heart is grieved and humbled in fuch circumitances, yet he Ihould not be difcouraged^ but proceed with fo much the more vigour in his work, comforting himfelf with this thought, that God may at length awaken the mofb careiefs and humble the mofh obftinate fmners ; or that fome- thing we fay to them m.ay (lick by them, and produce fome good effed hereafter, perhaps when we are removed to another fliation or another world ; that others receive benefit by our la- bours ; that all are not difobedient to the word, and unfruitful under our miniflry ; and that we iliall be a fweet favour to God, accepted and ap- proved of him, in them that perilh as well as in them that are faved ; 2 Cor. ii. 15. and that God will reward his Miniflers in proportion to their pains and diligence, and not their fuccefs. In the mean time, fuch events are of ufe to Minif- ■ters themfelves, to humble them^ make them more 3'6 ^Letters to a Young Clergyman. -Let. 9. -niore watchful and zealous, and more earneft in -prayer for all-conquering grace.* I am now reading the works of Mr. William ^Perkins, an eminent Tutor and Divine 2itCam- Jjiidge in Qu e e N Elizabeth's reign . They are three volumes in folio, and I have got through one of them. What leads me more particularly to read him was, that his elder brother was one of my anceflors, from whom I am in a dired line, by my motheT's fide, defcended. 1 think him •an excellent writer ; his flyle is the befi: of any .t)f that age, or the next, and many paflages in his writings are equal to thofe of the bed writers in modern times. He is judicious, clear, full df matter, and deep Chriftian experience. He wrote ,all his works with his left hand, being lame of his rights and died about forty-four. 1 could wifh W/ Minifters, efpecially ymmg onQS^ would read ■diim, as they would find large materials forcom- pofition. ■ * Mr. ORTXiN onte wrote to an eminent Divine-of the EftabliiTied Church as fallows. — "You fay you c^o no goo^.1 by preaching." This is talking weakly; I had almoft ufed a harder word. Should you TiOt be chided for it ? — " Why do you leave oft" preaching ?" faid old .Bifhop Latimer to a complainer like you ? He anfwered, "Becaufc 'i do no good, my lord." The Billiop replied, " That, brother, is a jiaughty, a very naughty reafon"—^ You do not: kncv/ what good you have done, are doing, may yet do, and even after you are dead. No good man preaches,! am confident, ■^^•ithol;rt doing feme goo J, and iTiore than he knows of, or will know of, until the great dilcovering day. To have done our heft is moral merit ; and God will graciouily accept and reiv^^rtl it. What great good difi our Mi-fter himfelf do ? ■'< Who hath believed his report ?" Ifai. liii. i; Who would have thought that; &,v fhould ever have talked of doing ^.o good by preaching, when God hath done you -fo much honoar already in your nrinifterial ^haradler r I am afhamedof yoa ; and almoft angry at you. Labour more, and pray more ftill. " If the iron be blunt, as Solomon^ fays, then put to more ftrengfh." Ecclef. x. lo. If you begin to be luke- warm, whatever your motive is, it cannot be a good one. I -am not clenr, that I ever did much lajVng good in m.y life ; yet I do not re- pent my attesr.jns, I am humbled and afhamed daily, thatthey were not more and better. Remember^ that ^reachin^ is of God's own ap- pointhicnt." L:et. 9- Letters fo a Youn^ Clergyninn. 37 pofition. He hath fome trads agninn: the Pa- pifls ; appears to have been a pretty high Cal- vinift, but he hath mamy admirable things in pra5lical divinity. Mis works arc little known in England^ but they are ftill in eftimation in Ger- many, many of them being written in elegant Lat- in, and others translated into German. Some account of his life may be fecn in Clark's Lives of Eminent Men. He was efteemed a Puritan, and met with fome difficulties on that account.* As a fpeci men of Perkins's manner, I fend you the following quotations. Speaking of St.PAUL's labouring in vain, he adds, *' It may be demand- ed, what mud be done, when the labours of our calling are in vain ? Anjwer. We mufi: follow the command and caUing of God, whether we have good fuccefs or no, and whatever comes of it. Though Paul feared his labour v/as vain, y^t ftill he laboured. When Peter had labour- ed all night and caught nothing, at the command of Chrift he faith, at thy word will I caft out my net. And thus to do, whatever follows, is true w^ifdom and the fear of God. For it muft fuf- fice us, that the work we take in hand is pleaf- ing to God, and though it fhould be in vain with refpect to m^en, it is not fo before God. This every man muft remember in his place and calling for the eftabliihment of his mind again ft all events. " Minifters are to temper their gifts and fpeech to the condition of their hearers. The Corinthians D were * Mr. Granger in his Bhgraphlca! H:j%ry hySy — ''He was depriv- ed by Archbifhop Whitgift for being a Puritan. But his greit learning, worth and influence made the high party alhamed and afraid to proceed to any violent meafures v/ith him." 3^ Letters to a Young Clergyman. Let. 9. were babes in Chrlft, and Paul fed them with milk. To the Jews he became a Jew, &c. For this caufe, it were to be wiflied, that cateckifing were more ufed than it is by our Minifters : For our people are for the mod part rude and unin- flrucled. A fermon to fuch perfons is like a great loaf fet before a child. It is no difgrace for leanv ed Minifters in a plain and familiar manner to catechife. This is to lay the foundation, without which, all labour in building is vain. In much hearing they learn little, becaufe they know not the grounds of dodlrine, that are ufual in all fer- mons. It is a fault in miany, that they love to hear fermons which are beyond their reach, in which they fliand and wonder at the preacher, and plain preaching is little refpedled of fuch." You will judge of his ftyle and manner by thefe quotations. 1 have lately found in his works, an analylis and harmony of the whole Bible for the ufc of ftudents at Cambridge. I think I have now paid you in your own coin, and filled my paper to the utmoft. If any thing- be acceptable and ufeful to you in its contents, I fliall be glad. I am thankful for your prayers, which are mxUtual. Think of me, as laid afide from public work, and almofl ufelefs ; and learn from it to work while it is day, before difability comes, or the night, when no man can work. And may God work effedually in you, with you, and by you ! 1 am your fmcere and affedionate friend, Job Orton. LETTER Let. io.- Letters to a Young Clergyman. 39 LETTER X, Dear Sir, April 17, 1773, L ATELY reading; Chaucer's Char- o acler of a Good Parfon^ as publifhed by Dry den, and recolleding ibme things in your lad letter about your method of preaching, induced me to tranlcribe the following lines, and fend them to you. He bore his great co ripaiflloa in his look, But Iweeth' temper'd avve ; and foflen'J all he fpoke. He preach'd the joys of heav'n and paias of hell, And warn'd the fi'iner with becoming zeal ; But Oil eternal mcrcv lov'd to dwell. He taught the gofpel rather than t!ie law : And forc'd himfelf to drive ; but lov'd to draw. For fear but frightens minds ; but love, like heat, Exhales the foul fublirne, to feek her native feat. To threats, the ftubborn finner oft i? hard : Wrapt in his crimes, agaiuH: the florm prepar'd ; But, when the milder beams of mercy pi ly", H^ melts, and tlirows his cumbrous ckviL avv-ay. Lightnings and tliunder, (Heav'n's artiibn) As harbingers before th' Almighty fly : Thofe, but proclaim his ftyle, and difaj pear ; The fliller found fucceds ; and God is there. There is much truth and weight in thefe lines, and my own experience confirms the propriety and importance of attending to them. I am glad to hear, that you preach to large jcongregations. But it is not eafy to know what good is done by our preaching. If we had not ground to hope, that more good is done, than appears in general, it would be very difcouraging. But great modefty, diffidence, or fome other prin- ciple, prevents our people from letting us know, how they like our ferm.ons, and what good they get 40 Letters to a Youn^ Clergyman. Let. io* get by theai. Befides, we are lowing feed, which may feem loil, but may only lie dormant for a while, yet may grow and ipring up and bear fruit h.ereaftcr, perhaps fome years hence, perhaps not until we are dead. 1 am glad you (S.^^ not per- plex yourielf on this head, as indeed you iliould not ; but while you endeavour to do your du- ty faithfully, leave the event to God. Yet, as it is very defirable to know what fuccefs at- tends our labours, every prudent method fhouM be taken to know it. This is indeed a very nice point. One cannot make a dire6l in- quiry, whether our fervices are ufeful or eveit acceptable, without appearing vain, and to court applaufe. Yet it is proper to introduce In your vifits, fome converfation upon the fubjed of your laft fermon, and to remind the people of it. This may be done without any breach q^ modefty, and may lead them to open their hearts freely on the fubjed: ; and thus we may judge, how far they underftood and rehfhed what was faid, and whether they were the better for it. And by this means, we may preach over the fame truths to particular perfons or finiilies In private, perhaps with more force and fuccefs than in the pulpit. Among the poor and plain people, yo.u may be quite free and open on this head, and may aik. them whether they underdood fuch and fuch afu])je6l. They will not fufpecl you of vanity, or any low ends ; though probably fome of the higher ranks might, among whom vanity is {o prevalent. Here wifdom is profitable to direcfi:, and a perfon may In fome meafure judge by them of the tempers and characters of thofe about him. I was.= Let. 10. Letters to a Yoim^ Clergyman. 41 I was glad to hear of Dr. Stoniiouse's fafe arrival at Teefon, after fo perilous a iourne5\ I almoft; envy him the company of Mrs. B. and her agreeable family. Has he told you that he held a conventicle at her houfe on the Sunday even- ing ? This was in charadler — being " inflant in feafon and out of feafon.'* I am often com- forted by Rom. xi. 2, 4. God hath many hidden oneSy even among the great as v/ell as the fmall. T/ie Book of Devotions^ which you faw at my houfe,was publiflied byWiL li am Austin, Efq. o'i Lincoln\s htn, who was a Papift in Charles THE FiRST*s time. You will fee his name and a letter to him, in Howell's Familiar Letters, and fome account of him in Granger's Biographical Hiftory. It was reformed and purged from the popifh tenets by Dr. Hicks, and after- wards by Mr. Dorr I NG TON; and great ufe hath been made of it by many. other devotional writ- ers. It contains fuch noble and fublime fbrains of devotion, as, I think, are not to be met with any where but in the Bible. So devout may a Papifl be. He wrote fome other pieces, and died about the year 1638. Reading lately in one of my old favourite books, (Bolton) I found in it this remark : That St. Paul, addrening himfelf to the Church- es, widies them grace and peace from God and our Lord Jefus Chrifl : but to Timothy, and Titus, who were young Divines, he wifhes them, grace, mercy, and peace ; intimating how much they of all men flood in need of divine mercy ^ on account of the very important office they fuf- D z tained;, 42 Letters to a Young dergyman. Let. ir. tained, and the duties incumbent on Miniftcrs. It is a very uietul iiint, and deierves ferious con- iideratlon. I am always glad to hear from you and am Your affedionate fervant, Job Ortok^ LETTER XT. Aug. 24, 1773. Dear Sir, JL Wi\S very glad to hear of your fa& arrival at Cheverel^ and of the agreeable circum- ftances which attended your return to it. The kindnefs of Providence in pveferving us in our journeys, and guarding us in our going out and coming in, demands a very ferious and grateful acknowledgment, and lays us under freQi obliga- tions to be adive in the fervice of the bountiful and gracious Preferver of men. I need not in- form you that there is a wide difference between tlie formal acknowledgment of the divine care, which is often found even in the word of men, and that lively gratitude, and quick fenfe of ob- ligation, v/hich I fear is not often found in the hearts of good m.en. We are too prone to for- get common mercies. It is therefore defirable, af- ter a long and various journey, ferioufly to recoi- led the feveral flages, circumftances, and occur- rences of it, that we may be particular in our thankfgivings, and more adive and zealous in ferving our gracious Protedor. When I was in my better days, I ufed to fpend about oae month Let. II. Letters to a Young Clergyman. 43 in a year in vifiting my relations in IVarivichfJiire^ and Northami)tonJhtre, being feldom from home at any other time. The Sunday after my return, I generally preaclied upon fome fubjed, that led me to take notice of the circumftances through which I had paifed ; and I found thefe difcourfes were peculiarly agreeable to my people, and were perhaps as ufefulas any I preached. As a fpec- imen, I recolledl having preached on thofe oc- cadons from theie texts. Pfulm xxxv. 10. (former part) Pfalm xxxvii. 27. xci. 1 1. cxvi. 9. Proverbs xxvii. 8, againft unneceliaryjournies and vifits.*' Ifaiah xliii. 2. Daniel v. 23. Aore efpecially, eveiy man is thought Of who cannot pay his credit ; in what terms he is fpokea of — in what light he is viewed, what a deduftion this is from his good qualitie?, what an aggravation of his bad ones — what infulis he is ex- pofed to from his creditors, Vv'hat contempt from all. Nor is this jud>t- ment far amifs. Let him not fneak of honeily, vvdio is daily pracSii- ing deceit ; for every man who is not paid is deceived. Let him not talk of liberahry, who puts it out of his power to perform one adl of ir. Let him not boaft of fpirit, of honour, of independence, who fears the face of his creditors, and who meets a creditor in every ftreet. There is no meannefs in frugality : the meannefs is in thofe fhifts and expedients^ to which extravagance is fure to bring men. Profufion is a very equivocal proof of generofity. The proper diflinc- tion is not between hira who fpends and him who. faves, for tliey may be equally felfiih ; but between him who fpends upon himfelf, and him who fpends upon others. When I extol frugality,, it is not to p.aife tliat minute parfjmony which ferves for little but to vex our- felves and teaze thofe about us ; but to perfuade you to ecemwy upon a flan, and that plan deliberately adjufled to your circumftances and ex- pecflations. Set out with it, and it is eafy ; to retrieve, out of a fmall income, is not impoiTible. Frugality in this fenfe we preach, not on- ly as an article of prudence, but as a lelTon of virtue. Of this frugal-- ity it has been truly faid, that it is the parent of liberty, of independ- ence, of geaerofitv. ^Jvics addrejfed to the Youn^ Cler^\. 46 Letters to a Young Clergyman, Let. ii. One of m}^ young friends, who hath been at Oxford^ at the inftallatlon of Lord North, as Chancellor of that unlverfity, fpent a day or two with me lad week, and (hewed me a very great curiofity. It is a circular letter addrefled to the Clergy by one Dr. Trusler, who lives in Lon- don ; containing propofals to furnifli them with fermons from our beft Divines, and fome never publiOied nor preached, at one fliilling for each lermon, engraven on copper-plates, that they may look like a manufcript, and that perfons, who can fee thePreacher*s notes from the gallery, may fuppofe them to be his own hand writing. This is a new and fine contrivance, and what a Clergyman (who wants no fuch helps) properly calls, ^' An help for tlie lame and the lazy.*'* Since 1 began this Letter, a friend, who hath been at Hagley fome days, informs me, that he thinks Lord Lyttleton can live but a very (hort time. I do not find that he has any appar- ent bad diforder, but is fmking under the weight of domeflic forrows. So little can his wealth, honour, title, palace, park, literary reputation, and high character throughout Europe fupport him under his afflitftions. What a melancholy proof * But hark — the Doiflor's voice — He haiJs the Clergy ; and, defying fhair.e, Aanounces to the world his own and theirs. He grinds divinity of other days Down into modern ufe ; transforms old print To zig-zag manufcript, and cheats the eyes Of gaU'ry critics by a thoufand arts. Are there who purchafe of the Do6lor's ware ! Oh name it not in Oath ! It cannot be, That grave and learned Clerks fhould need fucli aid. He doubtlefs is in fport, and does but droll, .Atfuming thus a rank unknown before, Grand caterer and dry-nurfe of the Church. Co\VPtB.'i; Tajl, firp ^>ub!:jliLi in I7S5. Let. 12. Letters to a Young Clergyman, 47 proof of the truth of Solomon's obfervation, that all is vanity.^ I have lately fent a fmall trad to the prefs, contaiaing Three D if courfes on ChriJiian7.eal^vjh\Q\i I lliall beg your acceptance of as foon as they are publifhed. I fliall be thankful if Providence makes me an inflrument of doing good in this way, while I am di fabled from appearing in the pulpit. I heartily with you fuccefs in all your pious and benevolent attempts to do good, and am, Dear Sir, Your affedionate friend, and humble fervant. Job Orton. The Lady's verfes upon Dr. S***, are pretty. But he will not plume himfelf upon them. Al- lowance mud be made for the poetica licentia. The compliments of our friends do us no harm, but good, when we improve them by vigorous endeavours to be what they fugged we already are, <-^<4t^ ^^^>,^>_ — LETTER XIL mv, 5, 1773. Dear Sir, 1 AM very glad to hear that you have come to a refolution to have nothing further to do with Mr. * *- * * in the way of correfpondence or intimacy. And I hope you will extend your refolution to all men of that fort, be they ever fo pious and zealous. My reafon for this advice is plain. You are not likely to do Mr. * * * * any good. * His Lordlhip died the next day. 4^ Letters to a Young Clergyman. Let. i2. good. There is no mending wrongheads, efpec- ially when they are influenced by what they think a zeal for God, and imaghie that their good in- tentions will juftify, and even faniftify, all their imprudence and irregularities. You never can make him fee that he is adling wrong and impru- dently. You may confute luch men, but you can never convince them. Another lubftantial reafon, why you fhould decline all correfpondence with him is, that you will be likely to be a///- ferer by him. Not that 1 fuppofe he will cor- rupt you, or lead you into any of his irregulari- ties \ but thefe Ibrt of Divines will never be eaf}^, except thofe, who they think are pious, will join in their meafures and approve them. If you join in them, you hurt your own credit and ufe- fulnefs, and the peace of your own mind ; and your name and example will be confidered and quoted as a fan£tion for all their irregularities. If you do not]d\Vi in them, they will cenfure and mifreprefent you, yea, and treat you worfe than they would a meer formalifl. I have feen many jnftances, and felt fome of the effects of this kind of zeal, though it no way hurt me. Several Preachers of this {tamp,with whom 1 had not the leafl acquaintance, and never faw until I came to this town, ufed to call upon me, fup):)o(ing me, I imagine, according to their ideas, to be found in the faith, and a well-wnfher to their defigns. But when they found I would not lun all their lengths, and difcouraged their proceedings, (ef- pecially their rafh and uncharitable way of fpeak- ing and judging o{ others ^ particularly their cen- (u res of ^// the Clergy, who were not CdijiniJIs^ however LTet. 12. Letters fo a Young Clergyman, 49 however pious, worthy and ufeful) they began to think evil of me, and now, to my great fatisfac- tion, I fee none of them. I fhail not forget the advice which a venerable old man of Northa. o- 'ton, with his point-coHar-band, once gave aie concerning fuch perfons, " Neither blefs them at all, nor curfe them at all."* Mr. ****, the Re(5tor of * *, is undoubtedly a man of good fenfe and abilities, but he appears to me to think thefe things have nothing to do with religion. I once faw one of his fer- mons, in which were fome good and ftriking remarks, but little or no judgment. The fub- je(fl of it was, concerning the Influences of the Holy Spirit ; but he quoted a variety of texts at random, moft of them only applicable to the Apoftles^ as a flight attention to the context would have (hewn him, but he applied them zvithout diflin^ion to all true Chrijiians, and from thence he drew many abfurd confequences, and injudicious hearers might have drawn a great many more. I cannot think Mr. * * * * at all judified in his excurfion to B * *, becaufe he thinks the proper Minifter of that parifh is negligent in the difchargc of his dut5^ If that were a reafon for tranfgFeffing all rule and ordbr, it would hold good in fo many cafes, as would produce univer- fal confufion and diforder. Another Clergyman may think it his duty to go into neighbouring pariflies to preach againft the Methodifts^ or thofe that are fo called. Another might go and preach E againft * " If fucli preachers do good, I fhall rejoice, jind fay of them as Mr. Philip Henry did of Lambert's foldjers, " Lord, own them;, if they truly own thee." ^o Letters to a Young Clergyman. Let. 12. againfl the Athanafian Greedy or fome other parts and paflages of theZ//z^r^,as feveral of them have lately and warmly written againft them. And what diilurbance, uneafinefs and mlfchief would be the confequence of fuch a condudt. If it is. vindicable in Mr. *****s cafe, it is vindicable in others, and all parifh order and regularity would beat an end. Even St. Paul himfelf, with all his apofbolic authority and endowments, would not go mto another man's line. See 2 Cor. X. 12, to the end of the chapter. Where you may fee what St. P au l was, and what Mr. * * * * and every wife Clergyman ought to be. God is the God of order, and not of confufion, in all the Churches of the faints : and it is our rule to do all things decently and in order. My Book of Sermon- Plans ^ which you defire an account of, was kept without much order. Hav- ing procured a proper book for the purpofe, I divided each page of it into two columns. When any text of Scripture ftruck me, which I thought it necelfary to preach upon, I wrote it at the top of the page, between two red lines, and left the whole of that column, to add a diviiion, thoughts, texts, anecdotes, 8cc. that occurred in thinking of it, and in the courfe of my reading. And then, wLen I was at a lofs for a text, I had recourfe to this book. In reading pradical writers, efpec- ially Mr. Henry's Commentatory, I found ma- ny texts, and plans upon them, which 1 inferted there ; and 1 added a reference to the authors, if the books were my own, where I might find fome illuilration of them : if the book belonged to fome other perfon, 1 then traafcribed the hints into the book of plans. I was Let. i^. Letters to a Young Clergyman. 51 I was much concerned to hear of the death of Mr. Lev E,* Dr. Stonhouse's Curate at Brijloly which is a great and irreparable lofs to the Da6lor and to the church, as he was an admirable preach- er. Confidering his truly ferious, and at the fame time his rational and catholic dilpofition, his removal, efpecially in the morning of his days, is very much to be regretted. TheDodloris deeply afFeded with the event. f What a different fig- ure will fuch a man make in the other world to thofe Clergymen, who may fill up fome of the higher offices of the church ; who, perhaps with much learned lumber in their heads, negledt their duty, devote themfelves to luxury and dillipation, and take pains to leflen the credit, influence and ufefulnefs of thofe, who make it the labour and end of their fives to fave themfelves and thofe that hear them. I defire to blefs God, that my fpirits have been tolerably good for fome weeks pail, though not without * Mr. tovE was a Fellow of Baliol CoUege, Oxford^ M:\ft3r of Arts, and one of the Minor Canons, of B'ifiol Cathedral. Hs w?.s Curate to Dr. Stonhouse for foms years, when he was LeButer of All Suinn in £if/ol, and died Oftober iSth, 1773. Aged 29. f Dr. Stonhovse made a colle6lion from a few friends, and ereft- ed a very elegant Monume:it. to his memory, in the Cathedral at Brijioly and prevailed with M;fs HaxVNah Moore to write the foi- )Owing Epitaph. When ivorthkfi grandeur fills th' embellifh'd ura. No poignant grief attends the fable bierj But when difiingwJKd excellence we mourn, Deep is the fcrrow, genuine the tear. Stranger ! fhould'ft thou approach this awful fhrine, The merit of the honour'd D^ad to feek. The Friend, the Sou, the Ciiriftian, tlie Divine, Let thofe who knew him, thofe who lov'd him, fpeak. Oh ! let them in fo,"ne paufe of anguiih fay What zeal infpir'd, what faith enlarg'd his breaft ^ How foon th' unfetter'd fpirit winj'd it's way From earth to heaven, from blelliag to be bkft. 52 Letters tij a Yonng Clergyman, Let. 13 •. without fome depreifing intervals. I. am feldomr free from pain, but I would be thankful that it is not violent. May God enable you to improve health and vigour while it continues, that you may have comfortable reflexions and agree- able profpefts, when the days of darknefs come upon you, which may be many. Continue your good wifhes and prayers for, dear Sir, Your altedtionaie friend, and faithful fervant, Job Orton, L E.T T E R Xlll. Dec. 2^5 1773-. Dear Sir, XT gives me pleafure to find that Dri. Stonhouse's Pravers,'* and his little TraSi on the Sacrament^^ meet with fuch encouragements, and I hope they will do much good. I wifli by your public and private addrefies, you may be able to lead your parifliioners and neighbours to the daily ferious ufe of the prayers. And as the Doc- tor hath fent fome of them for you to diftribute to every houfe in his parifli, it will afford you a favourable opportunity, when you gi^'e them the books, of talking ferioufly and clofely to them on the fubjedl ; and in your future vifits of re- newing the difcourfe, by inquiring what ufe they have * Prayers for the ufe of private Perfons, Families, Children, and Servants. The twelfth edition, price four pence. This book, is ia tl;e Society's Catalogue for promoting Chriflian Knowledge. f A Shoit Explanation of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supiver.. The eighth edition, price three pence. Let. 13. Letters to a Young Clergyman. 53 have made of them. But there is danger of tlieir refting in the mere form, the opus operattm^ juft in reading the prayers, without due ferioufnefs and Iblemnity, and taking pains to imprels the fentiments, and excite the defires they contain, in the heart.. I fear we all fail in this refpeft, and whether we pray with or without a book, we do not feel the good fentiments we utter, nor warmly defire the bleffmgs we aik.^ At leaft'I find it fo with myfelf, and fear it is fo with others, elfe I think their prayers would have a vifibly bet- ter eflecl on their tempers and lives, as ail fincere prayers are certainly adapted to have, as v/ell as to engage divine afTiftance. 1 hope you will find the good effe£l of your addreffes to your people on this fubjed. It affords me great pleafure to hear of the intereft you have in their efteem and affedion. No good can be done by a Minifter, until that point is in fome meafure gained, and then, he may hope to draw them with the cords of love. Hof. xi. 4. It is not to be expeded in the nature of things, that men fhould become quite good all at once. Various methods mufh be tried, and long patience exercifed -, efpecially with thofe who are grofsly ignorant, or have in^ dul2:ed themfelves in long habits of fin, ne2;h- gence, or formality. You fee how your farmers manage the ground, which they till ; what va- rious methods they take, fuited to the different foils — what repeated trials — how long they wait. ' This will bothinftrudl and encourage you in your E 2 fpirJtuai * Confider well each petition a« you offer it up ; and if you have not been fufficiently attentive to it, repeat it again and again until youi- heart accompanies the word. See Dr. SxawHousE's Eveiry >I»fl'S Afliliaot; page a § j» Second cUiiion, price tbieQ ftuUings, 54 Letters to a Young Clergyman. Let. ij. fpiritual hufoandry. And you need not be in- formed who gives both the common and fpiritual farmer the increafe. But after all, there is very little hope of doing any good upon old fmners, ef- pecially formallfts.'* You will therefore bend your prinxipal attention to the rijing generation, where you will find the heart more impreflible. Be prudently familiar with them. Give them a fhort hint whenever you fee them in an eafy,plea- fant path, without the fonnality of afolemn ad- drefs. 1 know by experience, that fuch hints WA\ often abide and do good, while a direcl, long, though ferioiis addrejs^ will not be regarded. You will be more likely to be ufeful to them, as b<./mg young 3'ourrelf. For young people are ready to fuppofe, that aged Miniflers warn and caution them againil: m.any indulgencies and follies, becaufe they are grown paft a capacity of rellihing them themjehes.. This makes it very defirable that young 'D\\\r\t% fhould take particular pains \^{\\\\ youth. It will require fome care and prudence to keep up the dignity of your flation and charader amidd: fuch methods of ad- dreffing to youth. But it requires lefs in your ■ fituation, than if you had young gentlemen and ladies to deal with. You never will forget the exhortation, " Feed my lambs." John xxi. 15. I am obliged to you for your extrad from the preface to Orr's Sermons. -j- It iliews an ex- cellent * Jer. xiii. 23. \ The pafiTage refened to above is as follows. — " As the Author hath now get into a perioil of life, and ftate of health which will not. permit of his being much more ufeful, nor probably of his continuing much longer in the prefent fcene ; he thanketh God, that under in- cre;4fing inlinnities of body, and an apprcbenfioa of his approaching diflloltttiQr.,, Let. 13. Letters to a Young Clergyman, 5.5 cellent fpirit, and very much fuits my own cafe. Whether I have been the infbrument of much good I knov/ not. I have not fee n thofe good ef- feds of my miniflry, which fome Minifters have Wiad, at leafh in the converfion of finners. There^ were/^w, \1 any^ of my congregation, who were, profligate and abandoned ; and whofe converfion,, when that happens, is very remarkable, and en- gages much attention. I hope many aged perfons have been edified by my fervices, and not a fexv young people trained up in fentiraents of wiidom and piety ; who are now ufefui in their families and ftations, and ornaments to religion. Indeed, I lay very little (Irefs upon what fome Divines call converfiom\ I. have feen fo many inilances of their coming to nothing ; or, that their converts have only been converted from the fins of men io the fins of devils, from drunkennefs and debauchery to fpiritual pride, bitternefs and uncharitablenefs; and this I cannot call afaving change. I fee Ut- ile alteration for the better intheconduifl oimany^ who have httn [aid. to be converted. I am cau- tious of calling any thing by that name, where there is not a regular, confident conduct follow- ing diflblution,he poireffeta his foul in, patience and ferenity, and hath the mofl fmcere cojifolatiou and joy, from a refle<5tioa on his having la- boured for by far the greater part of his hfe, with at lean aa honeit zeal and alFiduityj in the fcrvice cf religion. He cannot, indeed, flat- ter himfelf with the thoughts of having been actually tlie author of much good, by all his pains and diligence ; but of a hearty good-will to the beft pf caufes, and f)f well-meant endeavours to have le. ved and promoted it, he is fully confcious. And upon this foundation, notwithilanding his defe6ls and failings, of \vhichhe is very fenfibie, and wliich are the matter of his unfeigned liuniiliation and mourning, he prefumeth to look up, with an humble hope, to the Supreme Judge of his condudl, and Arbiter of his fate ; waiting for his mercy, through Jefus Chrift, unto eternal life. Amen'' Preface to the Sermons of "the late Rev. John Orr, D. D. Archdeacon of Fern%^ in 2 Voii. Prepared for tue prefs by the Author, Printed for Cai>£1.i-. 1772, 56 Letters to a Young Clergyman. Let. 13* ing It. Hafty ImprefTions, which fome Minifters are very ready to obferve and admire, are often loft in a little time, and thoie who have been un- der them become worfe than they were before. 1 have no idea of converfion, as pading a certain line, and then getting into a faving ftate. Con- verfion is a zvork of ttme^ and I fee no right we have to fay any are converted or become good, until one hath a longer feafon of trial, to obferve whether they continue ftedfaft in the ]:)radice of righteoufnefs, and ad: in every circumltance and relation, in the main,coniiftent with the demands of the Gofpeh I wi(h you may have the pleaf- ure to fee many fuch converts. I thank you llkewife for your hint about Mr. Thomas, in the account given of him byCALA- MY. I have read it often, and tranfcribed fome- palTages from it into the blank leaf of the Bible> which always lies upon my deik, particularly the following. " Si non concedatur ut prieco {vax publicus, lira tamen operarius : quod publice non pollum, faciam, [ut licet, valet] privatim. Quod non poffum pra^dicando, preftem fcriben- do. Auxiliare, Domine, fervum fenilem." Mr. Thomas was an excellent man, 3'et Mr. Nelson in his life of Bilhop Bull, who fpent fome time in Thomas's family, infinuates that the Bifliop had no advantage there. Such was that good man's bigotry. If you have not gotten the Abridgment of B a x- ter's faints Reft, by Mr. Favv^cett, of this town, pray get it ; as I think it a very good pradical book, and may be uleful to lend to yoyr pariihioners. I revifed the manufcipt, compared it. Let. 13. LetUrs io a Young Clergyman, 57 it with the original, added, altered, and left out,, and have the vanity to think I improved it j. though I wiflinow I had made more alterations in the phrafeology. Baxter (notwithftanding what you may have heard to the contrary) was fo far from being a republican, that he refufed the engagemiCnt ; oppofed C r o m w e l l's meafures and his party, and told: him to his face, that "They (meaning the foberer Prefbyterians) efteemed their kingly government a blefiing, and* knew not what they had done to forfeit it." To which Cromwell anfwered, " God hath changed it, as he pleafed." .1. know how to pity you In your dull litu- ation ; as mine is altogether, or nearly, as dull as your own, efpecially this winter feafon. I am moftly confined to the houfe, have very little company, and on fome bad days, hardly fee the human face divine. But I can take pleafure in my good books. I converfe moftly with the dead, and that is the fitted converfe for one, vvho is in a manner buried alive, and is literally near the grave. I wiili to gdlm fpiritual good by this converfe, and to grow more "meet for an inherit- ance among the faints in light/' I fhould vaftly prefer Cheverel to the baflle, hurries, luxury, and diffipation of the city you have been lately vifit- ing. An aged Minider who ufed to go from his country obfcurity, once a year, to vifit fome re- lations in London, would never (lay above two o-r three days with them ; and when folicited to prolong his vifit, ufed to fay, " No, I'll go to my country retirement ; for you are all mad — ^ mad upon, the, world and pleafure." I ani 5$ Letters to a Yoimg Clergyman. Let. 14. I am much obliged by your devout remem- brance of me, and beg the continuance of it. My fpirits are fo weak and broken, that my bed duties are extremely languid and defedive. I rejoice in the merciful Advocate, whom the Fa- ther heareth always. 1 am, dear Sir, your affeclionate and faithful friend, and humble fervant, Job Orton. LETTER XIV. April 1^, 1774. Dear Sir, X HAVE long been fo very weak and low, that I have had neither ftrength nor fpirits to write any thing, but what was abfolutely nec- effary. I blefs God I am at prefent a little re- cruited. My fpirits have been better, but my ftrength is ftill very fmall, and I am fearful of ap- plying to any bufinefs, or even fitting down to write, left it Ihould throw me back again into weaknefs and nervous complaints. However, I mud venture to fend you a few lines ; the con- fufion and interruption with which they are writ- ten may not make them lefs acceptable to you. My fpirits have been greatly depreifed, and a con- ftant, painful fenfation in every nerve and fibre hath wafted my flellj, and filled my mind with fenfations exquifitcly more painful than thofe of the body. I thank God, I have this laft week been more comfortable, have got fome refrefhing ileep. Let. 14. Letters to a Young Clergyman. ^^ ileep, and am more eafy and cheerful, though I ftill find myfelf very weak, and unfit for any ac- tive fervice, much lefs for any thing Hke fludy. I define to be fome way or other ferving and glo- rifying God, but how this can be done in fuch clrcumftances as mine, at leaft by me, it is not eafy to fay. But Providence hath wife and gra- cious ends to anfwer by our afQidlions, even thofe which incapacitate us for thofe fervices to which we are ftrongly inclined, and for which we have fome proper quaHfications. We are often, and indeed aim oft always, at a lofs, when v/e fet our- felves to judge of the reafons of the divine con- duct. Our duty is fubmilHon : * but that is not eafy to be prad:ifed, nor can it be maintain- ed as it ought to be, without afupp/y of the Spirit of Jefus Ckrifi, which I wifh may be more abund- antly fhed abroad into our hearts. You need it very much in your miniflerial capacity ; and con- fidering that ftation in which Providence hath fixed you, to quicken you to the duties of it, and to reconcile you to its inconveniences and difagreeable circumflances; which 1 Ihould think would be eafily borne by a good man, who hath health and fpirits, and form.s a juft eftimate of the worth of fouls, the great bufinefs of life, and the duties of the minifterial ofHce. 1 have juft been reading a volume of fermons written by a Dr. Hopkin^s, formerly a Preben- dary * I wifli to be cor.teat, as a p.itient, waiting fervant. St. Paul ftyles himfelf, a fervant, a miniftcr, and an apoftle of Chrift, while in f>riJon. I have lately been comforted with this paffage from an old writer, " One adl of fiient fubmillion, and a quiet application to thofe duties, which are immediately neceiTary, though neither eafy nor hon- ourable, is of much more value than a long train of adtivity and zeal in a public and vifible fphere of adlion, fweetened by reputation and appiaufe." Nov. 49, 1781. 6o Letters to a Young Clergyman, Let. 140 dary of Worcefter^ publiflied by the famous Dr. Hicks. In feme account of his life prefixed to it, he obferves, " That he went every Saturday fourteen long dirty miles from Worcefier to a fmall country parifli, believing that Chrift paid the fame price for the poor as the rich, the cot- tager and the courtier, and that a faithful Paflor, who truly endeavoured to fave the foul of the meaneft plough man, would have as great a reward from his Mailer, as he that laboured to convert the greatefl emperor in the world." He would fay, " That a Prieft wa3 not to value his parifh for the revenue or the quality of the people in it, but purely as a cure of fouls, as a vineyard, in which he was God's hufbandman : that as large and as acceptable a return of his labours might be made from a country-cure, as from a parifli in a royal city, and that a good fermon,by God's blef- iing, would be the power of God to falvation in a church, where there was not a fword or a dia- mond to be feen,as where coaches crowded about the church door." I wifh * * * * * *'s infertions in the newfpapers from my Letters may be of fervice to the readers. We do not know what good we do. A young phyfician of confiderable reputation and fortune (Dr. Bostock) died lately at Liverpool oi "^ vio- lent fever. A little before his death, he told the Minifter who attended him, and who is a friend of mine, that he had received great and lading benefit in his religious interefts, by reading fome letters of rhine, to my nephew, when they were fellow-pupils together at the academy. 1 had no idea, that he or any one elfe had feen fuch letters. But Let. 14. Letters to a Young Clerzyman. 61 But I am thankful he did, fince they were attend- ed with fuch an happy efTed. 1 am truly concerned, that you have under your paftoral care any flagrantly difobedient to the laws of Chrift. But what yi\m?i<.ix hath not fuch under his care ? There was a traitor inChrift's 'family. Young MInifters are apt to fet out with expectations raifed too high, and expedl more en- couragement and fuccefs than they are ever likely to find. " Old Adam will be too hard for young Melanctkon," as that venerable reformer complained, after he had been fome time a preach- er, and had great expedation from his zealous miniflry. I hope you will have fome very comfortable and improving weeks with the Dodor and his family, during his refidence at Cheverel, which you muft fet againfl many uncomfortable and dreary ones in the winter. I willi the Dodor w^ould ride on horfe-back every dry day, as I do. Recipe cab allam, is his befb prefcription. Surely he might meet with fome gentle, eafy horfe, no matter how ill-lliaped and ugly, that might carry him fafely about the fields of Cheverel. I remem- ber an aged gouty Minifter, who could not walk; and having a large garden, he ufed to ride often round it in a day upon an old fteady horfe, who ufed to count his rounds for him ; and then, when he had completed them, would flop and proceed no further, though the rider tried every perfuafion and pungent argument to excite him. I heartily wifli and pray for his health and con- tinual uiefulnefs. F Continue 6i Letters to a Young Clergy man , Let. 15, Continue your good willies and prayers for me. I want more clearnefs and fatisfadion as to the great concern. My pra\^ers are fo broken, and attended with fo much difiradlion and imperti- nence, that they are uncomfortable to myfelf, and can hardly be acceptable, even with ail the gracious allowance of the Gofpel. But I do not love to trouble my friends with my complaints, any further than to delire and dired: their pe- titions. Yours afTedionately, Job Orton. Pray prevent your friend Mr. * * from buy- ing me any of the caftor-oii he fpoke of, as I have met with fonie in .this town, and have laid in a good fcock of it. This is fomething like HoBBEs, with his new frieze-coat at ninety-fix. " This, faid he, will lafh me three 5^ears ; then I w^ill have jufh fuch another." But I am no Hobb'^ft, LETTER XV. July 22, 1774. Dear Sir, 1 AM very glad to hear, that you are getting upon a 'plan of economy. You will find great comfort and benefit by attending to it diligently and daily, and making the errors of one day and w^eek a check upon the expenfes ot the next. A man muil deny liimfelf many agree- able circumftances and indulgencies, if he would keep within the compais of a moderate income, efpecially Let. 15. Letters to a Young Clergyman, 63 efpecially if he would fave fomethlng, as all young men, particularly fingle men, ought to do. I think no man living ought to fpend the whole of his income, but make fome provifion yearly for contingent and necelTary expenfes. In this view, I have found it abfolutely neceflary to avoid tak- ing fome journies, buying Ibme books, or par- ticularly expenfive cloaths, which otherwife I fhould have liked. An error on i\\Q faving fide is by far the bed, as being moft for a man's (ef- pecially a Clergyman's) reputation, intereft, and ufefulnefs. Befides, minds form.ed to a benevo- lent turn, and which are ready to pity, aflift, and relieve the diftreifed, will be often, without the utmoft frugahty, brought into a very difagreea- ble fituation ; either to withhold their charity, and thereby hurt their judgment and inclination, or to leave fome debts unpaid beyond the proper time, or to folicit their income before it is due ; either of which will be very injurious to their credit and character, and the acceptance and fuc- cefs of their miniflry. Confidering your natu- ral difpofition, you ought to read Watkinson on economy, (price four-pence) at leaft once a quarter, until you have not only imbibed his max- ims, but brought yourfelf to an habit of ading upon them, and never for a fmgle inftance, or in the value of a penny, fvverving from them. There will be another great advantage in your cafe attending this. It will habituate you to forefight, a care to remember, and confider, and calculate times and expenfes, efpecially before you go from home. It will difpofe and habitu- ate you to get your fermons ready in time 5 and. in 64 Letters to a Young Ciergyman. Let. 15. in fliort, have a mod happ)^ influence on your health, fortune, and reputation. That remark hath been fealed by the ruin of thoufands for both worlds, He that defpifeth fmall things, JJiall fall by little and little. (F.ccles. xix. i.) I hope you will excufe the freedom with which I write to you upon this fubjed, as your comfort and ufefuhiefs lie near my heart. I fliall, I believe, read no more of the contro- verfy your letter fpeaks of; as I am tired with fuch idle and endiefs debates. Baxter faid in his old age, " I have done v/ith thefe debates and fpeculations. The Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments content me, and are my daily meat and drink, and have been fo to many other aged Divines and Chriftians.'* But thefe controverfies are no new things ; they are as old as Chriftianity, and were foretold in it ^ and therefore fliould be no flu mbling- block to any. The things fo much difputed about are not and cannot be fundamentals. Let Minif- ters dwell upon the plain things of the Gofpel : and preach indifputable dodrines pradically, and moral duties evangelically. 1 fhall be glad to fee Dr.STONHOusE's Hints to a Curate ;^ and wifli they may do much good. I blefs God, I have been in better fpirits for the laft fortnight, and been able pretty nearly to * This ufeful treatife was firft publifhed in T774> when the Edi- tor of thefe Letters was the Doctor's curate. Second edition, price fix-pence. An eminent Dignitary fpeaks of it in the following man- ner. " It is as feafonable and ufeful a thing as any the Do(5tor ever pubUfhed. And though much of his plan may be impradlicable in large pariflies, yet many of the hints may be well adopted in all places : and the Clergy in general have all fomething to learn from it." One pf Qur prefent Bifli^jps ^ivts t'.iis to every one whom he ordainSi Let. 15. Letters to a Young Clergyman. 65 to balance accounts with my correfpondents, and to do a little in revifing forne fermons, which I mean to publifh. Bat I cannot do much at a time. Many hours, and fome whole days, I am quite laid afideas ufelefs, and often in great pain and weaknefs. But having obtained help of God, I continue to this day ; and bleiTcd be his name, have fomeintervakof eafe and cheerfulnefs, which I hope are employed to fome valuable pur- pofes. But notwithftanding all this favourable difcipline, and this mixture of mercies and afflic- tions, which 1 have experienced for fo many years, I find very little improvement in the divine life. I feel much languor and deadnefs at thof^ feafons, and in thofe circumftances, v;hen I ought to be moft ferious, lively, and attentive, and .cannot raife my groveling heart to that fpirituality and heavenly mindednefs, which is fodefirable for one who is on the borders of the grave. My thoughts cling too much to earth, empty as it is, and to this body, from which I have fuffered, and am daily fufFering, fo much pain and uneafinefs. I enter- tain myfeif in reading my good old books, in. which there is a favour and a fuitablenefs to my cafe, which I find in few modern ones. 1 have been reading for a fifth or fixth time Dr. Lu- cas's Liquiry after Happinefs^ and his other pieces, which always afford me new pleafure. I pray God to alTift and profper you in ail your under- takings for his glory, and the edification of the church, and beg the continuance of your prayers for me that I may be doing fome little good, while I am continued here, and be growing more and naore meet for a nobler fphere offervke,whea pr z m 66 Letters to a Young Clergyman. Let. i6. my Mafter calls me hence. I am always glad to hear from you, and am, dear Sir, Your affcdtionate and faithful friend, and humble fervant, Job Orton. LETTER XVI. Jan. 14, 1775. Dear Sir, jr\.T thhfeafon of the year ^ \t is ufual for all wife and prudent people to fettle their ac- counts, to pay their debts, and to leave none out- flanding. But it is the unhappy cafe of fome, who bear an honed mind, and are willing to be out of debt, not to be able to be fo. This is at prefent, and is often, my own cafe with regard to my epiftolary correfpondents. Not for want of an honed mind, or a real afFedion to my friends, but through inability. I have long been a bank- rupt in my health, drength and f})irits, and m.ud throw myfelf upon the compaQlon and kmd- nefs of my friends to bear with me and excufe me, and I hope they are, and will be wihing, to accept of a compofition, and to take a part of what I owe to their friendfhip in lieu of the whole. I have no reafon to fuppofe, that you in p)articular will be an unmerciful creditor, and therefore mud beg your.acceptance of afmall compofition for two or three very friendly letters, for which 1 am in- debted to you. It is fo painful and injurious to me in general to write, and there are fo few intervals, io Let. 1 6. Letters to a Young Clergyman. 6^ in which I can mufter up a little ftrength and a few fpirits to write to my friends, that I need great candour and indulgence from them. Nor is it fo eafy on other accounts to me to write as it was formerly : in all XQ^^QCks^nonfum qualis eram. But I hope all my friends are endeavouring to refem- ble our common Father and Friend, who accepts according to what a man hath, and not accord- ino; to what he hath not ; who confiders our frame, and makes gracious allowances for our infirmities. I am forry for the trouble and vexation you have had, and are likely to have, with your eccen- tric fingers. They are in general conceited, trou- blefome fellows, and have no more religion than an organ or a fiddle. And I wifh the Do6lor, when he comes to you, may be able to bring them to order. But fleadinefs and not yielding to them, is the only way to humble them. Tu ne c-ede malis 5 fed contra audentior ito. I would propofe in the mean time, that you talk calmly and feriouily to them/^/)^r^/^/r,and endea- vour to give them better notions than they have, of the nature and deftgn of pfalmody ; and partic- ularly urge upon their coniciences a reverence/br the prefence of God ; and how affronting it muft be to him to have the church turned into <^ theatre, and divine worfnip into a farce. I know nothing more likely to ihaine and reform them.* The * All perfous (fays Archbifhop Secker in his fecond cbar-e to his clergy) who are by nature qualified, ought to learn, and conftant- ly join, to glorify HuTi that made them, in plalms and fpiritual longs. This was the praasce of the early Chnftians : it was reftored very juftly at the reformation : and hath declined of late, within moft of 4)ur memories; very unhappily. For tjie improvemeius made by a few 6S Letters to a Young Clergyman. Lht. i6. The teftimonies you have colleded from the life of Mr. Philip Henry, the writings of Mr. Howe, and thofe of others, refpecfting the worth and piety of the anceftors of Mr. fi***, of Boreatton^ may be a proper prefent for the young gentleman, and will, I hope, be of fervice to him. To which you may add, what is faid of the fam- ily in Mr.ToNG*s Life of Mr. Matthew Hen- ry, and in Mr. Henry's funeral fermons for Dr. Benion and Mr. Tall en ts, who were Miniflers at Shreivfiury. There is a dedicatioa in one of the volumes ofCRADOCK's Commenta- ry^ which is addrelfed to the four gentlemen, who married Lord Paget's daughters, in which are feveral curious things ; but as I have not the vol- ume by me, I cannot furnifh you with them* The Boreatton family hath been remarkable, through many generations, for its folid worth and ferious piety. I am glad you faw Lady **** at Bath. A fhort interview with her now and then, when you can enjoy it, in paiTing, without appearing to force yourfelf 0:1 her notice, may be ferviceable to vou. But you have lived long enough in the world al- ready, not to depend upon the promifes of great people. ** Surely men of high degree are a lie/' * is as true now, as it was in David's time, and the inference he drew, is equally wife and falutary, not to trull in them, but to make the mod hi^li God few ill church-mufic, were they real improvements, will feldom eqiKtl tb-i harmony of a general chorus ; m vvb.ich any lelfer diiroaances are quite loll : and it is fomething inexpreillbiy elevating, to hear the •v^lce a J a great multituueyai the "voice cj many ivaten ani 'f Jnighty thun" c^is, to fpeak. in the words of fcripture,w;ij//vg a jovful noife to the Cad fif tJieir falvatkn, and ftnging Jiii fraija with u/KierJinndhig, * Jfalm kii. 9. I^T. 1 6. Letters ro a Young C/ergyman. 69. God our friend and refuge, who will never forfakc us. I can fee no impropriety in your making her a prefent of my Sermons io tke aged. I know not whether the author's being a difienter would prejudice her againft them. But this I know af- furedly, that Sir Tliomas **^* often treated the author with great civiHty and refpect, when he was in his company, efpecially about thirty ^^ars ago, at the time our county infirmary was iufb eftabliflied. The death of Mifs Watson of this town,, was a very fudden and awful event. It was occa- fioned by a mortification in her bowels, brought on., as is fuppofed, by eating too m.any raifins on the preceding day. The family were greatly af- feded, but bore the calamity well. It fell pecu- liarly heavy on a young gentleman in London^ of a mod amJable temper and charader, to whom fhe would have beei^i married in a few months. He came down to the funeral, and (hewed much of the fpirit of a Chriftian, with all the feehngs of a man, and the tendernefs of a lover. I wrote to Dr.SroNHOUSEan account of the circumftances of the cafe, addreiTed to his daughter, which I find. he inferted in the Brifhol newfpaper ; which if it doth good it is well. * 1 can. * " — So fpeedily was this lovely ilower cut down, in all the bloom of health aiKl cheerfulnefs ; and with the moll agreeable profpedls. before her ! So foon may other young ladies vanith from tlieir pa- rents and friends, and enter upon an aiuful eternity : So foon may ail their fchemes and views for this world be blafted at once ! Thoi'e who are unaffe£ied with fuch an inpuSlive event as this, or can be ioon forgetful of it, do great injury to their own judgment, and to the i good education they have had. 'Tis to be hoped this^friiing and/wi/- ilen removal of fo young a perfon into the other world, will be the means of caufmg furvivors to ponder on it, and to receive infint^ion f wm it ; and efpecially to tliink now and then on that important text, fo awfully illuflrated by ^«/'iand the like frequent events, (Prov. xxvii. I.) " Boafl not thyfelf of tQ-irutrrovj j for thou knowelt eQt Si^\ & day may bring ferth*"^ 70 Letters to a Young Clergyman. Let. i6. I can read very little thefe fhort dark da^^s, but I (bnietlmes entertain myfelf v/lth fome of my good old authors. Fuller^s Holy State hath afforded me much pleafure ; in which there are many trifling things, but fome lively remarks, and abounds with hiftorical anecdotes, fome of which deferve remembrance, and may pertinent- ly be introduced into fermons, and be very enter- taining and ufeful. He deals much in puns and gingle, but was a man of vaft reading. He pub- II (bed feveral folios, as the Holy State, his Church Hijlory^ (a large valuable folio) and another en- titled, the M'^orthies of England, or the Hiftory of eminent men in the feveral counties where they were born » I read n ot long ago , Sir Matthew Hale's Contemplations. If you have them not, I would recommend them to your perufal. The flyle is awkward ; but they are full of excellent matter, and wou'd'furnifh out materials for ma- ny ufeful fermons. I have read them more than once or twice before, but never obferved their ufefulnefs lb much in this view, as lately. Befides this, there is a variety of moft excellent Hints of Advice, concerning a man's behaviour in every part of \\\'^focial charader ; though tliey are only- given as his thoughts, purpofes and refolutions, with regard to his own perfonal condudf . He is a ftriking inflance of the truth of that obfervation, which cannot be too often inculcated, or too carefully attended to, " that if a man allows him- felf to be imprudent, giddy and inattentive /;/ any me infance, though it be in.itfelf/?;?^// and incon- fiderable, it v/ill have an unhappy influence upon ills %vhole condu^ j no fixed principle keeps him from Let. 1 6. Letters to a Young Clergyman, jt from being fo in all ot/ier inftances, and had he equal t(^mpU\Uons,hQ would violate a// the duties of prudence, and by degrees, thole of morality and religion too." It is therefore peculiarly nec- eflary,and of the utmoft importance, that perfons in their early years andfrjl fetting out in life, keep a refohite watch over themfelves, even in th^fmali' eft inftances, in which their natural temper leads them to be imprudent and indifcreet, and not neglect \\{\% import ant queftion, before they under- take even any little affair, " Is it right and fit, pru- dent and proper /" I have read fomewhere of a faying of the famous Brut us, that he looked up- on that perfon as having been ill educated, or as having fpent his youth very badly, who had not learned to fay '' NO" boldly. 1 am thankful, that I was led in early life to read fo much pra5iical divinity, and the lives and hiftories Osgood men; as I can remember what I then read better than what I read yefter- day, which is the cafe wqth moft old people, ef- pecially if they have bodily difeafes added to the natural decays of age. I have fewer and (horter intervals of what may be called eafe than ufual, and mud exped them to grow fhorter. I am a wonder to myfelf, that 1 have nved to fee the be- ginning of another year, 1 cannot expedl to fee the end of it. May 1 employ the poor remains of life as well as polTible 1 I wiih my infirmities may fuggeil hints of caution to my younger brethren and friends, to apply diligently to their Mafter*s work, to be frugal of their tifne, and frugal of their money, as age and prior infirmities, may ren- der them incapable of doing good, or filling up nations ^2 Letters to a Young Clergyman, Let. i6, ■ftations in which they might be comfortably fupported. And the ftate of the world at prefcnt 'is fuch, that nothing can be more difagreeable and painful, than to be in circumflances of necef- iity and dependence, when every comfortable circumftance and accommodation is fo defirable to lighten the burdens of hfe. Lofs of time, and negleft of opportunities of ufefulnefs, often opprefs my fpirits. Spending too much time about trifling books and fludies, the contents and fubjeds of which I could v/ifh entirely to have blotted from my memory^ is a very painful cir- cumftance. I mention what gives me uneafmefs, that you may now avoid the like, and employ your health and money, your time and abilities, fo as to leave no room for^^/;i/w/reile6lIoRS here- after. May God prolong your life, as much as his glory and your owm ufefulnefs and comfort may render defirable, and m.ay the clofe of it have no bitter remorfe, no uneafy lenfations attending it ! Continue your prayers for me, and believe me to be, dear Sir, Your fincere and affedionate friend, and faithful fervant, Job Or ton. Befides Lucas's Inquiry after Happinefs, (as mentioned in a former letter) he publiPned two volumes of Sermons, which I much admire ; and likewife a fm.all traft, concerning the duty of Servants, v/ith Advices, and Prayers for their ufe: but his principal work was afmall treatife called FraBical Chrifianity, or the Chief Defign of the Gofpel, which hath gone through many editions, and contains the fubflance of forty or fifty excel- lent Let. 17. Letters to a Young Clergyman, 73 lent fermons, and is one of the bed books I know for a young Minilier, or indeed any perfon, to read a chapter of it daily.* * I herewith (fays Sir Rtchard Steele) fend you Dr. Lucas's FraBical Chn'jiianity, for your fer/cus perufal. If you have already read it, I defire you would give it to one of your friends, who have mt. I think you cannot recoiTimend it better than in inferting, by way of fpecimen, thefe paffages which I tcint out to you. Since I have a/W capable of happinefs and nnifery, it naturally follows, tiiat it v^'ere unreafonable to lofe this foul for the g.iin of the whole world. For the foul is I myfelf; but if that be mifeyuh.'e, /muft needs be fo. Out- •u'ord circumftances of fortune may give the world occafion to thir/i vne happy, but they can never tvale me fo. Shall I call myfelf happy, '■d difcmtent and forro-iv eat out the life and fpirit of my foul ? \i lujh and pajfiorn riot, and mutiny in my b(ifora .' \{ my Jtus fcatter an un- eafy fhameall over me, and my guilt appals and frightens me ? What avails it, that my rootm are ftitely^ &c ? See the G uanii c^n, Vol. I. No. ■63. for the remainder of x.\\\sjh iking quotation. LETTER XVir. Dear Sir, July 28, 1775. I AM willing to write to you once more, before you leave Cheverel, to go to your new living,'!^ though 1 have nothing very partic- ular to fay to you. I was glad to lee your Mother, as it gave me an opportunity of converfing with her about your fettlement at IVormington ; and ihe talked like a wife and good woman, and a tender parent. I really think it would be bed for you, not to keep houfe there, at ieaft at prefent. Can- not you contrive to board with fome reputable farmer in the pariih, in whofe houfe you might have a room, and be accoamiodated with all nee- G effaries f U^ormi^g/S", in G/ouceJ?rr^iire. y \. Leltcrs to a Young Clergyman. Let. 17, elTarles at a cheap rate ? Thus you would Hve in a family way, and not find the enfuing winter fo dull as it will be, if you are in your parfonage- houfe : and thus you will fave money to furnidi your houfe, when you fee occafion for fo doing. I have often heard Dr. Doddridge and feveral other Divines fay, that they lived very comforta- bly in farm-houfes at their firft fetting out, and I iliould think it on many accounts defirable for you.^' But of this you may judge for yourfeif. I waited ■"■^ Extrr.(5t from a letter of Mr. [afterwards Dr.] Doddridge to a Lai'y of his aquaiatance ; written fooa after he went into the rauiiilry. >/) 15, 1723. -Great revolutions have happened in my little afiairs fmce I wrote to you laft. Oa t!ie firrt of j'zwd' I lemovtd from Hinckley, and am come to afmall Vilhge in the neiglibourhood of Kil'iuort/i; where 1 am fettled, and have laid afule all thoughts of going to Coventry, though I havehee;! much fohciled to it fince m.y coming hither. My fettlement here is on fome accounts very pleafant, but on others difa- greeahle enoagh. I board at a farmer's houfe ; and as for eat. ng and orinking we are well provided for, excepting the article of dear tea, of which, I anl conficert, there never was one drop drank in the houfe fiace it was built, unlefs it were v. hat the garden and meado-.vs af- ford. The mailer and mill; efs of the f iraily are veiy good, plain fort of people ; but /lis poiitenefs extends no further tiian the team and the picugh, nor /icr's than the poultry or the dairy : and they are fo much taken up with thefe important affairs, that your poor friend has but little of their company. I am frequently alone twenty-one hours in twenty-four, and fometimes breakfafV, dine, and fup by my- feh". I cannot fay tl-:at this erani'ical life is very agreeable to my natural temper, which, rnchnes me to fociety. 1 am nccelfarily obl.g- ed to ilndy hard,and if it were not for that my life would be a burden. In what rhf.rner Mr. Doddridge fpent liis time in this early pe- riolof his life, in fuch retired fituations, will be feen by the following letter to his brct!ier-in-law,f wherein he excufes himfelf for writing Ihort huiiiorous accou its of bufinefs. Harhorough^yune 29, T726. Dear Brother, Wtdhcfday viof^'ng, e'ght o'clccl:. I MAKE it a maxim with me, to write either to you or my filler, whe i5ver an opportunity offers itfelf for that purpofe. So that you have two or three letters from me, wiien other more exacl correfpon- d;5nts have but one. You will not be oif^^nded then, that my letters are f The Fev. Mf\ JOHN Nettleton, of Oagar, m ElYex, -tv.w a'isJ in the year 1 7 34. • . Let. 17. Letters to a Young Clergyman. 75 I waited with impatience to hear from Dr. Stonhouse, to learn the (late of his own and liis family's heaUh. The letter 1 have received from him, hke all other earthly intelligences and con- cerns, is counterchanged, and gives reafon for a mixture of joy and grief. But he and I have liv- ed fo long to little purpofe, if we have not learn- ed to ex[)e-5l thefe mixed fcenes, and not to be greatly moved by them ; and efpecially to im- prove them to quicken our diligence, and im- prove our piety. He is gone with his family to Ipend fome time at Ckefter-Hoitfe, in Northamp- to)ipiire,\\\\\Q\i is a charming place for meditation, reading are no longer ; for you mufl CMifider, that I have a great deal of bufi- nefs which requires my daily attendance. I was up at five o'clock, this morning, and have been all this while ftudying a part of the Epif- th to the Romans-, and writing letters. At this very tisne, Demosthe- nes is waiting to entertain me with one of his Philippics ; and Vir- gil is bringing back .5Lneas to his camp, when I have long been in pain for his abfence. Do<5lor Ti llotso n has prepared an adrrdrabU fermon, which he will deliver quickly in mv chamber, with his ufual grace and fweetnefs. And then Gfhrard Braxot, w ill go on with his Hiftory of the Pcrfccutio i of theRemonflrants after.their condem- nation at the Synod ,of D':irt. In the afternoon, I expert to hearfKom Puny, who generally favours me with two or three .epiftles a day, tnough a ftranger and an heathen, while you a Chriftian Minifter and my brother, will hardly vviite once in a quarter. If 1 lliould be rn(xler;itely tranfoorted with t!ie joy of vidlory,or the grief and forrovv of a defeat ; with love to Mrs. * * *, or anger againft my antagonift, J hope to find my remedy in the converfation of Mr. Bragof, who has lii,t3]y undertaken to teach me the government of th'3 pafiions, which indeed I ouchr to l^.ave barnt fonie time ago. Dr. Poti ir is teaching nve Grecian Antiquities. Bat I fear, I {hall hardly !iave time to fpcak with him to- Jay. However, 1 will, if poilible, attend upon my tutor Cradogk in the evening, who is ledluring to me on the epiftles, with great accuracy and folidity. Befidesthir, I have a kind of a llaort fermon to preach in the family, according to my daily cuf- tam, and three or four letters to tranfcribe into fhort-hand. Now I \vill leave you, v,?ho are oie of the greatoft clerks I know, to judge, v/hether all tiiis bufmefs will leave ir.e time to fay any thing more, thaji how does my fifter, with my fervice xo her } I am your affedlionate brother and fervant, Philip Doddridge. ^cs aJfo Mr, Orton's L//f e^Z)/% DoDPRiDGE, /':;^e il; zd ediilort, 76 Letters to a Youiy Clergyman. Let. 17. reading and devotion ; and there is no doubt but that he and Mrs. Stonhouse will imorove- It accordingly. I heartily wiili he may be free while there, from all di digreeable and impertinent company, and that his health m.ay be greatly re- cruited by his receis. The Doctor willies to leave *** entirely, and I truft Providence will dired him to fome comfortable and ufeful fet- tlement. I have defired him to remember the words of the poet : Yet reafon, while it foims the fuhtil plan, Some purer fource of pleafure to explore, Muft deem it va^n for that poor pilgrim, man, To think of refting till his journey's o'er. I am glad I have no vifitors like Mr. ***, na fuch Bath friends. 1 would not have them. They are i\q{ friends. While I am independent, I would not fubmit to fuch grievances and incon- veniences, nor fhould iPiy wife (if I had fuch an one as his). *' What mufl; we do.?" they will fay. \\\-\y break OiT all correfpondence with fuch. Tell them (as I did at Shrew/bury^ and do here) " I am old and infirm ; I w^ill have my own hours. At them I fhall be glad to fee my friends, but they mud come foon-, and go foon, or not at all." '' But we can't do this at ***/* Then 1 would remove to the iand's-end or to a Welih mountain, and v/ould not facrifice fuch blefiings as health, regularity, domeftic comfort, and family religion, for any perfon or perfons whatfoever. I am independent, and w^ill be fo. A few nights ago I heard fome zijeaver's lad fing- ing a fong under my window, of which I remem- ber no more than this — "Let them fay what they ivill, by Jove V\\ be free." I have little company and Let. 1 8. Letters to a Young Clergyman. 77 and acquaintance. Eafe and quiet, and an inter- view now and then with a worthy friend, bound -my ambition. But I have a numerous and excel- lent ibciety of prophets, apoftles, and pradtical writers, efpecially Baxter, Bates, and Scud- DER, with whom I have lately b^en converfing.* Mr. Daub r e y I have feen formerly at Shrewf- hury, and often heard of his charader and worth from my father, Mr. Painter, of Harley, and others. He was mafter of the grammar-fchool at WolveyJianipton^ before Sir Thomas Whit- more (who was his fcholar) gave him the living di Sitockto:i,\ Your friends here are welL I fhall be glad to receive a letter from you. There is no Dean or BiOiop loves you and wiflies you better, and would be glad to ferve you in his way, than Yours very affedionately, Job Orton. * • — I have no connexions or acquaintance with great men ; and afxi happy in an obfcure fituatlon, where I can — with fage Hcorfu's eye See from my mother-earth God's blefiingb, Ipring, And eat my bread in peace and privacy. Mr, Mason to the Rev. Mr. Kurd. \ The editor w«ll remembers this venerable and pious man, wh© «Ued about the year 1760 — fail of days, and full of honour. LETTER XVIII. .6'f^/. 23, 1775. Dear Sir, xT gives me pleafure to find you are fo comfortable in your new fituation, and I heart- ily wilh yau fuccefs in it. I am afraid you find G 2 your 78 Letters to a Yomig Clergy tnan. Let. i^. your parllh like the field of the llothful, and that you have much difficult work to root out, as well as to plant. But fet about it vigoroufly and ref- OiUtely,and iji divine fl;rength,with earneft prayer for affiftance and fuccels, and God will profper you. Methinks I would fain have you do fome- thing on each part of the Lord's day by way of exhortation. If you preach in the morning, ex- pound in the afternoon one af the leffons, or the epiftle and gofpel for the day, in a (hort manner, with fome pradical reflections upon it. You will meet with fufhcie.it help from your commenta- tors, particularly from Henry's Expofition^ and Doddridge's Family Expojitor. This will be eafier to you than making a fernion, perhaps equally ufeful to your people ; and it will be a likely means to engage them to attend more reg- ularly, when they have fomething more than the common fervlce. Bifhop Burnet flrongly rec- ommends long texts and fhort fermons, or, in our flyle, expofitions : and this method of ex- pounding fome part of the fcripture read in the fervice, hath been pradifed by many of the Cler- gy in former days, who were moft eminent for piety and zeal.* 1 have juft been reading again BiJJiop Bedel's L if eyV/ho was an eminently pious and good, as well as a very learned man. It is faid of him, that every Sunday he expounded the epiftle and gofpel for the day. If you have never read that life, I would recommend it to you. In the * See page 9 of thefe Letters. " It may be proper at other times to explain, in tlie way of fernons, the Book of Covmon Prayer^ fo far as it relates to the rorijlant fervice of the church ; for it is as neceffary that people fhoulJ u?idc?jlund the icrout ///>, and true meaning of it, as •tliat ji foldiCr Ihould und^rjl^md tlie dexterous ufe of his weapons." Dr, SiONHoyse's llinti tQ a CuraUf page 4* Let. 1 8. Letters to a Young Clergyman. j'} the latter part of the book Is the beft confutation of the tenets of popery, which I ever favv in (o little a compafs. I am glad you have introduced pfalin-finging into your church. I think your befh way of car- rying it on in an agreeable manner, will be to get fome of your young men to your own houfe now and then, and to go over fome plain tunes with them, until they can fmg them perfeftly ; and thus by degrees the reft of the congregation will learn them. Let not thefe young men fit to- gether, but be difperfed properly over the church. I ufed this method with my young people at Shrewfiury ; but I never attempted to teach therrt the grounds of mufick, becaufe 1 thought it un- necefiary, and indeed becaufe I was not capable of it. But they learned to fing fuch tunes, and in fuch time and method, that that part of the fervice was honourably conducted. By degrees you and they may learn fome more, though I fliould think about ei2;ht common metre,(ix long metre, and two fhort metre tunes, would be enough. Probably fome neighbouring parifh clerk would come once a week to teach them for a fmall fum : but I think you can teach them fufficiently yourfelf. It will be advifeable for you to go to tht fchool, and fee how the children learn, and fpeak to and encourage them ; and to dired the miftrefs, privately, how to difcharge her duty, and excite her to it. The prefence of the Minifter of the parifh, now and then, will quicken both teacher and learners, and have a good effcdt. You will in the pulpit, and ef- pecially in private, excite the parents to be fo- licitous So Letters to a YoHfig C/ergymau. Let. i Si licitous that their children may learn their books and catechifm. Dr. Evans's Sermons on the Chriftian Temper ^ are I think on the whole, fonie of the beft dif- courfes lever read for judgaient, ftyle, fulnefs of matter,. regularity of thought and divifion, and comino; home to men*s confciences. I have lately bought a neat Scotch edition of them in duodecimo. I have now good reafon to believe, that m.y little trad on Chrifiian IVorJJiip hath fold pret- ty well. You will, I know, join with me in ihankfulnefs on tliis account, and in prayer that it may be further ufeful. The manner in which the Dean of Gloucester fpeaks of this un- dertaking gives me no fmall pleafure, and I hope his recommendation will introduce it into the hands of many who might otherwife never fee it, 1 have read Mr. John Wesley's Addrefs to ihe Americans^ and am much pleafed with it. But I am tired with politics, and defire to be found among the quiet in the land. A worthy Miniiier in London wvitQS to me in the following manner. — " I willi I and my family were fettled, at leaft for fome time, with you, or in fome ob- fcure corner of the land, where I fhould hear nothing of what is paffing in the world. For my part, I think both (ides are mad, and trying which (hall go the mofl defperate lengths. The queftion between Great- Britain and the Colonies I never entered into. I have much more impor- tant concerns to take up my time and attention than to engage in an affair to which I am very unequal. What the end of thefe things may be, God Let. 19. Letters to a Yowt^ ClergymaH. St God only knows ; but it is high time to prepare for the worft." This good man fpeaks my fen- timcats fully. Thefe things are little to me, who am going out of the world. I am forry for you that are young, and for pofterity. But the Lord reigneth : tahis fa.vour and blelfing I com- mend you in all your interefts and attempts to do good ; and am Your afFedtionate and faithful humble fervant, Job Orton^ LETTER XIX. Feb. 8, 1776. DsAR Sir.,. 1 WAS glad to hear that you got fafe to fVormington, through {o many perils and difficulties by reafon of the fiiow ; and perhaps with fome mifgiving thouglits for having left your flock fo long and in fo dangerous a time ;* a-s they never more need their pallor's watchful eye, and even his prefence might be fome reftraint from excefs. You will now however fet yourfelf dofely and diligently to your great work, and do them ail the good in your power. I am pleafed to find, that you received tlve box of books fafe, which I defire you to accept ; hoping they will be ufeful to you, and confequently to your people. I could wifn you would have Bilhop Patrick*s Comments on the Old Teftament, with Lowtii ou the Prophets-, as likewifc Baxter's M/orks, al- ways at your elbow. You * Chrillmas, Bi Letters to a Yo:i-ig C'ergyman, Let. 19. You have probably heard of the death of the Earl of Radnor. Dr. and Mrs.SroNHousE came home laft Thurfday from LGngford-Cafile^ (his Lordlhip's feat in tViltjJiire) extremely fa- tigued, having gone through great perils, owing to the depth of the fnow, and the feverity of the feafo7.. The Doclor gives an agreeable account of his patron's death ; to whom, being called up in the middle of the night, he adminiftered the facrament, together with Lady Radnor, fome of his children, and fervants, before he expired, with which he feems to have been much aiT.^cled. Dr. H-ALE o^ Salijhitry 2in(\ Dr. SroN house* attended him; and Dr. Moysey of Bath met them in confultation, but all medical help was vahi. His Lordfliip had many excellent quali- ties in his charadl:er, and paid more regard to Chriftianity and pra^ical religion, than I fear mofh of our great people now do. The Dodor intimates, that he had a ftrong fenfe of religion, and that he took leave of his family like a tender hufband and father, and a fmcere Chriilian.-^ The difference of fenfible perfons in their judg- ment concerning our friend's late pubucation, is BO way uncomm.on in fuch cafes. 1 uiQi he -would not mind their frivolous objedions. Let him ren:iemher the ftory of the old mian, his fon and the afs. There is no pleafmg every bod}', and * Dr, Stonhovse was for two aa^^ ^' ^777- 1 COULD net open your laft letter without tearing away at the fame time a part of the Let. 23. Letters to a Young Clergyman. 97 the writing contained in it, which is bad, efpec- ially when written in (liort-hand : therefore it is - bell, when you have gotten down to the bottom of the firft page of your paper, to turn to the next, that is, the back of that, and not to go on obliquely, as you have done in this letter. Al- ways take care to leave that part of the paper, where the feal is to be, blank, that the writing may not be torn. I had a letter from a friend lately, who defired me to tranfad a little bufmefs for him, which v/as the chief purport of his letter ; but he had unfortunately put the wafer on the moft material part of the commiffion, fo that I could not know what he had defired me to do for him. This you will fay is an odd kind of an in- troduction to a letter : but I have heard worfe, and leis pertinent introdudions to many fermons. I have often admired the character, which a great lady in France y once gave to one of the officers of that court — " that he was excellent at little things." There is more in this than mofl; peo- ple are aware of. I have fent you Chandler's Commentary , which I wiili you to read carefully, as it will en- large your mind and ideas. He has fome valua- ble criticifms, but they are not all equally fatis- fadory. I would not have you preach in his flyie and manner, but you will do well to imitate his flrong (enfe and good reafoning in plainer language ; and there are fome very excellent and fhriking remarks in his practical reiiedlions. I have read Mifs Moor's EJays to Young La* dieSy with which I am very much pleafed ; as containing excellent prudential cautions, and ad- 1 mirable 9^ Letters ta a Young Clergyman. Let. a^^v mirable religious maxims. She writes fo well, fa tifefully, and with fuch a ilrong tindure of ra- tional and manly piety, that I would have every reader enter fully into her fentiments and advices, Vhich are adapted to do much good.* Blair's Sermons are indeed very judicious, lively, elegant, and evangelical y but not fuffi- ciently plain, I think, for common readers. I hope they will be of much fervice among the ju- dicious and polite, who will probably be inclined to read them. I had a letter lately from Dr. * * : a part of my anfwer to which was as follows. " I have rode out feveral times this week ; as I hope you have done. It is good for your health : it is alfo good for one's temper. I have often found the benefit of this receipt. *Tis better, friend, to labour than to fret : To cure the fpleen, there's nothing like a fweat. When times are bad, and neighbours never worfe^ Men, manners to reform, come, take your horfe. A mile reforms them : but if aught remain Uupurg'd, 'tis but to ride as far again. 1 have lately loft a valuable friend here; which event has m.uch depreffed my fpirits. I am juft returned from an excurfion into Stafford/Jure^ about three miles off, and find my fpirits better : fo that 1 hope to be able to day to vifit the afflid- cd widow and family." 1 am pleafed and thankful, that I am qui- et here, and that I can (as I think St. Jerom fiiys) retire to my Tugurium^ and blefs God, that 1 dare fleep when 1 can, and fay, that aught is my own ^ and there deplore my barren miniftry for * Mr. Ortox wifhed there had been fewer French terms, aa* iiJwJ words made ufe of in thefc admirable Eliays. Let. £3. Letters t9 a Yomig Clergyman. 99 for thirty years almoft ; and implore the bleffing of Heaven upon the world and the church. I am better and worfe, as to my health, as ufual, but it never verges to the borders of being well. But when a man is turned oijtxty, he muft expe6l to fmk and decay. Some noted writer of antiquity feys, " It is unbecoming a man, when arrived t© that age, to hold out his hand to a phyfician to feel his pulfe. He fhould be content to march off the ftage." I wifli I could do more in thq devotional way ; but I truft, that He who knows Gur frame, will accept a willing mind, and honeft intentions to ferve his facred caule. I am your affed:ionate Job Orton. I am concerned, left 3^ou fhould injure your health by too clofe an application to your ftudies. Walk out often ; and when you write or read, be fure to keep yourfelf in as upright a pofture a* you can. Write upon an inclined plane ; but a Handing defk is beft. Nothing is more injurious to the health of young divines and fludents, thaa Jooping* * " The attitude of a man at fludy, fays Dr. Tissot, cannot but b« hurtful to health. The folds which the veffels are thrown into at the top of the thigh and in the bend of the knees, while a man is fittings interrupt the circulation in the lower extremities, which in procefs of time muft neceflarily fuffer from this circumftance ; the bending of the body conftrainsthe abdominal vifcera, difturbs their fundlion:, and the digeftive powers are difordered from a new caufe. Friftions are alfo of much ufe, and not to be negie<5led. If every morning we rub tlie whole body, perfpiration is encouraged, and the circulatioa quickened ; which is indeed fo much accelerated by ftrong fridlions continued for a long time, that in fome degree they fupply the want ofexercife. The ancients, who were fenfible of all the advantages refulting from this pradlice, not only ufed it as a remedy, but alfo aj a tlaily method of preferving health." — Dr. Tissot on the Difcafei inci' tiSJtt t9 JJtuary and Sedentary Ferfonsyp. 65, 17^, fecond edition. LETTER. ioo Letters to a Young Clergyman, Let. 24. LETTER XXIV. Nov. Dear Sir, 20, 1777. I HAVE a Mifcellany to fend you, and it is fome coriifort to me, that it will cod you nothing in poftage. I can make great allowance for the little indif- cretions of Mr. ***, as he is fo young a man. He knew the great fenfibility and delicacy of Mr. **, and therefore Ihould have faid nothing of the bufmefs which he communicated to him. We muft deal cautioufly with perfons of his great fcrupuloiity and exadlnefs, and efpecially never divulge, or give the mofi: diilant intimation of what they wiih to have concealed. It may ap- pear to us a trifle ; but if it feems important to them, that is a fufficient reafon why w^e fhould be upon our guard. And it is beil always to err on that hand, and to be particularly folicitous not to utter every thing one may hear from a friend. We ought to fuppofe he fpeaks to us in confi- dence, though there may be no exprefs charge or feeming deiire of fecrecy. If a perfon, for whom we have a great regard, (hews us any particular at- tention, and concern for our fervice and interefl, it is highly proper to thank God for it, and to fnew them ail gratitude ; but to fay as little of it as may be to others. As Dr. Fordyce's Ad- drejfes to Young Men, which I am reading, (in which, amidft great pompolity of language, and fludied antithefes, there is much good fenfe, and vidvice fuited to their cafe) and which now lie be- fore CiET. 24- Letters to a Young Clergyman. loi fore me, and your young friend may not have feen them, I will tranfcribe a paiTage from them which you may communicate to him or not, as you think proper. — " From a confcioufnefs of right intentions, from the honefl ardour of their natures, from the apprehenfive (implicity fo inci- dent to generous minds, they are apt to forget certain forms, ceremonies, and precautions. Thefe, however fmall in themfelves, have often n mighty ftroke in the affliirs of life, and efpecial- ly go further, as they are obferved or neglected, .to efcape or incur cenfure, to obtain or forfeit praife, than the inexperienced or incautious will eafily conceive. It is much to be regretted, that fome excellent fpirlts fail of appearing excellent in a number of cafes, for want of thefe inferior attentions, which ought by no means to be omit^ ted, &c." Vol I. p. loi. I am glad jou are pleafed with the fmall pref- .cnt I made you of m.y Sacramental Meditations. 1 wilh for your prayers, that they may be inftru- mental in doing good. I think my printing .work is now done.* I hope 1 am thankful for the * This was Mr..ORTON's lafl publication ; relative to which the Editor of thefe Letters begs leave to fubjoin the following teitimonies borne to it. ■ The late Rev. Mr. Hunter, Vicar of IFeaverham^ in C/ie/tire, the author of feveral valuable publications, wrote thus of it to a friend : « Upon your recommendation, I have ordered and repeatedly read Mr. Orton's Sacramental Meditations. I think I never read a book, better calculated for tiie purpofes of fpiritual improvement. The Ihortnefs of the fe61ions, the plainnefs of the ftyle, the clearnefs of the method, render it peculiarly fit for the reading and retention of the uninflru6led in low, and the indolent in higli life : whilft a flow of piety, an apt and happy application of fcripture, an experimental fenfe of religion, and a profound knowledge of the divine life, and of -the deep things of God, mufl recommend it to the perufal and ap- probation of tijofe who have made the greateft progrefs yi goodnefs.'* 102 Letters to a Young Clergyman. Let. 24. the acceptance, and I truftjurefulnefs, with which fome of my publications have been honoured. Other authors have a more (liining province, in learned, ingenious, and philofophical pieces; I am content with doing good to fouls. What will become of my Expofitions on the Old Teftam.ent I know not. I fear the plan I propofed for interweaving them with Clark's notes, in the manner of Whitby and Dod- BRiDGE, adding a pradical improvement at the end of each chapter, will not be executed. I wifh it may; but I can do nothing to it myfelf ; and the perfon from whom I hoped for the execution will not, I fear, attempt it, though he hath fhrength and ability of body and mind to do it foon, and do it well. I mud leave it to Provi- dence, and thofe who may come after me.* Dr, Dr. T'JCKEU, the prefeat venerable Dean of Glotice/ler, wrote of it to the fame perfon in the following manner. — ** Pray thank Mr. Or- TON for his book, in mv name. I am charmed, and I hope edified too with it ; which I make my coaflant companion. As I read, I am delighted to 6nd the great divine, and the able controverfialili, concealing himfelf under the better chara6ler of the pious and humble Chriflian, and avoiding all the parade of human learning. A man who was lefs a fcholar, and lels a Chriflian, would have ftutfed his bock with a thoufand quotations." The late excellent Dr. Adams, Mafler of Temhole College, Oxford, ia a letter to Mr. Orton, writes thus : — " The defign of your book. was quite new to me, and i?, I think, happily executed. In our large communions (fuch as I have often feea at St. Chad's) it is the very book I Ihould wifli in every one's hands. The De^n of Gloucefler is much pleafedwith it ; as he is indeed with all your writings. You Jiave perhaps done more good of the beil fort, under the neccffity of retirement, than you could have done in better health, which uni- verfally brings diffipatioii along with it. This is a confolation of the highefl and nobleft kind, vv'hich I am perfuaded you have a right to, and I hope God will in your weakeft liours enable you to take to yourfelf." ^ Mr. Orton's Expofitions on the Old Teftament, with devotional r.nd pra(5lical Reflections, for the ufe of Families, are nou'pubiifliing hy the Rev. Robert Gentleman, of Kidderminfler, in 6 volumes odlavo, and have met with great encouragement, Theiifch volume of wiiith was publiflied in March Jlaft. Let. 24. Letters to a Young Clergyman* 103 Dr. Taylor's Paraphrafe on the Epiftle to ih( Romans^ is an elaborate and learned work, con* taining many excellent things, and many impor- tant and valuable criticilms, and well deierves your careful perufal ; but I think he hath too much limited the Apoftle's fenfe. Few perfons have ever fludied the bible more than he, or have been better acquainted with fcriptural phrafeology ; but he was too much warped by his own theories. You will find many good re- marks upon this performance in Doddridge's preface to the fecond editioii of his Sermons on Regeneration. His Key to the Apoftolic IVritingi is prefixed to his paraphrafe, and is defigned to explain the chief phrafes made ufe of in the Epif- tles ; but which he appears to me to have mifi:a- ken in many infi:ances. Though I do not like his general fcheme on the Romans and his Key, yet his notion of the doctrine of eiedtion feems right and fcriptural. I queftion whether Dr. Doddridge's Sermom uga'nift Popery will ever be pubhlhed. What the Dodor fays of Mr. Grove as a v>^rlter is, that *' he refembles Watts, but is not equally po- etical ; that he has many judicious and new thoughts ; with great ferioufnefs and fweetnefs.'* B;fliop Burnett's Conclujion of the Hijlory of his own Times, was -printed feparately in a fmall form a few years ago, and many of them fold. I Icarce know a book better calculated to de good. HiLDROp's Mifcellanies are entertaining, and may furniOi you with fome materials in your ad- drelTes to your J'Vormington farmers. Reeves's Jpologies of the Fathers y in two volumes odavo, 1% f 64 Letters to a Young Clergyman, Let. 'z.-t^ is a valuable tranflation of feveral iaiportant books. Have you ever feen ^hort Meditations on Seletl Portions of Scripture .^* If not, I recom- mend it to you, as containing the fubflance of the heads and principal thoughts of about fifty excellent fermons. Judge AsHURST is, I prefume, of the fame family as Sir Henry and Sir Samuel Ash- URST, who were both of them men of eminent wifdom and piety. Sir Henry Ashurst wrote the life of Mr. Nathaniel Heywood, an ejeded Minifler .of LancaJJiire ; fo fond was lie of him. Your advice to me to eat my own book, is very good. But I daily ftand correded by my own publications, as it is eafier to give advice than to take it. The hot weather hurts me ; and now this cool damp air hurts me again. So fubje^ 2,m I to fkyey influences, and the fport of every paltry atom.-}- But be the weather fair or foul, the fliip is ftill under fail, near the port : and 4nay it be the haven, where I would be ! Yours affedionately. Job Orton^o * By the Rev. Daniel Turner, oi Abingdon, Berh^ f The Afcarides. LETTER XXV. T^ c Feh» i778f. Dear Sir, ^ ' X. HOUGH there is nothing in youf iaft letter which requires an immediate anfwer, yet I am willing to write to fo pun^u^l a corref- pondent. 1 hayc Let. 25. Letters to a Young Clergyman. 105 I have been looking over Sal lust's Hijiory of Cat dint's Confpiracy ; in which I think you will find fome things fuitable to your purpofe, partic- ularly in his fpeech to the confpirators ; which you will meet with towards the beginning of the hiftory : where he pleads liberty, as a ground for his undertaking; but mentions honour, power, wealth, &c. as alfo in their plan, and throws out fome bitter reflexions asiainft the minifters o and placemen of thofe days. Qiiin igitiir exper^ gifcimini f En illa^ illa^ quam [ape optajiis^ liber-* fas ; prat ere a divitia^ decus^ gloria in oculis fit a flinty iffc. In my edition, is the following note onthQ word libertas. Tacitus vers (lib. 9. An- nal.) falfo liber tatis vocabidurn obtendi ab iis, qui privatim degeneres^ in publicum exitioji^ nihil fpei^ niji per difcordias, habeani, Grafw, one of the variorum authors. There is a great deal to the fame purpofe in Cataline's fpeech, and in other parts of the hiftory ; but it is near forty years ago iince I lafh read it, which was v/ith the pupils at Northampton, in 1 739. I have long thought there are many paffages in the account of that confpir* acy very parallel to the prefent cafe of our na» tion, between loyal men, and thofe who are call- ed patriots, and who choofe by a figure of fpeech, to call themfelves Whigs. Many are angry with me, becaufe I difcountenance their difloyalty j but I defpife their anger, as much as I diflikc their principles and condud. I would willingly be doing fome good while I am here ; and to pro- mote loyalty, fubjedion and peace, is doing good, I think I have already foftened fome fharp fpir- its amongfi us, at lead brought them to hold their io6 Letters to a Young Clergyman, Let. 25. their tongues, or to be lefs confident. I fhall be forry to find that your neighbour Mr. * *, ex- pofes himfelf and his miniftry by his pohtics. An ancient Bifhop fays, " What hath an ecclefiaftic to do with pohtics ?" Lend him Palmer's Abridgment of Baxter's Reformed Pajior, How can we be guilty by nature, according to Mr. ****s ideas of original fin, fince guilt is a confcioufnefs of having acted wrong ? Our guilt and mifery confiil in having finned, or in confe- quence of our fins. Jeremiah calls children inno^ cents, Jer. ii. 34. and Chriji fays. Except ye be con- verted and become as little children, &c. Matt, xviii. 3. I cannot reconcile thefe palTages, and many more, with the high notions of fome perfons concerning the do6lrine of original fin. What I underftand by that doctrine is, (and which 1 take to be a fadl) that as we are born with lefs per- fe6t conftitutions, fo the paffions are ftronger and lefs governable, and thereby we ar^ more eafily led into fin. I have known fo many inftances in which perfons have excufed their fins and bad tempers, by pleading original fin, that I would be extremely cautious how I gave the moft dif- tant encouragement to fuch abfurd and danger- ous pleas. So likewife by ajfnrance, I mean only a fatisfa6tory e3indence, removing all painful fears and doubts, though not every flight fufpicion. See Mason on Self Knowledge, part i. ch. xviii. and Bennet's Chrifiian Oratory, fed. 2. p. 569. sf ]y[j.^ ** * ^Qgg j^Q|. i^nQ^ the fad of the Spirit's fealing, comforting influence." The only dif- ference between us is, that he thinks it cannot ibe particularly known to be the work of the Spir- i.ET. 25. Lett er 5 to a Young Clergyman, ic*^ it, though he allows it to be fo. I think that m fome caies it may be known. And the lives of fome of the beft and moft rational Chriftians lliew, that they thought they could diilinguifh between a divine impreflion, and the natural working of their own minds. Many texts I think encour- age this thought, efpecially the following. Rom* viii. 16. 2 Cor. i. 22. v. 5. Eph. i. 13. My Book of Almanacks is of no great con- fequence. The Almanack I make ufe of is Wing's, which I think one of the befb. There I keep a journal of the weather, and infert who preached the charity-fermons here and at ShreziJ- bury^ and what was colle6:ed ; alfo any particular occurrence relating to the town. I alfo make references in it to the birth-days of fome of my friends, not that I may drink their health, but pray for them. I find it of fome ufe to have re- courfe to this, as to dates and times. And it is as an amufement, and attended with fome advan- tage to take a tranfient furvey of paft occurrences. I will give you a fpecimen of the memorandums of the laft month. '* Feb. 5th, Mr. Y ** di- ed — a friend of mine at W * * *. — 9th, The day fiflier S * * died — to be thankful for her piety and ufefulnefs — and to pray for her family. — 14th, My nephew B.S**'s birth-day — to pray for him. — 2ift, Public fail.— 23d, Mr. T** died, one of my former hearers. — 24th, J. S**'s birth-day * — to pray for him. — 25th, W. S**, a relation of mine, died." This is the diary I keep. Dr. Doddridge, as far as I can recollect, (for I have not his diary by me) ufed particular marks for days well fpent, ill fpent, and indifferent. But Xo8 Letters to a Young Clergyman, Let. 25. But a perion may eafily contrive any thing of that kind for himfelf. Bifliop Newton's Dijjertations on the PropJie- ties are excellent books, and will enrich your in- terleaved bible with many good interpretations. But his plan upon the Revelation is not, I think, the right one. He and Dr. Halifax, who late- ly publilhied fome difcourfes preached at Bifhop War burton's Ledure, both impHcity follow Mr. Mede. When I was engaged m pubHfhing Dr. Doddridge's Expofitor on the Revelation, I ftudied that book as carefully as I could, and I found more confiftency and fatisfadion in Lov/- MAN on the Revelation, than any other com- mentator upon it. Mr. Robinson, the author of the Plea for the Divinity of Chrift, hath not received a regu- lar education ; but is a man of a furprifing ge- nius, and vaft application. He doth not appear to me to under ftand the controverfy about the Trinity ; and has mifapplied feveral texts, which I have taken the liberty of pointing out to him. He frequently contradidts himfelf, being in fome parts of his performance a Sabellian^ while in others he feems to favour the Athanafian doc- trine. In reality, I take him to be a Sabellian^ or elfe I do not underftand him. 1 wifh none would meddle v/ith that controverfy, but thofe who underftand it. I have read many treatifes upon the fubjed, and fome angry and unchari- table ones, whofe authors did not underftand it, but wrote without any clear ideas. I think Mr. Robinson's book will be ufeful, to fliew the difficulty of the point, and to abate the confi- dence and cenforioufnefs of many. Your Let. 26. Letters to a Young Clergyman, 109 Your relations and friends here are well. I blefs God I am as well as ufual, but find old age gaining upon me by long flride^. Continue your prayers for me, that I may be ready when- ever the fummons comes, and that all may be well at laft. As a Scotch Divine faid in his dying moments, fo I would fay : " If I do not come up to Henry's glory, and Watts's glory, and Doddridge's glory, I fliall be well, if I win-in * among them." Your afFedionate friend, &c. Job Orton. * The expreflion oi 'winning-hiy is a Scottidfm, and fignifies to get-in f or rather to gain-in, among them. We ufe the word for tvin- ning a prize. So in our tranllation, that I may win Chrijf, 'A£Q^£(jCil gain Chri^ as a treafurc, or fomething extremely valuable, fhil, iii. 8. LETTER XXVL Sept. 20, 1778. Dear Sir, XT is common for the lawyers, when they prefer a bill in chancery againft a perfon, to crave leave of the chancellor to mend the bill. This I will endeavour to do with relation to my letter ofyefterday j v^hich I wrote in a hurry, as I was not willing to make the meiTenger wait. 1 wifh your friend Mr. * * may have an opportunity of reading a dilcourfe, written by Dr. Wish art. Principal of the College of Edinburgh^ on the Inefficacy of a Death-Bed Re- pentance., or fome fuch title, as it is an excellent piece: or, a fermon of Mr. Newsman's (late K Minifter no Letters to a Young Clergyman. Let. 26. Minifler of Carter- Lane ^ London) on the Cafe of the penitent Thief, which is a very judicious dii- courfe. As to vifiting condemned malefaElors^ it is very proper : for even a good man may be hur- ried into fome capital crime ; or repentance may begin immediately after the fa£l : at leaft, it is doing the befl: that can be done to alleviate fu- ture mifery ; and every thing iliould be tried, vi^hen eternity is near. There are fome excel- lent reflections on fuch fcenes in Archbiihop TiLLOTSOiv's Two Sermons on theLong-fuffer- ingof God, from Ecclef.afies viii. 11. particular- at the end oF the firll fermon. And I am much ox his muid on this fubje£l:.* Have you feen an Efj'ay on the Connexion be- tween the Docfrine of Jnfiification bv the imputed Right eovfnefs of Chriff, and Holinefs of Life (wrote by Withers? 00 N, a Scotch Divine, and author of the Ecclefiailical Charaderiftics) dedicated to Mr. Hervey ? It was fent to me feveral years -go* * " To fpeak ray mind freely in this mafter, (fays the Archbifhop) I have no great opinion of that extraordinary comfort and confidence v/hich fome have, upon a uvlden repentance for great aid flagrant .crimes, becaufe I ca'-iuotdifceru any fuiiicient ground for it. I think, great humihty and dejeilioa of mind, and a doubtful apprehenfion of their condition, next slmoil to defpair of it, would much better be- come them; becaufe their cafe is really fo very doubtful in itfeJf. There is great reafon for the repentance of fuch perfons, and it be- comes them well ; but I fee very httle reafon for their great comfort a^id confidence, nor does it become their circumflances and con- dition. Let them imitate, as nervr as they can, the behaviour of the penitent Thief, the only example the fcripture hath left us of a late repentance that proved etfecflua!, wIto gave the greatefl teflimony that could be of a penitent formw for his fms, and cf his faith in the Saviour of the w<^rld, by a generous and courageous cnniing of him in the midil of his difgrace and fufFering, when even his own difci- ples had denied and forfa'cen him ; but v/e do not find in him any fign of extraorlinary coir.foit, much lefs of confidence; but he hum- bly commended himfclf to the mercy and gooJnefs of iiis SaviopT; fayinj, Lord, remcnihet vtCf ii'l-.r? t/Ku corf-.ejf into tkjn lingJom,'* Let. 2 6. Letters to a Yowr^ Clergyman. in ago, by a gentleman of Glafpzv, to whom I was a ftranger. I think it an admirable book : and, though I do not altogether approve of its title, jet I am much pleated with his reafoning, as equally ftrong and conclufive upon our ideas of redemption. It is a twelve-penny pamphlet, and I imagine you will be much pleafed with it. Had you looked into the Map of Oxford/Jure, you would have found Tackley^ the feat of the Lady Dowager Lichfield, where our friend is lately gone. Let me advife you never to hear or read of a village, efpecially a m.arket town, without examining where it is. Thus, much ufeful knowledge may be gained by degrees, and with little or no trouble. By taking this method, I have been of fervice to many tradefmen and others, both at Shreivjbury and this town. I wifh you through the hurries of the day at ****. Remember the fhory I told you of an old Scotch Divine, who being aikcd why he wore a long beard, anfwered, '* 1 CiO it to remind me never to do any thing inconiiftent with the gravity of my appearance. '■* On Thurfday lall, as I was luting at dinner, I felt an earthquaJze ; and heard a rumbling noife, like a wheel-barrow going over fome rough ground. It happened at one o'clock, and lafted about two feconds. Many others in the town felt it, and fome were much alarmed. I wiili fuch alarms may do good. But we feem to be proof againil every thing that is ferious, kind, and awful. I am now reading an excellent old book, writ- ten by Obadi AH Sedgwick, who was a mem- ber iiz Letters to a Young Clergyman. Let. 27. ber of the AiTembly of Divines, entitled. The Anatomy of fecret and presumptuous Sins^&c, which pleafed me much. His heads and enlargements are fliort and comprehenlive, and free from the unprofitable jargon of thofe days ; and his lan- guage is excellent for the time he wrote in. If you meet with any of his works, it will be worth your while to purchafe them 5 as they may be bought for a trifle. They contain excellent mat- ter, and come home more to men's confciences and bofoms, than the writings of many of our modern Divines. I am but indifferent, and am often unfit for bufinefs or company, and my mental powers daily grow weaker. When I am difpofed to be im- patient, I think of two of my acquaintance, who are ground down with the ftone, and labour af- ter greater patience and thankfulnefs. But every difagreeable obje-fl appears formidable and dread- ful to me, efpecially, the near approach of death. I much need, value, and defire the prayers of my friends. Yours fmcerely. Job Orton. LETTER XXVIL Jan, 1779. Dear Sir, JdEING confined to-day by great rain, I know not how to employ my time better than in writing a letter to you ; though whether I lliali be able to finifli it to-day in time for the poft Let. 27. Letters to a Young Clergyman. 113 pod I know not : however I will do fomethlng towards it. 1 am always glad to receive chit-chat letters, as they ieem to come from the heart. Mr. Pope is I think right, who fomewhere fays, " The letters of friends are not worfe for being fit for none elfe to read. The effufion of a mo- ment ought to be the charaderiilic of all familiar writing. It is a flrange recommendation, but a true one." In this view, I had rather write twenty letters to a friend with whom I can be free, than one to a perfon every way as good and valuable, and with whom I can be equally free, who is at the fame time formal and accurate him- felf, and expeds the letters of his correfpondents to be fo too. I do not love to write letters v/here com^pliments and apolog^ies are neceffary. Every thing that comes directly from the heart, and feems like converfation, is mod agreeable to me. And indeed what is writing letters, but a kind of converfation, and therefore ought to be eaiy, free, and unreferved. Perhaps I am felfifh in this fentiment, as I can feldom write more than a few lines at a time without being tired and in pain, and forced to lie down upon my couch ; fo that method and order muft be negleded by me ; but thele I think (hould be eafily excufed in letters, efpecialiy where the writer's heart and his efteem for his correfpondent appear at firft view, without any labour or ftudy. I h6pe you have received the Bishop of Chester's Letter,^ which I returned to you ibme time ago ^ which is an exceeding good one, K 2 truly * A Letter to the inhabitants of .UTT^cZ/^/e;-, Macdnfield, and the jMljagent parts, on occafwn of th$ late earthtjuake in tbpfe_|>laces^ 114 Letters to a Young Clergyman. Let. 27. truly ferious, full to the purpofe, and adapted to do good. His Lordfliip's two fermons, which were preached at the Chapel Royal, 5/. James's^ are fuperexcellent. They were printed, as I have been informed, by the exprefs command of the Queen, in order to be given away among the courtiers. I am glad you have To \,o\txdk)\t a flock offer- mons. But you will go on compofmg new ones; as thereby you will increafe your theological knowledge : a new iubjedl always ftrikes, and the natural love cf novelty (hould be called in to the aid of religion. V/hat hath a Clergyman to do but to give himfelf wholly to his v/ork ; increafe his own, and his hearers' acquaintance with the fcriptures ; and be continually drawing, from that inexhaufbible fountain, ftreams of living water, for their entertainmient and nourilhment. How few are there among us, v/ho like D a>7i el Whiston, the profeilbr's brother, left behind him feveral hundred fermons, which he had never preached. This is the other extreme. I will excufe your having a fermon to write on the Sat- urday, becaufe the occafion of it was urgent and necellary ; elfe I (hould blame you, if ever you have a fermon to make, on a Saturday. Dr. Donne (as it is faid in his Life) always chofe his text, for the next Lord's day, on the preceding Sunday evening, when he had finilbed the duty of that day. This was wjy method. I'always contrived to have Saturday as a kind of leifure day, to attend at the Infirmary at Shrezvfbiiry^ov to do other bufinefs which (being market day) it-QCcafioned 3 and that I might, by exercife and relaxatioiip Let. 27. Letters to a Youn^- Clergyman. rij relaxation, get myfelf into better fpirits for the labours of the Sabbath. Only on a Saturday evening, I carefully reviewed my fermon, and committed the moft ilriking parts of it, efpecial- ly in the application, to memory. And I always {pent my Saturday evenings at home, that I might prepare myfelf the better for the bufinefs of the following day. I heartily wifh you the return of many happy birthdays ; and that each of them may afford you increaling pleafure in your own improvement, and the advancement of religion by your miniftry. I have no doubt but you fpent the day religioujly ; in thankfully acknowledging the goodnefs and mercy of God to you ; in acts of humiliation for the vanity of childhood and youth ; and in form- ing good refolutions for greater ferioufnefs, dili- gence and adivity, as a Chriftian and a Minifter. May God hear your prayers, accept your praifesj and multiply his bleflings upon you ! I am now reading Michaelis's IntroduBory Le£itires to the Sacred Books of the New TeJlamenU a fmail o6tavo volume, price three ihillings. It is a good concife account of critics, commentators, and their fentiments on the genuinenefs, author- ity, and inipiration of the books of the New Tef- tamcnt. It v/ill refrefh your memory with many things on thofe iubjeds ; but he doth not enter deeply into the controverfies of them. I have lately bought a Scotch edition of Fl av- : ell's IVorks^ in eight volumes, octavo. The folio edition I had before; but this I can read as 1 lie on my couch, or as I fit in my chair, fmoaking my evening's pipe, I have read more of ii6 Letters to a Young Clergyman, Let. 27. of Fl AVELL, fmce I was able to read at all, than any other writer ; and I am alwa^^s pleated with his plainnefs, fimplicity, ihort ilyle, great feriouf- nefs, and entertaining (lories. I am concerned that Mr. ** doth not apply- more dihigently to his ftudies : and it really grieves me to fee young Divines, who have good natural abilities, and have enjoyed confiderable advantages tn their education, contented to gUm- mer, when, with more application, they might be burning and fhining lights in the church, and the diftinguifhed ornaments of Chriflianity and their profeilion. I fometimes talk freely to my younger brethren on fuch topics ;. but in this age, young men do not in general ehoole to attend to the moll friendly advice of their feniors $ though delivered, not only tenderly, but refpecl- fully. They are wifer, and have better ideas of divinity, efpecially, than thofe who have growa grey in ftudy and in the miniilry. } think I have now written every thing I had to fay to you — which has been done at many fit- tings — and 1 have conildered myfelf as talking with you. But this wet day makes me uncom- fortable, and m.y letter is as d^ull as the dayi yet fair or foul — bright cr dull, I am your faithful and affectionate t ^ JOB Orton. Some time ago, I recommended to the con- sideration of a friend, the following axiom, or definition of the ufe of a Right Line, ReBum efi Index fui, et oblic^ui : which 1 think a maxim well worthy the attention of Divines. Inform your hearers what yo.u think to be right, and Ihew them Let. 28. Letters to a Young Clergyman, 117^ them why it is fo. By this method they will be able to judge for themlelves of the differences of things, and perceive what is right, and what is erroneous. See Luke xii. 57. I wilhed to find fome authority for it, and lately met with it quoted in the moft Learned Dr. Cudworth's Treatife on the Lord's Supper, which gave mc fmgular pleafure. LETTER XXVIII. Mard, 1779* Dear Sir, I ACKNOWLEDGE myfelf in your debt for two letters ; which, on account of the indiilerenr (rate of my health, I am obliged to anfwer as I can, writing a few hnes at a time, as I find myfelf difpofed, without any regard ta order or method. I am forry you meet with diiUculties and dif- couragements in your prefent fituation ; but I am in doubt what to fay concerning a removal toS***. I could wiih you comfortably fettled in a living of your own,where you would be more •extenfively ufeful ; but am fearful you will find inconveniences in the place you think of; except you can fully refolve, and keep your cefolution, to mind your proper bufmefs, and to guard againil the avocations of S * * *. I think a Cler- gyman is moft refpedable, who keeps to his ftudy and parilh, and engages as little as may be in .mixed company. He fhould be careful not to J&fecrate ii8 Letters to a Young Clergyman. Let. 2-S\ defecrate hlmfelf by letting h i mfelf down . Have you ever read Scou gal's Works ^ author of that trad which Biiliop Burnet publiflied, called The Life of God in the Soul of Man F- If you have not, pray inquire after it, and read it diligently and repeatedly. Give me leave to fend you the following paliage from his Concio ad Clerum. — Quotidiana clericorum cum laicis converjatio^ can- temptihiles eos reddlt. Facile contemnitur clerictis^fi p'andium invitatus fapius veniat. You will think of thefe maxims, and let them have their proper influence with you. Sc o u g a l was an Epifcopal Divine, and fon of a Scotch Biiliop ; a man of eminent learning ^Jid piety, and a good model for ufeful presxhing; but died very young. May God diredl you in all your motions, and fix you there, where you may do Him and his caufe the moil fignal lervice ! I know you will follow prov- idence, and not out-run it ; and I hope look to probable, though remote, confequences, before you determine upon fo important a change in- your fituation. I am glad to hear from you fo good an account of Dr, Adams, whom you have lately feen. There are fev/ men 1 honour more for every ami- able quality. If you return to college foon, I defire you to prefent my refpedful and affec- tionate compliments to him ; and be fure to do all you can to learn of the Do6lor fteadinefs, prudence, firmnefs, mingled with the utmofl good-nature, and readineis to ferve others.* I have * In 1770, Mr. Orton wrote two pamphlets, in defence of Dr. Adams, in anfwer to a Letter to the Do6lor by the author of Fktai C>^ciwV/^/<, entUleU Dittiej>hei admon'Jlud^ 2^\\s, who othervvife would not probably have done it. And he had the pleafure of hearing, that his tra(5i6 had been fer'v-iceabls in this re- fpedt, efpecially in Sh>opj?iire ; and that they Avere much valued by many refpedlabie Clergymen, particularly tbofe of evangehcal prin- ciples. Another maflerly pamphlet appeared In the fame controverfy, en- titled, The Chi-^ch f'f England 'vindicated from the ^i^id Notions of Calvin- ifm ; written by one of Dr. Adams's intimate friends ; whf)fe name, were it to be made public, would do honour to the caiife of leara- iag and rational piety. * See the Gentleman's Magazine for Nov. 1784. 120 Letters to a Young Clergyman, Let. 2 5. had, as I have been told, a very heavy deHvcry.* 1 fhall be glad to hear from you, and hope for a continuance of your prayers, that as my day is, my ftrength may be. My head begins to fail, my tongue fliammers, m.y hands tremble, and I am fmking apace to the dufh ; but my concern for my friends, and the interefl of religion, holds out ftill. May the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift be always with you ! To that I heartily commend you in all your interefts \ and am, dear Sir, Your faithful and affedionate Job Orton. * " JoRTiN, as a writer, (fays Mr. Orton) is laconic, compre- henfive, yet quite plain and eafy, familiar and lively. I fhould like him better if he were more evangelical. But I can tafte what I think an excellency in a writer, though I Ihould on no account preach in his unevangelical mannei*. There are fo few evangelical writers among the moderns, who are candid and catholic, that a man, who reads none but them, will be likely, though he may be confirmed in his orthodoxy, to lofe his charity, and lelfen his uietulnefs," Here the Editor finds it neceflary to difcontinue thefe Letters f as foon after the date of the lafl, he came to live at Shezvjbwy ; and there are many things in Mr. Orton's future correfpondence with him, of a local and too ddlcate a nature to be laid before the public eye. Tiiis valuable man died July 19, 1783, in the fixty-fixth year of his age ; and was buried, agreeably to liis own requeil, in St. Chad's Church; Shreuujbury. Sic mihi contingat viverc, fcjue mori. / THE MEMORY OF THE JUST IS BLESSED: AND THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL BE HAD IN EVERLASTING REMEMBRANCE. THE E N I>.