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hours of his life. He thought (and his own temper showed it) that activity and cheerfulness were so nearly allied, that one can hardly take a more effectual method to secure the latter, than to cultivate the former, especially when it is employed to sow the seeds of an immortal harvest, which will be rich and glorious, in proportion to our present diligence and zeal.

So solicitous was he to improve every moment, that one of his pupils generally read to him when he was dressing and shaving. In these short intervals he was improving himself and them, by remarking on their manner of reading, and pointing out to them the excellencies or defects of sentiment and language in the book read. When he was upon a journey, or occasional visits to his friends, where he spent the night, he took his papers with him; and employed all the time he could seize, especially his morning hours, in carrying on some good work, for his people, his pupils, or the world. While he was preparing his Family Expositor for the press, he did something at it daily. When an intimate friend had expressed some fear lest his academy should be neglected, while he was preparing some works for the public, he thus wrote to him:"So far as I can recollect, I never omitted a single lecture on account of any of the books that I have published. The truth is, I do a little now and then; something every day, and that carries me on. I have wrote some of my pieces in short hand, and got them transcribed by my pupils; and thus I do by many

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letters. This is a help to me, and some considerable advantage to those whom I employ. I scarce fail being in the lecture-room three hours every morning; that carries me through my stated work; and, with the concurrence of my assistant, I oversee the academy pretty well." So great was his diligence in his Master's work, that he often preached several days in a week in different villages about Northampton; and chose the evening for those services, that his lectures might not be omitted. During his annual vacation, which continued two months, one of them was usually spent in close study, pastoral visits, or making little circuits among the neighbouring congregations, by the desire of their respective pastors. In the other month, he visited his friends in London, and other parts of the kingdom, finding such excursions and journeys serviceable to his health: yet he pursued his studies and writings, and frequently preached occasional sermons, especially in London and its environs, almost every day. I find that in some years he preached one hundred and forty times; in others, many more; besides his repetitions, expositions and devotional lectures at home. So that the exhortations he gave his brethren, in his discourse on "The Evil and Danger of neglecting the Souls of Men," came with peculiar grace and propriety from him, as they were illustrated by his own example.

Nor must I, in this connexion, omit his correpondence; which was almost large enough to have taken up the whole time of a person of common abilities

and industry. His letters were principally of business, and that of the most important kind. Besides his correspondence with the parents and guardians of his pupils, he had many letters to write in answer to questions of moment, proposed to him by his brethren, especially those who had been his pupils; and by congregations at a distance, who applied to him for direction and assistance. His judgment was often desired by learned men, concerning critical difficulties, or works which they were preparing for the press; and his own publications would naturally enlarge his work of this kind. His correspondence with persons of the first rank for wisdom and learning in the Established Church required much attention and delicacy. Several foreign gentlemen and divines, who had heard of his character and read his works, sought his epistolary acquaintance; and corresponding with them, in Latin or French, required some particular application. It is surprising to find how many hundred letters he received and answered in the space of one year. I may say of him, as Pliny of his uncle, "When I consider his dispatch of so much business, I wonder at the multiplicity of his reading and writing; and when I consider this, I wonder at that." But his resolution was indefatigable; and God had given him a happy facility in the dispatch of business. He was master of the contents of a book upon a summary view, and could readily express his thoughts upon the most abstruse questions with ease and perspicuity.

It is wonderful that his tender constitution should,

for so many years, support such an intense application to business, so unfavourable to health. His friends were often expressing their painful apprehension, that it would impair his health and shorten his days, and addressing him with that carnal advice, Master, spare thyself: and, with regard to his last illness in particular, it might have been happy for them and the world, had he regarded it. But love to God and man, and zeal for the salvation of souls, bore him on. He needed no recreation; for his work was his highest pleasure. When he saw any success of his labours, and found that his writings were useful to many, it gave him fresh spirits and resolution. When he was advised, by a friend, to relax a little, and not preach so often, his answer was, "Be in no pain about me. I hope that we have the presence of God among us, and that He is bearing testimony to the word of His grace. I take all the care of my health, which is consistent with doing the proper duties of life; and when I find myself refreshed rather than fatigued with these attempts of service, I cannot think myself fairly discharged from continuing them." To another friend, he thus writes: "I am indeed subject to a little cough, but I never preached with more freedom and pleasure. I am generally employed, with very short intervals, from morning to night, and have seldom more than six hours in bed; yet such is the goodness of God to me, that I seldom know what it is to be weary. I hope my labours are not in vain. There are those who drink in the word with great eagerness; and I

hope it will be found, that it is not merely as the barren sand drinks in the rain, but rather that it falls on ground which divine grace will make prolific. This animates me to my labours.”

In short, he lived much in a little time; and thought it was better to wear himself out in his Master's service, than rust in literary indolence, or drag on a longer life, when his vivacity and activity might be so much diminished, as in the course of nature they generally are. The motto of his family arms was, DUM VIVIMUS, VIVAMUS; under which he wrote the following lines, very expressive of his general temper:

"Live, while you live," the Epicure would say,
"And seize the pleasures of the present day!"
"Live, while you live," the sacred Preacher cries,
"And give to God each moment as it flies !"
Lord, in my view let both united be!

I live in pleasure, when I live to THEE.

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