TO THE REV. SAMUEL WOOD, D.D.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

Sudbury, June 20, 1751. HARDLY any disappointment of the kind ever hung heavier upon me than that of not seeing you here; the expectation of which, with the hope of an interview with good Mr. Frost, gave me resolution to break through the strong importunity of my friends in London; and through the discouragements arising from a very bad cold, which such a journey was likely to increase, that I might once more see and embrace him who has so much of my heart, that I think, if love could inscribe a name there, yours would be found on mine when it beats no more. But a regard to duty keeps you at home, and therefore I ought to love you the better for it. I was the more earnestly desirous of

so they be contented with a quiet and peaceable enjoyment of the same, not giving offence or scandal to the government.'

"I earnestly request the favour of your lordship's opinion, whether, in licensing so many houses for one teacher, they have not granted him greater indulgence than either the King's instruction, or the Act of Toleration intended. It is not to be dissembled, that several of the laity, as well as clergy, are uneasy, on account of the countenance and encouragement he has met with. And I cannot forbear expressing my own concern to see schism spreading itself through a colony which has been famous for uniformity of religion. I had almost forgot to mention his holding forth on working days to great numbers of poor people, who, generally, are his only followers. This, certainly, is inconsistent with the religion of labour, whereby they are obliged to maintain themselves and families : and their neglect of this duty, if not seasonably prevented, may, in process of time, be sensibly felt by the government."

66

Extract from the Bishop of London's Letter, in Answer to the foregoing, dated December 25, 1750.

'As to Davies's case, as far as I can judge, your Attorney General is quite in the right, for the Act of Toleration confines the preachers to a particular place to be certified and entered, and so the practice here has been; and it was so far admitted to be the case, that the dissenters obtained a clause, in the 10 Q. Anne to impower any dissenting teacher to preach occasionally in any other county but that where he was licensed.

seeing you, as I had several things to talk over with you of great importance. A restless night, or rather many restless hours in it, in connexion with the view of labour before me this day, for which I am but ill qualified, has detained me in bed so long that I have now but a few minutes to write to you. As to Colonel Williams's scheme for the Indian school, I shall refer you partly to Mr. Frost, who will inform you of what passes in reference to it, and partly to some future letter, if God permit, in which I will furnish you with the memorial of this important affair, which the good colonel sent me by the last post; and, perhaps, I may also send you a copy of the Bishop of London's letter to me, in reference to Mr. Davies's affair in Virginia. I paid in your noble donation to Mr. Wilson for the church of Breslaw last week, a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour. Go on vigorously with the youth's

I observe that in one of the licenses (a copy of which you sent me) Davies is permitted to assemble, &c. at several meeting houses to be erected on the lands of Joseph Skelton, &c. Now the Act of Uniformity requires that the places of meeting shall be certified and registered; but how houses that are not in being can be certified and registered I cannot understand.

The Act of Toleration was intended to permit the dissenters to worship in their own way, and to exempt them from penalties, but it was never intended to permit them to set up itinerant preachers, to gather congregations where there were none before. They are by the Act of W. and M. to qualify in the county where they live, and how Davies can be said to live in five different counties they who granted the license must explain.

In the Act of W. and M. the justices of the peace can admit of the teacher's qualification, which is the reason, I suppose, of your justices acting in the present case. If this power be lodged with the Governor, as your Attorney General takes it to be, I do not see how the justices can interfere, unless they suppose that they can do whatever the justices in England can do under the special authority of an Act of Parliament, which in many cases would be an absurd claim.

Since I received yours I have been confined at home, and as the ships are soon going out, I have not time to gain advice upon this subject; and therefore what I have said must be taken only as my private opinion, but as this case concerns the Church abroad very much, I will soon learn the opinion of our lawyers here.

scheme. It is our sheet anchor, and I see congregations falling so fast into wretched lay-hands, or utterly perishing for want of supplies, that I am more than ever solicitous that it may be extended as far as possible.

The frequent returns of my cough alarm my friends, and those in town say I am grown many years older since they saw me last. I leave the event with God; but for my own part apprehend no immediate danger, unless it be that of being obliged to allow myself more rest than suits either with my inclination or the demands of my business. My second daughter was ill when I heard last from home. Pray for her, and continue your prayers for him who is more than he can express,

Your affectionate Friend, and obliged humble Servant,
P. DODDRIDge.

MY DEAREST,

TO MRS. DODDRIDGE.

From Col. Williams's Lodgings, June 29, 1751. If there be any consideration in the world, next to the honour of God, and the edification of the church, which could make me wish to see many future years, it is that I may enjoy your delightful friendship, and repay it by every act of gratitude, and expression of tenderness. I know not how sufficiently to thank you for the charming letter which I received from you last night; and, I think, I have been better ever since. The extreme lightness and dampness of the air yesterday, when it rained almost from morning to night, did indeed affect me a good deal, irritating my cough, and making me very low spirited, and extremely weary all over. I dined at Mr. Cruttenden's, however, very heartily on a fine rump of beef, drank tea, in good time, at Mr. Jackson's, and spent the evening with that great lover of us, at

Northampton, good Mrs. Jennings, returned in good time, and had a pretty comfortable night. I have been pure well all the day, and my cough has been very civil; it hardly disturbed me at all during the two hours which I spent this morning with the good Archbishop of Canterbury, who treated me with very great kindness, and looks most charmingly well; I think several years younger than when I first saw him, as, perhaps, your Methuselah may do some years hence. Mr. Pott does not prohibit my riding, and, I believe, it is like to do me good; but whether it will not be rather too much for me to ride in one day from St. Albans to Northampton, especially as I have not been on horseback so long.

Excuse me to Miss Ekins for not having written to her. I suppose she is going to Daventry. Assure her that I shall do every thing the tenderest love and most faithful care can do for her happiness. Due salutations to my Northampton friends, and the dear children, in whose continued health I rejoice. My dearest, farewell; and believe me to be

Your ever faithful and affectionate

P. DODDRIDGE.

TO MISS DODDRIDGE.

MY DEAR CHILD,

Salop, July 24, 1751. THROUGH the good hand of Divine Providence we got well hither on Lord's day about noon; the violent rain which fell on Saturday hindering us from completing our journey, though we got within seven miles of this place before dinner. We had the pleasure to find Mr. Orton and our other friends well; and they do all they can towards making our abode here agreeable, and subservient to the purposes of our visit.

Pray tell Dr. Stonhouse that, according to the advice of Mr. Jones, I have been let blood. The Doctor would have been astonished to have seen how extremely my blood was inflamed. There was what he calls a buff upon it half an inch thick. I began yesterday morning with asses' milk, and it agrees very well with me. I hardly eat any thing but vegetables; and I do not drink the quantity of a glass of wine in a day. My cough is rather better than worse; but I got so terrible a hoarseness at the ordination at Bewdley that it is no virtue in me not to preach, or so much as pray in the family, for, really, I do not think I should be capable of it; but I hope to mend; and I promise myself that I shall do it the faster for the prayers of my dear children, as well as of my other Northampton friends, to any of whom you will present my proper salutations as you have opportunity.

Recommending you, my dear, and all friends to the Divine blessing and care, I subscribe myself

Your ever affectionate Papa,

P. DODDRIDGE.

FROM THE REV. JOHN BARKER.*

August 5, 1751. LEESINGHAM, Neal, and Barker, are too nearly interested in that precious life, which now appears in danger of being cut off in the midst of its days, to hear of its waste and languishment without great concern and fervent prayer to

* "Dr. Doddridge," says Mr. Stedman, "was at Shrewsbury for the benefit of air, exercise, and an entire recess from business and company, when he received this letter: and Mr. Orton tells us, that he was so affected, and melted into tears of gratitude and joy, with the friendship expressed in it, and the divine consolations which it administered, that he was apprehensive his tender frame would have sunk under the emotion."