was detained at Northampton, where I preached last Lord's day, by a downfall of snow without doors and two charming girls within; and then who would ride twelve miles merely to serve a friend?

But to be serious. With this I send several letters, which I desire you to deliver. Seal those that are open, and take particular care of that for Mr. Wright, consult with him about Thorp, but not one word of the latter article. Send me an answer as soon as you receive this; and when you send a single letter, let it be by the post; when a packet, by the waggon, with a line or two of advice by the post, specifying the carrier's name, for we have at least twelve who go through this town.

Write to Mr. Some and Mr. Gutteridge by all means if you like Thorp, not because there is any immediate need of it; for what they can do in your affair will be done before this comes to your hands, but because it is impossible for them to receive a letter from you which will not increase their respect and affection prodigiously.

PHILIP DODDRIDGE.

REV. SIR,

TO THE REV. SAMUEL CLARK.

Harborough, Dec. 12, 1726. THE accidental delay of the packet I intended for St. Albans, about ten days ago, saves you the charge of double postage for a much shorter letter than you generally receive from me; and yet, had that charge been greater, I am confident the billet had not been unwelcome, because it comes to point out a way which you may enjoy one of the greatest pleasures of your life-serve a valuable friend, and promote the public interest at the same time.

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There is a congregation vacant at Thorp, near Peterborough, which I, and other much better judges, think would be an agreeable settlement for Mr. Hughes. I have sent him an account of the particulars, which I suppose he will communicate to you. As I am a stranger at Thorp, I could wish that you would send a few lines to Mr. Goodrich, at Mrs. King's, in Oundle, and to Mr. Some at Mr. Bayes's, in Harborough, giving some further account of Mr. Hughes from what you have observed, both as to his preaching and behaviour, since his settlement at Childwick. I cannot but think that what Pliny says of his friend Cremutius Rufo may, with a great deal of propriety, be applied to him-that he is, "brevi producturus alios si interim provectus fuerit a te." And there is certainly the utmost solidity in what he immediately adds; "Ne cuiquam tam clarum statim ingenium ut possit emergere nisi, illi

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materia, occasio, fautor etiam, commendatorque contingat." Excuse the pedantry of so long a quotation, since it is a sentence, part of which I hope upon occasion you will recollect on my behalf as well as on his, and I am sure we could neither of us be desirous of a testimonial from a person dearer to us, and more justly esteemed by the world.

I am,

Reverend Sir,

Your most obliged Servant,

PHILIP DODDRIDGE.

I have lately preached twice at Northampton, and have the character of a very orthodox divine; but to my great mortification, I hear from another quarter, that my sermons are all Do, Do, Do! To speak my sentiments without reserve, I think the one too favourable, and the other too severe. However, I comfort myself under the censure of the latter with a strong suspicion that the sagacious person from whom it came is the same who was a while ago restrained from boxing a neighbour, who was not altogether so orthodox as himself in the doctrine of justification, by the powerful impression of those words of the apostle-"Lay hands suddenly on no

DEAR SIR,

TO MR. RICHARDS.

December 20, 1726.

I HAVE neglected writing so long that I am ready to fear you have forgotten me. There is this advantage however attending the misfortune, that while I have been forgotten, my negligence has been no offence, and you have entertained no resentment against me. But, now I have put you in mind of my being alive, you will recollect my fault, and I must therefore ask your pardon. I can give no general reason for so long a delay, but I had a particular reason, or at least an excuse, for neglecting it every day. Sometimes I have been abroad, sometimes in the park, sometimes too busy, and sometimes too idle, sometimes making sermons, and sometimes drinking chocolate. If you never neglected writing to a friend whom you sincerely valued till you put him out of patience, and yourself out of countenance, I will submit to a very severe censure; but if your conscience tell you that you have, then “veniam damus petimusque vicissim.

I have, as you may very well suppose, read several chapters since I saw you last. I have met with a great many difficult passages, and I have comforted myself mightily with relation to every one of them, in the thought that I would shortly write to you about it, and should then not fail to receive a considerable light upon the point in question. I have also formed some conjectures on particular texts,

which appeared to me somewhat involved, which I intended to submit to your examination; but really, such is the fatuity of human nature, especially in a lover, that I have forgotten most of them. However, I recollect two or three of such difficulties, on which I earnestly desire you to send me your thoughts.

Query 1. Since it is undeniably plain that the former part of the twenty-fourth of Matthew relates to the destruction of Jerusalem, and the latter part of the twenty-fifth, which was delivered at the same time, to the last judgment only; where is it that the division of these subjects begins? and particularly are the 29th, 30th, and 31st verses of the twentyfourth, to be understood figuratively, as describing the destruction of the Jewish nation, and consequent propagation of the gospel, or literally of Christ's appearance at the general judgment?

Query 2. Did the apostle, by that question, Matt. xxiv. 3, intimate any apprehension that the destruction of the temple would be immediately connected with the general judgment, or did Christ, as is frequently supposed, by the ambiguity of this answer, intend to favour a mystery which might be improved as an engagement to watchfulness?

Query 3. What peculiar reason may be assigned for Christ's appointing the blind man to go and wash at the Pool of Siloam in order to the recovery of his sight?

Query 4. How is that open declaration of his being the Messiah, verse 37, consistent with the maxim on which Christ generally acted in his public