said I, ' and have been upon my knees concerning it.'—' Well, and will you promise me that you will preach no more out of your own parish?”—' It would afford me great pleasure,' said I 'to comply with your lordship's request, if I could do it with a good conscience. I am satisfied, the Lord has blessed my labors of this kind, and I dare not desist. A good couscience!' said his lordship; do you not know that it is contrary to the canons of the church ?— There is one canon, my lord,' I replied, which saith, Go preach the gospel to every creature. But why should you wish to interfere with the charge of other men? ne man cannot preach the gospel to all men.'-'If they would preach the gospel themselves,' said I, there would be no need for my preaching it to their people; but as they do not, I cannot desist." His Lordship then parted with me in some displeasure. I returned home, not knowing what would befal me; but thankful to God that I had preserved a conscience void of offence.

"I took no measures for my own preservation, but Divine Providence wrought for me in a way that I never expected. When I was at Clare-Hall, I was particularly acquainted with a fellow of that college; and we were both upon terms of intimacy with Mr. Pitt, the late Lord Chatham, who was at that time also at the university.

"This fellow of Clare Hall when I began to preach the gospel became my enemy, and did me some injury in some eclesiastical privileges which beforetime I had enjoyed. At length, however, when he heard that I was likely to come into trouble, and to be turned out of my living at Everton, his heart relented. He began to think, it seems, within himself, we shall ruin this poor fellow among us. This was just about the time that I was sent for by the bishop. Of his own accord he writes a letter to Mr. Pitt, saying nothing about my methodism, but to this effect: Our old friend Berridge has got a living at Bedfordshire, and, I am informed, he has a 'squire in his parish, that gives him a deal of trouble; has ac. cused him to the bishop of the diocese, and, it is said, will turn him out of the living; I wish you could contrive to put

He

a stop to these proceedings.' Mr. Pitt was at that time a young. man and not choosing to apply to the bishop himself, spoke to a certain nobleman, to whom the bishop was indebted for his promotion. This noblemen, within a few days, made it his business to see the bishop, who was then in London. 'My lord,' said he, 'I am informed you have a very honest fellow, one Berridge, in your diocese, and that he has been ill-treated by a litigions "squire that lives in his parish. has accused him, I am told, to your lordship, and wishes to turn him out of his living. You would oblige me, my lord, if you would take no notice of that 'squire, and not suffer the honest man to be interrupted in his living.' The bishop was astonished, and could not imagine in what manner things could have thus got round: It would not do, however, to ob. ject; he was obliged to bow compliance, and so I continued ever after in my sphere of action."

In his annual circuit through the counties of Bedford, Cambridge, Essex, Hartford and Huntingdon, Mr. Berridge preached upon an average from ten to twelve sermons a week, and frequently rode an hundred miles. Nor were these extraordinary exertions the hasty fruit of intermitting zeal, but were regularly continued during the long succession of more than twenty years, exemplifying through the whole of his ministerial career, the motto of a late celebrated dissenting clergyman, Dum vivimus viràmus.

As to his usefulness, we learn from more sources of information than one, that he was in the first year visited by a thousand different persons under serious impressions; and it has been computed, that under his own and the joint ministry of Mr. Hicks, about four thousand were awakened to a concern for their souls, in the space of twelve months

No man ever pursued the work of his master with more disinterested views His purse was as open-as his heart, though not so large. At hom, his tables were served with a collation for his numerous hearers, who came from a far on Sabbath days, and his field and stable open for their horses. Abroad, houses and barns were rented, lay-preachers maintained, and

his own travelling expenses disbursed by himself. Cottar gers were always gainers by his company. He invariably left an half crown for the homely provision of the day, and during his itineracy it actually cost him five hundred pounds in this single article of expenditure. Nor was his liberality confined to these channels. His ear was ever attentive to the tale of woe, his eye was keen to observe the miseries of the poor, the law of kindness was written upon his heart, and his hand was always ready to administer relief. The gains of his vicarage, of his fellowship, and of his patrimonial income (for his father died very rich,) were appropriated to support his liberality; and even his family plate was converted into clothes for his itinerant preachers.

But the most prominent feature in his character, was his unaffected humility, nor do we ever recollect, in all our extensive acquaintance, a man so conscientious, so uniformly, and yet so pleasantly spiritual; in a word, in his parish he was a kind benefactor, and in his family a father rather than a master; in his ministry he was a burning and a shining light; in his promises he was scrupulously exact; in his devotions invariably regular; in his friendship inviolably faithful; and as in his life he was much beloved, so in his death he will be long lamented.

In January 1793, he intended to have again visited London, but instead of his presence, his friends received the disagreeable intelligence of his death. For some days previous to his decease his strength and health had visibly decreased, and on Sunday the 20th he came down into his parlor as usual, but with great difficulty reached his chamber in the evening. A few hours after he was in bed, he appeared to be seized with the symptons of immediate dissolution. His face was contracted and his speech faltered; and in this situation he continued till about 3 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, January 22, when breathing less and less, this champion for his Redeemer fell a victim to mortality in the 76th year of his age.

His frame of mind during his last hours appeared to have been peculiarly comfortable. The Rev. Mr. W. a clergyman

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who resides near Everton, said, "Sir the Lord has enaabled you to fight a good fight, and to finish a truly glorious course." He answered," Blessed be his holy name for it." It was also said to him, Jesus will soon call you up higher." He replied "Aye, aye, aye, higher, higher, higher.” He once exclaimed, "Yes and my children too will shout and sing, Here comes our father." On the ensuing Sabbath, his remains were interred in his own parish church-yard. The Rev. Mr. SIMEON, a pious clergyman of Cambridge, preached the funeral sermon from 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8. "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day." Six neighbouring clergymen attended to bear his pall. The almost immense concourse of people, who assembled from all parts of the country to be present at this solemnity, the undissembled grief which was depicted upon every countenance, the tears which trickled down every cheek, were a melancholy, but expressive eulogium on his character, and should be considered as a just panegyric on his worth.

As he was never married, he left no widow to deplore his absence, nor children to perpetuate his memory; but his bright example and wise instructions will forever live in the affections of thousands, who derived blessings through his ministry.

The Christian World Unmasked, and a volume of Hymns called Sion's Songs, are the only works which he published. The latter was composed during his long indisposition, and will, we apprehend, be a profitable closet companion for all experienced christians.

AN EPITAPH

INSCRIBED ON HIS TOMBSTONE.

HERE LIE

THE EARTHLY REMAINS OF

JOHN BERRIDGE

LATE VICAR OF EVERTON,

AND AN ITINERANT SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST,

WHO LOVED HIS MASTER AND HIS WORK;

AND, AFTER RUNNING ON HIS ERRANDS MANY YEARS, WAS CAUGHT UP TO WAIT ON HIM ABOVE.

READER !

Art thou born again?

No salvation without a new birth.

I was born in sin, February, 1716, Remained ignorant of my fallen state till 1630, Lived proudly on faith and works for salvation till 1754, Admitted to Everton vicarage 1755,

Fled to JESUS alone for refuge 1756,

Fell asleep in CHRIST January 22d, 1793.