and the disease is incurable. However we muft go on to try them, and wait on him for fuccefs. I found lately, in the courfe of my reading, mention made of a Mr. RowLAND STEDMAN, a native of ShropShire, who, in 1662, gave up his living of 300 per annum, at Oakingham, Berkshire, because he could not comply with the terms then required; who was an excellent preacher, and the author of feveral practical treatifes. Is he an ancestor or relative of your's? I affure VOL. I. D • He was born at Crofton, in the parish of Diddlebury, in Shropshire, 1630; admitted a commoner of Baliol College, Oxford, March 13, 1647, and the year following removed to Univerfity College. In 1655, he took his master's degree, and foon afterwards became minister of Hanwell, near Brentford, Middlefex; where continuing till 1660, he removed to Oakingham, in Berkshire, and from thence was ejected for nonConformity. He was afterwards chaplain to PHILIP Lord WHARTON, died at his Lord fhip's I affure you I fhould think fuch a divine and confeffor an honour to my name and family, and I believe you will think it fo to your's. Of another pious minifter I read, that he found his labours had little effect upon his own parishioners, but much upon his occafional and accidental hearers. Of another, that being complained of by a neighbouring clergyman, for drawing away his parishioners on a Sunday, he anfwered, "I have preached them here, let him, if he will, preach them back again." Old Bishop LATIMER told fuch a complaining divine"Feed fhip's feat at Wooburne, near Beaconsfield, Bucks, Sept. 14, 1673, and lies buried in the church there. See Wood's Athene Oxonienfes, Vol. II. p. 381. and Lyfons's Environs of London, Vol. II. P. 554. The editor believes he was nearly related to his great-grandfather Mr. John Stedman, who lived at Corfton, and was buried in the church at Diddlebury, April 1699, ætatis fuæ 43. "Feed your flock better, and then they won't ftray." Such hints as thefe, from eminent and experienced minifters, 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, hints of ftories,* facts, or remarks which you would wish to remember, or would be proper to quote in fermons or converfation. Unless your memory be much better than mineever was, you will find this neceffary. I congratulate any D 2 * Sometimes he tells thefe ftories, and fayings of others, according as his text invites him; for them alfo men heed and remember better than exhortations; which, though earneft, yet often die with the fermon; especially with country people; which are thick, and heavy, and hard to raise to a point of zeal and fervency, and need a mountain of fire to kindle them; but ftories and fayings they will remember. HERBERT's Country Parfon. I congratulate you on the approach of Spring, when every fcene will be enlivened around you, and a country village will become a kind of paradise. It gives me pleasure to think what favourable opportunities of usefulness you will have in your rural walks, to fee your farmers and fhepherds at work, and talking with them and their fervants about their occupations, in an eafy and natural way, grafting fome religious hints upon it, directing them to spiritualize their labours, and rife to God, and Christ, and heaven, by their And while you common occurrences. 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 shepherd, take the hint yourfelf.-May the dews of divine grace be largely diffused into you and your flock, that you may be adorned |