alone, but of much acquired knowledge, to its proper discharge. He had resolved not to engage in it, unprepared to secure his own credit, and the real advantage of those who might be committed to his care; and he was fully sensible that the instructions of the ablest tutors, (and such instructions he enjoyed) would be of little avail without the constant personal diligence of the student. By his own unwearied assiduity therefore he aided their judicious efforts, and the consequence was, that few young men ever left their preparatory studies, better qualified to discharge the weighty duties of the pastoral care, and to pursue those interesting subjects of enquiry, to which the lectures of a public tutor are only initiatory.

He preached his first sermon at Debenham, in Suffolk, on the 6th of July, 1766, and a more appropriate subject could scarcely have been chosen for such an occasion, than that which he selected. His text was taken from Luke ix. 26. "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his father's, and of the holy angels." The ministry of the gospel exercised in cir

cumstances which, in general, would be esteemed most honourable; connected with personal credit and worldly emolument, requires in those who undertake it, unbending firmness and immoveable integrity. The scoffer is to be silenced, the vices or the follies of the times, by whom soever they may be practised, or countenanced, are to be boldly reproved many gratifications in which others may without criminality iudulge themselves, are to be refused, and the whole deportment is to be under such regulations as may excite the sheers of the gay and thoughtless. Considering the frailty of human nature, it is not a just matter of wonder if the christian teacher be in danger of being ashamed of his master's words, and tempted to withhold the voice of warning and of counsel, or to relax in that strictness of conduct which his profession demands. But the danger is much more serious to those who have to encounter, not only the trials which are shared by such of their brethren, as the protection and patronage of the state hold up to public esteem and reverence, but those also which arise from their conscientiously separating from what they regard as a corrupt

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establishment; who not being in any degree withheld from enquiry, are liable to adopt such views of the christian doctrine as the generality of men, satisfied with the creed of their forefathers, or their instructors, cannot appreciate, and which they who are interested in the continuance of ancient systems, care, fully represent as false and dangerous; to whom prejudice imputes principles which they have not adopted, and on whom bigotry attempts to fix a stigma, which shall point them out to general contempt or hatred. Among these Mr. Wood deliberately threw in his lot, and upon entering on his office, wisely considered the difficulties and dangers to which he was about to be exposed, and fortified his mind to meet them. He pursued truth without hesitation. He professed what he discovered without fear. He soon experienced some of those trials which they are called to bear who prefer a good conscience to the approbation of relatives and friends, and afterwards bore his share of reproach with "a sect that is every where spoken against," with a firmness that gained him the esteem of the liberal-minded, and with a mildness of temper and a purity of conduct which obtained the

respect of the bigot. He considered, from the first, the dishonour and the danger of denying, in any respect, either of principle or practice, the Master whom he had engaged to serve, and throughout life, he seized every proper occasion to shew that he was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.

The remaining part of the year 1766, and a great part of the year 1767, was spent by him in the neighbourhood of London; and during this period he preached before the principal congregations in the metropolis and its vicinity. His talents were noticed and admired, and he obtained the friendship of some of the most eminent of the Dissenting Ministers. Of this number was the late Dr. Price, who was then settled at NewingtonGreen, and for whom he appears to have frequently officiated. The friendship of such a man, was, in itself, an honour and an advantage to one just entering upon the world and as it continued unimpaired till the Doctor's death, many occasions occurred in which Mr. Wood was greatly indebted to his kind exertions. Among other instances of this nature was, at recommendation to the important place which

his friend the Rev. T. Jervis so ably and sa honourably filled in the family of the late Marquis of Lansdown.

In the month of September of this year, he removed to Stamford, in Lincolnshire, as successor to his excellent friend the Rev. J. Ralph. Here, connected with a small but affectionate society, he spent somewhat more than three years. During this interval he was ordained, together with his late tutor the Rev. A. Rees, at the Meeting-house, in St. Thomas's, Southwark, and his testimonial was signed by the principal Dissenting Ministers then in London. Among other names, are those of Pickard, Furneaux, Savage, Kippis and J. Palmer.

From Stamford he removed to Ipswich, in Nov. 1770, as assistant to the Rev. T. Scott, the well-known translator of the book of Job, and to succeed in that capacity, the Rev. R. Lewin, then lately invited to Liverpool. In this situation he had not been long placed, when he received an unanimous invitation from the Congregation assembling in the Old Meeting, in Birmingham, to take the pastoral charge in conjunction with the Rev. Mr.Howell, The probability that so flattering a proposal