At Chelfea, where few of the inhabitants had been used: to the gospel, the alteration in his preaching was not much approved. But what offended moft, was the fubstitution of a Tucfday evening lecture inftead of the daily reading of prayers, which he reftricted to Wednesdays and Fridays. Grievous complaints were made to the Bishop: and his lordfhip was requested to interfere. He did. Mr. Cadogan replied,---That the fubftitution of the lecture proved the frequency of reading prayers was not abolished through idlenefs or inattention---That he must be allowed to judge what would be the best method of promoting the fpiritual welfare of the people of his parish---That the reading of prayers every day took up too much of a minifter's time, which could be better employed---That very few ever attended the prayers---That they who did might as well read the feripture and pray at home, if they had the fpirit of prayer ---That if they had not, but did it as a matter of form, on which they placed dependance, they might have reafon hereafter to rejoice that their falfe props were removed, and a courfe of inftru&tion fubftituted, that would lead them to Chrift the only true and fure foundation.. After this wife' and fpirited reply, he heard no more from his lordship on the fubject. The difcontented were not fo eafily appealed, nor could they, for a long time to come, be reconciled to his proceedings. He ftrove hard to do them good, and his miniftry there was not without fruit; though it was not, in a comparative view, very fuccefsful. Unhappily he fuffered himself to be prevailed on by the perfuafion of fome of his family to let the Parfonage; and, finding lodgings uncomfortable, and many unpleafant circumftances arifing, which difcouraged his attempts, he was induced to refide chiefly at Reading, leaving this very populous parifh wholly in charge of his curate, Mr. Middleton, except at the feafon of lent, and the laft Sabbath of the month, when he generally went up to preach and adminifter the Lord's Supper. But at Reading his melige was differently received. The efteem of the congregation almoft bordered on veneration. From every part of the town, and the adjacent villages, fuch multitudes flocked to hear him, that it foon became neceffary to creét fpacious galleries, and even then the church was fcarcely roomy enough for their accommodation. Befides preaching on Sundays, morning and evening, and fometimes (the curate being ill or abfent) in the afternoon, he he preached the Thursday evening lecture alfo; and on the Tuesday evening he prayed and expounded the fcriptures at his own houfe; afterwards, when, by the bleffing of God on his labours, the number of ferious people fo greatly increased that his parlour could not contain them, he removed this inftructive exercife into the chancel. Confcious of the importance of early impreffions, and the advantages of being able to read the word of God, he inftituted four Sunday Schools, in which upwards of 120 poor children were inftructed. Thefe he conftantly attended, encouraging the children to learn, by diftributing new books and money to fuch as made the greatest proficiency. At Chriftmas he not only gave them a dinner, but he preached a fermon to them, and compofed a Hymn for them fuitable to the occafion; and was more than ufually delighted with the expreffions of joy his own bounty had excited. A collection was made among the parishioners for paying the teachers: the deficiency, whatever it was, he fupplicd. His family foon perceived that all hope of his advancement to prelacy would be plucked up by the root, unless they could diffuade or pervert him from his new line of conduct. Arguments were ineffectual. Allurements were adopted. He was almoft entangled in the fnares they laid; when, urged by the anguifh of his mind, he fuddenly escaped by a marriage, which for a long time produced an entire feparation. The breach, however, was afterwards made up, and an intercourfe re-establifhed. In the meanwhile, his religious experience had acquired fuch ftability, that had they renewed their attempt, he would probably have been proof against their devices. Surely the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation; and to shield their head in the day of battle, in a manner, that, on reflection, will excite perpetual admiration and praise ! Confiftency of conduct at last compelled esteem. They who were offended at his religion, could not but admire its effects in the uniform tenor of his life; and were even conftrained to fay, that he was a good man: His church, who knew him better than the world did, believed there was not upon earth fuch another. Indeed, never did any one enter more heartily into the work of God, nor perfevere in it with greater delight. Preaching was his element; and all his time was spent in doing good. His difcourfes were truly evangelical. Their whole tendency was to exalt Chrift, and to lead faints and finners to him for righteoufnefs, pardon, and peace, and all the blef fings fings of everlasting falvation. The manner of his delivery was forcible and manly; and, though his voice was rough, and disagreeable to strangers, yet his earneftness and wifdom always commanded attention. His ftile was pure, but remarkably plain; fo that the moft illiterate could underftand the meaning of almost every word he uttered. He aimed at usefulness, not applaufe; he laboured at the fimplicity of the gofpel, and endeavoured to reduce the fublime and important truths of the Bible to the level of the meaneft capacity. And fuch an honour did God put upon his miniftry, that few perfons, in the prefent day, for the space of time he preached, have been more bleffed to the conversion of young and old, rich and poor; of whom fome went before him to glory, whilft the many who are left, are now following him, as he followed Chrift, and will be his crown of rejoicing for ever. He neither debilitated his mind by idleness and goffiping, nor by gorging it with too much study. His Hebrew bible was his chief delight. That and the Greek Testament, he read far more than all other books put together. To this bleffed employment, moft part of his mornings was devoted: fo that he acquired a knowledge of the bible beyond moft men, and expreffed himself in the pulpit, and upon all other occafions, in the language of the Scripture, with incredible facility. He was a remarkably early rifer, being moftly in his ftudy by fix o'clock, even in winter. Exercife he feldom neglected. If the weather were fine, he generally rode on horfeback, two hours or more, and vifited fome part of the fick and poor of his congregation. To thofe in better circumftances, he ufed to fay, "If you are well, you must not "expect me often; if you are fick, I fhall never fail to vifit "you conftantly." What time he fpent in fecret prayer is known only to God and his own foul. It is fuppofed, however, he was much engaged in that duty. For when he had company, he would often retire from them to his ftudy; and there, when moft of the family were gone to reft, he has been frequently furprised on his knees, by the domeftic, who usually took charge of the house. The generofity of his mind was truly great. His charity was limited by his circumstances, not by his heart. He often exceeded the bounds of rigid propriety, and straightened himself to enlarge others. He fcarcely ever went to pray with the fick and afflicted, but he administered relief. Nor Nor could any of his congregation mention an object of diftrefs, but he was always ready to give what they requir ed. He felt for poor clergymen, who were faithful to their truft; and would fometimes inclose them a bank note in a kind, encouraging letter. He was, likewife, a liberal benefactor "to the fick man's vifitor;" and, to countenance it most effectually, he made a point of attending the fociety once a month; which he never failed to do, when at home, but in a fingle inftance; and then he infifted on paying a guinea, by way of forfeit, that he might not be forgetful in future. But whilft he was thus living and labouring, approved of God, and highly efteemed by all the people, a meffenger was fuddenly fent from Heaven, faying, "Come up hither." For on a Thursday, as foon as he came out of the pulpit, he was feized with an inflammation in his bowels, and continued in great pain till the Wednesday following. During that folemn interval, the hopes and fears of his church alternately prevailed; but he lay, refigned and happy, looking upward to the prize. He blefled his wife, his faithful domeftic, and his friends; he expreffed his hope and confidence in Him, in whom he had believed; and, on the 18th of January, 1797, every earthly tie being diffolved, in the 46th year of his age, he entered into the joy of his Lord. Application was made, as foon as poffible after his deceafe, by a perfon of high respectability to fecure the living for a fucceffor of the fame principles, but it arrived too late; for a gentleman of no lefs eminence, who refides near Reading, had already applied and fucceeded for a clergyman, whofe modefty, (if the report be true, as we believe it is) can never be too much admired, nor too much regretted. Mr. Allcock (for that is his name) deliberated, and then declined the presentation, affigning, as his motive, his inability to fill with advantage a pulpit, conftantly occupied for many years, by fo great a man as Mr. Cadogan. Unmoved by entreaties to confult the general withes of the people, the fame gentleman fecured the gift for another. The people waited his coming, and repeatedly heard him with candour; but grieved at not finding in his difcourfes the truths they valued more than life itself, they have at length refolved, after much reluctance, fo far to feparate from the established church, as to erect a chapel of their own, where they may worship God in their cuftomary manner, and fit again under the refreshing found of Jefus Chrift and his falvation. VOL. VI. C As As to the living of Chelfea, notwithstanding the preffing manner in which the principal inhabitants interested themfelves in behalf of Mr. Middleton, it was difpofed of to a Mr. Sturges, who held a vicarage near town, and that of St. Mary's, Reading. At first he fhewed Mr. Middleton much refpect, and indicated no difpofition to difplace him from the curacy. Some began to rejoice in the profpect of his continuance among them; but others fuppofed a union between a rector and curate of difcordant fentiments would not be permanent. The event foon demonftrated the propriety of their conjecture. For Mr. Sturges, not long after his induction, gradually changed his conduct towards him; till at last he even infifted on his making fuch an alteration refpecting his future fermons, as he could not confcientioufly comply with, and thus diffolved their connection. The parishioners, who fincerely loved him for his long and faithful fervices, grieved that a man of his knowledge, experience and character, fhould be removed from his fituation, at an advancing period of life, in fuch a manner, have entered into a fubfcription, to fupport him and his family, till he be otherwife provided for: and what must give not only him, but every one who hears of the circumftance the greatest fatisfaction, the Bishop of London, in teftimony of his approbation and cfteem, fent him 501. and defired that his name might ftand on the lift of fubfcribers. Mr. Cadogan's remains were interred in the chancel at St. Giles's, on Thursday morning, January 26. His numerous congregation, in deep mourning, and with hearts overwhelmed with grief, attended; weeping, not for him, whose happy fpirit was delivered from the burden of mortality, but for their own incalculable lofs, in the death of a father, a paftor, and a friend.--A monument, defigned by Mr. Bacon, and executed by Mrs. Hiil, has fince been erected by them to his memory, with the following infcription: This Tablet Is infcribed by a mourning Flock Their late faithful Paftor, The Hon. and Rev. WM. BROMLEY CADOGAN, A. M. Who departed January 18, 1797. Aged 46.. Rank, |