They were exposed to great trials, and suffered much persecution, after their ejectment. To prevent them from preaching, "The Conventicle Act" was passed, forbidding more than five adult persons to meet together for worship different from the forms of the Church of England, on pain of very severe penalties. After this came "The Five Mile Act," which forbade them to reside within five miles of any corporate town where they had formerly preached, or from keeping school, or taking boarders, under a penalty of forty pounds. Thus many were driven from their families and their homes; and many were heavily fined and repeatedly imprisoned. It was in the midst of sufferings of this nature that several of the Churches were formed, the Memorials of which are here presented. When the glorious revolution by William the Third was effected, a very pleasing change in their circumstances took place. "The Act of Toleration" that then passed was viewed by them as a great blessing. Advancing knowledge on the principles of religious liberty may have led us to see that such an Act falls far short of that complete state of freedom to which we should aspire; yet there was abundant reason for our forefathers highly to value the liberty it gave them, and they blessed the memory of him by whom it was obtained. After the passing of this Act, the term _Nonconformist_ was exchanged for that of _Dissenter_, as applied to those who availed themselves of the advantages it gave. This is the name they now bear, and which they will probably continue to bear until the time when our civil rulers shall cease to raise one denomination of Christians above another, or to legislate for the Church of Christ. A hundred and twenty years ago, Doddridge entered upon his work as pastor and tutor at Northampton. These offices he filled during twenty years; and he evidently obtained, by his spirit, his preaching, his writings, and his labours as a tutor, great influence in the Churches in the County, which continued to be felt many years after his death. A minister who was ordained over one of these Churches forty years ago observes, "It always appeared to me a pleasing fact, as indicating the hold that Doddridge had obtained on the hearts of the Northamptonshire Nonconformists, that his hymns were almost everywhere in use in conjunction with Watts, and in all the old books used in my day the two were bound up together."