Section 3
The day before his marriage, [which took place April 26, 1660,] he kept as a day of secret prayer and fasting.'
He used to say, those who would have comfort in that change of their condition, must see to it, that they bring none of the guilt of the sins of their single state with them into the married state. And, —the presence of Christ at a wedding will turn the water into wine; and he will come if he be invited by prayer.
[The first letter I find addressed to Mrs. Henry after their marriage, is dated London. It well exhibits the affection, the happiness, and the piety of the writer.
London, Oct 9, 1660.
Dear heart;
I bless God, I am safe and well at London. I came from Oxford yesterday morning alone, but the Lord was with me; it was a long journey, but I was stirring betimes. I was nine miles on my way before eight o'clock, and came an hour or .two before sun-set to Thistleworth. Towards the end of my journey, for three or four miles, where was most danger, it pleased God I had company, which was a geat mercy. I met many soldiers upon the way, going homewards upon their disbanding, towards their several countries, and I was sometimes afraid of them. They were by two and three in a company, but the Lord preserved me. This morning I came to Chelsea, where I saw my sisters, in health, blessed be God, and overjoyed to see me; from thence, this afternoon, to London. I have been with cousin Thomas Hotchkis, from whom I received a letter to Sir Orlando Bridgman'' from Mr. Eddow; and, to* morrow I purpose, God willing, to wait upon his lordship, expecting a charge from him, in the first place, about conformity, wherein yet I shall do as I sec cause, in case I should be continued at Worthenbury. The ministers here are generally unani Appendix, No. X. k Sir O. Bridgman, made Lord Keeper in 1667. See Granger's Biog. Hist, or England, v. 3. p. 361. ed. 1779; and Bfr. Chalroen'i Biog. Diet V. 6. p. 609. Mr. Henry styles him, « His lordship,** he being then Chief Baron of the Exchequer.
THE UFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
43 imooSy and resolved. Dr. Sheldon was installed BUhop of London to-day. The King is gone into the country for a fortnight, daring the trial of his fathers jndges, to prevent petitions. I sleep tonight at Mrs. Kingston's, who desires to be remembered to you, and to Mr. Puleston, and his wife. I wrote to yon, by the last post, from Oxford. Commend me to sister Mary, and all that ask of me. Dear heart, make mnch of thyself, and love me; and the Lord everlasting be thy Snn and Shield! So prayetfa.
Thine, in all affection,
Philip Henry.*]
He took all occasions while he lived, to express his thankfulness to God for the greRt comfort he had in this relation. A day of mercy, so he writes
OD his marriage day, never to be forgotten. God kad given him one, as he writes afterwards, every ray his helper, in whom he had much comfort, and for whom he thanked God with all his heart He vrites in his Diary, April 26, 1680, This day we haTC been married twenty years, in which time we have received of the Lord more than twenty thousand mercies; to God be glory. Sometimes he writes,— We have been so long married, and never reconciled; that is, there never was any occasion for if His usaal prayer for his friends in the married state, was according to his own practice in that state ;— that they might be mutually serviceable to each other's faith and holiness, and jointly serviceable to God's honour and glory.
Her father, though he put some hardships upon him in the terms, and had been somewhat averse to the match, yet, by Mr. Henry's great prudence, and God's good providence, was influenced to give a free consent to it; and he himself, with his own hand, gave her in marriage. From this, as from other experiences, Mr. Henry had learned to say vith assurance,—It is not in vain to wait upon God, and to keep his way. Mr. Matthews settled part of his estate before marriage upon them and theirs; he lived about seven years after; and when he died, the remainder of it came to them. This competent ettate, which the divine Providence brought into lis hand, was not only a comfortable support to him vhen he was turned oat of his living, and when Bttny faithful ministers of Christ were reduced to great poverty and straits; but it enabled him like-vise, as he had opportunity, to preach the gospel freely, which he did to his dying day; and not only lOrigMS.
Pomponios Atticus, making the funeral oration at ttie deatli of his mother, did protest, that, liring with her threescore and KTeo yttra, he wsa never reconciled unto her. Sc nunquam cum natie in gntiam ivdiiaae; because there never happened between than the leaat wbich needed reconciliation. Cited in Fuller's Holy State, ^ IS. fbl. 1683.
Eialt god Uncfli In thy fiunily. That thou art really, which so, but to give for the relief of others that were in want, in which he sowed plentifully to a veiy large proportion of his income: and often blessed God that he had wherewithal, remembering the words of the Lord, how he said,— It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Such was his house, and such the vine which God graciously planted by the side of his house. By her God gave him six children, all born within less than eight years; the two eldest,—sons, John and Matthew; the other four,—daughters, Sarah, Katharine, Eleanor, and Ann. His eldest son John died of the measles in the sixth year of hb age; and the rest were in mercy continued to him.
The Lord having built him up into a family, he was careful and faithful in making good his solemn vow at his ordination, that he and his house would serve the Lord, He would often say,—That we are really, which we are relatively. ** It is not so much what we are at church, as what we are in our families. Religion in the power of it will be family religion. In this his practice was very exemplary ; he was one that walked before his house in a perfect way, with a perfect heart, and therein behaved himself wisely. His constant care and prudent endeavour, was not only to put away iniquity far from his tabernacle, but that where he dwelt the word of Christ might dwell richly. If he might have no other church, yet he had a church in his house,'*
He made conscience of closet worship, and did abound in it, not making his family worship to ex-cose for that. He hath this affecting note in his Diary, upon the removing of his closet but from one room in the house to another;—This day, saith he, my new closet was consecrated, if I may so say, with this prayer,—^That all the prayers that ever should be made in it according to the will of God, morning, evening, and at noon-day, ordinary or extraordinary, might be accepted of God, and obtain a gracious answer. Amen and Amen, It was the caution and advice which he frequently gave to his children and friends,—be sure you look to your secret duty ; keep that up whatever you do. The soul cannot prosper in the neglect of it. He observed, that apostasy generally begins at the closet door. Secret prayer is first neglected, and carelessly performed, then frequently omitted, and after a while wholly cast off; and then farewell God, and Christ, and all religion.^
[In reference to this duty, the following important observations occur.
Besides the deadness, and coldness, the distracthou art relatively. Swinnock's Heaven and Hell Epitomised, &c. 4to. 1663. £p. to the Reader. o 1 Cor. xvi. 19. p Be much in secret fellowship with God in duty. It is secret trading that enriches a Chnstian. P. Henry. Orig. MS. See the Life of Mr. Tapper Noncon. Mem. v. 1. p. 359. ■/ supra.
Judge yourselves by secret acu; follow yourselves into your closets and retiring placesd observe your diligence, endevour, THE LIFE OF MR PHILIP HENRY. tions, and wanderings, which the people of God often find cause to complain of, there is, also, a kind of weariness which many times seizes their spirits. Something from within calls upon them to have done,—'enough for this time,—you may conclude now,'—before a quarter, or, perhaps, half a quarter, of an hour be fully spent. Against this we have great need to watch. If the devil cannot keep us from God, he will try to work a lothness to tarry with him. We are to look upon it as a cursed member of that body of death which we carry about with us ; one of the Canaanites left behind, to be a thorn in our eyes, and a goad in our sides. We are to be really and deeply sensible of it, and affected with it, and to mourn under it as our burthen. A few formal, customary complaints to one another, that so it is with us, will not serve. We should be humbled in secret before the Lord, and take shame to ourselves. It is a sign we are very unfit for heaven. We should consider that prayer is not only our duty but our privilege. We should get our hearts filled with love to God, and look up to the Spirit, and put that sweet promise in suit, Isa. xl. 29, &c. He giveth power to thefainty ^c. We should go on against the temptation. When we think we shall be heard the sooner for long praying, we are like the heathen, Matthew vi. 7. When we use long praying for a pretence, we are like the Pharisees, Matthew xxiii. 14. Yet neither instance condemns a long prayer as in itself a sin; see Luke vi. 12. One being oppressed with this corruption, and drooping under it, a godly friend, who was acquainted with his condition, meeting him suddenly, said, * I will tell you good news, the best that ever you heard. As soon as you are in heaven, you shall serve the Lord Jesus, without being weary,' which much revived him.**
In continuation of the same subject, Mr. Henry thus writes ;—The spirit deals not with us as stocks and stones, but as rational creatures, Hosea xi. 4. He expects, and requires, that we should put forth ourselves to the utmost towards the working our hearts into a fervent frame, and where we are weak, and wanting, he comes with help. Thus much seems to be implied in that expression,— the Spirit helpeth oHr infirmitiesy — particula oip ad nos lahorantes re-fertur, Beza, It is an allusion to a man who has a geat burthen, suppose a heavy log of wood, to carry, and he cannot manage it unless some one will come, and lay a shoulder under one end.' But if that help be offered, he is not altogether excused. He must lay his shoulder under the other end. If we find our hearts dead, and dull, and indisposed to prayer, we are ready, presently, to cast the blame and spirit, in your hidden waye», and secret duties; Tor wliat you are in them, that you are indeed. The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soule, by Jos. Symonds, p. 65. duod. 1641. q p. Henry. Orig. MS. r See Biabop WjJkin'8 Disc, concerning the Gill of Prayer, p. 8. ^t/od, jam ^ upon the Spirit,—All our life is from him. That is true; but he conveys life in the use of the means. And, commonly, the fault, that we do not receive more life and quickening from him, is in ourselves. We are wanting in stirring up our affections, in labouring with our hearts, by meditation, which is a special means. The Spirit meettth him that rejoic-eth and worketh righteousness. Sometimes, however, a cause of deadness may be overmuch confidence in ourselves; when we set about duties in our own strength, and have no eye to the Spirit, but rely altogether upon self, Philippians iii. 3. This is as bad as the other. The true mean between both is this;—so to labour with our hearts as if we were to expect no assistance from the Spirit, and yet so to rely upon his aid, as if with our own hearts we had laboured nothing.*
Again: In reply to the inquiry, When we are called to duty, may we be sure it is always from the Spirit? Is it not possible that Satan may have a hand in the stirring of us up to prayer ?^ Mr. Henry writes as follows:— It is possible he may. The devil transforms himself into an angel of light. This is one of his extraordinary devices. Where he moves us once to prayer, he moves ten thousand times to sin; where he moves once to perform duty, he moves ten thousand times to neglect it. When he doth so, it is always with a design. You may be sure it is neither out of love to us, nor out of love to prayer, for there is no duty he is so much an enemy to. His object is ever some advantage against us; and usually this; ^•he observes a time when the soul is most dead, and heavy, and unfit for prayer, and then he spurs on to it with as much eagerness as if it were the very spirit of grace. Now when deadness and distraction mark our performance, he takes occasion to trouble and disquiet us. Thus he often tires out young converts. This is one of the depths of Satany which believers ought to know and study, that they may be armed against it. Besides, in general, when the Spirit calls, he helps and enlarges; so doth not Satan."
Further, he remarks;—If we find ourselves at any time indisposed and unfit for prayer, is it not best to let it quite alone ? "^ We are not to choose rather to omit a duty than not to perform it in a right manner. It is incumbent on Christians, ordinarily, to set apart that time for prayer, both by themselves and in their families, wherein they are most likely to be at liberty from diversions and distractions. And, when duty is required of us, and we find ourselves unfit for it, we are to take pains beforehand, with our own hearts, to see if it may not he possible,
• P. Henry. Orig. BIS.
t Ibid.
tt Ibid.
V When thou feelest thyself most indisposed to prayer, >ield not to it, but strive and endeavour to pray, even when thou thinkest thou canst not pray. Hilderaam's Lect on Ps. li. p. 64. foL 16^
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY. in the use of means, to shake it off. So that if, after all oor pains taken with ourselves, we yet continue onfit, we are, notwithstanding, to perform the doty, though with grief of heart at oor onpreparedness for it.-
To return.] He advised,—^That secret duty be per-fomed secretly ; which was the admonition he gave sometimes to those who caused their voice to be heard on high in that duty.
[There are two doors, be would say, to be shut when we go to prayer; the door of our closet, that we may be secret; the door of our hearts, that we may be serious. *]
Besides this, he and his wife constantly prayed t<^ether morning and evening; and never, if they were together, at home or abroad, was it intermitted: and from his own experience of the benefit of this fnactice, he would take all opportunities to recommend it to those in that relation, as conducing very reuch to the comfort of it, and to their furtherance in that which, he would often say, is the great duty of yoke-fellows ; and that is, to do all they can to belp one another to heaven. He would say, that lliis duty of hnsbands and wives prajring together, is intimated in that of the apostle, 1 Peter iii. 7. there they are exhorted to live as heirs together of the grmee of life, that their prayers, especially their prayers together, be not hindered: that nothing may be done to hinder them from praying together, nor to hinder them in it, nor to spoil the success of those prayers. This sancti6es the relation, and fetcheth in a blessing npon it, makes the comforts of it the more sweet, and the cares and crosses of it the more easy, and is an excellent means of preserving and increasing love in the relation. Many to whom he hath recommended the practice of this duty, have blessed God for him, and for his advice concerning it. When he was abroad, and lay mth any of his friends, he would mind them of his rule,—That they who lie together, must pray together. In the performance of this part of his daily worship he was usually short, bnt often much affected.
[He reconmiended it to others, that the wife should be sometimes called npon to pray with the husband, that she might learn to perform duty in the family in the husband's absence, or in case he be removed by death, which he hath sometimes pressed upon his w P Heniy. Orig MS.
P. Henry. Orig. BiS. •• Pray alone. Let prayer be the key of the morning, and the lK>it of the night." P. Henry. See Memoira of lira Savage, 3d ed. p. 8. Bishop Taylor says, that," w ith them that are not stark irreligious, prayer u the key to open the day, uid the bolt to shut in the night" Works, y. I. p. 145. oct. ed. tu nB. And of Bishop Ridley it is afflnned, that ** he used to make his religioos addreaaes unto God, both as a key to open the door in the mflnnng to bis daily employments, and as a bolt, to shut uid close them up all at evening again.'* Puller's Abel Rediyivus, [». 195i 4ta 1S9SL
7 Life. Orig. MS, minora
I A. O 1G30. Ob. Nor. 38, ldD4. Ufe by Dr. Birch, oct 1753. friends, who have had much comfort in taking his counsel. It is comfortable if the moon rises when the sun sets. '
Besides these, he made conscience, and made a business, of family worship, in all the parts of it; and in it he was uniform, steady, and constant, from the time that he was first called to the charge of a family to his dying day ; and, according to his own practice, he took all occasions to press it upon others. His doctrine once, from Joshua xxiv. 15. was,—That family worship is family duty. He would say, sometimes if the worship of God be not in the house, write,—Lord, have mercy upon us, on the door; for there is a plague, a curse, in it. It is the judgment of Archbishop Tillotson,' in that excellent book,* which he published a little before his death, upon this subject,—That constant family worship is so necessary to keep alive a sense of God and religion in the minds of men, that he sees not how any family that neglects it can in reason be esteemed a family of Christians, or indeed to have any religion at all. How earnestly would Mr. Henry reason with people sometimes about this matter, and tell them what a blessing it would bring upon them and their houses, and all that they had! He that makes his house a little church, shall find that God will make it a little sanctuary. It may be of use to give a particular account of his practice in this matter, because it was very exemplary. As to the time of it, his rule was, commonly, the earlier the better, both morning and evening; in the morning, before worldly business crowded in,— Early will I seeh thee. He that is the first, should have the first. Nor is it fit that the worship of God should stand by and wait while the world's turn is served. And early in the evening, before the children and servants began to be sleepy ; and therefore, if it might be, he would have prayer at night before supper, that the body might be the more fit to serve the soul in that service of God. And indeed he did industriously contrive all the circumstances of his family worship, so as to make it most solemn, and most likely to answer the end. He always made it the business of every day, and not, as too many make it, a bye-business. This being his fixed principle, all other affairs must be sure to give way to this."* And he would tell those who objected against family-worship, that they could not An interesting occurrence between the Archbishop, when Dean of St. Paul's, and his father, is recorded by Dr. Fa wcett, in the Life of Oliver Hey wood. p. 139. A similar anecdote is also related of Sir Thomas More, when Lord Chancellor. Sec his Life by Cayley, V. 1. p. 112.
ArchbishopTiUotson's Works, v. 3. p. 42-2. oct. 1742. t It was the observation of an excellent man. that, when he did hasten over holy duties, out of an over eager desire to follow his worldly business, he did many times meet with a crosR in his business; but, when he did take his ordinary time. God did make his other business to succeed the better, or else his mind was brought to submit to the will of God. The Life of Blr. John Rowe, duod. 1673. p 41
THE LIFE OF MR. PHIUP HENRY. get time for it; that, if they would but put on Christian resolution at first, they would not find the difficulty so great as they imagined ; but, after a while, their other aflfairs would fall in easily and naturally with this, especially where there is that wisdom which is profitable to direct. Nay, they would find it to be a geat preserver of order and decency in a family, and it would be like a hem to all their other business, to keep it from ravelling. He was ever careful to have all his family present at family-worship ; though sometimes, living in the country, he had a great household; yet he would have not only his children and sojourners, if he had any, and domestic servants, but his worknien and day-labourers, and all that were employed for him, if they were within call, to be present, to join with him in this service; and, as it was an act of his charity many times to set them to work for him, so to that he added this act of piety, to set them to work for God. And usually, when he paid his workmen their wages, he gave them some good counsel about their souls. Yet, if any that should come to family worship, were at a distance, and must be stayed for long, he would rather want them, than put the duty much out of time; and would sometimes say, at night,—Better one away, than all sleepy.
The performances of his family worship ' were the same morning and evening. He observed that, under the law, the morning and the evening lamb had the same meat-ofiering and drink-offering, Exodus xxix. 38—41. He always began with a short, but very solemn, prayer, imploring the divine presence and grace, assistance and acceptance; particularly begging a blessing upon the word to be read, in reference to which he often put up this petition,—That the same Spirit that indited the Scripture, would enable us to understand the Scripture, and to make up something to ourselves out of it that may do us good. And, esteeming the word of God as his necessary food, he would sometimes pray in a morning, that our souls might have a good meal out of it. He commonly concluded even this short prayer, as he did also his blessings before and after meat,*^ with a doxology, as Paul, upon all occasions, —^To him be glory, &c. which is properly adoration, and is an essential part of prayer.
He next sung a psalm, and commonly he sung David's Psalms in order, throughout; sometimes using the old translation, but generally Mr. Bare See Tong's Lite of Matt Henry, nttvpra, p. 124. &c. Mr. Wesley, recommending P Henry's Life, pointed out his mode of performing family worship as a pattern. Minutes of Conference, v. I. p. 76. d Bishop Butler, after pressing the habitual exercise of secret prayer, observes, that " A duty of the like kind, and serving to the same purpose, is the particular acknowledgment of God when we are partaking of his bounty at our meals. The neglect of this is said to have been scandalous to a proverb in the heathen world; but it is without shame laid aside at the tables of the highest and the lowest rank among us." Chaige to the Clergy of Durham, 1751. Works, V. 2. p. 48. See the Spectator, No 456. ton's :* and his usual way was to sing a whole psalm throughout, though perhaps a long one, and to sing quick, yet with a good variety of proper and pleasant tunes; and, that he might do so, usually the psalm was sung without reading the line betwixt, every one in the family having a book, which he preferred much before the common way of singing, where it might conveniently be done, as more agreeable to the practice of the primitive church, and the reformed churches abroad; and by this means he thought the duty more likely to be performed in the spirit, and with the understanding ; the sense being not so broken, nor the affections interrupted, as in reading the line betwixt. He would say, that a scripture ground for singing psalms in families, might be taken from Psalm cxviii. 15;— The voice of rejoicing and of salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous; and that it is a way to hold forth godliness, like Rahab's scarlet thread, Joshua ii. 17. to such as pass by our windows.
He next read a portion of Scripture, taking the Bible in order; he would sometimes blame those who only pray in their families, and do not read the Scripture. In prayer, we speak to God; by the word, he speaks to us;—and is there any reason, saith he, that we should speak all? In the tabernacle the priests were every day to bum incense, and to light the lamps; the former, figuring the duty of prayer, the latter the duty of reading the word. Sometimes he would say,—^Those do well that pray morning and evening in their families; those do better that pray and read the Scriptures; but those do best of all that pray, and read, and sing psalms; and Christians should covet earnestly the best gifts.
He advised the reading of the Scripture in order; for, though one star in the firmament of the Scripture differ from another star in glory, yet, wherever God hath a mouth to speak, we should have an ear to hear; and the diligent searcher' may find much excellent matter in those parts of Scripture, which we are sometimes tempted to think might have been spared. How affectionately would he sometimes bless God for every book, and chapter, and verse, and line, in the Bible!
[Every word of God, he would say, is good, but especially God, the Word, How sweet is it to a lost, undone sinner, to be acquainted with a Saviour! >]
What he read in his family, he always expounded; e See Wood's Ath. Oxon. «/ titpra, vol. 3. p. 303. The Psalms and Hymns were first printed by act of Parliament, Oct 1645. Ibid. f Beloved, if you doe but take any piece of this word, and stay upon it, as the bee doth upon the flower, and will not ofl Ttill you have got somewhat out of it; if you be still digging in this mine, this would make you rich in knowledge \ and, if you be rich in knowledge, it will make you rich in grace likewise. The New Covenant, by Dr. Preston, pp. 4M, 455.4to. 1630.
r P. Henry. Orig. MS.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
47 and exhorted all ministers to do so, as an excellent means of increasing their acquaintance with the Scriptare. His expositions were not so mach critical as plain, and practical, and nsefnl; and such as tended to edification, and to answer the end for which the Seriptares were written, which is to make us wise to salvation. And herein he had a peculiar excellence, performing that daily exercise with so much judgment, and at the same time with such facility and clearness, as if eyery exposition had been premeditated; and very instructive they were, as well as affecting to the auditors. His observations were many times very pretty and surprising, and such as one shall not ordinarily meet with. Commonly, in his expositions, he reduced the matter of the chapter or psalm read to some heads; not by a logical analysis, which often minceth it too small, and confounds the sense with the terms; but by SQch a distribution as the matter did most easily and imforcedly fall into. He often mentioned that saying of Tertullian's, " I adore the fulness of the Scriptures i" and sometimes that,— Scriptura semper h§het aliquid re Ugentihus, When sometimes he had hit upon some useful observation that was new to hira, he would say afterwards to those about him,— How often have I read this chapter, and never before now took notice of such a thing in it \^ He put his children, while they were with him, to write these expositions; and when they were gone from him, the strangers that sojourned with him did the same. What collections his children had, though but broken and very imperfect hints, yet, when afterwards they were disposed of in the world, were of good use to them and their families. Some expositions of this nature, that is, plain and practical, and helping to raise the affections and gide the conversation by the word, he often wished were published by some good hand for the benefit of families: but such was his great modesty and self-diffidence, though few more able for it, that he would never be persuaded to attempt any thing of that kind himself. As an evidence how much his heart was upon it, to have the word of God read and understood in families, take this .passage out of his last will and testament; —I give and bequeath to each of my four daughters, Mr. Poole's' English Annotations upon the Bible, in two volumes, of the last and best edition that shall k See a like testimony of the Hey. Geo. PhiUps. Mathers Hist of New England, Book III. p. 83. i The author of the Synopsis Criticoram. Nat 1034, ob. 1679. or that elabonte work the fo Uowing notices appear in Mr. HenrjTs divjx-
MO, Dec. la I sent 30*. to Mr. T&lents. with Mr. Down's ac-(pilttancefor the SOt. formerly paid upon Mr. Poole*s propositions, ud am now to receive the lint volnme, and the second hereafter, vbenteiriied. Orig. MS.
1678, Oct. 9L I have received the Ave Tolumes of Mr. Poole*s Syoopsi*, and do admowledge myself therewith superabundantly mXuied, retnming beaity thanks to him for his worthy pains, and heuty poise to Ood for his giacious aaiifltance, without which it be to be had at the time of my decease, together with Mr. Barton's last and best translation of the Singing Psalms, one to each of them; requiring and requesting them to make daily use of the same, for the instruction, edification, and comfort of themselves and their families.
But it is time we proceed to the method of his family worship.
The chapter or psalm being read and expounded, he required from his children some account of what they could remember of it; and sometimes would discourse with them plainly and familiarly about it, that he might lead them into an acquaintance with it; and, if it might be, impress something of it upon their hearts.
He then prayed, and always kneeling, which he looked upon as the fittest and most proper gesture for prayer; and he took care that his family should address themselves to the duty, with the outward expressions of reverence and composedness. He usually fetched his matter and expressions in prayer, from the chapter that was read, and the psalm that was sung, which was often very affecting, and helped much to stir up and excite praying graces.^ He sometimes observed in those Psalms, where reference is had to the Scripture stories, as Psalm Ixxxiii. and many others, that those who are well acquainted with the Scriptures, would not need to make use of the help of prescribed forms, which are very necessary for those that cannot do the duty without them, but unbecoming those that can; as a go-cart is needful to a child, or crutches to one that is lame,* but neither of them agreeable to one that needs them not. It was the comparison he commonly used in this matter.
[In recommending the use of free prayer, he would sometimes say,—Consider, whether it be possible to draw up a form that shall reach to all a man's particular occasions; that shall serve in adversity, as well as prosperity; when sick, as when in health. We are to pray always, in every thing. The Lord's Prayer is the most complete, and perfect, and comprehensive, that can be, yet we never find either Christ himself, or his apostles, making use of it, but still varying, according to their present occasion. True, all petitions may be reduced to it; see John xvii. and Acts iv. But, what folly were it, if a man could not have been brought to pass. P. H. Orig. MS. See Mr. Chalmers's Biog. Diet v. 25. p. 154, &c. There the particulars relatire to the publication of the Synopsis are preserved. k See a like statement as to Blr. Wheatley. Fuller's Abel Redivivus, p. 504. irf ntfra.
1 A Christian, in the want of gifts, may lawfully use a set forme of prayer, as a man that hath a weake backe, or a lame legge, may lean upon a enteh. Perkins's Works, v. 3. p. 07. fol. 1617.
A prescribed forme, eyther conned by heart, or read out of a booke, is very helpefhll; as a entek, for one that is lame in his limbes. Yet let me give this caution,—that wee doe not alwaies tye ourself es to a forme of word& An Expos, on the Parable of the Prodigal Son, by Nehemiah Rogere, pp. 105,166. 4to. 1633.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHIUP HENRY. should get a petition drawn up, and then resolve, whatever be his straits, to deliver only that petition. —Consider, whether you do not find forms deadening things. If a preacher should preach the same sermon over, in the same congregation, twenty times, or oftener, in a year, would it not quite weary and tire out his hearers ? Were it not the ready way to preach them all asleep ? It is one considerable prejudice that is in the hearts of some against praying by the Spirit,*" that many times the same thing is repeated. Supposing it to be so, yet, whether is worse,—always to repeat the same prayer, or, now and then, to repeat one and the same expression in prayer?—Consider, whether forms do not pervert the very nature of prayer. In prayer there should be, first, desires, and then words to express those desires. But in forms, first, words are prescribed, and then desires are to be stirred up to answer to those words.
It may be objected;—' I am not learned, as others are; neither have I such parts as others have; therefore, it is best for me to pray out of a book.' This is grounded upon a mistake ; it is not learning and parts, but grace, that doth it;—it is the Spirit of grace and supplication; not of learning and supplication. I deny not, but where grace and natural abilities are together in the same person, there, ordinarily, a man is the more powerful in prayer; I mean, in affecting others who join; and yet, another, who wants those abilities, and is truly godly, may pray as acceptably, and speed as well in prayer, as he.
But it is said,—' I distrust myself, I dare not go to God with a prayer of my own inditing; it is, therefore, best for me to borrow one that may have some method and elegance in it.' This also is grounded upon a mistake. God regards not elegancy in prayer." He cares not how little there is of the head in the duty, so there be a great deal of the heart. We must be well acquainted with that boldness of access which we have to God, upon all occasions, by Jesus Christ, else we shall never do any thing this way. Hebrews iv. 14—16. We must approach God in prayer as children to a father. Ignorance of this causes formality and ceremony. Is not a tender-hearted father far more delighted with the lispings and stanmiering of his littie child, when it first begins to speak, than with the neatest, finest speech that he can hear from another ? And what is the reason ? Why, it is his child. Take a nobleman's child, and what doth he do when he wants clothes, or other necessaries? Go to a scrivener m They, says Bishop Hopkins, who use prescribed and set forms of prayer, pray by the Spirit when their petitions are accompanied with fervent affections, stirred in them by the Holy Ghost Works, vol. I. p. 257. oct. ed. tt Though it be the duty of every person to labour for fit words of prayer, yet God doth not hear prayer for the elegancy of phrase, but for the heavenliness, and spiritualness, and brokenness of heart of him that prayes. The Christian compleatly Aimed, by Mr. Ralph Robinson, p. 172. duod. I(U6. and get a petition drawn, to present it to his father! No; he comes with boldness,— * Father, I want clothes; will you please to give me them?' Whereas, another must observe ceremonies, and circumstances, or else have no hopes of success.*]
In family prayer he was usually most full in giving thanks for family mercies, confessing family sins, and begging family blessings. Very particular he would sometimes be in prayer for his family ; if any were absent, they were sure to have an express petition put up for them. He used to observe, concerning Job i. 6. that he offered burnt-offerings for his children, according to the number of them ally an offier-ing for each child ; and so would he sometimes in praying for his children, put up a petition for efich child. He always observed, at the annual return of the birth-day of each of his children, to bless God for his mercy to him and his wife in that child; the giving of it, the continuance of it, the comfort they had in it, &c. with some special request to God for that child. Every servant and sojourner, at their coming into his family, and their going out, besides the daily remembrances of them, had a particular petition put up for them, according as their circumstances were. The strangers, that were at any time within his gates, he was wont particularly to recommend to God in prayer, with much affection and Christian concern for them and their concernments. He was daily mindful of those that desired his prayers P for them, and would say, sometimes,—It is a great comfort that God knows who we mean in prayer, though we do not name them. Particularly providences concerning the country, as to health or sickness, good or bad weather, or the like, he commonly took notice of in prayer, as there was occasion ; and would often beg of God to fit us for the next providence, whatever it might be. Nor did he ever forget to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, [He maintained, that supplication must be made for all saints; for those you do not know, as well as for those you do ; for those that differ from you, as well as for those with whom you agree; for those who are in prosperity, as well as in adversity. For aU saints, because all are alike related to* Jesus Christ; because all are alike related to you, as fellow-members ; and it will be an evidence you love them, as brethren, when you love them all, and pray for them all. When you have nearest communion with God. then remember me, said Bernard <i to a friend; then speak, say I, for the church.'] o p. Henry. Orig. MS. See Dr. Owen's Work*, vol. 4. p. I, &c. oct. 1823. Treatise on the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer.
P Not to care for the prayers of others is pride -. not to put up prayers for others is uncharitableness. P. Henry. Orig. MS. q See Flavel's Seaman's Farewell. Works, vol. 6. p. 395. oct. 1770; and Milner's Church Hist. v. 3. p. 330, &c. v/ supra. Bernard died, A. D. 1153. aet. about 63.
r P. Henry. Orig. MS.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
49
He always concluded family prayer, both morning and evening, with a solemn benediction, after the doxology;—The blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be with us, &c. Thos did he daily bless his household.
Immediately after the prayer was ended, his children together, with bended knee, asked blessing of him and their mother; that is, desired of them to pray to God to bless them: which blessing* was given with great solemnity and affection; and if any of them were absent, they were remembered,—The Lord bless yon and your brother, or,—^you and your niter, that is absent
This was his daily worship, which he never altered, unless, as is after mentioned, nor ever omitted any pait of, though he went from home never so early, or retamed never so late, or had never so much buaness for his servants to do. He would say, that sonetiiiies he saw cause to shorten them; but he woold never omit any of them; for, if an excuse be OBee admitted for an omission, it will be often re-tondng. He was not willing, unless the necessity veie urgent, that any should go from his house in a ■oming before family worship; but, upon such an occasion, would mind his friends, that,—prayer and provender never hinder a journey.'
He managed his daily family worship so as to make it a pleasure, and not a task, to his children and servants; for he was seldom long, and never tcdioos in the service; the variety of tlic duties made it the more pleasant; so that none who joined vith him had ever any reason to say. Behold, what • w€0rin€s$ it it! Such an excellent faculty he had of iradering religion the most ^weet and amiable employment in the world; and so careful was he, like Jacoby to drive as the children could go, not putting new wine into old bottles. If some good people, that mean well, would do likewise, it might prevent flttny of those prejudices which young persons arc apt to conceive against religion, when the services of it are made a toil and a terror to them.
On Thursday evenings, instead of reading, he his children and servants in the Assem-
Sec the Ecd. Biog. v. 5. p. 166. n. Also the Supplement to the Koniag Exerdae, p. 170.4to. 1674. t It ii a true pro?erb,~Prayer and provender hinder no man. The Svppl to the Mom. Exerc. W ntpra. p. 287.
Mr. AlTEUKier Chalmers snggesto that Collins may be a mis. ipdliaf fkv ColUnges. Dr. ColUnges was a voluminous writer; ■e tlir Noneon. Mem. v. 3L p. 9. No Catechism, however, appears is the list* of his Works; and every effort to obtain further infor-MttoB on the sutrfect has been ineflctual. It may be observed, tktt it Is ** midtt *# writUH by Dr. CollixM."
The aoppoaicioii, as to Dr. Colllnges being the author, is the more Ukely, inamucb as he was usually styled Collins, or rather ColliDg& Tim, on liis Portrait, by White, 4to. 1678, we read,— Veim Eflfics Jofasnnit CtQingt Si T. P. Anno Dom. 1678. »ta-tti
* AppeDdiz, No. Xf. .
Sab. Apr. 30th. I have long since beea taught the mtb- ' bly's Catechism, with the Proofs; or, sometimes, in a little Catechism, concerning the matter of prayer, published in the year 1674, and said to be written by Dr. Collins," which they learned for their help in the gift of prayer, and he explained it to them. Or else they read, and he examined them, in some other useful book, as Mr. Poole's Dialogues against the Papists,"" the Assembly's Confession of Faith with the Scriptures, or the like.
On Saturday evenings, his children and servants gave him an account what they could remember of the chapters that had been expounded all the week before, in order, each a several part, helping one another's memories for the recollecting of it. This he called,— gathering up the fragments which remained, that nothing might be lost. He would say to them sometimes, as Christ to his disciples,—ffave ye understood all these things ? If not, he took that occasion to explain them more fully. This exercise, which he constantly kept up all along, was both delightful and profitable, and, being managed by him with so much prudence and sweetness, helped to instil into those about him betimes the knowledge and love of the Holy Scriptures.
When he had sojourners in his family, who were able to bear a part in such a service, he had commonly in the winter time, set weekly conferences, on questions proposed, for their mutual edification and comfort in the fear of God; the substance of what was said, be himself took, and kept an account of, ill writing."
But the Lord's day * he called and counted the queen of days, the pearl of the week,^ and observed it accordingly. The Fourth Commandment intimates a special regard to be had to the sabbath in families; TAou, and thy son, and thy daughter, fyc. it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings. In this, therefore, he was very exact, and abounded in the work of the Lord in his family on that day. Whatever were the circumstances of his public opportunities, which varied, as we shall find afterwards, his family religion on that day was the same. Extraordinary sacrifices must never supersede the liath is a sign; • the institution a sign of God's love to us; the sanctification, a sign of our love to him. Mrs. Savage. Diary, Orig. MS.
The opinion of Sir Edward Turner, Speaker of the House of Commons, at the Prorogation, July 27, 1663. is worth preserving: —" He that remembers not to keep the Christian Sabbath, at the beginning of the week, will be in danger to forget, before the end of the week, that he is a Christian." P. Henry. Diary, Orig. MS.
A statement, like the one last mentioned, is the more observ. able, because early associations were then generally of another cast, and repugnant alike to good taste and devotional feeling. See Alleine's Vindicias Pietatis, p. 129. duod. 1663.
7 The Jews were wont to call it the guftn of daft. One of ours, now translated into his glorious rest, honours it thus, calling it,— The map of heaven, the golden spot of the week, the market day of the soul, the qneen of dayt, &c. Mr. Geo. S«\T\Ttf«X V«iV\%^iwA
THE UFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY. continual humt-offering amd hii meat-offering Namb. xxviii. 16. His common salutation of his family or friends, on the Lord's day in the morning, was that of the primitive Christians ;—TA* Lord it risen; he is risen indeed; making it his chief business on that day to celebrate the memory of Christ's resurrection; and he would say, sometimes,—Every Lord's day is a true Christian's Easter day. ;He took care to have his family ready early on that day, and was larger in exposition and prayer on sabbath mornings than on other days. He would often remember, that, under the law, the daily sacrifice was doubled on sabbath days; two lambs in the morning, and two in the evening. He had always a particular subject for his expositions on sabbath mornings; the harmony of the evangelists several times over, the Scripture prayers, Old-Testament prophecies of Christ ;— Christ, the true Treasure, so he entitled that subject, sought and found in the field of the Old Testament. He constantly sung a psalm after dinner, and another after supper, on the Lord's days. And in the evening of the day his children and servants were catechized and examined in the sense and meaning of the answers in the Catechism; that they might itot say it, as he used to tell them, like a parrot,— by rote. Then the day's sermons were repeated, commonly by one of his children, when they were grown up, and while they were with him; and the family gave an account of what they could remember of the word of the day, which he endeavoured to fasten upon them, as a nail in a sure place. In his prayers on the evening of the sabbath, he was often more than ordinarily enlarged ; as one that found not only God's service perfect freedom, but his work its own wages, and a great reward, not only after keeping, but, as he used to observe, from Psalm xix. 11. in keeping, God*s commandments, A present reward of obedience an obedience. In that prayer he was usually very particular, in praying for his family, and all that belonged to it. It was a prayer he often put up,— That we might have grace to carry it as a minister, and a minister's wife, and a minister's children, and a minister's servants, should carry it, that the ministry might in nothing be blamed. He would sometimes be a particular intercessor for the towns and parishes adjacent. How have I heard him, when he hath been in the mount with God, in a sabbath-evening prayer, wrestle with the Lord for Chester, and Shrewsbury, and Nantwich, and Wrexham, and Whitchurch, &c. those nests of souls, wherein there are so many, that cannot discern between their right hand and their left in spiritual things, &c. He closed his sabbath work in his family with singing Psalm oxxxiv. and, after it, a solemn blessing of his family.
Wish to the Lord's Day. Supplement to the Morotag Everciae at Cripplegate, p. 141, ut $wprs. Senn. 6.
[He frequently observed days of humiliation in his family. Some of those occasions are noted in his Diary. The following are instances: 1661. July 10. A day of family humiliation. The Lord was sweetly seen in the midst of us, and I trust it was a day of atonement. Sin pardoned, requests made, covenants renewed, in Jesus Christ.
October 10. We kept a day of private prayer, and humiliation, in the family, and the Lord was with us. This confession much aflfected me, that things are not so among us as they should be among those who are the relations of a minister of Jesus Christ. Lord, pardon, and grant for time to come it may be better!»]
Thus was he prophet and priest in his own house; and he was king there too, ruling in the fear of God, and not suffering sin upon any under his roof.
He had many years ago a man servant, that was once overtaken in drink abroad; for which, the next morning, at family worship, he solemnly reproved him, admonished him, and prayed for him, with a spirit of meekness, and soon after parted with him. But there were many that were his servants, who, by the blessing of God upon his endeavours, got those good impressions upon their souls which they retained ever after; and blessed God, with all their hearts, that ever they came under his roof. Few went from his service till they were married, and went to families of their own; and some, after they had been married, and had buried their yoke-fellows, returned to his service again, saying,—3fa«ter, it is good to be here.
He brought up his children in the fear of God, with a gat deal of care and tenderness, and did, by his practice, as well as upon all occasions in discourses, condemn the indiscretion of those parents who are partial in their aflfections to their children, making a difi*erence between them, which he observed did often prove of ill consequence in families; and lay a foundation of envy, contempt, and discord, which turns to their shame and ruin. His carriage towards his children was with great mildness and gentleness, as one who desired rather to be loved than feared by them. He was as careful not to provoke them to wrathf nor to discourage them, as he was to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. He ruled indeed, and kept up his authority, but it was with wisdom and love, and not with a high hand. He allowed his children a great degree of freedom with him, which gave him the opportunity of reasoning them, not frightening them, into that which is good. He did much towards the instruction of his children in the way of familiar discourse, according to that excellent directoiy for religious education, Deuteronomy vi. 7.— Thou shalt whet these
■ P. Henry. Diary, Orig. MS.
I
r
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
61 dingi (so the word is, which, he said, noted frequent repetition of the same things) ufiofi thy children, and ikmlt talk of them when thou nttest in thy house, ^c. wkich made them loye home, and delight in his company, and greatly endecued religion to them.
[He woald ohserve, sometimes, that there are five good lessons, which they are hlessed who learn in the days of their youth.
1. To remember their Creator. Not only remember that yon haye a Creator, but remember him to lore him, and fear him, and serve him.
2. To come to Jesus Christ. Every man that hath heardj mnd hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Behold, he calls yon; he encourages you to come to him. He vnll in no wise cast you out,
3. To bear the yoke in youth. The yoke is that which young ones cannot endure. But it is good for them to bear it.* The yoke of the cross. If God lay aflictlon on you when young, do not murmur, but bear that cross. It is good to be trained up in the school of affliction. The yoke of Christ. Tahe my yohe. It is an easy yoke; his commandments are not grievous.
4. Tofiee youthful lusts. Those who are taught of God haTC learned this. See that you do not love your pleasures more than the sanctifying of the sabbath. This man is not of God, because he heepeth not the sahhatk day.
5u To cleanse their way. How? By tahing heed thereto according to thy word. Love your Bibles. Meditate in them day and night. And, if you do thus, you are taught of God.**]
He did not burthen his children's memories by imposing upon them the getting of chapters and psalms without book; but endeavoured to make the whole word of God familiar to them, especially the scrip-tare stories, and to bring them to understand it and love it, and then they would easily remember it. He ■sed to observe, from Psalm cxix.03.—/ will never fsrget thy jtrecepts,for with them thou hast quichened me ^—that we are then likely to remember the word of God when it doth us good.'
He tanght all his children to write himself, and set them betimes to write sermons, and other things that mift be of use to them. He taught his eldest dangfater the Hebrew tongue when she was about six or seven yean old, by an English Hebrew Grammar, whidi he made on purpose for her; and she went so fitf in it, as to be able readily to read and construe a Hebrew Psalm.
He drew op a short form of the baptismal cove-it for the use of his children. It was this;— OHt bavc not been imired to the yoke of obedience wtil never endnre the yoke of suffering. P. Henry. Com. Place Book. Or%. MS. b P. Henry. Fhm a MS. in the hand-writing of Bfn. Savage.
that have received comfort, life, and quickening, by the word of God, find themadves obliged to remember it for ever ** Dr. Maaton. UTorfca, vol. i. p. J07. Fol. 1681.
4 To dnoac Cbriit, ^Ot freely and ^eHberateJy, upon advice and I
I take God the Father to be my chiefest good and highest end. I take God the Son to be my Prince and Saviour.^ I take God the Holy Ghost to be my Sanctifier, Teacher, Guide, and Comforter. I take the word of God to be my rule in all my actions.* And the people of God to be my people in all conditions. I do likewise devote and dedicate unto the Lord, my whole self, all I am, all I have, and all I can do. And this I do deliberately, sincerely, freely, and for ever.
This he taught his children; and they each of them solemnly repeated it every Lord's day in the evening, after they were catechised, he putting his Amen to it, and sometimes adding,—So say, and so do, and you are made for ever.
He also took pains with them to lead them into the understanding of it, and to persuade them to a free and cheerful consent to it. And, when they gw up, he made them all write it over severally with their own hands, and very solemnly set their names to it, which he told them he would keep by him, and it should be produced as a testimony against them, in case they should afterwards depart from God, and turn from following after him.
He was careful to bring his children betimes (when they were about sixteen years of age) to the ordinance of the Lord's supper, to take the covenant of God upon themselves, and to make their dedication to God their own act and deed; and a geat deal of pains he took with them, to prepare them for that great ordinance, and so to translate them into the state of adult church-membership. And he would often blame parents, who would think themselves undone if they had not their children baptized, and yet took no care when they grew up and made a profession of the Christian religion, to persuade them to the Lord's supper.—It is true, he would say, buds and blossoms are not fruit, but they give hopes of fruit; and parents may, and should, take hold of the good beginnings of grace which they see in their children, by those to bind them so much the closer to, and lead them so much the faster in, the way that is called holy. By this solemn engagement, the door, which stood half open before, and invited the thief, is shut and bolted against temptation. And, to those who pleaded that they were not fit, he would say,— consultation with ounelvea, being thoroughly convinced of hit excelleney, and our own need or him, to accept him at our only Portion, our Lord and Saviour, renouncing every tiling elae, be what it will, that may stand in competition with him. P. Henry. Orig MS. c It it our principle, that we mu«l moiVLe tkt word tK« tuU oj aU mt aeliwt. Borroughs'B Moteas CVoice, p. ttX. 4\.q. VonK. m
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
That the further they went into the world, the less fit they would be. Qui non est hodie eras minus aphis erit. Not that phildren should be compelled to it, nor those that are wilfully ignorant, untoward, and perverse, admitted to it, but those children that are hopeful and well inclined to the things of God, and appear to be concerned in other duties of religion, when they be(pn to put away childish things, should be incited, and encouraged, and persuaded to this, that the matter may be brought to an issue, — Nay, bui we will serve the Lord; fast bind, fast find. Abundant thanksgivings have been rendered to God by many of his friends for his advice and assistance herein.
In dealing with his children about their spiritual state, he took hold of them very much by the handle of their infant baptism, and frequently inculcated that upon them, that they were bom in God's house, and were betimes dedicated and given up to him, and, therefore, were obliged to be his servants. Psalm cxvi. 16. / am thy sei'vanty because the son of thine handmaid. This he was wont to illustrate to them by the comparison of taking a lease of a fair estate for a child in the cradle, and putting his life into it. The child then knows nothing of the matter, nor is he capable of consenting; however, then he is maintained out of it, and hath an interest in it; and when he grows up, and becomes able to choose, and refuse, for himself, if he go to his landlord, and claim the benefit of the lease, and promise to pay the rent, and do the services, well and good, he hath the benefit of it, if otherwise it is at his peril. Now, children, he would say, our great Landlord was willing that our lives should be put into the lease of heaven and happiness, and it was done accordingly, by your baptism, which is the seal of the righteousness that is by faith; and by that it was assured to you, that if you would pay the rent and do the service, that is, live a life of faith and repentance, and sincere obedience, you shall never be turned off the tenement; but if now you dislike the terms, and refuse to pay tills rent, (this chief rent, so he would call it, for it is no rack,) you forfeit the lease. However, you cannot but say, that you had a kindness done you, to have your lives put into it. Thus did he frequently deal with his children, and even travail in birth again to see Christ formed in them, and from this topic he generally argued; and he would often say,—If infant baptism were more improved, it would be less disputed.
He not only taught his children betimes to pray, (which he did especially by his own pattern, his method and expressions in prayer being very easy and plain,) but when they were young he put them f See Tong'sLifc of Matt Henry, p. 18, uinpra. g Boreatton, near Baschurcli, in Shropshire. See Letters to a Vouagr Cle/iBymaD, v. i. ^. 145, 146. upon it, to pray together, and appointed them on Saturdays in the afternoon' to spend some time to-gelher,—none but they, and such of their age as might occasionally be with them,—in reading good books, especially those for children, and in singing and praying; and would sometimes tell them for their encouragement, that the God with whom we have to do, understands broken language. And, if we do as well as we can in the sincerity of our hearts, we shall not only be accepted, but taught to do better. To him that hath shall 6; given.
He sometimes set his children, in their own reading of the Scriptures, to gather out such passages as they took most notice of, and thought most considerable, and write them down. Though this performance was very small, yet the endeavour was of good use. He also directed them to insert in a paper book, which each of them had for the purpose, remarkable sayings and stories, which they met with in reading such other good books as he put into their hands.
He took a pleasure in relating to them the remarkable providences of God, both in his own time, and lit the days of old, which, he said, parents were taught to do by that appointment. Exodus xii. 26, 27.— Yotw children shall ash you in time to come. What mean you by this service, and you shall tell them so and so.
What his pious care was concerning his children, and with what a godly jealousy he was jealous over them, take in one instance. When they had been for a week or a fortnight kindly entertained at B ,« as they were often, he thus writes in his Diary upon their return home;—^My care and fear is, lest converse with such so far above them, though of the best, should have influence upon them to lift them up, when I had rather they should be kept low. For, as he did not himself, so he was very solicitous to teach his children, not to mind high things; not to desire them, not to expect them in this world.**
We shall conclude this chapter vnth another passage out of his Diary:— April 12, 1681. This day fourteen years the Lord took my first-bom son from me, the beginning of my strength with a stroloe. In the remembrance whereof my heart melted this evening. I begged pardon for the Jonah that raised the storm. I blessed the Lord, that hath spared the rest. I begged mer-cy,.~mercy for every one of them; and absolntely and unreservedly devoted and dedicated them, my-selfv my whole self, estate, interest, life, to the will and service of that God from whom I received all. Fathei, hallowed be thy name. Thy hingdom come, Sfc, h Appendix, No. XII.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
CHAPTER V.
S miSCTMENT FROM IVOBTHENBURYi HIS NONCONFORMITY; IIS RRMOTSS TO BROAD OAK; AND THE PROVIDBNCBS THAT KTRRB CONCBRNINO HIM TO THB TBAR 167*i.
Having thus laid together the instances of his imiiy religion, we must now return to the history ' erents that were concerning him, and are ohliged
look back to the first year after his marriage, hich was the year that king Charles the Second une in; a year of great changes and struggles in 16 land, which Mr. Baxter, in his Life,* gives a ill, and clear, and impartial idea of; by which it ay easily be guessed how it went with Mr. Henry I his low and narrow sphere, whose sentiments in lose things were very much the same with Mr. axter's.
Many of his best friends in Worthenbury parish ere lately removed by death; Emeral family con-ary to what it had been; and the same spirit, hich that year reyived all the nation over, was orking violently in that country, viz, a spirit of "eat enmity to such men as Mr. Henry was. ''orthenbury, npon the King's coming in, returned to its former relation to Bangor, and was looked loa as a chapelry dependent upon that. Mr. chert Fogg had, for many years, held the seques-red Rectory of Bangor, which now Dr. Henry ridgman,^ (son to John, Bishop of Chester,*^ and other to the Lord Keeper Bridgman,**) returned to e possession of. By which Mr. Henry was soon tprehensive that his interest at Worthenbury was laken; but thus he writes.:—The will of the Lord ; done. Lord, if my work be done here, provide me other for this people, that may be more ilful, and more successful, and cut out work for e elsewhere; however, I will take nothing ill bich God doth with me.
He laboured what be could to make Dr. Bridg-an his friend,* who gave him good words, and was :ry civil to him, and assured him that he would ;ver remove him till the law did. But he must ok upon himself as the Doctor's Curate, and spending upon his vvjjl, which kept him in con-lual expectations of a removal; however, he con-sued in his liberty there above a year, though in ly fickle and precarious circumstances. The grand question now on foot was, whether to •nform, or no. He used all means possible to tisfy himself concerning it, by reading and dist See Reljq. Baxter. Lib. L Part. IL p. 229, &,c. vtsupra.
Ob. 15th May. 1682. Wood's Ath. Ozon. ut npra. v. 4. p. 86a He died at Morton, near Oswestry, in Shropshire, and was ried at Kinneriey. He wa< the author of the " Leger/* now depo-ed in the Episcopal Retristry. Ormerod'sHist. of Cheshire, v. i. C See alao Prioce's Worthies of Devon, p. 133.4to ed. 1810.
See pi 4%. Mir. Appendix, No. XnL course, particularly at Oxford, with Dr. Fell, after-wards Bishop of Oxford, but in vain; his dissatisfaction remained;—however, saith he, I dare not judge those that do conform; for, who am I, that I should judge my brother?
[Addressing Dr. Bridgman about this period, his views are thus expressed:— I think I am none of those who are in the extremes ; nevertheless, my resolution is, if those things be indispensably imposed which I cannot practise without sinning against my conscience, I shall choose rather to lose all, yet not violating, by my good will, the public peace of the church. And herein, I presume, you will not blame me. But, if moderation be used, wherein it will be your honour to be instrumental, if my poor talent may contribute any thing to the glory of God, and the salvation of souls, I trust I shall never be found guilty of wilfully burying it, lest I fall under the woe, if I preach not the gospel. God, of his infmite mercy, direct you, and all who are called to consult in the affairs of religion, that you may do nothing against the truth and peace, but/or it, which is the hearty prayer of,
Sir,
Your servant in the gospel,
P. Henry.']
He hath noted, that being at Chester, in discourse with the Dean and Chancellor and others, about this time, the great argument they used with him to persuade him to conform was, that else he would lose his preferment; and what, said they, you are a young man, and are you wiser than the King and Bishops?8 But this is his reflection upon it afterwards ;—God grant that I may never be left to consult with flesh and blood in such matters!
In September, 1660, Mr. Fogg, and Mr. Steel, and Mr. Henry, were presented at Flint Assizes, for not reading the Common Prayer, though as yet it was not enjoined, but there were some busy people that would outrun the law. They entered their appearance, and it fell; for, soon after the King's Declaration,** touching Ecclesiastical Affairs, came out, which promised liberty, and gave hopes of settlement ; but the spring assizes afterwards, Mr. Steel and Mr. Henry were presented again. On this he writes,—Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up! The Lord show me what he would have me to do, for I am afraid of nothing but sin.*
It appears by the hints of his Diary, that he had f Orig MS.
K See Dr. Ames's Fresh Suit. 4to. 16J3. Prefoce, p. 10. h See it in Tracts selected from Lord Somers's Collections. 4to. 17M. p. 349, &c. i When Chrysostom had offended the Empress Eudoxla, and she thereupon sent him a threatening message, he answered,—Go, telt her, Ntt nisipeccatum tinuo; 1 fear nothing but sin. The Marrow ot EccL Hist by Samuel Clark* p. 145. ut supra.
M
THE LIFE OF MR. PHIUP HENRT. melancholy apprehensions at this time about public affairs, seeing and hearing of so many faithful ministers disturbed, silenced, and insnared; the ways of Sion mourning, and the quiet in the land treated as the troublers of it; his soul wept in secret for it. [What to think, I know not, concerning the affairs of the nation ; a cloud rises; but. Lord, mine eyes are unto thee!''] And yet he joined in the annual commemoration of the King's Restoration, and preached, on Mark xii. 17. Render to Casar the things that are Casar*s ; considering, saith he, that this was his right; also, the sad posture of the civil government, through usurpers, and the manner of his coming in without bloodshed. This he would all his days speak of as a national mercy, but what he rejoiced in with a great deal of trembling for the ark of God; and he would sometimes say,—-That, during those years between forty and sixty, though on civil accounts there were geat disorders, and the foundations were out of course, yet, in the lAatters of God's worship, things went well; there was freedom,' and reformation, and a face of godliness was upon the nation, though there were those that made but a mask of it Ordinances were administered in power and purity; and, though there was much amiss, yet religion, at least in the profession of it, did prevail. This, saith he, we know very well, let men say what they will of those times.
In November, 1600, he took the oath of allegiance at Orton,*" before Sir Thomas Hanmer," and two other Justices, of which he hath left a memorandum in his Diary, with this added ;—God so help me, as I purpose in my heart, to do accordingly. Nor could any more conscientiously observe that oath of God than he did, nor more sincerely promote the ends of it.
That year, according to an agp'eement with some of his brethren in the ministry, who hoped thereby to oblige some people, he preached upon Christmas day. The sabbath before, it happened, that the twenty-third chapter of Leviticus, which treats entirely of the Jewish feasts, called there the feasts of the Lord, came in course to be expounded, which gave him occasion to distinguish of feasts into divine and ecclesiastical; the divine feasts that the Jews had were those there appointed; their ecclesiastical feasts were those of Purim° and of Dedication, p And, in the application of it, he said,—He knew no divine feast we have under the gospel but the Lord's k p. Henry. Orig. MS.
1 Let it not be imanned that this superior religious rreedom was a privilege at all peculiar to the Commonwealth, or to the Protec-torshipi for, the most perfect religious emancipation may be equally guaranteed and enjoyed under a King, Lords, and Commons, as under any other form of government in the world. Brook's Hist, of Rel. Lib. v. i. p. 53G. m Overlon. Orton is a corruption. See Camden's Brit Gougb's eelv.2. p. IS3. a SeePenn&nrs Touts in Wales, r. I. p. 'J92, day, intended for the commemoration of the whole mercy of our redemption. And the most that could be said for Christmas was, that it is an ecclesiastical feast; and it is questionable with some, whether church or state, though they might make a good day, Esther ix. 19. could make a holy day. Nevertheless, forasmuch as we find our Lord Jesus, John X. 22. so far complying with the church feast of dedication, as to take occasion from the people's coming together, to preach to them, he purposed to preach upon Christmas day, knowing it to be his duty, in season and out of season. He preached on 1 John iii. 8.— For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. And he minded his people, that it is double dishonour to Jesus Christ, to practise the works of the devil then, when we keep a feast in memory of his manifestation.
His annuity from Emeral was now withheld, because he did not read the Common Prayer, though, as yet, there was no law for reading of it: hereby he was disabled to do what he had been wont for the help and relief of others ; and this he has recorded as that which troubled him most under that disappointment. But he blessed God,—That he had a heart to do good, even when his hand was empty.
When the Emeral family was unkind to him, he reckoned it a great mercy, which he gave God thanks for, (who makes every creature to be that to us that it is,) that Mr. Broughton and his family, which is of considerable figure in the parish,i continued their kindness and respects to him, and their countenance of his ministry, which he makes a grateful mention of more than once in his Diary.
Many attempts were made in the year 1661 to disturb and insnare him, and it was still expected that he would have been hindered.—Methinks, saith he, sabbaths were never so sweet as they arc, now we are kept at such uncertainties; now, a day in thy courts is better than a thousand; such a day as this, saith he of a sacrament-day that year, better than ten thousand. Oh, that we might yet see many such days!
[Some extracts from his Diary, at this period, clearly evince the elevated piety and holy meekness of the writer, and should excite gratitude for present privileges, civil and religious.
1661. January, 24, 25. A time of trouble in the nation. Many good men imprisoned and restrained: o The Feast of Lots, in commemoration of the provide Rtial deliverance of the Jews from the cruel* machinations of Haman. See Home's Introd. to the Critical Study and Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, v. 3. p. 314. 4th ed. p A grateful memorial of the cleansing of the second tei Uple ana altar, after they had been pro Oined by AnUochus Epiptianes. Home's Introd. v. 3. p. 315. it/ wfta. <-
% John Broughton d welleth y n Wortbembre Paroche, at Broughton. Leland, vt—pra, p. 31.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHIUP HENRY.
66 fome withy some withoat, cause. I am yet in peace, blessed be Ood, bat expect saffering. Lord, prepare me for it, and grant that I may never suffer as an eril-doer, but as a Christian!
31. Thin are low with me in the world; but three-pence' left. My hope is yet in the Lord, that in doe time he will supply me. Amen, April 3. Hanmer exercise.* Mr. Porter and Mr. Steel taught. I was designed to it, but it was much better as it wm. Sir Thomas Hanmer signified his disiike of it, ^which made it doubtful whether we should haTe any more, but at parting I never saw mcb a face of sadness as was upon those who were present. Sure, God hears the sighs, and sees the tears, of his poor people.
Jane 16. Common-Prayer Book tendered again; why, I know not. Lord, they devise devices against me, but in thee do I put my trust. Father, forgive thm ! My hands are yet clean from the pollutions of the times. Lord, keep them, and let no iniquity pre-uiltigainst me.
23. Strong reports I should not be suffered to preach to-day ; but I did; and no disturbance. Blessed be God, who hath my enemies in a chain.
July 4. News from London of speedy severity intended against nonconformists. The Lord can yet, if he vrill, break the snare. If not, welcome the will of God.
7. In despite of enemies, the Lord hath granted the liberty of one sabbath more. To him be praise.
8. I received a letter from Dr. Bridgman, wherein he informed me, if I did not speedily conform, his power would no longer protect me; to which I wrote a dilatory answer, hoping, yet, my God may find out some way to break the snare. However, I had rather lose all, and save my conscience, than contra,
9. I advised with friends; R. B. told me, though he desired my stay above any outward thing in the world, yet he could wish rather I would be gone, tiian conform. I was with Mr. Steel, with whom I spent two or three hours in discourse about it, and returned home strengthened.
24. Great expectation of a severe act about imposing the Common-Prayer and ceremonies. It passed both Houses of Parliament, but is not signed by the King. Lord, bis heart is in thy hand; if it be r See the life of Thomas Perkins. Palmer's Noncon. Mem. y. 3LP.133.
l0 the year 1576 Archbishop Griodal" encouraged a practice vliicii was taken ap in divers places of the nation: the manner whereof was. that the ministers of such a division, at a set time, met together in some church; and there, each in their order, ex-piafned, according to their abihty, some particular portion of gri p l iir e allotted them before, fcc. At these anemblies there were great conflmres of people to hear and learn." These were com. oonlj called SxtrctM*^ or Prophesyings. However, the Queen (Eltiabeth) ** liked not of them," nor would she have them con. tl Doed. ** The Arcbbiibop being at court, she required him to abridge the Domber of preachers, and to put down the religious exeioaea.*' ** This did not a Uttie afflict the grave man." '* He thought the Queen nv Kle some infringement upon his office, nor thy will, turn it; if otherwise, fit thy people to safier, and cut short the work in righteousness!
August 11. One sabbath's liberty more. Oh, how good is the Lord! Many hearers from Wrexham are forced to wander for bread. Lord, pity them, and provide for them!
22. Mr. Steel came to see us. We are in doubt what to do in point of conformity. Lord, say unto us, This, or that, is the way, and we will walk in it!
25. Common-Prayer tendered. God knows how loth I am to go off my station; but I must not sin against my conscience.
27. I went to Wrexham, and thence to Ash,* where I stayed all night, and was much made of. Offence taken at Mr. Hanmer saying more than needed about conformity. He shall be Lot's wife" to me.
September 1. The Lord hath been good this day, in giving liberty for public ordinances; on which score wc are indebted to him for ever; we of this place, above many other places.
8. This morning I verily thought I should have been hindered from preaching, but was not. The Lord heard prayers. Dr. Bridgman sent me a Prohibition from the Chancellor to peruse, upon complaint from Sir Thomas Hanmer. It was not published. Mr. Taylor"^ hindered at Holt. Mr. Adams at Penley. Lord, think of thy vineyard! They took the cushion from me, but the pulpit was left. Blessed be God.
29. Liberty yet continued; an order was brought to me to be published, prohibiting strangers from coming hither to church, but I published it not. Lord, provide for poor congregations, that are as sheep without a shepherd!
October 17. I was cited to appear at the Bishop's Court, as upon this day, but went not. My fault was, -^hindering the publishing of the Dean's Order as to strangers. If I had hindered it, it had been a email fault; but I did not; I only refused to publish it mytelf,
19. Day of preparation for the sacrament. I preached from 2 Chronicles xxx. 18, &c. The good Lord pardon! Full of fears lest we be hindered, and lest something fall between the cup and the lip, for our adversaries bite the lip at us.
20. Through the good hand of our God upon us, could he in conscience comply with her commands.'* He, there, fore, wrote to Her Msjesty, and the whole of his " excellent and memorable letter** is preserved in the Appendix to his Life and Acts, by Strype, Book U. No. DL Her Mesty, however, was immovable, and sent her own commandmentr May, 1577, to the '* Bishops throughout England for suppressing *' these Exercises, they t)eing an *' ofl Sence '* to her quiet subjects, who desired " to live and to serve God according to the uniform orders established in the church.'* Nor was this all i the venerable Archbishop was both confined and sequestered. Life,«/ «vpr<i, B. II. ch. viii. ix. See also. Dr. M'Crie's Life of Knox, v. a. p. 285. 4th ed. t Near Frees. tt A saying of Bishop Latimer's. See his Sermons, p. 83. «/ impta.
T See the Noncon. Mem. v. 3. p. 478.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHIUP HENRY. we have this day enjoyed one sweet sacrament more. They did us ail the hinderance they could, but, notwithstanding, afterwards, we proceeded.*
He was advised by Mr. Ratcliff * of Chester, and others of his friends, to enter an action against Mr. P. for his annuity, and did so;—but, concerning the success of it, saith he, I am not over solicitous; for, though it be my due, (Luke x. 7.) yet it was not that which I preached for; and, God knows, I would much rather preach for nothing, than not at all; and besides, I know assuredly, if I should be cast, God would make it up to me some other way. After some proceedings he not only moved, but solicited, Mr. P. to refer it;—having learned, saith he, that it is no disparagement, but an honour, for the party wronged to be first in seeking reconciliation. The Lord, if it be his will, incline his heart to peace. I have now, saith he, two great concerns upon the wheel, one in reference to my maintenance for time past; the other, as to my continuance for the future; the Lord be my friend in both; but, of the two, rather in the latter. But, saith he, many of greater gifts and graces than I are laid aside already, and when my turn comes, I know not; the will of God be done. He can do his work without us.
[The process by which he arrived at the con-clusionstated, is apparent from the following document. As an instance of cautious deliberation and foresight, it is worth preserving. It exhibits a fine specimen of a well-disciplined mind, and is a practical illustration of self-cultivation and Christian prudence:— Why Ithould not jriVU to a Compotition with Mr. P.
1. Because I have so much probability to recover, by law, that which is my due for the time past: and not only so, but also for time to come, whilst I continue unpre-ferred; which, as the case stands, may be long enough. I have Mr. Ratclifis and Sir Orl. Bridgan's opinion upon my deed.
2. Now is a bad time to treat with Mr. P. for composition', because those about him, come what will, care not for parting with any thing.
3. Lest it should hinder my return hither again, if the door should yet be open; and who knows but it may?']
Reasons, fThylihould.
1. Law is chargeable and troublesome, and the issue tedious, and uncertain.
2. Besides, the times favour me not; judges and juries may be partial.
3.1 have a potent adversary in respect of purse and greatness.
4. If I should have a trial this next Assize, which yet is doubtful, and should have a verdict, which yet is more doubtful, he, being plaintifi*, may, for ought I know, remove it: and so, from time to time, to the Court of Exchequer, which, of all other, is most chargeable and tedious.
5. My present occasions for money to discharge my debt to my father. Considering, withal, besides the misery of debt, how hard it is to procure it; as, upon trial, I have found.
6. He being taken off, I may be in the less danger of confinements, and other troubles, upon public accounts.'] fF/tf Mr. P. thoyld fMd to a Composilion with wu.
1. In point of equity: thelabourer being worthy of his hire; especially, considering the labourer's wages detained cries loud in heaven, and brings a curse.
2. In point of advantage. If I should recover, as there is hope I may, it will be bad for him, especially having parted with the tithes which he might have kept.
3. In point of honour. I came hither upon the invitation of his family; left my place in the University, where, he knows, I had encouragement to have stayed. Also the relation wherein I stood to him as Tutor. Also, his promise. If there was any occasion of his anger given, it was when he was a child, and under my tuition, and it was my duty to complain; though, he knows, how sparing I was that way. And for persuading his father to disinherit him, he hath acknowledged he did believe it was not so; and I know it was not.']
The issue of this afi'air was, that, there having been some disputes between Mr. P. and Dr. Bridg-man, about the tithe of Worthenbury, wherein Mr. P. had clearly the better claim to make, yea, by the mediation of Sir Thomas Hanmer, they came to this agreement, September 11, 1661, that Dr. Bridgman and his successors, Parsons of Bangor, should have and receive all the tithe corn and hay of Worthenbury, without the disturbance of the said Mr. P. or w p. Henry. Diary, Orig. MS.
X Probably of the same family as the husband of Mrs. Ratdiff, his heirs, except the tithe hay of Emeral demesne, upon condition that Dr. Bridgman should, before the first of November following, avoid and discharge the present minister or curate, Philip Henry, from the chapel of Worthenbury, and not hereafter, at any time, re-admit the said minister, Philip Henry, to officiate in the said cure. This is the substance of the Articles agreed upon between them, pursuant to which Dr. Bridgman soon after dismissed Mr. whose life is recorded in the Memoirs of Eminently Pious WomeD, V. I. p. 280. ed. 1815. 7 P- Henry. Orig. MS.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY
57
Henry;" and, by a writing under his hand, which was published in the church of Worthenbury, by one of Mr. Puleston's servants, October the 27th following, notice was given to the parish of that dismission. That day, he preached his farewell* sermon on Philippians i. 27.— Only let your conver-futiam be ns becomes the gospel of Christ. In which, as he saith in his Diary, his desire and design was rather to profit than to affect,—It matters not what becomes of me^^—whether I come unto you or else he ehsent —but let your conversation be as becomes the gotpel. His parting prayer for them was,— The Lordy ike God of the spirits of all fleshy set a man over the ttmyreyation. Thus he ceased to preach to his people there, but he ceased not to love them, and pray for tbem; and could not but think there remained some donnant relation betwixt him and them.''
As to the arrears of his annuity with Mr. P. when he was displaced, after some time Mr. P. was will-JDg to give him £100, which was a good deal less tlian what was due, upon condition that he would surrender his deed of annuity, and his lease of the ho Qsc, which he, for peace sake, was willing to do; tnd so he lost all the benefit of Judge Puleston's ^reat kindness to him. This was not completed till September, 1662, until which time he continued in the house at Worthenbury, but never preached so mach as once in the church, though there were vacancies several times.
Mr. Richard Hilton was immediately put into the curacy of Worthenbury, by Dr. Bridgman. Mr. Henry went to hear him while he was at Worthenbury, and joined in all the parts of the public worship, pardcularly attending upon the sacrament of baptism;—not daring, saith he, to turn my back upon God's ordinance, while the essentials of it are retained, though corrupted, circumstantially, in the administration of it, which, God amend! Once, being allowed the liberty of his gesture, he joined in the Lord's supper. He kept up his correspondence with Mr. Hilton, and, as he saith in his Diary, endeavoured to possess him with right thoughts of his work, and advised him the best he could in the soul affairs of that people; —which, saith he, he seemed to take well. I am sure I meant it so; and the Lord make him faithful!
Inunediately after he was removed and silenced
16111, October 24. Dr. Bridgman came to Worthenbury. and before a rabble there, again repeated and read over my dischaiige. Tbe drcv Dxiatances whereof, place, manner, witnesses, somewhat cneved me. He called it pee Yishneas. I justify not myself! Lord, by not my ain to my charge, nor his sin to bis! P. Henry. Diary, Orif.llS>. I » See a Complete Collection of Farewell Sermons by many I Emioent DtTines who were ejected by tbe Act of Uniformity, 4to. 1663.
M61, Jamary 5. In the afternoon I went to Captain Heneage, wh«re wai Mr. Tallenta, Mr. Lawrence, Mr. Parsons, Mr. Steel; ve discooned aU oight, especially upon this query.-Whether <Kur relation do yet remain to our people! In tbe close, we were, ^ided la our opinloiis about it P. Henry. Diary, Orig. MS. at Worthenbury, he was solicited to preach at Bangor, and Dr. Bridgman was willing to permit it, occasionally; and intimated to his curate there, that he should never hinder it; but Mr. Henry declined it. Though his silence was his great grief, yet, such was his tenderness, that he was not willing so far to discourage Mr. Hilton at Worthenbury, nor to draw so many of the people from him, as would certainly have followed him to Bangor.—But, saith he, I cannot get my heart into such a spiritual frame on sabbath days now, as formerly; which is both my sin and my affliction. Lord, quicken me with quickening grace!
When the King came in first, and showed so good a temper, as many thought, some of his friends were very earnest with him to revive his acquaintance and interest at court, which it was thought he might easily do. It was reported in the country, that the Duke of York' had inquired after him ; but he heeded not the*report, nor would he be persuaded to make any addresses that way For, saith he, my friends do not know, so well as I, the strength of temptation, and my own inability to deal with it. Qui bene latuit, bene vixit. Lord, lead me not into temptation!
He was greatly afiected with the temptations and afflictions of many faithful ministers of Christ at this time, by the pressing of conformity; and kept many private days of fasting and prayer in his own house at Worthenbury, seeking to turn away the wrath of God from the land. He greatly pitied some, who, by the urgency of friends, and the fear of want, were over-persuaded to put a force upon themselves in their conformity.—The Lord keep me, saith he, in the critical time!
He preached sometimes occasionally in divers neighbouring places, till Bartholomew day,*' 1662; —^the day, saith he, which our sins have made one of the saddest days to England, sinoe the death of Edward the Sixth ;• but, even this for good, though we know not how, nor which way. He was invited to preach at Bangor on the black' Bartholomew day, and prepared a sermon on John vii. 37.— In the last dayy that great day of the feasts Sfc. but was prevented from preaching it; and was loth to strive against so strong a stream. c Afterwards King James the Second. See Dr. D'Oyley's Life of Archbishop Sancroft, v. I. p. 163. ice. . d August 24. It was a day famous for two remarkable events happening upon it, and both fatal. The one. that day three-score years before, fktal to the Church of France in the maa<tacre of many thousands of Protestants at Paris. The other, fiital to the Dissenting Ministers of England, near upon two thousand, (where* of myself an unworthy one.) who were put to silence on that day. and forbidden to preach the gospel under severe penalties, because tbey would not, they durst not, sin against God. P. Henry. Orig. MS. f My dear father used to call it" the Black Bartholomew." BArs. Savage. Diary, Orig. MS. See the Farewell Sermons, p. AOO.visupra.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
Ab to his nonconfonnity, which some of his worst enemies have said was his only fault, it may not be amiss here to give some acconnt of it.
1. His reasons for his nonconformity were yery considerable. It was no rash act, but deliberate, and well weighed in the balances of the sanctuary. He could by no means submit to be re-ordained; so well satisfied was he in his call to the ministry, and his solemn ordination to it, by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, which God had graciously owned him in, that he durst not do that which looked like a renunciation of it, as null and sinful, and would be at least a tacit invalidating and condemning of all his administrations. Nor could he truly say, that he thought himself moved by the Holy Ghost to tahe upon him the office of a deacon. He was the more confirmed in this objection, because the then Bishop of Chester, l>r. Hall,> in whose diocese he was, besides all that was required by law, exacted from those that came to him to be re-ordained, a subscription to this form;— Ego A. B. prtetensas meoi ordinationU literas, a quibusdam presbyteris olim obtentoi jam penitus renuneiOf et dimitto pro vanis ;** humiliter supplicans guatenui Rev, in Christo Pater et Dominut Dominus Georgius per-missione divinA Cestr, Epitc, me ad sacrum Diacon-atiis ordinem juxta morem et ritus Ecclesits Angli" tamt dignaretur admittere. This, of re-ordination, was the first and great bar to his conformity, and which he mostly insisted on. He would sometimes say,—that, for a presbyter to be ordained a deacon, is at best suscipere gradum Simeonis.
Besides this, he was not at all satisfied to give his unfeigned ''assent and consent to all and every thing contained in the book of Common Prayer," he, for he thought that thereby he should receive the book itself, and every part thereof, rubrics and all, both as true and good; whereas there were several things which he could not think to be so. The exceptions which the ministers made against tlie Liturgy, at the Savoy Conference, he thought very considerable; and could by no means submit to, much less approve of, the impositions of the ceremo' niesJ He often said, that, when Christ came to free us from the yoke of one ceremonial law, he did not leave it in the power of any man, or company of men, in the world, to lay another upon our necks.
Kneeling at the Lord's supper he was much dissatisfied about; and it was for many years his great grief, and which, in his Diary, he doth often most c Dr. George Hall, son of the venerable Bishop of Norwich, was bom in 1613; ob. 1C68. Mr. Chalmers's Biog. Diet v. 17. p. 57. h Mr. Cook, of Chester, told the Bishop, that though his ordina. tion by presbyters was not legal yet it was evangelical. P. Henry. Diary, Orig. WS. i We see the primitive Christians did not make so much of any uniformity in rites and ceremonies; nay, I scarce think any churches in the prlmi Uve times can be produced that did exactly, in ail things, observe the ame customs» which might, espcpatheticaliy lament; that, by it, he was debarred from partaking of that ordinance in the solemn assembly. For, to submit to that imposition, he thought, whatever it was to others, whom he was far from judging, would be sin to him. [Take his own statement of the case, as follows: The reasons why I do not communicate in the public administration of the Lord's supper, are ;»-1.1 am not satisfied to kneel in the act of receiving. (1.) Because it hath no warrant (not in the least) from Scripture, neither by precept nor precedent; whereas, sitting hath : at least by precedent; clearly, in the practice of Christ himself, and the apostles; and, probably, in the practice of the first churches; for it seems the AgapsB, or love feasts, were used together with the Eucharist. See 1 Corinthians xi, (2.) Because it doth no way suit with the nature of the ordinance, which is a supper; an ordinance wherein the blessed Jesus calls us to the nearest familiarity and fellowship with himself,—to eat with him; and therefore to sit, not to kneel, with him, at his table. (3.) Because it hath been grossly abused, even to idolatry, by the papists, in worshipping the consecrated host, which, in all probability, brought it first into the church; and, moreover, grives them advantage to argue, as Bellarmin ^ expressly states, '' We do no more in kneeling before an image than the Protestants do in kneeling at the sacrament; — ergoy if we are idolaters, so are they." (4.) Because, having made trial myself of both gestures,—kneeling heretofore, and sitting of late,—I dare not sin against my conscience, which tells me, I ought not to quit the liberty wherewith Christ hath made me free. I know that which is said, for it is the command of my superiors; to which I oppose the command of my Supreme, saying,— Be not, ye servants of men; and, Call no man master ;— which I then do, when I give a blind obedience to their injunctions, for the authority-sake of the enjoiners, rendering me no rtason why, or wherefore, but only,^iStc «o/o, sie jubeo} And to do this in the things of God's worship, I conceive to be sinful. • 2. If I were satisfied to kneel, yet I should not at the rails,"" which are used in our parish church of Mal-pas, because it is an innovation warranted by no law, dally, be an aigument of moderation in all as to these things. Bidiop Stillingfleet's Irenicum, «< wfro, pp. 66, 67. k Robert Bellarmin, an Italian Jesuit, and a celebrated contro. ▼ersial writer, was born in 1M2. Ob. 16*21. Mr. Chalmen!*s Biog. Diet. V. 4. p. 383. to:.
1 See these words singularly associated in the Life of Lord Chief Justice Dyer, prefixed to Mr. Vaillant's edition of his Reports, oct 1704.
In the British Mmeum, fol. 4275, Plut. IIL E. BiU. Birch. Is THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
60 divine nor hnman, civil nor canonical. And, tlio, it smells rank of popish snperstition, yea, of Indaism itself. By Jesos Christ the vail is rent, and all sach like walls of partition are broken down.
3. Though, before God, I am the chiefest of sin-■eis, and dare not say to any, Stmnd off for I am hUier tkmn thou; yet, since the Scripture enjoins me with such and such not to eat, and saith withal, that « Uiile iemten leavetu the whole /Kmp,—while so many lie adnutted grossly profane, yea, none indeed ex-ehided that will receive, I am afraid, as, on the one hand, of defiling myself; so, on the other hand, of haideoing them, by eating and drinking into the tame body with them.**]
He never took the covenant, nor ever expressed any fondness for it; and yet he could not thinh, and tterefore durst not deelare, that, however unlaw-filly imposed, it was in itself an unlawful oath, •ad Hutt no person that took it was under the obli-gitioti df it: for, sometimes, quod fieri non dehv.it fettmm valet. In short, it cannot be wondered at, dnt he was a nonconformist, when the terms of conformity were so industriously contrived to keep out of the church such men as he; which is mani-Ibled by the fall account which Mr. Baxter hath left to posterity, of that affair ;<> and it is a passage worth noticing here, which Dr. Bates, in his funeral mrnon on Mr. Baxter, relates ;p that when the Lord Chamberlain Manchester told the King, while ^ Act of Uniformity was under debate, that he was afraid that the terms were so hard, that many of the ■inisters would not comply with them. Bishop Sheldon,^ being present, replied, " I am afraid ttey will.'' And it is well known how many of the mat sober, pious, and laborious ministers, in all parts of the nation, conformists as well as nonconformists, did dislike those impositions.
He thought it a mercy, since it must be so, that the case of nonconformity was made so clear as it vas, abundantly to satisfy him in his silence and lofefingB. I have heard that Mr. Anthony Burges,' who hesitated before, when he read the Act, blessed God that the matter was put out of doubt. And yet, to make sure work, the printing and publishing sf the new Book of Common Prayer was so deferpr mi t id a MS. coofalniog ** Some animadveriioiis on a Letter of the Bev- Dr. U. Fowler, [of Whitchurch,] to Mr. VCatea, oPDan-Ibid lun, near Whitchurch J concerning kneeling at the rayles la leccivifig the Lofd*i Supper.** Mr. Yates was the Doctor's fklikwi c r , and had applied for a dispensation to receive the Loftfs aupficr withoot kneeling at the altar. Dr. Fowler's Letter is copied ia the margin; and the animadversions are ably written. It ta registered as a MS. of Mr. Henry's,—but it seems doubtful whether it be hb hand-writing. Indeed, the editor does not think its tatcrnal evidence would justify its introduction as his compo-
SitiOB.
Thia opf nkm turns out to be correct The MS. is good old Mr. Steele'a la a letter fVom Matthew Henry to Ralph Thoresby, Esq. of Lceda» dated Oct 10, itfOS, and in Mr. Upcott's possession, he mys. Me eting among my fathers papers with a sheet of his (Hr. Slede*!) in aatircr to Dr.* 'eQw\etB ugameot$ for set Uag f red, that few of the ministers, except those in London, could possibly get a sight of it, much less duly consider of it,* before the time prefixed; which Mr Steel took notice of in his Farewell Sermon at Hanmcr, August 17, 1662,—that he was silenced and turned out for not declaring his unfeigned assent and consent to a book which he never saw nor eould see.
One thing which he comforted himself with in his nonconformity was, that as to matters of doubtful disputation touching church government, ceremonies, and the like, he was ica#i£7orfi, either on one side or the other, and so was free from those snares and bands in which so many find themselves tied up from what they would do, and entangled that they know not what to do. He was one of those that feared an oath, Ecclesiastes x. 2. and would often say,—Oaths are edged tools, and not to be played with. One passage I find in his papers, which confirmed him in this satisfaction; it is a letter from no less a clergyman than Dr. F.* of Whitchurch to one of his parishioners;" who desired him to give way that his child might be baptized by another without the cross and godfathers, if he would not do it so himself; both which he refused: it was in the year 1672-3. '^ For my part, said the Doctor, I freely profess my thoughts, that the strict urging of indifferent ceremonies hath done more harm than good ; and, possibly, had all men been left to their liberty therein, there might have been much more unity, and not much less uniformity. But what power have I to dispense with myself, being now under the obligation of a law and an oath V* And he concludes, " I am much grieved at the unhappy condition of myself, and other ministers, who must either lose their parishioners' love, rf they do not comply with them, or else break their solemn obligations to please them."
This, he would say, was the mischief of impositions, which ever were, and ever will be, bones of contention. When he was at Worthenbury, though in the Lord's supper he used the gesture of sitting himself, yet he administered it without scruple to some who chose rather to kneel; * and he thought that ministers' hands should not, in such things, be up rails about the conununion table, written with his own hand, I send it you enclosed. J. B. W. Oct 5,1837.
a P. Henry. Orig. MS.
o See Reliq. Baxter. Lib. 1. Part 11.
P Dr. Bates's Works, ▼. 4. p. 330.
q Afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury. Nat A. D. .1506, ob. Nov. 9,1677. Mr. Chalmers' Biog. Diet v. 27. p. 442. r See Noncon. Mem. ▼. 3. p. 350.
A curious anecdote illustrative of this statement is recorded by Dr. Calamy in his Defence of Moderate Nonconformity, v. 2. Part H. p. 357. t Dr. Matthew Fowler was Rector of Whitchurch, and died there in 1683, ast. 06. Wood's Fasti, ut npra. Ath. Oxon. ▼. 4 p. 55.
« A Mr. Morgan. P. Henry. Diary. Orig. MS.
See the Ufe of Mn. Jane RalcWflte, \>) 0;ift Uiet.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY. tied up; but that he ought, in bis place, though he suffered for it, to witness against the making of those things the indispensable terms of communion, which Jesus Christ hath not made to be so. Where the Spirit of the Lord, and the spirit of the gospel, iSf there is liberty.
Such as these were the reasons of his nonconformity, which, as long as he lived, he was more and more confirmed in.
2. His moderation in his nonconformity was very exemplary and eminent, and had a great influence upon many, to keep them from running into an uncharitable and schismatical separation; which, upon all occasions, he bore his testimony against, and was very industrious to stem the tide of. In church government, that which he desired and wished for, was Archbishop Usher's reduction of episcopacy.* He thought it lawful to join in the Common Prayer in public assemblies, and practised accordingly, and endeavoured to satisfy others concerning it The spirit he was of was such as made him much afraid of extremes, and solicitous for nothing more than to maintain and keep Christian love and charity among professors. Wc shall meet with several instances of this in the progress of his story, and therefore wave it here. I have been told of an aged minister" of his acquaintance, who, being asked upon his death-bed,—What his thoughts were of his nonconformity, replied, he was well satisfied in it/ and should not have conformed so far as he did, viz. to join in the Liturgy, if it had not been for Mr. Henry. Thus was his moderation hnotcn unto all men.
[It were a desirable thing, he would sometimes say, that all who fear God in the land, in the neighbourhood, were at peace among themselves; for, as for peace with wicked men, it will never be while the world stands; the seed of the serpent, of the bond-woman, will hate, will persecute, the seed of the woman, the free-woman. Fire and water will as soon be reconciled as these two seeds. But how happy were it if all good people were at peace; if all their enmities were at an end! The Saviour left this blessing as a legacy, John xiv.; pressed it, John XV.; prayed for it, John xvii."]
But to proceed in his story. At Michaelmas, 1662, he quite left Worthenbury, and came with his family to Broad Oak, just nine years from his first coming into the country. Being cast by Divine Providence into this new place and state of life, his care and prayer was,—that he might have grace and wisdom to manage it to the glory of God, which, saith he, is V See Buck's Theol. Diet. vol. i. Tit. Episcopacy. Atid Reliq. Baxter. Lib. 1. Part II. p. 238.
X Mr. Robert Fojjg, sen. See the Noncon. Mem. v. 3. p. 481.
7 See the Sel. Noncon. Rem. pp. 48, 49, aiO.
1 P. Henry. Orig. MS. a A very small and antique building; it is yet standing. See Ormerod'B History of Cheshire, v. 2. p. 347. b See tt Biit p. 32. my chief end. Within three weeks after his coming hither, his second son was bom, which we mention for the sake of the remark he has upon it—^We have no reason, saith he, to call him Benoni, I wish we had none to call him Ichabod. And, on the day of his family-thanksgiving for that mercy, he writes,— We have reason to rejoice with trembling, for it goes ill with the church and people of God, and reason to fear worse because of our own sins, and our enemies' wrath.
At the latter end of this year he hath in his Diaiy this note:— It is observed of many who have conformed of late, and fallen from what they formerly professed, that, since their so doing, from unblamable, orderly, pious men, they are become exceeding dissolute and profane, and instanceth in some. What need have we every day to pray,—Lord, lead us not into temptation !
For several years after he came to live at Broad Oak, he went constantly on Lord's days to public worship, with his family, at Whitewell chapel,* which is hard by, if there were any supply there, as sometimes there was from Malpas; and if none, then to Tylstock, where Mr. Zachary Thomas continued for about half a year, and the place was a little sanctuary ; and, when that string failed, usually to Whitchurch; and did not preach for a great while, unless occasionally, when he visited his friends, or to his own family, on Lord's days, when the weather hindered them from going abroad. He comforted himself, that sometimes in going to public worship, he had an opportunity of instructing and exhorting those that were in company with him, by the way, according as he saw they had need; and in this his lips fed many y and his tongue was as choice silver; and he acted according to that rule which he often laid down to himself and others,—That, when we cannot do what we would, we must do what we can,** and the Lord will accept us in it. He made the best of the sermons he heard in public.^^It is a mercy, saith he, we have bread, though it be not as it hath been, of the finest of the wheat. Those are froward children who throw away the meat they have, if it be wholesome, because they have not what they would have. When he met with preaching that was weak, his note is,->That is a poor sermon indeed, out of which no good lesson maybe learned. He had often occasion to remember that verse of Mr. Herbert's :— The worst speaks something good; if all want sense, God takes the text, and preacheth patience,** c Mr. Rovre sometimes said,—" When I meet with a sermon that doth not like me, I first look into myself to see if there were nothing amiss there, and, if there were no fault there. I would then scan it over again. We many times blame the minister when the ftiult is our own; we have not prayed for him as we should have done.'* Life. pp. 56, 57, ui npra. d The Temple, Sacred Poems, and Private Ejaculations, by Mr. George Herbert, late Oraiour of the University, of Cambridge, THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
61
NaT, and once he saith, he could not avoid thinking of Eli's sons, who made the sacrifices, of the Lord to ie abhorred. Yet he went, to bear his testimony topablie ordinances.—For still, saith he, the Lord kteth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jtcob; and so do I. Sach, then, were his sentiments of things, expecting that God would yet open a door of return to former public liberty, which he mach desired and prayed for; and in hopes of that, was backward to fall into the stated exercise of his miiiistr>' otherwise, as were all the sober noncon-fomiists generally in those parts, but it was his grief and burthen that he had not an opportunity of doing more for God. He had scarce one talent of opportunity, bat that one he was very diligent and faithful in the improyement of. When he visited his friends, bow did he lay out himself to do them good! Being aiked once, where he made a visit, to expound and pray, which his friends returned him thanks for, he thus ¥rrites upon it; —They cannot thank me so much for my pains, but I thank them more, and my Lord God especially, for the opportunity. Read his conflict vrith himself at this time;—I own myself a minister of Christ, yet do nothing as a minister. What will excuse me ? Is it enough for me to say. Behold I stand in the market-place, and no man hath hired me ? And he comforts himself with this appeal ;—Lord, thou knowest what will I have to thy work, public or private, if I had a call and opportunity. And shall this willing mind be accepted ? Surely this is a melancholy consideration, and lays a great deal of blame somewhere, that such a man as Mr. Henry, so well qualified with gifts and graces for ministerial work, and in the prime of his time for usefulness ; so sound and orthodox, so humble and modest, so quiet and peaceable,* so pious and blameless ; should be so industriously thrust out of the vineyard, as a useless and unprofitable servant, and laid aside as a despised broken vessel, and a vessel in which there was no pleasure. This is a lamentation, and shall beybr a lamentation ; especially, since it was not his case alone, but the lot of so many hundreds of the same character.
In these circumstances of silence and restraint, be took comfort himself, and administered comfort to others, from that scripture, Isaiah xvi. 4. Let my vut'Casts dwell with thee, Moab, God's people may be an out-cast people, cast out of men's love, their synagogues, their country; but God will own his people when men cast them out; they are out-casts, bat they are his, and somewhere or other he will provide a dwelling for them. p. U. ed. 1650. Mr. Herbert was born April 3.1593. and died in I«35. lives, bj bask Walton. Dr. Zoach's ed. v. 2. p. 1. oct
Hr. Wesley, after noticiiiff the disputatious temper of some as to opinions and eatemala. proceeds;—" But I do not include that venerable nan, Mr. Philip Henry, nor any that were of his spirit, in this muaber. I know tbey abhorred contending about exter-nls. Ndtber did they separate themselves from the church.
[On the return of his birth-day, his Diary contains the following affecting record.—1063, August 34. This day thirty-two years I was born; this day twelve-month I died ;—that fatal day to the godly, painful, faithful ministers of England, among whom I am not worthy to be numbered. We mourned and prayed before the Lord at W. B/s house, if so be there may be hope, Zechariah vii. 3. compare Jeremiah i. 3. The Jews, in their captivity, fasted in the fifth month, because in the fifth month Jerusalem was carried away captive; and, in the seventh month, Zechariah vii. 5. because in the seventh month Gedaliah was slain, Jeremiah xli. 1.^]
There were many worthy able ministers thereabout turned out, both from work and subsistence, that had not such comfortable support for the life that now is, as Mr. Henry had, for whom he was most affectionately concerned, and to whom he showed kindness. There were computed, within a few miles round him, so many ministers turned out to the wide world, stripped of all their maintenance, and exposed to continual hardships, as with their wives and children, having most of them numerous families, made up above a hundred, that lived upon Providence ; and, though oft reduced to wants and straits, yet were not forsaken, but were enabled to rejoice in the Lord, and to joy in the God of their salvation, notwithstanding: to whom the promise was fulfilled. Psalm xxxvii. 3.— So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. The world was told long since, by the ** Conformist's Plea,"' that the worthy Mr. Lawrence,'' Mr. Henry's intimate friend, when he was turned out of Baschurch,* and, if he would have consulted with flesh and blood, having, as was said of one of the martyrs, eleven good arguments against suffering, viz, a wife and ten children, was asked how he meant to maintain them all, and cheerfully replied,—They must all live on the sixth of Matthew, Take no thought for your life, SrC' and he often sung, with his family, Psalm xxxvii. 16. And Mr. Henry hath noted concerning him in his Diary, some time after he was turned out,—That he bore witness to the love and care of our Heavenly Father, providing for him, and his present condition, beyond expectation.
One observation Mr. Henry made not long before he died, when he had been young and now was old, That, though many of the ejected ministers were brought very low, had many children, were greatly harassed by persecution, and their friends generally poor and unable to support them; yet, in all his acquaintance, he never knew, nor could remember to They continued therein till they were driven out, whether they would or not." Further Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion. Works, vol xii. pp. 274, 275. f P. Henry. Diary, Orig. MS. r 4to. 1682. See Granger's Hist. v. 3. p. 336. ul tvpra. h See the Noncon. Mem. v. 3. p 129. i A parish in the hund. of PIrohill, Salop, 8 miles from Shrewsbury.
THE UFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY. haye heard of, any nonconformist minister in prison for debt.
[It is obyious, he writes, to observe at four several times, and upon four several occasions, ministers have been silenced and turned out of their places; and yet still, after a time, more or less restored again. i. In Queen Mary's days,—^because they would not close with popery at the return of it. But that interdict lasted under five years, being taken off upon Queen Elizabeth's coming to the throne.
2. In Queen Elizabeth's, King James's, and King Charles's days,—because they could not conform to the hierarchy and ceremonies; and this interdict lasted long, even till the Long Parliament, A. D. 1640; but it was then taken off.
3. Under the Long Parliament many ministers were sequestered and silenced for malignancy, and not covenanting.
4. Many others, after the King's death, for not engaging to be true to the Commonwealth, as then established; both which restraints, though much remitted before, yet quite ceased at the coming in of the King, A. 1>. 1660.
And now more ministers are silenced, and with more severity than ever, by the Act of August 2i, And who among us can tell for how long ? This only I know,— He who katk delivered, doth deliver. Script. March 31, 1663.
The Lord is my protection, I shall not fall. What need I fear ?
The Lord is mif portion, I thall not want. What need I care 7*^]
In October, 1663, Mr. Steel, and Mr. Henry, and some other of their friends,' were taken up and brought prisoners to Hanmer,™ under pretence of some plot said to be on foot against the government: and there they were kept under confinement some days, on which he writes;—It is sweet being in any condition with a clear conscience. The sting of death is sin, and so of imprisonment also. It is the first time, saith he, I was ever a prisoner, but perhaps may not be the last. We felt no hardship, but we know not what we may. They were, after some days, examined by the Deputy Lieutenants, charged with they knew not what and so dismissed, finding verbal security to be forthcoming upon twenty-four hours' notice, whenever they should be called for. Mr. Henry returned to his tabernacle with thanksgivings to God, and a hearty prayer for his enemies, that God would forgive them. The very next day
1c P. Henry. Grig. MS.
1 Luke Lloyd, Esq. was one of the number. P. Henry. Diary, Orig. MS. m Mr. Steel being removed from Hanmer by Uie Bartholomew Act, Mr. Hilton was pot in there, and left Worthenbniy, which continued long aOer without any stated supply. Life. Orig. MS. Minora. 1 SirEvmn Lloyd, Governor of Cbeeter, is the person referred after they were released, a great man in the country, at whose instigation they were brought into that trouble, died, as was said, of a drunken surfeit.*^ So that a man shall say,-- Verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.
In the beginning of the year 1666, when the Act for a Royal Aid, to His Majesty, of two millions and a half, came out, the Commissioners for Flintshire were pleased to nominate Mr. Henry sub-collector of the said tax for the township of Iscoyd, and Mr. Steel for the township of Hanmer. They intended thereby to put an affront and disparagement upon their ministry, and to show that they looked upon them but as lay-men.** His note upon it is,—It is not a sin which they put us upon, but it is a cross, and a cross in our way, and, therefore, to be taken up and borne with patience. When I had better work to do, I was wanting in my duty about it, and now this is put upon me; the Lord is righteous. He procured the gathering of it by others, only took account of it, and saw it duly done; and deserved, as he said he hoped he should, that inscription mentioned in Suetonius, ladkCtQ rt Kuvtiaavn, —To the memory of an honest publican.'
In September, the same year, he was again, by warrant from the Deputy Lieutenant, fetched prisoner to Hanmer, as was also Mr. Steel and others. He was examined about private meetings. Some such, but private indeed, he owned he had been present at of late, in Shropshire, but the occasion was extraordinary; the plague was at that time raging in London, and he, and several of his friends, having near relations there, thought it time to seek the Lord for them, and this was imputed to him as his crime. He was likewise charged with administering the Lord's supper, which he denied, having never administered it since he was disabled by the Act of Uniformity. After some days' confinement, seeing they could prove nothing upon him, he was discharged upon recognizance of £20, with two sureties, to be forthcoming upon notice, and to live peaceably,'^Bniy saith he, our restraint was not strict, for we had liberty of prayer and conference together, to our mutual edification. Thus out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong sweetness; and we found honey in the carcase of the lion, [In reference to his own improvement, his Diary, about this period, contains the following interesting record.—Covenants renewed in these particulars. By the Lord's help, I purpose to be more substantial in secret worship; more sparing of precious time; to. His death occurred, Oct 15, 1663. P. Henry. Diary, Orig. MS. o Hit excellent son notes, on one occasion,—Fell in company with Mr. D—; he told me he looked upon me as a deceived lay. man. God give me grace to make this good use of the censure-to be so much the more diligent to approve myself a yood miniUn •fJn%$ CkrUt. Matthew Henry. Diary, Orig. MS. March 10, I70SA
P Sabinus. See Matt. Henry's Expos. Mar. ii. 13—18.
THE LIFE OP MR, PHILIP HENRY.
6S more constmnt in reading the Scriptures alone, and meditating in them; more carefal to improve all oppoitonitiea of doing good to souLs: not only taking but seeking them; less fearful about eyits when in a way of duty. In all which I have lately missed it, but the Lord hath pardoned me in Christ Jesns.<>] It was but a little before this, that Mr. Steel, setting out for London, was, by a warrant from the justices, nnder colour of the report of a plot, stopped and searched, and, finding nothing to accuse him of, they seised his almanack,' in which he kept his Diaiy for that year; and, it not being written very legibly, they made what malicious readings and comments they pleased upon it, to his great wrong and leproach ; though, to all sober and sensible people, it disco Tered him to be a man that kept a striet watch over bis own heart, and was a great hnsband of his time, and many said they got good by h, and should love him the better for it. Psalm xxxrii. 5, 6. This event made Mr. Henry some-wbt more caotious and sparing in the records of his Diary, irhen be saw how evil men dig up mischief. At Lady I>ay, 1666, the Five-mile Act eom-meneed, by -which all nonconformist ministers were forbidden, upon pain of six months imprisonment, to oome or be -within five miles of any corporation, or of any place where they had been ministers, unless tbey would take an oath; of which Mr. Baxter saith, it was credibly reported, that the Earl of Southampton, then Lord High Treasurer of England, said. No honest man could take it. Mr. Baxter, in bis life, hath set down at large his reasons against takmg this Oxford oath, as it was called, part ii. p. 398, &c. part. iii. p. 4, &c. Mr. Henry set his down in short. It was an oath, not at any time to endea-four any alteration of the government, in the church or state. He had already taken an oath of allegiance to the King, and he looked upon this to amount to an oath of allegiance to the bishops, which he was not free to take. Thus he writes, Maich 22,1066-6: This day methoughts it was made more clear to me than ever, by the hand of God upon me, and I note It down, that I may remember it; (1.) That the government of the church of Christ ought to be managed by the ministers of Christ. It appears, Hebrews xiii. 7. that they are to rule us, that speak to OS the word of God. (2.) That nnder prelacy," miaisters have not the management of church-go-
1 P. Heoiy. Orig. MS.
' GoUmith's was uaed by Mr. Henry. He had it interleaved lor the purpoae ofa Diary. In blank leaves, at the beginning and tht end, be often made extracts from books, or recorded remarka which occurred in con venation, &c
Dr. Wordawoitb baa the following annotation connected with the abof« aentanoe;—This reasoning seems hardly worth the aottar dowaaad icmembering. Do not prelates speak to us the wcRd of Gad 1 (are not tbey. too, ministers of Christ t) and are they not enfitlcd, tlwrcfivr* <if the citation from the apoatlc be valid J vemment, not in the least, being only the publishers of the prelates' decrees, as in exconununication, and absolution; which decrees sometimes are gven forth by lay-ehancellors. (3.) That, therefore, prelacy is an usurpation in the church of God, upon the crown and dignity of Jesus Christ, and upon the gospel-rights of his servants the ministers. And therefore, (4.) I ought not to subscribe to it, nor to swear not to endeavour, in all lawful ways, the alteration of it, viz. by praying and persuading, where there is opportunity. But, (5.) That I may safely venture to suffer in the refusal of such an oath, committing my soul, life, estate, liberty, all, to him who judgeth righteously.
And on March 25, the day when that act took place, he thus writes : A sad day among poor ministers up and down this nation; who, by this act of restraint, are forced to remove from among their friends, acquaintance, and relations, and to sojourn among strangers, as it were in Meteeh and in tk§ tents of Kedar, But there is a God who tells their wenderingsj and will put their tearsy and the tears of their wives and children, into his bottle. Arc they not in his book ? The Lord be a little sanctuary to them, and a place of refuge from*the storm, and from the tempest, and pity those places from which they are ejected, and come and dwell where they may not.
He wished their removes might not be figurative of evil to these nations, as Ezekiel's were, Ezekie! xii. 1, 2, 3. This severe dispensation forced Mr. Steel and his family from Hanmer, and so he lost the comfort of his neighbourhood; but withal it drove Mr. Lawrenoe from Baschurch to Whitchurch parish, where he continued till he was driven thence too.
Mr. Henry's house at Broad Oak was but four reputed miles from the utmost limits of Worthenbuiy parish, but he got it measured, and accounting 1700 yards to a mile, according to the Statute, 35 Eliz. cap. 6, it was found to be just five miles and threescore yards, which one would think might have been his security. But there were those near him who were ready to stretch such laws to the utmost rigour, under pretence of construing them in favour of the King, and, therefore, would have it to be understood of reputed miles. This obliged him for some time to leave his family, and to sojourn among his friends, to whom he endeavoured, wherever he came, to to rule over us t" Eccl. Biog. v. 6. p. 238. Mr. Henry's language is, however, evidently to be construed in connexion with the existing state of tbintts, and in contrast with those early days of episcopacy, to which reference is thus made in the Homilies f " Tliey were then preaching bishops, and more often seen in pul. pits than princes* palaces; more often occupied in his legacy, who said,—>l»!9 jrr inta th» wkoU Mwrld, and yreaeJk th* gotpel to aU awa, than in embaamges and aflhtrs of princes in this world." The Homilies appointed to be read in Churches in the time of Queen Elizabeth, p. 214.4ta 1706.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY. impart some spiritual gift. At last he ventured home, presuming, among other things, that the warrant hy which he was made collector of the Royal Aid, while that continued, would secure him, according to a proviso in the last clause of the act, which, when the gentlemen perceived, they discharged him from that office, before he had served out the time.
[In a document consisting of reasons on the subject, he thus concludes in favour of measured, rather than reputed, miles.
1. Because measured miles are certain ; reputed miles uncertain; one reputing more, another less.
2. Because otherwise some would be punished beyond others; viz. those who live where reputed miles are of extraordinary length.
3. Because in penal laws the interpretation should be such as most favours the offender.
4. Upon other statutes the decision of controversies hath been by measuring ; ergo in this.
6. He who swears against the delinquent must swear, not that it is reputed, but that it is five miles. It is not always from one great town to another that the question is like to be, but from a particular house,—as suppose Broad Oak, to an obscure boundary,—suppose the Sam.
6. The Scripture speaks of measured miles in a law-case, Deuteronomy xxi. 2.^]
He was much affected with it, that the burning of London happened so soon after the nonconformists were banished out of it. He thought it was in mercy to them, that they were removed before that desolating judgment came, but that it spoke aloud to our governors,— Let my people go that they may serve me; and if ye will not, behold this and thus will I do unto you. This was the Lord's voice crying in tlie 6ity.
In the beginning of the year 1667, he removed with his family to Whitchurch," and dwelt there above a year, except that for one quarter of a year, about harvest, he returned again to Broad Oak. His remove to Whitchurch was partly to quiet his adversaries, who were ready to quarrel with him upon the Five-mile act, and partly for the benefit of the school there for his children. t p. Henry. Grig. BIS.
some memoranda respecting his eldest son, Bfr. Henry writes; —In January. 1667, we removed to Whitcharch, partly to satisTy the law, partly to have convenient schooling for him and his brother, in regard Mr. Catheral was appointed by Sir Orlando Bridg-man to teach in Wigland, in a hoose newly built by him for that purpose, which was too for oflT us. I entered him at the Free School, being yet in coats, which had never been known there before. Orig. MS. r He was bom at Worthenbury, May 3,1661. His complexion was observed to be sweet and ruddy, his countenance compleat, bis eyes lively. He was baptized. May 12, by Mr. George Main-waring, late of Malpas. He preached in the morning, firom Zech. xii. 1. I preached in the afternoon, flrom Ps. li. 5. On the 14th of May, neighbours dined with us, and rejoiced in Ood's goodness.
There, In April following, he buried his eldest son,"" not quite six years old, a child of extraordinary pregnancy and forwardness in learning, and of a very towardly disposition. His character of this child is, Prater que atatem nil puerile fuit, [He was remarkable for four things.
1. Forwardness in learning, having all the three requisites,—apprehension, j udgment, memory ,—«ven beyond his age, and also a great love to it; never seeking, at any time, to stay from school.
2. Tenderness of disposition. He was apt to melt into tears at the least show of displeasure, though but in a frown.
3. Patience under correction; which he had not often, because he did not deserve it; and, when he did, his penitence prevented it, if not altogether, yet in the severity of it.
4. Love to his brother and sisters. When Matthew sickened first, with the measles, (of which John died,) he went to bed with him of his own accord, sooner than ordinary, and wept over him.
He was of a strong, healthy constitution, not smaying* for cold in school like other children. He was full of action, stirring, always doing something, and what he did, he did with all his might']
This child, before he was seized with the sickness whereof he died, was much afiected with some verses which he met with in Mr. White's Power of Godli-ness,^ said to be found in the pocket of a hopeful young man, who died before he was twenty-four years old. Of his own accord he got them without book, and would be often rehearsing them: they were these;— Not twice twelve years (he might say. Not half twelve years) full told, a wearied breath I have exchanged for a happy death. Short was my life; the longer is my rest; God takes them soonest whom he loveth best He that is bom toay and dies to-morrow, Loses some hours of joy, but months of sorrow; Other diseases often come to grieve us. Death strikes but once, and that stroke doth relieve us.
The same night my dear wife began to be ill of an ague. There are no comforts but what are mixed and chequered till we come to heaven. Tis the evening commends the day; therefore, we should serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. In the beginning of 1665, he went to school to Mr. Samuel Catheral, at Whitewell chapel, and by the end of that year, had learned to read English. In the beginning of 1666, he began his accidence, which he despatched in that year, with some of his grammar also. P. Henry. Orig. MS.
V Probably a contraction of diaoaying.
X p. Henry. Orig. MS.
7 See onte, p. 32. The copy which belonged to BIr. Henry, containing his hand-writing, and a few words ill written, supposed to be his son Jcfhn's, is in the editor's possession. See an account of Mr. White, in the Noncon. Mem. v. i. p. 106. ut npra.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHIUP HENRY.
66
Tins was a greal affliction to the tender parents. Xr. Hemy writes upon it in the reflection, €hnequid anuu eupias non placuisse nimis
Many years after, he said, he thought he did ipply to himself at that time, but too sensibly, that soiptare. Lamentations, iii. 1.— I am the man that katk iten ajfiietion. And he would say to his friends ■poD such occasions,—'* Losers think they may have leave to speak,' but they must have a care what tfMy lay, lest speaking amiss to God's dishonour, tfMy make work for repentance, and shed tears that Bast be wept over again,"* He observed concerning this child, that he had always been very patient nder rebokes. The remembrance of which saith he, teadieth me now how to cany it under the rebukes of my hcayenly Father. His prayer under this pro-vidaice wasy—Show me, Lord, show me wherefore ikon cootendest with me; have I over-boasted, over-bred, orer-priced ? A Lord's day intervening between Hie death and burial of the child,—I attended, saith he, on public ordinances, though sad in spirit, ai Job, who, after all the evil tidings that were kouglit him, whereof death of children was the last and heaviest, yet fell down and worshipped. And he would often say upon such occasions, that weep-iag most not hinder sowing. Upon the interment'' of tike child, he writes,—My dear child, now mine BO longer, was laid in the cold earth, not lost, but loon to be raised again a glorious body, and I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. A few days alter, his dear friend, Mr. Lawrence, then living in Wbitchnrch parish, buried a daughter, that was grown up and very hopeful, and gve good evidence of a work of gce wrought upon her soul. How willing, aaith he, may parents be to part with such when the Lord calls; they are not amini but pra-■ifW. And he hath this further remark,—The Lord hath made his poor servants, that have been often companions in his work, now companions in tribu-iaticm, the very same tribulation; me for my sin, him for his trial.*
While he lived at Whitchurch, he attended constantly upon the public ministry, and there, as ever, he waa careful to come to the beginning of the service, which he attended upon with reverence and devotion; standing all the time, even while the dttp Cers were read.
[He saidy—He that gives to God his soul, and scfwcs him with the inner man, will think no outward expression of reverence too much. He will give his body too.', Mr. Hemy had high thoughts of Too mort give losers to ipeak. Ben Jonaon, v. 6. p. 106. oct 101&
See Biibop Porei i dg c 't Private Thoughts, Article IV. k He died April It. Monday, AprillS, be was boiied, toward the upper end of the siiddle aisle in Whitchurch church. ICr. Samuel EdwardiWidt srhonhnaster, preached his ftmeial sermon. Text, MaifciiiLaa P. Btmy. Oilg.MS. the body as well as the soul. He would say, it is the workmanship of God, therefore not to be misused,— it is the house of the soul,—it is the servant to the soul, made use of in honouring God,—it is the purchase of Christ, united to him, 1 Corinthians vi. 1^.—^it is the temple of the Holy Ghost, 1 Corinthians vi. 19.— it is intended for glorious things in the resurrection, Philippians iii. 21. Job xix. 26. 1 Corinthians xv.<]
In the evening of the Lord's day, he spent some time in instructing his family, to which a few of his friends and neighbours in the town would sometimes come in; and it was a little gleam of opportunity, but very short, for, as he notes;—He was offended at it, who should rather have rejoiced, if, by any means, the work might be carried on in his people's souls.
He observes in his Diary tnis year, how zealous people had generally been for the observation of Lent, a while ago, and how cold they are towards it now. The same he notes of processions in Ascension-week ; for, saith he, what hath no good foundation, will not hold up long; but in that which is duty, and of God, it is good to be zealously affected always.
In this year, I think, was the first time that he administered the Lord's supper, very privately to be sure, after he was silenced by the Act of Uniformity ; and he did not do it without mature deliberation. A fear of separation kept him from it so long; what induced him to it at last, I find thus under his own hand. I am a minister of Christ, and as such I am obliged, virtute officii by all means to endeavour the good of souls. Now here is a company of serious Christians, whose lot is cast to live in a parish, where there is one set over them, who preach-eth the truth; and they come to hear him, and join with him in other parts of worship; only, as to the Lord's supper, they scruple the lawfulness of the gesture of kneeling; and he tells them, his hands are tied, and he cannot administer it unto them any other way; wherefore they come to me, and tell me, they earnestly long for that ordinance; and there is a competent number of them, and opportunity to partake; and how dare I deny this request of theirs, without betraying my ministerial trust, and incurring the gilt of a grievous omission ?
In February, 1667-8.' Mr. Lawrence and he were invited by some of their friends to Betley, in Staf-. fordshire, and (there being some little public connivance at that time) with the consent of all concerned, they adventured to preach in the church, one in the morning, and the other in the afternoon, e When others are ai Bicted, we are to conclude it is for trial,— when ou Fselves, for sin. Calamy. P. Henry's Com. Place Book. Orig. MS. i P. Henry. See Mem. of Mn. Savage, p. 217. •i mipTa.
• lb. Orig. BdS.
f AppeAdis,No.XlV.
THE LIFE OF MR, PHIUP HENRY.
of the Lord's day, very peaceably and profitably. This action of theirs was presently after reported in the House of Commons, by a Member of Parliament,' with these additions,—^That they tore the Common Prayer Book, trampled the surplice under their feet, pulled down the ministers of the place out of the pulpit, &c. Reports which there was not the least colour for. But that, with some other such like false stories, produced an address of the House of Commons to the King, to issue out a proclamation for the putting of the laws in execution against papists and nonconformists, which was issued out accordingly; though the King, at the opening of that Session a little before, had declared his desire, that some course might be taken, to compose the minds of his Protestant subjects, in matters of religion ; which had raised the expectations of some, that there would be speedy enlargement; but Mr. Henry had noted upon it,^We cannot expect too little from man,** nor too much from God.
And here it may be very pertinent to observe, how industrious Mr. Henry was at this time, when he and his friends suffered such hard things from the government, to preserve and promote a good affection to the government notwithstanding. It was commonly charged at that time upon the nonconformists in general, especially from the pulpits,' that they were all a factious and turbulent people, as was said of old,—Ezra iv. 16.—hurtful to kings and provinces; that their meetings were for the sowing of sedition and discontents, and the like; and there is some reason to think, that one thing intended by the hardships put upon them, was to drive them to this: there is a way of making a wise man mad. But how peaceably they carried themselves, is manifest to God, and in the consciences of many. For an instance of it, it will not be amiss to give some account of a sermon, which Mr. Henry preached in some very private meetings, such as were called seditious conventicles, in the year 1669, when it was a day of treading down, and of perplexity; it was on that text. Psalm xxxv. 20. Against them that are quiet in the land. Whence (not to curry favour with rulers, for whatever the sermon was, the very preaching of it, had it been known, must have been severely punished, but purely out of conscience towards God) he taught his friends this doctrine,— That it is the character of the people of God, that they are a quiet people in the land. *' This quietness he described to be an orderly, peaceable subr Miyor-^neral Egrerton. P. Henry. Orig. MS. b I remember one saying or General Lambert's, *'Tbat the best of men are but men at the best.** Letters written by Eminent Per. sons, and Lives of Eminent Men, by John Aubrey, Esq. voL ii. part I, p. 199. i The cleiigytnan at White well Chapel sometimes was one of the accusers above alluded to. On one of those occasions, Mr. Henry thus writes;—*' Mr. Green at chapel to-day aeemed to say some-thiag with reflection: Mark thm that eatue diviiiotu, mvins tktir jection to governors and government in the Lord. We must maintain a reverent esteem of them, and of their authority, in opposition to despising dominion, 2 Peter ii. 10. We must be meek, under severe commands, and burdensome impositions, not murmining and complaining, as the Israelites against Moses and Aaron; but take them up as our cross in our way, and bear them as we do foul weather. We must not speah evil of dignities Jude 8. nor revile the gods, Exodus xxii. 28. . Paul checked himself for this, Acts xxiii. 5. dvc ffiuVy I did not consider it; if I had, I would not have said so. We must not traduce their government, as Absalom did David's, 2 Samuel xv. 3. Great care is to be taken how we speak of the faults of any, especially of rulers, Ecclesiastes x. 20.—^The people of God do make the word of God their rule, and by that they are taught, (1.) That magistracy is God's ordi nance, and magistrates God's ministers; that by him kings reign, and the powers that be are ordained of him. (2.) That they, as well as others, are to have their dues; honour, and fear, and tribute. (3.) That their lawful commands are to be obeyed, and that readily and cheerfully, Titus iii. 1. (4.) That the penalties inflicted for not obeying unlawful commands, are patiently to be undergone. This is the rule, and as many as walk according to this rule. Peace shall he upon them, and there can be no danger of their unpeaceableness. They are taught to pray for kings and all in authority, 1 Timothy ii. 1, 2. and God forbid we should do otherwise; yea, though they persecute, Jeremiah xxix. 7. Peaceable prayers bespeak a peaceable people, Psalm cix. 4. If some professing religion have been unquiet, their unquietness hath given the lie to their profession, Jude 8, 11, 12. Quietness is our badgei Colossians iii. 12. It will be our strength, Isaiah XXX. 7, 15, our rejoicing in the day of evil, Jeremiah xviii. 18. It is pleasing to God, I Timothy iL 2, 3. It may work upon others, 1 Peter ii. 12,13, The means he prescribed for the keeping of us quiet, were to get our hearts filled with the knowledge and belief of these two things: 1. That the kingdom of Christ is not of this world, John xviii. 36. Many have thought otherwise, and it made them unquiet. 2. That the wrath of man worheth not the righteousness of God, James i. 20. He needs not our sin to bring to pass his own counsel. We must mortify unquietness in the onuses of it, James iv. 1. We must always remember the oath of God, Ecclesiastes viii. 2.
bdlf. Lord, I can only appeal to thee, and ny, if I seelL myself in what I do, or my own things, and not the good of souls* and the advancement of thy glory; if I do it in any respect to divide, then fill my face with shame, and let my enemies have power over me. But if otherwise,—Lord, take my part, and plead my cause, and clear my integrity, for thy mercy sake." Diaiy, Orig. MS.
See an appeal somewhat similar by the venerable martyr Bishop Hooper. Fuller's Ch. Hist. b. vii. p. 401 fol. M55. .
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
67
The oath of alleance is an oath of quietness. And we must beware of the company and converse of those that are unquiet. Proverbs xxii. 24, 25. Tbough deceitful matters be devised, yet we must bd quiet still; nay, be so much the more quiet."
I have been thus large in gathering these hints oat of that sermon, (which he took all occasions in odier sermons to inculcate, as all his brethren likewise did,) that if possible it may be a conviction to the present generation ; or, however, may be a witness in time to come, that the nonconformist ministers were not enemies to Caesar, nor troublers of the land; nor their meetings any way tending to the disturbance of the public peace, but purely designed to help to repair the decays of Christian piety.
All that knew Mr. Henry, knew very well that his practice all his days was consonant to these his settled principles.
In May, 1668,'^ he returned again with his family ram Whitchurch to Broad Oak, which, through the ;ood hand of his God upon him, continued his set-led home, without any remove from it, till he was amoved to his long home above twenty-eight years ifter. The edge of the Five-mile Act began now a ittle to abate, at least in that country; and he was iesirous to be more useful to the neighbours, among whom God hath given him an estate, than he could t>e at a distance from them, by relieving the poor, employing the labourers, especially instructing the ignorant, and helping as many as be could to heaven. Be made that scripture his standing rule, and wrote it in the banning of his book of accounts, Pro-ferbs iii. 9, 10. Honour the Lord with thy substance, kc. And having set apart a day of secret prayer ind humiliation, to beg of God a wise and an understanding heart, and to drop a tear, as he ex-presseth it, over the sins of his predecessors, formerly in that estate, he laid out himself very much IB dioing good. He was very serviceable upon all accounts in the neighbourhood, and though it to(^ up a.great deal of his time, and hindered him from his beloved studies, yet it might be said of him, as the Bishop of Salisbury saith of Archbishop liltotsoo, in his sermon at his funeral, that he ehose rather to live to the good of others than to himself; and thought, tbat to do an apt of charity, or even of tenderness and kindness, was of Bore value, both in itself, and in the sight of God, k Mftj 3L This week I removed again with my (kmily from Vbitdmrcfa to Broad Oke, Zvv Ocm.
The reaaoDS indadng me thereunto were these; L The ccuii of thoae things which brought us thence t which rere.1 To avoid the penalty of the taw, now rebated. 2. For loodscboo Unf for my ions, now not to be had, by the removal of fr. Edwards to Newport; and besides, the Lord hath taken my 'Jdcstsoo tohimsetr, twbiaiA etaud, loBUur tftctut.
1L That 1 nifht be of mcnre me thefe where God hath given me ui ettate, than I can be at this distance, by relieving the poor 'kc Rabovli and hy helpfug as many as I can to heaven. Now, p 9 than to pursue the pompous parts of learning, how much soever his own genius might lead him to it.'
He was very useful in the common concernments of the township and country, in which he was a very prudent counsellor; it was, indeed, a narrow sphere of activity, hut, such as it was, to him,—as to Job, chapter xxix. 21, 22.—3feit gave ear and waited, and kept silence at his counsel; after his words they spake not again ; and many of the neighbours who respected him not as a minister, yet loved and honoured him as a knowing, prudent, and humble neighbour. In the concernments of private families, he was very far from busying himself, and further from seeking himself; but he was very much busied, advising many about their affairs, and the disposal of themselves and their children, arbitrating and composing differences among relations and neighbours, in which he had an excellent faculty, and often good success, inheriting the blessing entailed upon the peace-makers. References have sometimes been made to him by rule of court, at the assizes, with consent of parties. He was very affable and easy of access, and admirably patient in hearing every one's complaint, which he would answer with so much prudence and mildness, and give such apt adviccf, that many a time to consult with him, was to ask counsel at Abel, and so to end the matter.*^ He observed, in almost all quarrels that happened, that there was a fault on both sides; and that generally they were most in the fault, that were most forward and clamorous in their complaints. One making her moan to him of a bad husband she had, that in this and the other instance was unkind; and Sir, saith she, after a long complaint which he patiently heard, what would you have me to do now ? Why truly, saith he, I would have you to go home, and be a better wife to him, and then you will find that he will be a better husband to you. Labouring to persuade one to forgive an injury that was done him; he urged this, Are you not a Christian ?° and followed that argument so close that at last he prevailed.
He was very industrious, and oft successful, in persuading people to recede from their right for peace sake ; and he would for that purpose tell tnem Luther's story of the two goats, that met upon a narrow bridge over a deep water; they could not go back, they durst not fight; after a short parley, one of them lay down, and let the other go over him.
Lord, glorify thyself in and by thy poor servant, and prevent trouble here, or.make me able to bear it. P. Henry's Diary. Orig. MS.
1 pp. 24,25. 4tO. 1694. m See 2 Sam. xx. 18. n In allusion, probably, to the martyrs, particularlyt •* that blessed woman," Blandina, who," fighting the worthy battell, be. came stronger and stronger, and as often as she spake these words,—/«! a CkrUtian, neither have Wee committed any evill, —it was to her a marvellous comfort and .boldening to abide the torments." Fox's Acts and Monuments, v. I. p. 60. foL 1641.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY. and no hann was done.* He would likewise relate sometimes a remarkable story, worthy to be here inserted, concerning a good friend of his, Mr. T. Y.p of Whitchurch, who in his youth was greatly wronged by an unjust uncle of his. Being an orphan, his portion, which was £200, was put into the hands of that uncle; who, when he grew up, shuffled with him, and would give him but £40, instead of his £200, and he had no way of recovering his right but by law; but before he would engage in that, he was willing to advise with his minister, who was the famous Dr. Twiss,'» of Newbury; the counsel he gave him, all things considered, was, for peace sake, and for the preventing of sin, and snares, and trouble, to take the £40, rather than contend; and Thomas, saitfa the Doctor, if thou dost so, assure thyself, that God will make it up to thee and thine some other way, and they that defraud thee will be the losers by it at last He did so, and it pleased God so to bless that little which he began the world with, that when he died in a good old age, he left his son possessed of some hundreds a year; and he that wronged him fell into decay.
Many very pious, worthy families in the country would say of Mr. Henry, tiiat they had no friend like-minded, who did naturally care for their state, and so affectionately sympathize with them, and in whom their hearts could safely trust
[The interest of families lay near his heart, and, sometimes, he would ask the affectionate question. Are there no families to be wept over? Yes. When there are none in a family, as far as we can judge, spiritually alive. As in Egpt, there was not a house in which there was not one dead, so there are many families in which not one is alive* We weep over the body from which the soul is departed, and why not over the soul from which God is departed ? There are families too in which God is not worshipped. And are not those to be wept over? There are families where worldliness prevails, where all are for the wealth of the world, and where there is no care for the soul. There are families where divisions reig, two are against three, and three against two; and there the house is on fire; the house is falling.