Section 6
[He that would not die when he must,* and he that would die when he must not, are both alike cowards.*
A Christian's desire of life, he sometimes remarked, should proceed from a desire of honouring God with his life, as it was with Paul. Phillppians i. 23, 24J]
That day he gave notice, both morning and afternoon, with much affection and enlargement, of the public fast, which was appointed by authority the Friday following, June 26. pressing his hearers, as he used to do upon such occasions, to come in a prepared frame, to the solemn services of that day.
The Tuesday following, June 23, ho rose at six o'clock, according to his custom, after a better night's sleep than ordinary, and in wonted health. Between seven and eight o'clock he performed family worship, according to the usual manner; he expounded very largely the former half of the 104th Psalm, and sung it; but he was somewhat shorter in prayer than he used to be, being then, as it was thought, taken ill. Blessed is that servanty whom his Lord, when he com-cthy shall find so doing. Immediately after prayer fayourite, James, Marquis of Hamilton, he said. If Uie hranchn be thut cut down the stock cannot coi Uinue long. Walton's Lives by Dr. Zouch. V. 2. pp. 50, 51. u This was bis last subject. See the discourse among " Eighteen Sermons," by Philip Henry, p. 350. utsupra.
My dear father's prayer for such usually was.—When they come to do a work they never did, let them have that strength and prace they never had.—This once to die.—What emphasis has it! Mrs Savage's Diary. Orig. MS. w Moses and Aaron, like well nurtured children, went to bed when they were bidden, though great provision was making ready for others. P. Henry. Com. Place Book. Orig MS. See also Dr he retired to his chamber, not saying any thing of his illness, but was soon after found upon his bed in great extremity of pain in his back, breast, and bowels; it seemed to be a complicated fit of the stone and colic together in very great extremity. The means that had been used to give him relief in his illness were altogether ineffectual. He had not the least intermission or remission of pain, neither up nor in bed, but [was] in a continual toss. He had said sometimes, that God's Israel may find Jordan rough ; but there is no remedy, they must through it to Canaan; and would tell of a good man who used to say,—he was not so much afraid of death as of dying.* We know they are not the godly people, part of the description of whose condition it is, that there are no bands in their death, and yet [it is of the godly alone that we can say,] their end is peace, and their death gain, and they have hope in it
In this extremity he was still looking up to God, and calling upon him, who is a present help in the needful hour.
[He had been accustomed to remark when in usual health,—Prayer is never out of season, but it is in a special manner seasonable when we are sick and come to die,—Christ's last breath was praying breath, —then we take our leave of prayer for ever. Those that do not pray while they live, cannot expect to be heard and accepted when they come to die.*]
When the exquisiteness of his pain forced groans and complaints from him, he would presently correct himself with a patient and quiet submission to the hand of his heavenly Father, and a cheerful acquiescence in his heavenly will. I am ashamed, saith he, of these groans, I want virtue, O for virtue now when I have need of it, referring to his subject the Lord's day before. Forgive me that I groan thus, and I will endeavour to silence them. But, indeed, my stroke is heavier than my groaning. It is true what Mr. Baxter said in his pain, there is no disputing against sense. It was his trouble, as it was Mr. Baxter's, that by reason of his bodily pain, he could not express his inward comfort; however, that was it with which God graciously strengthened him in his soul. He said to those about him, they must remember what instructions and counsels he had given them when he was in health, for now he could say but little to them; [he could] only refer them to what he had said, as that which he would live and die by.
Sibb's Soules Conflict, p. 36-2. duod. 1651. x P. Henry.
Orig. MS. It was the speech of dying Julian. See Swinnock's Christian Man's Calling, part. iii. p. 618. 4to. 1665. y P. Henry. Orig. MS
Would you be above the fear of death,-get an interest in Christ,—labour to know thy interest in Christ, 2 Cor. v. 1. 9, &c. —lave in the fear of God, Luke xii. 4, 6—Learn to die daily, i Cor. XV. 31. in meditation; in expectation; Job ziv. 1-L Ps. xliv. ^2.—Sit loose from the world; keep a good conscience; live by faith; 2 Cor. iv. 18; v. I.&c. P. Henry. Orig. MS.
• P. Henry. Mr. Matthew Henry's MS.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
121
It was two or three hoars after he was taken ill, before he would suffer a messenger to be sent to Chester for his son, and for the doctor, saying,^He ihould either be better, or dead before they could come; but at last he said, as the prophet did to his importiinate friends,—Send.** About eight o'clock that evening they came, and found him in the same extremity of pain, which he had been in all day. And nature being before spent with his constant and indefatigable labours in the work of the Lord, now sank, and did perfectly succumb under its burthen, and was quite disabled to grapple with so many hours' incessant pain. What further means were then used proved fruitless, and did not answer the intention. He apprehended himself going apace, and said to his son when he came in,—Oh son, you are welcome to a dying father. / am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. His pain continued very acute, but he had peace within. / am tormented, said he once, but, blessed be God, not in this flame ;^ and soon after, I am all on fire, (when at the same time his extreme parts were cold,) but he presently added,—Blessed be God, it is not the fire of hell. To some of his next neigh-boars who came in to see him, for those at a distance had not notice of his illness, he said,—Oh, make •are work for your souls, by getting an interest in Christ while you are in health, for if I had that work to do now, what would become of me? But I bless God I am satisfied. It was a caution he was often wont to give,—See to it, that your work be not undone, when your time is done, lest you be undone for ever.
Towards ten or eleven o'clock that night, his pulse and sight began to fail; of the latter he himself took notice, and inferred from it the near approach of his dissolution. He took an affectionate farewell of his dear yoke-fellow, with a thousand thanks for all her love, and care, and tenderness; left a blessing for all his dear children, and their dear yoke-fellows, and little ones, that were absent. He said to his son, who sat under his head,—Son, the Lord bless you, and grant that you may do worthily in your generation, and be more serviceable to the church of God than I have been; such was his great humility to the last. And when his son replied. Oh, Sir, pray for me that I may but tread in your steps; he answered,—Yea, follow peace and holiness, and let them say what they will. More he would have said, to bear his dying testimony to the way in which he had walked, but nature was spent, and he had not strength to express it.
His understanding and speech continued almost to the last breath, and he was still in his dying agonies calling upon God, and committing himself to him. One of the last words he said, when he w See 2 Kingi ii. n. c See Luke xvi. 24.
4 See Mattbew Henry's Sermons on these words, July 8, 1696. I found himself just ready to depart, was,—O death, • where is thy—;<' with that his speech faltered, and within a few minutes, after about sixteen hours' illness, he quietly breathed out his precious soul into the embraces of his dear Redeemer, whom he had trusted, and faithfully served in the work of the ministry, about forty-three years.* He departed between twelve and one o'clock in the morning of June 24, Midsummer-day, in the sixty-fifth year of his age. Happy, thrice happy, he to whom such a sudden change was no surprise, and who could triumph over death, as an unstung, disarmed enemy, even when he made so fierce an onset He had often spoke of it as his desire, that if it were the will of God, he might not outlive his usefulness; and it pleased God to grant him his desire, and give him a short passage from the pulpit to the kingdom, from the height of his usefulness, to receive the recompcnccof reward. So was it ordered by him, in whose hands our times are.
[The afflicting dispensation was communicated to Mr. Tallcnts, in the folldwing interesting letter.
Broad Oke, June 24, 96* Honoured Sir; Here is an opportunity that offers itself soon enough to bring you the evil tidings of this place and day. My dear and honoured father was this time yesterday as usual, worshipping God witli his family, and in wonted health ; but, presently after, was seized with violent pain and sickness. It was in geat extremity, and without any intermission; means used gave him no relief. Doctor Tylston and I had speedy notice of his illness sent us to Chester and came hither last night, and found him very ill. Nature, being decayed with his great labours in the work of the Lord, was not able to bear up under it, but sunk away apace under the heavy load of pain; and a little after midnight he quietly breathed outhis dear soul into the hands of the Lord Jesus, in whom he now sleeps. Oh, Sir, this is a sad providence, and so sudden, that I am as one stunned. I cannot express my loss. I have many things to write to you concerning it, but I am in haste, and much confused. We intend, if the Lord will, to lay up the mantle of this translated prophet in the wardrobe of the grave, upon Saturday next, not doubting but our friends that hear will, as far as they can, let us have their company. My poor mother's and my respects to yourself, and Mrs. Tallents, and Mr. Bryan, and Mr. Jones.
I rest your's totus in lachrymis,
M. Henry. I know you will pray for us, and mourn with us.'
For the Rev. Mr. Tallcnts.
Eighteen Sermons, by P. Henry, p. 371, ut tupra. • See
Tong's Life of MaUhew Henry, p. 131, &c. «/ $Mpra. t Orig. AiS.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
In reply to a letter written by Mr. Tallents, expressive of the greatness of his sorrow on this melancholy occasion, the bereaved widow writes thus.
Ju8 24, 06. Dear Ser;
It is my conmfort and joy that the people of God do sympathise with me in this my great loss, and truly I have reason to acknowleg the goodnes of God that did spar him so long, and dus suport' and send reuiuing in the midst of trubel. Pray for me that I may be a widdou inded, trusting in God; that my children may, in all things, carry themselucs like the children of such a fathar, and that wee may get the good and learne what our heauenly Fathar is tcching us by this sad strok. Good Sir, giue my loue and saruis to my ould good friend and sistar, for so I wil make bould to cale her, your dear yoak-fellow, and except of the same, with many thanks to you both for past and present favors.
From Sir, yours. My sister presents her Much obliged, sarvis to you both. Kat. Henry."^]
After the account we have given of his great usefulness, it is easy to imagine what sorrow and mourning there was among his friends, when they heard that the Lord had taken away their master from their head. One that lived so much desired, could not but die as much lamented. The surprise of the stroke put people into a perfect astonishment; and many said,—the Lord removed him so suddenly, because he would not deny the many prayers that would have been put up for his recovery, had it been known that he was in peril. One thing that aggravated this severe dispensation, and made it, in the apprehension of many, look the more dismal, was, ^that this powerful intercessor was taken away just before a fast-day, when he would have been wrestling mightily with God for mercy for the land. However, it proved a fast-day indeed, and a day of humiliation, to that congregation, to whom an empty pulpit was an awakening sermon. The Broad Oak was then like that under which Rebekah's nurse was V Supposed to bt July. Mr. Tallents has written at the top, ** In answer to one of mine." b The wives of many painful ministers, while their husbands lived, were made account of. and invited, that, when God hath taken their husbands flrom them, (when they had most need of comfort,) have found cold friendship, not of strangers only, but even of those that professed greater love to the parties deceased. This is but carnal, or at least but cold, love, that is then farthest oflT, when there is roost need of it. A Treatise of Love, by Jo. Rogers, p. 220. duod. 1632. i We went to Broad Oak to visit dear mother: found her in health. I cannot but own the goodness of God in supporting her under this heavy stroke. It is to me the answer of my dear father's prayer, which he. thus, (Vequently expressed ;->" Fit us to leave, or to be left, according to the will of God." Dr. Preston hath an expression to this purpose,—that the children of God receive no prejudice by affliction, no more than the sun by an buried, Genesis xxxv. 8. AUon-hacuthy —the 6ak of weeping. They who had many a time sat with dry eyes, under melting ordinances, could not sit so under such a melting providence, by which the Lord God called so loudly to weeping and to mourning and to girding with sackcloth. But because Mr. Henry had been wont to give it for a rule,—that weeping must not hinder sowing, a mite was cast into the treasury of the nation's prayers, and a word spoken, to bring the work of the day and the event of the day together, from 2 Kings xiii. 20.
The day following, being Saturday, June 27, the earthen vessel, in which this treasure had been lodged, was laid up in the gve in Whitchurch church, attended thither with a very great company of true mourners, all the country round. Many from Chester and Shrewsbury, and the towns about, came to do him honour at his death. And, besides the floods of tears that were shed, there were abundance of testimonies given to him by persons of all sorts, like that to Jehoiada, 2 Chronicles xxiv. 16. That he was one that had done good in Israel. And there were those who said,—He was a man that nobody did or could speak evil of, except for his nonconformity. He was used to say to his relations,—When I am dead, make little ado about me, a few will serve to bring me to my gve;—^but his mind could not be observed in that; it was impossible such a burning and shining light could be extinguished, but there must be a universal notice taken of it Multitudes came unsought unto, notto fill their eyes, as Mr. Vines expresseth it, but to empty' them; nor was there any other noise there, but that of general lamentation.
That morning, before the removal of the corpse, a most affectionate sermon was preached at Mr. Henry's meeting-place, by his dear and worthy friend, Mr. Tallents, of Shrewsbury, who was eleven years older than he, and, through God*s goodness, still survives him. He was willing to take that opportunity, to testify the great love and honour that he had for Mr. Henry, whom he called a friend that is nearer than a brother. His text*" was, Rom. viii. 23. And not only they, hut ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves eclipse. We think it darkened, but it really is not so. Mrs. Savage. Diary. July 29, 1696. Orig. MS.
After dear father's death, my dear mother thus comforted herself. She was especially thankful to God, 1. That she ever knew Mr. Henry. S. That she had him so long. 3. For the good hope she had of being eternally with him in glory. Mr& Savage. Diary. Orig. MS. Nov. 1743. k Orig. MS.
1 See the Hearse of the renowned, the Right Hon. Robert Earl of Essex, ice. in a Sermon preached at his Funerall, Oct. '^ 1646. by Richard Vines, p. 6. 4to. 1646.
Mr. Vines was bom about 1600, and died in 1655. See Enoch's Walk and Change; a Sermon at his Funeral, by Thomas Jacomb, (afterwards D. D.) 4to. 1656. 2d edit. m See the Sermon at large, prefixed to Eighteen Sermons, by Mr. P. Henry, p. 1. wi nfra.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
133 groan wiikin ourselves waiting for the adoption, to vit, the redemption of our body. In his application he showed excellently, and with much affection, how '' the consideration of the spirit and life of this eminent servant of God, would featly lead us to believe on Christ, and to have the Spirit of Christ and live after it;'' and to suffer with Christ, and to groan for our adoption. Several things were hinted concerning him, which have been mentioned already in this narrative, and a very honourable testimony borne to him. From a long acquaintance with him, he witnessed concerning him, to those who knew his record to be true, that " he was humble and meek, kind and peaceable, wise and charitable, and one in whom the fruits of the Spirit were eminently: that he was a friend and a counsellor and a father to many; that his expounding and preaching was plain and pleasant, warm and savoury, full, and such as few could reach, and greatly blessed by God; and that in it he laboured more abundantly than any." And after a great encomium of him, it was excellently observed, and must be mentioned here, as that which was highly agreeable to Mr. Henry's spirit, and his expressions upon all occasions,—'' That it was not his own righteousness that saved him, nor his own strength that qaickeoed and apheld him, but Christ's righteousness and Christ's strength; for to him to live was Chtist, And in all bis discourses, sermons, and letters," he was very careful to ascribe the honour of all to Christ, and to make Christ his all in all.'' He concluded with some words of seasonable advice to those of that society and neighbourhood.
1. Give thanks to God that ever you had him or saw him, and that you had him so long, above thirty years in this place. Do not many of you owe even your ?cry souls to him under God ? While you mourn, pve thanks to God that you ever knew him. Old and great mercies must be thankfully remembered.
'' 2. Rejoice in the glory that he now enjoys. Weep not for kim but weep for yourselves. It was the text on which he preached, not much above a year ago, at the funeral of that intelligent, holy, useful man, Mr. William Lawrence, of Wem." The primitive Christians buried their stunts with hymns and psalms of joy. Chrysostom, on the Hebrews, saith, we are to glorify God, and give thanks to him, that he hath crowned the deceased, and freed them from their labours; and chides those that mourned and howled. And the days of their death were called Natalitia Mertyrum et Saneiorum, the birth-days of the saints
B Thus, not long before his death, he wrote to Mr. Tallents,— No?. 1.1605. Uj dear Brother Tallentt: You do, in all your letters, ifirart Ckrithtm, which, I thank Ood, ^des your love to me, unworthy me, declared in them, is the thing, that I ean truly say, makes them sweet to me; to see. tliat vben I myself am ao poor and low in my knowledge of him, de-*rn after him, delight in him, there are you and others that do so and martyrs. And Hierom, in his epitaph on holy Paula, (and in the lives of other holy persons, wrote by him,) saith, that at her funeral no shrieks were heard, but multitudes of psalms and hymns were sung in divers languages.
3. Bewail the loss, the general loss, and yours in particular, yet so as to have hope in God. I need not tell you how geat your loss is, you feel it more than I am able to express. If any rejoice that he is gone, because he tormented them; say as the church, Micah vii. 8, 9.
4. Seek out for a supply; do not mourn and sit still, but up and be doing in your places. You have had a cheap gospel hitherto. God sent you one that could preach freely, and which is more, that would do so too; one that sought not yours, but you; and now God will see what you will do for yourselves, that now the Shepherd is smitten the sheep may not be scattered. Pray to God to raise up others like him, and graciously to give you one.
5. Take heed of liking no preacher, now he is gone. This is a usual fault among many that have had excellent preachers ; nobody can please them. But God may bless weaker means, and make your souls live, and thrive under them.
6. Hold fast that which you have; it is the advice given to Philadelphia, the best of the churches. Revelations iii. II. Keep that good thing which is committed to you, that savouriness of heart, that love to Christ and to saints, to all saints, that knowledge of the truth. Keep to his sober principles. Remember his dying counsel.— Follow peace and holiness. Have these things always in remembrance. Take heed of falling off; take heed of falling away. The world will draw you, and Satan will tempt you, and your own busy hearts will be apt to betray you, but go on humbly and honestly in the strength of Christ, and fear not. Be not like those Jews that turned aside, when John Baptist was dead, John v. 36. The Lord keep you from being such, and give you to go on to his heavenly kingdom.''
It would have swelled this book too much, if we had inserted the sermon at large, and therefore we forbear it.
The next day, being Lord's day, Mr. Owen, of Oswestry, preached a most excellent sermon in the morning, agreeable to that sad occasion, upon that pathetical farewell which Elisha gave to Elijah, 2 Kings ii. 12. My father, wm father ! the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen tMlteof And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent abound therein. He is truly worthy, altogether worthy, that it should be so. To learn him, and love him, and to live him, is M iH nil He is Foundation, Food, Root, Raiment, Rffygr, Righteout-nett. Head, Hope, Light, Life, Peace, Fropitiation,—what not, that we have need of, to make us holy and happy. P. Henry. Orig. MS. o The father of the Rev. S. Lawrence. See the Life of Mr. S. Lawrence, in this volume, where his character is delineated by Philip Henry.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY. them. He observed,'' 1. That faithful ministers are the fathers of a people, and their chariots and horsemen ; the former a metaphor taken for a family, a peaceable society ; the latter from an army, a warlike body. Fathers,—to provide good things. Chariots and horsemen,—to protect from evil things. 2. There is a time when we shall see these fathers, these chariots and horsemen, of Israel no more. Their time is appointed, their work cut out for them, and when those are finished they are removed. 3. When God takes away our fathers, the chariots of our Israel, and the horsemen thereof, it is a proper season for mourning and lamcntation.p Under this, he did most affectionately excite us, 1. To be sensible of our loss, which is better felt than expressed. It is the loss of one that was a father; a father to his family, to whom he was constant, in unfolding the holy oracles; a father to the prophets, for counsel, and conduct, and example; the sons of the prophets never conversed with him, but they were, or might have been, the better for him; a father to his congregation, now left orphans. It is the loss of one of the chariots and horsemen of our Israel ; so eminent was he for prcvalency in prayer, courage in duty, conduct in affairs, constancy in religion, and a firm adherence to his ministerial vows, and lastly, a contempt of the world, in which, as he that warreth, he did not entangle himself. 2. To be sensible of those sins, which have provoked God to deprive us of him. Barrenness and unfruit* fulness under his ministry-; it is for this that God hath a controversy with us. 3. To bless God that we enjoyed him so long; eaten bread must not be forgotten. 4. To be followers of him, as he was of Christ.*! He was a pattern for ministers, excelling in the knowledge of the Scriptures, which made this man of God perfect, and industrious to advance the honour of Jesus Christ, whom he made the Alpha and Omega of his religion; not addicted to controversies, but walking in the good old way; unwearied in the work of God; it was the delight of his heart, to be laying out himself for the good of souls. Exemplary for humility and low thoughts of himself, and his own performances; for meekness and readiness to forgive injuries ; for candour in speaking of others, and their words and actions, on which he ever put the best construction,^ and was never apt to speak evil of any man. Eminent for family religion, and in that an excellent copy to all masters of families. Those things, thodhbre, which you have heard p U is not only no sin, but our duty, to mourn for our departed rriends. Tears are a tribute which we owe them. Jenu wepi John xi. 35. And this, though they were godly, and thererure twiners by death, for our own loss. God complains when it is not so, Isaiah Ivii. 1. The sin lies in the txettt. We must not 9orTo» at /Aocr/Aa/Zurofno Aopf,lTbesBaloniansiv. 13. either concerning them, or concerning ourselves, who are left behind. P. Henry. Orig. MS. q If we copy the example of Christ, it will be an evidence that we are bis now, in the kingdom of grace, and an earnest that we and seen in him do, and the God of peace shall be with you.*' These were the heads which were copiously and excellently enlarged upon in that sermon.
In the afternoon of that sabbath, another sermon was preached by a near relation* of Mr. Henry's, on Hebrews xi. 4. And hy it he being dead yet speak-ethf m XaXtXraif is yet spoken of by us, and yet speaketh to us.
The Wednesday following, July 1, being the lecture in course at Dan ford, in Whitchurch parish, Mr. Samuel Lawrence,' of Nantwich, whose turn it was to preach that lecture, brought up the long train of mourners, as he expressed it, in a most savoury and pertinent discourse, on Hebrews xiii. 7. Remember them which have (or have had) the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation, " Bishops, no doubt," saith he, ** are here meant, scripture primitive bishops, the pastors of particular congregations, for they were such as had spoken to them the word of God, and watched for their souls, verse 17. Such a one Mr. Henry was, that great man, who is fallen this day in Israel, removed from us, but hath left behind him a good name to be remembered; a good example to be imitated; many a good word spoken to us, and many a good prayer put up for us. Remember him with thankfulness, that God has given such power, such gifts and graces unto men; (I never knew a man,'' said he, ** in all my acquaintance, in whom I have seen so much of God as in good Mr. Henry, whose holy, humble, heavenly, gracious conversation hath been to me some small confirmation of the truth of the Christian religion ;) that God gave him to you, and continued him so long, to see the church in a better state than he had sometimes seen it; that God crowned his labours witli such great success. Many souls in heaven, and some on earth, blessing God that ever they saw his face, and that God continued him in his usefulness to the last. Remember him with a quiet submission to the hand of God in his removal from us. Sensible we must be of the stroke; it is a public loss, a loss to the ministry; our hands are this day weak; a loss to the nation, for which he was a powerful intercessor; a loss to this country, in which he was a burning and shining light; but yet we must acquiesce in the divine will. The treasure was in an earthen vessel, and God will bring us to depend more upon himself; and he is teaching us to live, shall follow him, hereafter, into the kingdom of glory. P. Henry. Memoirs of Mrs. Savage, p. 217. ui svpra. r A wise man hath a court of chancery in his breast, to which appeals are made when the letter of the law will admit of no apo. logy. P. Henry. Orig. MS.
Mr. Matthew Henry. See the Sermon, post. t Nat 1601-, ob. April-24,1712. See his Lite in this volume. There wasmuch in him that resembled old Mr. Henry, both in temper,con-versation, and preacliing. Tong's Life of M. Henry, p. wo. *tnpra.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
125 iDd live to Christ, without good Mr. Henry, though we ha\e sometimes said, we did not know how we eould live without him. Remember him, to pay all lionoar and respect to his name and memory ; rise up, and call him blessed. That is a foul tongue, as well as a lying one, that can say any thing of him unbecoming a disciple, servant, and minister of Jesus Christ. Remember him, to imitate his good example. Many of you will be called Mr. Henry's followers. Be so indeed. He was a pattern to ministers of diligence, zcaly humility, and great meekness in dealing with all people, which contributed abundantly to his success; his preaching affectionate without affectation. To all people he was a pattern of faith and charity, and contempt of the world, of zeal and moderation, patience in suffering, and of constancy and perseverance to the end. Remember him, and remember your sins which have provoked God to take him away. Have not we grieved this good man's spirit? &c. Remember him, and remtmber Christ's fulness, who is the same, verse 8, and hath the residue of the Spirit. Instruments shifted, cisterns emptied, but there is the same in the fountain. Remember him, and remember your own death, and heaven, where he is. We may think the worse of this world, which is much impoverished, and the better of heaven, which is somewhat enriched, by the removal of this good man.''
Thus we have gleaned a little out of the sermons, which very well deserved to have been published at large, some of the testimonies that were borne to him, by such as had had long and intimate acquaintance to him, that knew his excellences very much, and knew as little to give flattering titles. Nor was it any invidious piece of service, to speak thus honourably of one, who, like Demetrius,* had a good report of all men, and of the truth itself.
Nor was it there only, but from abroad, that very bonourable testimonies were given of him. Sir Heniy Ashurst, (whose great worth and usefulness the world hath been made to know, by some of the best pens of the age,) besides the personal acquaintance he had with Mr. Henry, both at Boreatton and in London, had kept up a constant correspondence with him, by letter, for many years. Read the character he gave of him, in a letter to a near relation of Mr. Henry's, upon the tidings of his death. " I need not tell you how sadly I received the doleful news of Mr. Henry's translation, who, I do think, lived the greatest example of sincere godliness, with prudence and sweetness of temper, of any I ever knew.'' And in another letter, not only pro-
V See 3 John 12.
Alterwardi Lord Brooke. Nat. l.)54} ob. Sept. 30.1628. Mr. Cbfthnen s Biog. Diet. v. 16. p. 305.
« Nat fl Kta Nov. ISM; ob. 1586. See Dr. Zouch's Memoirs of SirP.Sidoc7.4lo.l806.
7 The remaric* applied to an emlneat iionconformist, may be posing, but pressing, the publication of an account of his life, he professeth, he thought there was '* none like him in his day," at least of his acquaintance, which is known to be both of the largest and of the best. " And," saith he, '* if Sir Fulke Greville* would have it inscribed upon his tombstone, that he was a friend to Sir Philip Sidney," I may well be pleased to have it told to the world, that I loved, and honoured, blessed Mr. Henry; a man of so much prudence, and withal so much sincerity, of so good a temper, so much a gentleman, and yet of such strict piety and devotedness to God, that I scarce ever knew his fellow."
The Rev. Mr. William Turner, now Vicar of Walburton in Sussex, of whom mention was made before, lately sent to me a very kind letter, Ex mero motu, with his free consent to have it inserted in this account; some hints whereof I think fit to subjoin.
" Worthy Sir;
I am glad to hear that you have been prevailed with to set upon so good a work, as recording the most remarkable passages of Mr. Henry's life. I doubt not but you will meet with some, that will gve such a history but a cold reception. All that part of the world that lies in darkness, will be offended, when beams of clear light and sunshine first dart into their faces. Virtutem prasentem odimtu.
" A little before I went to the University, I was, upon the conmiendation of my worthy schoolmaster, Mr. E., yet living, and with my father's consent, half a year a domestic with him; partly as a tutor to his young ones, and partly as a pupil to himself; and in some little degree as a companion ; where I had the opportunity of informing myself more fully concerning the humour, and principles, and conversation of a sort of people, and especially him and his family, whom I had heard aspersed very freely in former companies, and represented to the world as very hypocritical and disloyal people. At my first going, I resolved to stand upon my guard, and pry into the cause, which was then the great subject of difference and dispute; and upon the whole do say, that Mr. Henry was a man of so clear a brain, so gentle a behaviour, so steady a conversation, so regular a devotion, was so courteous and condescending to inferiors, so respectful and dutiful to superiors, so sweet and obliging to aU; was so careful to improve his time well, to do as much good as possible to every body, so constancy affectionate in his prayers for the king and government, so desirous to keep up a fair correspondence and communion with his conformable brethren,' so very fitly quoted in connexion with Mr. Henry:—" As he chose to leave his living rather than stain his conscience, so his nonconformity was no way tinctured, either with spleen to the established church, or disloyalty to his prince." Life of Richard Alleln. Biog. Brit. V. 1. p. 143.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY. indifferent in making proselytes to his particular opinions; and withal, so zealous to promote substantial goodness and true Christianity, so mighty inoffensive and peaceable in all his expressions and actions; so prudent, pure, pious, just, sober, charitable, cheerful, and pleasant, that I profess I am almost afraid to give him his due character without some correctives, lest they that knew him not should suspect my veracity, and imagine my pen to be managed by some mercenary hand. I remember the worshipful Rowland Hunt, of Borcatton, Esq. speaking of Mr. Henry, thus expressed himself to me, and, if I mistake not, the Lord Ambassador Paget was present I was, said he, near seven years resident in the Universities, and seven more at the Inns of Court in London, and had opportunity of knowing and acquainting myself with the most eminent divines and preachers in both those places; yet I never found any every way so accomplished, for clearness and quickness of apprehension, solidity of judgment, and roundness of style, as Mr. Henry is. I have noted in my Book of Pro-vidences,* the remark I made upon the temporal blessings God hath rewarde<^ him with; viz. a good and virtuous consort, who brought him a good estate, gve him a due reverence, loved him with an entire affection; an ingenious and hopeful offspring, well affected, well educated, and well disposed in the world; the favour of men, and a quiet undisturbed habitation upon earth, in great measure, &c.
Sic testatus, tic monet, $\c precatur, Amieui nutrens, anheltu, superstes.
W. Turner, A. M."
Another very worthy conformist, formerly of his acquaintance, but now living at a great distance, having occasion to mention him in a letter to a friend, calls him,—^The great, good, and now glorious, Mr. Henry, whose memory, saith he, shall ever be precious, and even sacred to me.
Such as these were the honourable testimonies which all that knew him, and knew how to value true excellency, attended him with. It is part of the recompence of charity and moderation in this world, that it obtains a ifood report of mil men. The
" Mr. Philip Henry, of whom I hare made mention before, was a man of a very sedate even temper, a calm spirit, a great peace-maker in his neigfaboarhood; and, acconlingly, he lived, loved, and died, with the universal lamentation of people of all sorts; and which, perhaps, ought not to be omitted in the con-sideration, after the eiojrment of a kind and loving wife, who brought him a good and plentiful estate; and, seeing his children all disposed of with his consent, and to the content of all persons concerned, and they walking in the truth, and In mutual love one with another, and his children's children, to his great Joy and comfort. 1 Hiy, after all these blessings poured plentifully upon Ms head, with great assurance and ntisfaction about his spiritual and eternal estate, he, quietly, with a short sickness erf" about twelve hours' continuance, or not much more, resigned up his kingdom of God, saith the blessed apostle, Romans xiv. 17, IB. is not meat and drink, which were then the matters of doubtful disputation, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in tke Holy Ghost ; and he that in these things serveth Christ, is not only acceptable to God, but approved of men : as, on the contrary, they that judge will be judged, and with what measure we mete, it will he measured to us again. And this is the excellency of a good name, that it is out of the reach of death, and is not buried in the grave, but rather grows up from it. It is not for nothing that Solomon hath joined this good name, which is better than precious ointment, with the day of one*$ death, which, upon that account, is better than the day of one's birth, that it completes the character of those that finish their course well, and are faithful unto death; whereas a great name, like the names of the great ones of the earth, is often withered and blemished by death. We read of those that bear their shame when they go down to the pit, though they were the terror of tlie mighty in the land of the living, —Ezekiel xxxii. 25., At a meeting of the Dissenting Ministers of Cheshire, at Knutsford, in May, 1696, a few weeks before Mr. Henry died, it was agreed, that their next meeting should be at Chester,* though inconvenient to many of them, upon condition that he would meet them there, and gve them a sermon. It was with much difl Sculty that he was prevailed with to promise it, but his Master called for him before the time appointed came. Mr. Flavel, of Devonshire,^ died when he was under a like appointment But happy they that are come to the general assembly and church of the Jirst-born, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.
As to his bodily presence, he was of a middle stature, his complexion not approaching to any extreme, of a very pleasant aspect, and an unusual mixture of gvity and sweetness in the air of his countenance, which was the true index of the mind. [He would never be persuaded to wear a periwig or border, though he had but very little hair, and was like Elisha for a bald-head. He sometimes said,— As long as I have three hairs of my own, I will never wear any bodys else.*] When some of his friends have solicited him to have his picture drawn, spirit into the hands of the Ood of peace." Turner's History of Remarkable Providences, ch. Izxvii. p. 100. «/ gupra.
See Memoirs of Mra Savage, pp. 51.5*2. «/ tupra, b See his Life, prefixed to his Works, vol. L He died the 26th of June, 1691. ast. 64. e Life, Orig. US. «/ rapra. See Walton's Lives by Dr. Zonch, V. S. p. 417. Mr. Matthew Henry, in his Diary, writes thus:~
1707-8. January 32. This day I was quite overruled by Brother H. and some of my friends, to cut off my hair, 1 having of late been very uneasy with coldness in my head, tooth-ache, and at present a deafhess. I had purposed not to have done it. but feared, lest persisting in my ref Xisal against the most earnest advice of my physician and friends, should arise from a secret pride in my own hair, and an affectation of singularity.** Orig. MS.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
127 be would pat them off <* with this, that the best picture ofa minister is in the hearts of his people.
CHAPTER X.
A MISCBLLAKBOnS COLLBCTION OP SOME OP HIS SAYINGS,OB8Ka-VATIONS, COUXSBI, AND COMFORTS, OUT OP HIS SBRMONS, LffrrSftS, AKU DISCOURSES.
Mr. Henry, through the excess of his modesty and self-diffidence, never published any of his labours to the world, nor ever fitted or prepared any of them for the press ; and yet none more valued the labours of others, or rejoiced more in them; nor have I heard any complain less of the multitude of good hooks, concerning which he often said, that store is 10 sore,* and he was very forward to persuade others to publish; and always expressed a particular plea-sore in reading the lives, actions, and sayings of emiiientmen, ancient and modem, which he thought the most oseful and instructive kind of writings. He was also a very candid reader ^ of books, not apt to pick quarrels with what he read, especially when the design appeared to be honest; and when others would find fault, and say this was wanting, and the other amiss, his usual excuse was,—^There is nothing perfect under the sun.
It will be but a small repair of this want of the publishing of some of his works, but I doubt it will prove the best we can make, to glean up some few • of many of his sayings, observations, and good instructions, as his remains, which we shall not marshal in any order, but give them as they occur, besides those which have been already inserted into tbis narrative.
It was a saying he frequently used, which hath been mentioned already,—^That every creature is that to us, and only that, which God makes it to be: and another was,—Duty is ours, events are God's: ^ and another was,—The soul is the man,^ and therefore, that is always best for us, which is best for our souls: and another was,—The devil cossens us of all our time, by cozening us of the present time.
[Referring to the death of a friend who had often i See Heywood** Life of Angler, p. 62. ui nyra ; and Dr. Jor-tnl Life of Erasmos, v. S. p. 93.
A ** 8ion M no ««r«, young mistresB* My mother is wont to my."
Ben Jonson. Works, toI. 6. p. 34. ut npra.
b Appendix, No. XXV.
c See also a Letter from Philip to Matthew Henry, where this and others of Mr. Henry's sayings are introduced. Prot. Diss. Ifsg- ▼. 2. p. 454.
" Duties are ours, and events are God's." Mr. Rutherford. See Joshua KediTiTaa. or 352 Religious Letters, by the " eminently pious and learned Mr. S. Rutherford." Lett. zei. to the Rev. D. Dickson, Mar. 7. l(Rf7, oct. tSOO, p. 111. I3tb ed.
Tbe sovl,** aaitb a Heathen, '* is the man; that which is seen Boot the man:**
Omm conrcr avpmttot to opttfitvov. Plato.
Spiritualised, ch vi. Works, ut tvpra v. 6. expressed his intention of leaving the substance of his estate to pious uses, but had not done so, he remarked,—Many good purposes lie in the church* yard.«]
In his thanksgivings for temporal mercies, he often said,—If the end of one mercy were not the beginning of another, we were undone: and to encourage to the work of thanksgiving he would say,—That new mercies call for new returns of praise, and then those new returns will fetch in new mercies.
[Sometimes he would say,—Former mercies are a support to faith in expectation of future mercies: at other times,—Praise is our rent-penny, which we pay to our great Landlord. We are God's tenants for his creatures, and we are tenants at will. Threepence of rent he looks for; a penny of thankfulness, of obedience, of charity. We must relieve tp our power proportionable to what we hold.
Of all the blessings we enjoy, saving, spiritual blessings cry loudest on us for returns of praise. They are the best blessings, the most excellent in themselves, the most costly to the Father, the most advantageous to us.']
From Psalm 1. 23. He that offer9 praise' glorifies me, and to him that orders his conversation aright, he observed, that thanks-giving is good, but thanks-living is better.
[O what a mercy, he would say, is health. If the least wheel in our watch (the most menial servant) be out of order, what trouble is it to all the family.**]
When he spoke of a good name, he usually described it to be a name for good things with good people.
When he spoke of contentment, he used to say,— When the mind and the condition meet, there is contentment.' Now in order to that, either the condition must be brought up to the mind, and that is not only unreasonable but impossible,—for as the condition riseth, the mind riseth with it,—or else the mind must be brought down to the condition, and that is both possible and reasonable. And he observed,—That no condition of life will of itself make a man content, without the grace of God ; for we find Haman discontented in the court, Ahab dis-
Mens cujusqoe is est quisque. Cicero. Somnium Sdpionia. Fragmenta, p. 64. op. torn, a duod. 1642. And see 3 Cor. iv. 16, where the soul is called the inward man. e Diary. Orig. MS. f P. Henry. Orig. MS. s Christians are to give Ood the praise, Ps. cxv. 1. of all they have; gifts, graces;—of all they do; duties;—of all they get; success. P.Henry. Orig.MS. h Diary. Orig. MS. i " Though a man cannot bring his condition to be as big as his heart, yet, if he can bring his heart to be as little as his condition, to bring them even;—flrom thence is contentment The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, by Jer. Burroughs, p. 30, 4to. 1685. So Plato;—'* The man, who would be truly happy, should not study to enlarge his estate, but to contract his desires." Plutarch, vol. 5. p. 385. a/nipra.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY. contented on the throne, Adam discontented in paradise; nay, and hier we cannot go, the angels that fell discontented in heaven itself.
[It pleases God to divide and dispense his gifts severally to the children of men: not all to one; but some to one, and some to another. There is no man so happy but hath something that is an alloy to his happiness, some trouble, or cross, or other, which should make us humble. And no man is so miserable, but he hath something that is an alloy to his misery ; if he be poor, yet he hath health. This, if well considered, might help to quiet our hearts, and teach us, in whatsoever state we are, therewith to be content.*^
You that have estates, he advised,—be sober in the use of them. Yon that have none, be sober in your desires.'
With a view to check inordinate desires, he would sometimes say,—Consider what are those things towards which thy desires are,—they are earthly, vanity. This I can assure thee, thou wilt not find that in them which thou lookest for. The Holy Ghost hath caused a whole book of scripture to be written about this argument; it is the book of Eccle-siastcs,— Delight thyself in the Lord, Creature-comforts ebb and flow, but God is always the same. Mortify inordinate affections. Let that of Jacob be our rule, Genesis xxviii. 20—^22; or that of Agur, Proverbs xxx. 7, &c. or that of Christ, daily bread. Nature is contented with little; grace with less; lust with nothing at all.*"
Earthly-minded men, he remarks, are like moles: they live in the earth ; they see no beauty in holiness, no comeliness in Jesus Christ**
The three questions which he advised people to put to themselves in self-examination before the sacrament, were. What am I ? What have I done ? and. What do I want?"
[Noticing hypocrisy, he has remarked;—^Though, to live in the least sin cannot consist with the power of godliness, yet, to live in the greatest, may with the form, Moses took a veil, when he spoke to Israel; put it off, when to God. Hypocrites do quite contrary; they show their best face to men, their worst to God. But he sees through the veil. Vipers speckled without, are poisonous within.p]
He used to recommend to his friends these four scripture arguments against sin, expressed, for memory sake, in four verses, to be ready in an hour of temptation. k P. Henry. Orlg. MS.
1 Ibid. m Ibid. A little will satisfy nature, less will satisfy grace, but nothing will satisfy a proud roan's lusts. Galen. See Brooks's Un. searchable Riches of Christ, p. 19 4to. 167L a P. Henry. Orig. MS.
o Appendix, No. XXVL
P P. Henry. Ortg. MS.
Is this thy kindness to thy friend ?<i It will be bitterness in the end.' The vows of God upon me lie ;* Should such a man as I am fly?'
[Pressing upon professors the wrong done by their sin to others, he would say ;^Your sin brings an evil report upon the ways of God, and grieves the hearts of your brethren, while it is the enemy's joy and triumph. Your example doth mischief; others will think they may safely venture to do as they see you do." There is not the least sin allowed of, and affected, but will end in the eternal separation of the soul from God. Guilty of one, guilty of all. James ii. 10.*
If I sin, he remarked, I must repent of it, and repentance is made up of shame and sorrow, and hath much bitterness in it. Sin is against God. And, how shall I do this great wickedness and sin against the great God, and a great King above all gods f Sin b pleasing to the devil; and shall I do tiiat which gratifies him who does all he can to destroy me ? Consider the reflection of sin upon Jesus Christ; how it gprieves, pierces, and openly shames him, my dear Redeemer, who shed his blood to redeem and ransom my soul from sin. Of this, it may be said, as of Goliah's sword. There is none like it. Consider the vows of God, which are upon us, especially the great vow of our baptism. Consider, though 1 may not be damned for this sin hereafter, yet i may be sorely chastened for it here, as David. The consideration of death and judgment, and the account that must be rendered when every secret thing shall be revealed, is a weighty argument against sin. If it be a public sin, consider the scandal of it to religion, besides the harm it may do as a bad example.*
Watch against the beginnings and occasions of sin. This was Joseph's remedy.'^ Set the Lord alwts before thee. How can I do this, not only against God but in his very face ? Put on the whole armour of God; especially the shield of faith. Faith realizes invisible things; threatenings, promises, hell, heaven, and above all, Christ crucified. Pray much. The best way to fight against sin, is to fight upon our knees. Remember your end. Death is at hand, and, after death, comes judgment. Do but suppose the next sin should be the determining sin, as perhaps it may.^ When God pardons sin, he would say, he takes it r 2 Sam. il. 36. » Ps. Wi. 13. t Neh. xi. II. 11 P. Henry. Orig. MS. V Ibid. w P. Henry. Orig. B«S.
X Sec a Sermon, by P. Henry, on Gen. xrixix. 9. Eighteen Ser-mons, p. 40. «/ tnfra. 7 P. Henry. Ortg. MS.
THE UFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
129 off as a barthen; removes it away, as filthiness; and blots it out, as a debt.
Saving grace takes off the affections from sin; but, most of all, from that which was formerly best beloved."
Sanctiilcation is the resurrection of the soul from the death of sin to the life of grace; the fint retur-TttiaUj Revelations xx. 6.*]
He said there were four things which he would not for all the world have against him ;^The word of God, his own conscience, the prayers of the poor, and the account of godly ministers.
[There are four things he would say, we must not make a mock of;—sin. Proverbs xiv. 9.—people's natural infirmities,—the word of God,—and good people.**
TVia snnt difficilia ;—to believe things impossible to reason,—to hope against hope when the thing hoped for is deferred,—and to cleave to God as to a friend, when he appears against us as an enemy.^
There are two things he remarked, we should greatly beware of;—That we may never be ashamed of the gospel,—and, that we may never be a shame to it. Proverbs xxx. 9.**]
He that hath a blind conscience, which sees nothing: a dead conscience, which feels nothing; and a dumb conscience, which saith nothing; is in as miserable a condition as a man can be in on this side hell.''
[He remarked,—^There are three things, which, if Christians do, they will prove mistaken :
1. If they look for that in themselves, which is to be had in another ; viz. righteousness,
2. If they look for that in the lawy which is to be bad only in the gospel; viz. mercy,
3. If they look for that on earth which is to be had only in heaven; viz. perfection.
Seriousness in trifles, trifling in the most serious things, he would observe, undoes thousands.*]
Preaching on 1 Peter i. 6. If need he, ye are in kenimess —He showed what need the people of God have of afflictions. The same that our bodies have of physic, that our trees have of pruning,' that gold and silver have of the furnace, that liquors have of being emptied from vessel to vessel, that the iron hath of a file, that the fields have of a hedge, that the child has of the rod.
«P. Henry. Orig. MS-
• Ibid. kibid. r Ibid. i Ibid.
Diary, Orig. MS. f God's vine bears better for bleeding. Israel went but aeventy into Egypt, but returned six hundred thousand,—being increased by their bondage. P. Henry. Common Place Book. Orig. MLS. r Mr. Henry. Palmer's Noncon. Mem. v. 3, p. 490, said to be printed firom hii Diary.
Cypnao.
»P-Henry. Orig.
[The evil of an affliction, he would say, is the wrath of God in it.
The pilot is wise though the sea is rough.'
Afflictions are enlightening; they open the eyes. Schola cruets est schola lucis :"—humbling; they help to lay us low:—softening; as the rain to the parched earth, as fire that melts the metals:—composing; they help to make people sober and serious, opening the ear to discipline.^
When outward afflictions are upon the Lord's people, their chief endeavours should be after spiritual, inward mercies; to get sin pardoned, peace established. Psalm xxv. 18. It is usual with Satan, at such times, to disquiet God's people with the remembrance of old miscarriages. He is a great enemy to our peace. When he doth so, our best course is to sue out a fresh pardon.'^
We are horn to trouble as men. Job xiv. 1. and horn again to it as Christians, 2 Timothy iii. 12.'
The graces of God's children are like fire in a flint, the flint must be struck before the fire will appear.
The way to make a burthen light, he writes, is to poise it equally, that it may not hang all on one side. So afflictions are made easy by parting our care, so as to take upon us only the care of duty, and leave events to God.°*
Great affections prove great afflictions."
Thus he would pray ;—^When the flail of affliction, O Lord, is upon me, let me not be as the chaff that flies in thy face, but as the com that lies at thy fect.p]
Preaching on that prayer of Christ for his disciples, John xvii. 21.;— That they all may he one; which, no doubt, is an answered prayer; for the Father heard him always; He showed,—^That, notwithstanding the many sad divisions that arc in the church, yet all the saints, as far as they are sanctified, are one; one in relation, one flock, one family, one huildiny, one body, one hread; one by representation ; one in imaye and likeness of one inclination and disposition; one in their aims, one in their askings, one in amity and friendship, one in interest, and one in their inheritance; nay, they are one in judgment and opinion ; though in some things they difi'er, yet those things in which they are agreed are many more, and much more considerable than those k P. Henry. Orig. MS.
I P. Henry. Skeleton of a Sermon on Matt. xvii. 14. taken from his own BiIS. Tbeol. Mag. and Review, v. % p. 422. A. D. 1802. ni P. Henry. Common Place Book. Orig. MS. n P. Henry. Orig. MS. o The flayle, or the winde, hurtithe not the wheat, but clensyth yt from the chafTe. And ye, dearly l»eioved, are God's wheat; feare not the fanning wind. An Epistle sent by Mr. Latimer, to all the unfayned lovers of God's trewthe. owte of a prison in Oxen-ford, called Bocardo; where the said Latimer was emprisonned for the testimony of Criste, the 15th of May, 1555. Strype's EccL Mem. V. 3. p. 308. Mi supra.
P P. Henry. Orig. MS.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHIUP HENRY. things wherein they differ. They are all of a mind concerning sin, that it is the worst thing in the world; concerning Christy that he is All in all; concerning the favour of God, that it is better than life; concerning the world, that it is vanity; concerning the word of God, that it is very precious, &c.
Preaching on Galatians i. 16. concerning the conversion of Paul, he began his sermon with this remark, to raise attention;—Much is said in story concerning the seven wonders of the world, the Temple of Ephesus, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Tomb of Mausolus, &c. all which are now no more; but I have been sometimes thinking, whether I could not name seven things which I would call the seven wonders of the church. And what do you think of these seven? Are they not wonderful? 1. Our redemption by Jesus Christ, who is called Wonderful, 2. The salvation of Noah in the ark. 3. The faith of Abraham in offering up Isaac. 4. The patience of Job. 5. The providences of God towards the nation and people of the Jews. 6. The pouring out of the Spirit upon the apostles. 7. The conversion of Paul.
[Preaching on Romans v. 12.— And death by $in, and so death passed upon all men; he observed,— That eternal death is meant, or the death of both body and soul in hell. This is part of the wages of sin; in Romans vi. 23. opposed to eternal life. It is a living death, or a dying life. It is, therefore, death, because separation from God. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Depart: — now, the Spirit saith, Come; and the Bride saith. Come; but then. Depart from me, — thfi Fountain of Lift ;—from my presence, in which is fulness of joy. This is the punishment of loss;—the very hell of hell. Lord, if we must go from thee, let us part friends! No;— Depart, ye cursed; and those whom he curses, are cursed indeed. Then let it be to some other place, where we may be quiet, ^o \—into fire. Such fire as ours is but a poor shadow of. Let us stay there but a while. No;—into everlasting fire. Let us have good company. No;—the devil, and his angels. The same by whom thou didst choose to be ruled, shall now torment thee.^
Preaching on Hebrews vi. 9 ',^But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation,' though we thus speah; he said, in the close;—Do these things. See sin to be the worst of evils, and depart from it. See Christ to be the best of goods, and choose him, and cleave to q P. Henry. Orig. MS. r The thingt that accompany salvatuM, zn^—Tepfntanet towartU Cod and faith towards our Lord Jent Chritt. Where these are, there is salvation. Acts Hi. 19. xv\. 31. Without these, we cannot be saved, Lulce xiii. 3. John viii. 24. A holy heart, and a holy life, John iii.3. Heb. xii. 14. Matt, xviii. 3. Sincerity, truth, and uprightness, Gen. xviL L Ps. li. 6. Isa. xxxviii. a 2 Cor. i. 12. Habitual jMreparation of soul to part with all for the sake of Christ him. See tiie world passing away, and set not thy heart upon it. See the ways of God to be the best ways, and his people the best people ; and walk in those ways, and with those people. See heaven and hell before you, and carry it accordingly. Love the word of God ; make it your gide, your food.*
In an exposition of Genesis iii. after analyzing the awful sentence upon our first parents, he thus beautifully remarked;—In the midst of all the wrath denounced and executed in this chapter, what a sweet mixture there was of mercy: alluding to Psalm ci. 1. There is a promise of Christ, verse 15. In sorrow thou shall bring forth; there is wrath: but then it shall be children ; there is mercy. Thy desire shall be subject, but it shall be to thy husband. Thy face shall sweat; but in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, Mercy is seen in making garments for them, verse 15.'
Preaching on Matthew vii. 24, kjc-^^TTkerefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I win lihen him, ^c. he observed, that he who hears sermons, and doth not do them, is a monster in religion. He is all head and ears, having neither hands to work with nor feet to walk with. There is a disease, which children have, called the rickets, wherein their heads swell as large as two heads, and their legs are crooked, which hinder their going. We have many ricketty Christians; they hear much, and ' their heads swell with empty notions, and indigested opinions, but their legs are crooked, their walking is perverse. Every such person is a mocker of God, a deceiver of himself, a discourager of ministers, barren soil, a bad servant, a beholder of his natural face in a glass, a builder of his house upon the sand,'
Preaching on Christ, as the redemption of his people, from 1 Corinthians i, dO.^But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us redemption ; he thus concluded;—Live as the redeemed of the Lord; live with your eye upon the redemption ; viewing it often; aiming at it as your scope; 2 Corinthians iv. 18. Live with your hand upon the plough, abounding always in the worh of the Lord. Live with your feet upon the world, despising its glories, bearing patiently its frowns. Live with your heart upon the Redeemer, in love and thankfulness."^
Preaching on Ephesians ii. 12. That at that time ye were without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel; he thus described the miserable condition of those who are without Christ ;^They are children without a father, orphans; sheep, without and his gospel, if God shall call us thereunto, Luke ix. 23. Matt. X. 37. Matt. vi. 24. P. Henry. Orig. BIS.
■ P. Henry. Orig. MS.
t Ibid.
n Ibid.
V Ibid. A heart to be truly thankful for the Redeemer, Is a good sign of an interest in the redemption. P. Henry. Memoin oTMn. Sarage, p. 917. ni iupra.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
131 a shepherd, none to lead them, to feed them, to i;aard them; they are in the dark, and no sun to enlighten them; they are in a friendless condition, Christ is their enemy; they are under a deht, and lia?e no surety; they are in the midst of enemies, and have do Saviour; they have a cause to plead, but haye no Advocate; they are sinners, but have DO Prophet, Priest, or King, to appear for them ; they are out of the way, for Christ u the only way; they are mortally diseased, but have no Physician ; they are naked, and have no clothing, for Christ's righteousness is the only clothing; they are foodleis, breadless, for he only is bread to the soul; thej are without wisdom; and', therefore, fools. A Christless condition is a muerable condition.*]
But it would be endless to gather up such passages as these out of his sermons, which were full of them, and we mention these only because they occur first.
He used to observe concerning the nation of the Jews, that, before the captivity in Babylon, no people could be more strongly addicted to idols and idolatry than they were,—to admiration, considering what clear warnings they had against it. But after that captivity, never was any people more averse to idols and idolatry than they, that the promise might be fulfilled, Epkraim shall say. What have I to do any mare with idols f And he looked upon it, that the idolatry of the papists was one of the greatest obstructions to the Jews' conversion, which he did expect and look for, as not apprehending how the promises, Romans xi. have yet had their foil accomplishment; not that they shall again be incorporated into a people, but shall join themselves to the churches of Christ, in the several nations vhither they be scattered.
The great thing that he condemned and witnessed against in the Church of Rome, was their mono-potiadng of the church, and condemning all that are not in with their interests, which is so directly contrary to the spirit of the gospel, as nothing can be more. He sometimes said,—I am too much a catholic to be a Roman Catholic.
He often expressed himself well pleased with that healing rule,* which, if duly observed, would put an end to all our divisions ;—tSt> in necessariis unitas, in lum necessariis libertas, in omnibus charitas. Let there be in necessary things unity, in every thing
• Mn. Savage's Its. s Of St. Augustine.
7 About the one.and-thirtieth yeare of Henry the Eighth, holy-<ta7i were growne to such an unreasonable number, as that men bad afanost no time to worke and attend the businesse of their callrogs; servants had so many play days, and poore people so few wwfcing dayeSk as began to breed much inconvenience, by mson of much idleness. Wherefore there came forth injunctions (ram the king by the convocation, for the restraint thereof. God's Holy House and Service, by Foulke Robarts, pp. 22, 23.4to. 1630. See a copy of ** Tbacte made for Thabrogacion of certay iie holy-^ye%** in Bishop Sparrow's Collection of Articles, &c. 4to. 1675.
K 2 charity, and then there need not be, in every punctilio, uniformity.
By the institutions of the gospel, he said, he knew of no holy place, one holy day,^ two holy sacraments, and four holy canons. Let all things be done in charity. Let all things be done to edifying. Let all things be done decently, and in order. Let all things be done to the glory of God.
When his opinion was asked about any doubtful matter, as plajdng at cards, the marriage of cousin-germans, or the like, he was very cautious in determining such things to be sinful; but he would say; •—It is good keeping on the safer side; and a man would not choose to go upon a precipice, when he might go upon even ground. Proverbs x. 5. He that walks uprightly walks surely, in opposition to walking at all adventures.
[There are excellent rules to guide us in doubtful cases. What would Peter, or Paul, or Christ himself do in this case, if they were here ? What would I do myself if I were dying now, and going to judgment?' What is the first dictate of my own conscience; I say, tho^^rf,—before interest, profit, hath bribed it? Usually, that is the right.*
On another occasion, in reference to the sacred injunction,— Commune with thine own heart, and be still, he said,—When the question hath been put to conscience,—Do I do well to live in the practice of such and such a thing ?^Stay, and hearken to the answer.**
Noticing the common objection urged against the strictness of a holy life;—It is more than needs. I have a good heart towards God; I go to church, and give to every man his own; and what do the best more?—I will tell thee, saith he.—^They do more; they watch against the occasions of sin, and pray, and endeavour, that the wicked one may not touch them. When he hath touched them, and they have sinned, it is the great grief of their souls, causes them to mourn bitterly. They take hold, by faith, on the blood of Christ, and receive remission through him. This they improve as the greatest, and most prevailing, argument to all manner of gospel obedience after. This they do, and these are the things that accompany salvation,^
On Christian joy fulness we have the following remarks :— One of the injunctions of King Edward the Sixth, in 1547, was, that—*' All parsons, vicars, and curates, shall teach and declare unto their parishioners, that they may, with a safe and quiet conscience, in the time of harvest, labour upon the holy and festival days, and save the thing which God hath sent." Ibid. p. 7. This was repeated by Queen Elizabeth, in I5S9. Ibid. p. 73.
Mr. Henry probably had tliese things in view.
I See the Sermon preached before the interment of Mr. John Sympson, pp. 39,40. 4to. 1663.
* P. Henry. Orig. MS.
b Ibid. %
c Ibid.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENR¥!
Whosoever takes his full, though lawful, pleasure in the things of the world,* to such God commonly denies the extraordinary delights of his Spirit.
Men may be in a state of joy, and yet not apprehend it, as Hagar, who had a well by her, and yet complained for thirst. Genesis xxi. 17.
Joy must not always be judged of by the outward expressions; for a man will laugh more at a jest than he will at news of a pardon.
If we let the reins loose to sin and folly; if we suffer the world, and vanities of it, to encroach upon us, and to steal away our thoughts and affections, that will quickly spoil Christ's being our song, Hosea ix. 1. Joy is forbidden fruit to a backslider. Such have other work to do. It is they only who keep a conscience void of offence that walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, that keep close to God and duty.—I say it is they only, that can rejoice in Christ Jesus, And, therefore, see to it all ye that desire to make Christ your song, and to rejoice always in him. Mind your way; mend your pace; ply your work.
Rest not, he would say, in having life, but press after liveliness. Revelations iii. 1, 2. A lively frame in our walking, is an excellent frame; it rids work; brings something to pass in religion.'
Usually, after continued deadness, rested in, comes some notable af Hiction, or other cross.—' Is it so, indeed ? Can you afford me no better duties V Withdraw, Comforter! Smite, sickness! Vex him, Satan! Persecute him, enemies! Hosea v. 15; vi. 1.'
Writing upon worldliness, he observed, that, although the affections may not be only upon earthly things, they may be so principally; as when we affect earthly things in the first place; when we affect them for their own sakes, and not in subordination to a higher end; when heavenly things must give way to them; and when we can be content to forfeit a good conscience, that we may gratify our regard to them.
The root of a tree lies out of sight; so the affections. When they are set upon the world, what they do, they do slily. The soul is lost without noise.
One of the most dreadful expressions of wrath in all the Scripture is denounced against a root of bitterd And, for pleasures and delights of the world, we must deal with it as men who buy and taste honey, only touch it with the tip of the finger, not with our whole hand, for feare of surfeit. Venerable Bede. The Lives of the Primitive Fathers, p. 516.4to. 1640.
« P. Henry. Orig. MS.
f Ibid. : fr Ibid.
h Ibid.
i Ibid.
k One of these observations was noticed by BIr. Turner in proof of " great effects being wrought by weak means." A woman near Hanmer, going over a hedge, was bung to death with her head.string catching accidentally in the sticks; as was related to me by Mr. Henry of Broad Oak, in Flintshire. Remark. Provid. cli. cxli. p 69. ut npra. ness, Deuteronomy xxix. 18, 20, 21. Such a root is earthly-mindedness; and the fruit it brings forth is bitter fruit.
A child of God may be master of the world, but he cannot be a slave to it.s If the affections of a Christian be towards earthly things, the soul will be wronged. It vrill engage him in a multitude of temptations and snares, 1 Timothy vi. 9. It will exceedingly hinder communion vrith God. Earthly things are as bird-lime to the soul. When the heart is mounting up towards heaven, then will come in a wandering thought, as a bullet, or as an arrow out of a bow, and on the sudden fetch it down again. It is the very root of apostasy; and it unfits us for death. None are so unwilling to die as those whose affections are towards earthly things.**
Earthly riches are uncertain riches, 1 Timothy vi. 17. but spiritual mercies are sure mercies, Isaiah Iv. 3.*]
In the observations he made of God's providences,^ he frequently took notice, in discourse with his friends, of the fulfilling of the Scripture in them; for, saith he,—The Scripture hath many accomplishments, and is in the fulfilling every day. Speaking of a vricked son in the neighbourhood, that was very undutiful to his mother, he charged some of his children to observe the providence of God concerning him; perhaps, saith he, I may not live to see it, but do you take notice, whether God do not come upon him with some remarkable judgment in this life, according to the threatening implied in the reason annexed to the Fifth Commandment. But he himself lived to see it fulfilled not long after, in a very signal providence.*
[On the subject of declensions in religion he remarked;—It was never said Of any one that fell away,"* that he was ei\her justified, or begotten again; whereas, many other glorious things are spoken of them. Hebrews vi. 4, 6, &c."
Many men begin well in the profession of religion, and hold on a while, and yet break off at last, and come to nothing. What is the matter ? Want of a single eye. They did not choose religion for religion's sake, nor the ways of God for God's sake, but for 1A striking illustration of a similar nature is recorded by Bishop Hopkins, in his *' Exposition on the Commandments." Works, V. I, p. 452. «/ wpro. m They that voluntarily fall of Tfrom God's truth, are, of all men, the most given to railing and bitterness, I Timothy i. 20. Julian, the apostate, was the bitterest railer against Christians. Tliere are various reasons for this. The dere they have to justify themselves ; because they know they have made themselves odious to God's people; (as nations take up arms against those they have no hope to be reconciled to;) to give assurance to that side they have given themselves to, 3 Sam. xvl. 21. A fury of spirit follows the worst cause. Let us hold fast the truth, and take heed of falling away; for then we shall foil into the gall of hitterneu. Mr. D. Bufgess on 2 Pet. ii. 1&, 16. Sept 21, 1619. From a MS. of the Rev Arthur Hildersham. /V|fn mt.
B P. Henry. Common Place Book. Orig. MS.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
133 some secular advantage, or by-respect; and, when the weight is off, the clock stands.^ J
He observed from scripture instances, as well as from some providences, which he had taken notice of in his own day,—^That, if any began well in the irays of religion and godliness, and afterwards cast off their profession and returned to profanencss again, usually God sets a mark of his displeasure upon them, by some visible judgment in this world; their estates ruined, their reputation blasted, their families sunk, or themselves brought to misery; so that all who passed by might say,—' This was an apostate.' If any man draw back,, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
He observed, from Numbers x. 12.«-That all our removes in this world are but from one wilderness to another. Upon any change that is before us, wc are apt to promise ourselves a Canaan, but we shall be de<^ived, it will prove a wilderness.
Once, pressing the study of the scriptures, he advised to take a verse of Psalm cxix.P every morning to meditate upon, and so go over the psalm twice in the year; and that, saith he, will bring you to be in love with all the rest of the scripture ; and he often said;—All grace grows,*! as love to the word of God grows.
[Mentioning that passage;— And turned my feet m/o thy testimonies; —he observed, that the great turn to be made in heart and life, is from all other things to the word of God. Conversion turns us to the word of God, as our touch-stone, to examine ourselves, our state, our ways, spirits, doctrines, worships, customs; as our glass, to dress by, James i. as our rule to walk and work by, Galatians vi. 16; as our water, to wash us. Psalm cxix. 9; as our fire, to warm us, Luke xxiv. as our food, to nourish us. Job xxiii. 12; as our sword, to fight with, Ephesians vi. as our counsellor, in all our doubts. Psalm cxix. 24; as our cordial, to comfort us; as oar heritage, to enrich us.'
Noticing the exceeding great and precious promises of the divine word, he would say;—Those good things, which are only convenient for us, arc not absolutely promised; as degrees of grace, comforts, externals.
To every command there is a promise; Deuteronomy X. 16; compare xxx. 6; Ezekiel xviii. 31; compare xxxvi. 26; the command finds us work;
P. Henry. Orig. MS. Brit Mus. Fol. 4275. Piut. iii. E. Bibl. Birch. They that are acted only by an outward law, are all the while moved artificially, and not by any principle of motion from thenael Tcs within; or. like clocks and watches, that go pretty regalariy for a while, but are moved by weights and plummets, or tocne other artificial springs, that must be ever now and then wound up, or else they cease. Or. Cudworth's Sermon before the HouK of Commons, March 31,1647, appended to the True Intel, leetual System of the Universe, v. 2. p. 64.4to. 1743. f i087-fl March 9. Friday mom. I have been, of late, taking Kiae pains to learn by heart Psalm cxix. and have made some pnrcatbcreiii. Mrs. Savage. Diary, Orig. MS. the promise finds us strength. The purposes of God are his concealed promises; the promises, his revealed purposes. A believer, though he may have little in possession, he has treasures in reversion. The promises of God to us are greater helps for mortifying sin than our promises to God.*]
One, asking his advice, what to do when, as often unavoidably, we are in the sight and hearing of the wickedness of the wicked, and whether we arc to reprove them;—Why, saith he, you know what an angry countenance doth, and wc may sometimes ^\\e a reproof by our looks, when we have not opportunity of giving it otherwise.
[He would remark, that it is strange to see sometimes what an awe arises upon the spirits of wicked men from the very company and presence of one eminent in holiness; they dare not do then as they dare and do at other times. One having dined with Mr. John Dod, said, afterwards, that he did not think it could have been possible to have forborne swearing so long.^
On the duty of Christian reproof, he observes ;— When we reprove our brother, we must be careful we violate not his credit. So Christ looked only upon Peter, lest, if he had spoken to him, the Jews, over-hearing, might have reviled and upbraided him with his treachery to his Master. So, also, at supper, when he reproved Judas, he speaks in general terms; — (hu ofyou,^
Again;—To reprove a brother, is like as, when he is fallen, to help him up again; when he is wounded, to help to cure him ; when he hath broken a bone, to help to set it; when he is out of his way, to put him in it; when he is fallen into the fire, to pluck him out; when he hath contracted defilement, to help to cleanse him.*
In reproving, temper zeal with charity. In the ark, as there was Aaron's rod, so there was also the pot of manna; virga severitatis manna dulcedinus ; bitter pills must be gilded over with love and meekness.^
He would not bear that any should be evil spoken of in his hearing; it was to him as vinegar to the teeth. He would mind those who reflected upon people behind their backs, of that law, Leviticus xix. 14. Thou shah not curst the deaf Those that are absent are deaf, they cannot right themselves, and therefore say no ill of them. A friend of bis q A man cannot continue long at a stand in godliness. If we do not find an increase of grace, we may justly suspect a decay in grace. 2 Pet iii. 17,18. The regenerate part in a believer is styled, in scripture, the mw man ; or, as it may be rendered, the young man. Col. iii. 10 Youth is on the growing hand; so is grace in the heart. Mai. iv. 2. B Henry. Orig. MS.
r P. Henry. Orig. MS.
P. Henry. Common Place Book. Orig MS.
t P. Henry. Orig. MS.
u P. Henry. Common Place Rook. Orig. MS.
T P. Henry. From Mrs. Savage's MS.
w P. Henry. Orig. MS.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
inquiring of him concerning a matter which tended to reflect upon some people ; he began to give him an account of the story, but immediately broke off, and checked himself with these words, but our rule is, to speak evil of no fimn, and would proceed no further in the story. It was but the week before he died, that one desired him to lend him such a book. Truly, saith he, I would lend it you, but that it rakes in the faults of some, which should rather be covered with a mantle of love. It were easy to multiply instances of this.
[Speaking of anger, he would say,—Wise anger is like fire in a flint: there is much ado to get it out, and when it is out, it is gone again presently.*
To quicken people to diligence and liveliness in the worship of God, he would sometimes observe, that the temple was built upon a threshing-floor, a place of labour. He would also urge that in answer to those who turned it to his reproach, that his meeting-place had been a bam; no new thing, would he say, to turn a threshing-floor into a temple.
[The following counsel is connected with the same subject,—Beware of such things as deaden the heart. Avoid guilt, for it mars all our boldness of access. Guard against the cares of the world, for they are as clogs and fetters. They are to the soul as bird-lime. A bird so caught, cannot fly as before.
Study things above that ye may be wise about them. Mind them, Romans viii. 5. Philippians iii. 19— Savour them : the word is so translated, Matthew xvi. 23.—Keep up your relish of them. The whole man is to be exercised, and set on work in heavenly things, but chiefly the affections. Affect things above.
Spiritual things, graces and duties, &c. are termed things above, because they are so to the natural man, above his reach to understand, above his power to perform, 1 Corinthians ii. 14.—because they elevate and advance the soul that hath them, and is exercised about them. (There is not a duty in religion, but an angel might be seen performing it without disparagement,)—because they are so in regard of their original. (Duties were enjoined from above; we are enabled to perform them from above,)—and because they are so in regard of their tendency,— upwards, towards heaven.^
do we usually reckon the happier man,—he who is poor in the world, and hath true grace, or he who is rich in the world, and hath none ? In which of these two men's condition would X P. Henry. Orig. MS. r Ibid.
See Stnitt*s Alaunen and Customs of the English, v. 3. p. 93. &c. 4to. 1776. Id 1551, the King [Edward the Sixth] drew up for the Paliament a bill for restraining and directing of apparel, but it took not efl Tect See the Rough Draft, in Strype's Eccl. Mem. V. 2. p. 5ft&, &c.«/ npra. we choose to be f What is it we are most solicitous to make sure to ourselves,—things on earth, or things above ? What is it you desire most to leave your children ? Have you spent as many thoughts, and cast as many ways, how you might bring them to Christ, as how you might raise them, and provide for them, in the world ? These queries, impartially answered, will evidence what esteem we have of things above, and our esteem will evidence what affections we have towards them.']
When some zealous people in the country would have him to preach against top-knots, and other vanities in apparel, he would say, that was none of his business; if he could but persuade people to Christ, the pride and vanity, and excess of those things, would fall of course; and yet he had a dislike to vanity and gety of dress;' and allowed it not in those that he had influence upon. His rule was, that in such things we must neither be owls nor apes; not affect singularity, nor affect modish-ness; nor, as he used to observe from 1 Peter iii. 3. make the putting on of apparel our adominy, because Christians have better things to adorn themselves with.** When some complained to him of a relation of theirs, that would not let them dress his children with ribbons, and other fine things; why truly, saith Mr. Henry, those things are fit for children; thereby reproving both him that would not allow them to his children, and them that perhaps minded them too much themselves.
[On first wearing a new suit of clothes, he wrote, —Lord, clothe me with thy righteousness,which is a comely, costly, lasting, everlasting garment.^
Four sorts of zeal, he would remark, are to be condemned. Blind zeal; Romans x. 2. Bitter zeal; James iii. 14. Proud zeal; 2 Kings x. Partial zeal; Matthew xxiii.
On one occasion he writes,—None should despair, because God can help them; none should presume, because God can cross them.^
Referring to the fundamentals of the Christian religion, they consist, he observes, in matters of faith. John xvii. 3; viii. 24. Acts iv. 11. 1 Corinthians i. 23. t6. ii. 2. ib, iii. 11.; of practice, Matthew iv. 17. Luke ix. 23. John xiii. 34.; xv. 14.; and of worship, John iv. 24 ; xvi. 23. Philippians iii. 3. Colossians iii. 17; ii. 18, 19.'
True godliness is scripture godliness. Godliness according to what is written. Psalm cxix. 133. Galatians vi. 16.'
Speaking of pride, he would say,—The worst sin, b Christ is a Christian's glory. Pa. ill 3. No such ornament as true godliness. Be not ashamed of your ornaments. Phil iii 3. 2 Cor. i. 12. P. Henry. Orig. MS. e Diary. Orig. MS. d Life. Orig. MS. ut wpra. c P. Henry. Common Place Book. Orig. BfS.
f Ibid.
f P. Henry. Orig MS.
135 pride, comes out of our graces, and the best gprace, which is hiunility, comes out of our sins.**
At other times,—Wc should be troubled as much at unjust praises as at unjust slanders.*
What the soul is to the body, he would remark, that the saints are to the world; the balsam and life of it; yet as the body abuses the soul, so doth this world the saints.''
The study of history, he notes, is pleasant I find afflictions and persecutions have been always the lot of the people of God, but God hath still upheld his church, and will do it to the end.'
To one complaining of weakness in duty he said ; —Remember two things ; that you are not under the 2nr, hut under grace ; that you are on earth, and not in heayen.""
If yon wonid pray fervently, walk watchfully. Rest not in forms. Artificial breath, such as that which comes from a pair of bellows, is cold; but natand breath, which comes from the mouth of a lifiag man, is warm. Stir thyself up with quickening meditations. Psalm xxxix. 3. Beg assistance from the spirit"
We must not go a step out of our way, neither to meet the cross nor to misa it. °
He often, both in sermons and discourses, would press people to fix to themselves some good principles, and to come off from the corrupt and carnal principles that worldly people go by. He took all occasions to reconmiend such principles as these. That God who is the first and best, should have the first and best^—^That a part in Christ is a good part. —That son! prosperity is the best prosperity, and that it is well or ill with us, according as it is well or ill with our souls.—^That honesty is the best policy. —That those that would have the comfort of relations, must be careful to do the duty of them.—That all is well that ends everlastingly well.i—That time, and the tilings of time, are nothing compared with eternity, and the things of eternity.—That it is better to suffer the greatest afiliction, than to commit the least sin.—^That it highly concerns us to do that now, which we shall most wish we had done when we come to die.—^That work for God is its own wages. —That it is folly for a man to do that which he must certainly undo again by repentance, or be undone to all eternity. Such as these were the principles he would have Christians to govern themselves by.
k P. Henry. Common Place BooIl Orig. MS.
ilbid.
klbid.
1 P. Henry. Diary, Orig. BfS.
a Ibid.
■ P. Henry. Orig. MS.
P. Henry. Cmmnon Place Book. Orig. BilS. p SttkJMtkt kingdom 0/ God; first in time; not only chiefiy, bot early. It is best to begin with him who is best. Caryl on ir.l,p.em,fail. 1670.
[Contrasting the superior principles under which Christians act with those which influence others, he writes;—A man may be strong to do much, and suffer much, from external weights, pulling and drawing, that is, from motives from without; to please men, or to gn applause; but that is another thing from what is done by an inward principle; grace in the heart, the love of God shed abroad there, the love of Christ constraining; as the bias in the bowl, the spring in a watch.'
Illustrating the future blessedness of Christians by comparison, he remarked;—Eternal life is the life of heaven: this and spiritual life are for sub> stance the same; they differ in degree only. Life spiritual, the life of grace, is life eternal, the life of glory, begun; and life eternal, the life of glory, is life spiritual, the life of grace perfected.• They differ as the child's life and the man's life, 1 Corinthians xiii. 11, 12. As the morning-sun from the noon-son, Proverbs iv. 18. As the spring from the summer; the budding-rose from the blovm rosc.^]
Speaking of the causes of atheism, he had this observation;—That a head full of vain and unprofitable notions, meeting with a heart full of pride and self-conceitedncss, dispose a man directly to be an atheist.
A gentlewoman, that upon some unkindness between her and her husband, was parted from him, and lived separately near a twelvemonth, grew melancholy, and complained of sin, and the withdrawing of the light of God's countenance, and the want of assurance; ho told her she must rectify what was amiss between her and her husband, and return into the way of duty, else it was in vain to expect peace. Her friends were against it; but he said, he was confident it would prove so.
[Noticing the causes of God's hiding his face from his people, he remarks ;—That most commonly sin in us is the cause. Sin is a separating, darkening thing, Isaiah lix. 2. Ephesians v. 11. Particularly security : carnal confidence. Psalm xxx. 6,7; neglect of opportunities, Solomon's Song v. 2, 3, &c.; worldly-mindedness, Isaiah Ivii. 17 ; 1 Timothy vi. 10.; cowardice in God's cause and service, Jonah ii. 4. Yet, sometimes he adds, pure love in himself is the reason, Isaiah 1. 10. He has, hereby, several holy ends in view. To convince us of our dependence upon him for all the comfort we have; to quicken our desires after him. See Matthew xv. q Mr. Dod would fVequently say,—That was well which ended * everlastingly well; and that was ill which ended everlastingly ilL Life, by Clarke, ui npra, p. 174. See the Life of Mrs. Maiigaret Corbet, A. p 417. r P. Henry. Orig. MS.
The estate of grace, and that of glory, are like one to the other; grace being.glory begun, and glory grace completed. Archbishop Leighton, on I Petei i. 13. Works, ut Mnpra, vol. 1. p. 104. t P. Henry. Orig. MS.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHIUP HENRY.
22, &c. to discover to us the worth of the light of his countenance ; to prevent our being puffed up, 2 Corinthians xii. to stir up our longings after heaven.^
With reference to the Divine Being, he sometimes observed,—^That God reserves three things to himself; the revenge of injuries, Romans xii. 19. the gloiy of deeds, Isaiah xlii. 8. the knowledge of secrets, Deuteronomy xxix. 29.
The will of God's purpose is the rule of all his actions; the will of his precept is the rule of all our actions.
God can provide for us without us; so cannot we for ourselves without God."]
[Mr. Henry] said he had observed concerning himself, that he was sometimes the worse for eating, but never for abstinence; sometimes the worse for wearing too few clothes, but never for wearing too many ; sometimes the worse for speaking, but never for keeping silence.^
As to his letters, he was very free in writing to his friends. A good letter, he would say, may perhaps do more good than a good sermon, because the address is more particular, and that which is written remains. His language and expressions in his letters were always pious and heavenly, and seasoned with the salt of grace ; and when there was occasion, he would excellently administer counsels, reproofs, or comforts, by letter. He kept no copies of his letters, and it is impossible, if we should attempt it, to retrieve them from the hands into which they were scattered. Mr. Rutherford's" and Mr. Allen's* letters, that, like some of the most excellent of Paul's Epistles, bore date out of a prison, have a mighty tincture of their peculiar prison-comforts and enlargements. We have none such to produce of Mr. Henry's, no pastoral letters, or prison letters. He was himself, in his whole conversation, an epistle of Christ.
But we shall only glean up some passages out of such of his letters as are in our hands, which may be affecting and edifying.
To his son, when he was abroad, for improvement at London, in the year 1685, and 1686, with the common business of his letters, which was always written with a savour of religion, he would intermix such lines as these:—^We are all well here, thanks be to God, the Divine Providence watching about our tabernacle, and compassing us about with favour, as with a shield. Our great inquiry is. What shall we t P. Henry. Orig. MS. n P. Henry. Common Place Book. Orig. MS.
Xenocrates, holding his peace at some detractive discourse, was asked, why he spoke not!—•* Because," said he," I have some, times repented of speaking, but never of holding my peace." Stanley's History of Philosophy, p. 222. 4to 1743. w Mr. Rutherford died in Blarch, 1661. See his Life in the Biog. Scotic. p. 206. oct. 1796.
X See anie. p. 85. f As Ood hath hedged up our way with strict commands, so he render ? Alas ! our renderings are nothing to our , receivings; we are like the barren field, on which much cost is bestowed, but the crop is not accordingly. Our heavenly Father is loading us with his benefits, and we are loading him with our sins, grieving ! him that comforts us. And how long, how long shall it be so ? Oh, that it might be otherwise! that our mercies might be as oil to the wheels, to make us so much the more active and lively in our Master's work, especially considering how it is with our fellow-servants; they empty, and we full; they Marahy and we Naomi. There may a day come when it may cost dear to be honest, but after all,—To/ear God and keep his commandments is the whole ofmmn. I therefore conunend it to you, and you to God, who is a shield and buckler to them that fear him.
We are well, but in daily expectation of that which we are bom, and bom again to, and that is trouble ' in this world, yet rejoicing in hope of the glory of God, which we are reaching after, and pressing towards, as we trust you are also. Where you are, you see more of the glittering vanities of this world in a day, than we here do in an age ; and aie you more and more in love with them, or dead and dying to them ? I hope dead and dying to them, for they are poor things, and perish in the using; make many worse that enjoy them, but none better. What is translated, vexation of spirit, Ecclesiastes i. 2. may be read, feeding upon wind; compare Hosea xii. 1. And can wind satisfy? The Lord preserve and keep you from all evil; the Lord preserve and keep your soul. We both send you our love, and bless you together and apart, every day, in the name of the Lord. Amen and Amen.
Be sincere, and humble, and choice in your company, always either getting good or doing good, gathering in or laying out. Remember to keep the heart ' with all diligence and above all keepings, for there the fountain is, and if that be well kept and clean, the streams will be accordingly.
It is some short refreshment to friends and relations, to see and hear from one another, but it passeth away, and we have here no continuing city, no abiding delights in this world ; our rest remains elsewhere; those we have, lose much of their sweetness, from the thoughts of parting with them while we enjoy them, but the happiness to come is eternal; after millions of millions of ages, if wc may so speak of eternity, as far from an end as the first hath strewed it likewise with thorns of af BicUon. P. Henry. Orig.BflS. u narrow way, Scatt'red with bushy thomes, and ragged breares.**
Spenser. The Faerie Queeue, Canto x. xxiv. Works. Mr. Todd's edition, v. 3. p. 127.
I A Christian may have blows upon his back, but God will keep his heart. My con, givevu thine heart; i will keep it for thee. P. Henry. Orig MS.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHIUP HENRY.
137 moment; and the last of glory will be glory,' so some read Proyerbs xxt. 27. Keep that in your eye, my dear child, and it will, as much as any thing, dazzle your eyes to all the fading, deceiving vanities of tills lower world ; and will be a quickening motive to you, to abound always in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know your labour shall not be in Tain in the Lord. The Lord bless you, who blesseth indeed.
See that you walk circumspectly,, not as the foots, but as the wise; many eyes are upon you, his especially, who is all eye. Cave Deut videt. Memento hoc agere ; our blessing with 1 Chronicles xxviii. 9.
The same which is yet the prologue of yours, is of ours also. Omnia bene latit Deo I but he that prdetk on the harness, must not boast as he that fmts it off. While the world we live in is under the moon,—constant in nothing but inconstancy,—and such changes are made in other families, why should we alone promise ourselves immunity from the common lot? There would be no need of faith and patience, which are winter graces, if it should be always summer time with us. We have three un-changeables to oppose to all other mutabilities; an onchangeable covenant, an unchangeable God, and an unchangeable heaven.** And while these three remain the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, welcome the will of our heavenly Father in all events that may happen to us; come what will, nothing can come amiss to us.
Keep the invisible things of the other world always in your eye. He that ventures the loss of an eternal crown and kingdom, for a cup or two of puddle water, such as all terrene pleasures in comparison are, makes a bargain, which no less a space than that which is everlasting will be sufficient to bewail and repent of. How much better it is to lay up in store now a good foundation for time to come, and to lay hold on eternal life ! Doing those works which we would be willing should hereafter follow us, yet still making the blessed Jesus our all in all.
The further progress you make in your studies, you will find them the easier; it is so with religion, the worst is at first. It is like the picture that frowned at first entrance, but afterwards smiles and looks pleasant*' They that walk in sinful ways, meet with some difficulties at first, which custom conquers, and they become as nothing. It is good
See Dr. Goodwin's Works, v. 5. part iii. p. 117. ut ntpra. k So,—There are three things that are unsearchable; the nature of God, the love of Christ, and the heart of man. P. Henry. Orig.MS. r The beginnings of a strict and serious Christianity are not without much difllculty. The wprtiit thgjirtt. Bishop Hall. Works. V. 6. p. 996. u£ «*fra.—The excellent Mr. Richard Rogers, urging to s daily cooise of watchful piety, remarks,—The beginning is the iardcst Seven Treatises, p. 360. fol. 1004.
Bo Spenser in the Faerie Qoeene. Canto x. VI. Each goodly thing is kart Ust to beyiit.
Works, Mt npra. v 3. p. 109. accustoming ourselves to that which is good. The more we do the more we may do in religion. Your acquaintance, I doubt not, increaseth abroad, and accordingly your watch must be; for by that oftentimes, ere we are aware, we are insnared. He that walketh with wise men s/tall be wise.
The return of the spring invites our thanksgiving for the mercy of it. The birds are singing early and late, according to their capacity, the praises of their Creator; but man only, tiiat hath most cause, finds something else to do. It is redeeming love that is the most admirable love; less than an eternity will not suffice to adore it in. Lord, how is it? Lord, what is manf As the streams lead to the fountain, so should all our mercies lead us to that. We both of us send you our most afi'ectionate love and blessing. Blessing! that is, we pray and beseech the most blessed God, even our own God, to give you his blessing, for he only can command the blessing; and those whom he blesseth are blessed indeed. Let us still hear to our comfort, that you walk in the truth, living above the things of the world, as dead to them. The Lord in mercy fit us for his will in the next providence, public and personal, for time is always coming.
Your improvement is our joy. Be sincere and serious, clothed with humility, abounding always in the work ^ of the Lord; and when you have done all, saying, / am an unprofitable servant. It was the good advice of the moral philosopher, in your converse with men, Mcftyiiffo Amviiv, —Distrust; but I must add, in every thing towards God, yikfivtiao ircrcccv,—Believe ; expect temptation and a snare at every turn, and walk accordingly. -We have a good cause,—a vanquished enemy,—a good second, —an extraordinary pay; for he that overcomes, needs not desire to be more happy than the second and third of the Revelation speaks him to be. The God of all mercy and grace compass you about always with \i\s favour as with a shield, I would have you redeem time for hearing the word in season and out of season; your other studies will prosper never the worse, especially if yon could return immediately from it to the closet agn, without cooling divertisements by the way.
See your need of Christ more and more, and live upon him; no life like it, so sweet,* so safe. Christus meus mihi in omnia. We cannot be dis-
The way to heaven is most difficult to young beginners in god. liness: the image or Pallas seemed to frown as one came in at the temple door, but afterwards seemed smiling and pleasant. P. Henry. Orig. MS. d The life of a Christian is a life of action. It is not talking that will win the crown. P. Henry. Orig. MS.
He is sweet food, 1 Pet ii. 3. Cant. ii. 3. He is sweet in his pardons, his promises, his ordinances, his offices, his comforts, his communion. Those who have fed upon Christ are lively in the ways of God; their appetites are dead to the world; they are solicitous to bring in others; and they are desirous after more. P. Henry. Orig. MS.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHIUP HENRY. charged from the guilt of any evil we do, without his merit to satisfy; we cannot move in the performance of any good required, without his Spirit and grace to assist and enable for it; and when we have done all, that all is nothing, without his mediation and intercession to make it acceptable; so that every day, in every thing, he is All in alL Though you are at a distance from us now, we rejoice in the good hope we have, through gprace, of meeting again in the land of the living; that is, on earth, if God see good; however, in heaven, which is the true land of the truly living, and is best of all. The Lord God everlasting be your Sun and Shield in all your ways. See time hasting away apace towards eternity, and the Judge even at the door, and work accordingly; wherever you are, alone or in company, be always either doing or getting good, iow-ing or reaping. As for me, I make no other reckoning, but tiiat the time of my departure is at hand; and what trouble I may meet with before I know not; the will of the Lord be done. One of my chief cares is, that no iniquity of mine may be laid up for you; which, God grant, for his mercy's sake, in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Be careful of your health. Remember the rule, — Venienti occurrere ; but especially neglect not the main matter. The soul is the man; if that do well, all is well. Worship God in the Spirit; rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. God be gracious unto thee, my son; redeem time, especially for your soul. Expect trouble in this world, and prepare for it.' Expect happiness in the other world, and walk worthy of it, unto all pleasing, A good book is a good companion at any time, but especially a good God, who is always ready to hold communion with those that desire and seek communion with him. Keep low and humble in your thoughts and opinion of yourself; but aim high* in your desires and expectations, even as high as the kingdom of heaven itself, and resolve to take up with nothing short of it. The Lord guide you in all your ways, and go in and out before you, and preserve you blameless to his heavenly kingdom!
Immediately after his son was ordained to the work of the ministry at London, in the year 1687, he thus wrote to him ;— Are you now a minister of Jesus Christ ? Hath he counted you faithful, putting you into the minis-
In looking over a diary of Mr. Philip Henry, in manuscript, that was lately put into my hand, I met with this passage;—The Christian's life is in Christ, on Christ, hy Christ, to Christ, for Christ, with Ctirist, Mr. English. See Memoirs of the Rev. Thomas English, by John Oriffln, p. 167. i Mr. Greenham said,—** He never looked for a better estate than that wherein he was, but often prepared himself for a worse." Grave Counseb and Godly Observations. Woriu, p, 4. «/ tupra. try ? Then, be faithful. Out of love to him feed his lamhs. Make it your rb fyyov, as a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, I hope what you experienced of the presence of God with you in the solemnity, hath left upon you a truly indelible character, and such impressions, as neither time, nor any thing else, shall be able to wear out. Remember Psalm Ixxi. 16.^ It is, in the eye of sense, a bad time to set out in; but, in sowing and reaping, clouds and virind must not be heeded. The work is both comfortable and honourable, and the reward rich and sure; and, if God be pleased to give opportunity and a heart, though there may be trouble attending it, it will be easily borne. If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. I am, and shall be, according to my duty and promise, earnest at the throne of grace, on your behalf, that the Lord will pour out upon you of his Holy Spirit, that what he calls you to, he would fit you for; especially, that he would take you off your own bottom, and lay you low in the sense of your own unworthiness, inability, and in-sufiiciency, that you may say, with the evangelical prophet,— Woe is me, lam undone ! And, with Jeremiah, I am a child; and with Paul, / am nothing. Where this is not, the main thing is wanting; for God resisteth the proud, hut giveth grace to thehumbU. Now the Lord give you that grace to be humble; and then, according to his promise, he will make you rich in every other grace.
It were easy to transcribe many more such lines as these out of his letters to his son, but these shall sujQSce.
We shall next gather up some passages out of his letters to his children, after they were married and gone from him.
To one of his daughters with child of her first child, he thus writes;—You have now one kind of burthen more than ever you had before to cast upon God; and, if you do so, he will sustain you, according to his promise.
And when the time of travail was near, thus ;— You know whom you have trusted, even him who is true and faithful, and never yet did, nor ever will, forsahe the soul that seehs him. Though he be almighty, and can do every thing, yet this he cannot do, he cannot deny himself, nor be worse than his word. But what is his word ? Hath he promised g Covet grace earnestly, but beware of coveting any creature earnestly, John vi. 27. Col. iii. 3. P. Henry. Orig. MS. *' Pitch thy behaviour low, My preyecls kigk ; So Shalt thou humble and magnanimous be; Sink not in spirit Who aimeth at the sky, Shoots higher much than he that means a tree **
The Church Porch. Herbert's Poems,«/ ntpn p. Vi h / ttiU go in the itrengtk of the Lord Cod: I will make mention of Ihjf rigkte0iune$9, even of thine only.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
139 kat there shall be always a safe and speedy delivery ? rbat there shall be no Jabez, no Benoni? No; but, f there be, he hath promised, it shall work together %r pood ; hath promised, if he doth not save fronij le will save through. If he call to go, even through the valUy of the shadow of death, (and what less is child-bearing ?) he will be with yon ; his rod and Ids etmff shall comfort you ; and that is well. Therefore, your faith must be in those things as the promise iSy either so, or so, and which way soever it be; God iff goody and doth good. Therefore, my dear daughter, lift up the hands that hang down; cast your burthen upon him; trust also in him, and let your thoughts be established. We are mindful of yon in our daily prayers; but you have a better Intercessor than we, who is heard always.
To another of them, in the same circumstances, be ihus writes ;—Your last letter speaks you in a good frame, which rejoiced my heart, that you were Jlxed fixedy waiting upon God; that your faith was uppermost, above your fears; that you could say,— Behold the handmaid of the Lordy let him do with me e$ seemeth good in his eyes ! We are never fitter for a mercy, nor is it more likely to be a mercy indeed, than when it is so with us.^ Now the Lord keep it always in the imagination of the thoughts of your heart And, he concludes;—Forget not 1 Timothy iL last verse.*'
When one of his daughters was safely delivered, in a letter to another of them that was drawing near to that needful hour, he observed, that, when David laid. Psalm cxvi. l2.'-^What shall I render? He presently adds, verse 13,—/ will call upon the name rfthe Lord. —As if, saith he, calling upon the name of the Lord for mercy for you, were one way of rendering unto the Lord, for the great benefit done to your sister.
On occasion of affliction in their families by the sickness or death of children, or otherwise, he always wrote so Hie word in season.
In the furnace again, saith he, but a good Friend sits by; and it is only to take away more of the dross. If less fire would do, we should not have it so much, and so often. Oh, for faith to trust the Refiner, and to refer all to his will and wisdom, and to wait the issue;—for, I have been young, and now i Mait it, while you live, we are never nearer a mercy than wbenwecan most freely resign up ourselves to the will of Ood> and my^—Lord, kere am Ido with m» aa uemeth yood in Mjr sight /
Bat you will say,—* If my heart be dead to it, what good will It do me?*
I answer, most good of all. Thus: the goodness of any mercy lies in the enjoyment of the God of the mercy; the Giver, more tbso the gift; in heaven, God is instead of all to glorified saints; snd it is their happiness. Now the more our affections are mortified to the thing itself, the more quick and keen they will be towards God; and, if so. tbe better. P. Henry. Orig. MS. k WfnViHfOTrffTy, «A# sAott b4 saved is ek Udearing, if thtf continue M fmiky md ekarii^^ smd ke Umena, with mAriety. 1 ** Like to the ftdling of a star, Or as the flights of eagles are; am old, but I never yet saw it in vain to seeh God, and to hope in him.
At another time he thus writes ;—^Tough and knotty blocks mtist have more and more wedges; our heavenly Father, when he judgeth, will overcome. We hear of the death of dear S. T. and chide ourselves for being so often pleased with his little pretty fashions, lest we offended therein, by being too much so. No rival must sit with him in his throne, who deserves all our love and joy, and hath too little of it.
At another time, upon the death of another little one;—^The dear little one, saith he, made but a short passage through this to another world, where it is to be for ever a living member of the great body, whereof Jesus Christ is the ever-living Head; but for which hope, there were cause for sorrow indeed. If he that gives takes, and it is but his own, why should we say. What dost thou ?
At another time, upon the like occasion ;—Our quiver of children's children is not so full, but God can soon empty it. Oh, for g^^ce, grace, at such a time, which will do that that nature cannot! The God of all grace supply your need, and ours, according to his riches in glory ! The Lord is still training you up in his good school; and though no affliction for the present be joyous, but grievous, nevertheless, afterwards, it yields well. Your work is, in every thing, to bring your will to the will of God.
To one of his daughters, concerning her little ones, he thus writes;—They are but bubbles.' We have many warnings to sit loose. The less we rely upon them in our joys and hopes, the more likely to have them continued to us. Our God is a jealous God; nor will he suffer the creature to usurp his throne in our affections.
Upon the death of a little child but a few days old, he thus writes;—^The tidings of the death of your little one were afflicting to us, but the clay must not say to the potter. What dost thou ? If he that took be the same that gave, and what he gave and took was his own, by our own consent, it becomes us to say. Blessed be the name of the Lord. I hope you have been learning to acknowledge God in all events, and to take all as from his hand, who hath gven us to know, —I say, to know, for Paul saith so,—that all
Or like the firesh spring's gaudy hue;
Or silver drops of morning dew;
Or like the wind that chafes the flood;
OrbubbU$ which on water stood t
Even such is man, whose borrowed light
Is strait called in, and paid to-night.
The wind blows out: the bubble dies ^
The spring eotomb'd in autumn lies;
The dew dries up; the star is shot;
The flight is past, and man forgot."
Poems, Elegies, Paradoxes, and Sonnets, by Henry King, Bishop of Chichester, p. 139. 12mo. 1057. See Bishop Taylor's Works, vol 4. p. 335. «/ supra.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHIUP HENRY. tilings do work together,-~not only shall, but do,— for our good, that we may be more and more partakers of his holiness. He can make the two left as comfortable to you as all the three, as all your ^\e could have been. However, if all the cisterns were drawn dry, while you have yonr fountain to go to, you are well. You may also, by faith, look forward, and say. It was a covenant-child, and, through mercy, we shall see it again in a better world.
Upon the sickness of a dear child, he thus writes to the parent;—You and we are taught to say. It is the Lord, Upon his will must we wait; and to it must we submit in every thing; not upon constraint, but of choice ; not only because he is the Potter, and we the day, and, therefore, in a way of sovereignty he may do what he pleaseth with us and ours, but because he is our Father, and will do nothing but what shall be for pood to us. The more you can be satisfied in this, and the more willing to resign, the more likely to have. Be strong, therefore, in the grace which is in Christ Jesus; it is given for such a time of need as this. I hope your fears and ours will be prevented, and pray they may; but, thanks be to God, we know the worst of it, and that worst hath no harm in it, while the better part is ours, which cannot be taken away from us.
To one of his children in affliction he writes thus ; —It is a time of trial with you, according to the will of your and our heavenly Father. Though you see not yet what he means by it, you shall see. He means you good, and not hurt; he is showing you the vanity of all things under the sun, that your happiness lies not in them, but in himself only; that they and we are passing away, withering flowers, that, therefore, we may learn to die to them, and live above them, placing our hope and happiness in better things ; trusting in him alone, who is tlie Rock of Ayes, who fails not, neither can fail nor will fail those that fly to him. I pray you, think not a hard thought of him, no not one hard thought, for he is good, and doth good in all he doth, and therefore all shall work for good. But, then, as you are called accordiny to his purpose, blessed be his name for it, so you must love him; and love, you know, thinks no evil, but puts the best construction upon all that the person loved saith, or doth ; and so must you, thouyh now, for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness.
And, at another time;—^Your times, and the times of yours, are in the Lord's good hand; whose will ** is his wisdom. It is one thing, as we read and observed this morning, out of Ezekiel xxii. to be m A saying of my dear father in a letter to one under weakness was,—The cordial which I give and take is this,—7X# blood of Christ hiM Son deanaethw fromaU iim ; blessed be God for this foun. tain, and that it is open. Mrs. Savage's Diary. Orig. MS.
You have scene the comforts of the world, you see how all cistemes fail you, goe to the fountain. Dr. Harris. Works, p. 77. fol. 1635. See Jer. ii. la put into a furnace, and left there as dross, to be con- ; sumed ; and another thing to be put in as gold, or silyer, to be melted for use, and to have the Refiner sit by. You know whom you have believed ; keep your hold of the everlasting covenant He is faithful that hath promised. We pray for you ; and we give thanks for you daily, for the cup is mixed; therefore, trust in the Lord for ever, and rejoice in the Lord always ; ayain, I say. Rejoice.
To one of his sons-in-law, that was a little engaged in building, he thus writes;—Be sure to take God along with you in this, as in all other your affairs; for, except he build the house, they labour in vain that build it. Count upon troublesome occurrences in it, and keep the spirit quiet within. And let not God's time nor dues be intrenched upon; and then all will be well.
It was a little before he died that he wrote thus to one of his children;—^We rejoice in God's goodness to you, that your distemper hath been a rod shaken only, and not laid on. He is good, and doth good. And should not we love him, and rest in our love to him ? He saith, he doth in his to us, and re-joiceth over us with singing Zephaniah iii. 17. And have not we much more cause? What loveliness in us? What not in him? I pray, let me recommend him to your love. Love him, love him with all the powers of your soul, and out of love to please him. He is pleased with honest endeavours to please him; though, after all, in many things we come short, for we are not under the law but under grace.
To one of his children, recovered from sickness, he gives this hint;—Remember, that a new life must be a new life indeed. Reprieves extraordinaiy call for returns extraordinary.
The las journey he made to London was in August, 1690. Before he went, he sent this farewell letter to his son at Chester ;-~I am going forth this morning towards the great city, not knowing but it may be Mount Nebo to me. Therefore, I send yoo this as full of blessings as it can hold, to yourself, my daughter, your wife, all the rest of my daughters, their husbands, and all the little ones, together and severally. If I could command the blessings, I would ; but I pray to him that hath, and doth, and, I trust, will. The Lord bless you, and keep you, and lift up the light of his countenance upon you. As you have received, and you, for your part, preached Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him ; keeping conscience always void of offence, both towards God, and towards all men. Love your mother, and be dutiful to her; and live in love and peace among yourselves; n Sir Robert Harley, in " his sharpest pains, would mo Uifle them with this consideration—Uiat is best which God doth, lie would often say,—the will of the Lord be done, above all and in all, for that is best of all." A Sermon, at the Funeral of the Hon. Sir Robert Harley, Knt Dec. 10,1656, by Thos. Froysell, duod. 1658, p. 115.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
141 and the God of loye and peace, that hath been, will be, with yon. Amen.
To one who desired his direction for the attaining the gift of prayer he wrote the following letter of advice: If you woald be able in words and expressions of your own, without the help of a form, to offer up prayers to God, observe these following rules of direction, in the use whereof, by God's blessing, you may, in time, attain thereunto.
1. You must be thoroughly convinced, that, where such a gift is, it is of great use to a Christian; both reiy comfortable, and very profitable, and therefore very desirable, and worth your serious endeavours. Tbis must first be, or else all that follows will signify nothing. For it is as the wise man saith. Proverbs xviii. 1.— Through desirej a man having Meparated himself ^ seeheth and intermeddleth with all wisdom; that is, till we are brought, in some good measure, to desire the end, we shall never, in good earnest, apply ourselves to the use of means for the obtaining of it. It is a gift that fits a person to be of use to others in the duty of prayer, according as there is occasion, either in a family, or in Christian communion.* It is also of great advantage to our-lelves. For how can any form, though never so exact, be possibly contrived so as to reach all the eircnmstances of my particular case ? And yet it is my duty, m evertf thing, to make my requests known to God.
2. As you should be persuaded of the excellent use of it, where it is attained, so also you should believe, that, where it is not, it may be attained, and tbat without any great difficulty. No doubt but many are discouraged from endeavouring after it by an opinion they have that it is to no purpose: they think it a thing so far above their abilities, that they were as good sit still, and never attempt it. This is of very bad consequence, as in other matters of religion, so particularly in this; and, therefore, watch against this suggestion, and conclude, that, though it may be harder to some than to others, yet it is impossible to none. Nay, this wisdom is easy to him that itnderstandethf, where means are used in the fear of God.
3. You must rightly understand and consider who it is with whom you have to do in prayer, for your encouragement to come to him, though in the midst
An inge Duoos man would be ashamed to pretend unto any vt or Acuity, wherein he is grossly igrnorant: so may that man be to profess religion, who neglects to attain this gift. A Chris-tiaa that cannot prayt ia Hle an orator that cannot speak, or a timvellcT tbat cannot go. Bishop WiUdns on Prayer, p. 23. w p By prayer we honour God in the acknowledgment or our JepeUnee upon Um, and in the owning of him as aU-svffidnt, able to supply «ff oar needs; also an all-seeing and all-knowing God. of many infirmities and imperfections. He is your Father, your loving, tender-hearted Father, who knows your frame, and remembers you are but dust; who is not extreme to mark what we do amiss in manner and expression, where the heart is upright with him. You may judge a little concerning his love, by the disposition that is in you towards your children, when they come to ask things needful of you. And, believe him to be infinitely more merciful and compassionate than the most merciful and compassionate of fathers and mothers are or can be; especially remembering that we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous, who is the great High Priest of our profession, and whom he heareth always.
4. You must pray that you may pray.*" Beg of God, the Father of lights, from whom every good and perfect gift comes, to bestow this gift upon you. We read, Luke xi. 1. that one of the disciples came to Jesus Christ upon this errand; Lord, teach us to pray! And he had his request granted presently. Go you to him on the same errand. You may plead the relation of a child, from that scripture, Gala-tians iv. 6.— And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father! And the promise also from that scripture, Zechariah xii. 10. / will pour upon the house of David, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grate and of supplication ; which two, relation and a promise, if they be not sufficient to encourage your faith and hope in this address, what is or can be ?
5. It is good, before you address yourself to the duty, to read a portion of Holy Scripture, which will be of great use to furnish you both with matter and words for prayer, especially David's Psalms and Paul's Epistles. The Holy Spirit hath provided for us a treasury, or store-house, of what is suitable for all occasions, and where both the word and the matter are his own, and of his own framing and inditing; if affections be stirring in us accordingly, wc have great reason to believe he will accept of us. In divers places he hath himself put words into our mouths for the purpose; as, Hosea xiv. 2. Take with you words; Matthew vi. 9. After this mannei; therefore, pray ye; and often elsewhere.
6. There must be some acquaintance with our own hearts, with our spiritual state and condition, our wants and ways, or else no good will be done in this matter. It is sense of need, hunger, thirst, cold, Therefore, to restrain prayer, is to deny him that service and homage which are his due. But then prayer is an inward thing. *Tis hfart-vfork. It must be done in the spirit, Ephesians vi. 18. He regards not what words, but what desires. Desires without words are prayers; but words without desires are but babbling. P. Henry. Orig. MS. q Do but think how a poor condemned creature would carry it, if he might but find so much favour as to be admitted Into the King's presence, to speak for himselC P. Henry. Orig. MS.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY. nakedness, that supplies the poor beggar at your door with pertinent expressions and arguments; he needs not the help of any friend or book to furnish him. So if we know ourselves, and feel our condition, and set God before us as our God, able and ready to help us, words will easily follow wherewith to offer up our desires to him, who understands the language even of sighs, and tears, and groaningi which ct Lnnot he uttered, Romans viii. 26.'
7. It is of use in stated prayer ordinarily to observe a method, according to the several parts of prayer, which are these four:
1. Compellation, or adoration, which is the giving ot doe titles to God in our addresses to him, and therein ascribing to him the glory due unto his name. With this we are to begin our prayers, both for the working of a holy awe and dread upon our hearts towards him, on the account of his greatness and majesty; as also for the strengthening of our faith and hope in him, upon the account of his goodness and mercy.
2. Confession. Sin is to be confessed in every prayer; original sin as the root, spring-head, and fountain; and actual sin as the fruit and stream proceeding from it Herein you roust not rest in generals, as the most do, but especially when you are in secret before the Lord, you must descend to particulars, opening the whole wound, hiding nothing from him, also aggvating the fault from the circumstances of it, judging and condemning yourself for it in the sight of God. And, for your help herein, you must acquaint yourself with the divine law, the precepts and prohibitions of it, especially their extent and spiritual nature, as the rule, and then bring your own thoughts, words, and actions to it daily, to be tried by it.
3. Petition, for such good things as God hath promised, and you have need of, both concerning this life and that which is to come. As to the latter, you are to pray for mercy to pardon,* and grace to help in time of need. As to the former, for bread to eat and raiment to put on, and a heart to be therewith contented. You are to pray for others also, the church of God, the land of your nativity, magistrates, ministers, relations, and friends, not forgetting the afflictions of the afflicted.
4. Thanksgiving,^ which should have a considerable share in every prayer; for our duty is, in every thing to give Manib for mercies received, public and personal, which is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us. r Prayers not felt by us, are seldom heard by God. P. Henry. Com. P. Book. Orig. MS.
Pardon of sin is set forth in Scripture by various expressions. Covering, concealing, as the nakedness and blemishes of the body by a garment. Ps. xxxii. 1. Prov. mlv. 2.—Easing, as from a burthen, Matt. xi. -28.—Ps. ii. 1.—Forgiving, Hebr.—lifted off,-healing as a disease, Ps. ciii. 3. Hos. xiv. A.—Bloitimg out, as a debt. Isa. xliii. 2& Actoiii. 19.-Ca8ting behind his back, Isa-xxxviii. 17.-Yea, This rule of method is not so necessary to be observed in prayer, as in no case to be varied from; but it is certainly very useful and expedient, and a great help to young beginners in that duty.
8. My advice is, that you would delay no longer, but forthwith apply yourself, in the strength of Jesus Christ, to this sweet and excellent way of praying ; and, I dare say, in a short time, you will find, through the aids and supplies of divine grace, what is at first hard and difficult, will, by degrees, be easy and delightful. The promise" is, that, to him that hath, i. e. that hath, and useth what he hath, more shall be given. Though you cannot do what you would, yet fail not to do what you can, wherein the Lord will accept of you, according to his everlasting covenant in Christ Jesus, for we are not under the law, but under grace.
CHAPTER XI.
A SHORT ACCOUNT OF 80MK OF HIS FRIENDS, E8PBCIALLT HIS BRRTHRXN IN THE MINISTRY, THAT DIED BEFORE HIM.
We think ourselves obliged to add to this account out of his own papers, partly as an evidence of the great esteem he had of the gifts and gces of others, to whom he delighted to do honour, (an instance of that humility which he was in all respects a great example of,) and partly that we may preserve the remembrance of some in that country, whose names ought not to be buried in oblivion. It is part of that honour which we owe to them that fear the Lord: to mention them with respect when they are dead and gone, that we may contribute something to the fulfilling of the promise,—That the righteous, and especially they who turn many to righteousness, shall be had in everlasting remembrance. While their glorified souls shine as the stars in the firmament of our Father, it is fit that their embalmed memories should, in these lower regions, go forth as a lamp that bumeth. The Jewish Rabbins read Proverbs X. 7. as a precept,— Let the memory of the just be blessed. We will take them in the order wherein we find them in his Diary, according to the time of their death, premising only this note of his, occasioned by n particular instance,—Such a day I read the Life of old Mr. Brucn,* of Stapleford, in which I met with some things that shame me, some things that confirm me, and somethings that quicken me. Blessed be God for that cloud of witnesses y/e are compassed about with. into the depths of the sea, Bfic. vti. 18> \9.—CUan$Ug, at /romJUthitu$t Jer. xxxiii. S. Ps. li. 2. 7, la Zech. xiii. 1, &c. P. Henry. Orig MS. t When our hearts and mouths are enlarged in praise to God, God's heart and hand will he enlarged in mercy to us. P. Henry. Orig. MS. n Prayer is the echo of a promise. P. Henry. Orig. BiS
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
143
[1661, Juiaary 14. At Wrexham, died my friend Captain Gerard Barber; he was a pious, prudent Christian, and had the good word of all, even the filesL
On the 17th I went to Wrexham, where I performed the last office of my loTe to my dear deceased friend Captain Barber, the saint of the Lord, accompanying him*to his grave, where he rests, as in a bed of spices, till the day of the restitution of all things. I hope to see him again, and so we shall be together for ever with the Lord.
Mr. R. W. said he could better have parted with his youngest son, than with his Captain; the week after, it pleased God, his youngest son died sud-dcnly.**]
Mr. John Machin was buried at Newcastle, September 8,1664, a worthy instrument in gospel work. Laborious, faithful, and successful above his fellows ; taken away in the midst of his days. The first candle I have heard of put out by God, among the many hundreds put under a bushel by men.^ An account of his holy, exemplary life, was printed many years after, drawn up, I think, by Mr. New-come.
Mr. Heath, late minister of [St] Alkmond's Church, in Salop, was buried May 28, 1666. He vas of Christ's College, in Cambridge, where he was much valued for his great learning, especially in the Oriental tongues,* in which he was one of the greatest masters of his age. He was employed to correct the Syriac and Arabic of the Polyglot Bible, which was sent down to him in sheets for that porposc, for which Bishop Walton gave him a eopy. He read the liturgy till August 24,1662, and then was silenced, because he could not come up to the imposed terms of conformity. When the Five-mile Act commenced, March 26, 1666, he removed to Wellington, and there, within a few weeks, died, and was buried. When he lay upon his death-bed, Mr. Lawrence asked him what reflections he had upon his nonconformity. Truly, said he, I would not but have done as I did for a thousand worlds. He had great confidence, that God would provide for his widow and children according to promise. The character Mr. Baxter gives of him is, that he was moderate, serious, quiet, and religious.^
Much abont the same time, Mr. York died in Stlop, a holy good man, and well approved in the t> P. Henry. Orig. MS.
« See Job xviti. 6. Matt. v. 15.
See Tongas Lire of Matt Henry, pp. 108,273. it/ npra. Mr. New-CQOie publistied Mr. Machines Mem. in 1671. duod. It was reprinted by the ReT. Oeoie Border. See also Clark's Lives or Eminent Penoos. p. 81. si nyra.
EtpedaUy by his fe11ow<col1egiate, Mr. Shelton, who sent him down the BibUa Polyglotta in sheets. He was /rtwn Unguanm rmtimmn, the bert Hebrician in these parts of England. Life. Orig. MS. n ministry, who wasted his own candle in giving light to others,' even after he was removed out of the candlestick. Lord! Is this the meaning of Revelations xi. 12. concerning the witnesses ?
Mr. Thomas Porter,'* late minister of Whitchurch, died in Salop at a good old age, J une 19,1667. He was bom in Northamptonshire, bred in Cambridge. He was settled minister of Hanmer, in Flintshire, long before the wars, by the means of Sir John Hanmer, the patron, who was a very worthy pious gentleman, and a great promoter of religion in that parish, but died in the midst of his days. Here Mr. Porter's ministry was blessed with wonderful acceptance and success, both in that and the neighbouring parishes, and a great harvest of souls was there gathered in to Christ. After the wars were over, during the heat of which he was forced to withdraw, he procured Mr. Steel for Hanmer, and he removed to Whitchurch, where he continued an instrument of much good, till the King came in, and then he gave way to Dr. Bernard, a worthy, moderate man. He preached his farewell sermon at Whitchurch, August 28, 1660, on Colossians i. 24. and spent the rest of his days in silence and affliction. He was exercised long with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain. If this be done to the green tree, what shall be done to the dry ? His dying counsel to the Lord's people, was to stick to Christ, and not to let him go, come life, come death. *
The worthy Colonel Thomas Hunt died at his house in Shrewsbury, April 12, 1669, a true Natha-nael, an Israelite indeed, in whom was no guile. One that, like Caleb, followed the Lord fully in difficult trying times. He was a member of the Long Parliament for Shrewsbury, and veiy active for God in his generation, abounding in good works, and his memory is blessed. I was going to Shrewsbury upon an appointment of his, and by the way met the sad news of his death, which was sudden, but not surprising to one that was always ready. He was twice at public ordinances the day before, being Lord's day ; worshipped God with his family in the evening ; went to bed well as at other times ; but, about two or three o'clock in the morning, waked very ill, and before ^ye, fell asleep in the Lord. Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth, [15. He was buried. Mr. Roberts preached. Text, Numbers xxiii. 10. Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end he lihe his. Amen.
Qu. In What capacity did Mr. Shelton act? f Reliq. Baxter. Part iii. p. 94. ■/ nfta. g He was a burning and a shining larope. spending hirosieire like a candle, and making tapers of his owne marrow to give others light. Hieron's Works, p. 425. ut supra.
Another worthy driiy remarks;—There are multitudes that grumble at the expense or a penny for the maintenance of those divine candles that waste themselves to give light to them. Brooks's Unsearchable Riches, p. 322. «/ npra. h See Reliq. Baxter, Part iii. p. 94.«/ twpra.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
16. Fast kept in his house, now he is no more. The Lord fill up his place to all his relations, and to thy poor church in these parts, that hath lost a pillar.']
Mr. George Mainwaring, a faithful minister of Jesus Christ, and my worthy friend, died in a good old age, March 14, 1669-70, gathered as a shock of com in his season. He was bom in Wrcnbury parish, in Cheshire, supported at the University by Mr. Cotton, of Combermere,'' where he had the reputation of a good scholar; he was brought acquainted with the ways of religion by means of Mr. Buckly, his uncle, a strict puritan. He was first chaplain to Sir Henry Delves, afterwards rector of Baddely, and chaplain to Sir Thomas Manwaring. After the wars, he was removed to Malpas, whence he was ejected upon the King's coming in. His conversation was exemplary, especially for plainness and integrity; he was eminent for expounding Scripture. While he was at Malpas, he constantly gave all the milk which his dairy yielded, on the Lord's day, to the poor.'
Mr. John Adams, of Northwood, was buried at Ellesmere, April 4, 1670; he was a faithful minister of the gospel.
Mr. Zechariah Thomas, my worthy friend, died of a consumption, at Nantwich, November 14,1670, in the forty-first year of his age. He was bred up ^ for a tradesman in Snfiblk, but always addicted to his book, and was ordained a minister, after the King came in, and entertained curate at Tylstock, under Dr. Bernard; but by reason of his nonconformity, could not continue there long. On the Monday before he died, he said to those about him, that towards Wednesday he should take his leave of them, and did so. He was buried at Acton. Mr. Kirkcs, Vicar of Acton, preached, and gave him a worthy character, and such as he deserved, for uprightness, humility, moderation, prayer, faithfulness in reproving, patience under afiliction. And in saying he was an Israelite indeed without guile, he said all. The Lord make me a follower of him, and of all the rest, who, through faith and patience inherit the promises.
[1671, May 15. This day died Cousin John Ma-docks, of Llynbedith, in a good old age. I prayed with him, and about an hour or two after, he composed himself into a posture wherein, about five o'clock, he sweetly gave up the ghost, and fell asleep in Jesus. I hope heaven grows rich by it; by it, I am sure, Hanmer parish grows poor in men of piety i P. Henry. Diary, Orig. MS. k See Ormerod's Hist nttupra. ▼. 3. p. 211,212.
1 The learned historian or Cheshire, quoting this account from Calamy, insinuates that it is incorrect. He adds, however, " The question of its accuracy is only hinted at, from its being strongly opposed by local tradition.*' Hist. «/ npra. ▼. 2. p. 340. It may be remarked, that Mr. Henry, who was a near neighbour and an intimate friend mentions it as a/ac/. and integrity. Help, Lord, Psalm xii. 1. On the , 18th I accompanied him to his grave. Mr. Green . preached. Text, Colossians iii. 4."*]
Mr. Joshua Richardson, my truly worthy friend and brother, died at Alkington in Whitchurch parish, . September 1, 1671. Blessed be God for his holy life and happy death. He was several years minister of Middle, in Shropshire, and was turned out thence for nonconformity. He was a holy, loving, serious man. Dr. Fowler preached his funeral sermon at Whitchurch, on Daniel xii. 3. highly praising him, as he deserved, for wisdom, piety, and peaceableness.
Mr. Samuel Hildersham died near Birmingham, in April, 1674; the only son of Mr. Arthur Hildersham," of Ashby, whose works praise him in the gates: Fellow of Emanuel College, in Cambridge; Bachelor of Divinity, 1623; settled Rector of West-Felton, in Shropshire, in the year 1628; and continued there till silenced by the Act of Uniformity. He was one of the Assembly of Divines; a father to the sons of the prophets in and about Shropshire. He was learned, loving, and charitable, an excellent preacher, an eminent expositor, and very much a gentleman. He was about fourscore years of age when he died. He ordered by his will this inscription upon his gve-stone;—Samuel Hildersham, B. D. Rector of West-Felton, in the County of Salop, 34 years, till August 24, 1662.
Mr. Richard Sadler, my worthy friend and fellow-labourer, died at Whixhall, in Frees parish, April —, 1676. He was born in Worcester; went, when young, with his father into New England ; after the wars he returned into England; was ordained at Whixhall chapel, May 16, 1648, and was removed thence to Ludlow. Being turned out there upon the King's coming in, he spent the rest of his days in privacy, at Whixhall. A man of great piety and moderation.
Mr. Rowland Nevet died at his house near Oswestry, December 8,1675, and was buried at Morton Chapel. I preached his funeral sermon at Swinny, on 2 Peter i. 14. Knowing that I must shortly put off this my tabetmaele. Thence showing that the ^ ministers of Christ must certainly and shortly die. He was bom in Hodnet parish, ann. Dom. 1609, brought up at Shrewsbury School, was afterwards of Edmund Hall, in Oxford, commenced Master of Arts in the year 1634. He was episcopally ordained : and anno 1635, he was presented to the vicarage of Stanton, in Shropshire, where he continued many ra P. Henry. Diary, Orig. MS. n A divine of great worth, and of royal descent;—" Yet he was not." says Fuller, "like the proud nobles of Tecoa, who counted themselves too proud to put their hands to God's work." Worthies, Cambridgeshire, p. 158, fol. «/ tupra. Nat Oct. 6. 1563. Ob. Mar. 4, 1631. See Clark's Lives annexed to Martyrologie, 114, vi npra.
THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.
145 years, with great success in his ministry. While he was single, he kept house, judging that more for the furtherance of his work among his people, than to tahle. After the war, he removed to Oswestry, where he laboured abundantly in the work of the Lord ; and even after he was silenced for nonconformity, he continued among his people there to his dying day, doing what he could when he might not do what he would. He would say, he thought most of his con Tcrting work was done at Oswestry, the first seven years of his being there. He loved to preach, and to hear others preach, concerning the great things of religion, redemption, reconciliation, regeneration, &c.; for these, said he, are the main matter. When the plague was at Oswestry, he continued with his people, and preached to them, and it was an opportunity of doing much good.
His conversation from his youth was not only blameless, but holy and pious ; he was exemplary for family religion, and great care and industry in tke education of his children. He was looked upon as ccmgregational in judgment and practice, and ▼as not satisfied to join in the Common Prayer ; but be was free to communicate with those that did. It was his judgment, that ministers should be ordained by ministers; and that a minister is not only a minister of the particular congregation in which he labours. He greatly bewailed the divisions of the church, and the intemperate heats of some of all persuasions. He was exceeding kind and loving to his friends ; very frequent In pious ejaculations to God. Being often distempered in body, he would say, he was never better than in the pulpit, and that it was the best place he could wish to die° in. He often blessed God for a fit of sickness which he had, which he said he would not have been without for a world, the foundation of his comfort and hope of heaven being laid then. When he was sometimes much spent with his labours, he would appeal to God, that though he might be wearied in his service, he would never be weary of it. His dying prayer for his children, after many sweet exhortations, was. That the Mediator's blessing might be the portion of every one of them; adding, I charge you all see to it. that you meet me on the right hand of Christ at the great day. A little before he died, he had this expression. Go forth, my soul, go forth to meet tky God ; adding by and by,—It is now done. Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. One present saying to
Dr. John Jewel, Bishop of Salisbury, ** one of the brightest ornaments of the reformed religion," 8aid,~lt best became a Bttbop to die preaching in a pulpit,—alluding to that of Vespasian, "OfrtH Imferaiorem stanUm mori: and thinking upon that of his master,—Happy art thou, my servant, if when I come I find thee 10 doing. Clark's Marrow of Bed. Hist. p. 700. ut npra.
f Appendix, No. XXVIL 4 See Wood's Ath. Oxon. v 3 p. 1050. W mpra. r P. Henry. Oiary, Origr. MS. And see the Noncon. Mem. v. 1. pXW. */ rajprs.
See the Noneon. Mem. ▼. a p. 480. him, that he was now going to receive his reward, he replied. It is free grace. Mr, Henry was much importuned to print his sermon at Mr. Nevefs funeral, with some account of his life and death, which he was somewhat inclined to do, but was discouraged by the difficulties of the times, and it was never done. But some materials he had for it, out of which we have collected these hints.p
[1676, January 30. This day died at London suddenly, Mr. Edward West,** my very worthy good friend, pupil to Mr. Cole, at Christ Church, and tutor to Mr. Thomas Puleston, at St. Mary Hall. It was sabbath-day, and he had preached twice at his meeting-place. He was a person of great ability for learning, and of great prudence in conduct of affairs.']
Mr. Robert Fogg, my old dear friend,• was buried at Acton, near Nantwich, April 21, 1676. He died in a good old age,—about eighty. He was minister of Bangor, in Flintshire, till after the King came in, and thenceforward, to his death, was a poor silent nonconformist, but of a bold and zealous spirit; giving good counsel to those about him a little before he died, he had this weighty saying, among others;—Assure yourselves, the Spirit of God will be underling to no sin.'
Mr. Andrew Parsons, sometime minister of Wem, died at London, October 1, 1684. He was bom in Devonshire, and was minister there some years before the war; being driven thence to London, he became well known to Mr. Pym,° who sent him down to Wem, when that town was garrisoned for the Parliament : there he continued in tlie exercise of his ministry, till the year 1660. He was an active, friendly, generous man, and a moving, affecting preacher. Mr. Baxter, in his Life, Partiii. page 94, commends him for a moderate man, and speaks of his being in trouble/ for seditious words sworn against him, which were these. Preaching from 2 Timothy iii. 13. he said;—The devil was like a king, that courted the soul, abd spoke fair till he was gotten into the throne, and then played pranks. The witnesses deposed contrary to the coherence of his discourse, that he said the king was like the devil.* He was tried at Shrewsbury, before my Lord Newport, Mr. Serjeant Turner, and others. May 28, 1662. It was also charged upon him, that he had said,— There was more sin committed now in England in a month, than was heretofore in seven years: and t Christ will be no underling to any base affection. Dr. Sibbs. The bntittd reed and smoking flax. p. 121. ut iupra. u He died in December, 1643. See his Funeral Sermon, by S. Mhall. 4to. 1644.
Where is a full account or the transaction in the Conrormist's Fourth Plea, 4to. ut tupra. pp. 30 —34. w See Reljq. Baxter, part iii. p. 94. ut tupra.—\ heard of one that said he would swear treason against a nonconformist: and being asked, What he said, and whether ever he heard him speak! he said. No; but he heard him whittle treason. And being asked, How whistling could he treason 1 he said. That he whistled the THE LIFE OF MR. PHILIP HENRY. that there had been more and better preaching in England for twenty years past, than was ever since the apostles' days. He had a counsel assigned him, who pleaded that the time limited by the statute in which he was indicted, was expired. The court yielded it was so, allowing twenty-eight days to a month; but they would understand it of thirty days to a month. So he was found guilty, and fined two hundred pounds; and ordered to be imprisoned till it should be paid.
Mr. Hugh Rogers, a worthy faithful minister of Jesus Christ, turned out for nonconformity, from Newtown in Montgomeryshire, was buried at Welshpool, March 17, 1679-80. He was looked upon as congregational; but his declared judgment was,— *' That ministers ought to be ordained by ministers, and to give themselves wholly to that work; and that none but ministers have authority to preach and govern in a constituted church; and that Christ's ministers are his ministers in all places'; and that where the word of Christ is preached, and his sacraments administered, there is a true church.'' He was a man of excellent converse, and whose peculiar felicity lay in pleasant and edifying discourse.