An account of the life and death of Mr. Philip Henry, minister of the gospel near Whitchurch in Shropshire, who died June 24, 1696, in the sixty fifth year of his age ; with Dr. Bates's dedication

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AN

ACCOUNT

OF THE

LIFE ANT> DEATH

OF

Mr Philip Henry,^

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL NEAR WHITCHURCH,
IN SHROPSHIRE.

Who died June 24, 1696, in the Sixty-fifth year of his age.
WITH

dr bj^es's dedication.

EDINBURGH:

PRINTED Bry. RUTHVEN W SONS.

1797.

■/

TO ffiS MUCH HONOURED FRIEND,

SIR HENRrJSHURST.Bsii'i.

SIR,

'HE minifters'of the gofpel are, in the fcripture-

language. Stars in the 'right hand of Chrift, to
fignify their diffufi-ve Hght, and beneficial influences.
As in the future ftate of the refurredion, fome Stars
lliall dilFer from others in glory ; fo in the prefent ftate
of the regdjieration, fome minifters are diftinguiflied
from others^l^)^: a brighter eminence in their endow-
ments, and a riiore powerful emanation of light in their
preaching. Of this feled number was Mr Philip Hen-
ry, in whom there was a union of thofe real excellen-
cies of parts, learning, and divine graces, that figna-
lized him among his brethren. This does evidently
appear in the narrative of his life, drav/n by one very
fit to do it : as having had entire knowledge of him, by
long and intimate converfation ; and having, by his ho-
ly inftruftions, and the impreffion of his example, been
made partaker of the fame fanftifying Spirit. The de-
fcribing the external adions of faints, without obferv-
ing the holy principles and affedions from whence they
derived their life and purity, is a defective and irregu-
lar reprefentation of them. 'Tis as if an account were
given of the riches and foecundity of the earth, from
the flowers and fruits that grow upon it, without con-
fidering the mines of precious metals contained in its
bofom. Now only an inward chriftian that has felt
the power of religion in his heart, can, from the re-
flection upon himfelf, and his uncounterfeit experi-
ence, difcover the operations of grace in the breaiis of
ethers.

Mr Henry was dedicated to the fervice of Chrifl by
his mother in his tender age. His firft love and de-
fires (when he was capable to make a judicious choice)
were fet upon God. He entered early into the mini-
flry, and confecrated all the powers of his foul, un-
derftanding, memory, will, and affeftions, with his tim.e

A 2 and

iv 'The Dedication.

and ftrengtli, to the fervice of Chrlft. And fuch was
the grace and favour of God to him, that he loft no
days in his fiourifhing age, by Satisfying the voluptu-
ous appetites ; nor in his declining age by difeafes and
infirmities, but inceflantly apphed himfelf to his fpirit-
ual work. He was called to a private place in Wales,
but his ihining worth could not be (haded in a corner.
A confluence of people from other parts attended on
his miniftry. Indeed the word of truth that dies in
the mouths of the cold and carelefs, (for they are not
all faints that ferve in the fanduary) had Hfe and fpi-
rit in his preaching ; for it proceeded from a heart
burning v»^ith zeal for the honour of Chrift and falva-
tion of fouls. Accordingly he fuited his difcourfes to
the wife and the weak ; and imitated the prophet, who
contracted his ftature to the dead body of the widow's
fon, applying his mouth to the mouth of the child, to
infpire the breath of life into him. The poor and def-
pifed were inflruded by him, with the fame compaf-
fionate love and diligence as the rich, notwithftanding
the civil diftinclion of perfons, which will fhortly van-
ilh for ever ; for he confidered their fouls were of the
fame precious and immortal value. In the adminif-
tration of the Lord's, Supper, he expreft the juft tem-
perament of iweetnefs and feverity : with melting com-
paffion he invited all relenting and returning finners to
come to Chrift, and receive their pardon fealed v/ith
his blood : but he was fo jealous of the honour of Chrift,
that he deterred, by the moft fearful confeOjUences, the
rebellious that indulged their lufts, from coming to par-
take of the feaft of the unfpotted Lamb. He was not
allured by temporal advantage (which is the mark of
a mercenary) to leave the firft place, where by the di-
vine difpofai he was feated.

When the fatal Bartholomew-day came, though he
had fair hopes of preferment, by his attendance upon
the King and Duke of York, in their early age, of
which the remembrance might have been revived ; yet
he was guided by a fuperior fpirit, and imitated the

felf'

The Dedication. v

felf-denlal of Mofes (a duty little underflood, and lefs
pradifed, by the earthly-minded) " rather choofing to
*' fufler affli£lion with the people of God, than to en-
" joy the good things of this world." As the light of
heaven, when the air is ftormy and diflurbed, does not
lofe the reditude of its ravs; fo his enlightened con-
fcience did not bend in compliance with the terms or
conformity, but he obeyed its fincere judgment.

After his being expelled from the place of his pub-
lick miniflry, his deportment was becoming a fon of
peace. He refufed not communion with the church
of England, in the ordinances of the gofpel, fo far as
his confcience permitted. Yet he could not defert the
duty of his office, to which he was, with facreJ folem-
nity fet apart. He was faithful to improve opportuni-
ties for ferving the intereft of fouls, notwilhitanding
the feverities inflicted on him. And after the reiloring
our freedom of preaching, he continued in the perform-
ance of his delightful work, till death put a period
to his labours.

After this account of him as a minifter of Chrifl, I
will glance upon his carriage as a chriftian. His con-
verfation was fo holy and regular, fo free from taint,
that he was unacculable by his enemies : they could
only objefl: his nonconformity as a crime. But his vi-
gilant and tender confcience difcovered the fpots of fm
in himfelf, which fo affected his foul, that he defired
repentance might accompany him to the gate of hea-
ven: an excellent teiiimony of humility, the infeparable
character of a faint. His love to God was fupreme,
which was declared by his chofen hours cf communion,
with him every day. The union of afiedions h na-
turally productive of union in converliition. Accord-
ingly our Saviour promifes, " He that loveth me, fhaii
*' be loved of my Father ; and I will love him, and
" will manifeft myfelf to him :'* and he repeats the
promife, " If a mail love me, he. will keep my words :
" and my Father will love him, and we will come to
" him, and make our abode \v*h him." io his fpe-

cial

vi Ibe Dedication.

cial and fmgular love to God, was joined a univerlal
love to men : he did good to all according to his ability.
His forgiving of injuries, that rare and dilFicult duty,
was eminently confpicuous in the fharpeil: provocations.
"When he could not excufe the ofi'ence, he would par-
don the oflender, and drive to imitate the perfecl model
of charity exprell in our fuffering Saviour, who, in the
extremity of his fufferings, when refentments arc moit
quick and fenfible, prayed for his cruel perfecutors.
His filial truft in God was correfpondenc to God's
fatherly providence to him. This was his fupport in
times of trial, and maintained an equal temper in his
mind, and tenor in his converfution. In fhort, he led a
life of evangelical perfeQion, rnoft worthy to be hon-
ourably preferved in the memory of future times. The
following narrative of it, if read with an obferving eye,
how initrudive and aft'etting will it be to minifters,
and apt to transform them into his likenefs !

Thus, Sir, I have given a fliort viev/ of the life of
that man, for whom you had fuch a high veneration
and dear love. It argues a clearer fpirit and a diviner
temper than is ufual in perfons of confpicuous quality,
when holinefs is lb defpicably mean in the eflcem of
carnal men, to value it above all titles and treafures,
and the periihing pride of this world. I am perfwaded
it will be very pleafmg to you, that your name and
excellent Mr Henry's, ate joined in the fame papers.

I am,

SIR,

Your very humble and faithful fervant,

WILLIAM BATES.

PRE^

FREFJGE.

r~r"'HAT which we aim at In this undertaking, and which
J. we would fet before us, at our entrance upon it is, not
fo much to enibahn the memory of this good man (though
that aHb is blcflcd) as to exhibit to the worldapnttern of that
primitive chriftianity, which all that knew him well, obferved
to be exemplified in him, while he liveH ; and when they
faw the end of his converfation, as it were with one confent,
defired a public and laftjng account of, or rather demanded
it, as a juft debt owing to the world, by thofe into whofe
hands his papers came, rs judging fuch an account likely to
conduce much to the glory of God's grace, and to the edifi-
cation of many, eipecially of thofe that were acquainted with
him. He *vas one whom the Divine Providence did not call
out (as neither did his own inclination lead him) to any very
public fcene of action ; he was none of the forward men of
the age, that make- themfelves talked of: the world fcarce
knew that there v.'as fuch a man in it. But in his low and
narrow fphere he was a burning and fliining light, and there-
fore we think his pious example is the more adapted to gen-
eral ufe, efpecially coniifting not in the extafies and raptures
of zeal and devotion, which are looked upon rather as admi-
rable than imjtable ; but in the long ferics of an even, regu-
lar, prudent, and well-ordered converfation, which he had in
the world, and in the ordinary bufinefs of it, with iimplicity
and godly fincerity j not with flefhly wifdom, but by the grace
of God.

It hath been faid, that quiet and peaceable reigns, though
they are the beft to live in, yet they are the worfi: to write pf,
as yielding leaft variety of matter for the hiflorian's pen to
work upon : but a quiet and peaceable life, in all godlinefs
and honefty, being the fum and fubftance of prafticai chrifti-
anity, the recommending of the example of fuch a life, in the
common and familiar inftances of it ; together with the kind
and gracious providences of God attending it, may be, if not
as diverting to the curious, yet every whit as ufeful and in-
ftrudive to the pious readers.

If any fuggeft, that the defign of this attempt is to credit
and advance a party, let them know, that Mr Henry was a
man of no party, but true catholick chriftianity (not debauch-
ed by bigotry, nor leavened by any private opinions or inter-
(Efts) was his very temper and genius,

Ac-

viii Preface.

According to the excellent and royal laws of this holy reli-
gion, his life was led with a ftridl and confcienlious adherence
to truth and equity ; a great tendernefs and inoffenfivenefs
to all mar.lcind ; and a nwtrirty tindture of fincere piety and
devctednefs to God : and according to thofe facred rules we
fhall ender.vour, in juftice to him, as well as to our reader, to
reprefent him in the following account ; and if any thing
fhould drop from our pen, which might juftly give offence
to any, (which we promlfe indullrioufly to avoid,) we defire
it mfiy be looked upon as a falfe ftroke ; and fo far not truly
rgpreicnt ng him, who was fo blamelefs and harmlefs, and
without rebuke.

Much of our materials for this, flrufture we have out of
his own papers, (efpecially his diary,) for by them his pidlure
may be drawn neareft to the life, and from thence we may
take the trueft idea of him, and of the fpirit he was of. Thofc
notes being intended for his own private ufe in the review,
and never communicated to any perfon whatfoever ; and ap-
pearing here (as they ought to do) in their own native drefs,
the candid reader will excufe it, if fometimes the expreffion?
fhould feem abrupt ; they are the genuine, unforced, an] un-
ftudied breathings of a gracious foul ; and we hope will be
rather the more acceptable to thofe, who, through grace, are
confcious to themfelves of the fame devout and pious motions j
for as in water face anfwers to face, fo doth one fandlified
and renewed foul to another ; and (as Mr Baxter obfervesin
his Preface to Mr Clark's Lives) God's graces are much the
J'ame in all his holy ones ; and therefore we mufl: not think
that fuch inftanres as thefe are extraordinary rarities ; but
God hath in wonderful mercy raifed up many, by whofe gra-
ces even this earth is perfumed and enlightened. But if one
ftar be allowed to differ from another ftar in glory ; perhaps
our reader will fay, when he hath gone through the follow-
ing account, that Mr Henry may be ranked among thofe o£
the firft magnitude.

AN
S

AN

ACC OU NT

OF T HE

LIFE AND DEATH

OF

Mr PHILIP HENRT, %ic:

■ -^>^;^^^ ^

C H A P. I.

Mr Philip Henry's Birth, Parentage^ early Piety,
and Education at School,

HE was born at Whitehall, In Weflminfter, on
Wednefday 24th Auguft 1631, being Bartho-
lomew-day. I find ufually, in his diary, feme pious
remark or other upon the annual return of his birth-
day : as in one year he notes, that the Scripture
mentions but two v/ho obferved their birth-day with
feafting and joy, and they were neither of them co-
pies to be written after, viz. Pharaoh, Gen. xl. 20.
and Herod, Mat. xiv. 6. " But (faith he) I rather ob-
" ferve it as a day of mourning and humiliation, be-
*' caufe fhapen in iniquity, and conceived in fm."
And when he had compleated the thirtieth year of
his age, he noted this, " So old, and no older, Alex-
" ander was when he had conquered the great world ;
'.' but (faith he) I have not yet fubdued the little
*' world, myfeif." At his thirty-third year he hath
this humble refledlion ; " A long time lived to fmall
" purpofe, What fhall I do to redeem it ?" And at
another, " I may mourn as Csefar did whenhereflec-
" ted upon Alexander's early atchievements, that
*' (Jthers, younger than I am, have don? much more
■ A thaft

2 'the Life of Mr Philip Henry.

than I have done for God, the God of my life." And
(to mention no more) when he had lived forty-two
years, he thus writes ; " I would be loth to live it
" over again, left, inftead of making it better, I fhould
" make it worfe ; and befides, every year, and day
*' fpent on earth is loft in heaven.'* This laft note
minds me of a paffage I have heard him tell of a friend
of his, who being grown into years, was aiked how
old he was, and anfwer'd, On the v/rong fide of fifty :
which (faid Mr Henry) he fliould not have faid ; for
if he was going to heaven, it was the right fide of
fifty.

He always kept a will by him ready made ; and it
was his cuftom yearly, upon the return of his birth-
day, to review, and (if occafion were) to renew and
alter it : for it is good to do that at a fet time, which
it is very good to do at fonie time. The laft will he
made bears date, " This 24th day of Auguft 1695,
^' being the day of the year on which I was born
*' 1 63 1, and alio the day of the year on which by law
" I died, as did alfo near two thoufand faithful mini-
*' fters of Jefus Chrift, 1662 ;'* alluding to that claufe
in the Aft of Uniformity, which difpofeth of the places
and benefices of minifters not conforming, as if they
were naturally dead.

His father's name was John Henry, the fon of
Henry Williams of Britton's Ferry, betwixt Neath and
Swanfey, in Glamorganftiire. According to the old
Welfti cuftom, (fome fay conformable to that of the
ancient Hebrews, but now almoft in all places laid
afide,) the father's Chriftian name was the fon's fir-
name. He had left his native country, and his father's
houfe very young, unprovided for by his relations ;
but it pleafed God to blefs his ingenuity and induftry
with a confiderable income afterwards, which enabled
him to live comfortably himfelf, to bring up his child-
ren well, and to be kind to many of his relations ;
but public events making againft him at his latter end,
x^'hcn he died he left httle behind him for his children,

but

^e Life of Mr Philip HenrV. ^

but God gracioufly took care of them. Providence
brought this Mr John Henry, when he was young, to
be the Earl of Pernbroke's gentleman, whom he ferved
many years : the Earl, coming to be Lord Chamberlain,
preferred him to be the King's fervant : he was firft
made keeper of the orchard at Whitehall, and after-
wards page of the back flairs to the King's fecond
fon, James Duke of York, which place obliged him to
a perfonal attendance upon the Duke in his chamber.
He lived and died a courtier, a hearty mourner for
his royal mafter King Charles the Firft, whom he did
not long furvive. He continued, during all the war-
time, in his houfe at Whitehall, though the profits
of his places ceafed* The King pafTmg by his door,
under a guard, to ^ake water, when he was going to
Weftminiler, to that which they call'd his trial, in-
quired for his old fervant, Mr John Henry, who was
ready to pay his due refpefts to him, and prayed God
to blefs his Majefly, and to deliver him out of the
hands of his enemies, for which the guard had like
to have been rough upon him.

His mother was Mrs Magdalen Rochdale^ of the
parifh of St Mar tins-in-the -Fields, in Weftminfter.
She was a virtuous, pious gentlewoman, and one that
feared God above many : fhe was altogether dead to
the vanities and pleafures of the court, though fhe
lived in the rhidfl of them. She looked well to the
ways of her houfehold ; prayed with them daily, cate-
chized her children, and taught them the good loiow-
ledge of the Lord betimes. I have heard him fpeak of
his learning Mr Perkins his fix principles when he
w^as very young ; and he often mentioned, with thank-
fulnefs to God, his great happinefs in having fuch a
mother, who was to him as Lois and Eunice w'ere to
Timothy, acquainting him with the fcriptures from his
childhood ; and there appearing in him early inclinations
both to learning and piety, foe devoted him in his ten-
der years to the fervice of God in the work of the mi-
niflry. She died of a confumption 6th ?*/Iarch 1645,
A 2 leaving

if 'the Life of Mr Philip Henry.

leaving behind her only this fon and five daughters/
A little before fhe died, (he had this faying, " My
" head is in heaven, and my heart is in heaven ; it is
" but one flep more, and I fhall be there too.'*

His fufceptors in baptifm were Philip Earl of Pem-
broke (M^ho gave him his name, and was kind to him
as long as he lived, as was alfo his fon Philip after him)
James Earl of»CarliIle, and the Countefs of Salifbury.

Prince Charles and the Duke of York being fome-
what near of an age to him, he was in his childhood ,
very much an attendant upon them in their play, and
they were often with him at his father's houfe, aiid
were wont to tell him what preferment he fhould have^jJ^
at court, as foon as he was fit for it. He kept a book \ ^
to his dying day, which the Duke of York gave him :
and I have heard him bewail the lofs of tv/o curious
piftures, which he gave him likewife. Archbilhop Laud
took a particular kindnefs to him when he was a child,
becaufe he would be very officious to attend at t|j|e
water-gate (which was part of his father's charge
"Whitehall) to let the Archbifliop through when hi
came late from council, to crofs the water to Lambeth.'

Thefe circumftances of his childhood he would fome-
times fpeak of among his friends, not as glorying in
them, but taldng occafion from thence to blefs God
for his deliverance from the fnares of the court, in the
midft of which it is fo very hard to maintain a good
confcience and the power of religion, that it hath been
laid (though bleffed be God, it is not a rule without
exception) Exeat ex aula qui velit ejfepius. The break-
ing up and fcattering of the court, by the calamities of
1641, as it dailied the expectations of his court-prefer-
ments, fo it prevented the danger of court- entangle-
ments : and though it was not, like Mofes's, a choice
of his own, when come to years, to quit the court ;
yet when he was come to years, he always exprelTed
a great fatisfadion in his removal from it, and bleffed
God, who chofe his inheritance fo much the better for
him.

Yet

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. ^

Yet it may not be improper to obferve here what
Ti^as obvious, as well as amiable to all who convers'd
with him ; viz. that he had the moft fweet and obli-
ging air of courtefy and civihty that could be ; which
fome attributed in part to his early education at court.
His mien and carriage w^as always fo very decent and
refpeftful, that it could not but win the hearts of all
he had to do with. Never was any man further from
that rudenefs and morofenefs which fome fcholars, and
too many that profefs religion, either wdifully affecl,
cr careleily allow themfeives in, fometim^es to the re-
proach of their profeffion. 'Tis one of the laws of our
holy rehgion, exemplified in the converfation of this
good man, to honour all men, San(^ify'd civility is a
great ornament to chriilianity. It was a faying he oftea
ufed, " Religion doth not deflroy good manners ;'* and
yet he was very far from any thing of vanit)^ in apparel,
or formality of compliment in addrefs ; but his con-
verfation was all natural and eafy to himfelf and others,
and nothing appeared in him which even a fevere cri-
tick pould juftly call affected. This temper of his ten-
ded very much to the adorning of the doctrine of God
our Saviour j and the general tranfcriptof fuch an ex-
cellent copy would do much towards the healing of
thofe wounds which religion had received in the houfe
of her friends by the contrary. But to return to his
flory : —

The firfl Latin fchool he went to was at St Martins'
church, under the teaching of a Mr Bonner. After-
wards he was removed to Batterfey, where a Mr
Wells was his fchool-mafter. The grateful mention
which in fome of his papers he makes of thefe that:
were the guides and inftrudors of his childhood and
youth, brings to mind that French proverb to this pur-
pofe : " To father, teacher, and God all-fufficient,
" none can render equivalent."

But in the year 1643, when he w^as about twelve
years old, he was admitted into Weftminfler-fchooJ,
in the fourth form, under Mr Thomas Vincent, then

uflier.

6 ^e Life cf Mr Philip Henry.

ulhel", whom he would often fpeak of, as a moft able*
diligent fchool-mafter ; and one who grieved fo much
at the dullnefsandnon-proficiency of any of his feholarsj
that, failing into a confumption, I have heard Mr Henry
fay of him, That he even killed himfeif with falfe Latin.

A while after, he was taken into the upper fchool,
under Mr Richard Bufby (afterwards Dr Bufby) and
in October 1 645 he was admitted King's fcholar, and
was firft of the eleftion, partly by his own merit, and
partly by the interefl of the Earl of Pembroke.

Here he profited greatly in fchool-learning, and
all his days retained his improvements therein to ad-
miration. When he was in years, he would readily,
in difcourfe, quote palfages out of the clallick authors
that were not common, and had them ad unguem^ and
yet rarely us'd any fuch things in his preaching, (tho*
Ibmetimes, if very appofite, he inferted them in his
notes.) He was very ready and exa£t in the Greek
accents, the quantities of words, and all the feveral
kinds of Latin verfe ; and often preifed it upon young
fcholars, in the midfl of their univerfity - learning,
not to forget their fchool authors.

Here and before, his ufual recreation at vacant
times was, either reading the printed accounts of pub-
lick occurrences, or attending the courts at Weftmin-
fterhall, to hear the trials and arguments there, which
I have heard him liiy, he hath often done to the lofs of
his dinner, and oftner of his play.

But paiilo majora canamus — Soon after thofe unhap*
py wars begun, there was a daily morning - lefture
fet up at the Abby-Church, between ftx and eight of
the clock, and preached by feven worthy members
of the Afiembly of Divines in courfe, ^7z. Mr Mar-
Ihal, Mr Palmer, Mr Herl, Dr Staunton, Mr Nye, Mr
"Whitaker, and Mr Hill. It was the requell of his pi-
ous mother to Mr Bufby, that he would give her fon
leave to attend that lefture daily ; which he did, not
abating any thing of his fchool exercife, in which he
keot Dace with the reft j but only difpenfmg with his

ab-

'the Life of Mr Philip Henry. 7

abfence for that hour : and the Lord was pleafed to
make good impreffions on his foul, by the fermons
he heard there. His mother alfo took him with her
every Thlirfday to Mr Cafe's lefture at St Martins.
On the Lord's days he fat under the powerful minif-
try of Mr Stephen Marfliall, in the morning, at New-
Chapel ; in the afternoon at St Margarets, Welcmin-
fler (which was their parifh church :) in the former
place Mr Marfhall preached long from Phil. ii. 5, 6,
ho., in the latter, from John viii. '^6, of cur freedom
by Chrift. This minifler, and this miniftry, he would,
to his laft, fpeak of with great refped:, and thankful-'
nefs to God, as that by which he was, through grace^
in the beg-inning of his davs beci^otten a2;ain to a lively
hope. I have heard him fpeak of it, as the faying of
fome wife men at that time. That if all the Prefbyteri-
ans had been like Mr Steven Marfliall, and all the In-
dependents like Mr Jeremiah Burroughs, and all the
Epifcopal men like Archbifiiop Uflier, the breaches
of the church would foon have been heal'd. He alfo
attended conflantly upon the monthly fails at St Mar-
garets, where the bed and ablefl minifters of England
preached before the then Hpufe of Commons ; and
the fervice of the day was carried on with great ilrid-
nefs and folemnity, form eight in the morning till
four in the evening. It was his conftant practice,
from eleven or twelve years old, to write (as he
could) all the fermons he heard, which he kept very
carefully, tranfcribed many of them fair over after,
and notwith (landing his many removes, they are yet
forthcoming.

At thefe monthly falls (as he himfelf hath recorded
it) he had often fweet meltings of foul in prayer, and
confefiion of fm, (particularly once with fpecial re-
mark, when Mr William Bridge of Yarmouth prayed)
and many warm and lively truths came home to his
heart, and he daily increafed in that wifdom and
knovv'ledge which is to falvation. Read his ^refiec-
tions upon this^ whiclv he wrote' many years after :

" If

8 The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

*' If ever any child (faith he) fuch as I then was, be-
*' tween the tenth and fifteenth years of my age,
*' enjoyM line upon line, precept upon precept, I
" did. And was it in vain ? I trufl not altogether in
" vain. My foul rejdiceth and is glad at the remem-
" brance of it ; the word diftilled as the dew, and
" dropt as the rain : I lov'd it and lov'd the meffen-
'• gers of it ; their very feet were beautiful to me.
*' And, Lord, what a mercy was it, that, at a timfe
" when the poor countries were laid wafte, when the
" noife of drums and trumpfets, 'and the clattering
" of arms was heard there, and the way to Zion
" mourn'd, that then my lot fhould be where there
" was peace and quietnefs, where the voice e<f the
" turtle was heard, and there was great plenty of
" gofpel-opportunities ? Blefs the i^ord, O my foul !
" as long as I live, I will blefs the Lord, I will praife
*' my God while I have my being. Had it been on-
*' ly the reflraint that it laid upon me, whereby I was
** kept from the common fms of other children and
*' youths ; fuch as curfmg, fvvcaring, fabbath-break-
*' ing, and the like ; I were bound to be very thank-
** ful : but that it prevailed through grace effeftualiy
" to bring ifte to God, how much i^m I indebted, and
" what fliall I render !**

Thus you fee how the dev/s of Heaven foftened his
heart by degrees. — From thefe early experiences of
his own.

I. He would blame thofe who laid fo much flrefs
on people's knowing the exa£t time of their conver-
fion, which he thought was with many not poffible to
do. Who can fo foon be aware of the day-break, or
of the fpringing up of the feed fown ? The work of
grace is better known in its eifefls than in its caufes.

He would fometimes illuftrate this by that faying of
the blind man tto the Pharifees, who were fo critical in
exam.ining the rcopvery of his fight : This and t'other
I know not concerning it, but " this one thing I know,
" that whereas I was blind, now I fee ; John ix. 25.'*

2. He

'^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 9

2. He -would bear his tercimony to the comfort and
benefit of early piety, and recoj^imend it to all young
people, as a good thing to bear the yoke of the Lord
jeius in youth. He would often witnefs agaiiiil that
wicked Proverb, " A young Saint, an old Devil ;"
and M'ould have it faid rather, " A young Saint, an
^' old Angel.*' He obferved it concerning Obadiah
(and he was a courtier) that he " feared the Lord
" from his youth, i Kings xviii. 12. ; and it is faid of
him, ver. 3. that he " feared the Lord greatly." Thofe
that would come to fear God greatly, muft learn to
fear him from their youth. No man did his duty fo
naturally as Timothy did (Phil. ii. 20.) who from a
child knev\^ the Holy Scriptures : he would fometimes
apply to this that common faying, " He that would
" thrive, mull rife at five ;'* and in dealing with young
people, how earneftly would he prefs this upon them :
I tell you, " You cannot begin too foon to be religi-
" ous, but you may put it off too long." Manna mull
be gathered early ; and he that is the firft, muft have
the firft. He often inculcated Eccl. xii. i. " Remem-
*' ber thy Creator in the days of thy youth," or, as
in the original, " the days of thy choice :" thy choice
days, and thy chufmg days.

I remember a paffage of his in a lefture fermon, in
the year 1 674, which much affected many ; he was
preaching on that text. Matt. xi. 30. " My yoke is
*' eafy ;" and after many things infilled upon, to prove
the yoke of Chrift an eafy yoke, he at laft appealed
to the experiences of all that had drav/n in that yoke :
" Call now, if there be any that will anfwer you, and
*' to which of the faints will you turn ?" turn to which
you will, and they will all agree that they have found
" wifdom's ways pleafantnefs," ajid " Chrift's com-
" mandments not grievous : and (faith he) I will here
*' witnefs for one, who through grace have in fome
" poor meafure been drawing in this yoke nov/ above
" thirty years, and I have found it an eafy yoke, and
" like my choice too well to change,"

B 3- J^^

10 7he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

3. He would alfo recommend it to the care of pa-
rents, to bring their children betimes to public ordi-
nances. He would fay, that they are capable fooner
than we are aware, of receiving good by them. • The
fcripture takes notice more than once of the little ones
in the folemn alTemblies of the faithful, Deuti xxix*
II. Ezra X. i. Afts xxi. 5. If we lay our children by
the pool.fide, who knows but the blelTed Spirit may
help them in, aAd heal them. He ufed to apply that
fcripture to this, Cant. i. 8. Thofe that would have
communion with Chrifl, mud not only go forth by
the footileps of the flock themfelves, but feed their
kids too ; ^^cir children or other young ones that are
under their charge, " befide the Shepherd's tents."

4. He would alfo recommend to young people the
prafl:ice of writing fermons. He himfelf did it, not
only when he was young, but continued it conftantly
till within a few years before he died, when the de-
cay of his fight obliging him to the ufe of fpeflacles,
made writing not fo ready to him as it had been. He
never wrote fhort-hand, but had an excellent art of
taking the fubliiance of a fermon in a very plain and
legible hand, and with a great deal of eafe. And the
fermons he wrote he kept by him, in fuch method and
order, that by the help of indexes, which he made to
them, he cculd readily turn almofl to any fermon that
ever he heard, v/here he noted the preacher, place,
and time ; and this he called " hearing for the time
** to come." He recommended this pra£iice to others,
as a means to engage their attention in hearing, and
to prevent drowliiiefs, and to help their memories af-
ter hearing, when they come either to meditate upon
what they have heard themfelves, or to communicate
it to others ; and many have had reafon to blefs God
for his advice and inftrudion herein : he would ad-
vife people fometimes to look over the fermon-notes
that they had written, as a ready way to revive the
good ii-r.prellions of the truths they had heard, and
would biame thole who made v/a(le-paper of them ;

for

Vje Life of Mr Philip Henry. i i

for (faith he) " the day is coming, when you will ei-
" ther thank God for them, or heartily wifh you had
*' never written them.'*

. But it is time we return to Weflminfter - fchool,
where, having begun to learn Chriil, we left him in
the fuccefsful purfuij, of other learning, under the eye
and care of that great mailer Dr Buiby ; who, on the
account of his pregnancy and diligence, took a parti-
cular kindnefs to him, call'd him his child, and would
fometimes tell him he Ihould be his heir ; and there
was no love loft betwixt them. Dr Bufby was noted
for a very fevere fchool-maftcr, efpecially in the be-
ginning of his time. But Mr Henry would fay fome-
times, that as in fo great a fchool there was need of a
ftrid difcipline, fo for his own part, of the four years
he was in the fchool, he never felt the- weight of his
hand but once, and then (faith he in fome of the re-
marks of his youth which he wrote long after,) I de-
ferved it ; foi:;j|)eing monitor of the chamber, and ac-
cording to the^ duty of his place, being fent out to
feek one that played truant ; he found him out >vhere
he had hid himfelf, and at his earneft requeft promifed
to make an excufe for him, and to fay he could not
find him ; which (faith he in a penitential refledion u-.
pon it afterwatds) I wickedly did. Next morning the
truant coming under examination, and being aflied
whether he fa v/ the monitor, faid. Yes, he aid : atwhich
Dr Bufby was much furprifed, and turned his eye u-
pon the monitor, with thefe words, " what, thou my
" fon P* and gave him correftion, and appointed him
to make a penitential copy of Latin verfes, which when
he brought he gave him fixpence, and received him
into his favour again.

Among the mercies of God to him in his youth
(and he would fay 'twere well if parents would keep
an account of thofe for their children, till they come
to be capable of doing it f jr themfelves, and then to
fet them upon the doing of it,) he hath recorded a re-
markable deliverance he had here at Wefcminfter-

B 2 fchcol^

1 2 T^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. "

fchool, which was this : It was cuflomary there, among
the fludioiis boys, for one or two, or more, to fit up
the former part of the night at Itudy, and when they
w-ent to bed, about midnight to call others ; and they
others at two or three a clock, as they defired. His
requeil was to be called at twelvd| and being awaked,
defired his candle might be lighted, which lluck to the
bed's head ; but he dropt afleep again, and the candle
fell, and burnt part of the bed and boifler ere he a-
waked ; but, through God's good providence, feafon-
able help came in, the fire foon quenched, and he re-
ceived no harm. This gave him occafion long after
to fay, "« It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not
" confumed."

When he was at Weftniinfter-fchool he vv^as em-
ployed by Dr Buiby, as fome others of the moll in-
genious and induitrious of his fcholars were, in their
reading of the Greek authors, to collect, byhis direc-
tion, fome materials for that excellent Gleek grammar
which the Dodor afterwards pubhlhed.

But be the fchool ever fo agreeable, youth is de-
firous to commence man by a removal from it : this
flep he took in the fixteenth year of his age. It was
the ancient cuftom of Weftminiter-fchool, that all the
King's fcholars who ftood candidates for an eledion
to the Umverfity, were to receive the Lord's Supper
the Eafter before, which he did with the reft, in St
Margaret's church, at Eafter 1 647 ; and he would of-
ten fpeak of the great pains which Dr Buft)y to.ok with
his fcholars that were to approach to that folemn or-
dinance, for feveral weeks before, at ftated times ; with
what fkill and ferioufnefs of application, and manifeft
concern for their fouls, he opened to them the nature
of the ordinance, and of the work they had to do in
it ; and inftrufted them what was to be done in pre-
paration for it ; and this he made a bufinefs of, appoint-
ing them the religious exercifes infteadof their fchool
exercifes. What fuccefs this had, through the grace
of God, upon young Mr Henry (to whom the dodor

had

^the Life of Mr Philip Henry. i^^

had a particular regard) read from his own hand :
There had been treaties (faith he) before,' between
my foul and Jefus Chrift, with fome weak overtures
towards him ; but then, then I think it was that the
match was made, the knot tied : then I fet myfelf,
in the ftrength of divine grace, about the great work
of felf-examination, in order to repentance ; and
then I repented ; that is, folemnly and ferioufly,
with fome poor meltings of foul ; I confeifed my
fins before God, original and a£tual, judging and
condemning myfelf for them, and cafling away from,
me all my tranfgreffions, receiving Chrift Jefus the
Lord, as the Lord my righteoufnefs, and devoting
and dedicating my whole felf abfolutely and unre-
fervedly to his fear and fervice. After which, com-
ing to the ordinance, there, there I received hira
indeed, and he became mine, I fay mine. Blefs the
Lord, O my foul 1'*
Dr Bufby's agency, under God, in this blefled work,
he makes a very grateful mention of, in divers of his
papers ; " The Lord recompenfe it (faith he) a thou-
" fand fold, into his bofom."

I have heard him tell how much he furprifed the
dodtor the firft time he waited upon him after he waS
turned out by the A<Sl of Uniformity ; for when the
doftor afked him, " Pr'ythee (child) what made thee
" a nonconformift ?" " Truly, Sir, (faith Mr Henry,)
*' you made me one ;'* for you taught me thofe things
that hindered me, from conforming.

" Encouraged by this experience, I have myfelf
*' (faith he in one of his papers) taken like pains with
*' divers others at their firll admiflion to the Lord*s
" table, and have, through grace, feen the comfort-
** able fruits of it, both in mine own children, and
" others. To God be the glory."

Mr Jeremy Dyke's book of the Sacrament, I have
heard him fay, was of great ufe to him at that time,
in his preparation for that ordinance.

Thus was this great concern happily fettled before

his

14 ^hs Life of Mr Philip Henry.

his launching out into the world, which through
grace he had all his days more or lefs the comfort of,
in an even ferenity of mind, and a peaceful expeda-
tion of the glory to be re\'ealed.

May 17, 1647, he was chofen from Wefiminfler-
fchooi to Chrift-church in Oxford, /^/r^ /od, with four
others, of which he had the fecond place. At his e-
kdion he was very much countenanced and fmiled u-
pon by his god-father the Earl of Pembroke, who was
one of the electors.

CHAP. II.

His Tears fpent at Oxford.

T Hough he was chofen to the Univerfity in May,
yet being then young, under fixteen, and in love
with his fchool-learning, he made no great hafte thith-
er. 'Tv/as in December following, 1 647,. that he re-
moved to Oxford. Some merciful providences in his
journey (he being a young traveller) affedted him much,
and he ufed to fpeak of them, with a fenfe of God's
goodnefs to him in tliem, according to the impreffions
then made by them ; and he hath recorded them with
.this thankful note, " That there may be a great mer-
" cy in a fmall matter :" as the care that was taken
of him by ftrangers, when he fainted and was fick in
his inn the firfl night, and his cafual meeting with Mr
Arinefiy, fon to the Vifcount Valentia (who was chof-
en from Weflniinfler-fchool at the fame time that he
was) when his other company, going another way,
had left him alone, gnd utterly at a lofs what to do.
Thus, the fenfible remembrance of old mercies may
anfwer the intention of new ones, which is to engage
our obedience to God, and to encourage our depen-
dance on him.

Being come to Oxford, he was immediately entered
commoner of Chrift-church, where Dr Samuel Fell

was

^le Life cf Mr pHiLtp Henry. 15

■was then dean ; the tutor afTigned to him and the reft
of that eleftion was Mr Underwood, a very learned,
ingenious gentleman.

His godfather, the Earl of Pembroke, had given him
ten pounds to buy him a gown, to pay his fees, and
to fet out with. This in his papers he puts a remark
upon, as a feafonable mercy in regard of fome flraits,
which providence, by the calamity of the times, had
brought his father to, God had taught him from his
youth that excellent principle, which he adhered to
all his days, that " every creature is that to us, and
" no more, than God makes it to be j" and therefore,
while " many feek the ruler's favour,'* and fo expect
to " make their fortunes," as they call it, feeing
'* every man's judgment proceedeth from the Lord ;"
it is our wifdom to feek his favour, v/hois the ruler of
rulers, and that is an eSedual way to make fure our
happinefs.

To the proper ftudies of this place he now vigorouily
addreued himfelf ; but dill retaining a great kindneis
for the claiTick authors, and the more polite exercifes
he loved fo well at Weftminfler-fchool.

He was admitted ftudent of Chrift-church March
24, i647-8» by Dr Henry Hammond, that great man,
then Sub-Dean, who call'd him his god-brother, the
Earl of Pembroke being his god-father alfo, and Prince
Henry the other, who gave him his name.

The vifitation of the Univerfity. by the Parliament
happened to be in the very next month after. Oxford
had been for a good while in the hands of the Parlia-
ment, and no change made ; but now the Earl of Pem-
broke, and feveral others thereunto appointed, came
hither to fettle things upon a new bottom. The account
Mr Henry in his papers gives of this affair, is to this
purpofe : The fole queftion v/hich the vifitors pro-
pos'd to each perfon, high and low, in every College,
that had any place of profit, was this, " Will you fub-
" mit to the power of the Parliament in this prefent
** vilitation V* to which all v/ere to give in their an-

fwev

i6 "fhe Life of Mr Philip Henry.

fwer in writing, and accordingly were either difplaced
or continued. Some cheerfully complied, others abfo-
lutely refuled (among whom he would fometimes tel!
of one that was but of his (landing, who gave in this
bold anfwer, '* I neither can, nor will fubmit to the
" power of the Parliament in this prefent vifitation ;
' " I fay I cannot, I fay I will not," (J. C.) Others an-
fwered doubtfully, pleading youth and ignorance in
fuch matters. Mr Henry's anfwer was, " I fubmit to
" the power of the Parliament in the prefent vifitation,
" as far as I may with a fafe confcience and without
" perjury." His reafon for the laft falvo was, becaufe
he had taken the oaths of allegiance and fupremacy a
iittle before, at his admilTion ; which he was (accord-
ing to the charafter of the good man, that he fears an
oath) very jealous of doing any thing to contradict or
iniringe ; which hath made him fometimes fignify feme
dillike of that practice of adminiflring oaths to fuch as
were fcarce paft children, who could hardly be fappo-
fed to take them with judgement, as oaths Ihould be
'taken. However, this anfwer of his fatisfied j and by the
favour of the Earl of Pembroke he was continued in his
ftudent's place. But great alterations were m.ade in that,
as well as in other Colleges, very much (no queflion)
to the hinderance and difcouragement of young fcho-
lars, who came hither to get learning, not to judge of
the rights of government. Dr Samuel Fell, the Dean,
was removed, and Dr Edward Reynolds, afterwards
Bifliop of Norwich, was put in his room : Dr Ham-
mond, and all the canons, except Dr Wall, were dif-
placed, and Mr Wilkingfon, Mr Pocock, and others of
the Parliament friends, were preferred to their places.
His thoughts of this, in the refleftion long after, was,
that milder methods might have done better, and would
'have been a firmer eflabliiliment to the new intereft :
but confidering that many of thofe who v/ere put out
(being in expeftation of a fudden change, which came
not of many years after) Vv-ere exafperating in their
carriage tov/ards the yifitors ; and that the Parliament

(who

^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 17

(who at this time rode mafters) had many of their own
friends ready for Univerfity-preferments, (which Ox-
ford, having been from the beginning a garrifon for
the king, they had been long kept out of) and thefe
they were concerned to oblige, it was not ftrange if
they took fuch flrift methods. And yet nothing be-
ing required but a bare fubmiffion, which might be in-
terpreted but as crying Quarter, he thought, withal,
that it could not be faid the terms were hard, efpecial-
ly (faith he) if compar'd with thofe of another nature
impofed fmce.

Among other ftudent-mafters removed, his tutor,
Mr Underwood, was- one, which he often bewaii'd as
ill for him, for he was a good fcholar, and one that
made it his bufmefs to look after his pupils, who were
very likely, by the bleffing of God, to have profited
under his conduft : but upon the removal of Mr Un-
derwood, he, with fome others, were turned over to
Mr Finmore, who was then in with that intereft which
was uppermofl, and was afterwards prebendary of
Chefler ; a perfon (as he notes) able enough, but not
willing to employ his abilities for the good of thofe
that were committed to his charge ; towards whom he
had little more than the name of a tutor. This he la-
mented as his infelicity, at his firft fetting out. But it
pleas 'd God to give him an intereft in the aiFe£lions of
a young man, an under -graduate then, but two or
three years his fenior from Weftminfter, a Mr Rich-
ard Bryan, v/ho took him to be his chamber-fellow
while he continued at Oxford, read to him, looked over
his fludies, and directed him in them. Of this gentle-
man he makes a very honourable mention, as one who
was, through God's bleffing, an inftrument of much
good to him. Mr John Fell alfo, the Dean's fon (after-
ward himfelf dean of Chrift-church, and bifhop of Ox-
ford) taking pity on him, and fome others that were
neglected, voluntarily read to them for fome time ; a
kindnefs which he retain'd a very grateful fenfe of, and
for which he much hgnour'd that learned and worthy
perfon, C Here

iS Tbe Life of Mr Philip Henry.

Here he duly performed the college-exercife8,difpu«
tations every day, in term-time ; themes and verfes once
a week, and declamations when it came to his turn ;
in which performances he frequently came off with
very great applatife : and many of his manufcripts,
which remain, fhew how well he improved his name
there.

And yet in fome refle£tions I find under his hand,
written long after (wherein he looks back upon his
early days) he chargeth it upon himfelf, that for a good
while after he came to the univerfity (though he was
known not to be inferior to any of his (landing, in
publick exercifes, yet) he was too much a ftranger to
that hard iludy which afterwards he became acquainted
with, and that he loft a deal of time which might have
been better improved. Thus he is pleafed to accufe
himfelf of that which (for ought I ever heard) no one
eife did, or could accufe him of. But the truth is, in
all the fecret accounts he kept of himfelf, he appears
to have had a very cjuick and deep fenfe of his own
failings and infirmities, in the moft minute inftances,»
the lofs of time, weaknefs and didraftions in holy duties ;
not improving opportunities of doing good to others,
and the hke ; lamentably bewailing thefe imperfedions,
and charging them upon himfelf, with as great expref-
fions of fhame and forrow, and felf-abliorrence ; and
crying out as earnellly for pardon and forgivenefs in
the blood of Jefus, as if he had been the greateft of
fmners : for though he was a man that v/alked very
clofely, yet withal he walked very humbly with God,
and lived a life of repentance and felf-denial. This
minds me of a fermon of his, which one min-ht difcern
came from the heart, on that fcripture, Rom. vii. 24,
" O wretched man that I am, who fhall deliver me from
" the body of this death 1" a flrange complaint (faith
he) to corne from the mouth of one who had learned
in every ilate to be content. Had I been to have given
my thoughts (faid he) concerning Paul, I fhould have
ii»id, O bleiled man that thou art, that haft been in 'he

third

Hhe Life of Mr Philip Henry. 19

third heaven, a great apoflle, a fpiritual father to
thoLifands, &c. and yet a wretched man all this while,
in his own account and efteem. He never complains
thus of the bonds and aiiliclions that did abide him, the
prifons that were frequent, the flripes above meafure ;
but tfie body of death, that is, the body of fm, that
was it he groaned under. How feelingly did he obferve
from thence, " That the remainders of indwellincr
" corruption are a very grievous burthen to a gracious
" foul."

But to return : It may not be amifs to fet down the
caufes tp which he afcribes his lofs of time when he
came firfl to the univerfity. One was, tliat he was
young, too young, and underftood not the day of his
opportunities, which made him afterwards advife his
friends not to thruil: their children forth too foon from,
fchool to the univerfity, though they may feem ripe,
in refpeft of learninp;, till they have difcretion to man-
age themfeives : while they are children, wh?,t can be
expected but that they liiould mind childifh things ? A-
nother was, that coming froiil Weftminfter-fchool, his
'attainments in fchool-learning were beyond what gene-
rally others had that came from other fchools ; fo that
he was tempted to think' there was no need for him to
iludy much, becaufe it was fo eafy to him to keep pace
with others ; which, he faith, was the thing I)r Caide-
cott, chaplain to the Earl of Pembroke, and his grf at
friend, Avarned him of at his coming to O;xford. Ano-
ther was, that there were two forts of perfcns his co-
temporaries, fome of the new ftamp, that came in by
the vifitation, and were divers of them ferious, pious
young men, but of" fmall ability, comparatively, for
learning, and thofe for that realbn he deiire4 not to
have much feilowfliip with. But there were others
that were of the eld fpirit and way, enemies to the
parliament, and the reformation they made ; and thefe
were the better fcholars, but generally not the better
men. With them for a while he ftruck in, becaufe of
their learning, and convcrfed nicil with them : but he
C 3 foon

20 I'he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

foon found it a fnare to him, and that it took him off
from the Hfe of religion, and communion with God,
Elanguefcere mox cepit (faith he in a Latin narrative of
his younger years) pri/iin<z pietatis arckr, Xs'c. but
" for ever praifed be the riches of God's free grace
" (faith he, in another account) that he was pleafed
'' flill to keep his hold of me ; and not to let me alone
" when I was running from him, but fet his hand
*' again the fecond time, (as the expreffion is, Ifaiah
" xi. 1 1.) to fnatch me as a brand out of the fire."
His recovery from this fnare, he would call a Idnd of
fecond converfion ; fo much was he affefted with the
preventing grace of God in it, and fenfible of a double
bond to be for ever thankful, as well as of an engage-
ment to be watchful and humble. 'Twas a faying of
his, " He that ftumbleth and doth not fail, gets ground
" by his ftumble.^'

At the latter end of the ^'^ear 1 648 he had leave
given him to make a vifit to his father at Whitehall,
with whom he flaid fome time : there he was Jan. 30.
when the King was beheaded, and with a very fad heart
faw that tragical blow given. Two things he ufed to
fpeak of, that he took notice of himfelf that day,
which I know not whether any of the hiftorians men-
tion. One was, that at the inftant when the blow was
given, there was fuch a difmal, univerfal groan, among
the thoufands of people that were within fight of it (as
it were with one conjent) as he never heard before ;
and defired he might never hear the like again, nor
fee fuch a caufe for it. The other was, that immediately
after the flroke was fi:ruck, there was, according to
order, one troop marching from Charing-crofs towards
King-ltreet, and another from King-ltreet towards
Charing-crofs, purpofely to difperfe and fcatter the
people, and to divert the difmal thoughts which they
could not but be fiU'd with, by driving them to fhilt
every one for his own fafety. He did upon all occafions
teftify his abhorrence of this unparallel'd aftion, v/hich
he always faid was a thing that could not bs juftify'd,

and

'The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 21

and yet he faid he faw not how it could be called a
national fm ; for, as the king urged upon his trial, it
was certain that not one man of ten in the kingdom
did confent to it* : nor could it be calFdthe fm of the
Long Par]i;vment, for far the greatefi: part of them were
all that time, while the thing v/as in agitation, imprifon'd
and kept under a force, and fcarce twenty-feven of the
forty that were left to carry the name of a parliam.ent,
did give their vote for it ; which the commiffioners for
the trying of the king's judges, in the year 1660, (fome
of whom had been themfelves members of the Long
Parliament) urged again and again, in anfwer to that
plea which the prifoners flood fo much upon, that
v/hat they did was by authority of the parliament :
but 'tis manifeft it was done by & prevailing party in
the army, who (as he us'd to exprefs it) having beaten
their plov/fiiares into fwords, could not fo ealily beat
their fwords into plowfhares again, as having fought
more for viftory and dominion, than for peace and
truth ; but how far thefe men were aded and influen-
ced by another fort of people behind the cur;[;ain, the
world is not altogether ignorant. For fome years after
King Charles IL came in, he obferved the yearly day
of humiliation for this fm, defiring that God would
not lay the guilt of blood to the charge of the nation :
but afterwards finding to what purpofes it was generally
obferved, and improved even to the reproach and con-
demning not only of the innocent but of fome of the
excellent ones of the land ; and noting that there is
no precedent in fcripture of keeping annual days of
humiliation for particular fins, efpecially after the im-
mediate judgment is at an end, Zech. viii. 19. Heb.
X. 2, 3. he took no farther notice of it? But in his diary,
he adds this tender remark, (according tb the fpirit he
was of) " yet good men, no doubt, may obferve it to

" the

* See the bldiop of Chichefter's fermon before the king 30
Jan. T697. where he faith, he did not fee how it could be call'd
a national fin.

22 l!he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

*' the Lord," Rom. xiv. 6. Thus he judged not, und
why then Ihould he be judged ?

In the year 1 650-1 he took his batcheior of arts
degree, and he hath recorded the goodnefs of God in
raifmg him up friends Avho helped him out in the ex-
pences. Such kindneiTes have a peculiar fweetnefs in
them to a good man, whp fees and receives them as
the kindneis of God, and the tokens of his -love.

He v/ould often mention it with thankfulnefs to God,
what great helps and advantages he had then in the
univerfity, not only for learning, but for religion and
piety. Serious godlinefs was in reputation ; and befides
the public opportunities they had, there were many of
the fcholars that us*d to meet together for prayer, and
Chriftian conference, to the great confirm.ing of one
another's hearts in the fear and love of God, and the
preparing of them for the fervice of the chur;:h in their
generation, I have heard him fpeak of the prudent
method they took then about the univerfity-fermons
on the Lord's day in the afternoon, which us'd to be
preached by the fellows of col leges in their courfe ;
but, that being found not fo much for edification, Dr
Owen and Dr Goodwin performed that fervice alter-
nately, and the young mafters that were wont to preach
it, had a ledure on 'i uefday appointed them. The fer-
mons he heard at Oxford he commonly wrote, not in
the time of hearing, but afterwards, when he came
home, in his refledion upon them, which he found a
good help to his memory.

In December 1652, he proceeded mafter of art?, and
in January following preached his hnl; fermon at South-
Hinckfey in Oxfordlhire, on John viii. 34. " Whofo-
" ever committeth fin, is the fervant of fm." On this
occafion he writes in h.|s diary, what was the breathing
of his heart towards Qod, " The Lord make ufe of
*' me as an inftrument of his glory, and his churches
" good, in this hi^;h and holy calling !"

Tiis great parts and improvemenf, notwithftanding
his extraordinary modeuy anci humility, had made him

fo

'The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 23

fo well knovm In the univerfity, that in the following
acl, in July 1653, he was chofen out of all the mafters
of that year, to be junior of the ad, that is^ to anfwer
the philofophy quellions in vefperiis, whi:h he did
\vlth very great applaufe ; efpecially for the very witty
and ingenious oration which he made to the uni-
verfity upon that occafion. Kis queflions were, i. An
Ucitumjit carnibus vefci ? aff. 2.. An inftitutio academiarum
fit utilis in Kepuhlica ? aif. 3. /^n ingeniiun pendeat ah
humor ihus corporis ? aff. At the a^t in 1654 he was cho-
fen Ma^iiler R.eplicans, and annvered the philofophy
qaeftions in coniitits, with a like applaufe. His quellions
then were, i . An melius ft fperare quam fru'ft neg.
2. A71 maxima ammi delsclatio fit afenfibus ? neg. 3. An
'Utile fit peregrinari ? aff;

Dr (3wen, who was then vice-chancellor, halh fpoken
with great commendation of thefe performances of Mr
Henry's to fome in the univerfity afterwards, who never
knew him otherwife than by report : and I have heard
a worthy divine (who was fomewhat his junior in the
univerfity, and there a perfeft (Iranger to him) fay,
how much he admired thefe exercifes of his, and loved
him for them ; and yet how much more he admired,
when he afterwards became acquainted with him in the
country, that fo curious and polite an orator fhould be-
come fo profitable and powerful a preacher, and fo rea-
dily lay afide the enticing words of man's wifdom,
which were fo eafy to him.

There is a copy of Latin verfes of his in print, among
the poems which the univerfity of Oxford publilhed up-
on the Peace concluded v/ith Holland in the year 1654,
which fhev/ him to be no lefs a poet than an orator.

He hath noted it of fome pious young men, that be-
fore they removed from the univerhty into the country,
they kept a day of faffing and humiliation for the fms
they had been guilty of in that place and fiate. And
in the vifils he made afterwards to the univerfity, he
inferts into his book, as no doubt God did into his, —
" a tear dropt over my univerfity-fms."

CHAP.

24 ^^^ Life of Mr Philip I'/enry.

CHAP. in. ^

Mis removal to Worthenbury in Flintlhire ; his
Ordination to tbs Miniftj-y y and his Exercifeofit
there.

"Orthenbury is a little town by Dee fide, in that
Hundred of Flintfliire which is feparated fome
miles from the reft of the county, and known by the
name of Enghih Mialors, becaufe though it is reputed
in Wales, as pertaining to Flintfhire, yet in language
and cuftoms it is wholly Englifli, and lies moflly be-
tween Chefhire and Shropfnire. Worthenbury was of
old a parochial chapel, belonging to the reftory of
Bangor, but was feparated from it in the year 1658, by
the truftees for uniting and dividing of parifhes, and
was made a parifli of itfelf. But what was then done,
being vacated by the king's coming in, it then came
to be injlatu quo, anci continued an appurtenant to Ban-
gor, till, in the fecoad year of the reign of King Wil-
liam and Queen M^ry, it was again, by ad of Parlia-
inent, feparated, and made independant upon Bangor.
That was the only aj^ that pafled the royal aifent with
the a6t of recognition, at the beginning of the fecond
parliament of this reign. The principal family in Wor-
thenbury pariih is [hat of the Puleftons of Emeral.
The head of the family was then John Pulefton, ferjeant
at law, one of the jUdges of the common-pleas.

This was the family to which Mr Henry came from
Chrill -church, preli^ntly after he had compleated his
mafter's degree, in i ^53 ; ordered into that remote, and
unto him unknown corner of the country, by that o-
ver-ruling Providenqe which determineth the times be-
fore appointed, and the bounds of our habitation.

The judge's lady Iwas a psrfon of more than ordi-
nary parts and wifdpm ; in piety inferior to few, but
in learning fuperior [o moft of her fex, which I could
giye inftances of from what 1 i6.nd among Mr Henfy's

papers.

the Life of Mr Philip Henry. q,^

papers, particularly an elegy fhe made upon the death
of the famous Mr John Selden, who was her great
friend.

This was the lady whofe agency firft brought Mt
Henry into this country. She wrote to a friend of
her's, Mr Francis Palmer, fludent of Chrift-church, to
dehre him to recommend to her a young man to be
in her family, and to take the over-light of her fons
(fome of whom were now ready for the Univerlity)
and to preach at Worthenbury on the Lord's days,
for which a very honourable encouragement was pro-
mifed. Mr Palm.er propofed it to his friend Mr Hen-
ry, who v/as willing for one half year to undertake it,
provided it might be required of him to preach buc
once on the Lord's day, and that fome other fupply
might be got for t'other part of the day, he being now
but twenty-two years of age, and newly entered upon
that great work. Provided aifo, that he fhould be en-
gaged but for half a year, as little intending to break
off fo foon from an academical life, which he delig^ht-
ed in fo much. But preferring ufefulnefs before his own
private fatisfaftion, he was willing to make trial for a
while in the country, as one that fought not his own
things, but the things of Jefus Chrift, to whofe fervice
in the work of the miniflry he had entirely devoted
himfelf, bending his lludies wholly that vray. In the
latter part of his time at Oxford, as one grown weary
of that which he ufed to fay he found little to his pur-
pofe, he employed his time moflly in fearching the
fciipture"^, and collecting ufeful fcripture-obfervations,
which he made very familiar to him, and with which
he was " throughly furniftied for this good work."
He got a Bible interleaved, in which he wrote Ihorii
notes upon texts of fcripturss as they occurred. He
v/ould often fay, " I read other books, that I may be
" the better able to underftaiid the fcripture."

It was a ftock of fcripture knowledge that he fet
up with, and with that he traded to good advantage.
Though he was fo great a mailer iu the eloquence of

D CiC'Sro,

26 'the Life of Mr Philip Henry.

Cicero, yet he preferred far before it that of A polios,
who v/as " an eloquent man, and mighty in the fcrip-
" tures. Ads xviii. 24.'*

He bid very fair at that time for Univerfity-prefer-
ment, fuch was the reputation he had got at the late
ad, and fuch his interefl in Dr Owen : but the " fal-
" vation of fouls" was that which his heart was upon,
to which he poftponed all his other interefts.

In September 1653 ^^ came down to Emeral, from
whence a meffenger was fent on purpofe to Oxford to
condud him thither. Long after, when it had pleafed
God to fettle him in that country, and to build him
up into a family, he would often refied upon his comb-
ing into it firfl ; what a flranger he then was, and how
far it was from his thoughts ever to have made hig
home in thofe parts : and paffing over the brook that
parts between Flintlhire and Shropfhire, would fome-
times very affedionately ufe that word of Jacob's,
*' With my ftaff I pafled over this Jordan, and now I
" am become two bands.'*

At Emeral he prayed in the family, was tutor to
the young gentlemen, and preached once a day at
Worthenbury ; other help being procured for the other
part of the day, according to his requeft, out of a fear,
being fo young, to take the whole work upon him.
But it foon happened, that one Lord's day, the fupply
that was expeded failed ; and fo he was neceffitated,
rather than there fhould be a vacancy, to preach tv.ice,
in which he found the promife fo well fulfilled, " as
" the day is, fo ihall the ftrength be ;" and, " to him
" that hath (i. e. that hath, and ufeth what he hath)
" fhall be given, and he (hall have abundance j" that,
to the great fatisfadion of his friends there, from thence-
forward he v/aved looking out for other help than jvhat
came from above, and would fometimes fpeak of this
as aft in (lance, that " we do not know what \ve can
*' do, till we have tried."

Here he applied himfelf to a plain and pradical way
of preaching, as one truly concerned for the fouls of

thofe

l!he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 27

thofe he fpoke to. He would fay fometimes, " we flu-
*' dy how to fpeak that you may underftand us.'* And
** I neVer think I can fpeak plain enough when I am
** fpeaking about fouls and theirfalvation." I have heard
him fay, he thought it did him good, that for the firfl
half year of his being at Worthenbury, he had few or,
no books with him, which engaged him (in ftudyinqj
fermons) to a clofer fearch of the fcripture and his own
heart. What fuccefs his labours had in that parifh,
which, before he came to it (I have been told) M^as ac-
counted one of the moft loofe and prophane places ia
all the country, may be gathered from a letter of the
Lady Puleflon*s to him, at the end of the firfl half year
after his coming to Emeral, when he was uncertain of
his continuance there, and inclinable to return to fet-
tle at Chrifl-church. Take the letter at large :

" Dear Mr Henry,

" The indifpofition that my fadnefs hath bred,
** and the ftay of Mrs V. here yefterday, hindered my
" anfwering your laft expreiTions. As to ordering the
*' converfation, and perfevcring to the pradice of thofe
^ good intents, taken up while one is in purfuit of a
" mercy, you and I will confer as God gives oppor-
*■* tunity, who alfo mufl give the Vv^ill and the deed,
" by his Spirit, and by the rule of his word. As to
" begging that one thing for you, God forbid (as Sa-
*' muel faid) that I Ihouid ceafe to pray, &c. This I.
*^ am fure, that having wanted hitherto a good mini-
** fter of the word among us, 1 have oft, by prayer and
** forae tears, above five years befoughr God for fuch
*' a one as yourfelf ; which having obtained, I cannot
^' yet defpair, feeing he hath given us the good means,
*' but he may alfo give us the good end. And this I
*' find, that your audience is increafed three for one
" in the parifli (though in winter, more tha;i formerly
V in fummer,) and five for one out of oth^ places.
" And I have neither heard of their being in the ale^
" houfe on our Lord's day, nor ball-playing that day,

D 2 " whicb.

28 ^he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

*' which before you came was frequent (except that
*' day that young Ch. preached :) I thmk I can
*' name four or five in the parifli, that of formal Chrif-
" tians, are becoming, or become real : but you know
'^^ all are not wrought on at firft, by the word. (Some
*=' come in no misfortune like other men, and this is
"^^ the caufe they be fo holdenwith pride, &c.) Hypo-
" crites aifo have converted converhon itfelf : yet God
" may have referved thofe that have not bowed the
^' knee to Baal, &c. and may call them at the latter
" part of the day, though not in this half year. It is
" a good fign, moil are loth to part with you : and you
^'^ have done more good in this half year than 1 have
" difcerned thefe eighteen years : but, however, whelh-
" er they will hear, or whether they will forbear, you
*' have delivered your own foul. I have prayed, and
*^' do pray, feeing God hath fent you, that you may
*•» be for his glory, and not for our condemnation."

It is eafy to imagine what an encouragement this
was to him thus at his firft fetting out to fee of the travel
of his foul, and what an inducement it was to him not
to leave thofe among vv^hom God had thus owned him.
However, that fpring he returned to Oxford. The La-
dy Pulefton foon after came to him thither, with her
five fons, of whom flie placed the two eldeft under his
charge, in the College. In the following vacation he
went to London to vifit his relations there ; and there
in Oftober he received a letter from Judge Pulefton,
with a very folemn ond affedionate requeft, fubfcribed
by the parilhioners (if Worthenbury, earneftly defiring
his fettlement among them, as their mlnifter, which he
Was perfwaded to comply with, having fixed to himfelf
that good rule, in the turns of his life, to " follow Pro-
" vidence, and not to force it :" fo in the winter fol-
lowing he came down again, and fettled with them.
He continued in his ftudent's place in Chrift-church
for two or three years, attending the fervice of it once
a year ; but difpcfing of moft of the profit of it for the
ufe of poor fchclars thero.

The

'Ihe Life of Mr Philip Henry. 29

Tlie liihe of Worthenbury belonged to Emeral fa-
mily, paying foine rent to the redor of Bangor ; tliis
lithe Judge Pulellon was willing to give (clear of that
charge) to the miniflcr of Worthenbury for ever : but
fiich was the peculiar and extraordinary kindnefs he
had for Mr Henry, upon the experience of his merits^
that he chofe rather, by deed of indenture, bearing date
6 Odober 1655, between himfeif and Mr Henry, " In
" conlideration of his being pleafed to undertake the
*' cure of fouls, and to preach and teach, and perform
" other duties of divine fcrvice in the parifh-church
*' of Worthenbury (fo the deed runs) to give, grant,
'* and confirm for himfeif and his heirs, unto the faid
*' Philip Henry, the yearly rent of one hundred pounds,
" charged upon all his inefiuages, lands, and tene-
*' ments in tihe feveral counties of Flint, Denbigh, and
*' Ghefter, to be paid quarterly, until fuch times as
*' the faid Philip Henry fhall be promoted or preferred
*' to forne other fpiritual or ecclefiaftical living or pre-
*' ferment," with power of diflrefs in cafe of non-pay-
ment. A hundred a year was more than Worthenbury
tithes were worth at that time ; and the manner of the
gift freed the maintenance from much of that lofs and
incumbrance which commonly attends the gathering
of tithe.

He ftill continued for forae years in Emeral famiily,
where he laid out himfeif very much for the fpiritual
.good of the family, even of the meanefl of the fervants,
by catechizing, repeating ^ the fermons, and perfonal
inftruction, and he had very much comfort in the coun-
tenance and converfation of the Judge and his Lady.
Yet he complains fometimes in his diary of " the fhares
" and temptations that he found in his way there ;"
efpecially becaufe fome of the branches of the family,
who did not patrizare, were uneafy at his being there,
which made him willing to remove to a houfe of his
own ; which, when Judge Puleflon perceived, in the
year 1657, out of his abundant and continued kind-
nefs to him, he did, at his own proper cofl and charges,

build

30 'The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

build him a very handfome houfe in Worthenbury,
and fettled it upon him by a leafe, bearing date March
6th 1657, for threefcore years, " if he fhould fo long
" continue minifter at Worthenbury, and not accept of
" better preferment."

He hath noted in his diary, that the very day that
the workmen began the building of that houfe, Mr
Mainwaring of Malpas preached the ledlure at Bangor,
from Pfalm cxxvii. i. " Except the Lord build the
" houfe, they labour in vaiii that build it." There never
was truth (faith he) more feafonable to any than this
\vas to me : it was a word upon the v/heels. He hath
recorded it as his great care, that his affections might
be kept loofe from it, and that it might not encroach
upon God's interefl: in his heart. When it was finifii-
ed, he thus v/rites : " I do from my heart blefs God,
*' that no hurt or harm befel any of the workmen in
" the building of it."

Thus was his maintenance fettled at Worthenbury.
In the year 1659, he was, by a writing of Judge Pulef-
ton's, collated, nominated, and prefented to the church
of Worthenbury, and (the powers that then were
having fo appointed) he had an approbation thereof
from the commiiiioners for approbation of publick
-preachers.

Some little oppofition was made to his fettlement at
Worthenbury by Mr Fogg, then redor of Bangor, be-
caufe he conceived it an intrenchment upon his right
to Worthenbury, and thought it might prejudice his
recovering of it by courfe of law. I only mention this
for the fake of the note he hath upon it in his diary,
which is this ; " I do earneftly defire that the judge
" may give Mr Fogg all reafonable fatisfadion, that
" there may be no appearance of wrong to him, or
" any other, in this thing.'* And when Mr Fogg infla-
ted upon it, that he would have Mr Henry give it un-
der his hand, that he defired the confent of the faid
Mr Fogg to be minifter of Worthenbury ; he yielded
to do it for peace-fake, and from thenceforward there

was

THjt Life of Mr Philip Henri'. 3r

Was an intimate and entire friendfhip between Mr Fogg
and him.

Being thus fettled at Worth enbury, his next cafe
was touching ordination to the work of the miniitry,
to which he would fee his call very clear, before he
folemniy devoted himfclf to it. And though afterwards
in the reflexion (efpecially when he was filenced) it
was fome trouble to him, that he had fo long deferred
to be ordained, (and he would often, from the confi-
deration of that, prefs thofe who intended the miniilry
not to put it ofl^ yet as the times then were, there was
fomething a reafon for it.

The neareil ading clafs of prefoyters was in the
Hundred of Bradford, north in Shropfhire, wherein Mr
Porter of Whitchurch was the leading man, of whom
Mr Baxter gives fo high a character in his life, part 3.
page 94. and who was one of thofe whom he recom-
mended to the Lord Chancellor as fit to be made a
bifhop, part 2* p. 283. This clafs v/as conftituted by
ordinance of Parliament in April 1647 '•> ^^ members
of it, then, were the aforefaid Mr Porter, Mr Boughy
of Hodnet, Mr Houghton of Prees, MrParfons of Wem,
and Mr John Bi{by ; and afterwards Mr Maiden of
Newport; Mr Binney of Ightfield, and Mr Steel of Han-
mer (though in Flintfhire) were taken in to them, and
a6led with them. This clafs, in twelve years time, pub-
lickly ordained fixty-three miniflers. Mr Henry was
very delirous to have been ordained at Worthenbury,
-pUhe pr^zfente, which he thought moil agreeable to
the intention, but the minifters were not willing to fet
fuch a precedent : however, that was one thing which
occafioned the delay, fo that he was not ordained till
16 Sept. 1657.

The way and manner of his ordination was accor-
ding to the known diredory of the affembly of divines,
and the common ufage of the prefbyterians ; and yet
he having left among his papers a particular account
of that folemnity, and fome of the workings of his foul
towards God in it, 1 hope it may be of fpnie ufe, both

for

32 ^he Life of Mr Philip Hknry.

for inftrudion and quickening to minifters, and for the
information of fuch as are perhaps wholly flrangers to
fuch a thing, to givefome account of the whole tranfac-
tion.

He made addreffes to the prefbytery, in order to his
ordination, July 6. at Frees, when he fubmitted to trial ;
and inquiry was made, in the firft plaqe, concerning
his experience of the ^ork of grade in his heart ; in
a.nfwer to which he gave a reafon of the hope that was
in him, with meeknefs and fear ; that the fpirit of grace
had been dealing with him when he was young, and
he hoped had difcovered to him his need of Chrift, and
had bowed his v/ill in fome meafure to clofe with him
upon his own terms, &c. His (kill in the original langua-
ges of the fcripture was then tried \ and he read and
conftrued two verfes in the Hebrew Bible, and two in
the Greek Teftament : he was then examined in logick
and natural philofophy, next in divinity, what authors
he had read, and what knowledge he had touching the
mcaiation of Chrift, &c. And his Ikill in the fcripture
was tried, by propounding to him a difficult text to
give his fenfe of; a cafe ot confcience was alfo put to
him to be refolved, and inquiry made into his acquaint-
ance with church-hiftory. Laftly, a queftion was given
him to provide a thefis upon againft next meeting,
v/hich was this, An Providentia Divina extendatfe ad
omnia f Aff. On this queftion he exhibited his thefis,
Auguft 3. and defended it. Several of the minifters op-
pofed, and Mr Porter moderated* He then produced
two certificates, which he left with the regifter of the
clafs, one from Oxford, fubfcribed by Dr VVilkinfon,
Dv Langley, &c. the other from the neighbour mini-
fcers, Mr bteel, Mr Fogg, &c. both teftifying of his \
converfation, &c. " The Lord forgive me (faith he in ""
" his diary upon this) that it hath not been more
*' exemplary as it ought for piety and induflry." Amen,
Lord in Chrift. The day for ordination was appointed
to be Sept. 16. at Frees, of which notice was given at
Worthenbury by a paper, read ia the chnrch, and after-
wards

^he Life of Mr Philip Hemry. 33

wards affixed to the church-door the Lord's day be-
fore, fignifying alfo, " That if any one could produce
" any juft exceptions againft the do6lrine or life of the
" faid Mr Henry, or any fufficient reafon why he
" might not be ordained, they fhould certify the fame
** to the claffis, or the fcribe, and it Ihould be heard
" and confidered/'

On the day of ordination there was a very great af*
fembly gathered together. Mr Porter began the public
work of the day with prayer, then Mr Parfons preach-
ed on I Tim. i* i2« " I thank Chrifl Jefus, who hath
'* enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting
*' me into the miniftry." Putting men into the mini-
ftry is the work of Jefus Chrift. After fermon, Mr
Parfons, according to the ufual method, required of
him a confefiion of his faith, which he made as fol-
lows :

" The ground and rule of my faith towards God, is
** the Scripture of the Old and New Teftament : I be-
" lieve they were written by holy men, immediately
*' infpired by the Holy Ghoil ; having found the effica-i
" cy of them in fome meafure upon my own heart,
"I believe they are further able to make me wife to
" falvation.

" Concerning God, I belieVe that he is, and that he
** is the rewarder of thofe that diligently feek him.

" The trinity of perfons in the unity of the God-*
^' head, I receive and own as a truth, I admire and
*' adore as a myflery \ though no man hath feen God
" at any time, yet the only-begotten Son, v/hich is in
" the bofom of the Father, he hath declared him, and
*' what he hath declared concerning him, that I be-
*' lieve. I believe that Godis a Spirit,, for the Son hath
" faid, God is a Spirit. I believe that he hath life in
" himfelf, and that he hath given to the Son to have
" life in himfelf. I believe all things were made by
" him, and without him was not any thing made that
*' was made. I believe by his providence he preferves,
" guides, and governs all the creatures, according to

E " the

34 ^he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

" the purpofe of his own will to his own glory ; for the
" Father worketh hitherto, and the Son alfo worketh.

" I believe he made man upright after his own
*' image and likenefs, which image confided inknow-
*' ledge, righteoufnefs, and true holinefs, but man by
" fm loft \u

" I believe we were all in the loins of our firft pa-
" rents, and that they ftood and fell as publick perfons,
" and upon that account juftly, without any colour of
" wrong, we bear our fhare, both in the guilt of their
" difobedience, and alfo the corruption of nature foU
" lowing thereupon ; fo that we come into the \Vorld
^' children of wrath, and heirs of the curfe, one as
" well as another ; enemies to God^ hating him, and
*' hated of him : averfe to what is good, and prone to
" all manner of evil. Though all are born in this con-
" dition, yet there are fome that do not die in it.

" I believe there is a Mediator, and there is but one
" Mediator between God and men, the man Chrift
" Jefus. Thofe whom the Father hath from everlafting
" pitched his love upon, and given to Chrift, not be-
" caufe of works or faith forefeen, but merely of his
" free grace ; for thofe I believe Chrift was fent forth
" into the world, made of a woman, made under the
*' law ; for their fakes he fandified himfelf, and be-
" came obedient to death, even the death of the crofs ;
" wherefore God alfo highly exalted him ; and having
^' raifed him from the dead on the third dayj fet him
" at his own right hand, where he ever lives, to make
" interceffion for thofe for whom he fhed his blood.
" All thefe eleft redeemed ones I believe are in due
" time, fooner or later, in their hves, effeclually called,
" waflied, fanclified, juftihed in the name of the Lord
" Jefus, and by the Spirit of our God.

" I believe the righteoufnefs of Chrift alone, appre-
" hended by faith, is the matter of our juftification
" before God ; and that no flefti can ft and in his fight
" upon any other terms, for he is the Lord our Righ-
" teoufnefs, and in him onlv the Father is well pleafedo

I be«

T^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 35

" I believe the work of fandification, managed by
the Spirit, who dwelleth in us, though in refped of
parts it be complete, for the whole man is renew-
ed ; yet in refped of degrees it is not fully perfed-
ed till we come to glory ; and 1 believe all that are
juftified fliall be glorified, for we are kept by the
power of God, through faith unto falvation.
" I believe the gathering in and building up of
faints, is the fpecial end why pallors and teachers
are appointed in the church : and that Jefus Chrift,
according to his promife, will be \vith them, in that
work, to the end of the world.
" The two facraments of the New Teftament, bap,
tifm and the Lord's fupper, I receive and own as figns
and feals of the covenant of grace ; the former in-
ftituted by our Lord Jefus, as a fign and feal of our
engrafting into him, due, of right, to all the infants
of believing parents, and but once to be admini-
ftred ; the other inftituted by our Lord Jefus in the
night wherein he was betrayed, to (hew forth his
death, and to feal the benefits purchafed thereby to'
his church and people, and to be often repeated.
" When the body returns to the duft, I beUeve the
foul returns to God that gave it ; and that imme-
diately it receives from him the fentence, according
to what hath been done in the flefh ; either. Come,
inherit the kingdoni ;— or, Depart, accurfed, into
everlafling fire.

" I believe, beiides this, a day of general judgment
in the end of the world, wherein we mull all ap-
pear before the tribunal of Jefus Chrift ; and that
our bodies, being raifed by an Almighty pow-
er from the dull, fhall be united to the fame fouls
again, and fliall partake with them in the fame con-
dition, either of liappinefs or mifery, to all eternity.
Thofe that have done good fhall come forth unto
the refurreftion of life ; and thofe that have done
evil, to the refurrection of damnation."
This is the fum and fubilance of my faith, into
E 2 which

35 The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

which I was baptized, and in which, by the grace pf
God, I will live and die.

Mr Parfons then propofed certain queftions to him,
according to the inftrudions in the diredory, to which
he return'd anfwer as followeth :

Queftion i. What are your ends in undertaking the ivori
and calling of a mimjler ?

Anfwer, As far as upon fearch and inquiry I can
hitherto find, though there be that within me that
would feek great things for myfelf (if indeed they
were to be found in this calling) yet with my mind I
feek them not. But the improvement of the talent
which I have received in the fervice of the gofpel, for
the glory of God, and the falvation of fouls, I hope is
in my eye ; if there be any thing elfe, 1 own it not, I
allow it not ; while fo many feek their own, it is my
defire, and fliall be my endeavour, to feek the thiilgs
of Jefus Chrift.

Quefi:. 2. What are your purpofcsy as to diligence and in-
dujiry in this calling ?

Anjw. I do purpofe and refolve, by the help of God,
to give myfelf wholly to thefe things ; to prayer, read-
ing, meditation, inftant preaching in feafon and out of
feafon, wherein I fhall very gladly fpend and be fpent,
if by any ^ means I may both fave myfelf and them
that hear me. And when at any time I fail herein, I
defire God by his Spirit, and my chriftian friends, neigh-
bours, and brethren, by feafonable reproof and ad-
monition, to put me in mind of this engagem.ent now
made in the prefence of this great congregation.

Queft. 3. Do you mean to be 9iealous and faithful in the

defence of truth and unity, again/l error and fchifm ?
AnfuiK I believe what the Spirit hath foretold, that
in the laft days perilous times fliall come, wherein
men will not endure found dodlrine, but after their
own lufls fhall heap unto themfelves teachers. 'Tis my
refolution, by the grace of Chrift, to watch in all things ;
to contend earnefUy for the faith, to hold fail the form

of

^hc Life of Mr Philip Henry. 37

<tf found and wholfome words, even the words of our
Lord Jefus, and the do6lrine which is according to
godlinefs, in meeknefs, as I am able, inftrudiing thofe
that oppofe themfelves : and for peace and unity, if
my heart deceive me not, I fliall rather chufe to hazard
the lofs of any thing that is moft dear to me, than be
any way knowingly acceffary to the difturbance of
thefe in the churches of Chrilh

Queft. 4. What is your perfixjoficn of the truth of the re-
for;-ncd religion ?■

Anfw. My perfwafion is, that the bifliQp of Rome
is that man of fm, and fon of perdition whom the Lord
Jefus will confume with the fpirit of his mouth, and
whom he will deltroy by the brightnefs of his coming.
And the feparation which our firlt reformers made, I
do heartily rejoice in, and blefs Goa for, for had we
itill continued to partake with him in his lins, v/e fhould
\i\ the end have partaked with him alfo in his plagues.

Queft. 5, What do you intend to do when \.he Lordfball
alter your condition^ and bring a family under your
charge ?

Anfw. When the Lord fhall pleafe in his Providence
to bring me into new relations, I hope he will give me
grace to fill them up with duty ; it is my purpofe to
wait upon him, and to keep his way, to endeavour in
the ufe of means, that all tha,t are mine may be the
Lord's.

Queft, 6. Will you in humility end meeknefs fiihmit to ad-
monition and difcipline /

Anfw. I beheve it to be a duty incumbent upon all
that profefs the name of Chrifl, to watch over one a-
iijther, and that when any is overtaken in a fault thoie
that are fpiritual are to fet him in joynt again with the
fpirit of meeknefs. It fhall be my endeavour in the
ftrengtli of Jefus Chrifl to walk without rebuke, and
when at any time I flep afide. (for who is there that
lives and fins not) 1 fhall account the fmitings of my
brethren kindnefs, and their vvounds faithful.

Qued.

38 The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

Queft. 7. What if trouble Sy perfecutions^ and dif courage-
ments arife, will you bold out to the end notwithjlanding .?

Anfw. Concerning this I am very jealous over my
own heart, and there is caufe. I find a great want of
that zeal and courage for God, which I know is re-
quired in a minilter of the gofpel, neverthelefs, I per-
fwade myfelf that no temptation fliall befall me but fuch
as is common to man, and that God who is faithful,
will not fufFer me to^be tempted above that which I am
able, but that M'ith the temptation he will alfo make a
way to efcape, that I may be able to bear it. I promife
faithfulnefs to the death, but I reft not at all in my pro-
mife to God, but in his to me — When thou goeft thro*
the fire, and through the water, I will be with thee.

When this was done, Mr Parfbns prayed ; and in
prayer, he and the reft of the prefbyters (Mr Porter,
Mr Houghton, Mr Maiden, and Mr Steel) laid their
hands upon him, with words to this purpofe, " whom
** we do thus in thy name fet apart to the work and
*' office of the miniftry." After him, there were five
more, after the like previous examinations and trials,
profefTions and promifes, at the fame time in like man-
ner fet apart to the miniftry.

Then Mr Maiden of Nev/port clofed with an exhort-
ation direflied to the newly-ordained minifters, in
which (faith Mr Henry in his diary) this word went
near my heart : " As the nurfe puts the meat firft in-
" to her pwn mouth, and chews it, and then feeds the
" child with it, fo fhould minifters do by the word ;
*' preach it over before-hand to their own hearts, it
" lofes none of the virtue hereby, but rather probably
" gains. As that rnilk nouriiheth moft which come;
" warm, from the warm breaft ; fo that fermon which
*' comes warm from a v.'arm heart. Lord quicken me
" to do thy will in this thing."

The chilis gave him., and the reft, inftruments in
parchment, certifying this, which it may fatisfy the
curiofity of fome to read the form of : —

" Whereas

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 59

*' Whereas Mr Philip Henry of Worthenbury, in
the county of Flint, mafter of arts, hath addreiTed
himfelf unto us, authorized by an ordinance of both
Houfes of Parhament, of the 29th of Auguft 1648,
for the ordination of minifters, defiring to be or-
dained a prefbyter, for that he is chofen and appoint-
ed for the work of the miniftry at Worthenbury in
the county of Fhnt, as by a certificate now remaining
with us, touching that his eleftion and appointment,
appeareth. And he having Hkewife exhibited a
fufficient tejflimonial of his diligence and proficiency
in his ftudies, and unblameablenefs of his hfe and
converfation, he hath been examined according to
the rules for examination in the faid ordinance ex-
preiTed ; and thereupon approved, there being no
juft exception made, nor put in againft his ordina-
tion and admiffion. Thefe may therefore teftify to
all whom it may concern, that upon the fixteenth
day of September 1657, "^^^ have proceeded fo-
lemnly to fet apart for the office of a presbyter, and
work of the miniftry of the gofpel, by laying on of
our hands with faffing and prayer ; by virtue where-
of we do declare him to be a lav/ful and fuificiently
authorized minifler of Jefus Chrift : and having good
evidence of his lawful and fair calling, not only to
the work of the miniftry, but to the exercife there-
of at the chapel of Worthenbury in the county of
Fhnt, we do hereby fend him thither, and aftually
admit him to the faid charge, to perform all the
offices and duties of a faithful paftor there ; exhort-
ing the people in the name of Jefus Chrift willingly
to receive and acknowledge him as the minifter of
Chrift, and to maintain and encourage him in the
execution of his office, that he may be able to give
up fuch an account to Chrift of their obedience to
his miniftry, as may be to his joy, and their ever-
lafting comfort. In \^ itnefs whereof, we, the prefby-
ters of the fourth clafs in the county of Salop,
commonly called Bradford North Clafs, have here-

'• unto

40 T'he Life of Mr Philip Henr^t.

*' unto fet our hands, this 1 6th day of September, iri
" the year of our Lord God, 1657.

'Tho^ Porter, moderator for the time.

Andrew Parfons, miniiler of Wem.

Ayimar Haughton, minifter of Prees-

yohn Maiden, minifter of Newport.

Richard Steel, minifter of Hanmer.
1 have heard it faid by thofe who were prefent at
this folemnity, that Mr Henry did, in his countenance,
carriage, and expreflion, difcover fuch an extraordi-
nary ferioufnefs and gravity, and fuch deep impreffions
made upon his fpirit, as greatly affedled the auditory,
and even ftruck an awe upon them.

Read his refiedion upon it in his diary :- — " Me-
" thought I faw much of God in the carrying on of
" the work of this day^ O^ how good is the Lord, he is
" good, and doth good ; the remembrance of it I fhall
*' never lofe : to him be glory. I made many promifes
*' of diligence, faithfulnefs, &g. but I lay no ftrefs at
'* all on them, but on God's pfomife to me, that he
'' will be with his m.inifters always to the end of the
" world. Amen, Lord, fo be it. Make good thy word
*' unto thy fervant, wherein thou haft caufed me to
*' put my truft.'* And in another place, " I did this day
*' receive as much honour and work as ever I ftiall
*' be able to know what to do with : Lord Jefus, pro-
*' portion fupplies accordingly." Tvv'o fcriptures he
defired mJght be written in his heart, 2 Cor. vi. 4, 5,
6cc. and 2 ChroR. xxix. 11.

Two years after, upon occafion of his being prefent
at an ordination at Whitchurch, he thus writes : " This
** day my ordination-covenants were in a fpecial man-
" ner renewed, as to diligence in reading, prayer, rae-
" ditation, faithfulnefs in preaching, admonition, cate-
*' chizing, facraments, zeal againft error and profane-
" nefs, care to preferve and promote the unity and
*' purity of the church, notwithftanding oppoiition and
* ' perfecution, tho' to death. Lord, thou haft filled my
** hands with vyorkj fill my heart with wifdom and

" grace,

Itbe Life of Mr Philip Henry. 41

*• grace, that I may difcharge my duty to thy glory,
^' and my own falvation of thofe that hear me.**
Amen.

Let us now fee how he applied himfelf to his work
at Worthenbury. The fphere was too narrow for fuch a
burning and fhining light : there were but forty-one
communicants in that parifh when he firlt fet up the
ordinance of the Lord's Supper, and they were never
doubled : yet he had fuch low thoughts of himfelf^
that he not only never fought for a larger fphere, but
would never hearken to any overtures of that kind
made to him : and withal, he had fuch high thoughts
of his work, and the worth of fouls, that he laid out
himfelf with as much diligence and vigour here, as if
he had had the over-fight of the greateft and molt con«
fiderable parifh in the country*

The greatefl part of the parifh were poor tenants,
and labouring hufbandmen ; but the fouls of fuch (he
ufed to fay) are as precious as the fouls of the rich,
and to be looked after accordingly. His prayer for
them was, " Lord, defpife not the day of fmall things:
*' in this place, where there is fome willingnefs, but
*' much weaknefs." And thus he writes upon the
Judge's fettling a handfome maintenance upon him :
" Lord, thou knoweft, I feek not theirs, but them : give
me the fouls.'* — •

He was in labours more abundant to win fouls : be-
lides preaching, he expounded the fcriptures in order,
catechized and explained the catechifm. At firfl he
took into the number of his catechumens fome that
were adult, who (he found) wanted inflruftion ; and
when he had taken what pains he thought needful
with them, he difmifsed them from further attendance,
with commendation of their proficiency, and counfel
to hold fafl the form of found words ; to be watchful
againfl the fms of their age, and to apply themfelves
to the ordinance of the Lord's fupper, and make ready
for it ; afterwards he catechized noE^e above feventeea
or eighteen years of age.

F He

4^ ^he Life cf Mr Philip Henry.

He fet up a monthly lefture there of two fermohs,
one he himfelf preached, and the other his friend Mr
Ambrofe Lewis of Wrexham, for fome years. He alfo
kept up a monthly conference in private from houfc
to houfe, in which he met with the more knowing and
judicious of the parifh ; and they difcourfed familiarly
together of the tLings of God, to their mutual edifi-
cation, according to the example of the apoftles, who,
tho' tbey had the liberty of public places, yet taught
alfo from houfe to houfe, Afts v. 42. xx. 20. That
which induced him to fet and keep up this exercife ag
long as he durft (which was till Auguft 1660,) was,
that by this means he came better to underftand the
{late of his flock, and fo knew the better how to preach
to them, and pray for them, and they to pray one for
another. If they were in doubt about any thing relat-
ing to their fouls, that was an opportunity of getting
fatisfadion. It was likewife a means of increafmg
knowledge, and love, and other graces ; and thus it
abounded to a good account.

He was very induftrious in vifiting the fick, inftrud*
ing theni, and praying with them ; and in this he would
fay, he aimed at the good, not only of thofe that were
fick, but alfo of their friends and relations that were
about them.

He preached funeral fermons for all that were buri^
cd there, rich or poor, old or young, or little children ;
for he looked upon it as an opportunity of doing good :
he called it, fetting in the plough of the word, when
providence had foftned and prepared the ground. He
never took any money for that or any other minifterial
performance, befides his ftated falary, for which he
thought himfelf obliged to do his whole duty to them
as a minifter. ,

When he firft fet up the ordinance of the Lord's
fupper there, he did it with very great folemnity.
After he had endeavoured to inftruft them in his pub-
!ick preaching, touching the nature of that ordinance,
he difcourfed perfonally with all that gave up their

names

"the Life of Mr Philip Henry. 43

naiiles to the Lord, in it, touching their knowledge,
experience, and converfation, obliged them to obferve
the law of Chrift, touching brotherly admonition h\
cafe of fcandal ; and gave notice to the congregation
who they were that were admitted ; adding this ;
" concerning thefe, and myfelf, I have two things to
" fay ; i . As to what is pall, we have fmned : if we
'' fhould fay, we have not, we fhould deceive ourfelves,
" and the truth were not in us ; and yet this with-
" al we can fay, and have faid it, fome of us with tears j
-' we are grieved that Vsfe have fmned. 2. For time to
'* come v/e are refoived by God's grace to walk in
" new obedience ; and yet feeing we are not angels,
** but men and women, compaffed about with infir-
*' mities and temptations, it is polTible we may fall y
" but if we do, it is our declared refolution to fnbmit
** to admonition and cenfui?e, according to the rule of
*' the gofpel." And all along he took care fo to man*
age his admilTions to that ordinance, as that the weak
might not be difcouraged, and yet the ordinance might
not be profaned. He would tell thofe v/hom he was
neceffitated to debar from the ordinance for ignorance,
that he would undertake, if they were but truly wilU
ing, they might in a week's time, by the bleffing of God
upon their diligent ufe of means, reading, prayer, and
conference, get fuch a competent meafure of know-
ledge, as to be able to difcern the Lord's body. And
thofe that had been fcandalous, if they would but come
in and declare their repentance, and refolutions of new
obedience, they lliould no longer be excluded.

To give a fpecimen of his lively adminiftrations of
that ordinance, let me tranfcribe the notes of his ex-
hortation at the firfi; facrament that ever he adminift?
red, Nov. 27. 1659. I fuppofe they are but the hints
of what he enlarged more upon, for he had always a
great fluency upon fuch occafions :

" Dearly beloved in our Lord and Saviour Jefus
" Chrift, we are met together this day about the moft
" fplQmn weighty fervice under heaven j we are come

Y^ " ' "to

44 '^^ I^if^ of Mr Philip Henry.

*' to a feaft, where the feaft-maker is God the Father,
*' the provifion God the Son, whofe flefh is meat in-
*' deed, and whofe blood is drink indeed ; the guefts
*' a company of poor fmners, unworthy fuch an hon-
*' our ; the crumbs under the table were too good for
" us, and yet we are admitted to tafte of the provifion
*' upon the table ; and that which makes the feaft is
" hearty welcojne. God the Father bids you welcome;
*' and ten thoufand welcomes this day, to the flefh and
^* blood of his Son : think you hear him faying it to
*' )«)u, O believing fouls. Cant. v. i. Eat, O friends ;
^'' drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved. The end
*' of this feaft is to keep in remembrance the death of
*' Chrift, and our deliverance by it, and thereby to
*' convey fpiritual nourifhment and refrefhment to our
*' fouls. But withal, give me leave to afk you one
*' queftion, What appetite have you to this feaft ? Are
*' you come hungring and thirfting ? fuch as have the
" promife, they fhall be filled. He filleth the hungry
*' with good things, but the rich are fent empty away :
** a honey-comb to a full foul is no honey -comb. —
** Canft thou fay as Chrift faid ? With defire I have de-
*' fired to eat this. In this ordinance here's Chrift and
*' all his benefits e:^hibited to thee. Art thou weak ?
" here's bread to ftrengthen thee. Art thou fad ? here's
*' wine to comfort thee. What is it thou ftandeft in
** need of ? A pardon ? here it is fealed in blood, take
*' it by faith, as I ofter it to you in tHe name of the
** Lord Jefus. Though thy fins have been as fcarlet,
*' they fhall be as wool, if thou be willing and obe-
*' dient. It may be, here are fomethat have been drunk*
** ards, fwearers, fcofFers at goodlinefs, fabbath-
*' breakers, and what not ? and God hath put it into
*' your hearts to humble yourfelves, to mourn for and
*' turn from all your abominations ; O come hither,
*' here's forgivenefs for thee. What elfe is it thou
*' wanteft ? O (faith the poor foul) I would have more
^ of the fpirit of grace, more power againft fm, efpe-
^' daily niy own iniquity ; why, h.er^ it is for thee,

" from

^be Life of Mr Philip Henry. 45

** from the fullnefs that is in Jefus Chrift we receive,
** and grace for grace, John i. 16. We may fay as
«' David did, Pfalm cviii. 7, 8. God hath fpoken in
** his holinefs ; and then, Gilead is mine, and Manaffeh
*' mine : fo God hath fpoken in his word fealed in his
•• facrament, and then Chrift is mine, pardon is mine,
" grace is mine, comfort mine, glory mine ; here I
*' have his bond to fhew for it. This is to thofe a-
*' mong you that have engaged their hearts to ap-
♦* proach uijito God this day.

" But if there be any come hither with a falfe, un-
•* believing, filthy, hard heart, I do warn you feriouily,
" and with authority, in the name of Jefus Chrift,
*' prefume not to come any nearer to this facred ordi-
•' nance : you that live in the pradice of any fm, or
^' the omiflion of any duty againft your knowledge
** and confcience ; you that have any malice or grudge
" to any of your neighbours, leave your gift, and go
*' your ways ; be reconciled to God, be reconciled to

" your brother, and then come. Better fhame

*' thyfelf for coming fo near, than damn thyfelf by
*' coming nearer : 1 teftify to thofe, who fay they ftiall
•' have peace, though they go on ftill in their i;refpaf-
*' fes, that there's poifon in the bread ; take it and
*' eat it at your own peril : there's poifon in the cup
" too, you drink your own damnation : 1 wafti my
** hands from the guilt of your blood, look you to it.
*' On the other hand, you poor penitent fouls that are.
*' loft in yourfelves, here's a Chrift to fave you ; come,
*' O come, ye that are weary and heavy laden, &c."

It may not be amifs to tranfcribe alfo fome hints of
preparation for the adminiftring of the ordinance of
baptifm, which I find under his hand at his firft fetting
out in the miniftry, as follows :

" It is a real manifeftation of the goodnefs and love
" of God to believers, that he hath not only taken
*' them into covenant with himfelf, but their feed alfo ;
" faying, I will be thy God, and the God of thy feed.
** Thg' tg be born «f fuch doth not necelfarily entitle

" infants

46 "The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

*' infants to the fpiritual mercies of the covenant, for
*' grace doth not run in a blood : we fee the contrary
'' many times, even godly parents have wicked chil-
*' dren \ Abraham had his Iflimael, and Ifaac his Efau,
" yet queftionlefs it doth entitle them to the external
'^ privileges of the covenant. The like figure unto
" Noah's ark, even baptifm doth alfo now fave us :
" Noah and all that were his, entered into the ark,
" though we have caufe to doubt whether they all en-
*' tered into heaven. While our Lord Jefus was here
^* upon the earth, they brought little children to him,
" and he laid his hands on them, and blelfed them ;
" and faid moreover, Suffer little children to come
*' unto m.e, and forbid them not, (there are many at
^' this day thar. forbid little children to come to Chrift ;)
" he adds the reafon, For of fuch is the kingdom of
*' heaven. Whether it be meant of the vifible church,
" often fo called in the gofpel, or of the ftate of glory
" in another world ; either way it affords an argu-
*' ment for proof of infant baptifm. When either pa-
*' rent is in covenant with God, their children alfo arc
*' in covenant with him ; and being in covenant, they
?* have an undoubted right and title to this ordinance
*' of baptifm, which is the feal of the covenant. So
*' that in the adminiftration of this ordinance, this day,
*' according to the inftitution of Jefus Chrift, we look
*' upon you, the father of this child, as a perfon
" in covenant with God : how far you have dealt un-
** faithfully in the covenant, is known to God and
*' your own confcience ; but this we know, the vows
'* of God are upon you ; and let every one that na-
•' meth the name oi Chrift depart from iniquity. But
" before we baptize your child, I am to acquaint you
** in a few words what we expect from you.

" ^€JL I. Do you avouch God in Jefus Chrift
" this day to be your God ? — See to it that this be
" done in truth and with a perfed heart : you may
'^tell us you dofo, and you may deceive us, but God
*^' is not mocked. J^ 2. And is it your defire, that

" your

^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 47

** your children alfo may be received into covenant
" with' the Lord, and that the Lord's broad-feal of
** baptifm jnay be fet to it ? ^. 3. And do you pro-
•* mife, in the prefence of God, and of this congrega-
** tion, that you will do your endeavour towards the
** training of it up in the way of godlinefs, that as it
*' is by you through mercy that it lives the life of na-
** ture, \o it may by you alfo, through the fame mer-
•* cy, live the life of grace : elfe I muft tell you, if
" you be wanting herein, there will be a fad appear-
*' ance one day, when you Ihall meet together before
" the judgement-feat of Chrift, and this folemn en-
*' gagement of yours will be brought in to witnefs a-
*' gainft you."

Thefe were but the firft inftances of his fkilfulnefs.
In difpenfmg the myfteries of the kingdom of God.
He declined the private adminillration of the Lord's
fupper to fick perfons, as judging it not confonant to
the rule and intention of the ordinance. He very rare-
ly, if ever, baptized in private ; but would have chil-
dren brought to the folemn affembly upon the Lord's
day, that the parent's engagement might hare the more
witneffes to it, and the child the more prayers put up
for it, and that the congregation might be edified.
And yet he would fay, there was fome inconvenience
in it too, unlefs people would agree to put off the fea-
fting part of the folemnity to forae other time, which
he very much perfwaded his friends to ; and obferved,
that Abraham made a great feaft the fame day that
Ifaac was weaned, (Gen. xxi. 8.) not the fame day that
he was circumcifed.

His carriage towards the people of his parifh was
tery exemplary, condefcending to the meaneft, . and
converfing familiarly with them ; bearing with the in-
firmities of the weak, and becoming all things to all
men. He was exceeding tender of giving offence, or
occafion of grief to any body, minding himfelf in his
diary upon fuch occafions, that the wifdom that is
from above, is "pure, and peaceable, and gentle, &c."

Yet

4? l^he Life of Mr Philip Henrt.

Yet he plainly and faithfully reproved what he faw a*
mifs in any, and would not fufFer fin upon them ; mour-
ning alfo for that which he could not mend. There
were fome untraceable people in the parifh, who fomc*
times caufed grief to him, and exercifed his boldnefs
and zeal in reproving. Once hearing of a merry meet*
ting at an ale-houfe on a Saturday night, he went him-
felf and broke it up, and fcattered them. At another
time, he publickly witnefled againft a frolick of fome
vain people, that on a Saturday night came to the
church with a fiddler before them, and dreffed it up
with flowers and garlands, making it (as he told them)
more like a play-houfe ; and was this their preparation
for the Lord's day, and the duties of it ? &c. He min-
ded them of Eccl. xi. 9. " Rejoice, O young man, in
*' thy youth, but know thou" —

Many out of the neighbouring parifhes attended u-
pon his miniftry, and fome came from far, though
fometimes he fignified his diflike of their fo doing, fo
far was he from glorying in it. But they who had fpi-
ritual fenfes exercifed to difcern things that differ, would
attend upon that miniflry which they found to be mofl
edifying.

He was about eight years from firll to lafl, labour-
ing in the word and dodrine at Worthenbury, and his
labour was not altogether in vain : he faw in many of
the travel of his to the rejoycing of his heart, but with
this particular difpenfation (which I have heard him
fometimes fpeak of) that moll, or all of thofe in that
parifh, whom he was (through grace) inflrumental of
good to, died before he left the parifh, or quickly af-
ter ; fo that within a few years after his removal thence,
there were very few of the vifible fruits of his miniflry
there ; and a new generation fprung up there, who
knew not Jofeph. Yet the opportunity he found there
was of doing the more good, by having thofe that
were his charge near about him, made him all his days
bear his teflimony to parifh order, where it may be
hiid upon good terms, as much more eligible, and

more

"The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 49

more likely to anfwer the end, than the congregation-
al way of gathering churches from places far diilant,
which could not ordinarily meet to worfliip God to-
gether. From his experience here (though he would
fay we mull do what we can, when we cannot do what
we would) he often wiflied and prayed for the open-
ing of a door, by which to return to that order again.
He had not been long at Worthenbury, but he be-
gan to be taken notice of by the neighbouring minif-
ters, as Hkely to be a confiderable man. Though his
extraordinary modelty and humility (which even in
his youth he was remarkable for) made him to fit down
with filence " in the lowed room, and to fay as Elihu,
" Days fhall fpeak ;" yet his eminent gifts and graces
Gould not long be hid, the ointment of the right hand
will betray itfelf ; and a perfon of his merits could not
but meet with thofe quickly, who faid, " Friend, go up
" higher ;" and fo that fcripture was fulfilled, Luke
xiv. I o. He was often called upon to preach the week-
day leftures, which were fet up plentifully, and dili-
gently attended upon in thofe parts, and his labours
were generally very acceptable and fuccefsful. The
Vox populi faflened upon him the epithet of Heavenly
Henry, by which title he was commonly known all
the country over, and his advice was fought for by
many neighbouring miniflers and chriftians, for he was
one of thofe that found favour and good underftand-
ing in the fight of God and man. He was noted at
his firll fetting out (as 1 have been told by one who
was then intimately acquainted wdth him., and with his
character and converfation) for three things, i . Great
piety and devotion, and a mighty favour of godlinefs
in ail his converfe. 2. Great induftry in the purfuit
of ufeful knowledge : he was particularly obferved to
be very inquifitive when he was among the aged and
intelligent ; hearing them, and alking them queftions :
a good example to young men, efpecially young min-
iflers. 3. Great felf-denial, felf-diffidence, and felf-
abafement : this eminent humility put a luflr? upon

G ail

50 ^he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

all his other graces. This character of him, minds
me of a paflage I have fometimes heard him tell, as a
check to the forwardnefs and confidence of young men,
that once at a meeting of minifters, a queilion of mo-
ment was ftarted, to be debated among them : upon
the firft propofal of it, a confident young man fhoots
his boltprefently, " Truly (faith he) I hold it fo." "You
" hold. Sir, (faith a grave minifler,) it becomes you
" to hold your peace."

Befides his frequent preaching of the ledures about
him, he was a conftant and diligent attendant upon
thofe within his reach, as a hearer ; and not only v/rote
the fermons he heard, but afterwards recorded in his
diary what in each fermon reached his heart, affedted
him and did him good ; adding fome proper, pious
ejaculations, which were the breathings of his heart,
•when he meditated upon, and prayed over the fermon.

What a wonderful degree of piety and humility doth
it evidence, for one fo acquainted with the things of
God, to write, " This I learnt out of fuch a fermon ; —
and. This was the truth I made up to myfelf out of fuch
a fermon !" and indeed fomething out of every fermon.
His diligent improvement of the word preached coii-
tributed (more than any one thing, as a means) to his
great attainments in knowledge and grace. He would
fay fometimes, that one great ufe of week-day lectures
was, that it gave minifters an opportunity of hearing
one another preach, by which they are likely to pro-
fit, when they hear not as mafters, but as fcholars j not
as cenfors, but as learners.

His great friend and companion, and fellow labour-
er in the work of the Lord, was the worthy Mr Rich-
ard Steel (minifter of Hanmers, one of the next pa-
rifhes to Worthenbury) whofe praife is in the churches
of Chrift, for his excellent and ufeful treatifes, the
Hufbandman's Calling; an Antidote againft Diilrac-
tions, and feveral others. He was Mr Henry's alter
idem, the man of his counfel ; with him he joined fre-
quently at Hanmer, and elfewhere, in Chriftian con-
ference.

^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 51

ference, and in days of humiliation and prayer : be-
fides, their meetings with other minilliers at public lec-
tures ; after which it was ufual for them to fpend fome
time among themfelves in fet difputations in Latin.
This was the work that in thofe days was carried on
among miniflers who made it their bufinefs, as iron,
(harpens iron, to provoke one another to love and
good works. What was don^ of this kind in Worcef-
terfliire, Mr Baxter tells us in his life.

In the beginning of thofe days he often laboured un-
der bodily diftempers : it was feared that he was in a
confumption ; and fome blamed him for taking fo
much pains in his minifterial work, fuggefting to him,
Mafler, fpare thyfelf. One of his friends told him, he
lighted up all his pound of candles together; and that he
could not hold out long at that rate ; and wifhed him to
huiband his ftrength better. But he often refleded u-
pon it with comfort afterwards, that he was not influen-
ced by fuch fuggeflions. The more we do, the more
we may do (he would fometimes fay) in the fervice of
God. When his work was fometimes more than ordi-
nary, and bore hard upon him, he thus appealed to
God ; " Thou knoweft. Lord, how well contented I am
" to fpend and to be fpent in thy fervice ; and if the out-
" ward man decay, O let the inward man be renewed."
Upon the returns of his indifpofition he exprelfeth a
great concern how to get fpiritual good by it ; to come
out of the furnace, and leave fome drofs behind ; for
it is a great lofs to lofe an affliftion. He rnentions it
as that which he hoped did him good, that he was
ready to look upon every return of diftempsr as a
fummons to the grave : thus he learned to die daily.
" I find (faith he) my earthly tabernacle tottering, and
*' when it is taken dov/n, I fnall have a building in hea-
" ven, that fliall never fail. BlefTed be God the Father,
" and my Lord Jefus Chrift and the good Spirit of grace.
*' Even fo, Amen.^'' This was both his ftrength and his
fong, under his bodily infirmities.

While he was at Worthenbury he conftantly laid
G 2 by

52 'the Life of Mr Philip Henry.

by the tenth of his income for the poor, which he
carefully and faithfully difpofed of, in the liberal things
which he devifed, efpecially the teaching of poor chil-
dren : and he would recommend it as a good rule to
lay by for charity (in fome proportion, according as
the circumftances are) and then it will be the eafier to
lay out in charity ; we Ihall be the more apt to feek
for opportunities of doing* good, when we have money
lying by us, of which we have faid, This is not our
own, but the poor's. To encourage himfelf and others
to works of charity, he would fay, " He is no fool who
** parts with that which he cannot keep, when he is fure
" to be recompenfed with that v/hich he cannot lofe."
And yet to prove alms to be righteoufnefs, and to ex-
clude all boafting of them, he often ufed the w^ords of
David, " Of thine own. Lord, have we given thee.'*

In the year 1658, the miniflers of that neighbour-
hood began to enlarge their correfpondence with the
miniflers of North-Wales ; and fereral meetings they
had at Ruthin and other places that year, for the fet-
tling of a correfpondence, and the promoting of unity
and love, and good underftanding among themfelves,
by entering into an aflbciation, like thofe fome years
before of Worcefterlhire and Cumberland, to which,
as their pattern (thofe two having been publilhed) they
did refer themfelves. They appointed particular aflbci-
ations ; and (notwithftanding the differences of appre-
henfion that were among them ; fome being in their
judgments epifcopal, others congregational, and others
claffical) they agreed to lay afide the thoughts of mat-
ters in variance, and to give to each other the right-
hand of fellowiliip ; that with' one fhoulder and with
one confent, they might ftudy each in their places to
promote the common intereils of Chrift's kingdom,
and the common falvation of precious fouls. He ob-
ferved, that this year^ after the death of Oliver Crom-
well, there was generally throughout the nation a great
change in the temper of Gcd's people, and a mighty
tendency towards peace and unity, as if they were by

confent

^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 53

confent weary of their long clafhings, which in hi;;
diary he expreffeth his great rejoicing in, and his hopes
that the time was at hand, when Judah Ihould no lon-
ger vex Ephraim, nor Ephraim envy Judah, neither
fhould they learn war any more. And though thefe
hopes were foon difappointed by a change of the fcene,
yet he would often fpeak of the experience of that and
the following year in thofe parts, as a fpecimen of what
may yet be expelled, (and therefore in faith prayed
for) when the Spirit Ihall be poured out upon us from
on high. But, alas ! who Ihall live when God doth this ?
From this experience he likewife gathered this obferva-
tion, " that it is not fo much our difference of opinion
" that doth us the mifchief, (for we may as foon expect
" all the clocks in the town to ftrike together, as to fee
*' all good people of a mind in every thing on this hca-
*' ven,) but the mifmanagement of that difference.*'

In the affociation of the minifters it was referred \.Qi
Mr Henry to draw up that part of their agreement
which concerned the worfhip of God, which talk he
performed to their fatisfaftion : his preface to what he
drew up begins thus : " Though the main of our de-
*' fires and endeavours be after unity in the greater
*' things of God ; yet we judge uniformity in the
" circumftances of woriliip a thing not to be al~
"^* together neglededby us ; not only in regard of that
" influence which external vifible order hath upon the
".beauty alid comelinefs of the churches of Chrift,
*' but alfo as it hath a direft tendency to the ftrength-
" ening of our hands in minifterial fervices, and
*' withal to the removing of thofe prejudices which
" many people have conceived, even againft religion
*' and worfhip itfelf. We blefs God from our very
*' fouls, for that whereunto we have already attained j
" and yet we hope fome further thing may be done,
*' in reference to our clofer walking by the fame rule,
" and minding the fame things. The word of God
** is the rule which we defire and refolve to \valk by
** in the adminiflration of ordinances j and for thofe

" things

54 ^^ ^\f^ o/MrVniLiT Henry.

" things wherein the word is filent, we think we may
"^ and ought to have recourfe to Chriflian prudence,
" and the practice of the reformed churches, agreeing
" with the general rules of the word : - and therefore
" we have had (as we think we ought) in our prefent
'' agreement, a fpecial eye to the directory," &c.

Thefe agreements of theirs were the more likely to
be for good, for that here (as in Worcefterlliire) when
they were in agitation, the minilters fet apart a day of
failing and prayer among themfelves to bewail mini-
flerial negledts, and to feek to God for direction and
fuccefs in their minifterial work. They met fometimes
for this purpofe at Mr Henry's houfe at Worthenbury.

One paffage may not improperly be inferted here,
that once at a meeting of the miniflers, being defired
to fubfcribe a certificate concerning one whom he had
not fufficient acquaintance with ; he refufed, giving this
reafon, that he preferred the peace of his confcience
before the friendfhip of all the men in the world.

Sept. 29. 1658, the Lady Pulefton died. " She
*' was (faith he) the beil friend I had on earth, but my
*' Friend in heaven is ftill where he was, and he will
" never leave me nor forfake me." He preached her
funeral fermon from Ifa. iii. lall, " Ceafe from man,
*' whofe breath is in his noftrils." He hath noted this,
cxpreflion of her's not long before Ihe died : " Mif
'' foul leans to Jefus Chrift ; lean to me, fweet Saviour.'*
About this time, he writes, " A dark cloud is oyer
" my concernm.ents in this family, but my defire is,
" that whatever becomes of me and my intereft, the
" intereft of Chrift may ftill be kept on foot in this
" place." jiincTi, face it. But he adds, foon after, that
faying of Atlianafius, Vv^hich he was ufed often to quote
and take comfort from ; Nubecula eft ^ citoferiraiijlbit.
it js a little cloud, and vvili foon blow over.

About a year after, Sept. 5. 1659, Judge Pulefton
died, and all Mr Henry's intereft in Emeral family
was buried in his grave. He preached the Judge's fu-
neral fu mon, from Neh. xiii. 14. ", Wipe not out my

'• good

^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 55

" good deeds that I have done for the houfe of my
" God, and for the offices thereof:" the defign of
which fermon was not to applaud his deceafed friend,
I find not a word in the fermon to that purpofe : but
he took occafion from the inftance of fo great a bene-
faftor to the miniftry, as the judge was, to iliew that
deeds done for the houfe of God, and the offices there-
of, are good deeds : and to prefs people accordin-;- as
their ability and opportunity was, to do fuch deeds.
One paifage I find in that fermon which ought to be
recorded-; that it had been for feveral years the prac-
tice of a vv'orthy gentleman in the neighbouring county,
in renewing his leafes, inftead of making it a condition
that his tenants fhould keep a hawk or a dog for him,
to oblige them that they fliould keep a Bible in their
houfes for themfelves, and fliould bring up their chil-
dren to learn to read and to be catechized. This (faith
he) would be no charge to you, and it might oblige
them to that which other wife they would negled:.
Some wifhed (faith he, in his diary) that I had chofen
fome other fubjeci: for that fermon, but I approved my-
felf to God ; and if 1 pleafe men, I am not the fervant
of Chrift.

What perfonal affronts he received from fom.e of
the branches of that family at that time need not be
mentioned, but v\dth what exemplary patience he bore
them ought not to be forgotten.

In March, 1658-9 he v/as very much folicited to
leave Worthenbury, and to accept of the vicarage of
Wrexham, which was a place that he had both a great
intereft in, and a great kindnefs for, but he could not
fee his call clear from Worthenburv, fo he declined it.
The fame year he had an offer made him of a confi-
derable living near London ; but he was not of them
that are given to change, nor did he ccnfult with flelh
and blood, nor feek great things to himfelf.

That year he had fome diilurbance from the quak-
ers, who -were fet on by fome others, who wifhed ill to
his minilliy : they challenged hini to difpute with them;

and

#" ' ill

55 T^he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

and that which he was to prove againfl them was, that
the God he worfhipped was not an idol ; that John
Baddely (a blackfmith in Malpas, and the ringleader
of the quakers in that country) was not infallible, nor
without fin ; that baptifm with water, and the Lord's
fupper, are gofpel-ordinances ; that the fcriptures arc
the word of God, and that Jefus Chrifl will come to
judge the world at the laft day : but he never had any
public difputes v/ith them, nor fo much difturbancc
from them in public worihip as fome other minifters
had elfewhere about that time. He had fome appre-
henfions at that time, that God would make the quak-
ers a fcourge to this nation ; but had comfort in this
alTurance, that God would in due time vindicate his
own honour, and the honour of his ordinances, and
thofe of them who will not repent, to give him glory,
will be call into the fire.

One pafiage I cannot omit, becaufe it difcovers what
kind of fpirit the quakers were of : — A debauched gen-
tleman being in his revels at Malpas, drinking and
fwearing, was, after a fort, reproved for it by Baddely
the quaker, M'ho v/as in company : Why (faith the gen-
tleman) I'll alk thee one queftion. Whether is it better
for me to follow drinking and fwearing, or to go and
hear Henry ? he anfwered, Of the two, rather follow
thy drinking and fwearing.

The Cheiliire rifing this year (in oppofition to the
irregular powers that then v/ere uppermofl) under Sir
George Booth (afterwards Lord Delamere,) and that
of North- Wales under Sir Thomas Middleton, could
not but affeft Worthenbury and the country there-
abouts. Mr Henry's prayer for them in his diary, the
day of their firfl appearing is, " Lord own them, if they
" truly ownthee." He notes,t hat Lambert's forces which
came down to fupprefs them, did in that neighbour-
hood efpoufe the quakers caufe, and offer injury to
feme minifters : and therefore (faith he) unlefs God
intend the ruin of the nation by them, they cannot
profper : nor did they long, though in that expedition

they

^be Life of Mr Philip Henry. 5^

they had fuccefs. In their return, fome of Lambert's
fojidiers were at Worthenbury church, hearing Mr
Henry upon a Lord's day ; and one of them fat with
his hat on, while they were fmging pfaims, for which
he publickly admoniflied him ; and there being many
anabaptifts among them, he hath recorded it as a good
providence, that thofe queftions in the catechifm which
are concerning baptifm came in courfe to be expound-
ed that day. The firil rifmg of the Chefhire forces
was Aug. ill 1659, and the 19th following they were
worded and fcattered by Lambert's forces, near North-
wich, a ftrange fpirit of fear being upon them, which
quite took off their chariot-wheels. The country called
it, not the Chefhire rifmg, but the Cheihire race. Some
blamed him that he did not give God thanks publick-
ly for the defeat of Sir George Booth j to whom he
anfwered with his ufual mildnefs, that his apprehen-
fions concerning that affair were not the fame with
theirs. We are now (faith he) much in the dark, ne-
ver more.

He preached the ledure at Chefler foon after,
juft at the time when Mr Cook, an eminent minifter
in Chefter, and feveral others, were carried prifoners
to London, for their agency in the late attempt ; and
the city was threatned to have their charter taken away,
&c. The text in courfe that day (for they preached over
the latter part of that epiflle, if not the whole, at that
ledure) happened to be Heb. xiii. 14. '^ We have here
no continuing city," which he thought a v/ord upon the
wheels at that time. He notes in his diary, that when,^
after that, the army ruled, difturbed the Parliament,
and carried all before them with a high hand, there
were great grounds to fear fad times approaching ; and
his prayer is, " Lord, fit thy people for the fiery trial."

He was a hearty well-wiflier to the return of the
King, the fpring following, April 1 660, and was much
affeded with the mercy of it. " While others rejoice
" carnally (faith he) Lord, help thy people to rejoice fpi -
" ritually, in our public national mercies." *Twas upon

H that

■ 58 the Life of Mr Philip rtzNRV.

that occafion that Mr Baxter preached his fermon df
right rejoicing, on Luke x. 20. ; but he and others foon
faw catife to rejoice with trembling, and to ling both
of mercy and judgment ; for about that time he hath
this melancholy remark, " Religion lofes ground ex-
" ceedingly, and profanenefs gets it; help, Lord !" hovi^-
ever, he was very induftrious to quiet the minds df
fome who were uneafy at that great revolution ; and
that fcripture yielded him much fktisfadlionj John iii,
35. " The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all
" things into his hands.'* If Chrift be not only the
head of the church, but head over all things to the
church, we may be alTured, that all things ihall bfe
made to work together for good to it. The text alfo
which the Lord put into his heart to preach upon,
on the day of publick thankfgiving for the king's re-
ftoration, was very comfortable to him, Prov. xxi. i.
*' The king's heart is in the hand of the . Lord." His
fenfe of that great mercy of God to the nation, in the
unbloody, peaceable, and legal fettlement of King Char-
les n. iipon the throne, was the fame with that of mul-
titudes, befides both minifters and others that were of
the quiet in the land, who yet not long after fuffered
very hard things under him. Soon after the return of
the king, he notes how induftrious fome were to re-
move him from Worthenbury, on which he writes this
as the breathing of his foul towards God ; " Lord, if it
*' pleafe thee, faften me here as a nail in a fure place ;
*" if otherwife, I will take nothing ill which thou dofl
*' with me:" and whenpreft by his friends more earneftly
than before, to accept of fome other place, " Lordj (faith
*' he) mine eye is up unto thee, I am wholly at thy dif-
" polal, make my way plain before my face, becaufe of
'' mine enemies; myrefolution is, to deny myfelf if thou
" calleft me. Here (or any where 'tis no great matter
*' where) I am."

There are two things further which I think it may
be of ufe to give fome account of in the clofe of this
sijapter. i <. Of the courfe of his miniftry at Worthen-
bury,

^hc Life of Mr Philip Henry. 5§

bury, and, i. Of the flate of his foul, and the com-
munion he had with God in thofe years.

As to the fubjefts he preached upon, he did not ufe
to dwell long upon a text. Better one fermon upon
many texts, (viz. many fcriptures opened and applied,)
than many fermons upon one text i to that purpofe he
\would fometimes fpeak.

He ufed to preach in a fixed method, and linked
his fubjeftg in a fort of chain : he adapted his me-
thod and ftyle to the capacity of his hearers, fetching
his fimjlitudes for illuftration from thofe things which
were familiar to them. He did not fhoot the arrow of
tjie word over their heads in high notions, or the
flouriflies of affeded rhetorick, nor under their feet by
blunt and homely expreffions, as many do under pre-
tence of plainnefs, but to their hearts in clofe and live-
ly applications. His delivery was very graceful and
agreeable, far from being either noify and precipitate
on the one hand, or dull and flow on the other. His
doftrine did drop as the dew, and diftil as the focking
rain, and came with a charming pleafmg pov/er, fuch
as many will bear witnefs to that have v/ondered at
the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.

He wrote the notes of his fermons pretty large for
the mofl part, and always very legible : but even when
he had put his laft hand to them, he commonly left
many imperfed hints, which gave room for enlarge-
ments in preaching, wherein he had a great felicity.
And he would ofteii advife miniflers not to tye them-t
felves too ftridly to their notes, but having well digef-
ted the matter before, to allow themfelves a liberty of
cxpreffion, fuch as a man's affedions, if they be well
raifed, wi|l be apt to furnilh him with, B\it for this
no certain rule can be given, there are djverfities of
gifts, and each to profit withal.

He kept his fermon-notes in very neat and exadt or-
der ; fermons in courfe, according to the order of thQ
fubjed ; and occafional fermons according to the fcrip-
ture-order of the texts j fo that he could readily turn

H 2 ' t®

6o The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

to any of them. And yet, though afterwards he was
removed to a place far enough diftant from any of that
auditory, yet (though fome have defired it) he feldom
preached any of thofe hundreds of fermons which he
had preached at Worthenbury, no not when he preach-
ed never fo privately, but to the laft he fludied new
fermons, and wrote them as elaborately as ever ; for
he thought a fermon beft preached when it was new-
ly meditated : nay, if fometimes he had occafion to
preach upon the fame text, yet he would make and
•write the fermons over ; and he never offered that to
God v^hich coft him nothing.

When he went to Oxford, and preached there be.
f6re the univerfity in Chrifl-church, as he did feveral
times, his labours were not only very acceptable, but
fuccefsful too; particularly one fermon which he preach-
ed there, onProv. xiv. 9. " Fools make a mock at fm:"
for which fermon a young mafter of arts came to his
chamber afterwards to return him thanks, and to ac-
knowledge the good impreffions which divine grace, by
that fermon, had made upon his foul, which he hoped
he fhould never forget.

In his diary he frequently records the frame of his
fpirit in ftudying and preaching. Sometimes bleffing
God for fignal help vouchfafed, and ov/ning him the
Lord God of all his enlargements ; at other times, com-
plaining of great deadnefs and ftraitnefs, " It is a won-
*' der (faith he) that I can fpeak of eternal things, with
** fo little fenfe of the reality of them. Lord, ftrengthen
" that which remains, which is ready to die.'* And
he once writes thus upon a ftudying day ; " I forgot
*' explicitely and exprefsly when I began to crave help
*' from God, and the chariot wheels drove according-
*' ly. Lord, forgive roy omifhons, and keep me in the
** way of duty."

As to the ftate of his foul in thefe years, it fhould
feem, by his diary, that he was exercifed with fome
doubts and fears concerning it. " I think (faith he)
" never did any poor creature pafs through fuch a

" mixture

*fhe Life of Mr Philip Henry. 6 1

^^ mixture of hope and fear, joy and fadnefs, affurance
*' and doubting, down and up, as I have done thefe
" years pad." — ( The notice of this may be of ufe to
poor drooping chriftians, that they may know their
cafe is not fmgular ; and that if God for a fmall mo-
ment hide his face from them, he deals with theni no
otherwife than as he ufeth fometimes to deal with the
deareft of his fervants.) It would affeft one, to hear
him that lived a life of communion v/ith God, complain-
ing of great ftraitnefs in prayer. " No life at all in the
*' duty, many wanderings : if my prayers were wTitten
*' down, and ray vain thoughts interlined, what inco-
'' herent nonfenfe would there be! I am afhamed;
" Lord, I am afhamed, O pity and pardon." To hear
him fufpecling the workings of pride of heart, when
he gave an account to a friend, who inquired of him
touching the fuccefs of his miniftry, and that he fhould
record this concern himfelf, with this ejaculation an-
nexed, " The Lord pardon and fubdue ;" it was a fign
that he kept a very watchful eye upon the motions of liis
own heart.

To hear him charging it upon himfelf, that he was
prefent at fuch a duty in the midft of many diftractions,
not tafting fv/eetnefs in it, he. When a fire is firfl kin-
dled (faith he) there is a deal of fmoke and fmother,
that afterwards vrears away ; fo in young converts,
much peeviflmefs, frowardnefs, darknefs ; " fo it hath
" been with my foul, and io it is yet in a great mea-
" fure. Lord, pity, and do not quench the fmoldng
'* flax ; though as yet it do but fmoke, let thefe fparks
" be blown up into a flame.'*

" Great mercies, but poor returns ; fignal oppor-
•* tunities, but fmall improvements :'* fuch are his
complaints frequently concerning himfelf. And though
few or none excelled him in profitable difcourfe, yetin
that he often bewails his barrennefs and unprofitable-
nefs. " Little good done or gotten fuch a day for want
*' of a heart ; 'tis my fm and ftame. O that I had
" wings like a dove T*

Yet

62 ^he Life of Mr Philip Henry,

Yet when he waiued a faith of aflurance, he lived
by a faith of adherence. ** Such a day (faith he) a full
*' refignation was made of all my concernments, into
'* the hands of my heavenly Father, let him deal with
*' me as feemeth good in his eyes ; I am learning and
*^ labouring to live by faith, Lord, help my unbelief.
Another time he notes, that many perple:^ing fears be-
ing upon his fpirit, they were all filenced with that
fweet word which w^as feafonably brought to his re-
membrance, *' Fear none of thofe things which thou
" fhalt fuffer."

He very frequently kept days of fading and humi-
liation in fecret, which he calls his days of atonement.
Sometimes he obferved thefe monthly, and fomedmes
only upon fpecial occafions ; but the memorandums
in his diary (not only while he was at Worthenbury,
but often after) fhew what fweet communion he had
with God in thofe folemn duties, which no eye was
witnefs to, but his who " fees in fecret, and will reward
" openly. Remember, O my foul, fuch a day, as a
" d?y of more than ordinary engagements entered in-
" to, and ftrong refolutions taken up of clofer walking,
" and more watchfulnefs : O my God, undertake for
" me !'* And upon another of thofe days of fecret
prayer and humiliation, he notes, " if fowing in tears
" be fo fweet, what then will the harveft be, when I
*' Ihall reap in joy ? Blefs the Lord, O my Ibul, who
*' forgiveth all thine iniquities, and will in due t^me
" heal all thy difeafes."

CHAP. IV.

His Marriage, Family y Fa?nily-Religion, and the
Education of his Children.

HE removed from Emeral to the houfe in Wor-
thenbury which the Judge had built for him in
February 1658-9, and then had one of his fifters with
him to keep his houfe. No fopner had he a tent, but

God

^e Life of Mr Philip Henry. 6t;

God had an altar in it, and that a fmoaking altar.
There he fet up repetition on Sabbath-evenings, and
welcomed his neighbours to it.

His Chriftian friends often, and fometimes his breth-
ren in the miniftry, kept days of fading and prayer at
his houfe. He ufed to tell people when they had built
new houfes, they muft dedicate them, (referring Co
Deut. XX. 5. and Pfal. xxx. ult.) that is, they muft in-
vite God to their houfes, and devote them to his fer-
vice.

Providence having thus brought him into a houfe
of his own, foon after provided him a help-meet for
him. After long agitation, and fome difcouragement
and oppofition from the father, April 26th 1660 he
married Katharine, the only daughter and heir of Mi-
Daniel Matthews of Broad-Oak, in the townfliip of
Ifcoyd, in Flintlhire (but in the parilh of Malpas, which
is in Chefhire, and about two miles diftant from Whit-
church, a confiderable market town in Shropfhire.)
Mr Matthews was a gentleman of a very competent
eftate ; fuch a one as king Jam.es the Firft ufed to fay
w^as the happieft lot of all others, which fet a man be-
low the office of a juftice of peace, and above that of
a petty- conftable. This was his only child : very fair
and honourable overtures had been made for her dif-
pofal ; but it pleafed God fo to order events, and to
over-rule the fpirits df thofe concerned, that flie was re-
ferved to be a bleffmg to this good man, in things per-
taining " both to life and godlinefs.**

His purpofe of marriage was publifiied in the church
three Lord's days before ; a laudible practice, which
he greatly approved, and perfwaded others to.

The day before his marriage he kept as a day of
fecret prayer and fafting.

He ufed to fay, thofe who would have comfort in
that change of their condition, muft fee to it, that
they bring none of the guilt of the fm of their fmgle
ftate with them into the married ftate. And the pre-
fence of Ghrift at a '' wedding, will turn the water in-

" to

64- ^'oe Life of Mr- Philip Henry.

" to wine j" and he will come, if he be invited by
prayer.

He took all occafions, while he lived, to exprefs his
thankfulnefs to God for the great comfort he had iii
this relation. A day of mercy (fo he writes on his
marriage day) never to be forgotten. God had given
him one (as he writes afterwards) every way his help-
er, in whom he had much comfort, and for whom
he thanked God with all his heart. He writes in his
diary, April 26th 1680, " This day wehavebeenmarried
*' twenty years, in which time we have received of the
" Lord more than tv/enty thoufand mercies ; to God be
" glory." Sometimes he writes " We have been fo long
" married, and never reconciled ;" that is, there never
was any occafion for it. His ufual prayer for his friends
in the married ftate was according to his own practice
in that ftate ; that they might be mutually ferviceable
to each other's faith and holinefs, and jpintly fervice-
able to God's honour and glory.

Her father, though he put fome hardfhips upon him
in the terms, and had been fomewhat averfe to the
match, yet by Mr Kenry*s great prudence, and God's
good providence, he was influenced to give a free con-
fent to it ; and he himfelf, with his own hand, gave her
in marriage. From this, as from other experiences,
Mr Henry had learned to fay with affurance; " It is not
*' in vain to v/ait upon God, and to keep his way." Mr
Matthews fettled part of bis eftate before marriage u-
pon them and theirs ; he lived about feven years after ;
and Vv'hen he died, the remainder of it came to them.
This competent eftate, which the divine providence
brought into his hand, was not only a comfortable
fapport to him when he was turned out of his living, and
when many faithful minifters of Ghrift were reduced
to great poverty and ftraits ; but it enabled him like-
wife, as he had opportunity, to preach the gofpei freely,
which he did to liis dying day ; and not only fo, but
to give for the relief of others that were in want, in
which he fov/ed pknlifuHy, to a ven- large proportion

of

'the Life of Mr Philip Henry. 65

of his income ; and often blefled God that he had
wherewithal, remembering the words of the Lord, how
he faid, " It is more bleffed to give than to receive."

Such was his houfe, and fuch the vine which God
gracioufly planted by the fide of his houfe. By her
God gave him fix children, all born within lefs than
eight years ; fhe two elded fons, John and Matthew :
the other four, daughters, Sarah, Katharine, Eleanor,
and Ann. His eldefl fon John died of the mealies in
the fixth year of his- age, and the refl were in mercy
continued to him. •

The Lord having built him up into a family, he was
careful and faithful in making good his fclemn vow at
his ordination, that " he and his houfe would ferve the
" Lord." He would often fay, That we are really which
we are relatively. It is not fo much what we are at
church, as what we are in our families. Religion in
the power of it will be family rehgion. In this his prac-
tice was very exemplary ; he was one that walked be-
fore his houfe in a perfeft way, with a perfedl heart,
and therein behav'd himfclf wifely. Hisconftant care
and prudent endeavour was not only to put away ini-
quity far from his tabernacle, but that where he dwelt,
the word of Chrift might dwell richly. If he mip,ht
have no other church, yet he had a church in his houfe.

He made confcience of clofct-worfhip, and did a-
bound in it, not making his famiiy-worihip to excufe
for that. He hath this affefting note in his diary, upon
the removing of his clofet but from one room in the
houfe to another. This day (faith he} my new clofet was-
confecrated, if I may fo fay, with this prayer, " That
" all the prayers that ever fhould be made in it, ac-
" cording to the will of God, mornincr, evening^, and
" at noon-day, ordinary or extraordinary, might be
" accepted of God, and obtain a gracious anfwer."
Amen and amen. It was the caution and advice which
he frequently gave to his children and friends. Be fure
you look to your fecret duty, keep that up whatever
you do; the foul cannot, profper in the negled of it,

I He

66 Ihe Life of Mr Philip Henry.

He obferved, that apoftacy generally begins at theclofet-
door. Secret prayer is firft neglected, and carelefly per-
formed, then frequently omitted, and after a while
wholly caft off; and then farewell God, and Chrift, and
all religion.

He alfo advisM that fecret duty be perform'd fecretly,
which was the admonition he gave fometimes to thofe
who caufed their voice to be hard on high in that duty.

Befides this, he and his wife conflantly prayed to-
gether morning and evening ; and never if they were
together at home or abroad was it intermitted ; and
from his own experience of the benefit of this practice,
he would take all opportunities to recommend it to
thofe in that relation, as conducing very much to the
comfort of it, and to their furtherance in that, which
he would often fay is the great duty of yoke-fellows ;
and 'that is, to all they can to help one another to hea-
ven. He would fay, that this duty of hufbands and'
wives praying together, is intimated in that of the
apoflle, I Pet. iii. 7. where they are exhorted to " live
" as heirs together of the grace of hfe, that their prayers
*' (efpecially their prayers 1 together) be not hindred ;"
that nothing miiy be done to hinder them from praying
together, nor to hinder them in it, nor to fpoil the fuc-
cefs of thofe prayers. This fanttifies the relation, and
fetcheth in a blefling upon it, makes the comforts of
it the more fweet, and the cares and croiTes of it the
more eafy, and is an excellent means of preferving and
Increafmg love in the relation. Many to whom he hath
recommended the practice of this duty, have blelfed
God for him, and for his advice concerning it. When
he was abroad and lay v/ith any of his friends he would
mind them of his rule. That they who lye together mufl
pray tog^f^ther. In the performance of this part of his
daily worfhip he he was ufually fliort, but often much
affected.

Befides thefe he made confcience, and made a
bufmefs of family-worlhip in all the parts of it ; and in
it he was uniform, fteady and conftant from the time

that

'^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 67.

that he was firft called to the charge of a family, to his ^"'m '
dying day ; and according to his own pradice, he took
all occafions to prefs it upon others. His dodrine once
from Jofh. xxiy. 1 5. was. That family worfhip is family -
duty. He would lay fomerimes, If the worfliip of God *"
be not in the houfe, write, *' Lord have mercy on us,"
upon the door ; for there is a plague, a curfe in it. It
is the judgment of archbifliop Tiliotlbn, in that excel-
lent bofsT which he pubUfhed a little before his death
upon this fubjed ; " That condant family- worfhip is fo
" neceifary to keep alive a fenfe of God and r^igion
" in the minds of men, that he fees not hovv^ any
" family that neglefts it can in reafon be efteemed a
" family of chriilians, or indeed to have any religion
" at all." How earneftly v/ould Mr Henry reafon with
people fometimes about this matter, and tell them what
a bleffing it would bring upon them and their houfes,
and all that they had. .He that makes his houfe a little
church fhall find, that God will make it a little fanctu-
ary. It may be of ufe to give a particular account of
his practice in this matter, becaufe it was very exem-
plary. As to the time of it, his rule was, commonly the
earlier the better, both morning and evening ; in the
morningbefcre worldly bufmefs crowded in, "early will
" I feek thee :" he thai is the firft would have the firfl ;
nor is it fit that the worfliip of God fhould fland by
and wait while the world's turn is ferved. And early
in the evening, before the children and fervants began
to be fleepy ; and therefore, if it might be, he would
have prayer at night before fupper, that the bodv might
be the more fit to ferve the foul in that fervice of God.
And indeed he did Indudrioully contrive all the cir-
cumftances of his family-worfiiip, fo as to make it mofl
folemn and moil likely to arifwer tlie end. He always
made it the bufinefs of every day, and not (as too many
make it) a by-bufinefs. This being his fixed principle,
all other affairs muil be fure to give way to this. And
he would tell thofe who objecled againft family-wor-
Ihip, that they could not get time for it ; that if they

1 2 would ^

68 'The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

would but put on chriftian refolution at firft, they would
not find the difficulty fo great as they imagined ; but
after a while, their other affairs would fall in eafily and
naturally with this, efpecially where there is that wif-
dom which is profitable to direft ; nay, they would find
it to be a great preferver of order and decency in a
family, and it would be like a hem to all their other
bufinel's, to keep it from ravelling. He was ^tjtr care-
ful to. have all his family prefent at family^orlliip ;
though fometimes, living in the country, he had a great
houfehold ; yet he would have not only his children and
fojourners (if he had any) and domeitick fervants, but
his work-men and day-labourers, and all that were em-
ployed for him, if they were within call to be prefent,
to join with him in this fervice ; and as it was an aft of
his charity many times to fet them to work for him, fo
to t^'at he added this act of piety, to fet them to work
for God. And ufually when he paid his workmen their
wages, he gave them fome good counfel about their
fouls : yet if any that fhould come to family-worfhip
were at a diftance, and muft be ftaid for long, he would
rather want them, than put the duty much out of time;
and would fometim_es fay at night, " Better one away
" than all fleepy."

The performances of his family-worfhip were the
fame morning and evening. He obferved, that under
the law, the morning and the evening lamb had the
fame meat-offering and drink-offering, Exod. xxix.
38, — 41. He alvv'ays began with a fhort, but very
folemn prayer, imploring the divine prefence and grace,
afliilance and acceptance ; particularly begging a blef-
fing upon the word to be read, in reference to which
he often put up this petition ; " That the fame fpirit
" that indited the fcripture, would enable us to under-
" Hand the fcripture, and to make up fomething to
" ourfelves out of it that may do us good :" and efteem-
ing the word of God as his neceffary food, he would
fometimes pray in a morning, that " our fouls might
" have a good meal out of it." he cpmmonly concluded

even

Ihe Life of Mr Philip Henry. 69

even this fhort prayer, as he did alfo his blellings before
and after meat, with a doxology, as Paul upon all oc-
calions, " To Him be glory," &c. which is properly
adoration, and is an elfential part of prayer.

He next lung a pfalm, and commonly hefung David's
pfalms in order, throughout ; fometimes ufmg thr old
tranflation, but generally Mr Barton's : and his ufual
way was to fmg a whole pfalm through- /Ut, tlio' per-
haps a long one, and to fmg quick ; (yet with a good
%^ariety of proper and pleafant tunes) and that he might
do fo, ufually the pfalm was fung without reading the
line betwixt (eveiy one in the family having a book;)
which he preferred much before the common way of
fmging, where it might conveniently be done, as more
agreeable to the practice of the primitive church, and
the reformed churches abroad ; and by this means he
thought the duty more likely to be perform'd " in the
" fpirit, and with the under ft anding ;" the fenfe being
not fo broken, nor the affections interrupted, as in read-
ing the line betwixt. He would fay, that a fcripture
ground for fmging pfalms in families, might be taken
irbm pfalm cxviii. 1 5. " The voice of rejoicing and of
*' falvation, is in the tabernacles of the righteous ;"
and that it is a way to hold forth godlinefs (like Rahab's
fcaHet thread, Jolli. ii. 17.) to fuch as pafsby our win-
dows.

He next read a portion of fcripture, taking the Bible
in order ; he would fometimes blame ihofe who only
pray in their families, and do not read the fcripture :
in prayer we fpeak to God, by the word he fpeaks to
us ; and is there any reafon (faith he) that v/e fhould
fpeak all ? in the tabernacle the priefts were every day
to burn incenfe, and to hght the lamps ; the former
figuring the duty of prayer, the latter the duty of read-
ing the w^ord. Sometimes he would fay. Thole do well
that pray morning and evening in their families ; thofe
do better, that pray and read the fcriptures ; but thofe
do beft of all that pray, and read, and fing pfalms j and
Chriftians fhould covet earneftly the beft gifts.

He

^o fthe Life of Mr Philip Henry.

He advifed the reading of the fcripture in order ; for
though one ftar in the firmament of the fcripture differ
from another ftar in glory, yet wherever God hath a
mouth to fpeak, we fhduld have an ear to hear ; and
the dihgent fearcher may find much excellent matter in
thofe parts of fcripture, which we are fometimes tempt-
ed to think might have beenfpar'd. How affeelionate-
ly would he fometimes blefs God for every book, and
chapter, and verfe, and line, in the Bible ! ^'

What he read in his family, he always expounded ;
and exhorted all miniflers to do fo, as an excellent
means of increafmg their acquaintance with the fcrip-
ture. His expofitions were not fo much critical as plain,
and practical, and ufeful ; and fuch as tended to edifi-
cadoA, and to anfwer the end for which the fcriptures
were written, which is to make us wife to falvation.
And herein he had a peculiar excellence, performing
that daily exercife with fo much judgment, and at the
fame time with fuch facility and clearnefs, ,as if every
expofition had been premeditated ; and very inftruftive
they were, as well as affecling to the auditors. His ob-
fervations were many times very pretty and furprizing,
and fuch as one fhall not ordinarily meet with. Com-
monly in his expofitions he reduced the matter of the
chapter or pfalm read, to fome heads ; not by a logi- .
cal analyfis, which often minceth it too fmall and con-
founds the fenfe with the terms ; but by fuch a diftri-
bution as the matter did mod eafily and unforcedly fall
into. He often mention'd that faying of Tertuliian's,
'' I adore the fulnefs of the fcriptures ;" and fometimes
that, Scripturafemper habit aliquid relcgentihiu. W-hen
fometimes he had hit upon fome ufeful obfervation
that Vi^as new to him, he would fay afterwards to thofe
about him, *' How often have I read this chapter, and
" never before now took notice of fuch a thing in it!"
he put his children, while they were with him, to write
thefe expofitions ; and when they were gone from him,
the ftrangers that fojourned with him did the fame.
What colledions his children had, though but broken

and

I'be Life of Mr Philip Henry. 71

and -very imperfedl hints ; yet, when afterwards they
were difpofed of in the world, were of good ufe to them
and tlieir families. Some expofitions of this nature,
that is, plain and pradical, and helping to raife the af-
fedions and guide the converfation by the word, he
often wifhed were publifhed by fome good hand for the
benefit of families : but fuch was his great modefty and
feif-diffidence (though few more able for it) that he
would never be perfwaded to attempt any thing of that
kind himfelf. As an evidence how much his heart was
upon it, to have the word of God read and underftocd
in families, take this paiTage out of his lafl will and
teftament : " I give and bequeath to each of my four
*' daughters, Mr Pool's Englilh annotations upon the
" Bible, in two volumes, of the lafl and bed edition
" that fhall be to be had at the time of my deceafe,
" together with Mr Barton*s lafl and bed tranflation
" of the fmgingpfaims, one to each of them; requir-
*' ing and requefling them to make daily ufe of the
" fame, for the inilruftion, edification, and comfort of
" themfelves and their families." But *tis time we pro-
ceed to the method of his family-worfhip.

The chapter or pfalm being read and expounded, he
requir'd from his children fome account of what they
could remember cf it ; and fometimes would difcourfe
with them plainly and familiarly about it, that he might
lead them into an acquaintance with it ; and (if it might
b-e) imprefs fometbing of it upon their hearts.

He then pray'd, and always kneeling, which he look-
ed upon as the fitteft and mod proper gedure for
prayer ; and he took care that his family fhould addrefs
themfelves to the duty with the outward expreflions of
reverence and compofednefs. He ufaally fetch'd his
matter and expreflions in prayer, from the chapter that
was read, and the pfalm that was fung, which was often
very aifefting, and helped much to llir up and excite
praying graces. He fometimes obferved in thofe pfalms,
where reference is had to the fcripture dories, as pfalm
Ixxxiii. and many others, that thofe who are well ac-
quainted

72 ^he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

qualnted with the fcnptures, would not need to make
ufe of the help of prefcribed forms, which are very ne-
ceffary for thofe that cannot do the duty without them,
but are unbecoming thofe that can ; as a go-cart is
needful to a child, or crutches to one that is lame, but
neither of them agreeable to one that needs them not :
'twas the comparifon he commonly ufed in this mattet.
In family-prayer he was ufually moft full in giving
thanks for family-mercies, confeffing family-fms, and
begging family-bleflings. Very particular he would
fometimes be in prayer for his family ; if any were ab-
fent, they were fure to have an exprefs petition put up
for them. He us'd to obferve concerning Job i. 5. that
he offered burnt-offerings for his children, according
to the num.ber of them all, an offering for each child ;
and fo would he;(bmetimes in praying for his children,
put up a petition for each child. He always obferv'd
at the annual return of the birth-day of each of his
children, to blefs God for his mercy to him and his
wife in that child ; the giving of it, the continuance of
it, the comfort they had in it, &c. with fome fpecial
requeft to God for that child. Every fervant and fo-
journer, at their coming into his family and their going
out (befides the daily remembrances of them) had a
particular petition put up for them, according as their
circumftances were. The ftrangers that were at any
time within his gates, he was wont particularly to re-
commend to God in prayer, with much affection, and
chriflian concern for them and their concernments.
He was daily mindful of thofe that deHred his prayers
for them, and would fay fometimes. It is a great comfort
that God knows who we mean in prayer, though we
do not name them. Particular providences concerning
the country, as to health or ficknefs, good or bad
weather, or the like, he commonly took notice of in
prayer, as there was occafion ; and would often beg of
God to fit us for the next providence, whatever it
might be : nor did he ever forget to pray for the peace
of Jerufalem. He alwavs concluded fainily-prayer, both

mo mine:

Ihe Life of Mr Philip Henry. 73

morning and evening, with a folemn benedidion, af-
ter the doxology ; " the bleffing of God Almighty,
" the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft, be with
" us," &c. llius did he daily blefs his houfliold.

Immediately after the prayer was ended, his chil-
dren together, with bended knee, afk'd bieffing of him
and their mother ; that is, defired of them to pray to
God to blefs them : which blelTrng was given with
great folemnity and afledion ; and if any of them were
abfent, they were reraenibered, " the Lord blefs you
" and your brother," or " you and your filler that is
" abfent.'*

This was his daily worfhip, which he never altered,
(unlefs as is aftermentionedj nor ever omitted any part
of, though he went from home ever fo early, or re-
turned ever fo late, or had ever fo much bufmefs for
his fervants to do. He v/ould fay that fometimes he
faw caufe to fhorten them ; but he would never omit
any ; for if an excufe be once admitted for an omiffion,
it will be often returning. He was not v/illing (unlefs
the neceflity were urgent) that any iliould go from his
houfe in a morning before family-worlhip ; but upon
fuch an occafion would mind his friends, that " Prayer
" and provender never hinder a journey.''

He managed his daily family-vv'or{l;)ip fo as to make
it a pleafure and not a talk to his children and fervants ;
for he was feldom long, .and never tedious in the fer-
vice ; the variety of the duties made it the mere plea-
fant ; fo that none who join'd with him had ever any
reafo-i to fav. Behold what a weavinefs is it ! Such an
excellent faculty be had of rendering religion, the moll
fweet and amiable employment in the world ; and fo
careful was he (like fjccb) " to drive as :he children
" could go," not putting " new wine into old bot-
tles.'* If fome good people that mean well vvould do
likewife, it might prevent many of thofe prejudices
which young perfons are apt to conceive againit reli-
gion, when the fervices of it are made a toil, and a ter-
ror to them.

K On

74 7'/&^ Life of Mr Philip Henry.

On Thurfday evenings (inftead of reading) he cate-
chized his children and fervants in the Aflembly's Ca-
techifm, with the proofs, or fometimes in a little cate-
chifm, concerning the matter of prayer, publifhed in
the year 1674, and faid to be written by Dr Collins,
which they learned for their help in the gift of prayer,
and he explained it to them. Or elfe they read, and
he examined them in fome other ufeful book, as Mr
Pool's Dialogues againil the Papifl:s,_the Affembly's
Confeflion of Faith with the Scriptures, or the like.

On Saturday evenings, his children and fervants gave
him an account what they could remember of the
chapters that had been expounded all the week be-
fore, in order, each a feveral part, helping one ano-
ther's memories for the recollecting of it. This he cal-
led, " gathering up the fragments which remained,
** that nothing might be loft.*' He would fay to them
fometimes as Chrift to his difciples, '' Have ye under-
" ftood all thefe things ?" If not, he took that occa-
fion to explain them more fully. This exercife (which
he conftantly kept up all along) was both delightful
and profitable, and being managed by him with fo
much prudence and fweetnefs, helped to inftill into
thofe about him betimes, the knowledge and love of
the holy fcriptures.

When he had fojourners in his family, who were
able to bear a part in fuch a fervice, he had commonly,
in the winter-time, fet weekly conferences, on quef-
tions propofed, for their mutual edification and com-
fort in the fear of God ; the fubftance of what was faid,
he himfelf took and kept an account of in writing.

But the Lord's day he called and counted the Queen
of days, the Pearl of the week, and obferved it accord-
ingly. The fourth commandment intimates a fpecial
regard to be had to the Sabbath in families, *' thou,
" and thy fon, and thy daughter," &c. it is " the Sab-
** bath of the Lord in all your dwellings." In this
therefore he was very exaft, and abounded in the work
of the Lord in his family on that day. Whatever were

the

Ihe Life of Mr Philip Henry. ^^

the circumftances of his publick opportunities, (which
varied, as we fhall find afterwards) his family-religion
on that day was the fame : extraordinary facrifices muff
never fuperfede the continual burnt-offering and his
meat-offering. Numb, xxviii. 15. His common falu-
tation of his family or friends, on the Lord's day in
in the morning, was that of the primitive Chriftians ;
*' the Lord is rifen, he is rifen indeed ;" making it
his chief bufmefs on that day, to celebrate the memo-
ry of Chrifl's refurredion ; and he would fay fometimes,
*' Every Lord's day is a true Chriftian's Eafter-day."
He took care to have his family ready early on that
day, and was larger in expofition and prayer on Sab-
bath-mornings than on other days. He would often
remember, that under the law the daily facrifice was
doubled on Sabbath days, two lambs in the morning,
and two in the evening. He had always a particular
fubje6: for his expofitions on Sabbath-mornings ; the
harmony of the Evangelifts feveral times over, the
Scripture prayers, OldTeftament prophefiesof Chrifl,
" Chrifl the true treafure" (fo he entitled that fubjeft,
" fought and found in the field of the Old Teflament.'*
He conflantly fung a Pfalm after dinner, and another
after fupper, on the Lord's days. And in the evening
of the day his children and fervants were catechized
and examined in the fenfe and meaning of the the an-
fwers in the catechifm ; that they might not fay it
(as he ufed to tell them) like a parrot, by rote. Then
the day's Sermons were repeated, commonly by one of
his Children, when they were grown up, and while
they were with him ; and the family gave an account
what they could remember of the word of the day,
which he endeavoured to faften upon them, as a nail
in a fure place. In his prayers on the evening of the
Sabbath, he was often more than ordinarily enlarged ;
as one that found not only God's fervice perfeft free-
dom, but his work its own wages, and a great reward;
not only after keeping, but (as he ufed to obferve from
Pfal. xix. II.) in keeping God's commandments. A
K 2 prefent

j6 Tbe Life of Mr Philip Henry.

prefent reward of obedience In obedience. In that prayer
he was ufually very particular, in praying for his fami-
ly and ail that belong'd to it. It was a prayer he of-
ten put up, that we might have grace to carry it " as
" a Minifter, and a Minifter's wife, and a Minifter^s
" chihiren, and a Minifter's fervants fhould carry it,
" that the miniftry might in nothing be blamed." He
would fometimes be a particular interceflfor for the
towns and parifhes adjacent : how have 1 heard him,
w^hen he hath been in the mount with God, in a Sab-
bath-evenlng-prayer, wreftle with the Lord for Chefter,
and Shrewibury, and Nantwich, and Wrexham, and
Whit<:hurch, &c. thofe nefts of fouls, wherein there
are To many, that cannot difcern between their right
hand and their left in fplritual things, he. He clofed
his Sabbath-work in his family with fmging Pfalm
cxxxiv. and after it a folemn bleffmg of his family.

Thus was he prophet and prieft in his own houfe ;
and be was king there too, ruling in the fear of God,
and not fuffering fm upon any under his roof.

He had maiy years ago a man-fervant that was once
overtaken in drink abroad ; for which, the next mor-
ning at family-woriliip, he folemnly reproved him, ad-
monirned him, and prayed for him with a fpirit of
meeknefs, and foon after parted with him. But there
were many that were his fervants, who, by the bleffing
of God upon his endeavours, got thofe good impref-
fions upon their fouls which they retained ever after ;
and bleffed God with all their hearts that ever they
came under his roof. Few w^ent from his fervice till
'they were married, and went to families of their own;
and fome, after they had been married and had buried
their yoke-fellows, returned to his fervice again, faying,
*' Mafter, it is good to be here.''

He brought up his children in the fear of God, with
a great deal of care and tendernefs, and did by his
pradice, as well as upon all occafions in difcourfes,
condemn the indifGretion of thofe parents who are par-
tial in their affcdions to their children, making aj^lif-

ference

T'he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 77

ference between them, which he obferved did often
prove of ill confequence in families ; and lay a founda-
tion of envy, contempt, and difcord, which turns to
their fhame and ruin. His carriage towards his chil-
dren was with great mildnefs and gentlenefs, as one
who defir'd rather to be loved than feared by them.
He was as careful not to provoke them to wrath, nor
to difcourage them, as he was to bring them up in the
nurture and admonition of the Lord. He rul'd indeed,
and kept up his authority, but it was with wifdom a^id
love, and not with a high hand. He allowed his chil-
dren a great degree of freedom with him, which gave
him the opportunity of reafoning them, not frightning
them, into that which is good. He did much towards
\kit inftruction of his children in the way of familiar
difcourfe, acccording to that excellent diretlory for re-
ligious education, Deut. vi. 7. Thou fhalt whet thefe
things (fo the v/ord is, which he faid noted frequent
repetition of the fame things) upon thy children, and
fhalt talk of them when thou fitted in thy houfe, &c,
which made them love home, and delight in his com-
pany, and greatly endeared religion to them.

He did not burthen his childrens memories by im-
pofmg upon them the getting of chapters and pfalms
Avithout book ; but endeavoured to make the whole
word of God familiar to them, (efpecially the fcripture
ftories) and to bring 'them to underftand it and love
it, and then they would eafUy remember it. He ufed
to obferve from Pfal. cxix. 93. " 1 will never forget
" thy precepts, for with them thou haft quickned me ;'*
that we are then likely to remember the word of God
when it doth us good.

H« taught all his children to write himfelf, and fet
them betimes to write fermons, and other things that
might be of ufe to them. He taught his eldeft daugh-
ter the Hebrew tongue when fhe was about fix or feven
years old, by an Englifh Hebrew grammar, which he
made on purpofe for her ; and Hie went fo far in it, as
|o be able readily to read and conflrue a Hebrew pfalm.
* He

78 The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

He drew up a fhort form of the baptifmal covendnt,
for the ufe of his children ; it was this :

I lake God the Father to he my chiefeft good, andhigheft

end.
I take God the Son to be my Prince and Saviour.
1 take God the Holy Ghoft to be my fan^ifier, teacher ^

guide, and comforter.
I take the word of God to be my rule in all my adions.
And the people of God to be my people in all conditions.
I do likeivtje devote and dedicate unto the Lord, my

'wholefelf all I am, all I have, and all I can do.
And this I do deliberately, fincsrely, freely, and for

ever, "

This he taught his children, and they each of them
folemnly repeated it every Lord's day in the evening,
after they were catechized, he putting his Amen to it,
and fometimes adding, " fo fay, and fo do, and you
" are made for ever."

He alfo took pains with them, to lead them into the
underftanding of it, and to perfwade them to a free
and cheerful confent to it. And when they grew up,
he made them all write it over feverally with their own
hands, and very folemnly fet their names to it, which
he told them he would keep by him, and it fhould be
produced as a teflimony againft them, in cafe they
Ihould afterwards depart from God, and turn from fol-
lowing after him.

He was careful to bring his children betimes (when
they were about fixteen years of age) to the ordinance
of the Lord's Supper, to take the covenant of God u-
pon themfelves, and to make their dedication to God
their own a£l and deed ; and a great deal of pains he
took with them, to prepare them for that great ordi-
nance, and fo to tranfmit them into the ftate of adult
church-memberfhip : And he would often blame pa-
rents, who would think themfelves undone if they had
not their children baptized, and yet took no care when
they grew up and made a profeflion of the Chriftian

religion

*Ihe Life of Mr Philip Henry. 79

religion, to perfwade them to the Lord's fupper. 'Tis
true (he would fay) buds and bloflimis are not fruit,
but they give hopes of fruit, and parents may and
Ihould take hold of the good beginnings of grace which
they fee in their children, by thofe who bind them fo
much the clofer to, and lead them fo much the faller
in the way that is called holy. By this folemn en-
gagement the door which ftood half open before, and
invited the thief, is fhut and bolted againft temptation.
And to thofe who pleaded that they were not fit, he
would fay, that the further they went into the world,
the lefs fit they would be. ^i non eft hodie eras w'tnus
aptus erit. Not that children fhould be compell'd to
it, nor thofe that are wilfully ignorant, untoward, and
perverfe, admitted to it ; but thofe children that are
hopeful and well inclin'd to the things of God, and
appear to be concern'd in other duties of religion,
when they begin to put away childifh things, fhould
be incited, and encouraged, and perfwaded to this, that
the matter may be brought to an iffue. " Nay, but we
" will ferve the Lord ;" faft bind, faft find. Abun-
dant thankfgivings have been rendered to God by ma-
ny of his friends for his advice and affiilance herein.

In dealing with his children about their fpiritual
flate, he took !iold of them very much by the handle
of their infant-baptifm, and frequently inculcated that
Upon them, that they were born in God*s houfe, and
were betimes dedicated and given up to him, and there-
fore were oblig'd to be his fervants, Pfal. cxvi. 16. I
am thy fervant, becaufe the fon of thy handmaid. This
he was wont to illuftrate to them by the comparifon
of taking a leafe of a fair eflate for a child in the cra-
dle, and putting his life into it ; the child then knows
nothing of the matter, nor is he capable of confenting ;
however, then he is maintained out of it, and hath an
interefl in it : and when he grows up and becomes a"
ble to chufe, and refufe for himfelf, if he go to his
landlord, and claim the benefit of the leafe, and pro-
mife to Day the rent, and do the fervices, well and

good,

8o The Life of Mr Philip Hemry.

good, he hath the benefit of it, if otherwife, it is athls
peril. " Now, children, (would he fay) our great
" Landlord was willing that your Hves fhould be put
" into the leafe of heaven and happinefs,and it was done
" accordingly, by your baptifm, which is the feal of
" the righteoufnefs that is by faith ; and by that it
*' was alTur'd to you, that if you would pay the rent
*' and do the fervice, that is, live a life of faith and
" repentance, and fmcere obedience, you fliall never
be turn'd oft' the tenement ; but if now youdillike the
terms, and refufe to pay this rent (this chief rent,
fo he would call it, for its no rack) you forfeit the
leafe ; however, you cannot but fay, that you had a
*' kindnefs done you, to have your lives put into it/'
Thus did he frequently deal with his children, and e-
ven travel in birth again to fee Chrift formed in thero,
and from this topic k he generally argued, and he
would often fay. If infant baptifm v»^ere more improv-
ed, it would be lefs difputed.

Ke not only taught his children betimes to pray,
(which he did efpecially by his own pattern, his me-
thod and expreffions in prayer being very eafy and
plain) but v;hen they were young he put them upon
it, to pray together, and appointed them on Saturdays
in the afternoon to fpend fome time together ; none
but they and fuch of their age as might occafionally
be with them, in reading good books, efpecially thofe
for children, and in fmging and praying ; and vvould
fometimes tell them for their encouragement, that the
God with whom we have to do underftands broken"
language. And if v/e do as well as vvc can in the fin-
cerity of our hearts, we fhall not only be accepted, but
taught to do better : " to him that hath fhall be given."
He fometimes fet his children, in their own reading
of the Scriptures, to gather out fuch paiTages as they
took moil notice of, and thought mofl: confiderable,
and write them down : though this performance v/as
very fmall, yet the endeavour was of good ufe. He
nlfo dircfted them to infert in a paper book, which

each

"The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 8i

each of them had for the purpofe, remarkable fayings,
and flories, which they met with in reading fuch other
good books as he put into their hands.

He took a pleafure in relating to them the remark-
able providences of God, both in his own time, and
in the days of old, which he faid, parents were taught
to do by that appointment, Exod. xii. 26, 27. Your
children fliall afk you in time to come, What mean you
by this fervice ? and you fliall tell them fo and fo.

What his pious care was concerning his children,
and with what a godly jealoufy he was jealous over
them, take in one inftance : — when they had been for a
week, or a fortnight, kindly entertained at B. (as they
were often,) he thus writes in his diary upon their re-
turn home : " My care and fear is, left ccnverfe with
" fuch fo far above them, though of the beft, fhould
" have influence upon them to lift them up, when I
" had rather they fiiould be kept low." For as he
did not himfelf, fo he was very folicitous to teach his
children, not to mind high things ; not to defire them,
not to expeft them in this world.

We fhall conclude this chapter with another palTage
out of his diary, April 12. 1681. "This day four-
" teen years the Lord took my firft-born fqn from me,
" the beginning of ray ftrength, with a ftroke. In the
" remembrance whereof my heart melted this even-
" ing : 1 begg*d pardon for the Jonah that raifed the
" ftorm ; I blefied the Lord that hath fpar'd the reft,
" 1 begg'd mercy, mercy for every one of them, and
" abfclutely and unrefervedly devoted and dedicated
" them, myfelf, my whole felf, eftate, intereft, and life,
" to the will and fervice of that God from whom I
" received all. Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy
" kingdom come,*' &;c.

L

[ g2 ]

CHAP. V.

His ejeBment from Worthe?ibury, his Nonconformi-
ty^ his removes to Broad Oak, and the provi--
deuces that were concerning him to the year 1672.

H

AVING thus laid together the inilances of his-
family-religion, v/e mufl now return to the hif-
tory of events that were concerning him, and are ob-
liged to look back to the firfl year after his marriage,
which was the year that king Charles the fecond came
in ; a year of great changes and ftruggles in the land,
■which Mr Baxter in his life gives a full and clear and
impartial idea of ; by which it may eafily be guefs'd
how it went with Mr Henry in his low and narrow
fphere, whofe fentiments in thofe things were very
much the fame with Mr Baxter's.

Many of his befl friends in Worthenbury parifir
were lately removed by death ; Emeral family, contrary
to what it had been ; and the fame fpirit which that
year reviv'd all the nation over, was working violent-
ly in that country, viz. a fpirit of great enmity to fuch
men as Mr Henry was. Worthenbury, upon the king's
coming in, returned into its former relation to Bangor,
and was look'd upon as a chappelry dependent upon
that. Mr Robert Fogg had for many years held the
fequeflred reftory of Bangor, which now Dr Henry
Bridgman (fon to John biiliop of Chefter, and brother
to the Lord Keeper Bridgman) return'd to the poifef-
fion of. By which Mr Henry was foon apprehenlive
that his intereft at Worthenbury was lliaken, but thus
h€ writes : " The will of the Lord be done. Lord, if
*' my work be done here, provide fome other for this
" people that may be more fkilful, and more fuccefs-
" ful, and cut out work for me elfev/here ; however,
" I will take nothing ill which God doth with me."

He labour'd what he could to make Dr Bridgman
his friend, who gave him good words, and was very ci-

vif

l^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 83

vll to him, and affured him that he would never remove
him till the law did. But he muft look on himfelf as
the Doctor's curate, and depending upon his will, which
kept him in continual expectation of a removal ; how-
ever, he continued in his liberty there above a year,
though in very fickle and precarious circumftances.

The grand queftion now on foot was, whether to
conform or no. He us'd all means poflible to fatisfy
himfelf concerning it, by reading and difcourfe (parti-
cularly at Oxford v.ith Dr Fell, afterwards bifliop of
Oxford) but in vain, his diifatisfaftion remain'd; "how-
ever, (faith he) 1 dare not judge thofe that do conform,
for who am I that I fhould judge my brother ?" He
hath noted, tliat being at Chefter, in difcourfe with
the Dean and Chancellor and others, about this time,
the great argument they ufed with him to perfwade
■ him to conform was, that elfe he would lofe his pre-
ferment, and what (laid they) you are a young man,
and are you wifer than the king and billiops ? But this
is his refledion upon it afterwards, " God grant I
^' may never be left to confult with flefh and blood
*' in fuch matters.*'

In September 1660, Mr Fogg, and Mr Steel, and
Mr Henry were prefented at Flint-afTizes for not read-
ing the common-prayer, though as yet it was not en-
join'd, but there were fome bufy people, that would
out-run the law. They entered their appearance, and
it fell ; for foon after, the king's declaration, touching
ecclefiaftical affairs, came out, which promifed liberty,
and gave hopes of fettiement ; but the fpring-affizes af-
terwards Mr Steel and Mr Henry were prefented again.
On this he writes, " Be merciful to me, O God, for
" man would fwallow me up. The Lord fliew me
" what he would have me to do, for I am afraid oi
" nothing but fin."

It appears by the hints of his diary that he had me-
lancholy apprehenfions at this time about public af-
fairs, feeing and hearing of fo many faithful minifters
difturb'd, filenced and enfnarM j the ways of Sion
L 2 mourning,

S4 'The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

mourning, and the quiet in the land treated as the
troublers of it ; his foul wept in fecret for it. And
yet he join'd in the annual commemoration of the
king's reftoration, and preached on Mark xii. 17.
" Render to Csefar the things that are Casfar's;" con-
fidering (faith he) that it was his right ; alfo the fad
poflure of the civil government through ufurpers, and
the manner of his coming in, without bloodflied. This
he would all his days fpeak of as a national mercy,
but what he rejoiced in with a great deal of trembling
for the Ark of God ; and he would fometimes fay,
That *' during thofe years between forty and fixty,
though on civil accounts there were great diforders,
and the foundations were out of courfe, yet in the
matters of God's worfliip, things went well ; there was
freedom and reformation, and a face of godlinefs was
upon the nation, though there were thofe that made
but a mafiv of it. Ordinances were adminiftrcd in
power, and purity, and though there was much amifs,
yet religion, at lead in the profeflion of it, did prevail :
This (faith he) we know very well, let men fay what
they will of thofe times.

In November, i66o, he took the oath of allegiance
at Orton, before Sir Thomas Hanmer, and two 'Other
Juftices, of which he hath left a memorandum in his
diary, with this added, " God fo help me, as I purpofe
" in my heart to do accordingly :" Nor could any
more confcientioufly obferve that oath of God than he
did, nor more fmcerely promote the ends of it.

That year (according to an agreement with fome of
his brethren in the miniilry, who hoped thereby to o-
blige fome people) he preached upon Chriftmas-day.
The fabbath before, it happen' d that the 23d chapter
of Leviticus (which treats entirely of the Jewifh feafts,
called there the feafts of the Lord) came in courfe to
be expounded, which gave him o£cafion to diftinguifli
of feafts into divine and eccleftaftical , the divine feafts
that the Jews had were thofe there appointed ; their
ecclefiaftical feafts were thofe of Furim and of dedica-

cation :

Ibe Vfe of Mr Philip Henry. S5

cation: and in the application of it, he faid, " he knew
no divine feaft we Have under the gofpel but the Lord's
day, intended for the commemoration of the whole
mercy of our redemption. And the mod: that could
be faid for C.briftmas was, that it is an ecckfiafticalicdSi',
and it is queflionable with fome, whether church 01
itate, though they might make a good day, Efth. ix.
19. could make a holy day : neverthelel's, forafmuch
as we find our Lord Jefus (Job x. 22.) fo far com-
plying with the church feafl of dedication, as to take
occafion from the people's coming together, to pi each
to them, he purpofed to preach upon Chriftmas day.
knowing it to be his duty, in feafon and out of feafon.'*
lie preached on 1 John iii. 8. " For this purpofe was
" the Son of God manifefted, that he might deflroy
" the works of the devil." And he minded his peo-
ple that it is double diihonour to Jefus Chriif , to prac-
tife the works of the devil then w^hen we keep a feafl:
in memory of his manifeftation.

His annuity from Emeral was now with-held becaufe
he did not read the common prayer, (tho* as yet there
was no law for reading of it) hereby he was difabled
to do what he had been wont, for the help and relief
of others ; and this he has recorded as that which
troubled him moft under that difappointment ; but he
bleffed God, that he had a heart to do good, even
when his hand was empty.

When Emeral family was unkind to him, he rec-
koned it a great mercy, which he gave God thanks
for, (who makes every creature to be that to us that
it is) that Mr Broughton and his family (v/hich is of
confiderable figure in the parifh) continued their kind-
nefs and refpecis to him, and their countenance of his
miniftry, which he makes a grateful mention of," more
than once in his diary.

Many attempts were made in the year 1 66 1 to dif-
turb and enfnare him, and it was ftiil expefted that^
he would have been hindred : " Methinks (faid he)
" Sabbaths were never fo fweet as they are, now wc

*' are

S6 1 he Life of Mr Vhili? Hen^ly.

*' are kept at fuch uncertainties ; now a day in thy
" courts is better than a thoufand -, fuch a day as this
*• (faith he of a Sacrament-day that year) better than
*' ten thoufand : O that we might yet fee many fuch
" days."

He was advis'd by Mr RatclifFof Chefler, and others
of his friends, to enter an adlion againft Mr P. for his-
annuity, and did fo ; but concerning the fuccefs of it
ffeith he) " I am not over folicitous ; for tho* it be
my due, (Luke x. 7.) yet it was not that which I
preached for ; and God knows 1 would much rather
preach for nothing, than not at all; and befides, I know
affurediy, if I fhould be caff, God would make it up
to me fome other way/' After fome proceedings, he
not only mov'd, but folicited Mr P. to refer it ; '• ha-
** ving learned (faith he) that it is no difparagement,
" but an "honour, for the party wrong 'd to be firft in
" feeking leconciliation ; the Lord, (if it be his will)
" incline his heart to peace. 1 have now two great
" concerns upon the wheel, one in reference to my
" maintenance for time paft ; the other as to my con-
*' tinuance for the future 5 the Lord be my friend in
" both ; but of the two, rather in the latter. But ma-
" ny of greater gifts and grace than I are laid afide
*' already, and when my turn comes I know not, the
" will of God be done : He can do his work with-
" out us."

The iifue of this affair was, that there having been
fome difputes between Mr P. and Dr Bridgman, about
the tithe of Worthcnbury, wherein Mr P. had clearly
the better claim to make, yet, by the mediation of Sir
Tho. Hanmer, they came to this agreement, Sept. 11.
1661. that Dr Bridgman and his fucceffors, parfonsof
Bangor, fliould have and receive all the tithe-corn and
hay of Worthenbury, without the difturbance of the
iaid Mr P. or his heirs (except the tithe-hay of Emeral
Demefn) upon condition that Dr Bridgman fliould, be-
fore the firft of November following, avoid and dif-
charge the prefent minifter, or curate, Philip Henry,

from

Ilse Life of Mr Philip HenrV. ^'j

from the chapel of Worthenbury, and not hereafter at
any time re-admit the faid minifter, Philip Henry, to
officiate the faid cure. This is the fubftance of the ar-
ticles agreed upon between them, purfuant to which,
Dr Bridgman foon after difmifs'd Mr Henry ; and by
a writing under his hand, which was publlfhed iu the
church of Worthenbury, by one of Mr Pulefton's fer-
vants, October the 27th following, notice was given
to the parifh of that difmiffion. That day he preach-
ed his farewell fermon on Phil. i. 27. " only let your
" converfation be as becomes the gofpel of Chrift.'*
In which (as he faith in his diary) his defire and de-
fign was rather to profit than to atfe6t ; it matters not
what becomes of me (whether I come unto you, or
elfe be abfent) but let your converfation be as becomes
the gofpel. His parting prayer for them was, *' tho.
" Lord, the God of the fpirits of all flefh, fet a man
*' over the congregation." Thus he ceafed to preach
to his people there, but he ceafed not to love them,
and pray for them ; and could not but think there re-
mained fome dormant relation betwixt him and them.

As to the arrears of his annuity from Mr P. when
he was difplaced ; after fome time Mr P. was willing
to give him 100/. which was a good deal lefs than
what was due, upon condition that he vi^ould furren-
der his deed of annuity, and his leafe of the houfe,
which he for peace fake was willing to do, and fo he
loft all the benefit of judge Pulefton's great kindnefs
to him. Tj^is was not corapleated till Sept. 1662. un-
til which time he continued in the houfe at Worthen-
bury, but never preached fo much as once in thechurch,
tho' there were vacancies feveral times.

Mr R. Hilton was immediately put into the curacy
of Worthenbury, by Dr Bridgman : Mr Henry went
to hear him while he was at Worthenbury, and join'd
in all the parts of the public worftiip, particularly at-
tending upon the Sacrament of baptifin ; " not dar-
ing (faith he) to turn my back upon God's ordinance,
while the eflentials of it are retaiijed, tho' corrupted

circum-

^S 'the Life of Mr Philip Henry.

clrcunirtaiuially in the adminiftration of it, which God
amend.'* Once being allovv'd the liberty of his gef-
ture, he join'd in the Lord's Supper. He kept up his
correfpondence with Mr Hikon, and (as he faith in his
diary) endeavour'd to poffefs him with right thoughts
of his work, and advis*d him the bed he could in the
■ foul afmiis of that people ; " which (faith he) he feem-
ed to take well ; I am fure I meant it fo, and the
Lord make him faithful.*'

Immediately after he was removed and filenced at
Worthenbury, he was folicited to preach at Bangor,
and Dr Bridgman was willing to permit it, occasion-
ally, and intimated to his curate there, that he fhould
never hinder it ; but Mr Henry declin'd it : though
his filence was his great grief, yet fuch was his tender-
nefs, that he was not willing fo far to difcourage Mr
Hilton at Worthenbury, nor to draw fo many of the
people from him as would certainly have followed him
to Bangor : " but (faith he) I cannot get my heart in-
to fuch a fpiritual frame on Sabbath-days now, as for-
merly ; which is both my fm and my affliciion. Lord,
quicken me with quickening grace.**

When the king came in firft, and fhewed fo good
a temper, as many thought, fome of his friends were
very earneft with him to revive his acquaintance and
mtereft at court, which it was thought he might eafily
do. 'Twas reported in the country, that the Duke of
York had enquired after him ; but he heeded not the
report, nor would he be perfwaded to make any ad-
dreifes that way : " for (faith he) my friends do not
know fo well as I the ftrength of temptation, and my
own inability to deal with it.*' ^i bene laiuit^ bene-
vixit ; Lord, lead me not into temptation.

He was greatly affefiied with the temptations and
afflictions of many faithful Minifters of Chrift at this
time, by the preffing of conformity ; and kept many
private days of fading and prayer in his own houfe at
Worthenbury, feeking to turn away the wrath of God
from the Land. He greatly pitied fome, who by the

urgency

'T^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 89

urgency of friends, and the fear of want, were over-
perfwaded to put a force upon themfelves in their con-
formity. I'he Lord keep me (faith he) in the critical
time.

He preached fometimes occafionallyin divers neigh-
bouring places, till Bartholomew-day, 1662 ; " the
day (faith he) which our fms have mad^ one of the
faddeft days to England fmce the death of Edward
the VI. but even this for good," though we know
not how nor which way. He was in\'ited to preach
at Bangor on the black Bartholomew-day, and prepa-
red a fermon on John vii. 37. " In the laft day, that
" great day of the feaft," &c. but was prevented from
preaching it, and was loth to ftrive againft fo fcrong
a ftream.

^s to his non-conformity, which fome of his worfl
enemies have faid was his only fault, it may not be a-
mifs here to give fome account of it.

I . His reafons for his non-conformity were very con-
fiderable. 'Twas no rafh acl:, but deliberate and well
weighM in the balances of the fancluary. He could
by no means fubmit to be re-crdain'd ; fo well fatisfied
was he in his call to the miniflry, and his folemn or-
dination to it, by the laying on of the hands of the
prefbytery, which God had gracioufly own'd him. in,
that he durft not do that which looked like a renun-
ciation of it, as null and fmful, and would be at leail
a tacit invalidating and condemning of all his admini-
ftrations. Nor could he truly fay, that he thought
himfelf moved by the Holy Ghoft to take upon him
•the office of a Deacon. He was the more coniirmed
in this objeftion, becaufe the then Bifnop of Chefter,
Dr Hall, (in whofe dicccfe he was) befides all that was
required by law, exafted from thofe that came to him
to be re-ordained, a fubfcription to this form : — " Ego
" A. B. prastenfas meas ordinationis Hteras, a quibnf-
" dam prefbyteris olim obtentas jam penitus renuncio^^
" & dimitto pro vanis ; humiliter fuppiicans quatenus
" Rev. in Chrifto Pater, & Dominus Georgius per-

IM niiffione

po Hhe Life of Mr Philip Henry.

" miffione divina Ceftr. Epifc. me ad facrum diacoiia-
" tus ordinem jiixta morem h ritus Ecclefiae Angli-
" canas dignaretur admittere/* This of re-ordination
was the firft and great bar to his conformity, and which
he moftly infilled on. He would fometimes fay, that
for a Prefbyter to be ordain'd a Deacon, is at bed,
'' fufcipere gradum Simeonis."

Befides this, he was not at all fatished to give his
unfeigned ailent and confent, to all and every thing
'contained in the book of Common-Prayer, &c. for he
thought that thereby he fhould receive the book itfelf,
and every part thereof, rubrics and all, both as true
and good ; whereas there was feveral things which he
could not think to be fo. The exceptions which the
minilters made againft the hturgy, at the Savoy con-
ference, he thought very conliderable ; and could by
no means fubmit to, much lefs approve of, the impo-
fition of the ceremonies : He often iaid, that when
Chriil came to free us from the yoke of one ceremo-
nial law, he di4 not leave it in the power of any man,
or company of men, in the world, to lay another up-
on our necks. Kneeling at the Lord's bupper he was,
much diiTatisiied about ; and it was for many years
his great grief, and which in his diary he doth often
moft pathetically lament ;«that by it he was debarred
from partaking of that ordinance, in the folemn af-
fembly : for, to fubmit to that impofition, he thought,
whatever it was to others, (whom he was far from
judging) v.'ould be fm to him. He never took the
covenant, nor ever expreffed any fondnefs for it ; and
yet he could not think, and therefore durll not de-
clare that (hovv'ever unlawRilly imposM,) it was in it-
felf an unlawful oath, and that no perfon that took it
was under the obligation of it : For fometimes '* quod
" fieri non debuit factum valet." In fliort, it cannot
be wondered at, that he was a non-confonnifl, when
the term.s of conformity were fo induftrioufly conlriv^-
ed to keep out of the church fuch men as he ; which
is manifefl by the full account wliich Mr Baxter hath

left

^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 91

left to poiierity of that affair ; and it is a paffage worth
noticing here, which Dr Bates, in his funeral lermon
on Mr Baxter, relates ; that when the Lord Chamber-
lain, Manchcfler, told the king, (while the act of uni-
formity was under debate) that he was afraid that the
terms were fo hard, that many of the minifters would
not comply with them ; Bithop Sheldon beinfr prefent,
replied, 1 am afraid they will. And it is well known
how many of the molt fober, pious, and laborious mi-
nifters, in all parts of the nation, conforniifts ?<:$ well
non-conformilts did diilike thofe impoHtions.

He thought it a mercy (fmce it mud be fo) that the
cafe of non-conformity was made fo clear as it was, a-
bundantly to fatisfy him in his fiience and fuuerings.
I have heard that Mr Anthony Burges, who hentated
before, when he read the act, bleiTed God that the
matter was put out of doubt. And yet ro make fure
work, the printing and pubhfliing of the new book of
Common-Prayer was fo deferred, that few of the mi-
nifters, except thofe in London, could poftibly get a
fight of it, much lefs duly confider of it before the
time prefixed ; which Mr Steel took notice of in his
farev/eil-fermon at Hanmer, Aug. 17. 1662, That he
was filenced and turned out, for not declaring his un-
feigned alTent and confent 4p a book which he never
faw nor could fee.

One thing whicli he comforted himfelf with in his
non-conformity was, that as to matters of doubtful
difputation touchintz; church-government, ceremonies,
and the like, he was unfworn, either on the one fide
or the other, and fo was free from thofe fnares and
bands in which fo many find themfelves both tied up
from what they would do, and entangled that they knew
not what to do. He was one of thofe that fear'd an
oath, Eccl. X. 2. and would often fay. Oaths are edg'd
tools, and not to be played with. One paffage I find
in his papers, which confirmed him in this fatiiiaction ;
'tis a letter from no lefs a clergyman than Dr F. of
Whitchurch to one of his parifliioners, who defired

M 2 him

^3 'the Life of Mr Philip Henry.

Iiim to give way that his child might be baptifed by
another without the crofs and godfathers, if he would
not do it fo himfelf ; both which he refufed : 'Twas
in the year 1672-3. " For my pait, (faith the Doctor)
*' I freely profefs my thoughts, that the ftrict urging
*' of indifferent ceremonies, hath done more harm than
*' good ; and poffibly (had all men been. left to their
" liberty therein) there might have been much more
*' unity, and not much lefs uniformity. But what
" power have I to difpenfe with myfelf, being now
*' under the obligation of a law and an oath?" And he
concludes, " 1 am much grieved at the unhappy con-
" dition of myfel-f, and other minifters, who muft ei-
*•' ther lofe their parifhioners love, if they do not com-
" ply with them, or elfe break their foleran obliga-
*' tions to pleafe them."

This he would fay was the mifchief of impofitions,
which ever were, and ever will be bones of conten-
tion. When he was at Worthenbury, though in the
Lord's Supper he ufed the gefture of fitting himfelf,
vet he adminiflcred it without fcruple to fome who
chofe rather to kneel ; and he thought that minifter's
hands fhould not, in fuch things be tied up ; but that
he ought in his place, (though he fuffered for it,) to
witnefs ap^ainfl the m.akinp; of thofe thinsfs the iudif-
penfable terms of communion, which jefus Chriit
hath not made to be fo. " Where the Spirit of the
" Lord, and the fpirit of the gofpei is, there is liber-
" ty."

Such as thefe were the reafons of his non-conformi-
ty, which, as long as he lived, he was more and more
confirm'd in.

2. His moderation in his non-conformity was very
exemplary and eminent, and had a great influence up-
on many, to keep them from rrmning into an uncha-
ritable and fchifmatical feparation ; which, upon all
occafions, he bore his teftimony againft, and was very
induftrious to ftem the tide of. In church-government,
that which he defued and wiflied for, was Archbilhop

Ulher's

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 93

Ullier's reduction of Epifcopacy. He thought It law-
• ful to join in the common prayer in public alTemblies,
and pradifed accordingly, and endeavoured to latis-
fy others concerning it. The fpirit he was of, was'
luch as made him much afraid of extremes, and foli-
citous for nothing more than to maintain and keep
Chriftian love and charity among profellbrs : We fiiall
meet with feveral inflances of this, in the progrefs of
his ftory, and therefore wave it here. 1 have been
told of an aged miniiter of his acquaintance, who be-
ing afked upon his death-bed, What his thoughts were
of his non-conformity ? replied. He was well fatisfied
in it, and fhould not have conformed fo far as he did,
(viz. to join in the liturgy,) if it had not been for Mr
Henry. Thus was his moderation known unto all m.en.

But to proceed in his (lory :— at Michaelmas 1662,
he quite left Worthenbury, and came with his family
to Broad-Oak,, jufh nine years from his firft coming in-
to the country. Being call by divine Providence into
this new place and flate of life, his care and prayer
was, that bs might have grace and wifdom to manage
it to the glory of God, which (faith he) is my chief
end. Within three weeks after his coming hither, his
fccond fon was born, which we mention for the fake
of the remark he has upon it : — " We have no rea-
fon (Hiith he) to call him Benom, I wiHi we had none
to call him Ichabod.^' And on the day of his family-
thankfgiving for that mercy, he writes, " We have
" reafon to rejoice with trembling, for it goes ill witli
" the church and people of God, and reafon to fear
" worfe, becaufe of our fins, and our enemies wrath."

At the latter end of this year he hath in his diary
this note : " It is obferved of many who have con-
" formed of late, and fallen from what they formerly
" profefled, that, fmce their fo doing, from unblam-
" able, orderly, pious men, thev are become exceed-
" ing difiblute and profane, and inftanceth in fomc.
" What need have we every day to pray. Lord, lead
" us not into temptation."

For

g^ T'/je Life of Mr Philip He^vRY.

For leveral vears after he came to live at Broad-
Oak, he went conftantly oa the Lord's day to the*
public worlhip, with his family, at Whitewell-chapel,
(which is hard by) if there were any fupply there, as
fometimes there was from Mulpas ; and if none, then
to Tylftock, (where Mr Zachary Thomas continued
for about half a year, and the place was a Httle fanc-
tuary,) and when that firing faiPd, ufuaily to Whit-
church ; and did not preach for a great while, unlefs
occafionally, when he vihted his friends, or to his
own family en Lord's days, when the weather hindred
them from going abroad. He comforted himfelf, that
fometime in going in public, he had opportunity of in-
ftrucling and exhorting thofe that were in company
vi-ith him, by the way, according as he faw they had
need ; and in this his lips fed many, and his tongue
was as choice filver ; and he acted according to that
rule which he often laid down to himfelf and others,
That when we cannot do what we would, we mud do
what we can, and the Lord will accept us in it. He
made the befl of the fermons he heard in'public. It
is a mercy (faith he) we have bread, though it be not
as it hath been, ©f the fineft of the wheat. Thofe are
froward children who throv/ away the meat they have,
if it be wholefome, becaufe they have not what they
would have. When he met with preaching that was
weak, his note is, That's a poor fermon indeed, out of
which no good leiTon may be learned. He had often
occalion to remember that verfe of Mr LIcrbert's,

" The word fpeaks fomething good, if all want fehfe,
" God takes the text, and preacheth patience."

Nav, and once he iaith, he could not avoid thinking
of EH's fons, who made the facrinces of the Lord to.be
abhorred : yet he went to bear liis teftimony to pub.
]ic ordinances ; " For ftill (faith he) the Lord loves
" the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings or
" Jacob," and fo do L Such tlien were his fenti-
jnents of things, expeding that God would yet open

a doer

Ihe Life of Mr Philip Henry'. 95

•A door of return to former public liberty, which he
Jnuch defired and prayed for, and in hopes of that,
\vas backward to fall into the dated exercife of his rai-
niftry otherwife, (as were all the fober non-conform-
ifts generally in thofe parts,) but it was his grief and
burthen, that he had not an opportunity of doing more
for God. lie had fcarce one talent of opportunity,
but that one he was very diligent and faithful in the
improvement of. When he vifited his friends, how
did he lay out himfelf to do them good ? Being afl-ied
once, (where he made a vifit,) to expound and pray,
which his friends returned him thanks for ; he thus
writes upon it, " They cannot thank me fo much for
'' my pains, but I thank them more, and my Lord
" God efpecially, for the opportunity." Read his
confiift with hiinfelf at this time : " I own myfelf a mi-
" nifter of Chriit, yet do nothing as a minifter ; what
" v;ill excufe me ! Is it enough for me to fay, Behold,
" I fland in the market-place, and no man hath hired
" me f" And he comforts himfelf with this appeal,
" Lord, thou knowefl what will I have to thy work,
" public or private, if 1 had a call and opportunity ;**
and fliall this willing mind be accepted ? Surely this is
a melancholy confideration, and lays a great deal of
blame fomewhere, that fuch a man as Mr Henry, fo
well qualified with gifts and graces for minifterial
work, and in the prime of his time for ulefulnefs ; fo
found and orthodox, fo humble and modeft, fo quiet
6nd peaceable, fo pious and blamelefs, fliould be fo
induftrioufiy thrufl out of the vineyard, as a ufelefs
and unprofitable fervant, and laid afide as a defpifed
1 roken veirel,and a veffel in which there was no plea-
fare. This is a lamentation, and Ihall be for a lamen-
tation ; efpecially fmce it was not his cafe alone, but
tlie lot of fo many hundreds of the fame chara£ler.

In thefe circumftances of filence and reilraint, he
took comfort himfelf, and admiiiiftered comfort to o-
thers from that Scripture, Ifa. xvi. 4. " Let my out-
" cafls dwell with thee, Moab." God's people may

be

g6 7 be Life of Mr Philip Henry.

be an out-caft people, caft out of men's love^ their
fynagogues, their country ; but God will own his peo-*
pie when men caft them out ; they are out-cafts, but
they are his, and foniewhere or other he will provide
a dwelling for them. There were many worthy, able
minifters, thereabouts turn'd ou^,both from work and
fubfiftence, that had not fuch comfortable fupport for
the life that now is, as Mr Henry had, for whom he
was moft affedionately concerned, and to whom he
fhewed much kindnefs. There were computed, with-
in a few miles round him, fo many minifters turned
out to the wide world, ftript of all their maintenance,
and expofed to continual hardfhips, as with their
wives and children, (having moft of them numerous
families,) made up above a hundred, that lived upon
Providence ; and though often reduced to wants and
ftraits, yet were not forfaken, but were enabled to re-
joice in the Lord, and to joy in the God of their fal-
vation notwithftanding : to whom the promife was
fulfilled, Pfal. xxxvii. 3. " So ftialt thou dwell in the
" land, and verily thou fhalt be fed." The world was
told long fmce, by the conformifts plea, that the wor-
thy Mr Lawrence, (Mr Henry's intimate friend) when
he was turned out of Bafchurch, and (if he would
have confulted with flefti and blood) having (as was
faid of one of the martyrs) eleven good arguments a-
gainft fuffering, viz. a wife and ten children, was
afls:ed how he meant to maintain them all, and cheer-
fully repHed, they muft all live on the vi. of Matthew,
*' Take no thought for your life," &c. and he often
fung with his family Pfal. xxxvii. 16. And Mr Henry
hath noted concerning him in his diary, fome time
after he was turn'd out, that he bore witnefs to the
love and care of our heavenly Father, providing for
him and his in his prefent condition, beyond expec-
tation.

One obfervation Mr Henry made not long before
he died, when he had been young and now was old,
that though many of the ejected minifters were brought

very

I'be Life of Mr Philip HEb?RY. 97

very low, had many children, were greatly harraffed
by perfecution, and their friends generally poor and
unable to iupport them ; yet in all his acquaintance
he never knew, nor could remember to have heard, of
any non-conformilt minifter in prifon for debt.

In Odober 1663, Mr Steel and Mr Henry, and
fome other of their fi lends, were taken up and brought
prifoners to lianmer, under pretence ol fome plot faid
to be on foot a;-;ainfl: the Gcvernnicnt ; and tliere thev
were kept under confinement fome days, on which he
writes, *' it is fweet being in any condition with a
clear confcience : The (ting of death is lin, and fo of
imprlfonment alfo. 'Tis the fnft time 1 v/as ever a
prif(iner, but perhaps may not be the iaff. We felt
no hardfhip, but we know not what we may." Thcv
were, foon after, examined by the deputy lieutenants,
charged with they knew not wliat, and fo difmiffed,
finding verbal fecurhy io be forthcoming upon twen-
ty-four hoars nou;:e whenever they fnould be called
fbr. Mr Henry rcmrned to his tabernacle with thankf-
givings to God, and a hearty prayer for his enemies,
that God would forgive them. The very next dav
after they were releafed, a great man in the country,
at whofe inftigation they were brought into that trou-
ble, died (as was faid) of a drunken furfeit. So that
a man fh^U fay, '^ Verily there is a God that judgeth
" in the earth/*

In the beginning of the year 1665, when the a£l for
a royal aid to his JMajelLy of two UiilHons and a half
came out, the commifiioners for Fhntfliire were pleafed
to nominate Mr. Henry fub-col!edor of the faid tax for
the townfaip of ifcoyd,andMrSteel for the tovvnflilp of
Ilanmer. They intended thereby to put an affront
and difparagement upon their miniftry, and to fliew
that they looked upon them but as lay-men ; his note
upon it is, " It is not a fm which they put us upon,
but it is a crofs, and a crofs in our way, and therefore
to be taken up and borne with patience. When 1 had
ji^etter work to do, I was wanting in rnv dutv about

N ' ' ^ it,

98 Ibe Life of Mr Philfp Henry.

it, and now this is put upon me, the Lord is righteous.*'
He procured the gathering of it by others, only took
account of it, and faw it duly done ; and deferved (as
he faid he hop'd he fhould) that infcription mentioned
in Suetonius, To the memory of an honeil Publican.

In September the fame year he v/as again, by war-
rant from the deputy lieutenants, fetched prifoner to
Hanmer, as was alfo Mr Steel and others. He -xvas ex-
amined about private meetings : fonie fuch (but pri-
vate indeed) he own'd he had been prefent at of late
in Shropihire, but the occafion was extraordinary; the
plague was at tiiat time raging in London, and he, and
feveral of his friends, having near relations there,
thought it time to feek the Lord for them, and this
was imputed to him as his crime. He was likewife
charged \n\.\i adminifLring the Lord's Supper, which
he denied, having never adminiflred it fmce he v^^as
difabled by tlie aft of Uniformity. After fome days
conlinement, feeing they could prove nothing upon
him, he was difcharged upon recognizance of 20I.
with two fureties to be forthconiing upon notice, and
to live peaceably. But (faith he) our reflraint was not
ftrift, for we had liberty of prayer and conference to-
gether, to our mutual edification : Thus, " out of the
'' eater came forth meat, and out of the flrong, fweet-
*^ nefs;" and we found honey in the carcafe of the lion.
It was but a little before this that Mr Steel, fetting
out for London, was, by a warrant from the juftices, un-
der colour of the report of a plot, flopped and fearch-
ed, and finding nothing to accufe him of, they feized
his almanack, in which he kept his diary for that year^
and it not being written very legibly, they made what
malicious readings and comments they pleafed upon
it, to his great wrong and reproach; though, to all fo-
ber and fenfible people, it difcovered him to be a man
that kept a flrift watch over his own heart, and was a
a great hufband of his time, and many faid they got
good by it, and fnould love hiui the bet.tcr for it, Pfa!.
xxxvii. T, 6. Thi3 event made rvlr Henry fomev/hat

mere

Ihe Life of Mr Philip Henry. 99

more cautious and fparing in the records of his diary,
when he faw how evil men dig up mifchief.

At Lady-day, 1666, the five-mile ad commenced,
by which all non-conformift minifters Vv'cre forbidden,
upon pain of fix months imprifonment, to come or be
within five m.iies of any corporation, or of any place
whtire they had been minifters, unlefs they would take
an oath ; of which Mr Baxter faith, 'twas credibly re-
ported, that the Earl of Southampton, then Lord high
treafurer of England, faid. No honed m.an could take
it. Mr Baxter, in his Life, hath fet dovm at large, his
reafons againft taking this. Oxford-oath, as it was cal-
led, part ii. p. 396, &c. part iii. p. 4, &c. Mr Kenry
fet his down in (horr, 'Twas an oath, not at any time
to endeavour any alteration of the 'government in -the
church or fi:ate. He had already taken an oath of
allegiance to the Kinq-, and he looked upon this to a-
mount to an oath of allegiance to the bilhops, which
he was not free to take. Thus he writes, R^arch 22,

166 s-G'.

" This day methoughts it w^as made more clear to
" me tlian ever, by the hand of my God upon me, and
" I note it down, that I may remember it. (i.) That
" the government of the church of Chrld ought to
" be managed by the miniilers of Chrid." It ap-
pears, Heb. xiii. 7. that they are to rule us that fpeak
to us the word of God. " (2.) That, under prelacy,
" miniifers have not the management of churca-go-
" vernment, not in the leaft, being only the pLibliih-
" ers of the prelates decrees, as in excommunication
*' and abfofution, which decrees fometimes are given
" forth by lay- chance! 1 org. (3.) That therefore
" prelacy is an ufurp-ation in the church of God, u-
" pon the crown and dignity of Jeius Chrifl, and u- ,
" pon the gofpel-rlghis of his fervants the minhlers.
" And therefore, (4.) i ought not to fubfcribe to it,
" nor to fwear not to cnde.a.vour, in all lawful ways,
" the alteration of it, viz. by praying and perfwading,
^" v/here there is opportunity. E;:t, (5.") That I may

N 2 ' fafciy

TOO T^he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

" fafely venture to fuffer in the refufal of fiich an oatf>,
" committing my foul, life, eftate, liberty, all to Him
" who judgeth righteoufly."

And on March 25, the day when that aft took place,
he thus writes : " A fad day among poor minillers up
" and down this nation ; who, by this aft of rellraint,
" are forced to remove from among their friends, ac-
" quaintance, and relations, and to fojourn among;
" ftrangers, as it were in Mefech and in the tents of
" Kedar. But there is a God who tells their wan-
'• drings, and will put their tears, and the tears of their
" wives and children into his bottle ; are they not in
" his book ? The Lord be a little fanftuary to them,
'* and a place of refuge from the ftorm, and from the
*' tempefl ; and pity thofe places from which they are
" ejefted. and come and dwell where they may not."

He wilhed their removes might not be figurative of
evil to thefe nations, as Ezekiel's were, Ezek. xii. i , 2, 3.
This fevere difpenfation forced Mr Steel and his family
from Hanmer, and fo he loft the comfort of his neigh-
bourhood ; but withal it drew Mr Laurence from Buf-
church to Whitchurch parifli, where he continued till
he was driven thence too.

Mr Henry's houfe at Broad- Oak was but four com-
puted miles from the utnioft limits of Worthenbury
parifh, but he got it meafured, and accounting 1760
yards to a mile {^according to the Statute 35 Eliz. cap.
6.) it was found to be juil five miles and threefcore
yards, which one would think,might have been his fe-
curity : but there were thofe near him who were ready
to ftretch fuch laws to the utmofi: rigor, unlfer' pretence
of conflruing them in favouV of the King, and there-
fore would have it be underftood of computed miles.
This obliged him for fome time to leave his family, and
to fojourn amcngiiis friends, to whom he endeavoured,
where-ever he came, to impart fome fpiritual gift. At
lafthe ventured home; preiumiTig, among other things,
that the warrant by which he was made colleftor o£
the roval aid, v/hile that continued, would fecure him,

iiccording

5^^ Life of Mr Philip Henry. lor

according to a provifo in the lafl: claufe of the act,
which, when the gentlemen perceived, they difcharged
him from that office before he had ferved out the
time.

He was mtich affe6;ed with it, that the burning of
London happened fp foon after the non-conformi(l*
were banifhed out of it. He thought it was in mercy
to them that they were removed before that defolating
judgment came, but that it fpoke aloud to our go-
vernors, " Let my people go, that they may ferve
" me ; and if ye will not, behold thus and thus will I
*' do unto you.'* This was the Lord's voice crying
in the city.

In the beginning of the year 1 667, he removed with
his family to Whitchurch, and dwelt there above a
year, except that for one quarter of a year, about har-
veft, he returned again to Broad-Oak. His remove to
Whitchurch was partly to quiet his adverfaries, who
were ready to quarrel with him upon the five-mile aft,
and partly for the benefit of the fchool there for his
children.

There, in April following, he buried his eldefi fon,
not quite fix years old, a child of extraordinary preg-
nancy and forwardnefs in learning, and of a very to-
wardly difpofition : his charadcr of this child is,

. t'n^lerque aelaUm nil puerile fuit.

This child, before" he was feizeJ wilh the ficknefs
whereof he died, was much affected with fome verfes,
which he met with in Mr White's Power of Godlinefs,
faid to be found in the pocket of a hopeful young man,
who died before he was twenty-four years old. Of
his own accqfd he got them without book, and would
be often rehearfing them, they were thefe :

Not twice twelve years (he might Uy

N :t half twelve years) full told, a wearied breath

I have exclunged for a happv death.

Shprt was my life j the longer is my refi:,

God takes them fooneft whom he loveth bed.

102 ^he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

He that is born to-day, and dies to-morrow,

Lofes fome hours of joy, but months ot forrovv ;

Other difeafes often come to gri. ve us,

Death llrikcs but once, and that ftroke doth relivfve us.

This was a great affliction to the tender parents ;
Ik'Ir Henry writes upon it in the rclleftion,

^icquid amas cupias non placmjje minis.

Many years after, he faid, he thought he did apply
to himfelf at that time, but too fenfibly, that fcripture,
Lam. iii. i. " I am the man that hath feen affiidion."
And he would fay to his friends upon fuch occafions,
" Lofers think they may have leave to fpeak, but thcv
*' muiL have a care what they fay, left, fpeaking amils
" to God's diflionour, they make work for repentance,
" and fhed tears that muft be wept over again." He
obfers'-ed concerning this child, that he. had always
been very patient under rebuke?, " The remembrance
of which (faith he) teacheth me now how to carry it
under the rebukes of my heavenly Father." His pray-
er under this providence was, " Shevv^ me. Lord, fnew
me wherefore thou con tend eft with me ; have I over-
boafted, over-lov'd, over-priz'd ?" A Lord's day in-
tervening between the death and burial of the child,
" I attended (faith he) on publick ordinances, though
fad in fpirit, as Job, wh^, after all the evil tidings that
were brought him,- whereof death of children was the
laft and heavierl, yet fell down and worfliipped." And
he v.-ouId often fay upon fuch occafions, that weeping
muft not hinder fowlng. Upon the interment of the
child, he writes, "Ivly dear child, now mine no lon-
ger, was laid in the cold earth ; not loft, but fown to
be raifcd again a glorious body, and I fiiall go to him,
but he ihall not return to me." A fev/ days after, his
dear friend Mr Lawrence (then nving in Whitchurch
parifii) buried a daughter, that was grown up and very
hopeful, and gave good evidence of a work of grace
wrought upon h«r foul : How willing (faith he) may
parents be to part with fuch when the Lord calls ; they

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 103

are not ajuijji but praemijji. And he hath this further
remark, " The Lord hath made his poor fervants,
that have been often companions in his work, now
companions in tribulation, the very fame tribuiation 5
nie for my fin, him for his trial."

While he liv'd at Whitchurch, he attended conftant-
ly upon the pubhck miniftry, and there (as ever) he
was careful to come to the beginning of the fervice,
whi':h he attended upon with reverence and devotion;
Handing all the time, even while the chapters were
read. In the evening of the I^ord's day, he fpent fome
liiiie in inltruding his family, to which a few of his
friends and neighbours in the town would fometimes
come in ; and it was a little gleam of opportunity, but
very fiiort, for (as he notes) " He was offended at it,
who fhould rather Iiave rejoiced, if by any means the
work might be carried on in his people's fouls."

He obferves in his diary this year, ho v.' zealous
people had generally been for the obfervation of Lent
a while ago, and how cold they are towards it now.
The fame he notes of proceiiions in afcenfion-week ;
for (faith he) what hath no good foundation will not
hold up long : but in that which is duty, and of God,
it is good to be zealoufiy aifefted always.

In this year (I think) v/as the firft time that he ad-
miniflred the Lord's Supper (very privately to be fure)
after he was filenced by the ad of uniformity, and he
did not do it without mature deliberation. A fear of
fparation kept him from it fo long ; what induced him
to it at lafl, I find thus under his ov/n hand : " I ara
a minifter of Chrift, and as fuch 1 am obliged, Vtriute
(fficii^ by ail means to endeavour the (;ood of fouls.
Now here's a company of ferioua Chriilians, whofe lot
I.; call to live in a parilh where there is one fet over
them who preacheth the truth ; and they come to hear
him, and join with him in other paits of worihip ; on-
ly as to the Lord's Supper ; theyfcruple the lawfulnefs
of thegeilure of kneeling ; and he tells them, his hands
are tied, and he cannot adminiiter it unto them any

other

104 l^e Life of Mr Philip Henry.

other way ; wherefore they come to me, and tell me,
they earneflly long for that ordinance ; and there is a
competent number of them, and opportunity to par-
take ; and how dare I deny this requell of theirs, with-
out betraying my miniiterial truft, and incurring the
guilt of a grievous omiffion."

In February 1667-8, Mr Laurence and he were in-
vited by fome of their friends to Betley in Staffordiliire,
and (there being fome little pubUc connivance at chat
time) with the confent of all concerned, they adventu-
red to preach in the church, one in the morning, and
the other in the afternoon of the Lord's day, very peace-
ably and profitably. This adion of theirs was prefent-
ly after reported in the lioufe of Commons by a mem-
ber of Parliament, with thefe additions, that they tore
the common-prayer book, trampled the furplice under
r^heir feet, pull'd the minifter of the place out of the
pulpit, &c. Reports which there was not the lead co-
lour for. But that, with fome other fuch like falfe
ftories, produced an addrefs of the Houfe of Commons
to the King, to iiTue out a proclamation, for the put-
ting of the laws in execution againft papifls and non-
conformiilis, which was ifiued out accordingly ; though
the King, at the opening of that feffion, a little before,
had declared his defire, that fome courfe might be ta-
ken to compofe the minds of his proteflant fubje£ls
in matters of religion ; which had raifed the expe(^a-
tions of fome, that there would be fpeedy enlargement;
but Mr Henry had noted upon it, " We cannot ex-
pect too little from man, nor too much from GOD.'*
And here it may be very pertinent to obferve, how
induftrious Mr Henry was at this time, when he and
his friends fuffered fuch hard things from the govern-
ment, to preferve and promote a good affection to the
government notwIthRanding. It v/as commonly charg-
ed at that time upon the non-conformills in general,
efpecially from the pulpits, that they were all a fafli-
ous and turbulent people, and, as was faid of old, Ezra
iv. 16, " hurtful to Kings and provinces j" that their

meetings

Ibe Life of Mr Philip Henry. 105

meetings were for the fowing of fedition and difcon-
tents, and the like ; and there is fome reafon to think,
that one thing intended by the hardfliips put upon them
was to drive them to this. There is a way oi making
a wife man mad. But how peaceably they carried them-
felves, is manifeft to God, and in the confciences of
many. For an inftance of it, it will not be amifs to
give fome account of a fermon which Mr Henry
preached in fohie very private meetings, fuch as were
called feditious convemicles, in the year 1669, when it
was a day of treading down, and of perplexity ; it
was on that text, Pfal. xxxv. 20. " Againft them that
" are quiet in the land ;" whence (not to curry fa-
vour with rulers, for whatever the fermon was, the
very preaching of it, had it been known, muft have
been feverely punifhed, but purely out of confcience
towards God) he taught his friends this doctrine^
" That it is the character of the people of God, that!
they are a quiet people in the land.'' " This quietnefs
" he defcribed to be an orderly, peaceable fubjedion
to governors and government in the Lord. We muft
maintain a reverent efleem of them, and of their
authority, in oppofition to defpifmg dominion, 2
Pet. ii. 10. ; we mult be meek under fevere com-
mands, and burthenfome im»pofitions, not murmur-
ing and complaining, as the Israelites againft Mofes
an4 Aaron ; but take them up as our crofs in our
" way, and bear them as we do foul weather. We
" muft not fpeak evil of dignities, Jade, ver. 8. ; nor
" revile the gods, Exod. xxii. 28. Paul checked him-
" felf for this, Acts xxiii. 5. I did not confider it, if
" I had, I would not have faid fo. We muir not tra-
" duce their government as Abfalom did David's, 2
" Sam. XV. 3. Great care is to be taken, how we fpeak
'' of the faults of any, efpecially of rulers, Ecci. x.
" 20. — The people of God do make the word^of God
" their rule, and by that they are taught, (i.) that
'' magiftracy is God's ordinance, and magiltrates
" God's mmiiters ; that bv Him kings reign, and the

O ^ "' DOWLI-:

ic6 T/^^ Z.j/'^o/' Mr Philip Henry.

'' powers that be are ordained of him. (2.) That they,
*' as well as others, are to have their dues, honour,
'* and fear, and tribute. (3.) That their lawful com-
" mands are to bp obey'd, and that readily and chear-
" fully, Titus iii. i. (4.) That the penalties inflicted
" for not obeying unlawful commands are patiently
'* to be undergone. This is the rule, and as many
" as walk according to this rule, peace fhall be upon
*' them, and there can be no danger of their unpeace-
" ablenefs. They are taught to pray for kings and all
" in authority, i Tim. ii. 1,2.; and God forbid we
" (hould do otherwife : yea, tho* they perfecute, Jer.
*' xxix. 7. ; peaceable prayers befpeak a peaceable peo-
" pie, Pfal. cix. 4. If fome profeffing religion have
** been unquiet, their unquietnefs hath given the lye to
" their profeffion, Jude, ver. 8, 11, 12. Quietnefs is
" our badge. Col. iii. 12.; 'twill be our ftrength, Ifa.
" XXX. 7, 15. ; our rejoicing in the day of evil, Jer.
" xviii. 18. ; it is pleafmgto God, i Tim. ii. 2, 3.; it
" may work upon others, i Peter ii. 12, 13. The
" means he prefcribed for the keeping of us quiet,
" were to get our hearts fill'd with the knowledge and
*' belief of thefe two things, i . That the kingdom of
^' Chrifh is not of this world, John xviii. 36. ; many
" have thought otherwife, and it hath made them un-
" quiet. 2. That the wrath of man worketh not the
*' righteoufnefs of God, James i. 20. ; he needs not
" our fin to bring to pafs his own counfei. We mufl
*' mortify unquietnefs in the cailfes of it, James iv. i.;
^' we muft always remember the oath of God, EccK
*' viii. 2. ; the oath of allegiance is an oath of quiet-
" nefs : and we muft beware of the company and
" converfe of thofe that are unquiet, Prov. xxii. 24,
" 25. Tho' deceitful matters be devis'd, yet we muft
*' be quiet ftill ; nay, be {o much the more quiet."

I have been this large in gathering thefe hints out
of that fermon, (which he took all occafions in other
fermons to inculcate, as all his brethren likewife did)
t-iiat if pollible it may be a convidion to the prefent ge-
neration ;

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 107

deration ; or however, may be a witnefs in time to
come, that the non-conformift minifters were not e-
nemies to Caefar, nor troublers of the land ; nor their
meetings any way tending to the diflurbance of the
publick peace, but purely defign'd to help to repair
the decays of Chriftian piety.

All that knew Mr Henry, knew very well that his
practice all his days was confonant to thefe his fettled
principles.

In May, 1668, he returned again with his family
from Whitchurch to Broad-Oak, which, through the
good hand of his God upon him, continued his fet-
tled home, without any remove from it, till he was
removed to his long home above twenty-eight years
after.

The edge of the five-mile aft began now a little
to rebate, at lead in that country ; and he was de-
firous to be more ufeful to the neighbours, among
whom God had given him an eftate, than he could be
at a diftance from them by relieving the poor, employing
the labourers, and efpecially inilruding the ignorant,,
and helping as many as he could to heaven. He made
that fcripture his (landing rule, and wrote it in the be-
ginning of his book of accounts, Prov. iii. 9, 10.
" Honour the Lord with thy fubftance, &c." , And
having fet apart a day of fecret prayer and humiliation,
to beg of God a wife and underftanding heart, and to
drop a tear (as he exprelleth it) over the fms of his
predeceflbrs, formerly in that eftate, he laid out him-
felf very much in doing good. He was very fervice*
able upon all accounts in the neighbourhood, and tho*
it took up a great deal of his time, and hindred him
from his beloved ftudies, yet it might be faid of him,
as the Bifhop of Sahsbury faith of Archbifiiop Tillotfon,
in his fermon at his funeral, that he " chofe rather to
" live to the good of others than to himfelf ; and
" thought, that to do an aft: of charity, or even of
*' tendernefs and kindnefs, was of more value both in
" itfelf, and in the fight of God, than topurfue the

O 2 " pompous

io8 Ihe Life of Mr Philip Henry.

" pompous parts of learning, how much foever his
" own genius might lead him to it." ,

He was very ufeful in the com-mon concernments of
the townfhip and country, in which he was a very pru-
dent counfehor ; it was indeed a narrow fphcre of ac-
tivity, but fuch as it wa&) to him as to Job xxix. 21, 22.
" Men gav<= ear and waited, and kept filence «t his
coimfel ; after his words they fpake not again ;" and
n L my of the neighbours who refpeded iiim not as a
rninifter, yet lov'd and honour'd him as a knowing,
prudent, and humble neighbour. In the concernments
of private families, he was very far from bufying him-
feit, and further from feeking himfeif, but he was very
much bufied. advifing many about their affairs, and
the difpofal of themfeives and their children, arbitra-
ting and compofmg differences among relations and
neighbours, in which he had an excellent faculty, and
often good fuccefs, inheriting the bieffing entail'd up-
on the peace-makers. References have fometimes
been made to him by rule of court, at the allizes, with
conient of parties. He was very affable and eafv of
accefs, and admirably patient in hearing every one*s
complaint, which he would anfwer with fo much pru-
dence and miidnefs, and give fuch apt advice, that ma-
ny a time to confult with him, was to afk ccunfel at
Abel, and fo to end the matter. He obferved in
almofl all quarrels that happened, that there was a
fault, on both fides ; and that generally they were
aimofl in the fault that were molt forward and cla-
morous in their complaints. One making her moan
to him of a bad hufband (he had, that in this, and
'tother imlance was unkind ; and (Sir,) faith flie, after
along complaiut which he patiently heard. What would
you have me to d • now ? "Why truly (faith he) I would
*•' have you go home and be a better wife to him,
" and then you'll find that he will be a better hufband
*-' to you."

Jyabouring to perfuadc one to forgive an injury
that had been done him ; he urged this, Are you not a

Chriflian ?,

Ihe Life of Mr Philip Henry. 109

Chrlflian ? and follow'd that argument fo clofe, that at
laft he prevailed.

He was ve/y induflrious, and oft fuccefsful, in per-
fuading people to recede from their right, for peace
fake ; and he would for that purpofe tell them Luther's
ftory of the two goats, that met upon a narrow bridge
over a deep water ; they could not go back, they duril
not fight ; after a fhort parley, one of them lay down,
and let the other go over him, and no harm done. He
would likewife -relate Ibm.etimes a remarkable flory,
worthy to be here inferted, concerning a good friend
of his, Mr T. Y. cf Whitchurch, who in his youth was
greatly wrong'd by an unjuft uncle of his, being an
orphan ; his portion, which was 200/. was put into the
hands of that uncle ; who, when he grew up, (huffled
with him, and would give him but 40/. inftead of his
200/. and he had no way of recovering his right but by
law ; but before he would engage in that, he was will-
ing to advife with his minifler, who was the famous
Dr Twifs of Newberry : the counfel he gave him (all
things confidered) was for peace fake, and for the pre-
venting of fm and fnares, and trouble, to take the 40/.
rather than contend ; and, Thomas, (faith the Dodor)
if thou doft fo, aflure thyfelf, that God will make it up
to thee and thine, fome other way, and they that de-
fraud thee will be the lofers by it at lail. lie did fo,
und it pleafed God fo to blefs that httle which he be-
gan the world with, that when he died in a good old
age, he left his fon poiTefs'd of fom.e hundreds a year,
and he that wrong'd him fell into decay.

Many very pious worthy families in the country faid
cf Mr Henry, that they had no friend like minded,
who did naturally care for their ftate, and fo affedion-
ately fympathize with them, and in whom their hearts
could fafely trufl.

He was alfo very -charitable to the poor, and was
full of almfdeeds, M-hich he did (as it is faid of
Tabitha, Acls chapter ix. 36.) not which he faid he
v/ould do, cr which he put others on to do, but

which

1 10 7 be Life of Mr Philip Henry.

which he did himfelf, difperfmg abroad, and giv-
ing to the poor, feeking and rejoicing in opportunities
of that kind : and whenever he gave an alms for the
body, he ufually gave with it a fpiritual alms, fome
good word of counfel, reproof, inflrudion, or comfort,
as there was occafion, and in accommodating thefe to
the perfons he fpoke to, he had a great dexterity.

He was very forward to lend money freely, to any of
his poor neighbours that had occafion, and would fome-
times fay, that in many cafes there was more charity
in lending than in giving, becaufe it obliged the bor-
rower both to honefty and indullry. When one of
his neighbours, to whom he had lent three pound,
faird, fo that he was never likely to fee a farthing of
it, he writes thus upon it , " no twith (landing this, yet
ftill I judge it my duty to lend," Luke xi. 35. Tho*
what is lent in charity be not repaid, yet it is not loft.
When thofe that had borrowed money of him paid him
again, he ufually gave them back fome part, to encou-
rage honefty. He judged the taking of moderate intereft
for money lawful, where the borrower was in a way
of gaining by it : but he would advife his friends that
had money, rather to difpofe of it otherways, if they
could.

It mufl: not be forgotten, how pundual and exaft he
was in all his accounts with tenants, workmen, &c. be-
ing always careful to keep fuch things in black and
white (as he us'd to fay) which is the fureft way to
prevent miftakes, and a man*s wronging either himfelf
or his neighbour ; fuch was his prudence, and fuch his
patience and peaceablenefs, that of all the time he was
at Broad-Oak, he never fued any, nor ever was fued,
but was inftrumental to prevent many a vexatious law,
fuit among his neighbours. He ufed to fay. There are
four rules to be duly obferved in going to law;
(i.) We muft not go to law for trifles, as he did who
faid, he would rather fpend a hundred pound in law
than lofe a pennyworth of his right. Matt. v. 3 9, 40,
41. (2.) We muft not be rafh and hafty in it, but

try

Ihe Life of Mr Philip Henry. hi

try all other means poilible to compofe differences,
wherein he that yields moft, as Abraham did to Lot, is
the better man, and there is nothing loft by it in the
end, I Cor. vi. i, i. (3.) We muft fee that it be
without malice or defire of revenge. If the undoing
of our brother, be the end of our going to law, as it is
with many, 'tis certainly evil, and it fpeeds accordingly.
(4.) It muft be with a difpofition to peace, whenever
it may be had, and an ear open to all overtures of
that kind. The two mottos proper for the great guns
are applicable to this, Katto ultima Regutn and Sic quae-
rwius tacem.

'Four rules he fometimes gave to be obferved in our
converfe with men :

Have communion with few,
Be familiar with one ;
Deal juft'y with all,
Speak evil of none.

He was noted for an extraordinary neat hufoand
about his houfe and ground, which he would often
fay, he could not endure to fee like the field of the
llothful, and the vineyard of the man void of under-
ftanding. And it was ftrange, how eafily one that
bad been bred up utterly a ftranger to fuch things ;
yet when God fo ordered his lot, acquainted himfelf
with, and accommodated himfelf to the affairs of the
country, making it the diverfion of his vacant hours,
to over-fee his gardens and fields ; when he better un-
derftood that known epode of Horace, " Beatus ills
" qui procul negotiis,'* than he did when in his youth
he made an in> enious tranflation of it. His care of
this kind was an aft of charity to poor labourers whom
he employed ; and it was a good example to his neigh-
bours, as well as for the comfort of his family. His
converfe likewife with thefe things was excellently im-
proved, for fpiritual purpofes, by occafional medita-
tions, hints of which there are often in his diary, as
thofe that converfed with him had many in difcourfe :

Inftancee

1 1 2 The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

Inflances of this were eafy, but endlefs to give. He
ufed to fay, that therefore many of the fcripture para-
bles and fimilitudes are taken from the common actions
of this life, that when our hands are employed about
them, our hearts may the more eaiily pafs through
them to divine and heavenly things. I have heard
him often blame thofe, whofe irregular zeal in the pro-
feflion of religion, makes them to neglefl: their worldly
bufinefs, and let the houfe drop through ; the affairs
of which the good man will order with difcretlon ; and
he would tell fometimes of a religious woman, whofe
fault it was, how flie was convinced of it, by means
of an intelligent godly neighbour ; who coming into
the houfe, and finding the good woman, far in the
day, in her clofet, and the houfe fadly neglefted, chil-
dren not tended, fervants not minded ; " What, faith
he, is there no fear of God in this houfe ?" which much
ftartled and affefted the good woman, that over-heard
him. He would often fay, " Every thing is beautiful
in its feafon ;" and that it is the wifdom of the pru-
dent, fo to order the duties of their general callings
as Chriftians, and thofe of their particular callings in
the world, as that they may not clafh or interfere : I
have heard it obferved from Eccl. vii. i6. That there
may be over-doing in well-doing.

1 cannot omit one little palfage in his diary, becaufe
it may be inilruclive : When he was once defired to
be bound for one that had upon a parti-;:ular occafion
been bound for him, he writes, Solomon faith "He
" that hateth furetiifjip is fure ; but he faith alfo, he
" that hath friends muit fhew himfelf friendly." But
he ahvays cautioned thofe that became fureties. not to
be bound for any more than they knew themf^lves a-
ble to pay, nor for more than they would be v.iiling
to pay, if the principal fail.

His houfe at Broad Oak was by the road fide, which,
though it had its inconveniences, yet (he would fay)
pleafed him well, becaufe it gave his friends an oppor-
tunity of calling on him the cftner, and gave him an

opportunity

'The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 113

opportunity of being kind to flrangers, and fuch as
were any way diflreired upon the road, to whom he
was, upon ali occafions, cheerfully ready ; fully anfwer-
ing the apolHe's charader of a bifhop, that he muft
be of good behaviour, decent, affable, and obliging
and given to hofpitality, iflim. iii. 2.; like Abraham,
fitting at his tent-door, in queft of opportunities to do
good. If he met with any poor near his houfe, and
gave them alms in money, yet he would bid them go
to his door befides, for relief there. He was very ten-
der and compaifionate towards poor ftrangers and tra-
vellers, though his charity and candor were often im-
pofed upon by cheats and pretenders, whom he was
not. apt to be fufpicious of; but v»^ould fc;y in the mod
favourable fenfe, Thou knowefb not the heart of a
flranger. If any alked his charity, whofe reprefenta-
tion of their cafe he did not like, or who he thought
did amifs to take that courfe, he would firil: give them
an alms, and then mildly reprove them ; and labour
to convince them that they were out of the way of
duty, and that they could not expeft that God fliould
blefs them in it'| and would not chide them, but rea-
fon with them : And he would fay, if he ihould tell
them of their faults, and not give them an alms, the
reproof would look only like an excufe to deny his
charity, and would be rejecled accordingly.

In a word, his greatefl care about the things of this
world was, hovif to do good with what he had, and to
devife liberal things ; defiring to make no other ac-
cefTion to his eftate, but only that bleffing which at-
tends beneficence. He did firmly believe (and it fliould
feem few do) that what is given ;o the poor is lent to
the Lord, who will pay it again in kind or kindnefs ;
and that religion and piety is furely the befl friend to
outward profperity, and he found it fo ; for it pleafed
God abundantly to blefs his habitation, and to make a
hedge about him, and about ali that he had round a-
bout : and tho' he did not delight himfelf in the abun-
dance of wealth j yet, which is far better, he delight-

P ed

1 14 The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

ed himfelf in the abundance of peace, Pfal. xxxvii. 1 1 .
All that he had and did obiervably profpered; fo that
the country oftentimes took notice of it, and called his
family, a family which the Lord had bleffed. And
hio comforts of this kind were (as he ufed to pray they
might be) oil to the wheels of his obedience, and in
the ufe of thel'e things he ferved the Lord his God with
joyfulnefs and gladnefs of heart, yet ilill mindful of
and grieved for the afliidlion of Jbfeph. He would lay
fometime?, when he was in the midlt of the comforts
of this life,, as that good man : — All this, and heaven
too ! furely then we ferve a good Mafler. Thus did
the Lord blefs him, and make him a blefiing ; and this
abundant grace through the thankfgiving of many,
redoun:-£d to the glory of God.
, Having given this general account of his circum-
flances at Broad-Oak, we fliall now go on with his
ftory, efpecially as to the exercife of his miniftry there,
and thereabouts ; for that was the thing in which he was,
and to which he chiefly gave himieif. After this fettle-
ment at Brond-Oak, whenever there was preaching at
Whitewell Chapel (as ufuiJly there was two Lord's
days in the month) he conRantly attended there with
his family, was ufually with the firft, and reverently
joined in the public fervice ; he diligently wrote the
fermons ; always (laid if the ordinance of baptifm was
adminiftred, but not if there were a wedding, for he
thought that a folemnity not proper for the Lord's day.
He often djn'd the minifter that preach'd ; after din-
ner he fung a pfalm, repeated the morning fermoi),
and pray'd ; and then attended in like manner in the
afternoon. In the ev.:ning he preach'd to his own fa-
mily ; and perhaps two or three of his neighbours
would drop in to him. On thofe Lord's days when
there was no preaching at the Chapel, he fpent the
whole day at home, and many an excellent fermon he
preach'd, when there were prefent only four befides
his own family (and perhaps not fo manyj according
to the limitation of the conventicle ad. In ihcfe nar-
row

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. i i^

row private circumftances he preached over the former
part of the Affembly's Catechifm, from divers texts; he
alfo preached over pfahn cxvi. befides many particular
occafional fubjecls.

What a grief of heart it was to him, to be thus put
under a bufliel, and confin'd to fuch a narrow fphere of
uiefuinefs, read in his own words, wliich I fhall tran-
fcribe out of an elegy he made (to give vent to his
thoughts) upon the death of his worthy friend Mr Geo.
Mainwaring, fometime minifler of Malpas, (who was
filenced by the aCt of uniformity, and died Mar. 14.
1669-70.) wherein he thus bewails (fsehngiy enough)
the like reflraints and confinements of his friend :

His later years hefadlyfpenf, ^
Wrapt up injilcnce and reJJraint.
A hurthenfuch as none do know.
But they that do it under go ^
To have a fire Jhut up and pent
Within the boxvels, and ?io vent ;
To have gorged Breafls, and by a law^
Thofe that fain would ^ forbidden to draw.
But his dumb Sabbaths here^ did prove
Loud crying Sabbaths in heaven above.
His tears, when he might fow no more^
Wai'ring what he had /own before.

Soon after his fettlei^ent at Broad Oak, he took a
young fcholar into the houfe with him ; partly to teach
his fon, and partly to be a companion to himfeif to
converfe with him, and to receive help and inftrudlion
from him; and for many years he was feldora without
one or other fuch ; who before their going to the Uni-
verfity, or in the intervals of their attendance there,
would be in his family, fitting under his iliadow. One .
of the nrft he had vvith him, in the year 1668, (and af-
ter) was Mr William Turner, born in the neighbour-
hood; afterwards of Edmund Hall in Oxford, nov/
vicar of Walberron in SulTex. to whom the world is be-

P 2 holden

1 16 The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

holden for that elaborate hiftory of all religions which
he publifhed in the year 1695, and from whom is ear-
neftly expeQed the performance of that noble and ufe-
ful projeft for the record of providences. Betwixt Mr
Henry and him there was a moft entire and affedion-
ate friendfhip ; and notwithftanding that diftance of
place, and conftant and endearing correfpondence, kept
up as long as Mr Henry liv'd.

It was obferv'd that feveral young men who had fo-
journ'd with him, and were very hopeful and likely
to be ferviceable to their generations, dy'd foon after
their removal from him, (I could inftance fix or fe-
ven,) as if God had fent them to him to be prepared
for another world, before they were call'd for out of
this ; yet never any dy'd while they were with him.

He had fo great a kindnefs for the univerfity, and
valu'd fo much the mighty advantages of improvement
there, that he advis'd all his friends who defign'd their
children for fcholars, to fend them thither, for many
years after the change, though he always counted up-
on their conformity. But long experi'^nce altered his
mind herein, and he chofe rather to keep his own fon
at hame with him, and to give him what help he could
there, in his education, than venture him into the
fnares and temptations of the univerfity.

It was alfo foon after this fettlement of his at Broad-
Oak, that he contrafted an intimate frienddiip with that
learned, and pious, and judicious gentleman Mr Hunt
of Boreatton, (the fon of colonel Hunt of Salop) and
with his excellent lady Frances, daughter of the right
honourable the lord Paget. The acquaintance then
begun betwixt Mr Henry and that worthy family con-
tinued to his dying day, about thirty years. One Lord's
day in a quarter he commonly fpent with them, be-
fides other interviews ; and it was a conftant rejoicing
to him to fee religion and the power of godlinefs up-
permoft, in fuch ,a family as that, when net many
mighty, not many noble are called ; and the branches
of it branches of righteoufnefs, the planting of the

I.ordr

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. i 17

Lord. Divers of the honourable relations of that fa-
mily contrafted a very great refpe£t for him, particu-
larly the prefent lord Paget, his Majefcy's Ambaf-
fador at the Ottoman court, and Sir Henry Ailiurft,
whom we (hall have occafion afterwards to make men-
tion of.

In the time of trouble and diftrefs, by the conven-
ticle aft, in 1670, he kept private and ftirr'd little a-
broad, as loth to offend thofe that were in power, and
judging it prudence to gather in his fails, when the
florm was violent : He then obferv'd, as that which
he was troubled at ; '' That there was a great deal of
" precious time loft among profefTors, when they came
*' together, in difcourfmg of their adventures to meet,
" and their efcapes, which he feared tended more to
*' fet up felf, than to give glory to God." Alfo in
telling how they got together, and fuch a one preach-
ed, but little enquiring what fpiritual benefit ancj ad-
vantage was reaped by it ; and that we are apt to make
the circumftances of our religious fervices, more the
■ matter of our difcourfe, than the fubftance of them.
We fhall clofe this chapter with two remarks out
of his diary, in the year 1671, which will fliew what
manner of fpirit he was of, and what were his fenti-
ments of things at that time. One is this, " All ac-
" knowledge that there is at this day a number of fo-
" ber, peaceable men, both minifters and others, a-
" mong diffenters, but who either faith or doth any
" tiling to oblige them ? who defireth or endeavour-
" eth to open the door to let in fuch ? nay, do they
*' not rather provoke them to run into the fame ex-
*' travagancies with others by making no difference,
" but laying load on them as if they were as bad as
" the worft." 'Tis true, that about this time the lord
keeper Bridgman and bifliop Wilkins, and the lord
Chief Juftice Hale, were making fome overtures to-
v/ards an accommodation with them ; but it is as true,
that thofe overtures did but the more exafperated their
adverfaries, (who were ready to account fuch moder-
ate

1 1 8 Ihe Life of Mr Philip Henry.

ate men the woril enemies the church of England ha^i,)
and the event was, greater afts of fe verity.

Another is this, " If all that hath been faid and
*' written to prove that prelacy is antichriflian, and
" that it is unlawful to join in the common -prayer,
" had been efFeftually to perfwade bifhops to ftudy
" and do the duty of church-rulers, in preaching and
" feeding the flock, according to the word, and to
*' perfwade people to be ferious in-v/ard, and fpiritiial
" the in ufe of forms, it had been better with the
" church of God in England, than it now is." Con-
fonant to the fpirit of this remark, was that which he
took all occafions to mention as his fettled princijole :
" In thofe things wherein all the people of God are
" agreed, 1 will fpend my zeal ; and wherein they
" differ I will endeavour to walk according to the
" light that God hath given me, and charitably be-
" lieve that others do fo too.'*

CHAP. VI.

His liberty by the indulgence in the year 1 672, a?id
thence/o?'wards to the year i68[.

NOTWITHSTANDING the fevcre aci againft con-
venticles, in the year 1670, yet the non-conform-
ifts in London ventur'd to fet up meetings in 1671,
and ware conniv'd at ; but in the country there V'/as
little liberty taken till the King's declaration of March
15, 1671-2, gave countenance and encouragement to
it. What v/ere the fecrct fprings which produced that
declaration time difcovered ; however, it was to the
poor diifenters as life from the dead, and gave them
feme reviving in their bondage ; God gracioufly order-
ing it fo, that the fpirit he had made might not fail
before him. But fo precarious a liberty was it, that
it fhould never be faid, thofe people v/ere hard to be
pleafed, v/ho v/cre fo well pleafed with that, and thank-
ed

I'he Life of Mr Phtltp Henry. 119

ed God, who put fuch a thing into the King's heart.
The tenor of that declaration was this : " In confider-
ation of the inefficacy of rigor, tried for divers years,
and to invite flrangers into the kingdom, ratifying the
ellabhOiment in the church of England, it fufpends
penal laws againff all non-conformiits and recufants,
promifeth to licsnfe feparate places for meetings, lim-
iting papift s only to private houfes."

On this Mr Henry writes, " It is a thing diverfly
refeii^ed, as mens interefls lead them ; the conform-
ifts difpleafed, the prclbyterians glad, the indepen-
dents very glad, the papills triumph. The danger
is (faith he) left the allowing of fi:parate places help
to overthrow our pariili-order, which God hath
own'd, and to beget divifions and animofities among
us, which no honeft heart but would rather fhould
be healed. We are put hereby (faith he) into a
tiilemma, either to turn independents -in prafliice,-
or to ftrike in with the conformifts, or to fit down
in former filence and fufferings (and filence he ac-
counted one of the greateft fuiierings) till the Lord
fliall open a more effeftuai door." That which (he
faith) he then heartily wifhed for, was, " That thofe who
were in place, would admit the fober non-conform-
ifts to preach fometimes occafionally in their pul-
pits ; by which means he thought prejudices would
in time wear off on both fides, and they might mu-
tually ftrengthen each other's hands againft the
common enemy the papifts, who he forelaw would
fifli belt in troubled v/aters." This he would chufe
nuch rather than to keep a feparate meeting : but it
could not be had ; no, not fo much as le:ive to preach
n Whitewell-chapel when it was vacant, as it often
vas, though 'twere three long miles from the parifh-
church. He found that fome people, the more they
are courted, the more coy they are ; however, the
overtures he made to this purpofe, and the flow fteps
he took towards the fetting up of a diflinfl: congrega-
tion, yielded him fatisfadion aftcrv/ards in the reflec-
tion,

1 20 7 he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

tion, when he could fay, we would have been united,
and they would not.

'Twas feveral weeks after the declaration came out,
that he received a Hcenfe to preach, as Paul did, in his
own houfe, and elfewhere, no man forbidding him.
This was procurM for him by fome of his friends in
London, without his privity, and came to him alto-
gether unexpected. The ufe he m.ade of it was, that
at his own houfe, what he did before to his own fami-
ly, and in private, the doors being fhut for fear, he
now did more publicly; threw his doors open, and wel-
comed his neighbours to him, to partake of his fpiritu-
al things. Only one fermon in the evening of the
Lord's day, when there was preaching at Whiiewell-
chapel, where he flill continued his attendance with
his family and friends as ufual ; but when there was
not, he fpent the whole day, at public time, in the fer-
vices of the day, expofition of the fcriptures read, and
preaching, with prayer and praife. This he did gratis,
receiving nothing for his labours, either at home or a-
broad, but the fatisfadion of doing good to fouls (which
was his meat and drink) with the trouble and charge
of giving entertainment to many of his friends, v/hich
he did with much chearfulnefs ; and he would fay, he
fometimes thought that the bread did even multiply in
the breaking ; and he found that God did abundantly
blefs his provilion, with that bleffing, which, as he ufed
to fay, will make a Httle to go a great way. He was
wont to obferve, for the encouragement of fuch as had
meetings in !"heir houfes, (which fometimes drew upon
them inconveniences) that the ark is a guefl that al-
wavs pays well for its entertainment. And he noted,
that when Chrift had borrowed Peter's boat to preach
a fermon out of it, he prefently repaid him for the
loan, with a great draught of fifhes, Luke v. 3, 4.

Many thoughts of heart he had concerning this ufe
he made of the liberty, not knowing what would be in
the end hereof; but after ferious confideration, and
many prayers, he faw his way very plain before him,

and

^he Life of Mr Phili? Henry. i 2 r

and adtlrefled himfelf with all diligence, to the improve-
ment of tliis gale of opportunity, bonie had difmal
apprehenfions of the iffue of it ; and that there would
be an after-reckoning: but (faith he) let us mind our
duty, and let God alone to order events, which are his
work, not ours.

It was a word upon the wheels, which he preached
at that time for his own encouragement, and the en-
couragement of his friends, from that fcripture, Eccl.
xi. 4. " He that obferves the wind fliall not fow, and
" he that regardeth the clouds fliall not reap." fhofe
that are minded either to do good, or get good, mud
not be frighted with feeming difficulties and difcourage-
ments. Our v/ork is to fow and reap, to do good and
get good ; and let us mind that, and let who will mind
the winds and clouds. " A lion in the way, a lion in
" the llreets ;" a very unlikely place (he would fay)
for lions to be in ; and yet that ferves the Iluggard for
gn excufe.

While this liberty lafled, he was in labours more a-
bundant ; many ledures he preached abroad in 6hrop-
(hire, Chefhire, and Denbighfliire, laying out himfelf
exceedingly for the good of fouls, fpending and being
fpent in the work of the Lord. And of that neigh-
bourhood and of that time it was faid, that " this and
" that man was born again, then and there ;" and
many there were who aiked the v/ay to Zion with their
faces thitherwards, and were (not profelyted to a party,
but) favingly brought home to Jefus Chrift. I mean
this ; fuch as had been vain and worldly, and carelefs,
and mindlefs of God and another world, became fober
and ferious, and concern'd about their fouls, and a fu-
ture ftate. This was the converfion of fouls, aimed at,
and laboured after, and through grace not alto^;ether
in vain. Whatever lectures were fet up in the country
round, 'twas ftill dcfired that Mr Henry would begin
them (which vvas thought no fmall encouragement' to
thofe who were to carry them on) and very happy he
was, both in the choice and management of his fubje£ts

Q^ at

122 T^hc Life of Mr Philip Henry.

at fuch opportunities, feeking to find out acceptable
words. Take one fpecimen of his addrefs, when he
began a lefture with a fermon on Heb- xii. 15. "I af-
" fure you (faith he) and God is my witnefs, I am
*' not come to preach, either fedition agalnfl; the peace
'* of the ftate, or fchifm againft the peace of the church,
*' by perfuading you to this or that opinion or party ;
" but as a minifter of Chnfl, that hath received mer-
'' cy from the Lord, to defire to be faithful, my er-
*' rand is to exhort you to all poffible ferioufnefs, in
*' the great buiinefs of your eternal falvation, accord-
*' \vlz to my text, which, if the Lord will make as pron
*' fitable to you, as it is material and of weight in it-
*' felf, neither you nor 1 fnad have caufe to repent our
" coming hither, and our being here to-day; looking
'* diligently, left any ol you fail 01 the grace of God.
" Ir it 'vere the lait fermon I were to preach, 1 did not
*' know how ro take my ann better to do you good.**
In doing 'f this work, he often faid, that he looked
upon himfelf but as an aflillant to the parifli minifters,
in promoting the common interefls of Chrift's king-
dom, and the common falvation of precious fouls, by
the explication and application of thofe great truths
wherein we are all agreed. And he would compare
the cafe to that in Hezekiah*s time, when the Levites
helped the Priefls to Idll the facrifice, which was fome-
thing of an irregularity; but the exigence of affairs calr
led for it, the priefls being too few, and fome of them
not fo careful as they fhould have been, to fan6Hfy
themfelves, 2 Chr. xxix. 34.; and wherever he preach-
ed, he ufually pray'd for the parifli minifter, and for a
blefTmg upon his miniftry. He hath often faid how
well pleas'd he was, when, after he had preached a lec-
ture at Ofweftry, he went to vifit the minifter of the
p ace, Mr Edwards, a worthy good man, and told him,
he had been fowing a handful of feed among his peo-
ple, and had this anfwer, '* That's well, the Lord prof-
" per your feed and mine too, there's need enough of
i' us both." And another worthy conformiil that

came

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 123

came privately to hear him, but was reprimanded for
it by his fuperiors, told him afterwards with tears,
that his heart was with him.

His heart was wonderfully enlarged in his work at
this time, the fields were white unto the harvefl ; and
he was bufy, and God did remarkably own him, fet-
ting many feals to his miniftry, which much confirmed
him in what he did. He hath this obfervable paflage
in his diary, about this time, which he recorded for
his after benefit (and the example of it may be inftruc-
tive) " Remember, that if trouble fhould come hereaf-
" ter, for what we do now in the ufe of prefent liberty,
*' I neither fhrink from it, nor fmk under it ; for I do
*' therein approve myfelf to God, and to my own con-
" fcience, in truth and uprightnefs ; and the Lord
*' whom I ferve, can, and will certainly both bear ms
*' out, and bring me off with comfort in the end. I
" fay, Remember, and forget it not, this 24th day of
" March, 1672-3."

'Twas at the beginning of this liberty that the Socie-
ty at Broad Oak did commence ; made up (befides
their neighbou'-hood) of fome out of Whitchurch, and
Whitchurch parifh, that had been Mr Porter's people,
fome out of Hanmer parilh, that had been Mr Steel's,
and fome out of the parifhes of Wem, Frees, and Ellif-
mere; perfons generally of very moderate and fober
principles, quiet and peaceable lives, and hearty well-
wifhers to the King and Government ; and not rigid
or,fchifmatical in their feparation, but willing to attend
(though fometimes with difficulty and hazard) upou
thofe adminiftrations which they found mofl lively and
edifying, and mofl helpful to them, in the great bufi-
nefs of working out their falvation. To this Society
he would never call himfelf a paftor, nor was he will-
ing that they fhould call him fo ; but a helper, and a
minifter of Chrift for their good. He would fay, " That
'* he look'd upon his family only as his charge, and
" his preaching to others was but accidental, whom if
" they came, he could no more turn av/ay than he

0^2 " could

X24 1'he Life of Mr "Philip Heniry.

" could a poor hungry man, that fhould come to his
" door for an alms. And being a minifter of Jcfus
*' Chrift, he thought himlelf bound to preach the gof-
*' pel as he had opportunity."

Ufually once a month he adminiflred the ordinance
of the Lord's fupper. Some of his opportunities of
that kind he fets a particular remark upon, as fweet
fealing days, on which he found it good to draw near
to God.

When about the year's end there was a general ex-
peftation of the, cancelling of the indulgence, he hath
this note upon a precious fabbath and facrament day,
as he calls it, " Perhaps this may he the laft; Father, thy
" will be done : it is good for us to be at fuch uncer-
" tain ties ; for now we receive our liberty from our
*' Father frelh every day, which is befl and fweetefl
" of all."

On the. 3d of March, 1676-7, being Saturday night,
the Town of Wrm in Shropfhire (about fix miles from
him) was burnt down ; the church, market -houfe, and
about one hundred and twenty-fix dwelling houfes, and
one man, in little more than an hour's time, the wind
being exceeding violent ; at which time Mr Henry was
very helpful to his friends there, both for their fupport
under, and their improvement of this fad providence.
It was but about half a year before, that a threatning
fire had broke out in that town, but did little hurt ;
fome ferious people there, prefently after, celebrated a
thankfgiving for their deliverance, in which Mr Henry
imparted to them a fpiritual gift (Oft. 3. 1676.) from
Zech. iii. 2. '' Is not this a brand plucked out of the
" fire ?" in the clofe of that fermon, prefling them from
the confideration of that remarkable deliverance, to
perfonal reformation and amendment of life : that thofe
who had been proud, covetous, paffionate, liars, fwtar-
ers, drunkards, fabbath -breakers, would be fo no more;
and urging Ezra. ix. 13, 14. he added, " It this provi-
" dence have not this effect upon you, you may in
" reafon expect another fire : for when God judgeth,

" he

*lhe Life of Mr Philip Hnry. r25

" he will overcome;" and minded them of Lev. xxvi.
where 'tis fo often threatned agi-.inft thofe who walk
contrary to God, that he would punifli them yet feven
"times more. The remembrance of this could not but
be aftedini^, when, in fo fliort a time after, the whole
town was laid in ruins. The firfl; time he went thither
after that calamity, a neiohbouring juflice having notice
of it, fent to forbid him to preach, to his own grief as
well as to the grief of many others, who came expec-
ting. But (faith he in his diary) there was a vifible
fermon before us, the ruins preaching that fm is an
evil thing, and God a terrible God. However, a few
days after, he got an opportunity of preaching to them
a word in feafon, which fome will not forget, from
Hof. vi. I. " Come, and let us return unto the Lord,
" for he hath torn — And at the return of the year,
when the tov/n v/as in the rebuilding, he gave them an-
other very fuitable fermon, from Prov. iii, 33. "The
** curfe of the Lord is in the houfe of the wicked, but
" he bleifeth the habitation of the juft." " Though it
*' be rifing again (faith he in his diary) out of its allies,
" yet the burning of it (hould not be forgotten, efpeci-
" ally not the fm that kindled it." He oft prayed for
them, that the fire might be a refining fire.

Ii\the years 1677, ^^7*^? ^^^ ^^79? ^^ ^^'^ courfe
of his miniflry at Broad Oak he preached over the Ten
CommaHdments, and largely opened from other texts
of fcripture the duties required, and fms forbidden, in
each commandment- Fcr tho' none delighted more
than he in preaching Chrift and gofpel grace; yet he
knew that Chrill: came not to dedroy the law snd the
prophets, but to fulfil ; and that, though through
grace we ate noil under the law, as a covenant; yet we
are under it as a rule, under th^ law to Chrift. He
was very large and particular in preffing fecond table
duties, as efTentiai to Chriftianity. " We have know^n
" thofe (faith he) that have called preaching on fuch
*' fubjeds good moral preaching ; but let them call it
" as they will, 1 am fure it is neceifary and as much

" now

126 l.he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

'* novv'as ever." How earneftly would he prefs upc5n
the people the necelTity of righteoufnefs and honefty,
in their whole converfations. " A good Chriftian (he
*' ufed to fay) will be a good hulband, and a good fa-
*' ther, and a good mafter, and a good fubjeft, and a
" good neighbour, and fo in other relations." How
often would he urge to this purpofe, that it is the will
and command of the great God, tlie charader of all
the citizens of Zion, the beauty and ornament of oui^
Chriftian profelTion ; and the fureft way to thrive and
profper in the world. " Honefty is the beft policy."
He would fay, that thefe are things in which the chil-
dren of this world are competent judges. They that
know not what belongs to faith, and repentance, and
prayer, yet know what belongs to the making of an
honeft bargain : they are alfo parties concerned, and
oftentimes are themfelves careful In thefe things ; and
therefore thofe who profefs religion fiiould walk very
circumJpeftly, that the name of God and his dodrine
be not blv.fphemed, nor religion wounded through their
fides. Thus he preached, and his conftant praftice was
a comment upon it. One thing 1 remember he was
more than ordinarily enlarged in the prefling of, which
was upon the ninth commandment, to fpeak evil of no
man, from Tit. iii. 2. If we can fay no good of perfons,
we muft fay nothing of them. He gave it as a rule,
*' Never to fpeak of any ones faults to others, till we
" have firft fpoken of them to the ofTcnder himfelf."
He was himfelf an eminent example of this rule. Some
that have converfed much with him, have faid, that
they never heard him fpeak evil of any body; nor could
he bear to hear any fpoken evil of, but often drove a-
way a backbiting tongue with an angry countenance.
He was known to be as faithful a patron of oftenders
before others, as he was a faithful reprover of them to
themfelves.

Whenever he preached of moral duties, he would
always have fomething of Chrift in his fermon ; either
his life, as the great pattern of the duty, or his love,

aT:

Ihe Life of Mr Philip Hnry. 127

as the great motive to it ; f/ his merit, as making atone-
ment for the negleft of It.

In the year i68:> lie preached over the doftrines of
faith and repentance, from feveral texts of fcripture.
He ufed to fay, that he had been told concerning the
famous Mr Dod, that fome called him in fcorn, Faith
and Repentance; becaufeheinfiftedfo much uponthofe
two, in all his preaching. But (faith he) " if this be
" to be vile, I will be yet more vile ;'* for faith and re-
pentance are all in all in chriftianity.

Concerning repentance he hath fometimes faid, " If
" I were to die in the pulpit, I would defire to die
" preaching repentance; as if I die out of the pulpit,
'* I would defire to die pradifing repentance." And
he had often this faying concerning repentance ; " He
" that repents every day, for the fms of every day,
** when he comes to die, will have the fms but of one
" day to repent of. Even reckonings make long
" friends."

That year, and 1681, he preached over the duties
of hearing the word and prayer; of the former, from
the parable of the four forts of ground; of the latter, from
Luke xi. i. &c. when he preached over the Lord's pray-
er, in above thirty excellent and elaborate difcourfes.
He looked upon the Lord's prayer, to be not only a
diredory or pattern for prayer, but (according to the
advice of the aflembly of divines ) proper to be ufed as
a form ; and accordingly he often ufed it both in pub-
lic and in his family. And as he thought 'twas an er-
ror on the one hand, to lay fo much llrefs upon it as
fome do, who think no folemn prayer accepted, nor
any folemn ordinance or adminiftration of worfhip com-
pleat without it, and fo repeat it five or fix times, and
perhaps oftener, at one meeting; {o he thought it an
error on the other hand not to ufe it at all ; fmce it is
a prayer, a compendious comprehenfive prayer, and
may be of ufe to us, at lead as other fcripture prayers ;
but he thought it a much greater error to be angry at
thofe that do ufe it, to judge and cenfure them, and for

no

128 ne Life of Mr Philip Henry.

no other reafon to coil^eive ^iejudices ac^ainft them and
their miniftry. " A greai lh;ait (faith he) poor mini-
" flers are in, when fonie wiii iiot. hear them, if they
" do not ufe the Lord's prayer, and others will not
*' hear the n if they do: what is to be done in this cafe?
*' we mult walk according to the light we have, and
*' approve ourfelves to God, either in ufmg or not uf-
" ing it, and wait for the day when God will mend
" the matter, which 1 hope he will do in his own due
« time."

He was in the clofe of his expofition of the Lord's
prayer, when a dark cloud wa- brought upon his af-
femblies, and he was necelhtated to contrad his fails.

CHAP. VIL

l^he Rebukes he lav under at Broad Oak^ betwixt
the years 1680, and 1687.

IN the beginning of the year 168 1 in April and May,
the country was greatly afflicted and threatned by
an extreme drought ; there was no rain for feveral
weeks, the grafs failed ; corn tliat was fown languiflied,
and much that was intended to be fown, could not ;
the like had not been known for many years : 'twas
generally apprehended that a dearth would cnfue-efpeci-
ally in that country, v/hich is for the moft part dry.
And now it was time to feek the Lord, and (accord-
ing to his own appointment,) to " afk of him rain in
" the feafon thereof:" feveral ferious thinking people
being together at the funeral of that worthy minilter
of jefus Chrift, Mr Maiden ; it was there faid, how re-
quifite it was that there fliould be fome time fet apart
on purpofe for fading and prayer, in a folemn affem-
bly upon this occafion. Thomas Millington of Weft-
on in Hodnet pariili in Shroplhire, defired it might be
at his houfe ; and Tuefday June 14. was the day pitch-
ed upon. The connivance of authority was prefumed

upon,

^be Life of Mr Philip Henry. 129

upon, becaufe no difturbance of meetings was heard
of at London, or any where elfe. Mr Henry was de-
fired to come and give his affiilance at that day's work.
He afked upon what terms they flood with their neigh-
bouring juftices, and it was anfwered, Well enough.
The drought continuing in extremity, fome that had
not ufed to come to fuch meetings, yet came thither
upon the apprehenfion they had of the threatning
judgment which the country was under. Mr Edward
Bury of Bolas (well known by feveral ufeful books he
hath publifhed) prayed, Mr Henry prayed and preach-
ed on Pfal. Ixvi. 18. " If 1 regard iniquity in my heart,
" the Lord will not hear me ;'* whence his dodtrine
was, That iniquity regarded in the heart will certain-
ly fpoil the fuccefs of prayer. When he was in the
midft of his fermon clofely applying this truth Sir T. V.
©f Hodnet, and Mr M. of Ightfield, two juftices of
the peace for Shropfhire, with feveral others of their
retinue, came fuddenly upon them, difturbed them,
fet guards upon the houfe-door, and came in them-
felves, feverely rally'd all they knew reflected upon
the late Honourable Houfe of Commons, and the vote
they palled concerning the prefent unreafonablenefs
of putting the laws in execution againft Proteftanr dif-
fenters, as if in fo voting they had a£ied beyond their
fphere, as they who did who took away the life of King
Charles L They diverted themfelves with very abu-
five and unbecoming talk ; fwearing, and curfmg, and
reviling bitterly. Being told the occafion of the meet-
ing was to fcek to turn away the anger of God from
us in the prefent drought : 'twas anfwered, " Such
meetings as thefe were the caufe of God's anger.'* — 7
While they were thus entertaining themfelves, their
clerks took the names of thofe that were prefent, in
all, about one hundred and fifty, and fo dJfmiffed them
for the prefent. Mr Henry hath noted, in the account
he kept of this event, that the Juftices came to this
good work from the ale-houfe upon Prees-Heath, a-
^out two miles off j to which, and the bowling-green

R adjoining.

130 The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

adjoining, they, with other juftices, gentlemen, and
clergymen, of the neighbourhood, had, long before,
obliged themfelves to come every Tuefday, during the
fummer time, under the penalty of twelve pence a time
if they were abfent ; and there to fpend the day in
drinking and bowling ; which is thought to be as di-
rect a violation of the law of the land, viz. the flatute
of 33 Henry Vlll. cap. 9. for debarring unlawful
games, which was never yet repealed, as the meeting
was of the flatute of 2 2d Car. II. and as much more
to the difhonour of God, and the fcandal of the
Chriftian profeffion ; as curfmg, and fwearing, and
drunkennefs, is worfe than praying and fmging pfalms,
and hearing the word of God It is fuppoled that the
Juftices knew of the meeting before, and might have
prevented it by the leaft intimation ; but they were
willing to take the opportunity of making fport to
themfelves, and trouble to their neighbours. After the
feat done, they returned back to the alehcufe, and
made themfelves and their companions merry with
calling over the names they had taken, making their
reflections as they faw caufe ; and recounting the par-
ticulars of the exploit. There was one of the compa-
ny, whofe wife happened to be prefent at the meeting,
and her name taken among the reft ; with which up-
braiding him, he anfwered, that flie had been better
employed than he was, and if Mr Henry might be ad-
mitted to preach in a church, he would go a great ma-
ny miles to hear him. For which words he was forth-
with expelled their company, and never more to fliew
his face again at that bowling-green ; to which he re-
plied. If they had fo ordered long ago, it had been a
great deal the better for him and his fanwly. Two
days after, they met again at Hodnet, where, upon the
oath of two witnefles, who, as was fuppofed, were fent
on purpofe to inform, they figned and fealed two re-
cords of convidion. By one record they convifted
the mafter of the houfe, and fined him L.20, and L.^
Ciore as conftable of the town that year, and with him

ail

^be Life of Mr Philip Henry. i 3 1

all the perfons prefent whofe names they had taken,
and fined them five {hillings a-piece, and iffued out
warrants accordingly. By another record they con-
vitled the two minifters, Mr Bury and Mr Henry. —
The ad makes it only punifhable to preach or teach
in any fuch conventicle ; and yet they fined Mr Bury
L.20, though he only prayed, and did not fpeak one
word in the way either of preaching cr teaching, not
fo much as *' let us pray ;" however, they faid, pray-
ing was teaching, and right or wrong he muft be fin-
ed ; though his great piety, peaceablenef?, and ufeful-
nefs, befides his deep poverty, one would think might
have pleaded for him, againft fo palpable a piece of
injuflice. They took L. 7 off from him, and laid it up-
on others, as they faw caufe ; and for the remaining
L. 13, he being utterly unable to pay it, they took
from him, by diflrefs, the bed which he lay upon, with
blanket and rug ; alfo another feather-bed, nineteen
pair of fheets, mofi: of them new ; of which he could
not prevail to have fo much as one pair returned for
him to lye in ; alfo books to the value of L. 5, befides
brafs and pewter. And though he was at this time
perfedly innocent of that heinous crime of preaching
and. teaching, with which he was charged, (for fo the
record runs again and again, concerning Mr Henry
and Mr Bury, ^Md ad tunc IS ibidem precauerunt,
pradicaveriint ^ docuefunt.^ Yet he had no way to
right himfelf, but by appealing to the Juilices them-
felves in Quarter Seffions,who would be fure to affirm
their own decree, (as the Juftices in Montgomeryfhire
had done not long before, in a like cafe,) efpecially
when it was to recover to themfelves treble cofls. So
the good man fat down with his lofs, and " took joy-
fully the fpoiling of his goods j knowing in himfelf,
that he had in heaven a better, and a more enduring
fubftance."

But Mr Henry being the greateft criminal, and hav-
ing done the mod mifchief,muil needs be animadvert-
ed upon accordingly, and therefore he was fined L.40,

R 2 the

132 The Life of Mr Philip HenrIT.

the pretence of which was this :- — In the year 1-679,
0(5t. 15, Mr Kynafton of Oatly, a Juflice of Peace in
Shropfhire, meeting him and fome others coming, as
he fuppofed, from a conventicle, he was pleas'd to
record their convidion, upon the notorious evidence
and circumftance of the fa6t. The record was filed at
Salop the next feffions after ; but no notice was ever
fent of it, either to Mr Henry or the Juftices of Flint-
fhire ; nor any profecution upon it, againil any of the
parties charged, (the reafon of which, Mr Henry, in a
narrative he wrote of this affair, fuppofeth to be not
only the then favourable pofture of public affairs to-
wards diffenters, but alfo the particular prudence and
lenity of Mr Kynafton,) fb that having never fmarted
for this, he could not be fuppofed to be deterred from
the like offence ; nor if he were wronged in that firfl
convidion, had he ever any opportunity of making his
appeal. However, the Juflices being refolved he fhould
h2.\e Jumnium Jus, thought that iirft record fufScient to
give denomination to a fecond offence, and fo he came
to be fined double. This convidion f according to the
direftion of the aft,) they certified to the next adjoin-
ing Juflices of Flintfhire, who had all along carried
themfelves with great temper and moderation towards
Mr Henry, a'nd had never given him any diflurbance;
though if they had been fo minded, they had not
wanted opportunities ; but they were now necefTitated
to execute the fentences of the Shropfhire Juflices. —
'Twas much preffed upon him to pay the fine, which
might prevent his own lofs, and the Juflices' trouble.
But he was not willing to do it ; partly, becaufe he
would give no encouragement to fuch profecutions,
nor voluntarily reward the informers for that which
he thought they fhould rather be punifhed for ; and
partly becaufe he thought himfeLf wronged in the
doubling of the fine. Whereupon his goods were
diflrained upon, and carried away ; in the doing of
which many paffages occurred which might be worth
the noting, but that the repetition of them would per-
haps

l!he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 135

haps grate and give offence to fome. Let it therefore
fufiice (waving the circumflances) to remember only
that their warrant not giving them authority to break
open doors, nor their watchfulnefs getting them an
opportunity to enter the houfe, they carried away a-
bout thirty-three cart load of goods without doors,
corn cut upon the ground, hay, coals, &c. This made
a great noife in the country, and raifed the indigna-
tion of many againfl the decrees which prefcribed
this grievoufnefs ; while Mr Henry bore it with his
ufual evennefs and ferenity of mind, not at all moved
or difturbed by it. He did not boafl of his fufferings,
or make any great matter of them ; but would often
fay, " Alas ! this is nothing to what others fuffer, nor
** to what we ourfelves may fuffer before we die."-—
And yet he rejoiced and bleffed God that it was not
for debt, or for evil-doing, that his goods were carried
away. " And (faith he) while it is for well-doing that
" we fuffer, they cannot harm us." Thus he writes in
his diary upon it, " How oft have we faid that chan-
" ges are at. the door ; but bleffed be God there is no
" fting in this." He frequently expreffed the affurance
he had, that Vv^hatever damage he fuftained, God is
able to make it up again. And (as he ufed to fay,)
" Though we may be lofers for Chrift, yet we fhall not
*' be lofers by him in the end." He had often faid-,
*' That his preaching was likely to do the moll good,
" when it was fealed to by fuffering ; and if this be the
" time, (faith he) welcome the will of God; even this
" alfo fhali turn to the furtherance of the gofpel of
*' Chrift :" Bene agere i^ juale pati vere Chriftianuin
eft, ^

Soon after this was the affizes for Flintffiire held
at lV|old, where Sir George Jeffries, afterwards Lord
Chancellor, then Chief Jultice of Chefter, fat Judge.
He did not, in private converfation, feem to applaud
what was done in this matter, fo as was expected;
whether out of a private piqiie againft fome that were
active in it, or for what other reafon, is net known ;

bur.

134 ^^^^ ^'7*^ ^f ^^^' Philip Henry.

but It was faid, he pleafantly afked fome of the gen-
tlemen, By what new law they preffed carts, as they
paffed upon their occafions alopg the road, to carry
away goods diflrained for a conventicle ? It was alfo
faid, that he fpoke with fome refpect of Mr Henry j
faying, he knew him and his charafter well, and that
he was a great friend of his mother's, Mrs Jeffries of
Atton near Wrexham, (a very pious, good woman,)
and that fomctimes, at his mother's requefl, Mr Hen-
ry had e5:amined him in his learning, when he was a
fchool-boy, and had commended his proficiency. And
it was much wondered at by many, that, of all the
times Sir George Jeffries went to that circuit, (though
'tis well enough known what was his temper, and what
the temper of that time,) yet he never fought any oc-
cafion againft Mr Henry, nor took the occafions that
were offered, nor countenanced any trouble intended
him, though he was the only non-conformi(t in Flint-
fhire. One paffage, I remember, not improp^.r to be
mentioned ;- — there had been an agreement among
fome minifters, fl think it began in the weft of Eng-
land, where Mr Allen was) to fpend fome time, either
in fecret or in their families, or both, between fix and.
eight o'clock every Monday morning, in prayer, for
the church of God, and for the land and nation, more
fully and particularly than at other times, and to make
that their fpecial errand at the throne of grace ; and
to engage as many of their praying friends as they
could, to the obiervance of it. This had been com-
municated to Mr Henry by fome of his friends at
London, and he pundually obferved it in his -own
practice, 1 believe, for many years. He alfo mention-
ed it to fome of his acquaintance, who did in like
manner obferve it. It happened that one in Denbigh-
Ihire, to whom he had communicated it, was fo well
pleafed with it, that he wrote a letter of it to a friend
of his at a diftance ; which letter happened into hands
that perverted it, and made information upc^n it, a-
gainft the writer and receiver of the letter, wno were

bound

^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. i 35

bound over to the affizes, arid great fuTpicions Sir Geo.
Jeffries had, that it was a branch of the Prefbyterian
plot, and rallied the parties accufed feverely. It ap-
peared, either by the letter, or by the confeffion of
the parties, that they received the projeft from Mr
Henry, which (it was greatly feared) would bring
hiili into trouble ; but Sir George, to the admiration
of many, let it fall, and never enquired further into it.
It feems there are feme men, whofe ways fo pleafe
the Lord, that he makes even their enemies to be at
peace with them ; and there is nothing loll by truft-
ing in God.

Mr Hen];y, at the next affizes after he was diftraln-
ed upon, was prefented by one of the high conftables,
I. For keeping a conventicle at his houfe; and, 2. For
faying. That the law for fuppreffing conventicles ought
not to be obeyed, and that there was never a tittle of
the word of God in it. As to this latter prefentment,
'twas altogether falfe. He had, indeed, in difcourfe
with the high conftable, when he infifled fo much up-
on the law, which required him to be fo rigorous in
the profecution, objected, That all human laws were
not to be obeyed, merely becaufe they were laws. But
as to any fuch reflexions upon the law he fuffered by,
he was far from it, and had prudence enough to keep
filence at that time ; for it was an evil tinie when fo
many were made offenders for a word. But thefe pre-
fentments met with fo little countenance from Judge
Jeffries, that Mr Henry only entered his appearance in
the Prothonotary's office, and they were no more
heard of ; wherein he acknowledged the hand of God,
who turneth the hearts of the children of men as the
rivulets of-water.

As to what was taken from him by the diflrefs,
they who took it made what markets they pleafed of
it, paid thofe they employed, and what the remainder
^was is not known for certainty ; but it was faid, that
the following fummer, about L 27 was paid to Sir T.V.
of which, (and the rell that was levied in other places,

- which,

13^ T^he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

which amounted to a confiderable fum,) it was credi-.
bly reported, (and I have not heard it contradifted,)
that neither the king nor the poor had their ihare,
(which by the acl is to be two-thirds) nor the inform-
ers all theirs either ; but people faid, the Gentlemen
had occafion for it all. But as they that had it were
never the richer for it, fo he that loft it would often
fay, that he found that God did fo abundantly blefs
the remainder to him, that he was never the poorer j
W'hich he would mention for the encouragement of his
friends, not to baulk duty (as he ufed to exprefs itj fov
fear of fufFering.

In the fame year, 1681, happened a public difcouiffe
at Ofweftry, betwixt the then biihop of St Afaph, (Dr
William Lloyd, now bifhop of Coventry and Litch-
field) and fome no^-conformift minifttrs, of which
Mr Henry was one.

The ftory, in fliort, is as foUoweth :— That learn-
ed bifhop, at his firft coming to the diocefe of St
i^faph, in his zeal for the eftabhihed church, fet him-
felf with vigour to reduce dilTenters to it ; and that he
mig^r do it with the cords of a man, he refolved, before '
he took any other methods, to reafon the matter with
them, and to endeavour their conviction by difcourfe,
in which he had a very great facility, both by his
learning and temper. If there were any that declin-
ed difcourfmg with him, he improved that againft
them very much ; urging, (as he wrote afterwards to
Mr Henry,) " That no man can pretend confcience
" for not coming when he is required, to give an ac-
" count of his religion to them that have authority
" to demand it, by the laws under which he lives, and
" to hear from their mouths what can be faid for the
" eftabliihed religion. Thefe are things from which
" confcience is fo far from exempting, that the great
*' rule of confcience requires it, as an indifpenfible
*' duty ; that vi'e fhould always be ready to give
*' an account of the hope that is in us ; and that v.-e
•' fhould liear them that are in Mofes* chair, &;c. and

" there-

ne Life of Mr Philip Henry. 137

" therefore thofe who refufed this, he would confider
** as men governed, not by confcience, but obftinacy.'*
He piiblickly dilcourfed with the Quakers at Lan-
viUin in Montgomery (hire ; their champion was Dr
Lloyd a phyiician : one of the mofl confiderable non-
conformift minifters in his diocefe was Mr James
Owen of Ofweftry, then very young, but well known
fince by his learned book, which he calls, A Plea for
Scripture Ordination ; proving ordination by prefby-
ters, without diocefan bilhops, to be valid, ( publifhed
in the year 1694.) a point of controverfy which he
was then obliged in his own defence to fearch into.
Several difcourfes the bifhop had with him in private ;
at laft his lordlhip was pleafed to appoint him, to give
him the meeting in the town-hall of Ofweftry, on
Tuefday, Sept. 27, 1681, there to give account by
what right he exercifed the miniftry, not having epif-
copal ordination. He directed him alfo to procure
what other minifters he could to affift him, for he
would be glad to hear what any of them had to fay
for themfelves. The notice was very fliort, not above
four or five days : fome whofe affiftance was deftred,
apprehended it might do more hurt than good, and
might be prejudicial to their own liberty, and there-
fore declin'd it. It was not agreeable to Mr Henry's
mild and modeft temper, to appear in fuch circum-
ftances ; but he was loath to defert his friend Mr Owen,
and fo with much importunity he wa* prevailed with
to come to Ofweftry, at the time appointed ; and there
came no other but he and Mr Jonathan Roberts of
Denbighftiire, in the diocefe of Bangor, a plain man,
of great integrity, and a very good fcholar. The
bifnop came according to appointment, and brought
with him for his afliftant the famous Mr Henry Dod-
well : Mr Henry, who was utterly a ftranger to the
biftiop, preffed hard to have had the difcourfe in pri-
vate, before a felcd number, but it would not be grant-
ad. He aifo delired his lordihip that it might not be
expeded from him, being of another diocefe, to con-

S cern

13? Ihe Life of Mr Philip Henry.

cern himfelf in the difcourfc, but only as a hearer :
*' Nay, Mr Henry, (faid the bifhop) it is not the con-
cern of my diocefe alone, but it is the common caufe
of religion, and therefore I exped you fliould intereft
yourfelf in it more than as a hearer." His lordlhip
was pleafed to promife, that nothing that Ihould be faid
by way of argument fliouId be any way turned to the
prejudice of the difputants, nor advantage taken of it
to give them trouble. There were prefent divers of the
clergy and gentry of the country, with the magiltrates
of the town and a great number of people, which, if
it could have been avoided, was not eafy to Mr Hen-
ry, who never loved any thing that made a noife ;
herein like his Mafler, who did not drive nor cry.
The difcourfe began about two o'clock in the after-
noon, and continued till betv/een feven and eight at
night : much was faid pro and con^ touching the iden-
tity of bifhops and prefbyters, the bifhoping and un-
bifhoping of Timothy and Titus, the validity of pref-
byterian ordination, &c. *Twas managed with a great
deal of liberty, and not under the ftridt laws of difpu-
tation, which made it hard to give any tolerable ac-
count of the particulars of it. The arguments on both
fides, may better be fetched from the books written
on the fubjed, than from fuch a difcourfe. The
biihop managed his part of the conference with a great
deal of gravity, calmnefs, and evennefs of fpirit, and
therein gave an excellent pattern to all that are in
fuch ftations. Mr Henry's remark upon this bufmefs
in his diary is this, " That whereas many reports
went abroad far and near concerning it, every one
pafling their judgment upon the refult of it as they
Hood affected ; for my own part (faith he) upon re-
flection, 1 find I have great reafon to be afhamed of
my manifold infirmities and iinperfeiSlions ; and yet
do blefs God, that feeing 1 could manage it no better,
to do the truth more fervice, there was not more faid
and done to its dilTervice ; to God be glory." But
there were others, who faid that Mr Henry was an

inftrumeut

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. i 39

fiiRrument of glorifying God, and ferving the church
in that affair, alniolt as much as in any thing that
ever he did, except the preaching of the gofpel. And
fome who were adverfaries to the caufe he plead-
ed, thouo^h they were not convinced by his argu-
ments, yet by his great meeknefs and humihty, and
that truly Chriflian fpirit, which appeared fo evident-
ly in the whole management, were brought to have a
better opinion of him, and the way in which he walked.
• I'he conference broke off a little abruptly ; the
bifhop and Mr Henry being fomewhat clofe at an ar-
gument, in the recapitulation of what had been dif-
courfed of; Mr Jonathan Roberts whifpered to Mr
Henry, " Pray let my lord have the laft word j'*
which a juftice of peace upon the bench over-hearing,
prefently replied, " You fay my lord iliall have the
" laft word, but he fnall not, • for I will : we thank
" God we have the fword of powei* in our own hands,
** and by the grace of God we will keep it, and it
*' fliall not ruft, and I hope every lawful magiftrate
*' will do as I do : and look to yourfelves. Gentlemen,
'' by the grace of God I'll root you out of the coun-
" try." To which a forward man in the crowd faid,
*' Allien^ throw them down ftairs." This the bifhop
heard with filence, but the Mayor of the town took
order for their fafety.

Two days after this difcourfe, the bifhop wrote a
very obliging letter to Mr Henry, to fignify to him
how very much he was pleafed with the good temper
and fpirit that he found in him at Ofweftry, and that
he looked upon him as one that intended well, but la-
boured under prejudices ; and to defire further ac-
quaintance and converfation with him ; particularly
that he would come to him ftraitway to Wrexham ;
and about three months after, he fent for him again to
Chefter ; in both which interviews a great deal of dif-
courfe, with much freedom, paffed between them in
private, in which they feemed to ^de nothing more
than candor and obhgingnefs, fliewing to each other

S 2 all

1 40 Hhe Life of Mr Philip Henry.

all meeknefs. I remember the bifliop was pleafed to
fhew him his plan for the government of his diocefe,
and the method he intended to take in church cenfures,
which Mr Henry very well approved of ; but pleaiant-
ly told his lordfhip, he hoped he would t \ke care
that Juvenal's verfe fliould not be again verified,

Dat 'veniam Corvis^ njexat cenfura Coiumhas. (Sat. ii.)

which the bifhop fmil'd at, and told him he would
take care it fliould not. His lordfhip obferving his
true catholick charity and moderation, told him, that
if he were in his diocefe, he did not queflion but that
he fhould find out fome way to make him ufeful. But
all his reafonings could not fatisfy Mr Henry's con-
fcience of the lawfulnefs of being re-ordain'd and con-
forming. The bifhop for fome years after, when he
came that way, towards London, either call'd on Mr
Henry at his houfe, or fent for him to him at Whit-
church, and ftill with all outward expreffions of friend-
ihip.

The trouble which Mr Henry was in, about the
meeting at AVefton, obliged him for a while to keep
his fabbaths at home fomewhat private ; but in the
year 1682 he took a greater liberty, and many flock-
ed to him on Lord's days, through the kind conniv-
ance of the neighbourir.g magiftrates : but in the year
168^, when the meetings were generally fuppreil
throughout the kingdom, he was again necefTitated to
contract his fails, and confine his labours more to his
own family, and his friends that vifited him. He con-
tinued his atfendance at Whitev/ell-chapel, as ufual j
and v/hen he was abridged of his liberty, he often blef-
fed God for his quietnefs. Once when one of the
curates preached a bitter fermon againft the diffenters,
on a Lord's day morning ; fome wondered that Mr
Henry would py again in the afternoon, for the fecond
part ; " But (faith he) if he do not know his duty, I
^-^ know mine j and I blefs God I can find honey in a
" carcafe."

In.

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 141

In this time of treading down, and of perplexity,
he ftiried Httle abroad, being forced (as he ufed to ex-
prefs it) to " throw the plough under the hedge ;*' but
he preached conftantly at home without difturbance ;
and often comforted himfelf with this, " When we can-
*' not do what we would, if we do what we can,
" God will accept of us : when w^e cannot keep open
" fhop, w^e mud drive a fecret trade.'* And he would
fay, " There is a mean, if we could hit it, between
" fool-hard inefs and faint-heartednefs.'* While he had
fome opportunity of being ufeful at home, he was a-
fraid left he Ihould prejudice that by venturing abroad.
One of his friends in London earneftly foliciting him
to make a vifit thither in this time of reftraint in the
country, he thus wrote to him ; " I Ihould be glad
once more to kiff, my native Toil, though it were but
with a kifs of valedii^lion ; but my indifpofednefs to
travel, and the fmall profpect there is of doing good
to countervail the pains, are my prevailing argu-
ments againft it. I am here ('tis true) buried alive,
but 1 am quiet in my grave, and have no mind to
be a walking ghoft. We rejoice, and deftre to be
thankful, that God hath given us a home, and con-
tinued it to us, when fo many, better than w^e, have
not where to lay their head, having no certain
dwelling-place :" ('tv/as at the time cf the difper-
on of the French proteftants. ) " Why they exiles,
and not we ? they ilraneers in a ftranoe land, and
not we r We mult not lay, we will die in our nelts;
left God fay, nay : nor we will multiply our days
as that bird, the Phcenix, (referring to Job xxix. 18.)
left God fay. This night, kz. Our tinies and all
our ways are at his difpofe, abfolutely and univerfal-
ly, and it is very well they are fo."
At the time of the Duke of Monmouth's defcent,
and the infurreftion in the Weft,, in the year 1685,
Mr Henry, as m.any others, (purfuant to a general or-
der of the Lord Lieutenant, for fecuring all fufpecled
perfonsj and particularly all nonconforniift minifiers,)

was

142 The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

was taken up by a warrant from the deputy Lieuten-
ants, and fent under a guard to Chefler Caille, where
he was about three weeks a clofe prifoner : he was
lodged with fome gentlemen and miniilers that were
fetched thither out of Lancafhire, who were all ftran-
gers to him ; but he had great comfort in the acquaint-
ance and fociety of many of them.

He often fpake of this imprifonment, not as matter
of complaint, but of thankfgiving, and bleifed God he
was in nothing uneafy all the while. In a fermon to
ni'S' family, the day after he came home, he largely
and aifettionately recounted the mercies of that pro-
vidence : as for inifance, " That his imprifonment was
" for no caufe : 'tis guilt that makes a prifon. That
" it was his fecurity iw a dangerous time. That he
" had good company in his fufferings, who prayed
" together, and read the Scriptures together, and dif-
" courfed to their mutual edification.' That he had
" health there; not fick, and in prifon; that he was
" vifited^and prayed for by his friends. That he was
" very chearful and eafy in his fpirit, many a tinie a-
" fleep and quiet, when his adverfaries were diflurbed
*' and unquiet. That his enlargement was fpeedy and
" unfought for, and tliat it gave occafion to the magif-
" trates who committed him, to give it under their
" hands, that they had nothing in particular to lay to
'" his charge; and efpecially that it was without a
" fnare, which was the thing he feared more than any
" thing elfe."

It was a furprife to fome that vifited him in his im-
prifonment, and were big with the expeftations of the
~l)uke of Monmouth's fuccefs, to hear him fay, " I
" would not have you to flatter yourfelves with fuch
" hopes, for God will not do his work for us in thefe
"nations, by that man ; but our deliverance and fal-
*■' vation will arife fome other way.'*

It mure not be forgotten how ready he was, nay,
how fladious and induftrious to ferve and oblige fuch
as had been any way inftruments of trouble to him»

as

Ihe Life of Mr Philip Henry. 143

as far as it lay in his power, and he had any opportu-
nity to do it ; fo well had he learned that great leffon
of forgiving and loving enemies j of this it were eafy
to give inllances.

When a gentleman who had fometimes been an iii-
flrument of trouble to him, had occafion to make ufe
of his help to give him fome light into a caufe he had
to be tried, Mr Henry was very ready to ferve him in
it ; and though he might have declined it, and it was
fomewhat againll his own interefl too, yet he appeared
a wicnefs for him, which fo won upon the gentleman,
that he was afterwards more friendly to him. Men-
tioning in his diary the death of another gentleman in
Shropfhire ; fie notes, that he was one that had been
his profefled enemy ; " but (faith he) God knows 1
" have often prayed for him."

Some have wondered to fee how courteoufly and
friendly he would fpeak to fuch as had been any way
injurious to him, when he met with them, being ^s in-
dultrious to difcover his forgiving of wrongs, as fome
are to difcover their refentments of them. It was faid
of Archbifhop Cranmer, that the way to have him ones
friend, was to do him a diflcindnefs ; and I am fure it
might be faid of Mr Henry, that doing him a dif^ind-
neis would not make him ones enemy. This minds
me of an exemplary paifage concerning his worthy
friend Mr Edward Lawrence, once going with fome
of his fons, by the houfe of a gentleman that had been
injurious to him, he gave a charge to his fons to this
purpofe, that they fliould never think or fpeak amifs
of that gentleman, for the fake of any thing he had
done againft him ; but whenever they went by his
houfe, fliould lift up their hearts ia prayer to God for
him and his family. And who is he that will harm
thofe, Vv^ho are thus followers of him that is good, in
his goodnefs ? It is almoft the only temporal promife
in the Nev/ Teftament, which is made to the meek.
Mat. V. 5. That they fhall inherit the earth ; the me m-
ing whereof Dr Hammond in his practical catechifm,

take$

144 *^^ -^^ of Mr Philip Henry.

takes to be erpecially this, that In the ordinary dlfpen*
fations of God's Providence, the moil mild and quiet
people are moft free from difturbance. Thofe only
have every man's hand againfl them, that have theirs
againjtl every man.

CHAP. VIII.

^he lajl Nine years of his Life in liberty and en-
large me?it at Broad-Oak, from the year i6Sy.

IT was in the latter end of the year 16S5, when the
ftream run fo very ftrong againft the diflenters,
that Mr Henry being in difcourfe with a very great
man of the church of England, mentioned K. Charles's
indulgence in 1672, as that which gave rife to his dat-
ed preaching in. a feparate allembly; and added, If the
prefent king James fliould in like manner give me
leave, I would do the fame again : to which that great
man replied, " Never expeft any fuch thing from him:
" for take my v/ord for it, he hates you nonconfor-
" mifts in his heart.? " Truly (faid Mr Henry) I
" beheve it, and 1 think he doth not love you of the
" church of England neither." It was thenlittle thought
that the fame Right Reverend perfon who faid fo to
him. fhould have the honour, as he had foon after, to
be one of the feven bifhops committed to the Tower
by king James ; as it was alfo far from any ones ex-
pectation, that the fame kinjj^ James fliould fo quickly
give liberty to the nonconformifls : but we live in a
world, wherein we are to think nothing ftrange, nor
be furprifcd at any turn of the wheel of nature, as 'tis
called, James iii. 6.

The meafures then taken by king Jameses Court
and Council were foon laid open, not only to view,
but to contempt, being in a iliort time, by the over-
ruling Providence of God, broken and defeated: how-
ever, the indulgence granted to diflenters in April

1687,

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. i 45

1687, "^-^^-"^ needs be a reviving to thofe who for fo
many years had lain buried in iilence and feftraint ;
nor can any, who will allow themfelves the liberty of
fuppofing the cafe their own, wonder that they ihould
rejoice in it, though the defign of it being manifeft,
thuy could not chufe but rejoice with trembiing. Mr
Henry's fentiments of it were, " whatever mens ends
*' are in it, I believe God's end in it is to do us good."
There were many that faid, Surely the dilfenters will
not embrace the hberty which is intended only for a
fnare to them. Mr Henry read and confidered the
letter of advice to the dilfenters at that juncture; but
concluded, " Duty is ours, and events are God's."
He remembred the experience he had had of the like
in king Charles ^5 time, and that did good and no hurt;
and why might not this do fo too? " All power is
" for edification, not for deftrudion." Did Jeremiah
fit fliil in the court of the prifon, becaufe he had his
difcharge from the king of Babylon .? Nay, did not
Paul, when he was perfecuted by his countrymen, for
preaching the gofpel, appeal to Caefar, and find more
kindnefs at Rome than he did at Jerufalem ? In fliort, .
the principle of his converfation in the world being
not lieflily wifdom, or policy, but the grace of God,
and particularly the grace of fimplicity and godly fm-
cerity, he was willing to make the belt of that which
was, and to hope the befl of the defign and iffue of it.
Doubtlefs it was intended to introduce popery ; but it
is certain, that nothing could arm people againll po-
pery more effectually than the plain and powerful
preaching of the goipel ; and thus they who granted
that liberty, were out-lhot in their own bow, which
manifeftly appeared in the event and iffue. And as
they did good fervice to the Prcteftant Religion among
fcholars, who wa-ote fo many learned books againft po-
pery at that time, for which we return them our belt
thanks ; fo they did no lefs fervice among the com-
mon people ,^who are the flrength and body of the na-
tion) that preached fo many good fermons to arm their

T hearers

146 The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

hearers againft that ftrong delufion, which Mr Henry
(as the refl of the nonconformlfls generally did) took
all occafions to do. How often would he commend
his hearers fas Dr Holland, Divinity profeffor in Ox-
ford, was wont to do) " to the love of God, and the
" hatred of Popery."

Befides his preaching profeiTedly to difcover the er-
rors and corruptions of the church of Rome (which
he would have taken occafion to do more fully, had
he feen thofe he preached to in any immediate dan-
ger of the mfedion) there could not be a more ef/ec-
tual antidote againft popery, than the inftrufting and
confirming of people in ♦^he truth, as it is in Jefus ; and
advancing the knowledge of and a value and venera-
tion for the Holy Scriptures ; to which, how much
Mr Henry in his place did contribute, all that knew
him will bear record. He ufed to obferve, that the
fall of Babylon lol lowed upon the free and open preach-
ing of the everlafting gofpel. Rev. xiv, 6, 7. He ap-
prehended this liberty likely to be of very Tnort con-
tinuance, and to end in trouble ; and becaufe he could
not fee now his not ufing of it would help to prevent
the trouble ; but he did fee, that his vigorous improve-
ment of it would help to prepare for the trouble, he
fet himfelf, with all diligence, to make the bed ufc he
could of this gleam, both at home and abroad, on Sab-
bath-days and week-days, to his power ; yea, and be-
yond his power.

The great fubje£t of debate at this time in the na-
tion, was, concerning the repeal of penal laws and
teils. Mr Henry's thoughts were, as to the penal laws,
that if thofe againft the diifenters were all repealed,
he would rejoice in it, and be very thankful both to
God and man ; for he would fometimes fay, without
reflection upon any, he could not but look upon them
as a national fm ; and as for thofe againft the Papiits,
if our law-givers fee caufe to repeal them in a regular
way, I will endeavour (faith he) to make the beft of
it, and to fav, " The will of the Lord be done."

When

the Life of Mr Philip Henry. 147

When king James came his progrefs into that coun-
try, in Scpteaiber 1687, to court the complements of
the people, Mr Henry joined with feveral others, in
and about Whitchurch, Naatwich, and W em, in an
addrefs to him, which was prefcnted when he lay at
Whitchurch ; the purport of which Was, not to facri-
fice their Hvcs and fortunes to him and to his intereft,
but only to return him thanks for the liberty they had,
with a promife to demean thernfelves quietly in the ufe
of it.

Some time after, CommilTioners were fent abroad
into the country, to enquire after the trouble that dif-
fenters had fuflained by the penal laws ; and how the
money that was levied upon them was difpofed of, lit-
tle of it being found paid into the Exchequer : they
fent to Mr Henry to have an account from him of his
fufferings ; he returned anfwer by letter, that he had
indeed been fined fome years before, for a conventicle,
and diftrained upon, and his goods carried away ;
which all the country knew, and to which he referred
himfelf. But being required to give a particuiar ac-
count of it upon oath ; though he faid he could be glad
to fee fuch inltruments of trouble legally removed ;
yet he declined giving any further information concern-
ing it ; having (as he wrote to the Commifiioners)
" long fince, from his heart, forgiven all the agents,
" inftruments and occafions of it ; and having purpof-
" ed never to fay any thing more of it."

It was on Tuefday, June 14, 1681, that he was dif-
turbed at Wefton in Shropfhire, when he was preach-
ing on Pfal. Ixvi. 18. and on Tuefday, June 14, 16S7,
that day fix years he preached there again without
difturbance, finiihing what he was then prevented from
delivering, concerning prayer, and going on to ver.
19, 20. " But verily God hath heard me— -blefled be
" God"— -concenung the duty of thankfgiving. This
feventh year of their filence and reftraint, proved,
through God's wonderful good providence, the year
of releafe.

T 2 In

148 ne Life of Mr Philip Henry.

In May, 1688, a new commiflion of the peace cams
do\^n for the county of Flint, in which foy whofe in-
tereft or procurement was not known) Mr Henry was
nominated a Juilice of Peace for that county. It was
no fmall furpriie to him, to receive a letter from the
Clerk of the Peace, dire6ted to Philip Henry, hfq.
acquainting him with it, and appointin:^ him when and
whither, to come to be fworn. To which he returned
anfwer, that he was very fenfible of his unworthinefs
of ihe honour, and his unfitnefs for the office which
he was nominated to, and therefore defired to be ex-
cufed, and he was fo, and did what he could that it
might not be fpoken of in the country. There were
fome, who upon this occafion mihappily remembered,
that a few years before, a reverend clergyman in
Shropfhire told Mr Henry to his face, that he had
done more mifchief in the country, than any man that
ever came into it ; and that he himielf hoped fhortiy
to be in the commiflion of peace, and then he vvould
rid the country of him. But alas he was quite difap-
pointed. Thus honour is like the fbadow, which flies
from thofe that purfue it, and follows thofe that flee
from it.

For two years after this liberty began, Mr Henry
flill continued his attendance, as ufual, at Whitewell-
chapel, whenever there was preaching there ; and he
preached at his ov/n houfe only when there was no
fupply there, and in the evening of thofe days when
there was. For doing thus he was greatly clamoured
againfl:, by fome of the rigid feparatiflis, and called a
diflembler, and one that halted between two, and the
like. Thus (asjhe notes in his diary) one fide told
him he was the author of all the mifchief in the coun-
try, in drawing people from the church ; and the other
fide told him, he was the author of all the mifchief,
in drawing people to the church : and " which of
':'' thefe (laith he) fhali 1 feek to pleafe : Lord, neither,
" but thyfelf alone, and my own ronfcience, and
^' while I can do that, I have enough.'*

la

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 149

In a fermon at Whitewell-chapel, one Lord's day
in the afLernoon, where he and his family, and many
of his congregation were attending, much' was faid
with fome keen reflections, to prove the diflenters fchii-
maticks, and in a damnable (late : when he came im-
mediately after to preach at his own houfe, before he
began his fermon, he exprelTed himfcif to this purpofe;
" Perhaps fome of you may exped now that I fliould
" fay fomething in anfwer to what we have heard, by
** which we have been fo feverely charged ; but truly -
" I have fomething elfe to do ;" and fo, without any
further notice taken of it, went on to preach Jefus
Chrift and him crucified.

It was not vvithout fome fear and trembling that
Mr Henry received the tidings of the Prince of Orange's
landing, in November 1688, as being fomewhat irt
the dark concerning the clearnefs of his call, and
dreading what might be the confequence of it. He
ufed to fay, " Give peace in our time, O Lord," was
a prayer that he would heartily fet his Amen to. But
when fecret things were brought to light, and a regu-
lar courfe was taken to fill the vacant throne with
fuch a King and fuch a Queen, none rejoiced in it
more heartily than he did. He celebrated the nation-
al thankfgiving for that great deliverance, with an ex-
cellent fermon on that text, Rom. viii. 31. " What
" fliall we then fay to thefe things ? If God be for us,
" who can be againfl us ?"

Soon after that happy fettlement, there were over-
tures mace towards a comprehenfion of the moderate
dillenters, v/ith the church of England ; which Mr
Henry moft earneftly defired, and wiihed for, if it
could be had upon any terms lefs than fmning againit
his confcience ; for never was any more averfe to that
which looked like a feparation than he was, if he could
poffibly have helped it, Jalva confcientia. His prayers
were conilant, and his endeavours, as he had oppor-
tunity, that there might be fome healing methods found
out and agreed upon. But it is well known what was

the

150 ^he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

the V''X cleri at that time, viz. That forafmuch as the
oaths, iubfcriptions, and ceremonies were impofcd on-
ly to keep out luch men, they would never confent to
their removal, for the letting them in again. Noiunius
le^es angha mutari^ was a faying perverted to this pur-
pofe: and the fixed principle was, Better a fchifm with-
out the church, than a faftion within it, &c. This was
at that time publiflied and owned, as the fenfe of the
clergy in convocation ; which temper and refolve, fo
contrary to that which might have been expected, up-
on that happy and glorious revolution, did a little alter
his fentiments in that matter, and he faw himfelf per-
fedlly driven from them. Defpairing therefore to fee
an accommodation, he fet himfelf the more vigoroufly to
improve the prefent liberty. In June 16^9, the ad: of
indulgence palTed, which not only tolerated, but allow-
ed the diffenters' meetings, and took them under the
protedion of the government.

Soon after which, though he never in the leaft
changed his judgement, as to the lawfulnefs of joining
in the common-prayer, but was flill ready to do it oc-
cafionally, yet the minillers that preached at White-
well-chapel, being often uncertain in their coming,
which kept his meeting at Broad-Oak at like uncer-
tainties, to the frequent difappointment of many of his
hearers that came from far ; he was at laft prevailed
with to preach at public time ever)' Lord's day, which
he continued to do while he lived, much to his own
fatisfaftion, and the fatisfadion of his friends. An emi-
nent miniiler in Lancafhire, who did in like manner
alter his praftice about that time, gave this for a rea-
fon, '^ That he had been for twenty-feven years ftriv-
" ing to pleafe a generation of men, who afrer ail
*•' would not be pleafed, and therefore he would no
*' longer endeavour it as he had done.'*

It may be of ufe to give fome account how he man-
aged his minifl trial work in the latter part of his time,
wherein he had as fignal tokens of the prefence of God
with him, as ever j enabling him ftill to bring forth

fruit

1 be Life of Mr Philip Henry. 151

fruit in old age, and to renew his youth like the eagles.
Though what he did he Hill did gratis, and would do
fo, yet he was not willing to have any conftant aflid-
ant, nor had he any ; fo much was he in his element,
when he was about his Mailer's work : 'twas his meat
and drink to do it.

1. As to his conftant Sabbath work, he was uni-
form imd abundant in it. He began his morning fa-
mily worlhip, on Lord's days, at eight o'clock, when
he read and expounded pretty largtly, fung a pfalm
and prayed ; and many ftrove to come time enough to
join with him in that,fervice. He began in pubhcjuft
at nine o'clock Winter and Summer. His meeting-
place was an out-building of his own, near adjoining
to his houfe, fitted up very decently and conveniently
for the purpofe. He began with prayer, then he fung
Pfal. c. without reading the line ; next he read and ex-
pounded a chapter in the Old Teftametit in the morn-
ing, and in the New Teftament in the afternoon. ' He
looked upon the public reading of the fcriptures in re-
ligious alTerablies to be an ordinance of God, and that
it tended very much to the ediiication of people by
that ordinance, to have what is read expounded to
them. The bare reading of the word, he ufed to
compare to the throwing of a net into the water ; but
the expounding of it, is like the fpreading out of that
net, which makes it the more likely to catch fiih ;
efpeclally as he managed it with practical profitable
obfervations. Some that have heard him read a chap-
ter with this thought, how will he make fuch a chap-
ter as this ufciul to us r have been furprized with fuch
pertinent, ufeful inftruftions, as they have owned to
be as much fc)r,^#ieir edification as any fermon. And
commonly when he had expounded a chapter, he
would defire them when they came home to read it
over, and recollecl fome of thofe things that had been
fpoken to them cut of it.

In his expounding of the Old Teftament, he in Juf-
trioufly fought for ibmething in it concerning Chrift,

who

152 TJje Life of Mr Philip FIenry.

who is the true treafure hid in the field, the true man-
na hid in the dew of the Old Teftament. Take one
inflance ; the lail Sabbath that ever he fpent with his
children at Chefter, in the public morning worfhip, he
read and expounded the lad chapter of the, book of
Job : after he had gone through the chapter, and ob-
ferved what he thoiight fit out of it, he expreffed him-
felfto this purpofe: " When I have read a chapter
*' in the Old Teftament, I ufe to enquire what there
** is in it that points at Chrlft, or is any way appli-
" cable to C'hriil ; -here is in this chapter a great deal
" of Job ; but is there nothing of Chrifl here ? Yes ;
" you have heard of the patience of Job, and have
*' in him feen the end of the Lord. This in Job is
*' applicable to Chrifl, that after he had patiently
** gone through his fufferings, he was appointed an
," interceffor for his unkind friends, ver. 8." ' Go to
* my fervant Job, and my fervant Job fhalKpray for you,
' for him will I accept.' " If any one hath an errand
*' to' God, let him go to Jefus Chrift, and put it into
'* his hand, for there is no acceptance to be hoped
" for with God, but by him, who is his beloved Son ;
" not only with v. hom he is well pleafed, but in whom
" viz. with us in him : he hath made us accepted in
" the beloved."

After the expofition of the chapter he fung a pfalm,
J^nd commonly chofe a pfalm fuitable to the chapter
he had expounded ; and would briefly tell his hearers
how they might fmg that pfalm with underftarxding,
and what aiFedions of foul fhould be working towards
God in the finging of it : his hints of that kind were
of great ufe, and contributed much to the right per-
formance of that lervice ; he often 41^, " The more
" fmging of pfahns there is in our families and con-
" gregations on Sabbath days, the more like they are
" to heaven, and the more there is in them of the
" everlafling Sabbath." He would fay fometimes,
he loved to fmg whole pfalms, rather than pieces of

pfalms.

After

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 153

After the fermon in the morning, he fung the cxvii.
' Pfalm, without reading the line.

He intermitted at noon about an hour and a half,
and on facrament days not near fo long, in which
time he took fomc little refrefhinent in his fcudy, mak-
ing no folemn dinner ; yet many of his friends did par-
take of his carnal, as well as of his fpiritual things, as
thofe did that followed Chrift, of 'whom he was care-
ful they (hould not faint by the way. The morning
fermon was repeated, by a ready writer, to thofe that
flaid in the meeting-place, as many did, and when
that was done, he began the afternoi :»n';i exercife j in
which he net only read and expounded a chapter, but
catechifed the children, and expounded the catechifm
briefly before fermon. Thus did he go fror^i Itren.^th
to ftrength, and from duty to duty, on Sabbath-days ;
running the ways of God's commandments wxh an
enlarged heart. And the variety, and vivacity of his
public fervices, made them exceeding pleafant to all
that join'd with him, who never had caufe to complain
of his being tedious. He ufed to fay, " Every minute
" of Sabbath-time is precious, and none of it to be
" loft ;" and that he fcarce thought the Lord's day
well fpent, if he were not weary in body at night ;
wearied with his work, but not weary of it, as he ufed
to diftinguifli. He would fay fometimes to thofe a-
bout him, when he had gone through the duties of a
Sabbath ; " Well, if this be not the way to Heaven,
" 1 do not know what is." In preffing people to
number their days, he would efpecially exhort them
to number their Sabbath-days, how many they have
been, and how iU the;^-^ have been fpent ; how few 'tis
like they may i^that they may be fpent better : and
to help in the j^ount, he would fay, that " for every
" twenty years of our lives, we enjoy above a thou-
" fand Sabbaths," which muft all be accounted for in
the day of reckoning.

As to his conftant preaching, it was very fubftantial
and elaborate, and greatly to edification. He ufed to

U fay,

154 '^^^ Life, of Mr Philip Henry.

fay, he could hot (larch m his preaching ; that is, he
would not : as knowing where the lanp-uase and ex-
preflicn is ftifF, and forced, and fine (as they call it) it
doth not reach the greatell part of the hearers. When
he grew old he would fay, fure he might now take a
greater liberty to talk (as he called it) in the pulpit ;
that is, to fpeak familiarly to people ; yet to the lall
he abated not in his preparations for the pulpit, nor
ever delivered any thing raw and undigefted ; much
lefs any thing unbecoming the gravity and ferioufnefs
of the work. If his preaching were talking, it were
talking to the purpofe. His fermons were not com-
mon place, but even when his fubjecls were the moil
plain and trite, yet his management of them was ufu-
ally peculiar and furprifmg. in thofe years, as former-
ly, he kept for the mod part in a method for fabjects,
and was very feldom above one Sabbath upon a text.
And his conflant practice was, as it had been before,
when he concluded a fubjed; that he had been a good
while upon, he fpent one Sabbath in a brief rehcarfal
of the marrow and fubftance of the many fermons he
preached uoon it ; which he called the clenching of
the nail, that it might be as a nail in a fure place. So-
very indullricus v/as he, and no lefs ingenious in his
endeavours, that his hearers might be " able, after
" his deceafe, to have thefe things always in remem-
" braace, 2 Pet. i. 15. and it is hoped, that by the
blelTmg of God,- the effcddid not altogether difappcint
his expedation. In the latter times of his miniilry,
he would often contrive the hf'ads of his fermons to
begin with the fame letter, or rather two and tv/o of a
letter ; but he did not at all ittv\\ to ^ett or force it;,
only if it fell in naturally and eafiljBJ^ thought it a
good help to memory, and of ufe, oP^cIally to the
younger iort. And he would fay, the chief reafon why
he did it was, becaufe 'tis frequently obferve*! in the
fcripture, particularly the book of Pfalms. AvA though
it be not a f.\mionable ornament of difcoarfe, if it be
a fcripture ornament, that is fuff.cient- to recommend

it,

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 155

it,' at leaft to juPcify it againd the imputation of child-
iflmcfs ; (Mr Porter of Whitchurch very much ufed
ir, fo did Mr Maiden.) But the excellency of his fer-
mons lay chiefly in the enlargements, which were al-
ways very folid, grave, and judicious ; but in expref-
fmg and marihalling his heads, he often condefcended
below his own judgment, to help his htfarers* memo-
ries. Some of his fubjedls (when he had fmillied themj
he m'<ide fome fhort memorandums of in verfe, a dif-
tich cr two of each Sabbath's work, and gave them
out ill writing, among the young ones of his congre-
gation, n)any of whom wrote them, and learned them,
and profited by them.

It might be of ufe (cfpecially to thofe who had the
happineis of fitting under his miniftry) to give fome
account of the method of his Sabbath fubjeits, during
the la It eight or nine years of his miniftry ; and it was
dcfigned, till 'twas found 'twould fwell this narrative
into too great a bulk.

2. As to the adminiflratlon of the facraments, thofe
myfleries of God, which minifters are the (lewards of.

As to fhe facramcnt of baptifm, he had never (that
I know of) baptized any children (except his own)
from the time he was turned out in 1662, till this laft
liberty came, though often defired to do it :- iiich-was
tlj^' tead^r-regard he -had to the eftabliilied church;
but now he revived the adminiftration of that ordi-
nance in his congregation. The occafion was this ;
one of the parifh-minilters preaching at Whitewell-
chapel, Mr Henry and his family, and many of his
friends being prefc;nt, was earneftly cautioning people
not to go to coa«|nlicles, and ufed this as an argument
againft it, " 'i^Hthcy were baptized into the church
" of EnglaniS^Mr Henry's catholic charity could
not well digeft this monopolizing of the great ordi-
nance of baptifm, and thought it time to bear his tef-
timony agahill fuch narrow principles, which he ever
expreifed his diflike of in all parties and perfwafions.
Accordii^ly he took the next opDortunity that offered
' . U 2 * itfelf.

156 Ihe Life of Mr Philip Henry.

itfelf, publickly to baptize a child, and defired the con-
gregation to bear witnefs, " That he did not baptize
*' that child into the church of England, nor into the^
" church of Scotland, nor into the church of the dif-
" fenters, nor into the church at Broad-Oak, but in-
*' to the vifible catholic church of Jefus Chrift." Af-
ter this he baptized very many, and always publickly,
though being in the country they were commonly car-
ried a good way. The public adminiftration of bap-?
tifm he not only judged moft agreeable to the nature
and end of the ordinance, but found to be very pro-
fitable and edifying to the congregation ; for he always
took that occafion, not only to explain the nature of
the ordinance, but aft'eftionately and pathetically to
excite people duly to improve their baptifm. He ufu-
ally received the child immediately out of the hands
of the parent that prefented it, and returned it into the
fame hands again, with this or the like charge, " Take
*' this child, and bring it up for God." He ufcd to
fay, that one advantage of public baptifm was, that
there were many to join in prayer for the child, in
which therefore, and in blefling God for it, he was
ufually very large and particular. After he had bap-
tized the child, before he gave it back to the parent,
he commonly ufed thefc words ; " We receive this
" child into the congregation of Chrifl's church, hav-
" ing wafhed it with water, in the name of the Father,
*' and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghofl, in token
" that hereafter it (hall not be alhamed to confefs
'' Chrift crucified, and manfully to fight, &c."

He baptized mnny adult perfons, that through the
error of their parents were not baj|^ed in infancy,
and fome in public. j^^k

The folemn ordinance of the Loro^Rupper he con-
flantly celebrated in his congregation once a month,
and always to a very confiderable number of commu-
nicants. He did not ufually obferve public days of
preparation for that ordinance, other than as they fell
in courfe in the weekly ledures : nor did he e%er appro-
priate

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. i 5

pri'ate any particular fubjeft of his preaching to Sa-
crament-days, having a great felicity in adapting any
profitable fubjecl to fuch an occafion : and he would
fay, What did the primitive chriflians do, when they
celebrated the Lord's fupper every Lord's day ? His
adminiftration of this ordinance v/as very folemn ar^
aftecling. He had been wont to go about in the con-
gregation, and to deliver the elements with his own
hand ; but in his latter time, he delivered them only
to thofe near him, and fo they were handed from one
to another, with the aififtance of one who fupplied the
office of a deacon, as having a^fo the cuftody and dif-
pofal of the money gathered for the ufe of the poor ;
Mr Henry taking and carefully keeping a particular
account of it.

Such as defired to be admitted to the Lord's fup-
per, he lirfl difcourfed vvdth concerning their fpiritual
ftate ; and how the cafe flood between God and their
fouls,; not only to examine them, but to inftrud and
teach them, and to encourage them as he faw occa-
fion ;' gently leading thofe whom he difcerned to be
ferious, ttiough weak and timorous ; he ufually dif-
courfed with them more than once, as finding precept
upon precept, and. line upon line necelTary : but he did
it with fo much mildnefs, and humility, and tender-
nefs, and endeavour to make the bed of every body,
as did greatly affeQ: and win upon many. He was
herein like our great Mafter, who " can have compaf-
*' fion on the ignorant," and doth not " defpife the
*' day of fmall things."

But his admifiion of young people out of the rank
of catechumensi||to that of communicants, had a pe-
culiar folemni^^ft it. Such as he catechized, when

^ns|&tc

they grew up^Wome years of difcretion, if he obfer-
ved them to be intelligent and ferious, and to fet their
faces heaven-wards ; he marked them out to be ad-
mitted to the Lord's fupper ; and when he had a com-
petent number of fuch, twelve or fifteen perhaps, or
more ; he ordered each of them to come to him feve-

rallv,

158 7 he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

rallv, and difcourfed with them of the things belong-
ing to their everlafting peace ; put it to their choice
whom they would ferve ; and endeavoured to affedt
them with thofe things with whicli by their catechifms
they had been made acquainted ; drawing them witli
the cords of a man, and the bands oi love, into the
way which is called holy. For feveral Lord's days he
catechized them, particularly in public, touching the
Lord's fupper, and the duty of preparation for it, and
their baptihnal govenant, which in that ordinance they
were to take upon themfelves, and to make their own
ad; and deed. Often telling them upon fucb occafions,
that they were not to oblige themfelves to any more
than what they were already obliged to by their bap-
tifm, only to bind themfelves falter to it. Then he
appointed a day in the week before the ordinance ;
when in a folemn afiembly on purpofe, he prayed for-
thtem. and preached a fermon to them, proper to their
age and circumftances : and fo the following Sabbath
they were ail received together to the Lord's fupper.
This he locked upon as the right confirmation, or
tranntion, into the ftate of adult church-memberfhip.
•The more folemn our covenanting with God is, the
more -deep and the more durable the impreffions are
likely to be. He hath recorded it in his diary, upon
one of thefe occafions, as his heart's dehre and prayer
for thofe who were thus admitted, " That it might
" be as the day of their efpoufais to the Lord Jefus,
" and that they might each of them have a wedding
*' c-arment."

T. The drfcirjline he obferved in his consi"ref;ation
was, not fuch as he could have wi^d for, but the
bell: he could ger, confidering wha^Bkattered flock
he had, which was his trouble, but^Kould not be
helped. He would fometimes apply to the circum-
flaiices he was in, that of Mofes. Deut. xii. 8, 9. Hovv'-
ever, 1 fee not but the end was effeclually attained
bv the methods he took, though there wanted the for-
malitv of officers and church-meetings for the purpofe.

If

"The Life of Mr Philip Hei^ry. 159

If he heard of any that walked diforderly, he fent for
them, and reproved them, gently orfharply, as he faw
the cafe required. If the fm had fcandal in it, he fuf-
pended them fiom the ordinance of the Lord's fupper,
till they gave fome tokens of their repentance and re-
formation. And where the oftence was public and
grofs, his judgement was, that fome public fatisfaOion
ftiould be made to the congregation before re-admif-
fion. But whatever offence did happen, or breaches '
of the chriftian peace, Mr Henry's pecuhar excellency
day in refhoring with the fpirit of meeknefs; which,
iS^ith his great prudence, and love, and condefcenfion,
did fo much command the refpecls oi his people, and
win upon them, that there was a univerfal fatisfaftion
in all his management -, and it may truly be faid of
him, as it was of David, 2 Sam. iii. 36. that " what-
'' foever he did pleafed all the people." And it is an
inftance and evidence, that thofe miniilers who will
rule by love and meeknefs, need no laws or canons
to rule by, other than thofe of the holy fcripture.
" How forcible are right words ! Job vi. 25.

4. He was very (Iricl ,and very ferious in obferving
the public fafts appointed by authority, and called them
a delight. He had feldom any one to affill him in
carrying on the duties of thofe days, but performed
the fervice of them himfelf alone. He began at nine
of the clock, or quickly after, and never flirred out of
the pulpit till about four in the afternoon, f|:)ending
all that time in praying and expounding, and finging,
and preaching, to the admiration of all that heard him,
who were generally more on fuch days than ufual.
And he was fonietimes obferved to be more warm ar,d
lively towards^^latter end of the duties of a-fafi:-
day, than at th^^ginning ; as if the fpirit. were moft
willing and enlarged when the fielh was mod weak.
In all his performances on public fiifl-days, he did,
hoc agerc, attend to that which was the proper work
of the day ; every thing is beautiful in its feafon. His
prayers and pleadings with God on thofe days, were

epfecially

i6o The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

efpecially for national mercies, and the pardon of na-
tional fins: how excellently did he order the caufe
before God, and fill his mouth with arguments in his
large and particular interceffions for the land, for the
king, the government, the army, the navy, the church,
the French Proteftants, &c. He was another Jacob,
a wreftler, an Ifrael, a prince with God. Before a faft-
day he would be more than ordinarily inquifitive con-
cerning the ftate of public aifairs, as Nehemiah was,
Neh. i. 2. that he might know the better how to or-
der his prayers and preaching : for on fuch a day (he
hath fometimes faidj " as good fay nothing, as no-
" thing to the purpofe." He made it his bufniefs on
fad-days, to ihew people their tranfgreilions, efpecially
the houfe of Jacob their fins. " 'Tis mofl proper (faid
*' he) to preach of Chrift on Lord*s-days, to preach
of fm on fad-days, and to preach duty on both. He
went over the third chapter of the Revelation, in the
faft-fermons of two years. Another year he preached
over the particulars of that charge, Zeph. iii. 2. Hy-
pocrify in hearers-, and flattery in preachers (as he
would fometimes fay) is bad at any time, but it is efpe-
cially abominable upon a day of humiliation.

5. He preached a great many leftures in the coun-
try about, fome dated, fome occafional, in fupplying
of which he was very indefatigable. He hath fome-
times preached a ledure, ridden eight or nine miles,
and preached another, and the next day tv/o more :
to quicken himfelf to diligence he would often fay,
*' cur opportunities are pading away, and we mud
" work while it is day, for the night cometh," Once
having very wet and foul weather Jx> go through to
preach a leclure, he faid, he comf(^« himfelf with
two fcriptures ; one was 2 Tim. ii. 3^' Endure hard-
" nefs as a good foldier 6f Jefus Chrid.'* . The other
(becaufe he expofed and hazarded his health, for which
Ibme blamed him) was 2 Sam. vi. 21. "It was before
" the Lord." He took all occadons in his leftures
abroad, to poflefs the minds of people with fober and

moderate

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. i6t

moderate principles, and to ftir them up to the fericus
regard ot thofe things wherein we are all agreed.
" \V"e are not met here together (fa.id he once in an
exhortation, with which he often began at his lec-
ture) " becaufe we think ourfeives better than others,
" but becaufe it is our defire to be better than we
" are."

He was very happy In the choice of his fubjedis for
his week-day lectures. At one which was dated, he
preached agalnft errors in general, from James i. 16.
" Do not err, my beloved brethren 5" particularly from
ilivers other fcriptures he Ihewed, that we mult not
err, concerning God and Chrift, and the Spirit ; con-
cerning fin and repentance, faith and good works,;
concerning God's ordinances; concerning grace and
peace, and afflictions and profperity, and the things of
the life to come.

At the monthly lectures he delivered at his own
houfe, he chofe to preach upon the four lad things,
■death and judgment, heaven and hell, in many parti-
culars, but commordy a new text for every fermon.
When he had in many fermons finiilied the lirft of th.e
four, one that ufed to hear him fometimes, enquiring
of tiis progrefs in his fubjecis, aflvcd him if he had done
with death ? meaning that fubject concerning death ;
to which he pleafantly replied, '" No, I have not done
" with him yet; I muil have another turn with him,
" and he will give me a fall ; but I hope to have the
*' victory at lait." He would fometimes remove the
lectures in the country from one place to another, for
the benefit of thofe that could not travel. Once hav-
ing adjourned a ledture to a new place, he began it
there with a ferrjjn on Acts xvii. 6. " Thefe men that
" have turned tne world upfide down, are come hither
" alfo ;'* in which he lliewed how falfe the charge is
as they meant it ; for religion dodi not dilturb the
peace of families or focietles, doth not caufe any difor-
der or unquietnels, &c. And yet, that in another fcnfe
there is a great truth in it; that when the gofpel comes

X in

1 62 T"^^ Ly''^ o/' Mr Philip Henry.

in power to any foul, it turns the world upfide down
in that foul; fuch is the change it makes there.

All this he did gratis, and without being burthen-
fome to any ; nay, he was beft: pleafed, when at the
places where he preached, nothing was got for his en-
tertainment, but he came home (though fome miles)
falling ; as in other places it was a trouble to him ta
fee his friends careful about much fervincr, thou(]jh it
was out of their refpe6L to him.

Lajtiy^ As he was an excellent preacher himfelf, fo
he was an exemplary hearer of the word, when others
preached, though every way his inferiors ; fo reverent,
ierious, and attentive, was he in hearing,^and fo obfer-
vant of what was fpoken. 1 have heard him tell, that
he knew one (and 1 fuppofe it was as Paul knew a
man in Chrifl) who could truly fay, to the glory of
God, that for forty years he had never flept at a fer-^
mon. He was diligent alfo to improve what he heard
afterwards by meditations, repetition, prayer, and dif-
courfe ; and he was a very great encourager of young
minifters that were humble and ferious, though their*
abilities and performances were but mean. He hath
noted in his diary, (as that' which affected him,) this
favinc: of a ffodlv man, a hearer of his, " I find it eafier
" to go fix miles to hear a lermon, than to fpend one
*' quarter of an hour in meditating and praying over
" it in fc'jret (as 1 ihould) when 1 come home."

As to tlie circumllances of his family in the lad
pine years of his fife, tliey were fovnewhat different
from what they had been ; but the lame candle of God
which had fnined upon his tabernacle, continued ftill
to do fo. In the years 16S7, and 1688, he married
all his five children; the three elde((|in four months
time, in the year 1687, and the other two in a year
and a half art^r ; fo many fwarms (as he ufed to call
them) (>iit of hi"? hive ; and all not only with his full
conient, but to his abundant comfort and fatisfadlion.
He would fay, he thought it the duty of parents to
{tudy to Ok^iige their children in that allair. And thu*

never

"The Life of Mr VmiA? Henry. i6^'

n*-\QV could children be more eafy and at reft in a
faiiier s hoiife than his were, yet he would ibnietimes
fav concerning them, as Naomi to Ruth, Ruth iii. i.
" bhall I not leek reft for thee?'* Two advices he u-
fed to give, both to his children and others, in their
choice of that relation : One was, " Keep *\ ithin the
" bonds of profefTion," fuch as one may charitably
hope is from a good principle. The other w^as, " J.ook
*' at fuitablenefs," in age, quality, education, temper,
&:c. He ufed to obferve from Gen. ii. 1 8. "1 will make
*' him a help meet for him ;" that where there is noc
meetnefs,' there will not be much help. And he would
commonly fay to his children, with reference to that
choice, " Pleafe God, and pleafe yourfelves, and you
" fhall never difpleafe me ;" and greatly blamed thofe
parents, who conclude matches for their children, and
do not alk counfel at their mouth. He never aimed
at great things in the world for his children, but fought
for them in the firll place the kingdom of God, and
the righteoufnefs thereof. He ufed to mention fome-
times the faying of a pious gentlewoman, that had ma-
ny daughters : " The care of moil people, is how to
*' get good hufbands for their daughters ; but my care
*' is to fit my daughters to be good wives, and ^hen
" let God provide for them." In this, as in other
things, Mr Henry fteered by that principle ; That " a
*' man's life confifteth not in the abundance of ths
" things that he poifeiTeth." And it pleafed God fo
to order it, that all his children were difpofed of, into
circumftances very agreeable and comfortable, both
for hfe and godlinefs. He was *greatly afFeded v/ith
the goodnefs of God to him herein, without any fore-
caft or contrivance of his own. " The country (faith
" he in his diary) takes notice of it, and what then
" fhall 1 render ?" Surely .this is a token for good.

All his four daughters were married at Whitewell-
chapel, and he preached a wedding fermon for eacli of
them, in hj^ own family, after. He would often tell
his friends, that thofe who defircj in the married con-

X \ dition^

164 *7^^ Life of Mr Philip Henry.

dition, to live in the favour of God, mufl enter upon
that condition in the fear of Gou. For it's an ill omen
to Humble at the threfiiold : and an error in the firil
conco6\:on, is feldom amended in the fecond.

While he lived, he had much comfort in all his
children and their yoke-fellows, and fomewhat the
more, that by the Divine Providence, four of the five,
^families which branched out of his, were fettled in
Chefter.

His youngeH: daughter was married April 26, 168S,
the fame day of the year (as he obferves in his diary)
and the fame day of the week, and in the fame place
that he was married to his dear wife, twenty-eight
years before ; upon wliich this is his remark, " I can-
" not defire for them, that thev ihould receive more
" from God than Vv^e have received, in that rek-ion:
" and condition ; but I would defire, and do defire,
" that they may do more for God in it than we have
" done.** His ufual compliment to his nev»'-married
friends, was. Others wifli you all happinefs, 1 wilh you
ail holinefs, and then there is no doubt but you wilt
have all happinefs.

When the marriage of the laft of his daughters was
about to be concluded on, he thus writes ; " But is
" Jofeph gone, and Simeon gone, and mufl Benjamin
'' go alfo .'* we will not fay that all thefe things are
" againft us, but for us r if we muft be thus in this
" merciful way bereaved of our children, let us be be-
*' reaved ; and God turn it for good to them, as \vc
" knew he will, if thev love and fear his name.'* And
Yvhen, fome time after fhe was married, he parted with
her to the houfe of her hufband, he thus writes ; " We-
'• have fent her away, not as Laban faid he would
" have fent his daughters away, with mirth, and with
" fongs, with tabret, and with harp, but with prayers.
" ?nd tears, rmd hearty good wifhes :'* " And now
*' (faith he in his diary) we are alone again, as we
" were in our beginning ; God be better to us than
" twenty children.'* Upon the fame occafion he thus

writes

^he Life of Mr PhiliI' Henry. 165

writes to a dear relation ; " We are now left as we
" were, one and one, and yet but one ; the Lord, I
" truft, that has brought us thus far, will enable us
" to finifh well ; and then all will be well, and not till
" then.'*

That which he often mentioned, as the matter of
his great comfort that it was fo, and his defire that it
might continue fo, was, the love and unity that was?
among his children ; and that (as he writes) the tranf-
planting of them into new relations, had not leflened
that love, but rather increafed it ; for this he often
gave thanks to the God of love ; noting from Job i. 4.
That the childrens love to one another is the parents
comfort and joy. In his lafl will and teftament, this
is the prayer which he puts up for his children, " That
" the Lord would build them up in holinefs, and con-
" tinue them ftill in brotherly love, as a bundle of
" arrows which cannot be broken."

When his children were removed from him, he was
a daily intercelTor at the throne of grace for them and
their families. Still the burnt-offerings were offered
according to the number of them all. He ufed to fay, '
" Surely the children of fo many prayers will not mif-
" carry." Their particular circumftances of afflidion '
and danger, were fure to be mentioned by him with
fuitable petitions. 1 he greateft afiliftion he faw in
his family was the death of his dear daughter-in-law,'
Catharine, theonly daughter of Samu^j Hardware, Efq.
who, about a year and a half after Ihe was tranfplant-
cd into Jiis family (to which Ihe was the greateft com-
fort and ornament imaginable) died of the fmall pox
in child-bed, upon the thankfgiving day for king Wil-
liam's coming in. She died but a few weeks after Mr
Henry had married the laft of his daughters, upon
which marriage (he had faid, " Now we have a full
" leafe, God only knows which life will drop firft.'*
She comforted herfelf in the extremity of her iilnefs
with this word, " Well, when I come to heaven, I
*' fliali fee that I could not have been without this af-

" fiiction.'*

1 66 Ihc Life of Mr Philip HiNRV.

" flidlon." She had been for fome time before un-
der fome fears as to her fpirituai ftate, but the clouds
were through grace difpelled, and (he finifhed her
courfe with joy, and a chearful expeftation of the glo-
ry to be revealed. When fhe lay ill, Mr Henry (be-
ing in fear not only for her that was ill, but for the
reft of his children in Chefter, who had none of them
paft the pikes of that perilous diftemper) wrote thus
to his fon, on the evening of the Lord's day, " I have
" juft done the public work of this day, wherein, be-
*' fore many fcores of vvitnefles, many of wliom 1 dare
*' fay, are no little concerned for you : 1 have abfo-
" lutely, freely, and unrefervedly given you all up to
*' the good will and pleafure of our heavenly Father,
*' waiting what he will do with us, for good I am furc
*' we have received, and fliall we not receive evil alfo?
He preached at Chefter, upon occafion of that fad
breach in his family, on Job x. 3. " Shew me where-
" fore thou contendeft with me."

When two of his children lay ill, and in perilous
circumftances, after he had been wreftling with God
in prayer for them, he wrote thus in his diary : " If
" the Lord will be pleafed to grant me my requeft
*' this time concerning my children, I will not fay as
*' the beggars at our door ufe to do, I'll never aik any
'' thing of him again j but, on the contrary, he ftiall
• hear oftner from me than ever ; and I will love God
** the better, and love prayer the better, as long as I
*' live." He ufed to fay, trades-men take it ill, if thofc
that are in their books go to another ftiop : while we
are fo much indebted to God for paft m.ercies, we are
bound to attend him for further mercies.

As he was an interceflbr for his children at the throne
of grace, fo he was upon all occafions a remembrancer
to them, both by word and letter, to quicken them to
that which is good. How often did he inculcate this
upon them ? *' Love one another, and the God of love
" and peace will be with you. Do all you can, while
*''. you are together, to help one another to heaven, that

" you

"thz Life of Mr Philip Hknry. 167

"' you may bs together there, for ever, and with the
*' Lord." When the families of his children were in
health and peace, the candle of God fliining upon their*
tabernacles, he wrote thus to them, " 'Twas one of
" Job's comforts in his profperity, that his children
" loved one another, and feafted together : the fame
" is ours in you, which God continue. But you will
" not be offended, if we pray that you may none of
" you curfe God in your hearts. Remember, the
*' wheel is always in motion, and the fpoke that is up-
*' permoll will be under, and therefore mix tremblings
" always with your joy.*'

He much rejoiced in the vifits of his children, and
made that as other things, which, were the matter of
his rejoicing, the matter of his thankfgiving. His ufual
faying at parting, was, " This is not the world we are
" to be together in, and 'tis well it is not ; but there
" is fuch a world before us :** and his ufual prayer
was, " that our next meeting might be either in heav-
*' en, or further on in our way towards it."

He had in eight years time twenty-four grand-chil-
dren born, fome by each of his children ; concerning
whom he would often blefs God, that they were all
" the fealed ones of the God of heaven, and enrolled
" araonoj his lambs." On the birth of his fecond
grand child, at a troublefome time as to public affairs,
he thus writes, " I have now feen my childrens chil-
" dren, let me alfo fee peace upon Ifrael ; and then 1
^ vvdil fay, Lord, now letteil thou thy fervant depart."
Some were much affeded with it, when he baptized
two of his grand -children together at Chefter, publick-
ly, and preached on Gen. xxxiii. 5. " They are the
" children which God hath gracioufly given thy fer-
" vant." He obferved in what a favory, pious, gra-
cious manner Jacob fpeaks. He had fpoken good
fenfe if he had only faid, they are my children ; but
then he had not fpoken like Jacob, Hke one that had
fo lately feen the face of God. Though our fpeech be
not always of grace, yet it mini be always with grace,

grace

1 68 %'he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

grace poured into the lips. There is a kind of lan-
guage, the air of which fpeaks it the language of Ca-
naan; chriftians (hould fpeak like chrifhians.

It was not long after his children were married from
him, but his houfe was filled again with the children
of feveral of his friends, whom he was, by much im-
portunity, perfuaded to take to table with him. All that
knew him, thought it a thoufand pities, that fuch a
mafter of a family fhould have but a fmall family, and
fhould not have Uiany to fit down under his Ihadow.
He was hrfl almoft necefTitated to it, by the death of
his dear friend and kinfman, Mr Benyon of A ih, who
left his (;hildren to his care. Some he took gratis, or
for fmall confideration ; and when by reafon of the ad-
vances of age he could not go about fo much as he
had done, doing good, he laid out himfelf to do the
mpre at home, ; He kept a teacher to attend their
fchool learning ; and they had the benefit, not only of
his infpedion in that, but (which was much more) his
family-worfhip. Sabbath inflrudions, catechizing and
daily converfe, in which his tongue was as choice fil-
ver, and his lips fed many. Nothing but the hopes of
doing fome good to the rifmg generation could have
prevailed with him to take this trouble upon him.
He would often fay, " We have a bufy houfe, but
*' there is a rell remaining. We mull be doing fome-
'' thing in the world while we are in it; but this fafh-
" ion will not laft long, methinks I fee it pafTmg a-
« way."

Sometimes he had fuch with him as had gone
through their courfe of Univerfity learning, at private
academies, and dehred to fpend fome time in his fa-
mily, before their entrance upon the minlftry ; that they
might have the benefit, not only of his public and fa-
mily inflruclions, but of his learned, pious converfe, in
which, as he was throughly furnifhed, for every good
word and work, fo he was very free and communica-
tive. The great thing which he ufed to prefs upon
thofe who intended the miniftry, was to fludy the fcrip-

tures.

"the Life of Mr Philip Henry. 169

tures, and make them familiar. Boyms texiuarius eft
bonus tkebgits, M^as a maxim he often minded them of.
For this purpofe he recommended to them the ftudy
of the Hebrew, that they might be able to learch the
fcriptures in the original. He alfo advifed them to
the ufe of an interleaved Bible, wherein to hifert fuch
expositions and obfervations as occur occafionally in
fermons or other books ; which, he would fay, are more
happy and confiderable fometimes, than thofe that are
found in the profeiTed comnientators. When fome
young men defired the happinefs of coming into his
family, he would tell them, " You come to me as
" Naaman did to Eliflia, expelling that I iliould do
" this and t'other for you ; and alas, I can but fay as
" he did, Go waih ir. Jordan; — Go, ftudy the fcriptures.
" I profefs to teach no other learning but fcripture
" learning.'* It was but a little before he died, that in
reading Ifa. 1. he obferved from ver. 4. " The Lord
" hath given me the tongue of the learned," &c. That
the true learning of a gofpel minifter Confifis r \t in be-
ing able to talk Latin fluently, and to difpi^e iu philo-
fophy, but in being able to fpeak a word in feafon-to
weary fouls. He that knows how to do that well, is a
learned minifter.

CHAP. IX.

His Jicknejs, Death, and Burial.

IN the dme of his health, he made death very fami-
liar to himfelf by frequent and pleafmg thoughts
and meditations of it; and endeavoured to make it fo
to his friends, by fpeaking often of it. His letters and
difcourfes had Itill fomething or other which fpoke his
conftant expectations of death ; thus did he learn to
die daily ; and it is hard to fay, whether it was more
eafy to him to fpeak, or uneafy to his friends, to hear
him fpeak of leaving the world. This minds me of a
paffage I was told by a v/orthy Scotch minifter, Mr

Y Patrick

170 The Life of Mr Fhilip Henry.

Patrick Adair, that vifiting the famous Mr Durham of
Glafgow, in his laft ficknels, which was long and Hng-
ering -, he faid to him, " Sir, 1 hope you have fo let
" all in order, that ycu have nothing elfe to do but
" to die:" "I blefs God (faid Mr Durham) I have
" not had that to do either thefe many years." Such
is the comfort of dying daily, when we come to die
indeed.

Mr Henry's conflitution was but tender, and yet by
the bleffing of God upon his great temperance, and
care of his diet, and moderate exercife by walking in
the air, he did for many years enjoy a good meafure
of health, which he ufed to call *' The fugar that fweet-
" ens all temporal mtrcies,*' for which therefore we
ought to be very thankful, and of which we ought to
be very careful. He had fometimes violent fits of the
cholick, wh-ich would be very afflidive for the time,
'i'owards his latter end he was diftreffed fometimes
with a pain, which his doOor thought might arife from
a flone in his kidneys. Being once upon the recovery
from an ill fit of that pain, he faid to one of his friends
thataiked him how he did, " he hoped, by the grace of
" God, he fhould now be able to give one blow more
" to the devil's kingdom;" and often profefled, " he
" did not defire to live a day longer than he might
'* do God fome fervice." He faid to another, when
he perceived himfelf recovering, " Well, I thought I
" had been putting into the harbour, but find I mult
" to fea again."

He was fometimes fuddenly taken with fainting fits,
which, when he recovered from, he v/ould fay, " Dy-
" ing is but a httle more."

When he was in the fixty-third year of his age,
which is commonly called the Grand Climafteric, and
hath been to many the dying year, and was fo to his
father, he nunsbered the days of it, from Augull 24.
1693, to Auguit 24. 1694, when he finiflied it: and
when he concluded it, he thus wrote in his diary:
'* This day finifnetli my commonly dying year, which l

" h^ve

T^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 171

*' have numbered the days of; and (hould now apply
*' my heart more than ever to heavenly wifdom." He
was much pleafed with that expreffion of our Englifh
liturgy in the office of burial, and frequently ufed it ;
*■' In the midft of life we are in death."

The infirmities of age, when they grew upon him,
did very little abate his vigour and livelinefs in preach-
ing, but he feemed even to renew his youth as the
eagles ; as thofe that are planted in the houfe of the
Lord, who fcill bring forth fruit in old age ; not fo
much to fliew. that they are upright, as to ihew that
the Lord is upright, Pfal. xcii. 14, 15. But in his lat-
ter years, travelling was very troublefome to him ; and
he would fay, as Mr Dod ufed to do, that when he
thought to fhake himfelf as at other times, he found
his hair was cut ; his fenfe of this led him to preach an
occafional fermon not long before he died, on John
xxi. 18. *' When thou waft young, thou girdedft thy-
" felf, ** &c. Another occafional fermon he preached
when he was old, for his own comfort, and the com-
fort of his aged friends, on Pfal. Ixxi. 17, i8. " O God,
" thou haft taught me from my youth," he. He ob-
ferved there, that it is a bleifed thing to be taught of
God from our youth ; and thofe that have been taught
of God from their youth, ought to declare his won-
drous works all their days after. And thofe that have
been taught of God from their youth, and have all
their days declared his wondrous works, may comfort-
ably expeft, that when they are old he will not forfake
them. Chrifl is a mafter that doth not ufe to caft off
his old fervants.

For fome years before he died, he ufed to complain
of an habitual wearinefs, contracted, he thought, by his
{landing to preach, fometimes very uneafily, and in in-
convenient places, immediately after riding. He would
fay, Every minifter was not cut out for an itinerant ;
and fometimes the manifeft attention and affe(3:ion of
people in hearing, enlaced him both in length and
fervency, fomewhat more than his ftrength could well

Y 2 bear.

172 The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

bear. It was not many months before he ditfd, that
he wrote ihus to a dear relation, who inquired folici-
toufly concerning- his health ; " I am always habitually
" weary, and expe£t no other till 1 lye down in the
" bed of fpices." And ('bleiled be God) fo the grave
is to all the faints, fmce He lay in it who is the rofe of
Sharon, and the lily of the vallies. When fome of his
friends perfuaded-him to fpare himfelf, he would fay,
*' Its time enough to reft when I am in me grave;
" what were candles made for, but to burn."

It doth not appear that he had any particular pre-
fagesofhis death; but by many inilances there were of
his aftual gracious expectation of it, fomewhat- more
than ordinary fur fome time before. The laft vifit he
made to his children in Chefter, was in July « 695, al-
moft a year before he died, when he fpent a Lord's
day there, and preached on the laft verfe of the epiftle
to Philemon, " The grace of our Lord JefiiS Chrift be
" with your fpirit" By grace he underftood not fo
much the good will of God towards us, as the good
work of God in us, called the grace of Chrilt, both
becaufe he is the author and fuiifher of it, and becaufe
he is the pattern and famplar of it. Now " the choi-
*' ceft gift we can aik of God for our friend is, that
" this grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift may be with
*' their fpiiit.'"' This is the one thing needful, the bet-
ter part, the root of the niatter, the whole of man, the
principle thing, the more excellent way, a bleffing in-
deed, and the thing that accompanies falvation. The
grace of Chrift in the fpirit, enlightens and enlivens
the fpirit, foftens and fubdues the fpirit, purifies and
preferves the fpirit, greatens and guides the fpirit, fweet-
ens and ftrengthcns the fpirit, and therefore v/hat can
be n:iore defirable. A fpirit without the grace of Chrift*
is a field without a fence, a fool without underftand-
ing ; it is a horfe without a bridle, and a houfe with-
out furniture ; it is a fliip without tackle, and a foldicr
without armour ;■ it is a cloud without rain, and a car-
cafe without a foul ; it is a tree without fruit, and a

rraveller

The Life o/" Mr Philip Henry. 173

traveller without a guide. How earneft therefore
Ijiould we be in praying to God for grace, both for
ourfelves and for our relations ! He had intended to
preach upon that text, when he was at Chefter the
year before, but was then prevented, by a particular
fad occafion, which obhged him to a funeral fermon,
divine Providence referving that benedi£i:ion (which
his heart was much upon) for his valedidion. The
Thurfday following being kept as a faft in his fon*s
congregation at Chefter, he preached on Luke xix. 41.
" He beheld the city, and wept over it;" which proved
his farewell to the town, as the former was his farewell
to his friends and relations in it.

It was not many weeks before he died, that he wrote
f bus ro Gtie of his children : '* We are well here, thanks
^' be to (J;)d, and are glad to hear that you and yours
V' pre well alfo, God in m.ercy continue it : but why
*' fhouiJ v.-ebe well always ? Do we deferve it? Arethere
'* no mixtures in our obedience ? Are there any perfons
" or families, at whofe door ficknefs and death never
'* knocked ? Muft the earth be forfaken for us, or the
" rock removed out of its place ? Is it not enough that
" we be dealt with according to the manner of men,
** and that we have a promife, that it fhall end well,
*' everlaflingly well ?"

To another of his children, about the fame time, he
writes, " We are fenfible that we decline apace, but
" the befl of it is, that as time goes, eternity comes ;
" and we are in good hope, through grace, that it will
*' be a comfortable eternity.*'

It was in April 1696, a few weeks before he died,
that his fon's father-in-law, Robert Warburton, Efq ;
was gathered to his grave in peace, in a good old age.
Upon the. tidings of whofe death, Mr Henry wrote
thus to his fon ; " Your fathers, where are they ? your
" father-in-law gone, and your own father going ; but "
" you have a God-father that Hvesfor ever." He was
wont fometimes to fubfcribe his letters, vour ever-lov-
ing, but not eVer-living father.

It

174 ^^<? ^f^ of Mr Philip Henry.

It -was not a month before he died, that, in a letter
to his very dear and worthy friend and brother, Mr
Tallents of Shrewsbury, he had this paffage : " Me-
" thinks it is ftrange, that it (hould be your lot and
" mine, to abide fo long on earth by the fluff, when
" fp many of our friends are dividing the fpoil above,
*' but God will have it fo \ and to be willing to live
*' in obedience to his holy will, is as true an a£t of
" grace, as to be willing to die when he calls, efpeci-
" ally when life is labour and forrow. But when it
" is labour and joy, fervice to his name, and feme
" meafure of fuccefs and comfort in ferving him; when
" it is to flop a gap, and flem a tide, it is to be rejoi-
" ced in ; *tis heaven upon earth : nay, one would
" think, by the Pfalmifl's oft repeated plea, Pfal. vi.
" XXX. Ixxxviii. cxv. and cxviii. that it were better
*' than to be in heaven itfelf; and can that be ?'*

A little before his ficknefs and death, being fummer
time, he had feveral of his children, and his childrens
children about him, at Broad Oak, with whom he was
much refrefhed, and very cheerful j but ever and anon
fpoke of the fafhion he was in, as pafling away ; and
often told them, he fhould be there but a while to bid
them welcome. And he was obferved frequently in
prayer, to beg of God, that " he would make us ready'
*' for that which would come certainly, and might
" come fuddenly." One aiking him how de did, he
anfwered, " I find the chips fly off apace, the tree will
" be down fhortly."

The lafl time he adminiflcred the Lord's fupper, a
fortnight before he died, he clofed the adminiflration
with that fcripture, i John iii. 2. " It doth not yet ap-
" pear what we fhall be ;" not yet, but it will fliortly.
The Sabbath but one before he died, being, in the
courfe of his expofition, come to that difficult part of
fcripture, the xl. of Ezekiel, and the following chap-
ters, he faid he would endeavour to explain thofe pro-
phecies to them ; and added " If I do not do it now,
" I never fhall :" and he obferved, that the only pro-
phetical

I'be Life of Mr Philip Henry. i 75

phetical fermon which our Lord Jefus preached, was
but a few days before he died. This many of his
hearers not only reflefted upon afterwards, but took
notice of at that time with a concern, as having fome-
thing in it more than ordinary.

On the Lord's-day, June 2 1 . 1696, he went through
the work of the day with his ufual vigour and liveli-
nefs. He was then preaching over the firft chapter of
St Peter's feccnd epiftle, and was that day on thofe
words, " Add to your faith virtue," ver. 5. tie took vir- .
tue for chriftian courage and refolution in the exercife
of faith ; and the lafl: thing he mentioned, in which
chriftians have need of courage, is in dying ; " for (as
he was often us'd to fay) it is a ferious thing to die,
and to die is a work by itfelf.** That day he gave notice,
both morning and afternoon, with much affeftion and
enlargement, of the public fad, which was appointed
by authority the Friday following, June, 26. prefling.
his hearers, as he us'd to do upon fuch occafions, to
come in a prepared frame, to the folemn fervices of
that day.

The Tuefday following, June 23, he rofe at fix
o'clock, according to his cuftom, after a better night's
fleep than ordinary, and in wonted health. Between
feven and eight o'clock he performed family worfhip,
according to the ufual manner ; he expounded very
largely the former half of the civ. Pfalm, and fung it ;
but he was fomewhat {hotter in prayer than he us'd to
be, being then (as it was thought) taken ill. Blefled is
that fervant, whom his Lord, when he comes, fhall
find {o doing. Immediately after prayer he retired to
hio chuOiber, not faying any thing of his illnefs, but
was foon alter found upon his bed in great extremity
of pain, in his back, bread, and bowels ; it feemed to
be a complicated fit of the ftone and cholick together,
in very great extremity. The means that had been
us'd to give him relief in his illnefs were altogether
ineffedlual ) he had not the lead intermifiion or remif-
fion of pain, neither up nor in bed, but in a continual

tofs.

176 Tlht Life of Mr Philip Henry.

tofs. He had faid fometimes, that God's Ifrael may
find Jordan rough ; but there's no remedy, they mufl
through it to Canaan ; and would tell of a good man
who us'd to fay, he was not fo much afraid of death
as of dying. We know they are not the godly people,
part of the defcription of whofe condition it is, that
there are no bands in their death, and yet their end is
peace, and their death gain, and they have hope in it.
In this extremity he was flill looking up to God,
and calling upon him, who is a prefent help in the
needful hour. When the exquifitenefs of his pain
forced groans and complaints from him, he w^ould pre^
fently correct himfelf with a patient and quiet fubmif-
fion to the hand of his heavenly Father, and a cheerful
acquiefcence in his heavenly will. " I am afhamed (faith
he) of thefe groans, I want virtue : O for virtue nov/
when I have need of it (referring to his fubjedi: the
Lord's-day before) forgive me that I groan thus, and
I will endeavour to filence them ; but indeed my flroke
is heavier than my groaning." It is true, what Mr Bax-
ter faid in his pain, There's no difputing againft fen/c.
It was his trouble, as it was Mr Baxter's that by rea-
fon of his bodily pain, he could not exprefs his inward
comfort ; however that was it, with v/hich God graci-
oufly ftrengthened him in his foul. He faid to thofe
about him. They m.ufl remember what inftruclicns and
counfels he had given them when he was in health,
for now he could fay but little to them, only to refer
them to what he ^had faid,, as that which he would live
and die by.

It was two or three hours after he was taken ill, be-
fore he would fufter a melfenger to be fent to Cheiler
for his fon, and for the dodor, faying, he fliould either,
be better, or dead, before they could come ; but at laiL
he faid, as the prophet did to his importunate friends.
Send. About eight o'clock that evening they canie,
and found him in the fame extremity of pain which
he had been in all day. And nature being before fpent
with his conftant and indefatigable labours in the work

of

T^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. i 77

of the Lord, now funk, and did perfc-illy fuccumb un-
der its burthen, and was quite difabled to grapple with
fo mafiy hours inceffant pain. What farther means
were then us'd proved fruitlefs, and did not anfwer
the intention. He apprehended himfjif going apace,
and faid to his fon when he came in, "O fon, you are
" welcome to a dying father : I am now re^-dy to '
*' offered, and the time of my departure is at har
His pain continued very acute, but he had peace
in. I am tormented (faid he once) but blefled be ol'.
not in this flame ; and foon after, " I am ail ou fire,"
(when at the fame time his extreme parts were cold)
but he prefently added, Bleiled be God it is not the
fire of hell. To fome of his next neighbours who came
in to fee him (for thofe at a diftance had not notice of
his illnefs) he faid, " O make fure work for yom* fouls
" by getting an interefl in Chriil while you are in
" health ; for if I had that work to do now, what would
" become of me ? but 1 blefs God I am fatisfied." It
was a caution he was often wont to give ; See to it,
that your work be not undone, when your time is
done, left you be undone for ever.

Towards ten or eleven o'clock that night, his pulfe
and fight began to fail ; of the latter he himfelf took
notice, and inferred from it the near approach of his
diifolutlon.

He took an aifeftionate farewell of his dear
yoke-fellow, with a thoufand thanks for all her love
and care, and tendernefs ; left a bleihng for all his dear
children, and their dear yoke-fcllov/s and little ones,
that were abfent. He faid to his fDn, who fat under
his head, " Son, the Lord blefs you, and grant that.
" you may do w^orthily in your generation, and be
" more ferviceable to the church of God than I have
" been ;'* fuch was his. great humility to the laft. And
when his fon, replied, O Sir, pray for me that 1 may
but tread in your fteps ; he anfwered. Yea, follow peace
and holinefs, and let them fay what they will. More
he would have faid to bear his dying teilimony to the

Z way

178 The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

way in which he had walked, but nature was fpent,
and he had not ftrength to exprefs it.

His underftanding and fpeech continued almof!: to
the lad breath, and he was flill in his dying agonies
calling upon God, and committing hiinlelf to him.
One of the lad words he faid, when he found hiiiifelf
juft ready to depart, was, " O death, where is thy — ?'*
with that his fpeech faultered, and within a few minutes
(after about fixteen hours illnefs) he quietiy breathed
out his precious foul, into the embraces of his dear
Redeemer, whom he had trulled, and faithfully fe-rved
in the work of the miniftry, about forty-three years.
He departed betwixt twelve and one o'clock in the
morning of June 24. midfummer-dav, in the fixty-fifth
year of his age. Happy, thrice happy*he, to whom fuch
a fudden change was no furprize, and who could
triumph over death, as ate-junftung difarmed enemy,
even when he made fo fierce an onfet. He had often
fpoke of it as his defire, that if ii were the will of God,
he might not outlive his ufefulnefs ; and it pleafed
God to grant him his defire, and give him a fhort paf-
fage from the pulpit to the kingdom ; from the height
of his ufefulnefs, to receive the recompence of reward.
So v/as it ordered by Him in whofe hands cur times
are.

After the account we have given of his great ufeful-
ilefs, it is eafy to imagine what forrow and mourning
there was among his friends, when they heard that the
Lord had taken avvay their midler from their head.
One that Hved fo much defired. could not but die as
much lamented. The furprife of the Tiroke put people
into a perfe6l aflonifhment ; and many faid. The Lord
removed him fo fuddenly, becaufe he would not deny
the many prayers that would have been put up for his
recovery, had it l»2en known that he was in peril. One
thing that aggravated this fevere difpenfation, and
made it in the apprehenfion of many look the more
difmal, was, that this powerful interceifor was taken
away jud before a fad- day, when he would have been

wredling

the Life of Mr Philip Henry. 179

wreflHng mightily with God for mercy for the land.
However, it proved a fall-day indeed, and a day of hu-
miliation to that congregation, to whom an empty pul-
pit was an awakening fermon. The Broad-Oak was
then hke that under which Rebekah's nurfe was bu-
ried, Gen. XXXV. 8. Allon bacnth^ the oak of weeping.
They who had many a time fitten with dry eyes, un-
der melting ordinances, could not fit fo under fuch a
melting providence, by which the Lord God called fo
loudly to weeping and to mourning, and to girding
with fackcloth. But becaufe Mr Henry had been M^ont
to give it for a rule, that weeping muft not hinder fow-
ing, a mite was call into the treafury of the nation's
prayers, and a word fpoken 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 veffel, in which this treafure had been lodged,
was laid up in the grave in Whitchurch church, atten-
ded thither with a very great company of true mourn-
ers, all the country round ; many from Chefier and.
Shrewfbury, and the towns about, came to do him
honour at his death : and, befides the floods of tears
that were fhed, there were abundance of teflimoniea
given to him, by perfons of all forts, like that to Je-
hoiadah, 2 Chron. xxiv. 16. That he was one that had
done good in Ifrael. And there were thofe who faid,
he was a man that no body did or could fpeak evil of,
except for his nonconformity. He was ufed to fay to
his relations, When I am dead, make little ado about
me ; a few will ferve to bring me to my grave. But his
mind could not be obferved in that ; 'twas impoffible
fuch a burning and fliining light could be extinguilh-
ed, but there mud be a univerfal notice taken of it. ♦
Multitudes came unfought ; not to fJl their eyes
(as Mr Vines exprefleth it) but to empty them ; nor
was there any other noife there, but that of general la-
mentation.

That morning before the removal of the corpfe, a
Z 2 mod

i8o The Life of Mr Philip Henrt.

moft afieO-Ionate fermon was preached in Mr Henry *s,
meeting-place, by his dear and worthy friend Mr Tal-
lents of Shrewfbury, who was eleven years older than
he, and through God's goodnefs ftill lurvives him. He
w^as willing to take that opportunity, to teilify the
great love and honour that he had for Mr Henry,
whom he called a friend that is nearer than a brother.
His'texrwas, Rom. viii. 23. " And not only they, but
" ourfelves alfo, which have the firft fruits of the Spi-
" rit, even we ourfelves groan within ourfelves, wait-
" ing for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our"
" body.*' In his application he fliewed excellently, and
with much affeclion, how " the confideration of the
" fpirit 'and Hfe of this eminent fervant of God, would
" greatly lead us to believe on Chrifl, and to have the
" fpirit of Chrift and live after it ; and to fuffer with
" Chrift, and to jrroan for our adoption." Several
things were hinted concerning him, which have been
mentioned already in this narrative, and a very hon-
ourable teftimony born to him. From a long acquaint-
ance with him, he witneffed concerning him, to thofe
who knew his record to be true, that " he was hum-
" ble and meek, kind and peaceable, wife and chari-
" table, and one in whom the fruits of the Spirit were
" eminently : that he was a friend and a counfellor,
*' and a father to many ; tliat his expounding and
" preaching was^ plain and pleafant, warm and favory,
" full, and fuch as few could reach, and greatly blefled
" by God ; and that in it he laboured more abundant-
" ly than any." And after a great encomium of him,
it was excellently obferved, and muft be mentioned
here, as that which was highly agreeable to Mr Henry's
fpirit, and his exprefiions upon all occafions : " That
** it was not his own righteoufnefs that fav_ed him, nor
*' his own ftrength that quickened and upheld him, but
" Chrift's righteoufnefs and Chrift's ftrength ; for to
" him to live was Chrift : and in all his difcourfes, fer-
'' mons, and letters, he was very careful to afcribe the
" honour of all to Chrift, and to make Chrift his all

" in

'The Life of Mr Philip Henry. i 8 1

" in all." He concluded with fome words of feafon-
able advice to thofe of that fociety and neighbourhood :

1. " Give thanks to God that ever you had him or
" faw him, and that you had him fo long, above thir-
" ty years in this place. Do not many of you owe
" even your very fouls to him under God ? while you
" mourn, give thanks to God that you ever knew
" him ; old and great mercies muft be thankfully re-
'' membered.

2. " Rejoice In the glory that he now enjoys : " weep
'• not for him, but weep for yourfelves:" 'twas the
" text on which he preached, not much above a year
" ago, at the funeral of that intelligent, holy, ufeful
" man, Mr William Lawrence of Wem. The primi-
" tive chriilians buried their faints with hymns and
" pfalms of joy. Chryfoftom on the Hebrews faith,
" We are to glorify God, and give thanks to him, that
" he hath crowned the deceafed, and freed them from
" their labours ; and chides thofe that mourned and
" howled. And the days of their death were called
*' Natalitia martyrum l^ fanctorum, the birth days of
" the faints and martyrs. And Hierom (in his epitaph
" on holy Paula, and in the lives of other holy per-
" fons, writ by him) faith, that at her funeral no
" fnrieks were heard, but multitudes of pfalms and
" hymns were fung in divers languages.

3. " Bewail the lofs, the general lofs, and yours in
" particular, yet fo as to have hope in God. I need
" not tell you how great your lofs is, you feel it more
" than I am able to exprefs. If any rejoice that he is
" gone, becaufe he tormented them, fay as the church
" Micah vii. 8, 9.

4. " Seek out for a fupply ; do not mourn and fit
" ftill, but up and be doing in your places ; you have
" had a cheap gofpel hitherto : God lent you one that
" could preach freely, and which is more, that would
*' do fo too ; one that fought not yours, but you ; and
" now God will fee what you will do for yourfelves ;
" that now the fhepherd is fmitten, the flieep may not

be

^-U^i

1 82 T'le Life of Mr VniLiP Henky.

" be fcattered. Pray to God to raife up others like
" him, and gracioufly to give you one.

5. " Take heed of liking no preacher, now he is
*' gone. This is a ufual fauh among many that have
" had excellent preachers, no body can pleafe them.
*' But God may blefs weaker means, and make your
" fouls live and thrive under them.

6. *' Hold fafl that which you have ; it is the advice
" given to Philadelphia, the bed of the Churches,
*' Rev. iii. 1 1 . Keep that good thing which is commit-
** ted to you, that favorinefs of heart, that love to Chrift
" and to faints, to all faints, that knowledge of the
*' truth. Keep to his fober principles. Remember
" his dying counfel. Follow peace and holinefs : have
*' thefe 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 bufy hearts will be apt to betray you j but go
*' on humbly and honeftly in the ftrength of Chrift,
*' and fear not: be not like thofe Jews that turned a-
*' fide when John Baptift was dead, John v. 35. The
*' Lord keep you fi-om being fuch, and give you to go
" on to his heavenly kingdom." '

It would have fwelled this book too much, if we
inferted the fermon at large, and therefore we for-
bear it.,^,,^.,— *.

— Tlie next day being Lord*s day, Mr Owen of Of-
weftry preached a moft excellent fermon in the morn-
ing, agreeable to that fad occafion, upon that pathetical
farewell which Elifha gave to Elijah, 2 Kings ii. 1 2.
" My father, my father, the chariots of Ifraei and the
" horfemen thereof, and he faw him no more; and he
" took hold of his own clothes, and rent them." He
obferved, i. " That faithful minifters are the fathers of
" a people, and their chariots and horfemen ; the for-
** mer a metaphor taken from a family, a peaceable
*' fociety ; the latter from an army, a warUke body.
" Fathers to provide good things, chariots and horfe-
" men to protect from evil things. 2. There is a time

" when

'the Life of Mr Philip Henry. i 83

•"^ when we fliall fee thefe fathers, thefe chariots and
" horfemen of Ifrael no more. Their time is appoint-
*' ed, their work cut out for them, and when thofe
" are finiftied they are removed 3. When God takes
" away our fathers, the chariots of our Ifrael, and the
" horfemen thereof, it is a proper feafon for mourn-
" ing and lamentation. Under this he did moft af-
" fedtionately excite us, i. To be fenfible of our lofs,
" which is better felt than expreft. *Tis the lofs of
'•^ one that was a father; a father to his family, to
" whom he was conilant in unfolding the holy ora-
" cles ; a father to the prophets, for counfel, and con-
" dufl:, arid example : the fons of the prophets never
*' converfed with him, but they were, or might have
" been the better for him ; a father to his congrega-
" tion, now left orphans: 'tis the lofs ofoneofths
" chariots and horfemen of our Ifrael, fo eminent was
" he for prevalency in prayer, courage in duty, con-
" duel in affairs, conftancy in religion, and a firm ad-
" herence to his minifterial vows; and, laftly, a con-
" tempt of the world, in which as he that warreth, he
*' did not entangle himfelf. 2. To be fenfible of thofe
" fins, which have provoked God to deprive us of
" him. Barrenjiefs and unfruitfulnefs under his min-
" iftry ; 'tis for this that God hath a controverfy with
" us. 3. To blefs God that we enjoyed him fo long:
" eaten bread muft not be forgotten. 4. To be fol-
" lowers of him, as he was of Chrift. He was a pat-
" tern for minifters, excelling in the knowledge of the
" fcriptures, which made this man of God perfect, and
** induflrious to advance the honour of Jefus Chriit,
*' whom he made the Alpha and Omega of his reli-
" gion ; not addided to controverfies, but walking in
** the good old way, unwearied in the work of God.
** It was the delight of his heart, to be laying out him-
" felf for the good of fouls. Exemplary for humility
'■ and low thoughts of himfelf, and his own perforiii-
" ances, for meeknefs and readinefs to forgive injuries,
*' for candor in fpeaking of others, and their words

'' and

184 T^he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

*' and a£lions, on which he ever put the beft conidruc-
" tion, and was never apt to fpeak evil of any man.
" Eminent for family religion, and in that an excel-
*' lent copy to all mafters of families. Thofe things
" therefore which you have heard and feen in him do,
" and the God of peace fhall be with you.'* Thefe
were the heads which were copioufly and excellently
enlarged upon in that fermon.

In the afternoon of that Sabbath, another fermon
was preached by a near relation of Mr Henry's on
Heb. xi. 4. " And by it, he being dead yet fpeak-
" eth."

The Wednefday following, July i. being the lefture
in courfe at Danford in Whitchurch parifh, Mr Samuel
Lawrence of Nantwich, whofe turn it was to preach
that lecture, brought up the long train of mourners,
(as he exprefled it) in a moft favoury and pertinent dif-
cciirfe on Heb. xiii. 7. " Remember them which have
" (or have had) the rule over you, who have fpoken
" unto you the word of God, whofe faith follow, con-
*' fidering the end of their converfatlon." " Bifhops
" no doubt, (faith he) are here meant, fcripture pri-
*' mitive bifhops, the paftors of particular congrega-
*' tions, for the)f were fuch as had fpoken to them the
" word of God, and watched for their fouls, ver. 1 7.
" Such a one Mr Henry was, that great man, who is
" fallen this day in Ifrael, removed from us, but hath
" left behind him a good name to be remembered, a
*' good example to be imitated ; many a good word
" fpoken to us, and many a good prayer put up for
" us. Remember him with thankfulnefs, that God
" has given fuch power, fuch gifts and graces unto
*' men. I never knew a man (faid he) in all my ac-
" quaintance, in whom I have feen fo much of God
" as in good Mr Henry, whofe holy, humble, heaven-
" ly, gracious converfation, hath been to me no fmall
'* confirmation of the truth of the chriftian religion ;
" that God gave him to you, and continued him fo
" long, to fee the church in a better ftate than he had

' " fome-

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 185

• fometimes feeii it ; that God crowned his labours
' with fuch great fuccefs. Many fouls in heaven, and

• fome on earth blefling God that ever they faw his
■ face, and that God continued him in his ufefulnefs
' to the laft. Remember him with a quiet fubmiflion
' to the hand of God in his removal from us. Senfi-
' ble we mufl be of the ftroke ; ^tis a public lofs, a
' lofs to the miniftry, our hands are this day weak ;

a lofs to the nation, for which he was a powerful
intercelfor ; a lofs to this country, in which he was
a burning and fhining light ; but yet we mud ac-
quiefce in the divine will. The treafure was in an
earthen 'veifel, and God will bring us to depend
more upon himfelf ; and he is teaching us to live,
and live to Chrifl without good Mr Henry, though
we have fometimes faid, we did not know how we
could Hve without him. Remember him to pay all
honour and refpeft to his name and memory ; rife
up and call him bleifed. That's a foul tongue, as
well as a lying one, that can fay any thing of him
unbecoming a difciple, fervant, and minifter of Jefus
Chrift. Remember him, to imitate his good exam-
ple. Many of you will be called Mr Henry's fol-
lowers ; be fo indeed. He was a ptittern to minif-
ters of diligence, zeal, humihty, and great meeknefs
in dealing with all people, which contributed abun-
dantly to his fuccefs ; his preaching affedtionate,
without affedation. To all people he was a pattern
of faith and charity, and contempt of the world, of
zeal and moderation, patience in fuffering, and of
conflancy and perfeverance to the end. Remem-
ber him, and remember your fms which have pro-
voked God to take him away. Have not we griev-
ed this good man's fpirit ? &c. Remember him,
and remember Chrift's fulnels, who is the fame, ver.
8. and hath the refidue of the Spirit. Inftruments
Ihifted, cilterns emptied, but there is the fame in the
fountain. Remember him, and remember your
own death, and heaven where he is: we may think
A a "■ the

1 86 The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

" the v/orfe of this world, which is much impoverilh-
" ed, and the better of heaven, which is ibmewhat en-
" riched by the removai of this good man."

Thus we have gleaned a little out of the fermons,
which very well deferved to have been publilhed at
large, fomc of the tcftimonies that were borne to him,
by fuch as had had long and intimate- acquaintance
with him, that knew his excellencies very much, and
knew as little to give Hattering titles ; nor was it any
invidious piece of fervice, to ipeak thus honourably of
one, who, like Demetrius, had a good report of all men,
and of the truth itfelf.

Nor was it ^fe^ only, but from abroad, that very
honourable teitimonies were given of him. 8ir Henry
Ashurft (whofe great worth and ufefulnefs the world
hath been made to know, by fome of the bed pens of
the age) befides the perfonal acquaintance he had with
Mr Henry, both at Boreatton and in London, had kept
up a conitant correfpondence with him, by letter, for
many years. Read the charafter he gav^e of him, in
a letter to a near relation of Mr Henry's, \upl3n the tid-
mgs of his death : — " I need not tell you^ how fadly I
" received the doleful news of Mr Henry's tranilation,
** who, I do think, lived the greateft exampk of fm-
" cere godlinefs, with prudence and fweetnefs oftem-
" per, of any I ever knew.'* And in another -letter,
not only pr^pofrng, but prelTmg the publication of an
account of his life, he profeifeth, he thought there was
none like him in his day, at leaft of his acquaintance,
which is known to be both of the largefl and of the
beft : " And (iliith he) if Sir Fulk Grevil would have
" it infcribed upon hi^ tombftone, that he was a friend
" to Sir Philip Sidney, 1 may well be pleafed to have
" it told to the world, that 1 loved and honoured blef-
" fed Mr Henry ; a man of fo much prudence, and
" withal fo much fincerity, of fo good a temper, fo
" much a gentleman, and yet of fuch flrid: piety and
*' devotednefs to God, that I foarce ever knew his
« fellow."

The

Tie Life of Mr VhilipUei^ky. 187

The reverend Mr William Turner, now vicar
Walburton in Suffex, (of whom mention was m-
before) lately fent to me a very kind letter, ex mer
tii, with his free confent to have it ini'crted in ♦:
count ; fome hints whereof 1 think fit to fubj^....

Worthy Sir,

am glad to hear that you have been prevailed with
to let upon fo good a work, as recording the moil
remarkable pafiages ^of Mr Henry's life. I doubt
not but you will mee*t with fome, that will give fucli
a hiftory but a cold reception. All that part of the
world that lies in darknefs, will be offended, when
beams of clear light aad fun-ihine firil dart into their
faces. Virtuteni pnefentem odimus.
" A little before 1 went to the univerfity, I was up-
on the commendation of my worthy fch^ol-mafter
Mr E. (yet living) and with my father's confent, half
a year a domelfick with him ; partly as a tutor to
his young on^s, and partly as a pupil to himfelf ;
and in fome little degree as a companion ; where I
had the opportunity of informing myfelf more fully
concerning the humour and principles, and conver-
fation of a fort of people (and efpecially him and his
family) whom I had heard afperfed very freely in for-
mer companies, and reprefented to the world, as
very hypocritical and diiloyal people. At my firft
going, 1 refolved to (land upon my guard, and pry
into the caufe, which was then the great fubjed of
difference and difpute ; and upon the whole do fay,
that Mr Henry was a man of fo clear a brain, lb
gentle a behaviour, fo Heady a converfation, fo re-
gular a devotion ; was fo courteous and condefcend-
ing to inferiors, fo relpeclful and dutiitil to fuperi-
ours, fo fweet and obhging to all ; was fo careful to
improve his time well, to do as much good as pof-
fible to every body, fo conftantiy affeAionate in his
prayers for the king and government, fo delirous to
keep up a fair correfpondence and communion with
A a 2 " his

1 88 ^he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

" his conformable brethren, fo very indifferent in mak-
" ing profelytes to his particular opinions ; and with-
" al, fo zealous to promote fubflantial goodnefs and
" true chriftianity, fo inoffenfive and peaceable in
" all his expreffions and a£lions ; fo prudent, pure,
*' pious, juft, fober, charitable, chearful and pleafant,
" that 1 profefs I am almoft afraid to give him his due
** character without fome corredlives, left they that
'* knew him not fhould fufpeO: my veracity, and ima-
" gine my pen to be managed by fome mercenary
" hand. 1 remember the worihipful Rowland Hunt of
" Boreatten, Efq. fpeaking of Mr Henry, thus expref-
" fed himfelf to me, (and if I miftake not, the Lord
" Embaffador Pagett was prefent) I was (faid he) near
" feven years refident in the univerfities, and feven
*' more at the Inns of court in London, and had op-
" portunity of knowing and acquainting myfelf with
*' the moft eminent divines and preachers in both thefe
" places ; yet I never found any every way fo acconi-
*' pHfhed, jfor clearnefs and quicknefs of apprehenfion,
" foHdity of judgement, and roundnefs of flyle, as Mr
" Henry is. I have noted in my book of providences
" the remark I made upon the temporal bleffings God
" had rewarded him with ; viz. a good and virtuous
** confort, who brought him a good eftate, gave him
" a due reverence, loved him with an entire affeftion,
" an ingenious and hopeful offspring, well alFeded,
" well educated, and well difpofed of in the world,
" the favour of men, and a quiet undifturbed habita-
*' tion upon earth, in great meafure, &c.

Sic tejlatus,jlc rnonet.Jic precatur.
Amicus marensy anhelus, feperjles.

W. Turner, a. m.

Another worthy conformift, of his acquaintance,
having occafion to mention him in a letter to a friend,
calls him " The great, good, now glorious Mr Henry,
*' whofe memory (faith he) Ihall ever be precious, and
** even facred to me."

Such

7 he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 189

Such as thefe were the honourable teftimonles which
Jill that knew him, and knew how to value true excel-
lency, attended him with. It is part of the recompence
of charity and moderation in this world, that it obtains
a good report of all men. The kingdom of God (faith
the bleffed apoftle, Rom. xiv. 17. 18.) is not meat and
drink, which were then the matters of doubtful difpu-
tation, " but righteoufnefs, and peace, and joy in the
" Holy Ghofl: ; and he that in thefe things ferveth
" Chrift, is not only acceptable to God, but approved
" of men;'' as, on the contrary, they that judge will
be judged, and with what meafure we mete, it will be
meafured 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
the grave.

It is not for nothing Solomon hath joined this good
name, which is better than precious ointment, with the
day of one's death, which upon that account is better
than the day of one's birth, that it compleats the cha-
radter of thefe that finifh their icourfe well, and are
faithful unto death; whereas a great name, like the
names of "the great ones of the earth, is often withered
and blemilhed by death. We read of thofe that " bear
*' their fliame when they go down to the pit, though
" they were the terror of the mighty in the land of
*' the living." Ezek. xxxii. 35.

At a meeting of the difTenting minifters of Chefliire
•Jt Knutsford in May 1696, (a few weeks before Mr
Henry died) it was agreed, that their next meeting
ihould be at Chefter (though inconvenient to many of
them) upon condition that he would meet them there,
and give them a fermon. it was with much difficulty
that he was prevailed with to promife it, but his Maf-
ter called for him before the time appointed came. Mr
Flavel of Devonlhire died when he was under a like
appointment. But happy they that are come to the
" General aflembly, and church of the firfl-born, and
*' to the fpirirs of juft men made perfed."

As

190 'the Life of Mr Philip Henry.

As to his bodily prefence, he was of a middle fla-
ture, his complexion not approaching to any extream,.
of a very pleafant afpeft, and an unufual mixture of
gravity and fweetnefs in the air of his countenance,
which was the true index of his mind. When fome
of his friends have folicited him to have his picture
drawn, he would put them off with this, that " the
^' befl picture of a minifter is in the hearts of his peo-
" pie." .

CHAP. X.

A mifcellaneous colhBion of fome of his faying s^
obfer-vations, counfels and comforts, out of bis
fermons, letters and difcourfes.

'R Henry, through the excefs of his modefty and
felf-diffidence, never publifhed any of his lab-
ours to the world, nor ever fitted or prepared any of
them for the prefs ; and yet none more valued the la-
bours of others, or rejoiced more in them ; nor have
I heard any complain lefs of the multitude of good
books, concerning which he often faid, that ftore is no
fore, and he was very forward to perfuade others to
publifh ; and always expreifed a particular pleafure in
reading the lives, actions, and fayings of eminent men,
ancient and modern, which he thought the moft ufe-
ful and inftrudtive kind of writings. He was alfo a
very candid reader of books, not apt to pick quarrels
with what he read, efpecially when the defign appear-
ed to be honed, and when others would find fault,
and fay, this was wanting, and t'other amifs, his ufu-
al excufe was, *' there is nothing perfect under the
*< fun."

It v/ill be but a fmall repair of this want of the pub-
lifhing of fome of his works (but I doubt it will prove
the beft we can make,) to glean up fome few of many
pf his fayings, obfervations, and good inftrudions (as

his

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 191

^his remains) which we Ihall not marfhal in any order,
but give them as they occur, befides thofe which have
been already inferred into this nai*rative.

'Twas a faying he frequently ufed, which hath been
mentioned already, that " Every creature is that to us,
" and only that, which God makes it to be :" and an-
other was, " Duty is ours, events are God's :" and an-
other was " The foul is the man," and therefore " That
*' is always beft for us, which is befl for our fouh :"
and another was, " The devil cozens us of all our time,
" by cozening us of the prefent time.'*

In his thankfgivings for temporal mercies, he often
faid, " If the end of one mercy were not the beginning
'* of another, we were undone :'* and to encourage to
the work of thankfgiving he would fay, that " new
** mercies call for new returns of praife, and then thofe
'* new returns Vvill fetch in new mercies ;" and from
Pfal. 1. 23. "^ He that offers praife glorifies me, and to
" him that orders his converfarion aright — .'' He ob-
ferved, that thankfgiving is good, but thanks-iiving is
better.

When he fpoke of a good name, he ufually defcrib-
cd it to be a name for good things with good people.
When he fpoke of contentment, he ufed to fay, " When
*' the mind and the condition meet, there's content-
*' ment. Now in order to that, either the condition
•■' mufl be brought up to the mind, and that is not
" only unreafonnble but impoflible ; for as the condi-
*' tion rifeth, the mind rifeth with it ; or elfe the mind
" muft be brought down to the condition, and that is
*■'■ both pofTible. and reafonable. And he obferved,
" that no condition of life will of itfelf make a man
" content, without the grace of God ; for we find
" Haman difcontented in the court, Ahab difcontent-
" ed on the throne, Adam difcontented in Faradife,
** nay (and higher we cannot go) the angels that fell
*' difcontented in heaven itfelf.'*

The three queftions v/hich he advifed people to put
to thenifelves in felf-'examination before the facrament,

were,

192 The Life of Mr Philip HenPvY.

were, What am I ? What have I done ? and What do
I want ?

He ufed to recommend to his friends thcfe four
fcripture arguments againft fm, exprelTed for memory'^
fake in four verfes, to be ready in an hour of tempta-
tion.

Is this thy kindnefs to thy friend ?
It will be bitterneis in the end.
The vows of God upon me lye ;
Should fuch a man as I am fly?

He faid there were four things which he would nop
for all the world have againft him, The word of God,
his own confcience, the prayers of the poor, and the
account of godly minifters.

*' He that hath a blind confcience which fees noth-
" ing, a dead confcience which feels nothing, and a
*' dumb confcience which faith nothing, is in as mif-
" erable a condition as a man can be in on this fide
« helL"

Preaching on i Pet. i. 6. "If need be, you are in
" heavinefs — ." He fhewed what need the people of
God have of afflidions. " The fame that our bodies
" have of phyfick, that our trees have of pruning, that
*' gold and filver have of the furnace, that liquors have
" of being emptied from veflel to vefTel, that the iron
hath of a file, that the fields have of a hedge, that the
" child has of the rod."

Preaching on that prayer of Chrift for his difciples,
John xvii. 21." That they all may be one," which no
doubt is an anfwered prayer, for the Father heard him
always, he fhewed, " That notwithftanding the many
" fad divifions that are in the church, yet all the faints,
" as far as they are fantiified, are one ; one in rela-
*' tion, one flock, one family, one building, one body,
" one bread : one by reprefentation, one in image and
*' likenefs, of one inclination and difpofition : one in
*' their aims, one in their afkings, one in amity and
" friendfhip, one in intereft, and one in their inheri-
tance ;

l!he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 193'

'^ ance ; nay, they are one in judgement and opinion ;
" though in fome things they diiFer, yet thofe things;
" in which they arc agreed are many more, and much
" more confiderable than thofe things wherein they ,
"^ diifer. They are all of a mind concerning fm, that
" it is the worit thing in the world ; corxerning Chvilt
*■ that he is all in all ; \:or.cerning the favour of God,
" that it is better than Hfe ; concerning the world, that
" it is vanity ; concerning the word of God, that it is
" very precious,'' &c.

Preaching on Gal. i. 1 6. concerning the converfion
of Paul, he began his fermon with this remark, to raifc
attention : much is faid in (lory concerning the {Q.\tn
wonders of the world, the Temple of Ephefus, the Py-
ramids of Egypt, the Tomb of Maufoleus, &c. all which
are now no more ; but I have been fometimcs think-
ing, whether 1' could not name feven things which I
svould call the k\t\\ wonders of the church ; and what
do you think of thefe feven ? are they not wonderful ?
I. Our redemption by jefus Chrift, who is called Won-
derful ; 2. The falvation of Noah in the Ark ; 3. The
faith of Abraham in offering up Ifaac ; 4. The patience
cf Job ; 5. The providences of God towards the Nation
and people of the Jews ; 6. The pouring out of the
Spirit upon the Apoftles ; 7. The converfion of Paul.

But it v/ould b£ endlefs to gather up fuch paiiages
as thefe out of his fermons, which were full of them,
and we mention thefe only becaufe they occur firfl.

lit ufcd to obferve concerning the nation of the
Jews, that before the captivity in Babvlon, no people
could be more ftrongly addicted to iduls and idolatry
than they were, to admiration, confidering what clear
warnings they had againll it. But after that captivity,
never was any people more averfe to idols and idola-
try than they, that the promife might be fulfilled, Eph-
raim fhall fay, What have 1 to do any more with idols ?
and he looked upon it, that the idolatry of the papifls
was one of the greateft obflructions to the Jews conver-
fion, which he did expeft and look for, as not appre-
' B b hending

194- '^be Life of Mr Philip Henry'.

bending how the promifes, Rom. xi. have yet had their
full accomplifliment ; not that they fhall again be in-
corporated into a people, but (hall join themielves to
the churches of Chrilt, in the feveral nations whither
they be fcattered.

The great thing that he condemned and witneiVed a-
gainft in the church of Rome, was their monopolizing
of the church, and condemning all that are not in with
their interefts, which is fo direftly contrary to the fpir-
it of the gofpel, as nothing can be more. He fome-
times faid, "I am too much a cathoHck, to be a Ro-
man catholick/^_

He^often expreft himfelfwell pleafed Vvith that heal-
ing rule, which, if duly obferved, would put an end to
all our divifions : Sit in iuct(fanis iinitas^ in ncn necef-
fartt.s hhertas, in omnibus charitas. Let there be in ne-
ceffary things unity, in every thing charity, and then
there need not be in every pundilio uniformity.

By the inftitutions of the gofpel (he faidj he knew
of no holy place, one holy day, two holy fac-raments,
and four holy canons. Let all things be done in cha-
rity : let all things be done to edifying : let all things
be done decently and in order : and let all things be
done to the glory of God.

When his opinion was alked about any doubtful
matter, as playing at cards, the marriage of coufm-ger-
mans, or the like, he was vorv cautious in' determining
fu h things to be fmful ; but he w-ould fay, It's good
keeping on the fafer fide ; and a man would not chufe
to go upon a precipice, when he mig^t go upon even
ground : Prov. x. 5. " He that walks uprightly, walks
" furely," in oppofition to walldng at all adventures.

Inthe obfervations he made of God's Providences,
he frequently took notice in difcourle with his friends,
of the fulfilhrg of the fcripture in them ; for (faith he)
the fcripture hath many accompliflimxents, and is in the
fulfilling every day. Speaking of a wicked fon in the
neighbourhood that was very undutiful to his mother,
he charged fome of his children to 'obfervc the provi-
dence

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. i 95

dence of God concernini^ him ; perhaps ffakh he) I
may not live to fee it, but do you take notice, whether
God do not come upon him with fome remarkable
judgement in this life, according to the threatening im-
plied in the reafon annexed to the fifth commandment:
but he himfelf lived to lee it fultilled not long after, in
a very fignal providence.

He obferved from fcripture Inflances, as well as from,
fome providences which he had taken notice of in his
own day. That if any began well in the ways of religion
and godlinefs, and afterwards caft off their profefTion,
and returned to profanenefs again, ufually God fets a
mark of his difpleafure upon them, by fome vifible
judgement in this world ; their eftates ruined, their re-
putation blafted, their families funk, or themfelves
brought to mifery ; fo that all who pafTed by might iay.
This was an apoltate. " If any man draw back, my
" foul fhall have no pleafure in him.'*

He obferved from Numb, x." 12. '* That all our re-
" moves in this world, are but from one wildernefs to
" another." Upon any change that is before us, we
are apt to promife ourfelves a Canaan, but we fhall be
deceived, it will prove a wildernefs.

Once prefiing the ftudy of the fcriptures, he advifed
to take a verfe of Pfalm cxix. every morning to medi-
tate upon, and fo go over the pfalm tv/ice in the year,
and that (faid he) will bring you to be in love with all
the reft of the fcripture ; and he often faid, " All grace
" growsj as love to the word of God grows."

One afking his advice, what to do when (as often
unavoidably) v/e are in the fight and hearing of the
wickednefs of the wicked, and whether we are to re-
prove them; why (faith hej you knov/ what an angry
countenance doth, and we may fometimes give a re-
proof by our looks, when we have not opportunity of
giving it otherwife.

He would not bear that any fhould be evil fpoken

of in his hearing, 'twas to him as vinegar to the teeth.

He would mind thofe who refleded upon people be-

B b 2 hind

Lci6 the Life of Mr Philip Henry.

hind their backs, of that law. Lev. xix. 14. ^" Thou
*' ihalt not curie the deaf.'* Thofe that are abfent are
deaf, they cannot right themfelves, and therefore fay
no ill of them. A friend ot his inquirino; of him con-
cerning a matter which tended to reflecl upon fome
people ; he bezan to give him an account of the ftory,
but immediately broke off, and checked himfelf v/ith
thefe words, " Bat our rule is, to (peak evil of no
man," and woul.i proceed no, further in the ftory.
'Twas but the week before he died, that one defired
him to lend him fuch a book ; " 'I'ruly (faith he) I
" would lend it you, but that it rakes in the faults of
" fome, which iliould rather be covered with a man-
" tie of lave.'* 'Twere eafy to multiply inftances of
this.

To quicken people to diligence and livelinefs in the
worfliip of God, he would iometimes obferve, that the
temple was built upon a threfliing-floor, a place of la-
bour. He would alfo urge, that in anfwer to thcfe
who turned it to his reproach, that his meeting-place
had been a barn ; no new tiling (would he fay) to turn
a threfliing-fioor into a temple.

When fome zealous people in the country would
have him to preach againil top-knots, and other vani-
ties in apparel, he would fay, that was none of his bufi-
nefs ; if he could but perfuade people to Chrill, the
pride and vanity, and excefs of thofe things would fall
of cpurfe ; and yet he had a diflike to varrity and gai-
ety of drefs, and allowed it not in thofe that he had in-
fluence upon. His rule was, that hi fuch things we
muft neither be owls nor apes ; not affe6t fmgularity,
nor afFe«5t modiilmefs ; nor (as he ufed to obferve from
I Pet. iii. 3.) make the putting on oj apparti our adorn-
ing, becaufe chriftians have better things to adorn them-
felves with. \V hen fome complained to him of a re-
lation of theirs, that would not let them, drefs his chil-
dren with ribbands, and other fine things, '* why truly
" (faid Mr Henry) thofe things are fit for children ;'*
thereby reproving both him that vvould not allow them

to

'The Life of Mr Philip Henry. i 97

Co his children, and them that perhaps minded them
too much themfelves.

He often, both in fermons and difcourfes, would
prefs people to fix to themfelves fome good principles,
and to come off from the corrupt and carnal principles
that worldly people go by. He took all occafions to
recommend fuch principles as thefe: " That God who is
" the firll and bed, ihould have the firlt and bed: ;
" that a part in Chriil Is a good part j that foul prof-
*' perity is the bed profperity, and that it is well
*' or ill with us, according as it is well or ill with
'* our fouls ; that honefty is the bed policy ; that
*' thofe that vv^ould have the comfort of relations, mud
•' be careful to do the duty of them ; that all is well
*' that ends everladingly well ; that time and the things
*' of time, are nothing compared with eternity and
*' the thino-s of eternity ; that it is better to fufter the
" greated afflidion than to commit the lead fm ; that
'* it highly concerns us to do that now, which we fhail
** mod widi 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 mud certainly undo a-
*' gain by repentance, or be undone to all eternity.**
Such as thcfe were the principles he would have chrif-
tians to govern themfelves by.

Speaking of the caufes of atheifm, he had this ob-
fervation ; " That a head full of vain and unprofitablq-
" notions, me-^ting with a heart full of pride and felf-
*' conceitednefs,difpofe a man diredtlyto be an atheid."

A gentlewoman, that upon fome unkindnefs betwixt ^
her and her huiband, was parted from him, and lived
feparately near a twelve-month, grew melancholy, and
complained of iin, and the withdrawing of the light of
God*s countenance, and the want of aflurance; he told
her die mud redify what was amifs between her and
her hufband,. and return into the way of duty, elfe
'twas in vain to expedt peace. Her friends were
againd it ; but he faid, he was confident it would
prove fo.

He

19S '^he Life of Mr Philip Henrv.

He faid he had obferved concerning himfelf, that he
was Ibmetimes the worfe for eating, but never for ab-
ftinence ; fometimes the worfe for wearing too few
cloathes. but never for wearing too many ; fometimes
the worfe for fpeaking, but never for keeping filence.

As to his letters, he was very free in writing to his
friends. A good leiter, he would fay. may perhaps do
more good than a good fermon, becaufe the addrefs is
more particular, and that v/hich is written remains.
His language and expreflions in his letters were ahvays
pious and heavenly, and feafoned with the fait of grace;
and' when there was occafion, he would excellently ad-
minifter counfels, reproofs, or comforts by letter. He
kept no copies of his letters, and it is impofiible if we
fhould attempt it, to retrieve them from the hands in-
to which they were fcattered. Mr Rutherford's and
Mr Allen's letters, that (like fome oif the moft excellent
of Paul's epiltles; bore date out of a prifon, have a
mighty tindure of their pecuHar prifon comforts and
enlargements ; vve have none fuch to produce of Mr
Henry's, no paftoral letters or prifon letters ; he was
himfelf, in his whole converfation, an epiflle of Chriib
But vre fliail only glean up fome paffages out of fuch
cf his letters as are in our hands, which may be all'ec-
ting and edifying.

To his fon, when he was abroad for improvement
-It London, in the year 1685, and 686, with the com-
mon bufinefs of his letters, which was always'written
with a favor of religion, he would intermix fuch lines
:!S thefe : " We are all well here, thanks be to God,
*' the divine providence watching about our taber-
*' nacle, and compailmg us about with favour, as with
'' a fnield. Our great inquiry is. What fnali we ren-
" <^iex ? alas ! our renderings are nothing to our receiv-
" ings ; we are like the barren field, on which much
" coil is beiiowcd, but the crop is not accordingly.
" Our heavenly Father is loading us with his benefits,
*' and we are loading him with our fms ; grieving him
** that comforts us j and hov>^ long fliall it be fo ? O

" that

'^he Life t)f Mr PmLip Henry. 199

** that it might be otherv.'ife ! that our mercies might
" be as oil to the wheels, to make us ib much the
*' more adive and lively in our Mafter's work, efpeci-
*' ally confidering how it is with our fellow fervunts ;
" they empty and we fill, they Marah and we Naomi.
*' There may a day come, when it may coll: dear, to
" be honell, but after all, to fear God and keep his
" commandments, is the w^hole of man. 1 therefore
" commend it to you, and you to God, who is a fhisld
** and buckler to them that fear him.

" We are well, but in daily expeO:ation of that
*'' which we are born, and born again to, and that is
'• trouble in this world, yet rejoicing in hope of the
" glory of God, which we are reaching after, and
" preiling towards, as we trull you are alio. Where
" you are, you fee more of the glittering vanities of
" this world in a day, than we here do in an age ; and
" are you more and more in love with them, or dead
" and dying to them ? I hope dead and dying to theni,
" for they are poor things, and perifli in the uiing ;
" make many worfe that enjoy them, l^utnone better.
" What i^ tranflated Vexation of fpirit, Eccl. i. 2. may
" be read, Feeding upon wind, liof. xii. i. and
" can wind fatisfy ? the Lord prefer ve and, keep you
" from all evil, the Lord preferve and keep your foul.
"• We both fend you our love, and blefs you together,
'• and apart, every day, in the name of the Lord. A-
^^ men and Amen.

" Be fmcere, and humble, and choice m your com-
•' pany, always either getting good or doing good,
" gathering in or laying out. Remember to keep the
" heart M'ith all dili<jence and above all keepin2;s, for
" there the fountain is, and if that be well kept a.ud
*' clean, the ftreams will be accordingly.

" 'Th fome lliort refrefhment to friends and reia-
" tions, to fee and liear from one another, but it paf-
" hVA away, and v.'e have here no continuing city, no
" abiding delights in this world ; cur reit remains elie-'
*' v.here 5 tliofe we have, lofe much of their fweetnefs,

'' from

200 The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

" from the thoughts of parting with them while w®
" enjoy them, but the happinefs to come is eternal.
" After milHons of millions of ages (if we may fo fpeak
'' of eternity) as far from an end as the firft moment;
" and the laft of glory will be glory (fo fome read
" Prov. XXV. 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 this lower
*' world ; and will be a quickening motive to you, to
" abound always in the work of the Lord, forafmuch
" as you know your labour fliall not be in vain in the
'* Lord. The Lord blefs you, who blelfeth indeed.

" See that you walk circumfpe£ily, not as the fools,
" but as the wife ; many eyes are upon you, his efpe-
" cially, who is all eye ; Cave^ Deus videt. Me?nento
'* /joc agere:^ our bieffing with i Chron. xxviii. 9.

'* The fame which is yet the prologue of yours, is
•' of ours alfo. Omnia bene, laiis Deo ! but he that
'*^ girdeth on the harnafs, mufl not boaft as he that
•' puts it off. While the world we Hve in is under
■' the moon, conilant in nothing but inconftancy ; and
' fuch changes are made in other families, why fliould
' we alone promife ourfelves immunity from the com-
' mon lot ? there would be no need of faith and pa-
' tience, which are Winter graces, if it ihould be al-

• ways Summer time with us. We have three un-

• changeables to oppofe to all other mutabilities ; an
' uncheangeable covenant, an unchangeable God, and
' an unchangeable heaven : and while thefe three re-
' main the fame, yefterday, to day, and for ever; weU

• come the will of our heavenly Father in all events

• that may happen to us : come what will, nothing can

• come amifs to us.

" Keep the invifible things of the other world al-
' ways in your eye. He that ventures the iofi> of an

eternal crown and kingdom, for a cup or two of
■ puddle water (fuch as all terrene pleafures in com-

parifon are) makes a bargain, which no lefs a fpace

than that which is everlafting will be fulticient to

bewail

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 201

t* bewail and repent of. How much better Is it to
lay up in itore now a good foundation for time to
come, and to !ay hold on eternal Hfe ? doing thofe,
works which we would be willing Ihould hereafter
follow us, yet (liil making the bleifed Jefus our all
in all.

" The further progrefs you make in your fludies,
you will find them the eafier ; 'tis fo with religion,
the word is at nrll; It is like the pidure that frown-
ed at firit entrance, but afterwards fmiles and looks
pleafant. They that walk in fmful ways, meet with
fome difficulties at firfl:, which cuflom conquers, and
ihey become as nothing. 'Tis good accultoming^
ourfeives to that which is good. The more we do,
the more we may do in religion. Your acquaint-
ance ( I doubt not) increafeth abroad, and accord-
ingly your watch muft be 5 for by that oftentimes,
ere we are aware, we are enfnared. He that walk-
eth with wife men fhall be wife.
" The return of the Spring invites our thankfgiving
for the mercy of it. The birds are fmging early
and late, according to their capacity, the praifes of
their Creator ; but man only, that hath moil caufe,
finds fomething elfe to do. 'Tis redeeming love
that is the mofl admirable love ; lefs than an eter-
nity will not fuffice to adore it in. Lord, how is iti
Lord, what is man ! as the Ifreams lead to the foun-
tain, \q fhould all our mercies lead us to that. "We
both of us fend you our moll aifedionate love and
blefilng : bleffing ? that is, we pray and befeech the
moft bieiTed God, even our own God, to give you
his bleffing, for he only can command the bleiung ;
and thofe whom he blefleth are bleifed indeed. Let
us dill 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 providenc,e, public and perfonal, for
time is always teeming* . •

^' Your improvement is our joy. Be fincere and feri-

C c " tus.

202 7he Life cf Mr Philip Henrt.

** ous, cloathed with huip.illty, abounding aUva^'S m
the work of the Lord ; and when you have done
all, faying I am an unprofitable fervant. "* 'Twas the
good advice of the moral philofopher, In your con-
verfe with men, difiruji ; but i muft add, In every^
thing towards God, believe. Exped temptation and
a fnare at every turn, and walk accordingly. We
" have a good caufe, a vanquilhed enemy, a good fe-
" cond, and extraordinary pay; for he that overcomes
*'• needs not defire to be more happy than the fecond
'' and third of the revelation fpeaks him to be. The
" God of all mercy and grace compafs you about aK
" v/ays w^irh his favour as with a fnield !

*' 1 would have you redeem time, for hearing the
" v/ord in feafon, and out of feafon ; your other flu-
" dies will profper never the worfe, efpecially if you
" could return immediately from it to the clofet
" again, with cooling divertifements by the way.

" See your need of Chi-ill more and more, and live
" upon him ; no life hke it, fo fweet, fo fafe. Chrifius
^' Vitus mihi in omnia. We cannot be difcharged from
" tiie guilt of any evil v/e do, without his merit to fa-
** tisfy : we cannot move in the performance of any
** good required, without his Spirit and grace to affift
" and enable for it ; and when v/e have done all, that
" all is nothing, without his mediation and intercef-
" fion to make it acceptable ; fo that every day, in eve-
*' ry thing, he is all in all. Though you are at a dif-
*' tance from us nov/, w^e rejoice in the good hope we
" have through grace, of meetingagain in the land of
*' the living, that is, en earth, if God fee good ; how-
" ever in heaven, which is the true land of the truly
'^' living, and is beft of all: The Lord God everlad-.
*' ing be your fun and ihieid in ail your ways : fee time
*' hailing away apace towards eternity, and the Judge
" even at the door, and work accordingly, wherever
you are, alone or in company ; be always eil;her do-
ing or getting good, fowing or reaping. . As for me ,
I make no other reckoning, but that the time of my

" depart-

7he Life of Mr PtiiLiP Henry. 203

cc

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 fake in Chrift Jefus. Amen.

" Be careful of your health. Remen\ber the rule,
*' Venienti occur} ere ; but efpecially negleCc not the
*' main matter. The foul is the main ; if that do
well, all's well. Worfhip God in the fpirit ; rejoice
in Chrift Jefus, and have no confidence in the flefh.
God be gracious unto thee, my fon : redeem time,
efpecially for your foul: exped trouble in this world,
" and prepare for it ; expeft happinefs in the other
" world, and walk worthy of it, unto all plealing.

•■* A good book is a good companion at any time,
*' but efpecially a good God, who is always ready to
*' hold communion with thcfe that defire and feek
*' communion with him. Keep low and humble in
*' your thoughts and opinion of yourfelf ; but aim
high in your defires and expectations, even as high
as the kingdom of heaven itfelf, and refoive to take
up with nothing iliort of it. The Lord guide you
in all your ways, and go in and out before you,
*' and preferve you blamelefs to his heavenly king-
« dom.'*

Immediately after his fon was ordained to the work
of the miniftry at London, in the year 1687, he thus
wrote to him : " Are you now a minifter of Jefus
*' Chrift-? hath he counted you faithful, putting you
" into the miniftry ? then be faithful ; out of love to
*' him feed his lambs; as a workman that needs not
" to'be afhamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. I
" hope what you experienced of the prefence of God
", with you in the fclemnity, hath left upon you a tru-
*' ly indelible charader, and fuch imprellions, as neith-
" er time nor any thing elfe ftiall be able to wear out,
" Remember Pfalm Ixxi. 16. It is in the eye offenfe
**^ a bad time to fet out in ; but in fowing and reaping,

C c 2 " clouds

204 The Life of Mr Philip Henr^.

*^' clouds and wind mufl not bfc heeded. 1 he work
*' is both romforiable and honourable, and the re-
" v/ard rich and fure : and if God be plcafed to give
" opportunity and a heart, though there may be
*' trouble attending it, *twill be eahly borne. If we
'' fuffer with him we fhall atib feign with him. I am
" and (hall be^ according to my duty and promife,
** earned: at the throne of grace on your behalf, tliat
" the Lord will pour out upon you of his Holy Spirit,
•• that what he calls you to. he would fit you for ; ef-
pecially that he would take you off your own bot-
tom, and lay you low in the fenfe of your own un-
worthinefs, inability and infufficency, that you may
" fay with the evangelical prophet, Wo is me, I am un-
'* done! and with Jeremiah, I am a child ; and with
" Paul, I am nothing. Where this is not, the main -
*' thing is wanting ; for God refiils the proud, but
*' gives grace to the humble. Now the Lord give
*' you that grace to be humble ; and then, according
** to his promife, he will make you rich in everv other
« ^race."

' It we're very eafy to tranfcribe many more fuch
lines as thefe, out of his letters to his fon, but thefe
ftall fuflice.

We Ihall next gather up fome few paifages out of
fome of his letters to a perfon of qualify in London,
(fuch of the!r^ as are come to our hands, which are
but few of many) the beginning of his correfpondence
with that gentleman, (v/hich continued to his death,
and was kept up monthly for a great while) was in th,e
year 1686, and the following letter broke the ice : —

Honoured Sir,
" TT OPING you are by this time, as ycu intended,
<t J. JL returned to London, to your home and habi-
** tation there, I make bold, according to my pro-
" mile, to falute 3^ou in a few Hnes. In the firlt place,
*' to be your remembrancer of the vows of God which
'' are upon you, upon the account pf the many mer-

" cies

I'he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 205

** cies of your journey, both in your goin^^ out, and
** in your coming in. Was not every itep you took
" hedged about with fpecial providence ? Had not
" the angels charge over you ? Did not they pitch
" their tents where you pitched yours? Did not good-
'• nefs and mercy follow you, and fhould it not thea
*' be had iu thankful remembrance ? Where mercy
** goes before, Ihould not duty follow after ? If you
** have Mr Anger's life, you will find there, page 8 'd^
*' 89. a coljedion out of his diary, of ten heads of
" mercies, acknowledged in a journey, to heighten.
God's praifes, and to quicken his own and others;
hearts therein, and they are certainly very affecting.
Next (Sir) I am to accquaint you, that 1 have faith-
fully difpofed of the money you left with me at part- '
ing, to eight poor praying v/idows in this neighbour-
hood, as you appointed. And this among all tha
reft of your alms-deeds is had in memorial before .

God ; 'tis fruit that will abound to your account, /o^-O

bread fent a voyage upon the waters, which you
and yours will find again after many days; for he is
faithful that hath promifed. The apoflle's prayer
ihall be mine, 2 Cor. ix. 10. New he that minifter-
eth feed to the fower, doth minifter bread for your
food, and multiply your feed fown, and increafe the
fruits of your righteoufnefs. Amen.

And feme time after he writes, " Your acknowledg-
ing-God in all your affairs, I cannot but rejoice in,
as an evidence of the uprightnefs of your heart to-
wards him ; 'tis the life and foul of all religion ; 'ds
indeed to walk with God : that includes as much as
any other fcripture command in fo few words, in all
thy ways acknowledge him ; in every thing thou
doft have an eye to him ; make his word and will
thy rule, his glory thy end ; fetch in ftrength from
him ; expect fuccefs from him ; and in all events
that happen, which are our ways too (whether they
be for us or againft us) he is to be acknowledged,

" that

2o5 "the Life of Mr Philip Henry.

*^ that is adored : if profperous, with thankfulnefs ; If
" otherwife, with fubmiffion : as Job, ' The Lord hath
'' given, and the Lord hath taken, and biefied be the
** name of the Lord.** This is to fet the Lord always
*' before us, to have our eye ever towards the Lord :
/* where this is not, we are fo far without God in the
« world.'*

In another letter, " As to the ac.ceflion lately made
** to your eftate, much good may it do you ; that is
*' much good may you do with it, which is the true
" good of an efrate. The lady Warwi<:k would not
" thank him, that would give her a thoufand a year,
'^' and tye her up from doing good with it. I rejoice
" in the large heart w^hich God hath given you with
" your large eftate, without which heart the eftate
*' would be your fnare.*'

I have lately met with a letter of Mr Henry*s, to a
couple related to him, who in a very Ihort time had
buried all their children of the fmall-pox, to their great
grief, 'twas in the year 1679. What comfort and
counfels he adminiftered to them, may, be of ufe to oth-
ers in their affiidions, and therefore I fliall tranfcribe
the whole letter, though it be long.

Dear Coiifins^

"THIS is to you both, whom God hath made
" one in the conjugal relation, and who are one alfo
'' in the prefent affliction ; only to fignify to you, that
" we do heartily fympathize with you in it. The tri-
" al is indeed ftiarp, and there \Vill be need of all the
" wifdom and grace you have, and of all the help of
*' friends you can get, both to bear and to impro\^ it
" aright. You muft bear it with " filence and fubmif-
*' fion. Surely it is meet to be faid unto God, I have
*' born chaftifement.** He is fovereign Lord of all,
/' and may do with us and ours as pleafeth him. It
•' is not for the clay to quarrel with the potter. It
" was mercy you had children, and comfort in them

'The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 207

*^ fo long ; it is mercy that yet you have one another,
*' and your children are not loft, but gone before, a
" little before, whither you yourfelves are hafting af-
*' ter. And if a ilorm be coming, (as God grant it
*' be not) it is beft with them that put firft into the
*' harbour. Your children rae taken away from the
*' evil to come, and you muft not mourn as they that
" have no hope. Senfible you cannot but be, but
*'. dejedted and fullen you muft not be ; that will but
*' put more bitternefs into the cup, and make way for
** another, perhaps a fliarper ftroke. You muft not
" think, and I hope you do not, that there cannot be
*' a fharper ftroke, for God hath many arrows in his
*' quiver ; he can heat the furnace feven times hotter,
*' and again and again fevcn times hotter, till he hath
" confumed us ; and if he iliould do fo, yet ftill we
*' muft fay, he hath puniflied us iefs than our iniquities
*' have deferved. For examples of patience in the like
*' kind we have tv/o eminent ones in the book of God,
*' thofe are Job and Aaron ; of the latter it is faid,
** Lev. X. 13. " He held his peace ;" and that which
'* quieted him, was what his brother Mofes faid to
*' him, " This is that which the Lord hath faid, I will
" be fandified ;" and if God be fandified, Aaron is
*' fatisfied ; if God have glory from it, Aaron hath
*' nothing to fay againft it. Of the former it is faid,
*' Job i. 20., he fell down, but it was to worfnip ; and
*' we arc told how he exprelTed himfelf, The Lord gave,
" &c. He acknowledgeth God in all : and indeed, af-
" ter all, this is it (my dear coufins) that you muft:
*' fatisfy yourfelves with under this fad providence,
*' that the Lord hath done it, and the fame will that
*' ordered the thing itfelf, ordered all the circumftan-
" cesofit; and who are we that mt ihould difpute
" with our Maker ? " Let the potftierds ftrive Vvith
" the potftierds of the earth ; but let not the thing for-
'• med, lliy to him thit formed it, Why haft thou
" made me thus ?" and as for the improvement of this
^* aiBidion, (which 1 hope both of you earneftiy de-

.__ r- « fire,

20$ l^hs Life of Mr Philip Henry.

•* fire, for it is a great lofs to lofe fuch a providence,
*' and not be made better by it) I conceive there are
*' four leiTons which it iliould teach you, and they are
•' good leffons, and fhould be well learned, for the ad-
** vantage of them is unfpeakable. i. It fliould for
•' ever imbitter fni to you; you know what (he faid to
*' the prophet, i Kings xvii. i8. "Art thou come to
•' call my fins to remembrance, and to flay my fon ?'*
*' 'tis fin, fm that is the old kill-friend, the Jonah that
*'' hath raifed this ftorm, the Achan that hath troubled
*' your houfe ; then how Ihould you grow in your hat-
*' red of it, and endeavours againfl it ? that you may
** be the death of that which hath been the death of
" your dear children ; I fay the death of it, for noth-
*' ing lefs will fatisfy the true penitent, than the death
" of fuch a malefactor. 2. It fliould be a fpur to you
*' to put you on in heaven's way : it may be you were
•' growing remifs in duty, beginning to llack your for-
'' mer pace in religion, and your heavenly Father faw
'^ it, and v^^as grieved at it, and fent this fad providence
" to be your monitor, to tell you, you fhould remeni-
" ber whence you were fallen, and do your firfi: works,
" and be more humble and holy, and heavenly and
*' felf-denying, and watchful, abounding always in the
** work of the Lord. O blefied are they that come
" cut of fuch a furnace thus refined, they will fay
*' hereafter, 'twas a happy day for them that ever they
*' were put in. 3. You muft learn by it as long as
*'^ you live, to keep your affeftions in due bounds to-
** wards creature-comforts. How hard is it to love
'* and not to over-love, to delight in children or yoke-
*' fellows, and not over-delight: now God is a jealous
** God, and will not give his glory to any other ; and
*' our cxcefs this way doth often provoke him to re-
** move that mercy from us, which we do thus make
** an idol of; and our duty is to labour when he doth
** fo, to get that matter amended, and to rejoice in all
** our enjoyments with trembling, and as if we rejoi-
*• ced not. 4. it fhould be a means of drawing your

" hearts

^hc Life of Mr Ppiilip Henry. ' 209

^' hearts and thoughts more upwards and homewards ;
" I mean your everlailmg home. You ihould be look-
" ing oftner now than before into the other world. I
*' fiiail go to him, faith David, when his little fon was
" gone before. It is yet but a little while ere all the
" things of time fliall be fwallowed up in eternity;
"*' and the matter is not great, whether we or ours die
■*' firft, whilft we are all dying : in the midft of life we
" are in death; what manner of perfons then ought
*' we to be? Now our Lord Jefus Chrift himfelf, and
" God, even our Father, be your fupport under, and
" do you good by this difpenfation, and.give you a
*' name better than that of fons and daughters. We
** are daily mindful of you at the throne of grace, in
*' our poor meafure, and dearly recommended to
** you,'' he.

We fhall next gather up fome paflages out of his
letters to his children, after , they were married and gone
from Mm.

To -one of his daughters with child of her firft child,
he thus v/rites, " You have now one kind of burthen
*' more than ever you had before to caft -upon God,
" and if you do fo, he will fuflain yoii-, ,g.ccording to
*' his promife.**

And when the time of travail was near,, jthus ; " You
"^ know whom you have trufted, even Him vv>ho is
" true and faithful, and never yet did, nor ever Vv'ill
*' forfake the foul that feeks him. Though he be Al-
'^ mighty, and can do every thing, yet this he cannot
"^ do, he cannot deny himfelf, nor be v/orfe than his
" word ; but what is his word ? Hath he promifed
^^ that there fhall be always a fafe and fpeedy delive-
*' ry ? that there fliall be no Jabcz, no Benoni ? No^
^ but if there be, he hath pro-mifed it fliall work to-
" gethcr for good : hath prom.ifed, if he doth not
'* fave from, he will fave through : if he call to go,
*' even through the valley of the iliadow of deatli, (and
•*' vvhat lefs is child-bearing r) he will be with you,
D d " liis

lA

210 "T/jc Life of Mr Philip Henry,

" his rod and his flaff fliall comfort you, rind that'*s
" well : therefore your faith mufl: be in thofe things
" as the promife is, either fo or fo, and which v/ay fo-
" ever it be, God is good and doth good. Thcre-
" fore (my dear daughter) lift up the hands that
" hang down, caft your burthen upon him, truft alfo
" in him, and let your thoughts be eftablifhed. . We
" are mindful of you in our daily prayers, but you
" have a better Interceffor than we, who is heard al-
" wavs.'*

J

To another of them., in the fame circumflance, he
tlms Vv-rites ; " Your lail letter fpeaks you m a good
'* frame ; v/hich rejoiced my heart, that you were fix-
" ed, fixed waiting upon God; that youi* faith was
" uppermoft, above your fears ; that you could fay,
" Behold the handmaid of the Lord, let him do with
'• me as feemeth good in his eyes. We are never fit-
" ter for a mercy, nor is it more likely to be a mercy
*' indeed, than when it is fo with us ; now the Lord
'' keep it always in the imagination of the thoughts
" of your heart. And he concludes, forget not i Tim.
" ii. lad.

When one of his daughters v/as fafely delivered, in
a letter to another of them that was drawing near to
that needful hour, he obferved, that when David faid,
Pfal. cxvi. 12. What thai! I render? he prefentJy
adds, ver. 13. " 1 will call upon the name of the Lord."'
" As if (faith he) calling upon the name of the Lord
'* for mercy for you, were one way of rendering un-
" to the Lord, for the great benefit done to your lif-
" ter."

On cccafion of affliftion in th^jl fomiiie^y the fick-
nefs or death of <:hiidren, or otherwife, he^v^ys wrote
fome word in feafon.

" In the furnace again ? (faith he>^ut a good friend
" fits by, and it is only to take,^way more of tlie
*' drofs. If lefs fire would do, ,we fiiouid not have it
" fo much and fo often. O ^ faith totrult the Re-
*' finer, and torei^rali to hi^ will and wifdom, and to

" wait

the Life of Mr Philip Henry. 2 1 1

'- wait the iffue.— for I have been young, and now
" am old, hilt I never yet faw it in vain to feek God,
" and to hope in. Him."

At another time he thus writes : " Tough and knot-
" ty blocks muft have more and more wedges ; our
" heavenly Father, when he judgeth,will overcome.
" We hear of the death of dear S. T. and chide our^
" felves for being fo often pleated with his little pret-
" tyfarnions,Ieil we offended therein, by being too much
" fo. No rival muft fit with Him in his throne, who
" deferves 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 (faith he) made but a fiiorc
paffasre through this to another world, where it is
to be for ever a living member of the great body,
whereof Jefus Chrift is the ever-living head ; but
for v/hich hope there were caufe for forrow indeed.
If he that gives takes, and it is but his own, Vvhy
fhould we fay, What doft thou ?
At another time upon the like occafion ; "Our
quiver of chiidrens children is not fo full, but God
can foon -empty it : O for grace, grace at fuch a
time, v/hich will do that that nature cannot. 'The
God of all grace iiipply your need and ours, accor-
' ding to his riches in glory. The Lord is ftill train-
' ing you up in his good fchool ; and though no af-
' fiiction for the prefent bejoyous, but grievous, never-
' thelefs afterwards it yields well; your work is
' in every thing to bring your v/ill to the will of
' God."

To one of his daughters concerning her little ones,
he thus writes ; " 'Ihey are but bubbles : we have
" many 'warnings to fit loofe ; the lefs we rely upon
" theni in our joys and hopes, the more likely to have
H them continued to us. Our God is a jealous God,
" nor will he fuffer the creature to ufurp his throne
^'^ in our aifeftions."

Upon the death of a little child but a few days old,
D d 2 , ^e

2t2 The Life of Mr Fhili? Henry.

he thus writes: " I'he tidings of the death of youY
" little one were afBittim?^ to us, but the clay muft
'- not fay to the potter. What doft thou ? If he that
" took be the fame that gave, and what he gave and
**' took was hij ov/n, by our own confent, it becoraes
" us to fay, Blelfed 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
given us to know, I fay, to know f for Paul faith
fo) that all things do work together, (not only fliall,
but do) for our good, that we may be more and
'' more partakers of his holinefs. He can make the
*' two left as comfortable to you as ail the three, as
*"' all your five could have been. However, if all the
" cifterns were drawn dry while you have your foun-
'• tain to go to, you are well ; you may alio by faith
'^' look forward, and fay, it v/as a covenant-child, and
''' through mercy, v.e ihall fee it again in a better
^- world/'

Upon the ficknefs of a dear child, he thus writes
to the parent : " You- and we are taught to lay. It is
*' the Lord ; upon his v.'ill muft we wait, and to it
" muiL vre fubrnit in every thing ; not upon conftraint,
" but of choice : not only becaufe he is the potter
" and we the clay, and therefore in a way of fove-
*' reignty he may do what he pleafeth with us and
*' ours -y— but becaufe he is our Father, and will do
" nothing hut what (hall be for good to us. The
'' more you can be fatisfied in this, and the more
*' willing to refign, the more likely to have. Be
" ftrong therefore in the grace which is in Chrifl
" Jefus ; it is given for fuch a time of need as this.
*' 1 hope your fears and ours will be prevented, and
" pray they may ; but thanks be to God, we know
" the worlt of it, and that worft hath no harm in it,
" while the better part is ours, which cannot be taken
'' away from us."

To one of his children in afflidion he writes thus;
*' 'Tis a time oi trial with you, according to the will

« of

u

T'/je Life of Mr Philip Henry. 215

of your and our heavenly Father. Though you fee
*' not yet what he means by it, you fhall fee. He
" means you good, and not hurt; he is fhewing you
'* the vanity of all things under the fun, that your
" happinefs lies not in them, but in himfelf only :
" that they and we are paffing away, withering flow-
" ers; that therefore we may learn to die to them,
" and live above them, placing our hope and happi-
" nefs in better things, trufting in Him alone who is
" the rock of ages, v/ho fails not, neither can fail, nor
" will fail thofe 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 ihall work for good : but then, as you
" are called according to his purpofe (blefied be his
" name for it) fo you muft love him, and love (you
" know) thinks no evil, but puts the bed conftruftion
" upon all that the perfon loved faith or doth, and
" fo mufl you, though now for a feafon, if need be,
" you are in heavinefs.'*

At another time : '' Your times, and the times of
*' yours, are in the Lord's good hand, whofe will is
" his wifdom. 'Tis one thing (as we read and ob-
" ferved this morning, out of Ezek. xxii.) to be put
" into a furnace and left there as drofs to be confum-
" ed ; and another thing to be put in as gold or filver
" to be melted for ufe, and to have the refiner fet by.
" You know whom you have believed, keep your
" hold of the everlafting covenant : he is faithful that
*' hath promifed. AVe pray for you, and we give
" thanks for you daily, for the cup is mixed, there-
" fore trud in the Lord for ever, and rejoice in the
*' Lord always ; again I fay rejoice."

To one of his fons-in-law that was a little engaged
in building, he thus writes : " Be fure to take God
" along with you in this, as in all your other affairs ;
*' for except he build the houfe, they labour in vain
*' that build it. Count upon troublefome occurrences
'* in it, and keep the fpirit quiet within : and let not

" God's

214 "I^oe Life of Mr Philip Henrv.

*' God's time nor dues be entrenched upon, and then
*' all will be well."

'Twas but a little before he died that he wrote thu?.
to one of his children ; " We rejoice in God's good-
" nefs to you, that your diftemper hath been a rod
" Ihaken only, and not laid on. ' He is good, and
'' doth good ; and fhould we not love him, and reft
*' in our love to him ? He faith, he doth iii his to us,
*' and rejoiceth over us with fmging, Zeph. iii. 1 7.
" And have not we much more caufe ? What loveli-
" nefs in us ? What not in him ? I pray let merecom-
" mend him to your love : love him, love him with
*' all the powers of your foul, and out of love to him
*' pleafe him. He is pleafed with honeft endeavours

to pleafe' him ; though, after all, in many things we

" com'^tlhort, for we are not under the law, but un-
grace.'*

*' der

To one of his children recovered from ficknefs he
gives this hint : " Remember that a new life muit be
*' a new life indeed : reprieves extraordinary call for
" returns extraordinary."

The lafl journey he made to London was in Auguft
1690; before he went, he fent this farewell letter to
his fon at Chefter : " I am going forth this morning
" towards the great city, not iincwing but it may be
" Mount Nebo to me : therefore 1 fend you this as
*' full of bleilings as it can hold, to yourfelf, -my daugh-
*' ter your wife, all the reft of my daughters, their
*^' hufbands, and all the little ones, together arid feve-
" rally. If I could command the bleilings, I would ;
** but I pray to Him that hath and doth, and 1 truft
" will. The Lord blefs you, and keep you, and lift
" up the hght of his countenance upon you. As
*' you have received, and you for your part preached
*' Chrift Jefus the Lord, fo walk in him^ : keeping
'* confcience always void of oifence, both towards
*' God, and towards all men. Love your, mother,
'* and be dutiful to her, and live in love and peace

" ampng^

■ The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 21

'' nmong yourfelves, and the God of love and peace
" that hath been, will be with you. Amen.'*

To one who defired his direftion for the attaining
of the gift of prayer, he wrote the following letter of
advice :

" If you would be able in words and exprefiions of
your own, without the help of a form, to offer up
prayers to God, obferve thefe following rules of di-
reftion, in the ufe whereof, by God's bleffing, you may
in time attain thereunto.

" I. You mud be throughly convinced, that where
fuch a gift is, it is of great ufe to a chriltian ; both-
very comfortable and very profitable, and therefore
very denrable, and w^orth your ferious endeavours : '
this muit firft be, or eife ail that follo\'i'^ will fignify
nothing^ : for it is as the wife man faith. Pro v. xviii. r.
" Through denre a man having feparated himfelf,
'' feeketh and intermeddleth with all wifdom ;" that "
is, till we are brought in fome good meafure to deiire
the end, we fhall never in good earned apply our-
felves to the ufe of means for the obtaining of it. It
is a gift that fits a perfon to be of ufe to others in the
duty of prayer, according as there is occaiion, either
in a family or in chiiftian communion. It is alfo of
great advantage to ourfelves ; for how can any form,
(though ever fo exad) be poffibly contrived, fo as
to reach all the circumdances of my particular cafe,
and yet it is nly duty, in every thing to make my re-
queds know^n to God.

" 2. As you fliould be perfwaded of the excellent ufe
of it, where it is attained, fo alfo you diould believe,
that where it is hot, it may be attained, and that with-
out any great dilticulty. No doubt, but many are dif-
couraged from endeavouring after it, by an opinion
jhey have that it is to no purpofe ; they think it a thing
fp far above their abilities, that they had as good fit
dill and never attempt it : this is of very bad confe-
quence, as in other matters of religion, fo particularly

in

2 1 6 l^he Life (fMr Philip Henry.

in this, and therefore watch againft this fuggeftioi?,
and conclude, that (^though it may be harder to fonre
than others) yet it is impolTible to none : nay, this wif-
dom IS eafy to him that underflandeth, where means
are ufed in the fear of God.

" 3. You mufl: rightly underftand and confider who
it is with whom you have to do in prayer, for your
encouragement to come to Him, though in the midft
of many infirmities and imperfedions. He is your
Father, your loving, tender-hearted Father, who knows
your trame, and remembers y^ou are but dufl j who
is not extreme to mark what we do amifs, in man-
ner and expreffion, where the heart is upright vviih
him. You may judge a little concerning his love, by
the difpofition that is in you towards your children,
\vhen they come to alk things needful of you ; and
believe him to be infinitely more merciful and com-
paffionate, than the mod nierciful and companionate
of fathers and mothers are or can be ; efpecially re-
membering that we have an Advocate with the Father
Jefus Chrift the righteous, who is the great High Pried
of our profeflion, and whom he heareth always.

" 4. You mufl: pray that you may pray; beg of God,
the Father of lights, from whom every good and per-
fect gift comes, to bellow this gift upon you. We
lead, Luke xi. i. that one of the difciples came to
Jefus Chrift upon this errand, " Lord, teach us to
" pray," and he had his requeH granted prefently:
go you to Him on the fame errand. You may plead
the relation of a child, from that fcripture, Gal. iv. 6.
" And becaufe you are fons, God hath fent forth the
*^' Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba,
" Father :" and the promife alfo from that fcripture,
Zech. xii. 10. "I will pour upon the houfe of David,
'* and the inhabitants of Jerufalem, the fpirit of grace,
*' and of fupplication j'* which two, relation and a
prom.ife, if they be not fufficient to encourage your
iaith and hope in this addrefs, what is, or can be ?

5. It is good, before you addrefs yourfelf to the du-

i^be Life of Mr Philip Henry. 217

ty, to read a portion of holy fcripture, which will be
of great ufe to furniih you both with matter and words
for prayer, efpecially David's Pfaims., and Paul's E-
piftles. The Holy Spirit hath provided for us a treafa-
ry, or florehoufe, of what is fuitable for ail occafions,
and where bc(|^ the wo^-d and the matter are his own,
iind of his own framing, and inditing : if affedions be
ftirring in us accordingly, we have great reafon to be-
lieve he will accept of us. In divers places he hath
himfelf put words into our mouths for the purpofe, as
Hof. xiv. 2. " Take with you words.'* Matth. vi. 9.
*' After this manner therefore pray ye,'* and often
clfewhere.

6. There mufl: be fome acquaintance with our own
hearts, with our fpiritual rtate and condition, our wants
and ways, or elfe no good will be done in this matter.
' ris fenfe of need, hunger, tliirft, cold, nakednefs,
that fupplies the poor beggar at your door with perti-
nent expreffions and arguments, he needs not the help
of any friend or book to furnifh him :. fo if we know
ourfelves, and feel our condition, and fet God before
us as ooir God, able and ready to help us, words will
eafily follow wherewith to offer up our defires to him,
who underilands the language even of figbs and tears,
and groanings which -cannot be uttered, Rom. viii.
26.

7. It is of ufe in ftated prayer, ordinarily to obferve
a method, according to the feveral parts of prayer,
which are thefe four :

1. Compellation or adoration, which is the giving
of due titles to God in our addrefTes to him, and there-
in abfcribing 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 to-
wards him, on the account of his greatnefs and ma-
jeity ; as alfo for the ftrengthening of our faith and
hope in him, upon the account of his goodnefs aid
mercy.

2. Confeflion 5 fin is to be confeffed in every prayer:

E e original

2i8 'The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

original fin as the root, fpring-head and fountain ; and
adlual Tin as the fruit and ftream proceeding from it.
Herein you muft not reil in generals, as the moft dc,
but efpecially when you are in fecret before the Lord,
you muft defcend to particulars, opening the whole
v/ound, hiding nothing from him,^ ^£d aggravating
the fault from the circumftances of it, JTOging and con-
demning yourfelf for it in the fight of God ; and for
your help herein, you muft acquaint yourfelf with the
divine law, the precepts and prohibitions of it, efpecial-
ly their extent and fpiritual nature, as the rule, and
then bring your own thoughts, words, and adions
to it daily, to be tried by it.

3. Petition, for fuch good things as God hath pro-
tnifed, 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 gface to help in
time of need. As to the former, for bread to cat, and
raiment to put on, and a heart to be therewith con-
tented. You are to pray for others alfo, the church
of God, the land of your nativity, magiftrates, minif-
ters, relations, and friends, not forgetting the aftiidions
of the affiided.

4. Thankfgiving, which fhould have a confiderable
fhare in every prayer ; for our duty is, in every thing
to give thanks for mercies received, public and per-
fonal, which is the will of God in Chrift Jefus concern-
ing us.

This rule of method is not fo neceftary to be obferv-
ed in prayer, as in no cafe to be varied from ; but it is
certainly very ufeful 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 yourfelf, in the ftrength of Jefus
Chrift, to this fweet and excellent way of praying ;
and 1 dare fay, in a fliort time you will find, through
the aids and fupplies of divine grace, what is at fir it
hard and difficult, will by degrees be eafy and delight-
fill. The promife is, that to him that hath, i. e. that

had:.

T^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 2 1 9

hath, and ufeth what he hath, more fhall be given.
Though you cannot do what you would, yet tail not
to do what you can, wherein the Lord will accept of
you, according to his everlafting covenant in Chrifl:
Jefus, for v/e are not under the law, but under grace.

CHAP. XI.

Afhort Account offome of his Friefids, efpecially
his brethren in the mini/iry, that died before him,

"XTTE think ourfelves obliged to add this account out
of his own papers, partly as an evidence of the
great efteem he had of tlie gifts and graces of others
to whom he delighted to do honour ; (an inftance of
that humility which he was^n all refpeds a great ex-
ample of;) and partly that we may preferve the re-
membrance of fome in that country, whofe 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 refpeO: when they are dead and
gone, that we may contribute fomething to the fulfil-
ling of the promife, that the righteous, and efpecially
they who turn many to righteoufnefs, (hall be had ia
everlafting remembrance. While their glorified fouls
ihine as the ftars in the firmament of our Father, it is
fit that their embalmed memories fliould in thefe low-
er regions go forth as a lamp that burneth. I'he Jew-
i(h rabbins read Prov. x. 7. as a precept, " Let the
*' memory of the juft be bleifed." We will take them
in the order wherein we find them in his diary, accord-
ing to the time of their death, premifing only this note
of his, occafioned by a particular inftance; " Such a
" day I read the life of old Mr Bruen of Stapleford,
*' in which I met with fome things that fhame me,
" fome things that confirm me, and fome things that
'^ quicken me." Blefled be God for that cloud of
witneffes we are enconipaiTed about with.

2 50 The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

Mr John Machin was buried at Newcalile, Sept. 8",
1664, a worthy inflrument in golpel work : laborious,
faithful, and fuccefsful above his fellows ; taken away
in the midft of his days ; the firft candle I have heard
of put out by God, among th€ many hundreds put
under a bufhel by men. [An accouny|||f his holy ex-
emplary life was printed many years aMr, drawn up^
I think by Mr Newcome.]

Mr Heath, late minifter of Alkmans church in Sa-
lop, was buried May 28, 1666. He was of Chrift's
College in Cambridge, where he was much valued
for his great learning, efpecially in the Oriental tongues,
in which he v/as one of the greateft maft ers of his age.
He was employed to corred the byriac and Arabick
of the Polyglot bible, which was fent down to him in
fheets for that purpofe, for which biihop Walton gave
him a copy. He read the liturgy till Auguft 24, 1662,
and then was filenced, becaufe he could not come up
tp the impofed terms of conformity. When the five-
mile adt commenced, March 25, 1666, he removed to
Wellington, and there within a few weeks died, and
was buried. When he lay upon his death-bed, Mr
Lawrence afked him what reflections he had upon his
nonconformity ; " Truly (laid he) I would not but
*' have done as I did for a thoufand worlds." He had
great confidence, that God would provide for his wi-
dow and children, according to promife. (The cha-
radler Mr Baxter gives of him is, that he was moder-.
ate, fedate, quiet, and religious.)

Much about the fame time Mr York died in Salop,
a holy good man, and well approved in the miniftry,
who wafted his own candle in giving light to others,
even after he was removed out of the candleftick.
Lord I is this the meaning of Rev. xi. 12. concerning
the witnefies ?

Mr Thomes Porter, late minifter of W^hitchurch,
died at Salop in a good old age, June 19, 1667 ; he
was born in Northamptonfliire, bred in Cambiidge ;
he w^as fettled minifter of Hanmer in Flintfliire, long

before

"^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 221

before the wars, by the means of Sir John Ilanmer,
the patron, who was a very worthy, pious gentleman,
and a great promoter of religion in that parifh (but
died in the midfl; of his days.) Here Mr Portei's mi-
niflry was bleiled with wonderful acceptance and fuc-
■cefs, both in that and the neighbouring pariihes ; and
a great harveft of fouls was there gathered in to Chrilt.
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 inftrument of much good, till the king
came in, and then he gave way to l)r Bernard, a wor-
thy moderate man. He preached his farewell fermon
at Whitchurch, Augufl 28, 1660, on Col. i. 24. and
fpent the reft of his days in filence and affiiclion. He
was exercifed long with pain upon his bed, and the
multitude of his bones with flrong pain. If this be
done to the green tree, what ihall be done to the dry?
His dying counfel to the Lord's people was, to " ftick
" to Chrift, and not to let him go, come life come
« death."

The worthy Colonel Thomas Hunt died at his hoiife
in Shrewfbury, April 12, 1669, a true Nathaniel, an
Ifraelite 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 Shrewf-
bury, and very adive for God in his generation, a-
bounding in good works, and his memory is blefied.
I was going to Shrev/fbury upon an appointment of
his, and by the way met the fad news of his death,
which was fudden, but not furpriimg, to one that was
always ready. He was twice at public ordinances the
day before, being Lord's day, worfhipped God with
his family in the evening, went to bed well as at other-
times ; but about two or three o'clock in the morn-
ing wak'd very ill, and before five fell afleep in the
Lord. " Help, Loid, for the godly man ceafeth."

Mr George Mainwaring a faithful minifter of Jefus
Chrift, and i,ny v/orthy friend, died in a good old age,

March

222 The Life of Mr PhIlip Henry.

March 1.4. 1669-70, gathered as a fhock of corn ift
nis fe.'ifon. He was born in Wrenbury parilh in Che-
ihire, fupported at the Univ^erfity by Mr Cotton of
Cumbermere, where he had the reputation of a good
fchclar ; he was brought acquainted with the ways of
religion by means of Mr Buckly his unfile, a ftrift pu-
ritan. He v/as firft: chaplain to Sir Henry Delves, af-
terwards re(3;or of Baddely, and chaplain to Sir Tho-
mas Mainwarinc!:. After the wars he was removed to
Ivlalpas, whence. he was ejeded upon the King's com-
ing in. His converfation was exemplary, efpecially
for plainnefs and integrity ; lie was eminent for ex-
pounding fcripture. While he \^■as at Malpas, he con-
Itantly gave all the milk which his dairy yielded on the
Lord's day to the poor.

Mr John Adams of Northwood, was buried at Ellef-
mere, April 4, 1670, he was a faithful miniller of the
gofpel.

Mr Zechariah Thomas, my worthy friend, died of
a ccnfumption at Nantwich, November 14, 1670, in
the forty-firft year of his age. He was bred up for a
iradefman in Suffolk, but always addicted to his book,
and was ordained a miniiter after the King came in,
and entertained curate at Tilfrock, under Dr. Bernard,
but by reafcn of his nonconformity could not continue
there long;. On the Monday before he died, he faid
to thofe about him, that towards Wedncfday he Ihould
take his leave of them, and did fo. He was buried at
Adon, Mr Kirkes, vicar of Adon preached, and gave
him a worthy charader (and fuch as he deferved) for
"dprightnefs, humility, moderation, prayer, faithfulnefs
in reproving, patience . under afliidion ; and in faying
he was an ifraehte indeed without guide, he faid all.
1"he Lord make me a follower of him, and of all the
reft, who through faith and patience inherit the pro-

ICS

Mr Jofhua Richardfon. my truly worthy friend and
brother, died at Alkinton in Whitchurch parifh, Sep-
tember J. 1671 : bleiled bie Gcd l^r his holy life and

happy

7'/jg Life of Mr FmLi? IIeijp^y. 223

happy death. He was feveral years mmiftcr of Mid-
dle in Shropfhire, and was turned out thence tor non-
conformity. He \vas a holy, loving, ferious man. Dr
Fowler preached his funeral fermon at Whitchurch, on
Dan. xii. 3. highly praifing him (as he deferved) for
wifdom, piety, ^ and peaceablenefs.

Mr Samuel Hilderlham died near Bromlcham In Ap-
ril 1674, the only fon of Mr Arthur Hilderfliara of Aih-
by (whofe works praife him in the gates) fellow of Epi-
anuel college in Cambridge, batchelor of divinity,
1623, fettled recStor of Weft-Felton in Shropfhire, in
the year 1628, and continued there till filenced by the
aft of uniformity. He was'one of the aifembly of di-
vines ; a father to the fons of the prophets in and a-
bout Shropfiiire. He was learned, loving, and charit-
able, an excellent preacher, an eminent expofitor, and
very much a gentleman ; he was about fourfcore years
of age when he died. He ordered by his will this in-
fcription upon his grave-llone : Samuel Hilderfliam, B*
D. rector of Weit-Felton, in the county of Salop, 34
years, till Auguft 24, 1662.

Mr Richard Sadler, my worthy friend and fellow-
labourer, died at Whixal in Frees pariih, April — 1675.
He was born irrWorceller : went, when young, with
his father into New-England ; after the wars he return-
ed into England ; was ordained at Whixal-chapel, May
16. 1648, and was removed thence to Ludlow. Be-
ing turned out there upon the King's coming in, he
fpent the reft of his days in privacy at Whixal: a man
of great piety and moderation.

Mr Rov/land Nevet died at his houfe near Ofweftry
December 8. 1675, and was buried at Morton-chapel.
I preached his funeral fermon at Swinny, on 2 Pet. i.
14. " Knowing that I muft fliortly put oft this my ta-
" bernacle :" thence fliewing that the mlnifters of
Chrift mud certainly and fhortly die. He was born
in Hodnet parifn, jnno Dom. 1609, brought up at
Shrewlbury fchool, was afterwards of Edmund-hall ia
Oxford, commenced mafter of arts in the year 1634,

he

224- T^he Life of Mr Philip Henry.

he was epircopally ordained; and /inno 1635, he was
prefented to the vkarage of Stanton hi Shronfliire,
where he continued many years, with great fuccefs in
his miniilry. While he was fmgle, he kept houfe,
judj^ing that more for the furtherance of his work a-
mong his peope, than to table. After the war here-
moved to Ofweflry, where he laboured abundantly in
the W'rk of the Lord ; and even after he was filenced
for nonconformity, he continued among his people there
to his dying day, doing v/hat he could, when he might
not do what he would. He would fay. he thought
mod of his converting work was done at Ofweflry,
the firft feven years of his being there. He loved to
.preach, and to hear others preach concerning the great
things of religion. Redemption, Reconciliation, Re-
generation, &c. for thefe (faid he) are the main matter.
•When the plague was at Ofweftry, he continued with
his people, and preached to them, and it was an op-
portunity of doing much good.

His converfation from his youth was not only blame-
lefs, but holy and pious ; he was exemplary for family-
religion, and great care and induftry in the education
of his children. He was looked upon as congregation-
al in judgement and practice, and was not fatisfied to
join in the common prayer ; but he was free to com-
municate with thofe that did. It was his judgement, _
that miniflers fnould be ordained by minifters ; and
that a minifler is not only a miniiter of the particular
congregation in which he labours. He greatly bewail-
ed the divifions of the church, and the intemperate
heats of fome of all perfuafions. He was exceeding
kind and loving to his friends, very frequent in pious
ejacu'ations to God. Being often diftempered in body,
he would fay, he was never better than in the pulpit,
and that it Wc.s " the beft place he could wifh to die
*^' in." He often blelfed God for a fit of ficknefs which
he had, which he faid he would not have been without
for a world, the foundation of his comfort, and hope
©f heaven being laid then. When he was fometimes

much

The Lift of Mr Philip Henry. 225

much fpent with his labours, he would appeal to God,
that, " Though he might be wearied in his fervice, he
" would never be weary of it.'* His dying prayer for
his children (after many fweet exhortations) was,
" That the Mediator's blefling might be the portion of
" every one of them :" adding, " I charge you all, fee
" to it, that you meet me on the right hand of Chriil,
" at the great day." A little before he died he had
this expreffion, " Go forth, my Soul, go forth to meet
" thy God;" adding by and by, "It is now done;
" come, Lord Jefus, come quickly." One prefent fay-
ing to him, that he was now going to receive his re-
ward, he replied, " It is free grace/' [Mr Henry was*
much importuned to print his fermon at Mr Nevet's
funeral, with fome account of his life and death, which
he was fomewhat inclined to do, but was difcouraged
by the difficulties of the times, and it was never done.
But fome materials he had for it, out of which we have
collected thefe hints. 3

Mr Robert Fogg, my old dear friend, was buried at
Afton near Nantwich, April 21. 1676, he died in a
good old ag«, about eighty. He was minifLer of Ban-
gor in Flintfliire, till after the King came in, and thence-
forward to his death was a poor filent nonconformifl,
but of a bold and zeaK)us fpirit. Giving good counfel
to thofe about him a little before he died, he had this
weighty faying among others, " AlTarc yourfelves, the
" Spirit of God will be underling to no fin."

Mr Andrev/ Parfons, fome tune minifter of Wem,
died at London, October 1. 1684. He was born in
Devonlliire, and was miniiter there fome years before
the war ; being driven thence to London, he became
well known to Mr Pym, who fent him down to Wem,
when that town was garrifoned for the Parliament ;
there he continued in the exercife of his miniflry, till
the year 1660. He Uas an active, friendly, generous
man, and a moving, affeding preacher. Mr Baxter,
inhis life, part 3. page 94, coniinends him for a mo-
derate man, and fpeaks of his being in trouble, for fe-

F f ditious

226 The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

ditious words fworn againft him, which were thefe :
preaching from 2 Tim. iii 13. he faid, " The devil was
" like a king, that courted the foul, and fpoke fair till
'* he was gotten into the throne, and then played
'* pranks." The witneffcs depofed contrary to the co-
herence of his difcourfe, that he laid the king was like
the devil. He was tried at Shrewfbury before my
Lord Newport, Mr Serjeant Turner and others. May
28. 1662. It was alfo charged upon him, that he had
faid, " Ihere was more fms committed now in England
" in a month, than was heretofore in feven years ;" and
*' That there had been more and better preaching in
" England for twenty years paft, than was ever fmce
'* the apoflles days." He had counfel aifigned him,
who pleaded that the time limited by the ftatute in
which he was indifted was expired : the Court yield-
ed it was fo. allowing twenty-eight days to a month ;
but they would underftand it of thirty days to a month,
fo he was found guilty, and fined two hundred pounds,
and ordered to be imprifoned till it fhould be paid.

Mr Hugh Rogers, a worthy faithful minifler of Je-
fus Chrift, turned out for nonconformity, from New-
town in Montgomery fhire, was buried at Welfhpool,
March 17, 1679-80, he v.as looked upon as congre-
gational but his declared judgment was, " That mini-
"^ flers ought to be ordained by minifters, and to give
" themfelves wholly to that work ; and that none but
" miniiters have aurhority to preach and govern in a
*' conflituted church ; and that Chrifl's minifters are
" his minifters in all places ; and that where the word
*' of Chrift is preached, and his Sacraments adminif-
'* tered, there is a true church." He was a man of
excellent converfe, and whofe peculiar felicity lay in
pleafant and edifying difcourfe.

July 2d and 3d, 1680, thefe two days brought tid-
ings of the death of Mr Haines, fome time minilLcr of
Wem in Shropfhire, and fince at New-chapel in Welt-
minfter ; and of Mr Richard Edwards minifler at Of-
weftry, both worthy conformifts, pious, pea<:eable and

good

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 227

good men, whom I hope, through grace, to meet fliort-
ly in heaven. 1 he Lord raife up others in their room
to be and do better.

Mr Robert Bofier, my dear friend and kinfman,
having juit compleated the twenty-third year of his
age, died of a fever, September 13, 1680, at Mr Doo-
little's houfe in Iflington, whither he was gone but a
few weeks before for improvement in learning ; being
formerly a commoner of Edmund-hall in Oxford, and
fmce having fpent fome years in my family, and de-
figned himfelf for the fervice of Chrill, in the work of
the miniilry. He was a young man of pregnant parts,
great indullry, and exemplary ferioufnefs and piety,
and likely to be an eminent inftrument of good in his
day. His friends and relations had promifed them-
felves much comfort in him, but we know who " per-
" formeth the thing that is appointed for us, and giv-
" eth not account of any of his matters.'*

Mr John Maiden, my dear and worthy friend, turn-
ed out from Newport in Shropfhire for nonconform-
ity, died at Alkington near Whitchurch, May 23,
1 68 1, a man of great learning, an excellent Hebrecian,
and of exemplary piety, and a foiid preacher : as he
lived fo he died, very low in his own eyes ; efteeming
himfelf good for nothing, though really good for eve-
ry thing, which was manifeftly a prejudice, both to his
comfort, and to his ufefulnefs. He faid, he was far
from repenting his being a fufferer againft conformity.
The relicks of fo much leaning, piety, and humility,
1 have not feen this great while laid in a grave, but
bleifed be God we had fuch a one fo long.

Dr Jofliua Maddocks, a beloved Phyfician, our very
dear friend and kinfman, died of a fever at Whit-
church, in the midfl: of his days, July 27th, 1682, a
very pious man, and efpecially eminent for meeknefs ;
an excellent fcholar, and particularly learned in the
mathematicks : he lived much defired, and died as
much lamented.

Mr Thomas Bridge, who had been redor of the
F f 2 higher

228 The Life of Mr Philip Henry.

higher re£tory of Malpas about fifty-feven years, being
aged about eighty-two years, was buried at Malpas,
Odob. 7, 1682. In his laft ficknefs, which was long,
he had appointed Mr Green, one of the curates there,
to preach his fuueral fermon on i Tim i. 16" How-
*' beit, for this caufe 1 obtained mercy, that in me firft,
" Jefus Chrift might Ih ew forth all long-fufiering :"
and to fay nothing in his commendation, but to give
a large account of his repentance upon his death-bed,
&c. He was a taking, popular preacher, preaching of-
ten and almofl to the laft. When old, he could read
the fmalleft print without fpeftacles.

Mr William Cook, an aged, painful, faithful mini-
fler of Jeius Chrift in Chefter, finiflied his courfe with
joy, July 4, 1684, in the midit of the cloudy and dark
day. [fee Mr Baxter's character of him in his life,
Part 3. page 98.] and an honourable account given of
him by Mr Samuel Bold, of Steeple in Dcrfetiliire, in
a large preface to his book of Man's grest duty. He
was eminent for great induftry, both in public and pri-
vate work ; great felf-deiiial, mortification, and con-
tempt of the world, and a ftrict adherence to his prin-
ciples in all the turns of the times. He was firft mini-
fter at Wroxal in Vv^arwickfhire ; there he pubiillied
two treatifes againft the Anabaptifts. From thence he
was, by the advice of the London minifters, removed
to Afliby in Leicefterfliire, whence he was turned out
for refufmg the engagement, and afterward fettled in
Chefter, where he was minifter of Michael's church,
till he was outed by the aft of uniformity. He was an
adive man for Sir George Booth, when he made that
attempt to bring in the King, in 1659, for which he
was brought up a prifoner to London, and continued
long under confinement in Lambeth-houfe ; and had
not the times turned had been tried for his life. Dur-
ing the ufurpation, his frequent prayer was, " That
** God would pull down all ufurped power, and re-
*' ftore the banifned to their right." After he was
filenced by the Bartholomew ad, he continued to his

death.

l^he Life of Mr Philip Henry. 229

death in a paftoral relation to a fociety of many worthy
eminent Chriftians in Chefter ; though during the heat
of the five-mile aQ, he was forced to withdraw to Pud-
dington in Wirral, where (as in Chefler, till King
Charles's indulgence) he conftantly attended on the
public mini dry, and he himfelf preached in the inter-
vals. He would fay fometimcs to his friends, when
he was in that retirement, that he thought " What lit-
" tie peace and quietnefs there was in this world,
" God's people enjoyed it in their corners." Soon
after he was fuciiced, he was committed to the com-
mon goal of Chefter for preaching in his own houfe,
by the Mayor, at indigation of the then Bifliop Hall.
Ke was very indefatigable in his miniflerial labours, in
which he never fought the afiiilance of any other mi-
nifler ; though while he had liberty he conftantly kept
a public fafl in his congregation every month, as he
did alfo a private fafl in his own clofet and family eve-
ry week. He ufually fet apart one afternoon every
week, to vifit the families of his congregation, and to
catechife their children and fervants, and difcourfe with
them perfonally about their fouls j his vifits were fliort
and edifying (and he managed them as one that was a
great hufband of his time) and he feldom or never
parted without prayer. He was not free to join in the
common-prayer, and bore his teftimony againft pre-
lacy and the ceremonies with fomething of zeal ; but
his great piety, integrity, mortification, and charity,
recommended him to the refpefts even of many that
differed from him. If any aiked his advice to any
thing which might draw fuffering upon them, he would
be very tender, and deiire them not to depend upon
his judgement ; but fince it was a matter of fuffering,
to be fully perfuaded in their own minds.

He was a great fcholar, and a hard fludent to the
laft, and was far from entangling himfelf in the alFairs
of this life, not knowing ought he had , fave the bread
that he did eat- In worldly matters he was not very
converfable, but in difcourfe of the things of God,

none

230 ^be Life of Mr Philip Henry.

none mere free and affable, or more ready to do
good.

He lived and died a great example of flri6l and clofe
walking with God, and a heavenly converfation ; and
his memory is very precious with many. He died in
the feventy-third year of his age. When he lay on
his death-bed, an aged friend of his afiiing him if he
had not comfort in rcfledion upon his labours in the
work of God, he prefently replied, " I have nothing
" to boaft of.'* He was buried in Michael's church
in Chefler ; and though for fome time before he died,
fuch was the heat of the perfecution, that be dur(t
not fnew his face in the city, yet many confiderable
perfons were very forward to do him honour at his
death.

Mr Jonathan Roberts of Llanvair in Denblghfliire,
my dear and precious friend, and a faithful minifler
of Chriit, died at Mr Titus Thomas's houfe in Weft-
Fclton, and was buried there Sept. 26. 1084. A true
Nathaniel, an Ifraelite indeed, for plaimiefs and inte-
grity ; a filent fufferer for his nonconformity, for
which he quitted a good living in Denbighfhire. He
was a learned man, a Mailer of Arts of Oxford ; he
died with comfort in his nonconformity, and with con-
fidence of a return of mercy in God's due time. The
fummer before he died, he had been at Oxford, Cam-
bridge, and London, where he heard and faw that
which much confirmed him in his diffent.

Mr Zechariah Cawdrey, Miniiler of Bartomley in
Chelhire, a learned and goClly divine, was buried De-
cember 24. 1684. a conformiil, and formerly a great
iufferer for the king, but in his later times much ma-
ligned and reproached by fome people for his modera-
tion towards dilTenters, for his book of preparation for
martyrdom, and for his zeal in keeping up the month-
ly lectures at Nantwich and Tarvin. But he is gone
to the world of peace, and love, and everlafling praifes.

Mr litus Thomas, minifler of the independent con-
gregation in Salop, was buried at Felton, December

10,

^he Life of Mr Philip Kenry. 2

3

10, 1686. He was a worthy good man, an J not {q
ftrait-hiced as fome others ; we were fix nonconfor-
milt minifters there at the funeral, and the feventh
dead in the midft of us, faying to us, " Therefore be
" ve alfo ready."

Mr John Cartwrlght, my worthy friend and brother,
a faithful minilter of Jefus Chrift, was buried at Au-
diem in Chelhire, Feb. 17. 1687-8. formerly minifter
of Weft-Kerby in Wirral, afterwards chaplain to the
pious Lady Wilbraham at Woodbey. ■-

Mr Edward Gregg of Cheder, a worthy gentleman,
and my dear friend, died July 9. 1689. ^^ ^ iever, in
the midfl of his days. He was one that feared God
above many, of a meek and quiet fpirit, and eminent-
ly aftive and ufeful in his generation. The Lord is
pulling our earthen props from under us, that we might
lean upon, and truft in himfelf alone, and might learn
to ceafe from man.

Mr Daniel Benyon of Afli, my dear friend and Idnf-
man, died June 2 1^. 1 690. a very ferious, pious gentle-
man, and an ifraelite indeed, a true lover, and ready
benefactor to all good men, efpecially good minillers.
He told me a little before he died, God had made ufe
of me (though mofl unworthy) as an inflrument of
his converfion, for which I blefs his holy name. He
had a long and lingering fickneis, which he bore with
great patience.

Mrs Crew of Ctkinton in Chefliire, an aged fervant
of the Lord, was buried July 8. 1690. She kept her
integrity, and abounded in works of piety and charity
to the lait, and finilhed well ; to God be praife.

Mrs Hunt of Shrewlbury, the relict of Colonel
Hunt, another rare pattern of zealous piety, abounding
charity, and em.inent ufefulnefs in her place, fmifhed'
her courfe, October 23. 1690. after two days ficknefs.

The reverend, and learned, and holy Mr Richard
Baxter, died at London, December 8. 1691. aged
feventy-fix, and one month ; as much vilified by fome,
and magnified by others, as moll men that ever were ;

bu

232 the Life of Mr Philip Henry.

but it is a fmall thing to be judged of man's day. He
was buried at Chrifh -church, London, with great ho-
nour.

Mr John Wood, my good friend, died September
1 9. 1 692. at Mitton in Shropfiiire, aged about leventy ;
he was fometime fellow of Magdalen-College in Cam-
bridge, where he was outed for nonconformity ; a learn-
ed man, but wanted the faculty of communicating ;
one that feared God, and walked in his integrity to
the laft ; had no certain dwelling-place on earth, but
I truil hath one in heaven. Hic tandem req'iiefcit,

Mr Richard Steel, my old and dear friend, and
companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and pa-
tience of Jefus Chrift, died at London, {November 16.
1652. in the fixty-fourth year of his age. A man that
had been greatly ufeful in his generation, both in
the country and at London.

Mr Thomas Gilbert died at Oxford, July 1 5. 1 694.
formerly minifter of Edgmond in Shroplhire, aged
eighty-three, a learned good man.

Luke Lloyd, Efq; of the Bryn in Hanmer Parifli,
my aged, worthy friend, finifiied his courfe with joy,
March 31. 1695. being Lord's day. He was in the
eighty-feventh year of his age, and had been married
alm^ft fixtv-nine years to his pious wife (of the fame
age) who ilill furvives him. He was the glory of our
little congregation, the top-branch in all refpeds of
cur fmall vine, and my friend indeed.

When he made his will, under the fubfcription of
his name he wrote. Job xix. 25, 26, 27. On which
text of Scripture (I know that my Redeemer liveth,
he.) Mr Henry, at the requeft of feme of his relations,
preached a fermon at the licenced houfe near Hanm.er,
fometime after his funeral ; in which fermon, he bore
a very honourable teflimony to that worthy gentle-
man, who (as he faith) went to heaven without a blot,
held fall his integrity, and was lively and zealous in
the Chriilian profeffion to the end of his days. He
•was very exemplary for his love to the ordinances of

God,

The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 233

God, and his delight in attending on them, his living
upon Chrift for ftrength and righteoufnefs, his great
humility, and condefcending obliging carriage in all his
converfe. He was a man of great courage and refolu-
tion : and yet in prayer, tender and felf-abafmg, to ad-
miration, often meking into tears in the confeilion of
fin ; and his charity and moderation were known un-
to all men.

He lived and died a pattern of piety, and primitive
Chriftianity, and ftill brought forth fruit in old age ;
his vigor, both of body and mind, being wonderfully
preferred to the laft ; and by the grace of God he fin-
ifhed well, and his fun fet under no cloud. Such good
men are intended to be to us, as the ftar that led the
wife men to Chrift ; and as far as they do fo, we are
to follow them. " Mark the perfect man, and be-
" hold the upright, for the end of that man is peace."

Mr Samuel Taylor, an aged minifter of Jefus Cnrift,
and my true friend and fellow-labourer, died at Wem,
June 26, 1695. He was turned out from Edftaifon-
chapel near Wem, by the act of uniformity ; chufing
rather to beg his bread than to wrong his confcience-
He continued in Wem ever fince, and preached there
as his ftrength and liberty would permit. He had his
houfe burnt in the dreadful fire that was therein 1076,
and had a child born that very night. He was a man
of a very tender fpirit, humble and low in his own
eyes, of approved integrity, and finiflied well. (Mr
Henry preached his funeral fermon at Wem, on 2 Cor.
iv. 7. " W^e have this treafure in earthen veifels.)

September 21, 1695. ^ heard of the death of two
holy, aged Bartholoiiievv-witneffes, Mr Richard Mayo
of London, and Mr Henry Newccme of Manchefter,
Pfal. xii. I. -

Mr Edward Lawrence of London, my dear and
worthy friend, and a faithful mjnifter and witnefs of
the Lord Jefus, died November — '605, about the fe-
ventieth year of his age ; born at Molton in Shropfliire,

Gg " * of

234 ^'^^ ^it^ of Mr Philip Henry.

of Magdalen-College in Cambridge, turned out from
Bafchurch in Shropfliire by the act of uniformity in
1662, was driven from Whitchurch by the violent
proiecution of the conventicle A6t, in 1670, when he
removed to London, and there fpent the reft of his
days.

He had many children, but great afflidion in fome
of them, which gave occafion to his book entitled,
" Parents Gtoans over their wicked Children." It
is a very high, but jufl character, which Mr Vincent
harh given of him in his fermon at his funeral ; of
which let me take leave to add fome few inftances
that occur to us, which may be inftrudive, befides
thofe which we have already mentioned occafionally.
At his m.eals, he would often fpeak of ufmg God's
creatures as his witnelfes that he is good ; and we can-
not conceive how much good our God doth every mo-
ment.

An exprelTion of his great regard to juftice, was
that common caution he gave his children, Trem-
*' ble to borrow two pence ;" and of his meek-
nefs and tendernefs this, " Make no man angry nor
*' fad." He often faid, '* I adore the wifdom of God,
" that hath not feen m.eet to trufl me with riches."
When he faw little children playing in the ftreets, he
would often hft up h]S heart in an ejacalatory prayer
to God for them, calling them " the feed of the next
*' generation." When his iriend chofe to ride the
back way into town, he pleafantly checked him, tel-
ling him, that his heart hath been often refreflied,
when he hath looked out at the window and feen a
good man go along the ilreets. He ufed to fay, that
Cromwell did'more real prejudice to religion by his hy-
pocrify, than king Charles the Second did, that never
pretended to it. As alfo, that he feared the fms of the
land more than the French.

A friend of his in the country, writing to him not
long before he died, defired his thoughts concerning

the

"The Life of Mr Philip Henry. 235

the differences among the London diflenters, to which
he returned this anfwer : " 1 can fay little concerning
" our divifions ; which, when fome men's judgments
" and tempers are healed, will be alfo healed. But
" when will that be ? They that have moft holinefs
" are moft peaceable, and have moft comfort."

M.S,

2^6 Epitaph on Mr Philip Henry.

M. S.

PHILIPPUS HENRY,

De Broad -Oak, in Comitatu Flint, A. M.

Sacri Minifler Evangelii ; Paflor olim Worthenburi-

enfis ;

In Aula Regia natus piis & honeftis Parentibus ;

Scholas Weftmonafterienfis, indeq. ^dis ChriftiOxon.

Alumnus Regius :

Vir prifca Pietate & vere Chriftiana,

Judicio fubado & limato,

Memoria prseftanti, magno & foecundo Ingenio, '

Eruditione perpolita, fummo Animi Candore, Morum

Venuftate

Imprimis Speclabilis, & in Exemplum natus:

Cui Sacra femper fua fides aliorumque Fama :

Divini Numinis Cultor affiduus ;

Divini Verbi Interpres exquifitiflimus ;

Aliorum Affeftus movere non minus pollens,

Quam luis moderari :

Concionando pariter ac Vivendo palam exhibens

Chrifti Legem & Exemplar Chriilum :

Prudens peritufque rerum ; Lenis,. Pacificus, Hofpi-

talis,

Ad Pietatis omnia Charitatifque officia ufque paratus ;

Suis Jucundus ; Omnibus Humanus ;

Continuis Evangelii Laboribus fuccumbens Corpus,

Nee tant^e jam par amplius Animse,

In Dormitorium hie juxta pofitum, demifit,

Jun. 240. Anno Dom. MDCXCVI, ^tatis LXV,

Viro opt. multumque defiderato
mcerens pofuit Gener ejus J. T. M. D.

FINIS,

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