CHAPTER 7:

 

The Rebukes he lay under at Broad-Oak, betwixt the years 1680 and 1687.

 

 IN the beginning of the year 1681, in April and May, the country was greatly afflicted by an extreme drought; there was no rain for several weeks, the grass failed; corn that was sown languished, and much that was intended to be sown, could not; the like had not been known for many years; it was generally thought a dearth would ensue, MR. PHILIP HENRY, especially in that country, which is for the most part dry. And now it was time to seek the LORD; and (according to his own appointment) to ask of him” rain in the season thereof.” Several serious thinking people being together at the funeral of that worthy Minister of JESUS CHRIST, MR. MALDEN; it was there said, how requisite it was that there should be some time set apart on purpose for fasting and prayer, in a solemn assembly upon this occasion. THOMAS MILLINGTON, of Weston, in Hodnet parish, in Shropshire, desired it might be at his house; and Tuesday, June 14, was the day pitched upon. The connivance of authority was presumed upon, because no disturbance of meetings was_ heard of at London, or any where else. MR. HINSY was desired to come and give his assistance. He asked upon what terms they stood with the neighboring Justices, and it was answered,’ Well enough.' The drought continuing, some that had not used to come to such meetings, yet came thither on the apprehensions they had of the threatening judgment. MR. HENRY prayed and preached on Psalm Ixvi. 18:” If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LOUD will not hear me;” whence his doctrine was,’ That iniquity regarded in the heart, will certainly spoil the successes of prayer.' When he was in the midst of his sermon, closely applying this truth, Sir T. 5: of Hodnet, and MR. M. of Ightfield, two Justices of the Peace, with several others of their retinue, came suddenly upon them; are guards upon the house-doors, and came in themselves, severely rallied all they knew, reflected upon the late Honorable House of Commons, and the vote they passed, concerning the present unseasonableness of putting the laws ia execution against Protestant Dissenters. They diverted themselves with very abusive and unbecoming talking; swearing, and cursing, and reviling bitterly; being told the occasion of the meeting was’ to seek to turn away the a&ger of GOD from us in the present drought;' it was answered, Such meetings as these were the cause of GOD'S anger.' While they were thus entertaining themselves, their clerks took the names of those that were present, in all about one hundred and fifty, and so dismissed them for the present. MR. HENRY has noted, in the account he kept of this event, 1 That the Justices came to this good work from the alehouse upon Prees-heath, about two miles off; to which, and the bowling-green adjoining, they, with other Justices, Gentlemen and Clergymen of the neighborhood, had long before obliged themselves to come every Tuesday, during the summer time, under the penalty of twelve-pence a time if they were absent; and there to spend the day in drinking and bowling.' It is supposed the Justices knew of the meeting before, and might have prevented it by the least intimation; but they were willing to take the opportunity of making sport to themselves, and trouble to their neighbors. After the feat done, they returned back to the alehouse, and made themselves and their companions merry with calling over the names they had taken. There was one of the company, whose wife happened to be present at the meeting, and her name taken among the rest; with which upbraiding him, he answered, ‘ That she had been better employed than he was, and if MR. HE\SY might be admitted to preach in a church, he would go a great many miles to hear him.' For which words he was forthwith expelled their society, never more to show his face at that bowling-green; to which he replied,’ If they had so ordered long ago, it had been a great deal the better for him and his family.'

 

 Two days after they met again at Hodnet, where, upon oath of two witnesses, who (as was supposed) were sent on purpose to inform, they signed and sealed two records of conviction. By one record they convicted the master of the house, and fined him twenty pounds, and five pounds more as constable of the town that year; and with him all the persons present, whose names they had taken, and fined them five shillings a piece, and issued out warrants accordingly. By another record they convicted the two Ministers, MR. BURY and MR. HENRY. The Act makes it only punishable to preach or teach in any such Conventicle; and yet they fined MR. BURY twenty pounds though he only prayed, and did not speak one word in the way of preaching and teaching, not so much as,’ Let us pray;' however, right or wrong, he must be fined, though his great piety, peaceableness and usefullness, besides his deep poverty, one would think, might have pleaded for him, against so palpable a piece of injustice —They took seven - pounds off from him and laid it upon others; and for the remaining thirteen pounds, he being utterly unable to pay it, they took from him by distress the bed which he lay upon, with blanket and rug; also another feather bed, several pairs of sheets, most of them new; of which he could, not prevail to have so much as one pair returned for him to lie in; also books to the value of-five pounds, besides brass and pewter. And though he was at this time perfectly innocent of that heinous crime of preaching and teaching, /$ with which he was charged; yet he had no way to right himself, but by appealing to the Justices themselves in Quarter Sessions, who would be sure to affirm their own decree. So the good man took joyfully the spoiling of his goods, knowing that he had in heaven a better and a more enduring substance.

 

 But MR. HENRY, 'being the greatest criminal, was fined forty pounds, the pretence of which was this: In the year MJ79j October 15, ME. KYNASTON, of Oatley, a Justice of Peace in Shropshire, meeting him and some others, coming, as he supposed, from a Conventicle, he was pleased to record their conviction, upon the notorious evidence of the fact: The record was filed at Salop the Sessions after; but no notice was ever sent of it, either to ME. HENRY or the Justices of Flintshire; nor any prosecution upon it, against any of the parties charged. However, the Justices being resolved he should have summum jus, thought that first record sufficient to give denomination to a second v offence, and so he came to be fined double. This conviction (according to the direction of the Act) they certified to the next adjoining Justices of Flintshire, who had all” along carried themselves with great temper and moderation towards MR. HENRY, and had never given him any disturbance; but they were now necessitated to execute the sentences of the Shropshire Justices. It was much pressed upon him to pay the fine, which might prevent his own loss, and the Justices trouble. 

 

 But he was not willing to do it, partly because he would give no encouragement to such prosecutions, nor reward the informers for that which he thought they should rather be punished for; and partly because he thought himself wronged in the doubling of the fine Whereupon his goods were distrained upon, and carried away; in the doing of which many passages occurred which might be worth the noting, but that the repetition of them would perhaps grate and give offence to some. Let it therefore suffice-(waiving the circumstances) to remember only that their warrant, not giving them authority to break open doors, nor their watchfullness getting them an opportunity to enter the house, they carried away about thirty-three tart loads of goods without doors, corn cut upon the ground, hay, coals, &c This made a great noise in the country, and laised the indignation of many, while Mr, HENRY bore it with him, *, and serenity of raind, he did not boast of Ins sufferings, or make any great matter of them; but would often bay,’ Alas, this is nothing to what others suffer, nor to what we ourselves may suffer before we die C And yet he rejoiced and blessed GOD that it was not for debt, or for evil-doing, that hi& goods were carried away. He frequently expressed the assurance he had, that whatever damage he sustained, God is able to make it up again. And (as he used to say) though we may be losers for CHRIST, yet we shall not be losers by him in the end. He had often said, that his preaching was likely to do the most good when it was sealed to by suffering;’ and if this be the time, (says he,) welcome the will of GOD; even this also shall turn to the furtherance of the Gospel.'

 

 MR. HENRY, at the next Assizes after he was distrained upon, was presented by one of the High Constables: 1. For keeping a Conventicle at his house; and 2. For saying, that the law for suppressing Conventicles ought not to be obeyed. This latter presentment was altogether false. He had, indeed, in discourse with the High Constable, when he insisted so much upon the law, which required him to be so rigorous in the prosecution, objected, that all human laws were not to be obeyed, merely because they Were laws. Bat as to any such reflections upon the law he suffered by, he was far from it. But these presentments met with so little countenance from JUDGE JEFFRIES, that MR. HENRY only entered in his appearance in the Prothonotary's Office, and they wore no more heard of; wherein he acknowledged the hand of GOD, who turneth the hearts of the children of men as the rivers of water.

 

 As to what was taken from him by the distress, they who took it made what markets they pleased of it, paid those tfeey employed, and what the remainder was is not known for certain; but it was said that the following summer, about twenty-seven pounds was paid to Sin T. 5:, of which (and the rest that was levied in other places, which amounted to a considerable sum) it was credibly reported (and I have not heard it contradicted) that neither the King nor the poor had their share, (which, by the Act, is to be two-thirds) nor the informers all their's neither; but people said, the gentlemen had occasion for it all. But as they that had it were never the richer for it, so he that lost ft would often say, that he found that GOD did so abundantly bless the remainder to him, that he was never the poorer; which he would mention for the encouragement of his friends, not to balk duty (as he used to express it) for fear of suffering.

 

 The trouble which MR. HENRY was in, about the meeting at Weston, obliged him for a while to keep his Sabbaths at home, somewhat private; till in the year 1682, he took a greater liberty, and many flocked to him on the LORD’s days, through the kind connivance of the neighboring Magistrates; but in the year 1683, when the meetings were generally suppressed throughout the kingdom, he was again necessitated to confine his labors more to his own family, and his friends that visited him. He continued his attendance at Whitewell Chapel, as usual; and when he was abriged of his liberty, he often blessed GOD for his quietness. Once, when one of his Curates preached a bitter sermon against the Dissenters, on a LORD’s day morning., some wondered that Mr. HENRY would go again in the afternoon for the second part;’ But (says he) if he do not know his duty, I know mine; and I bless GOD I can find honey in a carcass.”

 

 In this time of treading down, and of perplexity, he stirred little abroad, being forced (as he used to express it) to throw the plough under a hedge; but he preached constantly at home without disturbance; and often comforted himself with this,’ When we cannot do what we would, if we do what we can, GOD will accept of us; when we cannot keep open shop, we must drive a secret trade.' And he would say,’ There is a mean, if we could hit it, between fool-hardiness and faint-heartedness.”1 While he had some opportunity of being useful at home, he was afraid lest he should prejudice that by \enturing abroad. One ot' hi' friends in London earnestIv soliciting him to make a visit thither in this time of restraint in the country; he thus wrote to him:’ I should be glad once more to kibs my native soil, though it were with a kiss of valediction; but my indisposition, to travel, and the small prospect there is of doing good to countervail the pains, are my prevailing arguments against it. I am here (it is true) buried alive; but I am quiet in my grave, and have no mind to be a walking ghost. We rejoice and desire to be thankful that GOD has given us a home, and continued it to us, when o many, better than we, have not where to lay their head, having no certain dwelling-place: (It was at the time of the dispersion of the French Protestants.) Why are they exiles, and not we They strangers in a strange land, and not we We must not say, We will die in our nests, lest GOD say, our times and all our ways are at his disposal; and it is very well they are so.1

 

 At the time of the DUKE of MONMOUTH'S descent, and the insurrection in the West, in the year 1685, MR. HENRY, as many others, (pursuant to a general order of the LORD Lieutenant, for securing all suspected persons, and particularly all Non-conformist Ministers,) was taken up by a warrant from the Deputy Lieutenant, and sent under a guard to Chester Castle, where he was about three weeks a close prisoner. He was lodged with some gentlemen and Ministers that were fetched thither out of Lancashire, who were all strangers to him; but he had great comfort in the acquaintance and society of many of them.

 

 He often spoke of this imprisonment, not as matter of complaint, but of thanksgiving, and blessed GOD he was in nothing uneasy all the while. In a sermon to his family the day after he came home, he largely recounted the mercies of that Providence: As for instance,’ That his imprisonment was for no cause: It is guilt that makes a prison. That it was his security in a dangerous time. That he had good company in his sufferings, who prayed together, and read the Scriptures together, and discoursed to their mutual edification. That he had health there, not such and in prison; that he was visited and prayed for by his friends. That he was very cheerful and easy in his spirit, many a time asleep and quiet, when his adversaries were disturbed and unquiet. That his enlargement was speedy and unsought for, and that it gave occasion to the Magistrates who committed him, to give it under their hands, that they had nothing in particular to lay to his charge; and especially that it was without a snare, which was the thing he feared more than any thing else.'

 

 It was a surprise to some that visited him in his imprisonment, and were big with the expectations of the DUKE of MONMOUTH'S success, to hear him say,’ I would not have you flatter yourselves with such hopes, for GOD will not do his work for us in these nations by that man; but our deliverance and salvation will arise some other way.'

 

It must not be forgotten how ready he was, nay, how studious and industrious, to serve and oblige such as had been any way instruments of trouble to him, as far as it lav in his power, so well had he learned that great lesson of forgiving and loving enemies.

 

CHAPTER VIII.

 

The last nine Years of his Life at Broad-Oak, from the Year 1687

 

 IT was the latter end of the year 1685, when the stream ran so very strong against the Dissenters, that MR. HENRY being in discourse with a great man of the Church of England, mentioned King CHARLES'S indulgence in 1672, as that which gave rise to his stated preaching in a separate assembly; and added, ’ If the present King JAMES should in like manner give me leave, I would do the same again: To which that great man replied,’ Never expect any such thing from him, for take my word for it, he hates you Non-conformists in his heart.'‘ Truly (said MR. HENRY) I believe it, and I think he doth not love you of the Church of England neither.11 It was then little thought that the same.' Right Reverend person who said to him, should have the honor, as ho had boon after, to be one of the seven Bishops committed to the Tower by King JAMES; as it was also far from and one's expectation, that the same King JAMES should so quickly give liberty to the Non-conformists: But we live in a world, wherein we are to think nothing strange, nor be surprised at any turn of the wheel of nature.

 

 The measures then taken by King JAMES'S Court and Council were soon laid open, not only to view, but to contempt, being in a short time by the over-ruling Providence of GOD, broken and defeated: However, the indulgence granted to Dissenters in April, 1687, must needs be a reviving to those, who for so many years had lam buried in silence and restraint; nor can any, who will allow themselves the liberty of supposing the case their own, wonder that they should rejoice in it, though the design of it being manifest, they could not choose but” rejoice with trembling.” MR. HENRY'S sentiments of it were, ’Whatever men's ends are in it, I believe GOD'S end in it is to do us good.'

 

 There were many that said, Surely the Dissenters will not embrace the liberty which is intended only for a snare to them. MR. HENRY read and considered The Letter of Advice to the Dissenters at this juncture; but concluded, * Duty is ours, and events are GOD'S.' He remembered the experience he had had of the like in King CHARLES'S time, and that did good and no hurt.” All power is for edification, not for destruction.” Did JEREMIAH sit still in the court of the prison, because he had his discharge from the King of Babylon Nay, did not PAUL, when he was persecuted by his countrymen, for preaching the Gospel, appeal to CAESAR; and find more kindness at Rome, than he did at Jerusalem In short, the principle of his” conversation in the world” being not” fleshly wisdom,” or policy, but the grace of GOD,” and particularly the grace of” simplicity and godly sincerity,” he was willing to make the best of that which was, and to hope the best of the design and issue of it.

 

 He apprehended this liberty likely to be of short continuance, and to end in trouble; and because he could not see how his not using of it, would prevent the trouble; but did see that his vigorous improvement of it, would prepare for the trouble, he set himself with all diligence, to make the best use he could of this gleam, both at home and abroad, on Sabbath days and week days, to his power; yea, and beyond his power.

 

 When King JAMES came his progress into that country, in September, 1687, to court the compliments of the people, MR. HENRY joined with several others, in and about Whitchurch, Nantwich, and Wem, in an Address to him, which was presented when he lay at Whitchurch; the purport of which was, not to sacrifice their lives and fortunes to hint and to his interest, but only to return him thanks for the liberty they had, with a promise to demean themselves quietly in the use of it.

 

 Some time after, Commissioners were sent abroad into the country, to inquire after the trouble that Dissenters had sustained by the penal Laws; and how the money that

 

was levied upon them was disposed of, little of it being found paid into the Exchequer; they sent to MR. HENRY to have an account from him of his sufferings; he returned answer by letter, that he had indeed been fined some years before, for a Conventicle and distrained upon, and his goods carried away; which all the country knew, and to which he referred himself. But being required to give a particular account of it upon oath; though he said he could be glad to see such instruments of trouble legally removed; yet he declined giving any further information concerning it; having (as he wrote to the Commissioners) long since, from his heart, forgiven all the agents, instruments, and occasions of it; and having purposed never to say any thing more of it.

 

 It was on Tuesday, June 14, 1681, that he was disturbed at Weston in Shropshire, when he was preaching on Psalm Ixvi. 18, and on Tuesday, June 14, 1687, that day six years he preached there again without disturbance, finishing what he was then prevented from delivering, concerning' prayer, and going on to Verse 19, 90,” But verily GOD has heard me,—Blessed be GOD,”—concerning the duty of thanksgiving. This seventh year of their silence and restraint, proved, through GOD'S wonderful good Providence, the year of release.

 

 In May, 1688, a new Commission of the Peace came down for the county of Flint, in which (by whose interest or procurement was not known) MR. HENRY was nominated a. Justice of Peace for that county. It was no small surprise to him, to receive a letter from the Clerk of the Peace, directed to PHILIP HENRY, Esq., acquainting him with it, and appointing him when and where to come and be sworn. To which he returned answer, that he was very sensible of his unworthiness of the honor, and his unfitness for the office which he was nominated to, and therefore desired to be excused; and he was so, and did what he could, that it might not be spoken of in the country.

 

 For two years after his liberty began, MR. HENRY still continued his> attendance, as usual, at Whitewcll Chapel, whenever there was preaching there; and he preached at his own house only when there was no supply there, and in the evening of those days when there was. For doing thus he was greatly clamored against, by some of the rigid Separatists, and called a dissembler, and one that halted between two. Thus (as he notes in his diary) one side told him, he was the author of all the mischief in the country, in drawing people from the Church; and the other side told him, he was the author of all the mischief, in drawing people to the Church:’ And which of these,1 says he,’ shall I seek to please LORD, neither; but thyself alone.'

 

 In a sermon at Whitewell Chapel, one LORD's-day in the afternoon, where he and his family, and many of his congregation were attending, much was said with some keen reflections, to prove the Dissenters schismatics, and in a damnable state: When he came immediately after to preach at his own house, before he began hissermon, he expressed himself to this purpose;’ Perhaps some of you may expect that I should bay something in answer to w hat we have heard; but truly 1 have something else to do;' and bo, without any further notice of it, went on to preach” JESUS CHRIST and him crucified.”

 

 It was not without some fear and trembling, that MR. HENRY received the tidings of the Prince of Orange's landing, in November 1688, as being somewhat in the dark concerning the clearness of his call, and dreading what might be the consequence of it. He used to say,’ Give peace in our time, O LORD,' was a prayer that he would heartily set his Amen to. But when secret things were brought to light, and a regular course was taken to fill the throne with such a King and such a Queen, none rejoiced in it more heartily than he did. - He celebrated the national thanksgiving for that great deliverance, with an excellent sermon on that text,” What shall we then say to these things If GOD be for us, who can be against us.” (Rom. viii. 31.)

 

 Soon after that happy settlement, there were overtures made towards a comprehension of the moderate Dissenters, with the Church of England; which Mr. HENRY most earnestly desired, if it could be had upon any terms less than sinning against his conscience; for never was any more averse to a separation than he was, if he could possibly have helped it, salva conscientia. His prayers were constant, and his endeavors, as he had opportunity, that there might be some healing methods found out and agreed upon. But it is well known what was the word at that time, namely,’ That forasmuch as the oaths, subscriptions and ceremonies were imposed only to keep out such men, they would never consent to their removal, for the letting them in again.1 This was at that time published and owned, as the sense of the Clergy in Convocation. Which temper and resolve, so contrary to that which might have been expected, upon that happy and glorious Revolution, did a little alter his sentiments in. that matter; and he saw himself perfectly driven from them. Despairing therefore to see an accommodation, he set himself the more vigorously to improve the present liberty. In June 1689, the Act of Indulgence passed, which not only tolerated, but allowed the Dissenters' meetings, and took them under the protection of the Government.

 

 Soon after which, though he never in the least changed his judgment, as to the lawfulness of joining in the Common Prayer, but was still ready to do it occasionally; yet the Ministers that preached at Whitewell Chapel, being often uncertain in their coming, which kept his meeting at Broad-Oak at like uncertainties, to the frequent disappointment of many of his hearers that came from far; he was at last prevailed with to preach at public time every LORD'S-day, which he continued to do while he lived, much to his own satisfaction, and the satisfaction of his friends. An eminent Minister in Lancashire, who did in like manner alter his practice about that time, gave this for a reason,’ That he had been for twenty-seven years striving to please a generation of men, who after all would not pleased; and therefore he would no longer endeavor it.

 

 It may be of use to give some account how he managed his ministerial work, in the latter part of his time, wherein, he had as signal tokens of the presence of GOD with him,” as ever; enabling him still to bring forth fruit in old age, and to renew his youth like the eagles'. Though what he did, he still did gratis, and would do so, yet he was not willing to have any constant assistant, nor had he any; so much was he in his element, when he was about his Master's work: It was his meat and drink to do it.

 

 1. As to his constant Sabbath-work, he was uniform and abundant in it. He began his morning family-worship, on LORD's days at eight o'clock, when he read and expounded pretty largely, sung a Psalm and prayed; and many strove to come time enough to join with him in that service. He began in public just at nine o'clock Winter and Summer. His meeting-place was an out-building of his own, adjoining to His house, fitted up very decently for the purpose. He began with prayer, then he sang a Psalm; next he read and expounded a chapter m the Old Testament in the morning, and in the New Testament in the afternoon. He “looked upon the public reading of the Scriptures in religious assemblies, to be an ordinance of GOD, and that it tended very much to the edification of people by that ordinance, to live what is read expounded to them. The bare reading of the word, he used to compare to the throwing of a riet into the water; but the expounding of itj is like the spreading out of that net, which makes it the more likely to catch fish; especially as he managed it, with practical profitable observations. Some that have heard him read a chapter, with this thought,’ How will he make such a chapter as this useful to us' have been surprised with such pertinent, useful instructions, as they have owned to be as much for their edification as any sermon. And commonly when he had expounded a chapter, he would desire them when they came home to read it over, and recollect some of those things that had been spoken.

 

In his expounding of the Old Testament, he industriously sought for something in it concerning CHRIST, who is the true Treasure hid in the field, the true Manna hid in the dew of the Old Testament.

 

 After the exposition of the chapter he sang a Psalm, suitable to the chapter expounded; and would briefly tell his hearers how they might sing that Psalm with understanding, and what affection of soul should be working towards GOD, in the singing of it; his hints of that kind were of great use, and contributed much to the right performance of that service: He often said,’ The more singing of Psalms there is in our families and congregation on Sabbath days, the more there is in them of the everlasting Sabbath.'

 

 After the sermon in the morning, he sang another Psalm. He intermitted at noon about an hour and a half, and on Sacrament days not near so long, in which time he took some little refreshment in his study, making no solemn dinner; yet many of his friends did partake of his carnal, as well as of his spiritual tilings, as those did that followed CHRIST, of whom he was careful the) should not faint by the morning sermon had repeated, by a ready writer, to those that stayed in the meeting-place, as many did, and when that was done, he began the afternoon's exercise; in which he not only read and expounded a chapter, but catechized the children, and expounded the Catechism briefly before sermon. Thus did he go from strength to strength, and from duty to duty on Sabbath days; running the ways of GOD'S Commandments with an enlarged heart. And the variety and vivacity of his public services, made them exceeding pleasant to all that joined with him, who never had cause to complain of his being tedious. He used to say, ’Every minute of Sabbath time is precious, and none of it to be lost;' and that he scarce thought the LORD's-day well spent, if he were not weary in body at night; wearied with his work, but not weary of it, as he used to distinguish. He would say sometimes to those about him, when he had gone through the duties of a Sabbath;’ Well, if this be not the way to heaven, I do not know what is.' In pressing people to number their days, he would especially exhort them to number their Sabbath days, how many they have been, and how ill they have been spent; how few it is likely they may be, that they may be spent better; and to help in the account, he would say,’ That for every twenty years of our lives we enjoy above a thousand Sabbaths,- which must be accounted for in the day of reckoning.'

 

 As to his constant preaching, it was substantial and elaborate, and greatly to edification. He used to say, he could not starch his preaching; that is, he would not; as knowing where the language and expression is stiff and fine, (at they call it,) it doth not reach the greatest part of the hearers. When he grew old, he would say, sure he might now take a greater liberty to talk (as he called it) in the pulpit; that is, to speak familiarly to people; yet to the last he abated not m his preparations for the pulpit, nor ever delivered any thing raw and undigested; much less any thing unbecoming the gravity and seriousness of the work. If his preaching were talking, it was talking to the purpose. His sermons were not common-place, but even when his subjects were the most plain, yet his managing of them was usually peculiar and surprising. In those years, as formerly, he kept for the most part in a method for subjects, and was seldom above one Sabbath upon a text. And his constant practice was, as it had been before, when he concluded a subject that he had been a good while upon, he spent one Sabbath in a brief rehearsal of the marrow and substance of the many sermons he preached upon it, which he called the clenching of the nail, that it might be as a nail in a sure place. So very industrious was he, and no less ingenious in his endeavors, that his hearers might’ be able after his decease, to have these things always in remembrance,' and it is hoped, that by the blessing of GOD, the effect did not altogether disappoint his expectation. 

 

 He was very strict and very serious in observing the public Fasts appointed by authority, and called them a delight. He had seldom any one to assist him in carrying on the duties of those days, but performed the service of them himself alone. He began at nine o'clock, or quickly after, and never stirred out of the pulpit till about four in the afternoon, spending all thai time in praying and expounding, and singing, and preaching, to the admiration of all that heard him, who were generally more on such days than usual. And he was sometimes observed, to be more warm and lively towards the latter end of the duties of a fast-day, than at the beginning; as if the spirit was most willing and enlarged when the flesh was most weak. In all his performances on public Fast-days, he did attend to that which was the proper work of the day; every thing is beautiful in its season. His prayers and pleadings with GOD on those days, were especially for national mercies, and the pardon of national sins; how excellently did he order the cause before GOD, and fill his mouth with arguments in his large and particular intercessions for the land, for the King, the government, the army, the navj, the Church, the French Protestants, SEC. He was another JACOB, a wrestler, an ISRAEL, a Prince with GOD. Before a Fast-day he would be more than ordinarily inquisitive concerning the state of public affairs, as NEHEMIAH was, (Neh. 1: 2,) that he might know the better how to order his prayers and preaching:’ For on such a day (he has sometimes said) as good say nothing, as nothing to the purpose.' He made it his business on Fast-days, to show people their transgressions, especially the house of JACOB their sins.’ It is most proper (said he) to preach of CHRIST on Loao's-days, to preach of sin on Fast-days, and to preach duty On both.' He Went over the third Chapter of the Revelation, in the Fast-sermons of two years. Another year he preached over the particulars of that charge, Zeph. 3: 2.’ Hypocrisy in hearers, and flattery in preachers, (as he would sometimes say,) are bad at any time, but they are especially abominable upon a day of humiliation.'

 

 5. He preached a great many lectures in the country about, some stated, some occasional, in supplying of which he was indefatigable. He has sometimes preached a lecture, ridden eight or nine miles and preached another, and the next day two more: To quicken himself to diligence, he would often say,’ Our opportunities are passing away, and we must work while it is day, for the night cometh.' Once having very wet and foul weather to go through to preach a lecture, he said, he comforted himself with two Scriptures; one was,” Endure hardness as a good soldier of JESUS CHRIST.” (2 Tim. 2: 3.) The other (because he exposed and hazarded his health, for which some blamed him) was,” It was before the LORD.” (2 Sam. 6: 21.) He took all occasions in his lectures abroad, to possess the minds of people with sober and moderate principles, and to stir them up to the serious regard of those things wherein we are all agreed.’ We are not met here together (said he once in an exhortation, with which he often began at his lecture) because we think ourselves better than others, but because we desire to be better than we are.'

 

 He was very happy in the choice of his subjects for his week-day lectures. At one which was stated, he preached against errors in general, from James 1: 16,” Do not err, my beloved brethren;” particularly from divers other Scriptures he showed, that we must not err concerning GOD and CHRIST, and the SPIRIT; concerning sin and repentance, faith and good works; concerning GOD'S ordinances; concerning grace and peace, afflictions and prosperity, and the things of the life to come. At the monthly lectures at his own house, he chose to preach upon the four last things, Death and Judgment, Heaven and Hell, in many particulars, but commonly a new text for every sermon. When he had in many sermons finished the first of the four, one that used to hear him sometimes, inquiring of his progress in his subjects, asked him, if he had done with Death, meaning that subject concerning Death; to which he pleasantly replied, ’No, I have not done with him yet; I must have another turn with him, and he will give me a fall^; but I hope to have the victory at last.* He would sometimes remove the lectures in the country from one place to another, for the benefit of those that could not travel.

 

 Lastly. As he was an excellent Preacher himself, so he was an exemplary hearer of the word, when others preach-eii, though everyway his inferiors; so reverent, serious, and attentive was he in hearing, and MI observant of what was spoken. I have heard him tell, that he knew one (and I suppose it was as PAUL knew a man in CHRIST) who could truly say, to the glory of GOD, that for forty years he had never slept at a sermon. He was diligent also to improve what he had heard afterwards by meditation, repetition, prayer and discourse; and he was a very great encourager of young Ministers that were humble and serious, though their abilities and performances were but mean. He has noted in his diary (as that which affected him) this, saying of a good man, a hearer of his,’ f find k easier to go six miles to hear a sermon, than to spend one quarter of an hour in meditating and-praying over it in secret, when I come home.

 

 As to the circumstances of his family in these last nine years of his life, they were somewhat different from what they had been; but the same candle of GOD which had shined upon his tabernacle, continued still to do so. In the years 1687, and 1688, he married all his five children, the three eldest in four months' time, in the year 1687, and the other two in a year and a half after; so many swarms (as he used to call them) out of his hive; and all not only with his full consent, but to his abundant comfort and satisfaction. He would say, he thought it the duty of parents to study to oblige their children in that affair. And though never could children be more easy and at rest in a father's house than his were, yet he would sometimes say concerning them, as NAOMI to RUTH,” Shall I not seek rest for thee” (Ruth 3: 1.) He would commonly say to his children, with reference to that choice,’ Please GOD and please yourselves, and you shall never displease me;' and greatly blamed those parents, who conclude matches for their children, and do not ask counsel at their mouth, He never aimed at great things in the world for his children; but sought for them in the first place the kingdom of GOD, and the righteousness thereof. He used to mention sometimes the saying of a pious gentlewoman, that had many daughters:’ The care of most people is, how to get good husbands for their daughters; but my care is, to fit my daughters to be good wives, and then let GOD provide for them.' In this, as in other things, MR. HENRY steered by that principle; that” a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth.” And it pleased GOD so to order it, that all his children were disposed of, into circumstances very agreeable and comfortable, both for life and godliness.

 

 While he lived, he had much comfort in all his children and their yoke-fellows; and somewhat the more, that by the Divine Providence, four of the five families which branched out of his, were settled in Chester.

 

 His youngest daughter was married April 26, 1688, the same day of the year (as he observes in his diary) and the same day of the week, and in the same place that he was married to his dear wife, twenty-eight years before; upon which this is his remark:’ I cannot desire for them, that they should receive more from GOD than we have received,

 

in that relation; but I would desire, and do desire, that they may do more for GOD in it than we have done.' His usual compliment to his new-married friends, was,’ Others wish you all happiness, I wish you all holiness, and then there is no doubt but ) ou will have all happiness.'

 

 When the marriage of the last of his daughters was about to be concluded on, he thus writes;’” But is JOSEPH gone, and SIMEON gone, and must BENJAMIN go also” We will not say that all these things are against us, but for us: If we must be thus bereaved of our children, let us be bereaved; and GOD turn it for good to them, as we know He will if they love and fear his name.' And when, some time after he parted with her to the house of her husband, he thus writes;’ We have sent her away, not as LABAN said he would have sent his daughters away, with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp; but with prayers and tears, and hearty good wishes: And now (hath he in his diary) we are alone again, as we were in our Beginning; GOD be better to us than twenty children.”

 

 Upon the same occasion he writes to a dear relation:’ we re now left as we were, one and one, and yet but one; the LORD, I trust, that has brought us thus far, will enable us to finish 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 so, and his desire that it might continue so, was, the love and unity that were among his children; and that (as he writes) the transplanting of them into new relations, had not lessened that love, but rather increased it; for this he often gave thanks to the GOD of love; noting, that the children's love to one another is the parents' comfort and joy. In his last Will and Testament, this is the prayer which he puts up for his children,’ That the LORD would build them up in holiness, and continue them still in brotherly love, as a bundle of arrows which cannot be broken.'

 

 When his children were removed from him, he was a daily intercessor at the throne of grace for them and their families. Still the burnt-offerings were offered according to the number of them all. He used to say,’ Surely the children of so many prayers will not miscarry.' Their particular circumstances of affliction and danger, were sure to be mentioned by him with suitable petitions. The greatest affliction he saw in his family, was the death of his dear daughter-in-law, CATHARINE, the only daughter of SAMUEL HARDWARE, Esq.; who, about a year and a half after she was transplanted into his family (to which she was the greatest comfort and ornament) died in child-bed, upon the thanksgiving day for King WILLIAM'S coming in. She died but a few weeks after MR. HENRY had married the last of his daughters, upon which marriage she had said,’ Now we have a full lease, GOD only knows which life will drop first.' She comforted herself in the extremity of her illness with this word,’ Well, when I come to heaven, I shall see that 1 could not have been without this affliction.' She had been for some time before under some fears as to her spiritual state, but the clouds were dispelled, and he finished her course with joy.

 

 When two of his children lay ill, and in perilous circumstances, after he had been wrestling with GOD in prayer for them, he wrote thus in his diary:’ If the LORD will be pleased to grant me my request this time concerning my children, I will not say, as the beggars at our door use to do, [ will never ask any thing of him again; but on the contrary, He shall hear oftener from me than ever; and I will love GOD the better, and love prayer the better, as long as I live.' He used to say,’ Tradesmen take it ill, if those that are in their books, go to another shop; while we are so much indebted to GOD for past mercies, we are bound to attend him for further mercies.'

 

 As he was an intercessor for his children at the throne of grace, so he was upon all occasions 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 may be together there, for ever, and with the LORD.' When the families of his children were in health and peace, the candle of God shining upon their tabernacles, he wrote thus to them, • It was one of JOB'S comforts in his prosperity, that his children loved one another, and feasted together: The same is ours in you, which GOD continue. But will you not be offended, if we pray that you may none of you curse GOD in your hearts Remember the wheel is always in motion, and the spoke that is uppermost will be under, and therefore mix tremblings always with your joy.1

 

 He much rejoiced in the visits of his children, and made that as other things, which were the matter of his rejoicing, the matter of thanksgiving. His usual saying at parting, was,’ This is not the world we are to be together in, and it is well it is not, but there is such a world before us:' And his usual prayer was,’ That our next meeting might be either in heaven, or further on in our way towards it.'

 

 He had in eight years’ time twenty four grand-children, born, sonic by each of his children, concerning ^hom lie would often blebs GOD, that they were all the sealed ones of the GOD of heaven, and enrolled among his lambs. On the birth of his second grand-child, at a troublesome time as to public affairs, he thus writes,’ I have now seen my children's children, let me also see peace upon Israel; and then will I say,” LORD, now lettest thou thy servant depart.”‘ Some were much affected with it, when he baptized two of his grand-children together at Chester publicly, and preached on Gen. xxxiii. 5.” They are the children which GOD has graciously given thy servant.” He observed in what a pious, gracious manner JACOB speaks. He had spoken good sense if he had only said, They are my children, but then he had not spoken like JACOB, like one that had so lately seen the face of GOD. Though our speech be not always of grace, yet it must be always with grace, grace poured into the lips. There is a kind of language, the air of which speaks it the language of Canaan; Christian^ should speak like Christians.

 

 It was not long after his children were married from him, but his house was filled again with the children of several of his friends, whom he was, by much importunity, persuaded to table with him. All that knew him, thought it a thousand pities, that such a master of a family, should have but a small family, and should not have many to sit down under his shadow. He was almost necessitated to it, by the death of his dear friend and kinsman, MR. BENYON, of Ash, who left his children to his care. Some he took gratis, or for small consideration; and when, by reason of the advances of age, he could not go about so much as he had done, doing good, he laid himself out to do the more at home. He kept a teacher to attend their school-learning; and they had the benefit not only of his inspection into that, but (what was much more) his family-worship, Sabbath-instructions, catechizing, and daily converse, in which his tongue was as choice as silver, and his lips fed many. Nothing but the hopes of doing some good to the rising generation, could have prevailed with him. He would often say,’ We have a busy house, but there ib a rest remaining. We must be doing something in the world while we are in it; but this fashion will not last long; methinks I see it passing away.'

 

 Sometimes he had such with him as had gone through their course of University learning at private academies, and desired to spend some time in his family before their entrance upon the Ministry, that they might have the benefit, not only of his public and family instructions, but of his learned and pious converse, in which, as he was thoroughly furnished for every good word and work, so he was very free and communicative. The great thing which he used to press upon those who intended the Ministry, was to study the Scriptures, and make them familiar. *, was a maxim he often minded them of. For this purpose he recommended to them the study of the Hebrew, that they might be able to search the Scriptures in the original. He also advised them to the use of an inter-leaved Bible, wherein to insert such expositions and observations as occur occasionally in sermons or other books, which he would say are more happy and considerable sometimes, than those that are found in the professed Commentators. When some young men desired the happiness of coming into his family, he would tell them,’ You come to me as NAAMAN did to ELISHA, expecting that I should do this and the other for you; and alas! I can but say as he did, Go wash in Jordan; Go study the Scriptures. I profess to teach no other learning but Scripture learning. It was a little before he died, that in reading Isa. 1. he observed from verse 4.” The LORD GOD has given me the tongue of the learned,” &c.;’ That the true learning of a Gospel Minister consists not in being able to talk Latin fluently, and to dispute in Philosophy, but in being able to speak a word in season to weary souls. He that knows how to do that well, is a learned Minister.

 

CHAPTER 9:

 

His Sickness, Death, and Burial.

 

 IN the time of his health, he made death very familiar to himself, by frequent and pleasing thoughts and meditations of it; and endeavored to make it so to his friends, by speaking often of it. His Letters and Discourses had still something or other which spoke his constant expectations of death; and it is hard to say, whether it was more easy to him to speak, or uneasy to his friends to hear him speak of leaving the world.

 

 Mr. HENRY's constitution was but tender, and yet by the blessing of GOD upon his great temperance, and care of his diet, and moderate exercise, he did, for many years, enjoy a good measure of health, which he used to call,’ The sugar that sweetens all temporal mercies;' for which, therefore, we ought to be very thankful. He had sometimes violent fits of the cholic, which would be very afflictive for the time. Towards the latter end lie was distressed sometimes with a pain which his Doctor thought might arise from a stone in his kidneys. Being once upon the recovery from an ill fit of that pain, he said to one of his friends, that asked him how he did, he hoped, by the grace of GOD he should now be able to give one blow more to the Devil's. kingdom; and often professed, he did not desire to live a day longer than he might do GOD some service. He said to another, when he perceived himself recovering,’ Well, I thought I had been putting into the harbor, but find I must go to sea again.'

 

 He was sometimes suddenly taken with fainting fits, which, when recovered from, he would say,’ Dying is but a little more.' When he was in the sixty-third year of his age, which hath been to many the dying year, and was so to his father, he numbered the days of it, from August 24, 1693, to August -04, 1694, when he finished it; and when he concluded it, lie thus wrote in his Diary:’ This day finishes my commonly dying year, which I have numbered the days of; and -should now apply my heart more than ever to heavenly wisdom.' He was much pleased with that expression in the Office of Burial, and frequently used it’ In the midst of life we are in death.'

 

 The infirmities of age, when they grew upon him, did very little abate his vigor and liveliness in preaching, but he seemed even to renew his youth as the eagles'; as those that are “planted in the house of the LORD,” who “still bring forth fruit in old age;” not so much to show that they are upright, as to show that” the LORD is upright.” (Psalm xcii. 14, 15.) But in his latter years, traveling was very troublesome to him; and he would say, as MR. DODD used to do, that when he thought to shake himself as at other times, he found” his hair cut.” His sense of this led him to preach an occasional sermon, not long before he died, on John 21: 18, “When thou wast young thou girdedst thyself,” &c. Another occasional sermon he preached, when he was old, for his own.

 

 It was not a month before he died, that in a letter to his worthy friend, MR. TALLENTS, of Shrewsbury, he had this passage:’ Methinks it is strange, that it should be your lot and mine to abide so long on earth by the stuff, when so many of our friends are dividing the spoil above, but God will have it so; and to be willing to live in obedience to his holy will is as true an act of grace, as to be willing to die when he calls, especially when life is labor and sorrow: But when it is labor and joy, service to his name, and some measure of success and comfort in serving Him; when it is to stop a gap and stem a tide, it is to be rejoiced in, it is Heaven upon Earth.'

 

 A little before his sickness, being Summer time, he had several of his children, and his children's children about him at Broad Oak, with whom he was much refreshed, and very cheerful; but ever and anon spoke of the fashion he was in, as passing away; and often told them, lie should be there but a while to bid them welcome. And he was observed frequently in prayer to beg of GOD, that he would make us ready for that which would come certainly, and might come suddenly. One asking him how he did, he answered,’ I find the chips fly off apace, the tree will be down shortly.' The last time he administered the Lord’s Supper, a fortnight before he died, he closed the administration with that Scripture: " It doth not yet appear what we shall be;” (1 John 3: 9;) not yet, but it will shortly.

 

 The Sabbath but one before he died, being, in the course of his exposition, come to that difficult part of Scripture, the 40th of Ezekiel, and the following chapters; ’he said he would endeavor to explain those Prophecies to them.; and added,’ If I do not do it now, I never shall:' And he observed, that the only prophetical sermon which our LORD JESUS preached, was but a few days before he died. This many of his hearers not only reflected upon afterwards, but took notice of at that time with a concern, as having something in it more than ordinary.

 

 On the LORD's-day, June 21, 1696, he went through the - work of the day with his usual vigor and liveliness. He was then preaching over the first chapter of ST. PETER'S second epistle, and was that day on those words,” Add to your faith virtue.” (verse 5.) He took virtue for Christian courage and resolution in the exercise of faith; and the last thing he mentioned, in which Christians have need of courage, is in dying;’ For (as he was often used to say) it is a serious thing to die, and to die is a work by itself.' That day he gave notice, both morning and afternoon, with much affection and enlargement, of the public Fast, which was appointed by authority the Friday following, June 26, pressing his hearers, as he used to do upon such occasions, to come in a prepared frame to the solemn service of that day.

 

 The Tuesday following, June 23, he rose at six o'clock, after a better night's sleep than ordinary, and in wonted health. Between seven and eight o'clock lie performed family worship, according to the usual manner; he expounded very largely the former half of the 104th Psalm, and sung it; but he was somewhat shorter in prayer than he used to be, being then (as it was thought) taken ill. “Blessed is that servant, whom his LORD, when he comes, shall find so doing.” Immediately after prayer he retired to his chamber, not saying any thing of his illness, but was soon after found upon his bed in great extremity of pain in his back, breast and bowels; it seemed to be a complicated fit of the stone and cholic together. The means that had been used to give him relief in his illness, were altogether ineffectual: He had not the least intermission or remission of pain, neither up nor in bed, but in a continual toss. He had said sometimes, that GOD's Israel may find Jordan rough; but there is no remedy, they must go through it to Canaan.

 

 In this extremity he was still looking up to God, and calling upon him who is a present help in the needful hour. When the exquisiteness of his pain forced groans from hint, he would presently correct himself with a patient and quiet submission to the hand of his heavenly Father, and a cheerful acquiescence in his heavenly will.’ I am ashamed (says he) of these groans, I want virtue. 0 for virtue now when I have need of it; (referring to his subject the Lord’s-day before;) forgive me that I groan thus, and I will endeavor to silence them; but indeed my stroke is heavier than my groaning.' He said to those about him, they must remember what instructions he had given them when he was in health, for now he could say but little to them, only to refer them to what he had said, as that which lie would live and die by.

 

 It was two or three hours after he was taken ill,- before he would suffer a messenger to be sent to Chester for his son, and for the Doctor, saying,’ He should either be better or dead before they could come;' but at last lie said, as the Prophet did to his importunate friends,” Send.” About eight o'clock that evening they came, mid found him in the same extremity of pain, which lie had been in all day. And nature being before spent with his constant labors in the work of the LORD, now sunk under its burden, and was quite disabled to grapple with so many hours' incessant pain. What further means were then used proved fruitless, - and did not answer the intention. He apprehended himself going apace, and said to his son when he came in;’ O son, you are welcome to a dying father;” I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at band.”' His pain continued very acute, but he had peace within.’ I am tormented, (said he once,) but blessed be God not in this flame; ‘and soon after,’ I am all on fire;' (when at the same time his extreme parts were cold;) but lie presently added,’ Blessed be GOD, it is not the fire of hell.' To some of his next neighbors who came in to see him (for those at a distance had not notice of his illness) he said,’ O make sure work for your souls, by getting an interest in CHRIST while you are in health, for if I had that work to do now, what would become of me But I bless -God I am satisfied.'

 

 It was a caution he was often wont to give:’ See to it, that your work be not undone when your time is done, lest you be undone for ever.' Towards ten or eleven o'clock that night, his pulse and sight began to fail; of the latter he himself took notice, and inferred from it the near approach of his dissolution: He took an affectionate farewell of his dear yoke-fellow, with a thousand thanks for all her love, and care, and tenderness; left a blessing for all his dear children, and their dear yokefellows and little ones that were absent. He said to his son, who sat under his head,’ Son, the LORD bless you; and grant that you may do worthily in your generation, and be more serviceable to the church of God than I have been.' And when his son replied,’ O sir, pray for me, that I may but tread in your steps;' he answered,’ Yea, follow peace and holiness, and let them say what they will= More he would have said, but nature was spent, and he had not strength to express it.

 

 Is understanding and speech continues almost to the last breath; and he was still in his dying agonies calling upon God, and committing himself to him. One of the last words he said, when he found himself just ready to depart, was,” 0 Death! where is thy” with that his speech faltered, and within a few minutes (after about sixteen hours' illness) he quietly breathed out his soul into the - embraces of his dear Redeemer, whom he had trusted, and faithfully served in the work of the Ministry about forty-three years. He departed betwixt twelve and one o'clock in the morning of June 24, Midsummer-day, in the 65th year of his age. Happy, thrice happy he, to whom such a sudden change was no surprise, and who could triumph over death, as a disarmed enemy, even when he made so fierce an onset! He had often spoken of it as his desire, that if it were the will of GOD, he might not outlive his usefulness; and it pleased God to grant him his-desire, and give him a short passage from the pulpit to the kingdom, from the height of his usefulness to” the recompense of reward.”

 

 Saturday, June 27, the earthen vessel, in which this treasure had been lodged, was laid up in the grave in Whitechurch Church, attended thither with a very great company of true mourners, all the country round; many from Chester and Shrewsbury, and the towns about, came to do him honor at his death: And besides the floods of tears that were shed, there were abundance of testimonies given to him, by persons of all sorts, like that to JEHOBADIAH, that he was one” that had done good in Israel.” (2 Chron. 24: 16.) And there were those who said, He was a man that no person did or could speak evil of, except for his Non-conformity. He was used to say to his relations,’ When I am dead, make little ado about me; a few will serve to bring me to my grave:' But his mind could not be observed in that; it was impossible such a burning and shining light could be extinguished, but there must be an universal notice taken of it. Multitudes came unsought unto, not to fill their eyes, (as MR.VINES expresseth it,) but to empty them; nor was there any other noise there, but that of general lamentation.

 

CHAPTER 10:

 

A Collection of some of his Sayings, Observations and Counsels.

 

 MR. HENRY, through the excess of his modesty and self-diffidence, never published any of his labors to the world, nor ever fitted or' prepared any of them for the press; and yet none more valued the labors of others, or rejoiced more in them. 

 

 It will be but a small repair of this want of the publishing some of his works, (but I doubt it will prove the best we can make) to glean up some few of many of his sayings, observations, and good instructions, (as his Remains,) which we shall not marshal in any order, but give them as they occur sent time.'

 

 In his thanksgivings for temporal mercies, he often said,’ If the end of one mercy were not the beginning of another, we were undone:' And to encourage to the work of thanksgiving, he would say;’ That new mercies call for new returns of praise, and then those new returns will fetch in new mercies.'

 

 When he spoke of contentment, he used to say,’ When the mind and the condition meet, there is contentment. Now in order to that, either the condition must be brought up to the mind, and that is not only unreasonable but impossible, for as the condition riseth, the mind riseth with it; or else the mind must be brought down to the condition, and that is both possible and reasonable.' And he observed, that no condition of life will of itself make a man content, without the grace of GOD; for we find HAMAN discontented in the court, AHAB discontented on the throne, ADAM discontented in Paradise, nay (and higher we cannot go) the angels discontented in Heaven itself.'

 

 He said, there were four things which he would not for all the world have against him, The word of God, his own conscience, the prayers of the poor, and the account of godly Ministers. ' He that has a blind conscience which sees nothing, a dead conscience which feels nothing, and a dumb conscience which says nothing, is in as miserable a condition as a man can be in on this side hell.

 

 The great thing that he condemned and witnessed against in the church of Rome, was their monopolizing of the Church, and condemning all that are not in with their interests, which is so directly contrary to the spirit of the ’Gospel. He sometimes said,’ I am too much a Catholic to be a Roman Catholic.'

 

 He often expressed himself well pleased with that healing rule, which if duly observed; would put an end to all our divisions: Sit in neeessariis Unitas, in non necessariis Libertas, in omnibus Charitas: Let there be in necessary things unity, in every thing charity, and then there need not be in every punctilio uniformity.

 

 By the institution of the Gospel (he said) he knew of two holy sacraments, and four holy canons. Let all things be done” in charity: " Let all things be done” to edifying: “ Let all things be done” decently and in order: “ And let all things be done” to the glory of God.”

 

 He observed from Scripture instances, as well as from some Providences, which he had taken notice of in his own day, That if any began well in the ways of religion and godliness, and afterwards cast off their profession, and returned to their profaneness again, usually God sets a mark of his displeasure upon them, by some visible judgment in this world; their estates ruined, their reputation blasted, their families sunk, or themselves brought to misery; so that all who passed by might say,’ This was an apostate.” If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”'

 

 He observed from Numbers 10: 12, That all our removes in this world, are but from one wilderness to another. Upon any change that is before us, we are apt to promise ourselves a Canaan; but we shall be deceived, it will prove a wilderness. He often said,’ All grace grows, as love to the word of God grows.'

 

 He could not bear that any should be evil spoken of in his hearing; it was as vinegar to the teeth. He would mind those who reflected upon people behind their backs, of that law,” Thou shalt not curse the deaf.” (Lev. xix. 14.) Those that are absent are deaf; they cannot right themselves, and therefore say no ill of them. A friend of his inquiring of him concerning a matter which tended to reflect upon some people, he began to give him an account of the story, but immediately broke off, and checked him

 

self with these words,’ But our rule is, to speak evil of no man,' and would proceed no further in the story. It was but the week before he died. that one desired him to lend him such a book:’ Truly,, (says he,) I would lend it you, but that it rakes in the faults of some, which should rather be covered with a mantle of love.'

 

 To quicken people to diligence and liveliness in the worship of God, he would sometimes observe, that the Temple was built upon a threshing-floor, a place of labor. He would also urge, that in answer to those who turned it to his reproach that his Meeting-place had been a barn,’ No new thing (would he say) to turn a threshing-floor into a Temple.'

 

 Speaking of the cause of Atheism, he had this observation,’ That a head full of vain and unprofitable notions, meeting with a heart full of pride and self conceit, dispose a man directly to be an Atheist.'

 

He said he had observed concerning himself, that he was sometimes the worse for eating, but never for abstinence; sometimes the worse for speaking, but never for keeping silence,

 

 As to his letters, he was very free in writing to his friends. A good letter, he would say, may perhaps do more' good than a good sermon, because the address is more particular, and that which is written remains. His language and expressions in his letters were always pious and heavenly, and seasoned with the salt of grace; and, when there was occasion, he would excellently administer counsels, reproofs, or comforts. We shall glean up some passages out of such of his letters as are in our hands. To his son, when he was at London in the years 1685 and 1686, he would intermix such lines as these

 

 ' We are well, but in daily expectation 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 pressing towards, as we trust you are also. Where you are, you see more of the vanities of the world in a day, than we do in an age.. Are you more in love with them, or dead and dying to them I hope dead and dying to them, for they are poor things, and perish in the using; make many worse that enjoy them, but none better. What is translated” Vexation of spirit,” (Eccl. 1:’p2,) may be read “Feeding upon wind;” (comp. Hos. 12: i;) and can wind satisfy The LORD preserve and keep you from all evil; the LORD preserve and keep your soul. We both send you our love, and bless you together and apart, every day in the name of the LORD. Amen and Amen.

 

 ' Be sincere, and humble, and choice in your company, always either getting good or doing good, gathering in or laying out. Remember to ”keep the heart with all diligence,'.' and above all keepings, for there the fountain is, and if that be kept clean, the streams will be accordingly.

 

 ' It is some short refreshment to friends and relations to see, and hear from one another, but it passeth away, and we have no -continuing city,” no abiding delights in this world; our rest remains elsewhere; those we have, lose much of their sweetness from the thoughts of parting with them while we enjoy them, but the time to come is eternal. After millions of millions of ages, (if we may so speak of eternity,) as far from an end as the first moment; and the “last of glory will be glory.” (So some read Prov. 25: l7.) 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, forasmuch as you know your labor shall not be in vain in the LORD.”

 

 While the world we live in is under the moon, constant in nothing but inconstancy, and such changes are made in other families, why should we alone promise ourselves immunity from the common lot There would be no need of Faith- and Patience, which are Winter Graces, if it should be always. Summer-time with us. We have three unchangeables to oppose to all other mutabilities; an unchangeable Covenant, an unchangeable God, and an unchangeable Heaven. And while these three remain the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, welcome the will of our Heavenly Father in all events that may happen to us. Come what will, nothing can come amiss.

 

 ' The return of Spring invites our thanksgiving for the mercy of it. The birds are singing early and late, according to their capacity, the praises of their Creator; but man only, that has most cause, finds something else to do. It is redeeming love that is the most admirable love; less than an eternity will not suffice to adore it. LORD, how is it! LORD,” what is man” As the streams lead to the fountain, so should all our mercies lead us to that. The LORD in mercy fit us for his will in the next Providence, public and personal, for time is always coming.

 

 'Your improvement is our joy. Be sincere and serious, clothed with humility, abounding always in-the work of the LORD; and when you have, done all, saying,” I am an unprofitable servant.” It was the good advice of the moral Philosopher, in your converse with men, *, (distrust,) but I must add, in every thing towards God, *( believe,) expect temptation and a snare at every turn, and walk accordingly. We have a good cause, a vanquished enemy, a good second, an extraordinary pay; for he that overcomes needs not desire to be more happy-than the second and third of the Revelation speaks him to be. The God of all Mercy and Grace compass you about always with his favor as with a shield.

 

 ' See your need of CHRIST more and more, and live upon him. No life is like it,. so sweet, so safe. CHRISTUS ,*. We cannot be discharged from the guilt of any evil we do, without his merit to satisfy; we cannot move in the performance of any good required, without his SPIRIT and Grace to enable; and when we have done all, that all is nothing, without his mediation and intercession to make it acceptable; so that every day, in every thing,” He is All in All.” Though you are at a distance from us now; we rejoice in the good hope we have through grace,, of meeting again in the land of the living, that is, on earth, if God see good, however in heaven, which is the true land of the truly living, and is best of all. The LORD GOD everlasting be your Sun and Shield in all your ways: See time basting away apace towards eternity, and the Judge even at the door, and work accordingly; wherever you are, alone or in company, be always either doing or getting good, sowing or reaping. As for me, I make no other reckoning, but that the “time of my departure is at hand;” and what trouble I may meet with before I know not; the will of the LORD be done: One of my chief cares is, that no “iniquity of mine may be laid up for you,” which God grant for his mercy sake in CHRIST JESUS. Amen.

 

 ' Be careful of your health. Remember the rule, Venienti occurrere but especially neglect not the main matter. The soul is the man; if that do well, all is well. “Worship God in the spirit; rejoice in CHRIST JESUS, and have no confidence in the flesh.” GOD be gracious unto thee, my son: Redeem time, especially for your soul: Expect trouble in this world, and prepare for it; expect happiness in the other world, and walk worthy of it, unto all pleasing.

 

 ' A good book is a -good companion at any time, but especially a good God, who is always ready to hold communion with those that desire and seek communion with him. Keep low in your thoughts and opinion of yourself; but aim high in your -desires and expectations, even as high as the kingdom of heaven itself, and resolve to take up with nothing short of it. The LORD guide you in all your ways, and go in and out before you, and preserve you blameless to his heavenly kingdom.'

 

 Immediately after his son was ordained to the -work of the Ministry at London, in the year 1687, he thus wrote to him:’ Are you now a Minister-of JESUS CHRIST Has He counted you faithful, putting you into the Ministry Then be faithful; out of love to him, feed his lambs: Make it your * as a workman that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the” word of truth.” I hope what you experienced of the presence of God with you in the solemnity, has left upon you a truly indelible character, and such impressions as neither time nor any thing else shall be able to wear out. It is in the eye of sense a bad time to set out in; but in sowing and reaping, clouds and wind must not be heeded. The work is both comfortable and honorable, and the reward rich and sure; and if God be pleased to give opportunity and a heart, though there may be trouble attending it, it will be easily borne.” If we suffer with him, we shall Also reign with, him.” I am, and shall be, according to, my duty and promise, earnest at the throne of grace on your behalf, that the LORD will pour out upon you of his HOLY SPIRIT, that what he calls you to, he would fit you for; especially that he would take you off your own bottom, and lay you low in the sense of your own unworthiness, inability, and insufficiency, that you may say with the Evangelical Prophet,” Woe is me, I am undone!” And with JEREMIAH, “I am a child;” and with PAUL,” I am nothing;” where this is not, the main thing is wanting; for” GOD resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.” Now the LORD give you that grace to be humble; and then, according to his promise, he will make you rich in every other grace.'

 

 To one who desired his direction for the attaining the gift of prayer, he wrote the following letter

 

 ' If you would be able in words and expressions. of your own, without the help of a form, to offer up prayers to God, observe these following rules, in the use whereof, by GOD's blessing, you may attain thereto.

 

 1. You must be thoroughly convinced, that where such a gift is, it is of great use to a Christian, both very comfortable and very profitable, and therefore very desirable, and worth your serious endeavors: For it is as the wise man says, “Through desire a man having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom;” (Prov. 18: I;) that is, till we are brought in some good measure to desire the end, we shall never in good earnest use the means for obtaining it. It is a gift that fits a person to be of use to others, according as there is occasion, either in a family, or in Christian communion. It is also of great advantage to ourselves; for how can any form (though never so exact) -be possibly contrived4 so as to reach-all the circumstances of my particular case and yet it is my duty,” in every thing to make my requests known to GOD.”

 

 2. As you should be persuaded of the excellent use of it, where it is attained, so also you should believe, that where it is not, it may be attained, and that without great difficulty. Many are discouraged from endeavoring. after it, by an opinion they have that it is to no purpose.; they think it a thing so far above their abilities, that they were as good never attempt it. Watch against this suggestion, and conclude, that though it may be harder to some than others, yet it is impossible to none: Nay, this “wisdom is easy to him that understandeth, " where means are used in the fear of GOD.

 

 3. You must rightly consider with whom you have to do in prayer, for your encouragement to come to Him, though in the midst of many infirmities and imperfections. He is your FATHER, your loving tender-hearted FATHER, who” knows your frame, and remembers you are but dust;” who is not extreme to mark what we do amiss, in manner and expression, where the heart is upright with him. You may judge a little concerning his love by the disposition that is in you towards your children, when they come to ask things needful of you: And believe Him to be more merciful and compassionate than the most merciful and compassionate of fathers and mothers can be; especially remembering that” we have an Advocate with the FATHER, JESUS CHRIST the Righteous, who is the great High Priest of our profession, and whom he heareth always.”

 

 4. -You must pray that you may pray; beg of GOD the Father of Lights, from whom every good and perfect gift comes, to bestow this gift upon you. We read, (Luke 12: 1,) that one of the Disciples came to JESUS CHRIST upon this errand,” LORD, teach us to pray;” and he had his request granted presently. Go you to Him on the same errand. You may plead the promise, I will pour out upon the house of DAVID, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the SPIRIT of grace and of supplication.” (Zech. 12: 10.)

 

 5. It is good before you address yourself to the duty, to read a portion of Holy Scripture, which will be of great use to furnish you both with the matter and words for prayer, especially DAVID'S Psalms, and PAUL'S Epistles. The HOLY SPIRIT has provided for us a storehouse, of what is suitable for all occasions, and where both the word and matter are his own.

 

 6. There must be some acquaintance with our own hearts, with our -spiritual state, our wants and ways, or else no goodwill be done in this matter. It, is sense of need, hunger, thirst, cold, nakedness, - that supplies the poor beggar at your door with pertinent expressions and arguments; so if we know -ourselves,- and feel our condition, and set GOD before us as our GOD, able and ready to help us, words will easily follow wherewith to offer up our desires to him.

 

 7. It is of use in stated prayer, ordinarily to observe a method, according to the several parts of prayer, which are these four:

 

 (1.) ADORATION, which is the giving of due titles to GOD in our addresses to him, and therein ascribing to him the “Glory due unto his name.” With this we are to begin our prayers, both for the working of a holy awe upon our hearts towards him on the account of his greatness and majesty; as also for the strengthening our faith in Him, upon the account of his goodness and mercy.

 

 (2.) CONFESSION; Sin is to be confessed in every prayer Original sin as the root and fountain, and actual sin as the fruit and stream.- Herein you must not rest in generals, but, especially when you are in secret before the LORD, descend to particulars, opening the whole wound, hiding nothing from him, also aggravating the fault from the circumstances of it, judging and condemning yourself for it in the sight of GOD; and for your help herein, you must acquaint yourself with the Divine Law, the precepts and prohibitions of it, especially their extent and spiritual nature.