as had been vain and wordly and careless and mindless of God and another World became sober and serious and concern'd about their Souls and a Future State This was the Conversion of Souls aimed at and laboured after and through Grace not altogether in vain Whatever Lectures were set up in the Country round 't was still desired that Mr Henry would begin them which was thought no small Encouragement to those who were to carry them on and very happy he was both in the choice and management of his Subjects at such opportunities seeking to find out acceptable Words Take one Specimen of his Address when he began a Lecture with a Sermon on Heb. 12. 15. I assure you saith he and God is my Witness I am not come to Preach either Sedition against the Peace of the State or Schism against the Peace of the Church by perswading you to this or that Opinion or Party but as a Minister of Christ that hath received Mercy from the Lord to desire to be faithful My errand is to exhort you to all possible Seriousness in the great Business of your Eternal Salvation according to my Text which if the Lord will make as profitable to you as it is material and of weight in it self neither you nor I shall have cause to repent cur coming hither and our being here to day looking diligently lest any of you fail of the Grace of God If it were the last Sermon I were to Preach I did not know how to take my aim better to do you good In doing of this Work he often said that he looked upon himself but as an Assistant to the Parish Ministers in promoting the common Interests of Christs Kingdom and the common Salvation of precious Souls by the Explication and Application of those great Truths wherein we are all agreed And he would compare the Case to that in Hezekiah's time when the Levites helped the Priests to kill the Sacrifice which was something of an irregularity but the exigence of affairs called for it the Priests being too few and some of them not so careful as they should have been to sanctifie themselves see 2 Chr. 29. 34. and wherever he Preached he usually pray'd for the Parish Minister and for a Blessing upon his Ministry He hath often said how well pleas'd he was when after he had preached a Lecture at Oswestry he went to visit the Minister of the Place Mr. Edwards a worthy good Man and told him he had been Sowing a handful of Seed among his People and had this Answer That 's well the Lord prosper your Seed and mine too there 's need enough of us both And another worthy Conformist that came privately to hear him but was reprimanded for it by his Superiours 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 Harvest and he was busie and God did remarkably own him setting many Seals to his Ministry which much confirm'd him in what he did He hath this observable passage in his Diary about this time which he recorded for his after Benefit and the Example of it may be instructive Remember that if trouble should come hereafter for what we do now in the use of present Liberty I neither shrink from it nor sink under it for I do therein approve my self to God and to my own Conscience in truth and uprightness and the Lord whom I serve can and will certainly both bear me out and bring me off with comfort in the end I say Remember and forget it not this 24th day of March 1672 3. 'T was at the beginning of this Liberty that the Society at Broad-Oak did Commence made up besides the Neighbourhood of some out of Whitchurch and Whitchurch Parish that had been Mr. Porter's People some out of Hanmer Parish that had been Mr. Steel's and some out of the Parishes of Wem Prees and Ellismere Persons generally of very moderate and sober Principles quiet and peaceable Lives and hearty well-wishers to the King and Government and not Rigid or Schismatical in their Separation but willing to attend though sometimes with difficulty and hazard upon those Administrations which they found most lively and edifying and most helpful to them in the great business of working out their Salvation To this Society he would never call himself a Pastor nor was he willing that they should call him so but a Helper and a Minister of Christ for their good He would say 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 away than he could a poor hungry Man that should come to his door for an Alms. And being a Minister of Iesus Christ he thought himself bound to Preach the Gospel as he had opportunity Usually once a Month he administred the Ordinance of the Lord's Supper Some of his Opportunities of that kind he sets a particular Remark upon as sweet Sealing Days on which he found it good to draw near to God When about the Years end there was a general Expectation of the Cancelling of the Indulgence He hath this Note upon a precious Sabbath and Sacrament day as he calls it perhaps this may be the last Father thy will be done it is good for us to be at such uncertainties for now we receive our Liberty from our Father fresh every day which is best and sweetest of all On the 3d of March 1676 7. being Saturday night the Town of Wem in Shropshire about six Miles from him was burnt down the Church Market House and about One hundred twenty six dwelling Houses and one Man in little more than an Hours time the Wind being exceeding violent at which time Mr. Henry was very helpful to his Friends there both for their support under and their improvement of this sad Providence It was but about half a Year before that a threatning Fire had broke out in that Town but did little hurt some serious People there presently after Celebrated a Thanksgiving for their Deliverance in which Mr. Henry imparted to them a Spiritual Gift Oct. 3. 1676 from Zech. 3. 2. Is not this a brand pluck'd out of the Fire In the close of that Sermon pressing them from the consideration of that remarkable Deliverance to personal Reformation and Amendment of Life That those who had been Proud Covetous Passionate Lyars Swearers Drunkards Sabbath-breakers would be so no more and urging Ezr. 9. 13 14. he added If this Providence have not this effect upon you you may in reason expect another Fire for when God judgeth he will overcome and minded them of Lev. 26. where 't is so often threatned against those who walk contrary to God that he would punish them yet seven times more The remembrance of this could not but be affecting when in so short a time after the whole Town was laid in Ruins The
him he hath made us accepted in the Beloved After the Exposition of the Chapter he sung a Psalm and commonly chose a Psalm suitable to the Chapter he had Expounded and would briefly tell his Hearers how they might sing that Psalm with Understanding and what affections of Soul should â—…e 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 Congregations on Sabbath-days the more like they are to Heaven and the more there is in them of the Everlasting Sabbath He would say sometimes he loved to sing whole Psalms rather than pieces After the Sermon in the Morning he sung the 117th Psalm without reading the Line 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 things as those did that follow'd Christ of whom he was careful they should not faint by the way The Morning Sermon was repeated by a ready Writer to those that staid in the Meeting place as many did and when that was done he begun the Afternoons 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 publick Services made them exceeding pleasant to all that joined with him who never had cause to complain of his being tedious He us'd 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 't is like 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 all be accounted for in the day of Reckoning As to his constant Preaching it was very Substantial and Elaborate and greatly to Edification He us'd to say he could not Starch in his Preaching that is he would not as knowing that where the Language and Expression is stiff and forced and fine as 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 call'd it in the Pulpit that is to speak familiarly to People yet to the last he abated not in 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 and 〈◊〉 yet his management of them was usually peculiar and surprizing In those Years as formerly he kept for the most part in a method for Subjects and was very seldom above one Sabbath upon a Text. And his constant Practise 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 had Preached upon it which he call'd 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 endeavours that his Hearers might be able after his Decease to have these things always in remembrance 2 Pet. 1. 15. and it is hoped that by the Blessing of God the effect did not altogether disappoint his Expectation In the later times of his Ministry he would often contrive the Heads of his Sermons to begin with the same Letter or rather two and two of a Letter but he did not at all seem to affect or force it only if it fell in naturally and easily he thought it a good help to Memory and of use especially to the younger sort And he would say the chief reason why he did it was because 't is frequently observed in the Scripture particularly the Book of Psalms And though it be not a fashionable Ornament of Discourse if it be a Scripture Ornament that is sufficient to recommend it at least to justifie it against the imputation of Childishness Mr. Porter of Whitchurch very much us'd it so did Mr. Malden But the Excellency of his Sermons lay chiefly in the Enlargements which were always very solid grave and judicious but in expressing and marshalling his Heads he often condescended below his own Judgment to help his Hearers Memories Some of his Subjects when he had finished them he made some short Memorandums of in Verse a Distich or two of each Sabbaths work and gave them out in Writing among the young ones of his Congregation many of whom wrote them and learned them and profited by them It might be of use especially to those who had the happiness of sitting under his Ministry to give some Account of the Method of his Sabbath Subjects during the last Eight or Nine Years of his Ministry and it was design'd till 't was found 't would swell this Narrative into too great a Bulk 2. As to the Administration of the Sacraments those Mysteries of God which Ministers are the Stewards of As to the Sacrament of Baptism he had never that I know of Baptized any Children except his own from the time he was turn'd out in 1662. till this last Liberty came though often desir'd to do it such was the tender regard he had to the Established Church but now he reviv'd the Administration of that Ordinance in his Congregation The occasion was this One of the Parish-Ministers Preaching at Whiteweâ—… Chappel Mr. Henry and his Family and many of his Friends being present was earnestly cautioning People not to go to Conventicles and us'd this as an Argument against it That they were Baptized into the Church of England Mr. Henry's Catholick Charity could not well digest this Monopolizing of the great Ordinance of Baptism and thought it time to bear his Testimony against such narrow Principles which he ever expressed his dislike of in all Parties and Perswasions Accordingly he took the next opportunity that offer'd it self publickly to
an unchangeable God and an unchangeable Heaven And while these three remain the same yesterday to day and for ever Welcome the Will of our Heavenly Father in all Events that may happen to us come what will nothing can come amiss to us Keep the Invisible things of the other World always in your Eye He that ventures the loss of an Eternal Crown and Kingdom for a Cup or two of puddle Water such as all terâ—…ene pleasures in Comparison are makes a bargain which no less a space than that which is Everlasting will be sufficient to bewail and repent of How much better is it to lay up in store now a good Foundation for time to come and to lay hold on Eternal Life doing those Works which we would be willing should hereafter follow us yet still making the blessed Jesus our All in all The further Progress you make in your Studies you will find them the easier 't is so with Religion the worst is at first It is like the Picture that frown'd at first entrance but afterwards smiles and looks pleasant They that walk in sinful ways meet with some Difficulties at first which Custom conquers and they become as nothing 'T is good accustoming our selves to that which is good The more we do the more we may do in Religion Your Acquaintance I doubt not increaseth abroad and accordingly your watch must be for by that oftentimes e're we are aware we are ensnar'd He that walketh with wise men shall be wise The return of the Spring invites our Thanksgiving for the mercy of it The Birds are singing early and late according to their Capacity the Praises of their Creator but Man only that hath most cause finds something else to do 'T is Redeeming Love that is the most admirable Love less than an Eternity will not suffice to adore it in Lord how is it Lord what is man As the Streams lead to the Fountain so should all our Mercies lead us to that We both of us send you our most affectionate Love and Blessing Blessing That is we pray and beseech the most Blessed God even our own God to give you his Blessing for he only can command the Blessing and those whom he Blesseth are Blessed indeed Let us still hear to our comfort that you walk in the Truth living above the things of the World as dead to them The Lord in Mercy fit us for his Will in the next Providence Publick and Personal for Time is always teeming Your Improvement is our Ioy. Be sincere and serious cloathed with Humility abounding always in the work of the Lord and when you have done all saying I am an unprofitable Servant 'T 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 and 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 Favour as with a shield I would have you redeem time for hearing the word in Season and out of Season your other studies will prosper never the worse especially if you could return immediately from it to the Closet again without cooling Divertisements by the way See your need of Christ more and more and live upon him no Life like it so sweet so safe Christus meus mihi in omnia We cannot be discharged from the Guilt of any Evil we do without his Merit to satisfie we cannot move in the performance of any good required without his Spirit and Grace to assist and enable for it and when we have done all that All is nothing without his Mediation and Intercession to make it acceptable so that every day in every thing he is All in All. Though you are at a distance from us now we rejoyce 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 hasting away a pace towards Eternity and the Judge even at the Door and work accordingly where-ever 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 's well Worship God in the Spirit rejoyce in Christ Iesus and have no Confidence in the Flesh. God be gracious unto thee my Son Redeem Time especially for your Soul Expect Trouble in this World and prepare for it expect Happiness in the other World and walk worthy of it unto all pleasing A good Book is a good Companion at any time but especially a good God who is always ready to hold Communion with those that desire and seek Communion with him Keep low and humble in your Thoughts and Opinion of your self but aim high in your Desires and Expectations even as high as the Kingdom of Heaven it self and resolve to take up with nothing short of it The Lord guide you in all your ways and go in and out before you and preserve you blameless to his Heavenly Kingdom Immediately after his Son was Ordained to the Work of the Ministry at London in the Year 1687. he thus wrote to him Are you now a Minister of Jesus Christ Hath he counted you Faithful putting you into the Ministry then be Faithful out of love to him feed his Lambs Make it your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a workman that needs not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of Truth I hope what you Experienced of the presence of God with you in the Solemnity hath left upon you a truly indelible Character and such Impressions as neither time nor any thing else shall be able to wear out Remember Psal. 71. 16. 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 Honourable and the Reward rich and sure and if God be pleased to give Opportunity and a Heart though there may be Trouble attending it 't will be easily born If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him I am and shall be