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
hitherto find though there be that within me that would seek great things for my self if indeed they were to be found in this Calling yet with my Mind I seek them not But the Improvement of the Talent which I have Received in the Service of the Gospel for the Glory of God and the Salvation of Souls I hope is in my Eye if there be any thing else I own it not I allow it not while so many seek their own it is my desire and shall be my endeavour to seek the things of Jesus Christ. Qu. 2. What are your purposes as to Diligence and Industry in this Calling Answ. I do purpose and resolve by the help of God to give my self wholly to these things to Prayer Reading Meditation instant Preaching in Season and out of Season wherein I shall very gladly spend and be spent if by any means I may both save my self and them that hear me And when at any time I fail herein I desire God by his Spirit and my Christian Friends Neighbours and Brethren by seasonable Reproof and Admonition to put me in mind of this Engagement now made in the presence of this great Congregation Qu. 3. Do you mean to be Zealous and Faithful in the Defence of Truth and Unity against Error and Schism Answ. I believe what the Spirit hath foretold that in the last days perilous times shall come wherein Men will not endure sound Doctrin but after their own lusts shall heap unto themselves Teachers 'T is my resolution by the Grace of Christ to watch in all things to contend earnestly for the Faith to hold fast the Form of sound and wholsom Words even the Words of our Lord Jesus and the Doctrine which is according to Godliness in Meekness as I am able instructing those that oppose themselves And for Peace and Unity if my heart deceive me not I shall rather chuse to hazzard the loss of any thing that is most dear to me than be any way knowingly accessary to the disturbance of these in the Churches of Christ. Qu. 4. What is your Perswasion of the Truth of the Reformed Religion Answ. My perswasion is that the Bishop of Rome is that Man of Sin and Son of Perdition whom the Lord Jesus will consume with the Spirit of his Mouth and whom he will destroy by the Brightness of his coming And the Separation which our first Reformers made I do heartily rejoyce in and bless God for for had we still continued to partake with him in his Sins we should in the end have partaked with him also in his Plagues Qu. 5. What do you intend to do when the Lord shall alter your condition and bring a Family under your charge Answ. When the Lord shall please in his Providence to bring me into new Relations I hope he will give me Grace to fill them up with Duty it is my purpose to wait upon him and to keep his way to endeavour in the use of means that all that are mine may be the Lords Qu. 6. Will you in Humility and Meekness submit to Admonition and Discipline Answ. I believe it to be a Duty incumbent upon all that profess the Name of Christ to watch over one another and that when any is overtaken in a fault those that are Spiritual are to set him in joynt again with the Spirit of Meekness It shall be my endeavour in the strength of Jesus Christ to walk without rebuke and when at any time I step aside for who is there that lives and sins not I shall account the smitings of my Brethren kindness and their wounds Faithful Qu. 7. What if Troubles Persecutions and Discouragements arise will you hold out to the end notwithstanding Answ. Concerning this I am very jealous over my own heart and there is cause I find a great want of that Zeal and courage for God which I know is requir'd in a Minister of the Gospel nevertheless I perswade my self that no Temptation shall befall me but such as is common to Man and that God who is faithful will not suffer me to be tempted above that which I am able but that with the Temptation he will also make a way to escape that I may be able to bear it I promise faithfulness to the Death but I rest not at all in my promise to God But in his to me when thou goest through the Fire and through the Water I will be with thee When this was done Mr. Parsons Pray'd and in Prayer he and the rest of the Presbyters Mr. Porter Mr. Houghton Mr. Malden and Mr. Steel laid their hands upon him with words to this purpose Whom we do thus in thy Name set apart to the Work and Office of the Ministry After him there were five more after the like previous Examinations and Trials Professions and Promises at the same time in like manner set apart to the Ministry Then Mr. Malden of Newport clos'd with an Exhortation directed to the newly Ordained Ministers in which saith Mr. Henry in his Dairy this word went near my heart As the Nurse puts the Meat first into her own mouth and chews it and then feeds the Child with it so should Ministers do by the Word Preach it over before-hand to their own hearts it loses none of the vertue hereby but rather probably gains As that Milk nourisheth most which comes warm from the warm Brest so that Sermon which comes warm from a warm heart Lord quicken me to do thy will in this thing The Classes gave him and the rest Instruments in Parchment certifying this which it may satisfy the curiosity of some to read the Form of Whereas Mr. Philip Henry of Worthenbury in the County of Flint Master of Arts hath addressed himself unto us Authorised by an Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament of the 29th of August 1648 for the Ordination of Ministers desiring to be Ordain'd a Presbyter for that he is chosen and appointed for the Work of the Ministry at Worthenbury in the County of Flint as by a Certificate now remaining with us touching that his Election and Appointment appeareth And he having likewise exhibited a sufficient Testimonial of his deligence and proficiency in his Studies and unblameableness of his Life and Conversation he hath been examin'd according to the Rules for Examination in the said Ordinance expressed and thereupon approved there being no just exception made nor put in against his Ordination and Admission These may therefore testifie to all whom it may concern that upon the Sixteenth day of September 1657. We have proceeded solemnly to set him apart for the Office of a Presbyter and work of the Ministry of the Gospel by laying on of our hands with Fasting and Prayer By virtue whereof we do declare him to be a lawful and sufficiently authoriz'd Minister of Iesus Christ And having good Evidence of his lawful and fair Calling not only to the Work of the Ministry but to the Exercise thereof at the Chappel of
that then were â—…ppermost under Sir George Booth afterwards Lord Delamere and that of North-Wales under Sir Thomas Middleton could not but affect Worthenbury and the Country thereabouts Mr. Henry's Prayeâ—… for them in â—…his Diâ—…y the Day of their first appearing is Lord own them if they truly own thee He noteâ—… that Lambert's Forces which came down to Suppress them did in that Neighbourhood espouse the Quakers Cause and offer Injury to some Ministers and therefore saith he unless God intend the Ruin of the Nation by them they cannot prosper Nor did they long though in that Expedition they had Success In their Return some of Lambert's Soldiers were at Worthenbury Church hearing Mr. Henry upon a Lord's Day and one of them sat with his Hat on while they were Singing Psalms for which he Publickly admonish'd him And there being many Anabaptists among them he hath Recorded it as a good Providence that those Questions in the Cateâ—…hism which are concerning Baptism came in Course to be Expounded that Day The first Rising of the Cheshire Forces was Aug. 1. 1659. and the 19th following they were worsted and scattered by Lambert's Forces near Northwich a strange Spirit of fear being upon them which quite took off their Chariot Wheels The Country call'd it not the Cheshire Rising but the Cheshire Race Some blamed him that he did not give God thanks publickly for the defeat of Sir George Booth to whom he answer'd with his usual mildness that his Apprehensions concerning that Affair were not the same with theirs We are now saith he much in the dark never more He preach'd the Lecture at Chester soon after just at the time when Mr. Cook aâ—… eminent Minister in Chester and several others were carried Prisoners to London for their Agency in the late Attempt and the City was threatned to have their Charter taken away c. The Text in Course that day for they Preached over the latter part of that Epistle if not the whole at that Lecture happen'd to be Heb. 13 14. We have here no continuing City which he thought a word upon the Wheels at that time He Notes in his Diary that when after that the Army Rul'd disturb'd the Parliament and carry'd all before them with a high Hand there were great Grounds to fear sad times approaching and his Prayer is Lord fit thy People for the Fiery Trial. He was a hearty well-wisher to the return of the King the Spring following April 1660. and was much affected with the Mercy of it While others rejoyce carnally saith he Lord help thy People to rejoyce spiritually in our publick National Mercies 'T was upon that occasion that Mr. Baxter preached his Sermon of Right Rejoycing on Luke 10. 20. But he and others soon saw cause to Rejoyce with Trembling and to sing both of Mercy and Judgment for about that time he hath this Melancholy Remark Religion loses Ground exceedingly and Profanâ—…ss gets it Help Lord However he was very Industrious to quiet the minds of some who were uneasie at that great Revolution and that Scripture yielded him much Satisfaction Ioh. 3. 35. The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his Hands If Christ be not only Head of the Church but Heir over all things to the Church we may be assured that all things shall be made to work together for good to it The Text also which the Lord put it into his Heart to preach upon on the day of Publick Thanksgiving for the King's Restoration was very comfortable to him Prov. 21. 1. The Kings Heart is in the hand of the Lord. His sence of that great Mercy of God to the Nation in the unbloody peaceable and legal Settlement of King Charles the 2d upon the Throne was the same with that of Multitudes besides both Ministers and others that were of the quiet in the Land who yet not long after suffered very hard things under him Soon after the Return of the King he notes how industrious some were to remove him from Worthenbury on which he writes this as the Breathing of his Soul towards God Lord if it please thee fasten me here as a Nail in a sure place if otherwise I will take nothing ill which thou dost with me and when press'd by his Friends more earnestly than before to accept of some other place Lord saith he Mine Eye is up unto thee I am wholly at thy disposal make my way plain before my Face because of mine Enemies my Resolution is to deny my self if thou callest me Here or any where 't is no great Matter where I am Many Years after the King's Return he Dated a Letter May 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are two things further which I think it may be of use to give some account of in the close of this Chapter 1. Of the Course of his Ministry at Worthenbury and 2. Of the State of his Soul and the Communion he had with God in those Years The former out of his Sermon-Notes the latter out of his Diary As to the Subjects he Preached upon he did not use to dwell long upon a Text. Better one Sermon upon many Texts viz. many Scriptures opened and applied than many Sermons upon one Text To that purpose he would sometimes speak He used to Preach in a fixed Method and linked his Subjects in a sort of a Chain not confining himself to the Method of the Assemblies Catechism which some commend but he adapted his Method and Style to the Capacity of his Hearers fetching his Similitudes for Illustration from those things which were familiar to them He did not shoot the Arrow of the Word over their Heads in high Notions or the Flourishes of affected Rhetorick nor under their Feet by blunt and homely Expressions as many do under pretence of plainness but to their Hearts in close and lively Applications His Delivery was very graceful and agreeable far from being either noisie and precipitate on the one Hand or dull and slow on the other His Doctrine did drop as the Dew and distil as the soaking Rain and came with a charming pleasing Power such as many will bear witness to that have wonder'd at the gracious words which proceeded out of his Mouth He wrote the Notes of his Sermons pretty large for the most part and always very legible he wrote most of them twice over But even when he had put his last Hand to them he commonly left many imperfect Hints which gave room for Enlargements in Preaching wherein he had a very great Felicity And he would often advise Ministers not to tye themselves too strictly to their Notes but having well digested the Matter before to allow themselves a liberty of Expression such as a Man's Affections if they be well rais'd will be apt to furnish him with But for this no certain Rule can be given there are diversities of Gifts and each to profit withal He kept his Sermon-Notes in very neat and exact Order Sermons in
it as they stood affected for my own part saith he upon Reflection I find I have great reason to be ashamed of my manifold infirmities and imperfections and yet do bless God that seeing I could manage it no better to do the Truth more Service there was not more said and done to its disservice to God be Glory But there were others who said that Mr. Henry was an Instrument of glorifying God and serving the Church in that affair almost as much as in any thing that ever he did except the Preaching of the Gospel And some who were Adversaries to the Cause he pleaded thô they were not Convinced by his Arguments yet by his great Meekness and Humility and that truly Christian Spirit which appear'd so evidently in the whole Management were brought to have a better Opinion of him and the way in which he walked The Conference broke off a little abruptly the Bishop and Mr. Henry being somewhat close at an Argument in the Recapitulation of what had been Discoursed of Mr. Ionathan Roberts whisper'd to Mr. Henry Pray let my Lord have the last word which a Justice of Peace upon the Bench over-hearing presently replied You say my Lord shall have the last word but he shall not for I will we thank God we have the Sword of Power in our hands and by the Grace of God we will keep it and it shall not rust and I hope every lawful Magistrate will do as I do and look to your selves Gentlemen by the Grace of God I 'll root you out of the Country To which a forward Man in the Crowd said Amen throw them down Stairs This the Bishop heard with Silence but the Mayor of the Town took order for their safety Two Days after this Discourse the Bishop wrote a very obliging Letter to Mr. Henry to signify to him how very much he was pleased with the good Temper and Spirit that he found in him at Oswestry and that he looked upon him as one that intended well but laboured under Prejudices and to desire further Acquaintance and Conversation with him particularly that he would come to him straitway to Wrexham and about three Months after sent for him again to Chester in both which interviews a great deal of Discourse with much Freedom pass'd between them in private in which they seem'd to vye nothing more than Candor and Obligingness shewing to each other all Meekness I remember the Bishop was pleas'd to shew him his Plan for the Government of his Diocess and the Method he intended to take in Church-Censures which Mr. Henry very well approv'd of but pleasantly told his Lord-ship he hoped he would take care that Iuvenal's Verse should not be again verified Sat. 2. Dat veniam Corvis vexat Censura Columbas which the Bishop smil'd at and told him he would take care it should not His Lordship observing his true Catholick Charity and Moderation told him he did not look upon him as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but only as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that if he were in his Diocess he did not question but he should find out some way to make him useful But all his Reasonings could not satisfie Mr. Henry's Conscience of the Lawfulness of being Re-ordain'd and Conforming The Bishop for some Years after when he came that way towards London either call'd on Mr. Henry at his House or sent for him to him to Whitchurch and still with all outward expressions of Friendship 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 but in the Year 1682. he took a greater Liberty and many flocked to him on Lord's Dayes through the kind Connivance of the Neighbouring Magistrates but in the Year 1683. when the Meetings were generally suppress'd throughout the Kingdom he was again necessitated to contract his Sails and confine his Labours more to his own Family and his Friends that visited him He continued his Attendance at Whitewell Chappel as usual and when he was abridged of his Liberty he often blessed God for his Quietness Once when one of the Curates Preached a bitter Sermon against the Dissenters on a Lord's Day Morning some wonder'd that Mr. Henry would go again in the Afternoon for the second part But saith 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 us'd to express it to throw the Plough under the 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 While he had some opportunity of being useful at home he was afraid lest he should prejudice that by venturing abroad One of his Friends in London earnestly solliciting 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 kiss my Native Soil though it were but with a kiss of Valediction but my indisposedness to Travel and the small prospect there is of doing good to countervail the Pains are my prevailing Arguments against it I am here 't is true buried alive but I am quiet in my Grave and have no mind to be a walking Ghost We rejoyce and desire to be thankful that God hath given us a Home and continued it to us when so many better then we have not where to lay their Head having no certain dwelling place 't was at the time of the dispersion of the French Protestants Why they Exiles and not we they strangers in a strange Land and not we We must not say we will dye in our Nests lest God say nay nor we will multiply our Days as that Bird the Phaenix referring to Iob 29. 18. lest God say this Night c. Our times and all our ways are at his dispose absolutely and universally and it is very well they are so At the time of the Duke of Monmouths 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 Nonconformist Ministers was taken up by a Warrant from the Deputy Lieutenants and sent under a Guard to Chester Castle where he was about three Weeks a close Prisoner He was lodg'd 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 spake of this Imprisonment not as matter of Complaint but of Thanksgiving and blessed God he was in nothing uneasie all
think liv'd the greatest Example of sincere Godliness with Prudencâ—… and sweetness of Temper of any I ever knew And iâ—… another Letter not only proposing but pressing thâ—… Publication of an Account of his Life he professeth he thought there was none like him in his day at leaâ—… of his Acquaintance which is known to be both oâ—… the largest and of the best And saith he if Siâ—… Fulk Grevil would have it inscribed upon his Tombâ—… stone that he was a Friend to Sir Philip Sidney I mâ—… well be pleased to have it told the World that I Lov'd anâ—… Honour'd Blessed Mr. Henry a Man of so much Prudence and withal so much Sincerity of so good a Temper so much a Gentleman and yet of such strict Pieâ—… and Devotedness to God that I scarce ever knew his Fellow The Reverend Mr. William Turner now Vicar of Walburton in Sussex of whom mention was made before lately sent to me a very kind Letter Ex mero motu with his free Consent to have it inserted in this Account some hints whereof I think sit to subjoin Worthy Sir I am glad to hear that you have been prevailed with to set upon so good a Work as Recording the most remarkable Passages of Mr. Henry's Life I doubt not but you will meet with some that will give such a History but a cold Reception All that part of the World that lies in Darkness will be offended when Beams of clear Light and Sun-shine first dart into their Faces Virtutem praesentem odimus A little before I went to the University I was upon the Commendation of my worthy School-master Mr. E. yet living and with my Father's Consent half a Year a Domestick with him partly as a Tutor to his young ones and partly as a Pupil to himself and in some little Degree as a Companion where I had the opportunity of informing my self more fully concerning the Humour and Principles and Conversation of a sort of People and especially him and his Family whom I had heard aspers'd very freely in former Companies and represented to the World as very Hypocritical and Disloyal People At my first going I resolved to stand upon my Guard and pry into the Cause which was then the great Subject of Difference and Dispute and upon the whole do say That Mr. Henry was a Man of so clear a Brain so gentle a Behaviour so steddy a Conversation so regular a Devotion was so courteous and condescending to Inferiors so respectful and Dutiful to Superiours so sweet and obliging to all was so careful to improve his time well to do as much good as possible to every Body so constantly affectionate in his Prayers for the King and Government so desirous to keep up a fair Correspondence and Communion with his conformable Brethren so very indifferent in making Proselytes to his particular Opinions and withal so zealous to promote substantial Goodness and true Christianity so mighty inoffensive and peaceable in all his Expressions and Actions so prudent pure pious just sober charitable chearful and pleasant that I profess I am almost afraid to give him his due Character without some Correctives lest they that knew him not should suspect my veracity and imagine my Pen to be managed by some mercenary Hand I remember the Worshipful Rowland Hunt of Boreatton Esq speaking of Mr. Henry thus expressed himself to me and if I mistake not the Lord Embassador Pagett was present I was said he near seven Years resident in the Universities and seven more at the Inns of Court in London and had opportunity of knowing and acquainting my self with the most eminent Divines and Preachers in both those places yet I never found any every way so accomplished for clearness and quickness of apprehension solidity of Judgment and roundness of Style as Mr. Henry is I have Noted in my Book of Providences the Remark I made upon the Temporal Blessings God had rewarded him with viz. a good and virtuous Consort who brought him a good Estate gave him a due Reverence lov'd him with an intire affection an ingenious and hopeful Off-spring well affected well Educated and well dispos'd of in the World the favour of Men and a quiet undisturb'd Habitation upon Earth in great measure c. Sic Testatus sic monet sic precatur Amicus maerens anhelus superstes W. Turner A. M. Another very worthy Conformist formerly of his Acquaintance but now living at a great distance having occasion to mention him in a Letter to a Friend calls him The Great Good and now Glorious Mr. Henry whose Memory saith he shall ever be precious and even sacred to me Such as these were the Honourable Testimonies which all that knew him and knew how to value true Excellency attended him with It is part of the Recompence of Charity and Moderation in this World that it obtains a good Report of all Men. The Kingdom of God saith the Blessed Apostle Rom. 14. 17 18. is not meat and drink which were then the matters of doubtful disputation but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and he that in these things serveth Christ is not only acceptable to God but approved of men as on the contrary they that judge will be judged and with what measâ—…re we meet it will be measured to us again And this is the Excellency of a Good Name that it is out of the reach of Death and is not Buried in the Grave but rather grows up from it It is not for nothing that Solomon hath joined this good Name which is better than precious Oyntment with the day of ones death which upon that account is better than the day of ones birth that it compleats the Character of those that finish their Course well and are faithful unto Death whereas a Great Name like the Names of the great Ones of the Earth is often wither'd and blemished by Death We read of those that bear their shame when they go down to the Pit though they were the terror of the mighty in the Land of the Living Ezek. 32. 35. At a Meeeting of the Dissenting Ministers of Cheshire at Knutford in May 1696. a few Weeks before Mr. Henry dyed it was agreed that their next Meeting should be at Chester though inconvenient to many of them upon condition that he would meet them there and give them a Sermon It was with much difficulty that he was prevailed with to promise it but his Master called for him before the time appointed came Mr. Flavel of Devonshire dyed when he was under a like appointment But happy they that are come to the General Assembly and Church of the First Born and to the Spirits of just Men made perfect As to his Bodily Presence he was of a middle Stature his Complexion not approaching to any extream of a very pleasant Aspect and an unusual mixture of Gravity and Sweetness in the air of his Countenance which was the true Index of his Mind When some of