were not in us and yet this withal we can say and have said it some of us with Tears We are grieved that we have sinned 〈◊〉 For time to come we are resolâ—…ed by God's Gâ—…ce to walk in new Obedience and yet leâ—…g we are not Angels but Men and Women compassed about with Infirmities and Temptations it is possible we may fall but if we do it is our declared Resolution to submit to Admonition and censure according to the Rule of the Gospel And all along he took care so to manage his Admissions to that Ordinance as that the weak might not be discouraged and yet the Ordinance might not be profaned He would tell those whom he was necessitated to debar from the Ordinance for Ignorance that he would undertake if they were but truly willing they might in a Weeks time by the Blessing of God upon their diligent use of Means Reading Prayer and Conference get such a competent Measure of Knowledge as to be able to â—…scern the Lord's Body And those that had been scandalous if they would but come in and declare their Repentance and Resolutions of new Obedience they should no longer be excluded To give a Specimen of his lively Administrations of that Ordinance let me transcribe the Notes of his Exhortationat the first Sacrament that ever he administred Nov. 27. 1659. I suppose they are but the Hints of what he enlarged more upon for he had always a great fluency upon such occasions Dearly beloved in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ We are met together this day about the most solemn weighty Service under Heaven we are come to a Feast where the Feast-maker is God the Father the Provision God the Son whose Flesh is Meat indeed and whose Blood is Drink indeed the Guests a company of poor Sinners unworthy such an Honour the Crumbs under the Table were too good for us and yet we are admitted to tast of the Provision upon the Table and that which makes the Feast is hearty welcome God the Father bids you welcome and ten Thousand Welcomes this day to the Flesh and Blood of his Son think you hear him saying it to you ô believing Souls Cant. 5. 1. Eat O Friends drink yea drinkabundantly O Beloved The end of this Feast is to keep in remembrance the Death of Christ and our Deliverance by it and thereby to convey spiritual Nourishment and Refreshment to our Souls But withal give me leave to ask you one Question What Appetite have you to this Feast Are you come hungring and thirsting such have the Promise they shall be filled He filleth the Hungry with good things but the Rich are sent empty away a Honey-Comb to a full Soul is no Honey-Comb Canst thou say as Christ said With desire I have desired to eat this In this Ordinance here 's Christ and all his Benefits exhibited to thee Art thou weak here 's Bread to strengthen thee Art thou sad here 's Wine to comfort thee What is it thou standest in need of a Pardon here it is seal'd in Blood take it by Faith as I offer it to you in the Name of the Lord Jesus though thy Sins have been as Scarlet they shall be as Wool if thou be willing and obedient It may be here are some that have been Drunkards Swearers Scoffers at Godliness Sabbath-breakers and what not And God hath put it into your Hearts to humble your selves to mourn for and turn from all your Abominations O come hither here 's forgiveness for thee What else is it thou wantest O saith the poor Soul I would have more of the Spirit of Grace more Power against Sin especially my own Iniquity why here it is for thee from the fulness that is in Jesus Christ we receive and Grace for Grace Joh. 1. 16. We may say as David did Psal. 108. 7 8. God hath spoken in his Holiness and then Gilead is mine and Manasseh mine So God hath spoken in his Word sealed in his Sacrament and then Christ is mine Pardon is mine Grace is mine Comfort mine Glory mine here I have his Bond to shew for it This is to those among you that have engaged their Hearts to approach unto God this Day But if there he any come hither with a false unbelieving filthy hard Heart I do warn you seriously and with Authority in the Name of Jesus Christ presume not to come any nearer to this sacred Ordinance you that live in the practice of any Sin or the omission of any Duty against your Knowledge and Conscience you that have any Malice or Grudge to any of your Neighbours leave your Gift and go your ways be reconcil'd to God be reconciled to your Brother and then come Better shame thy self for coming so near than damn thy self by coming nearer I testifie to those who say they shall have Peace though they go on still in their Trespasses that there 's Poyson in the Bread take it and eat it at your own Peril there 's Poyson in the Cup too you drink your own Damnation I wash my Hands from the guilt of your Blood look you to it On the other hand you poor penitent Souls that are lost in your selves here 's a Christ to save you Come O come ye that are weary and heavy laden c. It may not be amiss to transcribe also some Hints of preparation for the administring of the Ordinance of Baptism which I find under his Hand at his first setting out in the Ministry as follows It is a real Manifestation of the Goodness and Love of God to Believers that he hath not only taken them into Covenant with himself but their Seed also saying I will be thy God and the God of thy Seed Tho' to be born of such doth not necessarily intitle Infants to the spiritual Mercies of the Covenant for Grace doth not run in a Blood we see the contrary many times even godly Parents have wicked Children Abraham had his Ishmael and Isaac his Esau yet questionless it doth entitle them to the external Priviledges of the Covenant The like Figure unto Noah's Ark even Baptism doth also now save us Noah and all that were his entred into the Ark though we have cause to doubt whether they all entred into Heaven While our Lord Jesus was here upon the Earth they brought little Children to him and he laid his Hands on them and blessed them and said moreover Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not there are many at this day that forbid little Children to come to Christ he adds the reason for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Whether it be meant of the visible Church often so called in the Gospel or of the state of Glory in another World either way it affords an Argument for Proof of Infant Baptism When either Parent is in Covenant with God their Children also are in Covenant with him and being in Covenant they have an undoubted Right and Title to this Ordinance 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
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
House of Commons to the King to issue out a Proclamation for the putting of the Laws in Execution against Papists and Nonconformists which was issued out accordingly though the King at the opening of that Session a little before had declared his desire that some Course might be taken to compose the minds of his Protestant Subjects in matters of Religion which had raised the Expectations of some that there would be speedy enlargement but Mr. Henry had Noted upon it We cannot expect too little from Man nor too much from GOD. And here it may be very pertinent to observe how industrious Mr. Henry was at this time when he and his Friends suffered such hard things from the Government to preserve and promote a good affection to the Government notwithstanding It was commonly charged at that time upon the Nonconformists in general especially from the Pulpits that they were all a factious and turbulent People and as was said of old Ezra 4. 15. hurtful to Kings and Provinces that their Meetings were for the sowing of Sedition and Discontents and the like and there is some reason to think that one thing intended by the Hardships put upon them was to drive them to this there is a way of making a wise Man mad But how peaceably they carried themselves is manifest to God and in the Consciences of many For an Instance of it it will not be amiss to give some Account of a Sermon which Mr. Henry Preached in some very private Meetings such as were called Seditious Conventicles in the Year 1669. when it was a day of treading down and of perplexity it was on that Text Psal. 35. 20. Against them that are quiet in the Land Whence not to curry favour with Rulers for whatever the Sermon was the very Preaching of it had it been known must have been severely Punished but purely out of Conscience towards God he taught his Friends this Doctrine That it is the Character of the People of God that they are a quiet People in the Land This Quietness he described to be an orderly peaceable Subjection to Governours and Government in the Lord. We must maintain a reverent Esteem of them and of their Authority in opposition to despising Dominion 2 Pet. 2. 10. we must be Meek under severe Commands and burthensome Impositions not murmuring and complaining as the Israelites against Moses and Aaron but take them up as our Cross in our way and bear them as we do foul Weather We must not speak evil of Dignities Iude 8. nor revile the gods Exod. 22. 28. Paul checked himself for this Acts 23. 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I did not consider it if I had I would not have said so We must not traduce their Government as Absalom did David's 2 Sam. 15. 3. Great care is to be taken how we speak of the faults of any especially of Rulers Eccl. 10. 20. The People of God do make the word of God their Rule and by that they are taught 1. that Magistracy is God's Ordinance and Magistrates God's Ministers that by him Kings Reign and the Powers that be are Ordained of him 2. That they as well as others are to have their Dues Honour and Fear and Tribute 3. That their lawful Commands are to be obey'd and that readily and chearfully 1 Tit. 3. 1. 4. That the Penalties inflicted for not obeying unlawful Commands are patiently to be undergone This is the Rule and as many as walk according to this Rule Peace shall be upon them and there can be no danger of their Unpeaceableness They are taught to pray for Kings and all in Authority 1 Tim. 2. 1. 2. and God forbid we should do otherwise yea thô they Persecute Ier. 29. 7. Peaceable Prayers bespeak a peaceable People Psal. 109. 4. If some professing Religion have been unquiet their unquietness hath given the lye to their Profession Iude 8. 11 12. Quietness is our Badge Coll. 3. 12. ' â—…will be our Strength Isa. 30 7 15. our Rejoycing in the day of Evil Ier. 18. 18. it is pleasing to God 1 Tim. 2. 2 3. it may work upon others 1 Pet. 2. 12 13. The means he prescribed for the keeping of us quiet were to get our Hearts fill'd with the Knowledge and Belief of these two things 1. That the Kingdom of Christ is not of this World Ioh. 18. 36. many have thought otherwise and it hath made them unquiet 2. That the wrath of Man worketh not the righteousness of God Iam. 1. 20. he needs not our Sin to bring to pass his own Counsel We must mortifie Unquietness in the Causes of it Iam. 4. 1. we must always remember the Oath of God Eccl. 8. 2. the Oath of Allegiance is an Oath of Quietness and we must beware of the Company and Converse of those that are unquiet Prov. 22. 24 25. Thô deceitful Matters be devis'd yet we must be quiet still nay be so much the more quiet I have been thus large in gathering these hints out of that Sermon which he took all occasions in other Sermons to inculcate as all his Brethren likewise did that if possible it may be a Conviction to the present Generation or however may be a Witness in time to come that the Nonconformist Ministers were not Enemies to Caesar nor troublers of the Land nor their Meetings any way tending to the disturbance of the publick Peace but purely design'd to help to repair the Decays of Christian Piety All that knew Mr. Henry knew very well that his Practise all his days was consonant to these his settled Principles In May 1668. he return'd again with his Family from Whitchurch to Broad-Oke which through the good Hand of his God upon him continued his settled home without any Remove from it till he was removed to his long home above twenty eight Years after The edge of the Five Mile Act began now a little to rebate at least in that Country and he was desirous to be more useful to the Neighbours among whom God had given him an Estate than he could be at a distance from them by relieving the Poor employing the Labourers and especially instructing the Ignorant and helping as many as he could to Heaven He made that Scripture his standing Rule and wrote it in the beginning of his Book of Accounts Prov. 3. 9 10. Honour the Lord with thy Substance c. And having set apart a day of Secret Prayer and Humiliation to beg of God a wise and an understanding Heart and to drop a Tear as he expresseth it over the sins of his Predecessors formerly in that estate he laid out himself very much in doing good He was very serviceable upon all Accounts in the Neighbourhood and though it took up a great deal of his time and hindred him from his beloved Studies yet it might be said of him as the Bishop of Salisbury saith of Arch-Bishop Tillotson in his Sermon at his Funeral that he chose rather to live to the good of
the plain and powerful Preaching of the Gospel and thus they who granted that liberty were out-shot in their own Bow which manifestly appear'd in the Event and Issue And as they did good Service to the Protestant Religion among Scholars who wrote so many Learned Books against Popery at that time for which we return them our best thanks so they did no less Service among the Common People who are the Strength and Body of the Nation that Preached so many good Sermons to arm their Hearts against that strong Delusion which Mr. Henry as the rest of the Nonconformists generally did took all occasions to do How often would he commend his Hearers as Dr. Holland Divinity Professor in Oxford was wont to do to the Love of God and the Hatred of Popery Besides his Preaching professedly to discover the Errours and Corruptions of the Church of Rome which he would have taken occasion to do more fully had he seen those he Preached to in any immediate danger of the Infection there could not be a more effectual Antidote against Popery than the instructing and confirming of People in the Truth as it is in Jesus and advancing the Knowledge of and a Value and Veneration for the Holy Scriptures to which how much Mr. Henry in his place did contribute all that knew him well bear Record He us'd to observe that the Fall of Babylon followed upon the free and open Preaching of the Everlasting Gospel Rev. 14. 6 7. He apprehended this Liberty likely to be of very short continuance and to end in trouble and because he could not see how his not using of it would help to prevent the Trouble but he did see that his vigorous improvement of it would help to 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 The great Subject of Debate at this time in the Nation was concerning the Repeal of Penal Laws and Tests Mr. Henry's thoughts were as to the Penal Laws that if those against the Dissenters were all Repeal'd he would Rejoyce in it and be very thankful both to God and Man for he would sometimes say without Reflection upon any he could not but look upon them as a National Sin and as for those against the Papists if our Law-givers see cause to Repeal them in a regular way I will endeavour saith he to make the best of it and to say The Will of the Lord be done When King Iames 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 him 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 enquire after the Trouble that Dissenters had sustain'd by the Penal Laws and how the Money that was Levy'd upon them was disposed of little of it being found paid in 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 Distreyn'd upon and his Goods carried away which all the Country knew to which he referred himself But being requir'd particularly to give account of it upon Oath though he said he could be glad to see such Instruments of Trouble legally removed yet he declin'd 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 Iune 14. 1681. that he was disturb'd at Weston in Shropshire when he was Preaching on Psal. 66. 18. and on Tuesday Iune 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 v. 19. 20. But verily God hath heard me Blessed be God Concerning the Duty of Thanksgiving This Seventh Year of their Silence and Restraint prov'd 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 surprize to him to receive a Letter from the Clerk of the Peace Directed to Philip Henry Esquire acquainting him with it and appointing him when and whither to come to be Sworn To which he return'd answer that he was very sensible of his Unworthiness of the Honour and his unfitness for the Office which he was nominated to and therefore desired to be excus'd and he was so and did what he could that it might not be spoken of in the Country There were some who upon this occasion unhappily remembred that a few Years before a Reverend Clergy-man in Shropshire told Mr. Henry to his Face that he had done more mischief in the Country than any man that ever came into it and that he himself hoped shortly to be in the Commission of Peace and then he would rid the Country of him But alas he â—…as quite disappointed Thus Honour is like the shadow which flies from those that pursue it and follows those that flee from it For two Years after this Liberty began Mr. Henry still continued his Attendance as usual at Whitewel-Chappel 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 clamour'd against by some of the rigid Separatists and call'd a Dissembler and one that halted between two and the like 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 saith he shall I seek to please Lord neither but thy self alone and my own Conscience and while I can do that I have enough In a Sermon at Whitewel-Chappel 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 Schismaticks and in a damnable State When he came immediately after to Preach at his own House before he begun his Sermon he expressed himself to this purpose Perhaps some of you may expect now that I should say something in answer to what we
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