much am I indebted and what shall I render Thus you see how the Dewes of Heaven sofâ—…ned his Heart by degrees From these early Experiences of his own 1. He would blame those who laid so much stress on Peoples knowing the exact time of their Conversion which he thought was with many not possible to do Who can so soon be aware of the Day-break or of the springing up of the Seed Sown The Work of Grace is better known in its Effects than in its Causes He would sometimes illustrate this by that saying of the blind Man to the Pharisees who were so Critical in Examining the Recovery of his Sight This and 'tother I know not concerning it but This one thing I know that whereas I was Blind now I see Ioh. 9. 25. 2. He would bear his Testimony to the comfort and benefit of early Piety and recommend it to all young People as a good thing to bear the Yoke of the Lord Iesus in Youth He would often witness against that wicked Proverb A young Saint an old Devil and would have it said rather A young Saint an old Angel He observ'd it concerning Obadiah and he was a Courtier that he feared the Lord from his Youth 1 King 18. 12 and it is said of him v. 3. that he feared the Lord greatly Those that would come to fear God greatly must learn to fear him from their Youth No Man did his Duty so naturally as Timothy did Phil. 2. 20. who from a Child knew the Holy Scriptures He would sometimes apply to this that common saying He that would Thrive must rise at Five and in dealing with young People how earnestly would he press this upon them I tell you You cannot begin too soon to be Religious but you may put it off too long Manna must be gathered early and he that is the first must have the first He often inculcated Eccl. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth in the Original of thy choice I remember a passage of his in a Lecture Sermon in the Year 1674. which much affected many he was preaching on that Text Matt. 11. 30. My Yoke is easie and after many things insisted upon to prove the Yoke of Christ an easie Yoke he at last appealed to the Experiences of all that had drawn in that Yoke Call now if there be any that will answer you and to which of the Saints will you turn turn to which you will and they will all agree that they have found Wisdoms ways Pleasantness and Christ's Commandments not grievous and saith he I will here witness for one who through Grace have in some poor measure been drawing in this Yoke now above thirty Years and I have found it an easie Yoke and like my Choice too well to change 3. He would also recommend it to the care of Parents to bring their Children betimes to publick Ordinances He would say that they are capable sooner than we are aware of receiving good by them The Scripture takes Notice more than once of the little ones in the solemn Assemblies of the Faithful Deut. 29. 11. Ezra 10. 1. Acts 21. 5. If we lay our Children by the Pool-side who knows but the blessed Spirit may help them in and heal them He us'd to apply that Scripture to this Cant. 1. 8. Those that would have Communion with Christ must not only go forth by the Footsteps of the Flock themselves but feed their Kids too their Children or other young ones that are under their Charge beside the Shephards Tents 4. He would also recommend to young People the practise of Writing Sermons He himself did it not only when he was young but continued it constantly till within a few Years before he Dyed when the decay of his Sight obliging him to the use of Spectacles made Writing not so ready to him as it had been He never wrote Short-hand but had an excellent Art of taking the Substance of a Sermon in a very plain and legible hand and with a great deal of ease And the Sermons he wrote he kept by him in such Method and Order that by the help of Indexes which he made to them he could readily turn to almost any Sermon that ever he heard where he noted the Preacher Place and Time and this he call'd Hearing for the Time to come He recommended this Practise to others as a means to engage their Attention in Hearing and to prevent drowsiness and to help their Memories after Hearing when they come either to meditate upon what they have heard themselves or to Communicate it to others and many have had reason to bless God for his Advice and Instructions herein He would advise People sometimes to look over the Sermon-Notes that they had written as a ready way to revive the good Impressions of the Truths they had heard and would blame those who made waste Paper of them for saith he the day is coming when you will either thank God for them or heartily wish you had never written them But it is time we return to Westminster-School where having begun to learn Christ we left him in the Successful pursuit of other Learning under the Eye and Care of that great Master Dr. Busby who on the Account of his Pregnancy and Diligence took a particular kindness to him call'd him his Child and would sometimes tell him he should be his Heir and there was no Love lost betwixt them Dr. Busby was noted for a very severe School master especially in the beginning of his time But Mr. Henry would say sometimes that as in so great a School there was need of a strict Discipline so for his own part of the Four Years he was in the School he never felt the weight of his Hand but once and then saith he in some of the Remarks of his Youth which he wrote long after I deserv'd it For being Monitor of the Chamber and according to the Duty of his Place being sent out to seek one that play'd Truant he found him out where he had hid himself and at his earnest Request promised to make an excuse for him and to say he could not find him which saith he in a Penitential Reflexion upon it afterwards I wickedly did Next Morning the Truant coming under Examination and being ask'd whether he saw the Monitor said yes he did at which Dr. Busby was much surprized and turned his Eye upon the Monitor with this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What thou my Son and gave him Correction and appointed him to make a penitential Copy of Latin Verses which when he brought he gave him Six Pence and receiv'd him into his Favour again Among the Mercies of God to him in his Youth and he would say t were well if Parents would keep an Account of those for their Children till they come to be capable of doing it for themselves and then to set them upon the doing of it he hath Recorded a remarkable Deliverance he had
Baptism which is the Seal of the Covenant So that in the Administration of this Ordinance this Day according to the Institution of Jesus Christ we look upon you who are the Father of this Child as a Person in Covenant with God How far you have dealt unfaithfully in the Covenant is known to God and your own Conscience but this we know the Vows of God are upon you and let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from Iniquity But before we Baptise your Child I am to acquaint you in a few words what we expect from you Q. 1. Do you avouch God â—…n Jesus Christ this Day to be your God See to it that this be done in Truth and with a perfect Heart you may tell us you do so and you may deceive us but God is not mocked Q 2. And is it your desire that your Children also may be received into Covenant with the Lord and that the Lord 's Broad-seal of Baptism may be set to it Q. 3. And do you promise in the presence of God and of this Congregation that you will do your endeavour towards the training of it uâ—… in the way of Godliness that as it is by you through Mercy that it lives the Life of Nature so it may by you also through the same Mercy live the Life of Grace else I must tell you if you be wanting herein there will be a sad Appearance one Day when you shall meet together before the Judgment-seat of Christ and this solemn Engagement of yours will be brought in to witness against you These were but the first Instances of his Skilfulness in dispensing the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God He declin'd the private Administration of the Lord's Supper to sick Persons as judging it not consonant to the Rule and Intention of the Ordinance He very rarely if ever Baptised in private but would have Children brought to the solemn Assembly upon the Lord's Day that the Parents Engagement might have the more Witnesseâ—… to it and the Child the more Prayers put up for it and that the Congregation might be edified And yet he would say there was some inconvenience in it too unless People would agree to put off the Feasting part of the Solemnity to some other time which he very much perswaded his Friends to and observed that Abraham made a great Feast the same Day that Isaac it is weaned Gen. 21. 8. not the same Day that he was circumcised His Carriage towards the People of his Parish was very exemplary condescending to the meanest and conversing familiarly with them bearing with the Infirmites of the weak and becoming all things to all Men. He was exceeding tender of giving Offence or occasion of Grief to any body minding himself in his Diary upon such occasions that the Wisdom that is from above is pure and peaceable and gentle c. Yet he plainly and faithfully reproved what he saw amiss in any and would not suffer Sin upon them mourning also for that which he could not mend There were some untractable People in the Parish who sometimes caused Grief to him and exercised his Boldness and Zeal in reproving Once hearing of a merry Meeting at an Ale-house on a Saturday Night he went himself and broke it up and scattered them At another time he publickly witnessed againt 〈◊〉 â—…rolick of some vain People that on a Saturday Night came to the Church with a Fidler before them and dress'd it up with Flowers and Garlands making it as he told them more like a Play-house And was this their preparation for the Lord's Day and the Duties of it c. He minded them of Eccl. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young Man in thy Youth but know thou Many out of the neighbouring Parishes attended upon his Ministry and some came from far though sometimes he signifi'd his dislike of their so doing so far was he from glorying in it But they who had spiritual Senses exercised to discern things that differ would attend upon that Ministry which they found to be most edifying He was about Eight Years from first to last labouring in the Word and Doctrine at Worthenbury and his Labour was not altogether in vain He saw in many of the travel of his Soul to the rejoycing of his Heart but with this particular Dispensation which I have heard him sometimes speak of that most or all of those in that Parish whom he was through Grace instrumental of Good too died before he left the Parish or quickly after so that within a few Years after his removal thence there were very few of the visible Fruits of his Ministry there and a new Generation sprung up there who knew not Ioseph Yet the opportunity he found there was there of doing the more good by having those that were his Charge near about him made him all his days bear his Testimony to Parish Order where it may he had upon good Terms as much more elegible and more likely to answer the end than the Congregational way of gathering Churches from places far distant which could not ordinarily meet to worship God together From his Experience here though he would say we must do what we can when we cannot do what we would he often wished and prayed for the opening of a Door by which to return to that Order again He had not been long at Worthenbury but he began to be taken notice of by the neighbouring Ministers as likely to be a considerable Man Though his extraordinary Modesty and Humility which even in his Youth he was remarkable for made him to sit down with silence in the lowest Room and to say as Elihu Days shall speak yet his eminent Gifts and Graces could not long be hid the Ointment of the Right-hand will betray it self and a Person of his Merits could not but meet with those quickly who said Friend go up higher and so that Scripture was fulfilled Luke 14. 10. He was often called upon to preach the Week-day Lectures which were set up plentifully and diligently attended upon in those parts and his Labours were generally very acceptable and successful The Vox Populi fasten'd upon him the Epithet of Heavenly Henry by which Title he was commonly known all the Country over and his Advice was sought for by many neighbouring Ministers and Christians for he was one of those that found Favour and good Understanding in the sight of God and Man He was noted at his first setting out as I have been told by one who was then intimately acquainted with him and with his Character and Conversation for three things 1. Great Piety and Devotion and a mighty savor of Godliness in all his Converse 2. Great Industry in the pursuit of useful Knowledge he was particularly observed to be very inquisiâ—…ive when he was among the Aged and Intelligent hearing them and asking them Questions a good Example to young Men especially young Ministers 3. Great Self-denial Self-diffidence and Self-abasement this eminent Humility
decent and respectful that it could not but win the Hearts of all he had to do with Never was any Man further from that Rudeness and Morofeness which some Scholars and too many that profess Religion either wilfully affect or carelesly allow themselves in sometimes to the Reproach of their Profession 'T is one of the Laws of our Holy Religion exemplifi'd in the Conversation of this good Man to Honour all Men. Sanctify'd Civility is a great Ornament to Christianity It was a saying he often us'd Religion doth not destroy good Manners and yet he was very far from any thing of Vanity in Apparel or Formality of Compliment in Address but his Conversarion was all Natural and easie to himself and others and little appear'd in him which a severe Critick could call Affected This Temper of his tended very much to the adorning of the Doctrine of God our Saviour and the general Transcript of such an excellent Copy would do much towards the healing of those Wounds which Religion hath received in the House of her Friends by the contrary But to return to his Story The first Latin School he went to was at St. Martin's Church under the teaching of one Mr. Bonner Afterwards he was removed to Battersey where one Mr. Wells was his School master The grateful mention which in some of his Papers he makes of these that were the Guides and Instructors of his Childhood and Youth brings to mind that French Proverb to this purpose To Father Teacher and God All-sufficient none can render Equivolent But in the Year 1643. when he was about Twelve Years old he was admitted into Westminster-School in the Fourth Form under Mr. Thomas Vincent then Usher whom he would often speak of as a most able diligent School-master and one who grieved so much at the Dulness and Non-proficiency of any of his Scholars that falling into a Consumption I have heard Mr. Henry say of him that he even killed himself with false Latin A while after he was taken into the upper School under Mr. Richard Busby afterwards Dr. Busby and in October 1645. he was admitted King's Scholar and was first of the Election partly by his own Merit and partly by the Interest of the Earl of Pembroke Here he profited greatly in School-Learning and all his Days retained his Improvements therein to admiration When he was in Years he would readily in Discourse quote Passages out of the Classic Authors that were not common and had them ad unguem and yet rarely us'd any such things in his Preaching though sometimes if very apposite he inserted them in his Notes He was very ready and exact in the Greek Accents the Quantities of Words and all the several kinds of Latin Verse and often pressed it upon young Scholars in the midst of their University Learning not to forget their School-Authors Here and before his usual Recreation at vacant times was either reading the printed accounts of Publick Occurrences or attending the Courts at Westminster-hall to hear the Trials and Arguments there which I have heard him say he hath often done to the loss of his Dinner and oftner of his Play But Paulo major a canamus Soon after those unhappy Wars begun there was a daily Morning Lecture set up at the Abby-Church between Six and eight of the Clock and Preached by Seven worthy Members of the Assembly of Divines in Course viz. Mr. Marshal Mr. Palmer Mr. Herl Dr. Staunton Mr. Nye Mr. Whitaker and Mr. Hill It was the Request of his pious Mother to Mr. Busby that he would give her Son leave to attend that Lecture daily which he did not abating any thing of his School-Exercise in which he kept pace with the rest but only dispensing with his absence for that Hour And the Lord was pleas'd to make good Impressions on his Soul by the Sermons he heard there His Mother also took him with her every Thursday to Mr. Case's Lecture at St. Martins On the Lord's Days he sat under the powerful Ministry of Mr. Stephen Marshal in the Morning at New Chappel in the Afternoon at St. Margarets Westminster which was their Parish Church in the former place Mr. Marshal Preached long from Phil. 2. 5 6 c. in the latter from Ioh. 8. 36. of our Freedom by Christ. This Minister and this Ministry he would to his last speak of with great Respect and Thankfulness to God as that by which he was through Grace in the beginning of his Days begotten agāin to a lively hope I have heard him speak of it as the saying of some wise Men at that time That if all the Presbyterians had been like Mr. Stephen Marshal and all the Independents like Mr. Ieremiah Burroughs and all the Episcopal Men like Arch-bishop Usher the Breaches of the Church would soon have been heal'd He also attended constantly upon the Monthly Fasts at St. Margarets where the best and ablest Ministers of England Preached before the then House of Commons and the Service of the Day was carried on with great strictness and Solemnity from Eight in the Morning till Four in the Evening It was his constant Practice from Eleven or Twelve Years old to write as he could all the Sermons he heard which he kept very carefully Transcribed many of them fair over after and notwithstanding his many Removes they are yet forth-coming At these monthly Fa◅s as he himself hath Recorded it he had often Sweet Meltings of Soul in Prayer and Con◅ession of Sin particularly once with special Remark when Mr. William Bridg of Yarmouth Prayed and many warm and lively Truths came home to his Heart and he daily increased in that Wisdom and Knowledge which is to Salvation Read his Reflections upon this which he wrote many Years after If ever any Child saith he such as I then was between the Tenth and Fifteenth year of my Age enjoy'd Line upon Line Precept upon Precept I did And was it in vain I trust not altogether in vain My Soul rejoyceth and is glad at the remembrance of it the word distilled as the Dew and Dropt as the Rain I lov'd it and lov'd the Messengers of it their very Feet were beautiful to me And Lord what a Mercy was it that at a time when the poor Countries were laid waste when the noise of Drums and Trumpets and the clattering of Arms was heard there and the way to Sion Mourn'd that then my Lot should be where there was Peace and Quietness where the voice of the Turtle was heard and there was great plenty of Gospel Opportunities Bless the Lord O my Soul as long as I live I will bless the Lord I will praise my God while I have my Being Had it been only the restraint that it laid upon me whereby I was kept from the common Sins of other Children and Youths such as Cursing Swearing Sabbath breaking and the like I were bound to be very Thankful But that it prevailed through Grace effectually to bring me to God How
Worthenbury in the County of Flint We do hereby send him thither and actually admit him to tâ—…e said Charge to perform all the Offices and Duties of a faithful Pastor there exhorting the People in the Name of Iesus Christ willingly to receive and acknowledge him as the Minister of Christ and to maintain and encourage him in the Execution of his Office that he may be able to give up such an account to Christ of their Obedience to his Ministry as may be to his joy and their everlasting comfort In Witness whereof we the Presbyters of the Fourth Class in the County of Salop commonly called Bradford-North Class have hereunto set our Hands this 16th day of September in the Year of our Lord God 1657. Tho. Porter Moderator for the time Andrew Parsons Minister of Wem Aylmar Haughton Minister of Prees John Malden Minister of Newport Richard Steel Minister of Hanmer I have heard it said by those who were present at this solemnity that Mr. Henry did in his Countenance Carriage and Expression discover such an extraordinary Seriousness and Gravity and such deep Impressions made upon his Spirit as greatly affected the Auditory and even struck an Aw upon them Read his Reflection upon it in his Diary Methoughts I saw much of God in the carrying on of the work of this dayâ—… O how good is the Lord he is good and doth good the Remembrance of it I shall never loose to him be Glory I made many promises of Diligence Faithfulness c. but I lay no stress at all on them but on God's Promise to me that he will be with his Ministers always to the end of the World Amen Lord so be it Make good thy Word unto thy Servant wherein thou hast caused me to put my Trust. And in another place I did this day receive as much Honour and Work as ever I shall be able to know what to do with Lord Iesus proportion supplies accordingly Two Scriptures he desir'd might be written in his Heart 2 Cor. 6. 4 5 c. and 2 Chron. 29. 11. Two Years after upon occasion of his being present at an Ordination at Whitchurch he thus writes This Day my Ordination Covenants were in a special manner renew'd as to diligence in Reading Prayer Meditation Faithfulness in Preaching Admonition Catechizing Sacraments Zeal against Error and Profaneness Care to preserve and promote the Unity and Purity of the Church notwithstanding Opposition and Persecution tho' to Death Lord thou hast filled my Hands with Work fill my Heart with Wisdom and Grace that I may discharge my Duty to thy Glory and my own Salvation and the Salvation of those that hear me Amen Let us now see how he applied himself to his Work at Worthenbury The Sphere was narrow too narrow for such a burning and shining Light There were but Forty one Communicants in that Parish when he first set up the Ordinance of the Lord's Suppe and they were never doubled Yet he had such low Thoughts of himself that he not only never sought for a larger Sphere but would never hearken to any Overtures of that kind made to him And withal he had such high thoughts of his work and of the worth of Souls that he laid out himself with as much diligence and vigor here as if he had had the over-fight of the greatest and most considerable Parish in the Country The greatest part of the Parish were poor Tenants and labouring Husbandmen but the Souls of suâ—… he us'd to say are as precious as the Souls of the Rich and to be look'd after accordingly His Prayer for them was Lord despise not the day of small things in this place where there is some willingness but much weakness And thus he writes upon the Judges settling a handsome Maintenance upon him Lord thou knowest I seek not theirs but them Give me â—…he Souls He was in Labours more abundant to win Souls besides Preaching he Expounded the Sciptures in order Catechized and Explain'd the Catechism At first he took into the Number of his Catechumens some that were adult who he found wanted Instruction and when he had taken what pains he thought needful with them he dismiss'd them from further attendance with Commendation of their Proficiency and Counsel to hold fast the form of found Words to be watchful against the Sins of their Age and to apply themselves to the Ordinance of the Lord's Supper and make ready for it afterwards he Catechized none above Seventeen or Eighteen Years of Age. He set up a Monthly Lecture there of Two Sermons one he himself Preached and the other his Friend Mr. Ambrose Lewis of Wrexham for some Years He also kept up a Monthly Conference in private from House to House in which he met with the more knowing and judicious of the Parish and they discoursed Familiarly together of the things of God to their mutual Edification according to the Example of the Apostles who tho' they had the liberty of publick Places yet taught also from House to House Acts 5. 42. 20. 20. That which induced him to set and keep up this Exercise as long as he durst which was till August 1660. was that by this means he came better to understand the state of his Flock and so knew the better how to Preach to them and pray for them and they to pray one for another If they were in doubt about any thing relating to their Souls that was an opportunity of getting Satisfaction It was likewise a means of encreasing Knowledge and Love and other Graces and thus it abounded to a good Account He was very industrious in visiting the Sick instructing them and preying with them and in this he would say he aimed at the good not only of those that were Sick but also of their Friends and Relations that were about them He Preach'd Funeral Sermons for all that were Buryed there rich or poor old or young or little Children for he looked upon it as an opportunity of doing good He called it setting in the Plow of the Word when the Providence had softned and prepared the Ground He never took any Money for that or any oâ—…er ministerial Performance besides his stated Salary for which he thought himself obliged to do his whole Duty to them as a Minister When he first set up the Ordinance of the Lord's Supper there he did it with very great solemnity After he had endeavoured to instruct them in his publick Preaching touching the Nature of that Ordinance he discoursed personally with all that gave up their Names to the Lord in iâ—… touching their Knowledge Experience and Conversation obliged them to observe the Law of Christ touching brotherly Admonition in case of Scandal and gave â—…otlce to the Coâ—…gre gaâ—…on who they were that were â—…mitted adding thâ—… 〈◊〉 Concerning these and my self I have two things to say 1. As to what is past we have sinned if â—…e should say we have nâ—… we should deceive our selves and the Truth
put a Lustre upon all his other Graces This Character of him minds me of a Passage I have sometimes heard him tell us a check to the forwardness and conference of young Men That once at a Meeting of Ministers a Question of Moment was started to be debated among them upon the first proposal of it a confident young Man shoots his Bolt presently Truly saith he I hold it so You hold Sir saith a grave Minister it becomes you to hold your Peace Besides his frequent preaching of the Lectures about him he was a constant and diligent Attendant upon those within his reach as a Hearer and not only wrote the Sermons he heard but afterwards recorded in his Diary what in each Sermon reach'd his Heart affected him and did him good adding some proper pious Ejaculations which were the Breathings of his Heart when he meditated upon and prayed over the Sermon What a wonderful degree of Piety and Humility doth it evidence for one of so great acquaintance with the things of God to write This I learnt out of such a Sermon and this was the Truth I made up to my self out of such a Sermon and indeed something out of every Sermon His diligent improvement of the Woâ—…d preach'd contributed more than any one thing as a means to his great Attainments of Knowledge and Grace He would say sometimes that one great use of Week-day Lectures was that it gave Ministers an opportunity of hearing one another preach by whiâ—…h they are likely to profit when they hear not as Masters but as Scholars not as Censors but as Learners His great Friend and Companion and Fellow Labourer in the Work of the Lord was the worthy Mr. Richard Steel Minister of Hanmer one of the next Parishes to Worthenbury whose praise is in the Churches of Christ for his Excellent and Useful Treatises The Husbandman's Calling An Antidote against Distractions and several others He was Mr. Henry's alter idem the Man of his Counsel with him he joined frequently at Hanmer and else-where in Christian Conference and in Days of Humiliation and Prayer Besides their Meetings with other Ministers at Publick Lectures after which it was usual for them to spend some time among themselves in set Disputations in Latin This was the Work that in those Days was carried on among Ministers who made it their Business as Iron sharpens Iron to provoke one another to Love and to good Works What was done of this kind in Worcestershire Mr. Baxter tells us in his Life In the beginning of his Days he often laboured under Bodily Distempers it was fear'd that he was in a Consumption and some blamed him for taking so much pains in his Ministerial Work suggesting to him Master spare thy self One of his Friends told him he lighted up all his Pound of Candles together and that he could not hold out long at that rate and wished him to be a better Husband of his Strength But he often reflected upon it with comfort afterwards that he was not influenced by such Suggestions The more we do the more we may do so he would sometimes say in the Service of God When his Work was sometimes more than ordinary and bore hard upon him he thus appealed to God Thou knowest Lord how well contented I am to spend and to be spent in thy Service and if the outward Man decay O let the inward Man be renewed Upon the returns of his Indisposition he expresseth a gâ—…eat Concern how to get Spiritual good by it to come out of the â—…urnace and leave some Dross behind for it is a great Loss to loose an Affliction He mentions it as thaâ—… which he hoped did him good that he was ready to look upon every return of Distemper as a Summons to the Grave thus he learn'd to dye daily I find saith he my earthly Tabernacle tâ—…tering and when it is taken down I shall have a Building in Heaven that shall never fail Blessed be God the Father and my Lord Iesus Christ and the good Spirit of Grace Even so Amen This was both his Strength and his Song under his Bodily Infirmities While he was at Worthenbury he constantly laid by the Tenth of his Income for the Poor which he carefully and faithfully dispos'd of in the liberal things which he devis'd especially the teaching of poor Children And he would recommend it as a good Rule to lay by for Charity in some proportion according as the Circumstances are and then it will be the easier to lay out in Charity we shall be the more apt to seek for opportunities of doing good when we have Money lying by us of which we have said This is not our own but the Poors To encourage himself and others to Works of Charity he would say He is no Fool who parts with that which he cannot keep when he is sure to be Recompensed with that which he cannot loose And yet to prove Alms to be Righteousness and to exclude all Boasting of them he often express'd himself in these words of David Of thine own Lord have we given thee In the Year 1658. the Ministers of that Neighbourhood began to enlarge their Correspondence with the Ministers of North-Wales and several Meetings they had at Ruthin and other places that Year for the settling of a Correspondence and the promoting of Unity and Love and good Understanding among themselves by entring into an Association like those some years before of Worcestershire and Cumberland to which as their pattern those two having been Published they did refer themselves They appointed particular Associations and notwithstanding the differences of Apprehension that were among them some being in their Judgments Episcopal others Congregational and others Classical they agreed to lay aside the thoughts of Matters in Variance and to give to each other the Right Hand of Fellowship that with one Shoulder and with one Consent they might Study each in their places to promote the Common Interest of Christ's Kingdom and the Common Salvation of precious Souls He observ'd that this Year after the Death of Oliver Cromwell there was generally throughout the Nation a great Change in the Temper of God's People and a mighty tendency towards Peace and Unity as if they were by Consent weary of their long clashings which in his Diary he expresseth his great Rejoycing in and his Hopes that the time was at Hand when Iudah should no longer vex Ephraim nor Ephraim envy Iudah neither should they learn War any more And though these hopes were soon disappointed by a Change of the Scene yet he would often speak of the Experience of that and the following Year in those parts as a Specimen of what may yet be expected and therefore in Faith prayed for when the Spirit shall be poured out upon us from on high But alas Who shall live when God doth this From this Experience he likewise gather'd this Observation That it is not so much our Difference of Opinion that doth us
a Justice of Peace and above that of a Petty-Constable This was his only Child very fair and honourable Overtures had been made for her disposal but it pleased God so to order Events and to over-rule the Spirits of those concern'd that she was reserv'd to be a Blessing to this good Man in things pertaining both to Life and Godliness His purpose of Marriage was published in the Church three Lord's Days before a laudable Practice which he greatly approved and perswaded others to The Day before his Marriage he kept as a Day of secret Prayer and Fasting He us'd to say Those who would have comfort in that Change of their condition must see to it that they bring none of the Guilt of the Sin of their single State with them into the married State And the presence of Christ at a Wedding will turn the Water into Wine and he will come if he be invited by Prayer He took all occasions while he liv'd to express his thankfulness to God for the great comfort he had in this Relation A day of Mercy so he writes on his Marriage day never to be forgotten God had given him one as he writes afterwards every way hâ—… helper in whom he had much comfort and for whom be thanked God with all his Heart He writes in his Diary April 26. 1680. This day we have been Married Twenty Years in which time we have received of the Lord more than Twenty Thousand Mercies to God be Glory Sometimes he writes we have been so long Married and never Reconciled that is there was never any occasion for it His usual Prayer for his Friends in the Married State was according to his own Practise in that State That they might be mutually serviceable to each others Faith and Holiness and joyntly serviceable to God's Honour and Glory Her Father though he put some Hardships upon him in the Terms and had been somewhat a verse to the Match yet by Mr. Henry's great Prudence and God's good Providence he was influenced to give a free consent to it and he himself with his own Hand gave her in Marriage From this as from other Experiences Mr. Henry had learned to say with Assurance It is not in vain to wait upon God and to keep his way Mr. Matthews settled part of his Estate before Marriage upon them and theirs he lived about seven Years after and when he dyed the remainder of it came to them This competent Estate which the Divine Providence brought into his Hand was not only a Comfortable Support to him when he was turn'd out of his Living and when many Faithful Ministers of Christ were reduced to great Poverty and Straits but it enabled him likewise as he had opportunity to Preach the Gospel freely which he did to his dying Day and not only so but to give for the Relief of others that were in want in which he sow'd plentifully to a very large proportion of his Income and often blessed God that he had wherewithal remembring the words of the Lord how he said It is more blessed to give than to receive Such was his House and such the Vine which God graciously planted by the side of his House By her God gave him six Children all born within less than eâ—…ht Years the two eldest Sons Iohn and Matthew â—…he other four Daughters Sarah Katharine Eleanor and Ann. His eldest Son Iohn dyed of the Measles in 〈◊〉 sixth year of his Age and the rest were in Mercy continued to him The Lord having built him up into a Family he was careful and faithful in making good his solemn Vow at his Ordination that he and his House would serve the Lord. He would often say That we are really that which we are relatively It is not so much what we are at Church as what we are in our Families Religion in the Power of it will be Family Religion In this his Practise was very Exemplary he was one that walked before his House in a perfect way with a perfect Heart and therein behav'd himself wisely His constant Care and prudent endeavour was not only to put away Iniquity far from his Tabernacle but that where he dwelt the word of Christ might dwell richly If he might have no other Church yet he had a Church in his House He made Conscience of Closet-Worship and did abound in it not making his Family-Worship to excuse for that He hath this affecting Note in his Diary upon the removing of his Closet but from one Room in the House to another this day saith he my new Closet was Consecrated if I may so say with this Prayer That all the Prayers that ever should be made in it according to the Will of God Morning Evening and at Noon-day ordinary or extraordinary might be accepted of God and obtain a gracious Answer Amen and Amen It was the Caution and Advice which he frequently gave to his Children and Friends Be sure you look to your Secret Duty keep that up whatever you do the Soul cannot prosper in the neglect of it He observed that Apostasy generally begins at the Closet-door Secret Prayer is first neglected and carelesly performed then frequently omitted and after a while wholly cast off and then farewel God and Christ and all Religion He also advis'd that Secret Duty be perform'd secretly which was the Admonition he gave sometimes to those who caused theiâ—… Voice to be heard on high in that Duty Besides this he and his Wife constantly prayed together Morning and Evening and seldom if they were together at home or abroad was it intermitted and from his own Experience of the Benefit of this Practise He would take all opportunities to recommend it to those in that Relation as conducing very much to the comfort of it and to their furtherance in that which he would often say is the great Duty of Yoke-fellows and that is to do all they can to help one another to Heauen He would say that this Duty of Husbands and Wives Praying together is intimated in that of the Apostle 1. Pet. 3. 7. where they are Exhorted to live as Heirs together of the Grace of Life that their Prayers especially their Prayers together be not hindred that nothing may be done to hinder them from Praying together nor to hinder them in it nor to spoil the Success of those Prayers This Sanctifies the Relation â—…nd fetcheth in a Blessing upon it makes the Comforts of it the more sweet and the Cares and Crosses of it the more easie and is an excellent means of preserving and encreasing Love in the Relation Many to whom he hath recommended the Practise of this Duty have blessed God for him and for his advice concerning it When he was abroad and lay with any of his Friends he would mind them of his Rule That they who lye together must pray together In the performance of this part of his daily Worship he was usually short but often much affected Besides these he
from his House in a Morning before Family Worship but upon such an Occasion would mind his Friends that Prayer and Provender never hinder a Iourney He managed his daily Family-Worship so as to make it a Pleasure and not a Task to his Children and Servants for he was seldom long and never tedious in the Service the variety of the Duties made it the more pleasant so that none who join'd with him had ever any reason to say Behold what a Weariness is it Such an Excellent Faculty he had of rendring Religion the most sweet and aimable Employment in the World and so careful was he like Iacob to drive as the Children could go not putting new Wine into old Bottles If some good People that mean well would do likewise it might prevent many of those Prejudices which young Persons are apt to conceive against Religion when the Services of it are made a Toil and a Terror to them On Thursday Evenings instead of Reading he Catechized his Children and Servants in the Assemblies Catechism with the Proofs or sometimes in a little Catechism Concerning the matter of Prayer published in the Year 1674. and said to be written by Dr. Collins which they learned for their help in the Gift of Prayer and he Explain'd it to them Or else they Read and he Examined them in some other useful Book as Mr. Pool's Dialogues against the Papists the Assemblies Confession of Faith with the Scriptures or the like On Saturday Evenings his Children and Servants gave him an Account what they could remember of the Chapters that had been Expounded all the Week before in order each a several part helping one anothers Memories for the Recollecting of it This he call'd gathering up the Fragments which remained that nothing might be lost He would say to them sometimes as Christ to his Disciples Have ye understood all these things If not he took that occasion to explain them more fully This Exercise which he constantly kept up all along was both delightful and profitable and being managed by him with so much Prudence and sweetness helped to instil into those about him betimes the Knowledge and Love of the Holy Scriptures When he had Sojourners in his Family who were able to bear a part in such a Service he had commonly in the Winter time set Weekly Conferences on Questions propos'd for their mutual Edification and Comfort in the fear of God the Substance of what was said he himself took and kept an Account of in Writing But the Lord's Day he called and counted the Queen of Days the Pearl of the Week and observed it accordingly The Fourth Commandment intimates a special regard to be had to the Sabbath in Families Thou and thy Son and thy Daughter c. it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your Dwellings In this therefore he was very exact and abounded in the work of the Lord in his Family on that Day Whatever were the Circumstances of his Publick Opportunities which vari'd as we shall find afterwards his Family Religion on that day was the same Extraordinary Sacrifices must never supersede the continual Burnt-offering and his Meat-offering Numb 28. 15. His common Salutation of his Family or Friends on the Lord's Day in the Morning was that of the Primitive Christians The Lord is risen he is risen indeed making it his chief Business on that day to Celebrate the Memory of Christ's Resurrection and he would say sometimes Every Lord's Day is a true Christians Easter day He took care to have his Family ready early on that day and was larger in Exposition and Prayer on Sabbath-Mornings than on other days He would often remember that under the Law the daily Sacrifice was doubled on Sabbath-days two Lambs in the Morning and two in the Evening He had always a particular Subject for his Expositions on Sabbath Mornings the Harmony of the Evangelists several times over the Scripture Prayers Old Testament Prophesies of Christ Christ the true Treasure so he Entituled that Subject sought and found in the Field of the Old Testament He constantly sung a Psalm after Dinner and another after Supper on the Lord's Dayes And in the Evening of the Day his Children and Servants were Catechized and Examined in the sense and meaning of the Answers in the Catechism that they might not say it as he used to tell them like a Parrot by Rote Then the Days Sermons were repeated commonly by one of his Children when they were grown up and while they were with him and the Family gave an Account what they could remember of the word of the Day which he endeavoured to fasten upon them as a Nail in a sure place In his Prayers on the Evening of the Sabbath he was often more than ordinarily Enlarged as one that found not only God's Service perfect Freedom but his Work it s own Wages and a great Reward not only after keeping but as he used to observe from Ps. 19. 11. in keeping God's Commandments A perfect Reward of Obedience in Obedience In that Prayer he was usually very particular in praying for his Family and all that belong'd to it It was a Prayer he often put up that we might have Grace to carry it as a Minister and a Minister's Wife and a Minister's Children and a Minister's Servants should carry it that the Ministry might in nothing be blamed He would sometimes be a particular Intercessor for the Towns and Parishes adjacent How have I heard him when he hath been in the Mount with God in a Sabbath Evening Prayer wrestle with the Lord for Chester and Shrewsbury and Nantwich and Wrexham and Whitchurch c. those nests of Souls wherein there are so many that cannot discern between their Right Hand and their Left in Spiritual things c. He closed his Sabbath Work in his Family with singing Psalm 134. and after it a solemn Blessing of his Family Thus was he Prophet and Priest in his own House and he was King there too Ruling in the fear of God and not suffering Sin upon any under his Roof He had many Years ago a man Servant that was once over-taken in Drink abroad for which the next Morning at Family-Worship he solemnly Reproved him admonish'd him and Prayed for him with a Spirit of Meekness and soon after parted with him But there were many that were his Servants who by the Blessing of God upon his Endeavours got those good Impressions upon their Souls which they retain'd ever after and blessed God with all their Hearts that ever they came under his Roof Few went from his Service till they were Married and went to Families of their own and some after they had been Married and had Bury'd their Yoke fellows return'd to his Service again saying Master it is good to be here He brought up his Children in the fear of God with a great deal of Care and Tenderness and did by his Practise as well as upon all occasions in Discourses
whenever it may be had and an Ear open to all Overtures of that kind The two Motto's proper for the great Guns are applicable to this Ratio ultima Regum and Sic quaerimus Pacem Four Rules he sometimes gave to be observed in our Converse with Men Have Communion with few Be familiar with one Deal justly with all Speak evil of none He was noted for an extraordinary neat Husband about his House and Ground which he would often say he could not endure to see like the Field of the Sloathful and the Vineyard of the Man void of Understanding And it was strange how easily one that had been bred up utterly a Stranger to such things yet when God so ordered his Lot acquainted himself with and accommodated himself to the Affairs of the Country making it the Diversion of his vacant Hours to over-see his Gardens and Fields when he better understood that known Epode of Horace Beatus ille qui procul negotiis than he did when in his Youth he made an ingenious Translation of it His care of this kind was an Act of Charity to poor Labourers whom he employed and it was a good Example to his Neighbours as well as for the Comfort of his Family His Converse likewise with these things was excellently improved for Spiritual purposes by occasional Meditations hints of which there are often in his Diary as those that Conversed with him had many in Discourse Instances of this were easie but endless to give He us'd to say that therefore many of the Scripture Parables and Similitudes are taken from the common Actions of this Life that when our Hands are employed about them our Hearts may the more easily pass through them to Divine and Heavenly things I have heard him often blame those whose irregular Zeal in the Profession of Religion makes them to neglect their Worldly Business and let the House drop through the affairs of which the good Man will order with Discretion and he would tell sometimes of a Religious Woman whose Fault it was how she was convinced of it by means of an intelligent godly Neighbour who coming into the House and finding the good Woman far in the Day in her Closet and the House sadly neglected Children not tended Servants not minded What saith he is there no fear of God in this House which much startled and affected the good Woman that over-heard him He would often say Every thing is beautiful in its Season and that it is the Wisdom of the Prudent so to order the Duties of their General Callings as Christians and those of their particular Callings in the World as that they may not clash or interfere I have heard it observed from Eccl. 7. 16. That there may be over-doing in well-doing I cannot omit one little passage in his Diary because it may be Instructive When he was once desired to be bound for one that had upon a particular occasion been Bound for him he writes Solomon saith He that hateth Suretiship is sure but he saith also he that hath Friends must shew himself friendly But he always cautioned those that became Sureties not to be Bound for any more than they knew themselves able to pay nor for more than they would be willing to pay if the Principal fail His House at Broad-Oake was by the Road-side which tho' it had its inconveniencies yet he would say pleased him well because it gave his Friends an opportunity of calling on him the oftner and gave him an opportunity of being kind to Strangers and such as were any way distressed upon the Road to whom he was upon all occasions cheerfully ready fully answering the Apostles Character of a Bishop that he must be of good Behaviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decent affable and obliging and given to Hospitality 1 Tim. 3 2. like Abraham sitting at his Tent Door in quest of Opportunities to do good If he met with any poor near his House and gave them Alms in Money yet he would bid them go to his Door besides for Relief there He was very tender and compassionate towards poor Strangers and Travellers though his Charity and Candor were often imposed upon by Cheats and Pretenders whom he was not apt to be suspicious of but would say in the most favourable sense Thou knowest not the Heart of a Stranger If any ask'd his Charity whose Representation of their Case he did not like or who he thought did amiss to take that Course he would first give them an Alms and then mildly reprove them And labour to convince them that they were out of the way of Duty and that they could not expect that God should bless them in it and would not chide them but reason with them And he would say if he should tell them of their Faults and not give them an Alms the Reproof would look only like an Excuse to deny his Charity and would be rejected accordingly In a word his greatest Care about the things of this World was how to do good with what he had and to devise liberal things desiring to make no other Accession to his Estate but only that Blessing which attends Beneficence He did firmly believe and it should seem few do that what is given to the Poor is lent to the Lord who will pay it again in kind or kindness and that Religion and Piety is undoubtedly the best Friend to outward Prosperity and he found it so for it pleased God abundantly to bless his Habitation and to make a Hedge about him and about his House and about all that he had round about And though he did not delight himself in the abundance of Wealth yet which is far better he delighted himself in the abundance of Peace Psal. 37. 11. All that he had and did observably Prospered so that the Country oftentimes took Notice of it and called his Family a Family which the Lord had Blessed And his Comforts of this kind were as he us'd to pray they might be Oyl to the Wheels of his Obedience and in the use of these things he served the Lord his God with joyfulness and gladness of Heart yet still mindful of and grieved for the Affliction of Ioseph He would say sometimes when he was in the midst of the Comforts of this Life as that good Man All this and Heaven too surely then we serve a good Master Thus did the Lord bless him and make him a Blessing and this abundant Grace through the Thanksgiving of many redounded to the Glory of God Having given this general Account of his Circumstances at Broad-Oak we shall now go on with his Story especially as to the Exercise of his Ministry there and thereabouts for that was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing in which he was and to which he wholly gave himself taking other things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After this Settlement at Broad-Oak whenever there was Preaching at Whitewell Chappel as usually there was two Lord's days in the Month
Year 1687. and the other two in a Year and a half after so many Swarms as he us'd 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 easie and at rest in a Father's House than his were yet he would sometimes say concerning them as Naomi to Ruth Ruth 3. 1. Shall I not seek rest for thee Two advices he us'd to give both to his Children and others in their Choice of that Relation One was Keep within the bounds of Profession such as one may charitably hope is from a good Principle The other was Look at Suitableness in Age Quality Education Temper c. He us'd to observe from Gen. 2. 18. I will make him a help meet for him that where there is not Meetness there will not be much Help And he would commonly say to his Children with reference to that choice Please God and please your selves 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 aim'd 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 us'd 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 steer'd by that Principle That a Man's Life consisteth 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 He was greatly affected with the Goodness of God to him herein without any forecast or contrivance of his own The Country saith he in his Diary takes notice of it and what then shall I render Surely this is a Token for good All his Four Daughters were Marry'd at Whitewel Chappel and he Preach'd a Wedding Sermon for each of them in his own Family after He would often tell his Friends That those who desire in the Marâ—…ied Condition to live in the Favour of God must enter upon that Condition in the Fear of God For it 's an ill Omen to stumble at the Threshold and an Error in the first Concoction is seldom amended in the second 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 and Condition but I would desire and do desire that they may do more for God in it than we have done His usual Complement to his New-Married Friends was others wish you all Happiness I wish you all Holiness and then there is no doubt but you 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 in this merciful way bereav'd of our Children let us be bereav'd and God turn it for good to them as we know he will if they love and fear his Name And when sometime after she was Married 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 saith 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 thus writes to a dear Relation We are now left as we were One and One and yet but one One the Lord I trust that hath 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 was 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 from Iob 1. 4. That the Childrens 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 imaginable dy'd of the Small-Pox in Child-bed upon the Thanks giving day for King William's coming in She dy'd but a few Weeks after Mr. Henry had Married the last of his Daughters upon which Marriage he had said Now we have a full Lease God only knows which Life will drop first She comforted her self in the extremity of her illness with this word Well when I come to Heaven I shall see that I 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 through Grace dispell'd and she finished her Course with Joy and a Cheerful Expectation of the Glory to be reveal'd When she lay ill Mr. Henry being in fear not only for her that was ill but for the rest of his Children in Chester who had none of them past the Pikes of that perillous Distemper wrote thus to his Son on
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