—Lord, thou knowest I seek not theirs but them. the axe to that, and bewail that, and see an absolute necessity of a change; for except you be born again [An edifying instance is preserved in the following and become a new creature, that is, except a contrary letter. It has no date. My dear Friend; k I am glad to hear by your father, that God hath been, of late, at work with your soul; and, I hope, it will prove the good work, which, where he once begins, he will be sure to perform, until the day of Jesus Christ. Now I send these few lines to you from my affectionate love, and from the true desire which I have of your spiritual and everlasting welfare, to be your remembrancer, that you be sure, by all means, to lay a good foundation, for want of which multitudes miscarry and come to nothing. Now that foundation must be laid in sound convictions of, and hearty contrition for, sin; * you must bethink yourself of the error of your way, in how many things you have offended; and who can tell, in how many? You must lay before you the pure, and holy, and spiritual law of God; and if the commandment came to you by the Spirit of God working with it, as it came to Paul, Romans vii. 9. it will make sin to revive; and the reviving of sin, in that manner, will be the death of all your vain hopes and carnal confidences; you will then change your note, and from the Pharisee's, God, I thank thee, I am not as other men are; you will cry out with the poor Publican, God, be merciful to me a sinner! Oh, the numberless numbers of vain thoughts, idle words, unprofitable communications, that have past you in any one day, the best of your days! the multitudes of omissions of duty to God, to man in general, in particular relations! the multitudes of commissions, whereby from time to time you have transgressed and turned aside, in the several ages and stages of your life, through which you have passed! Though you are but young, and, therefore, free from much of that guilt which others lie under, yet conclude, I say conclude, you have enough and enough again, if God should enter into judgment with you, to sink you into the bottomless pit of hell; and, therefore, you must enter into judgment with yourself, and condemn yourself, and if you do it aright, you shall not be judged of the Lord, nor condemned with the world. Be free and full in your confessions, and after all you must close with David's, &c. Psalm xix. 12. "Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults." Let the streams lead you to the Fountain; see a root, a root of bitterness in your nature, bearing gall and wormwood in your life and actions; and be sure lay h See 2 Cor. xii. 14, The welfare of his people was very dear to him, and lay near his heart; he sought not theirs, but them; nor was his care so much to gather in tithes as soules. The Life of Dr. Thomas Taylor, who died A. D. 1632, prefixed to his Works, fol. 1653. principle of grace be wrought in you to work out that naughty principle of corruption by degrees, you cannot enter into the kingdom of God. And here all the creatures in heaven and earth cannot help you; they must each of them say, it is not in me, it is not in me; they have neither a righteousness for you wherein to stand before God for justification, nor the power to give you for the mortifying of one vicious habit, or for the performing of any one act of acceptable obedience; but, blessed be God, help is laid for us upon one that is mighty, able to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him, the only Mediator between God and Man, the Man Christ Jesus; and, therefore, by him you must go to God. I say must, or you are undone, for there is no other name given under heaven by which we can be saved; you must in the sight and sense of your own lost and undone condition in yourself, by reason of the guilt which lies upon you, resolve to cast yourself upon the free grace of the gospel; making this your only plea at the bar of his offended justice, I have sinned, but Christ Jesus hath died, yea, rather is risen again, and in him mercy is promised to the penitent, and therefore to me. Do not suffer the tempter, nor your own belief, to beat you from this plea. These will tell you, you are a great sinner, it may be a backslider after convictions, and that often, and, therefore, it is to no purpose; but do not hearken to them; say, faithful is he that hath promised, and hold fast there; say, the worse I am, the more need I have of a Saviour, the more his mercy will be magnified in saving me; remember David's argument, Psalm xxv. 11. And when you have in this manner by faith applied Christ crucified to your soul, you are bound to believe that God doth accept of you, that your sins are pardoned, and that you shall not come into condemnation. And then your next work must be to study what you shall render, to love him that hath loved you first, and out of love to him to forsake all sin, and to buckle to all duty; to read, hear, and meditate, in the word of God, that you may know what the will of God is concerning you, and what you ought to do; and when you know it, resolve to do it. You will say, I cannot. I know you cannot, but in this also help is laid up for you in Jesus Christ; if you come to him daily, as you have occasion, in the sense of your own impotency, he will strengthen you with all might by his Spirit in the inner man; he will plant grace, and water his own planting, and make it to grow i See Gen. xiv. 21. k See P. Henry's Eighteen Sermons, ut supra, p. 209. where sin is considered as an abomination; and also, ib. 277. where the poor in spirit are proved to be blessed. 1 Appendix, No. V. m and bring forth fruit. I can do all things, saith Paul, Your truly affectionate and well-wishing friend, PHILIP HENRY. ] m Rom. vi. 4. My soul hath oft been refreshed with that sweet word,-"We are not under the law, but under grace;"-and, I may say concerning it,—It is "all my salvation, and all my desire, although he should not make my house to grow." P. Henry. Orig. MS. A believer, says Mr. Mead, is under the law for conduct, but not for judgment; it is the guide of his path, but not the judge of his state. The good of early obedience. p. 307. duod. 1683. n See ante, p. 14. . Orig. MS. P Appendix, No. VI. q For a full account of the conduct of such interviews, and a summary of their advantages, see Clark's Lives of Eminent Divines, ut supra. Pref. pp. 4, 5. r On one occasion the question being proposed, What means are we to use that we may get knowledge, particularly that which is divine? Mr. Henry gave the following answer, which furnishes a corroboration of many statements in the volume, and will be a directory to others who are seeking instruction: Be convinced that knowledge is not a matter of indifference. See John xvii. 3; 2 Thess. i. 7, 8. Hos. iv. 6. Isa. xxvi. II. Without knowledge there is no faith; ignorant believing is but presumption, Isa. liii. 11. Labour to see thy want of knowledge, Prov. xxvi. 12. 1 Cor. viii. 2. Isa. xxviii. 9. It is certain you can He was in labours more abundant to win souls; besides preaching he expounded the Scriptures in order; catechised, and explained 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 dismissed them from further attendance, with commendation of their proficiency, and counsel, "to hold fast the form of sound 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 catechised 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, though they had the liberty of public places, yet taught also from house to house, Acts v. 42; xx. 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 increasing 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 praying 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. never know too much.-Be diligent and constant in the use of ordinances. Public;-Hear the word preached. In hearing, be sure observe the doctrine, which, for the most part, is very short; and, for the help of such whose memories are weak, given usually in the very words of Scripture, which is taken for the text. If you can carry away nothing else, fail not to carry away that. But should I be speaking to you an hour about any worldly business, you would remember a great deal more than one sentence. Turn to proof afterwards. Private;-Read the scriptures, or get others to read them to you, in your families. Read those that are most for edification. Regard not so much how many chapters you read, as how many truths you can make up to yourselves from what you read. Unless where continuance of story requires, let, ordinarily, one or two chapters at a time suffice; and let them be read once and again. Also, get some good books, catechisms, &c. that contain the principles of religion. If thou canst not buy, borrow. Keep knowing company; and, when you are with such, be inquiring,-What means this?-not out of curiosity, but for edification. You, who have knowledge, be willing to communicate. You will lose nothing by it. Pray much; especially before hearing, reading, &c. See James i. 5. Prov. ii. 3, &c. Use some short ejaculation. Psalm cxix. is full of such. P. Henry. Orig. MS. He preached funeral sermons for all that were | solemn, weighty service under heaven; we are come buried there, rich and poor, old or young, or little to a feast, where the feast-maker is God the Father, children; for he looked upon it as an opportunity of the provision, God the Son, whose flesh is meat doing good. He called it,-setting in the plow of indeed, and whose blood is drink indeed; the guests, the word, when the Providence had softened and a company of poor sinners, unworthy such an prepared the ground. He never took any money for honour; the crumbs under the table were too good that or any other ministerial performance, besides for us, and yet we are admitted to taste of the prohis stated salary, for which he thought himself vision upon the table; and that which makes the obliged to do his whole duty to them as a minister. feast is hearty welcome. God the Father bids you When he first set up the ordinance of the Lord's welcome; and ten thousand welcomes this day, to Supper there, he did it with very great solemnity. the flesh and blood of his Son. Think you hear him After he had endeavoured to instruct them in his saying it to you, O believing souls, Cant. v. 1.— public preaching, touching the nature of that ordi- | Eat, O friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly, O benance, he discoursed personally with all that gave loved. The end of this feast is to keep in rememup their names to the Lord in it, touching their brance the death of Christ, and our deliverance by knowledge, experience, and conversation, obliged it, and thereby to convey spiritual nourishment and them to observe the law of Christ, touching bro- | refreshment to our souls. But withal, give me leave therly admonition in case of scandal; and gave to ask you one question,-What appetite have you notice to the congregation who they were that were to this feast? Are you come hungering and thirsting? admitted; adding this: "Concerning these, and Such as have the promise, they shall be filled. He myself, I have two things to say. 1. As to what is | filleth the hungry with good things, but the rich are past, we have sinned. If we should say, we have sent empty away; a honey-comb to a full soul is no not, we should deceive ourselves, and the truth were honey-comb. Canst thou say as Christ said,-With not in us; and yet this withal we can say, and have desire I have desired to eat this? In this ordinance said it, some of us with tears,-We are grieved that here is Christ and all his benefits exhibited to thee. we have sinned. 2. For time to come we Art thou weak? here is bread to strengthen thee. resolved by God's grace to walk in new obedience; Art thou sad? here is wine to comfort thee. What and yet seeing we are not angels, but men and wo- is it thou standest in need of? a pardon? here it is, men, compassed about with infirmities and tempta- sealed in blood, take it by faith, as I offer it to you tions, it is possible we may fall; but if we do, it is in the name of the Lord Jesus; though thy sins have our declared resolution to submit to admonition and been as scarlet, they shall be as wool, if thou be willing censure, according to the rule of the gospel." And and obedient. It may be, here are some that have all along he took care so to manage his admissions been drunkards, swearers, scoffers at godliness, to that ordinance, as that the weak might not be sabbath-breakers, and what not ;—and God hath put discouraged, and yet the ordinance might not be it into your hearts to humble yourselves, to mourn profaned. He would tell those whom he was ne- for and turn from all your abominations. Oh, come cessitated to debar from the ordinance for ignorance, hither, here is forgiveness for thee. What else is it that he would undertake, if they were but truly thou wantest? Oh, saith the poor soul, I would willing, they might in a week's time, by the blessing have more of the spirit of grace, more power against of God upon their diligent use of means, reading, sin, especially my own iniquity. Why, here it is for prayer, and conference, get such a competent mea- thee: 'from the fulness that is in Jesus Christ, sure of knowledge, as to be able to discern the Lord's we receive, and grace for grace.' John i. 16. We body. And those that had been scandalous, if they may say as David did, Psalm cviii. 7, 8. God hath would but come in and declare their repentance, and spoken in his holiness, and then Gilead is mine, and resolutions of new obedience, they should no longer Manasseh is mine. So God hath spoken in his word be excluded. 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 show for it. This is to those among you, that have engaged their hearts to approach unto God this day. are To give a specimen of his lively administrations of that ordinance, let me transcribe the notes of his exhortation at the first sacrament that ever he administered, November 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 * Some important observations on this subject, in connexion with the Test Act, occur in the Hist. of Dissenters, v. 4. p. 181— 186. "But if there be 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, u Is it not probable, this was 1657? Mr. Henry's ordination was September 16, in that year. ▾ The one great cause of the great flourishing of religion in the or the omission of any duty against your knowledge | unfaithfully in the covenant, is known to God and and conscience; you that have any malice or grudge your own conscience; but this we know, the vows to any of your neighbours, leave your gift and go of God are upon you; and let every one that nameth your ways; be reconciled to God, be reconciled to the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But before your brother, and then come! Better shame we baptize your child, I am to acquaint you, in a thyself for coming so near, than damn thyself by few words, what we expect from you. coming nearer. I testify to those, who say they shall "Q. (1.) Do you avouch God in Jesus Christ this have peace, though they go on still in their tres- day to be your God? -See to it that this be passes, that there is poison in the bread; take it and done in truth, and with a perfect heart. You may eat it at your own peril; there is poison in the cup tell us you do so, and you may deceive us, but God too, you drink your own damnation. I wash my is not mocked. Q. (2.) And is it your desire, that hands from the guilt of your blood. Look you to it, your children also may be received into covenant on the other hand, you poor penitent souls that are with the Lord, and that the Lord's broad-scal of baplost in yourselves, here is a Christ to save you. tism may be set to it?, Q. (3.) And do you promise Come, O come, ye that are weary and heavy laden,”&c. | in the presence of God, and of this congregation, that It may not be amiss to transcribe also some hints you will do your endeavour towards the training of of preparation for the administering of the ordinance it up in the way of godliness, that as it is by you, of baptism," which I find under his hand, at his first through mercy, that it lives the life of nature, so it setting out in the ministry, as follows: 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." We see "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. Though to be born of such, does not necessarily entitle infants to the spiritual mercies of the cove- These were but the first instances of his skilfulnant, for grace doth not run in the blood. ness in dispensing the mysteries of the kingdom of the contrary many times, even godly parents have God. He declined the private administration of the wicked children; Abraham had his Ishmael, and Lord's Supper to sick persons, as judging it not Isaac his Esau; yet, questionless, it doth entitle them consonant to the rule and intention of the ordinance. to the external privileges of the covenant. The like He very rarely, if ever, baptized in private; but figure unto Noah's ark, even baptism doth also now would have children brought to the solemn assembly save us. Noah, and all that were his, entered into upon the Lord's day, that the parent's engagement the ark, though we have cause to doubt whether they might have the more witnesses to it, and the child all entered into heaven. While our Lord Jesus was the more prayers put up for it, and that the congrehere upon the earth, they brought little children to gation might be edified. And yet he would say, him, and he laid his hands on them, and blessed them; there was some inconvenience in it too, unless peoand said, moreover, Suffer little children to come ple would agree to put off the feasting part of the unto me, and forbid them not, (there are many at this solemnity to some other time, which he very much day, that forbid little children to come to Christ,) he persuaded his friends to; and observed, that Abraadds the reason,-for of such is the kingdom of hea-ham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was Whether it be meant of the visible church, | weaned, (Genesis xxi. 8.) not the same day that he often so called in the gospel, or of the state of glory was circumcised. in another world; either way it affords an argument His carriage towards the people of his parish was for proof of infant baptisın. When either parent is very exemplary; condescending to the meanest, and in covenant with God, their children also are in co-conversing familiarly with them: bearing with the venant with him; and being in covenant, they have an undoubted right and title to this ordinance of 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 ven. primitive times, was, certainly, the strictness used by them in their admission of members into church societies, which is fully described by Origen, against Celsus; who tells us, they did inquire into their lives and carriages, to discern their seriousness in the profession of Christianity during their being catechumens; who after tells us, they did require true repentance and reformation of life, then we admit them to the participation of our mysteries. infirmities of the weak, and becoming all things to all men. [Weak Christians, he remarks, have infirmities: but infirmity supposes life, and all who are alive to God have an inward sense of sin, and their own lost condition, by reason of it,-they heartily close with Christ upon gospel terms for pardon and peace,— Irenicum, by Edward Stillingfleet, afterwards Bishop of Worcester. 4to. 1661. pp. 134, 135. w Mr. Matthew Henry left in manuscript a Treatise on Baptism. It was abridged and published by the Rev. Thomas Robins in 1783. The reader will find many extracts from it in " Antipædobaptism Examined," by the late Dr. Edward Williams, vol. ii. ch. vi. ed. 1789. See also Orton's Letters to Dissenting Ministers, v. ii. p. 67. and have unfeigned desires and endeavours to walk 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 Ecclesiastes xi. 9. Rejoice, 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 signified 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 travail of his own soul to the rejoicing 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 to, 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 Joseph. Yet the opportunity he found there was 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 be had upon good terms, as much more eligible, 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 this 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. To return,] 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 He had not been long at Worthenbury, but he reproved what he saw amiss in any, and would not began to be taken notice of by the neighbouring suffer sin upon them; mourning also for that which ministers, as likely to be a considerable man. he could not mend. There were some untractable, Though his extraordinary modesty and humility, people in the parish, who sometimes caused grief to which even in his youth he was remarkable for, him, and exercised his boldness and zeal in reprov-made him to sit down with silence in the lowest ing. Once hearing of a merry meeting at an ale-room, and to say, as Elihu, Days shall speak; yet his house, on a Saturday night, he went himself and broke it up, and scattered them. At another time, he publicly witnessed against a frolic of some vain people, that on a Saturday night came to the church with a fiddler before them, and dressed it up with flowers and garlands, making it, as he told them, x P. Henry. Orig. MS. y This statement is now inapplicable to congregational assemblies. Considering the aspect of the times, educational predilections, and official custom, it cannot be surprising that such a man as Mr. Henry should have felt sensibly on the subject. The sen. timent was, indeed, common, and for similar reasons, to the body of Presbyterian Ministers. The experience, however, which resulted from the Act of Uniformity in 1662, and other subsequent statutes, evidently lessened their objections, and showed that the difficulties were rather imaginary than real. eminent gifts and graces could not long be hid; the ointment of the right hand will betray itself, 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 xiv. 10. He was often called upon to preach the week-day lectures, z Ut quimus, aiunt; quando, ut volumus, non licet. Terence. Andria, Act. IV. Sc. VI. In a valuable little Treatise, "Of the Power of Godlinesse," by Thomas White, duod. 1658. The author states, that one great impediment" whereby wee are hindered in the wayes of God,""not to do what wee can, because we cannot do what wee would, or should." Ib. p. 139. So, Mr. Bereman,-" If you cannot do the good you would, then do the good you can." Farewell Sermons, p. 324. 4to. 1663. |