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certainty, believing the public would be a more hofpitable Ibid. p. 13, protector of learning and science, than fome of the upper 14.

world in his own order.

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"That he should have the affurance to frame a plan, Ibid. p. 154 "which no mortal ever thought of; that he should fingly "execute what would sprain a dozen of modern doctors of "the tribe of Iffachar; that he should have fuccess against "all oppofition; challenge his adverfaries to fair disputa"tions, without any offering to difpute with him; write, "read, and ftudy 12 hours a day, and yet appear as un"touched by the yoke, as if he never wore it; compofe "three differtations each week, on all fubjects, however uncommon, treated in all lights and manners by himself, "without affiftance, as fome would detract from him; teach "in one year, what fchools and univerfities teach in five; "offer to learn-to fpeak and-to read; not be terrified "by cabals, or menaces, or infults, or the grave nonsense of one, or the frothy fatire of another; that he should still "proceed and mature this bold fcheme, and put the church, " and all that, in danger;―This man must be a- a— a— "a-&c. The gaieties of youth and converfation," he Ibid. p. 16, adds, 66 are often an effect of vivacity and fire, which is cor"rected by years and experience; St. Athanafius, St. Auguftin, St. Ambrofe, Euftathius, Luther, Calvin, num"bers of grave bishops and weighty men, have been charged "with them; but the fins of the elder clergy would fill more "volumes than thofe of the younger, or than their own good "works; and ecclefiaftical gallantry would be, perhaps, "the moft copious topic of ecclefiaftical hiftory. Mr. Henley has given in his youth more demonftrations to the "public of his industry and defire to improve himself and "the world (in proportion to his years and opportunities) "than all his antagonists put together. His difcourfes are Ibid. p. 174"clear, full, and diverfified according to his fubject. His "academical and theological lectures are a rigorous enquiry "into the truth of the question proposed, to inform and con

66

vince; his fermons and orations are more rhetorical and "perfuafive; and speaking is peculiar to himself, and na"tural. He improves daily in all acquirements of an uni- Ibid. p. 18. "verfal fcholar. What one man in England profeffes to "have the spirit of encouraging literature, but this gentle

66 man, in the utmost extent of rational liberty? And what Ibid. p. 19. greater crime is it to contribute fomething to animate

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"the parts and merit of Englishmen, than millions other"wife? I can vouch for the authenticnefs of any particular Ibid. p. 20.

D 2

6 in

Ibid. p. 22.

"in this narrative; and as I have here reprefented facts
"only, and what fome have required, no apology is necef-
"fary, nothing is overstrained in favour of the perfon, or the
"undertaking, though many things have been overstrained
to their prejudice..
A. WELSTEDE.”

Mr. Henley, in answer to a cavil [that he borrowed from books] propofed, "that if any person would single out any celebrated difcourfe of an approved writer, dead or "living, and point out what he thought excellent in it, and "the reafons; he would submit it to the world, whether the "most famed compofition might not be furpaffed in their "own excellency, either on that, or any different fubject."

Henley preached on Sundays upon theological matters, and on Wednesdays upon all other fciences. He declaimed fome years against the greateft perfons, and occafionally, fays Warburton, did Pope that honour. The poet in return thus blazons him to infamy :

"But, where each science lifts its modern type, "History her pot, Divinity his pipe,

"While proud Philofophy repines to fhow, "Difhoneft fight! his breeches rent below; "Imbrown'd with native bronze, lo Henley ftands, "Tuning his voice, and balancing his hands. "How fluent nonfenfe trickles from his tongue! "How sweet the periods, neither faid, nor fung! "Still break the benches, Henley! with thy ftrain, "While Kennet, Hare, and Gibfon preach in vain. "O great reftorer of the good old stage, "Preacher at once, and Zany of thy age! "O worthy thou of Ægypt's wife abodes, "A decent priest, where monkies were the gods! "But Fate with butchers plac'd thy priestly stall, "Meek modern faith to murder, hack and maul: "And bade thee live to crown Britannia's praife, "In Toland's, Tindal's, and in Woolfton's days." This wonderful perfon (who died Oct. 14, 1756) ftruck medals, which he difperfed as tickets to his fubfcribers: a star rifing to the meridian, with this motto, "ad fumma ;" and below, "Inveniam viam, aut faciam." Each auditor paid 1 s. He was author of a weekly paper called "The Hyp Doctor,' for which he had 100l. a year given him. Henley used, every Saturday, to print an advertisement in "The Daily "Advertiser," containing an account of the subjects he intended to difcourfe on the ensuing evening, at his Oratory

near

near Lincoln's-inn-fields, with a fort of motto before it, which was generally a fineer at fome public tranfaction of the preceding week [D].

Orator Henley is a principal figure in two of the very humorous plates of Hogarth; in one of which he is "chrif"tening a child;" in the other, called "The Oratory," he is reprefented on a fcaffold, a monkey (over whom is written Amen) by his fide. A box of pills and "The Hyp Doctor" lying befide him. Over his head "The Oratory: Inveniam viam, aut faciam." Over the door, "Ingredere ut pro"ficias." A parfon receiving the money for admiffion. Under him, "The Treasury.' A butcher ftands as porter. On the left hand, Modefty in a cloud; Folly in a coach; and a gibbet prepared for Merit; people laughing. One marked" The Scout" introducing a Puritan divine [E],

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[D] In 1731, March 24, the fubject of his fermon, which was, "On the unknown God," fuggefted the following epigram:

"When from the tub, fublime in "masquerade,

"Fully review'd the unknown God'

"difplay'd:

rody of his text appeared as a motto to
Henley's advertisement :

"Away with the wicked before the
king,

"And away with the wicked behind
❝ him;

"His throne it will blefs,
"With righteousness,

"Clare butchers, mixt with faints of "And we fhall know where to find

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" him."

His audience was generally compofed of
the lowest ranks; and it is well known,
that he even collected an infinite num-
ber of fhoe-makers, by announcing
that he could teach them a speedy mode
of operation in their bufinefs, which
proved only to be, the making of shoes
by cutting off the tops of ready-made
boats.

[E] This defcription is taken from
the "Biographical Anecdotes of Ho-
"garth," by Mr. Nichols, who doubts,
however, whether "The Oratory" be
a genuine production of Hogarth.

Mr. Philip
Henry, by

HENRY (PHILIP), one of the fathers of Nonconformi- The Life of ty, or, as he was called, "the good, the heavenly Mr. "Henry," was born at Whitehall, in 1631: his father, Matthew John Henry, was page of the back-ftairs to the king's fe- Henry, cond fon, James duke of York. About 12 years old he 1765. was admitted into Weftminfter-school, under Mr. Thomas Vincent, then ufher; very diligent in his business, but who grieved fo much at the dulnefs of many of his fcholars, that

he fell into a confumption, and was faid to be killed "with falfe Latin." A while after, he was taken into the upper school under Dr. Bufby, with whom he was a great favourite; and was employed by him, with fome others, in collecting materials for that excellent Greek grammar he afterwards publifhed. Soon after the civil wars broke out, there was a daily morning lecture, fet up at the abbey.. church, by the affembly of divines. His pious mother requefted Dr. Bufby to give her fon leave to attend this, and likewife took him with her every Thurfday to Mr. Cafe's lecture, at St. Martin's: fhe alfo took him to the monthly fafts at St. Margaret's, where the Houfe of Commons attended; and where the fervice was carried on with great ftrictnefs and folemnity, from eight in the morning till four in the evening in thefe, as he himself hath recorded it, he had often fweet meltings of foul.

'He was chofen from Weftminster to Chrift-church in Oxford, where he was admitted a ftudent in 1648, and vigorously applied himself to the proper ftudies of the place, When he had compleated his master's degree, he was entertained in the family of judge Pulefton, at Emeral in Flintfhire, to take the overfight of his fons, and to preach at Worthenbury. He was ordained to the work of the miniftry in this place in 1657, according to the known directory of the affembly of divines, and the common ufage of the Prefbyterians. He foon after married the only daughter and heirefs of Mr. Daniel Mathews, of Broad-Oak, near Whitchurch, by whom he became poffeffed of a competent estate, When the king and epifcopacy were reftored, he refused to conform; was ejected, and retired with his family to BroadOak. Here and in this neighbourhood, he spent the remainder of his life, about 28 years; relieving the poor, employing the induftrious, inftructing the ignorant, and exercifing every opportunity of doing good. His moderation in his Nonconformity was eminent and exemplary; and upon all occafions he bore teftimony against uncharitable and schifmatical feparation. In church-government, he defired and wifhed for Abp. Ufher's reduction of epifcopacy. He thought it lawful to join in the common-prayer in the public affemblies; which, during the time of his filence and restraint, he conftantly attended with his family, with reverence and devotion.

Upon the whole, his character feems to have been highly exemplary and praife-worthy: and it may be asked, as Dr. Bufby afked him, "What made him a Nonconformist ?"

the

the reafon which he principally infifted on was, that he could not fubmit to be re-ordained. He was fo well fatisfied with his call to the miniftry, and folemn ordination to it, by the laying on the hands of the Prefbytery, that he durft not do that which looked like a renunciation of it, as null and finful, and would at leaft be a tacit invalidating and condemning of all his adminiftrations.

Defpairing to fee an accommodation, he kept a meeting at Broad-Oak, and preached to a congregation in a barn.

HENRY (MATTHEW), an eminent Diffenting teacher, Life of and voluminous writer, was the fon of the foregoing, and MaHenry, by T. W. born in 1662. He continued under his father's eye and care, 1716. till about 18, and had the greatest advantages of his education from him, both in divine and human literature. He was very expert in the learned languages, efpecially in the Hebrew, which had been made familiar to him from his childhood; and from firft to laft, the ftudy of the Scriptures was his moft delightful employment. For further improvement, he was placed in 1680, at an academy at Iflington. He was afterwards entered in Gray's-inn for the study of the law; where he went on with his ufual diligence, and became acquainted with the civil law, and the municipal law of his own country. His proficiency was foon obferved; and it was the opinion of those who knew him, that his great industry, quick apprehenfion, tenacious memory, and ready utterance, would have rendered him very eminent in that profeffion. But he stuck to his firft refolution of making divinity his ftudy and business, and attended the most celebrated preachers about the town; and, as an inftance of his judgement, he was beft pleafed with Dr. Stillingfleet for his ferious practical preaching; and with Dr. Tillotfon, for his admirable fermons against Popery, at his lectures at Lawrence Jury. In 1686, he returned into the country, and preached feveral times as a candidate for the miniftry with fuch fuccefs and approbation, that the congregation at Chefter invited him to be their paftor. To this place he was ordained in 1687, where he lived about 25 years. He had feveral calls from London, which he conftantly declined; but was at laft prevailed on to accept a very important and unanimous one from Hackney. He died in 1714, at Nantwich, of an apoplectic fit upon a journey, and was interred at Trinity-church in Chester.

He was univerfally lamented; every pulpit of the Diffent-ers gave notice of the great breach that was made upon the

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church

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