preached by the fellows of colleges in their course; but, that being found not so much for edification, Dr. Owen* and Dr. Goodwin + performed that service alternately, and the young masters that were wont to preach it, had a lecture on Tuesday appointed them. The sermons he heard at Oxford he commonly wrote, not in the time of hearing, but afterwards, when he came home, in his reflection upon them, which he found a good help to his memory. In Decenber, 1652, he proceeded Master of Arts, and in January following preached his first sermon at South Hinksey in Oxfordshire, on John, viii. 34. Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. On this occasion he writes in his diary what was the breathing of his heart towards God,-The Lord make use of me as an instrument of his glory, and his church's good, in this high and holy calling. His great parts and improvement, notwithstanding his extraordinary modesty and humility, had made him so well known in the University, that in the following act, in July, 1653, he was chosen out of all the masters of that year, to be junior of the act, that is, to answer the philosophy questions in Vesperiis, which he did with very great applause; especially for the very witty and ingenious orations which he made to the University upon that occasion. His questions were,-1. An licitum sit carnibus vesci? Aff. 2. An institutio academiarum sit utilis in republicâ? Aff. 3. An ingenium pendeat ab humoribus corporis? Aff. At the act in 1654, he was chosen Magister Replicans, and answered the philosophy questions in comitiis, with a like applause. His questions then were,1. An melius sit sperare quam frui? Neg. 2. An maxima animi delectatio sit a sensibus? Neg. 3. An utile sit peregrinari? Aff Dr. Owen, who was then Vice-Chancellor, hath spoken with great commendation of these performances of Mr. Henry's to some in the University afterwards, who never knew him otherwise than by report; and I have heard a worthy divine who was somewhat his junior in the University, and there a perfect stranger to him, say, how much he admired these exercises of his, and loved him for them; and yet how much more he admired, when he afterwards became acquainted with him in the country, that so curious and polite an orator should become so profitable and powerful a preacher, and so readily lay aside the enticing words of man's wisdom, which were so easy to him. There is a copy of Latin verses of his in print, among the poems which the University of Oxford published upon the peace concluded with Holland, in the year 1654, which show him to be no less a poet than an orator. He hath noted it of some pious young men, that before they 1704. Nat. 1616. Ob. Aug. 24, 1683. See his Life by Mr. Orme, ut supra. Appendix, No. III. removed from the University into the country, they kept a day of fasting and humiliation for the sins they had been guilty of in that place and state. And in the visits he made afterwards to the University, he inserts into his book, as no doubt God did into His, -a tear dropt over my University-sins.* [He would sometimes say, "When we mourn for sin because God is offended by it, and abstain from sin because of his honour, that we may not wrong him, or grieve him, this is more pleasing to him than burnt offerings and sacrifices.+] May not Sterne have had in view this sentence when he penned the wellknown passage,-"The accusing spirit which flew up to heaven's chancery with the oath, blushed as he gave it in;-and the Recording Angel, as he wrote it down, dropped a tear upon the word, and blotted it out for ever?" Works, vol. vi. p. 42, duod. 1762. + P. Henry. Orig. MS. CHAPTER III His Removal to Worthenbury, in Flintshire, his Ordination to the Ministry, and his Exercise of it there. WORTHENBURY is a little town by Dee side in that Hundred of Flintshire, which is separated some miles from the rest of the county, and known by the name of English Mailors, because though it is reputed in Wales, as pertaining to Flintshire, yet in language and customs it is wholly English, and lies mostly between Cheshire and Shropshire. Worthenbury was of old a parochial chapel, belonging to the rectory of Bangor, but was separated from it in the year 1658, by the trustees for uniting and dividing of parishes, and was made a parish of itself. But what was then done being vacated by the King's coming in, it then came to be in statu quo, and continued an appurtenant to Bangor, till, in the second year of the reign of King William and Queen Mary, it was again by act of Parliament separated, and made independent upon Bangor. That was the only act that passed the royal assent with the act of recognition, at the beginning of the second parliament of this reign. § The principal family in Worthenbury parish, is that of the Pulestons of Emeral. The head of the family was then John Puleston, Serjeant at Law, one of the Judges of the Common Pleas. This was the family to which Mr. Henry came from Christchurch, presently after he had completed his master's degree, in 1653. Ordered into that remote, and unto him unknown, corner of the country, by that over-ruling Providence which determineth the times before appointed, and the bounds of our habitation. The Judge's lady was a person of more than ordinary parts and wisdom, in piety inferior to few, but in learning superior to most of her sex, which I could give instances of from what I find among *Beneth Bangor, stil on the south side of Dee ryver, is a paroche caullid Worthembre; in Walch, Guothumbre; having a faire chirch, but as a membre to Bangor. Leland's Itinerary, vol. v. p. 30, oct. 1744. + See Leland, ut supra, v. 5. p.30. + Ibid. Sir John Trevor, the Speaker, being father-in-law to Sir Roger Puleston, the Patron. Life. Orig. MS. ut supra. * Mr. Henry's papers, particularly an elegy she made upon the death of the famous Mr. John Selden,† who was her great friend. This was the lady whose agency first brought Mr. Henry into this country. She wrote to a friend of her's, Mr. Francis Palmer, ‡ student of Christ-church, to desire him to recommend to her a young man to be in her family, and to take the oversight of her sons, some of whom were now ready for the University, and to preach at Worthenbury on the Lord's days, for which a very honourable encouragement § was promised. Mr. Palmer proposed it to his friend Mr. Henry, who was willing for one half-year to undertake it, provided it might be required of him to preach but once on the Lord's day, and that some other supply might be got for the other part of the day, he being now but twenty-two years of age, and newly entered upon that great work. Provided also, that he should be engaged but for half a year, as little intending to break off so soon from an academical life, which he delighted in so much. But preferring usefulness before his own private satisfaction, he was willing to make trial for a while in the country, as one that sought not his own things, but the things of Jesus Christ, to whose service in the work of the ministry he had entirely devoted himself, bending his studies wholly that way. [One of the letters which passed on the occasion just referred to, has been preserved. It is introduced from the hand-writing of Lady Puleston, and the orthography correctly transcribed. It illustrates in some measure the nature of Mr. Henry's inquiries, and furnishes a pleasing corroboration of the character already given of its excellent writer. 19th Sept. 1653. Cosin Palmer, Y® Messeng wch brought mee a lett fro y brought ye judg one also fro his Nephew, Mr. Hamlet Puleston. But no motio of a Schoolm'. However I rely so much on y choice of y gentim pposed, y' thers' no need to trouble Mr. H. Puleston. I am content to abate one of ye sermons, hoping hee will pray in yo family, insteed thereof, wch is so easy to a Christia yt hee's rather lead then drawn therto, and if ye expositions of chapters or Psalmes bee easyer to him then preaching, I shal like it (as ever I have done) bett' then ye other. Im' confident wee shall not differ heerin ffor I shall eyther wait ffor ye guifts and calling of God in him (wth are wthout repentance) or wholly indulg See Mr. Orme's Life of Dr. Owen. App. p. 511. + John Selden, Esq. was born Dec. 16, 1584. He died Nov. 30, 1654. Mr. Chalmers's Biog. Dict. v. 27, p. 317. Probably the same person who contributed a copy of verses when the poems of William Cartwright," the most noted poet, orator, and philosopher, of his time," were "usher'd into the world," A. D. 1651, oct. See Wood's Ath. Oxon. v. 3. p. 70. ut supra. § My diet, and sixty pounds per annum salary. P. Henry. Orig. MS. him ffro y fformalities of preaching, praying, &c.—as some use ym please to send him away ffor y" half yeer ffro ye time he comes till 26 weekes be compleat: his allowance shall be half ye revenue pposd, and other accomodations mentiond formerly. This time of probatio will conclude us eyther on a ffarther time, or repayring to Oxford at Spring. Please to keep ye letter as an evidence of our bargain. I have deliverd ye Bearer 51. ffor ye Gentleman in part of ye first quarteridg. what yo charge of ye journey takes out of it I will supply at ye quarters end when I pay y rest to make out 151. I have sent a horse and a ffootman to wait on him hither. Mr. Roberts is grown a worthy Christian and I greatly value him. if y" have a mind to see what works God hath done in him, y" shall finde him at one Mr. Courtneys Lodging in Milbanck neer Tuttle-Fields. God can doo as much for Mr. Henry yu know. I pray y" hasten him hyther. If pleas God to give success to yes endeavours I shal bee glad. I wish ye Gentlemu to take his journey on Fryday, and rest at my sister Grayes on Lord's day so hee may bee at Emral on Munday night. I desire a good-journey. ffrancis Palmer (Juni.) & Tremeli.*) notes upo ye Bible I desire y" to send mee. & y Bible in Greek wch y learned ffriends, Septuagint,, translated ffor Ptolomy. I thank y" ffor y' respect and shal ever rest Y' welwishing Cosin ELIZABETH PULESTON. If y" will come see how wee thrive y" shal bee welcome. My Roger Puleston love to y" & so ye rest. In the latter part of his time at Oxford, as one grown weary of that which he used to say he found little to his purpose; he employed his time mostly in searching the Scriptures, and collecting useful Scripture observations, which he made very familiar to him, and with which he was thoroughly furnished for this good work. He got a Bible interleaved, in which he wrote short notes upon texts of Scripture as they occurred. He would often say,-I read other books, that I may be the better able to understand the Scripture. * Intending, by this playful compliment, the version of Francis Junius and Immanuel Tremellius, first published in 1575. + Orig. MS. |