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 unbelief, to beat you from this plea. These will tell you, you are a great sinner, it may be a back-slider 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, 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 and bring forth fruit. I can do all things, saith Paul, through Christ strengthening me, and without him we can do nothing. The terms of that blessed covenant that we are under, are, that we endeavour to do as well as we can, aiming at perfection; and wherein we come short, that we may be humbled for it but not discouraged, as if there were no hope for we are not under the law, but under grace. I am glad to hear you have those servants of the Lord with you, who are better able than I to be the directors of your way in this main matter, and Appendix, No. V. I + Rom. vi. 14. 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. you that God hath given you acquaintance with them, and an interest Your truly affectionate and well-wishing friend, 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 publick 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 * See ante p. 11. + Orig. MS. Appendix, No. VI. For a full account of the conduct of such interviews, and a summary of their advantages, see Clarke's Lives of Eminent Divines, ut supra. Pref. pp. 4, 5. 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. He preached funeral sermons for all that were buried there, rich and 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 softened and prepared the ground. He never took any money for that or any other 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 it, touching their knowledge, experience, and conversation, obliged them to observe the law of Christ, touching brotherly admonition in case of scandal; and gave notice to the congregation who they were that were admitted; adding this:-"Concerning these, and myself, I have two things to say. 1. As to what is past, we have sinned. If we should say, * 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 fol lowing 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. 11. 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 never know too much.-Be diligent and constant in the use of ordinances. Publick;-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 proofs 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. + Appendix, No. VII. we have not, we should deceive ourselves, and the truth were not in us; and yet this withal we can say, and have said it, some of us with tears.—We are grieved that we have sinned. 2. For time to come we are resolved by God's grace to walk in new obedience; and yet seeing we are not angels, but men and women, compassed about with infirmities and temptations, it is possible we may fall, but if we do, it is our declared resolution to submit to admonition and censure, according to the rule of the gospel." And all along he took care so to manage his admissions to that ordinance, as that the weak might not be discouraged, and yet the ordinance might not be profaned.* He would tell those whom he was necessitated to debar from the ordinance for ignorance, that he would undertake, if they were but truly willing, they might in a week's time, by the blessing of God upon their diligent use of means, reading, prayer, and conference, get such a competent measure of knowledge, as to be able to discern the Lord's body. And those that had been scandalous, if they would but come in and declare their repentance, and resolutions of new obedience, they should no longer be excluded. To give a specimen of his lively administrations of that ordinance, let me transcribe the notes of his 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 solemn, weighty service under heaven; we are come to a feast, where the feast-maker is God the Father, the provision God the Son, whose flesh is meat indeed, and whose blood is drink indeed; the guests a company of poor sinners, unworthy such an honour; the crumbs under the table were too good for us, and yet we are admitted to taste of the provision upon the table; and that which makes the feast is hearty welcome. God the Father bids you welcome; and ten thousand welcomes this day, to the flesh and blood of his Son. Think you hear him saying it to you, O believing souls, Cant. v. 1.-Eat, O friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved. The end of this feast is to keep in remembrance the death of Christ, and our deliverance by it, and thereby to convey spiritual nourishment and refreshment to our souls. But withal, give me leave to ask you one question,-What appetite have you to this feast? Are you come hungering and thirsting? Such as have the promise, they shall be filled. He filleth the hungry with good things, but the rich are sent empty away; a honey-comb to a full soul is no honey-comb. Canst thou say as Christ said,-With desire I have desired to eat this? In this ordinance here is Christ and all his benefits exhibited Some important observations on this subject, in connexion with the Test Act, occur in the Hist. of Dissenters, v. 4, p. 181-186. + Is it not probable, this was 1657? Mr. Henry's ordination was September 16, in that year. to thee. Art thou weak? here is bread to strengthen thee. Art thou sad? here is wine to comfort thee. What is it thou standest in need of? a pardon? here it is, sealed in blood, take it by faith, as I offer it to you in the name of the Lord Jesus; though thy sins have been as scarlet, they shall be as wool, if thou be willing and obedient. It may be, here are some that have been drunkards, swearers, scoffers at godliness, sabbath-breakers, and what not?and God hath put it into your hearts to humble yourselves, to mourn for and turn from all your abominations. Oh, come hither, here is forgiveness for thee. What else is it thou wantest? Oh, saith the poor soul, I would have more of the spirit of grace, more power against sin, especially my own iniquity; why, here it is for thee from the fulness, that is in Jesus Christ, we receive, and grace for grace.' John, i. 16. We may say as David did, Psalm, cviii. 7, 8. God hath spoken in his holiness, and then Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine. So God hath spoken in his word sealed in his sacrament, and then Christ is mine, pardon is mine, grace is mine, comfort mine, glory mine; here I have his bond to show for it. This is to those among you, that have engaged their hearts to approach unto God this day. 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, or the omission of any duty against your knowledge and conscience; you that have any malice or grudge to any of your neighbours, leave your gift and go your ways; be reconciled to God, be reconciled to your brother, and then come.- ! Better shame thyself for coming so near, than damn thyself by coming nearer. I testify to those, who say they shall have peace, though they go on still in their trespasses, that there is poison in the bread; take it and eat it at your own peril; there is poison in the cup too, you drink your own damnation. I wash my hands from the guilt of your blood. Look you to it, on the other hand, you poor penitent souls that are lost in yourselves, here is a Christ to save you. Come, O come, ye that are weary and heavy laden," &c. It may not be amiss to transcribe also some hints of preparation for the administering of the ordinance of baptism,+ which I find under his hand, at his first setting out in the ministry, as follows: * The one great cause of the great flourishing of religion in the 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. Irenicum, by Edward Stillingfleet, afterwards Bishop of Worcester, 4to, 1661, pp. 134, 135. + 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 ex |