c. He acknowledgeth God in all And indeed after all this is it my dear Cosins that you must satisfie your selves with under this sad Providence that the Lord hath done it and the same Will that ordered the thing it self ordered all the Circumstances of it and who are we that we should dispute with our Maker Let the Potsherds strive with the Potsherds of the Earth but let not the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus And as for the Improvement of this Affliction which I hope both of you earnestly desire for it is a great Loss to lose such a Providence and not be made better by it I conceive there are four Lessons which it should teach you and they are good Lessons and should be well learned for the advantage of them is unspeakable 1. It should for ever imbitter Sin to you you know what she said to the Prophet 1 Kings 17. 18. Art thou come to call my Sin to remembrance and to slay my Son 'T is Sin Sin that is the old Kill-Friend the Ionah that hath raised this Storm the Achan that hath troubled your House then how should you grow in your hatred of it and endeavours against it that you may be the Death of that which hath been the Death of your dear Children I say the Death of it for nothing less will satisfie the true Penitent than the Death of such a Malefactor 2. It should be a Spur to you to put you on in Heavens way It may be you were growing remiss in Duty beginning to slack your former pace in Religion and your Heavenly Father saw it and was grieved at it and sent this sad Providence to be your Monitor to tell you you should remember whence you were fallen and do your first Works and be more Humble and Holy and Heavenly and self-denying and Watchful abounding always in the work of the Lord. O Blessed are they that come out of such a Furnace thus resined they will say hereafter 't was a happy day for them that ever they were put in 3. You muâ—… learn by it as long as you live to keep your Affections in due Bounds towards Creature Comforts How hard is it to love and not to over-love to delight in Children or Yoke-fellows and not over-delight now God is a jealous God and will not give his Glory to any other and our excess this way doth often provoke him to remove that Mercy from us which we do thus make an Idol of and our Duty is to labour when he doth so to get that matter mended and to rejoyce in all our Enjoyments with Trembling and as if we rejoyced not 4. It should be a means of drawing your Hearts and Thoughts more upwards and home-wards I mean your Everlasting-Home You should be looking oftner now than before into the other World I shall go to him saith David when his little Son was gone before It is yet but a little while e're all the things of Time shall be swallowed up in Eternity And the matter is not great whether we or ours die first whilst we are all dying in the midst of Life we are in Death What manner of persons then ought we to be Now our Lord Iesus Christ himself and God even our Father be your support under and do you good by this Dispensation and give you a Name better than that of Sons and Daughters We are daily mindful of you at the Throne of Grace in our poor measure and dearly recommended to you c. We shall next gather up some Passages out of his Letters to his Children after they were married and gone from him To one of his Daughters with Child of her first Child he thus writes You have now one kind of Burthen more than ever you had before to cast upon God and if you do so he will sustain you according to his Promise And when the time of Travel was near thus You know whom you have trusted even him who is true and faithful and never yet did noâ—… ever will forsake the Soul that seeks him Though he be Almighty and can do every thing yet this he cannot do he cannot deny himself nor be worse than his Word But what is his Word Hath he promised that there shall be always a safe and speedy delivery that there shall be no Iabez no Benoni No but if there be he hath promised it shall work together for good hath promised if he doth not save from he will save through If he call to go even through the valley of the shadow of death and what less is Child-bearing 〈◊〉 he will be with you his Rod and his Staff shall comfort you and that 's well Therefore your Faith must be in those things as the Promise is either so or so and which way soever it be God is good and doth good Therefore my dear Daughter lift up the Hands that hang down cast your Burthen upon him trust also in him and let your Thoughts be established We are mindful of you in our daily Prayers but you have a better Intecessor than we who is heard always To another of them in the same Circumstance he thus writes Your last Letter speaks you in a good Frame which rejoyced my Heart that you were fixed fixed waiting upon God that your Faith was uppermost above your Fears that you could say Behold the handmaid of the Lord let him do with me as seemeth good in his eyes We are never fitter for a Mercy nor is it more likely to be a Mercy indeed than when it is so with us now the Lord keep it always in the Imagination of the Thoughts of your Heart And he concludes ' Forget not 1 Tom. 2. last When one of his Daughters was safely delivered in a Letter to another of them that was drawing near to that needful Hour he observ'd that when David said Psal. 116. 12. What shall I render He presently adds v. 13. I will call upon the Name of the Lord. As if saith he calling upon the Name of the Lord for Mercy for you were one way of rendring unto the Lord for the great Benefit done to your Sister On occasion of affliction in their Families by the sickness or Death of Children or otherwise he always wrote some word in season In the Furnace again saith he but a good Friend sits by and it is only to take away more of the Dross If less Fire would do we should not have it so much and so often O for Faith to trust the Refiner and to refer all to his Will and Wisdom and to wait the Issue for I have been young and now am old but I never yet saw it in vain to seek God and to hope in him At another time he thus writes Tough and knotty Blocks must have more and more Wedges our heavenly Father when he judgeth will overcome We hear of the death of dear S. T. and chide ourselves for being so
that then were â—…ppermost under Sir George Booth afterwards Lord Delamere and that of North-Wales under Sir Thomas Middleton could not but affect Worthenbury and the Country thereabouts Mr. Henry's Prayeâ—… for them in â—…his Diâ—…y the Day of their first appearing is Lord own them if they truly own thee He noteâ—… that Lambert's Forces which came down to Suppress them did in that Neighbourhood espouse the Quakers Cause and offer Injury to some Ministers and therefore saith he unless God intend the Ruin of the Nation by them they cannot prosper Nor did they long though in that Expedition they had Success In their Return some of Lambert's Soldiers were at Worthenbury Church hearing Mr. Henry upon a Lord's Day and one of them sat with his Hat on while they were Singing Psalms for which he Publickly admonish'd him And there being many Anabaptists among them he hath Recorded it as a good Providence that those Questions in the Cateâ—…hism which are concerning Baptism came in Course to be Expounded that Day The first Rising of the Cheshire Forces was Aug. 1. 1659. and the 19th following they were worsted and scattered by Lambert's Forces near Northwich a strange Spirit of fear being upon them which quite took off their Chariot Wheels The Country call'd it not the Cheshire Rising but the Cheshire Race Some blamed him that he did not give God thanks publickly for the defeat of Sir George Booth to whom he answer'd with his usual mildness that his Apprehensions concerning that Affair were not the same with theirs We are now saith he much in the dark never more He preach'd the Lecture at Chester soon after just at the time when Mr. Cook aâ—… eminent Minister in Chester and several others were carried Prisoners to London for their Agency in the late Attempt and the City was threatned to have their Charter taken away c. The Text in Course that day for they Preached over the latter part of that Epistle if not the whole at that Lecture happen'd to be Heb. 13 14. We have here no continuing City which he thought a word upon the Wheels at that time He Notes in his Diary that when after that the Army Rul'd disturb'd the Parliament and carry'd all before them with a high Hand there were great Grounds to fear sad times approaching and his Prayer is Lord fit thy People for the Fiery Trial. He was a hearty well-wisher to the return of the King the Spring following April 1660. and was much affected with the Mercy of it While others rejoyce carnally saith he Lord help thy People to rejoyce spiritually in our publick National Mercies 'T was upon that occasion that Mr. Baxter preached his Sermon of Right Rejoycing on Luke 10. 20. But he and others soon saw cause to Rejoyce with Trembling and to sing both of Mercy and Judgment for about that time he hath this Melancholy Remark Religion loses Ground exceedingly and Profanâ—…ss gets it Help Lord However he was very Industrious to quiet the minds of some who were uneasie at that great Revolution and that Scripture yielded him much Satisfaction Ioh. 3. 35. The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his Hands If Christ be not only Head of the Church but Heir over all things to the Church we may be assured that all things shall be made to work together for good to it The Text also which the Lord put it into his Heart to preach upon on the day of Publick Thanksgiving for the King's Restoration was very comfortable to him Prov. 21. 1. The Kings Heart is in the hand of the Lord. His sence of that great Mercy of God to the Nation in the unbloody peaceable and legal Settlement of King Charles the 2d upon the Throne was the same with that of Multitudes besides both Ministers and others that were of the quiet in the Land who yet not long after suffered very hard things under him Soon after the Return of the King he notes how industrious some were to remove him from Worthenbury on which he writes this as the Breathing of his Soul towards God Lord if it please thee fasten me here as a Nail in a sure place if otherwise I will take nothing ill which thou dost with me and when press'd by his Friends more earnestly than before to accept of some other place Lord saith he Mine Eye is up unto thee I am wholly at thy disposal make my way plain before my Face because of mine Enemies my Resolution is to deny my self if thou callest me Here or any where 't is no great Matter where I am Many Years after the King's Return he Dated a Letter May 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are two things further which I think it may be of use to give some account of in the close of this Chapter 1. Of the Course of his Ministry at Worthenbury and 2. Of the State of his Soul and the Communion he had with God in those Years The former out of his Sermon-Notes the latter out of his Diary As to the Subjects he Preached upon he did not use to dwell long upon a Text. Better one Sermon upon many Texts viz. many Scriptures opened and applied than many Sermons upon one Text To that purpose he would sometimes speak He used to Preach in a fixed Method and linked his Subjects in a sort of a Chain not confining himself to the Method of the Assemblies Catechism which some commend but he adapted his Method and Style to the Capacity of his Hearers fetching his Similitudes for Illustration from those things which were familiar to them He did not shoot the Arrow of the Word over their Heads in high Notions or the Flourishes of affected Rhetorick nor under their Feet by blunt and homely Expressions as many do under pretence of plainness but to their Hearts in close and lively Applications His Delivery was very graceful and agreeable far from being either noisie and precipitate on the one Hand or dull and slow on the other His Doctrine did drop as the Dew and distil as the soaking Rain and came with a charming pleasing Power such as many will bear witness to that have wonder'd at the gracious words which proceeded out of his Mouth He wrote the Notes of his Sermons pretty large for the most part and always very legible he wrote most of them twice over But even when he had put his last Hand to them he commonly left many imperfect Hints which gave room for Enlargements in Preaching wherein he had a very great Felicity And he would often advise Ministers not to tye themselves too strictly to their Notes but having well digested the Matter before to allow themselves a liberty of Expression such as a Man's Affections if they be well rais'd will be apt to furnish him with But for this no certain Rule can be given there are diversities of Gifts and each to profit withal He kept his Sermon-Notes in very neat and exact Order Sermons in
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
last Clause of the Act which when the Gentlemen perceived they discharged him from that Office before he had served out the Time He was much affected with it that the Burning of London happned so soon after the Nonconformists were banished out of it He thought it was in Mercy to them that they were removed before that desolating judgment came but that it spoke aloud to our Governours Let my People go that they may serve me and if ye will not behold thus and thus will I do unto you This was the Lord's voice crying in the City In the Beginning of the Year 1667. he removed with his Family to Whitchurch and dwelt there above a Year except that for one quarter of a Year about harvest he returned again to Broad-Oak His Remove to Whitchurch was partly to quiet his Adversaries who were ready to quarrel with him upon the five Mile Act and partly for the benefit of the School there for his Children There in Apr. following he buried his eldest Son not quite six Years old a child of extraordinary praegnancy and forwardness in learning and of a very towardly disposition his Character of this Child is Praeterquam aetatem nil puerile fuit This Child before he was seized with the Sickness whereof he died was much affected with some Verses which he met with in Mr. Whites Power of Godliness said to be found in the Pocket of a hopeful young Man who died before he was twenty four Years old Of his own accord he got them without Book and would be often rehearsing them they were these Not twice twelve Years he might say Not half twelve years full told a wearied Breath I have exchanged for a happy Death Short was my Life the longer is my Rest God takes them soonest whom he loveth best He that is born to day and die's to morrow Loses some hours of joy but months of sorrow Other Diseases often come to grieve us Death Strikes but once and that Stroak doth relieve us This was a great Affliction to the render Parents Mr. Henry writes upon it in the reflection Quicquid amas oupias non placuisse nimis Many Years after he said he thought he did apply to himself at that Time but too sensibly that Scripture Lam. 3. 1. I am the Man that hath seen affliction And he would say to his Friends upon such occasions Loosers think they may have leave to speak but they must have a care what they say lest speaking amiss to God's dishonour they make work for Repentance and shed tears that must be wipt over again He observed concerning this child that he had always been very patient under rebukes The remembrance of which saith he teacheth me now how to carry it under the rebuke's of my heavenly Father His Prayer under this Providence was shew me Lord shew me wherefore thou contendest with me have I over-boasted overlov'd over-priz'd A Lord's Day intervening between the Death and burial of the Child I attended saith he on publick Ordinances though sad in Spirit as Job who after all the evil Tidings that were brought him whereof Death of Children was the last and heaviest yet fell down and worshipped And he would often say upon such occasions that weeping must not hinder sowing Upon the Interment of the Child he writes My dear Child now mine no longer was laid in the cold Earth not lost but sown to be raised again a glorious Body and I shall go to him but he shall not return to me A few days after his dear Friend Mr. Lawrence then living in Whitchurch Parish Buried a Daughter that was grown up and very hopeful and giving good Evidence of a work of Grace wrought upon her Soul how willing saith he may Parents be to part with such when the Lord calls they are not amissi but praemissi And he hath this further Remark The Lord hath made his poor Servants that have been often Companions in his Work now companions in Tribulation the very same Tribulation me for my Sin him for his Trial. While he liv'd at Whitchurch he attended constantly upon the publick Ministry and there as ever he was careful to come to the beginning of the Service which he attended upon with Reverence and Devotion standing all the time even while the Chapters were read In the Evening of the Lord's day he spent some time in instructing his Family to which a few of his Friends and Neighbours in the Town would sometimes come in and it was a little gleam of opportunity but very short for as he Notes He was offended at it who should rather have rejoyced if by any means the Work might be carried on in his Peoples Souls He observes in his Diary this Year how zealous People had generally been for the Observation of Lent a while ago and how cold they are towards it now The same he Notes of Processions in Ascention Week for saith he what hath no good Foundation will not hold up long but in that which is Duty and of God it is good to be zealously affected always In this Year I think was the first time that he Administred the Lord's Supper very privately to be sure after he was Silenced by the Act of Uniformity and he did not do it without mature Deliberation A fear of Separation kept him from it so long what induced him to it at last I find thus under his own Hand I am a Minister of Christ and as such I am obliged Virtute Officii by all means to endeavour the good of Souls Now here 's a company of serious Christians whose Lot is cast to live in a Parish where there is one set over them who Preacheth the Truth and they come to hear him and join with him in other parts of Worship only as to the Lord's Supper they scruple the lawfulness of the Gesture of Kneeling and he tells them his hands are tyed and he cannot administer it unto them any other way wherefore they come to me and tell me they earnestly long for that Ordinance and there is a competent number of them and opportunity to partake and how dare I deny this Request of theirs without betraying my Ministerial Trâ—…st and incuring the Guilt of a grievous Omission In February 1667 8. Mr. Laurence and he were invited by some of their Friends to Betley in Staffordshire and there being some little publick Connivance at that time with the Consent of all concerned they adventured to Preach in the Church one in the Morning and the other in the Afternoon of the Lords day very peaceably and profitably This Action of theirs was presently after Reported in the House of Commons by a Member of Parliament with these Additions That they tore the Common-Prayer Book trampled the Surplice under their Feet pull'd the Minister of the place out of the Pulpit c. Reports which there was not the least Colour for But that with some other such like false Stories produced an Address of the
Therefore I send you this as full of Blessings as it can hold to your self my Daughter your Wife all the rest of my Daughters their Husbands and all the little ones together and severally If I could command the Blessings I would but I pray to him that hath and doth and I trust will The Lord bless you and keep you and lift up the light of his countenance upon you As you have received and you for your part preached Christ Iesus the Lord so walk in him keeping Conscience always void of offence both towards God and towards all Men. Love your Mother and be dutiful to her and live in love and peace among your selves and the God of Love and Peace that hath been will be with you Amen To one who desired his Direction for the attaining of the Gift of Prayer he wrote the following Letter of Advice If you would be able in words and Expressions of your own without the help of a Form to offer up Prayers to God observe these following Rules of Direction in the use whereof by God's Blessing you may in time attain thereunto 1. You must be throughly convinced that where such a Gift is it is of great use to a Christian both very comfortable and very profitable and therefore very desiâ—…able and worth your serious endeavours this must first be or else all that follows will signifie nothing For it is as the wise Man saith Prov. 18. 1. Through desire a Man having separated himself seeketh and intermedleth with all wisdom that is till we are brought in some good measure to desire the end we shall never in good earnest apply our selves to the use of means for the obtaining of it It is a Gift that fits a Person to be of use to others in the Duty of Prayer according as there is occasion either in a Family or in Christian Communion It is also of great advantage to our selves For how can any Form though never so exact be possibly contrived so as to reach all the Circumstances of my particular case and yet it is my Duty in every thing to make my Requests known to God 2. As you should be perswaded of the excellent use of it where it is attained so also you should believe that where it is not it may be attained and that without any great difficulty No doubt but many are discouraged from endeavouring after it by an Opinion they have that it is to no purpose they think it a thing so far above their Abilities that they were as good sit still and never attempt it This is of very bad Consequence as in other matters of Religion so particularly in this and therefore watch against this Suggestion and conclude that though it may be harder to some than others yet it is impossible to none Nay this wisdom is easie to him that understandeth where means are used in the fear of God 2. You must rightly understand and consider who it is with whom you have to do in Prayer for your incouragement to come to him though in the midst of many Infirmities and Imperfections He is your Father your loving tender hearted Father who knows your Frame and remembers you are but dust who is not extream to mark what we do amiss in manner and expression where the Heart is upright with him You may judge a little concerning his Love by the Disposition that is in you towards your Children when they come to ask things needful of you And believe him to be infinitely more merciful and compassionate than the most merciful and compassionate of Fathers and Mothers are or can be especially remembring that we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the great High Priest of our Profession and whom he heareth always 4. You must pray that you may pray beg of God the Father of Lights from whom every good and perfect Gift comes to bestow this Gift upon you We read Luke 11. 1. that one of the Disciples came to Jesus Christ upon this Errand Lord teach us to pray and he had his Request granted presently Go you to him on the same Errand You may plead the Relation of a Child from that Scirpture Gal. 4. 6. And because you are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father And the Promise also from that Scripture Zech. 12. 10 I will pour upon the House of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and of Supplication which two Relation and a Promise if they be not sufficient to encourage your Faith and Hope in this Address what is or can be 5. It is good before you address your self to the Duty to read a portion of Holy Scripture which will be of great use to furnish you both with matter and words for Prayer especially David's Psalms and Paul's Epistles The Holy Spirit hath provided for us a Treasury or Store house of what is suitable for all occasions and where both the word and the matter are his own and of his own framing and inditing if affections be stirring in us accordingly we have great reason to believe he will accept of us In divers places he hath himself put words into our Mouths for the purpose as Hos. 14. 2. Take with you words Matth. 6. 9. After this manner therefore pray ye and often elsewhere 6. There must be some acquaintance with our own Hearts with our Spiritual State and Condition our Wants and Ways or else no good will be done in this Matter 'T is sence of Need Hunger Thirst Cold Nakedness that supplies the poor Beggar at your Door with pertinent Expressions and Arguments he needs not the help of any Friend or Book to furnish him so if we know our selves and feel our Condition and set God before us as our God able and ready to help us words will easily follow wherewith to offer up our Desires to him who understands the Language even of Sighs and Tears and groanings which cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 26. 7. It is of use in stated Prayer ordinarily to observe a Method according to the several parts of Prayer which are these Four 1. Compellation or Adoration which is the giving of due Titles to God in our Addresses to him and therein ascribing to him the Glory due unto his Name With this we are to begin our Prayers both for the working of a Holy aw and dread upon our Hearts towards him on the account of his Greatness and Majesty as also for the strengthning of our Faith and Hope in him upon the account of his Goodness and Mercy 2. Confession Sin is to be confessed in every Prayer Original Sin as the Root Spring head and Fountain and Actual Sin as the Fruit and Stream proceeding from it Herein you must not rest in generals as the most do but especially when you are in secret before the Lord you must descend to particulars opening the whole Wound hiding nothing from him
However you cannot but say that you had a Kindness done you to have your lives put into it Thus did he frequently deal with his Children and even Travel in Birth again to see Christ formed in them and from this Topick he generally Argued and he would often say If Infant Baptism were more improved it would be less disputed He not only taught his Children betimes to pray which he did especially by his own Pattern his Method and Expressions in Prayer being very easie and plain But when they were young he put them upon it to pray together and Appointed them on Saturdays in the Afternoon to spend some time together none but they and such of their Age as might occasionally be with them in Reading good Books especially those for Children and in singing and praying and would sometimes tell them for their Encouragement that the God with whom we have to do understands broken Language And if we do as well as we can in the Sincerity of our Hearts we shall not only be accepted but taught to do better To him that hath shall be given He sometimes set his Children in their own reading of the Scriptures to gather out such Passages as they took most notice of and thought most considerable and write them down Though this Performance was very small yet the Endeavour was of good use He also directed them to insert in a Paper Book which each of them had for the purpose Remarkable Sayings and Stories which they met with in Reading such other good Books as he put into their hands He took a Pleasure in relating to them the remarkable Providences of God both in his own time and in the days of Old which he said Parents were taught to do by that Appointment Exod. 12. 26 27. Your Children shall ask you in Time to come what mean you by this Service and you shall tell them so and so What his pious Care was concerning his Children and with what a godly Jealousie he was jealous over them take in one Instance when they had been for a week or Fortnight kindly entertained at B. as they were often he thus writes in his Diary upon their Return home My Care and Fear is lest Converse with such so far above them Though of the best should have Influence upon them to lift them up when I had rather they should be kept low For as he did not himself so he was very Sollicitous to teach his Children not to mind high Things not to desire them not to expect them in this World We shall conclude this Chapter with another Passage out of his Diary Apr. 12. 1681. This Day fourteen Years the Lord took my First-born Son from me the Beginning of my Strength with a Stroke In the Remembrance whereof my heart melted this Evening I beg'd pardon for the Jonah that raised that Storm I blessed the Lord that hath spar'd the Rest I beg'd Mercy Mercy for every one of them and absolutely and unreservedly devoted and dedicated them my self my whole self Estate Interest Life to the will and Service of that God from whom I received all Father Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come c. CHAP. V. His Ejectment from Worthenbury His Non-conformity his Removes to Broad-Oak and the Providences that were concerning him to the Year 1672. HAving thus laid together the Instances of his Family Religion we must now return to the History of Events that were concerning him and are obliged to look back to the first Year after his Marriage which was the Year that King Charles the Second came in a Year of great Changes and struggles in the Land which Mr. Baxter in his Life gives a full and clear and Impartial Idea of by which it may easily be guess'd how it went with Mr. Henry in his low and narrow Sphere whose Sentiments in those things were very much the same with Mr. Baxter's Many of his best Friends in Worthenbury Parish were lately removed by Death Emeral Family contrary to what it had been and the same Spirit which that Year reviv'd all the Nation over was working violently in that Country viz. a Spirit of great Enmity to such Men as Mr. Henry was Worthenbury upon the Kings coming in returned into its former Relation to Bangor and was look'd upon as a Chappelry dependant upon that Mr. Robert Fogg had for many Years held the sequestred Rectory of Bangor to which now Dr. Henry Bridgman Son to Iohn Bishop of Chester and Brother to the Lord Keeper Bridgeman return'd to the Possession of By which Mr. Henry was soon Apprehensive that his Interest at Worthenbury was shaken but thus he writes The will of the Lord be done Lord If my Work be done here provide some other for this People that may be more Skilful and more Successful and cut out Work for me elsewhere However I will take nothing ill which God doth with me He laboured what he could to make Dr. Bridgman his Friend who gave him good words and was very civil to him and assured him that he would never remove him till the Law did But he must look upon himself as the Doctors Curate and depending upon his Will which kept him in continual expectation of a removal however he continued in his Liberty there above a Year though in very ticklish and precarious Circumstances The Grand Question now on foot was whether to conform or no. He us'd all means possible to Satisfy himself concerning it by reading and discourse particularly at Oxford with Dr. Fell afterwards Bishop of Oxford but in vain his dissatisfaction remain'd however saith he I dare not judge those that do conform for who am I that I shall judge my Brother He hath noted that being at Chester in discourse with the Dean and Chancellor and others about this time the great Argument they used with him to perswade him to conform was that else he would lose his Preferment and what said they you are a young Man and are you wiser then the King and Bishops But this is his reflection upon it afterwards God grant I may never be left to consult â—…ith Flesh and Blood in such matters In September 1660. Mr. Fogg and Mr. Steel and Mr. Henry were Presented at Flint-Assizes for not Reading the Common Prayer though as yet it was not enjoyn'd but there were some busie People that would out-run the Law They entred their Appearance and it fell for soon after the King's Declaration touching Ecclesiastical Affairs came out which promised Liberty and gave hopes of Settlement but the Spring-Assizes afterwards Mr. Steel and Mr. Henry were presented again On this he writes Be merciful to me O God for Man would swallow me up The Lord shew me what he would have me to do for I am afraid of nothing but Sin It appears by the Hints of his Diary that he had Melancholy Apprehensions at this Time about publick Affairs seeing and hearing of so many faithful Ministers distur'b silenced and ensnared the ways
of Sion mourning and the quiet in the Land treated as the troublers of it his Soul wept in Secret for it And yet he join'd in the Annual Commemoration of the King's Restauration and preach'd on Caesar's considering saith he that it was his right also the sad Posture of the Civil Government through Usurpers and the manner of his coming in without Bloodshed This he would all his Days speak of as a national Mercy but what he rejoyced in with a great Deal of Trembling for the Ark of God and he would sometimes say That during those Years between forty and sixty though on Civil accounts there were great Disorders and the Foundations were out of Course yet in the matters of God's Worship things went well there was Freedom and Reformation and a Face of Godliness was upon the Nation tho' there were those that made but a mask of it Ordinances were administred in Power and Purity and though there was much amiss yet Religion at least in the Profession of it did prevail This saith he we know very well let Men say what they will of those times In November 1660. he took the Oath of Allegiance at Orton before Sir Thomas Hanmer and two other Justices of which he hath left a Memorandum in his Diary with this added God so help me as I purpose in my Heart to do accordingly Nor could any more Conscientiously observe that Oath of God than he did nor more sincerely promote the Ends of it That Year according to an Agreement with some of his Brethren in the Ministry who hoped thereby to oblige some People he Preached upon Christmas-day The Sabbath before it happen'd that the 23d Chapter of Leviticus which treats intirely of the Jewish Feasts called there the Feasts of the Lord came in course to be Expounded which gave him occasion to distinguish of Feasts into Divine and Ecclesiastical the Divine Feasts that the Jews had were those there appointed their Ecclesiastical Feasts were those of Purim and of Dedication and in the Application of it he said He knew no Divine Feast we have under the Gospel but the Lord's Day intended for the Commemoration of the whole Mercy of our Redemption And the most that could be said for Christmas was that it is an Ecclesiastical Feast and it is questionable with some whether Church or State though they might make a good Day Esth. 9. 19. could make a Holy Day Nevertheless for asmuch as we find our Lord Iesus Joh. 10. 22. so far complying with the Church Feast of Dedication as to take occasion from the Peoples coming together to Preach to them he purposed to Preach upon Christmas day knowing it to be his Duty in Season and out of Season He Preached on 1 Ioh. 3. 8. For this purpose was the Son of God manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil And he minded his People that it is double dishonour to Iesus Christ to practise the Works of the Devil then when we keep a Feast in Memory of his Manifestation His Annuity from Emeral was now with held because he did not read the Common Prayer tho' as yet there was no Law for Reading of it hereby he was disabled to do what he had been wont for the Help and Relief of others and this he has Recorded as that which troubled him most under that Disappointment but he blessed God that he had a Heart to do good even when his Hand was empty When Emeral Family was unkind to him he reckoned it a great Mercy which he gave God thanks for who makes every Creature to be that to us that it is that Mr. Broughton and his Family which is of considerable Figure in the Parish continued their kindness and respects to him and their countenance of his Ministry which he makes a grateful mention of more than once in his Diary Many attempts were made in the Year 1661. to disturb and ensnare him and it was still expected that he would have been hindred Methinks saith he Sabbaths were never so sweet as they are now we are kept at such uncertainties now a day in they Courts is better than a thousand such a day as this saith he of a Sacrament Day that Year better than ten thousand O that we might yet see many such days He was advis'd by Mr. Ratcliff of Chester and others of his Friends to enter an Action against Mr. P. for his Annuity and did so but concerning the Success of it saith he I am not over sollicitous for though it be my due Luke 10. 7. yet it was not that which I Preached for and God knows I would much rather Preach for nothing than not at all and besides I know assuredly if I should be Cast God will make it up to me some other way After some Proceeding he not only mov'd but sollicited Mr. P. to refer it having learned saith he that it is no Disparagement but an Honour for the Party wronged to be first in seeking Reconciliation The Lord if it be his Will incline his Heart to Peace I have now saith he two great Concerns upon the Wheel one in reference to my Maintenance for time past the other as to my continuance for the future the Lord bâ—… my friend in both but of the two rather in the latter But saith he many of greater Gifts and Grace than I are laid aside already and when my turn comes I know not the Will of God be done He can do his Work without us The issue of this affair was that there having been some Disputes between Mr. P. and Dr. Bridgman about the Tithe of Worthenbury wherein Mr. P. had clearly the better Claim to make yet by the Mediation of Sir Tho. Hanmer they came to this Agreement Septemb. 11. 1661. that Dr. Bridgman and his Successors Parsons of Bangor should have and receive all the Tithe Corn and Hay of Worthenbury without the Disturbance of the said Mr. P. or his Heirs except the Tith-Hay of Emeral Demesn upon Condition that Dr. Bridgman should before the first of November following avoid and discharge the present Minister or Curate Philip Henry from the Chappel of Worthenbury and not hereafter at any time re-admit the said Minister Philip Henry to Officiate the said Cure This is the Substance of the Articles agreed upon between them pursuant to which Dr. Bridgman soon after dismiss'd Mr. Henry and by a Writing under his Hand which was published in the Church of Worthenbury by one of Mr. Puleston's Servants October the 27th following Notice was given to the Parish of that Dismission That Day he Preached his Farewel Sermon on Phil. 1. 27. Only let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel of Christ. In which as he saith in his Diary his desire and design was rather to profit then to affect it matters not what becomes of me whether I come unto you or else be absent but let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel His parting Prayer for them was The
as had been vain and wordly and careless and mindless of God and another World became sober and serious and concern'd about their Souls and a Future State This was the Conversion of Souls aimed at and laboured after and through Grace not altogether in vain Whatever Lectures were set up in the Country round 't was still desired that Mr Henry would begin them which was thought no small Encouragement to those who were to carry them on and very happy he was both in the choice and management of his Subjects at such opportunities seeking to find out acceptable Words Take one Specimen of his Address when he began a Lecture with a Sermon on Heb. 12. 15. I assure you saith he and God is my Witness I am not come to Preach either Sedition against the Peace of the State or Schism against the Peace of the Church by perswading you to this or that Opinion or Party but as a Minister of Christ that hath received Mercy from the Lord to desire to be faithful My errand is to exhort you to all possible Seriousness in the great Business of your Eternal Salvation according to my Text which if the Lord will make as profitable to you as it is material and of weight in it self neither you nor I shall have cause to repent cur coming hither and our being here to day looking diligently lest any of you fail of the Grace of God If it were the last Sermon I were to Preach I did not know how to take my aim better to do you good In doing of this Work he often said that he looked upon himself but as an Assistant to the Parish Ministers in promoting the common Interests of Christs Kingdom and the common Salvation of precious Souls by the Explication and Application of those great Truths wherein we are all agreed And he would compare the Case to that in Hezekiah's time when the Levites helped the Priests to kill the Sacrifice which was something of an irregularity but the exigence of affairs called for it the Priests being too few and some of them not so careful as they should have been to sanctifie themselves see 2 Chr. 29. 34. and wherever he Preached he usually pray'd for the Parish Minister and for a Blessing upon his Ministry He hath often said how well pleas'd he was when after he had preached a Lecture at Oswestry he went to visit the Minister of the Place Mr. Edwards a worthy good Man and told him he had been Sowing a handful of Seed among his People and had this Answer That 's well the Lord prosper your Seed and mine too there 's need enough of us both And another worthy Conformist that came privately to hear him but was reprimanded for it by his Superiours told him afterwards with tears that his Heart was with him His Heart was wonderfully enlarged in his Work at this time the Fields were white unto the Harvest and he was busie and God did remarkably own him setting many Seals to his Ministry which much confirm'd him in what he did He hath this observable passage in his Diary about this time which he recorded for his after Benefit and the Example of it may be instructive Remember that if trouble should come hereafter for what we do now in the use of present Liberty I neither shrink from it nor sink under it for I do therein approve my self to God and to my own Conscience in truth and uprightness and the Lord whom I serve can and will certainly both bear me out and bring me off with comfort in the end I say Remember and forget it not this 24th day of March 1672 3. 'T was at the beginning of this Liberty that the Society at Broad-Oak did Commence made up besides the Neighbourhood of some out of Whitchurch and Whitchurch Parish that had been Mr. Porter's People some out of Hanmer Parish that had been Mr. Steel's and some out of the Parishes of Wem Prees and Ellismere Persons generally of very moderate and sober Principles quiet and peaceable Lives and hearty well-wishers to the King and Government and not Rigid or Schismatical in their Separation but willing to attend though sometimes with difficulty and hazard upon those Administrations which they found most lively and edifying and most helpful to them in the great business of working out their Salvation To this Society he would never call himself a Pastor nor was he willing that they should call him so but a Helper and a Minister of Christ for their good He would say That he look'd upon his Family only as his Charge and his Preaching to others was but accidental whom if they came he could no more turn away than he could a poor hungry Man that should come to his door for an Alms. And being a Minister of Iesus Christ he thought himself bound to Preach the Gospel as he had opportunity Usually once a Month he administred the Ordinance of the Lord's Supper Some of his Opportunities of that kind he sets a particular Remark upon as sweet Sealing Days on which he found it good to draw near to God When about the Years end there was a general Expectation of the Cancelling of the Indulgence He hath this Note upon a precious Sabbath and Sacrament day as he calls it perhaps this may be the last Father thy will be done it is good for us to be at such uncertainties for now we receive our Liberty from our Father fresh every day which is best and sweetest of all On the 3d of March 1676 7. being Saturday night the Town of Wem in Shropshire about six Miles from him was burnt down the Church Market House and about One hundred twenty six dwelling Houses and one Man in little more than an Hours time the Wind being exceeding violent at which time Mr. Henry was very helpful to his Friends there both for their support under and their improvement of this sad Providence It was but about half a Year before that a threatning Fire had broke out in that Town but did little hurt some serious People there presently after Celebrated a Thanksgiving for their Deliverance in which Mr. Henry imparted to them a Spiritual Gift Oct. 3. 1676 from Zech. 3. 2. Is not this a brand pluck'd out of the Fire In the close of that Sermon pressing them from the consideration of that remarkable Deliverance to personal Reformation and Amendment of Life That those who had been Proud Covetous Passionate Lyars Swearers Drunkards Sabbath-breakers would be so no more and urging Ezr. 9. 13 14. he added If this Providence have not this effect upon you you may in reason expect another Fire for when God judgeth he will overcome and minded them of Lev. 26. where 't is so often threatned against those who walk contrary to God that he would punish them yet seven times more The remembrance of this could not but be affecting when in so short a time after the whole Town was laid in Ruins The
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
often pleased with his little pretty fashions lest we offended therein by being too much so No Rival must sit with him in his Throne who deserves all our Love and Ioy and hath too little of it At another time upon the death of another little one The dear little one saith he made but a short Passage through this to another World where it is to be for ever a living Member of the great Body whereof Jesus Christ is the ever-living Head but for which Hope there were cause for Sorrow indeed If he that gives takes and it is but his own why should we say What dost thou At another time upon the like occasion Our Quiver of Childrens Children is not so full but God can soon empty it O for Grace Grace at such a time which will do that that Nature cannot The God of all Grace supply your Need and ours according to his Riches in Glory The Lord is still training you up in his good School and though no Affliction for the present be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it yields well your Work is in every thing to bring your Will to the Will of God To one of his Daughters concerning her little one he thus writes They are but Bubbles we have many warnings to sit loose the less we rely upon them in our Ioys and Hopes the more likely to have them continued to us Our God is a jealous God nor will he suffer the Creature to usurp his Throne in our Affections Upon the death of a little Child but few days old he thus writes The tidings of the death of your little one were afflicting to us but the Clay must nor say to the Potter What dost thou If he that took be the same that gave and what he gave and took was his own by our own consent it becomes us to say Blessed be the Name of the Lord. I hope you have been learning to acknowledge God in all Events and to take all as from his Hand who hath given us to know Isay to know for Paul saith so that all things do work together not only shall but do for our good that we may be more and more partakers of his Holiness He can make the two left as comfortable to you as all the three as all your five could have been However if all the Cisterns were drawn dry while you have your Fountain to go to you are well you may also by Faith look forward and say it was a Covenant-child and through Mercy we shall see it again in a better World Upon the sickness of a dear Child he thus writes to the Parent You and we are taught to say It is the Lord upon his Will must we wait and to it must we submit in every thing not upon constraint but of choice nor only because he is the Potter and we the Clay and therefore in a way of Soveraignty he may do what he pleaseth with us and ours But because he is our Father and will do nothing but what shall be for good to us The more you can be satisfied in this and the more willing to resign the more likely to have Be strong therefore in the Grace which is in Christ Iesus it is given for such a time of need as this I hope your Fears and ours will be prevented and pray they may but thanks be to God we know the Worst of it and that Worst hath no harm in it while the better part is ours which cannot be taken away from us To one of his Children in affliction he writes thus T is a time of Trial with you according to the Will of your and our Heavenly Father Though you see not yet what he means by it you shall see He means you good and not hurt he is shewing you the vanity of all things under the Sun that your happiness lies not in them but in himself only that they and we are passing away withering Flowers that therefore we may learn to die to them and live above them placing our Hope and Happiness in better things trusting in him alone who is the Rock of Ages who fails not neither can fail nor will fail those that fly to him I pray you think not a hard thought of him no not one hard thought for he is good and doth good in all he doth and therefore all shall work for good but then as you are called according to his purpose blessed be his Name for it so you must love him and Love you know thinks no evil but puts the best construction upon all that the Person loved saith or doth and so must you though now for a Season if need be you are in Heaviness And at another time Your Times and the Times of yours are in the Lord 's good Hand whose Will is his Wisdom 'T is one thing as we read and observ'd this Morning out of Ezek. 22 to be put into a Furnace and left there as Dross to be consumed and another thing to be put in as Gold or Silver to be melted for use and to have the Refiner set by You know whom you have believed keep your hold of the everlasting Covenant He is faithfull that hath promised We pray for you and we give Thanks for you daily for the Cup is mixed therefore trust in the Lord for ever and rejoyce in the Lord always again I say rejoyce To one of his Sons in Law that was a little engaged â—…n building he thus writes Be sure to take God along with you in this as in all other your Affairs for except he build the House they labour in vain that build it Count upon troublesome Oâ—…crrences in it and keep the Spirit quiet within And lâ—… nor God's Time nor Dues be entrenched upon and then all will be well 'T was but a little before he died that he wrote thus to one of his Children We rejoyce in God's goodness to you that your Distemper hath been a Rod shaken only and not laid on He is good and doth good and should we not love him and rest in our love to him He saith he doth in his to us and rejoyceth over us with singing Zeph. 3. 17. And have not we much more cause What loveliness in us What not in him I pray let me recommend him to your Love love him love him with all the Powers of your Soul and out of love to him please him He is pleas'd with honest Endeavours to please him though after all in many things we come short for we are not under the Law but under Grace To one of his Children recovered from Sickness he gives this hint Remember that a New Life must be a New Life indeed Reprieves extraordinary call for Returns extraordinary The last Journey he made to London was in August 1690. before he went he sent this Farewel-Letter to his Son at Chester I am going forth this Morning towards the great City not knowing but it may be Mount Nebo to me