Life and Death of Philip Henry, Chapter 10

Life and Death of Philip Henry · Chapter 10

p. 217CHAP. X.

A Miscellaneous Collection of some of his Sayings, Observations, Counsels and Comforts, out of his Sermons, Letters and Discourses.

MR. Henry, through the excess of his Modesty and Self-diffidence, never Published any of his Labours to the World, nor ever fitted or prepar'd any of them for the Press; and yet none more valued the Labours of others, or rejoyced more in them; nor have I heard any complain less of the multitude of good Books, concerning which he often said, that Store is no Sore, and he was very forward to perswade others to Publish; and always express'd a particular pleasure in reading the Lives, Actions and Sayings of Eminent Men, Antient and Modern, which he thought the most useful and instructive kind of Writings. He was also a very candid Reader of Books, not apt to pick Quarrels with what he read, especially when the Design appear'd to be Honest, and when others would find fault, and say, this was wanting, and 'tother amiss, his usual Excuse was, There is nothing Perfect under the Sun.

It will be but a small Repair of this want of the publishing of some of his Works, (but I doubt it will prove the best we can make) to glean up some few of many of his Sayings, Observations, and good Instructions (as his Remains) which we shall not Marshal in any Order, but give them as they occur, besides those p. 218which have been already inserted into this Narrative.

'Twas a saying he frequently us'd, which hath been mentioned already, that Every Creature is that to us, and only that which God makes it to be: And another was, Duty is ours, Events are God's: And another was, The Soul is the Man, and therefore, That is always best for us, which is best for our Souls: And another was, The Devil cozens us of all our time, by cozening us of the present time.

In his Thanksgivings for Temporal Mercies, he often said, If the end of one Mercy were not the beginning of another, we were undone: And to encourage to the Work of Thanksgiving he would say, That new Mercies call for new Returns of Praise, and then those new Returns will fetch in new Mercies; and from Psal. 50. 23. He that offers praise glorifies me, and to him that orders his conversation aright.—He observ'd, That Thanksgiving is good, but Thanks-living is better.

When he spoke of a Good Name, he usually described it to be a Name for good things with good People.

When he spoke of Contentment, he us'd to say, When the Mind and the Condition meet, there's Contentment. Now in order to that, either the Condition must be brought up to the Mind, and that is not only unreasonable but impossible; for as the Condition riseth, the Mind riseth with it; or else the Mind must be brought down to the Condition, and that is both possible and reasonable. And he observed, That no Condition of Life will of it self make a Man content, without the Grace of God; for we find Haman discontented in the Court, Ah…b discontented on the Throne, Adam discontented in Paradise, p. 219nay (and higher we cannot go) the Angels that fell discontented in Heaven it self.

The Three Questions which he advised People to put to themselves in self Examination before the Sacrament, were, What am I? What have I done? and what do I want?

He us'd to recommend to his Friends these four Scripture Arguments against Sin. expressed for Memory sake in four Verses, to be ready in an Hour of Temptation.

Is this thy kindness to thy Friend?

It will be bitterness in the end.

The Vows of God upon me lye;

Should such a Man as I am fly?

He said there were four things, which he would not for all the World have against him, The Word of God, His own Conscience, The Prayers of the Poor, and The Account of Godly Ministers.

He that hath a blind Conscience which sees nothing, a dead Conscience which feels nothing, and a dumb Conscience which saith nothing, is in as miserable a Condition as a Man can be in, on this side Hell.

Preaching on 1 Pet. 1. 6. If need be, you are in Heaviness.—He shew'd what need the People of God have of Afflictions. The same need that our Bodies have of Physick, that our Trees have of Pruning, that Gold and Silver have of the Furnace, that Liquors have of being emptied from Vessel to Vessel, that the Iron hath of a File, that the Fields have of a Hedge, that the Child has of the Rod.

Preaching on that Prayer of Christ for his Disciples, Iohn 17. 21. That they all may be one, which no doubt is an answer'd Prayer; for the Father heard him p. 220always: He shewed, That notwithstanding the many sad Divisions that are in the Church, yet all the Saints, as far as they are Sanctified, are One; one in Relation, one Flock, one Family, one Building, one Body, one Bread: one by Representation, one in Image and Likeness, of one Inclination and Disposition: one in their Aims, one in their Askings, one in Amity and Friendship, one in Interest, and one in their Inheritance; nay, they are one in Iudgment and Opinion; though in some things they differ, yet those things in which they are agreed are many more, and much more considerable, than those things wherein they differ. They are all of a mind concerning Sin, that it is the worst thing in the World; concerning Christ, that he is All in all; concerning the Favour of God, that is better than Life; concerning the World, that it is Vanity; concerning the Word of God, that it is very precious, &c.

Preaching on Gal. 1. 16. concerning the Conversion of Paul, he began his Sermon with this Remark, to raise Attention: Much is said in Story concerning the seven Wonders of the World, the Temple of Ephesus, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Tomb of Mausolus, &c. all which are now no more; but I have been sometimes thinking, whether I could not name seven things which I would call the Seven wonders of the Church; and what do you think of these Seven? are they not wonderful? 1. Our Redemption by Jesus Christ, who is called Wonderful; 2. the Salvation of Noah in the Ark; 3. the Faith of Abraham in Offering up Isaac; 4. the Patience of Iob; 5. the Providences of God towards the Nation and People of the Iews; 6. the pouring out of the Spirit upon the Apostles; 7. the Conversion of Paul.

p. 221But it would be endless to gather up such Passages as these out of his Sermons, which were full of them, and we mention these only because they occur first.

He us'd to observe concerning the Nation of the Iews, that before the Captivity in Babylon, no People could be more strongly addicted to Idols and Idolatry than they were, to admiration, considering what clear Warnings they had against it. But after that Captivity, never was any People more averse to Idols and Idolatry than they, that the Promise might be fulfilled, Ephraim shall say, what have I to do any more with Idols; and he looked upon it, that the Idolatry of the Papists was one of the greatest Obstructions to the Iews Conversion, which he did expect and look for, as not apprehending how the Promises, Rom. 11. have yet had their full accomplishment; not that they shall again be Incorporated into a People, but shall join themselves to the Churches of Christ, in the several Nations whither they are scatter'd.

The great thing that he condemned and witnessed against in the Church of Rome, was their Monopolizing of the Church, and Condemning all that are not in with their Interests, which is so directly contrary to the Spirit of the Gospel, as nothing can be more. He sometimes said, I am too much a Catholick, to be a Roman Catholick.

He often exprest himself well pleas'd with that healing Rule, which if duly observed would put an end to all our Divisions: Sit in necessariis Unitas, in non necessariis Libert…, in omnibus Charitas. Let there be in necessary things Unity, in every thing Charity, and then there need not be in every Punctilio Uniformity.

p. 222By the Institutions of the Gospel (he said) he knew of no Holy Place, one Holy Day, two Holy Sacraments, and four Holy Canons. Let all things be done in Charity: Let all things be done to Edifying: Let all things be done Decently and in Order: and let all things be done to the Glory of God.

When his Opinion was asked about any doubtful Matter, as Playing at Cards, the Marriage of Cosin-Germans, or the like, he was very cautious in determining such things to be sinful; but he would say, its good keeping on the safer side; and a Man would not chuse to go upon a Precipice, when he might go upon even Ground, Prov. 10. 5. He that walks uprightly, walks surely, in opposition to walking at all adventures.

In the Observations he made of God's Providences, he frequently took Notice in Discourse with his Friends, of the fulfilling of the Scripture in them, for (saith he) The Scripture hath many accomplishments, and is in the fulfilling every day. Speaking of a wicked Son in the Neighbourhood, that was very undutiful to his Mother, he charged some of his Children to observe the Providence of God concerning him; Perhaps (saith he) I may …ot live to see it, but do you take Notice, whether God do not come upon him with some remarkable Iudgment in this Life, according to the threatning implyed in the Reason annexed to the Fifth Commandment: But he himself lived to see it fulfilled not long after, in a very signal Providence.

He observed from Scripture Instances, as well as from some Providences which he had taken Notice of in his own Day, That if any began well in the ways of Religion and Godliness, and afterwards cast off their Profession, and returned to Profaneness again p. 223usually God sets a mark of his displeasure upon them, by some visible Judgment in this World; their Estates ruined, their Reputation blasted, their Families sunk, or themselves brought to Misery; so that all who passed by might say, This was an Apostate. If any Man draw back, my Soul shall have no pleasure in him.

He observed from Numb. 10. 12. That all our Removes in this World, are but from one Wilderness to another. Upon any change that is before us, we are apt to promise our selves a Canaan, but we shall be deceived, it will prove a Wilderness.

Once pressing the Study of the Scriptures, he advised to take a verse of Psalm. 119. every Morning to Meditate upon, and so go over the Psalm twice in the Year, and that (said he) will bring you to be in love with all the rest of the Scripture; and he often said, All Grace grows, as love to the Word of God grows.

One asking his advice, what to do when (as often unavoidably) we are in the sight and hearing of the wickedness of the Wicked, and whether we are to reprove them; why (saith he) you know what an angry Countenance doth, and we may sometimes give a Reproof by our looks, when we have not opportunity of giving it otherwise.

He would not bear that any should be evil spoken of in his Hearing, 'twas to him as Vinegar to the Teeth. He would mind those who Reflected upon People behind their Backs, of that Law, Lev. 19. 14. Thou shalt not Curse the Deaf. Those that are absent are Deaf, they cannot right themselves, and therefore say no ill of them. A Friend of his enquiring of him concerning a matter which tended to reflect upon some People; he began to give him an account of the Story, p. 224but immediately broke off, and checked himself with these words, But our Rule is, to speak evil of no Man, and would proceed no further in the Story. 'Twas but the Week before he dyed, that one desired him to lend him such a Book; Truly (saith he) I would lend it you, but that it rakes in the Faults of some, which should rather be covered with a Mantle of Love, 'Twere easie to Multiply instances of this.

To quicken People to diligence and liveliness in the Worship of God, he would sometimes observe, that the Temple was built upon a Threshing-floor, a place of Labour. He would also urge, that in Answer to those who turn'd it to his Reproach, that his Meeting place had been a Barn; no new thing (would he say) to turn a Threshing-floor into a Temple.

When some zealous People in the Country would have him to Preach against Top-knots, and other Vanities in Apparel, he would say, that was none of his Business; if he could but perswade People to Christ, the Pride and Vanity, and Excess of those things would fall of Course; and yet he had a dislike to Vanity and Gaiety of dress, and allowed it not in those that he had influence upon. His Rule was, that in such things we must neither be Owles nor Apes; not affect singularity, nor affect modishness; nor (as he used to observe from 1 Pet. 3. 3.) make the putting on of Apparel our adorning, because Christians have better things to adorn themselves with. When some complained to him of a Relation of theirs, that would not let them dress his Children with Ribbands, and other fine things, why truly (said Mr. Henry) those things are fit for Children; thereby reproving both him that would not allow them to his Children, and them that perhaps minded them too much themselves.

p. 225He often, both in Sermons and Discourses, would press People to fix to themselves some good Principles, and to come off from the Corrupt and Carnal Principles that Worldly People go by. He took all occasions to recommend such Principles as these: That God who is the first and best, should have the first and best; That a Part in Christ is a good Part; That Soul Prosperity is the best Prosperity, and that it is well or ill with us, according as it is well or ill with our Souls; That Honesty is the best Policy; That those that would have the comfort of Relations, must be careful to do the Duty of them; That All is well that ends everlastingly well; That Time and the things of Time, are nothing compared with Eternity and the things of Eternity; That it is better to suffer the greatest Affliction, than to commit the least Sin; That it highly concerns us to do that now, which we shall most wish we had done when we come to dye; That Work for God is its own Wages; That it is folly for a Man to do that which he must certainly undo again by Repentance, or be undone to all Eternity Such as these were the Principles he would have Christians to govern themselves by.

Speaking of the Causes of Atheism, he had this Observation; That a Head full of vain and unprofitable Notions, meeting with a Heart full of Pride and Self-conceitedness, dispose a Man directly to be an Atheist.

A Gentlewoman, that upon some unkindness betwixt her and her Husband, was parted from him, and lived separately near a Twelve-month, grew Melancholy, and complained of Sin, and the withdrawing of the Light of God's Countenance, and the want of Assurance; he told her, she must rectifie what was a miss between her and her Husband, and return into the way of Duty, else 'twas in vain to expect p. 226Peace. Her Friends were against it; but he said, he was confident it would prove so.

He said he had observed concerning himself, that he was sometimes the worse for eating, but never for abstinence; sometimes the worse for wearing too few Cloaths, but never for wearing too many; sometimes the worse for speaking, but never for keeping Silence.

As to his Letters, he was very free in writing to his Friends. A good Letter, he would say, may perhaps do more good than a good Sermon, because the Address is more particular, and that which is written remains. His Language and Expressions in his Letters were always pious and heavenly, and seasoned with the Salt of Grace; and when there was occasion, he would excellently Administer Counsels, Reproofs or Comforts by Letter. He kept no Copies of his Letters, and it is impossible if we should attempt it, to retrieve them from the Hands into which they were scatter'd. Mr. Rutherford's, and Mr. Allen's Letters, that (like some of the most excellent of Paul's Epistles) bo…e date out of a Prison, have a mighty Tincture of their peculiar Prison-Comforts and Enlargements; we have none such to Produce of Mr. Henry's, no Pastoral Letters or Prison Letters; he was himself, in his whole Conversation, an Epistle of Christ.

But we shall only glean up some Passages out of such of his Letters as are in our Hands, which may be affecting and edifying.

To his Son when he was abroad for Improvement at London, in the Year 1685, and 1686, with the common business of his Letters, which was always written with a savor of Religion, he would intermix such Lines as these:

We are all well here, Thanks be p. 227to God, the Divine Providence watching about our Tabernacle, and compassing us about with Favour, as with a Shield. Our great Enquiry is, What shall we render? Alas! our Rendrings are nothing to our Receivings; w…re like the Barren Field, on which must Cost is b…wed, but the Crop is not accordingly. Our Heavenly Father is loading us with his Benefits, and we are loading him with our Sins, grieving him that comforts us; and how long, how long shall it be so? O that it might be otherwise! that our Mercies might be as Oyl to the Wheels, to make us so much the more active and lively in our Masters Work, especially considering how it is with our fellow Servants, they empty and we full, they Marah and we Naomi. There may a Day come, when it may cost dear to be honest, but after all. To fear God and keep his Commandments, is the whole of Man. I therefore commend it to you, and you to God, who is a shield and buckler to them that fear him.

We are well, but in daily expectation of that which we are born, and born again to, and that is Trouble in this World, yet rejoycing in hope of the Glory of God, which we are reaching after, and pressing towards, as we trust you are also. Where you are, you see more of the glittering Vanities of this World in a Day, than we here do in an Age; and are you more and more in love with them, or dead and dying to them? I hope dead and dying to them, for they are poor things, and perish in the using; make many worse that enjoy them, but none better. What is Translated vexation of Spirit, Eccl. 1. 2. may be read Feeding upon Wind, comp. Hos. 12. 1. and can Wind satisfie? The Lord preserve and keep you from all Evil, the Lord preserve p. 228and keep your Soul. We both send you our Love, and bless you together, and apart, every day, in the Name of the Lord. Amen and Amen.

Be sincere and humble and choice in your Company, always either getting go… or doing good, gathering in or laying out. Re…ber to keep the Heart with all diligence and above all keepings, for there the Fountain is, and if that be well kept and clean, the streams will be accordingly.

'Tis some short Refreshment to Friends and Relations, to see and hear from one another, but it passeth away, and we have here no continuing City, no abiding Delights in this World; our Rest remains elsewhere; those we have, lose much of their sweetness, from the thoughts of parting with them while we enjoy them, but the Happiness to come is Eternal. After Millions of Millions of Ages (if we may so speak of Eternity) as far from an end as the first Moment; and the last of Glory will be Glory (so some read Prov. 25. 27.) keep that in your Eye (my dear Child) and it will as much as any thing dazzle your Eyes, to all the fading deceiving Vanities of this lower World; and will be a quickning Motive to you, to abound always in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know your Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. The Lord bless you, who blesseth indeed.

See that you walk circumspectly, not as the Fools, but as the wise; many Eyes are upon you, his especially, who is all Eye; Cave, Deus videt, memento hoc agere; our Blessing with 1 Chr. 28. 9.

The same which is yet the Prologue of yours, is of ours also. Ommia bene. laus Deo! but he that girdeth on the Harness, must not boast as p. 229that puts it off. While the World we live in is under the Moon, constant in nothing but inconstancy; and such Changes are made in other Families, why should we alone promise our selves immunity from the common Lot? There would be no need of Faith and Patience which are Winter Graces, if it should be always Summer time with us. We have three Unchangeables to oppose to all other Mutabilities; an unchangeable Covenant, 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 ter…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; 'tis 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. 'Tis good accustoming our selves to that which is good. The more we do, the more we may do in Religion. Your p. 230Acquaintance (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. 'Tis 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. 'Twas the good advice of the Moral Philosopher, in your Converse with Men, foreign (Distrust) but I must add, in every thing towards God foreign (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 p. 231speaks 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.

p. 232Be 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 foreign, 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 p. 233and 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, 'twill be easily born. If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. I am, and shall be, according to my Duty and Promise, earnest at the Throne of Grace, on your behalf, that the Lord will pour out upon you of his Holy Spirit, that what he calls you to, he would fit you for; especially that he would take you off your own bottom, and lay you low in the Sense of your own Unworthiness, Inability and Insufficiency, that you may say with the Evangelical Prophet; Wo is me, I am undone! And with Ieremiah, I am a Child; and with Paul, I am nothing; where this is not, the main thing is wanting; for God resists the Proud, but gives Grace to the Humble. Now the Lord give you that Grace to be Humble; and then, according to his Promise, he will make you rich in every other Grace.

It were very easie to Transcribe many more such Lines as these, out of his Letters to his Son, but these shall suffice.

We shall next gather up some few passages out of some of his Letters to a Person of Quality in London, (such of them as are come to our Hands, which are but few of many.) The beginning of his Correspondence with that Gentleman, (which continued to his Death, and was kept up Monthly for a great while) was in the Year 1686. and the following Letter broke the Ice.

Honour'd Sir,

HOping you are by this time, as you intended, returned to London, to your Home and Habitation p. 234there. I make bold, according to my Promise, to Salute you in a few Lines. In the first place to be your Remembrancer of the Vows of God which are upon you, upon the account of the many Mercies of your Journey, both in your going out and in your coming in. Was not every step you took hedg'd about with special Providence? Had not the Angels charge over you? Did not they pitch their Tents where you pitched yours? Did not Goodness and Mercy follow you, and should it not then be had in thankful Remembrance? Where Mercy goes before, should not Duty follow after? If you have Mr. Angier's Life, you will find there, Page 88, 89. a Collection out of his Diary, of ten Heads of Mercies, acknowledged in a Journey, to heighten God's Praises, and to quicken his own and others Hearts therein, and they are certainly very affecting Next (Sir) I am to acquaint you, that I have faithfully dispos'd of the Money you left with me at parting, to eight poor praying Widows in this Neighbourhood, as you appointed. And this among all the rest of your Alms Deeds is had in Memorial before God; 'tis Fruit that will abound to your Account, Bread sent a Voyage upon the Waters, which you and yours will find again after many Days; for he is Faithful that hath promised. The Apostles Prayer shall be mine, 2 Cor. 9, 10. Now he that ministreth Seed to the Sower, both Minister Bread for your Food, and multiply your Seed sown, and increase the Fruits of your Righteousness. Amen.

And some time after he writes, Your Acknowledging God in all your Affairs, I cannot but rejoyce in, as an evidence of the uprightness of your Heart towards him; 'tis the Life and Soul of all Religion; 'tis indeed to walk with God: That includes as much p. 235as any other Scripture command in so few words, In all thy ways acknowledge him; in every thing thou dost have an Eye to him; make his Word and Will thy Rule, his Glory thy End; fetch in strength from him; expect success from him; and in all Events that happen, which are our ways too (whether they be for us or against us) he is to be acknowledged, that is ador'd: if prosperous with Thankfulness, if otherwise with Submission; as Iob, The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken, and blessed be the Name of the Lord. This is to set the Lord always before us, to have our Eye ever towards the Lord; where this is not, we are so far without God in the World.

In another Letter, As to the Accession lately made to your Estate, much good may it do you; that is, much good may you do with it, which is the true Good of an Estate. The Lady Warwick would not thank him, that would give her a Thousand a Year, and tye her up from doing good with it. I rejoyce in the large Heart which God hath given you with your large Estate without which Heart the Estate would be your Snare.

I have lately met with a Letter of Mr. Henry's, to a Couple related to him, who in a very short time had Buryed all their Children of the Small Pox, to their great Grief, 'twas in the Year 1679. What Comfort and Counsels he Administred to them, may be of use …o others in their Afflictions, and therefore I shall Transcribe the whole Letter, though it be long.

Dear Cosins,

THis is to you both, whom God hath made one in the Conjugal Relation, and who are one also in the present Affliction; only to signifie to you that we do heartily Sympathize with you in it. The Trial is indeed sharp, and there will be need of all the Wisdom and Grace you have, and of all the help p. 236of Friends you can get, both to bear and to improve it aright. You must bear it with Silence and Submission. Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have born Chastisement. He is Sovereign Lord of all, and may do with us and ours as pleaseth him. It is not for the Clay to quarrel with the Potter. It was Mercy you had Children, and comfort in them so long; it is Mercy that yet you have one another, and your Children are not lost, but gone before, a little before, whither you your selves are hastning after. And if a Storm be coming, (as God grant it be not) it is best with them that put first into the Harbour. Your Children are taken away from the Evil to come, and you must not Mourn as they that have no hope. Sensible you cannot but be, but dejected and sullen you must not be, that will but put more bitterness into the Cup, and make way for another, perhaps a sharper stroke. You must not think, and I hope you do not, that there cannot be a sharper stroke, for God hath many Arrows in his Quiver; he can heat the Furnace seven times hotter, and again and again seven times hotter, till he hath Consumed us; and if he should do so, yet still we must say, he hath punished us less than our Iniquities have deserved. For Examples of Patience in the like kind, we have two eminent ones in the Book of God, those are Iob and Aaron; of the latter it is said, Lev. 10. 3 He held his Peace; and that which quiered him, was what his Brother Moses said to him, This is that which the Lord hath said I will be sanctified; and if God be Sanctified, Aaron is Satisfied; if God have Glory from it, Aaron hath nothing to say against it. Of the former it is said, Iob 1. 20. he fell down, but it was to Worship; and we are told how he expressed himself, The Lord gave, &c. He acknowledgeth God p. 237in 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? 'Tis 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 p. 238are they that come out of such a Furnace thus resined, they will say hereafter, 'twas a happy day for them that ever they were put in. 3. You mu… 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.

p. 239To 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, no… 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 p. 240Mercy, 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 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.

p. 241At 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 p. 242together, (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; Tis 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 p. 243them, 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. 'Tis 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 …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 O…crrences in it, and keep the Spirit quiet within: And l… nor God's Time nor Dues be entrenched upon, and then all will be well.

p. 244'Twas 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: 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 p. 245love 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 desi…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 p. 246have, 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 p. 247into 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. 'Tis 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.

p. 2487. 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, also aggravating the Fault from the Circumstances of it, judging and condemning your self for it in the sight of God; and for your help herein, you must acquaint your self with the Divine Law, the Precepts and Prohibitions of it, especially their Extent and Spiritual Nature, as the Rule, and then bring your own Thoughts, Words, and Actions to it daily, to be tryed by it.

3. Petition, for such good things as God hath promised, and you have need of, both concerning this Life and that which is to come. As to the latter, you are to pray for Mercy to pardon, and Grace to help in time of need. As to the former, for Bread to eat, and Raiment to put on, and a Heart to be therewith contented. You are to pray for others also, the Church of God, the p. 249Land of your Nativity, Magistrates, Ministers, Relations, and Friends, not forgetting the Afflictions of the Afflicted.

4. Thanksgiving, which should have a considerable share in every Prayer; for our Duty is, in every thing to give thanks for Mercies received, Publick and Personal, which is the Will of God in Christ Iesus concerning us.

This Rule of Method is not so necessary to be observ'd in Prayer, as in no case to be varied from; but it is certainly very useful and expedient, and a great help to young beginners in that Duty.

8. My advice is, that you would delay no longer, but forthwith apply your self in the strength of Jesus Christ, to this sweet and excellent way of Praying … and I dare say, in a short time you will find, through the aids and supplies of Divine Grace, what is at first hard and difficult, will by degrees be easie and delightful. The promise is, that to him that hath, i. e. that hath, and useth what he hath, more shall be given. Though you cannot do what you would, yet fail not to do what you can, wherein the Lord will accept of you, according to his Everlasting Covenant in Christ Jesus, for we are not under the Law but under Grace.