"1. Give thanks to God that ever you had him or saw him, and that you had him so long, above thirty years in this place. Do not many of you owe even your very souls to him under God? While you mourn, give thanks to God that you ever knew him. Old and great mercies must be thankfully remembered."

“2. Rejoice in the glory that he now enjoys. Weep not for him, but weep for yourselves. It was the text on which he preached, not much above a year ago, at the funeral of that intelligent, holy, useful man, Mr. William Lawrence, of Wem.* The primitive Christians buried their saints with hymns and psalms of joy. Chrysostom on the Hebrews, saith, we are to glorify God, and give thanks to him, that he hath crowned the deceased, and freed them from their labours; and chides those that mourned and howled. And the days of their death were called Natalitia Martyrum et Sanctorum, the birth-days of the saints and martyrs. And Hierom, in his epitaph on holy Paula, (and in the lives of other holy persons, wrote by him,) saith, that at her funeral no shrieks were heard, but multitudes of psalms and hymns were sung in divers languages.

"3. Bewail the loss, the general loss, and your's in particular, yet so as to have hope in God. I need not tell you how great your loss is, you feel it more than I am able to express. If any rejoice that he is gone, because he tormented them; say as the church, Micah, vii. 8, 9.

"4. Seek out for a supply; do not mourn and sit still, but up and be doing in your places. You have had a cheap gospel hitherto. God sent you one that could preach freely, and which is more, that would do so too; one that sought not your's, but you; and now God will see what you will do for yourselves, that now the Shepherd is smitten, the sheep may not be scattered. Pray to God to raise up others like him, and graciously to give you

one.

"5. Take heed of liking no preacher, now he is gone. This is a usual fault among many that have had excellent preachers; nobody can please them. But God may bless weaker means, and make your souls live, and thrive under them.

"6. Hold fast that which you have; it is the advice given to Philadelphia, the best of the churches, Revelations, iii. 11. Keep that good thing which is committed to you, that savouriness of heart, that love to Christ and to saints, to all saints, that knowledge of the truth. Keep to his sober principles. Remember his dying counsel,-Follow peace and holiness. Have these things always in remembrance. Take heed of falling off; take heed of falling away. The world will draw you, and Satan will tempt you, and your own busy hearts will be apt to betray you, but go on

The father of the Rev. S. Lawrence. See Matthew Henry's Miscellaneous Works, p. 800, 801, ut supra, where his character is delineated by Philip Henry.

humbly and honestly in the strength of Christ, and fear not. Be not like those Jews that turned aside, when John Baptist was dead, John, v. 35. The Lord keep you from being such, and give you to go on to his heavenly kingdom."

It would have swelled this book too much, if we had inserted the sermon at large, and therefore we forbear it.

The next day, being Lord's-day, Mr. Owen, of Oswestry, preached a most excellent sermon in the morning, agreeable to that sad occasion, upon that pathetical farewell which Elisha gave to Elijah, 2 Kings, ii. 12. My Father, my Father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof, and he saw him no more; and he took hold of his own clothes and rent them. He observed, "1.That faithful ministers are the fathers of a people, and their chariots and horsemen; the former a metaphor taken for a family, a peaceable society; the latter from an army, a warlike body. Fathers, to provide good things. Chariots and horsemen,-to protect from evil things. 2. There is a time when we shall see these fathers, these chariots and horsemen of Israel no more. Their time is appointed, their work cut out for them, and when those are finished they are removed. 3. When God takes away our fathers, the chariots of our Israel, and the horsemen thereof, it is a proper season for mourning and lamentation.* Under this, he did most affectionately excite us. 1. To be sensible of our loss, which is better felt than expressed. It is the loss of one that was a father; a father to his family, to whom he was constant, in unfolding the holy oracles; a father to the prophets, for counsel, and conduct, and example; the sons of the prophets never conversed with him, but they were, or might have been, the better for him; a father to his congregation, now left orphans. It is the loss of one of the chariots and horsemen of our Israel; so eminent was he for prevalency in prayer, courage in duty, conduct in affairs, constancy in religion, and a firm adherence to his ministerial vows, and lastly, a contempt of the world, in which, as he that warreth, he did not entangle himself. 2. To be sensible of those sins, which have provoked God to deprive us of him. Barrenness and unfruitfulness under his ministry; it is for this that God hath a controversy with us. 3. To bless God that we enjoyed him so long; eaten bread must not be forgotten. 4. To be followers of him, as he was of Christ.+ He was a pattern for ministers, excelling in the knowledge of the scriptures, which made this man of God perfect, and industrious

It is not only no sin, but our duty to mourn for our departed friends. Tears are a tribute which we owe them. Jesus wept, John, xi. 35. And, this, though they were godly, and, therefore, gainers by death, for our own loss. God complains when it is not so, Isaiah, lvii. 1. The sin lies in the excess. We must not sorrow as those that have no hope, 1 Thessalonians, iv. 13, either concerning them, or concerning ourselves, who are left behind. P. Henry. Orig. MS.

If we copy the example of Christ, it will be an evidence that we are his now, in the kingdom of grace, and an earnest that we shall follow him, hereafter, into the kingdom of glory. P. Henry. Memoirs of Mrs. Savage, p. 217. ut supra.

to advance the honour of Jesus Christ, whom he made the Alpha and Omega of his religion; not addicted to controversies, but walking in the good old way; unwearied in the work of God; it was the delight of his heart, to be laying out himself for the good of souls. Exemplary for humility and low thoughts of himself, and his own performances, for meekness and readiness to forgive injuries, for candour in speaking of others, and their words and actions, on which he ever put the best construction,* and was never apt to speak evil of any man. Eminent for family religion, and in that an excellent copy to all masters of families. Those things, therefore, which you have heard and seen him do, and the God of peace shall be with you." These were the heads which were copiously and excellently enlarged upon in that

sermon.

In the afternoon of that sabbath, another sermon was preached. by a near relation† of Mr. Henry's, on Hebrews, xi. 4. And by it he being dead yet speaketh, Thahera, is yet spoken of by us, and yet speaketh to us.

The Wednesday following, July 1, being the lecture in course at Danford, in Whitchurch parish, Mr. Samuel Lawrence,‡ of Nantwich, whose turn it was to preach that lecture, brought up the long train of mourners, as he expressed it, in a most savoury and pertinent discourse, on Hebrews, xiii. 7. Remember them which have (or have had) the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. "Bishops, no doubt," saith he," are here meant, scripture primitive bishops, the pastors of particular congregations, for they were such as had spoken to them the word of God, and watched for their souls, verse 17. Such a one Mr. Henry was, that great man, who is fallen this day in Israel, removed from us, but hath left behind him a good name to be remembered; a good example to be imitated; many a good word spoken to us, and many a good prayer put up for us. Remember him with thankfulness, that God has given such power, such gifts and graces unto men; (I never knew a man," said he, "in all my acquaintance, in whom I have seen so much of God as in good Mr. Henry, whose holy, humble, heavenly, gracious conversation hath been to me no small confirmation of the truth of the christian religion;) that God gave him to you, and continued him so long, to see the church in a better state than he had sometimes seen it; that God crowned his labours with such great success. Many souls in heaven and some on earth blessing

* A wise man hath a court of chancery in his breast, to which appeals are made when the letter of the law will admit of no apology. P. Henry. Orig. MS.

Mr. Matthew Henry. See the Sermon, Post.

Nat. 1661; ob. April 24, 1712. See Mr. Matthew Henry's Miscellaneous Works, p. 800, ut supra. There was much in him that resembled old Mr. Henry, both in temper, conversation, and preaching. Tong's Life of Matthew Henry, p. 290, ut supra.

God that ever they saw his face, and that God continued him in his usefulness to the last. Remember him with a quiet submission to the hand of God in his removal from us. Sensible we must be of the stroke; it is a publick loss, a loss to the ministry; our hands are this day weak; a loss to the nation, for which he was a powerful intercessor; a loss to this country, in which he was a burning and shining light; but yet we must acquiesce in the divine will. The treasure was an earthen vessel, and God will bring us to depend more upon himself; and he is teaching us to live, and live to Christ without good Mr. Henry, though we have sometimes said, we did not know how we could live without him. Remember him to pay all honour and respect to his name and memory; rise up, and call him blessed. That is a foul tongue, as well as a lying one, that can say any thing of him unbecoming a disciple, servant, and minister of Jesus Christ. Remember him, to imitate his good example. Many of you will be called Mr. Henry's followers. Be so indeed. He was a pattern to ministers of diligence, zeal, humility, and great meekness in dealing with all people, which contributed abundantly to his success; his preaching affectionate without affectation. To all people he was a pattern of faith and charity, and contempt of the world, of zeal and moderation, patience in suffering, and of constancy and perseverance to the end. Remember him, and remember your sins which have provoked God to take him away. Have not we grieved this good man's spirit? &c. Remember him, and remember Christ's fulness, who is the same, verse 8, and hath the residue of the Spirit. Instruments shifted, cisterns emptied, but there is the same in the fountain. Remember him, and remember your own death, and heaven where he is. We may think the worse of this world, which is much impoverished, and the better of heaven, which is somewhat enriched by the removal of this good man."

Thus we have gleaned a little out of the sermons, which very well deserved to have been published at large, some of the testimonies that were borne to him, by such as had had long and intimate acquaintance with him, that knew his excellencies very much, and knew as little to give flattering titles. Nor was it any invidious piece of service, to speak thus honourably of one, who, like Demetrius,* had a good report of all men, and of the truth itself.

Nor was it there only, but from abroad, that very honourable testimonies were given of him. Sir Henry Ashurst, (whose great worth and usefulness the world hath been made to know, by some of the best pens of the age,) besides the personal acquaintance he had with Mr. Henry, both at Boreatton, and in London, had kept up a constant correspondence with him, by letter, for many years. Read the character he gave of him, in a letter to a near relation of

* Sec 3 John, 12.

you

Mr. Henry's, upon the tidings of his death. "I need not tell how sadly I received the doleful news of Mr. Henry's translation, who, I do think, lived the greatest example of sincere godliness, with prudence and sweetness of temper, of any I ever knew." And in another letter, not only proposing, but pressing the publication of an account of his life, he professeth, he thought there was "none like him in his day," at least of his acquaintance, which is known to be both of the largest and of the best. "And," saith he, "if Sir Fulke Greville* would have it inscribed upon his tombstone, that he was a friend to Sir Philip Sidney, I may well be pleased to have it told to the world, that I loved, and honoured, blessed Mr. Henry; a man of so much prudence, and withal so much sincerity, of so good a temper, so much a gentleman, and yet of such strict piety and devotedness to God, that I scarce ever knew his fellow."

The Rev. Mr. William Turner, now Vicar of Walburton in Sussex, of whom mention was made before, lately sent to me a very kind letter, Ex mero motu, with his free consent to have it inserted in this account; some hints whereof I think fit to subjoin.

"Worthy Sir;

"I am glad to hear that you have been prevailed with to set upon so good a work, as recording the most remarkable passages of Mr. Henry's life. I doubt not but you will meet with some, that will give such a history but a cold reception. All that part of the world that lies in darkness, will be offended, when beams of clear light and sunshine first dart into their faces. Virtutem præsentem odimus.

"A little before I went to the University, I was, upon the commendation of my worthy school-master, Mr. E. yet living, and with my father's consent, half a year a domestick with him; partly as a tutor to his young ones, and partly as a pupil to himself; and in some little degree as a companion; where I had the opportunity of informing myself more fully concerning the humour and principles and conversation of a sort of people, and especially him and his family, whom I had heard aspersed very freely in former companies, and represented to the world, as very hypocritical, and disloyal people. At my first going, I resolved to stand upon my guard, and pry into the cause, which was then the great subject of difference and dispute; and, upon the whole do say, that Mr. Henry was a man of so clear a brain, so gentle a behaviour, so steady a conversation, so regular a devotion, was so courteous and condescending to inferiors, so respectful and dutiful to superiors, so sweet and obliging to all; was so careful to improve his time well, to do as much good as possible to every body, so

Afterwards Lord Brooke. Nat. 1554; ob. Sept. 30, 1628. Mr. Chalmers's Biog. Dict. v. 16, p. 305.

+ Nat. 29th Nov. 1554; ob. 1586. See Dr. Zouch's Memoirs of Sir P. Sidney, 4to. 1808.