this man was, like richard baxter, a nonconformist pastor in 1600s england, and, like baxter refused to criticize the government or disobey it's restricting laws on such pastors.
concerning his salvation experience as a child..
he would blame those who laid so much stress
on people knowing the exact time of their conversion,
which he thought was, with many, not possible to do.
who can so soon be aware of the day break,
or of the springing up of the seed sown?
the work of grace is better known in its effects than in its causes.
he would sometimes illustrate this by that saying
of the blind man to the pharisees,
who were so critical in examining the recovery of his sight.
this and the other i know not concerning it, but,
this one thing i know that whereas i was blind now i see. john 9.25
he would bear his testimony to the comfort and benefit of early piety,
and recommend it to all young people,
as a good thing to bear the yoke of the Lord Jesus in youth.
he would often witness against that wicked proverb,
a young saint, an old devil
and would have it said rather,
a young saint, an old angel....
in dealing with young people, how earnestly would he press this upon them, i tell you, you cannot begin too soon to be religious,
but you may put it off too long.
manna must be gathered early,
and he that is the first, must have the first..
eccles. 12.1, remember thy creator in the days of they youth;
or as in the original, 'the days of thy choice
-thy choice days and thy chusing days.
he would say sometimes,
the life of a christian is a life of labour;
son, go, work
his godfather, the earl of pemboke, had given him 10 pounds
to buy him a gown, to pay his fees and to set out with. (to oxford university)
this in his papers he puts a remark upon,
as a seasonable mercy in regard of some straits,
which providence, by the calamity of the times,
had brought his father to.
god had taught him from his youth that excellent principle,
which he adhered to all his days,
that every creature is that to us
and no more
than God makes it to be.
and therefore while many seek the ruler's favour,
and so expect to make their fortunes...
it is our wisdom to seek His favour,
who is the ruler of rulers,
and that is an effectual way to make sure our happiness.
at his ordination mr. malden, of newport, closed with an exhortation
directed to the newly ordained ministers, in which, mr. henry says
went near my heart.
as the nurse puts the meat first into her own mouth,
and chews it
and then feeds the child with it,
so should ministers do by the word,
preach it over beforehand to their own hearts..
we must do what we can, when we cannot do what we would
he was noted for
great industry in the pursuit of useful knowledge;
he was particularly observed to be very inquisitive
when he was among the aged and intelligent,
hearing them and asking them questions..
..he was a constant and diligent attendant upon those within his reach,
as a hearer..
wrote the sermons he heard
then recorded in his diary
what reached his heart, affected him and did him good.
examples, felix TREMBLED. acts 24.25..
much was spoken that reached my heart and present condition,
as if the Lord had sent the minister to preach purposely to me.
blessed by God!
it is a dreadful thing to sin against conviction;
and that i have done many a time. Father forgive me!
a convinced person finds a great deal less pleasure in sin than others do.
i can..acknowledge myself, therefore, so much the more a fool
to transgress without a cause.
sure, my sin is the greater.
sins against conviction border upon the sin against the Holy Ghost.
oh, how near then have i been to ruin!..
saving convictions melt the heart,
set the soul a praying,
subdue the will to live according to them.
mine, this day, produced the two former effects,
with hearty unfeigned resolutions touching the latter.
Lord, undertake for me!
i was told that i must not stay till some remarkable time
from which to date my conversion to God, as many do.
but i must make this day remarkable by doing it now.
after dangerous backsliding,
lo, i come to ghee, for Thou art the Lord my god!-
my God in Christ.
heard 2 sermons at bangor..
quicken Thou me in Thy way.
in the prayer before sermon, this confession was put up,
which my heart close with:
Lord, we want wisdom to carry ourselves as we ought in the world,
by reason whereof the work of the gospel in our hands is much hindered!
oh, my God, bestow upon me a wise and an understanding heart.
the doctrine was,
that god's people often want quickening in god's way.
i am sure i do.
oh, when had i cause to complain, my heart is dead to the world,
creatures, pleasures, sin?
but to duty, praying, preaching,
when almost is it otherwise?
Lord, Thou gavest life at first;
give more life!
at thistleworth. matt. 12.36..
the doctrine was,
idle words must be accounted for.
words that are unprofitable bring no glory to God,
no real good to ourselves of others,
are very sinful,
because they are an abuse of ..our tongue, which is our glory.
we are guilty of very many, every day, in every company.
from hence was inferred what need there is for us
to reckon with ourselves every night
for the idle words and other failings of the day before.
it is no wisdom to defer.
if we reflect not quickly, we shall forget.
..i have formerly been very talkative,
and in multitude of words there wants not sin.
lord cleanse my soul..
and mortify that corruption for me..
every day, more and more1
I peter 4.18..it was urged that is no easy matter to be saved.
it is difficult work to the Spirit to work grace in us
and to carry it on against corruptions, temptations, distractions.
i was exhorted to inquire,
1. can i choose to undergo the greatest suffering rather than commit the least sin?
2. can i embrace Christ with His cross?
3. can i work for god though there were no wages?
4. can i swim against the stream:
be good and bad times and places?
5. can i pull out right eyes for Christ,
and cut off right hands, etc?
i can do all this, and much more, through Christ's strengthening me.
at bangor from philippians 1.27..
the doctrine was,
it is the great duty of christians to have their conversation as becomes the gospel;
that is, clothed with the graces of
the gospel, faith, love, humility, meekness, self-denial, patience..
and in these to abound and grow.
it is an uncomely sight to see an old professor a young saint...
at ellesmere. from matthew 5.6. the doctrine was
hungry thirst souls shall be filled, partly here, perfectly hereafter,
with grace, comfort, glory.
such put a great value upon Christ.
men will part with any thing for food;
they will go far for it;
take pains to get it.
lord, evermore fill my soul with thyself!
creatures will not satisfy....
go with conscience...'one of the doctors, who visited huss, said to him,
if the council of constance (1414) should tell you that you have but one eye,
though you have really two,
you would be obliged to agree with the council.
huss..while God keeps me in my senses,
i would not say such a thing against my conscience ,
on the intreaty or command of the whole world.
about 1657...as to the state of his soul in these years,
it should seem by his diary,
that he was exercised with some doubts and fears
respecting it. i think, saith he,
never did any poor creature pass through
such a mixture of hope and fear, joy and sadness,
assurance and doubting, down and up,
as i have done these years past...
it would affect one, to hear one that
lived a life of communion with God,
complaining of great straitness in prayer..
no life at all in the duty, many wanderings;
if my prayers were written down and my vain thoughts interlined,
what incoherent nonsense would there be!
i am ashamed, Lord, i am ashamed!
oh, pity and pardon!
i find in nothing more of the deceitfulness of my heart than in secret worship.
oh, how hardly am i brought to it, and how little sweetness and delight
do i for the most part find in it!..
i have a froward peevish spirit unto this day, impatient of contradiction.
oh, that it were mortified..
..hear him suspecting the workings of pride of heart,
when he gave an account to a friend, who inquired of him,
touching the success of his ministry...
at another time he writes..
1. omissions innumerable. i fall short of duty in every relation..
2. much frowardness upon every occasion,
which fills my way with thorns and snares.
3. pride: a vein of it runs through all my conversation.
4. self seeking. corrupt ends in all i do.
applause of men oftentimes regarded more than the glory of god.
5. my own iniquity. many bubblings up of heart corruption,
and breakings forth too...
..hear him charging it upon himself,
that he was present at such a duty in the midst of
many distractions, not tasting sweetness in it etc.
when a fire is first kindled, saith he,
there is a deal of smoke and smother,
that afterwards whereas away;
so , in young converts, much
peevishness, frowardness, darkness;
so it hath been with my soul,
and so it is yet in a great measure.
Lord, pity, and do not quench the smoking flax;
though as yet it doth but smoke, set these sparks be blown up into a flame!
great mercies, but poor returns;
signal opportunities, but small improvements;
..he was good in profitable discourse,
yet in that he often bewails his barrenness and unprofitableness.
little good done or gotten such a day, for want of heart..
yet when he wanted a faith of assurance, he lived by a faith of adherence.
such a day, saith he, a full resignation was made of
all my concernments into the hands of my ..Rather;
let him deal with me as seemeth good in His eyes.
i am learning and labouring to live by faith.
Lord, help my unbelief!
another time he notes that many perplexing fears being upon his spirit,
they were all silenced with that sweet word, ..
fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer.
there is no living by a dead faith,..
no, nor by a living faith, unless lively.
Help, Lord, Thy poor servant, that my faith fail not!
i do not know that i ever saw my way clearer.
then why art thou cast down, o my soul?
he who prays most, will preach best.
spiritual beggars are special preachers.
Lord give me wisdom that i may preach in all my discourses. (conversations?)
we are really who we are relatively. (ie. in our homes with our family)
have a church in your house. (talk much with each other about God)
be much in secret fellowship with God in duty,
for it is secret trading (back and forth with God in heart?) that enriches the christian.
against faithful prayer - deadness, coldness, distractions, wanderings,
and the thought coming, 'you've spent too much time'..
if the devil can't keep me from coming to God,
he will try to work a loathness to tarry with Him.
be humbled before God in secret and take shame to ourselves.
don't lengthen prayer as a pretext,
neither avoid long prayer.
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