here as they ought to do, in their own native dress,* the candid reader will excuse it, if sometimes the expressions should seem abrupt; they are the genuine, unforced, and unstudied breathings of a gracious soul, and we hope will be rather the more acceptable to those who, through grace, are conscious to themselves of the same devout and pious motions. For, as in water face answers to face, so doth one sanctified and renewed soul to another; and as Mr. Baxter observes, in his Preface to Mr. Clark's Lives,†-" God's graces are much the same in all his holy ones; and therefore we must not think that such instances as these are extraordinary rarities; but God hath in wonderful mercy raised up many, by whose graces even this earth is perfumed and enlightened." But, if one star be allowed to differ from another star in glory, perhaps our reader will say, when he hath gone through the following account, that Mr. Henry may be ranked among those of the first magnitude.

*Tong's Life of the Rev. Matthew Henry, p. 3. ut supra.

The Lives of Sundry Eminent Persons in this latter Age; in Two Parts; Part I. of Divines; Part II. Of Nobility and Gentry of both Sexes. By Samuel Clark. Fol. 1683.

POSTSCRIPT.

THIS Account of the Life and Death of my honoured father, was first published the year after he died; and in a little time, there was a second impression of it, in which many considerable errors of the first were amended. It having now been long out of print, and often inquired for, this third edition comes abroad at the request of many who have found this portraiture of a Nathaniel, an Israelite indeed,—a genuine son of faithful Jacob,-that plain man dwelling in tents,-very serviceable to themselves and others, both for direction, quickening, and encouragement in the ways of God and godliness; for even this way, as well as in conversation,—as iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

Frequent mention being made in the book of the comfort he had in all the branches of his family, whom, with satisfaction, he saw planted in families of their own, it may not be amiss here to mention the changes which the Divine Providence made among them, soon after the Lord had taken away our master from our head, who was a daily intercessor for us.

In the year 1697, the year after my father died, two of his four daughters died, in Chester, of a malignant fever, within three weeks one of another: two excellent Christians; and one of them, by some papers of her writing found after her death, appearing to have had such an experimental acquaintance with the principles, powers, and pleasures, of the spiritual and divine life, as few Christians, that have more than doubled her years, attain to.

In the year 1699, two of his four sons-in-law* died, likewise, in Chester, within four or five months one of another; both of them useful good men in their places, and blessings to their families. One of them was Dr. John Tylston, a physician,-like St. Luke, a beloved physician; some time of Trinity College, in Oxford. Though he died at thirty-five years of age, he was for several years very eminent, and of great repute, in his profession. He was a universal scholar, had abundance of knowledge, and used it aright; and was a very devout, serious, conscientious Christian, and one that made it his business to do good. Many excellent papers he also left behind him, full fraught with proofs both of his learning and piety. He was greatly and generally lamented; and his memory is, and will be, very precious in this city. Having this occasion, I cannot forbear, even at this distance of time, dropping some tears afresh over his dust, thus publicly; for he was to me as my own soul; and upon every remembrance of him, I must still say, as I did then, what David said of Jonathan,—1 am distressed for thee, my brother; very pleasant hast thou been unto me.

The one, Dr. John Tylston, died April 8, 1699. See his life in the Investigator, v. 2. p. 254, &c. The other, Mr. Samuel Radford, died August 20, 1699. See an interesting record of this event by Mrs. Savage, in the Memoirs of her Life and Character, p. 22, &c. Also Tong's Life of the Rev. Matthew Henry, p. 149. ut supra.

It pleased God graciously to prolong the life of my dear and honoured mother* almost eleven years after my father, very much to the comfort of all her relations: she continued, to the last, at her house at Broad Oak, where she was born, a great example of wisdom, piety, and usefulness, and abounding in good works. I think I may say, in her sphere and capacity she was not inferior to what my father was in his. She was very happy in a constant calmness and serenity of mind, not easily disturbed; which, as it was a singular gift of the divine grace, and an instance of her wisdom, so it contributed very much to her close and comfortable walking with God, and her doing good. She lived and died rejoicing in Christ Jesus, and in a pleasing expectation of the glory to be revealed. Dr. Benyon + preached her funeral sermon in the meeting-place at Broad Oak, not a year before I preached his at Shrewsbury, on Hebrews vi. 12.—Be ye followers of them, who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises. The first sermon I preached at Broad Oak after that sad occasion, I wrote over at large afterwards, designing it for the benefit, not only of her children, but of her grand-children, of whom she had twenty-three following her to the grave. They have had it in manuscript among them, and now, in compliance with the desire of many of my friends, I have here added it to this edition of my father's Life; and it is all I have thought fit to add to it. I confess, I am not solicitous, as some perhaps may think I should be, to make an excuse, and to ask pardon for troubling the world with the little affairs of my poor family, and with the indulgences of my natural affection to it. I design nothing in it but, if it may be, by the grace of God, to do good to plain people like myself.

Chester,

February 27, 1711-12.

MATTHEW HENRY.

*

Appendix, No. I.

+ Tutor of an Academy at Whixall, in Shropshire, afterwards at Shrewsbury. He was born June 14, 1673; and died March 4, 1707-8. æt. 35.

AN

ACCOUNT

OF

THE LIFE AND DEATH

OF

MR. PHILIP HENRY.

CHAPTER I.

MR. PHILIP HENRY'S BIRTH, PARENTAGE, EARLY PIETY, AND EDUCATION AT SCHOOL.

q

relations; but it pleased God to bless his ingenuity | good knowledge of the Lord betimes. I have heard him speak of his learning Mr. Perkins's Six Principles, when he was very young; and he often mentioned, with thankfulness to God, his great happiness in having such a mother, who was to him as Lois and Eunice were to Timothy, acquainting him with the Scriptures from his childhood; and, there appearing in him early inclinations both to learning and piety, she devoted him in his tender years to the service of God, in the work of the ministry. She died of a consumption, March 6, 1645, leaving behind her only this son and five daughters. A little before she died, she had this saying, " My head is in heaven, and my heart is in heaven; it is but one step more, and I shall be there too."

and industry with a considerable income afterwards, which enabled him to live comfortably himself, to bring up his children well, and to be kind to many of his relations; but public events making against him at his latter end, when he died he left little behind him for his children, but God graciously took care of them. Providence brought this Mr. John Henry, when he was young, to be the Earl of Pembroke's gentleman, whom he served many years. The Earl coming to be Lord Chamberlain, preferred | him to be the King's servant. He was first made Keeper of the Orchard at Whitehall; [For which he had, besides a dwelling-house at the garden-stairs, with the perquisites of the water-gate, and lodgings of considerable yearly value," and the profits of the orchard, ten groats per diem standing wages, with livery out of the wardrobe,- per annum, insomuch that he lived plentifully, and in good repute, but laid by nothing.'

k

He was] afterwards Page of the Back Stairs to the King's second son, James," Duke of York, which place obliged him to a personal attendance upon the Duke in his chamber. He lived and died a courtier, a hearty mourner for his royal master King Charles the First, whom he did not long survive." He continued, during all the war-time, in his house at Whitehall, though the profits of his places ceased. The King, passing by his door, under a guard, to take water, when he was going to Westminster, to that which they called his trial, inquired for his old servant, Mr. John Henry, who was ready to pay his due respects to him, and prayed God to-Bless his Majesty, and to deliver him out of the hands of his enemies; for which the guard had like to have been rough upon him.o

His mother was Mrs. Magdalen Rochdale, of the parish of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, in Westminster. She was a virtuous, pious gentlewoman, and one that feared God above many. She was altogether dead to the vanities and pleasures of the court, though she lived in the midst of them. She looked well to the ways of her household; prayed with them daily, catechized her children, and taught them the

n 1652, Feb. 28th. My dear father, Mr. John Henry, died at his house in Whitehall. A very great affliction both to myself and sisters, especially the two little ones. The Lord provide for us! He was born July 20, 1590. P. Henry. Diary, Orig. MS.

o See a Mem. of the reign of K. Ch. I. by Sir P. Warwick, p. 379, and Sir Tho. Herbert's Memoir, p. 163.

p The Rev. W. Perkins died A. D. 1602, aged 44. Clarke's

Prince Charles" and the Duke of York being somewhat near of an age to him, he was in his childhood very much an attendant on them in their play, and they were often with him at his father's house, and they were wont to tell him what preferment he should have at court, as soon as he was fit for it. He kept a book to his dying day, which the Duke of York gave him; and I have heard him bewail the loss of two curious pictures, which he gave him likewise. Archbishop Laud' took a particular kindness to him when he was a child, because he would be very officious to attend at the water-gate, (which was part of his father's charge in Whitehall,) to let the Archbishop through when he came late from Council, to cross the water to Lambeth.

[And when the Archbishop was a prisoner in the Tower, his father took him with him to see him, and he would remember that the Archbishop gave him some new money."]

These circumstances of his childhood he would sometimes speak of among his friends, not as glorying in them, but taking occasion from thence to bless God for his deliverance from the snares of the court, in the midst of which it is so very hard to maintain

Marrow of Eccl. Hist. p. 850. 4to. 1654. It was the motto of the learned and godly divine, Mr. Perkins, Fidei vita vera vita;—the true life is the life of faith; a word which that worthy servant of God did both write and live. Bishop Hall. Works. vol. viii. p. 30. oct. ed.

q See Mr. Perkins's Works, vol. i. p. 1. fol. 1608.

r See Dunton's Life and Errors, v. 1. p. 344. ed. 1818. He died Dec. 11, 1669. Collins's Peerage, v. 3. p. 140, &c. ut supra.

s Died without issue in 1660, on which his titles became extinct. Collins's Peerage, v. 7. p. 205. ut supra.

t Lady Catharine Howard, youngest daughter of Thomas, Earl of Suffolk. She was married to William, the second Earl of Salisbury, Dec. 1. 1608. Collins's Peerage. v. 2. p. 490. ut supra.

u Afterwards King Charles II.

v He was born A. D. 1573, and beheaded Jan. 10. 1644-5. Hist. of his Troubles, Trial, Diary, &c. 2 vols. fol. 1695.

w Life. Orig. MS. ut supra.