Some of those communion days are noted in his diary, as "sweet, sealing days, in which he found it good to draw near to God."

Towards the close of this year, there was a general expectation of the cancelling of the indulgence, on which, on a previous Sabbath and sacrament day, he remarks. "Perhaps this may be the last; 'Father, thy will be done.' It is good for us to be at such uncertainties; for now we receive our liberty from our Father, fresh, every day, which is best and sweetest of all."

In the years, 1677, 1678, and 1679, in the course of his ministry, at Broad Oak, he preached over the ten commandments; and from other texts of Scripture largely opened the duties required, and sins forbidden, in each commandment. For although none delighted more than he in preaching Christ and gospel grace; yet he knew that Christ came not to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfil; and that though through grace, we are not under the law as a covenant, yet we are under it as a rule-" under the law to Christ." "We have known," says he, "those who have called preaching on such subjects, good moral preaching; but

let them call it as they will, I am sure it is necessary, and as much now as ever." He was very earnest in pressing upon the peopeople, the conscientious performance of moral and relative duties. He would say, "A good Christian will be a good husband, a good father, a good master, a good subject, a good neighbour, and so in other relations." He was fully persuaded of the truth of the proverb, "Honesty is the best policy." "These are things," he would say," in which the children of this world are competent judges. They that know not what belongs to faith, and repentance and prayer, yet know what belongs to the making of an honest bargain." They are also parties concerned, and often careful themselves, in these things; therefore, professors of religion should walk very circumspectly, "that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed," nor religion wounded through their sides. He was especially pointed in reproving sins against the ninth commandment, as being so common, and their evil so little thought of. He gave it as a rule, "If we can say no good of persons, we had better say nothing of them." Also, "Never to speak of any one's faults

to others, till we have first spoken of them to the offender himself." He was himself an eminent example of this rule. Some that have conversed much with him have said, that they never heard him speak evil of any body; nor could he bear to hear any spoken evil of, and would often drive away a backbiting tongue. But to offenders themselves, he was known to be a faithful reprover. When he preached of moral duties, he would always have something of Christ in the service, as the great pattern of the duty, or his love as the motive to it; or his merit, as making atonement for the neglect of it. In the year 1680, he preached over the doctrines of faith and repentance, from several texts. He used to tell, that it was said of the famous Mr. Dod, that some called him in scorn, FAITH AND REPENTANCE, because he insisted so much on these two, in his preaching. "But," said he, "if this is to be vile, I will be more vile still; for faith and repentance are all in all, in Christianity." Concerning repentance, he sometimes said, "If I were to die in the pulpit, I would desire to die preaching repentance; or if I die out of the

pulpit, I would desire to die, practising repentance." And he often came over this saying, "He who repents every day for the sins of every day, when he comes to die, will have but the sins of one day to repent of." "Even reckonings make long friends."

In the year 1681, Mr. Henry preached over the duties of hearing the word and prayer. Of the former from the parable of the sower; and on the Lord's prayer, he delivered above thirty excellent and elaborate discourses. He looked upon the Lord's prayer, to be not only a pattern for prayer but— according to the advice of the Assembly of Divines-proper to be used as a form. "A great strait," says he, " poor ministers are in, in relation to this matter, when some will not hear them if they do not use the Lord's prayer, and others will not hear them, if they do. What is to be done in such a case? We must walk according to the light we have, and approve ourselves to God, either in using or not using it; and wait for the day when God will mend the matter, which I hope he will do in his own due time."

He was just concluding his lectures on the

Lord's

prayer

when a dark cloud arose over

his assemblies, which compelled him to contract his sails.

CHAPTER VII.

The trials and persecutions which he endured between the years 1680 and 1687.

In the summer of 1681, there was a long and alarming drought, which induced many pious persons to think of a day of fasting, prayer, and humiliation, to supplicate relief, and to deprecate the righteous judgments of God. The meeting was held at the house of a private gentleman, in Shropshire, and Mr. Henry was invited to preach. From the indulgence which had been granted, for some time, no fears were entertained of the interference of the magistrates, to enforce the penal laws, against conventicles. But when Mr. Henry was in the midst of his sermon, founded on Psalm lxvi. 8, the congregation was interrupted by the entrance of two magistrates, who insulted the ministers, talked profanely,