your children also may

be received into cove

nant with the Lord, and that the Lord's broad seal of baptism, may be set to it?

"Quest. 3. And do you promise, in the presence of God, and of this congregation, that you will do your endeavours towards training it up in the way of godliness, that as it is by you, through mercy, that it lives the life of nature, so it may be by you also, through the same mercy, that it lives the life of grace: else, I must tell you, if you be wanting herein, there will be a sad appearance, one day, when you shall meet together, before the judgment seat of Christ, and the solemn engagement of yours will be brought to witness against you."

He declined the private administration of the Lord's supper to sick persons, as judging it not consonant to the rule and intention of the ordinance. He very rarely, if ever, baptized in private; but would have children brought to the solemn assembly on the Lord's day, that the parents' engagement might have the more witnesses to it, and the child the more prayers put up for it; and that the congregation might be edified.

1

His behaviour towards the people of his

parish was very exemplary, condescending to the meanest, and conversing familiarly with them; bearing with the infirmities of the weak, and becoming "all things to all men." He was exceedingly tender of giving offence, or occasion of grief to any body, remembering that the wisdom that is from above is, "pure, peaceable, and gentle." Yet he plainly and faithfully reproved what he saw amiss in any, and would, not suffer sin upon them; mourning also for that which he could not mend.

Many out of the neighbouring parishes attended his ministry, and some came from far, though sometimes he signified his dislike of it; so far was he from glorying in it. But they who had spiritual senses exercised to discern things that differ, would attend on that ministry which they found most edifying.

His continuance at Worthenbury, was about eight years, and his labour was not in vain in the Lord. He remarked, however, the providence, that most of those who had been savingly benefitted by his ministry, were taken out of the world, before he was removed from the place; and the new gene

ration who succeeded them were of another spirit, and knew not Joseph.

From the experience which he had at Worthenbury, he was convinced of the superior opportunities of usefulness, from having his people settled contiguously around him, in the parish order, rather than the congregational way of gathering churches from places, far distant.

Though his extraordinary modesty always led him to take the lowest room, and to avoid pushing himself forward into conspicuous services; yet his eminent talents could not be hid; the ointment of the right hand will betray itself. He was often called upon by the ministers, in the vicinity, to preach the week-day lectures, which were set up plentifully, and were well attended upon in those parts; and his labours were, on these occasions, generally acceptable and successful. Indeed, the estimation in which he was held by the people, was manifest from their speaking of him commonly as, the "heavenly Henry." A person intimately acquainted with him has characterized him by the three following particulars. 1. Great piety and devotion, and a mighty savour of godliness

in all his conversation. 2. Great industry in the pursuit of useful knowledge: he was particularly observed to be inquisitive, when in company with the aged and intelligent; hearing them, and asking them questionsa good example to young men, especially young ministers. 3. Great self-denial, selfdiffidence, and self-abasement. This eminent quality put a lustre upon all his other graces.

He was wont to tell a story of a forward young man, who at a. meeting of ministers, with much self-confidence said, when some point was under debate, "I hold it so and so"-a grave and aged minister repressed his forwardness by saying, "It becomes you to hold your peace."

He was not only a preacher of lectures, but a frequent hearer of the lectures of others; and he made it a practice to write down the discourses which he heard, and in his diary to record the effect which they produced on his heart.

The brother in whom he most delighted, and with whom he often took sweet counsel, was Mr. Richard Steel, minister of Flanmers, a parish adjacent to Worthenbury, whose

praise is in the churches, for his excellent treatises, "The Husbandman's Calling". "An Antidote against Distractions"—and several others. He was Mr. Henry's otherself, the man of his counsel, and with whom he was frequently joined in conference, and in the observance of days of humiliation and prayer.

It was customary for the ministers in that part of the country, after the public exercises of the lecture were over, to spend some time in set disputations, in Latin. As iron sharpens iron, so these ministers made it their business to provoke one another to love and good works.

In the early part of his, ministry, Mr. Henry's health was so feeble, that it was. feared that he would go into a decline, and some blamed him for taking so much pains in his ministerial work; suggesting to him, "Master spare thyself." One of them told him, that he lighted up his whole pound of candles at once, and that he could not hold out long, at that rate, and wished him to husband his strength better. But he often reflected upon it with comfort, afterwards, that he was not influenced by such sugges