itably. And, what ought to make me ashamed, all truly peaceful, and full of divine benignity, and ever to be recorded with gratitude to God. What remains I know not; a few days, perhaps, and full of trouble; but the will of my Lord be done. To me to live is Christ; so shall it always be, and eternally; and to die gain." "December 31, 1703." After reciting, as on some former occasions, his sins and mercies, and observing that, even under the gospel, there must be a remembrance of sins every year, he proceeds-"Not such as speaks any deficiency in the sacrifice, as that under the law did, but such as speaks deficiency in my daily repentance, which ought, therefore, to be renewed,-and the imperfection of the work of sanctification,"

"Unfixedness of thought, a wretched desultoriness. Some speak of time well spent in thinking, but I find, unless in speaking, reading, or writing, my thinking doth not turn to much account. Though I have had comfort in some broken good thoughts, yet I can seldom fix my heart to a chain of them. O that the thought of my heart may be forgiven.

"I have oft bewailed my barrenness in good discourse, and unskilfulness in beginning it, and coldness of concern for the souls of others; and in reflection on this year, I find it has not been much better. I bless God I love good discourse, and would promote it, but I want zeal. The Lord pity me.

"I have great reason to be thankful for continued health, for comfort in my soul, not made a terror to my. self. I have oft thought this year, what a mercy it is to be kept out of the horrible pit and miry clay.

"I have had much satisfaction this year in my nonconformity, especially by reading Mr. Hoadly's books, in which I see a manifest spirit of Christianity unhappily leavened by the spirit of conformity."

"January 1, 1704. Acknowledging my continued dependence upon God as my Creator, Preserver, and chief good; and my continued obligations to him in duty as my Lord and Ruler; and in interest, as my Bene

factor and Protector; believing that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

"Relying upon the merit, mediation, and everlasting righteousness of my dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who loved me and gave himself for me, as my way to the Father, and the spotless robe wherein alone I can appear before him.

"And submitting my soul to the operation and influences of the blessed Spirit of grace, without which, I am nothing, and can do nothing.

"Thankfully owning God's goodness to me the last year, in lengthening out my life, health, comfort in soul, peace, plenty, settlement, relations, liberty, and oppor tunity and admiring his patience, forbearance, longsuffering, in sparing me in his vineyard, who deserved to have been cut down and cast into the fire as a barren tree.

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Lamenting my foolishness, the foolishness which is still bound up in my heart, and that which still breaks forth in my life; and particularly that my improvements in grace and usefulness last year did not answer the covenants which began it.

"Because of all this I make a sure covenant and write it.

"In the strength of the grace of Jesus Christ, on which alone I depend to work all my works in me and for me, I covenant for this new year, for my whole life, to walk closely with God in all holy conversation, to keep my heart with all diligence; and to thee, O my God, I commit the keeping of it. To take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue; and do thou set a watch, O Lord, before the door of my lips. I covenant to redeem my time, and to thee, O God, do I consecrate this year, and all the hours of it. The Lord enable me to fill it up with good according as the duty of every day requires. I bind myself to follow the spirit of God in all my affections, and the providence of God in all my affairs, whatever God shall appoint me to this year; to health or sickness, to plenty or loss, to

evil report, or good report, to liberty or restraint, to the house of mourning or the house of rejoicing,to life or death Behold, here I am, let him do with me as seemeth good in his eyes. Only, whatever the providence of God allots for me, let the grace of God be sufficient for me, to enable me to accommodate myself to it; and then welcome the will of God."

CHAPTER VII.

A. D. 1704 to A. D. 1708.

Journey to London-Hears John Howe-Mr. Henry's general health good -Sudden seizure and illness-Commencement of the year 1701-Birth-day Memorial, 1702-Close of 1702-Commencement of 1706-Birth-day, 1706 -Commencement of 1707-Death of his Mother-Birth-day Memorial, 1707-Close of the year 1707-Commencement of 1708-Birth-day Memorial, 1708.

In the early part of the year 1704, Mr. Henry, accompanied by Mrs. Henry, again visited the metropolis. The precise occasion of the journey does not fully appear; nor is it material. One remark, however, made by him on leaving Northampton, may be properly cited as indicative of the spirit in which he travelled; the same spirit indeed, which gave consistency and elevation to his whole character, both at home and abroad.

"It is easy to leave an inn; why should it not be easy to leave this world, which is but an inn, to go to our house, our Father's house? The troubles of travelling exercise our patience and submission to God's will. By submission in lesser things we learn it in greater. But they also give us to experience the goodness of God in our preservation, and encourage us to hope in that goodness in our journey for heaven."

The record of a sermon he heard preached on sabbath morning, the day after his arrival in London, by John Howe, is not less worthy of attention; it is per

fectly characteristic of both the parties; it is, moreover, pregnant with universal instruction; and as embraced, may be a balm of healing and refreshment, to such especially as, under a prevailing sense of unworthiness, move heavily along the narrow way.

"The text," says Mr. Henry, was Jude 21; and I must never forget what he said in the close of the sermon. 'I would deal for your souls, as for my own, and for myself I declare before you all, I depend purely upon the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life."

Till now Mr. Henry's health, though delicate when a child, had continued good. Henceforward the inroads made upon his frame by disease, were frequent and alarming.

On Lord's day, August 27, the same year, 1704, while reading the chapter in the morning service, he suddenly fainted; recovering speedily, he however proceeded in his beloved work. Had he taken rest the subsequent effects would probably have been prevented. But unskilled in the art of self-sparing, and impelled by holy zeal, instead of relaxing, as he ought to have done, the next day he fulfilled an appointment to preach at Nantwich, and the day following, another at Haslington.The latter was a funeral sermon for an aged and faithful minister, Mr. Cope, pursuant to his desire, and to a large congregation. These engagements, by the excitement they produced, added much to his exhaustion.

On his return home the consequences were distinctly visible, and indisposition so much increased as to confine him altogether to the house. Not having for fifteen years been detained from public worship on the sabbath, he naturally felt the imprisonment; but not so as to overlook existing mercies. The fever continued more than three weeks, but he was able, during the whole time, and he gratefully recorded it, both "to light the lamps, and to burn the incense;" that is, daily, with only one exception, to expound and pray in his family morning and evening.

It was during this visitation, when the physicians would

not sanction his usual services in the sanctuary, that he assembled his family for worship; telling them, with instructive emphasis, that if he must not go to the house of God, he would go to the God of the house. And so soon as health returned he did not wait for the sabbath, but selected the lecture day for resuming his public appearance. "I was willing," said he, "to go thither first, where I most desire to be. I would take the first opportunity of paying my vows."

Here the order of the history requires that further extracts from the diary should be inserted; a circumstance which it is presumed the judicious reader will not regret.

1705. January 1. Not renouncing, but repeating and ratifying, all my former covenants with God, and lamenting that I have not lived up more closely to them, I do, in the beginning of this new year, solemnly make a fresh surrender of myself, of my whole self, body, soul, and spirit, to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; my Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier; covenanting and promising, not in any strength of my own, for I am very weak, but in the strength of the grace of Jesus Christ, that I will endeavor this year to stand complete in all the will of God.

"I know this is the will of God, even my sanctification. Lord grant that this year I may be more holy, and walk more closely than ever in all holy conversation. I earnestly desire to be filled with holy thoughts, to be carried out in holy affections, determined by holy aims and intentions, and governed in all my words and actions by holy principles. O that a golden thread of holiness may run through the whole web of this year.

"I know it is the will of God that I should be useful, and by his grace I will be so. Lord, thou knowest it is the top of my ambition in this world to do good, and to bé serviceable to the honor of Christ, and the welfare of precious souls. I would fain do good in the pulpit, and good with my pen; and, which I earnestly desire to abound more in, to do good by my common

converse.