bearing down all opposition, and gaining accessions of strength and impetuosity, even from the hinderances and the dams which were intended to impede, if not to prevent, its course.

"The grace of the New Testament," he writes, "is substituted in the room of that of the Old. Discoveries of grace are now more clear, and its distributions more plentiful. The Spirit is now more fully poured out. Then the house was filled with glory; but now the earth is filled with glory. The partition-wall is broken down. We live in a time of improvement and reformation. The promises are more spiritual. Life and immortality are brought to light. We are under the dispensation of the Spirit."

Mr. Henry's pious ardor was strikingly manifested in reference to the treatise of his beloved friend, Mr. Reynolds, entitled, "Zeal a virtue, or a Discourse concerning Sacred Zeal." So earnest was his desire for that impressive and exciting work to be made known and circulated, that he actually sent it to the press without the author's knowledge. But for which circumstance, in all probability, it had never appeared.

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Every symptom of approach towards the latter-day glory he hailed with ineffable pleasure. When in the year 1703, during the warfare of England with France and Spain, unpleasant rumors were afloat, instead of being appalled, he calmly observed,-that, perhaps the wars of the nations may end in the peace of the church; and that the greatest perplexities of the children of men may introduce the joys of the people of God. We hope," he added, "glorious times are reserved for the church."

But his believing exultation was not limited to such statements, any more than to seasons of public excitement. In secret, when no eye saw him but that of God, he discovered the same fervency, and the same elevation; a proof at once of the genuineness, as well as the vehemence, of his zeal. The following instructive memorial records the devotions of the closet. "I hope I prayed

in faith, and with the same fervor, for the sanctifying of God's name, the coming of Christ's kingdom, and the doing of his will. O that earth may be made more like heaven, and saints more like angels.

CHAPTER XII.

A. D. 1712 to A. D. 1714.

Commencement of his labors at Hackney-His indefatigable ExertionsOrdination of Mr. Clark-Birth-day. 1712.-Commencement of the year 1713-Attention to the young-His patronage of charity Schools-His declining health-visits Chester-is laid aside by illness-Relapses again -Birth-day, 1713-Devout Commencement of the last year of his Life, 1714-Public Affairs-last entry in his Diary-Journey to Chester-His last Sabbath there-sets out for London-Illness on the Road-His Decease-His Funeral-Funeral Sermons.

THE Congregation to which Mr. Henry removed from Chester, was the first of its kind formed at Hackney; and, for many years, the only one. Nor does it appear to have received, either under Dr. Bates, its earliest minister, or his successor, Mr. Billio, any considerable increase; for, at the time of his settlement, and he immediately followed the excellent men just mentioned, the communicants were fewer in number than one hundred.

Mr. Palmer represents the meeting-house in Mr. Henry's time as an old irregular building, originally formed out of dwelling houses, and on the opposite side of the way to the one since erected.

Our author's pastoral engagements there, commenced on the Lord's day, May 18, 1712. In the morning he expounded Gen. i. and in the afternoon, Matt. i. beginning the world, as it were, anew; He preached to an encouraging auditory from Acts xvi. 9.--"Come over into Macedonia and help us ;"-but his mind was unhappy, and depressed. "O that good may be done," is the aspiration written at the time; to which he adds,-"I am

sad in spirit, lamenting my departure from my friends at Chester; but if they are well provided for, and the work of God go on among them, I shall be easy, whatever discouragements I meet with."

The same course of zealous and active exertions which has been before described, was pursued here, both within, and beyond the bounds of, his own congregation. Instead, however, of commencing public worship with the 100th Psalm, at Hackney, he began with a short prayer.

More than once he delivered the Lord's-day morning lecture at Little St. Helen's, and then returned to Hackney; preaching and expounding, as usual, both parts of the day. Sometimes, after his own morning and afternoon services, he went to Mr. Lloyd's meeting house, in Wapping; or to the Charity School at Shakspeare's Walk; or to Rotherhithe; delivered the evening lecture; returned home, and attended, as if unfatigued, to the several parts of domestic worship.

Not long after his residence at Hackney, he took a part in the ordination, at St. Albans, of Mr. (afterwards Dr.) Samuel Clark, the successor of the Rev. Jonathan Grew, deceased. He was accompanied by Dr. Williams, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Cotton. On the 17th of September, 1712, the service was attended to. "Mr. Smith," they are Mr. Henry's words, "preached. Dr. Williams presided. I gave the exhortation; a numerous auditory-a comfortable day. We were six ministers from London. There met us, Mr. Boid, of Hampstead; Mr. Walker, of Brentford; Mr. Hughes, of Ware; Mr. Guise, of Hertford; Mr. Wright, of Hitchin.-Mr. Clark performed his part. exceedingly well.

"18. I visited Mrs. Grew; looked a sorrowful look: towards Chester,-returned with the same company." This ordination, it will be observed, was strictly a congregational one.

Some further extracts will show, that, notwithstanding the increased weight and number of Mr. Henry's engagements, those habits of personal piety and self-dedication which have been so fully noticed were still continued,

and in the same spirit of scriptural and elevated devotion.

"October 18, 1712. To-day I have filled up, or rather the Lord has filled up unto me, the fiftieth year of my life, and I now enter on old age-with so many years has the divine forbearance indulged me, (who by reason of my sins am heir to death)-nor has God only given life, but he has enriched it with all good things pertaining both to life and godliness; for ever blessed be his name. But what have I done more than others for the glory of God, and the good of the church? I have, indeed, lived an idle, slothful, inactive, and useless life. Have mercy on me, O Lord, and let what remains of my life be entirely devoted to my Redeemer; and when no more shall remain, let this life be sweetly changed for the life everlasting."

January 1, 1713, he writes-"Firmly believing that my times are in God's hand, I here submit myself, and all my affairs, for the ensuing year, to the wise and gracious disposal of the divine providence; whether God appoint for me health or sickness, peace or trouble, comforts or crosses, life or death, his holy will be done.

"Believing that my heart is in God's hand, this precious soul of mine I commit to the conduct of the divine grace, and submit to the influences and operations of the blessed Spirit, to be wrought up to a conformity to the will of God in every thing. I depend upon God to give me a wise and understanding heart for all the services I may be called out unto, and from him I hope to obtain mercy to be found faithful.

"The sphere of my usefulness is much enlarged. O that my heart may be proportionably enlarged; and as the day is, so let the wisdom, and strength, and grace be. Temptations to spiritual pride are many. O that the grace of God may be sufficient for me, to keep me humble, very humble; to keep up in me always a humble sense of my own unworthiness, weakness, and many follies and infirmities; and a humble dependence upon

the Lord Jesus Christ, as all in all, both for righteousness and strength."

As at Chester, so in the metropolis, the young shared a large portion of Mr. Henry's attention. Catechizing had never been wholly omitted in and about London, but he was instrumental in a more general revival of it. Besides attending to that duty at Hackney on Saturdays, (which he commenced performing almost immediately after his settlement there,) he undertook a catechetical lecture in London, at the meeting-house which once belonged to his honored tutor, Mr. Doolittle. And that lecture was not only well attended but some young persons were known to Mr. Tong, who going only as spectators, ascribed their first religious impressions to the instructions then received,

His papers abound with proofs of the intense interest which he took, both in their temporal and spiritual welfare; nor was this care confined to the families of opulent congregations; it extended equally to the children. of the poor. "I went early," he writes, "January 1, 1712-13, to Gravel-lane, in Southwark, Mr. Marriott's meeting place, where there has been a charity school for twenty five years; the only one among the dissenters; there I preached an anniversary sermon on Prov. iii. 9. "Honor the Lord with thy substance." A collection was made amounting to about £35.”

His sentiments as to those institutions, having been preserved in Mr. Tong's Memoir,* need not be here recited; it may be noticed, however, in corroboration, that having the disposal of a considerable sum intrusted to his care, he evinced his attachment by bestowing £20 of it to a charity school.

To instance, more at lenth, Mr. Henry's indefatigable labors in and around London, unnecessary. It shall

*

pp. 358-361. A school for the instruction of the poor has been erected on one of the fields at Broad Oak which belonged to Mr. Henry. The credit of this good work is due to Joseph Lee, junior, Esq., a descendant, and one of the present posses

sors of the estate.