Matthew Henry

“ But this was the day of his patience and suffering, and he answered him with the meekness of wisdom, to teach us not to avenge ourselves, not to render railing for railing, but with the innocency of the dove to bear injuries, even when with the wisdom of the serpent, as our Saviour, we show the injustice of them, and appeal to the magistrate concerning them. Christ did not here turn the other cheek, by which it appears that that rule, Matt. v. 39, is not to be understood literally; a man may possibly turn the other cheek, and yet have his heart full of malice ”

“ The last evening, Mr. Henry preached on Job xxxvii. 22. With God is terrible majesty. Mr. Illidge, observing one man present whom he knew to be notoriously wicked, went the next morning to his house, to see what impression this alarming discourse had made upon him; when he found him in tears, under a deep conviction of sin, and the apprehension of misery. He found his wife also weeping with him, on account of her husband's distress. Mr. Illidge gave him the best instruction he could, and prayed with him. He also made known his case at Broad-Oak, that he might have further help from thence. ”

“ That he might put a rebuke upon Thomas for his incredulity. He had neglected the former meeting of the disciples; and, to teach him to prize those seasons of grace better for the future, he cannot have such another opportunity for several days. He that slips one tide must stay a good while for another. A very melancholy week, we have reason to think Thomas had of it, drooping, and in suspense, while the other disciples were full of joy ”

“ Matthew draws the pedigree from Solomon, whose natural line ending in Jechonias, the legal right was transferred to Salathiel, who was of the house of Nathan, another son of David, which line Luke here pursues, and so leaves out all the kings of Judah. It is well for us that our salvation doth not depend upon our being able to solve all these difficulties, nor is the divine authority of the gospels at all weakened by them ”

“ Mr. Henry, on presenting his child in baptism, (whom he named after her mother,) professed his faith and renewed his covenant, in a most affecting manner, and then added, "Although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, &c. I offer up this my child to the great God, a plant out of a dry ground, desiring it may be implanted into Christ." Every heart was full, and few dry eyes were seen.
Under this severe affliction, God strengthened his heart and his hands, so that he pursued his work with his usual diligence and vivacity. ”

“ It was a calling of ill fame among serious people; because it was attended with so much corruption and temptation, and there were so few in that business that were honest men. Matthew himself owns what he was before his conversion, as does St. Paul (1 Tim. i. 13) , that the grace of Christ in calling him might be the more magnified, and to show, that God has his remnant among all sorts of people. None can justify themselves in their unbelief, by their calling in the world; for there is no sinful calling, but some have been saved out of it, and no lawful calling, but some have been saved in it. ”

“ Henry, Matthew, a Nonconformist divine; was minister at Hackney, London; was the author of a commentary long in repute among pious evangelical people, and to some extent still, as a practical and devotional guide in the study of the Scriptures (1662-1714) .
Henry, Patrick, American statesman and orator, born in Virginia; having been in business he took to law, and rose into fame by his eloquent pleadings in the cause of the people; played a conspicuous part in the agitation for independence, especially by his oratory, which was of a quality to move large audiences ”

“ Tong observes, "every one who has made the trial, has found to require much wisdom." That wisdom Mr. Henry (as appears from his diary) was very desirous to obtain; and as his heart was much set upon this business, so he was very prudent and successful in it.
He was also a great example of ministerial wisdom and fidelity in general. He carefully watched over his flock, and attended with diligence to the respective cases of individuals in it. When he heard an ill report of any, he would go to them, or send for them, and inquire impartially into the truth of the case. ”

“ When the news of his death reached London, it occasioned universal lamentation: there was scarcely a pulpit among the dissenters in which notice was not taken of the breach made in the church of God; almost every sermon was a funeral sermon for Mr. Henry; and many, who were no friends to the nonconformists, acknowledged that they had lost one who was a great support and honour to their interest. The sermon preached to his congregation at Hackney, July 11, 1714, was by his intimate friend, Mr. William Tong, on John xiii. ”

“ Henry had an inclination to the ministry from his childhood. This partly appeared in his fondness for imitating preaching, which he did with a great degree of propriety and gravity beyond his years; as also in his frequent attendance at the private meetings of good people, with whom he would pray, and repeat sermons, and sometimes expound the scriptures, to the surprise of all present. One of them once expressed to his father some concern lest his son should be too forward, and fall into the snare of spiritual pride; to whom the good man replied," Let him go on ”

“ Historia Anglorum, iii. 40–1) . Henry III esteemed him highly, and allowed him to speak freely to him. He fearlessly blamed Henry in 1250 for doing, and allowing others to do, certain injuries to St. Albans Abbey. The king answered him lightly, but added that he would consider the matter (Chronica Majora, v. 129) . With that year Matthew intended to close his greater chronicle. At the end of the narrative for the year he wrote a summary of the chief events of the preceding fifty years, adding ‘Here end the Chronicles of Brother Matthew Paris, monk of St. ”

“ Henry's sphere of activity and attempts for usefulness were yet more extensive. Though his own flock was never neglected, he had a care for all the churches within his line, and readily lent his assistance to his brethren in all the adjacent parts; sometimes taking a compass of thirty miles, preaching every day in the week, but always returning home at the end of it. The towns and villages which lay near Chester enjoyed a large share of his labours, in several of which he had a monthly lecture. ”

“ What is a man profited, &c.; many of his hearers were greatly affected, and some of them said they were resolved never to pursue the world so eagerly as they had before done. This was preaching to good purpose.
So many were the calls which Mr. Henry had to preach in and about London, and so ready was he to comply with them, that he sometimes appears in his diary to think that he needed an apology, and to excuse it to himself, that he preached so often. After opening an evening lecture near Shadwell church, January 25, 1712, when his text was Psalm lxxiii. ”

“ But he afterward relapsed into sin, to the great grief of his best friends, and the dishonour of religion. Whether he was effectually recovered does not appear.
Mr. Henry's great acceptance and success, at the commencement of his ministry, encouraged him to prosecute it with increasing ardour. Having occasion to take a journey to Chester, some good people there, who had heard of his fame, desired him to preach to them one evening in a private house; liberty for public worship not being yet granted. ”

“ But after this, (so lightly have dissenters been wont to view the evil of being robbers of churches,) there was not a considerable vacancy in any London congregation, but Mr. Henry was thought of to fill it. Upon the death of Mr. Nathaniel Taylor, minister of Salters-hall, the people there had their eye upon Mr. Henry, but were discouraged from applying to him, at first, by the negative which he put upon the invitation from Hackney. ”

“ I was somewhat enlarged in preaching, but at the Lord's supper very much straitened, and not as I used to be at Chester.—14. A very good night, and perfectly well, blessed be God. Mr. Tong and Mr. Evans came, and staid with me most of the day. We talked much to and fro of my coming hither, but brought it to no issue. The congregation seems very unanimous."
During this visit at Hackney, Mr. Henry preached frequently in the city, and several of his sermons at Salters-hall were published: viz. On Faith in Christ—On Forgiveness of Sin as a Debt—Hope and Fear balanced. ”

“ Philip Henry, by which he was enabled to live in comfort after his ejectment, and not only preach the gospel gratis, as he had opportunity, but likewise to relieve several of his necessitous brethren. But his wife proved to him a greater treasure, as she was a woman equally eminent for piety and every other endowment. Her son has done ample justice to her character, in an excellent discourse, occasioned by her death, on Prov. ”

“ Holy love is a fire that begets a vehement heat in the soul, and consumes the dross and chaff that are in it, melts it down like wax into a new form, and carries it upwards as the sparks towards God and heaven. ”

“ But there can be no doubt as to the election of Henry by such an assembly as could be got together at the moment. Nor do I see any reason to doubt Orderic’s story as to the scene between Henry and William of Breteuil. At all events, Orderic has made it the occasion of putting forward some very sound constitutional doctrine, which is just as valuable, even if any severe critic should reject the story as a fact.
I have spoken elsewhere (see N. C. vol. v. p. 845) of two tales in Matthew Paris with regard to Henry’s accession, of which Thierry made a characteristic use. ”

“ Did he not form our bodies, form them out of the clay, and breathe into us the breath of life at first? and cannot the same power form them again out of their own clay, and put life into them again? Do we not see a kind of resurrection in nature, at the return of every spring? ”

“ Those that once thought themselves as the lions of the mountains, so daring were they, now become as the doves of the valleys, so timid are they, and so dispirited, ready to flee when none pursues and to tremble at the shaking of a leaf. ”

“ We have thought Sir Henry sufficiently ready to impute ignorance to gardeners before we came to this remark; but to represent a useful and intelligent class of men in so ludicrous a light, is certainly using a very improper liberty. ”

“ We begin to think, from our disposition to ramble from the Allanton system, that we tire of Sir {294} Henry; and we believe, should he follow us thus far, that he will be tired of us. On looking back on what we have written, we are almost disposed to accuse ourselves of being splenetic; but the truth is, we regard the whole art as very unimportant, if not positively pernicious, at least in the way in which it has been exemplified by Sir Henry, as a throwing away of valuable labour to no purpose, if it ought not indeed to be considered as a mere pander to luxury and caprice. ”

“ By thus treating upon the various branches of faith and practice in this connected view, as well as by his exposition of the Bible in course, his hearers had peculiar advantage for improving in scripture knowledge, above those whose ministers only discourse upon short detached passages: accordingly it was remarked, that Mr. Henry's people in general greatly excelled in judgment and spiritual understanding.
Mr. Tong has given a list of the subjects which Mr. Henry thus discussed in their connexion, which would here occupy too much room. ”

“ His power and pity appear here in the good offices he did, I. To the bodies of people, in curing the palsy (ver. 2-8) ; raising to life the ruler's daughter, and healing the bloody issue (ver. 18-26) ; giving sight to two blind men (ver. 27-31) ; casting the devil out of one possessed (ver. 32-34) ; and healing all manner of sickness, ver. 35. II. To the souls of people; in forgiving sins (ver. 2) ; calling Matthew, and conversing freely with publicans and sinners
(ver. 9-13) ; considering the frame of his disciples, with reference to the duty of fasting (ver. 14-17) ”

“ It is not for his comfort; for man is a sociable creature, it is a pleasure to him to exchange knowledge and affection with those of his own kind, to inform and to be informed, to love and to be beloved. ”

“ In all our approaches to this throne of grace for mercy, we should come with a humble freedom and boldness, with a liberty of spirit and a liberty of speech; we should ask in faith, nothing doubting; we should come with a Spirit of adoption, as children to a reconciled God and Father. We are indeed to come with reverence and godly fear, but not with terror and amazement; not as if we were dragged before the tribunal of justice, but kindly invited to the mercy-seat, where grace reigns, and loves to exert and exalt itself towards us. ”

“ And should not a poor soul that has long been struggling with winds and tempests in this world long to put into the safe and quiet haven of everlasting rest? Should it not get clear from all that which fastens it to this earth, and straitens the out-goings of its pious and devout affections heavenward? ”

“ It is as much as the best can do to secure the salvation of their souls; there are so many sufferings, temptations, and difficulties to be overcome, so many sins to be mortified, the gate is so strait and the way so narrow, that it is as much as the righteous can do to be saved. Let the absolute necessity of salvation balance the difficulty of it. Consider, Your difficulties are greatest at first; God offers his grace and help ”