his ministerial work in public, which he performed without any assistance, and which we now proceed to notice.
Mr. Henry having chosen the christian ministry as the grand business of his life, set himself to discharge the duties of it, as soon as he obtained a settlement, with indefatigable industry and with equal delight, being willing to spend and be spent in the service of Christ, and for the good of souls. His stated public services in his own congregation, which were far from the whole of his labours, were such as few other persons could have gone through. His method of proceeding in them was as follows:
He began the public worship exactly at nine o'clock, with singing the 100th Psalm; then offered a short prayer, and next read some portion of the Old Testament in course, and expounded it in the same manner as appears in his printed Exposition. He went through the Bible twice while he was at Chester, and on his lecture-day he expounded all the Psalms not less than five times. After his public exposition was ended, he sung a second time, and prayed for about half an hour. After which he preached about an hour, then prayed, and usually concluded with singing the 117th Psalm. He pursued the same plan in the afternoon, excepting that he then expounded the New Testament, and at the close sung the 134th Psalm, or some verses of the 136th. In singing, he always made use of David's Psalms, or other scripture hymns, which he preferred to such as are wholly of human composition, the latter being generally liable to this exception: "that the fancy is too high, and the matter too low, and sometimes such as a wise and good man may not be able, with entire satisfaction, to offer up as a sacrifice to God."[1] In this work of praise he took great delight, as appeared from the manner in which he engaged in it.
In prayer, Mr. Henry's gifts and graces eminently appeared. He had a wonderful faculty of engaging the attention and raising the affections of the worshippers. Though in his second prayer he was always copious, yet he was not tedious. It was always suited to the congregation, to the sermon, to the state of the nation, and to the church of God. His petitions for the afflicted were very particular, pertinent, and affectionate. In regard to public affairs, he was never guilty of profaning the worship of God by introducing any thing obnoxious to government, or offensive to persons of any party; nor, on the other hand, by giving flattering titles to any description of men. The state of the reformed churches abroad was much upon his heart, and he was a fervent intercessor for those of them that suffered persecution for righteousness' sake.
How great a talent he had in preaching, is sufficiently known, from the many sermons of his which are before the public. He was very happy in his choice of subjects, and of apposite texts, especially on particular occasions and occurrences, public or private, which he was always ready to improve. His method in his sermons was just and easy; his language plain, sententious, and scriptural; his elocution natural, and free from any odd or affected tone; his address was popular, earnest, and affectionate; both he himself and his auditory were often transported into tears. The strain of his preaching was spiritual, evangelical, and practical. He shunned not to declare the whole counsel of God. He delighted in preaching Christ and the doctrines of free grace; but with equal zeal he preached up holiness in all its branches, constantly affirming it to be a faithful saying, That they who believe in God should be careful to maintain good works. He was indeed so practical a preacher, and sometimes used such a phraseology in treating on practical subjects, that some have censured him as being too legal; but he was no mere of a legalist than the apostle James, whom he knew well how to reconcile with the apostle Paul.
It was a common custom with Mr. Henry to preach a series of sermons upon a particular subject, which sometimes took up several years. But he did not follow the practice of several old divines, who delivered a great number of discourses on the same text: his method was, to prevent the tediousness of such a practice, to fix upon different texts for all the different parts of the subject which he discussed. 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. The following is a brief specimen. Soon after he settled at Chester, he delivered a set of sermons on the guilt and misery of an unconverted state, from several texts: in another, he treated on conversions. After these, he preached a series of discourses on a well ordered conversation, beginning with one on Psalm 1. 23. Each sermon contained a distinct direction, grounded on a separate text. A brief sketch of these may be acceptable and useful. 1. Fix a right principle of grace in the heart, 2 Cor. i. 12. latter part. 2. Eye the gospel of Christ as your great rule, Phil. i. 27. 3. Set the Lord always before you, Ps. xvi. 8. 4. Keep your hearts with all diligence, Prov. iv. 23. 5. Abide under the fear of God, Prov. xxiii. 17. 6. Be not conformed to the world, Rom. xii. 2. 7. Live in constant dependence upon Christ, Col. iii. 17. 8. Take off your affections from present things, 1 John ii. 15. 9 Be always upon your watch, Mark xiii. 37. 10. Keep a conscience void of offence, Acts xxiv. 16. 11. Live by faith. Gal. ii. 20. 12. Commune much with your own hearts, Ps. iv. 4. 13. Watch the door of your lips, Ps. xxxix. 1. 14. Follow the steps of the Lord Jesus, 1 Pet. ii. 21. 15. Set before you the example of the saints, Heb. vi. 12. 16. Be very cautious of your company, Prov. xiii. 20. 17. Make conscience how you spend your time, Eph. v. 16. 18. Pray to God for holy wisdom, James v. 1. 19. Often think of death and judgment, 2 Pet. iii. 11. 20. Converse much with heaven, Phil. iii. 20.
He next delivered a set of sermons for the consolation of God's people, on the covenant of grace: e. g. God in the covenant; a Father—a Husband—a Shepherd—a King, &c. Christ in the covenant; our Righteousness—our Life—our Peace—our Hope: in all his offices; Redeemer, High Priest, Captain, Forerunner, and Friend. The Holy Spirit in the covenant; a Teacher—a Comforter—a Spirit of adoption—an Earnest. Blessings in the covenant; pardon—peace—grace—access to God—ordinances—providences—creatures—death—heaven. These took him nearly a year and a half. He next treated on sanctification, in all its branches; which sermons were followed by another set, on divine worship, private and public, with various directions concerning each. After this, he delivered another series, on relative duties in all their extent. These, with some others in connexion with them, brought him to the year 1698, when he began a body of divinity, which (with occasional discourses) occupied him till the
- ↑ Mr. Henry's judgment and practice in this matter deserve the serious consideration of those who perpetually sing Hymns of mere human composition, almost to the exclusion of David's Psalms.
Vol. I.—B
