Mr. Howe, Mr. (afterward Dr.) Williams, and Dr. Hamilton, urging this among other arguments, that by coming to this place he would unite both sides, between whom there had been some contests. These letters occasioned him some serious and uneasy thoughts, as appears from his diary, in which he expresses himself willing to be determined by the will of God, if he did but know it, whatever it might be. He afterward takes notice that a dozen of his congregation had been with him to desire that he would not leave them, to whom he answered, that he had once and again given a denial to this invitation, and that it was his present purpose not to leave them, though he could not tell what might happen hereafter.
In the review of this year, he takes particular notice of his invitation to Salters-hall, as what surprised him; and he adds as follows: "I begged of God to keep me from being lifted up with pride by it. I sought of God the right way. Had I consulted my own fancy, which always had a kindness for London ever since I knew it, or the worldly advantage of my family, I had closed with it. And I was sometimes tempted to think it might open me a door of greater usefulness. I had also reason to think Mr. John Evans [then at Wrexham, afterward Dr. Evans of London, author of the 'Christian Temper'] might have been had here, and might have been more acceptable to some, and more useful than I. But I had not courage to break through the opposition of the affections of my friends here to me, and mine to them, nor to venture upon a new and unknown place and work, which I feared myself unfit for. I bless God, I am well satisfied in what I did in that matter. If it ever please God to call me from this place, I depend upon him to make my way clear. Lord, lead me in a plain path!" No candid person, after reading this, will be disposed to question Mr. Henry's integrity in the future part of his conduct, in quitting Chester, especially considering other invitations from the great city.
In the year 1704, Mr. Henry took another journey to London, accompanied by Mrs. Henry, to visit two of her sisters then in town, one of whom was dangerously ill. He takes notice of the pleasure he had in hearing Mr. Howe preach, on the morning of June 21. In the afternoon of the same day he preached at Salters-hall, where Mr. Tong was then minister, who mentions his text, Prov. xvi. 16. After visiting many friends, and preaching many sermons, he returned home with great satisfaction, and thankfully recorded some dangers which he had escaped in travelling, the roads being so bad, that in one place the coach was set fast; not apprehending or wishing for another call to the metropolis.
He had hitherto enjoyed a great share of health, but this year he had a very dangerous illness. As he was reading the scripture on Lord's day morning, August 27, he suddenly fainted away, but soon recovered so as to go on with his work. In the evening, however, feeling himself unwell, he writes, "A fever is coming upon me; let me be found ready whenever my Lord comes." He had a very restless night; but, having an appointment at Nantwich the next day, he went and preached on Psalm cx. 3. "And then," says he, "I was well." The day following, he went to Haslington Chapel, to preach the funeral sermon of Mr. Cope, an aged minister, who had spent some years there, and who had requested this of him. Mr. Egerton, the Rector, gave his consent. But this, Mr. Henry remarks, was likely to be the last sermon preached there by a dissenter; and it was like to have proved his last; for, on his return home, the fever came on with great violence, and confined him for more than three weeks.
It was soon after his recovery from this severe illness, that he began his elaborate work on the Bible. A friend[1] has communicated the following passage, extracted from his diary, which Mr. Tong had overlooked, but which will appear to most readers both curious and interesting. "Nov. 12, 1704. This night, after many thoughts of heart, and many prayers concerning it, I began my Notes on the Old Testament. 'Tis not likely I should live to finish it; or, if I should, that it should be of [much] public service, for I am not par negotiis. Yet, in the strength of God, and I hope with a single eye to his glory, I set about it, that I may be endeavouring something, and spend my time to some good purpose; and let the Lord make what he pleaseth of me. I go about it with fear and trembling, lest I exercise myself in things too high for me. The Lord help me to set about it with great humility." Many passages in his diary, written during the progress of this great work, would be pleasing and edifying to the reader, but the proposed limits of these memoirs forbid the insertion of them.
In the year 1709, Mr. Henry received a letter, dated February 18, informing him that the congregation in which Mr. Howe and Mr. Spademan had been joint pastors, in Silver-street, (both of them now deceased,) had chosen him to succeed the latter, as co-pastor with Mr. Rosewell, and that some of them purposed to go down to Chester to treat with him on this business. He also received many letters from ministers and gentlemen, pressing his acceptance of this call, with a view to his more extensive usefulness. Suffice it to say, he still remained immoveable, "his affection for his people prevailing" (as he expressed it, in his letter to Mr. Rosewell,) "above his judgment, interest, and inclination."
After this, we might naturally have expected to find that Mr. Henry would have ended his days at Chester, and that no society would have attempted to remove him. But the congregation at Hackney being again vacant, by the death of the worthy Mr. Billio, (who died of the smallpox, in the year 1710,) they determined upon renewing their application to Mr. Henry, which they did with increased importunity; and after a long negociation, and repeated denials, they at length prevailed. As the best justification of his conduct in yielding to their desires, and as a further illustration of his integrity and piety, as well as his regard to his affectionate friends at Chester, the reader shall have the account of the transaction in his own words, extracted from his diary.
"About Midsummer, 1710, I had a letter from the congregation at Hackney, signifying that they had unanimously chosen me to be their minister, and that I should find them as the importunate widow, that would have no nay. I several times denied them. At length they wrote, that some of them would come down hither; to prevent which, (not being unwilling to take a London journey in the interval between my third and fourth volume,) I wrote them word I would come up to them, and did so. Then I laid myself open to the temptation, by increasing my acquaintance in the city. They followed me, after I came down again, with letters to me and the congregation. In October I wrote to them, that if they would stay for me till next spring, (which I was in hopes they would not have done,) I would come up, and make a longer stay, for mutual trial. They wrote, they would wait till then. In May, 1711, I went to them, and stayed till the end of July, and, before I parted with them, signified my acceptance of their invitation, and my purpose to come to them, God willing, the next spring. However, I [should have] denied them,
- ↑ The Rev. Thomas Stedman, of St. Chads, Shrewsbury.
