An account of the life and death of Mr. Philip Henry, minister of the…

As to his Nonconformity, which some of his worst Enemies have said was his only fault, it may not be amiss here to give some Account of it.

As to his Nonconformity, which some of his worst Enemies have said was his only fault, it may not be amisshere to give some Account of it.

1. His Reasons for his Nonconformity were very considerable. 'Twas no rash act, but deliberate and well weighed in the Balance of the Sanctuary. He could by no means submit to be Re-ordained; so well satisfied was he in his Call to the Ministry, and his solemn Ordination to it, by the laying on of the Hands of the Presbytery, which God had graciously owned him in; that he durst not do that which looked like a Renunciation of it, as null and sinful, and would be at least a tacit invalidating and condemning of all his Administrations. Nor could he truly say, that he thought himself moved by the Holy Ghost, to take upon him the Office of a Deacon. He was the more confirmed in this Objection, because the then Bishop of Chester, Dr. Hall (in whose Diocese he was) besides ⟨p. 103⟩all that was required by Law, exacted from those that came to him to be Re-ordained, a Subscription to this Form. Ego A. B. praetensas meas Ordinationis literas, à quibusdam Presbyteris olim obtentas, jam penitus renuncio, & dimitto pro vanis; humiliter supplicans quatenus Rev. in Christo Pater & Dominus Dominus Georgius permissione divinâ Cestr. Episc. me ad sacrum Diaconatus ordinem juxta morem & ritus Ecclesiae Anglicanae dignaretur admmittere. This of Reordination was the first and great Bar to his Conformity, and which he mostly insisted on. He would sometimes say, that for a Presbyter to be Ordained a Deacon, is at the best, suscipere gradum Simeonis.

1. His Reasons for his Nonconformity were very considerable. 'Twas no rash act, but deliberate and well weigh'd in the Balance of the Sanctuary. He could by no means submit to be Re-ordain'd; so well satisfied was he in his Call to the Ministry, and his solemn Ordination to it, by the laying on of the Hands of the Presbytery, which God had graciously own'd him in; that he durst not do that which looked like a Renunciation of it, as null and sinful, and would be at least a tacit invalidating and condemning of all his Administrations. Nor could he truly say, that he thought himself moved by the Holy Ghost, to take upon him the Office of a Deacon. He was the more confirm'd in this Objection, because the then Bishop of Chester, Dr. Hall (in whose Diocess he was) besides