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

In September the same Year, he was again by warrant from the Deputy Lieutenant's fetched Prisoner to Hanmer, as was also Mr Steel and others. He was examined about private Meetings: some such (but private indeed) he owned he had been present at of late in Shropshire, but the Occasion was extraordinary; the Plague was at that Time raging in London, and he, and several of his Friends having near Relations there, thought it time to seek the Lord for them, and this was imputed to him as his Crime. He was likewise charged with Administering the Lord's Supper, which he denied, having never Administered it since he was disabled by the Act of Uniformity. After some Days Confinement, seeing they could prove nothing upon him, he was discharged upon Recognizance, of 20 l. with two Sureties to be forth-coming upon Notice, and to live Peaceably. But (saith he) our Restraint was not Strict for we had liberty of Prayer, and Conference together, to our mutual Edification: thus, out of the Eater came forth meat, and out of the strong Sweetness, and we found Honey in the Carcass of the Lion. It was but a little before this, that Mr. Steel setting out for London, was by a Warrant, from the Justices, under Colour of the report of a Plot, stopped and searched, and finding nothing to accuse him of, they seized his Almanac in which he kept his Diary ⟨p. 113⟩for that Year; and it not being written very legibly, they made what malicious readings and comments they pleased upon it, to his great Wrong and Reproach; though to all sober and sensible people, it discovered him, to be a Man that kept a strict Watch over his own heart, and was a great Husband of his time, and many said they got good by it, and should love him the better for it, Psal. 37. 5, 6. This Event made Mr. Henry somewhat more cautious and sparing in the Records of his Diary, when he saw how evil Men dig up Mischief.

In September the same Year, he was again by warrant from the Deputy Lieutenant's fetch'd Prisoner to Hanmer, as was also Mr Steel and others. He was examined about private Meetings: some such (but private indeed) he own'd he had been present at of late in Shropshire, but the Occasion was extraordinary; the Plague was at that Time raging in London, and he, and several of his Friends having near Relations there, thought it time to seek the Lord for them, and this was imputed to him as his Crime. He was likewise charged with Administring the Lord's Supper, which he denied, having never Administred it since he was disabled by the Act of Uniformity. After some Days Confinement, seeing they could prove nothing upon him, he was discharged upon Recognizance, of 20 l. with two Sureties to be forth-coming upon Notice, and to live Peaceably. But (saith he) our Restraint was not Strict for we had liberty of Prayer, and Conference together, to our mutual Edification: thus, out of the Eater came forth meat, and out of the strong Sweetness, and we found Honey in the Carcase of the Lion. It was but a little before this, that Mr. Steel setting out for London, was by a Warrant, from the Justices, under Colour of the report of a Plot, stop't and search'd, and finding nothing to accuse him of, they seiz'd his Almanack in which he kept his Diary