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

These Circumstances of his Childhood he would sometimes speak of among his Friends, not as glorying in them, but taking occasion from thence to bless God for his Deliverance from the Snares of the Court, in the midst of which it is so very hard to maintain a good Conscience and the Power of Religion, that it hath been said (though Blessed be God it is not a Rule without exception) Exeat ex aulâ qui velit esse pius. The breaking up and scattering of the Court, by the Calamities of 1641. as it dashed the expectations of his Court Preferments, so it prevented the danger of Court Entanglements: And though it was not, like Moses's Choice of his own, when come to Years, to quit the Court; yet when he was come to Years he always expressed a great Satisfaction in his Removal from it, and blessed God who chose his Inheritance so much better for him.

These Circumstances of his Childhood he would sometimes speak of among his Friends, not as glorying in them, but taking occasion from thence to bless God for his Deliverance from the Snares of the Court, in the midst of which it is so very hard to maintain a good Conscience and the Power of Religion, that it hath been said (though Blessed be God it is not a Rule without exception) Exeat ex aulâ qui velit esse pius. The breaking up and scattering of the Court, by the Calamities of 1641. as it dashed the expectations of his Court Preferments, so it prevented the danger of Court Entanglements: And though it was not, like Mofes's Choice of his own, when come to Years, to quit the Court; yet when he was come to Years he always expressed a great Satisfaction in his Removal from it, and blessed God who chose his Inheritance so much better for him.

Yet it may not be improper to observe here what was obvious as well as amiable to all who Conversed with him; viz. that he had the most sweet and obliging air of Courtesy and Civility that could be; which some attributed in part to his early Education at Court. His Mien and Carriage was always so very decent and respectful, that it could not but win the Hearts of all he had to do with. Never was any Man further ⟨p. 6⟩from that Rudeness and Moroseness which some Scholars, and too many that profess Religion, either wilfully affect, or carelessly allow themselves in, sometimes to the Reproach of their Profession. 'Tis one of the Laws of our Holy Religion, exemplified in the Conversation of this good Man, to Honour all Men. Sanctified Civility is a great Ornament to Christianity. It was a saying he often used, Religion doth not destroy good Manners; and yet he was very far from any thing of Vanity in Apparel, or Formality of Compliment in Address, but his Conversation was all Natural and easy to himself and others, and little appeared in him, which a severe Critic could call Affected. This Temper of his tended very much to the adorning of the Doctrine of God our Saviour; and the general Transcript of such an excellent Copy, would do much towards the healing of those Wounds which Religion hath received in the House of her Friends by the contrary. But to return to his Story.—