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

I cannot omit one little passage in his Diary, because it may be Instructive: When he was once desired to be bound for one that had, upon a particular occasion been Bound for him, he writes, Solomon saith, He that hateth Suretyship is sure; but he saith also, he that hath Friends must show himself friendly. But he always cautioned those that became Sureties, not to be Bound for any more than they knew themselves able to pay, nor for more than they would be willing to pay, if the Principal fail.

I cannot omit one little passage in his Diary, because it may be Instructive: When he was once desired to be bound for one that had, upon a particular occasion been Bound for him, he writes, Solomon saith, He that hateth Suretiship is sure; but he saith also, he that hath Friends must shew himself friendly. But he always cautioned those that became Sureties, not to be Bound for any more than they knew themselves able to pay, nor for more than they would be willing to pay, if the Principal fail.

His House at Broad-Oak was by the Road-side, which tho' it had its inconveniences, yet (he would say) pleased him well, because it gave his Friends an opportunity of calling on him the oftener, and gave him an opportunity of being kind to Strangers, and such as were any way distressed upon the Road, to whom he was upon all occasions cheerfully ready, fully answering the Apostles Character of a Bishop, that he must be of good Behaviour, ([Greek or Hebrew], decent, affable, and obliging) and given to Hospitality, 1 Tim. 3 2. ⟨p. 129⟩like Abraham, sitting at his Tent Door, in quest of Opportunities to do good. If he met with any poor near his House, and gave them Alms in Money, yet he would bid them go to his Door besides for Relief there. He was very tender and compassionate towards poor Strangers and Travellers, though his Charity and Candour were often imposed upon by Cheats and Pretenders, whom he was not apt to be suspicious of; but would say in the most favourable sense, Thou knowest not the Heart of a Stranger. If any asked his Charity, whose Representation of their Case he did not like, or who he thought did amiss to take that Course; he would first give them an Alms, and then mildly reprove them: And labour to convince them that they were out of the way of Duty, and that they could not expect that God should bless them in it; and would not chide them, but reason with them: And he would say, if he should tell them of their Faults, and not give them an Alms, the Reproof would look only like an Excuse to deny his Charity, and would be rejected accordingly.