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

His Heart was wonderfully enlarged in his Work at this time, the Fields were white unto the Harvest; and he was busy, and God did remarkably own him, setting many Seals to his Ministry, which much confirmed him in what he did. He hath this observable passage in his Diary, about this time, which he recorded for his after Benefit, (and the Example of it may be instructive) Remember, that if trouble should come hereafter, for what we do now in the use of present Liberty, I neither shrink from it, nor sink under it; for I do therein approve my self to God, and to my own Conscience, in truth and uprightness; and the Lord whom I serve, can and will certainly, both bear me out, and bring me off with comfort in the end. I say, Remember, and forget it not, this 24th day of March, 1672/3.

His Heart was wonderfully enlarged in his Work at this time, the Fields were white unto the Harvest; and he was busie, and God did remarkably own him, setting many Seals to his Ministry, which much confirm'd him in what he did. He hath this observable passage in his Diary, about this time, which he recorded for his after Benefit, (and the Example of it may be instructive) Remember, that if trouble should come hereafter, for what we do now in the use of present Liberty, I neither shrink from it, nor sink under it; for I do therein approve my self to God, and to my own Conscience, in truth and uprightness; and the Lord whom I serve, can and will certainly, both bear me out, and bring me off with comfort in the end. I say, Remember, and forget it not, this 24th day of March, 1672/3.

'Twas at the beginning of this Liberty, that the Society at Broad-Oak did Commence; made up (besides the Neighbourhood) of some out of Whitchurch, and Whitchurch Parish, that had been Mr. Porter's People, ⟨p. 141⟩some out of Hanmer Parish, that had been Mr. Steel's, and some out of the Parishes of Wem, Prees, and Ellesmere, Persons generally of very moderate and sober Principles, quiet and peaceable Lives, and hearty well-wishers to the King and Government; and not Rigid or Schismatical in their Separation, but willing to attend (though sometimes with difficulty and hazard) upon those Administrations which they found most lively and edifying, and most helpful to them, in the great business of working out their Salvation. To this Society he would never call himself a Pastor, nor was he willing that they should call him so; but a Helper, and a Minister of Christ for their good. He would say, That he looked upon his Family, only as his Charge, and his Preaching to others was but accidental, whom if they came, he could no more turn away, than he could a poor hungry Man, that should come to his door for an Alms. And being a Minister of Jesus Christ, he thought himself bound to Preach the Gospel, as he had opportunity.