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

And yet in some Reflections I find under his hand, written long after (wherein he looks back upon his early days) he chargeth it upon himself, that for a good while after he came to the University, (though he was known not to be inferior to any of his standing in Public Exercises yet) he was too much a Stranger to that hard Study which afterwards he became acquainted with, and that he lost a deal of time which might have been better improved. Thus he is pleased to accuse himself of that which (for ought I ever heard) no one else did, or could accuse him of. But the truth is, ⟨p. 21⟩in all the secret accounts he kept of himself, he appears to have had a very quick and deep sense of his own Fallings and Infirmities, in the most minute instances, the loss of time, Weakness and Distractions in Holy Duties; not improving Opportunities of doing good to others, and the like; lamentably bewailing these imperfections, and charging them upon himself, with as great expressions of shame and sorrow, and self-abhorrence; and crying out as earnestly for Pardon and Forgiveness in the Blood of Jesus, as if he had been the greatest of Sinners: For though he was a Man that walked very closely, yet withal he walked very humbly with God, and lived a Life of Repentance and self-denial. This minds me of a Sermon of his which one might discern came from the heart, on that Scripture, Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death! A strange complaint (saith he) to come from the Mouth of one who had learned in every estate to be content. Had I been to have given my thoughts (said he) concerning Paul, I should have said, O blessed Man that thou art, that hast been in the Third Heaven, a great Apostle, a Spiritual Father to Thousands, &c. and yet a Wretched Man, all this while in his own account and esteem. He never complains thus of the Bonds and Afflictions that did abide him, the Prisons that were frequent; the Stripes above measure; but the Body of Death: that is, the Body of Sin, that was it he groaned under. How feelingly did he observe from thence, That the remainders of indwelling corruption are a very grievous burden to a gracious Soul.

And yet in some Reflections I find under his hand, written long after (wherein he looks back upon his early days) he chargeth it upon himself, that for a good while after he came to the University, (though he was known not to be inferior to any of his standing in Publick Exercises yet) he was too much a Stranger to that hard Study which afterwards he became acquainted with, and that he lost a deal of time which might have been better improved. Thus he is pleas'd to accuse himself of that which (for ought I ever heard) no one else did, or could accuse him of. But the truth is,