Complete Works of Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry

Description

This comprehensive collection of Matthew Henry's sermons, treatises, and tracts covers such wide-ranging subjects as baptism, the Lord's Supper, religion in the home, prayer, catechism, Christian love and charity, and more.

Sujets

• Christianity

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 01 août 1997
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781441233462
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Reprinted 1979 by Baker Books
a division of Baker Book House Company
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
http://www.bakerbooks.com

Ebook edition created 2017

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

ISBN 978-1-4412-3346-2

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

For information about academic books, resources for Christian leaders, and all new releases available from Baker Book House, visit our web site:
http://www.bakerbooks.com
CONTENTS
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page

The Life of Matthew Henry
Volume 1

1. The Pleasantness of a Religious Life

2. Sober-Mindedness

3. Against Vice and Profaneness
An Admonition to Drunkards and Tipplers
Advice to the Wanton and Unclean
An Address to Those That Profane the Lord’s Day
A Check to an Ungoverned Tongue

4. Self-Consideration and Self-Preservation
The Folly of Despising Our Own Souls
The Folly of Despising Our Own Ways

5. Daily Communion with God
How to Begin Every Day with God
How to Spend the Day with God
How to Close the Day with God

6. A Church in the House: Family Religion

7. The Right Management of Friendly Visits

8. The Communicant’s Companion: Instructions for Receiving the Lord’s Supper

9. Family Hymns

10. Great Britain’s Present Joys and Hopes

11. England’s Hopes

12. The Work and Success of the Ministry

13. Baptism

14. Funeral Sermon for Dr. Samuel Benion, Minister

15. The Life of Samuel Benion, M.D.

16. Funeral Sermon for Rev. Francis Tallents

17. The Life of Rev. Francis Tallents

Volume 2
1. A Method for Prayer

2. Meekness and Quietness of Spirit

3. The Catechising of Youth

4. A Scripture Catechism

5. Christ’s Favour to Little Children

6. Faith in Christ and Faith in God

7. Hope and Fear Balanced

8. The Forgiveness of Sin as a Debt

9. Popery: A Spiritual Tyranny

10. The True Nature of Schism: A Persuasive to Christian Love and Charity

11. Funeral Sermon for Samuel Lawrence, Minister

12. The Life of Samuel Lawrence

13. Sermon Preached on the Occasion of Rev. Richard Stretton’s Death

14. The Life of Rev. Richard Stretton

15. Sermon Preached on the Occasion of Rev. Daniel Burgess’s Death

16. The Life of Rev. Daniel Burgess

17. A Memorial of the Fire of the Lord

18. The Christian Religion Is Not a Sect

19. Disputes Reviewed

20. Sermon Preached to the Societies for Reformation of Manners

21. Ordination Sermon for Mr. Atkinson

22. Ordination Exhortation for Samuel Clark

23. Funeral Sermon for Rev. James Owen

24. The Layman’s Reasons for Joining a Congregation of Moderate Dissenters

25. The Life of Lieut. Illidge

26. Sermon Preached on the Occasion of Katharine Henry’s Death

27. The Life and Death of Philip Henry

Preface to the Reader
Postscript
Notes
Back Cover
THE LIFE

OF

MATTHEW HENRY

Matthew, second son of the Rev. Philip Henry, was born on October 18, 1662, at Broad Oak, a farmhouse in Iscoyd township, Flintshire. The house was about three miles from Whitchurch in Salop, the church from which Philip had retired when the Act of Uniformity was enacted.
During infancy and childhood Matthew’s health was delicate, but he gave early indications of intellectual ability and a studious disposition. At the age of three he not only read the Bible distinctly, but did so with a knowledge and insight displayed by few children twice his age. His early proficiency in the rudiments of education and his rapid advancement in his subsequent studies were doubtless due in large part to the extraordinary attention his father was able to give to Matthew’s education. Matthew was also indebted to his tutor, a young gentleman who resided at Broad Oak before going to the university and who took a special interest in Matthew. Matthew’s efforts and progress kept pace with his opportunities, and his parents had to monitor him closely to prevent him from injuring his health.
When about ten years old, Matthew contracted a fever that threatened his life. Providence again restored him to health, in circumstances that made a deep impression both on his parents and on Matthew. From this time he displayed a seriousness uncommon in one his age, and he began to spend much of his time alone in study and prayer.
It is believed that from childhood Matthew Henry had a strong and decided inclination to the ministry. It was apparent in many of those innocent practices by which children often reveal a predilection for some particular profession. But not until his eighteenth year, with a view to his ultimately becoming a minister of the gospel, was he placed under the instruction of a faithful minister, Thomas Doolittle, who had a private academy at Islington.
When Doolittle’s academy closed, young Henry was sent for a short time to Gray’s Inn in London. Here he devoted much time to “the noble science of the law,” but without once wavering in his determination to study the Bible and to seek “the office of a bishop.” (During this early period in their history, English nonconformists had no seminaries for ministerial education. Doubtless, therefore, Henry enrolled at Gray’s Inn more to meet well-educated people and to take advantage of London’s educational opportunities than to study jurisprudence in depth.) Henry devoted considerable time to studying modern languages and meeting theologians and other learned men. He frequently heard Dr. Stillingfleet and Dr. Tillotson preach, and he attended a weekly theological disputation organized by Mr. Glascock, a worthy and ingenious young minister.
In June 1686 Henry returned to Broad Oak and soon began to preach. In 1687 he accepted a call from a church at Chester. The same year he married, but his wife soon died from smallpox. His second wife was a member of the Warburton family of Grange in Chester. They were married for more than twenty years and were blessed with several children. After he had been settled about seven years at Chester, Matthew lost his father. To his beloved father’s memory Matthew dedicated one of the most beautiful, interesting, and unaffected biographies in English.
Henry’s ministry extended to the villages and towns around Chester. At some of them, particularly Moldsworth, Grange, Bromborough, Elton, and Saighton, he preached once a month. At Beesdon, Mickledale, Peckferton, Wrexham, Stockbridge, Burton, and Darnal, he preached even more frequently. Every Sunday in his own congregation he conducted two “double services,” each consisting of both a lecture (or exposition) and a sermon. On Saturdays he catechized the youth. He also gave one week-day lecture, visited the sick, preached to prisoners in the castle, and conducted various other occasional services. For several years the daily care of all neighboring churches fell to Henry, especially the churches he could visit between Sundays. The engagements to which he was frequently called included a circuit of about thirty miles and involved public addresses, ordinations, and funeral sermons. Yet Henry by no means delighted in publicity and bustle. He was naturally fond of being alone and cultivated privacy and quiet as much as possible while fulfilling his obligations to God and his neighbor. He delighted in those calm hours of private study and meditation during which he produced his commentary on the Scriptures. He was grateful that at least this part of his work was “cut out in retirement, and not in noise and hurry.” With so much work to do, it is amazing that he succeeded in dedicating so much time to his devotions and to study. He developed his sermons with extraordinary care, often writing them out in full. His expositions were the fruit of considerable research and thought.
In 1699 Henry was twice invited by the Hackney church in London to replace their recently deceased pastor. Both times he said no, believing that he could be more useful in Chester and that it was his duty to remain there. Ten years later, however, when the Hackney church again needed a pastor and called Henry a third time, he saw it as his duty to accept and he moved from Chester to London. One reason for his decision may have been his desire to superintend the publication of his commentary, then being printed in London.
Matthew Henry’s pastorate at Hackney began on May 18, 1712. In this new sphere he found ample opportunity for challenging work. Though his strength was somewhat impaired and disease began to take its toll, he tackled his new duties with undiminished zeal. On some Sundays he preached the early lecture at Little St. Helen’s; returned to Hackney for his regular morning and afternoon services (each consisting of both an exposition and a sermon); went to Wapping to preach at Mr. Lloyd’s meeting-house or Shakespeare’s Walk charity school, or he went to Redriff to give the evening lecture; and finally returned home and led family worship, all without showing either mental or bodily fatigue.
Henry’s health, however, soon became visibly impaired. His friends appealed to him to lighten his schedule, but he would not listen. He believed he had been placed in the vineyard to work, and he was determined to be a faithful servant. He also knew that to stop preaching would do violence to his physical as well as his moral being. So he continued, “instant in season and out of season,” preaching the word at every opportunity until summoned home by his Master. Then he would obey with perfect submission and complete confidence.
In June 1714 after visiting old friends in Cheshire, Henry returned home and was suddenly taken ill at Nantwich.