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 .H46 1879 
 
 
 Henry, 
 
 Matthew, 1662- 
 
 -1714 
 
 Words encouraging to 
 
 right 
 
 faith 
 
 and conduct selected 
 
LIBRARY OF PRINCETON 
 
 OCT 3 2003 
 
 THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 
WORDS 
 
 ENCOURAGING TO RIGHT FAITH AND CONDUCT 
 
 SELECTED FROM 
 
 The Writings of Matthew Henry 
 
 v 
 
 JOHN S. SHERMAN 
 
 BY 
 
 LIBRARY OF PRINCETOr 
 
 OCT 3 2003 
 
 THEOLOGICAL SEMINAR 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR 
 
 1879 
 
Copyright 
 
 1879 
 
 By John S. Sherman 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Matthew Henry was an 
 English divine who wrote in 
 the eighteenth century, distin- 
 guished for his devotional spirit, 
 practical piety, sound common 
 sense, and intelligent views of 
 the teachings of the Bible. In 
 view of the life and character of 
 so good and gifted a person, it 
 is hoped these selections will be 
 received with favor, displace 
 reading that is frivolous, correct 
 that which is erroneous, and 
 tend to true religion. Some of 
 the sentences will find response 
 in many minds. 
 
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT. 
 
 Let us acknowledge God in 
 the constant succession of day 
 and night, and consecrate both 
 to his honor, by working for 
 him every day, and resting in 
 him every night; and meditating 
 
 in his law day and night. 
 
 •♦♦ — ' — 
 
 The Scriptures were written, 
 
 not to gratify our curiosity, and 
 
 make us astronomers, but to 
 
 lead us to God, and make us 
 
 saints. 
 
 ■ »♦ . 
 
 Mercies restored are much 
 more affecting than mercies con- 
 tinued. 
 
WORDS OF 
 
 Though we must not tempt 
 God in the neglect of means, 
 yet we must trust God in the 
 want of means. 
 
 Let us always think well of 
 God as the best good, and think 
 sin to be the worst of evils. Let 
 us " resist the devil, and he will 
 flee from us." 
 
 The Hebrew doctors give it 
 for a general rule, that every- 
 thing that is for the name of 
 the good God must be the 
 goodliest and best. 
 
 It is better to fear and not 
 sin, than sin and then fear. 
 
EN CO URA GEMENT. 7 
 
 When a bad custom is begun 
 
 by bad men, sometimes men 
 
 of better character are, through 
 
 unwariness, drawn in to follow 
 
 them. 
 
 >♦• 
 
 They that would not eat for- 
 bidden fruit, must not come 
 near the forbidden tree. 
 
 Sin is a brat that nobody is 
 willing to own. 
 
 That which is to be aimed 
 at, in all acts of religion, is 
 Gods acceptance. 
 
 He that feeds his birds will 
 not starve his babes. 
 
WORDS OF 
 
 Let us never displease God, 
 by doing any act which is 
 wrong, to please the best friend 
 in the world. 
 
 To prevent our being uneasy 
 at the restraints of religion, it is 
 good often to take a view of 
 the liberties and comforts of it. 
 
 How careful should we be, 
 as we live on Gods bounty, to 
 live to his glory. 
 
 None are ruined by the jus- 
 tice of God, but those who hate 
 to be reformed by the grace of 
 God. 
 
EKCO URA GEMENT. 
 
 If we graciously rest in God, 
 God will graciously work for 
 us, and work all for good. 
 
 If sinners will but consider 
 where they are, they will not 
 rest till they turn to God. 
 
 It is a certain sign of an un- 
 humbled heart, to quarrel with 
 those rebukes which we have, 
 by our sins, brought upon our- 
 selves. 
 
 »■»• 
 
 God will graciously bless — 
 that is, do well — to them who 
 sincerely bless — that is, speak 
 well of him. 
 
IO WORDS OF 
 
 He was content to forego the 
 privileges of religion, that he 
 might not be under its precepts. 
 
 The rainbow is the reflection 
 of the beams of the sun, which 
 intimates that all the glory, and 
 significancy, of the seals of 
 the covenant are derived from 
 Christ, the Sun of Righteous- 
 ness, who also is described with 
 a rainbow about his throne. 
 
 Though Divine curses ope- 
 rate slowly, yet first or last they 
 will take effect ; many are marked 
 for ruin that are not yet ripe 
 for ruin. 
 
ENCO URA GEM EN T. 1 1 
 
 In all our choices, this prin- 
 ciple should overrule us, that 
 this is best for us, that is best 
 for our souls. 
 
 Those that venture in a good 
 cause, with a good heart, are 
 under the special protection of 
 
 a good God. 
 
 It will greatly help both our 
 faith and our reverence in prayer 
 to eye God as the Most High 
 God, and to call him so. 
 
 It is good to learn of others 
 how to order our speech concern- 
 ing God, and to imitate those 
 who speak well in divine things. 
 
12 WORDS OF 
 
 An active believer can heartily 
 bless God for a promise he does 
 not yet see the performance of; 
 and build an altar to the honor of 
 God, who appears to him though 
 he does not appeary^r him. 
 
 As piety is a friend to out- 
 ward prosperity, so outward 
 prosperity, if well managed, is 
 an ornament to piety, and an 
 opportunity of doing so much 
 
 more good. 
 
 — — .♦. 
 
 God Almighty never did, nor 
 ever will, do any wrong to any 
 of the creatures, either by with- 
 holding that which is right, or 
 by exacting more than is right. 
 
ENCO URA GEMENT. I 3 
 
 The gifts of common provi- 
 dences are not comparable to 
 those of covenant love. 
 
 Those do not rightly value 
 the advantage of their covenant 
 relation to God, and interest in 
 him, who do not think it to 
 balance the want of any created 
 comfort whatever. 
 
 It is a dangerous thing to 
 
 make light of Divine institu- 
 
 tions, and to live in the neglect 
 
 of them. 
 
 — «-»>• — 
 
 Those who would have com- 
 munion with God must earnest- 
 ly desire it and pray for it. 
 
1 4 WORDS OF 
 
 It is hard to cleave to the 
 First Cause, when second causes 
 frown. 
 
 Those only can expect the 
 
 blessings of the promises who 
 
 make conscience of their duty. 
 — »-+« — 
 
 Those who, through grace, are 
 themselves delivered out of a sin- 
 ful state, should do what they 
 can for the deliverance of others. 
 
 He that is the Saviour, will 
 be the Destroyer of those who 
 
 reject the salvation. 
 
 •+* 
 
 Our communion with God 
 is to be kept up in providences 
 as well as in ordinances. 
 
ENCO URA GEM EN T. 1 5 
 
 Those who have turbulent 
 spirits, have commonly trouble- 
 some lives; they that are pro- 
 voking and injurious to others, 
 must expect to be repaid in their 
 
 own coin. 
 
 —~ 
 
 It is a great mercy to be hin- 
 dered from committing sin. Of 
 this God must have the glory, 
 whoever is the instrument. 
 
 Those whom God has con- 
 vinced of sin and danger, ought 
 to tell others what God has 
 done for them, that they also 
 may be awakened, and brought 
 to a like holy fear. 
 
1 6 WORDS OF 
 
 It is our wisdom to get and 
 keep an interest with those who 
 have an interest in heaven, and 
 to make those our friends who 
 are the friends of God. 
 
 God's providences look best 
 and brightest when they are 
 compared with his word, and 
 when we observe how God in 
 them all acts as he has said, as 
 he has spoken. 
 
 Gods promises and our ex- 
 periences are sufficient to en- 
 courage our dependence upon 
 God, and our expectation from 
 him, in all the affairs of this life. 
 
EN CO URA GEMENT. I 7 
 
 It is presumptuous to say 
 that all those who are left out 
 of the eternal dispensation of 
 God's covenant are therefore 
 excluded from all his mercies : 
 those may be saved who are 
 not thus honored. 
 
 God will cause that to issue 
 in our comfort in which we sin- 
 cerely aim at his glory. 
 
 It is the comfort as well as 
 the belief of a good man that 
 Gods providence extends itself 
 to the smallest occurrences, and 
 admirably serves its own pur- 
 poses by them. 
 
1 8 WORDS OF 
 
 What we win by prayer we 
 must wear with praise, for mer- 
 cies in answer to prayer lay us 
 under particular obligation. 
 
 Those that are our people 
 while we live, whether the peo- 
 ple of God or the children of 
 this world, are the people to 
 whom death will gather us. 
 
 The intrinsic worth of Gods 
 promises cannot be lessened in 
 a believer's eye by any cross 
 providences. 
 
 Truth is the daughter of 
 time, and in time it will out. 
 
EN CO URA GEM EN T. 1 9 
 
 While there is such an alloy 
 of sin as there is in our duties, 
 we must expect an alloy of 
 trouble in our comforts. 
 
 Sometimes it is requisite that 
 a reproof should be given warm, 
 like a physical potion, not too 
 hot lest it scald the patient, yet 
 not cold lest it prove ineffectual. 
 
 Those who are ever so careful 
 
 to keep a good conscience, yet 
 
 cannot always be sure of a good 
 
 name. 
 
 »♦« 
 
 Providence has ways of mak- 
 ing those honest in the event 
 that are not so in their designs. 
 
20 WORDS OF 
 
 Bad men will do more to 
 
 serve their sinful passions, than 
 
 good men will to serve their just 
 
 affections. 
 
 —— 
 
 The safety of good men is 
 very much owing to the hold 
 God has of the consciences of 
 bad men, and the access he has 
 
 to them. 
 
 •♦♦ 
 
 Those who will do nothing 
 to make themselves amiable, 
 love to be thought formidable. 
 
 Where we have a tent, God 
 must have an altar; where we 
 have a house, he must have a 
 church in it. 
 
EN CO URA GEM EN T. 2 1 
 
 A lively apprehension of dan- 
 ger, and a quickening fear aris- 
 ing from it, may very well con- 
 sist in a humble confidence in 
 God's power and promise. 
 
 God answers our prayers by 
 teaching us to order our affairs 
 with discretion. 
 
 Many preserve themselves by 
 
 humbling themselves ; the bullet 
 
 flies over him that stoops. 
 - — »+* — 
 
 The interest we have in any 
 persons, and the hold we have 
 of them, should be wisely im- 
 proved by us to bring them to 
 the love and practice of religion. 
 
2 2 WORDS OF 
 
 Things never go well when 
 the authority of a parent runs 
 low in the family. 
 
 Human life begins with sor- 
 row, and the roses of its joy are 
 surrounded with thorns. 
 
 The laying up of Gods ora- 
 cles in our hearts will be of excel- 
 lent use to us in all our conduct. 
 
 We are bound in honor, as 
 well as justice and gratitude, 
 not in anything to injure those 
 who have a good opinion of us, 
 and place a trust in us, how 
 secret soever it may be done. 
 
ENCOURAGEMENT. 23 
 
 When we are called to vindi- 
 cate ourselves, we should care- 
 fully avoid as much as may be 
 
 speaking ill of others. 
 — •♦• — 
 
 See how near sorrow and joy 
 are to each other in this world, 
 when tears serve for the expres- 
 sion of both. 
 
 It is our wisdom to reconcile 
 ourselves to the sorest afflictions 
 and make the best of them, for 
 there is nothing got by striving 
 with our Maker. 
 
 Tears of tenderness and affec- 
 tion are no disparagement at all, 
 even to good and wise men. 
 
24 WORDS OF 
 
 Indecent words spoken in 
 haste to our superiors should be 
 recalled and amended. 
 
 Wealth sometimes brings as 
 much care along with it as want, 
 and more too. 
 
 It is better to be the credit of 
 a mean post than the shame of 
 
 a high one, 
 
 Our comforts then are doubly 
 sweet to us when we see them 
 
 coming from God. 
 
 Those that throw away their 
 virtue must not expect to save 
 their reputation. 
 
ENCOURAGEMENT. 25 
 
 Young people would better 
 
 consult their own interest if 
 
 they would less indulge their 
 
 own wills. 
 
 »♦• 
 
 The lot of God's providence 
 exactly agrees with the plans 
 of God's counsel like a true copy 
 of the original. 
 
 Those who would be fearless 
 must keep themselves guiltless. 
 
 Men know not what they do 
 or what enemies they are to 
 their own interest, when they 
 resist and despise faithful re- 
 proofs and reprovers. 
 
26 WORDS OF 
 
 It is rare that those that are 
 most amiable to their friends are 
 most formidable to their ene- 
 mies. 
 
 God's covenant relation to us 
 as our own God is the best sup- 
 port in the worst of times. 
 
 — •-*-* — 
 
 Whom God by his grace de- 
 livers out of a spiritual Egypt 
 he will bring to a heavenly 
 Canaan. 
 
 It is a good sign that God is 
 coming with deliverance when 
 he inclines and enables us to 
 cry to him for it. 
 
EN CO URA GEMENT. 2 7 
 
 In times of extreme difficulty 
 it is good to venture upon the 
 promises of God. 
 
 Those who have had a liberal 
 education, yet should not be 
 strangers to servile work, because 
 they know not what necessity 
 may be put on them for working 
 for themselves, or what oppor- 
 tunity Providence may give them 
 of being serviceable to others. 
 
 If God gives us an oppor- 
 tunity and a heart to serve him, 
 it is a happy and encouraging 
 earnest of further favors designed 
 us. 
 
28 WORDS OF 
 
 Even self-diffidence, when it 
 grows into an extreme, when 
 it either hinders us from duty 
 or discourages our dependence 
 upon the grace of God, is very 
 displeasing to him. 
 
 Solitude has its advantages, 
 but they seldom balance the 
 loss of Christian communion. 
 
 When we return to God in 
 the way of duty, he will return 
 to us in a way of mercy. 
 
 The sufficiency of grace can 
 supply the defects of nature at 
 any time. 
 
ENCOURAGEMENT. 29 
 
 By indulging ourselves in dis- 
 content and fretfulness we de- 
 prive ourselves of the comfort 
 we might have both from Gods 
 word and from his providence. 
 
 Communion with God and 
 serviceableness to his church 
 are things that above any other 
 put true honor upon men. 
 
 Peace with God makes men 
 thunder-proof, for it is the voice 
 of their Father. 
 
 Nature is contented with lit- 
 tle, grace with less, but lust with 
 
 nothing. 
 
30 WORDS OF 
 
 True penitents lament sin as 
 committed against God, even 
 their own God, to whom they 
 stand obliged. 
 
 We must come up to the de- 
 mands of God's will, for we 
 cannot expect he should to the 
 provisions of our lusts. 
 
 To be angry at nothing but 
 sin, is the way not to sin in 
 
 anger. 
 
 We may be in the way of 
 our duty, following God and 
 hastening toward heaven, and 
 yet may be in great straits, 
 " troubled on every side." 
 
EN CO URA GEM EN T. 3 1 
 
 When our heads are fullest 
 of cares, and our hands of busi- 
 ness, yet we must not forget our 
 religion nor suffer ourselves to 
 be indisposed for acts of devo- 
 tion. 
 
 Our constant endeavor should 
 be, by praising Gods name and 
 serving his interest, to exalt God, 
 and it is an advancement to us 
 to be so employed. 
 
 The God of Nature has not 
 tied himself to its laws, but 
 when he pleases dispenses with 
 them, and then fire does not 
 burn nor the water flow. 
 
WORDS OF 
 
 It is a great provocation to 
 God for us to question his pres- 
 ence, providence, or promises. 
 
 Whatever we have the joy 
 
 of, God must have the praise 
 
 of it. 
 
 •♦> 
 
 We must retain the remem- 
 brance of God's works that we 
 may remain under the influence 
 of God's laws. 
 
 The pleasures of sense are 
 puddle water — spiritual delights 
 are rock water, so pure, so 
 clear, so refreshing, rivers of 
 pleasure! 
 
ENCOURAGEMENT. 33 
 
 It tends much to the encour- 
 agement of faith to reflect upon 
 the great things God has done 
 for us, and review the monu- 
 ments of his favor. 
 
 Mutual friendship is sancti- 
 fied by joint worship. 
 
 ♦♦• 
 
 Wisdom is profitable to direct, 
 that we may neither content 
 ourselves with less than our duty, 
 nor overtask ourselves with that 
 
 which is beyond our strength. 
 
 — —— — 
 
 The fear of God is that prin- 
 ciple which will best fortify a 
 man from all temptations to in- 
 justice. 
 
34 WORDS OF 
 
 We ought to be tender of 
 the lives even of bad men ; the 
 magistrate must right us, and 
 we must not avenge ourselves. 
 
 It is at our peril if we break 
 the bounds that God has set us, 
 and venture upon that he has 
 not allowed us. 
 
 Those who would be kept 
 free from sin must keep them- 
 selves from the occasion of it. 
 
 If we unjustly get and keep 
 that which is another's, it will 
 not only waste itself, but it will 
 consume that which is our own. 
 
ENCOURAGEMENT. 35 
 
 Public persons are then pub- 
 lic blessings when they lay out 
 themselves in their places to 
 promote the public worship of 
 
 God. 
 
 •♦• 
 
 General usage will not excuse 
 us in a bad practice. 
 
 Good princes find their gov- 
 ernment a constant care, and 
 their people find it a constant 
 
 blessing. 
 
 — •-*-• — 
 
 Our daily devotions must be 
 looked upon as the most need- 
 ful of our daily works, and the 
 most pleasant of our daily com- 
 forts. 
 
36 WORDS OF 
 
 Our two great concerns with 
 God are to be acquitted from 
 guilt and accepted as righteous 
 in his sight. 
 
 God will not fail to give those 
 the meeting who diligently and 
 conscientiously attend upon him 
 in the ordinances of his appoint- 
 ment. 
 
 Skill in common arts and em- 
 ployments is the gift of God, and 
 from him are both the faculty 
 and the improvement of the 
 
 faculty. 
 
 »♦« 
 
 The malignity of sin appears 
 in the price of pardon. 
 
ENCO URA GEM EN T. 3 7 
 
 In God we see nothing but 
 
 what is pure and pleasant; in 
 
 the world, nothing but pollution 
 
 and provocation. 
 
 •♦* — 
 
 Gods good work in us is the 
 surest discovery of his good will 
 toward us. 
 
 Calls to repentance are plain 
 
 indications of mercy designed. 
 •♦• 
 
 When God designs mercies 
 he stirs up to prayer. 
 
 Fixed views of God are re- 
 served for the future state ; the 
 best we have in this world are 
 transient. 
 
3& WORDS OF 
 
 How easily can God weaken 
 the strongest, befool the wisest, 
 and baffle the most watchful. 
 
 Munificence recommends a 
 man more than magnificence. 
 
 When the heart is enlarged 
 by cheerfulness, that should open 
 the hand to liberality. 
 
 Every transgression in the 
 covenant will not throw us out 
 of covenant. 
 
 The observance of the laws of 
 Christ cannot be less necessary 
 than that of the laws of Moses. 
 
ENCOURAGEMENT. 39 
 
 Those that would offer ac- 
 ceptable sacrifices to God must 
 separate themselves from the 
 wicked and profane. 
 
 They that hate to be refined 
 by the fire of divine grace will 
 undoubtedly be ruined by the 
 fire of divine wrath. 
 
 Mere mercy itself will not 
 
 save without the interposal of a 
 
 mediator. 
 
 *♦* 
 
 We are not allowed to pick 
 and choose our duties, but must 
 aim at standing complete in all 
 the will of God. 
 
40 WORDS OF 
 
 If the eye of our faith be unto 
 
 God, the eye of his favor will be 
 
 unto us. 
 
 — »*-• — 
 
 It is good having fellowship 
 
 with those that have fellowship 
 
 with God, and going with those 
 
 with whom God is. 
 
 Difficulties that lie in the way 
 of salvation dwindle and vanish 
 before a lively, active faith in the 
 
 power and promise of God. 
 
 — *+— — 
 
 If we would share in divine 
 joys, we must carefully follow 
 the divine conduct. 
 
 Everything that grieves us 
 
 should bring us to God, 
 
ENCO URA GEM EN T. 4 1 
 
 Others' sufferings for our sakes 
 should grieve us more than our 
 own. 
 
 Let us be constant to our 
 duty, and we cannot question 
 
 the constancy of God's mercy. 
 
 •♦• 
 
 The way to have the comfort 
 in what God allows us is to for- 
 bear what he forbids us. 
 
 All methods of accommoda- 
 tion must be used before we go 
 to war or law. 
 
 Nor must those seem vile in 
 our sight to whom, for aught we 
 know, God may yet give grace 
 to make precious in his sight. 
 
42 WORDS OF 
 
 Let our tongues be employed 
 about the word of God, let it be 
 the subject of our familiar dis- 
 course, wherever we are, espe- 
 cially with our children, who 
 must be taught the service of 
 God as the one thing needful, 
 much more needful than the 
 rules of decency or the calling 
 
 they must live by in this world. 
 ++-• — 
 
 That obedience pleases best 
 
 which comes from a principle 
 
 of delight in God's goodness. 
 »♦♦ — - 
 
 Modesty is the hedge of chas- 
 tity, and therefore ought to be 
 very carefully preserved and kept 
 up by both sexes. 
 
EN CO URA GEM EN T. 
 
 The way to obtain peace with 
 
 our friends, and success against 
 
 our enemies, is to make God our 
 
 friend and keep ourselves in his 
 
 love. 
 
 «♦« 
 
 While we make Gods pre- 
 cepts our rule, his promise our 
 stay, and his providences our 
 guide, we need not dread the 
 greatest difficulties we may meet 
 with in the way of duty. 
 
 God is pleased with willing 
 worship, but not with will wor- 
 ship. 
 
 — —-• 
 
 God is a friend that will not 
 fail us when other friends do. 
 
44 WORDS OF 
 
 We must make that most our 
 own which we have an oppor- 
 tunity of honoring God with, 
 and employing in his service. 
 
 We must never be overcome 
 either by majesty or multitude 
 to do a sinful thing, or go 
 
 against conscience. 
 
 A charitable disposition ex- 
 pects only opportunity, not im- 
 portunity, to do good, and will 
 
 succor upon sight unsought unto. 
 *■*■* 
 
 We must never think well of 
 
 that which God in his law frowns 
 
 upon, though in his providence 
 
 he seems to smile upon it. 
 
ENCOURAGEMEX T. 45 
 
 The springs of mercy are al- 
 ways full, the streams of mercy 
 are always flowing ; there is 
 mercy enough in God, enough 
 for all, enough for each, enough 
 
 forever. 
 
 »♦« 
 
 Let us check all sinful desires 
 
 in our own hearts against God 
 
 and his glory, and then trust 
 
 him to check all sinful desires in 
 
 the hearts of others against us 
 
 and our interests. 
 
 Gracious persons measure 
 their comforts and conveniences 
 in this world by the opportunity 
 they give them of communion 
 with God. 
 
46 WORDS OF 
 
 Our religious services are not 
 acceptable to God if they have 
 not a due influence upon our- 
 selves. 
 
 »♦« 
 
 To reduced greatness, gene- 
 rosity obliges us ; to oppressed 
 goodness, piety obliges us to be 
 in a particular manner kind to 
 the utmost of our power. 
 
 If a great man be a good man, 
 his goodness will be much more 
 his satisfaction than his great- 
 ness. 
 
 If we in sincerity offer our 
 hearts to God, he will by his 
 grace kindle holy fire in them. 
 
EN CO URA GEM EN T. 4 7 
 
 The ruin of the enemies of 
 Christ's kingdom is as sure as 
 the stability of his kingdom, and 
 both as sure as the being and 
 life of God, the founder of it. 
 
 When we are ma^nifvinsj the 
 causes of our fear, we ought to 
 possess ourselves with clear and 
 great and high thoughts of God 
 and the invisible world ! 
 
48 WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT. 
 
 I. 
 
 Our Heavenly Father's gracious word — 
 Though foes assail and want is nigh — 
 
 Says that his people are to him 
 Dear as the apple of his eye. 
 
 II. 
 
 So then we would in covenant 
 
 Join ourselves in love, O God, to thee ; 
 Take thine anointed Christ as ours, 
 
 And thy dear people ever be. 
 
 III. 
 
 Then, be clouds or sunshine 
 
 With us all our way along, 
 We may believe we shall be led, 
 
 And join at length the heavenly throng. 
 
 JOHN S. SHERMAN, 
 
 Brooklyn, N. Y.