 Matthew Henry was born near Salop in 1662, the second son of Philip
Henry. At the age of 3, he not only read the Bible distinctly, but with a
knowledge and observation which few children even twice his age
displayed. He nearly died at the age of ten, but God restored his health to
him, which act of kindness left a deep impression on young Matthew. He
had always been sober-minded before, but he was now marked by an even
more serious disposition.
At the age of 18, Henry was placed under the tutelage of Thomas
Doolittle, the noted Puritan. He accepted the pastorate of a church in
Chester, and married the same year (1687); his wife, however, died of small
pox. He remarried, and this marriage lasted more than 20 years. In 1712
he accepted the call to the church in Hackey, near London. One major
reason for accepting this call was to complete his great work on his
Commentary on the Whole Bible, which has been in reprint since. Matthew
Henry died at the age of 52 and is buried in Trinity Church, Chester.
Soli Deo Gloria has reprinted two of Matthew Henry's works: The Quest
for Meekness and Quietness of Spirit and The Pleasantness of a Religious
Life. Baker Bookhouse has reprinted the two volume edition of The Works
of Matthew Henry. |
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