It is exactly 350 years since Matthew Henry was born. My edition of his world-famous Commentary on the whole Bible extends to six large volumes and was published 175 years ago. I have prized and read and quoted it for almost 60 years, but I knew little or nothing about Matthew Henry's life. Allan Harman has put the whole Christian world in his debt by researching and writing this excellent and fascinating biography of a man outstanding in scholarship, preaching, prayerfulness, godliness and faithful pastoring of the same church for twenty years. Here we learn of his home and of the great privilege of being a son of his pastor, mentor and model, Philip Henry ('He brought up his children in the fear of God, and with much tenderness', Matthew tells us). His life had many trials and sorrows personally, and he lived through a most difficult period of church history (his birth coincided with the year of the Great Ejection). But his was a life of extraordinary fruitfulness. I found the story enthralling and deeply encouraging, and I earnestly hope that the book will have the widest readership. I for one am heartily grateful to Allan Harman and Christian Focus for it.

Christians of our own day, and especially preachers, will find much in this handsomely produced volume to inspire them and to set an example for thorough, faithful, practical and applied exposition of the Word of God. It will stand as a good and necessary corrective to the largely shallow preaching and publishing of the present time. But more importantly it will bring us to the realisation that those who preach the doctrines of grace should not do so as 'chosen frozen', but as 'warm Reformed'.

To anyone who can read this brilliant biography without being humbled, challenged, inspired and motivated to 'press on toward the goal', I have only one thing to say - read it again. I am struggling to think of any biography that has spoken so clearly to me and it would be impossible for me to commend it too highly."

"Allan Harman's biography puts in our hands a wealth of information about Matthew Henry. Here we discover his godly father, Philip Henry, his upbringing during times of persecution, and his faithful pastoral ministry in Chester, England. This book will be of great interest to historians, students of the Puritans, pastors, and thousands of others who continue to benefit from Henry's Commentary."