'6. Yet I bless God I have no weariness of life, nor of his work in this world, if he shall yet please further to employ me here. IV. Quære; But am I not solicitous, lest if this should prove the event, it will be judged a testimony against me, as to this present undertaking ? we took him for. (2.) It displeases me not, that they joyfully embrace those waves that should cast me on should find and say this. I hope I should digest it an undesigned shore, and when I intended Liverpool, well. (3.) I have found (blessed be God) that the should land me in heaven. applauses some have prudently given me in letters, (as I have received many of that strain, very many long before this business, and that had no relation unto any such, that no eye hath ever since seen but my own,) an occasion and means to me of deep humiliation, when my own heart hath witnessed to me, my miserable penury, and that I am thought to be what I am not. (4.) So far as I can find, I do not deliberately covet or desire esteem but for my work's sake, and the success of my work. Of applause I have often found an inward abhorrence. I both know I have nothing but what I have received, and that I have received a great deal less than many think I have: which I say with reflection on myself; not to diminish the bounty of the Free-giver, from whom I know I might have received much more, if I had sought and used his gifts aright. All the design I can more vehemently suspect myself of that looks like self-interest any way, is, (1.) The improvement of my own knowledge, which I know there may be great opportunities for, if this journey should issue in my settlement at London. (2.) The disposal of my children. Yet I hope these things are eyed in subordination, and indifferently, so as not to sway with me against my duty. 'II. Quære; Have I not a previous resolution of settling at London before I go up? '1. I have a resolution to do what I shall conceive shall make most to the usefulness of the rest of my life, which resolution I ought never to be without. '2. I am seriously yet at a loss as to judging this case, whether in this country or there. '3. If I can find clearly it is my duty to return in order to continuance at Antrim, I shall do it with high complacency. '1. It is an honest design I go upon. I have, as I said, no selfish design that oversways me in it. I have no design to prejudice Mr. C. I believe I shall do him no actual prejudice. Wherein I can justly befriend him, I go resolved to do it. If I can do any thing for the holding of the remainder together, without the neglect of greater work, I do apprehend I shall do a just and needful thing: but should do nothing if I had opportunity, till I knew more. But, 2. To judge of the justice of a cause by the success, is a most unjust way of judging. Many a just business has miscarried. If I get well into the other world, such censures will be a small matter in my eye; and they are not great now. 3. God will accept my sincere intentions, though I effect nothing. 4. My journey was to me absolutely necessary, who could without it neither grant nor deny. Consolations to my wife and other relations, supposing they hear of my death. '1. Whom or what have you lost? A poor creature that could never be of much use to you. 2. You are to consider me, not as lost in my prime, but as now I am sensibly under great decays, and not likely to continue long, except some means hitherto not thought on should have been tried. What a summer had I of the last! seldom able to walk the streets; and not only often disabled by pain, but weakness. And 'III. Quære; Am I not afraid of miscarrying in this what great advantage to you would it have been to see undertaken voyage, by shipwreck, &c.? '1. I find little of that fear, I bless God. 2. Nor is it that I think I have attained any eminent degree of grace, that I am not afflicted with that fear: nay more than that, I acknowledge, to be delivered from such fear is itself a great mercy, and gracious vouchsafement. '3. I hope I am in a state of favour and acceptance with God, which I apprehend I owe to infinite rich mercy in the Redeemer's blood. Great forgiveness I need, for I am a miserable sinful wretch: this I trust I have upon gospel terms. '4. It is pleasant to me hereupon to think of going into eternity; of laying down the body of flesh and sin and death together; and of being perfectly holy, and associated with them that are so, in holy work and enjoyment. '5. To put off this tabernacle so easily, I reckon would to me be a merciful dispensation, who am more afraid of sharp pains than of death. I think I should me die? I know not when I have had so much ease and health as in this journey. 3. God not only hath determined the thing, we must die, but all circumstances, when and where, and after what manner, and all wisely and well. Why should you be grieved, that he hath done well? not only well in itself, but well for you, if you love him? '4. You must ere long follow, and shall not be always in this world without me. 5. What there is of evil in this case, admits of remedy. Draw so much nearer to God, and cease from man: mind heaven more, and your loss is made up. '6. I have, through the grace of God, preached immortal truth, which will survive, and may be to your advantage. 7. As to you who have dependance upon me for worldly concernments: I was never a good projector for the world; so the loss is not great. How many, dear to God, make a shift, in a worse condition! Forget not the motto, God will provide. He that feeds ravens. and takes care of sparrows, will he not take care of you? are you of his family, and will he not take care of his own? instead of distrust and repining, give thanks. O bless him with all your soul, that he hath revealed and given himself to you for an everlasting portion; and whose covenant is to be your God, and the God of yours. ‘8. Let it be some satisfaction to you, that I go willingly, under no dread, with no regret, but with some comfortable knowledge of my way and end.' With such thoughts and workings of mind as these, did he undertake and pursue his voyage and journey, and he arrived safe at London after having been five years in Ireland: and upon mature consideration, he accepted of the call that had been given him, and settled there, and made a quiet and peaceable use of King Charles's indulgence, preaching to a considerable and judicions auditory, by whom he was singularly respected; and he was much esteemed, not only by his brethren in the ministry among the dissenters, but also by several eminent divines of the church of England, as Dr. Whitchcot, Dr. Kidder, Dr. Fowler, Dr. Lucas, and others, whom he often conversed with, and that with great freedom and familiarity. He was no sooner settled here, than he printed the first part of his Living Temple,' by which it was his design to improve that notion, that a good man is the Temple of God. This first part is upon God's existence, and his conversableness with man; and against Atheism, or the Epicurean deism. 'Tis dedicated to the Lord Viscount Massarene, governor of the county of London-Derry, and one of the lords of his majesty's most honourable privy-council in the kingdom of Ireland: and he signifies to his lordship, that this tract was conceived under his roof, and born out of his house; and that he therefore thought it decent and just, that it should openly own the relation which it thereby had, and the author's great obligations, to his lordship. this, that it is inconceivable, that the holy and good God should irresistibly determine the wills of men to and punish the same thing; that he should irresistibly determine the will of a man to the hatred of his own most blessed self, and then exact severest punishments for the offence done,' which the strictest Calvinist has not the least occasion (as far as I can perceive) to scruple to acknowledge. This notion widely differs from asserting the blessed God universally to have left his reasonable creatures an indetermined power, with respect to all actions, good as well as evil, to the utter exclusion of efficacious grace, in reference even to the best actions that are. 'Tis that that is the true Arminian principle, if we may be allowed to pass a judgment, from the works of the most eminent writers that are in that scheme. If all are great and strict Arminians, who cannot allow themselves to suppose the blessed God, by internal influence, to have a hand even in the worst and wickedest actions, as far as in the best, I am persuaded there will be very few remaining but what are such, either here at home, or in any of the reformed churches abroad. As to Mr. Howe, he was so well satisfied in the firmness of the grounds he went upon, that at last he did not stick to declare, that ‘if he found himself any way obliged further to intermeddle in this matter, he should reckon the time he had to spend in this world could never be spent to better purpose, than in discovering the fearful consequences of the opposite opinion, the vanity of the subterfuges whereby its assertors think to hide the malignity of it, and the inefficacy of the arguments brought for it.' But this was what he had no occasion for, God had cut out other work for him. He went on quietly in a course of practical preaching in his stated ministry, and was very useful in forwarding many in their way to heaven. In the time of the popish plot, when things took a quite different turn from what they had done from the restoration till then, and the city and whole body of the nation was full of terror and melancholy apprehen In the year 1677, he published a tract, entitled, 'The Reconcileableness of God's Prescience of the Sins of Mensions, he made it his endeavour among those with whom with the Wisdom and Sincerity of his Counsels and Exhortations, and whatever other Means he uses to prevent them: written by way of Letter to the Honourable Robert Boyle, Esq. This treatise was exceedingly admired by some, and as much opposed by others. Mr. Theophilus Gale, in particular, his old fellow-collegiate, publishing about this time his fourth part of 'The Court of the Gentiles,' made some animadversions upon it. Whereupon Mr. Howe added a Postscript, in defence of the said Letter, in which he makes a return to Mr. Gale's remarks. Mr. Danson also wrote against this tract, but I know not that Mr. Howe took any notice of him; though the ingenious Andrew Marvel, Esq. made a very witty and entertaining reply to him. Upon the account of this performance of his, Mr. Wood represents Mr. Howe as a great and strict Arminian ; but very wrongfully. For that which he mainly asserts in that discourse, is no more than z See Court of the Gentiles, part 4. page 522. he had to do, to make the awful impressions which people were at that time under, serviceable to the purposes of serious religion: and in his conversation with the clergy of the established church, or with persons of quality and distinction, which was not unfrequent, he upon all occasions discovered a very peaceable and healing spirit, often giving it as his sense, that an accommodation of matters between the church and the dissenters, would be the most effectual way to keep out popery. And it has been the opinion of many, that a fitter season for a union could not well occur, than did then present itself. The House of Commons who sat at Westminster in 1680, seem to have been of that mind, and therefore they brought in a bill for uniting his majesty's protestant subjects, and nothing was more commonly talked of at that time. And not being able to go through with it, they, before they rose, came to a resolution, 'that the acts of parliament made in the a Athen. Oxon. vol. 2. page 1014. b Postscript, page 131. from Phil. iii. 16. (which sermon he entitled, 'The Mis: chief of Separation,') took occasion to represent all the nonconformists as schismaticks, and inveigh against them as enemies to peace, and dangerous to the church, &c. This sermon was answered by Dr. Owen, Mr. Baxter, Mr. Alsop, Mr. Barret, and others; and among the rest Mr. Howe made some remarks upon it, in a pamphlet, entitled, 'A Letter written out of the Country to a Person of quality in the City, who took offence at the late Sermon of Dr. Stillingfleet, Dean of St. Paul's, before the Lord Mayor;' which Letter was drawn up with great clearness and strength of reasoning. He therein shows how unreasonably the Doctor endeavours to keep the dissenters, who after the utmost search could not be satisfied to conform, in a state of damnation, for scrupling the ceremonies; at least in a neglect of the necessary means of salvation. He shows his arguments, both ad rem and ad hominem too, to be unconcluding; reflects freely on the Doctor for his too great acrimony, and too little seriousness in his way of management; and yet closes with a very genteel and handsome address to such as were offended with the Doctor's sermon, to abate their indignation, and moderate their censures, and stir them up to turn their reflections upon him, into serious prayers for him, for which he shows there was very just occasion. reigns of Queen Elizabeth and King James, against king had been a special blessing from heaven, to be muc popish recusants, ought not to be extended against pro- longed for by the protestant church. They likewis testant dissenters: and that the prosecution of protest-gave themselves such a loose against the nonconform ant dissenters, upon the penal laws, is at this time ists, as if nothing was so formidable as that party. S grievous to the subject, a weakening the protestant that in all their sermons, popery was quite forgot, and interest, an encouragement to popery, and dangerous the force of their zeal was turned almost wholly agains to the peace of the kingdom.' the dissenters.' Amongst the rest, Dean Stillingfleet Mr. Howe had about this time an invitation from from whom it was little expected, on the first day o Bishop Lloyd, to come and dine with him the next day. | Easter term, 1680, in a sermon before the lord mayo He was apprehensive it could not be without some and aldermen of the city, the judges and serjeants particular design, that a bishop whom he had not seen, or at least with whom he had no acquaintance, should send to desire him to come and dine with him. He sent his lordship word, that he was engaged that day for dinner, (as he really was before the receipt of the message sent him,) but would not fail of waiting upon him afterwards. Hereupon the Bishop sent again, to let him know, that since he could not dine with him, he would not give him the trouble to come so far as his house, but would meet him at Dr. Tillotson's, the dean of Canterbury. They met there accordingly, and the Bishop told him that the reason why he desired a meeting with him, was to know of him, what he thought would satisfy the nonconformists, that so they might be taken into the church. Mr. Howe answered, that he could not pretend to say what would satisfy any besides himself; for that all had not an equal latitude in such matters. The Bishop hereupon pressed him to give his judgment, what he thought would satisfy the most; for, says he, I would have the terms so large as to comprehend the most of them. Mr. Howe told him, that he thought it would go a considerable way towards it, if the law was but so framed, as that ministers might be enabled to promote parochial reformation. Why, says the Bishop, for that reason, I am for taking the lay chancellors quite away, as being the great hinderance of reformation. At length, they agreed upon a meeting the next night, at seven o'clock, at Dr. Stillingfleet's, the dean of St. Paul's. Mr. Howe proposed to bring Mr. Baxter along with him; but the Bishop would by no means allow of it. Then he proposed to bring Dr. Bates, and was answered, that no man could be more proper. Accordingly Dr. Bates and Mr. Howe went at seven in the evening to Dean Stillingfleet's, as had been appointed the day before. The Dean had provided a very handsome treat, but they found not the company they expected. They waited till eight, till nine, till near ten o'clock; but the Bishop neither came, nor sent, nor took any notice of the matter afterwards. And that very night, as they heard the next morning, the bill of exclusion was thrown out of the House of Peers, by a majority of thirty voices, fourteen of which were bishops. And after this, there was no further occasion for any talk about a comprehension. For upon this turn of affairs, it is observed by a celebrated writer on the church side, that 'the clergy struck up with zeal for the duke's succession: as if a popish e A copy of the Heads of a Bill for uniting his Majesty Protestant Subjects,' which was agreed upon at a committee of the House of Commons, Nov. 18, 1680, may be met with, Abridgment of Mr. Baxter's Life, vol. i. p. 350. The Doctor himself sticks not to own, that in this Letter he discourses gravely and piously, without bitterness and rancour, or any sharp reflections, and sometimes with a great mixture of kindness towards him, for which, and his prayers for him, he heartily thanks him. This warm sermon of the Doctor's was generally reckoned very ill-timed, to which it's not unlikely but Bishop Burnet may have a reference, when he says of the great man, that he went into the humours of the high sort of people, beyond what became him; perhaps beyond his own sense of things.'f Nor can I forbear to take notice of another sermon, that was preached this year (1680) at court, by Dean Tillotson, from Josh. xxiv. 15. entitled, 'The Protestant Religion vindicated from the charge of Singularity and Novelty.' In this sermon there is this notion; that no man is obliged to preach against the religion of a country, though a false one, unless he has a power of working miracles. King Charles slept most part of the time while the sermon was delivered; and a certain nobleman stepped to him as soon as it was over, and said, 'Tis a pity your majesty slept; for we had the d Bishop Burnet's History of his own Times, vol. i. p. 501. rarest piece of Hobbism that ever you heard in your violence both in city and country, and the severe laws life. Ods fish, he shall print it then, says the king; that had been made against them some years before, as and immediately called the lord chamberlain, and gave well as some that were made against the papists in the him his command to the Dean to print his sermon. reign of Queen Elizabeth, were rigorously put in exeWhen it came from the press, the Dean sent it as a pre- cution against them, without any favour. Several of sent to Mr. Howe, as he usually did most of the things the bishops concurred, and by influence from court, he printed. Mr. Howe immediately perused it, and were prevailed with to do their endeavour to push forwas not a little troubled, to find a notion there, that had ward the civil magistrate, and to sharpen the rigour of so ill a tendency as that forementioned. Whereupon the ecclesiastical courts, and that in defiance of the he drew up a long letter, in which he freely expostu- votes of the House of Commons in their favour. And lated with the Dean, for giving such a wound to the as Bishop Burnet observes, 'such of the clergy as would Reformation; signifying to him, that Luther and Calvin, not engage in the common fury, were cried out upon and the rest of our blessed reformers, were (thanks be as the betrayers of the church, and as secret favourers of to God) of another mind. The Christian religion, (said the dissenters.' The author of 'the Complete History he,) both as to its precepts and promises, is already con- of England,' says, that 'this year there was a vigorous firmed by miracles; and must it be repealed, every prosecution of the protestant dissenters, which was getime a wicked governor thinks fit to establish a false nerally thought a piece of court-artifice, to play the religion? must no one stand up for the true religion, church of England against the dissenters, and enrage till he can work a miracle? He signified to him, how the dissenters against the church of England, that they much he was grieved, that in a sermon against popery, might not unite and see their common danger, but be should plead the popish cause against all the re- rather by destroying one another, might make room for formers; and insisted upon it, that we had incontest- a third party, that lay behind the curtain, and watched able evidence of the miracles wrought by the apostles, an opportunity of the duke's succession.' And at this and that we are bound to believe them, and take reli-juncture, Mr. Howe published a discourse of 'Thoughtgion to be established by them, without any further expectations, &c. Mr. Howe carried the letter himself, and delivered it into the Dean's own hands; and be taking a general and cursory view of it, signified his willingness to talk that whole matter frecly over; but said, they could not be together where they were, without interruption, and therefore moved for a little journey into the country, that so they might have freedom of discourse. They accordingly agreed to go and dine that day with the Lady Falconbridge at SuttonCourt, and Mr. Howe re d over the letter to the Dean, and enlarged upon the contents of it, as they were travelling along together in his chariot. The good man at length fell to weeping freely, and said that this was the most unhappy thing that had of a long time befallen him. I see (says he) what I have offered is not to be maintained. But he told him, that it was not his turn to preach as on that day. He that should have been the preacher being sick, the Dean said, he was sent to by the lord chamberlain to supply his place: and he added, that he had but little notice, and so considered the general fears of popery, and this text offered self, and he thought the notion resulted from it; and, says he, immediately after preaching, I received a command from the king, to print the sermon, and then it was not in my power to alter it. I am the better satisfied that there is no mistake as to the substance of this passage, because he from whom I had it, did not trust to his bare memory, but committed it to writing, presently after he received the account from Mr. Howe himself. And though such a story as this may make us sensible that the very best of men have their slips, yet am I far from thinking it a dishonour to this great man, to be open to conviction. fulness for the Morrow, with an Appendix, concerning the immoderate Desire of foreknowing Things to come,' in 8vo. It is dedicated to the Lady Anne Wharton, of Upper Winchingdon in the county of Bucks, who had expressed a desire of seeing somewhat written on that subject. To which is added, 'A Discourse of Charity, in reference to other Men's Sins, from 1 Cor. xiii. 6.' He this year also published 'A Funeral Sermon on the Decease of Mrs. Margaret Baxter, who died June 28th, from 2 Cor. v. 8.' In 1682 things were much in the same state as the year before. This year also Mr. Howe published several little things; as, 'A Discourse on the right Use of that Argument in Prayer, from the Name of God, on behalf of a People that profess it, from Jer. xiv. 21.' 8vo. 'A Discourse on Self-Dedication, at the Anniversary Thanksgiving of the Earl of Kildare, for a great Deliverance,' in 12mo, and 'A Funeral Sermon for Mr. Richard Fairclough, who deceased July 4th, from Matt. xxv. 21.' And he now drew up those Annotations on the three Epistles of St. John, which are to be met with in the second volume, or continuation, of Mr. Pool. In 1683 there was a most cruel order made by the justices of peace at their quarter-sessions at Exon, against all nonconforming ministers, allowing a reward of forty shillings to any person that apprehended any one of them, and declaring their resolution to put in execution against them the severest laws, and particularly that of the 35th of Elizabeth, the penalties whereof are imprisonment, abjuration of the realm, or death. And Bishop Lamplugh (who was afterwards archbishop of York) required the order to be read by all the clergy on the next Sunday after it should be tendered to them, on purpose (as was said) 'that the In 1681 the dissenters were prosecuted with great care of the justices of Devon, for the preservation of History of his own Times, vol. i. page 501. h Vol. iii. page 403. the public peace, might be fuller known, and have a bet- amiable thing. If the Christian community moulder ter effect.' decay, be enfeebled, broken, dispirited, and ruine in great part, this ruin shall not rest under ou hands.' The same year there was published in the 'Continuation of the Morning Exercise,' an excellent sermon of Mr. Howe's, from Col. ii. 2. upon this question, 'What may most hopefully be attempted, to allay animosities among protestants, that our divisions may not be our ruin ?' 'MADAM, 'It can avail you nothing, to let your honour know from what hand this paper comes; and my own design in it is abundantly answered, if what it contains proves useful to you. Your affliction hath been great, unspeakably beyond what it is in my power or design to represent; and your supports (in the paroxysm of your affliction) have been very extraordinary; and such as wherein all that have observed or heard, could not but acknowledge a divine hand. 'But your affliction was not limited and enclosed within the limits of one black day, nor is like those more common ones, the sense whereof abates and wears off by time; but is continued, and probably more felt, as time runs on: which therefore makes you need continued help from Heaven every day. On July 20th this year, that noble patriot, Willian Lord Russel, was beheaded in Lincolns-Inn-Fields, the no small terror and consternation of the true lover of their country, and friends of the protestant religion" 'In order to this, he earnestly recommends to all This was a severe stroke upon the Bedford family, and the professors of religion, the maintaining of a sincere an unspeakable loss to the excellent lady, who was lef love to one another, and the improving of their faith to a mournful widow, and continued so to the year 1723 greater measures of clearness, certainty, and efficacy, when she went to her grave full of years. Mr. Howe in reference to the substantials of Christianity. A upon this melancholy occasion wrote a consolatory letter generous love, not to Christians of this or that party or to her, which very well deserves to be preserved, and denomination only, but to all in whom the true essen-transmitted to posterity; an authentic copy of which tials of Christianity are found, would (he says) greatly having been kept safe in his family, here follows. contribute to the vigour of the Christian life. It would inspire Christians generally with a sacred courage and fortitude, when they should know and even feel themselves knit together in love. It would on the contrary extinguish or abate the unhallowed fire of our anger and wrath towards one another. It would oblige us to all acts of mutual kindness and friendship. Prejudices would cease, and jealousies concerning each other, and a mutual confidence would be produced. It would make us earnestly covet an entire union in all the things wherein we differ, and contribute greatly to it. It would make us much more apt to yield to one another, and abate all that ever we can, in order to as full an accommodation as is any way possible; that if we cannot agree upon either extreme, we might at last meet in the middle. It would make us abstain from mutual censures of one another as insincere for our remaining differences; and convince us that such censures are very unreasonable, because all have not the same understanding, nor the same gust and relish of things. It would oblige us, after competent endea vours of mutual satisfaction, about the matters wherein we differ, to forbear further urging of one another concerning them and it would make us forbear reviling and exposing one another, and the industrious seeking one another's ruin. And then if, at the same time, we did but endeavour to have our souls possessed with a more clear, efficacious, practical faith of the Gospel, and our hearts so overcome, as practically and vitally to receive it, we should apprehend the things to be truly great wherein we are to unite, and should, in comparison, apprehend all things else to be little; and so should be more strongly inclined to hold together by the things wherein we agree, than to contend with one another about the things wherein we differ. Thus our religion would revive, and become a vital powerful thing; and consequently more grateful to God, and awful to men. And if we in our several particular stations are but herein careful, if we but do our own part, we may be able to say it was not our fault, but Christians had been combined, and entirely one with each other; but they had been more thoroughly Christian, and more entirely united with God in Christ; and that Christianity had been a more lively, powerful, awful, : 'Yet there is here a great difference between what expectations we may have of divine assistance, in the beginning or first violence of some great affliction, and in the continued course of it afterwards. At first we are apt to be astonished, a consternation seizes our thinking faculty, especially as to that exercise of it, whereby it should minister to our relief. In this case the merciful God doth more extraordinarily assist such as sincerely trust and resign themselves to him; unto these, as his more peculiar favourites, his sustaining influences are more immediate, and more efficacious, so as even (in the present exigency) to prevent and supersede any endeavour of theirs, whereof they are, then, less capable. And of the largeness and bounty of his goodness, in such a case, few have had greater experience than your ladyship; which was eminently seen, in that magnanimity, that composure and presentness of mind, much admired by your friends, and no doubt by the special favour of Heaven afforded you in the needful season: so that while that amazing calamity was approaching, and stood in nearer view, nothing that was fit or wise or great was omitted, nothing indecent done. Which is not now said, God knows, to flatter your ladyship, (whereof the progress will further vindicate me,) for I ascribe it to God, as I trust your ladyship, with unfeigned gratitude, will also do. And I mention it, as that whereby you are under |