practice of real religion and virtue. This, he prefumes to say, will not only give him a higher pleafure than gain or any worldly advantage, but will be fufficient to render any further apology needless and unneceffary.

AN

ΑΝ

ESSAY

ΟΝ ΤΗΕ

LIFE, WRITINGS, and CHARACTER, of Mr. JOHN HOWE.

T

H E lives of persons of worth and eminence, as Dr. Calamy juftly observes, when drawn up with faithfulness and care, have been ever thought very entertaining and improving; and the most judicious authors have acknowledged, that to perpetuate the memory of eminent and useful men by recording their lives is doing an useful service to the public.

IT is therefore hoped that none will cenfure the Editor of the following difcourses, for endeavouring to make the life and character of fo great a man as Mr. Howe more extensively known; fince it is very poffible they may fall into the hands of

feveral

feveral perfons, who have heard but little of their excellent Author, and have never read the large account of him published twenty years ago: for which, and many other valuable memoirs of several eminent and worthy men, the world is greatly indebted to the late Dr. Calamy. The following narrative indeed is only an epitome, for the most part, of that elaborate work; however a likeness may be preserved by a piece in miniature, as well as by another of equal proportion and dimenfions with the original. Befides he the more readily ingages in this design because the Compilers of the general Dictionary, lately published, have made but a fhort article of Mr. Howe; whofe life would not have been the leaft entertaining in their useful collection, nor have given them much trouble, fince fo excellent materials were ready drawn up for their fervice: to say nothing of their omiffion of the most important circumstances that are effential to his picture, without the knowledge of which none can have any tolerable idea of our excellent Author.

MR. JOHN HOWE was born at Loughborough in the county of Leicester, on May 17, 1630; of which place his Father was, for fome time, the worthy Minister.

2

nifter. But archbishop Laud, who had fettled him in that parish, afterwards ejected him, on account of his fiding with the Puritans, contrary to his expectations. Seveveral worthy and excellent men were driven into exile by the rigor of that prelate, and the ecclefiaftical courts; among whom was the Father of our Author, who went into Ireland, taking his fon along with him, who was then but a child. After a fhort refidence there, they were obliged to quit that country upon the account of the war, which continued for fome years after the execrable maffacre of forty-one: and returning into England they fettled in Lancashire, where Mr. Howe went through the first rudiments of learning, and the study of the languages; in which he made fo great a progress that he was fent pretty early to Chrift College in Cambridge (A). There he continued till he took the degree of Batchelor of Arts, and then removed to Oxford.

(A) HERE it was that he became acquainted with feveral perfons, who made a great figure in the learned world; particularly the famous Dr. Cudworth, the profoundeft metaphyfician perhaps of the lift century, and Dr. Henry More. Of both thefe perfons he was a great admirer; and as the learned Author of his life well obferves," it is not to be wondered at, that "in his early days he received that Platonic tincture,

which fo remarkably runs through the writings, " which he drew up and published in his advanced ** years." p. 3. folio edit. & p. 7. octavo edit.

IN

In this celebrated University he made fo confiderable progrefs in learning, and acquired fo great a reputation for many excellent qualities, that he was duly elected Fellow of Magdalen College, of which the famous Dr. Thomas Goodwin was at that time President (B).

MR. Howe's promotion and reputation in the College, and through the University, added new spurs to his diligence and application; which was fo great, that he fur

nished

(B) DR. CALAMY relates a paffage of the Prefident, which does honour to his memory, and for that reafon is inferted here. "The Doctor had ga"thered a Church among the scholars of that house, "and finding Mr. Howe, who had an established "reputation among them, did not offer to join with

them, he took an occafion when they were alone "to fpeak to him about it; and fignified his fur"prize that one of his character for ferious piety, "ould not embrace fuch an opportunity of Chri"ftian fellowship, which might be likely to have

many good confequences attending it. Mr. Howe "with great franknefs told him, that the true and "only reason why he had been fo filent about that "matter was, because he understood they laid a "confiderable ftrefs among them upon fome diftin"guishing peculiarities, of which he had no fond"nefs; tho' he could give others their liberty to "take their own way, without cenfuring them, or "having any unkind thoughts of them: but that if "they would admit him into their fociety upon "catholic terms, he would readily become one of "them. The Doctor embracing him told him, he "would do it with all his heart; and that to his "knowledge it would be much to the fatisfaction "and edification of all that were concerned: andhe thereupon became a member of that Society." p.. 3. fol. edit. & p. 10, 11. ot.