Imatges de pàgina
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nished himself with a large fund of rational and theological learning, the fruits whereof were very confpicuous in his following life. On July 9, 1652, he took the degree of Master of Arts; having gone through a courfe of philofophy, ftudied the heathen Moralifts, read over the accounts we have remaining of the pagan theology, the writings of the School-men, and feveral fyftems of the Reformers, and the Divines who fucceeded them: but, as he fignified to a friend, he had thoroughly ftudied the facred Scriptures, and from thence had drawn up a body of divinity, for himself and his own ufe, which he faw very little occafion afterwards to vary from, in compliance with the schemes of others.

AFTER his taking his last degree, Mr. Howe became a preacher, and was ordained by Mr. Charles Herle at his Church of Winwick in Lancashire; which is noted for being one of the richeft Churches in England. In his parish there were several chapelries, and the minifters that officiated in them, aflifted at the ordination, and joined in laying on hands upon Mr. Howe; which made him often fay, that few in modern times, had fo truly primitive an ordination as he had.

IN a little time he was called to Great Torrington in Devonshire, where he exercised his ministry with much diligence and fuccefs. There he had a numerous auditory, and a very flourishing Chriftian fociety under his pastoral care; and thought of no other than of living and dying with them. But notwithstanding his painful labours among them, he found leisure to keep up a good correfpondence with the ministers in the neighbourhood, and all over the country, by whom he was greatly esteemed; but especially by the famous Mr. George Hughes of Plymouth, whose daughter he married March 1, 1654 (C).

SOME time after Mr. Howe, having occafion to take a journey to London, was detained

(C) THOSE TWO Gentlemen kept up a weekly mutual co refpondence by latin letters, and with relation to one of them Dr. Calamy tells the following remarkable paffage. "Mr. Howe happened to have a "fire in his houfe at Torrington, which might have "been ruinous to his family, if a violent rain, -" which fell juft at that time, had not contributed "greatly to extinguifh it. On that very day it fo "fell out that he received a letter from his Father "Hughes, which concluded with this prayer; Sit "ros Caeli fuper habitaculum veftrum! Let the dew of

heaven be upon your dwelling! Which was a "prayer the feasonableness of which for his children, "in the letter of it, the good man could not appre"hend at the time of writing; but they could not "but affectionately remark upon it, who received "it." p. 5. fol. edit. p. 15, 16. oct.

tained there longer than he intended. He had the curiofity to go one Lord's-day (and it was the last that he defigned to continue in town) to be an auditor at the chappel at Whitehall. Cromwel, who generally had his eyes every where, fpied out Mr. Howe in the auditory, and knew him by his garb to be a country minifter; and thinking he difcerned fomething more than ordinary in his countenance, he fent a meffenger to him to defire to speak with him when the worship of GOD was over. Upon his coming to him Cromwel requested him to preach before him the Lord's-day following. Mr. Howe was furprized with the unexpected motion, and modeftly defired to be excufed. Cromwel told him it was a vain thing to attempt to excufe himself, for that he would have no denial. Mr. Howe pleaded, that having difpatched what business he had' in town, he was tending homewards, and could not be absent any longer without inconvenience. Cromwel inquired what great damage he was liable to fuftain, by tarrying a little longer? Mr. Howe replied, that his people, who were very kind to him, would be uneafy, and think he neglected them, and flighted their refpect. Cromwel promised to write to them himself, and to. fend

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fend one down to fupply his place, and actually did fo; and Mr. Howe staid, and preached as he was defired. But when he had given him one Sermon, Cromwel still: preffed for a fecond, and a third; and at laft after a great deal of free conversation in private, nothing would ferve him (who could not bear to be contradicted, after he had once got the power in his hands) but he must have him to be his houshold Chaplain; and he would take care his place fhould be fupplied at Torrington, to the full fatisfaction of the people. Mr. Howe did all that lay in his power to excuse him-' self and get off, but no denial would be admitted (D). At length (though not without great reluctance) he was prevailed with to comply, and remove with his family to Whitehall, where feveral of his children were born. And in this difficult ftation he indeavoured to be faithful, and to keep a good confcience. And as an argument of

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(D) THIS remarkable story is told with fome little variation, and additional circumftances, by Dr. Calamy, in the Continuation of his account of the ejected minifters; worthy of the reader's perufal. Vol. III. P. 250, 251.

ALL hiftorians, almoft, have taken notice of Oliver Cromwel's fagacity and penetration, peculiar to himself, in finding out men of merit and ability; and of his refolution to compel, as it were, fuch per-. fons into his fervice: who, like our Author, found it was to no purpose to difpute the matter with one,

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uncommon conduct and caution it has been obferved by feveral, that there was hardly any man, who was in an eminent public station in these critical times, and was admitted to the knowledge of so many secrets as he was, who was fo free from cenfure in the changes that afterwards fucceeded. He ́ did not improve his intereft in those, who then had the management of affairs in their hands, either to the inriching himself, or the doing ill offices to others, tho' of known differing fentiments; but readily embraced every occafion that offered, of ferving the intereft of religion and learning, and in oppofing the errors and defigns, which at that time threatned both (E). There were many

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who did not use to be denied. Particularly the anonymous author of the critical review of the political life of Oliver Cromwel +, lately published, fays; "This must be said to Cromwel's honour, that tho' "he was not the most learned man of his time, yet "he greatly refpected, and not only fo but patronized "men of genius and wit, whom he often took pains "to find out." And the fame writer further fays, "No man ever dived into the manners and minds "of those about him with more penetration, nor "fooner difcovered their natural tempers and talents "than himself. If he chanced to hear of, or fee a "man that was fit for his purpose, though never fo "obfcure, he fent for him, and imployed him; fuit"ing the imployment to the perfon, and not the "perfon to the employment."

† p. 237. 2d edit.

(E) AMONG many inftances of our Author's generous temper, while he lived at court, Dr. Calamy

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