long in those parts, but foon gave him an opportunity of exercifing his excellent talents in a larger fphere. For upon the death of Dr. Lazarus Seaman (O), he had an invitation given him to come and fix in London by a part of his congregation, and was earnestly pressed to accept of their call. There was fome difference among them about the perfon in whom they fhould center; fome being for Mr. Charnock (P), and others for Mr. Howe. Upon which, being earneftly folicited to it, he refolved to make a vifit at London, that he might view and judge of things upon the spot: Accordingly,

(0) DR. SEAMAN, who was a very learned divine, was fometime Mafter of Peter-houfe in Cambridge, and Rector of Alhallows in Bread-street. He was one of the Commiffioners fent by the Parliament, to treat with King Charles I. in the itle of Wight; and was particularly taken notice of by his Majesty for his great abilities, which he difcovered in the debates about Church-government. See the abridgement ot Baxter's life, Vol. II. p. 16, 17. 2d edit.

(P) DR. CALAMY who deferves as much commendation for his impartiality, as his indefatigable diligence in collecting memoirs of many worthy men, fays of Mr. Charnock, that his natural parts were excellent; for he had ftrong reafon, great judgement, and a curious fancy, which rarely meet joined together. His improvements by diligence and industry were unufual; and there was no part of learning, of any moment, into which he had not an infight. But what is moft to be admired is, that his love, it is faid, was as large as his knowledge, for his benevolence was univerfal. See the Abridgement of Baxter's life. Vol. II. p. 56. 2d edit.

with many anxious thoughts of mind about the event of this affair, which he piously committed to the determination of divine providence, he entered upon his voyage, and arrived fafe at London, after having been five years in Ireland. Upon mature confideration he accepted of the call that was given him, and fettled there; and made a quiet and peaceable ufe of King Charles's indulgence (Q), preaching to a confiderable and judicious auditory, by whom he was

fingu

(Q) IN the beginning of the year 1672, King Charles, finding that the Nonconformifts were nei-. ther to be influenced by fevere measures to renounce their principles, nor provoked by the utmost hardfhips to any fedition, which was an advantage their enemies waited for, and would have greatly rejoiced in; publifhed his declaration of indulgence to all proteftant diffenters to have their public meetinghoufes provided they took out licences, fet open the doors to all comers, and preached not feditiously, nor against the difcipline or government of the Church of England. This indulgence, it was very well known, was not for their fakes, but to pave the way for the like toleration for the papifts; and therefore at the fame time that fome applauded this measure, others juftiy feared the confequences. But tho this was an illegal act of the King, who thus affumed a power of fufpending penal laws, yet it is not to be wondered at that all thefe fhould be glad of a breathing time, who had firuggled with very great difficulties for many years. It is remarkable that alderman Love, a city member, and a noted diffenter, declared at that time in the Houfe, that he had much rather ftill go without their defired liberty, than have it in a way fo detrimental to the nation,

fingularly refpected. And he was much esteemed, not only by his brethren in the ministry among the diffenters, but also by feveral 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. And tho he was soon after his fettlement in London ingaged in a controverfy upon a very difficult fubject concerning "the reconcileable"nefs of God's prefcience of the fins of

men, with the wisdom and fincerity of "his counfels and exhortations †; yet 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.

BUT it is time to mention fome other treatifes, which our excellent Author publifhed, fince that intitled, THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS. In the very year in which he fettled in Ireland, to wit, 1671, he published an admirable Difcourfe intitled, THE VANITY OF MAN AS MORTAL. It has been the judgement of many, as Dr. Calamy obferves, that this difcourfe

is

+ See Dr. Calamy's Memoirs of the life of Mr. Howe. p. 22, 23. fol. edit. & p. 68, &c. oct.

is as noble a piece of true theological oratory, as can easily be met with (R).

In the year 1674, he published his Treatife, OF DELIGHTING IN GOD; which was the fubftance of fome Sermons he had preached twenty years before to the people of Torrington, with fome additions and inlarge

: (R) IN the preface to this excellent Treatife, on a curious fubject, there are many fine ftrokes of moving eloquence; wherein he fhews, that thofe fhould be fcorned as traitors to the race of reasonable beings, and as bringing a fhameful difgrace upon their fpecies, who act as if there was not an immortal state; as if they were made for no other purpose, than to eat and drink, and injoy the pleafures of animal life. And then in the Treatise it self our Author fhews the vanity of man, confidered only as a being for this world; which is done in fo noble a ftyle, and with fuch ftrength and grandeur of expreffion, that one cried out upon the reading of that part of the fubject; "As Shakespear is among the pocts, fo is Howe "among the divines!" Afterwards an inquiry is made, for what end man must be fuppofed to be nade, if there is no future ftate? from whence are fhewn the vanity and imperfection of fuch a creature with refpect to his fenfes, reafon, and knowledge of religion. The conclufion therefore upon the whole is this; that it is moft repugnant to the nature of Gon to make man only for this life, and that certainly there must be another ftate hereafter. To which is added an excellent application with reference to the judgement and practice; together with wife directions how to govern our fpirits, and to behave anfwerably to fo great an expectation, which Chriftians have of a glorious immortality.

THE event of providence which occafioned this difcourfe was not only very awful, but extremely remarkable; of which an account is given in the preface, to which the Editor refers the reader.

G

inlargements. He dedicated them to his old friends, the inhabitants of that town, by a masculine, but at the fame time (as Dr. Calamy obferves) most tender and affectionate epistle to them from Antrim: in which he gives such an account of himself, as may very well heighten our idea of him ; and make every good man wish, that such a noble catholic fpirit as his, might prevail more among all the parties, into which the Christian world is divided (S).

IT is the intention of these memoirs to take as little notice of the politics of the unhappy reign of Charles II. as poffible; but the affair of the popish plot is too memorable to be paffed over without notice, which alarmed the whole body of the nation; and had a happy tendency to open the eyes of fome, who found they had greatly hurt the Protestant religion by perfecuting the nonconformifts with so great feverity. This inspired them with more moderate sentiments in general. The House

of

(S) As the Editor did not propofe to make reflections on every Treatife of our Author, fo he defires to be excufed from attempting to give an account of this, which is prodigiously admired by many, and efteemed by fome of Mr. Howe's admirers as the moft delightful of all his works. Befides, he perceives, if any thing at all is faid, a great deal must; which would fwell this volume to too large a fize.