of Commons brought in a bill for uniting his Majesty's Proteftant fubjects; and tho they were not able to go through with it, yet before they rofe they came to this remarkable refolution, that, "The profe"cution of Proteftant diffenters, upon "the penal laws, is at this time grievous "to the subject, a weakening the Prote"ftant intereft, an encouragement to popery, and dangerous to the peace of the kingdom."

વડ

MR. HOWE in his frequent conversation with the clergy, and with perfons of quality and diftinction, in thefe critical times, difcovered upon all occafions a very peaceable and healing fpirit; often giving it as his fenfe, that an accommodation of matters between the Church, and Proteftant diffenters, would be the most effectual way to keep out popery. And indeed this being a seasonable time to bring about fo defireable a work as an union among Proteftants, there was a serious talk of a comprehenfion; and of accommodating matters between the Church, and diffenters of the greatest latitude and moderation. But all foon vanished into fmoke and came to nothing (T). The famous bill of exclufion

(T) UPON this occafion, Dr. Calamy tells a remarkable

3

fion, being thrown out, there was fuddenly a ftrange turn of affairs. "The Clergy (fays bishop Burnet) ftruck up with zeal for the "Duke's fucceffion; as if a popish King had "been a special bleffing from heaven, to be "much longed for by a Proteftant Church,

They likewife gave themselves fuch a "loose against the Nonconformifts, as if nothing was fo formidable as that party.

"So

makable story, of which the following is an abstract. While these things were in agitation, Mr. Howe had an invitation from bifhop Lloyd to come and dine with him next day. But being ingaged that day elsewhere, his lordship fent him word that he would meet him at Dr. Tillotson's the dean of Canter→ bury's. They met there accordingly, when the bifhop told him that the reason why he defired a meeting with him, was to know of him, what he thought would fatisfy the Nonconformifts, that fo they might be taken into the Church. Mr. Howe answered, that he could not pretend to say what would fatisfy any befides himself, for that all had not equal latitude in fuch matters. The bishop hereupon preffed him to give his judgement, what he thought would fatisfy the moft; for, fays he, I would have the terms fo large as to comprehend the most of them. Mr. Howe told him that he thought it would go a confiderable way towards it, if the law was fo framed, as that minifters might promote parochial reformation. Why, fays the bishop, for that reafon, I am for taking the Lay-chancellors quite away, as being the great hindrance of reformation. At length they agreed to meet the next night at Dr. Stillingfleet's, together with Dr. Bates; but the bishop never came, That very night (as they heard the next day) the bill of exclufion was thrown out of the Houfe, of peers, by a majority of thirty voices, fourteen of which were bishops; which put an end to all further talk about a comprehenfion.

"So that in all their Sermons, popery was "quite forgot, and the force of their zeal "was turned almost wholly against the "diffenters *." The change was very great even in some of the clergy, who before fhewed a generous and catholic spirit; and whofe names, notwithstanding, ought to be had in everlasting remembrance. The dean of St. Paul's imployed his great talents in fhewing the mischief of feparation, and in confuting the arguments in the Irenicum of the rector of Sutton; which, to this day, have been unswerable. Even that amiable man, and found Proteftant, the bright ornament of the Church and age in which he lived, Dr. Tillotson, advanced this notion in a Sermon preached at court; that "No man is obliged to preach against "the religion of a country, tho a falfe one, "unless he has a power of working mira"cles (V)."

* History of his own times. Vol. I. p. 501.

IN

(V) THE Sermon here alluded to was preached in 1680 from Joshua xxiv. 15. intitled, "The Prote"stant religion vindicated from the charge of "novelty." King Charles, as we are informed, slept moft part of the time while the Sermon was delivered. As foon as it was over a certain nobleman ftept to him, and faid, 'tis pity your Majefty slept ; for we had the rareft piece of Hobbism that ever you heard in your life. Ods fish then, says the King, he fhall print it; and immediately fent his command to

the

In short, great was the warmth and violence of these times. The diffenters were profecuted with great zeal both in city and country. Penal laws of ancient date, as well as modern, were rigorously put in execution; the abolishing of which (GOD be praised) was one of the bleffed effects of the

glorious

the dean to print the Sermon. When it came from the prefs, the dean fent it as a present to Mr. Howe, as he ufually did most of the things which he printed. Mr. Howe immediately perufed it, and was concerned to find a notion in it of fo ill a tendency. Upon which in a long letter he freely expostulated with the dean for giving fuch a wound to the reformation; and expreffed how much he was grieved, that in a Sermon against popery, he should plead the popish cause against all the reformers, who were of another mind. The dean having perused the letter fignified to Mr. Howe his willingness to talk that matter freely over. Accordingly they agreed to go into the country that day, and dine with the lady Falconbridge; and as they were travelling along in the chariot, Mr. Howe read over the letter to the dean, and inlarged upon the contents. The good man at length fell to weeping freely, and faid, that this was the most unhappy thing that had of a long time befallen him. I fee (fays he) what I have offered is not to be maintained. And then added, by way of apology, that he had but little notice; that this text offered it felf, and he thought the notion refulted from it: and (fays he) immediately after preaching it, I received a command from the King to print the Sermon, and then it was not in my power to alter it.This ftory is related in order to do honour to the memory of this great and excellent man, who was fo open to conviction; and also because the Editor has known it confidently denied by a dignified divine that there is any such notion in all the printed works of Dr. Tillotson.

glorious revolution. In truth the Church of England became a dupe to that of Rome; and what made the cafe more melancholy was, that she seemed not to perceive it, till it had like to have been too late. Not that there were wanting difcerning perfons, who' faw through the artifice of the court, which did all it could to set Proteftants at variance; churchmen against diffenters, and diffenters against churchmen, for their mutual destruction; that fo the Duke's religion, who now triumphed over his enemies, might be the more easily established. At this juncture Mr. Howe published a difCourse of THOUGHTFULNESS FOR THE MORROW, dedicated to the lady Anne Wharton, who had expreffed a defire of seeing something written on that subject; to which is added, an appendix, concerning the immoderate defire of knowing things to come (W). This was a very feasonable discourse,

(W) IN the dedication of this very useful discourse to her ladyship is fhewn the fame excellent fpirit, that fo often appears in our Author's works: a fpirit, which if it had but univerfally prevailed, would have prevented any acts of uniformity, penal laws, divifions, fchifmatical attachments, or feparations; in. fhort, every thing that naturally flows from a spirit of perfecution or uncharitablenefs. "It was faid (fays,

he) by one that was a great and early light of the "Chriftian Church, That is not philofophy, which