difcourfe, and had a happy tendency, in those gloomy times, to compofe the minds of good men, and to incourage them "to "truft GoD chearfully (as the Author " himself expreffes it) with the government of this world, and to live in the joyful hope and expectation of a better." IN 1682, things were much in the fame ftate, as the year before; and fo likewife in the year following, when the severest of the penal laws against nonconformists were put in execution, notwithstanding the famous refolution of the Houfe of Commons before mentioned. But especially those, who had fignalized their zeal for liberty and the Proteftant religion, were marked out for examples of a peculiar vengeance. And "is profeffed by this or that fect, but that which is "true in all fects; fo nor do I take that to be reli"gion, which is peculiar to this or that party of "Chriftians (many of whom are ready to fay, here "is Chrift, and there is Chrift, as if he was divided) "but that which is according to the mind of GoD ❝among them all." There are feveral instances of a fine imagination in this little Treatife, which it were easy to point out to the reader. The Author's ftyle is often charged with having long periods, but yet it is remarkable, that in fome of his difcourfes there is a great deal of the laconic, and particularly in this; which abounds with a great variety of ufeful maxims, that deferve to be treasured up in the memory, and quoted with applaufe, as much as the fineft maxims and fayings of the Ancients, which are justly admired,

VOL. I.

C

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in fact fome of the best blood was poured out, as a facrifice, to appeafe the wrath of the Duke of York; particularly that of a moft illuftrious ornament of the English nobility, William Lord Ruffel, who was beheaded on July 20, 1683. This is the rather mentioned because Dr. Calamy has preferved an excellent letter, which Mr. Howe wrote upon that melancholy occafion to the mournful widow, his lady; which is too long to be inserted here (X).

IN the year 1684, Mr. Howe published a little pathetic piece, intitled, THE RE

DEEMER'S TEARS WEPT OVER LOST

SOULS (Y.) In which year alfo feveral warm things, of a very different tendency, came from

(X) THE letter here alluded to takes up about 6 pages folio, and about 18 octavo. p. 27-33. fol. & P. 83-102. oct.

(Y) THIS is one of the most moving and pathe, tic of all Mr. Howe's Difcourfes, and not without reafon is very much admired by thofe, who have a tafte for his writings. There is alfo an appendix to it, in which are fome excellent thoughts concerning the blafphemy against the Holy Ghoft; and the queftion, How GOD is faid to will the falvation of them that perish is fo well ftated and confidered, that nothing more perhaps needs to be said upon the fubject, in order to give fatisfaction to every reasonable and fericus Chriftian. There are indeed several curious inquiries, which (the Editor humbly begs leave to fay) younger ftudents would do well thoroughly to ! underftand, for the regulation of their fentiments on this head, and to direct them in their exhortations to finners to comply with the terms of the Gofpel, which

from the prefs; particularly a letter published by bishop Barlow of Lincoln, for putting in execution the laws against diffenters. In answer to which Mr. Howe fent his lordship a free letter by the post, a copy of which the doctor has inferted in his memoirs *.

THE diffenters were now run down uni

verfally, and hardly any one durft speak or write in their favour; and the profpects Mr. Howe had, together with many others, with respect to the public, grew every day more and more gloomy. He therefore readily accepted of an invitation given him by the lord Wharton to travel with him into foreign parts. But being obliged to go away filently with his lordship, he could not take a folemn leave of his friends as he could have wished, but he made them ample amends by an excellent epistle which he fent to them from the other fide the water, in which he fhews the great and tender affection he had for them, and the warmeft zeal imaginable for their eternal welfare +.

is fo great a part of the minifterial office, but is not always managed in the most prudent manner, for want of having confiftent fentiments of thofe things on which their exhortations are fuppofed to be grounded. * P. 34,--37. fol. p. 104,--112. oct. + P. 37-41. fol. p. 113,--125. oct.

In the course of his travels with this noble lord, Mr. Howe had the fatisfaction of feeing divers noted places, and converfing freely, not only with a number of learned papists, but feveral Proteftant divines, both Lutherans and Calvinifts, and making a variety of remarks for his own ufe. But, in the mean time, he was not a little affected with the melancholy tidings of the swift advances they were making in England towards popery and flavery, which he most heartily lamented, as well as the hardships and feverities, which his nonconforming brethren met with in particular. Having therefore no incouragement to think of returning home, while affairs were in fuch a pofture, he at length took a house at Utrecht in 1686, and refided there for fome time; and had the earl of Sutherland and his countefs, and fome English gentlemen, together with his two nephews, Mr. George, and Mr. John Hughes, boarding with him (Z). He took his turn of preaching at the English Church in that city, with

Mr.

(Z) The former of whom was afterwards the diffenting minifter at Canterbury, and the latter at Ware, in Hertfordshire, for many years; both of them perfons of diftinguished character: and who for their exemplary piety, and eminent abilities are rememhered with honour to this day.

Mr. Mead and others, who were there at the fame time; and generally preached on the Lord's-days in the evening in his own family. And there being feveral English ftudents then at that univerfity, Mr. Howe was pleased to give them his particular instructions and advice, which fome have owned to have been of no small advantage to them.

THERE were many other worthy perfons of the British nation there, and in the united provinces; by whom Mr. Howe was much refpected, while he was in those parts. Among other perfons of distinction who visited him Dr. Burnet was one, whe was afterwards bishop of Salisbury; with whom he had a great deal of free converfation upon a variety of fubjects (A). And so great was his reputation while he re

(A)

mained

ONCE difcourfing of nonconformity the Dr. "told our Author, that he was apprehenfive it could "not fubfift long, but that when Mr. Baxter, Dr. "Bates, and he, and a few more were once laid in "their graves, it would fink, and die, and come to "nothing." Mr. Howe replied, that that must be left to God,tho at the fame time he intimated that he had different apprehenfions; and did not reckon it to depend upon perfons but upon principles, which when taken up upon good grounds, approved upon fearch, could not be laid afide, by men of confcience. It is a little furprizing that Dr. Burnet fhould judge fo ill, and that several years after he thould tell Dr. Calamy, when he vifited him once at his palace in Sarum, that it was not only his, but the comincn apprehenfion

c3.