"their temper and behaviour toward each "other, upon the lately paffed indul

gence. (D). Whatever effect this address to English Proteftants in general had in reality, it must be owned to be wifely calculated to promote a good temper among them; and to prevent thofe evil confequences of their running into extremes, that might tend to weaken that interest, which it was the defign of the indulgence to strengthen, and establish on firm foundations.

BUT soon after this, unhappy differences arose among the diffenters themselves; occafioned

(D) THE Doctor fays very juftly, that this paper deferves to be preserved to posterity; and accordingly it is inferted in his Memoirs of the life of our Author, p. 54-59. fol. p. 165-180. oct. But the Editor begs leave to rectify a fmall mistake, which the learned Collector of thefe memoirs might eafily fall into; who fays (in a marginal note) that Mr. Henry, in his fhort account of the life of Mr. Stretton, afcribes this paper to that Gentleman; and that he intimates he had it from a near relation of his, that he was the Author of it. Now that this paper was Mr. Howe's one may eafily believe, from what Dr. Calamy tells us of the affurance his family had given him, that he was the real Author of it; and not only fo, but the ftyle alone is almost a demonftrative proof that he was fo. But the paper Mr. Henry fpeaks of, and afcribes to Mr. Stretton, is the other lately taken notice of; to wit, "The cafe of the "Proteftant diffenters reprefented and argued. " Whether Mr. Stretton was the Author of that paper is another question; which the Editor pretends not to determine.

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cafioned in fome measure by an attempt to bring about an union between the prefbyterians, and those of the congregational perfuafion. These, already too violent, were yet heightened by the debates, 'that followed upon the reprinting Dr. Crifp's works, whofe principles are very well known. It must be confeffed that these contentions not only exposed them to the ridicule of their enemies, but were difhonourable to the Chriftian name. Pudet hæc opprobria nobis &c! and happy would it be if they could for ́ever be buried in oblivion, and never revive any more among us! However attempts to moderate matters and to prevent them from coming to extremities were not wanting, in which Mr. Howe had a large fhare in common with feveral of his brethren. And particularly about this time, in the year 1693, he published two Sermons preached at the merchants's lecture in Broadftreet, intitled, THE CARNALITY OF CHRISTIAN CONTENTIONS. The preface to these discourses breathes fo heavenly a charity and concern for the truly Christian intereft, that (as Mr. Spademan tells us) a very eminent divine of the established Church did profefs a willingness to lay down his own life, if such a state of things as is there defcribed,

scribed, might obtain among Chriftians (E). But no reasonings, expoftulations, or complaints, would avail to extinguish the flame that was kindled. At length there was an attempt formed in 1694 to exclude the late Dr. Williams out of the lecture of Pinner'shall, which occafioned a new Tuesday lecture to be set up at Salter's-hall, in which Dr. Bates, Mr. Howe, Mr. Alfop, bore Mr. Williams company, and the other two, who continued at Pinner's-hall, namely, Mr. Mead, and Mr. Cole, had four more joined to them. After this, no further attempts were made for a coalition, but the heat and strangenefs abated by degrees, and they learned to keep up a friendly correspondence with each other, making allowance for a diverfity of fentiments; but acting in concert in all matters of public concernment, which was by experience found to be much more comfortable

(E) DR. CALAMY has given, in p. 61-63. fol. p. 186-194. oct. fo large an account of this preface, and of the difcourfes themfelves, that there is no room for the Editor to add any thing more; tho' they cannot be too much recommended: in as much as the fame noble spirit, that runs through all his works, in a particular manner appears in this little piece; which also contains a pathetic account of the miferable confequences of contentions among Chriftians, and his grand idea of the unity of the catholic Church of Christ.

fortable, than the continuance of strife and contention, which tends to confufion and every evil work.

HOWEVER the diffenters were not the only party of Chriftians, who were strangers to harmony and peace; for at that time there were very unhappy and warm debates among fome eminent divines of the Church of England, about the doctrine of the Trinity: all which together tended to expofe the religion of Proteftants to the fcorn of the common enemy, and kindled fuch a flame as was not extinguished till after several years. Different explications of that doctrine had been published by Dr. Wallis, Dr. Sherlock, Dr. South, and Dr. Cudworth, and others; and a certain writer published "Confiderations on thofe ex

plications:" which occafioned Mr. Howe in 1694, to publish a tract intitled, "A "calm and fober inquiry concerning the

poffibility of a Trinity in the Godhead, "in a letter to a perfon of worth." To which were added fome letters formerly written to Dr. Wallis, on the fame fubject, Thus Mr. Howe was unhappily drawn into a controversy; and if he pleafed fome, he disobliged others, who greatly respected him and there were not wanting some perfons,

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perfons, who were ready to charge him with downright herefy; which is often the fate of the best of men, and of the greatest worth and character (F).

BUT another great debate arose about occafional conformity which made a great noife in the world, and produced very bad confequences. It begun not till towards the end of King William's reign; but lafted several years, and in fome sense may be faid to continue to this day. Mr. Howe had all along, from his first quitting his Church upon the taking place of the act of uniformity, carried himself with great calmness and moderation; and had openly declared for this occafional conformity, even before it was a neceffary qualification, for a place in the magiftracy, to communicate with the established Church. And he was not fingular in this refpect, for many of his brethren were of the fame fentiments. But when the chief magistrate in the city of London had the regalia carried to a diffenting congregation it occafioned

no

(F) IF the reader is curious to know what fhare Mr. Howe had in this controverfy, he is referred to the memoirs of his life, p. 65-68. fol. & p. 198209. oct. Wherein the Doctor has alfo given a short account of our Author's fentiments on this intricate fubject, which it is not neceffary for the Editor to tranfcribe or abridge.