Imatges de pàgina
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from what has been already published by Dr. Calamy and others.

THE reverend Mr. Chandler in his dedication of our Author's works in two vo- ! lumes, folio, to his late majefty, King George I. of happy memory, moft truly. tells his majesty that "Mr. Howe was a

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person eminent for his great piety, learn"ing, and moderation: who tho he lived in

the times of our general confufion, lived "unblameable, and without offence; and "tho he had his fhare in the feverities of "the immediately fucceeding government, "understood too well his duty to God, to " be deficient in his allegiance and fidelity

to his Prince." And Dr. Calamy fays, that He himself had that knowledge of Mr. Howe, that he can readily fay of him as he did of the celebrated Mr. Newcome of Manchester, that, " They who knew him "best could know but a small part of his "true and great worth, and might always "apprehend when they knew most of him, there was still more that they knew " not."

In short there is no man, who flourished in the last century, of whom more honour, able mention is made than of Mr. Howe; and it is to this day very ufual to quote his writings,

writings, or fpeak of his perfon in terms of the highest respect, and often to distinguish? him by the epithet of GREAT. He was without question one of the greatest ornaments of the age he lived in, and did honour not to a particular party of Christians only, but to the catholic Church in general; for it is principally in this light in which we muft view this great man," Who

(as Dr. Calamy expreffes it) feems to "have been born into this world to fup"port generous principles, a truly catho"lic fpirit, and an extenfive charity."

"As to his perfon, he was very tall, "and exceeding graceful. He had a good prefence, and a piercing, but pleasant eye; and there was that in his looks and "carriage, that discovered he had fome"thing within, that was uncommonly "great, and tended to excite veneration. "His intellectual accomplishments were "eminent. He was one of great abstract"ednefs of thought, a strong reafoner; " and one that had a very penetrating "judgement, which carried him as deep "into a subject, as moft men ever went " that handled it. He had bright natural parts, and they were greatly improved by study and experience. He had an ad"mirable

"mirable way of thinking upon any subject that offered, and many times very furprizing turns in difcourfing upon "it t."

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IT is fomething extraordinary that Mr. Wood, the Oxonian antiquary, should be

fo complaifant to Mr. Howe, after having owned him for a person of neat and polite parts, and moderate and calm in the smaller matters, that were under debate between the Church and his party, as to commend him also for his ftyle; and call it fine, fmooth, and natural *. Whereas this is the grand objection against his writings, and his style is what is principally complained of, by his greatest admirers; not but that it is fometimes fmooth, and very frequently grand and noble. There were in

deed but a few celebrated writers in the last century, who had a free eafy ftyle, but if a few excelled our Author in this regard, he as much excelled them, perhaps, in grandeur of thought and magnificence of expreffion. (K)

+ P. 76. fol. & p. 234. oct.
*Ath. Oxon. Vol. 11. p. 104.

HIS

(K) THE learned Dr. Felton, in his Introduction to the Claffics, is pleased to say that none of the diffenters have any ftyle at all; at the fame time that he highly extols that of bifhop Sprat, the author of the

history

HIS minifterial abilities were fingular and extraordinary. It is faid of him, that he could preach off hand with as great exactness, as many others upon the closest study. He delivered his fermons without notes, tho not without having well ftudied and digested them before; as appears from the pofthumous fermons here published, and a great many more, which may never see the light. Though he largely dilates fometimes on his subject, and branches out into a great variety of particulars, yet it is furprizing to fee how one part has a dependence on another, fo as that there is nothing redundant; and yet fo full, as that nothing seems to be wanting. And though in his fermons, as all agree, there was often an uncommon depth, especially at the beginning; yet he took care to be plainer in the fequel; and before he concluded, generally came with great pungency home to the confciences of

his

history of the royal fociety, published foon after the reftoration of King Charles II. Upon which a learned friend of the Editor's fays, Let any of Dr. Sprat's pages be compared with our Author's glorious allegory of the ruined temple ‡, and let Dr. Felton's reputation ftand or fall with that of the bishop. I know nothing, fays he, in antiquity comparable to this paffage of Mr. Howe, and fhould think fo, if I were an atheist of sense and taste.

See Vol. 1. of Mr. Howe's works in folio, p. 155, 156. & Vol. 11. p. 159, &c. of his living Temple published in octavo.

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his hearers. In fhort, Mr. Spademan fays (who knew him perhaps the best of any man) that he had received from the "Father of light so great a variety of both "natural and Chriftian perfections, that he

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was not only a fhining light and ornament "of his age, but an inviting example of u"niverfal goodness." And again; " he had

(fays he) peculiar advantages for under"ftanding the oracles of Gop; a large "fund of natural endowments, improved "by fuper-added preparatives unto the "study of the fcriptures; a rich treasure "of human learning, particularly know

ledge of pagan theology; by which "he was inabled to defcry the shortness "and mistakes of human reason, which

faculty he well understood to use in sub"ordination to Chriftian faith. To these " he added unwearied diligence, humility, "he "and prayer, which was the delight " and folace of his whole life; and unfeignedly fought GoD's glory and the good of the fouls of men *."

IF our Author excelled in one thing more than in another, it was in the peaceableness of his temper, and his great mo"deration

See the reverend Mr. Spademan's funeral fermon for Mr. Howe.

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