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against for delivering something treasonable in the pulpit; but he was honourably acquitted. When the Act of Uniformity took place, Mr. Howe relinquished his public station in the church, and became a silenced nonconformist; but before he quitted his living, he stated his reasons for not complying with the act in two farewell sermons to his people on Bartholomew-day, which so affected them that they were dissolved in tears. The first time he fell into company with his friend, Dr. Wilkins, after this change, the Doctor expressed a desire to know how it was, that a person of his latitude stood out, while some others, who were much more stiff and rigid, had fallen in with the establishment. Howe very frankly told him, that he had weighed the matter with all the impartiality he was able, and had not so slender a concern for his own usefulness, as to withdraw from the establishment without sufficient reasons, which he could not overcome without offering violence to his conscience; and with regard to his latitude, that was the very thing which made him a Nonconformist. The Doctor appeared satisfied, and advised him as a friend to stand to his principles.

Mr.

After his ejectment, Mr. Howe continued for some time in Devonshire, preaching in private houses, as he had opportunity, amongst his friends and acquaintance. Upon his return home from a friend's house, where he had been preaching, he was informed that an officer of the bishop's court had been inquiring after him, and left word that a citation was out both against him and the gentleman at whose house he had preached. Upon this he rode the next morning to Exeter, where alighting at an inn, a certain dignified clergyman, his acquaintance, happened to pass by while he was standing at the gate, and looking upon him with some surprise, saluted him with," Mr. Howe, what do you do here?" To which he replied, by putting another question, "Pray, Sir, what have I done, that I may not be here?" Upon this he told him that there was a process out against him, VOL. III.

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and if he did not take care of himself, he would very shortly be taken up. The same gentleman acquainting the bishop that Mr. Howe was in the city, his lordship expressed a desire to see him, and received him with great civility as his old acquaintance, but expostulated with him concerning his nonconformity, wishing to know the reasons that influenced his conduct. Mr. Howe, without entering minutely into the subject, mentioned only the point of re-ordination. "Why, pray Sir, (said the bishop,) what hurt is there in being twice ordained?"" Hurt, my lord, (said Mr. Howe,) it is shocking; it hurts my understanding; it is an absurdity: for nothing can have two beginnings. I am sure (continues Mr. Howe) I am a minister of Christ, and am ready to debate that matter with your lordship: I can't begin again to be a minister." The bishop then dropping the subject, told Mr. Howe, as he had done at other times, that if he would come in amongst them, he might have considerable preferments, and at length dismissed him in a very friendly manner. What is remarkable, nothing passed between them respecting the process, and Mr. Howe never heard any thing of it afterwards.

Upon the passing of the Oxford act, in 1665, Mr. Howe took the required oath, as did eleven other ministers in Devonshire. In the same year, he was imprisoned for two months in the isle of St. Nicholas, where he penned the following thoughts, in a letter to his brother-in-law, Obadiah Hughes, who had been confined in the same prison for a longer time. "Blessed be God, that we can have, and hear of each other's occasions of thanksgiving, that we may join praises as well as prayers, which, I hope, is done daily for one another. Nearer approaches, and constant adherence to God, with the improvement of our interest in each other's heart, must compensate (and I hope will abundantly) the unkindness and instability of a surly and treacherous world, that we see still retains its wayward temper, and grows more peevish as it grows older, and more ingenious

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in inventing ways to torment whom it disaffects. It was, it seems, not enough to kill by one single death, but when that was almost done, to give leave and time to respire, to live again, at least in hope, that it might have the renewed pleasure of putting us to a farther pain and torture in dying once more. Spite is natural to her. All her kindness is an artificial disguise: a device to promote and save the design of the former, with the more efficacious and patient malignity. But patience will elude the design, and blunt the sharpest edge. It is perfectly defeated when nothing is expected from it but mischief: for then the worst it can threaten finds us provided, and the best it can promise incredulous, and not apt to be imposed upon. This will make it at last despair, and grow hopeless, when it finds, that the more it goes about to mock and vex us, the more it teaches and instructs us; and that as it is wickeder, we are wiser. If we cannot, God will outwit it, and carry us, I trust, safe through, to a better world, upon which we may terminate hopes that will never make us ashamed." The cause of this great and good man's imprisonment is not mentioned; nor is it easy to imagine that he could commit a crime of sufficient magnitude to deserve it.

Mr. Howe being some years without any stated employment, began to feel the effects of a growing family with only a small income. He, therefore, accepted, in 1671, au invitation from a person of quality in Ireland. Being detained by contrary winds on the Welch coast, probably at Holyhead, he continued there two Lord's-days, and preached in the parish church to great multitudes, who had not been used to hear sermons, their minister being in the habit of only reading prayers. At length he arrived safely with his family in Ireland, where he lived as chaplain to the Lord Massarene, in the parish of Antrim, and was treated with all imaginable respect. His great learning, and Christian temper procured him the particular friendship of the bishop of the diocese, who, together with his metropolitan, gave him li

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berty to preach in the public church, without demanding any conformity. The archbishop, at a full meeting of the clergy, told them frankly, that he would have Mr. Howe admitted into every pulpit where he had any concern. This liberty he used with a truly peaceable and Christian spirit, and both by his preaching and conversation was useful to many.

Upon the death of Dr. Seaman, in 1675, Mr. Howe was invited by a part of his congregation to settle in London, the other part being for Mr. Charnock. But it seems they at length centered in Mr. Howe, who, after mature deliberation, accepted their call, and quitted Ireland, after a residence there of five years. In London he made a peaceable use of King Charles's Indulgence, preaching to a considerable and judicious auditory, by whom he was singularly respected. He had the happiness to be greatly esteemed by his brethren in the ministry, as also by some of the most eminent Divines in the establishment; as Dr. Tillotson, Dr. Whichcot, Dr. Kidder, Dr. Fowler, Dr. Lucas, and others, with whom he familiarly conversed. In 1680, a bill was brought into parliament for "Uniting his Majesty's Protestant Subjects," which gave rise to the talk of a comprehension. With this view, Bishop Lloyd sent Mr. Howe an invitation to dine with him; but being engaged, the bishop desired him to meet him at the house of Dean Tillotson. They accordingly met there, and after some conversation concerning the reformation of the church, agreed to adjourn their meeting till the next evening, at the house of Dean Stillingfleet. But the bill of exclusion being on that evening thrown out of the peers, the bishop absented himself, and there was no further talk of a comprehension.

Upon this turn of affairs, popery was forgotten, and the zeal of the church turned against the Dissenters. On the first day of Easter term, 1680, Dr. Stillingfleet, from whom it was little expected, in a sermon before the Lord

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Mayor, took occasion to represent all the nonconformists as schismatics; as enemies to peace, and dangerous to the church. Upon the publication of this discourse it was speedily answered, by several nonconformists, and among others, by Mr. Howe. Dr. Tillotson, also, in the same year, preached a sermon before the King, in which he asserted, "That no man is obliged to preach against the religion of a country, though a false one, unless he has a power of working miracles." The Monarch slept during most part of the time. As soon as the service was over, a nobleman stept up to him, and said, ""Tis pity your Majesty slept, for we have had the rarest piece of Hobbism that ever you heard in your life."-" Odds fish, he shall print it then," said the King; and immediately gave his orders to the Lord Chainberlain, to be communicated to the Dean for that purpose. When it came from the press, Dr. Tillotson, as was usual with him on such occasions, sent it as a present to Mr. Howe, who, on the perusal, was not a little concerned to find it entertain a sentiment of such a pernicious tendency. He, therefore, drew up a long letter, in which he freely expostulated with the Dean, for giving such a wound to the Reformation; and he carried the letter himself. Upon sight of it, the Dean proposed a short journey into the country, that they might talk the matter over without interruption. They accordingly agreed to dine that day with Lady Falconbridge, at Sutton-court; and Mr. Howe read over the letter to the Dean as they travelled in his chariot. The good Dean, at length, fell to weeping freely, saying, "This was the most unhappy thing that had of a long time befallen him." He owned that what he had asserted was not to be maintained; and urged in his excuse, that he had but a short notice to preach, and none to print the sermon. The above circumstance places the character of Tillotson in a very amiable light.

In 1681, and some following years, the Nonconformists were prosecuted with great violence, both in city and coun