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try. Several of the bishops concurred in pushing forward the civil magistrate, and in sharpening the rigour of the ecclesiastical courts, though in defiance of the votes of parliament. At the quarter-sessions at Exeter, the justices of the peace made a cruel order, allowing a reward of forty shillings to any person who should apprehend-not a thief, a murderer, or an evil doer, but a nonconformist. And that the clergy might not seem backward in this holy warfare, Bishop Lamplugh required the order to be read in the churches by all the clergy of his diocese. In 1683, that noble patriot, Lord William Russel, was offered up a sacrifice to the Protestant religion, and the liberties of his country. Upon this occasion, Mr. Howe wrote to his widow a most pathetic and consolatory epistle, to which she returned a letter of thanks, promised to follow his advice, and maintained a correspondence with him ever afterwards. In the following year, Barlow, Bishop of Lincoln, published a warm letter, urging the rigorous execution of the laws against Dissenters. Upon this occasion Mr. Howe addressed to him a letter, in which he remonstrated with great spirit and good sense on the impropriety of the bishop's conduct, who, in his great love to Dissenters, was for destroying their bo dies, in order to inend their understandings. From the specimens here given, let it not be said that the clergy were innocent of the sufferings of the Nonconformists. On the contrary, they strengthen an observation which has been often made, that the clergy are at the bottom of all the persecutions which have disgraced the world, and deluged it with blood.

In 1685, the prospects of the Dissenters growing still more gloomy, Mr. Howe accepted an invitation from Lord Wharton, to travel with him abroad. In the course of his travels he had the satisfaction of visiting several places of note, and of conversing freely with a number of learned Divines, both Protestants and Papists. Having no encouragement to return, he settled, in 1686, in the city of

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Utrecht, where the Earl of Sunderland, with his Countess, some English gentlemen, and two of his own nephews boarded with him. During this time, he took his turn with Mr. Mead, and some other ministers, in preaching at the English church; and in the evening he preached to his own family. He was of great use to several English students then at that university, and was much respected by its Professors, as well as by several persons of distinction from England, amongst whom was Dr. Gilbert Burnet, afterwards Bishop of Sarum, who also preached at the English church, and freely, declared himself for occasional communion. Mr. Howe was several times admitted into the presence of the Prince of Orange, who conversed with him with the greatest freedom, as he sometimes did after he ascended the British throne.

Upon King James's declaration for liberty of conscience, in 1687, Mr. Howe's congregation in London, earnestly pressed his return, with which he readily complied. But before his departure, he thought proper to wait on the Prince of Orange, who wished him a prosperous voyage, but advised him to be cautious in falling in with the measures of the court. Mr. Howe accepted his liberty with thankfulness, and endeavoured to improve it to the best of purposes. But he would never give countenance to the dispensing power, and on that account, opposed all addresses to the throne. When the King conversed with him upon the subject, he freely told him that, as a minister of the gospel, it was his province to preach, and not to meddle with state affairs; he therefore begged to be excused. Not long after this, the Bishops were sent to the Tower. About this time Mr. Howe accepted an invitation to dine with Dr. Sherlock, Master of the Temple. As there were two or three other clergymen at table, after dinner, the conversation ran chiefly upon the danger of the church. The Doctor freely, but pretty abruptly, asked Mr. Howe, what he thought the Dissenters would do, supposing any preferments

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in the church to fall vacant, and an offer made to fill them up out of their number? "And who knows (says he) but Mr. Howe may be offered to be Master of the Temple." Mr. Howe told the Doctor, that these things were altogether uncertain; that he could answer for none but himself, and as it respected his own conduct, he should not forego an opportunity of more public service, provided it was offered him upon terms which he could accept : he added, however, that he should be concerned for the emolument no further than to convey it to the legal proprietor. Upon this, the Doctor rose from his seat and embraced him, saying, that he always took him for the same honest, ingenuous man which he now found him to be, and seemed not a little transported with joy.

Upon the glorious Revolution, in 1688, Mr. Howe carried up the address to the Prince of Orange, at the head of the Dissenting Ministers, and made a handsome speech upon the occasion. As many persons now forgot their former promises to the Dissenters, and were for still keeping the yoke about their necks, Mr. Howe drew up and circulated a paper, which he entitled, "The Case of the Protestant Dissenters represented and argued." Upon the passing of the Toleration Act, which gave great dissatisfaction to the high-flown clergy, Mr. Howe published another paper, which he entitled, " Humble Requests both to Conformists and Dissenters, touching their Temper and Behaviour toward each other, upon the lately passed Indulgence." In 1691, Mr. Howe had a considerable hand in drawing up the heads of agreement, assented to by the United Ministers, and designed to unite the Presbyterians and Independents. But this projected union was the occasion of new divisions and quarrels, occasioned principally by the re-printing of Dr. Crisp's works. With the Christian design of repairing the breach, and preventing matters from running to extremity, Mr. Howe published his two sermons on, "The Carnality of Christian Contention." But no rea

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sonings nor expostulations would avail to extinguish the flame that was kindled. An attempt being made in 1694, to exclude Dr. Williams the lecture, a new one was set on foot at Salters'-Hall, to which place he was accompanied by Mr. Howe, Dr. Bates, and Mr. Alsop. Warm debates soon followed concerning the Trinity, and occasional conformity, in which Mr. Howe engaged with great moderation, christian meekness and charity; greatly lamenting the want of these in others, and desiring to breathe a nobler air, and inhabit a better region.

Towards the close of his life, Mr. Howe's constitution became wasted by several diseases, which he bore with great patience and submission. He discovered no fear of dying; was calm and serene when his end drew near; and seemed sometimes to have got to heaven, even before he had laid aside that mortality which he had long expected to have been swallowed up of life. Though nature was nearly exhausted, yet he conversed sometimes very pleasantly with those who visited him, and they were many of all ranks. Among the rest Richard Cromwell, who was now grown old, and had lived many years retired from the world, since the time that Mr. Howe was his domestic chaplain, hearing that he was going off the stage, came to make him a respectful visit, and take his farewell of him before he died. There was a great deal of serious discourse between them; tears were freely shed on both sides; and the parting was very solemn and affecting. Many elder and younger ministers also frequently visited him, and he conversed with them like an inhabitant of the other world, with the most elevated hopes of that blessedness on which his heart had been long set. To his wife he once said, after an unexpected revival, "That though he thought he loved her as much as it was fit for one creature to love another, yet if it were put to his choice, whether to die that moment, or to live that night, and the living that night would secure his life for seven years VOL. III.

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to come, he would chuse to die that moment." Being at last quite worn out, he finished his course with joy, April 2, 1705, having nearly completed his 75th year, and was translated into the calm and peaceful regions of the blessed above. He was interred in the parish church of Aihallows, Breadstreet; and his funeral sermon was preached by his worthy fellow-labourer, Mr. John Spademan, from 2 Tim. iii. 14.

Mr. Howe was in person tall and graceful. He had a piercing, but pleasant eye; and there was something in his aspect that indicated uncommon greatness, and excited veneration. His intellectual accomplishments were of the first order. Those who are acquainted with his writings will discover great abstractedness of thought, strong reasoning, and a penetrating judgment. Even Wood, the Oxonian, who seldom has a good word for a nonconformist, passes a high encomium upon Mr. Howe; and what is very singular, upon his style, which is the most exceptionable of any thing in his performances. His ministerial qualifications were very extraordinary. He could preach extempore with as great exactness as many others upon the closest study. His sermons, which were always delivered without notes, were often of uncommon depth, especially at the beginning, but were plain in the sequel, and towards the close generally came home with great force to the consciences of his hearers. In prayer he had great copiousness and fluency; and performed that exercise in a manner that effectually silenced the cavils against free prayer. He was a man of remarkable prudence himself, and much valued it in others. To strangers he was courteous and affable, and never thought religion inconsistent with good breeding. He knew how to address himself with propriety to the greatest personages, without the least mixture of servility. He possessed a truly great soul, free from the shackles of system, and seems to have been born to support generous principles, a truly catholic spirit, and an extensive charity. To impositions of all kinds he was an utter enemy, and would have nothing proposed as