appearing of the great God our Saviour, when we are as much assured of them as if we beheld them? Why do we not oftener view the representation of the heavens vanishing, the elements melting, the earth flaming, the angels every where dispersed to gather the elect, and them ascending, caught up to meet the Redeemer in the air, ever to be with the Lord? What a trifle will the world be to us then! III. Let the doctrine of the Redeemer be more studied, and of his mighty undertaking, with the immediate design of it, not merely to satisfy for sin by the sacrifice he once for all made of himself, and so to procure our pardon and justification, without effecting any thing upon us, but to redeem us from all iniquity, to purify us to himself, &c. and to form us after his own holy likeness, and for such purposes to give his Holy Spirit to us. Consider that our Redeemer is mighty, who hath such kind designs upon us; and that as they shall not therefore finally fail of accomplishment, so will they be carried on without interruption, and with discernible success, if we fail not as to what part in subordination to him belongs to us. How cheerfully should the redeemed of the Lord go on in their course, under such conduct! ours to us? But we are in the right way, some will say, and they in the wrong: and why cannot any man say the same thing with as much confidence as we? Or do we think there is no difference to be put betweeL controversies about matter of circumstance, and about the essentials of Christianity? Undoubtedly till those that affect the name of the reformed, and count it more their glory to be called protestants than to be good Christians, have learnt to mingle more justice with their religion, and how better to apply that great advice of our Lord's, Whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do that to them, &c. and till they become studious of excelling other men, in substantial goodness, abstractedness from the world, meekness humility, sobriety, self-denial, and charity, and to lay a greater stress hereon, than on being of one or other denomination, God's controversy will not cease. 'I reckon it much to be considered, and I pray you consider it deeply, that after that great precept, Eph. iv. 30. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, it immediately follows, ver. 31. Let all bitterness, and anger, and wrath, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice: plainly implying that the Spirit of God, that Spirit of all love, goodness, sweetness, and benignity, is grieved by nothing more than by our bitterness, wrathfulness, &c. And it appears that the discernible restraint and departure of that blessed Spirit from the Church of Christ in so great a measure, for many foregoing generations, in comparison of the plentiful effusion of it in the first age, hath en 'IV. Endeavour your faith may be stronger, more efficacious and practical, concerning the doctrine of Providence, and that the workings and events of it lie all under the management and in the hand of the Redeemer, who is head over all things to the church: that therefore how grievous and bitter soever be his people's lot and portion at any time, there cannot but be kind-sued upon the growth of that wrathful contentious mess at the bottom; and that not only designing the best end, but taking the fittest way to it. For can love itself be unkind, so as not to design well! or wisdom itself err so, as to take an improper course in order thereto! Hereupon let not your spirits be imbittered by the present dispensation of Providence you are under, whereby you are in so great a part deprived of the helps and means of your spiritual advantage, which you like and relish most. And to this purpose consider, '1. Our wise and merciful Lord (though perhaps such means might be in some measure useful to us) | doth for the present judge, that his rebuking our undue use of them will be more useful; either overvaluing or undervaluing his instruments, turning his ordinances into mere formalities, preferring the means of grace (as they are fitly called) before the end, grace itself. 2. Consider whether there be no disposition of Spirit, to treat others as you are treated. The inward temper of our minds and spirits is so much the more narrowly to be inspected, by how much the less there is opportunity to discover it by outward acts. As to such as differ from us about the forms and ceremonies that are now required in the worship of God, would we not be glad if they were as much restrained from using them in their worship, as we from worshipping without them? And do not we think that that would as much grieve them, as our restraint doth us? And why should we suppose that their way should not as much suit their spirits, and be as grateful to them, as Spirit which showed itself early in the Gnostick, but much more in the after-Arian persecution, which was not in some places less bloody than the pagan persecution had been before. Oh the gentleness, kindness, tenderness, and compassionateness of the evangelical truly Christian spirit, as it most eminently appeared in our Lord Jesus Christ himself! And we are told, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his, Rom. viii. 9. And how easy and pleasant is it to one's own self, to be void of all wrathfulness, and vindictive designs or inclinations towards any other man! For my own part, I should not have that peace and consolation in a suffering condition, (as my being so many years under restraint from that pleasant work of pleading with sinners that they might be saved, is the greatest suffering I was liable to in this world,) as through the goodness of God I have found, and do find, in being conscious to myself of no other than kind and benign thoughts towards them I have suffered by, and that my heart tells me I desire not the least hurt to them that would do me the greatest; and that I feel within myself an unfeigned love and high estimation of divers, accounting them pious worthy persons, and hoping to meet them in the all-reconciling world, that are yet (through some mistake) too harsh towards us who dissent from them: and in things of this nature I pray that you and I may abound more and more. But again, as I would not have your spirits imbittered, so I would not have your spirits discouraged, or sunk in dejection. The Lord will not cast off his people, lamented, as well as the hardships and severities which because it hath pleased him to make them his people, his nonconforming brethren met with in particular. 1 Sam. xii. 22. I do not mean those of this or that And not having any encouragement from the posture party, but who fear God and work righteousness, be of affairs to return home, he at length, in the year 1686, they of what party soever. As I often think of that settled in the pleasant city of Utrecht, which is the saying of an ancient, (Clem. Alex.) that he counted not capital of one of the seven United Provinces. He that philosophy, which was peculiar to this or that sect, took a house, and resided there for some time, and had but whatsoever of truth was to be found in any of the Earl of Sutherland and his countess, and some them; so I say of Christianity, 'tis not that which is English gentlemen, together with his two nephews, appropriate to this or that party, but whatsoever of Mr. George and Mr. John Hughes, boarding with him. sincere religion shall be found common to them all. He took his turn of preaching at the English church Such will value and love his favour and presence, and in that city, with Mr. Matthew Mead, Mr. Woodcock, shall have it; and he will yet have such a people in and Mr. Cross, who were there at the same time. They the world, and, I doubt not, more numerous than ever. kept frequent days of solemn prayer together, on the And as the bitterness of Christians one towards another account of the threatening state of affairs in their own chased away his Spirit, his Spirit shall vanquish and country: and Mr. Howe generally preached on the drive away all that bitterness, and consume our other Lord's-days in the evening in his own family. And dross. And as the apostacy long ago foretold, and of there being several English students then at that so long continuance in the Christian church, hath been university, in order to their being fitted for future usebegun and continued by constant war against the fulness, Mr. Howe was pleased to favour some of them Spirit of Christ; the restitution and recovery of the with hearing their orations and disputations in private, church, and the reduction of Christianity to its ancient and giving them his particular instructions and advice self, and primitive state, will be by the victory of the as they were prosecuting their studies, which some have Spirit of Christ over that so contrary spirit. Then owned to have been of no small advantage to them. shall all the enmity, pride, wrathfulness, and cruelty, There were also several other worthy persons of the which have rent the church of Christ and made it so English nation at that time there, and in other parts of little itself, be melted down; and with all their great the United Provinces, that they might shelter themimpurities besides, earthliness, carnality, love of this selves from prosecutions in their own country; such as present world, and prevalence of sensual lusts, be Sir John Thompson, (afterwards Lord Haversham,) Sir purged more generally away, and his repairing work John Guise, Sir Patience Ward, and Mr. Papillon; and be done in a way grievous to no one, whereby those there was a good harmony and correspondence among that are most absolutely conquered will be most highly them; and Mr. Howe received much respect from pleased: not by might or by power, but by the Spirit them, as well as from the professors in that academy. of the Lord. 'In the mean time let us draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to us. Let us more study the exercising ourselves to godliness, and take heed of turning the religion of our closets into spiritless uncomfortable formalities. Their hearts shall live that seek God. 'To that blessed, and faithful, and covenant-keeping God I commit you; and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up further, and give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified. 'And as I hope I shall without ceasing remember you in mine, so I hope you will remember too in your prayers, Your sincerely affectionate, JOHN HOWE.' In the course of his travels with this noble lord, Mr. Howe had the satisfaction of seeing divers noted places, and conversing freely, not only with a number of learned papists, but several protestant divines, both Lutherans and Calvinists, and making a variety of remarks for his own use: and in the mean time, he was often not a little affected with the melancholy tidings of the swift advances they were making in England towards popery and slavery, which he most heartily Among others by whom he was visited while he continued at Utrecht, one was Dr. Gilbert Burnet, afterward Bishop of Sarum, who also preached in the English church there, and very frankly declared for occasional communion with those of different sentiments. He and Mr. Howe had a great deal of free conversation, upon a variety of subjects: and once discoursing of nonconformity, the Doctor told him, he was apprehensive that it could not subsist long; but that when Mr. Baxter, and Dr. Bates, and he, and a few more, were once laid in their graves, it would sink, and die, and come to nothing. Mr. Howe replied, that that must be left to God; though he at the same time intimated that he had different apprehensions; and did not reckon it to depend upon persons, but upon principle, which when taken up upon grounds approved upon search, could not be laid aside by men of conscience. The best way, he said, to put an end to nonconformity, would be by giving due liberty under the national settlement, and laying aside needless clogs that would give occasion to endless debates. Were this once done, there would be no room for a conscientious nonconformity: but that without it, they could expect no other than that as some passed off the stage, others would rise up and fill their places, who would act upon the same principles as they had done before them; though he hoped with a due moderation and temper towards those of different sentiments. And the coursed with him with great freedom; and he ever event has showed, that he was herein in the right. Several years after this, I myself having occasion to wait upon Dr. Burnet, after he had been some time Bishop of Sarum, at his palace in that city, where I was treated with great frankness and civility, his lordship signified how well he was pleased with the temper discovered by the rising generation of ministers among the dissenters; though at the same time he intimated, that it was the common apprehension of the great men of their church, that nonconformity would have been res unius ætatis only, and not have been continued to another generation, but have drawn to an end, when they that were ejected out of the public churches were once laid in their graves. Upon this occasion, I declared to his lordship, that which, having so fair an opportunity, I shall not now be shy of signifying more publicly; viz. that after the closest search into this matter of which I have been capable, I cannot perceive that while and as long as the spirit of imposition continues, any other can reasonably be expected, than that there will be some who will think themselves obliged to stand up for a generous liberty, the doing of which may be very consistent with all that charity and brotherly love that is required, either by reason or Scripture. And this liberty has, since the death of the greatest part of the ejected ministers, (though with the full approbation of such of them as were then living, and of Mr. Howe in particular,) been defended by some among the dissenters, upon a bottom so truly large and noble, that the sagacious Mr. Locke himself, whom I believe most people will own to have been a pretty good judge, has more than once (as I have been credibly informed) freely owned, that as long as they kept to that bottom, they need not question being able to stand their ground. And the number of their friends and abettors so increased, partly on the account of the largeness of the foundations they went upon, and partly also upon their steady zeal for the government after the revolution, while the established church was miserably divided, about the oaths, and a great many other things that were very distasteful to men of sense and thought;n that in all probability their interest must before this time have had a considerable accession of strength, had it not been for their unaccountable heats in the reign of King William, and also in the reign of his present majesty King George; by which they have been sadly exposed and weakened. But of all persons, those that are zealous for the established church, have little reason upon this account to insult them, because of the shameful differences they have had amongst themselves, which in a great measure continue to this day. We may here say very safely, Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra. While Mr. Howe continued in Holland, the late King William, (of glorious and immortal memory,) who was at that time Prince of Orange, did him the honour to admit him several times into his presence, and dis The miserable confusion the high-church party were in after the revolution, about the oaths, and about their prayers, and about communion, &c. is most after retained a particular respect for him. I well remember also, that he himself once informed me of some very private conversation he had with that prince, upon his sending for him, not long before his death. Among other things, the king then asked him a great many questions, about his old master Oliver, as he called him, and seemed not a little pleased with the answers that were returned to some of his questions. In 1687, King James published his declaration for liberty of conscience, upon which the dissenters were freed from their fetters and shackles, and were allowed the freedom of worshipping God in public, in their own way, without any molestation. Mr. Howe's flock in London earnestly pressed for his return to them according to his promise, and he readily complied. But before he left Holland, he thought it proper to wait on the Prince of Orange, who in his usual way received him very graciously. He signified to his royal highness, that he was returning for England, at the earnest solicitation of his friends there, who were impatient of his absence, now that he was in a capacity of public service among them. The prince wished him a good voyage, and advised him, though he and his brethren made use of the liberty granted by King James, yet to be very cautious in addressing; and not to be prevailed with upon any terms, to fall in with the measures of the court, as to taking off the penal laws and test, which was the thing intended, but which would have fatal consequences; and to use his utmost influence in order to the restraining others: which he readily promised; and he was as good as his word. Upon his return into his own country, which was in May this year, he was gladly received by his old friends and brethren, and with joy (though not without an aching heart, considering the apparent danger of the public) returned to the free exercise of his ministry. He was thankful for a little breathing time afforded, and endeavoured to improve it to the best purposes, and to preserve himself and others from the snares that were laid for them. The author of the life of a celebrated nonjuror, casts some most invidious reflections upon the body of the dissenters, and their conduct in this reign. He insinuates, that when that inconsistent people had long cried out against the members of the church of England as inclinable to popery, they themselves were the first to join hands with this popery, against the church of England, and to favour the designs thereof, which they had but just before so loudly exclaimed against. And it must be owned, that they would have been an inconsistent people indeed, had the body of them acted in that manner: but the best of it is, that this is a suggestion that is as void of truth as it is of charity. It some among the dissenters did charge those of the church of England with favouring popery in King Charles's reign, it was because of their appearing so zealous for his brother, who was well known to be a admirably illustrated, by the account given in the Life of Mr. John Kettlewell Part III. Life of Mr. Kettlewell, in 8vo. p. 141. papist, and from whom no other could be expected than [of their ministers were, it must be confessed, afterwards that he would, if he came to the crown, do his utmost privately closeted by King James; and I won't say to bring in popery, in opposition to all the laws and but some few of them, who had personal and particular securities against it; and they evidently hazarded favours shown them, might be drawn too far into the the loss of our liberty and religion too, by making snare, and use their interest in order to the taking off the dangerous experiment: and they would boldly all penal laws and tests: but they were but very few, venture upon this, though they were freely warned and as soon as it was known, their interest and sigbeforehand what the consequence would be. But as nificance was lessened; the far greater number stood for joining hands with this popery, none were more it out; and Mr. Howe particularly, when the king dis free from that than the dissenters. Bishop Burnet coursed with him alone, told his majesty that he was a owns, that how much soever a few weak persons might minister of the Gospel, and it was his province to be intoxicated by the caresses of the court, and elevated preach, and endeavour to do good to the souls of men; by an appearance of favour shown them, yet the 'wiser but that as for meddling with state affairs, he was as men among them saw through all this, and perceived little inclined as he was called to it, and begged to be the design of the papists was now to set on the dissent-excused. ers against the church, as much as they had formerly The same author also observes, that upon King set the church against them: and therefore, though they returned to their conventicles, (as he is pleased to call them, though not a jot the better thought of upon that account by his warmer brethren,) yet they had a just jealousy of the ill designs that lay hid under all this sudden and unexpected show of grace and kindness.'P In confirmation of this, I can upon good grounds assure the reader, that whereas there were about this time great endeavours used to draw in the dissenting ministers to approve the measures of the court, and frequent meetings among them to consider of their own behaviour, at which times Mr. Howe was seldom absent, he always declared against approving the dispensing power, or any thing that could give the papists any assistance in the carrying on their designs; and he therein had the full concurrence of the generality of his brethren. I have had a particular account of one meeting at Mr. Howe's own house, in order to consider of the advisableness of drawing up a writing to signify their concurrence with the king, as to the ends of his declaration; at which time there were two persons present that came from court, and intimated that his majesty waited in his closet, and would not stir from thence til an account was brought him of their proceedings. I have heard that one in the company did intimate that he thought it but reasonable they should comply with his majesty's desire. To which another immediately replied, that he was fully convinced that the sufferings they had met with, had been all along on the account of their firm adherence to the civil interest of the nation, in opposition to tory schemes, rather than on the account of their religious principles: and therefore if the king expected they should join in approving such a conduct as would give the papists their liberty, and establish a dispensing power, he had rather he should take their liberty again. Mr. Howe, in summing up the matter, signified they were generally of that brother's sentiments, and could by no means encourage the dispensing power; and it was left to those who came down to them from court, to report that as their common sense to those that sent them. Several p Bishop Burnet's History of his own Times, vol. 1. page 673. q Life of Mr. John Kettlewell, page 147. James's famous declaration to all his loving subjects for liberty, there followed a vast crowd of congratulatory addresses and acknowledgments, from all sorts of dissenters, complimenting the king in the highest manner, and protesting what mighty returns of loyalty they would make his majesty, for such his favour and indulgence to them.'s And he adds, 'only the members of the church of England generally were hereat very uneasy.' But Bishop Burnet, who I am apt to think will be most likely to be regarded in the case, gives a quite different representation of the matter. He, speaking of the dissenters, says, 'It was visible to all men, that the courting them at this time was not from any kindness, or good opinion that the king had of them. They needed not to be told, that all the favour expected from popery was once to bring it in, under the colour of a general toleration, till it should be strong enough to set on a general persecution: and therefore, as they could not engage themselves to support such an arbitrary prerogative as was now made use of, so neither could they go into any engagements for popery. They did believe that the indignation against the church party, and the kindness to them, were things too unnatural to last long. So the more considerable among them resolved not to stand at too great a distance from the court, nor to provoke the king so far, as to give him cause to think they were irreconcilable to him, lest they should provoke him to make up matters on any terms with the church party. On the other hand, they resolved not to provoke the church party, or by any ill behaviour of theirs drive them into a reconciliation with the court.'r As to the addresses of the dissenters upon this occasion, though some of them ran high, yet the church party had set them the pattern, and therefore it was the less decent in them to make complaints of them. Those of the establishment had in a most luxuriant manner thanked King Charles for dissolving one of the best of parliaments, and as the Earl of Warrington declared in his speech, were mighty 'forward in the surrender of charters; and in their fulsome addresses and abhorrences, made no other claim to their liberties and r Bp. Burnet's History of his own Times, vol. 1. page 702. civil rights, than as concessions from the crown: telling with such a question as this, which he little expected, the king, every one of his commands was stamped that he was at first at a loss for an answer. Wherewith God's authority,' &c. And the university of Ox-upon the Doctor drew out his dark and melancholy ford in particular, had in one of their public addresses scheme very distinctly, with all imaginable marks of promised King James, that 'they would obey him with- concern. He told him he thought that the bishops out limitations or restrictions:'s which was not to be would be as certainly cast, as they were at that time equalled by any thing that came even from the most imprisoned in the Tower: that the rest of the clergy, incautious or the most transported dissenters. And if who had so generally refused reading the king's declathey did not now preach so much against popery as ration, would follow after them: that it was not a thing the churchmen, they may the more easily be excused, to be supposed that their places should be suffered to because their people did not so much need it. They continue vacant: and that no way could be thought of had little reason to fear that any of their persuasion for the filling them up again, but from among the diswould be perverted, for that the adhering to their dis-senters: and who knows, said he, but Mr. Howe may tinguishing principle of the sufficiency of Scripture, be offered to be Master of the Temple? And therefore would not fail of securing them; while many of the he intimated he was very desirous to know how they bishops and doctors of the church of England, had in- would be inclined to behave, upon such a supposition; stilled into their followers such odd notions, about the of which he believed him to be as capable of giving power of the church in matters of faith, the apostolical an account as any man whatsoever. Mr. Howe told succession and power of bishops, their right to judge of the Doctor, that these were things that were altogether fitness and decency in the worship of God, to which uncertain: but that if it should so happen that matters all others must submit, and the binding force of old should fall out according to his fears, he could not precanons and councils, that it highly concerned them tend to answer for the conduct of the dissenters, among to do all that they were able to deliver them from the whom there were several parties, that acted upon consequences which they might easily foresee the Ro- different principles; and that therefore it was most manists would put them upon drawing from such prin- reasonable to suppose, their conduct might be different. ciples. And the truth of it is, though I han't the He signified to him, that he could answer for none but least word to say, to the lessening that glorious de- himself: and that he thought for his part, if things fence of the protestant cause that was at this time made should ever come to the pass he mentioned, he should by the writings of the divines of the church party, yet not baulk an opportunity of more public service, the dissenters may be very well allowed to have taken (which he was not aware he had done any thing o no small pleasure, in seeing those gentlemen baffle forfeit,) provided it was offered him upon such terms as the papists, upon such principles as they might easily he had no just reason to except against: but then he discern would help to set the authors themselves more added, that as for the emolument thence accruing, he upright than some of them had been before: and in should not be for meddling with that, any otherwise such a case to have offered to take the work out of than as a hand to convey it to the legal proprietor. their hands, had been over-officious, and an indecent Whereupon the Doctor rose up from his seat, and emintermeddling. braced him, and said that he had always taken him for that ingenuous honest man that he now found him to be, and seemed not a little transported with joy. Mr. Howe afterwards telling this passage to a certain great man in the church, to whom the Doctor was well known, and signifying how much he was on a sudden to seek for an answer to a question he so little expected, which was bottomed upon a supposition, that had not so much as once entered into his thoughts before, he immediately made him this reply: Sir, you say you had not once thought of the case, or so much as supposed any thing like it; but you must give me leave to tell you, if you had studied the case seven years together, you could not have said any thing that had been more to the purpose, or more to the Doctor's satisfaction. However, the king went on with his design, and nothing would satisfy him, but his declaration for liberty must be read in all the churches. The bishops meeting together for consultation, were convinced that their concurring in this step, and sending the declaration to all their clergy, and requiring their reading it publicly to the people, would be an owning the dispensing power: and therefore they drew up a petition to his majesty, in which they desired to be excused. This petition was called a libel, and they were sent to the Tower for presenting it. Mr. Howe being at this time invited to dinner by Dr. Sherlock, the Master of the Temple, accepted the invitation, and was very civilly treated; and there were two or three other clergymen at the table. After dinner, the discourse ran mostly upon the danger the church was at that time in, of being entirely ruined. The Doctor, freely, but pretty abruptly, asked Mr. Howe, what he thought the dissenters would do, supposing the preferments of the church should be made vacant, and an offer should be made of filling them up out of their number? Mr. Howe was so surprised Bishop Burnet's History of his own Times, vol. 1. p. 620. When these fears were all blown over, and a happy revolution brought about in 1688, and the Prince of Orange was come to St. James's Palace, the dissenting ministers waited on him in a body, and were introduced by the Lords Devonshire, Wharton, and Wiltshire; at which time, Mr. Howe, in the name of the rest, made a handsome speech, signifying, |