YOL. II. LET this matter be once put out of doubt, and then with how chearful, with how childlike, with how fubmiffive fpirits, may we expect and wait for the most difmal, and the most dreadful things, that can fall out within the compass of time! ADVER ر ADVERTISEMENT. T HE following serious and pathetic difcourfe was preached by the Author, at Brixham in Devonshire, when he was about twenty-eight years of age; but upon what occafion is not certainly known. It was communicated to the Editor by a worthy Gentleman in the Weft of England, who after mature deliberation has re folved to give it a place in this collection; not only because it is well calculated to make ferious impreffions on every reader, but also as it is a fpecimen of the excellent Author's manner of preaching in his youth. There is, he thinks, no reason to doubt its being genuine; fince (to ufe Dr. Evans his exprefflon) it plainly carries in it the marks, which to a perfon of taste always diftinguish his performances. THE following extracts from a few letters, fent to the Editor by the Gentleman, to whom the world is obliged for this excellent discourse, Ir is intitled in the manufcript, A Sermon preached at Brixham the 23d day of January, 1658; by Mr. John Howe, a faithful minifter of the Gospel of Jefus Chrift. VO L. difcourfe, will be fufficient to give an ac II. count of it. "THE Sermon (fays he) bears date January, 1658; which, I believe, must be 58-9.. For though it is not impoffible "but Mr. Howe might have been at Brix ham, in January, 58; yet as the Pro"tector [Oliver] kept him much at White hall, it is not fo likely to be preached "then, as the year after about which time «he returned into the Weft . For though "he continued a little while in the fame "relation to the Protector Richard, that he "did to his father; yet Dr. Calamy tells c us, he cannot find that he continued "longer at court, than October, 58.” "THE COPу was transcribed in the year 59. It is exceeding fair, and perfect. "The spirit and language of it [the dif το courfe] plainly evince it to be the pro"duction of that masterly hand. The "writer, who took it after him, does not "feem to have dropped any thing, where by the fenfe is any way maimed; and "has religiously copied it out, as appears "from the repetitions, which were made "for the relief of the hearers memory †. "THOUGH Meaning to Torrington, in Devonshire.“ by "THOUGH Mr. Howe has fomething to "the fame purpose with part of the con"tents of this Sermon, in his treatise on Delighting in GOD, part II. page 389395, folio edition *, as one might reafonably expect; yet, though there are "fome of the thoughts, he has not only pursued the subject much farther, but in different manner : in fo much that "there can be no room for faying it is publishing the fame thing over again, “which is an injury fome eminent Au"thors have fuffered after their death, Be"fides the forementioned place there can "be no other, where he has any thing fo near to the purpose." cc a very "THAT which brought our Author on this fide our country (for his charge lay 50 miles diftant, to which he was lately "returned) was his being related to the Upton family, of Lupton; which lies in "the Parish of Brixham, where, The Wanity of Man as mortal took its birth.' " IT by far than any other the Editor has feen of Mr. Howe's in manufcript; most of which he omitted in his tranfcript of it defigned for the prefs, and he hopes without the leaft injury to the whole. The fenfe is entire, and delivered throughout in the Author's own words. *THERE feems to be no refembiance, fcarcely, in the whole Sermon, to any thing in the pages here referred to except in page 390: where the text is indeed mentioned, and briefly defcanted upon, and that is all. "It is very probable, that the Sermon was preached at once; and I have cal"culated on what day of the week, Ja nuary 23, 1658-9, fell. And as D was "the dominical letter for that СС year, the 23d was a Friday; but if it was preached in 57-8, as the dominical letter was E, it was on a Thursday. So that as it could not "be preached on a Lord's-day, it was there"fore most likely preach'd at once*. To all which the Gentleman adds the following general remark; the latter part of which, at least, is very juft. "THOUGH his ftyle is not fo fmooth as “some, yet it is as intelligible as any. And "a perfon has this for his incouragement, "that he is always fure to find fomething "in Mr. Howe, that is well worth his pains." Ir is very probable it was preached on a Faft-day; either a private one, or one of thofe public Fast-days, which were frequently folemnized by authority before the Reftoration. SERM. |