§27. The writings which he thus continually produced, drew upon him the admiration and respect of several persons of honor, who were much delighted in his conversation; particularly the Earl of ORRERY, the Earl of ANGLESEA, Lord WILLOUGHBY, of Parham, Lord WHARTON, Lord BERKLEY, and Sir JOHN Trevor. When he was at Tunbridge the Duke of YORK sent for him, and several times discoursed with him concerning the Dissenters, &c. and after his return to London he was sent for by King CHARLES himself, who discoursed with him two hours, assuring him of his favor and respect, telling him that he might have access to him when he would: at the same time he assured the Doctor he was for liberty of conscience, and was sensible of the wrong that had been done to Dissenters, as a testimony of which he gave him a thousand guineas to distribute among those who had suffered the most. This he thankfully accepted, and faithfully applied. The Doctor had some friends also among the Bishops, particu "with that unction from the Holy One, which tends to enlighten "the eyes, and cheer the heart; which sweetens the enjoyments "of life, softens the horrors of death, and prepares for the frui❝tions of eternity." THER. and ASPASIO, vol. iii, p. 75. Lond. 1767. The same writer, speaking of the Puritan Divines, places with propriety our author as foremost; and as the other names he mentions are accompanied with short characters, beautifully expressive of their respective peculiar excellencies, the reader will be pleased with them: "Dr. OWEN, with his correct judgment, and "an immense fund of learning. Mr. CHARNOCK, with his mas"culine style, and an inexhaustible vein of thought. Dr. GooD"WIN, with sentiments eminently evangelical, and a most happy "talent at opening, sifting, and displaying the hidden riches of "scripture.' These, I think, are the first three: Then comes "Mr. Howe, nervous and majestic; with all the powers of im"agery at his command. Dr. BATES, fluent and polished; with a "never-ceasing store of beautiful similitudes. Mr. FLAVEL, "fervent and affectionate; with a masterly hand at probing the "conscience, and striking the passions. Mr. CARYL, Dr. MAN"TON, Mr. POOL, with many others; whose works will speak for "them ten thousand times better than the tongue of Pane"gyric, or the pen of Biography." Id. vol. i, p. 206. larly Dr. WILKINS, Bishop of Chester, and Dr. BARLOW, Bishop of Lincoln, formerly his tutor, who, when he had applied to him on behalf of JOHN BUNYAN, promised to "deny him nothing that he could legally do;" though, in this particular, he hardly fulfilled his word. The case was this; Mr. BUNYAN had been confined to gaol for twelve years, upon excommunication for nonconformity, and Dr. OWEN was applied to on this occasion, in virtue of a law that admitted of a cautionary bond to be offered to the Bishop of the diocese, and which admitted that the Bishop may release the prisoner upon that bond; and though Bishop BARLOW was so obliging as to say that he would strain a point to serve Dr. OWEN, yet he could not be prevailed upon to accept it. And, after all, they were obliged to move the Lord Chancellor to issue forth an order to the Bishop to take the cautionary bond before Mr. BUNYAN was released. This Bishop once asked the Doctor, "What can you object to our liturgical worship which "I cannot answer?" The Doctor's answer occasioned the Bishop to make a pause; on which the Doctor said, "Don't answer suddenly, but take time till our next "meeting," which never happened. His great worth procured him the esteem of many strangers who resorted to him from foreign parts; and many foreign divines having read his Latin works, learned English for the benefit of the rest. His correspondence with the learned abroad was great, among whom we may particularly mention that prodigy of genius and learning, ANNA MARIA A SCHURCHMAN; and several travelled into England to see and converse with him. It is a loss to the public, much to be regretted, that none of those letters can be found. $28. His many labors brought upon him, as might be expected, frequent infirmities, the weight of which daily increased, whereby he was taken off from his public service, though not rendered useless, for he was continually writing whenever he was able to sit up. At length he retired to Kensington. As he was once coming from thence to London, two informers seized upon his carriage, but he was discharged upon the interposition of Sir EDM. GODFREY, a justice of peace who happened to come by at that instant. The Doctor afterwards removed to a house of his own at Ealing, where he finished his course. He there employed his thoughts on the other world as one who was drawing near it in full prospect, which produced his "Meditations "on the Glory of Christ," already mentioned, in which he breathed out the devotion of a soul continually growing in the temper of the heavenly state. Two days before his death he dictated a letter to a particular friend, CHARLES FLEETWOOD, Esq. in which are the following words: "I am going to him whom my soul "has loved, or rather who has loved me with an ever"lasting love, which is the whole ground of all my con"solations. The passage is very irksome and wearisome, "through strong pains of various sorts, which are all is❝sued in an intermitting fever. All things were provid"ed to carry me to London to-day, according to the "advice of my physicians; but we were all disappoint"ed, by my utter disability to undertake the journey. "I am leaving the ship of the church in a storm, but "whilst the great Pilot is in it, the loss of a poor under"rower will be inconsiderable. Live and pray, and "hope and wait patiently, and do not despond: the "promise stands invincible that he will never "leave us "or forsake us," &c. Mr. PAYNE, who for several years kept an academy at Saffron Walden, at which several eminent dissenting ministers were educated, being intrusted by the Doctor to put his last performance to the press, came to see the Doctor the morning of that day on which he died, and told him, Doctor, I have been just putting your book "On the Glory of Christ" to the press; to which he answered, "I am glad to hear that "that performance is put to the press;" and then lifting up both his hands and his eyes, as in a kind of rapture, he said, "But, O Brother PAYNE, the long looked-for "day has come at last, in which I shall see that glory “in another manner than I have ever done yet, or was "capable of doing in this world." He died August 24th 1683, aged 67. He was carried from Ealing to the burying ground in Bunhill Fields, his herse being attended by a very great number of noblemen's and gentlemen's coaches, and many gentlemen on horseback. He was interred in a new vault towards the east end of that burying place, with a monument of free stone erected over it, and a Latin Epitaph.* He left behind * Though, in my opinion, the best eulogium, and most lasting monument, by which Dr. OWEN's just merit is exhibited to posterity, are his own writings; yet, lest it should be deemed a deficiency in this memoir to omit his epitaph, it is here subjoined; and Dr. GIBBON's translation of it, as a summary conclusion of his character: JOHANNES OWEN, S. T. P. Patre insigni Theologo, Theologus Ipse Insignior; In illa, Viribus plusquam Herculeis, Serpentibus tribus, him a mournful widow who had lived with him about seven years: a gentlewoman of a considerable family, being the daughter of Michael, Esq. of Kingston Russel, Dorsetshire; she was a person of very good sense, truly religious, very tender and affectionate to the Doctor; she survived him many years, and was interred in the same vault which she had erected for him.* $29. His character may be briefly summed up as follows: As to his person, his stature was tall; his visage grave, majestic, and comely; his aspect and deportment, genteel; his mental abilities incomparable; his temper affable and courteous; his common discourse moderately facetious. He was a great master of his passions, especially that of anger: and possessed great serenity of mind, neither elated with honor or estate, nor depressed with difficulties; of great moderation in his judgments, and of a charitable spirit, willing to think the best of all In Casuum Theologia, Singulis Oraculi instar habitus; Scriba ad Regnum Cælorum usquequoque institutus; Assiduis Infirmitatibus Obsiti, Durisque Laboribus potissimum Attriti Corporis * Dorothea Vice, non Ortu, Opibus, Officiisve, Secunda, |