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7he Dewut Laugh. 
 
 o R 
 
 Half an Hour's Amufement to a 
 Citizen of Londony 
 
 FROM 
 
 Dr. Pickerings Sermon 
 At St. P A U V% 
 
 Jan. 30, 1749-50. 
 
 AND 
 
 The Compliments paid him by the Lord 
 Mayor and Aldermen, ^c, — The Loyalty 
 of the Dodor, and the Merit of his 
 Sermon are made confpicuous, — and very 
 entertaining. 
 
 A Letter from Rujlicus to Civis, 
 
 
 '■ T, 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for M. Cooper, at the Ghhe in Pater-nofter* 
 Row i and to be had at all the Pamphlet Shops. 1 750, 
 
 [Price Six-pence.] 
 
Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive 
 
 in 2011 witii funding from 
 
 Princeton Tiieological Seminary Library 
 
 littp://www.arcliive.org/details/devoutlaugliorlialOOflem 
 
S I R, 
 
 OCTOR Pickering^ Ser- 
 mon, preached before the 
 right honourable the Lord 
 Mayor, the Aldermen, &c, 
 of London^ in the Cathedral 
 of St. Paul's^ January 30*^* 
 1749-50, I have received from you by the 
 poft. 
 
 Very unluckily, upon the reading, I made 
 a different application of the text : for I be- 
 gan to afk, hoiv are the mighty fallen ! and 
 to imagine, that a bafe, degenerate, debauch- 
 ed fenfe of the mod renowned city in the 
 world was moft glaring! — but I prefently 
 corre(5ted my felf, and charg'd the concep- 
 tion to the weaknefs of my judgment, and 
 to the heat and fire of my own temper. 
 What confirm'd me in this, was, a few days 
 ago, I had found my intellects fail me in 
 judging the condudl of the moft learned 
 Univerfity of Oxford, in the late affair of 
 conferring docftorial degrees on Mr. Churchy 
 and Mr. Dodwell, for the merit of their re- 
 marks on Dr. Middleton. 
 
 . A a For 
 
4 Half an Hour's Amufement 
 
 For you muft know, ^/V, that I had not 
 only concluded Dr. Middleton% grand hypo- 
 thefis yet untouch'd, or unChaken, by thofe 
 two pens J but I faw that which the learned 
 Dr. Sykes has faid of all the remarkers on 
 Middleton^ viz. *' fix upon the hypothefis of 
 " which of thefe learned gentlemen you 
 *' will, you are fure to hsiwc Jour out oi Jive 
 " againft the fcheme you pitch on." 
 
 The univerfity has nevertheJefs, in their 
 great wifdom, thought fit to reward the in- 
 ■tention. I now fee, it muft be confclTed, that 
 all thefe writers have one fort of merit in 
 their writings; I mean, that of the church- 
 kind, in the eftablifhed fenfe of the term : 
 for as the learned Dean has obferved, " Mr. 
 *' Dodwell extends the miracle-working pow- 
 " er, or age of miracles, to the civil efta- 
 ** blijhment oj Chriflianity -, and Mr. Church 
 " fays, we have reafon to think that [the 
 ** power of miracles] ftopped some time 
 ** AFTER the civil eftablifliment of our 
 ** religion."* — In harmony with which. Dr. 
 Pickering's fermon is intended to magnify 
 and exalt this civil -church -eftabliftimenr. 
 Confequently there is church-merit in all thefe 
 three performances; which will vindicate the 
 XJniverfity oJ Oxford in conferring their ho- 
 nout-s on the two former, as well as juftify 
 the London MagiJlrates^ in their paying the 
 compliment of thanks to the latter. 
 
 If 
 
 * Preface to Hvo quejilonsy &c. 
 
to a Citizen of London. 5 
 
 If, »Sz>, you Ihould happen to be fqueam- 
 i(h in this matter, or be fo puritanical as to 
 fuppofe, that Chrift's kingdom is not of this 
 'world I that it never did, nor ever can fare 
 the better for a civil eftablifliment ; you may 
 take the confolation of your own fanatical 
 notions ; and lay the blame of your ignorance 
 upon your parents, for not giving you an 
 univerfity education. There your fight would 
 have been corrected by church optics, a re- 
 conciling medium of vifion, that brings into 
 one focus^ and an indiffoluble union, the 
 'world and the church. At a College you would 
 have learnt a more polite and profitable 
 fcheme of religion than what you receiv'd 
 from the New Teftament, and from the fenfc 
 of 'weak brethren j heretical in their opini- 
 ons, and fchifmatical in their prad:ice. 
 
 Entring thus deeply into the reafons of the 
 thing, gave me the cue, by which I was en- 
 abled to proceed with more honourable re- 
 fledions on your city-magiftracy and com- 
 mon council -y who, it mull be own'd, have 
 copied with great fulnefs and accuracy after 
 that famous feminary of learning j by the com- 
 pliment paid to Dr. Pickering, As the dodtor 
 has done his heft, we fhould, in reading his 
 fermon treat him with tendernefs. The firft 
 paragraph cautions us not to expedt too much 
 from his acquaintance with the fublime \ 
 for, ** he fancies the Ikon Bafilike approaches 
 ** nearefl of any human-writing to ihz pathos 
 
 ** and 
 
6 Half an Hour^s Amufement 
 
 ** and fiiblimity of this divine compofition of 
 
 " David's, 
 
 However, at the time he tells you, " King 
 *' Charles laments his own undeferved cala- 
 '* mities, in the moft moving, majeftick 
 " drains ;" he forgets not to make that prince 
 very extravagant in his lamentations, — for 
 having mentioned his own calamities, he adds, 
 ** and the certain confequences of them, the 
 " utter ruin and defolation of his people." — 
 What notion had the doctor's audience of 
 this ? — Would they not afk, when did thefe 
 certain confequences take place ? Has there been 
 an utter ruin and defolation of his people ? 
 Or fhall fuch an utter ruin ever take place, as 
 the natural or judicial produdl of the King's 
 death ? If neither of thefe things are at all 
 probable, the lamentations of this prince were 
 extravagant. And we might, with more cre- 
 dit, fuppofe that his death, did, in a great 
 meafure prevent the utter ruin and defola- 
 tion of his people. During the Jirji Jijteen 
 years of his reign, he countenanced Fapifis 
 to fuch a degree, as to make them privy 
 cciinfellors^ fecretaries of Jlate^ and lords-lieu- 
 tenants of counties. And on all fides the 
 ^eeri^ influence over him, is acknowledged : 
 but (be was a bigot to popery. To what 
 purpofe then can the dodtor declame upon the 
 charader of Charles, when all his overt-ad:s 
 demonftrate his defigns to enflave England^ 
 by rtretching the prerogative to an indepen- 
 
 dancy 
 
io a Citizen of London. 7 
 
 dancy on parliament ! To compafs this de- 
 fign, he dealt much mdijfimulaticn, and often 
 violated truth. 
 
 But the reafon of his (hining like a feroph 
 in the eye of the doctor, was, the court which 
 he made to the clergy ; and his great indul- 
 gences of their pride and vanity. It is not 
 improbable but the figure hand made in con- 
 fecrating Creed-Church, may have its lively 
 playings, and dazzle the eyes of the doctor ; 
 he grieves at the utter ruin and defolation of 
 io much pomp, and pontifical grandeur ! 
 the confequence which clofely followed the 
 decollation of the King. — and he affedtingly 
 afks, how are the mighty fallen ! Yet had the 
 dod:or only read and confidered a letter ta 
 the right reverend the bijhop of Bangor, occa- 
 $oned by his lordjhifs fermon before the hotife 
 of lords, January the 30'^ 1748-9, publifh'd 
 by y. Noon, Cheap fde j he muft have been 
 aCbam'd of his panegyric I he furely could 
 not have fpoken with fo much difrefpe(S on 
 a parliament that fo bravely travers'd the de- 
 iigns of a monarch, who imbib'd and re- 
 tain'd notions of the regal power, which de- 
 nied the privileges of the parliament and the 
 liberties of the people as their inherent right. 
 A King, who forlooth, would have it, that 
 they entirely depended on his^r^^^, and had 
 done fo on the grace of his forefathers.— They 
 bad borne with the oppreffions oi fifteen years 
 Qf his reign ; the high commiffion court and 
 
 the 
 
8 ' Half an Hours Amufement 
 
 the Jlar- chamber adls fiU'd the people with 
 juft horrour ! 
 
 But for the dodor to fay, that ** never 
 ** fince the foundation of the world hath 
 ^* there been recorded in hiftory, a rebellion 
 " more perfidious and bloody in its rife and 
 " progrefs-^more fatal in its event — more 
 " pernicious and deftrud:ive in its confe- 
 ** quences," — is the very height of infatua- 
 tion ! It reprefents as rebels^ a generation of 
 men, who took up arms, who fpent their 
 treafure and their blood in fecuring to that age 
 and to pofterity, what is moft dear to us as 
 
 men^ as Chrijiians^ and as Protejiants ! 
 
 whereas the very principles on which the 
 revolution took place, under the immortal 
 William, fandtified the parliament arms ; 
 and the fuccefs of them has, and will be mat- 
 ter of joy and gladnefs to all true britons. 
 
 The dodor goes on declaming upon " the 
 " deflrudion of the eftablifhed worfhip, and 
 " the fetting up calves in our temples, after 
 " the example of Jeroboam /" 
 
 This is no other than a blaze of high 
 church fury, becaufe it is mere fidtion ; and 
 has no truth in fa6t to reft upon. What if 
 Epi/copacy was for a time reje(5ted, and Laud's 
 pidures, and his fine altars demoliflied, even 
 the reprefentation of God Almighty, by the 
 figure of an old man no more allowed of? 
 What if the Sedaries run into fome extremes 
 in their treatment of their weak brethren, the 
 
 EpifcO' 
 
io a Cifize?! of London. 9 
 
 Epifcopakam ? (for, Sir, the term, weak in 
 church ftyle, is applicable always to the un- 
 dermoft :) will any, or all of this taken to- 
 gether amount to a fetting up calves in our 
 temples, after the example of 'Jeroboam ? It 
 Ihould be taken into the account, that the 
 people who now had power, were men who 
 had feen a late example in the flagrant caufe 
 of it, under the Laudean adminiftration 1 and 
 none (liould wonder to find that one extreme 
 had produced another, however there fure- 
 ly was a full retaliation made, and the ac- 
 counts balanc'd by the Bartholomew* ASl , of 
 1662, at the time when two thoufand of the 
 moderate clergy, who were tenacious of the 
 principles of liberty and of the reformation, 
 were turn'd out of their livings, and ex- 
 pofed to all kinds of fufferings. Whofe ejec- 
 tion made more elbow-room for thofe fons of 
 the church, that could preach up Non-re~ 
 fifiance and pajjive obedience. Now was the 
 eftabli(hment in the meridian of its glory ! 
 with its head well difpofed towards Rome.-'—> 
 Both the fons of Charles reftored to the pof- 
 feffion of regal honour and power, which the 
 father had abukd and forfeited. 
 
 No, fays the doctor, this I deny with both 
 my hands, for the father " thoroughly \in^ 
 " underjftood and was mader of his own 
 *' tongue, as is manifeft from his declarations, 
 " and the reft of his works ; which are as 
 " much fuperiour to the writings of the re- 
 
 B » bel* 
 
1 o Half an Hours Amiifement 
 
 " bels in dignity of language and weight of 
 '' reafoning, as their royal author was — * in 
 *■ birth — in virtue — in the goodnefs of his 
 ** caufe- — I wifh I could add, the Juccefs of 
 " It too, — But at laft Enthifiajiic phrenfy pre- 
 '^ vail'd over true courage. — Such was the 
 ** will of God."— 
 
 Here the dov^or's -wijld is oppos'd to the 
 *wUl of God', — though he fays again, "had 
 *' the King's firft victories been purfued — ^ 
 *' but for our fins the will of God was other- 
 *' wife." If it was for our fim that the 
 will of God was otherwife, why does the 
 dodlor complain for the punifliment of his 
 fins ? If he has any meaning, it furely muft 
 be, that the King's want of fuccefs was fome- 
 way occafioned by our fins : and if fo, then 
 why (hould he charge fo much upon the con- 
 duct of the King's oppofers? For when he 
 ufeth the phrafe, for our fins, he cannot in- 
 tend to make the oppofers of the King of 
 the fame party with himfelf. And if this be 
 not allowed, then the pronoun, our^ muft 
 either include the King and his friends, who 
 were the immediate fufferers in this event j or 
 elfe it muft intend the fins of all the prefent 
 defenders of the King's meafures, and of all 
 the admirers of his charader ! 
 
 Had 
 
 * I would not contend with the dodlor about the dif- 
 putable Queftion whether the King wrote the Ikcii^ 
 Baftlike, or not ; I am willing he (hould have all the 
 «iory of it. 
 
to a Citizen of London. ii 
 
 Had the do6tor fhewn an abhorrence of 
 the meafures of that arbitrary reign purfued 
 both in church and ftate, a fenfe might have 
 been found very juft and pertinent : for then 
 we could have underflood him, but for our 
 Jtm^ i. e. the fins of the King's abettors, it 
 was the will of Gcd : lince fuch a catafirophe 
 v^'ould ferve to lliew in after ages, that op- 
 preffion, violence and tyranny, are unwor- 
 thy the fubmiffion of a free and generous 
 people. For our fins^ that is, to corred: the 
 difpolition in men todiilimulation, opprefficn 
 and tyranny, by fhewing that God has pu- 
 nifli'd them, in fetting the King and his flat- 
 terers as enfamples for our admonition. 
 
 Thedodtor defires paffionately, " that the 
 " royal Charles always may have a name in 
 " the calendar of our church." So it is faid, 
 St. Gilbert Heathcote, was of opinion that the 
 day fhould be kept up, in order to be a memento 
 to all future Kings, that they fplit not on the 
 fame fatal rock ... in which fenfe it may have 
 its ufe, but not furely by an abfurd " com- 
 " memoration of him, as among the firft 
 *' faints and martyrs for the gofpel of God, 
 *' who by his exemplary virtues adorned the 
 *' Chrijlian profeflion — and who loft his 
 *' crown and life in defence of apoftolical 
 " EpifcopacyJ"' Thus wildly raves the dodor 
 in a paroxyfm. — A fir/i faint and martyr for 
 the gofpel of God ! — Let who can, make com- 
 mon fenfe of the expreffion. — a firfi faint 
 B 2 fr 
 
12 Half an Hour's Amnfemrnt 
 
 for the gofpel I — And how it comes to pafs 
 that our diocefan epifcopacy is apoftolicaly if 
 the dodtor is able to (hew, there is not ano- 
 ther man in all the world can do it.— Let any 
 one compare the New-Teftament writings, 
 with the Laudean fyftem and plan j and if he 
 can find the lead refemblance, I will engage 
 to prove the propriety of calling Sepulchre a 
 faint, and the 'uicar of St. Sepulchre^ a man 
 of a clear head, and of good underftand- 
 ing. 
 
 The true charad:er of Oliver Cromwell^ he 
 lays, we have from an addrefs prefented by 
 the Anabaptijis to King Charles thefecond^ be- 
 fore his reftoration ; and he refers us to Lord 
 Clarendon's Hiftory 8vo. Vol vi. p. 629. 
 
 With as much rcafon might the dodor 
 have referred us to a man in an high fever, to 
 learn from him either his own charatfler, or 
 that of his neighbour. Did the dodor never 
 read, that in the year 1657, the project of 
 fome Anahapttfts to kill Oliver Cromwell was 
 difcovered : when Major- General Harrijon^ 
 Vice-Admiral Lawfon^ Colonel Rich, Major 
 Dangers, and fome others, all Anabaptijisj on 
 fufpicion of being concerned in the confpira- 
 cy, were put under an arreft ?-— ^I take it 
 to be the addrefs mentioned by Rapin, in 
 1658, made by feveral Independents, fakers 
 and Anabaptilis, wherein they fuppofed the 
 death of Cromwell to be near j which f<?emed 
 
 to 
 
to a Citizen of London. 13 
 
 to intimate a defign to aflaffinatc him.— No 
 marvel that they fpeak reproachfully of him. 
 
 The curfes poured liberally fince that time 
 on the afhes of Cromwell^ becaufe of his de- 
 collating Charles the Jirji^ have little rea- 
 fon to countenance them j for he was put 
 under a neceffity of doing it for his own fe- 
 curity and fafety, as well as that of the pub- 
 lic. — But why fhould this be imputed as a 
 national guilt, any more than that of Queen 
 Eilizabeth's taking off the head of Mary ? 
 
 Like parrots^ many without meaning, af- 
 fect to talk of the guilt of Charles's blood^Xymg 
 heavy on the nation ; and as having had no 
 expiation for this hundred years. — But was 
 there no atonement made in the reign of his 
 two fons ? heavy, intolerably heavy were the 
 grievances thefe kingdoms groaned under in 
 thofe reigns ! which one would have thought 
 fufficient to balance the guilt of the nation, in 
 refufing or rejeding the heavy yoke of their 
 father. 
 
 But why fliculd the blood of Charles the 
 firjl only be lamented with fuch briny tears, 
 and divine judgments deprecated on that ac- 
 count, whilft no notice is taken of the at- 
 tempts made to deftroy 'James the fecond^ 
 for fays the letter-writer, before-mention'd, 
 ** every bullet {hot at the Boyn was a killing 
 *' the King, and he might thank not his fub- 
 " jedts, but his own heels, that he was not 
 *' adually killed." 
 
 But 
 
14 Ii'^!f ^^^ Hours Amufement 
 
 With what face then can it be faid that the 
 vengeance of God hangs over us, on account 
 of the fcenery of 1648 ; when we have en- 
 joy'd almofl: ever fince 168H, the bleffings of 
 liberty, unknown in the former reigns of the 
 Stuarts ; and the fecurity of our rights and 
 properties, together with the free and impar- 
 tial courfe of jiiftice, bleffings unknown from 
 the beginning of James the Jirji^ till the end 
 of yafnes the fecond. 
 
 If we would not mock God, we {hall 
 be thankful that he has never fet over us 
 fuch a prince, as the man was, whom Crc'iW- 
 well beheaded. 
 
 The freedom which the doclor has taken 
 with the Senate of the nation; with men, 
 inoft generally, of the eftabliQied religion, 
 who bravely oppofed the King in his meafures 
 to enilave and ruin the whole conftitution ; 
 the freedom will be treated with a juft indig- 
 nation by all thofe, who have any jufl fenfe of 
 liberty, or of tlie rights of a free people. 
 
 But was it poffible that the doctor's audi- 
 ence could with decency hear him enumerate 
 the methods made ufe of to fupplant the ec- 
 cleiiaflical conftitution ? — There is an endea- 
 vour at being very ivitty in the enumeration — 
 " a liberty of doing what ? — why of efta- 
 " blifhing their own fyftems-^lhall I fay 
 '" Arrian or Socinian fyflems." 
 
 Could the dodtor mean any thing by the 
 queftion, *' {hall I fay Arrian or Socintan 
 
 \' fyftems ?" 
 
<? 
 
 to a Citizen c/* London. 15 
 
 fyftems r" did he intend to be underdood 
 that in the time of the inter-re gnum^ when 
 the Epifcopakans were unhors'd, or thrown 
 out of the laddie, that the Se^aries^ as he 
 calls them, were making fuch an attempt ? — 
 If he did not intend to be fo underftood, he 
 unpardonably trifed with his audience : and 
 if he did intend that they did, there is room 
 enough given to queftion whether he ever read 
 any one hiflory on the times ? but if he has, 
 we may call in queftion his having under- 
 ftood any one thing he has read.— When, 
 and where was there an eflablifhment of, or 
 an attem.pt to eftablifli the Arrian (Arian) 
 or Socinian fyftems, during the whole inter- 
 
 regnum ?• 
 
 He goes on—- *' a directory perhaps— -or 
 " a communion fervice, with a plain but not 
 *' a full account."--- 
 
 This is very droll ! a magazine of wit 
 blew up here ! for this, Sir^ you fee was de- 
 fign'd to ridicule the Bifliop oi Winch ejler\ 
 treatife on the facrament. A plain^ but not a 
 full account. — Swelling vanity I will the doc- 
 tor promife his audience to expofe the defe5fs 
 of that performance r — It is to be feared he is 
 too much a noiice in divinity for the tafk. 
 
 He dances a long " or a catechifm 
 
 " compofed by an afTembly of judicious di- 
 " vines to ground children well in the mod 
 V edifying dodtrines of Cahin," 
 
 Never 
 
1 6 ^ Half an Hour's Amufement 
 
 Never did a majeftic Bull^ with a more 
 fcornful air tofs over his head the little dogs 
 that bay'd at him, than the dodlor has ral- 
 lied the affembly of Wejlminfler Diiines, for 
 their contemptible catechetical performance. 
 — Perhaps, Sir^ the comparifon may offend 
 you : but ftay a moment, and I will (hew 
 you the fuitablenefs of the choice. — You 
 plainly difcern that the doctor would repre- 
 fent the catechifm as a mod: pitiful, low, 
 childiQi compofition ; " from its being de- 
 *' defign'd to ground children well in the 
 ** molt edifying dodrines of Calvin." Here- 
 in lies the horns of hisfneerj or the whole force 
 of his burlefque, and outrage comitted upon 
 it! at which, perhaps, fome of the audience 
 might be diverted, full as much as if they 
 had been at a hear-garden. — But nothing 
 could have made the declaimer more ridicu- 
 lous ; becaufe it fo happens, that the articles 
 of his own adored edablirhment, are fuch as 
 fuppofe, that all who fubfcribe them, are JU' 
 dicious divines^ well grounded in the moft 
 edifying doSirines of Calvin. 
 
 Do you think the doftor could have made 
 his own ignorance more confpicuous than he 
 has done ? for whilft he has been difdainfully 
 pointing at the poor divinity, and rich edi- 
 fying enthufiafm of the JVeJlminJler Affembly^ 
 he has been pufhing at the eyes of his own 
 venerable mother ! for all the dodrinal light 
 fhe gives in her thirty nine articles, is upon 
 
 the 
 
to a Citizen of London. 17 
 
 the fyftem oiCahin. — Could any priefl have 
 levell'd his burlefque more unhappily ? — had 
 not the dodor been a graduate in divinity^ 
 fome excufe might have been made for him ; 
 but as it is, there will be ditiicuhy in apolo- 
 gizing for him : only one thing is in his fa- 
 vour, he had his degrees, if I don't miftake, 
 from an imiverfit)\-—xh2iX. is not over nice or 
 too critical in the qualification of a man in 
 this fcience. It is not very material whether 
 he knows what is meant by Arianifm^ 6";- 
 cinianifiu^ Cahinifm^ Anninianifm^ or Pelagi- 
 anifm ; if he can but underftand the way of 
 fubfcribing blindfold, and of defending the 
 church as by law eftablifhed ! if he is 
 but well verfed in the flowers of church- 
 rhetoric, and be able to pour contempt on all 
 diiTenters, as Hereticks and Schifmatics : — add 
 to this, if he has but fome acquaintance with 
 the claflicks, and is fomewhat verfed in fcan- 
 dal, which gives an orator that boldnefs of 
 fpeech^ {q edifying on the 30th of fanuary : 
 he may depend upon a degree. 
 
 The dodtor informs us, " as foon as thefe 
 " licentious principles had their de(ired effedt, 
 " wife and good men faw with grief a difor- 
 " derly rabble of Enthu/iajis fcrambling for 
 " power in every part of the kingdom ; 
 ** while the Papi/is itood by and laughed at 
 *' the confufion." — I have heard that the 
 doctor is often abfent, I partly believe it, 
 and can make a farther judgment of him, viz* 
 
 c bp 
 
(( 
 
 f* 
 
 18 ^^If ^n Hotir^s Aimifemenf 
 
 he does not fee any thing, but through 
 church-fpeSlacles. 
 
 Thele hcentious principles, were, it feems, 
 " a liberty of eftabli(hing^m^« or Socmiafz 
 fyftems, — Perhaps a diredory — or a com- 
 munion Service, with a plain but not a 
 full account—or a catechifm compofed by 
 an aflerjibly of judicious divines to ground 
 ' * children well in the moft edifying dodrines 
 *' of Cahmr 
 
 Well ; what of thefe ? why as foon as 
 thefe licentious principles had their delired 
 cfFed, wife and good men faw— who were 
 they ? the difplaced clergy. What did they 
 fee ?— they faw with grief a diforderly rabble 
 c( Ef2tbuJ?a/is {cra.mh\\ng for power in every 
 part of the kingdom ; z. e. they faw others 
 attempting to divide and fliare the fpoil, which 
 they ihemfelveshad juft been deprived of. CW 
 morous about offices, lands, or livings ; about 
 who ihould make the moil of their intereft, 
 in that new Jiate of things. And undoubt- 
 edly, thofe wife and good men, who had been 
 ferved with a vjni of ejedment, faw it with 
 grief.—^Bvxt v/hat is all this to the purpofe ? if 
 the eftabli(hment, and its emoluments have 
 their original from the civil-power, as might 
 be demonftrated, it is moft convenient for 
 that power which is fiipreme^ to employ its 
 ©wn favourites, whether it be to da.y motiar- 
 fhy^ to morrow ariftocracy^ or on the next 
 day democracy. And though the wife and 
 
 good 
 
to a Citizen of London, 19 
 
 gootl men grieved at the change of their cir- 
 Cun^-fliAnces, they might thank themfelves for 
 it ; bccaufe had they adled conformably to 
 the nature of a civil eflablijlmunt oj religion^ 
 they (liould have changed with the times, and 
 fubmiited to the powers that then were. The 
 true blue high-church principle, non-rcfift- 
 ance, and paffive obedience, taught in the 
 reigns of the bleffed Stuarts to the purpofe 
 of extending the royal prerogative to a de- 
 potic and arbitary rule! fo happily revived 
 in the day of the more than famous Dodor 
 Sacheverel^ who deferves a name too in the 
 church calendar ; this principle fhould have 
 made them all Vicars of Bray. The clergy, 
 after the execution of 1648, ought tohave been 
 fubjedt to the higheft power : for it was a vain 
 thing in them to exped that when the former 
 HEAD of the church had loft his head, that 
 he could yet remain, ov-er all caufes ecclejiaf 
 tical and civile fupreme ! And in as much as 
 no civil eftablifhment of religion can fubfift 
 any longer than the civil power is able and 
 willing to fupport it ; wh^n there is a change 
 of maxims introduced in the civil power, and 
 an ability of giving energy to that change of 
 maxims, the eftablifhment muft of neceffity 
 fufFer a change alfo — as you well know. Sir, 
 was the cafe in Henry the eighth's reign : after 
 that, in the reign of Queen Mary : again 
 in the reign of Elizabeth : and the change 
 was nearly affeded in that of James the Je» 
 C z cond^ 
 
20 Half an Hours Amufemenf 
 
 cofid.— Scotland can alio witnefs to the truth 
 of this obfervation. 
 
 " The Papifb^ fays the dodlor, flood by 
 •* and laughed at the confufionr The fad: is 
 miftaken ; with the leave of the good dodor, 
 the time of their laughing, was whilft they 
 had Charles under their thumbs, and could 
 make ufe of him to the purpofe of fpilling 
 feas of protc ft ant- blood in Ireland and Kng^ 
 /(jW.— but in the time oi Cromwell's prodor- 
 (liip, their laughing feafon was over : it was 
 rather the time of their panic j fear and trem- 
 bling feized theai : for Oliver made the Va- 
 tican itfelf (hake with the terror of his power. 
 The reign of the Stuarts has been the mer- 
 rieft feafon which the Papi/lsh^ve ever known 
 fince theirline begun.— -I'hey had almoft gain- 
 the Hoj'Je-laugh in the laft years of Queen 
 Anne"^ reign : and what can divert them 
 more, for half an hour, than fuch 30th of 
 "January fermons as this before us ? 
 
 The dodor gives his advice in the moft 
 prieftly manner, to the hord Mayor ^ Alder- 
 men^ and Co7nmon Council, of your great city. 
 
 " The only fure method, that I know of, 
 *' (with the JDlefiing of God) to prevent all 
 ** fuch diforders and confufions for the future, 
 *' is for the members of the eftablifhed 
 " church to look upon the teft ad as an 
 
 *' effential — mofl facied mofl inviolable 
 
 '' law." 
 
 Had 
 
to a Citizcji of London. 21 
 
 Had the parenthefis been omitted, one 
 might have read h\s opinion without any emo- 
 tion, becaufe very agreeable to the high-church 
 lyflem. But furely the dodor was quite be- 
 wilder'd, or he v/ould not have inferted the 
 parenthejis. There is fomething abfurd and 
 unnatural in ily-'-witb the blejjing of God. — 
 ^he only Jure method, that I know of {with 
 the blcJJing of God) to prevent. It runs much 
 fmoorher when read without it, the only fur e 
 method, that I know of, to prevent, &c. 
 
 Is there not impiety in the dodor's fuppo- 
 fing that God can bless a meafure, which 
 the very dcfign of the inftitution of the Ru- 
 chariji condemns ? Can he blefs the Hcenfe 
 taken of proftituting a religious ritual to civil 
 
 purpofes? The dodlor had much better have 
 
 faid, the only fire method that I knoiv of, with 
 the blejjing of the god of this world, \. e. with 
 the bleffing of the worldling's God, upon 
 which w^e may depend, as far as the method 
 can avail us of fuccefs.— *' the tell-aB, in this 
 *' light (hould be look'd upon as an eflential— - 
 " moft facred— moft inviolable law." But 
 it is enough to make the devil laugh, to talk 
 of the true God blejjing a fcheme, produdive 
 of fuccefs and profperity to his own hcUifli 
 empire. 
 
 The friendly dodor after the advice, gives 
 his audience a delineation of the fpirit of a 
 good churchman. 
 
 " No good churchman defires to affllcl 
 ** or grieve his weak brethren whilft they 
 
 ** keep 
 
22 Half an Hours Amufemenf 
 
 ** keep within the bounds of mddefly and 
 " decency, and do not offend againft the civil 
 " peace, nor vilify the eftabliflied church. 
 *' We do not envy them — we rejoice at their 
 " toleration." 
 
 Mo:-.ertly (iiid, upon my word — but why 
 muft the emphafis of weaknefs be laid upon 
 the Protefta?2t-diJfentersf This cant-language 
 is common in the mouth of thofe perfons 
 who would be called churchmen ; yet in 
 what doth the term fecure its propriety ? is 
 it becaufe the diflenters have lefs natural abi- 
 lities than churchmen have ? or becaufe they 
 are viore indolent and carelefs, about the im- 
 provement of their capacities ? or have they 
 lefs opportunities, means, or advantages of 
 improven:ient ? — or elfe, is it becaufe they 
 will admit of no other rule of faith and re- 
 ligious pradice but the Icriptures of the New 
 Teftament, of which they will every one 
 judge for themfelves ; and ftubbornly refufe 
 that any man fliall have dominion over their 
 confcience ? If fo, the firength of the church- 
 man, his fuperior ability, lies, in his fub- 
 fcribing to articles of human device, impofed 
 on him, if he will be qualified for thofe be- 
 nefits which the teft-adl is intended to fecure. 
 His fuperior ftrength, is, in having a form of 
 worQiip recommended and enforced by a6ts 
 of parliament; and a miniftry provided for him 
 by the civil power. — The diffenter's njceaknefs 
 will then confift, in his not having a public 
 
 confcience. 
 
to a Citizen of London. 23 
 
 confclence, in his chufing to pay fomething 
 extroardinary for the enjoyment of the open 
 exercife of his right of private judgnnent, 
 rather than conform to a civil eftabiifliment 
 of religion. — 
 
 Unlefs it can be (l^ewn, that under the in- 
 flrudions of an eliabliOied clergy, men have 
 inculcated upon them more juft anv. honour- 
 able fentiments of government, a more uni- 
 form and regular fcheme of moral virtue ! 
 And that in confequence of this advantage, 
 the members of the eftablifhment are more 
 judicious, pious, and charitable than their 
 weak brethren. But if nothing like this can 
 be (hewn, why fhould the -good churchman 
 aflame the airs he does, of diling the Pro- 
 teftant'DijJentery a weak brother ? Is this to 
 keep within the bounds of modefty ar-d de- 
 cency ? — Dijjenters^ are painted by him, in 
 the moft frightful colours ; as cruel, blood- 
 thirfty, and fond of King- killing ! — The fame 
 fort of methods are made ufe of to prejudice 
 the ignorant and unwary againft them, that 
 were ufed by the French-Priejls in America, 
 to give the natives an abhorrence of the 
 EngliJh.'-'And I wonder that none of our 
 priefts, in their efFufions of fcandal, never 
 thought of charging the Protejiant-Di/Jefiters 
 with being the very murderers of ye/us, 
 as well as of CiMrles. Neverthelefs, their 
 weaknefs lies in not owning the divine right 
 of Diocefian Epijcopacy -, in not calling men 
 
 Rabbi j 
 
24 Half an Hours Amufement 
 
 Rabbi ; in not relifhing ceremony. They arc 
 unpolite, and have no tafte for church- mufic, 
 finging their prayers j or for praying at all 
 by prefer iption. 
 
 As to the article of o^ending agalnfl civil 
 peace^ let the hiftory of every great event of 
 our nation fpeak out plainly as to fads, whe- 
 ther the weak brother or the ftrong one has 
 been more guilty. — Refpeding the principles 
 of loyalty, and a facred regard to thofe of the 
 REVOLUTION, the good churchman, I pre- 
 fume, will not defire a comparifon between 
 the ftrong and the weak. 
 
 The dodor fays, ive do not envy them—" 
 what ?---he adds, we rejoice at their tolera- 
 tion. It was tenderly fpoken by the learned 
 dodlor, and difplays a greatnefs of mind in 
 the good churchman, who would not afflidl 
 or grieve his weak brethren. — q. d, we rejoice 
 that they may worfhip God, as their own 
 judgments, form'd on God's v;ord, fhall di- 
 re(fl. V/e rejoice at their not being hindred, 
 as they have been in the reign of the Stuarts, 
 from exerciiing the rights elTential to reli- 
 gious men and Chrijlia?is. — Is this meant by 
 toleration ? Yet, would it not be a greater 
 reafon of joy, that the fcandal was removed 
 from D?'itainy of pretending to a power fub- 
 fiding in it over the rights of confcience ! — 
 I-fe rejoice at their toleration — a joy fome- 
 what unfeafonable — toleration to men who 
 are the avowed, known, proved friends and 
 
 patrons 
 
to a Citizen of London. 25 
 
 patrons of liberty, both civil and religious 1 
 and who would facrifice their lives and 
 fortunes for the Hanover family ! — ay^ doc- 
 tor, this laft article I fufpedt is the reafon 
 of your rejoicing at their toleration. The 
 enemies of this family on the throne, may 
 pleafe themfelves in feeing the jirvily-attacUd 
 friends of it, tolerated. It founds well 
 at St. Ofner% and is altogether as mufical at 
 Rome ! we rejoice at their toleration I 
 Farther this deponent fays, 
 
 *' But amongft all the misfortunes that 
 " followed upon this unnatural rebellion, 
 " there are none that we are more nearly con- 
 " cerned to lament — than that of this excel- 
 ** lent prince's children being driven from the 
 ** help of his parental care, when they moft 
 *' needed it, to wander abroad, and to depend 
 " upon the uncertain pity of foreign princes, 
 '* in a foreign land, where one of them 
 " learned to krwe Ji range gods ; the effeds of 
 " which we feel to this day." 
 
 What they would have profited under 
 the tutorage of their father, is not fo cer- 
 tain ; but it would have been no very ftrange 
 thing if l?oth of them had learnt to ferve 
 jirange gods from their mother j who, we are 
 affured, had a great afcendant over their 
 father. However as it is, one is owned by 
 the do(ftor to have learnt to ferve Jirange 
 gods : this we may eafily underftand ; 
 but what he defigns by, the effeBs of which 
 
 D ws 
 
26 Half an Hours Amufement 
 
 *we feel to this da)\ is not fo very intelligible. 
 There is a poffibility the good-churchman 
 might mean, that by James the Jecond\ fo 
 openly avowing Popery^ made room for the 
 revolution and Hanover-fuccejion ! for I know 
 not what other efFedts there are which we 
 feel to this day. If this be his meaning, he 
 has fpoken the fenfe of many others of his 
 own complexion, who don't envy, but rejoice 
 with him at the toleration. He (hould feem 
 to infinuatc, that the throne is at prefent not 
 rightly filled ; but remains under the curfe 
 of God ! and that it will do fo, till the adopt- 
 ed family of James be received. — A mean- 
 ing in high vogue at one univerfity! And 
 probably at St. Paul's might fecretly warm 
 the hearts of fome of the do(5tor's audience. 
 From thefe curfory obfervations, fome 
 conclufions might be drawn : fuch as 
 
 Firjlj That the orthodox fyftem, or the 
 Oxonian political creed, has great honours 
 done it in your metropolis j though perhaps 
 there is not a more abfurd one that can be 
 conceived of by the human mind. — It ftands 
 in connexion with flavery ; for tyrajiny is 
 implied in the jure divino of Kings — and 
 vajfalage muft be the condition of the fub- 
 ]ed:. — The very gentlemen who applauded 
 the do6tor's fermon, would curfe the prefent 
 King if he proceeded on the fame maxims of 
 government. 
 
 Secondly^ 
 
to a Citizen of London. 27 
 
 Secondly^ The doctor who preached this 
 fermon, affuredly deferves a mitre^ from the 
 compliment he has paid the royal preroga- 
 tive ; advancing the name of the abfolute 
 Charles^ to the fummit of princely glory — 
 " the moft accomplifh'd prince, not only of 
 " his own time, — but in no refpecfl inferior 
 ** to the beft and greateft of his predeceflbrs 
 " and fucceiTors." 
 
 If his prefent mojefly King George the 
 fecond be defirous of imitating Charles^ in 
 trampling upon our laws, and invading every 
 right of the fubjedl, there is not a clergy- 
 man in the kingdom feems better difpofed to 
 trumpet his praifes, and do him divine ho- 
 nours than the Vicar of St. Sepulchre's. 
 
 Thirdly^ From the whole drift and inten- 
 tion of the dodor's fermon, the reafon of 
 continuing the folemn faft is made evident, 
 becaufe of the beneficial purpofes it may 
 ferve. It gives the preacher a moft defirable 
 opportunity of reviving the prejudices of 
 good churchmen againft the Proteflant-DiJ- 
 fenters -, and of enflaming them with a pious, 
 devout, religious contempt, and hatred of 
 them. It is improveable to the purpofes of 
 keeping alive the fpirit of Jacobitifm ; and 
 of exercifing the political abilities of the 
 preacher. 
 
 Whilft thefe weighty reafons have any 
 
 being, it will be expedient that an annual 
 
 fajl be obferved, for the humiliation of fome 
 
 mens 
 
2 8 Half an Hour's Amufement^ &c. 
 
 mens fouls : and efpecially, whilft this fa- 
 mily remains on the throne, the efFeds that 
 we feel to this day from fames the fecond's 
 abdication^ there (hould on this account be a 
 day of bitter complaint allowed for the eafe 
 of all good churchmen. It is a day of ex- 
 peBoration^ whereupon many throw up the 
 crudities of uncharitablenefs, rancour and 
 difaffedtion ; and without which, fo much 
 ivifid and Jire might be pent up in the 
 bowels of good churchmen, as would occa- 
 fion a dangerous commotion in their bow- 
 els. But to be ferious, and quit the laugh — 
 The impious endeavour of churchmen to 
 blow up the fparks of difaffedtion to the King 
 and to their fellow fubje(^s, is the truelt 
 reafon of humiliation. — 
 
 By thefe hints, 5/r, you may fee a way of 
 defending your corporation^ the doBor^ and the 
 day (f humiliation. 
 
 I am, 
 
 With profound Refped, 
 
 Yours, 
 
 FINIS. 
 

Xii.^ 
 
 
 '■^M'.'f?^ii 
 
 'V 
 
 V;:^^ 
 
 ^^^*H?'||f«MW?lf 
 
 
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