LETTER VI. ΟΝ ΤΗΕ PRESBYTERIANS. T HE Church of England is confin'd almost to the kingdom whence it receiv'd its name, and to Ireland, for Prefbyterianism is the establish'd religion in Scotland. This Presbyterianifm is directly the fame with Calvinism, as it was establish'd in France, and is now profefs'd at Geneva. As the priefts of this fect receive but very inconfiderable stipends from their churches, and confequently cannot emulate the splendid luxury of bishops, they exclaim very naturally against honours which they can never attain to. felf the haughty Diogenes, Figure to your trampling un der der foot the pride of Plato. The Scotch Prefbyterians are not very unlike that proud, tho' tatter'd reafoner. Diogenes did not use Alexander half fo impertinently as these treated king Charles the fecond; for when they took up arms in his caufe, in oppofition to Oliver, who had deceiv'd them, they forc'd that poor monarch to undergo the hearing of three or four fermons every day; wou'd not fuffer him to play, reduc'd him to a state of penitence and mortification; so that Charles foon grew fick of these pedants, and accordingly elop'd from them with as much joy as a youth does from school. A Church of England minister appears as another Cato in prefence of a juvenile, fprightly French graduate, who bawls for a whole morning together in the divinity schools, and hums a song in chorus with ladies in the evening: But this Cato is a very spark, when before a Scotch Prefbyterian. The latter affects a ferious gate, puts on a four look, wears a vaftly broad-brimm'd hat, and a long cloak over a very short coat; preaches thro' thro' the nose, and gives the name of the whore of Babylon to all churches, where the minifters are fo fortunate as to enjoy an annual revenue of five or fix thoufand pounds; and where the people are weak enough to fuffer this, and to give them the titles of my lord, your lordfhip, or your eminence. THESE gentlemen, who have also some churches in England, introduc'd there the mode of grave and fevere exhortations. To them is owing the fanctification of Sunday in the three kingdoms. People are there forbid to work or take any recreation on that day, in which the severity is twice as great as that of the Romish church. No opera's, plays or concerts are allow'd in London on Sundays; and even cards are fo exprefsly forbid, that none but perfons of quality and those we call the genteel, play on that day; the reft of the nation go either to church, to the tavern, or to see their mistresses. THO' the Epifcopal and Prefbyterian fects are the two prevailing ones in GreatBritain, yet all others are very welcome to come and fettle in it, and live very fociably fociably together, tho' most of their preachers hate one another almost as cordially as a Janfenift damns a Jefuit, TAKE a view of the Royal-Exchange in London, a place more venerable than many courts of justice, where the reprefentatives of all nations meet for the benefit of mankind. There the Jew, the Mahometan, and the Chriftian tranfact together as tho' they all profess'd the fame religion, and give the name of Infidel to none but bankrupts. There the Prefbyterian confides in the Anabaptift, and the Churchman depends on the Quaker's word. At the breaking up of this pacific and free affembly, fome withdraw to the fynagogue, and others to take a glass. This man goes and is baptiz'd in a great tub, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: That man has his fon's forefkin cut off, whilft a fett of Hebrew words (quite unintelligible to him) are mumbled over his child. Others retire to their churches, and there wait for the infpiration of heaven with their hats on, and all are fatisfied. |