. \rw's '•¦f. '^S,. •¦5. YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY \. gOTRglilE'T / \ IPOMTEIIg L'.^/r////.j///fri:^ £> ¦ vuntTe.ui'ni Xi:i:i'/c: ivl.B.jwh is» flea Jfim^ AN ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR THE FIRST FOUR DECADES OF THE REIGN OF GEORGE THE THIRD ; OR, AN ACCOUNT OF THE STATE OF RELIGION IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND DURING THAT PERIOD : WITH CHARACTERISTIC SKETCHES OF DISTINGUISHED DIVINES, AUTHORS, AND BENEFACTORS. BY THE REV. JOHN WHITE MIDDELTON, A. M. LONDON : PUBLISHED BY L. B. SEELEY, 169, FLEET STREET. 1822. 1 V, U ( M5g S.GosNKLL, Printer, Little Quccii Street, London. WALK ABOUT ZION, AND GO ROUND ABOUT HEU ; TELL THE TOWERS THEREOF. 5IARK YE WELL HER BULWARKS, CONSID Eli HER PA LACES ; THAT YE MAY TELL IT TO THE GENERA TION FOLLOWING. FOR THIS GOD IS OUR GOD FOR EVER : HE WILL BE OUR GUIDE EVEN UNTO DEATH. Psalm xlviii. 12— 1 4-. A 2 VI PREFACE. of the state of controversy between Episcopa lians and Nonconformists, which might be ac ceptable to a certain class of readers, whose inquiry is principally directed tp an examina tion of the existing condition of the outworks of the national Zion. Nor does it allow much space to an account of the different modifi cations of heresy, whieh may characterize the period of which it treats ; a species of narrative, which, however acciiratej is often pernicious. The object of the work is rather to trace the progress of pure and undefiled religion in an impjortant division of the Christian Church; and to leave some slight record of the labours and virtues of those eminent clergymen and laymen, who were the spiritual benefactors of their day and generation. 'At the same time, it is trusted, such* attefttion; has been paid to the secular concerns of the period, as was ne cessary to show their connexion with the main subject, and to complete the general design of the narrative. < PREFACE. VU The interest of the period in question, in a religious point of view, is of no common cha racter. Though the times in our history are happily past, when great convulsions were the effect of contests between different religious parties, and when disputes in Convocation gave rise to bitter and protracted animosity; yet, to the serious reader, the features which mark the first forty years of the reign of the third George are most important and distinguishing. Such are, the revival of true Protestant doctrine in many of the parochial pulpits— the rapid growth of Methodism-^the attempt to abolish Sub scription to the Articles — the No-Popery In surrection — and the Attacks of Infidelity against all Religion, whether established or tolerated. However limited may be the information of the Author on these subjects, he has endea voured to make such research in each, as he hopes may qualify him for an impartial narra tor. He would bring however to the recoUec- a4 viii PREFACE. tion of the reader the peculiar difficulties to which those are exposed, who undertake in any shape the history of their own times. His aim has been, in discussing the characters of the departed actors in the scenes of which he writes, tb unite, as far as was practicable, justice to the merits of the deceased with delicacy to wards the feelings of survivors. In a record of ecclesiastical events, beginning with the acces sion of the late Monarch, and ending with the Union of the two Churches, he has been able to carry on the narrative without making many allusions to living characters. Had he pursued his account through another Decade, he would indeed have found an animating theme in the great increase of spiritual religion, the aug mented number of faithful pastors, the establish ment of so many religious and charitable so cieties, the plans for the evangelization of India, &c. &o. But while it would have been difficult to speak on such events, without appearing to take an unwarrantable liberty with individuals yet on the theatre of action ; it would at the PREFACE. ix same time have been no easy task to divest himself of all bias in favour of some party, on the assumption of competency to the nar ration of circumstances of such very recent occurrence. It only remains to be noticed, that some additions have been made to the original nar rative, some mis-statements amended, and ty pographical errors corrected. TABLE OF EPISCOPAL SUCCESSION. The Sees are according to Ecclesiastical Seniority. The Dates refer to the respective Elections. 1st DECADE. Canterbury . York . London . /T. ! IF. ( a: . Seeker . Comwallis .Gilbert . Drummond 'T. Sherlock T. Hayter I R. Osbaldeston (_R. Terrick Rochester Zachary Pearce . . .. , . Worcester James Johnson , . . . , Hereford Lord James Beauclerk Winchester. Durham . . . , Exeter Chichester . Lincoln . . . . Bath and Wells . Lichfield and Cn- VENTRY Norwich fB. Hoadly LJ. Thomas Richard Trevor {6. Larington F. Keppel William Ashburnham f J. Thomas [ J, Green Edward Willes f F. Cornwallis (. J. Egerton fT. Hayter LP. Yonge 1- William Markham . . . md ad DECADE. 758 768757761 748"! 761 1 762 f 764j 756 John Thomas 1774 759 Brownlow North ...1774 3d DECADE. John Moore' 1783 4th DECADE. Robert Lowth 1777 Beilby Poi-tens 1787 7467341761 I 759 John Egerton 1771 John Ross 1777 Richard Hurd 1781 {J. Harley 1787 J.Butler 1787 Brownlow North .... 1781 Thomas Thurlow . . . 1787 $amuel Horsley .1793 7461762 754 - 1!*° I Thomas Thurlow 743 Cbarles Moss 1773 749 \B. North 1771 1 4J Shute Barrington ... 1791 {W. BuUer 1792 F.Cornwall 1797 John Buckner 1797 1779 George Tomline .... 1787 James Comwallis 768 /R. Hurd 1774 749 \_ ("Lewis Bagot 761 J- -------- , 1781 „ 1783 IG. Home 1790 Bangob Llandaff Ely St. David's . . , St. Asaph ... Carlisle .... Salisbury ¦ . . Oxford Peterborough Chester Gloucester . . Bristol {J. Egerton < J. Ewer {R. Newcombe .... J. Ewer J. Shipley S. Barrington .... {M, Mawson £. Keeue r A. Ellis \ S. Squire {R. Drummond .... R. Newcombe .... Jonathan Shipley. . TR. Osbaldeston . . . J C. Lyttleton (_ Edmund Law f3, Thomas ) R. Drummond .... S J. Thomas (,J. Hume {J. Hume R. Lowth CR. Terrick } R. Lamb I^John HinchlifFe .. {E. Keene W. Markham WUliam Warburton {P. Yonge T. Newton •JohnMoore 1774 John Warren 1783 William Cleaver 756 ; 768, 754T761 I 768 f 769j 7541 770J fR. Lowth 1776' C. Moss 1776 J. Yorke 1778 J. Warren 1779. 748 ,1600 Richard Watson ....1782 761 >. 769 J 747"! 762 >¦ 769 J 7571761 I 761 f 766 J 758\ 766/ 777764768^fo}Beilby760 James Yorke 1777 James Yorke 1781 IE. Smallwell 1783 S. Horsley 1788 {S. Halifax. 1788 L. Bagot 1790 758\761J' { W. Stewart .... liord G. Murray .1793. 1800 ------- John Douglas 1787 ------- Shute Barrington . . . 1782 John Butler 1777 Edward Smallwell . . . 1788 Porteus 1776 William Cleaver .... 1787 S. Halifax 1781 R. Beadon 1789 L. Bagot 1782 C.Wilson 1783 E. V. Vernon . . . ..1791 John Douglas . . . ..1791 John Randolph . . . ..1799 Spencer Madan . . . ..1794 H. W. Majendie . . ..1800 S Madan . . 1792 F. Cornwall .... ..1794 CONTENTS. CHAP. I. A. D. 1760 J 770. , Introduction — 2. Character of ihe King — 3. Character qf ihe Episcopacy — 4. Archbishop Seeker — 6. Literary Bishops — 6. State qf the Clergy — 7. The Secular — ^8. Political Meddlers— %. The Latitudinarian — 10. He retical in Doctrine— W. The Orthodox — 12. Trinita rian Polemics — IS. Rev. WiUiam Jones — 14. Hutch- insonianism — 15. The Evangelical— 16. Romaine — 17. T. Jones — 18. Foster — 19. Madan—W. Spencer —21. Stonhouse—2^. Hart -23. Toplady—M. Reli gious State qf Cornwall, and retrospective View qf Walker''s Ministry — 25. State qf South Wales — 26. Fletcher — 27. De Courcy— 28. Talbot— 29. MaMock —30. Berridge and Newton — 31. Adam — 32. Grim- shaw — 33. Venn — 34. Powley—'S5. Atkinson— S6. Conyers — 37. Reflections — 38. Society jfbr promoting Christian Knowledge --.- Page 1 CHAP. II. A. D. 1770— 17S0. 1. Death qf ihe Rev. Geo. WMtefield — 2. Retrospect of his Labours — 3. Howel Harris, and Trevecca In- XIV CONTENTS. Stitution — 4. T. Joss — 5. C. Winter — 6. Countess qf Huntingdon, and Origin of her Connexion — 7. Pro gress of Wesleyan Methodism — 8. Dr. Coke — 9. In- fiuence qf Methodism on the Establishment — 10. Good Effect in Ireland— 11. Feathers Tavern Association — 12. Rejection qf their Petition by the House qf Commons — 1 3. Repeal qf the Test Act opposed by the Lords — 14. Reflections — 15. Bishop Porteus -^16, Pastoral Changes'-^lf. , Cadogaii—l 8. Decoetlogon — 19. Middleton — 20. Eyre — 21. Penty cross— 22. Rou- quett — 23. Simp$on-r-2i. Richardson — ^5. Jos. MU- ner — 26. > T. Hervey — 27. Elemental Visitations — 28. Execution qf Rev. Dr. Dodd^29. Taste for ecclesiastical Decoration ^^30. Improvement in Bib lical Literature -.- Page 87 CHAP. III. A. D. 1780 — 17Q0. 1. No-Popery Insurrection — 2. Its Scottish Origin — S. Its ferocious Character — 4. Firmness qf the King — 5. Origin and Utility of Sunday Schools — 6. Raikes, the Philanthropist— 1 . Huntington the Su- pralapsarian — 8. Controversy between Priestley and Horsley— 9. Ambrose Serle— 10. Embarrassment qf American Episcopalians — 11. Case qf Dr, Inglis 12. Successful Exertions qf Granville Sharp to pro vide fyr American Episcopacy — 13. Reflections 14. Measures for Relief qf Scotch ^Episcopalians— 15. Cecil— 16. Goode—n, Scott— 18. Storry— 19. Ro- CONTENTS. XV binson— 20. Bayley— 21. Tyler— 22. Charles— 23. Death qf Fletcher — 24. Society fyr promoting Chris tian Knowledge — 25. Bishop Watsorfs Plan qf Church Revenue — 26. ComTnemoration qf Handel — 27. TTianksgivingfyr King''s Recovery — 28. Resolutions on Test Act Page 188 CHAP. IV. A. D. 1790— 1800. 1. Character qfthe French Revolution— 2. Its Irifluence on England — 3. Sketch qf English Manners, Con versation, and Literature — 4. Publications qf Thomas Paine — 5. Mrs. Wolstonecrqft — 6. T. F. Palmer — 7. Gilbert Wakefield — 8. View qf religious Controver sies — 9- Philanthropic Exertions qf Arthur Young, Hannah More, and Rev. Wm. Gilpin — 10. Plans qf different religious Parties — 1 1. Pious Confidence qf thc King — 12. Public Tlianksgiving for naval Vic tories — 13. Bishop Horne — 14. Bishop Horsley — 15. Bishop Watson — 16. Bishop Barrington — 17. Lent Lectures qf Bishop Porteus — 18. Dean Milner — 19. Dr.Jowett — 20. Dr. Coulthurst — 21. Sir Adam Gor don— 22. Gunn— 23. Pattrick—2^. Newell— 25. Gil bert— 26. State qf Heresies — 27. Swedenborgians — , 28. Southcottonians— 29. Irish Rebellion fomented by Roman CathoUc Priests — 30. Bishop Stock taken Pri soner — 31. Union of ihe two Churches qf England and Ireland ...-...-.-.. Page 276 ERRATA. Page 54, line 16, /"«)• Burnet, read, Biddulph. S7, 14, 1 5, /o)' Jones, David, read, David Jones. ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR, ^c._ CHAP. I. A. D. 1760 1770. 1. Introduction — 2. Character qfthe King — 3. Character . qf the Episcopacy — 4. Archbishop Seeker — 5. Literary Bishops — 6. State qf the Clergy — 7. The Secular — 8. Political Meddlers — 9. The Latitudinarian — 10. He retical in Doctrine— 11. The Orthodox — 12. Trinita rian Polemics — 13. Rev. William Jones — 14. Hutch- insonianism — 15. The Evangelical — 16. Romaine — 17. T. Jones — 18. Foster — 19. Madan — 20. Spencer —21. Stonhouse— 22. Hart— 23. Toplady— 24:. Reli gious State qf Cornwall, and retrospective View qf Walker's Ministry — 25. State qf South Wales— ,26. Fletcher— 21. De Courcy— 28.' Talbot— 29. Maddock — 30. Berridge and Newton — 31. Adam — 32. Grim- shaw — 33. Venn — 34. Powley — 35. Atkinson — 36. Conyers — ^37. Reflections—SS. Society for promoting Christian Kjiowledge. I. " Of all history," observes an eminent theo logian, " the ecclesiastical is the most benefi- 2 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. cial; as much more as the concerns of the Church are beyond that of the State, our souls above that of our bodies, and our eternal state more than the moment we have to stay in the world. Secular history may make us statesmen and po liticians ; but the ecclesiastical will make us wise unto salvation*." The terms in which this eulogy is pronounced, though just in themselves, require qualification, in order to convey a cor rect idea of the value of the study in question. Readers who sought edification as well as in struction in this department of literature, have had reason to deplore the secular turn which its narratives have assumed. A pernicious heresy has been indefatigably traced to its origin, or pursued in its results, whilst its oppugners have been too little honoured in their memorial, their principles partially developed, , and celestial agency and superintendence disregarded, in a manner equally revolting to sound philosophical taste and devotional feeling. A Maimbourg may beiluent and vivacious; but his errors are so gross, his arguments so defective, and his facts so distorted, that the able historian of Lu- theranism and Calvinism never rises above the level of Jesuitism. A Bower comprehends, in * Leslie's 'Works, vol. i. p. 727. A. D. 1760 1770. 3 his extensive range, the multiplicity of papal in trigue and abomination; but instead of dis playing the sublime spectacle of a teacher, as sisting us to mark in the course of events the fulfilment of prophecy, the alternate judgment and mercy of the Great Head of the Church, or the deceitfulness of " spiritual wickedness in high places," he sinks in one part of his work into a special pleader for Protestantism against Popery, and in another into a dry chronicler of political occurrences. Strype and Burnet in deed are entitled to their share of praise for in teresting details respecting that great modern event, the Reformation : as the Magdeburg cen- turiators, for their faithful record of the senti ments and actions of the elder Christians. But till the work of Milner appeared, a masterly, regular, and edifying account of " the chosen generation, the royal priesthood, the peculiar people," who constitute the Church of the living God, was a desideratum in ecclesiastical litera ture. The sacred Clio was generally seen by her pupils with the hectic glow of party spirit, or the wan hue of scholastic abstraction, instead of that healthy complexion, dignified brow, and generous feature, which might at once attract their regard and command their reverence, as she unfolded the mysteries of Providence, taught b2 4 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. them -to profit by the lesson of experience, or commented on the revelations of the Deity. In ecclesiastical record, as in civil, it will happen that there are certain periods rendered more interesting than others by a concurrence of circumstances favourable to the revival or growth of religion; or the exhibition of charac ters, who, like patriots inflamed with zeal for their king and countiy, and defending a political system, become, from love to Christ and, his Church, able and successful vindicators of evan gelical truth. To describe such seasons in a manner which should give no undue portion of narrative to affairs springing from the relations that subsist between governing powers and reli gious establishments, and yet afford the neces sary view of what has been termed, in no very happy phrase, the alliance between Church and State ; while it aims at an impartial representa tion of facts in the detail of its principal sub ject, is a task which may appear to some invi dious, and must be allowed by all to be difficult, but which may be .acceptable to the serious in quirer, and subserve in its measure the cause of piety. In the history of the English Church, the age of George the Third is one of those pe riods which will fill a larger space in the eye of ' the religious observer. The events which occurred A. D. 1760 1770. 5 in the former part of the eighteenth century, were calculated to affect the elements of religion and social order, and by inflaming the passions of the multitude, endanger the existence of the most venerable institutions. The trial of Dr. Sacheverell; the disputes in both Houses of Convocation; the agitation of numerous ques tions connected with the principles of Nonjurors and Tories ; the latent intrigues or open rebellion of a formidable party, disaffected both to the reigning family and the existing establishment ; the protracted duration of the Bangorian con troversy ; the attacks of infidel writers ; the rise of the Methodists ; and the restlessness of secta- lies; were circumstances tending more or less to disturb the foundations of the throne, aad loosen the stones of the national altar. Reveal ed religion, however, found some unanswerable defenders, and the established worship some powerful advocates ; while the house of Bruns wick became more and more identified with the interests, and rivetted in the affections of the people ; so that religious and political animosity had eitljer begun to subside, or had reverted into less obnoxious channels, at the time of the de cease of George the Second. , 2. His grandson acceded to the throne on the 25th of October 1 760, with the sincere con- b3 6 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. gratulations of the nation. It was presumed that his prejudices, as a Briton born and bred, would be favourable to the constitution of the country over which he was called to reign. The friends of religion and virtue felt peculiar com placency in the general understanding, that the habits of the young prince were pious and mo ral*. They anticipated, in the conduct of the first magistrate, that regard to decorum and re gularity which had been wanting in some mem bers of his illustrious house; an anticipation which was happily realized in the future beha viour of the King; who, for conjugal fidelity, domestic attachment, temperance in diet, atten tion to devotion public or private, and respect for characters distinguished for piety and know ledge, became an example to his nobles and courtiers, and a rebuke to the licentiousness which prevailed in the palaces of the Continent. Those who are accustomed upon Scripture grounds to consider the connexion between prince and people, and reflect on the relation in which they stand to each other in the eye of * When a boy, he used to task himself to learn Dr. Dodd ridge's "Verses for Children on the Christian Religion ;" and while yet a youth, purchased as many copies of " Leland's View of Deistical Writers," as amounted to 1001. for gratui tous distribution. A. D. 1760 1770. 7 God, will duly estimate the importance of the character of a ruler, in its bearing on the great question of providential dispensations, as well as its influence on national morality ; and will be disposed to place it in the first rank of circum stances which respect the external state of the Church. The political power of an English monarch is limited, but the extent of his moral example is incalculable. His prerogative is great, and his patronage considerable ; and though modern usage and political expediency have rendered ministerial recommendation the usual channel of preferment; yet he has a pri vilege in the exercise of his negative, which in the hands of a conscientious prince is adapted, under the divine blessing invoked and relied on, to the preservation of the religious and civil li berties of his people. Nor less important is his right of giving or withholding his sanction to the acts of the other two branches of the legisla ture, without which they are invalid. These considerations enhance the value of a good prince, and give every subject a personal interest in his views and disposition. George the Third afforded some pleasing instances of his sincere belief of revealed truth, and reverence for sa cred ordinances. At his coronation, he took the oath with the seriousness of a mind resolved, b4 8 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. through grace, to abide by its obligations ; and when the ceremony was about to conclude, by his participation of the Lord's supper, he in quired of the officiating prelate if precedent were in favour of his receiving the elements with the crown upon his head, and whether that mode was indispensable ; but, not receiving a satisfactory answer, he immediately removed it .from his temples, in token of subjection to the King of kings. And at a subsequent period of his reign, when it became him as Sovereign to make the necessary arrangements for an instal lation of knights, he was uneasy at the thought of certain candidates, whose lives were sup posed to be open to animadversion, appearing at the sacramental table ; and communicated his sentiments to his attendants in language expres sive of his personal unwillingness to " mingle religious institutions With profane ceremonies*." 3. Next in importance to that of the occu pier of the throne is the character of the episcopal bench. If the Monarch be legal head of the national Church, and supreme in all causes * Wraxall's Memoirs of his own Time, Part I.— Three preachers in the Chapel Royal having flattered the new King in succession, he said publicly, " I come to chapel to hear the praises of God, and not my own."_Letters from a late eminent Prelate, p. 317, A. D. 1760 1770. 9 ecclesiastical as well as civil, the Bishops are recognised as its spiritual fathei-s, its actual guardians, and its practical governors. The circle of human dignities cannot perhaps pro duce a more weighty or honourable charge than that of an Anglican prelate. Lifting his mi tred head in parliaments, and taking his place among the hereditary legislators of the realm, and counsellors of the Sovereign, his exalted station entitles him to watch over the interest, advocate the doctrine, preserve the discipline, regulate the worship, and defend the revenue, of the fairest and discreetest of the daughters of the Reformation ; to enter his protest with gra vity and firmness against the highest patrician who shall attempt to corrupt her principles or destroy her privileges ; to speak of the divine testimonies before kings, and not to be asham ed, knowing his immense responsibility to that Providence who hath constituted him a chief servant in the household of faith ; while his diocesan, judicial, and academical autho rity or connexion enables him in a variety of ways to consult the spiritual good of his cotem- poraries, and affords many facilities for advan cing the cause of godliness by favouring the faithful reporters of the message of Heaven, or discotmtenancing the secular and heterodox among the subordinate pastors. 10 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. In tracing the features of the hierarchy at the period in question, the pencil of truth is too faithful to sketch a flattering likeness ; nor will she seek to recommend her portraits, by a beauty of colour or symmetry of form unknown to the original. The Bishops, in their corporate capacity, were not conspicuous for evangelical purity of sentiment, or attachment to the dis tinguishing tenets of the Reformation, as ex pressed in the Articles of the religious commu nity over which they were destined to preside. They drank too much into the spirit of the fashionable theology. Occasionally, indeed, the sound sense and pious convictions of cer tain individuals of their number, led them to remonstrate with their clergy on the necessity of adopting a more Scriptural strain of preach ing than generally prevailed. Occasionally too, they set the example in their own discourses of a departure from the dry method of ethical ex hortation, and fortified the lesson of obedience by the powerful sanction of revelation, or en lightened their audience by an exhibition of the holy verities of the Gospel. But the doctrine of justification by faith alone was in general inadequately and imperfectly stated; the cor- niption of human nature was spoken of in qualified terms ; and salvation was too often A. 1). 1760—1770. 11 represented as the possible attainment of mor tal exertion, and the legal reward of a reli gious and virtuous conduct. As if the shades of those heretical and schismatical characters who figured in the disgraceful scenes that fol lowed the decapitation qf the first Charles, perpetually haunted their imagination, they viewed what were termed " Methodistical te nets" with a sort of instinctive horror ; and seemed to lose the power of discriminating between that zeal for the honour of his Saviour, and compassion for perishing sinners, which led the preacher to proclaim with appropriate energy and in familiar terms the fulness and freeness of the everlasting Gospel, and a covert design to court popularity, and ultimately effect the overthrow of the Church. With most of the dignitaries of the day and their ordinary associates, fervour was denominated cant, watchfulnesss hypocrisy, and abstraction from worldly society unnecessary strictness. Con nected with the first families by birth, alliance, or circumstance, their criticisms on the belles lettres too often usurped the place of Scriptural information ; what was elegant in conversation was more esteemed than what was edifying ; and among the higher orders of the clergy, the unction of humility which flowed from the sil- 12 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. vered temples of a Beveridge down to the skirts of his garment, and the glow of holy zeal which animated the breast of a Reynolds or a Hopkins, seemed to be exchanged for courtly aspirations after preferment and translation, or distinction in the divinity-school of a Lord Lyttelton or a Dr. Johnson. To the fastidious delicacy or the generous sensibility that would suppress this representation, it may be replied, that no reflection is intended on the memory of individuals who bore a high and sacred office in their day and generation, and that a servile " respect of persons" would materially affect the impartiality of historical statement. 4. Seeker, Archbishop of Canterbury, was orthodox and dfevout. He had enjoyed the advantage of intimacy with the excellent Bishop Butler, the celebrated author of the " Analogy." He was attentive to the concerns of his clergy, faithful in his exhortations, honest in lament ing the defects in the instruction of the pulpit, and zealous in his promotion of the duty of catechizing. An extract from his published Sermon on Confirmation will convey an idea of his views of Gospel truth, and his manner of unfolding them : " Our first parents, even while they were innocent, had no title to happiness, or to existence, but from God's notification of A. D. 1760—1770. 13 his good pleasure; which being conditional, when they fell, they lost it, and derived to us a corrupt and mortal nature, entitled to nothing, as both the diseases and the poverty of ancestors often descend to their distant posterity. This bad condition we fail not, from our first use of reason, to make worse, in a greater or less de gree, by actual transgressions ; and so person ally deserve the displeasure, instead of fevour, of Him who made us. Yet we may hope, that as he is good, he will, on our repentance, for give us. But then, as he is also just and wise, and the raler of the world, we could never know, with certainty, of ourselves, what his justice and wisdom, and the honour of his go vernment, might require of him with respect to sinners : whether he would pardon greater of fences at all ; and whether he would reward those whom he might be pleased not to punish. But, most happily, the revelation of his holy Word hath cleared up all those doubts of un assisted reason ; and offered to the worst of sinners, on the condition of faith in Christ, added to repentance, and productive of good works (for all which he is ready to enable us), a covenant of pardon for sins past, assistance against sin for the future, and eternal life in return for a sincere, though imperfect, and to- 14 ECCLESIASTLCAL MEMOIR. tally undeserving obedience*." This respect able prelate died in August 1768, and was suc ceeded in the primacy by Dr. Cornwallis, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry. 5. Warburton, Pearce, Newton, Lowth, and Law, who held the respective sees of Gloucester, Rochester, Bristol, Oxford, and Carlisle, were distinguished for scholastic attainment, theolo gical research, and controversial talent. The subtlety with which Revelation had been at tacked by some, and the temerity with which the oracle of God had been touched by others, rendered it prudent in the Government to mar shal such able generals on the side of the na tional Zion. Numerous hosts were seen under different colours to assault her bulwarks ; and it was necessary to silence ignorance by learning, and sophistry by argument. Great Scholars, however, are apt to forget, that our " faith doth not stand in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God ;" that " the weapons of our warfare are not carnal ;" and that " the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." Hence, while professing to defend the truth, the mists of passion obscure the light of the sanc tuary, and they go down to sharpen their arms * Seeker's Lectures, vol. ii. p. 306. A. D. 1760 — 1770. 15 at the forges of the Philistines. To.be " full of debate" is one characteristic of our fallen na ture ; and vehemence of temper, acting on lite rary pride, is pregnant with evils. A love of metaphysical refinement, and an unbridled ima gination, may be reckoned also among the snares to which men of first-rate talents are peculiarly liable ; while the carnal mind, which is enmity against God, opposes the simplicity of the Gospel in a thousand different ways, and hinders the practical application of the best- supported theory. It is painful to record, that Warburton and Lowth, by their mutual vehemence and pro tracted love of controversy, turned those wea pons too much against each other, which would have been formidable in a joint attack against their common enemies, and caused regret in the friends of the Church. It ought, however, to be added, that the greater proportion of cen sure attaches to the memory of the former. His talents fitted him rather for the bar than the pulpit. " He was a man of vigorous facul ties ; a mind fervid and vehement, supplied by incessant and unlimited inquiry, with wonder ful extent and variety of knowledge, which yet had not oppressed his imagination, nor clouded his perspicacity. To every work he brought a 16 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. memory full fraught, together with a fancy fer tile of original combinations, and at once ex erted the powers of the scholar, the reasoner, and the wit. But his knowledge was too multifarious to be always exact, and his pursuits too eager to be always cautious. His abilities gave him a haughty confidence, which he disdained to con ceal or mollify ; and his impatience of opposition disposed him to treat his adversaries with such contemptuous superiority as made his readers commonly his enemies, and excited against the advocate the wishes of some who favoured the cause *." Such is the description given of him by an able critic ; from whom we also learn, that his literary zeal in defending Pope against Bolingbroke was the occasion of bringing him into notice ; for the poet " introduced him to Mr. Murray, by whose interest he became preacher at Lincoln's Inn ; and to Mr. Allen, who gave him his niece and his estate, and by consequence a bishoprick." This extraordinary man both astonished and alarmed the lovers of the Bible, by maintaining, in his " Divine Legation of Moses," that the system of the Jewish lawgiver was sanctioned by the doctrine of temporal rewards and punish- * Johnson's Life of Pope. A. D. 1760-7-1770. 17 ments alone. He also held some singular opi nions concerning the sentiments of the early Jews relative to the hmnau soul, and indulged in other speculative inquiries, which were rather calculated to display his argumentative powers, than benefit the cause of revealed truth. These hypotheses, however, were harmless, compared with that Want of reverence with which he frequently handled divine subjects, and the light manner in which he treated the doctrine of ex perimental religion in his writings against the Methodists. But his difference with Lowth originated in then- opposite opinions concerning the book of Job : Warburton conceiving it to have been the production of Ezra, some time between the return of the Jews from the capti- %dty of Babylon, and their thorough settlement in their own country ; Lowth recognising Job himself as the author, at a period anterior to Moses. That two able divines should have been betrayed into acrimonious retort upon such a question, is a remarkable comment on the language of the Apostle, " Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth !" To Dr. Lowth the Christian Church is in debted for some excellent Lectures on He brew Poetry, and a new translation of the prophecy of Isaiah. He favoured also the sys- 18 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. tern of a twofold interpretation of the Psalms, and was a izealous defender of the godhead of the Saviour. It is gratifying to advert also to his character in private life, to the amiable temper which he displayed in the domestic circle, and to the pious integrity which marked his general character. Dr. Pearce composed " Annotations on the New Testament," and Dr. Newton " Dissertations on the Prophecies." The latter work was a valuable Supplement to Sher lock's " Discourses on Prophecy," and threw some interesting light on that important branch of theological study. The learning and ability of these prelates were better adapted to the de fence of the outworks of Christianity, than their knowledge of the mystery of godliness to the investigation of its citadel. The Bishop of Bris tol, indeed, was at no pains to conceal his dis like of the earnest and faithful addresses of evangelical Ministers, exercising against them one while acuteness of wit, and at another seve rity of remark. Edmund Law, advanced to the episcopal bench in 1769, on the recommendation of the Duke of Grafton, was a man of genius and great metaphysical talent. But his love of spe culation ensnared him in his theological inqui ries ; and, while he gave credit for sincerity to A. D. 1760 — 1770. 19 those who opposed him in argument, he be trayed too much of the indifference of scepticism towards some grand fundamentals of Christian faith. He piqued himself on liberality of senti ment, and on attachment to religious freedom ; but became latitudinarian in principle, and viewed with growing complacency the Arian scheme of divinity. The tenet by which, as a writer, he is more particularly distinguished, is, that " Jesus, at his second coming, will, by an act of his power, restore to life and conscious ness the dead of the human species, who, by their own nature and without his interposition, would remain in the state of insensibility, to which the death brought upon mankind by the sin of Adam had reduced them." The records of the Christian Church abound with instances of characters, from the ancient Gnostic to the modern latitudinarian, who have been deceived by a specious philosophy. It is always dan gerous to break down the mounds of simple theory, for the purpose of wandering in the fields of hypothesis. The great adversary knows how to adapt his baits to the various propensities of our fallen nature, and whom he cannot ruin by gross sensuality he will seek to entangle in metaphysical subtleties. The servant of God, aware of his natural pride of heart, will sit at c2 20 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. the feet of the heavenly Gamaliel, desiring, as a little chdd, to learn the truth as it is in Jesus, and not " intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind." 6. If from these characteristic sketches of the " principal of the flock," we proceed to a more general consideration of the state of reli gion among the clergy, it may assist us in our researches to have recourse to a classical ar rangement of the members of the clerical body. It is obvious, however, that such an arrangement must, in a certain degree, be arbitrary ; and that there are individuals of one class that will in a measure partake of the qualities of those of another. But our object will be attained by such precision, rather than by a more vague plan of narration ; and naturalists do not aban don a system, because some character of one species may belong. to another, which ranks under a different genus. Neither will such ar rangement exclude a collateral view oi^ the habits of the laity, as members of the Establish ment. The Ministers of the National Church may be divided into the Secular, the Latitudi narian, the Orthodox, and the Evangelical. 7. The Secular, during the former part of this reign, were a numerous class. Strangers A. D. 1760—1770. 21 to the life and power of godliness, imperfectly acquainted with the religious truths of which they were appointed heralds, and better versed in the maxims of Pagan ethics than the prin ciples of Christian morality, they afforded a sub ject of animadversion to Dissenters, grieved the souls of the righteous in their own communion, and bartered the lasting esteem of the wise and good for the precarious friendship of the idle or the dissolute. If the residents of populous towns, they thought it not derogatory to their sacred profession to take a prominent part in the amusements of the worldly and the ftivolous. Tlie theatre, the tavern, the bowling-green, the ball-room, the concert, and the horse-race, were the accustomed haunts of these degenerate sons of Levi. Hour after hour was consumed at the card-table. They sought to ingratiate them selves with the polite or the wealthy, by supple ness of manner, smartness of repartee, readiness of quotation, or art of compliment ; and as the clerical dress so commonly worn in the preced ing century was now altogether superseded by a habit more and more assimilated to the prevail ing fashion, in cut though not in hue, there was little left even in appearance to distinguish the ambassador of the Lord of hosts. In country villages, they associated with the gentry in their c 3 22 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIK. field-sports, hunting-parties, or convivial feasts; where they witnessed vain conversation, impious ejaculations, and intoxicated spirits*. The lord of the manor attended his parish church on Sun day, from a sort of mixed feeling of at once pro pitiating the favour of the Deity, and setting an example to his tenants of reverence for institut ed ordinances. In this little Gothic temple he listened to the clerk that " prophesied smooth things," or it may be, at intervals, dozed under the tame admonition ; and when at last bx'ought to the bed of death, he looked to this same clerk, with whom he had so often sitten down to eat and to drink, and risen up to play, to administer to him the emblems of a Saviour's body and blood, as a sort of passport to the joys of eter nity! This is not an exhibition of clerical manners exaggerated by hyperbole, or tinged with sar- * " Quin et illud Ecclesiastae perpendendum, quaedam'ejns esse generis, ut quamvis ab^nt a crimine, tamen quoniam prae se ferunt malam speciem, non absint a criminis suspicione. Ab his quoque circumspect^ cavendum est Ecclesiastae, veluti possidere divitias, splendidius edificare, vestire uitidius, con- vivari lautius, vino hilarescere, consuetudinem habere cum foe- minis : per se non sunt crimina; tamen maligno vulgo, et ad obtrectandum quilni ad obtemperandum procliviori, prjebent male suspicandi, malequc loquendi materiam." — Erasmi Ec- desiastes, L. 1. A. D. 1760 — 1770. 23 casm; it is too faithful a representation of a season in which vital Christianity was little known and experienced : and however a super ficial thinker may be disposed to treat such a detail as .trifling, the enlightened and reflecting reader will acknowledge, that when a consider able portion of the ordained instructors of a state were thus unfaithful to their charge, and unqualified for their office, and so much irreli- gion prevailed among all orders of men, it was wise and merciful in God to smite the nation with his rod, to purify the unwholesome atmo sphere by his thunders, and to rouse them to a sense of their duty by alarming visitations. The civil commotions of this period, the animosity of political parties, the embarrassed situation of the government in its hostilities with European powers, and the anticipated rupture with its American colonies, are the evident judgments of Jehovah on a land that had too much disho noured his name and his tmth. 8. The writings of English and French phi losophers had generated a spirit of scepticism and infidelity in the upper classes of society, and their principles and conduct had a delete rious influence on their inferiors. Wilkes and his associates were at once abettors of a system of debauchery and insubordination. Without c 4 24 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. discussing the merits of their political measures with reference to the British constitution, they may fairly be considered as exemplifying in no slight degree the description given by Jude of filthy dreamers, who " defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities." The principle of Jacobinism was in active operation in Great Britain before it broke out on the con tinent, though providentially prevented from proceeding to such dreadful excesses. To ridi cule the " parsons," as the Ministers of religion were familiarly styled, was part of that system of irreligious indifference, which led to the too general profanation of the sabbath, the con tempt of the Bible, and the neglect of family prayer. The conduct of many secular clergy men, who engaged with violence and pertinacity in party poUtics, contributed to lower their order in the estimation of the public, and con firm the prejudice or gratify the malice of those who desired their degradation. Contests among the presbyters themselves were indeed provided against by the disuse of convocations ; but the seeds of other evils were sown by the liberty which the clergy obtained of voting for members of parhament, as an equivalent for relinquishing the privilege of self-taxation. It tended to di vide their body on grand political questioHs, and A. D. 1760 — 1770. 25 to induce individuals on either side to conciliate the favour of patrons of benefices by exertions in their behalf. Elections became stepping- stones to preferment. Intemperate language was sometimes used in the pulpit : and the zeal with which opposite opinions were maintained in public meetings or private parties, ill became those whose province it was to endeavour to compose the jarring elements, and show man kind the superior duty and interest of striving for a heavenly inheritance, and " giving dili gence to make their calling and election sure," in a spiritual sense. Tracts, poems, and essays, issued fi-om the press, in which their reverend authors betrayed more or less the spirit and style of partisans. Some of these publications were of a respectable cast; others were altogether unbecoming their profession. Among the in stances of extravagant conduct to which these party contests gave rise, may be noticed the three following: Charles Churchill, Curate of St. John's, Westminster, a man of talent, but of licentious morals, attacked public characters in a satirical poem entitled " The Rosciad." In toxicated with success, he threw off his gown, and became a complete debauchee. In October 1764, he went to Boulogne, on a visit to Wilkes, his democratical patron ; and was suddenly car- 26 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOlK. ried off by a fever in the thirty-third year of his age. John Horne, Rector of Brentford, seized with a political mania, also resigned his canoni cals, and became notorious as a party disputant. He was an able philologist and critic ; but sa crificed all his talents at the shrine of a scepti cal philosophy. Dr. Wilson, Rector of St. Ste phen's, Walbrook, was so infatuated with ad miration of the writings of Mrs. Macauley, a female of republican principles, that he placed a statue of her, while living, in the chancel of his church. This was very properly removed by his successor, as " an abomination, standing where it ought not." 9. Nearly allied to the Secular class was that of the Latitudinarians. Many, however, of the latter division, were men of decorous habits and studious character. Their chief distinction arose from the principles on which they subscribed to the Articles, and used the formularies, of the National Church. They considered many points of faith and doctrine as indifferent which the Orthodox regarded as essential; and deemed, that if they did not openly and avowedly attack the received system in their professional capa city, but were contented with occasional criti cism and speculative discussion, they discharged their obligation and preserved their integrity. A. D. 1760—1770. 27 They merged, indeed, the character of divines in that of philosophers. They were confirmed in their opinions by the reeisonings of some able literary character ; and putting their own sense on certain theological terms and religious decla rations, they were led by the very nature of their system to vague interpretation and disingenuous conclusion ; while they were attached to the ec clesiastical ark by the attenuated thread of ex pediency rather than the well-wrought cordage of conviction. Hence, it is not to be wondered at, that, while the humble found " hope as an anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast," those who put out to sea without rudder or compass, should sometimes have been " carried about with every wind of doctrine," or have seemed to " make shipwreck of f^ith and a good con science." 10. If it had been, that this class of divines, from the entertainment of sentiments in the strictest acceptation of the term Arminian, had merely objected to that portion of the Articles, which, for distinction's sake, is called Calvinis tic, but had nevertheless subscribed to the whole, in order to preserve the peace of the Church, the evil would have been of minor importance. But, under the mask of liberality, error assumes a thousand shapes. Arianism, Socinianism, and 28 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. Pelagianism, corrupted too many, and shed their respective poisons with greater or less degrees of heretical virulence. Some were not content with upholding the sentiments of Dr. Samuel Clarke on the mysterious subjects of liberty and necessity, who observes that " God's foreknow ledge of particular persons is not a fore-appoint ment to eternal happiness or misery, but always to some temporal office or advantage only;" but they also cherished his views of the Trinity. And, if the name of Theophilus Lindsey be men tioned, who some years afterwards resigned the vicarage of Catterick in Yorkshire, to which he had been presented in 1764, because, as an ho nest man, he would not eat the bread of a church whose doctrines he disbelieved, it is but to record an instance of conscientious dealing which is honourable from its rarity*. Mr. Wil liam Hopkins, Vicar of Bolney in Sussex, re- * Drs Jebb, of Cambridge ; Robertson, of Wolverhamp ton; and Chambers, of Northamptonshire; with Messrs. Tyrr- whit of Cambridge, Evanson of Tewksbury, Harris of Har- wood, Disney of Panton, and Maty, Chaplain to Lord Stor- mont ; acted a similar part, making sacrifice, in a greater or less degree, of worldly interest to ecclesiastical scruple. Lind sey was induced to set this example by the remarks of a writer > who signed himself Lwlius; and who, in 1773, started the subject of the inconsistency of retention of benefice with non conformity in principle. A. D. 1760 — 1770. 29 tained, like many others, his preferment, though decidedly Arian in his interpretation of Scrip ture. This gentleman published, in 1763, a re vision and correction of the Liturgy, which served to confirm his cotemporaries, who held similar sentiments, in their pernicious adher ence to the Antitrinitarian theology. Some departed from the unsophisticated spi rit with which the Church receives the doctrine of the fall of man in her Articles and Homilies; and flattering themselves with a notion of supe rior discernment, either affected to consider the Mosaic account of that event as a sort of Orien tal allegory, or as implying a partial obliquity from rectitude in the mind of man, rather than a total departure from original righteousness. A seasonable vindication of the testimony of Scrip ture on this fundamental point was undertaken, in 1753, by Dr. Samuel Shuckford, who had been chaplain in ordinary to the late King; and Doctors Kennicott and Horne, of the University of Oxford, consecrated their valuable talents to the service of the sanctuary, and maintained the plain letter of revelation against the insinu ations of the sceptic, or the false gloss of the heterodox. It was in perfect consistency with their inadequate views of the apostacy of man kind, that the Latitudinarians rejected the tenet 2 30 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. of justification by faith alone, calling the doc trine of imputed righteousness absurd and unin telligible, while they ridiculed the notion of ex perimental evidence in religion. " It is against common sense," said Dr. Trapp, " to talk of feel ing the Spirit of God;" a sentiment held by all those of the Warburtonian school who knew not how to distinguish between the fancies of the visionary, and that inward witness which is the blessed privilege of those who truly believe. On the doctrine of future punishment, both as to its nature and duration, this class of divines entertained lax opinions. From the days of Origen, the enemy of souls had aimed to sooth the terrors of conscience by impugning the or thodox creed on the final and irreversible doom of the ungodly. It has been well observed, that " Never did sin sleep on so soft a pillow as is made up of this hypothesis*." And yet not a few were found unfaithful enough to deny the scriptural tenet of eternal torments, and to treat the fear of hell-fire as delusive and superstitious. Dr. William Adains, Reetorof St. Chad's, Shrews bury, who was afterwards elected Master of Pembroke College, Oxford, and promoted to the * Dean Young's second Sermon on the Wisdom of Be lieving. A. D. 1760—1770. 31 Archdeaconry of Landaff, was of this number ; and in a subsequent period of his life, when his friend Dr. Johnson expressed som6 distressing alarms on the subject of everlasting damnation, declared that he considered it sufficient to believe that a negation of happiness,, or at most a qualified punishment, awaited the wicked in a future state *. 11. From this rapid delineation of charac ters who fell so far short of the required stan dard, we turn with appropriate satisfaction to that respectable and useful class, usually deno minated the Orthodox, to whose integrity and devotion we would bear a grateful testimony. They were a body of clergymen, fewer in num ber than either of the former divisions ; but who rendered eminent service to the Church, by their bold and manly assertion of some essen tial doctrines of the Gospel, unchecked by the malice of obloquy or the sneer of ridicule. And though some individuals among them, in their zeal against schismatical principles and practices, revived the high Tory spirit of a for mer age, and seemed in their reasonings on the subject of church-government to leave Dis senters in common to the uncovenanted mercies * Boswell's Life of .Johnson. 32 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. of God, wounding thereby the feelings of many of the most pious and estimable of their cotem poraries ; yet their general consistency as minis ters of the established communion ensured them the respect of the public. Their sermons were deficient in that energetic spirituality or affec tionate simplicity, which marked the addresses of their brethren who ranked under the Evan gelical division ; nor did they make such forcible appeals on the truths of religion to the con science of the hearers ; yet a God of Providence blessed their ministrations to the conversion and edification of many in their respective spheres, while they exhorted sinners to flee for refuge to the hope set before them in the Gospel, and ad monished them to seek that influence from above which would guide them into all truth. Their names are had in remembrance in the parishes and neighbourhoods which were the scene of their labours with well-merited affection. Against the Arian they upheld the doctrine of a Trinity in Unity ; against the Socinian, the need of an atonement ; against the Pelagian, the depravity of our common nature : but in stating the plan of salvation, they were not always sufficiently clear in representing repentance and faith as the conditions of the Christian covenant, and obedience as the fruit or evidence of justi- A. D. 1760— 1770. 33 fying faith. Their phraseology sometimes tend ed to lead the half-convinced self-justiciary into a notion that a threefold merit attached to his person on repenting, believing, and obeying ; and that when salvation was affirmed to be of grace, it rather referred to its origination on the part of God, than its reception on the part of man. Bred in the modern school of Sherlock and Wilson, they drew with less discrimination the characters of real and nominal Christians, than those divines who studied the writings of a Hall or a Leighton ; and forming their style after the manner of Tillotson, they regarded a plainer and more scriptural diction as a rem^ nant of Puritanism. 12. Doctors Macdonnell, Scott, and Ran dolph, opposed the Arian scheme in some sea sonable publications. The first answered the pernicious though plausible cavils of Hopkins, as well as replied to an " Essay on Spirit," which had been drawn up by Clayton, Bishop of Clogher, in the year 1751. This work excited a considerable controversy, inasmuch as the fa^ vourers of Arianism avaUed themselves with much assiduity of the talent and influence of so high a functionary. The second appeared as author of a piece entitled, " The Holy Scrip ture Doctrines of the divine Trinity in essential 34 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. Unity, and of the Godhead of Jesus Christ;" and the third sent out " A Vindication of the Doctrine of the Trinity from the Exceptions of a late Pamphlet," meaning that of the Irish prelate. Mr. Parkhurst, Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge, published, in opposition to Doctor Priestley, a leading Socinian, " A Demonstra tion from Scripture of the Divinity and Pre-ex- istence of our Saviour ; " and vindicated the creed of the Orthodox in his two celebrated Lexi cons of the Greek and Hebrew languages. Dr. Horne, President of Magdalen College, Oxford, issued from the press, a " Sermon on the Duty of contending for the Faitli,'' and a " Letter to an Undergraduate" against the errors of the day. Glasse, Rector of Wanstead; Wetherell, head of University College ; Berkeley, Prebend ary of Canterbury; Bouchier^ Vicar of Epsom ; Whitaker, author of " Origin of Arianism dis- - closed ;" Bingham, Rector of Pimpern, Dorset ; Randolph, Archdeacon of Oxford; Southgate, Curate of St. Giles's in the Fields ; and Pierson Lloyd, Second Master of Westminster School ; deserve to be enumerated as characters who stood in the gap in that season of Latitudina- rianism and Heterodoxy, and by their exhorta tions warned the public against the innovations made on the faith once delivered to the saints. 3 A. D. 1760 — 1770. 35 Among the laymen who took part with the Orthodox clergy, may be noticed William Julius Mickle, son of a presbyterian minister, distinguished in the literary circles for his poe tical talents, and respected in Oxford as cor rector of the Clarendon Press. In 1 769 he pub lished a " Letter to Dr. Harwood, wherein some of his evasive Glosses in support of the Arian Heresy, &c. are pointed out and confuted." William Burgh, Esq. also wrote an able " In quiry into the Belief of the Christians of the three first Centuries, respecting the One God head of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ; " and Sir John Thorold defended the Trinitarians in 1770, in a work entitled " Scripture inter preted by Scripture." 13. But the most distinguished champion of the established doctrine and discipline was the Reverend William Jones, born at Lowick in Northamptonshire, in 1726. When a student at the Charterhouse in London, he made rapid progress in the Latin and Greek languages; and on being removed to University College, Oxford, he applied himself diligently to the acquisition of Hebrew, and various branches of divinity and philosophy. From his curacy at Finedon, in his native county, he sent out in- 1753 his " Full Answer to the Essay on Spirit," d2 36 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. which discovered considerable abilities ; but itt the opinion of some, drew questionable conclu sions from the notions of the Hermetic, Pytha gorean, and Platonic schools. But about the same period hc published his " Catholic Doc trine of the Trinity," which stands unrivalled for logical deduction and terse remark in favour of that important mystery. His services were pleasingly noticed, rather than adequately re munerated, by the Primate of the English Church, who in 1764 presented him to the vi carage of Bethersden in Kent, and in the follow ing year to the neighbouring rectory of Pluckley. These he afterwards exchanged for the perpetual curacy of Nayland in Suffolk, and the rectory of Paston in Northamptonshire. He continued to advocate the cause of Orthodoxy from time to time in his retreat at Nayland ; and his writ ings have been highly esteemed by the lovers of order both in church and state, for their acute ness, fidelity, and research, though sometimes tainted, as it has been thought, with a spirit of bigotry, and a love of allegory, which led him to strain a figure beyond its just limits, to the equal injury of good taste and Protestant sentiment. 14. This latter gentleman, together with a considerable party of his Orthodox brethren, and some of the Evangehcal division, was at- A. D. 1766 — 1770. 37 tached to that system of theology and philoso phy known by the name of Hutchinsonianism, and which had made some progress in the two former reigns. When men of piety, erudition, and talent, uniting sound judgment with fine imagination, patronize and propagate senti ments of a religious and physical description, which seem to the majority to be little better than ingenious fancies or fascinating absurdi ties, it is the part of common candour, not less than of cool reflection, to pause over the signature of their condemnation. It ought also to be considered, that there is a wide dif ference between the complacency of a favourer and the blindness of a partisan ; and that in systems involving many and great questions a limited acquiescence ought not to be confounded with decided advocacy. Thus the tenets of Hutchinson in their religious bearings were ap proved by some zealous upholders of .the creed of Athanasius, who would have been far from impugning the theory of Newton. Hutchinson himself was a bold and original genius, and had all that temerity in the state ment of hypothesis which is frequently the con comitant of singularity in opinion. Though his own education was not regular or scholastic, nor his discoveries unfolded in attractive dic- d3 38 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. tion, his system embraced so many curious questions in philology, divinity, and physics, that the scholar hoped to find some new light thrown upon the study of languages, the theo logian was gratified with a scheme that illus trated the doctrine of a Deity in covenant with his church, and the naturalist hailed the inves tigation of some interesting phenomena. The learning of a Parkhurst, the piety of a Romaine, and the ingenuity of a Jones, in favouring the Hutchinsonian school, avoided the extravagant partiality of a Catcott and a Bate. They thought however, that the leading principles of their master tended to the promotion of the divine glory ; and did not consider the scheme as less Evangelical, because it was partly assi milated to Rabbinical tradition. The moderate Hutchinsonians professed to believe that all knowledge, natural as well as theological, is contained in the Hebrew Scriptures ; that the vowel-points are not necessary to the right un derstanding of those Scriptures; that the air existing in the three conditions of fire, light, and spirit, is symbolical of the three divine Persons ; that their agencies in the system of nature correspond with the operations of the Tri nity in the system of grace ; that the solar orb in the centre is the grand main-spring and vivifier, A. i5. 1760— -1770. 39 which is a standing type of the glory and grace of the Saviour ; that the Cherubim were typical of the divine attributes, and that Gentile idolatry originated in the abuse of these representations ; and that it is highly probable that our first pa rents were placed in the garden of Eden as in an epitome of heaven, and a great astronomical observatory, where they not only enjoyed sweet communion with Jehovah Aleim, but in which they learned the most edifying lessons in divine and natural philosophy; and that, after the fall, they worshipped in a tabernacle on the east, being instructed in the rite of sacrifice, circum cision, and other symbolic ceremonies, which they handed down to the faithful patriarchs, who pronounced their mystical benedictions in a sacerdotal character, and saw in the revealed names of God a blessed relation to the covenant of redemption. 15. In adverting to the fourth class of di vines, it may be expedient to premise an ob servation on the term itself by which they are distinguished. If it seem invidious to desig nate any particular division of the clergy by the epithet "Evangelical," since all are pro fessedly Ministers of the Gospel, it should be considered that this is not a title which that body has arrogantly assumed, but which has d4 40 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. been so often applied to it in common parlance, that it has become its property by a sort of pre scriptive right. In other words, the meaning conveyed by the term is sufficiently distinct for historical purposes, if not defensible on prin ciples of critical accuracy. Whatever may be thought of its discriminative justice in modern usage, it imports, by its introduction into the present Memoir, a body of Ministers of the sanctuary, who, at the period in question, were so few in number, that their paucity enhanced their value. Scattered up and down, they were opposed to the Secular class by their de- votedness to the duties of their function ; to the Latitudinarian, by their jealous adherence to the letter and spirit of revelation; and to the Orthodox, by their faithfulness in proclaiming the doctrines of grace, and declaring the whole counsel of God, while they equalled them in theological correctness and in moral consist ency. There were also in this class certain sub divisions; some preferring the Calvinistic, others the Arminian scheme in divinity: they not only differed in their mode of stating di vine truths in the pulpit, but were sometimes led to oppose each other in the press ; while a religious zeal, acting on a warm temperament, became insensibly mixed with the baser alloy of A. D. 1760 — 1770. 41 party spirit and logical contention ; and too often gave occasion of malignant joy to the enemies- of that Gospel which the disputants mutually reverenced, as they saw revived in members of the pure and tolerant church of Britain, a portion of that controversial rancour, which had maintained the respective causes "of the chairs of Amsterdam and Geneva, or had mingled in the quarrels of the Jansenists and Jesuits. The Evangelical divines differed again as to the phraseology which becomes the rostrum of public instruction ; some conceiving that the language of the preacher might be suf ficiently plain, without descending to partial vulgarisms, which might give needless offence to the ear of taste ; others holding that ab stinence from rude images and familiar style was in its degree an evasion of the offence of the cross, and that it were better, since the ma jority is poor and unlearned, to draw from their Master's quiver the jagged arrow than the po lished shaft, to give the salutary wound of con viction. Some of them also, lamenting the darkness which overspread their native land in religious matters, and deeply impressed with a sense of the danger of that state of unconver- sion in which they beheld so many of their countrymen, deemed that their commission ex- 42 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. tended beyond the pale of their own parishes, and were fain, in their love of souls, to become itinerant heralds of the tidings of salvation, and exhort sinners to flee to Jesus, in a barn, a conventicle, or even in the open air. Others, and those by far the greater number, considered this step as inconsistent with that regularity of ministration which became a national priest hood, incompatible with the vow of canonical obedience, and calculated to prejudice their civil and ecclesiastical superiors against the most serious and devoted of the clergy. Nor must it be omitted, that many of these ex cellent men were distinguished by the manner in which they addressed their congregations, not confining themselves to the substance of a written discourse, but delivering their ha rangues from short notes, memoriter, or ex- temper^, according to the custom of the Eng lish preachers under the house of Stuart, and before the prevalence of indiscreet oratoiy in a time of trouble and exacerbation rendered it expedient to introduce a more cautious mode of preaching. They also revived, in some of their congregations, the custom of singing hymns and spiritual songs, abounding with Evangelical sentiment, in addition to the common vei-sions of the Psalms of David. A. D. 1760— 1770. 43 16. The importance of the sphere in which they moved, their superior opportunities of usefulness, and the notoriety derived from local circumstances, direct our view, in the first in stance, to those pious Ministers who laboured in the metropolis or its vicinity. Among that number the primaiy place may be assigned to William Romaine. This apostoh'c character was born on the 25th of September 1714, at Hartlepool, in the county of Durham. He was educated suc cessively at Hertford and Christchurch Colleges in Oxford, where fie was remarkably attentive to his studies. Nor did he quit the university till he took his master's degree, in 1737, about which time he was also admitted to holy orders. Having attained some celebrity in London as a preacher, and likewise as an editor of Calasio's Concordance and Lexicon, he was chosen Lec turer of St. Botolph's, Billingsgate, in 1748, and, in the year following, of St. Dunstan's in the West. He preached and served in several other churches in the capital, till the year 1764, when he was elected Rector of St. Anne's, Blackfriars. Here was his grand scene of ac tion, where, for thirty years, he brought forth out of his treasures things new and old, as a well-instmcted scribe and steward of the mani- 44 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. fold grace of God. He was firmly attached to the doctrine and discipline of the (^Jhurch of England, and made it a principal endeavour to gain her an interest in the hearts of his people, that her authority might be reverenced, and her services understood and esteemed. Constrained by the love of Christ, and enabled to rejoice in a sense of covenant mercy, .it was his delight to be engaged in the great work of exhorting sin ners to flee from the wrath to come, and of building up believers in the faith and hope of the Gospel. His powerful addresses, filled with divinity drawn from the pure and original foun tains of Scripture, and sanctioned by the opi nions of martyrs and confessors, were heard with avidity by immense crowds of citizens; while his venerable aspect, engaging maimer, and pathetic delivery, won their affections and com manded their respect. He continued his lecture at St. Dunstan's, advocated the cause of many charities, and visited, in the summer, either the north or west of England, where the pulpits of affectionate friends were gladly opened for his reception. The cause of true religion was also greatly promoted by his admirable treatises on the " Life, Walk, and Triumph of Faith *." * This work was much read. A gentleman of London who wanted it, seeing a divine by his side, looking in at a hook- A. D. 1760 — 1770. 45 17. Thomas Jones, Chaplain of St. Saviour's, Southwark, was a burning and shining light, and an able coadjutor of his excellent friend Mr. Romaine, with whom he was content to share the obloquy which attached to a faithful ex hibition of the doctrines of grace. Unfeignedly devoted to the interests of that church in which he had been ordained a Minister, he envied not those who derived larger revenues from her bounty, filled, as he was, with the love of his Redeemer, and actuated by a desire to promote the glory of God and the good of souls. He met, however, with much obstruction in his pious work, and was successively prevented from reading prayers and expounding the Scriptures in an almshouse, from which some small stipend had been previously received as a sinecure, and- from preaching a weekly lecture in his church. But while his name was, in a manner, cast out among men, he was eminently honoured of God, and became the instrument of conversion to many, whom the ease of his delivery, sweet ness of his voice, and smoothness of his periods, seller's shop-window, said, " Sir, can you tell me where I can meet with Romaine's Walk of Faith?" — " Sir," replied the clergyiuan, pulling a book out of his pocket, " I am the author, and there is the work, at your service." This led to an agTeeable acquaintance. 46 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. would have failed to profit, had not his word been attended with demonstration of the Spirit and with power. Yet it pleased an inscrutable Providence to remove him at the early age of thirty-three years, when he triumphantly ex* changed earth for heaven, praying for his flock, and desiring Mrs. Jones " to rejoice over his corpse, and praise God for what they had suf-r fered together here, and for what they should enjoy together hereafter." He died 6th June 1762 *. 18. But if death pluck one golden bough from the ministerial tree, another shall not be wanting. Though our fathers be gathered to the grave, the God of our fathers ever liveth to make provision for his people. Scarcely had Mr. Romaine wiped from his eye the tear which flowed at the removal of Mr. Jones, ere that eye glistened with delight at the promising ta lents of the Rev. Henry Foster, whom he ap pointed to assist him in his parochial labours. He was born in the West Riding of Yorkshire, in 1745; and> having been awakened to serious reflection by overhearing one of his father's workmen at prayers, he learned, as a young man, how to cleanse his way, by keeping him- * Middleton's Biographia Evaiigelica, vol. iv. A. D. 1760—1770. 47 self after God's word, and entered at Queen's College, Oxford, in 1764, where his exemplary conduct acquired the deserved esteem of his tutor. Receiving orders in 1767, he not only undertook for a season the cure of Mr. Ro maine's parish, but was successively Lecturer of St. Ethelbiirga and Blackfriars ; and, in 1769, was chosen Friday evening preacher at Saint Antholin's, Watling Street, commencing his ministry with a discourse from 2 Cor. v. 20: " Now, then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God *." 19. While Mr. Foster was labouring in these portions of his Lord's vineyard, the Rev. Martin Madan testified of the truth as it is in Jesus, with great acceptableness, in another quarter. He was a man of taste, literature, and science, of conversational talent, and elegant criticism in poetry and music. He was allied to some dis tinguished families, and brother to the Bishop of Peterborough. His popularity^ however, as a preacher, was owing to the faithfulness of his doctrine and the benevolence of his character. He quitted the bar, to which he had been brought up, for the church, and evinced his * Watkins's Funeral Sermon on the Rev, H. Foster. 48 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. disinterested desire of usefulness by officiating as Chaplain, without emolument, at the Lock Hospital, a merciful institution, which had been greatly promoted by his own exertions. Some religious persons were scandalized at a work which he published, in his latter days, en titled, " Thelyphthora ; or, a Treatise on fe male Ruin;" in which he maintained both the duty and expediency of assimilating the Eng lish law on seduction to the Mosaic, and com pelling a seducer to marry his victim, even though he should be already in the married state. However objectionable might be his theory, it is due to his memoiy to observe, that he never intended to recommend polygamy in the abstract, but conceived that such a regula tion would act as a powerful check to that pro fligacy which ensnared so many females, whose subsequent misery he was constrained to witness at the Hospital which was the particular scene of his ministry. 20. Directing our view westward, we find a young Minister, named Edward Spencer, hold ing forth the word of life at Bradford, in the county of Wilts. Born in London, in 1739, brought up under a religious mother, and ac quainted with some pious Ministers, he gave early indications of being the subject of a gra- A. D. 1760 — 1770. 49 cious principle, entered at St. Edmund's Hall, Oxford, and undertook the cure of Bradford, of which Dr. Chapman, Master of Saint John's Hospital, Bath, was the respectable incum bent. Here he had to encounter the bitter op position which faithfulness generally excites, but was made the happy instrument of spread ing the fi-agrance of a Saviour's name among a large multitude, many of whom were brought to receive the truth in the love of it. He es tablished a Wednesday lecture, and occasionally opened his pulpit to senior clergymen, whose exhortations strengthened his hands. His kind ness to the poor was not confined to their souls, but extended, according to his abihties, to their bodies. Sincerely attached to the Established Church, he inculcated in the minds of some pupils, whose education he undertook, a regard for her sendees, refused to labour out of an episcopal communion, lamented the prevalence of theological controversy, aijd sought to lead religionists to avoid disputes on matters of doc trine and discipline, which might be considered as non-essential, and to cultivate that concord which became the subjects of the Prince of peace. 21. The Church of England had a dutiful son in the person of Dr. Stonhouse, who at s 50 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. this time filled the station of Lecturer of All Saints, in the city of Bristol. He was de scended from the third branch of an ancient and respectable family, which held the rank of baronetcy; and, being sent to St. John's Col lege, Oxford, graduated in medicine, and prac tised as a physician at Northampton, where he became acquainted with some pious characters, particularly Mr. Hervey, of Weston Favel, and Dr. Doddridge. He married Miss Ekins, a ward of the latter ; and feeling that to minister to minds diseased by sin was a more excellent office than prescribing remedies for corporeal ailments, entered into holy orders. He was pre sented to the rectory of Great and Little Che- verell, in the county of Wilts, and published some useful tracts of a devotional nature, par ticularly suited for the sick and afflicted, which had an extensive circulation, under the pa tronage of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge ; while their pious author looked to the great Physician of souls for a blessing on his endeavours, and trusted that the health of the daughter of God's people might be recovered by the spiritual balm of Gilead. The Doctor in herited the title in 1792; and, after using his influence and talents according to his measure in the cause of Christianity, was removed from earthly dignities and cares in 1795. A. D. 1760—1770. 51 22. The vicarage of St. George, in the county of Gloucester, having been separated from that of St. Philip and Jacob in Bristol, in 1755, the corporation presented it to the Rev. Richard Hart, on the death of the incumbent of both livings, about four years afterwards. He was born at Hanham, in the parish of Bit- ton, in Gloucestershire, on the 15th of May 1727, of a very respectable family, and of pious parents. Bred up at the College school in Bristol, and at Christchurch, Oxford, he was diligent in study, and particularly in the attain ment of theological science. ¦ Accepting the cu racy of Warminster, in Wiltshire, he made known the word of truth, as he grew in grace and in the knowledge of God his Saviour. After residing there five years, he was conduct ed, by the providence of the great Head of the Church, to St. George's, where he sustained the character of a consistent divine, and was gene rally esteemed for his pious and useful conver sation *. 23. Differing in his natural temperament and statement of evangelical truth from the three former divines, was Augustus Montague Toplady, who began his labours at this period, * Christian Guardian, vol. i. E 2 52 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. at Blagdon, in Somersetshire. He was a young man of no ordinary cast, the son of Major Top lady, and born at Farnham, in Surry, Nov. 4, 1740. When about fifteen, his heart was drawn out in love to a crucified Redeemer ; and the perusal of Dr. Manton's Sermons on the seven teenth Chapter of St. John's Gospel gave his divinity a Calvinistic bias. Going with his mo ther (who was sister to the Rev. Julius Bate) to Ireland on some family affairs, he entered at Trinity College, Dublin, where he proceeded Bachelor of Arts, and was ordained in 1762. With a countenance expressive^ of keenness and firmness, of an ardent spirit, possessing classi cal attainment, poetical talent, and command of language, he became a popular preacher, and exercised his ministry in London, Bristol, and other places, till he was settled in Broad Hembury, in Devonshire. Here he entered more deeply into dispute with the Arminians of the day, than was always profitable for himself or for them. But, glowing with zeal in his Master's cause, and devoting himself to his work, notwithstanding some checks from a de licate constitution, he held up the cross with great effect to the view of thoufjands of his fellow-creatures, till it pleased the Lord to call -him to worship in a better sanctuary, at the A. D. 1760 — 1770. 53 early age of thirty-eight, when he departed with the most triumphant assurance of an abun dant entrance into the kingdom and glory of God*. 24. Rich in those ores and metallic sub stances which too often prove the mammon of unrighteousness to their possessors, Cornwall- was not destitute, at this season, of some who valued that Gospel which is compared to trea sure hid in a field. Her miners, digging deep into the bowels of the earth, and her mariners, fearlessly tempting the surges of the ocean, while, in the language of Moses, " they sucked of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand," experienced a fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah, " I will give thee the trea sures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel." The inhabitants of this corner of the island had long retained, not only habits, but even a language differing from that of the rest of their countrymen ; but the last sermon had been preached in that dialect in 1678, and, as the peasantry became more and more civilized, its use had insensibly declined ; so that, when the * Middleton's Biographia Evangelica, vol. iv. E 3 54 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. philosophical Mr. Barriiigton visited the county in 1768, he could only find " one old woman who could scold in it." But the time was come, when, in a still better sense, hundreds of Cor nish men should speak with new tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance, as the promise of Zephaniah was accomplished, " I will turn to the people a pure langTiage." This change was owing, under God, to the sanction which was given to religious profession by certain members of the Prideaux, Vivian, and Trelawney families — to the excellent example and zealous exertions of Mr. Conon, master of the grammar-school of Truro — to the Rev. Mr. Vivian, of St. Agnes — to the Rev. Mr. Thomson, of St. Ginny's — to the Rev. Mr. Burnet, of Padstow — and, above all, to the faithful testimony of that emi nent servant of Christ, Samuel Walker. This excellent divine had nearly finished that testimony at the period in which this Me moir commences; but, as some of the best effects of his ministry were produced by some lectures on the Church Catechism, preached to wards the close of his life, a more special notice will not be inadmissible. He was born at Exe ter, onthe 16th of December 1714, and lineally descended from Bishop Hall. Ordained in 1737, he successively served the churches of 3 A. D. 1760—1770. 56 Dodescomb-Leigh in Devonshire, and Lanlivery in Cornwall; and at length, in 1746, entered on the great sphere of his action, the populous town of Truro. At this time he was much esteemed as to his private character. Tall in stature, dignified in manner, ready in expres sion, and cultivated in mind, his company was much desired ; and though, as a Minister, he felt, and often felt deeply, for the souls committed to his charge, yet he had not learnt that holy sen sitiveness which shrinks from the touch of the world; and the giddy and fashionable easily forgave the grave Sunday admonition of the pastor who joined in the festivity of the Monday water-party or land-assembly. An incident oc curred which gave a different colour to his fu ture life. Smuggling was so common on that coast, that respectable characters drank with out scruple of wines and spirits for which the duty had never been paid. Mr. Conon, how ever, begged Mr. Walker to convey for him a sum of money to the custom-house, which he considered himself as owing on that account *. This request led to an intimacy, and introduced some serious converse on the nature of vital godliness, which ended in such a change of -^ Christian Observer, vol. vi. p. 568. e4 56 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. sentiment in Mr. Walker, that he immediately altered the style of his preaching, renounced the vanities of the world, encountered the op position of the self-righteous and the dissipated, and succeeded in awakening an anxious inquiry after the way of salvation, while as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. He be came the chief of a pious society of clergymen and laymen, who met for religious conversation and prayer in behalf of the church and country. In the midst of this usefulness his health de clined. On the 27th of April 1760, he preached his last discourse at Truro, on the awful subject of the last judgment, which he handled with all the pathos and energy of a man in the pro spect of eternity ; and after visiting some be loved Christian friends in various quarters, he entered into the joy of his Lord, in the most happy frame of spirit, at Blackheath, near London, on Sunday the 19th of July in the fol lowing year *. 25. Crossing the Bristol channel in our Christian survey, we land on the southern coast of the Welch principality. Here, at Prengast Church, near Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, we find the Reverend Henry Davies exciting a ' StilUngfleet's Account of Walker, A. D. 1760—1770. 57 concern about religion in the minds of the de scendants of the ancient Britons. He had been educated under the excellent Griffith Jones, Rector of Llandowrer in Caermarthenshire, a man emphatically styled " the Welch apostle," and who has left a standing memorial of his labours in the institution of the Welch Circu lating Charity Schools, in which, at the time of his death in 1761, were 8687 scholars. This important work was furthered by the munifi cence of the pious Mrs. Bevan of Laugharne, his friend and patroness, who bequeathed ten thousand pounds for their perpetual support. In consequence of the ministry of Messrs. Jones, David, Daniel Rowlands, Howell Harris, &c. many thousands were brought to the knowledge of the truth, who had been accustomed to spend the Sabbath in singing and dancing to the music of a hired set of fiddlers and harpers. The proclamation of the glad tidings of salva tion, accompanied with the energetic address and gesticulation of the Welch preachers, was attended with the liveliest effects on the ardent spirits of their congregations. It is however to be regretted, that the connexion formed by some pious ministers with the Calvinistic Me thodists gave a less sober air to the revival of religion among the Welch than among those 58 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. whom they would call their Anglo-Saxon neigh bours ; and this circumstance gave offence to many who venerated the ancient episcopacy of the British churches. At the same time it must be confessed that they were driven to some ex traordinary irregularities by the opposition of many prejudiced characters among their clerical brethren. Mr. Davies began his ministry in the church of Llys-y-fran in Pembrokeshire, but was soon dismissed from that station on ac count of his faithfulness. Afterwards he itine rated, and frequently preached in the open air, after the example of his revered preceptor, Mr. Jones, who seems in the first instance to have been led to speak in churchyards, from the impossibility of accommodating the multitudes who came from the surrounding country in the parish churches. Previous, however, to the set tlement of Mr. Davies at Prengast, he laboured as a regular curate at Llandowrer. An anec dote is related of him, that as he was walking early one Sunday morning to a place where he was to preach, he was overtaken by a clergy man on horseback, who complained that he could never get above half a guinea for a dis course. " O Sir," said Davies, " I preach for a crown."— " Do you?" replied the stranger; " then you are a disgrace to the cloth !" To A. D. 1760—1770. 59 this rude observation he returned this meek an swer : " Perhaps I shall be held in greater dis grace in your estimation, when I inform you that I am now going nine miles to preach, and have but seven pence in my pocket to bear my expenses out and in ; and do not expect the poor pittance remitted that I am now in posses sion of; but I look forward to that crown of glory which my Lord and Saviour will freely bestow upon me, when he makes his appearance before an assembled world." This laborious Minister entered into his rest, in the full hope of a glo rious resurrection, about the end of March 1770, and was interred in his parish church, his spiritual children kneeling round |iis grave, and bedewing it with the precious tears of un affected sorrow. 26. Returning eastward through Shropshire, we see Mr. Fletcher entering on his important charge at Madely, a wide and populous village near Colebrook Dale, on the banks of the Se vern. Surrounded by a hardy race, whose dark and sinewy limbs were constantly engaged in the laborious task of an iron foundry, amid volumes of smoke, deep pits, and ever-glowing fires, it was his destiny to proclaim the wrath of Jehovah against sinners, who " ordained To- phet of old, and made it deep and large, whose 60 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. pile is fire and much wood, and kindled by the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone:" while his mercy to his church was shown in leading them by " the pillar of a cloud by day, and all the night through by a hght of fire." William de la Flechere, for such was his patronymic, was a native of Nyon, in Switzer land, and coming over to England in his youth, became tutor to the two sons of Thomas Hill, Esq. of Tern Hall, in Shropshire; by whose nephew he was subsequently presented to the vicarage of Madely, after refusing the offer of a more lucrative benefice. " As a steward of the manifold grace of God," observes Mr. Gilpin, one of his biographers, " he faithfully dispensed the word of life, according as every man had need ; instructing the ignorant, reasoning with gainsayers, exhorting the immoral, and rebuk ing the obstinate. Instant in season and out of season, he diligently performed the work of an evangelist, and lost no opportunity of declaring the truths of the Gospel." In 1767 he visited Wales, Yorkshire, and Somersetshire, on a preaching excursion, and after checking the progress of the Papists, who had opened a cha pel in his parish, went to the Continent with Mr. Ireland, a Bristol merchant, and gratified his countiymen at Nyon with a specimen of his A. D. 1760—1770. 61 pulpit-eloquence. Mr. Fletcher's piety from early youth was doubtless ardent and sincere, but his foreign habits of Protestantism, warm temperament, and connexion with the Arminian Methodists, led him into some irregular and injudicious, though confessedly well-meant, me thods of benefiting his parishioners and others ; and excited considerable opposition from the neighbouring clergymen and magistrates, as well as his own profane peasantry. He was however a burning and shining light, and was the instrument of turning a multitude of sinners to the Lord their God ; and if, in his controver sial ^vlitings with the Calvinists, he charged them with principles which they disavowed, or threatened them with consequences which they deprecated, he redeemed these zealous peccadil loes by the truly Christian spirit with which he sought to reconcile all parties, and the single ness of eye and simplicity of heart with which he assisted in building the temple of the Lord *. 27. After Mr. Fletcher had been for some years engaged in the Salopian district, the cause of religion received a most valuable accession in the person of Richard de Courcy, a native of Ireland; and descended of a line of ancestry " Benson's Life of W. de la Flechere. 62 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. well known in the page of civil history. He was a member of Trinity College, Dublin, and ordained deacon in the cathedral of Clonfert, with those solemn impressions of the sanctity of the charge, which showed that it was not unad visedly undertaken. Possessing rare talents, and being a master of elegant composition, while his piety gave earnestness to his addresses, he be came a popular preacher; but finding some dif ficulty in obtaining priest's orders, he came over to England in the summer of 1768, and offici ated for some time at Mr. Whitfield's chapel in Tottenham Court Road, in the chapels of the Countess of Huntingdon, and in a chapel at Edinburgh, belonging to Lady Glenorchy. But wishing for a more regidar and stated ministra tion, he became curate of Shawbury, near Hawkstone, in Shropshire. Ministerial fidelity was respected and countenanced in this quarter by the families of Hill and Powis. Sir Richard Hill, a young baronet of considerable abilities, who became a member of parliament, with his two brothers, Rowland and Brian, brought up to the ministerial office, were avowed friends to the Evangelical system of divinity, and endea voured to promote serious religion among their friends and dependants. The Baronet in parti cular was attached to Mr. de Courcy, as holding A. D. 1760 — 1770. 63 theological sentiments similar to his own, which were decidedly Calvinistic, rather than to Mr. Fletcher, whose opinions were such as marked the school of Arminius or Baxter. It was pro bably through the interest of these pious con nexions that Mr. de Courcy obtained from the Lord Chancellor the presentation to the vicarage of St. Alkmond, in the large and populous town of Shrewsbury. Here this excellent pastor la boured diligently, preached fervently, lived faithfully, and walked consistently. His con stant theme was " Christ crucified ;" and it seemed to be his great aim, by pathetically de scribing the circumstances of our Lord's death and passion, to lead men to an affectionate con sideration of the love of the Redeemer to his chosen people. His labour was not in vain in the Lord. Many believed to the saving of the soul. But his language was sometimes too ele gant and refined for the vulgar and uneducated. Going to preach one day at Hawkstone, Sir Richard Hill entreated him to lower his stand ard of diction. The preacher promised to com ply. In the course of his sermon, having ob served, that " the grave was a repository for the bodies of the deceased," the Baronet told him afterwards, that his metaphor was above com mon apprehension; and when the good vicar 64 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. doubted the justice of the charge, Sir Richard, with his usual vivacity, convinced him of the truth of the accusation, by asking his own groom, " if he knew what Mr. de Courcy meant by repository ? " — " Yes, Sir," said the man, " he meant the place where they sell horses ! ! " The familiarity of the anecdote need not neutralize its reproof of undue elevation of style in dis pensing that Gospel which is preached to the poor. 28. Passing onward to Warwickshire, we are introduced to that amiable and devoted man of God, Dr. William Talbot. He was the eldest son of Major-general Sherington Talbot, who was^the third son of the Bishop of Durham in the time of George the First. Born on the 18th of May 1717, he pursued his academical career at Oxford, and in him were united the attain ments of the scholar and the urbanity of the gentleman, with the more solid graces of the Christian character. Having married Miss Eyles, a young lady of distinguished piety, he was presented about the year 1745, to the vicar age of Kyneton, a small market-town, ten miles from Warwick. Here he was loved by the pious and admired by the intelligent, while with his excellent partner he set an example of personal religion, and consulted the spiritual and tem- A. D. 1760—1770. 65 poral welfare of the neighbourhood. He fre quently excursed to other places, but particu larly to Cheltenham, where Mr. Samuel Wells, a religious sclioolmaster, was anxious for the conversion or edification of his pupils and neigh bours, and loved to open his doors to the in structions of godly ministers. At Kyneton he had the satisfaction of witnessing the good effect of his labours, especially among the younger part of the population; but being in 1767 pre sented by Earl Bathurst to the living of St. Giles in Reading, he removed thither as to a sphere of more extensive usefulness. Here he main tained the character of an upright and diligent pastor. His discourses exhibited a happy mix ture of the doctrines, duties, and privileges of Christianity. Pathetic in delivery, chaste in style, clear in method, and searching in applica tion, he was universally respected, and emi nently prospered. Assisted by Mr. Halward, a sensible, devoted, and active curate, and second ed by Mrs. Talbot in eveiy useful undertaking, his residence was endeared to the inhabitants of this populous town, and the divine seed sown in the hearts of his parishioners, produced an abundant and delightful harvest. 29. In Northamptonshire, the town of Ket tering was favoured with the service of the Rev. F 66 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. Abraham Maddock, a diligent and faithful pa rish priest, on whose lips thousands hung with delight, to whom the word of God was precious. He was born June 1st, 1713, at Westminster, of religious parents, who brought him up to the profession of an attorney; but trusting that he was moved by the Holy Ghost to take on him -the office of a teacher in the house of God, he succeeded in an application which he at length forwarded to Dr. Thomas, Bishop of Lincoln, by whom he was admitted to the order of dea cons in 1757, and in two years afterwards to that of priests by the Bishop of Peterborough. As he quitted a lucrative business, so was he con tent to suffer affliction and privation with the people of God. He began his ministry as Cu rate to the celebrated Mr. Hervey, of Weston Favell, by whose conversation and example he was edified and encouraged; but after his death removed to Kettering, where he opened his mi nistry on the 16th of August 1761. While in this important situation, he was made the in strument of good to many souls ; the malice and envy of others proved so inveterate, that he was called to endure uncommon degrees of igno miny and slander ; till, harassed both in body and mind, he resigned his curacy on the 28th of June 1770, and retiring to Guilsborough, enter- 3 A. D. 1760 — 1770. 67 ed upon the curacy of Creaton, a neighbouring village, where he enjoyed greater peacefulness, and testified of the grace of God to numerous audiences, who were drawn from all quarters by his affectionate and earnest addresses ; and where, contented with scanty means, while be loved by his flock, he experienced probably much temporal privation, as his annual stipend is understood not to have exceeded twenty pounds*. 30. It was at this season that the same quar ter of the kingdom heard the tidings of salvation faithfully proclaimed from those two eminent Ministers, Mr. Berridge, of Everton, in Bedford shire, and Mr. Newton, of Olney, in Bucking hamshire. Very different had been the circum stances of their past life, but they were called to be partakers of the same joy. Starting from opposite posts, they had arrived at the same goal. The former had spent his youth in the pursuit of mathematical and classical science in the University of Cambridge, where he had act ed as Moderator. But his attainments were sanctified in the possession, and he desired that highest of all distinctions, to be the blessed in strument of winning souls to Christ; and he * Middleton's Biog. Evang. vol. iv. f2 68 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. counted all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord. Few men, it may be presumed, have gained a deeper insight into the corruption and deceitfulness of our fallen nature, or have more sincerely rejoiced in the discovery of the fulness and freeness of saving grace. As a preacher, he was peculiar both in matter and manner. Happy but quaint in illustration, severe in animadversion, affec tionate in exhortation, striking in apostrophe, and fervent in entreaty, he acquired great popu larity; and though deep offence was taken at his faithfulness, he was enabled to combat opposi tion, baffle circumvention, and maintain his ground. Thc beauty of holiness shone through his meanness of feature ; and beneath a full and shaggy brow beamed an eye of vivacity and be nevolence, ag he sought to persuade his people to taste and see that goodness of the Lord which he bad so largely experienced. John Newton was born in London the 24 th July 1725; and as his father was master of a ship in thc Mediterranean trade, became con nected with a seafaring life. Obstinate in dis position, unruly in temper, and depraved in mo rals, he went from one degree of iniquity to ano ther; but not without occasional checks of con science, and the experience of many a struoo-le A. D. i/Co — 1770. 69 between the temptations of sin and the convic tions of duty. He suffered much extremity both by sea aud land, chiefly produced by his own waywardness, and was providentially preserved from destruction in many perilous situations. After being torn with the pangs of remorse, and vainly endeavouring to find peace of mind by a moral reformation carried on too much in his own strength, he formed an acquaintance in 1 754 with the captain of a vessel from London, stationed at St. Christopher's, whither he had himseK arrived in the prosecution of his third voyage to Guinea in a slave-ship. This person's discourse informed his understanding, inflamed his heart, and led him to entertain clearer views of the Christian scheme. Doubting the lawful ness of the calling in which he was engaged, and deterred by illness, he resigned the command of his ship; and looking on himself as a brand plucked from the burning, desired to live de voted to his Saviour. His mother, a pious dis senter, had wished in his childhood that her son might be educated for the Ministry; but her early death, and the different scenes in which he was afterwards engaged, seemed to have cut off all probability of such an event. But now the same wish pervaded his own breast ; and after due preparation by study and prayer, he was or- f3 70 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. dained to the curacy of Olney in 1764. Thus, by the wonderful disposal of Providence, he who in youth had been an abandoned profligate, and in maturer age a jailor of wretched Africans, was called to proclaim liberty to the captives of Satan, and to be the associate and spiritual counsellor of the interesting poet Cowper; an intercourse, for whieh he was happily suited by a similar talent for versification, a love of play ful and innocuous satire, childlike tenderness of affection, and a felicity in spiritualizing passing occurrences. To which might be added, that the circumstances of his past life, while they certainly gave a cast of enthusiasm to his o'tvn religious experience, threw an interest of a pecu liar nature round his character, and stamped on him an adventitious value in the eye of the bard as the heir of extraordinary mercy. The vicarage was in the gift of the Earl of Dartmouth, a lover of good men, a promoter of religious and charitable institutions, and a noble man whose piety might be deemed fanatical by some of his laxer peers, but which was approved by his judicious sovereign. The incumbent was Moses Browne, a man of meek and unaffected piety, who had laid the foundation of Christian improvement in his parish by his example and discourses, and who, being led from pecuniary A. D. 1760 1770. 71 difficulties to accept the chaplaincy of Morden College, Blackheath, gave up this charge the more readily to a person of Mr. Newton's senti ments, while the latter found the temporal cares of his new situation agreeably alleviated by the generosity of John Thornton, Esq. an active but unostentatious friend to the cause of true reli gion, who allowed Mr. Newton two hundred pounds per annum, with a view to increase his usefulness, and a permission to draw on him, when requisite, for a larger contribution*. If Ministers of less notoriety than those al ready mentioned are not enumerated in this ca talogue, it is not from insensibility to their ta lents, or oblivion of their services. In survey ing the group of Mthful pastors, some figures seem to stand out more prominent from the canvass than others, as men who have been scarcely less useful as authors than as preachers, and whose treatises and discourses have abun dantly edified the church in general, as well as afforded profitable bases for the handywork of younger Ministers. Some were blessings in their respective circles, whose names have not been so celebrated; but they were " honourable among the thirty mighty" in the army of the spiritual "^ Cecil's Life of Newton. F 4 72 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. David. Nor is the lowly violet, diffusing its fra grance in an humbler sphere, less noticed by the great Proprietor than the spreading citron, that sheds its perfume far and wide in the garden of the Lord. The Rev. Mr. Andrew, who so nobly vindicated the " Scripture Doctrine of Grace," in his Letter to the Bishop of Gloucester; the Rev. Dr. Stevens, who, as Fellow of Trinity Col lege, supported the doctrines of the Church in the pulpit of the University of Cambridge, in opposition to Mr. Jebb ; the Rev. Messrs. Piers, of Bexley, in Kent ; Piercy, of Woolwich ; Bent- ley, of Camberwell ; Unwin, of Stock, in Essex ; Bridges, of Wadenhoe, in Northamptonshire; Gurdon, of Cookham, in Berkshire; Downing, Chaplain to Lord Dartmouth; Stillingfleet, Chaplain to Lord Barrymore ; Shirley, Chaplain to Lady Huntingdon ; with Dr. Haweis, after ward incumbent of Aldwinkle, &c. ; upheld the truths of the Reformation, and esteemed it their highest privilege to gather souls to Christ, in different quarters in the southern division of the kingdom. 31. But we proceed to notice some excellent pastors of the Christian flock in the extensive diocese of York, where they " held forth the word of life, in the midst of a crooked and per verse generation, among whom they shone as A. D. 1760 — 1770. 73 lights in the world." Lights they were in our northern region, shining, not with the pale and partial coruscation of Aurora Borealis, but glowing with the bright and distinct fires of Arc- turns and his sons. We shall just step aside in our way thither, to mark the success of the Gos pel of grace as administered by the Rev. Thomas Adam, at Wintringham, in Lincolnshire. This eminently devout character drew his first vital breath at Leeds, in the West Riding of York shire, on the 25th February 1701. His aca demic life was spent successively at Christ's Col lege, Cambridge, and Hertford College, Oxford. By the interest of an uncle, who had rendered a legal service to the patron of the living of Win tringham, he was presented to that benefice in 1725. Though his attention to duty was con scientious, and his information in divinity con siderable, it was not till many years afterwards that he found complete and sacred rest for his sin-burdened soul, and truly entered into that liberty wherewith Christ maketh his people free. He had long pursued that system of mortifica tion recommended by the Protestant ascetic Mr. Law, but some wound from the arrows of Sinai still festered in his bosom. One day, however, he bent his knee in his study to his Father who saw him in secret, imploring him to pity his 74 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. distress, and to guide him by his Holy Spirit into the right understanding of his own truth. He then perused attentively the six first chapters of the Epistle to the Romans, and to his un speakable satisfaction obtained a clear view of the doctrine of justification, and entered experi mentally into the felicity of the chosen of God. From that time he preached Christ as a free and all-sufficient Saviour with the energy of a man in earnest, and published a paraphrase on the same parts of Scripture, with the desire that others might become partakers of his joy. He also lectured his people plainly on the Church Catechism; and meanwhile became himself more and more confirmed in his evangelical senti ments by the writings of Luther. He was plain in his habits, watchful over his temper, circum spect in conversation, laborious in his profession, and continuing instant in prayer; and it was remarked as an amiable quality in his character, that, though naturally irascible and morose, he was patient under injuries, and made a point of doing some act of kindness to the rude and of fensive, that he might haply overcome evil with good, and " heap coals of fire on their head." 32. The West Riding was at this period one of the most favoured spots in the island in re spect of divine instruction. Reflecting minds A. D. 1760—1770. 75 saw with generous pleasure that no inconsider able portion of the unpolished natives of that wild district heard the word with joy, and dili gently inquired after the way of salvation. One of the first promoters of a revival of religion was the Rev. William Grimshaw, whose labours in the cause of his Master, as he was wont em phatically to call his Saviour, have seldom been exceeded in the annals of ministerial activity. Born on the 3d of September 1708, at Brindle, near Preston, in Lancashire, and educated at Blackburn and Heskin in the same county, he was admitted a member of Christ's College, in Cambridge. He associated as a young man with the careless and worldly of his own stand ing, but was preserved from excess of riot by providential checks and warnings of conscience. In 1731 he entered into holy orders, and after living a life without God in the world, became in 1734 an altered character, renouncing coun tiy sports, and watching over the concerns of his own soul, and those of his parishioners of Tod- morden. For several years he suffered great mental uneasiness, till at length it pleased God to give him a clear vie^v of his interest in that Lamb, whose blood cleanseth fi-om all sin. In structed, moreover, by the reading of some good theological works, he came, in May 1742, to 76 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. Howorth, near Bradford, in Yorkshire, where he not only performed divine service thrice on the Sabbath, but is recorded to have preached at private houses and elsewhere, fifteen, twenty, and not seldom thirty times a week for fif teen years, besides visiting the sick and attend ing to other duties of his function. Strong in faith, ardent in hope, glowing with charity, and giving glory to God, he terminated his career onthe 7th of April 1763, the Lord having seal ed his ministry by vouchsafing to convert many by his means. He v/as a lively belieyer, watch ful of Providence, and holding frequent com munion with his God. It was his rule to go and preach or expound at the dwellings of those who wilfully absented themselves from the parish- church, saying, " If you will not come to church to hear me, you shall hear me at home ; and, if you perish, you shall perish with the sound of the Gospel in your ears." 33. A man like this had little leisure for the offices of private friendship, or the pleasures of particular communion. He was on terms of in timacy, however, with the Rev. Henry Venn, the ddigent and amiable Minister of Hudders- field. This gentleman had been Fellow of Queen's College, Cambridge, and was a divine of considerable information, quick sensibility. A. D. 1760 — 1770. 77 and sound judgment. Bold in the service of his Lord, and anxious for the spiritual illumi nation of his cotemporaries, he beheld with re gret the general esteem in which the work en titled " The whole Duty of Man," by an un known author, was held by the public, consider ing it as deficient in those characters of clear statement, and practical application, of the grand subjects of religious truth, which should mark a Protestant production. He therefore undertook the delicate task of sending out a counter publi cation, which he called " The complete Duty of Man ; " a service which formed a contrast in his favour, when compared with 'the injudicious letter of Mr. Whitefield on the same subject, and for which he was entitled to the thanks of the Church of God. 34. In 1767, the Rev. Matthew Powley was nominated by the Vicar of Huddersfield to the perpetual curacy of Slathwaite. Born at Low ther, in Westmoreland, Sept. 21, 1740, the early part of his life was passed in the grammar-school of Appleby, and at Queen's College, Oxford. Be coming serious under the preaching and through the intercourse of a pious Minister, he had to encounter the prejudice and opposition of those who viewed with jealousy the promulgation of Evangelical sentiments, and perceived not that 78 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. such doctrine was the old wine of the Gospel. He was plainly told by some superiors of his college that he must renounce the visiting and hearing of this gentleman, whose word he had found so beneficial. After some hesitation and advice, he agreed to the former part of the re quisition ; but could not altogether be brought to acquiesce in the latter. The consequence was loss of academic preferment. It was, however, in reference to this faithfulness, that, on his tak ing orders, he was presented to Slathwaite cha- pelry, after having been curate for three years to Mr. Brook Bridges, of Wadenhoe. He was here doubtless a happier man, and more useful member of society, than he would probably have been in the walls or connexion of a college. Soon afterwards he married the daughter of the Rev. Mr. Unwin, whose family showed such be nevolence to the afflicted Cowper. Having dili gently served this cure for ten years, and been much blessed in the conversion and edification of his hearers, he was preferred to the vicarage of Dewsbury, through the interest of the Earl of Dartmouth with his gracious sovereign. 35. The important station of lecturer in the large church of Leeds was filled by the Rev. Miles Atkinson. He was called by the grace of God, early in life, to the knowledge of Christ A. D. 1760—1770. 79 and him crucified, and gave up prospects of preferment, rather than unduly qualify the Gos pel message, which he was commissioned to pro claim. He was a man eminently fitted for the situation in which he was placed by an all-wise Providence. His language was plain, and his discourses were rather to be admired for their fervent and earnest application to the consciences of his hearers, than for that lucid order, by which divine truth itself is recommended to the critical ear. Honest, amounting to a degree of bluntness, and strong to encounter hardship, his were the qualities of solidity and sterling worth. Upright as a man, faithful as a minister, loyal as a subject, and knowing how to temper the severity of reproof by a kind look and affec tionate word, he was loved and reverenced by a crowd of mechanics and manufacturers, who frequented his ministry, and attentively listened to his counsel. He became in after-life vicar of Kippax, about nine miles from Leeds, but con tinued to labour in the duties of his lectureship. Consistent in his conduct, and painstaking in his business, he was a sort of central point, to which the movements of his clerical friends were directed for advice and encouragement, and ac quired much useful influence as the secretary to a society supported principally by pious clergy- 80 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. men, for the education of young men, who were desirous of entering into the Established Church as Ministers, but who, from limited personal resources, or defect of patronage, were not possessed of the necessary means. Silent and unostentatious in its character, and preserving the requisite delicacy towards the ob jects of its liberality, this institution, judiciously administered by its Secretary, under the con trol of an intelligent committee, has been an in calculable blessing in its consequences to many parishes ; to which it has furnished Pastors, whose attachment to Episcopacy as a form of government, and to the Thirty-nine Articles as a form of doctrine, were their presumptive re commendation to its notice. 36. These sketches of individual Ministers may be closed by an account of that excellent servant of Christ, Dr. Richard Conyers, in cumbent of Helmsley, in the North Riding, of which town he was also a native. He was born on the 13th of February 1725, and educated at Cockswold School, and Jesus College, Cam bridge. Finishing his studies, he fixed his re sidence at Helmsley, which church he fre quently served, but had the regular cure for some time of Kirby near Pickering. An amiable and kind deportment endeared him to his neigh- A. D. J760 — 1770. 81 hours of all ranks ; and Mr. Duncombe, patron of the living, promised him the presentation, if he survived the aged vicar. This engagement was fulfilled after the lapse of seven years, when he entered on his charge with a mind sincerely set on doing good, according to his light and ability. He taught the poor, catechised the children, warned the young, and instructed the adult. He kept the most watchful guard over his own conduct; and, like the Herberts of former days, was wont to shut himself up in the church to confess, to pray, to meditate, to re solve, and to devote himself again and again to God. As yet, however, he had but very limited views of the Gospel scheme; yet he laboured and prayed. The path of obedience has often proved the way to knowledge ; and such it proved to this good man. He had been diligent indeed, but in a legal spirit; and many passages of that Bible which he studied were to him for a long time incomprehensible. Among other declarations of the lively oracles, he was par ticularly struck with that awful sentence, " Without shedding of blood there is no re mission." He rejoiced in the liberty of the Gospel, when he perceived the gracious import of that counter-passage, " The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin." No sooner had he ob- 82 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. tained clear views of the grand Protestant and Scriptural doctrine of justification by faith, than he laboured, with all diligence and sincerity, to make it known to others. As the parish of Helmsley was extensive, he taught at different houses on appointed days of the week; and every evening had family devotion in a room ad joining his residence, to which the public had access. He was also very particular in instruct ing the rising generation, and endeavouring to impress on them the necessity of reading the word, and attending the means of grace. His hands were strengthened in this pious work, and his spirit encouraged, by the example and con versation of the sister of John Thornton, Esq. with whom he was united in the bands of wed lock in 1765. The effect on the minds of his parishioners was similar to that which has marked the .declaration of the word from the earliest age ; " Some believed the things that were spoken ; and others believed not : " and if his labour was sometimes rewarded in the reform of the profligate or the edification of the devout, he occasionally had to lament the opposition of scoffers and the declension of professors. 37. Thus did Jehovah, who is wise in counsel and wonderfiil in Av;orking, who hath put the times and seasons in his own power. A. D. 1760—1770. 83 vouchsafe to revive the dying spirit of religion in the Established Church of England, and ren der the first decade of the reign of George the Third an interesting era in the history of the Reformation. Thus did he recruit the expiring lamps of the sanctuary, bid the rod of the priesthood be covered vrith new blossoms, and send a gracious rain to refresh his vineyard when it was weary. This revival was effected by human instruments of various talents, attain ments, and degrees of spiritual light ; and, while divine illumination resides in human breasts, and the hidden manna is enclosed in earthly vessels, imperfection will more or less attach to the operations of the church. But if over-scrupulosity in some, and latent enmity in others, have magnified the inadvertencies, or aggravated the irregularities, of men of God, it will be the office of the impartial historian to place them in their true light, and exhibit their bearings in a less prejudiced point of view. It is, however, a more pleasing task to record their excellencies, and to notice how their cha racteristic differences were compatible with the relation they bore to the common Head. The various tints in the bow of heaven are all pro duced by the same process of refraction ; the different fragrancies of the flowers of Eden all g2 84 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. arise from the same law of exhala,tion ; and if the zeal of Luther was seen in Romaine, the perseverance of Calvin in Toplady, the sweet ness of Melancthon in Newton, the elegance of Erasmus in De Courcy, the research of Beza in Madan, and the diligence of Zuinglius in Grimshaw, we hail them as united confessors of " one Lord, one faith, one baptism." 38. A brief reference to the state and pro ceedings of the venerable " Society for promot ing Christian Knowledge" will form an ap propriate conclusion to this division of our sub ject. Samuel Percival, a gentleman of Corn wall, having piously bequeathed 1000/. for the propagation of Christian knowledge in foreign parts, that sum was appropriated, with a wise attention to the exigency of the case, to the Pro testant mission in the East Indies. The grant was blessed by Providence. Christian Frederick Swartz, a man of apostolic feeling and cha racter, a German by birth, and a Lutheran by profession, having gone out as a missionary to India, under the protection of the Danish Mis sion College, was directed by his patrons to establish himself at Tritchinapoly, under the English Society; which, merging the minor consideration of the difference between the Anglican and Lutheran confession, gladly A. D. 1760 — 1770. 85 availed itself of his services, and co-operation with other excellent missionaries, which it al ready supported in the southern portion of the Indian peninsula. In 1766, on the 18th of May, a church was dedicated in Tritchinapoly, whose erection was owing in great measure to the influence of Colonel Wood, who highly es teemed Mr. Swartz. His missionary labours were crowned with so much success, that he found it necessary to employ several native con verts as catechists ; and the good man rejoiced to exercise his ministry under the fervours of an Asiatic sun, while he beheld the tears of gra titude flow down the cheeks of a sable audience to a crucified Redeemer, whose almighty power was present to turn the Hindoo from his cai-ved image, as the European fi-om the more subtle idolatiy in the chambers of the heart. It was the privilege and honour of this So ciety, not only to give or sell at reduced price, the Bible, the Testament, and the Prayer Book, besides such tracts as were deemed useful to the poor and needy in general ; but also to cir culate the Scriptures of truth among his Ma jesty's forces in the army and navy; and thus to present the most precious of all boons to our brave veterans and hardy tars, at a time when, if we except an association of a limited extent G 3 86 BCCt&SIASTICAL MEMOIR. patronized by Mr. Romaine and some other pious individuals, no institutions of a similar na ture existed among the members of the national Church. Nor must we omit to notice the Chris tian benevolence which dispersed gratuitously a large impression of the Testament, the Liturgy, and several religious works, in the vulgar tongue of the Isle of Man, whieh was soon followed by an edition of the Old Testament in the same dialect. This work of mercy was peculiarly acceptable to Dr. Hildesley, the bishop of the island, who, with his clergy, had zealously pro moted the measure, in pity to the poor and ig norant natives; and, by a happy coincidence, this extension of their spiritual privileges took place when the sovereignty of the island was sold to the British monarch by the Duke and Duchess of Athol; a civil transaction of great importance, inasmuch as the distinct jurisdic tion of this petty royalty had the indirect effect of encouraging crime, and was found very in convenient for the purposes of public justice, and injurious to the revenue, by affording un fair protection to a flagitious horde of debtors, smugglers, and outlaws. 8: CHAP. II. A. D. 1770-1780. 1 . Death of the Rev. Geo. Whitefield — 2. Retrospect of his Labours — 3. Howel Harris, and Trevecca In stitution — 4. T. Joss — 5. C. Winter — 6. Countess qf Huntingdon, and Origin qf her Connexionr^. Pro gress of Wesleyan Methodism — 8. Dr. Coke — 9. In fiuence qf Methodism on the Establishment — 10. Good Effect in Ireland — 11. Feafhers Tavern Association —12. Rejection qf their Petition by the House qf Commons— ^^ 3. Repeal of the Test Act opposed by the Lords — 14. Reflections — 15. Bishop Porteus — 16. Pastoral Changes — 17. Cadogan— 18. Decoetlogon — 19. Middleton — 20. Eyre — 21. Pentycross — 22. Rou- quett — 23. Simpson — 24. Richardson — 25. Jos. Mil ner— 26. T. Hervey — 27. Elemental Visitations — 28. Execution qf Rev. Dr. Dodd— 29- Taste for ecclesiastical Decoration — 30. Improvement in Bib lical Literature. \. On the 30th of September 1770, died, at Newbury Port, near Boston, in New England, that zealous and indefatigable Minister of the everiasting Gospel, the Rev. George Whitefield : an event of considerable importance in the an- g4 88 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. nals of Methodism, and claiming particular notice in ecclesiastical record ; both on account of the extraordinaiy character of its subject, as a presbyter of the English Church, and of the influence which the religious system advocated by his party, may be presumed to have had on the Establishment itself. 2. In adverting to his personal labours, sub traction of fame will not result from brevity of retrospect. Detailed in the accurate research of a Gillies, and eulogized in the fervid strains of a Cowper, his memorial is not confined to the range of the sectarian, but blessed in the catholic Church. The discriminating verdict of truth will still do justice to the name, whose peculiarities may call for censure, or demand at best a qualified approbation. Posterity will re cognise in his character a zeal like that of Paul, which endured perils by land, by water, by his own countrymen, and among the heathen; a perspicuity in doctrinal statement, like that of Augustine ; and an eloquence commanding the passions of multitudes, like that of Chrysostom. Most of the principal places in England vrit- nessed his powerful exertions. One while, he arrested the attention of a refined and titled audience ; at another, he awakened a religious concern in the semi-barbarous minds of the A. D. 1770 — 1780. 89 « colliers of Kingswood. Now he carried the divine message into the public temple or private chamber ; then he harangued the motley rabble of Moorfields, Kennington Common, or Han ham Mount, declaring that " hills were the best pulpits, and skies the best sounding-boards." Nor were his labours confined to his native country. An activity of mind and vehemence of spirit, which would have spurned the regu lated boundaiy of a parish priest ; an enthu siastic view of providential guidance and sup port, which calculated probabilities after its own manner; fitted him for the itinerant apostle, rather than the stationary pastor. Crossing the Atlantic seven times, he "bore a successful tes timony among the American colonists and ab originals ; and whether engaged as the benevo lent guardian, watching over the infant con cerns of his Orphan-house in Georgia ; or sanc tioning the expedition of the New Englanders against Louisburg, under the gallant Pepperell, with the fervour of an honourable patriotism ; we are astonished at the combination of so much talent, piety, and enterprise. In a visit to Ireland, he was less successful ; but in several journeys to Scotland, his ad dresses were attended with considerable unction. In that division of the empire, some circum- 90 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. stances were favourable to his cause, whUe others were disadvantageous. Among the higher classes, those who relished the savouiy exhorta tions of an Erskine, admired the polished lec tures of a Walker, or acknowledged the sen sible arguments of a Leechman, would hail the approach of the pious Southern ; while such as were infected with the infidelity of Hume, or took refuge in the decent morality of Blair and the tinsel theology of Logan, would be offended at the honest messenger of the Cross. Such, however, was the effect of his eloquence on the arch-sceptic of Edinburgh (when, in a sublime apostrophe, he entreated Gabriel, with uplifted eyes and hands, not to leave the spot to make his report till one sinner at least was converted), that he pronounced it the finest burst of oratory he had ever vritnessed. He experienced on the other hand a grievous impediment from the party spirit which prevailed in the respective ad vocates for tbe Kirk and the Secession. But, much to his credit as an episcopalian, he would take no part in the dispute, and simply declared, " That the kingdom of God was not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit." He was gratified, however, in witnessing among the lower orders habits of devotion and reUgious subordination ; and found A. D. 1770—1780. 91 beneath the bonnet and plaid of a Scotch pea- I santry a general intelligence, resulting from the system of parochial instruction, and securing him from that coarser treatment which he had some times experienced on his own side of the Tweed. Intelligence of his decease reached the mo ther-country in the following November. The deaths of few individuals on record have caused a greater sensation among different classes of religionists. For thirty years he had been re garded as the head of Calvinistic Methodism ; and in that connexion were many preachers and hearers, who mourned his loss as that of a father and a champion. Many clergymen, who had been accustomed to regard him with feelings of affection as a brother in Christ, and of reverence as a powerful instrument in the hand of Pro vidence to promote that revival of serious Chris tianity which had taken place, and had in some measure associated with him in his undertaking, bore public te^imony of their respect for his character, by fiineral sermons, elegiac tributes, and other memorials of departed worth ; while a number of persons, whose worldly habits led them to hate and ridicule that spirituality which they esteemed ascetic and impracticable*; or * The lovers of the theatre were haters of Mr. W. ; and Garrick aud Foote wished to attack him, after the example of 92 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. whose inveterate prejudices forbad them to ac knowledge any excellence in a character which had subjected itself to their reprehension ; spe culated on his removal with that kind of satis faction, with which the surgical practitioner an ticipates the consequence of the excision of a gangrene. But a plentiful provision had been made for the perpetuation of his division of Methodism, by the establishment of some lay- ministers in his chapels, the itinerancy of others, and the assistance of certain Calvinistic divines. 3. An early friend of Mr. Whitefield, and for some time a supporter of his cause, was found in the person of Howel Hanis, a Welch gentleman, of whom ridiculous reports were generated by the listlessness of ignorance or the malevolence of hostility. He was a man of un affected piety and exuberant generosity, not without eccentric traits, and the warm tempera ment of an ancient Briton. Born at Trevecca, in Brecknockshire, in 1714, he entered at St. Mary's Hall, in Oxford ; but left the University to commence a field preacher. His youthful mind was penetrated with deep concern for t salvation of immortal souls, but effervesced with Aristophanes towards Socrates. The attempt was partially tolerated in London, but cried down in Edinburgh. A. D. 1770— 1780. 93 a zeal, which, in the graduated scale of religious feeling, occasionally approached the fever-heat of enthusiasm. Having experienced consider able persecution, he determined to establish a religious family at Upper Trevecca, building a large house for the accommodation of its mem bers, and devoting the proceeds of his estates to the support of the institution. He surrounded this dwelling with farms and manufactories, whose tenants professed the same religious sen timents with those of the inhabitants of the mansion, in which were the chapel, school, and offices belonging to the community. Hither they repaired daily for the purpose of divine worship, which was generally observed with the . punctuality of monastic regulation. During the lifetime of Mr. Harris, a spirit of unanimity and order prevailed, which was truly gratifying ; the husbandmen and traders carried on their se veral concerns for the benefit of the common stock with Christian conscientiousness, diligence, and patience; the sick and afflicted were at tended with pious assiduity, or supported with impartial charity; the youth were educated with religious circumspection ; and the whole pre sented to the benevolent spectator a sight, so much more pleasing than the celebrated insti tution at Port Royal, as its members were pro- 94 BCCLBSIASTICAL MEMOIR. fessors of a purer faith, inhabited a more salu brious spot, and increased the sum of human happiness by a more extended utiUty. Mr. Harris did not long survive Mr. Whitefield, dying in 1773, and bequeathing the whole of his possessions, hereditary and accumulated, to the maintenance of the institution, subject to his own regulations, under two trustees, who were to be residents of the mansion, and exer cise a patriarchal authority over the depends ency *. 4. Another favourite of Mr. Whitefield, and labourer in his connexion, was Torial Joss, a Scotchman, born at Auch-Medden, in Aber deenshire, in 1731 ; who for his adventures as a man, and popularity as a preacher, may claim particular notice. His youth was spent in ma ritime employment ; and the vessel in which he served, being taken by the enemy, he endured much hardship in a foreign prison. On his return he was impressed, and sent on board a King's ship, stationed on the Scottish coast, to co-operate with the land forces, at the period of the rebellion. He made his escape, and travel ling to Sunderland, hired himself apprentice to the captain of a Yorkshire coasting vessel ; and * Malkin'i Scenery of South Wales. A. D. 1770—1780. 95 being of moral and steady habits, took oppor tunities, when the ships were laid up, of im proving himself in useful learning. He was awakened to a serious concern about his soul by the conversation of a female acquaintance, whose daughter he married, and became an oc casional preacher aihong the Methodists, though without relinquishing his maritime connexions. He became afterwards joint proprietor of a ves sel, which was lost at the Nore, when he and his crew were with difficulty preserved. Going to Berwick, to superintend the construction of another vessel, he employed the interval in preaching, and with so much acceptance, that one of his hearers wrote concerning him to Mr. Whitefield, who after a time prevailed with him to renounce a seafaring life, and become an associate in his ministerial labours. He gene rally supplied the Tabernacle in London, but made an annual excursion to different parts of the country, especially to those places in which were erected chapels belonging to the Calvinistic Methodists. His congregations were very nu merous, and his addresses were lively, impres sive, and edifying. He was enabled to continue his labours till the year 1797, when he departed with a triumphant assurance of entering into that rest which remaineth for the people of God. 96 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. 5. A third character, who possessed the more immediate confidence of Mr. Whitefield, and whom he regarded with a sort of parental affec tion, was the Rev. Cornelius Winter. His origin was sufficiently obscure, being educated at the charity-school of St. Andrew, Holborn. In his boyhood he was of a devotional turn, but obtained more enlarged views of the plan of salvation from the discourses of Mr. Whitefield about the age of eighteen, when he entered the society at the Tabernacle ; and from declaring his religious experience to a few of the members at a private meeting, began at length to exer cise his talents as a preacher, in the Calvinistic connexion in Kent and Hertfordshire. In 1766, understanding that Mr. Whitefield wished to supply America with ministers, and knowing that he had sent some thither with as little scholastic qualification as he himself possessed, he ventured to wait on him with the powerful introduction of a letter from Mr. Berridge, and was at length commissioned to take charge of some negroes in Georgia ; which trust he exe cuted with as much application as the nature of the employ would allow, a prejudice generally prevailing at that time against the instruction of the slave population. The concerns of the orphan-house and establishment at Georgia ap- A. D. 1770 — 1780. 97 pearing to require an episcopal clergyman, and a sum being left by a divine of Savannah, to be applied to the instruction of some negroes, the trustees sent over Mr. Winter, after the decease of Mr. Whitefield, of whose will he was the bearer, to endeavour to obtain ordination of the Bishop of London ; but this application was unsuccessful, owing in great measure to his known connexion with the Methodists, whose innovations on ecclesiastical discipline had natu rally excited the jealousy of the constituted authorities. Disappointed in this endeavour, and experiencing some unpleasantness in his re lative situation with regard to the members of the Tabernacle in London, he resorted to that of Bristol ; and afterwards itinerated in various directions, without any stipend from the Me thodist connexion, but supported chiefly by gratuitous contribution. His piety was simple and ardent ; and he appears, on the whole, to have been less open to the charge of extrava gance than most of his preaching contempora ries. He was then ordained, by the Dissenters, to the charge of the three societies of Castlecombc, Christian Malford, and Chippenham, in the county of Wilts. He next settled as a pastor in Marlborough, and increased his slender in come by the tuition of a few pupils, who regarded H 98 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. him with affectionate veneration, and of whom some became ministers ; and finally removing to Painswick, in Gloucestershire, exchanged a life of toil and change for a state of celestial bliss and peace, respected by Christians of va rious denominations, as a teacher of approved virtue, great industry^ and considerable useful ness *. 6, Besides the regular ministration of Messrs. Joss, Winter, Brooksbank, and others, at the Tabernacle in Moorfields, and the chapel in Tottenham Court Road, some clergymen of the Established Church obliged the managers by rendering assistance as preachers in the course of the year. These gentlemen, with a number of other zealous and pious episcopa lians, occasionally officiated in the chapels of the Countess of Huntingdon ; a lady whose name has obtained celebrity by the establish ment of a new religious connexion, which seems to have grown out of the Calvinistic division of Methodism, but to have exhibited peculiar fea tures. Selina Shirley was the daughter of Washing ton, second Earl Ferrers, and born August 24, 1707. When about nine years of age, she was * Jay's Life of Winter. A. D. 1770—1780. 99 deeply affected with the sight of a youthful corpse, received an impression of the import ance of eternity, and prayed with earnestness, that if ever she entered into the conjugal rela tion, it might be with a religious family. Her petition was granted, in her union with Theo philus, ninth Earl of Huntingdon, who, though himseK not under the influence of se rious piety, had the happiness to call as sisters the excellent Ladies Betty and Margaret Has tings. The latter, having profited by the mi nistry of some of the earlier Methodists, frankly told the young Countess, " that since she had known and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ for life and salvation, she had been as happy as an angel." A word in season, how good is it ! To the mind of Selina it came with force, when attacked soon after by a dangerous illness ; and she successfully entreated her heavenly Father, that she might be partaker of Marga ret's joy. She recovered, made a solemn sur render of herself to God, and firmly opposed the sinful maxims or frivolous pursuits of an ensnaring world, at an age peculiarly suscep tible of its temptations, and at a period in which the lustre of the coronet was rarely en hanced by the radiance of an ardent piety. h2 100 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. The Earl acted a liberal part, and, though dif fering from her in sentiment, and secretly ad vised to the contrary, treated her with respect ful affection, and interfered not with her domes tic discipline. During his lifetime, however, her usefulness was necessarily circumscribed; but at his death, her mind, glowing with love to her Redeemer, revolved the means of extend ing the knowledge of his salvation. She opened her house in Park Street for the preaching of the Gospel, cultivated the acquaintance of the evangelical clergy, and by the intervention of their mutual friend, Howel Harris, became a zealous coadjutor of Mr. Whitefield, whom she nominated her chaplain. A slight knowledge of the self-deception of the reasoning faculty, of its liability to be biassed by particular predilections, and of the tenacity with which it adheres to its fond con clusions, especially if on the seeming side of religion and virtue, will plead the cause of this pious female, in her well-meant endeavour to promote the spiritual edification of her fellow- creatures. Presuming on her right as a peeress of the realm, she erected chapels in Brighthelm- stone, Bath, Tunbridge Wells, and other places of fashionable resort; and hoped that by the use of liturgical worship, and the service A. D. J 770— 1780. 101 of the regular clergy, whose sanction was dili gently sought, she might diffuse religious know ledge without being amenable to the abstract charge of promoting the cause of dissent. But her argument involved too plain a fallacy, to impose on the Bishops of the national Church ; since it never could have been in contemplation of the Legislature, that, in recognising the privilege of its aristocratical branch to grant scarfs, as an appendage to private dignity, and to construct domestic chapels, it was admitting that right to an extent which would be incom patible with parochial order and ecclesiastical jurisdiction : and when her ladyship resorted to the expedient of founding a seminary at Lower Trevecca, for the supply of preachers for her immediate connexion, she could scarcely expect the same venerable authorities to countenance a semi-collegiate education in the candidates for orders, to the manifest prejudice of the univer sities of the land. Mr. Townsend, of Pewsey in Wilts, a clergyman of great consideration in point of literary talent, joined Mr. White- field in opening the chapel at Bath, and it was subsequently served by Dr. Haweis. Other clergymen also, led by personal regard for the amiable foundress, and conceiving that it did not militate against the spirit of their ordination h3 102 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. vows, performed a like service in other places. Nevertheless, it was not difficult to foresee that the scheme on which the Countess and her parti sans proceeded, would issue, sooner or later, in unequivocal dissent. Her purchase of a large building in Spa Fields, which had been reared for the purpose of furnishing the Londoners with a place of festive pleasure, and denomi. nated the Pantheon, with its conversion into a temple for Christian worship*, brought the question between her Ladyship and the establish ed church to a point. Two clergymen named Jones and Taylor, having undertaken the ser vice of the new sanctuary, were formally sued by the Rector of Clerkenwell, in the consisto- rial court of the Bishop of London, and prohi bited from further ministration, on pain of ec clesiastical censure and expulsion. This award hastened the crisis of secession. These clergy men, with some of their friends, drew up a confession of faith, which was afterwards signed by all the ministers in the connexion, and they proceeded to the exercise of Presbyterian ordi nation. The creed which they subscribed was highly Calvinistic, but they retained the liturgi cal worship, with some slight alterations ; and * July 6, 1777. A. D. 1770 — 1780. 103 the seminary in Wales being broken up, by the expiration of the lease, and the deficiency of fund at her Ladyship's decease, a more extensive collegiate establishment was formed for the con nexion at Cheshunt, in Hertfordshire*. Among the clergy who took part with the Countess was Thomas Wills, who had been dis tinguished for his fervour and diligence while labouring in the national communion. He had received the rudiments of education under the worthy Mr. Conon of Truro, and completed his studies at Oxford, where he formed an intimacy with Haweis, at that time exercising his minis try at St. Mary Magdalene. On taking orders he became curate of St. Agnes in Cornwall, under a brother of the eminent Mr. Walker. Here he continued ten years, respected and be loved by a numerous congregation ; but, paying a visit to Bath, he became acquainted with Selina, daughter of the Rev. Granville Wheeler, and niece of Lady Huntingdon, whom he afterwards married. Connected thus with her Ladyship by the tie of family, and yielding, it may be, with the ardour of youth to the sympathies of friend ship, he bade adieu to his flock at Truro in 1778, joined the new connexion, visited Trevecca, * Gibbons's and Jerment's Pious Women, vol. ii. h4 104 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. Brighton, and London, and at length became minister of Spa Fields chapel under the Tole ration Act*. 7. The Arminian division of Methodism was proceeding, in the mean time, with accelerated motion and uniform direction. To this progress the personal character and social regulations of its founder mainly contributed. Patient of fatigue, abstemious in appetite, regular in habit, possessing coolness and presence of mind in cer tain emergencies, but glowing with enthusiasm in his particular cause, and ever engaged in ex horting, preaching, or writing, few individuals have appeared on the eventful stage of human life, more calculated to become the leader of a party, or the founder of a sect, than the Rev. John Wesley. He survived Mr. Whitefield twenty years ; nor did the approach of old age disqualify him for the purpose of administration in his religious empire. With the ingenuity of a Loyola in a worse cause, and the perseverance of a Columbus in a difficult enterprise, he de vised a plan of government for his fraternity, and united the revered authority of the one with the inquisitorial influence of the other ; while esteem for his person and obedience to his rules * Memoir of the Rev. T. Wills. A. D. 1770— 1780. 105 were the effect of his reputation for sanctity, and talent for organization. In the scheme of doctrine maintained by him and his adherents, the tenets of uncondi tional election, irresistible grace, and final per severance, were denounced as unscriptural ; in opposition to the partisans of Whitefield, who spoke on these topics a language more conso nant to the Thirty-nine Articles ; and to the preachers in Lady Huntingdon's connexion, whose representations exceeded those of the national Church, and bore a stronger resem blance to the Lambeth formulary. The univer sality of the love of God to man formed a pro minent feature in their discourses, while they warmly invited sinners to accept the offer of salvation made them in the Gospel, and ascrib ed their eternal condemnation solely to their obstinate rejection. Instantaneous conversion was a theme which they sometimes handled in an extravagant manner ; nor could other reli gionists subscribe to their sentiments on the doctrines of assurance and perfection on the one hand, or the fluctuating economy under which professors might be found in a state of wrath or grace on the other. In their appre hension of the abuse of the term " imputed righteousness," and inculcation of the precepts 106 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. of practical holiness, they were often consider ed by their opponents as indulging a spirit of legality ; and in pressing their favourite tenet of freewill, the Whitefieldians regarded them as treading on the dangerous precipice of Pelagian error. But the enthusiastic mode in which reputed conversions were sometimes celebrated in their meetings ; the vehement gestures, in flamed spirits, and highly seasoned phraseology, which seemed, under all the circumstances of crowded auditories and protracted worship, less convertible into nutritious chyle than humorous repletion ; gave occasion to more sober-minded Christians to regret the appearances which were not unfrequently exhibited in the Wesleyan conventicles. Yet were there in this commu nion a multitude of believers, whose exemplaiy walk and conversation, unfeigned piety, pure faith, lively hope, enlarged charity, scriptural zeal, and constant self-denial, rendered them worthy followers or associates of their diligent founder; while the lovely display of spiritual graces constrained the supporters of opposite theories to acknowledge that God was with them of a truth, and necessarily converted the smile which might occasionally be raised at sec tarian peculiarity, into the more benevolent ex pression of complacency and admiration. A. D. 1770—1780. 107 In the system of discipline established by Mr. Wesley, his preachers exercised their mi nistry by rotation; so that the more popular were prevented from gaining an ascendant in any particular district, which might be to the prejudice of the general interest ; while the community received the benefit of their talents, and the affections of the congregations were preserved to the cause, rather than to indivi duals. The members themselves were subjected to regulations, which served to unite them closely to each other, and to keep them under the vigilant superintendence of their ministers and stewards. His societies were divided into companies of ten or fifteep, called classes, to each of which a leader was appointed, whose business was to give hebdomadal examination into the religious state of his fellows ; and the classes themselves were frequently subdivided into bands, in which the married and single men, and the married and single women, were ranged apart, for mutual prayer and counsel. Guardians were appointed over the secular con cerns of the societies, and empowered to re ceive the contributions which were expected of all the members for the furtherance of the cause. These observances had an evident tendency to promote industrious and frugal habits ; emula- 3 108 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. tion was a powerful principle with some, and dread of degradation or expulsion with others. A due connexion was also formed among the preachers, who were required to attend an an nual synod, denominated the Conference; in which private opinions underwent ample discus sion, consolation or reproof was administered, and reports were made relative to the general statistics of Methodism *. , S. In the contest between Great Britain and her American colonies, Mr. Wesley had a dif ficult part to act. The societies in the trans atlantic districts having joined their country men in the insurrection, and Mr. Wesley, in common with the majority of the Ministers of the Established Church, maintaining the cause of the Government, it was apprehended that a separation would ensue between the American and European Methodists. But at the conclu sion of hostilities, recourse was had to a mea sure, which, however it might exhibit political address, is scarcely to be reconciled with 'con sistency of character, or with that regard to the English Church, formerly professed by its author. No sooner had the colonists obtained * Nightingale's Portraiture of Methodism; Wesley's Life, &c. &c.; Hampson's Memoirs of Wesley. A. D. 1770— 1780. 109 their independence, than Mr. Wesley, who had hitherto branded them as rebels, sent a congra tulatory letter on their freedom from the state and the hierarchy, and exhorted them to " stand fast in that liberty with which God had so strangely made them free." He then took upon him to form an Episcopal Methodist Church for America ; and though himself only a presbyter in his own communion, ordained, by imposition of hands, and as if by virtue of some extraordinary Apostolic commission, se veral preachers designed for that country ; and even consecrated- Dr. Coke, a clergyman who had served the cure of South Petherton, in Somersetshire, to the office of a Bishop, who himself subsequently consecrated Mr. Astbury. It is not surprising that such assumption of episcopal power should have been animadverted on by the regular clergy of the national Esta blishment, who could not understand ho;w " the greater was blessed of the less," and who viewed the whole proceedings as an anomaly in ecclesiastical polity; nor that, though justifi catory apologies were sent out both by Wesley and Coke, in the spirit of the old Presbyterians and modern Hoadleians, they considered the measure as arguing ambition in the former, and vanity in the latter. 110 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. 9. If in this account of the two grand divi sions of Methodism, and reference to the cha racters of their respective founders, the repre sentation should appear to be somewhat erro neous, or the portraits unlike, the defect is rather imputable to limited information on a subtle and delicate subject, than a disposition to aggravate the extravagancies of Methodism on the one hand, or to depreciate its excellen cies on the other. It may, however, be more profitable to turn from the immediate consider ation of the progress of this body, whether in a Calvinistic or Arminian shape, to its effects on the Establishment itself, and its influence on the general cause of vital Christianity. In this important branch of the narrative, the obliga tion is sacred and imperious to preserve the character of impartiality, equally disclaiming the presumption of authoritative censure, or the pusillanimity of restrained investigation. The discussions on religious subjects to which the proceedings of the Methodists gave rise, though, according to the known principles of human nature, attended with a considerable measure of passion and prejudice, could not but be serviceable to the interests of religion. To form an honest judgment on this subject, it is necessary to try the cause, not with the ab- A. D. 1770—1780. Ill istract feeling of abhorrence of schism, but to take into account the previous state of things, and the sentiments by which the accused were influenced. It is also fair, on this subject as in all others, to receive with due caution the objurgatoiy assertions of the accusers, and the palliating arguments of the accused. That spirit must be justly chargeable with bitterness which can roundly condemn the innovating zeal of the earlier Methodists, when reference is made to the formal, inefficient, infidel pro fession of the day ; and an involuntary admira tion is excited at the expeditions of such men as the two Wesleys, Delamotte, Ingham, and Whitefield, prompted by regard to the souls of their fellow-creatures. Nor was it such miser able wit as scintillated in the page of " The Spiritual Quixote," or sported in the scene of " The Minor," that could invalidate the decree passed on their hallowed undertaking in the cooler moments of reflection. Their zeal in the first instance was excellent. Credit in par ticular is due to the repeated declarations of attachment to the national Church, made by the two rival reformers ; though perhaps it escaped their own observation, that the enthu siasm of party-spirit soon led to that dereliction of modes and forms, which while it appeared 112 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. in the eyes of their adherents a " brave neglect," would certainly issue in sectarism. The stir they created was good. They quickened an inert mass. They were comets, whose orbits were highly eccentric, but they benefited the general system ; and while the timid apprehend ed noxious exhalation from their approach, or the prejudiced regarded them as sidereal anoma lies, they were carrying light and warmth into regions of darkness and frigidity, and con straining the observer, who was ignorant of their periodic times, to acknowledge their pro bable utility. By forcing their opponents to examine questions in divinity, they raised tbe tone of theological instruction. Some of the clergy became alive to thp importance of their office, through the exhortation and example of the very characters whom they were taught by their superiors to regard as dangerous fanatics ; and others were led, from the mere proximity of a popular Minister, to emulate his doctrine and diligence, and preach Christ, as it were, out of contention. But their influence on the Establishment was not unmixed with serious evils. While it is readily allowed that the injuries and persecu tions, endured by the Methodists themselves, and those members of the clerical body, who to A. D. 1770— 1780. 113 a certain extent were associates, arose in many instances from that deep and deadly aversion to spiritual doctrine and practice, which will never cease to operate more or less, and which will aim to obstruct the progress of divine truth, so long as " the carnal mind is enmity against God ; " yet, he would widely err in cal culating the causes of opposition, who should omit to ascribe a large share of its force to the impi-udences and licenses of Methodism itself. The fanatical manner in which some handled the doctrine of conversion, the intemperate lan guage in which others might indulge towards their opponents, the gesticulation which was frequently ill suited to an English pulpit, and the quaintness and vulgarity to which they were known to descend, were calculated to prejudice their cause in the minds of those who were far from lacking in the sterling qualities of good sense and candour. The dignified clergy, in general, as men of birth, education, and taste, were outraged at the violation of rules which were sanctified by long habits of refinement. The proverbs and metaphors in which Whitefield and Berridge indulged, notwithstanding the elo quence of the former and the learning of the other, were perversely detailed to their disad vantage, when the more solid parts of their 114 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. harangues were forgotten. The whimsical faci lity with which Wesley and Fletcher were accus tomed to trace, in their personal experiences, the illapses of the Spirit, or the familiarity with which they converted accidents of uncom mon appearance into providential interpositions in their favour, were peculiarities as likely to offend sober doctrinists on the one hand, as the consecration of Coke to a bishopric by Wesley, and the elevation of a preacher on a horse block by Fletcher, to harangue his parishioners on the evening of the Sabbath, would disgust the conscientious lovers of subordination on the other. 10. But, if there be a spot in the wide range of Methodistic exertion, in which the pious but fastidious churchman would less re gret its irregularity, and more unhesitatingly rejoice in its success, it is Ireland. From the peculiar circumstances of its ecclesiastical his tory, and the actual condition of its inhabit ants, the benevolent mind cannot but feel satis faction at the endeavours of the Wesleyans to carry religion into the cabins of its benighted peasantry. Four fifths of the population were lying in the darkness of pagan ignorance, or the twilight of Popish superstition ; and the clergy in general, partly from motives of delicacy A. D. 1770 — 1780. 115 to the Romish parish priests, and partly from the want of zeal to encounter local difficulties in their instruction and conversion, seemed to abandon them to their fate. " The first preachers of Christianity in Ireland," observes Dr. Beaufort, a statitiscal writer, " established- a great number of bishoprics, which gradually coalesced into the thirty-two dioceses that for several centuries constituted the ecclesiastical division of the kingdom. But when the coun try became impoverished and depopulated by the perpetual feuds and frequent civil wars with which it was desolated for ages, it was found necessary at different periods to unite some of the poorest of these sees, in order that the Bishops might have a competence to support the dignity and hospitality incumbent on their sta tion ; and hence it comes, that there are only twenty-two prelates in the church of Ireland, twenty sees being united under ten Bishops. These causes having had the same operation with respect to parishes, the 2438 parishes do not form quite 1200 benefices, many having been consolidated by the Privy Council, from time to time, under the authority of an Act of Parliament ; and many others, though but epi- scopally united, having been considered as only one living time out of mind." The consequence i2 116 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. was, that many parts of this interesting country exhibited the appearance of wide and extensive parishes, nominally under a Protestant incum bent, but actually divided into districts under Romish clergymen; while the great body of the natives retaining the religion of their ances tors, were forced to contribute to the mainte nance of a reformed hierarchy ; their resent ments meanwhile embittered by the tyrannical conduct of the middle-men, or agents employ ed by the gentry who were absent from their estates. The Irish peasant, subjected thus to priestly domination and civil hardship, presented ob stacles of no common magnitude to spiritual in terference; and the reproof of a zealous Wes leyan, who sought by any means to arrest his at tention or soften his barbarous prejudices, would have been ungracious in those who yielded to him in diligence and in courage. In such a state, it seemed scarcely necessary to his recep tion of the truth that he should comprehend the schismatical or irregular character of his teacher, or that he should be able to weigh the merits of the existing dispute between the religious inno vators and the advocates for the ancient disci pUne. He was alive to impression, but not com petent to abstraction. As a Romanist, he would A. D. 1770-1780. 117 not repair to a Protestant temple for instruction ; but the indefatigable Methodist addressed him in the fair, harangued him in the market, ex horted him in the street. The efforts of these active emissaries were indeed much clogged by the cruel persecution which the converts were called to endure, from the excommunication of their priests and the contempt of their fellows ; but He who "gathers the lambs in his bosom, and turns his hand upon the little ones," sup ported their weakness and alleviated their dis tress. Enlightened by his word, they no longer regarded eddies of dust upon the road as tokens that the fairies were journeying from one hillock to another, wishing them " God speed," but be came aware of the formidable existence of the prince of the power of the air and his malignant legions. The simple female who once joined the howling funeral, and, as she cried from sym pathy, inquired Of her neighbour, " Arrah, hinny, who is it we're crying for?" now felt the admonition of Him who tenderly rebuked , the daughters of Jerusalem for their unmeaning la mentation as he was led to execution*. Nor was it the Popish peasant alone, that had * Miss Owenson's Patriotic Sketches on Ireland; Miss Edgeworth, &c. 1 3 118 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. to endure the contempt of the ungodly on turn ing to the way of righteousness. Those of the Protestant population who were awakened to se rious concern about eternal things by the preach ing of the Wesleyans, came in for their share of contumely. Unfaithfulness to a particular com munion has often been the watchword of reproof when spirituality of character was virtually the cause df offence; and those members of the Irish church who attended the Methodist cha pels, but partook of the sacrament in the na tional communion, were branded, by the irreli gious wantonness of abuse, with the appellation of " Swaddlersi" or other ignominious epithets. IL But, to whatever degree injury may be shown to have accrued to the discipline of the Established Church from the increase of Me thodistic practices, we are now called to notice an event which would seem to argue that lati- tudinarianism had been making considerable in roads on her doctrine, notwithstanding the en deavours of orthodoxy to prevent its incursions. Some individuals had formed themselves into a society, called, from their place of meeting, "The Feathers Tavern Association," whose ob ject was to obtain relief from subscription to the Thirty-nine Articles. In this strange com bination were seen clergymen, lawyers, physi- A. D. 1770— 1780. 119 cians, and other men of influence and informa tion leaguing with the disciples of the Socinian Doctors Priestley and Price, and with the subtle adherents of Hume and Gibbon. Plausibility of argument ill concealed the malignity of dis affection ; and though, undoubtedly, among the numbers who either openly patronized or secretly abetted the attempts made at this period to alter the constitution and regulations of the Church, there were well-meaning persons se duced by the more artful and designing; it only serves to show to what lengths men will proceed in compromising consistency of cha racter, when they are anxious to carry a fa vourite measure. They were rearing, as they thought, a temple to liberality ; but while they were fascinated with its mosaic, they did not perceive that every hue of infidelity, from the slight tint of Semi-Arianism to the deeper shade of Deism, marked the tesselations. A dignitary of the church is generally un derstood to have taken the lead in this important movement. Francis Blackburne, Archdeacon of Cleveland, and Rector of Richmond in Yorkshire, had distinguished himself as a theo logical writer, by his liberal sentiments towards the separatists, and attachment to civil and re ligious liberty on the old Whig principles. Had i4 120 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. he proceeded no further than this view of the grand question of toleration would have led him, he would only have taken rank with many others who were like-minded with himself. But, experiencing some scruples as to the act of sub scription, in order to qualify himself for prefer ment, he was led to examine more particularly into the rise and progress of this requisition in Protestant churches, and into the arguments usually brought forward in its defence. The re sult was, the publication of a work in 1766, en titled, " The Confessional, or a full and free Inquiry into the Right, Utility, and Success of establishing Confessions of Faith and Doctrine in Protestant Churches." It is not surprising that a work of such de scription should have given rise to a complicated and protracted controversy. The spirit of the good Archbishop Seeker, now verging to his grave, was much discomposed at its contents ; judging, in common with most of the orthodox clergy, that it tended to render the principles of the Church of England a series of private opi nions ending in no general system, and affording encouragement to perpetual fluctuation and in decision, under pretence of regard for con science. The peculiar mode also in which the writer, with his characteristic independence. A. D. 1770 — 1780. 121 had treated the subject, was far from pleasing to some of those very latitudinarians, w^ho re garded him in other respects as one of their prime champions. Bishop Law, his friend, ad mirer, and patron, had used arguments in fa vour of those who subscribed to the articles with different views to the framers or imposers ; and had even adduced reasons, which had not failed of their effect on the mind of the Arch deacon himself. Yet he could not help express ing his disapprobation of clerical compliances inconsistent with avowed principles; and re garded such compliances as .furnishing a plea against the expediency of subscription, which tempted men to disingenuousness, and conse quent disesteem from the reflecting part of the public. This celebrated controversy, therefore, was conducted with all that casuistry and perti nacity, which a dread of innovation in some, a desire of alteration in others, and a soreness of feeling in a third class, might be expected to produce on a debateable point, so essentially connected with ecclesiastical polity. It lasted from 1766 to the period in which it was finally determined to make formal application to the legislature of the country. During this inter val, from seventy to eighty pamphlets were pub lished by the contending parties, of which, it 122 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. is remarkable, not above ten or twelve appeared with the names of the writers. There is reason to think that the promoters of the application promised themselves greater support from the national priesthood than they actually experienced. Mr. Lindsey travelled in Westmoreland, Northumberland, and York shire, and could only obtain a few signatures to the petition. The members of the two Univer sities could not remain indifferent spectators of the contest; or inactive parties, either in pro motion of the measure of application to Parlia ment, or in opposition to it, according to their respective views. In the University of Oxford, the question was but little agitated ; the ortho- doxists leaving its determination to the wisdom of their civil governors ; and the indifferents instinctively avoiding a topic which might disturb their collegiate repose. But in Cam bridge, the character of academic converse was different. A spirit of discussion, and a habit of moral and political investigation, had been much promoted by the influence of Jebb, Plumptre, Waring, Watson, Law, and others of consideration. The Rev. William Paley was at this time tutor of Christ's College, and laying the found- A. D. 1770—1780. 123 ation of that celebrity which he soon after at tained in the University, and of that eminence to which he arrived in the church as Archdeacon of Carlisle in 1782. He was personally attached to many of the reforming party, with whom he coincided in sentiment as to the general pro priety of the measure ; but declined taking any very prominent part, and even refused his sig nature. His expectations of success were less sanguine than those of his friends. He was not, however, without hope that the agitation of the question of subscription might ultimately produce some alteration in the existing system ; and looking forward to a more decided decla ration of the public mind in favour of a change, he deemed it prudent to reserve his exertions in the cause, declaring with his wonted humour, " I know that I am a coward in this business, but I will come in with the next wave, and that will be a larger *." 12. At length, after many meetings and consultations, Sir William Meredith rose in his place in the House of Commons, on the me morable sixth of February 1772, and moved * Aikin's Gen. Biog. ; Chalmers's Gen. Biog. Diet. art. Blackburne; Nichols's Lit. Anecdotes, vol. iii.; Meadley's Life of Paley, p. 90. 124 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. for leave to present their petition, seconded by Mr. Thomas Pitt. Its reception was opposed by that staunch friend to the Establishment Sir Roger Newdigate. The petition was subscribed by 240 persons, of whom 200 were clergymen; and because the clerical petitioners " complained of being obliged to join issue with the adversa ries of Revelation, by supposing the true sense of Scripture to be expressed in the established system of faith, or else to incur the reproach of having departed from their subscriptions," the worthy Baronet in strong terms reprobated their conduct, and declared that the measure was pregnant with evil to the national Church. To moral he added political reasoning: he averred that the House had no power to dispense with oaths, or receive a petition which would amount to a breach of the articles of Union be tween England and Scotland; and that the King was bound by oath never to admit any alteration in the Liturgy or in the Articles. His manly opposition gained him deserved credit with his constituents, the members of the University of Oxford, whom he had represented in several Parliaments. He was supported in his opposition by Sir Hans Stanley, who in a more chastised but not less able tone of argument, pointed out the A. D. !770 — 1780. 125 strange character of the petition. A minority, he observed, solicited from a majority a material alteration in religion. They required to be mem bers of an exclusive establishment in the same breath with which they desired the removal of its foundation. They opened a masked-battery against the Church itself, by demanding license to teach schismatical doctrines under its pro tection. No wise reformer had ever indulged the visionary scheme of putting all religious creeds on a level. " If," said he, " all the founders of religious systems were alive at the same time, I am persuaded they would com pose as numerous an army as that with which Alexander subdued the Persian empire; yet every one of them would derive his tenets from the Scriptures. But the wisdom of all countries has rather chosen to trust to explanations de rived from the mature labour and consideration of a venerable and pious hierarchy, than to the crude fancies and notions of every assuming dogmatizer, who desires to make himself famous for the singularity of his sentiments: on this account, systems and creeds have prevailed all over Christendom." He deprecated all attempts to disturb that ecclesiastical peace which had blessed the accession of the Hanoverian family, and declared that he thought the peace of man- 126 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. kind a fortieth article which he prized as much as the other thirty-nine. On the same side were found the eminent talents of Lord North, Wedderburne, Burke, and Fox. The reception of the petition was ad vocated by Sir George Saville, Sutton, Dunning, and Alderman Sawbridge. Lord George Ger- maine thought that youths entering the Uni versity ought not to be required to subscribe ; but Soame Jenyns, member for Cambridgeshire, defended the Universities, and showed that they could not alter an injunction founded on royal statute.. The motion was lost by a majority of 217 to 71*. Thus did it please God, that the discussion of a question affecting the vital in terests of the Establishment should terminate, in answer to that prayer which the same Esta bhshment enjoins her members to offer in be half of the High Court of Parliament, " that He would be pleased to direct and prosper all their consultations to the advancement of his glory, the good of his Church, the safety, ho nour, and welfare of the Sovereign and his do minions." 13. Foiled, however, in this their grand attempt, the enemies of the Establishment did * Adolphus's History of England, c. 19. A. D. 1770— 1780. 127 not cease their attacks, in which they were en couraged by some members of the House. Parties running high, the thanks of the Com mons were refused to a sermon preached by Dr. Nowel, Principal of St. Mary Hall, Oxford, on the anniversary of King Charles's martyrdom, which was considered as containing sentiments repugnant to the liberties of the kingdom as es tablished at the Revolution. Advantage was taken of this question to aim another blow at the ecclesiastical regulations. Mr. Montague moved for a repeal of the Act for observing the thirtieth of Januaiy, but was successfully op posed by Sir Roger Newdigate. The Dissenters having engaged on their side Sir Henry Houghton and Sir George Saville, anticipated some favourable change in their po litical condition, as the former moved, on the third of the following April, a repeal of the Test Laws, in which bold measure he was se conded by the latter. The hardships imposed by the law on Protestant Dissenters were repre sented as contrary to the generous principles of the British Constituion, and their cause was ably and eloquently pleaded. It was replied, that the penalties were never enforced, as the Dissenters were not called on to subscribe ; that the hardship was rather in letter than in fact ; 128 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR, that the continuance of a test was necessary ; for, if abolished, all the barriers raised by the wisdom of our ancestors in defence of the Church would be destroyed, and religious teachers might promulgate the mosf obnoxious doctrines without possibility of restraint or fear of punishment. Notwithstanding these repre sentations, the Bill for relief passed the Lower House, and was carried up to the Lords, where it was rejected on the second reading by a large majority. It was supported by the Duke of Richmond, and Lords Chatham, Shelburne, and Lyttelton ; but opposed by Lords Bruce and Gower, the Archbishop of York, and the Bishops of London, Oxford, Peterborough, and Llandaff. 14. Such was the determination of the Bri tish aristocracy on the material question of li berty of conscience, after an able discussion of the rights of nonconformists, and at a time when even t"he sentiments of the Government were in their favour. They had employed the best gifted of their own body to advocate their cause by means of the press, and through the whole of the contest they had experienced libe ral treatment. If the defenders of the exclu sive privileges and authority of the Church were heard on one side; " The Case of the Dissenting A. D.- 1770 — 1780. 129 Ministers," by Mauduit, and the arguments of Doctors Stennett, Wilton, and Kippis, were perused on the other. The condition of dissi dents from the national communion may there fore be considered as having undergone the full est investigation, and acquiescence in the re sult of that investigation seems to be the part of modesty and candour. But if the Church expects this acquiescence from Dissenters, much more does she claim an honest devotion from her membei-s. A recognised creed is necessary to her very existence ; and if men are found who are tempted to subscribe to her Articles contrary to their personal belief, the fault is not in the imposer but in the subscriber. Such characters should be content to remain out of _ her offices. The civil magistrate interferes not with the religion of individuals ; but he protects from injury that system of faith, and those immunities of its professors, which be long to the ascendant division of Christianity*. * Thirteen respectable ministers in London and its vicinity opposed the application for relief; thinking, with many sober dissidents, that, notwithstanding their reasons for per sonal nonconformity, the establishment was a great national blessing, calculated by its standing formularies to benefit, in times of peril, not only its own members, but also the orthodox and loyal of different denominations. K 130 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. 15. From the more general narrative of cir cumstances referring to the outward state ot the Church, uniformity of plan calls us into the interior, to resume the esoteric of our theme, by the notice of individual faithfulness, and advancement of the interests of religion. In 1776, Dr. Markham, Bishop of Chester, Preceptor to the Prince of Wales, being trans lated to the See of York, in consequence of the demise of Dr. Drummond, the vacant episcopal throne, so venerable in the eye of the antiquary as the reputed shrine of St. Werberg, was filled by Beilby Porteus, an amiable and exemplary divine. He was of American descent, but born at York in 1731 ; and being sent at an early age to Christ's College, Cambridge, was distinguished for classical attainment and poetical talent. A prize was awarded him for a poem on " Death," in which a happy imitation of the best English models in the composition was not more observable, than a just and scrip tural divinity in the sentiments. An ingenious discourse on the character of David, preached in the University pulpit, added to his reputa tion ; and Archbishop Seeker gave him an unso licited proof of respect for his character and ta lents, by nominating him his chaplain in 1762, and soon afterwards presenting him to the be- A. D. 1770— 1780. 131 nefices of Rucking and Wittersham, in Kent. This preferment was followed by the rectoiy of Hunton, and a stall in the cathedral of Peter borough. In 1767, he was further promoted to the rectoiy of Lambeth; in 1769, to the master ship of St. Cross ; and at length to the dignity of the mitre. On the decease of his patron, whom he much resembled in the mild and tole rant parts of his character, he showed his affec tionate remembrance by a biographical notice, and the publication of his Lectures on Confirm ation, assisted by Dr. Stinton, another of his Grace's chaplains. Placed in the seat of authority and influence, he showed a conscientious sense of the responsi bility of his situation. He was much impressed with the necessity of maintaining the sanctity of the Sabbath, and observed vrith regret the in novations made on its more decorous celebration by our ancestors, from the free-thinking and li centious spirit of the age. In 1780, he took sea sonable alarm at some daring advertisements which were issued to establish a promenade on that sacred day, to which all persons were ad missible at a low price ; as well as at the insti tution of debating societies, for the discussion of moral and theological subjects. This was a grand attempt of the enemy of mankind to de- k2 132 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. bauch at once the persons and minds of the young and unwary, by bringing them into easy contact with the most abandoned sensualists on the one hand, or poisoning them with the sug gestions of infidelity and scepticism, under the mask of investigation, on the other. He ac cordingly brought forward a Bill, to put down these new species of Sunday amusements ; but the measure was opposed by several of the peers, and particularly by the Duke of Manchester, who contended that " the subjects of this king dom should be left at perfect liberty to confer upon religious topics ; that there was nothing improper, either in the promenade, or in the societies ; and that, if the fact were otherwise, the existing laws were sufficient for their re straint." Grieved at objections so futile and irreligious, and warmed with the importance of his subject, his Lordship replied in a strain dis tinguished by the information of the statesman, the eloquence of the senator, and the piety of the divine. However his arguments might have failed to convince his opponents, the zealous prelate must have commanded their veneration, while he showed that such entertainments were equally imcompatible with the spirit of our constitution, our laws, and our religion *. * Hodgson's Jjife of Porteus, pp. 7'* — 82. A. D. 1770 — 1780. 133 His Lordship was also desirous of a more devout observance of Good Friday, in which he was cordially supported by many of the clergy and laity. He was an active member of the Proclamation Society, and a sincere friend to every measure which had for its object the miti gation of the horrors of the slave-trade, and the religious instruction of the negroes. In his addresses to the candidates for confirmation, in his calls upon the University to reform their plan of study for divinity students, and in his examination of those who presented themselves for admission into holy orders, he discovered a seriousness and solicitude becoming a bishop and pastor of the Church. But he was the Fenelon of the English Epi scopacy. Likje him, he had " the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit " in the ministerial office ; and with the same suavity of manner was the subject of similar mortification, spirituality, and sweetness. In his discourses, he placed in a clear and pointed light the evidences, both ex ternal and internal, of our holy religion ; expa tiated on the superiority of our national institu tions and character ; and dwelt with peculiar complacency on the happiness of the genuine Christian. A sort of overweening charity, how- K 3 134 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. ever, which would fain persuade such a charac ter that others were like-minded ; a fastidiousness of taste, which shrunk from that seeming ab ruptness, the quality of preachers who would " save others with fear, pulling them out of the fire;" and, perhaps, a constitutional humility, which might occasionally operate as a snare ; seem to have blunted the edge of his applica tions, and weakened the force of his appeals. Notwithstanding these defects, there was suffi cient evangelic verity mixed up in the composi tion, .to produce a salutary effect ; and his strik ing remark, recommended by terse method and graceful action, often left a lasting impression on the mind of the auditory. One instance in particular it is pleasing to record. Mr. Boissier, a gentleman of French extraction, whose mis fortune it was to have imbibed in early life the contagion of the poisonous elements of continental infidelity, went to hear the diocesan of Chester preach in a Bath pulpit. The text was, " Truly this man was the Son of God." He was so much struck with the Bishop's eloquence and reasoninfj that he became, through divine mercy, a convert to Christianity; and was sub sequently introduced to his Lordship, who ex plained to him in an affectionate manner the way of God more perfectly. Mr. Boissier him- A. D. 1770—1780. 135 self published a vindication of Christianity, which he translated from the French of Bon net*. Among other books which the Bishop put into the hands of the new convert, was a reli gious tract of the celebrated Dr. Beattie. The successful opposition made by the latter to the scepticism of Hume, in his " Essay on the Im mutability of Truth," his classical taste, amiable qualities, and virtuous habits, much endeared him to his Lordship. The metaphysician was edified by the pious exhortations of his friend, and by his domestic economy and pastoral assi duity at his rural parsonage. That such an in tercourse should have been cemented by recipro city of benevolence and cultivation, it. is easy to conceive ; but, when the divine offered the philosopher ordination in the English Church, who, with his imperfect views of the Christian scheme, and particular notions of innate good ness, might object to the doctrine, no less than the worship, of her communion, we are more disposed to bestow approbation on the honesty of the one in his refusal, than on the partiality of the other in his proposal. * Forbes'a Life of Beattie, vol. ii. p. 215. k4 136 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. 16, In adverting to the pastoral changes which took place in this second decade, we may particularize the election of Mr. Forster to the Thursday morning preachership of St. Peter's, Cornhill ; and likewise to the Sunday evening lectureship at Christ Church, Spitalfields. This laborious Minister statedly preached five times in the week to different congregations. Num bers flocked to his standard, and found it "good to be there." In 1779, Mr. Newton was re moved from Olney to St. Mary Woolnoth in the metropolis, to which he was presented by Mr. Thornton. His labours had been abundantly blessed in Buckinghamshire, where it pleased God to make him the instrument of good to his neighbour, the Rev. Thomas Scott. This cler gyman was at that period attached to the Soci nian scheme of theology, and offended at the ministerial exertions of Mr. Newton; but He that hath all hearts in his hand, brought him, in his own good time, to embrace the creed, and emulate the diligence, of his clerical brother. Mr. Newton commenced his pastoral instruc tions at St. Maiy Woolnoth, on the 19th of De cember, from that appropriate passage in Ephes. iv. 15, " Speaking the truth in love." In this temple, whose walls had witnessed the faithful testimony of Archdeacon Shute in the former A. D. 1770—1780. 137 century, did its popular Minister, for twenty- seven years, continue to exhort the careless, alarm the secure, and edify the humble; enjoy ing the esteem of his clerical brethren, and the regard of his numerous flock, in a degree, and with a constancy, which has seldom been paral leled. Removed from Huddersfield to Yelling, in Huntingdonshire, by the kind interest of Baron Smythe, a commissioner of the Great Seal, Mr. Venn displayed the same zeal for the glory of God which had distinguished him in the West Riding. He excursed to Godmanchester and other populous places ; and where he could not obtain the pulpit, exhorted in the dwelling: but a protracted cough, with sanguineous expecto ration, followed by paralysis, undermined at length the vital powers, and in December 1796, he entered into that rest which remains for the people of God. The mantle of the ascending prophet fell on his son John, rector of Clapham, the honoured representative of a Levitical house, being descended from ancestors who had been clergymen from the time of the Reformation, and having for his mother the daughter of an able divine, Dr. Bishop, of Ipswich. On the 27th of August 1775, Dr. Conyers, of Helmsley, expounding to his parishioners 138 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. the words of the Lord Jesus, when he said, " Yet a little while is the light with you; walk while ye have the light, &c." told them, in a so lemn manner, that he felt convinced, he was about to be taken from them, either by death or removal to some other quarter. Without at taching any undue portion of the marvellous to this observation, it is certainly remarkable that, on the 1st of September, he was presented to the rectoiy of St. Paul's, Deptford, to which he speedily removed. Though he had witnessed many seals to his ministry in Yorkshire, Provi dence had further work for him to execute in a part of the vineyard, rendered important from its vicinity to the capital, and an intelligent and affluent population. But, however differing in outward circumstances from the honest inhabit ants of Helmsley, the Doctor, aware of the similarity of the elements which entered into the composition of a human heart, whether in the polished Kentish gentleman, or the blunt northern boor, preached the same truths, and was blessed with the same success. His liberal sentiments, kind disposition, and urbane man ners, rendered him very acceptable to his new connexions, and he continued to testify of the grace of God to a crowded congregation till the 23d of April 1786, when he was translated from A. D. 1770—1780. 139 an earthly temple on the banks of the Thames, to a sanctuary not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, and watered by that river of life which makes glad the city of God. He en joyed the benefit of a sweet and pious society, among whose members may be particularized the excellent Mrs. Hannah Woodd, whose son Basil, to whom she had acted the part of Mo nica to Augustine, was destined to sound the trumpet of the Gospel in St. Peter's, Cornhill; Bentinck Chapel, Marylebone ; and Drayton Beauchamp, in the county of Bucks ; with the orthodoxy and usefulness of his dignified name sake of Caesarea in the fourth century. 17. While Conyers was doing the work of an evangelist on the east of the metropolis, Cadogan was engaged in the same blessed em ploy on the west. William Bromley Cadogan was second son of Charles Sloane, third Earl Cadogan, by Frances, daughter of Lord Mont- fort, and born in 1751, at Caversham Park near Reading. Having enjoyed as a child the advantage of scriptural instruction from his mother and grandmother, who, as Lois and Eunice, were unconsciously training another Timothy, he was sent to Westminster School, and afterwards to Christ Church College, Ox ford. While a school-boy, he had occasionally 2 140 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. listened to the exhortations of a Mr. Bakewell, and though chargeable with puerile levity, was visited with many compunctions of conscience, and could not shake off a deep sense of the presence of God. He even felt at intervals a strong desire after the experimental knowledge of divine things. The valuable living of St. Giles's, Reading, becoming vacant by the death of Mr. Talbot, it was presented to Mr. Cado gan, as soon as he came into orders, through the courtesy of Lord Chancellor Bathurst to his paternal grandfather*. The parishioners, at tached to Mr. Halward, the pious curate of their late pastor, petitioned Mr. Cadogan to continue him in his charge ; but he was so averse to the humbling doctrines of grace, as professed both by the late vicar and curate, that he indignantly threw their petition into the fire. Many serious and devout persons in the congregation, with more precipitance than judgment, applied to the Countess of Hunting don, and built a small chapel in her connexion, while others frequented the meetings. Not long afterwards he was presented to the rectory of St. Luke's, Chelsea, another lucrative piece of preferment, in the interest of his own family, * Cecil's Memoir of Cadogan. A. D. 1770—1780. 141 as related to Sir Hans Sloane. Some reflecting characters perceived in Mr. Cadogan great conscientiousness and decorum, and augured well for his own soul and the Church. Mrs. Talbot in particular, the excellent widow of the late incumjbent of St. Giles's, would not forsake her accustomed place of worship, but strength ened by her example and converse the younger professors, and continued instant in prayer for her new pastor, whom she conciliated by an obliging demeanour, and attracted by her good sense. Mr. Cadogan, meanwhile, was very at tentive to the duties of his profession, visiting the poor, catechising the children, and protect ing the Sabbath fi:oin violation. His earnestness in preaching drew considerable attention from the higher orders in the neighbourhood of Chelsea, till the impression of novelty began to wear off, and they found his exhortations too strict for their fashionable ears ; while his re spectable character and descent could not secure him from the brutal insults of the lower orders. After a short time, Mrs. Talbot saw the pleasing effect of her wise conduct. Her cleri cal friend became more reconciled to those peculiar graces of the Christian profession which shone in her with so much loveliness, rose superior to his early prejudices, saw more of the 2 142 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. deceitfulness of his own heart, renounced all dependence on his own righteousness, and re joiced in that liberty wherewith Christ had made him free. He listened with pleasure to the conversation of Mr. Romaine, with whom he coincided in sentiment on the Hutchinsonian and Hebrew questions. He now made repara tion to Mr. Halward by offering him his curacy, which the latter could not accept, being seated in the benefice of Assington by his friend the Rev. Mr. Gurdon ; but he went to Reading, vriiere he remained six months, refreshing his spirit with Christian communion. He was now more offensive than ever to the congregation at Chelsea ; and having deemed it expedient to substitute a Tuesday evening lecture for the daily reading of prayers, which he restricted to Wednesdays and Fridays, a malevolent com plaint was made to the diocesan, to whom he respectfully vindicated his conduct. He had much improved the state of the parsonage at Chelsea, but finding many unpleasant circum stances attached to his residence, he retired to Reading, where he could enjoy a more peaceful and devoted life. He resigned his charge to Mr. Middleton, and contented himself with visiting St. Luke's every Lent, and the sacra mental Sunday in the month. In 1782 he A. D. 1770— 1780. 143 entered into the conjugal relation with Mrs. Bradshaw, a pious widow, from whom he was removed by the stroke of death on the 18th Januaiy 1797, after having seen the work of the Lord prosper in his hands to a wide extent. Mrs. Cadogan cultivated the friendship of Mr. Marsh, whose faithfid instructions proved a consoling balm to the hearers of her late hus band at Reading, as well as words of life and peace to his own parishioners at the neighbour ing village of Basilden. 18. While a faithful testimony was thus borne in the parochial temple at Chelsea, the neighbouring chapel of the Lock Hospital re sponded to the sound in no uncertain manner. Charles Edward Decoetlogon became assistant chaplain to Martin Madan in 1773 ; and, while yet a youth, drew by his eloquence and ability a g^eat assemblage to those pews, whicii were leased to the public for the advantage of the charity. This extraordinary young man was the son of Dennis Decoetlogon, knight of St. Lazare, a gentleman distinguished on the con tinent for his literary attainments. After pass ing through the ordinary classic routine at Christ's Hospital, he was admitted a member of Pembroke Hall in the university of Cambridge, and took the customary degrees in 1770 and 144 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. 1773. Those excellent characters, the Earl of Dartmouth, and the Lord Chief Baron Smythe, patronized his rising talents, and he soon jus tified their discernment by the evidences he af forded of his erudition as a scholar, fidelity as a divine, and loyalty as a subject. In his minis tration he was ever careful to show that good Christians must be good patriots ; and in va rious publications inculcated attachment to the Church and obedience to the state. Appointed chaplain to the Lord Mayor Pickett in 1789, he preached a sermon on the Test Act, on the day of sacramental qualification for the chief ma gistracy ; and again, before the civic body on King Charles's martyrdom in 1790, showed the connexion between religion and loyalty ; seek ing by these seasonable exhortations " to cut off occasion from them who desired occasion," and were apt to censure the evangelical clergy, as " men who turned the world upside down." He was soon afterwards presented to the rectory of Godstone in Surry *. The matter of his discourses was replete with ingenious illustration, sound argument, and pointed application ; but his manner as an orator was defective in that dignified demeanour * Nichols's Anecdotes. A. D. 1770 — 1780. 145 so suited to the English pulpit. This arose from his hereditary French vivacity, acting on a mind energized and sublimated by the im portance of scriptural truth. He appeared tall in the rostrum, and beginning a long sentence in his sermon in an erect posture and with slow pronunciation, he gradually declined his person, and accelerated his utterance, till his face came into contact with the Bible on the cushion, and the velocity of his address rendered it almost unintelligible. But this minor fault was amply compensated by the general grandeur of his vehemence, and earnestness of his exhortation ; while many of those who witnessed this contrast to the unimpassioned style of preaching so pre valent at the time, were awakened from le thargic indifference to spiritual feeling and ac tivity. And if the preacher yielded too facile an ear to the injudicious compliment of the politer part of his audience, and was too much alive to the winning attentions of rank and elegance, it added another proof to the many on record of the baneful effect of adulation, and its utter inadmissibility into the ordinary intercourse of a pastor and his congregation. 19. Erasmus Middleton, the associate of Mr. Cadogan, was an honest, zealous, and amiable Minister of the Gospel of truth. Of 146 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. few men could it be said, that their heart was more in the work; or that they were more devoted champions of the doctrines of the Re formation, as received by the fathers of the English Church. He was born at Horncastle, in Lincolnshire, was bred to business, and con tinued in vicious habits till the age of twenty- two. He then became alive to a sense of his sin and folly, and joined himself to a company of Wesleyans. Feeling a strong desire to become an ambassador for Christ, and to warn his fellow-creatures against the snares of that enemy who had been but too successful in entrapping him in his toils, he put himself under the tuition of Mr. Townsend, of Pewsey, and after due preparation, entered at St. Edmund Hall, in the University of Oxford. He proved the truth of our Lord's words, " I am come to set a man at variance against his father ;" for, relinquish ing commercial prospects for a precarious sub sistence in the ministry, and professing ob noxious tenets, his father would give him no countenance. His situation, therefore, was pe culiarly destitute, when with five other students he was expelled the University. But as this was an event which drew a great share of the public attention, and affords a criterion of the state of the religious feeling of the day, it de mands more particular notice. A. D. 1770 — 1780. 147 On the llth of March 1768, a solemn con vocation was held, consisting of the Vice-Chan- cellor, and some heads of houses ; when, after an hearing of several hours, sentence of expul sion was formally pronounced against six of the junior members of St. Edmund Hall, " for holding Methodistical tenets, and taking upon them to pray, read, and expound' the Scriptures, and singing hymns in a private house." It appeared on the investigation, that the sufferers by this strong sentence were distinguished for their religious and moral conduct ; so that the charge simply resolved itself into a constructive breach of some academical or ecclesiastical canons. Dr. Dixon, late of Queen's and Vicar of Chedworth in Gloucestershire, a pious and amiable character, being Principal of the Hall, was heard in their defence ; and however the judges might suspect the advocate of entertain ing similar sentiments with the accused, they could not but respect his paternal interference in their behalf. He boldly showed, that what ever might be thought of the former part of the charge, they held such tenets as were agreeable to the Thirty-nine Articles, and had so far at least not broken their vows of matriculation. He was followed by another respectable head of a house, who quaintly but justly observed, that l2 148 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. their fault arose from excess of devotional senti ments, and that " if these six gentlemen were expelled for having too much religion, it would be very proper to inquire into the conduct of some who had too little." This was a fair re flection on the relaxed state of academic disci pline, as it regarded the personal morality of the members. It was notorious that Mr. Welling had been charged on oath with contemning the Scriptures, and ridiculing the miracles ; but he had been excused on the plea of intoxication. As might be expected, the friends of religion were grieved at the result. Richard Hill, Esq. Mr. Whitefield, Mr. Townsend, and others, ad dressed letters on the subject to Drs. Nowell, Durell, &c. ; and though some of their reason ing was weak, and the style of the former au thor in particular indefensible, their argument was frequently pungent and forcible *. At this distance of time, when the irritation excited by the event has subsided, and an unprejudiced judgment may be expected, it is allowable to remark, that it would be difficult to show that the sentence was proportionate, humane, or wise : proportionate, as it applied the extreme of punishment to an offence confessedly of no * Macgowan's " Shaver" is to be blamed for the light manner in which it treated a serious subject. A. D. 1770—1780. 149 flagrant order, and consisting of practices which (so far as the offenders violated that rule to which they willingly subjected themselves) would, it is presumed, have been discontinued through kind remonstrance or positive injunc tion : humane, as it summarily deprived them of the support and respectability anticipated from their ministerial office : or wise, as it was directly calculated to oppose an effectual barrier to episcopal ordination, and thus reduce the sufferers to th^ dilemma of renouncing a pro fession on which they had fixed their fondest hope, or seeking to exercise it among the Dis senters. These considerations seem to warrant the conclusion, that the punishment was in tended as a check to those serious and evangeli cal views of religion, which were gaining ground in different parts of the kingdom ; and which were so associated in the minds of the reverend judges with the irregularities of Methodism, that they identified the ideas ; and suffered the archives of their seat of science to preserve the entry of a record, which seemed unsuitable, to the character of a great Protestant community in the eighteenth century. On none did the blow fall more severely than on the subject of our present notice. But he remained firm to his principles, and would l3 150 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. not stoop, like his accommodating namesake the poUshed reformer at Rotterdam, to that degree of Erastianism, which leads to such a palatable and courtly representation of divine truth, as half removes the scandal of the cross. To the credit of WilUam Fuller, Esq. a wealthy banker, he offered support to the ejected stu dents, though himself a Dissenter, and enabled Mr. Middleton to enter at King's College, Cam bridge; where having finished his studies, he obtained ordination in Ireland from Dr. Trail, the Bishop of Downe^ He then served an episcopal chapel at Dalkeith, in Scotland, where he was on friendly terms vrith pious Ministers both of the Kirk and Secession, by whose inti macy his theology assumed a -more Calvinistic tone. Among the members of his congregation were two ladies of the ducal family of Gordon, Sir Robert Grierson, his mother, and sisters. Miss Margaret Grierson, and afterwards ano ther sister, found their hearts opened, that they believed the things which were spoken ; and though ridiculed for their enthusiasm, esta blished a female praying society. A strong and mutual attachment took place between Miss Grierson and her pastor, who were united in marriage, but not without opposition on the part of the Baronet's family, who could not A. D. 1770-^1780. 151 well brook her connexion with a clergyman who was neither of descent, wealth, nor patron age. Happy, however, in each other, they re moved to London ; where Mr. Middleton be came curate to Mr. Romaine, and afterwards to Mr. Cadogan. Settled at Chelsea, they ex perienced the privations of a limited income ; but searching the promises, they found the ve rification of that divine maxim, " Man doth not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Many friends contributed to their more comfortable support, in that delicate manner which leaves the donor unknown ; and when they found in the morning supplies placed within the precincts of their dwelling under cover of the twilight, they thought of a prophet of old time, " to whom the ravens brought bread and flesh in the morning." On the death of Mr. Cadogan, some individuals endeavoured to procure the next presentation for their respected curate, but it was disposed of to the Rev. Mr. Sturges,, who tree.fied him with respect, but who held such different theological opinions, that he could not continue in the cure. A handsome subscription was set on foot, to which Dr. Porteus, then Bishop of London, contributed 50/. and desired that his narae might stand in the Ust of sub- l4 152 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. scribers, to which he added two other donations of 20/. each. Mr. M. deserved these tokens of esteem, which were called for by his situation. His lectureships of St. Bonnet's, Gracechurch, and St. Helen's, Bishopsgate, afforded a scanty sub sistence. He was appointed chaplain to Lady Crawford and Lindsay, assisted Mr. Davies at Margaret Street Chapel, and at length, at a very advanced period of life, was presented by Miss Fuller, to Turvey in Bedfordshire. To this worthy clergyman the public is indebted for an entertaining and edifying work, entitled, "Biographia Evangelica," which cost its com piler much labour; and for which, that he might render it authentic, and embellish it with portraits, he was at great expense in per sonal investigation and foreign correspondence. 20. To Mr. Eyre, another curate of Ca dogan, we turn a brief attention. A native of Bodmin, little is known of his early Ufe, except that he was not designed for the ministry, but apprenticed to a clothier at Tavistock. T*'£re have been, and are, who object to the particu lar religious instruction of very young children ; limiting, it should seem, the sense of that tes timony, " Out of the mouth of babes and suck- Ungs thou hast perfected praise." A godly man, 3 A. D. 1770—1780. 153 however, taking up in his arms the infant John Eyre when four years old, said emphatically, " There is such a thing as the pardon of sin, and there is such a thing as knowing it : " an observation which never escaped the recollection of the child. But as a youth, he fell into the snare of the enemy, and experienced the pang of unfaithfulness and declension. Mr. Hervey's Dialogues, and the discourse of some pious dis senting Ministers, relieved his mind, and he was enabled to experience the joy of pardon and acceptance. He received the communion at Mr. Andrew Kinsman's Meeting at Plymouth Dock, became a preacher at Tavistock, and returned to Bodmin on his father's invitation, where he engaged in business ; but prosecuted his ministry in the town-hall, of which he ob tained a special grant, and which was thronged with auditors. His father disliking his preach ing exercises, closed his door against him, gave him a single guinea, and left him to his own resources. In this extremity, he took refuge under the roof of a kind friend at Plymouth, by whose advice he entered Lady Huntingdon's College. Under patronage of the Countess, he was engaged as a Minister successively at Tre- gony, Lincoln, and Mulberry Gardens, London. Though officiating among the Dissenters, 154 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. Mr. Eyre retained that predilection for the esta blished worship, which was the consequence of early education and connexion. His talents were of a superior order ; and when he entered at Emanuel College, he was a respectable profi cient both in classical and mathematical science. He was admitted to deacon's orders by Dr. Lowth, Bishop of London, in 1779, and to priest's orders by Dr. Thurlow, Bishop of Lin coln, in the same year ; and after assisting Mr. Cecil, at Lewes, in Sussex, till about the year 1781, he removed to Reading, and became a raore perraanent associate of the Vicar of St. Giles's. His labours in this situation were very useful; but in 1785, an offer being made him of Homerton chapel, near London, he removed thither ; and commenced a ministration which was distinguished for its scriptural divinity, and blessed to the edification of many who will be his crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord. Unwearied in his work, though engaged at home in tuition, he preached regularly thrice in the week beside on particular occasions ; setting apart Tuesday for the instruction of young men in one week, and the same day for young women in another. He was particularly interested in the edification of the lambs of the flock ; by whom, as the shepherd, he was ex- A. D. 1770—1780. 155 ceedingly beloved. ^ He instituted two schools for teaching and clothing thirty girls and twenty boys of the congregation, and bestowed con siderable pains on their superintendence. Nor was his zeal confined in its direction. Knowing the power of the press as an engine of destruc tion or improvement, and having an extensive acquaintance with ministers of various denomi nations, he conceived and matured the plan of a joint production for the advancement of the interests of Christianity, which, under the title of " The Evangelical Magazine," soon obtained a distinguished rank in the list of periodical publications. 21. It was the privilege of Berkshire to en joy the services of another eminent man of God, the Rev. Thomas Pentycross. He first drew the vital air in London ; where, as a youth of genius and love of learning, he was sent to Christ's Hospital. He attracted notice as a scholar from his masters for his attainments, and regard as a companion from his fellows for his kind behaviour and pleasant manners. At first,' but little resembling the royal founder at the same period of life, he had no reUsh for spiritual exercises ; he was more the votary of Thalia than Urania, and preferred Shakespeare to his Bible. He was wont, as a monitor, to assemble 156 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. the boys of his ward early on summer mornings, that, ere they assumed, the customary blue frock of their foundation, they might clothe thera selves in such dresses as their little wardrobes would admit, and enact some scene whose prin cipal character was generally sustained by him self. Afterwards, however, a very remarkable change took place in his conduct, of which the cause was never ascertained. His levity gave place to a grave deraeanour. He not only re linquished these draraatic exhibitions, but even assembled the same boys, over whom he pos sessed influence, for serious instruction and prayer ; and on Sunday evenings would form a congregation of no small number in a secluded part of the edifice. The matron of the ward now became his opponent. She could admire his elocution as an actor, but could not endure its more gentle exercise as an exhorter. She complained to the steward of the ward, but that officer would not suffer the lads to be dis turbed. But before he left school for the uni versity, his religious impressions, for such they seem to have been, began to wear off; and at length to decline to such a degree as to allow hira to have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, which before he reproved. His taste, imagination, dramatic knowledge, and A. D. 1770— 1780. 157 conversational talent, proved dangerous snares to his soul; and while his society was courted by the gay and Ucentious, he forgot the vanity of the pageant by which he was charmed, in admiration of its showy and playful colouring. He became a member of Pembroke Hall, Cam bridge, obtained distinction as a student, and proceeded in due course to his degrees. But after a time it pleased God, that through the conversation arid exaraple of Mr. Rowland Hill, Mr. Decoetlogon, and Mr. Simpson, his serious thoughts returned, and a forgiving Father once more made him glad with the light of his coun tenance. He entered, about the year 1771, into holy orders, and undertook the cure of Horley, near Ryegate, in Surrey. His zeal was fervid, his address animated, and his previous knowledge being sanctified, he was at no loss in his dis courses for apt illustration and striking embel lishment. His fidelity excited great opposition, but his labour was not in vain in the Lord. It was, however, the intention of his Master to give him permanent employ in another part of the vineyard. In 1774, the living of St. Mary's, Wallingford, being vacant, it was found difficult to obtain a fresh incumbent, as it was prefer ment without revenue. An offer was made to 158 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. Mr. Pentycross through Mr. Romaine, and ac cepted on the understanding that a subscription would be made towards the support of the Mi nister ; which, however, after two or three years, was discontinued. The inhabitants were igno rant, prejudiced, and irreligious; and though his eloquence drew many to the churcli, he saw so little fruit of his labours, that, discouraged with the prospect, he quitted them for a time; but learning frora a correspondent that nurabers were truly anxious for his return, and that a dawning of the spiritual day was visible to the watcher, he returned with sentiraents of affection towards them, and the Lord prospered his handy work in his own good time. He now united himself in marriage to a Miss Allen, to whora his word had been profitable; and being se conded by a few trusty rowers, deterrained to take the helm in spite of all weather, and guide his vessel through a tempestuous sea, trusting in the assistance of Him whose it is to rule the winds and the waves. At this period, he main tained an intimate correspondence with Lady Huntingdon, and occasionally preached in her chapels. Mr. Pentycross proved that it was not for man to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. In the year A. D. 1770—1780. 159 1783, there was so remarkable an awakening among some of his people, and establishing of others, that his work was as delightful as his success astonishing. Elate with his success, he was not content to feed them with strong meat, whic^ would of itself have afforded sound nou rishment, but was tempted to sprinkle it with such pungent doctrinal spicery as is sometimes used to conceal a tendency to corruption. His personal integrity, however, was unimpeachable. His honesty was his grand characteristic. ' If he too much neglected practical exhortation, and too exclusively dilated on the privileges of the elect, some of his people raight become heady, high-minded, and conceited; but in the preacher it was the error of judgment rather than the de clension of principle. But men of talent and popularity stand in slippery places ; and the rule to be observed by such, is not less necessary in statement of doctrine than in regulation of conduct, " Abstain from all appearance of evil." Mr. P. himself lived to feel the force of this in junction. A judicious friend having pointed out to him his danger of leading his flock into Antinomian error, he immediately altered his tone of divinity, and in his zeal after reparation verged too much to the opposite extreme. Some of his critical hearers were offended, and with- 4 160 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. drew their attendance. To a person who re gretted this behaviour, he replied with the excess of severity toward himself, " How can I blame them, when I neither taught them their duty to God nor man? Preaching doctrine, doctrine perpetually, was the likely way to make them at length forget their duty to me." Among the seceders, the first separation soon raade way for a second, which was followed by subdivisions and party feuds. On their conduct and its re sult, he laconically observed, " Schism is their sin, and schism will be their punishment*." This worthy divine assisted with his pen " The Gospel Magazine," and other periodical works. But in the pulpit his memorial was more firmly established. It was there that he displayed those bursts of eloquence, that diver sified and original talent, that ministerial energy, that copious diction, and that elevated senti ment, which seemed to combine the oratory of ApoUos, the fidelity of Paul, the zeal of Peter, and the affection of John; qualities whose union would have been more felicitous, had they been more systematically joined to the ethical evangelism of James : " But if any man minis ter, let him do it as of the abiUty which God giveth." Evang. Magazine. A. D. 1770—1780. 161 22. Less distinguished for natural talent and classical attainment, though respectable in both, James Rouquett had the same fervid zeal in discharge of the ministerial office. He was the son of a French Protestant refugee, and admit ted into Merchant Taylors' school. Called in early Ufe to a knowledge of the truth by the preaching of Mr. Whitefield, he entered at St. John's College, Oxford, where he united studious habits with devotional feelings. He was in duced by repeated invitation to superintend for a few years the school for the children of Me thodists, founded by Mr. Wesley, at King's Wood, near Bristol ; but was afterwards ordain ed deacon by Dr. Johnson, Bishop of Glouces ter. He was soon, however, dismissed frora his curacy, and being without a pulpit, was con strained for a time to exhort in private dwell ings, or preach to the poor captives in the Bris tol prison.. Presented at length by the Lord Chancellor to West Harptree, he was ordained priest by Dr. Willes, Bishop of Bath and Wells, and entered on the duties of his vicarage. Being appointed by that prelate to preach the ordination sermon, he spoke faithfully from the charge of Messiah to his Apostle, " Feed my sheep.'^ The Bishop was prompted by the cla mour raised against the discourse to request its M 162 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. perusal ; when his Lordship discovered his dis crimination by returning it to the author with his full approbation. He was now nominated Lecturer of St. Nicholas, in Bristol, and Chap lain to St. Peter's Hospital in the same city. He felt so much for the captives in the gaol, and the poor in the alleys of this populous city, that he exchanged his vicarage for the curacy of St. Werburg. Here he did the work of an evange list, and made full proof of his ministry, cora- mending himself to every man's conscience in the sight of God, while numbers found that the Word of the Lord in his mouth was truth. It was his delight to heal the broken in heart, and to bid the prisoners go forth. Publicans and harlots sent for him to their dying pillows, to whom he rejoiced to carry the message of salva tion. Having laboured in this important situa tion for eight years, he entered into his rest on the 16th of November 1776, in the forty-seventh year of his age. 23. The numerical importance of the flock, and the notoriety of the pastor, of the new church at Macclesfield, in Cheshire, may claim our notice, as we turn our attention to the north. The Rev. David Simpson was born Oct. 12, 1745, at or near Northallerton, in the county of York. His father, a respectable A. D. 1770—1780. 163 practical agriculturist, decorous in his habits, and attentive to family devotion, designed his only son for the same station in life as himself ; but was induced to alter this determination at the earnest entreaty of the youth, who had an uncontrolable impression that he ought to be in structed for the ministry. He entered at St. John's College, Cambridge, without those views of the responsibility of the office he was about to undertake, which are in dispensable to its adequate discharge. But going on one of his first vacations to visit Mr. Lindsey of Catterick, that gentleman urged on his attention the paramount obligation of the study of the Holy Scriptures. Struck with re morse at his past neglect of the divine revela tion, he added a Bible to his book-shelf, read it diligently, studied it devoutly, and became se riously affected with the contents. Mr. Row land Hill, of the sarae college, encouraged him to seek after God, that his soul might live. Having attained to higher degrees of religious experience, he was ordained, on the title of the Rev. Mr. Unwin, to the curacy of Ramsden in Essex. After a continuance of two years in this situation he removed to Buckingham, where his zeal and faithfulness soon excited an opposition, which led to his dismissal, but not before he M 2 164 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. had been made the instrument of spiritual be nefit to certain individuals. He was next led by the invitation of a Mr. Roe to become cu rate of the old, then the only, church in the po pulous town of Macclesfield. He was opposed here as he had been in Buckingham ; and on an application from some of the parishioners to his diocesan, received an injunction of temporary silence; an order, which would seem to argue, without any impeachment of his zeal, that he had been wanting in ministerial discretion. How ever this be, the prime curacy of the church be coming vacant, the mayor, who had the official nomination, offered it to Mr. Simpson. Every effort was now exerted to prevent his induction ; and Bishop Porteus^ who had recently succeeded to the see, was probably disposed to treat Mr. Simpson with raore lenity than his predecessor. The contest was providentially terminated by the offer of Mr. Roe to build him a church in another part of the town; a proceeding, to which that gentleman was induced in compli ance with a vow he had raade in his youth, that if he should prosper in business, he would erect a sanctuary in token of gratitude. Mr. S. accept ed the offer, on condition that terms, agreeable to the respective parties, could be adjusted, in regard to the consecration of the new church 2 A. D. 1770-1780. 165 The fabric was reared, apd set apart for public worship ; when, resigning his claim to the prime curacy of the old church, he entered on its mi nistration *. Here he was conspicuous for twenty-four years for his diligence in preaching, writing, visiting, instructing, and promoting plans of benevolence. The work of the Lord seeraed to prosper in his hands, and every raonth six or seven hundred comraunicants asserabled round his altar. He departed on the 24th of March 1799, with a hope full of imraortality. That a man so well known both in the pulpit and the press, should have avowed his intention of se ceding from an establishment in which his la bours had been signally blessed, was matter of regret to its friends, as of exultation to its ene mies. To decide justly on the raerits of this avowal, it is necessary to take into considera tion the natural character of the person by whom and the circumstances under which it was made. Whoever recollects that, while a boy, he per sisted in declaring, that a voice within said to him distinctly, " You must go and be instruct ed for the ministry," though at the time con fessedly without religious principle; and that * Theological Magazine, vol. i. p. 405. M 3 166 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. afterwards, when at college, he received the as surance of faith, while sitting at breakfast; may find some warrant for the suspicion, that there entered into his moral composition a cer tain fancifiilness, better suited to the atrao- sphere of Methodism, than the temperature of the national church. And, adverting to the meager and rambling aspect of the work in which he announced his reasons for the intend ed measure, the same observer might discover traces of a morbid sensibility, acting on a judg ment weakened by frequent strokes of paralysis. While, on a general view of his ministerial ca reer, we are forcibly reminded, that the zeal which now excites astonishment by its blaze, and anon creates alarm as to its probable direc tion, is less desirable than that steady flame, which as it burns, rises higher, spreads wider, and glows brighter, adorning the candlestick in which it was originally fixed. 24. Contrasted to the Macclesfield pastor, was the Rev. William Richardson, minister of St. Michael-le-Belfrey, in the city of York; a man remarkably exact in his habits, accurate in his statements, and orderly in his deport ment. He was a native of Cumberland, edu cated at St. Bees, and ordained deacon in 1768, by Archbishop Dmmmond, to the cure of A. D. 1770—1780. 167 Kirby-Moorside in the North Riding, of which the Rev. W. Comber was vicar. Conscientious and devout, but defective in evangelic attain ment, he was placed by an over-ruling Provi dence in such a situation, as soon enabled him to learn the way of God more perfectly. Mr. King of Middleton to the east, and Dr. Conyers of Helmsley to the west, were making known the glad tidings of salvation to their respective flocks ; while he was received with hospitality in the neighbouring parish of Welburn by a pious gentleman of the name of Robinson. It was at the house of the latter, that a con versation one day took place between the young minister and his- host on the subject of the Ox ford Expulsion, which led to the perusal of Mr. Hill's " Pietas Oxoniensis,"" by Mr. Richardson. This pamphlet, lent him by Mr. Robinson, was written in defence of the young men and their doctrines,, and produced sueh an effect upon his mind, as inclined him to suspend his judgment on the case, till he read Dr. No well's answer. He then thought that the champion of the Uni versity had made an indifferent defence, and that it was particularly dissatii^factory on the subject of doctrine. He was still further struck by attending to the argumentation of *' Goliath slain," the rejoinder of Mr. Hill, in which he M 4 168 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. aimed at proving the Calvinistic character of the articles and homilies of the Established Church. Unwilling, however, to concede points, concern ing which he had entertained much prejudice, he resolved to search the Scripture diligently ; and his friend lent him " Henry's Exposition" to as sist his investigation. The result was a more comprehensive view of the Christian system; but without an open declaration of his convic tions. In 1769 he was ordained priest; and by his friend's recommendation to Dr. Fountayne, Dean of York, appointed in 1771 a vicar-choral of the cathedral, and presented to St. Michael-le-Bel frey. In this public situation he was constrain ed to proclaim the truths he had received, amidst that conterapt which their exhibition was likely to excite frora the more formal eccle siastics or wealthier burgesses. But his congre gation increased till the church was quite filled; and by degrees some in higher stations became serious hearers. As his situation in the rainster precluded him from giving his people more than a single sermon every Sunday afternoon, he in stituted an expository lecture on Wednesday evening, March 1, 1775. His mode of com mencing this additional serrice was extremely judicious. Notice was given the Sunday before. A. D. 1770—1780. 169 that there would be prayers and a homily read on the next Wednesday evening (which happened to be Ash Wednesday), and that the practice would be continued during Lent. Finding the congregations large and attentive, he was en couraged to pursue the track on which he had entered; and an ordinance, begun on the part of himself and friends, with prayer and fasting, proved through a long course of years abun dantly fraught with spiritual blessings*. During half a century this amiable man and diligent minister, refusing other offers of prefer ment, continued his labours in this important sphere ; venerated both by old and young, and highly esteemed for his solid sense, consistent demeanour, and scriptural instruction. On controverted points of grace, his matured senti ment was, that the Anglican church holds a middle place, maintaining with the Calvinists the awful tenets of election and predestination, and with the Arminians the encouraging doc trine of general redemption. 25. This enumeration of active and exem plary clergymen, who adorned the second de cade, might be enlarged by the addition of many respectable names. Nor must we omit * Brief Memoir of the late Rev. W. R. pp. 19—22. 170 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. to assign a niche in our little fane, reared as it is to the commemoration of pastoral worth, to the busts which bear the following inscriptions in provincial rotation: the Rev. t)r. J. W. Peers, of Morden, in Surrey; Henry Mead, lecturer of St. John's Wapping; Thomas Clarke, of Ches- ham Bois, Bucks; Cradock Glascot, of Hather-^ leigh, Devon; Sarauel Furly, of Roche, Corn wall ; Thoraas Beale, of Bengeworth, Worces tershire ; Samuel Cooper, of Loxley, Warwick shire ; John Mayor, of Shawbury, Salop ; Dr. Ford, of Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire; Dr. Peckwell, of Bloxham, Lincolnshire; Thomas Cursham, of Sutton in Ashfield, Notts ; Joseph Milner, of Hull, Yorkshire ; and Thomas Her vey, of Underbarrow, Westraoreland. Wliile the necessity of further specification is in some mea sure superseded by the incidental mention of many respected individuals, and the anticipat ed notice of others, a tribute to the memory of the two last-mentioned divines is subjoined in the record of a few particulars. The former was born at Leeds, Jan. 2, 1744. As a youth, he was distinguished both at school and at coUege by classical attainment. On his entrance into the sacred ftmction, he discovered that earnestness and integrity, which that Provi dence " who giveth more grace," frequently A. D. 1770 — 1780. 171 vouchsafes to bless to further degrees of illumi nation, verifying his promise, that " if any will do his will, he shall know of his doctrine whe ther it be of God." From ministering in the church of Thorp Arch, near Tadcaster, he was elected as lecturer and master of the free gram mar-school at Hull. Some years after his settle ment in this important situation, in which he was generally respected, he was impressed with a sense of the inadequacy of those theological sentiments which he had hitherto cherished, by the perusal of Luther on the Galatians. In the comment of that great reformer, he found a clear exposition of the doctrine of justification by faith. The Spirit showed him the depth of de prarity in the human heart, and the necessity and privilege of devoting body, soul, and spirit, to the service of his Redeemer. Of a delicate frame, but of a vigorous mind, he was not easily moved from the point of which he had a clear conception ; and this tenacity, sanctified by di rine influence, was displayed in the firmness with which he bore the persecution of those who be fore courted his society^ enjoyed his talents, and distinguished him with favours. Through the interest of the WiU)erforce family, his income was increased by different appointments. DiU gent in his Master's service, he rode *^ery Satur- 172 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. day afternoon to Welton, where in the evening he prayed and expounded: on the Sunday morn ing he perforraed divine service at North Fer- riby, and in the afternoon preached the Gospel with great energy and siraplicity to a numerous congregation at Hull : on Wednesday forenoon he delivered a lecture in the High Church ; and on Thursday prayed and expounded in Lister's Hospital. He spake with such unction, , that many, both of rich and poor, were edified; and lived down opposition by a consistent conduct, while he took sweet counsel, and walked in the house of God as a friend with Mr. Richardson, of York; and Mr. Stillingfleet, of Hotham, great-grandson of the celebrated Bishop. His publications are valuable for sound sense and logical accuracy, rather than elegance of diction or variety of illustration. In his coraposition, he consulted the claims of truth more than the requisitions of taste, and strength of argument than perfection of style. Studious rather of utility than ornament, he felt deeply the importance of his labour as a workman in " God's husbandry; " and satisfied with scatter ing, in competent measure and in its rude state, the useful material over his tilth, he left to others to mould elegant casts from its calcined result ; and did not envy the polish of a Gibbon, while A. D. 1770 — 1780. 173 he vindicated with honest zeal the religion which he dared to attack. His Considerations on that gentleman's account of Christianity, and Stric tures on Hume's Dialogues, were published in 1781 ; which were followed by a Memoir of Wil liam Howard, and some " Essays on religious Subjects." But his narae is embalmed in the recollection of every lover of true reUgion, by his admirable " History of the Church of Christ;" his last and greatest work, continued by his brother, both in family and grace, the Dean of Carlisle. On the death of the pious and learned Dr. Clarke, whom he had loved and revered, he was inducted to the ricarage of the Holy Trinity. But he did not long surrive his predecessor. His exertions had been too great for his valetudina rian condition, and he departed in faith, and hope on the 15th of November 1797*. 26. Thomas Hervey, born in 1741, became Minister of Underbarrow, in the parish of Ken dal, about the year 1766. He feared the Lord frora his youth, and at an early age obtained clear views of evangelic truth, through the bless ing of God on his perusal of the works of his well-known namesake. It pleased his divine * Memoir prefixed to Sermons. 174 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. Master to give him honour in the sight of his brethren; for, having entered into the ministry from the purest motives, and haring made those motives known to his diocesan Dr. Keene, Bi shop of Chester, that prelate defended him from the charge of heterodoxy brought against him at a visitation. For sorae time after his ordi nation he served the chapel of Rampside, in the parish of Dalton, where he laboured with suc cess, till norainated to the perpetual curacy of Underbarrow by a raajority of the freeholders of the chapelry, who possess the right of electing their own Minister. For forty years did this good man hold up his solitary torch, to guide the weary wanderer home to God, amid the ob loquy and contempt to which rainisterial fidelity was exposed in that dark northern region. With a straitened income, the care of a large family, and the superintendence of a seminary, he perse vered in the path of duty with a cheerful mind, esteeming the reproach of Christ the best of treasures. He was " rich in faith, and an heir to the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him." He entered into the en joyment of the beatific vision on the 21st July 1806; and the mourning crowd which attended the celebration of his obsequies were addressed from that appropriate text, " Let me die the A. D. 1770— 1780. 175 death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his*." 27. As it is the duty of the Christian to mark the finger of God, no less in the course of his providence in the world of nature, than in the operations of his grace, so are we unwilling to leave to the civil historian the sole record of those elemental risitations by which Jehovah caused his great power to be known at this pe riod, and struck the inhabitants of the metro polis and its ricinity with awe and consterna tion. The enlightened naturalist will call to mind on such occasions the sublime language of Elihu: " God thundereth marvellously with his voice ; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend : for he saith to the snow. Be thou on the earth ; Ukewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud; he scattereth his bright cloud ; and it is turned round about by his counsels ; that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth." Or that no less striking ascrip tion of the Psalmist, " Fire and hail, snow and vapours, stormy vrind, fulfilling his word." While the congregations were engaged in after- * Christian Observer, vol. v. p. 5S2. 176 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. noon serrice, on Sunday the 22d March 1772, they were alarmed with a tremendous storm of thunder, lightning, and hail. At St. John's, Horslydown, the hailstones breaking the win dows, a great part of the people rushed out of the church : the confusion was so great at Lam beth church, that the service was for some time stopped. On the 23d December, in the same year, many accidents occurred through the fog and thick darkness, and several people were found dead in the fields round London on the next morning, supposed to have lost their way and perished. The excessive rains that fell in the course of themOnth of March 1774, caused such inundations, that many of the western roads were rendered impassable, and the towns adjoining the Thames received considerable in jury from the violence of the waters. 28. Nor can we refrain from adverting to one other awful event, which caused a great sen sation among all classes, more especially as its subject was a dignitary X)f the Established Church, and as it leads to useful reflection. We allude to the execution of the Rev. Dr. Dodd. He was son of the vicar of Bourne in Lincoln shire, and a member of Clare Hall. He pos sessed classical taste, poetical talent, and theo logical knowledge; and published a variety of A. D. 1770—1780. 177 worksi among which was one entitled, "The Frequency of capital Punishments inconsistent with Justice, sound Policy, and ReUgion." Be coming a popular preacher, and his publications obtaining a wide sale, he was tempted to an in discreet style of Uring, and " the pride of Ufe" was his ruin. He was chaplain to the Bishop of St. David's, and afterwards to the King; a pre bendary of Brecon, and rector of Hockliffe, Bucks. The rich liring of St. George's, Hano ver Square, fa,lling vacant, he anonymously of fered the Lord Chancellor's lady 3000Z. to obtain the presentation by her means ; but the applica-^ tion was detected, and his name erased from the Ust of His Majesty's' chaplains. Under this dis grace he retired to Geneva, where Lord Chester field, who had been his pupil, received him kindly, and even presented him vrith the liring of Winge, to hold in connexion with Hock liffe. At length, to relieve his embarrassments, he forged his noble friend's signature, was tried and condemned, and, though an unprecedented number of persons petitioned for mercy, it was withheld by the inflexible justice of the Sove reign. In contemplation of his fate he was humbled and penitent, but his repentance did not seem so genuine as that of Bishop Atherton N 178 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. in like circumstances *. Dr. Johnson, who vi sited him in prison, described him as being "without cant." In his " Prison Thoughts" there is certainly much evangeUcal sentiment. As he was led to the place of execution, on the 27th of June 1777, " certain lewd fellows of the baser sort" seemed to exult at the condemn ation of a dignified ecclesiastic ; while those who were zealous for the honour of the sacer dotal order, were offended that he had not first undergone the ceremony of formal degradation. 29. A reference to some circumstances more immediately connected with the history of the fine arts and of literature, but indirectly bear ing on the interests of religion and the Church, may not be irrelevant to the general purpose of our narrative. At the establishment of the Royal Academy, a portion of the magnificent pile called Somer set House, which included the ancient chapel, was assigned by the bounty of the monarch to the use of the artists. At one of their meetings in 1773, it was proposed to ornament this apart ment with paintings, with a view of attracting the attention of amateurs, and inducing them to patronize their general introduction into sa- * Bishop of Waterford, executed at Dublin in 1640. A. D. J 770— 1780. 179 Cred edifices. The discussion had not proceeded far, when the President Reynolds boldly propos ed that they should endeavour to obtain the ca thedral of St. Paul's, and undertook to nego tiate the affair with Dr. Newton, Bishop of Bris tol, and Dean of that church, who was known to be an admirer of the fine arts. Accordingly, Reynolds and West, dining at the deanery, took occasion to regret that the plan of decoration designed by Sir Christopher Wren, and exhibit ed in a print recently pubUshed, should have been so long neglected ; or that its execution had been suspended by some supposed puritani cal principles. The Dean immediately suggfested the accomplishment of the architect's Original design ; on which, it is understood that Rey nolds offered to paint a Nativity for a recess on one side, and West volunteered to prepare a re presentation of the Giving "of the Law for the opposite side . The Dean, much gratified, soon after waited on the King, and obtained his gra cious concurrence. The Archbishop of Canter bury, the Chapter, and the Lord Mayor, agreed likewise to the proposal. But the disapproba tion of Dr. Terrick, Bishop of London, Was fatal to the measure. That respectable prelate re garded the experiment as somewhat dangerous ; declaring that he thought it calculated to excite N 2 180 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. clamour and prejudice in the multitude, and to be represented as an artful step towards the in troduction of Popeiy*. This refusal of the Bishop much displeased the members of the Church and the Academy. They reported that he was piqued at not haring received the first application from the artists. It may be observed, however, that a plan which would eventually have converted the naves of the principal churches in the kingdom into so many exhibition-rooms, like those of Italy, was liable to considerable objections ; that there is something dignified in the protest made by the Anglican Estabhshment, in her collective capa city, against the images of the Romish, and the picturesr of the Greek communion ; and that it is congenial with her principles to shrink from any proposal, which should imply, in the remot est degree, her desire to attach the public to her interests, through the gratification of their senses, rather than by the legitimate and spiritual at traction of thje, beauty of holiness. But, though this grand design of the artists failed of its accoraplishment, much was done during the reign of George the Third, in the * Northcott's Memoirs of Sir J. Reynolds. Encycloped. Londiu. art. Newton .(Thomas). A. D. 1770—1780. 181 way of internal decoration of churches, by in dividual munificence. The Sovereign himself set the example, in ornamenting the interior of St. George's Chapel at Windsor. Dr. Wilson, Rector of St. Stephen's, Walbrook, no sooner heard of the Bishop's refusal to the painters, than, agreeable to the spirit of independence which marked his character, he ordered Mr. West to prepare an altar-piece for his church, valued at seven hundred pounds, representing the taking up the body of the martyr who gives name to that elegant edifice. He had previously been engaged in fixing up a most beautiful spe cimen of stained glass, which he had bought in Flandere, in his other church of St. Margaret's, Westminster. In the university of Oxford, the windows on the north side of New College Cha pel, done byPeekitt of Yoi-k, In 1765 and 1774; and the great west window, begun about 1777, from cartoons of Reynolds, copied by Jervais ; may be particularized among the more superb and expensive instances of decoration. To a successful exercise of the same department of art may be referred the pictorial improvements in the cathedrals of Salisbury, York, Ely, &c. ; while the great number of altar-pieces painted for parochial or Collegiate sanctuaries, with the N 3 182 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. monuments erected to the memory of statesmen, heroes, and benefactors, indicated the wide de parture of the national taste from that expurga- tory and iconoclastic feeling which had prevailed for more than a century. Gentlemen of the school of Horace Wal pole regarded with complacency the growing affection for ecclesiastical decoration. Because, in the history of their country, a barbarous con tempt of paintings and statues had synchronized with extravagant dogmas in divinity, they were accustoraed to associate serious and influential Christianity with disrelish of the arts. Their great oracle had remarked, after his manner : " What the fury of Henry VIII. had spared, was condemned by the Puritans. Ruin was their harvest, and they gleaned after the Reformers. Had they countenanced any of the softer arts, what could those arts have represented ? How picturesque was the figure of an Anabaptist! But sectaries have no ostensible enjoyments; their pleasures are private, comfortable, and gross. The arts that cirilize society are not caU culated for men who mean to rise on the ruins of established order. Jargon and austerities are the weapons that best serve the purposes of heresiarchs and innovators. The sciences have been excommunicated from the Gnostics to Mr. A. D. 1770— 1780. 183 Whitefield*." It was quite in conformity with the spirit that could dictate such a malignant close to this paragraph, that its author should eulogize an infamous caricature by Hogarth, in which that artist prostituted his talents, by hold ing up to public ridicule the evening lectures of the apostolic character just mentioned, together with those of the venerable Romaine ! 30. The appearance of the first volume of Dr. Kennicott's Hebrew Bible in 1776, followed bythe publication of the second in 1780, was a prominent event in the history of our sacred li terature ; interesting to every scholar who rever ed the Dirine Word, creditable to the university that had nourished its author, and seasonably emulating the erudition of the Gerraan theolo gians. In 1753 he had laid the foundation of the work by publish jing a Dissertation on the State of the Hebrew Text, in which he opposed the notion of its complete integrity. This not only rerived disputes which had formerly taken place between Capellus and Buxtorf, but alarm ed many persons of piety, learning, and judg ment, lest it should afford cause of triumph to unbelievers. The Hutchinsonians in particular (among whom were Horne, Comings, and Bate), * Anecdotes of Painting, vol. iii. p. 1- N,4' 184 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. attacked his positions with an earnestness which showed the jealousy with which they regarded his meditated undertaking. In 1760, however> he sent out his second Dissertation on the same subject. He vindicated ±he authority and anti quity of the Samaritan copy of the Pentateuch ; proved that the present Chaldee paraphrase had not been taken from manuscripts so very ancient as had been commonly supposed; and, amongst other scholastic matter, presented an account of all the Hebrew manuscripts then known, with a collation of eleven Samaritan, and a parti cular catalogue of one hundred and ten Hebrew manuscripts in Oxford, Cambridge, and the British Museum. Under extensive countenance and liberal pa tronage, he persevered in his design. When his work was completed, he prefixed a general dis sertation on its nature and utility, and affirmed that it would clear up many difficulties which had perplexed the commentators. In this stu pendous instance of academic labour, the learn ed world was gratified with the result of a colla tion of above six hundred manuscripts. How ever this undertaking might seem to second the claims of those who, perhaps with no friendly intention, desired a new version, there can be no doubt that the editor himself was actuated A. D. 1770—1780. 185 by a conscientious desire to ascertain the true letter of inspiration — a task for which he was qualified by scholastic connexion, local circum stance, and philological information. The period was marked by other instances of a taste for improvement in Biblical Uterature. Dr. Wm. Newcome, an Irish prelate, not only published, in 1778, " An Harmony of the Gos pels," with various readings; and in 1785, " An Attempt towards an improved Version of the minor Prophets;" but, in 1792, issued "An his torical View of the English BibUcal Transla tions ; the Expediency of revising by Authority our present Translation ; and the Means of exe cuting such a Revision." Dr. Geddes also, a learned Scotch Catholic divine, published, in 1786, his " Prospectus of a new Translation of the Bible," and met with encouragement from several Protestant divines, particularly Dr. Ken nicott. But when his first volume appeared in 1792, followed by a second in 1797, the public were disappointed in its general character, inas much as occasional display of erudition but poorly atoned for flippancy of alteration and puier^ityof correction. Though, however, the arguments of Kenni cott, Newcome, Geddes, and others, have not led to any authorized changes in the received 186 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. version, their labours have been veiy useful to the Biblical student. Nor must we omit to no tice the essential service that has been rendered to the cause of revelation by a class of writers, who have illustrated the sacred Scriptures by explaining their allusion to oriental customs and scenery. In this department of theological lite rature, Mr. Thomas Harmer, a learnied Noncon formist divine, had the honour of leading the way. In 1764, he published " Observations on divers Passages of Scripture," in which he threw light on various texts, grounded on circum stances incidentally mentioned in books of voy ages and travels in the East. As the work was favourably received, he sent out a new and en larged edition in 1776. For many curious ad ditions to this new impression, he was indebted to sorae manuscripts of the noted traveller Sir John Chardin, M'ith which he was furnished through the interest of Bishop Lowth, who sanc tioned his undertaking. Encouraged by such approbation, he collected materials for two more volumes, which appeared in 1787*. Sir William Jones, the eminent Bengal Judge, fol lowed in the same track ; and, in his papers in the '" Asiatic Researches," and other writings, ^ European Magazine for May 179'2. A. D. 1770—1780. 187 has afforded on these topics much valuable in formation ; discovering at once a taste that knew to appreciate the beauties of the in spired word, and an aptitude in seizing those opportunities for elucidation, which were derived from his magisterial influence and local inform ation. It is pleasing to perceive that other tra vellers have pursued the same course ; hallow ing, as it were, the speculations of coraraerce and the researches of enterprise, and forbidding their investigations to terminate solely in the gratification of curiosity or the acquisition of wealth. 188 CHAP, III. A. D. 1780 — i7yo. 1. No-Popery Insurrection — 2. Its Scottish Origin—^ S. Its ferocious Character — 4. Firmness qf tlie Kimg — 5. Origin' and Utility qf Sunday Schools — 6. Raikes, the Phitanthropisl — 7. Huntington the Su- pralapsaricm — 8. Controversy between Priesiley and Horsley — 9. Ambrose Serle — 10. Embarrassment qf American Episcopalians — 11. Case qf Dr. Inglis — 12. Successful Exertions qf Granville Sharp to pro vide for American Episcopacy — 13. Reflections — 14. Measures fyr Relief qf Scotch Episcopalians — 15. Cecil— 16. Goode—ll. Scott— 18. Storry— 19. Ro binson — 20.. Bayley — 21. Tyler— 22. Charles— 23. Death qf Fletcher — 24. Society fyr promoting Chris tian Knowledge— 25. Bishop Watson^s Plan (f Church Revenue — 26. Commemoration qf Handel — 27. Thanksgiving for King's Recovery — 28. Resolutions on Test Act. 1. Of aU popular commotions, those are most furious in their progress, and pernicious in their issue, which are engendered by the fatal union of religious fanaticism and political intrigue. The passions, highly excited by the agitation of the greatsst questions which can interest the A. D. 1780— 1790. 189 human mind, and gathering strength in their ferment, vent themselves in explosions, bidding- defiance to all law dirine and human, and in volving friend and foe in one indiscriminate mass of ruin. It would be well if such instances of epidemic madness could be found in the an nals of Mahomedanism alone: it would be a gratifying relaxation to the historical student, wearied with the frequent record of Asiatic bi gotry and despotism, to turn from the frenzied disciples of the impostor of Mecca, and seek re pose in the calmer scenes of European negotia tion, and among the peaceful votaries of the Prophet of Nazareth. Or, if it were not allow ed to meet such rest in those portions of Christ endom which own the Papal domination, with what pleasure would he Ught on some chosen spot in the Protestant division, which had never been stained with the blood of martyrdom, or sullied with the embers of persecution ! While^ however, such spots would prove of rare occurrence and narrow extent, he would still find that the ignorance or malevolence of historians had led to misrepresentation of fact or misapprehension of motive. In the recrimi nations of Popish and Protestant writers, each party has unfairly charged the other with out rage, as arising from the ebullition of reUgious 190 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. Zealj which was imputable to secular ambition and political vengeance; while the Infidel has gratified his spleen against Revelation itself, by throwing on religion the blame of actions ab horrent from her principles, and which have proceeded not from the influence of her instiga tion, but from the rejection of her authority. Then, after a laboured enunciation of unmerit ed charges, he has affected to close his account with some trite dissuasive against superstition and intolerance, fi-om the ancient page of a Lu- cian or a Lucretius, or from the modern satires of a Butler or a Pope^ Such have been the remarks in which authors have indulged, in recording those tremendous scenes of riot and rapine, which, in the summer of 1780, disgraced the capital of the most civi lized and best principled nation in the world. England saw with astonishment a violent mob, at that eventful period, which maltreated the most dignified members of her aristocracy, fired the domiciles of her unoffending citizens, and insulted the sanctuaiy ;of| her laws. As these dreadful excesses were committed under pre tence of zeal for the holy faith professed by her countrymen, it isiincumbent on the ecclesias^ tical historian to clear away, as occasion may serve, the rubbish with which the question is A. D. 1780— 1790. 191 encumbered, and, by attributing- events to their true causes, vindicate the honour of religion. 2. Since the unsuccessful attempt of the Pretender in 1745, religious animosity had ap peared to be gradually subsiding in England. The Jacobite found it expedient to shake hands with the Georgian; and the Roman Catholic was content to attend his mass under the liberal protection of the Protestant Legislature. But the case was different in Scotland. The Caledo^ nian is less precipitate in his resentments than the southern, but he is more implacable. The spirit of John Knox lurked in the lowland va pours, and at intervals beckoned his country men to beware of the Babylonish harlot. An Act of Parliament was passed in 1778, relieving the Papists from some of the heavier penalties inflicted upon them in the seventeenth century. The measure did not extend to Scotland ; but as the loyal and orderly conduct of the Romanists of the North must have had its share m procur ing good terms for those in England, it was proposed to relieve them in like manner. The General Assembly countenanced the intended relaxation of legal severity; but many of the sterner members of the Kirk, with a consider able body of the Secession, aided by some tur bulent politicians, resisted the proposal with de- 2 I9i2 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. termined riolenee, Tbe press teemed with re monstrance i the more ardent preachers de claimed against compromise with Papistical abominations; and the Synod of Glasgow for mally protested against the obnoxious proceed ing. This example was followed in some other quarters ; but the respectable Synods of Lothian and Tweedale refusing their co-operation, a pub lic outcry was raised by the Edinburgh zealots, and some inferior citizens formed themselves into a Committee with the somewhat invidious title of " supporting the Protestant interest." By invitations of general correspondence they soon rose into consequence, and resolutions in their favour were passed by many popular meet ings in various parts of the kingdom. The more reflecting of the Romanists, see ing the ferment which the bare anticipation of the measure had excited in the public 'mind, wrote to Lord North declining any Parliament ary interference in their behalf. They feared, indeed, that in seeking an extension of privilege, they might lose the portion already in posses^ sion. The members of their communion were already hooted in the streets, menaced with out rage, and exposed to every species of riolenee in person and property. Early in the year I77&, the mob destroyed two places of Romish wor- A. D. 1780— 1790. 193 ship, and demolished some dwelUiigs of private individuals in the Scotch capital ; and instigated by misguided or designing characters, denoun ced vengeance against those of their own com munion who favoured sentiments of toleration. The conduct of the magistracy was weak and reprehensible. The Provost, intimidated by the rabble, or secretly favouring their cause, for a long time refused miUtary assistance. At length the tumult was quelled, and the accommodating magistrates published an assurance, that the bill for repeal of the penal statutes against Pa pists was totally laid aside. The triumph of the insurgents at Edinburgh encouraged those at Glasgow. The populace destroyed the manufactory and effects of Mr. Bagnal, a gentleman from Staffordshire, and treated his family with gross indignities. The magistrates, however, in this instance, repaired the depredations of the mob, and liberally re funded his loss. Meanwhile, poUtical and reli gious enthusiasm continued to increase. Eighty- five corresponding comraitte'es were formed, si milar to that in Edinburgh, and recourse was had to the most unwarrantable means to inflame the minds of the lowest of the people, on a question which involved the most material con siderations in religion and government. Intem- 194 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. perate and arabitious designs put to flight all regard to equity and decorura. A Protestant association was forraed, of which Lord George Gordon, a wild and fanatical deraagogue, many parts of whose conduct can only be attributed to a greater or less degree of mental alienation, was elected president. He was a meraber of the House of Commons ; and in his place asserted that the whole people of Scotland were ripe for insurrection, and had invited him to become their leader. 3. In such a state of public affairs, it was scarcely possible that the question between the Protestants and Papists should not form a theme for discussion in those debating societies, which it was part of the object of the " Sunday Bill" of Bishop Porteus to discountenance, and whose tendency and proceedings were regarded by him with a sort of prophetic apprehension. These spouting clubs formed a very convenient resort for the partisans of Lord George, and an asso ciation began to be formed in England like that of Scotland, of which he was also declared pre sident. Encouraged by this fi-esh nomination, his Lordship continued to make such violent, if not treasonable harangues, and to indulge' in such sarcastic declamation againstthe King and his ministers, that he seemed to announce the A. D. 1780—1790. 195 designs of a Cromwell in the invective of a Thersites. But notwithstanding his occasional coarseness of declamation, his wit and talents were admired by some, and dreaded by others ; while it forms one of the most surprising as well as humiliating features of the " No-popery In surrection," that any indiriduals professing a re gard for the Christian name, should have been so far imposed on by his religious expressions as to imagine they were doing God service, by sup porting this turbulent and infatuated leader. Petitions had been presented to Parliament from Rochester and Maidstone, praying a repeal of the -act allowing indulgences to Roman Ca- thoUcs, when his Lordship summoned a meet ing of Londoners for the sarae purpose. A pe tition being resolved on, he gave notice in his place of the day on which it should be presented, and his design to require the attendance of all the petitioners, in an humble, decent, and re spectful manner. He then called another meet ing at Coachmakers' Hall, where he made an incendiary oration on the growth of Popery, and the necessity of a determined resistance on the part of all good Protestants. It was settled that the whole body of the Protestant Associa tion should assemble on the 2d of June, in St. George's Fields, vrith blue cockades in their o2 196 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. hats. On the day appointed, from sixty to one hundred thousand people, after an address from their leader, were marshalled in separate bands ; and m.arching six abreast, a man going before with the petition on his head, proceeded to the House of Commons. It happened that this alarming popular ar ray approached the seat of Parliament at the instant that the Duke of Richmond was making a speech in the House of Lords, which from its extravagance in recoraraending annual Parlia ments and universal suffrage, seemed to have no other object but the foraenting party division and erabarrassing the Government. The mob insulted Dr. Thomas Thurlow, Bishop of Lin coln, and brother to the Lord Chancellor, on his way to the house, and swore they would cut the sign of the cross on his forehead. The prelate, greatly alarmed, was rescued by the proraptitude and valour of a young law student, carried into a private dwelling, and concealed in feraale attire. The Archbishop of York was molested. Tliey assaulted Lord Boston on the presumption that he was a disguised Papist, who with difficulty escaped with his life. Dr. Hurd, Bishop of Lichfield, came off with torn ponti ficals. Meanwhile, all was terror and confu sion both in and out of Parliament. The arm A. D. 1/80 — 1790 197 of the civil power was too feeble to lift itself against such an assemblage ; and Lord Shel burne protested against the unconstitutional act of calling out the military. In the lower House, the rabble took possession of the lobby, crying, "No Popery! No Popery!" They maltrea'ted the members in their passage, and knocked vio lently at the door. Lord George moved the re ception and consideration of the petition, se conded by Alderman Bull : the former was granted of course; the latter vras deferred for four days, by the wisdom and fortitude of 192 members opposed to nine. The mob was at length driven from the precincts of Parliament by a body of light horse under an active magis trate; but parties filed off, and burnt the cha pels of the Sardinian and Bavarian ambassa dors. After some minor disturbances, the populace assumed, on the 5th bf June, a more terrific aspect. They began by an attack on the resi dence of Sir George Sarille, who had moved the repeal of the Statute of William, and having demoUshed part of the house, burnt the furni ture before the door. The dwellings of Messrs. Rainsforth and Maberly, who had apprehended some rioters committed for Newgate, were likewise destroyed; and in Wapping aud East o3 198 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. Smithfield, Romish chapels were levelled with the ground. Menaced with personal vengeance by some Members of Parliaraent, and moved by an alarm or compunction at the effects of his own extravagance. Lord George put forth a handbill disavowing the riots in the name of the Protestant Association. Nevertheless po pular commotion continued. Lord Sandwich was wounded, his carriage d)roken, and himself hardly rescued by some military. By night, on the sixth and seventh, the fury of the rioters was excessive ; and numerous conflagrations tes tified to the licentiousness of the insurgents and the timidity or irresolution of Government. The houses of the principal magistrates were plun dered and fired ; the prisons and gaols emptied and destroyed, or greatly damaged; the crimi nals released from Newgate, which exhibited a dreadful scene of conflagration ; and the dwell ing of Chief Justice Mansfield consumed, with all its valuables; while that of the Lord Chan cellor was only preserved from a sirailar fate by the intervention of the soldiery. The inhabit ants of the metropolis were regularly mulcted by the rioters, and forced to chalk on their houses the watch-word " No Popery;" and a stage performer, who was a foreigner and greatly perplexed how to proceed, actually in scribed, " No relis-ion !" A. D. 1780—1790. 199 The mob now announced their intention to destroy the Bank, the inns of Court, the public offices, and the royal palaces. In this extremity the firmness of the Monarch was a providential circumstance. It pleased that God, " in whose hand is the heart of the king, to turn it whither soever he will ;" who " stilleth the noise of the waves, and the madness of the people;" to in spire the sovereign with decision suited to the exigency of the case. When his privy counsel lors hesitated to have recourse to arms, and the Mayor of his good city @f London was paralyzed with fear, he ordered his Attorney-general to declare the tumult rebellious, and authorize the military to act, although the magistracy should not be present. Tfie event justified this season able exercise of the royal authority. With the loss of few lives, the riots were quelled, and tranquillity restored to the capital. Lord George Gordon was prosecuted on a charge of high treason, but acquitted^ Had he been impeach ed for high crimes and misdemeanors, he could scarcely have escaped punishment. His cha racter was a strange compound of rashness and feebleness, of arabitious violence and puerile taraeness, of aristocratic pride and puritanic humility. To crown its lamentable absurdity, after standing forth so conspicuously as the o4 200 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. champion of pure Christianity, in opposition to idolatry and superstition, he denied the divinity and mission of its Author, and embraced the profession of a Jew ! 4. Before we dismiss a subject, at the recital of whose enormities every good citizen must feel a becoming abhorrence, it is expedient to add a few particulars in vindication of the King, on the one hand ; and of those friends of religion and order, who from mistaken zeal were in volved in the criminal excesses of the Protestant Association, on the other. Great disputes took place in the city and elsewhere, on the measure of sending troops td act within the liberties of London. But reflecting men felt thankful for the vigour of the Sovereign. Lord Mansfield declared that the conduct of the rioters amount ed to high treason, and that in quelling riots of so serious a nature a soldier acted as a citizen. The supineness of the civic magistracy rendered extraordinary interference necessary on the part of the Government; and George the Third could not hear without eraotion the scandalous remark of Lord George Gordon, that " he had in Scotland a hundred and sixty thousand men at his command, who, if the King did not keep his coronation oath, would cut off his head." At the termination of the session His A. D. 1780 — 1790. 201 Majesty said, " Make ray people sensible of the happiness they enjoy, and the distinguished advantages they derive fi-om our excellent con stitution in Church and State ; warn them of the hazard of innovation ; point out to thera the fatal consequences of such coraraotions as have lately been excited; and let it be your care to irapress on their minds this important truth, that rebellious insurrections, to resist or reform the laws, must end either in the destruc tion of the persons who make the attempt, or in the subversion of our free and happy con stitution." Some pious indiriduals, who had siipported the measures of Lord George Gordon, protested against the violent proceedings of his party. They perceived, as politicians, the hazard of appeaUng to the populace on the nicer questions of legislative enactment; and, as religionists, the iniquity of overawing their opponents by persecuting practices. They ought, indeed, in the first instance, to have been aware of the tendency of their leader's speeches; to have anticipated the serious injury which was likely to flow from their sectarian and inflammatory character ; and to have learned from their Bible, and the history of the Church, that, where per secution begins, religion ends. Persecution milSt 202 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. ever be odious in its character, absurd in its principle, iniquitous in its nature, and ruinous in its effects. But, above all, should Protest ants beware of giving occasion to the enemies of religion to accuse them of that very violence, which is one of the most decided and anti christian marks of the Papal error. A wise Protestant governraent will act towards its Ro- raan Catholic subjects with a happy mixture of firmness and moderation. It will resolutely de fend the ark deposited in its tabernacle ; it will take care that the abominable thing shall not be concealed among its ranks ; and it will sta tion sentinels to guard the outskirts of itscarap. But it will reraember, that the cross on its standard is that of the great Captain of their salvation, who rebuked his followers, on their desire to bring down fire from heaven to con sume their adversaries, with declaring, " Ye know not what spirit ye are of!" — " In God's cause, and in Christ's quarrel," to use the phra seology of our martyrs, the only arras that are lawful are, exhortation in the spirit of love, and argument in the spirit of wisdom. " For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal; but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds *." ' * Adolphus— Wraxall— Fanaticism and Treason— Encyl. Londin. art. London. A. n. 1780— 1790. 203 5. In all political bodies there will be found a set of wretches, the dregs of the community to which they belong, who, without ability to comprehend or conscience to regard the merits of a question, are ready to seize on the oppor tunity which it may afford for lawless depreda- , tion. They are a venomous swarm, luxuriating, as it should seem, in turbid and corrupt vapour; and though no means may suffice to effect a complete removal Of this plague, yet much will be gained by its partial dispersion or abatement of virulence. An obvious remedy for the evils of popular commotion, is the education of the youth of the lower classes ; for though the dis positions of some maybe untractable, and their habits incorrigible, yet cultivation will have a general influence in softening the manners, and repressing ferocity; while others vrill be more directly benefited, and trained into useful and orderly members of the state. But if to such considerations be superadded the religious in struction of the junior membei-s of the commu nity, and the serious inculcation of divine truths on their tender minds, the most important re sults may be anticipated, both as it concerns the temporal advantage of the public, and the eternal interest of the individual. Such an institution was that of Sunday 204 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. Schools. This admirable estabUshment united in its foundation and superstructure the hap piest moral varieties. It taught the rich tb sympathize with the poor, either by contribut ing to, or actually engaging in, the work of their instruction ; it taught the poor to reve rence the day, the worship, and the book of God ; it liberally provided for the iraprovement of many, whose situation precluded them from receiving it on the other days of the week ; it tended to clear the streets of populous places of vexatious disturbance, in the hours peculiarly devoted to sacred quiet ; and it sent the child of the cottager home to his parent, able to read, and often to illustrate, the page of truth, to the edification of the raore ignorant faraily ; while the poor raan was conciliated by witness ing the obedience of his offspring, and the at tention of his richer neighbour to the concerns of their immortal welfare. The originators of a scheme fraught with such solid advantages, and calculated in its operation to endear the pastor to his flock, ought to be reckoned as pubUc benefactors. If, in this blessed reign, the waste of huraan life was dirainished by the plans of a Lettsom or a Jenner; if the condi tion of jails, hospitals, and charities was me liorated by the exertions of a Howard or a A. D. 1780— 1790. 205 Han way ; if the state of the cottage and work house was improved by the regulations of a -Barrington or a Bernard ; or if the white man learnt to feel for his sable brother by the example of a Wilberforce or a Sharp ; let us not refuse a. place in the records of philanthropy to the promoters of an institution, whose beneficial consequences will not be fully known till the resurrection of the just ; and which, though in its progress it raay have occasioned some intem perate discussions from the ever-wakeful jea lousies of adverse denominations, has eminently contributed to the rerival of religion in the national charactei". 6. The name of Robert Raikes will be handed down to posterity as that of the founder of this institution. He was born in the city of Gloucester, in 1735, of worthy and respectable parents. His father was editor of the Gloucester Journal, which had an extensive circulation not only in its own county, but in the neighbouring districts of Somerset, Hereford, Monmouth, and South Wales. Having received a liberal education, and being a youth of intelligence and principle, he was associated in his parent's labours as a printer and journalist. He was now distinguished by benevolent action and philanthropic endeavour. The state of the 4 206 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. county bridewell in particular arrested his at tention. He saw there a number of persons, committed for trivial offences, associated in an injudicious manner with abandoned criminals ; in a wretched condition as to food and habili ment ; with little means of supporting them selves by labour ; and receiving a very scanty supply from the adrainistration of the county. He exerted hiraself to relieve the necessities and soften the hardships of these poor captives, by so liciting contributions from the humane through the raedium of his paper, or by personal appli cation, and by suggesting plans or publishing remonstrances to the magistrates and others on their forlorn and destitute situation. But he was principally affected by noticing their extreme ignorance. He earnestly desired to procure them some religious and moral in struction. If among the prisoners he found one who was able to read, he hired him to instruct his fellow-prisoners; and saw sorae good ef fects flow frora this arrangement, vrith respect to the younger part of the captives. Obserring too, that the frequent quarrels which disturbed the interior of the jail arose from their want of employment, he took unwearied pains to obtain from the proper authorities permission for la bour to be introduced among thera, in such A. 1). 1780— 1790. 207 a way as might afford some relief to individuals, and benefit to the incarcerated community. While engaged in these schemes of benevo lence, he was led to take a more enlarged view of the connexion between idleness and crime. He saw the streets filled every Sabbath-day with a multitude of noisy and vicious children, whose uncleanly and tattered appearance bore testi mony to their egress from the abodes of wretch edness. Destitute of instruction, and unused to attendance on public worship, they presented to his imagination the melancholy picture of a fresh generation rising to succeed the former as inmates of the walls of a prison, to which it was to be feared too many would soon be conyeyed, the rictims of idleness, ignorance, and evil ex araple. As his bowels of compassion yearned over them, he lamented that there was no exist ing regulation of time or place, of which the well-disposed among their parents might take advantage. In this state of things it occurred to him, and an amiable clergyman, with whom he communicated on the subject, of the name of Stock, that a provision might be made for their improvement by personal exertion. He opened his mind to sorae of the poor parents, who readily compUed with his wish, that their children should meet him at the early service performed 208 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. in the cathedral on a Sunday morning. Their numbers at first were small, but their increase was rapid. The good man soon saw himself surrounded by a multitude of needy and igno rant children, whose affections it was his grand object to gain by kind treatment, whose con sciences he endeavoured to enlighten by plain instruction, and whose uncouthness he sought to correct by decorous reg-ulation; while the orient sun, shining through the glowing win dows on his work of mercy, and darting his beams along the hallowed aisles, showed like the eye of the heavenly Father blessing and approv ing the beneficent design. In a short time he brought them into excellent order. By watch ing his motions, they learnt when to kneel, stand, or sit, in the different parts of the ser vice. They became more cleanly in their persons, raore quiet in their conduct, and raore gentle in their treatraent of each other. The inhabitants of Gloucester began to adraire an institution which proraised a more decent observance of the Sabbath in their populous city ; and by their contributions enabled him to provide masters and mistresses to educate them in the principles of Christianity*. * Gent. Mag.; Encyc. Perth, art. Schools. A. D. 1780—1790. 209 The benevolent exertions of the Gloucester shire philanthropist soon became the theme of conversation beyond his own immediate district. From discussion of the merits of his scheme, the more active proceeded to make trial of its prac ticability in their own circles. It came in a shape which recomraended it to the patriotic and the orthodox, as it promised to render the rising generation loyal and religious. The seeds of insubordination had been thickly sown in different quarters; but a harvest of blessings, characteristic of order and cirilization among the lower orders, was anticipated from the well- directed agency of this plan of cultivation. In some cases, in the first instance, the offspring of Churchmen and Dissenters were associated, and their instructors taken indiscriminately from either persuasion ; but, after a time, local cir cumstances frequently rendered it expedient for different parties to act on more exclusive regula tions. The mode of instruction to be pursued, and the catechetical lessons to be learned, by the upper forms, would have unavoidable reference to the peculiar sentiments of opposite denomi nations ; and sorae zealous clergymen perceived, in the judicious exercise of this great engine, an increase of security to the national Establish ment. With this design, many excellent ele- 210 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. mentary works have been drawn up for the use of such institutions ; but a well-merited testi mony to its fidelity, perspicuity, and conciseness, has been given by a discerning pubUc, in the multipUed editions of the " Explanation of the Church Catechism, by the Rev. Basil Woodd." The system of Sunday school instruction was in troduced into the metropoUs by the Rev. Row land HiU ; who founded an institution of this nature, on an extensive scale, in 1784, at Surry Chapel, a large octagon edifice, opened for the exercise of his personal ministry in the preced ing year. The coraraittee of managers of the same place of worship became the guardians of other similar establishments in the Borough of Southwark. 7. In this chapel, though not in episcopal connexion, the Liturgy of the national Church was used, as in that erected by Whitefield in Tottenham Court Road. As in this case too, its department of condonation was supplied by Ministers both from among Churchmen and Dissenters. Situated in a populous suburban district, its founder and his zealous coadjutors, by their energetic addresses, frequently drew the attention of the young and the thoughtless to the " things which concerned their everlasting peace," and arrested thera in their progress to 4 A. D. 1780 — 1790. 211 the haunts of guilty pleasure or the resorts of frivolous dissipation. But the popularity of this chapel found a rival, if the expression be admis sible, in an edifice of smaller extent in Little Titchfield Street, Oxford Market, which was opened in 1788, by a preacher whose character was a sort of phenomenon in the religious world, and whose history is too nearly connected with certain theological opinions to be overlooked in the ecclesiastical record of the age. William Hunt, born in the Weald of Kent, about the year 1743, was of obscure parentage ; and, on attaining manhood, left his native place, and changed his name to Huntington, to avoid the expense of supporting an illegitimate child. Haring been first an errand-boy, then a day-la bourer, he became a cobbler at Mortlake in Surry, where he married, and soon after remov ed to Ewell, in the sarae county. Possessing considerable native talent, he improved himself by reading ; and under the influence of religious conriction, accompanied with enthusiastic feel ing, commenced the work of a preacher. He was driven thence by persecution to Thames Ditton, where he engaged in the laborious occu pation of a coal-heaver. Here he endeavoured to estabUsh a congregation ; but, finding his mi nistry rejected, he proceeded to London, deter- p 2 212' ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. mined, however, to continue his office of a Chris tian teacher, for which he professed to have re ceived a special coraraission. It is not easy to convey a correct idea of his character, without adverting to the particular manifestations with which he solemnly avowed himself to have been favoured. For this pur pose it will be sufficient to notice a vision and a dream, which may be dismissed without com- raent. At the period when he becarae the sub ject of religious impression, he was accustomed to take a part in the minor concerns of horti culture. One day, while mounted on a ladder, and occupied in pruning a vine by the side of a house, a light shone round about hira, above the brightness of the sun, and a voice carae unto him, saying, " Throw by the Common Prayer Book!" Whoever is inclined to pause at associating such language with the shekinah and the bath-col, will find in the dream a phraseology more similar to the revelations of the Hebrew seers. "I dreamed, and behold! in ray dreara I thought I heard the Lord call to me with a very shriU voice, saying. Son of man, son of man^ prophesy! son of raan, prophesy! I answered. Lord, what shall I prophesy? The voice came again, saying. Prophesy upon the thick boughs. I immediately awoke ; and felt A. D. 1780— 1790. 213 a comfortable power upon my heart, and thought the voice seemed fresh in my ears. I got up imraediately, and traced ray Bible, to see if I could find those words there : thinking, that if I could, I should conclude the dreara to be from God. I soon found the words (Ezekiel, xvii, 23. xxxi. 3), and perceived the thick boughs to be men." It was previous to his removal to London that he received this latter coraraunication, inti mating that he should minister in a raore popu lous sphere. He preached first at a chapel in Margaret Street, near Cavendish Square. He soon desired a place of worship for his individual ministration; and, as on former .occasions he had been supplied with articles of subsistence and clothing by a sort of special interposition, so now one of his hearers carae forward with the offer to build a chapel gratuitously, which was effected through the liberality of the con gregation, and called Providence Chapel. Mean while the Kentish prophet applied himself dili gently to the study of the learned languages, in which he made some progress. He took a house in Winchester Row, Mary-le-bone, where, though he had a numerous family, hp was enabled, by the bounty of his people, to support a decent appearance. He received many valuable pre- p 3 214 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. sents. In particular, two porters arrived at his door, laden with a very heavy chest, and bear ing an anonyraous note, written probably by a raember of his congregation, who affected his own enigmatical and raystical style, announcing that the box " was filled with dead men's brains, of which the writer begged his accept ance." His wife would have dismissed the chest unopened ; but Huntington judged it more pru dent to inspect this medullary donation, and found it a collection of choice old dirinity and other able works. He now attained great popularity, which was increased by excursions to various quarters, and the publication of many treatises, which bore some resemblance to the writings of the old Puritans, in the quaintness of their titles and the exuberance of their allegories. If he had not the piety of a Bunyan, he had much of his ingenuity. But Huntington was an unique, both as author and preacher ; and he seems to have gloried in his singularity; for, in his " Dedication to the Bank of Faith," he declared, that his " doctrine and reputation should stand and fall together ; that it never should be the Coal-heaver and Co." He neither coalesced with Churchmen nor Dissenters ; he did not pray in the method usually observed by respect- A. D. 1780 — 1790. 315 able Nonconformists, nor offer intercessions for the governraent of his country ; and as he be lieved that the church of God was an exceedingly small society, so the observations which he made upon other Ministers implied that scarce ly any preached the Gospel but hiraself. He doubtless belonged to the Supralapsarian school of divinity; but it would be injurious to the meraory of Crisp, Saltmarsh, Brine, and Gill, to class his narae with theirs. As to the matter of his discourses, the grand bases of his tenets were the doctrines of eternal justification and imputed sanctification, with the already-accom plished regeneration, repentance, faith, and obedience, of the elect in the person of Christ. As to his manner of handling a given subject, he avoided the literal meaning for a figurative interpretation ; and having persuaded himself of the justness of his imagery, he would seek to corroborate it by such a multiplicity of quota tions, throwing new Ught on sorae, and adapt ing others to his purpose, that the raind of the audience was overwhelmed with the spurious mixture. He was an evangelical Procrustes, lengthening or shortening his authorities to his own convenience. Then in a tone of confident dogmatisra, and with a significant gesture, he would declare his conviction of the truth of his p4 216 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. assertions, defy all contradiction, and leave an impression on his hearers of his pararaount au thority by such dictatorial language, as " Paul thinks so, and so do I ! " Notwithstanding his occasional coarseness and vulgar wit, he was regarded by nurabers with irapUcit veneration. His congregation was lavish in its bounty, and extrerae in its obse quiousness. His wants required only to be naraed to be instantly gratified. Towards the close of his life, his chapel being destroyed by fire, another was built in Gray's Inn Lane, in which he refused to officiate till it was raade his own personal freehold. His income was con siderable ; and at once to gratify indiridual vanity, and ridicule academical distinction, he affixed to his name S. S. the initials of saved sinner. Having lost his first wife, he married the relict of Sir James Saunderson, who had been Lord Mayor in 1792, and by this union obtained the usual appendages of a good esta blishment. Prerious to this change in his cir cumstances, he had offended the democratic part of his audience by denouncing the writings of Paine ; but he told them that " so far from their being able to pull him down, they must not wonder to see him in his coach, when old age came on." As, after his manner, he had A. D. 1780 — 1790. 217 formerly inveighed against the dignitaries of the Church, " rolling their fat carcasses about in chariots," he now ingeniously showed his people that he had apostolic license for similar indul gence, by quoting Acts, xxi. 15, " And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalera." He departed at Tonbridge Wells, July 1, 1813, in the seventieth year of his age, and was interred at Lewes, with a cha racteristic epitaph of his own coraposition ; raaintaining to the last the style of one who spake .by special commission and prophetic in spiration. Thus lived and died an extraordinary cha racter, whose rise from obscurity and ignorance to comparative distinction and information, might tend to cherish certain enthusiastic feel ings in his own mind, while the politician will regard him as an instance of the successful ex ercise of talent in a free country. But the theologian will consider the occurrence with raore serious reflections. The individual hiraself is removed equally beyond the reach of admira tion or censure. But his doctrines are accessible in twenty volumes. The last act of idolatry was performed by his favourers, when one gave sixty guineas for his old arm-chair, and others equal ly high prices for his spectacles and snuff-box. 218 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. at a public auction ; but an example of party- feeling and personal attachment is afforded of very anticathoUc tendency ; and maugre his own affectation of singularity, he is still re garded as a principal among a peculiar ultra Calvinistic class, of whora it will be no trespass on the bounds of charity to assert, that many of its merabers, under a profession of the highest enjoyraent of privilege, are found Antinomian in practice, in the worst sense of the term *. 8. While those who entertain the high Pre- destinarian notions, not without a raixture of personal enthusiasm, are often led into sectarian feelings, which in a greater or less, degree are opposed to the genuine spirit of the Gospel; they are nevertheless on the platform of Chris tianity, and at intervals experience such coun teraction, so to speak, from the fire of divine love, as enables them to rise above the tech nicalities of system, and glow with affections superior to the narrowness of favouritism. But the charity affected by the supporters of what is called " Rational Christianity" is a false principle. It is a compound of infidelity, con ceit, and selfishness. It professes to open its * The Rev. Mr. Brook, a clergyman of Brighton, having seceded from the Establishment, Mr. Huntington went dowji, with some parade, to open a new meeting for the secession. A. D. 1780— 1790. 219 arms to all who are sincere in their respective modes ; to pity the credulity of the orthodox, whom it considers as idolaters ; and to promise salvation to all who regret their past offences, and make satisfaction to the best in their power. It takes credit to itself, meanwhile, for an en largement of heart, while that heart is too cold and too dead to embrace the animating and genial sublimities of the Gospel. Impenetrable to the affecting testimony which the Father hath given of the Son, they treat as fabulous what they cannot comprehend ; and would rather rob that Son of his Godhead, and deny the grace of his redemption, than submit to the humiUating truths of his merciful revelation. So true is that rule of the Apostle : " If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to those that are lost ; in whom the god of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not." The Antichristian leaven, which fermented even in the day of St. John, now gave rise to a lengthened controversy on the person of the Messiah. It began by the publication of Dr. Priestley, entitled, " A History of the early Corruptions of Christianity." The plausible au thor endeavoured to make it appear that the Ught of divine truth had been gradually ob scured from the time of the Apostles. The ad- 220 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. mission of Platonists into the Christian comrau- nion was represented as the source of the evil. Corruption began by the doctrine of the Trinity, and more particularly of the divinity of Christ, which was followed by those of the necessity of the sacraments to salvation, worship of martyrs, and the atonement. The increase in the number of esteemed sacraments, with the predominance of Popery, were the top-stones of this fabric of error. It is obvious that a work of this nature was calculated to be exceedingly injurious to the purity of Christian faith. It required con siderable acquaintance with patristic theology to detect mis-stateraent of fact, or misrepresent ation of doctrine, by the bold heresiarch. Nor was it less necessary to possess great logical acumen to separate fallacious argument from sound reasoning, amid the multiplicity of raat- ter involved in the discussion. This deadly thrust at the vitals of the Church was success fuUy parried by Dr. Horsley, Archdeacon of St. Albans, a divine of gigantic raental power, ex tensive reading and high classical and mathe matical attainment. He confined himself, in deed, in his answer, to the grand question of the divinity of Christ, in which the interests of the faithful are mainly concerned. He professed to discover in the work of his antagonist, " in- A. D. 1780 — 1790. 221 stances of reasoning in a circle; instances of quotations misapplied, through ignorance of the writer's subject; instances of testimonies per verted by artful and forced constructions ; in stances of passages in the Greek fathers misin terpreted, through ignorance of the Greek language ; instances of passages misinterpreted through the same ignorance, driven further out of the way by an ignorance of the Platonic phi losophy ; and instances of ignorance of the phraseology of the earliest ecclesiastical writers." The Archdeacon, in the first place, animad verted on Dr. Priestley in a charge to his clergy. This producing a series of letters in reply, a pub lic correspondence comraenced between them, which was carried on from 1783 to, 1786. Minor combatants skirmished on either side, while the contest continued between the two great leaders. Reflecting and impartial raen were constrained to confess that the Archdeacon had obtained the victory ; and that it was vain to cope with such theological and philological talents engaged in the cause of truth. But So cinianism is a restless principle ; and the philoso pher of Birmingham wished it to be thought that his comprehensive genius could agitate difficult questions in divinity as readily as it could con duct nice processes in chemistry. He continued 222 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. to issue cavilling tracts, descending still deeper into the abyss of Unitarianism ; though, in the judgment of the infidel historian of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, " the Socinian shield of Priestley had been pierced by the spear of Horsley*." In the management of the controversy, the champion of orthodoxy had sustained the dig nity of his character, and did not stoop to the captious and cynical personalities of his adver sary. But, if not satirical, he was keen, and occasionally betrayed a contemptuous feeling. He was clear in his exposition of doctrine, man ly in its defence, and so confident of his ground, that he never appeared to shrink from any quarter of the attack. His service to the esta bUshed reUgion was noticed by some persons in power, and rewarded by exaltation to the see of St. David'sr 9. The same wise and gracious Providence which raised up an able logician and profound scholar to answer the objections and expose the hypercriticisms of a leading sceptic, called into the ranks another defender, whose writings were more adapted to general perusal. Ambrose Serle was a pious, amiable, and intelligent layman, * Gibbon's Posthumous Letters. A. D. 1780 — 1790. 223 whb occupied a situation under Government. Glowing with love to his Redeemer, his spirit was moved within him at the blasphemies which abounded in the works of unbelievers. He therefore devoted his leisure houi-s to the com pilation of Essays on some remarkable names both of Christ and of the Spirit, occurring in the Old and New Testaments. They formed two volumes, to which he afterwards added a third, on the titles of the Church of God. These constituted together a system of divinity, novel in character, but invaluable in matter and pleasing in manner. The talents of Horsley were surpassing, and his disquisitions testified to the extensive range of his information : the abi lities of a Serle were hallowed, and the humility of an experienced believer gave an inexpressible grace and sweetness to the sentiments of the philosopher. The one wrote for the schools, the other for the closet. To the powerful pleading of the former, infidelity would still offer its demurrer ; to the holy simplicity and devotional tone of the latter, it could not refuse its reve rence, while it admired ingenuity of illustration and variety of remark. The temper of the au thor will appear from the language of his pre face : " The title Horce Solitariag is prefixed to these papers ; because they were the retired em- 224 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. ployment only of such parts of the author's time as were disengaged from the duties of a public station ; and the subject on which they treat, was his great consolation under the loss of an affectionate and valuable friend. The divinity and all-sufficiency of the great Redeemer he found, by a little experience, to be a source of peace, when none could be found in aught be side : and he will rejoice, even in a more perfect state of being, if the solitary hours appointed him on earth shall be made useful to others ; or if those who walk, and love to walk, in a retired path (which, alas ! is too little trod by Chris tians in this evil world), shall find satisfaction in those considerations which afforded a true and solid pleasure to him. Experience will however testify this great truth, that the grace of an almighty Saviour alone can triumph over all exterior circumstances, and when human expectations and human aids are at their lowest ebb, can roll in a tide of joy, which shall never roll back again throughout eternity." 10. On the conclusion of peace between Great Britain and America, some interesting questions arose connected with ecclesiastical polity. As many of the colonists were of secta rian descent, and the union of the States was designed to form one great republic, which A. fl. 1780—1790. 225 should equally consult the habits and prejudices of its different members, it was not the inten tion of Congress to give predominance to any form of church government. But as the sepa ration between the two countries was attended, in many cases, with feeUngs not dissimilar to those which might be experienced by a division of members of a private family in coinmon life, in the disruption of endearing ties and the diversion of accustomed relations ; so no distress perhaps was more sacred in its nature, or en titled to livelier sympathy, than that which was found in certain congregations attached to the service of the Church of England, who were episcopalians in principle and habit ; and who, in some instances, were under the necessity of parting with their old and revered Ministers, especially such as had adhered to the royal cause, or saw no provision made for the con tinuance of that mode of ecclesiastical disci pline which they had been taught to revere as of apostoUcal origin. No set of men were more harshly treated by the new government than pastors of this description. Numbers in disgust came over to the mother-country, where they sought a precarious livelihood; and though the English government considered their case, as well as that of other loyalists, and extended 226 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. relief; yet that relief was frequently slow in operation or partial in direction, while the suf ferers made vain applications for eraploy in their office as clergyraen. Sorae religious politicians raay observe in the destitution and raiseiy of the French priests, who, at a subsequent period, sought an asylum on the British shores, a kind of retributive justice, inflicted by Proridence for those intrigues of the House of Bourbon which mainly contributed to the success of the American insurgents, and drove so many pious and 'worthy dirines from their beloved homes and people. 11. An exaraple of the ill-treatment which they sustained is afforded in the case of Dr. Charles Inglis, of New York. This gentleman was rector of the parish of Trinity, and officiated in the chapels of St. George and St. Paul. He had laboured in these three congregations for eighteen years, and lived in great harmony with his parishioners. Being attainted and proscrib ed, and his estate confiscated by the legislature of the State of New York, on account of his attachment to the British government, he was reduced to the necessity, when the King's troops were withdrawn, of resigning his parish and going over to England. Finding that certain laws, for which a mitigation or repeal had been A. D. 1780— 1790. 227 stipulated in the articles of peace, were still allowed to operate, as the irritated feelings of Government had not yet subsided, he preached his farewell sermons on October 26, 1783; in which he erinced both judgment and piety by the following observation : " Adhere faithfully to that excellent Church, of which you are members. The truths and doctrines which she inculcates, are those which were taught by Jesus Christ and his Apostles ; they are a saci'ed trust committed to your care; and it is your indispensable duty to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. Be steadfast, therefore, and zealous in adhering to that faith. Let nothing wrest it from you. Nor be content with a mere profession of it; but strive daily and earnestly that your heart, disposition, and conduct may, through divine grace, be entirely formed by its rules and directions. Through the disposal of an all-wise Providence, you will soon be under new rulers and a new government. When thus situated, let rae admonish you to show the same fidelity that you showed to your former government. It is the duty of Christians to be subject to and obey the civil power, not only for wrath but for conscience sake; and from the proofs you have already given of re gard to conscience, in this respect, I flatter q2 228 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. myself that you will continue the same line of conduct. My fidelity to my Sovereign cannot be questioned ; yet, were I to reraain here, and transfer ray allegiance to the new government, I do assure you I would serve and support that government with the same fidelity that I have served the governraent under which I have hi therto lived. This is the common duty of all Christians ; and on no other principle can any governraent or society subsist." This exeraplary clergyraan recrossed the Atlantic as Bishop of Nova Scotia. 12. At this juncture an individual Was found, peculiarly fitted from habit, connexion, temper, and disposition, to serve the cause of American episcopacy. The grandson of an Archbishop, the son of an Archdeacon, and al lied to dignitaries, Mr. Granville Sharp had distinguished himself as the opposer of slavery ai\d the promoter of public morals. In his patriotic undertakings he had become known to several members of the Bench, and others high in office. His character also was calculated to give effect to his endeavours with all parties; for, while he was as warmly attached to episco pacy as any of the Columbian loyaUsts, he was likely to be acceptable to the patriots frora his known sentiments on the question of the war. 4 A. D. 1780— 1790. 229 Among the tracts which hc had pubUshed, connected with other subjects. Was one entitled, " The Law of Retribution," printed in 1776. In a long note at the end of this book, an ac count is given of " the apostolical and primitive Catholic Church of Christ, which always main tained the natural and just right of the clergy and people of every diocese to elect their own bishops, for above five hundred years after the establishment of it, until the church of Rome began its baneful exertions to invade and sup press that just and important right." This book so much pleased not only episcopalians but others, that, aided in its effect bythe sentiments and feeling which certain of their countrymen had imported into their continent, who had conversed with the author, a motion was raade in Congress for the establishment of episcopacy during the war, but postponed till the return of peace on account of its importance. The episcopal churches, particularly in the southern States, were numerous ; but no bishop was resident, and the clergy had always been ordained in the mother-country. It was evi dent, that as the Act of Uniformity forbad the ordination of any who did not take an oath of aUegiance to the King, serious difficulty would occur. The Bishop of London was, indeed, q3 230 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. empowered to ordain priests and deacons per sons who were not subjects of His Majesty, without requiring them to take the oath. This was, however, but a half-measure, as far as con cerned America ; and Mr. Sharp endeavoured to prevail on the Primate to origin9,te some step which should secure to that continent its own episcopacy. He was anxious, likewise, that the new prelates should derive their powers from the English Church, as was most natural. Dr. Seabury was chosen by the church in Connecti cut, and came over for the purpose of consecra tion ; but when he waited on the Archbishop of Canterbury, his Grace desired some time to consider of the request; and the bishop elect, being piqued, set off for Aberdeen in futherance of his object, and obtained consecration from the nonjuring bishops of Scotland. Besides which, some pastors had procured consecration from Moravian bishops, and the Methodists were understood to ordain presbyters by their own superintendents, after the plan of Lord Chancellor King. Meanwhile, Mr. Sharp kept up a corre spondence with President Manning, of Rhode Island; Dr. Franklin, the American envoy at Paris ; and Dr. Rush, an eminent physician. On his own side the water, he was indefatigable A. D. 1780-1790. 231 in forwarding the views of the episcopalians with different prelates, and with Mr. Adams the American ambassador. At length, after the conductors of this affair in the United States had agreed with the two EngUsh archbishops, concerning a liturgy, forms of certificates, &c. he had the satisfaction to see his endeavours crowned with success. On the 21st of June 1786, the convention of the Protestant episcopal church in the States of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and South Carolina, met in Christchurch in Philadelphia, and heard an appropriate dis course from Dr. White, the first bishop elect of Pennsylvania. This divine, accompanied by Dr. Prevost, then proceeded to England. They were presented by Mr. Sharp tb Dr. Moore at Lambeth, who set thera apart for the epiiscopal office on the 4th of February 1787. About three years afterwards. Dr. Madison carae over, and was consecrated in like raanner Bishop of Virginia; since which time the American church has not stood in need of foreign assistance *. 13. The exertions of those who were more iramediately engaged in settling the foundation of the American episcopacy, cannot but be in- * Prince Hoare's Memoirs of Granville Sharp, part II. ch. vi. q4 232 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. teresting to well-informed raerabers of the Eng lish Church. That interest will, however, be much heightened by the consideration that security was given at the sarae time for the continuance of " the form of sound words," and the support of that system of faith, which had been the prime ornament of the mother- church, her main defence for centuries, and the scriptural ground on which she rested her hope of the protection of the Almighty. If it be a maxim of the civilians, that " the order of bi shops is the stay of the commonwealth," it is equally the conviction of the enlightened churchman, that " a sound creed is the stay of the bishops." However excellent the model of ecclesiastical polity, if it be not employed to uphold a pure confession, it is at best a body without a soul, a casket Mdthout its jewel. On this broad basis. Protestantism defended her separation from the Romish see ; and while she continue true to herself, casuistry will ex haust itself in vain endeavours to shake her foundation. But in proportion to her sense of the importance of doctrinal truth, will be her desire and prayer, that faithful pastors raay be raised up from age to age to instruct her chil dren " in things pertaining to godliness." She will feel that her discipline may be apostolical. A. D. 1780— 1790. 233 and her forraularies correct, and yet that the defection of her sons may provoke Him who walketh among the seven golden candlesticks, to reraove some one out of its place. On the contrary, her maternal bosom will cherish with peculiar fondness those of her children who remain firm in their principles ; and, maugre the ignorance or malice of an hostile world, will esteem them attached to her best interests. 14. The nonjuring bishops of Scotland, to whom Dr. Seabury had recourse, were themselves objects of sympathy to all those, who, though disposed to grant that a form of church-govern ment was not laid down in so many words in Holy Writ, yet could not allow that men, under any circumstances, were justified in departing from the primitive and apostolic model. With respect therefore to the northern part of our island, though Presbyterianism was there esta bUshed, they did not regard the Scotch episco palians as dissenters, in the general acceptation of the term, but rather as that peculiar body which in fact constituted the church, stript of its former appendages of rank and emolument. In consequence of the proceedings of the Convention of Estates, which conveyed the crown to William and Mary, and of the subse quent Act of the Scottish ParUament, which 234 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. substituted Presbytery for Episcopacy, two arch-^ bishops and twelve bishops with nine hundred clergyraen, refusing to subrait to the new go vernment, were ejected from their sees and benefices. Notwithstanding sorae severe penal laws whiph were passed against thera, the clergy continued to officiate privately to such as were disposed to attend upon their rainistra- tions ; while the bishops preserved the succession of their order by new and regular consecrations. In the course of years their nuraber consider ably diminished ; but as ecclesiastics, they con ducted themselves in a praiseworthy manner, performing their functions in private apart ments, subsisting on the miserable pittance fur nished by their people, and generally abstaining from interference in political disputes. They did not pray for the King hy name, but they held no connexion with the exiled royal family; nor could the Scotch episcopalians of later date desire to see a Rom^n Catholic on the throne, though, as an affair of conscience, they could not deny the claim of the Stuarts, and inno cently styled the Pretender Prince Charles. The disagreeable situation in which they were placed rendered the death of the last person who main tained his claim, in 1788, a subject of congra tulation. They immediately prayed for George A. D. 1780— 1790. 235 the Third in their religious asseml)lies; their tender of loyalty was graciously received ; and assurances were given from some of the great officers of state, that there was little doubt that the penal enactments would be removed. Accordingly, three of the bishops. Skinner, Drummond, and Strachan, arrived in London in April 1789, to prosecute measures of relief. A bill passed the House of Coraraons unani mously in their favour, on which occasion Mr. Secretary Dundas was their liberal and powerful advocate ; but it was thrown out by the Lords, principally on the opposition of Lord Chancellor Thurlow. They did not however despair of ultimate success. The Rev. Dr. Gaskin, Secretary to the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge; William Stevens, Esq. Treasurer of Queen Anne's Bounty; and James Allan Park, Esq. an eminent barrister, who to legal added theo logical attainment; formed themselves into a committee of management ; an office for which they were peculiarly fitted, by their decided attachment to episcopacy, their ecclesiastical connexions, and their means of access to certain characters both in church and state, who might forward the cause of the Bishops. Notwith standing, however, their unwearied kindness 236 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. and unremitting endeavour, supported by the episcopal bench, and especially by Bishops Horsley and Horne, the bill for relief did not pass into a law till June llth, 1792. On this consummation of their labours, these benevolent friends of the Scotch episcopa lians exerted themselves further in proraoting ecclesiastical unity, which from the peculiarity of their circumstances had been much violated. Laymen, afraid of subjecting theraselves to pe nalties by attending the nonjuring clergy, had been accustomed to perform their devotions in chapels served by ministers ordained in the Churches of England and Ireland, who did not acknowledge the Scotch Bishops. In this pre dicament their places of worship were unconSe- crated, and their children unconfirmed ; while their character was anomalous, and virtually schismatical. The Bishops, with parental soli citude, now addressed a public exhortation to the English and Irish clergy, inviting them to join their comraunion. Difficulties however still seeraed to present themselves ; till the Bishops prudently held a convocation in October 1804, in which it was unanimously resolved, that subscription to thirty-nine Articles, similar to those of the Church of England, should be re quired of candidates for ordination. In conse- A. D. 1780 — 1790. 237 quence, nearly all the ministers in question sub mitted to the jurisdiction of the Episcopal Col lege. There still remained for remedial considera tion the narrowness of the incomes of the bi shops, and most necessitous of the inferior clergy. The Duke and Duchess of Buccleugh, and Sir William Forbes, originating a subscrip tion in Scotland, the members of the former committee, associating vrith themselves other English well-wishers to Caledonian episcopacy, undertook to collect subscriptions in the south ern part of the island. The new committee consisted of Mr. Park, the Chairman; Dean Andrewes, Rev. Dr. Gaskin, Rev. R. Hodgson, and Messrs. Stevens, Bowdler, and Richardson. The result of their joint labours has been the allotment of lOOZ. per annum to the bishop re siding in Edinburgh, 60Z. to the Primus, and 50Z. to each of the other bishops, besides some little aUowance to a few of the presbyters *. 15. Our attention is next demanded to cer tain individuals of the English Church, whose characters adorned her comraunion, while their ministrations were beneficial to their brethren. In the metropolis, the Reverend Richard * Skinner's Eccles. Hist, of Scotland; Primitive Truth and Order ; Memoirs of William Stevens, Esq. 238 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. Cecil held forth the word with the honest in flexibility becoming a Protestant dirine. His celebrity as a preacher, his piety as a minister, and his talents as a man, at once entitle him to particular mention. He was born in London, Nov. 8th, 1748. His father was scarlet-dyer to the East India Company. His mother was a pious Dissenter, wh'o endeavoured to impress his youthful mind with a sense of religion. He was placed in a house of business in the first instance ; but his turn of mind was unfitted for commercial habits, as he was passionately at tached to literature and the arts, and even at that early period used to transmit communica tions to some periodical publications. He was particularly fond of painting; and vrishing to become a limner, he went on the continent to improve his taste by an inspection of the works of the best artists. On his return, his busy in tellect engaged in dangerous metaphysical sub tleties, and from reading sceptical works, he became a complete infidel. But it pleased God that he should not rest in the darkness of un belief. One night in particular, ^s he lay awake, he could not help contrasting the peace and comfort enjoyed by his excellent mother with his own restlessness and incertitude. He felt that the secret of her happiness was access A. D. 1780 — i7go. 239 to a Mediator ; but this Mediator he had de nied. He began, however, to pray, to read, to attend able preachers, and to meditate ; and at length his difficulties were removed, he listened to the discourse of his mother, and altered his whole coui-se of life. Light gradually broke in upon his mind ; and he found Jesus Christ, so far from " standing in his way," as he express ed it, to be the only way, the truth, and the life, to all that come unto God by him. While his mother doubtless rejoiced in the change, his father thought only on the time which had been lost in a worldly sense. Find ing him, however, inclined to the Ministry, he sent him to Queen's College, Oxford, in 1773. Here he was by divine grace enabled to perse vere in the path which he had chosen, and finally was ordained deacon on the title of the Rev. Mr. Pugh, of Rauceby, Lincolnshire; and being admitted to priest's orders in 1777, served Thornton, Bagworth, and Markfield, three ad joining parishes near Market Bosworth, in Lei cestershire. The hand of Providence was visible in this destination ; for, having undertaken the charge of these churches for a time, to oblige young Abbot, the son of the late Vicar, he was made the instrument, through the seriousness and good sense with which he discoursed on 240 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. religious topics, of conversion to the new in- curabent and his sister. He was presented to two small livings at Lewes, in Sussex; but, finding his residence damp, and his frame suffering from a rheuma tic disorder, he only retained them till he could resign in favour of a worthy young clergyman named Dale, who he was convinced would build on his foundation with the same precious material. He then removed to Islington, near London, where with great personal labour he served the six o'clock morning lectureship at Lothbury, took the whole duty at St. John's Chapel in Bedford Row, and held an evening lecture at Orange Street Chapel, near Leicester Square. Quitting the latter in 1787, he became associated in the serrice of Long Acre Chapel with the excellent Mr. Foster, and also engaged in the evening lecture at Christ Church, Spital fields. Such, besides occasional calls in the course of the week, were the undertakings of this indefatigable labourer in his Lord's rine- yard; and many believed because of his word. But his most important sphere of rainistration was at St. John's Chapel, on which he entered in the year 1780. The building required repair, which was effected through the liberality of A. D. 1780-1790. 241 some pious friends, and Mr. Cecil secured from personal inconvenience. For the first three years, however, he received no emolument, and had only eighty pounds a year from other sources. But his noble and disinterested mind was fully rewarded in the blessed pririlege of making known the riches of God his Saviour. In December 1798, he was compelled to relin quish duty from an ill state of health. In tbe fur nace of affliction he became further purified, and after his recovery spake in his pulpit with more sensible unction. In 1800, after repeated soUcitation from the trustees of the Thornton livings, he accepted their nomination to Chob- ham and Bisley, in Surrey, whose returns added 150/. per annum to his income. He entered on this charge with a deep sense of his responsibi lity; and an anecdote on record will show his pious feeling and pastoral solicitude. When he first visited Chobham, as he was sitting in the vestry, he heard a great uproar of boys and rustics in the gallery, and burst into tears, ex claiming, " Can these dry bones live?" But the fields were white to harvest; and by a dex terous use of the Gospel sickle, he gathered in much wheat to his Lord's garner. At length, he entered into his rest, after long and acute R 242 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. suffering both in body and mind, on the 15th of August 1810, in the 62d year of his age*. He was a faithful expositor of the dirine word, aiming at a profitable exhibition of the truth ; " in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity," and " affirming constantly, that they which have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works." He was sin cerely anxious to declare the whole counsel of God. Having escaped many dangers in his youth, and being brought to a knowledge of the truth from the abyss of infidelity, he was a firm advocate for the doctrine of a particular provi dence, and maintained the tenets of predestina tion and effectual calling. But he did not give that prominence to those tenets in his public teaching, which some of his advisers thought was demanded from his just conception and de cided conviction. He supported, however, in these respects an independent opinion, and, as concerned bis office, would " know no man after the flesh;" while his aim was, not to soar so high in the rarefied eether of Calvinism as to rise out of sight, nor to fly so low as to dip his wing in the puddles of Pelagianism. He had an exuberant fancy and rivacious ' Pratt's Life of Cecil. A. D. 1780— 1790. 243 imagination. In his sermons, he would some times spiritualize an event beyond the limits warranted by sound criticism; and in his con^ versation feU into the obvious fault of unre strained love of figure, by using indiscriminately coarse or refined images as they happened to present themselves. He always, however, spoke to the purpose; and whether grave or witty, was heard with peculiar attention by a clerical so ciety which regularly met at Mr. Newton's. It may be added, that with respect to pulpit in struction, if he be the best preacher who is made the most useful, a Cecil, though occasIon aUy transgressing the bound observed by more precise orators, will rank high in the scale of the art of condonation. 16. The Rev. William Goode was a young Minister of this period, rising into notice as the last-mentioned pastor was on the decline. He was born at Buckingham in 1762. Attached to the EstabUshed Church, like Obadiah, he " feared the Lord from his ' youth," growing in grace and the knowledge of God his Savioiir. He was at first designed by his father for his as sociate in business ; but as he grew up, his heart was bent on the office of the ministry; and with this view he was accustoraed to rise at a very early hour, to study the Hebrew language. His R 2 244 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. considerate parent, seeing the fixed desire of his mind, placed him under private tuition to pre pare for the University, where he entered as a Comraoner at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, and was ordained to a curacy in Buckinghamshire in 1784. In this serious youth, a gracious Father was preparing a successor to Mr. Romaine, to feed his people with knowledge and understanding. Soon after his assumption of the clerical habit, he became curate to that eminent dirine, with whom he continued till his translation to glory; when the congregation of St. Ann's, Blackfriars, were gratified by the noraination, on the part of the Crown, of Mr. Goode to fill the vacant Rectory. Diligent in his function, both in public and in private, he watched for souls as one that must give an account. He preached regularly thrice a week in his own church ; and was for a long period Sunday afternoon lecturer at St. John's, Wapping, to which he was chosen in 1797, as well as Lady Camden's Tuesday evening's lecturer at St. Lawrence, Jewry. In his situation as Secretary to the " Society for the Relief of poor pious Clergymen," he was de servedly esteemed by the friends of that institu tion. If he possessed not the intellectual tact of a 2 A. D. 1780 — 1790. 245 Cecil in subjects of imitative art, and could not command his range of illustration, he left him far behind in the more solid excellencies of cri tical explication and orderly arrangement. One spoke more to the passions; the other to the judgment. One made an iraraediate impres sion ; the other aimed at gradual improvement. Warmed by the beams of the Sun of righteous ness, and watered by the river of life, many of his people flourished abundantly, and brought forth their fruit in due season*. 17. The Rev. Thomas Scott, to whom allu sion has already been made under the second Decade, was chosen chaplain to the Lock Hos pital, London, in 1785. He was born at Bray- toft near Spilsby in Lincolnshire, in 1747, amd ordained in 1772. He was a man of strong natural powers ; but a determined opponent of the chief truths and humiUating doctrines of the Gospel of Christ. Placed, however, by that Providence, who had designs of mercy towards him, in the neighbourhood of Mr. Newton of Olney, he was struck with the zeal of that emi nent minister, who, exceeding his Une, had vi sited some of his parishioners. Their acquaint ance led to those discussions which could not * Christian Guardian for 1816. r3 246 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. but arise between men of such opposite senti ments. Mr. Scott was resolved not to yield an inch to his antagonist but upon thorough con viction, and fought stoutly as he fell back through every grand position of the heterodox system. At length he perceived the inutility of further contest, a,nd surrendered to what he emphatically styled " The Force of Truth." He entered on a course of faithful labours about the year 1775, and after serving Ra- venstone and Weston became curate of Olney in 1780, on Mr. Newton's removal to the metro polis, frora whence in five years he coramenced the important duties of his chaplaincy. In this situation he published many valuable theological works ; such as, Treatises on Repentance, Growth in Grace, and Faith ; sundry Dis courses ; a volume of Essays ; an Answer to Paine ; &c. But his name will be chiefly had in honour by the Church for an able Exposition of the Holy Scriptures; in which there is so much original and striking observation^, such a patient investigation of the meaning of the inspired wri ters, such well-digested views of doctrinal truth, such varied historical illustration of prophecy, and so much devotional sentiment, as will mainly assist the future student in divinity. A. D. 1780— 1790. 247 while it affords the most blessed acquisition to the domestic circle. He was presented in 1801, by a lady who had once resided under his roof, the grand daughter of Mr. Hurt a deceased banker, to the small rectory of Aston Sandford, in Bucking hamshire, where he passed the evening of his days, in a diligent attention to the work of the ministry, in a laborious preparation of youths for the office of missionaries, and the revisal of fresh editions of his principal work. At the Lock Chapel he formed a strong contrast as a preacher to Mr. Decoetlogon. His broadness of dialect, inelegance of manner, and utter in attention to rythm, were however but partial drawbacks on that pleasure with which he was heard by many who sought edification rather than entertainment, and solidity of remark ra ther than ingenuity of illustration *. 18. It is pleasing to record the mercies i of God at this period, to the populous town of Col chester, in Essex. If the antiquary is gratified with the tradition that assigns this place to the birth of the first Christian emperor ; or the he rald beholds, in the cross and coronet of its ar morial bearing, an allusion to the more uncer- * Scott's Force of Truth. Wilson's Sermons on his Death. r4 248 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. tain tradition, of the discovery of the wood on which our Lord suffered, by the mother of that , emperor; the narrator of its religious history would turn from these legendary tales, to the more satisfactory and profitable account of that pastor, who, under the government of a pious monarch of more recent date, held up the true cross, both in doctrine and example, to its nu merous inhabitants. Robert Storry was a native of Middleton, near Pickering, in Yorkshire, where he began his earthly race on the 13th of June 1751. Bereaved in early life of both his parents, he proved that that God, who^said by the mouth of his Prophet, " Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive," was the stay and support of the orphan. Under the rainistiy of the zealous vicar, the Rev. John King, he imbibed those evangelical principles to which he continued faithful through the vicissi tudes of life. Originally intended for the ha rassing and secularizing profession of the law, he chose the better part of a preacher of the everlasting Gospel. After preparatory study under Mr. Milner, of Hull, he was ordained in 1774, and entered on the cure of Hovingham, between Helmsley and Malton, in the North Riding. The following year he removed to Wintringham, under recommendation of Mr. A. D. 1780 — 1790. 249 Richardson to Mr. Adam. He was much valued by the latter, to whora he becarae extremely useful in his parish, his communicative disposi tion being a desirable counterpoise to the reserv ed temper of his principal. In 1781, that elect lady, Mrs. Wilberforce, presented this amiable and excellent young Mi nister to the ricarage of St. Peter's, Colchester; and at the same time he received the hand of the pious Miss Bridges, daughter of an eminent physician of Hull. In the comraenceraent of his ministration, he was called to encounter no ordinary share of injustice and calumny. This, to a man who was peculiarly susceptible of the charities of life, and abounded in the milk of human kindness, was a sore trial ; but he knew that " every one that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution;" and, conscious that his sole aim was to inculcate such truths as the liturgy of his church recognised, he willingly endured the misrepresentation of such as deem ed themselves exclusively orthodox, as well as the less qualified malice of the irreligious and profane. After a time, however, through his blameless deportment, Jehovah made even his enemies to be at peace with him. In his preaching he was simple, practical, and searching; serious and impressive in warn- 250 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. ing sinners of the error of their ways; ani mated and encouraging in exhorting them to lay hold on Jesus. His countenance easily relaxed into a smile, and he wore the affec tionate look of a father as he went up and down among his people. He was active in the foundation and support of Sunday schools ; but judiciously contrived in their establish ment to let characters take the lead who might be less obnoxious to the public. He was sin gularly blessed as an instrument of conver sion. Many of the officers and privates who were garrisoned at Colchester did he turn to the Lord their God, and taught them that the truest glory was to wear the celestial panoply of the gorget of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, with the gi-eaves of the pre paration of the Gospel of peace. The mention of a particular occurrence may serve to humble those who have too rashly tied on the ephod. A gay young clergyman, who had recently come to the vicinity of Colchester, meeting Mr. Storry at a friend's house, request ed the loan of a discourse, complaining of the task of hebdomadal composition. The good- natured divine, acceding with modesty to the request, found among his papers a manuscript of many years standing, and obliged his new ac- 3 A. D. 1780—1790. 251 quaintance, who preached it on the following Sunday. The next morning, he was waited on by a poor couple in his parish, who had been so deeply affected by the truths which they had heard, that they had passed in tears a wakeful night, and now implored him to explain more fully some passages which they repeated. Con founded and amazed, he neither remembered those passages himself, nor was able to afford the required explanation. He endeavoured, however, to sooth them, and declared that he had no intention to render them unhappy. But finding that all his tranquillizing endeavours were ineffectual, he frankly addressed the won dering couple: " My good friends, the next time you go to Colchester, call on Mr. Storry with my compliments, and ask him, what I meant when I used that language." 19- It was at this period that the Rev. Tho mas Robinson was exciting, with great success, a spirit of reUgious inquiry in the town of Lei cester. He was born at Wakefield, in York shire, of reputable parentage, in October 1749, and sent to the grammar-school, to receive the ordinary instruction of youth designed for com mercial employ. But a love of study, and a natural desire of distinction in a superior walk of Ufe, led him to prevail on his parents to send 252 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. him to the University, and seasonable aid from the governors and masters facilitated the plan. Becoming a member of Trinity College, Cam bridge, he had for a time too much of that worldly spirit incidental to unconverted adoles cence ; but it pleased God to convince him, that there were pleasures more worthy the search of an imraortal being than any which could be de rived from the objects of time and sense. Di viding his time between scholastic study and profitable raedi tation, he took his degrees with considerable credit, and succeeded to a fellow ship : he did not, however, continue within the walls of a college, though strongly solicited by his academical brethren; but desirous of pro claiming the message of Christ, he entered on the cure of Witcham, in the neighbourhood of Ely. He soon reraoved to Leicester, where he became curate of St. Martin's, preaching at that church in the morning and at All Saints in the afternoon. His exemplary discharge of mi nisterial duties, pleasing demeanour, and atten tion to the sick, gained him general esteem; while his earnest exhortations from the pulpit were the means of stirring up the minds of many of his auditors to serious reflection and self-examination . In 1778, a respectable manufacturer having A. D. 1780— 1790. 253 founded a Tuesday evening lecture at St. Mary's, Mr. Robinson was appointed to the new minis tration; and in the same year, through the ap plication of the Babington family to the Lord Chancellor, seconded by the Earl of Dartmouth, he was presented to the liring itself. His zeal rising in proportion to his increase of influence, he became an active and useful steward of the mysteries of God. " And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge ; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out and set in order many proverbs. The preacher sought to find out acceptable words ; and that which was written was upright, even words of truth." In 1784, he preached a series of- discourses on sacred biography, which ex cited great interest, and also inserted them in the Theological Miscellany, a publication gene rally read by religious Churchmen of that day, edited by Mr. Decoetlogon. Mr. Robinson did not aspire to the praise of oratorical talent or ingenious criticism. His object was to impress, instruct, and improve. With a dignified sim pUcity, he warned sinners of the wrath to come, or encouraged saints to persevere in their course. The effect was correspondent. The Saxon re cesses of his chancel wisnessed to the sighs and tears of crowding communicants, who went 254 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. home to think, to pray, to read, to converse on the practicabilities and opportunities of extend ed usefulness. Many a Dorcas in the upper ranks, and many a Phoebe in the lower, follow ing the exaraple of their pastor and his pious consort, became acknowledged blessings in the house and family of God. But the Vicar of St. Mary's was called to experience opposition, from the coarse insults of the vulgar to the refined contumely of the cultivated. Wishing, on his entrance into his benefice, to protest against that frequent offence in our otherwise excellent service, the inappro priate music and irreverent strains of exclusive gallery singers, and to introduce a judicious selection of psalms and hymns, he was actually shut out of his church by the united machina tions of the perfoi^mers and wardens. By the captious and conceited among the Dissenters, he was disliked because he valued his Prayer- book next to his Bible, and sought to make his people good churchmen as well as good Chris tians. By the Rev. W. and T. Ludlam, whom he once numbered among his friends, he was unkindly treated; but, as became a man of God, he committed himself to Him that judgeth righ teously, and to that Friend who sticketh closer than a brother *. * Vaughan's Account of Robinson. A. D. 1780— 1790. 255 20. Just as is the claim to particular notice preferred by such characters as the five preced ing, the founder of a new church seems to have a more than common title to respectful mention in an ecclesiastical narrative. The Rev. C. Bayley was born near Whitchurch, in Shrop shire, about the year 1752. He was habituated, in his youth, to share in the worship of the Es tablished Church with a pious mother, on la bour-days as well as sabbaths; and then receiv ed those impressions of serious attachment to her serrices, which grew with his growth and strengthened with his strength. Brought up in the grammar-school of his, native place, his lite rary attainments were highly respectable, and he became the master of that seminary, when he gained considerable credit, with vowel-point advocates, by an useful gramraar of the Hebrew tongue. For that production, he received a fo reign diploma of the doctorate, to which he was afterwards advanced by the University of Cambridge. In his ministerial capacity, he was connected successively with Mr. Fletcher and Dr. Conyers, Uniting himself vrith a pious young lady of Manchester, of the name of Norton, he was de sirous of settUng in that neighbourhood; and obserring the lamentable want of ecclesiastical 256 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. accommodation in that populous town, he re solved to erect a church where it was most needed; and having in the exercise of faith and patience surmounted many obstacles, he obtain ed from the warden and fellows of the collegiate church the presentation for sixty years ; and on its consecration by Dr. Cleaver, Bishop of Ches ter, was inducted to it himself in the year 1788. In this important situation, and on limited means, he led the life of a devoted, self-denying, zealous, and affectionate servant of Christ. He was remarkable for a sweet simplicity of cha racter ; for his humble deportment in conversa tion with those who could make no pretension to his own iuforraation and ability; and for the retired and unostentatious raanner in which he brought up his faraily, while his liberality to the poor was even beyond his power. He was a powerful agent in the hands of his divine Master in turning many to righteousness ; and such a man, who by his doctrine and example con firmed a multitude of his contemporaries in their attachment to the religion and worship of their country, was a truer son of the Church than many of those who seek to display their orthodoxy, by that vehemence against sectaries which is so much more likely to revolt than to A. D. 1780 — 1790. 257 attract, or that suspicious zeal which is so much exhausted in contention for doctrine, that it seems to have neither leisure nor energy for a profitable exhibition in practice*. 21. With vie\^s more decidedly Calvinistic, and with attachraent less habitual to the na, tional Church, did Mr. Tyler sound the Gospel trumpet in the east of Lincolnshire. He was born in London, in November 1748, of pious and industrious parents, to whom he was a source of great disquietude during the extravan- cies and folUes of his youth. Of a volatile and dissipated turn, he found his delight in acquaint ance with the singers and dancers at Sadler's Wells. Overhearing his father interceding for him at the throne of grace, he hardened his heart, and sinned yet more. But joining a party one evening to make a riot at the Tabernacle was arrested in his ungodly career by that word of God, which denounces vengeance against the mockers. He became, through grace, an alter ed character. He sought forgiveness of that God whom he had so greatly provoked, and found pardon, peace, and acceptance by the blood of Jesus. Being introduced to Lady Huntingdon in 1773, he was sent to her esta- " Christ. Obs. and Guard. 1812 S 258 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. blishnient at Lower Trevecca. After a time, he was employed as a preacher at Hull, where he forraed an acquaintance with the excellent Jo seph Milner, who, giving him some judicious advice, recommended hira to his clerical friends, Ijy whose liberality he was entered at Magdalen College, Carabridge, in 1778. He was ordained in 1782 by the Bishop of London, in the Temple Church, to the cure of Patney and Dalby, and soon after presented by Lord Moiison to the per petual curacy of the latter. His ministry in this spot was much blessed to the countiy people, while he testified of the grace which he had so largely experienced. In 1786, he became incumbent of Braytoft, near Spilsby, by the gift of the Lord Chancellor, where for twenty years he laboured in his vocation with fidelity, diligence, and success. 22. Meanwhile in the principality of Wales was found an apostolic character, who " in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold," and a variety of dangers incidental to a moun tainous and desolate region, sought to gather together the sheep of Christ which were scattered abroad. The Rev. Mr. Charles was the son of a farmer at Llanfihangel, about ten miles from Caermarthen. He was sent to school at Llan- 3 A. D. 1780— 1790. 259 dowror, and while yet a youth, was the subject of serious impression, which seems to have been produced or strengthened by the conversation of a poor old man, with whom he came in contact at a few miles distance from the residence of his father. Afterwards he was placed at an academy in Caermarthen under Mr. Jenkins, and became connected with the Calvinistic Methodists. In 1773 he was much edified in hearing the cele brated Daniel Rowlands preach from Hebrews, iv. 15 : " For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched vrith the feeling of our infir mities ; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." In 1775 he became a student of Jesus Col lege in Oxford. During the time of his conti nuance at the University, he would have been much cast down in spirit, on account of the narrowness of his circumstances, had he not been enabled to taste the refreshing streams of the water of life, and to rejoice at intervals in the bounty of that Proridence which furnished him with unexpected supplies. At length, on the 14th of June 1778, he was admitted at Oxford into holy orders; and after serving a church for some time in Somersetshire, he under took the cure of Llanymowddy, in Merioneth shire, a viUage about fourteen miles from Bala. s 2 260 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. But offence being taken, either at his doctrinal fidelity, or at some minor ecclesiastical irregu larities, he was under the necessity of relin quishing this situation. Desirous, however, of active engagement in the service of his divine Master, and considering that a disj^ensation of the Gospel had been committed to him, when he perceived the raore regular door was closed against hira, he listened to the entreaties of the Methodists, and consented to officiate in one of their chapels. He then itinerated to London and other places ; but returned to Bala, where he prosecuted the work of his rainistry. In this romantic quarter, on the banks of a beauti ful lake, and surrounded by the towering heights of the Arrenig, the Cader Ferwyn, and the Ar- ran Fowddy, frora whence the honest Cambro- Britons descended in troops into the valley, to learn the law of righteousness from the lips of their favourite preacher, he revived the idea of those simple pastors who were wont in a former age to proclaim the word of life to their con gregated brethren in the valleys of Piedmont, while the chorus of praise was responded froir rock to rock. 23. To the descendants of some of thesi Protestants in France, Italy, and Switzerland, did Mr. Fletcher address himself on his conti- A. D. 1780 — 1790. 261 nental tour; while the testimony of an English Presbyter, of Swiss origin, was heard with more than ordinary interest. At Nyon, his native place, his labours were signally useful. On his- return to England he was appointed president of Lady Huntingdon's seminary at Trevecca; but the modal, if not essential difference between hira and his patroness soon rendered his resigna tion unavoidable. He afterwards published sorae loyal tracts on the American controversy, in opposition to Mr. Evans and Dr. Price, which were handed to the King by means of a pious nobleman; and some preferment being offered him in return, he replied, that " he wanted no thing but increase of grace." The piety which marked this reply is not to be doubted ; but the expediency of refusal of extended influence, directly offered by Providence, raay be question ed. The negative may however have been prompted by that declining state of health, which rendered a second journey to the conti nent advisable. He returned to Madeley in 1781, and contracted marriage with Miss Bo- sanquet, a religious lady, with whora he had long been in the habit of correspondence or in tercourse; by whose tender assiduity his health was restored, and this venerable pastor was once raore enabled to engage in those services of s 3 262 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. public beneficence or private edification in which he so much deUghted. He caught a cold while zealously prosecuting his ministerial laboui-s, and increased the fever which ensued by an im prudent performance of his duty on the follow ing Sunday. He lingered for a while in the temper and spirit of triumphant faith, and de parted in peace on the Mth of August 1785*. Excellent as was the character of this good jnan, it was not mthout a share of what might be termed religious romance. Of lively imagi nation and enthusiastic feeling, his defects were not likely to be qualified, either by his friend ship for Mr. Wesley or his affection for Miss Bo- sanquet, into the composition of both whom entered a considerable share of the same ingre dients. In proof of these assertions we shall merely add one or two particulars ; not with de sign to obscure the real lustre of an eminently holy divine, but as an indirect caution against that false kind of sentiment, which wise men of all ages have allowed is soraetiraes to be found in religion, as well as any other subject on which the human mind may be highly ex cited. He said, " In the beginning of my spi ritual course I heard the voice of God in an ar- * Benson's Life of Williiuu de la Flechieic. A. D. 1780 — 1790. 263 ticulate, but inexpressibly awful sound, go through my soul in those words. If any man will be my disciple, let him deny himself." At another time, " I was favoured, like Moses, with a supernatural discovery of the glory of God, in an ineffable converse with him face to face; so that, whether I was then in the body or out of the body I cannot tell." After his decease, his amiable and intelligent widow, Uke some other pious females of a methodistic class, did not think she was militating against the spirit of any apostolical injunction, by exhorting and ex pounding to many of her late husband's congre gation in a public chapel ; and if she pleased herself with the idea that the departed saint approved the work, it would be but in unison with that feeling of personal attachment, with which this respectable lady is understood to liave given her friends a detailed account of an actual conversation, carried on for some time between herself and the apparition of Mr. Fletcher. 24. From this exposition of various serrices rendered to the cause of religion, by distinguish ed laymen and clergymen of the Church of England, seasonable reference may be now made to certain misceUaneous particulars. The home and foreign proceedings of the Society for pro- s4 264 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. moting Christian Knowledge — the proposal of the Bishop of Landaff for an alteration in the ecclesiastical revenues — the commemoration of Handel in Westminster Abbey— ^the thanksgiv ing for the King's recovery in St. Paul's Cathe dral — and the resolutions of the Corporation of London on the question of the Test Act, are subjects which may be selected for cursoiy ob servation. At an early period of this reign the vene rable Society for promoting Christian Know ledge directed their attention to the want of Bibles in the Welsh principality. But finding the demand increasing, in 1770 they finished an impression of the Old and New Testament in a grand octavo size, with marginal references, printing 20,000 copies in large letter. They hereby incurred a debt of two thousand pounds, which Providence enabled them to discharge! In 1799 they sent 10,000 more copies of the Scriptures, besides 2000 extra copies of the New Testament, which proved a grateful acquisition to many souls that thirsted for the river of life, and as a continuation of the same stream of benevolence is thus anticipated in the order of narration. The missionaries in India employed by the Society laboured with zeal and earnestness in A. D. 1780—1790. 265 their important vocation, and in many in stances " saw the travail of their soul, and were satisfied." In Madras, Messrs. Fabricius and Breithaupt; in Tanjore, Mr. Swartz, and Sat- tianaden, a native convert ; in Cuddalore, Messrs. Hutteman and Gerick6; in Calcutta, Messrs. Kiernander and Dieiner; "counted not their lives dear unto themselves, so that they might finish their course with joy, and the mi nistry which they had received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God." In 1779 Mr. Swartz prevailed on the governor and council at Madras to consent to the erection of a church at Tanjore. In the three or four following years it pleased God to visit our pos sessions in India with the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, those mighty ministers of his wrath. But the excellent Swartz was enabled to turn these visitations in sorae measure to the gloiy of his Saviour ; for, on one hand, the Eng lish in authority found it expedient to counte nance him in his religious designs, that they might secure his agency in treating Avith the native powers, for which he Avas qualified by the knowledge of their language, laws, and manners ; and on the other, the poor Hindoos resorted to him for maintenance and consolation 266 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. in their distress, and gave him opportunity to administer to their spiritual wants. In 1785 Mr. Sullivan, resident at Tanjore, assisted Mr. Swartz in establishing provincial English schools throughout the country ; a measure which, among other contemplated be nefits, raight facilitate the instruction of the na tives in the salutary doctrines of the Gospel. The king of Tanjore, who reverenced the mis sionary, approved and promoted the plan, the East India Cdrapany gave 100^. annually to ward each school, and Messrs. Pohle and Kol- hoff, his assistants, became the superintendents. In 1 787, on the 23d of January, an interesting scene took place at Tranquebar. Mr. Kolhoff, senior of the Danish mission, kept nis jubilee, and had the satisfaction of seeing his eldest son ordained in the mission church. The Danish governor and all the European families, Arith many Malabar Christians and Heathens, attend ed the service. Mr. S^vartz preached the ordi nation sermon from 2 Tim. ii. 1 ; and after the ceremony of imposition, the young minister himself addressed the assembly, to their great surprise and delight, with much fluency in the Malabar dialect. Mr. Jsenicke, meanwhile, Avas commissioned from England to assist in the Avork of evangelization, after receiving an able A. D. 1780— 1790. 267 and pious charge from Dr. Vincent, sub.-almoner to the King, and afterwards Dean of West minster*. 25. Descended from a race of Tory divines, the last-mentioned gentleman had addressed an anonymous letter to Dr. Watson, Regius Pro fessor of Divinity in the university of Cambridge, who might be said to stand at the head of the Whig clergy, in which he exposed the nature and tendency of his political opinions. The Professor hoAvever adhered closely to his party, and wasa,dvanced in 1782 to the see of Llandaff, through the interest of the Duke of Rutland. The new prelate attracted the notice of the clerical profession and the public at large, by a letter addressed to the Archbishop of Canter bury on the equalization of the Church reve nues. His object was an alteration respecting the revenue of the Bishops and the inferior clergy ; not by means of a parity of prefer ments, but a better apportioned distribution of what the state allows for the maintenance of the estabUshed clergy. He proposed to make the bishoprics more equal to each other, by an nexing part of the estates and preferments of the richer sees, as they became vacant, to the poorer, * Society's Reports, passim. 268 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. - which would increase the parUamentaiy inde- ,pendence of the bench, and tend to secure dio cesan residence. He raaintained that the whole revenue of the church did not, when he wrote, araount to more than 1,500,000/. a year; and that, estimating the clergy at 10,000, this would not produce a clear income of 150/. a year to each individual. Although, therefore, the whole revenue was so inconsiderable as not to admit of diminution ; yet a change might be effected in its administration, with advantage to the state, and without injustice to particular per sons. He accordingly proposed to endow the poorer out of the richer benefices, so as to render all the clergy comfortable at the end of sixty or seventy years ; whereas, by the operation of Queen x\nn's bounty, this would not occur in less than two or three hundred*. Such was the foundation of a scheme which is raerely noticed in this place as a raatter of history. It raay however be added, that though it received no support frora the ruling poAvers, it was supposed to contain some conclusive ar guments and incontrovertible faets, and was never answered, except by Mr. Cumberland, an author not altogether qualified for the under- * Life of Richard Watson, Bishop of Llandaff. A. D. 1780— 1790, 269 taking. The Bishop professed to have the good of the church and the welfare of the clergy at heart; but whether his proposal, Avhich certainly involves many and important considerations, be in itself adrisable or not, it might have been re garded Arith some suspicion as coming from the holder of the poorest bishopric, and at a time when the government would be anxious rather to increase than lessen its influence, on account of the prevailing spirit of civU and ecclesiastical innovation. 26. We now turn to a subject, interesting in itself, but Avhich at first sight may appear in congruous to the general design of our narra tive. It is connected, however, with reflections which concern both the Church and religion it self. The year 1784 was fixed on by some mu sical amateurs, as the centenary of the birth of the great composer Handel, for a grand per formance in Westminster Abbey, in commemo ration of his genius. His Majesty, who had a sort of hereditary affection for that eminent musician, approved the plan; considering that it was to take place in the temple in which his remains were deposited, that the pieces to be played and the airs to be sung would be his own, and of a devotional character, and that the surplus of. the profits was to be appropriated to 270 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. charitable purposes. Accordingly, inthe months of May and June, the royal family, the court, and principal gentry, attended, as on a great national festival, four different performances in, that venerable pile, feathers and ornaments being forbidden in the appearance of the ladies. The band was composed of 563 instrumental and 514 vocal performers; and the whole of the receipts, including an oratorio at the Pantheon, and the rehearsals, amounted to 12,850/. Musical meetings, for charitable purposes, were also held in the cathedrals of Gloucester, Hereford, Worcester, Salisbury, Winchester, &c. Of such meetings it may be reraarked, however, that they are attended Arith two evUs : they de secrate the house of God, are inconsistent with Protestant feelings and habits, and associate in a greater or less degree devotional with secular ideas ; and they serve to confirm the mistakes of those who are but half informed on the grand subject of religion, and who imagine that the aniraal sensibilities of an audience, enraptured by the power of harmony, are sublimated to the joys of the angelic choir, and are akin to the pure transports felt by the spirits who surround the throne of light. Mr. Nevrton, Rector of St. Mary Woolnoth, seized the opportunity to preach a course of sermons from leading texts A. D. 1780— 1790. 271 in " the Messiah," Handel's grandest composi tion, in which he endeavoured to excite such an interest from them, as might be profitable both for time and eternity. An author of equal taste, intelligence, and piety, thus expresses hiraself on this iraportant theme : " Have you never heard any tell, and with complacency too, hoAV powerfully his de votion was awakened by an act of attendance on the oratorio — how his heart, melted and sub dued by the influence of harmony, did homage to all the religion of which it was the vehicle — how he was so moved and overborne, that he had to shed the tears of contrition, and to be agitat ed by the terrors of judgment, and to receive an awe upon his spirit of the greatness and majesty of God ; and that, wrought up to the lofty pitch of eternity, he could look down upon the world, and by the glance of one commanding survey, pronounce upon the littleness and vanity of all its concerns ? O, it is very possible that aU this might thrill upon the ears of the man, and cir culate a succession of solemn and affecting images around his fancy ; and yet that essential principle of his nature, upon which the practical influence of Christianity turns, might have met Arith no reaching and no subduing efficacy whatever to arouse it. He leaves the exhibition, 272 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. as dead in trespasses and sins as he came to it. Conscience has not wakened upon him. Re pentance has not turned him. Faith has not made any positive lodgment within him of her great and her constraining realities. He speeds him back to his business and to his family; and there he plays off the old raan in all the entire- ness of his uncrucified teraper, and of his obsti nate worldliness, and of all those earthly and unsanctified affections, which are found to cleaA^e to him with as great tenacity as ever. He is really and experimentally the very same raan as before; and all those sensibilities which seemed to bear upon them so much of the air and unc tion of heaven, are found to go into dissipation, and be forgotten with the loveliness of the song *." 27. But there was another occasion on which His Majesty appeared in public, in the sarae temple with his court, parliament, and principal citizens, of a more sacred and spiritual charac ter. It pleased the King of kings to afflict the British Sovereign with a malady, which for a time disqualified him for the discharge of his royal duties. He was the raost popular monarch in Europe ; and the nation, however divided in *¦ Chalmers's Astronomical Discourses, p. 217. A. D. 1780 — 1790. 273 political opinion, mourned for its chief with the most unaffected sympathy. At length, it was announced that the father of his people was re stored to their prayers and wishes. Amid the tumult of congratulation which burst forth on this inteUigence it was Arisely ordered that a day of general thanksgiving should be observed. On the 23d of April 1789, he proceeded to St. Paul's cathedral, accompanied by the Queen, the Royal Family, both Houses of ParUament, the great officers of state, and the whole corpora tion of London. Their Majesties were met at the west door by Dr. Porteus, Bishop of Lon don ; Dr. Pretyman, Bishop of Lincoln, as Dean of St. Paul's; the Canons residentiary; Garter, and the rest of the heralds ; the band of Gen tlemen Pensioners, and the Yeomen of the Guard. The Marquis of Stafford bore the sword of state before His Majesty into the choir, where the King and Queen placed themselves under a canopy at the west end, opposite the altar. The Peers were in the area, and the Com mons in the stalls; the ladies of distinction in the upper gaUeries, the foreign ministers in the lower galleries next the throne, and the corpora tion with their ladies, in the lower galleries near the altar. By desire of the Queen, the charity- chUdren of the different schools occupied the 274 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. gallery under the dome. Immediately on their Majesties being seated, dirine serrice comraen ced. The sermon was preached by the Bishop of London ; after which an anthem, selected by the King, was sung by the choir. Magnificent and sublime as was the spec tacle in itself, it was rendered more interesting to every well-ordered mind, by the contrast it afforded to the irreligious and disorganizing scenes which were troubling the continent. While raillions of their neighbours were wor shipping at the shrines of unmeaning supersti tion, or avowing the pernicious tenets of infide lity, the English people, in presence of their King, attended by the fathers of the church, the sages of the law, the patricians of the realm, and the representatives of the nation, were of fering up the vows of thanksgiring in the pure ritual of Protestantism to the God of mercy. 28. In fact, notArithstanding the Jacobinical and deistical sentiments which were insinuating themselves with too much success in different directions, the majority of the people were at tached to their ancient institutions; and they beheld Arith jealousy the speculative schemes of improvement suggested by dissidents from the national Church, or other theorists. On the 25th of February 1790, a Common Council of London took into consideration the measures A. D. 1780— 1790. 275 pursued by the Dissenters and Roman Catholics to procure the repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts. After a calm and dispassionate in vestigation of the subject, the foUovring resolu tions Avere passed : " I. That it is the indispensable duty of this court to support the rights and pririleges of the Church of England as by law establish ed; they being essentially connected with, and forming part of our excellent constitution. " 2. That a full, perfect, and free toleration, in the exercise of religious duties, must be the \rish and glory of every liberal mind; but to remove the two bulwarks of our sacred Consti tution in Church and State, would tend to pro duce that civil anarchy which at first pointed out to the Legislature the necessity of making such ,wise and salutary restrictive laws. "3. That this court do consider themselves called upon to strengthen the hands of those friends to the EstabUshed Church in the House of Commons, who have twice successfully op posed the repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts, by expressing their public thanks for such conduct; and to soUcit the members of this court, who have seats in Parliament, strenuously to resist every attempt that shaU be made to obtain that repeal." t2 276 CHAP. IV. A. D. 1790— 1800. 1. Character qftlte French Revolution— 2. Its Infiuence on England— 3. Sketch qf English Manners, Con versation, and Literature — 4. Publications qf Thomas Paine— 5. Mrs. Wolstonecrqft— 6. T. F. Palmer— 7. Gilbert Wakefield— 8. View qf religious Controver sies — 9. Philanthropic Exertions of Arthur Young, Hannah More, and Rev. Wm. Gilpin — 10. Plans qf different religious Parties — 11. Pious Confidence qf the King — \2. Public Thanksgiving for naval Vic tories — 13. Bishop Horne — 14. Bisliop Horsley — 15. Bishop Watson — 16. Bishop Barrington — 17. Lent Lectures qf Bishop Porteus — 18. Dean Milner — 19. Dr.Jowett — 20. Dr. Coulthurst — 21. Sir Adam Gor don— 22. Gunn.— 23. Pattrick—24>. Newell— 25. Gil bert — 26. State qf Heresies — 27. Swedenborgians — 28. Southcottonians — 29. Irish Rebellion fymented by Roman Catholic Priests — 30. Bisliop Stock taken Pri soner — 31. Union qf the two Churches qf England and Ireland. 1 . The epoch of the French Revolution Avas the most important crisis that had occurred to tlie Church of England, since the establishment of the House of Hanover. The foreign locality A. D. 1790— 1800. 277 of that event did not hinder a certain measure of direct influence on all other European com munities, contiguous or remote, in their civil and ecclesiastical interests. It was an event, not marked with the ordinary circumstances of political change, or bearing the accustomed characters of national ricissitude. It grew out of the operation of a certain set of principles, which were opposed to all the systems of reli gion and government which had been hitherto recognised in civilized society. It was not formal, but radical ; not modal, but essential. It was at once unlike the generous struggle made by the Swiss against the Austrian yoke ; the resolute opposition exhibited by the Dutch to Spanish tyranny; or the less justifiable insur rection of the English, against the extended prerogative of the Stuart dynasty. However odious rebellion might be in itself, it was alAvays carried on under some show of reUgion. Leaders were either fanatics or hypocrites. An Atheist or a Deist was a curiosity to be placed in a moral museum : the multiplication of its spe cies was scarcely imagined ; its domestication was never anticipated. It was reserved for the close of the eigh teenth century from the birth of the Redeeraer, for any considerable body of civilized mortals to t3 278 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. deny that he had a right to their services ; to consider moral restraint as an abominable usurpation on the privileges of the many, by the power and artifice of the few ; to speculate on the existence of an inrisible world, or the agency of a good or evil spirit ; to regard such matters as possibilities in which the inhabitants of the mundane systera raight have a greater or less concern ; to doubt the connexion between virtuous sentiraent and social affection ; to call property unjust possession, and raarriage odious monopoly ; to choose whether they should obey the same government to-day to which they were subject yesterday ; or, in fine, whether on the morrow they ought to acknowledge any govern ment at all, or to consider it as the grand prin^ ciple of their new economy, that the moment any religious or civil constitution was establish ed it began to deteriorate, and therefore ought not to be established ; in other wbrds, that man, by the necessity of his nature, was the subject of revolution, and therefore should be content to be whirled about by existing circumstances ; lUte planets in the endless vortices of Descartes, or the wheel animalcules of Linneeus perform ing their rapid gyrations. 2. The influence which this dreadful revolu tion was calculated to obtain over the customs A. D. 1790— 1800. 279 and feelings of the EngUsh people, was limited: in its extent and peculiar in its direction. This^ arose from their national and political character. Other countries were either despotic in govern ment, and superstitious in religion ; or republi can in form, and imbecile in condition. It is obrious, that these circumstances would render them easy Arictims to this novel monster, though from opposite causes. But with Great Britain the case was different. Her constitution was of a mixed nature ; and though it had been deli berately resolved by her legislature, that, Arith reference to first principles, " the influence of the CroATn had increased, was increasing, and ought to be diminished;"^ yet the wise and thinking part (rf the nation were for rallying round the throne, filled as it was by a pious and liberal sovereign, and strengthening the hands of the executive \rith new powers against the impending eril. However nsefiil the collision of party in such a state, when discussing its minor regulations, yet in a crisis affecting the very exist ence of nations as political bodies, it was thought that all asperities should be softened^ and that the distinctions of Whig and Tory should mer^ in the more honourable and generic term of a good EngUshman. Still, however, there was a considerable number, who, fascinated by spe- T 4 280 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. cious harangues in favour of the new theory, or preferring in their cooler judgraents republican institutions, supported, those Members of Parlia ment who maintained the democratic side of the question ; and among these were found a majo rity of the Dissenters : while, as was natural on the other hand, those theologians or politicians who were more immediately classed as " High Church and King men," formed theraselves into a sort of Anti-jacobin confederacy, and clung the more closely to their episcopal and mo narchical predilections. 3. The orthodox and evangelical clergy united their forces in defence of the ark and the sceptre. They were generally of opinion, that under such an aspect of affairs, the altar and the throne would stand or fall together. They saw too, that though from the wholesome pre judice, sober habitude, and native good sense of their countrymen, revolutionary movements might not meet Arith general encouragement ; and that insurrections, attempted by a few de signing characters, might not be carried to an alarming extent ; yet, as pastors of flocks, fa- .^ewSi of families, and ministers of the sanctuary, ,t;hey /trembled for the consequences of that mo- ,ral,^ntagion which was evidently spreading in S^jCiety. The period Avas beginning to be cha- A. D. 1790— 1800. 281 racterized by certain manners. Inroads AVere made on domestic discipUne. In genteel and fashionable circles, there was an affectation of escape from the antiquated individualities of family, which too often ended in actual aliena tion of relative feeling; so that men seemed to glory in returning to the worst features of Gentilism, becoming " haters of fathers, and haters of mothers, and without natural affection." Young men were not sober-minded. Striplings, with cropt hair and habiliments suit ed to the French taste, aimed at distinguishing themselves by an air of independence and non chalance. Females of tender age, decked in the slight and partial covering of Parisian dames, or assimilated to the style of the court of Charles the Second, became accustomed to the gaze of licentiousness ; and girls displayed their preco cious coquetry at the midnight ball by the side of silly matrons, who from their appearance and raanner were rather the rivals than the guardians of their daughters. Through all ranks and de grees there was an ambitious desire of producing a certain effect, rather than cultivation of con sistent behaviour. The opulent farmer vied with his landlord; the thriving tradesman ri valled the independent gentleman ; the dashing commoner yielded to the peer the insignia alone 282 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. of his nobility. The war into which the nation entered with the French, familiarized the coun try to military phraseology, and a certain class of heroic feelings directly opposed to the Chris tian character. A system of increasing taxation on the part of Government ; a spirit of specula tion which infested the bank, the exchange, the commissariat, the office, and the manufactory, and an unprecedented frequency of bankrupt cies, breaches of trust, elopements, and trials for adultery, bore ample testimony to the em barrassed, and factitious, and demoralized state of the "country. To the insubordination of youth and con fusion of rank which marked the period, might be added another distinguishing feature in the inane, indecent, and canting conversation of parties, in the upper and middling orders. This was truly Anti-British : because, in the two pre ceding reigns, colloquial intercourse frequently assumed a gravity of debate, or continuance of discussion, which might not comport Arith in dividual ease in a mixed company, the public deemed they could not better evince their emancipation from the formalities of their an cestors than by frivolous talk and unmeaning observation. This, however, as it seldom reach ed beyond a tittering reply or a silly rejoinder. A. D. 1790 — 1800. 283 was not altogether inconvenient for a mixed state of society. The worst ingredient in this worthless composition was the double-entendre, imported from the continent, which, disguised as it was by modern refinement, an Apostle would have plainly termed " filthy jesting, Avhich is not convenient," by supposed virtuous men and modest women. An unrestrained re currence to the superlative in the use of, adjec tives, seemed intended to convince the hearers that gentlemen and ladies had lost all trace of the degrees of comparison inculcated by the austere pedagogue or scrupulous governess. Af fected ejaculation, not always with becoraing respect to the third commandment, whether the occasion were tririal or important, indicated that the new school held it very ungenteel to be suspected of real sensibility ; while to excel in the due application of depreciating terms to the hapless vright who was so vulgar as to utter a rational remark, was a certain eridence of ad vance in the scale of fashion ; as was the reite ration of peculiar expletives of the most absurd character. Nor must we omit to notice, in our account of the erils of the age, the too frequent deprava tion of its Uterature. The student, who began the perusal of a treatise or essay professedly re- 284 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. ligious or moral, however erroneous might be the theology or inconclusive the ethics, was fairly and honourably treated. He came pre pared to the investigation ; and read Arith that caution which distinguishes a sensible mind in the search after truth. But at this season, the enemy was so artful, that he contrived to poison the fountains of literature, and to insinuate in fidel or immoral sentiraent into the most un suspicious channels. The agents of mischief, in expectation of conflict, seemed assiduously to occupy every vantage-ground. They left no means untried to disseminate disorganizing or demoralizing principles amongst all orders of the state. Some imported French politics, others German metaphysics. The new philosophy, a specious but miserable compound of fanciful physiology, perverted morals, and sceptical divinity, was detailed in scraps to the unwary, or served up in a thousand different ways. It appeared vrith a plausible and scientific front in the Encyclopedia ; it gave a new zest to the al ready pernicious drama ; it added fresh pungency to the inflammatory novel ; it sparkled or sneered in the flippant review ; it polluted Arith its un hallowed touch the dignified form of history ; it sported freely in the diversified page of biogra phy ; it condescended to proffer its wares in the A. D. 1790 — 1800. 285 ephemeral pamphlet or insignificant ballad. To these features of the times might be added a love of caricature. Pictures were exhibited of the most impious, disloyal, and indecent de scription ; and were introduced into schools, manufactories, &c. to the great injury of the rising generation. 4. But the Avork which claimed superiority in the annals of literary infamy, was a treatise entitled " The Rights of Man." It was con ceived and executed in the true spirit of Jacobi nical subtlety. Its style was popular, its rea soning adapted to the vulgar, a?nd its conclusions wore an air of plausibility, which might deceive some of the more cultivated ; an effect not a little aided by the high aristocratic ground taken by Mr. Burke, in his able and eloquent " Reflections on the French Revolution," which disgusted some of the Whig school, with whom he had been accustomed to act. The aim of " The Rights of Man" was to render monarcky ridiculous, or prove it unjust ; while it attacked both the ciril and ecclesiastical establishments. Published in a cheap form, it made its way into the shop, the manufactory, the kitchen, and the alehouse ; and the lower orders were taught to discuss, with unprecedented license, the motives and actions of their superiors ; till, in- 286 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. flamed with the investigation of subjects, of which they were disqualified to judge from their situation, they were in many instances ripe for the execution of the most desperate and disor ganizing measures. Its author, Thoraas Paine, was an unprin cipled character of obscure origin. Born at Thetford in Norfolk, in 1737, and apprenticed to a staymaker of Sandwich, he discovered early in life that ricious restlessness and petty cunning, which fitted hira for the agency of mischief upon a larger scale, should the oppor tunity be presentSd. After tAvo dismissals frora the Excise for fraudulent conduct, the loss of a first wife, and eeparation frora a second, he determined to try his fortune, as it is called, in America. He arrived at Philadelphia in April 1775. The subsequent agitated state of the co lonies was exactly such as a man of low ambi tion, who possessed a certain degree of talent, and had enjoyed the advantage of education at a free-school, Arith some poUtical acuteness and •official knowledge, would desire as a fit occa sion to force himself into pubUc notice. He sent out a work in behalf of the colonial cause, entitled, " Common Sense." It affected can dour in one page, was replete Arith sarcasm in another, flattered the notions of independence A. D. 1790 — 1800. 287 which began to be popular among the Ameri cans, and abounded with illustrations from the dirine writings suited to the taste of the disaf fected religionists. This gained him much cele brity, and procured many partisans to the popular side of the question. In 1777, the ad venturous author figured as Secretary to the Committee for foreign Affairs. He had not, however, renounced his old habits, and was soon expeUed for dishonesty. But as he seemed to have taken for his motto the invocation of Milton's fiend, " Evil, be thou my good ! " he revisited England in 1787, Arith the hope of exciting disturbance. He next visited Paris ; and haring refreshed his spirit Arith the conver sation and spectacle of the French republicans, he returned to London, and increased the poli tical ferment by the publication of the first part of the Rights of Man, in 1791, which was fol lowed, in 1 792, by the second part *. The firiends of government and good order repUed to his invectives, and showed the mis chief of his principles. A prosecution was in stituted against him, when, fearful of the result, he fled over to France, and took his seat in the National Convention as member for -the depart ment of Calais. He met, however, with the « Cheetham's Life of Paine, &c. 288 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. same neglect after a time in France that he had experienced in America ; but the leaven of ma lice and wickedness still lurking in his breast, he at length aimed at the destruction of the English Constitution by an attack on the na tional faith ; and conceived, that the best pre parative for a blow at the throne was an over throw of that altar which stood in his way. Hence, in 1795, his publication of the first part of " The Age of Reason," and, in the folloAring year, of the second part of the same work. Its dreadful object was to bring, the holy Scriptures into contempt. It was filled with such bold impiety and blasphemous ridicule, that it would be shameful even to hint at its contents. But the hand which made this presumptuous attack on the divine oracle, was that of an emigrant and an outlaw. Justice seized, therefore, on the publisher as participator in the crime, and the prosecution was ably conducted by the Hon. Thomas Erskine, whose eloquence never ap peared to gTeater advantage than when conse crated to the defence of that religion which was dear to his countrymen as the birthright of their nation *. * The orator, perhaps, spoke the more earnestly as know- i«g the power of religion in his own family. His great-uncle was Col. Gardner; his father died triumphant in the faith; A. D. 1790— 1800. 289 5. At this unhappy season, several female writers were seen to join the desperate ranks of innovators. Captivated by the false sentiment, affected devotion to the cause of liberty, and visionary ideas of the perfectibility of the species, which marked the new school, these deluded characters promoted the diffusion of the infidel theories, which began to be regarded with com placency in certain circles, little aware that wo_ man will be duly respected in society in pro portion to the prevalence of a biblical faith. At the head of these stood Mary Wolstonecraft. She was born of honest parents, who endea voured to restrain her impetuous youth by the ordinary modes of advice or coercion ; but she took the liberty of thinking, judging, and act ing for herself in the Aridest sense of the term. Quarrelling Arith her relatives, she quitted the paternal roof, and being possessed of consider able talent commenced authoress. Her writings were mostly on subjects connected with educa tion ; but, though her remarks were sensible, she sacrificed to hypothesis, and, pleased with the novelty of her speculations, indulged in ro mantic and impracticable theory- Violent in her poUtics, she fought by the side of Paine and his sister. Lady Ann Agnes, succeeded Lady Hunting don as patroness of her connexion. U 290 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. against the accomplished Burke. In 1792, she pubUshed " A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Arith Strictures on moral and poUtical Subjects." In this work she fully developed her infidel principles ; and protested, that the com munication of an angelic messenger should not induce her to believe the account of the fall..of * man as an historical fact. She maintained that the bond of raarriage was fit for persons of gross ideas alone; and that, however necessary legal sanctions might be for couples in the present deteriorated state of society, generous minds and refined lovers would spurn such obligations. She put her own principles in practice by living with an American named Imlay ; but after the first fervours of affection Avere over, they discussed abstract subjects vrith so much independence on both sides, that a dispute ensued which ended in separation. Determined, however, to maintain the grand principle called " indiriduality of thinking and acting," but which plainer sort of people considered " violation of divine and hu man law," she connected herself in a similar manner with Mr. Godwin, a gentleman of kin dred sentiments, and knoAvn as the author of " Political Justice." She claimed at this time to be both virtuous and religious, because she was faithful to Mr. Godvrin, and attended to the re- A. D. 1790— 1800. 291 quisitions of a deistical creed. Her manners were elegant, and her conversation intelligent; but, finding that respectable females were still so fastidious and enthralled to ancient superstitions as to exclude her from their intimacy, she at length so far condescended to the bad taste of the times as to become his lawful wife. She did not long surrive this improved mode of con nexion, dying in child-bed at Somers. Town, near London, on the 10th of October 1797. 6. Nor were instances wanting at this period, so fraught with anxiety to all well-Arishers to Church and State, of clergymen who thrcAV aside their gowns, and encouraged disaffection to the existing institutions. Two characters of this de scription may be more particularly noticed in an ecclesiastical memoir, as having prostituted talents of no common order, and broken the most sacred and important of vows, from an enthusiastic admiration of the new philosophy, or a desire of popularity among freethinkers and anarchists. Thomas Fyshe Palmer was a native of JekWeU, in the parish of Northill, Bedfordshire, and descended of au ancient and respectable family. After going through a regular classical course at Eton, he went to Queen's College, Cambridge, where he rose to the degree of Ba u2 292 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. chelor in Divinity in 1781. He served the cure of Leatherhead, in Surrey, for a year; but se duced by the love of vain speculation, and flattered with the notion of liberality and inde pendence, he turned Unitarian, threw up his connexion with the University, seceded from the Establishment, and departed for Montrose in Scotland. Here he joined a society of Arians un der Mr. Christie; and finding the conversation of some cold-blooded tb colognes on the banks of the Esk more congenial to his raetaphysical taste than that of less speculative divines on the borders of the Cam, he became confirmed in his prejudices, and at length reraoved to Dundee, where he officiated as an Unitarian minister, as well as at Forfar, Edinburgh, and other places. Zeal to disseminate his doctrines keeping pace with his scepticism and literary pride, he publish ed many theological pieces, and under the signa ture of Anglo-scotus contributed to a well-known Socinian magazine, called, " The Theological Repositoiy." Some of his attempts in this line are so fanciful, that they afford a striking proof of the credulity which often attaches to infidelity, and betrays those very men into pueriUties who affect to see so much clearer and farther than their contemporaries.' He undertook to show, on one occasion, that the fallen angels, whom A. D. 1790— 1800. 293 simpler Christians have always considered as a legion of evil spirits, were only the children of Seth — which was at best to pay the old church a very questionable compliment ; and on another, he maintained, that Peter mistook the sound of a trumpet for the crowing of a cock — which, however it might prove the Apostle to be under the influence of remorse, was no small reflection on his knowledge of acoustics. But, to be serious, that such freedom in dis cussing sacred subjects should have been at tended with an unlimited license in judging the conduct of the Government, Arill create no surprise. He was an active member of those societies which endeavoured to spread revolu tionary sentiments throughout the kingdora. Conventions of delegates were held at Edinburgh in 1792 and 1793, which, professing theraselves to have associated for obtaining a reforra in the House of Commons, were regulated on the French model, and aimed at the subversion of the Constitution. In September in the latter year, Palmer was brought to trial for writing and publishing an address to the people on the subject of reform. He was found guilty, and sentenced to transportation beyond seas for the term of seven years. He was conveyed accord ingly to Botany Bay with other rebellious cha- u3 294 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. racters ; from Avhence, having suffered the pe nalty of the law, he set out to return on the 20th of January 1800. The ship experienced great distress in her voyage; and this unhappy apostate clergyman, after being detained as a prisoner in the island of Guam, belonging to Spain, to which the crew were driven by stress of weather and want of provision, was seized Avith a dysentery, which proved fatal on the 2d of June 1802. As his habits were understood to be moral, and he remained firm to his prin ciples, he Avas generally regarded by the disaf fected as a martyr to the, cause of liberty *. 7. To advert to the name of Gilbert Wake field, is to mention another instance of literary conceit, impatience of control, and democratic irritability. He was born at Nottingham, in 1756, in the parsonage-house of St. Nicholas, of which church his father was rector. His talents were developed at a very early age ; and after passing with credit through Mr. Woodde- son's school at Kingston-upon-Thames, he was admitted a meraber of Jesus College, Cam bridge, where he took the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and obtained a fellowship. He was also distinguished for classical and mathematical attainment. * Monthly Magazine, vol. xvii. p. 83. A. D. 1790 — 1800. 295 Applying himself to the study of divinity with an unhumbled mind, and not, it is to be feared, as a " new-born babe desiring the sincere milk of the word, that he might grow thereby," he became the prey of scepticism. He entered nevertheless into holy orders, and became curate of Stockport, in Cheshire. But increasing in his infidel opinions, he would not again sub scribe the articles, and began, in 1781, Warmly to espouse the Socinian scheme both in the pul pit and in the press. He married the niece of Mr. Watson his rector ; but partly from a li mited income, and partly from restlessness of mind, led a wandering life, acting successively as a tutor at Warrington, Richmond, Notting ham, and Hackney. In the latter place, he Avas a teacher for a short time in the Dissenters' College, and afterwards continued to reside there for seven years. Being now within reach of the metropolis, and partaking of the senti ments of those republicans and levellers who were " presumptuous, self-wiUed, and not afraid to speak evil of dignities," he became an active promoter of their designs. These cha racters formed associations, such as " The London Corresponding Society," and " The Society for Constitutional Information," which, under the mask of desiring reform, inveigled u4 296 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. many into their snares, and disseminated the theory of Jacobinism. It required but little to inflame the minds of some, who had been disappointed in their endeavour to obtain the repeal of the Test Act ; and these now hoped, in a more prevalent discontent, to effect a still greater change in ecclesiastical concerns. In 1794, Mr. W. commenced his career as a po litical writer, Avith an acrimony and vehemence that could not but be very obnoxious to Govern ment. He was perpetually railing at the Esta blished Church; accused Bishops Porteus and Pretyman of giving him hopes of patronage which they never realized, and could not pardon Bishop Horsley the great offence of writing and speaking against Unitarians and democrats, ranking him with sycophants and parasites. He declared, in his Memoirs of himself, that no dignified clergyman ought to be heard on the subject of doctrines, because he has sold himself to the service of the church. " Talk not to me," said he, " of a concern for religion, and a "veneration for truth, when a man is al ready in possession of great preferment, and is expecting more. Reason and philosophy can accept with confidence no declarations of inte grity and conviction, when a bribe has been re ceived." How rauch such insinuations were A. D. 1790 — 1800. 297 calculated to prejudice the pubUc mind against the estabUshed faith, and the constituted teach ers of the land, is sufficiently obvious. That revered friend of Church and State, Mr. Wilberforce, haring thought fit to publish " A practical View of the prevailing religious System of professed Christians in the higher and middle Classes in this Country, contrasted Arith real Christianity;" and the work itself obtaining a most extensive sale, as well from the known character of the writer, as from its own intrin sic merit both in matter and manner, Mr. Wakefield addressed a Letter to him, replete with scurrilous remark against the orthodox, and blasphemous insinuation against the pecuUaritics of the Gospel, and containing the foUovring pompous declaration; " Days of restitution and refreshment, after so calamitous a period of supine ignorance, thraldom, and debasement of aU that is noble and generous in man, have commenced their glorious career \rith rapid strides, and are marching with an acceleration that no tyranny can impede, frora their goal in our ricinity to the precincts of the universe." Dr. Watkins repUed to Mr. Wakefield, defend ing the creed of the orthodox, and noticing " the modesty displayed by this man of words, Avhether he is engaged in abusing others or in 298 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. praising himself; whose opinions on religion, not to say any thing of his poUtics, are cer tainly very ill adapted for the benefit of society, and cannot possibly be reconciled to Christianity without doing violence to its positive declara tions and plainest injunctions." Such was the spirit and temper of Gilbert Wakefield ; himself a deacon, the son and ally of clergymen, and brother to the incumbent of Richmond in Surrey. He openly avowed his dis belief of the dirinity of Jesus, the personality of the Spirit, and the depravity of the human heart ; and declared, in his reception of the doctrine of the perfectibility of the species, his persuasion of the social evils arising from the existing modes of government and worship. Embracing or exceeding the system of Doctors Priestley, Disney, and Jebb*, he Avas admitted to the ho nours of the sitting in the school of modern phi losophy, panegyrized by Dr. Aikin for benevo lence, and eulogized by Dr. Parr for erudition. • Sir Rd. Jebb, physician to the King, was cousin to the Doctor. His Majesty noticed the reforming rage of the latter to his relation : " Why, Sir Richard, your cousm reforms the church, reforms the university, reforms physic, reforms every thing, aye?"—" Please your Majesty, if he were in heaven," said the knight, " he would bc a reformer." How true is it that heaven itself would not satisfy a restless spirit! A. D. 1790— 1800. 299 His countrymen might pity, though they did not interfere with his religious creed; whose simple elements, as discovered in the instruction of his children, seem to have been confined to an acknowledgment of Deity, and an abstract reverence for truth: but when, in his zeal to propagate his political tenets, he dealt in unre served and seditious abuse of " the powers that be," the judicature of the day was compelled, from a sense of the duty which it owed to itself, to interpose its restraints. In 1799, he was committed to Dorchester gaol for a libellous publication. He returned to Hackney after a confinement of two years, and, projecting some fresh literary schemes, was seized with a disor der which soon brought him to that awful moment, in which he was to exchange the vani ties of time for the realities of eternity. 8. The publication of Mr. Wilberforce gave rise to other controversy beside that of Wake field and Watkins. Considered in itself, no work of a religious character could be less likely to awaken party spirit or uncharitable conten tion. It breathed good will towards all that believed in revelation, and loved their country; and while it did not conceal the predilection of its author for his own division of Christianity, it treated those who ranked under other stand- 300 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. ards with candour and moderation. It ad dressed Deists and Unitarians in terms, not cal culated to irritate, but to soften; uniting the gentleness of moral suasion with the inflexibility of scriptural truth. Its grand object was to show the scanty, defective, and erroneous system of nominal churchmen ; to contrast their prin ciples and practices with their own formularies, and the character of their ancestors ; to show the good effects of vital religion on the country in a political point of view; and to enforce se rious reflection on all descriptions of persons from a consideration of the state of the times. No object could more worthily engage the at tention of the enlightened senator and Christian patriot. But the writer must have been well aware, that in a country like England, whose bane and antidote at once it is to discuss all questions, religious and political, it is impos sible to escape animadversion by the utmost ex ercise of caution and liberality. The theological discussions, however, which followed, were favourable to the interests of true religion, while they indirectly promoted the perusal of the work itself; which, there is great reason to think, was of essential service in raising the tone of religion and morals in cer tain circles, while it was the instrument of A. D. 1790 — 1800. 301 awakening a serious concern about their salva tion in the breasts of many individuals. The Rev. Charles Daubeny, the respectable Minister of Christ-Church, Bath, and subsequently Archdeacon of Sarum, attracted considerable notice by sending out a work entitled, " A Guide to the Church," Avhich contained much excellent matter, but proceeded from a different school in divinity to that of the devout senator, to whose popular essay it was intended as a sort of corrective. The Meraber for Yorkshire, with evangelic urbanity, avoided all questions at issue between Churchmen and Dissenters, and seemed to take it for granted, that all were genuine Christians who held the essentials of the Gospel, however they might differ in circum- .stantials. The Bath divine conceived this con cession on the part of a Churchman to be too liberal ; and was at pains to point out to his contemporaries, that much of the evil of the day was to be traced to the neglect of preach ers and authors, in omitting to instruct their hearers and readers in the nature and conse-. quences of schism. He was of opinion, that it was of vital importance to adhere to the dis cipUne as well as the doctrine of the first ages of the Church; that the inquiry was not sim ply whether another candle had been lighted 302 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. besides that of the Gospel, but whether the candlestick was of proper form and mate rial ; that Dissenters in England stood on veiy different ground from anti-episcopalians on the Continent; and that, under all the circum stances of the case, they must be left to the uncovenanted mercies of God. However mo dern dissidents and separatists might differ from ancient BroAvnists, Anabaptists, and Quakers, it was easy to perceive that this author regarded their error as damnable. His language was dignified, his tone chastened, and his treatment of Mr. Wilberforce respectful. The two theo logians were contrasted in their vieAvs of justifi cation and other points : one had sat at the feet of Leighton; the other had attended the lec tures of Bull. The benevolent author of the " Practical View" knew how to apppreciate what was excel lent in his antagonist. But Sir Richard Hill, the Member for Shropshire, a warm and keen Calvinist, determined to rindicate his brother of St. Stephen's. He was offended at the gene ral basis of Mr. Daubeny's divinity, which he considered as better fitted for the meridian of Rome. In his " Apology for brotherly Love, and for the Doctrines of the Church of Eng land," he claimed for a servant of God in a A. D. 1790— 1800. 303 conventicle of the eighteenth century the right to be esteemed as a brother by the worshipper in the parish-church. He showed both the ab surdity and impolicy of pushing the point of episcopacy too far, and tracing the descent of a bishop Arith the same accuracy as is usually applied to the genealogy of a race-horse ,• con tending that such an hypothesis would unchurch half the foreign communions, and bring into doubt the validity of orders in our own country derived fi-om prelates who had been baptized among Dissenters ; not to add, that the failure of one Unk in the chain of succession Avould be attended vrith incalculable mischief. He was unwilling in matters of discipline to go beyond the nineteenth Article, which declares that a true church, " in which the pure word of God is preached, and the Sacraments are duly admi nistered according to Christ's ordinance." He adverted to the place which the doctrines of grace should occupy in the plan of salvation ; and remarked on Mr. Daubeny's conduct in bring ing a false quotation from a pamphlet, en titled, " Five Letters to the Rev. Mr. Fletcher," written by himself. That the baronet was jus tified in noticing the latter circumstance, must be allowed on all hands; neither can the commendation be withheld from hira of occasionally subUme, eloquent, and spirited 304 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. composition; but his natural facetiousness and indignant sarcasm were unfavourably opposed to the decorous manner of the two former writers. Differing from all the three was the " Re view of Mr. Wilberforce's Treatise," sent out by Mr. Belsham, who seemed to have taken the opportunity of a short address to Unitarians in the " Practical View," to attack those glorious truths of Revelation which must ever be dear to the penitent and believing soul. Defending what his party affected to call " Rational Chris tianity," he considered the doctrine of atone ment, as held by the Church of England, as founded on divine implacability; levelled Christ through the whole of his existence to the rank of human nature ; discarded the doctrine of the Holy Spirit's influence; and left man for ac ceptance to his own merit. 9. These publications, which made their appearance in the order in which they are no ticed, more particularly interested theological readers during the latter half of the fourth de cade; and their account may be closed by refer ence to a Letter to Mr. Wilberforce from Arthur Young, on the state of the public mind among the lower classes, and the means of turning it to the welfare of the state. This work was is sued under circumstances which rendered it pe- A. D. 1790— 1800. 305 culiai-ly interesting. Its author was the son of Dr. Young, a Prebendary of Canterbury, and born in 1742. The eariier part of his life was devoted to political economy and the study of agriculture. In 1792, he discovered his patri otism by publishing an able pamphlet, entitled, " The Example of France a Warning to Great Britain." He became Secretary to the Board of Agriculture, on its formation in 1793, an office for which he M^as peculiarly fitted by scientific attainment and practical skill. But as yet he had neglected to cultivate that sublimer know ledge, which is concerned about God's hus bandry; which teaches, that the ground is cursed for man's sake — that Moab shall be trodden down, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill — that Jehovah hath said, " Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns" — ^t,hat the Sower soweth the word — " that God blesseth the springing thereof — that Avhen the fruit is brought forth, he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come — that he Avill gather the wheat into his garner, and burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." The period at length arrived when this spiritual process was to engage the attention of the worthy Secretary. The death of a beloved daughter awakened his mind as from a deep sleep. He saw the vanity of 306 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. creature-Gon3iforts, and became anxious to secure an eternal good. Some reUgious friends, to A^hom he applied for direction, recommended tjO him the stwJ^- of the holy Scriptures, with prayer and. afete^^n to oi;dinances : and he now became as. anxious to* supply the poor with the bread of Ufe, as he had formerly been to pro mote their temporal sustenance. He desired an increase of churches, and of faithful Ministers. His benevolence towards his farmers and pear santry who surrounded his house at Bradfield, near Bury, in Suffolk, had always been conspi cuous; but noAV he felt raore immediately con cerned for their spiritual and immortal interests. He maintained a large Sunday school which he personaUy superintended; and besides exhorting the children,, opened his hall in the evening to their parents and friends for prayer and expo sition. Happily for Engl^nd> the same benevol^t desire to extend the knowledge of religion among the lower classes, and to attach them to the Church and Government of their countiy, by every meaais of lawful infhience, whieh; per vaded the breast, of Mr. Young, operated ppwerfuUy in many characters in private Ufe, forming the best bulwai-k against the errors of the day, and stimulatingr them to exertions for A. D. 1790— 1800. 307 which future generaitions might eaU them blessed. Thomas Bernard, Esq. a relation and eowfidant of the Bishop of Durham; Peter Waldo, :feS€f. of Leatherhead^ lineal descend ant from fhe founder of the Waldenses; and others, interested themselves in the education of the infant poor. But we shall more parti culariy notice under this head the plans of those friends to reUgJen and morality, Mrs. Hannah More and the Rev. Wm. Gilpin. About the year 1790, Mrs. More, being en gaged vrith a paity of friends in rieAring the Cheddar rocks in Somersetshire — a wild and romantic natural seeneiy, where the Almighty seems, at some veiy distant age, to have rent the mountains asunder, and formed a long and deep ravine— was struck Arith the poverty and igno rance ef ib& children, whose debasement so af- fectingly contrasted wittethe surrounding beauty aftid sublimity. On farther inquiry into the state of the huhaMl^ants', she found them in a, deploi'abfe condition of irreligiom and profE^- gacy of every description. One obvious mean of iftipi*overtii"ettt, if it could possibly be eflfect^d, was- the establishment ef Sunday schools. After great pains, much reasoning, and trying rnisre- ptesen^atSion from characters' who eould- not un- die^tand ber motives of action, she conviuiied x2 308 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. some of the poor, as well as others of their supe riors, that the scheme was feasible and profitable. She particularly pressed upon the children and parents the duty of attending their parish churches ; and at length, by considerable exer tion, self-denial, and expense, she obtained the object of her endeavour. Every Sabbath, Mrs. More and her sisters, leaving their residence in the neighbourhood at an early hour, appeared among the rocks, like the guardian angels of the place fraught Avith errands of mercy, in structing, advising, reproving, and leading the infant population to the temples of the Lord. She then instituted female clubs, or associations, consisting of monthly subscribers and free con tributors, which created a fund for the relief of the sick and aged, promoted habits of frugality, and afforded rcAvards for the young women on the day of their marriage, who had conducted themselves in a becoming manner. An annual festival was held upon the top of the rocks, which served as a periodical treat for a thousand chil dren, Avhile it interested their relatives in the success of the plan. A change soon became evident in the condition and morals of the poor. Their habitations were more cleanly, their dress more neat, their conversation less profane, and their attendance at public worship more regu- A. D. 1790— 1800. 309 lar. Instances of crime became less frequent. Some inteUigent and active clergymen bore pleasing testimony to an alteration, qf Avhich they themselves were the first to reap the bene fit ; while the venerable Bishop of the diocese and other superior individuals, approved of an undertaking in which zeal and prudence were equally conspicuous. Had the benevolent foundress escaped the charge of Methodism for all this exertion, from the envious, the ignorant, or the gay, she must have acted under some exclusive charter frora the great Head of the Church. The charge, however, if any tendency to insubordination or fanaticism is intended by the term, is satisfactorily refuted by appealing to numerous works, written for the edification of persons in the higher and middle Avalks of life, and to many tracts, composed in a familiar style for the use of the poor, in vvhich sound religious and political principles are constantly maintained. Descended from Bernard Gilpin, knoAvn in ecclesiastic record as " The Northern Apostle," the Rev. William Gilpin enjoyed a sort of he reditary claim to the esteem of the lovers of true religion and the Church of England. Nor have there been many instances of characters who have been treated with more general re- x3 310 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. spect, not only by the devout class of his countrymen, but also by that fashionable circle with which he had little connexion. The latter circumstance was owing to his paternal conduct towards his pupils at Cheam in Surrey, as well as to his taste in the arts, and critical acquaint ance with the picturesque, in the study of which he hecasae the leader of a particular school. He was a prebendary of Sarum, and retired from more public life to an interesting parsonage at Boldre, in the vicinity of Lymington, where, on the skirts of the New Forest, and on the banks of a silver stream which flowed into the Solent, he had opportunity te gratify his taste in the pe^H^eption of natural beauty. But he had too deep a sense of his respon sibility as a clergyman, to forget the duties of the pastor in the amusements of the artist. He found the foresters leading lives of impiety and dissoluteness, and, by the liberal oo-^pCTation of the neighbouring gentry, effected a system of reform. He constructed a house of industry, where the children were trained to habits of em ployment and order, and tawght the principles of religion. He then built a school-house, and indemnified himself for the expense by various publications in art and divinity. Like Mrs. More, he diew up tracts for the instruction of 2 A. D. 1750— 1800. 311 the poor ; and by his exemplary aittenlion to the spiritual and tempoi'al wants of his neighbotits and parishioners, AvaS instmmenta! in the re formation of some abandoned tlhal'ajctfet^. Th6 life of this useful ecclesiai^ic was lengthened to the term of nearly eighty years. Of a venerable aspect and primitive manners, he Well sustained the character of the fattier of his parish. As a divine, he was orthodox and devout; in doc trinal statement, Arminian; occasionally defefc- tive in his evangelical views ; but conscientiotis in the discharge of his religious dutiefe, remark ably kind to men of different pet^uasions, and to be had in honour as the biographef, not only of his eminent ancestor, but also of Wickliffe, Huss, Jerome of Prague, and Cranmer. 10. Among the plans of countefaction to the philosophical and moral evils of the time, may be noticed the endeavoui^ of literary men, friends to religion and gtyternnient, to purify the press, or to disseminate useful publications. Mr. Jones, of Nayland, in 1792, alarmed at the growing prevalence of democratical principles, was the author of " A Letter from Thomas Bull to his Brother John," which was industriously circulated throughout the kingdom. He also published a collection of Tra6ts by Leslie, Law, Norris, North, Horne, and himself, on the prin- x4 312 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. ciples and evidences of Christianity, the consti tution of the church, and authority of civil go vernment, under the title of " The Scholar arm ed against the Errors of the Time." Nor was he less active, in conjunction with some other respectable characters, in the pro duction of a new Review, called " The British Critic." In 1764, Sir Joshua Reynolds and Dr. Johnson established an association called " the Literary Club;" and as none were admitted members but persons of erudition, taste, and refinement, among whora were some of the Bi shops, a sort of guarantee was afforded to the reading population, that such works as the club was known to approve would not offend against public faith and morals. But as these censors becarae less strict, or publications Avere multi plied, the character of the existing literature Avas to be sought in great measure from the report of the Monthly and Critical Reviews. These, hoAv- ever, became so much socinianized and demo cratical, that it was resolved to oppose them by " The British Critic," which commenced June 1, 1793. For its general learning and integrity, the names of Beloe, Nares, Gleig, Robertson, Woolaston, Vince, and Rennell, Avere a sufficient security *. But its talent Avas unequal, its style * Reviewers reviewed; p. 42. A. D. 1790 — 1800. 313 various, and its temper irritable; neither were its theological sentiments always such as genu ine lovers of the Articles of the Church could .approve ; not to say, that, from a dread of fana ticism and methodisra, it too often confounded friends with foes, in a manner neither creditable to its equity or discernment. The serious and devout were nevertheless pleased to find so re spectable an ally on the side of religion and virtue, Avhile they themselves were more imme diately engaged in their respective circles, in building up the pure and spiritual temple of the Lord. Besides the attentive and pious observ- s. ance of the fast-days enjoined by Government, many religious individuals, both among Church men and Dissenters, agreed to pray for their country at stated intervals. Several clergymen opened their churches for monthly lectures on the signs and duties of the times ; and discover ed that feeling of patriotism, of which they found so affecting an exemplar in their Saviour weeping OA^er Jerusalem, and which must ever be a powerful principle in the breast of a de voted Christian. Some pious clergymen in the west of Eng land, aware of the importance of a faithful mi nistry to the prosperity of their Zion, agreed to establish a clerical education society, similar to 314 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. that in the north. It was instituted in Decem ber 1795, and extended its bounty to those alone who presented the following qualifications : a cordial persuasion of the truth and importance of the great principles of the Gospel, as express ed in the Liturgy, Articles, and Homilies? an attachment to episcopacy, and the discipline of the Church of England; and a possession of such natural talents as might render them ca pable of reaping the benefit of a literary educa tion. Other conscientious servants of Christ, re membering the conimand of their Master, to " preach the Gospel to every creature ;" lament ing the guilt of blood which lay on their country from the continuance of the slave-trade; and bewailing the ravages of the war in which that country was engaged; longed to send out to fo reign lands the glad tidings of salvation, and to speed among the heathen the triumphs of the Prince of Peace. A general meeting of dissent ing ministers and others was held in London on the 21st of September 1795, which was followed by assemblies for worship, and the concert of preparatoiy measures. The preachers on these occasions were Dr. Haweis, Mr. Burder, and Mr. Greatheed. On the 26th, they proceeded to choose directors and secretaries, and una- A. D. 1790— 1800. 315 nimously resolved, that the first attempt of the society should be to send missionaries to Ota- heite, or some other islands of the South Sea. Though this benevolent undertaking Avas prin eipaUy instituted and conducted by noncon formists of different denominations, a few minis ters of the Established Church lent them their countenance and support, considering the claims of a perishing world, and the inadequacy of the existing episcopal societies to supply its necessi ties. Thdr consistent co-operation was further , secured by a regulation of the institution, that at every anniversaiy one of the sermons should be preached by a clergyman, and service per formed in some church according to the na tional ritual*. II. The agents of anarchy and infidelity were employed, meaaiwhile, in prosecuting their nefa rious designs. Public meetings of persons, calUng themselves " The London Corresponding Society," were held in different places. On the 26th of October 1795, forty thousajid were col lected in the fields between Islington and Copen hagen House, and harangued by their favourite orators in an inflammatory style. An awful proof of their seditious tendency was afforded on the 29th, when the King went to op^n the ses- * Evang. Mag. 316 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. sion of Parliament. On this occasion a great crowd was assembled in the Park, who for the most part-observed a sullen silence as the state- carriage passed. Instead of huzzaing they hissed, and some cried "Bread" — "No war" — " No King!" Opposite the Ordnance-office, a bullet, probably discharged from an air-gun, perforated the glass, without, through a merci ful Providence, doing further injury. His Ma jesty was remarkably composed, and read his speech with peculiar correctness. At his un robing afterwards, it became the theme of ge neral discourse, in which the King joined with less agitation than his nobles. On resuming his seat in the carriage with the Earls of West moreland and Onslow, George the Third dis played a magnanimity and piety which were very edifying. " Well, my Lords," said the Monarch, " one person is proposing this, and another is supposing that, forgetting that there is One above us all, who disposes of every thing, and on whom alone we depend *." His Majesty was in the habit of referring his safety to a su perintending Providence; and when cautioned in his walks and rides, on account of the num ber of disaffected characters, was accustomed * Holt's Life of George III. vol. i. p. 376.— Earl Onslow's account. A. D. 1790 — 1800. 317 to observe, that " God Avas his shield," or to ex press his confidence in some devotional lan guage, strongly contrasting with the atheistic turn of the conversation of the day, and show ing that his allowed constitutional courage was sublimed by religious feeling. 12. In conformity with such sentiraents, he ordered a day of public thanksgiving to Al mighty God, for the signal and repeated victo ries which his fleets had obtained. While the politician bore testimony to the astonishing prowess discovered by the officers and sailors, the serious and devout part of the nation recog nised the faithfulness and protection of that Jehovah, who had listened to the prayer of his church, and of whora it is said, " He shall de liver the island of the innocent."— Job, xxii. 30. On the 1 9th of Deceraber, the solemn and joyful procession to St. Paul's cathedral began by parties of gallant tars, bearing on artillery- waggons the signs of triumph : the first set con sisting of two colours taken from the French; the second, of three from the Spaniards; and the third, of four fi-om the Dutch ; each follow ed by the lieutenants who had served in the re spective engagements in which they were won. Next carae a detachment of marines, with music playing; and then the admirals in their car- 318 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. riages — Lord Duncan, Sir C. Thompison, Sir R. Onslow, Sir A. Gardner, Sir T. Pasley, Sir R. Curtis, Sir H. Nelson, Lord H. Seymour, Cald^ well, Waldegrave, Hamilton, Goodall, Young, Lindsay, Gambler, Bazeley, and Captain Sir H. TroUope. The naval part of the procession was followed by the two Houses of Parliament, the Royal Family, . and their Majesties. The standards, thus offered to the Lord of Hosts in the metropolitan temple, amid the ringing of bells, roar of cannon, music of instruments, and shouts of the people, were at once affecting me morials of some of the most sanguinary contests in whieh man hath been engaged With his fellow, and of national gratitude to that Being "whose is the greatness, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty*." 13. The intimate connexion betAveen the po litical and religious circumstances of the tkae has given somewhat (rf'a secular air to this por tion of the narrative. We now resume tbe more appropriate task of noticing the Uveg and characters of select divines; endeavo.ring t« preserve, in its execution, a spirit of ean(four * On this occasion Mr. Pitt conversed witil Nelson on tbe very spot where the remains ef Ae tetter w«re afterwards) de posited. A. D. 1790 — 1800. 319 towards men of aU parties ; and mainly intent on tradng the progress, through their instru mentality, of pure and undefiled religion. The fourth decade opened with an interest ing event in the history of the Church, in the elevation of Dr. Horne to the see of Norwich. George Horne was son of the rector of Otham, m Kent, where he was born in 1730; and after obtaining a Maidstone scholaKship in University College, Oxford, removed thither at the early age of fifteen, and succeeded to a Kentish fel lowship, a* Magdalen, in 175iO. In 1752 he graduated as master, and the next year entered into holy orders. At this period,^ he was distinguished for his piety aad acquaintance Arith experimental relL- gion. He was much in prayer and holy medi tation ; and in hiS; studies kept professional: ob- jjgcts in view. His company was rendered plea*- sant to some religious young men Ari:th whom; he associated, by a, playful wit,, lively imagination*, and striking adaptation of scriptural phrase ology toi pasaang drcumstancest BeUevisng that the HutchijisoniajQ , scheme Avas favourable to just viewain divkiityi he Avas zealous in its pro*- motion^, ands supported it by some ingenious i Il lustration and ecodite observation. But, im p«fter-*Mfe,.h)e Eetrasstedsome of his sentiments on 320 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. this subject as fanciful, and dwelt on truths more sober and profitable. If, as a young man, his suavity of manners and amiableness of teraper gave a peculiar charm to his society, his corre spondence was not less agreeable, as in his let ters he had the happy art of blending sportive remark with sage admonition. His heart being filled with love to his Saviour, he willingly en dured the sneers of laxer characters, who how ever were constrained to admire his general be haviour, and respect his learning. His fellow collegians knew that his attainments were orna mental to their society ; and if they saw in him at one time the devotional abstraction of a Tho mas a-Kempis, they witnessed at another the scholarship of an Usher. He obtained high re putation as a preacher, on account of the excel lence of his compositions and th^ gracefulness of his elocution. Having served the office of Proctor, and taken thc degree of Doctor in Di vinity, he succeeded Dr. Jenner in the president ship, in January 1768. In 1771, he Avas ap pointed Chaplain in ordinary to His Majesty; and in the following year published a Letter to Lord North, reprobating the plan for relief in the matter of subscription, so zealously advo cated by the latitudinarian divines. On his advancement to the academical dig- 3 A. D. 1790- 1800. 321 nity of Vice-chancellor, he became acquainted with the noble Premier, who was also Chancellor of the University, and through his recommend ation was promoted to the deanery of Canter bury in 1781. He was now in a situation in which, by his eminent abilities and exemplary piety, he might benefit both the Church and the University. He was a frequent preacher both at Oxford and Canterbury, and often occu pied London pulpits with much acceptance. Venerated by the clergy and esteemed by the laity, the excellent character of the Dean could not escape the notice of a discerning Monarch ; and in 1790, upon the translation of Dr. Bagot to St. Asaph, he was recomraended to the va cant see of Norwich, and soon after his conse cration resigned his presidentship *. But Dr. Horne Avas now in his sixtieth year ; and it was among the darker dispensations of an infinitely wise God, that one formed to adorn the episcopal bench of his country, was not ad vanced to that exalted dignity till both raind and body bore evident symptoms of decay. His friends saw with concern the declining state of his health, nor was he himself insensible to the change. When mounting the steps of his epi scopal residence, he intimated with a placid * Jones's Life of Home. 322 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. smile that he should not have to ascend them very often. He retained a huraorous playfulness to the last ; and one day, walking in his grounds with sorae clerical friends, he found it difficult to unlock a door, on which two or three tender ing their assistance, he archly replied, " What, you wish to rob rae of the power of the keys ! " Though suffering from indisposition, he con tinued to compose, and sent out " Observations on the Case of the Protestant Dissenters, with reference to the Corporation and Test Acts." He also prepared a Charge to be delivered to his clergy at his primary visitation ; but being pre vented from reading it, issued it from the press. On his arrival at Norwich, the secular and lati tudinarian clergy were rauch alarmed, knowing his character for piety and orthodoxy. Doubt less, had it pleased divine Providence to lengthen his days, they would have witnessed in their mitred pastor much of that devotion, zeal, and heavenly-raindedness, which distinguished his great predecessor Hall; but, like hira, he had withal so much Church-of-Englandism, and such conception of the Aaronic priesthood, that many would have been offended. He made three risits to Bath, where he died on the 1 7th of January 1792. As to his religious character, it is to be ob served that he was ever aware of the danger that A. D. 1790 — 1800. 323 ReUgion, like her Lord, might be crucified be tween two thieves, and Arished his piety to be equally pi-eserved from lukewarmness and fana ticism. But it must be added, that this amiable and excellent dirine seemed to suffer from pro fessional advancement, and that the scenes and avocations of exalted rank were rather injurious to his spirituality. When only fellow of his college, his love to Christ and his saints shone forth with the most edifying ardour. He could rebuke, or comfort, or exhort, or persuade with exemplary faithfulness. Advanced to the presi dency, he was indeed an ornament to the con vocation, and showed his paternal regard to the juniors of the University by publishing " Considerations on the Life and Death of St. John the Baptist ;" in a course of sermons, which were correct in sentiment and elegant in diction, but not so searching in application as raight be expected from so religious an instruc tor. But the great fault of Dr. Horne was, not that he wanted the touch of a raaster, or the skill to manage his colours, but that he seldom condescended to paint a plain cabinet picture, and too much sacrificed utility to effect by aiming to produce a splendid altar-piece. It must, however, be confessed, that his " Commentary on the Book of Psalms" is a Y 2 324 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. work unrivalled in its department for beautiful illustration, sweet reraark, and devotional unction. It is in his best manner, uniting the grace of Massillon in the French school, with the spirituality of Venema in the Dutch, and will render his name dear to the recollection of English Christians for its evangelical exposition of those sublime songs. 14. To Dr. Horsley we have already referred, as elevated to the see of St. David's, in conse quence of his successful combat with Dr. Priest ley in the theological arena. The Charge which he delivered to his clergy at the primary risita- tion in 1790, and which was afterwards publish ed, caused a greater sensation among the friends of religion, than had been produced by any si milar event since the best age of the English Church. Its character was so truly episcopal, its doctrine so evangelical, its reproof so faithful, and its language so nervous, that it appeared as if one of those dignitaries, of whom the King said, " There M'cre giants in those days," had risen from his grave, and caused the old walls of St. David to resound with his orthodox instruction. How must the Pembrokeshire clergy have been struck when his Lordship thus addressed them ! " Both these maxims — that practical reli gion and morality are one and the same thing ; A. D. l7yo — 1800. 325 or and that moral duties constitute the whole, by far the better part of practical Christianity — both these maxims are erroneous. The first, most absurdly separates practice frora the mo tives of practice. The second, adopting that separation, reduces practical Christianity to heathen virtue; and the two, taken together, have rauch contributed to divest our sermons of the genuine spirit and savour of Christianity, and to reduce them to mere moral essays : in which moral duties are enforced, not, as indeed they might be to good purpose, by scriptural motives, but by such arguments, as no Avhere appear to so much advantage as in the writings of the heathen moralists, and are quite out of their place in the pulpit. The rules delivered may be observed to vary according to the temperaraent of the teacher. But the sys tera chiefly in request with those who seera the most in earnest in this strain of preaching, is the strict, but impracticable, unsocial, sullen moral of the Stoics. Thus, under the influence of these two pernicious maxims, it too often happens, that we lose sight of that which is our proper office, to publish the word of reconcUia tion, to propound the terms of peace and par don to the penitent; and we make no other use of the high commission that we bear, than to V3 326 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. come abroad one day in the seven, " dressed in solemn looks and in the external garb of holi ness, to be the apes of Epictetus. I flatter my self, that we are at present in a state of reco very from this delusion. The corapositions which are at this day delivered from our pulpits are, I think, in general of a more Christian cast than were often heard some thirty years since, when I first entered on the rainistry. Still the dry strain of raoral preaching is too much in use, and the erroneous maxiras on which the practice stands are not sufficiently exploded." The first edition of this memorable Charge was sold off immediately, and a second loudly called for. As one instance among many of its acceptableness, Wm. Taylor, Esq. of Ports- wood Green, near Southampton, a zealous and active character, bought up a great nuraber for his private distribution. But we must not omit another interesting circumstance connected with its pubUcation. Seven pious and able in dividuals, being engaged in a conversation oc casioned by his Lordship's Charge, and hailing the daAvn of more glorious days for the ^Church, agreed to publish a tract, entitled, " The Na ture, Extent, and Province of human Reason considered;" which, fop logical acumen and A. D. 1790— 1800. 327 sound religion, was not easily to be rivalled. The authors, Avho concealed their naraes, but gave their initials, dedicated it to the Bishop, speaking in high terms of his exertions in the cause of dirine truth. They thus con cluded the Preface: " Your Lordship is not ad dressed in these lines with the contemptible voice of adulation, of ecclesiastical bigotry, or of ignorant superstition. We address you as one of the fathers of our Church ; whose pri mary object is not its emoluraents, nor its dig nities, nor its political consequence in the civil constitution, but the preservation of its funda mental truths, the perpetuity of its discipUne, and the religious character of its members. As such, we venerate your office, we admire your intellectual powers, we respect your person, and we pray for the blessing of Heaven upon your indefatigable exertions for its honour and suc cess." Signed C. D.; D. P.; W. J.; E. H.; T. H. ; J. C. ; R. E. In this demonstration of regard for his Lordship, the editors were fully justified; and the devout and serious throughout the country shared in the hope that the advancement of so profound a scholar and correct a divine would be highly beneficial to the cause of reli gion. How far their expectations were realized, y4 328 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR^ may best appear by a reference to his public and private character. As a prelate, he was independent in his principles and practice. He cared Uttle what others thought on any given subject ; but ad hered to his own opinion with a tenacity only to be equalled by the boldness of its avowal. The consequence was, that he offended and pleased all parties by turns. High-churchmen were gratified by the dignified manner in which he maintained all questions of ecclesiastical privilege ; by his zeal for episcopacy ; by his powerful defence of orthodoxy, and keen op position of heresy; by his remarkable atten tion to pontifical exterior, and by his demand of obsequious subraission from the commonalty and laity to their temporal and spiritual go vernors. When advocating the cause of the depressed Scotch Bishops, contrary to the sen timents of his patron Thurlow ; when pleading the rights of the London clergy ; when de- clairaing against the iniquities of the slave- trade; or thundering his anathemas against French repubUcans and English levellers ; his scornful brow, sonorous voice, vehement elo quence, and undaunted demeanour, marked him in their eyes as the Gregory Nazianzen of the English Church. On the other hand, they A. D. 1790— 1800. 329 were occasionally scandalized by his clear exhi bition of Gospel truth ; by the kindness with which he treated several clergyraen who were re garded as fanatical preachers ; and above aU, by the ridicule which he poured on their hackneyed invectives against Calvinism, and the expression of his conviction, in common with Bishop Burnet, that Predestinarians and Supralapsa- rians might be good raerabers of an Anglican estabUshment as well as Arminians and Re monstrants. The evangelical clergy beheld him one hour with sentiments of affection, but the next with feelings of regret. They loved him for his honest defence of catholic truth, his literal ac ceptation of the Articles, his pious exposition of Scripture, and the gloAring zeal with which he contended for the grand characters of huraan redemption; but they were sorry when they heard him spend so rauch time in critical expla nation, that he seemed to have little left for practical application; they were vexed, when they perceived that his speculations were un profitable, and even fanciful; and especially when he presented the spectacle of a great di rine, who, confident in his own powers, seemed more anxious to find an adversary with whom to grapple, than an associate to encourage in 330 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. their common warfare. They lamented too that a Bishop, who deprived the Dissenters of their usual plea drawn from the unfaithfulness of spiritual governors, should indulge in lan guage against Puritans and Puritanism as unne cessary and irritating, as it was unwarranted and akin to the intolerance of a Laud, but averse from the prudence of a Tillotson. They praised him for joining his more experimental but not less orthodox brother Horne, in showing how David testified of Jesus; but they considered him as violating good taste and sound theology, Avhen he condescended to mix vrith his sublime interpretations the antipathies of a political pamphleteer. There remains but another part of his character, which we would touch with a delicate hand. The pious, the feeling, and the good, were grieved that Dr. Horsley should be reported to want that blessed meekness which the Gospel inculcates ; that he should be repre sented as speaking unadvisedly with his Ups ; or that he should be considered as partaking in public life of the ambition of a courtier ; and in private, of the trifling relaxation of a fashion able circle. But we rather delight to hand him down to posterity as the conqueror of Priestley, the champion of our Establishment, the com mentator of Hosea, the biographer of Newton, A. D. 1790— 1800. 331 and the successive ornament of the sees of St. David, Rochester, and St. Asaph. Nor would we omit, that the latter cathedral (desecrated as it formerly was by the Cromwellians, when its throne was made a stall for calves, and its font a trough for horses) was repaired and beautified by the paternal care of this prelate, with so much architectural skill and tasteful decoration, that the intelligent worshipper may exclaim, in more senses than one, " How amiable are thy dwelUngs, thou Lord of hosts ! " 15. To Dr. Watson, Bishop of Llandaff, the tribute of respect is due for an able stand against Infidelity in general, and for the most popular answer to Thomas Paine in particular. He had distinguished hiraself by a series of Letters addressed to Gibbon, under the title of " An Apology for Christianity." In this work, his argumentation is unanswerable, and his style forcible; and never perhaps was a happier mixture of the keenness of the antagonist with the urbanity of the gentieman. Throughout the whole of the combat, he presented the idea of an ancient knight, who carried sentiments of honour and politeness so far towards his adver- saiy, that he might run the risque of leading the spectators to doubt, whether he had not more regard for the traitor than was consistent 2 332 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. with a faithful liege, or perhaps raise a question in the traitor's own breast of the sincerity of the champion. Certain it was, that Gibbon himself felt constrained to acknowledge his li berality, and to express himself sensible of the manner in which the dispute had been con ducted ; which produced so gracious a reply from his Lordship, that the King, who was as jealous for the honour of religion as any raan in his dominions, hinted to him at a levee, that " he thought it an odd letter," at Avhich his Lordship was much offended*. As an university professor and a bishop, his character was singular. He piqued himself on maintaining the old Whig principles in Church and State. He considered his brother Horsley as a bigot in religion and a tyrant in politics ; and reprobated the French Avar as strongly as that prelate advocated it. As a statesman, he always defended the right of pri vate judgraent; as a theologian, he considered episcopacy a mere raatter of expediency ; and as divinity professor, he would not permit the candidates for degrees to appeal to the Articles of their own Church more than any other, but holding up a little pocket Bible, was accus- * Memoirs of himself. A. D. 1790— 1800. 333 tomed to say in Latin, " Mind the sacred Vo lume." By the orthodox, his reUgious prin ciples were suspected to be socinianized ; while to the Dissenters he was a constant theme of admiration ; and as he was Arithal free to deli ver his opinion on men and things, and disco vered an independent spirit towards those who opposed his plans, it is not surprising that he never received that proraotion to which he deeraed hiraself entitled. But whatever difference of opinion raight be entertained of the raerits of Watson by opposite parties, there was but one sentiraent throughout the whole kingdora on his " Apology for the Bible," in reply to the " Age of Reason." It had an extensive sale, and went through many edi tions. The critics were pleased with the versa- tiUty of talent discovered in the work. In his former " Apology," he had to deal Arith an ac complished patrician in the republic of letters ; in the latter, he was contending with a sedi tious plebeian : accordingly, in the one instance he displayed information which scholars must respect, and in the other used arguments which the multitude might comprehend. His services were thus warmly noticed in a first-rate publi cation of the day. 334 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. " Yet all shall read, when bold in strength divine, Prelatic virtue guards the Christian shrine ; Pleas'd from the pomp of science to descend. And teach the people as their hallow'd friend ; In gentle warnings to th' unsettled breast, In all its wand'rings from the realms of rest, From impious scoflFs and ribaldry to turn. And reason's age by reason's light discern ; Refix insulted Truth with temper'd zeal, And feel that joy which Watson best can feel *." 16. The testimony of gratitude would be wanting to another eminent prelate, if we omitted the name of Shute Barrington, sixth son of John, first Viscount Barrington, and born in 1732. Receiring his education at Christ Church, Oxford, he proceeded Master of Arts in 1756, and Doctor of Laws in 1766. Three years after wards he was proraoted fi-om a canonry of St. Paul's to the see of Llandaff; whence, in 1782, he was translated to Salisbury, and finally, in 1791, to Durham. His Lordship was aware of the dangers which threatened our venerable estabUshments from the prevalence of sceptical and denfocra- tical philosophy. He was of opinion Arith his brother Porteus^ that more was to be done by stemming the tide of practical infidelity which was inundating the higher circles, and by bet- * Pursuits of Literature, p. 230. A. D. 1790— 1800. 335 tering the condition, informing the minds, or improving the habits of the lower; than by aU the declamations which could be uttered against abstract principles. He was a generous be nefactor to Salisbury cathedral; and, when removed to Durham, encouraged plans of pub lic and private liberality. But we are chiefly concerned to notice a charge delivered by his Lordship in 1797, as a specimen of his able and pious exhortations to his clergy. Speaking of the increase of infidelity, fie says, " I will not refer it to the manners, the luxury, or the li centiousness of the times; because, whatever may be ascribed to their influence (and happy would it be if we could deny their influence), yet such causes have been too general in all periods of the Gospel since the primitive ages, and therefore are too unappropriate for the ef fects in question. I would rather bring the in quiry home to the bosom of every indiridual, and appeal to hira, after what I shall suggest, whether the consequences which we have to la^ ment, are not more oAring to an almost universal lukewarmness and indifference in Christians re specting the essentials of their religion, the peculiar grounds of their faith, of their hopes, and their fears, than to the ability, the argu ments, or even the perseverance of the enemies 336 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. of Christianity." He then goes on to refute the leading principles of " The Age of Reason," in a truly evangelical strain ; and having reraarked on the proiid and callous spirit of sceptics, ob serves, " It is this ignorance of self, and the self- sufficiency which accorapanies it, that create a perfect inaptitude to receive the truths of the Gospel. No one can heartily believe the Gos pel, who is not predisposed to believe in a Sa- riour. To believe in a Sariour, he raust enter tain a deep sense of the depravity of sin; he must know his danger of not being saved; he must be convinced that he cannot be saved by himself ; he must be conscious of his great want of a Saviour, and must be very anxious to se cure his salvation: Arith these dispositions, he will readily close with the conditions offered him By the Gospel — ^the conditions of accept ance through faith in Christ. But hoAV is he to obtain these predispositions ? - Not from na ture — not from natural wisdom — nor the world's philosophy. They are too apt to carry the mind in a very contrary direction ; and to lead to seK- honour, self-applause, and to any thing rather than to self-humiliation. ' The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.' Hoav, then, is he to ob- 2 A. D. 1790— 1800. 337 tain these predispositions ? From revelation only, Avith the concurrence of God's grace. ' Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.' From the Gospel alone will he form just vicAvs of human nature and himself ; from the Gospel alone Avill he learn to raise to its proper height the standard of religious and moral duty, and to lower the measure of human merit. But these dispositions being once de rived from Scripture, and confirraed by a ra tional examination of Scripture evidences, and enlightened by the assistance of the Holy Spirit, he receives most cordially, and most thankfully, the great truths of the Gospel-^Christ's power to save, and the sinner's hope of pardon. He now for the first time perceives, how ' he that believeth in the Son of God, hath the witness in himself ; ' and is experimentally convinced, that an unbeliever's doubts arise, not from defect of evidence, but from want of feeling." 17. With a disposition to preach the word, like that of a Beveridge or a Wilson in a former age, and a spirit much grieved at the irreligious sentiments and practices of the higher orders. Dr. Porteus, who had been translated to Lon don in 1787, delivered a course of Lectures at ^ St. James's Church in 1798, and the three fol- 338 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. lowing years, during thie season of Lent *. His subjects wete taken from the Gospel of St. ISiatthew^ and the discourses themselves were mostly of an expository nature. Though the dirinity Avas defective in some points, and his Lordship's vieWs of justification were certainly less clear than at a later period, yet devout men of all classes felt a sincere pleasure in seeing so distinguished a prelate exerting himself at an advanced age to oppose the crimes, and vices, and follies of metropolitan circles. From three to four thousand persons generally attended. Many of them were of exalted rank, and ac- quaintied With his Lordship. Haring been eye witnesses of his raoral conduct, gentle manners, early retirement from parties, and general op position to abuses of the drama and Sunday revels, they 'were disposed to listen to his admo nitions ; nor were those admonitions vrithout visible effect. His observations on the daughter of Herodias dancing before a dissipated court, caused considerable sensation among his au dience. As these lectures were delivered on particular days in the course of the season, many Clergymen were at Uberty to attend them, who were much edified at the example of zeal and diligence set by their venerable diocesan. The * Zeal without Innovation, p. 240, N. A. D. 1790— 1800. 339 instant he mounted the pulpit the profoundest attention marked the whole asserably; and Ariien he named his text, every look was rivetted on the preacher. There was a charm in his portrait and manner which aided the effect of his instruction on a tastrful auditory. His neat exterior, handsome feature, piercing eye but Ul- eoncealed by the intervention of a plain pair of tortoise-shell spectacles, changeful tone, and compressure of the fore-finger and thumb of the right hand Avhen he enforced his exhortation by appropriate action, joined to a distinct articula tion, were recommendatory appendages in the minor criticism of politer listeners ; whUe graver characters prayed for a blessing on the congre gation, and speculated on the advantages likely to ensue to the cause of reUgion and virtue from the si^ernuraerary labours of a Right Reverend Father in the Church, and Privy Counsellpr in the Slaie, at the eventful period of foreign war fare and intestine commotion. 18. Among the divines of equal or approxi mating rank, none could more powerfully con- trfifcst with Bfeilby Porteus as to appearance and manner, however assimilated to him in the love of a common Saviour, than Isaac Milner. This exteaordinary man first saw the light in the same town which had given birth to his excel- z 2 340 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. lent brother,- being born at Leeds in the year 1751. He used to accompany his brother when a lad to the grammar-school, and discovered ability in acquiring the rudiments of a classical education ; but on account of the death of his father, and the straitened circumstances of his mother, he was removed from scholastic study to a woollen manufactory. After a time, how ever, the fraternal kindness and filial considera tion of Joseph Milner, were shown in his prose cuting the plan of their deceased parent, and proriding for the further instruction of his younger brother, whom he took under his own tuition as head master of the grammar-school of Hull. Isaac profited by this circumstance, and in 1770 was admitted of Queen's College, Cam bridge, Here it soon appeared that he would rank in the very first order of minds. In 1774, on taking his bachelor's degree, he was not only senior wrangler of his year, and first Smith's prize man, but so much distinguished himself by his exercises as to obtain the epithet incomparabilis. Elected fellow of his college in 1775, and serv ing the offices of moderator and proctor, he was chosen in 1783 the first Jacksonlan professor, and proved that his skill in experiment equalled his attainment in science and progress in lan- A. D. 1790 — 1800. 341 guage. In 1788 he was raised to the master ship, and in three years afterwards to the deanery of Carlisle ; which academical and ec clesiastical honours were followed by elevation to the Lucasian chair of mathematics. But his was a higher distinction than suc cession to the scientific throne of a Newton and a Barrow. Accustomed to the accuracy of ma thematical demonstration, he yet knew the full value of moral evidence, implicitly received a revelation grounded on credible testimony, re lied on truths incapable of proof, and contended for mysteries above his comprehension. Skilful to trace chemical affinities, he was solicitous to find in his own spiritual elements an elective at traction to the different raerabers in the Church of Christ. Versed in optical experiraent, he esteemed it his privilege to apply the telescope of faith to his mental eye, as one who now saw through a glass darkly, but hoped soon to see face to face. Gratified with chromatic phenomena, he regarded the bow in the cloud as the token of the everlasting covenant, and desired to walk in that fair composite light of truth, in which he might have fellowship with believers without undue attachment to his own division of her celestial rays. Studious of me chanical power, he rejoiced to have been made z3 342 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. the subject of a force that could overcome the inertness of huraan apostacy. Acquainted With the hydraulic laws, he felt the need of an inter nal fountain, springing up into ef erlastlhg life. Adequate to historical disctissibn, he saw that the trUe use of tradition or record lay hot in the gratification of a vain curiosity, but in their ap plication to the doctrine of a superintending Pro vidence ; and was quaUfied, as well by sound ness bf judgment, acuteness of penetratibn, and extehsiveness of research, as by theological cor rectness, and an ardent esteem of the Character of his deceased brother, to cariy on the work of " The History of the Church of Christ." His memory was retentive, his language significant, his wit ready, his wisdom consura- mate. H^is mind was truly independent, and he had a native stock of pOAver that could mas ter any difficulty which presented itself in litera ture or in science. Btit, unwieldy in bulk, plain in feature. Uncouth in manner, he was vrithal ' the subject of a nervous excitability, which in capacitated him frora benefiting the Church to the extent of his wishes by more efficient per sonal exertion. He was a wei^ty, eloquent, and original preacher. When resident on his deanery, multitudes listened Arith pleasure to his voice, as he caused the sound of the Gospel to A. D. 1790— 1800. 343 echo through the ancient aigles of Si Mary. But the importance of his oteaptej? was pisift-: cipally felt in that university ctf ^hich he wa^sp bright an ornament, where he brought it to beac on A^arious questions affeqting the iiiterests of religion and morality. While he cheered with thc purest beams of evangelic Protestantism the old walls of Margaret of Anjou, he stood himself like a grand academical bulwark, beneath whose frowning battlement junior gownsmen might play with effect their lighter artillery against the enemies of the common faith. 19. Pious students found anothei- patron and guide in the person of the Professor of CivU Law, the intimate companion of the Master of Queen's, and worthy of that intimacy on the double account of religion and information. Joseph Jowett, born in 1750, was the pious son of a pious father, who intended him for the service of the sanctuary, and with this view sent him about the age of nineteen to Trinity College, Cambridge; where he appUed so dUigently to his studies, that Dr. Postlethwaite, his tutor, re commended him to Dr. Halifax, of Trinity Hall, as a fit person to undertake the office of tuition, and uphold the credit of that establishment. Though the prospects held out to hira by this arrangement were such as seemed likely to z4 344 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. merge the parochial in the academical character, and in some measure to contravene the original plan of his education, yet he was induced to accede to the proposal of his friends ; and being elected fellow in 1775, in the room of Halifax, he was enabled to render service to the Church in another direction, and to lay the germ of future usefulness in the rainds of such pupils as raight be led by respect for his talents, and gra titude for his kindness, to listen to his salutary instructions and able criticisms. His predeces sor, who had been successively professor of Ara bic and civil law, had distinguished himself in the university pulpit by preaching against the attempt to abolish subscriptions, in 1772 ; and in 1781 was advanced to the see of Gloucester. Resigning the latter chair in consequence of this proraotion, he was succeeded by Dr. Jowett, who soon proved to the sons of Granta that they had lost nothing by the change either in law or divinity. This araiable raan and sound divine was collated, in 1795, to Wethersfield, in Essex, where he usually spent the suraraer vacations in the conscientious discharge of pastoral duties. 20. In a divinity-act kept by Isaac Milner under Dr. Watson, he was opposed by Henry William Coulthurst; a tribute toAvhose memory may not improperly follow the notice of the two A. D. 1790-1800. 345 latter theologians, as a clergyman of consider able scholastic attainment and orthodox piety ; and if not ranking so high in evangelic senti ment and practice, yet eminently qualified for the important station in which Providence was pleased to place him, a lover of good men and a proclaimer of Gospel truth on fhe qualified Arminian basis. He was a native of Barbadoes, but educated at Hipperholme, near Halifax, being of York shire parentage. He was sent to St. John's College, Cambridge, and distinguishing himself in the university, becarae felloAV of Sidney, where he afterwards respectably sustained the office of tutor. As rainister of St. Sepulchre's, Cambridge, his pulpit addresses were much esteemed. In 1790, he was inducted to the vi carage of HaUfax, and in the following year admitted to the degree of doctor in divinity. His new incumbency gave hira great influence and authority. He was a magistrate in his own right, and ecclesiastical superior of twelve cha pels of ease, beside his own church, in which his chaplains preached in j:otation on the first Wednesday in the month. As several of these were clergymen deeply impressed with the aw ful responsibility that attached to their function, they Avere thankful for the superintendence of so 3 346 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. judicious and liberal a divine; while, on the other hand, his urbane deraeanour, kind disposi tion, and conversational talent, conciliated the good will of some who were less^ serious, and endeared him to many laymen of Avealth and respectability, with whom he was brought into frequent contact by the publicity of his cha racter *. 21. Possessing the same orthodoxy and loy alty, though moving in a more limited sphere. Sir Adam Gordon may be noticed as an active and useful clergyman. He was born in 1745, heir and successor of Sir John Gordon, Baronet, of DalpholUe ; which estate had been severed frora the title. Taking holy orders, he becarae rector of Hinxworth, Herts, prebendary of Bris tol, and incurabent of West Tilbury, in Essex. Here he was diligent in educating and catechiz ing the infant poor, visiting the siek, and ad ministering relief to the distressed.- In 1791, he published a work on morals and manners, intended as a contrast to the dangerous system of Lord Chesterfield, and showing the superiority of Christian polish to the hypocritical varnish of the man of the world. This was followed, in 1793, by a serraon against republican principles, pointing put the plain duties of wise and Chris- * Christian Observer for 1817. A. D. 179O--ISOO. 347 tian subjects. And finaUy, in 1796, he endea voured to benefit that church of which he Avas a zealous and devoted member, by modernizing the language of the HomiUes in the form of short discourses. 22i Our attention having been hitherto directed to ministers of exalted rank or scien tific eminence, whose services more immediately marked the fourth decade, the narrative may be extended in the record of a few faithful pas tors who held inferior stations in the sarae esta blishment. WilUam Alphonsus Gunn was bom Septem ber 29, 1760, at Rotherhithe, in Surrey, the residence of his mother, who was the daughter of a respectable ship-builder ; but his father de scended from ancestors in the Isle of Orkney, and was successively an officer in the royal naAy, and in the service of the East India Company. The latter died in China while his son was yet in his infancy; who, having experienced at three years of age two remarkable deliverances from iigury both by fire and water, was placed under the tuition of a schoolmaster of some re pute at Limehouse, with whora he continued till the death of his mother in 1771. He was not at this period Avithout religious impressions, which, after the manner of youth, were too often 348 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. slighted; but he gained some evangelical know ledge under the rainistry of a Mr. Brewer, of Stepney, whose raeeting was attended by his fond and indulgent raother. As he grew up, he felt a strong desire to becorae a minister of the Church of England : his reasons, however, for his choice were not very clear ; while the nar rowness of his circumstances seemed unfavour able to such a destination. He was now left under the guardianship of a Quaker, who took but little interest in his charge ; but a maiden aunt, his father's sister, was disposed to show hira kindness. Both discouraged his predilec tion for the sacerdotal office ; till at length his guardian declaring that he would give the boy up, Margaret Morris, a cousin of Umited income, generously undertook to gratify his Avish by en abling him to study at the gramraar-school at Guildford, and afterwards to enter at Magdalen Hall, Oxford. He improved this' season by prayer, medita tion, and theological reading. In the vacations, he resided with his cousin at Deptford, and received much instruction under the ministry of Dr. Conyers. Having kept all his terms, he Avas necessitated, though a fair scholar, to quit the university without a degree, haring spent his OAvn little property, as Avell as drawn con- A. D. 1790— 1800. 349 siderably on that of his cousin. But being a holy and humble man of heart, he was not grieved above measure, but committed his way unto the Lord, who made it to prosper. Be coraing usher to an academy at Wandsworth, in Surrey, the master pressed upon him the duty of entering into orders to increase the respecta bility of his seminary, and promised to obtain him a title. He Avas accordingly ordained by Dr. North, Bishop of Winchester, to the cure of Chobham and Bisley, on Sunday, June 22, 1783, and admitted priest in 1785. He remained at this curacy but a short time, remoring to Farnhara, which he served con jointly with Odihara, in Harapshire. His in- corae frora both these places was no more than thirty-six pounds a year; and having left the academy and taken up his abode at Farnham, he opened a day-school for further supply. But no man needed less of this world's good to con tribute to his daily comforts, for the life that he lived in the flesh he lived by faith in the Son of God; and he knew that the Lord had made Arith him an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure. At first his labours were acceptable to the generaUty of the parishioners, and some who had long sat in darkness began to see a new and marveUous light. But after 350 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. a time his fideUty became so offensive to the worldlings, and so searching to apostates, that by repeated solicitations to the rector they sue- - ceeded in obtaining his dismission, though his morals were irreproachable, and his attention to the discipline of the church sincere and eac- emplary. He continued, however, for some time longer the care of bis school, and the cure of Odihara, whither raany who had received benefit from his teaching were wont to follow him, as a shepherd doubly endeared by the difficulties which he had undergone for their sake. But the Master of the vinej^rd had other Work for his chosen servant to perfoi-m. Hav ing become known as a faithful preacher by occasional risits to London, he was invited to become a candidate for the lectureship of St. Mary Somersiete'Si, in Thanaes Street. He would, however^ have declined the invitation, had not a notice to quit the curacy of Odihara unex pectedly occurred at the very same time, whioh he regarded as a direction from Providencb. He proposed himself, tiierefore, as candidate, and was elected in 1793 by a considerable ma jority. Such, nevertheless, was his partiality for Farnham, that he did not immediately re linquish ieither his abodfe or his school; and even after he became more intimatdy coamected A. u. 1790— 1800. 351 with the metropoUs, he retained his old apart ments, and frequently excursed from London to visit his Christian friends in the country. Immense crowds attended his lectures, and he was the honoured and happy instrument of turning many to righteousness, especially among the younger part of his audience. Soon after his settlement in London, he became curate to Mr. Newton, and commenced a friendship which was supported by the constitutional kindness and affection of both parties, as well as en hanced by the most endearing and important sympathies of Christian connexion. His oppor tunities fOT usefulness were further increased, in 1797, by his election to the Thursday evening lectureship of St. Maa-garet's Lothbury, and, in 1804, by an appointment to the evening duty at the Broadway Chapel, Westminster. His health was naturally tender, and in 1798 he was sei^d with an iUness which caused great anxietyto his friends, who apprehended it might terminate in a decline. He resorted to the Hot- wells, Bristol, where the waters^ with Change of air and relaxation from duty, were made in strumental to his recovery ; and, in March 1 798, he returned to London and resumed his labours. But in 1806, asensible alteration took place in his health, and ere the year closed he fell asleep 2 352 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. in the arms of that Saviour whose name he loved, and in whose salvation he rejoiced. Thus did God bring doAvn his strength in his journey, and shorten the days of one of the most useful and popular preachers that ever held forth the word of life to the inhabitants of a great capital. Sincerely attached to the doc trine and discipline of the Established Church, he preached repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, on what is deno minated the Calvinistic basis, Avhich he verily believed to be recognised by the Articles of that Church, and agreeable to the tenour of the Scriptures. He was, however, particularly guarded in his statement of divine truth. If he expatiated on the privileges of the people of God in their election and assurance, he was point ed in decrying Antinomian error, and would allow of no evidence of supposed acceptance, that was unconnected with holiness in heart and life. Unpatronized, unfriended, he was holy, serious, devoted to his God; and while the world cast out his name as eril, the Spirit of glory rested upon him in no common measure. His frame was attenuated, his nerves weak, his complexion sallow, his features plain, his hair lank, his garments slovenly, and his vest co vered with the relics of frequent application to A. D. i7uo~isoo. 353 his snuff-box ; but in his earthly vessel he bore a celestial Ught, which alternately blazed con viction on the profligate, beamed cheerfulness on the mourner, and discovered the true path to the benighted wanderer. Affectionate and gentle as a child, he was yet terrible and aAvful in his denunciations against sin ; exceedingly timid out of the pulpit, no preacher less feared the face of man when in it. His sermons were well digested, and generaUy lasted about forty minutes. He Avas very studious of Scripture, and loved to slake his thirst at the fountain- head, that he might with greater confidence re commend its waters to others. He was diligent in keeping the door of his Ups; avoiding ac quaintance Arith such as held the truth in un righteousness ; and reluctant to enter into dis pute Arith brethren whose sentiments on parti cular points were opposed to his OAvn*. 23. Holding similar riews of diAone truth, but Arith less order and precision in their enun ciation, the Rev. George Pattrick Avas elected to the joint lectureship of St. Leonard, Shore- ditch, about the same time that Mr. Gunn be came curate of St. Mary Woolnoth. He waa born at Mark's Tey, near Colchester, on August " JSaunders's Memoirs of Ghbd. A A 354 ECCLESTASTICAL MEMOIR. 20, 1746, the son of a respectable and prac tical agriculturist. Finishing his education at St. Paul's School, in London, he was articled to an attorney at Colchester. He afterwards prac tised for himself at Dedham for two years, where a taste for polite company led hira to expense beyond his incorae ; but though there was about hira a certain eccentricity of character which cleaved to hira in after-life, he was moral in his habits, liberal to the poor, and attendant on the sacred offices of the Church. He had a high esteem for pious persons, read religious Avorks, pray^ often, and fasted every Friday before the sacrament: and though his zeal was not in every respect according to knoAvledge, yet was there in his heart some good thing towards the Lord his God. Discovering in himself a sort of constitu tional inaptitude to the study and practice of the law, he entertained thoughts of entering into orders, and was ordained to the curacy of St. Michael, Mile End, Colchester, in 1770. At the same time he was admitted a member of Sydney, Cambridge; and in 1773, Lord Dacre presented him to the living of Aveley, which he served, with the cupacy of Wenning- ton, residing with an elder brother at Upmin- ster HaU, till 1779, when he removed to a house 3 A. D. 1790— 1800. 355 at Aveley, given him by his patron on a life te nure. During this interval he saw more clearly tlie incompatibility of Avorldly pursuits and as sociations with the dedication of a believer to God, and especially Avith the ministerial profes sion, and at length determined to be less fre quent in his attendance on the family of his noble patron, to which his corapany had been very acceptable. He was strengthened in his more serious apprehension of Christian obliga tion by hearing some of the popular preachers in the metropolis, and an acquaintance with a few exemplaiy characters, among whom were Dr. Conyers, of Deptford; Mr. Gilbert, of Bled- low; and Mr. Storry, of Colcheter. A journey to France and Italy, with a year's stay on the Continent, was occasioned, it should seem, by the joint causes of infirm health and a love of peregrination. But K his taste for the fine arts was gratified on the one hand, his spirit was grieved at the frivolity of France and the supejstition of Italy on the other. He returned home more sensible of the privileges enjoyed by believers in his native country. AA^eley nxrt suiting his constitution, he found it expedient to procure another situation, and through the interest of Lord Dacre, of Lee, ob tained the chaplaincy of Morden College, Black- AA 2 356 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. heath, in 1787. His fervour and eloquence at this period soon attracted greater numbers than could be well accommodated at the collegiate chapel, and he opened his apartments two even ings in the week for exposition and prayer. A new scene now began in his ministerial career. His increased faithfulness in the exhibition of the doctrines of grace, his earnest manner in the pulpit, highly-wrought allegories, and coarsely- strung invectives in arraigning sinners, gave great offence to many of the pensioners, and even to those who listened patiently to the milder ad dresses of Moses Browne, and to Mr. Pattrick himself, at his occasional discourses, when less Evangelical and more Arminian. They first complained to Lord Dacre against the evening expositions, and next presented a bitter petition to the Trustees of the College, which is such a curious specimen of an overt act of hostiUty against faithful ministration, that we are induced to give it to the reader at full length. "Feb. 1790. " To the worthy Trustees of Sir John Morden's College. " We, the underwritten members of the said College, beg leave humbly to lay our grievances before you, hoping that you will not be offended with this our petition ; as we can- A. 0. 1790— 1800. 357 not help thinking you have been imposed upon in the choice of our present Chaplain, by his having concealed his real methodistical prin ciples at the time of his making application to succeed to that office ; his discourses from the pulpit, during the time of his occasionally preaching in the lifetime of the late Mr. Browne, and for some time after being appointed Chap lain, being very materially different from those since preached by him, and especially within the last fiAC months. The sermons preached for near twelve months past, and \A>ith a degree of vehemence and enthusiasm during the last five months, instead of instructing us in our duty to God and our neighbours, treat almost solely upon faith and grace, and such-like controver sial points of religion ; moral duties being scarcely ever impressed upon us, or the obsei-v- ance of them recomraended ; so that his dis courses appear to us not so properly instructive sermons, as the expounding the Scriptures ac cording to the notions and opinions of the Me thodists ; and that his principles are those of thjat sort of people appears plain, not only from the doctrine he delivers, but also from the manner of his delivering it, and the illiberal and in sulting language which he makes use of in ad dressing us. That we may not be thought to A a3 358 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. complain Arithout reason of the language or ex pressions which have been made use of, we beg leave to relate the very words which have been applied to us from the pulpit ; expressions by which we feel ourselves greatly hurt. We have been told, that we are ' Traitors — rebels — mur derers — convicts under sentence qf condemna tion — hoary-headed sinners from three score to four score years of age, hardened in our crimes, with souls afflicted with the palsy as well as our bodies, and totally devoid of grace .'' These descriptions of us, we hope we are in no ways deserring of; for, although we have not the presumption to think ourselves by any means perfect, yet we trust that our behariour, both in a religious and moral light, does not do any discredit to the memory of our pious founder, or to the worthy guardians of his be nevolent institution, by whose kind appoint ment we enjoy a comfortable retreat in the de cline of life, in the happy asylum of this Col lege. We are at a loss to account for the grounds which have induced our Chaplain to apply such Uliberal epithets, which we cannot help saying we conceive to be very unbecoming the sacred place they were used in, as also the character of a clergyman ; and must impute it to -the violent warmth with whicii he generally, A. D. 1790— 1800. 359 especially for some time past, delivers his dis courses, which might occasion his losing his tem per ; or else to an enthusiastic zeal, to frighten us to attend his evening lectures at his own house; he having, at the conclusion of the time of learing off preaching on the Sunday af ternoons for the Arinter months, given out from the pulpit that he should expound the Scriptures three times a week at his own apartment. We hope, however, that we shall not be blameable in not attending at these lectures; being in formed that they are lather such meetings as are nsuaUy held by the Methodists, or such as dissent from the Church estabUshed, and not such as are commonly used by our Ministers ; no part of the serrice of the Book of Common Prayer being, as we understand, made use of; but the service consists, as we understand, of an extemporary prayer of the Chaplain's, sing- ing of hymns, and expounding Some text of Scripture. We think it our duty to represent to you, that these evening meetings at the Chaplain's are not confined to the members and servants of the College, but are open to all per sons who choose to come to them. And we are told, that it is not uncommon to have the num ber of persons assembled at these meetings to amount to forty or fifty or more, and that many A A 4 360 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. who attend are veiy illiterate, and people of weak rainds ; the manner in which the Scrip tures are expounded to them, we apprehend may be of fatal consequence. Lest any doubt should arise whether the Chaplain is a Method ist or not, we beg leave to add, that upon his leaving the College the latter end of last July to go into Shropshire, he appointed a gentleman to preach for him on a Sunday afternoon well known to be of that persuasion ; and which gentleman would have preached at the inconve nient hour of six o'clock, instead of the usual hour of three, if not prevented by your direc tions to have the service performed at the ac customed tirae. Another complaint we beg to lay before you is, that the morning prayers on the week-days are not read near so constantly as they are directed to be by the founder's Arill, owing to the frequent absence of the Chaplain from the College, which occasions many of the members non-attending the church prayers in a morning ; for, although the prayers, according to the service of the Book of Common Pi-ayer, are scarcely ever omitted being read in the hall by one of the members, when the Chaplain is absent, yet there are seldom so many members attend to hear the prayers read in the hall as do at the chapel, when the service is performed there. The illiberal expressions addressed to us A. D, 1790—1800. 361 from the pulpit, bring continually to our minds the text upon which the Chaplain preached his first sermon to us, after he Avas appointed, viz. * Will you, that I come among you in love, or with a rod?' and, although there did not appear to us any thing exceptionable in this discourse, as the gi-eatest part of it treated upon the former part of the text, and gave us to un derstand that his doctrine would be meek and gentle, and that he hoped to live with us in friendship, and the latter part of the text was discoursed upon only towards the conclusion of the sermon, and spoke as if the rod would be made use of only in case of our being inattentive to our reUgious duties, and profligate in our manners : we are concerned, however, to find, that for a considerable time past the case is altered, to the very reverse of what was then preached ; as we scarcely ever now hear of love, gentleness, or meekness from the pulpit, but are almost constantly put in mind of the rod by the illiberal, and, as we conceive, improper and unjustifiable invectives with which we are branded. We therefore hope, that, from your wonted goodness, you wiU take these our griev ances into your consideration, and remove this rod from us. '* And we, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c. &c." 362 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. Nineteen out of the twenty-seven pensioners subscribed their names. Of these, three re canted, one declared he knew not what he did when he signed, another vowed thathe signed contraiy to his judgment, and another never heard the preacher; so that this petition ex pressed the sentiments of only thirteen. In consequence of this Aricked but plausible re presentation, he was dismissed from the chap laincy. But all this happened unto him for the fur therance of the Gospel and the discipline of his own spirit. He afterwards engaged in the cure of Carshalton, where having continued a few years, he became assistant to the Rev. Heniy Foster in London, about Midsumraer 1795. In the following year, being chosen Lecturer of St. Leonard, Shoreditch, he was refused the sanction of the incumbent till he consented to admit an unsuccessful candidate, who had opposed him, to a share in the lectureship. This was followed by an appointment to the Sunday evening lec ture at St. Bride's, Fleet Street. In both situa tions he was attended by numerous hearers. But the bright lamp of this fervid divine was jiearly expiring in its socket. In the summer of 1800, Mrs. Pattrick, his pious and beloved consort, whom he had married from Madely, in A. D. 1790 — 1800. 363 1789, went to that place, and was followed by him in the August of the same year. He was so much indisposed on his arrival, that his friends endeavoured to prevail on him to decline preaching, but could not dissuade him from his purpose. From the account of the raising the Shunamite's son, he solemnly reminded his audience of the shortness and uncertainty of life, in the morning ; and in the afternoon most feelingly recomraended to thera Jesus, as the chiefest among ten thousand. From that time his disorder increasedj and he departed in a triumphant manner on the following Sunday evening. His remains were deposited close by the tomb of the venerable Fletcher, in the parish-church. As a man and a Christian, he was modest, humble, affectionate, and charitable ; sincerely desirous of promoting the glory of God and the welfare of souls. But as a preacher, he was too apt to give the reins to his imagination, and from a principle of false accommodation of scrips tural passages to existing circumstances, drew from them sjiiritual interpretation beyond the warrantable limit ; a mode of instruction, whose effect is rather amusement than edification. This style of preaching, added to a deficiency of practical exhortation, and a custom of praying 364 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. before his address to an unusual length, and with great familiarity of expression, not only furnished a handle of accusation to such as had evil will in Zion, but caused some regret in those who better knew how to appreciate his motives, and to estimate his character *. 24. Among a different class Of preachers may be noted the simple-hearted, plain-spoken Minister of Great Missenden, Bucks. Jeremiah Newell, the son of a religious Radnorshire far mer, honoured the Lord Arith the first-fruits of his strength and reason, and aspired to the dis tinction, through the wishes of his parents and the suggestions of their friends, to serve him in his sanctuary. His honest father obtained permission of Lady Huntingdon to bring him up for examination, previous to admission into her seminary; and presenting the lad to her ladyship and the students, fell down on his knees, and in a solemn prayer devoted him to God our Saviour. The change of life from agricultural employ to studious appUcation af fecting his health, he left Trevecca, and prefer ring such a mode of education as might lead to orders in the EstabUshed Church, after the re storation of his health, he pursued his studies * Memoir prefixed to SIrmons. A. D. 1790 — 1800. 365 under Mr. Jones, Vicar of Lanbedan Fawr, in Brecknockshire. There he continued till his twenty-fifth year, with considerable improve ment in classical learning, and what he reckoned a much higher attainment, a growing acquaint ance with the Scriptures of truth. Obtaining a title from the Rev. James Stil lingfleet, Prebendary of Worcester, he served the cure of Knightvrick and Deddenham for six years, and afterwards reraoved to St. John's, Worcester. But the hand of Providence was visible in his final settlement in Buckingham shire. In 1787, J. O. Oldham, Esq. haring bought the estate of Missenden, becarae patron of a benefice. A monastery for black canons had been founded in this spot by the ancient knights of D'Oyley and De Myssenden, dedi cated to St. Mary, which had been suppressed at the Reformation ; and as the revenue had been transferred to a lay impropriator, the vi carial- tithe of the modern church was let at the moderate rent of eighty pounds. But the new patron, haring a laudable desire of ensuring the proclamation of true Protestant doctrine where Superstition had once set up her abode, -sought for a clerk Arith whom income would be a minor consideration, while he had the privi lege of shoAring to his fellow-creatures the way 2 366 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. of life. He accordingly applied to Lady Hunt ingdon, who recommended Mr. Newell, for whose fidelity and probity Mr. Stilling-fleet be came voucher. This unexpected offer he ac cepted with heartfelt gratitude to the Father of mercies. On Dec. 16, he preached his intro ductory discourse from Acts, xiii. 26 : " Unto you is the word of this salvation sent." As both the matter and manner of this sermon were new to the congregation, the majority sneered at the preacher, and the children of the peasantry ran about in the following week shouting, " The par son's text." He had reason, however, to hope that it was made instrumental to the conversion of several parishioners. Here this good man laboured, and was abun dantly blessed. He perforraed dirine service thrice on the sabbath at his own church, and once at the neighbouring curacy of Lee. In 1803, he was invited to preach the annual ser mon before the London Missionary Soeiety ; but being unwell at the time, he iwereased his i^jdisposition, and returning hone, breaithed his soul int?D the arms of his Saviour at the eaa-ly age of forty-seven. He had lived re spected, and now died lamented by many who at first had opposed him. He was a man ocf singular gentleness ; cheerfhl uflder privation ; A. D. 1790— 1800. 367 affectionate as a husband, father, master, or friend; devoted to the work of the ministry, and walking in all the ordinances of the Lord blameless *. 25. Another faithful and useful pastor, to whose services particular reference may be raade, as the neighbour of Newell and the friend of Pattrick, was Nathaniel Gilbert, the son of pious parents in the island of Antigua. At seven years of age he was sent over to England, where he -was intrusted to the care of a religious uncle, under whose kind roof he discovered an incli nation fbr the office of the rainistry. While studying with this view at Water's Upton, in Salop, he was recalled to Antigua by the preraa- ture tteath of his father, which was followed by that of his excellent mother, to the great loss of Nathaniel himself, as well as of his brother and sistere. From the removal of parental restraint and admonition, and exposure to the too com mon temptations of West Indian irrdUgion and sensuality, fee brought guilt upon a conscience that was ciriightened and tender, and disgrace upon Me yotitiiful profession. But that God who '* turns Ms hands upon the little ones," awakened him to a sense of his sin and danger ; * Evang. Mag. for 1804. 368 ECCLESIASTICAL M^BMOIR. and he determined at his twentieth year to re- risit England, resume his studies, and prepare for the work of the ministry. Temporal adver sity united with spiritual distress in leading him to this resolution. His father's estate had been overwhelmed with debt, so that the whole faraily depended for subsistence on his mothers small jointure, which latter resource failed also at her decease. Settled at Madely, he enjoyed the ministry and converse of the excellent Fletcher. When he entered into orders, though yet a young raan, his previous acquaintance with the corruption of his own heart, and experience of the wickedness of the world, gave him a thoughtfulness and solidity characteristic of more advanced age. To a spirit worn with domestic calamity, his sallow countenance, irritable nerves, and delicate temperament corresponded. It was the will of Providence, however, that his life should con tinue to be one of no ordinary vicissitude. Having exercised his sacred function at Bristol, London, and other places in England, he ac cepted the chaplaincy of Sierra Leone, in West ern Africa. On his return to England, he finally iettled at Bledlow, in Buckinghamshire, where he discharged in the most exemplary manner the various offices of the parish A. D. 1790— 1800. 369 priest, till removed to his heavenly rest by a disease of the liver, in 1807. He was a well-read dirine, respectable scho lar, an able logician, and a soUd preacher : as a man, kind, amiable, modest, unaffected; as a Christian, sound, affectionate, catholic; as a minister, unaspiring, zealous, and devoted. Of his superior talents, doctrinal fidelity, attach ment to his church, and power of ratiocination, his sermon preached at St. Lavia-ence's, Reading, on the 3d of October 1804, at the Laudean lecture, before many of the clergy, on the diffi cult subject of " the Forbidden Tree," is a va luable and lasting testimony. This catalogue of pastors adorning the fourth decade by their talents, edifying it by their ex hortations, or blessing it by their examples, raight be extended by the addition of many names embalraed in the grateful recollection of their respective circles. Such will not sustain invidious preterition, if we particularize the Rev. John Farrer, of Stanwix, in Curaberland ; John Crosse, of Bradford, in Yorkshire ; Tho mas Whitaker, of RingAvay, in Cheshire; John Waltham, of Darlaston, Staffordshire; WiUiam Jesse, of West Bromwich, Worcestershire ; Dr. Earl Gilbee, of Barby, in Northamptonshire; WilUam Fancourt, of Melchbourne, in Bedford- B B 370 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIK. shire; Christopher Stephenson, of Olney; and Stephen Langston, of Little Horwood, Buck inghamshire ; William Wilton, of Upper Swell, in Gloucestershire ; Thomas DrcAvitt, of Ched dar; R. C. WhaUey, of Chelwood; and Dr. Robins, of South Petherton, in Somersetshire ; with Messrs. Cuthbert, Winkworth, Fancourt, &c. of London ; and the Rev. E. Gibert, of St. Andrews, in the island of Guernsey. 26. From this enumeration of excellent men, who held fast their integrity, we turn to notice certain heresies which troubled the Church, and were roots of bitterness springing up in a rich soil. For Arise purposes these are, and shall be permitted. " There must be heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest." We think, nevertheless, with a great authority, that to devote any con siderable part of ecclesiastic record to an ac count of the different doctrinal and practical errors which mislead unstable souls, is to dero gate from its interest ; for " a history of the perversions and abuses of religion is not pro perly a history of the Church ; as absurd were it to suppose a history of the highwaymen that have infested this country to be a history of England*." The varied delusions of Arians, * Milner. A. D. 1790— 1800. 371 Socinians, Sandemanians, Universalists, &c. may be dismissed with summary mention, ex cept stated with the avowed design of refutation. From time to time, however, certain occurrences of this nature may not be unprofitably noticed ; especially such as seem to stand out from the general group, and court observation from their strangeness and singularity; teaching us, that there is no hypothesis, so absurd, so fantastical, so antichristian, as not to be admitted and en tertained by a rivacious iraagination and a cor rupt mind. It is also reraarkable, that rerivals of religion, in every age and country, have been more or less attended with these instances of delusion ; as if to deraonstrate the divine agency and sovereignty in such subjects as are kept from falling; and arrest our attention by the humbling fact, that every degree of intellectual darkness in indiriduals may co-exist with in creasing and surrounding illumination in the Church. Generations yet unborn shall learn not to be high-minded, but fear, when they read that the defection of numbers, through the subtil theory of Emanuel Swedenborg, or the gross imposture of Joanna Southcott, was an heretical possibiUty of the eighteenth cen tury. 27. The first of these characters was a Swe BB 2 372 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. dish nobleman, who died in London in 1772 ; a man of talent, erudition, and probity; but either from vanity or insanity, or the joint in fluence of both, pretending to be the subject of new and raost important revelations. As he purported to be the successor in these cases to Paul and John ; so, according to Ms own ac count, he had a more elevated and extended view of the celestial regions than the former, who was only caught up into the third heaven ; and was admitted to a rauch deeper acquaint-^ ance with the polity, feelings, and pursuits of the inhabitants of the New Jerusalera than the latter. The whole is a strange corapound of puerile conceit and metaphysical ingenuity, bearing some resemblance to Talmudical fancy and Sabellian heresy. He taught his followers, that the one God is no other than Jesus Christ, always existing in a huraan shape ; that he took upon himself a human body, Arithout a soul, for pur redemp tion ; that this redemption consists in bringing the hells, or eril spirits, into subjection, and the heavens into order to prepare a new spi ritual Church ; that without such interposition, neither men could be saved nor angels stand ; that their redemption Avas effected by means of trials with evil spirits ; and that the last trial A. D. 1790— 1800. 373 Avas the crucifixion, by which the Redeemer perfected the union of his two natures. In his person is a sort of trinity, consisting of the dirinity, the humanity, and their joint opera tion in the Lord Jesus. Our temptations arise from the struggles of good and bad angels within US; AAdiile, to assist good men in their conflicts, there is a continual influx from God, inspiring them principally with the belief of the divine unity. Scripture is to be understood in three senses, the celestial, the spiritual, and the natural ; accommodated respectively to the an gels of the three heavens, and also to men on earth.* This plan of study, entitled, " The Science of Correspondencies," was lost after Job, and rerived by Swedenborg. Thus, for instance, passages respecting the last day, &c. signify, not the destruction of the terrene orb, but the end of the present state of Christendom. More over, the last judgment actually took place in the spiritual world in 1767, when the New Jeru salem descended according to the prediction of the exile of Patmos. That we may not appear to treat dirine sub jects irreverently, we abstain from detaiUng his minute descriptions of particulars regarding heaven and hell ; contenting ourselves with in forming the reader, that he professes to have B E 3 374 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. had an interview with Jesus in 1743, who opened his eyes, so that ever after he was en abled to see and converse with Spirits. After such a declaration, we need not wonder at any absurdity into wMch he was betrayed by his enthusiasm. From habit, he possessed great power of abstraction. It is said, that walking vrith a friend in London, and conversing, he suddenly took off his hat, and bowed to vacuity : on being asked the reason of this action, he coolly replied, that " he had merely made his obeisance to Moses, as he was passing." The Baron had many disciples in Sweden, Germany, England, and America. At the pe riod of which we are writing, they had two or three chapels in London ; and their ministers were habited in gorgeous apparel as high-priests of the New Jerusalem Church, being at once allegorical and real personages. In their in structions they coraraonly spiritualized Scripture after their manner, while their doctrines were not very dissimilar to certain tenets of Unita rians, Pelagians, and Universalists ; leaving to their congregations to peruse the voluminous productions of their master for edification in the more mystical and risionary parts of the system. But we lament to add, that a few clergymen were reported to have imbibed more or less of A. D. 1790— 1800. 375 this spirit of Python ; and that, in fact, one was found persisting for years in advocating this system, both in the pulpit and from the press, notArithstanding the remonstrances of those who knew how to revere his talents and character in eveiy other respect. The Rev. J. Clowes, Rec tor of St. John's, Manchester, used his influence to persuade many respectable persons in his congregation to receive the testimony of the new prophet. That a scholar, who had gra duated Arith credit, and become a FelloAV of Trinity College, Cambridge, should defend the philosophy and vain deceit of a Swedish fanatic, is one of those events which history records with a sigh ; but that a divine, entertaining such sentiments, should continue in outward com munion Arith the Church of England, and hold a situation as one of her recognised instructors and pastors, is a circumstance defying the com prehension of all honest and pious men Avho have not been initiated into the science of cor respondencies. 28. In adverting to the followers of Joanna Southcott, we shall still have to pursue our track through the region of folly, though sur rounded by fouler steams from the lake of blas phemy- This wretched creature was born in Devonshire about the middle of the eighteenth B B 4 376 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. century, and passed the former part of her life as a menial serva,nt, or workworaan at the shop of an upholsterer. At this period she was at tached to the Methodists ; but seems to have fallen into the hands of a hypocritical and pro fligate teacher. On assuming the character of a prophetess, she began by prognosticating the weather, and foretelling the success of the French arras, the distresses awaiting Europe, &c. and discoursing on such subjects as agitated the public raind. She scarcely possessed the lowest degree of education, but had a consider able share of cunning, which aided her enthu siastic pretences. As sorae of her predictions or guesses happened to be fulfilled, she excited a portion of wonder among the women vrith whom she worked, which fostering her native conceit, she submitted some credentials of her mission to Mr. Pomeroy, an Exeter clergyman ; who, probably deeming her insane, treated her with mildness, and committed thera to the flames. She then proceeded to raore open measures, published her oracles in doggrel verse, gave a novel interpretation to some mystical passages in Holy Writ, and invited several dirines to acknowledge her character. It is to be observed, that at this season, numbers of persons had recently discovered the A. D. 1790— -1800. 377 most silly credulity, even surpassing the absurdi ties of the ancient Chaldaic astrology. Not only, as we have seen, were men of learning and re spectability found to countenance the vagaries of SAvedenborg ; but also the mysteries of aniraal magnetisra were celebrated by sorae British hie- rophants, AA^hose talents and science were not proof against the seductions of fanaticisra, with the same zeal that former experimentalists had searched for the philosopher's stone. Religious sentiments were strangely mixed with these ab surdities, and the professors of the new science were regarded as workers of miracles. Louther- bourg, an eminent painter, who had studied chemistry and theology, was one of the leaders of this fraternity. Three thousand persons were known to have waited at one time for admission to his house at Hammersmith ; and such was their desire of an interriew, that they bought tickets for two and even five guineas each ! One Brothers, a maniac, who gave out that he was ^The King of the Hebrews, and that the time was approaching when his subjects should be brought home to their native land, was not only visited by thousands of all ranks, but believed on by many ; and Mr. Halhed, a raember of the House of Commons, rindicated this man's pretensions in that assembly in an harangue re- 378 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. plete with ingenuity, but equalling in extrava gance the fanatical orations of the fifth mo narchy men in the time of Oliver Cromwell. Joanna Southcott, seeing the popularity he had obtained, or caught with the resemblance of their characters, declared him a true prophet, thus paring the way for her own reception. It would be difficult, however, to give a systematic account of her doctrine, or to ana lyze her works, which, have not the merit of containing three connected sentences. She avows herself the woman in the Revelations, with the moon, that is the deril, under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars, which are her twelve apostles, who with the second dozen of believers make up her four-and-twenty elders. The scheme of redemption vrithout her would be imperfect ; for, as man fell by woman, by her must his salvation be effected. She is the bride ; the Lamb's vrife : Eve was a bone from Adara ; she is a bone from Christ the se cond Adam. The immediate object of her call is to destroy the works of the devil. She re quired all believers to " sign their names for Christ's glorious and peaceable kingdom, to be estabUshed and to come upon earth, and his will to be done on earth as it is done in heaven, and for Satan's kingdom to be destroyed, which 3 A. D. 1790— 1800. 379 is the prayer and desire of Joanna Southcott." She then gave them a sealed packet, as a sort of certificate, that they were " the sealed of the Lord," &c. bearing her signature. After a time she professed to have miraculously con ceived the promised seed, the man child or ShUoh. But we forbear the further detail of her blasphemies, which are too offensive for tran scription. It is more our province to add, that this deluded and deluding female, compared with whom the Maid of Kent and Joan of Arc were sober characters, drew after her many of the poor and ignorant. Nor were instances Avanting among their superiors, of some, who Avere not deterred, by her illiterate and vulgar compositions, from professing themselves her partisans. And when we find associates even in the sacred order, one of whora was of noble birth, and another a learned doctor; while raaking aU due allowance for supposed derangement of intellect, let us confess our need of that solemn admonition : " If any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shaU show great sigtis and won ders; insomuch that if it were possible, they 380 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before !'*-— Matt. xxiv. 29. Thus did the fourth decade appear to bear a considerable correspondence with the predictions of the great Head of the Church concerning the signs of the latter days. It was a period of- moral laxity and social disorder, of political confusion and national distress, of schismatical profession and heretical imposture. " Kingdom rose against kingdom, and nation against nation ;, brother betrayed brother to death ; and men's hearts were failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which were coming upon the earth." In Ireland, Po pish imposture and democratical insolence, working upon a mass of ignorance and wretch edness, and aided by passion and prejudice, produced an alarming insurrection. The two great questions of " Parliamentary reform " and " Catholic emancipation," as they were termed, had long troubled that country. For the attain ment of these ends, an association, under the name of United Irishmen, was formed in Dub lin, in November 1791, with the avowed pur pose of " forwarding a brotherhood of affection, a communion of rights, and an union of power among Irishmen of every religious persuasion ; and thereby to obtain a complete reform in the A. D. 1790— 1800. 381 Legislature, founded on the principles of civil, political, and religious liberty." However spe cious this language, yet as revolutionary prin ciples were daily importing from the continent, and the United Irishmen were forming them selves, after the example of the French, into a body of national guards. Government deemed it expedient to interfere and prohibit such irre gular proceedings. Sorae respectable Catholics then seceded; but others more pertinacious, presented a petition, complaining of the penal statutes by which they were affected, to the King, who received it graciously, and recom mended to the Irish Parliament to consider the case of his Catholic subjects. In consequence, some new indurgences were granted them, such as their admission to the practice of the law, intermarriage vrith Protestants, and an unre strained education. Meanwhile the country was disturbed in di vers places by the old reUgious feuds among the peasantry. The Presbyterians insulted the Pa pists by night, dispersing at the dawn, whence they were called "Peep of Day Boys;" while the latter associated against their adversaries under the title of " Defenders." The discon tents of the lower orders were much increased by an Act for raising miUtia on ihe English 382 ECCLBSIASTICAL MEMOIR. plan for internal defence ; and many of the higher families were embittered against each other by differences of opinion, relative to the arrest of some leading men of the Society of United Irish in 1795. An Act then passed for the establishment of a Catholic college, which was founded at May- nooth, and liberally endowed ; and permission was also given to persons of that persuasion to study in the Protestant University of Dublin. But as this liberality fell short of the demands of the Popish interest, dissatisfaction continued. Proceeding frora one degree of irritation to another, and secretly inflamed by intriguing or bigoted priests, who represented the hardship of subjection to a Protestant hierarchy ; while many individuals, either from written docu ments or traditional testimony, claimed a right to possessions occupied by their ancestors, which had been forfeited or alienated ; the poor Romanists were ripe for any desperate enter prise, which might disturb the existing order of things and better their own circumstances. The United Irishmen began to act on a new plan. They wished to combine men of all persuasions Avho were disaffected, in a conspi racy to overthrow the Government ; and to ac compUsh their purposes, solicited assistance A. D. 1790 — 1800. 383 from France to establish a democratic republic in Ireland. To counteract these dangerous machinations, the Habeas Corpus Act was suspended, and the Government enabled to seize suspected persons and bring them to trial. The Defenders were now become in their turn so much the aggressors, that the Protest ants of Armagh leagued with the Peep of Day Boys, under the narae of " Orange Men," with erident allusion to the Protestant, hero William III. Gaining the better of their adversaries, they expelled fourteen hundred Popish families, most of whom took refuge in Connaught. In December 1796, the connexion between the raalcontents and the French became evident by the sailing of a fleet from Brest, with 25,000 men under General Hoche, for the Irish coast. Though dispersed by a tempest, seventeen ves sels contrived to anchor in Bantiy Bay; but the Admiral refused to land the troops imme diately, in hope of the junction of the General, who had been separated in the gale from this portion of the fleet. After some days, how ever, he returned dispirited to Brest, with the loss of two ships and three frigates, one of which was taken by the British. Meanwhile a widely extended and deeply organized rebellion was concerted. With won- 384 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOlK. derful secrecy the civil and military departments Avere arranged, and the whole was to be super intended by five directors. It was computed that in the prorince of Ulster a hundred thou sand men were enrolled. The prevailing dis content was increased by a mischievous letter of Dr. Hussey, the Romish Bishop of Waterford, who outraged decency as well as prudence, by charging the Orange party Avith riolences of Avhich they were innocent, and ordering his clergy to interdict the children of their com munion from mixing Avith Protestants in places of education. Messrs. Ponsonby and Grattan, representa tives in Parliament of great Aveight and influ ence, acting as raediators between the crown and the country, found their endeavours ineffec tual to obtain a political equalization of Ca tholics and Protestants ; and public meetings to collect the sense of the people were prevented by civil officers or military restraint. Though the five directors could not obtain effectual as sistance from the French, they resolved on mak ing some desperate effort; but found their en terprise difficult to accompUsh, on account of the vigilance of Government, and the apprehen sion of some of their partisans. Religious jea lousies, however, increased; false reports were A. D. 1790— 1800. 385 published on both sides ; and conflagration, assassination, and acts of brutal violence, were heard of in every direction. At length, in May 1798, a regular rebellion broke out ; but as Go vernment was prepared for its reception, the in surgents were generally unsuccessful in their several skirmishes. One Murphy, curate of the priest of Boulavogue, was very active in hoist ing the standard of rebellion in Wexford, where the lower classes seemed to consider it as a reli gious war of extermination. They murdered the Protestant prisoners without mercy, to the amount of four hundred ; and in Killan, the savage mob coUected the Protestants with an in tention of burning them alive in their church, which they termed making an orange pie qf them, but were prevented by the arrival of some Carlow yeomanry. The principal battle was fought at Vinegar Hill, near Enniscorthy, the rebels being 20,000 strong, but without rauch aramunition, and the royalists 13,000 with sorae formidable artillery. The rebels, after a contest of an hour and a half, were defeated, and too much disheartened afterwards to form another army, though they kept up a desultofy warfare, instigated by Murphy, and another priest, called Father John ; who assured the credulous vulgar that their cause was of God; that they them^ c c 386 ECCLESIASTICAL MEMOIR. selves, as his ministers, were invulnerable ; and that such as died in the war would go to Para dise. 30. The rebellion was now considered as crushed, except that banditti, called " Babes in the Wood," infested the mountains of Wick- low and Wexford, when a sudden alarm was excited by the arrival of a French armaraent in the Bay of Killala, on the 22d of August. As their force consisted only of 1100 raen in two frigates, the expedition seeraed to be undertaken rather with a view of sounding the insurgents than of striking any blow. They landed, and took the town, after a resistance from the little garrison. Dr. Stock, the Bishop, with his fa mily, were taken prisoners, and forced to enter tain the officers with lodging in the palace ; but through a merciful providence, were not ill- treated, though in a fearful situation. Humbert, the commander, advanced as far as Castlebar, and obtained a victory over 3000 men, under Generals Hutchinson and Lake, with fourteen pieces of cannon. In consequence they retained possession of Killala for thirty-two days. They were joined by various bands of insurgents, but after a while Avere compelled to surrender to the force of Lord Cornwallis the Viceroy. 31- Such was the terminaition of this dread- A. D. 1790— 1800. 387 ful insurrection, in which 30,000 persons are Supposed to have lost their lives, independently of the immense number who were wounded di- transported. Many sensible men, both in Eng land and Ireland, began to wish for a legislative union between the two kingdoms, which Avbuld simplify some political measures, and tend to the preservation of tranquillity in the latter country. Mr. Pitt and Lord Grenville, with other states men, were for granting the claims of the Irish Catholics to a fuller extent; but His Majesty declared that he should consider an acquies cence in such apian a violation of his coronation oath, by wMch he was bound to protect the Protestant establishments. The plan of Union was agreed to after some warm debates in both Parliaments. When a similar measure took place, nearly a century before, between England and Scotland, the contrariety of the Presbyterian Kirk to the Episcopal Church prevented an union of the two establishments. But, on this occasion, the civU and ecclesiastical polity were affected by the same arguments. It was therefore determined, that, on the union of the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, on the 1st of January 1801, "The churches of England and Ireland be united into one Protestant Episcopal Church, to cc 2 388 ecclesiastical memoir. be called. The United Church of England and Ireland; that the doctrine and worship shall be the same ; and that the continuance and pre servation of the United Church, as the Esta blished Church of England and Ireland, shall be deemed an essential and fundaraental part of the Union. " Peace be within her walls, and prosperity vrithin her palaces ! Let her priests be clothed in righteousness ; and let her saints shout for joy." INDEX. A. AoAit, Rev. Thomas, account of, 73, 74. Adams, Rev. Dr. his heterodoxy, 30, 31. " Age qf Reason," publication of, 288. American Episcopalians, case of, 225. American Methodists, case of, 108. Arminian Methodism, progress of, lO* — its discipline, 107. Association, Feathers Tavern, IIS. Atkinson, Rev. Miles, character of, 78, 79. B. Barrington, Bishop, quoted, 335, 336, 337. Bayley, Rev. Dr. account of, 255, 256. Beaufort, Dr. quoted, 115. Belsham, Rev. Mr. his review of Wilberforce, 304. Berridge, Rev. Mr. portrait of, as a preacher, 68. £?Mca7 literature, 183, 184, 185. Bishops, English, importance of their character, 9 — not conspicuous for purity of doctrine at the King's accession, 10, 11, 12 — some distinguished for literary attainments, 14 — American, consecrated, 231 — Scotch, case of; 233, 234. Blackburne, Archdeacon, promotes the petition for relief from subscription, 119— publishes " The Confessional," 120. Bower, his character as an ecclesiastical historian, 3. Brothers, a pretended prophet, 377. Browne, Rev. Moses, his character, 70. C. Cadogan, Rev. W. B. his birth, 139— presented to St. Giles's, Reading, 140— changes his theelogical sentiments, 142— marries Mrs. Bradshaw, 143. c c 3 INDEX. Cecil, Rev. Richard, account of, 238, 239— his ministerial labours, 240— anecdote of, 241 — character as a preacher, 242. Chalmers, Rev. Dr. quoted, 271, 272. Charles, Rev. Mr. account of, 259, 260. Churchill, Rev. Charles, throws off the gown, 25. Clerical Education Society, in the North, 80— in the West, 313, 314. Clowes, Rev. Mr. his Swedenborgianism, 375. Coke, Rev. Dr. consecrated Methodist Bishop by Wesley, 109. Commemoration of Handel, 269, 270. Common Council of London, Resolutions on Test Act, 275. Consecration of American Bishops, 231. Corairoversy between Priestley and Horsley, 219, 220, 221. Controversy between Arians and Trinitarians, 33, 34, 35. Conversation, English, its degraded character, 282. Conyers, Rev. Dr. account of, 80, 81, 82 — removes from Helmsley to Deptford, 138. Cornwall, religious state of, 53, 54. ' Coulthurst, Rev. Dr. account of, .345. " Critic, The British," origin of, 312 — character of, 313. D. Dartmouth, Earl of, his kindness to Mr. Powley, 78 — to Mr. Decoetlogon, 144— to Mr. Robinson, 258. Daubeny, Rev. Charles, his " Guide to the Church," 301. Davies, Rev. Henry, anecdote of, 58, 59. Decoetlogoni ]^_ev^ C. E. assists Mr. Madan at the Lock Chapel, 143 — his fidelity and loyalty, 144 — portrait of, as a preacher, 145. De Courcy, Rev. Richard, patronised by the Hill family, 62 — ^anecdote of, 63. Dixon, Rey. Dr. defends the accused students of St. Ed mund Hall, Oxford, 14^7. Dodd, Rev. Dr. his execution, 176, 177. Drummond, Rev. Dr. advanced to the see of York, 1,30— molested by the rioters, 196. E. Ecclesiastical history, critiqiie on, 3, 4 — view of, under George the Second, 5. INDEX. Ecclesiastical decomtion, instances of, 181. Elemental visitations, reflections on, 175, 176. Episcopalians, American, case of, 225. Erasmus quoted, 22, N. Erskine, Hon. Thomas, conducts the prosecution against the publisher of " The Age of Reason," 288. Evangelical clergy, described, 39, 40, 41, 42— some of the more distinguished enumerated, 72, 170, 369, 370. Execution of Rev. Dr. Dodd, 176, 177. Eyre, Rev. Mr. preaches among the Dissenters, 153 — or dained in the Establishment, 154 — plans " The Evange lical Magazine," 155. Fletcher, Rev. William, preaches at Colebrook Dale, S9 — his Arminianism, 61 — preaches in Switzerland, 261 — his death and character, 262, 263. ,,> Fletcher, Mrs. her conduct on the death of her husband, 263. Foster, Rev. Henry, account of, 46, 47. French Revolution, character of, 276 — its influence on Eng land, 280 — counteraction of the clergy, 281. G. Geddes, Rev. Dr. his "New Translation of the Bible," 185. George the Third, his character, 6 — reverence for divine ordinances, 8 — firmness in No-Popery insurrection, 200 — returns public thanks for his recovery from illness, 273 — recognises a superintending Providence, 316 — orders pub lic thanksgiving for naval victories, 317 — refuses to coun tenance Roman Catholic Emancipation, 387. Gilbert, Rev. Nathaniel, account of, 367, 368, 369. GiMn, Rev. William, his philanthropic plans, 310. Goode, Rev. William, account of, 243, 244, 245. Gordon, Rev. Sir Adam, Bart, account of, 346. Gordon, Lord George, heads " The Protestant Associa- tion," 194— prosecuted for high treason, 199. Grimshaw, Rev. William, account of, 75, 76. Gunn, Rev. W. A. his birth and education, 347— edified by the ministry of Dr. Conyers, 348— serves the cure of Farnham, 349— becomes lecturer of St. Mary Somerset 8, c c 4 INDEX. 350— and curate of St. Mary Woolnoth, 351— his death and character, 352. H. Halhed, Mr. supports the pretension.s of Brothers, 377. Halward, Rev. Mr. curate to Dr. Talbot, 65— ejected by Mr. Cadogan, 140 — presented to Assington, 142. - Handel, commemoration of, 269, 270. Harris, Howel, Esq. sides with Mr. Whitefield, 92 — esta blishes a religious institution at Trevecca, 93. Hart, Rev. Richard, account of, 51. Harmer, Rev. Thomas, his " Observations on the Scrip tures," 186. Heresies, state of, 370. Hervey, Rev. Thomas, account of, 173, 174. Hill, Richard, Esq. publishes in defence of the expelled 03t4?nians, 148 — (Sir R.) his " Apology for brotherly Love," 302. Hill, Rev. Rowland, opens Surrey Chapel, 210. Hildesley, Bishop, promotes an edition of the Manks Bible, 86. Hopkins, Rev. William, his Arianism, 29. Horne, Rev. John, resigns the gown, 26. Horne, Rev. Dr. elevated to the see of Norwich, 319— his character as a divine, 320 — anecdote of, 321 — his death, 322— excellence of his " Commentary on the Psalms," 324. Horsley, Rev. Dr. opposes Dr. Priestley, 220 — elevated to the see of St. David's, 222 — his primary charge quoted, 324., 325— interest excited by its publication, 326, 327 — his character, 328, 329, 330. Houghton, Sir Henry, moves repeal of Test Act, 127. Huntingdon, Countess of, her birth, 98 — pious impressions, 99— builds chapels, and a college at Trevecca, 100, 101 — establishes a religious connexion — 102. Huntington, Rev. William, his obscure parentage and educa tion, 211— claim to prophetic inspiration, 212— becomes minister of Providence chapel, 213— anecdote of, 214 his Supralapsarianism, 215— idolatrous devotion of his congregation, 217. Hurd, Bishop, insulted by rioters, 196. Hussey, Rev. Dr. his reprehensible conduct, 384. Hutchinsonianism, account of, 37, 38, 39. 2 INDEX. I. Jeenicke, Rev. Mr. missionary to India, 266. Jebb, Sir Richard, anecdote of, 298, N. Inglis, Rev. Dr. case of, 226— quoted, 227— made Bishop of Nova Scotia, 228. Insurrection, No-Popery, its Scottish origin, 191 — its fero cious character, 193,196, 197, 198— reflections on, 201, 202. Johnson, Dr. quoted, 15, 16. Jones, Rev. Griffith, institutes Welsh Circulating Charity Schools, 57. Jones, Rev. Thomas, account of, 45, 46. » Jones, Rev. William, account of, 35, 36 — publishes " A Letter from Thomas Bull to his Brother John," 311 — and " The Scholar armed," 312. Jones, Sir William, his services to the cause of theology, 187. Josi, Rev. Torial, associates with Mr. Whitefield, 94, 95. Jowett, Rev. Dr. account of, 343, 344. Ireland benefited by the Methodists, 114, 115, 116, 117. K. Kennicott, Rev. Dr. his Hebrew Bible, 183, 184. Killala, Bay of, French armament in, 386. King, English, importance of his moral example, 7. Kirk, Scotch, religious state of, 90, 91. L. Latitudinarians described, 26, 27— their heterodoxy, 28. Law, Bishop, his character as a divine, 19. Leslie quoted, 1,2. ... Lindsey, Rev. Theophilus, resigns his vicarage, 28— pro motes the petition for relief from subscription, 122. Literature, biblical, improvement in, 183, 184, 185. Literature, English, its too frequent depravation, 283. Loutherbourg, his animal magnetism, 377. Lowth, Bishop, his dispute with Warburton, 17- INDEX. M. Macdonnel, Rev. Dr. answers Bishop Clayton, 33. Madan, Rev. Martin, account of, 47 — apology for his «' Thelyphthora," 48. Maddock, Rev. Abraham, account of, 66, 67. Maimbourg, his character as an ecclesiastical historian, 2. Manchester, Duke of, opposes the Sunday Bill of Bishop Porteus, 132. Manners, English, Frenchified, 281. Marsh, Rev. Mr. his ministry noticed, 143. Maynooth, Roman Catholic College founded at, 382. Meredith, Sir William, moves for leave to present the peti tion for relief from subscription, 123. Methodism, its influence on the Establishment, 110, 111, 112, 113. Mickle, the poet, his orthodoxy, 35. Middleton, Rev. Erasmus, expelled the university, 146 — marries Miss Grierson, 150 — becomes curate to Mr. Ca dogan, 151 — publishes " Biographia Evangelica," 152. Milner, Dean, account of, 340 — his character, 341 — quoted, 370. Milner, Rev. Joseph, account of, 170, 171 — character of his publications, 172. Ministers, divided into four classes, 20 — secede from the Establishment on Arian principles, 28, N. — thirteen Non conformists disapprove of the petition for relief from sub scription, 129, N. Missionary, London, Society, established, 314. More, Mrs. Hannah, establishes Cheddar Sunday Schools, 307, 308. Miirphy, Father, an active Irish rebel, 385. N. Newcome, Bishop, his biblical publications, 185. Newdigate, Sir Roger, opposes the reception of the petition for relief from subscription, 124. Newell, Rev. Jeremiah, account of, 364, 365, 366. Newton, Bishop, his character as a divine, 18 — promotes the plan of internal decoration of St. Paul's cathedral, 179. Newton, Rev. John, account of, 68, 69, 70, 71 — removes from Olney to London, 136— preaches a course of sermons from Handel's Messiah, 270. INDEX. O. I Orthodox clergy described, 31, 32 — some of the more emi nent enumerated, 34- Oxford Expulsion, history of, 147, 148, 149. Paine, Thomas, account of, 286, 287, 288. Paley, Archdeacon, anecdote of, 123. Palmer, Rev. T. F. quits the church, 292 — his treasonable practices, 29S — his death, 294. Pattrick, Rev. George, account of, 354 — appointed Chaplain of Morden College, 356 — curious petition to the Trustees against him, 357, 3.5S, 359,360, 361 — becomes Lecturer of St. Leonard, Shoreditch, and St. Bride's, 362— his death and character, 363. Pearce, Bishop, his character as a divine, 18. Pentycross, Rev. Thomas, his early talents, 155, 156 — ministerial zeal, 157, 158— anecdote of, 160. Philosophers, mischief of their writings, 23, 24. Porteus, Bishop, his birth and talents, 130 — elevation to tbe mitre, 131 — brills in his Sunday Bill, 132 — his character as a divine, 133 — instrumental to the conversion of a Deist, 134, — offers ordination to Dr. Beattie, 135 — preaches his Lent Lectures, 338. Powley, Rev. Matthew, account of, 77> 78. Priestley, Rev. Dr. his '« History of eariy Corruptions of Christiwity," 219. R. Baikes, Robert, Esq. account of, 205, 206— originates the system of Sunday Schools, 207, 208, Rebellion, Irish, 380, 381, 392, 383, 384. Reflections on the state of Nonconformists, 129. Revolution, French, character of, 276-its mfluence on Enelani 280— coimterafition of the clergy, 281. Riclmrdsorh Rev. WiUiam, his birth and ordination, 166-- Sed by Hill's " Pietas Oxoniensis," 167-presented to St. Michael 1^ Belfrey in York, 168-character as a divine, 169. INDEX. " Rights of Man," publication of, 285. Robinson, Rev. Thomas, his birth, 250 — presented to St. Mary's, Leicester, 253 — his character as a preacher, 2.54. Romaine, Rev. WilHam, account of, 43, 44. Rouquett, Rev. James, account of, 161, 162. S. Saville, Sir George, seconds motion for repeal of Test Act, 127. Scptt, Rev. Thomas, edified by Mr. Newton, 136— chosen Chaplain of Lock Hospital, 245 — character of his publica tions, 246. Scotland, nonjuring Bishops of, 233, 234 — prosecution of measures for their relief, 235 — exertion of their friends in England, 237- Seeker, Archbishop, his character, 12 quoted, 13 his death, 14 — offended with Blackburne, 120. Secular clergy described, 21 , 22. Serle, Ambrose, Esq. his " Horse Solitarias," 223, 224. Sharpe, Granville, Esq. assists the American Episcopalians, 228, 229, 230, 231. Simpson, Rev. David, his birth, 162— ministers at Bucking ham, 163 — removes to Macclesfield, 164 —his death and character, 165, 166. Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, proceedings of, 84, 264. Society, London Missionary, established, 314. Society, London Corresponding, meeting of, 315. Southcott, Joanna, account of, 375, 376, 377, 378. Spencer, Rey. Edward, account of, 48, 49. Stanley, Sir Hans, opposes the reception of the petition for relief from subscription, 124. Stock, Bishop, made prisoner by the French, 386. Storry, Rev. Robert, account of, 248 — presented to St. Peter's, Colchester, 249— character as a preacher, 250. Stonhouse, Rev. Dr. account of, 49, 50. Sunday Schools instituted, 204— introduced into Southwark by Rev. Rowland Hill, 210. Swartz, Rev. C. F. missionary to India, 84— acceptable to the Hindoos, 265 — establishes provincial English schools at Tanjore, 266. Swedenborg, Emanuel, account of, 372, 373, 374. INDEX. Talbot, Rev. Dr. account of, 64, 65. Terrick, Bishop, disapproves the plan for adorning St. Paul's Cathedral with paintings, 179. Thanksgiving, public, for King's recovery, 273— for naval victories, 318. Thornton, John, Esq. his kindness to Mr. Newton, 71. Thurlow, Bishop, insulted by rioters, 196. Toplady, Rev. A. M. account of, 51, 52. Townsend, Rev. Mr. sides with Mr. Whitefield, 101— in structs Erasmus Middleton, 146- publishes in defence of the expelled Oxonians, 148. Tyler, Rev. Mr. account of, 257, 258. Venn, Rev. Henry, his " Complete Duty of Man," 77- removes from Huddersfield to Yelling, 137. Vincent, Dean, his charge to Mr. JasnickS, 266. Vinegar Hill, battle of, 385. Union of English and Irish Churches, 387, 388. W. Wakefield, Rev. Gilbert, his infidelity, 295— Jacobinical pub lications, 296 — letter to Wilberforce, 297— his death, 299. Wales, religious state of, 57. Walker, Rev. Samuel, account of, 54, 55, 56. Warburton, Bishop, his character, 15, 16, 17. Watkins, Dr. his reply to Wakefield, 297. Watson, Rev. Dr. advanced to the see of Llandaff, 267 — his plan for equalization of church revenue, 268— answers to Gibbon and Paine, 331, 332— his character, 333. Wesley, Rev. John, his character, 104. Whitefield, Rev. George, his death, 87— retrospect of his labours, 88, 89, 90— sensation caused by his death, 91, 92— publishes in defence of the expelled Oxonians, 148. Wilberforce, Mr. his « Practical View," 297. Wills, Rev. Thomas, account of, 103. Wilson, Rev. Dr. erects a statue to Mrs. Macauley, 26— his taste' for ecclesiastical decoration, 181. INDEX. Winter, Rev. Cornelius, associates with Mr. Whitefield, 96 — is ordained among the Dissenters, 97. Wolstonecraft, Mary, her infidelity, 289 — cohabiU with Imlay and Godwin, 290— her death, 291. Woodd, Rev. Basil, his ministry noticed, 139 — his " Ex planation of Church Catechism " commended, 210. Y. Young, Arthur, Esq. his letter to Wilberforce, 304— ac count of, 305, 306. York, Archbishop of, molested by rioters, 196. Yorkshire, religious state of, 72. THE END. Printed by S. GosncU, Uttle Queen Street, London. LATELY PUBLISHED BY L. B. SEELEY, 169, FLEET STREET. . 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