The Church of England is confined almost to the kingdom whence it
received its name, and to Ireland, for Presbyterianism is the established
religion in Scotland. This Presbyterianism is directly the same with
Calvinism, as it was established in France, and is now professed at
Geneva. As the priests of this sect receive but very inconsiderable
stipends from their churches, and consequently cannot emulate the
splendid luxury of bishops, they exclaim very naturally against honours
which they can never attain to. Figure to yourself the haughty Diogenes
trampling under foot the pride of Plato. The Scotch Presbyterians are
not very unlike that proud though tattered reasoner. Diogenes did not
use Alexander half so impertinently as these treated King Charles II.;
for when they took up arms in his cause in opposition to Oliver, who had
deceived them, they forced that poor monarch to undergo the hearing of
three or four sermons every day, would not suffer him to play, reduced
him to a state of penitence and mortification, so that Charles soon grew
sick of these pedants, and accordingly eloped from them with as much joy
as a youth does from school.
A Church of England minister appears as another Cato in presence of a
juvenile, sprightly French graduate, who bawls for a whole morning
together in the divinity schools, and hums a song in chorus with ladies
in the evening; but this Cato is a very spark when before a Scotch
Presbyterian. The latter affects a serious gait, puts on a sour look,
wears a vastly broad-brimmed hat and a long cloak over a very short coat,
preaches through the nose, and gives the name of the whore of Babylon to
all churches where the ministers are so fortunate as to enjoy an annual
revenue of five or six thousand pounds, and where the people are weak
enough to suffer this, and to give them the titles of my lord, your
lordship, or your eminence.
These gentlemen, who have also some churches in England, introduced there
the mode of grave and severe exhortations. To them is owing the
sanctification of Sunday in the three kingdoms. People are there
forbidden to work or take any recreation on that day, in which the
severity is twice as great as that of the Romish Church. No operas,
plays, or concerts are allowed in London on Sundays, and even cards are
so expressly forbidden that none but persons of quality, and those we
call the genteel, play on that day; the rest of the nation go either to
church, to the tavern, or to see their mistresses.
Though the Episcopal and Presbyterian sects are the two prevailing ones
in Great Britain, yet all others are very welcome to come and settle in
it, and live very sociably together, though most of their preachers hate
one another almost as cordially as a Jansenist damns a Jesuit.
Take a view of the Royal Exchange in London, a place more venerable than
many courts of justice, where the representatives of all nations meet for
the benefit of mankind. There the Jew, the Mahometan, and the Christian
transact together, as though they all professed the same religion, and
give the name of infidel to none but bankrupts. There the Presbyterian
confides in the Anabaptist, and the Churchman depends on the Quaker's
word.
If one religion only were allowed in England, the Government would very
possibly become arbitrary; if there were but two, the people would cut
one another's throats; but as there are such a multitude, they all live
happy and in peace.