Patrick, who was more skilful in composing prayers than psalms, was employed by many congregations. The labours of Mr. Barton supplied the psalmody of others; while Tate and Brady furnished better poetry for such as chose to adopt their translation. But all these wore a Jewish garb, and there was still wanting a collection of hymns suited to the worship of Christians *.”

Dr. Watts had the distinguished honour of introducing this salutary change. Living at Southampton, after he had completed his academical studies, his correct ear and elegant taste were offended with the rude psalmody there; and, complaining of its defects, his father, who was a deacon of the church, desired him to try if he could amend it. A hymn was therefore composed, and, being sung, was approved. Another was requested, and another; and thus a volume was published, about 1707, and afterwards his version of the Psalms. Dr. Watts's sacred poetry produced a revolution in psalmody it was read at every meeting for worship: children laid it up in their memory; and adults repeated it, to treasure up its ideas. His Psalms and Hymns were received with delight by most evangelical congregations; and they were eminently instrumental, under the blessing of the Divine Head of the church, in awakening the vigour and diffusing the sweetness of experimental godliness.

Evening public services were not usual on the Lord's day; but week-evening meetings for prayer and exhortation were general, sometimes at their chapels, and also at private houses. Weekly lectures were common; and some of the country ministers carried on stated services, in the surrounding towns and villages, as home missionaries. Matthew Henry used to make a circuit, every year, through an extensive range of country, preaching daily in the meeting-houses of the neighbouring ministers, and in the habitation of friends, to the great edification and delight of all parties. A second and more extended itinerary, in the year, he projected; but his lamented death, June 22, 1714, prevented the fulfilment of his purpose.

* History of Dissenters, vol. i, p, 407, 408.

Matthew Henry, worthy to be the son of the excellent Philip Henry, was one of the most eminent of the Presbyterian ministers of this period; and, besides his many other valuable works, his " Commentary on the Bible," which is still esteemed by many-even by some of the clergy of the church of England-as the best that has ever been published in any language, will be a perpetual monument of his learning, piety, and orthodoxy; as well as of the purity of the principles of the Dissenters at that period generally, who were mostly agreed with that able divine.

Learning was held in the highest estimation by the Dissenters; but in this respect they were subjected to conside rable inconvenience and degradation. Excluded from the national universities, and not allowed to keep academies for the higher branches of knowledge without persecution, they laboured under serious disadvantages: yet many ministers were educated by several tutors of great worth, among whom may be mentioned Theophilus Gale, Thomas Rowe, Thomas Doolittle, Samuel Cradock, and Benjamin Robinson, scholars and divines of great eminence in their day. Mr. Rowe, it may be remarked, had the honour of educating Dr. Watts; and Josiah Horte, who afterwards conformed, and was made archbishop of Tuam.

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Dr. Watts rose into notice, and became a public blessing, during the reign of Queen Anne; as his various evangelical writings especially will continue to remain through all generations. Having assisted Dr. Chauncey for several years, his ministry over the church assembling in Mark Lane, London, he succeeded that great man in the pastoral office, March 8, 1702, the day which witnessed the death of King William. Dissenters were filled with much anxiety by that event; but they betook themselves to God against the machinations of their enemies. Bigotry had excited their fears, before the close of the late reign; and circular letters were sent by the ministers in London to their brethren in the country, inviting them to unite in prayer for the Divine interposition. In 1702 they published another address, entitled, "A Serious Call from the City to the Country, to join with them in setting apart some time-viz. from seven to

eight every Tuesday morning-for the solemn seeking of God, each one in his closet, in this critical juncture.”

Special prayer-meetings, therefore, were held weekly, in most parts of the kingdom, imploring, not only deliverance from the arts of intolerance. as noticed in the preceding chapter from bishop Burnet-but the promised influences of the Holy Spirit, to create a gracious revival in the churches. 'County associations" of ministers and churches were now formed, for the advancement of the Gospel in their several districts; and lectures were delivered, by appointment, at their monthly meetings. God graciously regarded the persevering supplications of his people: the several attempts to legalize persecution were defeated and averted; and though the high-church mobs occasionally committed violence on some Dissenters, and destroyed several of their meeting-houses, and at length the oppressive" Schism Bill" had passed, depriving the Dissenters of the right to educate their own children, its iniquitous provisions were not suffered to come into operation, they being abhorred by the enlightened and generous mind of the German Lutheran prince, George I, who, to the confusion of bigotry, now succeeded to the throne of Great Britain!

Circumstanced as the Dissenters were during this periodbarely tolerated in holding their religious meetings, and oppressed with numerous privations, impositions, and degrading exclusions-it might be imagined that they would decline and become extinct: but cleaving to the holy institutions of the Scriptures, and confiding in God their Saviour, they increased. Twenty-five years only had elapsed since the Act of Toleration, at the death of Anne,; but from that period, when the Dissenters were allowed first to build places for public worship, they had increased to ONE THOUSAND AND FIFTY CONGREGATIONS, without reckoning those of the Quakers. Their numbers were ascertained, on the accession of George I, as follows:

England, Presbyterians and Independents...... 760

CHAPTER VII.

CHURCH OF ENGLAND UNDER GEORGE I AND GEORGE II.

George I elevated by Providence-His tolerant principles-Bigotry at Oxford — Meeting-houses destroyed in many towns-The king's answer to the Dissenters -Rebellion in favour of the Pretender-The Archbishops oppose the repeal of the "Schism Bill"- Bishops Hoadly and Kennet favour it - Hoadly's advocacy of religious liberty-State of religion in the church-Testimonies of Bishop Butler-Mr. Fry-Dr. Haweis-Origin of Methodism.

DIVINE PROVIDENCE mercifully interposed in favour of our country, in the elevation of the "House of Brunswick" to the throne of Great Britain. Prince George of Hanover was proclaimed king of England, to the confusion of bigots, and to the inexpressible joy of all true Protestants. Anne's Tory ministers had been diligently labouring to restore the Stuart family; and in their pernicious politics the high-churchmen generally concurred. The accession of this illustrious prince, therefore, was particularly favourable to the cause of religious liberty; and inspired with new life, not only the friends of genuine Protestantism in England, but the Protestants throughout Europe.

George I protected the Toleration, befriended all classes of Christians, and execrated every species of persecution. Upon his arrival in England, the king openly avowed his sentiments by this declaration in council I take this occasion to express to you my firm purpose, to do all that is in my power for supporting and maintaining the churches of England and Scotland as they are severally by law established; which, I am of opinion, may be effectually done without the least impairing the toleration allowed by law to Protestant Dissenters, so agreeable to Christian charity, and so necessary to the trade and riches of this kingdom."

Royal decision, so prompt, awed the intolerant spirits of many but, as protection was assured to the Dissenters, the cry of "The church is in danger" was revived, in many parts of the kingdom, with this additional remark,-" that, if the good old church of England was to be destroyed, it did not matter whether this was done by a Lutheran king or by a catholic James III." Seditious pamphlets were industriously

circulated; and, in the principal university of the kingdom, bigotry burst forth into a flame.

At Oxford, May 29, 1715, the anniversary of the restoration of Charles II, high-church fury raged. A great mob of the scholars, and other inhabitants of the city, rose and gutted, as they called it, the presbyterian place of worship, breaking all the windows, and carrying away the doors, benches, and wainscot, with which they made a bonfire! Having heard of their intention," says the Quaker's narrative, "to use our meeting-house as they had done that of the Presbyterians, an advertisement was drawn up, directed to the mayor, and sent by a Friend. We obtained no benefit by our application to the magistrate for protection. They broke in by violence to our meeting-house, and took away all the forms and seats that were loose; and taking off the doors from their hinges, they burned them in their bonfire. They broke into the dwelling-house of our ancient friend Thomas Nichol's daughter, who was a widow, making destruction, and shedding some blood. From thence they went to the Baptist meeting-house, and destroyed it in like manner." A kindred spirit raised similar tumults at Birmingham, Bristol, Chippingham, Reading, Norwich, and some other towns, "where the Dissenters were insulted, and their places of worship burned to ashes *."

George's royal mind was indignant at such proceedings, and by this means more fully confirmed in his abhorrence of persecution. To the ministers of the "Three Denominations," of Presbyterians, Independents, and Baptists, who presented an Address to the King on this occasion, his majesty declared, in his most gracious answer, "I am very much concerned at the unchristian and barbarous treatment which those of your persuasion have met with in several parts of the kingdom, and care shall be taken that a full compensation be made to them for their sufferings. I thank you for this Address, and you may be assured of my protection +."

*Gough's History of the Quakers, vol. iv, p. 165; History of Dissenters, vol. ii, p. 80, 81.

† Crosby's History of the Baptists, vol. iv, p. 129.