# Letters concerning the English Nation/Letter VI

LETTER VI.
ON THE
Presbyterians.
THE Church of England is confin'd almost to the kingdom whence it receiv'd its name, and to Ireland, for Presbyterianism is the establish'd religion in Scotland. This Presbyterianism is directly the same with Calvinism, as it was establish'd in France, and is now profess'd 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 your self the haughty Diogenes, trampling ​under foot the pride of Plato. The Scotch Presbyterians are not very unlike that proud, tho' tatter'd reasoner. Diogenes did not use Alexander half so impertinently as these treated king Charles the second; for when they took up arms in his cause, in opposition to Oliver, who had deceiv'd them, they forc'd that poor monarch to undergo the hearing of three or four sermons every day; wou'd not suffer him to play, reduc'd him to a state of penitence and mortification; so that Charles soon grew sick of these pedants, and accordingly elop'd from them with as much joy as a youth does from school.
A Church of England minister appears as another Cato in presence of a juvenile, uprightly 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 his Cato is a very spark, when before a Scotch Presbyterian. The latter affects a serious gate, puts on a sour look, wears a vastly broad-brimm'd hat, and a long cloak over a very short coat; preaches ​thro' the nose, and gives tje 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, introduc'd there the mode of grave and severe exhortations. To them is owing the sanctification of Sunday in the three kingdoms. People are there forbid to work or take any recreation on that day, in which the severity is twice as great as that of the Romish church. No opera's, plays or concerts are allow'd in London on Sundays; and even cards are so expressly forbid, 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.
Tho' 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, tho' 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 tho' they all profess'd 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. At the breaking up of this pacific and free assembly, some withdraw to the synagogue, and others to take a glass. This man goes and is baptiz'd in a great tub, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: That man has his son's foreskin cut off, whilst a sett of Hebrew words (quite unintelligible to him) are mumbled over his child. Others retire to their churches, and there wait for the inspiration of heaven with their hats on, and all are satisfied.
​If one religion only were allowed in England, the government would very possibly become arbitrary; if there were but two, the people wou'd cut one another's throats; but as there are such a multitude, they all live happy and in peace.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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