KING JOHN'S COURT.. -Presbyterian, Extinct.

been preached at St. Mary Magdalen's, Bermondsey. (s) Queen Anne's government, however, soon put a stop to this practice. Mr. Mauduit was a man of considerable talent, an excellent preacher, and in his religious sentiments a Calvinist. He was honoured as an instrument of great usefulness in his day, and had a full congregation to the time of his death, which happened in 1717. He was one of the first promoters of the Horsleydown charity-school, which was set up in 1715, and supported by a lecture carried on at Mr. Stinton's meeting-house by six ministers,(T) three of whom were Independents, and three Baptists. The celebrated Mr. John Dunton gives him this character: "He was my customer and author for many years; and I take modesty and learning to have the ascendant of all his virtues. He is never dry nor pumping, but always full and flowing. His discourse on the Trinity is a matchless piece. He is a solid Divine, and a good disputant. His returns and repartees are quick, apposite, and genteel; and it is a pleasure to observe how handsomely he acquits himself. In fine, he is a pious man, as well as a great scholar, and wherever he comes, there is so much good humour in his whole conduct, he is the very life and spirit of the company.' He was father to the

"*

(s) The following is a list of such of Mr. Mauduit's publications as we have met with. 1. Tri-unity; or, the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity asserted, in a Discourse preached at Tooting, on 2 Cor. xiii. 14. 1694.-2. A Sermon to the Societies for Reformation of Manners, May 13, 1700, on Mark x. 21.-3. A Sermon on the Death of King William III. who was translated to glory from his Palace at Kensington, the 8th of March 1701-2, preached at St. Mary Magdalen's, Bermondsey, March 22, on Micah iv. 9. dedicated to Baron Ward, Lady Ward, and Philip Papillon, Esq.-4. A Sermon on the Coronation of Queen Anne, preached at the Friday Lecture, at the Weigh-house, April 24, 1702, dedicated to Lady Hamby at Courtlodge, Lady Thompson at Clapham, and Madam Crisp in Lincoln's-in-fields.

(r) Isaac Mauduit, John Killinghall, John Sladen; Benjamin Stinton, Richard Parkes, and Edward Wallin.

• Dunton's Life and Errors, p. 461.

KING JOHN'S-COURT.—Presbyterian, Extinct.

late Jasper Mauduit, Esq. of Hackney, chairman of the committee of deputies for managing the affairs of the Dissenters; a zealous friend, and a distinguished ornament to the dissenting interest. Israel Mauduit, a writer of some celebrity, was a branch of the same family.(u)*

JAMES MATTHEWS.-After Mr. Mauduit's death, Mr. Matthews was chosen to succeed him in the pastoral office. Upon his settlement an unhappy division took place, and part of the people left him, in consequence of one Mr. Langdon, from the West of England, having preached to them as a candidate. But he soon appearing to be an Arian, was rejected by the majority, and Mr. Matthews elected in his room. Although the separation that followed operated unfavourably at first, yet it proved but sliort-lived; for Mr. Langdon in a little time quitted the ministry, and became a custom-house officer, and a member with Mr. Henry Read, at St. Thomas's: upon which his people dispersed. Mr. Matthews was a plain and zealous preacher of Jesus Christ, and salvation by him alone; a hearty Calvinist, and a serious Christian. His name appears amongst the subscribing mi

(u) He was born in the West of England in 1708, and educated as a Dissenting minister, which profession he afterwards quitted for that of a merchant, and became a partner with his brother Jasper Mauduit; after whose death, he continued the business on his own account. In 1760, he made his first appearance as an author, in a pamphlet entitled, "Considerations on the present German War." He was afterwards appointed agent for the province of Massachusets, and from that time took an active part in the disputes between the American colonies and the mother country. In 1774, he voluntarily took up the cause of the Dissenters, in a pamphlet entitled, "The case of the Dissenting Ministers; addressed to the Lords spiritual and temporal." In 1778 and 1779, he wrote several severe tracts against the conduct of Sir William and Lord Howe, during their command in America. In May 1787, he was appointed governor of the society among the Dissenters, for propagating the gospel in foreign parts, but died on the 14th of the ensuing month, at the age of 79.--Biog. Dict. Art. Mauduit.

KING JOHN'S-COURT.-Presbyterian, Extinct.

nisters at Salter's-Hall, in 1719. This worthy minister died in 1728, and was succeeded by the celebrated Dr. Benson.(u)

GEORGE BENSON, D. D.-Of this learned and eminent Divine, we have spoken at length under a former article. In the present place it will be sufficient to observe, that his first charge was at Abingdon in Berkshire, where he set out a Calvinist, but during his residence there altered his sentiments. In 1729, he was invited to succeed Mr. Matthews in St. John's Court, and continued the pastor of that church for the space of eleven years, during which time he published some of his most valuable works. Upon the death of Dr. Harris in 1740, he was chosen colleague with the learned Dr. Lardner, at Crutched Friars; where the reader will find a more ample account of him.

EDWARD PICKARD.-We have already given an account of Mr. Pickard elsewhere. He was invited from Stratford in 1740, to succeed Dr. Benson as pastor of the congregation in St. John's Court; in which connection he continued till the latter end of the year 1746, when he was chosen to assist Mr. Newman at Carter-Lane, and upon that gentleman's death, succeeded to the whole pastoral charge.

JOHN BLACKBURN.-Mr. Pickard was succeeded by Mr. John Blackburn, a North of England man, who pursued his studies for the ministry under Dr. Rotherham, at Kendal. He was settled some time at Ravenstonedale, in Westmorland, from whence he removed to St. John's Court. He was settled here a few years, but the congregation being in a very reduced state, dissolved before the year 1760, and the

(u) Mr. Matthews published, "Good Kings and Queens nursing Fathers and Mothers to the Church: A Sermon at Court Yard, Oct. 15, 1727, on their Majesties Coronation." Isa. xlix. 23.

KING JOHN'S-COURT.-Presbyterian, Extinct.

surviving members joined with Mr. Henry Read. After this, Mr. Blackburn settled at Newbury, where he preached at the Presbyterian meeting till the time of his death. He published "Reflections on Government and Loyalty,” a Thanksgiving Sermon for the Peace, preached at King John's Court, April 25, 1749, on Psa. xxxiii. 10, 11. "The Character of Nathanael considered and improved ;" a Sermon on the Death of Mrs. Eliz. Mauduit, who died Sept. 1. 1752, aged 44 years, on John i. 48. He was the editor of Mr. Hopton Haynes's," Scripture Account of the Attributes and Worship of God, and of the Character and Offices of Jesus Christ," 1750.*

After the old congregation broke up, the meetinghouse was sold to the Wesleyan Methodists, and it was used by their societies for a considerable time, Mr. Wesley himself occasionally preaching there. Mr. Hart afterwards of JewinStreet is said to have preached his first sermon in this place about 1760. In 1768 it was occupied by Mr. CHARLES BRADBURY, who published a collection of hymns. He was succeeded by Mr. CHARLES DELASLEY, a Calvinistic Methodist, who preached here till the place was shut up about 1778. Since that time it has been occupied as a wool warehouse, for which purpose we believe it is still used.

T

LONG WALK.

His was a small place built soon after the Act of Uniformity, for Mr. WILLIAM WHITAKER, who was ejected from the parish church. In Mr. Mauduit's time, about the year 1699, the congregation removed to a new meeting-house in St. John's Court, in the same neighbourhood, as related in the preceding article.

Monthly Repos. vol. v. p. 325, 478.

SHAD THAMES.-General Baptist.

There was a congregation of Muggletonians that met in Barnaby-Street, in the year 1738, but we do not know the exact spot.

GRANGE ROAD.

THIS place was erected about thirty years ago, at the joint

expence of Mr. John Duncan, a deacon of the church at Gainsford-Street, and Mr. Stephen Mesnard, a deacon of Dr. Rippon's church in Carter-Lane, who had each left their respective churches. The meeting-house was opened by the late Mr. Huntington, and Mr. Duncan, the latter of whom had just commenced preacher. The two proprietors did not live long in amity; and after they quarrelled, the place is said to have been chiefly managed by Mr. Huntington. This is one of the numerous places where Mr. Davis, now of the Three Cranes, is said to have preached. It is at present occupied, as it has been for some time past, by Mr. John Helmsworth, and it goes by the name of the "Paragon Chapel."

SHAD THAMES.

GENERAL BAPTIST.

IN

N the reign of Charles II. there was a meeting-house at Shad Thames, occupied by a society of Baptists, we believe of the general persuasion, although one of their ministers at