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History of the Nonjurors.
237

Collection of Prayers in the time of his persecution, when he was only prosecuted according to law.[1]

Probably Sacheverell was induced to publish the Prayers, to which the Bishop alluded, by the success of his Sermon: or the booksellers may have persuaded him to publish something of the kind. Of his Sermon, Perils Among False Brethren, no less than forty thousand copies were sold in a few weeks. The Prayers were published at the beginning of his trial: "Prayers and Meditations on the Day of his Trial. Price one Penny." Among the petitions were the following: "O Thou God of patience and consolation, grant me patience and resignation under my sufferings. Give me Christian courage to perform the cause which I have in hand." Prayers were also desired, in the Queen's Chapel, for Dr. Henry Sacheverell under persecution, by Mr. Palmer, for which he was removed from his post. At the close of the trial another Tract was published, Dr. Sacheverell's Prayers of Thanksgiving for his great Deliverance out of his Troubles. 1710;" so that he evidently viewed his conviction as a victory.[2]

The Lords decided on his suspension: his sermons, together with A Collection of Passages used at the trial, were ordered to be publicly burned: but still his conviction was a triumph. Bisset endeavoured to turn the tide of popular feeling against Sacheverell, by publishing his Modern Fanatic. Three parts of this work made their appearance; but the Author


  1. Tindal, iv. 157. Macpherson, ii. 394—398.
  2. The Wisdom of Looking Backward, to Judge the better of one side and t'other by the Speeches, Writings, Actions, and other matters of Fact on both sides for the four years last past. London, 1715, pp. 10, 19. Tindall, iv. 157.