Eighteenth-century London had a vibrant civic culture that provided many opportunities for people of all ranks to participate in meetings, activities and events which helped define the nature of metropolitan life. Londoners could have watched the grand ceremonies of the Corporation of London, attended the feasts of the livery companies, participated in their parishes' events and governance, or gone to the meetings of the numerous charities and societies in the capital. All of these occasions helped to provide a sense of identity and belonging within the various communities in London and also reinforced the central values of these communities. Many of the most important civic occasions included a sermon as part of the festivities or meetings. There was preaching at the election of the Lord Mayor; at the anniversary meetings of many of the livery companies, charities and societies; and at fast or feast days that were inspired by current or historical events in London. There also were regular charity sermons at many churches and meeting houses across the city. The clergy were expected to make their sermons relevant to the occasions on which they were delivered, so these preachers addressed many of the core civic values and commented on the aims and work of the various groups.

This chapter discusses the contributions of these preachers to London's civic culture. There have been a number of studies of these ‘civic’ sermons, but these have tended to focus on a particular type of sermon, such as charity sermons or sermons at a particular occasion or before a specific audience, so the similar function these sermons served in London life has not been considered.