" of their respective statutes; which is become in some cases unlawful, in others impracticable, in others useless, in others in"convenient." Thus prepared, they enter the church lying unto God; giving their " unfeigned assent and consent to all and to every "thing in the thirty nine articles and the book of common prayer," thoughtlessly or hypocritically declaring that they are inwardly "moved so to do by the Holy Ghost." This clerical practice of swearing and subscribing to what the swearer and subscriber does not believe, we challenge any one to vindicate on the principles of common sense or common honesty; and we are firmly persuaded that there never was an apology written for the practice but was disgraceful to both: we need not therefore be surprised at the ingenuous confession made by the famous apologist for ecclesiastical prevarication and perjury just quoted-" That he could not afford "to keep a conscience in the sense of the word that some others "did."* Does Lord Sidmouth therefore really feel for the honour of religion let him well examine the foundations of the established church: would he prevent the continued addition to the millions of lies and perjuries, the consequence of the abominable act of uniformity, and of those disgraceful statutes which require oaths, in most cases disregarded, and in some impossible to be kept, let him seriously endeavour to procure the repeal of laws, which have made such general havoc with the consciences of the clergy, and have tainted at least in some degree, the minds of the very best of them.

The manner in which preferments in the church are generally procured, is another evil which naturally produces swarms of ignorant and and unqualified clergymen, whose only aim is what is literally and properly termed a good living. Are not advowsons publicly bought and sold; and are not the recommendations of a "fine sporting country, a pack of hounds in the neighbourhood, and "little duty required,” frequently held out as temptations to the indolent, the ignorant, and the vicious? The living of Wimbish in Essex, was a few years since advertised, and enchantingly described, "of the value of 5761. a year, a perpetuity in fee, nearly equal "to a freehold estate, being a sinecure, and the only qualification

*This curious anecdote is recorded by his biographer, Mr. Meadley. The confession was made to a committee of clergymen who waited on Mr. Paley, with a petition for relief from subscription to the 39 articles. When he refused signing, an appeal was made to his conscience, as he had not long before written in favour of the measure; but perceiving that this was not the way to preferment, he pleaded that he was a young man, rising in life, and closed his apology with the ever memorable declaration above quoted. We were informed of this disgraceful circumstance by one of the clergymen present at the famous conference, long before it was published by Paley's biographer, and who ever after entertained a very mean opinion of his principles.

"necessary being in orders, as there is neither residence, nor duty required, and it being tenable with any other two church "livings." Another of our public prints lately stated a transaction in which "two advowsons were offered for a seat in the house of "Commons." As to the superior dignities of the church every one knows how they are procured! What therefore must be the natural consequence of this wretched system of traffic, of bargain, sale, and political influence? Let a member of this corrrupt establishment answer the question." The hand of the Priests hath "been chief in our national transgressions: the clergy, worldly "minded, proud, ambitious, idle, ignorant: however learned as "philosophers, linguists or mathematicians, ignorant of that which “is the most valuable wisdom, the knowledge of the gospel, are "the blind leaders of the blind: are not the herd of dignitaries "the chief stumbling blocks; must not their general pursuits, con"nections, conduct, convince the very infidel great, whom they "fawn upon, and persecute for preferment, that if the systems "inculcated in the epistles to Timothy and Titus be true, it is impossible that these men should believe one word of christianity "more than themselves."

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Lord Sidmouth assigned another reason for introducing his bill,— the "want of moral qualifications in dissenting teachers: as a proof "of which he read a letter he had received, stating an instance of "great depravity in a preacher who had obtained a licence." His lordship further remarked, that "nothing could be of more importance than that religious instruction should not be contamina"ted at its source, and that its teachers should not be men of "tainted or immoral principles." And was it matter of astonish ment to his lordship, that after all his industry he had found out one instance of an immoral dissenting teacher? If this instance bas so shocked his pious feelings, how must they be "harrowed up," on reading in the public prints, the numerous instances of depravity in our established priests? To pass over the squabbles about tythes, are not the trials for clerical adultery multiplied? Have there been no instances of high preferments being eagerly

* These were as nearly as I can recollect," adds our author," the very expressions uttered by a noble lord of the most distinguished attainments, natural and acquired, in a conversation I once held with him, "respecting the truth and evidence of christianity." I must request the reader carefully to note, that the evidence I have brought on this subject, is not from dissenters, but from clergymen of the establishment, popular in their respective circles. The first, Dr. Paley as a writer and preacher of distinguished learning and talents, and the latter, Dr. Hawes, the rector of Aldwinkle,-famous for the manner in which he procured his living :— as a leader of the clergy called evangelical, and for his missionary zeal!

sought after through the medium of prostitutes, and of clergymen by such means having preached before his Majesty flaming sermons against French atheism and immorality? Have any of the parties engaged in these scandalous transactions been made amenable to church discipline? Is his lordship ignorant, that several clergymen during the present reign, one of them distinguished in his day for his abilities, his popularity, and his preferments, have expiated their crimes on the gallows?-Why then does his lordship force the recollection of these disgraceful circumstances on the mind of the public, by stating a solitary instance of what he has heard, of dissenting depravity, (the particulars of which or the denomination of the offender we are not informed,) as a reason for attacking the rights of the whole body of dissenters? But what proves to demonstration, the too general unfitness of the clergy for their stations as public teachers is, the transactions in parliament, relative to non-residence. This practice, which that great ornament of the establishment, Bishop Burnet, declared, was the "peculiar scandal of the "church of England," had a few years since arisen to such an height; so alarmed were the sacred order at the prosecutions instituted, and the still greater number threatened against them for their long and notorious violation of the laws of God and of their country, that they applied to the legislature for relief; and to accommodate the conveniences, the luxuries, and the consciences, of these qualified ministers of the gospel, the operation of those laws was suspended in their favour. During the investigation of this subject, a list was laid before parliament, in the year 1808, of the number of non-residents, which amounted to 6,145. The number since that period, it is understood, has not decreased. Now, when we recollect that the amount of livings in Britain is about 11,000, we may form some competent judgment of the qualifitations of the clergy for their work, for what is called the "cure of souls," and of the anxious solicitude of these reverend pastors, for the spiritual interests of their flocks! It is in vain that Lord Harrowby year after year, moves for additional grants to the established church; it is in vain that Lord Sidmouth laments the increase of sectaries, or the want of more churches; it will be something worse than in vain, if the professed friends of the church, instead of building churches themselves, pilfer the public purse for the purpose; whilst the gross abuses we have mentioned (a few out of many) continue, the number of dissenters will continue to increase: yea, we will add, the welfare, if not the preservation of genuine christianity in this country depends on that increase. The reformation of the church of England therefore, loudly demands Lord Sidmouth's exertions; and if his lordship does not, with all these crying and increasing abuses staring him in the face, seriously set about the work, no

great credit will be due to his assertions of " endeavouring to make "religion more respectable in the eyes of the world." Indeed the existence of the church of England for any long period depends on her reformation. Whilst the present act of uniformity continues ; whilst prevarication and perjury are the doors of admission to that church; so long as she continues a trading, corrupt corporation, managed by the court, and the cabinet, ANTICHRIST is written on her forehead; the broad mark of God's reprobation is awfully visible; and she will most assuredly experience the fate of her corrupt antichristian sister churches on the continent. Radical reformation, or complete ruin, must in both church and state be the lot of this guilty nation.

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Much has been said in a recent debate of the great danger of permitting ignorant men to preach the gospel, as it may affect the common people. Let us attend to plain facts, and we challenge the whole body of churchmen to point out such instances of gross ignorance, immorality, and brutality amongst the laity who dissent from the church, as in its professed members. Who were the rioters who kept up a flame in the nation in former times, in favour of jacobitism and popery? the high church party? Who were the guilty authors of the Birmingham riots? What immediate hand the clergy had in those horrible proceedings we shall not stay to inquire. The rioters were addressed by their" duly qualified" pastors, whose instructions they had so well imbibed, by the names of-" Friends and fellow churchmen!" Who are the authors of those outrages which to the disgrace of the country, still occasionally break out against dissenting worship? Not those who attend the preaching of the illiterate itinerant, but that of the duly " qualified" established priest. A party of these friends to the constitution in church, were lately compelled to ask pardon in the public prints for their riotous conduct; so illiterate were they, that not one of them could write their names. We will not make researches into the calendars of our courts of justice: were we to look over the lists of the transported or executed, the comparison we suspect would not turn out greatly to the honour of the church. We leave the task to be pursued by Lord Sidmouth; an impartial examination of the state of our public morals may lead him to some farther reflections enforcing the absolute necessity of reformation in his own favourite establishment.Before he therefore again attempts to reform the dissenters, he would do well to ponder the important admonition, and apply it to his own church. Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, let me pull the mote out of thine eye, and behold a beam that is in own thine eye? First cast

out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

But," added the author of the present bill, "under the acts as now interpreted, all persons,-coblers, stone-masons, chimneysweeps, &c. were held as admissable;" and why did not his lordship add fishermen, for he could not but recollect that a number of contemptible characters of this description, as they were judged by the rulers in church and state of their day, were not unsuccessfully employed in the first promulgation of christianity. But what right has his lordship, or any legislature, or any king upon earth to prevent such men from thinking and judging for themselves in matters of religion, or from explaining to those who choose to hear them, their ideas of the gospel? Some noble sentiments have been uttered on this subject by Lords HOLLAND, STANHOPE, ERSKINE and GREY, who all appear perfectly to understand the foundation principles of religious liberty. An extract from Lord Holland's speech on the motion for the second reading of the bill, must suffice as a specimen.— "As to his own individual opinions on the subject of toleration he "should never retract them: amongst them was the opinion that it was one of the natural RIGHTS OF MAN, (for man, he would con“tend had natural rights,) to interpret the bible in his own way, "according to the best of his judgment; of that right no human power should attempt to divest him; and what was his sincere conviction, he equally had a right to inculcute on the minds of "others, so long as in so doing, he did not injure the state, or in"terrupt the peace of the community Suppose five hundred paupers chose to hear religion from a man of their own selecting, " and of their own class, was it to be said, that the desire was be"yond what might be permitted; and yet where was this teacher to "find his six housekeeping vouchers, such as might be approved by magistrates? Or was the argument to be persisted in by those "men who were so ready to boast of their attachment to religion, "and to acknowledge as one of its glories, that it had risen by the “labours of humble men, not merely without dependence on, but in opposition to the wealth, and influence, and power of the great of this world. Yet it was not enough for the bill that the dissenting minister should be devout and learned, but that he should " be proved to be so by his congregation; how? by the signature "of six housekeepers. Was his ordeal to end here? No; the judgment of the six housekeepers was to be revised by a country "justice, before the dissenting congregation could be secure of the "teacher whom they had originally chosen for his fitness. The bill was therefore completely at variance with all that he had ever learned to revere as the genuine principles of religious liberty."

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VOL. IX.