improprieties which are suffered to prevail. To offer any defence for such practices, is utterly impossible; and to be obliged either to be silent, or to join in the general contempt in which they are held, is to them a matter of a very painful concern. Sceptical persons, on witnessing in the ministers of the church such a total disregard to their solemnly promised attention to their duty, naturally conclude, either that religion is a mere invention of state, to keep the people in awe of, and in obedience to, their rulers; or that it is matter of no moment whatever to pay any regard to it, when its paid, cherished, patronized, and licenced guardians shew to it, and their own solemn engagements, no serious regard. Between such ministers and themselves, they can see no difference but what is in their own favour. Nay, they conceive themselves to have greatly the advantage; and therefore they are by this confirmed in their sceptical notions. Their conduct being more consistent with the principles they hold, they readily conclude that they are the more honest, and therefore the more deserving of the general esteem, than those who, professing religion to be of the utmost importance to the souls of men, neither seriously attend to it themselves, nor teach it to those to whom both by law and duty they are so solemnly bound. Beside these, there are others, who, on witnessing such improper and inexcusable conduct, make it the ground of their secession from the Established church. Whether they are justified in this, is a different question: but such a handle being given for the keen remark and sarcasm of those who are opposed to that form of religion which the state provides, they naturally conclude that they will be better instructed and cared for in a religious sense, by those who make it their constant business and unwearied and personal care to attend upon the very thing, than by those who by their constant absence from their charge, render it impossible for them to give, as well as difficult for others to believe that they have any, the least regard for their spiritual welfare. To defend such persons and practices, is out of the power of any conscientious man. To rebut the charges brought against them, or against the rulers of the church for permitting or tolerating them, much more for abetting them, is utterly impossible. On all sides, therefore, the church is exposed to contempt, reproach, and danger. She has lost the respect, esteem, and confidence of millions, who, had things been otherwise, would never have left her pale. The consequence is, she is so rapidly on the decline, that without a speedy, and I had almost said an unlooked for change for the better, she will certainly fall; and I will leave those who are wise in politics to say, what will then become of the civil constitution of the state. CHAPTER IV. Necessity of returning to the original intentions of the founders of the church, with regard to all the plans which they devised, and the regulations they adopted ; in order to render her efficient for the purpose intended; to regain the confidence of the people ;— and to preserve her in existence. "THERE never was any thing by the wit of man, so well devised or so sure established, which in continuance of time hath not been corrupted." This sensible and judicious remark of our great and excellent reformer, has been grievously verified, as it regards almost all the plans which they devised, and the regulations they adopted for the administration and discipline of that very church, of which, under God, they themselves were the founders. To a very great extent this has been already proved, and the evils consequent thereon made so apparent, as to demand, if possible, their instant removal. Devoutly as this is to be desired, it is but too evident that that which by length of time has been gradually corrupted and perverted, is and must be beyond the reach of immediate correction. But however far we may have gone from the original designs and regulations of the founders of the church, by secularizing that which was intended for other and better purposes, the holy apparatus which under God they wisely devised and established, still retains within itself both the means and power of its own reformation. In times like the present, this is by no means a matter of inferior moment. The process may be slow, but the effects would be certain, if all our spiritual rulers would take it indeed to heart;seek by the grace of God to be themselves what the church designed;-and exercise that tender regard for the souls of men and the interests of true religion, which the Holy Scriptures everywhere demand. Without this, very little indeed can be done by those in inferior stations, to retard the course of a falling establishment. However prudently, conscientiously, or zealously, their efforts may be directed, they can reach no further than their own particular charge. The course of the stream being constantly against them, their purposes will be always defeated, and they will finally be overwhelmed. If this be true, and the sad history of the church, when last overthrown, leaves I think no question on the subject-then ought we to learn wisdom from the things she has suffered, and begin in time, where chiefly rests the power of reform. I am aware that no human power can change the hearts of men; and that it is equally beyond its reach to communicate right - sentiments and feelings, where sentiments and feelings of this description have no existence. But it can use the means under God to produce all these. It can do more, it can correct externally that which is wrong; it can command attention to neglected duties; it can appoint to the highest stations, those whom the church designed; prevent the intrusion of improper persons into the sacred ministry; and shew that it is not unmindful of the important purposes for which it is instituted. This, I take it, is all that it can do. And if exercised under the influence of the fear of God, and that tender regard to the souls of men which the Scriptures demand, it would not be exercised in vain. Much good might be done ten thousand ways, if it did plainly appear that the temporal head, and the spiritual rulers of the church, were all thus influenced and actuated. There is nothing but this, under God, that can enable them to preserve their stations, or to save the church. That time has passed, wherein the name of bishop carried with it associations of a sacred character, and stamped its bearer as a holy man, to whom respect was due, and paid, for his very order's sake. Whatever therefore may be the rank or secular endowments of our spiritual rulers, or of the clergy at large, that respect which was formerly paid to their sacred order, cannot now be acquired, nor will it be afforded as belonging to their habit, or their |