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of mankind, to be the only true and primitive Christianity. Dr. Milner replied at length to Dr. Sturges, who only noticed it in the preface to the subsequent edition of his own work, content to share the obliquy cast upon him in conjunction with some of the most learned, and pious characters that ever adorned the Christian world.

EPISCOPALIANS; OR, CHURCH OF
ENGLAND.

The Episcopalians, in the modern acceptation of the term, belong more especially to the Church of England, and derive this title from Episcopus, the Latin word for bishop; or, if it be referred to its Greek origin, from Eлt over, and Exone to look, implying, the care and diligence with which bishops are expected to preside over those committed to their guidance and direction. They insist on the divine origin of their bishops, and other church officers, and on the alliance between church and state. Respecting these subjects, however, Warburton and Hoadley, together with others of the learned amongst them, have different opinions, as they have also on their thirty-nine articles, which were established in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. They are to be found in most Common Prayer-Books; and the Episcopal church in America has reduced their number to twenty. By some these articles are made to speak the language of Calvinism, and by others have been interpreted in favour of Arminianism. Even lately the controversy was agitated—and the publications of Overton, Kipling, and Daubeny, together with the recent Charge of the Bishop of Winchester, may be consulted on the subject. The doctrines and discipline of the Church of England are nearly connected with the reformation of Luther in Germany, and also with the state of ecclesiastical affairs for a considerable time before that reformation commenced.

Eusebius positively asserts, that Christianity was first introduced into South Britain by the apostles and their disciples; and it is supposed that the Apostle Paul visited

this country, whose zeal, diligence, and fortitude, were abundant. It is also said, that numbers of persons professed the Christian faith here about the year 150; and, according to Usher, there was, in the year 182, a school of learning, to provide the British churches with proper teachers. On this subject of the first introduction of Christianity into this Island, the reader is referred to the first volume of Henry's "History of Great Britain," and to Dr. Richard's "Cambro-British Biography," where his curiosity will be grattified.

JOHN WICKLIFFE, educated at Oxford in the reign of Edward the Third, was the first person in this country who publicly questioned, and boldly refuted the doctrines of Popery. He left behind him many followers, who were called Wickliffites and Lollards; the latter being a term of reproach taken from the Flemish tongue. In the council of Constance, 1415, the memory and opinions of Wickliffe (who died peaceably at Lutterworth, 1384,) were condemned, and soon after his bones were dug up and burnt, and the ashes thrown into a brook. This impotent rage of his enemies served only to promote the cause of reform which Wickliffe had espoused. "Thus," says Fuller, "this brook conveyed his ashes into Avon, Avon into Severn, Severn into the narrow seas, they into the main ocean; and thus the ashes of Wickliffe are emblem of his doctrine, which now is dispersed all the world over." Some remains of his old pulpit, in which he first uttered his doctrine, are said to be still seen at Lutterworth, and are beheld by strangers with veneration.

Nor were the early efforts of this eminent Reformer, WICKLIFFE, usually denominated the morning star of the reformation, in vain.

The CHURCH of England broke off from the Romish church in the time of Henry the Eighth, when (as has been already related) Luther had begun the Reformation in Germany. During the earlier part of his reign, Henry was a bigoted Papist, burnt William Tyndal, (who made one of the first and best English Translations of the New Testament,) and wrote fiercely in defence of the seven sac

raments against Luther, for which the Pope honoured him with the title of Defender of the Faith! This title is retained by the kings of England even to the present day, though they are the avowed enemies of that Faith, by contending for which he acquired that honourable distinction. Henry falling out with the Pope, took the government of ecclesiastical affairs into his own hands; and baving reformed many enormous abuses entitled himself Supreme Head of the Church..

When the Reformation in England first took place, efforts were made to promote the reading of the Scriptures among the common people. Among other devices for the purpose, the following curious one was adopted: Bonner, Bishop of London, caused six Bibles to be chained to certain convenient places in St. Paul's church, for all that were so well inclined to resort there; together with a certain admonition to the readers, fastened upon the pillars to which the Bibles were chained, to this tenor :—“That whosoever came there to read, should prepare himself to be edified, and made the better thereby; that he bring with him discretion, honest intent, charity, reverence, and quiet behaviour; that there should no such number meet together there as to make a multitude; that no such exposition be made thereupon but what is declared in the book itself; that it be not read with noise in time of divine service, or that any disputation or contention be used about it; that in case they continued their former misbehaviour, and refused to comply with these directions, the king would be forced against his will to remove the occasion, and take the Bible out of the church."-See Johnson's "Historical Account of the several English Translations of the Bible," and the opposition they met with from the church of Rome.

The Church of England is governed by the King, who is supreme head; by two archbishops, and by twentyfour bishops. The benefices of the bishops were converted by William the Conqueor into temporal baronies; so that every prelate has a seat and a vote in the House of Peers. Dr. Benjamin Hoadley, however, in a sermon preached from this text, "My kingdom is not of this

world," insisted that the clergy had no pretensions to temporal jurisdictions; which gave rise to various publications, termed, by way of eminence, the Bangorian Controversy, for Hoadley was then bishop of Bangor. The memory of this eminent prelate has been abused by Dr. Milner, in his "History of Winchester," but Mr. Hoadley Ashe and Dr. Sturges have amply vindicated it. His writings, in three large folio volumes, constitute a vast mass of religious information, communicated in a strain that shows his ardent love both of civil and religious liberty.

There is a bishop of Sodor and Man who has no seat in the House of Peers; and a prelate of this see was the amiable and learned Dr. Wilson. Since the death of the intolerant Archbishop Laud, men of moderate principles have been raised to the see of Canterbury, and this hath tended not a little to the tranquillity of church and state. Such is the character of the present Archbishop Sutton, who, on the rejection of Lord Sidmouth's Bill, May 21, 1811, bore his testimony against intolerance, and in favour of the inalienable rights of conscience. His words were these, and spoken with a fervour that evinced his sincerity: "However he might lament what he conceived to be the errors of Protestant Dissenters, it was to be recollected that the Bible was the fountain of their religious belief, as well as that of the established church, and was, or might be, in the hands of every member of the empire; and it was to be recollected also, that the best of interpretations were but the interpretations of men, and that the best of men were liable to error!" Had his predecessor Laud uttered and practised this apostolic sentiment, he would not have lost his own head, nor brought his master after him to the scaffold. Kings find toleration the best safeguard of the throne; and the ministers of Jesus ought to know, that a meek and quiet spirit is the lovliest ornament of Christianity.

The established church of IRELAND is similar to the church of England, and at the union of England and Ireland the two became one united Church. It is governed by four archbishops and eighteen bishops. Since the union of Ireland with Great Britain, four only of these

spiritual lords sit in the House of Lords, assembled at Westminster. The Irish established church is far more liberally endowed than the church of England. Its abuses also are much greater, and call loudly for amendment. In the course of the last century disputes arose among the English clergy respecting the propriety of subscribing to human formulary of religious sentiments. An apany plication for its removal was made to Parliament in 1772, by the petitioning clergy, and received, as it deserved, the most public discussion in the house of Commons. It was negatived by 219 against 73, a large majority. The third edition of Archdeacon Blackburn's "Confessional" was published in 1770, two years previous to the presentation of this clerical petition, when the long controversy, in consequence of the work, was closed, and indeed introductory to the application to Parliament pending, by which the controversy was renewed. Mr. Dyer's Treatise against Subscription appeared many years afterwards. Some respectable clergymen, impressed with the impropriety of subscription, resigned their livings, and published reasons for their conduct. Among these, the names of Robertson, Jebb, Matty, Lindsey, and Dinsey, will be long remembered. Several others, indeed, resigned preferments held by the same tenure for similar reasons, without giving such reasons to the public as Mr. Tyrwhitt, Mr. Wakefield, &c.; and it has been said that many more reluctantly continue in their conformity, under the contest between their convictions and their inability from various causes to extricate themselves, but who will never repeat their subscriptions. The late Rev. T. Lindsey, however, withdrew from the church, because he objected to the Trinity; professing to worship the Father only as the one true God, to the exclusion of Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit, as objects of worship. See "The Book of Common Prayer Reformed," used at Essex-street chapel; and also at York-street chapel, Piccadilly, lately opened for Unitarian worship at the west end of the town.

The Articles of the church of England were originally 42 in number, drawn up by Cranmer, assisted by Bishop Ridley. Ten years after, 1562, they were revised and

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