reduced to 39, their present number. The articles omitted referred to the resurrection of the dead, the unperishable nature of the soul, the Millenarian heretics, and universal salvation. The articles were originally published in the Latin and English languages, and the original manuscript of them, it is said, may be seen in the library of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. It is a curious circumstance, that whilst the church requires subscription to these articles of all who are to be admitted members of any of the universities, and of all who are admitted into holy orders or to ecclesiastical benefices; yet in Ireland it is not necessary either at ordination, institution, or taking degrees, to subscribe the 39 articles, or any of them. Nor is it unworthy of remark, that the 20th article is deemed a forgery. Burnet allows, that "the words 'the church hath power to decree rites and ceremonies,' &c., are not in the original of the articles signed by both houses of convocation, that are yet extant." And the celebrated Anthony Collins hath proved them an interpolation, in an “Historical and Critical Essay on the Articles, 1724." A singular controversy hath been agitated of late years, whether these thirty-nine articles be Calvinistic or Arminian. For the Calvinistic sense Mr. Overton strenuously contends, in his "True Churchman ascertained;" whilst Dr. Kipling, Dean of Peterborough, in his "Articles of the Church of England proved not to be Calvinistic," and Mr. Daubeny, in his "Vindsciæ Ecclesiæ Anglicana,” maintain their Arminian interpretation. The Bishop of Winchester appears to adopt a middle course, for he says, "Our church is not Lutheran, it is not Calvinistic, it is not Arminian, it is SCRIPTURAL, it is built upon the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone." But Burnet, Waterland, &c., seem to have thought it more natural to believe, that as the reformers were inclined, some to Calvinism and others to Arminianism, so the articles are framed with comprehensive latitude; that neither Calvinism nor Arminianism was meant to be exclusively established. See Shepherd's "Elucidation," and Wheatley's "Illustrations of the Liturgy and Prayers of the Church of England!"

Attempts have been made to amend the Articles, the Liturgy, and some things which related to the internal government of the Church of England. The late Dr. Watson wrote a "Letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury," in the year 1781, in which he argues for the propriety of a more equal distribution of salary among the different orders of the clergy. But this plan projected by the worthy prelate, together with the preceding proposals for reform, by the authors of the "Free and Candid Disquisitions," and of the "Appeal to Reason and Candour," have been suffered to sink into oblivion.

The church of England has produced a succession of eminent men. Among its ornaments are to be reckoned Usher, Jewel, Hall, Taylor, Stillingfleet, Cudworth, Willkins, Tillotson, Cumberland, Barrow, Burnet, Pearson, Hammond, Whitby, Clarke, Hoadley, Jortin, Secker, Butler, Warburton, Horne, Lowth, Hurd and Porteus. In the appendix to Mosheim, will be found a circumstantial account of the correspondence carried on in the year 1718, between Dr. William Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury, and certain doctors of the Sorbonne of Paris, relative to a project of union between the English and Gallican churches. "Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity," "Pearson on the Creed," "Burnet on the Thirty-nine Articles," and the Bishop of Winchester's "Elements of Theology," are the best defences of Episcopacy.

In Scotland, and other parts, since the Revolution, there existed a species of Episcopalians called Nonjurors, because, being inflexibly attached to the Stuarts, who were driven from the throne, they refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Brunswick family. They are the remains of the ancient Episcopal church of Scotland, which was, after various fluctuations, abolished at the Revolution. "In consequence of this abolition, (says Bishop Skinner, in his Primitive Truth and Order,) which was followed the year after by the establishment of the Presbyterian form of church government, the bishops were deprived of every thing connected with their office which the civil power could take from them. They lost their revenues and temporal jurisdiction, but their spirit

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ual authority still remained, and that gift of God,' which they had received by the imposition of Episcopal hands, they considered themselves bound to exercise for promoting that Episcopal work in the church of God which had been committed to them." On the decease of the Pretender, whom the Nonjurors styled Prince Charles, and who died at Rome, 1788, they complied with the requisition of government, and the distinction is abolished. Their tender of loyalty, it is said, was graciously received, and in 1792, those penal laws which had been enacted, against them at various periods, but especially after the rebellions of 1715 and 1745, were repealed. At Lawrence-kirk, in the county of Kincardine, 1804, their bishops and clergy swore to the Articles of the United Church of England and Ireland, and then became a branch of that church, being acknowledged as such by the English and Irish prelates, whilst some English clergy have joined their Communion. Mr. Adam says. "Her clergy subscribes the Articles, I believe to a man, in the Anticalvinistic sense; so that whatever weight their opinion may be allowed to have in the scale, it is added to that of the Anticalvinists in England." The Scotch Episcopal church is governed by eight bishops, one of whom is always Primate, being a kind of Archbishop under the title of Primus, or Maximus Scotia Episcopus. Their dioceses are those of Aberdeen, Ross, Glasgow, Moray, Edinburgh, Dunkeld, and Brechin. Their places of worship are generally well attended. See Skinner's "Ecclesiastical History," in two volumes, and his son the late Bishop Skinner's "Primitive Truth and Order vindicated from modern Misinterpretation, with a Defence of Episcopacy, particularly that of Scotland. 1803."

These Scotch Episcopalians complain, that now they have abjured the House of Stuart, the other Episcopalians in North Britain will not put themselves under their jurisdiction. See Archdeacon Daubeny's "Letter to a Scotch Nobleman on the Subject of Ecclesiastical Unity,' subjoined to "a Layman's Account of his Faith and Practice, as a Member of the Episcopal Church in Scotland.”

A fund has been formed to increase the income of their clergy by subscriptions in England and Scotland, which has been attended with success. They hope for a favourable introduction of their representations to the clergy and laity of Ireland. Bishops Horsley, and Horne were attached to this branch of the Episcopal church; the latter even declaring, that "If the great Apostle of the Gentiles were upon earth, and it were put to his choice with what denomination of Christians he would communicate, the preference would probably be given to the Episcopalians of Scotland!" The good bishop must have forgotten the transactions of this pure and apostolical church from the restoration to the revolution. Its rulers

were most bloody persecutors; and the truly pious Archbishop Leighton resigned his office rather than countenance such diabolical measures. (See article kirk of Scotland.) The Rev. R. Adam, who has given a flattering account of this church, has, with a deficiency of his usual regard to truth and candour, omitted this part of her history. The reader will perceive, by the perusal of the above article, that I am willing to do them justice. The same justice, however, requires that this church, with the foul blot of persecution upon her, should not be extolled at the expense of all the other denominations, both churchmen and Dissenters; though the sins of the fathers ought not to be imputed to their posterity.

The Reformation in England, began under the auspices of Henry the Eighth, was checked by Mary, who proceeded like a fury to re-establish Popery. In her sanguinary reign were burnt one archbishop, four bishops, twenty-one divines, eight gentlemen, one hundred and eighty-four artificers, and one hundred husdandmen, servants, and labourers; twenty-six wives, twenty widows, and nine virgins, two boys, and two infants! Bishop Burnet says, that two hundred and eighty-four perished in the flames; but Archbishop Grindal, who lived at the time, declares that eight hundred were burnt in this execrable reign, whilst many died amidst the horrors of incarceration. On the death of Mary, 1558, Elizabeth ascended the throne, repealed the laws which had been

established in favour of the Catholic religion, and restored her supremacy. In these matters she succeeded, since of 9,400 beneficed clergymen, about 120 only refused to comply with the Reformation. The establishment of Protestantism in England underwent fluctuations, till the glorious Revolution under William, in 1688, placed it on a permanent foundation.

With respect to the dignitaries of the church of England, the archbishop of Canterbury is metropolitan, or primate of ALL England, whilst the archbishop of York is simply styled primate of England. The bishops take precedence of all temporal barons, and the bishops of London, Durham, and Winchester, take the precedence of the other bishops, who rank after them according to their seniority of consecration. They visit their dioceses once in three years; but the Irish prelates every year— archidiaconal visitations being there unknown. Beside this visitation of their dioceses, the duties of bishops are to assist at the consecration of other prelates, for which three are required, to ordain priests and deacons, to consecrate churches and burying-grounds, and to administer the right of confirmation to the rising generation. A person must be twenty-three years of age before he is ordained deacon, the deacon twenty-four before he be ordained priest, which enables him to administer the Lord's Supper, and the priest must be thirty years of age before he can be raised to the mitre; and priests must be ordained by the bishop with the laying on of hands of other priests, though this is only a mark of assent not essential to due ordination. Magistracy is not deemed incompatiple with the Clerical office; but, by a late act of parliament (made in the case of the famous Horne Tooke), persons in holy orders are ineligible to seats in parliament. The clergy are supported by tithes, which often occasion bitter altercations between them and their parishioners, so as to destroy the efficacy of their spiritual labours towards moral improvement. This wants greatly to be remedied. The tithe, or tenth part of certain property, is assigned for clerical maintenance. The rector enjoys the prædial or great tithes; if these be appropriated or converted into