be what they may, he seems to have a just claim to the enjoyment of every omce, privilege, and emolument of that government. And till this is in fact the case, there never can be a settled state of things. There will be an eternal enmity between the governing and the governed; an everlasting struggle for superiority. But when every member of society enjoys equal privileges with his fellow members, the bone of contention is removed, and there is nothing for which they should any longer be at enmity. Equal and impartial liberty; equal privileges and emoluments are, or should be the birth-right of every member of civil society; and it would be the glory of any government to bestow upon its serious, religious, and morally-acting citizens, their right without any regard to the sect or party to which they belong. Talents and integrity alone should be the sine qua non to recommend any man to the notice of people in power. This would make us an united and happy people.

"On the subject of the patronage of livings, it may be proper to observe, that the bishop of enjoys very considerable privileges of this nature, which have been shamefully abused. Not less than 130 presentations belong to him! A certain episcopal gentleman of that diocese, knowing the extensive emoluments which he was likely to be possessed of in this way, brought his son up to the church; and, when he came of proper age, bestowed first one living upon him and then another, as they became vacant, to a very considerable amount, which this son enjoys at this day. He is now one of our dignified clergymen, and in possession of a very unreasonable number of valuable preferments, to most of which he pays extremely little personal attention. He takes care, however, to secure the fleece, the devil may take the flock. John x. 1-18.

"Another son of Aaron, in a neighbouring district, which might be named, possesses preferments in the church, by the procurement of his episcopal father,

to the amount of 2000 pounds a year. He has for a long season been extremely attentive to his tythes, but hardly ever man paid less attention to the salvation of the souls of his people, and the sacred duties of his office. Seldom does he appear among the former, less frequently still does he attend the duties of the latter. Fifty or sixty pounds a year he reluctantly pays to a journeyman parson to supply his own lack of service; like master like man; they are a miserable couple together; the one is penurious, the other dissolute. What must the condition of the flock be, under the care of two such wretched shepherds?

"1 will mention a third curious instance of clerical sagacity. A certain rectory, not fifty miles from this place is of the value of near 2000 pounds a year. A kind young lady, whose friends have sufficient interest with the patron, falls in love with a wicked swearing, dashing officer in the army, and marries him. That a comfortable maintenance may be secured for the

happy pair, it is agreed, that the gentleman shall change the colour of his clothes, apply himself to the attainment of a smattering of Latin and Greek, and admit himself a member of one of our famous Universities. There he actually now is qualifying himself to take possession of this bouncing benefice. The incumbent being dead, a pliable parson is put in for a time as a locum tenens. And when the quondam officer has obtained his proper credentials, this worthy Levite must resign all his fat pigs in favour of this son of Mars. The white-washed officer will then come forward, and declare in the face of God and man, with a lie in his mouth, that "he trusts he is moved by the Holy Ghost to preach the gospel."

"If these were solitary instances of improper proceedings in Church matters, it would not be worth while to notice them. But alas! they are only specimens of what is by no means uncommon, where valuable livings are concerned. Were the business of pri

vate pratronage and presentation thoroughly investigated, and laid before the public, the picture would be highly disgusting to every serious mind, and call for reformation with a tone not easy to be resisted.

"The ecclesiastical and civil parts of our constitution are in opposition one to the other; for the former, in the book of homilies, especially, holds forth the doctrine of passive obedience and nonresistance, while the latter is founded, by the compact at the revolution, on the reciprocal rights of king and people. In this respect, therefore, a reformation is highly desirable. Every clergyman, particularly, should see and feel this, who is obliged to subscribe, ex animo, that all and every thing contained in the book of Common Prayer, &c. is agreeable to the Sacred Writings.

"I add a circumstance, which seems an hardship to the enlightened and conscientious part of the clergy. When we baptise children, we thank God "that it hath pleased him to regenerate them with the Holy Spirit, to receive