The parish, also, might purchase Quebec chapel, Oxford or Portland chapel, and enlarge and convert them into parish churches. At all events, one large commodious parish church might be built, or two or three of the chapels be made strictly parochial, by giving a proper satisfaction to their owners, (but pity it is any of them should be private property,) and have the offices of christenings and churchings performed in them. The readers and evening preachers might also have an adequate stipend conferred upon them, for taking care of a portion of the parish situate nearest to the chapels in which they officiate. The performance of christening, also, might be limited to Sunday afternoons, Wednesdays, and Fridays. It may be said, the dividing the parish, and erecting new churches, would be entirely altering the constitution of the parish. It would; but does not the constitution of this parish imperiously demand a change?*-The expence would be great.— True, it would, but the advantage arising from such an expenditure would be great also. It is the design of our holy religion, that " to the poor the gospel should be preached." The salus populi is the great end of all laws and enactments.-Without religion, or with an infatuated and insane religion, the most dreadful consequence must be prognosticated. No doubt, when the numbers of our methodists are sufficiently increased to give effect to their wishes, they will heartily endeavour to procure the abolition of tythes, or to have none but preachers of their own stamp in the possession of them.-Mary-le-bone parish is the richest perhaps in England. A penny rate produces near two thousand pounds; and, without burdening the parish at all heavily, the interest of as large a principal sum, borrowed on life annuities, might be levied, as would be sufficient for the purposes before named. Necessity demands that something should be done. The Bishop of Durham, Lord Radstock, and other benevolent characters, have humanely and honourably exerted, and are exerting themselves, to have the children of the indigent instructed. May success smile upon their laudable designs! But, oh! let the adult poor also share some part of their attention. May they enlarge the sphere of their zeal and charity! Might not the scheme be begun by making the chapels free for the poor in the afternoons of Sundays? or might they not be accommodated with seats in the middle ailes, after the manner of St, James's and St. George's churches? Pancras parish also might be formed into two, at least. Let the present church be greatly enlarged, and another, capacious and commodious, be built near Tavistock-Square. The New Road would be an excellent partition of the two parishes.

Evils of the nature here alluded to are not difficult to correct; and it is therefore the more incumbent on the legislature

* Fav est ab hoste doceri. Bonaparte allows a synogague to every 2000 Jews. Pity it is that there is not some law, compelling parishes, when they receive a given increase of inhabitants, to erect a second church, or large subordinate chapel, strictly parochial. How greatly are such places wanted in the vicinity of Knightsbridge, in Shoreditch parish, and, indeed, in all the suburbs of the metropolis! Chapels that are private property, are very poor substitutes, and, except in rich neighbourhoods, will not answer as speculations to their proprietors.

to apply the remedy. We close our account of this work with an opinion that it is a publication calculated to do a great deal of good; and that the sentiments contained therein do great honour both to the heart, and the head of the respectable author.

A Letter to the Right Hon. Spencer Perceval, Chancellor the Exchequer, on a Subject connected with his Bill, now under Discussion in Parliament, for improving the Situation of Stipendiary Curates. Price 1s. Hatchard, London. 1808.

The object of the author of this pamphlet is to call the attention of Mr. Perceval to the situation of that class of the clergy called perpetual curates; including under that title those, who officiate at chapels of ease under rectories, and those who serve parish churches under the impropriations, and who are supported by stipends from the impropriators. The following is a history of perpetual curacies.

The history of perpetual curacies under lay or spiritual impropriators may thus be briefly sketched. It is a well known part of church history, that the monasteries and religious houses formerly obtained pos session of a great number of advowsons to clerical preferments, and, appropriating to themselves the revenues, which belong to them, had the duties performed, remissly and negligently, by some of their poorer members. Abuses of this kind were so gross and so frequent, that the legislature on several occasions interfered. In particular by statute 4 Hen. IV. it was enacted that "in every church appropriated, there should be some secular person ordained perpetual vicar, canonically instituted and inducted, and covenably endowed by the discretion of the ordinary." Thus the ministers who officiated at these despoiled churches were no longer persons connected with the religious houses, nor left subject to their discretionary bounty, but had certain portions of the tithes and glebe regularly assigned to them and thus were formed and endowed our present vicarages. It happened, notwithstanding, that, in some cases, either from particular favour to some religious houses, from respect to their property, from their proximity to the church, or from some such causes, this law of endowment was not carried into effect, and the permission was still conceded to supply the church with some of their own members. At the dissolution of the monasteries, these appropriated revenues, having the charge of supplying the cure annexed to them, were transferred to lay possessors, or to spiritual persons, as bishops, and colleges, and cathedral churches. The new possessors were of course unable to supply the church themselves, as the religious houses had done by their own members. They therefore engaged curates for the purpose at certain stipends; and, as these have not been removable at the will of the ordinary, they have been styled by way of distinction, perpetual curates.

The remarks of this author have, no doubt, been perused with attention by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and as an increase of stipend to perpetual curates would insure a greater number of resident ministers, we indulge a sanguine hope that something will be done toward their relief when this subject comes again under the consideration of the legislature.

Six Sermons on the Church Catechism, originally delivered in the Parish Church of High Wycombe, Bucks, 1797, 1801, at the Busby Lecture; now first Revised and Published with Notes, Critical and Expository. By the Rev. W. B. Williams, M.A. Minister of Ram's Chapel, Homerton. Rivingtons, London, 1808, price 3s. 6d.

These Sermons are a part only of a more extensive work, which it is the intention of the reverend author to publish, provided these now submitted are acceptable to the public; as the first lecture professes to give the motive for selecting this subject, and also promises to unfold the sentiments of the author, we cannot do better than present it to our readers entire, that they may be enabled so far to form an estimate of the value of Mr. Williams's labours, as to decide whether or not he is to be encouraged in the prosecution of his more enlarged work.

LECTURE I.
LUKE i. 4.

That thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed.

TO know the true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, is eternal life; and has therefore been the avowed object of pursuit in every party professing the christian name: at the same time, that each in their turn have, if not somewhat to allege against others, something indicative of their having attained to a more perfect knowledge; and that their system shews a more excellent way.

Without pretending to exclusive preference by affecting absolute perfection, the CHURCH of ENGLAND has surely a claim to be heard; and may demand a dispassionate investigation of the purity of her doctrines, the propriety of her appointments, and the decency of her rites. Without brandishing the sword, she may yet try the different spirits and need not recede in her right to examine the objections of the polemic, the scruples of the separatist, and the reforms of the innovator.

In order to this, comparison of the confessions, creeds, prayers; sacraments, and several institutions in the church, with the lively oracles of truth, and the primitive practice of the purest ages, has been thought a very effectual method of reproving error, correcting vice, "and establishing religion and virtue on the surest foundation." By proving our settlement to be on an everlasting rock, the righteous need not fear that the building thereupon shall ever be removed; nor take undue alarm at the cavils of scepticism, the misrepresentations of ignorance, the underminings of schism, or the persecutions of bigotry.

some

Accordingly, among other attempts in the general cause, have discoursed on the beauty of holiness, as displayed in our liturgic forins; others have taken selected parts of our sacred services; and the present, is an attempt to cast a mite into the same treasury. To keep you no longer in suspense, it is intended on the present occasion, to direct your attention to the elementary instruction, put by authority into the hands of our youth; and which is commonly called "The Church Catechism :" that form of sound words, in which, if it has been our happiness "to be instructed," very many still need repeated exhortation.

For, let it not be supposed this formulary is only fitted for children; and least of all, whatever may be suspected, that it contains any thing contrary to sound doctrine : some pious persons may have hastily so concluded: but to err is human! Let us hope that if any such prejudices here exist, that for the present they will be suspended, until we have an opportunity to prove what we affirm. As for mere flippant censurers, we cannot wish them better, than that they may be found at the last to have embraced its doctrines, and performed its duties,

And, if we have due regard to the authority and custom of the church; a subject of this nature is particularly proper during the solemn season of Lent: in which the Saviour is seen from the entrance on his ministry, to his agony in the garden, and his death upon the cross, teaching a form of sound words; and exemplifying also, how, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in the present world.

To each discourse, a different text of scripture will be assigned. With the liberty therefore usually allowed to a lecture, it will be attempted to combine the general properties of a sermon. May "this and every other work be begun, continued, and ended in him;" from whom "all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed!" Amen.

It appears from the text, that the "most excellent Theophilus" "had been instructed," (literally catechised) on some points of knowledge and experience; which having repeated, he was supposed to remember; and which, under increasing light and knowledge, were still to be the subject of his attentive review, and devotional regard.

Such a compendium is the Catechism of the United Church within this realm: and therefore, that we may examine the source, and "KNOW THE CERTAINTY" of what it has already taught us; let us, in this introductory discourse, CONSIDER its HISTORY-STATE its DOCTRINES and EXAMINE its CONTENTS.

I. Consider it original HISTORY.

When the dawn of the reformation began to dispel the clouds of ignorance, which had so long overshadowed the land; the light shined in darkness, but the darkness comprehended it not. Many who sorrowed at the encroachments of superstition, and shrunk at the persecutions of intolerance, yet dreaded any amendment however plain.

While therefore, it was among the earliest cares of the first promoters of this glorious work to compile a catechism for the instruction of the common people, much caution was necessary to be used; and mankind were to be instructed, not as the preceptor might wish, but as the pupil would bear.

The reformers then, began, most judiciously, with such things as were generally acknowledged by the two contending parties in the church. The first catechism therefore consisted simply of the creed, the ten commandments, and the Lord's prayer. Nor was it an easy effort to bring even these into general use. They were received by the majority, in the midst of the profound ignorance which then reigned, as a species of magical incantation. And it was long, before the grossness of vulgar conception could comprehend, that the creed, the decalogue, and prayer of our Lord, were merely intended to confirm their faith, direct their practice, and assist them in their devotions.

This appears to have been the only progress made in catechetical instruction from the beginning of the reformation to the year 1549. About that time, a farther effort was attempted by archbishop Cranmer, as it is commonly supposed. He ventured to add a few cautious, explanatory passages; which was all the prejudices of men would as yet admit. In the year 1553, however, an improved attempt was hazarded: a catechism was published by a thority, in which the preceding articles were more fully expounded, and a brief explanation of the sacraments was annexed. This, from being printed in his reign, and having the royal injunction prefixed, is generally called King Edward the Sixth's Catechism;" and in it the complete model of our present one was laid."

Thus the matter rested until the reign of Queen Elizabeth. In the mean time, the sanguinary acts and violent measures of her immediate predecessor, had tended greatly to open an inquisitive temper in the age, and to abolish its ancient prejudices. Mankind began to have some notion of thinking for themselves, and were not to be deterred from this by the dogmas of priests, the decisions of councils, or the anathema of Popes.

As at this auspicious æra of the church, there was no longer any need of the extreme caution so imperiously necessary in the preceding reigns, the catechism became again the object of general attention: Dr. Nowel, Dean of St. Paul's, and several of the first prelates and most pious of the then pillars of the church, having concurred in its revision; it was at length published, nearly in its present form, in the year 1563.

It being afterwards thought necessary, that something should be taught as to the doctrine of the sacraments, King James the First appointed the bishops to add a short and plain explanation of them; which was done accordingly by Bishop Overal, then Dean of St. Paul's, with the approbation of his brethren. This addition was made