PREFACE.

I HAVE endeavoured to restrict myself, in the following observations, to the maintenance of a single principle;-one, not unknown, certainly, to the Constitution of the Church of England,never discarded, but which, to all practical purposes, has been suffered, for many years, to lie dormant. Its restoration, under such modifications as the changes of civil law have rendered requisite, would be equally the means, I am persuaded, of introducing all real improvements, and guarding against hasty and ill-digested innovations. Those who advocate alterations in matters of detail, and those who oppose them, should unite in supporting this principle; because until it is adopted, the former cannot submit their views to the sanction of the Church at large, nor can the latter obtain such an authoritative statement of the efficiency of present regulations as can ensure their preservation, and

stop the progress of that desire of change, whose existence and pressure they lament.

It has been suggested, that the relation in which I stand towards His Grace the Archbishop of Dublin, may lead to an inference, that these observations have been submitted to His

Grace's approval, previous to publication. It would be presumptuous in me, and unjust towards His Grace, to overlook the possibility of such an inference. I had not formed the design of writing upon this subject, until the Archbishop had left this country for his parliamentary duties. His approval would be indeed deeply gratifying; but how far it may be obtained, must be altogether unknown to me, until the press shall have presented this pamphlet to His

Grace's notice.

DUBLIN, 1833.

ON

ECCLESIASTICAL LEGISLATURE

AND

CHURCH REFORM.

THE advocates of Church Reform have invariably grounded its necessity upon the existence of evils which are supposed to have arisen in the Establishment. They have accordingly sought to occupy attention by a statement of corrections which they are anxious should be made in its doctrines or in its liturgy; or they have specified for removal, abuses connected with its discipline, or the application of its endowments. The alterations proposed in conformity with the views of the particular advocate, certainly have not been deficient in magnitude, nor has their instantaneous adoption been pressed with any culpable deficiency of zeal. It is not surprising, therefore, that much alarm should be awakened in the minds of many who are the sincere friends

of the Establishment. They are aware how difficult it is to curb the spirit of innovation; and the retention of some apparent or admitted evils, is preferred to the hazardous experiment of commencing a process of change which may go beyond improvement into serious injury, or even final destruction. Without expressing any absurd conviction of the complete perfection of the Church, they are justly conscious that, when it is compared with any religious community in existence, an inferior station of usefulness cannot be assigned to it. They know that it embodies as much of deep and enlightened piety, of ardent and well-regulated zeal, as is possessed and exhibited by any society of Christians; sensible how influentially it has assisted in the formation of their own spiritual and moral tastes, and attributing to its instrumentality a large portion of the religious happiness which they enjoy, it is not unnatural that they should feel jealous of any interference, lest this should hazard its stability. It would not, indeed, be difficult to prove that the evils selected for complaint have been frequently exaggerated in amount; nor to maintain that many important advantages to the community at large, resulting from the same sources which produce evils, have been inconsiderately omitted or unfairly suppressed. Failures, attributable to the imperfections of

its administrators, have been represented as defects inherent in the general system; or blame is applied because incompatible advantages are not united, or because, as is too frequently the case in human matters, some disadvantage is perceived to accompany a regulation profitable on the whole, and which could not be conveniently sacrificed. The manifest injustice of many representations, and the boldness of the innovations proposed as remedies, have conspired to excite prejudice and distrust in the minds of those anxious friends of the Establishment, whose co-operation in every measure of Church Reform would be most valuable and important.

These prejudices have been very unnecessarily awakened; for, the truth is, the topics which have caused them have been prematurely introduced. The essential principle of Reform is wholly independent of the quantity of corrections which it might be necessary to apply. This will be variously estimated according to prevalent feeling, but a difference of sentiment in this respect does not interfere with the general admission of the true principle of Reform, which our Church, as at present constituted, would appear imperatively to demand.

To unfold this principle the more clearly, it may be useful to advert to a few long esta

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