MISCELLANEOUS.

GOOD SENSE. What we call good sense, in the conduct of life, consists chiefly in that temper of mind which enables its possessor to view at all times, with perfect coolness and accuracy, all the various circumstances of his situation; so that each of them may produce its own impression on him, without any exaggeration arising from his own peculiar habits. But to a man of an ill-regulated imagination, external circumstances only serve as hints to excite his own thoughts, and the conduct he pursues has in general far less reference to his real situation than to some imaginary one in which he conceives himself to be placed, and in consequence of which, whilst he appears to himself to be acting with the most perfect wisdom and consistency, he may frequently exhibit to others all the appearance of folly.

GRANT OF CROWN LAND TO THE ROMANISTS. It is a fact deserving serious attention, that whilst Government are selling the Crown Lands at exorbitant prices to build Churches upon, they have actually made a present of a piece of land at Woolwich, to be a site for a Popish Chapel.

PROTESTANT READING ROOMS.-I have seen Protestant Newspapers, one for each county, at least, recom

mended in the "Protestant Magazine." This I entirely approve, and beg to ask, if it would prove an advantage to the cause, to have Protestant Reading Rooms as well, especially for our Operatives?-AN INQUIRER.

HARD TIMES.-The times are hard -work is scarce - and many people have very little to do, and very little money coming in for their support. And yet they make the times harder to themselves by going to the races. How often is more money spent in these and similar amusements than is earned in a whole week! and some people are so base as to leave their families destitute, in order to seek these foolish and sinful pleasures. From my heart I pity the distresses of the poor; but I must blame them for wasting their time, health, money, and character, by going to the races. Solomon says,

He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man; and so he will, whatever his income may be; for lust is ever craving, and never satisfied. What can such pleasures do for you even as to this life? They only leave you the more miserable when they have vanished away. What can they do at death? Then they will fill the conscience with dread and anguish. What can they do as to the eternal world? Only conduct the soul to everlasting woe. Flee then now, without delay, from the wrath to come; and lay hold on the sinner's only hope, the Lord Jesus Christ, "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world."

MODES OF SUPPORTING ERROR."Error being conscious to itself of its own weakness, and the strong assaults that will be made upon it, evermore labours to defend and secure itself under the wings of antiquity, reason, Scripture, and high pretension to reformation and piety.

"Antiquity is a venerable word, but ill used when made a cloak for error; as the rule must necessarily be, before the aberration from it. The grey hairs of opinion are then only beauty, a crown, when found in the way of righteousness. Copper will never become gold by age. A lie will be a lie, let it be never so ancient. We dispute not by years, but by reasons drawn

from Scripture. When you can tell us how many years are required to turn an error into truth, then we will give more heed to antiquity than we now think due to it.

"If antiquity will not do, reason shall be pressed to serve error's turn at a dead lift; and, indeed, the pencil of reason can lay curious colours upon rotten timber, and varnish over erroneous opinions with fair and plausible pretences. But because men are bound to submit human authority and reason to Divine revelation, both must give way, and strike sail to the written word.

"Hence it comes to pass that the great patrons and factors for error do, above all things, labour to gain countenance to their errors from the written word; and to this end they wrest and rack the Scriptures, to make them subservient to their opinions; not impartially studying the Scriptures first, and forming their notions and opinions according to them, but bringing their erroneous opinions to the Scriptures; and then, with all imaginable art and sophistry, withdraw and force the Scriptures, to countenance and legitimate their opinions. And because pretences of piety and reformation are the strokes that give life to the face of this idol, and give it the nearest reseinblance unto truth, these therefore, never fail to be made use of and zealously professed in favour of error, though there be little of either many times to be found in their persons, and nothing at all in the doctrines that lay claim to it."

CONTENT AND DISCONTENT.

He who goes into his garden to look for cobwebs and spiders, no doubt will find them; while he who looks for a flower, may return into his house with one blooming in his bosom.

CABINET.

SELF-DEDICATION.-When many of Socrates' scholars presented him with large donations, poor Eschines came blushing to him, and said, "Sir, I have nothing to give which is worthy of you; but I here offer unto you all that I have to give, viz.-myself! and, I beseech you to accept this present,

NOTICES OF BOOKS. Tractarianism tested by Holy Scripture and the Church of England, in a series of Sermons. By the Rev. HUGH STOWELL, M.A., Incumbent of Christ Church, Manchester, and Honorary Prebendary of Chester. Vol. ii., 8vo., pp. 308. London: Hatchard and Son, Piccadilly. 1846.

WE have now before us the second volume of these excellent discourses. In the last lecture, the writer beautifully points out not only the duty of opposing error, but of doing it in the the spirit of love. "At the same time, brethren beloved, let us see to it that all our doings be done with charity. How hard is it to keep the dew of kindness fresh upon the spirit amid the heats, and blasts of controversy! Yet, without charity, all our zeal will be nothing worth, and though we gave our bodies to be burned, it would profit us nothing. Let us contend for the truth, in the spirit of the truth. Earnestly, not angrily; tenderly, not

bitterly. In this way, however gifted with acuteness of understanding and power of reasoning, you may often avail more with the adversaries of truth, than would the most masterly controversialist, who dipped his pen in gall. The force of kindness and forbearance is often more effectual than the force of argument, and the man who would be proof against your falent, may be taken captive by your temper. Pray much, and heartily, for those whom you oppose; you will find this the best antidote to asperity, and resentment."

We think the perusal of these lectures calculated to aid the reaction which is going on in many friends, once under the influence of what are termed Tractarian principles; and, as such, cordially recommend them to our readers.

INTELLIGENCE.

IRELAND.—Popish Conspiracy.— "At length, the Romish priests, no longer able to endure the bare exposure, that the Rev. Roderick Ryder has made of them, in his two letters on their doings in the Confessional, and their art in reconciling 'the murder and the murderer,' as in the case of Bryan Seery, have conspired to injure him. Mr. Ryder has appealed to the laws of his country for protection against perjury and subornation, and libellous defamation; and he proposes by this appeal not only to vindicate his own character from foul and wanton aspersion, but to bring to light the hidden things of darkness. Dublin Statesman.

COLONIAL.-New South Wales. A Popish bishop and several priests left Sydney lately, intending to locate themselves among the islanders of the South Pacific Ocean. FOREIGN. - Cologne. Several Protestants of Cologne have arrived in Berlin, in order to obtain the King's permission to erect a second Protestant Church in the former city.

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"Most Rev. Sirs,-It is to be sincerely hoped that any attempt, however humble, to promote peace and concord in our unhappy country will be received by you with complacence if not with encouragement, and that if you feel you can conscientiously cooperate in any measure that has this laudable object in view, you will be anxious and ready to do so.

"There can be no doubt you will admit the following principles as just and true :

"First-The faith of Christ must necessarily promote peace and love amongst those who sincerely profess and follow it.

of those who have departed from it to retrace their steps, and return to the faith of the Catholic Church.

"If Protestants have departed from it let them return. If Roman Catholics have departed let them return. Let us agree to meet in the unity of the faith of the ancient holy Catholic Church. The profession of faith in which the ancient Church was saved, is one in which we may be saved, yea, the only one in which we can be saved-for if men do not hold it in word or in principle, beyond all question they shall surely perish.

"The Roman Catholics believe that Protestants have departed from this profession of faith of the ancient holy Catholic Church. We say that they have departed from it. Surely this point can be settled. It is for this purpose I take the liberty of addressing you.

"I wish to bring this question to a conclusive issue, and so I venture to address the four archbishops of the Church of Rome, in the four provinces of Ireland, that the Roman Catholics of every province may see how the case stands, and how totally they have been deceived in supposing that the Church of England has departed from the faith of the ancient Catholic Church. I lay down these two facts which I humbly submit to you, Most Rev. Sirs, as not to be contradicted.

"If any person desires to join himself to the Church of England, we propose to him to subscribe and abide by our profession of faith; and this profession of faith is not only the same which was propounded by the four first general councils, but it is the same which the Council of Trent, in her third session, February 4, 1546, declared to be 'That summary in which all who profess the faith of Christ necessarily agreed, and that firm and only foundation against which the gates of hell should never prevail.'

"If this be true, it must be clear as the sun that the Church of England has not departed from the pure faith of the ancient holy Catholic Church.

"Now, if a person desires to join himself to the Church of Rome, you propose to him to subscribe your profession of faith, which is not only