vation, was more of a petition in name and form, than in spirit and reality. It set up claims of right, and even contained indirect threats of rebellion in case these rights should be rejected, while, at the same time, the petitioners made extraordinary boasts of their uniform loyalty.

Mr. Birch does not consider the peculiar "religious tenets of Roman Catholics, any farther than as they appertain to their immediate hostility with a Protestant government." On the remarkable separation which the petitioners have made between their spiritual and their political creed, Mr. Birch justly and emphatically ob

serves,

"Can conscience be separated?-Give me the advowson of a man's conscience, and I will make him do more than the civil magistrate can do. He that resigns his conscience to the keeping of his priest (and this all must do who profess the Roman Ca tholic religion, and for such their petition is expressly framed) he that has his conscience at the ultimate direction of a foreign priest, cannot, I aver, answer positively for his own future acts, much less for the rest of his brethren, wherein his religion is at all concerned."

A

Mr. Birch next proceeds to shew, and that in a very clear manner, that the terms in the petition, or the conditions thus claimed by the Roman Catholics, are incompatible with the Bill of Rights. The conclusion of this speech is so energetic and solemn that we cannot deny ourselves the pleasure of extracting it:

"Allow me, then, my Lord, in vonelusion, most earnestly to conjure the court by that boasted freedom which we enjoy under the most perfect constitution ever established in the world-by the security of its inheritance to those who are to follow us-by the pious memory of those virtuous and noble characters who formed it, who foresaw our danger and provided for our security-by all we hold dear in public and private life-and by the value we place on the important oaths we have all taken when we were seated here as guardians of those freemen who have committed their immunities and safety to our trust-let me conjure them to be steady and determined in using, on so important an occasion as the present, that high privilege of our charter to present our petition at the bar of the legislature, against a measure, so mischievous in its tendency. An eminent writer has most emphatically said, “We know in our consciences that we shall always tolerate them-We are not so sure that when in power they will tolerate us;-We are the majority, and have possession," Vol. VIII. Churchm. Mag. May 1805. 3D The

The fatal Use of the Sword; considered in a Sermon preached in St. Philip's Church, Birmingham, on Wednesday, February 20, 1805, the day appointed for a general Fast. By the Rev. SPENCER MADAN, A M. Svo. Pp. 26.

THE

HE text of this sound and well-written discourse has been grossly and most maliciously perverted by a clergyman of the established church, in a sermon published and circulated with considerable avidity. "Then said Jesus unto him, put up again thy sword into his place, for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword, Matth. xxvi. 52. On this account Mr. Madan has adopted the passage for the purpose of wresting it from the abuse of it committed by Mr. Warner, and to express its true sense in opposition to the forced and unjust one imposed upon it by that writer. On the subject of a partial interpretation of the Scriptures we meet with the following judicious remarks:

Propositions the most fanciful, and tenets the most absurd, have been advanced and defended upon this false ground of teasoning, to a degree which has led to very serious consequences in the Christian world! Schisms have been engendered, and sects have been unhappily formed, by a perversion of the language of Scripture, or by a misconception of its meaning, in particular passages, where the general context and common purport of the sacred writings night have been sufficient to obviate all difficulties upon a fairer and more extended inquiry. Hence may be dated many strange heresies of the Church of Rome, and some erroneous opinions among our Protestant brethren, Hence too, as in the instance of my text, an expression, perfectly defensible and just in its proper and intended sense, may be so misapplied by ignorant or wilful error, that an juference may be drawn from it ridiculous in point of doctrine, and consequences › deduced from it that would be ruinous in point of practice.

Defensive warfare, and the military profession are clearly and scripturally: defended, and the particular passage in question is shewn to mean no more than this,

That they who take the sword in a rash and hasty manner, ás eter then did, and who use it without due authority, to gratify views of vengeance, or for any other unwarranted purpose, shall perish with the sword:in other words, individuals shall be punished for taking the execution of the law into their own

hands

hands. This expression of our Saviour, then, is an apposite reference, and nothing more, to the antient Jewish law," whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed." It reminded Peter of the punishment to which he became liable by an unauthorised use of arms, because he and all others, who shall take the sword as he did, are 66 subject to the penalty inflicted by the sword." But further, the word all may be here understood perhaps in the same sense as many; and to say that they shall perish, or as the strict meaning is, shall be liable, or are wont to perish, is obviously true."

Appended to this sermon is a postscript, stating as a reason for its publication, the request of some who have a strong claim to the author's attention. Some explana tory and illustrative notes are also subjoined.

Wisdom better than Weapons of War. A sermon preached in the Fpiscopal Chupel of Forfar, on Thursday the 21st of February, 1805, being the day appointed for a general Fast in North Britain, with an appendix. By the Rev. JOHN SKINNER, A. M. Episcopal Clergyman at Forfar, 8vo. Pp. 56.

THIS

HIS sermon does great credit to the talents and piety of the worthy author who is a son of the venerable and excellent primus of the episcopal church of Scotlaud. The text is Ecclesiastes ix. 18. "Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good. An awful but just picture of the depravity of modern times is exhibited, after which the writer justly observes:

Weapons of war" may dazzle the eye of the superficial observer; and thousands upon thousands wielding those weapons, in defence of their country, may be thought, and no doubt is, matter of inward exultation to every British bosom! but without wisdom, heaven-born wisdom, to guide us to him, who has both external nature, and the hearts of men, at his command, what is the sword, or he who wields it! The wind and the sea, the storm and tempest, the raging pestilence and wasting famine, these are enemies to which even British courage must yield; and either of these enemies may, in one season, bring more ruin and devasta

tion on us and our country, than the united forces of Europe would do, in a series of years. Yet they are the “evil arrows" which dart from the hand of Omnipotence; and no power, less than divine, can keep them within the quiver, and say unto them, Peace, be still.”

66 Whither, therefore, should Britons look for an ally, at such a time as the present? Whither should they turn for an aid and assistance superior to the force by which they are, or may be assailed? Not, surely, to the princes of this world, equally acces sible to the arm of the Almighty as themselves; but to Him, who is "King of Kings, and Lord of Lords;" who "worketh "all things after the counsel of his own will;" and who saveth not by many, or by few; but "who, with his own right hand. and holy arm, getteth himself the victory."

"This is what the wisest of men urges in the text, and what every man, calling himself a Christian, is bound in duty to receive as the truth; and to conform to, as the only unerring rule for human belief, and human practice: for "wisdom is better "than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.".

The appendix contains a valuable "Dissertation on the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin terms for wisdom; a letter to the editor of the Antijacobin Review; and some strictures on the review of Bishop Skinner's Convocation Sermon, given in the Antijacobin and British Critic for February last," In these strictures the inconsistency of those cities, not to say illiberality, is sufficiently exposed and the spirit and filial piety of the author cannot be too strongly commended.

A Sermon on the Religious Advantages afforded by the Church of England to the Members of her Communion, preached at St. Mary-le-bow, or St. Mark's day, April 5th, 4809; în conformity with the Will of the late Mr. John Hutchins.By the Rev, THOMAS WHITE, A. B. of Quee College, Oxford, and Minister of Welbeck chapel, St. Mary-le-bow. Svo. Pp. 22.

WE

E-have read several sermons which were preached "in conformity with Mr. Hutchins's will," and, Mave as often lamented that, none of the preachers, ever

gave any more account of the pious founder of this annual lecture than a mere extract of the will itself.

He was, we believe a goldsmith of London, and died somewhat about the year, 1720, but surely there are those who possess the means of giving some memorials of a man, who by the very language in which he makes his bequest, shews that he deserves to be" had in remembrance."

The present sermon does ample justice to the pious intentions of the founder, and is well adapted to impress on the minds of all members of our church, a proper sense of the spiritual advantages derived from being in her communion. The excellence of the liturgy is very neatly and forcibly exhibited, and the evils of schism properly expressed. Yet the author judiciously guards men from contenting themselves with a merely external religion, even in a church possessing the purest principles and inost sublime offices.

"To the members of our establishment," says he, "let me be permitted to urge the importance of a spiritual religion. Little will it profit you to profess an attachment to the Church of England, and to attend her ordinances, unless you really believe the doctrines which she teaches, and fervently join in her appointed worship. A mere outward conformity will not avail. You must build' yourselves on your most holy faith, praying, not with the lips only, but in the Holy Ghost; you must continually strive to keep yourselves in the love of God, and, renouncing all dependance on your own righteousness, must be earnestly looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

"It is, lastly, my duty, to remind you of the advantages which may be expected to accrue to such poor children as are educated in the doctrines and principles of the Church. On the benefits which she holds out to her sincere members I have already enlarged; it may, therefore, be sufficient to suggest, that, to incul cate these principles in childhood, when the mind is yet untainted by commerce with the world, and unshackled by prejudice, will greatly contribute to their predominance in after-life. One of the chief causes of schism is, that so few persons are early taught to understand the claims which the Church possesses to their veneration and attachment. To instil these principles, therefore, in youth; and, especially, to instruct those poor chil dren in them who may, afterwards, be more exposed to the arts: of sectaries than persons of a superior order, will be an act of real charity.

But, whilst a love to the establishment is enforced, let them ever be reminded that the means of grace possess no efficacy unless