The National Register. — London, England, 1811-05-26 00:00:00

A' :t of tax. actually consumed, is infallible. ation may have a very material influence upon the aggregate value; but the increased quantity of the article consumed, even under all the discouraging c i rc umstances of increased taxes and .extravagantly :enhanced prices, is irrefragable evidence of improved • cirtumstances and growing prosperity. We have one other observation to add. with .respect to the loan, and the parties who•bid.for it. • Every body knows the pains which have beep . tßl,cen, e 13 4; the pamphlets written to prove the paper ciftmcy.kif preciated. It must be equally known that R.icards was. one of the earliest champions ci4,01.1?,e House of Commons in support of .4epreciation, and Mr. Baring one of the latest, if not the ablest, de fenders of paper, in the House, against thF,charge of depreciation. When these parties were an nounced as bidders for the loan, it was hardly to be anticipated that the former would-be successful, and the latter offer somewhat inferior terms. So it is, however, and a good practical lesson it af fords ; for while the small difference between their respective offers shows that neither undervalued the paper of the country, the higher terms offered by Mr. RICA ups's house prove that he does not con sider the paper depreciated any more than Mr. BARI* TOLERATION ACT. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABE LORD VISCOUNT SIDNIOUTII. Mr LORD—As I know you are open to conviction and guided in all you undertake by a strict wish of doing justice, and the most sincere regard for religion, I think it my duty to point out to you, not a constitutional, but a doctrinal, objection to the Bill which you have lately introduced in o the House . of. Peers - I am convinced that to promote the cause of Christianity,. by en trusting the explanation of the Gospel only to men whom study and cultivated abilities have befitted for such a noble, such an awful task, has been the sole motive of your proposed change in the present construction of the Toleration Act. But I appre hend your wish to remedy abuses, which in some cases may pro duce evil consequences, may have caused you to lose sight of the ultithate tendency of such a Bill. Your Lordship, is, I doubt not, unconscious that it seems to be founded on this be lief, which it thus strongly supports, " That the spirit of God is no longer poured down upon men ;" For else, why object to the illiterate, who from a heavenly source may derive light, knowledge and faith ? Had such restrictions been imposed on the first Christians, the very foundations of Christianity would have been overthrown, and its earliest Ministers would have found themselves excluded from the performance of their • appointed duties, for they were he poor, the lowly, the tMeducated of the earth. They made no profession before men. They were cho sen of God, who dif I not require knowledge of them, but freely . gave it them. If the inspirations of the Almighty no longer visit the earth ;• if mati is left to his own weakness to combat the hosts thaf have sprung up against Christ and his religion, what Can we have ? Had not the /tpostles been sup peUed by the Holy Ghost, how could they h whole collected opposition of mankind ? How A.Mr. • •• ; flourished in persecutions, and in the hearts that glowed with fiercest hatred against them; have planted the saving faith of their Redeemer ? Repulsed, how could they have returned to the at . fick'svarring - 2gainst the passions of man for his own salvation ? Ca's't into tho deepest dungeons, how could they have shaken off their galling fetters, and burst open their prison doors ? Chastised even unto blood, trodden down as the dirt of the w rld',l4w could they ?rive . risen from the bed of torture, and from beneath the weight of universal scorn, to preach good tidings of everlast ing life to mankind? Nay, in the midst of the sharpest torments, surrounded with flames, or bleeding on the cross, how could they have struck conviction on the witnesses, and sometimes the agents of their painful death, and conquered souls to Christ, at the very moment they were quitting the scene of their arduous warfare, and .returning t o his bosom ? 1 knew it will be gfanted that the spirit of God was poured without measure on the APOs-_ ties of our Savioiir and the fathers of the Christian Church ; but it.will be added that • they were armed with superhuman weapons, to conquer superhuman difficulties and perils ; and that their arms, as their warfare, were tersPorary. It 'Win be Urged that when they entered on their great contest with a pa gan or a blinded world, when they hid to pttll doWn imagina tions and every vain thing, the spirit of the Almighty wancfd with them, and by signs and wonders proved fhe truth of their • mission, and tae divine beneficence Or their doctrine, Until i the religion of Christ had cast it's roots -so deep, and -spread its branches so far, that neither the axeofthe enemy, nor the storms of rolling ages; could repress its growth, and still - less wrench the heavenly vinefrom the earth. " Times and circumstances, it will be said, art changed. The' warfare of Christianity past. It has nolongir to contend with prlncipalitie's and powers, for by them it is adOpted, professed, and' supported, Its light has beamed through every clime, and even where idolatry still wor ships the works of her own hands, chosen vessels keep the faith of Christ alive and uncorrupt. At the hour of peace, the Mo narch disarms *his people, the warrior lays down his sword, and the conqueror's only care is to cultivate the fields which-he has acquired, and to spread joy and prosperity around. When the triumph of the Christian church is complete, it is therefore reasonable to think, that the Almighty wisdom that armed and led her hosts to effect its grand and salutary purposes, but which never takes a step, or exerts the least of its powers in vain, with draws its superhuman assistance from Ministers no longer en gagedin superhuman duties. The immediate inspirations of the Divinity would now he useless, we are therefore justified in supposing that they are withholden, and that in consequence only study and deep researches, not only into the Holy Scriptures, but into writing of their commentators of all ages, thus render ing the knowledge of the learned languages indispensible, can enable a man to become a worthy preacher of the Gospel." The necessity of these requisites once admitted, to supply the place of heavenly inspirations, the impropriety of allowing the unclassical reader and expounder of the holy writings to continue his would be useful labours, becomes evident, and the principle * on which your Bill seems to he founded, is both vindicated and established. But, my Lord, ought the absence of Divine inspirations from the earth to be admitted, on the strength,of the reasonings employed by man to prove it ? On the ground of inutility in the present Christian state of the world, the spiritual commerce of God with man is denied. But, my Lord,' can we look abroad on the world, and conscientiously say the actual interposition of the Divine Spirit is useless ? Christianity has spread her name over . almost every land, but should the trumpet, of the last day sound and the Son of Man descend on the clouds of Heaven, should he now fluid faith Tithe earth'? Should he 'be welcomed With exultation among his own, or only received through utter itnpo ,osehitis ?. Can we boast we live in a Christian world, )!Ir eyes wherever we . pleaso, we only descry scenes . a nd blood, of private and public iniqtlity. Can the warfare of Christianity has ceased, when in the I hope of conqueit . fence to oppos >Ported nay iiii.. when, turn ou have resisted the of devastation could they have we believe am , ITV , T• • ME