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
circumstances 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 134; 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 to 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, Untilithe
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
. and 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