them to re-consider the case candidly, without partiality, and without hypocrisy, and especially in such a spirit to lay well to heart the following words: If these men ever read the Scriptures, and meet with such a question as this, "Lord, are there few that be saved?" what a strange puzzle they must be at to make an answer? I, for my own particular part, hinder as much as possibly I can, some fifty or an hundred, it may be many more, from being saved. I can be certain only of the salvation of Christians, and therefore am myself a Christian. I know it is impossible for any one to become a Christian, without being instructed in the knowledge of Christ, and being afterwards baptized with water, in the manner and form prescribed by Christ himself: and I know I hinder all these people that are under me, from being instructed and bap tized; go on-therefore I know I hinder them, as much as in me lies, from being saved. I dare not for all the world renounce to my own baptism: I would not venture my own salvation on God's unpromised, unrevealed mercy, without the being made a Christian, as I should; but yet I have nothing to depend upon but that unpromised mercy for these poor creatures; and now it is in my power to seal that mercy to them certainly, by means and instruments of God's own appointment, and yet I refuse to do it. The Scriptures will read strangely with such practices as these; and a Christian hindering others from becoming Christians, must needs be a strange creature, even to himself, when he considers.Bp. Fleetwood, quoted in Eccles. Papers, p. 19. POLITICAL RETROSPECT. THE PARLIAMENT.-The House of Lords has thought proper to refuse concurrence with the vote passed by the House of Commons on the subject of Catholic Emancipation; the bill being thrown out by a majority of forty-five. Notwithstanding their present defeat, the supporters of the measure profess great satisfaction at what they term the concessions made by the constitutional speakers; what these concessions are, it would be difficult to determine there is certainly no appearance of them in the speeches of either the Lord Chancellor or the Duke of Wellington. The former, whilst he readily acknowledges that great evils exist in the present state of Ireland, asserts his firm conviction that passing the measure before the House would tend to increase the difficulties and evils in that country, not to diminish them; whilst the speech of the latter clearly expresses the only conditions on which the demands of the Roman Catholics can even be listened to. First, that ample security be provided for the support of the Established Church; secondly, that they shall fully and without reservation be acquiesced in and adopted by the Roman Catholics; thirdly, that they shall be permitted to operate for such a length of time as shall afford to the state the most undeniable proof of their sufficiency, and until the evil effects of the present system shall have passed away; after which time it being fully ascertained that the Roman Catholics can adhere to such securities given for such a purpose without forsaking their system, they may be safely admitted to a full participation of political power. Conditions however of any kind, the Catholic Association, who may be considered as the organ of the Popish party in Ireland, positively declare their fellow-religionists will not even treat of till they can do so from their seats in Parliament, and then give such only as the priests shall approve; thus offering us a remarkable proof of what might be expected from them should they attain the accomplishment of their wishes. Compliance with their demands being on such terms irreconcileable with the safety of the constitution, we trust our legislators will never surrender it to them. FRANCE. The decrease of commerce, connected with the colonial produce of this country, has been very great during the last few years. A great number of representations have been made by the commercial members of the community to the government, shewing the causes which have led to this decrease, and praying for a change in the colonial system, from which they have arisen, and also a reform in the existing regulations relative to the transit trade. Hitherto little attention has been paid to these petitions, apparently from the subject being considered as one of trifling importance; but in consequence of the inconveniencies resulting from the decrease of business, now beginning to be generally felt throughout the country, the necessity of some alteration is too evident, to be longer overlooked, and the minister of commerce, whose administration has been, in many instances, of great service to the French trade, has undertaken to devise some means which shall prove adequate to remove the evil. The sailing of the fleet from Toulon destined against Algiers, has been countermanded, and it will more probably be sent into the Levant. SPAIN. No occurrence of particular interest has been reported from this quarter. The King and Queen continue in the eastern provinces, and their return to the capital is quite undetermined. PORTUGAL. The events which have taken place in this kingdom have excited great interest. The attachment of the inhabitants of Oporto to the constitutional government has always been strong, and of course the acts of Don Miguel's administration are extremely unpopular in that city. The aversion to the new government was very openly expressed, and the latter were not backward in endeavours to repress it, but proceeded with more violence than judgment, and consequently with no success. On the 30th of April, the government openly displayed, from the windows of the council-chamber, the municipal standard, amidst the loud shouts of a hired mob, for Don Miguel, the absolute King. This produced a revulsion so strong, that on the evening of the same day six thousand well dressed persons assembled in the Campo de St. Ovidio, and proclaimed Don Pedro the Fourth the constitutional King; the government not daring to employ the troops in the garrison to disperse them, the commander, by a singular want of foresight, ordered a regiment raised in Oporto to enter the town on the 8th of June; these immediately felt the cause of the citizens their own, and on the 16th openly declared for the constitution, being joined by the other troops there. The governor retired, and the senior officer of the garrison assumed the direction of affairs, and the following evening the city was illuminated amidst general rejoicings. As soon as the necessary regulations could be made, the army marched towards Lisbon; and when the last advices were dispatched, had reached Coimbra without interruption. The Brazilian minister at our Court has acknowledged the new as the legal regency. General Stubbs, the Marquess de Palmella, and Saldanha, with other supporters of the constitutional government, have proceeded to Oporto in a steam-vessel engaged for the purpose. The report of these proceedings has only increased the violence of Don Miguel's party. The arrests are so numerous, that the prisons of Lisbon will not hold the suspected persons, but they have been put on board ships in the harbour. The police even attempted to examine the British packet, but were prevented by the spirited and judicious conduct of Captain Sartorius of the Pyramus. The force which the Absolutists have hitherto been able to march against the Constitutionalists, is said not to exceed 2500 men. Their advanced guards are said to have engaged, but this wants confirmation. Don Miguel has declared Oporto in a state of blockade, and placed two ships of war at the entrance of the Douro to effect it; this has been disregarded by the Britomart, which has sailed from thence for Lisbon, without the blockading squadron daring to interrupt her. The French government have refused to receive or hold any intercourse with the ambassador appointed by Don Miguel. The Brazilian plenipotentiaries resident in London have published a letter to the respective Brazilian legations in Europe, and have likewise authorised the government at Oporto to draw upon them for supplies to the amount of 30,000l. ECCLESIASTICAL INTELLIGENCE. NEW CHURCHES. OXFORD.-The New Church in the Parish of St. Clement, Oxford, has been consecrated by the Lord Bishop of the Diocese. A Sermon was preached upon the occasion by the Reverend the Provost of Oriel College. BISHOPSGATE.-The first stone of a new Church in the Parish of St. Botolph, Bishopsgate, has been laid by the Lord Bishop of London. |