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Russia. War was also talked of with America. For what cause is not stated; but we suppose, on account of our controversy in relation to trading with her colonies. But this we regard as altogether idle.

A census, made by the Roman Catholick clergy of Ireland, states the population of that Island at near nine millions, of which it is said that seven millions are Catholicks. The Roman Catholick orator, O'Connor, made a flaming speech at a publick meeting in Dublin, in December last, which has been published in the British papers, and republished here.

FRANCE. We have seen French dates as recent as the 1st of January. It would seem that the French are disposed to co-operate cordially with England, in endeavouring to terminate the Spanish aggressions on Portugal, and that the other great European powers, avowedly at least, condemn the hostile measures of Spain; and recognise the propriety of the British interference for the protection of their ancient ally. There is indeed a party in France that would wish to support Spain, but its influence is entirely overruled. Mr. Canning's famous speech in the British Parliament, relative to the Portuguese expedition, contained some things which were highly of. fensive to a number of the members in both the French chambers; and severe recriminatory speeches were pronounced, in discussing the answer which was to be re turned to the royal speech at the opening, and of which we gave an account last month. Eventually, nevertheless, the reply of the chambers was the echo of what had come from the throne. Probably, however, this would not have been the fact, if Mr. Canning had not made what has been termed "a new edition" of his speech, in which he suppressed, or modified, all the offensive parts-It appears, indeed, that he delivered one speech to the British Parliament, and wrote another for the French chambers. Very earnest debates had taken place relative to the passage of a law for regulating the press. We regret to learn from the French papers that our nation's friend, General Lafayette, has been called to mourn the death of his son-in-law.

The King of France has recently issued a severe edict against the slave-trade. Merchants, insurers, supercargoes, captains, &c. engaged in this trade, are to be banished the kingdom, and to pay a fine equal to the value of the ship and cargo concerned.

SPAIN. Never, we believe, was a court more embarrassed, than that of Spain has been for some time past. With the best inclination in the world to make war on Portugal, and urged, and even driven to it by the slavery-loving and priest-ridden population of the country, still the king and his counsellors dare not declare war. On the contrary, they assure England and France that they will preserve peace, and make reparation for the aggressions already committed; and this, we believe, through fear of the consequences of a refusal, they have been, and still are, labouring to do-but it is labouring against the current both of their own inclination and the wishes and demands of their party, who loudly call for war, and threaten the throne itself, if the call be refused. Britain, backed by France, has given in her ultimatum, in a most decisive tone, and demanded an immediate answer. The answer is favourably made, but hostile dispositions and operations continue. We must wait for the issue, which we think is doubtful. But we see no indications of support to Spain, from any other power, if she goes to war. Perhaps it is her destiny to be conquered into a better temper, or to be deprived of all capacity to do mischief.

PORTUGAL.-The session of the Portuguese Cortes closed on the 23d of December. The new Cortes were to meet on the 2d of January. The Princess Regent was indis. posed and unable to address the Cortes on their dissolution, but the Minister of the Interior assured the members of the good condition of the country. Vigorous and spirited measures, prompted by British counsels and aided by British arms, were in operation to subdue the rebels in the northern part of the kingdom. Some hard fighting had taken place between small corps of the contending armies; but no very important advantages had been gained on either side. The British forces had not reached the scene of action.

GREECE and TURKEY.-A letter from Napoli, of the date of Oct. 15th, 1826, from our countryman, S. G. Howe, has been published within the past month, giving a detailed account of Grecian affairs at the time of writing. The amount of the whole is, that Athens was then the principal seat of the war; that the Acropolis or citadel was still in possession of the Greeks, and manfully defended; that the existing plan of the Greeks for the relief of Athens, was to intercept all supplies going to the Turkish army, and that this they were likely to effect; that Ibrahim Pacha was too weak to effect any thing further in the Morea, without reinforcements from Egypt; that in some late attempts to extend his conquests, he lost 400 men, and was obliged to fall back on Tripolitza, where he was at the time of writing; that the recent naval operations, had been on the whole favourable to the Greeks; that the Alexandrian fleet, by

which reinforcements were to be sent to Ibrahim Pacha, was not ready for sea; that Lord Cochrane was earnestly expected, as one of his vessels had arrived; that the national assembly was speedily to meet at Paros; and that there was good reason to believe that a settlement would be effected between the Porte and the Greeks, by means of English and Russian mediation. This last intimation is calculated to render more credible the accounts by the last arrivals, that a settlement has been actually effected, on the united demand of Britain, France, and Russia.

ASIA.

PERSIA.-The London Courier of Dec. 30th contains the following article: Defeat of the Persians.-Despatches were received this morning by Government, dated Trabree, October 3d. They announce that a division of the Persian army, detached by his highness the Prince Regent, under the command of his eldest son, Ma. homed Meerza, and his uncle, Ameer Khan, was defeated with severe loss, on the 26th September, near the village of Shampkar, five turseekhs north-west of Georgia. The battle was fought on the banks of the Yezan, a second stream of which divided the contending armies. The Russian force amounted to about 6000 infantry and 3000 cavalry, with a proportionate number of guns; that of the Persians to 5000 infantry and 5000 irregular horse, with six field pieces..

After some hard fighting the Persians were compelled to retire in the utmost confusion; and it is supposed that nearly the whole of their infantry were either killed or taken prisoners.

Three field pieces fell into the hands of the Russians, and Ameer Khan was killed by a Cossack, when in the act of rallying his troops. The young prince, Mahomed Meerza, was taken prisoner by a Cossack, but was afterwards rescued, and borne away in triumph by one of his surdars.

BURMAH.-The state equipage of the Burmese Emperor fell into the hands of the British in their late military operations in Burmah, and has lately been sold at auction in London. We have seen a most interesting letter from Mrs. Judson, in which she gives a particular account of the imprisonment and sufferings of her husband, Dr. Price, and herself, and more satisfactory information relative to the nature of the Burmese government and mode of warfare than we had seen before.

JAVA. A rebellion of the natives in the island of Java against the Dutch government, has existed for a considerable time past, and now appears to wear a very formidable aspect. A letter received in England, dated Oct. 30, 1826, says—

"The rebellion is not put down, and I do not perceive any progress making to accomplish so desirable a purpose. The restored Sultan gets no adberents, and the Dutch forces in the interior accomplish nothing but marches and counter-marches.— Gloomy indeed are the affairs of Netherland India. It will require at least forty millions of guilders more, ere the troubles will be ended.”

Later accounts are still more unfavourable. They represent the native troops so successful, as to threaten to drive the Dutch out of the island; or at least to confine their influence to Batavia and its environs.

AFRICA.

The American Colonization Society in Washington city, have received letters from Liberia of as late a date as the 6th of Dec. ult. conveying authentick intelligence of the prosperity and extension of the colony. The African Repository for January gives an interesting account of the adjourned annual meeting of the society, held in the hall of the House of Representatives, on the 20th of that month. It also contains the eloquent speeches delivered on that occasion by Mr. Knapp, of Boston, and Mr. Secretary Clay, as well as much interesting intelligence relative to the general concerns of the Society. We feel constrained to recommend to our friends the patronizing of the African Repository. It not only comprises details of the proceedings of the society, and full statements of the concerns of the Colony, but communicates much uscful information in relation to Africa in general.

AMERICA.

BRAZIL.-It appears that the empress of Brazil, the consort of Don Pedro I., died at Rio Janeiro, on the 10th of December last. The emperor was absent with his army. We have heard nothing of importance recently, of the state of the war between Buenos Ayres and Brazil. There is a rumour afloat, which we wish may prove true, that peace has been made between these powers, through the mediation of Britain.

COLOMBIA.-The Liberator Bolivar seems likely to settle the unhappy and ill-boding dissentions which, during his absence from Colombia, broke out, and threatened to plunge that extended Republick into all the miseries of civil war. He has apparently restored peace and order in every part of the country which he has yet visited. It remains to be seen whether order and contentment will be permanent. When last heard from, in the latter part of January, he was in Caraccas, and was received there with the same enthusiasm as in other places. He appears to have justified the proceedings of Paez; and for this we profess ourselves unable to account. He is clothed with absolute power; and if he shall effect a union of parties and tranquillize his country, and then resign his power, we know not in what manner his patriotism and fame could receive an addition to their lustre.

MEXICO. It appears that the Mexicans are divided into two parties, who have ranged themselves under two orders of Free-Masons, one denominated the Scottish, and the other Yorkists; that to the former belong those who, in our revolutionary times, we should have denominated Tories, and to the latter, Whigs. Both parties are numerous, but the latter are likely to prevail. But the country cannot be in a settled state, while these parties are as strong and hostile as they are at present.

We have no news from the Congress of Tacubaya-Commodore Porter is at Key West, with a part of his fleet-not, it is said, blockaded; as he affirms that he can go to sea when he pleases, without a rencontre with the Spanish fleet of Laborde, if such should be his choice. It is said that he is waiting for a reinforcement, which he expects shortly.

The province of Texas has declared itself "free and independent of the United States of Mexico," and has assumed the name of the "Republick of Fredonia." A national Congress was to assemble at Nacogdoches, on the first Monday of February, to form a constitution. The Indians, who are very numerous in that region, are represented as friendly to the new republicans, and hostile to the Mexicans.-The lat ter, however, seem determined, by military force, to put an end to this new republick. What will be the issue is very uncertain.

UNITED STATES.-Our Congress have once more put a negative on the attempt to frame a bankrupt law for the Union. The bill to impose an additional impost on imported woollen goods is also likely to be negatived in the Senate, after passing the House of Representatives. Much time has lately been consumed in the Representative's Hall, in a debate relative to the power of the Secretary of State, to appoint printers to publish the laws, in the several states of the Union. When our national legislature sat in Philadelphia, many years ago, a gentleman somewhat given to satire, on observing the hurry of Congress, and its sitting all night at the close of the session, made a remark which we have often thought on since. "Congress, (said he) are like other delaying sinners-They leave almost every thing to be done at the last; and then every thing must be done in a hurry, much is ill done, and much is left altoge ther undone."

The committee of inquiry into the official conduct of the present Vice President, when Secretary of War, have made a report, clearing that officer from every charge, or just imputation of improper conduct, in the discharge of his official duties.

We have in our present number omitted several heads or titles which usually appear in our miscellany, and of course the articles appropriate to them-Not because such articles were not fully at our command, but solely because the whole of our pages, for the present month, seemed to be imperiously demanded for the publications which we have inserted. We shall, however, very rarely depart from our established arrangement; and indeed it has been with extreme reluctance that we have done it in a single instance.-"Travels in Europe for Health," and "Transatlantick Recollections, No. IX." in our next.-"REBECCA's" inquiry will also be resolved in what will appear in our next number.-To the notices on our cover we solicit, with respectful earnestness, the attention of all our subscribers.

ERRATUM IN OUR LAST NUMBER.

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SEMBLY OF DIVINES-ADDRESSED impressive propriety that this exal

TO YOUTH.

LECTURE XXVII.

The Exaltation of Christ. We are now to enter on the important subject of Christ's exaltation-It is thus stated in the catechism. "Christ's exaltation consisteth in his rising again from the dead on the third day, in his ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day."

When we speak of the exaltation of Christ, you are not to understand by it that any new glory was conferred on his divine nature-that was impossible; for as God, his glory was infinite and unchangeable. But this glory, as we have seen, was eclipsed and hidden, while he assumed our nature, and appeared in our world in the form of a servant. His exaltation, therefore, properly and strictly consists in a manifestation in the human nature, which for a time had veiled the divine, of the same glory which he had eternally possessed as the Son of God. This we are taught in his own intercessory prayer-" And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which VOL. V.-Ch. Adv.

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tation should succeed immediately to his humiliation. Such is the representation of Scripture. "He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross; wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Thus it was that the Sun of righteousness, on passing from under the dark cloud of his humiliation and suffering, shone and astonished with the most striking and glorious lustre. The ignominy of the cross was thus wiped away; and God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, gave to his people also, the evidence, that when their reliance and expectations are placed on him, their faith and hope shall be in God.

Let us now consider the several particulars of our Redeemer's exaltation, as they are stated in the

answer before us.

1. He "rose again from the dead on the third day."

We have already had occasion to
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observe, that it was a part only of three days, during which our Redeemer lay in the grave. The time of his continuance there indeed, was not equal even to the space of two whole days. Yet as our Lord was in the tomb a part of three days, and it was customary with the Jews and agreeable to the language of Scripture, to represent an event as extending through all the days on which any part of it took place, there was a complete fulfilment, according to the then current use of language, of the declaration, that "the Son of man should be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Our Redeemer was put to death on the eve of the Jewish Sabbath, Friday afternoon, and rose very early on the morning of the first day of the week, called from this circumstance, the Lord's day; and which, from the age of the apostles till the present time, the great mass of Christians have observed as a day of sacred rest, in place of the Jewish Sabbath-The reason and propriety of this will be explained, if we are spared to discuss the fourth commandment.

In the mean time, let us give a few moments of our most engaged attention, to that essential article of a Christian's faith and hope, the resurrection of Christ. That this was an event to take place in the person of the Messiah, was prefigured to Abraham, in his receiving his son Isaac, as it were from the dead. It was foretold to the fathers, as is expressly affirmed by the apostle Paul in his discourse to the Jews at Antioch in Pisidia, who quotes a passage from the second psalm, in proof of the fact. Acts xiii. 33. Our Lord himself, not only alluded to it on several occasions, but told his disciples of it in the most explicit terms. Mark ix. 31.-"He taught his disciples and said unto them-The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him, and after that he is killed, he shall rise the

third day." Again he said, "After I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee." The Jews, therefore, attempted to discredit the resurrection of Christ; and modern infidels still attempt the same thing; knowing that if they succeed in this, they unsettle at once the whole Christian system. On the other hand, the advocates of Christianity defend this point, as the citadel of their faith. Nay, if this one point be maintained, the Christian religion is indisputably established as of divine authority. Sherlock has written an able little work, entitled "The Trial of the Witnesses," in which he has examined the evidence of our Lord's resurrection, on the strict principles and forms of taking testimony in the English courts of law; and has shown, that on those principles, and agreeably to that procedure, an upright judge and jury would be obliged to pronounce that Christ had indubitably risen from the dead. But the ablest piece on this subject, with which I am acquainted, is the production of Gilbert West. It is known to all who read their Bibles carefully, that the accounts given of the resurrection of Christ by the different evangelists, seem, at first view, to be hardly consistent with each other. Now, it is said that West had doubted or disbelieved the truth of revelation, and that he first gave his attention to this subject, with a view to prove that the historians had contradicted each other, and therefore that the fact which they all asserted, was unworthy of credit: that, however, on examining and comparing the evangelists, critically and closely, he found there was no contradiction: that, on the contrary, he perceived there was the most perfect harmony, and that the variety in their accounts was only a palpable proof that they did not write in concert, but, like honest witnesses, each told the facts which he knew, in his own way: in a word, that on a careful comparison,

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