were never wanting to themselves in the hour of danger, Be not ye afraid of them. If our danger be great, great are our advantages and means to repel it."

"Therefore, let no man's heart fail him, but be of good courage, and play the men for your people, and the cities of your God; and the Lord do what seemeth him good.

"But I should ill merit your confidence and betray the dignity of my office, if in balancing our hope and fear, our safety and danger, I should exclude from the account, what may be the disposition towards us, of that power, by whom alone empires stand or fall. Not so, did the pious and brave Nehemiah. A ruined city, and feeble guard of citizens, their spirits broken with slavery, and their bodies worn with labour and watching, had no tendency to inspire confidence in an arm of flesh. He evidently rests his confidence where it ought to stand, on the Rock and Strength of Israel. Remember, saith he, the Lord, who is great and terrible. Remember he is eminently a merciful God, who heareth prayer, who saveth the poor destitute, who hateth the violence of the spoiler, and abaseth the proud looks of the haughty." "What is man, that you should fear him? Will you tremble before the face of a reptile, when you are invited to trust in that great and terrible Lord, whose frown disjoints the solid fabric of the earth, and melts the elements with fervent heat? Battle and victory are bis: his favour is your safety; his displeasure inevitable ruin.

"If Nehemiah's sentiments be just, my brethren, (and no man can doubt them, who believes the great God governs the earth he created,) to what purpose do we weigh armies against armies, and compare the respective strength of contending nations? All these reasonings are merely probable, and conclude nothing."-For "sometimes the battle is given to the weak, the race to the slow, and to the foolish counsel: and that, in a mauner so extraordinary, and with so astonishing a disproportion between apparent causes and their effects, that we are obliged to acknowledge the agency of God. This is visibly the character of the day in which we live. Mark how God laughs at the calculations of man's wisdom, and baffles the efforts of his rage and strength. Who would have believed, that a combination of all the great powers of Europe should be defeated by a new Republic, convulsed by anarchy and civil war? or that the conqueror of Italy and Egypt, should be driven from the walls of a ruined town, by a handful of English seamen? Who could have supposed, that the man, who fled from Egypt, like a deserter, should forcibly seize the helm of empire, turn the scale of conquest, impose an imperious peace on Europe, and dare to think of invading our

sea-girt shores? On this stormy ocean of Providence, we navigate without chart or compass. We can determine nothing; when the storm shall subside, or whether our ship, piloted by an unerring hand, shall weather its fury. One solemn fact we know; that God's judgments are heavy on the earth, and are designed to strike a salutary fear into nations, not yet ripe for ruin. Who can tell, whether the Lord will only menace us with his glittering sword, or whether he will spare the root, after pruning the branches of our vine; or whether the fiat is gone forth, and the blood-thirsty Corsican, raised by his providence to the proudest pinnacle of fortune, is the appointed implement of his vengeance? Who hath been the Lord's counsellor, to resolve this question? And yet, if it be not resolved, who can say, There is no danger, and we have no cause to fear?

"Have we not greatly sinned against the Lord, against our country, and against our own souls? Have not luxury and dissipation spread themselves, from the rich and noble, through all ranks of the community? Are not swearing, cursing, fornication, adultery, drunkenness, and contempt of the ordinances and day of the Lord, so common and flagrant, as to excite no surprise, and little detestation? Not to call over the black roll of our transgressions, it is notorious, that we have neglected scandalously the glorious Gospel of our salvation, and trifled with our day of grace. And who shall dare to say, that the Lord may not, or will not, visit us, for these things?"-" Sinful and ignorant man is an incompetent judge of what line of conduct becomes his holy and wise Creator; and, most of all, when he presumes to sit in judgment on his own guilt. Through the prevalence of self-love, comparisons between ourselves and our neighbours are generally fallacious; and, when they are conducted with all possible humility and impartiality, they administer so slender a stream of comfort, that it is not only wiser and safer, but more consolatory, to renounce every other ground of hope and consolation, and to cast ourselves wholly, as penitent sinners, on the sure mercies of David."

But shall we, though conscious of our guilt, "be inaccessible to fear? Shall we continue obdurate, careless, defying death, and never bend a suppiant knee, never shed a contrite tear, before the Power, which is alike able and willing to save us? O infatuate men! What infidel sophistry has perverted, what cold poison stupified our senses, or what more dreadful judg ment of God, has bereft us of every prin ciple of sound reason? What! When the eternal Father of mankind smites not one, but millions of his children; not of a single nation, but of half the Christian World; and while the sword is flaming over our

fall the first before the axe. Not the brave and loyal; for they would have died, sword in hand, and spared themselves the disgraceful spectacle of a conquered country. Not the ministers of the Church of England; for they are too firmly attached to the British monarchy to find mercy from its destroyers. Not the Dissenters of England, for they breathe too bold a spirit of civil and religious liberty, to merit the protection of their Gallic tyrants. Not our merchants and great traders; for what France wins by her valour, she will keep by her policy; and common sense dictates, that the nation, to be held in the trammels of slavery, must be steeped to the lips in poverty. Not the husbandman, labouring manufacturer, and little tradesman; for the husbandman will eat but a scanty portion of his labour, and when the immense capitals, which feed our manufactories, are diverted to the emolument of French generals, the manufacturers will starve, with their wives and families, by ten thousands in our streets. Little tradesmen there will be none; for the manufacturing poor, who are their principal customers, will be totally annihilated. But may not our vigo rous youth support themselves in the general wreck? Alas! no. Their youth, their vigour, and their spirit, will be their crimes. They cannot be trusted in a land, where the blood of their fathers demands expiation; and where every object that strikes their eye, and every tender recollection of former times, prompt them to erect the standard of freedom. Torn from the bosoms of their mothers, and transported to foreign, sickly climes, they must waste their dangerous valour, under Gallic banners, and propagate to other lands, the miseries which overwhelm their own. Who then will be safe? The scum and refuse of the land; every base betrayer of his country; the flagitious Jacobin, and blasphemous infidel, and all other wretches, lost to honour and humanity. These will fraternize with France." Their shame shall be their passport to honour; and their crimes their best claims to public trust." "The last refuge, which lies open to the Swiss and Hanoverian, will be precluded to us. Alas! we cannot flee: the seas poured round our shores, now our defence, will then form the walls of our prison, and prevent every possibility of escape."

"While it is in our power, let us prevent these extremities of wretchedness. Let the horrid picture I have drawn rouse your spirits beyond all former examples of heroic daring. Now, to be prodigal of blood and treasure is economy, is mercy. Thanks be to God, this is the general sense of my countrymen! They are all ardent;

all in arms."

"That the French will attempt our coast, is past a doubt." "An extensive line of coast must be vulnerable in some point. We may then expect them in Eng

land; nor do we go to bed a night in which some post may not break our rest with the news that they have landed. Every man, therefore, should be held in a state of instant preparation. Incapable of conquering the country, they will effectually disturb its peace, and ravage it with fire and sword. The necessity of opposing this desolation, and the state of the kingdom, destitute of strong fortresses, will induce your generals to lead you to battle sooner than they could wish. What is deficient in discipline, must be made up by determined courage. You will find an enemy worthy of your arms, and who will defend himself with savage ferocity. The struggle will be various, obstinate, and sanguinary; and victory will not settle on your banners until many a gallant volunteer is stretched on the field. These considerations you should duly weigh, and make up your minds to conquer, or to die.

"Finally, brethren, consider the vast reward of victory, and the inestimable blessings you purchase with your blood. Their attempt of invasion frustrated, our enemy will not hastily repeat the experiment. Defeat will humble Bonaparte's pride, and break his power. The tires of this blazing star will soon be extinguished." "The Powers who tremble at the arms of the French Republic, will insult her fallen greatness, and all her conquered provinces cast off her galling yoke. France, harassed with revolutionary changes, and exhausted of men and treasure, will be taught to wish for peace, and to cultivate the arts necessary to maintain it. Europe will owe her safety to your valour; and, to your patri otic spirit, fifteen millions of your countrymen will be indebted for every divine and human blessing." "Returning with laurel and olive, victory and peace, your grateful country shall receive you, as deliverers aud benefactors, with triumphant acclamation, and the liberated nations shall catch the joyful shout, and swelled by the common voice of Europe, it shall be reverberated" from shore to shore. "These are the warm hopes of an English heart. May Almighty God realize them in their utmost extent! The effect of your exertions depends on his blessing: pray like christians, fight like men, and let the Lord do as seemeth him good! Amen!"

CONTINENTAL INTELLIGENCE.

The intelligence received from the continent during the present month has been unusually scanty, and has served to throw no new light on the projects and proceedings of the First Consul of FRANCE. All accounts concur in stating that the preparations for invading this country are continued with undiminished activity. Bonaparte lately visited the ports on the channel with the view of inspecting what was going forward, but he is said to have returned to Paris.

The peace of GERMANY does not seem to stand upon a very stable foundation, and various subjects of discussion are said to have arisen between the Emperor and the Princes of the Empire; but it is difficult to ascertain what degree of importance is to be attached to those differences. In the mean time the trade of England with that country seems to be in no degree affected by the shutting up of the Elbe and Weser. The immense consignments of English goods, which formerly were sent by Hamburgh, now pass from Embden into Holland, and throughout the whole interior of Germany.

Considerable commotions had taken place in TURKEY, and Constantinople itself was said to be threatened by the forces of some refractory Pachas; but subsequent accounts state that the danger had been avoided, by a seasonable adjustment of the points in dispute.

An infectious fever had committed great rayages at Malaga in Spain, carrying off numbers of the inhabitants; but its course had been almost entirely stopped when the last letters came away.

AMERICA.

The convention by which Louisiana was ceded to America by France has given rise to much discussion in the legislative houses. Many of those even who considered the convention to be highly favourable to the United States, questioned its justice, as France, it was asserted, had no right to enter into the contract, and was not authorized to convey Louisiana to a third power, without the consent of the Spanish government. A motion was made,

which had for its object an investigation of the title of France to dispose of the territory in question, but it was overruled. We could wish to have seen in the American government a more scrupulous regard to the equity of the case than they seem, in this instance, to have shewn. In arbitrary governments, where the will of an individual directs the proceedings of the state, we are prepared to expect occasional deviations from the path of political rectitude; nor does their occurrence materially implicate the character of a nation. But when a government, which, as in America, is the delegated representative of the people, pursues a line of conduct palpably and notoriously unjust, for the sake either of territorial acquisition or commercial gain, we are led to suspect that very low ideas of morality are generally prevalent. Louisiana is a very convenient accession to America; America, therefore, overlooks the obstacle which the justice of the case throws in the way of her convenience, and thinks only whether she is strong enough to occupy and maintain her purchase. We pretend not to say, that France had no right to make the conveyance in question; but America should' at least have investigated and ascertained the point.

We are greatly concerned to state that his Majesty has been indisposed with a complaint in his foot. He was prevented by it from attending at court on the queen's birth-day. It is stated, however, to have been a mere local affection proceeding from a rheumatic gout, which is now nearly removed. His health, in other respects, we are happy to hear, is extremely good. The peculiar circumstances of the times naturally increase the lively interest which all classes of the community take in whatever affects, in the slightest degree, the health of our sovereign.

The only encounter, of any consequence, which has taken place during this month between our cruisers and the enemy's gun-boats, happened on the night of the third instant, when a flotilla, which was attempting to escape under cover of the land-batteries from Calais to Bou

logne, the grand depot of the French equipment, was attacked by the Archer and Griffin gun-brigs; which, notwithstanding a heavy fire from the batteries on shore, succeeded in capturing a French lugger gun vessel, mounting an eighteen and a twelve pounder, with five seamen, a lieutenant, and twenty-six grenadiers on board, and four other vessels, one laden with gin and the rest with timber for building boats. Each vessel had three or four soldiers on board.

Orders have been issued by Lord Hawkesbury, that no neutral vessels, coming from Holland or from countries occupied by France, shall be permitted to enter any port or harbour on the east coast of Great Britain excepting Yarmouth and the Downs.

The weather has been uncommon severe

during the present month, and the newspapers have been full of the most melancholy details of shipwrecks. None of our men of war, however, seem to have suffered materially. The blockade of Brest was interrupted for a few days about the beginning of the month, Admiral Cornwallis and the greatest part of his ships being forced into Torbay; but he resumed his station the moment the weather would permit. A second interruption of the blockade occurred in consequence of the severe gale which took place on the 19th instant, and which, as well as the former gale, has done immense damage to merchantmen and coasters; but there is reason to believe that Admiral Cornwallis has been able to resume his station without coming into port.

We have been much concerned to observe the differences which have lately arisen in some volunteer corps in and near the metropolis. We do not pretend to enter into the merits of the questions which have been agitated. We would confine ourselves to reminding every volunteer into whose hands this work may fall, of the loud call which his country makes upon him for a temper of unanimity, forbearance, and ready submission. Any symptoms of disunion amongst us at the present moment would afford matter of triumph to our implacable enemy, and would tend greatly to weaken the confidence as well as the strength of the nation. Let every man, therefore, pursue solicitously "the things which make for peace;" and whether he holds a situation of authority, or fills the no less honourable post of a private soldier, let him remember that he may more effectually serve his country by the exercise of a conciliatory spirit, at the present moment, than even by his personal valour or the perfection of his military skill.

We do not, in these general observations, include the unpleasant circumstances which have taken place at Chester, and which, if the newspaper report be correct, are of a far more serious complex

ion. A volunteer who had been at sea having been pressed, a great many of the corps proceeded to the prison and demanded his release. Their commander, who strove to repress their violence, was very roughly handled. They then forced the prison, rescued their companion, and committed other excesses, which the magistrates do not appear to have interfered to prevent. We forbear any comments on this transaction, as we conclude it will be made the subject of a judicial enquiry.

A General Bill of all the Christenings and Burials, from Dec. 14, 1802, to Dec. 13, 1803.

Christened in the 97 Parishes within the Walls, 1179.-Buried, 1317.

Christened in the 17 Parishes without the Walls, 4777.-Buried, 4063.

Middlesex and Surry, 10,002.-Buried,

Christened in the 23 Out Parishes in

9025.

present Marchioness of Salisbury, and mother to the present Earl of Talbot.

Dec. 16. At his son's house at Epping, aged eighty-five, the Reverend CHARLES STUART, fifty years rector of Ashen, and forty-eight years vicar of Steeple Bumstead, having resigned the latter in favour of his youngest son.

Lately, at his father's house at Bewdley, in his twenty-eighth year, the Reverend T. AYLESBURY ROBERTS, M. A. of Christ