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nature and effects, is not tied to any fect. It may influence the Roman Catholic as well as the Proteftant; and while it does, he will act fuitably and confiftently with the utmost of his information. And this information will not continue either a partial or blind one to the person who is led by fuch faith; for, as I quoted before-if any man be a doer of the Divine will, he fhall know of the doctrine whether it be of God.

Seeing then, that true Christianity is the love of God and our neighbour, produced in our hearts by faith, and evidenced by works of mercy to the fouls and bodies of our fellow-creatures, with what face can any man affert, that the Christian religion, or more properly fpeaking, Chriftianity,, is the cause of all this rebellion and bloodshed? Is it the love of God and our neighbour, i. e. Chriftianity, that ftrewed the streets of Rofs, and the furrounding fields and highways, with thousands of the dead carcafes of our fellow-creatures ?-"Whence comes wars and fightings amongst you?" fays holy James," Come they not of your lufts?" Is it the love of God and our neighbour that lighted up the barn of Scollabogue, and burned to death fo many of our neighbours? Is it that which inflamed the rebels on Wexford-bridge and Vinegar-hill? Chriftianity? No; but that which has falfely ufurped the name of that religion, which is "pure and undefiled." It is what the prophet Daniel juftly ftyles, "the abomination of defolation;" or, which maketh · defolate "standing in the holy place." A heathen, who knew not what religion meant, might exclaim on the occafion, "Tantum religio potuit fuadere malorum !" But how painful must it be to an enlightened Christian mind, to hear a professor of Christianity apply this line to the infernal proceedings fo lately rampant upon earth! As if the effufion of a heathen poet were of more authority in fixing our ideas of Christianity than the Holy Scriptures themfelves. What!

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is the love of God and our neighbour the cause of rebellion, robbery, tortures, and death? What then is the best remedy for those evils? Is it envy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness?" Abfurdity ftares the affertion out of countenance !

Now I hope my readers fee plainly the grofs absurdity of that wisdom which dictates any thing derogatory to Chriftianity." This wisdom," fays St. James, "descendeth not " from above; but is earthly, fenfual, devilish. For," continues he," where envying and ftrife is, there is con« fufion and every evil work. But the wifdom that is from "above, is first pure, and then peaceable, gentle, and easy " to be entreated; full of mercy and good fruits; without " partiality and hypocrify. And the fruit of righteousness " is fown in peace of them that make peace."-James iii. 15, 16, 17, and 18.

No. IV.

The following article is extracted from two Effays of mine, one published in the Leirfler Journal, May 11, 1799,* and the other defigned for one of Walker's Hibernian Magazines, but rejected on account of its enormous length.

I ask in the name of Christianity, in the name of charity and common sense, what good end can it answer to talk fo provokingly contemptuous (at this season more especially) of the religion of any community, as to term it, and that in prefence of the profeffor," the croppy persuasion," and the like? Are Roman Catholics and Proteftants ftill to live together in this kingdom? Surely you do not, you cannot answer "no!" We must live together, let us arrange mat

It was written in December 1798.

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ters as we will. What then are the most defirable and rational conditions of that unavoidable proximity, but thofe founded on Chriftian benevolence? How then are we to ob tain the mutual establishment of thofe invaluable conditions? Certainly not by language the moft exquifitely provoking that hell itself can fuggeft! Language that has for the objects of its cutting virulence what are univerfally esteemed the deareft, nay the only ties which fubfift between GOD and immortal fouls, even those of religion. It is bafe, thus unneceffarily to grieve, if not provoke, our still valuable countrymen, when we should, after the manner prescribed by our holy religion, ftrive rather to reclaim them, by "overcoming evil with good." It is ungrateful: why should we infult any of our brave foldiery? Believe me, my dear countrymen, the free and indifcriminate ufe of fuch language is the direct way to the promotion of that war and bloodshed against which we are taught so rationally and devoutly to pray.

Suffer me to advise you (friends to your King and conftitution) how you may subdue the minds of the people, and thereby confirm, in reality, all those good effects which we may now juftly fear are only partially produced. This cannot be effected by overbearing and towering admonitions to them. Be affured, that while the unroofed cabin, burned for the difloyalty of the owner, continues to ftare him in the face with its gaping door-way and blank windows, and the bleak wind howls through the miserable little ruin, it will preach a rebel fermon to his heart and to the hearts of his family, which will completely counteract all the grave principles of loyalty you could poffibly labour in that strain to inculcate.

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There is nothing which we give with fuch profuse libeFality as good advice, because it cofts us nothing, and be caufe it gives us an air of fuperiority over those to whom it

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is administered. But it often thereby flatters principles which are not fo good as felf-love would teach us to imagine. That advice which is not administered in humble fympathy is never known to fucceed, especially with the inan who is very deeply immerged in guilt or error, both which always take refuge in fulky ftubborn pride, except in the heart of the true penitent; therefore, as far as may be confiftent with a hearty difapprobation of the evils you would remove, speak comfortably to them. Speak to them in words that may induce them to join with you in deploring the mifchiefs of rebellion. This may easily be effected by any man of a truly Christian spirit. And if in their profeffions of penitence you would have them to be fincere, I will tell you how you may effect that too. Convince them of your own fincerity firft. Help to build up the burned cabin; take the fhivering infant-inhabitants to your bofom; feed them, clothe them, and labour to inftil into their tender minds principles of love to God and man.* This would be acting the Chriftian Proteftant towards them. By thefe means you may perfect the conqueft internally, which you have already made over them externally. You will melt down their stubborn, fulky, and naturally-warm hearts; and from them foon fee flowing that genuine gratitude of which Irishmen (notwithstanding their barbarously-avengeful spirit) are, perhaps, of all men under heaven, the most susceptible.

"Thus artists melt the fullen ore of lead,

By heaping coals of fire on its head :

"In the kind warmth the metal learns to glow;

And pure from drofs the filver runs below."

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Oh that this had been attempted when it was much more practicable! that the children of rebels were forfeited to government, sent to our charter-schools, taught principles of true Christianity and loyalty, and made useful members of society !

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The advice I have now taken upon me to give is perfectly confiftent with that of the great apoftle, Rom. xii. 20. "If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in fo doing thou fhalt heap coals of fire upon "his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

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I fhall conclude with a few fhort golden aphorifms from honeft William Penn, whom I believe to have been the greatest Chriftian legiflator, as well as one of the beft of men, that ever breathed. I addrefs them to both parties.

"It is as great prefumption to fend our paffions upon God's errand as to palliate them with God's name. Zeal dropt in charity [love] is good; without it, good for nothing; for it devours all it comes near. We are ready to retaliate rather than forgive or gain by love or information; and yet we could hurt no man that we believe loves us: let us then try what love will do; for, if men do once fee that we love them, we fhould foon find that they would not hurt us. Force may fubdue, but love gains; and he that forgives firft, wins the laurel."

J. ALEXANDER.

No. V.

The author is not ignorant of the horrid principles upon which the general maffacres in this unfortunate kingdom were perpetrated. An inveftigation of them is wholly unneceffary. To a Chriftian mind it were ungracious to the laft degree! Yet he thinks it neceffary in this place to obviate an argument by which his peaceably-difpofed fentiments were formerly entangled, especially as he has made ufe that of argument in print. His error lay in jumbling

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