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rienced. The fituation of affairs in Charles the Firft's time brought them to take arms; and the general maffacre of the Proteftants is ftill fresh in memory, in which thousands perifhed by cruelties unknown even among barbarous nations.

At the Revolution, the Popery of Ireland endangered the Proteftantism of the three kingdoms, by finding employment for the arms of England, when they were wanted elsewhere to fupport the cause of liberty and religion: and fhould we ever be fo unhappy as to see our religion and liberty put again to the chance of war, there can be no doubt which fide the Irish Papifts would take.

Even in the times of peace they are of little use to the public, being through want of education greatly unacquainted with the arts of civil life, and ftrangers to the improvements which make men great and confiderable. They may be fit for arms, but they are not fit to be trusted in a Proteftant army: many of them indeed take to this employment; and they are a feminary for foreign troops; a strength bred up among ourselves, but always at the fervice of our enemies. So that when you compute their numbers, and their force, you must place their ftrength to the account, not of their natural Prince, the King of Great Britain, but rather to fome foreign powers, and to those especially, of whom England has the greatest reason to be jealous.

What shall we say then to this ftate of the cafe? Shall these great numbers continue ftill to be our enemies; or shall we try to gain their affections, and make them friends as well as fubject to the government? Shall we fee them ftill facrificing their

lives due to the defence of their country, in the service of foreign powers; or fhall we engage their hearts and hands in a nobler warfare, in the cause of liberty? Shall we permit them to remain untaught, uncultivated, useless to themselves and to the world? or fhall we fhew them the arts of life and honeft industry, teach them to be happy, and of service to themselves and to the public?

There can be no doubt which part is to be chofen. But as even the temporal advantages proposed are not to be obtained but by fetting these poor people free from the tyranny of Popery, and by opening their minds to fee and receive the truths of the Gospel; the methods to be used with them must be fuch as are confiftent with the nature of religion, and fuch as the circumftances of the people will admit.-And fuch only have you made choice of.

When you receive children, whofe parents willingly entrust them to your care, (and others you feek not after,) you act by commiffion under the pa ternal authority, and are authorized by the fame natural right, when you teach and inftruct fuch chil dren, as parents themselves are when they teach and inftruct their own. Whoever therefore has any objection to the work you are engaged in, must first dispute the parent's right to educate his own children, before he can controvert yours.

If the confent of parents gives you a right, your charity, and benevolence in undertaking a duty, which the poor parents are incapable of discharging themselves, will not fail to give you a reward in due time. Ages to come, when they feel the happy

change, the foundation of which is now laying, shall bless your memory; and thousands yet unborn may owe their happiness in this world, and their hopes in a better, to this work and labour of love.

Go on then, and may fuccefs wait on your care. The wishes of all, who wish well to their country, are with you; and every good man, if he has nothing else to give, will beftow his prayers, that this work of the Lord may profper in

your

hands.

DISCOURSE XIII.

2 COR. ix. 12.

For the adminiftration of this service not only fupplieth the want of the faints, but is abundant also by many ́ thanksgivings unto God.

To take in the full fenfe of the Apostle upon this fubject, the 14th verfe ought to be read together with the text; and then the whole will run thus: For the adminiftration of this fervice not only fupplieth the want of the faints, but is abundant alfo by many thanksgivings unto God; and by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in

you.

The occafion of these words was in fhort this: the Apostle had been making collections among the Chriftians of several countries, for the relief of the poor diftreffed brethren in Judea; and, intending shortly to vifit Corinth, he fends before him an exhortation to them to be in readiness to answer the hopes and expectations which themselves had raised in him, that he should receive a large fupply at their hands. The chapter of the text is entirely spent in this argument; the Apostle introduces it with excufing his writing upon this fubject, fince he knew how forward they were of their own ac

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