may only help to aggravate religious contentions which are serious enough of themselves. But we of the Church of Ireland can afford to be more national than their own leaders, more entirely Irish; and notwithstanding the unfortunate excess of English blood and English influence, which has now for nearly seven centuries been more or less prevalent among us, yet after all, Hibernis ipsis Hiberniores!

Let levellers, and democrats, and votaries of anarchy assail the establishment as they may: let them reduce all systems of religious truth and error to such equality as they can conceive in this our land, still after all the strong influence of Scriptural truth, (if only we hold that firmly,) appealing from the elevated vantage ground of superior antiquity, to the national and patriotic feelings of our countrymen, will ever give to the Church of Ireland a godly rank and pre-eminence over every rival denomination, such as politicians may strive to subvert in vain. If ever the people of this country are again to be united in the bonds of cordial amity and of a common faith, with the inhabitants of Christian England, the Church of Ireland is undoubtedly the natural mediator through whose instrumentality such a reconciliation must take place. Statesmen, or those who are called so, may indeed perhaps endeavour to effect the end, either

independently of her influence, or by the total A. d. 1622. sacrificing of her interests: but in what issue such a course is likely to result,-whether in any benefits or advantages to either country, or rather, in the continuance and increase of dissension and misery in this part of the British empire, the experience of the past is alone fully sufficient to indicate. To the government of England, however it may wrong or injure us, may we ever be dutifully subject in godly loyalty and Christian obedience; but yet so as to love nor cherish no external influence, whether of Rome or England, in the Church of our native isle: as remembering that some of her brightest and happiest days were those, when in the Providence of Almighty God, she was permitted to enjoy independence of all foreign, whether spiritual or temporal, control.

between the

Ireland and

old.

When we compare the miserable state of Ire- Contrast land in latter days with her condition in those present contimes of her early saints, and reflect on the period dition of when she was eminent and illustrious among her state in the nations of Europe, and highly respected and the days of esteemed in foreign lands for her advancement in the knowledge of the blessed Word of God, and the ability with which her sons instructed others in it, we may well consider, whether her exaltation at that time was not agreeable to the sense of that Scripture in which God tells us,

A. D. 1622. "Them that honour me I will honour;" or whether her degraded position in more recent times, when the Holy Scriptures are neglected and hated by so many of her people, be not in keeping with the remainder of the verse, "They that despise me shall be lightly esteemed."*

A parting word in closing the subject, from the

writer to

And now, gentle reader, thus far have I endeavoured to collect together into small compass, for your use, such of the principal facts of our Church history as appeared most worthy of the reader. notice, for being well authenticated, important, and interesting. And if my humble efforts be so successful as to prove of any service in your studies, or save you from the trouble or expense of consulting larger, or more costly, or otherwise less accessible works, remember, of your goodness, that this has not been accomplished without the expenditure of many a day and week, and even years, of patient anxiety and labour, unaccompanied by hope or prospect of much earthly remuneration. It is indeed an instructive and edifying occupation, to be engaged in studying the lives of eminent saints of God, when ably, honestly, and piously composed; it is a good and holy work to record their histories; for the Scripture says, that "The righteous

1 Sam. ii. 30.

shall be had in everlasting remembrance," and A. D. 1622. again, that "The memory of the just is blessed;" and we may well delight in cherishing the recollection of those worthies of olden time, by whom the Church of God was planted here and watered, and seeking to imitate their singleminded zeal and devotedness to the service of their heavenly Master; that we may thus be stirred up more heartily to bless God's holy name for all his servants departed this life in His faith and fear, and to beseech Him to give us grace so to follow their good examples, that with them we may be partakers of His heavenly kingdom. It is also undoubtedly a necessary and useful work to provide for general readers a fair and sufficient account of the affairs and circumstances of the Church to which they belong, and its treatment from friends and enemies in bygone ages. But however necessary and profitable such a work may be, and however it may need to be executed by a sincere friend of the Church and of her faith, it seems to have, in common with much study of other sorts, a tendency to produce, not only "weariness of the flesh," but also, dryness and poverty of spirit, feebleness of religious vitality in the heart, and other injuries akin to these-injuries naturally resulting from a want of those active impulses of Christian life which are more quick

A. D. 1622, ened and strengthened by visiting among the poor and suffering, waiting by the beds of the sick and languid, ministering to their temporal and spiritual relief, conversing with them on death, and salvation, and eternal life, and finally witnessing the results of carelessness and unbelief, as exhibited in the dying hour of the followers of the world and of sin, and the contrast furnished thereto by the patience and faith of the saints of God, in traversing the dark valley, supported by the "rod and staff" of their heavenly Comforter.

Amid such scenes might have been spent, with more of personal benefit and improvement, but less, it is hoped, of general utility, some of the hours devoted to the compilation of this work; from which therefore, kind Christian reader, if you have received any benefit or help, grudge not a prayer to the throne of grace, for him who has been the means of contributing this trifle. And if you be a minister of Christ yourself, and unable to devote much time to studies such as this, (although interested in them, and feeling their importance,) but are rather constantly occupied in more active and enlivening work in your Master's service, and among His people, remember him who has been willing to serve you in the camp as a hewer of wood and drawer of water; make mention in