BOOK II. 1693. Arbitrary sures em specting neux, esq. of Dublin, entitled, "The case of Ireland's being bound by Acts of Parliament in England,” in which the dependence of that kingdom and oppres on the authority of the parliament of England was sive Meaperemptorily denied; a committee was appointed braced reto examine the same. And on the report of the Ireland, committee it was unanimously resolved, "that the said book was of dangerous consequence to the crown and the people of England, &c."and an address was thereupon presented to the king, stating the bold and pernicious assertions contained in the aforesaid publication, which they declared to have been more fully and authentically affirmed by the votes and proceedings of the house of commons in Ireland, during their late sessions-and more particularly by a bill transmitted under the great seal of Ireland, entitled, An act for the better security of his majesty's person and government; whereby an act of parliament made in England was pretended to be re-enacted, and divers alterations therein made; and they assured his majesty of their ready concurrence and assistance in a par liamentary way to preserve and maintain the dependence and subordination of Ireland to the imperial crown of this realm; and they humbly besought his majesty, that he would discourage all things which might in any degree lessen or impair that dependence." To which the king BOOK III. replied, " that he would take care that what was 1698. complained of might be prevented and redressed as the commons desired." Such was at this time the extreme political depression of Ireland, that this haughty procedure of the English parliament excited no visible resentment on the part of the Irish legislature; but a spirit very different has since arisen, which has produced great and momentous consequences. To that spirit alone, operating uniformly respecting its object, though variously as to its modes, in the successive and unremitting efforts of her heroes, statesmen, and patriots, and not to the justice or generosity of Britain, does the Irish Nation owe whatever she at this day possesses of liberty. The commercial no less than the political jealousy of the English parliament being now awakened with respect to Ireland, a second address, no less extraordinary in its kind, than the first, was soon after presented to the king, representing to his majesty, "that, being very sensible that the wealth and power of this kingdom do in a great measure depend on the preserving the woollen manufacture as much as possible entire to this realm, they thought it became them, like their ancestors, to be jealous of the establishment and the increase thereof elsewhere, and to use their utmost endeavours to prevent it;-that they could not without trouble observe, that Ireland, which is dependent on and protected by England in the enjoyment of all they have, and BOOK II. which is so proper for the linen manufacture, 1698. should of late apply itself to the woollen manufacture, to the great prejudice of the trade of this kingdom;-that the consequence thereof would necessitate his majesty's parliament of England to interpose, unless his majesty by his authority and great wisdom should find means to secure the trade of England; and they implored his majesty's protection and favor in this matter;— and that he would make it his royal care to discourage the exportation and manufacture of wool in Ireland." To this the king with apparent complacency replied, "that he should do all that in him lay to promote the trade of England, and to discourage the woollen and encourage the linen manufacture of Ireland." Thus by an absurd and barbarous policy was Ireland to be for ever debarred, for the supposed benefit of England, from making use of those advantages which God and nature had so bountifully bestowed. The Irish were indeed permitted to shear their flocks, but neither to export nor manufacture the fleeces. Could any natural calamity operate more fatally than such a prohibition? Even to this Ireland submitted with the silence and patience of the lamb, which "licks the hand just raised to shed its blood." The policy of England in relation to Ireland has BOOK III. from the earliest æra of its usurped dominion been 1698. equally unwise and unjust. Far from deriving Theologi cal Disputes respecting advantage from experience, the English government has uniformly so conducted itself as to become to the people of that devoted country, the object of fixed and unutterable abhorrence.* The violation of the plainest dictates of social and political morality is very consistent with the the Trinity, most fiery and intemperate zeal for the HONOR of RELIGION; which is indeed too often regarded as an atonement for moral depravity. In the sad history of the human mind we even see the deepest injuries inflicted by men, blind and bigoted, on each other, on the presumptuous and impious pretence of " glorifying GOD"-the almighty and beneficent author of a system whose great object and tendency is universal happiness. These reflections naturally arise, from contemplating with philosophic attention the passing series of events. The scholastic disputes of theologians would be too insignificant, and for the most part too absurd, to merit the notice of history, if the occasional interposition of the civil power did not confer upon them an artificial and extrin * Quid aliud exitio Lacedæmoniis et Atheniensibus fuit, quanquam armis pollerent, nisi quod victos pro alienigenis arcebant? At conditor noster Romulus tantum sapientia valuit, ut plerosque populos eodem die hostes dein cives habuerit.-TACIT. Annal. lib. ii. cap. 4. BOOK III. 1698. Interfer liament. sic importance. This year was distinguished in the annals of the church by a vehement controversy between two divines of profound erudition, Sherlock and South, respecting the mystery of the Trinity-the former of these maintaining the existence of three eternal minds; and the latter, of ithree personal subsistences in one divine essence. The two grand combatants could boast on either side a numerous band of partisans and admirers; each branding the other with HERESY, and hostility to the Christian faith. When noise Impolitie and nonsense were at the height, and this mise-ence of Par rable contention of folly against folly on the eve therefore of subsiding, the king was addressed by the commons, the whole house attending, as on the most solemn occasions, with the speaker at their head," to issue his royal proclamation for putting into execution the good laws now in force against profaneness and immorality-and that he would give effectual orders for the suppression of all pernicious books and pamphlets containing impious doctrines against the Holy Trinity." For there were very many persons, who, finding the learned doctors of the church so much at variance amongst themselves on this subject, ventured openly to deny and reject the whole-affirming that reason and Scripture concurred in teaching that there was but one only living and true God; that the Trinity was a |