A25470:904
The Morning exercise [at] Cri[ppleg]ate, or, Several cases of conscience practically resolved
The Morning exercise [at] Cri[ppleg]ate, or, Several cases of conscience practically resolved by sundry ministers, September 1661.
London: printed for Joshua Kirton and Nathaniel Webb, 1661
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
4. Another ground is, the mutual and universal equity and advantage of this. Rule. Upon those terms I and all men shall be equally dealt with, it will be well with me, and well with all men. The observation of this Rule would secure peace to the world, and if it were generally practised, those few that should offend against it, would be looked upon as the pests and troublers of humane society. As by the violation of this Rule, every man becomes a Wolf, and beast of prey to another, so by the mutual observation of it, every man would be a God to another; men would be full mutual goodness, and pity, and compassion, they would be mutual benefactors one to another; All men would be as happy as it is possible for them to be in this world, and no man could be miserable if it were in the power of his neighbour to help him.
4. Another ground is, the mutual and universal equity and advantage of this. Rule. Upon those terms I and all men shall be equally dealt with, it will be well with mee, and well with all men. The observation of this Rule would secure peace to the world, and if it were generally practised, those few that should offend against it, would be looked upon as the pests and troublers of humane society. As by the violation of this Rule, every man becomes a Wolf, and beast of prey to another, so by the mutual observation of it, every man would bee a God to another; men would bee full mutual goodness, and pitty, and compassion, they would bee mutual benefactors one to another; All men would bee as happy as it is possible for them to bee in this world, and no man could bee miserable if it were in the power of his neighbour to help him.
5. The last ground I shall mention is, the absurdity and inconvenience of the Contrary.
And this is the most proper way of proving this; for as Aristotle tells us, First Principles which are evident by their own light, cannot be proved by way of demonstration, but of conviction; As thus; contradictions cannot be true at once; This cannot be demonstrated a priori, because