A26927:82
Fair-warning, or, XXV reasons against toleration and indulgence of popery with the Arch-bishop of…
Fair-warning, or, XXV reasons against toleration and indulgence of popery with the Arch-bishop of Canterbury's letter to the King and all the bishops of Ireland's protestation to the Parliament to the same purpose : with an answer to the Roman-Catholics reasons for indulgence : also the excellent reasons of the Honourable House of Commons against indulgence, with historical observations thereupon.Fair-warning, or, XXV reasons against toleration and indulgence of popery with the Arch-bishop of Canterbury's letter to the King and all the bishops of Irelands protestation to the Parliament to the same purpose : with an answer to the Roman-Catholicks reasons for indulgence : also the excellent reasons of the Honourable House of Commons against indulgence, with historical observations thereupon.
London: printed for S.U.N.T.F.S., 1663
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Should not be persecuted:—You are not persecuted, but only disabled from persecuting us: you are weakened in your Estates only, that you may not ruin us: you are uncapable of power, that you may not oppress us: to live quietly, soberly and honestly, you have enough; to live seditiously, dangerously and factiously, you have too much. We are so indulgent to you, that you want nothing which may be necessary for your livelihood, though we are so jealous over you that you want that which may be necessary for your design: we take away part of your Estates, that you may not be capable of attempting that whereby you may forfeit the whole.—
Should not be persecuted:—You are not persecuted, but onely disabled from persecuting us: you are weakned in your Estates onely, that you may not ruine us: you are uncapable of power, that you may not oppress us: to live quietly, soberly and honestly, you have enough; to live seditiously, dangerously and factiously, you have too much. We are so indulgent to you, that you want nothing which may be necessary for your livelyhood, though we are so jealous over you that you want that which may be necessary for your designe: we take away part of your Estates, that you may not be capable of attempting that whereby you may forfeit the whole.—
Here I observe two Rules: 1. The one of Charity; teaching not to do to others what we would not have done to our selves: where we must distinguish what we would not in reason, and what we would not in interest: If I were a malefactor in interest, I would not be punished; if I were a Judge in reason, I would punish a malefactor: so if I were in an error, self-love would distaste to me a desire of advancing my error.—If I held the truth contrary to that error, conscience would suggest to me my duty to suppress that for the advancement of a ⟨p. 27⟩truth; to the case in hand, if you should really think we were deceived and went astray, we would have you by all means discover to us the errors of our ways, and restrain us from them; and now we really think you in damnable errors, we would convince you of those errors; and by all means restrain you from them. 2. The other rule is of prudence; teaching to bear with you the lesser inconveniences as coming nearest to us, that we may be able to suppress other factions that go farthest from us: 1. Of two inconveniences we may choose the least; but of two sins we may choose none,—and really I think it sin in me to countenance any thing in which I judge against Gods truth and way;—if I can discountenance it. 2. To bear with you is to bear wih all the errors in the World: your way being a farrago of all the exploded heresies among Christians.