PA RT II. Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. 4q-5 now were fomewhat moderated by concurrence with them. Y thought the Cafe very hard on both fides, That we that were fo much cenfured by them for going fomewhat further than they, mutt yet omit that which elfe mutt be our Duty, meetly to abate their Sufferings that cenlùre us : But I refblved with them to for- bear a while, rather than any Chriftian Ihould fuffer by occafion of an aEtion of mine, Peeing Godwill have Mercy and not Sacrifice, and no Duty is a Duty at all times. 4444 In Jnÿ 164 the Lord Ajhley fent a Letter to Sir fobnTrevor, That a worthy Friend of his, in whofe Café the King did greatly concern himfelf, had all his Fortunes callupon thy Refohxion of the enclofed Cafe, which was, Whether a Proteflant Lady, of frill Education, might marry a Papifl, in hope of his Converfion, be promifmg not to diflurb her in berReligion. It came at Six a Clock Afternoon, and knowing it was a Cafe thatmult becauteloufly refolved at the Court, I took time till the next Morning, that I might give my Anfwer in Writing. The next day the Lord Afhley wrote again, with many words to incline me to the Affirmative ; for the Lady told them floe would not confent unlefs I fatisfied her that it was law- ful. (Who the Lord and Lady were I knownot at all, but have an uncertain Con- je&ure) : So I Bent the following Refolution. The Cafe was thus exprefid. Whether one that was bred a ftrisIt Protelfant, andin the moll leyere ways of that Profeflion , lived many years without giving offence to any ; well known in her own Country to be fuch ; may without offence to God, or Man, marry a profelt Roman Catholick, in hopes of taking him off the Errour of his ways, he engaging never to dilturb her ? My Lord's Letter was as follows. I, S I R, THere is a very good Friend ofmine, and one bis Majefly is very much concernedfar, that this enclofedCafe bas the power ofhis Fortune,. None bat that worthy Divine Mr. Baxtercan fatiofie the Lady ; tbro has been the way by which the Romanifla have gained very mach upon us: they are more powerful in perfwafion than our Sex , befidea, the patting thisCafe fhewa fame inclination to the Perforo, though not to the Religi- on. Sir, If Mr. Baxter be withoou, pray let me bave bio Opinion to this Cafe in writing under it. Wherein you may oblige more thanyou think for, Your very afetlionate Friend to ferveyou, ASHLEY. For his much honoured Friend Sir 7obn Trevor, at iltlon To this Cafe I drew up the following Anfwer , and feat it to Sir John Trevor, to be by him conveyed to my Lord Athley. SIR, ^rHough I cannot be infenfiblehow inconvenient to myfelfthe Anfwerof this 1l Cafe may pofliblyprove, by difpleafing thofe who are concerned in it, and medling about a Cafe ofPerlons utterly unknown to me, yet becaufe I take it ' to be a thing which Fidelity to the Truth , and Charity to a Chriftian Soul re- quireth, I !hall fpeak my Judgment whatever be the Confequents. But I muff crave
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