Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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B20784
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An essay for the conversion of the Irish shewing that 'tis their duty and interest to become Protestants : in a letter to themselves.
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Cox, Richard, Sir, 1650-1733.
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1698
(1698)
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Wing C6721
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30,538
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48
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without subverting this Specious Principle But the Truth is the Principle is not Good but Worldly Proud and Deceitful and tending to keep us always in the wrong if once we happen to be so On the contrary when the First Impressions are Ill we are Oblig'd in Honour to change for the Better Sect 115. But what are the mistaken Notions of Honour to the Salvation of ones Soul Or have not you done enough to vindicate your Honour that you have stuck to an Abdicated Cause till you see it so entirely bafled that 't is become the Derision of Europe Sect 116. Have not too many of you already been Misguided by your Priests into so much Villany that your Guilt robbs you of the Comfort Good Men might have in their Sufferings Are you not render'd Poor and Miserable by being Tools for an Infatiable Clergy that suck from you all they can get even in this Extremity And have not they for their own Ends prompted you to all the Rebellions you have been guilty of from whence your Forfeitures Confiscations and Miseries have proceeded Sect 117. On the other side Gentlemen you find that the Protestants are an Honest Good-Natur'd People infinitely kinder to you than either you deserv'd or hop'd for And above all The KING whom you had Provok'd to the last Degree Spitefully and Unnecessarily and consequently from whom you expected no Mercy has yet graciously manifested Himself to you the most Generous and most Merciful Prince in the world So that you never suffer'd less Persecution for the Exercise of your Religion than at this day All which being considered This seems the most proper Juncture that ever happened to Undeceive and Convert you and to Dispose you to a Thorough Reformation and to become Good Protestants and Good Subjects Sect 118. And surely those of the Protestant Religion will co-operate all they can to this Conversion by Exhortation and Example by Good Offices and Good Advice And certainly the IRIS◠〈…〉 worthy of their Care and are endued with such Excellent Qualities as will deserve and recompence all the Pains that shall be taken in that Pious Work For it cannot be denied but that the Irish abound in the Perfections of Body and Mind If you survey their Persons you will find their Complexions Good their Constitutions Healthy their Limbs Nimble and Active their Stature Tall and their Bodies Strong and comely And if you search their Minds you will find them Religious Constant Patient and Faithful very Docible and desirous of Instruction Naturally inclin'd to Manners and Complement Generous beyond Example and Profusely Hospitable even to a Fault And in short If it were not for the Bad Principles of their Religion they would be very good Neighbours good Subjects and good Men. Sect 119. 'T is true That the best Edge is soonest Turn'd and the sweetest Wine makes the sowrest Vinegar And the best things when corrupted degenerate into the other Extream And 't is as true That these Vertues of the Irish for want of Instruction and Cultivation are become Intollerable Vices Thus their Religion is dwindled into Superstition and Bigotry their Constancy turn'd to Obstinacy their Patience to Stupidity and even their Fidelity is become the Cause of the Perfidiousness and Ingratitude they are accused of Sect 120. And it is to set them Right in these Important Matters that is the Charitable Design of these Papers Which if they take Effect will Restore the Splendor of their Vertues bring them from Darkness to Light and from Ignorance and Misery to Happiness and Understanding Sect 121. And since there is a great deal of Truth in the Petition of the Miserable Irish to the French King setting forth their Deplorable Condition and the insupportable Calamities they have Suffered And that they have Postpond all that is Dear to Men so I say the Mistaken concerns of Religion Does it not hence follow That if they have Done and Suffered thus in a Bad cause They would have Done yet better in a Good One being rightly Instructed Is it not then a Noble Work and Worthy our Greatest Dilligence to Advise and Instruct them Effectually And should not We from this Consideration be Prompted to Labour Your Conversion and should not you from hence be Cautious to avoid Those Superstitions and Follys that have Reduced your Miserable Countrymen to that Wretched Condition Sect 122. But 't is Objected that the Irish Converts are not Sincere and will Apostatize when Time serves and it might be true if they were Forc'd and Persecuted to it But since they are under No Persecution for their Religion so that their Conversion is Voluntary One may say that the Suggestion is false and Uncharitable as may be seen in the first Converts and in some of the Noblest Families of this Kingdom whose Conversions were Sincere and whose Posterity have Proved Champions for the Faith Nor can a few instances of the contrary especially when Under Temptations that were Insuperable to some of our own Justify an Objection so General Besides Time Instruction and Example strengthen those Notions that were weak at first and their Children will be firm and free from the Pre-possessions of their Fathers which consideration alone is sufficient to Induce Us to Labour Your Conformity Sect 123. But 't is farther Objected That no People was ever more Vngrateful and Perfidious than the Irish have been to the English after Innumerable Favours Receiv'd from the Government and Obligations from Particular Men And the Matter of Fact is True but yet the Aspersion is not Iust For whenever Two Obligations concur an Honest Man is bound to Prefer the Greater and to Reject the Less If my Father and my Friend Quarrel 't is no Vnfaithfulness to my Friend that I help my Father 'T is reckon'd to Abraham for Righteousness that he would have Sacrific'd his Only Son at the Commandment of GOD. And 't is Frivolous to Object the Unnatural Barbarity of an Action when 't is Commanded by GOD ALMIGHTY who will either prevent the Doing it or confer Circumstances that will Sanctifie the thing Sect 124. In all Cases one is bound to regard the Superiour Obligation And therefore when the Command of GOD and the Prosperity of their Religion and Countrey as They thought came in Competition with their Obligations to the English They should not be Accused of Ingratitude or Persidiousness for preferring the former Sect 125. And 't is certain that Accuse them of what you will as long as they continue Papists they will Maugre all Obligations Desiroy the Protestants as often as They get Opportunity and the Priest bids them For here lies the Secret and Spring-Head of all their Faults and their Misfortunes That they take the Voice of every Siliy Priest for the Voice of GOD. Sect 126. And this it is which brings Reproach upon Irish Vnderstanding Not that you want Wit or Apprehension but that you are Credulous and take things upon Trust and consequently are easily Impos'd upon All