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TO THE

CHURCH OF ENGLAND,

ROMAN CATHOLICK,

AND

PROTESTANT DISSENTER:

IN WHICH

It is endeavoured to be made appear, that it is their Duty, Principle, and Interest to abolish the

PENAL LAWS and TESTS.

Beati Pacifici.

Published in the Year 1687.

:

1

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REA DE R.

READER,

Ni

O matter who, but what: and yet if thou wouldst know the author, he is an Englishman, and therefore obliged to this country, and the laws that made him free.

That fingle confideration were enough to command this undertaking; for it is to perfuade his countrymen to be delivered of the greateft yoke a nation can well fuffer under; penal laws for religion, I mean.

And now thou haft both the who, and what. If thou art wife and good, thou art above my epithets, and more my flatteries: if not, I am in the right to let them alone. Read, think, and judge. Liberty, English and Chriftian, is all that is fought in the enfuing difcourfe. Adieu.

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GOOD ADVICE

TO THE

CHURCH OF ENGLAND, &c.

I

PART I.

Muft own it is my averfion at this time, to meddle with publick matters; and yet my duty to the publick will not let me be filent. They that move by principles, muft not regard times nor factions, but what is juft, and what is honourable; and that no man ought to fcruple, nor no time or intereft to contest.

The fingle queftion I go upon, and which does immediately concern and exercise the minds of the thinking, as well as talking men of this kingdom, is, Whether it be fit to repeal the penal laws and tests in matters of religion, or not?' I take the affirmative of the question, and humbly fubmit my reasons to every reasonable confcience. I fay reasonable, becaufe that which knows not its own duty, principle and intereft, is not fo; and that which is not willing to do to others as it would be done by, lefs deferves to be thought fo.

Now there are three forts of people that will find themselves concerned in this queftion, the church of England, the Roman Catholick, and the Proteftant Diffenter, and these make up the whole body of the king

dom:

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