Earls of Cromartie > [NSLBLANK]

1714.] LETTER ON ROMAN CATHOLICISM. clxix
more tyme and particular try all, if yow will be so just to yourself as to take it.
I shall now only, in the name of a father, who have been ever indulgent to yow,
and (which is farr more weighty), in the name of the great God, desyre yow
earnestly to consider that, as the religion is the greatest thing under God, so to
choose, and yett more to change it, is of the highest importance to yow. To
change from error is a glory, but to change till the utmost tryals be made by yow
is a shame ; to conclude in naturall and politick matters on short veiwes and un-
examind app[e]arence is foolish, but in religion it is impious. I'm sure yow have
whole numbers of means for tryall unessayed ; yow have read litle, conversed
with learned men on both sides litle, and with me, who am your parent, yow have
never consulted the pretences wherby yow are now ledd, and, alas ! deceaved :
yow have given too litle tyme to that which deserves long and serious considera-
tion ; and tho' no tyme should be lost from religious duties, yett I know not if
any on can be more so then what our Saviour calls His converts too, viz., to
search the Scriptures, and to examine His doctrines by them. The noble Bereans
did so. Dear child, it will be no disgrace for yow to obey him, and imitate them.
What needs precipitation 1 Yow are in duty whilst yow hover to try. The
matter is weighty : wisdom cals aloud to consider what yow leave, what yow goe
to. To illustrate these would recpiire a volumn : it is not my designe to illustrate
ether in this letter : this is to begg that yow would give tyme to search for truth
in both. I shall be plaine in very few words, and lay before yow my request :
it is that yow would consider that I describe the religion which yow are design-
ing to leave to be that religion which is contained in plain and express scripture,
conformed to the rule which wee beleeve, and Rome dare not deny to be
God's rule ; other rule wee doe not acknowledge. A call to leave this rule can-
not but sound horridly in any Christian eare. The symboll of our Church,
or Confession of our faith, is that which wee know, and Rome confesses, was
handed downe to us from the blessed Apostles of our Saviour, and ever owned as
such by the Catholick Church : this religion then most appear truly Catholick. It's
hard, if not worse, to leave those whom all most confess to owne divine and
Catholick truths, to pretend that wee are not a true Church who owne not on error
in all our Confession. And we declare that this is the confession yow are in-
treated to retain. If there be other truths alleadged and ingrost with these by
others, that will not make ours fals ; and when they are found true by the
samne rule, and by as catholick consent, wee will not hinder nor disswade
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