Full and easy satisfaction which is the true and safe religion in a conference…Full and easie satisfaction which is the true and safe religion in a conference…

R. Many of the same Causes do this, which I need not rehearse. And 1. Too many both Noble and ignoble are prepared by their Lusts, and by a vicious life. There are many things in Popery which greatly accommodate a carnal mind and a debauched guilty Conscience, which the Christian Protestant Religion affordeth not. And a profligate ⟨p. 176⟩flagitious person, is likeliest to be forsaken of God, and to be given up to believe a lye, seeing they received not the truth in the love of it, that they might be saved, 2 Thess. 2.10, 11, 12. I fear nothing so much, as lest men turn Heart-Infidels and Tongue-Papists (as the suitablest Reserve, lest Christian Religion and the life to come, should prove a truth). And indeed great sins Cry for great Vengeance: And what Greater than for Mind, Will and Life to be forsaken of God? 2. And alas, except Lawyers, Physicians and others bred up to Studies and Employments, how few are there of Nobility or Gentry that are hard studying men! And the great Mysteries of Religion will not be well learned and defended, by a life of eating, drinking, playing, jesting, gaming, hawking, hunting, visitings of empty company, lustfulness, worldliness, or vain-glorious pomp. No men grow wise or Christians indeed by such a course. 3. And indeed the Popish Priests are more industrious than too many of our Incumbent Ministers; for which they are Commendable in their way: The Erroneous are oft more zealous than the Orthodox. And they that apprehend themselves between fear and hope, are usually more industrious than they that by possession are secure: which maketh the lower side so oft get up, and the upper side go down. And I would I might not say, that our Ministers are too few of them able to deal with a trained Sophister: Some are unable in this particular cause, because they take it as a baffled pack of notorious Errors, and thought that few sober persons were in danger of it: And so ⟨p. 177⟩they have (honestly) bent their studies and labours to the winning of sensual persons from their sins; and are unfurnished in the Popish Controversies; knowing that they can refer them to multitudes of Books, which are unanswerable. But alas, too many also are unable through mere ignorance, lowness of parts, and gross insufficiency or negligence, not only in this, but other parts of their Ministerial work. 4.