A33363:266
The practical divinity of the papists discovered to be destructive of Christianity and mens…
The practical divinity of the papists discovered to be destructive of Christianity and mens souls
London : Tho. Parkhurst and Nath. Ponder ..., 1676
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But since they would make a show of finding some time for it, (though their determinations all along are pregnant with a denial of any); let us proceed with them a little further. If an act of Love be not due to God once a year, yet may it be a duty once in four or five years? Soto and Ledesma in Filliutius ventured to think it may be requisite once in five years, and he gives this reason for it; (b)Because the time is not determined, but left to the judgment of the wise; but (saith he) thus wise Divines have thought.
But since they would make a shew of finding some time for it, (though their determinations all along are pregnant with a denyal of any); let us proceed with them a little further. If an act of Love be not due to God once a year, yet may it be a duty once in four or five years? Soto and Ledesma in Filliutius ventur'd to think it may be requisite once in five years, and he gives this reason for it; (b)Because the time is not determined, but left to the judgment of the wise; but (saith he) thus wise Divines have thought.
- (b)Quia cum determinatum tempus non sit, relinquitur arbitrio sapientum. Sic autem sapientes theologi arbitrati sunt, ut Soto & Ledesma, &c. tr. 22. l. 9. n. 290. aliqui p• tant satisfieri praecepto, si semel in anno eliciatur actus amoris Dei; alij si tertio quoque anno, alij si non differatur ultra quinquennium, Petr. a S. Joseph. Sum. de 1. praecept. art. 4.
Thus Love to God, the greatest duty that we owe the Divine Majesty, and that which is the sum of all the rest, is left to mens arbitrement; and if two or three reputed wise, shall judge that God is to have no love at all, or but one act of Love in a whole life; that must be the rule, God and man must be determined by it: Man will owe no more, and the Lord must have no more. Those of their Divines have had the repute of wise, who thought it enough to love God once in a life time, as well as such who conceive it probable, that he should have an act of love once in five years, or once in seven, for thither it may be adjourned by our Authors leave.