The practical divinity of the papists discovered to be destructive of Christianity and mens…

In the time of Francis de Victoria, who lived till the Council of Trent had sate a year, this was the common doctrine, that a man is but obliged to love God once in his life. For upon the question, when the Precept for love obligeth? he says, Nec videtur sufficiens solutio communis, quod tenetur semel in vita Relect. part. 3. n. 11. The common answer, that one is bound to it once in a life, seems not sufficient; he speaks modestly, as one loth to dissent from the common doctrine. (that Council (who if it had been concerned for God and mens souls, as it was for other things, would have appeared in all its thunder against such an error) mends this, as it did other matters, by establishing a doctrine which makes it needless to love God so much as once in a life: of which hereafter.)

In the time of Francis de Victoria, who lived till the Council of Trent had sate a year, this was the common doctrine, that a man is but obliged to love God once in his life. For upon the question, when the Precept for love obligeth? he says, Nec videtur sufficiens solutio communis, quod tenetur semel in vita Relect. part. 3. n. 11. The common answer, that one is bound to it once in a life, seems not sufficient; he speaks modestly, as one loth to dissent from the common doctrine. (that Council (who if it had been concerned for God and mens souls, as it was for other things, would have appear'd in all its thunder against such an error) mends this, as it did other matters, by establishing a doctrine which makes it needless to love God so much as once in a life: of which hereafter.)

But when is that once? They leave us at liberty for the time, so it be but before we dye. Suarez was not alone in this, as he wants not followers, so he had many that went before him in this conclusion, and those not Jesuits only; for it is grounded upon the notion which the Romish Doctors have of affirmative precepts, when the time for their accomplishment is not expressed. They teach, that such divine commands, divers of them are fulfilled, and have sufficient observance, if they be but obeyed semel in vita, once in a life-time. Those that are very cautious, express it with a saltem, once at least in a whole life, intimating that though more may be better, yet once is as much as is precisely needful; and this they extend to such things, as by the Lords constitution, are means necessary to salvation.