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

Sect. 4. However, they make it unnecessary to love God, either living or dying. For though they pretend that there is a time, some or other, when the Precept for it is obliging; and make a show, as if then unavoidably, he that will be saved, must have an act of love for God in his heart: yet when ever that time comes in life or death, to which their several fancies have determined it; they discover to them many ways, whereby the Precept may be satisfied, without any act of love that it requires: and those which have a mind to be deceived with hopes of Heaven, without ever loving God while they live, may have their choice, which way they will be deluded, for they present them with variety. First, a natural love will serve the turn, such as a graceless man may have. ¹For Aquinas determines after others, that he that ⟨p. 101⟩hath no love to God, may observe the Precept of loving him actually, by disposing himself to receive this grace; and whereas some think, that this great Precept of loving God, since Adams sin cannot be fulfilled, but in the state of grace, ²Navarre asserts the contrary, both upon Reason and authority; because a man, by his natural power, remaining also in mortal sin, may and doth conceive God to be amiable above all, and the last end of all, and consequently can love him as such; as also, because there may be a love for God, above all, without grace, as Cajetane proves; moreover, because St. Thomas affirms that one may, without grace, fulfil the command of Loving God, as to the substance of the act, though not as to the meriting of blessedness.

Sect. 4. However, they make it unnecessary to love God, either living or dying. For though they pretend that there is a time, some or other, when the Precept for it is obliging; and make a shew, as if then unavoidably, he that will be saved, must have an act of love for God in his heart: yet when ever that time comes in life or death, to which their several fancies have determined it; they discover to them many ways, whereby the Precept may be satisfied, without any act of love that it requires: and those which have a mind to be deceived with hopes of Heaven, without ever loving God while they live, may have their choice, which way they will be deluded, for they present them with variety. First, a natural love will serve the turn, such as a graceless man may have.