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

Sect. 8. Moreover, all exercise of Virtues so opposite to Acts in their account, but venially evil, is with them unnecessary. And this goeth ⟨p. 165⟩near, not only to discharge all acts of Virtue, which are required of Christians, but such also as were found even in Pagans. This is grounded upon their doctrine concerning venial sins; these with them are not necessarily to be avoided, being either not prohibited by any command (as most of them hold), or by no command necessary to be observed (as some of them had rather express it), and therefore no need, that the virtuous acts opposite to them should be practised. Upon this account, no exercise of Virtue will be necessary, but what is consistent with the vicious acts contrary thereunto, in any degrees of wickedness which they think Venial; no acts of Temperance, Sincerity, Righteousness, Truth, or Faithfulness, Chastity, Liberality, &c. will be needful, but what is consistent with all the Intemperance, Hypocrisy, Unrighteousness, Perfidiousness, &c. which by their doctrine is Venial. So he may be temperate who still loads his stomach till he Vomits, and is daily half drunk. He may be sincere enough, though he always design to seem better than he is, or good when he is not. He may be a man of Truth and Roman faithfulness, though his constant practice be telling Lies, or breaking promises, or swearing falsely, so all be but in venial measures. He may be just enough, though in all his dealings, he be continually wronging others in lesser matters. He may be Chaste enough, though he be unclean in thought, word, and deed venially. And he may be liberal enough, though he constantly practise all the covetousness which is opposite to every degree of liberality, so it be no worse. He may be Religious enough, though his soul never actually worship God; and Devout enough without any inward devotion, and Reverent enough, though greatly irreverent, even in the worship of God; and though at other times he be still profaning the Name of God with vain Oaths, and divers sorts of Blasphemies: Holy enough also, though he never have one act of inward holiness, no not on those days which either God or themselves have made holy. And in short, he may be Godly enough, though he never love, nor fear God till he dye. (Some of these particulars are plain by the premisses, the rest will appear so when we present their account of Venial sins):

Sect. 8. Moreover, all exercise of Virtues so opposite to Acts in their account, but venially evil, is with them unnecessary. And this goeth