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

There is yet another Maxim pregnant for this purpose; ^(p)The mode of Virtue falls not under the Precept; that is, we are not enjoined to act in a virtuous manner, or as becomes virtuous persons, viz. out of a virtuous habit or principle. Aquinas, who delivers and maintains this maxim, explains it by this instance: ^(q)He is neither punished by God, nor men, as a transgressor of the Precept, who pays his Parents due Honour, though not out of a habit of piety. Such Honour, though it be no act of that Virtue (Piety they call it) from whence proceeds what we owe to Parents, doth satisfy the Precept, so that the person is free both from sin and the punishment. Accordingly Soto, ^(r)We are not ⟨p. 178⟩commanded to pay what we owe, out of the habit of Righteousness, or liberality, but only to pay it to the full. By this one instance he would have us judge of all other Precepts concerning Virtues: The habits, i. e. the virtues need not be exercised; let the thing be done, and it is all, the command of God requires, though it be not done out of a virtuous principle, nor be any act or exercise of it. So Bellarmine^(s), When God commands that we live righteously and soberly, he commands not that we do this from a habit, but only that we do it. The external acts which Pious, Sober, and Righteous persons do, are requisite; but the exercise of any virtues therein, whether they concern God, others, or our selves, is not commanded: ^(*)The habit is that, which they count the virtue; since therefore they say, that nothing need be done out of habit, they thereby declare that no exercise of virtue is enjoined; nothing that we do, need be the act or issue of a virtuous principle; this will be but matter of Counsel, and not under any obliging command. Indeed they make the exercise of virtue universally needless, since they declare it not requisite in all those cases, where if in any at all, it would be needful, they find no necessity for it, either in worship, or common conversation; all may be done very well, without any act of grace or virtue. They may pray effectually; they may celebrate or hear Mass meritoriously (and these are the sum of all their ordinary worship); they may partake worthily of all their Sacraments; they may obtain all the effects of Sacraments or Sacramentals (these are evident by the premisses);