Or if they guess at the time, and point some out as probable, yet when the time comes, the acts (though the life of Christianity consists therein, and the salvation of the persons depends thereon) need not to be done, something else will serve instead thereof, some natural act, or faint wish, or false conceit, something or other, though neither truly Christian nor Virtuous (with the Sacrament at least) will excuse them from all other Christian acts. It is not the Accessories of Religion only that they make thus bold with; but thus they handle the very vitals of Christianity, and make them unnecessary for Christians. The very acts of Faith, and Hope, and Love, yea, Repentance it self, and all the rest with these, are thus made needless, and they may be true Christians (at their rate) and saved (in their conceit) without ever exerting in a whole life so little as one act of grace or Christian virtue. The world never saw Christianity, into what hands soever it fell, more clearly stripped, not only of its lustre and ornament, but of its life and being. If this suffice not to make an end of all Religion truly Christian, they not only dismiss as more than needs, what the doctrine of the Gospel makes most necessary, but advance and encourage what is most opposite to it, not only ignorance, unbelief, disaffection to Christ, impenitency; but therewith all disobedience unto the Gospel. Instead of the holy rules thereof, they have formed a doctrine of licentious Maxims, which give security to the practice of any wickedness, and take away (when they had left no other restraint) the fears of Hell from those who live and dye in damning sins. Whatever it is that Christ forbids, it is with them either no sin, or not dangerous, or (the worst of all by virtue of some devices of their own) not damning. So that they may venture upon any wickedness freely, and persist therein securely till death, and yet by some evasions which they tell them of, escape the wrath to come (whatever Christ say to the contrary), without either the fruits or acts of Repentance. There are many sins, and amongst them horrid and enormous crimes condemned by the Law of God and natural light, and such as the practice of them is reproachful to the Christian name, which yet, with them, pass for no sins;
Or if they guess at the time, and point some out as probable, yet when the time comes, the acts (though the life of Christianity consists therein, and the salvation of the persons depends thereon) need not to be done, something else will serve instead thereof, some natural act, or faint wish, or false conceit, something or other, though neither truly Christian nor Virtuous (with the Sacrament at least) will excuse them from all other Christian acts. It is not the Accessaries of Religion only that they make thus bold with; but thus they handle the very vitals of Christianity, and make them unnecessary for Christians. The very acts of Faith, and Hope, and Love, yea, Repentance it self, and all the rest with these, are thus made needless, and they may be true Christians (at their rate) and saved (in their conceit) without ever exerting in a whole life so little as one act of grace or Christian vertue. The world never saw Christianity, into what hands soever it fell, more clearly stript, not only of its lustre and ornament, but of its life and being. If this suffice not to make an end of all Religion truly Christian, they not only dismiss as more than needs, what the doctrine of the Gospel makes most necessary, but advance and incourage what is most opposite to it, not only ignorance, unbelief, disaffection to Christ, impenitency; but therewith all disobedience unto the Gospel. Instead of the holy rules thereof, they have formed a doctrine of licentious Maxims, which give security to the practice of any wickedness, and take away (when they had left no other restraint) the fears of Hell from those who live and dye in damning sins. Whatever it is that Christ forbids, it is with them either no sin, or not dangerous, or (the worst of all by vertue of some devices of their own) not damning. So that they may venture upon any wickedness freely, and persist therein securely till death, and yet by some evasions which they tell them of, escape the wrath to come (whatever Christ say to the contrary), without either the fruits or acts of Repentance. There are many sins, and amongst them horrid and enormous crimes condemned by the Law of God and natural light, and such as the practice of them is reproachful to the Christian name, which yet, with them, pass for no sins;
