In which Matter, this whole Generation of Papists, seems to me not a little deceived, who look upon this our Christian Religion, to be nothing else, but a Moral Doctrine of framing the Life, according to the right Rules of Living; which when a Man hath strictly observed, and thereby gained the Reputation of Virtue, and external Honesty, they think nothing further is wanting to the complete Perfection of Christian Philosophy; which if it be true, I scarcely discern what difference there is between us and the Ancient Philosophers. For what Sect of Philosophers was ever so grossly absurd, but that they esteemed it honourable to contemn those things, with the Admiration and Desire whereof we Christians are so much transported, that we are in the next degree to Madness? That Money never makes any Man Happy. That the ⟨image 6⟩end of good, should by no means be placed in Honours or Pleasures. The Stoics were not ignorant, that no Man is wise, but a good Man. They saw that nothing was good and honourable, but true Virtue, and nothing should be accounted Evil but only Filthiness. Socrates in Plato Disputes, that Injury should not be revenged by an Injury: And that the Soul should by all means be drawn away from the Affections of the Body. Moreover that, the Soul being Immortal, they are not in a deplorable Condition, who after having passed their Life honestly, depart hence into more blessed Habitations. What shall I say of Plato, or of Aristotle, who in his Politics, denies that any thing can be pleasant unto Men in Life, except Virtue, in which only Pleasure consists. How holily doth M. Cicero write of Offices? Yea those Men did not only teach such things, but not a few of them, did also perform great part of their Doctrine, both amongst the Greeks and the Latins, especially Socrates, Aristides, Diogenes, Epictetus, the Curij, the Fabij, the Fabricij, and the Scipio's. Whose Life, Virtues, and famous Acts, if we look into, and compare them with the Catacatholicks in ⟨image 6⟩our Days, O how ashamed may they be at so great a difference as is between them!
In which Matter, this whole Generation of Papists, seems to me not a little deceived, who look upon this our Christian Religion, to be nothing else, but a Moral Doctrine of framing the Life, according to the right Rules of Living; which when a Man hath strictly observed, and thereby gained the Reputation of Vertue, and external Honesty, they think nothing further is wanting to the compleat Perfection of Christian Philosophy; which if it be true, I scarcely discern what difference there is between us and the Ancient Philosophers. For what Sect of Philosophers was ever so grosly absurd, but that they esteemed it honourable to contemn those things, with the Admiration and Desire whereof we Christians are so much transported, that we are in the next degree to Madness? That Money never makes any Man Happy. That the ⟨image 6⟩end of good, should by no means be placed in Honours or Pleasures. The Stoicks were not ignorant, that no Man is wise, but a good Man. They saw that nothing was good and honourable, but true Vertue, and nothing should be accounted Evil but only Filthiness. Socrates in Plato Disputes, that Injury should not be revenged by an Injury: And that the Soul should by all means be drawn away from the Affections of the Body. Moreover that, the Soul being Immortal, they are not in a deplorable Condition, who after having passed their Life honestly, depart hence into more blessed Habitations. What shall I say of Plato, or of Aristotle, who in his Politicks, denies that any thing can be pleasant unto Men in Life, except Vertue, in which only Pleasure consists. How holily doth M. Cicero write of Offices? Yea those Men did not only teach such things, but not a few of them, did also perform great part of their Doctrine, both amongst the Greeks and the Latins, especially Socrates, Aristides, Diogenes, Epictetus, the Curij, the Fabij, the Fabricij, and the Scipio's. Whose Life, Vertues, and famous Acts, if we look into, and compare them with the Catacatholicks in ⟨image 6⟩our Days, O how ashamed may they be at so great a difference as is between them!
