The Schools have divided their Doctors into Nominals, and Reals. The great Doctor of the Church, hath divided his Scholars, into Nominal and Real Christians. In the Schools, the Real Doctors (Thomistae and Scotistae) do exceed the Nominal Doctors (Occamistae) in number: but in the School of Christ, the Nominal Christians exceed the Real Christians abundantly: Many are called, but few are chosen, Matth. 20.16. Many are called, but not according to his purpose, Rom. 8.28. therefore their calling is not to purpose, they answer not the call of God. Let but the discourse we have been upon be seriously and truly applied to mens hearts, how few answer it? Though we leave out what Mr. Hooker, Mr. Shepherd, Mr. Rogers, have cast in, to make the work much harder, and have endeavoured to make the way so plain and straight, that the lame or weak Christian may not stumble in it, Jer. 31.8, 9. This differencing of men into nominal and real Christians, makes real differences: Why should we not judge charitably of all men? Would Ministers only preach divine Truths to inform mens understandings, but never meddle with application of them to mens hearts? would they, if they must reprove sin, reprove it in general, deal with no mans particular lust? would they not meddle with Uses of examination, but let men alone there? would they not sort out men thus, to make some ignorant, some profane, some civil, some hypocrites, and some sincere ⟨p. 228⟩Converts, but jumble altogether, judging charitably of all, they should be very good Church-men, able Scholars, and never fear trouble from men, whatever they may fear from God, to whom they must give their account? But if Jeremiah will go about to take away the precious from the vile, Jer. 15.19. as his Master commands him, then let Jeremiah expect nothing but vile treatment, even from those who must be called the Children of a precious Abraham. That which heightens the enmity more is, that upon this applying, distinguishing, examining, and searching into men, the number of true Believers, such as shall be saved by Faith, is made, by the Opinion of these peevish and censorious Puritans, to be but small. How much more praise worthy were those charitable Latitudinarians, Huberus and Caelius Curio, mentioned by Doctor Twice, Vindic. Gra. de criminat. l. 2. p. 1.
The Schools have divided their Doctors into Nominales, and Reales. The great Doctor of the Church, hath divided his Scholars, into Nominal and Real Christians. In the Schools, the Real Doctors (Thomistae and Scotistae) do exceed the Nominal Doctors (Occamistae) in number: but in the School of Christ, the Nominal Christians exceed the Real Christians abundantly: Many are called, but few are chosen, Matth. 20.16. Many are called, but not according to his purpose, Rom. 8.28. therefore their calling is not to purpose, they answer not the call of God. Let but the discourse we have been upon be seriously and truly applyed to mens hearts, how few answer it? Though we leave out what Mr. Hooker, Mr. Shepherd, Mr. Rogers, have cast in, to make the work much harder, and have endeavoured to make the way so plain and streight, that the lame or weak Christian may not stumble in it, Jer. 31.8, 9. This differencing of men into nominal and real Christians, makes real differences: Why should we not judge charitably of all men? Would Ministers only preach divine Truths to inform mens understandings, but never meddle with application of them to mens hearts? would they, if they must reprove sin, reprove it in general, deal with no mans particular lust? would they not meddle with Uses of examination, but let men alone there? would they not sort out men thus, to make some ignorant, some profane, some civil, some hypocrites, and some sincere ⟨p. 228⟩Converts, but jumble altogether, judging charitably of all, they should be very good Church-men, able Scholars, and never fear trouble from men, whatever they may fear from God, to whom they must give their account? But if Jeremiah will go about to take away the precious from the vile, Jer. 15.19. as his Master commands him, then let Jeremiah expect nothing but vile treatment, even from those who must be called the Children of a precious Abraham. That which heightens the enmity more is, that upon this applying, distinguishing, examining, and searching into men, the number of true Believers, such as shall be saved by Faith, is made, by the Opinion of these peevish and censorious Puritans, to be but small. How much more praise worthy were those charitable Latudinarians, Huberus and Caelius Curio, mentioned by Doctor Twisse, Vindic. Gra. de criminat. l. 2. p. 1.
