Invisibles, realities, demonstrated in the holy life and triumphant death of Mr. John Janeway,…

I have oft thought what the Reason is that among the Papists, if the lives of their Saints be described in the highest strain, or their books have even unreasonable pretensions of devotion, even to the laying by of our understandings, or to a kind of Deification, (like Barbansons, Benedictus, de Benedictis, and divers others) it doth not offend men, but the vulgar themselves do glory in the sanctity of them. Whereas if with us a man rise higher in holiness, and in devote contemplation, yea or action, than others, he is presently the great eye-sore and obloquy of the world, I mean of the envious and ungodly part, which is too great. But the reason I perceive is, that among the Papists, to be a Religious man is to ⟨image 6⟩be a Perfectest who doth more than is commanded him or is necessary to salvation; and so the people being taught that they may be saved without being such themselves, their spleen is not stirred up against them, as the troubles of their Consciences peace; but they are interested in their honour, and being the honour of their way and Church: But with us men are taught that they must be Religious themselves in sincerity if ever they will be saved, and that without Holiness none shall see God, and that they are not sincere if they desire not to be perfect: And so they that will not be godly themselves, do think that the lives of the godly do condemn them.

I have oft thought what the Reason is that among the Papists, if the lives of their Saints be described in the highest strain, or their books have even unreasonable pretensions of devotion, even to the laying by of our understandings, or to a kind of Deification, (like Barbansons, Benedictus, de Benedictis, and divers others) it doth not offend men, but the vulger themselves do glory in the sancity of them. Whereas if with us a man rise higher in holiness, and in devote contemplation, yea or action, than others, he is presently the great eye-sore and obloquy of the world, I mean of the envious and ungodly part, which is too great. But the reason I perceive is, that among the Papists, to be a Religious man is to ⟨image 6⟩be a Perfectest who doth more than is commanded him or is neccesary to salvation; and so the people being taught that they may be saved without being such themselves, their spleen is not stirred up against them, as the troubles of their Consciences peace; but they are intressed in their honour, and being the honour of their way and Church: But with us men are taught that they must be Religious themselves in sincerity if ever they will be saved, and that without Holiness none shall see God, and that they are not sincere if they desire not to be perfect: And so they that will not be godly themselves, do think that the lives of the godly do condemn them.