A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

and in the mean time to render it so unomely and undesirable, that others must needs be discouraged from its embracement. But these things cannot spring from the Principles of Protestants, which as I ⟨p. 114⟩have manifested lead them unto other manner of actings. And it is to no purpose to ask, why then they are not all affected accordingly. For they that are not so, do live in an open contradiction to their own avowed Principles; which that it is no news in the world, the vicious lives of many in all places professing Christianity, will not suffer us to doubt. For though that Religion which they profess, reacheth them to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live soberly, and righteously, and godlily in this present world, if they intend the least benefit by it, yet they will hold the profession of it in a contrary practise. And for this self-deceiving attended with eternal ruin, many men are beholding unto such notions as yours about your Church, securing Salvation within the pale of its external Communion, laying little weight on the things which at the last day will only stand them in stead. But for Protestants, setting aside their occasional exasperations, when they begin to bethink themselves, they cannot satisfy their own Consciences in a resolution, not to love them, because of some differences, whom they believe that God loves, or may love, notwithstanding those Differences from them: or to renounce all Union with them, who they are persuaded are united unto Christ; or not to be moderate towards them in this world, with whom they expect to live for ever in another. I speak only of them on all sides, who have received into their hearts, and do express in their lives the Spiritual Power and energy of the Gospel, who are begotten unto Christ by the Word of Truth, and have received of his Spirit promised in the Covenant of Grace unto all them that believe on him. For, not to dissemble with you, I believe all others as to their present state to be in the same condition ⟨p. 115⟩before God; be they of what Church or way they will, though they are not all in the same condition in respect of the means for their Spiritual advantage which they enjoy or may do so, they being much more excellent in some Societies of Christians than others.

and in the mean time to render it so unomely and undesirable, that others must needs be discouraged from its embracement. But these things cannot spring from the Principles of Protestants, which as I