Religio laici written in a letter to John Dryden, Esq.

Remission of Sins.

Moreover, I found others, who, though they did not say they could tell who were Pre∣destinated, but, in stead thereof, recommended Good Works, as the most effectual Means on our Parts for the coming to God, did yet otherwise teach divers things, which, being not right∣ly understood, derogated not a little from the Severity of Ver∣tue: For, (as they said) they had Power to remit Sins; and this Remission (again) was granted upon no very difficult Terms: Men did not fear to return to

Sin again, when they found Pardon so easie. Which Abuse, as also some of those above∣mentioned, I conceive rather to proceed from the proneness of Men to Sin, than from the Do∣ctrine of their Priests and Teach∣ers. I could enlarge my self much upon this Argument, but that I am unwilling to trans∣gress my Bounds, especially since I believe my self sufficiently un∣derstood. Besides, I find I can∣not speak more of these several Doctrines, without entring into Controversies, and making use of those Polemical Weapons, and engaging into such a Spiritual Warfare, which as a Laick I mean never to trouble my self with. However, I hope I may so far express my self, as to wish all those Points that concern

Pardon and Forgiveness of Sins, in any extraordinary way, (on what Side soever) may be wari∣ly taught, and on such Terms, that upon what Promise or Com∣fortable Doctrine soever present∣ed to Mankind, nothing may be detracted from that Vertue and Goodness which ought to be the perpetual Exercise of our Life; lest occasion be given to make Men more ready and bold to sin again: since while Men attend chiefly to those outward Helps or Remedies, they usually comply not so entirely with their proper Duties.

Now these Five Articles be∣ing thus declared, which, if Men did embrace, would alone assert a Catholique Church; and it being likewise demonstrated how Necessary it is for every

Man to begin there, before he descend to the whole Context or Bulk of any one Religion, which he may find controverted in di∣vers Ages and Countries; I shall now deliver the Reasons for which I principally embraced them.

First, Because there is no o∣ther open and manifest Way extant to Mankind, whereby it is possible to establish God's Uni∣versal Providence, which yet is his highest Attribute.

Secondly, That I find nothing can be added to them, which will make a Man really more vertuous and good, than the afore∣said Five Articles or Points, when they are sufficiently in∣culcated in Mens Hearts.

Thirdly, That however the Doctrines added thereto were in∣deed

comfortable and full of Promise to those who believe them; yet, since I observed in general, that Men took occasion thereby to grow more bold in Sinning, I began to doubt whe∣ther they did not derogate from the Severity of Vertue: And be∣sides, I found that those Points were more controverted, than that the Age of any one Man could untie and dissolve the Intricacies in them.

Fourthly, That I found all Mysteries, Sacraments, and Re∣velations, tended chiefly to the Establishment of these Five Ar∣ticles, as being at least the Prin∣cipal End for the Which those Rites were ordained.

Fifthly, and lastly, That I thought the doing some good Deed, speaking some good Word,

or thinking some good Thought, were more necessary Exercises of my Life, than that I should omit them for any Considerati∣on whatsoever.

Having thus therefore setled these Five Points, as Fundamen∣tal, and together demonstra∣ted, that we ought to give them the first place in our Re∣ligion; I shall come to that Supplemental Part, called Faith, which Word (as I find among Authors) is used in two divers Senses, and thus distinguished: First, As it is understood to be a firm assent given to Things past, upon the Credit and Au∣thority of others. And, second∣ly, As it is taken for a Faculty of the Soul, laying hold and fix∣ing it self on God's Providence and Goodness hereafter, if we do the best we can.

Where we must observe; That as the first Faith hath its next or most immediate Testi∣money from Man, and conse∣quently is true or false, as they who first affirmed it were: So the second Faith is by all Chur∣ches held necessary to be used as the best means for the uni∣ting of our Souls with God, when true Piety and a Good Life do concur; insomuch as I am con∣fident this latter kind of Faith may be found in good Men, tho no Tradition of former times e∣ver come to their Knowledge: Whereas the other Faith, de∣pending chiefly on Revelations, Miracles, and Prophecies, hath in it many Difficulties, as I have said before, and is not only con∣troverted among the stricter Proselytes of it, but in a manner

rejected by those Nations among whom other Faiths have been taught by their Lawgivers; for all Faiths have been shaken, but those only which stand upon the Basis of Common Reason.

Notwithstanding all which, as I thought, it concerned me, a∣mong those several and miracu∣lous Traditions, (which were not impossible to have been true, if God so pleased,) not to distrust and doubt of all, Wherefore I applyed my self chiefly to the Christian Faith contained in the Holy Bible, as having in it more exact Precepts for the Teaching us a good life and repentance, than any other Book whatsoe∣ver that I could meet with: and besides I found my self (through Gods Providence) born in the Christian Church, and instructed

even from my Infancy in the Holy Doctrines drawn from thence. But as together I ob∣served many things taught in the said Church, which were not only vehemently opposed by o∣ther Christian Churches, but also repudiated in their chief parts among other Nations: So, I found no such solid Foundation to build this my Faith upon, as the Authority in general of the Christian Church; resolving according to the saying of a Learned Father, That those things I never had known without the Church, I never had believed without it. Neither did the Con∣troversies among them much move me, since being a meer Laick, I had neither Will nor Leisure to engage my self in the clearing of those doubts; the

scruples of those variously a∣gitated disputes by Men equal∣ly Learned, being of such in∣tricacy, that I saw more and more might be said about them, than that I should presume to determine any thing by the Judgment of the best Authors I could peruse on either side: So that for my final resolution, I thought the best grounds of my Faith ought to be taken from those points which were piously assented to by all Chri∣stians, and might aptly consist with my aforementioned Five Articles; But for the disputes and controversies of Learned Men, to lay them aside, until they were agreed amongst themselves; and in the mean while to attend a good life, and repentance, assuring my self, that

in the quality of a Laick or Se∣cular Person, my time was bet∣ter imployed so, than in the in∣explicable subtleties of the School∣men. To conclude, I embraced the five Catholick Articles for the Reasons above mentioned; from whence coming to the Doctrines of Faith, I believed piously, upon the reverend Authority of the Church, that which was una∣nimously taught by them, with∣out any contradictions: All which I have here set down, with no intention to scandalize any, but only to give a Reason as well of those Points which may be known, as of those which are already believed in the Christian Religion: And al∣so to induce men by these Prin∣ciples to the Practice of a good life, and blessed concord among

themselves; since having joint∣ly received these five Catholick Points, there will be less occasi∣on of hate and dissention about the rest: So that the different Opinions amongst them might be argued with less violence and passion, the Points wherein they are agreed being greater bonds of Love and Amity among them, than that they should be dissolv∣ed on any lesser occasion. And certainly, unless the Method I have here proposed be effectual to this purpose, I see no hope that any good Reconciliation can follow among the Principal Sects of the Christian Religion; since the one affirming the Scri∣pture to be the sole Judge of Controversies, and the other say∣ing that the Church alone should determine them, they seem like

persons in variance, who disa∣greeing about their Arbitrators or Judges, are hopeless that the business in Question between them should ever come to a just Tryal, and find an indifferent or equal Decision. Now upon all that hath been said, give me leave to raise these few Queries, and so conclude.