To the fifth and sixth inconveniences, that _counsels_, _arts_, _arms_, _instruments_, _books_, _study_, _medicines_, and the like, would be _superfluous_, the same answer serves as to the former, that is to say, that this consequence, _if the effect shall necessarily come to pass, then it shall come to pass without its causes_, is a false one, and those things named counsels, arts, arms, &c. are the causes of these effects. His Lordship’s _third_ argument consisteth in other _inconveniences_, which he saith will follow, namely, _impiety_ and _negligence_ of religious duties, as repentance, and _zeal_ to God’s service, &c. To which I answer as to the rest, that they follow not. I must confess, if we consider the greatest part of mankind, not as they should be, but as they are, that is, as men, whom either the study of acquiring wealth, or preferment, or whom the appetite of sensual delights, or the impatience of meditating, or the rash embracing of wrong principles, have made unapt to discuss the truth of things: I must, I say, confess that the dispute of this question will rather hurt than help their piety; and therefore if his Lordship had not desired this answer, I should not have written it, nor do I write it but in hopes your Lordship and his will keep it private. Nevertheless in very truth, the _necessity_ of events does not of itself draw with it any _impiety_ at all. For _piety_ consisteth only in _two_ things; one, that we honour God in our hearts, which is, that we think as highly of his _power_ as we can, for to honour anything is nothing else but to think it to be of great power; the other is, that we signify that honour and esteem by our words and actions, which is called _cultus_, or _worship of God_. He therefore that thinketh that all things proceed from God’s _eternal will_, and consequently are _necessary_, does he not think God _omnipotent_? Does he not esteem of his _power_ as highly as is possible? which is to honour God as much as may be in his heart. Again, he that thinketh so, is he not more apt by _external_ acts and words to acknowledge it, than he that thinketh otherwise? yet is this external acknowledgment the same thing which we call _worship_. So that this opinion fortifies _piety_ in both kinds, external and internal; therefore is far from destroying it. And for _repentance_, which is nothing else but a glad returning into the right way, after the grief of being out of the way; though the cause that made him go astray were necessary, yet there is no reason why he should not grieve; and, again though the cause why he returned into the way were necessary, there remained still the causes of joy. So that the _necessity_ of the actions taketh away neither of those parts of _repentance_, grief for the error, and joy for returning.