Seri. XXXV. againft dangerous 1Vlifakes in Religion. 247 could not forbear to make a loud Complaint of it, and to pafs this fevere Cenfire upon the generality of their Cafuifls : " That their great Bufinefs feem'd to be, not to keep Men from Sin, but to teach them plan; proprè ad peccaturn liceàt " acciderefine peccrito ; how near to Sin they might lawfully corne without firí- f° ping. In the mean time the Confciences of Men are like to be well dire&ed, when inflead of giving Men plain Rules for the Government of their Hearts and Lives, and clear Refolutions of the Material Doubts, which frequently occur in Humane Life, they entangle them in Niceties, and endlefs Scrupulofities, teach- ing them to fplit Hairs in Divinity, and how with great Art and Cunning they may avoid the committing of any Sin, and yet come as near to it as is poflible. This is a thing of a moll dangerousConfequenceto the SoulsofMen ; and if Men bebut once encouraged to pafs to the utmoft Bounds of what is Lawful, the next Step will be into that which is Unlawful. So that unlefs Faith without Works willfave Men, notwithflanding the Infalli- ble Security which they pretend to give Men of a fcund and right Belief (if it were really as much as they talk of) the Salvation of Men Would Rill be ingreat hazard and uncertainty, for want of better and fifer Dire&ions for a good Life, than are ordinarily to be met with in the Cafuiflical Writings of that Church efpecially if we confider that the Scriptures are lock'd up from the People in an unknown Tongue, where the firrefl and plaineft Dire&ions for a good Life are moll plentifullyto be had ; infomuch, that a Man had better want all the Volumes of Cafuiftical Divinity, than ever were written in the World, than to be without the Bible ; by the diligent ftudying of which Book alone, he may fooner learn the way to Heaven, than by all the Books in the World without it. Fifthly, and La/fly, This Provifon which God bath made, is, when all is done, as good a Security againIt fatal Errors and Miflakes in Religion, as an Infallible Church could give, if there were one : and it is as good a way to prevent and put an end to Controverfies in Religion, fú far as it is neceffary that they fhould be pre- vented, and have an end put to them : And thefe are the two great Reafons why an Infallible 7ndge is fo importunately demanded, and infifted upon. 1 fhall fpeak to thefe diflin&ly, and feverally ; but becaufe they will require a longer Difcourfé than the Time will allow, I (hall not enter upon them at prefent; but refer them to another Opportunity. SERMON XXXV. Honeffy the bell Prefervative againft dangerous Miflakes i1ì î'ñe nird Sermon o# Religion. thi,T ,; JOHN VII. 17. If any Man will do his Will, he ¡hall know of the DoEirine, whe ther it be of God, or whether I fpea/z of my felf. HEN I made Entrance into thefe Words, I propofed from this Text. Firfl, To Phew that an honeft and frncere Mind, and a hearty De- fire and Endeavour to do the Will of God, is the greateft Security and belt Prefervative againft dangerous Errors and Miftakes in Matters of Re- ligione In
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