and groundless a damnation of the far greatest part of the body of Christ, that it is fitter for detestation than dispute. And if such a crack would frighten the world out of their wits, no doubt but other bishops also would make use of it, and say, All are damned that will not be subject to us. But if you would see the folly and mischief of Popery, both in this and other points, I refer you to my "Treatise of the Catholic Church;" my " Key for Catholics;" my "Safe Religion;" my " Disputations against Johnson;" and my Winding-Sheet for Popery."

3. Another temptation to confound you in your religion, is, by filling your heads with practical scrupulosity; so that you cannot go on for doubting every step whether you go right: and when you should cheerfully serve your Master, you will do nothing but disquiet your minds with scruples, whether this or that be right or wrong. Your remedy here is, not by casting away all care of pleasing God, or fear of sinning, or by debauching conscience; but by a cheerful and quiet obedience to God, so far as you know his will, and an upright willingness and endeavour to understand it better, and a thankful receiving the Gospel pardon for your failings and infirmities. Be faithful in your obedience; but live still upon Christ, and think not of reaching to any such obedience, as shall set you above the need of his merits, and a daily pardon of your sins. Do the best you can to know the will of God and do it. But when you know the essentials of religion, and obey sincerely, let no remaining wants deprive you of the comfort of so great a mercy, as proves your right to life eternal. In your seeking further for more knowledge and obedience, let your care be such as tendeth to your profiting, and furthering you to your end, and as doth not hinder your joy and thanks for what you have received: but that which destroyeth your joy and thankfulness, and doth but perplex you, and not further you in your way, is but hurtful scrupulosity, and to be laid by. When you are right in the main, thank God for that, and be further solicitous so far as to help you on, but not to hinder you. If you send your servant on your message, you had rather he went on his way as well as he can, than stand scrupling every step whether he should set the right or left foot forward? and whether he should step so far, or so far, at a time, &c. Hindering scruples please not God.

4. Another way to confound you in your religion, is, by setting you upon overdoing by inventions of your own: when a poor soul is most desirous to please God, the devil will be religious, and set him upon some task of voluntary humility or will-worship, as the apostle speaks of, Col. ii. 18. 20-23., or set him upon some ensnaring, unnecessary vows or resolutions, or some Popish works of conceited supererogation, which is that which Solomon calleth being "righteous over-much." Thus many have made duties to themselves, which God never made for them; and taken that for sin, which God never forbad them. The Popish religion is very much made up of such commandments of their own, and traditions of men. As if Christ had not made us work enough, men are forward to make much more for themselves. And some that should teach them the laws of Christ, do think that their office is in vain, unless they may also prescribe them laws of their own, and give them new principles of religion. Yea, some that are the bitterest enemies to the strict observance of the laws of God, as if it were a tedious, needless thing, must yet needs load us with abundance of unnecessary precepts of their own. And thus religion is made both wearisome and uncertain, and a door set open for men to enlarge it, and increase the burden at their pleasure. Indeed, Popery is fitted to delude and quiet sleepy consciences, and to torment with uncertainties the consciences that are awaked.

And there is something in the corrupted nature of man, that inclineth him to some additions and voluntary service of his own inventions, as an offering most acceptable unto God. Hence it is that many poor Christians do rashly entangle their consciences with vows, of circumstances and things unnecessary, as to give so much, to observe such days or hours, in fasting and prayer; not to do such or such a thing that in itself is lawful; with abundance of such things, which perhaps some change of providence may make accidentally their duty afterwards to do or disable them to perform their vows: and then these snares are fetters on their perplexed consciences, perhaps, as long as they live. Yea, some of the Autonomians teach the people, that these things indifferent are the fittest matter of a vow; as

e Eccles. vii. 16.

to live single, to possess nothing, to live in solitude, and the like indeed all things lawful, when they are vowed, must be performed: but it is unfit to be vowed if it be not first profitable and best, for ourselves or others; and that which is best is not indifferent, it being every man's duty to choose what is best. Vows are to bind us to the performance of that which God had bound us to be by his laws before: they are our expression of consent and resolution by a selfobligation to obey his will: and not to make new duties of religion to ourselves, which else would never have been our duty.

To escape these snares, it is necessary that you take heed of corrupting your religion by burdens and mixtures of your own devising. You are called to obey God's laws, and not to make laws for yourselves. You may be sure that his laws are just and good, but your's may be bad and foolish. When you obey him, you may expect your reward and encouragement from him: but when you will obey yourselves, you must reward yourselves. You may find it enough for you to keep his laws, without devising more work for yourselves; or feigning duties which he commanded not, or sins which he forbad not. Be not rash in making vows : let them reach but unto necessary duties; and let them have their due exceptions when they are about alterable things. Or, if you are entangled by them already, consult with the most judicious, able, impartial men, that you may come clearly off without a wound. There is a great deal of judgment and sincerity necessary in your counsellors, and a great deal of submission and self-denial in yourselves, to bring you safely out of such a snare. Avoid sin whatever you do for sinning is not the way to your deliverance. And, for the time to come, be wiser, and lay no more snares for yourselves; and clog not yourselves with your own inventions, but cheerfully obey what God commandeth you, who hath wisdom and authority sufficient to make you perfect laws. Christ's "yoke is easy," and his "burden light," and "his commandments are not grievous." But if your mixtures and self-devised snares are grievous to you, blame not God, but yourselves that made them.

Another of satan's ways to make religion burdensome

and grievous to you is, by overwhelming you with fear and sorrow. Partly, by persuading that religion consisteth in excess of sorrow, and so causing you to spend your time in striving to trouble and grieve yourselves unprofitably, as if it were the course most acceptable to God: and partly, by taking the advantage of a timorous, passionate nature; and so making every thought of God, or serious exercise of religion, to be a torment to you, by raising some overwhelming fears: for "fear hath torment, In some feminine, weak and melancholy persons, this temptation hath so much advantage in the body, that the holiest soul can do but little in resisting it; so that though there be in such a sincere love to God, his ways and servants, yet fear so playeth the tyrant in them, that they perceive almost nothing else. And it is no wonder if religion be grievous and unpleasant to such as these.

h"

But, alas! it is you yourselves that are the causes of this, and bring the matter of your grievance with you. God hath commanded you a sweeter work. It is a life of love, and joy, and cheerful progress to eternal joy that he requireth of you; and no more fear or grief, than is necessary to separate you from sin, and teach you to value and use the remedy. The Gospel presenteth to you such abundant matter of joy and peace, as would make these the very complexion and temperature of your souls, if you received them as they are propounded. Religious fears when they are inordinate and hurtful, are sinful, and indeed against religion; and must be resisted as other hurtful passions. Be better acquainted with Christ and his promises, and you will find enough in him to pacify the soul, and give you confidence and holy boldness in your access to God. The spirit which he giveth is not the spirit of bondage, but the spirit of adoption, of love, and confidence *.

6. Another thing that maketh religion seem grievous is, retaining unmortified, sensual desires. If you keep up your lusts, they will strive against the Gospel, and all the works of the Spirit will strive against them'. And every duty will be so far unpleasant to you, as you are carnal, because it is against your carnal inclination and desire. Away, therefore, i Heb. iv. 16. Ephes. iii. 12. Heb. x. 19.

h 1 John iv. 18.

k Rom. viii. 15. Heb. ii. 15.

with your beloved sickness, and then both your food and your physician will be less grievous to you. "Mortify the flesh, and you will less disrelish the things of the Spirit. For the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to his law, nor can be "."

7. Another cause of confounding and wearying is, the mixture of your actual sins, dealing unfaithfully with God, and wounding your consciences by renewed guilt, especially of sins against knowledge and consideration. If you thus

keep the bone out of joint, and the wound unhealed, no marvel if you are loath to work or travel. But it is your sin and folly that should be grievous to you, and not that which is contrary to it, and would remove the cause of all your troubles. Resolvedly forsake your wilful sinning, and come home by " repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ"," and then you will find, that when the thorn is out, your pain will cease; and that the cause of your trouble was not in God or religion, but in your sin.

8. Lastly, To make religion unpleasant to you, the tempter would keep the substance of the Gospel unknown to, or unobserved by you. He would hide the wonderful love of God revealed in our Redeemer, and all the riches of saving grace, and the great deliverance and privileges of believers, and the certain hopes of life eternal: and the kingdom of God, which consisteth in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, shall be represented to you as consisting in errors only, or in trifles; in shadows and shews, and bodily exercise, which profiteth little. If ever you would know the pleasures of faith and holiness, you must labour above all to know God, as revealed in his infinite love in the Mediator; and read the Gospel as God's act of oblivion, and the New Testament and Covenant of Christ, in which he giveth you life eternal. And in every duty draw near to God as a reconciled Father, the object of your everlasting love and joy. Know and use religion as it is, without mistaking or corrupting it, and it will not appear to you as a grievous, tedious, or confounding thing.

.

Direct. XIV. Be very diligent in mortifying the desires and pleasures of the flesh; and keep a continual watch upon your senses, appetite, and lusts; and cast not yourselves

Rom. viii. 7, 8.

n Acts xx. 21.

1 Tim. iv. 8.