Council.

HEY talk (but blasphemously enough) that the Holy Ghost is President of their General Councils, when the Truth is, the odd Man is

still the Holy Ghost.

Convocation.*

HEN the King sends his Writ for a Parliament, he sends for two Knights for a Shire, and two Burgesses for a Corporation; but

when he sends, for two Arch-Bishops for a Convocation, he commands them to assemble the whole Clergy; but they, out of Custom amongst themselves, send to the Bishops of their Provinces to will them to bring two Clerks for a Diocese, the Dean, one for the Chapter, and the Arch-Deacons; but to the King every Clergyman is there present.

2. We have nothing so nearly expresses the Power of a Convocation, in respect of a Parliament, as a CourtLeet, where they have a Power to make By-Laws, as they

*The Convocation summoned with the Parliament in April, 1640, continued after that Parliament was dissolved, under a new writ, says Clarendon, " under the proper title of a Synod. Made Canons which it was thought it might do; and gave subsidies out of Parliament, and enjoined oaths, which it certainly might not do," &c.

call them; as that a Man shall put so many Cows or Sheep in the Common; but they can make nothing that is contrary to the Laws of the Kingdom.

Creed.

THANASIUS'S Creed is the shortest,* take away the Preface, and the Force, and the Conclusion, which are not part of the Creed. In the Nicene Creed it is εἰς ἐκκλησίαν, I believe in the Church; but now, as our Common-prayer has it, I believe one Catholic and Apostolic Church. They like not Creeds, because they would have no Forms of Faith, as they have none of Prayer, though there be more reason for the one than for the other.

Damnation.

F the Physician sees you eat any thing that is not good for your Body, to keep you from it, he cries 'tis Poison; if the Divine sees you do any thing that is hurtful for your Soul, to keep you from it, he cries you are damned.

2. To preach long, loud, and Damnation, is the way to be cried up. We love a Man that damns us, and we run after him again to save us. If a Man had a sore Leg, and he should go to an Honest Judicious Chirurgeon, and

Creed.-Shortest. It is confined to the Trinity; leaving out Catholic Church, Communion of Saints, &c.

he should only bid him keep it warm, and anoint with such an Oil (an Oil well known) that would do the Cure, haply he would not much regard him, because he knows the Medicine beforehand an ordinary Medicine. But if he should go to a Surgeon that should tell him, your Leg will Gangrene within three days, and it must be cut off, and you will die, unless you do something that I could tell you, what listening there would be to this Man! Oh, for the Lord's Sake, tell me what this is; I will give you any content for your pains.

Devils.

HY have we none possessed with Devils in England? The old Answer is, the Protestants the Devil hath already, and the Papists are so Holy, he dares not meddle with them. Why then beyond Seas where a Nun is possest, when a Huguenot comes into the Church, does not the Devil hunt them out? The Priest teaches him,* you never saw the Devil throw up a Nun's coats; mark that, the Priest will not suffer it, for then the People will spit at him.

2. Casting out Devils is mere Juggling; they never cast out any but what they first cast in. They do it where for Reverence no Man shall dare to examine it; they do it in a Corner, in a Mortise-hole, not in the Market-place. They do nothing but what may be done by Art; they

* Him, i. e. the Devil. Find out the Huguenots and enter into them, or hunt them out of the Church.

make the Devil fly out of the Window, in the Likeness of a Bat or a Rat; why do they not hold him? Why in the Likeness of a Bat, or a Rat, or some Creature? That is, why not in some shape we paint him in, with Claws and Horns? By this trick they gain much, gain upon Men's Fancies, and so are reverenced; and certainly if the Priest deliver me from him that is my most deadly Enemy, I have all the reason in the World to reverence him. Objection. But if this be Juggling, why do they punish Impostures? Answer. For great reason, because they do not play their part well, and for fear others should discover them; and so all of them ought to be of the same Trade.

3. A Person of Quality came to my Chamber in the Temple, and told me he had two Devils in his Head (I wondered what he meant), and just at that time, one of them bid him kill me with that I begun to be afraid, and thought he was mad. He said he knew I could cure him, and therefore entreated me to give him something; for he was resolved he would go to no body else. I perceiving what an Opinion he had of me, and that 'twas only Melancholy that troubled him, took him in hand, warranted him, if he would follow my directions to cure him in a short time. I desired him to let me be alone about an hour, and then to come again, which he was very willing to. In the meantime I got a Card, and lapped it up handsome in a Piece of Taffata, and put Strings to the Taffata, and when he came, gave it him to hang about his Neck, withal charged him, that he should not disorder himself neither with eating or drinking, but eat very little of Supper, and

say his Prayers duly when he went to Bed, and I made no Question but he would be well in three or four Days. Within that time I went to Dinner to his House, and asked him how he did? He said he was much better, but not perfectly well, or in truth he had not dealt clearly with me. He had four Devils in his head, and he perceived two of them were gone, with that which I had given him, but the other two troubled him still. Well, said I, I am glad two of them are gone; I make no doubt but to get away the other two likewise. So I gave him another thing to hang about his Neck. Three Days after he came to me to my Chamber and profest he was now as well as ever he was in his Life, and did extremely thank me for the great Care I had taken of him. I fearing lest he might relapse into the like Distemper, told him that there was none but myself, and one Physician more in the whole Town that could cure Devils in the Head, and that was Dr. Harvey (whom I had prepared), and wished him, if ever he found himself ill in my Absence, to go to him, for he could cure his Disease as well as myself. The Gentleman lived many Years and was never troubled after.

Self Denial.

IS much the Doctrine of the times, that Men should not please themselves, but deny themselves every thing they take delight în; not look upon Beauty, wear no good Clothes, eat no good Meat, &c. which seems the greatest Accusation that can be upon the Maker of all good things. If they be not to