that had nothing to do in it, nor by the Canon Law, for that Manual that was here, was not in France, nor in Spain; but by Cuftom, which is the Common Law of England, and Custom is but the Elder Brother to a Parliament; and fo it will fall out to be nothing that the Papists say: Ours is a Parliamentary Religion, by reafon the Service-Book was Eftablished by Act of Parliament, and never any Service-Book was fo before. That will be nothing that the Pope fent the Ma nual; 'twas ours, because the State received it. The State ftill makes the Religion, and receives into it what will beft agree with it. Why are the Venetians Roman-Catholicks? because the State likes the Religi on: All the World knows they care not Three-pence for the Pope. The Council of Trent is not at this Day admitted in France.

9. Papift. Where was your Religion before Luther, an hundred Years ago? Proteftant. Where was America an hundred or fixfcore Years ago? Our Religion was where the rest of the Chriftian Church was. Papift. Our Religion continued ever fince the Apoftles, and therefore 'tis better. Proteftant. So did ours. That there was an Interruption of it, will fall out to be nothing, no more than if another Earl fhould tell me of the Earl of Kent; faying, He is a better Earl than he, because there was one or two of the Family of Kent did not take the Title upon them; yet all that while they were really Earls; and afterwards, a great Prince declar'd them to be Earls of Kent, as he that made the other Family an Earl.

10. Difputes in Religion will never be ended, because there wants a Measure by which the Bufinefs would be decided. The Puritan would be judged by the Word of God: If he would fpeak clearly, he means himself, but he is afham'd to fay fo; and he would have me believe him before a whole Church,

that

that has read the Word of God as well as he. One fays one thing, and another another; and there is, I fay, no Measure to end the Controversy. 'Tis juft as if two Men were at Bowls, and both judg'd by the Eye: One fays 'tis his Caft, the other fays 'tis my Caft; and having no Measure, the difference is Eternal Ben Johnson Satyrically exprefs'd the vain Dif putes of Divines, by Inigo Lanthorne, difputing with his Puppet in a Bartholomew Fair: It is fo; it is not fo: it is fo; it is not fo: crying thus one to another a quarter of an Hour together.

11. In matters of Religion to be rul'd by one that writes against his Adverfary, and throws all the Dirt be can in his Face, is as if, in point of good Manners, a Man fhould be govern'd by one whom he fees at Cuffs with another, and thereupon thinks himself bound to give the next Man he meets a Box on the Ear.

12, 'Tis to no purpose to labour to reconcile Religions, when the Interest of Princes will not fuffer it. 'Tis well if they could be reconciled so far, that they fhould not cut one another's Throats.

13. There's all the Reafon in the World, Divines fhould not be fuffer'd to go a Hair beyond their Bounds, for fear of breeding Confufion, fince there now be fo many Religions on Foot. The matter was not fo narrowly to be look'd after when there was but one Religion in Chriftendom; the reft would cry him down for an Heretick, and there was no Body to fide with him.

14. We look after Religion as the Butcher did after his Knife, when he had it in his Mouth.

15. Religion is made a Juggler's Paper, now 'tis a Horfe, now 'tis a Lanthorn, now 'tis a Boar, now 'tis a Man. To ferve Ends, Religion is turn'd into all Shapes.

16. Pre

16. Pretending Religion and the Law of God, is to fet all things loofe. When a Man has no mind to do fomething he ought to do by his Contract with Man, then he gets a Text and interprets it as he pleafes, and fo thinks to get loofe.

Y 17. Some Men's pretending Religion, is like the roaring Boys way of challenges, [Their Reputation is dear, it does not ftand with the Honour of a Gentleman,] when God knows, they have neither Honour nor Rcputation about them.

18. They talk much of fettling Religion: Religion is well enough fettled already, if we would let it alone: Methinks we might look after, &c.

19. If Men would fay they took up Arms for any thing but Religion, they might be beaten out of it by Reafon; out of that they never can, for they will not believe you whatever you say.

20. The very Arcanum of pretending Religion in all Wars, is, That fomething may be found out in which all Men may have Intereft. In this the Groom has as much Intereft as the Lord. Were it for Land, one has a Thousand Acres, and the other but One; he would not venture fo far, as he that has a Thousand. But Religion is equal to both. Had all Men Land alike, by a Lex Agraria, then all Men would fay they fought for Land.

Sabbath.

1.

Sabbath.

HY fhould I think all the fourth Commandment belongs to me, when all the fifth does not? What Land will the Lord give me for honouring my Father? It was fpoken to the Jews with reference to the Land of Canaan; but the meaning is, if I honour my Parents, God will alfo blefs me. We read the Commandments in the Church-Service, as we do David's Pfalms; not that all there concerns us, but a great deal of them does.

Sacrament.

HRIST fuffered Judas to take the Commu

1. Con Thofe Minifters that keep their Perithioners from it, because they will not do as they will have them, revenge, rather than reform.

2. No Man can tell whether I am fit to receive the Sacrament; for though I were fit the Day before, when he examined me; at least appear'd fo to him; yet how can he tell, what Sin I have committed that Night, or the Next Morning, or what Impious Atheiftical Thoughts I may have about me, when I am approaching to the very Table?

Salvation,

1.

WE

Salvation.

E can beft understand the meaning of owrnpia, Salvation, from the Jews, to whom the Saviour was promised. They held that themselves fhould have the chief Place of Happiness in the other World; but the Gentiles, that were good Men, should likewife have their Portion of Blifs there too. Now by CHRIST the Partition-Wall is broken down, and the Gentiles that believe in him, are admitted to the fame Place of Bliss with the Jews; and why then should not that portion of Happiness ftill remain to them, who do not believe in CHRIST, fo they be morally Good? This is a charitable Opinion.

1.

State.

Na troubled State fave as much for your own INS as you can. A Dog had been at Market to buy a Shoulder of Mutton, coming home he met two Dogs by the way, that quarrell'd with him; he laid down his Shoulder of Mutton, and fell to fighting with one of them; in the mean time the other Dog fell to eating his Mutton; he seeing that, left the Dog he was fighting with, and fell upon him that was eating; then the other Dog fell to eating; when he perceiv'd there was no remedy, but which of them foever he fought withal, his Mutton was in danger, he thought he would have as much of it as he could, and there upon gave over fighting, and fell to eating himself.