Council.

HEY talk (but blafphemously enough) that the

1.T Holy Ghoft is Prefident in their general Coun

cils, when the truth is, the odd Man is ftill the Holy Ghoft.

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1.W

Convocation.

HEN the King fends his Writ for a Parlia-. ment, he fends for two Knights for a Shire, and two Burgeffes for a Corporation: But when he fends for two Arch-bifhops for a Convocation, he commands them to affemble the whole Clergy, but they, out of Cuflom among themfelves, fend 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 prefent.

2. We having nothing fo nearly expreffes the Power of a Convocation, in refpect of a Parliament, as a Court-Leet, where they have a Power to make ByLaws, as they call them; as that a Man fhall put fo many Cows, or Sheep in the Common; but they can make nothing that is contrary to the Laws of the Kingdom.

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Creed.

・A・ Thangfus's Creed is the hand, take away.

the Preface, and the Force, and the Conclufion, which are not part of the Creed. In the Nicene Creed it is sixxλnolar, I believe in the Church; but now, as our Common-prayer has it, I believe one Catholic and Apoftolick 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.

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I

Damnation.

F the Phyfician fees you eat any thing that is not good for your Body, to keep you from it, he crys 'tis Poifon; if the Divine fees you do any thing that is hurtful for your Soul, to keep you from it, he crys you are damn'd.

2. To Preach long, loud, and Damnation, is the way to be cry'd up. We love a Man that damns us, and we run after him again to fave us. If a Man had a fore Leg, and he fhould go to an honeft judicious Chyrurgeon, and he should only bid him keep it warnı, and anoint it with fuch 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 fhould go to a Surgeon that should tell him, your Leg will grangreen within three Days, and it must be cut off, and you will die, unless you do fomething that I could tell you, what liftning there would be to this Man! Oh, for the Lord's fake, tell me what this is, I will give you any content for your pains.

Devils.

1.

HY have

Devils.

W we none poffeft with Devils in

England? The old Anfwer is, the Protestants the Devil hath already, and the Papifts are fo Holy, he dares not meddle with them. Why then beyond Seas where a Nun is poffeft, when a Hugonot comes into the Church, does not the Devil hunt them out? The Prieft teaches him, you never faw the Devil throw up a Nun's Coats, mark that, the Priest will not fuffer it, for then the People will spit at him.

2. Cafting out of Devils is meer Juggling; they never cast out any but what they firft caft in. They do it where for Reverence no Man fhall dare to examine it, they do it in a Corner, in a Mortice-hole, not in the Market-place. They do nothing but what may be done by Art, they 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 fome Creature? That is, why not in fome shape we paint him in, with Claws and Horns? By this trick they gain much, gain upon Men's Fancies, and fo are reverenc'd; and certainly if the Prieft deliver me from him that is my moft deadly Enemy, I have all the reafon in the World to Reverence him. Objection. But if this be Juggling, why do they punifh Impostures? Anfwer. For great reafon, because they don't play their part well, and for fear others fhould difcover them; and fo all of them ought to be of the fame Trade.

3. A Person of Quality came to my Chamber in the Timple, and told me he had two Devils in his Head, [I wonder'd what he meant] and juft at that time, one of them bid him kill me, [with that I began to be afraid, and thought he was mad] he faid he knew I

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could

could cure him; and therefore entreated me to give him fomething; for he was refolved he would go to no body elfe. I perceiving what an Opinion he had of me, and that 'twas only Melancholy that troubl'd him, took him in hand, warranted him, if he would follow my Directions, to cure him in a fhort time. I defired him to let me be alone about an Hour, and then to come again, which he was very willing to do. In the mean time I got a Card, and lap'd it up handfome in a peace 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 fhould not diforder himfelf neither with Eating or Drinking, but eat very lite tle of Supper, and fay his Prayers duly when he went to Bed, and I made no queftion but he would be well in three or four Days. Within that time I went to Dinner to his Houfe, and afk'd him how he did? He faid 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 ftill. Well, faid I, I am glad two of them are gone, I make no doubt but to get away the other two likewife; fo I gave him another thing to hang about his Neck. Three Days after he came to me to my Chamber and profeft 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 fear. ing left he might relapse into the like Diftemper, told him that there was none but myself, and one Phyfician more in the whole Town that could cure the Devils in the Head, and that was Dr. Harvey (whom I had prepar'd) and wish'd him, if ever he found himself ill in my abfence, to go to him, for he could cure his Difeafe as well as my felf. The Gentleman lived many Years and was never troubled after.

Self

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• "T

Self Denyal,

IS much the Doctrine of the times, that Men should not please themselves, but deny themfelves every thing they take delight in; not look upon Beauty, wear no good Cloaths, eat no good Meat, &c. which feems the greateft accufation that can be upon the Maker of all good things. If they be not to be us'd, why did God make them? The truth is, they that preach against them, cannot make ufe of them theirfelves; and then again, they get Efteem by feeming to contemn them. But mark it while you live, if they do not please themselves as much as they can, and we live more by Example than Precept.

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Duel.

A Law of England, and only there. That the

fill be granted in fome Cafes by the

Church allow'd it antiently, appears by this, in their publick Liturgies there were Prayers appointed for the Duellifts to fay, the Judge ufed to bid them go to fuch a Church and pray, &c. But whether this is Lawful? If you grant any War Lawful, I make no doubt but to convince it. War is Lawful, becaufe God is the only Judge between two, that is Supreme. Now if a difference happen between two Subjects, and it cannot be decided by Human Teftimony, why may not they put it to God to judge between them by the permiffion of the Prince? Nay, what if we fhould bring it down for Argument's fake, to the Sword-Men. One gives me the Lye; 'tis a great difgrace to take it; the Law has made no provifion to give remedy for the Injury, (if you can fuppofe any thing an Injury for which the Law

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