1.

A

umber.

LL thofe myfterious things they observe in Numbers, come to nothing upon this very ground, because Number in itself is nothing, has not to do with Nature, but is merely of Human Impofition, a mere Sound. For Example, when I cry one a Clock, two a Clock, three a Clock, that is but Man's divifion of time, the Time itfelf goes on, and it had been all one in Nature, if thofe Hours had been call'd Nine, Ten, and Eleven. So when they fay the Seventh Son is Fortunate, it means nothing, for if you count from the Seventh backward, then the First is the Seventh, why is not he likewife fortunate?

1.

SWEAT

Daths.

WEARING was another thing with the Jews than with us, because they might not pronounce the Name of the Lord Jehovah.

2. There is no Oath scarcely, but we fwear to things we are ignorant of: For Example, the Oath of Supremacy; how many know how the King is King? What are his Right and Prerogative? So how many know what are the Privileges of the Parliament, and the Liberty of the Subject, when they take the protestation? But the meaning is, they will defend them when they know them. As if I fhould fwear I would take part with all that wear red Ribbons in their Hats, it may be I do not know which Colour is Red ; but when I do know, and fee a red Ribbon in a Man's Hat, then will I take his Part.

3. I cannot conceive how an Oath is impofed, where there is a Parity viz. in the Houfe of Commons, they are all pares inter fe, only one brings Paper, and fhews it the reft, they look upon it, and in their own Sente take it Now they are but pares to me, who am none of the Houfe, for I do not acknowledge myself their Subject; if I did, then no queftion, I was bound by an Oath of their impofing. 'Tis to me but reading a Paper in their own Senfe.

4. There is a great difference between an Affertory Oath, and a Promillary Oath. An Affertory Oath is made to a Man before God, and I muft fwear fo, as Man may know what I mean: But a Promiffory Oath is made to God only, and I am fure he knows my meaning: So in the new Oath it runs [whereas I believe in my Confcience, &c. I will affift thus and thus] that [whereas] gives me an Outloofe, for if I do not believe fo, for ought I know, I fwear not at all.

5. In a Promiffory Oath, the mind I am in is a good Interpretation, for if there be enough happen'd to change my mind, I do not know why I fhould not. If I promife to go to Oxford to Morrow, and meant it when I faid it, and afterwards it appears to me, that 'twill be my undoing; will you fay I have broke my Promife if I ftay at Home? Certainly I must not go.

6. The Jews had this way with them, concerning a Promiflary Oath or Vow, if one of them had vow'd a Vow, which afterwards appear'd to him to be very prejudicial by reafon of fomething he either did not forefee, or did not think of, when he made his Vow; if he made it known to three of his Countrymen, they had Power to abfolve him, though he could not abfolve himfelf, and that they pick'd out of fome Words in the Text: Perjury hath only to do with an Affertory Oath, and no Man was punifh'd for Perjury by Man's Law till Queen Elizabeth's time; 'twas left to

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God,

God, as a fin against him; the Reafon was, because 'twas fo hard a thing to prove a Man perjur'd; I might mifundirftand him, and be fwears as he thought.

7. When Men afk me whether they may take an Oath in their own Senfe, 'tis to me, as if they fhould afk whether they may go to fuch a Place upon their own Legs, I would fain know how they can go otherwife.

8. If the Minifters that are in fequeftred Livings will not take the Engagement, threaten to turn them out and put in the old ones, and then I'll warrant you they will take it. A Gentleman having been rambling two or three Days, at length came home, and being in Bed with his Wife, would fain have been at some thing, that he was unwilling to, and instead of complying, fell to chiding him for his being abroad fo long: Well faid he, if you will not, call up Sue (his Wife's Chamber-Maid) upon that the yielded prefently.

9. Now Oaths are fo frequent, they should be taken like Pills, fwallowed whole: if you chew them, you will find them bitter: if you think what you swear 'twill hardly go down.

1.

Dracles.

Racles ceas'd prefently after CHRIST, as foon as no body believ'd them. Juft as we have no Fortune-Tellers, nor wife-Men, when no body cares for them. Sometime you have a Season for them, when People believe them, and neither of these, I conceive, wrought by the Devil.

Opinion.

Opinion.

1. Pinion and Affection extremely differ; I may affect a Woman beft, but it does not follow I muft think her the handsomest Woman in the World. I love Apples bef of any Fruit, but it does not follow, I must think Apples to be the beft Fruit. Opinion is fomething wherein I go about to give. reafon why all the World fhould think as I think. Affection is a thing wherein I look after the pleafing of myself.

2. 'Twas a good Fancy of an old Platonick: The Gods, which are above Men, had fomething whereof Man did partake, [an intellect Knowledge] and the Gods kept on their Courfe quietly. The Beafls, which are below Man, had fomething whereof Man did partake, [Senfe and Growth] and the Beafts lived quietly in their way. But Man had fomething in him, whereof neither Gods nor Beafts did partake, which gave him all the Trouble, and made all the Confufion in the World; and that is Opinion.

3. 'Tis a foolish thing for me to be brought off from an Opinion, in a thing neither of us know, but are led only by fome Cobweb-ftuff; as in fuch a Cafe as this, Utrum Angeli invicem colloquantur? If I forfake my Side in fuch a Cafe, I fhew myself wonderful light, or infinitely complying, or flattering the other Party: But if I be in a bufinefs of Nature, and hold and Opinion one way, and fome Man's Experience has found out the contrary, I may with a fafe Reputation give up my fide.

4. 'Tis a vain thing to talk of a Heretick, for a Man for his Heart can think no otherwife than he does think. In the Primitive Times there were many Opinions, nothing scarce but fome or other held: One of

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thefe

thefe Opinions being embrac'd by fome Prince, and receiv'd into his Kingdom, the reft were condemn'd as Herefies; and his Religion, which was but one of the feveral Opinions, firft is faid to be Orthodox, and fo have continued ever fince the Apostles.

1.

TH

Parity.

HIS is the Juggling Trick of the Parity, they would have no body above them, but they do not tell you they would have no body under them.

1.

Parliament.

LL are involv'd in a Parliament.

AL

There was

a time when all Men had their Voice in choofing Knights. About Henry the Sixth's time they found the inconvenience, fo one Parliament made a Law, that only he that had forty Shillings per annum should give his Voice, they under fhould be excluded. They made the Law who had the Voice of all, as well under forty Shillings, as above; and thus it continues at this Day. All confent civilly in a Parliament, Women are involv'd in the Men, Children in those of perfect Age; those that are under forty Shillings a Year, in those that have forty Shillings a Year, thofe of forty Shillings in the Knights.

2. All things are brought to the Parlament, little to the Courts of Juftice; juft as in a Rom where there is a Banquet prefented, if there be Perfons of Quality there, the People must expect, and flay till the great

ones have done.