imposing. It is to me but reading a paper in their own sense,.

IV. There is a great difference between an assertory oath, and a promissory oath. An assertory oath is made to a man before God, and I must swear so, as man may know what I mean; but a promissory oath is made to God only, and I am sure he knows my meaning. So in the new oath it runs "Whereas “I believe in my conscience, &c. I will as"sist thus and thus ;" that "whereas," gives me an outloose, for if I do not believe so, for ought I know, I swear not at all.

V. In a promissory oath the mind I am in is good interpretation; for if there be enough happened to change my mind, I do not know why I should not. If I promise to go to Oxford to-morrow, and meant it when I said it, and afterwards it appears to me, that it will be my undoing, will you say I have broke my promise if I stay at home? Certainly I must not go.

VI. The Jews had this way with them concerning a promissory oath or vow, if one of them had vowed a vow, which afterwards appeared to him to be very prejudicial by rea son of something he either did not foresee, or did not think of when he made his vow, if he made it known to three of his countrymen, they had power to absolve him, though he could not absolve himself, and that they picked out of some words in the text: per

jury

jury hath only to do with an assertory oath, and no man was punished for perjury by man's law till Queen Elizabeth's time; it was left to God, as a sin against him; the reason was, because it was so hard a thing to prove a man perjured: I might misunderstand him, and he swears as he thought.

VII. When men ask me whether they may take an oath in their own sense, it is to me as if they should ask whether they may go to such a place upon their own legs, I would fain know how they can go otherwise?

VIII. If the ministers that are in sequestered 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 be ing in bed with his wife, would fain have been at something that she was unwilling to, and instead of complying, fell to chiding him for his being abroad so long well, said he, if you will not, call up Sue (his wife's chambermaid) upon that she yielded presently.

IX. Now oaths are so frequent, they should be taken like pills, swallowed whole; if you chew them, you will find them bitter : if you think what you swear it will hardly go down.

ORACLES.

1. ORACLES ceased presently after CHRIST, as soon as nobody believed them. Just as we have no fortunetellers, nor wise men, when nobody cares for them. Sometimes you have a a season for them, when people believe them, and neither of these 1 conceive wrought by the devil... : li z

... OPINION and affection extremely dif fers 1 may affect a woman best, but it does not follow I must think her the handsomest woman in the world. I love apples best of any fruit, but it does not follow I must think apples, to be the best of fruit. Opinion is something wherein I go about to give read son why all the world should think as I think. Affection, is a thing wherein I look after the pleasing of myself.

*** 1.

II. It was a good fancy of an old Plato' nic; the Gods, which are above men, had something whereof man did partake ́ (an intellect knowledge), and the Gods kept on their course quietly. The beasts, which are below man, had something whereof man did partake (sense and growth) and the beasts lived quietly in their way. But man had something in him whereof neither Gods nor beasts

beasts did partake, which gave him all the trouble, and made all the confusion in the world; and that is opinion.

Ill. It is a foolish thing for me to be brought off from an opinion in a thing neither of us know, but are led only by some cobweb stuff; as in such a case as this, utrum angeli invicem colloquantur? If I forsake my side in such a case, I shew myself wonderful light, or infinitely complying, or flattering the other party: But if I be in a business of nature, and, hold an opinion one way, and some man's experience has found out the contrary, I may with a safe reputation give up my side.

IV. It is a vain thing to talk of a heretic, for a man for his heart can think no other

wise than he does think. In the primitive times there were many opinions, nothing scarce but some one or other held: one of

these opinions being embraced by some prince and received into his kingdom, the rest were condemned as heresies; and his religion, which was but one of the several opinions, first is said to be orthodox, and so have continued ever since the apostles.

PARIT Y.

I. THIS is the juggling trick of the pa rity, they would have nobody above them,

F

but

but they do not tell you they would have no body under them.

PARLIAMENT.

I. ALL are involved in a Parliament. There was a time when all men had their voice in chusing knights. About Henry the Sixth's time they found the inconvenience, so one Parliament made a law, that only he that had forty shillings per annum should give his voice, they under should 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 consent civilly in a Parliament; women are involved 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; those of forty shillings in the knights.

II. All things are brought to the Parliament, little to the courts of justice; just as in a room where there is a banquet presented, if there be persons of quality there, the people must expect and stay till the great ones

have done.

III. The Parliament flying upon several men, and then letting them alone, does as a hawk that flies a covey of partridges, and when she has flown them a great way, grows weary and takes a tree; then the falco ner lures her down and takes her to his fist;

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