prepare a Child against he comes to be a Man, to understand what Christianity means. In the Church of Rome it hath this effect, it frees Children from Hell. They say they go into Limbus Infantum. It fucceeds Circumcifion, and we are fure the Child understood nothing of that at eight days old; why then may not we as reasonably baptise a Child at that Age? in England of late years I ever thought the Parfon baptiz'd his own Fingers rather than the Child.

3. In the Primitive times they had God-fathers to see the Children brought up in the Christian Religion, because many times, when the Father was a Christian, the Mother was not, and sometimes when the Mother was a Christian, the Father was not, and therefore they made choice of two or more that were Chriftians, to see their Children brought up in that Faith.

I.

"T

Bastard.

IS faid the 23d. of Deuteron. 2. [A Baftard Shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord, even to the tenth Generation.] Non ingredietur in Ecclefiam Domini, he shall not enter into the Church. The meaning of the Phrafe is, he shall not marry a Jewish Woman. But upon this grofly mistaken; a Bastard at this day in the Church of Rome, without a Difpenfation, cannot take Orders; the thing haply well enough, where 'tis fo fetled; but 'tis upon a Mistake (the Place having no reference to the Church) appears plainly by what follows at the third Verfe [An Ammonite or Moabite fhall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord, even to the tenth Generation.] Now you know with the Jews an Ammonite, or a Moabite could never be a Priest, because their Priests were born fo, not made.

"T

Bible, Scripture.

IS a great question how we know Scripture to be Scripture, whether by the Church, or by Mans private Spirit. Let me ask you how I know any thing? how I know this Carpet to be Green? First, because fomebody told me it was

Green; that you call the Church in your Way. Then after I have been told it is green, when I fee that Colour again, I know it to be Green, my own Eyes tell me it is Green, that you call the private Spirit.

2. The English Translation of the Bible, is the best Translation in the World, and renders the Sense of the Original beft, taking in for the English Translation, the Bishops Bible, as well as King James's. The Translation in King James's time took an excellent way. That part of the Bible was given to him who was most excellent in fuch a Tongue (as the Apochrypha to Andrew Downs) and then they met together, and one read the Tranflation, the rest holding in their Hands fome Bible, either of the learned Tongues, or French, Spanish, Italian, &c. if they found any Fault they spoke, if not, he read on.

3. There is no Book fo tranflated as the Bible for the purpose. If I translate a French Book into English, I turn it into English Phrase, not into French English [Il fait froid] I fay 'tis cold, not, it makes cold, but the Bible is rather tranflated into English Words, than into English Phrase. The Hebraifms are kept, and the Phrase of that Language is kept: As for Example [he uncovered her Shame] which is well enough, fo long as Scholars have to do with it; but when it comes among the Common People, Lord, what Gear do they make of it!

4. Scrutamini Scripturas.

These two Words have undone the World, because Chrift fpake it to his Difciples, therefore we must all, Men, Women and Children, read and interpret the Scripture.

5. Henry the Eighth made a Law, that all Men might read the Scripture, except Servants, but no Woman, except Ladies and Gentlewomen, who had Leifure, and might ask fomebody the meaning. The Law was repealed in Edward the Sixth's days.

6. Lay-men have best interpreted the hard places in the Bible, fuch as Johannes Picus, Scaliger, Grotius, Salmanfius, Heinfius, &c.

7. If you ask which of Erafmus, Beza, or Grotius

did beft upon the New Testament, 'tis an Idle question, for they all did well in their way. Erafmus broke down the first Brick, Beza added many things, and Grotius added much to him, in whom we have either fomething new, or fomething heightned, that was faid before, and fo 'twas necessary to have them all three.

8. The Text serves only to guess by, we must satisfie our felves fully out of the Authors that liv'd about those times.

9. In interpreting the Scripture, many do, as if a man should see one have ten pounds, which he reckoned by 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. meaning four, was but four Unities, and five, five Unities, &c. and that he had in all but ten pounds; the other that fees him, takes not the Figures together as he doth, but picks here and there, and thereupon reports, that he hath five pounds in one Bag, and fix pounds in another Bag, and nine pounds in another Bag, &c. when as in truth he hath but ten pounds in all. So we pick out a Text here, and there to make it serve our turn; whereas, if we take it all together, and confider'd what went before, and what followed after, we should find it meant no fuch thing.

10. Make no more Allegories in Scripture than needs muft, the Fathers were too frequent in them, they indeed, before they fully understood the litteral Sence, look'd out for an Allegory. The Folly whereof you may conceive thus; here at the first fight appears to me in my Window, a Glass and a Book, I take it for granted 'tis a Glass and a Book, thereupon I go about to tell you what they signifie; afterwards, upon nearer view, they prove no fuch thing, one is a Box made like a Book, the other is a Picture made like a Glass, where's now my Allegory?

11. When Men meddle with the Litteral Text, the queftion is, where they should stop; in this case a Man might venture his Discretion, and do his best to fatisfie himself and others in thofe places where he doubts, for although we call the Scripture the Word of God (as it is) yet it was writ by a Man, a mercenary

Man, whofe Copy, either might be falfe, or he might make it falfe: For Example, here were a thousand Bibles printed in England with the Text thus, [Thou fhalt commit Adultery] the Word [not] left out; might not this Text be mended?

12. The Scripture may have more Senfes befides the Literal, because God understands all things at once, but a Mans Writing has but one true Sence, which is that which the Author meant when he writ it.

13. When you meet with several Readings of the Text, take heed you admit nothing against the Tenets of your Church, but do as if you were going over a Bridge, be sure you hold faft by the Rail, and then you may dance here and there as you please, be sure you keep to what is setled, and then you may flourish upon your various Lections.

14. The Apochrypha is bound with the Bibles of all Churches that have been hitherto. Why fhould we leave it out? the Church of Rome has her Apochrypha (viz.) Sufanna and Bell and the Dragon, which she does not esteem equally with the reft of those Books that we call Apochrypha.

I.

A

Bishops before the Parliament.

Bishop as a Bishop, had never any Ecclefiaftial Jurifdiction; for as foon as he was Electus Confirmatus, that is, after the three Proclamations in Bow-Church, he might exercise Jurifdiction, before he was confecrated, not till then, he was no Bishop, neither could he give Orders. Befides, Suffragans were Bishops, and they never claim'd any Jurifdiction.

2. Antiently, the Noble Men lay within the City for Safety and Security. The Bishops Houses were by the Water-fide, because they were held Sacred Perfons which no body would hurt.

3. There was fome Sence for Commendams at first, when there was a Living void, and never a Clerk to serve it, the Bishops was to keep it till they found a fit Man, but now 'tis a Trick for the Bishop to keep it for himself.

4. For a Bishop to preach, 'tis to do other Folks Office, as if the Steward of the House should execute the Porters or the Cooks place; 'tis his Business to see that they and all other about the House perform their Duties.

5. That which is thought to have done the Bishops hurt, is their going about to bring men to a blind Obedience, impofing things upon them [though perhaps fmall and well enough] without preparing them, and infinuating into their Reasons and Fancies, every man loves to know his Commander. I wear thofe Gloves, but perhaps if an Alderman should command me, I fhould think much to do it; what has he to do with me? Or if he has, peradventure I do not know it. This jumping upon things at first dash will destroy all; to keep up Friendship, there must be little Addreffes and Applications, whereas Bluntnefs fpoils it quickly: To keep up the Hierarchy, there must be little Applications made to men, they must be brought on by little and little: So in the Primitive times the Power was gain'd, and fo it must be continued. Scaliger faid of Erafmus: Si minor effe voluit, major fuiffet. So we may say of the Bishops, Si minores effe voluerint majores fuiffent.

6. The Bishops were too hafty, else with a discreet slowness they might have had what they aim'd at: The old Story of the Fellow, that told the Gentleman, that he might get to fuch a place, if he did not ride too fast, would have fitted their turn.

7. For a Bishop to cite an old Cannon to ftrengthen his new Articles, is as if a Lawyer should plead an old Statute that has been repeal'd God knows how long.

I.

B

Bishops in the Parliament.

Ifhops have the same Right to fit in Parliament

as the best Earls and Barons, that is, those that were made by Writ: If you ask one of them [Arundel, Oxford, Northumberland] why they fit in the House? they can only say, their Fathers fate there before them, and their Grand-father before him,