2. They pretend not to abide the cross because it is superstitious: for my part, I will believe them, when I see them throw their money out of their pockets, and not till then.

3. If there be any superstition truly and properly so called, it is their observing the Sabbath after the Jewish manner.

SUBSIDIES.

1. Heretofore the parliament was wary what subsidies they gave to the king, because they had no account; but now they care not how much they give of the subjects' money, because they give it with one hand, and receive it with the other; and so upon the matter give it themselves. In the mean time what a case the subjects of England are in! if the men they have sent to the parliament misbehave themselves, they cannot help it, because the parliament is eternal.

2. A subsidy was counted the fifth part of a man's estate, and so fifty subsidies is five-and-forty times more than a man is worth.

SIMONY.

The name of simony was begot in the canon law; the first statute against it was in queen Elizabeth's time. Since the Reformation, simony has been fre quent one reason why it was not practised in time of popery, was the pope's provision; no man was sure to bestow his own benefice.

SHIP-MONEY.

1. Mr. Noy brought in ship-money first for maritime towns; but that was like putting in a little auger, that afterwards you may put in a greater. He that pulls down the first brick, does the main work; afterwards it is easy to pull down the wall.

2. They that at first would not pay ship-money till it was decided, did like brave men, though perhaps they did no good by the trial; but they that stand out since, and suffer themselves to be distrained, never questioning those that do it, do pitifully, for so they only pay twice as much as they should.

SYNOD ASSEMBLY.

1. We have had no national synod since the kingdom hath been settled, as now it is, only provincial: and there will be this inconveniency, to call so many divines together; it will be to put power in their hands, who are too apt to usurp it, as if the laity were bound by their determination: no, let the laity consult with divines on all sides, hear what they say, and make themselves masters of their reasons; as they do by any other profession, when they have a difference before them: for example, goldsmiths; they inquire of them, if such a jewel be of such a value, and such a stone of such a value, hear them, and then, being rational men, judge themselves.

2. Why should you have a synod, when you have a convocation already, which is a synod? Would you

have a superfetation of another synod? The clergy of England, when they cast off the pope, submitted themselves to the civil power, and so have continued; but these challenge to be jure divino, and so to be above the civil power: these challenge power to call before their presbyteries all persons for all sins directly against the law of God, as proved to be sins by necessary consequence. If you would buy gloves, send for a glover or two, not Glover'shall; consult with some divines, not send for a body.

3. There must be some laymen in the synod, to overlook the clergy, lest they spoil the civil work; just as when the good woman puts a cat into the milk-house to kill a mouse, she sends her maid to look after the cat, lest the cat should eat up the

cream.

4. In the ordinance for the assembly, the lords and commons go under the names of learned, godly, and judicious divines; there is no difference put betwixt them and the ministers in the context.

5. It is not unusual in the assembly to revoke their votes, by reason they make so much haste, but it is that will make them scorned. You never heard of a council revoked an act of its own making; they have been wary in that, to keep up their infallibility; if they did any thing, they took away the whole council, and yet we would be thought infallible as any body. It is not enough to say, the house of commons revoke their votes, for theirs are but civil truths which they by agreement create and uncreate, as they please: but the truths the synod deals in are divine; and when they have voted a` thing, if it be then true, it was true before; not true

because they voted it, nor does it cease to be true because they voted otherwise.

6. Subscribing in a synod, or to the articles of a synod, is no such terrible thing as they make it; because, if I am of a synod, it is agreed, either tacitly or expressly. That which the major part determines, the rest are involved in; and therefore I subscribe, though my own private opinion be otherwise; and upon the same ground, I may, without scruple, subscribe to what those have determined, whom I sent, though my private opinion be otherwise; having respect to that which is the ground of all assemblies, the major part carries it.

THANKSGIVING.

At first we gave thanks for every victory as soon as ever it was obtained, but since we have had many now, we can stay a good while. We are just like a child; give him a plum, he makes his leg; give him a second plum, he makes another leg: at last, when his belly is full, he forgets what he ought to do; then his nurse, or somebody else that stands by him, puts him in mind of his duty, "Where is your leg?"

TITHES.

1. Tithes are more paid in kind in England, than in all Italy and France. In France, they have had impropriations a long time; we had none in England till Henry the Eighth.

2. To make an impropriation, there was to be the consent of the incumbent, the patron, and the

king; then it was confirmed by the pope. Without all this the pope could make no impropriation.

3. Or what if the pope gave the tithes to any man, must they therefore be taken away? If the pope gives me a jewel, will you therefore take it away from me?

4. Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedec; what then? It was very well done of him. It does not follow therefore that I must pay tithes, no more than I am bound to imitate any other action of Abraham's.

5. It is ridiculous to say the tithes are God's, part, and therefore the clergy must have them: why, so they are if the layman has them. It is as if one. of my lady Kent's maids should be sweeping this. room, and another of them should come and take away the broom, and tell for a reason why she should part with it," It is my lady's broom :" as if it were not my lady's broom, which of them soever had it.

6. They consulted in Oxford where they might find the best argument for their tithes, setting aside the jus divinum: they were advised to my History of Tithes-a book so much cried down by them formerly; in which I dare boldly say, there are more arguments for them than are extant together any where upon this, one writ me word, that my History of Tithes was now become like Peleus's Hasta, to wound and to heal. I told him, in my answer, I thought I could fit him with a better instance: it was possible it might undergo the same fate that Aristotle, Avicen, and Averroes did in France, some five hundred years ago; which were excommunicated by Stephen, bishop of Paris, (by that very name, excommunicated), because that kind of learn