16. Pretending Religion and the Law of God, is to fet all things loofe. When a Man has no mind to do fomething he ought to do by his Contract with Man, then he gets a Text and interprets it as he pleases, and fo thinks to get loofe.

17. Some Men's pretending Religion, is like the roaring Boys way of challenges, [Their Reputation is dear, it does not ftand with the Honour of a Gentleman, ] when God knows, they have neither Honour nor Reputation about them.

18. They talk much of fettling Religion: Religion is well enough settled already, if we would let it alone: Methinks we might look after, &c.

19. If Men would fay they took up Arms for any thing but Religion, they might be beaten out of it by Reafon; out of that they never can, for they will not believe you what ever you say.

the other but One; he

20. The very Arcanum of pretending Religion in all Wars, is, That fomething may be found out in which all Men may have Intereft. In this the Groom has as much Intereft as the Lord. Were it for Land, one has a Thousand Acres, and would not venture fo far, as he that has a Thousand. But Religion is equal to both. Had all Men Land alike, by a Léx Agraria, then all Men would fay they fought for Land.

Sabbath.

I.

"WH

Sabbath.

HY fhould I think all the fourth Commandment belongs to me, when all the fifth does not? What Land will the Lord give me for honouring my Father? It was fpoken to the Jews with reference to the Land of Canaan; but the meaning is, nour my Parents, God will alfo blefs me. the Commandments in the Church-Service, as we do David's Pfalms; not that all there concerns us, but a great deal of them does.

Sacrament.

if I hoWe read

X HRIST fuffered Judas to take the Commu

.

oners from it, because they will not do as they will have them, revenge, rather than reform.

2. No Man can tell whether I am fit to receive the Sacrament; for though I were fit the Day before, when he examined me; at leaft appear'd fo to him; Oyet how can he tell, what Sin I have committed that Night, or the next Morning, or what Impious Atheistical Thoughts I may have about me, when I am approaching to the very Table?

Salbation

1.

W

Salbation.

E can beft understand the meaning of awrnpia, Salvation, from the Jews, to whom the Saviour was promised. They held that themselves should have the chief Place of Happiness in the other World; but the Gentiles, that were good Men, fhould likewife have their Portion of Blifs there too. Now by CHRIST the Partition-Walk is broken down, and the Gentiles that believe in him, are admitted to the fame Place of Blifs with the Jews; and why then should not that Portion of Happiness ftill remain to them, who do not believe in CHRIST, fo they be morally Good? This is a charitable Opinion.

I.

IN

State.

'N a troubled State fave as much for your own as you can. A Dog had been at Market to buy a Shoulder of Mutton, coming home he met two Dogs by the way, that quarrell'd with him; he laid down his Shoulder of Mutton, and fell to fighting with one of them; in the mean time the other Dog fell to eating his Mutton; he feeing that, left the Dog he was fighting with, and fell upon him that was eating; then the other Dog fell to eating; when he perceiv'd there was no remedy, but which of them foever he fought withal, his Mutton was in danger, he thought he would have as much of it as he could, and thereupon gave over fighting, and fell to eating himself.

Su

THE

Superstition.

HEY that are against Superstition oftentimes run into it of the wrong fide. If I will wear all colours but black, then I am Superftitious in not wearing black.

2. They pretend not to abide the Crofs, because 'tis fuperftitious; for my part I will believe them, when I fee them throw their Money out of their Pockets, and not till then.

3. If there be any Superftition truly and properly fo called, 'tis their observing the Sabbath after the Jewish

Manner:

Subsidies.

Eretofore the Parliament was wary what Sub

"Hfidics they gave to the King, because they had

no account; but now they care not how much they give of the Subje&s Money, because they give it with one Hand, and receive it with the other and fo upon the matter give it themselves. In the mean time what a cafe the Subjects of England are in; if the Men they have fent to the Parliament mis-behave themselves, they cannot help it, because the Parliament is Eternal.

2. A Subfidy was counted the fifth part of a Man's Eftate, and fo fifty Subfidies is five and forty times more than a Man is Worth.

I.

Simony.

HE Name of Simony was begot in the Canon

1.T Law; the firft Statute against it was in Queen

Elizabeth's time. Since the Reformation, Simony has been frequent: One reason why it was not practised in time of Popery, was the Pope's provifion; no Man was fure to bestow his own Benefice.

"M

Ship-Money.

R. Noy brought in Ship-money first for Maritime Towns; but that was like putting in a little Augur, that afterwards you may put in a greater: He that pulls down the first Brick, does the main Work, afterwards 'tis eafie to pull down the Wall.

2. They that at firft would not pay Ship-money till 'twas decided, did like brave Men, (though perhaps they did no good by the Trial) but they that ftand out fince, and fuffer themselves to be distrained, never questioning those that do it, do pitifully, for fe they only pay twice as much as they should.