tifiable because the state required it, which were things merely temporary, for the time that state stood. But divines make use of them to gain power to themselves; as for example that of "Dic ecclesiæ," tell the church; there was then a sanhedrim, a court to tell it to, and therefore they would have it so now.

6. Divines ought to do no more than what the state permits. Before the state became Christian, they made their own laws, and those that did not observe them, they excommunicated, naughty men, they suffered them to come no more amongst them. But if they would come amongst them, how could they hinder them? By what law, by what power? They were still subject to the state, which was heathen. Nothing better expresses the condition of Christians in those times, than one of the meetings you have in London, of men of the same county, of Sussex-men, or Bedfordshire-men; they appoint their meeting, and they agree, and make laws amongst themselves, he that is not there shall pay double, &c., and if any one misbehave himself, they shut him out of their company: but can they recover a forfeiture made concerning their meeting by any law? Have they any power to compel one to pay? But afterwards, when the state became Christian, all the power was in them,

and they gave the church as much, or as little as they pleased, and took away when they pleased, and added what they pleased.

7. The church is not only subject to the civil power with us that are Protestants, but also in Spain if the church does excommunicate a man for what it should not, the civil power will take him out of their hands. So in France the Bishop of Angiers altered something in the breviary; they complained to the parliament at Paris, that made him alter it again, with a 66 comme d'abus." *

8. The parliament of England has no arbitrary power in point of judicature, but in point of making law only.

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9. If the prince be servus naturâ,” of a servile base spirit, and the subjects "liberi," free and ingenuous, ofttimes they depose their prince, and govern themselves. On the contrary, if the people be "servi naturâ," and some one amongst them of a free and ingenuous spirit, he makes himself king of the rest; and this is the cause of all changes in state, commonwealths into monarchies, and monarchies into commonwealths.

* An "appel comme d'abus" is an appeal to the civil from the ecclesiastical court, on the ground of the latter having exceeded its jurisdiction.

10. In a troubled state we must do as in foul weather upon the Thames, not think to cut directly through, so the boat may be quickly full of water, but rise and fall as the waves do, give as much as conveniently we can.

PRAYER.

1. If I were a minister, I should think myself most in my office, reading of prayers, and dispensing the sacraments; and 't is ill done to put one to officiate in the church, whose person is contemptible out of it. Should a great lady, that was invited to be a gossip, in her place send her kitchen-maid, 't would be ill taken, yet she is a woman as well as she; let her send her woman at least.

2. "You shall pray," is the right way, because according as the church is settled, no man may make a prayer in public of his own head.

3. ""T is not the original common prayerbook." Why, show me an original bible, or an original "magna charta."

4. Admit the preacher prays by the spirit, yet that very prayer is common-prayer to the people; they are tied as much to his words,

as in saying, "Almighty and most merciful Father." Is it then unlawful in the minister, but not unlawful in the people?

5. There were some mathematicians that could with one fetch of their pen make an exact circle, and with the next touch point out the centre; is it therefore reasonable to banish all use of the compasses ? Set forms are a pair of compasses.

6. "God hath given gifts unto men." General texts prove nothing: let him show me John, William, or Thomas, in the text, and then I will believe him. If a man hath a voluble tongue, we say, he hath the gift of prayer. His gift is to pray long; that I see; but does he pray better?

7. We take care what we speak to men, but to God we may say any thing.

8. The people must not think a thought towards God, but as their pastors will put it into their mouths: they will make right sheep of us.

9. The English priests would do that in English which the Romish do in Latin, keep the people in ignorance; but some of the people outdo them at their own game.

10. Prayer should be short, without giving God Almighty reasons why he should grant this or that; he knows best what is good for us.

If your boy should ask you a suit of clothes, and give you reasons, otherwise he cannot wait upon you, he cannot go abroad but he will discredit you, would you endure it? You know it better than he; let him ask a suit of clothes.

11. If a servant that has been fed with good beef, goes into that part of England where salmon is plenty, at first he is pleased with his salmon, and despises his beef; but after he has been there awhile, he grows weary of his salmon, and wishes for his good beef again. We have awhile been much taken with this praying by the spirit; but in time we may grow weary of it, and wish for our commonprayer.

12. 'T is hoped we may be cured of our extemporary prayers, the same way the grocer's boy is cured of his eating plums, when we have had our bellyful of them.

PREACHING.

1. NOTHING is more mistaken than that speech, "Preach the Gospel"; for it is not to make long harangues, as they do nowadays, but to tell the news of Christ's coming into