CONFESSION.

1. In time of parliament it used to be one of the first things the house did to petition the king that his confessor might be removed, as fearing either his power with the king, or else, lest he should reveal to the pope what the house was in doing, as no doubt he did, when the Catholic cause was concerned.

2. The difference between us and the Papists is, we both allow contrition; but the Papists make confession a part of contrition: they say a man is not sufficiently contrite till he confess his sins to a priest.

3. Why should I think a priest will not reveal confession? I am sure he will do any thing that is forbidden him, haply not so often as I. The utmost punishment is deprivation; and how can it be proved that ever any man revealed confession when there is no witness? and no man can be witness in his own cause. A mere gullery! There was a time when it was public in the church, and that is much against their auricular confession.

COMPETENCY.

That which is a competency for one man, is not enough for another, no more than that which will keep one man warm, will keep another man warm ; one man can go in doublet and hose, when another man cannot be without a cloak, and yet have no more clothes than is necessary for him.

GREAT CONJUNCTION.

The greatest conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter happens but once in eight hundred years, and therefore, astrologers can make no experiments of it, nor foretell what it means: not but that the stars may mean something; but we cannot tell what, because we cannot come at them: suppose a planet were a simple, or an herb; how could a physician tell the virtue of that simple, unless he could come at it, to apply it?

CONSCIENCE.

1. He that hath a scrupulous conscience, is like a horse that is not well weighed; he starts at every bird that flies out of the hedge.

2. A knowing man will do that which a tender conscience man dares not do, by reason of his ignorance; the other knows there is no hurt as a child is afraid to go into the dark, when a man is not, because he knows there is no danger.

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3. If we once come to leave that outloose, as to pretend conscience against law, who knows what inconvenience may follow? for thus, suppose an Anabaptist comes and takes my horse; I sue him : he tells me he did according to his conscience; his conscience tells him all things are common amongst the saints; what is mine is his; therefore you do ill to make such a law. If any man takes another's horse, he shall be hanged: what can I say to this man? He does according to his conscience. Why is not he as honest a man as he that pre

tends a ceremony established by law is against his conscience? Generally to pretend conscience against law is dangerous; in some cases haply we may.

4. Some men make it a case of conscience, whe ther a man may have a pigeon-house, because his pigeons eat other folks corn. But there is no such thing as conscience in the business: the matter is, whether he be a man of such quality, that the state allows him to have a dove-house: if so, there is an end of the business; his pigeons have a right to eat where they please themselves.

CONSECRATED PLACES.

1. The Jews had a peculiar way of consecrating things to God, which we have not.

2. Under the law, God, who was. master of all, made choice of a temple to worship in, where he was more especially present: just as the master of the house, who owns all the house, makes choice of one chamber to lie in, which is called the master's chamber; but under the Gospel there was no such thing. Temples and churches are set apart for the conveniency of men to worship in: they cannot meet upon the point of a needle, but God himself makes no choice.

3. All things are God's already; we can give him no right by consecrating any that he had not before, only we set it apart to his service: just as a gardener brings his lord and master a basket of apricots, and presents them; his lord thanks him, perhaps gives him something for his pains; and yet the apricots were as much his lord's before as now.

4. What is consecrated, is given to some particular man, to do God service; not given to God, but given to man to serve God and there is not any thing, lands or goods, but some men or other have it in their power to dispose of as they please: the saying things consecrated cannot be taken away, makes men afraid of consecration.

5. Yet consecration has this power: when a man has consecrated any thing to God, he cannot of himself take it away.

CONTRACTS.

1. If our fathers have lost their liberty, why may not we labour to regain it ? Answ. We must look to the contract; if that be rightly made, we must staud to it if we once grant we may recede from contracts upon any inconveniency that may afterwards happen, we shall have no bargain kept. If I sell you a horse, and do not like my bargain, I will have my horse again.

2. Keep your contracts: so far a divine goes; but how to make our contracts is left to ourselves; and as we agree upon the conveying of this house, or that land, so it must be: if you offer me a hundred pounds for my glove, I tell you what my glove is, a plain glove; pretend no virtue in it; the glove is my own: I profess not to sell gloves, and we agree for a hundred pounds: I do not know why I may not with a safe conscience take it. The want of that common obvious distinction of jus præceptivum and jus permissivum, does much trouble men.

3. Lady Kent articled with sir Edward Herbert, that he should come to her when she sent for him,

and stay with her as long as she would have him ; to which he set his hand then he articled with her, that he should go away when he pleased, and stay away as long as he pleased; to which she set her hand. This is the epitome of all the contracts in the world, betwixt man and man, betwixt prince and subject; they keep them as long as they like them, and no longer.

COUNCIL.

They talk, (but blasphemously enough) that the Holy Ghost is president of their general councils; when the truth is, the odd man is still the Holy Ghost.

CONVOCATION.

1. When the king sends his writ for a parliament, he sends for two knights for a shire, and two burgesses for a corporation : but when he sends for two archbishops for a convocation, he commands them to assemble the whole clergy; but they out of custom amongst themselves send to the bishops of their provinces, to will them to bring two clerks for a diocese, the dean, one for the chapter, and the archdeacons; but to the king, every clergyman is there present.

2. We have nothing so nearly expresses the power of a convocation, in respect of a parliament, as a court-leet, where they have a power to make byelaws, as they call them-as that a man shall put so many cows or sheep in the common: but they can make nothing that is contrary to the laws of the kingdom.