ment, and to the Undermining the Authority of Magiftrates; when yet all lawful Power is the Ordinance of God. For this is but to dafh one Table of the Law against the other; and in fuch Degree to confider Men as Chriftians, as to feem in the mean time to forget that they are Men. Lucretius the Poet, when he fet before him the A&t of Agamemnon's facrificing his own Daughter, exclaims:

Tantum Relligio potuit fuadere malorum. Such impious Acts Religion cou'd perfuade.

Creech.

What would he have faid, if he had known of the Maffacre of France, or the Powder-Treafon of England? Certainly he would have been seven times more Epicure and Atheist than he was. For as the Temporal Sword is to be drawn, not rafhly, but with great Judgment, in Cafes of Religion; fo it is a Thing monftrous, to put it into the Hands of the People. Let that be left

e unto

unto the Anabaptifts, and fuch Furies. Certainly, it was great Blafphemy, when the Devil faid; I will afcend, and be like the Higheft: But it would be still greater Blafphemy to perfonate God, and to bring him in faying; I will defcend, and be like the Prince of Darkness. And what is it better, to make the Cause of Religion descend, and be carried headlong, to the cruel and execrable Action of murthering Princes, butchery of People, and utter Subverfion of States and Government? Surely this looks like bringing down the Holy Ghoft, in the Likeness, not of a Dove, but of a Vulture, or Raven: Or fetting, out of the Bark of a Christian Church, a Flag of Pirates and Affaffins. Wherefore it is juft, and the Neceffity of the Times requires, that the Church by Doctrine and Decree; Princes by their Sword, and all Learnings, whether Religious or Moral, by their Mercury-Rod, should Damn and fend to Hell for ever, such Facts, and Doctrines, that give any Support or Incouragement to the fame, as C 2 hath

hath been long fince in good part done. Certainly it were to be with'd, that in all Counfels concerning Religion, that Counfel of the Apostle might be prefixed; The Wrath of Man worketh not the Righteousness of God. And it was a notable Obfervation of a very wife Father, and no lefs ingenuously confeffed, That thofe that perfuade Preffure and Force of Confciences, cover their own Defires under that Pofition, and think themselves interested therein.

IV. of REVENGE.

R

EVENGE is a kind of wild Justice'; which the more it spreads in Human Nature, the more ought severe 'Laws to weed it out. For the first Injury does but offend the Law; but the Return of that Injury, robs the Law intirely of its Authority.

CERTAINLY, in REVENGING an Injury, a Man is but even with his Ene

my;

my; but in Forgiving it, he is Superior: For it is a Prince's Part, to Pardon. And Solomon, I am fure, faith: It is the Glory of a Man, to pass by an Offence. That which is past, cannot be undone again; and wife Men think it enough to mind Things prefent, and to come. Therefore they trifle and difturb themfelves in vain, that bufy themselves about past Matters.

No Man doth a Wrong for the Wrong's fake; but thereby to purchase himself somewhat of Profit, or Pleasure, or Honour: Therefore why fhould I be angry with a Man for loving Himself better than me? And if any Man should do Wrong merely out of Malignity: What then? it is but like the Thorn and Bryar, which prick and scratch, because they follow their Naturę.

REVENGE is fomewhat excufable in those Injuries, for which there is no Law to remedy: But then let a Man take heed, the REVENGE be fuch, as there is no Law to punith: elfe he douples his own Punishment, and his Ene

my makes Advantage. Some, when they take REVENGE, are defirous that the Parties hurt fhould know from what Quarter the Mischief came upon them. Doubtless this is the more generous Affection: For fuch feem not to be fo much delighted with the bare REVENGE, as in making the Party hurt repent of what he did. But Bafe and Malicious Natures, are like the Arrow that flieth in the Dark.

COSMUS, Great Duke of Florence, had a defperate Fling at Perfidious, or Neglectful Friends: We read (fays he) and are commanded to forgive our Enemies; but 'tis no where read, that we are obliged to forgive our Friends. But the Spirit of Job fpeaks better Things: Shall we (fays he) take good at God's Hands, and not fometimes bear evil alfo? which is fit to be faid of Friends too, in fome Proportion.

THIS is most certain, that a Man who ftudieth REVENGE, frets his own Wounds, which otherwife being left to themselves, would heal and do well.

PUBLICK