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labiorum; although the use of holy vows of thankfulness and retribution may be accounted alfo as fealed petitions.

And for the Government of the Church, it confifteth of the patrimony of the Church, the franchifes of the Church, and the offices and jurifdictions of the Church, and the Laws of the Church directing the whole; all which have two confiderations, the one in themselves, the other how they ftand compatible and agreeable to the Civil Estate.

This matter of Divinity is handled either in form of inftruction of truth, or in form of confutation of falfehood. The declinations from Religion, befides the privative, which is Atheism, and the Branches thereof, are three; Herefies, Idolatry, and Witchcraft; Hereftes, when we serve the true GOD with a falfe worship; Idolatry, when we worship false Gods, supposing them to be true: and Witchcraft, when we adore false Gods, knowing them to be wicked and false for so your Majefty doth excellently well obferve, that Witchcraft is the height of Idolatry. And yet we fee though these be true degrees, Samuel teacheth us that they are all of a nature, when there is once a receding from the word of GOD; for fo he faith, Quafi Peccatum ariolandi eft repugnare, et quafi fcelus Idololatria nolle acquiefcere.

These things I have passed over so briefly because I can report no deficiency concerning them : for I can find no space or ground that lieth vacant

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and unfown in the matter of Divinity; so diligent have men been, either in sowing of good feed, or in fowing of Tares.

HUS have I made as it were a small Globe of the Intellectual World, as truly and faithfully as I could discover; with a note and description of those parts which seem to me not constantly occupate, or not well converted by the labour of Man. In which, if I have in any point receded from that which is commonly received, it hath been with a purpose of proceeding in melius, and not in aliud; a mind of amendment and proficience, and not of change and difference. For I could not be true and conftant to the argument I handle, if I were not willing to go beyond others; but yet not more willing than to have others go beyond me again: which may the better appear by this, that I have propounded my opinions naked and unarmed, not seeking to preoccupate the liberty of men's judgments by confutations. For in any thing which is well fet down, I am in good hope, that if the first reading move an objection, the fecond reading will make an answer. And in those things wherein I have erred, I am fure I have not prejudiced the right by litigious arguments; which certainly have this contrary effect and operation, that they add authority to error, and destroy the authority of that which is well invented: for question is an honour and preferment to falfehood, as on the other fide it

is a repulse to truth. But the errors I claim and challenge to myself as mine own: the good, if any be, is due Tanquam adeps facrificii, to be incensed to the honour, first of the Divine Majesty, and next of your Majesty, to whom on earth I am moft bounden.

INDEX.

ABEL and Cain, contemplation and action figured by, 57 -

Abridgments, defects of, 110.

Accidents of words, 202.

Action of mind on body, 159.
Action and Contemplation, 228.

neceffary union between, 51.

figured in Cain and Abel, 57.

Adam, his employment in Paradife, 56.

Adoration, highest honour attainable among the Hea-
thens, 63.

Adrian, a learned prince, 68.

Advancement in life, 273.

Affectation, deformity of, 262.

Affections, fubdued to reafon by eloquence, 215.

duties of, 242.

enquiry respecting, 249.

government of, a principal part of Ethics, 250.
poets and hiftorians, the best doctors in the knowledge
of, 251.

Alchemy, 150.

affiftance derived by fcience from, 45.

Alexander, an example of the union of learning and

in arms, 16.

his education, 73.

his love of Homer, 73.

his preference of learning over empire, 73.

his threwd fpeeches, 74.

his faying of Diogenes, 74.

to Callifthenes, 76.

power

his diftinction between love of Alexander and love of

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