i to the Reader each a perfoh as Chrift) muff we obey fuch á cofnsnatd .Pro fef on with the tongue (faith he) is no more than any other geflure whereby we fgni fy our obedience, and wherein a Chriflian, holding firmly in his heart the faith of Chrifl' bath the fame liberty that Elitha allowed to Naaman the Sr Brian. A great and grofs miftake ; the prophet allowed no fuch thing, But, without giving any particular anfwer to his demand,fince,by what Mr. Hobbs confetfeth, he could not but know that what he defired (if indeed he defired it, fome learned men aferting, that the words contain a refle&ion upon a paff unlawful pra&iee, and a begging forgivenefs of it, and not a delire of a permiffion of any fuch pra &ice for the future) was a tin and unlawful to be done ; only bids him go in peace, withing him well, and God's bleffing to him, tho' not as to.that particular ;. Here, faith he, Naaman believed in bis Heart, but, by bowing before the idol Rimmon, he denied the true God in e ffett, as if he had done it with his lips : (How dare he then be fo bold, as to affirm, that the prophet. allowed and approved of his pra &ice ? What then fball we fay to that of our saviour, Whoever denieth me before Men, him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven ? 9'o this (faith he) we may fay, That whatfoever a fisbjett, as Naaman was, is compelled to, in obedience to his love_ reign, and Both it not according to his own mind, but in or- der to the laws of his country, that aëiion is not his, but bis favereign's ; nor is it he that in this cafe denies Chri'1, but his governor, and the law of his country. O what a wide door is opened here for groffett diffimulation,' and juggling in the matters of God, and for the moff palpable inconhftency betwixt the heart of a man, and his a &ions ! the one manifettly contradi&ing and bely. ing the other, which ought, efpecially in fuch cafes, faithfully to correfpond, and exaétly to agree. What fecurity, I pray, could men have upon earth one from a- nother in their oaths, covenants, pads and contra &s,' in their mutual bargainings and dealings, if fuch a curled latitude were allowed them, to fay, promife, and fwear one thing, and resolve another in their hearts ? And (hall that be allowed in matters wherein the honour of God is' fo much, and fo nearly concerned,' which is fo'abo-
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