Andthoughafterdeaththerebenosenseofthepraisegivenusonearth，asbeingjoysthatareeitherswallowedupintheunspeakablejoysofheavenorextinguishedintheextremetormentsofhell：yetisnotsuchfamevain；becausemenhaveapresentdelighttherein，fromtheforesightofit，andofthebenefitthatmayredoundtherebytotheirposterity：whichthoughtheynowseenot，yettheyimagine；
andanythingthatispleasureinthesense，thesamealsoispleasureintheimagination。
Tohavereceivedfromone，towhomwethinkourselvesequal，greaterbenefitsthanthereishopetorequite，disposethtocounterfeitlove，butreallysecrethatred，andputsamanintotheestateofadesperatedebtorthat，indecliningthesightofhiscreditor，tacitlywisheshimtherewherehemightneverseehimmore。Forbenefitsoblige；andobligationisthraldom；andunrequitableobligation，perpetualthraldom；whichistoone’sequal，hateful。Buttohavereceivedbenefitsfromonewhomweacknowledgeforsuperiorinclinestolove；becausetheobligationisnonewdepression：andcheerfulacceptationwhichmencallgratitudeissuchanhonourdonetotheobligerasistakengenerallyforretribution。Alsotoreceivebenefits，thoughfromanequal，orinferior，aslongasthereishopeofrequital，disposethtolove：forintheintentionofthereceiver，theobligationisofaidandservicemutual；fromwhenceproceedethanemulationofwhoshallexceedinbenefiting；themostnobleandprofitablecontentionpossible，whereinthevictorispleasedwithhisvictory，andtheotherrevengedbyconfessingit。
Tohavedonemorehurttoamanthanhecanoriswillingtoexpiateinclineththedoertohatethesufferer。Forhemustexpectrevengeorforgiveness；bothwhicharehateful。
Fearofoppressiondisposethamantoanticipateortoseekaidbysociety：forthereisnootherwaybywhichamancansecurehislifeandliberty。
Menthatdistrusttheirownsubtletyareintumultandseditionbetterdisposedforvictorythantheythatsupposethemselveswiseorcrafty。Fortheselovetoconsult；theother，fearingtobecircumventedtostrikefirst。Andinsedition，menbeingalwaysintheprecinctsofbattle，toholdtogetherandusealladvantagesofforceisabetterstratagemthananythatcanproceedfromsubtletyofwit。
Vaingloriousmen，suchaswithoutbeingconscioustothemselvesofgreatsufficiency，delightinsupposingthemselvesgallantmen，areinclinedonlytoostentation，butnottoattempt；becausewhendangerordifficultyappears，theylookfornothingbuttohavetheirinsufficiencydiscovered。
Vain，gloriousmen，suchasestimatetheirsufficiencybytheflatteryofothermen，orthefortuneofsomeprecedentaction，withoutassuredgroundofhopefromthetrueknowledgeofthemselves，areinclinedtorashengaging；andintheapproachofdanger，ordifficulty，toretireiftheycan：becausenotseeingthewayofsafetytheywillratherhazardtheirhonour，whichmaybesalvedwithanexcuse，thantheirlives，forwhichnosalveissufficient。
Menthathaveastrongopinionoftheirownwisdominmatterofgovernmentaredisposedtoambition。Becausewithoutpublicemploymentincounselormagistracy，thehonouroftheirwisdomislost。Andthereforeeloquentspeakersareinclinedtoambition；foreloquenceseemethwisdom，bothtothemselvesandothers。
Pusillanimitydisposethmentoirresolution，andconsequentlytolosetheoccasionsandfittestopportunitiesofaction。Foraftermenhavebeenindeliberationtillthetimeofactionapproach，ifitbenotthenmanifestwhatisbesttobedone，itisasignthedifferenceofmotivestheonewayandtheotherarenotgreat：
thereforenottoresolvethenistolosetheoccasionbyweighingoftrifles，whichispusillanimity。
Frugality，thoughinpoormenavirtue，makethamanunapttoachievesuchactionsasrequirethestrengthofmanymenatonce：
foritweakeneththeirendeavour，whichtobenourishedandkeptinvigourbyreward。
Eloquence，withflattery，disposethmentoconfideinthemthathaveit；becausetheformerisseemingwisdom，thelatterseemingkindness。
Addtothemmilitaryreputationanditdisposethmentoadhereandsubjectthemselvestothosementhathavethem。Thetwoformer，havinggiventhemcautionagainstdangerfromhim，thelattergivesthemcautionagainstdangerfromothers。
Wantofscience，thatis，ignoranceofcauses，disposethorratherconstrainethamantorelyontheadviceandauthorityofothers。
Forallmenwhomthetruthconcerns，iftheyrelynotontheirown，mustrelyontheopinionofsomeotherwhomtheythinkwiserthanthemselves，andseenotwhyheshoulddeceivethem。
Ignoranceofthesignificationofwords，iswantofunderstanding，disposethmentotakeontrust，notonlythetruththeyknownot，butalsotheerrors；andwhichismore，thenonsenseofthemtheytrust：forneithererrornornonsensecan，withoutaperfectunderstandingofwords，bedetected。
Fromthesameitproceedeththatmengivedifferentnamestooneandthesamethingfromthedifferenceoftheirownpassions：astheythatapproveaprivateopinioncallitopinion；buttheythatmislikeit，heresy：andyetheresysignifiesnomorethanprivateopinion；buthasonlyagreatertinctureofcholer。
Fromthesamealsoitproceedeththatmencannotdistinguish，withoutstudyandgreatunderstandingbetweenoneactionofmanymenandmanyactionsofonemultitude；asforexample，betweentheoneactionofallthesenatorsofRomeinkillingCatiline，andthemanyactionsofanumberofsenatorsinkillingCaesar；andthereforearedisposedtotakefortheactionofthepeoplethatwhichisamultitudeofactionsdonebyamultitudeofmen，ledperhapsbythepersuasionofone。
Ignoranceofthecauses，andoriginalconstitutionofright，equity，law，andjustice，disposethamantomakecustomandexampletheruleofhisactions；insuchmannerastothinkthatunjustwhichithathbeenthecustomtopunish；andthatjust，oftheimpunityandapprobationwhereoftheycanproduceanexampleorasthelawyerswhichonlyusethisfalsemeasureofjusticebarbarouslycallitaprecedent；likelittlechildrenthathavenootherruleofgoodandevilmannersbutthecorrectiontheyreceivefromtheirparentsandmasters；savethatchildrenareconstanttotheirrule，whereasmenarenotso；becausegrownstrongandstubborn，theyappealfromcustomtoreason，andfromreasontocustom，asitservestheirturn，recedingfromcustomwhentheirinterestrequiresit，andsettingthemselvesagainstreasonasoftasreasonisagainstthem：whichisthecausethatthedoctrineofrightandwrongisperpetuallydisputed，bothbythepenandthesword：whereasthedoctrineoflinesandfiguresisnotso；becausemencarenot，inthatsubject，whatbetruth，asathingthatcrossesnoman’sambition，profit，orlust。ForIdoubtnot，butifithadbeenathingcontrarytoanyman’srightofdominion，ortotheinterestofmenthathavedominion，thatthethreeanglesofatriangleshouldbeequaltotwoanglesofasquare，thatdoctrineshouldhavebeen，ifnotdisputed，yetbytheburningofallbooksofgeometrysuppressed，asfarashewhomitconcernedwasable。
Ignoranceofremotecausesdisposethmentoattributealleventstothecausesimmediateandinstrumental：fortheseareallthecausestheyperceive。Andhenceitcomestopassthatinallplacesmenthataregrievedwithpaymentstothepublicdischargetheirangeruponthepublicans，thatistosay，farmers，collectors，andotherofficersofthepublicrevenue，andadheretosuchasfindfaultwiththepublicgovernment；andthereby，whentheyhaveengagedthemselvesbeyondhopeofjustification，fallalsouponthesupremeauthority，forfearofpunishment，orshameofreceivingpardon。
Ignoranceofnaturalcausesdisposethamantocredulity，soastobelievemanytimesimpassibilities：forsuchknownothingtothecontrary，butthattheymaybetrue，beingunabletodetecttheimpossibility。Andcredulity，becausemenlovetobehearkeneduntoincompany，disposeththemtolying：sothatignoranceitself，withoutmalice，isabletomakeamanbothtobelieveliesandtellthem，andsometimesalsotoinventthem。
Anxietyforthefuturetimedisposethmentoinquireintothecausesofthings：becausetheknowledgeofthemmakethmenthebetterabletoorderthepresenttotheirbestadvantage。
Curiosity，orloveoftheknowledgeofcauses，drawsamanfromconsiderationoftheeffecttoseekthecause；andagain，thecauseofthatcause；tillofnecessityhemustcometothisthoughtatlast，thatthereissomecausewhereofthereisnoformercause，butiseternal；whichisitmencallGod。SothatitisimpossibletomakeanyprofoundinquiryintonaturalcauseswithoutbeinginclinedtherebytobelievethereisoneGodeternal；thoughtheycannothaveanyideaofHimintheirmindanswerabletoHisnature。Forasamanthatisbornblind，hearingmentalkofwarmingthemselvesbythefire，andbeingbroughttowarmhimselfbythesame，mayeasilyconceive，andassurehimself，thereissomewhattherewhichmencallfireandisthecauseoftheheathefeels，butcannotimaginewhatitislike，norhaveanideaofitinhismindsuchastheyhavethatseeit：soalso，bythevisiblethingsofthisworld，andtheiradmirableorder，amanmayconceivethereisacauseofthem，whichmencallGod，andyetnothaveanideaorimageofHiminhismind。
Andtheythatmakelittleornoinquiryintothenaturalcausesofthings，yetfromthefearthatproceedsfromtheignoranceitselfofwhatitisthathaththepowertodothemmuchgoodorharmareinclinedtosuppose，andfeignuntothemselves，severalkindsofpowersinvisible，andtostandinaweoftheirownimaginations，andintimeofdistresstoinvokethem；asalsointhetimeofanexpectedgoodsuccess，togivethemthanks，makingthecreaturesoftheirownfancytheirgods。Bywhichmeansithathcometopassthatfromtheinnumerablevarietyoffancy，menhavecreatedintheworldinnumerablesortsofgods。Andthisfearofthingsinvisibleisthenaturalseedofthatwhicheveryoneinhimselfcallethreligion；
andinthemthatworshiporfearthatpowerotherwisethantheydo，superstition。
Andthisseedofreligion，havingbeenobservedbymany，someofthosethathaveobservedithavebeeninclinedtherebytonourish，dress，andformitintolaws；andtoaddtoit，oftheirowninvention，anyopinionofthecausesoffutureeventsbywhichtheythoughttheyshouldbestbeabletogovernothersandmakeuntothemselvesthegreatestuseoftheirpowers。
SEEINGtherearenosignsnorfruitofreligionbutinmanonly，thereisnocausetodoubtbutthattheseedofreligionisalsoonlyinman；andconsistethinsomepeculiarquality，oratleastinsomeeminentdegreethereof，nottobefoundinotherlivingcreatures。
Andfirst，itispeculiartothenatureofmantobeinquisitiveintothecausesoftheeventstheysee，somemore，someless，butallmensomuchastobecuriousinthesearchofthecausesoftheirowngoodandevilfortune。
Secondly，uponthesightofanythingthathathabeginning，tothinkalsoithadacausewhichdeterminedthesametobeginthenwhenitdid，ratherthansoonerorlater。
Thirdly，whereasthereisnootherfelicityofbeastsbuttheenjoyingoftheirquotidianfood，ease，andlusts；ashavinglittleornoforesightofthetimetocomeforwantofobservationandmemoryoftheorder，consequence，anddependenceofthethingstheysee；manobservethhowoneeventhathbeenproducedbyanother，andrememberethinthemantecedenceandconsequence；andwhenhecannotassurehimselfofthetruecausesofthingsforthecausesofgoodandevilfortuneforthemostpartareinvisible，hesupposescausesofthem，eithersuchashisownfancysuggesteth，ortrustethtotheauthorityofothermensuchashethinkstobehisfriendsandwiserthanhimself。
Thetwofirstmakeanxiety。Forbeingassuredthattherebecausesofallthingsthathavearrivedhitherto，orshallarrivehereafter，itisimpossibleforaman，whocontinuallyendeavourethtosecurehimselfagainsttheevilhefears，andprocurethegoodhedesireth，nottobeinaperpetualsolicitudeofthetimetocome；sothateveryman，especiallythosethatareover-provident，areinanestateliketothatofPrometheus。ForasPrometheuswhich，interpreted，istheprudentmanwasboundtothehillCaucasus，aplaceoflargeprospect，whereaneagle，feedingonhisliver，devouredinthedayasmuchaswasrepairedinthenight：sothatman，whichlookstoofarbeforehiminthecareoffuturetime，hathhisheartallthedaylonggnawedonbyfearofdeath，poverty，orothercalamity；andhasnorepose，norpauseofhisanxiety，butinsleep。