Thisperpetualfear，alwaysaccompanyingmankindintheignoranceofcauses，asitwereinthedark，mustneedshaveforobjectsomething。Andthereforewhenthereisnothingtobeseen，thereisnothingtoaccuseeitheroftheirgoodorevilfortunebutsomepoweroragentinvisible：inwhichsenseperhapsitwasthatsomeoftheoldpoetssaidthatthegodswereatfirstcreatedbyhumanfear：which，spokenofthegodsthatistosay，ofthemanygodsoftheGentiles，isverytrue。ButtheacknowledgingofoneGodeternal，infinite，andomnipotentmaymoreeasilybederivedfromthedesiremenhavetoknowthecausesofnaturalbodies，andtheirseveralvirtuesandoperations，thanfromthefearofwhatwastobefallthemintimetocome。Forhethat，fromanyeffectheseethcometopass，shouldreasontothenextandimmediatecausethereof，andfromthencetothecauseofthatcause，andplungehimselfprofoundlyinthepursuitofcauses，shallatlastcometothis，thattheremustbeaseventheheathenphilosophersconfessedoneFirstMover；thatis，afirstandaneternalcauseofallthings；
whichisthatwhichmenmeanbythenameofGod：andallthiswithoutthoughtoftheirfortune，thesolicitudewhereofbothinclinestofearandhindersthemfromthesearchofthecausesofotherthings；andtherebygivesoccasionoffeigningofasmanygodsastherebementhatfeignthem。
Andforthematter，orsubstance，oftheinvisibleagents，sofancied，theycouldnotbynaturalcogitationfalluponanyotherconceptbutthatitwasthesamewiththatofthesoulofman；andthatthesoulofmanwasofthesamesubstancewiththatwhichappearethinadreamtoonethatsleepeth；orinalooking-glasstoonethatisawake；which，mennotknowingthatsuchapparitionsarenothingelsebutcreaturesofthefancy，thinktoberealandexternalsubstances，andthereforecallthemghosts；astheLatinscalledthemimaginesandumbraeandthoughtthemspiritsthatis，thinaerialbodies，andthoseinvisibleagents，whichtheyfeared，tobelikethem，savethattheyappearandvanishwhentheyplease。Buttheopinionthatsuchspiritswereincorporeal，orimmaterial，couldneverenterintothemindofanymanbynature；because，thoughmenmayputtogetherwordsofcontradictorysignification，asspiritandincorporeal，yettheycanneverhavetheimaginationofanythingansweringtothem：andtherefore，menthatbytheirownmeditationarrivetotheacknowledgementofoneinfinite，omnipotent，andeternalGodchooserathertoconfessHeisincomprehensibleandabovetheirunderstandingthantodefineHisnaturebyspiritincorporeal，andthenconfesstheirdefinitiontobeunintelligible：oriftheygivehimsuchatitle，itisnotdogmatically，withintentiontomaketheDivineNatureunderstood，butpiously，tohonourHimwithattributesofsignificationsasremoteastheycanfromthegrossnessofbodiesvisible。
Then，forthewaybywhichtheythinktheseinvisibleagentswroughttheireffects；thatistosay，whatimmediatecausestheyusedinbringingthingstopass，menthatknownotwhatitisthatwecallcausingthatis，almostallmenhavenootherruletoguessbybutbyobservingandrememberingwhattheyhaveseentoprecedethelikeeffectatsomeothertime，ortimesbefore，withoutseeingbetweentheantecedentandsubsequenteventanydependenceorconnexionatall：
andthereforefromthelikethingspast，theyexpectthelikethingstocome；andhopeforgoodorevilluck，superstitiously，fromthingsthathavenopartatallinthecausingofit：astheAtheniansdidfortheirwaratLepantodemandanotherPhormio；thePompeianfactionfortheirwarinAfrica，anotherScipio；andothershavedoneindiverseotheroccasionssince。Inlikemannertheyattributetheirfortunetoastanderby，toaluckyorunluckyplace，towordsspoken，especiallyifthenameofGodbeamongstthem，ascharming，andconjuringtheliturgyofwitches；insomuchastobelievetheyhavepowertoturnastoneintobread，breadintoaman，oranythingintoanything。
Thirdly，fortheworshipwhichnaturallymenexhibittopowersinvisible，itcanbenootherbutsuchexpressionsoftheirreverenceastheywouldusetowardsmen；gifts，petitions，thanks，submissionofbody，considerateaddresses，soberbehaviour，premeditatedwords，swearingthatis，assuringoneanotheroftheirpromises，byinvokingthem。Beyondthat，reasonsuggestethnothing，butleavesthemeithertorestthere，orforfurtherceremoniestorelyonthosetheybelievetobewiserthanthemselves。
Lastly，concerninghowtheseinvisiblepowersdeclaretomenthethingswhichshallhereaftercometopass，especiallyconcerningtheirgoodorevilfortuneingeneral，orgoodorillsuccessinanyparticularundertaking，menarenaturallyatastand；savethatusingtoconjectureofthetimetocomebythetimepast，theyareveryapt，notonlytotakecasualthings，afteroneortwoencounters，forprognosticsofthelikeencountereverafter，butalsotobelievethelikeprognosticsfromothermenofwhomtheyhaveonceconceivedagoodopinion。
Andinthesefourthings，opinionofghosts，ignoranceofsecondcauses，devotiontowardswhatmenfear，andtakingofthingscasualforprognostics，consisteththenaturalseedofreligion；which，byreasonofthedifferentfancies，judgements，andpassionsofseveralmen，hathgrownupintoceremoniessodifferentthatthosewhichareusedbyonemanareforthemostpartridiculoustoanother。
Fortheseseedshavereceivedculturefromtwosortsofmen。Onesorthavebeentheythathavenourishedandorderedthem，accordingtotheirowninvention。TheotherhavedoneitbyGod’scommandmentanddirection。Butbothsortshavedoneitwithapurposetomakethosementhatreliedonthemthemoreapttoobedience，laws，peace，charity，andcivilsociety。Sothatthereligionoftheformersortisapartofhumanpolitics；andteachethpartofthedutywhichearthlykingsrequireoftheirsubjects。Andthereligionofthelattersortisdivinepolitics；andcontainethpreceptstothosethathaveyieldedthemselvessubjectsinthekingdomofGod。OftheformersortwereallthefoundersofCommonwealths，andthelawgiversoftheGentiles：ofthelattersortwereAbraham，Moses，andourblessedSaviour，bywhomhavebeenderiveduntousthelawsofthekingdomofGod。
Andforthatpartofreligionwhichconsistethinopinionsconcerningthenatureofpowersinvisible，thereisalmostnothingthathasanamethathasnotbeenesteemedamongsttheGentiles，inoneplaceoranother，agodordevil；orbytheirpoetsfeignedtobeanimated，inhabited，orpossessedbysomespiritorother。
TheunformedmatteroftheworldwasagodbythenameofChaos。
Theheaven，theocean，theplanets，thefire，theearth，thewinds，weresomanygods。
Men，women，abird，acrocodile，acalf，adog，asnake，anonion，aleek，weredeified。Besidesthat，theyfilledalmostallplaceswithspiritscalleddemons：theplains，withPanandPanises，orSatyrs；
thewoods，withFaunsandNymphs；thesea，withTritonsandotherNymphs；everyriverandfountain，withaghostofhisnameandwithNymphs；everyhouse，withitsLares，orfamiliars；everyman，withhisGenius；Hell，withghostsandspiritualofficers，asCharon，Cerberus，andtheFuries；andinthenighttime，allplaceswithlarvae，lemures，ghostsofmendeceased，andawholekingdomoffairiesandbugbears。Theyhavealsoascribeddivinity，andbuilttemples，tomereaccidentsandqualities；suchasaretime，night，day，peace，concord，love，contention，virtue，honour，health，rust，fever，andthelike；
whichwhentheyprayedfor，oragainst，theyprayedtoasiftherewereghostsofthosenameshangingovertheirheads，andlettingfallorwithholdingthatgood，orevil，fororagainstwhichtheyprayed。Theyinvokedalsotheirownwit，bythenameofMuses；theirownignorance，bythenameofFortune；theirownlust，bythenameofCupid；theirownrage，bythenameFuries；theirownprivymembersbythenameofPriapus；andattributedtheirpollutionstoincubiandsuccubae：insomuchastherewasnothingwhichapoetcouldintroduceasapersoninhispoemwhichtheydidnotmakeeitheragodoradevil。
ThesameauthorsofthereligionoftheGentiles，observingthesecondgroundforreligion，whichismen’signoranceofcauses，andtherebytheiraptnesstoattributetheirfortunetocausesonwhichtherewasnodependenceatallapparent，tookoccasiontoobtrudeontheirignorance，insteadofsecondcauses，akindofsecondandministerialgods；ascribingthecauseoffecunditytoVenus，thecauseofartstoApollo，ofsubtletyandcrafttoMercury，oftempestsandstormstoAeolus，andofothereffectstoothergods；insomuchastherewasamongsttheheathenalmostasgreatvarietyofgodsasofbusiness。
Andtotheworshipwhichnaturallymenconceivedfittobeusedtowardstheirgods，namely，oblations，prayers，thanks，andtherestformerlynamed，thesamelegislatorsoftheGentileshaveaddedtheirimages，bothinpictureandsculpture，thatthemoreignorantsortthatistosay，themostpartorgeneralityofthepeople，thinkingthegodsforwhoserepresentationtheyweremadewerereallyincludedandasitwerehousedwithinthem，mightsomuchthemorestandinfearofthem：andendowedthemwithlands，andhouses，andofficers，andrevenues，setapartfromallotherhumanuses；
thatis，consecrated，madeholytothosetheiridols；ascaverns，groves，woods，mountains，andwholeislands；andhaveattributedtothem，notonlytheshapes，someofmen，someofbeasts，someofmonsters，butalsothefacultiesandpassionsofmenandbeasts；assense，speech，sex，lust，generation，andthisnotonlybymixingonewithanothertopropagatethekindofgods，butalsobymixingwithmenandwomentobegetmongrelgods，andbutinmatesofheaven，asBacchus，Hercules，andothers；besides，anger，revenge，andotherpassionsoflivingcreatures，andtheactionsproceedingfromthem，asfraud，theft，adultery，sodomy，andanyvicethatmaybetakenforaneffectofpoweroracauseofpleasure；andallsuchvicesasamongstmenaretakentobeagainstlawratherthanagainsthonour。
Lastly，totheprognosticsoftimetocome，whicharenaturallybutconjecturesupontheexperienceoftimepast，andsupernaturally，divinerevelation，thesameauthorsofthereligionoftheGentiles，partlyuponpretendedexperience，partlyuponpretendedrevelation，haveaddedinnumerableothersuperstitiouswaysofdivination，andmademenbelievetheyshouldfindtheirfortunes，sometimesintheambiguousorsenselessanswersofthepriestsatDelphi，Delos，Ammon，andotherfamousoracles；whichanswersweremadeambiguousbydesign，toowntheeventbothways；
orabsurd，bytheintoxicatingvapouroftheplace，whichisveryfrequentinsulphurouscaverns：sometimesintheleavesoftheSibyls，ofwhoseprophecies，likethoseperhapsofNostradamusforthefragmentsnowextantseemtobetheinventionoflatertimes，thereweresomebooksinreputationinthetimeoftheRomanrepublic：
sometimesintheinsignificantspeechesofmadmen，supposedtobepossessedwithadivinespirit，whichpossessiontheycalledenthusiasm；andthesekindsofforetellingeventswereaccountedtheomancy，orprophecy：sometimesintheaspectofthestarsattheirnativity，whichwascalledhoroscopy，andesteemedapartofjudiciaryastrology：sometimesintheirownhopesandfears，calledandfears，calledthumomancy，orpresage：sometimesinthepredictionofwitchesthatpretendedconferencewiththedead，whichiscallednecromancy，conjuring，andwitchcraft，andisbutjugglingandconfederateknavery：sometimesinthecasualflightorfeedingofbirds，calledaugury：sometimesintheentrailsofasacrificedbeast，whichwasharuspicy：sometimesindreams：sometimesincroakingofravens，orchatteringofbirds：sometimesinthelineamentsoftheface，whichwascalledmetoposcopy；orbypalmistryinthelinesofthehand，incasualwordscalledomina：sometimesinmonstersorunusualaccidents；aseclipses，comets，raremeteors，earthquakes，inundations，uncouthbirths，andthelike，whichtheycalledportenta，andostenta，becausetheythoughtthemtoportendorforeshowsomegreatcalamitytocome：sometimesinmerelottery，ascrossandpile；countingholesinasieve；dippingofversesinHomerandVirgil；andinnumerableothersuchvainconceits。Soeasyarementobedrawntobelieveanythingfromsuchmenashavegottencreditwiththem；andcanwithgentleness，anddexterity，takeholdoftheirfearandignorance。