AndthereforethefirstfoundersandlegislatorsofCommonwealthsamongsttheGentiles，whoseendswereonlytokeepthepeopleinobedienceandpeace，haveinallplacestakencare：first，toimprinttheirmindsabeliefthatthosepreceptswhichtheygaveconcerningreligionmightnotbethoughttoproceedfromtheirowndevice，butfromthedictatesofsomegodorotherspirit；orelsethattheythemselveswereofahighernaturethanmeremortals，thattheirlawsmightthemoreeasilybereceived；soNumaPompiliuspretendedtoreceivetheceremoniesheinstitutedamongsttheRomansfromthenymphEgeriaandthefirstkingandfounderofthekingdomofPerupretendedhimselfandhiswifetobethechildrenofthesun；andMahomet，tosetuphisnewreligion，pretendedtohaveconferenceswiththeHolyGhostinformofadove。Secondly，theyhavehadacaretomakeitbelievedthatthesamethingsweredispleasingtothegodswhichwereforbiddenbythelaws。Thirdly，toprescribeceremonies，supplications，sacrifices，andfestivalsbywhichtheyweretobelievetheangerofthegodsmightbeappeased；andthatillsuccessinwar，greatcontagionsofsickness，earthquakes，andeachman’sprivatemiserycamefromtheangerofthegods；andtheirangerfromtheneglectoftheirworship，ortheforgettingormistakingsomepointoftheceremoniesrequired。AndthoughamongsttheancientRomansmenwerenotforbiddentodenythatwhichinthepoetsiswrittenofthepainsandpleasuresafterthislife，whichdiversofgreatauthorityandgravityinthatstatehaveintheirharanguesopenlyderided，yetthatbeliefwasalwaysmorecherished，thanthecontrary。
Andbythese，andsuchotherinstitutions，theyobtainedinordertotheirend，whichwasthepeaceoftheCommonwealth，thatthecommonpeopleintheirmisfortunes，layingthefaultonneglect，orerrorintheirceremonies，orontheirowndisobediencetothelaws，werethelessapttomutinyagainsttheirgovernors。Andbeingentertainedwiththepompandpastimeoffestivalsandpublicgamesmadeinhonourofthegods，needednothingelsebutbreadtokeepthemfromdiscontent，murmuring，andcommotionagainstthestate。AndthereforetheRomans，thathadconqueredthegreatestpartofthethenknownworld，madenoscrupleoftoleratinganyreligionwhatsoeverinthecityofRomeitself，unlessithadsomethinginitthatcouldnotconsistwiththeircivilgovernment；nordowereadthatanyreligionwasthereforbiddenbutthatoftheJews，whobeingthepeculiarkingdomofGodthoughtitunlawfultoacknowledgesubjectiontoanymortalkingorstatewhatsoever。AndthusyouseehowthereligionoftheGentileswasapartoftheirpolicy。
ButwhereGodhimselfbysupernaturalrevelationplantedreligion，therehealsomadetohimselfapeculiarkingdom，andgavelaws，notonlyofbehaviourtowardshimself，butalsotowardsoneanother；andtherebyinthekingdomofGod，thepolicyandlawscivilareapartofreligion；andthereforethedistinctionoftemporalandspiritualdominationhaththerenoplace。ItistruethatGodiskingofalltheearth；yetmayHebekingofapeculiarandchosennation。Forthereisnomoreincongruitythereinthanthathethathaththegeneralcommandofthewholearmyshouldhavewithalapeculiarregimentorcompanyofhisown。GodiskingofalltheearthbyHispower，butofHischosenpeople，Heiskingbycovenant。ButtospeakmorelargelyofthekingdomofGod，bothbynatureandcovenant，Ihaveinthefollowingdiscourseassignedanotherplace。
Fromthepropagationofreligion，itisnothardtounderstandthecausesoftheresolutionofthesameintoitsfirstseedsorprinciples；whichareonlyanopinionofadeity，andpowersinvisibleandsupernatural；thatcanneverbesoabolishedoutofhumannature，butthatnewreligionsmayagainbemadetospringoutofthembythecultureofsuchmenasforsuchpurposeareinreputation。
Forseeingallformedreligionisfoundedatfirstuponthefaithwhichamultitudehathinsomeoneperson，whomtheybelievenotonlytobeawisemanandtolabourtoprocuretheirhappiness，butalsotobeaholymantowhomGodHimselfvouchsafethtodeclareHiswillsupernaturally，itfollowethnecessarilywhentheythathavethegovernmentofreligionshallcometohaveeitherthewisdomofthosemen，theirsincerity，ortheirlovesuspected，orthattheyshallbeunabletoshowanyprobabletokenofdivinerevelation，thatthereligionwhichtheydesiretoupholdmustbesuspectedlikewiseandwithoutthefearofthecivilswordcontradictedandrejected。
Thatwhichtakethawaythereputationofwisdominhimthatformethareligion，oraddethtoitwhenitisalreadyformed，istheenjoiningofabeliefofcontradictories：forbothpartsofacontradictioncannotpossiblybetrue，andthereforetoenjointhebeliefofthemisanargumentofignorance，whichdetectstheauthorinthat，anddiscreditshiminallthingselseheshallpropoundasfromrevelationsupernatural：whichrevelationamanmayindeedhaveofmanythingsabove，butofnothingagainstnaturalreason。
Thatwhichtakethawaythereputationofsincerityisthedoingorsayingofsuchthingsasappeartobesignsthatwhattheyrequireothermentobelieveisnotbelievedbythemselves；allwhichdoingsorsayingsarethereforecalledscandalousbecausetheybestumbling-blocksthatmakementofallinthewayofreligion：asinjustice，cruelty，profaneness，avarice，andluxury。Forwhocanbelievethathethatdothordinarilysuchactions，asproceedfromanyoftheseroots，believeththereisanysuchinvisiblepowertobefearedasheaffrightethothermenwithalforlesserfaults？
Thatwhichtakethawaythereputationofloveisthebeingdetectedofprivateends：aswhenthebelieftheyrequireofothersconduceth，orseemethtoconduce，totheacquiringofdominion，riches，dignity，orsecurepleasuretothemselvesonlyorspecially。
Forthatwhichmenreapbenefitbytothemselvestheyarethoughttodofortheirownsakes，andnotforloveofothers。
Lastly，thetestimonythatmencanrenderofdivinecallingcanbenootherthantheoperationofmiracles，ortrueprophecywhichalsoisamiracle，orextraordinaryfelicity。Andtherefore，tothosepointsofreligionwhichhavebeenreceivedfromthemthatdidsuchmiracles，thosethatareaddedbysuchasapprovenottheircallingbysomemiracleobtainnogreaterbeliefthanwhatthecustomandlawsoftheplacesinwhichtheybeeducatedhavewroughtintothem。Forasinnaturalthingsmenofjudgementrequirenaturalsignsandarguments，soinsupernaturalthingstheyrequiresignssupernaturalwhicharemiraclesbeforetheyconsentinwardlyandfromtheirhearts。
Allwhichcausesoftheweakeningofmen’sfaithdomanifestlyappearintheexamplesfollowing。First，wehavetheexampleofthechildrenofIsrael，who，whenMosesthathadapprovedhiscallingtothembymiracles，andbythehappyconductofthemoutofEgypt，wasabsentbutfortydays，revoltedfromtheworshipofthetrueGodrecommendedtothembyhim，and，settingup*agoldencalffortheirgod，relapsedintotheidolatryoftheEgyptiansfromwhomtheyhadbeensolatelydelivered。Andagain，afterMoses，Aaron，Joshua，andthatgenerationwhichhadseenthegreatworksofGodinIsraelweredead，anothergenerationaroseandservedBaal。*2SothatMiraclesfailing，faithalsofailed。
Again，whenthesonsofSamuel，beingconstitutedbytheirfatherjudgesinBeer-sheba，receivedbribesandjudgedunjustly，thepeopleofIsraelrefusedanymoretohaveGodtobetheirkinginothermannerthanHewaskingofotherpeople，andthereforecriedouttoSamueltochoosethemakingafterthemannerofthenations。*Sothatjusticefailing，faithalsofailed，insomuchastheydeposedtheirGodfromreigningoverthem。
AndwhereasintheplantingofChristianreligiontheoraclesceasedinallpartsoftheRomanEmpire，andthenumberofChristiansincreasedwonderfullyeverydayandineveryplacebythepreachingoftheApostlesandEvangelists，agreatpartofthatsuccessmayreasonablybeattributedtothecontemptintowhichthepriestsoftheGentilesofthattimehadbroughtthemselvesbytheiruncleanness，avarice，andjugglingbetweenprinces。AlsothereligionoftheChurchofRomewaspartlyforthesamecauseabolishedinEnglandandmanyotherpartsofChristendom，insomuchasthefailingofvirtueinthepastorsmakethfaithfailinthepeople，andpartlyfrombringingofthephilosophyanddoctrineofAristotleintoreligionbytheSchoolmen；fromwhencetherearosesomanycontradictionsandabsurditiesasbroughttheclergyintoareputationbothofignoranceandoffraudulentintention，andinclinedpeopletorevoltfromthem，eitheragainstthewilloftheirownprincesasinFranceandHolland，orwiththeirwillasinEngland。
Lastly，amongstthepointsbytheChurchofRomedeclarednecessaryforsalvation，therebesomanymanifestlytotheadvantageofthePopesomanyofhisspiritualsubjectsresidingintheterritoriesofotherChristianprincesthat，wereitnotforthemutualemulationofthoseprinces，theymightwithoutwarortroubleexcludeallforeignauthority，aseasilyasithasbeenexcludedinEngland。ForwhoistherethatdoesnotseetowhosebenefititconducethtohaveitbelievedthatakinghathnothisauthorityfromChristunlessabishopcrownhim？Thataking，ifhebeapriest，cannotmarry？Thatwhetheraprincebeborninlawfulmarriage，ornot，mustbejudgedbyauthorityfromRome？ThatsubjectsmaybefreedfromtheirallegianceifbythecourtofRomethekingbejudgedaheretic？Thataking，asChildericofFrance，maybedeposedbyaPope，asPopeZachary，fornocause，andhiskingdomgiventooneofhissubjects？Thattheclergy，andregulars，inwhatcountrysoever，shallbeexemptfromthejurisdictionoftheirkingincasescriminal？
OrwhodoesnotseetowhoseprofitredoundthefeesofprivateMasses，andvalesofpurgatory，withothersignsofprivateinterestenoughtomortifythemostlivelyfaith，if，asIsaid，thecivilmagistrateandcustomdidnotmoresustainitthananyopiniontheyhaveofthesanctity，wisdom，orprobityoftheirteachers？SothatImayattributeallthechangesofreligionintheworldtooneandthesamecause，andthatisunpleasingpriests；andthosenotonlyamongstcatholics，buteveninthatChurchthathathpresumedmostofreformation。
NATUREhathmademensoequalinthefacultiesofbodyandmindasthat，thoughtherebefoundonemansometimesmanifestlystrongerinbodyorofquickermindthananother，yetwhenallisreckonedtogetherthedifferencebetweenmanandmanisnotsoconsiderableasthatonemancanthereuponclaimtohimselfanybenefittowhichanothermaynotpretendaswellashe。Forastothestrengthofbody，theweakesthasstrengthenoughtokillthestrongest，eitherbysecretmachinationorbyconfederacywithothersthatareinthesamedangerwithhimself。
Andastothefacultiesofthemind，settingasidetheartsgroundeduponwords，andespeciallythatskillofproceedingupongeneralandinfalliblerules，calledscience，whichveryfewhaveandbutinfewthings，asbeingnotanativefacultybornwithus，norattained，asprudence，whilewelookaftersomewhatelse，Ifindyetagreaterequalityamongstmenthanthatofstrength。Forprudenceisbutexperience，whichequaltimeequallybestowsonallmeninthosethingstheyequallyapplythemselvesunto。Thatwhichmayperhapsmakesuchequalityincredibleisbutavainconceitofone’sownwisdom，whichalmostallmenthinktheyhaveinagreaterdegreethanthevulgar；thatis，thanallmenbutthemselves，andafewothers，whombyfame，orforconcurringwiththemselves，theyapprove。Forsuchisthenatureofmenthathowsoevertheymayacknowledgemanyotherstobemorewitty，ormoreeloquentormorelearned，yettheywillhardlybelievetherebemanysowiseasthemselves；fortheyseetheirownwitathand，andothermen’satadistance。Butthisprovethratherthatmenareinthatpointequal，thanunequal。Forthereisnotordinarilyagreatersignoftheequaldistributionofanythingthanthateverymaniscontentedwithhisshare。
Fromthisequalityofabilityarisethequalityofhopeintheattainingofourends。Andthereforeifanytwomendesirethesamething，whichneverthelesstheycannotbothenjoy，theybecomeenemies；
andinthewaytotheirendwhichisprincipallytheirownconservation，andsometimestheirdelectationonlyendeavourtodestroyorsubdueoneanother。Andfromhenceitcomestopassthatwhereaninvaderhathnomoretofearthananotherman’ssinglepower，ifoneplant，sow，build，orpossessaconvenientseat，othersmayprobablybeexpectedtocomepreparedwithforcesunitedtodispossessanddeprivehim，notonlyofthefruitofhislabour，butalsoofhislifeorliberty。Andtheinvaderagainisinthelikedangerofanother。
Andfromthisdiffidenceofoneanother，thereisnowayforanymantosecurehimselfsoreasonableasanticipation；thatis，byforce，orwiles，tomasterthepersonsofallmenhecansolongtillheseenootherpowergreatenoughtoendangerhim：andthisisnomorethanhisownconservationrequireth，andisgenerallyallowed。Also，becausetherebesomethat，takingpleasureincontemplatingtheirownpowerintheactsofconquest，whichtheypursuefartherthantheirsecurityrequires，ifothers，thatotherwisewouldbegladtobeateasewithinmodestbounds，shouldnotbyinvasionincreasetheirpower，theywouldnotbeable，longtime，bystandingonlyontheirdefence，tosubsist。Andbyconsequence，suchaugmentationofdominionovermenbeingnecessarytoaman’sconservation，itoughttobeallowedhim。