Andwhereasmendivideabodyintheirthought，bynumberingpartsofit，andinnumberingthoseparts，numberalsothepartsoftheplaceitfilled；itcannotbebutinmakingmanyparts，wemakealsomanyplacesofthoseparts；wherebytherecannotbeconceivedinthemindofanymanmoreorfewerpartsthanthereareplacesfor：yettheywillhaveusbelievethatbytheAlmightypowerofGod，onebodymaybeatoneandthesametimeinmanyplaces；andmanybodiesatoneandthesametimeinoneplace；asifitwereanacknowledgementoftheDivinePowertosay，thatwhichis，isnot；
orthatwhichhasbeen，hasnotbeen。Andthesearebutasmallpartoftheincongruitiestheyareforcedto，fromtheirdisputingphilosophically，insteadofadmiringandadoringofthedivineandincomprehensibleNature；whoseattributescannotsignifywhatHeis，butoughttosignifyourdesiretohonourHimwiththebestappellationswecanthinkon。ButtheythatventuretoreasonofHisnature，fromtheseattributesofhonour，losingtheirunderstandingintheveryfirstattempt，fallfromoneinconvenienceintoanother，withoutendandwithoutnumber；inthesamemanneraswhenamanignorantoftheceremoniesofcourt，comingintothepresenceofagreaterpersonthanheisusedtospeakto，andstumblingathisentrance，tosavehimselffromfalling，letssliphiscloak；torecoverhiscloak，letsfallhishat；and，withonedisorderafteranother，discovershisastonishmentandrusticity。
Thenforphysics，thatis，theknowledgeofthesubordinateandsecondarycausesofnaturalevents，theyrendernoneatallbutemptywords。Ifyoudesiretoknowwhysomekindofbodiessinknaturallydownwardstowardtheearth，andothersgonaturallyfromit，theSchoolswilltellyou，outofAristotle，thatthebodiesthatsinkdownwardsareheavy；andthatthisheavinessisitthatcausesthemtodescend。Butifyouaskwhattheymeanbyheaviness，theywilldefineittobeanendeavourtogotothecenteroftheearth：sothatthecausewhythingssinkdownwardisanendeavourtobebelow；
whichisasmuchastosaythatbodiesdescend，orascend，becausetheydo。Ortheywilltellyouthecenteroftheearthistheplaceofrestandconservationforheavythings，andthereforetheyendeavourtobethere：asifstonesandmetalshadadesire，orcoulddiscerntheplacetheywouldbeat，asmandoes；orlovedrest，asmandoesnot；orthatapieceofglasswerelesssafeinthewindowthanfallingintothestreet。
Ifwewouldknowwhythesamebodyseemsgreater，withoutaddingtoit，onetimethananother；theysay，whenitseemsless，itiscondensed；whengreater，rarefied。Whatisthatcondensedandrarefied？Condensediswhenthereisintheverysamematterlessquantitythanbefore；andrarefied，whenmore。Asiftherecouldbematterthathadnotsomedeterminedquantity；whenquantityisnothingelsebutthedeterminationofmatter；thatistosay，ofbody，bywhichwesayonebodyisgreaterorlesserthananotherbythus，orthusmuch。Orasifabodyweremadewithoutanyquantityatall，andthatafterwardsmoreorlesswereputintoit，accordingasitisintendedthebodyshouldbemoreorlessdense。
Forthecauseofthesoulofman，theysay，creaturinfundendoandcreandoinfunditur：thatis，“Itiscreatedbypouringitin，“and“pouredinbycreation。“
Forthecauseofsense，anubiquityofspecies；thatis，oftheshowsorapparitionsofobjects；whichwhentheybeapparitionstotheeyeissight；whentotheear，hearing；tothepalate，taste；tothenostril，smelling；andtotherestofthebody，feeling。
Forcauseofthewilltodoanyparticularaction，whichiscalledvolitio，theyassignthefaculty，thatistosay，thecapacityingeneral，thatmenhavetowillsometimesonething，sometimesanother，whichiscalledvoluntas；makingthepowerthecauseoftheact：asifoneshouldassignforcauseofthegoodorevilactsofmentheirabilitytodothem。
Andinmanyoccasionstheyputforcauseofnaturalevents，theirownignorance，butdisguisedinotherwords：aswhentheysay，fortuneisthecauseofthingscontingent；thatis，ofthingswhereoftheyknownocause：andaswhentheyattributemanyeffectstooccultqualities；thatis，qualitiesnotknowntothem，andthereforealso，astheythink，tonomanelse：andtosympathy，antipathy，antiperistasis，specificalqualities，andotherliketerms，whichsignifyneithertheagentthatproduceththem，northeoperationbywhichtheyareproduced。
Ifsuchmetaphysicsandphysicsasthisbenotvainphilosophy，therewasneverany；norneededSt。Paultogiveuswarningtoavoidit。
Andfortheirmoralandcivilphilosophy，ithaththesameorgreaterabsurdities。Ifamandoanactionofinjustice，thatistosay，anactioncontrarytothelaw，God，theysay，istheprimecauseofthelawandalsotheprimecauseofthatandallotheractions；butnocauseatalloftheinjustice；whichistheinconformityoftheactiontothelaw。Thisisvainphilosophy。A
manmightaswellsaythatonemanmakethbothastraightlineandacrooked，andanothermakeththeirincongruity。Andsuchisthephilosophyofallmenthatresolveoftheirconclusionsbeforetheyknowtheirpremises，pretendingtocomprehendthatwhichisincomprehensible；andofattributesofhonourtomakeattributesofnature；asthisdistinctionwasmadetomaintainthedoctrineoffreewill，thatis，ofawillofmannotsubjecttothewillofGod。
Aristotleandotherheathenphilosophersdefinegoodandevilbytheappetiteofmen；andwellenough，aslongasweconsiderthemgovernedeveryonebyhisownlaw：forintheconditionofmenthathavenootherlawbuttheirownappetites，therecanbenogeneralruleofgoodandevilactions。ButinaCommonwealththismeasureisfalse：
nottheappetiteofprivatemen，butthelaw，whichisthewillandappetiteofthestate，isthemeasure。Andyetisthisdoctrinestillpractised，andmenjudgethegoodnessorwickednessoftheirownandofothermen’sactions，andoftheactionsoftheCommonwealthitself，bytheirownpassions；andnomancallethgoodorevilbutthatwhichissoinhisowneyes，withoutanyregardatalltothepubliclaws；exceptonlymonksandfriars，thatareboundbyvowtothatsimpleobediencetotheirsuperiortowhicheverysubjectoughttothinkhimselfboundbythelawofnaturetothecivilsovereign。
Andthisprivatemeasureofgoodisadoctrine，notonlyvain，butalsopernicioustothepublicstate。
Itisalsovainandfalsephilosophytosaytheworkofmarriageisrepugnanttochastityorcontinence，andbyconsequencetomakethemmoralvices；astheydothatpretendchastityandcontinenceforthegroundofdenyingmarriagetotheclergy。FortheyconfessitisnomorebutaconstitutionoftheChurchthatrequirethinthoseholyorders，thatcontinuallyattendthealtarandadministrationoftheEucharist，acontinualabstinencefromwomen，underthenameofcontinualchastity，continence，andpurity。Thereforetheycallthelawfuluseofwiveswantofchastityandcontinence；andsomakemarriageasin，oratleastathingsoimpureanduncleanastorenderamanunfitforthealtar。Ifthelawweremadebecausetheuseofwivesisincontinence，andcontrarytochastity，thenallmarriageisvice：ifbecauseitisathingtooimpureanduncleanforamanconsecratedtoGod，muchmoreshouldothernatural，necessary，anddailyworks，whichallmendo，rendermenunworthytobepriests，becausetheyaremoreunclean。
Butthesecretfoundationofthisprohibitionofmarriageofpriestsisnotlikelytohavebeenlaidsoslightlyasuponsucherrorsinmoralphilosophy；noryetuponthepreferenceofsinglelifetotheestateofmatrimony；whichproceededfromthewisdomofSt。Paul，whoperceivedhowinconvenientathingitwasforthosethatinthosetimesofpersecutionwerepreachersofthegospel，andforcedtoflyfromonecountrytoanother，tobecloggedwiththecareofwifeandchildren；butuponthedesignofthepopesandpriestsofaftertimes，tomakethemselves，theclergy，thatistosay，soleheirsofthekingdomofGodinthisworld，towhichitwasnecessarytotakefromthemtheuseofmarriage，becauseourSavioursaiththatatthecomingofhiskingdomthechildrenofGod“shallneithermarry，norbegiveninmarriage，butshallbeastheangelsinheaven“；thatistosay，spiritual。Seeingthentheyhadtakenonthemthenameofspiritual，tohaveallowedthemselves，whentherewasnoneed，theproprietyofwives，hadbeenanincongruity。
FromAristotle’scivilphilosophy，theyhavelearnedtocallallmannerofCommonwealthsbutthepopularsuchaswasatthattimethestateofAthens，tyranny。Allkingstheycalledtyrants；andthearistocracyofthethirtygovernorssetuptherebytheLacedaemoniansthatsubduedthem，thethirtytyrants：asalsotocalltheconditionofthepeopleunderthedemocracy，liberty。A
tyrantoriginallysignifiednomore，simply，butamonarch。ButwhenafterwardsinmostpartsofGreecethatkindofgovernmentwasabolished，thenamebegantosignify，notonlythethingitdidbefore，butwithitthehatredwhichthepopularstatesboretowardsit：asalsothenameofkingbecameodiousafterthedeposingofthekingsinRome，asbeingathingnaturaltoallmentoconceivesomegreatfaulttobesignifiedinanyattributethatisgivenindespite，andtoagreatenemy。Andwhenthesamemenshallbedispleasedwiththosethathavetheadministrationofthedemocracy，oraristocracy，theyarenottoseekfordisgracefulnamestoexpresstheirangerin；butcallreadilytheoneanarchy，andtheotheroligarchy，orthetyrannyofafew。Andthatwhichoffendeththepeopleisnootherthingbutthattheyaregoverned，notaseveryoneofthemwouldhimself，butasthepublicrepresentant，beitonemanoranassemblyofmen，thinksfit；thatis，byanarbitrarygovernment：
forwhichtheygiveevilnamestotheirsuperiors，neverknowingtillperhapsalittleafteracivilwarthatwithoutsucharbitrarygovernment，suchwarmustbeperpetual；andthatitismenandarms，notwordsandpromises，thatmaketheforceandpowerofthelaws。
AndthereforethisisanothererrorofAristotle’spolitics，thatinawell-orderedCommonwealth，notmenshouldgovern，butthelaws。Whatmanthathashisnaturalsenses，thoughhecanneitherwritenorread，doesnotfindhimselfgovernedbythemhefears，andbelievescankillorhurthimwhenheobeyethnot？Orthatbelievesthelawcanhurthim；thatis，wordsandpaper，withouthandsandswordsofmen？Andthisisofthenumberofperniciouserrors：fortheyinducemen，asoftastheylikenottheirgovernors，toadheretothosethatcallthemtyrants，andtothinkitlawfultoraisewaragainstthem：andyettheyaremanytimescherishedfromthepulpit，bytheclergy。
ThereisanothererrorintheircivilphilosophywhichtheyneverlearnedofAristotle，norCicero，noranyotheroftheheathen，toextendthepowerofthelaw，whichistheruleofactionsonly，totheverythoughtsandconsciencesofmen，byexaminationandinquisitionofwhattheyhold，notwithstandingtheconformityoftheirspeechandactions。Bywhichmenareeitherpunishedforansweringthetruthoftheirthoughts，orconstrainedtoansweranuntruthforfearofpunishment。Itistruethatthecivilmagistrate，intendingtoemployaministerinthechargeofteaching，mayenquireofhimifhebecontenttopreachsuchandsuchdoctrines；and，incaseofrefusal，maydenyhimtheemployment：buttoforcehimtoaccusehimselfofopinions，whenhisactionsarenotbylawforbidden，isagainstthelawofnature；andespeciallyinthemwhoteachthatamanshallbedamnedtoeternalandextremetorments，ifhedieinafalseopinionconcerninganarticleoftheChristianfaith。Forwhoistherethatknowingthereissogreatdangerinanerrorwhomthenaturalcareofhimselfcompellethnottohazardhissouluponhisownjudgement，ratherthanthatofanyothermanthatisunconcernedinhisdamnation？
Foraprivateman，withouttheauthorityoftheCommonwealth；thatistosay，withoutpermissionfromtherepresentantthereof，tointerpretthelawbyhisownspirit，isanothererrorinthepolitics：