their Actions, yet were uneasie under the reproaches of their
Consciences when they transgressed against it, made these Inventions,
and the value set upon them, to be daily improv'd; till Men at last
have sought to be, and have effectually been perswaded that they
might render themselves acceptable to God without indeavouring
sincerely to obey the Rule by which they profess'd to believe they
were oblig'd to live; and that even when they did think that this was
a Law giv'n them by God himself.

Now the great practicers, and promoters of the abovesaid things, are
every where Those who are generally esteem'd, and call'd _Religious_.
Whence the Term _Religion_ appears ordinarily to have stood for
nothing else, but _some Expedient, or other, found out to satisfy Men
that God was satisfied with them, notwithstanding that their
Consciences reproach'd them with want of Conformity to the
acknowledg'd Rule, or Law of their Actions._

Having premis'd thus much concerning the Notions Men vulgarly have had
of _Vertue_ and _Religion,_ let us now proceed to see how it has come
to pass, That they have with Allowance, Approbation, and oftentimes,
with injunction of their Lawmakers and Governours, transgress'd
against the most visible Dictates of the Law of Nature, or Reason, in
Things not favourable to their Natural Passions and Appetites; but
even, sometimes, contrary thereunto; as are denying themselves the
lawfullest Enjoyments of Life; Macerating their Bodies; Prostituting
their Wives; and exposing their Off-spring and Themselves to cruel
Torments, and even Death it self. The cause of which I think appears
plainly to be; that Mankind having been generally convinc'd that there
was a Maker of themselves and of the World, who they concluded was as
well able to take cognisance of what they did, as to produce them into