to the Reader. xxiii Sir Charles Ioo fly) that it is in the power of every fate, whether the gofpel (hall be authentick or not, he null needs throw off all divine refpec9 to it, and be in a very fair way to trouble himfelf little with any devotion aril ng from it. idly, That there is no diflin&ion of good and evil a &i- ons but by the civil law, which is unto him the meafure thereof, thou this diftin&ion of good and evil be deeply and indelibly engraven on the hearts of all men, as a na- tive and neceffary refult of the faith of the being of God, as the fupreme re&itude. 4thly, That there are no ul- tra mundum, or eternal rewards or punifhments, nor any beyond or betide thefe that are beftowed or infli &ed by the civil power in this prefent life; thou, from the be-, ginning of the world, throughout all ages, experience bath given, in full demonftrative and undeniable evi- dence, that men have been mightily impelled and encou- raged to do good by the hope of future eternal rewards, and proportionably refrained, pulled back, and deter- red from doing evil, by the fear of future and eternal punifhments. If (I fay) we once fuppofe thefe things we quite ruine and raze the great foundations, not only of revealed and fupernatural, but allo of natural religion without which it is impoffible, that government amongft Men can have any lure or firm bafis to ref'' on, but muff needs, according to the prevalancy of t}leir Pelf interefls, crumble into pieces, and end in anar4lir and confufion. It is not altogether unworthy of remark here, that Hobbs runneth quite crofs to the di &ates of famed Machiavel, that ,prodigy of profound policy, thou but a, very coarfe divine, who labours much in his prince to perfwade fovereign civil powers of the neceffity and ad- vantage, for the fupportance of government, of diffem- bling and pretending, at leaf'', a great regard and vene- ration to religion ; . in comparifon of whom, the other is but an impolitick puny, and a far worfe divine, even (if it involved not a repugnancy) a diabolick one. Fifthly, We would take heed that we do not f`upinely and carelefly negle& and flight the checks, challenges, rebukes and accufations of our confciences, in leáfer things, or in matters of comparatively (mailer moment (wherein yet confçience bath a concern, as it hash in B4 all
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