plicity, and Submission, while I behold that most Men do rather value themselves, and others, on the little Differences of Religion, than the main Substance itself; and while the Will of God is so variously distracted, that what appears to be Piety to some Christians, is abhorr'd as the greatest Superstition and Heresy by others.
However to smooth my Way as much as I can, and so prepare all our several Spiritual Interests, to read this Part with some tolerable Moderation; I do here, in the beginning, most sincerely declare, that if this Design should in the least diminish the Reverence that is due to the Doctrine of Jesus Christ, it were so far from deserving Protection, that it ought to be abhorr'd by all the Politic and Prudent, as well as by the devout Part of Christendom. And this, I profess, I think they were bound to do, not only from a just Dread of the Being, the Worship, the Omnipotence, the Love of God, all which are to be held in the highest Veneration, but also out of a Regard to the Peace and Prosperity of Men. In Matters that concern our Opinions of another World, the lead Alterations are of wonderful Hazard. How mischievous then would that Enterprise be, whose Effects would abolish the Command of Conscience, the Belief of a Future Life; or any of those Heavenly Doctrines, by which not only the Eternal Condition of Men is secur'd, but their Natural Reason, and their Temporal Safety advanc'd? Whoever shall impiously attempt to subvert the Authority of the Divine Power, on false Pretences to better Knowledge, he will unsettle the strongest Foundations of our Hopes: he will make a terrible Confusion in all the Offices and Opinions of Men: he will destroy the most prevailing Argument to Virtue:
