If Exposing Religion with the Persons and things design’d for the keeping it up in the World, will pass for disorder; or if the Increase of Pride and Injustice, Blood and Revenge, are any signs of our being Depraved; or if want of Modesty, Obedience, and Love, contempt of Marriage, and neglect of it’s Bonds may serve to shew the foundations of things to be at all out of Course.  I think we have sufficient warrant to lay the confusion at that Door, which opens to these.

That these things are taught there, and found in the World, can be no way deny’d, and then it is not of any great use to enquire, whether strictly speaking they were at first brought from thence, or carryed thither.  For when our Bodies and Minds are much out of order at once, ’tis hard saying where the Distemper began; and the less material to know, when both must have their Cures apply’d, and it is to the advantage of neither, that they go on to hurt one another.  If the ill humour does not begin in the place we suppose, it is there at least increased to a head, and thrown out again into all parts of the body, many of which to be sure first have it from thence, tho’ they afterwards help to keep up the Spring:  And if this pestilent Matter, be not only thus suffered to circulate, but assisted to spread, the Sickness will quickly be unto Death.

For whatever some fancy, a Nation can never live long without any Religion, nor Religion subsist without some to attend it as their principal Care:  So that shou’d it indeed come to pass, that no body minded what Men of this Character said, as these Teachers would have it, Darkness with all it’s hideous works wou’d soon cover the face of the Land, and make it fit for the Stroke.

We are already almost advanced to the brink of the Pit, by People’s unlearning only what once they were taught, of the Honour and Advantage of Marriage, and the mutual Duties of Husbands and Wives, which are indeed so grosly forgot, that the Offenders have well nigh made their own Doctrine against it, appear to be true:  But then it cannot confuse it self better, then by bidding so fair to destroy all the Comfort and Use of a Social Life:  For if Mankind cannot indeed be happy in Wedlock, they are in a very deplorable State.

It was deservedly thought a Monstrous Error in those that declaimed against Marriage of old, as bringing more Creatures into the World to Sin, and be punished for it; tho’ Salvation and Purity were their design:  How much then above these are they to be blamed, who wou’d fain bring it into discredit, without any intent to keep Souls from Miscarrying, or set an unspotted life in it’s place; but on purpose to spread their Abominations the wider, in defiance of all the Threatnings of God denounced against them, and those they defile.