_MADAM,_
Your Command in your last was to send you my opinion concerning the
division of Religions, or of the several opinions in Religions, I
suppose you mean the division of the Religion, not of Religions; for
certainly, there is but one divine Truth, and consequently but one
true Religion: But natural men being composed of many divers parts, as
of several motions and figures, have divers and several Ideas, which
the grosser corporeal motions conceive to be divers and several gods,
as being not capable to know the Great and Incomprehensible God, who
is above Nature. For example: Do but consider, _Madam_, what strange
opinions the Heathens had of God, and how they divided him into so many
several Persons, with so many several bodies, like men; whereas, surely
God considered in his Essence, he being a Spirit, as the Scripture
describes him, can neither have Soul nor body, as he is a God, but
is an Immaterial Being; Onely the Heathens did conceive him to have
parts, and so divided the Incomprehensible God into several Deities, at
least they had several Deitical Ideas, or rather Fancies of him. But,
_Madam_, I confess my ignorance in this great mystery, and honour, and
praise the Omnipotent, Great, and Incomprehensible God, with all fear
and humility as I ought; beseeching his infinite mercy to keep me from
such presumption, whereby I might prophane his holy Name, and to make
me obedient to the Church, as also to grant me life and health, that I
may be able to express how much I am,
Madam,
_Your Faithful Friend_
_and Servant._