one leads to
heaven, the other to hell. But these differences will more evidently appear
by their particular symptoms. What religion is, and of what parts it doth
consist, every catechism will tell you, what symptoms it hath, and what
effects it produceth: but for their superstitions, no tongue can tell them,
no pen express, they are so many, so diverse, so uncertain, so inconstant,
and so different from themselves. _Tot mundi superstitiones quot coelo
stellae_, one saith, there be as many superstitions in the world, as there
be stars in heaven, or devils themselves that are the first founders of
them: with such ridiculous, absurd symptoms and signs, so many several
rites, ceremonies, torments and vexations accompanying, as may well express
and beseem the devil to be the author and maintainer of them. I will only
point at some of them, _ex ungue leonem_ guess at the rest, and those of
the chief kinds of superstition, which beside us Christians now domineer
and crucify the world, Gentiles, Mahometans, Jews, &c.

Of these symptoms some be general, some particular to each private sect:
general to all, are, an extraordinary love and affection they bear and show
to such as are of their own sect, and more than Vatinian hate to such as
are opposite in religion, as they call it, or disagree from them in their
superstitious rites, blind zeal, (which is as much a symptom as a cause,)
vain fears, blind obedience, needless works, incredibilities,
impossibilities, monstrous rites and ceremonies, wilfulness, blindness,
obstinacy, &c. For the first, which is love and hate, as [6482]Montanus
saith, _nulla firmior amicitia quam quae contrahitur hinc; nulla discordia
major, quam quae a religione fit_; no greater concord, no greater discord
than that which proceeds from religion, it is incredible to relate, did not
our daily experience evince it, what factions, _quam teterrimae factiones_,
(as [6483]Rich. Dinoth writes) have been of late for matters of religion in
France, and what hurlyburlies all over Europe for these many years. _Nihil
est quod tam impotentur rapiat homines, quam suscepta de salute opinio;
siquidem pro ea omnes gentes corpora et animas devovere solent, et
arctissimo necessitudinis vinculo se invicem colligare._ We are all
brethren in Christ, servants of one Lord, members of one body, and
therefore are or should be at least dearly beloved, inseparably allied in
the greatest bond of love and familiarity, united partakers n