understandings, and fastened by degrees, are at last (equally
whether true or false) riveted there by long custom and education,
beyond all possibility of being pulled out again. For men, when they
are grown up, reflecting upon their opinions, and finding those of
this sort to be as ancient in their minds as their very memories,
not having observed their early insinuation, nor by what means they
got them, they are apt to reverence them as sacred things, and not
to suffer them to be profaned, touched, or questioned: they look on
them as the Urim and Thummim set up in their minds immediately by
God himself, to be the great and unerring deciders of truth and
falsehood, and the judges to which they are to appeal in all manner of
controversies.

  10. Of irresistible efficacy. This opinion of his principles (let
them be what they will) being once established in any one's mind, it
is easy to be imagined what reception any proposition shall find,
how clearly soever proved, that shall invalidate their authority, or
at all thwart these internal oracles; whereas the grossest absurdities
and improbabilities, being but agreeable to such principles, go down
glibly, and are easily digested. The great obstinacy that is to be
found in men firmly believing quite contrary opinions, though many
times equally absurd, in the various religions of mankind, are as
evident a proof as they are an unavoidable consequence of this way
of reasoning from received traditional principles. So that men will
disbelieve their own eyes, renounce the evidence of their senses,
and give their own experience the lie, rather than admit of anything
disagreeing with these sacred tenets. Take an intelligent Romanist
that, from the first dawning of any notions in his understanding, hath
had this principle constantly inculcated, viz. that he must believe as
the church (i.e. those of his communion) believes, or that the pope is
infallible, and this he never so much as heard questioned, till at
forty or fifty years old he met with one of other principles: how is
he prepared easily to swallow, not only against all probability, but
even the clear evidence of his senses, the doctrine of
transubstantiation? This principle has such an influence on his
mind, that he will believe that to be flesh which he sees to be bread.
And what way will you take to convince a man of any improbable opinion
he holds, who, with some philosophers, hath laid down this as a
foundation of reasoning, That he must believe his reason (for so men
improperly call arguments drawn from their principles) against his
senses? Let an enthusiast be principled that he or his teacher is
inspired, and acted by an immediate communication of the Divine
Spirit, and you in vain bring the evidence of clear reasons against
his doctrine. Whoever, therefore, have imbibed wrong principles, are
not, in things inconsistent with these principles, to be moved by
the most apparent and convincing probabilities, till they are so
candid and ingenuous to themselves, as to be persuaded to examine even
those very principles, which many never suffer themselves to do.

  11. II. Received hypotheses. Next to these are men whose
understandings are cast into a mould, and fashioned just to the size
of a received hypothesis. The difference between these and the former,
is, that they will admit of matter of fact, and agree with
dissenters in that; but differ only in assigning of reasons and
explaining the manner of operation. These are not at that open
defiance with their senses, with the former: they can endure to
hearken to their information a little more patiently; but will by no
means admit of their reports in the explanation of things; nor be
prevailed on by probabilities, which would convince them that things
are not brought about just after the same manner that they have
decreed within themselves that they are. Would it not be an
insufferable thing for a learned professor, and that which his scarlet
would blush at, to have his authority of forty years, standing,
wrought out of hard rock, Greek and Latin, with no small expense of
time and candle, and confirmed by general tradition and a reverend
beard, in an instant overturned by an upstart novelist? Can any one
expect that he should be made to confess, that what he taught his
scholars thirty years ago was all error and mistake; and that he
sold them hard words and ignorance at a very dear rate. What
probabilities, I say, are sufficient to prevail in such a case? And
who ever, by the most cogent arguments, will be prevailed with to
disrobe himself at once of all his old opinions, and pretences to
knowledge and learning, which with hard study he hath all this time
been labouring for; and turn himself out stark naked, in quest
afresh of new notions? All the arguments that can be used will be as
little able to prevail, as the wind did with the traveller to part
with his cloak, which he held only the faster. To this of wrong
hypothesis may be reduced the errors that may be occasioned by a
true hypothesis, or right principles, but not rightly understood.
There is nothing more familiar than this. The instances of men
contending for different opinions, which they all derive from the
infallible truth of the Scripture, are an undeniable proof of it.
All that call themselves Christians, allow the text that says,
metanoeite, to carry in it the obligation to a very weighty duty.
But yet how very erroneous will one of their practices be, who,
understanding nothing but the French, take this rule with one
translation to be, Repentez-vous, repent; or with the other, Fatiez
penitence, do penance.

  12. III. Predominant passions. Probabilities which cross men's
appetites and prevailing passions run the same fate. Let ever so
much probability hang on one side of a covetous man's reasoning, and
money on the other; it is easy to foresee which will outweigh. Earthly
minds, like mud walls, resist the strongest batteries: and though,
perhaps, sometimes the force of a clear argument may make some
impression, yet they nevertheless stand firm, and keep out the
enemy, truth, that would captivate or disturb them. Tell a man
passionately in love that he is jilted; bring a score of witnesses
of the falsehood of his mistress, it is ten to one but three kind
words of hers shall invalidate all their testimonies. Quod volumus,