214 Of Inability to do Good S R R M. adhered to without reafon, nay, againft the V11I. cleareft evidence. How zealous are men for opinions which they never examined, but received them by tradition, imbibed them before they were capable of making a fair rational enquiry, and have been long accuf- tamed to believe them ? 'It is this which gi- veth fo deep a root to molt abfurd errors in religion, and commonly the more abfurd they are, the more obftinately they are maintain- ed, fo that all attempts to refute them, and introduce more juft and reafonable principles, are not only ineffeftual, , but provoke the higheft refentment, and are oppofed with the utmoft violence. It feemeth that we are li- able to paffive as well as to aftive habits; the effect of the latter is a difpofition to aft, and promptnefs in aftion ; the effeft cf the other is an adherence to the conclufion, or the point of belief, without regard to the grounds of it. Applying this to the inftance before mentioned, the cafe of the prophane fwcarer ftandeth thus, cuftom inclineth him to the wicked praftice, maketh him as readily fall into it as if it were the natural operation of his altive powers, and cui om maketh him forgetful or infenfible of the finfulnefs of it. Aík any man who is addifted to this im- pious praCcice, why he doth it ? if he is good
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