The Power of Selehnep uponmens opinions in Religion. CHAP. V. The power of Selfifhnefs upon mens opinions in Rtligion. 2.. A Nother inflance Difcovering the Reign of felfiihnefs in .L the world, is, Thegreat Power that it hath to formmens Opinions andConceptions in Religion. Though the underflanding naturally be inclined toTruth, yet a f elfifh byas upon the foul , efpecially on the will, cloth commonly delude it, and make the vileil errour feem to be Truth to it, and the moil ufeful Truth to feem an errour. The Will bath much command over the Under- Handing : and when fe/fiAnefs is become the very habit, the by- as, the natureof the will, you may eafily con jedurehow it will pervert the underftanding. But what need we more then expe- rience to fatisfie us. Do you not fee that wherePelf is but deep- ly engaged , the judgement is bribed or overmailered, and car- ried from the Truth ? So that as the eye that looks through a coloured glafs , doth fee all things as if they were of the fame colour as the glafs : So the underitanding that is mattered by a felfifh inclination, thinks every thing is truth that favoureth his (elf interefl . And here I fhall offer you fame more particular in- fiances. 1. We all fee that almoft all the world is of that Religion or Opinion which bath thecountenance of the Government that they livemnder,and the perfons that havegreatef} power on their reputation ; or at !call which is confiftent with their fafety, if not riling and profperity in the world. The Turks are common- ly Mahometans : the fubjeds of Rome, and Spain, and Aufiria, &c. are generally Papiils : thole in Denmark, Sweden, Saxony, &c. are generally Lutherans thole of Scotland , Englan,d Helvetia, &c. are commonly Calvinifts ( as they are called. ) I know the power of education is great, and bearing evidenceon- lyon one fide, may byas a well-meaning man : But Papifls and Proteflants ( as to the learned part) have the Books of the contrary-minded at hand : And therefore that Opinions fliould run in a flream, and whole Countries almoff be of a party, mud needs be much from the power of felMnefs , becaufe they are forayed
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