CHAPTER III. 4.37. predominant, our reason enfeebled, and various disorders attend . onr constitution and animal nature, whereby the mind is strangely imposed upon in its judgment of things. Nor is there any perfect relief to be expected on earth. There is no hope of ever recovering from these maladies, but by a sincere return to God in the ways of his own appointment, whereby we shall be kept safe from all dangerous and pernicious errors in the matters of religion ; and though imperfections and, mistakes will hang about us in the present life, as the effects of our original apps- lacy from God, yet we hope for a full deliverance from them when we arrive at heaven. SECT.' 1V. Prejudices arising from other Persons. WERE it not for the springs of prejudice that are lurking in ourselves, we should not be subject to so many mistakes from the influence of others: but since our nature is so susceptive of errors on all sides, it is fit we'should have hints and notices given us, how far other persons may have power over us, and become the causes of our false judgments. These might all be cast into one heap, for they are all a -kin, and mingle with each other ; but for distinction -sake let them be called the prejudices of edu- cation, of custom, of authority, and such as arise from the manner of proposal. I. Those with whom our education is intrusted, may lay the first foundation of many mistakes in our younger years. How many fooleries and errors are instilled into us by our nurses, our fellow- children, by servants or unskilful teachers, which are not only maintained through the following parts of life, but some- times have á very unhappy influence upon us ! We are taught that there are goblins and bugbears in the dark ; our young minds are crowded with the terrible ideas of ghosts appearing upon every occasion, or with the pleasanter tales of fairies dancing at midnight. We learn to prophesy betimes, to foretel futurities by good or evil omens, and to presage approaching death in a family by ravens and little worms, which we therefore term a death- watch. We are taught to know beforehand, for a twelve- month together, which days of the week will be fair or foul, which will be lucky or unlucky ; nor is there any thing so silly, but may be imposed upon our understandings in that early part of life ; and these ridiculous stories abide with us too long, and too tar influence the weaker part of mankind. We choose our particular sect and party in the civil, the religious, and the learned life, by the influence of education. In the colleges of learning, some are for the nominals, and some for the realists in the science of metaphysics, because their tutors were devoted to these parties. The old philosophy and the new have gained thousands of partisans the same way : and every E e 3 Ic
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