19e THE IMPROVEMENT OF *HE MIND. ideas are joined, while (if we attend to reason) we plainly see and know them to be disjoined. What could ever have established the nonsense of transub- stantiation in the world, if men liad been fixed in this great truth, that God gives no revelation contradictory to our oren reason'? things maybe above our reason, that is, reason may have but ob- scure ideas of them, or reason may not see the connection of these ideas, or may not know at present the certain and exact manner of reconciling such propositions either with one another, or with other rational truths, as I have explained in some of my logical papers : but when they stand directly and plainly against all sense and reason, as transubstantiation does, no divine au- thority can be pretended to enforce their belief, and human authò- rity is impudent to pretend to it. Yet this human authority, in the popish countries, has prevailed over millions of souls, because they have abandoned their reason, they have given up the glory of human nature to be trampled upon by knaves, and so reduced themselves to the condition of brutes. It is by this amusement of authority (says a certain author) that the horse is taught to obey the words of command, a dog to fetch and carry, and a man to believe inconsistencies and im- possibilities. Whips and dungeons, fire and the gibbet, and the solemn terrors of eternal misery after this life, will persuade weak minds to believe against their senses, and in direct contra- diction to all their reasoning powers. A parrot is taught to tell lies with much more ease and more gentle usage ; but none of all these creatures would serve their masters at the expense of their liberty, bad they but knowledge and the just use of reason. I have mentioned three cases, wherein mankind must or will be determined in their sentiments by authority; that is, the case of children in their minority,' in regard of the com- mands df their parente ; the case of all men with regard to universal, complete and sufficient testimony of matter of fact; and the case of every person, with regard to the authority of divine revelation, and of men divinely inspired ; and under each of these I have given such limitations and, cautions as were necessary. I proceed now to mention some other cases, wherein we ought to pay a great deference to the authòrity and sentiments of others, though we are not absolutely concluded and determined by their opinions. I. When we begin to pass out of our minority, and to judge for ourselves in matters of the civil and religious life, we ought to pay' very great defereñce to the sentiments of our parents, who in the time of our minority were our natural guides and directors in these matters. So in matters of science, an ignorant and inexperienced youth should' pay great deference to the-
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