They are resolved to stick to a party
that education or interest has engaged them in; and there, like the
common soldiers of an army, show their courage and warmth as their
leaders direct, without ever examining, or so much as knowing, the
cause they contend for. If a man's life shows that he has no serious
regard for religion; for what reason should we think that he beats his
head about the opinions of his church, and troubles himself to examine
the grounds of this or that doctrine? It is enough for him to obey his
leaders, to have his hand and his tongue ready for the support of
the common cause, and thereby approve himself to those who can give
him credit, preferment, or protection in that society. Thus men become
professors of, and combatants for, those opinions they were never
convinced of nor proselytes to; no, nor ever had so much as floating
in their heads: and though one cannot say there are fewer improbable
or erroneous opinions in the world than there are, yet this is
certain; there are fewer that actually assent to them, and mistake
them for truths, than is imagined.
Chapter XXI
Of the Division of the Sciences
1. Science may be divided into three sorts. All that can fall within
the compass of human understanding, being either, First, the nature of
things, as they are in themselves, their relations, and their manner
of operation: or, Secondly, that which man himself ought to do, as a
rational and voluntary agent, for the attainment of any end,
especially happiness: or, Thirdly, the ways and means whereby the
knowledge of both the one and the other of these is attained and
communicated; I think science may be divided properly into these three
sorts:-
2.
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