11. II. Received hypotheses.
II. Next to these are men whose understandings are cast into a mould, and fashioned just
to the size of a received hypothesis. The difference between these and the former, is, that they will admit of matter
of fact, and agree with dissenters in that; but differ only in assigning of reasons and explaining the manner of
operation. These are not at that open defiance with their senses, with the former: they can endure to hearken to
their information a little more patiently; but will by no means admit of their reports in the explanation of things;
nor be prevailed on by probabilities, which would convince them that things are not brought about just after the
same manner that they have decreed within themselves that they are. Would it not be an insufferable thing for a
learned professor, and that which his scarlet would blush at, to have his authority of forty years, standing, wrought
out of hard rock, Greek and Latin, with no small expense of time and candle, and confirmed by general tradition
and a reverend beard, in an instant overturned by an upstart novelist? Can any one expect that he should be made
to confess, that what he taught his scholars thirty years ago was all error and mistake; and that he sold them hard
words and ignorance at a very dear rate. What probabilities, I say, are sufficient to prevail in such a case? And
who ever, by the most cogent arguments, will be prevailed with to disrobe himself at once of all his old opinions,
and pretences to knowledge and learning, which with hard study he hath all this time been labouring for; and turn
himself out stark naked, in quest afresh of new notions? All the arguments that can be used will be as little able to
prevail, as the wind did with the traveller to part with his cloak, which he held only the faster. To this of wrong
hypothesis may be reduced the errors that may be occasioned by a true hypothesis, or right principles, but not
rightly understood. There is nothing more familiar than this. The instances of men contending for different
opinions, which they all derive from the infallible truth of the Scripture, are an undeniable proof of it. All that call
themselves Christians, allow the text that says, μετανοει̑ττ, to carry in it the obligation to a very weighty duty. But
yet how very erroneous will one of their practices be, who, understanding nothing but the French, take this rule
with one translation to be, Repentez-vous, repent; or with the other, Fatiez pénitence, do penance.
