Of Credulity and Supinity.
A third cause of common Errors is the Credulity of men, that is, an
easie assent to what is obtruded, or a believing at first ear, what is
delivered by others. This is a weakness in the understanding, without
examination assenting unto things, which from their Natures and Causes
do carry no perswasion; whereby men often swallow falsities for truths,
dubiosities for certainties, feasibilities for possibilities, and things
impossible as possibilities themselves. Which, though the weakness of
the Intellect, and most discoverable in vulgar heads; yet hath it
sometime fallen upon wiser brains, and greater advancers of Truth. Thus
many wise _Athenians_ so far forgot their Philosophy, and the nature of
humane production, that they descended unto belief, that the original of
their Nation was from the Earth, and had no other beginning than the
seminality and womb of their great Mother. Thus is it not without
wonder, how those learned _Arabicks_ so tamely delivered up their belief
unto the absurdities of the _Alcoran_. How the noble _Geber_,
_Avicenna_, and _Almanzor_, should rest satisfied in the nature and
causes of Earthquakes, delivered from the doctrine of their _Prophet_;
that is, from the motion of a great Bull, upon whose horns all the earth
is poised. How their faiths could decline so low, as to concede their
generations in Heaven, to be made by the smell of a Citron, or that the
felicity of their Paradise should consist in a Jubile of copulation,
that is, a coition of one act prolonged unto fifty years. Thus is it
almost beyond wonder, how the belief of reasonable creatures, should
ever submit unto Idolatry: and the credulity of those men scarce
credible (without presumption of a second Fall) who could believe a
Deity in the work of their own hands. For although in that ancient and
diffused adoration of Idols, unto the _Priests_ and subtiler heads, the
worship perhaps might be symbolical, and as those Images some way
related unto their Deities; yet was the Idolatry direct and down-right
in the People; whose credulity is illimitable, who may be made believe
that any thing is God; and may be made believe there is no God at all.
[Sidenote: _Obstinate and irrational Scepticism, justly censured._]
And as Credulity is the cause of Error, so Incredulity oftentimes of not
enjoying truth; and that not only an obstinate incredulity, whereby we
will not acknowledge assent unto what is reasonably inferred, but any
Academical reservation in matters of easie truth, or rather sceptical
infidelity against the evidence of reason and sense. For these are
conceptions befalling wise men, as absurd as the apprehensions of fools,
and the credulity of the people which promiscuously swallow any thing.
For this is not only derogatory unto the wisdom of God, who hath
proposed the World unto our knowledge, and thereby the notion of
Himself; but also detractory unto the intellect, and sense of man
expressly disposed for that inquisition. And therefore, _hoc tantum
scio, quod nihil scio_, is not to be received in an absolute sense, but
is comparatively expressed unto the number of things whereof our
knowledge is ignorant. Nor will it acquit the insatisfaction of those
which quarrel with all things, or dispute of matters, concerning whose
verities we have conviction from reason, or decision from the inerrable
and requisite conditions of sense. And therefore if any affirm, the
earth doth move, and will not believe with us, it standeth still;
because he hath probable reasons for it, and I no infallible sense, nor
reason against it, I will not quarrel with his assertion. But if, like
_Zeno_, he shall walk about, and yet deny there is any motion in Nature,
surely that man was constituted for _Anticera_, and were a fit companion
for those, who having a conceit they are dead, cannot be convicted into
the society of the living.
The fourth is a Supinity, or neglect of Enquiry, even of matters whereof
we doubt; rather believing, than going to see; or doubting with ease and
_gratis_, than believing with difficulty or purchase. Whereby, either
from a temperamental inactivity, we are unready to put in execution the
suggestions or dictates of reason; or by a content and acquiescence in
every species of truth, we embrace the shadow thereof, or so much as may
palliate its just and substantial acquirements. Had our fore-Fathers sat
down in these resolutions, or had their curiosities been sedentary, who
pursued the knowledge of things through all the corners of nature, the
face of truth had been obscure unto us, whose lustre in some part their
industries have revealed.
Certainly the sweat of their labours was not salt unto them, and they
took delight in the dust of their endeavours. For questionless, in
Knowledge there is no slender difficulty; and Truth, which wise men say
doth lye in a Well, is not recoverable by exantlation. It were some
extenuation of the Curse, if _in sudore vultus tui_ were confinable unto
corporal exercitations, and there still remained a Paradise, or unthorny
place of knowledge. But now our understandings being eclipsed, as well
as our tempers infirmed, we must betake our selves to wayes of
reparation, and depend upon the illumination of our endeavours. For,
thus we may in some measure repair our primary ruines, and build our
selves Men again. And though the attempts of some have been precipitous,
and their Enquiries so audacious, as to come within command of the
flaming swords, and lost themselves in attempts above humanity; yet have
the Enquiries of most defected by the way, and tired within the sober
circumference of Knowledge.
And this is the reason, why some have transcribed any thing; and
although they cannot but doubt thereof, yet neither make Experiment by
sense, or Enquiry by reason; but live in doubts of things, whose
satisfaction is in their own power; which is indeed the inexcusable part
of our ignorance, and may perhaps fill up the charge of the last day.
For, not obeying the dictates of Reason, and neglecting the cries of
Truth, we fail not only in the trust of our undertakings, but in the
intention of man it self. Which although more venial in ordinary
constitutions, and such as are not framed beyond the capacity of beaten
notions, yet will inexcusably condemn some men, who having received
excellent endowments, have yet sate down by the way, and frustrated the
intention of their liabilities. For certainly, as some men have sinned
in the principles of humanity, and must answer, for not being men, so
others offend, if they be not more. _Magis extra vitia, quam cum
virtutibus_, would commend those: These are not excusable without an
Excellency. For, great constitutions, and such as are constellated unto
knowledge, do nothing till they out-do all; they come short of
themselves, if they go not beyond others; and must not sit down under
the degree of Worthies. God expects no lustre from the minor Stars; but
if the Sun should not illuminate all, it were a sin in Nature. _Ultimus
bonoram_, will not excuse every man, nor is it sufficient for all to
hold the common level: Mens names should not only distinguish them: A
man should be something, that men are not, and individual in somewhat
beside his proper Name. Thus while it exceeds not the bounds of reason
and modesty, we cannot condemn singularity, _Nos numerus sumus_, is the
Motto of the multitude, and for that reason are they Fools. For things
as they recede from unity, the more they approach to imperfection, and
Deformity; for they hold their perfection in their Simplicities, and as
they nearest approach unto God.
[Sidenote: _Universities why many times full of Scholars, and empty of
Learning._]
[Sidenote: _The natural genius or inclination, have much to be regarded
in the choice of a Profession._]
Now as there are many great Wits to be condemned, who have neglected the
increment of Arts, and the sedulous pursuit of knowledge; so are there
not a few very much to be pitied, whose industry being not attended with
natural parts, they have sweat to little purpose, and rolled the stone
in vain. Which chiefly proceedeth from natural incapacity, and genial
indisposition, at least, to those particulars whereunto they apply their
endeavours. And this is one reason why, though Universities be full of
men, they are oftentimes empty of learning: Why, as there are some men
do much without learning, so others but little with it, and few that
attain to any measure of it. For many heads that undertake it, were
never squared, nor timber'd for it. There are not only particular men,
but whole Nations indisposed for learning; whereunto is required, not
only education, but a pregnant _Minerva_, and teeming Constitution. For
the Wisdom of God hath divided the _Genius_ of men according to the
different affairs of the World: and varied their inclination according
to the variety of Actions to be performed therein. Which they who
consider not, rudely rushing upon professions and ways of life, unequal
to their natures; dishonour, not only themselves and their Functions,
but pervert the harmony of the whole World. For, if the World went on as
God hath ordained it, and were every one imployed in points concordant
to their Natures, Professions; Arts and Commonwealths would rise up of
themselves; nor needed we a Lanthorn to find a man in _Athens_.