d maintained. This at least is certain, there is
not an opinion so absurd, which a man may not receive upon this ground.
There is no error to be named, which has not had its professors: and a
man shall never want crooked paths to walk in, if he thinks that he is
in the right way, wherever he has the footsteps of others to follow. 18.
Not so many men in Errors as is commonly supposed.

But, notwithstanding the great noise is made in the world about errors
and opinions, I must do mankind that right as to say, THERE ARE NOT SO
MANY MEN IN ERRORS AND WRONG OPINIONS AS IS COMMONLY SUPPOSED. Not that
I think they embrace the truth; but indeed, because concerning those
doctrines they keep such a stir about, they have no thought, no opinion
at all. For if any one should a little catechise the greatest part of
the partizans of most of the sects in the world, he would not find,
concerning those matters they are so zealous for, that they have any
opinions of their own: much less would he have reason to think that
they took them upon the examination of arguments and appearance of
probability. 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 mann