I think is
evident from what has been said; I imagine there will be scarce any
other idea found that can pretend to it. Since if God hath set any
impression, any character, on the understanding of men, it is most
reasonable to expect it should have been some clear and uniform idea
of Himself; as far as our weak capacities were capable to receive so
incomprehensible and infinite an object. But our minds being at first
void of that idea which we are most concerned to have, it is a strong
presumption against all other innate characters. I must own, as far as
I can observe, I can find none, and would be glad to be informed by any
other.

19. Idea of Substance not innate.

I confess there is another idea which would be of general use for
mankind to have, as it is of general talk as if they had it; and that is
the idea of SUBSTANCE; which we neither have nor can have by sensation
or reflection. If nature took care to provide us any ideas, we might
well expect they should be such as by our own faculties we cannot
procure to ourselves; but we see, on the contrary, that since, by those
ways whereby other ideas are brought into our minds, this is not, we
have no such clear idea at all; and therefore signify nothing by the
word SUBSTANCE but only an uncertain supposition of we know not what,
i. e. of something whereof we have no idea, which we take to be the
substratum, or support, of those ideas we do know.

20. No Propositions can be innate, since no Ideas are innate.

Whatever then we talk of innate, either speculative or practical,
principles, it may with as much probability be said, that a man hath 100
pounds sterling in his pocket, and yet denied that he hath there either
penny, shilling, crown, or other coin out of which the sum is to be made
up; as to think that certain PROPOSITIONS are innate when the IDEAS
about which they are can by no means be supposed to be so. The general
reception and assent that is given doth not at all prove, that the ideas
expressed in them are innate; for in many cases, however the ideas came
there, the assent to words expressing the agreement or disagreement of
such ideas, will necessarily follow. Every one that hath a true idea of
GOD and WORSHIP, will assent to this proposition, 'That God is to be
worshipped,' when expressed in a language he understands; and every
rational man that hath not thought on it to-day, may be ready to assent
to this proposition to-morrow; and yet millions o