y a knowing man, but nobody ever
thought him so because he blindly embraced, and confidently vented the
opinions of another. And if the taking up of another's principles,
without examining them, made not him a philosopher, I suppose it will
hardly make anybody else so. In the sciences, every one has so much as
he really knows and comprehends. What he believes only, and takes upon
trust, are but shreds; which, however well in the whole piece, make
no considerable addition to his stock who gathers them. Such borrowed
wealth, like fairy money, though it were gold in the hand from which he
received it, will be but leaves and dust when it comes to use.

25. Whence the Opinion of Innate Principles.

When men have found some general propositions that could not be doubted
of as soon as understood, it was, I know, a short and easy way to
conclude them innate. This being once received, it eased the lazy from
the pains of search, and stopped the inquiry of the doubtful concerning
all that was once styled innate. And it was of no small advantage
to those who affected to be masters and teachers, to make this the
principle of principles,--THAT PRINCIPLES MUST NOT BE QUESTIONED. For,
having once established this tenet,--that there are innate principles,
it put their followers upon a necessity of receiving SOME doctrines as
such; which was to take them off from the use of their own reason and
judgment, and put them on believing and taking them upon trust without
further examination: in which posture of blind credulity, they might be
more easily governed by, and made useful to some sort of men, who had
the skill and office to principle and guide them. Nor is it a small
power it gives one man over another, to have the authority to be the
dictator of principles, and teacher of unquestionable truths; and to
make a man swallow that for an innate principle which may serve to his
purpose who teacheth them. Whereas had they examined the ways whereby
men came to the knowledge of many universal truths, they would have
found them to result in the minds of men from the being of things
themselves, when duly considered; and that they were discovered by the
application of those faculties that were fitted by nature to receive and
judge of them, when duly employed about them.

26. Conclusion.

To show HOW the understanding proceeds herein is the design of the
following Discourse; which I shall proceed to when I have first
premised, that hithert