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 he 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.
