1. An Inquiry into the Understanding, pleasant and useful. 2. Design. 3. Method. 4. Ufeful to know the Extent of our Comprehenfion. 5. Our Capacity proportioned to our State and concerns, to discover things useful to us. 6. Knowing the Extent of our Capacities, will hinder us from useless Curiofity, Scepticism, and Idlenefs. 7. Occasion of this Essay. 8. What Idea stands for. SECT. CHAP. II. No Innate Speculative Principles. 1. The Way shown how we come by any Knowledge, fufficient to prove it not innate. 2. General Affent, the great Argument. 3. Univerfal Consent, proves nothing innate. 4. What is, is; and it is impossible for the same thing to be and not to be; not universally assented to. 5. Not on the Mind naturally imprinted, because not known to Children, Idiots, &c. 46, 7. That Men know them when they come to the Ufe of Reafon, answered. : 8. If Reafon discovered them, that would not prove them innate. 9-11. It is false, that Reason discovers them. 12. The coming to the Ufe of Reafon, not the Time we come to know these Maxims. 13. By this, they are not diftinguished from other knowable Truths. 14. If coming to the Use of Reason, were the Time of their Discovery, it would not prove them innate. 15, 16. The Steps by which the Mind attains several Truths. 17. Affenting as foon as proposed and understood, proves them not innate. 18. If fuch an Affent be a Mark of innate, then that One and Two are equal to Three; that Sweetness is not Bitterness; and a thousand the like, must be innate. 19. Such less general Propositions known before these universal Maxims. 20. One and One equal to Two, &c. not general nor ufeful, anfwered. 21. These Maxims not being known fometimes till proposed, proves them not innate. 22. Implicitly known before proposing, fignifies that the Mind is capable of understanding them, or elfe fignifies nothing. 23. The Argument of assenting on first hearing, is upon a false fuppofition of no precedent teaching. 24. Not innate, because not universally assented to. 25. These Maxims not the first known. 26. And fo not innate. 27. Not innate, because they appear least, where what is in nate shows itself clearest. 28. Recapitulation. ст. CHAP. III. No Innate Practical Principles. No moral Principles so clear and so generally received, 4. Moral Rules need a Proof, ergo not innate. 6. Virtue generally approved, not because innate, but be- cause profitable. 7. Mens actious convince us, that the Rule of Virtue is not their Internal Principle. 8. Confcience no Proof of any innate moral Rule. 9. Instances of Enormities practised without Remorfe. 10. Men have contrary practical Principles. 11-13. Whole Nations reject several moral Rules. 14. Those who maintain innate practical Principles, tell us not what they are. 15-19. Lord Herbert's innate Principles examined. 20. Obj. Innate Principles may be corrupted, answered. 22-26. How Men commonly come by their Principles.. CHAP. IV. Other Confiderations about innate Principles, both speculative SECT. and practical. 1. Principles not innate, unless their Ideas be innate. 2, 3. Ideas, especially those belonging to Principles, not born with children. 4, 5. Identity, an Idea not innate. 6. Whole and Part, not innate Ideas. 7. Idea of Worship, not innate. 8-11. Idea of God, not innate. 12. Suitable to God's goodness, that all men should have an anfwered. 13-16. Ideas of God various in different men. 17. If the Idea of God be not innate, no other can be sup- pofed innate. 18. Idea of Substance, not innate. 19. No Propofitions can be innate, fince no ideas are innate. troduced. 21. Principles not innate, because of little Ufe or little Cera |