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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 21, page id 778263916:0037
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Wo innate practicat Princioles.
matcer, Mould Silently connive, without restisy ins cheir distitce, or layine
ehe least blame on it: Principles of Actions indced there are lodsed in
Nens Appetites, but these are so far from beins innate Moral Principles.
chat is cher vere lest to their Full Twins, chey would carry Men tO thO
overeurniries ot alI Moralies. Moral Lars are let as a curo and rectraint
tothese exorbitant Desires, Which ches cannor be bur by Rerrards and
Punistimenes, that ill over-balance the latisfaction aur one MaII pro-
pole tohimselF in the breach oE the Law. IF theretore an ctiins beim-
princed on the Mind oF alI Ben as a LaWV, aIl Nen must have a cerrain
and unaroidable bnomledse, thiac certain, and unavoidable punistiment
Will atrend the breachiof it. For ifMen can be ionorant or doubetul ot
Wrhac is innate, innare Principles are insicted on, and urs ed to no vurpole;
Pruth and Gertainty (chethings pretended) are notat all secured by Fhem:
ButNlen are in the lame uncertain, Aoatins estate with, as WithouF LHCM. AN
evident indubitable bnomledse os unavoidable punistimene, erear enouol
eomakse the transcrestion very unelisible, must accompany an innate
LaW: Ontels ithaninnate Lar, they ean suppole an innate Gospel 100.
Pould not be here mistateen, a5 il, because I deny an innate LaW, B
thoughe there vere none but politire Laus. There is a greac deal oF
difference etreen an innate P aiv, arid a LaWw oF Nature: Detrreen fome-
thing imprinted on our Minds in cheir very original, and Comethins thaE
e may attain eo the knowledge of, by our natural FaculrieS FrOM naLU-
ral Principles. And Tchink chey equally Forsalce the Fruch, who run-
nins intothe contrary extreams, cicher attirm an innare L aW, or deny chat
there is a Larr, lnomable by che light oF Nature; i. e. Wichour the help
oF positive Revelarion.
5. Fg. Thedisterence there is amoneAt Men in thoirpractical Principles,
is soevident, chat, TThink, Ineed Cay no more toevince, chatit rill be imposi-
sibleto ind anr innate Moral Rules, by chismark of generalallent: And tIS
enoueh to make one suspect, thac the supposition ofluch innate Principles
isbut an Opinion taken up at pleature; Tince those wtio talk (oconsidenelr
OEthem, are (0 sparins to rell us, which theyare. This mighe with fultice
De exrected troim thole Men, vlo lay Ctress uxon chis Opinion: and ir
sires occasion to distrust cither their Rnomledee or Charies, Who decla-
rine, Thac Cod hasimprinted on the Minds ot Men, the Foundations ot
Rnomledse, and che Rules oF Livins, are vet (0 lieele Pavourable eo the
Information oF cheir Neighbours, Or the Ouiet OF Mankind, aS ROEEO
point out rothem, Wrhich ther are, in the varietr Men are distracted
rith. Bur in truth, vere chereans such innate Principles, there rould
Denoneed to teach them. Did Nen find such innate Propolitions cam
ped on their Minds, ther ould casily be able to distinguim them from
Other FrutHS, that eher altermards learned, and deduced Trom chem;
and chere vould benothins more easie, than eo kno Wwhac, and ho man
ty they vere. There couldbe nomore doube about their number, than
thereis about the number oE our Fingers; and’eis litte then, erery system
vould bereacy to sive themus by tale. Bur lince no body, that lkno.
hasventured y et to sire a Catalosue oE Flem, they cannot blame thole
rtro doube os these innate Principles; since even thes erho require Men
to beliere chat there are such innate Provosirions, do not tellus What they
2r0. Fis calie ro Torelee, chat if diterent Nlen os different Sects ovId
Se about ro rire us a List of tholeinnare prastical Principles, cher vould
Tet donn oniy such as suited cheir distinet Hypocheles, and vere fIF 1O
suppore the Doctrines oftheir particular Schools or Churches: A plain evi-
dence, thac chere are no suchr innate Fruchs. Nay, 2 Great part oF Men arC