Ch. III. No Innate Trafiical Trincipler 3 g

Anglgg of aTriangle being equal to two right ones, becaufe it i5 not f0 evident, as, the Whole i: bigger than a Part ,- 1101" f0 apt; to be afiented to, at firit hearing. It may fuffice, that thefe mo- ral Rules are capable of Demonltration; and therefore, it is our own fault, if we come not to a certain Knowledge of them. But the Ignorance, wherein many Men are of them, and the Slownefs of Ailent, wherewith others receive them, are manifeft Proofs, that they are not Innate, and fuch as ofier themfelves to their View, without fearching.

§.2.Wnsrn1sn there be any fuch moralPrin- Fhirb and ju- ciples, wherein all Men do agree, I appeal to giclf’jri'fl°ciozizid any, who have‘ been but moderately converfant a” Zyjenip J’ in the Hiflory of Mankind, and look’d abroad beyond the Smoak of their own Chimneys. Where is that practical Truth, that is univerfally received, without doubt or queflzion, as it mufl be, if Innate? fu/fice, and keeping of Con- tracts, is that which mq/l Men jeem to agree in. This is a Prin- ciple, which is thought to extend itfelf to the Dens of Thieves, and the Confederacies of the greatefi Villains; and they, who have gone farthefi towards the putting 05' Humanity itfelf, keep

_ Faith and Rules of juiiice one with another. I grant, that Out-laws themfelves do this one amongfl another; but ’tis with- '

out receiving thefe as the Innate Laws of Nature. They prac- tife them, as Rules of Convenience, within their own Communi: ties: But it is impoilible to conceive, that he embraces juilice as a praftical Principle, who acts fairly with his fellow Highway- men, and at the fame time plunders, or kills the next honell Man he meets with. juftice and Truth are the common Ties of Society; and therefore, even Out-laws, and Robbers, who break with all the World befides, mufl keep Faith and Rules of Equity amongil themfelves, or elfe they cannot hold together. But will any one fay, That thofe that live by Fraud and Rapine, have Innate Principles of Truth and juiiice, which they allow and aITent to?

\ §, 3. PERHAPS it will be urged, That the tacit ‘T,’ Aflent of their Mind: agree; l0 what their Prac- ‘o "n

_ deny them in 21cc contradiflr. I anfwer, F ir/f, I have always their Praflice,

thought