at first find a Contraction or Emptiness of Thought, and that their
Mind offers nothing on the Subject they wou’d consider, is not ready
at unfolding, nor in representing correspondent Ideas to be compar’d
with it, is as it were asleep or in a Dream, and tho’ not empty of all
Thought, yet Thinks nothing clearly or to the purpose. The Primary
Cause of this is that Limitation which all Created Minds are Subject
to, which Limitation appears more visible in some than in others,
either because some Minds are endow’d by their Creator with a larger
Capacity than the rest, or if you are not inclin’d to think so, then
by reason of the Indisposition of the Bodily Organs, which cramps and
contracts the Operations of the Mind. And that Person whose Capacity
of receiving Ideas is very little, whose Ideas are disorder’d, and not
capable of being so dispos’d as that they may be compar’d in order to
the forming of a Judgment, is a Fool or little better. If we find this
to be our Case, and that after frequent tryals there appears no hopes
of Amendment, ’tis best to desist, we shall but lose our Labour, we
may do some Good in an Active Life and Employments that depend on the
Body, but we’re altogether unfit for Contemplation and the Exercises of
the Mind. Yet e’er we give out let’s see if it be thus with us in all
Cases: Can we Think and Argue Rationally about a Dress, an Intreague,
an Estate? Why then not upon better Subjects? The way of Considering
and Meditating justly is the same on all Occasions. ’Tis true, there
will fewest Ideas arise when we wou’d Meditate on such Subjects as
we’ve been least conversant about; but this is a fault which it is
in our power to remedy, first by Reading or Discoursing, and then by
frequent and serious Meditation, of which hereafter.
As those we have been speaking of are hindred in their search after
Truth, thro a want of Ideas out of which to deduce it, so there are
another sort who are not happy in their Enquiries, on account of
the multitude and Impetuosity of theirs. Volatileness of Thought,
very pernicious to true Science, is a fault which People of warm
Imaginations and Active Spirits are apt to fall into. Such a Temper is
readily dispos’d to receive Errors and very well qualified to propagate
them, especially if a volubility of Speech be join’d to it. These thro
an immoderate nimbleness of Thinking skip from one Idea to another,
without observing due Order and Connexion, they content themselves
with a superficial view, a random glance, and depending on the vigor
of their Imagination, are took with Appearances, never tarrying to
penetrate the Subject, or to find out Truth if she float not upon the
Surface. A multitude of Ideas not relating to the matter they design to
think of rush in upon them, and their easie Mind entertains all comers
how impertinent soever; instead of examining the Question in debate
they are got into the Clouds, numbring the Cities in the Moon and
building Airy Castles there. Nor is it easie to cure this Defect, since
it deceives others as well as those who have it with a shew of very
great Ingenuity. The vivacity of such Persons makes their Conversation
plausible, and taking with those who consider not much, tho not with
the Judicious; it procures for them the Character of Wit, but hinders
them from being Wise. For truth is not often found by such as won’t
take Time to examine her Counterfeits, to distinguish between Evidence
and Probability, Realities and Appearances, but who thro a conceit of
their own sharp-sightedness think they can pierce to the bottom with
the first glance.
To cure this Distemper perfectly perhaps it will be necessary to
apply to the Body as well as to the Mind: The Animal Spirits must be
lessen’d, or rendred more Calm and Manageable; at least they must not
be unnaturally and violently mov’d, by such a Diet, or such Passions,
Designs and Divertisments as are likely to put ’em in a ferment.
Contemplation requires a Governable Body, a sedate and steady Mind,
and the Body and the Mind do so reciprocally influence each other,
that we can scarce keep the one in tune if the other be out of it. We
can neither Observe the Errors of our Intellect, nor the Irregularity
of our Morals whilst we are darkned by Fumes, agitated with unruly
Passions, or carried away with eager Desires after Sensible things and
vanities. We must therefore withdraw our Minds from the World, from
adhering to the Senses, from the Love of Material Beings, of Pomps and
Gaieties; for ’tis these that usually Steal away the Heart, that seduce
the Mind to such unaccountable Wandrings, and so fill up its Capacity
that they leave no room for Truth, so distract its Attention that it
cannot enquire after her. For tho’ the Body does partly occasion this
fault, yet the Will no doubt may in good measure Remedy it, by using
its Authority to fix the Understanding on such Objects as it wou’d have
Contemplated; it has a Rein which will certainly curb this wandring,
if it can but be persuaded to make use of it. Indeed Attention and
deep Meditation is not so agreeable to our Animal Nature, does not
flatter our Pride so well as this agreeable _Reverie_, which gives us
a pretence to Knowledge without taking much Pains to acquire it, and
does not choak us with the humbling thoughts of our own Ignorance, with
which we must make such ado e’re it can be enlightened. Yet without
Attention and strict Examination we are liable to false Judgments on
every occasion, to Vanity and Arrogance, to Impertinent Prating of
things we don’t understand, are kept from making a Progress, because we
fancy our selves to be at the top already, and can never attain to true
Wisdom. If then we wou’d hereafter think to purpose, we must suffer our
selves to be convinc’d how oft we have already thought to none, suspect
our Quickness, and not give our desultory Imagination leave to ramble.
And in order to the restraining it we may consider, what a loss of
Time and Study such irregular and useless Thoughts occasion, what a
Reproach they are to our Reason, how they cheat us with a _shew_ of
Knowledge, which so long as we are under the power of this giddy Temper
will inevitably escape us. And if to this we add a serious perusal of
such Books as are not loosly writ, but require an Attent and Awakened
Mind to apprehend, and to take in the whole force of ’em, obliging
our selves to Understand them throughly, so as to be able to give a
just account of them to our Selves, or rather to some other Person
intelligent enough to take it and to correct our mistakes, it is to be
hop’d we shall obtain a due poise of Mind, and be able to direct our
Thoughts to the thorow discussion of such Subjects as we wou’d Examine.
Such Books I mean as are fuller of Matter than Words, which diffuse a
light through every part of their Subject, do not Skim, but Penetrate
it to the bottom, yet so as to leave somewhat to be wrought out by the
Reader’s own Meditation; such as are writ with Order and Connexion,
the Strength of whose Arguments can’t be sufficiently felt unless we
remember and compare the whole System. ’Tis impossible to prescribe
absolutely, and every one may easily find what Authors are most apt
to stay their Attention, and shou’d apply to them. But whenever they
Meditate, be it on what Object it may, let ’em fix their Minds stedily
on it, not removing till it be throughly Examin’d, at least not until
they have seen all that’s necessary to their present purpose.
Doing so we shall prevent Rashness and Precipitation in our Judgments,
which is occasion’d by that Volatileness we have been speaking
of, together with an over-weaning opinion of our Selves. All the
irregularities of our Will proceed from those false Judgments we
make, thro want of Consideration, or a partial Examination when we do
consider. For did we Consider with any manner of Attention, we cou’d
not be so absurd as to call Evil, Good, and Chuse it as such, or
prefer a less Good before a greater, a poor Momentary Trifle, before
the Purity and Perfection of our Mind, before an Eternal and Immutable
Crown of Glory! But we seek no farther than the first Appearances of
Truth and Good, here we Stop, allowing neither Time nor Thought to
search to the bottom, and to pull off those Disguises which impose on
us. This Precipitation is that which gives birth to all our Errors,
which are nothing else but a hasty and injudicious Sentence, a
mistaking one thing for another, supposing an Agreement or Disparity
amongst Ideas and their Relations where in reality there is none,
occasion’d by an imperfect and cursory view of ’em. And tho’ there are
other things which may be said to lead us into Error, yet they do it
only as they seduce us into Rash and Precipitate Judgments. We love
Grandeur and every thing that feeds our good Opinion of our Selves, and
therefore wou’d Judge off hand, supposing it a disparagement to our
Understandings to be long in Examining, so that we greedily embrace
whatever seems to carry Evidence enough for a speedy Determination,
how slight and superficial soever it be. Whereas did we calmly and
deliberately Examine our Evidence, and how far those Motives we are
acted by ought to Influence, we shou’d not be liable to this Seduction.
For hereby the Impetuosity of a warm Imagination wou’d be cool’d, and
the extravagancies of a Disorderly one Regulated; we shou’d not be
Deceiv’d by the Report of our Senses; the Prejudices of Education; our
own Private Interest, and readiness to receive the Opinions whether
True or False of those we Love, or wou’d appear to Love because we
think they will serve us in that Interest; our inordinate thirst
after a great Reputation, or the Power and Riches, the Grandeurs and
Pleasures of this World, these wou’d no longer dissipate our Thoughts
and distract our Attention, for then we shou’d be sensible how little
Concern is due to them. We shou’d neither mistake in the End and Object
by not employing our Understandings at All about such things as they
were chiefly made for, or not Enough, or by busying them with such as
are out of their reach, or beneath their Application; nor shou’d we be
out in the Method of our Meditation, by going a wrong or a round about
way. For the GOD of Truth is ready to lead us into all Truth, if we
Honestly and Attentively apply our selves to him.
In sum, whatever false Principle we embrace, whatever wrong Conclusion
we draw from true ones, is a disparagement to our Thinking Power, a
Weakness of Judgment proceeding from a Confuse and Imperfect view of
things, as that does from want of attention, and a hasty and partial
Examination. It were endless to reckon up all the false Maxims and
Reasonings we fall into, nor is it possible to give a List of them, for
there are innumerable Errors opposite to one single Truth. The General
Causes have been already mention’d, the Particulars are as many as
those several Compositions which arise from the various mixtures of
the Passions, Interests, Education, Conversation and Reading, _&c._ of
particular Persons. And the best way that I can think of to Improve
the Understanding, and to guard it against all Errors proceed they
from what Cause they may, is to regulate the Will, whose Office it
is to determine the Understanding to such and such Ideas, and to
stay it in the Consideration of them so long as is necessary to the
Discovery of Truth; for if the Will be right the Understanding can’t
be guilty of any Culpable Error. Not to Judge of any thing which we
don’t Apprehend, to suspend our Assent till we see just Cause to give
it, and to determine nothing till the Strength and Clearness of the
Evidence oblige us to it. To withdraw our selves as much as may be from
Corporeal things, that pure Reason may be heard the better; to make
that use of our Senses for which they are design’d and fitted, the
preservation of the Body, but not to depend on their Testimony in our
Enquiries after Truth. Particularly to divest our selves of mistaken
Self-love, little Ends and mean Designs, and to keep our Inclinations
and Passions under Government. Not to engage our selves so far in any
Party or Opinion as to make it in a manner necessary that that shou’d
be Right, lest from wishing it were, we come at last to persuade our
selves it is so. But to be passionately in Love with Truth, as being
throughly sensible of her Excellency and Beauty. To embrace her how
opposite soever she may sometimes be to our Humours and Designs, to
bring these over to her, and never attempt to make her truckle to
them. To be so far from disliking a Truth because it touches us home,
and lances our tenderest and dearest Corruption, as on the contrary
to prize it the more, by how much the more plainly it shews us our
Errors and Miscarriages. For indeed it concerns us most to know such
Truths as these, it is not material to us what other Peoples Opinions
are, any farther than as the Knowlege of their Sentiments may correct
Our Mistakes. And the higher our Station is in the World, so much the
greater need have we to be curious in this particular.
The mean and inconsiderable often stumble on Truth when they seek not
after her, but she is commonly kept out of the way, and industriously
conceal’d from the Great and mighty; either out of Design or Envy, for
whoever wou’d make a Property of another must by all means conceal
the Truth from him; and they who Envy their Neighbours Preeminence in
other things, are willing themselves to excel in exactness of Judgment,
which they think and very truly, to be the greatest Excellency. And to
help forward this deception, the Great instead of being Industrious in
finding out the Truth, are generally very impatient when they meet with
her. She does not treat them so tenderly and fawningly, with so much
Ceremony and Complaisance as their Flatterers do. There’s in her that
which us’d to be the Character of our Nation, an honest Plainness and
Sincerity, Openness and blunt Familiarity: She cannot mould her self
into all Shapes to be rendred agreeable, but standing on her Native
Worth is regardless of Out-side and Varnish. But to return from this
Digression.
Above all things we must be throughly convinc’d of our entire
Dependance on GOD, for what we _Know_ as well as for what we Are, and
be warmly affected with the Sense of it, which will both Excite us to
Practise, and Enable us to Perform the rest. Tho’ we are Naturally
Dark and Ignorant, yet in _his Light we may_ hope to _see Light_,
if with the Son of _Syrac_ we Petition for _Wisdom that sits by his
Throne_ to _labour with us_, and Sigh with _David_ after his _Light
and Truth_. For then he who is _The Light that Lightneth every one who
comes into the World_, the Immutable Truth, and Uncreated Wisdom of
His Father, will _Teach us in the way of Wisdom and lead us in right
Paths_, he will instruct us infinitely better by the right use of our
own Faculties than the brightest Human Reason can. For in him are all
the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowlege which he Liberally dispences to
all who Humbly, Honestly and Heartily ask ’em of him. To close this
Head: Whatever the Notion That we see all things in GOD, may be as to
the Truth of it, ’tis certainly very commendable for its Piety, in that
it most effectually humbles the most dangerous sort of Pride, the being
Proud of our Knowlege, and yet does not slacken our Endeavours after
Knowlege but rather Excites them.
[Sidenote: _Art of Thinking._]
§ IV. As to the _Method_ of Thinking, if it be proper for me to say
any thing of that, after those better Pens which have treated of it
already, it falls in with the Subject I’me now come to, which is, that
_Natural Logic_ I wou’d propose. I call it natural because I shall not
send you further than your Own Minds to learn it, you may if you please
take in the assistance of some well chosen Book, but a good Natural
Reason after all, is the best Director, without this you will scarce
Argue well, tho you had the Choicest Books and Tutors to Instruct you,
but with it you may, tho’ you happen to be destitute of the other. For
as a very Judicious Writer on this Subject (to whose Ingenious Remarks
and Rules I am much obliged) well observes, “These Operations [of the
Mind] proceed meerly from Nature, and that sometimes more perfectly
from those who are altogether ignorant of Logic, than from others who
have learn’d it.”
That which we propose in all our Meditations and Reasonings is, either
to deduce some Truth we are in search of, from such Principles as
we’re already acquainted with; or else, to dispose our Thoughts and
Reasonings in such a manner, as to be able to Convince others of those
Truths which we our selves are Convinc’d of. Other Designs indeed
Men may have, such as the Maintenance of their Own Opinions, Actions
and Parties without regard to the Truth and Justice of ’em, or the
Seduction of their unwary Neighbours, but these are Mean and Base ones,
beneath a Man, much more a Christian, who is or Ought to be endow’d
with greater Integrity and Ingenuity.
Now Reasoning being nothing else but a Comparison of Ideas, and a
deducing of Conclusions from Clear and Evident Principles, it is
in the first place requisite that our Ideas be Clear and Just, and
our Principles True, else all our Discourse will be Nonsense and
Absurdity, Falshood and Error. And that our Idea may be Right, we
have no more to do but to look attentively into our own Minds, having
as was said above, laid aside all Prejudices and whatever may give a
false tincture to our Light, there we shall find a Clear and Lively
Representation of what we seek for, unsophisticated with the Dross
of false Definitions and unintelligible Expressions. But we must not
imagine that a transient view will serve the turn, or that our Eye will
be Enlightened if it be not fix’d. For tho’ Truth be exceeding bright,
yet since our Prejudices and Passions have darkned our Eye-sight, it
requires no little Pains and Application of Mind to find her out,
the neglect of which Application is the Reason that we have so little
Truth, and that the little we have is almost lost in that Rubbish of
Error which is mingled with it. And since Truth is so near at hand,
since we are not oblig’d to tumble over many Authors, to hunt after
every celebrated Genius, but may have it for enquiring after in our
own Breasts, are we not inexcusable if we don’t obtain it? Are we not
unworthy of Compassion if we suffer our Understandings to be over-run
with Error? Indeed it seems to me most Reasonable and most agreeable
to the Wisdom and Equity of the Divine Operations, that every one
shou’d have a Teacher in their own Bosoms, who will if they seriously
apply themselves to him, immediately Enlighten them so far as that is
Necessary, and direct them to such Means as are sufficient for their
Instruction both in Humane and Divine Truths; for as to the latter,
Reason if it be Right and Solid, will not pretend to be our sole
Instructor, but will send us to Divine Revelation when it may be had.
GOD does nothing in vain, he gives no Power or Faculty which he has
not allotted to some proportionate use, if therefore he has given to
Mankind a Rational Mind, every individual Understanding ought to be
employ’d in somewhat worthy of it. The Meanest Person shou’d Think as
_Justly_, tho’ not as _Capaciously_, as the greatest Philosopher. And
if the Understanding be made for the Contemplation of Truth, and I know
not what else it can be made for, either there are many Understandings
who are never able to attain what they were design’d and fitted for,
which is contrary to the Supposition that GOD made nothing in Vain, or
else the very meanest must be put in a way of attaining it: Now how
can this be if all that which goes to the composition of a Knowing
Man in th’account of the World, be necessary to make one so? All have
not leisure to Learn Languages and pore on Books, nor Opportunity to
Converse with the Learned; but all may _Think_, may use their own
Faculties rightly, and consult the Master who is within them.
By Ideas we sometimes understand in general all that which is the
immediate Object of the Mind, whatever it Perceives; and in this large
Sense it may take in all Thought, all that we are any ways capable of
Discerning: So when we say we have no Idea of a thing, ’tis as much
as to say we know nothing of the matter. Again, it is more strictly
taken for that which represents to the Mind some Object distinct
from it, whether Clearly or Confusedly; when this is its import, our
Knowledge is said to be as Clear as our Ideas are. For that Idea which
represents a thing so Clearly, that by an Attent and Simple View we may
discern its Properties and Modifications, at least so far as they can
be Known, is never false; all our Certainty and Evidence depends on
it, if we Know not Truly what is thus represented to our Minds we know
nothing. Thus the Idea of Equality between 2 and 2 is so evident that
it is impossible to doubt of it, no Arguments could convince us of the
Contrary, nor be able to persuade us that the same may be found between
2 and 3.
And as such an Idea as this is never False, so neither can any Idea
be said to be so, if by False we mean that which has no Existence;
our Idea certainly Exists, tho’ there be not any thing in Nature
Correspondent to it. For tho’ there be no such thing as a Golden
Mountain, yet when I think of one, ’tis certain I have an Idea of it.
But our Ideas are then said to be False, or rather Wrong, when they
have no Conformity to the Real Nature of the Thing whose Name they
bear. So that properly Speaking it is not the Idea but the judgment
that is False; we err in supposing that our Idea is answerable to
something without us when it is not. In simple Perceptions we are
not often deceiv’d, but we frequently mistake in Compounding them,
by Uniting several things which have no Agreement, and Separating
others which are Essentially United. Indeed it may happen that our
Perceptions are faulty sometimes, thro the Indisposition of the Organs
or Faculties, thus a Man who has the _Jaundice_ sees every thing ting’d
with Yellow, yet even here the Error is not in the Simple Idea but in
the Compos’d one, for we do not mistake when we say the Object appears
Yellow to our Sight, tho’ we do, when we affirm that it does, or ought
to do so to others. So again, when the Mind does not sufficiently
Attend to her Ideas nor Examine them on all sides, ’tis very likely
she will Think amiss, but this also is a false Judgment, that which
is amiss in the Perception being rather the Inadequateness than the
Falshood. Thus in many Cases we enquire no farther than whether an
Action be not Directly Forbidden, and if we do not find it Absolutely
Unlawful, we think that sufficient to Authorize the Practise of it,
not considering it as we ought to do, Cloathed with the Circumstances
of Scandal, Temptation, _&c._ which place it in the same Classes with
things unlawful, at least make it so to us.
Rational Creatures shou’d endeavour to have right Ideas of every thing
that comes under their Cognizance, but yet our Ideas of Morality, our
thoughts about Religion are those which we shou’d with greatest speed
and diligence rectifie, because they are of most importance, the Life
to come, as well as all the Occurrences of This, depending on them. We
shou’d search for Truth in our most abstracted Speculations, but it
concerns us nearly to follow her close in what relates to the Conduct
of our Lives. For the main thing we are to drive at in all our Studies,
and that which is the greatest Improvement of our Understandings is the
Art of Prudence, the being all of a Piece, managing all our Words and
Actions as it becomes Wise Persons and Good Christians.
Yet in this we are commonly most faulty; for besides the deceits of our
Passions, our Ideas of Particular Vertues and Vices, Goods and Evils,
being an assemblage of divers simple Perceptions, and including several
Judgments are therefore liable to mistake, and much more so considering
how we commonly come by them. We hear the Word that Stands for such
a Thing, suppose Honor, and then instead of enquiring what it is at
the Fountain-head the Oracles of GOD, and our own, or the Impartial
Reason of the Wisest and the Best, Custom and the Observations we
make on the Practice of such as Pretend to it forms our Idea, which
is seldom a Right one, the Opinions and Practices of the World being
very fallacious, and many times quite opposite to the Dictates of
Reason wou’d we but give ear to them. For what a strange distorted Idea
of Honor must they needs have, who can think it Honourable to break
a Vow that ought to be Kept, and Dishonourable to get loose from an
Engagement that ought to be Broken? Who cannot endure to be tax’d with
a Lye, and yet never think fit to keep their Word? What do they think
of Greatness who support their Pomp at the Expence of the Groans and
Tears of many Injur’d Families? What is their Idea of Heaven, who
profess to Believe such a thing, and yet never endeavour to Qualifie
themselves for the Enjoyment of it? Have they any Idea at all of these
things when they speak of ’em? Or, if they have, is it not a very false
one?