SECT. XXXVIII.

Secondly, Ropofe it to your felves, as the only Defign of all your Reasonings and

Enquiries, to find out Truth.

Becaufe, if you have any other End in View, it will infallibly fo biafs you in all your Proceedings, that you will not be able to think, argue, or judg, in that free and impartial manner that you ought to do, and would otherwife do, if you were wholly difinterested, and had only propos'd to your felves, to find out the Truth of the matter.

Befides (unless you think it a piece of needlefs Ceremony, to ask the Direction of Heaven, in a Cafe of great Moment) you cannot, without horrid Hypocrify, defire God to affift you in your Bufinefs, where 'tis not your Des fign to be truly and rightly inform❜d.

Thirdly,

I

N purfuance of this great Defign, of finding out Truth (which is what all Men of Wisdom and Sincerity will have in their Eye) Endeavour as much as in you lies, to divest your felves of all thofe Prejudices, which any Notions or Opinions, contrary to that which lies before you to be examin'd, may very probably have fix'd in your Minds.

That is, abftract from them fo far, that they may have no Influence upon you in the Inquiry you

are

are making, and the Conclufion you are afterwards to draw, from your Reasonings upon the Cafe in hand.

Now this is very poffible for you to do.

For 'tis in your Power to govern your Fancies, and let genuine Reafon take place.

You can (if you will) look upon things without thofe falfe Colours, that the Imagination is too apt to disguise them withal, and which reprefent them to you, as very much different from what they really are in themselves. I confefs, it is a work of Time and Labour, for Men to conquer their Prejudices thorowly; but to prevent their governing and fwaying the Mind, while a matter of the higheft Importance is under Examination, is what every Man may do, that will exert himfelf, and ufe his Liberty well.

SECT. XL.

Fourthly, Examine all the Circumstances of the

Cafe propos'd, in the most careful and deliberate manner that you can:

Do not let your Thoughts be employ'd upon things of little moment, while you pafs by thofe that deferve your best Attention, and moft ferious Regard. Select all thofe Circumftances, and thofe only, which are material with respect to the Conclufion; and when you have done fo, give them their due Force and Weight: And let them influence your Understanding according to what they plainly appear to be (in your most abstracted Views of them) and not as they tend to carry the Conclufion, either this or that particular way, whether for or against

against the Notions you have hitherto entertain'd.

H

SECT. XLI.

Fifthly, confider'd the Circumstances of the Cafe, Make fuch Inferences from them, as your fobereft Reafon, without any Art or Management, does it felf freely prompt you to make.

AVING thus accurately weigh'd and

Conclude in fuch a manner, as to leave your Mind truly ferene and compos'd under what you have done; and that upon cool Reflections, it may tell you afterwards, you have drawn a Conclufion, reafonable and fit to ftand by.

SE C T. XLII.

Laffly, you ought to make and keep to this YOU Refolution, Not to drop the Enquiry till you have brought it to fome determinate fue; even tho you meet with confiderable Difficulties in the

way.

For tho you may not be able to pass a clear and fatisfactory Judgment, at one time; yet you may at another, when the Mind is more dif pos'd to be fix'd and attentive, and the Body (perhaps) in better Temper. We all know, by every Day's Experience, that we are not at all times equally capable or ready Judges, even of the very fame things. There are fome lucky Seasons, wherein Difficulties do, as it were, explain themselves to us, which at other times would

Ο 2

Part II. would not yield to the greatest Labour and Importunity.

As fometimes on the other hand, things that are not very myfterious, will force a Man to give over his fearch, and wait a more favourable Opportunity.

And therefore, we are not presently to throw afide fo neceffary and important a Work as this is, because we do not at the first or fecond Attempt (it may be) bring it to fo happy a Conclufion as was expected.

this I may add alfo (as another very ne

Tceffary piece of Advice) That if you cannot come to a fatisfactory Conclufion by your selves, you would not fcruple to confult thofe, who may be able to put you in the right way of doing fo.

It is not unlikely, that fome People, who have been us'd to think of a particular Subject, fhould be able to reafon with more Eafe and better Method upon it, than thofe who are perfect. ftrangers to it. And it is no more fhame to a Man to make ufe of the Counfel and Affiftance of others, in fuch a Cafe as this, where the Peace of his Mind is concern'd; than to ask the Advice of a Physician, in order to the Removal of any bodily Distemper.

SECT.

IT

T will be objected perhaps, That it will coft a deal of Time and Pains, to put these Rules in Practice; and that Men will rather be frightned from, than encourag'd to the Practice of fo difficult a Work.

Anfw. First, Confider how little you are difcou rag'd, at the Profpect of a vast deal of Pains and Labour, in other Affairs which are of infinitely lefs Moment. You can rife early, and fit up late, to contrive for a worldly Intereft, without any of these Complaints. You can bend your Thoughts, even to the endangering of your Life or Health, and flave and drudge without Intermiffion, upon any little matter that is to fet you off, and purchase you a Reputation amongst Men. And if you can be fo indefatigably diligent and refolute in those Concerns, and muft presently be tir'd and difpirited in Affairs of this nature, upon every Difficulty that lies in your way; the Reafon is plainly, because you will not apply your felves to them, and therefore, all the ill Confequences of the Neglect, must lie intirely at your own Doors.

SECT.

Secondly, W Ha

XLV.

7 Hatever Pains it cofts you, to go thro this Work, you ought to remember, That if you ever make your Mind eafy, you must be forc'd to proceed after this, or fome fuch way as this is. For in the very Nature