( io8 . ) 
If we can difcover what Truth and Talfehood are really, we then have Grounds 
to reflea upon, and may form our Refleftions into Reafonings; but what right Rea- 
foil is, we fliall find more difficult to difcover, than what is Ample Truth and Falfe- 
Jiood j-'For our -Conceptions of Matter, being only what enter by the dark Doors of 
ouf Senfes;"^re, when entered, to one Man one Thing, and to another quite a 
different Thing, which maketh human Reafon fo fallacious and various ; for our 
Reafon proceeding from Senfe, and Senfe being different, or receiving different Ideas 
from the fame Objeft by different Men, it follows of Neceffity, that there is no fuch 
Thing abfolutely as a general human Reafon, which is right and the fame, the Stan- 
dard of which'to be conveyed by Writing, or Tradition, from one Age to another ; 
but that every Man hath his own particular Reafon, which is different in Men, ac- 
cording as God hath given them Strength, or Weaknefs in their Underffanding, to 
iiidge of fuch Things as enter by the Senfes. It feemeth to me, that in various 
Men the Senfes differ infinitely ; for that Colour, which is a Favourite in the Eyes of 
one, is indifferent, or difagreeable, to another, which perhaps may proceed from 
different Tindures in the Chryftalline Humour ; and fome Sounds are indifferent, 
or perhaps diljaleafing to fome, tho’ they fill others with the higheft Rapture. Men 
vary in the fame Manner in the Senfes of Touching, Tafting; and Smelling ; Human 
Reafon alio receives other Impreffions (which generally cleave too faff to it) fuch as 
proceed from the different Educations, Religions, 'and Cuftoms of different Times 
and Places. For all, who have feen but a little of the World, know how very 
different the general Reafonings of one Country are from thofe of another ; and he 
who has been flightly converfant in Hiftory but a few Ages backward, will find,- that 
the Opinions and Reafonings of the fame Place and People, in an Age or two, are 
quite transformed and changed ; fo that I cannot fee that we have, in our imperfed 
' State, any fuch Thing as right Reafon founded on Demonftration, except in fome 
few Mathematical Cafes, which muff conftrain the Affent of all Men. Therefore, 
feeing we can certainly conclude on hardly any Thing without Controverfy, we muff 
ffeer the beff Courfe we can, fetting before our Eyes Truth as the Port _we endeavour 
to gain, which ought always to be our Diredor in Opinions and Adions, in Rela- 
tion to God and Man, as well as in our general Pradices and Speculations in the 
World. 
He that would write any Thing in General on Nature, or on any particular na- 
tural Subjed, ought, fo far as his Faculties will permit him, to penetrate into its 
Sources, 'and trace it backward, if poflible, to find out the firft Caufe and Mover of 
all Things. If we confider ourfelves, and the Animal Beings that inhabit the Face 
of this Globe, we muff wonder, at firft, how they came to be ; but, when we think 
of the infcrutable Springs of Life and Motion, we muff be aftoniflied to the higheft; 
Degree, not knowing from whence thefe Things fpring : And we can folve thefe in- 
conceivable Things no other Way, than by fuppofing there muft exift fome great, ■ 
invifible, inconceivable, all-wife, and all-powerful Creator; Since the vifible Crea- 
tion is fuftained always, producing the fame Forms of natural Things, which fiiccecd 
from one Generation to another, through the Courfe of Time; which could not be, 
if fenfelefsOaw prevailed, as fome have taught; for were the immenfe Mafs of Mat-; 
ter without a living, all-powerful Being to animate it, it muft reft without Motion, 
