Thereisacorrespondenceinthings，andagreementanddisagreementinideas，discernibleinverydifferentdegrees，andthereareeyesinmentoseethemiftheyplease，onlytheireyesmaybedimmedordazzledandthediscerningsightinthemimpairedorlost。Interestandpassiondazzle；thecustomofarguingonanysideevenagainstourpersuasions，dimstheunderstandingandmakesitbydegreeslosethefacultyofdiscerningclearlybetweentruthandfalsehood，andsoofadheringtotherightside。Itisnotsafetoplaywitherroranddressituptoourselvesorothersintheshapeoftruth。Themindbydegreeslosesitsnaturalrelishofrealsolidtruth，isreconciledinsensiblytoanythingthatcanbutbedressedupintoanyfaint[086]appearanceofit；andifthefancybeallowedtheplaceofjudgementatfirstinsport，itafterwardscomesbyusetousurpit，andwhatisrecommendedbythisflatterer（thatstudiesbuttoplease）isreceivedforgood。Therearesomanywaysoffallacy，suchartsofgivingcolors，appearancesandresemblance’sbythiscourt—dresser，thefancy，thathewhoisnotwarytoadmitnothingbuttruthitself，verycarefulnottomakehismindsubservienttoanythingelse，cannotbutbecaught。Hethathasamindtobelievehashalfassentedalready；andhethatbyoftenarguingagainsthisownsenseimposesfalsehoodsonothersisnotfarfrombelievinghimself。Thistakesawaythegreatdistancethereisbetwixttruthandfalsehood；
itbringsthemalmosttogetherandmakesitnogreatodds，inthingsthatapproachsonear，whichyoutake；andwhenthingsarebroughttothatpass，passionorinterest，etc。，easilyandwithoutbeingperceiveddeterminewhichshallbetheright。
Section34。Indifferency。[087]Ihavesaidabovethatweshouldkeepaperfectindifferenceforallopinions，notwishanyofthemtrueortrytomakethemappearso，but，beingindifferent，receiveandembracethemaccordingasevidenceandthatalonegivestheattestationoftruth。Theythatdothus，i。e。
keeptheirmindsindifferenttoopinions，tobedeterminedonlybyevidence，willalwaysfindtheunderstandinghasperceptionenoughtodistinguishbetweenevidenceornoevidence，betwixtplainanddoubtful；andiftheyneithergivenorrefusetheirassentbutbythatmeasure，theywillbesafeintheopinionstheyhave。Whichbeingperhapsbutfew，thiscautionwillhavealsothisgoodinit，thatitstillputthemuponconsideringandteachthemthenecessityofexaminingmorethantheydo；withoutwhichthemindisbutareceptacleofinconsistencies，notthestorehouseoftruths。Theythatdonotkeepupthisindifferenceinthemselvesforallbuttruth，notsupposed，butevidencedinthemselves，putcoloredspectaclesbeforetheireyesandlookonthingsthroughfalseglasses，andthenthinkthemselvesexcusedinfollowingthefalseappearanceswhichtheythemselvesputuponthem。Idonotexpectthatbythiswaytheassentshouldineveryonebeproportionedtothegroundsandclearnesswherewitheverytruthiscapabletobemadeout，orthatmenshouldbeperfectlykeptfromerror；thatismorethanhumannaturecanbyanymeansbeadvancedto；Iaimatnosuchunattainableprivilege；Iamonlyspeakingofwhattheyshoulddowhowoulddealfairlywiththeirownmindsandmakearightuseoftheirfacultiesinthepursuitoftruth；wefailthemagreatdealmorethantheyfailus。Itismismanagementmorethanwantofabilitiesthatmenhavereasontocomplainofandwhichtheyactuallydocomplainofinthosethatdifferfromthem。Hethatbyanindifferencyforallbuttruthsuffersnothisassenttogofasterthanhisevidence，norbeyondit，willlearntoexamineandexaminefairlyinsteadofpresuming，andnobodywillbeatalossorindangerforwantofembracingthosetruthswhicharenecessaryinhisstationandcircumstances。Inanyotherwaybutthisalltheworldareborntoorthodoxy；theyimbibeatfirsttheallowedopinionsoftheircountryandparts，andso，neverquestioningtheirtruth，notoneofahundredeverexamines。Theyareapplaudedforpresumingtheyareintheright。Hethatconsidersisafoetoorthodoxy，becausepossiblyhemaydeviatefromsomeofthereceiveddoctrinesthere。Andthusmenwithoutanyindustryoracquisitionoftheirowninheritlocaltruths（foritisnotthesameeverywhere）andareinuredtoassentwithoutevidence。
Thisinfluencesfurtherthanisthought；forwhatoneofahundredofthezealousbigotsinallpartieseverexaminedthetenetsheissostiffinoreverthoughtithisbusinessordutysotodo？Itissuspectedoflukewarmnesstosupposeitnecessaryandatendencytoapostasytogoaboutit。Andifamancanbringhismindoncetobepositiveandfierceforpositionswhoseevidencehehasneveronceexamined，andthatinmattersofgreatestconcernmenttohim，Whatshallkeephimfromthisshortandeasywayofbeingintherightincasesoflessmoment？Thusevearetaughttoclotheourmindsaswedoourbodiesafterthefashioninvogue，anditisaccountedfantasticalnessorsomethingworsenottodoso。Thiscustom（whichwhodaresoppose？）makestheshort—sightedbigotsandthewarierskeptics，[088]asfarasitprevails。Andthosethatbreakfromitareindangerofheresy；for，takingtheWholeworld，howmuchofitdoestruthandorthodoxypossesstogether？Thoughitisbythelastalone（whichhasthegoodlucktobeeverywhere）thaterrorandheresyarejudgedof；forargumentandevidencesignifynothinginthecaseandexcusenowhere，butaresuretobebornedowninallsocietiesbytheinfallibleorthodoxyoftheplace。Whetherthisbethewaytotruthandrightassent，lettheopinionsthattakeplaceandprescribeintheseveralhabitablepartsoftheearthdeclare。