138 THE IMPROVEMENT OP THE MIND. ¡self ; or when you examine it by one sense only where others might be employed ? Or when you enquire into it by sense only, without the use of the understanding and judgment and reason. If it be a question which is to be determined by reason and argument, then your examination is partial, when you turn the question only in one light and do not turn it on all sides ; when you look upon it only in its relations and aspects to one sort of objects and not to another; when you consider only the advan- tages of it and the reasonsfor it, and neglect to think ofthe rea- sons against it, and never survey its inconveniences too : when you determine on a sudden, before you have given yourself a due time for weighing all circumstances, &o. Again, If it be a question of fact depending upon the re- port or testimony of men, your examination is but partial, when you enquire only what one man or a few say, and avoid the tes- timony of others, when you only ask what those report who were net eye or ear- witnesses, and neglect those who saw and heard it; when you content yourself with mere loose and general talk about it, and never enter into particulars ; or, when there are many who deny the fact, and you never concern yourself about their reasons for denying it, but resolve to believe only those who affirm it. There is yet further a fault in your partial examination of any question, when you resolve to determine it by natural reason only, where youmight be assisted by supernatural revelation ; or when you decide the point by some word or sentence, or by some part of revelation ; without comparing it with other parts, which, might give further light and better help to determine the mean- ing. It is also a culpable partiality, if you examine sume doubt- ful or pretended vision or revelation without the use of reason ; or without the use of that revelation, which is undoubted and sufficiently proved to be divine. These are all instances of im- perfect examination, and we should never determine a question by one or two lights, where we may have the advantage of three orfour. . XIII. Take heed lest some darling notion., somefavourite hypothesis, some beloved doctrine, or some common but unex- amined opinion, be made a test of the truth or falsehoodof all other propositions about the same subject. Dare not build much upon such a notion or doctrine till it be very fully examined, ac- curately adjusted, and sufficiently confirmed. Some persons by indulging such a practice, havebeen led into long ranks of error ; they have found themselves involved in a train of mistakes, by taking up some pretty hypothesis or principle, either in philoso- phy, politics, or religion, upon slight and insufficient grounds, and establishing that as a test and rule by which to judge of all other things.
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