4. If the multitude that hold the opinions, whether of spiritual or natural things were to be followed, meerly because of the great numbers that hold them: then if we look and consider the Writings of the best Geographers, Travellers, and Navigators, we should either be of the opinions of the Pagans, who are the most numerous part of Mankind, or the Mahumetans, which are many in respect of the paucity of Christians. And then what horrid, blasphemous, idolatrous, impious, and diabolical opinions must we receive and hold, both concerning God, Angels, the Creation, and the most of the operations that are produced by Nature? So that the arguments of Dr. _Casaubon_ and Mr. _Glanvil_, drawn from the universality of the opinion, and the great multitudes of those that hold it, are vain and groundless. 5. If the comparison I use be thought too large, and the rule be put only as to the greater part of the Learned that are in _Europe_, yet it will hold good, that the greatest part of the Learned are not to be adhered to, because of their numerousness; nor that the rest are to be rejected, because of their paucity. For it is known sufficiently, that a Bishop of _Mentz_ was censured and excommunicated for holding that there were _Antipodes_, by some hundreds of those that were accounted learned and wise: so that it is plain, that the greater number may be in the errour, and those that are few be in the right. And did not the greatest number of the Physicians in _Europe_ altogether adhere to the Doctrine of _Galen_, though now in _Germany_, _France_, _England_, and many other Nations the most have exploded it? And was not the _Aristotelian_ Philosophy embraced by the greatest part of all the Learned in _Europe_? And have not the _Cartesians_ and others sufficiently now manifested the errours and imperfections of it, and especially the endeavors of the honourable and learned Members of the Royal Society here in _England_, and the like Societies beyond Seas by their continual labour and vigilancy about Experiments, made the errours and defects of it obvious to all inquisitive persons? So that multitude, as multitude, ought not to lead or sway us, but truth it self. 6. If to all this we add, that truth in it self is but one; for _unum_ and verum are convertibles, and that errour or falsity is various and manifold, and that there may be a thousand errours about one particular thing, and yet but one truth; it will necessarily follow, the greatest number holding an opinion, cannot be safe to be followed because of their multitude, and the reason is errour, is manifold, truth but one. [Sidenote: _Rule 2._] 2. It is not safe nor rational to receive or adhere to an opinion because of its Antiquity; nor to reject one because of its Novelty. And this we shall make good from and by these following reasons.