CHAP. VI. The Third General Answer. That in Intire Stories of impregnable Truth it is facile for one to Cavill with some Colour at Dismembred Passages therein.
IT is an Act as easie as unjust, for one to assault a naked Sentence, as it stands by it self, disarmed of the Assistance of the coherence before and after it: all Sentences (except they be intire and independent) have a double strength in them, one Inherent, the other relative, and the latter sometimes greater than the former; when what in a Sentence is doubtful, is explained; difficult, expounded; defective, supplyed; yea, seemingly false, rendred really true by the Connexion.
We read in the Life of * 1.1 St. Edward, that Harold Cup-bearer to the King, chanced to stumble with the one foot, that he almost kissed the Ground; but with the other Leg he recovered himself: whereat his Father Godwin, Earl of Kent (then dining with the King) said, Now one * 1.2 Brother doth help another; to whom the King re∣plyed, And so might my Brother have helped me, if it had so pleased you.
Many times when one Sentence in my Book hath had a Casual slip, the next to it out of Fraternal kindness would have held it up (in the apprehension of the Reader) from falling into any Great Error, had the Animadvertor so pleased, who uncharitably cutteth it off from such support, so that one Brother cannot help another; whilest he representeth mangled and maimed Passages, to the Disadvan∣tage of the Sense and VVriter thereof. Thus one may prove Atheisme out of Scri∣pture it self; There is no God. But what went before? The fool hath said in his heart.
I have dealt more fairly in this my Appeal with the Animadvertor; and have not Here and There picked out Parcels, and cut off Shreads where they make most for my advantage; but have presented the whole Cloath of his Book, (as he will find so, if pleasing to measure it over again) Length and Breadth, and List and Fag and all; that so the Reader may see of what Wool it is made, and what Thread it is spun, and thereby be the better enabled to pass his verdict upon it.