, to the no small admiration and benefit of his reader. It
being as senseless to put black, which is a word agreed on to stand
for one sensible idea, to put it, I say, for another, or the
contrary idea; i.e. to call snow black, as to put this mark A, which
is a character agreed on to stand for one modification of sound,
made by a certain motion of the organs of speech, for B, which is
agreed on to stand for another modification of sound, made by
another certain mode of the organs of speech.
12. This art has perplexed religion and justice. Nor hath this
mischief stopped in logical niceties, or curious empty speculations;
it hath invaded the great concernments of human life and society;
obscured and perplexed the material truths of law and divinity;
brought confusion, disorder, and uncertainty into the affairs of
mankind; and if not destroyed, yet in a great measure rendered
useless, these two great rules, religion and justice. What have the
greatest part of the comments and disputes upon the laws of God and
man served for, but to make the meaning more doubtful, and perplex the
sense? What have been the effect of those multiplied curious
distinctions, and acute niceties, but obscurity and uncertainty,
leaving the words more unintelligible, and the reader more at a
loss? How else comes it to pass that princes, speaking or writing to
their servants, in their ordinary commands are easily understood;
speaking to their people, in their laws, are not so? And, as I
remarked before, doth it not often happen that a man of an ordinary
capacity very well understands a text, or a law, that he reads, till
he consults an expositor, or goes to counsel; who, by that time he
hath done explaining them, makes the words signify either nothing at
all, or what he pleases.
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