The Preface.

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[Emen]dation This is the conclusion of the word "emendation" from the previous page. is not violent and does not involve the destruction of the previous principle. Instead, it is gentle, so that the very thing being corrected acknowledges and admits the correction of its own accord and with joy; it soon brings something of its own to the process, by which that same corrected truth may become more apparent.

For example, Reason brings nothing to correct the senses that is not soon confirmed by various experiments. The sense then confirms for itself that this is so (as the sense of touch teaches us that an oar is not actually broken under water, and the sense of sight confirms this once the oar is drawn out).

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Faith presents nothing that is contrary or repugnant to Reason (though it brings that which is beyond and above Reason).

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Reason not only yields to these things, being overcome by divine authority, but also finds them to be true in reality. Thus, Reason seeks and finds something of its own which may serve to...