A letter to a friend concerning a postscript to the Defence of Dr. Sherlock's…A letter to a friend concerning a postscript to the Defense of Dr. Sherlock's…

What he farther adds is much stranger (and yet herein I am resolved to put Charity towards him to the utmost stretch, as he professes to have done his understanding) for he says — as far as he can possibly understand and that he should be glad to be better informed, tho' there is some reason to apprehend that former displeasure darkened his understanding, (and even dimmed his Eye-sight) which yet I hope hath it's more lucid Intervals, and that his distemper is not a fixed habit with him.) And what is it now that he cannot possibly understand otherwise? that no other union will satisfy him (viz. the Enquirer) but such an union of three spiritual Beings and individual natures as by their composition constitute the Godhead, as the composition of soul and body do the Man, i. e. He cannot understand but he means what he expressly denies. ⟨p. 20⟩Who can help so cross an understanding? If he had not had his very finger upon the place where the Enquirer says in express words [I peremptorily deny all composition in the Being of God] this had been more excusable,^{1 2}(besides much said to the same purpose elsewhere) It had been ingenuous in any man not to impute that to another, as his meaning, which in the plainest terms he disavows, as none of his meaning: And it had been prudent in the Dean (or his Defender) of all Mankind not to have done so in the present case, as will further be seen in due time. But he takes it for an Affront, when he fancies a man to come too near him.

What he farther adds is much stranger (and yet herein I am resolv'd to put Charity towards him to the utmost stretch, as he professes to have done his understanding) for he says — as far as he can possibly understand and that he should be glad to be better informed, tho' there is some reason to apprehend that former displeasure darkned his understanding, (and even dimn'd his Eye-sight) which yet I hope hath it's more lucid Intervals, and that his distemper is not a fixed habit with him.) And what is it now that he cannot possibly understand otherwise? that no other union will satisfie him (viz. the Enquirer) but such an union of three spiritual Beings and individual natures as by their composition constitute the Godhead, as the composition of soul and body do the Man, i. e. He cannot understand but he means what he expresly denies.