Therearethreesourcesofbelief: reason, custom, , whichalonehasreason, , themindmustbeopenedtoproofs, mustbeconfirmedbycustom, andofferitselfinhumblenesstoinspirations, .[95]
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Order.—AftertheletterThatweoughttoseekGod, towritetheletterOnremovingobstacles; whichisthediscourseon "themachine,"[96] onpreparingthemachine, onseekingbyreason.
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Order.—, "Butwhatistheuseofseeking? Nothingisseen." Thentoreplytohim, "Donotdespair." Andhewillanswerthathewouldbegladtofindsomelight, butthat, accordingtothisveryreligion, ifhebelievedinit, itwillbeofnousetohim, : Themachine.
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Aletterwhichindicatestheuseofproofsbythemachine.— Faithisdifferentfromproof; theoneishuman, .[97] ItisthisfaiththatGodHimselfputsintotheheart, ofwhichtheproofisoftentheinstrument, fidesexauditu;[98] butthisfaithisintheheart, andmakesusnotsayscio, butcredo.
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Itissuperstitiontoputone’shopeinformalities; butitispridetobeunwillingtosubmittothem.
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TheexternalmustbejoinedtotheinternaltoobtainanythingfromGod, thatistosay, wemustkneel, praywiththelips, etc., inorderthatproudman, whowouldnotsubmithimselftoGod, maybenowsubjecttothecreature.[99] Toexpecthelpfromtheseexternalsissuperstition; torefusetojointhemtotheinternalispride.
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Otherreligions, asthepagan, aremorepopular, , , , andhumblestheproudtotheexternal; itisnotperfectwithoutthetwo, forthepeoplemustunderstandthespiritoftheletter, andthelearnedmustsubmittheirspirittotheletter.
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