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# Title: The Questions Concerning Liberty, Necessity, And Chance (shelfmark Leibn. Marg. 163)
# Folio 46, page id 1030877386:0058
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46
TLno not uhat Art it is that eivcthtbis rule. I am sure
Et is not the Art of Reason nhich mencall Loeique. Fer Reason
teacheth, and the example os those who onely reasen methodically,
(rhichare the ALathematisians) that a man wohen he will de-
monstrare therruch of nhat he istosay, must inthe first place de-
termine ihat he mill have ro be understood by his words; which de-
termination is called definition; whereby the sienifications of his
vords are (o clearly (et dorn, that there can crcep in no ambi-
enity. And cherefore there will beno need of distinctions; and
consequentiu his rule f Art, is arass preceptos some ienorant
man, ohem he and others have follomed.
The Bimop rells us that Liberty is sometimes opposedto sin
eo oppression, 10servitude; Whicb is eo rell us that they nhom he
hathread inthis point, are inconstant in the meanine of their on
mords; andrber fore they are licele beholdinero him. And
this aiversiy of significarions he calls distinctions. Do men that
bythe same mord in one place meanoncthine, aud in another a-
nocher, andnerertellus so, distinenist? Lchintethey rather
confonnd. And yethesares, thac chese distinctions do rereu-
allu imply a descriprion ot crue Tibercy, wrtrich comech
neerer che essence ofic, chanT. II. hisrorins definicion;
Wthich definition of mine mas this, Liberey is when chere is no
external impediment. Sothat in his opinion a mansal sooner
understand Liberty by readine thesc mords, Rom. 6. Beins
madetree lrom Cin, or these mords, Fsay 58. T0let the op-
prelled eotree, or by thesc mords, Levit. 25. Tou thall pro-
claim Liberey chroushoucche Land, than by these mords of
mine. Liberey is the absence ot external impedimenes eo
mocion. Alsoherrill face me donnthat l understand rhat hc
mennes by his distinctions of liberty of Contrariecy, of Contra-
diction, of Fixercise onely, of Exercise and Specification
joinely. If he mean L understandhis meanine, in one sence it
ie truc; for bythimhe means tosistoff the discredit of beine
ableto say nochino 1o the Ouestion, as they do, that pretendine
roknom ihe cause of every thine. sive forthe cause of nhy the
Toadstone drarretheo it lron. sympathy, (s occult qualitu; makinq
they CanHOECeII, (turned nom into Occulr) costand for the re-
alt canseof that mest admirable effect. But that those mords
sienifi