PROLEGOMENA. XXI. 



reorj signifies a thing omnium reatu confirmata ; 

 in otiier words, that which is, par excellence^ the 

 universal beUef. 



Verity, from valde reor, signifies the very 

 thing or universal thinking, and implies that 

 authority or consent, from which emanates all 

 truth. Vereor^ is to be very much thinged. 



We should do well to meditate on the im- 

 port of this momentous word Truth, and reflect, 

 that as it is one, and immutable only because 

 God's Word is so, which speaks it to our under- 

 standings ; so we must, by the consummation of 

 the same word, one day, view all our private 

 troths or false belief, exposed and confounded. 

 For it will be of no avail to know the truth when 

 the time allotted for the discovery of truth shall 

 be no more, and when the dupe of private 

 judgment may stand on the brink of irrevocable 

 damnation, and exclaim, in confusion and agony, 

 O Antient and Eternal Truths too late have I 

 known thee ! 



Having satisfied our minds with respect to 

 the force of Authority, we will now proceed to see 

 how etymology helps us out with respect to the 

 doctrines themselves which, on that Authority, we 

 are now disposed to admit as true. 



Fa.lsehood, which is opposed to Truth, 

 comes from the same root as the verb to fail. 

 It corresponds to the Latin falsus itova. fallere, 



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