Book V - Snyder Bible

86
general of the good king gave this counsel, that both armies
should without bloodshed submit to the authority of the better
king, whereby all should be safe without danger; but that
the opposite general should say, No, but we must fight; that
not he who is worthy, but who is stronger, may reign, with
those who shall escape. Which, I ask you, would you rather
choose? I doubt not but that you would give your hands to the
better king, with the safety of all. And I do not now wish, as
Simon says that I do, that assent should be given, for the sake
of peace, to those things that are spoken amiss but that truth
be sought for with quietness and order.
Chapter XXV: Principles on Which the Discussion Should Be
Conducted
utations, when they perceive
that their error is confuted, immediately begin, for the sake
of making good their retreat, to create a disturbance, and to
stir up strifes, that it may not be manifest to all that they are
defeated; and therefore I frequently entreat that the investigation
of the matter in dispute may be conducted with all patience
and quietness, so that if perchance anything seem to be
not rightly spoken, it may be allowed to go back over it, and
explain it more distinctly. For sometimes a thing may be spoken
in one way and heard in another, while it is either advanced
too obscurely, or not attended to with sufficient care;
and on this account I desire that our conversation should be
conducted patiently, so that neither should the one snatch it
away from the other, nor should the unseasonable speech of
one contradicting interrupt the speech of the other; and that
we should not cherish the desire of finding fault, but that we
should be allowed, as I have said, to go over again what has
not been clearly enough spoken, that by fairest examination
the knowledge of the truth may become clearer. For we ought
to know that if any one is conquered by the truth, it is not he
that is conquered, but the ignorance which is in him, which is
the worst of all demons; so that he who can drive it out receives
the palm of salvation. For it is our purpose to benefit the