T. This will show thee, that what minds have not understood, they have attempted to interpret, because what is understood, does not need an interpretation. When a work is so written as to be understood by those who read, it will not need an interpretation, and when it is not so written, it is defective.
C. Then, thou sayest the Bible is defective.
T. I say, that if an interpretation be necessary to understand it, it is defective; and, when minds solicit an interpretation thereof, they admit the defect. If there were no defects, why ask for an interpretation?
C. I want what will make it plain and clear.
T. What will supply some defect, I conclude.
C. That will be a saying what infidels allege.
T. Is it not doing what infidels say, when thou askest an interpretation? They tell thee, that wrongs are in the Bible, and thou wilt not say, that the Bible is right without an interpretation. So, the interpreters of the Bible and infidels are agreed, that the Bible is not right without an interpretation?
C. That is apparently thy conclusion, but it is a new idea to me.
T. The idea will be more than apparent, when thou shalt divest thy mind of thy doubts. Thou hast more skepticism than is consistent with thy good.
C. This is the first time I was ever accused of skepticism.