But in neither of these do we receive our light or knowledge from maxims.

But in the one, the things themselves afford it: and we see the truth in them by perceiving their agreement or disagreement.

In the other, God himself affords it immediately to us: and we see the truth of what he says in his unerring veracity.
(3) Nor as helps in the discovery of yet unknown truths.
They are not of use to help men forward in the advancement of sciences, or new discoveries of yet unknown truths.

Mr.Newton, in his never enough to be admired book, has demonstrated several propositions, which are so many new truths, before unknown to the world, and are further advances in mathematical knowledge: but, for the discovery of these, it was not the general maxims, 'what is, is;' or, 'the whole is bigger than a part,' or the like, that helped him.

These were not the clues that led him into the discovery of the truth and certainty of those propositions.
Nor was it by them that he got the knowledge of those demonstrations, but by finding out intermediate ideas that showed the agreement or disagreement of the ideas, as expressed in the propositions he demonstrated.