..""444*Nik..mearmon.. A Preface to the Reader. plainly fignifies that the clearing of himfelf from' tome complaints and charges in the manner of handling the whole bufineffe, is'the work of that Apology, which yet is fo done, that fome of his antient and neareft friends have told him, that they have been afhamed to read what he bath written; Though I did prefently prepare a rough draught by way of. Rejoynder, yet this confideration (with the advice that, I re- ceived from the Stationer,that this Apology lay by the walls little looked after) put me upon a refolution to wait till E fhould fee his ftomach difgorged wholly , that I might at once receive the whole offhis ftrength,which hitherto l have found to be formidable only in flourifhes and calumnies,but the Proverb is verified, Threatened folks live long. He refl., ed fatisfied with hisApology fix compleat years,though there . is fcarce one year paft, but I often heard that an Anfwer to all Antagonifts was coming forth. In the mean (pace his in- fultations and cries of victory found in the ears of all that have any occafion of converfe with him,magnifying his own works to the pitty and fmile of his friends, to the fcorn and reproach of his adverfaries, vouching a learned man that told him that he had brought the handling of Divinity Controverfies into a Scholaftical method; All(it feems)may learn ofhim,he bath learnt of none;Ego primes inveni,is his glory : Suare7, Bellármine, Valentia, Stapleton among the Jefuits; Zanchius, Whitaker, P.nivzs, Reynolds, 7hìff è, Pride aux, nor any other among the Proteftants can reach him in their Polemicks. The Conceffions which he fuppofeth he . hath gained from his adverfa.ries, he holds out as fo many rich fpoils,boding a Conqueft.The tweaks and ftraits which he him felf is brought into, with. his fhuffies, tergiverfations, contradiF,tions, his light received from Jefuites , he leaves for difcourfe for his Readers. I only fay,if his arguments were as high as his confidence, none would land in his way; and if his confidence had bin as low as his arguments,he had A 3 never.
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