A discussion of the popish doctrine of transubstantiation wherein the same is declared, by…A discussion of the popish doctrine of transubstantiation vvherein the same is declared, by…

§ 4. Fourthly, having traced him through his whole Treatise •e findeth him to be a mere collector out of other Authors, & to have stol•e out of Bellar. his objections, concealing his answers: and in a word all so poor & so weak, that it may seem written only for Ladies and idiots, unable to examine. I say no more here in way of defence for my self but this only; that this should have been rather discovered by him in particular, then thus charged in general, unless he could in the prosecution of it have better discharged himself then he hath done hitherto. The truth is; he himself is so much beholden to Bellarmine, that he is fain ever and anon to refer his Reader to seek in him what he should say (if he thought it at least worth the saying) himself. As if it were a good proof of what he averreth, or a sufficient refutation of what he findeth objected, to say, that Bellarmine hath largely proved the one, or Bellarmine hath sufficiently answered the other. Which if he have done either, he hath done more by much then he oft attempteth once to do. And surely his manner of dealing, beside the slightness and slenderness of his Answers, with a wet finger (as we say) passing by the manifold allegations produced as well out of the Ancients, as out of their own Authors, doth give a shrewd suspicion, that he thought this his writing would never be examined by any either learned or unlearned, unless they were such as wanted even common sense, sufficient to discover the absurdity of divers passages therein.

§ 4. Fourthly, hauing traced him through his whole Treatise •e findeth him to be a meere collector out of other Authors, & to haue stol•e out of Bellar. his •bi•ctions, cōc•aling his answeres: and in a word all so poore & so weake, that it may seeme written onely for Ladies and ideotes, vnable to examine. I say no more here in way of defence for my selfe but this onely; that this should haue beene rather discouered by him in particular, then thus charged in generall, vnlesse he could in the prosecution of it haue better discharged himselfe then he hath done hitherto. The truth is; he himselfe is so much beholden to Bellarmine, that he is faine euer and anone to referre his Reader to seeke in him what he should say (if he thought it at least worth the saying) himselfe. As if it were a good proofe of what he auerreth, or a sufficient resutation of what he findeth obiected, to say, that Bellarmine hath largely prooued the one, or Bellarmine hath sufficiently answered the other. Which if he haue done either, he hath done more by much then he oft attempteth once to doe. And surely his manner of dealing, beside the slightnesse and slendernesse of his Answeres, with a wet finger (as we say) passing by the manifold allegations produced as well out of the Auncients, as out of their owne Authors, doth giue a shrewd suspition, that he thought this his writing would neuer be examined by any either learned or vnlearned, vnlesse they were such as wanted euen common sense, sufficient to discouer the absurditie of diuers passages therein.