IT was the law of the Areopagite Judges, that those that pleaded before them,1 should plead without prefacing, and without passion. M. Burton quite contrary to this law, first begins with a Preface, and then writes a book so full of passion, as that whosoever reads it will acknowledge, that at least when he wrote it, he was not only [Greek or Hebrew], (as he confesseth of himself, pa. 2.) but (if I may invent a word to express that which cannot be expressed by any word now in use) [Greek or Hebrew], a man, not only of like passions with others, but made up all of passion; and that whosoever will contend with him, shall be loaded with dirt, rather then with arguments, and forced not so much to answer Objections, as to wipe off aspersions. For my part, I will not defile my self, nor my answer with reckoning up all the opprobries and calumnies that are cast upon me, not only collaterally and obliquely (as the supposed pen-man of the Pamphlet, as he calls it, to which he frames his Reply) but directly and by name. Only I crave leave to present this true, but short character of his book. His words are swords and spears, rather then words. He fights with his heels, rather then with his head, and kicks, rather then argues, and whips, rather then answers. Scarce any man since Montague's Appeal hath written with more bitterness. I may say of him, as D. Rivet doth of Bishop Montague, 2This man cannot mention a man from whom be differs, though but in sleight matters, without a reproach. And as Plato said to Diogenes, when he trod upon the pride of Plato, Thou treadest upon my pride with greater pride: So doth M. Burton tread upon me, and whatsoever is blame worthy in me, with a pride more then Episcopal. And surely, if to be railed upon and reviled be sufficient to bring a man into discredit, then must I be esteemed as [Greek or Hebrew], as the dung, off-scouring, and filth of the world. But to all ⟨p. 3⟩his bitter invectives, I will return the same answer that Austin did, who when he was told that his adversary was too hard for him in railing, he said. It was an easy thing that way to conquer Austin; but the Reader should perceive it was, Clamore, non veritate, by loud crying, not by truth. And what Hierom said against Helvidius, Arbitror te verita•e convictum ad maledicta converti.
IT was the law of the Areopagite Judges, that those that pleaded before them,1 should plead without prefacing, and without passion. M. Burton quite contrary to this law, first begins with a Preface, and then writes a book so full of passion, as that whosoever reads it will acknowledge, that at least when he wrote it, he was not only 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, (as he confesseth of himself, pa. 2.) but (if I may invent a word to expresse that which cannot be expressed by any word now in use) 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a man, not only of like passions with others, but made up all of passion; and that whosoever will contend with him, shall be loaded with dirt, rather then with arguments, and forced not so much to answer Objections, as to wipe off aspersions. For my part, I will not defile my self, nor my answer with reckoning up all the opprobries and calumnies that are cast upon me, not only collaterally and obliquely (as the supposed pen-man of the Pamphlet, as he cals it, to which he frames his Reply) but directly and by name. Only I crave leave to present this true, but short character of his book. His words are swords and spears, rather then words. He fights with his heels, rather then with his head, and kicks, rather then argues, and whips, rather then answers. Scarce any man since Montagues Appeal hath written with more bitternesse. I may say of him, as D. Rivet doth of Bishop Montague, 2This man cannot mention a man from whom be differs, though but in sleight matters, without a reproach. And as Plato said to Diogenes, when he trod upon the pride of Plato, Thou treadest upon my pride with greater pride: So doth M. Burton tread upon me, and whatsoever is blame worthy in me, with a pride more then Episcopall. And surely, if to be railed upon and reviled be sufficient to bring a man into discredit, then must I be esteemed as 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, as the dung, off-scouring, and filth of the world. But to all ⟨p. 3⟩his bitter invectives, I will return the same answer that Austin did, who when he was told that his adversary was too hard for him in railing, he said. It was an easie thing that way to conquer Austin; but the Reader should perceive it was, Clamore, non veritate, by loud crying, not by truth. And what Hierom said against Helvidius, Arbitror te verita•e convictum ad maledicta converti.
- 1[Greek or Hebrew]〈non-Latin alphabet〉
- 2Non potest vir ille s•ne con•iti•• quenquam a quo dissentit vel in levissimi• •o minare. Rivet. Apol.
