Page:Reflections upon ancient and modern learning (IA b3032449x).pdf/373

 table to the Ways of Arguing, and the peculiar Notions of all their several Adversaries. Afterwards, when the Mysteries of the Christian Religion were so eagerly debated, in Ages wherein they feared no Foreign Force, they shewed as great Subtilty in their Arguments, and as great Dexterity in shifting off the Sophisms of their Opponents, as have ever been shewed in later Times. So that thus far the Moderns seem to have little Advantage: And, indeed, the Books that were written in Defence of the Christian Religion were very admirable: But in the Controversies that were managed amongst themselves, there seem to be, many Times, as visible Signs of too great a Subtilty, as of a judicious Understanding of the Point in hand: They used little Method in ranging their Arguments, and rarely stated the Question in plain and short Terms; which made them often multiply Words to a tedious Length, that both tired the Readers, and darkned the Dispute. That all these Faults are too often found in the Polemical Discourses of the Moderns, is most certain: But Comparisons are always laid between the ablest Men of both Sides.