Artifice, in the ordering of the same Feathers in a thousand varities of Figures. I will not insist long on the Barbarousness of their style: though that too might justly be censur'd: for all the antient Philoso∣phers, though they labor'd not to be full, and a∣dorn'd in their Speech: yet they always strove to be easie, naturall, and unaffected. Plato was allow'd by all to be the chief Master of speaking, as well as of thinking. And even Aristotle himself, whom a∣lone these men ador'd, however he has been since us'd by his Commentators, was so carefull about his words, that he was esteem'd one of the purest, and most polite Writers of his time. But the want of good Language, not being the Schole-mens worst defect, I shall pass it over: and rather stop a little, to exa∣mine the the matter itself, and order in which they proceeded.The Subjects about which they were most conver∣sant, were either some of those Arts, which Aristo∣stle had drawn into Method, or the more specula∣tive parts of our Divinity. These they commonly handled after this fashion. They began with some generall Definitions of the things themselves, ac∣cording to their universal Natures: Then divided them into their parts, and drew them out into sever∣all propositions, which they layd down as Problems: these they controverted on both sides: and by ma∣ny nicities of Arguments, and citations of Autho∣rities, confuted their adversaries, and strengthned their own dictates. But though this Notional Warr had been carry'd on with farr more care, and calm∣ness amongst them, then it was: yet it was never able to do any great good towards the enlargement of knowledge: Because it rely'd on generall Terms,0