Rich. Baxters apology against the modest exceptions of Mr. T. Blake and the digression…

§. 33.

R:B. Either I am an incompetent judge, through partiality, or else you had done but the part of a friend, yea of a candid adversary, to have taken in the rest of my words, which must make up the sense; which were these [As if the godly were called Righteous (besides their imputed righteousness) only because their sanctification and good works have some imperfect agreement to the Law of works.] I pray let the word [only] be remembered. 2. It is but in this one point that I charge them with Ignorance. And who is not ignorant in more points then one? If it be so proud and arrogant a speech as some other Brethren have affirmed it to be, then every man is proud and arrogant that differs from another, and disputeth the difference. For I cannot differ from any man unless I suppose him to Err: And doubtless every man is so far Ignorant as he Erreth. Must I then differ from none? yea from no Learned Divines? Why then when one affirmeth and another denieth, I must be of both sides, for fear of censuring one side as Ignorant or Erroneous. 3. I confess I was not well acquainted with the genius of many of my Reverend and truly Honoured Brethren. I thought that no godly man would have taken himself wronged, if a man told him, he had Error, no more then to tell him he had sin. I took it for granted that humanum est errare, and that we know but in part, and that sanctifying grace had so far destroyed pride, and made the soul apprehensive of its imperfection, that, at least, men of eminent godliness could have endured patiently to hear that they are not omniscient nor infallible, and that they have some ignorance with their eminent knowledge? and why not in this point as well as another? If any think that I arrogate that knowledge to my self which I deny to them: I reply, So I do in every case wherein I differ from any man living: For if I thought not my judgement right, it were not indeed my judgement: and if I thought not his opinion wrong, I did not differ from him. But if they will affirm that therefore I do either vilify them, or prefer my self in other things, I hope they will bring better proof of their affirmation. For my own part I unfeignedly profess my self conscious of much more ignorance then ever I charged on any of my Brethren in the Ministry: