A26864:61
Rich. Baxters apology against the modest exceptions of Mr. T. Blake and the digression…
Rich. Baxters apology against the modest exceptions of Mr. T. Blake and the digression of Mr. G. Kendall whereunto is added animadversions on a late dissertation of Ludiomæus Colvinus, aliaà Ludovicus Molinæs̳, M. Dr. Oxon, and an admonition of Mr. W. Eyre of Salisbury : with Mr. Crandon's Anatomy for satisfaction of Mr. Caryl.
London: printed by A.M. for Thomas Underhill, 1654
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The Prologue.
MY Reverend and dearly beloved Brother, I remember that when I met you last at Shrewsbury, you told me that you had sent to the Press a Treatise of the Covenants, and desired me not to be offended, if you published in it some things against my Judgement: Your Treatise is since come to my hands, and upon a brief perusal of some part of it, I am bold to let you know this much of my thoughts, 1. That I very much value and honour your Learned Labours, and had I been Mr Vines or Mr Fisher, I might rather have given (in some respects) a higher commendations of your Book: And especially I love it for its sound discoveries of the Vanity of the Antinomians. 2. So far am I from being offended at your Writing against my Writings, that (as I have oft said concerning Mr Owen, since I saw his Book against me, even so do I by you) I never honoured you so much (though much) nor loved you so dearly (though dearly) before as since; for I see more of your worth then I saw before. For where I err, why should I be offended with any brother for loving Gods Truth and mens souls, above my Errors, or any seeming Reputation of mine that may be engaged in them, and for seeking to cure the hurt that I have done? God forbid that I should seek to maintain a Reputation obtained by, or held in an opposition to the Truth. I take all my Errors in Theology (even in the highest revealed points, participaliter) to be my sins; but especially my divulged Errors: And I take him for my best friend, that is the greatest enemy to my sins. And where I err not, I have little cause for my own sake to be offended at your opposition. For as you are pleased to honour me too highly both in your Epithets and tender dealing, yea in being at so much pains with any thing of mine, and in stooping to a public opposition of that which you might have thought more worthy of your contempt, so I know you did it in a zeal for God and Truth, and you thought all was Error that you opposed; so that in the general we fight under one Master, and for one Cause, and against one Enemy: You are for Christ, 1. For Truth and against Errors, so far as you know it, and so am I. I know you wrote not against Me, but against my Errors, real or supposed. And truly, though I would not be shameless or impenitent, nor go so far as Seneca, to say we should not object a common fault to singular persons (Vid. Cor. de Irâ, l.