A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

And do you not speak to this purpose in twenty other places? Is it not one of the main suppositions you proceed upon in your whole discourse? You do well now indeed to acknowledge that what you spake was fond and false, and you might do as much for the most that you have written in that whole discourse; but now openly to deny what you have asserted, and that in so many places, that is not so well done of you. There are Sir, many ways to free your self from that damage you feel or fear from the Animadversions. When any thing is charged on you, or proved against you which you are not able to defend; you may ingenuously acknowledge your mistake, and that without any dishonour to you at all: Good men have done so; so may you, or I, ⟨p. 91⟩when we have just occasion. It is none of your Tenets, that you are all of you Infallible, or that your personal mistakes or miscarriages will prejudice your Cause. Or you might pass it by, in silence, as you have done with the things of the most importance in the Animadversions, and so keep up your reputation that you could Reply to them if you would, or were free from flies. And we know [Greek or Hebrew], as Menander speaks. Silence is with many the best Answer. Or, you might attempt to disprove or answer, as the case requires. But this, that you have fixed upon, of denying your own words, is the very worst course that you could have chosen, upon the account either of Conscience or Reputation. However thus much we have obtained; One of the chief pretences of your Fiat is by your own confession, false and fond. It is indeed no wonder that it should be so, it was fully proved to be so, in the Animadversions; but that you should acknowledge it to be so, is somewhat strange; and it would have been very welcome news, had you plainly owned your conviction of it, and not renounced your own off-spring. But I see you have a mind to the benefit you aimed at by it, though you are ashamed of the way you used for the obtaining of it; and therefore add; That neither you, nor I, can deny that such as keep the unity of faith with that Church, can never, so long as they hold it, fall out on that account. But this, on the first consideration, seems to me no very singular Privilege; me-thinks a Turk, a few, an Arian, may say the same of their Societies: It being no more but this.

And do you not speak to this purpose in twenty other places? Is it not one of the main suppositions you proceed upon in your whole discourse? You do well now indeed to acknowledg that what you spake was fond and false, and you might do as much for the most that you have written in that whole discourse; but now openly to deny what you have asserted, and that in so many places, that is not so well done of you. There are St, many wayes to free your self from that dammage you feel or fear from the Animadversions. When any thing is charged on you, or proved against you which you are not able to defend; you may ingenuously acknowledg your mistake, and that without any dishonour to you at all: Good men have done so; so may you, or I,