The appeal of iniured innocence, unto the religious learned and ingenuous reader in a controversie betwixt the animadvertor, Dr. Peter Heylyn, and the author, Thomas Fuller.

CHAP. VIII. The Fifth General Answer. That it is no shame for any Man to confess (when convinced thereof) and amend an Error in his Iudgement.

THe Knowledge of our Saviour, as God, may be compared to the Sun, all perfect and compleat at once without any accession or addition thereunto, whilst his Knowledge, as Man, like the Waxing Moon was capable of Increase, and was (though not subject to the least Error) receptive of clearer Information; * 1.1 and Iesus increased in Wisdome; yea, it is expresly said, yet learned he Obedience by the thing which he suffered.

Not such, the Knowledge of the best and wisest Man, which besides a Capability of more Instruction, is always attended with an obnoxiousnesse to many mistakes, seeing * 1.2here wee know in part, and easy it is for any Man to come on the Blinde Side of another, as being better versed and skilled in such particular matters.

When therefore I find my self convinced in my Judgement of an Error in my Church-History, by perusing the Notes of the Animadvertor, I will fairly and freely confesse and amend it.

And I conceive it is no shame at all for a Childe to write a few Lines of Retractation, after so good a * 1.3Father hath set him so fair a Copy thereof.

In such a case let not the Animadvertor give me any Blowes, where I conceive that my own Blush is a sufficient Penance for the same; and let him not immoderately insult on such occasions, seeing my Iudgement-Faults will be found neither in number nor Nature such as He hath suggested. Covetous Euclio in the * 1.4Comedy, complained that his Servant Intromisit Sexentos Coquos, had let in six hundred Cooks, when they wanted five hundred ninety eight of that number, being but two [Anthrax and Congrio] truely told; and though the Animadvertor frequently complaineth, that I * 1.5run into many Errors, run into many Errors; yet on examination, many of those Errors will prove Truths, and such as remain Errors will not prove many.

Besides, the Animadvertor is concerned to be civill to me in this Kind, seeing in this particular.

Veniam petimus dabimusque vicissim: A mutuall Bargain we may make, Pardon to give, and Pardon take.

If I were minded to retaliate, and to show that Humanum est errare, I could instance in many mistakes in the last Edition of his Geography. Some of the best Birth and Brains in our Nation, and Travalers in foreign parts, as far as India it self, proferred me on their accord to detect in several Countryes unexcusable Errors, confuted by their ocular discovery.

I heartily thanked them for that which I refused to accept; and did return; First, that the Book had atchieved a generall Repute, and not undeservedly. Secondly, that it was very usefull, and I my Self had reaped Benefit thereby. Thirdly, that it would seem in me like to Revenge in this Juncture of Time, when the Doctor was disadvantaged by some Infirmity. Lastly, that others might be detremented thereby. Yea, if we but look into his SHORT VIEW of the Life and Reign of King CHARLES, some Faults occur therein which God willing I will calmly discover in our Answer to these Animadversions, not with intent to Cloud his Credit, but Clear my own.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luke 2.28.
• * 1.2

  1 Cor. 13.9.
• * 1.3

  St Augustin.
• * 1.4

  Aulularia Plauti.
• * 1.5

  Page 218, 223, and often else∣where.