Apology Against the Exceptions of Black and Kendall, Prologue – Section Blake 1
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 Preſſe 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 peruſall 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 farre 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 erre, why ſhould I be offended with any brother for loving Gods Truth and mens ſouls, above my Errours, or any ſeeming Reputation of mine that may be ingaged 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 ſinnes; but eſpecially my divulged Errors: And I take him for my beſt friend, that is the greateſt enemy to my ſins. And where I erre 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 Epithetes and tender dealing, yea in being at ſo much pains with any thing of mine, and in ſtooping to a publick 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 farre as you know it, and ſo am I. I know you wrote not againſt Me, but againſt my Errors, reall or ſuppoſed. And truly, though I would not be ſhameleſſe 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. 3. c. 26. p. (mihi) 452. no more then to reproach a Blackmore with his colour; yet I ſee ſo much by the moſt Learned and Judicious, to aſſure me that humanum eſt errare, and that we know but in part, that I take it for no more diſhonour, to have the world know that I erre, then for them to know that I am one of their Brethren, a ſon of Adam, and not yet arrived at that bleſſed ſtate where that which is childiſh ſhall ceaſe, and all that is imperfect ſhall be done away. Only if my Errors be greater then ordinary, I muſt be humbled more then ordinary, as knowing that my ſin is the cauſe that I have no greater illumination of the Spirit. I have truly publiſhed to the world my indignation againſt the proud indignation of thoſe men, that account him their enemy that ſhall publiquely contradict them.
2. Yet muſt I needs tell you, that in the points which you contradict, I finde no great alteration upon my underſtanding by your Writings; whether it be from the want of evidence of truth in your Confutation, or through the dulneſſe of my Apprehenſion, I hope I ſhall better be able to judge, when I have heard from you next. I think I may ſafely ſay, It is not from an unwillingneſs to know the Truth. And one further difference there is in our Judgements: For my Judgement is, that it is not ſo convenient nor ſafe a way to publiſh ſuddenly a reply to your oppoſition, as to tell you my thoughts privately (ſeeing we live ſo near) and to bring the Points in difference by friendly collations to as narrow a compaſs as we can, and make as clear a diſcovery of each others meanings as may be; and then by joynt conſent to tell the world our ſeveral Judgements, and our Reaſons, as lovers of the Truth and of each other; that ſo others may have the benefit of our friendly Collations and Enquiries; and may be thereby advantaged for the more facile diſcovery of the Truth. Truly I would have all ſuch Controverſies ſo handled, that all the vain altercations might lye in the duſt in our ſtudies, and that which is publiſhed might be in one Volume friendly ſubſcribed by both parties. In this I perceive by your practiſe, your Judgement differs from mine; and that you rather judge it fitteſt to ſpeak firſt by the Preſſe, that the world may hear us. I crave your acceptance of theſe Papers, rather in this private way, and that you will ſignifie to me in what way I ſhall expect your return, wherein I think it fitter you pleaſe your ſelf then me. I ſhall faithfully give you an account of the effect of your Arguments on my weak underſtanding; but not in the order as they lye in your Book, but I will begin with thoſe Points which I judge to be of greateſt moment.
§. 1. Mr Blake Treat. of Covenants, pag. 79.
IT is alſo true that faith accepts Chriſt as a Lord, as well as a Saviour: But it is the Acceptation of him as a Saviour, not as a Lord, that Juſtifies: Chriſt Rules his People as a King, Teacheth them as a Prophet, but makes Atonement for them only as a Prieſt, by giving himſelf in Sacrifice, his blood for Remiſſion of ſins: Theſe muſt be diſtinguiſhed, but not divided: Faith hath an eye at all, the blood of Chriſt, the command of Chriſt, the doctrine of Chriſt, but as it lies and faſtens on his blood, ſo it Juſtifies. He is ſet out a propitiation through faith in his blood, Rom. 3.24. not through faith in his command. It is the blood of Chriſt that cleanſeth all ſin, and not the Soveraignty of Chriſt. Theſe confuſions of the diſtinct parts of Chriſts Mediatorſhip, and the ſpeciall offices of faith may not be ſuffered. Scripture aſſignes each its particular place and work; Soveraignty doth not cleanſe us; nor doth blood command us: Faith in his blood, not faith yielding to his Soveraignty doth Juſtifie us.