TO prevent your trouble and misunderstanding in the perusal of these Disputations: I have two things here at the entrance to acquaint you with. First, The occasion of all these Writings: Secondly, The true state of the Controversies here managed. The first Disputation is upon a Question of considerable weight, whether Christ as Christ, and so as Prophet, Priest and King▪ be the Object of that Faith by which we are justified? Three points especially my Reverend Brother Mr. Blake was pleased to publish his Reasons against, which in my Aphorisms I had asserted. These being vindicated by me in an Apology, he renewed the conflict in his Treatise of the Sacraments. The first ⟨image 3⟩about the Sacraments I have defended again in a Volume by it self. The second is this in hand, which I had finished about fifteen or sixteen months ago. The third is about the Instrumental efficiency of Faith to our Justification, of which I had also begun above a twelve month since. But it hath lately pleased our wise and gracious Lord to call this Reverend Brother to himself: whereupon, though this first Disputation was gone so far, that I could not well recall it, yet the others, which was not out of my power, I resolved to condemn to perpetual silence. If you ask me a reason of this resolution, I must desire that my disposition and passion may go for part of a Reason this once. The grief of my heart for the loss of this precious servant of Christ would not permit me to appear any further in a way that seemed to militate with the dead, and with one whose death, we have all so much cause to lament. Alas, that our sin should provoke our dear Father, to put out the precious Lights of his Sanctuary, and to call in such experienced faithful Labourers, while ignorance, and error, and profaneness, and all Vice doth so plenteously survive. When these plants of Hell do thrive upon us, under all our care to weed them up: what will they do when the Vineyard is left desolate? Though God in mercy is raising up a supply of young ones, that may come to be Pillars in their days: yet alas, what difference will the Church find between these, and their grave experienced Guides: and how many years study, and experience, and patience, is necessary to ripen these tender plants, to bring them to the stature, and stability, and strength of such as this Blessed servant of Christ, that is now taken from us.
TO prevent your trouble and misunderstanding in the perusal of these Disputations: I have two things here at the entrance to acquaint you with. First, The occasion of all these Writings: Secondly, The true state of the Controversies here managed. The first Disputation is upon a Question of considerable weight, whether Christ as Christ, and so as Prophet, Priest and King▪ be the Object of that Faith by which we are justified? Three points especially my Reverend Brother Mr. Blake was pleased to publish his Reasons against, which in my Aphorisms I had asserted. These being vindicated by me in an Apologie, he renewed the conflict in his Treatise of the Sacraments. The first ⟨image 3⟩about the Sacraments I have defended again in a Volume by it self. The second is this in hand, which I had finished about fifteen or sixteen months ago. The third is about the Instrumental efficiency of Faith to our Justification, of which I had also begun above a twelve month since. But it hath lately pleased our wise and gracious Lord to call this Reverend Brother to himself: whereupon, though this first Disputation was gone so far, that I could not well recall it, yet the others, which was not out of my power, I resolved to condemn to perpetual silence. If you ask me a reason of this resolution, I must desire that my disposition and passion may go for part of a Reason this once. The grief of my heart for the loss of this precious servant of Christ would not permit me to appear any further in a way that seemed to militate with the dead, and with one whose death, we have all so much cause to lament. Alas, that our sin should provoke our dear Father, to put out the precious Lights of his Sanctuary, and to call in such experienced faithful Labourers, while ignorance, and error, and prophaness, and all Vice doth so plenteously survive. When these plants of Hell do thrive upon us, under all our care to weed them up: what will they do when the Vineyard is left desolate? Though God in mercy is raising up a supply of young ones, that may come to be Pillars in their dayes: yet alas, what difference will the Church find between these, and their grave experienced Guides: and how many years study, and experience, and patience, is necessary to ripen these tender plants, to bring them to the stature, and stability, and strength of such as this Blessed servant of Christ, that is now taken from us.
