280 A VINDICATION OF
which, as far as I can discex'n, upon consideration of their abihty for such a work, and their confidence therein, is not hke to be in haste ; — at least, they can change their course, and when they are out of breath in pursuit of one sort of calumnies, betake themselves unto another. Witness the late malicious, and yet withal ridiculous, reports that they have divulged concerning me, even with respect unto civil affairs, and their industry therein; for although they were such as had not any thing of the least probability or likelihood to give them coun- tenance, yet were they so impetuously divulged, and so readily enter- tained by many, as made me think there was more than the common artifices of calumny employed in their raising and improvement, especially coDsidering what persons I can justly charge those reports upon. But in this course they may proceed whilst they please and think convenient: I find myself no more concerned in what they write or say of this nature than if it were no more but, —
— Sirs/ JJTS KaxM DVT a^^ovi ^mti iotKa;}
It is the doctrine traduced only that I am concerned about, and that as it hath been the doctrine of the church of England.
It may be it will be said (for there is no security against confidence and immodesty, backed with secular advantages), that the doctrinal principles asserted in this book are agreeable with the doctrine of thb church in former times; and therefore those opposed in it, such as are condemned thereby. Hereabout I shall make no long contest with them who once discover that their minds are by any means emboldened to undertake the defence of such shameless untruths; nor shall I multiply testimonies to prove the contrary, which others are more concerned to do, if they intend not to betray the rehgion of that church with whose preservation and defence they are intrusted. Only, because there are ancient divines of this church, who, I am persuaded, Avill be allowed with the most to have known as well the doctrine of it, and as firmly to have adhered thereunto, as this author, who have particularly spoken unto most of the things which he hath opposed, or rather reproached, I shall transcribe the words of one of them, whereby he, and those who employ him, may be minded with whom they have to do in those things. For, as to the writers of the ancient church, there is herein no regard had unto them. He Avhom I shall name is Mr. Hooker, and that in his famous book of " Eccle- siastical Polity;" who, in the fiifth book thereof, and 56th paragraph, thus discourseth: —
" We have hitherto spoken of the person and of the presence of Christ. Participation is that mutual inward hold which Christ hath of us, and we of him, in such sort that each possesseth other by way ' Od. i. 187. 5 Od. ^. 401.
THE PRECEDING DISCOURSE. 281
of special interest, property, and inherent copulation." And after the interposition of some things concerning the mutual in-being and love of the Father and the Son, he thus proceedeth : — " We af e by nature the sons of Adam. When God created Adam, he created us ; and as many as are descended from Adam have in themselves the root out of which they spring. The sons of God we neither are all nor any one of us, otherwise than only by grace and favour. The sons of God have God's own natural Son as a second Adam from heaven; whose race and progeny they are by spiritual and heavenly birth. God therefore loving eternally his Son, he must needs eter- nally in him have loved, and preferred before all others, them which are spiritually since descended and sprung out of him. These were in God as in their Saviour, and not as in their Creator only. It was the purpose of his saving goodness, his saving wisdom, and his saving power, which inclined itself towards them. They which thus were in God eternally by their intended admission to life, have, by voca- tion or adoption, God actually now in them, as the artificer is in the work which his hand doth presently frame. Life, as aU other gifts and benefits, groweth originally from the Father, and cometh not to us but by the Son, nor by the Son to any of us in particular, but through the Spirit. For this cause the apostle wisheth to the church of Corinth, ' the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost;' which three St Peter compre- hendeth in one, — the participation of the divine nature. We are, therefore, in God through Christ eternally, according to that intent and purpose whereby we are chosen to be made his in this present world before the world itself was made. We are in God through the knowledge which is had of us, and the love which is borne towards us from everlasting ; but in God we actually are no longer than only from the time of our actual adoption into the body of his true church, — into the fellowship of his children. For his church he knoweth and loveth ; so that they which are in the church are thereby known to be in him. Our being in Christ by eternal foreknowledge saveth us not, without our actual and real adoption into the fellowship of his saints in this present world. For in him we actually are by our actual incorporation into that society which hath him for their head, and doth make together with him one body (he and they in that respect having one name) ; for which cause, by virtue of this mystical conjunction, we are of him, and in him, even as though our very flesh and bones should be made continuate with his. We are in Christ, because he knoweth and loveth us, even as parts of himself No man is actually in him but they in whom he actually is; for he which hath not the Son of God hath not life. ' I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth