This one testimony ought to be enough unto this sort of men, whilst they are at any consistency with their own reputation ; for it is evident that there is nothing concerning personal election, effectual vocation, justification by the imputation of the righteousness of Christ, participation of him, union of believers unto and with his person, derivation of grace from him, etc., which are so reproached by our present author, but they are asserted by this great champion of the church of England, who undoubtedly knew the doctrine which it owned, and in his days approved, and that in such words and ex- pressions, as remote from the sentiments, or at least as unsavoury to the palates, of these men, as any they except against in others.
And what themselves so severely charge on us in point of dis- cipline, that nothing be spoken about it until all is answered that is written by Mr Hooker in its defence, may, I hope, not immodestly be so far returned, as to desire them that in point of doctrine they will grant us truce, until they have moved out of the way what is written to the same purpose by Mr Hooker. Why do not they speak
286 A VINDICATION OF
to him to leave fooling, and to speak sense, as they do to others? But let these things be as they are ; I have no especial concernment in them, nor shall take any farther notice of them, but only as they influence the exceptions which this author makes unto some passages in that book of mine. And in what I shall do herein, I shall take as little notice as may be of those scurrilous and reproachful ex- pressions, which either his inclination or his circumstances induced him to make use of If he be pleased with such a course of pro- cedure, I can only assure him, that as to my concernment, I am not displeased ; and so he is left unto his full liberty for the ftiture.
The first thing he quarrels about, is my asserting the necessity of acquaintance with the person of Cluist; which expression he fre- quently makes use of afterward in a way of reproach. The use of the word " acquaintance," in this matter, is warranted by our trans- lation of the Scripture, and that properly, where it is required of us to acquaint ourselves with God. And that I intended nothing thereby but the knowledge of Jesus Christ, is evident beyond any pretence to the contrary to be suggested by the most subtle or in- ventive malice. The crime, therefore, wherewith I am here charged, is my assertion that it is necessary that Christians should know Jesus Christ ; which I have afterward increased, by affirming also that they ought to love him : for by Jesus Christ all the world of Christians intend the person of Christ ; and the most of them, all of them, — the Socinians only excepted, — by his person, " the Word made flesh," or the Son of God incarnate, the mediator between God and man. For because the name Christ is sometimes used metonymically, to con- clude thence that Jesus Christ is not Jesus Christ, or that it is not the person of Christ that is firstly and properly intended by that name in the gospel, is a lewd and impious imagination ; and we may as well make Christ to be only a light within us, as to be the doctrine of the gospel without us. This knowledge of Jesus Christ I aver to be the only fountain of all saving knowledge : which is farther reflected on by this author; and he adds (no doubt out of respect unto me), " that he will not envy the glory of this discovery unto its author" and therefore honestly confesseth that he met with it in my book. But what doth he intend ? Whither will prejudice and corrupt de- signs cany and transport the minds of men ? Is it possible that he should be ignorant that it is the duty of all Christians to know Jesus Christ, to be acqiiainted with the person of Christ, and that this is the fountain of all saving knowledge, until he met -with it in my book about communion with God; which I dare say he looked not into, but only to find what he might except against? It is the Holy Gliost Inmself that is the author of this discoveiy ; and it is the great fundamental principle of the gospel. Wherefore, surely, this cannot
THE PRECEDING DISCOURSE. 287
be the man's intention ; and therefore we must look a Httle farther, to see what it is that he aimeth at. After, then, the repetition of some words of mine, he adds, as his sense upon them, p. 39, " So that it seems the gospel of Christ makes a very imperfect and obscure dis- covery of the nature, attributes, and the will of God, and the methods of our recovery. We may thoroughly understand whatever is revealed in the gospel, and yet not have a clear and saving knowledge of these thmgs, until we get a more intimate acquaintance with the person of Christ." And again, p. 40: "I shall show you what additions these men make to the gospel of Christ by an acquaintance with his person ; and I confess I am very much beholden to this author, for acknow- ledging whence they fetch all their orthodox and gospel mysteries, for I had almost pored my eyes out with seeking for them in the gospel, but could never find them ; but I learn now, that indeed they are not to be found there, unless we be first acquainted with the person of Christ." So far as I can gather up the sense of these loose expressions, it is, that I assert a knowledge of the person of Jesus Christ which is not revealed in the gospel, which is not taught us in the writings of Moses, the prophets, or apostles, but must be had some other way. He tells me afterward, p. 41, that I put in a word fallaciously, which expresseth the contrary; as though I intended another knowledge of Christ than what is declared in the gospel. Now, he either thought that this was not my design or intention, but would make use of a pretence of it for his advantage unto an end aimed at (which what it was I know well enough) ; or he thought, indeed, that I did assert and maintain such a knowledge of the person of Christ as was not received by Scripture revelation. If it was the first, we have an instance of that new morality which these new doctrines are accompanied withal ; if the latter, he discovers how meet a person he is to treat of things of this nature. Wherefore, to pre- vent such scandalous miscarriages, or futilous imaginations for the future, I here tell him, that if he can find in that book, or any other of my writings, any expression, or word, or syllable, intimating any knowledge of Christ, or any acquaintance with the person of Christ, but what is revealed and declared in the gospel, in the writings of Moses, the prophets, and apostles, and as it is so revealed and declared, and learned from thence, I will publicly burn that book with my own hands, to give him and all the world satisfaction. Nay, I say more : if an angel from heaven pretend to give any other knowledge of the person of Christ, but what is revealed in the gospel, let him be ac- cursed. And here I leave this author to consider with himself, what was the true occasion why he should first thus rejiresent himself unto the world in print, by the avowing of so unworthy and notorious a calumny.