Truth Maintained, Title page 1 – Prefatory letter 4
Truth Maintained, or POSITIONS DELIVERED in a Sermon at the SAVOY: Since Traduced For DANGEROVS: Now Aſſerted For SOVND and SAFE.
By THOMAS FVLLER, B. D. late of Sidney Colledge in Cambridge.
The Particulars are Theſe.
I That the Doctrine of the Impoſſibility of a Churches perfection, in this world, being wel underſtood, begets not lazineſſe but the more induſt… in wiſe reformers.
II That the Church of England cannot juſtly be taxed with ſuperſtitious innovations.
III How farre private Chriſtians, Miniſters, and ſubordinate Magiſtrates, are to concurre to the advancing of a Publique Reformation.
IIII What parts therein are only to be acted by the Supreme power.
V Of the progreſſe, and praiſe of paſſive obedience.
VI That no extraordinary Excitations, Incitations, or Inſpirations are beſtowed from God, on men in theſe dayes.
VII That it is utterly unlawfull to give any juſt offence to the papiſt, or to any men whatſoever.
VIII What advantage the Fathers had of us, in learning and religion, and what we have of them.
IX That no new light, or new eſſentiall truths, are, or can be revealed in this age.
X That the doctrine of the Churches imperfection, may ſafely be preached, and cannot honeſtly be concealed.
With ſeverall Letters, to cleare the occaſion of this Book.
I will beare the wrath of the Lord, becauſe I have ſinned againſt him, untill he plead my cauſe, and execute iudgement for me; then will he bring me forth to the light, and I ſhall ſee his righteouſneſſe,
Micah. 7. 9.
Printed at London, Anno Dom. 1643.
TO THE Moſt Sacred, and Reverend ASSEMBLY For the REFORMATION of the CHURCH, now convened by the PARLIAMENT.
Moſt Sacred and Reverend Divines,
I Have but the thoughts of an Afternoone to ſpread before you; for I Examined the ſame Pace that J read, that if it were poſſible a Truth might overtake an Errour, ere it goe too farre. It is not a little Encouragement that I may ſit like the Propheteſſe under the Palme tree, under ſuch a Shade as your ſelves, and what weakeneſſe ſoever may appeare in theſe my Aſſertions: This ayring them under your Patronage, will heale them. For ſo they brought forth the ſick into the ſtreets, that at leaſt the ſhadow of Peter might touch ſome of them. Thus have I ſuddenly ſet up my Candle for others to Light their Torch at; and, I hope, you will pardon me, if my Zeale to the Truth made me ſee Anothers faults ſooner then mine Owne,
Your Servant in Chriſt Ieſus Iohn Saltmarſh.
TO the Two moſt Famous VNIVERSITIES OF ENGLAND
I Dare not give you ſuch high Epithites, as Maſter Saltmarſh beſtoweth upon the Aſſembly, to call you the MOST SACRED. Quid amplius praepotenti & immortali Deo tribuimus ſi quod eius proprium eſt cripimus? Bodin. de Repub. l. 1. c. ultBe contented to be Stiled the Two moſt Famous Vniverſities; a Title, which it is no Flattery to give you, but Injury to deny you.
I have the Studies of ſome whole dayes to ſpread before you. I am not aſhamed to confeſſe ſo much, but ſhould be aſhamed to preſent your learned Conſiderations with leſſe. And will rather runne the hazard of other mens Cenſure, to have ſtudied ſo long to no purpoſe, then to be guilty to my ſelfe of ſo much diſreſpect to You, as to offer to your Patronage what coſt me but ſleight ſtudying.
Indeed I examined his Examinations of my Sermon with the ſame pace that I read them. But I could not confute his Errors ſo ſpeedily as I could diſcover them, nor could I ſo ſoon make them appeare to others, as they appeared to me; and the Evidencing of his Faults did coſt me ſome Paines, whereof I hope I ſhall never have juſt Cauſe to Repent.
I am altogether out of hope that my Truth ſhould quickly overtake his Error, which had the Advantage of me both at the Starting and in the Speed; And yet I beleeve what I want in the ſwiftneſſe of my Feet, I ſhall have in the Firmeneſſe of my footing. And when I overtake it at laſt, as I am ſure I ſhall, ſeeing on truths will Tire (as being better at hand then at length) I am confident by Gods Aſſiſtance, it will get firme and quiet Poſſeſſion in ſpight of oppoſition.
It is altogether Improper for mee to compare You being Two in number to the Palme Tree under which the Propheteſſe Deborah; face; But the Analogie will hold well, if I ſhould reſemble You to the Two Olive Trees continually dropping oyle in the Preſence of God. And methinks Maſter Saltmarſh his Expreſſion to the Aſſembly, VNDERUNDER SVCH A SHADE AS YOVR SELVES, making thout in the Aſſembly but a Shadow, (and then what is the Shadow of a Shadow worth under which hee deſireth to ſit?) was but an undervaluing and diminutive expreſſing of their worth.
I honour you as You Deſerve, and Counting You a Real and Laſting Subſtance, ſo I addreſſe my Reſpects unto you:
Humbly requeſting you to be pleaſed to Patronize and defend this my defence: the rather becauſe what doctrines therein I deliver, not long ſince I ſuckt from One of you, and in this reſpect I beleive both Breaſts give Milke alike; And therefore as your Learning is moſt Able, ſo your Goodneſſe will bee willing to Protect the ſame, not ſo much becauſe I had them from you, as becauſe you had them from the Truth.
Some perchance may blame my Choice in Chooſing You for my Protection who in theſe troubleſome times are ſcarce able to defend your ſelves: The Univerſities being now Degraded, at leaſt ſuſpended from the degree of their former Honour. And I wonder, Men ſhould now talke of an Extraordinary great Light, when the two Eyes of our Land (ſo you were ever accompted) are almoſt put out. However this ſhort Interruption of your Happineſſe will but adde the more to your Honour hereafter.
And here, as it were Store of Pride for me to Counſell you, ſo it were want of duty not to Comfort you. Know, the only Good Token of theſe Times is, That they are ſo extreamely Bad they can never laſt long. God give you a ſanctified Impreſſion of your Afflictions, neither to ſleight them nor ſink under them; and ſo, forbearing to be longer troubleſome to your more ſerious Employments, reſteth
The meaneſt of your Sonnes or Nephewes Thomas Fuller.
TO THE LEARNED AND MY WORTHY GOOD FRIEND, Maſter Charles Herle.
SIR,
WHen I read a Pamphlet of M. Saltmarſh written againſt me, it ſomething moved my Affections, but nothing removed my Judgement. But when I ſaw it recommended to the world with your Approbation, in this manner,
Nihil invenio in hoc Libello, cui Titulus, (Examinations, or a diſcovery of ſome dangerous Poſitions, delivered in a Sermon of Reformation Preached by Tho. Fuller, B. D. quin utiliter imprimatur.
Charles Herle.
I muſt confeſſe it troubled me not a little, ſuſpecting either my Eyes or my Underſtanding, that either I miſread your Name, or had miſ-written ſomething in my Sermon. Wherefore fearing Partiality might blind me in mine Owne Book (knowing that Eli was not the onelyonly Indulgent Father to his owne Off-ſpring) I imparted my Sermon to ſome whom you reſpect, and they reſpect you: Men of ſingular Learning and Piety, to Examine it. Theſe likewiſe could diſcover no dangerous Poſitions in it, except ſuch as were dangerous for a Preacher to deliver, but ſafe for People to Receive in theſe Troubleſome Times. And I am Confident that their Iudgement was ſuch, They would not be deceived with my Falſehoods: and their Honeſty ſuch, They would not deceive me by their Flattery.
And now Sir (Love cannot Hate, but it may juſtly be Angry) Conſider how your accuſing of me, to maintaine dangerous Poſitions, might, as the Times ſtand, have undone me and mine, and at leaſt have intituled mee to a Priſon, now adayes the Grave of men alive. Times are not as formerly, when Schollers might ſafely Traverſe a Controverſie in diſputation. Honourable Tilting is left off, ſince men fell to down-right killing; and in vaine ſhould I diſpute my Innocence againſt Souldiers violence, who would interpret the Accuſation of a man of your Credit to be my ſufficient Conviction.
I have in this my Defence, ſo well as God did Enable me, more clearely expreſſed, and ſtrongly confirmed the Poſitions I formerly delivered, and requeſt you to tell mee, which are the dangerous Points that here I mainetaine. By the Lawes of our Land, the Creditor hath his Choice, whether he will ſue the Principall, or the Surety, and diſcretion will adviſe him, to ſue him which is moſt ſolveable. Your Ability is ſufficiently knowne, and ſeeing you have beene pleaſed to be bound for Maſter Saltmarſh his Booke, in your Approving it: blame me not Sir, if I (I will not ſay ſue you) but Sue to you for my Reparation.
If you can Convince me of my Faults herein (and I will bring great deſire, and ſome capacity to Learne from you) I ſhall owne my ſelfe your Proſelyte, thanke God for you, and you for my Converſion. Yea in a Printed ſheet I will doe publique Penance to the open view of the World, to ſhew men, that although I had ſo much Ignorance as to Erre, I have not ſo much Impudence as to Perſiſt in an Errour, and ſhall remaine,
Yours in all Chriſtian Offices. THOMAS FULLER.
To the Reverend and his Worthy good Friend, Maſter IOHN DOWNAM.
SIR,
BEing about to read Maſter Saltmarſh his examination of a Sermon of mine, which you (to the Preachers credit, and Printers ſecurity) were pleaſed to approve for Orthodox and Vſefull, mine eyes in the beginning thereof, were entertained (I cannot ſay welcomed) with this following note,
An Advertiſement returned to the Author, by a Reverend Divine, to certifie him touching the Licenſers allowance of Maſter Fullers late Sermon of Reformation.
Sir, To ſatisfie you concerning M. Downams approbation of Maſter Fullers Sermon of Reformation, I aſſure you I heard him complaine, that he was wronged by him, in that having taken exception at ſome paſſages of that Sermon, Maſter Fuller promiſed to amend them according to his correction, but that he did not performe what he promiſed.
Conclude me not guilty if I were moved, but ſenceleſſe if I had not beene perplext with this accuſation. Had it beene true, I want a word bad enough to expreſſe the fouleneſſe of my deed. Yea iuſtly may my preaching be ſuſpected of falſhood, if my practiſe be convicted of diſhoneſty. We know how the Corinthians, from the ſuppoſed breach of S. Pauls ſolemne promiſe, were ready 2 Cor. 1. 17. 18.to infer the falſity, at leaſt the levity of his doctrine, till the Apoſtle had rectified their miſtake. This added alſo to my trouble, that I can privately enjoy my innocence with more contentment to my ſelfe, then I can publikly declare it with ſafety to others. For the preſent therefore, all that I will returne, is this.
Here is an Accuſation without a witneſſe, or a witneſſe without a name, and both without truth. Would the Inke of this reverend Divine (whoſoever he was) only hold out to blot my name, and not to ſubſcribe his owne? We know what Court was complayned of, as a great grievance, becauſe Men therein might not know their Accuſers. If it cannot conſiſt with our mutuall ſafety, to have my accuſers (as S. Paul had) face to face, yet Acts 25. 16.it will ſtand with equity, I ſhould have them name to name: till when, I account this nameleſſe note, no better then a Libel both on you and me.
God put an end unto theſe wofull times, before they put an end to us; that all outward hoſtility being laid aſide, we may have more leiſure to attend, and comfort to follow, that inward Chriſtian Warefare, which your paines have ſo well deſcribed.
Yours in Chriſt Ieſus Thomas Fuller.