Truth Maintained, Commentary · Part 10
SERMON Paragarffe 32.
There are ſome now a dayes talke of a great light mainfeſted in this age more then before. Indeede we modernes have a mighty advantage of the antients, whatſoever was theirs by induſtry may be ours, all contribute themſelves to us who live in this latter age.
EXAMINER.
If we had no more light, then what you inſinuate were ſeene from the Fathers, why doe we ſee more, and more cleerely and further? He that ſees far, muſt either have a good fight or a cleare light, and ſure in this age wee have both, Thoſe errours which our Fathers ſaw for dimme truthes we ſee for Heriſies; ſo ſurely both our eyes, and our light are better; for the light which our Fathers have in their lamps can diſcover, but ſo much to us, as it did to them, and we know our diſcovery is ſuch, as wee are able to ſee the ſhadow which followed them, even that Miſtery, which was working in their dayes both in Prelacy and ceremony, who will deny but that the cloud of Antichriſtianiſme, was thicke in their times, and then the light could not be ſo glorious, as now when thoſe clouds grow thinner, and more attenuated by the preaching of the Goſpel.
TREATISE.
To cut off all occaſion and pretence of caviling, wee will 8. What advantage the Fathers had of us in Learning, and Religion, and what wee heve of them.ſhew, God willing in what reſpect the Fathers, for knowledge excelled, and exceeded us, and in what reſpect wee modernes goe beyond them. They had a threeſold advantage above us. 1. Of ſight. 2. Of light. 3. and of a nearer object.
Firſt, Of a better light, Being men of eminent natural parts, improved with excellent learning, and to the Eaſterne fathers, the Greeke tongue, the language of the New Teaſtament was naturall, ſo that it coſteth us much paines and ſweat but to come to the place whence they ſtarted.
Secondly, Of a brighter light. As their conſtancie in perſecution was great, ſo no doubt the heate of their zeale was attended with a proportionable light, and heavenly illumination God doing much for them that ſuffer much for him. Eſpecially in thoſe points wherein they encountred hereticks, they were more then men, and went beyond themſelves, as St. Athanaſius againſt the Arians, St. Auguſtine againſt the Pelagians and Donatiſts, from whom our moderne Browniſts differ no more, then the ſame man differs from himſelfe in new cloathes.
3. Of a nearer Object. They living cloſer to Chriſts times, could therefore better underſtand the ſence of the Church in the doctrine delivered to the Apoſtles. Here we muſt know that Apoſtles, and Apoſtolick men as they wrote Gods word in their Epiſtles, and Goſpels for the profit of all poſterity, ſo for the inſtruction of their preſent age they alſo *foreign. 1 Cor. 11. 23.traditioned it in their Preaching by word of mouth to the people of thoſe times, not that they delivered any thing viva voce contrary or diſſertent from what they wrote, or that (as the Papiſts ſtile for their traditions) they ſupplyed and enjoyned any thing as neceſſary to ſalvation, which otherwiſe was wanting in the Scripture but the ſelfe ſame things which they wrote in the New Teſtament, they alſo delivered in their Sermons, and in their Preaching delated upon them, wherefore the prime primative age, having (as I may ſay) two ſtrings to their bow, Scripture, and Preaching, muſt needes bee allowed to have had the cleareſt apprehention of the meaning of heavenly miſteries, and as the children *Iudg. 2. 7.of Iſraell ſerved the Lord all the dayes of Iehoſſuah and all the dayes of the Elders, who outlived Iehoſſuah, who had ſeene all the great workes of the Lord which he did for Iſraell, in like manner wee may conclude, that the greateſt puritie and the cleareſt light of the Church, laſted ſo long as any, within ſight, hearing, or memory of Chriſt or his Apoſtles preaching, or miracles, did ſurvive.
Now to hold the ſcales even, we in like manner have a three fold advantage over the Fathers. Firſt a degree of experimentall light more then they had or could have; having ſeene the whole conduct, Manuaging and Progreſſe of Religion ſince their times, whereby (with a litle helpe of hiſtory) a Devine who is under ſixtie in age, may be a bove ſixteene hundred in experience.
Secondly, we have the benefits of the Fathers bookes, a mightie advantage if we were as carefull to uſe it to Gods Glory, as we are ready to bragg of it for our owne credit. And here I muſt complaine of many mens lazineſſe. Indeed a learned man *Nos nani ſumus ſtantes ſuper humeros Gygantum. Hol. cott.compareth ſuch as live in the latter times in reſpect of the Fathers to Dwarffes ſtanding on Giants Shoulders. But then if we will have profitt by the fathers learning, we muſt take paines to mount to the tope of their Shoulders. But if like idle Dwarfes, we ſtill do but ſtand on the ground, our heads will not reach to their girdles, it is not enough to through the bookes of the fathers, togeather on an heape, and then making their workes our footeſtoolle to ſtand on the outſide and Covers of them, as if it were no more, but V P and RIDE boaſting now far we behold beyond them. No, if we expect to gett advantage by their writings, we muſt open their bookes, read underſtand, compare, digeſt and meditate on them. And I am affraid many that leaſt looke into the Fathers, boaſt moſt that they looke beyond them.
Thirdly. Wee have the advantage of a darkneſſe removed by Gods goodneſſe from our eyes, which in ſome matters did dimme the ſight of the Fathers. Namely the miſtery of Iniquity which wrought in their times, & now is taken away in the Proteſtant Church. That Bramble of Rome, (ſoone will it prick, which will be a thorne,) which afterwards Lorded it over the Vine, Olive, and figtree, beganne very timely to play his parte, And the Man of ſin, then but an infant (and every thing is pretty when it is yonge,) was unawares dandled on the knees of many a devout Monke and rockt in the cell of many an holy hermit, who litle ſuſpected that then voluntary ſequeſtring themſelves to enjoy heavenly thoughts, would by degrees degenerate to be in after ages the cover of Pride, luſt and lazineſſe. Now ſeing this man of ſinne, is dead already in the Proteſtant Church, and hath a conſumption attended with the Hecktick Fever in all other places, the taking away of Popiſh ſuperſtition may juſtly be accounted the third advantage which our age hath.
By the way we muſt take heed of a fault whereof many are guilty. For ſome are ready to challenge every thing in the practiſe of the Fathers which doth not pleaſe them preſently to be Popiſh, and pretend they taſt ſuperſtition in whatſoever themſelves diſtaſt. O ſay they, the Fathers lived when the myſtery of iniquity did worke, and hence they infer that it is evidence enough without further tryall to condemne any cerimonies uſed by them, becauſe they were uſed by them. The way indeede to make Short Aſſiſes, but Perjur'd Iudges, whereas it is not enough to ſay, but to ſhew that they are ſuperſtitious, to anotomize, and diſſect the Popery conteined in them, demonſtrating where it croſſeth the word of God, wheras on the contrary all wiſe and charitable men ought to eſteeme the practiſes of the primitive Church not only to be innocent, but uſefull and honourable till they be legally convicted to be otherwiſe.
If any object that the Fathers had another diſadvantage, that beſides the ſpreading of Popery; other Hereſies did alſo ſpring and ſprout apace in that time, to the darkening of the light of the truth, let them know that ſuch oppoſition only gave truth the opportunity to tryumph, and the teeth of Error filled it the brighter Hereſies, In eodom ſeculo quo nat a, damnat a equos errores patrum aetas tulit, eos & ſuſtulis, condemnig them in Synods and Councells, And in this point to be an equall Empire betwixt the ancients and us, we muſt conſider that we live in the Later age, and commonly bad humors which have viſited the whole body do ſettle at laſt in the leggs and loweſt parts, with us Sects and Schiſmes do alſo abound, and ſome Hereſies firſt ſet a broach in the Primitive times, now runne a Tilt with all their dredgs in out dayes.
Thus we ſee how the Fathers were both before and behind us, for knowledge, and wee therein both above and beneath them in ſeverall reſpects. See the wiſdome and goodneſſe of God, how he hath ſweely tempered things together. So good that all have ſome, ſo wiſe that none have all. And how eaſie may this controvercy be accommodated, whether ours or the Fathers light were the greateſt, where if the difference be but cleerly underſtood, the parties are fully reconciled. And now I conceive having anſwered you in groſſe, I need not apply my ſelfe to any perticulers of your examination.
EXAMINER.
The Goſpel doth worke M and wind its beames into the world according to the propheticall ſeaſons for Revelation, many propheticall truthes were ſealed up, and thoſe not unſealed but ſucceſſively, and as our Generations after may have a Starre riſing to them which we have not ſo we may have Beames N and Radiations, and ſhootings which our fathers had not. The Apoſtles O had not all their truths and light revealed at once, ſome early, ſome late, ſome not till the holy Ghoſt was beſtowed. Revelations are graduall and the vaile is not taken off at once, not in one age. We honour the Fathers as men in their Generations famous, their light was glorious in its degree and quality, but they had not all the degrees attainable, they had a light for their owne times, and we for ours, and who cannot thinke that we are riſing into that Age P wherein God ſhall powre his Spirit upon all fleſh, and wherein the light of the Moone ſhall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne as the light of Seaven dayes.
TREATISE.
You hover in Generalls, and ſeeme to me deſirous that 9. Now new light or new eſſentiall truths are or can be revealed in this age.your Reader ſhould underſtand more then you are willing to expreſſe; my opinion breifly is this. That no new Revelations, or new infuſed light in eſſentiall points of Religion, is beſtowed on any now-adayes, but that the ſame light hath in as plentifull a meaſure beene given to former ages, eſpecially to the age wherein the Apoſtles lived, and when the faith was once delivered to the Saints, and by them ſett downe in the Scripture, and that then ſo perfectly and compleatly, that it needed not the acceſſions of any future Revelations.
I confeſſe that men by ſearching the Scripture (that oyle will never leave increaſing as long as more veſſells be ſtill brought) and diligent prayer to God may and do arive daily at a clearer underſtanding of many places of Gods word which they had not before. Theſe words; Thou art Peter and on this rock will I build my Church, and that Place, this is my body, are now more truly and plainly underſtood then they were 200 yeares agoe, when the Popes ſupremacy was as falſly founded on the former as tranſubſtantiation was unjuſtly inferred from the latter. However theſe were not Revelations of new truthes, but reparations of ould. For the prime primative Church received and embraced the ſame, The Saints *Revel. 14. 3.in the time of Popery Sung as it were a new ſong, a Song not new but renewed, not new in it ſelfe but perchance to the hearers, and ſuch are many truthes, which are preached in our age in the Proteſtant Church.
They that maintaine the contrary opinion of moderne revelations of new eſſentiall truths doe a three fold miſchiefe therein. Firſt they lay an aſpertion of ignorance and imperfection of knowledge on the Apoſtles themſelves, and this is no leſſe then Scandalum Magnatum.
Secondly they much unſettle men in matters of Religion, and produce a conſtant inconſtancy and ſcepticall hovering in all oppinions and as the Athenians erected an Altar to the unknowne God, ſo men muſt reſerve a blancke in their ſoules therin to write truths at yet unknown, when they ſhall be revealed. Thus men will never know when their creede is ended, and will daily waver in that truth which they have in poſſeſſion, whilſt they waite for a clearer and firmer as yet in revertion.
Thirdly they ſixe on the Scripture an imputation of imperfection and ſuch as talke of new revelations of truth, may well remember the paſſage in the Old Revelation. *Reve. 21. 18If any man ſhall add unto theſe things, God ſhall add unto him the plagues that are written in this booke. And it ſeemes to mee all one in effect whether men peece the Scriptures, with old Traditions, or new Revelations; and thus the Papiſt and Anabaptiſt are agreed like men in a circle going ſo farre from each other with their faces, till their backes meete together. And I profeſſe I ſhould ſooner truſt a tradition containing in it nothing croſſe to the Scripture and comming to mee recommended from the primitive times, and countenanced with the practiſe of the Church in all ages, then a new upſtart Revelation. The beſt is, wee have no neede to truſt either, whilſt we have Gods word alone ſufficient to relie on.
The reſult of all is this, We have now a-dayes no new truths revealed, but old ones either more fairely cleared or more firmely aſſented to, no new Starres of Revelation ariſe in any hearts. If any ſuch doe burne and blaze there, they are but comments which will fade at laſt. In a word this age is not happie with any new truths, but guiltie of many old lyes.
Yea, it rendereth it ſuſpitious, that ſome men are going about ſome what, which they cannot juſtifie by the old knowne lawes of God, becauſe they beginne to broach preparative doctrines, Introductorie of new revelations: Diſtruſting (as it ſeemes) the Scripture, the old Iudge, as not for their turnes, becauſe they provide for an Appeale to an other Vmpirer; and if thoſe are juſtly accounted dangerous members in the Church, who would bring in Innovations in Ceremonies, then pretenders of new Revelations in Eſſentiall points of Doctrine are ſo much the greater offenders, by how much Doctrine is more neceſſary, and fundamentall in a Church then ceremonies. But I will anſwer ſome paſſages in your Examination particularlie.
M. The Goſpel doth worke and winde its beames into the world, according to the propheticall ſeaſons for Revelotions.) Diſtinguiſh we heare, betwixt matters of fact, and matters of faith. Matters of fact being foretold in the Scripture, are beſt underſtood when they are accompliſhed: In which reſpect the longer the world laſteth, the clearer men ſee & the plainer they underſtand ſuch predictions. The Seales in the Revelations were ſucceſſively opened, the Trumpets ſucceſſively blowne, the Vialls ſucceſſively powred out, and the things imported in and by them, are ſucceſſively performed. Wherefore time is the beſt comentator on the propheticall parts of the Bible, Dies die… docet. And to day, which is yeſterdaies ſchoolemaſter will be Scholler to tomorrow, in which reſpect the *Dan. 12. 4.Prophets words are moſt true. Many ſhall runne too and fro, and knowledge ſhall be increaſed. But now, as for matters of Faith, they were at once, and for ever, fully, and freely, delivered at the firſt to the Apoſtles, and ſo from them to us, and that ſo perfectly, & compleatly, they neede no new revelations, quo ad Materium, though quoad modum, old truths may now have a new meaſure to be more clearely underſtood then in the darke times of Popery.
N. We may have Beames, and Radications, and Shootings, which our Fathers had not.) For Beames and Radication of knowledge, I have delivered my oppinion: but as for Shootings, God knowes wee have many ſuch as our Fathers never had; God in his mercy ceaſe ſuch Shootings or elſe in his Iuſtice direct the Bulletts to ſuch markes, as in truth have been the troublers of our Iſrael.
O. The Apoſtles had not all their truths and light, revealed at once, ſome early, ſome late, ſome not till the Holy Ghoſt was beſtowed.) All this is moſt true which you ſay, The Apoſtles at firſt were (as we may ſay) Freſhmen, newly admitted into Chriſts Company. Then they tooke their firſt degree of knowledge, when ſent forth to Preach the Goſpel, Mat. 10. to the Iewes alone in their Maſters life time. They commenced in a higher knowledge after Chriſt his Reſurrection: And after his Aſſention, aſſended yet higher in Spirituall Illuminations: Laſtly, after the comming of the Holy Ghoſt, they proceeded Doctors in deede; I meane, they then had the completion and conſumation of all underſtanding neceſſary to ſalvation. Now Sir, Conſider that after this time, they wrote the New Teſtament, and therein all eſſentialls for us to know and doe for our ſoules health, ſo that we now doe deduce and derive our knowledge, not from the Apoſtles in their infancy, or minority of Judgement, but from them having attained to the Top, and Verticall point of their perfecteſt skill in heavenly miſteries.
P. And who cannot thinke wee are riſing into that age, wherein God will power his Spirit upon all fleſh, &c.) What proportion doth this beare with what you ſaid not long ſince, Propheſying that our Marian Times did approach too faſt? When nothing was light but the Bonefiers to burne the Marters. I will not deny but this great ſun may arriſe, but the reigning vices of the time are but an ill Morning Starre to harbinger the riſing thereof. We have taken the St. Shippe from thoſe in heaven, but have no more holineſſe in our ſelves here on earth. What betwixt the ſins which brought this Warre, and the ſinnes this warre hath brought, they are ſad prefages of better times. Never was Gods name more taken in vaine by oathes and imprecations. The Lords day, formerly profained with mirth, is now profained with malice, and now as much broken with Drummes as formerly with a Tuber and Pipe. Superiours never ſo much ſlighted. ſo that what *1 Sam. 25. 10Naball ſaid ſullenly, and (as he applyed in) falſly, we may ſay ſadly & truly, there be many ſervants now adayes, that breake away, everyman from his Maſter. Killing is now the only Trade in faſhion, & Adultery never more common, ſo that our Nation (in my opinion) is not likely to confound the ſpirituall Whore of Babilon, whilſt corporall whoredom is in here very where committed, no where puniſhed. Their ſo uſuall, that they have ſtollen away the word of Stealing and hid it under the Name of Plundering. Lying both in word & Print grown Epidemicall, ſo that it is queſtionable whether Gunnes or Printing, (two inventions of the ſame Countrey and ſtanding) at the preſent doe more miſcheife in this Kingdome. It is paſt covering of our Neighbours houſes, when it is come to violent keeping them. He therefore that doth ſeriouſly conſider, the Grievouſneſſe and Generality of theſe ſinnes, will rather conclude that ſome Darkeneſſe of Deſolation, then any Great light is likely to follow upon them. God I confeſſe in mercy may doe much, both to pardon and proſper us, and can extract Light out of Darkeneſſe, but whether he will or no, I (though confident of his power,) ſee little cauſe to hope of his pleaſure herein, And though herein I muſt confeſſe, many of theſe inormities. may, (though not wholy be excuſed, yet) be ſomething extenuated, by pleading the unavoidable neceſſities which warre doth cauſe, yet ſurely wee ſhall anſwer to God for cauſing this warre by our crying ſinnes, and tranſgreſſions.
Q Wherein the light of the Moone ſhall be as the light of the Sunne, and the light of the Sun as the light of the ſeven dayes.) This, for ought I can finde to the contrary, was accompliſhed at Chriſt Comming, and the generall giving of the Goſpel to the Gentiles, with the ſending of Gods Spirit miraculouſly upon them, ſure I am a Paralell place of the Prophet was then fulfilled, by the expoſition of Saint *Ioel 2. 28. Acts 2. 17.Peter himſelfe, And it ſhall come to paſſe in the laſt dayes (ſaith God) I will power out my ſpirit upon all fleſh: and your Sonnes and your Daughters ſhall propheſie, and your youngmen ſhall ſee viſions, and your old men ſhall dreame dreames. Theſe words having the advantage of that Date In the laſt daies, might with the more colour have beene alleadged by you, and applyed to theſe times, to prove ſome ſpeciall Revelations in our dayes, had not the Apoſtle marred your Mart, and prevented you by applying the propheſie to the primative times.
EXAMINER.
But we ſee the Policy R of commending the Fathers light to our Generation, for could you prevaile with us to ſet our Dialls by that, you then might reforme our Church by the Canterburian Gnomen, and ſo ſet us backe to a falſlyreputed, Primitive Reformation.
TREATISE.
R. But wee ſee the policie of commending the Fathers.) I proteſt before Almighty God I have neither baſe nor by reſpect in praiſing the Fathers. Saint Pauls blamed *Gal. 2. 11.Peter at Antioach, becauſe he was to be blamed. I in the like manner commend the Light of Fathers, becauſe it is to bee commanded not for any favour or ſlattery. A falſely reputed primitive Reformation, I abhorre from my heart, & I preſume our Church is to wiſe to be coſened therewith: If Canterbury hath misbehaved himſelfe, his friends for him deſire no more, and foes to him ſhould grant no leſſe, then a legall triall. But inſult not on any mans ſufferings, Organs I dare ſay, are not ſo offenſive in Churches as the making of Muſicke on men in miſery. Time was when you ſett as much by a ſmile from Canterbury, as he ſtill ſet…s litle by a Scoffe from you.