Truth Maintained, Commentary · Part 9
SERMON Page. 24.
That it is to be deſired, not hoped for, a Plat'oes Common-wealth and Moores Vtopia Theſe Phraſes are pleaſing but unfeerable.
EXAMINER.
Hee that lookes abroad ſhall ſoone have his ſight terminated, but the more hee goes on the more beſees, and that which cloſed his proſpect opens then into new diſcoveries; if you ſee no perfect reformation as you ſtand, do not therefore ſay there is none, they that ſtand higher and on a holyer mountaine perhapps ſee farher, you that ſtand in the Horizon G of Prelacy cannot ſee much beyond it; Corruption is deceitfull and makes us like Adam ſee all Generations in our ſelves, becauſe we will not be pefectly reformed, letus not argue our Iudgments into a beleeife that we cannot it let us think it as poſſible to be the beſt, as eaſie to be the worſt. Let-us not thinke that a … Common wealth or a Mores Vtopia which for ought we know is reall and exiſtent, there is under the Goſpell I a royall Preiſthood, an holy nation, a peculier People, and certainly had formes K ages lived to ſee, but the diſcovery of latter times, they would have admired their owne ignorance and our happineſſe.
TREATIS.
F. They that ſtand higher and on a holyer mountaine, perhapp's ſee further) I deny it not. But if they ſee a perfect Church on earth they ſee it in a trance or viſion.
G. You that ſtand in the Horizon of Prelacy, cannot ſee much beyond it.) Miſſe not the matter, to hitt my perſon, if I ſtand in the Horizon of Prelacy, I ſtand no more for it, then it ſtands, with Gods glory, and will in his word. Becauſe you taxe me with dimneſſe of ſight, I will ſtrive by my ſtudy to get the beſt advantage ground I can, I will begg of God, to animate mine eyes with his *Rev. 3. 18.eyeſalve, I will be carefull to keepe mine eyes from being bloodſhot, by animating any to cruelty in this unnaturall Warr. And know Sir that they who ſtand in the Horizon of Preſbutary, or Independency, are ſubject alſo to Errors, and miſtakes. As delight in old Cuſtomes may deceive ſome, ſo deſire of Novelty, may blind the eyes of others. God helpe us all we are badd at the beſt.
H. Becauſe we will not be perfectly reformed, let us not argue our Iudgments into a beleife that we cannot) A diſtinction or two of perfection and your fallacy will perfectly appeare. Some Saints in the Scripture phraſe are ſtiled perfect, but then it is Comparatively as they ſtand in oppoſition to *Sanctorum nonnulli perfecti dicuntur reſpectu mundanorum, qui negligunt res divinas nec ingrediuntur unquam viam profectionis Amb. Com. in Epiſt: ad Phil. Cap. 3.wicked men who have no goodneſſe at all in them. Or elſe they are called perfect as ſo denominated from their better part (good reaſon the beſt Godfather, ſhould name the Child) their regenerate halfe, which deſires and delights in endeavoring towards perfection, or laſtly perfection is taken for integrity, ſincerity, and unrightneſſe oppoſite to inward hippocriſie, and in ſuch a perfection the Heart may have many defects by the by, but no diſſimulation in the maine ſervice of God. Such a perfection as this, men may have, yea muſt have, in this life, and without ſuch a perfection here, no hope of any happineſſe hereafter.
But as for an exact, legall perfection (ſuch as ſome Papiſts dreame of, and moſt Anabaptiſts doate on) a perfection able to ſtand before Gods Iuſtice, without the ſupport of his mercy, it is utterly impoſſible for mortall men to attaine unto it. In which ſence in my Sermon, I ſaid that a Perfect reformation of a Church in this world is difficult to be preſcribed, and impoſsible to be practiſed.
Yea let me tell you Sir (cautious comming from good will, deſerve to be heard, if not heeded) if you perſiſt in this opinion of exact perfection, I conceive your condition dangerous. Eliſha told King Ioram, Beware that thou paſſe not *2 King. 6. 9.ſuch a place, for thither the Aramites are come downe. I may frinedly tell you, preſſe not one any further in this point, for ſpirituall pride lyeth hard by in waite, and the ambuſh thereof will ſurpriſe you. For my owne part, as I hate my badneſſe, ſo I hugge the confeſſion that I am badd, And Gods children, finde both contentment and comfort in knowing they cannot bee perfect. Hence they learne, (what ſoule ſo bad, which hath not ſometimes ſome holyday thoughts) to loath earth to love Heaven, to runne from themſelves, to fly to their Saviour, to pittie others, to pray heartily for them, to hope comfortably of them, in a word this doctine, abateth pride, increaſeth charity, and confoundeth cenſuring.
Yea I ſolemnely profeſſe that I would not herein change my doctrine for yours, to have much to boote. Should I ſay; that I could be perfect, both my head and my heart would give my tongue the lye. And one of the beſt hopes, I have to goe to Heaven, is that I am ſure I deſerve Hell. I remember a ſtrange, but true and memerable ſpeech of Reverend Mr. Fox *Cited by Mr. Capel in his Booke of Temptation.to this effect, that his Graces ſometimes did him harme, whilſt his ſinne did him much good. A wonderfull thing, yet ſometimes ſo it commthe to paſſe, God making a cordiall for us of our owne wickedneſſe, thereby teaching us humility.
I. There is under the Goſpel a Royall Prieſthood, an holy Nation a peculiar people.) True, Here theſe things are ſincerely begunne, and hereafter fully perfected, for in this life there is ſtill ſome baſeneſſe, even in the royall prieſthood, impiety in the holy Nation, commonneſſe in the Peculiar people. And I pray remember you are to prove, that a whole Church may bee perfectly reformed in this world. For though it were granted that ſome men might be perfect, yet it followeth not thereupon, that any one Church is exiſtent on Earth, conſiſting intirely all of perfect members. Hipocrites are of ſo glutenous a nature, they will ſtick cloſe in every viſible Church. They cannot be devided, who cannot be diſcerned, except one could borrow Gods touchſtone of hearts, ſuch ſhining droſſe will ever paſſe current in this Kingdome of Grace.
K. Had former ages lived, but to ſee the diſcovery of latter times) If by former ages you meane the time of Popery, I concurre with you. If you underſtand the times of the Primitivs Fathers, I ſuſpend my ſuffrage till the next paragrave. But if you extend it to the age of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, I flatly diſcent. Nor am I ſenſible of any ſuch late diſcoveries in Religion though many Recoveries thanks be to God there have been, in reſcuing the faith from Romiſh ſuperſtition.
L. They would have admired their owne ignorance and our happineſſe.) By our Happineſſe, I ſuppoſe you meane, what lately we had before this Warre began, and what we had not the happineſſe to keepe, and wee truſt in due time, God will reſtore to us againe. Otherwiſe, as for our preſent woefull condition, I would not wiſh our friends, or envie our foes ſuch happineſſe.