Truth Maintained, Prefatory letter 5 – Prefatory letter 6
To Maſter JOHN SALTMARSH Miniſter of Heſlerton in Yorke-ſhire.
SIR,
YOu have almoſt converted me, to be of your opinion, that ſome extraordinary Light is peculiarly conferred on men in this age. Seeing what coſt me many dayes to make, you in fewer houres, could make void and confute. You examined (you ſay) the ſame pace, you read, and (as is intimated) wrote as faſt, as you examined, and all in one ofternoon. This if it were falſe, I wonder you would ſay it; and if it were true, I wonder you could doe it. However I commend your policy herein: for beſides that you have given the world notice of the Pregnancie of your parts, (and it is no fault of yours, if you be rather heard then beleeved) hereby you have done me a great diſadvantage. For if I at leiſure diſcover ſome notable errors in your examinations, you have a preſent Plea, that you wrote them ſuddenly, and I ſhall only be repaired for the wrong that you have done me, with your raptim ſcripta, whereas you had done God as much Glory, the cauſe as much good, more right to your ſelfe, and credit to me, if you had tooke more time, and more truely.
And now conſider, you only endeavour to confute ſome diſmembred ſentences of my Sermon, of which ſome are falſely, and more of them imperfectly alleged. You know, how in a continued ſpeech, one part receives and returnes ſtrength and luſtre unto another. And how eaſie is it, to overthrow the ſtrongeſt ſentence, when it is cut off from the Aſſiſtance of the Coherence, before and after it? Alas, this diſiointing of things, undoeth kingdomes as well as ſermons, whileſt even weake matters are preſerved by their owne unity and entireneſſe. I have dealt more fairely with you, and ſet downe your whole Examinations, thereby not expecting any praiſe, but preventing juſt cenſure, if I had done otherwiſe.
If you demand why my anſwer comes ſo late, ſeeing ſo long ſilence may be interpreted a conſent. Know Sir, it was the tenth of September, before either friend in love, would doe me the favour: or foe in anger, the diſcourteſie, to convey your booke unto me.
Whether this proceeded from the intercepting commerce betwixt the City and the Country, or that your Booke was loath to come out of London: as ſenſible, that the ſtrength of your poſitions, conſiſted in the fortifications thereof.
When I had received one of your bookes, I had not your preſent parts to anſwer it. Men muſt doe, as they may doe: I hope, though my credit may, Gods cauſe ſhall not ſuffer by my delay; ſeeing Truth doth not abate with time. Here I ſpeake not of thoſe many afflictions, that have befalne me, as not being ſo unreaſonable, as to expect any pitty from others, in theſe dolefull dayes, wherin none are at leiſure to bemoane the miſery of any private men, whilſt the generall Calamity ingroſſeth all greife to it ſelfe; and yet, I may ſay, ſuch loſſes could not but diſturbe my ſtudies.
When I had finiſhed my anſwer, I could not ſo ſpeedily provide to have it printed. And to ſpeake plainely, I was adviſed by my beſt friends, to paſſe by your pamphlet altogether with ſilence and neglect, and apply my ſelfe onelyonly to enlarge my Sermon, for the ſatisfaction of others.
However, that you may ſee I will not decline any thing: I have anſwered every operative paſſage in your Examination.
Here I might take juſt exception at the ſentence prefixed in the title page of your booke, 2 Tim. 3. 5. Having a forme of Godlineſſe, but denying the power thereof. Out of the whole quiver of the Bible, could you chooſe no other Arrow to ſhoot, and make me your marke? whom if you taxe for a meere formaliſt; God grant I may make a good uſe of your bad ſuſpition of me, endeavouring to acquit my ſelfe in Heaven, whom you have accuſed on Earth: I muſt ſtand or fall to my owne Maſter, to whom I hope I ſhall ſtand, being held up by my Saviour. Remember, remember, we muſt all appeare before Gods Judgment Seat, when thoſe things which have been done in ſecret, ſhall be brought to light. Meane time goe you on, a faſt as you can in the high way to heaven; but be not too free, willfully to daſh your fellow travellers, with foule aſperſions: for if dirt may paſſe for coine, debts in this nature, may eaſily be paid you backe againe, ſo reſteth
Thomas Fuller.
TO MY DEARE PARISH SAINT MARY SAVOY.
MY deare Pariſh, for ſo I dare call you, as conceiving that although my calamities have divorced me from your bed and board, the matrimoniall knot betwixt us is not yet reſcinded. No not although you have admitted another, (for feare I hope rather then affection) into my place. I remember how David when forced to fly from his wife, yet ſtill cals her, My wife Michall: even when at that time, ſhe was in the poſſeſſion of 2 Sam. 3. 14.Phaltiel the ſonne of Laiſh, who had rather bedded then wedded her.
This Sermon I firſt made for your ſake, as providing it, not as a feaſt to entertaine ſtrangers, but a meale to feed my family. And now having againe inlarged and confirmed it, I preſent it to you, as having therein a proper intereſt, being confident, that nothing but good and profitable truth is therein contain'd.
Some perchance will obiect, that if my Sermon were ſo true, why then did I preſently leave the pariſh when I had preached it? My anſwer is legible in the Capital letters of other miniſters miſerie, who remaine in the City. I went away, for the preſent diſtreſſe, thereby reſerving 1 Cor 7. 26.my ſelfe to doe you longer and better ſervice? if Gods providence ſhall ever reſtore me unto you againe. And if any tax mee as Laban taxed Iacob. Wherefore didſt thou flee away ſecretly, without taking ſolemne leave? I ſay Gen. 31. 27.with Iacob to Laban, becauſe I was afraid. And that plaine Gen. 31. 31.dealing Patriarch, who could not be accuſed for purloining a ſhooe latchet of other mens goods, confeſſeth himſelfe guilty of that lawfull felony, that hee ſtole away for his owne ſafety: ſeeing truth it ſelfe may ſometimes ſeeke corners, not as fearing her cauſe, but as ſuſpecting her judge.
And now all that I have to ſay to you, is this, Take heed Luk. 8. 18. Acts 17. 11.how you heare: imitate the wiſe and noble Bereans, whatſoever the Doctor, or doctrine bee which teacheth, or is taught unto you. Search the Scripture dayly whether theſe things be ſo. Hanſell this my counſell, on this my booke: and here beginning, hence proceed to examine all Sermons, by the ſame rule of Gods word.
Only this I adde alſo, Pray daily to God, to ſend us a good and happy Peace; before we be all brought to utter confuſion. You know, how I in all my Sermons unto you, by leave of my Text, would have a paſſage in the praiſe of Peace. Still I am of the ſame opinion. The longer I ſee this warre, the leſſe I like it, and the more I loath it. Not ſo much becauſe it threatens temporall ruine to our Kingdome, as becauſe it will bring a generall ſpirituall hardneſſe of hearts. And if this warre long continues, we may be affected for the departure of charity, as the Epheſians were at the going away of Saint Paul, Sorrowing moſt of all, that we ſhall ſee the face thereof no more. Act. 20. 38.Strive therefore in your prayers that, that happy condition which our ſinnes made us unworthy to hold, our repentance may, through Gods acceptance thereof, make us worthy to regaine.
Your Loving Miniſter THOMAS FULLER.