Truth maintained, or Positions delivered in a sermon at the Savoy: since traduced for dangerous: now asserted for sound and safe. By Thomas Fuller, 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 industry 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.

TREATISE.

To cut off all occasion and pretence of caviling,* 1.1 wee will shew, God willing, in what respect the Fathers, for know∣ledge excelled, and exceeded us, and in what respect wee modernes goe beyond them. They had a threesold advan∣tage above us. 1. Of sight. 2. Of light. 3. and of a nearer object.

First, Of a better sight. Being men of eminent natural

parts, improved with excellent learning, and to the Ea∣sterne 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 per∣secution was great, so no doubt the heate of their zeale was attended with a proportionable light, and heavenly illumi∣nation God doing much for them that suffer much for him. Especially in those points wherein they encountred here∣ticks, they were more then men, and went beyond them∣selves, as St. Athanasius against the Arians, St. Au∣gustine 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 pro∣fit of all posterity so for the instruction of their present age they also* 1.2 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 differtent 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 de∣lated upon them, wherefore the prime primative age, ha∣ving (as I may say) two strings to their bow, Scripture, and Preaching, must needes bee allowed to have had the clea∣rest apprehention of the meaning of heavenly misteries, and as the children* 1.3 of Israell served the Lord all the dayes of Iehossuah and all the dayes of the Elders, who outlived Ie∣hossuah, 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, ha∣ving seene the whole conduct, Mannaging 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 lazi∣nesse. Indeed a learned man* 1.4 compareth such as live in the latter times in respect of the Fathers to Dwarffes stan∣ding on Giants Shoulders. But then if we will have pro∣fitt 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 teach 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 out∣side and Covers of them, as if it were no more, but VP and RIDE, boasting how 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 remo∣ved by Gods goodnesse from our eyes, which in some mat∣ters 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 after∣wards 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 Heck∣tick 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 pre∣sently 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 in∣fer that it is evidence enough without further tryall to con∣demne 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 oppositi∣on only gave truth the opportunity to tryumph, and the teeth of Error filled it the brighter Heresies, In eodem secu∣lo,

quo natae, damnatae equos err••res patrum aetas tulit, eos & sustulit, 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 our 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 under∣stood, the parties are fully reconciled. And now I con∣ceive having answered you in grosse, I need not apply my selfe to any perticulers of your examination.

Notes

• * 1.1

  8. What advan∣tage the Fa∣thers had of us in Learning, and Religion, and what wee heve of them.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 1 Cor. 11. 23.
• * 1.3

  Iudg. 2. 7••
• * 1.4

  Nos nani su∣mus stantes super humeros Gygantum. Hol. cott.