the reconciliation would be easily effected as to what concerns Gods interest were it not impeded and hindred by our own Hence it is also that many under a pretence of settling and regulating Religion do indeed disturb and disorder it and in stead of rightly guiding the Christian do indeed misguide him whiles they stand so much upon ceremonals which are of their own making as that they much more neglect morals which are Gods undoubted commands and so desire to have their converts be some of Paul some of Appollos some of Cephas as they little regard and less care to see they be truly all of Christ. And yet amidst all these grand miscarriages of men which no Rhetorick can sufficiently express no repentance can sufficiently bewail though we finde much that may trouble us in the practise of Religion yet we finde nothing that can excuse us if we practise it not for there is matter enough uncontroverted on all sides to engage the whole soul of man if we would take notice of that engagement Satis ampla pietatis exercendae materia est in iis rebus de quibus utrinque convenit nam de side in Christum mortuum resuscitatum pro nobis collocandâ de charitate Deo proximo exhibendâ controversia nulla est at in his duobus capitibus pietatis summa consistit saith the most judicious and pious Cassander in his book De officio pii viri What pitie is it that there should be the greatest defect where is the least controversie amongst Christians This made the forenamed Authour profess that he was nothing at all satisfied with those men who pretended that the contentions of Christians hindred their progress in Christianity for saith he There is matter enough for the exercise of piety which is quite exempted from all controversie for all sides agree that we must be saved by faith in Christ crucified for our sins and raised again for our justification and by the love of God for his own sake and of our neighbour for Gods sake and in these two heads saith he of faith and charity is comprised the sum of all true Christianitie Saint Paul had said no less before him 1 Tim. 1. 5 6. The end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and a good conscience and of faith unfained which Aquinas thus proves most substantially Omnes enim virtutes de quarum actibus dantur praecepta ordinantur vel ad purificandum cor à turbationibus passionum sicut virtutes quae sunt circa passiones vel saltem ad habendam bonam conscientiam sicut virtutes quae sunt circa operationes vel ad habendam rectam sidem sicut illae quae pertinent ad divinum cultum haec tria requiruntur ad diligendum Deum nam cor impurum à Dei dilectione abstr ahitur propter passionem inclinantem ad terram conscientia vero mala facit horrere divinam justitiam propter timorem poenae fides autem ficta trahit affectum ad id quod de Deo fingitur separans à Dei Veritate 22 ae qu. 44. art 1. All the vertues whose acts are commanded in the Law directly tend either to the purging of the heart from the disturbances of the passions as those vertues which teach us to order our affections or they tend to the getting and keeping of a good conscience as those vertues that concern our works and operations or they tend to the getting and keeping of a true Faith as those vertues which immediately concern the worship of God and all these three are required to the true love of God 1. A pure heart for that else will cleave to the earth by its impurity 2. A good conscience for that else will run from God because of its guiltiness 3. an unfained faith for that else will follow a fiction in stead of God and falsities in stead of his truth This being taken for granted which cannot rationally be denied the meanest man that is will finde little cause to be discouraged or disheartened in the Christian Religion by reason of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from all which S. Paul so exceedingly dehorts S. Timothy that there are amongst Christians so many strifes about words and so many vanities and novelties and emptinesses in those strifes for if he will have a diligent care of his own heart that it may be pure of his own conscience that it may be good and of his own faith that it may be unfained he will not dangerously neglect his duty either towards himself or towards his neighbour or towards his God but will always finde matter enough to busie his soul here and take a sure course to save his soul hereafter it is evident from the ensuing words that none but they who swerve from these three scil a pure heart a good conscience and a faith unfained do turn aside unto vain janglings And for this cause our blessed Saviour chides not onely the Scribes and Pharisees but also the meanest of the common people for not following and embracing the undoubted truth though there were at that time as great contentions in the Jewish as are now in the Christian Church S. Luke 12. 54 56 57. And he said also unto the people Ye hypocrites can ye discern the face of the sky and of the earth But how is it that ye do not discern this time yea and why even of your selves judge ye not what is right He chides them for being quick-sighted in matters of earth but as it were pur-blinde in the things of heaven that they could of themselves judge rightly of the seasons for their profit not so for their amendment and notwithstanding he professeth that he came not to give peace on earth but rather divisions such as should divide the nearest and dearest relations from and against themselves yet he gives no writ of ease to any man that he should leave off being a judge in matters of his salvation for if divisions hinder them not from judging what is right in husbanding their lands why should they hinder them from judging what is right in husbanding their souls To apply this to our present purpose since 't is not in our power to doubt either of Christian faith or Christian Charity as necessarily required and immediately conducing to salvation why should it be in our will to neglect them both for this is in effect to proclaim that we had rather with Martha be troubled about many things then with Mary choose that good part which shall not be taken from us it is in effect to declare that we will have a Religion rather to serve our selves then to serve our God rather agreeable with mens present humours then with Gods eternal truth otherwise our whole labour would be to conform our selves to that eternal truth in our understandings by faith in our wills by charity which two would make us
THE TRUE CATHOLICKS TENURE OR A good Christians certainty which he ought to have of his Religion and may have of his salvation By EDVVARD HYDE D. D. Sometimes Fellow of Trinity Colledge in CAMBRIDGE and late Rector Resident of Brightwell in Berks. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. EPHES. 5. 1. Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ. CAMBRIDGE Printed by John Field Printer to the University 1662. To the Right Honourable EDWARD Earl of Clarendon Viscount Cornbury Baron of Hindon Lord High Chancellour of England and Chancellour of the Universitie of OXFORD My Lord YOu will pardon the boldness of this Dedication from one who is unknown to your Lordship when you have considered the consanguinitie or near relation of the Authour of the ensuing work to your most Noble person If we add to this a forcible tie or obligation of love his Autonomy his bearing the same name with your Lordship both as man and Christian likewise his assimilation or likeness to your Honour in the high accomplishments of Nature and Grace he being for his steadie loyalty to his King his fidelitie to the Church and stupendious science in all kinde of learning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I may say of him what S. Chrysostome saith of another a prodigie amongst men admired by the most and beloved of all good Christians weighing all these particulars in the balance of my private thoughts I from them drew this conclusive perswasion that if my deceased dear Friend were now living and to put the ensuing Treatise the childe of his brain out to nurse he would have ventured upon your Lordships patronage who may style this learned work your own and it justly own you for its parent as being the copy of your soul and picture of your life what is delineated and set down in it by way of doctrine or precept your Lordship hath drawn out in the lines of your life by practice for it contains a lively pourtraiture of a good Christian and loyal Subject A Separatist may deceive himself by dividing these two and flatter his deluded soul with a perswasion that though he bears not in his heart a respectfull love to his Sovereign he may scale heaven upon the ladder of a bare title or with the outward badge of an empty name in that he is called Christian and challengeth Christ as his with his daring tongue Let such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-deceivers peruse without partiality or prejudice the following Treatise and they will learn a better lesson it will inform them of this truth that loyaltie and Christianitie like that Eros and Anteros in the Fable are so twisted and linked together that as one cannot live or be without the other so he that is false to his King cannot be true to Christ our Saviour who in his word enjoyns us to be good Subjects in obeying our Kings just commands whom God hath set over us as he requires of us to act the parts of good Christians which is to imitate him in humilitie and charitie in sobrietie and meekness in pietie and Patience in love and obedience in brotherly kindness to all even to those that are under us That this holy frame of spirit may be wrought in the hearts of all his Majesties Subjects as it is in your Lordships it is and ever shall be the hearty prayer of Your Lordships most humble Servant R. Boreman To the Christian Reader GReat is the impietie yet greater if possible is the inconstancy of this our age God justly delivering us over to inconstancy because we have delivered our selves over to impietie The whole book of God tells us but of one Ahab that sold himself to work wickedness but our own sad experience if not our guilty Consciences must needs tell us of many thousands that are now riding Post to that market They chose new gods then was war in the gates Judg. 5. 8. expresseth the least part of our present sin and future punishment for we are daily choosing new gods to increase our sin and there are daily new wars raging amongst us nay within us to increase our punishment wars not onely in our gates to waste our estates but also in our hearts to waste our Consciences we have been a long time forsaking our God and now we are labouring to forsake our selves we would not when we might follow the dictates of Religion and now we cannot if we would follow the dictates of Reason or the directions of common sense we were at first perverse and would not know Gods minde we are now become stupid and do not know our own of this fancie to day of another to morrow and as it was in Jobs messengers The last is the worst or as it is in the outragious billows of the tempestuous waves the first do toss and shake but the last do drown and sink us and all is from fancy in stead of certainty in matters of Religion I say from fancy for the humour that is now most predominant settles not deep enough to be called perswasion stays not long enough to be called a resolution Good Lord is this to be Reformed Christians not to be firm not to be real Christians for they alone are the Real Christians all others are merely fantastical who sanctifie the Lord God in their hearts and are ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them with meekness and fear 1 S. Pet. 3. 15. There is not one word in all this text but drives at the certainty of Religion 1. It must be fixed in the heart not slaunting in the head 2. It must sanctifie the Lord God who as Lord changeth not and as God loves not those who are given to change especially for the worse 3 It must put us in a readiness to give an answer to every man that shall ask a reason of the hope that is in us which cannot be effected without great judgement and deliberation in the choice of our Religion and greater constancy and resolution in the practice of it for we must not onely answer every man that shall ask us but also answer by giving a reason of our hope that is we must answer by convincing him that asks us if he gainsay our hope or at least by confirming our selves against all his gainsayings for in vain do we talk of an hope of salvation that is in us from the belief and practise of our Religion if our Religion be so unsettled as to be shaken by the storm of a persecution or so uncertain as to be blown away by the breath of an argument the hope of salvation which we have or may have from the true Religion is a hope so fixed as to make us withstand persecutours much more to withstand sophisters for though it fills us with meekness in regard of our own infirmities and with fear in regard of our own impieties yet it fills us with
Ipse omnibus major est dum solo Deo minor est 1 Sam. 26. 6. Fear God and Honour the King CAMBRIDGE Printed by John Field Printer to the University MDCLXII TO THE READER Whether Christian Un-Christian or Anti-Christian ALlegiance and Conscience are both joyned together in the Title of this Book because they are both joyned together in the true Christians heart nor is that man able to lay fast hold on conscience who is ready to shake hands with his allegiance whether he be a Jesuited Papist or a Jesuited Protestant it matters not if he hath bid farewell to his Allegiance he cannot keep company with his Conscience tell me not of your Communion with me against Anti-Christ if you will not keep my communion with Christ I desire not to be your fellow-Protestant in those things wherein I cannot be your Fellow-Christian If Rebellion be in your Reformation though it be never so pure in other things yet it still needs to be reformed in this that Rebellion is in it as therefore you say in that your Reformation hath Reformed Religion to the Creed you have a pure faith so I say must Religion reform your Reformation to the Commandments that you may have an unspotted life and give me leave to tell you that though in pretence you may be a brother of the second perhaps in time of the third or fourth Reformation yet in purity you come far short of the first as much as a Rebel comes short of a good Christian your Reformation hath thrown you out of your Religion you do not embrace the Gospel unless it be such a Gospel as the Cainites heretofore embraced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan haer 18. such a Gospel as was taught by Judas that betrayed his master that Christian Religion which was taught by all the rest of Christs Apostles teacheth Allegiance unto Kings Christ in his own example practised it and by paying tribute would rather part with his own right then seem to oppose or question theirs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Athanasius de Incarn Christi most divinely how can you then look to be thought or called good Christians if you neither regard the word of Christ for your instruction nor the works of Christ for your imitation and the same Father in his Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tels us what manner of Church-men they are which run this way saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are Spies to look into other mens livings and patrimonies and beleeve it many of them amongst us have in this kind used most exact prospectives not Bishops to look over their life and doctrine for they cared not saith he in their Ordinations to hear S. Pauls words to Timothy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Bishop must be blameless which words the Church still retaineth in ordination of Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely think and speak high against Christ and no matter then for thy Christianity I know he speaks the words of Christ our Saviour and against the Arrians yet since the Lords anointed is rendred by the 70 Interpreters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Christ and that Translation is justified by the Apostles Act. 4. 26. 't is manifest that one who truly loves Christ cannot hate the Lords Anointed whether written in Text or in short-hand whether ruling in his Son or in his servant whether he be Christ in heaven or Christ on earth and therefore I may well take Athanasius his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Lords anointed on earth and say they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which poison mens souls with such venemous tenents against Kings they cannot be of the true Church whilest they belch out such impure blasphemies despising dominion and Speaking evil of dignities offering that defiance to their King which S. Michael would not offer to the devil and bringing railing accusations in stead of Arguments and yet S. Michael had not onely a fitter object but also a better ground for railing because his dispute was with the devil and it was about real Idolatry which he would have caused the people to commit in worshipping the body of Moses theirs with their King and Church onely about imaginary Idolatry which was and is not to be found but in their own fears and jealousies it stands not with a true Church no more then it stood with S. Paul since every true Church is but one grand Apostle or Doctor of the Gentiles of that Nation where it is to appeal to the people that 's a way to introduce though not a many-headed yet a many-hearted Religion not a many-headed Religion but rather a no-headed for such as would have no Bishops were anciently called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men without heads Niceph. l. 18. c. 45. and the Council of Ments c. 22. gives them monstrous heads if any at all saying they are Hippocentauris similes nec equi nec homines they have too much of the mans understanding to be horses and they have too much of the horses kicking and wincing to be men but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are either such as have no head or as bad as though they had none but surely 't is the way to introduce a many-hearted Religion witness our own late divisions which have produced as many Religions as men our Christian unity and verity being both banished together this is the excellent Divinity you have of late read to your disciples which is able to dash the very venome of Popery out of countenance and throw it in your own faces this is the new way you have taught the people to Truth and Peace by which they shall be sure never to come to either for if they may innovate in Forms of Religion without their King why not in forms of Law If they may change Law without him why not against him if against him why not against his life and consequently why not murther him with the sword of pretended Iustice whom God commands to honour See the High Court of Justice erected in your assembly this is your new way to truth and if the people may deal thus with their King where he is supreme why not with all other supremes whatsoever and consequently by succession and with success for ought we know why not rise against their Magistrates till the last Resurrection and put them to death till death it self shall be swallowed up But I return this placing dominion in the people for appealing to them is no less teacheth them to think they need not Christ in his Kings to rule and govern them they can govern themselves they need him not in his Priests to intercede for them they can pray for themselves they need him not in his Prophets to instruct them they can preach to themselves Was ever Christ so reviled and so opposed in all his three Offices together before Is not this fully to act Anti-Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thes. 2. 4. to sit
but also to the ignorant and foolish to leave even the meanest of the people inexcusable for this sin this horrid sin of disloyalty which though it least lodgeth in their hearts and is never to be contrived by their heads yet is alwaies acted by their hands Let a man be never so impatient in hearing as Festus was to S. Paul Act. 26. 24. which made him lay the imputation of madness upon the Apostle for the words of truth and soberness v. 25. Let him be never so inconsiderate in censuring as the Barbarians were to the same S. Paul Act. 28. 4. thinking him at first a murderer whom presently after they were ready to worship as a God Lastly let him be never so imprudent in collecting and observing looking rather upon the sound then upon the sense of the Text like those Interpreters of weak judgements but strong perswasions complained of 2 Pet. 3. 16. which were so unlearned as to understand nothing yet so unstable as to wrest every thing yet this doctrine of Allegiance cannot possibly be mistaken much less depraved either by his impatient hearing or by his inconsiderate censuring or by his imprudent collecting Let him run a way with what piece of it he can and take it without respect or relation to the whole which hath hitherto much wronged Gods Word both written and preached yet'tis not possible for him to take so little of the Text but it will be able both to stop his mouth and condemn his heart So that here we may forgoe that incomparable Rule of the Civilians Incivile est particulam aliquam Legis sumere non perspect â totâ Lege 't is very uncivil to lay at the catch with the Law and take that onely which serves our own turn I say we may forgo this Rule which yet is much more true of Gods then of mans Law and notwithstanding fear no mischievous tenents or practises to be deduced from this portion of the Text In a word let any seditious miscreant deal here with Solomon as Saul did with Samuel as he turns about to go away from him being resolved not to serve his purpose lay hold upon the skirt of his mantle and rent it of yet that very little parcel will signifie unto him that if he persist in his willfull disobedience The Lord will rent him from his Kingdom and that the strength of Israel will not lye nor repent 1 Sam. 15. 27 28 29. but teacheth Israel there is no way for them to be saved that are guilty of such a dismal lie but by repentance which may satisfie us that our Preacher here in this Doctrine of Allegiance is a Preaching Wisedom beyond himself in other Doctrines that begin and end where you will catch what you can of the Text it will wholly speak for your King and will silence you I know not how I have been over pressive in this patticular almost to a Tautology But that can never be too much spoken which can never be enough understood a preaching sinner a preaching conscience a preaching wisedom I hope we shall accordingly open not our ears but our hearts to his doctrine a preaching sinner who hath sin in his person not in his Sermon is fittest to admonish us a preaching conscience is fittest to advise us a preaching wisedom is fittest to overrule us here is not onely conscience and wisedom preaching this doctrine that we may not sin against it but here is also a sinner preaching it that we may repent us after we have sinned Solomon preaching before his Apostacy at the dedication of the Temple 1 King 8. 22. where he was first a Preacher had his first Congregation and afterwards in his Proverbs and Canticles is a miracle and monument of grace but preaching in Ecclesiastes after his wives had seduced him to be a Chaplain to Chamosh the abomination of Moab 1 King 11. 7. he is a miracle and monument of mercy O the infinite comfort from such a preacher if we follow him O the infinité condemnation if we do not And so it is high time I should pass from the Preacher and the manner of his preaching to the matter of his Sermon To keep the Kings Commandment c. wherein are comprised two doctrines that inseparably belong to Soveraignty the one of Allegiance the other of Supremacy the doctrine of Allegiance is clearly set down v. 2 3. and that of Supremacy v. 4. the first teacheth the duty of Subjects the second sheweth the reason of their subjection Allegiance is the duty of Subjects and Supremacy is the reason of their subjection In both it must be my endeavour onely to make my self and you truly understand this Preachers Sermon and so lay it to our consciences as he propounds it for Solomon here speaks both of Allegiance and Supremacy as they concern the conscience and divine obligation not as they concern humane conveniences or consultations therein shewing himself a true Preacher speaking to mens souls by which they hope to live in the next not to their interests by which they do live in this world first of the Allegiance A Sermon of Allegiance can never be unwelcome to a good Subject or a good Christian not to a good Subject because it puts him in minde of that condition wherein God hath placed him not to a good Christian because it puts him in minde of that duty which God hath commanded him and here is a Sermon of Allegiance briefly but fully setting it forth in its positive and in its privative act 1. In its positive act to be true and faithfull to the King in loving honouring and obeying him loving his person honouring his authority and obeying his commands I advise theè to keep the Kings Commandment and the reason thereof and that because of the Oath of God 2. In its privative act not to be guilty of any disloyalty or dis-allegiance either in affection Be not hasty to go out of his sight or in action stand not in an evil thing and the reason thereof for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him First Of the positive Act of this Allegiance to be true add faithfull to the King in loving honouring and obeying him in these words To keep the Kings Commandment 't is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Os Regis observa observe the Kings mouth to observe argues an act of loving honouring and obeying In this sense doth God say unto the Jews Ye shall observe all my statutes and Christ saith unto his Apostles Teaching them to observe all things Matth. 28. 20. that is to love honour and obey them So here to observe the mouth or command of the King is to love honour and obey his commands with an unwearied diligence with an undisturbed patience First It is to love them for who cares to look after that which he doth not regard Ubi amor ibi oculus is as true when made convertible ubi oculus ibi amor the eye is the quickest messenger