but also the life S. John 14. 6. And so also are his words S. Iohn 6. 63. The words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life no parting Christs words from Spirit nor Spirit from life and again verse 68. Thou hast the words of eternal life Let nothing go for Christs word which is not spirit and life and so spirit as to give life wherefore if you see a Religion a fraught with beads pictures crucifixes and such outward ordinances be afraid of it for these and the like are mens carnal inventions meer carnal images this is not Religion but superstition Again if you see a Religion fraught with envy malice hatred uncharitableness spiritual pride perversness profaneness licentiousness disobedience novelty singularity be afraid of it for these and such like are mens carnal practises carnal imaginations this is not Religion but faction such as the Apostle casteth down 2 Cor. 10. 5. And the prophet seems to prophesie against Ier. 43. 13. For what are the images of the house of the sun amongst us but the humorous imaginations of those that abuse the light of the Gospel And this trial or proof of the true Religion is substantial it concerns the very nature and essence of it even as to be a spirit is the very nature and substance of God there are other proofs that are also essential proofs of the true Religion though they be not taken from the substance of God but from his properties and so that is the truest Religion whose properties come nearest to the properties of God I will give you a short scheme of both together that seeing God himself in your Religion you may love it with all your soul with all your minde and with all your strength because so you are bound to love your God God cannot be known any further in his substance then that he is a Spirit and so accordingly is the substance of the true Religion wholly spiritual But the greatest knowledge we have of God the onely eternal Spirit is by his properties and by his attributes his properties are internal perfections belonging to him as a Spirit meerly in regard of himself as Simplicity Immutability and the like his attributes are as it were external perfections belonging to him in regard of his creatures as he is the God of the spirits of all flesh as Mercy Justice Liberality and the like or if you desire not to distinguish between Gods properties and his attributes you may say that the properties of God are either such as remove from him all kinde of imperfection that is in the creature as Simplicity which removes from him composition Immutability which removes from him Changeableness Immensity and eternity which remove from him Circumscription or Confinement the one of place the other of time and these are called incommunicable properties because they are not communicable to any creature Or the properties of God are such as do assign to God all manner of perfection First in his understanding as Wisdome and Truth Secondly In his will as Goodness and Liberty Thirdly In his power of action as Omnipotency and these are called communicable properties because they are communicated to the creature and are to be found in the creature though in a proportion and perfection infinitely short of what is in the Creatour God blessed for ever Thus angels and men have Truth and Goodness and Power though not an Unerring truth not an All-sufficient goodness not an Almighty power but they have not Simplicity Infinity Immutability Eternity which are the incommunicable properties And herein consists the supereminencie of the true Religion above any creature whatsoever that it shareth even in these incommunicable properties of God even in his Simplicity Infinity Immutability Eternity And first it shares in his Simplicity now the Simplicity of the divine essence is such that it admits of no composition at all neither Physical composition of matter and form nor Logical of subject and accident nor Metaphysical of act and power whereas the purest spirits that are admit of Logical and Metaphysical composition though not of Physical God onely excepted who admits of neither So Aquinas pr. part qu. 40. Propter divinam Simplicitatem est duplex identitas in divinis eorum quae in rebus creatis differunt quia enim illa excludit compositionem subjecti accidentis quicquid attribuitur Deo est ejus essentia quia autem excludit compositionem formae materiae in divinis idem est abstractum concretum Because of the simplicity of the divine essence there is a twofold identity in God which is not in any creature First an identity of essence and attributes because there is in him no composition of substance and accident Secondly an identity of abstract and concrete because there is in him no composition of form and matter and all action proceeding from form it is evident that he who is the agent in and of himself can be nothing else but a pure form without any mixture of any matter Nam quod est primò per se agens patet quòd sit primò per se forma 1 par qu. 3. art 2. So likewise Religion admits of no compositiou but must still remain in its own Simplicity for 1. There is in Religion no Physical composition of matter and form some will make Decency the accidental form of Religion others the Evangelical counsels the essential form and perfection of it but both are mistaken for the same holiness is the Religion of the Christian that was of the Jew though not the same beauty of holiness There is no separating the essential matter of Religion from the essential form of it and what is not intrinsecally holy that is both materially and formally cannot properly be said to be a substantial part of Religion Some look upon faith hope and charity as the formal part upon the other duties of the Decalogue as the material part of Religion but indeed such considerations are meerly notional they are not real for no man can reject an article of faith but he must also reject a commandment nor can any man wrong any commandment but he must also wrong an article of faith thus can you not expunge or deprave any commandment that contains your duty towards God but you must expunge or deprave some article of faith concerning him so also of the second table he that depraves any one of those commandments depraves those articles of faith that concern the Catholick Church and the Communion of Saints Lastly he that denies or depraves that part of Gods law which concerns himself without any relation to his neighbour doth also deny or deprave some of those articles of faith that concern himself as The forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting As for example you cannot think that any common drunkard or unclean person doth so much as seriously consider much less truly believe the Resurrection of his body
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
aliis scientiis whether the manner of knowing divine truths be more certain in Divinity then the manner of knowing natural truths is in other sciences he answers it is more certain and he gives these three admirable reasons for his answer 1. Quia certior est modus sciendi per inspirationem quà m per humanam rationem because the way of knowing by divine inspiration is much more certain then the way of humane ratiocination or collection since the one is subject to errour the other not and all divine truths are made known to us by inspiration as appears 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness I may not take any doctrine for an instruction in righteousness which I cannot prove was first taught by inspiration of God and if it be taught of God it may be found in the Scripture which is Gods word 2o. Certius est quod scitur testimonio Spiritûs quà m quod testimonio creaturarum That is more certain which is known by the testimony of Gods Spirit then of the creature But all that we know in Divinity is known by the testimony of Gods Spirit as saith S. Peter 2 Pet. 1. 21. For the prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost in Divinity we appeal to the undoubted testimony of God the holy Ghost and can say Veni Creator whereas in all other sciences we can go no higher then the testimony of the creatures 3o. Quia certius est quod per modum gustûs quà m quod per modum visûs A man is more sure of that which he discerns by his taste then of that which he discerns onely by his sight for what he discerns by his sight he knows onely speculatively and perchance to his great discontent but what he discerns by his taste he knows also experimentally and if the thing be good not without great delight and from these premises he proceeds to this dogmatical conclusion or determination Est certitudo speculationis est certitudo experientiae vel est certitudo secundùm intellectum secundùm affectum vel quoad hominem spiritualem quoad hominem animalem Dico ergò quòd modus Theologicus est certior certitudine experientiae quoad affectum quia est per modum gustûs Psal. 118. Quà m dulcia faucibus meis eloquia tua quamvis non certior quoad speculationem intellectûs quae est per modum visûs item certior est homini spirituali quamvis incertior animali 1 Cor. 2. Animalis homo non percipit ea quae Spiritûs Dei sunt There is a certainty of speculation and there is a certainty of experience there is a certainty that proceeds from the understanding there is a certainty that proceeds from the will and affections Lastly there is a certainty of the spiritual man and there is a certainty of the natural man I answer then that the manner of knowing Theological or Divine truths is more certain then the manner of knowing any other truths if we look upon the certainty of experience which proceedeth from the will and affections because that certainty is by way of tasting Hence the Psalmist saith How sweet are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter then honey to my mouth although it be less certain if we look upon the certainty of evidence which proceedeth from the understanding because that certainty is onely by way of seeing And none of us all is so quick-sighted in spiritual as in natural things and hence it is that this certainty of divine truths which is very great in the spiritual man is little or none at all in the natural man Because the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. The sum of all is this The certainty that is to be had of the Christian Religion is greater then the certainty that is to be had of other truths but it must be in a subject rightly qualified that is First in a man of holy affections who lives not after the flesh but after the Spirit else his profaneness will beguile him Secondly In a man of holy resolutions that desires not to satisfie his curiosity but his conscience not to provide for his temporal but for his spiritual interest else his hypocrisie will deceive him Thirdly in a man of holy intentions that steers not his course to heaven by the Cynosure of his own reason and much less of his own humours but is wholly guided by Gods authority for none but Gods authority ought to sway in Gods cause else his perversness will defraud him of his certainty for those men that are guilty of hypocrisie come short of it those that are guilty of profaneness go beside it those that are guilty of perversness go against it for as it is concerning Religion it self so is it also concerning the certainty that accompanies it the profane person goes beside it the hypocrite comes short of it the perverse person goes against it onely the sincere meek good man obtains it he that is sincere without hypocrisie meek without perversness good and honest without profaneness and debauchery The same seed is sown in several grounds but from some the sower hath not so much as his seed again from other he hath great increase The spiritual seed is the word of God the rule of Religion And as for this word some of it falls by the way-side that is among profane and vicious persons such as are in the high-way of perdition where it is troden under foot and the fowls of the air irregular and extravagant fancies and desires devour it some of it falls upon a Rock where it can have no root nor moisture for onely the mere out-side is earth the rest is all stone that is among hypocrites and dissemblers who hear the word with joy and for a time beleeve but in time of temptation fall away for temporary beleevers as they beleeve with the times so also they beleeve but for a time and soon fall away from their belief Lastly and some of it falls among thorns that is among perverse and refractory men for such are called briers and thorns Ezek. 2. 6. men of a wilfull Religion and therefore in truth men of no Religion since Religion depends not upon mans but upon Gods will and here the word must needs be choaked for a man that gives himself to be governed by his own will cannot possibly submit himself to Gods will or at least not for Gods sake but onely for his own sake and a Religion that is not for Gods sake is certainly not of Gods making and consequently though it may be of a great growth as we find by sad experience yet it cannot be of a long
already towards us in its causes and will befall us in effect if by speedy repentance we prevent it not Wherefore though all promises of mercy that have not a condition specified are to be understood absolutely because they give an undeniable and universal right and all precepts of justice are to be understood absolutely because they have the nature of a rule or law to which the subject may not give an exception but must yield his obedience yet prophecies of vengeance are to be understood onely conditionally because they are not declarations of Gods will but onely of mans present state and condition that in the condition he now is he deservs destruction but if he repent and change his condition Gods will is still fulfilled though his threat be not for he therefore threatened destruction because he was willing to save not to destroy so that God is still unchangeable in his will and the change is onely in man who changeth his condition And so also the true Religion would have us change but will not change it self and consequently remains unchangeable in the wills of those that truly love and practise it for they do not desire that any thing of Religion should be otherwise then it is by Gods appointment they would not have it lawfull to transgress a commandment or disbeleeve an article and much less can they think it lawfull to corrupt or expunge either they cannot away with nice distinctions or quarrelsome disputations in Gods service to mispend that zeal in words which was given for actions conceiving them more willing to disclaim then to obey the rule who are desirous to distinguish or to dispute upon the command they cannot rely upon unwritten traditions as the ground of Religion they can as the ground of decency and order because they have altered and may alter after the will of men besides that some of them do directly oppose the revealed will of God for what tradition ever found such general reception as that which the Jews called the prophecie of Elias That the world should last 2000 years before the Law 2000 years under the Law and 2000 years under the Gospel yet very many and good Divines do not think this tradition of sufficient authority for any one to beleeve not onely because the computation of the time past confutes it but also because it directly opposeth that saying of Christ S. Mark 13. 32. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in heaven neither the Son of man but the Father onely to which it is a vain reply That though the day hour be uncertain yet the time and the year may be known for the reason wherefore God will not have his coming to judgement revealed unto men is that being sure of the thing but not sure of the time they should be always prepared for his coming which reason is as forcible against the knowing of the year as it is against the knowing of the day or hour nor would our Saviour Christ so readily have owned the ignorance of that day if the year had been revealed before by one of his Prophets for S. Augustines answer is here most true Nescivit adrevelandum Christ said he knew it not because he would not have it revealed or known to us agreeable to which is Epiphanius his distinction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haer. Arian Christ had a twofold knowledge one of Speculation another of Use his knowledge of Speculation concerned himself and by that he knew the day of judgement his knowledge of Use concerned us and by that he said he knew not the day of judgement because he would not have us to know it which distinction Melancthon hath turned into this rule of Theologie Dicta alialoquuntur de Officio Christi alia de essentia sic hoc dictum loquitur de Officio Officium Filii Dei est in hoc ministerio cohortatari ad vigilantiam non definire tempus horam nè homines reddantur securi Some sayings are verified of the office of Christ some of his essence this saying That he knew not that day and hour is verified of his office for it was the office of Christ in his ministery to exhort men to watchfulnes not to define times or hours which was in effect to invite them to security Thus we see this famous tradition so generally cried up by the Jews as the prophecie of Elias is upon examination found to be very uncertain which makes very sober men infer that there is or may be the same uncertainty in other traditions and therefore they that will be sure to serve God in faith must and will appeal to the written word which alone abideth one and the same for ever for Religion being Gods cause loves to be tried by Gods undoubted word and where she cannot say How readest thou she cannot but say Why beleevest thou that our Faith should not stand in the wisdome much less in the devices of men but in the power of God 1 Cor. 2. 5. for that faith which stands in the wisdome of men stands like a house built upon the sand tottering and shaking at every violent blast or storm but that faith which stands in the power of God stands firm and immoveable by vertue of that power Thirdly God is immutable in place whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence Psal. 139. 7. for by reason of his Immensity being in all places at once so as to fill them he cannot possibly change his place And so also is Religion immutable in place that is to say in its proper place the faithfull soul though not in its common place that is the Church or Congregation of believers or Religion is immutable in the Catholick Church though not in particular Churches that are members of it for the proper place of Religion where it may be found and where it is preserved is the holy Catholick Church which we believe in our Creed and that consists onely of the Elect for none are joyned in Communion with Christ but those that have the Spirit of Christ and they though never so far asunder have one Lord one Faith one Baptisme Eph. 4. 5. It is admirable to consider the great mutations that have befallen both Eastern and Western Churches how that in several ages they have more or less changed their Liturgies though in no age abolished them yet it is more properly said that these Churches have changed their Profession or Exercise of Religion then that they have changed their Religion for that still remains the same Christian Religion in all Churches that still remain Christian though under diverse and different professions The fourth incommunicable property of God is his Eternity which is a branch of Immutability as time is of motion for Eternity is a duration or continuance which hath neither beginning nor ending so Psal. 91. 2. Even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God
in a curse Thus Ieroboams rebellion prospered to make the ten tribes first lose their Religion then their libertie and property first to make them idolaters and after that to make them captives and bondslaves for their rebellion occasioned their idolatry and their idolatry occasioned their captivity On the contrary Israel may have temporal affliction but 't is no curse nay indeed properly no punishment Habet rationem medicinae non poenae God chastising his servants not to torment them but to amend them but let the one go for prosperity the other for adversity because the world will needs think them so then take this for a second answer not concerning Edom for he is not worth it in all his prosperity but concerning Israel First Non poena sinalis 't is no final punishment it lasteth not long much less for ever Heaviness may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning Secondly Non pietas totalis Israel when he was at best could not but say His father was an Amorite and his mother a Hittite when he had most of God and of pietie he had more of man and what he had of man he had of sin and impiety Thirdly Impietas totalis though their piety was not perfect their impiety was so for they were guilty of a general defection and apostasie as God himself objecteth and answereth this doubt Jer. 5. 19. Wherefore doth the Lord our God all these things unto us Like as ye have forsaken me and served strange gods in your land so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Rabbi David measure for measure like for like we may say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justitiae divinae the retaliation of Gods justice desertion for desertion nay God himself hath said it Ye would needs be serving strange gods ye shall now serve strange men And it is observable that before God generally deserted the Jews giving them up to captivity slaughter they had generally deserted him giving themselves up to their own inventions and impieties which makes God accordingly ask the question of himself and of them shall I not visit for these things Jer. 5. 29. Gods visitation is a great argument of mans disorder the people of Israel were now generally out of order and for that cause were generally visited Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this Such a nation as this all nations are wicked provoke Gods wrathfull indignation for vengeance but 't is such a nation as this that makes his soul desire to be avenged such a nation that is so wicked beyond the rest that sins so impudently against the light so unthankfully against the means so impenitently against the power of grace First so impudently against the light of grace for he saith Pour out thine indignation upon the heathen that have not known thee and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name Psal. 79. 6. much more then upon Israel that hath known thee and yet hath not called upon thy Name but hath persecuted those that did call upon it as if they had rather been the enemies then the servants of the living God for if outer darkness be a just punishment for not rightly using the twilight of nature what darkness of darkness shall punish the abuse of the clear sun-shine of the light of grace Secondly so unthankfully against the means of grace accompanied with Gods own holy Spirit which made S. Stephen say Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in hearts and cars ye do always resist the holy Ghost Act. 7. 55. you are uncircumcised in your hearts and hate the saving truth and that makes you uncircumcised in ears that you will not hear it he tels them plainly that they are not onely revolters from the truth but also rebels against it for here is a spiritual rebellion against the Spirit of God and therefore against the God of spirits ye do indeed make resistance ye do alwaies resist the holy Ghost so great an undutifulness could not have been without a greater unthankfulness men being first unthankfull to God for his Word and Sacraments in neglecting them and then undutifull against both to justifie their neglects Thirdly so impenitently against the power of grace for these means of falvation are powerfull means hence is the Gospel called by St. Paul the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1. 16. and the preaching of the cross called unto them that are saved the power of God 1 Cor. 1. 18. that is the power of God to salvation for 't is also to them that are not saved the power of God but to condemnation hence the Apostle plainly reproveth those that are not reformed by the preaching of the Word and administring of the Sacraments as denying this power of godliness 2 Tim. 3. 5. having a form of godliness that is having the word and Sacraments but denying the power thereof that is not one jot the better for having them Now then in this case here is the abuse both of Word and Sacraments which onely constitute a Church no wonder then if this abuse overthrow a Church and these two were in the Jews before their final desolation not the Sacraments rightly administred for not a passover in any good order for many years together not the Word rightly preached for the Prophets prophesie falsly saith the Text Jer. 5. 31. and the more falsly they prophesied the more generally they were received which makes the Spirit of God use this exclamation a wonderfull and horrible thing is committed in the land q.d. Clergie and Laitie are both alike quite out of order for it is committed in the land and both so shamefully out of order that it must be called a wonderfull and a horrible thing that is committed by them or as the Hebrew terms it an astonishment or an abomination but what is this abomination Even the general apostasie both of the Clergie and of the Laitie of the Priests and of the people the Prophets prophesie falsly there 's the apostasie of the Clergie and my people love to have it so there 's the apostasie of the Laitie for thus had Ieroboam taught them to make their own Priests that so they might make their own Religion for no other would worship his golden calves but Priests of his own not of Gods making 1 King 12. yet dares he not finde fault with the appointed service of the Temple or the Religion established as with that which was vicious but onely as with that which was too labourious v. 28. It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem then he proceeds to make Priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the sons of Levi v. 31. because his designe was to appeal to the people and he therefore appealed to the people that they might think the right of Soveraignty and Dominion to be where they found acknowledged the right of appeal to wit in themselves and stifle
us I will heal their backslidings saith that Spirit I will love them freely Hos. 14. 4. he heals us freely he loves us freely we were backsliders when he did heal us we are backsliders now he doth love us what the sick man doth towards his cure who provokes his physician by backsliding and wilfully relapsing into his disease that we have done to God why he should heal us why he should love us and how then shall we not alwaies think of this free and undeserved mercy which is the surest salvation of our souls and therefore the best imployment of our thoughts and how shall we but once think of it and not finde words answerable to our thoughts not be ready to sing our Hosanna to the Son of David we have an excellent president from two sorts which were in the lowest degree of speakers the multitudes and the children S. Mat. 21. the one cannot speak orderly the other cannot speak plainly yet both join together in this heavenly consort and sing their Hosannas to our blessed Saviour both orderly and plainly nay we may finde a president by way of supposition though not by way of position from a sort that are in the very highest degree of not speakers for so saith Truth himself Verily I say unto you if those should hold their peace the stones would immediately cry out S. Luk. 19. 40. as if he had said if these two that are in the lowest degree of speakers the multitudes and the children should hold their peace and not magnifie that mercy which they cannot deserve which is therefore the more to be magnified because it it hath been the less deserved then would the very stones cry out which are in the highest degree of not speakers as not having any organs that conduce to so much as the making of a noise and therefore sure not to the uttering of a voice and yet even these should not onely speak but also cry out speak very loud if we should be so unthankfull as to hold our peace for God who can out of these stones raise up children unto Abraham S. Matth. 3. 9. can also out of these stones raise up Saints unto himself to sing hosannas to his Son nay indeed he hath raised up both children to Abraham and saints unto himself as it were out of these stones in mollifying the hard hearts of men to make them capable of the impressions of his grace and in opening their lips that he might fill their mouths with the expressions of his praise and glory a mercy that in this respect is greater then all the rest because without this we could not be thankfull for them and unthankfullness is able to make the greatest mercies no mercies at all So that now we may clearly see how to answer that curious and fond Question What did God do before the Creation not by saying that he was making hell for such Questionists but that he was wholly imployed in making heaven for doubtless God the Father Son and Holy Ghost delighted in himself from all eternity and consequently was making heaven for himself for he is indeed his own heaven his own blessedness rejoycing everlastingly in himself but we may yet go further and say that he was making heaven also for us men for that same goodness which made him rejoyce in himself as being his own blessedness made him also rejoyce in his workmanship as that which should proceed from himself and as that which should be blessed in himself and that same goodness made him in time give us a being and such a being as was capable of blessedness as was capable of the joy of heaven by rejoycing in the God of heaven for as God is his own heaven by rejoycing in himself so is he also our heaven by making us rejoyce in him O the happiness of a judicious soul that contemplates this mercy but much more of a religious soul that embraces it for doubtless such a soul begins to go to heaven by delighting it self betimes in God according to that heavenly advice given by the Psalmist Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart what else is the work of heaven but to delight thy self in the Lord what else is the reward of heaven but to have the desires of thy heart If thou do the work thou wilt not miss of the reward but though thou have not all that thou canst imagine which is the desire of the brain yet thou wilt have all that thou canst enjoy which is the desire of the heart thou maist want the corporal rest of thy body but thou shalt not want the spiritual rest and repose of thy soul thou maist be much oppressed by mans cruelty but thou wilt much more be refreshed by Gods mercy which always brings a great refreshment in its contemplation to shew it cannot be without an unimaginable joy in its fruition we may think those men merriest that sing loudest but the Apostle tells us of another singing which thought it hath much less noise yet can it not but have much more chearfulness Eph. 5. 19. Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your heart unto the Lord a true and lively faith in Gods mercy which is most usefull in all times but most needfull in the worst times will neither let us want company for it will make us speak to our selves nor want a speech for it will teach us to speak in Psalms and Hymns nor will it let us want mirth for it will cause us to sing and make melody in our hearts Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs speaking and singing and making melody all is too little to welcome the very thought of mercy and what then can be enough to express the joy and the enjoyment of it but if we look upon the verse before we may there discern a double fulness a fulness of wine and a fulness of the Spirit he that is filled with wine the joys of this world may sing lowdest but he that is filled with the Spirit the joys of the world above surely sings sweetest for come what can come this man must either not be miserable or which is the greater happiness not be discontented with his misery for as it follows in the verse next after he is giving thanks always for all things to God and therefore he is giving thanks also for those things which seem to bring him the greatest discomforts and disturbances because his disturbances cannot be so fixed upon his body as his soul is fixed upon his God and looking with an eye of faith upon the eternal mercy he cannot but look with an eye of scorn upon a little momentany and temporal misery thus we finde S. Paul and Silas singing Psalms to God in the prison after all their stripes having been scourged in the day yet singing in the night these two discords scourging and singing make up an admirable harmony
by a gracious dependance on Gods truth and faithfulness and expecting in his good time a comfortable issue of his promises Such waiters whose God is the Lord Jehovah in whom they trust on whom they depend and whom they constantly obey not departing from his precepts when he seems to have forsaken them in their greatest distresses such men are the prime the onely Christians who have in their soul the seal of Gods grace to assure them of their future happiness O thou whose Name is the great Jehovah and rulest all things in heaven and earth send down from heaven the habitation of thy glory thine Holy Spirit into our hearts and so possess our souls with an awful fear of thy Majesty and a filial love of thee for thy goodness and mercy that we abhorring all things that may displease thee and obeying thy precepts may in the end of our days obtain the end of our hopes and the fruit of thy promises which is the salvation of our souls and eternal bliss through the merits of our blessed Redeemer our Lord Christ Jesus The tenth and last Name of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 schaddai by which God often stiled himself when he spake unto the Patriarchs to uphold their spirits and sustain their faith in the midst of their troubles Gen. 17. 1. the Lord appeared unto Abraham and said unto him I am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the same words he bespake Jacob Gen. 35.11 hence it was that they also when they were to speak or make mention of God often used that Name or word Thus Isaac when he blessed Jacob Gen. 28.3 said the God whose Name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bless thee and make thee to encrease and multiply so Jacob said to Joseph the God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appeared to me in Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me As for the notion or meaning of the Name Galatinus l. 2. c. 17. out of R. Moses the Egyptian and Algazel determines it that it is a compounded term and made up of these two parts or particulars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in composition the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies sufficient and sufficiency so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the whole latitude or acception of it denotes the alsufficiency of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui in se à se sufficientiam abundantiam omnimodam habet it a ut nullius ope indigeat i. e. who in himself and from himself hath a sufficiency and abundance of all good things and needs not the help of any creature There is in God a fallness of power whereby he can do what he will his will being the onely rule and bound of his power therefore the Septuagint do often render this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Job 8.3 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that doth or worketh all things so in our English Translation doth the Almighty pervert justice As there is in many a man an empty fullness when bladder-like his soul is blown up with windy fancies of having what he hath not or of more knowledge then he truly hath so in God there is a fullness without any the least defect or degree of emptiness in God and Christ who is God and man in one person there is as the Schools speak Plenitudo repletiva and diffusiva or plenitudo abundantiae and redundantiae and abounding fullness because no good thing no gift nor grace is wanting in him and a redounding fullness because what gifts or graces soever be in us they are all derived to our souls from him the ever-living and overflowing fountain and spring of them from whom they slow into our souls per Spiritum tanquam per canalem through the spirit as it were a conduit-pipe without any loss of them in him or without any the least diminution and of his fullness have we all received Joh. 1. 16. a fullness without any want argues a great perfection quod plenè habetur perfectè totalitèr habetur Aquin Now if men through the door of faith opened by Gods blessed Spirit did see the fullness the excellency and alsufficiency of God it would so fill them with admiration joy and content that having a communion with God by his sanctifying spirit they would care for nothing else they considering what the Lord is and beholding his glorious face in the glass of his Attributes viz. his Wisedom Power and Justice c. upon this consideration they would say with the Prophet David The Lord is on our side or with us we will not therefore fear what man can do unto us Psa 118. 6. the Lord is ours therefore we can lack nothing that is good for us and if the Lord be thine then his Power is thine to sustain thee under any cross to redeem thee from troubles to help thee in distress to succour thee in the greatest needs and to support thy weakness in the performance of any duties his Wisedom too is thine thou hast an interest in it it is thy portion so that if thou desirest to be instructed in the knowledge of his word to understand those hidden mysteries which are contained in it if thou openest thy mouth to him in prayer he will open thine eyes that thou shalt see mirabilia leg is the wondrous things of his Law Psa. 119. 18. and be also wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. his Justice likewise is thine to vindicate thee when thou art injured if thou committest thy cause unto him and to clear thine innocency when thou art falsly traduced by the malevolent and to deliver thee out of the hands of the oppressour so for his Truth and Holiness the former is thine to make good his promises of blessings in this life and of happiness in that to come if by faith and full affiance thou dependest on him so the latter i. e. his Holiness is thine to sanctifie thy corrupt nature and to free thee as from the guilt so from the power of sin This is the portion of all the Sons and servants of God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a God al-sufficient who can and will do for us more then either we desire or deserve if we wholly rest and rely upon his goodness Happy is the man who is in such a case in so blessed a condition as to have a close union and near communion with the great God of heaven or to speak in the Prophet Davids phrase who hath the Lord for his God Psa. 144. 15. whose alsufficiency they atterly deny who worship any other God as did the Gentiles who multiplied Deities and sacrificed to more then one such are Polutheists who divide the glory of Gods excellencies amongst those petty Numens even as they are no other then practical Athiests and truly worship none who through infidelity question Gods alsufficiency for if he be God he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉