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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69044	A sermon necessarie for these times shewing the nature of conscience, with the corruptions thereof, and the repairs or means to inform it with right knowledge, and stirre it up to upright practise, and how to get and keep a good conscience. To which is adjoyned a necessarie, brief, and pithy treatise af [sic] the ceremonies of the Church of England. By Anthony Cade Batch. of Divinitie.	Cade, Anthony, 1564?-1641.	1639 (1639)	STC 4330; ESTC S107399	57,371	130

à minore ad majus much more confounds the Jews for sinning not onely against their Naturall law but a-against Gods law supernaturally revealed It hath three generall parts First The very Gentiles have a Law-book in their hearts written by the God of Nature That is God hath given such a naturall light and life unto mens souls as enableth them to discern what is honest or dishonest right or wrong and moveth them withall to do good actions and avoid evil This in respect of the Discerning light Basil tom 1. in princ Prov. bom 18. is by Basil called Naturale judicatorium a naturall judgement The Schools call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 records of the law of Nature preserved in mans heart for the rule of his life In regard of the Livelinesse of it exciting and stirring up men to perform their duties Origen calls it Paedagogus Animae sociatus Origen lib. 2. in Epist ad Rom. A schoolmaster accompanying the soul to teach man his duty and call for performance Philosophers glance at it in their Bonus genius Secondly Conscience as it were scientia cum alio sive consensus cordis id est voluntatis cum scientia witnesseth with God and with us or against us whether we have performed this law or not and to that end it writes a second book a Record History or Chronicle of all our counsels courses thoughts words and works which S. Chrysostom in Psalm 50. bom 2. Chrysostome calls Codex in quo quotidiana peccata conscribuntur A book wherein our daily sinnes are written These books shall be opened at the last day and the dead shall be judged of those things which are written in the books according to their works Revel 20.12 Thirdly Our discursive thoughts comparing the law-Law-book which shews what we should do with our Chronicle which shews what we have done produce a third thing a conclusion either excusing and acquitting us for doing according to the law or accusing and condemning us for doing against the law And thus Conscience hath a power to comfort us against all accusations distasts and reproaches of men when we are in the right and to check us having run into erroneous opinions or unjust actions though for our profit or pleasure and with the worlds applause So have we three parts of the text the first De jure the second De facto the third De 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of judgement The works of the Law written in the Gentiles hearts concern God or our neighbour 1. Part. Concerning God the Gentiles knew 1. Deum esse 2. Qualis esset 3. Adorandum esse 1. That there was a God 2. That he had many transcendent properties 3. That he was to be worshipped This S. Paul sheweth Rom. 1.20 The invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternall power and Godhead so that they the very Gentiles are without excuse As Seafaring men lighting upon an unknown Island when they finde hedge-rows houses and towns know it is inhabited by Men for these are not the works of Beasts So the meere Gentiles viewing the Heavens Sunne Moon Starres the Land and Seas Woods Rivers and all kinde of Creatures farre exceeding the wit of Man to devise them or his power to make them or any the least of them conclude presently 1. These things had a Maker farre more excellent then Man even that supreme power which we call God 2. This Maker must in reason 1. be before the things made as the cause before the effects himself cause of all things nothing cause of him therefore Eternall 2. He must also be Almighty that could make all things of nothing and sustain such a masse of creatures in such excellent manner so many 1000 yeares 3. He must be most Wise that made them all in such order variety multiplicity and distinction every one perfect in his kinde nothing defective or superfluous in any creature So wisely that without great wisdome study and observation not any one of them can be understood 4. He must be more excellent then his work having in himself all the perfection and excellencies that can possibly be found in any or in all his works laid together since from him they all proceed 5. He is also most Good and Bountifull that hath made all for mans use or benefit and given man wit and power to manage them all even creatures much stronger then himself to conquer and passe over the boisterous seas upon his devised woodden tottering bridges and to make use of all things in the world for his profit and pleasure 6. He must needs be also most Just to reward those that are like himself good and beneficiall to mankinde and to punish those that live disorderly for the continuation of the world 3. Their knowledge that this God must be worshiped they shewed by their Sacrifices See D. Ames Medulla theologiae lib. 2. cap. 5. Prayers Temples and Priests whereof we reade plentifully in Poets and Historians of all Nations Sacrifices they offered as chief rents in acknowledgement that of him they held whatsoever they possessed and as to the authour of their life safety protection preservation and all other blessings and as a kinde of thankfulnesse for benefits received and prayers for continuance and increase of their happinesse The divine scriptures mention the readinesse of the Lycaonians at Lystra Acts 14.12 13. to sacrifice oxen to Paul and Barnabas for healing a creeple born lame thinking them to be gods come from heaven in likenesse of men And testimony of the Gentiles prayers we have in Jonas his shipmen upon the stormie seas praying to their gods Jonah 1.5 6. and urging him to pray also It seems also that all Nations were taught by the light of nature in prayer to bend the knee to hold up their heads to lift up their eyes 1. Cor. 11.4 5 14 15. men to pray bare-headed women covered all with great reverence as the histories of the Syrians Chaldeans Bellar. De effect sacr lib. 2. cap. 29. saith Many ceremonies were in a sort instituted in nature and therefore common to ill heathen and all sects as To lift up the eyes or hands to heaven to bowe the knee to knock the breast when we pray to God Aegyptians and other nations declare and the Fathers observe Aug. de civ Dei Euseb de praepar Evang. Cicero de natura deor No Nation in the world but worshipped God after one fashion or other Some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had false gods some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had many gods none were meerly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without God A God they knew there was in generall though they erred in the particular and somewhere erected altars * Act. 17.23 to the unknown God and for their gods worship they ordained Temples Priests and Ceremonies not without great honour cost and magnificence witnesse the

life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindenesse of their heart 19. Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousnesse to work all uncleannesse with greedinesse In regard of these benefits and dangers Vse 4 it behoveth us to have a double care First to keep our Law-book pure and perfect lest it misleade us to sinne in stead of righteousnesse Secondly to reade it and follow it diligently lest it cease to be our guide and become our accuser The first man Adam before his fall Ad bonum nil impediebat ad malum nil impellebat Magister lib. 2. dist 25. had it pure and perfect abilitie to know his dutie fully and to perform it throughly But upon his fall he lost his perfection that is the excellencie of the image of God both in Knowledge Coloss 3.10 and Righteousnesse and true Holinesse Ephes 4.24 And in this his depraved image he begat his children Gen. 5.3 In whom though the life of Conscience was left and light enough for performance of outward morall civill and some religious duties for preservation of humane societie and common life yet no sufficient light to attain to the knowledge of the mysteries of saving religion as the Trinitie of the Persons in the Unitie of the Godhead the manner of our redemption by the incarnation and passion of the second person in Trinitie the pardon of our sinnes by his merit our regeneration by his Spirit our resurrection to life eternall and other points The naturall man conceiveth or perceiveth them not he thinketh them foolishnesse they are onely spiritually discerned 1. Cor. 2.14 As the naturall Conscience was short in these things so it was much corrupted in other things The Gentiles a Rom. 1.18 held the truth in unrighteousnesse b Vers 21. became vain in their imaginations their foolish heart was darkened the c 22. professours of wisdome became fools They d 24. dishonoured their own bodies with lusts and uncleannesse In the foure last verses of the first chapter to the Romanes Saint Paul exhibites a long Catalogue of their foul overflowing sinnes which they not onely practised but took pleasure also in the practisers thereof For remedie of which evils Remedies by wise men the Philosophers and wife men of the Heathen have written many books labouring to revive renew and enforce the laws of nature with reasonable deductions therefrom Tully in his books of Offices or Duties layes this for his ground Naturam si sequamur ducem nunquam aberrabimus If we follow the guidance of Nature we shall never stray from our duties and others tell us Conscientia est liber ad quem emendandum omnes scripti sunt libri Conscience is a book for amending whereof all books are written so farre as concern mens actions These men have taken great pains herein husbanding and improving the light of naturall reason to the highest pitch to their own great honour and the worlds great good As also good Princes have And good Princes by the aid of these wise men published and established many worthy laws for their own honour and service and for the common good and happinesse of their subjects But our most gracious God Divine and supernaturall remedies by the Scriptures as he is infinitely above all in providence wisdome and goodnesse so he hath declared his farre more excellent Will and Laws to his people for his own honour and their happinesse inspiring some choice men in the Old and New Testament with divine Revelations and testifying their Mission Commission and Doctrine to be immediately from him by divine miracles as seals unpossible to be counterfeited by any wit or power of men appointing them to deliver by word to the present and by writing to the future ages his holy Laws for the manner of his service the guiding of their lives and the attaining of felicitie And these are the sacred books of the Scriptures And Ministerie And he hath added yet another provident ordinance The sacred Ministerie men separated from other affairs and consecrated to Gods publick service and the peoples edification directing their preaching to these two speciall ends The one to open the meaning of these holy Books and teach the people to understand and imprint these Laws in their Conscience The other continually to work upon their affections to excite and stirre them up often to reade them and carefully to practise them And this is the excellencie of Christian Religion above all Philosophie and humane laws or learning which could never perfect the Conscience nor purifie the heart nor stirre up the affections with such holy doctrines rules or principles nor cause such a constant and universall practise of all kindes of vertue and goodnesse nor procure such blessings temporall and eternall upon persons and nations as these holy Books and the continuall urgent preaching of them doth perform But be the remedies never so good yet if they be not employed applied and continually renewed Satan and Sinne are so busie to assail so potent to prevail and we so impotent to resist so willing to yeeld that corruptions will easily creep into our lives and Consciences As we may observe 1. Causes corrupting the Conscience By the vehemency and disorderlinesse of our corrupt affections lusts or passions whether love hatred covetousnesse ambition pride fleshly lusts or any other blinding and carrying many away into sinfull courses thinking in those passions evil to be good 2. By Custome in sinne For Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati what many do is thought lawfull for all Thus stealing of garments was lawfull with the Lacedemonians many wives at once with the Turks deadly fewd and stealing one side from another among our borderers they thought it stood well with Religion Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellour of England in king Henry the 8 his time writeth The borderers would heare masse before they went to steal and pray God so to blesse them that they might do harm and take none Amongst us of late drunkennesse pride and such like vices are thought lawfull because usuall and practised without check of Conscience These blot blurre or fill up the deep graven letters of our Law-book with dirt or bring us asleep in sinne that we cannot easily spie or reade them 3. By interlinings of false precepts or principles of false teachers as to this precept Love thy neighbour the Pharisees added And hate thine enemy which interlining Christ put out again and restored the text to his old integrity Matth. 5.43 as he did other doctrines of men Matth. 15. and 23. 4. By mistaking errour for true religion as our Saviour said to his Apostles John 16.2 They that kill you will think they do God service Saint Paul once thought that he was bound in Conscience to persecute Christians Acts 26.9 Phil 3.6 he did it of zeal Acts 13.50 and so the devout and honourable women and

with him in this world but there follow a thousand in the other world that will never have end Bodily diseases may be cured or mitigated or the sense taken away by death sores may be helped by Chirurgerie povertie by friends imprisonment by libertie banishment by restoring reproach by time but all these were they the best in the world and in the highest degree cannot cure the Conscience afflicted with sinne Damocles sword hanging over his head ready to fall Balthasars hand-writing on the wall made all the musick harsh to their eares the meats unsavourie to their taste their attendants irksome and all things cumbersome to their eyes so the apprehension of present death or due deserved vengeance seizing upon their souls distastes all the pleasures that this world can afford A fearful thing when we have grievously offended the supreme Judge that we can neither pacifie him nor flie from him when he sends our own Conscience as his officer to arrest us there needs no other Apparitour to summon us no Bailiffe to fetch us no accuser to give evidence against us no nor judge to condemn us nor executioner to torment us our own Conscience will do all this alone and that in most terrible manner Thus Judas was continually dogged by his Conscience to death David said Psal 51.3 his sinne was ever before him A wofull thing he could not look off it nay it was ever before God also when he said vers 1. Blot out mine offences they stood written up before God as memorials Col. 2.14 and as hand-writings against him till blotted out Cornelius his prayers and almes ascended up before the Lord for a memoriall so do sinnes Alas Acts 10.4 that we will have our sinnes written up when we might have our prayers and good deeds written up both in our Consciences and before God also for memorials when we might have Angels sent as to Cornelius to guide direct Act. 10.3 4 5 6. Luk. 16.22 protect us and finally to carry up our souls to heaven as Lazarus we will have lying and damned spirits sent as to Ahab to deceive 1. Kings 22.21 22. destroy and bring us to hell Cain cried Gen. 4.13 My sinne is greater then can be forgiven and Whosoever shall finde me will slay me Ah wofull Innocent Abels bloud cried from earth to heaven for vengeance on the one side Gen. 4.10 13 and wicked Cains conscience cried within him for vengeance on the other side What shall the poore sinner now do Oh let us first take heed we sinne not against our Conscience Vse 1 for every sinne is a wound unto the soul and the continuance in sinne is a continuall stabbing of the Conscience Vastans conscientiam and though some feel not these wounds or grieve not at them presently through the senselesnesse or numnesse of their choked Conscience yet the often stabbing will breed such inward festring corruption and putrefaction that when the Lord toucheth it they will roar and gnash their teeth or grow unconsolable and often make away themselves as Judas did Therefore let us be carefull to keep our conscience waking tender sensible easily offended with the least touch of sinne by continuall meditation of Gods laws and of the necessity of sanctification and by consideration of our own frailties and suspicion of our own inclinations otherwise we may swallow down sinne without perceiving it and though our Conscience stirre not now to prevent sinne it may stirre hereafter to afflict us for it as in Cain Josephs brethren David Judas the evil of poysons is not felt in the going down their taste may be sweet and pleasant but their operation afterwards deadly Oh if thou knewest how that flattering and amiable face of sinne brings after it a deadly sting punishment and vengeance upon thee and thy posteritie thou wouldest hate thine evil courses as hel and damnation The providence of God is marvellous but just the just mans water of affliction he turns into wine most comfortable and cordiall the unjust mans wine he turns into water Sceleris est in scelere supplicium Wickednesse becomes a scourge unto it self but Psal 37.37 Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace But no man is perfect and upright as he ought to be Vse 2 By Gods generall restraining grace we may be kept from a As Noah Gen. 6.9 Job chap. 1.1 Zacharie and Elizabeth Luk. 1.6 Saul Phil. 3.6 outward notorious grosse sinnes offensive to the world but none b 1. Joh. 1.8 Rom. 3.23 Gal. 3.22 without sinne If we finde our Conscience accuse us and hath written up in our chronicle against us not onely sinnes of infirmitie but also some grosse sinnes offensive to God and men and to our selves is there no remedie but with Judas absolute desperation and destruction God forbid Yes the Lord be praised for his great mercie there is this one remedie By sound repentance and faith in Jesus Christ to get them wiped out for the bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sinne but not without repentance on our part 1. Joh. 1.7 and faith taking hold of his mercie First let the Conscience be soundly wounded and truly sorrowfull for offending God let the sting of sinne be throughly felt and the wounds of sinne searched to the bottome though it be with much pain and grief for to skin over a sore before the deadly corruption be let out and cleansed is very hurtfull and so is ministring of comfort to a man not repentant Christ calls them onely that labour and are heavy laden with the burden of their sinnes Matth. 11.28 such onely he came to ease and heal Onely to the repentant faithfull the blessed promises of the Gospel belong Chrysost in Psal 50. hom 2. In codice scripta sunt peccata tua spongia peccatorum tuorum lacrymae tuae sunt grandis carum virtus The martyrs bloud-shed is precious so sinners tears Peter after 3 denials of Christ by bitter tears abstersit peccatum suum recepit pristinam dignitatem ibid. They onely may get the records of sinne cancelled or blotted out as repentant David Psal 51.1 prayed According to the Multitude of thy mercies O Lord blot out my transgressions and as S. Peter counselled Acts 3.19 Repent ye and be converted that your sinnes may be blotted out out of the book of Conscience which pricks you Acts 2.37 and out of all other Gods records standing as memorials against you Thus did a Luk. 22.61 62. S. Peter when Christ looked back upon him and put him in minde of his sinne he went out and wept bitterly delevit quod deflevit he wept and wipt out his sinne Thus b Psal 6.6 and 51. David washed his bed and made it swim And the woman-sinner Luk. 7.38 thereby procured that blessed absolution Thy sinnes are forgiven thee thy faith hath saved thee go in peace vers 48 50. and

26.39 42 44. prayed three severall times saying the same words and Saint Mark hath the like Mark 14.39 Beside the Lords prayer which our Saviour himself prescribed to his Apostles Luke 11.2 When ye pray say Our Father c. which prayer they used in the administration of our Lords supper as Saint Hierom witnesseth lib. 3. contra Pelagianos and Gregor lib. 7. epist. 63. And it was used generally in all Liturgies or publick prayers as is manifest by S. Augustine epist 59. by Saint Hierom and Gregory in the places above cited and Saint Ambrose lib. 5. de Sacr. cap. 4. and Saint Cyrill Catech. 5. myst If any object that prayers should be varied according to the varietie of occasions let him consider that these formerly mentioned were so so are ours in our Common prayer book There are generall prayers for generall particular for particular occasions as for rain fair weather in time of dearth famine warres plagues or sicknesse Baptismes communions marriages visitations of the sick burials of the dead c. and thanksgivings varied upon various occasions for these and the like cases In all which I cannot imagine what any godly sober-minded man can finde to stumble at And if any man think them too short let him remember that Christ condemned too much speaking like the Heathens Matth. 6.7 8. adding this reason For God knoweth our needs before we ask and long prayers are as well notes of hypocrisie as of true Christianitie Matth. 23.14 CHAP. II. Our publick prayers and Ceremonies being made known to the famousest forrein Divines were approved by them all THe Ceremonies of our Church and our book of publick prayer were made known to the most famous and best Divines of other reformed Churches then living by books thereof translated into the Latine tongue and by many letters and much conference betwixt them and our Divines and by many of them much commended by all approved to be lawfull one onely excepted Doctor Burges having searched the writings of them all concludeth that not any one can be produced except Wigandus alone that held our Ceremonies simply unlawfull Burges pag. 560 561. Even Mr. Cartwright himself our English standard-bearer to Non-conformists after his long opposition and much writing at length complaineth that he was misunderstood and wronged as if he held the unlawfulnesse whereas he held onely the inconvenience of our Ceremonies lib. 3. pag. 241. And the same man having written sharply in his first book against the Surplesse yet upon more mature consideration became more moderate in his third book and pag. 75. called it a simple inconvenience and a thing in its own nature indifferent and that it ought to be worn rather then the ministerie forsaken lib. 3. pag. 262. Hooker Eccl. polit pag. 243. And what is said by him others of the Surplesse which was most stuck at by many English is to be understood much rather of the rest of the Ceremonies and so was intended by those authours to wit that they are in their own nature indifferent and not unlawfull And this will appeare more fully in the whole discourse following Mean season heare the testimonie of Alexander Alesius a worthy Scot of great account and note he much commends our book of Common prayer and the ordering of our Church according thereunto and calleth it Praeclarissimum divinum factum and saith The vertue and piety of the English herein would rejoyce many hearts and help their endeavours to do the like and grieve the enemies of the truth for the good successe and progresse thereof and he complaineth that any contentious mindes should move any to mislike it and as if they onely were wise stirre up unnecessary questions and disputations neglecting the knowledge of necessary things And he addes That the contention of brethren about this book comes from the Devil who failing one way seeks another way to do mischief to the Church And finally he saith This book is profitable of it self and the reading thereof will do good to many and at this time it seemeth to be offered unto us from heaven Proëm before his translation of the Common prayer book in script Anglican Bucer fol. 373 375. Sprint 124 125. CHAP. III. Our Ceremonies are not to be condemned but commended for their Significancy CEremonies should be significative of morall vertues so they be not counted operative as Sacraments ordained by God of spirituall graces conferred by them as Bishop Morton well distinguisheth Defence cap. 3. sect 4. Many of the Romish Ceremonies are not onely significative but thought also to be operative as Exorcismes Holy-water Crossings Spittle Exsufflation c. to drive away the Devil and to work supernaturall effects These we condemne for none can ordain such operative Ceremonies but God onely that can give the supernaturall effects For Sacraments have a double signification Bish Mort. ibid. sect 5. one ad modum signi another ad modum sigilli and therefore are both significant and signant by conjoyning whereof they are Operative and Exhibitive by Gods ordinance and promise performing also that which they signifie and seal as Bellarmine also teacheth libro 1. de sacram in genere cap. 11. § 4. 5. definit And therefore no man or Angell can institute a Sacrament but God onely as Bellarmine confesseth De Matrimonio lib. 1. cap. 2. § Posteriore modo agreeing herein with Melancthon Calvin Chemnitius by him there alledged But our Ceremonies signifie onely morall duties giving us occasion to think and meditate of them but neither seal nor exhibite them If when I put on my ministeriall ornaments I am presently put in minde of my dutie since God by the Church hath distinguished me from my flock to be their minister that is to be their mouth unto God in offering to him their prayers confessions deprecations and thanksgivings and to be Gods Embassadour and mouth unto them to shew them his will to proclaim his gracious pardon for their sinnes upon their faith and repentance and this stirres me up to perform that great office with the greatest care wisdome faithfulnesse and reverence that I can Is there any hurt in this And if the people seeing me come in such ornaments into my place do presently consider This man though of a Acts 14.15 like infirmities with us yet is the messenger of the God of heaven and by office is more then an ordinary man b Rom. 1.1 Acts 13.2 separated from all worldly businesse to a more excellent work to be Gods c 2. Cor. 5.20 Embassadour sent unto us d Acts 26.18 to open our eyes to turn us from darknesse unto light and from the power of Satan unto God c. To him hath our Blessed Saviour committed the ministerie of reconciliation e 2. Cor. 5.18 19. to reconcile us sinfull creatures to God our glorious Creatour Him we ought to heare as f Luk. 10.16 God himself and reverence him not so much for his personall