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
Ecclesiasticall histories to shew the rites and ceremonies beside the doctrine of the ancient Primitive Church in the best and purest times You may heare with much profit and comfort all Preachers even the youngest in their freshest wits memory and strength for points of salvation taught in the holy Scriptures within their reading and compasse of studie but for rites and ceremonies trust onely the graver and well-read Divines which have searched Antiquity that our Church-rites may come as neare the purest and ancientest Church as may be without any affectation of noveltie Hitherto I have spoken of the first part of my text The law-Law-book of Conscience with the properties causes uses manifold depravations and necessary reparations thereof Now I proceed to the second part The Chronicle of Conscience II. PART Their Conscience also bearing witnesse AS formerly witnesse to the truth and equity of the law-Law-book and thereby exciting us to the work thereof so now a witnesse to God and to our hearts whether we perform the Law or not For Doctrine Conscience preserves a memoriall of all a mans actions It is not a dead but a living book annexed to the soul and as it hath in one part the rules to guide our life so it writes in another part the course of our life and is as I said before Gods Lieger Ambassadour both to put man in minde of his duty and also to observe what he doth and whether a man look on his Law-book or not whether he minde his duty or not Conscience sits silent and close in a corner of his heart like a Register in his office continually noting and writing the mans courses plots devices with all their materiall circumstances how they swerve or agree with the instructions set down in the Law-book without any partiality as Gods true and faithfull witnesse and this is Saint Chrysostomes Codex Chrysostom on Psal 50. homil 2. in quo quotidiana peccata conscribuntur A book wherein our dayly sinnes are written The Conscience is an individuall or unseparable companion of a mans soul it walks though invisibly in the same gardens with him sits at the same table lies in the same bed Many men are unmarried but none lives single they may walk speak and think without other companions but never without their Conscience that is still partaker of all their counsels that not onely heares and sees but writes down and records as in a Chronicle all things done said or thought By this Chronicle of our lives we may finde written whether we minded it or no while it was in writing undeniable records testifying whether we did this or that or whether we did it not as in sinne David willingly forgot hid and covered his grievous sinnes 2. Sam. 12.13 thinking they should never come to light but after nine moneths Nathan opened his Conscience and compelled him to confesse it So it was with Judas Matt. 27.3 4. So the Conscience of Josephs brethren was not minded by them Gen. 42.21 22. till their affliction in Egypt made them look into it and then they saw their crueltie to their brother written in large letters and convicting them of sinne So of our innocency 1. Sam. 24.11 Davids Conscience shewed him he had not conspired against Saul Samuel could boldly say 1. Sam. 12.3 Whose ex have I taken or whose asse have I taken whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received any bribe Moses could say of Korah Dathan Abiram and their companies Num. 16.15 I have not taken an asse from them neither have I hurt any of them Let no man sinne then Vse 1 in hope to be hid for lack of witnesses He may blinde the world but neither God nor his own Conscience he carries mille testes a thousand witnesses in his own bosome or one as strong as a thousand which will testifie his own secretest sinnes to his own sorrow and shame when God cites it While traitours think their practises remain covered and unknown they are somewhat hearty to denie but when their own letters or other accusers privy to their facts are produced against them into the open light 1. Sam. 25.37 then their hearts like Nabals die within them Or as a murderer having left two men for dead and being afterward apprehended for suspicion and stoutly denying all now when he sees one of them brought in alive able to see him and to speak then he cries out Alas art thou alive then I am undone so a wicked man would deny all but when God brings forth his living Conscience to accuse him then he is stricken dumbe and findes he is undone I reade of a Philosopher that hearing his creditour was dead kept the money which he had borrowed without witnesses a night or two but after some strugling with his Conscience he carried it to his Executour saying Mihi vivit qui aliis mortuus est He is alive to me though he be dead to others Oh offend not thy Conscience which alwayes watcheth thee and writes up thine own sinne and shame against thee Turpe quid ausurus te sine teste time O Ahab 1. Kings 21. how cunningly and closely contrivest and conveyest thou thy mischievous practises against a poore innocent Will not a palace a kingdome content thee where thou maist live in love in honour in wealth and pleasure but thou must have Naboths vineyard too and to get it rush headlong into such damnable courses as to counterfeit a Religious fast making a shew of Devotion a cloke to cover an odious sinne which is the height of impietie and to suborn false witnesses to accuse an innocent corrupt the Judges under colour of law to condemn him to take away his livelyhood and withall his good name and the pitie and compassion of his neighbours and beholders which is the height of Tyrannie yea worse if any thing can be worse then stoning him to death and depriving himself and his children of inheritance and life And doth not thy Conscience check thee for all this Surely Conscience had written it up but he minded it not for joy of his fine contrived excheat till coming from taking possession he met the Prophet Elias to whom he said Hast thou found me 1. Kings 21.20 O mine enemie Why his enemie Oh his Conscience now accused him of his wickednesse which had made both God and good men his enemies and now at last he found in stead of magnifying his house and establishing his posteritie what an evil covetousnesse he had coveted to his own house what a vengeance he brought upon himself and his posteritie Oh Absalom how well mightest thou flourish if the favour of a King the love of a kingdome the beauty of thy person wealth honour and pleasure with any moderation would content thee But thou art sick of the Father and ambition carries thee headlong into treasonable courses and untimely death Thou colourest thy foul practises
with fair pretences hiding thy intents from the abused people while thine own end is hid from thy self God sees all thy Conscience writes all while thou needlesly and heedlesly runnest a full careere to thine own destruction And thou David See 2. Sam. 12. and the chapters following from the shepherds staffe raised to the Kings sceptre and now setled in thy kingdome in great wealth peace honour and prosperitie wilt thou now forget thy self so farre that thine own hundred sheep will not satisfie thee but thou must take thy neighbours onely ew that lies in his bosome wilt thou commit so foul an act and yet a fouler to murder the right innocent owner and to do it the closelier wilt thou betray the Lords guiltlesse army into the enemies hand and cause his name to be blasphemed among the heathen and wilt thou hereby draw plagues upon thee and thine and cut off thy prosperitie when thou needest not and doth thy Conscience all this while sleep and will never awake No no thy Conscience is writing all the while a chronicle of all thy doings and after nine moneths when the childe is born Nathan will open thy book and make thee reade thine own sinne which will cost thee many teares and much heart-grief and many afflictions from thine own subjects from thine own children all thy life long after For our innocencie and good works Vse 2 we need not hunt for eye-witnesses to cleare and to cheere us Hic murus aheneus esto Nil conscire sibi nullâ pallescere culpâ Horat. Integer vitae scelerÃsque purus non eget Mauri jaculis nec arcu c. Idem Conscience alone giveth sufficient comfortable testimony A cleare Conscience is a brazen wall to keep off all the darts of sinne or shame which ill tongues can throw against us He that is of sound life and free from ill-doing hath his heaven within him and may say with S. Paul 2. Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards In midst of slanders and uncharitable surmises of malicious men comfort thy self with the witnesse of thy sinceritie and innocencie as S. Paul did there and Acts 23.1 Men and brethren I have lived in all good Conscience before God unto this day And Acts 24.16 Herein I do exercise my self to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards men and neare his death 2. Tim. 4.6 Now said he I am ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousnesse c. Our Conscience also will witnesse Vse 3 whether in doing good works we serve God or our selves that is whether we do the works of our vocation with true sinceritie and simplicitie of heart and observing all due circumstances referring all to the true ends Gods glory chiefly and secondly our own salvation comfort and profit and the good of others without hurt or wrong to any which if we do our Conscience will assure us 2. Cor. 5.5 Rom. 8.14 15 16. Eph. 1.13 14 2. Cor. 1.22 we are guided by Gods Spirit are in Gods favour have received the earnest of our inheritance the Spirit of adoption although we feel still imperfections in our selves as S. Paul did Rom. 7.21 c. or whether we do our good works in hypocrisie and for our own by-ends which may be profitable to others but neither please God nor our own Conscience soundly as they ought to do Thus to apply it onely to our present meeting Preachers may finde it written in their Conscience See Gabr. Powels consideration of the ministers supplication to the Parliament 1606. pag. 11 12. whether their preaching hath been directed to Gods true service for his glory and the right information and falvation of his people or whether to their own praise to shew their learning eloquence and wit or to please and humour their patrons friends and people for maintenance and preferment I wish we all could say with S. Paul Acts 20.26 I take you all to record this day that I am pure from the bloud of all men and have taught you all the counsell of God and Acts 24.16 and 2. Cor. 1.12 Our Visitours and their inferiour officers may finde written in their Consciences whether they make such a meeting as this Morum or Nummorum visitatio D. Boys in a visitation Sermon visiting to do good to the Church or to themselves Sure I am these offices and meetings were ordained for good and the execution thereof doth much good in our Church to see that ministers do their duties preach true and profitable doctrine and that diligently live honest and unoffensive lives and be examples of all goodnesse to their flocks to see whether Church-buildings furniture books vestments and especially people be in good order They that do all these good offices deserve good recompense for their pains and care their persons and offices are venerable honourable and exceeding profitable to the Church But the good performance of the best Visitours may be much hindered by corrupt or negligent under-officers Church-wardens Side-men Apparitours which are the eyes of the Visitours I wish them to reade seriously in their Conscience whether they serve God or Mammon or God for Mammon whether they betray not the trust committed to them making the Visitours look through false glasses D. Boys ibid. or spectacles to see Omnia bene in billis when there is rather Omnia malè in villis and their feeling is better then their seeing and so no good reformation follows because no good information went before I can go no further but onely advise men to look to their Consciences lest they become partiall causes of the continuance of any evil in the Church and thereby derive much of the guilt and punishment upon themselves whereas by conscionable execution of their office and trust they may procure much good to the Church settle true peace in their Conscience and derive upon themselves many blessings from God with love and praise from men But I must hasten to the third part of my Text and hasten through it III. PART Their thoughts accusing or excusing THeir discursive thoughts by comparing these two books together the one containing Facta the other Regulam factorum the Law of God and the Chronicle of our lives either accuse and condemne for their disagreement or excuse and acquit for their agreement The first book makes the Proposition or Major of a Practicall Syllogisme Thus thou must do The second book makes the Assumption or Minor Thus thou hast done The Conscience with the discoursing thoughts out of those Premises draws the Conclusion Ergò thou hast done evil or
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