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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

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

Temple of Diana at Ephesus the Temple of Apollo at Delphos of Jupiter Amon of Isis and Osyris in Egypt with many other And great Kings and Princes were their Priests Rex idem hominum Phaebíque sacerdos And though the vulgar had opinions of many gods yet the wiser sort acknowledged but one as the books De Mundo ascribed to Aristotle and Philo say The same God in regard of severall offices was called by severall names as for moderating the seas called Neptune for moderating the windes Aeolus c. For duties towards their Neighbours The Gentiles knew and practised the substance of the whole Second Table at least so farre as concerned outward duties Children honoured and obeyed their Parents as Sichem did Hamor Gen. 34.4 See D. Williams Church lib. 3 cap. 3. pag. 347. Gen 20.4 5. not presuming to take a wife without his consent and employment Murder every where most abhorred and grievously punished Abimelech King of Gerar would not come neare Sarah hating Adulterie when he knew she was a mans wife The Romane Lucretia prized her chastity above her life 1. Cor. 5.1 Incest unheard of among the Gentiles Wives subjection to their husbands commanded by Ahasuerus Esther 1. And compulsion to drink more then a man list forbidden by the same Gentile Monarch Wrong oppression theft defrauding any man of his right forbidden by the generall rule Reusner in Symbol Imperat lib. 1. Symb. 29. Fac quod vis pati and Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri nè feceris Do nothing to another which thou wouldest not have done to thy self Reusnerus in Symbolis cites many heathen authours which deliver that rule It was the common * Which he learnt of his mother Mammaea the scholar of that great Origen Isaacus Casaub Annot. in Julium Capitolinum word of Alexander Severus which he caused also to be proclaimed by his heraulds whensoever he punished his subjects or souldiers which had wronged any man And for all other morall and civill righteousnesse honesty justice temperance sobriety providing for the poore helping the distressed speaking the truth observing leagues contracts and promises avoiding perjury punishing vice honouring vertue and living orderly the Gentiles had many excellent laws wisely made and carefully observed The generall observation of these in all nations shewed the substance thereof to be naturall notions and principles written in their hearts and the variety of their promulgations and penalties in severall nations argued deductions and consequents drawn from those naturall notions by the force of reason These naturall laws the most wise Creatour did write in the hearts of men for these causes 1. Causes and reasons thereof That there might be a perpetuall difference betwixt men and beasts Had God given man a strong wit understanding policy and not withall a Conscience or naturall law to guide him he had been of all Creatures the most dangerous 2. To preserve humane society and keep mens actions in some tolerable limits by ordaining good laws to bridle the disorderly and protect the innocent in quiet possession of their rights and for the common good Aug. de civitate Dei lib. 4. cap. 4. Rom. 1. else saith S. Augustine Quid sunt regna nisi magna latrocinia 3. To be an ayd to man better to search out the Creatour and to serve him We may say of God as Seneca said of Nature Perditura fructum sui si solitudini ostenderet He had lost the fruit of his work had he shewed it onely to beasts which could not understand it so God had lost his glory and man his felicity 4 S. Paul addes Rom. 1.20 To make the impious and unrighteous unexcusable if they did not according to that law which their own Conscience dictated unto them This was an inestimable benefit of God Vse 1 to give every man such a worthy guide of his life for morall civill and divine duties in observing whereof he might live with much comfort credit profit and earthly happinesse And that these laws are undoubtedly just and equall written by God himself as the first Tables and so legible and in such plain characters that the unlearnedest man may reade them though he know no letters of any other book and in such a language as men of all nations and tongues may understand them and that a man hath this book for his counsellour at home with him he need not make long journeys to seek for a counsellour or tedious waiting to attend his leisure give costly fees to attain his counsell which haply may prove doubtfull and untrusty he hath this his bosome friend free faithfull patient as neare and as true to him as his own soul with whom he may conferre again and again at his leisure and pleasure till he be fully resolved what he may lawfully do or must avoid And This is yet a greater benefit Vse 2 that this Law-book is not a dead thing like other books containing dead letters or precepts but like the divine word of God written in the heart Hebr. 4.12 quick lively powerfull operative and piercing as Gods Lieger Ambassadour residing in our hearts to shew us our duties and call upon us to do them whereupon our Conscience is not onely called a Book Paedagogus animae sociatus Origen but a Schoolmaster also to urge us to learn and perform our duties Monet movet movendo docet docendo movet God knowing our ignorance Conscientia est speculum fraenum calcar flagellum gives us this book to instruct us knowing our headstrong inclination to evil gives us this bridle to restrain us and knowing our dulnesse to all good duties gives us this spurre to quicken us And all this is our Conscience which if we do amisse shall scourge us But As the benefit is great Vse 3 of this Light to guide us and of this Heat to quicken us as of the Sunne in the great world So is the danger great if we shut our eyes against the Notions and our hearts against the Motions of our Conscience For this is to be wilfully blinde when we may see or wilfully wicked when we do see our dutie and do it not This is plainly to rebell against God himself to thrust his Deputie out of his throne and office This is to provoke the Lord to give us up to our own hearts lusts and to have no further care over us as Rom. 1.24 26 28. And this is to draw upon us a most dangerous consequence by degrees through the custome of sinne to make our Conscience senselesse seared cauterized or to choke and kill it or in such sort to extinguish the light and life thereof that the greatest sinnes will be practised without any check or remorse to the intolerable hurt of the Church and Common-wealth the shame of our lives the damnation of our souls Ephes 4.17 The Gentiles walk in the vanity of their minde 18. Having the understanding darkned being alienated from the

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 scelerísque 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