The Preface. THe very reading and hearing of this Text may put vs in minde of our duties; doe but apply it vnto your soules, and pra­ctise it in your liues, and you shall finde much comfort.

The maine matter of it is Conscience; a doctrine much neglected in ourage, and yet neuer more needfull. I will not trouble [Page 2] you with any long discourse of the Context, for the words are plaine, and they containe part of S. Pauls Apologie before Faelix, when Tertullus the Oratour accused him for a pestilent and a turbulent fellow.The coherence This Apologie consisteth of

• two parts
  • Negatio facti.
  • Confessio fidei.

1. A negation, or deniall of the fact, Verse [...]. They neither found me in the Temple, disputing with any man, nor in the Synagogues, or Citie, raising vp the people.

2. A confession of his faith,Goran. Non negat sed nar­rat; non dissimulat sed planè profitetur quam religionem coluit, saith an Ancient vpon this Text; he doth not denie nor dissemble his religion, as many doe, but professeth plainely, that after that way which they call Heresie, so worshipped he the God of his Fa­thers.Verse 14.

To this he addeth the ground of his faith, belee­uing all things written in the Law and the Prophets.

And then the fruit of this ground, Verse 15. Hauing hope towards God that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the iust and vniust.

And lastly, in the words of my Text hee setteth downe his practise and exercise: And herein I exer­cise my selfe, to haue alwaies a conscience voyd of of­fence, &c.

As if he had thus spoken [...], Herein, The sence of the Words. and for this respect, because I am a Christian, beleeuing the doctrine of the Law and the Prophets, and hauing hope in the Resurrection, [...], I my selfe doe studie (as the Rhemists render it, or labour and en­deauour, as Tremelius reades it, or exercise my selfe, [Page 3] as the vulgar English hath it.

Where, by the way wee may obserue, that the ground-worke and foundation of a good consci­ence is Christian Religion, and a right beleefe con­cerning things diuine, specially the doctrine of the Ressurection, without the which the conscience cannot be good nor cleare.

For in this respect S. Paul saith, I labour and en­deauour to haue and to hold a conscience, [...] cleare and voyd of offence in all duties towards God and men, and that alwaies. This I take to be the sence of the words, & their coherence with the precedent Scripture. The summe and substance whereof may be reduced to these three generall heads, whereof I will speake briefly.

The Diuision. 1. Of Conscience, and the nature thereof, Quid sit? What it is? because many talke of it that know it not; And this is Subiectum adaequatum, the maine subiect, and as it were the Center of this Text.

2. Quotuplex: The kinds and qualities of Con­science, which are as lines drawne from the Center, to demonstrate and deliniate the seuerall climates and regions of conscience; which are either offen­siue, or without offence, as the word [...] doth import.

3. The extent and latitude of this Text, call it what you will, the manner or meanes to obtaine and maintaine a good conscience; or the matters wherein, in all dutie humane and diuine, towards God and men; and the time how long, [...] at all times. These are the lists and limits of this Text, and my intended Discourse; And of these [Page 4] in order; but first of Conscience, and the nature thereof.

The first part. There are two things wherein man doth excell all mortall Creatures,

Ratio, & Oratio.

Reason, and Speech.

Now Conscience doth belong vnto Reason, and is thus defined by Aquinas; Aquin. pars 1. Q. 79. Art. 13. Actus rationis applicans scientiam ad opus: An act of reason, applying our knowledge to our workes, and iudging of the law­fulnesse and vnlawfulnesse thereof. Medina saith, that it is, Dictamen rationis applicatum ad opus; which is the same in effect. Some call it a Hebite, others a Facultie: But I decline the Casuists and Schoole­men of purpose, that I may speake to the people, and to their consciences: And therefore (according to plainenesse of speech, and soundnesse of truth) Conscience may thus be defined.

Conscience defined. Conscience is a noble and a notable faculty in the soule of man, working vpon it selfe, and deter­mining of all our particular thoughts, words, and workes, either with vs, or against vs.

The parts of the definition expounded. 1. I call it a Faculty, because it produceth acts, and is inseparable from its subiect; Exui sed non de­ponipotest, It may be left off for a time in respect of the vse of it, as reason in a drunken man, but it can­not be cast off for euer, or remoued from the soule. Which made St. Bernard to say,Meditations. Quocun (que) vado con­scientia mea wecum; Wheresoeuer I goe my consci­ence is with me, it dogs and followes mee; Adest vin [...], seqitur mort [...]um, It is present with me while I liue, and when I die it dyeth not; for when my [Page 5] body is rotting in the graue, my conscience shall liue: And when I rise againe, my conscience will come with me before God and his iudgement seat, either to excuse, or accuse me.

2. I call it noble and notable, in respect of the re­ciprocall working thereof, which is strange and ad­mirable, and it is on this manner: First the minde thinkes a thought either good, or bad; and then the conscience by doubling and reflecting the same, doth thinke againe of that thought, and iudgeth whether it be good, or bad. Wee haue a good re­semblance thereof in the eye, for the eye that seeth all things that may be seene, seeth not it selfe but by way of reflection, and the helpe of a looking-glasse; So it may be said of the minde, it mindes and vn­derstands all things that may be vnderstood, yet it vnderstands not it selfe, nor its owne nature, but by recoiling, reflecting, & recollecting the beames & rayes of that diuine light in and vpon it selfe; which made some to say that Conscience is nothing else but anima reflexa, the soule of man recoiling, and reflecting vpon it selfe.

3. I place it in the Soule of man, not as part of a part, for anima est indiuisa, Aristot. the soule is impartible; but tota in tota, whollyin the whole soule, and all the faculties thereof, where it keepeth a compleat Court, the Court of Conscience. In the vnder­standing where it principally resideth; Bonorum malorum (que) facinorum est Index & Index; Sen [...]ca. It sitteth as a Iudge determining and prescribing de iure, this may, or may not be done, and this is well or ill done. In the memory it is a Register, a Recorder, and a [Page 6] Witnesse, Qui nec fallit, nec fallitur, which can nei­ther deceiue, nor be deceiued, testifying, de facto, this was done, and that was not done, whereof the Poet speaketh, ‘Nocte die (que) tuum gestas in pectore testem.I [...]enal.’

In the will and affections it is a layler, or execu­tioner, easing or tormenting vs: For what are the approofes and reproofes, the ioyes and checkes of the conscience, but actions of the will and affecti­ons, recoiling vpon the Soule, either comforting, or tormenting vs for deeds past, or else terrifying vs for euill deeds to come? Which made one to com­pare it to a bridle and a whip, Lips. Pol. Frenum ante peccatum, flagrum post peccatum; A bridle to curbe vs before we sinne, and a scourge to whip vs after wee haue sinned.

4. The fourth and last thing in the definition, is the Subiect or Obiect whereupon Conscience doth worke, or the matters wherewith it intermedleth. It medleth not with vniuersalities, as Arts and Sci­ences, nor with other mens matters, as busie-bodies doe; but it deales wholly and solely in our owne proper and particular actions. And of these it gi­ueth iudgement by a kinde of reasoning and dispu­ting in & with it selfe, called by the Schoolemen a practicall Syllogisme, whose maior is some maxime in Reason or Religion, which cannot be denyed; and whose minor is some act, fact, or dutie of ours, ill or well done, omitted or committed: And then fol­loweth the conclusion, of it selfe either with vs, or a­gainst vs, as conscince beareth witnesse. Sometime it speaketh for God against vs; and sometime for [Page 7] vs vnto God, being as it were a middle [...]ng,M. Perkins. and an indifferent arbitrator betweene God and man. And it is called, Conscientia, quasi cordis scientia, saith S. Bernard, or rather, Scientia cum alia, a knowledge ioyned with our knowledge, whereby it knowes that of vs, which God onely knowes with vs. It is a co witnesse with God, for no man knowes what is in man but God onely, & the spirit of man, which is his conscience; and this is instar mille testium, worth a thousand witnesses: Which made the Philoso­pher to say,Seneca lib. 1. O te miserum si contemnis hunc testem! Epist. 43. O wretched man if thou despisest the iudgement and testimony of thine owne conscience!The nature of Conscience illustrated.

The Fathers haue many sayings and similies to expresse the nature of Conscience. S Bernard com­pares it to a Booke,De interiori domo. Conscientia est liber ad quem e­mendandum omnes scripti sunt libri; Conscience is a li­uing booke, annexed to the soule of man, indeed a power or faculty of the soule like vnto a Booke, for the informing and reforming whereof, all other bookes are written and printed; for what are all the Diuinity-bookes, and all the Law-bookes, but glosses and Commentaries vpon this Text? Et ma­ledicta glossa quae corrumpit textum; Cursed is that law-booke, or glosse, that goes against Conscience.

This booke consisteth of two parts,M. Cade. or volumes; The one is a Law-booke, wherein are set downe the grounds and principles of truth, and equity, called by the Ancients [...] siue relicta rationis Scin­tilla, the reliques and remaines, or the records of the Law, and light of Nature. The other part is a Chronicle, or a Registrie, wherein all our workes are [Page 8] written; which made S. Chrysostome vse the same comparison which S. Bernard long before: Conscien­tia est codex in quo quotidiana peccata conscribuntur; A booke wherein all our daily sinnes are written.

Now Conscience when it giueth iudgement, it first reades ouer the Law-booke, and examineth what is written there, what is bidden or forbidden by the law of God, & nature: And then it turneth ouer the records, and seeth what is done or left vn­done, and accordingly it giueth iudgement either with vs or against vs.

S. Origen compares Conscience to a Schoolemaster, Pedagogus animae sociatus, & affectuum corrector, A Master or Monitor, to direct our wayes, and to cor­rect our errours.

S. Austin to a looking-glasse, Speculo similis, euen a cleare Christall glasse, wherein wee may see our owne vertues and vices, and behold the image of the inner man.

Tertullian calls it praeiudicium extremi iudicij, A fore-runner of Gods last iudgement, euen the best Almanacke in our owne breasts and bosomes, to foretell vs what shall become of vs at the last day.

A briefe Ap­plication. These things I pray you to apply, for I cannot stand to amplifie: These things if ye know, happie are you if you doe them. Iohn 13. 17. In this learned age (a­mongst the innumerable bookes that are extant) I recommend vnto you the booke of Conscience, Hunc lege, relege, & perlege, O reade, reade often, and reade ouer this booke, and doe nothing against the Dictates thereof. It is not the want of knowledge, but of Conscience which the world complaineth [Page 9] of: many haue knowledge that want Conscience; And I wish from my heart that many had lesse Sci­ence, vpon condition they had more conscience. And so I come to the second part, the kindes and qualities of Conscience.

Conscience two fold. Conscience (according to my Text) is either [...] cleare, guiltlesse, and without offence; or else, guilty, troubled, and offensiue. The one is a Cordiall, the other a Corrosiue; the one a heauen; the other a very hell, euen in this life: Of the one Salomon speaketh,Prou. 15. 15. A good conscience is a continuall feast, Iuge conuiuium, a continuall Christmas, and a perpetuall Iubilee; whereof S. Paul, 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our reioycing is the testimony of our Conscience; But the other is a­nima Carnificina, the racke and torture of the Soule, a very worme gnawing the heart at the roote, and compared to a very fiend or furie of hell, pursuing men with firebrands.

Conscience foure-fold. S. Bernard hath a witty distribution of conscience into foure kinds,

• 1. Good, but not quiet.
• 2 Quiet, but not good.
• 3 Both good, and quiet.
• 4 Neither good, nor quiet.

The two good belong properly to the godly; and the two bad to the wicked, whose conscience is ei­ther too quiet, or too vnquiet.

Good, but not quiet. 1. The first kinde of Conscience is good, but not quiet. I call it good, not simply, but in respect of the tendernesse of it, and fearefulnes to offend; yet vnquiet for want of true light and information. Such is the conscience of those that are erronious in iudgement, or ignorantly dubious and scrupulous, [Page 10] making many quaeries and questions for conscience sake, where God and his word makes none. They may be compared to a wilde and a wall-eyed horse, which stirres and starts at euery shadow, without cause or occasion.

Such are many of my Brethren, both on my right, and left hand, I meane the Recusants in both kinds, Catholiques and Catharists, Papists and Puritans, who are no lesse offended, the one with an egge on a fasting day; the other with a Cap, Crosse, or Sur­plesse, then with some hainous offence. I commend their zeale, but not their iudgement; their affection, not their discretion; they haue indeed a kinde of tendernesse of Conscience, but they want the right rule thereof, both which are required in a good Conscience. Their iudgement is weake and crazie, vnable to digest any hard matter, or difficult questi­on: They mistake the grounds of Conscience, building vpon vnstable foundations, and burdening themselues and others with things in their owne na­ture indifferent.

Three degrees of Conscience, that is quiet, but not good. The second kinde of Conscience is quiet, but not good; and of this kinde there are three degrees,

Caeca.

The blinde.

Secura, &

The secure, and

Obdurata.

The seared.

Caeca. 1. The blinde and ignorant Conscience is quiet, because it knowes not how to stirre; the blind man swallowes many a flie, and the ignorant many a sinne; he sees andM. Wards Balme from Gilead. discernes sinnes as we doe stars in a darke night, onely the great ones, primae magni­tudinis, of the larger size. Concupiscence, the roote [Page 11] of all euill, S. Paul thought to be no sinne, while the scales of ignorance were vpon his eyes. And so doe many ignorant men in their blinde Consci­ence thinke many a sinne to be no sinne: They thinke that a few heartlesse prayers, and Lord haue mercy vpon vs, at the last gaspe, will serue their turne: They dare not looke into the glasse of Gods holy Word, least the number of their sinnes, and the foulenesse of their soules, should affright them. But if God once open their eyes, as he did the Pro­phets seruant, they shall see whole armies, and legi­ons of euils, and Diuels, in them, and against them.

2. Secura. The second degree is the secure and carelesse, the sleepie, and drawsie Conscience, that can and will not see, with whom sinne and Sathan are in league for a time, Sed ista tranquilit as tempestas erit, Ad Heliodor. that calme in the end will proue a storme, as S. Ierom noteth. The flesh, the world, and the Diuell hath so lulled them a sleepe, that they neuer dreame of Heauen, nor Hell, death, nor iudgement, they neuer thinke of their sinnes, nor of the euill day; the noise of carnall pleasures, and the voyce of worldly profits doth drowne the voyce of Conscience in them, as the Drummes in the sacrifice of Moloch did the cry of the infants: Their Conscience is quiet, not because they be at peace, but because they are not at lea­sure. O thinke vpon this you that swim in worldly wealth and pleasures! O remember this you Poly­phragmaticall men, that haue whole Mynes and Mints of businesse in your pates, making so much haste to be rich, that you are not at leasure once in a weeke, in a moneth, in a yeare, nay scarce in your [Page 12] whole life time to conferre with your poore Con­science, which is a very dangerous thing. For if e­uer this sleepy and drousie Conscience doe awake, as many times it doth in the time of aduersity, as in Iosephs brethren, or at the houre of death, as in many others; like a wilde beast robbed of her whelpes, and rowsed from sleepe, Iugulum petit, it will flie (as it were) to the throat of thy soule, accu­sing thee to the vttermost, and laying all thy sinnes to thy charge.

3 Obdurata. The third degree is, the seared and cauterized Con­science, which (by adding sinne to sinne) is so hard­ned, that it hath no sence nor feeling of sinne. The habite and custome of sinning hath taken away all shame of face and remorse of Conscience in many, that they are giuen ouer to a reprobate sence, to worke vncleanenesse with greedinesse. At the first e­uery mans Conscience will speake vnto him, as Peter did to our Sauiour, Master, saue thy selfe; her pricke-arrowes are like the shafts of Ionathan, to forewarne Dauid of the great Kings displeasure; but if we neglect her cry and calling, this good Cassan­dra will speake no more. That body is in great dan­ger where the pulse doth not beate; that Armie is soone surprized, where the watch and alarme are not kept; So it is with that Soule, where the Con­science is not waking and stirring: Grauissime aegro­tat qui se non sentit agrotare, That man is desperately sicke that doth not feele his sicknes; So is that soule that doth not feele his sinnes: Tunc maxime oppugnaris cum te nescis oppugnari, saith S. Ierome to Heliodor, Then art thou most tempted, when thou doest not feele [Page 13] thy temptations. And S. Austin asketh the question, Quid miserius, misero non miserante seipsum? What more miserable, then a wretch that seeth not his owne misery? O hearken vnto this you that harden your hearts, and seare your Consciences, by quenching the motions thereof, and sinning the rather when your Conscience is against it.

Good and quiet 3. The third kinde of Conscience is that which is both good and quiet, which is very tender and sensi­ble of sinne, and yet is neuer troubled nor perplex­ed, which is full of hope and loue, full of faith and knowledge, and which bringeth good tydings, and that vpon good grounds. This kinde of Consci­ence euer excuseth, and neuer accuseth, euer com­forteth, and neuer condemneth; and if it hap to pricke and ake with sorrow for some sin past, that sorrow bringeth repentance neuer to bee repen­ted of. Some there are that haue such Consciences, but very few in these our euill dayes, and they that haue them are happy and blessed both heere and hereafter.

Neither good nor quiet. 4. The fourth kinde of Conscience is that which is neither good nor quiet, and this is the worst of all, for as the godly haue the first fruit of the spirit, and certaine tasts of heauenly ioyes, euen in this life by the goodnes of their Conscience: So the wicked on the contrary do feele certaine flames and flashes of hell-fire, by reason of their guilty conscience; which made S. Bernard to say, Nulla poena est grauior mala Conscientia quae proprijs agitatur stimulis: No plague, nor punishment more grieuous then a guilty Conscience, which is tormented with a sting in it selfe, a worme; [Page 14] And a worme that euer gnaweth, and neuer dyeth. Such is the Conscience of wilfull and wicked mur­therers and malefactors, which despaire of Gods mercy, and oftentimes lay violent hands vpon themselues. Polydor Virgil writes, that Richard the third had a most terrible dreame the night before Bosworth-field, in which he was slaine: He thought that all the Diuels in hell haled and pulled him in most hideous and vgly shapes; It credo non fuit som­nium, sed Conscientia scelerum, That was no fained dreame (saith Polydor) but a true torture of his Conscience, presaging a bloudy day to himselfe and to his followers. And we see by daily experience a great many that are driuen by the terror of a guil­ty Conscience to hang, drowne, and murther themselues; And of these it may be said that, Iudas-like, they are both Iurie and Iudge, accusers and exe­cutioners of themselues.

Thus you see the different kindes and qualities of Conscience, with the degrees and gradations thereof; Some too quiet, as the blinde, the secure, and the seared; and some too vnquiet, as the erro­nious, dubious, and desperate, or guilty: The meane is the best; not lulled asleepe with a habite of sinning, nor yet affrighted with the terrours of guilt and despaire, but well-seasoned with feare and faith, hope and loue, which is the best temperature of a Chri­stian soule. And so I come to the third and last part.

Part 3. The extent, latitude, or circumference of this Text, (call it what you will) the manner and meanes to obtaine and retaine a good Conscience, or the matters wherein, in all duties towards God and men; and [Page 15] the time how long a good Conscience is to be kept, [...], alwayes, and at all times.

It is an Aphorisme in Physicke, that lisdem nu­trimur quibus constamus, Hippocrat. wee are fed by the same whereof we are bred, whether we vnderstand it of bloud the immediate, or the earth the remote meanes of nutriment. And it is true in Diuinity, that the meanes to haue, and to hold, a good Con­science are alike, and the same. And these are prin­cipally foure,

• Vniuersality of obedience.
• Sincerity of heart and affection.
• Constancy in well-doing.
• Diligence in practise, and exercise.

All which are closely included in the words of my Text.

Obedience. 1. First, to haue a good Conscience, there is re­quired an vniuersall and Catholique obedience in all duties humane and Diuine, towards God and men, the workes of Piety and Charity, in the first and second Table: For the conscionable man hath re­spect vnto all the Commandements of God, he in­tends not to breake any, although hee may faile in many;Lumbard. Bona Conscientia non stat cum proposito peccan­di; A good Conscience stands not with a purpose to sin. He is no true penitent that mournes for sinne past, and at the same time meanes to commit the same sinne againe. He is no good man that makes con­science of one sinne, and not of another; so hee that breakes one Commandement,Iam. 2. 10. hates the rest, and is guilty of all. Herod, Naaman, and Ananias, made conscience of many sinnes, they went a great way towards Heauen, but for their Pride, Incest, [Page 16] Idolatry, and Sacriledge, they were cast downe to Hell. Many there are that hate Pride and Coue­tousnesse, but they loue Whoredome and Drun­kennesse. And some there are that make a consci­ence of the duties of the first Table, specially those that crosse not their will and affections, that are no way against their profit and pleasure, and that are glorious before men; they will not misse a Sermon, sweare an oath, nor doe the least worke on the Sa­baoth day, which are very good things in them, for part of our endeauour, though it be not mere righteousnesse, yet is it lesse sinne. But as for the duties of the second Table, which are the best Touchstone of the Conscience, if we looke to their doings and dealings with men, you shall finde ma­ny of them full of fraud and falshood, full of malice and mischiefe, as if their holinesse were a discharge vnto them from righteousnesse. And others there are that liue orderly with their neighbours, and pay euery man his due, but they rob God of his due; they haue no care of the duties of the first Table, neither make they any Conscience of Re­ligion. The first are like the Pharises, who were ve­ry holy, but vniust; the others like the Saduces, good liners, but very bad belieuers, for they belieued that there was neither Spirit, Angell, nor Resurrection: And of both these I may say, that they doe their duties by halfes, and Agrippa-like, they are but semi Christiani, almost, or rather halfe-Christians; whereas the conscionable man makes conscience of all the Commandements of God, euen from the greatest to the least, generally, though not equally; [Page 17] for most of all hee straines and striues against the great and grosse sinnes, yet swallowes not the least, hee abhorres adultery, and hates dalliance; He is so farre from pride, couetousnesse, and other ca­pitall sinnes, that hee abstaines from all occasions and appearance of euill,Iud. 23. hating euen the garment spotted by the flesh. In a word, he is a perfect Chri­stian, quoad partes (as the Schoolemen speake) though not quoad gradus; as a Childe is said to haue all the parts of a perfect man, although he want age & sta­ture; so the conscionable man hath all the parts and properties of a perfect Christian, which may be had here in via, in the way, although he attaine not those high degrees of perfection, which they haue in pa­tria, in their Country.

Sincerity. 2. Secondly, in a good Conscience there is re­quired Sincerity, integritie, and vprightnesse of heart and affections, which the Greeke word [...] in my Text doth well import, if you change but the Case, and reade it thus, before God & men. All things are before God, and nothing is hid from him; yet properly that is said to be before God, which is hid from men, and which is before none but God only, as the heart and the conscience. God is [...] the searcher of the heart, and tryer of the reines. And therefore he saith,Prou. 23. 26. My Sonne giue me thy heart. And S. Paul saith,Col. 3. 23. Whatsoeuer ye doe, doe it heartily, as vnto God, and not vnto men: For God is a spirit, and he will be serued in spirit and truth. Iohn 4. 14. We cannot complement before God with faces and phrases, as we doe with men. A little done in sincerity and truth from the heart, is more worth then all the workes [Page 18] of hypocrites; yea, without this integrity of the heart all our labour is but lost. And therefore the Hypocrite,Math. 6. 2. that sounds a Trumpet when hee giues almes, that prayes in the corners of the street, and doth all his workes to be seene of men, can neuer please God, nor haue a good Conscience, for a good Conscience cannot stand with hypocrites.

Constancie. 3. Thirdly, to haue, and to hold, a good Consci­ence, there is required Constancie, Continuance, and Perseuerance in well-doing: Not Demas-like for a spurt,2 Tim. 4. 10. Gal. 5. 7. nor as the Galathians for a time, Ye ranne well, who hindred you? But alwayes, and in the whole course of our life.

In the life of man there are many windings and turnings; but the conscionable man, turne him loose, hee is not bonus cum bonis, malus cum malis, godly in one company, prophane in another; so­ber to day, deboyst to morrow; but like a square Cube, he is semper idem, euer the same, which way soeuer you turne him. There is not any, but at times haue fits and flashes of a good conscience: They are affected for the time present with some good Sermon, or vpon some great deliuerance they grow a little holy; but that little is little worth, for they are soone out of breath, and quickly weary. And therefore my Text saith [...] alwaies, and at all times. It is true, that the best doe sometimes faile, the most faithfull haue their faults and frail­ties: Who can say, My heart is cleane? In many things wee sinne all of vs; But the godly, though they fall, yet shall they rise againe, and be renued by repentance; they fall not finally, neither doe they [Page 19] finne pleno consensu, with full consent, and bent of the will: Their will and desire is, yea, they are sted­fastly purposed with Dauid, to keepe all the Com­mandements of God; And though they faile in many particulars, yet God accepteth their will for the deed, their good endeauour, as if it were per­fect obedience: And therefore to haue a good Conscience, wee must bee constant in well-doing at all times, effectu, or affectu, in deed or desire, in action or affection. And that this may bee effe­cted, we must begin betimes, put not off from day to day to turne vnto the Lord, for delay is dan­gerous.

And continue vnto the end,Reuci. 2. Be thou faithfull vnto the death, and I will giue thee the crowne of glory. He that endureth vnto the end shall be saued. Incipere multorum finire paucorum; Chrysos [...]. Many begin well, but few doe continue vnto the end:Ierom. Incassuam curritur si caeptum iter ante terminū deseratur; It is in vaine to begin a iourney and not to goe forward: And ther­fore S. Bernard saith, Sola perseuer antia coronatur, Beru [...] of all other vertues, onely perseuerance weares the Garland.

4. To [...], the last word in my Text, im­porting Constancie, and Continuance, if wee adde [...] the first word, which implieth diligence and exercise, then is the Circle round, or Circumfe­rence compleat. Conscience, like a vessell, may easily be kept pure and cleane, if rinsed euery day; but if it goe longer, it gathers soile and corruption, and requires more then ordinarie repentance to purge and cleanse it. Wee sinne daily, and therefore wee [Page 20] must daily wash our consciences with the teares of inward sorrow and contrition, which bringeth re­pentance not to be repented of. This was S. Pauls exercise, to keepe his Conscience vnspotted, and without offence; and this must bee the daily pra­ctise of euery good Christian: Now the onely Bath or Lauacre to wash our Consciences in, is the bloud of Iesus Christ, which cleanseth vs from all our sinnes, I say the bloud of Christ applyed by faith. In which respect Faith is said to purifie the Conscience from dead workes: And S. Paul ioyneth them together, Keepe faith and a good Conscience; 1 Tim. 1. 19. as if the one could not well be without the other.

Out of the flesh of man, when the body is dead, are bred those wormes which consume the flesh. Euen so from the corruption of the Conscience there breeds a worme a thousand times more terri­ble, euen the worme of Conscience, which euer gnaweth, and neuer dyeth.

To preuent this, we must purge the Conscience from such corruptions.

The corrupti­ons of Consci­ence. Ignorance. The corruptions of the Conscience are diuers, and different.

As first, Ignorance and Superstition; against the which wee must seeke for sound and sanctified knowledge to direct vs in our generall and parti­cular callings.

Pride. Secondly, Pride. and Singularity; against the which apply meekenesse and humility, for, Vbi humilitas, ibi sapientia, Where humility is, there is wisedome;Austin. Et inter sapientes sapiensior qui humilior, Amongst the wise, he is wisest that is most humble, [Page 21] for God resisteth the proud, but giueth grace vnto the humble.

Vncharitable­nesse. Thirdly, Vncharitablenesse, and Vnrighteousnesse, are great peruerters of the Conscience; for the vn­charitable and vniust man can neuer be consciona­ble. Against these apply those precepts of our Sa­uiour, Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe; Luk. 10. 27. Whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe vnto you, euen so doe you vnto them, for this is the Law and the Pro­phets.

Vnruly passi­ons of the minde. Fourthly, We may adde to these, all the vnruly passions and affections of the minde; for as wilde hor­ses ouerturne the Chariot with men and all: So the passions of the minde, if they be not tamed, o­uerwhelme all iudgement and Conscience; for Pe­rit omne iudicum cum res transit in affectum: Austin. There is no place for Iustice, Iudgement, or Consci­ence, where passion beares the sway. The best re­medy against these is mortification and alteration of their course, by turning their edge, as our anger a­gainst others: The streame is turned when we be­gin to bee angry with our selues, and our owne sinnes. Our loue to the world, the edge is turned when wee begin to loue God and godlinesse, and seeke those things that are aboue, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Col. 3. 5. Much might bee spoken of these things, but I draw towards an end, and will conclude with a word, or two by way of appli­cation.

Application. It is a witty Parable which one of the Fathers hath of a man that had three friends, two whereof he loued intirely,Gregory in his Morals. the third but indifferently. This [Page 22] man being called in question for his life, sought helpe of his friends: The first would beare him company some part of his way: The second would lend him money, and affoord him some meanes for his iourney; and that was all that they would or could doe for him: But the third, whom he least respected, and from whom hee least expe­cted; this would goe all the way, and abide all the while with him, yea, hee would appeare with him, speake, and plead for him.

My brethren, this man is euery one of vs, and our three friends are the Flesh, the World, and our Conscience.

Now when death shall summon vs to iudge­ment, what can our friends after the flesh doe for vs? They will bring vs some part of the way. Our Wiues and Children, and our dearest friends, they will bring vs to the graue, and further they cannot goe. And of all the worldly goods which we pos­sesse, what shall we haue? what will they affoord vs? onely a shrowde, and a Coffin, or a Tombe at the most.

[...] a good Conscience, this will liue and [...] or rather liue when we are dead; and [...] [...]ine, it will appeare with vs [...] [...]dgement seat. And when [...] purse can doe vs good; [...] a good [...] will speake and plead for vs, yea, excuse and [...].

O then (my [...]) let vs labour aboue all things to haue, and to hold, a good Conscience, keepe it as the apple of thine eye, and doe nothing [Page 23] to offend it. Aures omnium pulso, Conscientias si [...] gulorum con [...]enio. Austin. I speake to the eares of all in ge­nerall, I conuent the Conscience of euery one in particular; yea, I appeale to all that heare me this day, what little regard there is made of Consci­ence in our age, and how few there are that follow the dictates thereof.

An Apostrophe to Conscience. And therefore (O Conscience) I turne my speech vnto thee, thou art a iudge of Iudges, and one day thou shalt iudge vs all, and testifie either with vs or against vs: In the meane time, it is thy office to preach ouer my Sermon againe and againe, and to apply it to the hearts of all that heare me this day, or else my labour is but lost. Goe to all estates of persons, tell them of their duties, and put them in minde of God and thy selfe.

Speake vnto those Honourable persons that sit at the Sterne of Gouernment (either in Church, or Common-wealth) that they consult with thee in all their counsells and courses, that they preferre thee before policie, that they execute true iustice and iudgement without partialitie, or respect of parsons, and that they cause others that are subor­dinate vnto them to doe the like.

Speake to those that are towards the Law, and other Officers in Courts of Iustice and equitie, ei­ther Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall, specially in those Courts that are of thy Iurisdiction, and haue their Denomination from thee, that they entertaine, nor maintaine bad Causes against the innocent; that they wrest nor the law to terrifie their poore neigh­bours, and to intangle the simple; that they spinne [Page 24] not our honest suites to such length of time and costlinesse, that it may bee said (and that truely) Causa torque [...] noce [...]tem, Comsidicus innocentem, The Medicine is more grieuous then the maladie.

Speake to my Reuerend Brethren of the Clergy, that they preach Vi [...]a voce (that is) Vita & voce, both by life and by doctrine, that they teach after a plaine and a profitable manner, not affecting craggy, cu­rious, Scholasticall speculations, fitter for the chaire then the Pulpit; nor such Roman English and sub­limity of [...] that a plaine English-man cannot vnderstand them; for our Language is now grown so learned, that a man may clerum in English.

Speake to the poore, that they beare their po­uerty with patience; and as for those that are rich, O charge them that they be not high minded, that they trust not in vucertaine riches, but in the liuing God, that they be rich in good workes, ready to distri­bute, laying vp for themselues a good foundation against the time to come. 1 Tim. 6.

In a word, to conclude; speake to all men and women, that they feare God and serue him in vp­rightnes & [...] truth, Iosuah 24. Like 1. Tit. 2. 12. that they serue him in holinesse & righteousnesse before him all th [...] da [...]s [...] that denying vngodlinesse and [...] losts, they liue soberly, righteously, and godly in [...] present world, loo­king for that blessed hope, and the glorious appea­ring of the great God, and our Sauiour Iesus Christ: To whom with the Holy Ghost, three persons, and one immortall and eternall God, bee all honour, praise and glory, foreuer and euer, Amen.