A09400:29
A discourse of conscience wherein is set down the nature, properties, and differences thereofA discourse of conscience wherein is set downe the nature, properties, and differences thereof
A discourse of conscience wherein is set down the nature, properties, and differences thereof: as also the way to get and keep good conscience.A discourse of conscience wherein is set downe the nature, properties, and differences thereof: as also the way to get and keepe good conscience.
Cambridge: printed by John Legate, 1596Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legate, 1596
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Touching the third point. How long conscience bears witness, it doth it continually; not for a minute, or a day, or a month, or a year, but for ever: when a man dies, conscience dieth not; when the body is rotting in the grave, conscience liveth and is safe and sound: and when we shall rise again, conscience shall come with us to the bar of Gods judgement, either to accuse or excuse us before God, Rom. 2. 15. 16. Their conscience bearing witness at the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ.
Touching the third point. How long conscience beares witnes, it doth it continually; not for a minut, or a day, or a moneth, or a yeare, but for euer: when a man dies, conscience dieth not; when the bodie is rotting in the graue, conscience liueth and is safe and sound: and when we shall rise againe, conscience shall come with vs to the barre of Gods iudgement, either to accuse or excuse vs before God, Rom. 2. 15. 16. Their conscience bearing witnes at the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ.
By this first duty of conscience, we are to learn three things. The first, that there is a God: and we may be lead to the sight of this even by very reason. For conscience bears witness. Of what? Of thy particular doings. But against whom or with whom doth it give testimony? thou mayest feel in thy heart that it doth it ⟨p. 9⟩either with thee or against thee. And to whom is it a witness? To men or Angels? that can not be, for they can not hear the voice of conscience, they can not receive consciences testimony, nay they can not see what is in the heart of man. It remains therefore that there is a spiritual substance, most wise, most holy, most mighty, that sees a I things to whom conscience bears record; and that is God himself. Let Atheists bark against this as long as they will: they have that in them which will convince them of the truth of the godhead will they nill they, either in life or death.