A20762:292
A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties
A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helps enabling & the reasons persuading unto it the impediments hindering the practise of it, and the best means to remove them whereunto are added divers prayers and a treatise of carnal security by John Douname Bachelor in Divinity and minister of Gods Word.A guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helpes inabling & the reasons parswading vnto it ye impediments hindering ye practise of it, and the best meanes to remoue them whereunto are added diuers prayers and a treatise of carnall securitie by Iohn Douname Batcheler in Diuinitie and minister of Gods Word.
London: printed by Felix Kingstone and William Stansby for Ed, 1622
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.
§. Sect. 1 That the nature of Conscience may partly be known by the name.
§. Sect. 1 That the nature of Conscience may partly bee knowne by the name.
The last ground of a godly life, is a good conscience, without which it is impossible to please God, or to perform any duty acceptable in his sight. In speaking whereof, we will first generally show the nature of conscience, & then more particularly entreat of a good conscience. The nature of conscience may be partly known by the name, which signifieth to know together, or with another: for as the mind, understanding the nature of things, is said to know them: so when another joineth with it in this knowledge, they are said to know together. Now there is no creature that can join with man in the knowledge, that is secret in his mind, according to that of the Apostle; No man knoweth the things of a man, but the 1Spirit of a man that is in him. Whereof it is, that humane laws take no notice ⟨p. 66⟩of the thoughts of the heart, either to reward or punish them; but it is only the Lord that searcheth the heart and reins, who knoweth and taketh notice together with our minds, of all the secrets which are known unto it. Whereby the nature of conscience in part appeareth, namely, that it is such a faculty in the soul, as taketh notice of all our actions, and beareth witness of them before Gods Judgement seat, either with us, when they approve them as good; or against us, when as they condemn them as evil. So that the conscience is a certain divine power, which is placed by God in the soul of man, as a third party indifferent between him and us, sometime speaking for us, and sometime against us, as the equity of the cause requireth. It is Gods Monitor, which he hath set over us, to take notice of all we do, that he may either reward our well-doing, or punish that which is done amiss. And because simple knowledge might see and conceal what it seeth and knoweth, God to this science hath added conscience, which being placed in us on the behalf of the great King of heaven and earth, will not let any thing lie hid and smothered, but giveth unpartial witness of whatsoever is done before his Tribunal, either excusing us when we do well, or accusing us, when we have sinned against him: Not that the Lord needed any such witness or Monitor to inform him of our actions; for he seeth and knoweth all things past, present, and to come, with one perfect and simple act;