A20762:300
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. 3 Of the divers offices of conscience.
§. Sect. 3 Of the diuers offices of conscience.
Now this faculty of conscience performeth divers offices, in respect of the divers parts, wherein it exerciseth its power and virtue. For in the understanding, before our actions are achieved, it playeth the part of a friend, or gentle Monitor, telling what is to be done or left undone, with the penalty or reward which will follow our commission or omission. After the deed is done, it becometh a Judge, approving or disallowing the action, and either absolving or condemning us, for the doing or not doing of it. In the memory, it performeth the office of a Notary 1and Register, in setting down and keeping upon Record, what we have done, good or evil; and also of a witness, giving evidence, either with or against us, according to the nature of our fact, accusing us when we have done ill, and excusing us when we have done well. In the will and affections, it is the deputy of Gods Spirit, to suggest and enjoin us good duties; and when they are done, to reward us by comforting, cherishing, and replenishing our hearts with joy; and when we have done ill, especially by committing sins which are heinous and against conscience, it executeth the office of a Jailer or tormentor, filling the heart with shame and sorrow, with fear and terror, with final desperation, hellish perturbation, and intolerable tortures, that no rack nor gallows, no hot pincers or scalding lead may be compared with them, as we see in the example of Cain, who out of a despairing conscience, crieth out, that his punishment 2was greater then he could bear; and of Judas, who, to ease his torment, which the gnawing worm of conscience caused, hanged himself. And with this office of conscience the Heathens were acquainted, which gave occasion to that fiction of hellish furies, which endlessly haunted and tormented those who had committed heinous sins against the light of nature. The which also appeareth by their writings, wherein are many