Fourthly, As conscience naturally doth not its duty in applying, So neither in witnessing, in bearing testimony to our actions, which yet is one great end why conscience is put into a man. It is ordinarily said, Conscientia est mille testes; conscience is a thousand witnesses, and so indeed when it doth bear testimony to a mans action, it's more then a thousand, it's more then all the world; yea, it is not only mille testes, but mille tortores, a thousand tormentors, but (alas) it's so defiled, that in many things, if not in all things, it faileth, and giveth (at least) no true witness at all; For if there were not this pollution upon it, With what a loud voice would it cry to thee, saying, I know, and God knoweth, what are the sins that thou daily livest in? What little regard this witness hath, appeareth, That if men can accomplish their impieties, and none behold them, if there be no witnesses to confirm it before men, they matter not at all, for the witness that conscience, and God can bear against them: Oh this vileness of thy heart, that thou runnest from the eyes of men, but not considerest the eyes of God, and of thy own conscience that behold thee! Though indeed thy conscience is for the most part mute and speechless, lets thee alone, do what thou wilt, it will not witness against thee, but is bribed rather, and speaks for thee, and flattereth thee. Bewail then the sinfulness upon conscience even in this very particular, that it doth not bear witness to thy evil actions, or when it doth, it is so coldly, and languidly, that thou canst hardly hear the voice of it, whereas, as the Prophet (which is like an external conscience in the Church) is, To lift up his voice like a Trumpet, to inform of transgressions, and not to spare: Thus it should be with conscience in thee; And as there is a woe to that people whose Pastor is a dumb dog, no less is it to those whose conscience also is a dumb dog; So that though the witnesses and testimonies of conscience against thy self, and actions be troublesome and vexatious, thou canst not eat, or drink, or sleep for them, yet this is more hopeful, and may be more preparatory to conversion, then when thy conscience will say nothing, or is corruptly bribed, saying to thee in all thy actions, as Absalom did to every one that came to him, That his cause was good;
Fourthly, As conscience naturally doth not its duty in applying, So neither in witnessing, in bearing testimony to our actions, which yet is one great end why conscience is put into a man. It is ordinarily said, Conscientia est mille testes; conscience is a thousand witnesses, and so indeed when it doth bear testimony to a mans action, it's more then a thousand, it's more then all the world; yea, it is not only mille testes, but mille tortores, a thousand tormentors, but (alas) it's so defiled, that in many things, if not in all things, it faileth, and giveth (at least) no true witness at all; For if there were not this pollution upon it, With what a loud voice would it cry to thee, saying, I know, and God knoweth, what are the sinnes that thou daily livest in? What little regard this witness hath, appeareth, That if men can accomplish their impieties, and none behold them, if there be no witnesses to confirm it before men, they matter not at all, for the witness that conscience, and God can bear against them: Oh this vileness of thy heart, that thou runnest from the eyes of men, but not considerest the eyes of God, and of thy own conscience that behold thee! Though indeed thy conscience is for the most part mute and speechless, lets thee alone, do what thou wilt, it will not witness against thee, but is bribed rather, and speaks for thee, and flattereth thee. Bewail then the sinfulnesse upon conscience even in this very particular, that it doth not bear witnesse to thy evil actions, or when it doth, it is so coldly, and languidly, that thou canst hardly hear the voice of it, whereas, as the Prophet (which is like an external conscience in the Church) is, To lift up his voice like a Trumpet, to inform of transgressions, and not to spare: Thus it should be with conscience in thee; And as there is a woe to that people whose Pastor is a dumb dog, no lesse is it to those whose conscience also is a dumb dog; So that though the witnesses and testimonies of conscience against thy self, and actions be troublesom and vexatious, thou canst not eat, or drink, or sleep for them, yet this is more hopefull, and may be more preparatory to conversion, then when thy conscience will say nothing, or is corruptly bribed, saying to thee in all thy actions, as Absolom did to every one that came to him, That his cause was good;
