1. Assertion. The natural conscience is not its own Lord in knowing, believing, and confessing something of God. For, first, Devils believe there is a God, but they tremble, James 2. 19. They believe against their will, as a man condemned to death for a crime, believeth he must die, but his will is opposite to his faith. Judas awaked cannot choose but believe a vengeance. Light is a King, and a conqueror sometime. 2. You seldom find but enemies have given a testimony, now or then, for God. Exod. 14. 25. Let us flee, (say the Egyptians) for the Lord fighteth for them, against the Egyptians: Pharaoh being mastered in conscience with the plague of hail mingled with fire, saith, Exod. 9. 27. I have sinned [this] time: The Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked: Deut. 32. 31. For their rock is not as our rock, our enemies being Judges: Psal. 126. 2. Then said they amongst the heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them. Sauls conscience speaketh truth, in a dream, through his sleep, though he went to bed again, 1 Sam. 24. 17. Thou art more righteous then I, so speaketh he to David. The Devil can say no otherwayes, Luke 4. 34. I know thee who thou art, the holy one of God. Pilate must say of Christ, I find no fault in him. Caligula his fear must make his faith a liar, and when he heareth a thunder, say, Mine ears hear the God which my heart denieth to have any being. Nero cannot say but hell is begun in his soul before the time. The Apostate Julian said, Vicisti tandem Galilaee, At length, O Jesus, thou art victorious. Paul the third, a monster of men, said dying, I shall now be resolved of three things: 1. If the soul be immortal: 2. If there be a God: 3. If there be a hell. Plinius the second wrote to the Emperor, that Jesus Christ was a great Prophet, and a holy man. Many Papists of old gave testimony that the Waldenses were holy men. Many at Rome, said Luther, was for the truth, and counselled that Leo the tenth would reform the Church, as Guiciard. hist. l. 3. saith. Malignants on their death-bed have said, the Parliament of England is for justice and religion, and Scotland contend for the purity of the Gospel; and let but adversaries ask at their conscience in cold blood, whether the world, and their own ease, or the truth of God bottomed their conscience in following the ways of Cavaliers;
1. Assertion. The naturall conscience is not its owne Lord in knowing, bleeving, and confessing something of God. For, first, Devils believe there is a God, but they tremble, Iames 2. 19. They beleeve against their will, as a man condemned to death for a crime, beleeveth he must die, but his will is opposite to his faith. Iudas awaked cannot chuse but beleeve a vengeance. Light is a King, and a conquerour sometime. 2. You seldome finde but enemies have given a testimony, now or then, for God. Exod. 14. 25. Let us flee, (say the Egyptians) for the Lord fighteth for them, against the Egyptians: Pharaoh being mastered in conscience with the plague of haile mingled with fire, saith, Exod. 9. 27. I have sinned [this] time: The Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked: Deut. 32. 31. For their rocke is not as our rock, our enemies being Iudges: Psal. 126. 2. Then said they amongst the heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them. Sauls conscience speaketh truth, in a dreame, through his sleepe, though he went to bed again, 1 Sam. 24. 17. Thou art more righteous then I, so speaketh he to David. The Devill can say no otherwayes, Luke 4. 34. I know thee who thou art, the holy one of God. Pilate must say of Christ, I finde no fault in him. Caligula his feare must make his faith a lyar, and when he heareth a thunder, say, Mine eares heare the God which my heart denieth to have any being. Nero cannot say but hell is begunne in his soule before the time. The Apostate Iulian said, Vicisti tandem Galilaee, At length, O Iesus, thou art victorious. Paul the third, a monster of men, said dying, I shall now be resolved of three things: 1. If the soule be immortall: 2. If there be a God: 3. If there be a hell. Plinius the second wrote to the Emperour, that Jesus Christ was a great Prophet, and a holy man. Many Papists of old gave testimony that the Waldenses were holy men. Many at Rome, said Luther, was for the truth, and counselled that Leo the tenth would reforme the Church, as Guiciard. hist. l. 3. saith. Malignants on their death-bed have said, the Parliament of England is for justice and religion, and Scotland contend for the purity of the Gospel; and let but adversaries aske at their conscience in cold blood, whether the world, and their own ease, or the truth of God bottomed their conscience in following the wayes of Cavaliers;
