Of the conscience A discourse wherein is playnely declared, the vnspeakeable ioye, and comfort of a good conscience, and the intollerable griefe and discomfort of an euill conscience. Made by Iohn Woolton, minister of the Gospell. Anno. 1576.

¶ TO THE RIGHT worshipfull, Sir Iohn Jylbert, knight, Iohn Woolton wisheth prospe∣rous successe in all worldly affaires: and in the life to come, im∣mortall felicity.

AMONG MA∣ny worthy and de∣uine lessons, which Seneca gaue vnto Lucilius, touching the leadyng of an honest and godlye lyfe: he borroweth one of the Epicure, in mine opinion not to be accounted the meanest, which he would haue his friende to imprint diligently and deepely in the bottome of his brest. Let vs * 1.1 so lyue (sayth he) as if the eyes of all men were bent toward vs: let vs so studie and de∣uise with our selues when we are alone, as if straungers did viewe our secret cogitations. * 1.2 Manye faultes and mischiefes shalt thou a∣uoyd: if thou imagine that thou hast a witnes of thy doings alway at thy elbowe. Which lesson euery christian ought to learne, not

imagining (as Seneca would haue vs) that Cato Lelius, or some such graue man; dy•• alwayes with open eyes looke vppon vs: but perswading our solues as the truth is in deede, that we haue with vs alwayes present, waking & watching vs, a sage and graue Censor of lyfe & maners (our consci∣ence * 1.3 I say) which according to the como•••• proue•• be is in steede of a thousand witnes∣ses, This conscience so wonderfully frami•• and fashioned in man by ahnighty God, to be a witnesse & an informer of mankinde * 1.4 and of the law of Nature, which comman deth things that be honest, & forbiddeth th•••• contrary. Sommone•••••• vs as it were before the tribunall feate of God, some∣time accusing, sometime excusing, nowe punishing and now absoluing vs; for God did of his good will and vpright iustice or∣deyne this watchman in our Nature, that ioy should follow lawdable and honest ac∣tions: and contrariwise Sorrow, abhomi∣nable and desperate deedes: that anguishe and dolour might be a continuall torme••••∣ter of vngodlinesse, and a destroyer of re∣bellious natures. There can nothing happē * 1.5 to a mortail man more gréeuous, heaup, or miserable thē a guilty Consciēce, which all

those y^t are delighted with the filthinesse of sin, are compelled to carry about with thē, as a booke of notes wherein they write all * 1.6 their offences. Wherof Bernhard speaketh after this manner. An euill Conscience is a witnesse of our debtes, a Iudge, a tormen∣ter, * 1.7 she accuseth vs, she iudgeth vs, she puni∣sheth vs, and she condemneth vs, which if it lie hid for a time yet it breaketh out at the last, especially at the hower of death, and gi∣ueth * 1.8 a thousande euidences againste men▪ Whereof Iulian the Apostata, Henrie king of Fraunce, Iames Latomus of Louayne, and dyuers others, are euident & knowne examples, who felt these fearefull angui∣shes * 1.9 of the Conscience, and the sence of Gods wrath for theire wilfull obstinacie, and cruell tirrany against Christ and hys church, and at their departure out of this worlde; with dolefull voyces, and fearefull ex••clamacions vttered in their griefe, to such as had accesse vnto them.

The good conscience on the other side as it were a brasen wall, against vntrue re∣portes, * 1.10 perill and daungers, and maketh the gool••, when they are persecuted, beaten and tyed in yron chaynes, voyde of dolor and payne: and when they come before the

mightie men of this worlde, they shrinke not, they faynte not, they waxe not pale, neyther chaunge their countenance. Paule being a prisoner and brought before Felix: was not abashed hymselfe, but with hys aunsweres, which were full of diuine po∣wer and might, he made the gouernour to tremble and quake: which cannot be ascri∣bed to any thing, but to y^e sincere good con∣science of his wherof himself speaketh thus. * 1.11 Herein I endeuored my selfe to haue alway a cleare Conscience toward God, and toward men. Let vs then beware that we wounde not our Conscience, and whether we be a∣lone at home, or in company abroad, let vs accoumpt that the principall witnes. For as S. Ambrose sayth: Euery man hath of * 1.12 his own minde & Conscience a seuere iudge, either punishing the guilty, or acquiting the guiltles and innocent: And Sencca writeth to Lucillius diuinely after this manner. To what end doe we hide our selues, and decline the eyes, & eares of mē: A good cōscience cal∣leth the company vnto hym, but an euel con∣science * 1.13 is in doubt and feare, euen, when we are alone. If those thinges that we doe be ho∣nest, what need we to care if the whole world looke vpon vs: but if they be vnhoneste, wee

must needes knowe them our selues, O mise∣rable men that we are, if we contemne this witnesse. Seing then that so great ioye and comfort issueth out of a good conscience, & so great heuines and discomfort cōmeth from an euell Conscience, I haue thought good to write somewhat briefly and shortly, as wel of the one as of y^e other. Neither was it my purpose to prosecute all things, that belong vnto this matter (which to doe would re∣quire more leisure thē I yet haue, & a lōger worck then this treatise) and who so list to reade more hereof, I referre him to Saynt Bernhard, Melancthon, Hemingius, and es∣pecially to Ioh. Riuius, who wil plentifully satisfie the greedy Reader, desirous to vn∣derstand more of this matter: but I haue collected out of all these, so much as séemed vnto me most conuenient and necessary for the Christian reader in this behalf. Which if I haue not accomplished so pithely and eloquently as perhaps some of our English ••••hilosophers or Retoricians would haue done, I wil not contend in rendring a rea∣son of my doings: but do giue them leaue to amend that which is amisse, for as Cinicall taracion is detestable, so is charitable ani∣maduersion in my iudgement cc̄mendable,

not misdoubting but that the godly reader will rather accept hereof with like affecti∣on as it is deliuered: then dis••ain my want of ability to offer it so per••••tc in all poynts, eyther as the matter deserueth, or I my selfe desired.

These my Laboures (such as they be) I offer vnto your worship, as a taken of ••ny good will, and obseruancy toward the same, for your great loue and intire affection to∣ward me: which you haue diuers and sun∣day ways, in benefites be••••owed vpon 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and mine, effectually declared. And bicause I certaynly know that in your life & dayly actions, you doe not any ••••ing willingly a∣gaynst the testiniony of a good Conscience, which you only ground vpon Gods word, the surest foundation in all your building, and clearest lighte and lanterne to directe your paths to euerlasting life. This treaty of the same matter cannot be vnmeete to be presented vnto you: which your whorship according to your good nature, will I trust accept in good part: the liuing God blesseand preserue you, and that verteous Land your wife, long in al prosperity. From Ex∣ceter the 20. of Mirche.

Your Worships humbly to com∣••••und. Iohn Woolton.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Senecca lib. 10. epist. 11.
• * 1.2

  Cur actions and deeds alwayes vic••••••d.
• * 1.3

  The Con∣science in steede of a thousande witnesses.
• * 1.4

  ••••lans con∣science is a scoolemester vuto him.
• * 1.5

  The ve••nti∣on to a cor∣rupt Con∣sc••ence.
• * 1.6

  Chrisost in psal. 50.
• * 1.7

  Bernhar∣dus.
• * 1.8

  The despe∣rate ende of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wilful∣ly agaynst their Con∣science.
• * 1.9

  Pantalion chron. re∣rum me∣morabili∣um. Iho. Fox∣ius et alii.
• * 1.10

  Herat. lib. 1. epist.
• * 1.11

  Act. 24.
• * 1.12

  Ambrosi∣us in epist ad Con∣stant.
• * 1.13

  Seneca epist. 96.