A good conscience the strongest hold.: A treatise of conscience, handling the nature acts offices use of conscience. The description qualifications properties severall sorts of good conscience. The excellency necessity utility happiness of such a conscience. The markes to know motives to get meanes to keep it. By John Sheffeild, Minister of Swythins London.

CHAP. X. Of the well spoken Conscience.

THe well-spoken Conscience is that which can make the Soule a good Answer, or up∣on just Occasion can make fit Demands, and put forth his Queres. This is that good Con∣science, or rather Property of it which Peter commendeth so much, resembling it to Noahs Arke, and saith of it, that it saves us. 1 Pet. 3. 21. The like figure whereunto even Baptisme doth also now save us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The answer of a good Conscience towards God.

Which word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies as well or rather an Interrogation, then an Answer; Stipulstio. Some thinke the Apostle doth al∣lude to that Practise of Demands made in Baptisme, Credis, Credo? which Practise though very Ancient, yet may be questioned whether so Ancient.

Our Translators have chosen rather to render 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an Answer. And in this sense it tells us what conscience hath to do.

First, It makes a good and ready Answer to God; It is ever as quick of Speech as it is of Sight, or of Hearing; when God saith Seeke ye my face, my heart saith David talkd of it and went up and downe with it. Thy

face Lord I will seeke. Psal. 27. 8. It is writ∣ten of me that I should doe thy will, Psal. 40. 8. Conscience replyes, thy will O my God is my will. Thy law is in my heart, I am content to do it. Conscience goes often into Habukuks watch Towre, and watcheth listening what the Lord hath to say, and studieth what to answer when he is spoken unto. Speak Lord saith Conscience, for thy servant heareth; yea Conscience is ready to aske, and listen, Lord what wilt tb••u have me to doe? As Augustine often, da quod jubes, et jube quod vis. Lord give what thou commandest, and give what Command thou wilt. Loquere Magister bone, libenter te audio, et cum adversaris mihi, et cum irasceris audio te. Cyprian.

Secondly, It makes a good answer 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, for God according to that Precept, 2 or 3 verses before. 1 Pet, 3. 15, 16. Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready alway to give an answer to every man that asketh you a Rea∣son of the hope, that is in you with meekenesse and reverence having a good Conscience, that whereas they speak evill of you as of evill dooers they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. So that with S. Peter it is a matter of Conscience, and a marke of a good Conscience, to be ready to yeeld an account of our Spi∣rituall state when it is required of us. Nico∣demus thought he was bound in Conscience to stand up and make an Answer for Christ, when he was unjustly condemned in the Consistory, being never heard and never

summoned. Doth our Law condemnn any man saith he, before it heare him, and know what he doth? Good Conscience cannot be silent and fit still without an answer when any cause of God is in hand. A good Conscience thinks it is the heaviest crime that can be laid to any mans charge to be silent for God. Let them call me Adulterer, Theife &c. or what they please said Luther, so that I may not be charged with wicked silence in the cause of God.

Thirdly, Good Conscience makes many a good answer fot ones selfe, when under the greatest cloud of Censures and Suspitions, or under the Aspersions of all Obloquies. Ro. 9. 1. I speake the truth saith the Apostle, and lie not, my Conscience also is my witnesse, This the same Apostle glories in in another place; we are as deceivers say you, but yet True men saith Conscience. As unknown say you, well enough known saith Conscience. Conscience makes the best Certificate and gives the best Testimony to any man that hee can have, with which Certificate he may confidently travell and passe the whole world over, yea at last with this he shall not feare to enter Heaven, con∣ducted thither by a guard of Angels.

Fourthly, When any businesse of greatest consequence is under consideration, Consci∣ence puts the best answer into thy mouth, and will readily resolve what is to be done. Enquire-still at Consciences mouth, and say as Paul to Philemon, without thy advice wil I do no∣thing;

consult not in such cases with flesh and blood, with safety and policy, but with conscience and duty, and the answer is rea∣dy, we need not crave time; As Liberius a Godly and Orthodox Bishop of Rome, when convented before Constantius an Arrian Em∣perour, and charged there with stubbornes, for partaking with Athanasius, answered most freely before the Emperour; at last when after all faire perswasions and sharp threats, he found him persisting in his former reso∣lutions, he gave him then three dayes time to consider of it, whither then to returne to his Bishoprick at home, or to be banisht, or to set downe what he would make choice of: He answers, O Emperour, send me whither thou wilt, three dayes or three moneths are all one to me; Truth and reason do not change with time. So into banishment he was sent. If men would in their straites, when they know not what to resolve upon, cast their lot into the lap of Conscience, they should have a more certain, easie and com∣pendious resolution, then by consulting with flesh and blood, and reading (some∣times) many discourses. Cathedram habet in conscientia, qui corda docet. Con∣science should bee made Doctor of the Chayre, It is the most sound Divini∣ty Reader, and oftentimes the most satisfying Casuist in the world, and the best resolver of all our doubts.

Secondly, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies rather an In∣terrogation or demand, as Beza saith well upon the place, though our translation render it an answer. Conscience hath many questions to put, and it is still the nature of conscienti∣ous men to be enquiring, as Manoahs wife, when she had the Angell to resolve her, now tell us, how shall we order the Childe? What shall we doe unto him? All that came unto Iohn, wrought upon by his ministery, came with this question Luk. 3. 10, 12, 14. The most proper, and pertinent question, And what shall we do? What shall we doe? said the Pub∣licans, and People, and Souldiers: So is con∣science still inquisitive, desiring to goe up∣on safe grounds. It inquires at the mouth of God. 1. By Prayer, as David, Lord shall I goe? as Job, That which I see not, teach thou me. 2. By the word, How is it written? How readest thou? is consciences question; And to the Law and Testimony, is consciences resolution. 3. Conscience enquires at the Priests lips, and seekes the law at his mouth. Mal. 2. 7. Comes unto him for private Conference, and satisfacti∣on. 4. Conscience puts cases in writing, and propounds his doubts and scruples, and de∣sires resolution; As the Corinthians had writ∣ten to Paul, in a certain case which did much perplex them, desiring his resolution, 1 Cor. 7. 1. Lastly, Conscience hath many questions to put home to a mans selfe; He must com∣mune with his own heart, and cause his spirit to make a diligent search in himselfe, as the Psal∣mist

saith, he sometimes did. Psal. 77. 6.

From whence it is that you see still young Converts, they have many questions to make, and cases to put; they dare not walke at a venture (as the word is, Levit. 26. 21, 23, 27.) for that is indeed to walke contrary to God, as it there rendred.

Notes

• Of the wel. spoken con∣science.
• Hab. 2. 1.
• 1 Sam. 3. 10.
• Act. 9. 6.
• Jo. 7. 51
• Blasphemi∣am ingerit religioni quam colit qui••quod con¦fitetur ante omnes non impleverit. Cyprian.
• 2 Cor. 6. 8. 9.
• Phil. v. 19▪ Habes spaci¦um trium dierum in quo deliberes velisne Ro∣mam reverti aut aliquem locum quo traducaris eligere. cui ille, tri∣um dierum vel etiam mensium spa∣cium ratio∣nem non im∣mutat, qua∣re mittas me licet quo ve∣lis. Magd. Cent. 4. c. 3.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 pro responde∣re, & testi∣ficari vix pu∣tem satis ap∣tè usurpari posse Beza 1 Pet. 3. 21 Jud. 13. 12.
• 1 Sam. 30. 8 Joh. 34. 32. Luk. 10. 26 Isa. 8. 20.