IN this Chapter we haue a very great triall : the sitting is at one of the Caesareaes ; the Iudge , ( vnder Claudius ) Foelix ; the Emperors Aduocate , Tertullus ; Plaintiffes , the Iewes ; Defendant , Saint Paul ; the Enditement , schisme and heresie ; the euidence , thousands of testimonies , The Defendant is now vpon his answer , who hauing mard the Lawyers set starcht speech , tenders the Iudge an abridgment of his faith before , of his life here .

And here ( for time denies discourse ) is considerable an act , termed , Exercise : the subiect of it , Pauls selfe : the obiect of it , Pauls conscience : the end of it , void of offence , and that at all times , in all points ; towards God , in the first ; towards man , in the second table .

In the Atturnies speech you cannot So Melanthus of Diogenes his Tragedie . Plut. see matter for words ; in Saint Pauls , scarce words for matter : euery terme is stuft if wee had time ; but generals once obserued , particulars shall be saluted as we passe .

Thus much you already see , that there is no cause so bad , but some will plead it ; no man so good , but some will slander him ; no case so cleere , but some will question it ; no thing so false , but some will sweare it . Iudges then had neede to doe as V. Causabon in Sueton . l. 2. their ancients did ; first sacrifice , then sentence , and to be as Dauid was , wise like an Angell of God .

Thus the Context ; for the Text , this abridgment must yet bee abridged , and all shut vp in this one conclusion : Doct . 1 Propound . Euery man must chiefly looke to this , that his conscience bee not offended : men , be they pleased or not pleased , conscience must not bee displeased . This is the maine : and for our briefer dispatch of this point , this order will be taken ; First , the termes must bee vnsolded ; next , the proposition confirmed , and then applied .

My comming hither was to satisfie others , not my selfe ; being come , my care shall bee , to satisfie my selfe ( in point of conscience ) not others : for the wise , I am secure in their loues ; for the Countrey , I am much grieued that I haue not learning enough to bee plaine enough , in that explication which we now set vpon .

In Saint Pauls Action , and our Proposition , three things come to be considered ; 2 Expounded . The Subiect , Obiect , End.

For the first , no more but this ; Wee inferre from Pauls exercise , cach mans duty : because this quatenùs , and respect of this reaches to all . It is true , he was a Preacher , but hee is not now considered as a Preacher , but as a man ; and in my Text , his life is mentioned , not his faith , or function .

For the second , it is ( Conscience ) a word of great latitude and infinite dispute . It is taken sometime properly , sometime generally ; if we will speake distinctly of it , wee must finde out its nature , place , office , ( so we purposely terme the genus , subiect , and finall cause of conscience ) which by order must concurre to its definition .

1 For the first , I take Conscience to bee both a faculty , and a distinct facultie too of the soule : the V. Aquin . in sum . & in quaest. disputat . Schooles reiect that ; others this ; but besides reason , the written Word bends most that way : 1 Tim . 15. 1 Tim . 1. it is distinguished from the will : Titus the 1. vers . 15. from the minde : and if we marke it , Conscience is so farre from being one of both , or both in one , as that there is betweene them , first a iealousie , then an open faction : the other powers of the soule , taking Conscience to be but a spie , doe what they can , first to hide themselues from it , next to deceiue it , after to oppose it , and lastly , to depose it ; Conscience ( on the other side ) laboureth to hold it owne , and ( till it be blinded , or bribed ) proceeds in its office , in despight of all oppositions , it cites all the powers of nature , sits vpon them , examines , witnesseth , iudges , executes : hereof come those {αβγδ} , selfe conferences , or reasonings , Rom. 2. as Paul termes them ; thence those mutuall Apologies , and exceptions amongst themselues , when conscience sits . Romanes 2. I know the words are otherwise caried : but ( {αβγδ} ) will hardly brooke any other bias that is set vpon them .

For the second , the common subiect of Conscience , is the reasonable soule : there is some shadow of this in a beast , as there is of reason , but it is a shadow . The proper seat is ( I thinke ) the highest part thereof ; it is vsually referred ( you know ) to the practicall vnderstanding , because it is busied about actions , and driues all its workes to issue by discourse . But as that ground is too weake ( for neither is euery discourse conscience , nor euery act of conscience a discourse ) so is that roome too straight : wee had rather therfore place conscience somewhat higher , vnder God , but ouer all in man , distinct from other faculties , yet still sheathed in the body ( as Daniel speakes of the whole spirit ) and ( as I thinke ) is that which Origen meant by his Paedagogus , and others by their Genius . Dan . 7.

The third thing is its end and office ; t is set in man to make knowen to man , in what termes he stands with God , thence its name ; therefore fitly tearmed , the soules glasse , the vnderstandings light .

Conscience therefore is a prime faculty of the reasonable soule , Damasc . there set to giue notice of its spirituall estate , in what termes it stands with God . Vnderstand me thus ; The soule ( I suppose ) is rankt into three parts ; and those into as many courts and offices : the sensitiue part hath its court of Common pleas ; the intellectuall , of the Kings Bench ; the spirituall ( so to speake ) a Chancery ; in this court all causes are handled , but still with speciall reference to God : here sits the Conscience as Lord Chancellor , the Synteresis as master of the Roles : to this court all the powers of man owe and pay seruice , till the Iudge be either willingly feed , or vnwillingly resisted . And this of conscience , strictly taken .

Now secondly , V. Heming . de l●geratur . 't is taken sometime more generally , sometime for the whole court and proceedings of conscience , by the fathers : sometime for the whole soule of man , either stooping to conscience , or reflecting vpon it selfe : so the Hebrews euer ; you neuer find that terme ( Conscience ) with them , but ( heart , spirit . ) So Iohn ( who most abounds with Hebraismes ) If our heart condemne , or condemne vs not . Thus here the word may be vsed , though not necessarily , & ( to speak popularly ) Pauls heart , soule , conscience shal be the same thing . And thus of the second terme .

The third followeth ( without offence ) it is the conscience that caries the soule , as the foot the body , through all waies and weather : therefore Saint Paul would be as chary of this , as the trauellers of that ; Conscience should not be offended , lest it should offend . Conscience , as the foot ( for that is the allusion ) is then offended , when the welfare of it is impeached : the welfare of it stands in its fit constitution , and working , or managing of its proper actions : which as Paul deliuers them , are ;

And now ( accidentally ) since the fall , accusing and tormenting . And for its constitution , it stands in cleerenesse , tendernesse , quietnesse , and when it is either so blinded or dazeled , seared , lamed , that it cannot doe its office , then it is said to be offended .

The degrees and meanes of this offence may not ( for haste ) be here inserted ; as time will giue leaue , wee will touch vpon some anon : in the meane we now put together , what all this while we haue bin spelling , and resume our point , thus explained .

Euery Christian must be carefully watchfull , that his soule , spirit , or conscience bee no way grieued by sinnes . And this for explication : for the time , enough ; for the thing , too little .

Now follows the proofe , 3. Proued . and that is most easie : First , from Precept ; Aboue all keepings , keepe thy heart , saith Salomon , Prou. 4.23 . Next , from Example ; wee haue a cloud of witnesses , Prophets , Apostles , Martyres , who would hazard themselues vpon the angry Seas , Lyons , Flames , rather then vpon a displeased conscience . Thirdly , from Reason ; First , for Gods cause we should make much of conscience , that being his officer , and therein standing the chiefest of his image , and mans excellency : the perfection of man is his knowledge ; the perfection of knowledge , is 1 King . 2.44 . the knowledge therof , which is conscience . Secondly , for our peace sake , conscience being ( as Austen often ) like a wife , Aug. in Psal . the best of comforts , if good : the worst of naughts , if bad : for first , deale friendly with conscience , and it proues the best of friends , next God ; first , the truest , that will neuer flatter , but make thee know thy selfe ; secondly , the surest , that will neuer start , it lies with thee , it sits with thee , it rides with thee , it sleeps with thee , it wakes with thee , it walkes with thee , in euery place , beyond all times . Thirdly , it is the sweetest friend in the world : if naturall cheerefulnesse bee so good a house keeper to a good man , that it feasts daily ( as Salomon saith ) O then what be the bankets of conscience , sanctified and purified ? what ioyes those which will carry a man aboue Quasivolitare te facit recti Consc . Chrys . de neq . &c. Tom . 5. ground , & make him forget the best of natures comforts ? what comforts those which will make one sing vnder the whip , in the stocks , at the stake in despight of the fire ? what the strength of conscience , that can sooner tire the Tyrant than the Martyr ? and can carry weake strength ( as weake as water , as it were ) in triumph through a world of bonds , rods , swords , racks , wheeles , flames , strappadoes , and whatsoeuer else ? These ioyes be impregnable and vnspeakable indeed , this peace is vnconceiuable , this friend vnmatchable ; and shall such a one , so true , so fast , so good , bee sleighted or offended ?

Secondly , offend conscience , and it will proue as the inmost , so the vtmost enemy . First , vnauoidable , doe what thou canst thou canst not shake it off ; when thou goest , it goes ; when thou fliest , it runnes ; still it cries and raises the countrey against thee , it meets thee in the darke , and makes thee leape ; it meets thee in the day , and makes thee quake ; it meets thee in thy dreames , and makes thee start ; in euery corner , and makes thee thinke euery bush to bee a man , V. Pausan . in Plut. de sera vind . et Flacchum in Philo ludaeo . euery man a deuill , euery deuill a messenger sent to carry thee quicke to hell : thou commest to thy chamber , there conscience frights thee ; thou commest to the field , there it turnes thee ; thou turnest againe , it crosses the way vpon thee againe ; thou turnest , it turnes ; thou criest , it cries ; thou darest not call , if thou didst , conscience feares not company .

Secondly , vnsufferable , V. Aug. de catechi . rudibus . it strips one of all comforts at one time : if a sicke stomacke will make one weary of chaires , beds , meats , drinks , friends , all , Oh what will a sick conscience doe ?

Next , it puts one to intolerable paines , it racks the memory , and makes it run backward twenty yeeres , as Iosephs brethren , De sera vindicta . and Aristocrates in Plutarch , yea , it twinges for sinnes of youth , as Iob complaines , it racks the vnderstanding , and carries it forward beyond the graue , and makes it feele the very bitternesse of death and hell , before it sees them ; it racks the phantasie , and makes it see ghosts in men , Lyons in children , as it is storied of some , it troubles the eye , Procopius de bello Gothic . l. 1. Plut. vbi supra . and makes a murthering Theodericke see the face of a man in the mouth of a Fish : it troubles the eare , and makes a Bessus heare the cry of murther in the chattering of birds : it racks all the senses quite out of ioynt , and makes a Saunders runne ouer Irish mountaines out of his wits : In short , it so oppresses , V. Instit . Britan . that it causes the sweating soule to cry with Dauid , Psal . 51. Psal . 90. O my bones are broken ; and with Moses , Who knowes the power of thy wrath ? And to ioyne with Salomon , A wounded conscience who can beare ? Pron . 18. what man ? what Angell ? who vnder Christ ? Nay , this stroke vpon the soule ( separate from all sin ) drew from the LORD of life those sad cries , My God my God , why hast thou forsaken me ? That which thousand taunts , ten thousand racks could not haue done , this one alone apprehended , and felt , wrested from him : and shall such a thing as this , so neere , so great a neighbour be offended ?

Wee haue done with proofes , wee now apply . Wherein first , shall we chide or weepe , to see the wickednesse of these times , and the infinite distance twixt Paul and vs ? O Paul , thou art almost alone ; thou studiedst conscience , wee of this age craft : thou didst gage thine owne , wee other mens : thy care was to please conscience , wee the times : thine to walk euenly before God and man , ours to serue our selues on both : thou euery where wast for conscience , wee almost no where : thou wouldst see conscience take no wrong , now wit out-reasons it , wealth out-faces it , money out-buies it , might ouer-matches it , all vnder-value it .

It s a wonderfull thing , that so rich a Pearle should bee so cheape , so rare a thing , so commonly sold : surely markets are wondrous dead for conscience , euery man is readier to sell than to buy , and to put off vpon any rates ; for sixpence a man will lye , for six-pence he will steale , for six-pence hee will sweare : yea , in some causes and Hals you may haue twelue consciences for one dinner . O Conscience , keepe not silence at this , know thy place , doe thy office ; cry , now thou art among Schollers , Tradesinen , Iurers , Lawyers , Patrons , Landlords , Iudges ; cry against those houses which discommon thee , against those shops which sell thee , those Patrons which keepe out thee , those Pleaders which purse thee , those Iurers which stretch and racke thee , those Iudges that disgrace and hang thee .

If any of any fort named be now within kenning , thou knowest him , goe , attach him , shake him , binde him ouer to Christs Assizes ; if not , yet send word by these to such a one , that thou wilt haue him aliue or dead before thy master . As for those which doubt of Conscience , as the Cymmerians did of the Sun , & scorne all religion as if it were but superstition ; arise , O conscience , vpon them , thunder , lighten , flash flames , and whole hells into their eyes and hearts , till they cry , O Conscience , hold thy hand .

As for you present , be intreated to two things ; First , talke with your hearts alone , and in case conscience be angry with you once , agree , else neuer safe ; nor field , nor towne , nor bed , nor boord , nor life , nor death , nor depth , nor graue can render you secure .

Conscience speakes not still indeed , but still it writes , and when it sees its time , t will read its bils ; Item , such a time a lye , from such a man a bribe , with such a one adultery , &c. O preuent these reckonings thus ; First , confesse thy debts , thy sinne , and reuerse thine owne doings , with some Martyrs . Secondly , sprinkle the blood of Christ vpon thy Couscience , hide thy sinne in his wounds , the onely place exempt from this Officer .

O but my debts sinke me .

O but if Christ be thy Surety , he can pay more than thou canstowe . V. Greg . in Eze . hom . 9. O but I dare not see his face , Conscience doth so cry . Ay but the blood of Christ speakes better than the blood of Abel : that cries , The blood of a Brother is shed , Vengeance : Christs , The blood of a Sauiour is shed , Pardon . O but you little thinke how monstrous my sinnes bee . Yea , but I know that if wee confesse with broken hearts , the blood of Christ shall cleanse from all sinne , 1 Ioh . 1. V. Cypria . de caen . dom . and calme the Conscience , as Ionah did the Seas .

Secondly , be of Pauls minde ; First , set conscience at a high price , consider what it will bee worth in the day of trouble , of death , of iudgement ; weigh what the price of Conscience would be in hell , if men might buy their peace , and thereafter rate it ; and resolue to beg , starue , burne , dye ouer a thousand deaths to saue Consciences life .

Next , vse Pauls meanes , looke to God , and man . For God ; First ( with Paul ) wee must beleeue what is written ; Faith and Conscience are embarked in the same ship , 1 Tim . 1.5 . & 3.9 . Heresie is a selfe condemning sinne . Secondly , wee must professe what is beleeued ; concealements and aequiuocations before a Iudge , will shake for the time , a Bilney or Cranmer ; V. Preface to Diasius his story . but will make a Spyra or Hoffme to roare . Thirdly , wee must practise what s professed , conscience cannot abide either halfing , or halting .

Secondly , for man ; If we haue giuen our voice or hand against the innocent ( with Saint Paul ) wee must retract it , and though we haue wronged a Martyr ( as he Saint Stephen ) repentance will procure a pardon . Secondly , hereafter , our life ( with his ) must be , first , faire ; secondly , fruitfull : and when wee thus procure things honest before God and man , man cannot , conscience must not , God will not once condemne vs. This the generall .

Now we haue some speciall errands yet to deliuer ; First , to you of lower ranke ; Doe you stand in the face of iudgment this day , with Pauls conscience . In priuate , you would seeme sicke of the Countrey ; you sigh at miscariages , that the common horse is no better sadled : make good these priuate whisperings by publik verdicts and enditements , else I shall hold you slanderers . You know your charge : is any thing amisse in waies , fields , townes , tenants , landlords , Recusants , officers of any sort ? now speake , now commence it , spare none . What ? Shall I endite my friend ? No , nor foe neither , vnlesse conscience binde thee ; if , present him what euer he be : What , a neighbour ? a neighbour , a kinsman ? a kinsman , a Iustice ? a Iustice , my Landlord ? thy Landlord . Nay , I le rather lose my Issues . O basenesse , what said the heathen to such a dastard ? Zeno in Plut. of bashfulnesse . Is not hee afraid to appeare in a bad cause ? Demosih . and fearest thou in a good ? And againe , if thou thus feare a lampe , how wilt thou stand before the Sun ? Ay , but I dwell in his house : What then ? resolue as the Cantabrians to Augustus , Plut. vbi supra . Though my house & land be yours , yet whilst I breathe , I wil be none but mine owne , and Gods . But I cannot liue without him ; but thou canst dye without him : and t is better to dye a thousand deaths , than to stab one Conscience . No more to you , but Eliahs farewel to Naaman , who had the like thorn in his foot ; what euer becomes of your places , or estates , so walke , so goe , as may be for your peace : for so I thinke the words may truly be read , the original hauing ל not כ : thogh these I grant be often confounded .

Next , to you of higher ranke I haue a double suit ; First , that you will haue some mercy on other mens consciences ; next , on your owne .

For the first , my meaning is , not to plead for the conscience of any , either Familist , or Separatist , least of all for Hannoes faction , which wil not bee tamed , I meane the Papists , these cry out ( I know ) of money-lawes , V. Epistle of English persecutions . of bloody-lawes , bloody Iudges , bloody Preachers , bloudy proceedings against poore consciences . But what ( I wonder ) hath ignorance , idolatry , wilfulnesse , treachery to doe with Conscience ? Had I time , I thinke I could proue , that Popery hath beene the sorest enemy that euer conscience met withall in the Christian world : whether doctrines , or dispensations , or medicines , or practises be considered . But howsoeuer , an erroneous conscience euer bindes : So Bellarmine deliuers it as an axiom , but better Schollers than Bellarmine will not bee so generall , so confident ; they distinguish , and indeed , needs must ; I cannot now dispute : for our purpose this may suffice .

First , ignorance is not conscience , which euer implies science .

Secondly , Conscience hath no power to bind of it selfe , but what it deriues from some word ; and where the word binds mee ( for the purpose ) to come to Church , Conscience cannot binde to the contrary .

Thirdly , there is no word that makes conscience the rule of faith , and life simply , but as it is well informed . It is somewhat that s said in the Schooles , an erroneous conscience may suffice to sinne , but not to vertue : and well it may be , that it may entangle like a common Barrettor , but in proper speech it cannot binde , especially when a third waylies open , V. Aug. epist. 50. and wilfulnesse will not take it , as it is in some Recusants . Touching these I wish they might bee first priuately conuinced ; next , publikely compelled , ad media fidei ; & so leauing them , I come to those of whom I was speaking amongst our selues . There bee of Pauls faith , who haue not Pauls conscience ; some so wicked , Cic . pro Milone . that for a need thei le sweare that their friend or foe was at Rome , and Interamna , both at once : Sucton . l. 6. some so weake , that for a great Claudius theil first dreame , and then sweare their dreames be true . Of these ( if knowen ) the one sort would be affrighted from an oath , the other heartened to performances . Let it bee Antichrists sinne , to sit euen in this walking temple also ( Conscience ) and so to terrifie men , Throgmor , in Euerards Britannokom . that they dare not liue , nay die ( as it is said of one ) without leaue : doe not any of you meance before hand , or frowne after , when a Iurer , witnesse , Constable , officer , hath said or done but conscience : if hee doe , conscience marke him , frowne vpon him , pursue him as fiercely , as hee doth his poore brother cruelly .

Lastly ( with S. Paul ) be fauourable to your own consciences . And here , as you must keepe the Philosophers diet : to fast from sinne ; so chiefly from these three ; first , from sinning against your places of trust : secondly , against your oaths taken : thirdly , against humanity , especially a multitude : all which being against the lawes of the land , of nations , of nature , of God , cannot chuse but be most wrongful to conscience . And here is that which toucheth all our freeholds : I wil begin at home , lest I seeme partiall . 1 Tutors , you haue a great charge , and withall a great aduantage , a whole parish , lordship , countrey , diocesse contracted into a few youths ; keepe a good conscience towards God and man in discharging your trust , and fitting your charge for both .