reconciled to God an estate neither befalling the prowde Pharisee swolne and pufft vp with a false conception tympany a deceiuable confidence and ouer-weening of his owne righteousnes nor the dull and stony sinner who drunk with sinnes sweetnes is made insensible and remains seemingly vndisquieted In summe t' is nothing else but that inward integritie of the heart whereof S. Paule speaking sayes The ende and complement of the Law is Charitie in a pure heart with faith vnfained 1. Tim. 1.5 And presently after Vers 19. differencing it from a meer vnderstanding he saith Some haue made a shipwracke of Faith by forsaking a good Conscience Wherein saith Caluin hee shewes it to be a liuely ardor of seruing God with the entire affection of his soule and a sincere endeuour to liue godly and honestly among men respecting properly and precisely God as the maine ende and obiect therof but lesse principally men because the effects and fruits of it extend euen to them also This thus opened brings vs I hope some light to finde and see what an euill Conscience is which is whatsoeuer the former is not A remembrance of an ill-led-life ioyned with feare of punishment or a grieuous and racking motion of the soule mixt with knowledge and sight of her owne wickednes and by consequence with a foresight of her owne miserie But in handling the next part of the Text we shall obtaine a manifolde discouerie of them both and be made to descry aswell the comfortable nature of the one as the poore and wretched condition of the other Come wee then to that which I called the maine intendment of Solomon or the generall Doctrine hence obserueable The first part whereof is that there is no peace to the wicked as God speakes by Esay No ioy no comfort in an ill soule And the second That the good man is the onely merrie man aliue For so much is veiled and couered here vnder these words A continuall Feast 3 For the first as Saint Paul speakes of the good man that he is afflicted yet alwayes merrie So Solomon of the wicked iust contrary euen in laughter the heart is sorrowfull Pro. 14.13 The world then it seemes is cousened and gulled with showes and shadowes and outward semblances thinking such a man sicke that is in perfect health esteeming an other in great iollity of an able lusty body when t' is but a languishing carkasse For the full worldling sets out and paints and struts like a huge Colossus of gold peraduenture or Iuory without but stuft with clay and stones within all their happinesse affoording no more comfort then for a theefe to be hanged on a painted Gallowes Therefore Seneca calls it Foelicitatem bracteatam capsulam totam gilded felicity all couer and shell and barke straw without graine or gilded sheathes with leaden weapons nor yet so merely T' is not a froath or winde or emptinesse but a burning a corrosion a sting a poyson a secret malignity withall For so Solomon implyes where speaking of all outward things hee sayeth They are not onely vanity but vexation of the spirite So that worldlings may complaine of all earthly matters as Agarnemnon doth of honour in the Tragedy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 T 's sweet in show and semblance a farre off but it sads a man at heart when it comes The maine reason whereof is that of Senecaes because all folly and vanity laborat fastidió sui growes in the end weary of it selfe Et maximam sui veneni partem bibit drinkes vp the greater part of her owne poyson occasioned by a gnawn wormeaten a wicked guilty conscience For as the Cruciaeries in Rome bore that Crosse which should afterwards beare them so God hath layde this conscience as a crosse on euery sinnefull wretch wherein hee suffers before before time of his full and final suffering A thing which the Heathens felt and discouered Sua quemque fraus suus terror maximè vexat sayeth Tullie Each mans owne fraud and his owne affrightment most disquiets him and those Furies sayeth hee doe anguish and pursue wicked men not with burning firebrands as wee see in Tragedies sed angore conscientiae but with the trouble of their conscience And Seneca most diuinely Nihil prod st inclusam habere conscientiam patemus Deo Quid quaeris quid machinaris quid abscondis custos tuus te sequitur Quid locum abdictum legis arbitros remoues Putas tibi contigisse vt oculos ouium effugias To what end sayeth he Doth a sinner chuse secresie or solitarinesse Demens quid prodest non habere conscium cum habes conscientiam Madman what auayles to haue no witnesse of thy wickednesse thou hauing a conscience which is a thousand witnesses A thing which euery sinner would shunne and cannot whose state is therefore resembled to the stricken Beare which running per syluas saltusque through woods and groues yet still haeret lateri laethalis arundo the deadly arrow sticks still in her side so runnes and rowles the perplexed sinner like Lucans Beare Se rotat in vulnus secum fugientem circuit hastam though hee wheele and turne round as the Wiseman sayth Impij ambulant in circuitu yet the Speare that wounded him fals not out Such men sayeth Plutarch are like men sea-sicke who being in the shippe thinke they should doe better in the boate and thence backe againe to the shippe nihil agunt c. They doe nothing sayeth he nothing to any purpose so long as their choler remaines in the stomacke So the Sinner no shift of place no change of ayre relieues him being dogged and tended on by Erynnis Conscientiae the Hellish Hagge or fury of his conscience that euer-gaping Cerberus that euer-waking blood hound eyther barking eager and so disturbs his rest which is bad enough or if it chance to sleepe it is farre worse if it wakes it makes him like a mad-man when it sleepes a Lethargique dull and senselesse if it speake a thousand wild Chymaeraes and winged furies and spirting serpents ride vpon the tongue of it but when it is dumbe it casts him into a stony deadnes which is an estate so damnable as we are wont to expresse it by resemblance to a Patient on whom Physicke works not or that seeles not himselfe sicke when both Physitians and friends know him desperate Ti 's Austines Quid miserius misero non miserante seipsum What more miserable then a wretch not to take compassion on himselfe Nor can it bee thought a pleasure for a sinner that his soule is growne ouer with a filme or cataract that he becomes obdurate seared and remorselesse and so secure like Ionas vnder hatches a sleepe for such a sleepe of the conscience is but a dogges sleepe as God tolde Cain in Gen. 4. If thou doest ill Sinne lyes at the dore lyes like a dogge at the dore vpon a sodaine to rise and plucke out his throat Tandemista tranquilitas tempestas est saith Saint
TO THE NOBLE AND worthy Knight Sir Philip Stanhope of Shelford in the County of Nottingham Noble Sir KNowing a good CONSCIENCE to be euery honorable indeed euery honest mans Saint and Mistresse in both which attributes I assure my selfe you haue a large plentiful interest I haue ventured here to present to such mens viewes in generall a poore and rough draught of her perfection and in speciall to you as one to whom it shall be no disgrace that I account you amongst her principall seruants which beleefe in your affection and deuotion to her draws me to a confidence in your inclination to pardon and withall to accept this in truth vnskilfull picture that here I send you though it bee as far from the life as earth is from heauen I shall happily bee censured for not selecting othermore specious seruants fauourites of hers which boast and make a face of great attēpts and endeuours and employments of their valour integrity in the full maintenance and preseruation of her noble and God-like temper and in aduancing of her deserued honour and reputation but certainly I haue euer found in that weake discouery which my feeble vnderstanding could make of men those which excell in brauery and number of wordes and profession to fall short in deedes and execution and on the contrary least proserers best performers And therefore as notwithstanding the want of glorious flourishing Protestations cōmonly faltring in performance and maugre the spight and diuelish deuises of your enemies in whom it is a hard question whether their malice or follie be greater seeking to auile and minish your hearts faithfulnesse and integrity I yet do firmely credit the vnfained respect you beare to that heauenly Mistresse of yours so I despaire not of faire interpretation and acceptance at your hands of this her purtraiture though as I told you done so ruggedly The pouerty of which offering I haue no means to relieue but by praying almighty God long to continue your health and prospertey to blesse both your outward and inward estate and that therein you may dayly indeed manifest your selfe to be what I fully beleeue you are namely a preseruer and a patrone to a good conscience So with the signification of that duty and seruice which I am iustly tyed to tender both you and your worthy and excellent Lady I remaine At your command THOMAS PESTELL THE GOOD CONSCIENCE PROV 15.15 A good Conscience is a continuall Feast IN this Text is mention of two things which it seems the world hath quite forgotten at least left off and disaccustomed It may bee wee haue heard our Fathers or Grand-fathers report strange things of Lordes Knights and great Men keeping bountifull houses and continuall Feasts and they perchaunce heard their Fathers before them speake of keeping a good Conscience But in this Rotten Woodden-Age wherin we liue these two are perisht at least traueld and gone out of the Land together which together we find as fast friēds in the text A good conscience a continuall Feast All I hope to gaine is that the discourse of such things will not be vnwelcome to vs because wee are fallen vpon those times indeed miserable wherein men are meerely nothing but discourse and talke of these matters In opening the Text foure seuerall things are to be enquired of and stood vpon 1. First what Conscience is in generall 2. What a good Conscience is and the contrary 3. The main intendment of Solomon in this place or the generall Doctrine hence obserueable hauing two branches one implicite which is that wicked soules are most anguished and wheeled and tempested with affliction most grieued galled in minde another explicite to wit that good and honest men are more mirthfull ioyous receyue more true solace and contentment then the former 4. How this comparison heere vrged by Salomon may be fitted and applied prouing first that the wicked conscience is no feast or if one not continuall Secondly in the righteous that theyrs is one and a continuall one A good Consc is a c. 1. First what Conscience is in generall It is defined to bee a certaine naturall vnderstanding of the Lawe approuing honest and good actions and disallowing or detesting such as bee ill Or it is a iudgement of the soule fetched from the Law of God vppon which ensues eyther a ioyfulnes or a trembling in the soule And it consists saieth Melancthon of a practicke Syllogisme in mans vnderstanding and the hearts motion that ensues it The Maior whereof is the rule of certaintie and truth to which the deede is layde and weighed in the Minor and the conclusion is the soules Iudgement or reflection on it selfe procuring eyther quietnes or vexation Aquinas defines it to bee Ordo scientiae ad aliquid an Act by which wee applie our knowledge to some-particular thing And Caluin sayes t' is Medium quid dam a certaine thing of a middle nature twixt God and man not suffering a man to suppresse in himselfe what hee knowes offensiue to God Lypsius calls it Sointillam A sparckle of rectified reason left still in man of his good and euill actions both Iudex and Iudex both Iudge and witnesse To which purpose it hath bene named the Pulse the Spurre the Monitor the watchman the clock or Laerum to the soule the good Cassandra foretelling dangers Gods speciall Bayliffe and Secretary to arrest vs to register our offences of which that is true of Tullie Magnum vim habet in vtrumque partem c. It hath great force on both sides eyther to free them from feare who haue done nothing or to present euer to theyr face due punishment that be offendors whervnto agrees that description of Conscience in the scriptures that it is our owne Thoughts eyther accusing or excusing vs. 2. Hence wee may easily descend to the second particular and gaine the vnderstanding of a good Conscience which yet will be hard to doe in regard a good oue is indeed the very Peace of GOD which passeth all vnderstanding yet thus farre they haue cleared vs who define it to bee a ioyfull remēbrance of a well-led de life ioyned with hope in the expectation of a Comfortable euent or a ioyous motion of the soule ioyned cùm scientià with knowledge of her own right actions in which regard it is named concertly Conscience not meerely Science for without this coniunction it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Conscience nicknamed or miscalled and wee are eased by such who holde a Conscience then to bee free or good when it is at peace eyther concerning pardon of sinne or concerning our pleasing God notwithstanding all imperfections or when the question is of things in theyr owne nature indifferent and it being in such a choyce neither Asinina nor Lupina neither straining at strawes nor swallowing logges But then specially when it is calme and quiet vppon the first ground namely vppon the sence of sinne forgiuen and the soule made free
Ierome This seeming calme proues in the end a most cruell storme as a wheele seemes not at all to moue when it is whirled about with greatest violence Which if we would haue proued or exemplified beside prophane stories and dayly tryall the scripture is plenteous in furnishing vs with examples and testimonies Iosephs brethren Gen. 50.15 It may be hee will hate vs and pay vs againe the euill wee did him A fuller example is Herod in Mat. 14. who when Christ came to offer mercy out of the hell of his hart imagined Iohn Baptist had bin risen again to take vengeance So the Scribes and Pharisees in that iudgement of our Sauiour concerning the woman taken in adultery accused of their owne conscience went out one by one Iohn 8.9 The same sting it was made Baltazers countenance change and his ioyntes to bee loosed and his knees to knocke one against onother Dan. 5.6 So when Paul disputed of righteousnesse and temperance and the iudgement to come the Text sayeth Foelix trembled Act. 24.26 The time would fayle mee to speake of Adam of Saul of Iudas and sixe hundred more for it is in all wicked soules eyther the first part of hell a fire that burnes and consumes speedily or the second part a worme that closely frets and eates away and rots the soule and shall neuer die saith Esay 66 24. Such a man is like him the Apostle speakes of Tit. 3.11 Who is damned of himselfe his owne Iudge witnes hangman at least findes himselfe guiltie and nothing remaines but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and a violent fire Heb. 10.27 2 The second branch of the doctrine and that which is here exprest is that how euer the worlde rashly conceit good mens estate wretched and tempestuous yet they are the onely merry men aliue It is thought religion duls their wits daunts their spirits as if mirth and mischiefe euer met together But the Heathens haue beene able to tell vs that all blisse lyes not in a giddy lightnes There is sayeth Statius hilaris cum pondere virtus Vertue with mirth and weight in it and Tully could say Non hilaritate modo nec lascinia nec ioco comite lenitatis sed saepe etiam tristes firmitate constantiâ sunt beati Men many times seeming sad are blessed in the firmenesse and constancy of their temper For the true Christian man though hee runne still away yet his ioyes are deeper then the rushing noyse of shallow worldlings as Claudius speakes of Nilus Lene fluit sed cunctis omnibus exit vtilior nullas confessus murmure vireis though it shew no strength in his murmure and ratling yet it is more vsefull then other riuers This is true of a good conscience in the generall because it is in euery disease a Physition in strife a Lawyer in doubt a Preacher in griese a counsellor in sinne a confessor like a sweet persume at once taking away the noysome smell and leauing a sweet sauour for it or like the Vnicorns horne in water driuing poyson out of any estate This we shall in like maner find true if we take into our consideration those things which most afflict and trauell men in this life and wherewith the best men are oftentimes shaken and disturbed and theit evennes interrupted and en combred which be SIN and Affliction For we shall finde that which Iuvenal speakes of vertue Semita tranquillae per virtutem patet vnica vitae applyable more fitly to a good conscience that the way out of the forenamed difficulties and the path to arriue at quietnes is no other And for SIN first the dayly wrastlings combates against those reliques of sin are best known to them that haue experienced them Such will cry out in the bitternes of their soules with S. Paul I feele another law in my members rebelling against the law of my flesh and leading mee captiue into the law of sinne O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of death Rom. 7.23.24 Now a good conscience doth not onely preserue men from committing some sinne as Pride and enuy that Saw of the soule and paine of the damned and so works a peacefull innocency that way but it likewise cleares him from the guilt and horror of all sinne For first it is a procurer at least a fast friend to a bolde liuelie faith in God So the Author to the Hebrewes Heb. 10.22 Let vs draw neare in assurance of our faith with a true heart sprinckled in our hearts from an euill conscience and then in the next place it makes a man confident to come with boldnes to the throne of grace for if our heart condemn vs not then haue we confidence towards God 1. Iohn 3.21 In which regard Dauid ftiles God the God of his prayse the God of his righteousnes and the Apostle cals integrity of life and a good conscience arma institiae armour of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left 2. Cor. 6.7 which preserues him safe from all assaults and snares and temptations of the diuell nay the righteous man gaines by euery such attempt of Sathan Doemones tentando nobis coronas fabricant euery temptation anoyded as it is a Crown to a man so it is a curse to his enemy And Origen imagined that it should increase the tormentors punishment In the meane time the righteous soule lyes couered vnder his buckler of Faith like little Teucer vnder the shield of Aiax secure from danger Nay Sin indeed hath now no further power to endamage him for as the spirite of God becomming his bosome friend doth like a new Hercules kill that rauening vulture which tyres vpon the liuer of his poore soule and when hee is in greatest anguish that he prayes and sighes and grones then that prayes for him sighes grones for him with such sighes such groanes so oppressed as they cannot bee expressed Rom. 8.26 So Christ Iesus his sauiour and mighty Redeemer hath pulled out the sting of it the poyson and virulency and malignity is taken away by him For the strength of sin is the Law now such men sayth the Apostle are no longer vnder the Law but vnder grace And therefore Saint Iohn is bold to say of such a man Hee doeth no sinne nor can doe none a strange speech yet most true hee cannot sinne fearefully finally with the whole sway and bent of his minde and affections or doeth no sinne which shall bee imputed to him or layde to his charge as Saint Paul Rom. 8.33.34 where hee seemes to giue out a generall callenge against all commers to doe their worst to vrge the vtmost they can T' is c. saith he Who is that man so hardy as dare tax the children of God Who shal lay anything to the charge of Gods elect It is God that iustifies who shall condemne c. So that in such men sinne though it remaine yet it doth not raigne there but is onely like a languishing
tartnes no sharpnes no bitternes in these afflictions no not in death it selfe for as God sweetly disposes and pleasantly compounds the rest so Christ Iesus is theyr taster in this He hath tasted death for all Hebr. 2.9 This is their maine cheare To this Sage and Succory Marioram gentle Patience and Honesty Harts-ease and Hearb-grace are sprinckled in for salades And all this before the banquet For that comes after wherein as wee see at feasts the same things serue for the Banquet too but otherwise cooked and disguised so it may happily fall out in this for remissiō of sinnes and hope of euerlasting glory are saies Latimer the sweet-meats to the feast of a good conscience And as for fruits as we are called in scripture the first fruits of his creatures so if we be of S. Pauls companie we haue the first fruits of his spirit Rom 8.23 where of S. Paul serues in often a brace Grace peace in God the Father c. And oftentimes a lease Grace mercie and truth c. And wee finde almost a douzen in a dish Galath 5.22.23 The fruits of the spirit is loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenes goodnes Faith meekenes temperance c. After these come in all choyce and rare dainties mentioned in Isay 11.2 Wisedome and vnderstanding councell and strength Knowledge and the feare of the Lord which are called in Esay 55. by the names of Water milke and wine saturitie Fatnes c. In other places they are iointly named the Annoynting the oyle of gladnes where with as Christ Iesus was annoynted aboue his fellowes so being as S. Peter stiles him the Byshop of our soules he doth therewith annoint and consecrate vs Priests vnto God euen an holy and a Royall Priesthood 1.2.9 which is an oynement most sauory and redolent The sauour of thine oyntment is better then all spices Cant. 4.10 which heauenly Oyle is shead in our hearts by the holy Ghost that is giuen vs. Rom 5.5 Ther 's an other banquetting dish of loue and knowledge mine together For knowledge of it selfe is too windy it swell a man like puff past and shewe him vp but loue modefies and allayes it and makes it wholesome Then comes in the louing kindnesse of the Lorde making the Good-mans estate equall with that of Kings as Saint Paul tolde Agrippa in which regarde God is sayde to crowne vs with louing kindnes tender mercy Psa 103.4 So that righteous mē are so many crowned Kings Nay faieth the Apostle more then conquerours Rom. 8. What 's more then conquerours Why Triumphers for hee makes vs to triumph in Christ 2. Cor. 2.14 Next the good faithfull soule receiues in this banquet a Christall bellie made of the blood of Christ not Sanguis Draconis but Leonis of the Lion of the Tribe of Iuda or rather of the Lambe of God a strange and strong restoratiue more then all their pectorall rowles or Mythridate or aurum potabile that will fetch life againe sooner then all their cordiall waters for this indeede is the true Aqua Coelestis and Rosa Solis of the Sunne of righteousnesse one droppe whereof is sufficient for a thousand worlds After this comes that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that full assurance of faith in Christ which is the true Manus Christi that passeth all their Marmelade Succate And last of all is that food of Angels hidden Manna so called Apos 2.17 which is a kind of secret consolation which the Lord infuseth into the hearts of his faiththfull seruantes such as keepe a good conscience which farres exceeds all the stellifyed meates of Alchymists and Coniurers transports and rauisheth the soule of man as S. Peter hauing a taste of it talkes of building Tabernacles and Saint Paul it seemes had some relish of it where hee sayeth I ouerflow exceedingly I abound with all ioy amidst our tribulation This it makes a man forget all sensuall pleasure and is not only food but a riuer of spirituall drinke to the soule which prouokes Austin to cry Pota me Domine torrente volupt atis vt nil iam mundanorum libeat degustare veneualae dulcedimis Giue mee of this drinke Lord that I desire not the poysonous delights of the world This occasioned the same Father to entitle a good conscience a paradise abounding with graces and delights And Hugo to stile it a garden of delight and the golden diuing Chamber of the holy Ghost And so much for the meat and drinke The second thing that commends a feast is the Company It is a speech of a Romane in Plutarch that hee had only eaten not supped when he wanted company Now company are eyther guests or attendants both these magnifie the feasts of a good conscience for the guests are the blessed glorious Trinity For a good conscience wee haue heard hath the spirit his bosom-friend such a foule the Tēple the closet of the holy-Ghost for his father our Sauiour tells vs Iohn 14. to the man that loues him his Father will come and dwell with him And of himselfe Rerel 3.20 Beholde I stand at the dore and knocke if any man heare my voyce and open the dore I will come in to him and will suppe with him and he with me Our best friends vse to be best welcome and can a man haue a dearer Guest a better friend then Christ Iesus for he vouchsafes to call good men his friends Ioh 15.13 his kinsmen in other places his brethren his children his mother his Spowse to shew that he loues vs with all these loues the friendes the kinsmans the brothers the fathers the wifes Nay his is as high aboue these as is Heauen aboue earth and therefore hauing him our guest wee haue him in the knot and ring and packe of all our frinds together As for the Attendants at this feast they are no common wayters ordinary Seruing men but the blessed Angells of heauen Are they not all ministring Spirits sent out to minister for their sakes that shall be heyres of saluation Hebr. 1. vlt who as they ministred to Christ assoone as the diuell forsooke him so when we are once ridde of the diuell of hell of an euill conscience they presently be our seruants and as they ministred to him in his hunger for the Angells to all his in thyrst and hunger are as Luther is bolde to say Cookes and Butlers 3. The third circumstance of a feast is light t' is therefore a plague saith Ecclesiastes to a couetous wretch that alwayes he eates in darknes And indeed what is a feast without light so t is in the soule therefore the wicked hart or conscience is described in scripture to be voyde of light full of darknes hauing theyr cogitations darkned Ephes 4.18 Their foolish heart is full of darknes Rom 1.21 And all they can doe all their works are deedes of darknes Rom 13.12 But the children of God like the land of Goshen haue light enough they walke in the light and are children of