Selected quad for the lemma: soul_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A46895
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The booke of conscience opened and read in a sermon preached at the Spittle on Easter-Tuesday, being April 12, 1642 / by John Jackson.
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Jackson, John.
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1642
(1642)
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Wing J76; ESTC R36019
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31,589
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156
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continuall feast These ought to be handled plainly but Theologically And this will we doe if God permit as the Apostle speaks Heb. 6. 3. The first Point There is a certaine inmate placed by God and associated to the soule called Conscience We say indeed in vulgar speech that such a man hath no conscience or is a man of no conscience but that is but a Catechrestical form of language like that of the Italians who when they speake of some notable deperdite wretch say He 's a man without a soul and like that of holy Scripture which saith of some men that a they have no heart But to speak properly and as the thing is there is no man be he never so lost and reprobate minded but hath a naturalâ— Conscience A natural body may as easily walkâ— in the Sun without a shadow as the soul can in the light of naturall reason or of the word of God without the reverberations and ecchoings of Conscience Heare b Tullies divinity in this point We have each of us received from the immortall God a conscience which can by no means be separated from us Many for the more wholsome aire or better soyle have changed their place of abode and others to converse with God and themselves have abandoned the societie of men and dwelt in wildernesses and solitary retiremeÌ„ts where Satyres have danced and Ostriches dwelt yea and many have been so hacknied and tired out with the miseries of this life which like an heavy pack and an ill saddle have wrung their backs that they have leaped out of the pan into the fire and shifted their souls from their bodies but there was never any yet could shift Conscience from the soul Nero shifted from chamber to chamber but still his mother Agrippina's ghost seemed to pursue him Bessus in Plutarch was chased by himselfe too but still the swallows seemed to charter his crime There 's scarce any thing in nature so small and contemptible but can make a separation betwixt the soule and the body a hair in a draught of milke did it to Lucâ—â— a â—â—ie to Adrian a kick of Nero's heel to Poppea lice to Herod wormes to Antiochus mice and rats to Hatto Bishop of Mentz a meere conceit a thought a fancie to thousands but there is no gulph so deep no precipice so steepe no sword so sharpe no not that sword which can divide between the marrow and the bone which can make the conscience sever it selfe from the soul but still c Nocte dieque suum gestant in pectore testem That is Wake men or rest Within their brest Conscience will be a guest To proceed then What is this thing we call Conscience and wherein doth the power and efficacie of it consist Answ. It hath been long said Conscience is a thousand witnesses and it s as truly said Conscience hath a thousand definitions and descriptions A man would thinke there were much Conscience in the world to consider all the books that are written of the nature and cases of Conscience It may be said of them as S. John closeth up his Gospel The world would scarce containe the books that should be written if all were printed that hath been said talked disputed preached written of Conscience And yet as little may be spread and dilated into much so may much also be contracted into little As a great mountaine may produce only a little mouse so a little nut-shell may hold great Iliads Whosoever then understands these three Greeke words {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or these three Latine words Lex Index and Judex or these three English words a Law a Witnesse a Judge is in a good way of proficiencie to understand the nature and essence of Conscience for in the execution of these three acts Conscience officiateth and dispatches its whole duty For first Conscience is a Law or a fair tablet wheâ— in is engraven by a divinâ— hand those truths anâ— principles which move iâ— set it a working Whicâ— principles are either naturall or acquired and hereupon comes in the distinction of Conscience naturall and illuminated And these principles being preserved and kept in the Conscience they are as Land-marks to her to saile by and as a law to her to live by in which regard this first act of Conscience is by the Greekes called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that is the records or conservation of right 〈◊〉 â—om â— ver. â—5 the Apostle cals it Lex scripta in cordibus The law written in our hearts For the second Conscience is a Witnesse or Evidence declaring and proving the truth whether the party standing at the barâ—e hath done contrary or according to that law for if the fact agree and hold measure with that law which Conscience tendered then it is Excusing witnesse or a witnesse pro if otherwise then it is an Accusing witness or a witness con in which regard this second act of Conscience is by the Greekes called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that is a Science with or together and Saint Paul in the same text Rom. 2. 15. expresseth both these testimonies Their Conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts ACCUSING or EXCUSING and thus Conscience is Index a signe or token For the third Conscience is also Judex an upright and impartiall Judge comparing together the law and the fact in the pursuance of a right sentence and out of that collation causing to result either a sentence of absolution the white stone Revel. 2. 17. if the fact agree with the law or a sentence of condemnation a the black stone if the law and fact jar and disagree This act the Greeks call {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and to this judiciary act of Conscience belongs that text of Saint John 1. epist. 3. chap. 20. ver. If our hearts condemne us c. and Saint Chrysostome glossing upon Psal. 4. 4. Commune with your owne hearts c. bids us b Erect the tribunall of Conscience The summe thus farre is thus much Conscience is a Law propounding the rule to walk by a Witnesse to give in evidence for matter of fact a Judge to give sentence according to the evidence Another way to find out the very quidditative nature and being of Conscience may take the rise and hint from that Text 1 Pet. 3. 21. c The answer of a good Conscience as there the Apostle phraseth it so as Conscience is a response or returne to three severall queries The first question is de jure touching the Law or right as What is the rule or principle by which I am to be directed in this or that case what to do and what not to doe Unto which question Conscience is an answer by reading the letter of the Law and opening the code or booke Apoc. 20. 12. and declaring the law written in the heart