The Souls Looking Glass 2, Tract 2
A treatiſe Of Conſcience.
ROM. 2.15.
Which ſhew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conſciences alſo bearing them witneſſe, and their thoughts in the mean while accuſing or elſe excuſing one another.
I Have ſhewed you,What Conſcience is. That every man is in an eſtate before God. And that hath made way now to a treatiſe of con…cience; which will ſhew us what eſtate …e are in before God. I deſire to handle common-place-wiſe: And firſt I will …l you in brief what the conſcience of …ery man is. I ſay, of every man: For …ngels and devils have a conſcience …o: ye may ſee it in the ſpeech of the …ngel to John when John would have …orſhipped him,Rev. 19.10. I am thy fellow-ſer…ant, ſaith he: ſee thou do it not. Mark; He had a conſcience that could ſay, I am a ſervant, and therefore muſt not ta… worſhip to me. So for the devils: Whe… our Saviour bade them come forth o… the poſſeſſed,Matth. 8.29. they ſay, Art thou com… to torment us before our time. See; the… had a conſcience that told them ther… would be a time when they ſhould b… further tormented. But I am not t… ſpeak of ſuch conſciences, but of th… conſcience of man. Now the conſcience of man is the judgement of ma… upon himſelf as he is ſubject to God judgement. Divines uſe to expreſſe i… in this Syllogiſme, He that truly believeth in Chriſt ſhall be ſaved: My conſcience telleth me this is Gods word. But I believe truly in Chriſt: My conſcience telleth me this alſo. Therefore I ſhall be ſaved. And ſo alſo on the contrary ſide. So that conſcience is a mans true judgement of himſelf:1. Cor. 11.31. If we would judge our ſelves; that is, If we would bring our ſelves before the tribunal of conſcience to receive its judgement.
Foure propoſitions are conteined in that portion of Scripture which I have choſen to make the ſubject of this enſu…ng treatiſe, Rom. 2.15.
1.Foure Propoſitions. That there is in every man a conſcience. [Their conſciences bearing them …itneſſe,] Every one of them had a …onſcience bearing them witneſſe.
2. That the light which conſcience directed to work by is knowledge. written in their hearts.]
3. That the bond that bindeth a mans conſcience is Gods law. [which …hew the effect of the law written in their …arts.]
4. That the office and duty of con…ence is to bear witneſſe either with our ſelves or againſt our ſelves, accuſing or excuſing our ſelves or actions. bearing witneſſe, and their thoughts ac…uſing or excuſing one another.] I begin …ith the firſt.