The Catholic Hierarchy, Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Concerning the Nature of Conſcience.
§ 1. Having thus far briefly enquired concerning the Juriſdictions a Chriſtian is bound in Duty to ſubmit unto, viz. Chriſt's, and Caeſars; and though he is conſcientiouſly to ſubject himſelf unto both, yet Chriſts Authority is to be preferred, and he is to have his due in the firſt place; becauſe all others who derive all juſt and rightful Authority from him, are limited by him, and muſt give an account unto him: Therefore we ſay with the Pſalmiſt, Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty; give unto the Lord the Glory due unto his Name. And as commanded by Chriſt, Seek firſt the Kingdom of God and the righteouſneſs thereof, &c.
§ 2. The firſt thing then here to be done, is to vindicate the Soveraignty of Chriſt, both in the perſons of particular Chriſtians, and in Eccleſiaſtick Bodies Politick, in both which he hath reſerved the Legiſlative Power to himſelf, and never yet committed it to any other. And firſt of his Power in Conſcience; and that it may the more clearly appear, that Chriſt only rules in Conſcience, it is needful we a little explain the Nature of Conſcience, and then proceed to prove, that the Juriſdiction of it belongs to Chriſt alone
§ 3. Conſcience taken ſtrictly (ſecundum notationem nominis) is a Knowledge together; i. e. A mans knowledg of himſelf and his actions, together with another who knows the ſame with him; or as ſome think, the knowledge of his Actions, together with the Rule by which they ought to be ſquared and directed; which knowledge muſt be placed in the Underſtanding of a rational Creature. Mr. Perkins ſaith, It's a part of the Ʋnderſtanding. I had rather ſay, it is Modus Intellectus; for the Underſtanding acts per totum, non per partes. This is that Spirit of a man, which knows the things that are in a man, 1 Cor. 2.11. But it's not all kinde of Intelligence, but ſome only in particular. 1. Not a Theoretick Knowledge, but a Practick; and therefore always referring to ſome Action, or Omiſſion. And 2. It is not referred to another mans affairs, but his own whoſe it is. And laſtly, it is not a mere apprehenſion or ſuſpicion, but a knowledge, always at leaſt of the fact, and often determines by the Rule known of the Legality of the fact, and ſo paſſeth Judgment, and thence is called Judicium; but ſometimes Conſcience is doubtful here, and thence it is called a weak, doubtful, and ſcrupulous Conſcience.
§ 4. It may be therefore thus deſcribed: Conſcientia eſt modus Intellectus Judicialis practicus. Conſcience is the Ʋnderſtandings Judicial manner of proceeding concerning our ſelves and actions. A man in Conſcience, as God's Subſtitute or Deputy, ſits in Judgment upon himſelf; firſt inquires as Jury of the matter of fact, whereof according to Self-evidence, he is found Guilty or Not-guilty, and according to the Law manifeſted, is acquitted or condemned. This Judgment of Conſcience may be conſidered in the power and act; a man may have a Conſcience-power, which doth not exert and put forth act; as a Man in Infancy or in Sleep; Ergo, it may be called Poteſtas intellectiva, Intellectual Power reducible into act. Again, Intellectual Power is either Intuitiva vel ratiocinativa; that is, the intuitive, which is the Viſion or Underſtanding of a Truth Axiomatically, or in the Abſtract. Ratiocinativa, which is looking on ſeveral Truths compared together, and one Truth being laid by another by way of Collation, produceth a third Truth, which we call a Concluſion or Inference. The firſt and general truth that comes to the knowledge, is the Law of God, which is brought to us by the light of Nature, or by the Word of God; which way ſoever it comes, it's enough to give it a throne in Conſcience, that it be certainly known to be God's Law. Nextly, that our actions are laid by this Rule, or brought before this Judgment-ſeat; which two being ſolemnly brought together, a third neceſſary Truth or Judgment according to truth, doth reſult, and is accordingly pronounced; the certainty of which depends on the certainty of the Premiſes, or at leaſt the exact and juſt comparing them together. The Underſtanding thus behaving it ſelf, puts on the nature of actual Conſcience, or Conſcience in act, bringing the habitual or potential Conſcience into acts in this manner, either concerning a mans ſtate or actions. Concerning a mans ſtate, The Soul that ſins ſhall die: I have ſinned, Ergo. Or concerning his particular actions: He that committeth Idolatry or Adultery, &c. breaketh God's Law; but I have committed ſuch and ſuch an act which is ſo, Ergo,
§ 5. Hence Conſcience ruled by Chriſt's Prerogative, is the practical reaſoning Ʋnderſtanding, (or Modus intellectus practicus) in man, whereby a judgment may be paſſed concerning a mans ſelf by himſelf, according to his apprehenſion of the revealed Judgment and Will of God; its divine Authority that rules in mans Heart, as to the approbation or condemnation of himſelf or actions. The Conſcience of the very blinde Heathens admit of no other power to acquit or condemn in this kind, but either the convincing light of the moral Law written in them, or ſome ſuppoſed falſe Divine light which by reaſon of the blindneſs of their Hearts ſeduceth them to falſe Worſhip and Idolatry.
§ 6. The method of Conſcience his acting is thus; firſt, there is the general undoubted truth known or aſſented to as ſuch; and it's either that which is really ſo, or ſuppoſedly ſo only, and not ſo really; if it be the latter, it's the main foundation of an erring Conſcience. It is the proſpect of ſome apprehended Divine Truth or other, Moral, Levitical, or Evangelical, which obligeth us to acts of Obedience; and this Law-obligation laid by God on man, is called foreign, i. e. the Propoſition of a practical Syllogiſme made by Conſcience. 2. There is the Application of this Truth to our ſelves, either as to our ſtate or particular actions, according to our own knowledge, (together with God's) to judge of our Conformity or Non-conformity to the ſaid Law-obligation, and therefore concerning the goodneſs or evil of our Actions: and here we take the Candle of the Lord in our hands to ſearch out and examine our condition and actions, in relation to good or evil; and herein doth the chief nature of Conſcience conſiſt: becauſe it's a ſubmitting ourſelves and actions to the judgment of God's Law, and is therefore the Aſſumption of this practical Syllogiſme, and is called foreign, and is an Index, Record, Teſtimony, Witneſs. 3. There is the Criſis, Inference, or Concluſion neceſſarily deduced from the Premiſes, and this is called the Judgment paſſed upon our ſtate or actions. Thus we have the whole Syllogiſme which the underſtanding makes in this way of acting. The Propoſition is de Jure; the Aſſumption de Facto: the Concluſion is either a juſtification of perſon or action, or it's a condemnation of any of them found guilty.
§ 7. The Syntereſis is the light of Truth contained in the Law (N…eticè recepta) ſive practicum Axioma cum aſſenſu intellectivo perceptum; A light received into the underſtanding with aſſent thereunto, or acknowledgment thereof as ſuch. A Law may be underſtood as to the matter of it, but not believed as a Truth; it may be known as a Truth, but not owned as a Law; yea, it may be acknowledged as a Law, but not yielded to as divine and authoritative enough to binde to Obedience; yea, it may be owned as a Law of God binding ſome people, and at ſome times, but not ourſelves, or at all times. But unleſs the Truth taken for a Law be thus circumſtantiated, and ſo received by us, it hath not force enough upon Conſcience, as a Law binding to Obedience. So that Syntereſis differs but ratione from the Law itſelf; for it is the Law of God underſtood and yielded to as obliging unto practice, and it's not only the Law in its Letter and firſt Principles, in its Original poſitive nature; but in its aptitude to particular Caſes, and in its juſt Inferences and Conſequences deducible from generals thereof, all practical Truths pleading Divine Authority, juſtly obliging us to belief.
§ 8. That which ſtirs up the Underſtanding to compare Conditions and Actions with the divine Law in the aſſumption by a practical enquiry, is a certain obligation which this Law-light hath the Heart of man under, that it doth by a kinde of natural inſtinct act in the manner above-rehearſed; which obligation is a neceſſity laid on the Underſtanding of owning and aſſenting to every known Law of God, and thereby to make a practical diſquiſition and judgment accordingly. The reaſon of this obligation lieth much in the neceſſity of the object: And firſt the natural inclination the Underſtanding hath to every known truth as ſuch: but this is not all; for truth that obligeth to credence from the evidence of it, obligeth not to Practice and Obedience, having not a ſufficient authority from whence it comes, or not laying on us a neceſſity of obeying, and therefore it muſt binde as a Law-truth, challenging its ends by promiſes of rewards, or threats of puniſhment. Again, 'tis from a principle of ſelf-love and preſervation. Seeing our ſelves liable to a Law, and ſuch a Law that can do us good or hurt, we are bound by this firſt principle of nature to make an impartial enquiry into our conformity, that we may be ſatisfied of our own ſafety and danger, every one being deſirous in this caſe to know the worſt of himſelf. Moreover, ſeeing that all Law that bindes is backed with ſufficient power to put it into vigorous and impartial execution; and that which prevails ſo much with Conſcience, is the Law-givers abſolute power to ſave and deſtroy. He can puniſh the whole man, Body and Soul, which no humane Power can: So that the Penalty being great, and the power of the Law-giver infinite, it muſt needs lay the Conſcience under a very ſtrict bond of enquiry. Likewiſe if we conſider, that 'tis not onelyonly a ſufficient power for Execution, but an unlimited power of law-making, wherein his Soverainty doth chiefly conſiſt; which Soverainty, as it is moſt ſupream, ſo it is moſt juſt and good; and therefore this obligeth, becauſe God can make what Law he will, and he cannot will to make any Law that is not fit for his Creature to obey. Hence his Laws have always a neceſſary innate goodneſs in them, becauſe they flow from him who is primarily, abſolutely, and independently good, Ergo muſt be, cannot but be, holy, juſt, and good Laws. Wherefore the impreſſion of the goodneſs of a Divine Law is firmly fixed on mans natural Conſcience; however corruption may attempt the blotting it out it cannot totally do it; but thoſe who are renewed by Grace, muſt needs ſee anothergueſs luſtre in it, ſeeing not onelyonly Divine goodneſs ſtamped on God's Law, but Goſpel-goodneſs: Not onelyonly the ſuitableneſs of his Commands to his Creature, but to a ſinner, viz. the love of God ſo evidenced in giving and requiring his Law in ſuch a way of Grace and compaſſion, that it engageth them in the higheſt meaſure to Obedience, yea, new Obedience, and their Conſciences to a diligent and narrow diſquiſition thereof accordingly. Laſtly, there is an innate reverence unto Divinity, which the Creator hath placed in the Heart of man, whereby the Law of God hath more command than any Laws in the world beſides; becauſe there can be no greater diſtance than between the Creator and the Creature; and Creation, or giving us being, is ſuch an obligation as none but a Creator can lay upon the Creature; and conſequently our greateſt good either in being or well-being, is certainly hazzarded by the diſpleaſure of our Creator. Thus much of the practical propoſitions of Conſcience, from which of neceſſity follows the particular Concluſion, as hath been ſaid.
§ 9. It remains to ſpeak ſomething of the diverſities of Conſcience, which admits of no difference from Divine Law ſimply conſidered, but from the Information or Illumination which the Underſtanding receives more or leſs therefrom. The leſs enlightned Conſcience, is either the mere natural Conſcience illuminated onelyonly by the Light of Nature without a written Law, ſuch as the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, Rom. 2. Or the legal Conſcience, though enlightned by the written Law, yet taſting nothing of Goſpel-freedom and delivery by Jeſus Chriſt, and therefore in bondage to Moſes, and not yet ſubjected to the mediatorly Authority of Chriſt in Juſtification, Sanctification, or rules of ſpiritual walk. The more enlightned Conſcience, is that which hath received Goſpel-light, and ſubjected thereunto from a true ſence of the love of God in Chriſt, hath ſubmitted his ſelf and ways to the guidance and conduct thereof in his whole progreſs to Life and Salvation. The Conſcience admits alſo of Magis & Minus: the more evangelically enlightned Conſcience is that which is firmly ratified and confirmed in Goſpel-truths, and a due application thereof by Faith for comfort and practice; and this is a firm ſtable Conſcience, and of ſuch an one is rightly ſaid that he is a ſtrong Chriſtian, one that is rightly informed in his Duties and Priviledges by the Law of Chriſt. The leſs Evangelically-enlightned Conſcience is one that hath but a ſmall information in the Minde and Will of Chriſt, hath a ſincere faith, but little knowledge, is not ſo well acquainted with the rules of Goſpel-obedience, nor with his Priviledges purchaſed by Jeſus Chriſt; and hence ariſeth a doubting and ſcrupulous Conſcience: a doubting Conſcience or Opinans is in reſpect chiefly of the will and minde of Chriſt, is not fully reſolved concerning it, and therefore at beſt acts but from Opinion, is unſetled, and unreſolved, whether the Light directs him this way, or that way; and therefore is unſtable in all ſuch ways, is not carried on with a Plerophory and full reſolution to perſiſt; and this may be according to ſome Truths and Duties, but not according to others. A Chriſtian may be ſtrong in reſpect of ſome Truths, but weak in reſpect of others; ſo that the ſame Conſcience may be ſtrong or weak, as it is clearly informed in ſome things, and darkly in others; yea, it may be weak at one time, and ſtrong at another, as it receives more or leſs Light. A ſcrupulous Conſcience is chiefly in reſpect of action, concerning which he is needleſly and frivolouſly doubtful, and therefore fearful and ſtarting upon all occaſions.
§ 10. Thus far of the differences of Conſcience, taken from Syntereſis; briefly a few words of its differences alſo from Syneideſis. Conſcience may be diſtinguiſhed from Syneideſis, into a good or a bad Conſcience. The good Conſcience is that which makes a diligent, juſt, and impartial enquiry into our condition and actions, by a due application of them to the Rule or Law-light received by us. An evil Conſcience, is ſuch an one as from its enſlavery to a luſt doth not perform its duty aright towards the Law of God or ourſelves, but is either ſloathful, and will not take pains to ſearch and examine our Hearts and ways: Or it is partial, and will be more ſtrict in ſome reſpects, and leſs in others of the ſame weight and concernment. Or it is fallacious, and deals not plainly and fully concerning the matter of fact, but mincingly and equivocally, feigning it to be better than it is in ſubſtance or circumſtance: or 'tis ſtupid and blockiſh, not valuing the weight of the Law, or inſpecting the nature of the Action. It may be alſo troubleſomely evil (as well as negligently, &c.) when it brings in too aggravating a Teſtimony, in accuſing beyond the nature of the Tranſgreſſion, repreſenting the matter of fact more hainous and heavy than it ought to be repreſented. Such a Conſcience may be Honeſtè bona, but Moleſtè mala.
§ 11. Laſtly, we diſtinguiſh Conſcience from the Criſis or Concluſion; and 'tis either juſt or unjuſt. Juſt, when it denounceth Sentence according to the true intent of the Law, and the true nature of the Fact, whereby it proves to be juſtly peaceable, or juſtly troubleſome and tormenting to us; and when it acquits, is pacatè bona. Or it is Ʋnjuſt, when the Sentence is pronounced otherwiſe than the premiſes do require; and when it thus acquits, it's pacatè mala; And when it thus condemns, leading many to the very brink of Deſpair, it is Iniquè & crudeliter mala. The former is often a bribed Conſcience, captivated and carried away with the favour of ſome baſe beloved Luſt and Affection, and a brutiſh blind heatheniſh Conſcience, Jud. 10.2 Pet. 2.12. Joh. 8.44. Or a judicially ſeared Conſcience, ſuch as is ſpoken of 1 Tim. 4.10. If it be iniquè mala, injuriouſly and cruelly evil, it will condemn where Chriſt hath acquitted; and this uſually from too much embondagement to the Law, which may be for a time in Saints and true Believers, and is called the Spirit of bondage, Rom. 8. A juſt peaceable Conſcience makes a happy man. A juſt, tormenting, or condemning Conſcience, makes a miſerable man.
foreign,
foreign, Antiph.
foreign;
foreign. Eurip.
The greateſt Pleaſure he hath got,
That on his Conſcience hath no ſpot.
What ſore diſeaſe Oreſtes thee hath preſt?
It's wounded Conſcience ſure within thy breſt.