A Good Conscience the Strongest Hold, Title page – Dedication
A GOOD CONSCIENCE THE Strongeſt Hold.
A Treatiſe of Conſcience, handling
The
Nature
Acts
Offices
Uſe
of Conſcience.
The
Deſcription
Qualifications
Properties
Severall ſorts
of good Conſcience.
The
Excellency
Neceſſity
Utility
Happineſs
of ſuch a Conſcience.
The
Markes to know
Motives to get
Meanes to keep
it.
By JOHN SHEFFEILD, Miniſter of Swythins LONDON.
Acts 24. 16.
And herein do I exerciſe my ſelf, to have a Conſcience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
Diſcamus in terrâ, quorum ſcientia perſeveret in Caelo.
Hierom. ad Paul.
Scientia inflat, charitas aedificat; Conſcientia verò maximâ cum Religione eſt aedificanda.
Ames.
LONDON, Printed by J. B. for SAMUEL GELLIBRAND at the BALL in Pauls Church-yard. 1650.
To the Right Honourable, EDMUND Earle of Mulgrave, Lord Sheffeild of Butterwike.
Right Honourable,
IT was an excellent ſaying of Lewis of Bavyer Emperour of Germany, Hujuſmodi comparandae ſunt opes, quae cum naufragio ſimul enatent, ſuch goods are worth getting and owning, as will not ſinke, or waſh away if a ſhipwrack happen, but will wade and ſwim out with us.
A meditation never more needful to be ſtudied and practiſed, then in ſuch Naufragious times as theſe, wherein we have ſeen the Greateſt States in the world, the Greateſt Families in thoſe States, and the Greateſt Perſons in thoſe Families to have ſuffered the moſt fatall and Tragicall ſhipwracks.
The windes and Sea were never more high and rough, nor the ſhip more Toſſed; the earth never more rent with Earthquakes, nor the world leſſe ſetled. What is to be done? There is a Fort that ſtandeth firme when the earth is Removed. There is an Arke that ſwims aloft when the whole world is drowned, and the higheſt mountaines thrown into the midſt of the Sea: This Fort is Faith; This Arke is Conſcience.
Theſe are the goods to be gotten and made ſtore of in theſe dayes: Theſe make one truly rich, and ſafe and happy. All other goods whatſoever without a man be they Inheritances of houſes, lands and honours are but bare Moveables, uncertaine and unconſiderable Moveables, one may have them, but he cannot ſay how long he ſhall hold them. Theſe whoſo hath ſhall hold. Other goods are put into the worlds Inventory (theſe never) which therefore ſaith (but falſly) ſuch a one dyed rich, for he dyed worth ſo many thouſands, valuing the man by his eſtate. They are miſtaken. They might ſay ſo much he had, or at moſt he lived worth ſo much, but when he died he might die worſe then nothing, what is the ſtate to the ſoule? One living Dog is better then many dead Lions.
But Faith and good Conſcience are the onelyonly goods to be put in the Chriſtians Inventory, the man that had them we may ſay he died rich, dyed rich though he lived poor, and which is beſt of all, his riches he carryed with him. He lived and dyed foreign rich toward Lu. 12. 21.God, for ſuch a one dies worth as much as both Chriſt is worth and heaven is worth; as Chriſt for Grace, as heaven for Glory; as Chriſt for Promiſe and ſecurity, as heaven for performance and ſatisfaction: For good Conſcience departs (not dyes) poſſeſſed of them both. And it is infinitely more for one to be able to ſay one of theſe two is mine, then to ſay a thouſand mines of gold are mine. He that hath theſe hath all, Rev. 21. 7. He ſhall inherit all things, for God will be his God, he ſhall be his ſon: And as long as God hath any thing to give he ſhall not want.
A good Conſcience then, if had and kept, all is ſafe, all depends upon it, Grace and Comfort here, Glory & Bliſſe hereafter But this if loſt or neglected, all goes to wrack, and is but loſſe and dung, and worſe, if worſe may be, and the man a loſt man for ever. Take this, take all, as one ſaid well, Tolle Caelum, Tolle animam; ſo I may add, Tolle Chriſtum, Tolle Caelum; Tolle Fidem, Tolle Chriſtum; Tolle Conſcientiam, Tolle Fidem: Yea, Tolle Conſcientiam; Tolle omnia. Take away Heaven, ſaid he, and take my Soul too; ſo ſay I, Take away Chriſt, take away Heaven; take away Faith, and take away Chriſt; and take away Conſcience, you take away Faith; yea take away Conſcience, and you make ſhort work, and take away all. For what were my Soul worth if it were not for He …n? what were Heaven worth if it were not for Chriſts what were Chriſt worth to me if it were not for Faith? and what were all Faith worth if it were not for Conſcience? Therefore as dying Gardiner ſaid truely, Open that window once, aſſert Juſtification, and deny merit, and farewel all together, farewel Popiſh Religion: So ſay I, Aſſert Liberty and deny Conſcience, open that window once, and farewel all together, farewell all true Religion: Yea take but away part of Conſcience, and you take away all; take but away one ſyllable, and what is ſimple ſcience good for without Con? to ſhew that it is not ſcience but Conſcience that makes the Chriſtian; and no Conſcience but that which is entire and kept whole that maketh the happy Chriſtian.
Your Lordſhip is deſcended of Noble and truly Honorable Progenitors, highly Honoured for their Greatneſſe; highly Beloved for their Goodneſſe; their Goodneſſe ſhining eminently in the diſcoveries of their Religion, Loyalty, Valour, and Activeneſſe to ſerve their Country in the greateſt perils. They were to Truth Patrons, to Religion Ornaments, to Peace Champions, fighting her Battels (when ſhe was in danger) both by ſea and land; and to their Country Dear and Cordial Patriots; ſome of them not loving their lives to the Death, have ſacrificed them to the ſervice of their Country. Their perſons through the luſtre of their Virtues and Heroick actions ſhone out in their higher and greater Orbs, while they lived; and their precious Names and memory (though themſelves withdrawn) leaving a ſplendor and brightneſſe behind (as the Sun when ſet) continue immortalized in our Engliſh Hiſtory and Chronicles to all Poſterity.
Your Lordſhip is the head of a great Family, and the higheſt Branch of a numerous name, all whoſe ſheaves do willingly bow to your Lordſhips ſheaf, as gladly and willingly as Joſephs Brethren did to him, accounting themſelves Honoured not ſo much in your Lordſhips Honour, as Honourableneſſe, and honouring you not ſo much for your Great and Honer eſt honorantis, Honorabilitas honorati.High Birth, as Greater and Higher worth and aprroved ſincerity in theſe trying times.
My Lord, Hold faſt that you have received: ſecure your Faith, and you ſecure your ſoul: Secure your Conſcience, and you ſecure your Honour, yea your Crowne. Then you ſhall not be ſhaken Rev. 3. 11.with any ſhakings, nor afraid of any amazement.
That your Lordſhip may do worthily in Ephratah, and your name and Family be famous in Iſrael, as it is all the aime and ambition of this enſuing Treatiſe; ſo it is and ſhall be the Prayer of the Author, who craving your Lordſhips pardon for this boldneſſe and Prolixity, and a favourable acceptance and peruſal of this homely Treatiſe, ſhall continue to efflagitate and importune God, that as he hath made you high in Place and Honour and Dignity: So you may be made much more high in Name, and Praiſe, and Grace, and Glory.
Your Lordſhips humble ſervant in every Chriſtian ſervice. Jo: SHEFFEILD.