light in examining and re-examining every particular, and not being an absolute stranger to the subject reflected upon, having been present in the same country at that time, I could not conclude this discourse more pertinently, than with such an instance at large; presuming that it may make the same impression upon others that it hath upon me, and make us the more solicitous to call ourselves to an account for all commissions, and to pray to God to give us the grace to repent in such a way, and to such a degree, as may be most for his glory, our own salvation, and the edification of others towards the attaining the same.

XIX. OF CONSCIENCE.

Montpellier, March 9, 1670.

THERE is not throughout the whole bible of the Old Testament, that term or word, Conscience, to be found; nor is it used in Scripture till the eighth chapter of the gospel written by St. John, when the Jews brought the woman that had been taken in adultery before our Saviour, whom they importuned to do justice upon her; and he, who knew their malice was more against

him than the woman, said, "He that is without sin amongst you, let him first cast a stone at her: and they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest even to the last," (ver. 7, 9.) Nor is the Greek word ourudnois, which throughout the New Testament signifies conscience, ever used by the Septuagint, (as some learned men affirm) except only in the 10th chapter of Ecclesiastes, ver. 20, which is thus translated, "Curse not the king, no not in thy thought." So that conscience seems to be the proper and natural issue of the Gospel, which introduced a stricter survey of the heart of man, and a more severe inquisition into the thoughts thereof, than the law had done. He who could not be accused by sufficient witnesses to have violated the law, was thought to be innocent enough; but the Gospel erected another judicatory, and another kind of examination, and brought men who could not be charged by the law, to be convicted by their own conscience; and therefore St. Paul, in his justification before Felix, after he had denied all that the Jews had charged him with, and affirmed that he had broken no law, added, "And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience

void of offence toward God and toward men," (Acts xxiv. 16.) his behaviour was so exact, that he did not only abstain from doing any man wrong, but from giving any man a just occasion to be offended with him. It is a calamity never enough to be lamented, that this legitimate daughter of the Gospel of peace should grow so prodigiously unnatural and impetuous, as to attempt to tear out the bowels of her mother, to tread all charity under foot, and to destroy all peace upon the earth; that conscience should stir men up to rebellion, introduce murder and devastation, licence the breach of all God's commandments, and pervert the nature of man from all Christian charity, humility, and compassion, to a brutish inhumanity, and delight in those acts of injustice and oppression that nature itself abhors and detests; that conscience, that is infused to keep the breast of every man clean from encroaching vices, which lurk so close that the eye of the body cannot discern them, to correct and suppress those unruly affections and appetites, which might otherwise undiscerned corrupt the soul to an irrecoverable guilt, and hath no jurisdiction to exercise upon other men, but it is confined within its own natural sphere; that this enclosed con

science should break its bounds and limits, neglect the looking to any thing at home, and straggle abroad and exercise a tyrannical power over the actions and the thoughts of other men, condemn princes and magistrates, infringe all laws and order of government, assume to itself to appoint what all other shall do, and out of tenderness to itself, exercise all manner of cruelty towards other men: I say that this extravagant presumption should take or claim any warrant from conscience, is worthy of the anger and indignation of all Christians, and of a general com bination to reclaim and bind up this unruly, destroying, ravenous underminer and devourer of souls. The apostle, when he prescribed this light to walk by, in the dark times of infidelity, ignorance, and persecution, knew well enough how unlimited the fancy and pride and covertures of the heart of man were; and therefore he takes all possible care to establish the power and jurisdiction of kings and magistrates, and obedience to laws under the obligation of conscience, and required subjection to all those, not only for wrath (for fear of punishment) but for conscience sake: and the same apostle thought it a very necessary prescription to Timothy, that he should keep his diocese to

the "holding faith and a good conscience, which some having put away, concerning faith had made shipwreck;" that is, some men, by departing from the rules of conscience, by the suggestions of faith and religion, they made shipwreck of that faith and religion which they meant to advance.Conscience is the best bit and bridle to restrain the licence and excess which faith itself may introduce and give countenance to: conscience can never lead us into any unwarrantable and unjust action; but that it is not enough, he whose conscience does not check and restrain him from entering into actions contrary to God's commandments, may reasonably conclude that he hath no conscience, but that he lies under temptation which cannot prevail without laying the conscience waste, and rooting out all that God hath planted there; and a man may as reasonably pretend to commit adultery out of conscience, as to rebel or resist lawful authority by the obligation of conscience; and they who think themselves qualified for the latter by that impulsion, can never find reason to subdue a strong temptation to the other. Conscience may very reasonably restrain and hinder a man from doing that which would be consistent enough with con