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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00643	The souls looking-glasse lively representing its estate before God: with a treatise of conscience; wherein the definitions and distinctions thereof are unfolded, and severall cases resolved: by that reverend and faithfull minister of the Word, William Fenner, B.D. sometimes fellow of Pembroke-hall in Cambridge, and late parson of Rochford in Essex.	Fenner, William, 1600-1640.; Calamy, Edmund, 1600-1666.	1640 (1640)	STC 10779; ESTC S101939	116,565	318

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 Proposition I. There is in every man a conscience THere was a conscience in all these heathen in the text 1. There is in every man a conscience their consciences ●ring them witnesse There was a conscience in the Scribes and Pharisees John 8.9 being convicted of their own consciences There is a conscience in good men as in Paul 2. Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience There is a conscience in wicked men Tit. 1.15 their mind and conscience is defiled As it is impossible the fire should be without heat so it is impossible that any man should be without ● conscience Indeed we use to say Such an one hath no conscience bu● our meaning is that he hath no good conscience But every one hath a conscience either good or bad The Lord engraved conscience in man when he created him at first True it is since the fall of man conscience is miserably corrupted but man can never put it off Conscience continueth for ever in every man whether he be in earth or heaven or hell The most base and devilish profanelings in the world have a conscience Let them choke it or smother it as much as they can let them whore it or game it or drink it away as much as they are able for their hearts yet conscience will continue in spite of their teeth 1. No length of time can wear this conscience out What made Josephs brethren to remember the cruel usage they shewed him but conscience It was about twenty years before yet ●hey could not wear it out 2. No violence nor force is able to ●uppresse conscience but that one day ●●r other it will shew it self What made Judas go and carry back the money that he betrayed our Saviour for ●nd also to cry out I have sinned but conscience No question but he la●oured to suppresse it but he could ●ot 3. No greatnesse nor power is able do stifle conscience but that it will one ●ay like a band-dog flie in a sinners face What made Pharaoh crie out I am ●icked but conscience He was a great King and yet he was not able to over●ower conscience 4. No musick mirth or jovializing ●an charm conscience but it will play ●he devil to a wretched soul for all ●hat What was the evil spirit of me●ancholy that came upon Saul but conscience He thought to allay it with instruments of musick but it still came again 5. Death it self is not able to part conscience from a sinner What is that worm that shall never die but onely conscience and in hell conscience is as that fire that never goeth out I confesse some seem to have lost conscience quite They can omit good duties as though they had no conscience at all they can deferre repentance and turning to God as though they had no more conscience then a beast but one day conscience will appear and shew plainly that it was present with them every moment of their lives and privie to all their thoughts and all their wayes and set before them all the things that they have done Be men never so secure and senselesse and seared for the present conscience will break out either first or last Either here or in hell it will appear to every man That he hath and ever had a conscience Reasons Now the reasons why the Lord did plant a conscience in every man living are 1. Because the Lord is a very righ●ous Judge And as he commandeth ●rthly judges not to judge without ●itnesse so he himself will not judge ●ithout witnes and therefore he planteth a conscience in every one to bring in evidence for him or against him at Gods tribunall 2. Because the Lord is very merci●●ll We are wonderous forgetfull and ●ndlesse of God and of our own souls and have need to be quickned up to our duties therefore the Lord hath ●iven every one of us a conscience to ●●e a continuall monitour Sometime ●e forget to pray and then conscience ●●tteth us in mind to go to God some●●me we are dull in the duty and con●●●ence is as a prick to quicken us some●ne our passions are distempered and ●en conscience checketh command●●h us to bridle them We should ne●r be kept in any order if it were not ●r conscience Therefore hath the ●ord in mercy given us a conscience Vse 1 The first use is to condemn that diabolical proverb common among men Conscience is hanged a great while ago No no Achitophel may hang himself bu● he cannot hang his conscience Sa● may kill himself but conscience canno● be killed Mar 9.44 It is a worm that never dieth As the reasonable soul of man

The Souls Looking-glasse lively representing its Estate before God with A Treatise Of Conscience wherein the definitions and distinctions thereof are unfolded and severall Cases resolved By that reverend and faithfull Minister of the Word WILLIAM FENNER B. D. sometimes Fellow of Pembroke-hall in Cambridge and late Parson of Rochford in Essex ACTS 24.16 I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men CAMBRIDGE Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie for John Rothwell at the Sunne in Pauls church-yard 1640. To the RIGHT HONORABLE ROBERT Earle of Warwicke THe late wife of the deceased in thankfull acknowledgment of your Lordships many favours to her deare husband humbly presents this small treatise To the Christian Reader IT was the saying of Solon That there were many good laws made but there wanted one law to make us put all those laws in execution The like may be said concerning the books that are written now a dayes Ille verè Scripturas legit qui verba vertit in opera There are many good books written but there wanteth one book to make us to put those good books in practice Such a book were worth writing and worth reading And I know no reason but that this book if the Spirit of God write it in our hearts may have this happie effect For it is a book that will teach us how to get into the State of grace and how to get and keep a good Conscience And whosoever readeth a book with a good conscience will make conscience to practice what he readeth For a good conscience is as Aristotle saith of Justice * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Synopsis and Epitome of all virtues It is a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à sanandis omnibus morbis Panacea to cure all soul-diseases It is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a medicine to digest all book-surfetting There are foure sorts of Consciences Some bad and unquiet some bad and quiet some good and unquiet some good and quiet For a conscience to be bad and quiet is the worst temper that can be Better have a bad unquiet then a bad and quiet conscience better have a tormenting Tophet in the soul then a fools paradise The best frame of Conscience is the good and quiet conscience This is a * Laetitia bonae conscientiae paradisus est animarum gaudium angelorum hortus deliciarum ager benedictionis templum Solomonis aula Dei habitaeculum Spiritûs sancti Bernard Paradise upon earth * a pregustation and prelibation of heaven * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mansion for the Trinitie to dwell in Now this ensuing treatise will teach us how to purchase this precious jewel of a good and quiet conscience A treatise very necessary in these unconscionable dayes wherein most people make no conscience to sinne against conscience and some have sinned so long against conscience as that they have lost all conscience of sinne As * Multi Christianum nomen ad judicium habent non ad remedium S. Augustine saith of the name of a Christian so may I say of conscience Multi conscientiam habent non ad remedium sed ad judicium Many have a conscience for their condemnation and not for their salvation Conscience * Domus animae Guil. Parisiens it is the house of the soul But this house lieth waste and is much ruinated and decayed in these times wherein * Dum tempora superiora cum nostris comparo dicere consuevi plus illos conscientiae minus habuisse nos contrà scientiae plus conscientiae minus habere Beza never more science but never lesse conscience Conscience * Praejudicium judicii Tertull it is a private judgement-day before the publick day of judgement And it is an ill presage that most people will never stand upright in the court of heaven because they stand accused and condemned in the court of conscience Conscience is Gods preacher in our bosomes And it is a most certain rule That that man that will not regard the preacher in his bosome will never regard the preacher in the pulpit And the reason why the preacher in the pulpit doth no more good is because the preacher in the bosome is so much despised and neglected And therefore I doubt not but this book these motives considered will be very acceptable to all those that have or desire to have a good and quiet conscience For as * Vnicuique liber est propria conscientia ad hunc librum discutiendum emendandum omnes alii invenli sunt S. Bernard most excellently saith Every mans conscience is his book and all books are written to discover and amend the errours of the book of conscience Let those that reade this book of conscience look into the book of their own conscience and amend all the faults of that book by this book The Reverend Authour of this book was a Minister very conscientious and one that had a great abilitie given him by God to preach unto and work upon the consciences of people to awaken the sleepie conscience to inform the erroneous conscience to settle the doubtfull conscience and to comfort the wounded conscience his sermons were all dipt in conscience And therefore a subject of Conscience must needs be welcome from such a preacher It is true that this birth is Posthumum opus and cometh out after the death of the Authour But I hope it will be the more pleasing to revive the memory of him whose life and labours were deservedly pretious in the esteem of Gods people And if conscience though for a while blind and dumbe and seared and put out of all office will notwithstanding at last be put into office and made to see speak and feel to the utter destruction of an impenitent sinner why may not a discourse of Conscience though long ago preached be suffered to revive and live for the salvation of those that shall have grace to reade it aright especially considering that these sermons were perfected by himself in his life-time Much I could say in commendation of this worthie Divine both in regard of his unwearisome pains in preaching consuming his own bodie to save the souls of others Praelucendo pereo as also of his learning and exemplarie pietie but I forbear All that I will say is this They that fully knew him did love and reverence him and if any did disesteem him it was because they did not fully know him He is now a shining starre in the firmament of heaven And there are hundreds of people that will blesse God to all eternity for his pains He needeth not our praises but our imitation All that I desire from you that reade this short treatise is this That ye would either get a good conscience by the reading of this book or bring a good conscience to the reading of it Labour to make an addition to the heavenly joyes

light but onely the light of nature some have besides the light of ●s word which sheweth that which ●re sheweth and much more clearly ●eacheth many things more which ●e cannot teach And hence the ●cience of the illightned condem●● for such things as the naturall con●●ce never stirreth about ●econdly the knowledge of our ●●lves is needfull else conscience can●●t neither Though we know what ●s law requireth and what not ●t is good and what not yet un● we know whether we go with it 〈◊〉 against it conscience cannot accuse nor excuse As for example A close hypocrite he knoweth wel enough that the Lord hath condemned hypocrisie and that hypocrites must have their ●●tion in hell yet if he do not know ●●self to be an hypocrite his consci●●●e can never condemn him for being ●e And therefore both these know●●●ges are necessary as well the know●●●ge of a mans self as of Gods law ●any who had a hand in crucifying our ●●viour sinned grievously yet they sinned not against knowledge beca● they knew not what they did Luke 23.34 Fath● forgive them they know not what they 〈◊〉 Thirdly It is a contradiction to 〈◊〉 a blind conscience in act The cons●●ence cannot be blind and yet actual● condemn Indeed the conscience it s● may be blind but it can never act and 〈◊〉 blind If it truly accuse or excuse must have some light It is true it ma● erroneously excuse or accuse and y● have no true light Seeming light 〈◊〉 enough to do that seeming knowledg● is enough to make conscience erroneously excuse As they who killed th● Apostles John 16.2 their consciences excuse● them and told them they did Go● good service they seemed to know i● was good service to God and therefor● their consciences excused them c Thus ye see that the light that conscience workerh by is knowledge Vse 1 The use of this point is first to le● us see the infinite necessity of knowledge As good have no conscience a● all as conscience without knowledge for it cannot act and perform its office ●is is the reason why so many thou●ds go on in their sinnes without re●tance because being ignorant they ●e no conscience to prick them there●o as Jer. 8.6 No man repenteth him ●his wickednesse saying What have I ●e Why what was the reason that ●nscience did not prick them and say ●is thou hast done and that Thus ye ●e rebelled c The text answereth 〈◊〉 the next verse My people know not 〈◊〉 judgement of the Lord. The stork ●weth her time and the turtle and the ●llow but my people do not know their ●ies Vse 2 Another use is to exhort us that we would labour to perfect the light of ●onscience that it may be able to guide 〈◊〉 and direct us unto heaven Our con●●ience hath knowledge enough by the ●ght of nature to make us inexcusable ●nd to clear the justice of God though ●e should damne us for ever but there ●ust be a greater light then that that ●ust guide us to heaven O let us ●ray to Christ the true light to set up ●his light in us that we may never be at a losse in our way to happinesse n●ver step out of the right path but o● conscience may be able to put us in ●gain never go slowly but our cons●●ence may spurre us on faster that o● conscience may not be like the s●● of a candle in a socket that flameth 〈◊〉 now and then and then is dark aga● and again it flameth out and is dark ●gain A man may see his book by i● but he cannot see to reade he may se● his pen and ink by it but he cannot se● to write a woman may see her need● and cloth by it but she cannot see t● work so it is with some mens consciences Their light is so dimme tha● they can see the duties but they canno● see to do them they can see the commandments of God but they canno● see to obey them O labour to perfec● the light of your consciences that ye● may see to walk by them And thu● much also of the second proposition The light that conscience acteth by is knowledge Now I should come to the third proposition which as I first propounded ●hem was this The bond that bindeth conscience is Gods law But I will now a little ●ter the method and make the other ●hich was propounded last to be the ●ird in the handling and it is this Proposition III. ●he office of Conscience is to bear witnesse to accuse or excuse COnscience is put into this office by God himself It is Gods officer III. Proposition The office of Conscience is to bear witnesse ●ot onely his register-book that shall 〈◊〉 opened at the day of judgement ●herein is set down our thoughts words and deeds but it is a preacher also to tell us our duty both towards ●od and towards man yea it is a ●●werfull preacher it exhorteth ur●th provoketh yea the most power●ll preacher that can be it will cause ●e stoutest and stubbornest heart un●r heaven to quake now and then it ●ill never let us alone till it have ●ought us either to God or to the de● Conscience is joyned in com●ission with Gods owne spirit to be an instructour unto us in the way we should walk so that the spirit and it are resisted or obeyed together grieved or delighted together We cannot sinne against conscience but we sinne also against Gods spirit we cannot check our own consciences but we check and quench the holy spirit of God The office of conscience to our selves is Rom. 9.1 to bear witnesse My conscience beareth me witnesse saith Paul Conscience is alwayes ready to do this office if it shall at any time be invited unto it For conscience looketh sometimes for inviting sometimes it will not bear witnesse unlesse we invite it and call upon it so to do But there will come a time when it will do it and must do it and shall do it namely at death or at judgement then it will bear witnesse whether men invite it or no. Now it may be suppressed and silenced and kept under from witnessing but then it must bear witnesse and shall either excusing or accusing acquitting or condemning when God shall judge the secrets of mens hearts as the Apostle speaketh The properties that are given unto conscience in the discharge of its office are foure Foure Properties of Conscience 1. It is supreme 2. It is impartiall 3. It is faithfull 4. It is privie 1. It is supreme It hath highest authoritie it is the most uncontrollable and ablest witnesse that can be the greatest weightiest witnesse in the world better then ten thousand witnesses Though all the world do condemn us yet if our own conscience do not we need not fear And so on the contrary if conscience do condemn us it will be small comfort though all the world flatter and commend and excuse us It is a supreme witnesse Though

convinced thee of thy sinnes and made thy conscience say I am a sinner and am guiltie before God I tell thee then Thy conscience is bound and all the world cannot loose it But hast thou been humbled and emptied of thy self and doth the word pronounce pardon of thy sinnes in Christs name that thy conscience can say The Lord speaketh peace to my soul I tell thee Thou art loosed and nor hell nor devil nor sinne nor flesh nor any thing can bind thee Ye may see the power of Gods word in that speech of our Saviour Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven Matth. 18.18 That is My word which ye preach is of that nature that if that loose your conscience it is loosed indeed and nothing can bind it if that do bind it it is bound soundly indeed and nothing can loose it O this is a terrour to the wicked Doth the word of God say Prov. 29.1 He that hardneth his neck being often rebuked shall suddenly be destroyed and cannot be cured O fear and tremble ye that harden your necks against the reproofs of the Almightie his word bindeth over your consciences to Christs barre Doth the word say Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge If thou beest such an one thy conscience is bound with this word and it will apply it to the soul before the tribunal-seat of Christ Doth the word crie out against any of thy courses thy conscience is bound as with chains and it is not all thy vain hopes and excuses can loose thee Again this is comfort to the godly Gods word is the supreme binder of conscience O ye blessed of the Lord the word of God tieth such a fast knot to your comforts that all hell cannot open it with their teeth The word of the Lord Jesus is with your who hath the key of David that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth Yea but sayest thou My sinnes are against me What then mark what the word saith We have an Advocate with the Father Thy conscience is bound to believe that Yea but I have a very naughtie heart and I cannot tell what to do with it Mark what the word saith Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved This bindeth thy conscience But I offend dayly Mark still what the word saith Christ bringeth in everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 If thou beest unworthy to day there is righteousnesse for thee to day if unworthy to morrow there is righteousnesse for thee to morrow if unworthy for ever there is righteousnesse for thee for ever This is Gods word and thy portion this bindeth thy conscience to lay hold on it But I have abundantly sinned What saith Christs word I will abundantly pardon O what comfort is this to every poore soul which the Lord Jesus hath humbled His word is the supreme binder of conscience above the law above justice above threatnings above all the world besides His promising word is the supreme binder of thy conscience if thou beest one of Christs And therefore fear not onely believe and be thankfull and give glory to God This is the childrens bread no stranger can intermeddle with it The secondary bond of conscience YE have heard that the bonds of conscience are of two sorts First there is a supreme bond of conscience and that is Gods word of which I have already spoken Secondly there is a relative bond of conscience which bindeth conscience indeed but it is onely in relation to Gods word because Gods word putteth authority upon it And this latter is also of two sorts 1. Others may bind conscience 2. We our selves may bind our own consciences I. Others may bind our consciences I. Others may bind our consciences namely when they have authority conferred upon them from God so their laws and commands receive vigour and force from Gods laws Thus the laws and commands of Magistrates bind the conscience of People of Parents bind the conscience of Children of Masters bind the conscience of Servants For though they do not bind conscience as they are the commandments of men yet having Gods seal and authority upon them they do I will set down some conclusions whereby ye may know how farre the laws and commandments of others bind or not bind conscience 1. Conclusion 1. Magistrates have power to command us Let every soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God Rom. 13.1 That chapter doth most clearly prove this conclusion unto us Out of the first part of the chapter we learn 1. That Magistrates have power and authority to make laws and to establish orders among men and therefore they are called powers 2. We learn that these laws of Magistrates receive strength and force from the law of God For the powers that be are ordained of God saith the text 3. Those laws made by the Magistrate and confirmed by God have power to bind conscience vers 5. Wherefore we must be subject not onely because of wrath but also for conscience sake And the violating of them is sinne When their authority is confirmed by God we cannot resist them but we resist the ordinance of God saith the Apostle nay we may pull condemnation upon us if we do They that resist shall receive to themselves condemnation vers 2. So that this first conclusion telleth us what laws of men are to be obeyed viz. 1. Such as do virtually flow from Gods word though not expressely commanded in it 2. Such as are good and wholesome and profitable for the common-wealth These though they are not particularly commanded in Gods word yet are they by virtue of it injoyned and therefore to neglect them and be disobedient unto them is to neglect and be disobedient to God Again so farre onely are they to be obeyed so farre onely I say as they virtually do flow from Gods word for so farre onely they receive force from Gods law This is the first conclusion 2. Conclusion 2. The commandments of Magistrates and those that are in authoritie lose their power of binding the conscience in foure cases 1. When they command that which though in it self it be not simply and absolutely sinfull and unlawfull yet it doth put us upon a necessity of sinning As for example If a Magistrate command single life to all Ministers this thing is not in it self simply unlawfull for it is lawfull to marry and it is lawfull not to marry yet this commandment is unlawfull because it would put Ministers upon a necessity of sinning The reason is because all have not this power And therefore such a commandment as this would not bind conscience For the conscience cannot be bound to impurity or an apparent danger of impurity and therefore though the thing be not simply unlawfull yet the commandment is simply unlawfull and doth not bind conscience The Apostle maketh such a commandment to