Therefore it is called conscience, that is, one knowing joined with an- other ; because conscience knows itself, and it knows what it knows. It knows what the heart is. It not only knows itself, but it is a knowledge of the heart with God. It is called conscience, because it knows with God ;
2 COEINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 12. 209
for what conscience knows, God knows, that is above conscience. It is a knowledge with God, and a knowledge of a man's self.
And so it may be the soul itself endued with that excellent foculty of re- flecting and returning upon itself. Therefore it judge th of its own acts, because it can return upon itself.
2. Conscience likewise in some sort may be called a facnltij. The com- mon stream runs that way, that it is a power. It is not one power, but conscience is in all the powers of the soul ; for it is in the understand- ing, and there it rules. Conscience is it by which it is ruled and guided. Conscience is nothing but an application of it to some particular, to some- thing it knows, to some rules it knows before. Conscience is in the will, in the affections, the joy of conscience, and the peace of conscience, and so it runs through the whole soul. It is not one faculty, or two, but it is placed in all the faculties.
3. And some will needs have it an act, a particular act, and not a power. When it doth exercise, conscience, it is an act. When it accuseth, or ex- cuseth, or when it wituesseth, it is an act. At that time it is a faculty in act. So that we need not to wrangle whether it be this or that. Let us comprehend as much in our notions as we can ; that it is the soul, the heart, the spirit of a man returning upon itself, and it hath something to do in all the powers ; and it is an act itself when it is stirred up to accuse or to excuse ; to punish a man with fears and terrors, or to comfort him with joy, and the like.
Now conscience is a most excellent thing, it is above reason and sense ; for conscience is under God, and hath an eye to God alway. An atheist can have no conscience therefore, because he takes away the ground of con- science, which is an eye to God. Conscience looks to God. It is placed as God's deputy and vicegerent in man. Now it is above reason in this respect. Rea- son saith, you ought to do this, it is a comely thing, it is a thing acceptable with men amongst whom you live and converse, it becomes your condition as you are a man to carry yourself thus, it agrees with the rules and principles of nature in you. Thus saith reason, and they are good motives from reason. But conscience goeth higher. There is a God to whom I must answer, there is a judgment, therefore I do this, and therefore I do not this. It is a more divine, a more excellent power in man than anything else, than sense or reason, or whatsoever. As it is planted by God for special use, so it looks to God in all.
Therefore the name for conscience in the Greek and Latin signifies a knowledge with another {lih) ; because it is a knowledge with God. God and my own heart knows this. God and my conscience, as we use to say.
There are three things joined with conscience.
1. It is a knowledf/e with a rule, vith a goieral rule. That is alway the foundation of conscience in a man (ii). For there is a general rule. — Who- soever commits murder, whosoever commits adultery, whosoever is a blas- phemer, a swearer, a covetous, corrupt person, ' he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven,' as the apostle saith, 1 Cor. vi. 9, seq. Here is the general rule. Now conscience applies it, but I am such a one, therefore I shall not enter into heaven. So here the conscience it practiseth with a rule. It is a knowledge of those particulars with a general rule. And then,
2. It is a kiiuu-ledi/e of me, of mij own heart. I know what I have done, I know what I do, and in what manner, whether in hypocrisy or sincerity; I know what I think. And then,
3. It is a knowledge with God ; for God knows what conscience knows.
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He knows what is thought or done. Conscience is above me, and God is above conscience. Conscience is above me and above all men in the world ; for it is immediately sub)u;^'atfd to God. Conscience knows more than the world, and (rod knows a thousand times more than conscience or the world. It is a knowledf^e with a f^cnoral rule ; for whore there is no general rule there is no conscience. To make this a little clearer. All have a rule. Those that have not the word, which is the best rule of all, yet they have the word written in their hearts ; they have a natural judi- cature in their souls, their conscience excusing, or accusing one another. They have a general rule. You must do no wrong, you must do that which is right.