Book llll;

Math . 1 6,
P/ aim
fob i 3.
ngm underhand mg, and direction of the mind,and rules ofreafon ; afterwards the remembrance ot wicked deeds will torture the what will the mind of any man.Whercas others, fenced and fupporred by a good confidence of Confcience, they relying upon and depending on the teftimony confcience do. o^a feCure mjnd, lie ver fear nor fright at it, no not when miferies come, as the Plague, War, Famine, and want of all things, nor are they dejected for perfections, or the rage of Tyrants: for though luch be the frailty of human nature, that there is no manwho is pot troubled at l'udden aflaults, and is afraid of them, an exam¬ ple whereof we have in our Saviour Chrift, when he was to be offer¬ ed up: yet an honeft man, and he that depends on Gods prote¬ ction, ftands firm and fearlelfe againft all dangers that are near him, and fuftains hirnfelf by that means in defpitc of them all. So David when he was ftraightnedon every fide, oppofed acoura* sious and an undaunted fpirit to all dangers. For being garded and environed by the power of the Almighty God, he fpeaks withthegreater confidence, Though an Hoft fhould encamp again If me, my Heart fhall not fear; though war ihould rife againft me, in this will I be confident.
0 Likewife lob . Though he kill me , yet will I trufi in him . But wick¬ ed, ungodly, impious, naughty men, though they be guarded and encompafkd with a great retinue, and defended with abundance of wealth, having great ftore of Lands and PofTdfions, and wanr of nothing, yet are they racked in their minds, and are afraid of all things; and as the Wife ma n faith, Their Soul is pierced with the Confcience of their wicked deeds M with a Sword. For when they call to mind the mifehief they have done, they prcfently tremble, wax pale, look about, and are afraid of the fafeft means, as if the furies of hell hurried them along. For there is in every man an imbred choice of things by nature, a judgment, and diftindfton of good and bad, and the knowledge of God is primed in their Souls, which Saint PjuI calls the Law or Inftindt or condud of nature, whereby we are carried to what is honeft,and we abhor what is ill, every mans confckncc,as he faith, bcaringhim witnefle,and their thoughts excufing or accufing one another. Wherefore great is the force and venue of confcience in all actions of our livcs,fo that a Man, though horrid things be obje&ed againft him, will main¬ tain his conftancy, and will allwaies perfeverein his counfel and refolution he hath undertaken, and will not fear or tremble, or dread with any threatnings, if he have done nothing amiffe. But lie that is guilty of a crime, and his mind is polluted with it, thinks the punifhmept to be alwaies before his eyes, anddeftru&i- on to peifue him continually. For fear, which makes the bloud hide it felf,and deads the fpirits,rifmg from the confcience of fins, TltZe takes a way a mans courage, andchangeth his countenance, and fom of the bo- the habit of all his body : fo that m the midft of all his jollity, m dancings and banquettings, and in Conjugal embracements, he feels the rack and tortures of Confcience ; whereas integrity of life makes all calm, peaceable, quiet, and no trouble at all; which
one
P rev. m
what is the Law of nature.
Rm, i.
— irr
Chap.
2 1,
Concerning the force of Confc fence.
*9 3
one thing may be a tor dole argument tnat the mind ul man tame from God, and is moved by his power, and guided by his fpir it and dire&ion, and chat the Soul lives after death, which, wnen tally. immu fome years are part, when chqSupream Judge fball pleafe to judge the world, (hall again unite with the body after a wonderful mam ner. Inthe morning early the force and ding of Confeience is conscience, mod clear, the fumes and fuliginous vapours being difeufled, Z^da^rfr^ wherewith the mind from the actions or banquets of tfie day be- itjeif? fore, as from gluttony, drunkenneffe, revelling, and tne like was oppreffed, fo that about that time efpecially the mind rceol'e&s what was formerly done, and thinks onfueh things that fhe ap¬ proves or diflikes. So faith the Prophet, Thouwilt hear my voice ttroy the co»- in the mornings Oh Lord, inthe morning will I dire 3 my prayer unto /eiflnlhcZ"- thee, and will look 5 F.or tlou art net a God that hath pleasure in wicked - mag. nejje, the Lord [hall listen unto me in the morning 3 in the morning will pfdl,n *•
I attend unto thee. The juft jhall deliver hit Soul , tfjap he may watch £a /J,°3 1 . * unto God that made him 1 God , 0 my God , / watch for thee in the mor - %
ning : So then to thofe that newly wake, vvhen they have eg ten nothing, nor drank, the affects of the mind and,Confuence do mod reprefeutthemfdves,and God war; eth men early jn die morning.
For what admonilhment, or whoiefome Inflrudfion can be offered to men when they are drunk with Wine, or cropdiek with glut” tony i So I know many men who when the memory of their for¬ mer ill life troubles them often, they prefently drown'd them- felves with drink, that they may forget all the wiekedneffe t! ey have committed, and that the remembrance thereof may net lev cretly deal upon them : yet the next day the mifeh ief became raw and did more cruelly rofment their minds. Forthelike hapneth to thefe men, as it doth to men chat are difeafed, who will not dif dpmicp-om clofe but conceal the Ulcers and fores they have about them, mn' whereby they are more bitterly tortured inwardly ; to which the Prophet David alludes, wnen he faith j when I kept filence my hones pfaimsi. waxed old through wy roaring all the day long . The fin and ter four ll>e ?lace °f ofhisSoul, and unquietnefle of his mind, and preflures of com fcience, did fo drive him to confefle his wickednefle, ani yet he could not be drawn to confefle his fin, and to purge it away by true repentance. But the regulating of mans life by inflitution, the habit of his body, and imbred humours are of great confe- who Wanted* quence in moving the mind, and in railing, or {filling the motions of Confeience. So Marriners, Souldiers, Pofmrs, Carriers, Huck- ffers,Viduallers,Hofts, Bankers, Ufurers, Bauds, and many Fa¬ ctors, and petty Merchants, Broktrs, Shopkeepers, and Trade fmen, arenormuch moved with any motion of confeience, that they have made it large enough, and it is become like wide nets that Jet all things through. Braining at a Gnat, as our Saviour Chrift faith, and {'wallowing down a Camell. Others that are addi&ed to a folitary and melancholique life, are too much troubled about Mufojp # it, and tremble for fear, when there is no caufe of fear.So the force of Confeience drives fuperftitipus people farther thaoihey ought
to
i
- — — — ' ~ — — ■ I M ■fi— »'l n
294 Qomeming the flings ofCor.fcience, Book 1III;
to go, and tocy will not be quit ci u.ur vain periwafions. So melancholique people are mere anxicus than other men , but choicrique people by reafon oi ebe thinnefle of humours and hear, make no regard of confuence, and they eitiicr caft it off, or exte¬ nuate it , or ftrive to forget it. Sanguine people are nor much af¬ fected with any fuch motion in their fouls, nor do they ever fob.vi. think of their life paft r To this belongs that of Job. Thouwritep
, bitter things again ft me , and thou wilt confurnemewiththepnsbfmy
’jobes place is youth. For thofe things thac we did infolently in our youth , and explained. were not much perplexed with them, the fame will in times of
An elegant ft- difeafes calamities danger or old age, come frefh to our memory , mtefromfucb like to accounts that are croffed and blotted out. Like to thofe 4ts aeeopprejjc behave borrowed great fums of other mens moneys, and hav6 quite forgotten to pay , are called upon for it, and compelled by Law to make all good. But Pnlegmatique people, are ftow,flug- gifh, forge tfu 11, cateleffe, nor do they ever think what conscience is, nor doth their mind ever wax hot, or can they be ftirred upby any racanes to think of goodneffe , as being drown’d in too much moy- flu re. Wicked men, who are funk into the deep, and who are gran¬ gers from the word and knowledge of God, depife, laugh and jeare at all. Some between both will palliat , extufe , deny or charge their faults upon others, which thing ‘David prays againft, and de¬ fires not to fall into that ftnne. Incline not my heart to malitious words, that I fhould excufe my fclfe in my {inns. Wherefore ma¬ ny things hinder the light of confcience, and overfhadow it, as youth, drunkenne{Te,gluttopy, intemperance, love, night, de¬ lights, plea(ures,all which caft off the bridle of confcience*, fhame and modefty, fo Plautus writes,
” Oft W . ■ '.V 'J - - r ’ ■ l’ ... f
Nighty woman 1 wine are woft pernicious things .
For young men, and that mojl deft ruB ion brings .
Ovid is of the fame opinion.
Night , Love 3 and wine all moderation fly.
Night knows no (hame} wine and Love /fear defie.
f •* »
For thefe Counfellors are not fafe, and carry the mind the wrong Tomb negiefa way, and turn us tromharkning to good counfell and advice , and confcience. j£ confcjence fling & wound any of chef, and would drawany fuch
people ro what is good, they conremne,neglea,deride it,cavill,and caft a Cloud upon all things: they aggravate, or extentiate and lay it upon theiTyouchfull yeares , chat muft be fpent jovially and without melancholly, and that all fad thoughts muft be driven far fromthem, and laid afideforold age to think on. Thus re jewing the documents of reafon , and avoiding the inftru&ion ofeonfei- tecle.xx: ence with mirth , they frame all their thoughts rather by the rule
of pleafure than the fquare of moderation. Whence Solomon fpeaks Impel!!*0* To die purpofe. Youth is vain, rafh , flippery, inconftant, mad, c thought
by itjury.
Pfa. i . Pfa. 14a.
Amor. L. t. 0.
Chap. 2 1.
Concerning the force of Confcience.
295
err own art
thought Iqfife, impiovidciit,inconiidtracc,and the plcaiures chat ufe to accompany it , arc tranfitory and foon gou 5 fomerimes they are damnable, and have a lamentable and milerable eyenr. But be¬ caufe commonly the companions of this age, are ignorance, want of experience, want of counfell, inconfideration, therefore it Idle ap¬ prehends whac is good for ir, and may make it profperous. Alio ionic there are , that arc at their full age, & who have the govern¬ ment of the Commonwealth , and arc to take care for the Church and Religion, whole conferences are blinded with errour and dark- ndl'e , iothat oft times they do not meafurc all things out exa&ly , and by rule, or call reafon into Couniell , with Judgment and Mensem led eled ion of things, or performe what they do by the right rule of bCOfl/dence Gods Word and Spirit^ but oft times either humane paifions drive f^sh:ir them , or elfe the favour and gratifying of Princes prevails with them, which we read that Paul did : or elfe feme errour of fee¬ ling fome inveterate luperftition, or an old vitious cuftome that is crept in , not by the con fen t and authority of good men, but by the milunderftanding of the ignorant common people, yet as if it were 0!d a rule for men to walk by , no man willfuffer to betaken away, hardly left. or abolifhed, whence it comes to pafte, that in the choice of things, in the difference of good and bad, in fettingup, and reftoring , and propagating true Religion and the werfhip of God, they are blind and deceived, and wander from the truth , to the great detriment jeb„ilS of confcience. So the Jews were perfwaded, that they did God good fervice,when they raged againft thofe that had given up their names unto Chrift. Paul was ftirred up with the fame violence, and defire to punifh the Chriftians, and he perfecutcd them fierce- Ms.y,
Jy, with a zeal of godlineffe , but which was wrapt upin errour, and,as he faith being an Apoftle, was not according to knowledge , Hem. io- that is, it was not done with judgment , or reafon, and with a right unftandingof thecaufe, a.s Gamaliel did, not firft knowing and ob- ferving what the will of God is, not by the inftigation and infpira- rion of the the fpirit of God, which he will have to be tried and ex- x ^ 4 amined by the exprefle word of God , whether it proceed from thence .* Wherefore there is errour committed in the choice of re¬ ligion, not by anaffedtion and propenfion togodlinefie, becaufe they wanted the Spirit of God , who puts into mens minds, things that are certain, and out of all doubt. So the wife man faith, There is a way feems good unto a man, but the Iaft end thereof, tends un- VnVt to deatn. Taul fhews us an example of it , who of a perfecueour was made a Preacher, and a defender and mainiaineroftheGof- pell of Chrift ; who profeffeth that he obtained mercy, becaufe he 1 rim ♦ i« did it ignorantly through unbcleife, and that thereby, in him Chrift Jefus had ihevv’d all clemency , to be an example to thofe that fhould believe in him unto cternall Ufe. Some perchance may fay that I have ufed too many words in treating of the motions of confcience, becaufe this argument belongs to Preachers and profef- fours of Divinity , whofe duty it is , and by verrue of their office , they are bound to pacific and fettle mens confidences , and to free
2 6 j How many months a woman goes with Child . Book IIII
them from all feares. But fince thefe affe$ions do overthrow mans health , that proceed from the flings of confcience , and the Spirits and humours vitiated , do afford nutriments for it : it is the Phyfitians part alfo to remote thefe perturbations out of mens minds, that, thole being taken away , the body may be in perfed health. For it it a laborious and very difficult matter to reftore the body that is fallen fick, where the confciencc is polluted with the fpots of {inns, where the Organs of the fenfes, and the Spirits - vitall and animall are vitiated. And it is no lefTe troublefome, for a Church-man to give comfort to the foul, when the body is full of vitious humours ; for by reafofi of the narrow confent and union of both parts, the vices of the mind fly upon the body, and thedif- rbefym^th) of eafes 0p c^e body, are carryed to the Soul. As we have for exam¬ s'* ple all mad people , and fuch as are melancolique or frantique , fuch as rave or dote, or are drunk, Apople&ick, paralytick, forget- full, ftupid, Lunatick, and many more, whofe fick diftempers proceed from the diftemper of the brain; wherefore we muft care¬ fully look to the head , which is the feat of the mind , and ufe all meanes to preferve both parts in health*
CHAP. XXII.
. ‘ f V
How many months doth a Woman go with Child ; and which muft be ac¬ counted. a feafonable birth. By the way, of the framing of the body of * v ... wan , and in how many dayes or months the Child is made perfeB , and
Comes to live. In which narration , all things are handled more acu - rately , becaufe from hence bitter yuan ells arife , not onely be¬ twixt marry ed people , but others alfo that ufe unlawful i copul a- lation. . ‘
Since there ufe oft times great contentions and quarrells to arife amongft many people, concerning the time thacthe woman goes with Child , and fome complain that are jeafous^of their Wives that they have formerly marryed to keep them company , that they have not gone their full time to be delivered, fo that fom- times they fufpeft that they have play’d the Whores, and that fome other men have fecretiy made ufe of their bodies : I thought it not amiffc to write fomething to this purpofe, and the rather be¬ caufe Lawyers that end contro verfies , referr the judgment to this matter to Phyfitians, and leave the refolution of it to them tode- tyjf&t**** cide. So Paul, the Counfellour, lib. i 9 Refponf. It is now a received lefemdto°pby- truth, that a perfect Child may be born in the feventh month 5 by fitians. t^e Authority of themoft learned man Hippocrates , and therefore orfbl fate wc niuft brieve that one born in lawfull matrimony , in the 7th Man. [ month, is a lawfull Child. Gellim handleth this argument, butra- * ther after mens opinions, than according to the truth of the bufi- ndfe, or from natural! reafon, who fuppoleth that there is no cer¬ tain? time fet of bearing Children, and that from the Authority
fo
Chap. 2 2 . • Of a Child , borne in the feu e nth monetb .
*97
of Puff, vyho laich cnac a woman went 13, months with Child. But t. 7. c. 77^ as for what concerncs the 7th, months I know many rmrryed pco- ^h^lftah1/^ pie in Holland, that had Twins , who lived to extreacne old age, fuUofii/e.1* xheir bodies being luity,and their minds quick and lively. Where¬ fore their opinion is foolifh and of no moment , who think that a Child at feven months is imperfed , and not fo long lived , and that a Child cannot be borne perfect in all parts untill nine months be paft. So ol late, there arofe a great conflict amongft us , and it a Hi(lory0f* was cruell and bloody, and a moft deadly and defperate fight , by chid born 0 reafon of a Maid , whole chaftity was violated, that had no ill Name or doubtful! report , but fhe had a weak head > and a fee¬ ble juogment; and theie of all others are fooneft overcome , and do hot fo valiantly ar.d corragioufly refift and ftand againlt either threats or flattering incitements, other wife than fome fierce clamo¬ rous maids ufe to do, who will bite and fcratch , and compellone that fhall aflault their chaflity to forfake them. But in this Tra¬ gedy the confiid grew again more violent and bitter , becaufechc Father, who was reported to have gotten her with Child,or to have ravifhed her, denyed the fad,5 which his enemies charged upon him, fo bitterly, that he might be torturd , and racked till he fhould confeffe it , but he confidently avouched, that he vvas ready AdemaUof* to forfwcar it upon the Bible, (he himfelfe being wont to be Pre- upe(harLed fldent , in judgment, and to handle facred matters, (that he never fo *ton on'° much as cntred her, or broke the membrane of her Virginity , npr penetrated into her body. Wherefore he would by no means be taken for the Father of the Child,or that it fhould be accounted his; amongft other arguments he alleaged for his innocency , this was one, that the Child was born in the 7th, month, and hardly fo late; for the month was rather then new begun, than ended , and all the parts of it were perfect, except the nails, which we obferve jfome- times to be wanting in a Child born in nine months, efpecially where great beilyed women ufe fait filth too laviftily , or lifck fait , as that fex is moft prone to defire fait and fharp things. Where- when* child, fore he ftrovero prove it was nop a Child of feven months, but nine n*ls' months, and that by maiking that account of the months, and by ob- ferving the rcafon of time, they muft feek for another Father , who had formerly lain with her, and got her with Child. But when the Judges gave judgemenr,that die Infant fhould be view d and fearched by the Phyfitians ; a Midwife being called, & fome honeft women, one wa, a noblewoman, who was the Mother of 1?. Children, and who feverall times had been delivered at feven months, and the feven months not fully ended. They all pro¬ nounced, not examining the caufc of the fa£t, nor refpe&ing the Father, whether they fhould reckon this man or fome other to be the Father, that this vvas a Child born in feven months, that was carried in the Mothers belly 27 weeks , and if the Mother could have gon nine months , the child’s parts and limbs would have been more firmc and ftrong,and the ftru&ure of tl e bo¬ dy would be more compact and faft, and not fo loofe* For the breft
S f bone'
1
I
298
Concerning Child-birth .