Page:Black book of conscience, or, God's great and high court of justice in the soul (1).pdf/16

16 condemn him. But, as soon as Adam transgressed, it flew in his face, which made him flee from the face of God, as you may see, Gen. iii. 7, 8. ‘The eyes of them both were opened,’ their consciences accused them, and they hid themselves. And this conscience is only in men and women; for brute beasts, wanting reason, are not capable of conscience, and the beasts when they die, there is an end of them. But, it is not so with man, for conscience in man, followeth the man farther than the grave. For, if men might bury their consciences with them in their graves, they might be happy not withstanding all their abuses of conscience! For man oftentimes, against all reason, enquiry, or conscience, doth worse than the worst beasts. And this conscience keepeth court in the heart, and there sits upon  life or the death of the soul; and according as he finds every man's work, so doth he pass sentence of condemnation or absolution, for there is no bribing of conscience. Conscience will speak the of every man’s ways before the Lord,  they good or be they evil: ‘If our heart condemn us,’ saith St. Paul, ‘God  greater than our hearts.’ That is our conscience.

And God hath given this power to conscience,