THE BLACK BOOK OF CONSCIENCE.  
OR, God's High Court of justice in the SOUL.  
Wherein, the Truth and Sincerity, the Deceit and Hypocrisy of every man's Heart and Ways, is judged and discovered by their consciences.  
Very seasonable for these Times, wherein wicked men, under pretence of Liberty of Conscience take liberty to sin and Blaspheme.  
The 22th. Edition. By Andrew jones.  
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doing,  jer. 17.9. 
Unto the pure, all things are pure, but to them that are defiled and unbelieving, is nothing pure; but even their Mind and Conscience is defiled,  Tit. 1.15. 
Take heed to yourselves what conscience ye have For conscience will damn, and conscience will save  
London, Printed for Eliz. Andrews, at the White-Lyon near Pie-corner. 1663.   

The Black Book of CONSCIENCE.  Revel. 20.12. 
And I saw the dead small and great, stand before God; and the Books were opened: And another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life; and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the Books, according to their works.  
AS there are several books of God, which he hath written for the good of all the children of men; so there are two special books, by which the Lord will procened in judgement against all the sons and daughters of men. The books which God hath given to the children of men for their use and comfort of salvation, are these: First, and chief, the books of the Old and New Testament: where in ●esus Christ in all his Offices, King, Priest, ●nd Prophet, for us to rule and guide us by his Spirit in our hearts, is made known and declared unto us. And therein likewise is set down how every one of us ought to live, an● demean himself in this present world; with ●●veral fearful Examples of Gods heavy judgements against wicked and notorious sinner in drowning the old World for their sins a●● wickedness, as you may see in the sixth of G●●nesis. So likewise in destroying Sodom & G●●morrah by fire from Heaven, Gen. 19.24, 2● And the Lord reigned upon Sodom and Gom●●rah Fire and Brimstone, and over threw tho● Cities, and all their inhabitants. With other her fearful examples of Gods heavy wra●● and indignation, both against sin and sinner in general & particular: All which, as St. Ju●● saith in his Epistle, are set forth for our examples, suffering the vengeance of the eternal fire. Not for our examples, that we should 〈◊〉 as they did; but that we should be afraid to 〈◊〉 as they did, to commit such sins, lest the Lo●● lay upon us such, or more heavier weights wrath and vengeance.  
So likewise in the book of the Scripture, set forth the blessed and happy estate and condition of all the godly, both in this life, & in the life to come, as you may see, Psa. 1. and 15. and 91. The godly man shall be delivered from the snare of the Fowler, and from the noisome Pestilence. And because he hath made the Lo●● his refuge, there shall no evil befall him: So I shall give his Angels charge over him, for to ●eep him in all his ways, v. 80, 21. The joys ●●●t are prepared for the godly, and the eternal ●orments that are appointed for the wicked, ●●e here likewise set forth in the Book of the scripture, as you may see, Mat. 15.34, 41. To ●e godly, Come ye blessed of my Father (saith ●hrist) inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, ●●om the beginning of the world, But to the ●●godly, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil & his Angels.  
Another great book of God is the book of the ●reature, containing those mighty works both 〈◊〉 the Creation and Providence: wherein the almightiness, Power, and Goodness of God ●●e so plainly written, that he that runs may ●●ad and see it: for as the Apostle saith, Rom. ●. The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood, saith the Apostle, by the things that ●●e made, even his eternal power & Godhead, that they are without excuse. Who, but an almighty God could out of nothing create all things? and being created, rule and govern all things: As David saith, It is nothing but the almighty Power and Providence of God that ●ears up the earth, and upholds the foundation thereof. And this Book even the very heaven's, who know not God in his word, who never heard of jesus Christ or Salvation, are acquainted with: they (I say) by seeing and reading the mighty works of God in the world, do confess and say, Verily their is God; and none but a God could create those glorious cretures, the Sun, Moon, and Stars.  
So likewise there are two special Books, by which God will judge all the sons and daughters of men at the last. And these are, first, the book of his remembrance written by himself; wherein the lives of all men, yea, their very thoughts are recorded, as David saith, Psa 94.11. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men that they are vanity. And Psa. 129: 1, 2, 3, 4. saith David, O Lord thou hast searched me, and known me; thou knowest my down-sitting, and my uprising, thou understandest my thoughts afar off. Thou compasseth my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. There is not a word in my mouth, but thou O Lord knowest it altogether. And although the heart of man, as Jeremiah saith, Jer. 17.9, 10. is deceitful above all things: yet God hath exactly known every turning & corner thereof: I the Lord know the heart, (saith he) I try the reins. There is nothing can be hid from his eternal allseeing eye.  
And then secondly, there is the book of collscience, in which is exactly written all our actions, thoughts, words, and deeds; and according to this book of conscience, and what is therein written, will the Lord proceed in judgement: and every man's conscience shall be his own Judge. Saith God, what hast thou done? How hast thou lived in the World? Why thus and thus have I lived, (saith Conscience.) Conscience will then speak the truth, and nothing but the truth. O Lord (saith a wicked man's conscience) I have dishonoured thy name, I have abused thy grace and mercy, in ●urning it into wantonness. I have abused thy treatures, by wasteful and riotous spending, to please and satisfy my lust, saith the Prodigal man's conscience. And by chambering and wantonness, by gaming and dicing away precious ●ime, faith the lascivious and voluptuous man's conscience. Thou gavest me times and ●easons of grace & mercy, and many precious opportunities, and soul-advantages, whereby I might have wrought out my own salvation ●ith fear and trembling, and as Peter saith, I might have made my calling and election sure ●o mine own soul, but instead of working out my own salvation with fear and trembling, & ●n making my calling and election sure, I have brought out my own damnation, without either fear or wit, and made myself sure of eternal and everlasting wrath and condemnation, saith mere moral, formal and profane christians consciences. Ah Lord (saith the dissembling Hypocrites conscience) I have been but an outside Christian; I have gone to Church but only as dogs do, for fashion sake, and to be looked upon, & esteemed among my neighbours I have made a show indeed and pretence of Religion and holiness, but it hath been but a mere show; I have altogether denied the power and practice of it in my life and conversation, as it is, Tit. 1.16. They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and to every good Work reprobate. And why so? because as he saith in the 15 vers. Their minds and consciences are defiled. Ah, my conscience told m● several times, that I was but an Hypocrite, a mere painted Sepulchre, fair without, but foul within: O but I would not hear conscience then, but slighted and neglected him: Ah, but now my conscience makes me hear him whether I will or no. Therefore Lord do with m● what thou pleasest; true and righteous art thou in all thy deal towards me, be they never so harsh, they are but the just reward of mine iniquities. And saith the covetous man's conscience, and the griping, cruel, extorting Usurers consciences, (Lord) I confess I have been covetous wretch, but I have not coveted after heaven; it hath been my whole trade and business to cousin and cheat others, and to gripe and grind the faces of the poor, and all that I could to undo others: Aut alas for me, what have I done? I have quite and clean undone my own soul, & that to all eternity: I have been very cruel and unmerciful to others; I would not forgive my poor brethren in the least. O Lord I deserve no mercy at thy hands, the hottest place will be too cold for me.  
What have you done with all your wealth, (saith God to rich men) all those great estates, and possessions which I lent to you, or rather entrusted you with as stewards? How have you improved them? what of them have you laid out or lent to me again, in relieving my poor members? What good have you gotten to your own souls by them? Have you laid up any thing in store for eternal life? O no (saith conscience) I have not; Lord I have not: But this I have done; I have treasured up wrath against the day of wrath. My gold and silver is rusted, my riches are corrupted, & myrich garments motheaténs, as S. James saith in his 5. ch. 12, 13, 14. v. My gold and silver is cankered, and the rust of them is now a witness against me to condemn me, & eats my flesh as if it were fire. And now also behold the hire of the laborers which have reaped down my field, which I kept back by fraud cryeth, and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbaths: I have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, and I have nourished my heart as in a day of slaughter. I told you (saith conscience) that for all your pleasures, and for all your riches, and for all your greatness and delights, you must come to judgement, & give an account to God of all your actions, and for all your wealth: and how, and which way you spent every penny that he lent you: Did I not tell you saith conscience? True it is my conscience told me; but I slighted conscience as a thing of no value or account. Ah miserable man that I was, to slight this voice of conscience! woe unto me, my punishment is less than mine iniquities deserve. Thus and thus will men's consciences deal with them before the Lord.  
When as Peter denied his Lord & Master, his conscience let him alone once, yea, twice, but the third time the Cock crew, and Peter's heart smote him for what be had done; and he went forth and wept bitterly. Peter did not go about to stop the mouth of his conscience, as Judas did, & so banged himself: no, Peter he closed with the voice of his conscience, and so by his true & unfeigned repentance obtained mercy.  
So likewise David when the Prophet Nathan in (2 Sam. 12.13.) had by the Parable of the Ew-lamb shown David the evil of his sins, presently David was convinced in his conscience of the horridness of his sins? and David sai● unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. Have mercy upon me (saith David, Psalm. 51. the Psalm of his Repentance) according to thy loving kindness: According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleans me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is before me. Against thee, even thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight. David had a very tender conscience; for when he did cut off saul's skirt, his heart smote him, his conscience accused him, as you may see, 5 Sam. 24.5. O, but how many wicked men are there now, whose consciences tell them over and over, again and again of their sins, & yet for all that, they stop their ears against conscience. How many times doth the beastly Drunkard's conscience, the profane Swearers, the Sabbath-breakers consciences tell them of their sins? and yet notwithstanding for all the checks of conscience, they will go on in their sins, and fill up the measures of their iniquities, and so makes conscience to fill up his black scroll of indictments against them, whereby they are everlastingly condemned: O if men would but be convinced in their consciences of the evil of their ways, when their conscience tells them of it, how many thousands might be brought home by repentance to life eternal, who now run headlong to the Pit of destruction? I am persuaded, that many who cousin and cheat by undermining and over-selling, using false and light weights and measures, cannot choose but meet with many checks from their consciences, and O that men would be convinced of this great evil.  
Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy by false weights and measures: O be convinced in thy conscience! Make Conscience thy friend now by forsaking thy evil Practices, lest Conscience prove thy foe to torment thee for ever. But men now adays, instead of being convinced of their consciences of the evil of their ways, are not ashamed to commit all manner of abominations, & that with greediness; and then lay all the blame upon their consciences: and why so? It was my conscience, say they, As many of our cursed Diabolical Ranters, Quakers, and notorious wicked Libertines in these our days, have laid all their impieties and horrid blasphemies, upon their consciences. Ask them but the reason why they deny Christ and the Scripture, and cast off Ordinance, and the Ministry of Christ, and live as they list, and refuse subjection to Magistrates, and in their actions become worse than beasts? Why, they do hold such damnable and devilish Opinions both against God and Christ; yea, against humanity itself? Ask them the reason of these things, and what do they say? It is from the Light within us; it is the liberty of our consciences; and have not we fought for liberty of Conscience? Ah cursed wretches, the Light within you is darkness! Is this the liberty of thy conscience; No, no, this is the liberty of thy lusts, and the delnsions of the Devil: thou hast seared thy conscience with a hot Iron; but yet at last, thy conscience, though thou hast defiled it never so much, will put the saddle upon the right horse, and charge thee home with all the blame. Is liberty of conscience a libérty to sin? No, God forbidden; Shall we sin (saith S. Paul, Rom. 6.1.) that grace may abound? No, God forbidden. I dare not (saith a gracious heart) my conscience tells me I must not. How shall I (saith Joseph, Gen. 39.9.) do this great wickedness and sin against God? The grace of God (saith the Apostle, Tit. 2.11.) that brings salvation, teacheth me to deny ungodliness and worldly lust, and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world: And not to live as we list, which is a sign of no grace at all.  
A truly tender conscience will be very tender of committing sin, and will have a circumspect care over himself how he walks, and how he lives, that so the name of God and of Christ be not blasphemed: but in these last and worst of times, wherein men, as S. Paul saith, make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience, men have not minded this at all, but have taken a full liberty to commit all manner of sins. And I pray God that this sin be not charged upon those, who instead of restraining men from sin, a punishing them for sin, have tolerated them to sin, if not countenanced them to sin. But let men take beed how they sin, because grace abounds. For saith the Apostle, Heb. 10.26, 27. If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation from the Lord. For the wrath of God (Rom. 1.18.) is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth of God in unrighteousness. Read these two texts, and tremble all ye that take liberty to sin, because the grace of God hath abounded. How will ye be able to look either God or conscience in the face: certainly you will be never able to do it, unless you repent: for if men will sin willingly, notwithstanding all their checks of conscience, their conscience will condemn them irresistably before the Lord. For certain it is, there is a conscience in every man, that sees & observes, and takes notice of all his ways, and will keep a just account of them; and so be a witness either for, or against the soul, at the day of judgement. What was it that made the Apostles so joyful in all their trouble and persecutions? was it not the witness of their consciences? see 2 Cor. 1.12. Our rejoicing is this (saith St. Paul) the testimony of our conscience. What was it made Paul & Silas sing in prison for joy? was it not that their consciences told them they were happy & blessed men, notwithstanding all their sufferings and reproaches?  
Now what conscience is, I shall briefly show you, and so conclude: Conscience is a thing with which God endued the soul of man by creation, and is for our comfort, if we live well as we ought to do; but will be a dreadful terror to all those that live and die in their sins. For this conscience was in Adam before his fall: though not as a condemner till his fall: for where there is no sin, what needeth an accuser? So long as Adam kept the commands of God, there was no cause for conscience to condemn him: but as soon as ever Adam transgressed, his conscience flew in his face, which made him fly from the face of God, as you may see, Gen. 3.7, 8. The eyes of them both were opened: their conscience accused, and they hid themselves. And this conscience is only in men and women: for bruit 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 further than the grave: for if men might bury their consciences with them in their Graves, they might be happy, notwihstanding all their abuses of conscience? for men oftentimes against all reason, equity or conscience, doth worse than the worst of beasts. And this conscience keepeth his Court in the heart, and there sits upon the life or 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 briving of conscience, conscience will speak the truth of every man's ways before the Lord, be they good, or be they evil. If our hearts condemn us (saith S. John, 1 Joh. 2.10.) God is greater than our heart, that is our conscience.  
And God hath given this power to conscience, because men should have no plea of excuse before the Lord. It was not pilate's washing of his hands, & saying, I am guiltless of the blood of this just man, that could wash away the guilt of Christ's blood from his conscience: pilate's Conscience told him that Christ was a just man, and that he saw no cause of death in him at all, Luk. 23.23. and yet cursed Pilate contraty to the light of his own conscience, delivered the Lord of life into the hands of bloody men to be crucified, and so brought the guilt of his blood upon his own soul.  
He that will not endure conscience to reprove him for his sins, certainly he loves to go to hell without control: and he that will not endure Conscience to tell him of his sins here, shall whether he will or no, suffer sufficient torment for his sins hereafter: For an evil Conscience is a hell to the soul here, and shall be the hell of hells hereafter.  
Now then, if there be such a thing in man as conscience, and that his conscience shall either justify or condenm him; then let every man take heed how he order his conversation in the world: do not give leave to yourselves to think, say, or do any thing, but what you are willing to own before the Lord at the last day. Therefore let every one of us so think, and so speak, ●nd so do, that we may not have a conscience to condemn us: But let us so live as those that expect to have conscience witness for them before the Lord, that with godly sincerity they have had their conversation in this world. But what multitudes are there in the world, that be as if there were no conscience at all; neither God nor Devil, nor Heaven nor Hell: Whose God is their belly, and whose end is destruction, (as S. Paul saith, Phil. 3.19.) who declare their sin as Sodom, and hid it not: Wounto them (saith the Lord) they have rewarded evil to themselves, Isa. 3.9. this may be said of thousands among us, whose countenance testify against them; their wanton carriages, painted faces, naked breasts, powdered locks, 〈◊〉 other antic fashions, testify against thousands both of men and women, the they do little mind this great truth; that conscience can, and will declare all their do to God. Proud haman's, drunken Nabals, and whoring Jesabel declare their sin as Sodom, & hid it not; and as for Conscience they turn him off: But in these miserable wretches know this, as the prophet saith, Woe unto them who have reward●● evil unto themselves. They have made a long black bloody vill for conscience to open against them at the last day of the term of their lives, a● soon as ever their souls are departed from the●● bodies, sentence shall be passed against them according to the light and testimony of the●● own consciences.  
Seeing then Conscience will give testimony of every one's ways, let us not slight Conscience, let us not stop the mouthof Conscience seeing Conscience can and will speak, and t●●● us what we are. Many there are that go about to stop the mouth of conscience, when Conscience deals plainly with them, and tells them of their sins, Oh they cannot endure to hear of that: but remember the miserable end of Judas, what said Judas his conscience to him? Thou hast betrayed thy Lord and Master for a little Silver; Ali covetous wretch! But could Judas his silver stop the mouth of his conscience? No, Judas his conscience so terrifies him, that he fling in the money again, and so went and hanged himself.  
So likewise remember the fearful estate of Spira, and many others, whose consciences made them to possess the wrath of God here on earth. A wounded spirit (saith Solomon, Prov. 8.14.) who can bear? a tormenting and condemning Conscience who can endure? O there is no resisting of conscience, it is God's Vicegerent in the soul. When conscience speaks threatening language to many for such and such sins, they seek to turn conscience out of doors: but because they cannot possibly do this, they strive to stop his mouth by running wilfully into sin; like men that desperately give up their souls to the devil, and so make shipwreck of faith, conscience, soul, and all for ever: and then follows (as we have seen by woeful experience) self-stabbing, self-hanging, drowning, or poisoning, or some such like accursed ends. Oh consider this, all ye that forget God, and make no conscience of your ways, you undermine your own salvation. Many men deal with conscience as Felix did with Paul, Acts 24.25. they will hear conscience, so long as it speaks good; but when conscience tells them thoroughly of their sins, their darling sins, than they have enough of conscience, and so puts him off till they he better at lesure.  
When there was no King in Israel, every man did what was good in his own eyes; so where there is no conscience alive in the soul, men lives as they list: but yet for all this conscience will speak home at last. If thou art a drunkard, or an adulterer, or an unjust dealer; or whatsoever sin it is thou art guilty of, conscience will make it known: and if at last conscience doth condemn, thou shalt never be saved: But on the contrary, though men and devils say, thou art an hypocrite, or the like, yet if thou hast the testimony of thy conscience, God will own thee as just and righteous. One dram of the peace of conscience is worth a thousand worlds. What would the damned in Hell give for a little of this lasting jay, this peace which passeth all understanding, the want of which is hell, yea worse than hell.  
Think upon this, O ye great ones of the world, who live in pleasure: Remember that there is a conscience, and that there is a God, and that thou hast a precious immortal soul, which if thy conscience witness against, shall be thrown-into Hell. You that eat the fat and sweet of the earth, and drink wine in bowls, and  yourselves in silks, remember this, that conscience takes notice of all thy ways, of the pride of thy heart, of the vanity of thy life, and setteth all down in his Black Book, You that like the harlot in Prov. 7. cry, Let us take our fill of love and pleasure: consider that all these things must have an end, when all is done, the Bell must toll, and you must all dance after death's pipe, who are now stnging and swinging yourselves in worldly pleasures and delights. O if God should say to any soul of you, as he did to the rich fool, in Luk. 12.20. This night shall thy soul be taken from thee: It shall little advantage you then to weep and cry, O that I were out of these Infernal and external Flames! O that I had harkened when time was, to the voice of Christ and my own Conscience.  
The Sighs and groans of dying men are often very sad; but the cries and groans of the damned in Hell, can never he imagined or expressed. O constder this, you that sin away Conscience, that quaff and drink away conscience, accompanying one another in sin; take heed you be not one day found to weep over one another's backs in hell. Certainly whole coachfuls of gallants will be tumbled down into hell: The Lord awaken your sleepy dead consciences before you go hence & be no more seen. What pity is it that persons that bears the Image of God, and are as it were in outward glory and beauty, Gods above others? what pity is it that such beauty should come to be embraced by ugly loathsome devils in Hell. Thousands there are, that court and sport, pin and paint away their time, whose end is to be burned, and shall at last perish in hell. Fruitless Figtrees they are, that bear nothing but leaves: Cut them down (saith God) and cast them into the fire. To perish in a prison or on a dunghill is nothing; to die for want of food is nothing: Lazarus died so, whilst Dives with his delicious fare died on his head of down, and was cast into hell. You that lie upon beds of Ivory, and have your hang of needle-works, if you get not Christ and a good conscience, hell shall be your fare, and devils your companions to torment you for ever: and who shall be able to stand in the day of the Lords wrath? And, who can dwell with everlasting burn?  
Companions in sin, shall be companions in Hell; and those who can sport andp lay one with another, shall in Hell drag and torment one another, and curse the day that ever they saw one another; and cry out one of another, O what miserable wretches were we, to lose the heaven of heavens for a little vain delight, the love and favour of God, for the love and favour of wicked rompanions, in whose presence we more delighted, then in the everlasting love of God, whose pleasures are pleasures for evermore. What prefitteth it now, that we have had our Wine and our Music, our fill and our full of earthly delights? O wretched creatures that we are, who shall deliver us from this dying death, these miserable torments? woe unto us, we have rewarded evil to our own souls, we are tanished for ever from the presence of the Lord, and have utterly lost that inward peace of conscience, the want whereof addeth torments to our torments, and maketh us in our misery more exceeding miserable.  
Now the Lord give every one of us this peace this joy: which that we may all have; The Peace of God which passeth all understanding keep our hearts and minds in the love and knowledge of Jesus Christ; And the blood of Christ wash and purge our consciences from dead works, that we may serve the living God. Which that we may all do: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all. Amen.  
FINIS.   

Courteous Reader  
THere is lately published an excellent and profitable Sermon, called Christ's first Sermon, or, The necessity duty and practice of Repentance, opened and applied, Also Christ's last Sermon, or; The everlasting estate and condition of all men in the World to come. Likewise the Christians best Garment, or, The putting on of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Christians blessed Choice. Also Heaven's Glory and Hell's Horror, or the parable between Dives and Lazarus opened and applied, And the School of Grace. Very godly Books, and are but three pence a piece price.  
There is likewise nine other small Books, all of them very godly, and comfortable for thy soul, One is entitled, England's Faithful Physician. The second, Doomsday at hand. The third, The Dreadful Character of a Drunkard. The fourth, The Father's last blessing to his children. The fifth, The sin of pride arraigned and condemned. The fixth, The Plain-mans-plain Pathway to heaven. The seventh, Peter's Sermon of Repentance. The eighth, The Charitable Christian. The ninth, Death Triumphant. All very necessary for these licentious times, & each of them being but two pence price. They are to be sold by Eli. Andrews, at the white-Lyon near Py-corner.  
FINIS.