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"For conscience is Gods deputy; and the inferior must suppose a superior; and God and our conscience are like relative terms, it not being imaginable why some persons in some cases should be amaz'd and troubled in their minds for their having done a secret turpitude or cruelty; but that con- science is present with a message from God, and the men feel inward causes of fear, when they are secure from without."

— Taylor, Jeremy (bap. 1613, 1667)

Author

Taylor, Jeremy (bap. 1613, 1667)

Work Title

Ductor Dubitantium, or, The Rule of Conscience in all her General Measures Serving as a Great Instrument for the Determination of Cases of Conscience

Place of Publication

London

Publisher

Printed by R. Norton for R. Royston

Date

1660, 1676

Metaphor

"For conscience is Gods deputy; and the inferior must suppose a superior; and God and our conscience are like relative terms, it not being imaginable why some persons in some cases should be amaz'd and troubled in their minds for their having done a secret turpitude or cruelty; but that con- science is present with a message from God, and the men feel inward causes of fear, when they are secure from without."

Metaphor in Context

4. To which purpose it was soberly spoken of Tertullian, Conscientia optima testis Divinitatis, Our conscience is the best argument in the World to prove there is a God: For conscience is Gods deputy; and the inferior must suppose a superior; and God and our conscience are like relative terms, it not being imaginable why some persons in some cases should be amaz'd and troubled in their minds for their having done a secret turpitude or cruelty; but that con- science is present with a message from God, and the men feel inward causes of fear, when they are secure from without: that is, they are forc'd to fear God, when they are safe from men. And it is impossible that any man should be an Atheist, if he have any conscience: and for this reason it is, there have been so few Atheists in the world, because it is so hard for men to lose their conscience wholly.
(p. 2)