THe office of Conscience, (if we speake with respect to the Synteresis or Lawes of it,) is one in Necessary things; Another in things of middle and indifferent nature. In necessary things Conscience hath two acts. 1 To binde, 2 To inforce to practise.

2 Conscience bindeth according as it is informed of the will of God: for in it selfe it hath the power of a will of God, and so stands in the place of God himselfe.

3 Gods will as it is understood, or may be understood, binds the Conscience to assent; As it is acknowledged and received by Conscience, it binds the

whole man to obey and doe it presently.

4 Conscience bindeth a man so straitly that the command of no creature can free a man from it.

5 Hence man, as he maketh Conscience of the will of God commanding him some duty, is in that regard called a Debtor, Rom: 1 14. a servant, Rom 6. 16. is said to be bound, Acts 20. 22. constrained, 2. Cor. 5. 14. to haue a necessity laid upon him. 1 Cor. 9. 16. so that he cannot doe otherwise. Acts 4. 20.

6 Conscience inforceth to obedience by vertue of this its act of Binding. For that is to the will an impulsiue cause to make it carry it selfe conscientiously.

7 This inforcement is signified in the fore-named places and phrases: the strength and power thereof is declared, Ier. 20. 9. Wherefore I thought from henceforth not to speake of him, nor to preach any more in his name, but the word of the Lord, was a very Burning fire in my heart, and in my bones: Amos. 3. 8. The Lion hath roared, who will not be afraid? the Lord hath spoken who can but Prophecy? Acts. 17. 16. his spirit was stirred in him.

8 If there be a constant disposition of will in a man consenting to this instigation of Conscience, they doe together make up a Conscience morally good.

9 In Indifferent things the Actions and Duties of Conscience are likewise two. 1. To discerne. 2. To Direct.

10 To Discerne is to shew and declare the differences of things what is necessarie, what is free, what is lawfull, and what is unlawfull.

11 To Direct is with regard had to circumstances, to order lawfull actions unto a good end.

12 The ends which are alwayes to be aimed at, even

in indifferent things also, are the Glory of God, the Edifying of our Neighbour, and the Helpe of our necessarie Actions.

13 The power of this direction is so great, that it makes an action to be good, which in its owne nature is but indifferent; as on the other side, not onely an evill direction, but the want of a good direction, makes the same action to be bad.