The second passion is sadnesse and sorrowe: which is commonly thought to be nothing else but Melancholy: but betweene them twa[gap]e, there is great difference. Sorow that comes by melancholly ariseth onely of that humour annoying the body, but this other sorrow ariseth of a mans sinnes for which his conscience accuseth him. Melancholly may be cured by phi [gap]e this sorow [gap] not be cured by any thing but by the blood of Christ.

The third is feare: in causing whereof conscience is very forcible. If a man had all the delightes and pleasures that heart can wish, they can not doe him any good, if conscience be guiltie. Belshazzar when hee was in the middest of all his delights, and saw the hand writing vpon the wall: his countenance changed, his thoughts trouble[gap] him, his ioy[gap]ts loosed, and his knees smote togither, Dan. 5. 6. Yea the guiltie conscience will make a man afraid, if hee see but a worme peepe out of the ground, or a silly creature to goe crosse his way, or if hee see but his owne shadowe on a sudda[gap], or if he do but forecast an euill with himselfe. Proverb. 28. 1. The vvicked flyeth vvh[gap] no man pur sueth him.

Terrors of [gap]osciece whe they are more vehecause

other passions in the body, as exceeding heare, like that which is in the fi[gap]t of an ag[gap]e, the rising of the entrals towardes the mouth: and swounding[gap] as experience hath often shewed. And the writer of the booke of Wisedome saith truly, cap. 17. vers. 10. It is a [gap] full thing vvhen malice is condemned by [gap] [gap] test[gap] monie: and a conscience th[gap] is [gap], [gap] ever fore-cast cruell things. For feare is nothing else, but the betraying of the succ[gap], that reason offereth, &c. they that did [gap] the night that was [gap]llerable, &c. sometimes

vvere troubled vvith mon[gap]s visions, and sometimes they s[gap]ned, as though their [gap] soule should betray them: for a sudden feare [gap] looked for, came upon them.

The fourth is desperation, whereby a man through the vehement and constant accusation of his conscience, comes to be out of all hope of the pardon of his sinnes. This made Saul, Achitophel, and Indas, to hang them selues; this makes many in these daies to doe the like as appeareth by the declarations of such as haue bene presented, when they were about to hang or drowne them selues, or to cutt their owne throats.

The last is a perturbation or disquie[gap]es of the whole man: wherby all the powers & faculties

of the whole man are forth of order, Isa. 57. 20. The wicked are like the raging of the sea that [gap] test, vvhose vvaters cast vp [gap]ire and [gap]rt.

Thus much of the two first actions of conscience, which are to accuse and condemne: the s[gap]cond followeth to excuse and absolue.

To excuse, is an action of the conscience giuing iudgement that the thing is well done.

To absolue, is an action of the conscience giuing iudgement that a man is free or cleare fro fault and so from punishment.

From these two actions arise some special affections: I. bold[gap]es and confidence, Prov. 28. 1. The righteous are bold as a lyon. II. ioy and reioycing, 2. Cor. 1. 12. Our reioycing is the testi [gap]nie of my conscience, that in all simplicitie and godly pure[gap]es I haue had my conuer sation in the world. Hence it is said, that a good conscience is a continuall feast.

Hithe[gap]to I haue spoken how conscience giues iudgement of things done and past: now followeth her iudgement of things to be done.

Conscience giues iudgement of things to come, by foretelling and as it were saying inwardly in the heart, that the thing may be well done or ill done. Of this kinde of iudgement euery man may haue experience in him selfe,

when he is about to enterprise any busines either good or badde.

By this we may see the goodnes of God to all men. If a man beeing to make an vnknowne iourney, should finde one that would goe with him and shew him the way, with al the turnings thereof, he could not but take it for a great point of curtosie. Wee are pilgrimes in this world, our life is our iourney. God also hath appointed our conscience to be our companion and guide, to shew vs what course we may take and what we may not.

And here it must be noted, that in all things to be done, conscience is of great force & beares a great stroke. For, This is the beginning of a good vvorke, that the conscience first of all give her iudgement truely, that the thing may be done, and is acceptable to God. Rom. 14. 23. Whatsoeuer is not of faith, that is, whatsoeuer is not done of a settled perswasion in iudgement and conscience out of Gods word, howsoeuer men iudge of it, is sinne. Againe, God regardes not the outward pompe of the action or the doer, but obedience and especially the obedience of the heart: therefore vnlesse the conscience first of all approoue the thing to be good and agreeable to Gods will, it can be nothing else but a sinne. And he that shall doe a

thing, because it is good in his owne eyes, not knowing that God doeth allow of it, preferres him-selfe before God, and disobaies him as the seruant that in his masters house will not doe his masters will but his owne will.

From this former rule arise three other: the first, What soeuer is done vvith a doubting conse[gap]e is a s[gap]e. For example: some beleeuers in the Primitive Church held, that still after the ascens[gap]on of Christ there remained a difference betweene meate and meate, and therefore it was a scruple to them to eate of sundrie kinde of meates! [gap]ow put the case, by example they are drawne on to eate swines flesh, or some other thing which they thinke is forbidden: and there [gap] no question but in so doing they haue sinned, as Paul prooueth, Rom. 14. v. 14. I knovv and [gap] persvvaded through the Lord Iesus, that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe: but vnto him that iudgeth any thing vncleane, it is vncleane: and v. 23. He that doubteth is condemned, if he eate: because he eateth not of faith.

The second What soeuer thing is done vvith an erroneous conscience, is a sinne. For example, in the primitiue Church diuers of the Gentiles helde this errour, that fornication

was a thing indifferent, and therfore [gap]onscience told them that they might doe i[gap] and yet neuerthelesse fornication in them was a sinne[gap] becaus[gap] conscience erred in her iudgement. And euill r[gap] maines euill, though conscience [gap]y the contrarie a thousand times.

The third. What soeuer is done

against conscience, though it erre & be deceiued, it sinne in the d[gap]er. Example. An Anabaptist holding it vtterly vnlawfull to sweare, is brought before a magistrate; and vrged either through feare or so [gap] cause, takes an oath & that against his o[gap]ne conscience: now the question is, whether he hath sinned or no. Ans. He hath indeed sinned not so much because he hath taken an oath, for that is the ordinance of God: but because he hath taken an oath in a bad manner, that is, against his conscience, and therefore not in faith.

Thus it is manifest that consci[gap]nce beares a great stroke in all things that are to be saide or done. And hereby we are aduertised of many things. First, if a thing done without good direction of coscience be a sinne, then much more that which is done without direction of Gods word is a flatte sinne: for without direction of Gods word conscience can giue no good direction. And if God will holde that for a sinne which is done without direction of his word,

then no doubt Gods word ministers sufficient direction for all actions whatsoeuer: so as if a man be to put but a bit of bread in his mouth, it can so farre forth direct him, that in doi[gap]g of it he shall be able to please God: If this were [gap]ot true, mans ease were most miserable. For then we should sinne in manifold actions, and that without remedie. And here by the Word, I meane nothing but the Scriptures of the olde and new Testament, which containe in themselues sufficient direction for all [gap]ctions As for the law of nature, though it af[gap]oard in deede some direction; yet is it corrupt, imperfect, vncerten: and whatsoeuer is right and good therin is contained in the writte word of God. And as for the best vnwritte traditions, let al the Papists in the world answer if they ca, how I may in co science be perswaded that they are the word of God. If they say that the auncient fathers of the primitive Church auouch in their writings that they are Apostolicall traditions, I answer againe, how [gap] I know and be certen in conscience that the fathers subiect to errour, in saying so haue not erred.

Againe we learne hence, that a good intention is not sufficient to make a good worke, vnlesse withall conscience can giue iudgement that God doth approoue the action. This shewes

the ignorance of our people, that when [gap] [gap] their dealings they runne vpon a good meaning, then alwaies they thinke they doe well and please God.

Thirdly, hence it appeares that all thing[gap] deuised by man for the worship of God, [gap]re fiarre sinnes; because conscience [gap] not say of them that they please God. Esa. 29. 13. Mark. 7. v. 7.

Lastly, wee learne here that ig[gap]or[gap]nce of Gods will and word, is a daungerous thing, and makes the life of man to abound, yea to flowe with a sea of offences against God. Men commonly thinke that if they keepe themselues fro petiurie, blasphemie, murder, theft, whordome, all is well with them: but the truth is, that so long as they liue in ignorance, they want right and true direction of conscience out of Gods word, and therfore there best actions are sinnes, euen their eating and drinking, their sleeping and waking, their buying and selling, their speach and silence, yea their praying and seruing of God. For they doe these actions either of custome, or example, or necessitie, as beasts doe, and not of faith: because they know not Gods will touching things to be done or left vndone. The consideration of this point should make euery man most carefull to seeke for knowledge

of Gods word, and daily to increase in it, that he may in all his affaires haue Gods lawes to be the men of his counsell, Psal. 119. 24. that [gap] may giue heede to them as to a light shining in a [gap]rke place. [gap]. Pet. 1. 19. that he may say with P[gap]er, when Christ commanded him to lanch forth into the deepe, and to cast forth his net: Lord [gap]ve h[gap]e ben all[gap]ight, ana haue catched nothing, yet in thy word vvill I let d[gap]vvne my [gap]t, Luk 5. 5.