Heaven upon earth in the serene tranquillity and calm composure, in the sweet peace…

There reason and judgement come in rather, and tell when a man doth that which is good or […] on the matter; But Conscience comes in on the second account, and telleth him when his action is done Christianly, […] wi•, in due manner, from a right principle, and to a right […]: ⟨p. 159⟩To make this out, it will be needful that we shortly speak a word to these two: 1. We shall show what maketh an action truly Christian and Religious. 2. We shall show that in all these things that make an action such, Conscience hath something to say to men whether •t be so with them.

There reason and judgement come in rather, and tell when a man doth that which is good or 〈…〉 on the matter; But Conscience comes in on the second accoun•, and telleth him when his action is done Christianly, 〈…〉 wi•, in due manner, from a right principle, and to a right 〈…〉: ⟨p. 159⟩To make this out, it will be needful that we shortly speak a word to these two: 1. We shall shew what maketh an action truly Christian and Rel•gious. 2. We shall show that in all these things that make an action such, Conscience hath something to say to men whether •t be so with them.

As for the First, I speak no• of the matter of the action, or what maketh it good in that respect, as that it be war•antable, and in nothing sinful, as to the matter, such as are •aring, drinking, hearing, reading, praying, &c. Beside this, there are these Four which must be present, and carefully carried along in every action by the man that would act Christianly, and glorify God therein; The want of which, or o any of these, will make Conscience to have some-thing to say against him, as ground of Challenge; as the having of them will make Conscience to ay for him, and approve him: The 1. of these is, That a mans action be levelled at an higher end then himself; and that is Gods honour, and the fication of others; As for instance, men even in their eating and drinking are not to satisfy themselves, or to gratify their appetite only, but they are to make their eating and drinking a mean to prove the honour of God, as the great and ultimate end; sitting down on an our end will furnish a ground of Challenge to the Conscience against the persons. The 2d. is, That it be from a cleanly motive; that not only it be a lawful and good thing which we do, but that it be done out of Conscience to God, and as service to him; for a man may do a good action and not do it as such; As for instance, one man may give alms, and sin in the doing of it, and another, in giving, may offer an acceptable sacrifice to God; Therefore Christ sayeth,