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

In further prosecution of the Use of this Doctrine, We would have you to know, that there are four ways that men are ready to take, for cleansing and purging of the Conscience, some one, and some another of them; which are all (if there be no more) ineffectual for reaching the real purging▪ and solid satisfaction of the Conscience, which ye would therefore be aware of; As 1. Some endeavour to divert their Conscience, and to seek a Suspension of its pur•ing the quarrel against them, pretending some other uptaking business; as Felix did, Acts 24. Who finding himself beginning to tremble at the Apostles searching and powerful discourse, and unable to stand before his own awakening Conscience, he seeks as it were a Suspension from it for a time, saying to the Apostle (and to […] Conscience on the matter) Go thy way for this time, and I will call for thee when I have a convenient season▪ Hence, when some persons are in heaviness, or in some •it of exercise of Conscience, they will […] to some […] and •cund friend, or to some game […] […] […] •way, o• possibly to a four hours to drink it down, and the devil is as busy to […] on the divertion• if there be such a friend to make a visit, he helps them to […] it over, and to banish that melanchol•ous […], and so to bring the person to bear down this trouble ⟨p. 343⟩of his Conscience, as a silly despicable fancy, and as if it were for their good to do so: I beseech you beware of binding up your Conscience thus, else it may grow worse on your hand, its even as […] a man that hath a sore and aching hand, should cut it off, or as if a part of his flesh were pained, and he should clap a hot burning iron on it; and yet this is a way that is very frequently taken by men, who cannot endure to converse with their disquieted Conscience, and therefore they labour to quash, and quench any begun exercise in it, whether under sickness or any other cross dispensation, or at a Preaching or Communion: It may be that many of you have had some such thing, and it hath been driven, or it hath worn away, and ye cannot tell how. 2ly. Another way is also too riff and ordinary, and that is by seeking to stop the mouth of Conscience, by some other thing, then by the blood of Christ; hence some under terrible convictions will promise and vow, i they drank excessively before, that they will do so no more;