A Golden Chain

Impediments of good conscience, are either in us or forth of us. In us, our own sins and corruptions. When mens bodies lie dead in the earth, there breed certain worms in them, whereby they are consumed. For of the flesh come the worms which consume the flesh: but unless we take great heed, out of the sins and corruptions of our hear•s, there will breed a worm a thousand fold more terrible, even the worm of conscience that never dieth, which will in a lingering manner wast the conscience, the soul, and the whol• man; because he shall be always dying and never dead. These sins are specially three; Ignorance, unmortified affections, worldly lusts.

Impediments of good conscience, are either in vs or forth of vs. In vs, our owne sinnes and corruptions. When mens bodies lie dead in the earth, there breede certaine wormes in them, whereby they are consumed. For of the flesh come the wormes which consume the flesh: but vnlesse we take great heede, out of the sinnes and corruptions of our hear•s, there will breede a worme a thousand folde more terrible, euen the worme of conscience that neuer dieth, which will in a lingring manner wast the conscience, the soule, and the whol• man; because he shall be alwaies dying and neuer dead. These sinnes are specially three; Ignorance, vnmortified affections, worldly lusts.

Touching the first, namely ignorance, it is a great and usual impediment of good conscience. For when the mind erreth or misconceiveth, it doth mislead the conscience, and deceive the whole man. The way to avoid this impediment is, to do our endeavour that we may daily increase in the knowledge of the word of God, that it may dwell in us plentifully, to this end we must pray with David, that he would open our eyes, that we might understand the wonders of his law: and withal we must daily search the Scriptures for understanding as men use to search the mines of the earth for gold ore, Prou. 2.4