A Golden Chain

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. Lastly, we must labour for spiritual wisdom, that we might have the right use of gods word in every particular action: that being by it directed, we may discern what we may with good conscience do or leave undone.

Touching the first, namely ignorance, it is a great and vsuall impediment of good conscience. For when the mind erreth or misconceiueth, it doth mislead the conscience, and deceiue the whole man. The waie to auoid this impediment is, to doe our indeauour that we may daiely increase in the knoweledge of the word of God, that it may dwell in vs plentifully, to this ende wee must pray with Dauid, that he would open our eies, that we might vnderstād the wonders of his lawe: and withall wee must daily search the Scriptures for vnderstanding as men vse to search the mines of the earth for gold ore, Prou. 2.4. Lastly, wee must labour for spirituall wisdome, that wee might haue the right vse of gods word in euery particular action: that being by it directed, we may discerne what we may with good conscience doe or leaue vndone.

The second impediment, is unstayed and unmortified affections: which, if they have their swing, as wild horses overturn the chariot with men and all, so they overturn and overcarry the judgement and conscience of man: and therefore when they bear rule, good conscience takes no place. Now to prevent the danger th•• comes hereby, this course must be followed. When we would have a sword or a knife not to hurt our selves or others, we turn the edge of it. And so, that we may prevent our affections from hurting and annoying the conscience, we must turn the course of them, by directing them from our neighbours to our selves and our own sins, or by inclining them to God and Christ. For example: choler and anger directs it self upon every occasion against our neighbour, and thereby greatly indamageth the conscience. Now, the course of it is turned, when we begin to be displeased and to be angry with our selves for our own sins. Our love set upon the world is hurtful to the conscience, but when we once begin to set our love on God in Christ, and to love the blood of Christ above all the world, then contrariwise it is a furtherance of good conscience.