1 A Good Conscience admits of degrees, for which cause it is by the Apostle distinguished, into a weake and a strong Conscience, Rom. 15. 1.

2 A weake Conscience is that which is purged by unfained Faith, but is troubled with these imperfections, which all beleevers, for the most part, doe outgrow by time.

3 True Faith is supposed to be in a weake Conscience, for he that is weake, is a Brother, Rom. 14. 15. 21. not to be condemned or set at nought, vers. 10. One for whom Christ hath dyed, 1 Cor. 8. 11. This Conscience therefore being good, differeth in kind from that which

is weake through malice, Presumption, or Superstition.

4 The imperfections wherewith this weake Conscience is diseased, are, 1. Lacke of knowledge, because as yet it understandeth not well what is lawfull and pure, 1 Cor. 8. 7. Rom. 14. 14. This weaknesse of Conscience, is called the weakenesse of Faith, Rom. 14. 1.

5 The second imperfection which dependeth on the first, is in Affection, because it easily is made sorrowfull, and disquieted, when it seeth others doe that which it selfe approoveth not, Rom. 14. 15. Because of meat thy brother is grieved.

6 The third imperfection is in Iudgement, because it quickly Iudgeth and condemneth the liberty of others, 1. Cor. 10 29. Rom. 14. 3. 15. Why is my liberty iudged by an other mans Conscience? Let not him that eateth dispise him that eateth not.

7 The fourth imperfection, is in the purpose and setlednes of heart, being easely drawne to what is evill. 1. Cor. 8. 10. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge, sit at meate in the Idols temple: shall not the Conscience of him which is weak, be Emboldned to eate those things, which are offered to Idols? From this, a man is most properly said to bee Offended, Scandelized, wounded, destroyed. Rom. 14. 21. 1 Cor. 8, 9. 12. Rom. 14. 15.

8 A strong Conscience, is that which is established in the truth. Rom. 14. 5. Perswaded in his owne minde. 2. Pet. 1. 12. Ye know and are established in the present truth.

9 This stability consisteth in knowledge, yet not so much in the clearnesse thereof, as in the certainty. 1. Cor. 8. 4. 7. Wee know that an Idoll is nothing in the world, but there is not in every man that knowledge, and

their Conscience being weake, is defield. For certainety belongeth more to Faith, which wee are here to understand by Conscience, then Evidence or Clearnesse, which belongs to knowledge, taken in the proper sense. 2 In such an affection, whereby it is alwayes willing to beare with, and beare the infirmities of others. Rom. 15. 1. Wee which are strong ought to beare the infirmities of the weake. 3. In Iudging so, as that nothing be set before a brother, at which he may stumble or fall, Rom. 14. 13. but Iudge this rather, that no man put a stumbling blocke, or an occasion to fall in his brothers way. 4. In such a resolution and setlednesse of heart, whereby it is so strengthned in truth and godlinesse, that it cannot easily be remooved, Heb. 13. 9. It is a good thing, that the heart be established with grace.