134 I d treatife of Con,fcience. aflùrance of the pardon of our finnes, and fo truepeace and comfort eflablifhed in it. This is the reafon why the Scripture I joyneth a good confcience and faith fo often together : as I. Tim. 3.9. Holding the myfericof faith in a pure confci- :ence. It cannot be a pure or good conlcience if faith be not held in it. As long as the confcience is not underpropped by faith, 1 the confcience muff needs be in a wilderneffe : Perhaps r sy 1 fcnnes are imputed untome ; perhaps they arepardoned : Perhaps theyare covered,perhaps not. As long as the confcience lieth 1 1 under thefe uncertainties, it cannot be firm and foundly good iu- deed : therefore we mull labour for affurance of pardon by faith. Thus much of a good renewed confcience that is perfé,;t- ly and foundly renewed. An iafirml II. Secondly, There is a good confcience renewed but not confcience. foundly renewed, very much as yet defèétive and imperfe&. i The former confcience is called confcientiafirma, a firm confci- once : This is called confcientia infirma, an infirm confcience. Rom. 15 . i . We that arefining ought to bear the infirmities of the weal`. This infirm conlcience is a good confcience too, and renewed, but cumbred with fundry imperfeUions ; which in proceffe of time by groweth in grace are for the mot1 part, conquered in the godly. True faith is required unto this : For the Apof#le calleth fuch an one a brother in Cbrifi, one that Roair.i4, bath this infirm confcience : It is good neither to eatfiefh, norte ti drinkwine, nor any thing whereby thybrotherfumbleth. And i wemutt not let fuch an one at nought, T'ufh what care J for him? I snow Imay lawfully do i Ions : and this is my Chriftian liberty ; and (hall I lofe it for him., becaufe ofhis confcience ? Kerns 4. Nay faith the Apofile, $'hy doll thoufet at nought thybrother ? io. Mark ; The Apoflle couateth fuch an one a Chriffian brother, and not tobe lct at nought : and therefore this is a good con- fcience too, differing as much as white from black from fuch confciences as areweak through fuperflition ofmind and through 1 prideofheart, becaufe they will not be otherwife. or through afieeted ignorance becaufe they love not to be bct_er informed. Thefe weak confciences are wicked ; J fpeak not of thefe : J (peak
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