The new birthThe nevv birth

as well as by a more public preaching of Ministers, Apostles, Evangelists, and Prophets, taking the advantage of public assemblies. And in this sense it is said of all those, that were scattered abroad by the persecution of Saul; that they preached the Gospel to such as they met: (not all indifferently, but alone the Jews) until at length, some of them of Cyrene, began also to speak unto the Gentiles. Now the words of a godly man, tending to convert others, must be of two sorts, or rather three. First, instructions, I mean a plain declaration of such necessary heads of Christian doctrine, as are most useful to the working of grace, viz. of Adams fall, and the miserable estate of mankind thereby; of the necessity and nature of repentance; of the death and sufferings, and natures, and offices of Christ Jesus; of the exceeding great danger of sinning, and of the endless torments of hell; of the certainty of salvation to all believers, and of the nature of true faith, and such other like. These a godly man should seek opportunity to fall in speech of; and avoiding all jangling and frivolous disputes about unnecessary quirks and quiddities; and forbearing all opposition ⟨p. 147⟩in matters of ceremony, and disputable points in things external, (wherewith some do only take up the time and trouble themselves, & the Church, without edification): I say shunning, or slenderly & lightly passing over these, should bend himself to a more plentiful and serious delivering of these points (which are so necessary, that without them men cannot be saved), according as God hath given him utterance and ability; always remembering to observe the circumstances of time, place, person: and not to speak in the ears of a scorner, that will despise the wisdom of his heavenly speeches. O how happily might a private mans lips spread abroad knowledge, if he would thus redeem the time to holy conference! not as if it were not lawful to speak of other matters, either of business, or for delight; but that the best things should not be quite shouldered out, & utterly forgotten. Thus as men ride together by the way, as they walk together in the field, as they sit together in their houses, they might (without hinderance to their natural affairs) be busy in furthering their own and other mens everlasting estate.

as well as by a more publike preaching of Ministers, Apostles, Euangelists, and Prophets, taking the aduantage of publike assemblies. And in this sense it is said of all those, that were scattered abroad by the persecution of Saul; that they preached the Gospell to such as they met: (not all indifferently, but alone the Iewes) vntill at length, some of them of Cyrene, began also to speake vnto the Gentiles. Now the words of a godly man, tending to conuert others, must be of two sorts, or rather three. First, instructions, I meane a plaine declaration of such necessary heads of Christian doctrine, as are most vsefull to the working of grace, viz. of Adams fall, and the miserable estate of mankind thereby; of the necessity and nature of repentance; of the death and sufferings, and natures, and offices of Christ Iesus; of the exceeding great danger of sinning, and of the endlesse torments of hell; of the certainty of saluation to all beleeuers, and of the nature of true faith, and such other like. These a godly man should seeke opportunity to fall in speech of; and auoiding all iangling and friuolous disputes about vnnecessary quirkes and quiddities; and forbearing all opposition