A30579:68
Gospel-conversation
Gospel-conversation: wherein is showed, I. How the conversation of believers must be above what could be by the light of nature. II. Beyond those that lived under the law. III. And suitable to what truths the Gospel holds forth. By Jeremiah Burroughs, preacher of the Gospel to Stepney and Cripplegate, London. Being the third book published by Thomas Goodwin, William Greenhil, Sydrach Simpson, Philip Nigh, William Bridge, John Yates, William Adderly.Gospel-conversation: wherein is shewed, I. How the conversation of believers must be above what could be by the light of nature. II. Beyond those that lived under the law. III. And suitable to what truths the Gospel holds forth. By Jeremiah Burroughs, preacher of the Gospel to Stepney and Criplegate, London. Being the third book published by Thomas Goodwyn, William Greenhil, Sydrach Simpson, Philip Nye, William Bridge, John Yates, William Adderly.
London: printed by Peter Cole, 1650
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Thirdly, Yea, you may by your good Conversation be a means to convert other men, to bring wicked men into the love of the ways of God: 1 Pet. 3. 1. 2. the exhortation there is directed to wives that had wicked husbands. Likewise ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands, that if they obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the Conversation of the wives, while they behold your chaste Conversation coupled with fear. Mark, how the Apostle urges upon wives to look to their Conversations to the end that they may be a means to gain their husbands. I am verily persuaded that there are many gracious women that would give (if they had it) a thousand worlds to gain their husbands to those ways of godliness that they have found so much sweetness in, but perhaps they cannot get them to come and hear the Word, and if they do, their hearts rise against it, or it may be they little regard it; but you by your Conversations may do that which the world will not do, you may be converters of them; and in this sense indeed; there may be women preachers, that is, preaching in their lives and Conversations, and that's all the preaching that the holy Ghost allows women, let them preach that way, in their lives and Conversations in their families, and preach every day a Sermon, and neither God nor man will find fault with any such thing, and this is the way for them to do great service for God; and so ⟨p. 12⟩likewise should husbands do to convert their wives, you complain one of another, but do you labour to convince and convert one another by your holy Conversations? I am confident that there are many that are able to say by experience, this; That the Lord struck upon my heart and conscience by seeing the holy Conversation of my wife, since she went to hear the Word, by seeing the wisdom, humility, obedience and carriage of my wife, it struck upon my heart. There is many have given glory to God and acknowledged this, both wives by their husbands, and husbands by their wives; and sometimes the parent in seeing it in the child, or the child in the parent, or brother in brother, or one servant in another, it hath been a means to turn them unto God.
Thirdly, Yea, you may by your good Conversation be a means to convert other men, to bring wicked men into the love of the waies of God: 1 Pet. 3. 1. 2