A30579:91
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.
for certainly this must be granted as an everlasting rule, That that man or woman which makes not conscience of every thing in their Conversations, ⟨p. 19⟩makes conscience of nothing, if there be any that upon deliberation, and knowing this or that to be sin beforehand, and yet for by and base ends, will sin to get money, or the like, and so think to gain or free themselves from some trouble, by going against their light, and that upon deliberation, let that man or woman know that they can have no evidence that they ever made conscience of any one thing: He that breaks one Commandment breaks all; and there is such a bond in the Commandments, and conscience doth knit the bond so uniformly, that where there is one bond thus broken, the truth is, all is broken: Knowest thou not (saith Saint James) Oh vain man, what doest thou talk of faith if there be no works? thou art a vain man and thou doest deceive thy self. Certainly those men that are loose in their Conversations, if God doth not humble them, and bring down their hearts, they will grow in time not only to lose their profession (as I said) but to be enemies to those that are stricter than themselves; that is, when men have corrupt hearts, and cannot get up to that height of strictness that others do, they fall to persecute that way which is above them.
for certainly this must be granted as an everlasting rule, That that man or woman which makes not conscience of every thing in their Conversations, ⟨p. 19⟩makes conscience of nothing, if there be anie that upon deliberation, and knowing this or that to be sin beforehand, and yet for by and base ends, will sin to get monie, or the like, and so think to gain or free themselves from some trouble, by going against their light, and that upon deliberation, let that man or woman know that they can have no evidence that they ever made conscience of anie one thing: He that breaks one Commandement breaks all; and there is such a bond in the Commandements, and conscience doth knit the bond so uniformlie, that where there is one bond thus broken, the truth is, all is broken: Knowest thou not (saith Saint James) Oh vain man, what doest thou talk of faith if there be no works? thou art a vain man and thou doest deceive thy self. Certainlie those men that are loose in their Conversations, if God doth not humble them, and bring down their hearts, they will grow in time not onlie to lose their profession (as I said) but to be enemies to those that are stricter than themselves; that is, when men have corrupt hearts, and cannot get up to that height of strictness that others do, they fall to persecute that way which is above them.