A30579:93
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.
And that should have been the exhortation, Christians be careful of your Conversations in your families, be careful there. Psal. 101. 1. you have an excellent Scripture of Davids professing his care of his Conversation in his family, how he would walk, I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way: when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. Oh I beseech you look to this Scripture; I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way; mark, I'll look that my way may be perfect, every way right and square to the world, and when it is so, I will labour to behave my self wisely, I will not carry my self foolishly in those ways that are good: and then, Oh when wilt thou come unto me? Mark, it was a time ⟨p. 20⟩that God was absent from him, and yet then he professes that he will behave himself wisely in a perfect way; and I will walk in my house with a perfect heart: There are some that make profession of Religion indeed, and if you come to them before other company, then their conversations seem to be very fair and square; but if you do but follow them to their families, and see what they do there, Oh those that live with them in their families, after they have been abroad in company shall see in what guise they come home. Shall they see their conversations to be holy as becomes the Gospel of Jesus Christ? But thus it was with David, saith David, Let those that live with me in my house mark me as narrowly as they can; I will walk in my house with a perfect heart; what I am in the Congregation or among those that are godly, or any company; I will be in my family, that those in my family shall see my Conversation to be thus and thus. Oh that professors of Religion would look to this, not only to live before others in the parish or the town where they live, but to walk in their family with a perfect heart, so as all in their family may even bless them and say, Oh how doth my Master or Mistress walk! how graciously in their whole course from morning to night! observe them in all their ways and you shall not be able almost to see any miscarriage in them: Oh that's excellent, when a man shall have a better testimony even from those in his family than from those that are strangers; it may be they think though thou makest profession of Religion, yet all things are not answerable;
And that should have been the exhortation, Christians be careful of your Conversations in your families, be careful there.