The nets of salvation. A brief essay, upon the glorious designs & methods of…

But there is yet more than this to be done for the Winning of Souls. For, Fourthly; A ⟨p. 45⟩Good Conversation in Christ, may do much towards the winning of Souls for Christ. [See, Mat. 5. 16.] If we would win the Souls of others, to what we profess, we must by our Good Conversation, bring a Credit unto our Profession. By being Exemplary in our Good Conversation, we shall Adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour; if we Adorn it, we shall Win over others unto it. They that by Scandalous walking in the ways of Sin, do Scandalize others against the ways of God and His Churches. Are they the winners of Souls? No, They are the Cut-throats of Souls. Would we win Souls! Let us then Abhor that which is Evil, and even Abstain from all appearance of Evil. Be very Heavenly; Be very Humble; Be very Patient; Be very Ready to Forgive Injuries; very Ready to do all Good Offices; very Mortified unto all Things here below. And Especially, let our Carriage in our several Relations be very Exemplary. Oh! Make it Evident, That Christianity makes us carry better to one another than we could have done without it. This, This will Win others to a liking of Religion! It will Win a Prize of Souls for our Excellent Religion, when it shall be said, Those consorts do Excel others in their Kindness to one another. ⟨p. 46⟩Those Parents Excel in their Carefulness of their Children; and those Children Excel in their Dutifulness to their Parents; Those Masters Excel in their Tenderness to their Servants; and those Servants Excel in their Faithfulness to their Masters. Those Pastors Excel in their Watchfulness to their People; and those People Excel in their Affection to their Pastors. Those Rulers Excel in their Compassion for their Subjects; and those Subjects Excel in their Loyalty to their Rulers. But what makes them to Excel? Oh! Tis the Religious that is more Excellent than his Neighbour! Methinks, It should […] upon the Neighbourhood. I love to Read the boast of Tertullian; Saves he to this Effect; The Heathens, they Hare one another; but upon us Christians they set it as a Mark & a Brand, See how they Love one another! The Heathens, one can hardly keep them from Killing one another; but of Christians, they say, See how ready they are to Die for one another!

But there is yet more than this to be done for the Winning of Souls. For, Fourthly; A