A30579:136
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 to do as we would be done to, we must go higher, we must not only set this as a pattern, I'll do as I would be done by. No, But I'll labour to do to another as God hath done to me. This is higher; that's thus, hath God showed Himself gracious unto me? I'll labour to do that good to others as much as I am able even as God hath done to me: You have for that those two Scriptures, Ephes. 4. 31, 32. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice, and be ye kind one towards another, tender hearted, forgiving one another. The light of Nature now will justify all this: But mark the conclusion, Even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you: Set the example of God before you, what God hath done for you for Christs sake, and let that be the great motive; Do not only argue thus, well, I would be forgiven if I had offended; and I would not have another to bear anger and malice against me, and therefore I will not be angry with them nor malign them; this is a low principle: but if I find that this is revealed in the Gospel, that the Lord for Christs sake hath forgiven me, and it's this that quiets my passion, when I feel my corruption rising and stirring against any that hath offended me, when I do but think of Gods mercy in forgiving me for Christs sake, this quiets me. I this is somewhat like as becomes the Gospel of Christ, when we walk upon such principles as these are. And so you have it in Col. 3. 13. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another: If any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgive you, so also do ye. It is very unbeseeming such as profess the Gospel of Christ to be quarrelsome with their neighbours: Now you shall have some that are of very meek and quiet dispositions naturally, I love to live quiet (say some men;) thus far thou mayest come by the light of Nature not to love to quarrel: But now when any doth cause any quarrel, doest thou labour to quiet the quarrel upon this ground: Even as Christ forgave me: O I have found the Lord Jesus Christ, notwithstanding my wretchedness against Him, and all the wrong ⟨p. 38⟩I have done Him, He hath forgiven me, and therefore seeing Christ will not take advantage against me as He might, I will not take advantage against another: Is it upon this ground?