A30579:192
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.
If we put but this upon you, you that do not set up the worship of God in your families, Do not you think that it would please God better to set up his Worship in your families than not? Is there no Conversation that your consciences tell you would please God better, than that Conversation which you live in? Would it not be more pleasing to God (ask but your conscience now?) if your hearts were acted by love you would presently fall upon that which your consciences tell you would be more pleasing to God.
If we put but this upon you, you that do not set up the worship of God in your families, Do not you think that it would please God better to set up his Worship in your families than not? Is there no Conversation that your consciences tell you would please God better, than that Conversation which you live in? Would it not be more pleasing to God (ask but your conscience now?) if your hearts were acted by love you would presently fall upon that which your consciences tel you would be more pleasing to God.
And then Love: This is a maxim of Love, Love never knows when it hath done enough, it knows no such thing as too much, for men to say, What need we be so strict as to walk circumspectly? what need we do so much? why must we be so holy? This is a base kind of reasoning; Is this as becomes the Gospel? If thou wert acted by Love then thou wouldst never think that thou hadst done enough for God, Oh thou wouldst rather think, had I ten thousand thousand times more strength ⟨p. 57⟩than I have, Lord thou art worthy of it all, what soever I have, whatsoever I am, whatsoever I can do, thou art worthy of it all, never stand arguing thus, what need so much; is the thing a good thing? love never knows any such thing as too much.
We know love, It cannot bear with dishonour done unto those that we do love, if any wrong any one that we love, if our hearts be inflamed with love we know not how to bear it; such strike us in the apple of our eye; Oh that's a Conversation that becomes the Gospel, that when we see the Name of God dishonoured, our hearts rise more against any thing that is done against God, than it doth against any thing that is done against our selves, we are inflamed for God when we see any thing done that is a dishonour to the Name of God.