A30579:214
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.
So that this Scripture holds forth, not only that Christ is our ⟨p. 66⟩peace in respect of God, and he died for that end to make peace between God and us, but likewise that Jesus Christ did die to make peace between man and man; it was one fruit of His death to break down the middle wall of partition between us, and to slay the enmity; he doth not say, to kill our enemies, but to kill the enmity it's self; the meaning is this, that Christ died to take down the partition wall between Jew, and Gentile; there was an enmity between the Jew and Gentile that they might not one converse with the other; now it was a fruit of the death of Christ to take down the partition wall and to slay the enmity between them, that so there might be but one sheep fold, that He might reconcile both unto God in one body. Now, was this the end of the death of Christ, not only to reconcile us to God, but one unto another in one body, Jew and Gentile? Certainly there cannot be such a distance between one Christian and another as there was between Jew and Gentile: and Christ did so love unity and peace in the world, especially among those that made any profession of his Name, that he would die to that end, He would lose His life that He might procure peace between Jews and Gentiles, and bring them into one body: And truly so it should be with us, we should be willing, and those whose hearts are right (I say) cannot but be so sensible of the breaches that are among us, and the unpeaceableness of mens spirits, as if they could by the laying down of their lives procure peace, they should be willing to do it, every Christian should make it appear, that he is so set upon peace that if the laying down of his life could procure peace he should be willing to do it, that if we may make up breaches by standing in the gap, and offering up our selves a sacrifice of atonement and pacification, let us thus prove our selves to be the true followers of Christ our Lord and Master who hath left us his own example herein for our imitation:
this were an excellent thing beseeming the Gospel of Christ that we do profess, yea, we should not only be willing to admit of peace, but seek for it, seek for it to our inferiors, do not say that such a man hath wronged me, and therefore let him seek to me, Oh no, it doth become you that make profession of the Gospel of Christ, not to stay till he come to you that hath wronged you, but for you