A30579:216
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.
With more ease? Could not God with more ease have sent thee down to the nethermost Hell, how quickly could God have brought thee down and undone thee for ever: but God was content to be at peace upon hard terms (as I may so speak) indeed they were hard terms by which God came to reconcile the world unto himself, the hardest terms that possibly ⟨p. 68⟩could be conceived, for Jesus Christ, his eternal Son, did take upon Him our Nature, and was made a curse for us, that knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him; and therefore stand not upon any hard terms, if peace may be purchased any way but by sin, stand not upon it, for this is as becomes the Gospel of Christ.
With more ease? Could not God with more ease have sent thee down to the nethermost Hell, how quickly could God have brought thee down and undone thee for ever: but God was content to be at peace upon hard tearms (as I may so speak) indeed they were hard tearms by which God came to reconcile the world unto himself, the hardest tearms that possibly ⟨p. 68⟩could be conceived, for Jesus Christ, his eternal Son, did take upon Him our Nature, and was made a curse for us, that knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousnes of God in Him; and therefore stand not upon any hard tearms, if peace may be purchased any way but by sin, stand not upon it, for this is as becomes the Gospel of Christ.
Yea, And when you are reconciled to your brother, be so reconciled, as to be firm in your reconciliation: Not as some, there is peace made between them, but how? so as they are ready to take advantage against one another upon any miscarriage afterwards: God doth not do so with you, the Gospel holds not forth such a peace as this is, that God shall be at peace with you for the present, but look to your selves afterwards, God will take all advantages against you that he can; if there had been such a peace made between God and you, you had been in Hell long before this time, and therefore let your peace be a firm, a settled, and a constant peace; Oh! that this were but thought on in these contentions days, wherein there is such breaches between Brother and Brother, in every town, in every family, and none almost but are broken off one from another with an irreconcilable spirit; Oh! how unbeseeming the Gospel of Jesus Christ is an irreconcilable spirit? Certainly God hath not made thee to know what the mystery of the Gospel of peace is, who hast war in thy heart and tongue against thy brother. And that's the second thing that the Gospel holds forth unto us.