A30579:258
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.
First, In the Personal Union of Mans Nature to the second Person in Trinity; That's the first, and great way of honour that God hath crowned human Nature with. Hence the Apostle in 1 Tim. 1. 6. Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. What is it? God was manifested in the flesh. God manifested in the flesh! that's a great mystery of godliness. Now it could not be such a mystery, if God had only taken an humane shape upon Him, (for so it was in the time of the Law) Jesus Christ often took humane shape; as when He strove with Jacob, it was Jesus Christ, as might easily appear. But great is the mystery of godliness, without controversy it's great. God manifested in the flesh: that is, God taking flesh of man into a personal union, which is more fully expressed in John, 1. 4. The Word was made flesh. This was a strange speech, but proper to the Gospel. An Heathen would have thought this a strange speech, and especially if he knew, that by the Word was meant, He that was true and eternal God. And then, in Heb. 2. 16. it is said, That Christ did not take the Nature of Angels upon him; but the seed of Abraham. So that it appears by the personal union of our Natures to the Son of God, God hath advanced human Nature above Angels, above all creatures. Truly my Brethren, in Christs taking our Nature upon Him, which the Gospel holds forth to us, me thinks we may see God (as it were) resolving to do a work from Himself, to the uttermost, to manifest the uttermost of his glory in a work out of Himself, the work of God within Himself, it is, His eternal generation, and the possession of the holy Ghost: but now God would work out of Himself, and work out of Himself to the uttermost extent; I'll make a world (saith God,) Heavens and Earth by my Word. ⟨p. 90⟩But this is not such a glorious work as I am able to do: I could make ten thousand worlds, and when I have made them I could make as many more, and more glorious: But I would do some work wherein I might manifest even the uttermost of my glory: What work is that? that is, The work that God pitched upon, He would do one work from without to manifest the uttermost of his glory, and the Lord rather pitches upon this, To take the nature of Man into a personal union with His Son, that's the uttermost: