A30579:380
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.
The weapons, What are they? They are the two edged sword of the Spirit, the Word of God in the Name of Christ, and with the authority of Christ preached to the people in the Word of God, binding men in a dogmatical way, these are our Spiritual weapons; Christ hath never appointed his Church to defend its self by carnal weapons, the Church goes no further than Spiritual weapons, it's in the very text that I have read to you, My Kingdom is not of this world: Mark what follows, What were the weapons Christ had to defend His Kingdom? surely no worldly weapons, My Kingdom is not of this world; if my Kingdom were (saith he) of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now is my kingdom not from hence; if my Kingdom were from hence, I should have the like weapons to defend me as the Kings of the world have to defend themselves.
Q. You will say, What's the fighting and Wars for now? May there not be Wars and fighting for the maintenance of Religion and the Kingdom of Christ?
Q. You will say, What's the fighting and Wars for now? May there not be Wars and fighting for the maintainance of Religion and the Kingdom of Christ?
A. Now to that I answer thus, That the Church hath not these weapons, as a Church they have only spiritual, yea and were it that any Church of God were in any place where they had not a Civil Right to the exercise of their Religion, then I confess (merely for their Religion when the Civil right of the State is against it) if they should take up arms and fight for it, I think they should go beyond the Commission of Jesus Christ: they should trust Christ for His Kingdom; and we find no Warrant in all the Book of God for to take up weapons merely for the defence of Religion. And therefore in the primitive times, ⟨p. 146⟩