A30579:441
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.
SERMON III.
JOHN, 18. 36. Jesus answered and said, My Kingdom is not of this world.
WHAT this Kingdom of Christ was, and how different from the kingdoms of this world we have already opened unto you. The fourth Use which we are to proceed in, is, If the kingdom of Christ be not of this world, then of all dispositions, a worldly spirit is most unsuitable to those who profess themselves to be of the Kingdom of Christ. Certainly, then such as are Believers, that are come under the Kingdom of Christ, they must not be of earthly hearts: We find the Apostle in the Epistle of the Ephesians, doth rank Covetousness, and Uncleanness together, and saith of them both, in the 5. Chapter, 3. Verse, Let it not be once named among you, as becometh Saints: So that a covetous heart after the things of the world, it is such a disposition, as it should scarce be named among Saints no more than whoredom, they should abstain from it, as from whoredom, as it becometh Saints. It is the most uncomely thing for a Saint of God, one of the Kingdom of Christ to have a covetous heart for the things of the world, that possibly can be. As it becomes them; it doth not become you; And Luther that was a great man for the promoting of the Kingdom of Christ, he is bold to profess it; That of all sins, he was scarce ever tempted to that sin, he found nothing tending almost that way; though it's true, there's no sin, but we have the seeds of it in our hearts; but yet he found his ⟨p. 271⟩spirit most above that worldly sin, because he was so much taken up with Jesus Christ. And indeed, the more any soul is taken up with the excellency of Christ, and with the glorious things of His Kingdom, the more vile will the things of the world be to them. We look not at the things that are seen (saith the Apostle) they are not things to be looked at, But at the things that are not seen. And in the 6. of the Gal. 14. ver. The Apostle Paul, that was the great man for the promoting of Christ in the world, and the setting up of His Throne; he professes, That he was crucified to the world, and the world was crucified to him: That is, he looked upon the world, but as a crucified thing. What esteem would you have of a man that is hanging upon a gallows?