A30579:468
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.
10. Use. If the Kingdom of Christ be not of this world, then the greater mercy to thy soul, that ever thou wast brought under this Kingdom of Christ: Oh! thou mayest look back unto thy former time, and know that thou hadst a worldly heart, worldly apprehensions, thy spirit was worldly, altogether for things of the world, taken with the pomp, and glory, and the pleasures of this world: How comes it to pass that thou shouldest have a Heavenly Kingdom revealed to thee? Whence was it that ever Jesus Christ should be known to thy soul, that was so worldly, so drossy, so earthy a soul? thou wast as deep rooted in the world (it may be) as any, and yet that the Lord should cull thee out of the world, and reveal such a Kingdom to thee, that is such a mystery as the Princes of the world have not known, that thou that art a poor creature shouldest come to understand the ••alities of Christ, that the wise and learned men of the world have not known: Oh! the Free Grace of God to thee, and not unto the world! As Judas, (not Iscariot) said, How is it that thou revealest thy self to us, and not unto the world? how comes it to pass that such wise men, that bear sway in the world, they have very poor, and low, and mean, and contemptible thoughts of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ? they look upon it but as a mere notion, and a conceit of men, and the rather because they see but a few poor people that are but of mean parts that do embrace such a way, upon that they contemn it; and through the worldly wisdom that they have, they come to undervalue it. Oh! then bless God that ever he should choose such a poor weak wretch as thou art, for to make known the things of the Kingdom of Christ unto; and therefore of all men, you rich covetous men they are hardest to be wrought upon by the Ministry of the Word. When Christ Himself was preaching, it is said in Luke, 16. 14. That ⟨p. 287⟩the Pharisees who were covetous, they derided Him; they blew their noses at Him, for that's the meaning of the Original. Like as a man that scorns and derides another snivels in the nose; that's the propriety of the word, that is here translated derided. Oh! a worldly heart is hardest brought unto the Kingdom of Christ: therefore bless God so much the more, that hath brought thy soul to understand the mysteries of Christs Sceptre, that hath translated thee into another Kingdom.