A30581:645
Gospel reconciliation, or, Christ's trumpet of peace to the world wherein is showed (besides many other gospel truth) ... that there was a breach made between God and man ... to which is added two sermons / by Jeremiah Burroughs.Gospel reconciliation, or, Christ's trumpet of peace to the world wherein is shewed (besides many other gospel truth) ... that there was a breach made between God and man ... to which is added two sermons / by Jeremiah Burroughs.
London: printed by Peter Cole, 1657
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
IN the first place upon all what hath been said of the willingness of God, and Christ to be reconciled unto sinners, that they thus do entreat sinners we are taught; First, to stand and admire at the infinite riches of the ••ace of God, and especially you who have felt this work of God effectually upon your Hearts; You who have found God wooing, and suing to your hearts: give God the glory of his Grace, and admire at it. It were mercy for the Lord once to offer upon any terms to be reconciled unto sinners, or to show them any favour. Merely to offer it, that is grace; that is to be admired, and that is more than God hath done to the Angels; he would not do so much to them: But now that God should, not only offer: but send to seek after thee; to cry after you again, and again; to be importunate with you, to entreat, and beseech, not only by his Ministers: but by this own spirit (for there is the work of that) the spirit of God comes and woos, and beseeches sinners to come in and be reconciled) Oh stand and admire at this forever: Let it take up your hearts to give glory to him and the rather if you consider these four things.
IN the first place upon al what hath been said of the willingness of God, and Christ to be reconciled unto sinners, that they thus do entreate sinners we are taught; First, to stand and admire at the infinite riches of the ••ace of God, and espeically you who have felt this work of God effectually upon your Hearts; You who have found God wooing, and suing to your hearts: give God the glory of his Grace, and admire at it. It were mercy for the Lord once to offer upon any terms to be reconciled unto sinners, or to shew them any favor. Meerly to offer it, that is grace; that is to be admired, and that is more than God hath done to the Angels; he would not do so much to them: But now that God should, not only offer: but send to feek after thee; to cry after you again, and again; to be importunate with you, to entreate, and beseech, not only by his Ministers: but by this own spirit (for there is the work of that) the spirit of God comes and woos, and beseeches sinners to come in and be reconciled) Oh stand and admire at this forever: Let it take up your hearts to give glory to him and the rather if you consider these four things.
First, What it is that God doth entreat and beseech for? What is it that you are entreated to do? That that ⟨p. 365⟩shall deliver you from the greatest evil that any creature is capable of, and that whereby you would receive the greatest good that any creature is capable of; you are entreated not to be miserable: but to be happy, and not only that you should serve God, and not sin against God, and do the works that God requires of you for his glory: but you are entreated to be reconciled, to deliver your Souls from that depth of misery, and to be brought unto happiness, and glory.
First, What it is that God doth entreate and beseech for? What is it that you are entreated to do? That that ⟨p. 365⟩shal deliver you from the greatest evil that any creature is capable of, and that whereby you would receive the greatest good that any creature is capable of; you are entreated not to be miserable: but to be happy, and not only that you should serve God, and not sin against God, and do the works that God requires of you for his glory: but you are entreated to be reconciled, to deliver your Souls from that depth of misery, and to be brought unto happiness, and glory.
Secondly, Consider who you are that are entreated. Were there any great worth in you; Then you might expect to be entreated, as men that are of great estates, they must be entreated: But who are you wretched Caitiffs? in your selves damned Dust and Ashes, fire-brands of hell, such as have made your selves fuel for the everlasting wrath of the eternal God to burn upon; such as deserve to be cast out as an everlasting curse; enemies to God: you are entreated.
Secondly, Consider who you are that are intreated. Were there any great worth in you; Then you might expect to be entreated, as men that are of great estates, they must be entreated: But who are you wretched Caitiffes? in your selves damned Dust and Ashes, fire-brands of hel, such as have made your selves fuel for the everlasting wrath of the eternal God to burne upon; such as deserve to be cast out as an everlasting curse; enemies to God: you are intreated.
And by whom are you entreated? Even by God himself, and Christ that is God blessed for ever. Even that infinite glory before whom Angels adore; before whom they cover their faces: even him, who by one word of his mouth is able to send you all presently down to Hell; even this God cometh to entreat, and that Christ whom Angels do Adore, even that Christ comes to entreat. For the Servant to entreat his Master, for the subject to entreat the prince, is not so much: but for the Master to entreat the Servant, for the prince to entreat the subject, this is that that should fill our Souls with a spirit of admiration, at the unspeakable condescensions of the most blessed Majesty.
And by whom are you intreated? Even by God himself, and Christ that is God blessed for ever. Even that infinite glory before whom Angels adore; before whom they cover their faces: even him, who by one word of his mouth is able to send you al presently down to Hell; even this God commeth to entreat, and that Christ whom Angels do Adore, even that Christ comes to entreate. For the Servant to entreate his Master, for the subject to entreate the prince, is not so much: but for the Maister to entreate the Servant, for the prince to entreate the subject, this is that that should fil our Souls with a spirit of admiration, at the unspeakable condescentions of the most blessed Majesty.
Thirdly, what need hath God of you? though you should perish, and die eternally, it is no great matter to him; God might have his glory out of your eternal ruin: But to that end that he might break your Hearts, therefore he doth entreat and beseech. Oh admire! at the riches of his Grace, and give him the glory that is due unto ⟨p. 366⟩him; begin to do that here that you must do to all eternities when you come into his glorious presence in Heaven.
Thirdly, what need hath God of you? though you should perish, and die eternally, it is no great matter to him; God might have his glory out of your eternal ruine: But to that end that he might break your Hearts, therefore he doth entreate and beseech. Oh admire! at the riches of his Grace, and give him the glory that is due unto ⟨p. 366⟩him; begin to do that here that you must do to al eternities when you come into his glorious presence in Heaven.
Secondly, The more God doth manifest this his grace, the more desperately wicked is the heart of man to stand out against God. Oh! wretched, cursed heart that can stand out against God; that can stand out against the the offer of grace in the Gospel; I say, this is a cursed heart to stand out against the offer of grace though it were no more. If this should be but declared; that Christ is come into the world to save sinners: God expects, that all those to whom Christ is so revealed, that they should come flocking unto him, and cry mightily unto God for mercy in Christ: but when God doth not only offer his son; but comes by the Ministry of his word, and by the work of his spirit to draw your hearts unto him, and ye thou dost stand out against God; against all these gracious beginnings, drawings, and melting expressions of God; thou dost stand out; Oh! Cursed stubborn hard heart, that should stand out against all these. Thou canst not now plead; Oh! tentation was strong to draw my heart from God to such and such sinful ways. Was tentation strong? Why did ever tentation draw more alluringly than God hath drawn alluringly by his gospel? It is impossible that the Devil, and all the world should draw more alluringly to ⟨p. 367⟩any sin, than God doth draw unto him. Oh! these entreatings of God, this gracious way toward sinners, is that that will be the greatest aggravation of the sins of men that ever was or can be imagined. Only (for the present) know thus much; that the mercies of God, that shall be the subject of the Saints rejoicing, and blessing of his name to all eternity; that mercy will be thy greatest misery, and that is a sad thing for any sinner to think on, that that mercy that the Saints shall be eternally admiring, and blessing God for, that that should be my misery, and secret wound, and my greatest terror, and that is the second thing.
SEcondly, The more God doth manifest this his grace, the more desperatly wicked is the heart of man to stand out against God. Oh! wretched, cursed heart that can stand out against God; that can stand out against the the offer of grace in the Gospel; I say, this is a cursed heart to stand out against the offer of grace though it were no more. If this should be but declared; that Christ is come into the world to save sinners: God expects, that al those to whom Christ is so revealed, that they should come flocking unto him, and cry mightily unto God for mercy in Christ: but when God doth not only offer his son; but comes by the Ministry of his word, and by the work of his spirit to draw your hearts unto him, and ye thou dost stand out against God; against al these gracious beginings, drawings, and melting expressions of God; thou dost stand out; Oh! Cursed stubborn hard heart, that should stand out against al these. Thou canst not now pleade; Oh! tentation was strong to draw my heart from God to such and such sinful waies. Was tentation strong? Why did ever tentation draw more alluringly than God hath drawn alluringly by his gospel? It is impossible that the Devil, and al the world should draw more alluringly to
Oh! rebuke thine own wretched heart that hath stood out so long against God as thou hast done all thy days. Certainly the consideration of this; of standing out against any command of God when God comes to enlighten a mans Conscience, and the Soul doth come to understand with whom he hath to deal, it hath a mighty power to break the heart of man. That when I come to see that I have stood out against all those loving drawings, all those wooings of the Gospel, it is that that will rent your hearts; Rent your hearts and not your garments, for the Lord is merciful; that is not only a breaking of the heart but a rending of the heart when the Grace of God doth appear to it.
Oh! rebuke thine own wretched heart that hath stood out so long against God as thou hast done al thy daies. Certainly the consideration of this; of standing out against any command of God when God comes to enlighten a mans Conscience, and the Soul doth come to understand with whom he hath to deal, it hath a mighty power to break the heart of man. That when I come to see that I have stood out against al those loving drawings, al those woings of the Gospel, it is that that wil rent your hearts; Rent your hearts and not your garments, for the Lord is merciful; that is not only a breaking of the heart but a rending of the heart when the Grace of God doth appear to it.
