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.

CHAP. 10. God begins the work of Reconciliation with man.

Now the thing which I thought to have finished in this Chapter (but shal not until the following Chap∣ter) is this. That God is aforehand with his people in Reconciling himself, he begins the work. To wit (saith the text) that God was in Christ Reconciling the world &c. It is God that begins the work of Reconci∣liation, and if God did not begin it, certainly we should never be reconciled unto him. It is God first that begins to have any thoughts about Reconciliation, and if he should not have done it, we would never have thought on it, but have gone on desperate enemies to him al our lives.

Secondly, It is God that finds the way of Reconcilati∣on, we could never think of a way, or if we did, we could never have found out a way.

Thirdly, It is God that begins to offer tearms of Re∣conciliation, we would never go unto God, except God came unto us, such is the stoutness of our hearts.

Fourthly, It is God that must not only come once, but againe, and againe; after we have refused, God must begin again. Indeed a mong'st men, when an In∣ferior hath offended one that is above him, he wil say, let him come to me, if he wil. God doth not stand upon such tearms, God doth not say, let man come un∣to me first, No, saith God, I wil go unto him. A man wil say, if he be the superior, I wil never trouble my thoughts about it; it shal come from him first. But God doth not say so, his thoughts hath been towards us, & that from eternity; the Lord from eternity hath had thoughts

of peace towards us, and he hath found out waies for it; and he comes first to offer it. But faith one that is offen∣ded with another; I have been content to yeild so far as to come to him, and to offer him Peace; but I wil never do it more; if ever there be any Reconciliation between us, I warrant you, he shal come to me the next time. God doth not say so to us; we were undone if he should; if God should come once, and offer peace to us, and upon our refusal should stand upon such tearms as men do, and say, wel, I have offered peace once; but they shal begin next, or else there shal be no peace between us. No, saith God; though I have offered it once, and it hath been refused, I will offer it again.

Help. 5.

Yea further; God is fain first to yield to his poor Creature. It may be man may be wrought so far as to say; I wil send to such a man the second time; but when they are at parly, and are together, you shall see them, (if one of them be superior to the other) stand upon this; who shal yield first, and it wil be hard to bring the Superior to yeild. But God is not so. When we come to treat with God about our peace, and Re∣conciliation with him, though our hearts stand against it, yet God yeilds first. And for that you have a nota∣ble Text Rom. 5.10. If when we were enemies we were Reconciled unto God; which Phrase doth plainly note, that God is first contented to yield on his part: this is the infinite grace, and goodness towards man thus to begin with man in the point of Reconciliation.