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.

Use. 3. To encourage sinners to come to God for Re∣conciliation: And discouragements removed.

The Third is a Use of incouragement to sinners to come for Reconciliation with God. You may remember that one Reason why God did on purpose appoint this way to Reconcile himself to the world, was, that he might break the hearts of sinners, and that it might be an encouragement to sinners to come in, Is this Gods End? O! that then God might have this end in your souls This hath bin our endeavor to open what we could, this Doctrine of the Gospel, namely, of Gods Reconciling of himself in Christ; and we have not done this only from this Text but from others: and though divers other things have been spoken, yet you cannot but know, that the drift of al hath bin to this purpose, that God may have this glory of gaining our hearts to himself, and that it might be an incouragement unto you to come in to be reconciled unto God. Are

there any that are apprehensive of the Breach that sin hath made between God and their souls? I suppose there are many. You put up papers of complaints of the hardness of your hearts and that you cannot be sensible of sin as you desire; it is a sign that there is some sensibleness therefore of the breach between God and you. Now the Lord in opening of this Doctrine propounds the way of Reconciliation, and he would fain draw your hearts to come in and to be reconciled unto him; what is it that hinders? These two things are the Only hinderance.

First, The great distance that is between God, and a Creature; I am a poor vile worm, and the Lord is an infinite, glorious, dreadful God. O! but that I might take off this dreadfulness from you, that that might not skare, and hinder you, therefore he propounds himself to you in his Son. If God should indeed speak from Heaven by thundring, and lightening, and call in sinners to come in and humble your selves, and seek to make your peace with him, that might skare you, and upon the sight of the distance between God and you, you might not dare to come in. But saith God; I call you now in my Son, my Son that came to be like one of you, and to be made sensible of your infirmites, it is in him that I offer you Reconciliation. This takes away the dreadfulness of God from sinners, and therefore a mighty incouragement. And though there be such a di∣stance between God and us, yet there is a Christ be∣tween God the Father, and us. Though we be the poorest worms in the world, though we are mean, and vile Creatures, yet if we were ten thousand times meaner then we are, seeing there is such a Mediator between God, and us; this makes up the distance. Christ is such a Mediator as there is enough in him to make up all the di∣stance that can be between God, and man.

Another hinderance, or discouragement is sin: either the greatness of our sin, or the multitude of our sins, or the long continuance in our sins is that which hinders

us from comming. O! saith the soul, I have been so vile a sinner, and I have continued so long, and I have mul∣tiplied sin one after another, and is it possible for such a one as I am to be Reconciled? It is true had'st thou to deal only with God as he is in himself, thou mightest de∣spaire: But know O! sinner that it is God Reconciling of himself in Christ; therefore though thou beest a great sinner, & a sinner of a long continuance; yet there being a Reconciliation with God in his Son; seeing that Christ hath undertaken such a work as to make up a peace be∣tween God and sinners, and to mediate for them; thou may'st be encouraged to come in, and to lay hold upon this grace of God in Christ.

If thou sayest thou art unworthy; and that there is no worthines in thee for God to regard the for. Al this is stil answered with this. It is God that is reconciling the world to himselfe in Christ. Indeed were it so that there were nothing but God and thee to deal together; and if thou wert to deal only with God, himselfe thou mightest be afraid but thou hast to deal with God not in himself win his Son, for so he hath Set forth himselfe the to world, he is reconciled to the world in his son, and herefore that may incorage thee notwithstanding al thy unworthines.

And what Further hast thou to discorage thee?

O! thou wilt say; God is infinitly Just to punish sin.

Stil this point wilbe Sufficient to remove al discorage∣ments; that he is Reconciling the world to himselfe. Though he is Holy; his Holines is pleased in Christ: Though he is Just: his Justice is satisfied in Christ. So that there is enough in this point to take away al object∣ions, to remove al discouragments that any Sinner in the world hath. And therefore as God doth propound this on purpose to draw sinners to himselfe that they may be reconciled unto him; So let them know; that the more grace here is received for the taking away of al objections, and discoragments; the more wil sinners be left without excuse another day if they do not come

in and lay hold upon this grace of God in Christ; God wil have his glory that way if he cannot have it the other. God primarily intends his glory in reconciling the world to himselfe; and therefore takes away al discouragments from siners that they may come in and venture their souls upon his rich grace, and mercy in Christ; But if God cannot have his glory from that point; then, the more this is preached in any congregation, the more wil God have his glory by the stopping of mens mouthes that they shal not be able to say another day; O, the Lord was terrible, and he was a hard master, and I durst not goe unto him. Indeede my Conscience told me I had sinned against him, but I durst not goe to him for mercy for I was afraid of him. The mouthes of men shal be stopped another day that have heard this doctrine or God reconciling the world in Christ opened unto them, and have not come in, and layd hold upon it. Indeed it is the plea of many a servant that hath offended his master, when one comes to him and Saith; why do not you goe and humble your self before your master. O, Saith he I dare not, he is such a furiouse man that he wil fly upon me presently, I had rather suffer very much then go to him; and this they think excuse enough; and many poor Servants wil rather wander up and down the Contry, and perish, then go backe to their master? But noe sinner can say so of God, let him be never so vild a siner that is departing from God, if one should come unto him and say; you wreched sinner whether are you going? you are departing from God, you are going away from him, but behold God calls you to come in; O, goe, and humble yor soules and lament your sin, and lay downe al those weapons of enmity a∣gainst God which you have taken up. This sinner now cannot say; how shal I dare to look upon God, I that have been such a vild, and wretched Sinner, Surely God wil distroy me, and consume me. No, the Lord pro∣pounds himselfe to you, a God or mercy in his Son, and

tels you, that he hath provided a meanes in his Son to be reconciled unto you; and that his heart hath been so much upon reconciling himselfe to the chrildren of men, as that he hath sent his son to do this worke and though it cost the very blood of his son, yet he wil do it; and therefore sinner if thou dost not come in, but wilt go on in wandring from God and Conti∣nuing in wayes of enmity against him, thy blood be up∣on thine own head. Thou hast read this blessed do∣ctrine of the Gospel opened; that God was reconciling himselfe to the world; and that he was reconciling him∣elfe to the world in his Son; and that God excepted that when this message was brought to a Congregation; the whole Congregation should come and fly unto him; and that the world should be fill'd with Cries; O! that we might be Reconciled unto him. Our Lotd expects this day from some of you to heare you reflect this upon your selves by crying unto him for Reconciliation in his Son; that should be the issue of such sermons as these are; God ever after such preaching looks to heare some soul repeate in prayer to God, and tel him what it hath heard in the Ministery of the word; and upon that make a prayer unto him according to what it hath heard. As in this manner; The Lord expects that this day some sinner, or other should get alone, and be crying unto God in prayer. Lord, I have heard, not only that there is a possibility for sinners to be Reconciled, but there is such a glorious way of Reconciliation, that thou hast done it in thy Son. Such an honorable way; and such a certaine way of Reconciliation; and that thy heart is much in that way. And Lord I have heard, that this is a way, that takes away all objections in the world; al the discouragments that can be immagined; and thou hast revealed it to that end, that is, that thou mightest break the hearts of sinners, and draw them to come in, and accept of that blessed covenant that thou hast tendred to them in Christ, and to be reconciled unto thee. Now Lord I desire to cast my soul upon

this free grace of thine in thy Son; O! that I might feel thy spirit inableing me to such a gloriouse work as this; and O! that the Lord might heare such things as these from some of your Closets this day; it wil be that which wil even cause the heart of God to rejoyce that ever he opened the doctrine of Reconciliation to you; other∣wise it wil turne to the quite contrary end; it wil only serve to stop your mouthes at the great day. That is another Use.