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, 5. Those that have assurance of their peace with God; highly to prise it.

HEnce then if our Reconciliation with God be such as hath been opened, and if it be wrought after that way; Then an other Use we may make of it is this. Namely: That al those that have any comfortable assurance that their peace is made with God, they are to prise it highly, and not easily, and lightly to loose the assurance of it; Why? Because it hath cost so much as it hath done, and it hath been wrought for them after such a strange manner as it hath been; the greatest work that ever God made; and wherein his wisdome, and goodness, and power hath been seen; now that which God hath set himselfe to worke so powerfully in, to the end that he might acom∣plish it; and that which hath cost so dear as it hath done; that wherein so much of the mistery of Godliness is contained; suerly then if we have obtained the assu∣rance of it in our selves, we should highly prise it, and we should seeke to preserve it, and not loose it; we know not how. I remember when we opened the excellency of

our Reconciliation with God and, what admirable fruits did flow fom it; we had there a Use like unto this; that because it is so excellent we should preserve it and not let it go lightly, But now this Use is drawn from the way of Reconciliation, that it is a Reconciliation in Christ; and in indeed the argument fals more strongly upon us here then it did formerly, before, the argument was, that we should prise it because we have such com∣fort in our Reconciliation; because such admirable fruits doe flow from it; because it is able to carry us through al troubles in the world. But now we must seek to preserve it, because we have it in Christ, because it is that which cost more then ten thousand worldes are worth; because God hath wrought so wonderfully to bring it ahout. Hath God therefore spoken peace to any of your souls? take heed that you turn not again to folly; Psalm: 85.8. I wil hear what the Lord wil say, for he wil speak peace to his people and to his Saints; but let not them return again to folly. Hast thou gotten any comfortable perswasion that the Lord is reconciled unto them Christ; and God hath made thee to know that Reconciliation with him was a difficult work? it may be it cost you many tears, and prayers, and much trouble before you could get it, and a long time you were seeking of it in a Legal way, and crying unto God for his mercy to pardon your sins, and Seeking to him in that natural way; but then you could not have peace spoken to your hearts, but in time the Lord opened the mistery of Christ unto your souls, and then you sought Reconciliation with him in Christ, and you saw how that it was in his blood that your peace was made. Have you got peace in an Evangelical way through Christ? O! Make much of it; it is a precious Jewel in that it comes to you in such a way as this is; it cost God dear, and it may cost you dear; but whether it cost you dear or no; you may be sure it cost God dear, therfore make much of it, do not loose it: to loose it fully so as God should

again be••ome your enemy, that indeed you cannot do; but you may loose it in your apprehensions; you may loose the comfortable assurance of it.

There are Two waies that Christians may loose the comfortable assurance of their peace with God. First through the weaknes of their faith, secondly through the sinfulnes of their lives.