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. 31 The work of our Reconciliation with God in Christ hath been a doing from al eternity.

IN the last Chapter we came to the sixt point that formerly hath been propounded in the first Chapter; and that is this. That God [Was] reconcileing him∣selfe to the world in Christ. [Was] and when was he? Even from all eternity, he was reconcileing himselfe to the world. That point I did then name, and shal now a little inlarge it, and so proceed to some other. The point is this.

Doct. That the worke of our Reconciliation with God in Christ, it is not a work of yesterday, it is a work that hath been doing from al eternity; it is not a thing that fals out as it were accidentally, but a plotted thing, a thing that hath been plotted from al eternity. I gave you then but only one scripture for it: I shal ad some more now, and open it more fully. That scripture I gave in the 1 Tit. 2. In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie, promised before the world began. Now to whom did God promise it before the world began? The first promise that was made, and that we read of, was to Adam in paradice, the seed of the woman shal break the Serpents head. O! but there was a promise beyond that promise; a promise made before Adam was, or before the Angells were, or before the world began; a promise of eternal life, which is the accomplishment of our reconciliation with God; this promise could be made to no other, but to the Son of God that was with the Father, and the delight of the Father; not only the delight of the Father as he is the Son eternally begotten of the Father, but the delight of the Father

as he undertooke the grea•• work of Reconciliation be∣tween God, and us; and this promise was made to him from the Father; the promise of Reconciliation, and eternal life before the world began. So that by that scripture it appeares; that there was from al eternity, not onely a purpose, or a determination in God to re∣concile us to himself; but there was an agreement, a transaction between the Father, and the Son about it, and a Covenant passed between them. God the Father promiseth somwhat, and the Son promiseth somwhat, and so they make up the agreement one with another from al eternity.

First, There was a transaction of this great work of Reconciliation between God the Father, and the Son from all eternity; and for this I shal give you a scripture or two more. 2 Timo. 1.9. Who hath saved, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works; But according to his own purpose, and grace which was given us in Jesus Christ before the world be∣gan. Here is not onely a purpose, but here is grace besides purpose; there was not onely a purpose in God before the world began, but there was somwhat more; here is purpose and grace, and this is given to us too; it is not only intended for us (that is observeable) but it was given us, and given us before the world began: how given us? could God give any thing to us before the world began; could God give any thing to us before we were? It is therefore added; it was his purpose, and grace, and given to us [in Christ] before the world began. As it is possible for an Inheritance to be made over to one before he was borne; somtimes between man and man, there is something made over thus, to our heires lawfully begotten, though there be none born, yet it is given them; and there is solemnity in Law con∣cerning it. Perhaps it is given to some as a feofee; that if such, and such should be borne, they should injoy it; or that they shal imploy this for the benefit of such, and

such that shal be born; so Jesus Christ stood before the Father (as we may so terme it) as a feofee in trust, as the head of a Covenant, and there were transactions be∣tween the Father, and him; there was not onely a pur∣pose in God to reconcile himselfe to us, but there was grace given to us in Christ; there was an actual donati∣on of this unto Christ before the world began, that so we might come to Injoy it.

Again, another Scripture for this is the 1. Cor. 2.7. which speakes somwhat of this also, though not altoge∣ther so fully as the former. The words are these. But we Speake the wisdom of God in a mistery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordeyned before the world to our glory. He doth not only speake here of Gods Electing, of Gods ordaining us to Glory; but he speakes of the whole mistery of the Gospel, which he calles the hiden wisdom of God. Now this doctrin of Reconcilia∣tion which I have been preaching to you, about that we are reconciled to God in Christ, this is the hiden wisdom of God which was kept hid from the begining of the world, and yet ordayned before the world to our glory. God had contrived al this doctrin of Reconciliation, and purposed, that in time it should come to be reveal∣ed to us, as it is at this day.

There is yet another Scripture for this which is very remarkable. It is in the 17. John. you shal finde in that chapter many expressions to that purpose; that those that did beleeve in Christ were such as God the Father had given him: and you may find by divers expressions there apparantly, that there was an agreement, a tran∣saction between the Father, and the son, long before the thing was done; verse 16. I have manifested my name to the men thou gavest me out of the world; thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word; he doth not speak meerly of giving them at this time; but of Giving them to ••••e son before now, for he makes that to be the ground of their beleife; he

doth not make their givi•••• ••••em to him to be beleeving; but he makes their beleeving, and the keeping of the word of faith, to be a fruit of Gods giving them to his Son, the fathers giving them to his Son is the foundation of their beleeving, and hence it is that in time they come to beleive; because God the father hath from al eternity given them to his Son: that is the argument of Christ & this indeed makes the difference between some that beleeve, & others that do not beleeve. There are som that are of mean parts, poor people, and yong ones that beleive in Jesus Christ, and the great misteries of the Gospel; others that have more understanding, that are learned men, they do not beleive. That which makes the difference is this: that God the father gives some to his son to re∣concile, and he doth not give others: and this is the argument of Christ in that 17, John. he makes the foun∣dation of their faith to be God the fathers giving of them to the Son. So that it is apparent in Scripture, that there hath been (before we come to beleeve, ye a be∣fore the world was) a transaction between the father, and the Son about our reconciliation. God was recon∣ciling himself to the world, So that our Reconciliation with God, and the having our sinns not imputed must be considered in three periods of time. The first is (if we may cal that a period of time, which rather was before time) that which was from al eternity with the Son; there God was reconciling himself unto us. Secondly; when Christ came into the world, and was upon the Cross, and suffered; there was an actual imputation of the sins of al the Elect unto him, and a laying of them upon Christ; there was then a special act of God impu∣ting and charging upon his Son, the Sins of al the elect. Thirdly when God cals any sinner to beleeve; then there is an other act of God passing the Sentence of absolution upon the Soul, an actual passing of it, which we cal Justification: As it is between man, and man; you know the law may be satsfied for the prisoner, and yet the

Prisoner not absolved; th•• ••••••soner is not acquitted, til the sentence be so solemnly pronounced by the Judg, though the verdict be brought in, not guilty, yet he is not acquitted until the Judg pronunce the sentence of absolution. So, though Jesus Christ in his sufferings when he was crucified, satisfied the law for al that should beleive in him; yet there is required a pronouncing of the Sentence by the Judg for the acquitting of, which is our Justification. And yet somtimes we know, that after the sentence is pronounced by the Judg, the malefactor may ly in Prison til the fees be pay'd. Just thus it is with us: after our justification, yet we remain in this world, and have the fetters of our corruption upon us, have the fetters of afflictions, and troubles upon us til we have pay'd the dues to nature, and the dispensations of Gods Providence. One that is Elect, and not a be∣leever, he is as a prisoner that hath the Law satisfied for him, though he doth not know it; yet certainly he shal be saved: One that is Elect, and a beleever is as a pri∣soner that hath the Judg pronouncing the sentence of absolution upon him; yet afterwards, so long as the Beleever is in this world, he is like a Prisoner that hath had his sentance pronounced upon him to acquit him, but he lies in Prison til he hath pay'd his fees. But those in Heaven; they have not only the Law satisfied, and the fees pay'd, but they are set at liberty also, and are in their Fathers house. There are Several times there∣fore of Gods manifestation of our Reconciliation to us not imputing our Sinns unto us.

But though there be such several workings of God, yet this doth not argue any change in God, which is an Obje∣ction that many through weakness make; that because God doth this thing, and the other thing & the other thing that was not done before, therefore 〈◊〉〈◊〉 would argue, as if there were a charge in God, and therefore would conclude; that there is nothing that is now done, but was done, and that as it is now done, so it was done everlastingly.

But we are to know this; that Gods actual pronouncing of a sentence of absolution now; was not done before, doth no more argue a change in God; than Gods glori∣fying the Saints in Heaven now, who were not glorified before. To be Justified in time, doth no more argue a change in God, than to be glorified in time argueth it. The Saints upon Earth are not yet glorified, and yet they shal be glorified, and that argues no change in God. So the Elect that are not yet Beleevers, are not yet Justified in that sense the Scripture speaks of Justi∣fication, yea they shal be Justified: and that argues no change in God.

But that we may further understand this, how God was from all Eternity reconciling himself unto the world, yet there are several periods of time wherein there are several workings of God towards a sinner, which indeed are implyed in the words of the Text. God was reonciling the world to himself; he [Was] a doing of it; and this work before it comes to the ac∣complishment, hath several periods of of time. And to the end you may understand it the better; You must know, that there is a great deal of difference between those actings of God which are in himself, according to his own nature, and those actions of his towards the creature that are in a suitable way to the Creature; and for the want of the right understanding of the diffrence between these two, many people do most grossly mistake and ga∣ther many absurd Conclusions. They agrue from Gods infinite, and unconceiveable way of acting in himself, to those acts of God that are suitable to the Creature, and received by the Creature; when they heare of any thing of the workings of God received by the creature, they would understand that in the same manner, or as if it were to be understood in the same manner as those acts of God in himselfe. I wil shew you how great a differ∣ence there is between them.

First, Take the Acts of God in himself, and this is

true, the act of God is the Beeing of God himself, Gods Essence, and his act in himself, are allone: but now the act of God as the Creature receives it, is not the Essence of God, for the Creature is not capable of Gods essence, for then the Creature should be infinite. But the act of God as it is in himselfe, is God himself, and so it is in∣finite; there is no act as it is in God, but it is an infinite act because is is God. As now that which the Crea∣ture receives cannot be infinite. So the acts of God in himselfe, are al eternal, and there is no difference of time with God; there is not time past, present, and to come. Look upon the acts of God as he worketh in himself: whatsoever act there is in God, even the glo∣rifying of the Saints; so far as Considered in God, is e∣ternal; And there is no difference of time at al in the acts of God, as in himself; But if one consider those acts as the Creature receives them; then we must looke at the difference of time, one, at one time, another at another, and another at another, received by the Crea∣ture. And you must take heed of too much boldness when we speak of God; when God sometimes mani∣festeth his workings as the Creature receives; we must not then thinke, that these are the acts of God as they are in himself, which are infinite, and to be conceived in an infinite manner, so as nothing but an infinite under∣standing is able to reach, and to conceive of. Therefore those men that think to fatham the arts of God as they are in himselfe, they are too too presumptuous; for only an infinite understanding is able to conceive of them; we must conceive of them as the Creature receives them, and so as they are revealed in the word; and this is the substance of what is revealed concerning Gods working towards us; namly; that from eternity, there was a transfaction between him, and the Son in such an unconceivable maner as we know not of; and that in time the Lord did lay our sins upon his Son on the Cross, and that afterwards when his good time shall come to call a sinner to himself, then he doth justifie him, and

prononce a sentence of absolution. But first, he calls them; So the scripture saith those whom he hath called, he hath justified. The Scripture makes calling of a sin∣ner to go before justification; therefore whatsoever is in God from eternity; yet it is apparent that (speaking of justification as the scripture speakes of it) Vocation goes before, and that justification is no otherwise from eternity, than Vocation. God may as truly be said to cal a sinner out of his natural estate from eternity, as to justifie a sinner from eternity in that sence that the scrip∣ture speakes of it in Rom. 8. But, when we speak of justification ordinarily, we speak of it in the sence that the scripture speakes of it here, and so Vocation is first, and then justification, and afterwards glorification. So that though the Lord be pleased to reveale much of the mistery of the Gospel to us, and tel us he hath been re∣concileing himself to us from eternity, yet we must un∣derstand this in a sober way, and take heed we do not vanish in our own thoughts when we come to search in∣to it.