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. 35. Why Gods Reconciling to himselfe is expressed in so large a terme as the [World.] Six Reasons there∣of.

BUt you wil say; If this be so, that God hath made such a difference; that there are some that he hath been from al eternity reconcileing himself unto, and not al; what is the reason of this phrase? why doth he say that he loved the world? and that he was reconciling himself unto the world without any distinction? One would think, God should rather have expressed it thus: That he Reconciling himself to some in the world, and that he loved some in the world, and not the world in general. No, God would rather express it in this ge∣neral phrase upon these Six Reasons.

Reason, 1.

First, He would say, the World, to exclude Angells that are not so properly of this world. But this doth not come up so fully to the Reason; why God would rather say the world, than this, or that man in the world. And therefore.

Reason, 2.

In the Second place; another Reason is this. Because he would shew the sufficiency of the death of Christ, and of the work of Redemption; that there is enough in it, if it were to save never so many worlds.

Reason. 3.

Thirdly, Another Reason of it is this. That God might shew, that in the Ministery of the Gospel, none shal be excluded, No, not the worst of sinners that are in the world; and therefore God doth not say in the Ministery of the Gospel; this, or that particular man or woman Christ died for; but generally, he died for the world. Because he would hereby shew, that he hath not excluded the worst, and vildest sinner in the world; and that those that are the most notorious, and the greatest sinners in the world may come in and be Re∣conciled. If God had expressed it thus; There are some in the world that I have been reconciling my self unto from al eternity: Then may a sinner say; surely, if there be but some, God never intended me that have been so wicked a wretch, so notorious a sinner. But therefore God would not express it so, but in the most general tearmes, to the end that there should not be any one sinner in the world have this plea: Lord, I was ex∣cluded. No, saith God, I wil have the Ministery of my Gospel go in such generall tearmes, as that every sinner shal have incouragement to come in, and receive mercy. Therefore you shal find in that last of Mark. 15. where Christ gives his Commission to his disciples to preach. He saith; go in to al the world, and ••••each the Gospel to every Ceature; that is, to man, who is a little world, an Epitome of every creature. To the Gentiles also, who had been denyed this favor of the Gospel, as if they had been none of Gods creatures. If thou beest a creature, the Gospel is to be preached to thee. There is to be a general tender of Grace, and mercy to every Creature throughout the whole world, to the greatest sinners that live upon the face of the Earth. Great sin∣ners, and smal sinners, al of them are to have the offer of Reconciliation with God; And the Ministers of the Gospel are to preach in the name of God, that the Lord

doth tender unto every one, this offer of mercy and Salvation. This to be done ministerially to every Crea∣ture we shal come preach to; not only great sinners, but those that are of the meanest condition in the world. For some may say; If God wil shew mercy to some in the world, sure it must be to some great ones in the world, those that are eminent, and may do him a great deal of service; alas, what service can God have from me a poor creature that lives al day long in a poor dark hole, that can do him no work, or service; wil ever God have any thought of me? Yes, if thou be a creature of God, and livest in the world, thou art no more ex∣cluded from Reconciliation with God, than the Kings, and Emperors of the Earth; and it may be God may think of thee in that poor hole of thine a thatched cottage when he neglecteth, and passeth by the great Monarks of the world. Therefore this expression is so large; that those that are the poorest people in the world, and the greatest sinners in the world, may know, they are not excluded from the offers of grace in the Gospel. This is a third Reason. And then.

Reason. 4.

A fourth Reason why it goes in such tearmes as these. That herby the Lord may shew; that those that shal actually come in to be reconciled unto him, they must come in while they are in this world. That those per∣sons that are capable of Reconciliation, are only such persons as live in the world: If they be not reconciled before they are gone out of the world, they are never to be reconciled: therefore is this phrase, God is Recon∣cileing the world to himself. As if he should say: If once you are gone out of the world, and are not recon∣cilied unto God before you are gone, you are lost for ever. The object of this my grace, is only those people that live in the world, if they pass away this time, and

be not reconciled unto me while they live here, they shal never be reconciled; for God was not reconciling himself to men that are in Hell, for they are not of this world, they are gone out of the world; they were suf∣fered by Gods patience to live a great while in the world, and here they filled the world with sin as much as in them lay; Now they are gone out of the world, and are gone from the shine of Gods grace, which shal never come to shine upon them more; they shal never come to hear any offer of the Gospel more. This is a fourth Reason.

Reason. 5.

A Fifth Reason is this. Hereby God wil shew his wonderful love, and free Grace to wretched Creatures; that he should regard such vild Creatures as those that live in the world; for the world, alas, what is it? It is a dunghil of filth; and as the Apostle saith, 1. John 5.19. The whole world lies in wickedness; it lies as a dead Dog or Carkass that lies in a Com∣mon Sewer,* 1.1 in a ditch, al in slime, and filth; Now that God should set his heart upon the world, what an infinite, and wonderful love, and free grace is this? The truth is, be∣fore our Conversion, we do al lie in wickedness, as a Carrion, or a dead Dog that lies in a Cart-way, al in gore, & mire; So are we in our natural Condition, and yet that the great God of Heaven should send his own Son into the world to die for such a one; that he should make such a one an heir of Heaven, and of eternal life; that such a one should become a member of his Son, and so have everlasting Communion with himself; & that this should be plotted by God from al eternity; What an infinite love of God is this? And again; that the world lies in wickedness; the world

that is so vile, and so unworthy a thing; that yet the Lord should be thus reconciling the World to himself; What an infinite, and unconceivable, free Grace of God is this?

Reason, 6.

The Sixt Reason is this. They that shal live in the world shal generally come in to God; and indeed be actually reconciled in time. Though the world for the present be not so generally reconciled unto God: yet the Lord hath his time when the Jews shal be called, and the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in, and we shal see further Reason of the generality of this expression. God hath promised that Christ shal possess the utmost parts of the Earth, and that the Heirs of the promise shal inherit the World. I understand it litterally. Rom. 4.23. God made a promise to Abraham, and to his Seed, that he should be the Heir of the World. And this Promise is yet to be fulfiled in a literal sence. In some spiritual sence the Saints may be said to be Heirs of the world: for indeed the right especially belongs to them (I do not say but ungodly men have right by guift, he giveth the Earth to the Children of men) but not by inheri∣tance (as the Saints have) as Servants have a right to their meat, and drink, and what is given them: but the Children have a right by inheritance, so the Saints have a right to this world as wel as to Heaven, and there is a time a comming when they wil be possest with their inheritance. Then the Text wil be true literally.

And thus you have had the Reasons given you of this Phrase; and this may suffice for the opening of the Point. That it is the World that God was reconci∣ling himself unto.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Nil mundum in mundo, nihil aliud est totus mundus an∣te conversionem, nisi aut hara porcorum aut collovie, rapido∣rum canum. Aust. As a filthy hogsty or ken∣nel of mad Dogs.