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. 71. The eleventh argument: Manifesting the exceeding wilingness of God and Christ to be reconciled to sinners.

THe next argument that shewes the willingness of God to be reconciled unto sinners is this; The Lord in his word, doth use very powerful, and strong argu∣ments to draw the heart to come in to be reconciled; this is that evidence; (I say,) that the Lord is willing, by the strong reasons that God doth use in his word to gain up∣on the hearts of sinners, to bring them in to be reconci∣led, he doth not meerly offer mercy; he doth not meer∣ly set before the soul his mercy. But the Lord labors with strong reasons, motives, and arguments to per∣swade and gain the hearts of sinners unto himself; to come in to be reconciled unto him; as now when a man doth offer peace, it is somewhat, and when he doth it in a generous loving way of curtesie that is more: but then, when he doth send strong arguments, to perswad, & wil not readily take a denial, but sends such & such argu∣ments, & doth consider before hand what wil be most likely to perswade the heart of such a man. What can I conceive wil gaine his heart most? What can I think? Sup∣pose there should be a man, between whom & you there hath been a falling out, & you should know that when he is alone in his closset, he is thinking thus with himself; What arguments can I conceive may take the heart of such a man to perswade him: to come in to be at peace with me? what can I think may be the most prevalent? That wil I certainly use to perswade him. But undoubt∣edly it is so with God. God looks upon the Children of men, and doth consider what argumentt wil take their hearts most? the scripture is exceeding ful of prevalent, & powerful arguments, to perswade the hearts of men to come in, to be reconciled unto God: [Arguments]

sometimes taken from the equity of Gods waies towards them, and their unequal wayes towards him; Are not my wayes equal saith God, and your wayes unequal? Is there any thing that I require of you but righteous? do not I speak righteous? Sometimes he uses arguments from the absolute necessity that lies upon sinners to come and be reconciled unto God, shewing them that certainly they wil be lost, undone, and eternally damned if they do not come in. He that beleeveth not, the wrath of God abides upon him. You are lost and undone crea∣tures except you do come in. And sometimes arguments taken from the excellency of the benefit, and profit that there is in comming in to God, and being reconciled un∣to al the Glorious promises of the Gospel, are so many powerful arguments to draw the hearts of sinners to run in to be reconciled unto God. I might be very large in this; in shewing of the particular arguments that God doth use: but take that one ful argument that we have to perswade sinners to come in, In Prov. 1.23. Turne you at my reproof; behold I wil pour my spirit upon you; I wil make known my word unto you: He speaks here to simple ones, Scorners, Fools; [Turne you at my reproofe; behold, I wil pour my spirit out upon you] (saith God) as if God should say, though you are Scorners: yet the truth is; my heart works towards you, my heart doth yearn towards you, and if you would but turne to me, I would pour forth my heart to you: you shal have my very spirit, my very heart let out unto you, if you wil turne unto me. What an ar∣gument is here to prevail with the hardest hearts in the world? For God himself to come and say unto a sinner, to one that hath Scorned him and his wayes, and to a Fool that hath gone on in waies of folly, and wicked∣ness; for God to come and say unto him; Oh wretched sinner! come in, come in, turne to me, turne to me, for my heart is ful, my heart is top ful, turn to me; I wil pour forth my heart to thee; Al those promises of

giving rest to thy soul; of giving life eternal, eternal salvation, Glory, Peace, and Comfort, and a King∣dom, shal al be made good to thee. The Lord there∣fore suites himself unto us in such arguments, so close as may out-bid other comforts that we have in the word in any waies of sin: and therefore tels them of Hony, and Milk, and Rayment, and Gold, and Silver, and al such things as are precious in the eyes of men; such as are of esteem with us, and tenders his Son unto us upon such kind of notions that every one of them might be preva∣lent arguments to gaine the hearts of sinners to come in unto God: this is the way of God; that he comes into the hearts of his people, with the most prevalent argu∣ments; such reasons as one would think were impossi∣ble to be gainsaid. I appeal to the hearts of those who have been acquainted with the work of God upon them. How did God come to your hearts? did he not come with mighty strong arguments to you? The Devil he tempted, and he comes with strong arguments, and God he comes, and tempts with strong arguments; the Devil draws, and God draws; Gods mercies draw stronger than the Devil can: Oh! it was mercy to that soul, and (the truth is) when the Lord pleases to work effectually upon the soul, he can present stronger argu∣ments to draw the heart of a sinner to him, than it is possible for the Devil to prevaile against.