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. 8. How to know whether a mans Peace be made with God, opened in seven Particulars. 1. Every weapon of war against God is laid down. 2. There hath been treaties of Peace between God and that soul. 3. Peace with God wil make thee abhor thy self for thy former cursed waies. 4. It wil make thee on Gods side. 5. It wil preserve from evil. 6. It wil enable thee to suffer much. 7. It wil make thee high∣ly prise it.

But I say, the Soul should be often inquireing how things stand between God, and it; Are the termes right between God and my soul? Am I at peace with him, or am I not? if not, how can I sleep? how can I go about my business, and God be an enemy to me? And if I do go about my business, it is a sign of a bold, and presump∣tuous heart to go up and down merrily, and quietly, and yet this great question, how tearmes are between God, and my soul comes not to be determined of. Would you then know whether indeed the tearms are good, and right, and peaceable between God, and you?

1

First, Certainly, except thou hast layed down al thy weapons of war, and enmity against God, thou art not yet at peace with him. And canst thou in the up∣rightness of thy heart appeal thus unto God? Lord, thou knowest there's no weapon of enmity against thee in my heart that ever I have taken notice of, but I have been willing, and shal be willing to lay it down, and God forbid that ever there should be the least weapon of warr found in my heart against God. Every known sin in

thee is a weapon of warfare against God, and though thou should'st lay down many, yet if that be not layed down; if thou keepest any one known sin within thee, certain∣ly that one sin is enough to make an eternal breach, and enmity between God, and thy soul. Now, be not at quiet, be not at rest in thy own spirit, do not sleep quietly this night, except thou canst bring thy heart to this, that thou canst go in secret between God and thy self, and say; O Lord, thou knowest I have renounced al the waies of sins that ever thou hast revealed to me, though my sins do cleave to me as close as my skin to my flesh, yet as soon as I take notice of them, as soon as thou makest them known unto me; I cry out and com∣plaine against them. As suppose in time of war, some come into your houses, and you know not at their first coming who they are: but are afterward by their Carri∣age, and behavior, and by their speech you come to take notice that they are of your enemies: Now it after tak∣ing notice of them, you shal make much of them, and Cherrish them, and entertain them, and supply their wants, give them Money, or Plate, or what else you have, you wil be found to be an enemy to the State. But if as soon as you take notice of them, you desire them to be gone, and you do what you can to thrust them out of your doores; and if they be too strong for you, you go and complayne to your neighbour, or to the Officers that are about you, and you desire them to af∣ford you some strength to apprehend them, this cannot be charged upon you, that you are an enemy to the state, why? Because though they be in your house, yet it is ful sore against your wills. And so, many men, though they entertain their Corruptions, and Cherrish them, and fulfil the lusts of them, they think to put it off with this, what wil you have me to do? I cannot help it: But do you complaine of it? do you cry out unto God, and say, Lord here is an enemy, an enemy to thee, as wel as unto my self? an enemy to thy glory, as wel as to my

own soul; O that thou would'st come in and cast this enemy of mine & thine out of my heart, I cannot sleep quiet, I cannot rest, and be at peace so long as this e∣nemy is within me, till thou comest and cast it out. This is a sign that thou art at peace with God, if thou hast laid down thy weapons of warfare against God, and art at enmity with every sin: If thou entertainest in thy bosom no known sin, though never so secret. And this is the most eminent sign that can be, so that the weakest Christian may be able to apply it to himself, and come to know somewhat about this peace with God.

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Secondly, If thou wouldst know whether God, and thee be reconciled, then let me put this to thee: What Treaties have there been made between God, and thy Soul? for this you must know, that though there may be a Peace indeed made between God and thee, in some kind even from eternity (as I shall afterwards shew you) yet before it come into thy heart, before thou can'st come to know it, there must a Treaty pass between God, and thee. Reonciliation that is from e∣ternity comes from Treaties between God the father, and God the Son, and that Reconciliation that in time comes into the Conscience, is a fruit of some Treaty that hath been between God, and thy self. As for ex∣ample: When God would be at peace with a Soul, he summons that Soul to come in, he tels it that it is an e∣nemy to him, and that he is going on in contrary waies to him. As usually you know when enemies come to a Town, they will first summon the Town before they storm it: So the Lord summons thee to come in. When did God ever summon thy heart? Hast thou felt the po∣wer of Gods summons in thy soul? Then again: Hast thou felt much intercourse between God and thy Soul? Hath God been speaking to thy heart, and thy heart speaking unto God? Hath God been working towards thee, and hath thy heart been working towards God? Hath the

Lord sent unto thee by his word, and hast thou sent up unto him by prayer, and as the Lord waits upon thee to know what thy answer is when he speaks to thee: So, do'st thou wait upon him to know his answer when thou prayest, What have been the Treaties that have passed secretly in thy closet between God and thy Soul? Thou dost not go on in a dul way, and come and hear the word of God, but never hear the voice of God, but when thou comest to hear Gods word, thou hearest Gods voyce, thou hearest him speak unto thee, Treating with thee about matters of Peace, and thou feelest Gods Spirit drawing thy heart, and telling somewhat of Gods mind unto thee: perhaps at this time, and for the present whilest thou art hearing, thou tellest God secretly by ejaculations. Lord I am willing to ac∣cept of those tearms of Peace, and Reconciliation; I am willing to accept of the Conditions of the Covenant. Or perhaps when thou doest not this when thou art hearing, yet when thou art got alone, then thou openest thy self more unto God, and sendest a ful answer unto God. This is the way of treating, that when thou comest to hear Gods word offering tearms of peace, and require∣ing such, and such tearmes, thou at the very hearing sendest up by ejaculations secretly in answer to God, Lord, I accept of the tearms, and when thou art gone, sendest up a ful answer, and then how doest thou bless his name that ever he was pleased to offer such tearms unto thee, though they were a thousand times harder. Hath there ever been any such doings in thy heart? hath it been one of the greatest works that ever thy heart hath been set upon? hath thy heart been set more upon this work of the treaty with God about peace, than about any thing that ever concerned thee in al thy life? Then it is a good evidence unto thee that thou art in a way of Peace, and if thy Conscience speaks peace unto thee from this, it wil be a comfortable evidence indeed. But the truth is I cannot give you the ful, and through evidence, so as fully to sattisfy your heart til I come to the next point.

To shew you how the heart is brought to Christ and reconciled to God in him. But somewhat may be done to help the soul that way.

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Thirdly, the Third Signe therefore is this. If thou beest at peace with God, then upon Gods being pacified towards thee, and upon thy apprehension of it, it wil make thee looke back to thy former wretched dealings with God, and be confounded in thy own thoughts, and cause thee even to abhor thy self for that cursed carriage of thy heart towards him, and dealings with him when thou wert in away of opposition, and when thou wert walking Contrary to him. I wil give you a most excellent scripture for that: it is in the 16. of Ezek. the latter end. That thou mayest remember and be confoun∣ded, and never open thy mouth any more; Why? Be∣cause of thy shame, when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done; that is the time you see when the soul comes to be ashamed of its wretched dealings with God, and be confounded in the thought thereof, even when the Lord is pacified towards it for al the evil that it hath done towards him. Lay this therefore, (when you lay aside this Book and are got alone,) warm to hearts. A man would think, if God should aske the question, that this should rather be answered when God comes, and reveales the fruits of this wrath towards a soul, no, but when I am pacified, (saith God) towards thee; then thou shalt be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more. So that if thou hast any evidence, any found evidence to thy soul that the Lord is pacified towards thee for al the evil that thou hast done against him, it wil make thee look back to thy former actings, and when thou dost remember them thou wilt be Con∣founded in thy own thoughts, and whatsoever God doth do with thee, thou wilt never open thy mouth any more but be ashamed of thy self for al thy wicked dealings to∣wards God. Many of your Consciences may tel you that there hath been divers horrible things acted by you a∣gainst

the Lord, what sins have not many of you lived in? do you hope that God is reconciled to you, and pa∣cified towards you for al those horrible things that you have done? If he be, you wil upon this grace of God towards you, look back upon what you have done formerly, and be confounded in your own souls, and the mroe you apprehend your peace to be made with God, the more wil you be ashamed, and the more wil you be troubled for what you have done. Many a wret∣ched sinner that hath lived in waies of sin, when the fear of death comes upon him wil be confounded & ashamed of what he hath done; & then he wil complain, & cry out to others, and desire them to pray for him; but that is not the thing that God here speaks of, for let God but set such a one upon his feet again, and free him from his sickness, and fears, he is no longer confounded, and a∣shamed, but wil be as jolly, and as merry as before. But if God indeed be pacified towards thy soul, thou wilt then be confounded, and ashamed for all the evils that thou hast done against him. This is as comfortable an argument that peace is made betwixt God, and us, and that he is reconciled towards us, as any I know, when upon the apprehension of that peace and Reconciliation we come to be confounded in our own Souls.

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Fourthly, One that is at peace with God, wil ever∣more be on Gods side, he wil go which way the cause of God goes, and he wil be content though it be never so dangerous to venture himself on Gods side. As such a one by a secret instinct from God himself is able to know and distinguish which is Gods side, and he is not so full of questions as others are: So being once reconci∣led to God, and at friendship with him, he will alwaies be on that side. Many wil say, indeed if we knew which were Gods side, we would be of it: friends, the reason why you find it so hard to find, and discern the side of God, and to know it, it is because you are not friends to God; if God were thy friend, his secrets would

be made known unto thee: try now whether it be so with thee or no: where ever thou art; if there be side∣ing against God, though there be but few that stand up for him, and his Cause, thou wilt be sure to joyn with them that stand for God, though they be the fewest, and though they be meanest in the Town where thou livest: this is a true argument that thou art one that art at peace with God.

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Fifthly, If thou beest at peace with God, this peace hath a great deal of power to preserve thee from evill Phil. 4.7. The Peace of God shall keep your hearts, saith the Text,* 1.1 shall guard your hearts, So the word is, it wil guard as a House is guard∣ed with a Troop of Horse, or Band of Souldiers: if temptations come, the peace of God will guard your hearts, and keep you in a gracious frame, it wil be of a mighty power to keep the soul from evil, I do not know a stronger guard in the world to keep a man from the evil of sin, than the peace of God made known unto the Soul is.

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Again, if thou beest at peace with God,* 1.2 this peace wil enable thee to suf∣fer much in Gods cause. Eph. 6.15. Being shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace; that is, the Peace that the Gospel doth bring will enable thee to tread upon sharp stones; for, from thence the phrase is taken, and signifies as much. In those places they use to go with Sandals under their feet, it being grievous,

and hurtfull to them to go barefoot upon sharp stones. So saith the Apostle, you may meet with rough, and sharp waies in your Christian course, but the Peace which the Gospel doth bring wil be as shooes to enable you to go upon those sharp stones. Doth the peace of God enable you to suffer much for God? it is a sign then that you are at Peace with him.

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Lastly, He that is at Peace with God, doth set a mighty high esteme upon that peace, he wil not easily part with it, he wil not easily lose it, that is the Bird in the bosom that he desires to keep singing, whatsoever becomes of him, so long as he can keep that Bird singing in his brest, he thinks himself wel enough, though he should meet with never so many difficulties, and hard∣ships in the waies of God. One that hath got this peace with God knows how to prise it, for the truth is, ordi∣narily, it is gotten with a great deal of difficulty, it cost them somewhat, and it cost Jesus Christ somwhat before they could get it. Hast thou got peace with God? if it be of the right stamp, know, it cost thee dear, and it cost Jesus Christ dear, and surely now thou hast it, it wil be dear likewise to thy soul: So that if Sin should present it self to thee, and goe about to withdraw thy heart from God unto that which is evil, this wil be the very thought of thy heart (though perhaps there may be pleasure and profit in the way which sin presents to thee) this wil be the very thought of thy heart, Wil it not hin∣der my peace with God? If there be the least suspition of that, away with it saith the soul, I wil not buy the pleasure, or the profit of sin at so dear a rate. It saith un∣to sin as the Figg Tree, and Olive Tree, said unto the other Trees when they would come and perswade them to rule over them. Shal I lose my sweetness saith the Figg Tree, and my fattness saith the Olive Tree, to come and be King over you? So saith the heart that is reconci∣led unto God, when sin, and the world presents them∣selves

to it, shal I lose my sweetenss, and my fatness? shal I lose that blessed quietude that is between God and me, to come, and close with you? O, God forbid, surely, I wil never buy the sweet of Sin at such a dear rate. It is true indeed, the men of the world who have a false peace, wil venture that peace upon any light oc∣casion. If a man have a Jewel that is but a false Jewel, such a thing as a Bristoll stone is, that it may be is not worth two pence, he wil not be much careful of it. But if he have a Jewel that is a true Diamond or that is a right Pearl, he wil not venture that upon a little matter. The Peace that most men have, is a counterfeit false Peace and they wil soon venture it upon any tearms. These men that can so readily yield to the Temptations of sin; it is an evident argument, that the Peace they have is but a false peace, and that is the reason they can part with it upon such easie conditions. But the soul that hath true peace with God, looks upon it as a Jewel of an in∣estimable value, as a precious Pearl: Here is my happi∣ness saith he, you shall not have this away from me with a whistle, with a light matter, I will not part with this so, which cost me so dear, and which cost Jesus Christ himself so dear, no less than his own blood. Most people in the world think they have peace with God, but let me ask, what did your peace cost you? It cost little, and so lightly come lightly go: that is the reason of al your loose professors that walk so carelesly in their waies, the peace they have had comes lightly to them, and so goes lightly away from them, they have patched to themselves a peace, but they have not the right understanding of the mystery of the souls Re∣conciliation to God, and that is the very ground of the looseness of their conversations.

Thus I have endeavoured to help you to examine your peace whether it be true, or no. If you can upon these signes, or notes conclude your peace to be right; Blessed are you, go your waies rejoycing, and joyn with

the Angels in their song; Glory be to God in Heaven, and peace on Earth; glory be to the great God that is on high, that hath not only made peace on Earth, but made peace in my bosom; and therefore O my soul re∣turne unto thy rest. Thy soul may now even take its ease. You have a notable expression concerning this in Psal. 25.12. where speaking of the happiness of the godly, he saith, What man is he that feareth the Lord, his soul shal dwel at ease; O! it is a blessed thing to have a soul dwel at ease. You would fain have comfortable Ha∣bitations for your bodies where you may live at ease, and not be disturbed, or be troubled, either with il neighbors, or with fear of enemies; O! but to have your Souls dwel at ease, that is your happiness: and therefore, though in many places of the nation our Brethren abroad can have no houses wherein they may live at ease, but are alwaies in great streights and dangers, yet by this peace with God, if it be made sure unto thee, though thou wert in the midst of thy enemies, thy soul may come to dwel at ease. Remember that place therefore, it is a blessed and a sweet promise, and you should make much of it in such troublesome times as these are, that he that fears the Lord, his soul shal dwel at ease.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Keep as with aguard, or as in a garison. So∣lomons Bed was not so wel guarded, Cant. 3.7, 8. as a Saint is, by the power of God without him, and the Peace of God within him.
• * 1.2

  As one that is wel booted or buskin'd can walk unhurt a∣midst briers and brambles. So may he amidst Satans snares that is fortifi¦ed with Gospel com∣forts, whereby God creates Peace.