The Works of Jeremiah Burroughs 8, Treatise · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI.
A Seventh Corollarie.] If Sin hath done thus much againſt God, then all that are now converted had need do much for God.
SEventhly, Another is this, If Sin have done ſo much againſt God, and ſo much wronged God, hence it follows, That all thoſe that have heretofore lived in a ſinful way, and God hath now been pleaſed to enlighten them, and work upon their hearts, had need now do much for God: This follows cleerly, thou didſt heretofore live in waies of ſin, and what didſt thou do in all this? Nothing but ſtrike at God, and wrong God all that time of thy Natural Eſtate, till God opened thine eyes, and awakened thy conſcience: Oh think now what a deal of wrong have I done to God all my life, if I have done nothing elſe? well, now God opens thine eyes, Oh now thou hadſt need to do much for God. If God have ſhewed himſelf, and given hopes of merciemercy, and that he hath pardoned me; this will certainly prevail with any heart that God hath turned: What! have I done ſo much againſt God heretofore! Oh I have cauſe to ſeek the honor of God upon my hands and feet all my daies, that if I can do any thing for God: What! I ſuch a vile wretch, and yet out of Hell! yea, and hope to be pardoned! Oh any thing I can do for him, though to creep upon my hands and feet all my daies in this world, to ſuffer all the hardſhips in the world, ſhame, loſs of eſtate, any thing in the world; no matter how great and hard the ſuffering be that God calls for. There is infinite Reaſon I ſhould do and ſuffer all for God, for I have wronged God by ſin, and thus we ſhall turn ſin to grace as it were, and of Poyſon make an Antidote againſt poyſon, by taking advantage by ſin to be more obedient unto God. You that have been ſwearers and wronged God that way, now ſanctifie Gods Name the other way: You that have broken ſo many Sabbaths, now ſanctifie Sabbaths: true, all that you can do cannot make up the wrong, but that will ſhew thy good will, that thou wilt do what thou canſt, and manifeſt to God and all the world, That if thou hadſt ten thouſand times more ſtrength than thou haſt thou couldeſt lay it out for God; and certainly any man or woman that have been great ſinners, if God have humbled them and pardoned them, they wil be great Saints for the time to come: Carry this home with you, any that have been vile, perhaps you think you have grace becauſe you are not ſo vile as heretofore you have been; but certainly if you have grace, there will be a proportionableneſs between the holineſs of your lives now, and your wicked life before; you will take advantage, I have wronged God ſo before, now I muſt live thus and thus: It will be ſo between man and man, if one have wronged you, and you have pardoned him, you expect he ſhould do, what he can for you: Thus it ſhould be with God and you, you have wronged God, others have ſinned as well as you, and others ſins have been furthered by you; this now ſhould inflame your hearts, I have ſin enough in my ſelf, and I have been the cauſe of it in thouſand thouſand ſins in others, my ſins ſtrike againſt God, yea, and I have cauſed others to ſin and ſtrike againſt God: now if I could draw ſome from ſin, I ſhould think it the happieſt thing in the world; I would creep upon my hands and knees to draw others from ſin to God, to be in love with the waies of God, and of Religion. Oh you that have been forward in ſin, don't think it enough that now you be troubled for your ſins and leave them; but know, you muſt do for God now as much as you have done againſt him; he requires it of you: Oh go to your friends, and acquaintance, and kindred, and labor to draw them off from ſin; tell your kindred, and friends, and acquaintance, Oh Brother, that you did but know what ſin means; Oh Siſter, that you did but underſtand what it is to ſin againſt God: God hath ſhewed me in ſome meaſure; yea, I that went on in ſuch and ſuch ſins; Oh I ſee how I ſtruck at God, and what an evil this is; Oh that God would enlighten your eyes: Come and hear the Word, I thought lightly of ſin before, now I have gone and heard, and God hath ſhewed me what it was; Oh that God would make you ſee: And pray for them, and take no nay, but to them again and again, that ſo you may do ſomwhat for God as you have done abundance of wrong againſt God.