HOW TO LIVE PIOUSLY IN ALL AREAS OF LIFE
Written in 1646, this essential work by the prominent congregational Puritan leader, Jeremiah Burroughs, offers an introspective look at how Christians should live their lives according to the teachings of Christ.
Composed of ten sermons based on Philippians 1:27, "Gospel Conversation" is divided into two fundamental sections. The first examines the care Christians should take in their conduct, emphasizing the importance of reflecting God's image and promoting His designs in the world. The second part delves into how believers' conduct should be in harmony with the Gospel of Christ, rising above the standards set by natural law and Mosaic law. Burroughs not only addresses Christian conduct in terms of worshiping God and loving enemies but also explores topics such as divine mercy, reconciliation with sinners, and the value God places on each soul. Furthermore, this work includes two notable appendices that explore the spiritual and providential kingdom of Christ and the misery of those who seek satisfaction only in earthly pleasures.
This work constitutes a complete guide to a genuine and dedicated Christian life, urging readers to align their lives with the principles of the Gospel. Gospel Conversation remains a source of inspiration and challenge for contemporary Christians, inviting them to a deep examination of their own lives and practices.
The book's introduction provides essential historical context for its understanding, emphasizing the importance of interpreting historical texts like this within their specific framework. Additionally, the book explores the influence of natural law on Christian ethics and Burroughs' two-kingdom political theory, offering a unique perspective on Puritan political theology and its relevance in the contemporary debate on ethics and politics. With a pioneering approach based on an exhaustive analysis of primary sources, Gospel Conversation is presented as an essential work for understanding the depth and complexity of Puritan political theology.
"This masterful treatise addresses the righteous life of believers. It includes seven sermons on Philippians 1:27 ("Let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ"), three on John 18:36 ("My kingdom is not of this world"), and one sermon on Exodus 14:13, titled "The Duty of Saints in Difficult Times." Burroughs moves the reader to lament their state of alienation and to long for the spring of holiness, union, and communion with Christ. He emphasizes that there can be no works of sanctification before union with Christ. But once in Christ, the Christian must give evidence of that union by fervently pursuing the godly life to which God calls him. Good works are dangerous if they become the foundation of justification, but they are necessary and useful in sanctification. The conversation and conduct of believers should be on a higher plane than that of unbelievers." JOEL BEEKE
About the author:
Jeremiah Burroughs (1599 – 1646) was an English congregationalist and a well-known Puritan preacher. Burroughs studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and graduated in 1624 but left the university due to his nonconformity with the established Church. He was assistant to Edmund Calamy in Bury St. Edmunds and, in 1631, appointed rector of Tivetshall, Norfolk. Suspended for nonconformity in 1636 and deprived shortly after, he went to Rotterdam (1637) and there was "teacher" of the English church. He returned to England in 1641 and served as a preacher in Stepney and Cripplegate, London. He was a member of the Westminster Assembly and one of the few who opposed the Presbyterian majority.
