In this abridged extract from Gospel Conversation by Jeremiah Burroughs (reviewed on the next page) the author shows that because the gospel is glorious, the conversation (that is, the conduct) of the Christian should be to the glory of the gospel, and reflect the glory of the gospel.
THE gospel of Christ is a glorious gospel, 1 Timothy 1:11. It is called there “the glorious gospel of the blessed God.” Mark what a title is here! The gospel is the glorious gospel of the blessed God because the glory of all the attributes of God appear in the gospel more brightly than they do in all the works that God has made.
There appears a great deal of the glory of God in the heavens, earth, and seas. You have seen much of the glory of God there, but have you seen more of the glory of God in the gospel than ever you did in all the works that God has made? If that be so it would be a good argument that you have had a true understanding of the gospel, and that the Spirit of God has shined in your hearts.
It is an evidence that the gospel is a saving gospel to your souls, if you admire the glory of God in the gospel. There is none, though never so weak in parts, yet if God has revealed Himself to him in the gospel, he sees that which makes him stand and admire God, and darkens all the world in his eyes. Have you seen the gospel thus? Then it is to you the glorious gospel of the blessed God.
In Second Corinthians we read, “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of
Christ should shine into them.” Note this: he has blinded the minds of those who do not believe. If any who live under the gospel do not believe, it is because the devil, as he prevails in the world and by worldly things, hoodwinks the eyes of those who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the express image of God, should shine into them.
Oh, the devil is loath that the glorious gospel should shine into the hearts of men. He labours to prevent the light of the glorious gospel of Christ from shining into them; for he knows that once it has shined into men’s hearts, then all the glory of the world will be darkened in their eyes, and they will admire nothing but Christ. They will then say, “Oh, none but Christ, none but Christ! Whom have I in heaven but Christ, and there is none upon earth that I desire in comparison of my dearest Saviour, who is the fairest of ten thousand! I never knew God before I saw Him in the face of Jesus Christ; and now that I see God in the face of His Son, I see Him in another way than I ever did.”
Oh, the gospel is a glorious gospel! There is more of the glory of God in one sentence of the gospel than in all the heavens and earth beside.
Now, our conversation must be as becomes the gospel. There must be a glory in our conversation; we must hold forth the glory of the gospel in our lives. Therefore, professors of the gospel should shine as lights in the world.
I beseech you to mark this one note: surely, you who are professors of the gospel should live so as to be the glory of the glorious gospel. What manner of persons ought we to be then? It is not enough that our conversation is not defiled with the filthy and abominable pollution of the world, but our conversation should be such as is a glory to the glorious gospel.
Look in the gospel. There shine the attributes of God. So, in our lives, there should be shining the glorious attributes of God, that all who behold our conversation may admire the attributes of God shining in our lives, and glorify our Heavenly Father. A child of God who keeps close to God and lives holily in this world shines out more of the glory of God to the world than the sun in the firmament. A Christian who professes the gospel, and walks answerably to the gospel, is a more glorious creature in this world than the sun in the firmament.