Christ Inviting Sinners to Come to Him for Rest, Treatise · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
The Reaſons of the former Point. 1. Becauſe coruption (when it prevailes) weakens the heart. 2. By it God is diſhonoured. 3. By it our holy profeſſion is ſcandalized. 4. By it they over whom it prevailes, are made uſeleſs in their places. 5. Thereby the meanes of grace are made unprofitable. 6. Thereby our peace with God is diſturbed. 7. Thereby the aſſurance of our Salvation is ſhaken.
NOw for that, to open it a little in the particulars, to ſhew, how burdenſome it is to the hearts of the Saints when they do prevaile in any meaſure, they do not put it off as carnal people do with this, we are al ſinners and it is Gods grace to keep us, and Lord have mercy on us and the like, no, but they account the prevailing of corruption the greateſt burden that they can goe under in the world, and that in theſe reſpects.
I
Firſt, Becauſe whenſoever corruption prevailes, in what degree ſoever, it weakens the heart, it weakens the ſoul; it may ſtir in the heart, and if the heart doth repulſe it, and get ſtrength againſt it, the heart is not weak as before, but if it prevail in any degree, it weakens the heart; now we know, that which is weak, is ſenſible of a burden quickly, a ſick man is a burden to himſelf, and every thing is a burden to him, now when any corruption prevailes, it makes the ſoul ſick, and every thing is a burden to it and I beſeech you conſider, here is a reaſon why you are ſo weak and are able to beare no other burdens, If any body croſſe you, when you come home, wife, Children, or ſervants croſs you, you cannot beare it, if neighbours croſs you, you are able to beare nothing, there is a reaſon in this that you do not think of, you have weakened your hearts by ſome ſin or other, and broke your peace with God it may be, and now your hearts come to be weake, you are like a ſick man, that cryes out upon any thing, one that is ſick cryes out upon every thing, wheras if he were ſtrong & healthful he could bear a hundred times more; ſo you have brought a ſickneſs upon your ſouls, there is ſome ſin that hath prevailed wth you: prevailed over you, and by that hath weakened your heart and your ſpirit, now being weake you can beare nothing, every thing is a greivous burden to you, ſo that the prevailing of corruption comes to be burdenſome in this reſpect, becauſe it weakens the heart, and makes every thing burdenſome to them.
II
Secondly, The Saints and people of God they account the priviledge of corruption to be the greateſt burden in this reſpect, becauſe they know that now they diſhonor God, eſpecially if it prevail ſo as to breake forth outwardly, that it comes to an outward actual ſin, then it muſt needs be burdenſome to one that is gracious, for the name of the bleſſed God ſuffers by this my ſin that hath prevailed, al the while ſin was but ſtirring in my heart, and did not prevail, the name of God hath not that diſhonor as now it hath, now when ſin hath prevailed it diſhonors God, and therefore it is a burden unto the Saints.
III
Thirdly, It is a burden becauſe it may be my holy profeſſion is ſcandalized by it, and is not this a burden? howſoever many wretched men and women, wil ſay, they care not, let others ſay and think of them what they wil: but now Godly men, and women, when rhey think of this, they cry out O What wil the wicked ſay of this! how wil they blaſpheme the name of God, and diſhonor the name of God; and this wil be a burden to them, becauſe thereby their holy profeſſion is ſcandalized.
IV
Fourthly, 'Its a burden, becauſe hereby they come to be made uſeleſs in the places where they live: many though they may have ſome ſoundneſs of grace in them, and may go to heaven at laſt, yet their corruption prevailing over them, they come thereby to be very uſeleſs in the places where they live, they may live, but themſelves wil be burdens upon the earth, for they are never like to be uſed, to do any great ſervice for God in the world, they have ſo ſcandalized their profeſſion by the prevailing of Corruption.
V
Fifthly, When corruption prevailes over the Saints, as it makes them unprofitable, ſo it makes the meanes of grace exceeding unprofitable too, it hardens there hearts, and they come to prayer, hearing the word, and Sacraments and find little good: many of you complain you find not profit by prayer, and hearing the word, and Sacrament; what is the reaſon? ſuch and ſuch corruptions have prevailed over you, it may be there are ſome ſins that you live in, that have prevailed over you, and therefore no marvel you do not profit as you deſire.
VI.
Sixthly, The prevailing of Corruption is a grievous Burden in this regard, becauſe it is that that doth extreamly diſturbe ones peace between God and our Soul; though there be many temptations, yet if the heart can conquer them, it hath more peace by that means, never hath the ſoul ſo much peace, as when there hath been ſtrong temptations unto ſin, and a conquering over thoſe temptations: but if temptation conquer, then there wil be a diſturbance of our peace, and that is burdenſome to thoſe that do know what peace with God doth mean.
VII.
Seventhly, The prevailing of Corruption is a grievous Burden, becauſe it is that many times, that ſhakes the aſſurance of thoſe that are godly. I know not what thoſe men would make of the Lords Prayer, Forgive us our Sins, if ſo be that they think whatſoever ſin they fal into, yet ſtil they can keep up their aſſurance as much as before, I ſay, what would they make of that petition, Lord! forgive us our Sins? at leaſt, to pray thus, Lord! cleer up the evidence of the forgiveneſs of our ſins, then it muſt needs follow, that the falling into any ſin, and the prevailing of any Corruption, muſt needs ſhake our aſſurance while we live here in this world, now is not this a Burden to any man or Woman that heretofore had aſſurance of Gods love, and was able to look in Gods Face with joy, to have this aſſurance ſhaken? Yea, Many times, it makes God withdraw his countenance, which made David Cry out, Reſtore to me the Joy of thy Salvation. As if he ſhould ſay, Lord, I was wont to have joy in thy company, in communion with thee, but thou haſt eſtranged thy ſelf from my Soul, O Lord, reſtore unto me the joy of thy Salvation. Now is not this a burden, for thee to looſe the ſweetneſs of thy Soul in communion with God? That now, though it may be it is through thy weakneſs or what it wil be, yet thou canſt not look upon God with that comfort as thou would'ſt, but the thought of God comes to be a terror upon thy ſpirit, is not this a burden? Now then, is there any poor Soul that underſtands what theſe things mean? What a Burden the remaining Corruption of the Heart is, either in regard of the ſinfulneſs of Nature, or in regard of the ſtirring of Corruption, or in regard of the prevailing of Corruption, that now they have no Reſt in their ſouls, but are Laden with ſuch a Burden, and cry out with the Apoſtle, Oh! Wretched Man and Woman that I am, who ſhal deliver me? let ſuch a ſoul know, that this text belongs to them, Come unto me, ſaith Chriſt, and I wil give you Reſt from this Burden, as wel as the other Burdens; and our Reſt is only in Chriſt from this, as wel as the Burden of the guilt of ſin, the Burden of the Law, and the other burdens that have been ſpoken unto.