Christ Inviting Sinners to Come to Him for Rest, Treatise · Chapter 30
CHAP. XXX.
The Reſt that beleevers have from the Burden of the Law by coming to Chriſt, laid out in Ten particulars. 1. They do not ſtand or fall for life by the Law. 2. The Law-giver is the Redeemer. 3. The leaſt ſpark of Grace is accepted. 4. Their wil ſhal be accepted as the deed. 5. Obedience is required in a ſweet and gentle way. 6. The Grace of God in Chriſt doth melt the heart. 7. Their ſins make them an object of Gods pity. 8. They have Chriſt to undertake for them as a ſurety. 9. They are delivered, and yet ſatisfaction is made to the law. 10. They have aſſurance that they ſhal never forfeit the covenant of Grace they are under by Chriſt.
NOW then, from al theſe, we ſhal lay downe ſeveral propoſitions, wherein you may ſee what is the eaſe and reſt that beleevers have in Chriſt, in being delivered thus from the law. Take the eaſe that comes by Chriſt from hence, in theſe ſeveral particulars, O! thou beleever, that art under the load of the law, and come to Chriſt.
Firſt, Know, That thou doſt not ſtand and fal for thy eternal eſtate by the law, that is the firſt Eaſe and Reſt, the law indeed may threaten thee, and dreadful things may be revealed by it againſt thee, but be of good comfort in this, thy eternal eſtate ſhal not be caſt by it, it is ful of ſeverity, but thou art ſo far free, that whereas before thou didſt depend and rely upon that for thy eternal condition, now thou art out of the power, out of the reach of it, ſo far that it hath not to do with thee, to caſt thy ſoul for thy eternal eſtate; we would not be at the diſpoſe of any man that we look upon as ful of ſeverity and rigor in matters of great conſequence, but we do deſire rather to be, in ſuch caſes, at the diſpoſe of men, who are ful of pitty and compaſſion, know, O! thou beleever, who art in Chriſt, that thou art not at the diſpoſe of the Law, that is ful of ſeverity, for thy everlaſting condition, but thou art at the diſpoſe of the Goſpel, of the covenant of grace, that is fild as ful with mercy and compaſſion, as an infinite wiſdom could deviſe, it hath that fulneſs of compaſſion, more then poſſibly al the wiſdom of the angels in heaven, and men upon earth could ever have deviſed or thought on, beyond their imagination: Now for one to be at the diſpoſe of a man in matters of the greateſt concernment, that hath as much mercy in him, as ever man had in this world, yea, as much mercy in him as were in al the men in the world, If al the mercy that were in al the men in the world were put into one, the heart of one man, and you were to be at his diſpoſe in a matter of the greateſt concernment, you would think your ſelves wel, whereas before you lay at the mercy of a man that is very rigorous, and ful of ſeverity, now you come to ly at the mercy of a man that hath al the bowels and tender compaſſions of al the men in the world, would you not think this a good change? this is the change and the reſt that thou haſt when thou comeſt to Chriſt, wheras thy ſoul, thy eternal eſtate, lay at the diſpoſe of the Law that is ful of rigor, and ſeverity, now thy eternal eſtate doth depend upon a Covenant, that is as ful of grace and mercy as thy ſoul could deſire, thy ſoul cannot deſire a covenant to be fuller of grace and mercy, then that covenant that thy everlaſting eſtate depends upon, and muſt be caſt by, and is not here reſt now for a beleever if he doth underſtand this aright? that is the firſt thing, wherein the reſt of a beleever conſiſts by Chriſt, as being freed from the Law.
2ly, now he that is the lawgiver, is thy redeemer, thou comeſt now to receiv the law from the hand of a mediator & here indeed is the principle eaſe and reſt of a gracious heart, to the mind of a Saint, a beleever, that now he comes to receive the Law from the hand of a mediator. There is many that ſpeake of deliverance from the Law as it came by Moſes, but if we underſtand things aright, we have no ſuch cauſe to think that neceſſary, to be delivered from the Law as it came by Moſes in one ſence, that is thus, Moſes was a tipe of Chriſt as a Mediator, for ſo he is called a Mediator, in Gal. 3.19. It was ordained by Angels in the hand of a mediator. God made uſe of the miniſtry of the Angels in delivering the law, and he gave it in the hand of a mediator, not to the people immediately, for they were not able to beare it, but in the hand of Moſes, becauſe he was to bring the Law from God unto them, and it was not immediately given unto them, but in his hand as in the hand of a Mediator. Now Moſes is called a Mediator here, as a tipe of Chriſt, as he was a tipe of Chriſt; as he was a tipe of Chriſt in diverſe reſpects, ſo in this, and he tipified Chriſt in this particular, that the Law to beleevers, comes not unto them meerly from God as a righteous and juſt God, as their Judg, but comes unto them in the hand of Chriſt as their Mediator, and there is a great deal of comfort in the Law to receive it thus, to receive it from the hand of Chriſt who is their Mediator, and (as I ſhewed before) who is their advocate; for ſo he is called in ſcripture: that now they ſhould receive the Law by his hand, that is at the right hand of the Father, to be their advocate, to plead for them when they ſhal through infirmity break the law; this is a mighty reſt to the ſoul, therefore beleevers are to look upon the Law coming from God, but coming from God in the hand of a Mediator, to look upon their mediator as indeed their Law-giver, not only handing the Law to them as Moſes did, but the truth is, the Law-giver himſelf, Chriſt the Mediator hands the Law to them, yea, is their Law-giver, and receives the Law for them: now this muſt needs be a great eaſe, a great Reſt to the Soul, if it underſtands this aright.
Thirdly, In Chriſt now thy condition is ſuch, that though there be never ſo many imperfections, never ſo many weakneſſes, Yea, ſtrong Corruptions, yet if there be but the leaſt Spiritual good, the leaſt work of Gods Grace in thee, the Lord hath a ſpecial Eye to that little good that there is in thee, and all thy Corruptions, all thy imperfections ſhall not hinder the acceptation of the little ſpark of good that is in thy Soul, this is our freedome by Chriſt: For in the opening of the Law, there I ſhewed, that whatever good man doth do being under the Law, let it be what it wil, yet except it be perfect, it is al rejected. All that are in their natural condition, and under the firſt Covenant, whatever they do, if there be any imperfection mingled with it, it is not at al accepted, but here is the Reſt that beleevers have, that the caſe is altered with them. Now though there be much corruption remaining in them, if the Lord ſees but one ſpark of grace, though never ſo weak, though it be but as the ſmoking flax, as the bruiſed Reed, yet they are accepted of God, having but the leaſt ſpark of any good at al in them: this is a mighty eaſe to the Souls of thoſe that labor under the bondage of the Law, That before ſeeing ſo much Corruption in their Hearts they had little Hopes of acceptation of any thing that was in them, now the Lord hath regard to any thing that is good, be it never ſo ſmal, Yea, And he wil find it out too. Perhaps thy Grace may be ſo ſmal, that it may be buried in the he… of Corruption, that thou ſhalt not be able to find it out. The condition of ſome Chriſtians is, as a Maid that ſhal go in the morning to the hearth, and there raking up and down in the aſhes, to ſee if ſhe can find ſome ſpark of fire, and ſhe finds none, and is ready to think there is none there, but perhaps there may ſome ſpark lie in a corner, though ſhe finds it not: So it is here, corruption in the Heart is like the Aſhes, and Grace is like ſome ſpark that lies in a Corner, and when poor Souls go to examin their Hearts, they ſee a great deal of Aſhes, a great deal of Corruption, and are ready to conclude, the fire is out, no ſpark there, I but, though rhou canſt not find a ſpark there, yet being in Chriſt, God will find it when thou canſt not thy ſelf, if there be any that lies in any corner, as we hope there is ſome ſparks in many, though there is ſo much Corruption in the Hearts of many godly people, that we wonder where their Grace lies, ſo much paſſion, frowardneſs, and the like, well, were it indeed that theſe were under the Covenant of works, under the Law, that corruption that doth appear in them would cauſe all to be caſt off, whatever might lie ſecretly in their Hearts, God would caſt it off, but now, if they be ſuch as are under the Covenant of Grace, and the Lord hath brought them to Chriſt, this is the Reſt and eaſe for their Souls, that all the Corruption that is in them ſhall not hinder the acceptation of the leaſt ſpark of the Grace of God that the Lord hath wrought in them.
Fourthly, As the Lord wil find out every ſpark of good that is in them, ſo even their deſires and endeavors after the will of God, though they are not able to attaine to what they would, it ſhal be accepted as the deed. The other was, ſuppoſe you do not do the will of God, yet if there be any habit, any diſpoſition, any principle of Grace, though nothing be done, though they cannot perceive any begining of it, yet that ſhal, be accepted; but this is further; let them but ſtrive to do Gods will, let them Labor after perfection, and the Lord accepts the will for the deed. Hence in Scripture thoſe that are godly are called perfect, As many as are perfect, and Be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.
Queſt. You will ſay, Can we be perfect in this World.
Anſw. No, But this is the Grace of God in the Goſpel, that thoſe that come to Chriſt, the Lord accepts the will for the deed, here is bleſſed eaſe and Reſt for the Soul in Chriſt, wert thou under the Law, this could not be, and though men ſay they do, and they Hope God will accept of their deſires and endeavors. It is true, if thou art come to Chriſt, Chriſt will accept thee; but know this, that it is the priviledg of a beleever, it is not the priviledg of every one; there is a generation of men that are under the Law, whoſe deſires ſhall not be accepted, as I ſhewed in opening of the burden of the Law, But the man that doth theſe things ſhall live by them, So runs the Tenure of the Law, but here is eaſe for thy Soul, if thou doeſt underſtand how the Law runs, thy Heart cannot but ſink within thee, but this is that that gives eaſe to the Soul, I am now come under another condition, I being in Chriſt, Chriſt gives Reſt and eaſe unto the Souls of thoſe that come to him, that their deſires and endeavors ſhal he accepted of God as performances, now this is a bleſſed eſtate.
Fifthly, The Reſt of the Soul in Chriſt, as it hath reference to deliverance from the burden of the Law, conſiſts in this, That now al the Duties that God requires at thy hand, are required in a ſweet and a gentle way, the ſervices that God requires, are required of thee in a gentle, and a loving way, God indeed comes and requires the ſame things that the Law requires of thee, I but, he comes to draw thy Soul with the Cords of Love, We beſeech you (ſaith the Apoſtle) by the mercies of God, Rom. 12.1. That you give up your ſelves a living ſacrifice Holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reaſonable Service. We beſeech you by the mercies of God. Now the bond-ſlaves that are under the Law, they have not Duties required of them by ſuch cords and bonds of Love, but if thou doſt theſe things thou ſhalt live, if not thou ſhalt die, do and live, ſin and die, ſo the Law requires duties at your hands that are under the bondage of the Law: but now beleevers in Chriſt their duties are required by the mercies of God, We as Embaſſadors beſeech (ſaith the Apoſtle) And if there be any Love any Conſolation. Such kind of arguments are uſed to them, and were it that we preached only to beleevers, theſe kind of arguments were only neceſſary, and it becomes thoſe that are drawn by the Goſpel, to be drawn by ſuch arguments, and it is a good argument that your Souls are drawn by the power of the Goſpel, and are come to Chriſt, if you find the Lord doth draw your Hearts that way, and that thoſe Duties of obedience that formerly you were put upon in a rigorous way, meerly by the terror of your conſciences, your conſciences flaſhing Hell fire in your Faces if you did not perform them, if now you find, that the Grace of God in the Goſpel draws your Hearts more powerfully. It is true, every way you ſhould give to God obedience, upon any tearms, but now, when you find, that God draws your Souls this way, it is an argument that you come to have Reſt in Chriſt. We read in the Hiſtory of the Ceremonial Law, a type of theſe things that I am now ſpeaking of, that the Book of the Law was laid under the mercy ſeate, you ſhal find in the ſtory, that the Book of the Law was laid under the mercy ſeate between the Cherubins under the mercy ſeate, there the Book of the Law was laid, that was the place that God appointed for it; to ſhew, that even thus doth the Law of God come now upon the Hearts of beleevers, it comes upon them as it were under the mercy ſeat, in the mercy ſeat beleevers look upon the Book of the Law, lying at the mercy ſeat, that is, every Commandement comes unto them in a gracious, alluring way, together with abundance of mercy, to draw their Hearts unto the obedience of it.
Sixthly, Coming to Chriſt, you have reſt from the Law in this, that the Grace of God in Chriſt doth much melt the Heart, and when it hath melted the Heart, to milk out the flagons of it, then this melting of Heart is accepted exceedingly by God, is very precious in the Eyes of God; now this comes from the Grace of God that we have in Chriſt, and it is a mighty Reſt of Soul to know this. As I told you before, It is not enough for any of you to ſay, it is true, we are all ſinners, but God knows I mourn for my ſins, I am troubled for my ſins, that is not enough for thee, friend, but art thou one that art delivered from thy natural condition? From being under the Covenant of works? Art thou one that is come to Chriſt, and brought to Chriſt? Art thou one that is in the ſtate of beleevers, being a member of Chriſt? Then thy repentance and mourning is acccepted.
As now it is in many Caſes between Men and Men; ſome men are in ſuch a Capacity, that if they do ſuch a thing, it is accepted, but if another man, that is not in the ſame Capacity do the ſame thing, he will not be accepted; ſo it is here, thoſe men that are in this Capacity in Chriſt, and have together with the ſorrowes for their ſins, the ſorrows of Chriſt preſented to the Father. Canſt thou when thou art ſorrowing for thy ſins, preſent the ſorrows of Jeſus Chriſt by Faith unto the Father? Then thou art accepted; but know this, that no ſorrow for ſin is accepted, but ſuch as is joyned with the preſentation of the ſorrows of Chriſt unto the Father. Now what an eaſe is this to the Soul! That now the Heart hath a means to melt it, for the Heart was hardened before, the ſorrow for ſin is ſuch, that the Heart remains hardned, it is no other ſorrow but this, as it is with Marble-ſtones, the Marble-ſtone is hard, but yet in wet wether it will give and be very moiſt, but ſtil it is as hard as it was, it is a ſtone ſtil: So it is with many that are troubled for their ſins, being only the trouble that comes from the Law, they are troubled but yet there remaines much hardneſs in their Heart, much peeviſhneſs and frowardneſs againſt God and againſt men. You ſhall find in many people who have trouble of conſcience, yet there is much peeviſhneſs and frowardneſs in them, againſt God and againſt man, now when you ſee this in the Hearts of people manifeſted in their expreſſions, waies, and converſations, remember the ſtones that you ſee upon pavements in wet wether, they give, and may be water trickles down from them, and yet they remain hard ſtill.
But now when the Goſpel comes, it doth not only cauſe ſome ſorrow, but the Heart melts, and this is accepted as very precious before God; and that is the Reaſon that we have in Scripture ſo many expreſſions of Gods high eſteem of broken Hearts and contrite Spirits, and how God looks at them. He that dwels on high, yet looks to him that is of an Humble and contrite Spirit, and that trembles at his word, and let me ſpeak this one word, for the eaſe of them that are troubled, and are come to Chriſt; thoſe tears that come from thy melted Heart, through the Grace of the Goſpel, they are of all things moſt precious in the Eyes of God, next to the blood of Chriſt, next to the drops of Chriſts blood, thy mourning, Lamenting Spirit, is one of the moſt precious things in the Eyes of God, God treaſures up every one of them, and this is the Reſt of the Soul, the Soul may have abundance of Reſt therefore in Chriſt, when thou comeſt to know that thy mourning for thy offences is accepted of God.
Seventhly, The eaſe that the Soul hath from the burden of the Law is this, That whereas before, through the ſeverity of the Law, ſin did make thy Soul an object of Gods wrath, take ſin as it was in it ſelf, and coming from thee, God having no reſpect in Chriſt towards thee, ſin made thy Soul an object of Gods wrath, Yea, and of hatred too, for ſo the Scripture tels us plainly, that the Lord hates the workers of iniquity; now being come to Chriſt according to this invitation, Come to me ye that are Laden, now your ſins being looked upon in Chriſt, do rather make you an object of pitty and compaſſion to God, not from any virtue, not from any thing in its own Nature, but in regard of your condition: as thus, let a tender Mother look upon the Child that is ſick, that is wounded; it is true, the Mother cannot Love the diſtemper, or love the wound, the Mother would not have the ſickneſs, or the wound upon the Child, but doth not the ſickneſs or wound that is upon the Child, make the Child to be an object of pitty and Compaſſion, Make the bowels of a tender Father and Mother, to yern ſo much the more to the Child? So here, the Lord now looks upon thy ſin, being in Chriſt, as thy ſickneſs, as thy wound, and therefore doth pitty thee, as under thy affliction rather then under thy ſin. For the truth is, all thoſe that are the Saints of God and are come to Chriſt, they look upon their own ſins as their affliction, as the greateſt affliction they have in the world, as I ſhewed when I ſpake of the load and Burden of Corruption that remaines in their Hearts, Now God therefore looks up on thy ſin as thine affliction, and as for any other thing that is thy affliction, as it is the breach of the Law or the like, Chriſt undertakes for that, and ſo thou art delivered from the wrath that it doth deſerve, and thoſe evil effects that ſhould come of it through the revenging juſtice of God, Chriſt hath undertaken it, but yet it remaines thy affliction, though thou art delivered from guiltineſs, and condemnation, yet one that hath a gracious Heart Reaſons thus. Though I be delivered from my ſin, from the Guilt of it, from the condemning power that the Law hath through my ſin, yet it is my affliction, my trouble, and ſo I look upon it, now peace and Reſt be to that Soul from what the Law can require, ſo that, as we go along, we may not only ſee the benefit we have by Chriſt, but who they are that are thus delivered, thoſe who though they know they are delivered from the Burden of it, yet they do account their ſins the afflictions of their Soul, whereas others, that are, meerly Legal, they apprehend their Souls as guilty and under condemnation, but if they were delivered from it they would look upon their ſins as their wounds and afflictions. The Saints, they ſee that they are now made the objects of Gods pitty and compaſſion towards them; and hence is the Reaſon, that Chriſt is willing if it be poſſible, to find many excuſes that may be made for his poor Servants, thou ſhalt not need to find out any excuſe, if there be any thing that may alleviate and leſſen thy ſin, Chriſt will find it our, and leſſen it for thee. You know what Chriſt ſaith to his Diſciples when they were ſleeping, and could not watch one hour, though he rebukes them, yet he ſaith, though the fleſh is weak, yet the Spirit is willing. Mark how Chriſt excuſe them, they do not ſay when Chriſt comes and ſaith, cannot you watch with me one hour? Alas it is true Maſter, the ſpirit is willing but the fleſh is weak, they do not ſay thus, but Chriſt ſaith ſo to them, and the truth is, this is the way, to leave their excuſe to Chriſt, their way is to aggravate their ſins as much as may be, and it is the temper of thoſe that are come to Chriſt, it is not their care to leſſen their ſins, but they do what they can to aggravate their ſins, and lay it upon their Hearts for the humbling of their Souls, but Chriſt undertakes to excuſe them. And therefore you that have ſo many excuſes for your ſin, juſt as your Grand-Father Adam had, he put it off to the Woman, and the Woman unto the Serpent, and one to another, ſo you, it is true, my Nature is paſſionate, and I am froward by Nature, and a hundred ſuch excuſes men have, whereas all thy care ſhould be to humble thy Soul for thy ſins, and if there be any thing to alleviate thy ſin, and leſſen it, Chriſt will do that, and the more thou excuſeſt thy ſelf, the greater will be thy ſin, and it is better for thee, for another to excuſe it, than thy ſelf. As when a Child or ſervant ſhal offend, and one that is a neer friend or neighbor ſhal come and excuſe them, this is a great deal better than if they did it themſelves. Now thoſe that are under the Law, they have no excuſe to be made for them, but thoſe that are come to Chriſt they have Chriſt to make al the excuſes for them.
Oh! take heed of abuſing the rich grace of God in Chriſt, this I know, that this is ſuch a pure quality, that it hath not ſuch a malignant quality in it that it wil be abuſed, and where you ſee any ſuch quality, know that they have it not aright, they have ſomething elſe inſtead of the thing, as ſometimes you ſhal ſee two things as like one another as can be, ſuppoſe drinks made with ſome kind of compoſition, they ſhal look juſt like one another, but one ſhal have ſome venom in it, enough to kil one, and the other ſhal be wholeſome and able to recover one, yet both ſhal have the ſame …ur, and the ſame taſt, ſo it is with the free grac… …d in Chriſt, you may have the ſame word ſpoken, …e thing expreſt to one and to another, the very ſame thing preached for the outſide of it, for the word, for the expreſſion in a ſermon, the ſame doctrin raiſed for the expreſſion, and yet they ſhal be ſo carried that one ſhal have a malignancy in it, and the other ſhal have a ſoveraigne power in it: now when the ſoul hath the true reſt in Chriſt, that reſt hath not ſuch a malignant power to make the heart worſe by it. But of that I ſhall ſpeake more afterwards.
Eighthly, When thou art come to Chriſt, thy ſoul may have reſt in him, for in Chriſt there is an undertaking by a ſurety through the grace of the goſpel in him, thou haſt revealed to thee, that there is an undertaking by ſurety, this is a deliverance from the Law, whereas the Law requires perfect obedience at our hands in our owne perſons, their Law requires of the ſoul that it ſhal pay the debt in its own perſon, the ſoul that ſins ſhal die, Now the grace of the Goſpel comes and tels thee of a ſurety, and ſuch a ſurety as God himſelf profeſſes he is wel pleaſed to accept of, and is as contented with him, as he is to have the debt paid by the creature, by the debtor himſelf, and this is a great eaſe; Would it not be a great eaſe to any of you, that when a creditor ſhal come upon you for a debt, layhold upon you, or put you in priſon, and afterwards the debt ſhould be paid by another and layd upon him, and the creditor ſhal accept of him, and the creditor ſhal ſay wel, wil this man be your ſurety and pay the debt, if ſo, then ſaith the creditor I am ſatisfied, I am contented, what eaſe is this unto the debtor. Thus it is with the ſoul that comes to Chriſt, when he hath been laden under the Law, and the Law comes to the ſoul for the payment of the debt, now coming to Chriſt imediately, Chriſt is entertained as the ſurety by God the father, and ſo there is the tranſaction of the debt upon him, th… eaſe from the Law in this relation.
Ninthly, … al this, there is this eaſe from the Law that the ſinn… … Chriſt is delivered from al this rigor, bondage, and other things that I ſpoke of in the Law, and yet ſo delivered from the Law by ſatisfaction to the Law, and this is further eaſe to the ſoul, I am delivered from the Law, But how? by ſatisfaction to the Law, there is ſatisfaction to the Law, that is ſuch ſatitfaction as the Law-giver himſelf doth accept of, which is only in Chriſt, not al that I can do, can poſſibly do it, if I could conceive that God were ſo merciful, as to accept of any thing I can do, yet it could not be ſatisfaction to the Law, but now our deliverance from the Law is in a way that is ſatisfaction unto the Law, and here now is eaſe, that the ſoul is freed ſo, as the Law is ſatisfied too.
Tenthly, Wheras the law required conſtant obedience, and if there were obedience to the end, to the laſt act, and the laſt act were ſin, al the other would be forgotten ſo as the ſoul would yet periſh notwithſtanding, and the Law could not aſſure any man of continuance to the end the law could never do it, could not aſſure any ſo long as they were under the power of it, though they had ability to obey, and they went on according to their ability, went on divers yeares, yet they could never have aſſurance but that they might fal at laſt and ſo periſh. Wel, but now coming to Chriſt there is not only ſatisfaction for what is paſt, but an aſſurance of holding out unto the end, an aſſurance that this covenant that thou art now come under in Chriſt, that there ſhal never be any forfiture of it? and that is a mighty eaſe and reſt, the ground and foundation of divers of theſe things were opened before, when I ſhewed how in Chriſt we were freed from the guilt of our ſins, but now theſe are things that do flow from thence, and the preſenting of theſe further, ſhewing the conſequences of what then was ſaid, may be further reſt unto the ſoul. For though I did al the other things as the principle of them, yet every poor ſoul is not able to draw forth every of theſe particulars, now that is the help of thoſe that are weake, to ſee the ſeveral ſteps of Gods grace in Chriſt, not only to ſee it in the lump, but ſee how it ſtreames in the particulars of it, to have theſe preſented before their ſouls, it is a mighty help to their faith and comfort, and this laſt that I have ſpoke of, it is not leſs then the reſt, but indeed it is the compleating of al the former, that the ſoul that comes to Chriſt, hath this reſt in Chriſt, that it is brought into a covenant, and with aſſurance that there ſhal never be any forfiture of that covenant, for it is a part of the covenant, that God ſhould give Grace unto the ſoul, ſo as is ſhal never come to forfeit, to looſe the bleſſing of the covenant, they may for the preſent looſe ſome comfort of the Covenant, but to be put from the bleſſing of the Covenant, it ſhal never be. It is a part of the purchaſe of the blood of Chriſt, that al that come to him ſhal never be caſt off from him again, it coſt the blood of Chriſt, and this is a priviledg that beleevers have more then ever Adam had, Adam was under a covenant of workes, and he was able to keep the Covenant, I but Adam never had this promiſe from God, that he ſhould never forfeit it, that he ſhould never ſo break the Covenant as to be undone, Adam never had that promiſe. But now, all beleevers that are come to Chriſt, they have this ingagement upon a ſure ground, for it is upon a dear purchaſe Chriſt hath laid down his blood for thee, for this thing as well as any other thing, that thy Soul may come into an everlaſting Covenant never to be forfeited. And now, if all theſe Particulars be put together, and theſe things be made cleer to the Soul by the Eye of Faith, if there be an Eye of Faith to behold the reality of all theſe things that I have perſented to you, I appeal to you, is there not Reſt to thoſe that come to Chriſt? Is it not worth a great deal of pains to come to Chriſt? Is there not that that will recompence all at laſt, whatever trouble there is at firſt, the work of humiliation and the like? yet when you come to Chriſt, there is that that wil recompence al your former trouble. As I ſaid before in the concluding of the other Particular, ſo may I ſay of this, as it is in Pſalm. 116. And now my Soul returne unto thy Reſt: So may all beleevers ſay upon good ground; if theſe things be true that we have now heard, Then my Soul returne unto thy Reſt, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee indeed. Oh therefore, be in Love with the Goſpel, ſtudy it much, look unto the depth of it, and prize Jeſus Chriſt, that hath purchaſed ſuch a Reſt unto your Soul. And you who are about coming to Chriſt, be Reſtleſs in your Spirits til you come to have this Reſt, and it were a lamentable thing that any thing in the world ſhould meet with you in the way and quiet your Hearts, that any thing ſhould quiet your Souls but Chriſt. And you that are beleevers improve this now, this is a ſpecial thing to be ſpoke of in this point, how beleevers ſhould improve this, and what it is that they ſhould learn by this, and how helpful this will be to them, and ſomthing for the ſatisfaction of thoſe that doubt that they are not beleevers; but we cannot do all things at once, this ſhall ſuffice for the preſent, the meer preſenting to your Souls what Reſt there is in Chriſt from the load of the Burden of the Law, from the load that many feel to be upon their Souls through the burden of the Law.