Christ Inviting Sinners to Come to Him for Rest, Treatise · Chapter 31
CHAP. XXXI.
Containeth divers Conſequences from the Reſt beleevers have from the Burden of the Law. And Leſſons they are taught from thence.
TO proceed now, There are divers things that follow from hence, from the reſt that we have in Chriſt from the Burden and load of the Law.
I ſhall ſpeak very breifly of them, and ſo paſs to what remaines, in the next burden, and reſt to that.
From hence follows exceeding help unto beleevers againſt divers temptations that do exceedingly trouble the peace and Reſt of their ſouls, if they be delivered from the Law in thoſe ſeveral reſpects as at large hath been opened to you.
1. Then firſt from the Meditation of this their delivery they may have Reſt and eaſe from this temptation, that becauſe of ſome imperfections, weakneſſes, and diſtempers of Heart, and ſins that they are guilty of, therefore they have no intereſt at al in Chriſt, they have no intereſt to beleeve in Chriſt, becauſe of that. The ſtrength of this temptation cannot ſtand with the right knowledg of Chriſt, as delivered from the Law, if Chriſt delivers from the Law, then an intereſt in Chriſt may ſtand, though we be not able to keep the Law. Yea, And further, we know this, that it is uſual with beleevers upon the breach of the Law in any thing, to call their eſtates into queſtion, all into queſtion. Certainly, if we know that we are to deal with God, not by the Covenant of works, not to be caſt by the Law, we would never be ſo ready to cal all into queſtion, upon any breach of the Law that our conſcience tels us we have been guilty of.
2. Further, This would marvelouſly help againſt this temptation likewiſe. That God accepts not of what we do, becauſe it is not perfect, becauſe it is not compleat: when beleevers look upon their duties that they do perform, and ſee ſo many imperfections in them, they dare not tender them up to God, God is an infinite, Holy, juſt God, and they are aſhamed of what they have done, ſo as they dare not tender them up to God, now the right knowledg of our deliverance from the Law, would help us againſt this temptation likewiſe. Remember O thou beleever, that thou haſt to deal with God in a Covenant of Grace, thou haſt to deal with him in Chriſt through a better Covenant then the Covenant of the Law.
3. Further, This would help againſt this temptation alſo, that many times is in the Hearts of the Saints; That becauſe they hear of divers that have ſeemed to have more then they have, that have had more ability then they have had, have been able to do more for God than they have done, yet for all this have fallen away, and ſo, it may be, have periſhed for ever. Now ſaith many a poor Chriſtian, if ſuch Eminent men, of ſuch excellent abilities, that were able to do ſuch great things, if they that go thus far, fall away, what ſhal become of ſuch a poor creature as I am? Now by the underſtanding of our deliverance that we have from the Law by Chriſt, we come to have help againſt this temptation; for let a man have never ſuch abilities, and be able to do never ſo much work, yet this man may fall away, when one that is a thouſand times weaker in regard of abilities, that hath the leaſt dram of true Faith which brings him into the Covenant of Grace will ſtand, ſuch a one ſhall ſtand when the other fals. If indeed thy ſtanding did depend upon what ſtrength thou haſt in thy ſelf, then thou hadſt cauſe to lear, that ſeeing ſuch as did ſtand, fel away, what ſhal become of thee? But we are to know, that we are to deal with God, in a way of the Covenant of Grace, our ſtanding or falling doth not depend upon any thing in our ſelves, but upon Chriſt that hath undertaken for al thoſe that are his members. Thou haſt to deal with God in the Covenant of Grace, and being once brought into the Covenant, that will uphold thee though thou art weak, when thouſands of others that have a great deal of Natural abillity and common guifts of Gods Spirit, yet being not brought under this Covenant may vaniſh, Yea, Had they the ſtrength of an Angel yet if not brought under this Covenant of Grace made with beleevers in Chriſt, they would fall and come to nothing. Whenas the weakeſt beleever that hath to do with God through Chriſt, and not through the Law, ſuch a one ſhal ſtand and not fal. Now the being delivered from the Law in Chriſt, will mightily help beleevers againſt theſe temptations and divers others, I know nothing that doth help beleevers more then this, in being delivered from the Law, in that ſence as hath been ſhewed before.
Likewiſe from hence there are a great many Leſſons to be learned as.
The Firſt Leſſon.
Firſt, From this deliverance we are taught, to entertain the hearing of the Threats of the Law, I ſpeak to beleevers, though others may make an ill uſe in hearing the deliverance from the Law, yet they muſt not miſs their Portion. I ſay beleevers are hereby taught how to receive the Threats of the Law, you hear dreadful threates of the Law out of Gods word againſt ſin. Now how ſhouldeſt thou entertain theſe threates? The way is this, when thou heareſt ſuch threates know, that God by this would have thee to conſider, what his mercy is, in delivering of thee from what thou haſt deſerved. God would have thee to conſider what the evil of ſin is in it ſelf, and to conſider what Chriſt hath done, God would have thee to be driven to Chriſt by this meanes, to ſee thy need of Chriſt, to bleſs his name for Chriſt, and to prize Chriſt, who hath delivered thee from theſe threatnings. A beleever, when he heares the threates of the Law, is like a man that ſtands upon the ſhoare, when there is a greivous tempeſt and ſtorme, he ſees the waves riſe high, heares the winds blow, and the waves roare but he ſtands ſafe upon the haven, indeed he was in the ſtorme and tempeſt, but God hath brought him to the haven, and there he ſtands and bleſſeth God, It may be he ſees other ſhips a great way off ready to be ſplit upon the rocks, or ſwallowed up, but he is ſafe on the ſhoare, ſo it ſhould be with al beleevers, when they heare the threatnings of the law, they ſhould entertain them with bleſſing of the name of God, there was a time that my ſoul was under theſe as wel as any, but now the Lord hath delivered me, and brought me under another Covenant, brought me to his ſon, to Chriſt, and he hath undertaken to ſatisfie the Law for my ſoul, and ſo the beleever ſtands upon the ſhoar, and prayſes God, and this makes him love Chriſt ſo much the more, prize Chriſt ſo much the more, and bleſs the name of God that ever he heard the voice of the Goſpel ſounding in his eares: and therefore it is not tedious and grievous to him to heare the dreadful threatnings of the Law, he knowes how to make a holy uſe of them, his heart is drawn neerer to God by it as wel as by the promiſes of the Goſpel. It is an ill ſigne, when men and women cannot indure to heare the threatnings of the Law, a dangerous ſigne that they are under thoſe threatnings, if they were not under them it would not be troubleſome to them to heare them, but they that are delivered from them, they know how to make uſe of them. Many men and women wil ſay, when they hear of the terrors of the Law, what doth this but harden us? the hearing of the terrors of the Law doth more harden us; but if thou wert acquainted with the Goſpel, thou wouldeſt be ſoftened by hearing of the terrors of the Law, becauſe thou wouldeſt prize Chriſt more. And therefore beleevers muſt not look upon them as things that no way concerne them, though they be not under them to be caſt by them, yet they do concerne them nearly, and therefore God would have thoſe things revealed, even to beleevers, becauſe of many gracious uſes that beleevers are to make of thoſe things.
The 2. Leſſon.
Secondly, from what hath been delivered both from the burden of the law and the reſt in being delivered from it, this Leſſon may be learned, Here we may ſee how beleevers are in the courſe of their lives, to mix humility with confidence, they may learne how to be humble, and yet how to be confident, how to rejoyce and yet how to tremble; there is no ſuch way to learne the mixture of humility, with faith and confidence, and the mixture of joy and trembling as this is, know the Law and the bondage under it, and then the reſt that is to be had in Chriſt, this wil teach thee to be ſenſible of thy own wretchedneſs, and what a condition thou art in naturally, and yet how to be confident in the grace of God in Chriſt. This wil teach thee how to feare in regard of what thou art in thy ſelf and yet to rejoyce in regard of what thou art in Jeſus Chriſt, in the reſt thy ſoul hath Got in Jeſus Chriſt. Many people do not know how to mingle theſe two together, if ſo be they be humbled for their ſins, then they are dejected, in their ſpirits, they cannot tel how, to exerciſe humiliation for their ſins, and faith and confidence in Gods grace together, they think the humiliation for ſin wil hinder Gods grace, and therfore they cannot indure to hear of ſuch things as tend to beat them down, to humble them for their ſins, but they ſay, they muſt beleeve altogether in Gods grace, aad the other wil bring them to deſpair. Certainly, thou art not acquainted with the myſtery of Godlineſs, if thou doeſt not underſtand how theſe two may ſtand together, to be deeply humbled for thy ſins, and yet at the ſame inſtant of time, the ſoul to be raiſed with the Mercy of God in Chriſt both together.
It is true, vices are oppoſite one to another, but graces are never oppoſite one to another, thoſe that underſtand the Miſtery of Godlyneſs they know how to mingle theſe two together, at one and the ſame time. You know that the ſcripture ſaith, that Godlineſs is a miſtery, Great is the miſtery of Godlyneſs, and indeed Godlineſs conſiſts in the skil that a Chriſtian comes to have, to know at the ſame time, how to be humbled, and yet to be confident, yet to be beleeving, and one the other ſide, to rejoyce, and yeat to feare, many cannot rejoyce, but they grow looſe and wanton with their joy; and others cannot feare; but their hears grow lumpiſh and dead if they do feare; now the heart that underſtands what it is to be under the Law naturally and what reſt Chriſt hath brought unto us in delivering us from the Law, can tel how to rejoice in trembling, and to beleeve in humiliation, and there is no ſuch way to make ſuch a mixture of both as to underſtand what it is to be naturally under the Law, and what the reſt is that we have in Chriſt, I confeſs theſe things wil not perhaps come ſo ful upon the hearts of thoſe that do not in ſome meaſure remember what we have ſaid hertofore, both from the burden of the Law, and the reſt that we have in Chriſt, thoſe wil not be able to make ſo much uſe of this that I am ſpeaking of, I could wiſh theſe things would have come altogether, but we cannot do al things at once.
The Third Leſſon.
Thirdly, A further thing that is to be learned from the deliverance we have in Chriſt from the Law, it is this; here appeares plainly, that the way of Life and ſalvation is above nature, it is ſupernatural, for that that I have opened in the reſt we have in Chriſt from the law, teacheth you, that beleevers are not to ſtand or fal for their eternal eſtates by any worke of the Law, if they performe any worke of the Law, this, doth not bring them to eternal life, if they breake the Law this doth not caſt them down unto death, therefore the way of life and ſalvation is ſupernatural, for nature can teach a man no further then this, that he muſt ſerve God, & if he do th… God wil bleſs him, and love him, and if he ſin againſt God, God wil afflict him and chaſtiſe him, nature can tel of no way how a man ſhould be ſaved but only by ſerving of God, and by doing the workes of the Law, nature teacheth a man nothing elſe but this together with the other, that if he doth that, that God forbids, he muſt expect the wrath of God, and to ly under Gods wrath, and beyond this nature cannot go. Now then for to heare of ſuch a thing as this is, that my ſoul ſhal not depend upon what I neglect, nor my eternal life ſhal not depend upon what I do, that is a high myſtery that is infinitely above nature. I do not ſay what the neglect of Gods wil doth deſerve of eternal periſhing, yea, even in beleevers; but now they are under the Covenant in Chriſt, they have the reſt in Chriſt, that their ſouls ſhal not be caſt one way or other by what they do or what they leav undon, though if they neglect his wil the Lord may make them to know it here while they live in this world. And if upon this any ſhal ſay, then what need we regard what we do, if any ſhal ſay ſo, we need go no further with this man but ſay unto him, Thou haſt no part nor portion in this thing, thou haſt no part in the deliverance from the Law by Chriſt, ſhal we ſin becauſe grace abounds? God forbid, the Lord forbid that there ſhould enter any ſuch thought; into any of our Hearts, They that are godly have the Spirit of God in them, and will not Reaſon after ſuch a manner, however this is certaine, that in Chriſt we do not depend for life and Death upon the works of the Law, and therefore the way of the Goſpel is a high way, a ſupernatural way, it is a way beyond that that moſt people imagine: moſt people upon Earth look no higher for a way of Salvation, but meerly through the works of the Law, and they will certainly miſcary, by what you have heard. You ſee that the way of Salvation is a higher thing than Nature.
The Fourth Leſſon.
Fourthly, We may learn from hence, that if Chriſt have given Reſt to beleevers by delivering them, from the rigour and ſeverity of the Law, that now they are not to be caſt by it for their everlaſting eſtates, then they need to be ſo much the more faithful with God, to do what poſſibly they can to ſerve the Lord in an evangelical way. Thou wert in ſuch a condition, that thou wert under ſuch a Law, as if thou didſt fail in any one point thou wert caſt for ever: but now thou art under ſuch a Law as God accepts of thee in Chriſt, hadſt thou not need be more faithful, and induſtrious in thy endeavors, in that thou haſt received ſo much mercy to be under ſuch a Covenant? The truth is, the other might diſcourage thee to think, that let me do what I can, my Soul is caſt for my everlaſting eſtate, but now if thou beeſt brought under the Covenant of the Goſpel, and the Lord Chriſt hath made thee to know that thy Reſt is in him, how careful ſhouldeſt thou be to walk with him in all well pleaſing? to give up the ſtrength of thy Soul to walk in his waies. I wil appeal to thee, ſuppoſe thou wert in the condition again, that the Lord looked upon thee with a ſtrict Eye, and required ſuch abſolute obedience, that if thou faileſt in any thing, nothing that ever before thou didſt ſhould be accepted, poor ſoul, if the Lord ſhould ſay to thee, what if thou ſhouldeſt be delivered from this Law, and be brought under the Law of Chriſt? Firſt, that thou ſhalt not depend for thy everlaſting eſtate upon the Law. And Secondly, that whatſoever thou doeſt ſhal be accepted, though with much imperfection, how wouldeſt thou prize this? and even Covenant with God, and ſay, Oh! Lord, bring my ſoul under this Covenant and I hope I ſhal for ever endeavour to walk in al wel peaſing before thee, this ſhal not by any meanes in the world quench my endeavors, and make me more ſluggiſh but more ſtrengthen my heart. As ſuppoſe now one ſhould be in ſuch ſlavery under the Turke that let him do what he can, he ſhal be beaten, and a Prince ſhal come and ranſome him, and take him into his owne houſe, and expect no more obedience from him then the obedience of a Child, adopting him for his Child, and al the obedience that he wil expect ſhal be a childlike obedience, and he wil be his father. Now were it not a vild and unnatural thing for ſuch a one to be careleſs of giving contentment to this Prince, that wil accept of him as a Child, when he hath delivered him from ſuch a ſlavery and bondage that he was under before? Thus it was with beleevers, thou wert under a dreadful bondage, under the Law, and thou art brought to Chriſt. and he makes thee to be a child of God, and be procures that thy obedience ſhal be accepted that is filial, and Child-like, ſhalt thou be more negligent now, then before? now thou ſerveſt God upon better termes then ever before and wilt thou be more ſluggiſh.
The Fifth Leſſon.
Fifthly, from our being delivered from the Law, we are to Learne this, That we are not to judg our coming into Chriſt, nor to judge our faith by the Law, by our coming to Chriſt we are delivered from the Law, therefore (I ſay) we are not to make up any judgment of our coming to Chriſt, nor to judge our faith by the rules of the Law. Though the propounding of this it may be, is a little obſcure at firſt, yet you wil find it of marvellous uſe to help beleevers in their way, ſome beleevers very ordinarily, eſpecially weak ones, judg of their coming to Chriſt, or their faith, by the Law, they make the law a rule of their faith, which certainly ſhould not be, for if by faith we are delivered from the Law, then it muſt needs follow, that the Law cannot be a rule of our faith. You wil ſay, what is that, to make the Law a rule of our faith.
That is thus, Beleevers think that becauſe their faith is weak, and ful of doubts, ful of imperfections and doubtings therefore they have none at al. Now what is this but to make faith it ſelf a legal thing, for indeed, if faith were legal, then it could not be accepted where there were any mixture of imperfection, a legal faith could never be accepted with any mixture of doubting, and with any imperfection, But an evangelical faith can be accepted. This I may meet with perhaps afterwards, but for the preſent it follows more fully and immediately from what hath been delivered from our reſt from the Law, and I deſire to ſuggeſt it now to beleevers, as a marvellous help to them, that they do not make their faith legal, as thus. Come to many beleevers that are ful of doubts and feares and why do they not beleeve? It is true, ſay they, there is reſt to be had in Chriſt, and much to be had in this, I but this is to beleevers, and I am afraid I am not a beleever. And why art thou afraid thou art not a beleever? becauſe of ſuch and ſuch ſins, and becauſe I cannot do as I would. Now what is this but to make faith legal? now faith that delivers us from the Law, of al graces, that muſt be evangelical, our mourning for ſin is to be looked upon as evangelical, and yet ſome beleevers look upon their mourning for ſin as legal, they think God wil not accept of their mourning Why? Becauſe they cannot mourne as much as they would.
That is true if thou wert under the Law, then no mourning at al would be accepted as under the Law, but now thou muſt look upon it as evangelical, and thy obedience as evangelical. It is an il thing, that beleevers look upon their mourning for ſin, and obedience, and the like, as under the Law, and not as evangelical, this is a great hindrance to them, but now, much more is it to look upon their faith as legal: As thus, becauſe their faith doth not come up ſo fully to the perfection that they do deſire yea to that perfection that the Law requires in any thing that we tender up to God, For though the Law doth not mention any thing of our beleeving in Chriſt, yet thus much the Law requires, that what we do ſhould be tendered up to God, and what we tender up to God, With perfection; Now beleevers looking upon what they tender up to God as imperfect, this makes them to make their faith Legal.
The Sixth Leſſon.
Sixthly, another Leſſon that beleevers are to learn from the Reſt that they have in Chriſt from the burden of the Law is this, that if they find any way or meanes to be delivered from the terrors that come by the Law, certainly then they need not be troubled with al the terror that poſſibly can come from any creature, from any men. If thy faith can deliver thee from the terror of the Law, and give reſt to thy ſoul, notwithſtanding al the terrible things in the Law threatned againſt thy ſin, then thy faith may deliver thee much more from the terror of men, for take al the rage and power of al the men in the world, and devils in hel, they are not ſo terrible as the threates of the Law. Now if God hath given thee ſuch a grace into thy heart, as thou by that comeſt to know a way to deliver thee from the terror of the threatning of the Law, and to give Reſt unto thy ſoul from that, then thou needſt not be afraid of al terrors from wicked men, do but ſet that grace of thine a work, ſet it in exerciſe upon ſuch promiſes as have given thee Reſt from the Law, and this wil free thee from the terrors of wicked men in the world. Truly, if beleevers did underſtand the reality of this point, there is nothing in the world could be terrible to them but they would have …eſt in their ſouls in the midſt of al the terrors in the world, for they might reaſon thus, through the grace of faith that God hath given to mee, my ſoul hath reſt, when I heare the terrors of the Law dreadfully in my eares, yet I have that within me that gives me reſt from them, and I am ſure that al the terrors of al the men in the world, and devils in hel, cannot be more terrible than the threates of the Law, therefore as thou haſt made uſe of thy faith to believe in Chriſt to get Reſt from thoſe terrors, in the like manner put forth thy faith when thou heareſt the terrors of wicked men, to deliver thy ſoul from them, let there be never ſo much rumors in the world yet thou mayeſt ſay my ſoul returne unto thy Reſt.
The ſeventh Leſſon.
Seventhly, Another Leſſon that beleevers are to learn from their deliverance from the law which is of marvelous uſe to them in their life and converſation is this, That certainly it is the moſt unbecoming thing in the world, to ſee a beleever to be rigorous towards his brethren, Chriſt hath delivered thee from rigor, then wilt thou be rigorous? Chriſt hath given thee Reſt, wilt not thou do what thou canſt to give thy brother reſt too? If Chriſt hath delivered thee from great troubles, burdens, and bondage that thou wert under, why ſhouldeſt thou not endeavor with al thy might to deliver thy brother from burdens, troubles, any thing that might grieve thy brother? Oh! what an unworthy thing is it, that a Chriſtian, that hath received ſo much reſt from Chriſt, yet ſhould be a troubleſome man or woman to his brother or ſiſter? Chriſt doth therefore give Reſt to thee, that thou mayeſt be of a quiet diſpoſition towards others, that thou mayeſt be pitiful towards others; To ſee one that profeſſes to have deliverance from the Law, and to have Reſt in Chriſt, to be rigorous to thoſe under him, rigorous to his ſervants, rigorous to his Children it is miſerable; remember what rigor Chriſt hath delivered thee from, and remember to be quiet ſpirited to thy brother.
Hence it follows in the next words to my text, Learn of mee, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye ſhal find reſt unto your ſoules, I wil give reſt to your ſoules that ſo you may be of a meeke and quiet diſpoſition towards your brethren, but of that when we come to thoſe words that follow; we ſhal then ſpeake of the weakneſs and quietneſs of ſpirit that ſhould be in Chriſtians,
Now theſe things are neceſſarily the conſequences that do follow upon the reſt that we have in Chriſt from the Law, many other things might be raiſed, but becauſe they are but conſequences of what hath been delivered, I reſolved not to be large upon them.