Christ Inviting Sinners to Come to Him for Rest, Treatise · Chapter 33
CHAP. 33.
Of the reſt from Legal Performances, and the ſeveral waies how this reſt comes from Chriſt, viz. duties are delightful to the ſoul, becauſe Chriſt renders God unto the ſoul in a gracious way. 2. They are not performed as ſatisfactory, but as teſtimonies of love and thankfulneſs. 3 Chriſt himſelf offers up the duties to God. 4. They are performed from the Law in the heart. 5. They have the Promiſes joyned with them.
NOw to make ſome entrance into the next thing, which hath great affinity to the other, aad that is the reſt that is in Chriſt from the trouble of ſpirit that there is in many, in regard of Legal performances, that you know I opened at large, the great burden that there is in the ſpirits of many people, who have convinced Conſciences, and there Conſciences pul and hale them to duty, and they dare not but performe duty, but when they do their duty, their very duties are a burden to them, for they do them, in a legal way. There are many I know that are acquainted with this, it is impoſſible to ſpeak of ſuch a ſubject but that there are divers that know what I meane, though others know not, to be under ſo much power of Conſcience, as not to dare to omit a duty, though the duty be burdenſom to them. There be many that are not under ſo much command of Conſcience, but though conſcience require them to do ſuch a duty, they dare omit the duty, and they are not troubled at it; but but there are others who have not felt the Grace of the Goſpel to ſet their ſouls at liberty, they are under ſo much command of conſcience, that they dare not but do what Conſcience requires, and yet the Lord knows, the duties that they have performed have been girevous burdens them, they have gone under the command of their Conſciences as under a grievous burden.
Now to theſe Chriſt ſpeaks, come ro me and I wil give you reſt, in the beleeving in Chriſt, in the exerciſing of faith in Chriſt there is deliverance from this burden, and many poor ſouls that for many yeares have gone on under this burden, whom the Lord hath opened to them the grace of Chriſt, their hearts have been at liberty, ſo as they have been as conſcientious in performing of duty as before, but now their duty is made the joy and delight of their ſouls, they have gone to them with rejoycing, and made the Commandements of God to be their inheritance, and the joy of their hearts, and their duties are as ſweet to them as the hony and the hony comb. Now this is the argument that we are upon, that in Chriſt there is reſt from this burden, Chriſt gives ability unto beleevers, thoſe that are his members to performe duties with freedom of ſpirit, and indeed evangelical duties are duties performed with freedom, that is the difference between legal performances and evangelical; one is done as a burden, and the other is done with freedom of ſpirit. Now I ſhal ſhew unto you, how Chriſt gives this freedom Where the ſpirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, you know the ſcripture I ſuppoſe, now this freedom of ſpirit in the performance of duty comes by Chriſt theſe waies.
Firſt, when the ſoul is come to Chriſt it hath reſt, becauſe Chriſt renders God unto the ſoul in a gracious way Chriſt takes off the terror that was before of God, takes off that from the heart. The reaſon why duties are performed as a burden to thoſe that are legal is this, becauſe they tender them up to God, but ſo as they look upon God as a terrible judg, they muſt do what God requires, I, but when they come into his preſence, they come into his preſence as a judg, being very terrible, Now when the ſoul comes to Chriſt, Chriſt renders God very amiable, and lo…ely unto the ſoul of a Chriſtian, renders God the father as his father, or her father. For ſo Chriſt ſaies, I go to my father and your father, to look upon God, not only as a father, but our father, as being the father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, So beleevers in the performance of duties, look upon God as a father in a double relation. He is my father, he hath begotten me a new to himſelf, and ſo he is my father, he is my father, he hath adopted me to be his child, but he is the father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt too, and Chriſt is mine two, ſo that I have an intereſt in the fatherhood, as I may ſo ſpeak, as the father of Chriſt, I go to my father and your father.
So when beleevers come to tender up any ſervice to God as a duty, they come to God as their father, and as to the father of their redeemer too, now this brings a mighty deale of eaſe unto the heart of a beleever in the performance of duty a great deal of difference there is, between a fathers calling the child to him, and a rigid ſevere maſter or judge calling of one to him. When the child heares that his father cals him, he runs, and loves to be in the preſence of his father, but when one ſaith to a ſervant, your maſter calls you; he knows not whether he be called to be beaten with ſtripes or no.
This is the difference between legal performances, and evangelical, thoſe that are in Chriſt, when Chriſt calls them to duty, you muſt go into the preſence of your father and of the father of your bleſſed redeemer, you muſt go to duty in him. Come, go to prayer ſaith Conſcience to one, they cannot but go indeed, but when they go to prayer their heart is ſtruck with feare, terror, and diſcouragement in prayer: but Conſcience ſaith to one that is a beleever, come, you muſt go to prayer, what is that? but come, you muſt go before your father and injoy communion with your father, the father of your redeemer cals you to have communion with him, & how doth your heart ſpring to come into the preſence of ſuch a father! So that Chriſt renders them lovely to his father, and ſo delivers them from the burden that they are under in legal performances.
Secondly, In Chriſt, beleevers when they performed …uties, they do not tender them up unto God as ſatisfactory for any thing that is paſt, but meerly to be teſtimonies of their love and thankfulneſs for what they have received, now duties are a great deal more eaſily done this way then another. It is true, they wil gather arguments from their former neglect to ſtir them up to do the more, I but, now they are not called upon to their duties to make God amends, and ſatisfy for what is paſt for that would be a burden, for ſuch as performe duties in a legal way, and are not acquainted with the doctrine of the Goſpel, they know not how to ſatisfy God, but only by doing ſo much the more, by how much the more they have neglected heretofore. I have neglected God al the time of my youth, and now conſcience begins to be awakned and tels me I muſt ſerve God, and perform duties, and I had need be more diligent now, that I may make up and ſatisfy for what I have neglected before. Now when we perform duties in this way, they are very burdenſom, As ſuppoſe a man hath run in debt, and he is ſet up in a trade, I but whatſoever he gets it muſt be to ſatisfy what debts he is run out in before, this muſt make him go on in much heavineſs, he thinks that whatſoever he gets, muſt go to ſatisfy what he hath run into before. But now take another man that hath run into arrerages, and hath a freind, a kinſman, that coms and layes down al the debts that he owed, and gives him a ſtock & ſayes now you are a Freeman once again, go on, & whatever you get ſhal be for your ſelf, this man goes on, a great dealemore livelier then the other: juſt thus it is between the conſciences of thoſe that performe duties in a legal way, and the conſciences of that perform duties in an evangelical way. One that is legal, conſcience tels him of ſuch arrerages that he hath run into with God, and whatever he can do for time to come is too little to ſatisfy for what he hath neglected before, now conſcience puts him upon it, do he muſt, ſerve he muſt, obey he muſt, I but he doth it with no heart at al I work, and I obey, & I do, but whether this wil make up the arrerages for what is paſt, I do not know. Now a beleever performes obedience, but it is upon other termes, Chriſt comes and layes down a price, and diſcharges him of al former arrerages, and puts a ſtock of grace into the heart, and ſays unto him, now live, and imploy this your ſtock in the ſervice of God, and trade with it, get more comfort, and more grace with it, and you ſhal have the benefit and the good of every holy duty that you performe, the good and benefit ſhal come to your ſouls. Now ſuch a ſoul goes unto duties in a cheerful way, and they are no burdens at al to it, becauſe he performes them not for ſatisfaction of any arrerages behind, but now he trades for himſelf, and every day he gets, and gets, and gets for himſelf, that is another way how Chriſt gives reſt unto the ſoul in regard of performance of duties, that they are not burdenſom unto the ſoul as heretofore they have been.
Thirdly, another way of delivering beleevers in the performance of duties as a burden is this. When in the duty that ſuch a one performes Chriſt goes along with them unto the father, and he himſelf tenders them up unto God the father, and thus they come to be eaſy unto the hearts of beleevers; whereas thoſe that perform duties in a legal way, they go alone unto Gods preſence, without any to go with them. And again when they are there, they muſt tender up al they do themſelves to God, and the truth is, they can have little heart to this, knowing, what God is and how they have offended God and provoked him. As thus, ſuppoſe a malefactor, that hath wronged the king, he muſt go into his preſence and petition, but he hath no body to go with him, and no body to joyne with him to tender up his petition, but he muſt go himſelf, now he goes with no heart in the world, with no encouragement, indeed, he muſt go, there is no other way to ſave his life, he muſt die elſe, but going ſo alone, and having none to help him, he goes very heavily. But now ſuppoſe another that is to go into the preſence of a King, and the Kings deare and only Son, Shal take him by the hand and ſay, come, I wil go with thee, and what haſt thou here? a petition, come give it me, and I wil preſent it to my father, and I wil get it granted, O! how merrily and cheerfully doth he go into the preſence of the King. Juſt ſo it is between a legal performer of duties, and an evangelical performer of duties, thoſe that performe duties in a legal way, and go into the preſence of God in a legal way, they go alone, they have no body to go with them to help them, and this muſt needs make them to go very heavily: But a beleever needs never go into Gods preſence alone, it may be you are at prayer alone in your cloſets, but you are not in Gods preſence alone, Chriſt takes you by the hand, and carries you into the preſence of your father, and thoſe poor petitions, and broken prayers that you preſent, Chriſt takes them in his hand, and preſents them to the father, and this the ſoul may ſee by faith, and O! how comfortable is this▪ when duties are performed in ſuch a manner as this, I go to a duty, but Chriſt ſtands by mee, takes al that I have to tender up to the father, and he tenders it up for me.
Fourthly, Another way is this, That now al duties that are performed by a beleever, they are performed from the Law that is written in his heart, he is made a Law unto himſelf, there is the ſpirit of Chriſt put into him, that now he doth not performe duty becauſe he muſt do it, but becauſe it is ſuitable unto the divine nature that is put into him, for ſo the ſcripture ſaith, we are partakers of the divine nature, there is the very ſpirit of Chriſt put into a beleever, and the Law of Chriſt written in his heart, ſo that there is no duty that God requires of him, but the Law of that duty is written in his heart, to do it and according to his meaſure, he can ſay as Chriſt did, It is written in my heart to do thy wil O! Lord, what doth the Lord require ſuch and ſuch duties to be performed and doth my conſcience tel me in the name of God, that ſuch duties are to be done? Lord, this is even written in my heart and therefore Lord, I come, the Lord would have me do this, and it is no other but what is written in my heart to do. Conſcience tells me I muſt do it, and it is no ſooner told me by my conſcience, but my heart tels me I am ready to do it. Now what a reſt is this in performing of duty, when there is a diſpoſition in the heart of a man or woman to do the duty that God requires of them, they are a Law unto themſelves, there is no duty that God requires from them, but if there were neither heaven nor hel, yet they would do it naturally, it is as natural to them to do the wil of God as for a fiſh to drink in water. It is ſaid of wicked ones, that they drink in iniquity as the fiſh doth water, ſin is natural unto the wicked, and grace is likewiſe natural, though not altogether ſo natural, for there is nothing in the heart but makes ſin natural. But it is true, when one is a beleever, there is ſomthing in the heart oppoſite to good, I but there is a principle in the heart that makes it natural for the ſoul to drink in the Commandements of God, as a fiſh drinks in water, and therefore beleevers, ſo ſoon as ever they have any touch of Chriſt, how readily do their hearts come off to duty. As for inſtance, in Zacheus, you know how Chriſt came to look upon him, there was a touch of Chriſt upon his heart, and preſently he comes off, and though before he was a covetous man, and there was covetouſneſs in his heart, and he had got much by forged cavillation yet preſently he ſaith, Behold the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken any thing from any man by falſe accuſation, I reſtore him fourfold. Now what duty is harder then reſtitution? when a man hath got much by wrong to reſtore it again, as often you have heard, you can have no comfort, al your ſorrows wil do no good, til you have made reſtitution and the ground is plain, becauſe til you make reſtitution you continue in the wrong, you have done wrong to ſuch a man, ſuch a time in his eſtate, wel, you do him wrong to day, and to morrow and the next day til you reſtore, I ſay you continue in your ſin til you reſtore, if you be able to reſtore. Now you cannot ſay a man repents of his ſin, if he continue in his ſin, and you continue in your ſin, though God doth not require you to go and make your ſelf known to them, yet though your perſons be not known to them, the wrong muſt be made known to them, Juſt ſo is the difference between one that is only under the terror of the Law, and one that hath got reſt in Chriſt, the difference is as in a Ship, a Ship that hath one part of it ſticking in the mud and ſands, and the water beating it up and down, and ready to burſt it in peeces, but now if the tide come and fetch it off, And it is got upon the ſtreame, then you may by the touch of a little finger thruſt it this way and that way with eaſe, when it is once upon the water: So it is with a heart before it comes to Chriſt, when it hath only conviction of conſcience, though it have ſome illumination, that is as the water that beats the heart up and down, and it cannot be at quiet, but is ready to be burſt in peeces, I but it ſticks in the mud ſtil, and therefore duties are very hard, and Conſcience doth but only tire the heart, and beate it, and trouble it, I but now when it is come to Chriſt, it ls like the Ship a float upon the water, and now upon any touch of Chriſt it is ready to be put upon this duty, and the other duty, and the motion of the ſoul now is without any danger or trouble, it moves up and down with eaſe, when the heart is got off from it ſelf, and the world, and the creature it moves in the waies of God with aboundance of eaſe, ſet ſuch a one upon the hardeſt duties you wil, and he goes on with a great deal of eaſe, and quiet and Reſt of ſpirit, he doth not think the Commandements of God hard, doth not look upon the commandements of God now as hard commandements, whereas one that is legal in performing of duty, though he do the duty, he looks upon the comand of God as a hard commandement You have an excellent ſcripture for that in the firſt of John 5. and the 3. Speaking of beleevers that when once they come unto Chriſt, the commandements of God are not greivous unto them. This is the Love of God that we keep his commandements and his commandements are not grievous. But one that is in Chriſt, a beleever, upon any commandement, though it be never ſo greivous and hard to fleſh and blood before they come to Chriſt, as in the commandement of Reſtitution, I wil mention that, I might mention others as to pray in your families, to be conſtant in prayer morning and evening, and to keep your heart conſtant in praier to God, 'its perhaps grievous to thoſe that perform duties in a legal way, but when once the heart comes to God, then the commandement of God is not grievous. I do not ſay, but corruption may now and then prevail and then they are burdenſome, but when the heart hath got grace, the commandements of God are not burdenſome at al, but they are eaſie to the ſoul, for ſo Chriſt ſaith in a few words after my text, My yoake is eaſie and my burden is Light. Many people complain of the way of God, Oh! the way of God is ſo hard, and duty ſo ſtrict, to live ſo exactly, who is able to do this? I confeſs in the way you are in it is tedious and hard, but if you had the ſpirit of Chriſt, and were come to Chriſt, thoſe duties that you account now hard, would be eaſie, you would never have more comfort, more eaſe and quiet, then when you are performing of duty. You wil think this a riddle, to ſay, that the ſoul ſhould never have more eaſe, reſt, quiet, and comfort then when a man walks more ſtrictly and exactly, and keeps to the rule. Now ſaith a carnal heart, this is a miſerable bondage, that miniſters cal for ſtrictneſs, what a bondage and wearineſs is this, as they in Malachy ſay, now you think this ſo, Why? becauſe you are but legal al this while, and if you did performe duties ſtil in that way, they would be a burden to you, but you miſtake in this, you think there is no way to keep Gods Commandements, but in a Legal way, I but know this, there is an evangelical way to keep Gods Commandements, Gods Law, and that makes every duty to be eaſie and light un…o the Soul· You think there is no ſuch quiet and content of heart, as to be at liberty, and to ſatisfie the fleſh, and have your minds fully pleaſed, but were you acquainted with the miſtery of Godlineſs, you would find, that thoſe things that now are ſo eaſie, and give you ſo much quiet and comfort, would be the moſt troubleſome things in the world & the ſtrictneſs of Gods wayes that you think ſo burdenſome, you would find to be the moſt eaſie and comfortable things in the world. And therefore let not the Devil ſteal you away from the ſtrictneſs of Gods wayes by this deluſion, certainly, he doth but delude you, O! that ye had but the ſpirit of the Lord Jeſus in you; and that you were come to Chriſt, you would find then eaſe in the moſt ſtrict and difficult duties in the world, you would find your ſouls to be at eaſe in the performance of them.
Fifthly, Duties are not burdenſome unto thoſe that are come to Chriſt, becauſe that in Chriſt al duties have joyned together with them the promiſes; when duties are performed in an evangelical way, when the ſoul is come to Chriſt then it looks upon evey duty that God requires, as having ſome promiſe annexed unto the duty, to inable the ſoul to do what God would have it do, and by this it hath now Reſt in performance of it. Doth God require ſuch and ſuch things of me, then the ſoul doth not only look upon the commandement, but how a promiſe goes along with the commandement. As how, I might …ance in divers ſcriptures, how promiſes go along with commandements, I wil give you but the comparing of one ſcripture for the preſent. Compare the 10. of Deuter. with the 30. of Deuter. In Duter. 10.12. there you ſhal find it thus. And now O Iſrael, what doth the Lord thy God, require of thee, but to feare the Lord thy God, to walk in al his waies, and to Love him, and to ſerve the Lord thy God with al thy heart and with all thy ſoul, to keep the commandements of the Lord thy God, and his ſtatutes which I command thee this day for thy good. Then at the 16. verſe, Circumciſe therefore the foreskin of your heart and be no more ſtifnecked. Here you ſee what God requires, they are great things that God requires, that we ſhould feare the Lord, and walk in his wayes, and love him, and ſerve him with al our heart, and keep his commandements and ſtatutes, and circumciſe our hearts, and the like, theſe are hard duties, being performed in a legal way. But now, when the ſoul is in Chriſt, ſee what a promiſe the ſoul finds together with theſe commandements, In the 30. of Deu. and the 6. The Lord thy God wil circumciſe thy heart, and the heart of thy ſeed, to love the Lord thy God with al thy heart, and with al thy ſoul that thou mayeſt live. Here God requires them to circumciſe their hearts, that they might love him, and feare him, and keep his commandements but that is the Law, were there no more it would be a very heavy burden, for a poor ſoul to have this ly upon it, that I muſt love the Lord with al my heart and with al my might, the Lord knows what diſtractions I have in my ſoul, and in my heart, God requires me to cercumciſe my heart, I am not able to do it. but now mark how the Goſpel runs, in the Deu. 30.6. And the Lord thy God wil circumciſe thy heart, & the heart of thy ſeed, to love the Lord thy God with al thy heart and with al thy ſoul that thou maiſt live· The Lord wil do it, the Lord commands me to do it, and yet withal the Lord ſaith that he wil do it. I might inſtance in a great many other particulars, that the Lord requires firſt what we ſhould do, and if we be left here, now it is hard indeed, but then if we can find a promiſe where God promiſes that he wil do it for us, this wil be eaſier to us. And indeed this is the diffierence between the Law and the Goſpel, the Law commands us what to do, and gives no ſtrength, but the Goſpel never commands us to do any duty, but there is a promiſe that engageth the Lord to help the ſoul in the performance of that duty. And now, is not here reſt for the ſoul? when the ſoul ſhal look upon the large extent of the duty that the Law of God requires of it: The Law requires of me to love the Lord with al my heart, and with al my ſoul, and with al my might, and to keep his commandements and ſtatutes, and to circumciſe my heart, Lord! what ſhal I do in this? Now then when the ſoul can look upon Chriſt, & the covenant of grace, & conſider, that that runs thus that the Lord wil circumciſe my heart, that I may love the lord with al my heart, & with al my ſoul & that I may keep his commandements & his ſtatutes, that God doth as wel ingage himſelf to inable me to do the duty, as he doth require me to do the duty, now here is reſt unto the ſoule.
I wil conclude this particular with this one ſimilitude, as it is with the body, Phyſitians obſerve, that together with every veine where the blood runs, there runs likewiſe an artery together with the veine, now the artery is the vehiculum of the ſpirits that are in the body of a man, that puts livelineſs and quickneſs into the body: So for al the world thus it is in regard of the commandements of the Law and the Promiſes of the Goſpel. I compare the Commandements of the Law unto the veines, they are theſe duties required of thee in the whol courſe of thy life, but if thou haſt veines of blood, and haſt no arteries, no ſpirit, thou wilt be but dul, though the blood be ful in the veins, yet there wil be little ſtrength. But now there is the ſpirit that goes along in the arteries that gives life to the veines. So now, they that are under the Law they know many duties that they ought to do, I but except they have the promiſes of the Goſpel, to goe along with them, they have little life, little activity to do the duty. Therefore Chriſtians, when you heare any duty out of Gods word that you ought to performe, conſider, here is the duty, here is the veine, I but where is the artery, there is a promiſe in the word that goes along with the duty to inable me to performe the duty. Now if I take both together I may go on in the way of Godlineſs with a great deal of eaſe and quiet, and no duty needs to be troubleſom to me. The want of the knowledg of this one thing makes the lives of many people to be very diſconſolate, and makes them go on deadly and dully in the performance of duty, whereas if they would make uſe of this one thing, when they are put upon any duty to ſearch and find out in the word the promiſe wherein God inables us to do the duty, and plead the promiſe, and ſay, Lord, thou requireſt the performance of this duty, but thou haſt promiſed to inable me to do it, I ſay, if thou wouldſt do thus, thou wouldeſt find that thy duties would not be burdenſom to thee, but thou wouldeſt ſay, wel, I ſee my ſoul hath reſt in Chriſt in the performance of al thoſe ſervices that heretofore have been very greivous and burdenſom to me.
Object, I But you wil ſay, We have many promiſes in the Goſpel to inable us, but the promiſes are conditional, and I may forfeit the promiſe by not performing the condition.
Anſw. To that I anſwer, We have in the Goſpel, abſolute promiſes, as wel as conditional promiſes: there is ſome promiſes that depend upon no condition at al but only beleeving, as that promiſe where the Lord ſaith, I wil take away the heart of ſtone and give a heart of fleſh, what condition is there? does God ſay, that if you firſt repent, and performe ſuch and ſuch duties that I require of you, then I wil take away your heart of ſtone? No that is an abſolute promiſe. And ſo likewiſe that promiſe▪ I wil put my feare into your heart, that you ſhal not depart from me: God doth not make this promiſe with condition. You wil ſay, Why then hath not al their ſtony hearts been taken from them becauſe the promiſe is abſolute? I anſwer, it is abſolute from any precedent condition, but yet God would have us come to the promiſe, and cloſe with the promiſes and caſt our ſouls upon it, he does not promiſe to do ſuch and ſuch things upon condition, that if you wil do ſuch and ſuch things before, then I wil do this and that for you: no, but only this, do you caſt your ſoul upon the promiſe and depend upon it: and when thy ſoul is at a loſs in regard of conditional promiſes, when thy heart miſgives thee, and tells thee, that thou haſt not performed the condition of ſuch & ſuch promiſes, & that therfore they do not belong to thee and thou canſt not for the preſent have comfort in the conditional promiſes, then make uſe of abſolute promiſes, and caſt thy ſoul upon them, and they wil bring in the conditional promiſes; and know this, that al conditional promiſes depend upon abſolute promiſes in the Goſpel: and as when thou canſt not make uſe of conditional promiſes thou maiſt go to abſolute promiſes; ſo when thou makeſt uſe of abſolute promiſes, thou ſhalt be inabled to do what is required of thee in conditional promiſes. And here is the difference between the Law and the Goſpel; the Law requires, and doth not give ſtrength to inable to do what it requires, but the Goſpel requires, and gives ſtrength to performe what it requires.
Sixtly, There is reſt unto thoſe that come to Chriſt in this, becauſe when they performe duties in Chriſt, they do not performe them that they might have life or that they might have pardon, that they might get life by them or that they might obtain pardon by their duties, but they performe them now as the fruit of their life, and as a fruit of their pardon, and this is a great deale of reſt and eaſe to the heart, in the performance of duties. There are many poor troubled ſouls, whoſe conſciences pul them on to duty, but why do they performe them? becauſe conſcience accuſeth them for their ſins, and they know what need they have of Gods mercy, they ſtand guilty before God, and therefore they perform duties that they might get a pardon, and they know that they were made for eternity, and therefore they make conſcience of duties that they might get eternal life by them, as I when I opened ſhewed the burden that there was in legal performances. But now when the ſoul comes to Chriſt it hath reſt in this, for the very firſt thing that is done in Chriſt is that al thy ſins are diſcharged, the pardon is granted, and thou art put into an eſtate ſafe for thy eternal life, and al the hazard of eternal life is now over. Now then, that that is required of thee, is only as the fruit of the pardon of thy ſin, and as a fruit of thy ſafe condition that thou art put into for thine eternal life, and here is a great deal of difference, between performing of duties that I might have pardon, that I might get eternal life by it, and performing of duties as a fruit of my pardon, and as a fruit of the aſſurance of my wel being to al eternity. As for inſtance, a man that is in danger of his life, ſtands before the judg, and there is no way for pardon for him, but he hath his book given to him, as you know the way is to have the benefit of the Clergy (as we uſe to cal it) now when he knows if he reads he ſhal have his life, but life lies upon it, and the judg is ſtrict, and ſets one by him, that the ordinary ſhal not prompt him, and he wil have him read out: and his life lyes upon it. I ſuppoſe you have heard of ſome that were able ſchollers, and able to reade wel enough at other times, yet at ſuch a time were not able to read one word for a world. But ſuppoſe this man now have his pardon, and you then put him to read, then he can read with delight, he hath freedom enough now to read, his eyes that were bound before are looſned. Now ſuppoſe he were to read a Pſalm of mercy before he had his pardon, and when he had his pardon there is a Pſalm of thankfulneſs for his life given him to read, he could read it then with delight, juſt thus it is with thoſe that performe duties in a legal way, they ſtand before God as their judg, and look upon what they performe as that which their ſouls depends upon, that if I do not do ſuch and ſuch things that is commanded me, my ſoul lyes upon it, alas this ſtraitens the heart, and it is put into a condition of feare. But now when the ſoul is come to Chriſt, and the Lord hath granted pardon to it and hath quieted it by the blood of his ſon, now ſayes God, read, performe duties, and let al the duties you performe be in way of bleſſing my name, and praiſing of me, for giving of you your lives. And indeed, this is the principal ground of al that God requires of ſuch as are come to Chriſt, meerly that thou ſhouldeſt go out before the Lord in way of thankfulneſs for pardoning thy ſins, and accepting of thee in his Son. And ſo likewiſe if ſo be a man were amongſt his enemies, and ſhould be ſet to do ſome work and buſineſs, and is ſet ſo to it, that if he do not do it, he is a dead man, they wil have his life if he doe not do it, alas, he goes about it with a great deal of dread and fear. But now, if this man ſhould come home to his fathers houſe, and his father ſets him about a work, and he doth it ſo, that though he would not do the work, yet he ſhould not looſe his life, he ſhould go about it with a great deal more freedom of ſpirit. Thus it is with beleevers when they come to Chriſt, they come to their fathers houſe, and their father ſets them about workes, but ſo as he wil not lay their lives upon it, their ſoul doth not ly upon their duties, thy eternal eſtate doth not lie upon duties; as heretofore you have heard in being freed from the Law, ſo now make uſe of it in deliverance from legal performances. That the Lord though he wil be ſtrict to mark what is done in every duty, he wil not be ſtrict to take advantage of thee. It is true, it is ſaid that the Lord ſpared not his owne ſon, but he wil ſpare thee. In Malachy 3.17. The Lord wil ſpare them as a man ſpareth his own ſon hat ſerveth him. And ſo in the Romans it is ſaid God did not ſpare his own ſon, and yet in Malachy that he wil ſpare thee as a man ſpareth his only ſon that ſerveth him. What ſhould be the meaning of this? That God ſhould not ſpare his only begotten ſon the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, he wil not ſpare him, but thee? This is the reaſon, he did not ſpare him that he might Spare thee, here is the reaſon why God wil ſo ſpare thee in the performance of thy duties, becauſe he would not ſpare his ſon, he was ſo exact to him that he might not be ſo exact to thee.
Indeed when Chriſt came to performe duties, the life of al the world, lay upon that, that if Chriſt had failed in one thing, the life of al the world lay upon it, yet ſo they lay upon him, that they were not grievous to him, becauſe he was moſt able to perform it: But thou muſt make uſe of Chriſts performances in way of obedience ſo as to give thee reſt & eaſe in performance of thy duties, think thus, I come now to performe duties, and thankes be to God, my life, my eternal eſtate, lyes not upon it, but Chriſt what he performed my ſoul, and al the world lay uyon what he did, and the weight that Chriſt was willing to take upon him in his obedience, is that which makes any obedience ſo eaſie and comfortable to me. I remember we read in the Law, that in peace offerings, a female was accepted: in other caſes ordinarily God required the male, but in peace offerings, the female; now peace offerings was for thankſgiving, and indeed the whole life of a Chriſtian is nothing elſe but a peace-offering, his whol converſation, al the duties that God requires of any chriſtian it is nothing elſe but a peace offering, to offer an offering of thanks-giving for the mercy he hath received from Chriſt, in this peace offering the Lord accepts of a female, though it be but weake, And this is the ſixth thing wherein the reſt of the ſoul in the performance of holy duties, when it is once come to Chriſt doth conſiſt.
Seventhly, As the ſoul doth not performe duties that it might get life thereby, it is not in that way now, ſo the performance of duties when the ſoul is come to Chriſt, is a part of eternal life it ſelf, and therefore there is reſt in it, it is ſo far from getting eternal life by it, as it is rather eternal life, it ſelf, then ſo much as any way to eternal life, for this may be ſaid, though I performe duty, it is true, God hath taught me ſo much, that now under the Goſpel we muſt not think to get eternal life by our duty, by our works, this is popery, yet it is the way to eternal life the way that tends to it, it is, via ad Regnum, the way to the kingdom, though not the cauſe of Raigning. Nay, I wil ſhew you a further thing then ſo, the wayes of obedience and holineſs in a Chriſtians courſe, they are rather eternal life it ſelf, then the way to it, they have more excellency in them then being the way to life. It is true, it were a great deal of eaſe and reſt to ones ſpirit, to conſider of holy duties but as the way to heaven, if a man were going a journy, and knew the ende of his journy ſhould be very glorious to him, if it were to receive a crown, a kingdom, though it were a boyſterous day, and ſtormy weather, and the way were very foul, he would not be troubled at it, but he would account it very comfortable, to know that he is in the right way, for he thinks this wil lead me to my journeys end, and when I come there, that wil make amends for al. And the truth is, there were eaſe and reſt enough in the waies of God, if God did reveale no more unto a ſoul then this, theſe are the wayes that lead thee to life and ſalvation, that lead thee to a kingdom, to glory; eſpecially conſidering that before we were out of the way, we were wandering in the wayes of death and deſtruction, and God by his Almighty hand hath brought us into the right way.
When a man is going a Journy of great conſequence, and he is gone out of the way, and God by his providence hath brought him into his right way, O! what eaſe is in his ſpirit: Before, when he was out of the way, what diſtraction and diſquietneſs of heart, but now when he comes into the way, Oh! what eaſe and quiet is in his ſpirit, ſo I ſay, this were eaſe and reſt enough of ſpirit to know, that whereas before the ſoul was wandering in the path of death, now it is in the path of life. But I tel you further then ſo, that when thou art performing of holy duties, and exerciſing of the grace of God; in the performance of thoſe duties, thou art not only in the way of eternal life, but thou art in eternal life it ſelf, not only in the way to the kingdom, but in the kingdom, not only in the way to heaven, but in heaven, it is eternal life, This is eternal life to know thee the true God, and thy ſon whom thou haſt ſent into the world. And that place in the Epiſtle of St. John he ſpeakes of a murderer, one that did hate his brother, in the firſt of John 3.15. Whoſoever hateth his brother, is a murderer, and you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Then it appeares, that one that loves his brother, and is Godly and gracious, hath eternal life abiding in him, for that muſt needs follow, if this be the evil condition of a wicked man, that hates his brother, that he hath not eternal life abiding in him, then by the rule of contraries, it muſt needs be a truth, that he that hath holineſs and loves his brother, he hath eternal life, abiding in him, and therefore ſuch a one he hath eternal life already to come downe to him, & he is in heaven already. So the ſcripture makes grace but the beginning of glory, it is no other but the very beginning of heaven in the ſoul. And therefore in that golden chain in Rom. 8.30. Whom God hath predeſtinated them he alſo hath called & whom he hath called them he hath juſtified, & whom he hath juſtified them he hath alſo glorified. Marke but where is the link of ſanctification, It is not, whom he hath predeſtinated he hath called, and whom he hath called he hath ſanctified, and whom he hath ſanctified he hath glorified. One would have thought the chain ſhould have gon along in that linke, but there is no mention of ſanctification, Why? becauſe ſanctification is nothing elſe but glorification begun, and glorification is nothing elſe but the perfecting of ſanctification. Now I beſeech you obſerve this as a moſt ſpecial thing that belongs to a Chriſtian, the beſt duties that we performe are nothing elſe but the life of heaven to us, nay the truth is, it is the life of God. And therefore it is ſaid of ungodly men before they come to Chriſt, they are ſtrangers to the life of God, therefore when thou art come to Chriſt, thou haſt the life of God in thee, and the life of heaven in thee, and the beginning of Glory, Glory and eternal life thou doeſt live whilſt thou art in performance of holy duties. What is the happineſs of heaven, but for the Saints and Angels to be exerciſed in magnifying the riches of God, and of Chriſt? now thou beginneſt it here, and therefore if thou knoweſt what this is, thou art not, I ſay, to look upon any duty that thou performeſt meerly as a duty but thou art to look upon it as a priviledg, yea as part of thy wages. That is a certain truth, that Gods work, it is wages, and the improving of that principle would help us very much in our Chriſtian courſe, if thou didſt live and account every duty that thou performeſt to God to be wages, Oh! with what ſweetneſs wouldeſt thou go on in the performance of thoſe duties that God requires of thee, thou art receiving thy wages when thou art performing of duties. In Rom. 6. and the laſt. The wages of ſin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jeſus Chriſt. At the 22. verſe it is thus. But now being freed from ſin and become ſervants unto God, you have your fruit unto holineſs, and the end everlaſting life. For the wages of ſin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. You have your fruit unto holineſs, it is the fruite unto holineſs which is the gift of God, and holineſs it is nothing elſe but the gift of God, and the beginning of eternal life, the fulneſs of eternal life, that indeed is the end of it, but the fruit that you have for the preſent it is holineſs, and that holyneſs that is the gift of God, it is the beginning of eternal life here in this world. Then indeed is a chriſtian wel improved in Evangelical obedience, when he doth account duties to be mercies, and when mercies are turned into duties, as when we turne Gods mercies into duties, that is an argument we receive Gods mercies from a Covenant of grace, and there wil be linkes of Gods mercies towards us, ſo when we account our duties to be mercies, that is an argument there is evangelical obedience in the heart, and there wil be a conſtancy in the heart in performing of them. Thoſe that performe duties in an Evangelical way, they look upon them as a golden chain about their necks for ornament, and not as a chain about their necks as bonds and Fetters to tie them to them. Here is the difference between one that performes duties in a legal way, and one that performes duties in an Evangelical way; One that performes duties in a Legal way, he lookes upon duties as bonds about his neck, he is bound to them as with a chain; but the other that performes duties in an Evangelical way, his duties are as ornaments, as chains of Gold about his neck. And the ground of this ſimilitude, I have in Prov. 3.22. My ſon keep ſound wiſdom and diſcretion, ſo ſhal they be life unto thy ſoul, and grace unto thy neck. The wayes of wisdome, that is the wayes of Godlyneſs, they are life to the Godly, and they are a grace to the neck, that is, they carry Gods commandments about with them, not as a priſoner carries his chaines, but as one that carries a chain about his neck, and he glories in it. That place is very obſervable likewiſe for this, that you have in Deuter. 33. comparing ver. 2. with the words that follow after. Verſe the ſecond, The Law of God is called a fiery Law. From his right hand went a fiery Law for them. But marke verſe 4. Moſes commanded us a Law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob. From hence this note plainly reſults, that let there be never ſo much ſeeming ſeverity in any Law of God, in any commandement that requires duty, yet even this commandement of God is accounted an inheritance unto the ſoules of the Saints of God, to be as the joy of their hearts, they account their riches to be in Gods commandements, not only to be in heaven, but the very commandement they account their riches, and their happineſs. Many men and women take upon them the commandements of God, and the duties of obedience, as neceſſary burdens, they muſt do them, I but the Saints, thoſe that come to Chriſt, they take the commandement of God upon them, as that wherein their riches, their glory, the joy of their heart doth conſiſt, and therefore how often do you heare of David ſaying, that the commandements of God were ſweeter to him then hony and the hony combe. That they were more delightful to him then gold and riches. And ſo in the Proverbs Better then Rubies and precious ſtones. He doth not ſay, the glory of heaven is better then al theſe, but the way of Wiſdom, and the commandements of God are better then al theſe, So that here is the life of a Chriſtian, he performes duties not onelyonly as a way to heaven, but as an injoying of heaven while he is ſerving of God; and this is the ſeventh particular, wherein the reſt of the ſoul in Chriſt doth appear, in the performance of holy duties.
Eighthly, When a Chriſtian is brought to Chriſt, Chriſt gives him reſt in the performance of holy duties becauſe that Chriſt doth elevate and raiſe his ſpirit to be ſome way proportionable to whatſoever God requires of him, ther's an elevation of ſpirit, a ſtrengthening of the ſpirit in Chriſt to come to ſome kind of proportionableneſs to what the Law of God requires of them. It is true, ſet a poor weake man, a ſick man about any hard worke, and Oh! how tedious is it unto him, for a ſick man, to go and carry ſuch a burden, or to do ſuch a hard work, it is very irkſome unto him, but now when this man comes to be healthy and ſtrong, to have his veines ful of blood, and his arteries ful of ſpirits, now he goes along in his work and accounts it no burden at al, becauſe he hath got ſtrength in him. So the commandements of God they are hard to thoſe that performe them in a natural way, from a natural conſcience, notwithſtanding al the ſtrength that can come in by a natural conſcience, the commandements of God are very hard unto them; but when once the ſpirit of Chriſt comes, there is ſtrength. As it is ſaid where the ſpirit of Chriſt is there is Liberty, ſo where the ſpirit of Chriſt is there is ſtreng…h, As the holy Ghoſt ſpeakes in Iſa. 11.2. The ſpirit of the Lord ſhal Reſt upon him, the ſpirit of wiſdom and underſtanding, the ſpirit of counſel and might, the ſpirit of knowledg and of the fear of the Lord. The ſpirit of counſel and Might ſhal Reſt upon Chriſt, and ſo in the meaſure of it, the ſpirit doth reſt upon every member of Chriſt, the ſpirit of Life, of Might and of counſel. And therfore the Apoſtle St. Paul. ſaith in the 2. of Tim. the 1. and the 7. For God hath not given us the ſpirit of fear, but of power, of Love, and of a ſound minde. This ſpirit of power is in thoſe that are come to Chriſt, there is a power of godlyneſs in them. They are ſaid in Coll. 1.11. To be ſtrengthened with al might according to his glorious power. The Apoſtle at leaſt prayes for that, to intimate thereby to us, that there is that to be had in Chriſt, there is a ſtrengthening with al might, according to his glorious power, unto al patience, and long-ſuffering with joyfulneſs, giving thanks to the father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. Though they be weake, yet they have a union with one that is ſtrong, wherein they may come to be ſtrengthened with al might, not only according to Gods power, but according to his glorious power, unto al patience and long-ſuffering, with joyfulneſs. The duties of patience long-ſuffering, are as hard duties as any, hut in Chriſt there's the glorious power of Chriſt let out to ſtrengthen them to the duties of patience and al long ſuffering with joyfulneſs.