CHRIST INVITING SINNERS TO COME TO HIM. › Chapter 46, Christ inviting sinners to come to him for rest by Jeremiah Burroughs (1659) | AskReformation

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You see by al this, how infinitely unbeseeming it is for a beleever, one that professeth himselfe come to Christ, to be troubled in affliction, Christ makes this promise, that if he comes to him he shal have rest. Surely either thou art not come to Christ, or thou hast not exercised faith in Christ, Either thus, thou chargest thy self for one not come to Christ, or one that hath not exercised faith upon Christ, or else thou chargest Christ with unfaithfulness by thy discontentment. For Christ here professeth to the wotld that al that come to ⟨p. 367⟩him shal have rest, that thou hast not rest, but that a little trouble doth disquiet thee, thou either art not come to Christ, or dost not exercise faith, or else thou chargest Christ with unfaithfulness, now if thou hast not rest, which way wilt thou have it fal? Oh let it fal upon thy unbeleeving heart, let it fal upon this, that thou dost not renew thy act in comming to Christ, for it is not meant of coming to Christ at the first, but of renewing the act of coming to Christ, and this exhortation belongs to Godly men and women, that have already come to Christ by faith, I say, it belongs to them to come to Christ, come you to Christ again and again. Now thy disquiet and trouble in time of affliction doth argue, that thou art either no beleever at al, or hast not renewed the act of faith. My brethren, the wayes of many, that we hope are beleevers, are such, as if so be they had no use of faith at al in time of affliction, or as if faith were only of use to save their soules, and not to give rest unto the soul here in this world, or as if it were of no other use, but as a sun dial in a garden, to shew the time of the day when the sun shines, but in stormy cloudy weather, there is no use of it. And dost thou make no more use of thy faith, then of the sun dyal in thy garden, to shew thee how it is with thee in the day of prosperity, but the truth of thy faith should be a dyal, to make thee know how it is between God and thy soul in a cloudy day. And therefore you having now heard, where the rest in regard of outward affliction lies Oh, do you repair hither for rest, you vex, and fret, and trouble your selves, Why?

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I Shall now speak of the rest that Christ gives unto the soul in regard of inward afflictions, those inward afflictions are spiritual desertions, that is, when the Lord shall be pleased to absent himself from the souls of his people, and leave them in such darkness of spirit, though they be believers, & have interest in Christ, yet they may be left for a time by God, so as their spirits will be extremely afflicted with sorrow, and fear, and trouble, because of Gods absence from them, and indeed, there is no affliction like to this affliction, there is no condition so restless as this condition is. Now this is that that every one is not acquainted withal, carnal people think that these afflictions are only conceits, imaginations, and melancholy, but the saints know what these afflictions are, that they are the most real afflictions in the world, these spiritual desertions, for God to withdraw himself from his people. We read of such an affliction that a godly man was much exercised withal, and that was Heman that was the penman of the 88. Psalm, you read it in the title, it was a song or Psalm for the sons of Korah ⟨p. 369⟩To the chief musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite a Psalm of Heman. Now this Heman was one of the greatest men exercised with desertions upon the face of the earth. If you read this Psalm at your leisure, you shall find; that though he was a man very Godly yet exceedingly exercised with spiritual desertions and afflictions, the Lord withdrew the comforts of his spirit from verse the first, saith he, Oh Lord God of my salvation I have cried day and night before thee. verse the 3. My soul is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. verse the 4. I am counted with them that go down into the Pit. I am as a man that hath no strength, free among the dead, &c. verse the 7. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. What a strange expression is this of a godly man? And then there is outward afflictions mingled with spiritual afflictions, verse the 8. Thou hast put my acquaintance far from me, thou hast made me an abomination unto them, I am shut up and I cannot come forth. verse the 9. My eye mourneth by reason of affliction verse the 13. But unto thee have I cried Oh Lord, and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.

I Shal now speak of the rest that Christ gives unto the soul in regard of inward afflictions, those inward afflictions are spiritual desertions, that is, when the Lord shal be pleased to absent himself from the souls of his people, and leave them in such darkness of spirit, though they be beleevers, & have interest in Christ, yet they may be left for a time by God, so as their spirits wil be extreamly afflicted with sorrow, and feare, and trouble, because of Gods absence from them, and indeed, there is no affliction like to this affliction, there is no condition so restless as this condition is. Now this is that that every one is not acquainted withal, carnal people think that these afflictions are only conceits, imaginations, and melancholly, but the saints know what these afflictions are, that they are the most real afflictions in the world, these spiritual desertions, for God to withdraw himself from his people. We read of such an affliction that a godly man was much exercised withal, and that was Heman that was the penman of the 88. Psalme, you read it in the title, it was a song or Psalme for the sons of Korah ⟨p. 369⟩To the cheif musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite a Psalm of Heman. Now this Heman was one of the greatest men exercised with desertions upon the face of the earth. If you read this Psalm at your leisure, you shal find; that though he was a man very Godly yet exceedingly exercised with spiritual desertions and afflictions, the Lord withdrew the comforts of his spirit from verse the first, saith he, Oh Lord God of my salvation I have cryed day and night before thee. verse the 3. My soul is ful of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. verse the 4. I am counted with them that go downe into the Pit. I am as a man that hath no strength, free among the dead, &c. verse the 7. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with al thy waves. What a strange expression is this of a godly man? And then there is outward afflictions mingled with spirituall afflictions, verse the 8. Thou hast put my acquaintance far from me, thou hast made me an abomination unto them, I am shut up and I cannot come forth. verse the 9. My eye mourneth by reason of affliction verse the 13. But unto thee have I cryed Oh Lord, and in the morning shal my prayer prevent thee.

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Lord why castest thou off my soul, why hidest thou thy face from me? God had hid his face from him verse the 15. I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up, while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted. He was acquainted with these spiritual afflictions from his youth up verse the 16. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me, thy terrors have cut me off. What expressions are here for a godly man? and when we read this Psalm and know it is the Psalm of a Godly man speaking how greatly he was afflicted, we may be put in mind of that scripture. If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear. Where shall the sinner appear, if such a man that was wise, that the spirit of God saith of him▪ that he was one of the wisest ⟨p. 370⟩men that lived upon the face of the earth, and yet afflicted, exercised with inward afflictions, the Lord hiding his face from him. In 1. Kings 4.31. There the Holy Ghost speaks of this Heman that was thus afflicted, speaking of the wisdom of Solomon, it is said, He was wiser then all men, then Ethan and Heman, &c. So that it appears by that, that Heman was one of the wisest, for else it could not be an argument of Solomons wisdom that he was wiser then all men, and that he excelled in wisdom above any other, And yet this man had the terrors of God upon his spirit. Therefore let none of you, when God seems to withdraw himself, and afflict you, say, that your condition is worser then ever any ones was, when any of you have such thoughts as these are, remember the 88. Psalm, and when you think of the great grief, sorrow, and trouble that is upon you, and are ready to think that it is greater then others, then go and read the 88. Psalm. As Luther was wont to say when they were in any trouble, go and sing the 46. Psalm. So when you are in trouble, and sorrow, and grief, then say, come let us go and read the 88. Psalm, and remember who was the penner of that Psalm, Heman, a godly man, and what his condition was, and then thou shalt see that thy condition is not so sad as his was.

Lord why castest thou off my soul, why hidest thou thy face from mee? God had hid his face from him verse the 15. I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up, while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted. He was acquainted with these spiritual afflictions from his youth up verse the 16. Thy fierce wrath goeth over mee, thy terrors have cut me off. What expressions are here for a godly man? and when we read this Psalme and know it is the Psalme of a Godly man speaking how greatly he was afflicted, we may be put in mind of that scripture. If the righteous scaresely be saved, where shal the ungodly and the sinner appeare. Where shal the sinner appeare, if such a man that was wise, that the spirit of God saith of him▪ that he was one of the wisest ⟨p. 370⟩men that lived upon the face of the earth, and yet afflicted, excercised with inward afflictions, the Lord hiding his face from him. In 1. Kings 4.31. There the Holy Ghost speakes of this Heman that was thus afflicted, speaking of the wisdom of Solomon, it is said, He was wiser then al men, then Ethan and Heman, &c. So that it appeares by that, that Heman was one of the wisest, for else it could not be an argument of Solomons wisdom that he was wiser then al men, and that he excelled in wisdom above any other, And yet this man had the terrors of God upon his spirit. Therefore let none of you, when God seemes to withdraw himself, and afflict you, say, that your condition is worser then ever any ones was, when any of you have such thoughts as these are, remember the 88. Psalme, and when you think of the great greif, sorrow, and trouble that is upon you, and are ready to think that it is greater then others, then go and read the 88. Psalme. As Luther was wont to say when they were in any trouble, go and sing the 46. Psalm. So when you are in trouble, and sorrow, and greif, then say, come let us go and read the 88. Psalm, and remember who was the penner of that Psalm, Heman, a godly man, and what his condition was, and then thou shalt see that thy condition is not so sad as his was.

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First, Labour to exercise thy faith upon Christ, as one that was once in the same condition in some degree and some measure as thou thy self art in, that is a good way for one that hath spiritual desertions. I say, to look upon Christ as one that for the present was in this affliction, for Christ was deserted, and this breeds a great deal of rest to the soul in outward afflictions. If one that is in poverty exercise faith upon Christ who was poor, as I told you before, The Foxes have holes and the birds have nests but the son of man hath not where to lay his head. To exercise faith upon Christ as poor, doth help to give ease and rest unto the soul, under the burden of the affliction of poverty? so when a soul feels the burden and trouble of spiritual desertions the soul should look up to Christ as one that was under such desertion, as when he was in the garden, and professeth that his soul was heavy to the very death, and that he began to be amazed with the apprehension of the wrath of God. Now when thou art in a combat and strife in thy spirit with temptation, know that Christ was in such a combat and strife, he sweat drops of blood. It may be the soul is in combat, and in trouble and gets to prayer, and the soul is in a sweat, remember what a sweat Christ was in when God withdrew himself from him, and especially, when he was upon the cross, there he tells you plainly that he was forsaken My God My God why hast thou forsaken me? Thou thinkest that God hath withdrawn himself from thee, no he will not withdraw himself from thee so much as from his son in one regard, that is, thou hast not such a dreadful apprehension of Gods withdrawing from thee as Christ had, for Christ would never have cried out else. My God My God why hast thou forsaken me? This was a real thing, Christ did not speak at uncertainties, he did feel a withdrawing of the influence, sweetness, and comfort of the Lord; though still he had union with ⟨p. 373⟩him by Nature and he was his Father as before, but the Human Nature did not feel the influence of the Grace, and sweetness, and the shine of the Favour of God as at other times, and therefore he cries out, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? Exercise thy Faith upon Christ as one that was in spiritual desertions.

First, Labor to exercise thy faith upon Christ, as one that was once in the same condition in some degree and some measure as thou thy self art in, that is a good way for one that hath spiritual desertions. I say, to look upon Christ as one that for the present was in this affliction, for Christ was deserted, and this breeds a great deale of rest to the soul in outward afflictions. If one that is in poverty exercise faith upon Christ who was poor, as I told you before, The Foxes have holes and the birds have nests but the son of man hath not where to lay his head. To exercise faith upon Christ as poor, doth help to give ease and rest unto the soul, under the burden of the affliction of poverty? so when a soul feels the burden and trouble of spiritual desertions the soul should look up to Christ as one that was under such desertion, as when he was in the garden, and professeth that his soul was heavy to the very death, and that he began to be amazed with the apprehension of the wrath of God. Now when thou art in a combate and strife in thy spirit with temptation, know that Christ was in such a combate and strife, he sweat drops of blood. It may be the soul is in combate, and in trouble and gets to prayer, and the soul is in a sweat, remember what a sweat Christ was in when God withdrew himself from him, and especially, when he was upon the cross, there he tels you plainly that he was forsaken My God My God why hast thou forsaken mee? Thou thinkest that God hath withdrawn himself from thee, no he wil not withdraw himself from thee so much as from his son in one regard, that is, thou hast not such a dreadful apprehension of Gods withdrawing from thee as Christ had, for Christ would never have cryed out else. My God My God why hast thou forsaken mee? This was a real thing, Christ did not speak at uncertainties, he did feel a withdrawing of the influence, sweetness, and comfort of the Lord; though stil he had union with ⟨p. 373⟩him by Nature and he was his Father as before, but the Human Nature did not feel the influence of the Grace, and sweetness, and the shine of the Favor of God as at other times, and therefore he cries out, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? Exercise thy Faith upon Christ as one that was in spiritual desertions.

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It is true, perhaps that Christ did not come to determine himself that he was utterly forsaken as thou dost, but Christ was apprehensive of Gods withdrawing himself, and therefore this may bring ease and Rest unto thy Soul, and the rather because that his being so forsaken it was to Sanctify thy being forsaken, it was to take away the curse of those desertions that thou hast in thy self. Such desertions as are in any afflictions materially, they are a curse, they are such things as in their own Nature are a curse, Christ being so forsaken by the Father doth take away the curse, that is in spiritual desertions, and there is no such way for the soul that is in spiritual desertions, as to look up to Christ, and to consider that Christ was forsaken for my sake, Christ was forsaken for me, that I might not be eternally forsaken. So there is these three things in looking up to Christ as forsaken. First thou seest that the Lord that is the beloved son of God was forsaken, forsaken by God. Secondly, here thou mayest see the merit of this that it was to sanctify thy forsaking, that thy forsaking might not be a curse to thee. Thirdly, It was that thou mightest not be eternally forsaken by God, so that by exercising of thy Faith thus upon him thou mayest get a great deal of Rest and ease unto thy soul. A carnal Heart when he finds this terror of spirit he runs to his company, Music, good cheer, and business of the world, but a gracious Heart runs to Christ, and goes to him that was thus forsaken of the Lord for him.

It is true, perhaps that Christ did not come to determin himself that he was utterly forsaken as thou dost, but Christ was apprehensive of Gods withdrawing himself, and therefore this may bring ease and Rest unto thy Soul, and the rather because that his being so forsaken it was to Sanctifie thy being forsaken, it was to take away the curse of those desertions that thou hast in thy self. Such desertions as are in any afflictions materially, they are a curse, they are such things as in their own Nature are a curse, Christ being so forsaken by the Father doth take away the curse, that is in spiritual desertions, and there is no such way for the soul that is in spiritual desertions, as to look up to Christ, and to consider that Christ was forsaken for my sake, Christ was forsaken for mee, that I might not be eternally forsaken. So there is these three things in looking up to Christ as forsaken. First thou seest that the Lord that is the beloved son of God was forsaken, forsaken by God. Secondly, here thou maist see the merit of this that it was to sanctifie thy forsaking, that thy forsaking might not be a curse to thee. Thirdly, It was that thou mightest not be eternally forsaken by God, so that by exercising of thy Faith thus upon him thou maist get a great deal of Rest and ease unto thy soul. A carnal Heart when he finds this terror of spirit he runs to his company, Musick, good chear, and business of the world, but a gracious Heart runs to Christ, and goes to him that was thus forsaken of the Lord for him.