Christ inviting sinners to come to him for rest

The Third Burden of the Law.

And besides, Whiles the soul goes on to seek quiet and rest by the works of the Law, there is an unsuitableness between the duties that are performed, and the heart of such a man or woman; so that the very works that they do, and duties they perform, are grievous and tedious unto ⟨p. 10⟩them. I, but now saith Christ, O! Come to me, such as these are; Is there any of you that have had your consciences troubled, and have desired, O! that there might be peace between God and my soul, that I might have assurance of Gods Love? what course have you taken to get it? have you not sought to bring it about by the works of the Law, and have thought to get rest and peace to your souls that way? Indeed, it is better to go on that way, than in the ways of sin; but to think to have rest and peace that way, hath a great deal more evil in it than you are aware of; if men shall think to quiet themselves that way, and thereby put off the Righteousness that comes by Faith, they may come to be hardened before they be aware. But is there any of you that are seeking rest and peace unto your souls in such a way by the righteousness of the Law? saith Christ, know, That this is not the way for you to have rest to your souls; it's true, you must abstain from sin, and perform duties; O! but if you would have rest to your souls, you must come to me, it is by the souls rolling of it self upon the perfect righteousness that there is in Jesus Christ, that only can bring true rest unto the soul. Many a poor sinner that hath been seeking rest many years, hath not got it; but when the Lord hath been pleased to come in with one promise of the Gospel, setting it home upon their souls, they have got more rest and quiet to their souls in one day, yea, in one hour, than they did before in many years; there is a great deal of art and skill to get rest and quiet to the soul that is troubled. The Gospel is a mystery in this thing; and when God acquaints the soul with the mystery of the Gospel in this thing, then rest comes on in a sweet and gracious manner. It's true, it is the hardest thing in the world for to close with Christ, and to get true ease and rest to the soul, it is hard in it self till God make known the mystery of Faith to the soul, but when that is done, then the soul finds abundance of ease and rest, and that in a little while.