Christ inviting sinners to come to him for rest

Ninthly, In the Ninth place: the burden of the Law appears in this: that it only opens to man his misery, and there leaves him; as if a Chirurgeon should open a wound, and there leave it, (as it were) in the open air. The Law tells not man of any way of Redemption, of any way of deliverance, but merely shows unto us our misery and so leaves us. I do not mean the law that is in the book of the old testament, for there is Gospel mingled. I do not say that Moses doth not tell us of any way of Redemption; but I mean the Law of the Covenant of works ⟨p. 44⟩so far as that is revealed in Moses, and that is revealed in the new Testament in a great p•rt of it; that only shows us our misery, and there leaves us; but grace, and truth, and mercy, that comes in by Jesus Christ.

Ninthly, In the Ninth place: the burden of the Law appears in this: that it only opens to man his misery, and there leaves him; as if a Chyrurgeon should open a wound, and there leave it, (as it were) in the open aire. The Law tels not man of any way of Redemption, of any way of deliverance, but meerely shews unto us our misery and so leaves us. I do not mean the law that is in the book of the old testament, for there is Gospel mingled. I do not say that Moses doth not tel us of any way of Redemption; but I mean the Law of the Covenant of works ⟨p. 44⟩so far as that is revealed in Moses, and that is revealed in the new Testament in a great p•rt of it; that only shewes us our misery, and there leaves us; but grace, and truth, and mercy, that comes in by Jesus Christ.

Tenthly, A tenth particular wherein the grievous bondage under the law appears, is this. That it is such a Law as there can be no appeal from it, no, nor no repealing of it, though it be thus strict, and thus severe, yet I say there is no appeal from it, nor no repealing of it: there are many Laws that we may appeal from one to another, or if that Law be hard it may be called in again: we cannot appeal from the Authority of this law nor can it, be repealed. You will say, this excludes us from all help, though there be many hard Laws made by men and as long as they stand in force people are in a very sad Condition; yet there may be means to repeal them: but as for this Law there can it seems be no appeal from it, nor repealing of it. May we not appeal from Gods justice to Gods mercy seat? I have indeed spoken of such an expression, but that expression must be warily understood, for the truth is there is no proper appealing from the justice of God to his mercy; when the sinner comes to Christ it hath the pardon sealed in the Court of justice, as well as in the Court of mercy; there is no soul that is saved, but Gods justice is as well satisfied as his mercy is glorified, nor no repeal of this law. What must the law stand in force then? yes, the law shall stand in force, and yet there shall be thousands of souls saved. How is that you will say? This is the mystery of the Gospel that the law shall stand in force, and yet men shall be saved, there shall be a way to save men for all this, Certainly if the Law went on in its course, one would think that it would carry on all mankind to eternal destruction; yea, and so it would have done but only for this great Saviour, and redeemer Jesus Christ that calls Sinners to him, that they might have rest. He comes and puts himself under the Law and what the Law requires, he doth, and he Suffers;