First, that which I mean by the burden of Legal Performances is this, the performing of duties that are required by the Law merely out of conscience, because conscience puts men and Women upon those duties, and doing them in the strength that they have of their own, and looking upon what they do as the Righteousness which they must tender up to God, as Righteousness for life, now this is a Legal performance; to perform duties in a Legal way is this, to do what the Law requires merely out of conscience, because conscience tells me I must do it, and to work in mine own strength though it be that that God gives, yet but a natural strength, and to make account of this to be as my Righteousness, and to tender it up unto God for Righteousness unto life, here is a Legal performance, and this is to perform duties in a mere Legal way, and those that do thus will find that this will be a very great burden to their spirits, it is a burden unto the Spirits of those that do thus, unto the spirits of such as are conscientious indeed, for we look not now upon men and Women as performing Duties ⟨p. 52⟩out of Hypocrisy to be seen of men to make a show of what they have not in their Hearts, we do not speak of such, but we speak of those that have got into a higher form beyond such kind of Hypocrites, such as perform duties out of conscience, and yet rise no higher then looking at the Law, that binds them to those duties and so tender them up to God as their Righteousness, and do them for life, making account that this is the thing that must bring them to life, such as do this and are not acquainted any further with the mystery of the Gospel, they do go under a most grievous burden all the days of their lives, I do not say that it is a burden to perform Duties that conscience requires, when we do them to the Honour of God, in the strength of Christ, as a work of the sanctification of this spirit, and as a fruit of our thankfulness for the Grace and mercy of God in Christ to us, that is not a burden, that is no burden at all, but to do them merely as being forced to them by conscience, and as our Righteousness for life this is the burden, and though there be no other principles that men and Women have but this, yet they may be very conscientious so as not to dare to commit any known sin in secret, they may make conscience of secret duties, yea they may be abundant in duties, that is,
First, that which I mean by the burden of Legal Performances is this, the performing of duties that are required by the Law meerly out of conscience, because conscience puts men and Women upon those duties, and doing them in the strength that they have of their own, and looking upon what they do as the Righteousness which they must tender up to God, as Righteousness for life, now this is a Legal performance; to perform duties in a Legal way is this, to do what the Law requires meerly out of conscience, because conscience tels me I must do it, and to work in mine own strength though it be that that God gives, yet but a natural strength, and to make account of this to be as my Righteousness, and to tender it up unto God for Righteousness unto life, here is a Legal performance, and this is to performe duties in a meer Legal way, and those that do thus wil find that this will be a very great burden to their spirits, it is a burden unto the Spirits of those that do thus, unto the spirits of such as are conscientious indeed, for we look not now upon men and Women as performing Duties ⟨p. 52⟩out of Hypocrisie to be seen of men to make a show of what they have not in their Hearts, we do not speak of such, but we speak of those that have got into a higher form beyond such kind of Hypocrites, such as perform duties out of conscience, and yet rise no higher then looking at the Law, that binds them to those duties and so tender them up to God as their Righteousness, and do them for life, making account that this is the thing that must bring them to life, such as do this and are not acquainted any further with the mystery of the Gospel, they do go under a most grievous burden all the daies of their lives, I do not say that it is a burden to perform Duties that conscience requires, when we do them to the Honor of God, in the strength of Christ, as a work of the sanctification of this spirit, and as a fruit of our thankfulness for the Grace and mercy of God in Christ to us, that is not a burden, that is no burden at al, but to do them meerly as being forced to them by conscience, and as our Righteousness for life this is the burden, and though there be no other principles that men and Women have but this, yet they may be very conscientious so as not to dare to commit any known sin in secret, they may make conscience of secret duties, yea they may be aboundant in duties, that is,
