Christ inviting sinners to come to him for rest

The third Burden of Legal Performances.

3. One that goes on in the performance of duties in a legal way merely, is weary and tired with what he doth, and yet can find no strength coming in unto him, no further ability to perform what conscience puts him upon, then he had at first, nay rather less ability. Now this must needs be burdensome. As suppose a man be put upon a work, and if he have no mind to it, that is tedious, but if it be against the hair, quite opposite to his disposition, that is more tedious; yet he must go on, and he toils and wearies himself, and yet the more he works the more grievous it is unto him, for he finds no strength coming, but strength wearying rather, his strength ⟨p. 56⟩wears a way, and no strength comes in to assist him, and yet his work is as strong as it was, that work must needs be burdensome; so those that are merely legal, they go on still in duty, and the work is still as strong, but they are weaker, many a man when he first sets upon a work is cold and benumbed, bur when he continues in the work he gets warmth, and then it is not so burdensome unto him, but if he continues in the work, and is colder and colder, this is very tedious, to those that perform duties in a mere legal way, conscience puts them upon it at first, and they go to duty with some vigour, but the truth is, they grow more weary, and the work is more tedious, and yet conscience puts them upon as much work as at first when a man hath been at work and grows weary and desires ease and a cruel task-master shall come and tell him there must be no decrease of your work, nor no increase of your strength, this must needs be tedious; thus those that perform duties in a legal way, conscience puts upon them as much work when they are weary and tired as at first; here is the difference between the works of sanctification & legal performances, though they seem to be hard at first, yet while the soul sets upon them there comes in strength, and the more work the more strength, they do not spend their strength and throw it away, and grow more weary afterwards then at first;