CHRIST INVITING SINNERS TO COME TO HIM. › Chapter 31, Christ inviting sinners to come to him for rest by Jeremiah Burroughs (1659) | AskReformation

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:826p. 250–251¶3

3. Further, This would help against this temptation also, that many times is in the Hearts of the Saints; That because they hear of divers that have seemed to have more then they have, that have had more ability then they have had, have been able to do more for God than they have done, yet for all this have fallen away, and so, it may be, have perished for ever. Now saith many a poor Christian, if such Eminent men, of such excellent abilities, that were able to do such great things, if they that go thus far, fall away, what shall become of such a poor creature as I am? Now by the understanding of our deliverance that we have from the Law by Christ, we come to have help against this temptation; for let a man have never such abilities, and be able to do never so much work, yet this man may fall away, when one that is a thousand times weaker in regard of abilities, that hath the least dram of true Faith which brings him into the ⟨p. 251⟩Covenant of Grace will stand, such a one shall stand when the other falls. If indeed thy standing did depend upon what strength thou hast in thy self, then thou hadst cause to lear, that seeing such as did stand, fell away, what shall become of thee? But we are to know, that we are to deal with God, in a way of the Covenant of Grace, our standing or falling doth not depend upon any thing in our selves, but upon Christ that hath undertaken for all those that are his members. Thou hast to deal with God in the Covenant of Grace, and being once brought into the Covenant, that will uphold thee though thou art weak, when thousands of others that have a great deal of Natural ability and common gifts of Gods Spirit, yet being not brought under this Covenant may vanish, Yea, Had they the strength of an Angel yet if not brought under this Covenant of Grace made with believers in Christ, they would fall and come to nothing. Whenas the weakest believer that hath to do with God through Christ, and not through the Law, such a one shall stand and not fall. Now the being delivered from the Law in Christ, will mightily help believers against these temptations and divers others, I know nothing that doth help believers more then this, in being delivered from the Law, in that sense as hath been showed before.

3. Further, This would help against this temptation also, that many times is in the Hearts of the Saints; That because they hear of divers that have seemed to have more then they have, that have had more ability then they have had, have been able to do more for God than they have done, yet for all this have fallen away, and so, it may be, have perished for ever. Now saith many a poor Christian, if such Eminent men, of such excellent abilities, that were able to do such great things, if they that go thus far, fall away, what shal become of such a poor creature as I am? Now by the understanding of our deliverance that we have from the Law by Christ, we come to have help against this temptation; for let a man have never such abilities, and be able to do never so much work, yet this man may fall away, when one that is a thousand times weaker in regard of abilities, that hath the least dram of true Faith which brings him into the ⟨p. 251⟩Covenant of Grace will stand, such a one shall stand when the other fals. If indeed thy standing did depend upon what strength thou hast in thy self, then thou hadst cause to lear, that seeing such as did stand, fel away, what shal become of thee? But we are to know, that we are to deal with God, in a way of the Covenant of Grace, our standing or falling doth not depend upon any thing in our selves, but upon Christ that hath undertaken for al those that are his members. Thou hast to deal with God in the Covenant of Grace, and being once brought into the Covenant, that will uphold thee though thou art weak, when thousands of others that have a great deal of Natural abillity and common guifts of Gods Spirit, yet being not brought under this Covenant may vanish, Yea, Had they the strength of an Angel yet if not brought under this Covenant of Grace made with beleevers in Christ, they would fall and come to nothing. Whenas the weakest beleever that hath to do with God through Christ, and not through the Law, such a one shal stand and not fal. Now the being delivered from the Law in Christ, will mightily help beleevers against these temptations and divers others, I know nothing that doth help beleevers more then this, in being delivered from the Law, in that sence as hath been shewed before.

:829p. 251–252

First, From this deliverance we are taught, to entertain the hearing of the Threats of the Law, I speak to believers, though others may make an ill use in hearing the deliverance from the Law, yet they must not miss their Portion. I say believers are hereby taught how to receive the Threats of the Law, you hear dreadful threats of the Law out of Gods word against sin. Now how shouldest thou entertain these threats? The way is ⟨p. 252⟩this, when thou hearest such threats know, that God by this would have thee to consider, what his mercy is, in delivering of thee from what thou hast deserved. God would have thee to consider what the evil of sin is in it self, and to consider what Christ hath done, God would have thee to be driven to Christ by this means, to see thy need of Christ, to bless his name for Christ, and to prize Christ, who hath delivered thee from these threatenings. A believer, when he hears the threats of the Law, is like a man that stands upon the shore, when there is a grievous tempest and storm, he sees the waves rise high, hears the winds blow, and the waves roar but he stands safe upon the haven, indeed he was in the storm and tempest, but God hath brought him to the haven, and there he stands and blesseth God, It may be he sees other ships a great way off ready to be split upon the rocks, or swallowed up, but he is safe on the shore, so it should be with all believers, when they hear the threatenings of the law, they should entertain them with blessing of the name of God, there was a time that my soul was under these as well as any, but now the Lord hath delivered me, and brought me under another Covenant, brought me to his son, to Christ, and he hath undertaken to satisfy the Law for my soul, and so the believer stands upon the shore, and praises God, and this makes him love Christ so much the more, prize Christ so much the more, and bless the name of God that ever he heard the voice of the Gospel sounding in his ears: and therefore it is not tedious and grievous to him to hear the dreadful threatenings of the Law, he knows how to make a holy use of them, his heart is drawn nearer to God by it as well as by the promises of the Gospel.

First, From this deliverance we are taught, to entertain the hearing of the Threats of the Law, I speak to beleevers, though others may make an ill use in hearing the deliverance from the Law, yet they must not miss their Portion. I say beleevers are hereby taught how to receive the Threats of the Law, you hear dreadful threates of the Law out of Gods word against sin. Now how shouldest thou entertain these threates? The way is ⟨p. 252⟩this, when thou hearest such threates know, that God by this would have thee to consider, what his mercy is, in delivering of thee from what thou hast deserved. God would have thee to consider what the evil of sin is in it self, and to consider what Christ hath done, God would have thee to be driven to Christ by this meanes, to see thy need of Christ, to bless his name for Christ, and to prize Christ, who hath delivered thee from these threatnings. A beleever, when he heares the threates of the Law, is like a man that stands upon the shoare, when there is a greivous tempest and storme, he sees the waves rise high, heares the winds blow, and the waves roare but he stands safe upon the haven, indeed he was in the storme and tempest, but God hath brought him to the haven, and there he stands and blesseth God, It may be he sees other ships a great way off ready to be split upon the rocks, or swallowed up, but he is safe on the shoare, so it should be with al beleevers, when they heare the threatnings of the law, they should entertain them with blessing of the name of God, there was a time that my soul was under these as wel as any, but now the Lord hath delivered me, and brought me under another Covenant, brought me to his son, to Christ, and he hath undertaken to satisfie the Law for my soul, and so the beleever stands upon the shoar, and prayses God, and this makes him love Christ so much the more, prize Christ so much the more, and bless the name of God that ever he heard the voice of the Gospel sounding in his eares: and therefore it is not tedious and grievous to him to heare the dreadful threatnings of the Law, he knowes how to make a holy use of them, his heart is drawn neerer to God by it as wel as by the promises of the Gospel.