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.

:832p. 253–254

Secondly, from what hath been delivered both from the burden of the law and the rest in being delivered from it, this Lesson may be learned, Here we may see how believers are in the course of their lives, to mix humility with confidence, they may learn how to be humble, and yet how to be confident, how to rejoice and yet how to tremble; there is no such way to learn the mixture of humility, with faith and confidence, and the mixture of joy and trembling as this is, know the Law and the bondage under it, and then the rest that is to be had in Christ, this will teach thee to be sensible of thy own wretchedness, and what a condition thou art in naturally, and yet how to be confident in the grace of God in Christ. This will teach thee how to fear in regard of what thou art in thy self and yet to rejoice in regard of what thou art in Jesus Christ, in the rest thy soul hath Got in Jesus Christ. Many people do not know how to mingle these two together, if so be they be humbled for their sins, then they are dejected, in their spirits, they cannot tell how, to exercise humiliation for their sins, and faith and confidence in Gods grace together, they think the humiliation for sin will hinder Gods grace, and therefore they cannot endure to hear of such things as tend to beat them down, to humble them ⟨p. 254⟩for their sins, but they say, they must believe altogether in Gods grace, and the other will bring them to despair. Certainly, thou art not acquainted with the mystery of Godliness, if thou doest not understand how these two may stand together, to be deeply humbled for thy sins, and yet at the same instant of time, the soul to be raised with the Mercy of God in Christ both together.

Secondly, from what hath been delivered both from the burden of the law and the rest in being delivered from it, this Lesson may be learned, Here we may see how beleevers are in the course of their lives, to mix humility with confidence, they may learne how to be humble, and yet how to be confident, how to rejoyce and yet how to tremble; there is no such way to learne the mixture of humility, with faith and confidence, and the mixture of joy and trembling as this is, know the Law and the bondage under it, and then the rest that is to be had in Christ, this wil teach thee to be sensible of thy own wretchedness, and what a condition thou art in naturally, and yet how to be confident in the grace of God in Christ. This wil teach thee how to feare in regard of what thou art in thy self and yet to rejoyce in regard of what thou art in Jesus Christ, in the rest thy soul hath Got in Jesus Christ. Many people do not know how to mingle these two together, if so be they be humbled for their sins, then they are dejected, in their spirits, they cannot tel how, to exercise humiliation for their sins, and faith and confidence in Gods grace together, they think the humiliation for sin wil hinder Gods grace, and therfore they cannot indure to hear of such things as tend to beat them down, to humble them ⟨p. 254⟩for their sins, but they say, they must beleeve altogether in Gods grace, aad the other wil bring them to despair. Certainly, thou art not acquainted with the mystery of Godliness, if thou doest not understand how these two may stand together, to be deeply humbled for thy sins, and yet at the same instant of time, the soul to be raised with the Mercy of God in Christ both together.

:833p. 254

It is true, vices are opposite one to another, but graces are never opposite one to another, those that understand the Mystery of Godliness they know how to mingle these two together, at one and the same time. You know that the scripture saith, that Godliness is a mystery, Great is the mystery of Godliness, and indeed Godliness consists in the skill that a Christian comes to have, to know at the same time, how to be humbled, and yet to be confident, yet to be believing, and one the other side, to rejoice, and yet to fear, many cannot rejoice, but they grow loose and wanton with their joy; and others cannot fear; but their hears grow lumpish and dead if they do fear; now the heart that understands what it is to be under the Law naturally and what rest Christ hath brought unto us in delivering us from the Law, can tell how to rejoice in trembling, and to believe in humiliation, and there is no such way to make such a mixture of both as to understand what it is to be naturally under the Law, and what the rest is that we have in Christ, I confess these things will not perhaps come so full upon the hearts of those that do not in some measure remember what we have said heretofore, both from the burden of the Law, and the rest that we have in Christ, those will not be able to make so much use of this that I am speaking of, I could wish these things would have come altogether, but we cannot do all things at once.

It is true, vices are opposite one to another, but graces are never opposite one to another, those that understand the Mistery of Godlyness they know how to mingle these two together, at one and the same time. You know that the scripture saith, that Godliness is a mistery, Great is the mistery of Godlyness, and indeed Godliness consists in the skil that a Christian comes to have, to know at the same time, how to be humbled, and yet to be confident, yet to be beleeving, and one the other side, to rejoyce, and yeat to feare, many cannot rejoyce, but they grow loose and wanton with their joy; and others cannot feare; but their hears grow lumpish and dead if they do feare; now the heart that understands what it is to be under the Law naturally and what rest Christ hath brought unto us in delivering us from the Law, can tel how to rejoice in trembling, and to beleeve in humiliation, and there is no such way to make such a mixture of both as to understand what it is to be naturally under the Law, and what the rest is that we have in Christ, I confess these things wil not perhaps come so ful upon the hearts of those that do not in some measure remember what we have said hertofore, both from the burden of the Law, and the rest that we have in Christ, those wil not be able to make so much use of this that I am speaking of, I could wish these things would have come altogether, but we cannot do al things at once.

:835p. 255–256

Thirdly, A further thing that is to be learned from the deliverance we have in Christ from the Law, it is this; here appears plainly, that the way of Life and salvation is above nature, it is supernatural, for that that I have opened in the rest we have in Christ from the law, teacheth you, that believers are not to stand or fall for their eternal estates by any work of the Law, if they perform any work of the Law, this, doth not bring them to eternal life, if they break the Law this doth not cast them down unto death, therefore the way of life and salvation is supernatural, for nature can teach a man no further then this, that he must serve God, & if he do th• God will bless him, and love him, and if he sin against God, God will afflict him and chastise him, nature can tell of no way how a man should be saved but only by serving of God, and by doing the works of the Law, nature teacheth a man nothing else but this together with the other, that if he doth that, that God forbids, he must expect the wrath of God, and to lie under Gods wrath, and beyond this nature cannot go. Now then for to hear of such a thing as this is, that my soul shall not depend upon what I neglect, nor my eternal life shall not depend upon what I do, that is a high mystery that is infinitely above nature. I do not say what the neglect of Gods will doth deserve of eternal perishing, yea, even in believers; but now they are under the Covenant in Christ, they have the rest in Christ, that their souls shall not be cast one way or other by what they do or what they leave undone, though if they neglect his will the Lord may make them to know it here while they live in this world. And if upon this any shall say, then what need we regard what we do, if any shall say so, we need go no further with this man but say unto him, Thou hast no part nor portion in this thing, thou hast no part in the deliverance from the Law by Christ, shall we sin because grace abounds? God forbid, the Lord forbid that there ⟨p. 256⟩should enter any such thought; into any of our Hearts, They that are godly have the Spirit of God in them, and will not Reason after such a manner, however this is certain, that in Christ we do not depend for life and Death upon the works of the Law, and therefore the way of the Gospel is a high way, a supernatural way, it is a way beyond that that most people imagine:

Thirdly, A further thing that is to be learned from the deliverance we have in Christ from the Law, it is this; here appeares plainly, that the way of Life and salvation is above nature, it is supernatural, for that that I have opened in the rest we have in Christ from the law, teacheth you, that beleevers are not to stand or fal for their eternal estates by any worke of the Law, if they performe any worke of the Law, this, doth not bring them to eternal life, if they breake the Law this doth not cast them down unto death, therefore the way of life and salvation is supernatural, for nature can teach a man no further then this, that he must serve God, & if he do th• God wil bless him, and love him, and if he sin against God, God wil afflict him and chastise him, nature can tel of no way how a man should be saved but only by serving of God, and by doing the workes of the Law, nature teacheth a man nothing else but this together with the other, that if he doth that, that God forbids, he must expect the wrath of God, and to ly under Gods wrath, and beyond this nature cannot go. Now then for to heare of such a thing as this is, that my soul shal not depend upon what I neglect, nor my eternal life shal not depend upon what I do, that is a high mystery that is infinitely above nature. I do not say what the neglect of Gods wil doth deserve of eternal perishing, yea, even in beleevers; but now they are under the Covenant in Christ, they have the rest in Christ, that their souls shal not be cast one way or other by what they do or what they leav undon, though if they neglect his wil the Lord may make them to know it here while they live in this world. And if upon this any shal say, then what need we regard what we do, if any shal say so, we need go no further with this man but say unto him, Thou hast no part nor portion in this thing, thou hast no part in the deliverance from the Law by Christ, shal we sin because grace abounds? God forbid, the Lord forbid that there ⟨p. 256⟩should enter any such thought; into any of our Hearts, They that are godly have the Spirit of God in them, and will not Reason after such a manner, however this is certaine, that in Christ we do not depend for life and Death upon the works of the Law, and therefore the way of the Gospel is a high way, a supernatural way, it is a way beyond that that most people imagine: