Christ inviting sinners to come to him for rest

I confess in the way you are in it is tedious and hard, but if you had the spirit of Christ, and were come to Christ, those duties that you account now hard, would be easy, you would never have more comfort, more ease and quiet, then when you are performing of duty. You will think this a riddle, to say, that the soul should never have more ease, rest, quiet, and comfort then when a man walks more strictly and exactly, and keeps to the rule. Now ⟨p. 271⟩saith a carnal heart, this is a miserable bondage, that ministers call for strictness, what a bondage and weariness is this, as they in Malachi say, now you think this so, Why? because you are but legal all this while, and if you did perform duties still in that way, they would be a burden to you, but you mistake in this, you think there is no way to keep Gods Commandments, but in a Legal way, I but know this, there is an evangelical way to keep Gods Commandments, Gods Law, and that makes every duty to be easy and light un•o the Soul· You think there is no such quiet and content of heart, as to be at liberty, and to satisfy the flesh, and have your minds fully pleased, but were you acquainted with the mystery of Godliness, you would find, that those things that now are so easy, and give you so much quiet and comfort, would be the most troublesome things in the world & the strictness of Gods ways that you think so burdensome, you would find to be the most easy and comfortable things in the world. And therefore let not the Devil steal you away from the strictness of Gods ways by this delusion, certainly, he doth but delude you, O! that ye had but the spirit of the Lord Jesus in you; and that you were come to Christ, you would find then ease in the most strict and difficult duties in the world, you would find your souls to be at ease in the performance of them.

I confess in the way you are in it is tedious and hard, but if you had the spirit of Christ, and were come to Christ, those duties that you account now hard, would be easie, you would never have more comfort, more ease and quiet, then when you are performing of duty. You wil think this a riddle, to say, that the soul should never have more ease, rest, quiet, and comfort then when a man walks more strictly and exactly, and keeps to the rule. Now ⟨p. 271⟩saith a carnal heart, this is a miserable bondage, that ministers cal for strictness, what a bondage and weariness is this, as they in Malachy say, now you think this so, Why? because you are but legal al this while, and if you did performe duties stil in that way, they would be a burden to you, but you mistake in this, you think there is no way to keep Gods Commandements, but in a Legal way, I but know this, there is an evangelical way to keep Gods Commandements, Gods Law, and that makes every duty to be easie and light uno the Soul· You think there is no such quiet and content of heart, as to be at liberty, and to satisfie the flesh, and have your minds fully pleased, but were you acquainted with the mistery of Godliness, you would find, that those things that now are so easie, and give you so much quiet and comfort, would be the most troublesome things in the world & the strictness of Gods wayes that you think so burdensome, you would find to be the most easie and comfortable things in the world. And therefore let not the Devil steal you away from the strictness of Gods wayes by this delusion, certainly, he doth but delude you, O! that ye had but the spirit of the Lord Jesus in you; and that you were come to Christ, you would find then ease in the most strict and difficult duties in the world, you would find your souls to be at ease in the performance of them.