CHRIST INVITING SINNERS TO COME TO HIM. › Chapter 36, Christ inviting sinners to come to him for rest by Jeremiah Burroughs (1659) | AskReformation

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:902p. 292–293¶1

I. Sanctification is great rest unto the soul of a believer, the truth is, there is nothing troubles the heart of a strong believer, but only the want of his Sanctification, nothing in the world I say troubles the heart of a strong believer but that. It is time, a weak believer is troubled for want of the apprehension of the pardon of his sin, a weak believer hath trouble of spirit still in the sense of the guilt of sin, but a strong believer gets ⟨p. 293⟩over that. A weak believer hath trouble by the Law still, because through the weakness of his faith, he is not able to make use of the Covenant of grace that God hath brought him into, so as to deliver himself from trouble that way, a strong believer gets over that. A weak believer performs duties, but there is a great deal of legality in his performance of them, that many times they are troublesome to him, but a strong believer gets over that burden, but now the remaining corruption that is in the heart, none in this world gets over this. Indeed in great part the strong believer hath got power there also, a great deal more then the weak one hath done, but the chief burden that lies upon a strong believer in this world is the remainder of corruption that is yet in him. And so for the next burden of affliction, the strong believer gets well over that too, but this is one chief burden of the strongest believers that the world hath, that yet there is much remaining corruption in them. As it was in Paul, though a strong believer, saith he. Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death, as you heard it formerly opened to you, so that sanctification is a special rest that believers have, it is a rest.

I. Sanctification is great rest unto the soul of a beleever, the truth is, there is nothing troubles the heart of a strong beleever, but only the want of his Sanctification, nothing in the world I say troubles the heart of a strong beleever but that. It is time, a weak beleever is troubled for want of the apprehension of the pardon of his sin, a weak beleever hath trouble of spirit stil in the sense of the guilt of sin, but a strong beleever gets ⟨p. 293⟩over that. A weak beleever hath trouble by the Law stil, because through the weakness of his faith, he is not able to make use of the Covenant of grace that God hath brought him into, so as to deliver himself from trouble that way, a strong beleever gets over that. A weak beleever performes duties, but there is a great deale of legality in his performance of them, that many times they are troublesom to him, but a strong beleever gets over that burden, but now the remaining corruption that is in the heart, none in this world gets over this. Indeed in great part the strong beleever hath got power there also, a great deale more then the weak one hath done, but the cheife burden that lies upon a strong beleever in this world is the remainder of corruption that is yet in him. And so for the next burden of affliction, the strong beleever gets wel over that too, but this is one cheife burden of the strongest beleevers that the world hath, that yet there is much remaining corruption in them. As it was in Paul, though a strong beleever, saith he. Oh wretched man that I am who shal deliver me from this body of death, as you heard it formerly opened to you, so that sanctification is a special rest that beleevers have, it is a rest.

:912p. 295–296¶4

4. Sanctification it must needs be rest unto the heart because that is a principle that raiseth the soul, above the region of all kind of trouble and molestation. As the Philosophers tell us, that here, in the inferior region, there are storms, tempests, changes, and alterations, but in the region on high, the third region, that is above storms, tempests, winds and blusterings, there is nothing but quiet, nothing but peace there. It is true, while the heart of a man or woman is grovelling here below in the world ⟨p. 296⟩as all are till God raiseth them by Grace, their spirits are full of trouble, vexation and molestation. There is no peace to the wicked, saith my God, but he is like the troubled sea which casts forth mire and dirt. As you heard in the opening of that scripture. But now when God gives grace, and sanctifies the heart, the Lord raiseth the heart above these regions of trouble, raiseth it on high, gets it up in the highest region, there is nothing but quiet, calm peace, ease, and rest unto the soul.

4. Sanctification it must needs be rest unto the heart because that is a principle that raiseth the soul, above the region of al kind of trouble and molestation. As the Philosophers tel us, that here, in the inferior region, there are stormes, tempests, changes, and alterations, but in the region on high, the third region, that is above stormes, tempests, winds and blusterings, there is nothing but quiet, nothing but peace there. It is true, while the heart of a man or woman is grovelling here below in the world ⟨p. 296⟩as al are til God raiseth them by Grace, their spirits are ful of trouble, vexation and molestation. There is no peace to the wicked, saith my God, but he is like the troubled sea which casts forth mire and dirt. As you heard in the opening of that scripture. But now when God gives grace, and sanctifies the heart, the Lord raiseth the heart above these regions of trouble, raiseth it on high, gets it up in the highest region, there is nothing but quiet, calme peace, ease, and rest unto the soul.