You arc not to conceive, that all tlie souVsJears, troubles and sor- rows are presently over and at an end, as soon as it is come to Christ by faith, -j- They will have many troubles in the world after that, it may be, more than ever they had in their lives : " Our flesh <; (saith Paul) had no rest," 2 Cor. vii. 5. They will be infested with many temptations after that ; that, it may be, the assaults of Satan may be more violent upon their souls than ever. Horribilia
* I will give you recreation from weariness, troubles and burdens. Vatab. et Erasm.
f Luther, upon his conversion, was so buffeted by Satan, that neither heat, blood, sensation, or speech remained.
SffctM. TX. THE METHOD OF GRAMS. 183
de Deo, terribilia de fide : injections that make the very bones to quake, and the belly to tremble. They will not be wholly freed from sin ; that rest remains for the people of God ; nor from in- ward trouble and grief of soul about sin. These things are not to be expected presently.
We may not think edl believers d\) Immediately enter into the full, actual sense of rest and comfort, but they presently enter Into the state of rest " Being justified by faith, we have peace with God," Rom. v 1. i. e. we enter into the state of peace immediately. " Peace " is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart,1' Psal. cxvii. 11. And he is a rich man that hath a thousand acres of corn in the ground, as well as he that hath so much in his barn, or the money in his purse. They have rest and peace in the seed of it, when they have it not in the fruit ; they have rest in the promise, when they have it not in possession ; and he is a rich man that hath good bonds and bills for a great sum of money, if he have not twelve-pence in his pocket. All believers have the pro- mise, have rest and peace granted them under God's own hand, in many promises which faith brings them under; and we know that the truth and faithfulness of God stands engaged to make good every line and word of the promise to them. So that though they have not a full and clear actual sense and feeling of rest, they are, nevertheless by faith come into the state of rest.
We may not conceive that faith itself is the souFs rest, but the means and instruments of it only. We cannot find rest in any work or duty of our own, but we may find it in Christ, whom faith apprehends for justification and salvation.
Having thus guarded the point against misapprehensions, by these needful cautions, I shall next shew you how our coming to Christ by faith brings us to rest in him. And here let it be con- sidered what those things are that burden, grieve and disquiet the soul before its coming to Christ ; and how it is relieved and eased in all those respects, by its coming to the Lord Jesus; and you shall find,
First, That one principal ground of trouble is the guilt of sin upon the conscience, of which I spake in the former point. The curse of the law lies heavy upon the soul, so heavy that nothing is found in all the world able to relieve it under that burden ; as you see in a condemned man, spread a table in prison with the great- est dainties, and send for the rarest musicians, all will not charm his sorrow : but if you can produce an authentic pardon, you ease him presently. Just so it is here, faith plucks the thorn out of
184 the method of gbace. sekm. ix,
the conscience, which so grieved it, unites the soul with Christ, and then that ground of trouble is removed : for " there is no condem- " nation to them that are in Christ Jesus," Rom. viii. 1. The same moment the soul comes to Christ, it hath passed from death to life, is no more under the law, but grace. If a man's debt be paid by his surety, he need not fear to shew his face boldly abroad ; he may freely meet the Serjeant at the prison-door.
Secondly, The soul of a convinced sinner is exceedingly burden- ed with the uncleanness and filthiness wherewith sin hath defiled and polluted it. Conviction discovers the universal pollution of heart and life, so that a man loathes and abhors himself by reason thereof: if he do not look into his own corruptions, he cannot be safe ; and if he do, he cannot bear the sight of them ; he hath no quiet ; nothing can give rest, but what gives relief against this evil ; and this only is done by faith uniting the soul with Jesus Christ. For though it be true that the pollution of sin be not presently and perfectly taken away by coming to Christ, yet the burden thereof is exceedingly eased ; for, upon our believing, there is an heart- purifying principle planted in the soul, which doth, by degrees, cleanse that fountain of corruption, and will at last perfectly free the soul from it. Acts xv. 9. " Purifying their hearts by faith ;" and being once in Christ, he is concerned for the soul as a member now of his own mystical body, to purify and cleanse it, that at last he may present it perfect to the Father, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, Eph. v. 26. The reigning power of it is gone immediately upon believing, and the very existence and being of it shall at last be destroyed. O, what rest must this give under those troubles for sin :
Thirdly, It was an intolerable burden to the soul to be under the continual fears, alarms, and frights of death and damnation; its life hath been a life of bondage, upon this account, ever since the Lord opened his eyes to see his condition. Poor souls lie down witli tremblings, for fear what a night may bring forth. It is a sad life indeed to live in continual bondage of such fears; but faith sweetly relieves the trembling conscience, by removing the guilt which breeds its fears. The sting of death is sin. When guilt is removed, fears vanquish. " Smite, Lord, smite, said Luther, " for my sins are forgiven *." Now, if sickness come, it is another thing than it was wont to be. Isa. xxxiii, 24. " The inhabitant " shall not say, I am sick, the people that dwell therein shall be " forgiven their iniquities." A man scarce feels his sickness, in comparison to what he did, whilst he was without Christ and hope of pardon.
* Feri, Vomme, jkrit nan a yeccatis vicis absolvtus sum. Luther.
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