Christ’s Invitation to the Labouring (6) by Thomas Boston

Matthew 11:28. Come unto Me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Having very briefly considered what it is to come to Christ, by pointing out the characteristics under which we are to come to Him, and the consequent satisfaction which this coming denotes, I go on to explain more particularly the invitation here given:

2. To unfold its meaning

as viewed in the various parts of the text. You will accordingly observe that these characters are invited: the labouring and heavy laden. There is the invitation itself, “Come unto Me”, Christ Himself giving the invitation; and there is the encouragement given to those who comply with it, “I will give you rest”. These imply the following:

1. All men naturally are at a distance from God; if it were not so, they did not need to be called to come. This is not a distance of place, but a relative distance, a distance of opposition, which lies in these three things:

   (1.) The original union between God and man is blown up; they were united in a covenant of works, whereby they had common friends and enemies. This was the first marriage covenant, but Adam broke it and so broke off from God. Hence God drove him out of paradise, as a divorced woman out of the house of her husband, spoiled of all her ornaments.

   (2.) The hearts of men are naturally turned away from God, and are a mass of enmity against Him; “the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom 8:7). The nature of God is totally contrary to ours. That first sin of Adam was a little leaven that has quite soured the whole lump of mankind; so that we are not only away from the Lord, but afar off: “without God in the world” (Eph 2:12).

   (3.) The soul is still going farther and farther from God in the whole of our life: “an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God” (Heb 3:12). Every sin is a step farther from God; therefore the gospel call goes out to them that are running away, so that they may return to the Lord. We are on the road leading to destruction and moving very swiftly – as water, the more it runs, the farther it is removed from the fountain head whence it came. From what has been observed, we may learn the sinfulness and misery of our natural state. It is our duty and privilege to be near God; to be far from Him must then be our sin and misery. No wonder then that we are dead, that we can do no good while in this state of separation from God. God also has departed from us (Jer 6:7). Will this not end in eternal separation if we do not return?

2. The invitation implies that, if you have a mind to meet God and unite with Him, you must meet with Him in Christ, and unite with God in Him. “All things”, says Jesus, “are delivered unto Me of My Father.” “Come [therefore] unto Me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Would you have peace, pardon and every blessing? You must come to Him for it. God has condescended so far to forward the meeting. He has come down and dwelt in the flesh of Christ, there to wait for sinners, to promote their meeting with Him: “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself” (2 Cor 5:19). He did not need to have come so far, but of His own free grace He has done it; but He will never come farther. There then, and only there, sinners may meet Him; God is in Him and is there to make peace through Christ. If you will not come to Him and meet God there, you shall never see His face in peace. Here it may be proper to show, that this is God’s means for re-uniting with sinners that are far from Him by sin, and that there is no other way. This appears:

   (1.) From plain Scripture-testimony: “I am the way,” said Jesus, “the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (Jn 14:6). He is the great Secretary of heaven, by whom alone you can be brought into the King’s presence: “Through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Eph 2:18). The keys of the house of David hang at His girdle.

   (2.) If there was any other way of coming to God again, it had to be one of these two: first, by satisfying the law according to the first covenant, but that is impossible for us, seeing we cannot give perfect obedience, or satisfy justice for the sins we are guilty of; or, second, in a way of mere mercy; but this cannot be, because the justice of God requires to be satisfied, and God will not act in mercy and prejudice His justice: “The foolish shall not stand in Thy sight; Thou hatest all workers of iniquity” (Ps 5:5). One part of the character of God is that He “will by no means clear the guilty” – that is, without satisfaction. The law is already made, fenced with threatenings of eternal wrath, and it is broken; God’s justice and truth are both, in consequence, engaged to see the threatening accomplished. Again, God’s last will and testament is already made, and sealed by the death of His Son, but no such way is proposed in it, no mercy but in Christ. Indeed, God has declared they shall have no mercy that do not come to Christ: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mk 16:16).

   Moreover, the very providing of this way makes it evident that there is no other. Were there another way of bringing sinners to God, would not an infinitely wise God, a loving Father, have dispensed with the blood of His own Son? If any could have been spared, it might have been expected that He would; but God “spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up [to death] for us all” (Rom 8:32). Finally, ever since Adam was driven out of paradise, this has been held forth as the only way, as in the first promise. Abel’s acceptance was by it (Heb 11:4). Jesus is the only mercy seat, where God speaks in mercy to sinners.

   Here I might also show what a suitable means this is for uniting God and sinners. It is most suitable, for:

   1. It is suited to God’s honour, the glory of His divine perfections: “It became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (Heb 2:10). God, while maintaining the safety of His honour, may be reconciled to the worst of sinners in Christ. Indeed, the glory of all His perfections shines forth most illustriously in the mystery of Christ; if this were not so, there would be no safety in this plan.

   2. It is suited to the comfort of the sinner, the plan being such that it meets all the needs of the sinner: “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see” (Rev 3:18). So that the soul may confidently come to God by Christ, who can do such things for it.

   Let us more particularly consider this plan of the sinner’s coming to God, and uniting with Him, by coming to Christ. We observe that:

   [1]. Christ is a Mediator, with two natures. He is the Father’s fellow, yet bone of our bone. The worst of men are more nearly related to heaven than the fallen angels, for Jesus “took not upon Him the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham”. Here is the true ladder, the foot of which, His humanity, is set on earth, and the top of the ladder, His divinity, reaches to heaven (Gen 28), where the Lord stands making the covenant. If it consisted with the honour of God for the divine nature to take into personal union with itself the human nature, it is equally consistent to take men into mystical union with the divine Person of our Immanuel, upon this foundation. And when sinners see the first, they are encouraged to look for the second in Christ.

   [2.] Justice is satisfied In Christ: He said, “It is finished”. In Him God has presented a sacrifice for His people to offended justice, a satisfaction to His law. God exacted, till the utmost farthing was paid. And He answered, “Christ hath redeemed [them] from the curse of the law, being made a curse for [them]” (Gal 3:13), and He got the discharge. The sinner has in Him a defence against justice, an everlasting righteousness in which God may behold the sinner and be well pleased with him, and the sinner may see God and yet live. Mercy flows out freely through Him, and pardons run freely through His blood.

   [3.] The covenant is made with Christ in His blood, and sinners have all the promises of the covenant, all the benefits of it, through Him. God has laid up all in Him: “All the promises of God in Him, are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2 Cor 1:20). Sinners are to come to Him for saving blessings, and to take them from Him as the purchase of His blood; our righteousness, pardon, peace, are all in Him, “who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor 1:30). Grace is in Him, “Of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace” (Jn 1:16). Glory is from Him: “The Lord will give grace and glory”.

   [4.] By this means, the grace of God is exalted. It is to the praise of the glory of His grace. This is necessary for the glory of God in the second covenant, and for the sinner’s comfort, which could not be promoted nor secured except in this way.

   [5.] Here the matter is made sure: God is sure of the sinner, and the sinner may be sure of his union with God. Such as are built on this foundation, made members of Him, Jesus will lose none of them. From what has been stated, I would infer that:

   (1.) All who come to Christ shall come back to the state of union and communion with God through Him who knits heaven and earth, rent asunder by Adam’s sin. Let your sins be ever so great, they shall not stop it, for the cry of His blood is louder in God’s ears than that of our sins.

   (2.) They that never come to Christ shall never see God in mercy. They will meet, but it will be a sad meeting, a meeting as of a malefactor with an inexorable judge, dry stubble with consuming fire, where our leaf will be as rottenness, and the blossoms of Christless duties go up as dust.

   Thus you see there is but one door to God. But what if it is shut? No; it is open. For the invitation implies that:

3. Sinners are welcome to come to Christ, that they may unite with God by Him. Christ is ready to receive you when you come. Consider:

   (1.) That Christ has made a long journey to meet with sinners. What brought Him into the world but to bring sinners to Himself, and so back to God? What was the errand of the great Shepherd but to seek them that were straying on the mountains of vanity? “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Lk 19).

   (2.) How much it cost Him to purchase the sinner’s union with God: “He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor 5:21). Though you should little value His blood, He will not undervalue it Himself; it was shed for sinners, and will He not welcome the reward of it, the fruit of the travail of His soul? Why were His arms stretched on a cross and His side pierced through, but that He might open up our way to God?

   (3.) How near lost sinners lay to Christ’s heart, that He would refuse no hardship, in order that He might see the travail of His soul! His love was love from eternity; from eternity He says, “My delights were with the sons of men” (Prov 8:31); see His choice (Heb 12:2). Therefore, when He was to suffer, His heart was upon the work: “I have a baptism to be baptised with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished?” (Lk 12:50). Jacob’s love to Rachel showed itself by his long service for her, which seemed to him but a few days.

   (4.) Why has He set up a ministry in the world but to bring sinners to Himself? He “sent forth His servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding” (Mt 22:3). He would not have left ambassadors to treat with sinners in His name, if He was not willing to receive them – if He was not anxious that they should come to Him.

   (5.) He heartily invites you to come to Him, as in Isaiah 55:1, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price”, and in Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me”, and in our text. These invitations do not look as if they came from one who does not care whether sinners come or not, far less one who is not willing to receive them.

   (6.) The earnestness of the invitations; He deals with sinners as one that will not take, No, for an answer: “Compel them to come in, that my house may be filled” (Lk 14:23). Christ not only knocks, but stands and knocks, strives with sinners by His word, His providences, and the motions of His Spirit. He answers their objections, while none can refuse but those that rush wilfully on in their ruin (Is 55:1-7) – as in Ezekiel 33:11, “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”

   (7.) How He complains of those that will not come: “Ye will not come unto Me, that ye might have life” (Jn 5:40). He speaks as one that has been working in vain: “I have laboured in vain, I have spent My strength for nought, and in vain” (Is 49:4). He complains of Jerusalem (Mt 23:37). He weeps over obstinate, incorrigible sinners: “When He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, if thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace; but now they are hid from thine eyes” (Lk 19:41,42). Sure He has lost no bowels of compassion by going to heaven; they flow out as freely and tenderly as ever.

   (8.) He commands sinners to come to Him. The invitations are all commands; they are most peremptory: “This is His commandant, that we should believe on the name of His Son, Jesus Christ” (1 Jn 3:23). If you do not obey, you can do nothing that will please Him: “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent” (Jn 6:29). And He leaves it with us with the most dreadful certification: “He that believeth not shall be damned” (Mk 16:16). And hence it follows that the hearers of the gospel who perish are inexcusable; the door was open, but they would not enter in.

4. The invitation implies that the worst of sinners are welcome to Christ; however great their burden of sin and misery may be, it is no hindrance in their way to Christ. Where all are invited, none are excluded. But I will not enlarge here upon this, having insisted upon it at some length, when discoursing on Joel 3:10. All I shall observe just now is that this consideration should shame you out of your slighting of Christ and strike at the root of that bitter despair which lodges in the breasts of many who are yet far enough from absolute despair of their case.

5. Christ allows sinners to come to Him rather on account of how desperate their case is than otherwise: “Come unto Me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden”. As if He had said, You have been labouring and yet can get no rest; let that persuade you to come to Me. Sit down and consider your case; if nothing else will prevail with you, let the desperate nature of your disease bring you to the great Physician. You are cordially welcome to do so. Consider that:

   (1.) God, for this very end, shows a man the worst of His case, drives him to his wit’s end, in order that he may begin to be wise: “Therefore, behold I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. . . . Then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband, for then was it better with me than now” (Hos 2:6,7).

   (2.) Christ has made offers of Himself to those in the worst of cases: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Is 1:18). And He holds Himself out as a Saviour, in particular, for these whom He calls in Revelation 3:17,18 and Isaiah 55:7.

   (3.) They have been made welcome who have employed such arguments with Him: “For Thy name’s sake, pardon mine iniquity, for it is very great” (Ps 25:11). So also there was the Canaanitish woman pleading with Jesus (Mt 15:26-28).

   (4.) He has the more glory, the more desperate the case is. No one sees the stars so well as from the bottom of a deep pit. God’s power is greater to pardon, His grace to overcome, when there is most occasion for these to be displayed; it is the worst of diseases that do most proclaim the Physician’s skill, when a cure is effected.

From what has been just now observed, we may see and admire the divine condescension, that Christ is so willing to take the sinner in when he sees himself cast out at all doors, and can get rest nowhere else, that He will give him rest and embrace the sinner, when he sees he can do no better. Hence also learn how to make an excellent use of the badness of your case, even to take up these stumbling-blocks, and come to heaven’s door with them; to make a virtue of necessity and, the more that the burden presses, the more readily to go to Christ with it. True, it is never a right coming to Christ which only a sense of misery produces, but love may crown a work which terror began. In a word, you are absolutely inexcusable who do not come to Christ, whatever your case may be.

A first part of a further sermon and reprinted, with editing, from Boston’s Works*, vol 9. The previous discourse appeared in the November 2023 issue, where Boston spoke on his second point of doctrine: “All who are out of Christ are under a heavy burden which, by all their labour, they cannot shake off”. He then began to speak on the third point: “Whatever sinful and vain labours sinners are engaged in, whatever loads are lying on them, they are welcome to Christ”. The first sub-point was: “What is meant by coming to Christ?”