Four Books on Matthew 11, Book 4 · Chapter 146
CHAP. CXLVI.
The meanes to make the waies of Chriſt eaſy to our ſelves. 1. Our obedience muſt be evangelical. 2. Keep the heart in a readineſs to every duty. 3. Get the heart in love to the duty. 4. Looſe not your incouragements. 5. Continue not in the guilt of any Sin. 6. Order the duties of your condition. 7. Leave the Succeſs wholly to God. 8. Bind not your ſelf to what Chriſt doth not. 9. Lay hold upon all opportunities. 10. Preſerve all experiences. 11. Beware of diſturbing paſſions. 12. Entertaine communion with the Saints. 13. Exerciſe much faith. 14. Get ſtrength of Grace.
THe laſt thing that I intend in this point is, To ſhew how we may come to facilitate the waies of Godlineſs to our ſelves, that is, how we may come to live ſo under the yoke of Chriſt, as to make it eaſy unto our ſelves, for certainly, though Chriſts yoke be eaſy, yet many people of God find more difficulty in Gods waies then they need, there is an art, a skill, a myſtery of Godlyneſs, which if you come to hit on right, you may carry on the work of Godlineſs with power, and yet with a great deal of eaſe and ſweetneſs. As you know a workman that is skillful in his trade indeed, and can handle his tools well, and is exerciſed in it, he carries on his work with eaſe, it goes on before him delightfully whereas an unskilful young workman, that cannot tell how to handle his tools, he will keep a bungling and ſtir, and tires himſelf, and doth not carry his work on with eaſe, and doth but a little work, and doth it not wel neither, thoſe Workmen that do their work well, with moſt eaſe, they do the moſt work. Now for thoſe rules to be obſerved, that may help us to make the waies of Chriſt eaſy to us, they are theſe.
1. Be ſure that all your obedience be evangelical obedience, when you are tendering up any ſervice to God let it be (I ſay) an evangelical ſervice; you will ſay, what is the meaning of an evangelical work, or evangelical obedience, or ſervice? certainly, the want of the knowledg of Chriſt, is the chiefe thing that makes the waies of God difficult to Godly people, their obedience is legal, not evangelical. I have already, in the former part of the invitation of Chriſt, ſhewed much of the difficulty that there is in legal obedience, I will give you but the heads of ſome four or five things for evangelical obedience, and ſhew what it is, or what eaſe there is in evangelical obedience, in compariſon of the other.
Firſt, Evangelical obedience, is an obedience that the child tenders up unto the father, when you come to do any work, do not look upon God as a ſevere Judge, paſſing judgment, and condemning of you, But look upon God as a father, and all your obedience to be nothing but the obedience of a child to his father, this wil make it eaſy; it is a greater eaſe for a child to obey his father; when he knows that he is a loving and tender father, then for a gally ſlave to obey him that hath the power over him.
Secondly, Evangelical obedience, is to know that the Goſpel accepts of uprightneſs, where there is not perfection, many Chriſtians are exceedingly troubled in the duties of religion, and they are very difficult to them, becauſe they think, that God being an infinite, Holy God, he looks for abſolute perfection from them in their duties, and if there be any imperfection in their duties, they think they ſhall not be accepted, but now Evangelical obedience, accepts of uprightneſs, when there is not perfection, if there be uprightneſs this is accepted of God.
Thirdly, Evangelical obedience, the Duties of the Goſpel, hath ever a promiſe going along with them, whatever the Goſpel requires, it joyns a promiſe to it, as it is in the body, there is an Artery that goes along together with the Veins in the body, that carries the blood, and the Spirits through the body, we muſt look upon every Duty as having a promiſe joyned to it, and this will make our obedience eaſie, evermore joyn promiſes unto commands.
Fourthly, Evangelical obedience, it bears the heart upon the ſtrength of Jeſus Chriſt, upon Chriſts ſtrength, to look up to him; when we go to Duty, not to be tiring our ſelves, and think to carry it out by main ſtrength of our own, but to look up to him, and bear our ſelves upon Chriſt, upon his ſtrength.
Fifthly, Evangelical obedience, it is not an obedience upon which our eternal life depends, we are not to look upon what we do, as any part of the Covenant of eternal life, as that which our eternal life depends, not as a covenant of works upon which eternal life depends: but the ſafety of our Souls and eternal life is in another way, and all that which we do is rather in way of thankfulneſs unto God for the mercy that God hath granted to us, and the eternal life that Chriſt hath purchaſed for us already; this is Evangelical obedience, now if our obedience and Duties were after this manner performed, they would be very eaſie, if we would but do thus, this it is to obey evangelically▪ If we could come as children to obey our Father, and know, that the uprightneſs of our hearts is accepted, and to look upon every Commandment as having a promiſe annexed to it, and to bear our ſelves upon the ſtrength of Chriſt, and to look upon every Duty only as a teſtimony of our thankfulneſs to God for eternal life purchaſed for us, rather then a part of the Covenant of eternal life: Now this obedience hath a great deale of eaſe in it. But becauſe we have ſpoken largely heretofore about the difficulty of the burden of the Law, and of the reſt of the Soul from under it, it ſhal be ſufficient to nam… it at this time, but if we would have eaſe in the waies of Chriſt, we muſt performe all our obedience in an Evangelical way, and I will add this one thing to it.
As our obedience, ſo our humiliation for want of obedience muſt be evangelical, for many Chriſtians, may find their obedience ſomwhat eaſy to them, I but, when they do not obey, then the ſorrow for their ſin that is grievous, their humiliation that is a burden to their Spirits, ſin lyes upon them as a burden, I but, we ſhould be humbled for our ſins in an evangelical way, as wel as performe duty, in an evangelical way. Now evangelical humiliation, it is a ſorrow for ſin, not that we might purchaſe p… don for that ſorrow, as we muſt not perform a duty to think to purchaſe Heaven, neither muſt we ſorrow for ſin to think to ſatisfie for ſin, and to purchaſe pardon for our ſin, but our very ſorrow for ſin muſt have a ſweetneſs from Chriſt in it, it muſt be out of love, our very mourning muſt be a fruit of love, and not come from the fear of being deſtroyed eternally for ſuch ſins, that is legal ſorrow, I have ſinned againſt God, and therefore am afraid that God will deſtroy me eternally, and therefore I am ſorry, No, but I have ſinned againſt the Lord, a gracious, and a merciful Father, and the Lord yet hath made a Covenant with me, that he will not take advantage of my ſin, that he will not deſtroy me, and therefore my ſoul mourns and laments the rather for my ſin, that I have ſinned ſo much againſt the grace of the Goſpel as I have done: Sorrow evangelically, and then your ſorrow wil have more ſweetneſs in it then all the joy that the men of the world have, when all their Corn and Wine and Oyl is encreaſed, not only when God lifts up the light of his countenance, but even the very ſorrow of your heart for ſin may have more ſweetneſs in it, then all the men of the world have, when their Corn and Wine and Oyl encreaſeth. Many Chriſtians have much bitterneſs in their ſorrow, but certainly, Evangelical ſorow, the tears of it is Roſe water, that hath a great deal of ſweetneſs, it is ſweet both unto God, and ſweet unto the ſoul, even while the ſoul is ſorrowing, there is ſweetneſs in the heart, and this is the difference between legal terror, and Evangelical ſorrow, the one hath nothing but bitterneſs and gal in it, and the other nothing but ſweetneſs. That is the firſt thing.
Secondly, Another way to facilitate and make eaſie that we do is this, Labor to keep our hearts in a conſtant readineſs and preparation to every duty; Duties are very hard becauſe we fall upon them unprepared, we are not in a readineſs continually unto every good work, you know when you are ſet about any work, and if you have many things to prepare, and to look for, when you ſhould go about your work, it will go off but heavily, and it will be more troubleſom, but now, when every thing is prepared in a readineſs, then how ſoon and how eaſie doth the work go on? when you are going to Sea, there is making a great deal of preparation aforehand, now when the Ship is rigged and trimmed & every thing ready, then you are at an inſtant able to put off, and ſet ſaii, and go away, when al things are ready, you go off with eaſe. If you would entertain Gueſts, if they come upon you ſuddenly, and you have nothing ready, what a deal of ſtir is in the houſe? what running up and down this way and that way, but now, if things be ready when they come, they are entertained with a great deal of delight, and all things in the houſe are in order, and things go off very eaſily, and there is no trouble in it. Truly, thus it ſhould be with a Chriſtian, he ſhould not only perform duties now and then, but his life ſhould be a conſtant walking with God, ſo that he ſhould be alwaies in readineſs for every duty that God requires of him, & ſo it comes to be eaſie. As now for the duty of Prayer▪ you ſhould keep your hearts in a praying frame continually, and then prayer would be eaſie, it would be an eaſie thing for you to pour forth your ſouls to God, when you keep your hearts in a praying frame all the day long. It may be when you go to prayer, you find a great deal of trouble within you, your thoughts wander, and your affections are dead and dul, and you riſe up diſcouraged: But what is the reaſon, you do not keep your heart all the day long in a praying frame, in a heavenly temper and frame in the day time, and therefore when you come to pray at night, there is no readineſs in your hearts to the duty, but you are altogether indiſpoſed to it. And ſo to come unto the Sacrament, you find it a great labor and toyl to prepare for the Sacrament as you ſhould, I ſpeak of thoſe that make conſcience of preparation, many times they find it a mighty toyl, a hard work; I, but Chriſtians ſhould keep themſelves alwaies in a Sacramental diſpoſition, a Sacramental frame, alwaies having their ſpirits ſavoring of the meditation of the death of Jeſus Chriſt, that nothing ſhould be more familiar to a Chriſtians Soul than the meditation of the death of Chriſt, and of diſcerning the Lords Body, and the Covenant of grace, and giving it ſelf likewiſe to God in a Covenant of grace, this ſhould be continually, and then if you ſhould receive the Sacrament every day, you might be fit for it, or every week, you would be fit for it. Now People think it a great matter, and make a great deal of do about receiving of it often, whereas the truth is, the Saints of God, they ſhould be in as great a readineſs to receive the Sacrament, as to hear the word, or to pray, and that would be a mighty eaſe unto them, therefore if things were as they ſhould certainly, it would be more convenient to have it more ordinary and conſtant, every Lords day the Sacrament. The Chriſtians in the primitive times would receive it every day in the year, and they kept their heart in readineſs to ſuch kind of duties, let it be what work it wil be. You ſhould be patient in affliction, if affliction come upon you and your heart is not in a readineſs to alter your condition, Oh! it wil be a grievous burden to exerciſe patience, it wil be a hard thing for you; now you ſhould keep your hearts ready for every condition, that is the true work of grace in the Soul, to keep the ſoul in a conſtant bent Godward and that Soul wil do things very eaſily. Somtimes you have much ado with your children when ſtrangers come, to keep them in good order the reaſon is, you neglect them at other times▪ and that is the reaſon that they trouble you when ſtrangers come; but keep them in a good order at all times, and then you wil have them right at thoſe times; So it is with the heart, keep the heart prepared and ready to every good work, and then every work wil be eaſie.
Object. But you wil ſay, That is a great deal of toyl and labor, to keep our hearts alwaies bent, and ready to good works.
To that I anſwer, at firſt it may be ſome labor and toyl, but thoſe that have once got their hearts into a readineſs, find it not ſo hard, but have a great deal of eaſe, As now it is a great deale of toyl for one that neglects his accounts, he is not ready, but his accounts are intangled, if he be called to give a perfect account, it is a great deal of toyl to him, but now let a man get over the difficulty, and make all his accounts cleer, now for him every day to keep his Books ſtreight and cleer, this wil not be ſo great a trouble. This is the difference between one Chriſtian and another for all the world, one that ſhall take his pleaſure all the week long, and ride this way and the other way, and neglects his Books, and but one day in the week will look them over, he wil have a great deal of trouble, and it wil break his head ſomtimes, when he hath multitude of buſineſs. But now the other Merchant, looks into his Books every day, ſpends half an hour, or a quarter of an hour every day, and he goes on with a great deal of cheerfulneſs: So it is with many Chriſtians, they think on the Lords day they muſt have their hearts in a good frame and temper, but all the week they have no thoughts of God, and of the word, and now when the Sabbath comes, or Sacrament and holy duties come, they are burdenſome to them; whereas another that keeps his heart in a holy frame, he rejoyceth in the Sabbath, for he hath had a Sabbath day frame of heart all the week long. Luther ſaith, a Chriſtians life ſhould be a perpetuall Sabbath. And that is the ſecond means to facilitate every good work.
3. Another is this, Labor to inflame your hearts with love unto the Duty, Do not do duties becauſe you muſt do them, but uſe all the means that you can for to kindle in you a love unto the duty, never ſatisfie your ſelves with this, I ſee I muſt do duty, Conſcience puts me upon duty, therefore I muſt do it, ſo it may be burdenſom but labor to uſe all arguments you can to make you in love with the duty. A Schollar that is in love with his Book, will not cry when he goes to the School, and eſpecially if he delight in it, and be in love with his Maſter, there is many that are put to go to School, that dare not go, Oh, their Father will be angry, and their Maſter wil be ſevere, if they ſhould not learn, and ſo they learn but with much ado, they had rather do any thing in the world than go to School, neither love their Books, nor love their Maſter, and ſo ſeldom come to any eminence of learning. Love takes away all difficulty, love is aſhamed to complain of difficulty at any time, as now take a man that loves recreation, that loves that kind of ſport of hunting or hawking, if he love it, he wil be running in the dirt all the day long, though it be a hot day, run over hedg and ditch, whereas now if ſuch a man had not a love to ſuch a thing, but were injoyned to ſuch a thing, that you muſt all the day from morning to night eate not a bit of bread, but all the day long run after doggs over hedg and ditch, and through waters, it would take away the love that ſuch a one ſhould have in his ſports, and what a miſerable bondage would this be? ſo it is in the waies of God, let there be love to the waies of God then whatever difficulty, there may ſeem to be in them, it is taken away preſently, love to the perſon of Jeſus Chriſt will take away the difficulty of the waies of Chriſt; you know when Jacob loved Rachel, he cared not how long he ſerved for her, the hard nights were not hard to him, Love God, and love Chriſt, and then his waies will not be difficult.
4. Another rule is this, do not looſe your incouragements, that that you have had from what good God doth beſtow upon you, and inable you to do, take heed of looſing that incouragement, many Chriſtians are altogether looking upon what they ought to do, what God requires of them to do, and becauſe they have had not yet attained unto what they ought to do, and what is required of them to do, therefore they find no incouragement from what the Lord hath already beſtowed upon them what the Lord hath already inabled them to do, they wholly neglect that, and never think of it, they think of what they want, and what they ſhould have, and what they ſhould do, and ſo they are labouring to get what they ſhould have, and to do what they ſhould do, but for what God hath inabled them to do already, or what God hath given them already, that they do not think of, and for want of thoſe incouragements, they make their endeavours for the getting of more to be burdenſome to them; but now, when we are endeavouring to do more we ſhould go on in the ſtrength of this incouragement, Oh, bleſſed be God for any little. You ſhal have Chriſtians thinking of what they ſhould do, and therefore they think all the grace they have is nothing, Oh! ſay they, that which I have done what is it? It is true, if we were looked upon in the way of the Covenant of works it is nothing, but in the way of the Covenant of Grace, it is a great deal: now that wil be a great eaſe to your ſouls, labour to get more, and do more for God, but ſtil carry along with you the incouragement of what God hath done for you, when you pray for any grace, bleſs God for any grace you have: Take notice of al the incouragement that God doth give you, and that will help you to go on in any further work that God calls you unto, and the want of this makes the lives of many Chriſtians to be very greivous and burdenſome unto them, becauſe they neglect thoſe incouragements they might have from what God hath inabled them to do, and from what God hath done already for them.
5. Take heed of lying in the guilt of any ſin, I meane, though in reſpect of God the guilt is taken away from beleevers, but of lying ſo in any ſin, as not to cleer up all between God and your ſoul for the diſcharge of it, of having any thing not cleered up in your own conſciences, take heed of lying in any ſin unrepented of, that is my meaning, every ſin that a man commits, excepting thoſe daily incurſions and infirmities of the Saints, which they cannot while they are here in the fleſh be altogether without, but every other ſin, it is as a thorne, at leaſt a thorn …n the foot, every ſin that a man hath committed by ſtrength of temptation, it is a thorn in the foot, and if it be a greater ſin it is a gaſh in his fleſh. Now a man that hath a thorn in his foot, he cannot go very faſt, but eſpecially, if he have a gaſh in his fleſh: when thou haſt been overcome with a great ſin, thou haſt given a great gaſh unto thy ſoul, and other ſins, the ſin of thy paſſion, and the ſin of thy giving liberty to thy thoughts, may be as a thorn to thy foot, to make thy way very hard unto thee. No marvel though thou complaineſt the way is hard, it is not the hardneſs of thy path, but the tenderneſs of thy foote that makes thee to think the way hard; therefore let every Chriſtian, if he would go on with eaſe in the waies of religion, as ſoon as ever a thorn is got into the conſcience, Oh! get it out preſently, do not let it lye and fret in the fleſh, Oh! if we would as ſoon as we had committed ſin get it out of the conſcience preſently, then repentance would not be ſo difficult, and you would find your heart at a mighty deal of eaſe. When a man goes with pain, and hee lookes upon his foote, and pulls the thorn out, he goes with eaſe then. As the beaſt, when you go in the way, and your beaſt halts and ſhufflles, you will have him ſearched, if you cannot ſee it your ſelfe, then when you come to the next Smith, you have him ſearched; ſo, do you find the waies of God difficult, that you cannot go the pace you were wont to go, ſearch your hearts ſee whether there be not a ſtone in your hearts, or ſome gravel, ſee if there be any particular ſin that you know to be a ſin, and particularly repent of that, and that will make the way of God eaſy to you, the often renewing of repentance will make the way of God eaſy.
6. Labor by wiſdom to order the duties of your condition, that is thus, Labor for wiſdom to know what is ſuitable to your condition, and order the duties about that condition: many think, Oh! if I were in ſuch a place as ſuch a one is, I would doe thus and thus, but you ſhould look upon the duties of your preſent condition, what is the condition that I am now in? I am a ſervant, what is my duty in that condition? not what is the duty of a governour. And ſo in a ſingle eſtate, what is the duty of this condition? not what is the duty of a marryed Condition, and ſo in a Married Condition, what is the duty of that? And ſo when you are in affliction, what is your duty at that time? or if ſo be that God cal you to humiliation, you ſhould mind the duty of humiliation, And when God calls you to rejoycing you ſhould know the duty of that time. Some when God calls them to rejoycing, they think they muſt be humbled, and when they are called to be humbled, they think they ſhould rejoyce, and when they are called to beleeving, then they wil be poring upon their corruptions, and when God calls them to ſearching of their hearts, they have thoughts of matter of joy. Now wiſedom to ſuite our duty to our condition, and to apply our duty to that condition, is a great eaſe to the ſoul. Now many times we are thinking of a duty at one time, that is not the duty of that time, may be when one is ſick, Oh! they are many times troubled that they cannot go to heare the word, and meere with Gods people, and ſpend ſo much time in prayer, and meditation, and reading as they were wont to do, and upon this they trouble themſelves, now this is not the duty of your condition, the duty of your condition at that time is to fanctify Gods name in your affliction and to quiet your heart under the hand of God and the duty of your condition is not to go to heare ſermons now, but to think of what you have heard heretofore, the duty of your condition now is not to ſpend ſo much time in your cloſet in prayer as when you were in health, and you are troubled for the want of this, we often trouble our ſelves about thoſe duties that are not the duties of our preſent condition, and that makes them difficult, now wiſdom in ordering our duties wil much help to facilitate them.
7. Another Rule is this, In the performance of duties, you ſhould eaſe your ſelves of the care of the ſucceſs of what you do, about ſucceſs, or diſcouragement for want of ſucceſs; nothing makes our lives more troubleſom, and our work more difficult than our carking care about ſucceſs, I wil do this and this, but I am afraid I ſhal not have ſucceſs, or if I have ſucceſs, not ſuch as I deſire, but now, if you would perform duties in a gracious manner, look to the duty perform that, and caſt the care wholly upon God, it is enough for me to do what is required of me as a creature to do, and let God himſelf take care of that that belongs to him, and that is the ſucceſs. I told you, in the opening of the eaſe, that there is certain ſucceſs, and yet we might trouble our ſelves in carking about ſucceſs; now if we can go on in performance of duty, and never be troubled about ſucceſs, it wil be exceeding eaſie, but Chriſtians find ſomtimes that though they have been diligent in performance of duty, yet they do not find ſucceſs, they find nothing comes of it, and this troubles them, & this makes them go heavily to the duty at another time, I but obſerve that whatever duty you perform, if you do not find preſent ſucceſs you muſt not conclude that there wil be no ſucceſs, the carking about the ſucceſs in things, makes the work extraordinary difficult, now if we could bring our hearts to this, Lord, I am where thou wouldſt have me, and doing what thou wouldſt have me, and as for the ſucceſs that belongs not to my work but to thy ſelf, I walk according to that that is thy wil, and as for ſucceſs I will leave that to thy ſelf.
8. Another rule is this, do not tye your ſelves to what Chriſt doth not tie you unto; there are many Chriſtians, bring upon themſelves many ſnares that way, by tying themſelves to that which Chriſt doth not tie them to, tying themſelves to ſuch a time of prayer, to ſpend ſo much time in ſuch a duty, we muſt take heed of laying a yoke upon our ſelves, do not put a yoke upon Chriſts yoke. It is a great queſtion to many, and its to me a queſtion, whether in the Goſpel there is required any Vows at all, to vow any thing that is not a duty before we have vowed it, indeed to ſtrengthen our ſelves to do what God requires, as David, I have ſworn to keep thy righteous Laws, we may engage our ſelves that way, but properly in the Law it was a free will Offering, but for a Vow now, I do not find that the Goſpel hath any ſuch thing, for men to bind themſelves to that that they were not bound to before by the word▪ Indeed whatever we are bound to by the word, that we are to engage our ſelves to the utmoſt, but now to bind our ſelves to any thing elſe, as that we will as long as we live keep ſuch a day, this will prove to be a ſnare to you, God requires it not, it may be that day that you would obſerve for one duty, God may require it for another duty, may be you will keep a day of faſt for ſuch a great deliverance, for ſuch a great mercy, certainly, it may prove a ſnare unto you, God may call you to another duty on that day, to the duty of thankſgiving. Many will vow to keep ſuch a day, and when they have vowed it, they know not how to go back. And ſo many will vow they will do ſo much every morning, and ſo much that day; this may bring a ſnare upon you▪ labor to do all what you can for Chriſt all the day long, conſider your duties, and lay the word upon you, but to put upon your ſelves that which Chriſt puts you not upon, it is that that makes the duties of Religion very tedious, and many have done it that way, not foreſeeing the inconveniences that may come upon it, and yet they dare not go back. Therefore I would rather adviſe Chriſtians, to take heed of ſuch things as thoſe are, but to walk in the way of Chriſt according to that the Lord requires for the preſent, and not to bring themſelves into a ſnare, and ſo they ſhal make the way of God more eaſie.
9. Another Rule is this, Take all advantages, take all opportunities and advantages, all the gales of Gods Spirit, do not neglect the opportunities you have, the neglect of opportunities may bring us to woful difficulties, As in voyages, if a …arriner neglect the opportunity of the gale of wind, it is a difficult voyage, and then he cries out, I may thank my ſelf for all this, had I taken ſuch an opportunity, ſuch a wind, then I had been freed from this hardſhip that now I meet withall: So it is with a Chriſtian, many times the ſpirit of God comes with a gracious gale, and gives them opportunity to go on with cheerfulneſs in the waies of God, hadſt thou taken the opportunity, the gale of the ſpirit, Oh, what a deal of trouble mighteſt thou have avoided? Thoſe that are watchful for al opportunities find the waies of God eaſie. It was the ſpeech of Alexander, becauſe he carried things ſo eaſie as he did, & in a little time conquered al the world, when it was asked him, how he could do ſo great things, and carry on things with ſo great eaſe? his anſwer was, by neglecting nothing, he meant, by neglecting no advantage. There are many men, that when God helps them a little, they carry the work on with eaſe, but then they do not follow on their work, and ſo they bring themſelves into ſtreights. As now we cry out of theſe wars, what a great deal of trouble they put the Nation to, and one main thing is, for want of taking advantages, and following advantages, We ſay ſomtimes, Oh, if ſuch a victory had been followed, ſuch a victory that we had at Brainford, and York, and other places we might have delivered our ſelves from abundance of trouble, and tediouſneſs of war; but when God gives advantages and we do not follow them, no marvel that we find trouble: So it is with many Chriſtians, you find many troubles in Religion, Oh, it is becauſe you do not follow your advantages, if you had ever ſince you were young, and ever ſince God revealed himſelf to you, followed the gale of Gods ſpirit, your old age might have been ſpent in nothing but gales of joy, comfort, and the like, but now no marvel you act with ſo much difficulty in the waies of God.
10. Another Rule is this, Preſerve all your experiences that you have had of the goodneſs of Gods waies, when your hearts have been moſt enlarged, and you have walked moſt cloſe with God, and God hath come in to your ſoul: Preſerve thoſe experiences, keep them by, that they may help you againſt an il day, it may there be may be a time a coming, that you may be in ſpirituall deſertion and that may be grievous to you, but if you had kept the experiences you had of God when your heart kept cloſe to God, it would much help you, & ſweeten your hearts, to think of the daies of old. As David when he was in deſertion, he would many times be thinking of the daies of old: So if Chriſtians would be very careful to obſerve and lay up all the experiences that they have of God and his waies, the ſweet and good of them, it would mightily facilitate them in holy duties, and be a continuall Cordial to them, and put ſpirits into them, to make them go on with eaſe in any duty God requires of them.
11. Another Rule is this, Take heed in any duty of diſturbing paſſion, the diſturbance of paſſion puts people ou… of frame, that they are fit for nothing when they are paſſionate, paſſionate with God, paſſionate with men, becauſe they cannot have what they would have, fling up all. As Children, that when they cannot have their deſires, fling a way all, this makes every thing hard, but if you could but keep your ſelves in a conſtant quietneſs, you ſhould have every condition and every duty delightful but I have ſpoken of that (you know) of the evil effects of it, and of meekneſs, & the gracious effects of that, but I bring it only now as a rule, that you may preſent all theſe rules together. As now ſuppoſe a company that are in a Boat, and there cometh a ſtrong wind and toſſeth the Boat, you ſhall have ſome ſilly people, that wil be ſhriking out, and mightily troubled, and through their paſſion will be riſing up in the Boat, and be ready to tumble down all through their paſſionate carriage in the Boat, whereas thoſe that have skil; wil ſit ſtil, and be quiet▪ and give up themſelves to the ſtream, and that is the beſt way to come with the greateſt eaſe, you make the Boatmans labor ſo much the more d…fficult, by your unquietneſs in the Boat; So certainly, you make the work of God more difficult when your hearts are unquiet. Let the thing be what it wil, you wil ſay, Oh, no bodies condition is ſo as mine, Certainly, your unquietneſs will not help you, you wil not come the ſooner to your landing place, if people toſs from one ſide of the Boat to the other, and be unruly in their carriage, they wil not come the ſooner to their landing place, the quieter they ſit in the Boat, the ſooner they will come to land. So it is in a Chriſtians courſe, he muſt not think to come to have his deſires ſatisfied by his froward carriage, to be angry with God or man, or the means, that they do not work as they would have them, but the quieter they ſit, and give up themſelves to God, the ſooner they come to their deſires.
12. Another Rule is this, Communion with the Saints, ſpirituall Communion, Heavenly Communion, not frothy Communion, but a ſpiritual holy gracious communion with the Saints, wil facilitate the waies of God very much, the experience of this is very much, I do not know how it comes to paſs, but certainly, now there is a great deal leſs communion between Gods people than formerly the times have been, when ſome that have been alone, have bin ſtriving and tugging, and could not get their hearts into any good frame, they have come bu… into the company of Gods people, & laid their experiences together, and warmed themſelves together, and then they have gone away, and they have thought nothing too hard that God ſhould require of them to do or to ſuffer, they would go into their cloſets and pour out their hearts, if there were trouble in the Family, between Wife and Husband, in regard of paſſion, when they have been amongſt Gods people, they could carry themſelves in a gracious manner, Oh! communion, much communion with the Saints of God, it is that that facilitates the waies of Religion. We know in travelling, if a man be travelling a journey all alone eſpecially if he have wind and weather againſt him, his way is tedious to him, very hard and grievous, and he is tired in his journey: but now, if he travel and have good company, and good diſcourſe, and is joyfull, and cheerful when he is going, his journey is nothing, when he comes to the Inn, he ſaith, I thank God, I am not weary at al, Why is it ſo? the journey is long, I but the company is good, the d…ſcourſe is good, and that makes it eaſie: So it is in our journey to Heaven, we complain of tediouſneſs in our journy, Why is it? becauſe we love to be alone. As many that are of a dumpiſh diſpoſition, loving alwaies to be alone, there is a time indeed that people ſhould be alone, & they have ſweet refreſhings from God that way, but there is a time to have Society with the Saints, and it is an ordinance appointed by God for the facilitating of Gods waies, while we are paſſing in the wilderneſs in our way to Heaven, and therefore make Conſcience of that, to have Communion with the people of God, to ſpiritualize your Communion, and make what uſe you can of them to help you in your Chriſtian courſe.
13. Another Rule is this, Exerciſe much Faith, Faith doth facilitate every action as Unbelief makes every thing difficult, let a man be put upon any duty if he have an unbelieving heart, it is difficult, Why? becauſe before he comes to it, he ſaith, I ſhal never go through with it, and therefore comes heavily to it, all the while his unbelief prevails, his work goes heavily on, but let a man come to a work, and come to purpoſe, A man of confidence, and of ſpirit, he ſaith, let me take ſuch a thing, another man he is toyling & laboring, and he ſaith, I ſhal never bring it to any thing, but now another man, that is of a lively conſtitution, faith he, let me come to it, and he carries it on with eaſe: and the truth is, when Chriſtians ſee Gods call to any work, they ſhould not pore upon the difficulty, but exerciſe Faith, and come with courage to the duty, and God will carry you through, God that cals me to a work, he will give me ſtrength in the work, and therefore let me go to the work as if I were carried through it already, go on with confidence and reſolution, and take heed of Unbelief, up and be doing, and the Lord wil be with you▪ ſo do you ſay to your ſouls when you are diſcouraged in the work, Oh, ſuch and ſuch have miſcarried, and how ſhall ſo weak a ſoul as I do? Wel, up and be doing, and the Lord will be with you.
14. Laſtly, Do not ſatisfie your ſelves that you have grace, but labor to have ſtrength of grace, that is eaſie to a ſtrong man that is hard to a weak, now Chriſtians ſhould not ſatisfie themſelves with Gods grace, God hath begun grace in thee, you will ſay, he that hath the leaſt dram of grace, it will carry him to Heaven, I but it is a great deal of grace that muſt make the waies of Religion eaſie and delightful to thee: Therefore look into the word, and when thou doſt exerciſe Faith, or make uſe of any Ordinance, Do it for the encreaſe of grace, for ſtrengthening thy ſelf, ſtrengthen thoſe weak things that are in thee, that thou maiſt go on ſteadily in the waies of Religion, and know to that end, that though thou beeſt never ſo weak, yet there is ſtrength enough to be had. Look into the word of God, and you ſhall find there, that there is a moſt glorious ſtrength that is poſſibly to be attained unto by Chriſtians, in Epheſ. 1. 18, 19. that place that we have often made uſe of, What is the exceeding greatneſs of his power to us ward which beleeve, according to the working of his mighty power. Mark this Text, it is not only meant of the greatneſs of Gods power in working Faith in us, but the greatneſs of his power toward us who do now beleeve, God doth put forth power, greatneſs of power, and exceeding greatneſs of mighty power, and the ſame that he wrought in Chriſt when he raiſed him from the dead, and ſet him at the right hand of God. Thou mai'ſt come to have by the exerciſe of Faith, the power of God put forth, his almighty power to give thee Faith, ſo now by the exerciſe of Faith, thou mai'ſt have the power of God, the greatneſs of his Power the mighty power of God, and the exceeding greatneſs of the mighty power of God, and the ſame that God put forth when he raiſed Chriſt from the dead, & ſet him at the right hand of the Father. Thou ſai'ſt, thou haſt a dead heart, but wil not the power of God that raiſed Chriſt from the dead raiſe thy heart, exerciſe Faith, Lord, I go about ſuch a buſineſs, it is difficult becauſe of the hardneſs of my heart, But Lord, wil not the power that raiſed Chriſt from the Grave, raiſe my dead heart. And ſo, Lord I have a heart ſunk down to the things of the world, I but Lord haſt thou not promiſed to put forth the ſame power into the hearts of thy people, that ſet Jeſus Chriſt at thy right hand? Wil not that power raiſe up my heart to Heaven, and give me an heavenly heart? Now here is ſtrengthening of thy Faith from the word of God, and that ſtrength that the Scripture holds forth, that God himſelf wil put forth into the heart of his people upon the exerciſe of Faith. And ſo in Epheſ. 3. 16. That he will grant unto you, according to the Riches of his Glory, to be ſtrengthened with might by his ſpirit in the inner man, what a heap of expreſſions are here! therefore I put you upon this, not to content your ſelves with weak grace, for there is abundance of ſtrength, not only the ſtrength in Chriſt, but the ſtrength that is conveyed into the heart by the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt, it is one thing for Chriſt himſelf to look upon you, as having a fulneſs of all ſtrength in him, and for Chriſt to come and aſſiſt you. As now a man that hath a weak Child, he may come with his hand and enable the Child to do that which he could not do, but the ſtrength that I ſpeak of now is, as when one that was a Child before is made a ſtrong man, and hath Marrow put into his Bones, and Blood into his Veins; ſo this ſtrength is ſuch a ſtrength, that is the Riches of his Glory, according to the inward man, Mark, Firſt, Here is ſtrength. Secondly, Here is ſtrength in the inward man, ſtrength in the outward man is not ſo much as the inward man. Thirdly, Here is ſtrengthened with might. Fourthly, This ſtrength is by the Spirit, now the Scripture uſeth that word Spirit to expreſs ſtrength by. Their Horſes are not Spirit, but Fleſh. And then again, It is by the Spirit of God. And then it is according to the Riches of the Spirit of God, ſuch ſtrength and ſuch might, and the Spirit of God in the inward man, ſuch as ſhall ſhew forth the riches of Gods Spirit, and then Laſtly, The riches of his Glory: So that the Saints may come to have in them ſuch ſtrength in the inward man, with ſuch might by the Spirit of God, and according to the riches of God, and the riches of his Glory; you muſt not ſatisfie your ſelves til you find ſuch a work of Gods grace in you, as may manifeſt the riches of the glory of Gods power. Now Chriſtians, Do you work ſo, as by your ſtrength in the waies of Religion, you do manifeſt the riches of the Glory of Gods power? If you do, then certainly the waies of Religion wil be eaſie to you, And then another Scripture, which is to ſhew you that there is a great deal of ſtrength to be had to enable you to go on, is that in the 1. of the Colloſſians and ver. 11. Strengthened with all might, through his glorious power, unto al patience, and long-ſuffering with joyfulneſs, here is ſtrengthened with might, ſtrengthened with all might, and this according to Gods power, and according to his glorious power, and unto all patience, and long ſuffering, with joyfulneſs; mark, when we come to have ſtrength from God, that is, when we come to the hardeſt things, to exerciſe patience, then we have patience and all patience, and and joyfulneſs, and giving thanks to the Father and nothing but thankfulneſs and joyfulneſs, though our condition be ſuch as needs patience. Now theſe rules being put together, they may make the way of Chriſt eaſy, you may run the waies of Gods commandements, and go leaping to Heaven, and certainly, the more eaſy, and the more ſweet they be unto you, the more ſweet will they be to others, and you will bring a better report upon the waies of religion, and make the waies of God amiable and lovely unto others. Wel conſider what hath been ſayed in this text, Many truths you cannot but acknowledg that they nearly concerne you, now know, that God will require this text at our hands, this invitation of Chriſt, come to me al ye that are weary & heavy laden, & I will give you reſt, take my yoke upon you, and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you ſhall find reſt unto your ſouls; for my yoke is eaſy and my burden light: The truth is, the ſame and the very marrow of the Goſpel is in this invitation of Chriſt, and therefore I have laboured, to ſhew you as fully as I could, what the ſpirit of God doth intend in this invitation, and to lay before you all thoſe truths that are here, and have laboured to work them upon your hearts, hoping that the impreſſion of divers things that have been delivered from this ſcripture, in the invitation of Chriſt, are upon your ſpirits, and ſhall remaine in many of your ſouls, even to the day of Chriſt, ſo that Jeſus Chriſt when he ſhall come again with another invitation and ſay, come, come ye bleſſed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you, I ſay, Chriſt will look upon you, having the impreſſion of this invitation upon your hearts. And certainly, Chriſt when he ſhal come to judgment, when poor ſouls ſhall bring this impreſſion upon their hearts, he wil entertain them with a great deal of cheerfulneſs, and he wil give them another invitation, Chriſt ſaith now, come, come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for my yoke is eaſy, and my burden light, doth this invitation prevaile? hath theſe arguments prevailed with your ſpirits? and do you keep the impreſſion of theſe upon your ſpirits? can you if Jeſus Chriſt were to come to judgment, ſhew the impreſſions of theſe invitations upon your hearts, and ſay Lord, thou haſt invited us, and many arguments hath been uſed to draw us unto thee, and our ſpirits are come to thee? and behold now the impreſſions of thoſe truths upon our hearts. Oh! if you ſhal be able at the day of judgment to ſhew the impreſſions of theſe truths upon your hearts, you will be happy, and then you ſhal have the other invitation, come ye bleſſed of my father, that will come fully upon you, the remembrance of the work of this invitation upon you, Oh! how ſweet will it be to you? And for others that ſhall live wickedly when they ſhall come to that day, when Chriſt ſhall invite others unto him, come ye bleſſed of my father when they ſhall remember, that there was a time when we heard a bleſſed ſweet invitation of Chriſt opened to us in the Miniſtry of the word, we heard Chriſt calling, Come, come, and profeſſing that his yoke was eaſy and his burden light, and yet we followed after our luſts, and wicked ſinful luſts and wicked ſinful waies, and now we heare that the Saints that did come upon his invitation, that they ſhal be bleſſed for ever, but Chriſt will not cal us to him, we would not have his yoke upon us then, and therefore now we muſt be caſt off, and have the iron yoke of the wrath, and vengeance, and curſe of eternal diſpleaſure upon us, Now the Lord perſwade you to take thoſe eaſy yokes of Chriſt upon you for the preſent, rather then Gods eternal wrath and diſpleaſure ſhould come to be your portion hereafter.
FINIS.
End of the text · Jeremiah Burroughs, Four Books on Matthew 11 (1659)