Four Books on Matthew 11, Book 4 · Chapter 134
CHAP. CXXXIIII.
Doct. The way of the Goſpel that brings to Heaven, is an eaſie way. This confirmed and explained in Six particulars.
DOCT.
THat whatſoever Jeſus Chriſt requires of us, either in doing or in ſuffering, it is very eaſie, and very light, The way of the Goſpel that brings to Heaven is an eaſie way: That is the Point. And when we name it, I ſuppoſe it will ſeem one of the ſtrangeſt points that ever was preached or that you have heard of: That the way of the Goſpel to bring People to Heaven, is an eaſie way, it ſeems contrary to other Scriptures, Strive to enter in at the ſtraight Gate, for ſtraight is the Gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it, and Miniſters tel us, the way to Heaven is a very difficult way, and many times it is made an evidence of men that are but carnal, and have not the power of Godlineſs in them, that they find ſo much eaſe in their way; I ſuppoſe theſe you have heard of. Well, before we have done with the Point, we ſhall reconcile all theſe things, only for the preſent ſeeing they are the words of Chriſt, we muſt yeild them to have a truth in them: That the Yoke of Chriſt whatever it is that Chriſt would have us ſubmit unto, it is eaſie, whatever Burden he would have us bear in this world, it is a light Burden: Let all thoſe that are continually complaining of the difficulties that lie in the waies of Godlineſs take notice of this Point, many there are, that make it their Religion to be continually complaining of difficulties that there are in Gods waies, as if by that they would ſhew that they ſaw ſomewhat, and felt ſomewhat more than others did, and are never in waies of thankſgiving, or in waies of rejoycing, but alwaies complaining of the waies of God, and what difficulties they find in them, let them take notice, that whatever thy thoughts have been heretofore, or what thy Speeches have been about them, yet Jeſus Chriſt himſelf ſaith, that his Yoke is eaſie, and of his Burden that it is light.
Now therefore, Firſt I ſhall confirm it by Scriptures, and then come to branch it into ſeveral particulars for the opening of it.
For Scriptures, take theſe three, the firſt is in Pſal. 119. 44, 45. So ſhall I keep thy Law continually for ever and ever, and I will walk at liberty, for I ſeek thy Precepts. The Soul that doth truly ſeek Gods precepts, to be under the command of the precepts of God, ſuch a one walks at liberty, never hath ſo much liberty as at that time when he ſeeks Gods precepts You may think that to be under the command of the word, and eſpecially that in ſeeking the commands of the Lord, it will bring you into bondage: There is no ſuch liberty in the world as being under the command of God, and ſeeking the commands of the word. And then in Prov. 15. 19. The way of the ſlothfull is as a hedg of Thorns, that is, there is a great deal of difficulty in the way of the ſlothful, now this is an oppoſition to the waies of the ſ…othfull, But the way of the righteous is plain, there is no ſuch difficulty in his way, a righteous mans way to Heaven it is a plain way, a plain path, he may go in it with eaſe, it is not a rigid way, it is not a ſtony way, a thorny way, but it is a plain way, that a man may go eaſie there. Now if you be walking in any place from Town to Town, if you walk in a place where is plain way in the fields, it is eaſie all the while. Now you go to the City, and you walk in the fields, it is plain, it is eaſie, but when you come upon ſtones, it is more difficult, So it is here, The way of the righteous is plain, the righteous have a plain path to Heaven, but the wicked they are upon the ſtones, they are upon the dirt, when one comes upon the ſtones, and it be dirty too, that is more difficult, But the way of righteouſneſs is plain. And there is one Scripture more remarkable than theſe, and that is, in 1 John 5. 3. And his commandments are not grievous, the commands of God have no grievouſneſs in them, there is nothing in Gods Commandments to be ſo much as grieving to a▪ Gracious Soul. It is ſaid in the Scripture, that God delights not to grieve the Children of Men, certainly, there is n…thing that God requires of thee if thou underſtandeſt it aright that will grieve thee; when you tender a Child or a Friend, you wil not require of them any thing that may grieve them, now Chriſt hath ſo tender regard unto you that are the Servants of God, that he will require nothing of you that wil grieve you, and therfore if nothing be grievous in Gods Commandments, ſurely his Yoke is e…ſie, and his Burden is light.
But now for the opening of this Point (for there is a great deal that had need to be ſaid to it for the opening of it, and making it uſefull and profitable) I ſhall caſt what my meditations have been about this Point into theſe Six heads.
The firſt is, To give you ſome Evidences of it, that this is ſo.
And then the ſecond thing is, The differences that there are between the eaſe that a carnall heart finds in the waies of Religion, and the eaſe that a true Gracious heart finds in the waies of Religion; thoſe that are carnall, and take up but a meer formality of Religion, they find not eaſe, but thoſe that are truly religious, they find reſt.
And the third is this, If the waies of God be eaſie▪ How comes it to paſs, that many that we hope are truly Gracious and Godly, yet make ſuch complaints of ſo much difficulty as they do find in Gods waies.
And then fourthly, We are to open (which is the principal of all in the explication) wherein the eaſineſs of Gods waies appears, what are thoſe things that do make the waies of God ſo eaſie, and in what particulars doth conſiſt the eaſineſs that there is in the waies of Religion.
And then fifthly, Some Conſequences that are to be drawn from this, which is by way of Application.
And ſixthly and laſtly, Some Directions, what we ſhould do to make the waies of God eaſie, Theſe are the ſix Heads that I caſt the handling of this Point into.