A77983:425
Four books on the eleventh of Matthew
Four books on the eleventh of Matthew: viz: I. Christ inviting sinners to come to him for rest. II. Christ the great teacher of souls that come to him. To which is added a treatise of meekness and of anger. III. Christ the humble teacher of those that come to him. IIII. The only easy way to heaven. By Jeremiah Burroughs, preacher of the Gospel at Stepney and Cripple-Gate, London.Four books on the eleventh of Matthew: viz: I. Christ inviting sinners to come to him for rest. II. Christ the great teacher of souls that come to him. To which is added a treatise of meekness and of anger. III. Christ the humble teacher of those that come to him. IIII. The only easie way to heaven. By Jeremiah Burroughs, preacher of the Gospel at Stepny and Cripple-Gate, London.
London: printed by Peter Cole, 1659
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And further, If a man were going in a way, and there were many stones lay in the way, it would be rough going, and uneasy, but were they laid in that fashion that they should be laid in a slough, in such a place that it should help me to step over such a slough then it would be more easy: Now here is the difference between wicked and Godly men, God in his just judgment lays stumbling blocks in the plainest ways of Godliness, so as to hinder wicked men in ways that are good, to the wicked I say, wicked men, they meet with stumbling blocks in plain ways, in ways that are the best ways; but now God is pleased to lay stumbling blocks in the ways of sin to the Godly, to hinder them from going on in the ways of sin, he takes all the stumbling blocks that were before in the ways of sin, and lays them in their way to Heaven. As now if there be divers ⟨p. 715⟩paths to go to a place, those that would give marks to others that they might not go out of the way, they dig a ditch or lay somewhat in the way, perhaps some boughs of Trees or the like, to keep them off that they may go in the right way, So when the Lord sees any thing that lies in the ways of his people that may occasion stumbling to them, he takes them away, and lays them in such a place that may keep them from going out of their way, and if there be any slough, he takes the stones, and lays them to help them over the slough, and therefore the ways of God must needs be easy.
And further, If a man were going in a way, and there were many stones lay in the way, it would be rough going, and uneasie, but were they laid in that fashion that they should be laid in a slough, in such a place that it should help me to step over such a slough then it would be more easie: Now here is the difference between wicked and Godly men, God in his just judgment laies stumbling blocks in the plainest waies of Godliness, so as to hinder wicked men in waies that are good, to the wicked I say, wicked men, they meet with stumbling blocks in plain waies, in waies that are the best waies; but now God is plealed to lay stumbling blocks in the waies of sin to the Godly, to hinder them from going on in the waies of sin, he takes all the stumbling blocks that were before in the waies of sin, and laies them in their way to Heaven. As now if there be divers ⟨p. 715⟩paths to go to a place, those that would give marks to others that they might not go out of the way, they dig a ditch or lay somwhat in the way, perhaps some boughs of Trees or the like, to keep them off that they may go in the right way, So when the Lord sees any thing that lies in the waies of his people that may occasion stumbling to them, he takes them away, and laies them in such a place that may keep them from going out of their way, and if there be any slough, he takes the stones, and laies them to help them over the slough, and therefore the waies of God must needs be easie.