Book 4 › Chapter 143, Four books on the eleventh of Matthew by Jeremiah Burroughs (1659) | AskReformation

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:435p. 720–721

And then, Secondly: We have a great deal of ease in respect of the Jews that were under the burden of the Ceremonial Law, because that their service it self was very chargeable to their outward estates, their Sacrifices that they did offer up to God, How chargeable was it? What a great part of the estates of men did go forth, partly in the maintenance of their Levites? There is a great deal of murmuring now for a little Money for maintenance of Ministers, but there if the account be summed up, the maintenance of the Levites was a great part of their estates, not barely the tenth of their Sacrifices. They had their Cities, divers, forty or more Cities that were theirs for their possession. And many things might be showed that way, the mighty charge that they were at for the service of God several ways, not Tithes only, but Cities and the like; now God hath in a great part eased us of those things that he required, of the People of the Jews, there is nothing now required but what is in moral equity, what is in common reason due to the Labourer ⟨p. 721⟩for his work, only somewhat is due by that Scripture, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the Corn, so that all the maintenance now for the work of God is due in a way of common reason, but there was other things required in the service of God in the times of the Jews, and that is an ease that is very suitable to many men, to have ease that way from their outward service, yet certainly, the Lord (as we shall hear more by and by) requires of us more service other ways.

And then, Secondly: We have a great deal of ease in respect of the Jews that were under the burden of the Ceremonial Law, because that their service it self was very chargeable to their outward estates, their Sacrifices that they did offer up to God, How chargeable was it? What a great part of the estates of men did go forth, partly in the maintenance of their Levites? There is a great deal of murmuring now for a little Money for maintenance of Ministers, but there if the account be summed up, the maintenance of the Levites was a great part of their estates, not barely the tenth of their Sacrifices. They had their Cities, divers, forty or more Cities that were theirs for their possession. And many things might be shewed that way, the mighty charge that they were at for the service of God several waies, not Tithes only, but Cities and the like; now God hath in a great part eased us of those things that he required, of the People of the Jews, there is nothing now required but what is in moral equity, what is in common reason due to the Laborer ⟨p. 721⟩for his work, only somwhat is due by that Scripture, Thou shalt not muzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the Corn, so that all the maintenance now for the work of God is due in a way of common reason, but there was other things required in the service of God in the times of the Jews, and that is an ease that is very suitable to many men, to have ease that way from their outward service, yet certainly, the Lord (as we shal hear more by and by) requires of us more service other waies.

:436p. 721–722

And then Thirdly, In the ceremonial Law, there the very service of God had a kind of burden in it, for there were so many external performances, that the Holy Ghost calls them beggarly Rudiments, so many outward ceremonies, outward things, that were a burden to the outward man, and they were mean things, and childish things, in comparison of the Gospel, they are called by the Apostle Beggarly Rudiments: And truly, one would think, that when we shall read such a Scripture as that, that shall call the ceremonies of the Law beggarly rudiments, that were the ceremonies appointed by God himself, and yet when they came to be abrogated they were called but beggarly rudiments, one would admire how it is possible that any one that professeth Christianity, should come and conform themselves to so many ceremonies as they have done, to such beggarly rudiments; certainly, these must needs be beggarly rudiments much more, and what a strange pass were we brought into, that we should count such things the great Ornaments of Gods service, whenas God did not require them but at that time, and that they are so vilified by God now. But inventions are never required by God, and therefore they are to be accounted more vile, and ⟨p. 722⟩it is a great mercy to be delivered from the bondage of the outward ceremonies of the Law, though such things as were once appointed by God, to spend so many days as they did from their outward business, this is somewhat, Surely, if it were in mans power to appoint ceremonies, and make days holy as many did undertake heretofore, we had been brought into a greater bondage than ever the Jews were under the Law, but Christ would have ease in the outward administration of his worship.

And then Thirdly, In the ceremoniall Law, there the very service of God had a kind of burden in it, for there were so many external performances, that the Holy Ghost cals them beggarly Rudiments, so many outward ceremonies, outward things, that were a burden to the outward man, and they were mean things, and childish things, in comparison of the Gospel, they are called by the Apostle Beggarly Rudiments: And truly, one would think, that when we shall read such a Scripture as that, that shall call the ceremonies of the Law beggarly rudiments, that were the ceremonies appointed by God himself, and yet when they came to be abrogated they were called but beggarly rudiments, one would admire how it is possible that any one that professeth Christianity, should come and conform themselves to so many ceremonies as they have done, to such beggarly rudiments; certainly, these must needs be beggarly rudiments much more, and what a strange pass were we brought into, that we should count such things the great Ornaments of Gods service, whenas God did not require them but at that time, and that they are so vilified by God now. But inventions are never required by God, and therefore they are to be accounted more vile, and ⟨p. 722⟩it is a great mercy to be delivered from the bondage of the outward ceremonies of the Law, though such things as were once appointed by God, to spend so many daies as they did from their outward business, this is somwhat, Surely, if it were in mans power to appoint ceremonies, and make daies holy as many did undertake heretofore, we had been brought into a greater bondage than ever the Jews were under the Law, but Christ would have ease in the outward administration of his worship.

:439p. 723–724

And further, That is another Argument that is very persuasive to the Believer and his children, for if God should deny this condition to the children in the times of the Gospel that was in the times of the Law, it would make the Gospel to be harder than the Law, and the truth is, the denying such a mercy to Believers children would be a harder yoke to Believers, a greater burden to them than all the ceremonies were to the Jews in the times of the Law. As suppose this, if a Believer should plead thus, Lord, there was a time when thou didst not only receive me into Covenant, but receive my child too, and give my child the seal of the Covenant likewise, and there was a time that I had such a privilege, that not only I, but my child was in a different condition from the Heathen, the Heathen round about me was not in such a condition as I was in, in regard of my posterity, and I counted this a great mercy, but Lord, since the time I was converted, and embraced Christian Religion, and since the time that Jesus Christ is come, as suppose a Jew should speak thus, one that was a Jew before Christs time, and should live till Christ came, and should plead thus, Lord, hast thou brought a greater burden on me since Christ came than I had before Christ came, for before Christ came I had such a liberty that was as dear to me as my life, that I would not be without for all the world, that I should not only have my self, but my ⟨p. 724⟩child separated from the world, and be in covenant with thee, and under the Seal of thy Grace, but Lord▪ since Christs coming into the world and since I embraced religion, though I may come and take the seals, though I may be in covenant with thee, yet now my child may not, there is no difference between my child and the child of a heathen, Lord is there no difference between this and the times of the Law? thou sayest, thy yoke is easy, and thy burden is light, but here is a great burden upon me, that I have not that benefit that heretofore I had, certainly, my brethren, Christ did not come into the world to lessen the Grace of God: you will say, they were in a worse condition then this, but how are they in a better?

And further, That is another Argument that is very perswa•ive to the Beleever and his children, for if God should deny this condition to the children in the times of the Gospel that was in the times of the Law, it would make the Gospel to be harder than the Law, and the truth is, the denying such a mercy to Beleevers children would be a harder yoke to Beleevers, a greater burden to them than all the ceremonies were to the Jevvs in the times of the Lavv. As suppose this, if a Beleever should plead thus, Lord, there vvas a time vvhen thou didst not only receive me into Covenant, but receive my child too, and give my child the seal of the Covenant likevvise, and there vvas a time that I had such a priviledg, that not only I, but my child vvas in a different condition from the Heathen, the Heathen round about me vvas not in such a condition as I vvas in, in regard of my posterity, and I counted this a great mercy, but Lord, since the time I vvas converted, and imbraced Christian Religion, and since the time that Jesus Christ is come, as suppose a Jevv should speak thus, one that vvas a Jevv before Christs time, and should live til Christ came, and should plead thus, Lord, hast thou brought a greater burden on me since Christ came than I had before Christ came, for before Christ came I had such a liberty that vvas as dear to me as my life, that I vvould not be vvithout for all the vvorld, that I should not only have my self, but my ⟨p. 724⟩child separated from the world, and be in covenant with thee, and under the Seal of thy Grace, but Lord▪ since Christs coming into the world and since I imbraced religion, though I may come and take the seales, though I may be in covenant with thee, yet now my child may not, there is no difference between my child and the child of a heathen, Lord is there no difference between this and the times of the Law? thou sayest, thy yoke is easy, and thy burden is light, but here is a great burden upon me, that I have not that benefit that heretofore I had, certainly, my brethren, Christ did not come into the world to lessen the Grace of God: you will say, they were in a worse condition then this, but how are they in a better?

:440p. 724–725

as for the covenant of Grace in Jesus Christ, that certainly a Jew had, they were saved by the same way that we are, namely by believing in Jesus Christ, now those that were believers, and did understand Jesus Christ, they had the same benefit by Jesus Christ that we have, I but if their children now should not have the same benefit that they had, I say then Christ hath brought a greater yoke upon believers in the times of the Gospel, then was upon believers in the times of the Law, and this is contrary to what Christ saith, my Yoke is easy, and my Burden light. Methinks, I wonder that any men that are Believers, that have children of their own, that should drink in that opinion; for certainly, it cannot but be a greater Yoke upon them, and if they should think there were no difference between their children and the children of heathen, they should count it a great Yoke, and they should think it better for them if they had lived in the times of the Law, and before Christ came into the world, for then they had benefit for their children. Now we are delivered from the Yoke of the ceremonial Law that required hard things, and we ⟨p. 725⟩are not brought into a worse condition, you cannot be in a worse condition saith Christ in coming unto me then you were in the times of the Law.

as for the covenant of Grace in Jesus Christ, that certainly a Jew had, they were saved by the same way that we are, namely by beleeving in Jesus Christ, now those that were beleevers, and did understand Jesus Christ, they had the same benefit by Jesus Christ that we have, I but if their children now should not have the same benefit that they had, I say then Christ hath brought a greater yoke upon beleevers in the times of the Gospel, then was upon beleevers in the times of the Law, and this is contrary to what Christ saith, my Yoke is easy, and my Burden light. Methinks, I wonder that any men that are Beleevers, that have children of their own, that should drinke in that opinion; for certainly, it cannot but be a greater Yoke upon them, and if they should think there were no difference between their children and the children of heathen, they should count it a great Yoke, and they should think it better for them if they had lived in the times of the Law, and before Christ came into the world, for then they had benefit for their children. Now we are delivered from the Yoke of the ceremonial Law that required hard things, and we ⟨p. 725⟩are not brought into a worse condition, you cannot be in a worse condition saith Christ in coming unto me then you were in the times of the Law.