A77983:437
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.
For First: The Ceremonial part of the Law required abstaining from the comforts of the Creature, the People of the Jews in the times of the Law were forbidden the use of many Creatures that we have a great deal of use of now; this is one ease that we have by Jesus Christ, that we are to make use of all the Creatures, we need make no question for Conscience sake of the use of any Creature, in the world, that is somewhat easier than to be restrained from this Creature and the other Creature.
For First: The Ceremonial part of the Law required abstaining from the comforts of the Creature, the People of the Jews in the times of the Law were forbidden the use of many Creatures that we have a great deal of use of now; this is one ease that we have by Jesus Christ, that we are to make use of all the Creatures, we need make no question for Conscience sake of the use of any Creature, in the world, that is somwhat easier than to be restrained from this Creature and the other Creature.
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.