A77983:504
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.
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 woeful difficulties, As in voyages, if a mariner 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 withal: 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 ways 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 all opportunities find the ways of God easy. It was the speech of Alexander, because he carried things so easy as he did, & in a little time conquered all 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 straits. As ⟨p. 766⟩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 sometimes, Oh, if such a victory had been followed, such a victory that we had at Brentford, 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 ways of God.
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