Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 11:30

30 For my yoke is easie and my burden is light.

Our Lord having before shewed. 1. That all Power was given to him. 2. That none could know the Father but by, and in him, closeth his Discourse with an Invitation of Persons to him. By the weary and heavy laden, in the Text, some sundestand those that are loaden with the sense of their Sins, and the feeling the guilt of them. Others understand with the Burden of the Law, which the Apostles called a Yoke, Acts 15.10. (Mr. Calvin thinks this too strait an Interpretation) others unders[illegible: 1 letter]and heavy laden with Tryals, and Afflictions. Christ will give Rest to all those of his People, that are any ways weary, and heavy laden, but in an order first to Souls wearied, and heavy laden with the Burden of their Sins, and their want of a Righteousness, wherein to stand before God. Then to such to whom he hath given this Rest, he promiseth also Rest from their troubles, and Persecutions in the World. Iohn 16.33. It is very like he used this Term Come, with respect to that of Isaiah, Ch. 55.1, 2. That by Coming is to be understood, believing, is plain from Iohn 6.44.45, 46. Heb. 11.6. The Rest promised chie[illegible: 1 letter]ly, respecteth the Soul as appears from v. 29. the promise may be understood both of that Rest, which believers have in this Life, Rom. 5.2. & 15.13. and also of that Rest which after this Life remaineth for the People of God, Heb. 4.9. what ever the Rest be, it must be of Christ's giving v. 29. and our Seeking v. 3[illegible: 1 letter]. nor is it to be obtained without Labour and Suffering, for it followeth, Take my Yoke upon you. The Members of Christ are not without a Yoke, a Law, and Rule by which they are obliged to walk, and tho the Service of God be a perfect Freedom, ye[illegible: 1 letter] to Flesh and Blood it is a Yoke, Grating upon our Sensitive Appetite, and re[illegible: 2 letters]raining our Natural Motions and Inclinations. For I am Lowly and Meek; Humility and Meekness are in themselves Yokes, as they are contrary to our Pride, and aptness to swell in an high opinion of our selves, and to our Wrath and Danger, which sometimes boyleth to a great heigth, without any due Fewel: and as in themselves, they are a great part of Chri[illegible: 2 letters]s Yoke, so they fit and dispose us to take Christs further Yoke upon us, and may be here considered, as means directed for the better Performance of the Precept. Take my Yoke upon you. Our Lord also by this Precept, lets us know there can be no true Faith without Obedience to the Commands of Christ. Tho true Faith, and obedience be two things, yet they are Inseparable, shew me thy Faith (saith Iames) by thy Works. And the Rest of the Text is not promised to either of them severally, but to both joyntly. For my Yoke is easie, and my Burden is light. Our Saviour had before Ch. 7. told us that the way to Heaven is a strait way, how doth he now tell us his Yoke is easie, and his Burden light? An. Nothing makes it hard or burdensome, but our corruption which floweth from the Depravation of Humane Nature. 2. It is much easier than the Yoke and Burden of the Law. 3. Tho it be hard to beginners, yet it is easie when we have once Accustomed our selves to it. 4. It is easie, considering that we do it not in our own Strength but by Assistance from God, Ier. 31.33. Ezech. 36.25, 26. Iohn 15.3. we are delivered even from the Moral Law, consider'd as a Covenant, and as meerly commanding us, and affording no help and Assistance. It is also easie, as we are by the love of God constrained to our Duty, so we are freed from the Rigor of the Law. It is easie, and light, as it is a Course of Life highly Consonant to our Reason, once delivered from a Bondage to our Passions. Finally it is much more easie and light, then the Service of our Lusts is. There is no greater Slavery, than a subjection to our Lusts, that if a Drunkard saith Come, we must come, if an Harlot saith Go, we must go. Or then our Service to the World, &c. To say nothing of the exceeding easiness of it from the Prospect of the great reward proposed, and promised to those who keep the Commandments of Christ, the Exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory, as Iacobs hard Service of 14 years seemed to him but a few days ▪ 2 Cor. 4.17.

Marginal references: 1 John 5.3.