the Commandement as if seeing a man altogether depriued of the vse of his legges one should promise him great summes of money with all celeritie and swiftnesse speedily to runne a race whom hee very well knew vnable so much as to stand much lesse swiftly to runne Being then that the Lord commands exhorts aduiseth and by large and ample promises allures men to the obedience of his Commandements it must of necessitie follow that there is some power and abilitie in them for the performance of this obedience Christ his Come vnto me then puts vs in mind that if wee will wee may beleeue in the Mediator betweene God and man if we list there is power in vs ynough to obey his commandement and if carefully we bestirre our selues there is no want of strength in our hearts to corporate and worke together with the Spirit of God for consummating and bringing to full perfection the worke of our saluation for els the great Shepheard IESVS CHRIST would not require that of vs which altogether we are vnable to performe But needlesse multiplication and increase of words remoued and set aside if these men can be perswaded to turne vnto the sixt of S. Iohns Gospell and foure and fortieth verse they shall finde the same mouth that in the Text which now wee haue in hand inuites and exhorts such as labour and are heauie laden to come vnto him there publikely preaching vnto the Iewes No man can come vnto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Where is now their imborne strength What is now become of their naturall abilitie in spirituall things And of what validitie and force I pray you is their strong Goliah taken from the nature of Christs speech If no man can come except he be drawne certainely of our selues wee are dead in sinnes and trespasses Ephes 2.5 if wee must be drawne then we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke a good thought 2. Cor. 3.5 much lesse to doe any thing that good is if wee must be drawne vnto Christ then naturally euery imagination of the thoughts of our hearts are onely euill continually In like manner the same Spirit Gen. 6.5 which by the mouth of Malachie exhorts Israel to turne vnto the Lord their God by Ezechiel professeth Mal. 3.7 That he will giue them one heart and put a new spirit within them That he will take away the stonie heart out of their flesh and giue them an heart of flesh Ezech. 11.19 20. that they may walke in his Statutes and keepe his Ordinances to doe them and they shall be his people and he will be their God and againe I will giue them one heart and one way Ierem. 32.39 that they may feare me for euer for the good of them and of their children after them That then wee walke in the obedience of Gods commandements it is the Lords own blessing and not any naturall or imborne strength of ours according to that of S. Cyprian Dei est inquam Cyp. lib. 2. Ep. 2. Dei est omne quod possumus inde viuimus inde pollemus inde sumpto concepto vigore hic adhuc positi futurorum indicia praenoscimus Whatsoeuer wee are able to doe for the attainement of euerlasting happinesse is to be ascribed vnto the grace and gift of God it is from God I say and not our owne for in him wee liue by him wee are enabled and from him endowed with strength liuing yet here vpon earth by the eyes of faith we behold and looke vpon the badges and notes of euerlasting happinesse And S. Augustine speaking to the same purpose Nemo se palpet Aug. Hom. 49. in Ioan. de suo Satanas est tollat homo peccatum quod suum est Deo iustitiam relinquat Let no man in the matter of regeneration ascribe any thing vnto himselfe for of ourselues we are aduersaries and opposite vnto the wayes of righteousnesse Let man then if hee must needes challenge ought to himselfe take to him the sinnefull part which is his ascribing all his righteousnesse vnto the Lord. Therefore the Prophet Dauid blusheth not to begge at the hands of the Lord euen the beginnings and first steps of holinesse Psal 51.10 119.18.35.34.35 Create in me a cleane heart O Lord and renew a right spirit within me open thou mine eyes that I may behold wonderous things out of thy Law make me vnderstand the path of thy Commandements so shall I talke of thy Precepts giue me vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy Law yea I shall obserue it with my whole heart make me to goe in the path of thy Commandements for therein doe I delight What then had Dauid of his owne or where was his naturall and imborne strength whereby he was able of himselfe to doe somewhat towards the attainement of euerlasting happinesse a cleane heart and a right spirit he begges to haue created within him now creatio est ex nihilo this is the difference betweene made and created that making presupposeth the substance of the thing made to haue beene before being nothing else in it selfe but inductio nouae formae the bringing of a new shape fashion or forme vpon an old subiect as to make a Shippe a Boat an Oare or the like is nothing else but to square and proportion Timber and Wood which haply long or at least sometime before hath had his being into forme and fashion fit to swimme or sayle in the Sea but to create is of nothing to make some substance If then Dauid must haue a cleane heart and a right spirit created in him it will of necessitie follow that there was at this time no such thing to be found in his brest Secondly hee cranes not onely a cleane heart and a right spirit to be created in him but Lord open thou mine eyes that I may behold wonderous things out of thy Law giue me vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy Law make me to goe in the path of thy Commandements As if Hanna hauing by prayer and supplication obtained a sonne at the hands of the Lord should begge safe deliuerance at the Throne of Gods mercie professing thereby both the conception and birth to be from aboue Iust so Dauid hauing begged the foundation and ground a cleane heart and a right spirit finding in himselfe not so much as abilitie and strength to make vse of the Lords blessings for the saluation of his soule much lesse power to doe any thing that good is he sueth That the Almightie hauing of nothing framed the new man in his heart he would be pleased to open his eyes that he might see and strengthen his limbes that hee might walke and firmely tread within the Courts of his Sanctuarie Thus then you see what warrant the aduersarie hath from this and such like Scriptures for maintaining a position so preiudiciall vnto the all-sufficient Sacrifice of Christs death But what then may some man say is
Iudgements against the children of disobedience thereby to testifie his great dislike of Iniquity The end of all flesh is come before me for the earth is filled with violence through them Gen. 6.13 behold I wil destroy them with the earth If thine heart turne away so that thou wilt not heare Deut. 30.17 18. but shalt be drawne away and worship other gods and serue them I denounce vnto you this day that yee shall surely perish and sometimes againe hee inflicts exemplary punishments vpon such as delight and take pleasure in the waies therof as the destruction of the primitiue world the ouerthrow of Sodome and reiection of the Iewish Nation sufficiently witnes Thirdly because then commonly men take most to heart offences committed and feare to belch out mischiefes wherein otherwise they could be content at randome greedily to wallow when as they vnderstand their courses to bee odious and displeasing vnto men of great power and might for heerein stands the difference betweene Princes and peasants that all feare to offend or giue distaste to the one whereas no man will restraine or curbe any of the meanâ—st of his desires for auoiding the offence of the other therefore it is requisite and necessary to the end that we may labour and be heauy laden vnder the burthen of our sinnes that we be not ignorant of the vnspeakeable power might and maiesty of Almighty God For this cause it was that at the giuing of the Lawe whereby we come vnto the knowledge of sinne Exod. 19.18 the Lord appeared after so fearefull and terrible a manner that all the people that were in the campe trembled for feare that thereby seeing the greatnesse of his power in whose sight sinne is lothsome and abhorred they might feare to commit iniquity and tremble at the remembrance of by gone transgressions yea commonly when as the Almighty publisheth and proclaimeth vnto the world his dislike and detestation of sinne there are still let fall some flashes and apparant significations of his might maiesty and power Thus sayth the Lord the Lord of Hosts Esay 1.24.20 the mightie One of Israel I will ease mee of mine aduersaries and auenge me of mine enemies If ye refuse and rebell ye shall bee deuoured by the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Fourthly and lastly because the nature of man is euer to put from him the euil day blessing himselfe in his heart and saying I shall haue peace Deut. 29.19 though I walke in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst therfore for attaining the effect aforesayd it is expedient that men thorowly bee perswade that the Lord hath appointed a day of recompence wherein euery man shall bee rewarded according to that which he hath done in the flesh Rom. 2.6 whether it bee good or bad Now these things thorowly learned 1. Cor. 5.5 2. Cor. 1.14 cannot but bring vs to a true sense and feeling of the heauy burthen and intolerable weight of sin and iniquitie and consequently to labour and be heauie laden vnder the burthen of our transgressions wherby we come to haue interest in this comfortable inuitation and are made capable of the large and ample promise annexed thereunto Come vnto mee all ye that labour and are heauy laden and I will giue you rest not immunity and freedome from the temptations of Sathan the troubles of the world and crosses incident vnto vs whilst wee liue heere vpon earth No no for through many tribulations we enter into the Kingdome of heauen if wee be without chastisements whereof all are partakers we are bastards and not the Sonnes of God for the Lord whom he loueth he chastiseth and he correcteth euery Sonne whom he receiueth but the words that I speake vnto you are spirit and truth in the world ye shall haue tribulation but in me peace be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world Ioh. 16.33 14.27 15.11 Peace I leaue with you my Peace I giue you not as the world giueth giue I vnto you these things haue I spoken vnto you that my ioy might remaine in you and that your ioy might be full For the rest which Christ here promiseth vnto such as come vnto him must of necessitie be of the same nature with his Kingdome because of temporall felicity he himselfe publikely professed that the Foxes had holes and the Fowles of the heauen had nests but the Sonne of man had not whereon to lay his head Come therefore vnto me all ye that labour and are heauy laden and you shall haue my ioy fulfilled in you howsoeuer as concerning the things of this life Ioh. 17.13 you must resolue to take vp my yoke and learne from the intertainment which I haue had in the world that the Father in this life will not haue his children free from temptation and trouble Verely verily I say vnto you Ioh. 15.16 the seruant is not greater then his Lord neither he that is sent greater then he that sent him if they haue called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold if they haue persecuted me they will also persecute you take vp therefore my yoke and learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart Ier. 11.11 I was like a Lambe or an Oxe that is brought vnto the slaughter and being in the forme of God made my selfe of no reputation took vpon me the forme of a seruant and was found in fashion as a man humbling my selfe vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse Phil. 2 7 8. learne therfore of me for I am meek and lowly in heart but because I haue sayd these things vnto you sorrow hath filled your hearts neuerthelesse I tell you the truth Ioh. 16.6 7. it is expedient for you to stand in the waies and see and ask for the olde pathes and walke therein Ier. 6.16 and yee shall finde rest for your soules for though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day whosoeuer then will come vnto me let him take vp his crosse and follow mee for my yoke is easie and my burthen light because God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to beare it 1. Cor. 10.16 for the Almightie by the gracious influence of his holy Spirit comforts vpholds and strengthens his children in the time of trouble whereby that becomes easie and light vnto them which otherwise they could neuer possibly bee able to beare according to that of the Apostle Blessed be God 2. Cor. 1.1.3 4 5. euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth vs in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them that are in any trouble by the
I kept thy word And againe It is good for me that I haue bin afflicted that I might learne thy statutes for as the bitternesse of sowre and vnsauorie things makes the suckling forbeare and refraine the dug wherunto he otherwise he naturally inclineth Iust so the bitternesse of calamitie and tribulation which for Iniquity lieth heauy vpoÌ„ the dearest of Gods children makes them forsake and renounce the pleasures of sinne from whence otherwise they could not so easily be weaned and kept backe And learne of me There is no doctrine more harsh and vnsauoury vnto the naturall man then that of the crosse therefore when as mention is made thereof vsually it pleaseth the wisedome of Gods holy Spirit to subioyne words of encouragement and comfort as in that Prophesie of Israels tribulation in the land of Aegypt Know for a suretie that thy seede shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs Gen. 15.13 14. and shall serue them and they shall afflict them foure hundred yeeres and also that Nation whom they shall serue I will iudge and afterwards shall they come out with great substance and againe These things haue I spoken vnto you Ioh. 15.33 that in me yee might haue peace in the world ye shall haue tribulation but be of good cheere I haue ouercome the world as here in the Text which now we haue in hand Christ in the beginning of the Verse hauing spoken of a yoke lest thereupon men should bee discouraged and dis-heartned from comming vnto him he is not content to promise vnto them in the agony greatest heate of affliction rest vnto their soules that though the outward man perish yet the inward man shall be renewed day by day though the body be dead because of sinne yet the spirit shall liue because of righteousnesse though the flesh be destroyed yet the spirit shall be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus but for their further incouragement he addes two forcible and effectuall arguments for begetting in their hearts patience and constancy in bearing of this yoke the first whereof is taken from his own example which ought so much the more to preuaile with vs as he is is more worthy in the fauor of God then we learne therefore of mee that the father in this life will not haue his children free from the yoke of calamity and tribulation for if we be without chastisement whereof all are partakers we are bastards and not the sonne◠〈◊〉 God because the Lord whom hee loueth he chastiseth and correcteth euery sonne whom he receiueth and certainly if we ponder and weigh things in an euen ballance this cannot but preuent euery least beginning of discontent that we taste of no other cuppe then that whereof the Sonne of God hath liberally drunke before there is no other measure giuen vs then that which Iesus Christ hath formerly receiued 1. Pet. 2.21 Hereunto sayth the Apostle were ye called because Christ also suffered leauing for vs an example that wee should follow his steppes and againe Whom he did fore-know he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son Rom. 8.29 that as hee in all meeknesse and lowlinesse of minde submitted himselfe to the good will and pleasure of his heauenly Father so by his example wee might learne to doe the same according to that of the Apostle Being found in fashion as a man Phil. 2.8 hee humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse And againe Though he were a Sonne Heb. 5.8 yet learned hee obedience by the things which he suffered Reioice greatly O Daughter of Sion shout O Daughter of Ierusalem behold thy King commeth vnto thee Zach. 9.9 hee is iust and hauing saluation lowly and riding vpon an Asse and vpon a Colt the Foale of an Asse For herein stands the difference between the Godly and the wicked in carrying about the badges of guilt that the one doth it with vnspeakable wrestling repining grudging murmuring and fretting against the Lord but the other with al meeknesse and lowlinesse of minde submit themselues vnder the afflicting hand of Almighty God and why because they vnderstand their afflictions to proceed from a louing and gracious Father who will doe nothing but for their good howsoeuer for the present his proceedings be sowre and vnsauoury vnto the naturall man but the wicked seeing nothing but the fierce countenance of an angrie Iudge fret and fume against him as the enemy and destroier of their being If the Iudgement of God be denounced aâ—â—â—â—st Cain for his offence Gen. 3.13 as an vntamed Heifer hee will kicke against his Maker My punishment is greater then I can beare 1. Sam. 3.18 but let Samuel deliuer vnto Eli neuer so harsh newes the grossest of his carriage shall be it is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good If Ahitophel be disgraced the Gallowes shall bewray the implacable discontent of his heart but although King Dauid be openly reproued for his sinne humble confession is the worst entertainement that hee giues the Lords message learne therefore of mee for I am meeke and lowly in heart and yee shall finde rest vnto your soules My yoke is easie The second argument which Christ vseth to perswade such as come vnto him with patience and constancie to take his yoke vpon them is taken from the easinesse and facilitie of the taske things light and easie to bee performed are at the command of a Superiour with great patience and constancy cagerly to be taken in hand especially being exceeding profitable and making for the good of the Patient but so it is that my yoke is easie and my burthen light First because of the perpetuall assistance of my holy Spirit whereby you are strengthened in the inner-man the better to beare the afflictions which outwardly you suffer in the bodie according to that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 10.13 God is faithfull who will not suffer you to bee tempted aboue that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that yee may be able to beare it Secondly it is easie because of the vnspeakable felicity and happinesse which after small continuance it brings vnto the Patient Our light affliction 2. Cor. 4.17 which is but for a moment vvorketh for vs a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glorie And againe Rom. 8.18 I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthie to bee compared with the glorie which shall bee reuealed in vs. Therefore Saint Paul speaking of himselfe sayth Coloss 1.24 Who now reioyce in my suffering for you and fill vp that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church And againe Rom. 5.3 Wee reioyce in tribulations my brethren count it all ioy when ye fall into diuers temptations My yoke First because according to my good will and pleasure I impose and lay the same vpon the necks of my followers for afflictions come not vnto the Saints by chance or fortune but from the Lord according to that of Iob Iob. 1.21 5.17 18. The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh away blessed be the Name of the Lord. And againe Happie is the man whom God correcteth therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almightie for he maketh sore and bindeth vp he woundeth and his hands make whole Secondly it is his yoke because in his owne person hee hath deepely tasted the bottome and verie dregges of this Cuppe according vnto that of the Prophet He is despised and reiected of men Esay 53.3 4 5 6. a man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefe surely he hath borne our griefes and carried our sorrowes he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him Thirdly hee calls it his yoke for difference and distinctions sake betweene the afflictions of the godly and punishments of the wicked the one beareth the yoke of Gods fierce wrath and indignation because of their abhominable transgressions but the other the yoke of fatherly correction the one yoke is imposed and layd on for the destruction and ouerthrow of the patient but the other for the chastisement of sonnes that thereby they may learne not to prouoke their heauenly Father vnto further displeasure Fourthly and lastly Christ calls it my yoke in regard of the gracious assistance of his holy Spirit whereby hee comforts vpholds and strengthens the hearts of his children for the more patient and constant bearing of the same For we haue not an High Priest Heb. 4.15 which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted as wee are â—hat he might be a mercifull and faithfull High Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people Blessed therefore be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth vs in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God To whom the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost be all honour prayse and glorie now and for euermore Amen FINIS