comfort wherewith wee our selues are comforted of God for as the sufferings of Christ abounde in vs so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. The words diuide themselues into two seuerall branches in the first whereof Christ graciously inuites all such as labour and are heauie laden vnder the burthen of their sinnes to come vnto him as the only Physicion and comforter of perplexed spirits come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauy laden and I will giue you rest The second containes a maine condition with all care and diligence sincerely to be performed by such as accept and embrace this comfortable offer take vpon you my yoke and learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest vnto your soules for my yoke is easie and my burthen light the inuitation affords these particulars to our consideration first the exhortation it selfe Come vnto mee all yee that labour and are heauie laden secondly a large and ample promise annexed thereunto and I will giue you rest or as it is in the next Verse and you shall finde rest vnto your soules In the inuitation we are first to consider the particle or word of exhorting Come Secondly the quality and condition of the ghuests inuited yee that labour and are heauy laden Thirdly the number of them all and Fourthly the feast-maker or he by whom these ghuests are inuited Me come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauy laden the promise after the same manner resolues it selfe into these particulars first the thing promised rest secondly the qualitie of it it is a gift and thirdly the guide from whom the same is to be expected I come vnto me and I will giue you rest In the second part of the Text the condition to be performed by such as accept Christs offer is first generally propounded take vpon you my yoke secondly the same is by two seuerall arguments particularly enforced whereof the first set downe in the end of the 29. Verse is taken from Christs owne example Learne of mee for I am meeke and lowly in minde the second from the facilitie and ease of this taske in that which followeth for my yoke is easie and my burthen light of these then in order and first of the first Come this word is diuersly taken in text of holy Scripture somtimes it is a word of exhortation which looking backe vpon something to bee forsaken implies a secret reason why departure is to bee made from the same in which sence it is then cōmonly vsed when as one stepping out from the rest exhorts intreats others to enterprise or vndertake this or that thus Iacobs sons vpon the approach of their brother Ioseph encourage one another for effecting and bringing to passe their vnlawfull ends Gen. 37.20 Come now therefore and let vs slay him and cast him into some pit and wee shall say Some euil beast hath deuoured him and we shall see what shall become of his dreames and Balack in his speech vnto Balaam Come I pray thee Numb 23.27 and I will bring thee vnto another place peraduenture it wil please God that thou maist curse me thē from thence and in the Parable of the Householder who going into a farre Countrey let out his Vine-yard vnto tenants the husbandmen vpon the comming of the Heire are brought in after this manner speaking one to another This is the Heire come let vs kil him Matth. 21 38. and let vs seaze on his inheritance Come saith the Prophet Dauid and heare Ps 66.16 24.11 all yee that feare God and I will declare what the Lord hath done for my soule And againe Come ye children hearken vnto me I will teach you the feare of the Lord. Sometimes againe it is a word of command and charge as appeareth by the messages of the two Captaines whom Ahaziah sent for Eliah the Prophet Thou man of God the king hath said Come downe 2. Kings 1.9 11. O man of God thus hath the King sayd Come downe quickly Both which significations of this first word applied vnto the present occasion afford streames of great comfort and consolation vnto perplexed spirits that the Sonne of God Iesus Christ stepping as it were out from amongst his brethren should friendly exhort beseech and intreat that forsaking their wretched and miserable estate the momentarie pleasures of sinne the bondage of Sathan and allurements of this wicked world now at length they would be content to shelter safegard themselues vnder the couert and shade of his protection or otherwise for expressing of his further care and more earnest desire of the saluation of our soules that knowing the naturall and imborne backwardnesse of the heart of man in embracing and intertaining motions making for the good and euerlasting happinesse of his soule he should as Lord and Master commaund and charge vs leauing our former wicked and euill courses to come vnto him the onely fountaine and wel-spring of true happinesse howsoeuer then the words thus expounded afford many singular and extraordinarie comforts vnto distressed and diseased soules yet if in this place we vnderstand come to bee the same that beleeue wee shall not come farre short of the true sense and meaning of the speaker as by collation and conference of other Scriptures of like nature euidently doth appeare Ye will not come vnto me that ye might haue life No man commeth vnto the Father Ioh. 5.40 14.8 6.44 but by mee No man can come vnto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Faith then in the Mediator Iesus Christ is that wherby broken and contrite spirits labouring and heauy laden vnder the burthen of sinne finde rest vnto their soules not a bare knowledge of the History of holy Scripture for then the diuels might challenge interest in Christs death as well as others Iam 2.19 because Saint Iames witnesseth The diuels beleeue and tremble but besides this knowledge there must bee an assurance grounded vpon the authority of Gods word that for Christ his sake God is reconciled vnto vs according to that of the Apostle Being not weake in faith hee considered not his owne body now dead when hee was about an hundred yeere old Rom. 4.18 19 20 21. neither the deadnesse of Saras wombe hee staggered not at the promise of God through vnbeliefe but was strong in faith giuing glorie vnto God beeing fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to performe so that the saith whereby wee come vnto CHRIST hath his seate in both parts of the soule in the intellectiue or vnderstanding part a sure and certaine knowledge of the truth of those things which are to be beleeued for faith as the Apostle witnesseth is the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 and the euidence of things not seene And againe therefore it is of faith that it might bee by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all
courses then our Aduersarie the Deuill 1. Pet. 5.8 who goeth about as a roaring Lyon seeking whom hee may deuoure vnmaskes whatsoeuer formerly he hath kept secret and amplifieth to the full those things which when hee did leaue he laboured greatly to extenuate and value at the smallest rate Come therefore vnto me all yee that labour and are heauie laden and I will giue you rest Esay 61.1.2.3.4.5 because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meeke he hath sent me to binde vp the broken-hearted to proclaime libertie to the Captiues and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound to proclaime the acceptable yeere of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all that mourne in Zion to giue vnto them Beautie for Ashes the Oyle of Ioy for Mourning the Garment of Praise for the spirit of Heauinesse that they might be called Trees of Righteousnesse the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified Fourthly because men to their endlesse and irrecouerable losse should not wrest or peruert that which goeth before in the seuen and twentieth verse No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whomsoeuer the Sonne will reueale him As if the grace of God were in Christ Iesus offered onely to some few of those that labour and are heauie laden vnder the burthen of their sinnes therefore all are mentioned Come vnto me all yee that labour and are heauie laden Esay 1.18 and I will giue you rest If your sinnes were as red as crimson come vnto me and I will make them as white as snow At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his wickednesse and commeth vnto me though his sinnes be as scarlet they shall be as wooll If tenne Lepers come vnto me although they be euen tenne they shall all be cleansed of their loathsome and filthie disease although your soules be as blinde with the dust and durt of Iniquitie as was Bartimeus the begger come vnto me and yee shall receiue sight If your transgressions be such and so manie that euen a Legion of Deuills torture and torment your soules come vnto me and you shall finde rest If from the Wombe you haue been so lame and cripple that you are vnable to moue one hayre-breadth towards the Kingdome of Heauen come vnto mee and I will enable your ioynts If you haue so long lyen in the puddle of sinne that with Lazarus you stinke in the graue of Iniquitie come vnto me and I will breathe in your face the breath of life whereby you shall be made liuing soules where all are inuited there none is excluded where such as labour and are heauie laden vnder the burthen of Sinne and Iniquitie are willed to come there a secret reason is giuen why the mercie and fauour of God offered vnto all is not by all receiued because all doe not labour and are heauie laden vnder the burthen of their sinnes for Christ came not to saue the righteous but to call sinners to repentance the whole need no Physician but such as are maymed and lame vnder the intolerable weight of their transgressions Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled To the end then that comfortably and with profit wee may come vnto Christ it is necessary that we labour and be heauy laden vnder the burthen of sinne that our hearts be ready to melt because of our transgressions and our soules standing at the gates of death because of the intolerable weight of iniquity which can neuer sufficiently be effected without a distinct knowledge of the nature quality and condition of sin because the naturall and vnborn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and selfe loue which deepely lyeth rooted in the heart of man seconded with the malicious subtiltie of the common enemy of mans saluation so duls and darkens the eye and edge of his vnderstanding that he is more then blind in censuring and valuing of his owne actions whence it comes to passe that often he perswades himselfe that he is in a direct straight course or at least meanely to erre when as he lyes deepely plunged in a filthy sinke and lothsome puddle of all maner of wickednes now sinne is knowne by the Touch-stone of Gods Lawe according to that of the Apostle Rom. 3.20 7.7 By the Law is the knowledge of sinne I had not knowne sinne but by the Lawe for I had not knowne lust except the lawe had said Thou shalt not couet for whereas all other learning serues rather to blowe vp the heart of man with an idle opinion and vaine conceit of his owne worth founding nothing els in his eare but shrill and loud blasts of the excellency of his soule the wonderfull fabricke and making of his body the goodly sympathie and fellow feeling which euery part facultie and power hath one with another and the sweet harmonie and concord of the whole compound the Lawe of the Lord is that which bewrayeth and layeth open vnto man the vglinesse of his heart the nakednes of his imaginations and the peruersenesse of his wayes to the Law therefore and to the testimony if they soule spenke and thinke not according vnto this word Esay 8.20 it is because there is no light in it therefore DAVID speaking of this Lawe sayth that it is perfect conuerting the Soule that it is sure making wise the simple that it is right reioicing the heart that it is pure enlightening the eyes that it is true and righteous altogether Psal 19.7.8 9 10. 1.2 more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then the hony and the hony-combe Blessed therefore is the man whose delight is in the Lawe of the Lord and in his Law doth meditate night and day Secondly because man naturally is so bewitched with the pleasures of sinne and glued to the alluring and entising sweetnes of wickednesse that a bare knowledge of the nature of transgression is neuer able to bring this labour and wearisomenesse vpon his soule therefore after that by the Lawe wee haue attained vnto the knowledge of sinne it is necessary that we vnderstand the value and esteeme which it hath in the eyes of the Lord by himselfe at great length reuealed in his Word sometimes by speeches and words full of dislike and disdaine My people aske counsell at their stockes Hos 4.12 and their staffe declareth vnto them for the spirit of whoredome hath caused them to erre and they haue gone a whoring from vnder their God God saw the wickednesse of man that it was great in the earth and that euery Imagination of the thought of his heart was onely euill continually Gen. 6.5 therefore it repented the Lord that he had made man vpon the earth and it grieued him at his heart your Incense and Sacrifices are abomination Esay 1.15 because your hands are full of bloud sometimes he denounceth heauy
the seed Rom. 4.10 not to that onely which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of vs all And in the will faith leaueth an assurance that God is both able and in due time wil make good in our particular the generall promises of Mercie and Grace according to that of the Apostle I am persuaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angles Rom. 8.38 39. nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Therefore it is that almost euery where the Holy Ghost speaking of things for Christ his sake in due time to be conferred and bestowed vpon vs he speaks of them in the time past as if alreadie we were in full possession thereof Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Ephes 1.3 who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly places in Christ Iesus in whom we haue edemption through his bloud the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace but God who is rich in mercie Ephes 1.7 2.4 5 6. for his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were dead in sinnes and trespasses hath quickened vs together and hath made vs sit together in heauenly places in Christ Iesus Such then is the assurance which faith leaues in the heart that the beleeuer speakes and thinkes of the promises of mercie and saluation as of things present whereof alreadie he is in full possession againe that in faith there is not onely a sure and certaine knowledge of the Historie of Gods holy Word but also an assurance of the loue and fauour of God in and for the mediation of Iesus Christ these subsequent Scriptures sufficiently witnesse Rom. 5.1 Being iustified by faith we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ Now this is certaine that the knowledge of the Historie of Gods holy Word is so farre from quieting and bringing peace vnto the soules of men that on the contrarie it serues rather more and more to encrease amazement feare and terror in their hearts according to that of S. Iames Iam. 2.19 The Deuils beleeue and tremble they beleeue that is by the Historie they know the wrath of God to be so fierce against Sinne and Iniquitie that it can be expiate and done away by no other meanes but by the death of his onely begotten Sonne by the knowledge of the Historie of Gods holy Word they vnderstand themselues finally and without all hope of redemption wholly to be reiected and cast off by the Historie they know that IESVS is appointed Iudge both of Men and Angels and that for euer they shall haue their abode in euerlasting miserie and torment therefore they beleeue and tremble Man likewise in the knowledge of the Historie what can hee see but euery where manifest tokens of the wrath of God against sinne as Death Disease and diuers other calamities vsually ensuing and befalling vs whilest we liue here vpon earth and which most of all encreaseth our feare that the wrath and indignation of the Almightie is such and so great against all manner of iniquitie that it could by no other meanes be appeased but by the death of his onely begotten Sonne IESVS CHRIST all which bringing rather matter of horror and feare then peace vnto the soules of men there must be something else besides Historicall knowledge in that faith whereby being iustified we haue peace with God which can be nothing else but an assurance of the loue and fauor of Almightie God in and for the mediation and all-sufficient sacrifice of his dearely beloued Sonne IESVS CHRIST by whom also wee haue accesse by faith into this grace wherein wee stand Abak 1.4 To the same purpose makes that of Abbakuk The iust shall liue by faith No man liueth by an Historicall knowledge of the Word of God which as euen now at great length hath been deliuered furnisheth rather matter of horror desperation and feare then of life health happinesse and the like therefore the faith spoken of by the Prophet must besides knowledge be an assent vnto and assurance of the loue and fauour of God in and for the mediation of his Sonne Thirdly S. Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians so plainely maintaines and powerfully auoucheth the assurance of faith which now we haue in hand that if there were no more this one Scripture may well serue for confirmation of the same Eph. 3.12 In whom we haue boldnesse with confidence by the faith of him and againe Let vs therefore come boldly vnto the Throne of grace Heb. 4.16 that we may obtaine mercie and find grace to helpe in time of neede Who knowing onely the Historie of Gods holy Word dare presume boldly and with confidence to approach and draw neere vnto the dreadfull Maiestie of Almightie God whom as an angrie seuere Iudge he seeth readie to powre downe the viols of his fierce wrath and indignation vpon the transgressors of his Law that faith then whereby with boldnesse confidently we present our selues before God besides knowledge of the Historie must of necessitie haue an assurance of reconciliation in IESVS CHRIST Gen. 4.4.5.24 49.20 This is that faith whereby Abel became more acceptable in the sight of the Lord then his brother Cain Enoch walked with God and was seene no more Iacob dying tooke order for his buriall in the promised Land Luke 7.48 and Marie Magdalene obtained free pardon and forgiuenesse of all her transgressions If therefore yee haue this faith Come vnto me all yee that labour and are heauie laden and I will giue you rest Come From this and other Texts of holy Scripture Psal 50.15 of the same or like nature as Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Mal. 3.13 Returne vnto me and I will returne vnto you Turne ye now from your euill wayes and from your euill doings Wash yee Zach. 1.4 make you cleane put away the euill of your doings from before mine eyes cease to doe euill learne to doe well seeke iudgement Esay 1.16.17.19 relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse plead for the widow if ye will be obedient ye shall eate the good of the Land The Sanballats and subtle Sophists of these last dayes gather I cannot tell what naturall and imborne abilitie and power in man ex puris naturaelibus as they say to performe obedience vnto the Commandements of God because first it were in vaine to exhort aduise request and beseech such as wholly and altogether are impotent and vnable to hearken and obey againe the large promises of health and happinesse in case of obedience were mockages rather then true promises if there were no power at all in man to performe