of this death That our comforter against spiritual deadness is in Christ the following words shew I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Though there be cause of mourning when we look into our own dead hearts yet there is cause of thanksgiving and rejoycing when we look up to God in Christ And that on these grounds 1. The end of Christs assuming our nature and suffering death for our sins was to give us life not only eternal life hereafter but spiritual life here and that in a plentifull measure Joh. 10.10 I am come that they might have life and that they may have it more abundantly Joh. 6.51 I am the living bread which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world 2. Though there be in us much deadness yet in Christ and with Christ there is a fountain of life Psal 36.9 For with thee is the fountain of life and in thy light shall we see light As it is with Fountains of water there is water to be had at all times and for all comers in the Fountain So it is with the Fountain of life there is life to be had constanly freely a sufficiency of life for all comers at all times to be had from this Fountain of life 3. The Lord hath given us many gracious and comfortable promises to encourage us to hope in him for quickning grace at such times as we find our selves under deadness as Joh. 11.25 Jesus said unto her I am the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet he shall live Joh. 6.57 He that eateth me even he shall live by me Psal 69.32 Your heart shall live that seek God Psal 22. They shall praise the Lord that seek him your heart shall live for ever Amos 5.4 Thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel seek ye me and ye shall live We see here that Spiritual and Eternal Life is promised to such as seek the Lord These promises may be a great comfort to us under our deadness 4. Jesus Christ hath provided us excellent helps against our deadness I will instance in two helps 1. His word that hath a quickning influence in it Psal 119.50 Thy word hath quickned me And ver 93. I will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickned me And as the Precepts so the promises of the word have a quickning virtue in them We may say of the promises with Hezekiah Isa 38.16 O Lord by these things men live and in all these things is the life of my Spirit 2. His spirit is an excellent help against deadness Joh. 6.63 It is the spirit that quickneth The spirit of Christ is the spirit of life and this quickning spirit shall be given to those that ask it of God Luk. 11.13 5. When Christ who is our life shall appear we shall appear with him in glory and when we appear with Christ in glory we shall ive with him for evermore and shall never any more be troubled with deadness but shall be freed from the body of sin and death for ever Col. 3.3 4. Ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God when Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Your Life is hid with Christ in God It may be understood of the life of Grace here and the life of Glory hereafter Our life of Grace is hid not only from the eyes of the VVorld but at sometimes and in part from themselves As Davenant observs Ex parte quoad quos sanctos quippe qui vitam hanc sentiant in se esse valdè infirmam obscuram dubiam obtentationes diaeboli carnis Yet the weakness of our Spiritual Life the deadness that is mixed with the life of grace shall not hinder our appearing with Christ in and if we appear with him in glory all our deadness and imperfections shall be done away for ever Sect. 7. There is comfort in Christ for such as are troubled for the weakness and imperfections of their services Many Christians finding their service they do for God and their Generations attended with very great weakness and many imperfections are much troubled and discouraged thereby But to such as go under this burden there is comfort to be had in Christ and that in these respects 1. Our persons and services are accepted of God not for the worthyness that is either in our persons or services but for the sake and upon the account of Jesus Christ Eph. 1.6 He hath made us accepted in the beloved And as our persons are accepted in Christ so are our services also 1 Pet 2.5 To offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ If any say how can imperfect services that have sin mixed with them be accepted of God I answer by the merits of Christ the imperfections and sins that are mingled with those holy services which we perform to God are done away and the services rendered acceptable to God Exod. 28.38 And it shall be upon Aarons Forehead that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things of the children of Israel which the children of Israel shall hollow in all their holy gifts and it shall be alwayes on his Forehead that they may be accepted before the Lord. Aaron was a Type of Christ our great High Priest The Plate on his Forehead that had graven on it Holiness to the Lord was a Type of the merits of Christ who is the Lord our Righteousness As Aaron bare away the iniquities of the holy things Typically which being done they were accepted of God So Christ doth really and truly bear away the sins of all services and thereby they are accepted of God 2. Though our services have much weakness and many imperfections in them yet if they be performed with Upright hearts God will accept them 1 Chron. 29.17 I know also my God that thou tryest the heart and hast pleasure in Vprightness As little done by an Upright man is more acceptable to God than great services done by wicked men Pro. 15.8 The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the Prayer of the Vpright is his delight 3. VVould you serve God and your Generation in a better manner if you were able and is it your burden that you can serve God no better then know for your comfort that God through Christ will accept of your willing mind though you have not such abilities to serve him as others have or as you your selves desire to have 2 Cor. 8.12 If there he first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not 4. It is a great comfort to those that mourn over their imperfections that how imperfect soever they are in themselves they are compleat in Christ Col.
of such Solomon speaks Prov. 5.22 He shall be holden with the cords of his sins And this was Simon Magus his condition Act. 8.23 I percieve that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity Now when God calls a sinner to Christ he looseth these bonds so that such an one can say with David Psal 116.16 Thou hast loosed my bonds 2. VVhen God calleth a man to Christ he causeth the soul to follow hardafter Christ to be both earnest and speedy in running after Christ Psal 63.8 My soul followeth hard after thee This following hard after Christ implyeth earnest desires and endeavours to enjoy him an unwillingness to be without him Cant. 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee Running after Christ implyeth earnestness and speed in following Christ and unweariedness in seeking after Christ Isa 40.31 They shall run and not be weary Is thy soul earnest is thy soul unwearied in following after Christ then certainly the Lord hath drawn thee by his Spirit For no man goeth thus after Christ till the Lord hath drawn him Joh 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him 3. VVe may know that God hath called and drawn us to Christ if we follow after Christ under all the difficulties and discouragements that we meet with in the wayes of Christ VVhen God calls us to Christ effectually he carries us through all difficulties and discouragements so that nothing shall hinder us from following Christ He makes good that woâ—d Luk. 3.5 Every valley shall be filled and every mountain shall be brought low and the crooked shall be made streight and the rough wayes shall be made plain It is an allusion to the Jewes coming out of Babylon in which journey they met with many difficulties they went through low valleyes which oft-times are filled with ter they went over high hills and great mountains they went through crooked and rough wayes But God put such a spirit into them that they went on with that courage and chearfullness as is if every valley had been filled and every hill and mountain brought low and all crooked places had been made straight and rough places plain So it is in effectual calling God carryeth on the soul so powerfully after Christ that it is carryed through all oppositions all difficulties and discouragements to come to Christ Psal 18.29 By thee I have run through a troop by my God I have leaped over a wall As it was with the blind man that cryed after Christ Mark 10.48 Many charged him that he should hold his peace but he cryed the more a great deal Thou son of David have mercy on me So it is with those that feel their want of Christ and are called to Christ when carnal people and carnal relations would beat them off from the wayes of Christ they are the more earnest to follow after VVe read of Saul that when the sons of Belial despised him There went with him a band of men whose hearts God had touched 1 Sam. 10.26 27. If we go after Christ when he is despised by the world it is a sign that God hath touched our hearts and drawn us to his Son 4. When God calls a sinner to come to Christ he cannot be satisfied with any thing besides Christ He takes him from resting in any thing short of Christ After we are awakened to see our sin and misery there are many things wherein we would rest short of Christ if God should let us alone As for instance we are apt to rest in our priviledges as the Jews who cryed out the temple of the Lord we have Abraham to our Father c. And we are prone to rest in Ordinances and performance of Duties in our convictions humiliations affections reformations and the like but he takes us off from resting in any thing besides Christ when he calls us unto Christ What Michah said unto the Jews Mich. 2.10 Arise ye and depart this is not your rest So the Lord saith to such as he calls effectually when they are taking up their rest in any thing short of Christ he calls them off from those rests saith Arise and come unto my son for this is not your rest A soul effectually called is like the dove that went out of the Ark while the waters covered the earth she found no rest for the sole of her foot till she returned into the Ark Gen. 8.9 So the soul effectually called can find no rest any where but in Christ Mary Magdelen had seen wonders in the stone rolled from the Sepulchre the linnen clothes in which the body of Christ was wrapped she had a vision of Angels but the sight of the Angels did not satisfie her because she could not find Christ but wept for him Joh. 20.1 11 12 13. 5. When God calls a sinner to come to Christ he taketh up his rest in Christ and resteth on him only for remission of sins and eternal life Psal 37.7 Rest in the Lord Psal 62.6 He onely is my rock and my salvation Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you IV. When God calleth a sinner effectually he called him unto holiness 1 The. 4.7 God hath not called us unto uncleanness but unto holiness Now we may know our effectual call unto holiness these wayes 1. By our earnest desires and endeavours after holiness This call of God begets earnest desires after holiness a hunger and thirst after righteousness such an one hath oh that I were more holy oh that I could serve and obey God in a better manner Psal 119.5 Oh that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes ver 20. My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath to thy judgements at all times And this call doth produce strong desires so also earnest endeavors after holiness so that a man makes his care and continual exercise to live an holy life Act. 24.16 And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience voyd of offence both towards God and towards men 2. This call to holiness leaves such an impressiion upon the heart that if through temptation he fall into sin and depart from the wayes of God he can have no rest in his spirit until he is risen up again and hath humbled his soul before God and be returned unto God Prov. 24.16 A just man falleth seven times and riseth again A just man may fall yea fall often but he is not to rest in his sins but maketh hast to rise up again It is the property of unregenerate men to lye in their sins 1 Joh. 5.19 The whole world lyeth in wickedness They that are called out of the world may fall into sin by temptation but they do not lye in their sins they make hast to rise up again A sheep may fall into the mire but makes hast to get out They are swine that love to wallow in the mire 3. We
2.12 That at the time ye were without Christ being Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world Here is a fourfold description of the misery of such as are without Christ 1. They are Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel That is they are none of the people of God they have no right too no part or portion in any of the priviledges belonging to the people of God 2. They are strangers to the covenants of promise or to the promises of the covenant There are many promises in the covenant as I will be your God I will be mercifull to their Unrighteousness and remember their sins and iniquities no more c. But they that are without Christ are strangers to the covenant and all the promises of the covenant they have no right too no part in the precious promises 3. They are without hope They have much presumption but they are without hope they have no hope of the pardon of their sins they have no hope of the Salvation of their Souls they have no hope of the mercy of God in this life or the life to come 4. They are without God That is without the favour of God without the blessing of God without communion with God and a man without God is a man without all good Here is much comprehended in few words concerning the misery of a man that is without Christ He is without God without Hope without a Promise without any part in the priviledges belonging to the people of God They that are without Christ shall be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven for ever 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath not the Son of God hath not Life They that are without Christ shall be cast into the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone Rev. 21.8 The unbelieving shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone 6. To get an interest in Christ is the greatest and chiefest business we have to do in this World This was hinted before Prov. 4.7 Wisdom is the principal thing therefore get Wisdom and with all thy gettings get Vnderstanding This is most true of Jesus Christ who is the wisdom of God Christ is the principal thing and therefore with all our gettings we should endeavour to get Jesus Christ It is of greater concernment to get Christ than to get Riches It is of greater concernment to get Christ than to get peace and comfort It is of greater concernment to get Christ than to get power against some particular corruption greater than to get some particular grace or than to get freedom from some vexatious temptation I shall speak distinctly to these heads 1. It is off far greater concernment to get Christ than to get Riches and that on several accounts 1. A man may have great Riches and yet be a miserable man Jam. 5.1 Go to now ye rich men weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon you But whosoever getteth Christ getteth true blessedness and is a blessed and happy man Psal 84.12 O Lord of Hosts blessed is that man that trusteth in thee 2. Riches will be no advantage to a man in an evil day They will not save a man from the Sword or Pestilence or other judgments Prov. 11.4 Riches profit not in a day of wrath But Jesus Christ is every way profitable in a day of wrath For he will reconcile us to God 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself And he will be an hiding place from the wind and a covert from the storm Isa 32.2 3 A man may be a rich man and yet go to Hell when he dyeth Luk. 16.22 23. The rich man dyed and was buried in hell he lift up his eyes being in torments But there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 4. Though a man get much Riches he must leave them all behind him when he dyeth 1 Tim. 6.7 For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out But such as get Christ shall enjoy Christ to Eternity 2. It is of far greater concernment to get Christ than to get peace and comfort Some persons that are under trouble of mind and distress of Conscience make it their only care and great business to get comfort they would do any thing to be at rest and peace But though persons under a troubled Spirit may Lawfully seek for comfort yet it must not be their only or their chiefest care to seek for comfort but their main endeavour should be to get Christ We should seek for Christ more than comfort For 1. There is no way to get true peace and comfort but in and by Christ Joh. 16.33 That in me ye might have peace Mat. 11.28 Come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest We may seek and labour to find rest for our Souls but we shall find none unless we go to Christ for it 2. Christ is more necessary than comfort for if we could get comfort without Christ those comforts would end in sorrow and we should be miserable for ever Isa 50.11 Behold all ye that kindle a fire that compass your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled this shall ye have at mine hand ye shall lye down in sorrow But if we get Christ though we should walk in darkness and in trouble all our days we shall be happy for ever and ever Psal 144.15 Yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord. 3. It is of greater concernment than to get victory over some particular corruption Some persons that are under the prevalency of a particular sin all their thoughts are how they may get that sin subdued And it is the duty of such as find the prevailing power of any sin to labour to have those sins subdued but yet it concerns us more to get Christ than to get the victory over some particular corrruptioâ— For 1. Suppose thou couldst get rid of that sin that troubles thee yet if thou dost not get Christ thou wilt perish for ever For who shall satisfie for thy sins past who shall satisfie for thy corrupt nature None but Christ can make expiation for the sins of our hearts and lives 2. There is no getting any sin subdued but by Jesus Christ Joh. 8.34.36 Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin If the Son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed We may think our selves free from the service of sin but we shall not be free indeed unless Christ the Son of God make us free 3. If we get Christ we shall be saved from the guilt and power of all our sins Mat. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins 4. We should labour more to get Christ than to get some
of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief Luk. 19.10 The son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost Hos 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help There is help in Christ not only for such as have hurt themselves for such as have wounded sorely wounded themselves but for such as have destroyed them yea though they be Israelites which is an aggravation of their sin and misery for its worse for an Israelite then for a Moabite or an Egyptian to destroy himself Here is the extremity of misery destruction and the height of sin which is for a man to be the Author of his own destruction yet there is help in Christ for such as are undone destroyed and have been the Authors of their own destruction O Israel thou bast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help And as our Lord Jesus came into the world purposely to save lost and undone sinners so he is able to save perfectly those that come to him and unto God by him from all their sins and all their misery Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them And as there is Salvation to be had in Christ for lost and perishing sinners so this Salvation is to be had no where else and by no other way or means whatsoever but by Christ Act. 4.12 Neither is their Salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be savtd Isa 43.11 I even I am the Lord and besides me there is no Saviour We are not able to save our selves neither can all the men on earth or all the Angels of heaven save us We cannot save our selves by any ways or devices of our own or by any works or duties that we can perform if we could any way save our selves it must be either by fleeing from God and hiding our selves where God should not find us out but that is impossible for God filleth Heaven and Earth and is present in all places so that a man cannot flee from God or hide himself where God should not find him Jer. 23.24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord Do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord. Psal 139.7 8 9 10. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up into heaven thou art there c. Or else it must be by doing some works whereby we may procure the pardon of our sins and the Salvation of our Souls Neither of these can be purchased with mony If a man would give all that he hath in the world to purchase the love of God and the pardon of his sins and the Salvation of his Soul it would be despised and contemned Cant. 8.7 If a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned Job 36.18 19. Because there is wrath beware lest he take thee away with his stroke then a great ransome cannot deliver thee Will he esteem thy riches no not gold nor all the forces of thy strength It is a most detestable thought for a man to think that the gifts of God can be purchased with mony Act. 8.20 Thy mony perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with mony And as we cannot purchase our pardon and Salvation so neither can we obtain it by any works of Righteousness that we are able to do Rom. 3.20 By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight Tit. 3.5 Not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us And as we are not able to save our selves so neither can any men on earth or angels of Heaven save us Psal 60.11 Give us help from trouble for vain is the help of man And if man can't save us from troubles on earth then much less from the torments of hell Jer. 3.23 Truly in vain is Salvation hoped for from the hills or from the multitude of mountains truly in the Lord our God is the Salvation of Israel By the hills and mountains we may understand either 1. Their Fortifications which were very strong by reason of the hills and mountains There were many hills and mountains round about Jerusalem which made it very strong Psal 125.2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem And therefore called the hill country Luk. 1.39 Or 2. By the hills and mountains may be understood the mighty Kings and Princes of other Nations that had promised them aid and assistance Hos 7.11 Hos 5.13 Isa 31.1 Or 3. The Idols which they worshipped on the hills and the mountains Jer. 2.20 Jer. 3.6 'T is as much as to say Salvation is to be had from no creatures from none of the Gods of the Heathen but only from the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 3. If you would get a saving interest in Christ know and consider well that God maketh a free and general offer of Jesus Christ and all his saving benefits unto every one that findeth a want of him and is willing to receive him I say Jesus Christ and Salvation by Christ as all things requisite to Salvation is offered freely to every one that findeth the want of him and is willing to receive him Rev. 22.17 And let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely For opening of this Scripture let us observe 1. Here is an offer of Christ and Salvation by Christ Let him take the water of Life By the water of Life understand Jesus Christ and those saving benefits we have by Christ Christ and Salvation by Christ is set out by the water of life For as Christ is the bread of life Joh. 6.48 I am that bread of life So he is also the water of life and as he is called the bread of life because he giveth eternal life to those that are pertakers of him Joh. 6.51 I am the living bread which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever So he is called the water of life because he giveth eternal life to those that are partakers of him And as Christ himself is signified by the water of life so also are his saving benefits Remission of sins is set out by clean water Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean The Spirit of Christ and his saving graces are compared to water Joh. 7.38 39. Eternal Life and Salvation is set out by Fountains of living waters Rev. 7.17 2. The offer of Christ and Salvation by Christ is general it is to every one whosoever he be that finds his want of him and is willing
willing to bestow himself upon you By these terms I mean what it is which the Lord Jesus requireth of those whom he will own for his and on whom he will bestow himself and all his saving benefits These terms are briefly comprehended under these two heads Faith and Repentance They that believe in Christ and repent of their sins shall undoubtedly be made pertakers of Christ and his saving benefits All that believe in Christ shall assuredly be saved by him Joh. 6.47 Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath everlasting life Joh. 3.15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And so shall all they that repent of their sins Ezek. 30.18 Repent and turn your selves from all your Transgressions and so iniquity shall not be your ruine All persons in all nations that repent of their sins shall for Christs sake have remission of their sins Luk. 24.47 And that repentance and remission of sin should be preached in his name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem I shall briefly shew you what Christ requireth of those that he will own for his and to whom he will become a Saviour 1. That we love and prefer him above Father and Mother Wife or Children the nearest and dearest Relations we have in the whole world yea and above our own lives Luk. 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple Hating Father and Mother c. is not to be taken in the usual and proper acceptation of the word For to hate any man in a proper sense is a great sin it is Murder in the sight of God 1 Joh. 3.15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a Murderer and ye know that no Murderer hath Eternal Life abiding in him And our Lord Jesus doth not make any sin to be the condition of becoming his Disciple And therefore hating Father and Mother and other Relations is to be understood improperly for loving Father and Mother and other Relations and a mans own life less than he loveth Christ So it is explained Gen. 29.30 31. He loved Rachel more than Leah And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated We are not to entertain such thoughts of Jacob as if he hated Leah for it is not consistent with Gods grace for a man to hate his wife But the meaning is Leah was not loved so much as Rachel as it is expressed in the former verse The meaning of Leah's being hated is this that Rachel was loved more than Leah So he that hateth not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children c. cannot be my Disciple that is he that loveth not me more than his Father and Mother and all Relations and his own life cannot be my Disciple and so it is explained Mat. 10.37 He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me And this is but equal that we should love Christ above all Relations in the world because he is better than all he is more amiable more excellent than Father or Mother or any other Relations and he hath done and will do more for us than Father or Mother or Wife or Children can do for us for he dyed for our sins and will save our Souls and that is more than all the men in the world ever did or can do for us 2. That we deny our selves and depart from all our sins Mar. 8.34 Whosoever will come after me let him deny himself There is no being a Disciple of Christ for any man without self-denyal Now this denying a mans self implyeth 1. That he must deny his own sinful inclinations and sinful affections 2 Tim. 2.19 Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity 2. That he must deny himself of things in themselves lawful when they come in competition with Christ Joh. 3 Epist ver 7. For his names sake they went forth taking nothing of the Gentiles It was lawful for those that taught the Gentiles to receive maintenance from them for the Lord hath ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel But in some special cases where it is more for the honour of Christ these persons spoken of by the Apostle would take nothing of the Gentiles 3. We must deny our selves in Religious duties and works of Righteousness not by neglecting them but these two ways 1. By attributing nothing to our selves but ascribing all to Christ 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am what I am I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God that was with me 2. By putting no confidence in any thing that we have done or can do but placing all our confidence in Christ Phil. 3.3 VVe have no confidence in the flesh 1 Joh. 5.14 This is the confidence we have in him 3. That we take up the Cross Mar. 8.34 VVhosoever will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross By taking up the Cross understand a willingness to undergo any sufferings for Christ that we shall be called unto as reproaches persecutions hatred of the world loss of liberty estate yea and life it self Unless we are willing at the call of God to undergo the greatest as well as lesser sufferings for Christ we cannot be his Disciples Luk. 14.33 VVhosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple There must be a forsaking in affection and resolution by every one and an actual forsaking when they can't be enjoyed without sinning against Christ 4. That we be ruled and governed by him and yield obedience to him as our Lord and then we shall assuredly be saved by him Heb. 5.9 And being made perfect he became the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that obey him Mat. 11.29 Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly of heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls By taking his yoke upon us is meant submitting to his Government To be under the yoke signifieth to be under the rule and government of others 1 Tim. 6.1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour Under the yoke that is under the dominion and rule of others See also Gen. 27.40 where the yoke signifieth subjection The Commandements and Ordinances of God are called a yoke Act. 15.10 But here some may say is it not derogatory to the free grace of God to say that he offers us Christ and Salvation upon terms Doth he not say whoever will let him take of the water of life freely why then do you speak of terms or conditions in Salvation by Christ A. 1. To speak of terms or conditions to be performed by those that are justified and saved
fared deliciously every day when he was in Hell could not get one drop of Water to cool his Tongue They are dear â—â—â—ght pleasures that must be paid for in â—â—â—â—â—orments Momentaneum est quod delectal Eâ—ernum quod cruciat The pleasures of sin are gone in a moment but the pains of Hell are for Eternity 5. The pleasures of sin are such poor vain vile things that bitter and sharp afflictions are rather to be chosen than the pleasures of sin which are but for a season Moses who was a wise man preferred the afflictions of a Wilderness with the people of God before the delights and pleasures of a Kings Court when they could not be enjoyed without sin Heb. 11.25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season §. Arg. To perswade us to leave gainfull and profitable sins 1. Such gain as is gotten by sinfull and unrighteous means will prove the greatest loss in the World For it is gotten with the loss of our Souls and with the loss of the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God And what loss like the loss of our Souls and the loss of a Kingdom even the Kingdom of Heaven The gaining of the whole World will not make up this loss Mark 8.34 For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul 2. You shall gain greater and better things by forsaking your sins and leading a Godly Life than you can gain by continuance in your sins For what you gain by Unrighteousness doth you very little good but Godliness will be profitable to you for all things both in this life and in the life which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Godliness is profitable unto all things having the promise of the life that now it and that which is to come If you will leave your gainfull sins for Christ you shall in gaining Christ gain unsearchable Riches Eph. 3.8 Yea in gaining Christ you shall gain all things 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. 3. Such gain as a man gets unrighteously will profit a man nothing either in a day of wrath or in the day of death or at the day of judgment Prov. 10.2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing Though a man hath gotten a vast Estate though he hath heaped up Treasures in great abundance yet if he hath gotten them by wicked ways they will profit him nothing They will be so far from profiting him that they will hurt him exceedingly What a man gets unrighteously he leaves behind him when he dyeth but his guilt will follow him into the other World and will torment him like Fire Jam. 5.3 Your Gold and Silver is cankered and the rust of them will be a Witness against you and shall eat your Flesh as it were Fire ye have heaped Treasures together for the last days 4. Uprightness and Righteousness in our dealings is a far better way to get an Estate than Fraud and Unrighteousness For 1. Such as deal Truly and Righteously shall have God's Blessing in an abundant manner Prov. 28.20 A faithfull man shall abound with Blessings but sin and wickedness bringeth the curse of God Prov. 3.33 The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked Now who is in the most likely way to thrive they that have the curse or they that have the Blessing of God 2. If a man should get but a small Estate that dealeth righteously and uprightly yet a little estate gotten righteously is better and hath more comfort in it than great Revenues gotten by unrighteous ways Ps 37.16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked Prov. 16.8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right For there is more comfort in a little gotten with Gods blessing than in a great deal gotten by sinfull ways Prov. 10.22 The blessing of the Lord it maketh Rich and he addeth no sorrow with it 3. What is gotten Righteously abideth longer than what is gotten by sinfull ways Jer. 17.11 He that getteth Riches and not by right shall leave them in the midst of his days and at his end shall be a Fool. Prov. 28.22 He that hasteth to be Rich hath an evil Eye and considereth not that Poverty shall come upon him That is he that makes such hast to be Rich as that he will use undue courses to get Riches takes the ready way to become a Poor man But when men get Estates Righteously that is the way to have their Estates blessed to themselves Prov. 28.10 The upright shall have good things in possession And to their Posterity for many Generations Prov. 13.22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his Childrens Children and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just Sect. 4 Obeying Christ even in the most difficult Precepts of the Gospel should not make us refuse closing with Christ A 4th hinderance to our closing with Christ is unwillingness to come under his Government and yield obedience to the commands of the Gospel especially such commands as are cross to our interest and contrary to our corrupt natures and in such commands as are like the pulling out of right eyes and cutting off Right hands In such cases and in reference to such commands Many are ready to say this is an hard saying who can bear it Joh. 6.60 And say in their hearts We will not have this man to Reign over us Luk. 19.15 Now to remove this stumbling block I shall propose some arguments to perswade us to be willing to receive Christ for our Lord and to obey him in the most difficult duties that he requireth of us even such as are like the cutting off a right hand and pulling out a right eye 1. The Lord Jesus commands us to do nothing requireth nothing of us but what is for our own good Mich 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God The Lord requireth of us that we do justly that we love mercy that we walk humbly with our God and why because these things are good for us Deut. 10.12 13. And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to keep the Commandements of the Lord and his Statutes which I command thee this day for thy good Yea even such commands of Christ as seem hardest to Flesh and Blood are greatly for our good It seems a very hard matter to cut off our Right Hand or our Foot or to pluck out a Right Eye when any of these Members cause us to offend yet it is really better for us to remove the impediments of our Salvation though as dear as our Eyes as usefull and beneficial to us as our Hands and Feet and to
enter into Life blind and halt and maimed than to reserve the occasions of offence and stumbling and to be cast into Hell Fire Mark 9.43 to the 48. ver 2. If the work seem hard and difficult which Christ sets us about yet the wages he gives are exceeding great which he gives to them that serve him and obey him He gives no less Reward to all his Servants than a Kingdom Luk 12.32 Fear not little Flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom He gives his Servants the same Glorious Kingdom which he himself hath Joh. 12.26 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my Servant be He gives an Eternal Kingdom to them that obey his Commandements Heb. 5.9 Joh. 12.50 I know that his Commandment is Life Everlasting This may reconcile our hearts to the Commandments of the Gospel there is no Commandment of Christ but it is in order to our obtaining Everlasting Life Now this consideration that Christ will give us a Kingdom an Everlasting Kingdom that cannot be removed should make us willing to engage in any difficult service for Christ and desirous to do him all the service we can and to serve him in a gracious and acceptable manner Heb. 12.28 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom that cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear 3. You have a long time served and obeyed the lusts of your own heart And sin is a most cruel Master a Master that kills and murders all his Servants that do not forsake his service The wages that sin gives all his Servants is Death Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is Death And will you rather serve a Murderer a cruel Master that will kill than serve and obey Jesus Christ who is the Lord of Life and Glory who saves all his Servants from Eternal Misery 4. Though some duties of the Gospel seem hard to Flesh and Blood yet they bring rest to the Soul Math. 11.29 Take my Yoak upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest for your Souls Rest is a desireable thing especially rest for our Souls Issachar underwent great burdens for the obtaining of rest Gen. 49.14 15. Issachar is a strong ass couching between two burdens and he saw that rest was good and the Land that it was pleasant and bowed his shoulders to bear and became a servant to tribute But rest for the Soul is much more desireable than outward rest and therefore we should be willing to submit to any burden that our Lord Jesus layeth upon us seeing he will give us rest for our Souls 5. Though Christs Yoak may seem hard and his burden heavy to Flesh and Blood yet in truth and reality it is easy and light Mat. 11.29 30. Take my yoke upon you for my yoke is easy und my burden is light Now Christ's yoke is easy and his burden light in several respects 1. Because he requireth nothing of us but what he by his Spirit will enable us to do Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes 2. Because he writes his laws in our hearts and when the law is written in the heart it makes the hardest service easy and delightfull Psal 40.8 I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart This will spoken of here was God's will concerning Christ that he should offer up himself a Sacrifice for our sins as appears from Heb. 10.6 7 8 9 10. which though it was difficult service Christ did with delight having the Law of God in his heart 3. Love to Christ makes all difficulties easie and his service delightful Joh. 5.3 This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous 4. His Yoke is easie because it is sweetned with the comforts of the Holy Ghost Our Lord Jesus sends the Spirit the Comforter into their hearts that keep his Commandments that dwell and abide with them for ever John 14 15 16 17. If you love me keep my Commandements and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth and by virtue of these comforts which they have from the Spirit of God they can go on singing in the ways of the Lord. Ps 138.5 Yea they shall sing in the ways of the Lord. 5. His Yoke is easie and burden light compared with the burden of the Law and the burden of sin The Law was a Yoak which was very hard to be born Act. 15.10 And the burden of sin is heavier than the burden of the Law it was such as David complained was too heavy for him Ps 38.4 §. 5. Loving and preferring other things above Christ and hindrance of our being partakers of Christ This Obstacle removed 5. Another hindrance of our receiving and accepting Christ is when there is something or other that lyeth nearer our heart than Christ which we love and prefer above Christ and are not willing to part with for Christ Now to such I would say these things 1. You can have no part in Christ unless you love and prefer him above all things in the world and be willing to forsake all things for him Math. 10.37 He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me Our Parents and our Children may and ought to be loved but not more than Christ for if we love the dearest Relations we have in the world more than Christ we shall not be partakers of Christ Luk. 14.33 Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my Disciple For if a man love any things or persons more than Christ when those things or persons come in competition with Christ he will forsake Christ rather than those things or persons which he loves above Christ 2. A man may go far in the profession and practice of Religious duties and may prefer Christ above many things and yet may have some one thingly nearer his heart than Christ and rather than part with that one thing he may chuse to part with Jesus Christ An example of this we have in the young man that came to Christ to enquire how he might obtain Eternal Life He spoke respectfully affectionately and understandingly to Christ Matth. 19.17 Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may have Eternal Life He shewed his respect to Christ in calling him Master his affection in calling him good Master his understanding in that he came to Christ about the weightiest matter in the whole world Eternal Life and his good inclinations that he desired to know what good thing he should do to have Eternal Life Moreover he had from his youth up addicted himself