to the Divine Will Holiness is the being of the Spiritual Life in us Obedience is the operation of that Life according to the degrees of it in the Soul For there is a great difference in the degrees of Spiritual Life in Believers it is variously Communicated to one more to another less All Believers have it but some have it more abundantly Joh. 10.10 and according to the measure of the life of holiness in us such is our strength to obey and according to the strength of our obedience such will the evidence of our subjection to Christ and his Yoke be 2. What greater evidence can there be of our subjection to Christ then that which is the proper and essential act of the new creature and that obedience is It is not more essential to the eye to see nor to the ear to hear then it is for a renewed heart to obey God A Believer doth but act his nature in obeying and that appears from that pleasure and delight which so far as renewed he takes in it Acts of nature are acts of delight hence that of the Apostle Rom. 7.22 I delight in the law of God after the inner man And that of David I delight to do thy will O my God And whence this delight arises the next words tell you Thy Law is within my heart Psal 40.8 The principle of grace within makes obedience to the law of God a delight and delight in obedience to the law of God proves the truth of that Principle within All delight in doing arises from a suitableness between the Principle and the Precept the heart and the work If there are precepts injoyned us and a defect of Principles in us much may be done but there can be no delight in doing the commands will be grievous But it is not every kind of Obedience that can prove the truth of our subjection to Christ A hypocrite may go far in the outward part of obedience he may have a form of Godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 and what is that but a resemblance of a Christian in all the outward lineaments of Godliness He may be able to do all external acts of obedience in common with Believers But there are some things essential to Believers as such the goodness whereof doth adhere intrinsecally to this work done as to love God to fear God to trust in God to delight in God These mingled with our outward duties make them to be obedience of the right kind and these no hypocrite can attain to and therefore cannot perform any one act of true obedience For obedience consists in a full conformity to the will of God as revealed in his word from a Principle of holiness within Many profess subjection to Christ in word but deny it in works calling him Lord Lord but not doing the things which he sayes Luk. 6.46 And many have flexible knees but stiff necks bowing the former to the name Jesus but will not bow the latter to the Yoke of Jesus being abominable disobedient and to every good work reprobate Tit. 1.16 There is no such Testimony of your being under the Yoke of Christ as conformity to the will of Christ By this then you may make a judgment in this matter When the spies returned from searching the Land of Canaan they brought with them a cluster of Grapes and Pomegranates and Figs Numbers 13.23 and when they came to give an account of their search they shewed them the fruit of the Land and said surely it flowes with milk and hony and this is the fruit of it ver 27. q. d. the Land that yields such good fruit must needs be a good Land The fruit of being under Christs yoke is dying to sin and living to God in a Holy Obedience And by these two Characters your State may certainly be known The heart that yields such fruit is surely a good heart Pray observe that of the Apostle Rom. 6.16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness It is not being Baptized into the name of Christ nor taking up the outward profession of Christ and Religion that can distinguish between the servants of Christ and Satan Here is a surer rule He that obeys sin is the servant of sin and he that obeys Christ is the servant of Christ CHAP. XV. Exhorts to thankfulness to God who inclined the heart to this Yoke The wisdom of taking up this Yoke manifested THE last use shall be of Exhortation and I shall direct it to two sorts of persons 1. To them that have taken up the yoke of Christ in their youth 2. To such as have never yet taken up the yoke of Christ to this day Exhortat 1. To them that have taken up the yoke of Christ in their youth that have made it their work to mind Religion betimes to remember their Creator in the dayes of their youth There are three duties I would commend to such by way of direction Duty 1. The first is thankfulness Though this contributes nothing to God yet it is that which he is delighted with It shews the honesty and integrity of the heart in ascribing effects to their proper causes Thankfulness diminishes the creature to himself and magnifies God It shews a man looks upon himself as nothing and God as all Therefore bless God and be thankful for this great mercy Is there not a cause For 1. How came you to take up Christs yoke Rom. 6.17 Isa 26.13 Time was when ye were the servants of sin other Lords had dominion over you Time was when you were slaves to lust How came you to take up the yoke of Christ It was not natural for by nature we are enemies to grace and holiness It was the fruit of the wisdom of God impressed upon the Soul it was he that gave thee counsel to make this choice and therefore bless him So David sayes in the like case I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel Psa 16.7 Counsel for what to take the Lord for his Lord and that implies taking up his yoke O my soul thou hast said to the Lord thou art my Lord ver â— thou art my Lord that implies subjection Thou hast said thou art my Lord that implyes a Covenant resignation So that here he chooses God for his portion and chief good and for his highest Lord and how he came to make this choice he tells you ver 7. It was the Lord that counselled him to this and therefore he resolves the praise and glory shall be to him I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel Go you and do likewise bless the Lord who hath perswaded and over power'd your hearts to close with Christ For no man comes to Christ except the Father draw him Joh. 6.44 2. It is the wisest choice that ever you made to choose Christ for your Lord and
CHAP. XIV Shews our subjection to Christ by such signs as are the genuine effects of it CHAP. XV. Exhorts such as have taken up this Yoke to thankfulness to God who inclined their hearts thereunto The wisdom of taking up this Yoke manifested CHAP. XVI Directs our obedience as to Principles matter manner and end CHAP. XVII Exhorts to perseverance under the Yoke of Christ with arguments to press it and directions to guide in it CHAP. XVIII Contains matter of counsel to Christless sinners with motives and directions to further it THE GOOD OF Early Obedience LAMENT iii. 27. It is good for a man that he bear the Yoke in his Youth CHAP. I. Somewhat Prooemial The Yoke explained what it is Literally taken what Metaphorically THE Apostle tells us that great is the Mystery of Godliness 1 Tim. 3.16 and it is so not only in credendis the things which are to be believed but in agendis the matters that relate to practice There are Mysteries in the Precept as well as in the Promise Psal 55.22 If a man be commanded to cast his burthen upon the Lord then he himself hath none to bear and yet the Lord Christ lays a burthen upon every Believer Matth. 11.30 Rev. 2.24 where he is a Redeemer he sets the soul free from every Yoke it is under and if the Son make a man free John 8.36 he is then free indeed And yet none are more under the Yoke than the Lords Freemen being not without Law 1 Cor. 9.21 but under the Law to Christ When he takes off one he puts on another Take my Yoke upon you Matth. 11.29 Though Christ breaks our Fetters yet he brings us into Bonds though he delivers us from thraldom and slavery yet not from duty he redeems us from the power of sin but not from the power of the Precept and therefore to argue from liberty to licentiousness is a kind of Logick found only in the Devil's School Rom. 6.1 2. Shall we continue in sin that Grace may abound God forbid The right reasoning is from mercy to duty Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your Body and your Spirits which are Gods 1 Cor. 6.20 Redemption and service are in the design of the Gospel Luke 1.74 75. linked together That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life The freedom purchased by Christ makes service necessary for he quits us of our burden but not of our obedience he doth not set us free from service but changes our work and our Master Rom. 6.19 As ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness So that ye are Servants still It was the interest of the Flesh and fleshly lusts that was served before but now it is the interest of God and holiness the freedom then is from the Government of the God of this World who rules in the Children of disobedience Ephes 2.2 unto a voluntary submission and resignedness to the Divine conduct from the brutish drudgery of sin to the excellency of such an Empire Psal 19.11 whose Precepts carry their own reward with them besides the Glory that ensues So then the Yoke that hath a curse in it that Christ hath took off but the Yoke of obedience that he hath call'd us to put on and herein he hath excellently accommodated things to the great advantage of man For as it is his misery and burthen to be under the former Yoke which what it is I shall shew anon so it is as much his interest and happiness to be under the latter and therefore the earlier he takes it up the sooner he begins to be happy It is good for a man that he bear the Yoke in his Youth I shall not speak any thing of this Book in general only a little about the manner of penning it which is somewhat unusual each Chapter the last only excepted being penned according to the Order in which the Letters stand in the Hebrew Alphabet as some of the Psalms of David are For what reason the Spirit of God should direct the Pen-man of it this way it doth not appear Hierom labours to find out great mysteries in it but doth but beat the Air. This way of writing seems to be very useful for the help of the memory and may seem to hint as if God would have such Scriptures peculiarly remarked and remembred and that is the best reason I can give But whereas the first second and fourth Chapters begin with a single Alphabet the several Verses beginning with several Letters in their Order this third Chapter consisteth of a threefold Alphabet every three Verses in course beginning with the same Letter This Text which I have pitched upon falls under the Letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Hierome makes to stand for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Good and accordingly the 25th 26th and the 27th Verses do all begin in the Hebrew with the word Tobh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So in the 25th Verse Tobh Jehovah Lekovau Good is the Lord to them that wait for him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the 26th Verse Tobh vejahhil vedumam It is good a man should both hope and quietly wait 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so here in the Text Tobh Laggebher Ki-jissa gnol bingnoraiu Good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth The only difficulty in the Text that needs explaining is What Yoke it is that is here meant The Yoke is sometimes taken Literally and sometimes Metaphorically A Literal Yoke is an Instrument of Wood or Iron fitted to the Necks of Creatures either to tame them or work them or punish them These are the three chief uses of the Yoke First It is for the taming of wild Beasts and making them tractable The Yoke and the Collar bow down the hard Neck Ecclus 33.25 Ephraim complains of himself As a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoke Jer. 31.18 that is untamed and unruly Secondly It is an Instrument of labour by which Beasts do draw burthens Deut. 21.3 Take an Heifer that hath not drawn in the Yoke And hence ye read in Scripture of a Yoke of Oxen 1 Sam. 11.7 Luke 14.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jugum Boum from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 niph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 copulavit And so in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly It is an Instrument of punishment Deut 28.48 Thou shalt serve thine Enemies in hunger and in thirst and in nakedness and in want of all things and he shall put a Yoke of Iron upon thy neck until he hath destroyed thee These are the uses of the Literal Yoke But then there is a Metaphorical Yoke and
then they came to him 6. It teaches them to see the emptiness of the Creature and what a vain thing the World is In our ease and prosperity we are apt to surfeit by excess in sensual fruitions The lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life are the young mans Trinity Hence that of the Apostle 1 John 2.14 15 16. I write to you young men though the expression there hath a spiritual sense and what doth he write unto them Love not the world nor the things that are in the world for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life is not of the Father This is a rare Lesson for young men but how seldome do any learn it till they come into the School of affliction How have I known many young ones wholly given to pride and pleasure but when God hath brought them under the Rod fetter'd them with afflictions made their Bed upon the Brink of the Grave O how have they then cryed out of their follies their mispending precious time their neglecting God and their souls their regarding lying vanities and so forsaking their own mercies and what strong resolutions have they then made never to return to these follies again And these things are great Preparatories to conversion Now then if afflictions obviate those evils which through the corruption of our Natures are occasioned by prosperity if they are inlightening and helpful to great discoveries and if they are preparatory to Grace and conversion then surely it must be good for a man to bear the Yoke of affliction betimes CHAP. III. Shewing the difference between the Yoke of the Spirit and the Yoke of Christ What the Spirits Yoke is Why convictions are compared to a Yoke Why Sinners must come under the Yoke of the Spirit Why it is good to come under it betimes THE next sense in which I am to speak of this Yoke is that of conviction of sin to make way to the last Notion of it which more especially design to insist upon and that is the Yoke of Gospel obedience and subjection the one is the Yoke of the Spirit the other is the Yoke of Christ These two are not the same but very different Yokes especially in these four things First The Yoke of the Spirit is grievous the Yoke of Christ is not grievous 1 John 5.3 the Yoke of the Spirit is very heavy the Yoke of Christ is very light Matth. 11.30 Secondly It is the heaviness of the Spirits Yoke which makes Christ's Yoke easie It is not easie to all no they that never felt the Spirits Yoke to them Christ's Yoke is a burthen And therefore when Christ says My Yoke is easie it points to them whom he calls to come and take it up and who are they Why the heavy laden and weary ver 28. They who are wearied by the Spirits Yoke shall thereby find ease under Christ's Yoke Thirdly The Yoke of the Spirit is but for a time and then to be taken off and never put on again but the Yoke of Christ is always to be kept on never to be put off the soul is under a perpetual obligation to Duty and obedience to Christ Jesus Fourthly The Yoke of the Spirit is to prepare us for the Yoke of Christ for Christ's Yoke can never be put on till the Spirit by his Yoke hath fitted the neck for it The soul will never obey Christ till it be conquered to Christ and that will never be till the Spirit in conviction put his Yoke and Fetters upon it I shall now speak somewhat of the Spirits Yoke and if ever the Lord give such another Call to this Work then I shall speak of Christ's Yoke more largely And in speaking of the Yoke of the Spirit in conviction I would insist a little upon these four things First That the Spirit hath his Yoke Secondly Why the convictions of the Spirit upon the soul of a Sinner are compared to a Yoke Thirdly Every Sinner that shall be saved must come under this Yoke of the Spirit Fourthly Therefore it is good to come under it betimes and why First That the Spirit hath his Yoke There is such a thing upon the consciences of Sinners at one time or other as the Yoke of the Spirit As the Spirit hath his joys and comforts so he hath his Yokes and Bonds as he hath a liberty which he brings some into so he hath a thraldom which he brings some under And it is first bondage and then liberty He is a Spirit of liberty to none but to whom he is first a Spirit of bondage The Spirits Yoke described And if you ask me What this Yoke of the Spirit is It is that state he brings the Sinner into and holds him in before his conversion to prepare him for his conversion and that is a state of sensibleness of sin and wrath which flows from the convincing work of the Spirit The Spirit of the Lord whereever he comes to work a saving change doth first put his Yoke upon the Sinners neck that is he doth convince the soul of the evil of sin and of its liableness to the wrath of God and so fills it with fear and horrour so that the poor Creature looks upon it self as utterly lost and undone so long as it abides in that state This is the Spirits Yoke It is called so in Scripture Lam. 1.14 The Yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand they are wreathed and come upon my neck the Lord hath delivered me into their hands from whom I am not able to rise up Into their hands that is into the hands of sin and she was not able to rise up from under them Prov. 5.22 and why Because the Spirit had bound them upon her as a Yoke Secondly Why are the convictions of the Spirit compared to a Yoke First A Yoke is very heavy and burdensome So is sin when once the conscience is truly convinced of it Mine inquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burthen they are too heavy for me Psal 38.4 And therefore a soul under the sense of sin is said to be heavy laden Matth 11.28 Secondly A Yoke bows the Back by reason of its weight Hence is that expression of the kindness of God to Israel Lev. 26.13 I have broken the Bonds of your Yoke and made you go upright implying that the Yoke causes a man to bow and stoop under it so doth conviction of sin it bows the soul under it I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long Psal 38.6 Thirdly A Yoke is a galling wounding thing so is conviction O how it wounds with the sense of sin and dread of wrath Prov. 18.14 and a wounded Spirit who can bear Foarthly A Yoke is a taming thing It tames the wildest Beast so conviction tames the most unruly Sinner though he be never so raging
in his lusts yet when the Spirit of God doth but set sin close to the conscience O how pliable is he So it was with Saul he breathed nothing but threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord Acts 9.1 but Christ no sooner smites him with a word from Heaven but how tame and pliable is he He trembling and astonished said Lord what wilt thou have me to do v. 6. And hence the convictions of the Spirit are fitly compared to a Yoke Thirdly Every Sinner that ever shall be saved must come under this Yoke of the Spirit he must be brought to a conviction of his lost estate There is a necessity for this and I will shew you why Reason 1. Because it is essential to sound conversion What is conversion but a turning from sin to God and how can a man turn from sin without a true sense of sin or how can he turn to God till he be made to see and feel the want of God therefore it is absolutely necessary Reas 2. It is the constant method of God with all that are capable of the work First He shews man his sin then his Saviour first his wound then his cure first his malady then his remedy first his danger then his Redeemer Gen. 3.10 15. Thus God began with Adam and Eve he first opens their eyes to see their sin and misery their nakedness and shame and then makes them a promise of the seed of the Woman God will have sense of misery go before the participation of mercy He look upon man and if any say I have sinned and it profited me not he will save his soul from going down to the pit and his life shall see the light Job 33.27 28. The Israelites are first stunâ— with the fiery Serpents Numb 21.6 8. and then the Brazeâ— Serpent is set up for them to look to for healing Peter's three thousand Converts werâ— first pricked in their hearts and then he applies the promise Acts 2.37 39. The Gaolâ— is first struck with a Spirit of trembling anâ— then Jesus Christ is held out to him for salvâ—tion Acts 16.29 31. Reas 3. God will not frustrate and makâ— void the use of the Law There would be 〈◊〉 conviction of sin no sight of the misery of natural state but for the Law therefore say St Paul I had not known sin but by the Law Rom. 7.7 How could he what should discover it to him Sin had not been sin but for the Law and therefore nothing can discover it but the Law which is Index sui obliqui 1 Joh. 3.4 for sin is a transgression of the Law The Spirit himself could not fasten this Yoke upon the Sinners neck but by the bond of the Law Rom. 5.13 for sin is not imputed where there is no Law Look how the Needle goes before to pierce the Cloth and so makes way for the Thred to sew it so the Law goes before to break the heart and so makes way for the Gospel to heal it The Spirit makes use of it as a School-master to bring us to Christ Gal. 3.24 Bonnerges makes way for Barnabas and John for Jesus Reas 4. The soul lyes under no promise of good from Christ till it come under the Yoke of the Spirit Then it is sensible of sin and sensible Sinners lye under the promise of Christ There is not one promise in all the Gospel made of Christ to a Sinner as he is a Sinner if there were it would be in vain For as such he could not receive it nor can it belong to him for he is under another Covenant Reas 5. Without this he can never set a true estimate upon the blood and Grace of Jesus Christ The Pearl of Pardoning Grace shall never be cast before Swine that wallow in their sins Though Christ be free of his bloud yet we shall see the want of it before we have it that we may know the worth of it when we enjoy it He discovers himself in such a way as the Sinner may prize him most and when is that but when sin lyes with the greatest load upon conscience When the Yoke of the Spirit is heaviest then redemption by Christ is sweetest When he sees his Case at worst then he prizes Christ most When he is made to know how wretched his state is then he considers how precious the bloud of Christ is Reas 6. Till the soul comes to bear the Yoke of the Spirit it can never be brought to close with Christ upon Gospel terms It is sense of sin and misery that must bow the soul to Gods conditions of mercy The reason why so many Sinners perish under the Call of Christ is not because they totally reject him but because they don't make a right close with him they don't come up to God's terms There are stated Conditions which every one that would have Christ and benefit by Christ must come up to and what are they Why he that would have Christ must have whole Christ Christ in all his Offices not only as Priest but as King and Prophet And this necessarily suposes a renouncing all sin and lust a resolute owning and adhering to his Truths and Ordinances and an unfeigned resignation of heart and soul to his will in all things This is the right receiving of Christ Now there are but few that can come up to this they would have Christ but they would not part with their lusts they would have a justifying Christ but not a sanctifying Christ a Christ to pardon and save them but not to purge and cleanse them There is such a close League between the natural man and his lust that till conscience be convinced and sin imbittered the soul will not be divorced and so long Christ can't be received therefore there is a necessity that every Sinner that would be saved should come under the Spirits Yoke Fourthly It is good to come under the Spirits Yoke betimes to bear the Yoke in a mans Youth A mans Youth may have a twofold respect either to the earliness of profession or to the earliness of being First To the earliness of profession Our first entrance into the ways of God is called in Scripture our Youth Jer. 2.2 I remember the kindness of thy Youth that is of her first espousals to God as the next words explain it It is a blessed thing when our profession of God and Religion begins in sound and thorow convictions It is good to bear the Yoke of conviction in the Youth of our profession For that profession of Religion that is not founded in conviction of sin will never hold out it cannot last long it is Seed sown in stony ground which though it may spring up for a while yet when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word it will wither away for want of depth of Earth to take root in Mat. 13.20 21. It is good therefore to found an early profession in sound
that is your season His killing and breaking time is your weeping and mourning time but when his healing time comes then is your time to laugh and dance Be willing therefore to be slain by the coming of the Commandment Rom. 7.9 and to lye dead under the Spirits wounds till the healing and reviving time comes Is there not a promise that the Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 and that he that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again with rejoycing Psal 126.6 bringing his sheavs with him And therefore do not dare to use any indirect means in hopes of relief he that would see a good issue of this work must stay the time Lam. 3.26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. 4. While you are under the Yoke of the Spirit give diligence to make a right use of it by improving your convictions while you are under them lest the Spirit cease his work and leave you and so your convictions die and wither and come to nothing This is a very common case for whence is it that convictions do so seldom end in conversion Many are convinced and yet few converted they have many and strong convictions yet perish under them they are made to see their lost estate and yet never come to Jesus Christ Now whence is this but from the slighting and not improving their convictions Of all duties therefore be sure make Conscience of this when the Spirit strives then do you strive when he works then is your time to work I pray consider four things First Prov. 17.16 What a price to get wisdom this work of the Spirit puts into our hands and shall it be a price in the hand of fools that have no heart to it no desire to obtain it The strivings of the Spirit time your seasons of grace For though every day is a time to repent and believe in yet a man hath not his special seasons and opportunities for this every day Opportunity is more than time it is the nick and season of time it is time fitted for action a conjunction of time and means together to bring a thing about When God shews a man his undone condition by reason of sin and makes a tender of Christ to him and the Spirit strives with him to bring him to accept the tender then is his season As the Lord said to David 2 Sam. 5.24 When thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry-trees then thou shalt bestir thy self for then shall the Lord go out before thee Secondly Consider how easie the conversion is of those sinners that comply with and duly improve the seasons of the Spirit All things are easie in the Spirits seasons Great births are brought forth with easie travail How came Sarah barren Sarah to have a Son at ninety years old Gen. 18.10 why God came according to the time of life and Isaac is born So when the Spirit comes according to the time of life when his season is to bring life to a dead Soul then it lives you must know that Isaac was not so much the Son of Abrahams loyns as of Gods promise begotten by the Power of God making good the promise and therefore called a child of promise Gal 4.28 So is every Believer born not of the will of the flesh Joh. 1.13 but of God By the power of God put forth through the promise And hence all things in conversion become easie How difficult soever they are to the Creature yet in the Spirits season they are easie because of a Divine power How hard a work is it to repent and turn from sin a very difficult duty therefore compared to cutting off a limb But yet in the Spirits season how easie is it Zacheus says Christ make haste and come down Luk. 19. â— here is the season of Christ upon his Soul and how easily is his repentance brought about vers 8. Behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken ought fiom any man by false accusation I restore him fourfold How hard a work is the work of believing no duty more difficult It is easier to keep all the commands of the Law than that one command of believing And yet when the season of the Spirit comes how easie is it For now all things concur to bring it about the Commandment comes the eyes are opened sin is made burdensom the need of Christ is felt and by these means the Spirit draws and then the sinner runs Ah how easie are all things in conversion made by the Spirits seasons to the Soul that complies with them and improves them Thirdly Consider this is the highest and last of means for conversion 1 It is the highest it is that which puts efficacy into all other means which without it can operate nothing It is that which can make the weakest means as successful against the proudest lusts as the Rams horns were against Jericho though her walls reached to Heaven 2 It is the last means that God ever uses to convert sinners he hath appointed no other means to succeed this and therefore if you sin against your convictions you quench the Spirit and he may be so quenched as never to be kindled again and then your conversion becomes a thing impossible And therefore Fourthly Consider what a mischief it brings upon you not to improve the convictions of the Spirit Is it not a mischief when all the Ordinances and means of Grace are rendred fruitless and unsuccessful This is an effect of not improving the Spirits convictions Nay is it not a mischief to turn the edge of that Word against your Souls that was designed against your sins This is a fruit of not improving the Spirits convictions Is it not a mischief when the heart grows harder and harder under softning means This is a fruit of not improving the Spirits convictions Is it not a mischief to be delivered up to a cannot in believing Why he that improves not the convictions of the Spirit provokes him finally to depart and then the sinner is delivered up to a cannot in believing Therefore they could not believe Joh. 12.39 Is it not a mischief when the Oath of God seals up a persons or a peoples destruction Why thus it is when the convictions of the Spirit are not improved I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest Psal 95.11 And who were these They were a people that had long resisted the strivings of the Spirit O therefore be diligent to improve your convictions while you are under them And if you ask me how they must be improved I shall give only this one answer and that is By hastening to Jesus Christ for pardoning and converting Grace You never improve your convictions aright till you are brought by them to a saving
and blessed Spirits in a state of Glory but yet it is a state of subjection and obedience they are all under a Law they have many immunities we have not They are freed from all infirmities of the flesh from the necessities of meat and drink freed from dying but they are not freed from homage and duty to God They are under a Law there Psal 103.20 Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that do his commandments hearkening to the voice of his word Their state of Happiness doth not exempt them from obedience therefore they owne themselves our fellow-servants Rev. 22.9 Revel 19.10 I am thy fellow-servant And that petition in the Lords Prayer Mat. 6.10 Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven shews that they are under a Law of obedience though in a glorified state Look into the starry Heaven and all the Host there are under a Law Sun Moon and Stars observe their courses and vary not from their appointed motions He hath made a decree which shall not pass Psal 148.6 Look into the lower Heaven and you shall find a governing Law there Psal 148.8 Fire and hail snow and vapor stormy wind fulfilling his word Who can govern the wind that blows where it lists Joh. 3.8 or give a Law to an unruly tempest that bears down all before it and yet these fulfil his word He makes the storm a calm Psal 107.29 Look lower to that raging and unruly Element the Sea no Potentate on Earth can bridle one wave Xerxes presumed he could tame the Hellespont but it knew not his power nor felt his wrath neither could his three hundred stripes allay the fury of its waves nor his fetters thrown in bind it from raging It is storied of Canutus our Danish King that when his Courtiers would have flattered him into a belief of a kind of Omnipotency in him he caused his Chair to be set by the Sea-shore at time of flood and sitting down commands the Sea thus I charge thee come not upon my Land nor wet my Robes But the Sea coming on without regard to his Command made him glad to retreat whereupon he crys out How vain and weak is the power of Princes None but God can set bars and doors to it as it is Job 38.10 And what are these bars and doors not the sands nor banks nor rocks so much as the Law of Heaven for so it follows in the next words Hitherto shalt thou come but no further and here shall thy proud waves be staid v. 11. This is the bound it can't pass over other banks and bounds it can and hath passed as in Noahs Deluge History reports of many sad inundations of the Sea no bound can hold it but this Law of Heaven Thou hast set a bound that the waters may not pass over that they turn not again to cover the earth Psal 104.9 So that all Creatures are under a Law according to which all their motions are guided and governed Now these Laws differ according to the differing nature of the Creatures that are under them all are not capable of Moral government but Man is being a creature fitted with intellective and elective powers Therefore the Law by which he is governed is the Moral Law with the superaddition of Gods revealed will to all that are under the Gospel And the will of God is revealed two ways in his Word and in his Works The one is voluntas de nobis Gods will concerning us The other is voluntas in nobis his will in us to be done by us in the one consists our active obedience in the other our passive active obedience respects his Precepts passive respects his Providences and obedience is as truly manifested in the one as in the other in patience as in Holiness for as in Holiness we owne God as the supreme Law-giver so in patience we owne him as the supreme Lord who hath absolute Dominion over all Creatures and all Events And this is the Yoke of Jesus Christ And it hath six essential Properties belonging to it which do so describe the Nature of it as that it may be distinguished from all other Yokes First It is a pure Yoke and needs it must for it is a Yoke put on us by that Law which is a Transcript of the Holiness of God The Apostle James calls it pure Religion Jam. 1.27 And it is so whether you look to its Precepts or its Promises First To its Precepts The commandment of the Lord is pure Psal 19.8 Holy just and good Rom. 7.12 No Doctrine so holy no Precepts so pure Secondly To its Promises They are pure Promises First In regard of the matter of them they do not flatter us with sensual delights and brutish pleasures 1 Pet. 1.4 but secure to us an undefiled inheritance not a Turkish Paradise full of swinish sensualities but a sinless felicity made up of visions of God and likeness to him Secondly In regard of the end and design of them which is to purifie the heart and promote the sanctification of the whole man He hath given us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature 1 Pet. 1.4 No Religion in the World can rightfully lay a claim to this Character of a pure Religion but the Christian Reformed Religion Compare it with the Religion of the Jews the most like to be a perfect Religion of any because it was a Religion of Gods setting up but yet that had its imperfections their Sacrifices wherein it chiefly consisted Heb. 10.1 could not make the comers thereto perfect and therefore it is done away Compare it with the Religion of the Heathens And how corrupt hath that been in all ages and in all parts What a numberless number of Gods have been found among them a Varro reckons up more than 30000. Some worshipping dead men for Gods b As Belus or Bel or Baal whose image was set up after his death by his Son Ninus who was the first Idolater Diodor. Plutarch says the Egyptian God Osyris was a man such was Saturn made a God by his Grandson Faunus such was Mercury Vulcan Apollo Mars c. Cicero in his Book De Natura Deorum shews that all their Gods were but men Some worshipping dumb Creatures c As the Egyptians c. Some worshipping Sun Moon and Stars d As the Arabians c. Some worshipping Herbs and Plants And some worshipping Devils it is a filthy Religion making Gods of them who made themselves Devils e As the Americans and the old Romans and Grecians under the name of Pluto Proserpina Cerberus c. Compare it with the Mahumetan Religion and what is that but a mixture of Jewish Heathenish and Popish vanities little of truth to be found in it A Religion not known in the World till 600 years after Christ a Mahomet was born under Mauritius the Emperor An. Christi 591.
all that see their need and trust to his supplies And therefore it is all the reason in the world we should obey his Call and take up his Yoke who injoyns no obedience but what he gives strength and power to perform Fifthly It is he into whose hand the Judgment of the World is committed he is ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead Acts 10.42 And this is what you all profess to believe you say in your Creed that he is ascended into heaven and from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead and it is so for the Father hath committed all judgment to the Son John 5.22 He it is who disposes of all persons to their eternal condition the power of life and death salvation and damnation is in his hand He is the Husbandman who appoints the reapers to gather the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them but to gather the wheat into his barn Mat. 13.30 He is the Bridegroom who takes the wise Virgins in with him to the marriage but excludes the foolish Mat. 25.10 Mat. 25.14 He is the man who travelling into a far Country delivered his goods to his servants to one five talents v. 15. to another two to another one v. 19. and after a long time comes againe and reckons with them blessing and rewarding the diligence of the faithful v. 21. v. 31. and dooming the unprofitable servant into utter darkness And is there not great reason then why every one should take up his Yoke especially considering that it is made up of those Laws that are the rules both of his Government and of his Judgment as he rules by them so he will pass Sentence by them the same Laws that are now given by Christ for a rule of life shall then be the rule of Judgment Our Lord Christ tells you so John 12.48 He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the words that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day If you will not submit to his word to guide you you must submit to it to try you you may decline his Precepts but you cannot decline his Sentence You will not obey him when he says Mat. 16.24 Follow me but you cannot resist him when he says Depart from me It is most rational therefore you should submit to his Precepts Mat. 7.23 or ye can't escape his wrath Psal 2.12 3. God the Holy Spirit he calls for thy obedience and for an early submission to the Yoke of Christ and therefore it is that he begins his work in the Soul betimes I know not nor is it for me to say how early but certainly it is very early There are none of you of any competent age but the Spirit of the Lord hath been dealing with you to bring you under the Yoke of Christ * Among such as are religiously educated there is scarce a child of ten years old but the holy Spirit hath been at work in his heart Increase Mather in his Book about Conversion pag. 134. The Gospel is the ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 and the Call of the Gospel is accompanied with a work of the Spirit where the Gospel calls outwardly the Spirit calls inwardly and this is the highest way of Gods calling There is no work of God beyond the striving of the Spirit in the heart and doubtless the Spirit strives less or more with all under the word He cannot be said to strive with all in the same manner nor in all with equal power and efficacy for then all would as well be brought under Christs Yoke as those that are But that he strives with all in one degree or other is evident For whence is it that many are under such frequent and strong convictions and that they are made to see sin and feel the burden of it convinced of their undone condition under it convinced of the necessity and equity of obedience and a holy life it is from the striving of the Spirit And whence is it that many are brought to take up the Yoke of Christ formally and feignedly that have no work of sound conversion wrought in their hearts So did the stony ground hearer he hears the word Mat. 13.20 and receives it and what is the receiving it but conforming to it So did Simon Magus Acts 8.13 he believed and was baptized and so came under the Yoke of Christ And whence is this but from the power of the Spirit put forth to convince of sin and of the equity of the ways of Christ This doth it Through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves to thee Psal 66.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentientur in te Arias Mont. virtus nolentium nulla est The word which we render submit signifies in the Hebrew to lye Your Margent reads it feigned obedience and to feign obedience when the heart is not right with God is a lye And whence is it that many are wearied out of their lusts and brought to a free and willing submission to Christ and his Yoke but from the irresistible power of the Spirit Acts 7.51 And whence is it that many do resist the Spirit of Grace How could he be resisted if he did not put forth his power and strive with the sinner Resistance is a forcible opposition made by one against another in his onsets and attempts So that it is most evident that the Spirit of the Lord strives with all to bring them under the Yoke of Christ at one time or other Now I pray do but consider what reason there is for your compliance with the Spirit herein First Consider what his work and design is It is to prepare the way of the Lord into the heart to break the Yoke of sin to destroy that confederacy with corruption which will be the ruine of thy Soul and so to captivate the heart to the obedience of Christ Whatever means he uses this is the end he pursues If he wound us if he break us if he empty and out us of our selves it is but to bring us to a more ready and free subjection to the Laws of Christ Wounds of Conscience are painful things and spiritual troubles are grievous troubles the burden of sin is a heavy burden but so long as these things are under the management of the Spirit as instrumental to a ready obedience to the Lord Christ there is all the reason in the world why you should undergo them Secondly Let it be considered how uncertain his striving is you don't know how long or how little while it will last He begins betimes but you know not how soon he may have done If you refuse his calls and repulse him when he knocks you have no promise he will knock again To be sure the more you resist him the sooner you quench him and where he is once utterly
chief end of our being as creatures and as new creatures Creation Redemption Regeneration all bespeak us to this and do fit us for this This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise Isai 43.21 If God hath formed us for himself then we are to live only to himself Whether we live says the Apostle we live to the Lord Rom. 14.8 And what is it to live to the Lord but to take up the Yoke of Christ making Religion the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chief business of our life First seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness Mat. 6.33 Nothing can be of equal moment with this All other work is but industrious idleness and all labour but painful trifling while this is neglected O how busie and solicitous are most men about present things and yet how unconcerned about the service of Christ and the salvation of their Souls Which is as if a man that were shot through should mind to have the rent in his garment mended but neglect to gett he wound cured in his body And yet thus brutish and besotted are the most of men serious in trifles but trifling in serious matters busie like Domitian in catching flies but little concerned about Soul-concernments Reas 6. This is the fittest and most proper season of Religion there is no time like youth The life of man consists of three parts Infancy Youth and Old age and of all this is the most proper and therefore the duty here is not commended to the first part of life for Infancy is too soon to know God when we cannot know our selves nor is it commended to the third for Old age is too late to serve God when we cannot serve our selves but it is commended to the time of Youth that being the most proper season for service and obedience In infancy we are too young to obey being but in our imperfect beginnings in age we are too old to obey being in our droops and declinings youth therefore is the fittest time Hence that of Solomon Remember thy Creator that is love and serve him for words of knowledge imply affection and practice in the days of thy youth in the Hebrew it is in the days of thy choice * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccles 12.1 Youth is called the day of a mans choice either because it is the choicest time of a mans life for any imployment and service or because it is that time which every one would chuse to live in infancy is a burden and old age is a greater we long to grow up that we may injoy our selves but we fear to grow old lest we should be deprived of our selves Desire is the fruit of love and yet there is one thing which all desire but none love and that is old age all desire to live to it and yet no man takes pleasure in it Or because it is a time wherein a man makes his choice every one then chuses his condition of life for the future Infancy is too early to make a choice for want of judgment to distinguish Old age is too late to make a choice for want of time and strength to pursue no time therefore to chuse either for this world or the next either for our outward estate or for our spiritual advantage and comfort like our youth Reas 7. Because of the danger of delays It is very dangerous to defer so great and concerning a matter as your subjection to Jesus Christ is and that First Whether ye look to the indisposition that delays work to The longer sin hath possession the faster it will rivet it self to the Soul and so strengthen it self and harden the heart against conversion and therefore he that is unwilling to be subject to Christ to day will be more unwilling to morrow Or Secondly Whether ye look to the uncertain duration of life it is not only short at best but uncertain no man knows either how or where or when he shall dye I am old saith Isaac and know not the day of my death Gen. 27.2 He hath no security of living another day the body is subject to above three hundred diseases and to as many thousand casualties One hour may dispatch thee into another world as well as a year a tile from the house may be as mortal as a disease a flye a hair or a raisin-stone may end thy days as certainly as a Plague or Feaver One dyes eating another drinking another laughing another weeping another walking another praying another cursing and swearing one dyes at an Ordinance of God another at a Play-house one of the Devils great Ordinances One dyes at Sea another at shore One asking a Sea-man where his father dyed saith he at Sea and where dyed your Grandfather says he at Sea I wonder then said he why you will venture to go to Sea The Sea-man asked him Where dyed your father He answered In his bed and where dyed your Grandfather He answered In his bed too why then said the Sea-man I wonder you will venture to go to bed There is death in the bed as well as on board Death will find a man where-ever he is and how can a man that seriously considers the uncertainty of life delay closing with the Call of God one moment lest death surprize him in an unconverted condition Would any of you be willing to go out of the world in a state of enmity to God and to launch into Eternity in an unpardoned state Hath God ever told you you shall live to old age that you dare defer your conversion till then Hath God said you shall not dye next sickness or the next voyage you take or the next time you go out of doors Do not you see twenty dye young to one that lives to old age And why may not you If God had told you that so many years you shall continue in the world this might be a temptation to you to entertain your lusts a little longer and put off the thoughts of turning to God till hereafter but God hath in his Wisdom hid from us our last day Ideò latet ultimus dies ut observentur omnes that we might thereby be stirred up to watch every day and do the great work out of hand for which we came into the world Thirdly It is very dangerous if you consider the shortness and uncertainty of the day of grace the time of life is short but the day of grace may be shorter it is the counsel of our Lord Joh. 12.35 Yet a little while the light is with you walk while ye have the light lest darkness come upon you The words imply three things 1. That the season of Grace is but short it continues but for a little while 2. That it is a great Duty to improve it while we have it Walk while you have the light 3. They that have it and do not improve it may soon be deprived of it Lest darkness come upon
which the Gospel brings upon impenitent sinners Their Judge will be severer Their Hell will be hotter Their Season of Grace and time of the Spirits striving will be shorter For he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth Rom. 9.28 Secondly The more profligate and desperate in sinning men grow under the Gospel the sooner will the Spirit cease striving For a man may and many a man doth by his own sin shorten his day of grace and provoke God to strive by his Spirit no more Eliphaz speaking of the sinners of the old World says They were cut down out of time and their foundation overflowed with a flood Job 22.16 And therefore what shall we think of England's Priviledges Will they last long I am afraid they will not considering the desperate wickedness of the Nation that reigns in all sorts this may justly cause God to cut them down out of time and cause a flood of judgments to overflow their foundations The abominable pride gluttony drunkenness uncleanness swearing lying Covenant breaking oppression injustice perjuries together with the Errours Heresies Schisms Blasphemies Idolatries and Atheism of the day and I will add the unrighteous persecution of the Ministers and Members of Christ for nothing but their adhering to the word and Kingly Office of Christ these things I fear have brought the Nations day and mercies to a near period And though I speak it with trembling yet I must say it That without a speedy repentance the Lord will shortly do one of these two things either he will remove this generation from the Gospel or else he will remove the Gospel from this generation Thus you see where the force of this reason lies delay of so great a Duty is greatly dangerous whether you look to the indisposition it works or to the uncertainty of life or to the uncertain duration of the day of grace which may be sinned away and then if you would come to Christ you cannot Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer Prov. 1.28 29 30. they shall seek me early but they shall not find me for that they hated knowledge and did not chuse the fear of the Lord They would none of my counsel they despised all my reproof Salvation is not a thing to be had at your time but at Gods time and Gods time is now in your youth Most agree that it is a reasonable thing that sin should be forsaken that the Yoke of Christ should be taken up but not so soon it is too early and this is it upon which most men perish they slight Gods time When I would have healed Israel then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered Hos 7.1 A man never discovers more iniquity and more love to sin than in setting light by Gods time of healing The foolish Virgins would fain have entred in with the Bridegroom but when they should have entred their oyl was to get and when they would have entred the door was shut Mat. 25.10 Ye read in Revel 10.1 2 6. of an Angel that hath in his hand a little book open and he swears by him that lives for ever and ever that time should be no longer This Angel is interpreted of Christ and the little book in his hand is the Gospel and it is said to be open because he makes known the whole counsel of God for our Salvation it is Christ that gives out the Gospel and means of grace and it is he that limits the time of mans injoying it beyond which he cannot injoy it for he sweareth that time shall be no longer CHAP. VII Containing the last Reason viz. from the good of Obedience It is a necessary good a profitable good an honourable good a comfortable good Reas 8 THE last but not the least reason is what is hinted here in the Text viz. the goodness of the undertaking there can be no greater reason of obedience than the goodness of it All true obedience springs from love and the object of love is good and when a man loves and obeys God because of the goodness of his Precepts this is excellent Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loves it Psal 119.140 There is nothing proves our regeneration and being made partakers of the divine nature like this 1 Pet. 1.4 for then we have the same object of love as God hath Purity and goodness is the object of Gods love and it cannot but be so because of its suitableness to his nature and therefore to have the same object of love with God argues the Soul changed into the likeness of God Carnal minds have no relish of heavenly things They that are after the flesh savour the things of the flesh Rom. 5.8 That man is undoubtedly born of God that loves the word because it is good and obeys it because it is pure The great argument by which Duty and Obedience is inforced upon the Creature is the good of obedience Deut. 5.29 The Lord commanded us to do all these Statutes to fear the Lord our God Deut. 6.24 Hear it and know it for thy good Job 5.27 And Deut. 10.12 13. What doth the Lord require of thee but to fear him and to walk in his ways and to love him and serve him with all thy heart and with all thy soul To keep the commandments of the Lord and his statutes which I command thee this day for thy good And here in the Text It is good for a man that he bear the Yoke in his youth And the great motive upon which good men labour to confirm themselves in heart and life to the precepts of God is the goodness of them The commandment is holy just and good Rom. 7.12 The mandatory part of the word hath an inviting loveliness Manton on Psal 119. p. 456. As the promises of pardon and eternal life suit with the hunger and thirst of the Soul and the natural desires of happiness so the holiness and righteousness of the precept suit with the notions of good and evil that are in mans heart and this draws forth compliance and consent I consent to the Law that it is good Rom. 7.16 It is good for me to draw near to God Psal 73.28 There is no likelier means to prevail upon considering minds to come under the Yoke of Christ betimes than to let them see how much duty is their real interest and that obedience is not burden so much as blessedness for that there is an universal good in Religion It is a necessary good a profitable good an honourable good a pleasant good First It is a necessary good Nothing in the world is of equal necessity with this there are many things useful but this is that one thing needful So our Lord Christ says One thing is needful Luke 10.42 and that is subjection to Christ Martha was careful about his entertainment but Mary sate at his feet one
up and walk and immediately his feet and ankle-bones received strength Acts 3.2 6 7. There is a power conveyed by the Precept So it is here and therefore we should do as the lame man did How is that the eighth verse tells you He stood and walked and entred into the Temple walking and leaping and praising God Secondly The Law required a righteousness vested in the person It must not be anothers doing but our own The Law admitted of no days-man no Mediator no helper Anothers doing could no way be reckoned as ours nor anothers righteousness be any benefit to us Every man must stand upon his own bottom But the Gospel-Covenant admits of a Mediator one to come in between God and man therefore he is called The Mediator of the new Testament Heb. 9.15 and Heb. 12.24 Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant It admits of anothers righteousness instead of our own and allows us as real benefit by it as if it had been done in our own persons He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners that is Law so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Rom. 5.19 this is pure Gospel And hence Jesus Christ is stiled The Lord our righteousness Jer. 23.6 And hence we are said to be accepted in the Beloved Eph. 1.6 and to be compleat in him Col. 2.10 And how pleasant doth this make the Yoke of Christ to be Thirdly Under the Law it was not enough that obedience was personal unless it was also perfect and perpetual Any one sin done at any time marr'd all All his righteousness shall be forgotten Ezek. 18.24 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Law to do them Gal. 3.10 A man perished as really by the guilt of one sin as of ten thousand The judgment was by one to condemnation Rom. 5.16 that is by one sin for so the next words explain it but the free gift is of many offences to justification The Apostle here commends the grace of the Gospel by comparing it with the Laws rigour The Gospel justifies from many offences when the Law condemns for any one He that fails in any one thing is gone for ever Nothing is accepted but what is perfect The best affections will not excuse failure in actions nor desires to do eke out the weakness of doing But under the Gospel where there is a willing mind it is accepted according to what a man hath where the arm is short it is made up by uprightness of heart Where the will is beyond the power God accepts the will and passes by the weakness If a man sincerely desires and endeavours to do what he cannot do the truth of affection is accepted for action and God counts the desire of a man to be his kindness Prov. 19.22 Though that plea of the Apostle Rom. 7.18 To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not finds no room under the Law yet it is a good plea under the Gospel O how sweet is this Fourthly Under the Law there was no room for repentance One transgression disannulled that Covenant and no repentance no sorrow no tears could ever make it up again Where personal perfect obedience is the condition of life there can be no room for repentance But this is one of the great priviledges of the Gospel-Covenant that failures in obedience may be made up by repentance And hence it is that we are so often called to return with a promise of healing our backslidings Jer. 3.22 Did God ever call Adam under the first Covenant to return when he ran away from God no never but drove him out of Paradise Gen. 3.24 So he drove out the man and he placed at the East of the garden Cherubims and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life But under the Gospel how frequently are we called to return and repent Though the first Covenant was dissolved by one sin yet many sins cannot dissolve the Gospel-Covenant For the free gift is of many offences to justification Rom. 5 16. This makes the Yoke of Christ pleasant that their failures and neglects may be repented of and find forgiveness For God hath exalted Christ to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and remission of sins Acts 5.31 Fifthly The cords that bound on the Yoke of the first Covenant were threats and terrours The Law requires obedience upon pain of a Curse Cursed be he that makes a graven image which is an abomination to the Lord Deut. 27.15 Cursed be he that setteth light by father or mother v. 16. Cursed is every one that continues not in all things written in the Law to do them Gal. 3.10 and this Curse is eternal death But the cords that bind on the Yoke of Christ are not terrors but love and mercy I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that you present your selves a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable service Rom. 12.1 And this makes the Yoke of Christ far more sweet and pleasant than the Yoke of the Law 2. Let 's compare the Yoke of Christ with the Yoke of Sin and it will appear infinitely more pleasant than that can be The pleasures of sin hold no comparison with the pleasure of Religion and godliness First The pleasures of sin are sensual pleasures such as gratifie only the flesh and please the brutish part and the more any man gives himself up to them the more he puts off man and sinks down into the nature of beast and therefore many Heathens have upon meer principles of reason abandoned sensual pleasures as inferior to them and have judged him unworthy the name of a man that could spend one day in pursuit of them But the pleasures of Religion are rational pleasures they are such as are suited to the rules of right reason pleasures that gratifie the inward man and feed the love and delight of an immortal Soul Secondly The pleasures of sin are debasing pleasures and this follows from the former The more sensual any man is the more doth he debase his nature Luke 1◠16 He is like the Prodigal feeding upon husks with the Swine and hence it is that the Lord by Amos calls those Rulers in Samaria Kine of Bashan Amos 4.1 Hear this word ye kine of Bashan that are in the mountain of Samaria Because they forgot the Lord and gave themselves up to their lusts and sensual pleasures therefore he reckons them among the beasts Kine of Bashan more like beasts than men The pleasures of sin are a very debasing thing Hence the same word in the Hebrew which the Scripture uses for a sensual Glutton is used for a vile person This our son is a glutton Deut. 21.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
a light from heaven and he heard a voice this did the work Here 's illumination and conviction The light makes the blind eye to see and the voice makes the deaf ear to hear The voice comes through the light And what says the voice Saul Saul why persecutest thou me I am Jesus whom thou persecutest There are two things in this voice First It singles out the person and applies guilt in a particular manner Saul Saul why dost thou persecute me Secondly It singles out a particular sin and that is his persecuting Christ in his Saints And upon this the conviction sticks and fills him with terrour he falls a trembling and is astonished and crys out Lord what wilt thou have me to do Now pray mind the manner of Christ's dealing with Paul was exemplary it was to be a pattern He tells us so 1 Tim. 1.16 For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe It is as if he should say look how God dealt with me singled me out stopped me in the heat of my wickedness applyed guilt particularly to me and so made me see my self lost So he will deal with all such sinners as he brings home to Christ I am set up for a pattern So then there are these two things in conviction as we may learn from this patern 1. A singling out the person charging sin particularly thou art the man And indeed where conviction of sin is throughly wrought the word is as particularly applyed to the soul as it was to Saul when it called him by name and it is this that is called the coming of the commandment It comes home and singles out the sinner as if it said thou Thomas thou John 2. There is in conviction most commonly a setting home some particular sin upon the Conscience For we say Generalia non pungunt convictions don't lye in a general charge Indeed in the progress of the work all sin is set home Isai 4.4 for the spirit is a spirit of judgment and therefore every sin must come under the judgment of the spirit He holds the glass of the Law before the sinners eyes till he makes him see all not only the sins that break out but the lust that is within not only the wickedness of his life but the plague of his heart and the sin of his nature But yet he first begins with some particular sin And usually though the methods of the spirit are herein very various he begins with some chief sin Thus when Christ would deal effectually with the woman of Samaria he begins with that which was her chief sin her living in Adultery John 4.18 The man thou now hast is not thy husband Thou hast had five Husbands and yet after all thou livest in Adultery This word struck her to the heart and by this she was led into a sight of all her sins for said she v. 29 Come see a man that told me all that ever I did Thus he dealt with those Jews Acts 2.23 37. and thus with Paul as I shewed you And indeed there is admirable wisdom and grace in this That sin which is a mans chief sin he will stick fastest to and part with all other to save the life of that and therefore the work of conviction is never effectual till a man be made throughly sensible of that Besides that sin that a man loves most he will act most and that wounds Christ most Now the spirit takes that arrow that wounds the heart of Christ most and makes it fall upon the head of the sinner that shot it against him Thus God happily out-shoots us in our own bow whilst the arrows of our sins that wound Christ's heart are taken and made the arrows of the almighty to stick in us and drink up our spirits Job 6.4 This is the usual way of the Lord. Nor can it be proved out of the Scripture that any who have arrived at capable years have ever been called home to Christ any other way than by conviction of sin first It may be with some it hath been in a more secret and gentle way or it may be the remedy hath been propounded together with the discovery of the malady so that some have not been able to distinguish of things yet this doth no way enervate the truth of what we affirm And though we read in Scripture of some that were effectually brought into Christ whose convictions we read nothing of as Lydia and Zacheus c. Nortons Orthod Evangelist p. 139. yet it doth not therefore follow that they were not convinced of sin before their receiving Christ because their convictions are not mentioned It must necessarily be supposed for that no man can close with Christ without a sight of the need of him and no man can see the need of Christ with a sight and sense of sin They that be whole need not a Physician but the sick Matt. 9.12 And Christ says V. 13. he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance that is sensible sinners Isai 40.3 This is that which prepares the way of the Lord into the soul and makes strait in the desart a high way for our God Here then you have another rule to try your selves by Have you ever been prepared for a close with Christ by a through conviction of sin hath the Spirit of the Lord been at work in your hearts have you ever felt the commandment come with power have you ever been made to see your selves lost thus it hath been less or more with all that are brought to take up Christs Yoke conviction of sin must first make us weary of sins Yoke before ever we can take up Christs Yoke Secondly Nor is this enough to bring the soul to Christ but there must be a conviction of righteousness as well as of sin or else the work would be spoiled and to no purpose save to bring the soul to despondency The spirit would not only be a spirit of bondage but a spirit of despair and therefore he doth not only convince of sin but also of righteousness both of the need the sinner hath of it and of the fulness of it First Of the sinners need of it And indeed when a man is thus sick it is easy to shew him the need of a Physician Only the misery is we are apt to use wrong remedies When a disease is desperate we run to such Physicians as are next like the poor woman with her bloody issue Mark 5.25 runs from one Physician to another and what is she the near why the issue of her purse was dryed up but not her issue of blood she spent all she had upon them V. 26. and yet grew worse And it will always be so in these maladies no created medicine shall avail in that disease which Christ himself will have the honour
and of righteousness and yet are not convinced of judgment these see the need of the blood of Christ to take away guilt but they see no need of the Grace of Christ to renew their hearts and these will never take up the Yoke of Christ But when the spirit of the Lord carries on the work to a through conviction both of sin and of righteousness and of judgment then it is that the soul is made willing to take up the Yoke of Christ And this brings me to the third preparatory work whereby a man is fitted to take up this Yoke 3. The third thing is the inclining the will There can be no taking up the Yoke of Christ till this be done for wherein lies our subjection to Christ but in a consent of will to take him for our Lord as well as our Saviour and yielding a ready obedience to his laws as well as relying on his merits And herein the most difficult part of conversion lies to bring the will to a free subjection to Jesus Christ There is no part so vitiated and corrupted by the fall as the will The blindness of the mind the stupidness of the conscience is not so great as the obstinacy and rebellion of the will By nature we are willingly subject to no Law but the Law of the members to no will but the will of the flesh Israel would none of me Psal 81.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had no will to me We will not have this man to reign over us Luk. 19.14 Ye will not come to me that ye might have life John 5.40 It is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed can be Rom. 8.7 There is that enmity and opposition that reluctancy and stoutness of spirit against Christ and his ways such proneness to evil and aversness to good such strong prejudices such deep reasonings such solicitations of Satan such downright rebellion that a voluntary subjection to Christ is an impossible thing Psal 110.3 till God puts forth the all conquering arm of his power and subdues the soul to himself So desperately bent is the heart of every natural man against Christ and so strongly under the impulsion of indwelling lust to vitious practices that neither the promises of life and salvation can allure it nor the threatenings of Hell and Damnation deter it no fear nor hope no danger nor reward can stop it till an Almighty power do it And therefore to talk of moral suasions as sufficient to subdue and bring the will over to Christ is an idle dream of such as either never felt the day of Christs power in their own souls or else contradict their own experiences There is no power can reach to pull a man out of the hands of his sin but the power of the spirit of God As no man can convert himself so no means can reach to do it by the same reason that any one man perisheth in the enmity of his will to Christ and holiness all men would if left to themselves because there is the same original enmity to the things of God in all as there is in any And therefore the government of Christ in the soul is not by choice and consent first had but by power and conquest As it was with Israel God promiseth them the land of Canaan for a possession but it was not a land uninhabited that they might go and possess at pleasure without any more to do no but the Canaanites and the sons of Anak dwelt there and had it in possession and therefore if they will have it they must fight their way into it Thus it is here John 17.6 the elect are Christs by donation given to him by the Father and his by right of Redemption for he dyed for them and bought them with a price 1 Cor. 6.20 but yet Satan hath the possession and by the power of sin and lust detaineth Christs right So that if Christ will be possessed of his right it must be by conquest And therefore his first entrance into the heart is by way of victory Hence ye read of one sitting upon a white horse with a Bow and a Crown and he went forth conquering and to conquer Rev. 6.2 This is the Lord Christ He is said to sit upon a white horse a horse betokens war a white horse betokens victory and triumph And he is said to have a Bow and a Crown the Bow is an instrument of war the Crown is a token of Government The Bow stands before the Crown to shew us that where-ever Christ reigns in any heart it is by conquest and victory first obtained The Bow makes way to the Crown Every Soul is first a Captive to Christ before it is a Subject Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 2 Cor. 10.5 VVe never submit to his Scepter till we are first overcome by his power They shall be a willing people in the day of thy power Psal 110.3 It is a mighty power that brings the sinner to a submission and resignedness of will to Christ The Soul is first Captivated by his power and then freely submits to his termes This Royal Fort of the will is never yielded up nor the everlasting doors of the heart set open for the King of glory to come in till his power makes way for his presence and therefore this King of glory is said to be The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel Psal 24.8 It is his mightiness makes him appear glorious We should never own him nor open to him as King of glory if we did not feel his might by way of victory He alwayes first makes his entrance as the Lord strong and mighty and then the everlasting doors are set open to him to come in as King of glory So that it is manifest that the Government of Christ in the heart is first by way of conquest Not that this is done by any violent compulsion it implies a contradiction that the will can be compelled but by a supernatural power sweetly attemper'd in its manner of working to the nature and disposition of the will whereby the obstinacy is cured the enmity taken away and the will brought over to a free submission to Jesus Christ Thus God works in us to will Phil. 2.13 So that it is an act of omnipotent Grace in regard of God and yet the will hath still the dominion of its own act It is not forcibly compelled but worketh by a self-motion to that to which it is actuated by the power of Divine Grace And when the mind is thus savingly inlightened and the Conscience effectually convinced and the will by the powerful quickening of God sweetly framed for a full conformity and obedience to the divine will then is a man throughly prepared and fitted to take up the yoke of Christ And this is one way by which you may make a judgment in this matter If the mind hath been savingly inlightened
be in this case For nothing can innoble and inrich you like this Have you no friends this makes God your friend Are you of a low extract this shews you to be born of God Is your education mean why hereby you are taught of God Have you none to leave you an inheritance why God is your inheritance Though you have neither house nor harbour yet this secures you an house not made with hands Eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 O what a comfortable thing it is to see the see of the poor to fear the Lord it makes them rich in their poverty I know thy poverty but thou art rich Rev. 2.9 It gives you a preference in the esteem of God to the greatest sinners on earth The Righteous is more excellent then his Neighbour Prov. 12.26 Suppose you come out of the loyns of a rich Parentage VVhat an advantage may this be for you have nothing to mind but your soul and your Salvation others are forced to spend much of their youth in learning a calling whereby to get bread but your Parents have laid up a plentiful estate for you so that your work should be to mind God You have that time and leisure that others have not it may be said of you as God said to Israel I have given you a land for which ye did not labour houses that ye builded not and Vineyards that ye planted not And what follows Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth Josh 24.13 14. This sanctifies all your enjoyments and makes them Blessings indeed without this they are but fewel to your lusts and so become a curse and a snare This then is one great advantage of Christs yoke 2. It is your subjection that proves your relation to Christ Mal. 1.6 If I be a master where is my fear The question implyes that whatever men pretend the authority of God is no farther own'd then as his will is obeyed Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things I say Luk. 6.46 and Matt. 12.50 He that doth the will of my father the same is my Brother and Sister and Mother Relations are not empty Titles though they are minimae entitatis yet they are maximae efficaciae They have a mutual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and affection to each other Obedience is the filling up of your relation to Christ Now whom do ye obey who hath your subjection whose will do ye do If ye call God father and live in sin ye blaspheme his holy name you lay the devils brats at his door If you say our Father you must say Thy will be done and labour to do it 3. Your subjection to Christ is your proper qualification for glory Heb. 5.9 Submit to him here and reign with him for ever And your obedience to Christ dont give you a right to blessedness that comes in by faith but it disposes and qualifies for blessedness a great advantage therefore 3. Consider the disadvantage of not taking up Christs yoke 1. This spoils all your duties If the heart be not subjected to Christ no duty can please God No obedience no audience If we will not hear God he will not hear us Quantum a praeceptis tantum ab auribus dei longe samus He that turns away his ear from hearing the law his Prayer shall be abomination prov 28.9 If his arguments can't prevail with us nor shall ours with him What is the great argument you are wont to use in pleading with God it is the blood of Jesus Heb. 10.19 We have boldness by the blood of Jesus and Ephes 3.12 We have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Now this is the argument God uses with you Phil. 2.1 If there be therefore any Consolation in Christ if any bowels and mercies If Gods beseeching you by the bowels and blood of Christ can't prevail with you to duty why should your pleading then with God prevail with him for mercy for his blood was shed to redeem us to obedience as well as to be the price of mercies 2. It renders all your hopes vain The hope of a goodman shall never be frustrate it shall be finished but never be disappointed His hope ends in the fruition of the good hoped for It is a living hope But the hope of the sinner is a dying soul-undoing hope that will certainly fail at last and needs it must For 1. It is a hope that hath no foundation 1. None in the soul what is the foundation of hope there I will give you it in two Scriptures One is 1 Pet. 1.3 Begotten us again to a lively hope Their regeneration is made the ground of hope The other is Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of glory There Union to Christ is made the ground of hope So that where-ever there is a union to Christ by faith and a change of state by Regenerating grace that man hath a foundation of hope in himself No other man hath or can have 2. His hope hath no foundation in the word for that gives no countenance nor incouragement to hope in a state of disobedience that tells you that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 it tells you that without holiness no man shall ever see the Lord. Heb. 12.14 and therefore for a man to hope for Heaven in a state of sin is to hope that the word of God is not true or that God will not do as he saith and how vain is that hope 2. It is a hope that sets Gods attributes at variance It sets mercy against justice his goodness against his truth and righteousness God is as righteous as good as just as he is merciful and for an unsanctified man to hope in the mercy of God is to set his attributes at variance for if he shew mercy to such as live and dye in their opposition to Christ he can't be a just and righteous God 3. It is a hope that gives the lye to Christ For he hath with the most solemn asseveration averred that no man shall or can see the Kingdom of God unless he be regenerate Joh. 3.3 he hath said the gate is strait Mat. 7.14 and the way narrow that leads to life and but few find it Now for a man to hope for Heaven without being born again to hope to be saved in the broad way is to hope that Christ will prove a false Prophet 4. It is a hope that layes no stress upon any lust to subdue and weaken it That hope that is right and genuine purifies the heart 1 Joh. 3.3 But cursed is that hope that cherishes men in their Lusts and cursed be those lusts that frustrate a mans hope 3. It renders all that Christ hath done about the purchasing Salvation as to you vain and to no purpose What a blessed work hath Christ undertaken what great things hath he done what great things hath he suffered but if a man
Christ You must be divorced from all sin or you cannot be Marryed to Christ therefore remove all hinderances to the duty Direct 3 Labour to be convinced of the absolute necessity of conversion A true sight of the dreadful condition you are in by nature will discover this And what is that you are by nature children of wrath under the curse from the very womb the guilt of all the sins that ever you committed lies upon you you are the devils bondslaves dead in sin Eph. 2.1 Eph. 4.18 under the power of lust alienated from the life of God Hasting to destruction there is but one step between you and Hell you stand upon the brink of the bottomless pit for whoever dies in an unconverted state shall assuredly perish the holy God hath said it and will make it good And is this a state to be rested in where is the sinner that dares dye and appear before the Righteous God in this condition therefore let this shew you the necessity of conversion Direct 4 Heartily accept of Jesus Christ as the Gospel tenders him Here is the turning point of thy Salvation Christ in bowels of pity to thy undone case tenders himself to thee as a universal remedy to pardon to purge to renew to sanctifie to save Young ones have any of you a heart thus to accept of Christ if so you are happy for ever and all your sins and lusts nay all the devils in hell can't hinder it Let an intire resignation follow this acceptation Direct 5 Having thus received Christ give thy self wholly up to Christ resolving that Body Soul and Spirit shall be the Lords so it is said of them 2 Cor. 8.5 They gave themselves up to the Lord. A hearty subjection must follow this resignation Direct 6 No man can be fully resigned that is not intirely subject Be sure therefore let Christ bear rule let the government be upon his shoulders let him give law to thy heart and life thy affections and actions do not part with some sins and retain others this is to hold fast deceit Jer. 8.5 and to refuse to return Do not obey Christ in this or that command but in all you must take all or none An imperfect obedience may be right and sincere but a partial obedience cannot I pray remember this the yoke of Christ is made up of every Commandment not this or that but every Commandment goes to the making up his yoke and when you become willingly subject to all the commands of Christ then have you taken up the yoke of Christ Lastly this must be done without delay Direct 7 The Text prompts to this It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth What sayes David I made hast and delay'd not to keep thy Commandments Psal 119.60 As Christ said to Judas in another case What thou doest do quickly Consider 1. It is a business of life and death and what a foolish thing it is for a man to deliberate whether he shall be saved or damned go to Heaven or Hell 2. By continuance in the ways of disobedience the heart is made more obstinate as a path becomes the harder by frequent treading Sin is of a hardening nature Heb. 3.13 So that if conversion to Christ be hard to day it will be harder to morrow and so every day adds to its difficulty because the heart grows harder and harder 3. You suffer great loss by delays What grace might you have gotten e're this had you begun betimes what victories over sin what experiences what communion with God what evidences for heaven 4. There are special seasons of grace which are but for a limited time and in complying with or slighting these the happiness or misery of man is fixed Because to every purpose there is time and judgment therefore the misery of man is great upon him Eccles 8.6 If your seasons of grace are lost they are never to be redeem'd Now I pray consider in what part of life is it most probable that in the wisdom of God these are placed in youth or in old age Can you think that God would chose the infirmities and dotages of life for his service rather then the strength and vigour of your days and affections 5. The slighting of your special seasons is the way to lose them Luk. 19.42 Gen. 6.3 These three years I come looking for fruit and find none And what follows cut it down why cumbers it the ground Luk. 13.7 Three years they had injoy'd Christs ministry and yet brought forth no fruit and therefore Christ casts them off O sirs how many years hath Christ been calling of you and waiting for fruit why stand ye all the day idle Remember the foolish Virgins and tremble and get Oyl while the Market is open 6. Thou dost not know how near thy day of account may be It is many times nearest when we think it is farthest off We are many times most secure when we are least safe 1 Thes 3.5 When they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction c. My Lord delays his coming said the wicked servant Mat. 24.48 And what follows The Lord of that servant shall come in a day that he looks not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of Little did the old world think of a flood so nigh when they gave themselves to sensuality Or Sodom of fire from Heaven when they burn'd in their lusts So shall it be when the son of man comes Luk. 17.30 Lastly Consider this If any of you that have heard these Sermons of taking up Christs yoke betimes shall dare yet to live in the neglect of this duty This word that I have spoken to you in the name of the Lord and this call that God hath made to you by me will be a dreadful witness against such refusers in the last day and that which I have intended for your conversion will turn to your destruction and damnation But God forbid what shall I run in vain and labour in vain nay shall the Lord Christ call in vain and his Blessed Spirit strive with you in vain Therefore I beseech you lay things to heart and let me know what you intend Will you at last be prevail'd with to submit to Christ and take up his yoke forthwith without any more delay if not let me tell you God will look upon you from this day as wilful refusers of his grace and love and it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah then for you But if you have a heart now to accept of Christ to be resigned to him and to take up his yoke without any more delay you have done your work you have saved your souls Now God is yours Christ is yours Peace Life Salvation all the good of the Covenant all the glory of Heaven is yours and therefore you are blessed and happy for ever For as your present choice is such shall your Eternal Condition be The Lord perswade sinners to know the things of their peace before they are hid from their eyes FINIS
THE GOOD of EARLY OBEDIENCE OR The advantage of bearing the Yoke of Christ betimes DISCOVERED In part in two Anniversary SERMONS one whereof was Preached on May-day 1681. And the other on the same day in the Year 1682. And afterwards inlarged and now published for common benefit By MATTHEW MEAD Mat. 11.29 Take my Yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls Ver. 30. For my Yoke is easie and my burden is light LONDON Printed for Nath. Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultrey near the Church 1683. To the Right Honourable the Lady Diana Alington the Blessings of the upper and nether Springs be multiplyed Madam WHere great Debts are contracted by insolvent persons it is usual to compound for a little rather then lose the whole The many great and undeserved favours you have conferred upon me have so far outdone not only my power to merit but my capacity to requite that unless your Honour will admit me to some small composition and so to pay as I am able by a grateful acknowledgment I must always be in arrearage to your Nobleness being no other way solvent then by hearty resentment I know Madam it is no pleasure to you to hear of your name from the house-top who have so carefully kept secret the works of your Right hand from the knowledge of your Left Let them therefore stand recorded in the Prayers of your Favourites and more durably in the notices of God until that day comes that shall both reveal them and reward them For the time of divulging such matters to the world as Mr. Ambrose said in an Epistle to your Honourable Grandfather will be best at the end of it and best done by him who shall render to every one according to his works Mat. 16.27 In the mean time being importuned to make this discourse publick to whom should I Dedicate it but to your Honour That you may not altogether miscarry in the purchase who have bid so high for the unprofitable respects of one made very inconsiderable by the present complexion of times and providences but much more by his own personal unworthyness The thing Madam which this treatise hath in design is to vindicate and promote if God will speed it to that purpose Obedience to the great Redeemer of the world in all especially in young ones in a true and timely subjection to his Yoke It being the great and open sin of the present day to profess him in word but in works to deny him by such as the Holy Ghost brands with the infamous Character of abominable disobedient Tit. 1.16 and to every good work void of judgment Never was that of the Prophet more verified then by the children of this Generation Isa 53.3 He is despised and rejected of men Not only by Jews Heathens and Mahometans but which is more sad even by Christians if they deserve that name almost of all sorts It is not only the sin of the poor that they are foolish Jer. 5.4 and have not known the way of the Lord but of the great men also who though they have known the judgment of their God yet they have altogether broken the Yoke and burst the bonds The wise slight Religion as a foolish thing The Nobles of the Earth think themselves degraded by stouping to this yoke The Rich men that should count all things dung for Christ â—â—il 3.8 do prefer the dung and dross of the earth before this Pearl of price The Voluptuary will not be perswaded to leave his swinish delights for all the pleasures of Godliness Oh how few are the sincere followers of the Blessed Jesus This is and ought to be for a lamentation Our lot is cast in a very brutish age wherein reason is buryed in sense judgment extinguished in appetite and wickedness reigns with reputation He who dares not be profane is a coward and that is but a dull soul that cannt burlesque the sacred Scripture and make a jest in Bible Or if he skills not to direct the poysonous arrow of a spiteful tongue at the Religion and Worship of Jesus Christ he is no ingenuous Archer So that our times are much of the complexion of those which Seneca unmasking the face of their corrupt State doth thus decypher The news of Rome take thus the Walls are ruined the Temples not visited the Priests are fled the Treasuries robbed old men are dead young men are mad Vices are Lords over all The Dictator faults the Consul the Consul chides the Censor the Censor blames the Proetor and because no man will acknowledge himself in fault we have no hope of better times Madam what an honour is it to you when the days are thus evil to be devoted in heart and soul to Jesus Christ It is recorded to the everlasting renown of Josiah that good Prince 2 Chron. 34 3. that while he was young he began to seek after the God of his Father So did your Honour Goodness is no diminution to greatness On the other hand it is charged as a reproach upon the Nobles of Judah Nehem. 3. â— That they put not their necks to the work of the Lord. Greatness gives no immunity from service Nay the higher God hath exalted you the more you become a Debtor to his goodness The God in whose hand thy breath is Dan. 5.23 and whose are all thy ways hast thou not glorified was a sad charge brought against one greater then your Honour It is the standing law of Heaven Luk. 12.48 To whomsoever much is given of them much shall be required Where your Honour allows the greatest wages there you expect the greatest fidelity and service and so doth the great God Wherefore Madam let holiness to the Lord be written upon all your Honour and all your enjoyments whatever is intrusted with you ought to be devoted to him or it can never be rightly injoyed nor duly improved God hath honoured you to be the fruitful mother of hopeful children but remember Madam that as they derive honour from your loyns in regard of your Station in this world so they derive guilt and pollution upon another account And what is worldly honour stained with a damning guilt which makes them children of wrath even as others Eph. 2.3 There is a nobility that is Divine and of a Heavenly Original which hath Religion for the Root and God for the top of the Kin. In comparison of which all other Nobility is but an empty shadow and all worldly grandure but as those apples that grow upon the banks of the dead Sea which under a tempting outside contain nought but dust This honour derives not from the first birth but the second and is peculiar to them only who are born not of blood Joh. 1.13 nor of the will of the Flesh nor of the will of man but of God Would your Honour have those pleasant
branches thus inobled I know it is the matter of your Prayers and let me beg you to joyn thereunto your utmost indeavours by a strict and pious education the common want of which hath stained the present age with as debauched a Nobility and Gentry as ever any time brought forth And Madam if to all this you shall add the winning motive of your own example so walking in all the Precepts of Christ and in all the virtues of the Holy Spirit that they may be won into the ways of God by the beauty of your feet O what an honour and rejoycing would this be to you in the near approaching day of Christ Jesus How many children have been brought into love with the ways of God by the holy example of Godly Parents And many more have perished by the contrary who are now cursing the Parents that begat them and the loyns that brought them forth I no way doubt of your Honours ready acceptance of this Present how mean soever it be Seeing it is a great bravery of mind as well to accept little kindnesses from them that have no better within their reach as to confer great ones For as by the latter you oblige love so by the former you incourage duty Thus the full Sea stocks Clouds richly while they pay again but by drops We have a pattern of it in God himself who as he gives the greatest Boons so he doth not disdain the least returns though they are made in Mites Luk. 21.2 3. Goats hair and Rams skins are as acceptable an Offering from them that were no better provided for the building the Tabernacle Exod. 23.4 5. as Purple and Scarlet so as it came from a willing heart Madam it is for the compleating the Temple of God in your soul that this Offering is made and though it is neither Purple nor Scarlet yet such as it is it comes from as willing a mind as ever Israelite offered from him that brought Gold and Silver to him that brought Goats hair and Rams skins And if your Honour be dispositioned like my Master you will accept of payment in Mites where it is the utmost and the All that is within the reach of a short arm But though it cannot reach so far as I would Prayer can For how incapable soever we are of other offices of respect and gratitude yet in Prayers and good wishes we stand next to immensity and infiniteness And it is nothing less then the great things of both worlds summed up in the blessed injoyment of God himself here much and hereafter much more that can be an answer to his Prayers who without ceasing bows the knee to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for this Blessing for you Madam and your Honourable and Honoured Relations as becomes Stepney Novemb. 15th 1682. Madam Your Honours highly obliged and humbly devoted Servant Matthew Mead. The Epistle to the READER Good Reader THough thy concern lies not much in knowing the reason of the publication of this Treatise yet it may not be amiss to give thee this short account of it That in April 1674 A Gentleman who was till then a stranger to me came with an earnest request that I would undertake the Preaching of a Sermon yearly on every May-day to the younger people I desiring to know his reason why to them rather then to others and why on that day rather then upon any other he told me that it had often been the grief of his Soul to behold the vitious and debauched practises of Youth on that day of liberty And did hope that many might be induced either by their own inclinations or by the counsels of their Parents or Masters rather to spend their time in hearing a Sermon then in drinking and gaming c. by which means many might be converted and saved The design being so honest and the reason so cogent I was perswaded to comply with it and began upon the following May Day and so it hath been continued ever since and I may say it not in any boast but to the praise of the glory of the grace of God with great success On May-day 1680 I took the Scripture here insisted on for the subject of my discourse and having then shewed the great advantage of bearing the Yoke of vfflictions and also the Yoke of the Spirit in conviction of sin in youth I did promise God granting life and liberty to treat of the Yoke of Christ in conversion in the next Anniversary course But before that day came I was much sollicited both by young and old they best know why to make publick the first Sermon which I had so Preached and it was fairly transcribed and sent to me by several hands for that end which yet I judged very improper but to answer their importunity I did promise that when I had finished the subject I would comply with their desires And therefore finding that I could not compass my design in the second May-day course I did for some Lords days following insist on the same subject till I had finished it And that thou hadst it no sooner the Bookseller is accountable and not I. However if it may be of any advantage to thy soul in breaking off the yoke of sin and lust and bringing thee under the yoke of Christ it comes in good time and to good purpose And when thou findest this benefit by it then pray for him that loves thy soul and desires thy Salvation and therein is November 15. 1682. Thy Real Friend Matthew Mead. THE CONTENTS CHAPTER I. SOmewhat praeliminary The Yoke explained What it is Litterally taken what taken Metaphorically CHAP. II. Afflictions called a Yoke in what sense they are good and for whom CHAP. III. Shewing the difference between the Yoke of the Spirit and the Yoke of Christ What the Spirits Yoke is Why convictions are compared to a Yoke Why sinners must come under the Yoke of the Spirit Why it is good to come under it betimes CHAP. IV. Contains some counsels and directions to persons of several Denominations with respect to the Yoke of the Spirit CHAP. V. The chief Doctrine propounded Christ hath his Yoke Wherein it consists The nature and properties of this Yoke VVhy the commands of Christ called a Yoke CHAP. VI. Holdeth forth the reasons of the Doctrine CHAP. VII Holdeth forth the last reason viz. from the good of obedience It is a necessary good a profitable good an honourable good a comfortable good CHAP. VIII Answers some objections against Early Obedience CHAP. IX More objections against Early Obedience answered CHAP. X. Wherein the reasons of slighting Christ are inquired into the evil of it aggravated CHAP. XI Wherein the Tryal of our state is pressed with seven reasons for it CHAP. XII Several rules for the knowledge of our estate are laid down both negatively and affirmatively CHAP. XIII Sheweth the truth of our subjection to Christ by such things as are necessarily antecedent to it
so it is used in Scripture and that both in a Civil and a Religious sense First in a Civil sense and so it is used two ways First For a Condition of Marriage Wedlock is called a Yoke Conjugium à conjungendo i.e. jugo communi quo Vir Vxor simul junguntur Polan and it is so too truly to many that know no more how to bear it than how to break it In this sense many take that of the Apostle in 2 Cor. 6.14 The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as when Beasts of divers kinds as an Ox and an Ass or of divers bigness and stature draw together the Yoke cannot lye equally on both And in this the Apostle checks matching with Infidels Quam malè inaequales veniunt ad Aratra Juvenci Ovid. Epist Dare not to yoke thy self with cry untamed Heifer that bears not Christ's Yoke saith a Divine Be ye not unequally yoked together with Vnbelievers And hence a Husband or a Wife is called a Yoke-fellow But this is not the Yoke in the Text for it is not good for a man to bear this Yoke too soon as many do that make more haste than good speed coveting the condition before they understand the duties of the relation and so marry in haste and then repent at leisure Secondly Labour and obedience of Servants to their Masters is called a Yoke Let as many Servants as are under the yoke count their Masters worthy of all honour 1 Tim. 6.1 under the yoke i. e. called to be Servants indeed every Calling is a Yoke And certainly it is good for every one to bear this yoke in their youth It is an excellent thing that young ones should be bred up in some suitable Calling and thereby inured to labour and industry betimes For I know none exempted from that Law of God Gen. 3.19 In the sweat of thy brows shalt thou eat thy bread God made not the World to be a Nursesery of idleness Creatures void of life are serviceable in their places The Sun is called Shemesh from a Chaldee Root which signifies to minister because the Sun is in ministring light a Servant to the whole World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chald. in Pahel ministravit inde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sol sic dictus quod in administrando lumine totius Mundi minister sit The Angels are always working and so is Jesus Christ and so is God himself Christ says The Father worketh hitherto and I work John 5.17 Nay the Devils are never idle One being asked Who was the most vigilant Bishop in all his Diocess answered The Devil Nunquam dormitat semper vigil Synagogae suae Episcopus so that an idle person cannot find a pattern either in Heaven or Hell God who hath appointed a time for every thing under the Sun never did allow any time for sin and sloth Though he says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be careful for nothing Phil. 4.6 yet he hath no where said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do nothing There is a threefold care mentioned in Scripture the care of the head which is providence the care of the hand which is diligence and the care of the heart which is diffidence Now though the care of the heart be forbidden yet the care of the head and the hand is commanded To be diffident then and distrustful that is a sin but to be provident and diligent that is a Duty The Lacedemonians made idleness actionable in their Courts and by Solon's Law such were to suffer death And our Law supposes all to be of some Calling not only Men but Women and the young Ladies too and therefore it calls them during their Virgin estate Spinsters But alas the viciousness and degeneracy of this Age hath forfeited the Title many can card but few can spin and therefore you may write them Carders Dancers Painters Ranters Spenders rather than Spinsters Industry is worn out by pride and delicacy the Comb and the Looking-Glass possess the place and the hours of the Spindle and the Distaff and their great business is to curl the Locks instead of twisting Wool and Flax So that both Males and Females are prepared for all ill impressions by the mischief of an idle education Indeed meaner persons are forced to put their Children to Trades for an after subsistence but the Nobility and Gentry of the Nation are in this thing the shame of it it is reckoned below a Person of Quality to be a Mechanick and therefore how many that might otherwise have been useful in their Generation are bred up in idleness and so fit only to be reckoned among the Vermine of the Earth whilst they live only to eat what others earn and instead of proving the Pillars they prove the Caterpillars of the Nation and it is seldom but that idleness and wickedness go together Thou wicked and slothful Servant said our Lord Christ Matth. 25.26 And I pray who are the most vicious and debauched part of the Nation but young Gallants who have no Callings to yoke them Who haunt the Drinking-houses the Play-houses the Brothel-houses so much as they Who are the Corrupters of others the Scoffers the Duellers so much as they So greatly doth an idle life expose to the Devils malice and dispose to the Devils service It is good therefore that every one should bear this Yoke in their youth that young ones of all sorts should be trained up in some honest Calling Therefore Machiavil 's Rule is good counsel Otium prohibeatur perpetua quaedam honestorum exercitiorum necessitas imperetur vitanda est maximè sterilitas For 1. This will more fit them for hardships and sufferings Idleness causes delicacy and tenderness and that is no suffering quality It will be dreadful when the Lord shall pass over your fair Neck as it is said of Ephraim Hos 10.11 I passed over upon her fair Neck that is I put a Yoke upon her viz. a Yoke of suffering an Iron Yoke And if such a day should come upon England as upon Ephraim Ah! how will those Necks that have been chained with Gold and Pearl be able to wear an Iron Yoke or those tender feet that must not touch the dirt be able to wade after Christ through blood It is storied of Alice Driver how resolutely and bravely she suffered for Christ Acts and Monuments printed 1641. Vol. 3. p. 887 888. when they put the Iron Chain about her Neck to fasten her to a Post to be burned in Queen Maries days she gloried in it This said she is the finest Neckerchief that ever I wore blessed be God for it Now she was one who had been used to hard labour being bred up to drive her Fathers Plough Hard breeding fits us for hard sufferings 2. It prevents many temptations Idleness is the Back-door for all temptations to come in at It tempts the Devil to tempt us It is a good Rule one gives for the avoiding sin and
temptation Be always employed that when Satan comes he may not find thee at leisure Many have been kept from great temptations by being diligent in their Callings and many by idle diversions have fallen into great temptations and snares Dinah wanders abroad and is deflowred before she comes home Tertullian tells of a Christian Woman who going to see a Play was there possessed by the Devil and when he was asked by some who came to her and set themselves to pray him out how he durst possess one that was a Christian He answered I found her in my own Ground Oh how should this warn young ones to take heed of the Play-houses These are the Devils Ground and what he finds upon his own Ground he will possess as his own He is the Lord of that Mannor and being so the Waifs and Estrays are all his Let young ones therefore take up the Yoke of some lawful Calling betimes But this Civil Yoke is not the Yoke in the Text. Secondly The Yoke as Metaphorically taken is used in a Moral or Religious sense and so there is a threefold Yoke which it is not good to bear and a threefold Yoke which it is good to bear There is a threefold Yoke which is not good to bear The Yoke of Mosaical Ceremonies The Yoke of Antichristian Impositions The Yoke of sin and lust First The Yoke of Mosaical Ceremonies This in its day was a strict Yoke a heavy Yoke a Yoke as the Apostle Peter says which neither we nor our Fathers were able to bear Acts 15.10 But this Yoke the Lord Christ hath freed us from the Ceremonial Law was abolished by him and had no use after his death but by accident as he who builds a Vault lets the Centrels stand till he puts in the Key-stone and then pulls them away So that now the Rule is Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not intangled again in the Yoke of bondage Gal. 5.1 Secondly There is the Yoke of Antichrist which is made up of humane inventions and impositions in the Worship of God on which foundation all the Will-worship Superstition and Idolatry which at this day obtain in the World do stand This is a heavier Yoke than the former for that had once the sanction of God and there the authority made the subjection reasonable though burthensom but this never had and therefore more grievous because herein we are made Slaves to the lusts of men whereas in that we were Subjects to the will of God And therefore to be imposed upon by Ceremonies of mens devising when we are actually freed by Christ from the Ceremonies that were once of Gods appointing Bagshaw's Great Question about things indifferent is a very heavy Yoke a Yoke which one says is in the Imposer tyranny and in the Persons imposed upon burden and bondage And therefore a Yoke which without sin in transgressing the Precept of our Lord Christ Mat. 23.8 and his Apostle we may not submit to 1 Cor. 7.23 Because hereby we owne a power in the Imposers over conscience which God never gave to any and so abet them in their sinful usurpations upon the Prerogative of the Lord Jesus Christ Psal 2.6 Isai 9.6 Matth. 28.18 who alone is King and Head of the Church and hath the Government upon his shoulders And also because we make our selves to be what in things appertaining to the worship of God we are commanded not to be viz. the Servants of men Ye are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 This then is another Yoke which we ought not to bear When once humane inventions become Impositions and lay a necessity upon that which God hath left free then may we lawfully reject them as Plants of mans setting and not of Gods owning and which he will therefore in his time assuredly root up Matth. 15.13 Thirdly There is the Yoke of sin and lust For though Sinners are said to be Children of Belial that is without Yoke * So the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jugum quasi absque jugo scilicet Legis Divinae Clarius Tralatio à bubus jugum subire nolentibus Drusius And accordingly the Septuagint render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet none under such a Yoke as they for as the service of Christ is perfect freedom so to be free from righteousness is the basest thraldom Rom. 6.20 If sin breaks one Yoke off it ever puts another on They have broken the Yoke and burst the Bonds Jer. 5.5 there is one Yoke cast off and then it follows in the next Verse Their transgressions are many their backslidings are encreased there is another Yoke put on As in conversion Christ breaks off the Yoke of sin and Satan and puts his own upon a man so the Sinner breaks off the Yoke of God Psal 2.3 Luke 19.14 27. and subjects himself to Satans Yoke and therefore some say wicked men are called Children of Belial making Belial the name of the Devil Quidam Belial nomen esse Daemonis contendunt ductum à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascendet quia nos ascendere sursum non permittet What concord hath Christ with Belial i. e. with Satan says the Syriac Version And hence Sinners are said to be taken captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 And he is said to work that is with power and success in the children of disobedience Ephes 2.2 And this is the Reign of Satan in the soul of a Sinner for as the Lord Christ reigns in the hearts of his people by the power of Grace and righteousness so Satan reigns in the hearts of wicked men by the power of sin and lust Now it cannot be good in any sense to bear this Yoke because it every way tends to the hurt and mischief of the soul 1. As it breaks off the Yoke of God which is everyway suited to the good and advantage of man For the commandment is holy just and good Rom. 7.12 holy as it is the expression of the will of the holy God iust in that it commands nothing but what is equal and fit to be obeyed good as it promotes the advantage and happiness of the soul that obeys it 2. As it inslaves the Creature to the basest bondage and most unreasonable vassalage in the World O what a noble Creature was man while he did bear the Image of God lived in his will and enjoyed a constant fellowship with him But alas How is the Gold become dim and the fine Gold changed Lam. 4.1 How hath sin debased his Excellency defaced the Image of God shut him out of favour and out of fellowship So that now he is become a Slave to Satan and all manner of lusts And can it be good to bear this Yoke What! to oppose God to be
a Slave to sin to reject the Reign of Christ to resist the Spirit to slight the Grace of the Gospel to gratifie the Devil and to undo thy own soul O think of that word He that sins against me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speruit animam suam Vatab. in loc wrongs his own soul Prov. 8.36 And where lies the wrong He refuses the Yoke of Christ and so lays himself under the wrath of Christ and ye perish from the way if his wrath be kindled but a little Psal 2.12 And what greater wrong can any one offer to his own soul than to lay it under a necessity of damnation by a willing subjection to the Yoke of sin rather than that of Christ Therefore it is so far from being good that it is the greatest evil to bear this Yoke Be not ye the Servants of sin But then there is a threefold Yoke which it is good for a man to bear in his youth There is The Yoke of affliction The Yoke of the Spirit in conviction of sin The Yoke of subjection and obedience to Jesus Christ CHAP. II. Afflictions called a Yoke In what sense they are good and for whom 1. AFflictions may be called a Yoke and so they are often in Scripture Lev. 26.13 I am the Lord your God which brought you forth out of the Land of Egypt and I have broken the Bonds of your Yoke and made you go upright He speaks of the great afflictions with which Israel was so oppressed and burthened in Egypt that their backs were bowed down and they were even sunk and broken under them and this God calls their affliction I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt Exod. 3.7 and Deut. 26.6 7. The Egyptians evilly entreated us and afflicted us and when we cried to the Lord he heard our voice and looked on our affliction and oppression And this seems to be the Yoke intended in the Text at least to the Church of the Jews that were then in Babylonish bondage which the Holy Ghost calls a Yoke Jer. 27.12 Bring your necks under the Yoke of the King of Babylon And Jer. 30.8 It shall come to pass in that day saith the Lord of Hosts that I will break his Yoke from off thy neck and burst thy bonds And accordingly the Church here calls her present affliction and misery by reason of her captived state a Yoke Lam. 1.14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand The yoke of my transgressions that is the punishment procured by my transgressions as if he should say God hath laid upon me a heavy Yoke of affliction as the just reward of my sin Now this is a Yoke that it is good for a man to bear in his youth Afflictions have in them matter of real advantage This seems a Paradox to sense and no wonder for even good men can hardly make sense of it Therefore let us a little enquire In what sense afflictions are good and For whom they are good Quest 1. In what sence are afflictions good Answ They are not good in themselves they are not bona though they may work in bonum they are not good things though they may work to good ends In their own nature they are evil and so called in Scripture Amos 3.6 Is there any evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it Isai 45.7 I make peace and create evil I the Lord do all these things Mic. 1.12 The inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good but evil came down from the Lord unto the Gate of Jerusalem That which is a fruit of sin a part of the curse introduced upon the breach of the first Covenant must needs be in it self evil But so is affliction It is evil in it self and evil to the Creature evil in its nature and evil in its tendency But yet as afflictions are ordered and directed by God and under the management of his Spirit so they are good they serve to good purposes But I shall give a more distinct Answer to the Question in four gradual Conclusions 1. Nothing Man mistakes more about than Concl. 1 the matter of good This is most evident from the differing opinions of the Ancients about it Austin reckons up 288. which all shew that man is acted herein very much by fancy and present appearances insomuch that if God should give a man his own wish he would ruine himself with evil under the shew of good Brine preserves many things which would rot in Sugar and yet sense is all for pleasing the sweet tooth But no wise Body will give a sick man what he desires but what the Physician directs As God sometimes in judgment pleases a man to his ruine Psal 106.15 He gave them their request but sent leanness into their souls So he sometimes in mercy crosses him to his advantage We are short sighted and distempered with passions and therefore call that good which would be our bane and deprecate that as evil which would be a real benefit Doubtless Joseph could not but regret at and being a good Youth pray against his Brethrens unnatural cruelty as having nothing in it in appearance but evil and vassalage What for a young Stripling to be fold for a Slave to be barter'd away out of his Father's bosome into a strange Country never like to be heard of more then cast into Prison and exposed to all severities Can there be any good in this Sense and opinion say no But pray consider How had he been raised to such a price if he had not been first made so cheap how had he been made a Prince by Strangers if he had not been made a Slave by his Brethren nay how many had perished for bread had not he been sent for merchandise into Egypt So Joseph afterwards acknowledges Gen. 45.5 Ye sold me hither but God sent me before you to preserve life And Gen. 50.20 As for you ye thought evil against me but God meant it unto good to bring to pass as it is this day to save much people alive God many times takes away for our good strips us for our advantage casts us down and seemingly casts us off and all for our benefit Opinion says with old Jacob All these things are against me Gen. 42.36 and yet they were all for him and therefore Concl. 2 Good is to be estimated not by its suitableness to sense but by its reference to the soul That is the truest good which promotes the interest of the better part no mans condition can be made good by any outward circumstances while the case of his soul is desperate for that is the better part of us and therefore good men have always valued themselves more upon their inward indowments than any outward acquisitions and have set more store by a Dram of Grace than by all outward comforts Good is to be judged by its conducency to Concl. 3 the chief good God is the chief good and
in the dust Lamen 3.28 29. Secondly Affliction is inlightening It is good for discovery There are many excellent Lessons learned in the School of affliction 1. It discovers a man to himself and makes him see what a poor frail inconsiderable thing he is according to that of David Psal 9.20 Put them in fear O Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ager fuit doluit calamitosus fuit that they may know themselves to be but men To be but enosh poor weak and miserable men Affliction makes us know our selves Caligula and Domitian two Roman Emperours in their prosperity would be Gods but when it thundred they were so terrified that then they knew they were but men Prosperity makes a man a Stranger to himself no man knows that pride that impatience that lust that unbelief that frowardness that is in his heart till affliction comes to search him God led Israel forty years in the Wilderness to know what was in their hearts that is to make them know Deut. 8.2 2. It is a means to discover the vileness of sin to the soul When the Patriarchs were distressed and in adversity then they saw and never till then the greatness of their sin in selling their Brother Gen. 42.21 If they be bound in Fetters and holden in Cords of affliction then he shews them their work and their transgressions that they have exceeded Job 36.8 9. Nothing discovers the vileness of sin more than the sufferings of Christ and the afflictions of the Creature 3. God by affliction discovers himself to the soul In the Word we hear of God but in affliction we see him I have heard of thee says Job by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye sees thee Job 42.5 It is said of Manasseh 2 Chron. 33.13 Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God Then When was that When he was caught among the Thorns and bound with Fetters and carried to Babylon till then he knew not the Lord. Thirdly Affliction is good as it is preparatory to Grace and Conversion What excellent Vessels have been formed by the hand of the Former of all things in the Furnace of afflictions It is preparatory to conversion several ways 1. In that it makes us more serious When we are out of the noise of worldly allurements then conscience is apt to reflect and make us bethink our selves If they shall bethink themselves in the Land whither they are carried captive 2 King 8.47 When was it that the Prodigal came to himself but when he was pinched and almost pined with Famine Luke 15.16 17. 2. It is a means to reduce our wanderings Man is a stragling Creature very prone to wander from God and lose himself He is never weary of following his sins till God hedges up his way with Thorns God hath two Hedges which the Scripture mentions The Hedge of protection Job 1.10 Isai 5.5 and The Hedge of affliction Hos 2.6 I will hedge up her way with Thorns The Hedge of protection is to keep his people from danger the Hedge of affliction is to stop them that wander The one is to fence his people from suffering the other is to stop Sinners in the way of sinning and to put them upon returning So when God had hedged up Israel's way with Thorns then She resolves to return I will return to my first Husband for then was it better with me than now Hos 2.6 7. So the Sâ—pâ—â—agint render it in Job 33.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. It opens the ear to Discipline Job 36.8 10. If they be held in the Cords of affliction Then he opens their ear to Discipline There is the outward ear of the senses and the inward ear of the soul the outward ear is seldom stopped but the inward is often and that is the ear intended here the ear of the heart this is naturally stopped against the counsels of God Pride ignorance unbelief impenitency love of sin prejudices and sensual delights are the Ear-Wax that so stop the Sinners ear that he will not hear the voice of the Charmer charm he never so wisely Psal 58.5 Till the ear be unstopped there is no receiving the word therefore God puts the end of his Rod into the ear as Christ did his finger into the deaf mans Mark 7.33 and so unstops it and opens it to Discipline And thus the Rod makes entrance for the word 4. It makes way for convictions to stick and abide upon the heart These are very often stifled in prosperity The noise of the Timbrel and the Harp drown the voice of conscience Man is naturally like the wild Ass Jer. 2.24 which the Prophet says is used to the Wilderness that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure in her occasion who can turn her away they that seek her will not weary themselves in her month they shall find her that is when She is great with young so big and near her time and full of pain that She can hardly stir So the Sinner though stiff and stubborn untractable and unteachable and like the wild Ass snuffs at any that shall reprove him refuses to hear yet in his month he may be found if God brings him into straits and distresses this tames him this was the month in which the consciences of Joseph's Brethren found them when they were in distress themselves then conscience smote them for the wickedness done to Joseph Gen. 42.21 We are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us 5. It stirs up the heart to pray and seek after God They that never pray will pray in affliction The Heathen Mariners call every man upon his God when they are in a Storm Jon. 1.5 Sea-men for the most part are none of the devoutest sort not given much to praying they will swear twice where they pray once yea ten oaths to one prayer and yet Storms and Tempests make them run to God They that go down to the Sea in Ships they cry to the Lord in their trouble Psal 107.23 28. And hence comes that Proverb He that can't pray let him go to Sea When the Storm brings them to their wits end ver 27. then they 'll cry to God when they can no longer help themselves then they come to God for help As extremity is Gods opportunity so it is the time of mans importunity At other times we are lame in Duty but the Rod makes us find our legs and then we run to God Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy chastening was upon them 2 Sam. 14.29 30 31. Isai 26.16 Joab would not come to Absolom at his Call but when he set his Barly-Field on fire then he came Christ had never heard of many if their necessities had not brought them when Palsies Possessions Feavers c. came upon them
unless it be bene The manner of doing what we do is as much as the matter done Most men miscarry herein they take up in the bare performance of a duty rest in the opus operatum the work done Like the blind Papists who bead out their Prayers and serve God by tale Prov. 4.23 The heart must be watched in every duty for it is the frame of the Spirit that makes up obedience And therefore the Precept doth not only prescribe the Quid but the Quomoch It doth not direct the matter only but the manner too Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valde vehementer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should be kept exceedingly Sept. Psal 119.4 Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully Jer. 48.10 He may do the work of the Lord and yet be cursed for not observing the manner as well as the matter b Some preach Christ out of envy Phil. 1.15 It is not hearing the Word unless we take heed how we hear Luke 8.18 It is not prayer if it be not fervent prayer c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5.16 If prayer be not right it is Thuribulum sine prunis a Censer without fire Giving is not Charity unless there be a drawing out the soul to the hungry 1 Cor. 11.20 Isai 58.10 Eating and drinking at the Lords Table is not eating the Lords Supper v. 27. unless it be done worthily that is by a believing soul in a believing frame Love to God is not love unless it be with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might Deut. 6.5 Whatever duty we do it is not serving God Heb. 11.28 unless we are fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 It is another matter to serve God than the world thinks of Slightness of service implies a degrading God in our conceptions Josh 24.19 it is a sign we have cheap thoughts of him when every thing serves the turn 4. There must be a right end A man may lose the prize by shooting short as well as wide of the mark Shechem submits to be circumcised but not as it was a token of the Covenant of God but as a token of his desire to be in Covenant with Jacobs daughter Gen. 34.17 18 19. and so his end was to gratifie his lust Jehu destroys the house of idolatrous Ahab a good work a work to which he was anointed and called of God and yet God threatens to avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu 2 Kings 9.6 7. Hos 1.4 A strange thing that God should anoint Jehu for that work to shed the blood of the house of Ahab and bid him go and do it and declared his approbation of it Thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes nay rewarded him for doing it 2 Kings 10.30 and yet that after all this God should avenge it upon his house What should be the reason of this Because though the work was good yet his end was bad It was not zeal for the Lord of Hosts that was but in pretence his end was to get the Kingdom Plainly then a man may do what God requires and yet in the doing of it serve his own ends Now the Yoke of Christ directs our ends which is in all things that God be glorified 1 Cor. 10.31 So that in all these instances it appears to be a very extensive Yoke and so must the Christians obedience be Ye are my friends if you do whatever I command you Joh. 15.14 Fifthly And it follows from the former It is a laborious Yoke Indeed there is a blessed rest our Lord Christ hath promised to all that put on this Yoke Matt. 11.29 Take my yoke upon you and ye shall find rest to your souls that is a rest from the dominion of sin from the condemning power of the Law from the accusations and charges of Conscience But it is not a rest from labour that is the priviledge of Heaven they rest from their labours Revel 14.13 Here we labour to enter into rest Heb. 4.11 The very notion of taking up the yoke imports labour and diligence And so do all those imployments to which the Christian calling is compared in Scripture It is compared to running a race to wrestling to fighting All works that call for the utmost strength skill and industry The more strings an Instrument hath the greater art and skill is requisite to handle it well A Christian hath more to do than ever Adam in Innocency had his state is better but his work is greater Adam was to obey the Law only but the Christian is to obey both Law and Gospel First He is to keep the whole Law it is to be his Rule as much as it was Adam's though not upon the same Sanction and severe Conditions Which Command may I break upon the priviledge of interest in Christ or refuse to obey as a part of Gospel-liberty And if every Command of the Moral Law requires obedience as it doth how great is his Duty But this is not all For Secondly He owes obedience to the Gospel too For this is more peculiarly the Yoke of Christ And how many Duties go to make up Gospel-obedience There must be believing in Christ repenting of sin denying our selves renouncing the world crucifying the flesh with its affections and lusts cutting off the right hand plucking out the right eye cleaving to the truths of Christ contending for the Faith praying in the Spirit watching in all things resisting temptations growing in grace worshipping God in the Spirit abounding in hope rejoycing in Christ Jesus c. O how laborious a work is it to take up the Yoke of Christ Indeed Christ says it is easie Matt. 11.30 my yoke is easie but this is in opposition to grievousness 1 John 5.3 not to diligence and industry Christ quits us of our burden but not of our duty Sixthly The Yoke of Christ is a lasting Yoke not to be worn at pleasure and then laid off I have given you statutes and judgments says Moses Deut. 4.5 as the Lord commanded me and then v. 9. Take heed lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life And Isa 59.21 My words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed from henceforth and for ever The meaning of this promise is that his people shall never want the guidance and direction of his Word and therefore they should always follow the guidance of it David begs to be taught the Statutes of God for this very reason that he may keep them to the end Psal 119.33 There is no exemption from Duty no room for intermissions in our obedience Upon those words of Solomon Eccles 3.1 Eccles 3.1 There is a time for every thing v. 2. a time to be born and a
is the tye of God upon the Soul till a man comes under the power of the Precept he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not without Law but under the Law to Christ 1 Cor. 9.21 CHAP. VI. Holds forth the Reasons of the Doctrine 2. WHY it is the concernment of every one to take up the Yoke of Christ in his Youth Reas 1. Because of the Call of God He doth not call us to bow to his Yoke to submit to his Authority to obey his Commands only but to do it betimes as he states our duty what we shall do so he times it when it must be done And therefore it is as much a sin to let slip the time as to neglect the thing Not to do what God commands is a sin and not to do it when God commands it is another sin If God says To day go work to day in my vineyard Mat. 21.28 To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts Heb. 3.15 Why then to put it off till the morrow is a sin and so the adding of one days neglect to another is the adding of sin to sin For it is a repeated slight to the Call of God Now to shew you the force of this reason do but consider who it is that calls and what the Call is First Who it is that calls it is God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost 1. It is God the Father he that made thee and gave thee thy being And this one would think should be obligation enough to duty He that gave thee thy being calls for thy obedience especially considering he made thee for this end other Creatures were made to serve thee but there was no end of thy being but to serve God and therefore thou hadst another make tnan other Creatures He stamped a greater excellency upon man than upon the rest of the Creatures Every Creature bears some impression of God but no Creature on earth but only Man bears the likeness of God In other Creatures there are vestigia Dei but in man only there is imago Dei there you may see his footsteps but here only his image Other Creatures are formed of earth but Man is partly earth and partly Heaven the dust of the earth is married to the breath of God And why such an excellent being but to fit him for the end to which God designed him viz. Duty and Service And is it not reason that God who gave thee thy being should have thy obedience That he who gave thee a reasonable Soul should have a reasonable service Creation is an obligation to service Hence that of Solomon Eccles 12.1 Remember thy Creator He that was not made by himself should not live to himself He that can't cease from depending on God as a Principle he ought not to cease from intending God as an end that he may be the object of our obedience as well as the Author of our being 2. It is God the Son the Lord thy Redeemer First It is he that took up flesh came into thy Nature was made Man became thy Surety bore the Curse due to thy sins shed his Blood laid down his life to ransom thy Soul rose again for thy Justification is gone to Heaven upon thy Errand It is this Christ that calls thee to take up his Yoke and is it not reason that we should bear the Yoke for him that bore the Cross and the Curse for us Is it not reason that if we have the good of his Sufferings he should have the glory of our service Secondly It is he that with the Father hath stablished this as the great Condition of Salvation bearing the Yoke so that it is the standing Law of Heaven Whoever will be saved must take up Christs Yoke This is the way to blessedness and there is no other bear the Yoke of Christ and be blessed cast that off and Christ will cast you off submit and be saved reject it and Christ will reject you This is the unalterable condition of Salvation and there is no other Things are so setled in the eternal Compact between Father and Son about the case of man that the Blood of Christ it self cannot stead us nor the mercy of God infinite as it is benefit us Per legem per crucem per lucem per concilium per afflatum auxilium See Pareus in Revel 3.20 without this condition be performed by us And therefore it is that Christ is so importunate in this Duty that he calls and knocks so many ways by the Law by the Cross by Gospel-light by the operation of the Spirit Thirdly It is he that made this his great end in redeeming us to restore us to obedience as well as to favour and to render us capable of that service and duty which hath Glory and Blessedness annexed to it Therefore his Blood is said to purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9 14. And this is made a reason of his bearing our sins in his body on the tree that we being dead to sin might live to righteousnss 1 Pet. 2.24 And who did he redeem was it not young ones as well as others Did he not shed as much blood and pay as great a price for them as others Fourthly It is he that hath purchased unto himself a fulness of Grace to be given forth for the inablement of thee for the susception of this Yoke and the performing all the Duties belonging thereto so that there shall be nothing wanting if there be but a willing mind The Lord Christ knows thy case and the impotency contracted by sin that thou canst not bear his Yoke without his strength and influences of his Grace and therefore he calls thee to partake of his fulness that thou mayst be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might The wise God permitted the loss of mans self-fulness that he might never more be any thing in himself but might glorifie the Redeemer by an intire constant dependance upon him in fetching all from him as an indigent Creature Mans first miscarriage was in a desire of self-sufficiency and he hath been poor and naked from that very day He would have a stock in his own hands and he hath been a begger ever since It was pride at the first that overthrew him and ever since God hath left sin in him to humble him He would have a happiness in himself and therefore he shall have no happiness but by being outed of himself He would live as an independent Being and therefore to cure this God brings him to an absolute dependance for all things he shall have nothing but what he hath by faith and expectation that he may thereby see what a beggerly indigent Creature he is and so glorifie the fulness of Christ And it is the mercy of Christ that he hath a sufficiency of Grace for
quenched there he never strives again Where it is quenched but partially and gradually it is a very hard thing to kindle it again as you may see Cant. 5.6 but where it is totally quenched it can be kindled no more Alas who should kindle it The Saints can't Call now if there be any that will answer thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou turn as Eliphaz said to Job in another case Job 5.1 Could the wise Virgins kindle the foolish Virgins lamps when they were gone out no they could not Give us of your oyl for our lamps are gone out Mat. 25.8 but alas they had none to spare Not so lest there be not enough for us and you v. 9. Can the sinner himself kindle it no that is impossible he can quench it but he cannot kindle it He may sin away the Spirits motions but he can never recover them again That is plain in Prov. 1.24 25. Because I called and you refused I stretched out my hand and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my counsel c. Here is the Spirit quenched and see how they strive to light it again but in vain Vers 28. They shall call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but shall not find me The sinner you see can quench the Spirit but he cannot kindle it Can the Ordinances kindle it again no neither Alas how should they when they have no life in themselves but what the Spirit puts into them Pray mind if you at any time quench the Spirit in your selves you do thereby quench it in all the Ordinances and then though the Word be otherwise the word of life yet it is but a dead letter when the Spirit is quenched None can kindle it again but God and he will not Where the sinner doth once totally extinguish it God will never light it again Thirdly If it once come to this you can never come to Christ never take up his Yoke For this is a work that can never be done without the help of the Spirit If he must help the Believers infirmities then sure he must cure the Sinners obstinacies there is a yoke to be broke off as well as a yoke to be put on corrupt habits to be extirpated or obedience to Christ can never be owned And this is a work that none but the Spirit of God can effect The yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing Isa 10.27 Though that be spoken of the Assyrians yoke yet it is typical of sins yoke which none can free thee from but the Spirit of Christ and therefore if the Spirit depart thou art undone there is no possibility of conversion to Christ thou art given up to a perpetual vassalage to sin and lust and to an hardned refusal of all the counsels of God and of all the ways of life So that upon all these accounts it is highly reasonable that every one of you should stoop to the Yoke of Christ betimes The Spirit of the Lord calls you to this the end of all his motions and strivings is to bring you to this And how little while he may strive you don 't know And if he once give over striving the work can never be done Here then you see the reason why every one should take up the Yoke of Christ in his youth because of the Call of God God the Father calls who made thee God the Son calls who redeemed thee God the Spirit calls who was sent to counsel and guide thee to regenerate and change thee to sanctifie and make thee meet for Glory And shall not the Call of God be obeyed This one thing will make it appear to be the most reasonable thing in the world viz. The Covenant you are entred into are not you entred into a Covenant with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost What is your Baptism but a token and pledge of it Hereby God hath owned you for his and hereby you are ingaged to be the Lord's And shall God take me into Covenant and shall I refuse to take up Christs Yoke This is that will destroy your Covenant-interest God expects that so soon as you come to years of understanding to know your interest and duty you should renew the Covenant of God upon your own Souls and take hold of it for your selves as your Parents did for you before Now wherein doth your personal entring into Covenant with God chiefly consist but in your taking up the Yoke of Christ Sure therefore this should be done betimes if you refuse this ye renounce your Covenant with God you cast your selves out by your unbelief and then God will cast you out Rom. 11.20 Because of unbelief they were broken off Secondly Consider what this Call is When you are called to take up the Yoke of Christ you are called from a state of sin and misery to a state of true blessedness from the vilest slavery and drudgery in the world to a work of the highest pleasure and delight Prov. 3.17 No greater pleasure than in duty and obedience where the heart is right with God You are called to holiness 1 Thess 4.7 God hath not called us to uncleanness but unto holiness And a life of holiness is the most desirable life in the world it is the life of God it is that life in which only a man can have communion with God for a man must partake of the nature and life of God that would have fellowship with God contrary natures can have no communion He will not take the wicked by the hand * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 8.20 Without holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 It is not meant only of seeing God in Heaven but in this world also for there is a seeing of God fiducially as well as beatifically Mat. 5.8 Heb. 11.27 and the one is as necessary to the present state as the other is to a state of Glory And he that doth not see God in this world shall never see him in the next Now that which fits for present Vision and Communion is holiness And your holiness lies in taking up the Yoke of Christ and conforming to the Law and Will of Christ This is that which you are called to Nay when you are called to take up Christ's Yoke you are therein called to partake of the glory and blessedness of Christ in Heaven For though this Call of God begins in Grace yet it ends in Glory There is a twofold end of Gods Call with respect to sinners the near and proximate end is the conversion of sinners to Christ and a life of obedience the remote and ultimate end is the bringing those to glory who are thus brought home by grace and therefore the Call of God is said to be to glory 1 Thess 2.12 who hath called you to his kingdom and glory And 2 Pet. 1.3 called us to glory and virtue To virtue as the means to glory as
you There is a general and a particular day of Grace The general day of Grace is when the Gospel is brought to a people and the Ministry of it set up by God whereby life and salvation is tendred to all in the blood of Jesus Christ The particular and special day of Grace is when the Gospel is not only preached and Salvation tendred but when the Spirit of the Lord doth accompany it and carry it home to the hearts of sinners sometimes inlightning their minds sometimes convincing their consciences sometimes working inward fears and terrors from a sense of their undone condition sometimes stirring up good affections and desires sometimes working them to strong purposes and resolutions to repent and turn and obey Now where the Spirit doth thus inwardly strive with any sinner that is his particular day of grace his special season of finding and obtaining mercy Seek the Lord while he may be found Isai 55.6 Now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 If ever a sinner be converted and brought into obedience to Jesus Christ this is the time And it is very dangerous to neglect or defer our closing with Christ for it is very uncertain how long or how little while the opportunity may be afforded Who knows when his day of grace begins or when it will end Job 14.5 As no man knows the number of his months so much less doth he know the length of his day of grace Acts 1.7 It is not for you as Christ says in another case to know the times and the seasons which the Father hath kept in his own power And the reason why God hides it from us may be because he would have us lose no opportunity of saving our Souls but imbrace the first tenders of mercy lest God should take our refusal and never tender it more If you repulse the Spirit of God when he knocks you have no promise that ever he will knock again and if he leaves off you are undone for ever The harvest is past the summer is ended and we are not saved Jer. 8.20 God will not wait long upon a lingring sinner he takes delays for denials and so departs and the day of grace ends Most certain it is that the day of grace may be sinned away and that whether you consider it in the general or particular notion of it First Take it in the general notion of it for the injoyment of the means of grace and the Ministry of the Word and Ordinances and this may cease God may deprive a people of a converting Ministry and converting Ordinances and may give them Statutes not good as he did to Israel Ezek. 20.24 25. Because they despised my statutes polluted my Sabbaths and their eyes were after their fathers idols therefore I gave them or gave them up to statutes that were not good and judgments whereby they should not live It is a judicial process of an offended God because of abused mercies they had the Statutes and Judgments and Ordinances of God which were just and good and tended to life as vers 21. But because they slighted these therefore he gave them up to the Statutes and superstitious Inventions of men which were not good but tended to death and destruction It is a dreadful judgment when for slighting and rebelling against the Statutes and Judgments of God he gives a person or a people up to Statutes and judgments that are not good And this seems to be the very judgment that God is giving this Nation up to at this day we have slighted the Yoke of Christ and therefore he is giving us up to the Yoke of Antichrist we have been weary of pure Worship and Ordinances and have been lusting after the Romish inventions and therefore the righteous God seems to be giving us up to them and saying to us as to that people v. 39. As for you O house of Israel thus saith the Lord God go ye serve ye every one his Idols When men will not stoop to nor owne those ways of Christ which are for their good it is just with God to give them up to those ways that are not for their good When men receive not the love of the truth that they may be saved for this cause God sends them strong delusions that they should believe a lye and be damned 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. And these are the Statutes that are not good and the judgments whereby they shall not live Sometimes he gives them up to a blind Ministry the sword of the Lord is upon the arm and the right eye of the Idol-shepherd insomuch that his arm is dried up and his right eye utterly darkned Zach. 11.17 He closeth the eyes of the Prophets and Rulers and Seers together with a spirit of deep sleep so that the vision of all is become as the words of a book sealed which neither unlearned nor learned can read Isai 29.10 11 12. Sometimes he gives them up to a profane and debauched Ministry The Priest and the Prophet have erred through strong drink they are swallowed up of wine through strong drink they erre in vision and stumble in judgment Isai 28.7 From the Prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land Jer. 23.15 They cause my people to erre by their lies and by their lightness v. 32. Sometimes he doth utterly take away his Ordinances and means of Grace Behold saith the Lord the days come that I will send a famine in the land not a famine of bread which yet is a sore judgment and makes the mother eat the child of a span long Lam. 2.20 nor a thirst for water for a draught whereof Lysimachus to save his life sold his Kingdom but of hearing the word of the Lord. Amos 8.11 And this was the judgment of God upon Israel We see not our signs there is no more any Prophet neither is there any among us that knoweth how long Psal 74.9 Amaziah and his Courtiers shall not need to pack away the Prophets and forbid them preaching nigh the Court as Amos 7.12 for God will as a woful Plague to an unworthy people remove them And Israel shall be without the true God and without a teaching Priest and without Law 2 Chron. 15.3 And this is what our Lord Christ so severely threatned Mat. 21.43 The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof And how sadly hath this word been accomplished upon them for sixteen hundred years together The seven Churches of Asia as also those of Africa that vast Continent thrice as big as Europe are sad instances of this It is plain then that the day of grace in regard of the injoyment of the Ordinances may be sinned away But Secondly The Sinners particular day of grace may be lost and sinned away he may not only sin away the Ordinances but the strivings of the Spirit too he may resist it till it is
was providing for her Saviour the other for her Soul and this was the most needful work Martha was cumber'd with much serving and this distracted her in her obedience which was the one thing needful It is more necessary to obey Christ than thus to serve him First It it necessary by a necessity of Precept that which is first pressed should be most chiefly endeavoured and that is the business of Religion First seek ye the kingdom of God and his righteousness Mat. 6.33 First before any thing else and first more than any thing else The Lord Christ here takes their hearts off from worldly cares by setting them upon a more necessary duty for as the body is more than raiment Mat. 6.25 so is the Soul more than the body hence that of our Lord Joh. 6.27 Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that meat which endureth to everlasting life God is a supreme Lord to whom we all owe obedience and this puts a must upon us as to duty so it did upon Christ himself I must work the works of him that sent me Joh. 9.4 This laid that necessity upon the Apostle 1 Cor. 9.16 Necessity is laid me It is necessary God should be obeyed whatever his precepts are his charge must be kept and his will fulfilled for he is Lord of all he is not only a Saviour but a Law-giver and therefore obedience is as necessary as trust and dependance Secondly It is necessary by a necessity of means He that would arrive at a designed end must pursue it by due and proper means Eternal life and salvation is the end which the great God propounds to all he would have all men to be saved 1 Tim. 2.4 But how by an absolute Decree No though many argue thus blindly If God hath decreed me to Salvation I shall be saved let me live how I list God never made any such Decree he hath as much decreed the means as the end conversion and subjection to Christ are as much decreed as Salvation and eternal life So that no man can be saved in an unregenerate state what can be more positive and plain than that of our Lord Christ Joh. 3.3 Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God He doth not say he is not like to see the Kingdom of God or he shall not see the Kingdom of God but he cannot see the Kingdom of God The Salvation of that man that cleaves to his lusts and refuses obedience to Jesus Christ is morally impossible he must perish and that upon a twofold necessity 1. A natural necessity For it is impossible that the holy God and unholy Sinners can dwell together Did God burn up Sodom and Gomorrha drown the old World cast Adam and Eve out of Paradise and the Angels out of Heaven for their sins and will he lay thee in his bosom in thy enmity and filth Darkness and light may as soon incorporate and contraries subsist together nay God may as soon change his nature and cease to be what he is as save a man in his sins and disobedience It is contrary to his Holiness Psal 101.7 if holy David would not suffer wicked persons to dwell in his house can we think the holy God will ever suffer them to dwell in Heaven 2. There is a legal necessity that he that continues in his lusts and unregeneracy must perish and that because of the Will and Law of God As God wills the Salvation of all that will turn to God and obey him so he wills the damnation of all that will not but hold fast their lusts and refuse to return As he hath made a Law that whoever will come to Christ and take up his Yoke shall find rest to his Soul and shall live for ever so he hath declared it as peremptorily that he that slights Christ and will not hearken to him and obey him shall be utterly cut off he shall perish in his enmity it shall be worse with him than with Sodom and Gomorrha he shall perish under the forest of punishments Heb. 10.29 And therefore there is as great a necessity that such should perish as there is that God should be true to his word for it is gone out of his mouth in righteousness and cannot return If God says 1 Cor. 6.9 No unrighteous thing shall inherit the kingdom of God why then the wicked must be shut out If God says He that believes not shall be damned Mar. 16.16 then damnation must be the portion of Unbelievers If God says Christ shall come in flaming fire taking vengeance on all that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of Christ 2 Thess 1.8 then the disobedient must be the objects of his eternal vengeance If Christ says He that denies me before men I will deny him before my Father which is in heaven Mat. 10.33 then it is impossible that he who doth not obey his commands should have any benefit by his Intercession For God will never repeal any of those righteous Laws he hath made concerning good and evil Saints and Sinners Heaven and Hell Salvation and Damnation And if so what will be the end of them that obey not the Gospel 1 Pet. 4.17 What will become of those rebels that hold a counsel together against the Lord and his Christ that they may break their bands-asunder and cast their cords from them Psal 2.2 3. There is therefore the same necessity of Holiness as there is of Salvation Many think they may be saved without it live as they list and yet injoy God at last But what says the Scripture Without holiness no man shall ever see the Lord Heb. 12.14 There is the same necessity of taking upon you the Yoke of Christ as there is of injoying the presence of Christ Is the eternal happiness of the Soul necessary then so must the bearing Christs Yoke be for this is the means to the end non pervenitur ad finem nisi per media It doth not merit Heaven but it is the way to Heaven It is that which qualifies for glory Heaven is the purchase of Christs Blood a purchased possession Heb. 9.12 Eph. 1.14 but how can you hope for the benefit of his Blood if you do not stoop to his Yoke He is the Author of eternal salvation to them that obey him Heb. 5.9 Slight Christ and you ruine your Souls We will not have this man to reign over us Luk. 19.14 And what is the fruit of it Christ will take you for the enemies of his Kingdom and Government and will deal with you as such Those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me v. 27. O Sirs do ye know what ye do when ye despise and reject the Laws and Soveraignty of Christ You despise his Mercy ye dare his Justice you slight his Love ye trample his Blood under foot ye render
the faith 2 Tim. 4.7 8. there is his obedience henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness there is his confidence Remisness in obedience makes a waste upon our Faith let duty be omitted or lust indulged and Faith languishes and needs it must for sin in the conversation breeds doubts in the condition and it is as natural to do so as it is for a wound to cause pain Could a man obey without swerving he might believe without doubting the strictest holiness is usually attended with the sweetest peace and the highest assurance Isai 32.17 The work of righteousness shall be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever And therefore when any pretend to strong hope in God and talk of their comfort in the Promises and great assurance and yet are careless and remiss in their walking with God and slack in their obedience those pretences are much to be suspected and the state of that man to be questioned For sin doth as naturally breed fear and distrust as obedience doth hope and peace How can a man hope in God when he doth not observe him or expect mercy when he provokes him to wrath by neglect of duty Therefore Satan doth two works at once when he tempts us to the practice of sin he stains our Souls and he weakens our trust He makes us fail in duty and doubt of mercy for sin leaves a guilt and guilt causes fear and the more our fear the less our faith as the one strengthens the other weakens they are like the two Buckets of a Well as one goes up the other goes down That sin that lessens our respect to the precept will proportionably weaken our faith in the Promise a man can never be much in dependance that is little in obedience Therefore duty is necessary for the maintaining our trust in God the Soul never attains to true rest but by taking up Christs Yoke Mat. 11.29 That is one branch of the reason why it is the concernment of every one to take up the Yoke of Christ in his youth because it is good It is a necessary good I have shewed you in six particulars the necessity of it It is necessary by virtue of the Precept Necessary as a means to the great End Necessary to preserve the rectitude of Nature Necessary to adjust our interest in Christ Necessary to manifest our gratitude to a Redeemer Necessary for the stablishing our Faith in the Promises of God Now that which is a good of so great necessity ought to be our greatest concernment we should mind it more than what is not so there are many things that are not necessary it is not necessary we should be rich or great in the world or that we should be gay and gawdy in our dresses or that we should have the cap and knee of by-standers or that we should wallow in pleasures and delights it will not be a pin to chuse e're long what part we have acted here when the Scepter and the Spade shall have one common grave and Royal dust shall be blended with the beggars ashes but it is necessary we should be born again it is necessary we should be acquainted with God and make him our portion it is necessary we should submit to the Yoke of Christ and owne his commands and live to the Lord there is nothing necessary but this Therefore we ought to make it our business to come under this Yoke betimes Secondly Subjection to the Yoke of Christ is a profitable good And there is no argument of greater prevalency than that which is taken ab utili A man will do any thing that he is convinced is for his benefit therefore God quickens us to a holy life by the consideration of our own benefit 1 Tim. 6.6 Godliness is great gain Though God by virtue of his Soveraignty over us might have imposed what commands he pleased without the least injustice yet so gracious he is that he hath not acted by Soveraignty but with a respect to our advantage Not one command of God but the interest of the Creature is greatly promoted by it The most thrifty course a man can take in this world is to come under the Yoke of Christ betimes Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding for the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver and the gain thereof than fine gold she is more precious than rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her Length of days is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour Prov. 3.13 14 15 16. Religion is looked on by many with an evil eye upon this very account as standing in the way of their profit and as being an enemy to their particular advantages What profit shall we have if we pray to the Almighty Job 21.15 Most men follow Christ for the Loaves Joh. 6.26 no penny no Pater noster no profit no prayer Ye have said it is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances Mal. 3.14 They look upon the service of Christ as a very poor trade and thriftless imployment whereas it is a business of the greatest benefit Nothing tends so much to our advantage as a life of godliness and obedience As for instance 1. Is that profitable which sanctifieth every condition to a man This Religion doth To the pure all things are pure Tit. 1.15 Religion sanctifies the heart and affections and all things are sanctified to a sanctified heart 2. Is that profitable which is beneficial to a man in all his circumstances So is Religion If a man abound with the good things of the present life Religion is of admirable advantage to direct the uses and injoyment to guard the heart from its snares by keeping the mind humble under it and setting the affections above it Phil. 4.12 It teaches how to be full and abound how to do good how to make friends of Mammon It makes outward prosperity to forward and promote our eternal interest by applying it to serve the honour of God and others necessities as well as our own If a man be poor Religion is no less useful to befriend a man in this case by teaching contentment with a little Phil. 4.11 by working the heart to a full resignedness to the will of God Phil. 4.12 by teaching how to want and suffer need by setting the heart upon things of a nobler nature and more necessary concernment upon God and heavenly things by fixing the Souls dependance upon those promises made to godliness which do as surely intitle a man to present sufficiencies 1 Tim. 4.8 as to eternal rewards So that when the needy sinner carks and cares murmurs and repines robs and deceives for a supply of his wants the good man having a sure interest in God rests confidently upon the never failing supplies
he gives peace who can make trouble Job 34.29 All the world cannot give peace to a troubled Conscience Eccles 10.19 Solomon says Money answers all things But it can never answer the doubts and distresses of Conscience It is God that speaks peace there Psal 85.8 Thirdly To distinguish it from the worlds peace which is a carnal peace an outward peace a false peace but the peace God gives is a true peace an inward and spiritual peace John 14.27 2. It fills a man with the most lasting peace Therefore Solomon calls it a continual feast Prov. 15.15 Not a feast for a day as Nabals was Judg. 14.12 nor for seven days as Samsons was nor for an hundred and eighty days as that of Ahasuerus was Esth 1.4 but a continual feast without intermission and without end A Heathen could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A good man is always feasting he hath the continual entertainment and delight of a quiet Conscīence He may meet with many troubles and sorrows and afflictions but his peace and joy shall out-live them all His estate may be wasted his name reproached his body burned but his peace and joy cannot be touched It lyes out of the world's reach It is from Heaven and will abide in the Soul till it be consummated by the testimony of Christ in that heart-ravishing Sentence Well done good and faithful servant Mat. 25.21 enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Thus subjection and obedience to the Yoke of Christ appears to be a pleasant good whether ye look to the matter of his service or to the state in which this service is commanded or to the sweetness with which it is attended And thus you have the truth of it made out positively Secondly That the Yoke of Christ is matter of pleasure and delight may be made out comparatively 1. Compare it with the Yoke of the Law either Ceremonial or Moral First Compare it with the Yoke of the Ceremonial Law and Christs Yoke is much easier than that And this will appear If you look to the observances and impositions of one and the other How numerous and chargeable were the observances of that Law how many and how costly were their Sacrifices Some were gratulatory appointed to express their grateful sense of mercies received these you read of Lev. 7.12 c. Some were expiatory these were appointed to atone for sin to pacifie Gods anger to remove guilt and divert judgment and how many and various were they Some were to be of the herd as oxen and heisers some of the flock as sheep and lambs goats and kids Some of fowl as turtle-doves and pigeons Some were to be of what grew out of the earth as corn and wine oyl and spices And of these some were burnt-offerings some meat-offerings some sin-offerings some trespass-offerings And some of them were to be offered but once a year Levit. 16. Exod. 12. Levit. 23.16 Numb 29.12 Numb 28.11 Num. 28.9 Num. 28.3 4 5. some at their solemn Feasts as the Passover Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles Some every New-moon some every Sabbath day some were to be offered every day and that both morning and evening as the daily Sacrifice and some according to special occasions which were very many for if any man did but touch an unclean thing he must come and offer a Sacrifice From all which numerous observances that Yoke of Moses must needs be very burdensom if we now were for every sin to offer a Bullock or a Lamb what a burden should we account it if Conscience did not make sin a burden the charge and expence would and so it did to the Jews therefore it is called a Yoke and that a heavy one Acts 15.10 A yoke which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear In calling these things a yoke too heavy to be born it shews their observance of them was more because God commanded them than because of any intrinsecal good that was in them They bore the Yoke till God took it off but it was a very heavy Yoke But the Yoke of Christ is easie on this account his commands are few and facil not burdensom but beneficial as really our priviledge as our duty And therefore the Apostle Paul comparing the state of the Church then with what it is under the Gospel calls it Bondage Gal. 4.3 when we were children we were in bondage under the elements of the world By the Elements of the world the carnal Sacrifices and Ceremonies of the Law are intended by which as by first rudiments God did then instruct the Church in its minority And accordingly he calls the state of the Gospel-Church a state of freedom Gal. 5.1 Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not intangled again with the yoke of bondage O how sweet and easie is the service of the Gospel The Covenant of Grace is made with us without those burdens and bonds which became their bondage what a motive should this be to a willing and chearful obedience Christ hath therefore made us free that we should serve him freely Our freedom from bondage by the liberty of the Gospel should strengthen our bonds to all Gospel-obedience Secondly Compare the Yoke of Christ with the Yoke of the Moral Law as a Covenant of Works and it will appear far more easie if you consider five things First The Law requires very difficult service but contributes no assistance so that a mans work is above his strength and where duty is great and strength little it becomes a burden intolerable If a man should be set to remove a mountain to fetch a Star from Heaven to keep out the Tide of the Sea how impossible would this be So is obedience to the Law in our present state of impotency and hence it becomes a bondage and burden Why is the Land of Egypt called the house of bondage to Israel but because they were required to make the same tale of brick without straw as before they did when straw was provided for them So the Law requires the same obedience of fallen man in a state of weakness as it did of innocent Adam in his full strength But in the Gospel-Covenant there is no duty injoyned but there is a power of performance vouchsafed and no commandment can be grievous where the assistance is suitable to the service That one command of believing is in it self more difficult than any precept of the Law Eph. 2.8 but if faith be the gift of God then how easie is it to believe whatever God wills is easie to be done when he himself works in us to will and to do Phil. 2.13 This makes the Yoke of Christ easie that there is power conveyed with the precept jubet juvat It is with us as with the man that lay at the gate of the Temple who had been lame from the womb Peter commands him in the name of Jesus to rise
Job 7.20 21. I am a burden to my self why dost thou not pardon my transgression and take away mine iniquity And there must needs be a sweetness in that which easeth the Soul of such a burden as sin is Thirdly It is that which renders all sin remissible Repentance and forgiveness always go together true repentance shall ever find forgiveness and this makes repentance very sweet and pleasant in that it renders all sin remissible Where-ever the Lord gives a heart to repent there he hath a heart to pardon So that a Soul that doth unfeignedly repent of all sin may be assured of the forgiveness of all sin Some call repentance a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bitter-sweet It is a stormy voyage but hath a rich return At the entrance it is like our Saviours draught of vinegar and gall but the conclusion is like the end of Jonathans rod dipt in a honey-comb 2. Another duty is Mortification of Sin and this seems a very difficult duty And indeed to flesh and blood it is so What to cut off the right hand and pluck out the right eye This is a hard saying But yet to a regenerate Soul it hath real pleasure and sweetness in it And needs it must if you consider First The enmity that is between the new heart and fleshly lusts There is not a greater enmity and contrariety between any things in the world than between these two Light and darkness Heaven and Hell are not more contrary And from this contrariety of the Spirit to the flesh there is a constant lusting against it Gal. 5.17 The spirit that is the new nature lusts against the flesh And what is this lusting but a desire and endeavour to subdue and destroy lust and corruption within Enmity delights in opposition What greater pleasure than to conquer and get the better of an enemy The reason why the mortification of sin is grievous is because of the friendship that is between the heart and lust Did we look on it as an enemy as it is the greatest in the world the subduing of it would be a pleasure Secondly If you consider the mischievous design that is carried on by sin And what is that but to destroy the Soul Nothing less can satisfie lust than the life of the Soul What is said of the Harlot Prov. 6.26 that she hunts for the precious life is true of every lust which is therefore said to war against the soul 1 Pet. 2.11 against the grace of the Soul against the comfort of the Soul and against the life of the Soul Therefore he that loves his Soul cannot but take pleasure in mortifying of lust which hunts for the life of it Thirdly It is pleasant as it establishes a firm peace in the Conscience That is the truest pleasure which ministers most peace and quiet to Conscience He that gratifies lust offends against the quiet of Conscience but he that mortifies sin consults its peace and comfort Fourthly It is pleasant as a means to the end Our eternal life depends upon the mortifying our lusts Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live No mortification no Salvation If there be no cutting off right hand lusts there can be no standing at the right hand of Christ Now we say Finis dat amabilitatem mediis The goodness of the end puts a loveliness into the means How delightful then must the mortifying of sin be whenas the life of the Soul is secured by it 3. Another difficulty is bearing the Cross Many can follow Christ till they come within sight of the Cross but can go no farther Like the stony ground Professor who endures for a while but when persecution arises because of the word by and by he is offended Mat. 13.21 But where the kingdom of God is come with power into the heart the Soul takes pleasure in the very Cross of Christ I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake 2 Cor. 12.10 And it is said of the Apostles Acts 5.41 They rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name And thus I have made it out to you that obedience to Christ is matter of real pleasure and that three ways 1 positively 2 comparatively 3 by a collation of instances I have instanced in the most difficult duties of Religion and have made it out that there is a real pleasure in them and if in them then in all So that Religions worst is better than sins best the worst of Christs Yoke is easier than the easiest of sins bonds As the Apostle says 1 Cor. 1.25 The foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men so the most unpleasant of Christs ways are more sweet and delightful than the most pleasant of sins ways can be and therefore it is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth CHAP. VIII Some Objections against early Obedience answered NOW in the next place I shall endeavour to remove the stumbling blocks which Satan and a corrupt mind are wont to lay in the way of young ones to hinder their complying with this duty of taking up the Yoke of Christ betimes by answering such objections as are usually made against it Object 1. The first stumbling block I shall name and endeavour to remove is about the unchangeable Decrees of God Hath not God say some immutably fixed the eternal condition of every man Hath he not chosen such as shall be saved and passed by the rest And who can resist his Will or alter his Counsels which have been from everlasting If God hath elected me to eternal life his purposes shall stand they can never be disannulled My sin can never frustrate Gods Election and therefore my Salvation is sure And on the other hand if God hath shut me out of Heaven by the fatal Decree of his Preterition all my duties and indeavours can never reach to reverse the Decree And therefore these arguments for taking up the Yoke of Christ betimes are of little force and to little purpose Now in answer to this Objection I would say these five things Answ 1. We are not to look to the Decree of God for a rule of life but to the Word of God It is not what his secret purpose is so much as what his revealed Will is Secret things belong to the Lord but revealed things to us and to our children for ever that we may do all the words of this Law Deut. 29.29 The Decree can neither be a rule of life nor a ground of hope but the Precept and the Promise So far as the Precept is our guide the Promise will be our incouragement He that sins against the Gospel and rejects the Yoke of Christ no Decree can save him and he that gives up himself to conform in heart and life to the will
glad for great is your reward in heaven Matt. 5.11 12. 8. You that are ashamed to owne Jesus Christ and his ways and to put on his Yoke because of the scoffs and jeers of an ungodly World I pray think seriously on that word of Christ Mark 8.38 Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him shall the Son be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels CHAP. IX More Objections against early Obedience answered Object 6. ANother stumbling block that hinders young Ones from taking up the Yoke of Christ is the diversity of opinions and the many differences which are found among the professors of Religion I would take up the Yoke of Christ if I knew which was the right way But how shall I that am young be able to judge one is for this way another is for that one says lo here is Christ another says lo he is there Matt. 24.23 and Christ says believe them not One pleads for this Doctrine another for that a third denys both One is for this way of Worship another for that another is neither for this nor that but above all So that I see whom to avoid but I see not whom to follow Therefore till Professors are agreed it is better to be of no side Answ I confess it is a great advantage which Satan takes to prejudice young ones against Religion by the differences that are among the professors of Religion But I would have such consider five things 1. A man may with as much reason disclaim the light of the Sun because the Dials differ about the time of the Day as disclaim Religion because of mens differing opinions about it What is it in this World that men differ not about all men differ in their reasonings shall I therefore abandon my reason and become a brute all mens faces differ shall I therefore renounce humanity because all are not of one complexion all mens appetites and palates differ shall I therefore refuse my meat till all palates relish one thing because men differ in their fashions shall I therefore cast off the use of rayment till all come to the same garb how foolish and absurd is this and is it not the same because some men differ in some things of Religion therefore to cast off all Religion 2. Is this any new thing hath it not been so in all ages of the Church if therefore Religion had been disclaimed till the minds of all men had been united in the profession of it it had long ere this been shut out of the World The Scripture tells you there must be heresies 1 Cor. 11.19 it doth not say only there will be heresies importing the certainty of them but there must be heresies importing the necessity of them And we have a double reason render'd for this in the Word First That they which are approved may be made manifest 1 Cor. 11.19 they are the touchstone of sincerity God loves to try the sincerity of his Peoples Graces this being the glory of every Christian and a disposition highly pleasing to God Were there but one opinion in matters of Faith one way of Worship among all Christians to owne this would be no great matter but to owne and cleave to the truths of God against all the errours that oppose them to stick to the pure Worship of God against all the humane Devisings and Antichristian Impositions of men this shews the power of faith the zeal of love the greatness of self-denial and the uprightness of the heart in all As the Stars shine brightest in the darkest night so do the Graces of the Saints who are the lights of the world appear in their greatest lustre under the darkness of false Worship and errour That is one reason why there must be heresies Secondly Another is this for the detecting and insnaring of false hearted hypocrites Hereby unsound Professors are discovered errour and heresie have a great hand in detecting hypocrisie This is a time of temptation in which they fall away Matt. 13. So did they 1 John 2.19 They went out from us there 's the discovery but they were not of us there 's their hypocrisie for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us And as errours and heresies serve to discover unsound professors so also to insnare and destroy them for there are damning opinions as well as damning practices When men of bad lives and worse hearts grow weary of the power of truth God suffers corrupt Doctrines to spring up that may gratifie their lusts and suit their vicious inclinations and in a fond compliance herewith truth suffers lust thrives and the soul perishes This is the very reason rendered why God at the first appearing of Antichrist in the World gave men up to his damning delusions Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lye that they all may be damned who have not believed the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thess 2. 10 11 12. Thirdly Consider from whence these differences do arise not from Religion it self which is in all matters of faith and practice direct and certain the rule which is the word of God is the same to all and gives perfect directions to guide us to life and blessedness The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple the statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart Psal 19.7 8. And therefore the differences that are found among the professors of Religion are either from the different measures of knowledge to which Christians have attained or from their different capacities or else which is worse from the Pride and Lusts of some of its professors that will dare to be wise above what is written setting their posts by Gods posts and teaching for Doctrine the Commandments of men would men but allow Christ to be head of the Church and sole Lord of Conscience and receive the word at his mouth and stoop to his Authority and not set up their wills and inventions for a rule of Worship the most of our differences would be at an end Fourthly All differences in Religion are not inconsistent with Salvation indeed errours in the fundamental Principles of Godliness are damning and therefore all sincere Christians shall be kept from falling into such errour they have received the spirit of truth to guide them into all truth necessary to salvation John 16.13 but it is possible that good men may fall into many errours you read of some that hold the foundation who yet build wood and hay and stubble upon it yet these shall be saved as holding the foundation though their works shall
here all the day idle and they answer because no man hath hired us but as soon as he calls they come Do you come in and believe in Christ at the first call as the Thief here did if God calls not till the eleventh hour he that comes in at the eleventh hour comes in good time but he that is called at the first or third hour may come too late if he puts it off till the eleventh if thou darest sinfully say it is too soon to day it may be God may judicially say it is too late to morrow And therefore this instance of the Thief on the Cross is most ignorantly and impertinently urged which doth no way reach the case of impenitent sinners under Gospel Grace and the daily and loud calls of God The Thief never put off the work of repentance and conversion that we find to the last hour this thou dost The Thief never purposed to repent hereafter that he might thereby the better enjoy his lusts at present this thou dost The Thief came into Christ at the first call but thou hast been often called and yet hast refused to come and therefore what is this instance to thee it doth not at all concern thy case it is falsly urged and vainly pleaded And therefore instead of incouraging thy self from this single instance of the Thiefs being at last hour received to mercy thou shouldst consider and tremble at that dreadful threatning of God against such as slight and stand out against the calls and offers of mercy Prov. 1. from the 24. verse to the last Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh And vers 28. They shall call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me And vers 32. The turning away of the simple shall slay them that is their turning away from the calls of God and offers of Grace will be their Condemnation at the last And therefore remember this it is seldome if ever that any adventure so near the brink of Hell as to put off repentance and closing with Christ to the last hour thinking to come off safe but that they drop in at the last CHAP. X. Wherein the reasons of slighting Christ are inquired into and the evil of it aggravated USE of reproof to such as delay and put off the putting on Christs Yoke O what folly is this and yet there is nothing more natural Few there are that do downright refuse Christ but many there are that put him off till hereafter from one time to another from childhood to youth from youth to manhood from manhood to old age from old age to the death bed till there is no room left for this great work They while away one season after another till the season of Grace is past and gone In the managing this use I will do three things 1. Inquire into the causes why men deal thus with Christ 2. Charge the sinner with such aggravations of this evil as may set home the reproof 3. Propound some Considerations for a thorough conviction First Let us inquire into the causes why men deal thus with Christ whence is it that any do refuse his Yoke break his bonds and cast his cords from him It may be reduced to these five heads chiefly First Ignorance This is one cause of all the slights that are put upon Christ this our Lord Christ intimates in that passage to the Samaritan woman John 4.10 If thou knewest the gift of God A Soul that hath a right knowledge of Christ cannot but owne him and bow to him They that know thy name will trust in thee Psal 9.10 Knowledge begets love and love begets obedience If you did but know Christ his undertakings for you his relation to you his dominion over you you would not thus reject his Yoke and despise his Command It is your blindness that is the reason of your disobedience What is thy beloved more than another beloved Cant. 5.9 In 1 Cor. 2.8 the Apostle charges all their contemptuous carriage to Christ upon their ignorance whom none of the Princes of this world knew for had they known it they would not have crucifyed the Lord of glory Did you know Christ you would not refuse his call nor reject his Yoke Oh how many that are accounted men of understanding and parts and esteemed the wits of the age yet are grosly ignorant of the mystery of Christ and the Gospel and so Rom. 1.22 professing themselves wise they become fools The God of this world hath blinded their minds left the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine into them 2 Cor. 4.4 Secondly It is from that root of unbelief that grows in every carnal heart men don't believe the things of the invisible world the Glory to be revealed or the Misery threatned and the necessity of Faith and Holiness for the securing the one and avoiding the other and that is the reason The Apostle says 2 Cor. 5.7 we walk by faith and not by sight but the generality of men walk by sight not by faith their hearts are fixed upon present things 2 Pet. 1.9 they cannot see afar off Did men believe that sinful pleasures will end in eternal torments that the lusts of the flesh cannot be indulged at any easier rate than the loss of the Soul that there is no relief from the bondage and burden of sin but by a Saviour and that he is a Saviour to none whom he does not rule Heb. 5.9 to none but them that obey him you would hearken to his call and come under his Yoke Psal 17.14 2 Tim. 4.10 Most men are men of this world as David calls them they are for a portion in this life Demas hath imbraced this present world and there is no greater token of a carnal unbelieving heart than for a man to fix upon a present happiness when God hath propounded an eternal felicity in another world The good man is for the Yoke of Christ here and a Crown hereafter the unbeliever is for present ease and satisfaction and therefore takes up with the pleasures of sin that are but for a season Heb. 11.25 3. It is from that general unconcernedness that is in men about the matters of the world to come Amos. 6.3 They put far from them the evil day and things at a distance don't affect us they are like the discharging a gun a great way off we hear the report without concernedness but the same set to our breasts and discharg'd would make us tremble A clap of thunder in a remote part of the Heavens doth not startle us so much as when it is just over our heads Next to the want of a
the case is not the same for we are bound to answer Gods precepts but he is not bound to answer our requests and yet we make him tarry our sinful leisure in the business of duty though we think much to tarry his holy leisure in the case of mercy Secondly It is down-right disobedience he that delays a duty transgresses the precept and slights the divine Authority The season is as much a part of the command as the thing commanded If God says return ye now every one from his evil way Jer. 18.11 the now is as much a duty as the returning If the Father says to his Son go work to day in my vineyard Matt. 21.28 it is flat disobedience to defer it till to morrow for the time of working is as much a duty as the work it self Thirdly It is the highest ingratitude for Christ did not adjourn his love to us one day his heart was to us from everlasting I was set up from everlasting rejoycing in the habitable parts of the earth and my delights were with the sons of men Prov. 8.23.31 He gave himself in the Covenant of Redemption to dye for sin and redeem sinners from the first day that sin entred And therefore he is said to be a lamh slain from the foundadation of the world Revel 13.8 Though he came not to dye actually till the fullness of time Galat. 4.4 yet in the decree of God the Father and in the consent of God the Son he was a Saviour from the beginning and his Blood was as efficacious to Salvation before ever it was shed as after he was a Saviour and Redeemer from the first entrance of sin Adam Noah Abraham and all the Saints that lived before his Incarnation were saved by his Blood as well as we His love bears date from everlasting and it breaks forth very early in the overt acts of it to particular persons Christ begins with sinners betimes who knows how soon puts upon many of them a federal holiness betimes seals them for his betimes puts his spirits into them betimes and calls them to an actual close with him betimes it is hard to say how soon but it appears to be very early in that many have been converted from their very childhood as Samuel and Timothy and others O the earliness of the love of Christ and shall we adjourn our obedience as if we were afraid of closing with him too soon he took up our burden betimes and shall we delay the taking up his Yoke for the last work of our lives This is great ingratitude Fourthly It is manifest injustice and a fraudulent detaining of Christs right For whose you are his your strength and service is and are ye not the Lords hath he not redeemed you and that both by price at the hands of God and by power out of the hands of Satan ye are the redeemed of the Lord and therefore you are his your time is his your gifts and parts are his your affections are his your estates are his your strength is his your youth is his your body and soul are his your all is his and therefore not to give up your selves body and soul to him not to love and fear and serve him is a crying injustice Nay to delay it one day one moment is to deny him his right Many boast of their honesty they are just to all and wrong none yes you wrong your redeemer you are unjust to Jesus Christ and that is the highest injustice in the world To delay any man in that which is his right is a great sin the wages of the hireling must be paid at the day and it must be done before the sun be set Deut. 24.14 15. It is a maxim in the Law minus solvit qui minus tempore solvit not to pay at the time is to pay the less because there is so much advantage for improvement lost Is it such a sin to detain a servants right what is it then to detain our Lords right must we not withhold wages for a servants work till the sun be set and yet dare we withhold doing our Lords work till the sun of our lives is setting O what base injustice is this Fifthly It is altogether unreasonable there is no man living can give a reason to excuse him from this duty You cannot say it is the wrong way to Heaven for it is the way the Lord Christ hath directed and chalked out You cannot say it is a needless Yoke for there is no Salvation without taking it upon you You cannot say it is a dangerous Yoke for it hath salvation certainly intailed upon it You cannot say it is a fruitless Yoke Matt. 11.28 for it yields perfect peace and lasting joy to all that come under it You cannot say it is an impossible Yoke for as you have the command of Christ to undertake it so you have the promise of Christ to help and inable you to bear it So that you cannot give one reason why you should neglect it and therefore he that refuses to take it up is without excuse Whoever remains graceless in a day of Grace will be found speechless in the Day of Judgement Matt. 22.12 Sixthly It is downright madness for you refuse Heaven because you will not be holy You will rather lose the eternal injoyment of God than be made like God You will rather chuse to perish under the wrath of Christ than you will consent to come under the Yoke of Christ You will be contented to be damned so you may go a pleasant way to Hell And is not this madness to the height to chuse rather to perish eternally than be tied to love and serve your maker and redeemer O what a base and low opinion have you of God and Heaven how can ye degrade and dishonour him more If a man should publish it as his opinion that darkness is better than light that Hell is rather to be chosen than Heaven that he had rather be in an everlasting society with Devils and damned Spirits than with God and Christ in the glory above what would you say of such a one but that he talked like a mad man why then reflect upon your selves a little for mutato nomine do teâ— Fabula narratur you that prefer the pleasures of sin to the service of Christ that will renounce your part in God and Christ and eternal happiness to satisfie a base lust that will stake your Souls for a few minutes of sinful delights can any man be guilty of greater madness do ye know what ye do or what ye speak when ye say in your hearts this lust shall reign but Christ shall not reign let us break his bonds Psal 2.3 and cast his cords far away from us this is treason against the Crown of Heaven your Blood Luk. 19.27 your Life your Soul must go for this Those mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring them out and
slay them before me The Lord open your eyes that you may see the madness of this for most true is that of Solomon concerning sinners Madness is in their heart while they live and after that they go to the dead Eccles 9.3 Thirdly Now having shewed you the causes why so many do neglect taking up the Yoke of Christ and laid before you the aggravations of the sin let me lay down but three considerations if the hardness of your heart will suffer you to take them in First Consider what you will answer to Christ for slighting his Yoke do ye believe there is such a day coming wherein the Lord Christ will sit in judgment upon every Soul and in which every one must give an account of himself to God if ye do not ye do not owne the Bible ye do not believe the Scriptures to be the word of God for there is no truth more plainly attested in the Scriptures than this See Acts 17.31 Rom. 2.5 6. and chap. 14.10 11 12. 2 Corinth 5. 10.2 Thess 1.8 9 10. Heb. 9.27 James 5.9 Revel 20. 12 13. and many places more And if ye do believe a judgment to come pray tell me what you think the business of that day will be will it not be to take an account how you and I have carried it to Christ God hath sent him into the world to dye for sinners 2 Tim. 1.10 to bring life and immortality to light through the Gospel to fix the terms and conditions of life and salvation and these terms are subjection and obedience to Jesus Christ and his commands as King and Lord and the business of that day will be to take an account what complyance we have made with these terms not whether we have professed him and outwardly owned him but whether we have closed with him upon the conditions of the Gospel Now you that have refused or neglected taking up the Yoke of Christ how will you answer it to Christ in that dreadful Day 1. Will you say you were not called that you cannot for God hath called you many ways many of you have had calls by your Parents in a Godly education calls by instruction calls by counsel calls by correction calls by Godly examples many of you have been called by being placed in religious families under Godly Masters or Godly Tutors and Governours Mic. 6.9 Many of you have been called by afflictions by the voice of the rod of God all of you have been called by the dispensation of the Gospel for what is the work of Ministers but to call you to Christ to take up his Yoke Will you say you were too young that you can't for others as young as you have heard his call and obeyed taking up his Yoke betimes Besides it is your duty to make it your first work Matt. 6.33 Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness Will you say you have present concernments that must first be attended to that you cannot for there is nothing in the World of so great concernment as this Besides God hath made a promise of all other things to Godliness for this very reason that we might be incouraged to an early practice of it and to leave the neglecters of it without excuse Matt. 6.33 1 Tim. 4.8 Psal 84.11 Will you say you expected a longer time in the World for this work but how could that be why should you expect what God never promised or why should God lengthen your days for you to spend in the service of your lusts you that would not repent of sin and turn to Christ in the time that God gave you for that purpose neither would you have done it if the Lord had lengthened your life to the age of Methuselah Therefore your mouth will be stopped Matt. 22.12 and you found speechless in that dreadful Day of account Secondly Consider you that will not come under the Yoke of Christ must come under the wrath of Christ You shake off this you cannot shake off that There is a two-fold dispensation of wrath to these Sons of Belial one in this World the other in the World to come 1. That in this World lies in giving them up to their own corrupt wills and lusts of their own hearts And this is wrath to the uttermost as it is call'd 1 Thes 2.16 There can be no greater expression of Gods wrath in this world than to give a man up to his own lusts And when a man sits under Gospel-seasons and hath sin disovered Christ tendred faith and obedience pressed upon him and yet will not hearken to the voice of God herein nor leave his lusts for Christ that man is very near to this judgment See Psal 81.11.12 My people would not hearken to my voice Israel would none of me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own counsels This is a dispensation of wrath in this world 2. There is a dispensation of wrath in the next world and that lies in the pouring out of eternal vengeance Now I pray consider this you can refuse present obedience but can ye refuse eternal vengeance you may say I will not come under Christ's Yoke but can you say I will not come under his wrath You read of some that call for the mountains to fall on them and hide them from the wrath of the lamb Revel 6.16 but all in vain How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Heb. 2.3 mark if we neglect he doth not say if we reject and renounce it if we scoff at and deride it if we oppose and persecute it no but if we neglect it the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same as in Matt. 22.5 They made light of it If we make light of let slip shift off take no present care of our salvation what then how shall we escape that is there can be no escaping the wrath of God It is somewhat like that expression Rom. 2.3 Thinkest thou this O man that thou shalt escape the judgment of God Thirdly Consider where will you lay the blame of your destruction you can't lay it upon God for he gave Christ to redeem and save you You can't lay it upon Christ for he would have gathered you Matt. 23.37 and you would not he never cast you off till you cast him off You can't lay it upon the spirit for he would have convinced and converted and sanctifyed you and you have resisted and quenched him You cannot lay it upon your ministers for they have set before you life and death and declared to you the danger of sin and the necessity of holiness but you would not believe their report You can't lay it upon your ignorance for either you do know your duty and then your disobedience is inexcusable or you might know it if you would and so your ignorance is inexcusable You can't lay it upon your want of leisure and time for you
a temporal Kingdom which they expected Christ would set up and who should be greatest in it so Mark explains it chap. 9.34 therefore our Lord tells them they shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven without a new conversion they must be converted from their carnal frames as well as from a carnal state hence you may learn that a man may have a right to Heaven and yet be very unfit for it there must be a double right jus haereditarium and aptitudinarium a right of inheritance and a right of fitness in our first conversion we derive a right of inheritance for then our state is changed but a right of fitness lies in after conversions by which our carnal frames are subdued We need but one conversion as to the former but we need many as to the latter First Because this though the former cannot is a conversion that may be lost a man may be in a quickned frame to day and under deadness to morrow he may be spiritual in this duty and yet carnal in the next Secondly Because it is a conversion that admits of degrees a man cannot be less or more converted as to his state but as to his frame he may there is no one believer more born of the spirit than another and yet one believer may be more spiritual than another and he that is so yet considered as to the measure of spiritual mindedness which is attainable and which he is appointed and called unto may himself be said to be carnal and may be filled with complaints because of the shortness of his attainment This I take to be the meaning of that complaint of the Apostle I am carnal Rom. 7.14 Doth he therein condemn his state no that had been sin But he bewails the frame of his heart that in such a spiritual condition into which by Grace he was brought he should have in him such a carnal disposition and frame of spirit Secondly A Believer is not to judge himself by what is unfixed and mutable for so the frame of the heart is what more volatile and unstable now caught up to Heaven anon sunk down to the Earth Cant. 6.12 now like the Chariots of Aminadab agil and swift to run the way of Gods Commandments anon like Pharaohs Chariots that drove heavily having their wheels took off Exod. 14.25 or like the wheels in Ezekiels Vision that sometimes went Ezech. 1.21 and sometimes stood still one while the acts of Faith are high another while giving way to Unbelief Oh how inconstant are the frames of good mens hearts look on David and now his mountain stands strong Psal 30.7 and the next word is thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled At one time you shall find him rejoycing in God at another why art thou cast down O my soul was it not so with Peter Matt. 26. V. 35. V. 72. Lord though I should dye with thee yet will I not deny thee And by and by I know not the man so that he who judges himself by the frame of his spirit will change the opinion of his state as often as the frame of his heart changes And therefore when you find your hearts dead and carnal your duty is to make this matter of mourning but you ought not to make it matter of doubting You must pray and strive and use all Gods means for the removing it but you ought not to judge your state by it lest you deny the Grace of God in you because of it This is another false rule of tryal Many more I might instance in but these may suffice to shew you how carnal and ignorant persons are apt to misjudge their state by false rules on the one hand and how weak believers are apt to misjudge theirs by false rules on the other and to caution you on both sides And now I come to shew you which is the true and right rule you are to judge your selves by and that is the word of God I do not mean the moral Law that is not a proper rule to try weak Grace and imperfect obedience by for that condemns for the least sin Cursed is every one that continues not in all things written in the Law to do them Galat. 3.10 The Law indeed is a rule to know sin by I had not known sin but by the Law Rom. 7.7 and to know our natural and undone estate by Rom. 7.9 It inlightens convinces accuses condemns and kills but it is not a rule to judge our estate in Christ by or the truth of our Grace by For by the Law nothing is Grace but what is perfect nothing goes for obedience though our sincerity be never so great if our failing be never so little And therefore he that trys himself by this rule must needs condemn all the Grace of God in him as no Grace because it is not perfect Grace he must be continually tormented in his own spirit about his state because the least sin subjects him to the wrath of God A Believer is under the Law for conduct but not for judgment it is the guide of his path but not the judge of his state The Believer is bound to obey it but he is not to stand and fall by it It is a rule of life and for the substance of it it is moral and eternal and can no more be abrogated than the nature of good and evil can be altered And therefore it obliges Believers as much as others though upon other motives and to other ends for they are not to expect life and favour from it nor fear the death and rigour that comes by it the Law hath no power either to justifie a Believer or condemn him and therefore can be no rule to try his state by We should labour to live to the precepts of the Law but try our state by the rule of the Gospel for that is the rule we are to stand and fall by And it is a comfortable rule for in the sense of it affections go for actions and indeavours for performances so that if our affections be real and our indeavours sincere the rule adjusts our state and gives us confidence before God The ready way to come to a right determination about our condition is wisely to apply to our selves those Characters and marks which the word lays down concerning state and state for it describes both the natural and spiritual man it characterizes both a state of Nature and a state of Grace it shews by positive signs who are subjects to his Yoke or Rebels to his Government So that it is easie for a man by a right use of this rule to make a judgment what his state is As a wicked man by applying the characters of the natural state may certainly know that he is out of Christ an enemy to him and that his condition is a lost condition for the works of the flesh are manifest Galat. 5.19 So would the good man but wisely
and that will appear in two things First There is a deficiency of strength to it Secondly There is an utter enmity against it 1. There is a deficiency of strength and power to it Sin hath made such a wast upon the nature of man that it is utterly impotent to any good and hence every duty is an intolerable burden because there is no strength to bear it So the natural man is dedescribed as one without strength Rom. 5.6 While we were yet without strength Christ dyed for the ungodly and the eighth verse explains the sense of it While we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us So that to be a fallen sinner and to be without strength are the same thing No sinner can take up Christs Yoke because of a deficiency of strength for it there can be no obeying Christ but by a strength received from Christ Surely shall one say in the Lord I have righteousness and strength Isai 45.24 2. There is an utter enmity against it You cannot more truly give a description of a carnal sinner by any thing than by his enmity to God and Christ and therefore it is the usual phrase of Scripture to call sinners Gods enemies Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies Psal 110.2 Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the Kings enemies Psal 45.5 Those mine enemies that would not I should reign over them Luke 19.27 When we were enemies we were reconciled to God Rom. 5.10 The Covenant and friendship that was at first between God and man being broken by sin an enmity must needs ensue upon it It is the business and design of sin to make and keep enmity between God and the creature and mark how the Apostle demonstrates the truth of this enmity in natural man to God Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed can be It is not subject and it cannot be subject to the Law of God First It is not subject to the Law of God and this is a plain conviction that there is an enmity That which opposes God and the Law and rule of God in the heart what is that but enmity for as friendship consists most properly in willing and nilling the same things * Idem velle idem nolle est vera amicitia so enmity doth most properly consist in an opposition of will in willing and nilling the contrary So that for the will of man to lye contrary to the Law of God is an undeniable proof of enmity against him Who were they that said Let us break his bands and cast away his cords from us Psal 2.3 He tells you verse 2. they were such as set themselves against the Lord and against his Christ And are not they enemies Secondly As it is not subject so the carnal mind cannot be subject to the Law of God And why for five reasons First Because of the blindness of the mind sin hath put out that light that should guide the soul and conduct it to God A dark mind is ever accompanied with a disobedient heart There is none that understands Rom. 3.11 and what follows They are all gone out of the way So Ephes 4.18 Having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them He that hath nothing of the light of God can have nothing of the life of God and where there is no sharing in the life of God there can be subjection to the Law of God Secondly Because of the corruption that is in the will which sets it against every thing of God We will not that this man reign over us Luke 19.14 Thirdly It is from the disorderedness of the affection they are all depraved no love for God and where there is no love to God there can be no subjection to the Law of God Fourthly Because of the spirituality of the Law of God The Law is spiritual says Paul but I am carnal Rom. 7.14 And what he speaks of his frame is true of the natural mans state it is carnal and how can a heart that is carnal be subject to a Law that is spiritual Fifthly Because it is under the prevailing power of a contrary Law the Law of sin and lust rules in every carnal heart they are under the Dominion of sin and therefore cannot be subject to the Law of God these are the two Masters that our Lord Christ says no man can serve Matt. 6.24 Every natural man is wholly under the power of sin and how then can he be subject to the Law of God And if he cannot be subject to the Law of God then much less can he be subject to the Yoke of Christ If the carnal mind hath an enmity to the former it must needs have a greater enmity to the latter because the Law of Christ lies more contrary to his inclinations than the Law of God doth The Law of God was once written in the natural mans heart the Law of Christ never was there are some notions of the Law of God still left in the heart and somewhat in every man that doth less or more side with it and lead to it But there are no notions of Christ nothing in man that dictates the least duty with respect to Christ and the Gospel So that you see plainly it is not the sinners next work to take up Christs Yoke He must first be prepared for it for till then he will never be brought to a free and full subjection to Jesus Christ It is the disposition of man never to come to Christ but at second hand no man comes to Christ firstly and immediately till he comes under some such preparations as carry constraint and compulsion in them Luk. 14.23 Compel them to come in Though the soul when it doth come it comes freely it is a free act of the will there is no forcing a sinner to come to Christ against his will if he comes it must be freely yet he is always compell'd to come before he doth come Jacobs Sons went down freely into Egypt yet they were under a great compulsion the Famine drove them The Prodigal returned most freely to his Fathers house and yet he was under compulsion he must have starved else Luke 15.17 18. I perish with hunger I will arise and go to my Father I will arise and go there he comes freely I perish with hunger there is the compulsion None ever came to Christ meerly upon the tender of Christ but as under some compulsion now what is that which compells a sinner one that hath been a blind sinner a rebelling sinner to come to Christ and take up his Yoke they are those preparatory works which are done upon the heart of a sinner by Christ and his spirit till which no sinner ever doth or can submit to him or own him Now I shall reduce these works which I call preparatory for subjection to Christ to
three heads and speak a little distinctly to each of them that so you may know how to make use of them in the tryal of your state The first is The enlightening the mind The second is The convincing the Conscience The third is The inclining the will 1. There is a saving illumination of the mind There can be no coming to Christ out of the darkness of a natural state till the light of God break in to shew us the way Spiritual things cannot be discerned by natural light The natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 for they are foolishness to him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned The object is supernatural God in Christ and the mysteries of the Kingdom and therefore cannot be discern'd but by a supernatural light Psal 36.9 In thy light we shall see light By nature we know little of God but nothing of Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 or the mind of Christ till God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness shine into our hearts The first creature that God made in the World was light and the first work of God in the soul is light The will of man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rational appetite it is acted by the guidance of the mind and therefore God deals first with the mind and understanding of man And hence it is that Christ is made a Prophet as well as a King he doth not subdue the will meerly by an unaccountable power but by a saving light And because the mind must first be inlightned in this work therefore Christ first appears in the office of a Prophet not only revealing the will of God as a rule of obedience but inlightening the mind to see the reasonableness of complying with the rule He doth not only bring light unto the soul by the revelation of the word but he brings light into the soul by the communication of his spirit We have received the spirit of God that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God 1 Cor. 2.22 This I call a saving illumination for that light which the Lord works in such as are brought home to Christ is of a saving nature and hath saving effects First It is in its own nature as saving as any Grace in the will or affections for it is a work of the same spirit and wrought for the same end to bow the soul to Christ It is an essential part of that Image of God after which we are renewed Colos 3.10 And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him So that this light differs not only gradually but specifically from the highest light that is in hypocrites and formal professors A hypocrite may have much notional knowledge great measures of light in spiritual things from the common work of the spirit but in the highest degree of it it is not saving for as to saving light so he is in darkness until now Secondly It hath saving operations and effects and that both as to believing and obeying First As to believing They shall all be taught of God and what then John 6.45 every man that hears and learns of the father comes to me This coming to Christ is believing and this believing is the fruit of Gods teaching so that this is a saving operation Secondly As to obedience As it is said of the two blind men whom Christ cured that as soon as they had received their sight straight way they arose and followed him Matt. 20.34 David says the sun arises and man goes out to his labour till the evening Psal 104.22 23. when the sun of righteousness arises in the heart it is so So that this is a saving operation Now let this be a rule of tryal for young ones have you been prepared for subjection to Christ by a saving illumination do you know any thing of being called out of darkness into his marvelous light 1 Pet 2.9 can you say I was blind John 9.25 but now I see the soul that is savingly inlightened it sees that in sin it never saw before it sees that in Christ it never saw before That soul is far from the Yoke of Christ that was never inlightened with the light of Christ 2. The second thing is the convincing of the conscience Where the soul is brought to take up the Yoke of Christ it is the fruit of through convictions There must be a threefold conviction wrought upon the sinner before ever he will stoop to Christ A conviviction of sin a conviction of righteousness and a conviction of judgment this is through conviction and all conviction short of this leaves the soul short of Christ And therefore when ever the spirit of God comes to convince the soul to conversion he convinces of all these as you see John 16 8. When he is come he will convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment First He convinces of sin This is the next end of illumination He sets up a light to see sin and then applys the guilt of sin to the Conscience for though a man lies under the infinite guilt of sin and the dreadful wrath of God for it yet till the spirit of God do set this home upon a mans Conscience he never sees his condition nor considers with himself what to do No it is the being pricked at heart that causes this Acts 2.37 When they heard this they were pricked in their heart and what then then they cry out men and brethren what shall we do And therefore the spirit first deals with a man about his sins so he did to the first sinners he opens their eyes to see their nakedness and shame their sin and misery before the seed of the woman is promised Gen. 3.10.15 There is one instance instead of a thousand and that is of Paul I call it so because he tells you that Jesus Christ set him up for a pattern in his dealing with sinners 1 Tim. 1.16 And therefore look how Christ dealt with him to bring him under his Yoke and so he deals with all Now the first great work upon Paul was conviction of sin The Spirit of Christ by the word set sin home upon his Conscience and there the work began This is meant by the coming of the Commandment Rom. 7.9 When the commandment came sin revived and I dyed You may see it more particularly expressed in Acts 9.3 4 5 6. There shined round about him a light from heaven and he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying to him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me and he said who art thou Lord and the Lord said I am Jesus whom thou persecutest it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks And he trembling and astonished said Lord what wilt thou have me do Here 's a light and a voice there shined
what revenge 2 Cor. 7.11 Hence it is that he is so conversant and constant in the use of Ordinances his great end is to subdue and weaken lust under all First He uses the word to this end for this is the sword of the Spirit Eph. 6.17 and in conflicts either with corruption within or with Temptation without there is none to that No man was ever overcome either by Corruption or Temptation so long as he kept close to the word I write to you young men because ye are strong and have overcome the wicked one 1 Epist John 2.13 Here is an evidence of their strength their overcoming the wicked one But where lies their strength that is intimated ver 14. I write to you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abides in you and ye have overcome the wicked one The abiding of the word in the heart implies the power and virtue of the word taking hold of the heart and there it is mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 The abiding of the word in the heart includes every part of the word precepts promises and threatenings and the Believer makes use of all to subdue lust 1. The Precepts of the word where all sin is forbidden Hath God forbid sin and shall I indulge to it ought not his word to be my rule can I be true to God and transgress his Precepts what is sin but a transgression of the law 1 Joh. 3.4 and shall I dare to invade the rights of God and deny his Sovereignty Thus his heart stands in awe of the word Psal 119.161 2. The promises of the word he makes use of them to incourage hope and hope purifies the heart 1 Epist John 3.3 Hath God made such promises so many so great of this life of that to come and all to incourage the Soul to dye to sin and shall I live in it and so frustrate my hope in the promise Hath God so often promised Heaven and Glory to such as mortifie sin and shall I live to the Flesh and dye Thus having these promises 2 Cor. 7 1. he labours to be cleansed from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit 3. He makes use of the threatenings of the word as an incentive to fear for by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil Prov. 16.6 Thus the law of his God is in his heart so that none of his steps shall slide Psal 37.31 Secondly He uses the Sacraments for this end both Baptism and the Lords Supper 1. His Baptism he reflects upon it as a token and seal of that Covenant wherein God hath made himself over to him to be his God and in which God requires a forsaking of all sin and by his owning this Covenant he hath taken God for his God and devoted himself to live to his will and therefore looks upon himself as strictly ingaged against every lust and for this cause labours daily to put off the body of the sins of the Flesh Col. 2.11 2. The Lords Supper here by Faith he sees Christ Crucified for sin and how can this but make him hate sin and heighten his rage and indignation against it shall Christ dye for my sins and shall I suffer any lust to live that had a hand in his death Besides this Supper is a solemn renewing of Covenant with God and no man can renew Covenant with God but he must solemnly ingage to hate and renounce all the lusts of the Flesh Thus the Christian uses and improves every Ordinance to carry on the contest against sin that so he may mortifie and destroy it 4. His hatred of sin appears in his purposes and resolutions against it The Covenant with Hell and Death is now broken and he resolves never to say a confederacy to the lusts of the flesh any more When he is at any time surprized by sin as sometimes he is he hates it the more and it causes him to issue out a practical decree for God like that of David I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not Psal 39.1 When once a man hath truly taken up the Yoke of Christ the resolve and bent of his Will is never to sin more Though a Believer cannot promise absolutely not to sin yet he may fully purpose not to sin So did David I am purposed my mouth shall not transgress Psal 17.3 No man can be said to hate sin that doth not purpose against it and he that doth not hate sin his heart is not right with God And this is one of those fruits of subjection to the Yoke of Christ whereby judgment may be made a posteriori Now I would to God that young ones would try themselves by this Character What is the disposition of your heart towards sin do ye make it your work to search out sin do ye labour to know more of your secret lusts and carnal frames and deceitful hearts this every one that is under Christs Yoke doth Do ye accuse and charge your selves home before God for sin and is it done freely and in sincerity and brokenness of heart this every one that is under Christs Yoke doth Do ye hate sin with a hatred of abomination I so as to loath and turn from sin and is it from all sin and do ye hate it with a hatred of enmity do ye pray against it do ye mourn under it do ye keep up the spiritual conflict striving against sin and using means of Grace and Ordinances to keep down sin this every one that is under Christs Yoke doth Is the bent and resolution of your soul against sin have you taken up fixed purposes never to live to the lusts of the flesh more thus every one that is under the Yoke of Christ doth By this then every one may make a judgment whether ever he hath taken up the Yoke of Christ or not 2. It may be known by living to God in a course of Holy Obedience Whoever hath truly put on the Yoke of Christ makes it his work and business to live to Christ there is such a Principle of grace infused that obedience becomes natural And this obedience is an infallible sign of your subjection to Jesus Christ and therefore a fit medium to try your State by For 1. What better Testimony can there be of our subjection to Christ than that which evidences the work of holiness in the heart Now obedience in the life is a sure evidence of the work of holiness within It is the natural fruit of the feed of God sowed in the good ground of an honest heart Holiness is an inward frame obedience is an overt act proceeding from it Holiness is the Divine Nature planted in us Obedience is the fruit that grows upon that Root Holiness is our Conformity to the nature of God Obedience is our Conformity to the will of God And nothing can prove our participation of the divine nature like our subjection
to put your selves under his yoke It may be you think you chose wisely in other matters In your yoke fellow in your calling in your dwelling c. but you never shewed such wisdom as in this When Job asks Chap. 28.12 where shall wisdom be found and where is the place of understanding Job 28.14.15.21 and having told you where it is not not in Silver and Gold not in Voyages to Sea Not to be purchased with all Riches nor found in the land of the living He tells you none know what nor where true wisdom is but God ver 23. God understands the way thereof and he knowes the place thereof and it is he that directs us to it ver 28. Vnto man he said behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding There is no man truly wise but he that fears God and keeps his Commandments Eccles 12.13 See wherein the wisdom of this taking up Christs yoke is manifest in six particulars 1. It is manifest in this that the best and wisest of men in all Ages have done it they have rather chosen Obedience to Christ in the meanest services then to be found in complyance with lust What did David mean when he said I had rather be a door keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the Tents of wickedness Psal 84.10 It was a wise preferring the meanest service of Christ before the greatest pleasures that wicked men enjoy And what meant Moses to refuse to be called the son of Pharaohs Daughter and to choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt Heb. 11.24 25 26. What was the meaning of this but only to shew that he preferred the worst of Christs Yoke before the best of sin And what made the Apostles forsake all and follow Christ Mat. 11.19 but to shew that wisdom is justified of her children and that they were ready to sacrifice all for the service of such a Master And what made those primitive Martyrs Heb. 11. suffer such mockings scourgings bonds imprisonments tortures c. but their faithfulness to Christ and his ways And if the best in all Ages have taken up Christs yoke then this makes the wisdom of this practise manifest Great reason therefore you should bless God for and give him the glory of your professed subjection to Christ 2. The wisdom of taking up this yoke of Christ is evident in that it is such a yoke all the duties whereof commend themselves to every mans choice It was not so in the Precepts of the Old Covenant a great part of those Laws had little in them to commend them to a mans choice so long as their symbolical nature was not understood save what the authority of God in commanding their observation gave to them Circumcision legal washings sacrifices c. were but beggarly Elements when the command of God for their observation was taken off Gal. 4.9 therefore the Apostle calls them a yoke of bondage Gal. 5.1 Which shews that their observation of them was more because God commanded them than out of any intrinsecal goodness which was in them They obeyed them not out of love of the thing commanded but out of love to that God who commanded them But now the precepts of the Gospel and the things commanded there are desireable for themselves If they had not been injoyned to love God to fear him to worship him in Spirit to be righteous godly sober chast temperate to be meek patient and contented c. these are amabilia pro se lovely in themselves and tend to the peace and satisfaction of the mind besides their relation to a future happiness And there is no man that acts up to the dictates of a considering mind but would choose these things though you should suppose him under no express command thereunto 3. The wisdom of taking up Christs yoke appears in this that whatever your work is your help is greater than your work and your succour greater than your service That which makes any duty difficult and burdensome is when it masters our abilities for performance Now this can't be said of any work Christ calls us to For as thy work is so shall thy strength be If God calls out one St. to greater services than another he will furnish him with more strength and help than another I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me 1 Cor. 15.10 His work was great and his help was great He abounded in labour and God abounded in grace He did more than all and he recieved more than all And if you would know what helps Christians have in the way of obedience They are these 1. They have the help of the Ordinances of Christ and it is a great power and strength that is derived from them to the soul that sits daily under them Pro. 10.29 The way of the Lord is strength to the upright The Ordinances of Christ are not empty things though they have no fulness of their own yet they give out much from the Fountain They go from strength to strength How so Every one of them in Sion appears before God Psal 84.7 2. They have the help of the prayers of all the Saints For as the prayers of every Believer are directed to the good of all the Church of Christ So the prayers of the whole are designed for the good of every member There is a mutual traffick in Heaven by the prayers of Saints one for another if one Believer be in temptations in darkness in sufferings and troubles All the Saints of God are wrestling for his relief So the Church did for Peter when in prison and their prayers did more to release him then all jaylers and fetters could do to detain him Mark that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 1.10 11. Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust he will yet deliver us you also helping together by prayer for us that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf The prayers of the Saints are greatly available one for another We have many a mercy that we never prayed particularly for but possibly it hath been the fruit of others prayers and therefore the Apostle calls it a gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons Others sow the seed and we enter into their harvest and reap their labours And this is one great part of that Communion of Saints which in our Creed we say that we believe 3. They have a help greater than all this and that is the help of Jesus Christ and he is the mighty helper That is an excellent Scripture could we believe it and live upon it Zech. 10.12 I will strengthen
them in the Lord and they shall walk up and down in his name What or who can be too hard for such as walk in the ways and worship of Christ with the strength of Christ Now the Lord Christ helps two ways 1. By his powerful intercession he is ever praying and pleading for you Heb. 7.25 2. By his Almighty Spirit for how are your sins mortified but by the Spirit Rom. 8.13 And how are your hearts quickened in duty but by the Spirit Joh. 6.63 And how are you guided in the ways of God but by the Spirit Joh. 16.13 And how are you taught but by the Spirit 1 Joh. 2.27 And who upholds you in your course but the Spirit Psal 51.12 Besides the grace the Spirit works in you at first you have spiritual incomes and supplies of the Spirit daily Phil. 1.19 And is not the Believers help then greater than his work now it was not so under the Law there was great service but little assistance but now the Christians help is greater then his work Phil. 2.13 for it is God that works in you to will and to do The works of Gospel Obedience are more sublime more spiritual and therefore more difficult than any of the works of the Law but so far as we have Communion with the power and strength of the Spirit to actuate and inable us they are all easy and pleasant Gospel duties may be difficult in respect of divine imposition but they are easy in regard of divine cooperation The Father sets the Child a Copy and bids it write the Child knows not how but yet takes the Pen and then the Father guides the hand and the Child writes after the Copy Lord sayes Austin give what thou commandest and then command what thou wilt 4. The wisdom of taking up Christs yoke appears in this that under this yoke though the weakness of your obedience is great yet the truth of your obedience is accepted God looks at truth in the inward parts Psal 51.6 O the many weaknesses that God passes by in his people where he finds the heart and affection true to him though there be much commanded yet the least you do is accepted Were it not for this there could be no serving him If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities who could stand But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Psal 130.3 4. God will not take advantage of your fallings and infirmities I will spare them as a man spares his son that serves him Mal. 3.17 O what a sweetness must this put into service how easie must it needs make the yoke of Christ when the least we do is accepted as a handful of goats hair was for the Temple when it came from a willing heart What reason therefore have we to bless the Lord that ever inclined our hearts to stoop to the yoke of Christ The wisdom of taking up Christs yoke is evident in this that herein true liberty consists This may seem a Paradox for sinners do therefore indulge themselves in their lusts because there is liberty and they therefore refuse Christs yoke because it abridges their liberty they cannot live as they list Now you must know there is a twofold liberty 1. A carnal liberty wherein a corrupt base heart takes a latitude to it self to live and act according to its own vitious inclinations without any restraint or controul Indeed the yoke of Christ is an enemy to this liberty and it were not worth the taking up if it should not for this liberty is only the licentiousness of lust and no man such a slave as he that is thus at liberty He is a servant to corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 Under the devils rule led captive by him at his will 1 Tim. 2.26 He is held in the chains of Hell and will you call this liberty are not the Saints at liberty in Heaven and yet there is none of this liberty there will ye call this liberty to be loaded with the guilt of sin to be bound over to damnation to be vexed daily with an accusing Conscience to have all the threats of the word lye against thee to have wrath hanging over thy head every moment and God ready to throw thee into Hell is this liberty when thou art in such a dreadful case that thou darest not think of dying for fear of hell and damnation better be the veryest gally slave in the world then thus at liberty But then 2. There is a Spiritual liberty which is wrought out for us by Christ the purchase of his blood John 8.36 If the son make you free then are ye free indeed And he that partakes of this liberty may well be said to be free indeed for he is freed from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.10 He is freed from the condemning power of sin Rom. 8.1 He is freed from the Spirit of Bondage Rom. 8.15 And he is freed from the dominion of sin Rom. 6.14 And a man never enjoyes this liberty till he comes under the yoke of Christ and is there not reason to bless God for drawing the heart to Christ 6. The wisdom of taking up Christs yoke appears in this that the longer you are under it the easier you will find it I will make it out in three things 1. The longer you wear it the lighter it will be it is not so in other matters A little burden in tract of time is heavy and the longer it lyes the heavyer it is because of a wast of strength by long bearing but Christs burden the longer it is born the lighter it is because though the burden is not diminished yet your strength is increased Psal 84.7 Job 17.9 They go from strength to strength He that hath clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger And as spiritual strength increases so spiritual difficulties must needs abate 2. The more progress you make in obedience the greater testimony you shall have from conscience of the uprightness of your hearts with God and you can't imagine unless you ever felt it what peace this brings in 2 Cor. 1.12 Nothing gives conscience that advantage to witness aloud to our case as godly sincerity in our obedience to Christ 3. Much obedience brings in much comfort The more seed the more sheaves that Christian is likest to injoy most comfort that walks most close with God in the way of obedience He hath comfort in the most difficult duties even in his sufferings for Christ and they are the most pinching part of his Yoke And yet as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ 2 Cor. 1.5 And therefore Christ bids us rejoyce even in persecution Matth. 5.11 12. He hath comfort in the worst of times To the upright there ariseth light in darkness Psal 112.4 When the figtree doth not blossom Hab. 3.18 yet then he can joy in the God of his salvation CHAP. XVI Directs our obedience as to principles matter
by and we shall stand or fall according as they are sound or corrupt The Apostle hints this to us Rom. 2.16 in telling us that at the day of judgment God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ Now principles are the great secrets of men hid from all but God and a mans own heart Nothing is more latent they are as the spring to a Clock you see the hand move but that which causes the motion is not seen Actions are manifest and may be seen by all but principles are secret and discerned by none but God takes strict notice of them and will judge us according to them Nothing therefore concerns a man more than to see that the principles of his obedience be right Now the great principles that a man is acted by and that carry him on in gospel obedience are these three Faith Love Self denial 1. Faith This is the great principle of all acceptable obedience without which no obedience can please God the Apostle is peremptory in it Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God And therefore all gospel obedience is called the obedience of faith Rom. 16.26 There is a twofold obedience to the gospel 1. Obedience to the call of the gospel whereby fallen sinners are invited and by various methods of grace perswaded to return to God and live Now there can be no obeying the gospel in this sense without faith For how can a man turn from his sins and take Christ upon the terms of the gospel resigning himself to the guidance of his word and spirit without faith 2. There is obedience to the rule of the gospel which directs and guides us how to live and walk so as to approve our wayes to God For the gospel is not only the power of God to salvation Rom. 1 16. but it is the will of God also for our guidance and direction and all obedience to it as such is the fruit of faith Therefore we are said to live by faith Gal. 2.20 and to walk by faith 2 Cor. 5.7 And living and walking take in the whole course of a Christians obedience in the language and sense of the Scripture As the gospel hath not only its credenda but its agenda not only truths to be imbraced but duties to be practised so faith hath both a receptive and a dispensing property it receives the truths of the gospel and imbraces them 1 Thes 2.13 Ye received the word not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God And it hath a dispensing property too whereby it payes homage to Christ in all capacities it doth not only receive the Law at his mouth as a Prophet and rest upon his merits as a Priest but subjects to his yoke as a King Faith is an active principle it doth as freely submit to the government of Christ as it readily accepts of pardon and salvation by him By faith Abraham obeyed Heb 11.8 This is one principle of obedience 2. Another principle is love And this is of as great importance as the other nay faith it self is deficient without this for faith works by love Gal. 5.6 This love as it is the Christians badge and character Let them that love thy name be joyful in thee Psal 5.11 So it is the great principle of obedience The Law being a ministration of death 2 Cor. 3.7 Eccles 12.13 the great principle of obedience there was fear Fear God and keep his commandments but the gospel is a ministration of life and glory and the great principle there is Love if a man love me he will keep my words Joh. 14.23 Love is vertually all obedience and therefore our Lord Christ reduces all the precepts to this Thou shalt love the Lord thy God Matt. 22.37 39. and thy neighbour as thy self So that the substance of Religion is contained in this It is not Circumcision as the Jew would nor uncircumcision as the converted Gentile would but faith that works by love Gal. 5.6 There is no such principle of obedience as Love This will be evident if you consider but eight properties of it 1. It is an appretiative principle that prefers and values Jesus Christ above all It sees such a beauty and excellency in him that it counts all loss and dung in comparison of him Phil. 3.8 And he that thus loves Christ can't but obey him 2. Love is an opening principle Open to me my sister Cant. 5.2 and ver 6. I opened to my beloved Christ can have no entrance into the heart if love do not let him in This is the opening grace It is so in God the Father What makes him open his eternal counsels and purposes of grace and mercy to poor creatures but love It is so in God the Son What made him open heaven and come into the world open the virgins womb and be born open his side and let out his blood and so open a new and living way for us to the Father Heb. 10.20 What makes him open his arms to receive returning sinners and open the gates of glory for them but love It is so in God the Holy Ghost What makes him open blind eyes and deaf ears and hard hearts but love And look how love works in God to us so it works in us to God it opens the ear to hearken to him it opens the mouth to speak for him it opens the hand to work for him it opens the heart to entertain and imbrace him 3. Love is a liberal principle it is all for giving it is the most bountiful affection Love is all for laying out upon its object It is so with God Divine love expresses it self in acts of bounty Joh. 3.16 Luk. 11.13 Psal 84.11 Heb. 8.10 Ephes 2.5 God so loved the world that he gave his son He gives Christ He gives his Spirit He gives grace and glory He gives himself I will be their God So it is said of Christ He loved us and gave himself for us And look how love acts in God and Christ so it acts in all that are born of God he that loves God gives all to God he gives not only his time and strength and talents but he gives himself I am my beloveds Cant. 6.3 4. Love is a laborious principle It is alwayes doing Amor nescit ferias it hath no days of leisure it sets all the wheels of the soul in motion And therefore the holy Ghost joyns love and labour together God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love Heb. 6.10 Your work of faith and labour of love 1 Thes 1.3 As the word of God is objectum practicum a thing not only to be known but obeyed so love is principium operativum not a meer notion swimming in the brain but a devout affection quickning the heart to obedience I have lifted up my hands to thy commandments which I have loved Psal 119.48 If any thing keep a
your box of oyntment be never so precious Eccles 10.1 yet this dead fly will spoil it all If once judgment be sent forth to victory over every thing of self then art thou prepared for a full subjection to the Yoke of Christ Nothing a man doth can be called gospel obedience unless it be done from a principle of self-denial for till then all his duties are but a sacrificing to his own net Hab. 1.16 or as the Prophet Hosea calls it a bringing forth fruit to himself Hos 10.1 Our Lord Christ himself acted from this principle for as he did not his own will so he sought not his own glory Joh. 8.50 I seek not mine own glory but the glory of him that sent me A man can never carry it becomingly under the Yoke of Christ nor keep his commandments unless he be acted by a principle of self-denial That is the first thing therefore that you are to look to that the principles of your obedience be right 2. If you would order your conversation aright under this Yoke of Christ see that your obedience be in proper acts and exercises All that is done in Religion is not obedience all that is done with reference to God is not obedience to God There is a building wood and hay 1 Cor. 3.12 and stubble upon the foundation this work must be all burnt It is the vanity of Popery and the wickedness of its teachers to prefer the precepts of men before the commands of Jesus Christ Matt. 15. ◠and so to take up the Yoke of Antichrist instead of the Yoke of Christ This obedience tho done in the name of Christ yet is down right rebellion against Christ Nothing can be obedience to Christ but what is done with respect to the authority of the commands of Christ Not this or that single command but all Many obey Christ in one command and neglect another zealous in some things but must he dispensed with in others The Yoke of Christ doth not consist of any one single observance but is made up of many duties it is as extensive as the preceptive part of the gospel which comprehends in it whatever is in any sense the matter of our duty The whole government of heart and life with respect to God to our selves to others is fully taught by the precepts delivered in the gospel And therefore obedience lies not in some particular observances as to this or that command but it is an intire and full resignation of our selves to the laws of Christ as they are a rule of guidance and government to the whole man We must have respect to all That obedience that is not universal is not real Quod propter Deum fit aequaliter fit I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right Psal 119.128 Whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue and if there be any praise think on these things Phil. 4.8 But yet there is a preference in the commands of Christ some are greater then others there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the weightier matters of the law Matt. 23.23 Some commands are more essential to piety others are more circumstantial Some wherein the glory of God and the salvation of the soul are more immediately concerned in others more remotely Some precepts there are wherein the vitals and main parts of religion are contained there are others that are but as fences about these And therefore though every command is to be obeyed yet some are to be preferred Though it is a duty to respect all yet not with the same degree of respect Though the commands are all equal in regard of the authority of the law-giver yet in respect of the things commanded there is a difference and disproportion To love God is a greater duty than to love my neighbour To obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of rams 1 Sam. 15 22. I will have mercy and not sacrifice Matt. 9.13 Now then if you would have your obedience manifested in proper acts and exercises then observe these six rules 1. Neglect no duty in its season several seasons have their several duties annexed to them by God which makes them more a duty then any other duty That which is the duty in season is greater than any other duty 2. Where God layes most weight there we are to express most care As for instance I. Where any commandment is called great there God layes great weight Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind this is the first and great commandment Matt. 22.37 38. Therefore this ought to have our first and greatest observance II. Where God gives forth commands with the greatest sanctions and severest penalties there he layes great weight and there we should express great care So in the second commandment there you have a sanction consisting of a sore threat and a sweet promise Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy to thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments Therefore of all sins we should take heed of false worship and idolatry for this God abhors and keep close to divine institution in all religious performances III. Where two duties come together there the greater is to take place of the less Agendum est id quod est major obligatio In this case that which is the lesser duty ceases for that time to be a duty and the greater duty becomes the only duty Thus positive precepts are to give place to moral precepts Though I am commanded to keep the Sabbath and do no work yet for preserving my neighbours life or house when on fire I may as lawfully work on that day as any other And in moral precepts the less is to give place to the greater Thus when the first and the fifth command meet obey God and obey your rulers the first is to take place The power of a delegate is not to be own'd in competition with the authority of God In praesentia majoris cessat potestas minoris In this case superiours are not to be obeyed For no command of superiours can bind against the command of God who is higher then the highest Again when my own temporal good and the spiritual good of another meet in competition I am to prefer his spiritual good before my own temporal good Therefore Paul would rather never eat meat then offend his Brothers conscience This is the meaning of that in 1 Joh. 3.16 We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren That is our corporal lives for their spiritual As in time of persecution when the death of the strong may confirm the saith of the weak and so be a service to the
promises God promises that he will be our God and we promise to be his people He Covenants to teach and guide and rule us by his Laws and we Covenant to take him for our Lord to hearken to him and obey his voice in all he commands us He ingageth that he will never turn away from us to do us good Jer. 32.40 And we ingage that we will never depart from him but will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever Mic. 4.5 So that there is an Everlasting obligation lyes upon you to duty and obedience You have sworn and cannot go back As David sayes I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments Psal 119.106 Now one part of the Covenant is to answer another you look that God should always bless you and provide for your good and God looks that you should always serve him and promote his Glory You expect that God should perform all his promises of Mercy and Blessings and God expects you should be true to all your promises of Obedience and subjection For he said surely they are my people children that will not lye so he was their Saviour Isa 63.8 Now therefore renew your resolutions of service and subjection Cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart Act. 11.23 Resolve in the strength of Christ never to cast off his Yoke nor count his Commandments grievous You cannot rationally expect the Blessings of the Covenant unless you perform the conditions of the Covenant The stipulation on our part must answer that of Gods And therefore as ever you would have God to be your God and Guide unto death Ps 48.14 Rom. 14.18 resolve living and dying to be the Lords Direct 9. Maintain a holy filial fear of God in the world this is an excellent preservative against Apostacy By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil Solomon sayes Prov. 16.6 and he tells you Chap. 14.27 The fear of the Lord is the fountain of life whereby men depart from the snares of death And backsliding from Christ is one of the great snares of death Direct 10. Think much of the day of recompences and of the glorious reward of perseverance in that day Be thou faithful to the death and I will give thee a Crown of life Rev. 2.10 non incipientibus sed perseverantibus corona tribuitur It is not mercenary service to quicken our selves to obedience by the hope of a recompence Omnis amor mercedis non est mercenarius It is said of Moses he had respect to the recompence of reward Heb. 11.26 And David sayes I have hoped for thy salvation and done thy Commandments Psal 119.166 He incouraged himself to duty by the hope of Glory And it is said of Christ himself that for the joy that was set before him he indured the Cross Heb. 12.2 Hope of that glorious recompence is of great force to quicken us to perseverance And to the same end doth the Apostle urge it 1 Cor. 15.58 Wherefore my beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. CHAP. XVIII Contains matter of Counsel to Christless sinners with motives and directions to further it 2 Exhortat TO such as have never yet taken up Christs yoke and I am afraid I now speak to many Though many are called to Christ yet few close with Christ and submit to him There are threescore Queens fourscore Concubines Virgins without number Cant. 6.8 How many are sons of Belial without yoke They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under no law but that of the Flesh and under no yoke but that of lust I am now to deal with you whether you will hear me or no I know not you have hitherto turned a deaf ear to all the calls of God and Christ I am now from the authority of this Text to give you one call more and I do in the name of the great God call and invite every sinner of you this day to come to Christ and take up his Yoke And this is no other then the very call that Christ makes in the Gospel Mat. 11.28 29 30. Come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest to your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light Come to me that implies believing Take my yoke upon you that implyes obeying Faith and Obedience can't be separated every one that believes in Christ must obey the commands of Christ If you come to him you must take up his yoke Pray consider it is the counsel of the Lord Christ who knows what is for our good He knows there is no life no salvation no happiness no Heaven without it this is implyed in that rest he promises they shall find rest in so doing which supposes that without taking up his yoke this rest can never be had Again it is his counsel who can and will reward all that practise it and therefore makes this promise ye shall find rest to your Souls Mat. 11.29 And pray mind here is a twofold rest promised one in ver 28. Come to me and I will give you rest that is a rest by believing another is ver 29. Take my yoke upon you and I will give you rest that is a rest in obeying So that the former is a peace which flows from justification and pardon of sin and therefore promised to the weary and heavy laden And this is the fruit of Faith in Christ and therefore promised to all upon coming to him The latter is a peace which flows from Sanctification and this is a fruit of Obedience to Christ and therefore promised to them that take up his yoke And mark what kind of rest it is that Christ promises ye shall find rest to your souls So that it is not an outward rest but an inward spiritual rest the outward man may have less rest and peace under Christs yoke then ever your obedience to Christ may make the world hate you reproach you persecute you therefore Christ sayes In the world ye shall have trouble Joh. 16.33 but in me ye shall have peace This finding rest to your souls under the yoke of Christ implyes 4 things which greatly commend Christs service 1. Liberty It holds but Christs yoke to be a yoke of Spiritual Liberty His service is perfect freedom and therefore the Gospel by which this yoke is put upon us is called a law of liberty Jam. 1.25 There is nothing more consistent then obedience to Christ and freedom of Spirit Deo servire summa libertas Pray which are most free the good Angels in Heaven or the evil Angels in Prison and chains of darkness are not the good Angels and yet they are in a state of
service and subjection therefore call'd Ministring Spirits Heb. 1.14 and said to do his Commandments Psal 103.20 The Angel sayes to John Rev. 22.9 I am thy fellow-servant and of them which keep the sayings of this book So that the highest liberty is consistent with the service of God therefore David puts them together I will walk at liberty Ps 119.45 for I seek thy Precepts Many decline the ways of God and cleave fast to their Lusts for the sake of liberty Whereas it is the greatest slavery in the world to serve sin the little finger of lust is heavyer then the whole loyns of Christ Nothing makes a man such a slave as sin He that lives in the love and service and injoyment of God hath the truest freedom But every sinner is a vassal to lust at the command of every unclean motion Is not he a slave that is at the will and command of Satan That is moved and acted by Satan in his whole course You pity men made slaves by the Turks laid in chains condemned to the Gallyes grinding in Mills broken with burdens drub'd and beat after all I tell you it is an eligible condition to this Nay sin doth not only make a man a slave but a bruit for it bereaves him of all reason and judgment their is no judgment in their goings Isa 59.8 2. This finding rest under the yoke of Christ implyes an easiness in his service And so it follows Matt. 11.29 30. Ye shall find rest for my yoke is easy and my burden is light A Believer in the ways of obedience hath those aids of God those divine quickenings those daily supplyes of the Spirit that Communion with God in all that no duty is difficult or burdensome 3. This finding rest to your souls implyes an after good by your present obedience There remains a rest for the people of God Heb. 4.9 The service of sin is best at first and worst at last Sin in the temptation is taking but sin in the conclusion is vexing It is sweet in the mouth but bitter in the belly Satan shews the pleasure and profit of sin to insnare you and then comes the guilt of sin to torment you But now the service of Christ is worst at first and best at last All the difficulty is in the beginning but the end is peace Psal 37.37 4. This finding rest implyes an end of your service and duty as it is labour So sayes the Holy Ghost Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord Rev. 14.13 for they rest from their labour your yoke shall be put off then But when shall the vassalage of sin end This is such a yoke as shall never be put off an everlasting servitude The sinner goes from a present slavery to a worse His present condition is servile but hereafter it will be dreadful First chains of Lust then chains of death and at last chains of darkness Jude 6. The sinner lyes in yokes and chains for ever for what is guilt of Conscience This is a chain that binds wrath upon the soul for ever He shall be holden with the cords of his own sins Prov. 5.22 What is utter despair This is another Chain the sinner is held in What is Gods power that is another chain And what is the everlasting sentence Mat. 25.41 go ye cursed into everlasting fire He is an Eternal Prisoner there God shuts him up and there can be no opening Job 12.14 He hath the Keys of Hell and Death Rev. 1.18 and who can get them out of his hand O what an everlasting slavery doth sin bring upon the soul Will you therefore hearken to the counsel of Christ and take his Yoke upon you 1. Consider How reasonable a thing this is For 1. God commands nothing that is unsuitable to our reason Look upon this Yoke in such duties as refer more immediately to God Either in External Worship or Internal 1. In External Worship As Prayer how reasonable is it that an indigent creature should go to God for what he wants seeing he can't support himself let him go to him that can Hearing how reasonable it is that if God be to be obeyed and this obedience is not to be by the creatures arbitrement but by Gods precept that then I should labour to know what Revelation he hath made of this 2. Look on Internal Worship Faith How reasonable is it that he who is the Eternal Truth should have credence in all the discoveries of his will and that I should trust him upon the credit of his promise Love It is the most reasonable thing in the world I should love God because he is the chief good and because he is always doing me good Gods love to us comes under no reason but what is in himself but our love to God is founded in the greatest reason 1 Joh. 4.19 we love him because he first loved us The fear of God how rational a duty is it he being the highest Lord and his supremacy absolute He is great and therefore greatly to be feared Look upon the most difficult dutyes Repentance Self-denyal Mortification of lusts c. These may be troublesome to the flesh but not unreasonable What more equal than that I should do whatever God would have me do how contrary soever to flesh and blood and the dictates of a carnal mind 2. He commands nothing that is prejudicial to our interest The end of every Precept is our felicity both our spiritual and eternal good are promoted by it And is there any thing more reasonable then that a man should persue his own good 3. He commands nothing but what answers the end of our being The end though last in execution is first in intention Now what is the great end of your being young ones what do you do in the world let me say as God said to Elijah what make you here What do you think God gave you being for was it to please the flesh to suck the sweet of the creatures to pass away your years in mirth and jollity to live to your selves Hath an immortal soul no other end of being but this Surely yes as God is the Fountain of being so his glory should be the end of being You are come into this world to make provision for another to avoid the snares of death and lay hold on Eternal Life To walk so before God here as that you may secure his favour for ever This is the great end of being and how reasonable is it that every man should attend to that which he was born for and came into the world for Or else the being of man is in vain as David expostulates the case Psal 89.47 Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain 2. Consider the great advantage that comes by this and that whatever your condition be Suppose your extract be mean that you are a branch of a poor Family What an advantage will your subjection to Christ
be not changed and made holy it is all in vain as to him because Christ dyed for sinners this many look upon as a good ground for hope but the question if put home must be this did Christ ever dye to save impenitent and unregenerate sinners did he dye to save such as flight him refuse his yoke and live and dye enemies to him if he did then hope on but if not then there is no hope Nay let me tell you it is out of the reach of Christs power to save any one of you in your lusts Mat. 1.21 He can save you from your sins but he cannot save you in your sins For 1. He can't falsify his trust God the father hath put the great work of Salvation and damnation into Christs hands And how is salvation carryed on but in pursuance of the election of God look how God chooses to Salvation and so Christ carries it on Now we are chosen that we should be holy Eph. 1.4 He hath chosen us through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience 1 Pet. 1.2 And therefore Christ will save none that are not sanctified for he came to do the will of God and he will not betray his trust 2. He cannot alter the standing law of Heaven and what is that it is the standing law of Heaven which the righteous God hath fixed more firm than the Sun in the Firmament and will never vary from it that a man must repent Luk. 13.2 and turn to Christ or perish He must be converted or he shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Matt. 18.3 He must take the yoke of Christ upon him Heb. 3.18 or he shall never find rest to his Soul Mat. 5.8 None but the pure in heart shall see God This is the standing law of Heaven and how then can the unbelieving and disobedient be saved either the law of Heaven must be reversed or sinners are eternally undone and will Christ who revealed this law to the world reverse it again to gratifie thy lusts 3. He can't make void his own offices Why hath God made him a King but to subdue sinners to himself to conquer the nolency of the will to set up his government and rule in the heart and to subdue and destroy the rebels He reigns that he may put all his enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15.25 And if so what shall become of disobedient sinners can you think that this Melchizedek this King of Righteousness will ever countenance the impenitent and unbelieving will he take those to reign with him in his Kingdom of glory that would not that he should rule over them in the Kingdom of grace This were to violate the rights of his Crown which you cannot think he will do if you do but consider two Scriptures one is Luk. 19.27 Those mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me The other is in 2 Thes 1.7 8 9. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power And how do you that slight Christ think to escape this sentence will not the judgment of the great day of the Lord be very terrible to all that live and dye in their lusts can you bear it Can thy heart indure or thy hand be made strong in the day that I shall deal with thee Ezek. 22.14 If not then be wise and flee from wrath to come and there is but one way and that is by closing with Jesus Christ and giving your selves up to an intire subjection to his yoke There is no way to escape wrath and secure eternal life but this You read of a strait gate Mat. 7.14 and a narrow way that leads to life The yoke of the spirit in conviction to conversion that is the strait gate and the yoke of Christ in holiness and obedience that is the narrow way and there is no other and as our Lord Christ sayes few there be that find it Is there any sinner here now that stands convinced of the necessity of undertaking this duty that you must take up Christs yoke or you must perish in your sins I hope you are and therefore I shall lay you down some directions to help and guide you in this work Take heed of mistaking the yoke of Christ Direct 1 Some will tell you it lies in this way of worship some in that as Christ sayes many will say lo here is Christ Mat. 24.23 and lo their is Christ believe them not Some will perswade you it lyes in ceremonious services and humane traditions but this is the yoke of men and not the yoke of Christ and therefore take heed of it If you would know which is the yoke of Christ you must be guided by the word of Christ for nothing is duty but what the word commands Some will tell you it lyes in Popery but this is the yoke of Antichrist And therefore you that are young ones take heed of this yoke for it is none of Christs It is a grievous yoke It binds you from the use of the Scriptures which are able to make you wise to Salvation It ties you up to worship God in an unknown tongue in a language you don't understand It ties you to make use of many Mediators whereas there is but one Mediator between God and man 1 Tim. 2.5 the man Christ Jesus It ties you to believe against your senses To believe that a blind sottish Priest can with a few words convert a wafer into the very body and blood of Christ and then you must believe it to be the very substance of Christ against Scripture against Reason and against Sense For though the Scripture calls it still bread and though you break bread and see bread and tast and eat bread yet you must believe it not to be bread It ties you to believe many abominable errors and false Doctrines as that of merit by works though Christ sayes when we have done all we must say we are unprofitable servants Luk. 17.10 And that of the infallibility of the Pope and his Supremacy over all Churches and Princes and that if he doth but excommunicate any Prince and pronounce him a Heretick it is lawful to murder him It is full of such abominable Doctrines Oh therefore never come under this yoke it is an idolatrous yoke a cruel bloody yoke a heavy intolerable yoke a yoke which neither we nor our fore-fathers were able to bear therefore they wisely cast it off and let us rather choose to dye then put it on again for it is none of the Yoke of Christ If you would resolve to take up Christs Direct 2 yoke then you must remove all hinderances
they be thus sinfully sleighted Thirdly It is a Duty to pray over what we hear and to beg success upon the Word for the ends whereto God sends it And is not this in the power of every natural man There is no man of reason but hath praying abilities many indeed have their excuses they cannot pray but this is but to shift off Duty and to excuse one sin by another You never saw a hungry Beggar but could pray nor a Child of five years old but when the Rod is at his Back can pray and cannot the Sinner cry to God When you go to hear can you not pray that God would open your eyes to see the wonders of his Law Psal 119.18 Cannot you beg of God that the Word may take hold of your heart and pull down all the strong Holds there Can you not plead with him that he would send his Spirit to accompany the Word to your heart that sin may be discovered and your hard heart broken and that you may be made to see the need of Christ and so brought to believe in him for pardon and salvation These are no other than what every natural man hath power to perform by the same assistance with which he lives and moves and who knows what God may do in a way of Grace and mercy when the Sinner is found thus doing I do not dare not say with the Papists and Arminians That if we use our natural power to do our utmost God is bound ex congruo to give Grace but yet this I may say That such is the goodness of God that he seldom if ever fails to give Grace to that man that doth to the utmost of his abilities in the use of means endeavour to obtain it nor had ever any cause to complain upon this account And therefore let young ones hearken to this counsel and as you love your souls do what in you lyes in the use of all Gods appointed means to come under the Spirits Yoke For consider First You can never be brought from under the Yoke of sin and lust but by coming under this Yoke Till you are weary of sin you will never forsake it and you will never be weary of sin till the Spirit of bondage hath made it a burthen to you Secondly You can never see the need you have of Jesus Christ till you are brought under the Yoke of the Spirit and till you do see your need of him you will never hunger nor thirst after him and so you will be excluded from all benefit by his righteousness and then you must perish For the Scripture discovers no way of escaping wrath to come but by being convinced by the Holy Ghost first of sin and then of righteousness Thirdly You can never take upon you Christ's Yoke which is the great command of the Gospel Matth. 11.29 unless you have been first under this There is as I said before the Yoke of the Spirit and the Yoke of Christ the Yoke of the Spirit is in conviction of sin the Yoke of Christ is in obedience and the one is preparatory to the other you can never submit to Christs Yoke until the Spirits Yoke have fitted the neck to it and so it becomes easie My Yoke is easie Matth. 11.30 It is not easie to the sinner that is at ease but to the weary soul it is Then any Yoke but the Yoke of lust any burthen to be delivered from the burthen of sin and guilt But who will walk in the narrow way that never entred in at the strait Gate Who will account subjection to Christ freedom until he hath first been wearied under the slavery of sins Dominion And this is a fruit of the convincing work of the Spirit And will you not come under his Yoke But when It must be done out of hand delay in this matter is very dangerous 1. In regard of the indisposition it works unto The longer sin hath possession the more it will strengthen it self and harden the heart against conviction and the harder the heart the greater the danger for growing hardness improves it self into a judgment Hardness persisted in provokes to hardening 2. In regard of the uncertainty of our duration Who knows how few hours there are between him and eternity You that refuse the Yoke of the Spirit as a work fit for riper years 'pray what security have you for the number of your years Hath God said you shall not dye next sickness or next Voyage to Sea or the next time you go to Bed or walk abroad An hundred dye young to one that lives long and is it not then an hundred to one but you may And how if you should dye in an unconvinced and unconverted state Consider what your eternal condition must then be O be willing therefore to come under this Yoke of the Spirit betimes 3. Here 's matter of instruction to such as are at present under the Spirits Yoke made sensible of sin and of their lost state and cry out of Hell and wrath c. First Take heed of discouragement To mourn under this condition that is a duty but to be discouraged and despond that is a sin For it obstructs the soul in that which is its duty it benumns and weakens the workking hand The Spirit of the Lord hath no hand in this he sets sin home upon the heart to humble us and break us and lay us low but not to bring us to discouragement and despair unless it be in our selves and therefore that is the print of the Devils foot It is one of his subtilties to rivet his temptations into our convictions When the Spirit of the Lord discovers sin in its guilt and filth to out us of our selves and shew us our need of mercy then he labours to sink us down under the despair of mercy therefore let not thy sense of sin cause thee to draw false Conclusions which in this Case is too common For though thy Case be dark it is not desperate though it is uncomfortable it is not incurable though it is sad yet it is not singular For First This is the way of God with all Sinners to whom he hath a purpose to shew mercy The Wilderness is the way to the Land of promise I will allure her and bring her into the Wilderness and there speak comfortably to her Hos 2.14 Secondly This lays thee under the Promise For that promises are not made to Sinners in their sins but to Sinners made sensible of their sins so that though thou art a Prisoner in a Pit where there is no water Ezek. 9.11 yet thou art a Prisoner of hope ver 12. God invites such as thou art the tenders of Christ and Grace have a peculiar respect to thy condition Thirdly This is that which prepares the way of the Lord into the heart He comes not till the mountains be laid low Luke 3.4 5. and the way prepared for him and nothing doth this
like sense of sin and sight of a lost estate So that there is mercy even in being under the Spirits Yoke And therefore Secondly Do not be unsensible of the mercy of being under the bondage of the Spirit though it is not a Case that hath comfort in it yet it is a Case that hath mercy in it And no present misery of any condition should make us to overlook the mercy of that condition You see sin in its filthy nature and damning guilt and thereupon are filled with dread and fear and is not this a mercy Though to do sin is the most unprofitable work yet to see sin is the most profitable sight For so long as sin is unseen Christ will be unsought The remedy is never desired till our misery be discerned and felt Your conscience is full of trouble and you are weary and cry out under the burthen of your soul-troubles and is not this a mercy How shall the burthen of sin be removed if conscience be not troubled under it The more the Sinners conscience is at peace the more sin is in power The strong man armed keeps that house Luke 11.12 Besides it is the design of God that sin shall be the trouble of every Sinners conscience sooner or later here or in Hell Hell is full of troubled consciences there is not one soul there but lyes under terrour of conscience for sin for that is the worm that never dies Mark 9.44 And is it not a mercy to be troubled for sin here rather than in Hell Here the trouble is but for a season there it will be for ever Here the end of your trouble for sin is peace and comfort Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning Psal 30.5 But in Hell your trouble will end in desperation and everlasting horrour Whatever therefore your troubles are yet reckon it for a mercy that God hath brought you to a real sense of your sin and misery for that this is the only way to drive you out of your selves to Christ You had been undone but for this undoing Thirdly Do not be weary of the Spirits operation in his carrying on the work of conviction lest by growing weary of his work you make him weary of working There are two things Sinners express a great weariness under viz. the Word and the Rod. To sit long under the Word or to lye long under the Rod O what a weariness is it Now to be weary of these is to be weary of the Spirits work for by these he calls and knocks and strives to make his voice to be heard and therefore they often go together and hence you read of chastising and teaching Psal 94.12 The Rod prepares us for hearkening to the Word and the Word teaches us to understand the Rod and therefore the Spirit sometimes uses them together He binds them in Fetters and holds them in Cords of affliction and then shews their work and their transgressions that they have exceeded Job 36.8.9 10. and so opens their ear to discipline and commands that they return from iniquity Why then should any be weary of the Spirits work And yet that it is so is most evident For why do Sinners so many ways stifle the motions of the Spirit in the soul sometimes looking on spiritual troubles as mere melancholy sancies and as such shake them off Sometimes they are stifled by shame lest others should think them mad and distracted Sometimes they are stifled by declining that Ministry that deals most with the conscience and will not let them alone in sin Sometimes by running into idle debauched company that scoff away the troubles of a convinced conscience Sometimes by over business in worldly matters The cares of this World choke the Seed and it becomes unfruitful Matth. 13.22 And is not this a great sin it is murder to destroy a Child in the womb I charge you young ones with this sin this day before the Lord. And I will prove you guilty of it For what is the reason that the Word preached hath so little success that so few of you are converted from your sins and lusts to Christ I tell you this is the reason You have stifled the motions of the Spirit of God in your souls you have resisted and quenched him you have broken his Yoke from off your neck and do ye understand what ye do Do ye know the mischief of this sin It drives the Holy Spirit out of the heart You say to him depart Job 21.14 you are weary of his striving to make you weary of sinning It greatly gratifies Satan For his design is to harden the heart against the impressions of the Spirit and so lead Sinners to a Hell through a Fools Paradise It provokes the Lord to give you up to your own hearts lusts and vile affections Rom. 2.24 26. And I am perswaded that it is the Judgment that many of the young Generation of this day lye under It provokes him to take away the Gospel And I am afraid that this Judgment is at the door for why should God continue it to a Generation that slight and reject it And wo to such as shall be found to have had a hand in sinning away the Gospel It is this sin that makes Hell hot indeed It will be one of the saddest reflections in that state for a damned Sinner to recal the many sweet motions of the Spirit which in his day of Grace he had In such a Sermon how was my heart touched and my conscience awakened But all came to nothing In such a sickness how did the Spirit of God deal with me and set sin home and made it a burthen What promises and resolutions did I then make to shake off sins to leave my former wicked courses but it came to nothing Had I then yielded to the strivings of the Spirit and hearkened to his calls and counsels I had never felt these flames But my slighting God breaking the Spirits Yoke by resisting and quenching his motions this is that which hath brought this endless misery upon me O what a dreadful thing is it to be weary of the Spirits work when he comes to convince of sin Quest But when may a man be said to be weary of the Spirits work Answ First When he cannot endure an awakening convincing Ministry nor searching truths but declines those Doctrines that interrupt him in the way of his lusts and disturb the quiet of his conscience as Felix did Paul's Sermon of righteousness and judgment to come because it made him tremble the Doctrine came too close to his conscience and therefore he dismisses the Preacher to a fitter season Acts 24.25 Secondly When he is over-hasty for peace and comfort then he is weary of the Spirits Yoke This is the Case of most they are no sooner under the sense of sin but they must have comfort The Arrows of the Almighty are sharp and when they go deep do cause an unspeakable