comfort wherewith wee our selues are comforted of God for as the sufferings of Christ abounde in vs so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. The words diuide themselues into two seuerall branches in the first whereof Christ graciously inuites all such as labour and are heauie laden vnder the burthen of their sinnes to come vnto him as the only Physicion and comforter of perplexed spirits come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauy laden and I will giue you rest The second containes a maine condition with all care and diligence sincerely to be performed by such as accept and embrace this comfortable offer take vpon you my yoke and learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest vnto your soules for my yoke is easie and my burthen light the inuitation affords these particulars to our consideration first the exhortation it selfe Come vnto mee all yee that labour and are heauie laden secondly a large and ample promise annexed thereunto and I will giue you rest or as it is in the next Verse and you shall finde rest vnto your soules In the inuitation we are first to consider the particle or word of exhorting Come Secondly the quality and condition of the ghuests inuited yee that labour and are heauy laden Thirdly the number of them all and Fourthly the feast-maker or he by whom these ghuests are inuited Me come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauy laden the promise after the same manner resolues it selfe into these particulars first the thing promised rest secondly the qualitie of it it is a gift and thirdly the guide from whom the same is to be expected I come vnto me and I will giue you rest In the second part of the Text the condition to be performed by such as accept Christs offer is first generally propounded take vpon you my yoke secondly the same is by two seuerall arguments particularly enforced whereof the first set downe in the end of the 29. Verse is taken from Christs owne example Learne of mee for I am meeke and lowly in minde the second from the facilitie and ease of this taske in that which followeth for my yoke is easie and my burthen light of these then in order and first of the first Come this word is diuersly taken in text of holy Scripture somtimes it is a word of exhortation which looking backe vpon something to bee forsaken implies a secret reason why departure is to bee made from the same in which sence it is then cōmonly vsed when as one stepping out from the rest exhorts intreats others to enterprise or vndertake this or that thus Iacobs sons vpon the approach of their brother Ioseph encourage one another for effecting and bringing to passe their vnlawfull ends Gen. 37.20 Come now therefore and let vs slay him and cast him into some pit and wee shall say Some euil beast hath deuoured him and we shall see what shall become of his dreames and Balack in his speech vnto Balaam Come I pray thee Numb 23.27 and I will bring thee vnto another place peraduenture it wil please God that thou maist curse me thē from thence and in the Parable of the Householder who going into a farre Countrey let out his Vine-yard vnto tenants the husbandmen vpon the comming of the Heire are brought in after this manner speaking one to another This is the Heire come let vs kil him Matth. 21 38. and let vs seaze on his inheritance Come saith the Prophet Dauid and heare Ps 66.16 24.11 all yee that feare God and I will declare what the Lord hath done for my soule And againe Come ye children hearken vnto me I will teach you the feare of the Lord. Sometimes againe it is a word of command and charge as appeareth by the messages of the two Captaines whom Ahaziah sent for Eliah the Prophet Thou man of God the king hath said Come downe 2. Kings 1.9 11. O man of God thus hath the King sayd Come downe quickly Both which significations of this first word applied vnto the present occasion afford streames of great comfort and consolation vnto perplexed spirits that the Sonne of God Iesus Christ stepping as it were out from amongst his brethren should friendly exhort beseech and intreat that forsaking their wretched and miserable estate the momentarie pleasures of sinne the bondage of Sathan and allurements of this wicked world now at length they would be content to shelter safegard themselues vnder the couert and shade of his protection or otherwise for expressing of his further care and more earnest desire of the saluation of our soules that knowing the naturall and imborne backwardnesse of the heart of man in embracing and intertaining motions making for the good and euerlasting happinesse of his soule he should as Lord and Master commaund and charge vs leauing our former wicked and euill courses to come vnto him the onely fountaine and wel-spring of true happinesse howsoeuer then the words thus expounded afford many singular and extraordinarie comforts vnto distressed and diseased soules yet if in this place we vnderstand come to bee the same that beleeue wee shall not come farre short of the true sense and meaning of the speaker as by collation and conference of other Scriptures of like nature euidently doth appeare Ye will not come vnto me that ye might haue life No man commeth vnto the Father Ioh. 5.40 14.8 6.44 but by mee No man can come vnto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Faith then in the Mediator Iesus Christ is that wherby broken and contrite spirits labouring and heauy laden vnder the burthen of sinne finde rest vnto their soules not a bare knowledge of the History of holy Scripture for then the diuels might challenge interest in Christs death as well as others Iam 2.19 because Saint Iames witnesseth The diuels beleeue and tremble but besides this knowledge there must bee an assurance grounded vpon the authority of Gods word that for Christ his sake God is reconciled vnto vs according to that of the Apostle Being not weake in faith hee considered not his owne body now dead when hee was about an hundred yeere old Rom. 4.18 19 20 21. neither the deadnesse of Saras wombe hee staggered not at the promise of God through vnbeliefe but was strong in faith giuing glorie vnto God beeing fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to performe so that the saith whereby wee come vnto CHRIST hath his seate in both parts of the soule in the intellectiue or vnderstanding part a sure and certaine knowledge of the truth of those things which are to be beleeued for faith as the Apostle witnesseth is the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 and the euidence of things not seene And againe therefore it is of faith that it might bee by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all
the wildernesse of this life into the spirituall Canaan of euerlasting happinesse Herein then stands the difference betweene Christians and Iewes as concerning the workes and obseruation of the Morall Law that the one is bound to a strict performance of the exquisite and exact iustice required therein vpon paine of death and euerlasting damnation according to that of Moses Deut. 27.26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them But Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 so that wee are not confined within these straits eyther by perfect and absolute obedience to purchase life or in case of defect and failing in the least to expect the fearefull sentence of death and damnation to passe vpon vs howsoeuer a serious and earnest endeuour be required in putting off concerning our former conuersation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts Eph. 4.20 and putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse being not without law to God but vnder the law to Christ for the more that wee are bound to the mercie and fauour of God the more are wee obliged to conforme our selues to his good will and pleasure Rom. 9.21 Being then that by faith in his Sonne we are freed from the curse of the Law the Father for Christ his sake accepting our halfe-maimed and imperfect obedience as absolute and without blame let it beget in our hearts rather a more earnest endeuour of performing the Law as a perfect path of righteousnesse then carelesse Epicurisme in following our owne wayes professing and saying with the blessed Apostle Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inward man Sometimes againe because of the second propertie the word Yoke is vsed for the heauie burthen perplexitie and sorrow which in case of disobedience the Law bringeth vpon the soules and consciences of men in which respect the Law is often called a yoke Act. 15.10 Why tempt yee God to put a yoke vpon the necke of the Disciples which neither our fathers nor wee were able to beare that is Why labour yee to intangle and bring againe within the curse of Gods Law those who by faith in Christ may well be freed there-from Gal. 5.1 And againe Stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free and be not intangled againe with the yoke of bondage in which sense Christ his my yoke imports an Antithesis and opposition betweene the Law of Faith and the Law of Workes as if he should haue said You haue heretofore laboured and beene heauie laden vnder the intolerable yoke and heauie burthen of the Law which was neuer able to afford you any comfort or giue rest vnto perplexed spirits Rom. 3.20 for by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh liuing be iustified in his sight take therefore vpon you my yoke of the Gospel you shall find rest vnto your soules Sometimes because of the third propertie the word yoke is vsed for the hard vsage calamity and tribulation which men receiue indure at the hands of others Of old time I haue broken thy yoke burst thy bonds Ier. 2.20 28.2.14 Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel saying I haue broken the yoke of the King of Babylon and againe I haue put a yoke of Iron vpon the necke of all these Nations that they may serue Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon And in this sense although I neither dare nor doe reiect the former after a speciall manner are Christ his words here to be vnderstood that in this life such as come vnto him stand in neede of calamity and tribulation for suppressing and keeping downe the exorbitant wickednesse and vnruly wantonnesse of the flesh Take vpon you my yoke then is the same with that of our Sauiour If any man will come after mee Mat. 16.24 10.30 let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me and againe He that taketh not his crosse and followeth mee is not worthy of me Whosoeuer will come after me let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me The happinesse then which wee finde in Christ Iesus Marke 8.34 doth not consist in the delights and pleasures of the flesh but in the quieting calmenesse of the mind Come vnto me and ye shall find rest vnto your soules let vs not then bee dismaied or cast downe if so bee seeking rest and quietnesse by faith in the Sonne of God wee be inuironed with the snares of calamity and tribulation for it is the good-will and pleasure of our heauenly Father to lay this yoke vpon vs whilst we liue here vpon earth First to call to our remembrance the generall Apostasie and defection by vs in our first Parents made from the Lord our God for the world knoweth not the fearefull disease lothsome contagion and fierce wrath and indignation thereby violently drawne vpon the whole posterity and consequently by the reares of repentance and faith in the Mediator sue not for atonement nor seeke to bee reconciled vnto this consuming fire Therefore it pleaseth the wisdome of our great Aduocate to lay this yoke vpon the neckes of his Disciples that by these sowre fruits vnderstanding the bitternesse of the roote they may thereby be incited and stirred vp to sue vnto the true Elisha 2. King 2.19 4.40 IESVS CHRIST for curing these poisoned waters and sweetning this deadly meale Secondly thereby to beget in our hearts a deeper consideration and higher esteeem and value of our atonement and reconciliation made by the death and al-sufficient sacrifice of Iesus Christ the better the patient vnderstands the danger of his disease the more thankfull is he vnto the Physicion for his cure the more euidences vnfallible arguments that men haue of death the more ioifully and gladly do they receiue their pardon hee that 's adiudged to bee burnt quicke escapes afterwards with the losse of a finger by this small taste better knowes the greatnesse of the Iudge his fauor then if so be he had not at all felt any heate of the fire Euen so the sufferance of temporal afflictions the least part of that which our sinnes haue deserued at the hands of the Lord makes vs vnderstand the great obligation wherin we are bound vnto the Sonne of God by whom we are redeemed from so great damnation and more thankful vnto his holinesse for so great a blessing for if so be these excrements be so heauy what should the whole burthen haue bin if we find such and so great difficulty in bearing the smallest and least part what if the whole desert of our transgressions had bin layd vpon vs Thirdly the yoke of calamitie and tribulation serues for preuenting of future slips according to that of the Prophet Danid Psal 119.67 71. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now haue
the Commandement as if seeing a man altogether depriued of the vse of his legges one should promise him great summes of money with all celeritie and swiftnesse speedily to runne a race whom hee very well knew vnable so much as to stand much lesse swiftly to runne Being then that the Lord commands exhorts aduiseth and by large and ample promises allures men to the obedience of his Commandements it must of necessitie follow that there is some power and abilitie in them for the performance of this obedience Christ his Come vnto me then puts vs in mind that if wee will wee may beleeue in the Mediator betweene God and man if we list there is power in vs ynough to obey his commandement and if carefully we bestirre our selues there is no want of strength in our hearts to corporate and worke together with the Spirit of God for consummating and bringing to full perfection the worke of our saluation for els the great Shepheard IESVS CHRIST would not require that of vs which altogether we are vnable to performe But needlesse multiplication and increase of words remoued and set aside if these men can be perswaded to turne vnto the sixt of S. Iohns Gospell and foure and fortieth verse they shall finde the same mouth that in the Text which now wee haue in hand inuites and exhorts such as labour and are heauie laden to come vnto him there publikely preaching vnto the Iewes No man can come vnto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Where is now their imborne strength What is now become of their naturall abilitie in spirituall things And of what validitie and force I pray you is their strong Goliah taken from the nature of Christs speech If no man can come except he be drawne certainely of our selues wee are dead in sinnes and trespasses Ephes 2.5 if wee must be drawne then we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke a good thought 2. Cor. 3.5 much lesse to doe any thing that good is if wee must be drawne vnto Christ then naturally euery imagination of the thoughts of our hearts are onely euill continually In like manner the same Spirit Gen. 6.5 which by the mouth of Malachie exhorts Israel to turne vnto the Lord their God by Ezechiel professeth Mal. 3.7 That he will giue them one heart and put a new spirit within them That he will take away the stonie heart out of their flesh and giue them an heart of flesh Ezech. 11.19 20. that they may walke in his Statutes and keepe his Ordinances to doe them and they shall be his people and he will be their God and againe I will giue them one heart and one way Ierem. 32.39 that they may feare me for euer for the good of them and of their children after them That then wee walke in the obedience of Gods commandements it is the Lords own blessing and not any naturall or imborne strength of ours according to that of S. Cyprian Dei est inquam Cyp. lib. 2. Ep. 2. Dei est omne quod possumus inde viuimus inde pollemus inde sumpto concepto vigore hic adhuc positi futurorum indicia praenoscimus Whatsoeuer wee are able to doe for the attainement of euerlasting happinesse is to be ascribed vnto the grace and gift of God it is from God I say and not our owne for in him wee liue by him wee are enabled and from him endowed with strength liuing yet here vpon earth by the eyes of faith we behold and looke vpon the badges and notes of euerlasting happinesse And S. Augustine speaking to the same purpose Nemo se palpet Aug. Hom. 49. in Ioan. de suo Satanas est tollat homo peccatum quod suum est Deo iustitiam relinquat Let no man in the matter of regeneration ascribe any thing vnto himselfe for of ourselues we are aduersaries and opposite vnto the wayes of righteousnesse Let man then if hee must needes challenge ought to himselfe take to him the sinnefull part which is his ascribing all his righteousnesse vnto the Lord. Therefore the Prophet Dauid blusheth not to begge at the hands of the Lord euen the beginnings and first steps of holinesse Psal 51.10 119.18.35.34.35 Create in me a cleane heart O Lord and renew a right spirit within me open thou mine eyes that I may behold wonderous things out of thy Law make me vnderstand the path of thy Commandements so shall I talke of thy Precepts giue me vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy Law yea I shall obserue it with my whole heart make me to goe in the path of thy Commandements for therein doe I delight What then had Dauid of his owne or where was his naturall and imborne strength whereby he was able of himselfe to doe somewhat towards the attainement of euerlasting happinesse a cleane heart and a right spirit he begges to haue created within him now creatio est ex nihilo this is the difference betweene made and created that making presupposeth the substance of the thing made to haue beene before being nothing else in it selfe but inductio nouae formae the bringing of a new shape fashion or forme vpon an old subiect as to make a Shippe a Boat an Oare or the like is nothing else but to square and proportion Timber and Wood which haply long or at least sometime before hath had his being into forme and fashion fit to swimme or sayle in the Sea but to create is of nothing to make some substance If then Dauid must haue a cleane heart and a right spirit created in him it will of necessitie follow that there was at this time no such thing to be found in his brest Secondly hee cranes not onely a cleane heart and a right spirit to be created in him but Lord open thou mine eyes that I may behold wonderous things out of thy Law giue me vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy Law make me to goe in the path of thy Commandements As if Hanna hauing by prayer and supplication obtained a sonne at the hands of the Lord should begge safe deliuerance at the Throne of Gods mercie professing thereby both the conception and birth to be from aboue Iust so Dauid hauing begged the foundation and ground a cleane heart and a right spirit finding in himselfe not so much as abilitie and strength to make vse of the Lords blessings for the saluation of his soule much lesse power to doe any thing that good is he sueth That the Almightie hauing of nothing framed the new man in his heart he would be pleased to open his eyes that he might see and strengthen his limbes that hee might walke and firmely tread within the Courts of his Sanctuarie Thus then you see what warrant the aduersarie hath from this and such like Scriptures for maintaining a position so preiudiciall vnto the all-sufficient Sacrifice of Christs death But what then may some man say is
and last period of enioying their ends What warrant had Alexander for his assurance of subduing Asia Augustus of Pompey Cassius and the like and all subiect to corruption for where are now the great Monarchies of Assyria Media Persia Grecia and of the Romans well then being that men vndergoe such and so great labour and toyle for attaining vncertaine and corruptible glorie what should we do for attaining the rest spoken of here in the Text which once gotten is free from all corruption and whereof by the means here mentioned we may vndoubtedly be assured Take vpon you my yoke As man by nothing more is encouraged to vndertake great weighty matters then by hope and expectation of reward so failing and comming short of his ends he seldome misseth shamefull Apostasie and defection from his former resolution yea oftentimes although the error be in his owne false conceit and misunderstanding of the promise Thus Israel hearing in Aegypt that a Land flowing with milke and hony was prepared for them and that the Lord himselfe would safely conduct them into that good Land O they are a fire till the iourney be in force but how soone as come to the red Sea they see themselues enuironed with great and high mountaines on the one side the Aegyptian forces on the other and the raging waues of mercilesse water before their faces how soon they came into the desart and barren wildernesse and heard of the great strength and walled Cities of Canaan as men frustrate and disappointed of their promised reward like broken bowes they start backe and make defection from their former profession Many in hope and expectation of future preferment followed Christ in the beginning of his Ministerie fondly dreaming of a temporall kingdome but perceiuing in processe of time all things to fall out quite contrarie the Text saith That they went backe Ioh. 6.66 2. Tim. 4.10 Luk. 22.4 and walked no more with him This was Demas his bane Iudas his ruine Simons ouerthrow and a great stumbling blocke vnto the two disciples iournying towards Emmaus as by their owne conference euidently doth appeare Act. 8.19 We trusted that it had beene he which should haue redeemed Israel beside all this to day is the third day since these things were done yea and certaine women also of our companie made vs astonished which were early at the Sepulchre and when they found not his bodie they came saying that they had also seene a vision of Angels Act. 24.21 22 23 24. which said that he was aliue Therefore Christ for preuenting of this so great an inconuenience hath from time to time laboured rightly to informe such as come vnto him of the nature and qualitie of the entertainment which from his hands is to be expected Thus the Pharisee offering his seruice heareth That the Foxes haue holes Matth. 8.20 and the Birds of the Heauen haue nests but the Sonne of man hath not whereon to lay his head And here in the Text which now wee haue in hand hauing comfortably inuited all such as labour and are heauie laden vnder the burthen of their sins to come vnto him with a promise of rest lest men hereupon should promise vnto themselues worldly pleasure temporall felicitie and the fulfilling of the delights and desires of the flesh the missing whereof might afterwards occasion a disgracefull apostafie and defection from this holy profession therefore after the promise immediately he subioynes a large commentarie and exposition of his former words Take vpon you my yoke As if he should haue said I came not to cleanse you from your sinnes that being reconciled and receiued againe into the loue and fauour of Almightie God you should challenge libertie and freedome without all restraint at randon to wallow in sinne and iniquitie it is neither a bodily nor fleshly rest which from me is to be looked for and expected for why should the followers of a Prince whose kingdome is not in this world dreame of such things but the rest which I promise is spirituall Come vnto me and you shall find rest vnto your soules As concerning the things of this life you must learne to put off concerning the former conuersation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your mind putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Our freedome in Christ Iesus then is not such that as lawlesse men we may doe what we list but on the contrarie being ingrafted into his mysticall bodie wee must take vpon vs his yoke of repentance and faith by the one putting off concerning our former conuersation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts and by the other being renewed in the spirit of our minds putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Neyther is the Rest by Christ Iesus promised a cessation of tribulation and crosse but by faith being vnited vnto the great Shepheard we must take vpon vs his yoke of calamitie and trouble If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse Matth. 16.24 and follow me Take vpon you my yoke The word yoke in his proper signification is an instrument framed by the wit and inuention of man for combining and ioyning beasts together in Carts or Coaches for the more easie and swift carriage of ponderous and weightie things wherein three things offer themselues to our consideration first a distinct and seuerall kind of labor and working for beasts vnder the yoke are confined vnto one particular manner of trauaile secondly the weight and heauinesse of the burthen for yoking presupposeth an intention in the owner to lay more vpon the beasts then otherwise conueniently they could be brought to beare and thirdly the crueltie of the Dryuer because beasts vnder yoke restrained from working as they would are bitterly pusht and prickt forward with goades whips scourges and the like From which three properties of a yoke the Pen-men of holy Scripture haue drawne three seuerall metaphors vsing the word sometimes for the doctrine instruction and teaching wherein the Lord traines and brings vp his Church here vpon earth because as a yoke confines beasts vnto a definite and certaine kind of working so doctrine institution and teaching commaunds vs to thinke speake and doe after this or that manner These haue altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds Ier. 5.5 that is they haue forsaken and cast off the obedience of Gods commandements If in this sence we vnderstand Christ his words the meaning will be that by faith in his death we are not so freed from the yoke of his Law as that we haue libertie to doe what wee list but by faith in the Mediator being reconciled vnto God we are to take this yoke vpon vs vsing the Law as a guide a path and sure way to walke and passe through
I kept thy word And againe It is good for me that I haue bin afflicted that I might learne thy statutes for as the bitternesse of sowre and vnsauorie things makes the suckling forbeare and refraine the dug wherunto he otherwise he naturally inclineth Iust so the bitternesse of calamitie and tribulation which for Iniquity lieth heauy vpoÌ„ the dearest of Gods children makes them forsake and renounce the pleasures of sinne from whence otherwise they could not so easily be weaned and kept backe And learne of me There is no doctrine more harsh and vnsauoury vnto the naturall man then that of the crosse therefore when as mention is made thereof vsually it pleaseth the wisedome of Gods holy Spirit to subioyne words of encouragement and comfort as in that Prophesie of Israels tribulation in the land of Aegypt Know for a suretie that thy seede shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs Gen. 15.13 14. and shall serue them and they shall afflict them foure hundred yeeres and also that Nation whom they shall serue I will iudge and afterwards shall they come out with great substance and againe These things haue I spoken vnto you Ioh. 15.33 that in me yee might haue peace in the world ye shall haue tribulation but be of good cheere I haue ouercome the world as here in the Text which now we haue in hand Christ in the beginning of the Verse hauing spoken of a yoke lest thereupon men should bee discouraged and dis-heartned from comming vnto him he is not content to promise vnto them in the agony greatest heate of affliction rest vnto their soules that though the outward man perish yet the inward man shall be renewed day by day though the body be dead because of sinne yet the spirit shall liue because of righteousnesse though the flesh be destroyed yet the spirit shall be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus but for their further incouragement he addes two forcible and effectuall arguments for begetting in their hearts patience and constancy in bearing of this yoke the first whereof is taken from his own example which ought so much the more to preuaile with vs as he is is more worthy in the fauor of God then we learne therefore of mee that the father in this life will not haue his children free from the yoke of calamity and tribulation for if we be without chastisement whereof all are partakers we are bastards and not the sonne◠〈◊〉 God because the Lord whom hee loueth he chastiseth and correcteth euery sonne whom he receiueth and certainly if we ponder and weigh things in an euen ballance this cannot but preuent euery least beginning of discontent that we taste of no other cuppe then that whereof the Sonne of God hath liberally drunke before there is no other measure giuen vs then that which Iesus Christ hath formerly receiued 1. Pet. 2.21 Hereunto sayth the Apostle were ye called because Christ also suffered leauing for vs an example that wee should follow his steppes and againe Whom he did fore-know he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son Rom. 8.29 that as hee in all meeknesse and lowlinesse of minde submitted himselfe to the good will and pleasure of his heauenly Father so by his example wee might learne to doe the same according to that of the Apostle Being found in fashion as a man Phil. 2.8 hee humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse And againe Though he were a Sonne Heb. 5.8 yet learned hee obedience by the things which he suffered Reioice greatly O Daughter of Sion shout O Daughter of Ierusalem behold thy King commeth vnto thee Zach. 9.9 hee is iust and hauing saluation lowly and riding vpon an Asse and vpon a Colt the Foale of an Asse For herein stands the difference between the Godly and the wicked in carrying about the badges of guilt that the one doth it with vnspeakable wrestling repining grudging murmuring and fretting against the Lord but the other with al meeknesse and lowlinesse of minde submit themselues vnder the afflicting hand of Almighty God and why because they vnderstand their afflictions to proceed from a louing and gracious Father who will doe nothing but for their good howsoeuer for the present his proceedings be sowre and vnsauoury vnto the naturall man but the wicked seeing nothing but the fierce countenance of an angrie Iudge fret and fume against him as the enemy and destroier of their being If the Iudgement of God be denounced aâ—â—â—â—st Cain for his offence Gen. 3.13 as an vntamed Heifer hee will kicke against his Maker My punishment is greater then I can beare 1. Sam. 3.18 but let Samuel deliuer vnto Eli neuer so harsh newes the grossest of his carriage shall be it is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good If Ahitophel be disgraced the Gallowes shall bewray the implacable discontent of his heart but although King Dauid be openly reproued for his sinne humble confession is the worst entertainement that hee giues the Lords message learne therefore of mee for I am meeke and lowly in heart and yee shall finde rest vnto your soules My yoke is easie The second argument which Christ vseth to perswade such as come vnto him with patience and constancie to take his yoke vpon them is taken from the easinesse and facilitie of the taske things light and easie to bee performed are at the command of a Superiour with great patience and constancy cagerly to be taken in hand especially being exceeding profitable and making for the good of the Patient but so it is that my yoke is easie and my burthen light First because of the perpetuall assistance of my holy Spirit whereby you are strengthened in the inner-man the better to beare the afflictions which outwardly you suffer in the bodie according to that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 10.13 God is faithfull who will not suffer you to bee tempted aboue that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that yee may be able to beare it Secondly it is easie because of the vnspeakable felicity and happinesse which after small continuance it brings vnto the Patient Our light affliction 2. Cor. 4.17 which is but for a moment vvorketh for vs a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glorie And againe Rom. 8.18 I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthie to bee compared with the glorie which shall bee reuealed in vs. Therefore Saint Paul speaking of himselfe sayth Coloss 1.24 Who now reioyce in my suffering for you and fill vp that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church And againe Rom. 5.3 Wee reioyce in tribulations my brethren count it all ioy when ye fall into diuers temptations My yoke First because according to my good will and pleasure I impose and lay the same vpon the necks of my followers for afflictions come not vnto the Saints by chance or fortune but from the Lord according to that of Iob Iob. 1.21 5.17 18. The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh away blessed be the Name of the Lord. And againe Happie is the man whom God correcteth therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almightie for he maketh sore and bindeth vp he woundeth and his hands make whole Secondly it is his yoke because in his owne person hee hath deepely tasted the bottome and verie dregges of this Cuppe according vnto that of the Prophet He is despised and reiected of men Esay 53.3 4 5 6. a man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefe surely he hath borne our griefes and carried our sorrowes he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him Thirdly hee calls it his yoke for difference and distinctions sake betweene the afflictions of the godly and punishments of the wicked the one beareth the yoke of Gods fierce wrath and indignation because of their abhominable transgressions but the other the yoke of fatherly correction the one yoke is imposed and layd on for the destruction and ouerthrow of the patient but the other for the chastisement of sonnes that thereby they may learne not to prouoke their heauenly Father vnto further displeasure Fourthly and lastly Christ calls it my yoke in regard of the gracious assistance of his holy Spirit whereby hee comforts vpholds and strengthens the hearts of his children for the more patient and constant bearing of the same For we haue not an High Priest Heb. 4.15 which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted as wee are â—hat he might be a mercifull and faithfull High Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people Blessed therefore be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth vs in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God To whom the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost be all honour prayse and glorie now and for euermore Amen FINIS