Yoke of Christ earlier in their Youth Jer. 31. 18. 19. Ephraim bemoaned himself saying I have been as a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoke I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the Reproach of my Youth Job 13. 26. Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the Iniquities of my Youth O young People did you but know what some have suffered and undergone crying out in the Day-time thy Hand O Lord lieth heavy on me and in the Night-time their Sore running grievously upon this account surely you would be awakened to other Apprehensions about the necessity of an Early Coming under the Yoke For my own part I have passed the Days of my Youth but the bitter remembrance of my Vanity Pride Self-conceit Idleness and foolish mispending of precious Time c. will stick by me and like a Goad stick in me so long as I live So that as is reported of the Jewish Rabbies that they use to say concerning the Great Sin of the Isrealites worshipping the Golden Calf that after it there never was any remarkable Judgments befel that People of the Jews but there was an Ounce of the Calf in it that is there was a Lash in it for that Sin such have been my Thoughts that to this day I never met with any bitter strokes in the Course of God's Holy Providence towards me but that place of Ephraim and Job runs in my mind which I mentioned but now Thou makest me to possess the Iniquities of my Youth It may be some of you may be apt to think and say he is a good Man would my Soul was in his Soul stead and condition Alas Alas you know not what you say the Heart knoweth its own Bitterness a Stander by a Stranger doth not It 's true I bless the Lord who gave me Councel at length and for what ever he hath done for me wrought in me O Eternity it self is little enough to praise him I am sure it 's his own and not of me Oh no let me be vile in my own Apprehensions as low as Hell whether I had certainly run had the Lord left me to my self But all I say is O that I had bore the Yoke earlier in my Youth I could repeat it from my very Soul a thousand times O that I had c. Those Words of Augustine have often affected me Sero â—e amavi Domine O Lord too late have I loved thee The Heart-searching God knoweth if my Heart deceives me not that I could wish I had born the most torturing racking Pains and Miseries of this Life rather than delayed so long to come under Christ's Blessed Yoke But why do I thus run out in publick on this Subject it may be some may think it were fitter for the Closet than the Pulpit Well! be it known to you my private Recesses have been no Strangers to these things But who can tell what good the Lord may do by it as since the Preaching of it I praise the Lord I have had an account of one that hereby was awaken'd Is there any Evil in declaring it for one that has heedlesly run upon a Rock and suffered Damage to call out to others that are failing the same Course to stop and tack about least they fall into the same Distress So for me that to the 19th Year of my Age was Foolish and Disobedient c. to call out to you that have not as yet fulfilled those Years or if you have exceeded them that you would proceed no further in your foolish and trfling Delaies I see there be many of you that are are just entring the Teens well hear it for your Good you are in the Posession of a Jewel which some here would give the whole World for if they had it supposing they had their Eyes opened to see the Cheats of Sin and Youthful Pleasures c. The Lord make you wise for Eternity 4. Consider what a World of Suitors you above all others have Jebovah Father Son and Holy Spirit Court and Councel you hence a great part of the Scriptures are penned for your Sake God hath a kindness for your Age and makes his first Applications to you he covets the beginning of your Strength and you may therefore be assured that what he seeks he will accept if you come in and yield to his Yoke But it 's probable some be ready to object if he so much desire us why don't he he conquer and convert us Answ O take heed of replying against God least your Bonds be made strong know it therefore the way wherein he will be found and let out of his powerful Spirit and Grace is the way of fervent frequent Prayers redeeming Time waiting diligently at Wisdom's Gates and watching against the Enticements of Sinners in all which there is Infinite Mercy and Grace and after all will you dare to Blaspheme his Wisdom in appointing and his Mercy in affording you these Means and then cast out your Foam against the God of Heaven and say why don't he convert me O if you understood all you would rather stand admiring and say why has he not damned me Is it fit a Holy God should be thus reproach'd by so mean a Worm as thou Or is it reasonable you should expect that he should force you against your Wills Moreover Satan the World and the Flesh are desirous of your Age the Devil knows your Weakness want of Experience proness to put off the thoughts of Death and Judgment what Folly is bound up in your Hearts c. Hence he is very busy with Youth as being very desirous of the Male in your Flock O then what need had Youth to bestir themselves least so subtile and malicious an Enemy blind them to their own Perdition 5. Consider what an Advantage you have above old Sinners First as you have more hope in your present Case you have not so often grieved the Spirit nor repulsed so many Checks of Conscience nor stifled so many Convictions nor is Sin grown so old and deeply rooted in you by a long Custom as it is in others Which Secondly is a mighty Advantage in your turning to God viz. preventing the Power and Plague of an evil Custom Jer. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopean change his Skin c. It 's an amazing thing to consider how some that have accustomed themselves to that beastly Sin of Drunkenness have thereby been brought so under its Power as in despight of all Arguments the bitter Cries of a starving ragged Family the Danger of Arrests the Flashes of Hell in their Consciences that by times have met with Reproofs of Ministers c. yet have still continued in that Sin to their Destruction O young Man you have this Advantage above old Sinners you may avoid the Plague of an ill Custom a Plague I think a Man had better never been born than to be under 6. Consider what you are till you come under the Yoke you are Children
Yoke is an Emblem of Labour it 's true indeed our Saviour saith His Yoke is easy but pray don't mistake that Expression it no ways imports as if Christians may be idle No my Beloved tho Christ's Yoke is easy yet it is not a Yoke of Idleness Tho praised be the Lord it is not an Iron Yoke of Cruelty yet it is a Yoke still for Duty and as it is a Yoke it imports the necessity of Labour and Diligence O that the Self-deluding Soul-cheating Lazy Professors of this secure Age were but convinced of this those who deem Christ's Service to be no other than an heap of good Wishes also those who think it stands only in a Circle and Course of dull and drowsy Performances to pray hear sing Psalms c. and I wish there were but so much done by some but our blessed Saviour fully detecteth the insufficiency of these in those two great Instances of the Pharisee in the Temple Luke 18. and the young Man in the 19th of Math. All these saith he have I done from my Youth and yet he was never brought under Christ's Yoke never throughly convinced of the Sin of his Nature never knew what Poverty of Spirit brokenness of Heart pangs of new Birth meant never entred the strait Gate of Regeneration And O that this were not the sad condition of far the greater number among us under the Gospel Alas what shall we think of those who are wrapt up in Ignorance blinded by the God of this World all quiet while the strong Man armed keeps the House no Outcries what to do to be saved others who tho they profess high hear and know much yet live idly and unprofitably are at ease pampering and indulging their beloved Lusts making continual Provision for the Flesh to fulfil it in its Lusts who cannot endure to have their Corruptions crossed but hate Reproof and make their Profession of Christ to be a Cloak to their loose and licentious Practises Surely these are as far from the Yoke of Christ as they are from that great mark of true Christians They that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh with its Affections and Lusts Gal. 5. 24. Hence we read of work of Faith the labour of Love and the Patience of Hope 1 Thess 1. 3. Wherein you have a Figure which Rhetoricians call Hypallage i. e. the Work of Faith for a working Faith the Labour of Love for a laborious Love and the Patience of Hope for a Hope patiently waiting that like an Anchor holds out all Storms Temptations Conflicts Hence also it is that the Kingdom of Heaven is said to suffer violence aend the violent take it by force Math. 11. 12. My Brethren there is no part of Christ's Service but calls for labour to repent to believe to love to hope c. and therefore it 's called a Yoke which brings me to open the other Branch Namely Quest What the bearing of this Yoke is Answ In the general the bearing of this Yoke is no other than a cordial and unfeigned Subjection to Jesus Christ in the Gospel to answer to his Calls to open at his Knocks to accept of his Offers to believe his Reports to obey his Commands Or if you can conceive it better by other Terms to bear his Yoke is our sincere and hearty consent that He and He only bear rule over us But this being the main of our Duty it requireth a more distinct and particular opening generalia non pungunt wherefore I shall consider these two Things 1. What is necessarily requisite to it 2. What is essentially contained in it Answ For the first of these it is necessarily requisite to the bearing of Christ's Yoke that a Man come first under it This is so plain and obvious that it needs no more Proof than it meets with Objection and Doubt and that is none at all that I know of For as the Apostle in another Case makes his Appeal to common Reason Rom. 10. 14. How can they believe on him of whom they have not heard So may I in the present Case How can a Man bear the Yoke unless he come under it This carrieth its own Light in it So that under this Head it only remaineth needful to consider what is requisite to the coming under Christ's Yoke Now to give a right and clear Answer hereunto two things must be considered 1. What is requisite on God's part 2. What is requisite on our part 1. In order to a Man's coming under the Yoke there is requisite on God's part both the Wheel of his Providence and the Arm of his Power The one to bring a Sinner under the Gospel and the other to draw a Sinner under the Yoke For as our Saviour saith No Man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him John 6. 44. But where and what is this drawing why the very next Verse answers it fully It is written in the Prophets and they shall be all taught of God every Man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me v. 45. So that this drawing is no other than God's teaching a Sinner by his Word and Spirit under the Gospel Dispensation Now that this is necessary is evident from the full Testimony of Scripture and the free Confession of all that ever were converted and brought under the Yoke of Christ Psal 110. 3. Phil. 2. 12. Eph. 2. 1 10. James 1. 18. And as to the Apostle's Query 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another He propounds it not by way of doubt but concludeth upon the Testimony as well he might of every regenerate Person that it was God and not Man And my Beloved whoever shall take a right Survey of the Depth of that miserable Apostacy Man is sunk into by the Fall together with all its Effects in that Darkness Filth Folly Bondage Power of Lusts Enmity Rebellion Prejudice against God all which is attended with a Senseless Stupidity so far from being convinced of the evil of so wretched and vile a State as for the most part likeing and approving the same I say whoever surveyeth this aright may justly stand amazed that ever there should spring up in any Age of the Church a Pelagius a Patron a Pleader for the power of Man to make himself to differ from another The Lord awaken us to right Apprehensions touching this Point viz. the necessity of the Arm of God's Power to draw a Sinner under Christ's Yoke Alas without this How can of Darkness such a Soul be made Light in the Lord and the Dead hear the Voice of the Son of God and live How should Satan called the strong Man be cast out or the stony Heart in a Sinner's Breast be taken away or the Enmity in a carnal Mind be slain or the stout fierce Rebellion in the Will quell'd and conquered All which must be done if ever a Soul be brought under the Yoke of Christ Alas there is
found in every unconverted Sinner a stiff Neck a stout Heart a dark Mind and bruitish Affections an Infinite Power is therefore requisite to be employ'd to bring a Man under the Yoke It is true indeed God putteth forth this Power in a way suited to the Nature of Man Hosea 11. 14. it is said He drew them with the bands of a Man that is in a way of rational Conviction not by Force and Violence but by his Word and Spirit enlightning their Minds and awakening their Consciences to know and see the Power and Plague of their Sinful Natures and the sure and certain Woe and Misery Death and Damnation belonging to them while in their natural Estate and that will inevitably be their Portion if they continue and die therein now it is in this way that the Almighty displays and makes bare the Arm of his Power without offering Violence to the Will which is against the Nature of it but removing the Corruption of it he sweetly boweth and turneth it by his gracious and powerful Perswasions to come under Christ's Yoke He doth not drag a Sinner as you would do a Stone but he draws him by the Cords of Conviction agreeable to the Nature of a reasonable Creature Hence it is that his People are said to be a willing People in the day of his Power Psal 110. 3. That which in one Scripture is called Creation Resurrection to shew its invincible Power in another Scripture is called Illumination drawing turning from Darkness to Light to shew its admirable suitableness and sweetness to the Nature of Man It is in this way and by these means the Lord demolisheth those strong Holds of Sin viz. Ignorance Carnal Security Pride c. and so prepares the Soul for a closing with and Subjection to the Yoke of Christ and whatever injudicious Christians may say to the contrary yet this Truth standeth sure that a Man must first see himself lost and be made willing to cast off the Yoke of Sin before ever he will come under the Yoke of Christ without Conviction of his Sin and Misery there is no Subjection to Christ in the Gospel Which brings me to consider the other Branch viz. what is requisite on our part to come under the Yoke 2. On our part it is necessarily requisite that a Man take pains to know and rightly understand the true State of things between God and his Soul As 1. That God is thy Creator and thou art his Creature and that thereupon thou owest thy whole self to him since he raised thee out of Nothing and gave thee thy Being 2. That thou art an Apostate Creature a grievous Revolter from thy Sovereign and Rightful Lord and thereby liable to the Wrath of God so that now thy coming under Christ's Yoke is but thy coming back out of a State of Apostacy and yielding thy self to God 3. You are to understand That in this State of Apostacy so great was the Offence done to Divine Justice and so binding was the Curse and condemning Sentence of the Law upon fallen Man that there is now no appearing before no access to no acceptance with so holy a God but in and through a Mediatour because of that great Gulph Sin hath made between God and us Out of Christ he is a consuming Fire and we are as dried Stubble Luther used to say absque Christo non solum periculosum sed horribile est de Deo cogitare i. e. That it is not only dangerous but an horrible thing to think of God out of Christ O that there was an Heart in you to understand this Poor fallen Man had been for ever abandoned to Despair and left hopeless had not God in great compassion to our Miseries opened this Fountain of Grace and Door of Hope 2 Cor. 5. 20. God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself c. There is not a Man to be found on Earth reconciled to or accepted with God but as he is found in Christ Eph. 1. 6. Such is the grievous heinousness of Sin and the glorious Holiness of God that no Man may or can approach unto him but as he is a God propitiated by the Death of Christ The Lord speaks this home to your Hearts It is grown customary in every Man's Mouth almost to say we are all Sinners but God is Merciful and Christ hath died but alas to how few hath this come in the Demonstration of the Spirit and with Power Well this is necessarily requisite on our part in order to come under the Yoke that a Man know and understand this aright that there is no coming into the Favour of God but by Christ hence it is that this Yoke bears his Name Math. 11. 29. Take my Yoke upon you c. For this end the Son of God came down from Heaven into this miserable World to take our Nature and in our Nature to take upon him the accursed Yoke of our Sins that so making satisfaction thereby to offended Justice he might make way for poor Sinners to come under his blessed Yoke in order to their coming back to God again and becoming his Friends and Favourites in an everlasting Covenant of Peace And having said this it is necessary in the fourth place That 4. You are to understand and know in order to your coming under Christ's Yoke that in this state of things such was the infinite Dignity of Christ his Person being God-man and such was the unspotted Purity of his Nature he being holy harmless undefiled and seperate from Sinners that through his once offering up himself by the eternal Spirit to God he is now become the Author of eternal Salvation to all that come under his Yoke and is able to save all such to the uttermost Heb. 5. 9. and c. 7. 25. 26. The Phrase which the Apostle useth there is very Emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it denotes both perfection and perpetuity He is able to save fully perfectly from all Sin Misery Enemies both from without and within it is so compleat and full as that it comprizeth all kinds and degrees of Salvation from all sorts of Sins Original and Actual yea from all the evil that is in Sin and from all the sad and miserable consequences of Sin And then there is the perpetuity of it he is able to save to the uttermost i. e. for ever it is not for a time only but to the end of our Lives indeed unto all Eternity not only to save us here on Earth but also in Heaven as Chrysost expounds it O comfortable Doctrine Guilt cannot look on Majesty and Majesty is most terrible in an Enemy in a Judg but when Christ interposeth God appeareth fully satisfied yea so full was the Merit and Satisfaction of Christ's Sufferings as that there is not only a fullness of sufficiency but redundancy So that the Merit of Christ's Sufferings did as far surmount the demerit of our Sins as the vast Ocean doth the least drop
us by his Word and Spirit the Will of God for our Salvation renouncing to lead to our own Understandings and set up our own Conceits as our Rule verily accounting all that Wisdom and carnal Reason to be but meer Foolishness which lifteth up it self against any Truth of Christ in the Gospel As for instance it is one of the great and most concerning Truths of Christ Luke 13. 24. Strive to enter in at the strait Gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter and shall not be able Now when the Mind gives a free and full assent to this Truth as it is in Jesus not listning to any that shall rise up in opposition to the Wisdom of this great Prophet and say what need so much ado about this striving The Gate and way that leads to Heaven is smooth and broad but on the contrary heeds it hides it in the Heart by Faith that it may thereby be excited quickned to Diligence in striving the more earnestly This is one main Ingredient in coming under and bearing the Yoke Hence you read Eph. 4. 21 22. and John 10. 27. Of learning the Truth as it is in Jesus and of Christ's Sheep hearing his Voice and following him not a Stranger And in 1 Cor. 2. 14. speaking of the natural Man i. e. a Man unsubdued to the Yoke of Christ That he receives not the things of the Spirit of God Young People naturally receive not the Truths that directly and more especially concern them such as Eccl. 12. 1. 2 Tim. 2. 22. To remember their Creator to know the Scriptures to flee Youthful Lusts to hearken to Instruction c. but foolishly imagine it is time enough to mind the Concernments of their Souls herein now consists Rebellion to Christ's Yoke when the Mind attends not but holds in Unrighteousness stifles resists these Truths On the other hand when the Mind becomes studious to know opens yields to the light quarrelleth not with it but welcomes reverenceth and receiveth it as becometh a meek tractable and humble Disciple pondering and revolving such Thoughts as these I may never have the like Advantage again savingly to know the things of my Peace it cannot be too soon to hearken to Instruction it may be too late if I now trifle my Danger is great I stand upon the brink of Eternity and hereupon as the new born Babe desires the sincere Milk of the Word that he may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 2. looks into the Scriptures and then looks up to Heaven and saith Lord What I know not teach thou me and wherein I have done Iniquity I 'le do so no more I confess my Blindness Darkness Dullness Foolishness I am a poor ignorant erring Creature none more apt go astray But there 's none can teach like thee thou hast the Key of David that openest and none can shut c. thou hast the Eye-Salve for the cure of blind Hearts O take away the Vail that is upon my Heart and write thy Law there anoint my Eyes with the heavenly Unction of thy Holy Spirit open my Understanding that I may see the wonderous things contained in thy Law give me to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven c. Thus a sound and sincere Mind seeketh and savoureth the Truths of Christ and herein consisteth its Subjection to his Yoke the Understanding is subdued to the Wisdom of Christ in his Prophetical Office so as that when at any time he shall please by his Word and Spirit to let into the Mind the light of any Truth it yields quietly and readily to the Authority and Power of that Truth will not dare not invent Excuses to defeat its Erraud be it never so hard to cut off a right Hand Lust c. but saith Amen Lord be it so I am content thou should'st use the severest Methods for slaying my Corruptions O let it be done whatever it cost me any thing Blessed Jesus rather than Sin unsubdued O let thy Word King it over my Lusts and be enthron'd in my Heart accordingly when it falleth like a two edged Sword upon such a Sin the sound and submissive Mind willingly lies under the Blow and saith more of this good Lord strike again and again lay the Ax of this Truth to the Root of my Heart Lust and down with it Root and Branch What then shall become of those whose Minds are so far from a ready compliance with the Truths of Christ as a Prophet as that they rebelliously controul him in his Office It may be he hath come in such a Sermon and by his Spirit hath directed the Arrow of Conviction to such a Man's Conscience and thereby instructed him how ready he is to assist in getting off Sin 's Yoke and putting on Christ's Well! what has been the Carriage and Behaviour of this Wretch under this why instead of siding and taking part with the Light of the Spirit in this Truth of Christ he has sided with Satan and his own Corruption labouring to extinguish this Candle of the Lord and to blow out this Light of Conviction and set his Lust in battel array to fight against the Truth and will rather part with his Blood and Life than with his Sins O this is high and open Rebellion against Christ The Lord keep you young Ones from it This then is the first thing contained in bearing Christ's Yoke viz. Subjection of the Understanding and Mind to the Truths and teaching of Christ the great Prophet of his Church 2. It containeth in it a subjection of the Will to Christ both to obey him as King and fiducially to receive and trust in him as the Great High-Priest who alone was able to make Atonement and Reconciliation for Sin by his once offering up himself a Sacrifice to satisfy Divine Justice Now herein chiefly consists our Subjection to Christ's Yoke when the Will is won over to a full consent to receive and obey him both as Jesus and Lord Col. 2. 6. This answereth both the great Design and Intendment of the Gospel of Christ and also the Exigency of our lost and undone State when the Will comes up to a true Closure to say as in Isa 26. 12 13. O Lord thou wilt ordain Peace for us for thou hast wrought all thy Works in us O Lord our God other Lords besides thee have had Dominion over us but by thee only will we make mention of thy Name Also in Acts 9. 6. And he trembling speaking of Paul at the time of his Conversion or coming under Christ's Yoke and astonished said Lord What wilt thou have me to do Hence Psal 110. 3. we read Christ's Subjects are said to be a willing People in the Day of his Power And Acts 11. 23. Barnabas exhorteth to cleave to the Lord with full purpose of Heart There is indeed an imperfect ineffectual Work often found in young People Agrippa-like Acts 26. 28. Then Aprippa said unto Paul almost thou perswadest me to be
Lustre and Glory doth this reflect and cast upon the bearing of the Yoke of Christ Under which the Soul is delivered from the intolerable Yoke of Guilt Now the Man may dwell at ease and in patience possess his Spirit all 's well Sin is pardoned if Death comes the next remove is to Life Eternal 2. To bear Christ's Yoke is good in respect of that comfortable Sense he may now have of his Adoption My Brethren coming under Christ's Yoke is coming into his Family he is now no longer a Fugitive a Vagabond a Foreigner a Stranger as he was before without God without Christ an Alien from the Covenant having no hope but now in Christ Jesus you who were sometimes afar off are made nigh by the Blood of Jesus yea Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God Eph. 2. 12 13. compar'd with ver 19. O how good is it then to come under the Yoke of Christ and so be under the blessed Order Rule Care and Provision of his Family There 's bread enough and to spare in your Father's House You may conclude upon Paternal Care and Affection Psal 103. 13. As a Father pitieth his Children so the Lord c. Jer. 31. 20. Is Ephraim my dear Son my Bowels are troubled for him Your Heavenly Father in case of Danger hath a Bosom for your Refuge and in case of Miscarriages he hath Bowels to pity you he will say it 's a Child of mine I won't cut him off Temptation has been too hard for him Corruption has run him down The Spirit was willing but the Flesh was weak I 'le visit his Sin with Stripes but my loving kindness I will never take away Again you may conclude upon Access to God as to a Father with a Child-like Boldness Sin was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that great Gulph betwixt God and you now Sin being pardoned the Partition-wall is removed and there is no Bar to Communion but within you a sweet Spirit of Adoption and above you an eternal inheritance kept in Reversion for you But O! the sad Condition of those that never came under this Yoke of Christ they lie abroad open and expos'd to all the Miseries of this Life and Pains of Hell for ever while out of Christ they are of their Father the Devil and can look for no Childs Portion from Above but from Beneath Is it not then Good to bear this Yoke betimes 3. It is Good in respect of Freedom from the Yoke of Sin 's Dominion O young Man do but think what an Hellish Life the Service of thy Lust is its Commands are always unreasonable cross to the great End of Creation Preservation Redemption c. and sometimes they are cross one to another So every Sinner till he come under Christ's Yoke is miserably haled pull'd this way and that way an Ambitious Lust calls him up Stairs a Covetous Lust calls him down a most fearful intolerable Thraldom The Lord open your Eyes that you may see and escape it e're it be too late But now when a Man comes under Christ's Yoke he is no longer under the Law but under Grace and so no Iniquity shall have Dominion over him Rom. 6. 14. His old Sin-mates may call and knock till they are weary the answer now is Ego non sum ego and with David Psal 119 115. Depart from me ye evil Doers for I will keep the Commandments of my God I am a Companion of all them that fear thee I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous Judgments ver 63. and 106. This is through Grace now the final Resolution of one under Christ's Yoke and now the Heart is fixed till now it was halting between two and you know a Man can never be quiet while unresolved but now being united to Christ he is at his Center Râ—th 1. 16 17. Millions of Gold and Silver can't draw him thence Cant. 3. 4 I held him and would not let him go Poor Judas wanted this therefore his Friends his Money his Chapmen could give no quiet but under Christ's Yoke the Soul is at rest As a Woman when married all her troublesome Suitors have now done their Solicitations O how good is it then to bear Christ's Yoke 4. It is good in respect of acceptation of our Persons and performances Eph. 1. 6. He hath accepted us in the Beloved It is a fearful case for a Man's Person and Duties to be rejected of God yet this is the very case of every Child of Belial i. e. without Christ's Yoke O it 's none but those that yield Subjection to Christ that find acceptation with the Father Believers their Duties tho attended with much imperfection like lame Mephibosheth yet being themselves under Christ's Yoke they are not despised the Father sees his Sons Name and Image on them and so tho there is much Alloy in the Mettal yet it passeth in the Court of Heaven And is it not then good to bear Christ's Yoke c. 5. It is good in respect of that Peace of Conscience which it possesseth the Soul with O what a Paradise of Pleasures are the Reflexions of a good and peaceable Conscience Now bearing Christ's Yoke hath a direct tendency to it Psal 119. 165. Great Peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them And as many as walk according to this Rule Mercy and Peace shall be upon them Gal. 6. 16. When a Man subjects himself to this Yoke he meets with Rest and Peace in his own Conscience My Heart saith Job shall not reproach me so long as I live Ah poor rebellious Sinners do but suffer your own Consciences to tell you all they know and it is enough to make your Ears to tingle and your Hearts to tremble yea to make you Magor-Missabib an Afrightment and Terror round about Felix his Throne could not secure him Alas that negative Quiet the Children of Disobedience have at present is but the effect of their Ignorance an Hours Sickness may break it and then their Conscience of Guilt appeareth like Hell and as the Hand upon the Wall to guilty Belshazar O the tremblings misgivings intolerable Torments that such do undergo after a wretched Course of Obstinacy and Opposition they would not have Christ reign and now they begin to feel Despair to reign in their Breasts and such a Tempest to arise in their Consciences as is ready every Moment to carry away and sink down all to Hell Soul and Body This Storm was breeding and gathering all the time of Rebellion against the Lord they were treasuring up Wrath as the Apostle stiles it Rom. 2. 5. and the Great God held his Peace and was silent Sentence against their evil Works was not speedily executed Hence they bless themselves and say they shall have Peace and on they go with more Violence and Presumption than ever Well what 's the Fruit and Consequence hereof Why an angry Majesty riseth up and