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
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
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