a Christian The Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports within a very little thou perswadest me So there are such in our Times in whom there are hopeful Appearances of their being perswaded to come under the Yoke not only rouzed awakened in their Consciences but their Affections moved yea their Wills stirred up to Resolutions that they will never live as they have done under the cruel Yoke and Slavery of their Youthful Lusts but will repair to Christ and submit their Necks to his Yoke of Service And yet after all this return to their vomit with the Dog 2 Pet. 2. 20 21 22. are intangled with their Youthful Vanities again and through the Inchantments and Allurements of evil Companions and their own Hearts Lusts all their Convictions and Resolutions are choaked and perished like an imperfect Embryo and nothing comes to Perfection This is a common but woful Case But now in this Subjection of the Will to the Yoke of Christ there is an abiding stedfastness the Will saith when through Grace it is set right let Titles of Honour Treasures of Gold and Silver c. sink or swim go which way they will a Christ I must and will have he and he alone shall rule in me and raign over me his Interest shall prevail with me over all other Interests let the World come vailed over with the most glorious and glittering Allurements let Satan come with an All these will I give thee if thou wilt quit the Service of Christ let Sin present it self with its Decoys of Gain and Pleasure c. all these would be scorned as too mean and poor a Bribe to draw off the Will of one of Christ's Loyal Subjects from his gracious Yoke You have a lively Instance of this in Paul after his Conversion and coming under the Yoke Acts 20. 22. tho he knew that nothing but Bonds and Imprisonments waited for him in every City yet saith he None of these things move me And when the good People would have perswaded him not to venture himself among the Enemies of Christ at Jerusalem he bravely and boldly rejoins Why weep ye and break my Heart I am not only ready to be bound but to die at Jerusalem for the Name of Christ No Disswasions Difficulties Dangers could either divert or stop his Loyalty and Obedience to Christ when called to suffer Hypocrites indeed call Christ Lord but it 's no more than an empty Title as is evident in an Hour of Temptation and Trial when Christ and the World come in Competition then it appeareth who is their Lord according to that known Scripture Rom. 6. 16. Know you not that to whom ye yield your selves Servants to obey his Servants ye are whom ye obey whether of Sin unto Death or Obedience unto Righteousness Ah my Brethren it is a sure and certain Truth that no Man can serve two Masters Math. 6. 24. If thy Will be subdued to the Kingly Office of Christ thou wilt be glad to find every Thought and Imagination in thy Soul brought into Subjection to him and none of his Commands will be grievous but joyous and it will be grievous to thee to find any thing remaining in thee that savoureth of Rebellion against his Soveraignty So it is likewise with respect to his Priestly Office A Will Subject to him herein renounceth all its own Righteousness desireth to be found alone in Christ's Righteousness stands fully assured in this that no Prayers Tears Duties Services of our own could ever have availed any thing with an impartially jealous and righteous God unless Christ by his own Blood had made Atonement c. Hence its constant Language is In the Lord alone have I righteousness and strength And here it ventureth the eternal weight of the Soul alone upon the Merits and Mediation of Christ saying If I perish I perish 3. Coming under and bearing Christ's Yoke containeth in it A Subjection of our Lives to Christ in the Duties of Obedience or as the Apostle phraseth it 1 Tim. 4. 7. Exercising our selves unto Godliness and in Acts 24. 16. the same Apostle saith Herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of offence toward God And towards Men Again Rom. 2. 7. it is called a patient continuance in well-doing seeking for Glory c. It standeth not only in Principles of Knowledg and Faith but also in Matters of Practice and keeping his Commandments 1 John 2. 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Liar and the Truth is not in him A Scripture which if duly considered is enough to discover many Professors to be Liars that have got so much Notional Knowledg as is sufficient to set their Tongues a moving but not to set their Hands a working or their Shoulders a bearing the Yoke of Christ And of these the Scripture speaketh in the last Times 2 Tim. 3. 5. that They have a Form of Godliness but deny the Power of it And in Titus 1. 16. they profess they know God but in Works deny him I could wish it were not the prevailing Plague and Distemper of our Times My Beloved bearing Christ's Yoke is not hugging of a Darling Opinion or spinning the Cobweb of a sine Profession but it consists in the living Spirit of Christ dwelling in us within as the Principle and in a Spiritual and Holy living to Christ extant without us as the Genuine Improvement thereof The Kingdom of God as the Apostle speaketh consisteth not in Word but in Life and Power Hence we have it in Titus 2. 11 12. The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath therefore appeared that it might teach us to deny all Vngodliness and worldly Lusts and that we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World and in ver 14. Christ gave himself that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works Pray how doth our Saviour describe his Sheep but by their following of him or that Fleece of Holiness which they wear So here by bearing his Yoke wherein I might shew you how it includes both the exercise of those several Graces of a Christian as Repentance Faith Love Thankfulness c. and also the performance of all those Duties of Christianity as Hearing Praying Receiving and Sanctifying the Sabbath doing justly and shewing Mercy c. But that it would exceed the Limits of a single Sermon Wherefore I shall pass on to the second general Head which according to my Method laid down is II. To clear it up to you that to come under and bear the Yoke of Christ in the time of Youth is the summary of all that is truly good Now for the clearing up of this I shall sum the proof of it up in these two things 1. That it is so if you consider it absolutely and in its own Nature 2. That it is so if you consider it relatively in respect to its Effects and Consequences 1.
and say all this is true only there is one hard and harsh Word in bearing this Yoke and that is the Word Repentance that seems a hard Word and an harder Work especially for Youth In answer whereunto 1. Admit it were hard and difficult Pray who is it that hath made it so None but your selves there is nothing bitter or difficult in the Yoke of Christ but what your Sins have made so Wherefore you must thank your selves it is your Disease your Sin that has made Repentance necessary it 's your hard Heart makes this part of Christ's Yoke hard it is the Pride and Stubbornness of your Spirits makes it tedious and irksome But 2. I add Repentance it self is so far from being any real ground of Discouragement as that I shall shew you out of the Word of God which can judge things better than you and also out of the Testimony of true Penitents who have tried it and therefore are fittest to give Evidence in this Matter viz. That it carrieth in it the most solid ground of true Comfort and sweetest Contentment To begin with Scripture How conclusive herein are those precious Words of our Redeemer Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Matth. 5. 4. As also are those in the Parable of the repenting Prodigal Luke 15. 24. And they began to be merry How comfortably was the Case altered with him upon his Repentance he meets with an Heavenly Banquet of Free Grace Had he any such Rest and Peace in his Rioting and Revelling as he met with in his Repenting and Returning Then he had none to pity him but lay exposed to perishing now he had a Father both to pity and receive him Again in Psal 126. 5 6. They that sow in Tears shall reap in Joy He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious Seed shall doubtless come again rejoicing bringing his Sheaves with him But now on the other hand the Scripture speaketh of a State of Impenitency as a State of Gaul and Bitterness enough to banish all that is truly good and pleasant from the Heart forever Isa 57. 20. The Wicked i. e. the Impenitent are like the raging Sea that cannot rest whose Waters cast up Mire and Dirt. And ver 21. There is no Peace saith my God to them And in Job 20. 16 17 23 24 25. there Zophar sets out the Impenitent Man's Case is a tremendous Manner And you read in Psal 11. 6. Vpon the Wicked he shall rain Snares Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest this shall be the Portion of their Cup. So that if you can credit the Testimony of God himself in his Holy Word who cannot lie this Matter is resolved that Repentance it self in the very exercise of it is that which carrieth in it a great deal of Comfort and Content It 's true indeed it discovereth sad things to the Sinner it shews him his Sins and the Wrath of God as due to him for Sin but then it shews them so as to deliver him from them whereas Impenitency blinds the Sinner so that he sees not the Pit of Hell that is just before him and every Moment is upon the Brink of it ready to drop in You know a Man that hath mist his way is glad to return or that hath swallowed Poyson is glad quickly to vomit it up again Why Repentance is the Soul's Vomit whereby it casts up the Poyson of Sin it 's the Soul's return out of the broad into the narrow way and it is that which maketh Joy in Heaven Luke 15. 7 10. Upon which Bernard saith Deliciae Angelorum sunt lachrymae poenitentium i. e. The Tears of Penitents are the Delights of Angels And I may add in some Sense they are the Delight of God himself Psal 51. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit And in Isa 66. 2. To this Man will I look that is of a contrite Spirit O how great Respect had God to young Josiah because his Heart was tender 2 Chron. 34. 27. And to the poor Publican upon this account Luke 18. 13. preferring his humble Sense of his own Unworthiness and his penitent melting Prayer God be merciful to me a Sinner before all the Pharisee's God I thank thee c. Hence Isa 57. 15. Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity whose Name is Holy I dwell in the high and holy Place with him also that is of a contrite and humble Spirit not with him that is of a proud impenitent Spirit O how dear is a self-bemoaning Ephraim to the Father of Mercies Jer. 31. 18 19 20. I might here add many other pregnant Scriptures were it needful to strengthen this Truth That Repentance considered in it self is admirably desirable and good But I shall briefly consider the other Argument viz. The Testimony of all true Penitents that have made trial hereof You know sufficient Testimony is acquiesced in among Men in the greatest Affairs even such as relate to Life and Death especially where there is not the least Temptation to deceive Now in our Case both those hold good the Godly are Persons of solid and sufficient Judgment to determine what themselves have found upon Experience and questionless they are not under the least Temptation to delude others Now they all with one consent affirm it that Repentance hath a spring of Pleasure in it and that they never knew what true Quiet and Content was till they have come to the exercise of Godly Sorrow for Sin kindly to melt and dissolve in the Dust before the Lord Let not this I pray seem strange to you that there should be found so much Sweetness in bitter mourning for Sin for all who have had their Spiritual Senses exercis'd to discern between Good and Evil will tell you that there is a great deal of Hearts-ease accompanying this brokenness of Heart which Repentance towards God includeth Indeed their Grief and Sorrow is only for what they have been and done not for what they are now doing that they have been Foolish and Disobedient serving divers Lusts and Pleasures but that now through Grace the Heart that was dead towards God now begins to move and return to him O it carries in it matter of unspeakable Content and Satisfaction When the Soul finds it self enabled to pour out it self in Tears and Humiliation O! it gives abundance of Ease yea of inward Delight and Pleasure to it inasmuch as hereby it perceives in some good measure a blessed Cure begun in it self Ask any true Penitent that is come under and bears this part of the Yoke and he will tell you that he is never so joyful as when he is most mournful his Godly Sorrow is like the Water that our Saviour turned into Wine at the Marriage-Feast It was upon this account that the Apostle Paul rejoiced that he had made the Corinthians sorry sure then themselves who were made sorry had more cause to rejoice in that it was after a Godly
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
of Water O the astonishing height and depth of this Grace especially when you shall consider the readiness of our compassionate Redeemer to impart of this Fullness to poor undone Sinners that come to him and this is also necessary to know and understand in coming under his Yoke for unless the Soul be perswaded of this it will be clogged with such insuperable Difficulties and Discouragements and loaded with such innumerable Doubts and Fears as that it will have little heart to move towards or venture upon Christ and his Yoke Wherefore he is stiled a merciful and faithful High-Priest who knows how to have compassion on the ignorant and them that are out of the way Heb. 2. 17. and ch 5. 2. How readily did this Merciful Jesus impart of his Fullness to poor Sinners in the Days of his Flesh upon their coming to him and how affectionately did he invite the heavy laden in the day of their trouble for Sin to come unto him Math. 11. 28. and how pathetically did he weep over obstinate Jerusalem that would have none of him to reign over them Luke 19. 41 42. how lovingly did he treat that froward and perverse Woman of Samaria saying If thou knowest the Gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee give me to drink thou would have asked of him and he would have given thee living Water John 4. 10. And in the 5th of John 40. how doth he breath out his Grief at our backwardness to come to him saying ye will not come unto me that ye might have Life In a word never was the full Breast of a tender Mother more desirous of being drawn than Christ in whom all Fullness dwells is willing and ready to let out Supplies of Grace and Mercy to poor Sinners now this is necessary to be known in order to our coming under his Yoke Which leads me in the fifth place to shew you That 5. You are to understand if ever you come under Christ's Yoke what his Terms are on which he who is able to save is willing to bestow himself and all his saving Benefits upon you Here now I would by no means be misunderstood as if by Terms I intended any thing of Merit or any degree or shadow of it as if what we do could commend us to God For my part I do freely acknowledg that I know of no Merit of Ours but that of Hell and Damnation but for that of Salvation it must be for ever left entirely to the Blood of Christ which alone could make satisfaction to the Justice of God So that by Terms or what lieth upon you to do you must by no means think to recompense God or hope thereby to compound with him and make amends for the Wrongs your Sins have done and so piece up a Peace between his offended Justice and your guilty Souls O no this would be the direct way to loose all your Souls your Prayers Services and Hopes for ever he is too Great too Holy a God to be dealt with on any such Terms it was no less a Price than the costly precious Blood of his own Son that could expiate your Guilt and make your Peace but then if ever you come savingly to share in the Blessing of Peace and Pardon purchased by that Blood it is necessary that there be an effectual application of it to your Souls and that can never be without a Union between him who shed that Blood the Lord Jesus and you whose undone Case required so Great a Sacrifice Now there can be no Union without Faith whereupon the infinitely Wise and Holy God in his Love and Grace hath by the Constitution of the Gospel established and appointed his Son Jesus as the only center of Union between himself and poor Sinners and also Faith as the great Instrument and Term of Union between his Son and Sinners in order to their actual Interest in the Benefits of Justification Reconciliation Adoption c. purchased by his Death O then How may they return ashamed who have nursed up a parcel of blind Hopes and vain Confidences of Pardon and Heaven Saying God is now their reconciled Father Christ has died and never consider the indispensible necessity of Faith as the only way and means of Union with Christ but all this while have continued under the Power of Unbelief and Love of Sin in their unregenerate State as if Christ had died and shed his Blood in kindness to their Sins and his Name had been called Jesus to save them in and not from their Sins O Damnable Delusion to talk of hopes to be saved by Christ in your wretched unsensibleness of your lost and sinful Condition by Nature in your Ignorance and Pride and constant neglects of so great Salvation Ah poor Creature see how thou hast befooled thy self and cheated thy Soul with such carnal groundless Presumptions Look ye Sinners as the Sin of our first Parents could never have hurt us except there had been a Union with their Nature by Generation so the Redemption wrought out by Christ will never benefit us except there be a Union with him by Faith in the time of our Regeneration and effectual Calling Let Christ be never so able and willing to save Sinners yet according to the Tenor of the Gospel not one adult Person that ever was in the World from Adam to this Day or ever shall be to the end of this World can ever be saved by Christ in their Unbelief and Impenitency Mark 16. 16. Luke 13. 3. Now this is necessary to acquaint your selves with if ever you come under Christ's Yoke viz. the necessity of coming to Christ by Faith out of a deep sense and feeling of your Sin and Misery repairing to him and casting your miserable selves down at his Feet spreading your Case before him imploring his healing Blood to be sprinkled on your guilty Souls intreating his Holy Spirit to cure you of your blind Minds and hard Hearts And this brings me in the sixth place to tell you 6. That in order to your coming under Christ's Yoke you must understand that it is the Greatest and most Important Business you have to mind and attend in this World viz. Compliance with God's established way and means of Life and Salvation or your coming under Christ's Yoke by Faith accepting of Christ as thy Saviour and Lord with humble Reverence and Thankfulness entirely resigning surrendring and subjecting your self to the governing Power of Christ Pray what have you Life and Time in this World for but this Can you soberly and reasonably think it was to mind and attend the Trifles and Toys of this foolish and deceitful World in which you have no long abiding place and out of which you must shortly and may suddenly be removed Have you not an Immortal Soul that must be eternally saved or damned as soon as thy Mortal Body is dissolved And can you tell any other Terms Or do you know another way besides this of
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
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