Iudgements against the children of disobedience thereby to testifie his great dislike of Iniquity The end of all flesh is come before me for the earth is filled with violence through them Gen. 6.13 behold I wil destroy them with the earth If thine heart turne away so that thou wilt not heare Deut. 30.17 18. but shalt be drawne away and worship other gods and serue them I denounce vnto you this day that yee shall surely perish and sometimes againe hee inflicts exemplary punishments vpon such as delight and take pleasure in the waies therof as the destruction of the primitiue world the ouerthrow of Sodome and reiection of the Iewish Nation sufficiently witnes Thirdly because then commonly men take most to heart offences committed and feare to belch out mischiefes wherein otherwise they could be content at randome greedily to wallow when as they vnderstand their courses to bee odious and displeasing vnto men of great power and might for heerein stands the difference betweene Princes and peasants that all feare to offend or giue distaste to the one whereas no man will restraine or curbe any of the meanâ—st of his desires for auoiding the offence of the other therefore it is requisite and necessary to the end that we may labour and be heauy laden vnder the burthen of our sinnes that we be not ignorant of the vnspeakeable power might and maiesty of Almighty God For this cause it was that at the giuing of the Lawe whereby we come vnto the knowledge of sinne Exod. 19.18 the Lord appeared after so fearefull and terrible a manner that all the people that were in the campe trembled for feare that thereby seeing the greatnesse of his power in whose sight sinne is lothsome and abhorred they might feare to commit iniquity and tremble at the remembrance of by gone transgressions yea commonly when as the Almighty publisheth and proclaimeth vnto the world his dislike and detestation of sinne there are still let fall some flashes and apparant significations of his might maiesty and power Thus sayth the Lord the Lord of Hosts Esay 1.24.20 the mightie One of Israel I will ease mee of mine aduersaries and auenge me of mine enemies If ye refuse and rebell ye shall bee deuoured by the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Fourthly and lastly because the nature of man is euer to put from him the euil day blessing himselfe in his heart and saying I shall haue peace Deut. 29.19 though I walke in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst therfore for attaining the effect aforesayd it is expedient that men thorowly bee perswade that the Lord hath appointed a day of recompence wherein euery man shall bee rewarded according to that which he hath done in the flesh Rom. 2.6 whether it bee good or bad Now these things thorowly learned 1. Cor. 5.5 2. Cor. 1.14 cannot but bring vs to a true sense and feeling of the heauy burthen and intolerable weight of sin and iniquitie and consequently to labour and be heauie laden vnder the burthen of our transgressions wherby we come to haue interest in this comfortable inuitation and are made capable of the large and ample promise annexed thereunto Come vnto mee all ye that labour and are heauy laden and I will giue you rest not immunity and freedome from the temptations of Sathan the troubles of the world and crosses incident vnto vs whilst wee liue heere vpon earth No no for through many tribulations we enter into the Kingdome of heauen if wee be without chastisements whereof all are partakers we are bastards and not the Sonnes of God for the Lord whom he loueth he chastiseth and he correcteth euery Sonne whom he receiueth but the words that I speake vnto you are spirit and truth in the world ye shall haue tribulation but in me peace be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world Ioh. 16.33 14.27 15.11 Peace I leaue with you my Peace I giue you not as the world giueth giue I vnto you these things haue I spoken vnto you that my ioy might remaine in you and that your ioy might be full For the rest which Christ here promiseth vnto such as come vnto him must of necessitie be of the same nature with his Kingdome because of temporall felicity he himselfe publikely professed that the Foxes had holes and the Fowles of the heauen had nests but the Sonne of man had not whereon to lay his head Come therefore vnto me all ye that labour and are heauy laden and you shall haue my ioy fulfilled in you howsoeuer as concerning the things of this life Ioh. 17.13 you must resolue to take vp my yoke and learne from the intertainment which I haue had in the world that the Father in this life will not haue his children free from temptation and trouble Verely verily I say vnto you Ioh. 15.16 the seruant is not greater then his Lord neither he that is sent greater then he that sent him if they haue called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold if they haue persecuted me they will also persecute you take vp therefore my yoke and learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart Ier. 11.11 I was like a Lambe or an Oxe that is brought vnto the slaughter and being in the forme of God made my selfe of no reputation took vpon me the forme of a seruant and was found in fashion as a man humbling my selfe vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse Phil. 2 7 8. learne therfore of me for I am meek and lowly in heart but because I haue sayd these things vnto you sorrow hath filled your hearts neuerthelesse I tell you the truth Ioh. 16.6 7. it is expedient for you to stand in the waies and see and ask for the olde pathes and walke therein Ier. 6.16 and yee shall finde rest for your soules for though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day whosoeuer then will come vnto me let him take vp his crosse and follow mee for my yoke is easie and my burthen light because God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to beare it 1. Cor. 10.16 for the Almightie by the gracious influence of his holy Spirit comforts vpholds and strengthens his children in the time of trouble whereby that becomes easie and light vnto them which otherwise they could neuer possibly bee able to beare according to that of the Apostle Blessed be God 2. Cor. 1.1.3 4 5. 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 that are in any trouble by the
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
courses then our Aduersarie the Deuill 1. Pet. 5.8 who goeth about as a roaring Lyon seeking whom hee may deuoure vnmaskes whatsoeuer formerly he hath kept secret and amplifieth to the full those things which when hee did leaue he laboured greatly to extenuate and value at the smallest rate Come therefore vnto me all yee that labour and are heauie laden and I will giue you rest Esay 61.1.2.3.4.5 because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meeke he hath sent me to binde vp the broken-hearted to proclaime libertie to the Captiues and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound to proclaime the acceptable yeere of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all that mourne in Zion to giue vnto them Beautie for Ashes the Oyle of Ioy for Mourning the Garment of Praise for the spirit of Heauinesse that they might be called Trees of Righteousnesse the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified Fourthly because men to their endlesse and irrecouerable losse should not wrest or peruert that which goeth before in the seuen and twentieth verse No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whomsoeuer the Sonne will reueale him As if the grace of God were in Christ Iesus offered onely to some few of those that labour and are heauie laden vnder the burthen of their sinnes therefore all are mentioned Come vnto me all yee that labour and are heauie laden Esay 1.18 and I will giue you rest If your sinnes were as red as crimson come vnto me and I will make them as white as snow At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his wickednesse and commeth vnto me though his sinnes be as scarlet they shall be as wooll If tenne Lepers come vnto me although they be euen tenne they shall all be cleansed of their loathsome and filthie disease although your soules be as blinde with the dust and durt of Iniquitie as was Bartimeus the begger come vnto me and yee shall receiue sight If your transgressions be such and so manie that euen a Legion of Deuills torture and torment your soules come vnto me and you shall finde rest If from the Wombe you haue been so lame and cripple that you are vnable to moue one hayre-breadth towards the Kingdome of Heauen come vnto mee and I will enable your ioynts If you haue so long lyen in the puddle of sinne that with Lazarus you stinke in the graue of Iniquitie come vnto me and I will breathe in your face the breath of life whereby you shall be made liuing soules where all are inuited there none is excluded where such as labour and are heauie laden vnder the burthen of Sinne and Iniquitie are willed to come there a secret reason is giuen why the mercie and fauour of God offered vnto all is not by all receiued because all doe not labour and are heauie laden vnder the burthen of their sinnes for Christ came not to saue the righteous but to call sinners to repentance the whole need no Physician but such as are maymed and lame vnder the intolerable weight of their transgressions Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled To the end then that comfortably and with profit wee may come vnto Christ it is necessary that we labour and be heauy laden vnder the burthen of sinne that our hearts be ready to melt because of our transgressions and our soules standing at the gates of death because of the intolerable weight of iniquity which can neuer sufficiently be effected without a distinct knowledge of the nature quality and condition of sin because the naturall and vnborn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and selfe loue which deepely lyeth rooted in the heart of man seconded with the malicious subtiltie of the common enemy of mans saluation so duls and darkens the eye and edge of his vnderstanding that he is more then blind in censuring and valuing of his owne actions whence it comes to passe that often he perswades himselfe that he is in a direct straight course or at least meanely to erre when as he lyes deepely plunged in a filthy sinke and lothsome puddle of all maner of wickednes now sinne is knowne by the Touch-stone of Gods Lawe according to that of the Apostle Rom. 3.20 7.7 By the Law is the knowledge of sinne I had not knowne sinne but by the Lawe for I had not knowne lust except the lawe had said Thou shalt not couet for whereas all other learning serues rather to blowe vp the heart of man with an idle opinion and vaine conceit of his owne worth founding nothing els in his eare but shrill and loud blasts of the excellency of his soule the wonderfull fabricke and making of his body the goodly sympathie and fellow feeling which euery part facultie and power hath one with another and the sweet harmonie and concord of the whole compound the Lawe of the Lord is that which bewrayeth and layeth open vnto man the vglinesse of his heart the nakednes of his imaginations and the peruersenesse of his wayes to the Law therefore and to the testimony if they soule spenke and thinke not according vnto this word Esay 8.20 it is because there is no light in it therefore DAVID speaking of this Lawe sayth that it is perfect conuerting the Soule that it is sure making wise the simple that it is right reioicing the heart that it is pure enlightening the eyes that it is true and righteous altogether Psal 19.7.8 9 10. 1.2 more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then the hony and the hony-combe Blessed therefore is the man whose delight is in the Lawe of the Lord and in his Law doth meditate night and day Secondly because man naturally is so bewitched with the pleasures of sinne and glued to the alluring and entising sweetnes of wickednesse that a bare knowledge of the nature of transgression is neuer able to bring this labour and wearisomenesse vpon his soule therefore after that by the Lawe wee haue attained vnto the knowledge of sinne it is necessary that we vnderstand the value and esteeme which it hath in the eyes of the Lord by himselfe at great length reuealed in his Word sometimes by speeches and words full of dislike and disdaine My people aske counsell at their stockes Hos 4.12 and their staffe declareth vnto them for the spirit of whoredome hath caused them to erre and they haue gone a whoring from vnder their God God saw the wickednesse of man that it was great in the earth and that euery Imagination of the thought of his heart was onely euill continually Gen. 6.5 therefore it repented the Lord that he had made man vpon the earth and it grieued him at his heart your Incense and Sacrifices are abomination Esay 1.15 because your hands are full of bloud sometimes he denounceth heauy
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