Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A55344
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A sermon preach'd to young people January the first, 1697. And now publish'd at their request. By Samuel Pomfret.
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Pomfret, Samuel, d. 1722.
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1698
(1698)
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Wing P2798A; ESTC R217924
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45,878
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51
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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.
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