The Good of Early Obedience, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Shewing the difference between the Yoke of the Spirit and the Yoke of Chriſt. What the Spirits Yoke is. Why convictions are compared to a Yoke. Why Sinners muſt come under the Yoke of the Spirit. Why it is good to come under it betimes.
THE next ſenſe in which I am to ſpeak of this Yoke is that of conviction of ſin, to make way to the laſt Notion of it which more eſpecially deſign to inſiſt upon, and that is the Yoke of Goſpel obedience and ſubjection, the one is the Yoke of the Spirit, the other is the Yoke of Chriſt. Theſe two are not the ſame, but very different Yokes, eſpecially in theſe four things:
Firſt, The Yoke of the Spirit is grievous, the Yoke of Chriſt is not grievous, 1 John 5.3. the Yoke of the Spirit is very heavy, the Yoke of Chriſt is very light, Matth. 11.30.
Secondly, It is the heavineſs of the Spirits Yoke which makes Chriſt's Yoke eaſie. It is not eaſie to all; no, they that never felt the Spirits Yoke, to them Chriſt's Yoke is a burthen And therefore when Chriſt ſays, My Yoke is eaſie, it points to them whom he calls to come and take it up; and who are they? Why, the heavy laden and weary, ver. 28. They who are wearied by the Spirits Yoke, ſhall thereby find eaſe under Chriſt's Yoke.
Thirdly, The Yoke of the Spirit is but for a time, and then to be taken off, and never put on again; but the Yoke of Chriſt is always to be kept on, never to be put off; the ſoul is under a perpetual obligation to Duty and obedience to Chriſt Jeſus.
Fourthly, The Yoke of the Spirit is to prepare us for the Yoke of Chriſt; for Chriſt's Yoke can never be put on, till the Spirit by his Yoke hath fitted the neck for it. The ſoul will never obey Chriſt till it be conquered to Chriſt, and that will never be till the Spirit in conviction put his Yoke and Fetters upon it.
I ſhall now ſpeak ſomewhat of the Spirits Yoke; and if ever the Lord give ſuch another Call to this Work, then I ſhall ſpeak of Chriſt's Yoke more largely. And in ſpeaking of the Yoke of the Spirit in conviction, I would inſiſt a little upon theſe four things:
Firſt, That the Spirit hath his Yoke.
Secondly, Why the convictions of the Spirit upon the ſoul of a Sinner are compared to a Yoke.
Thirdly, Every Sinner that ſhall be ſaved muſt come under this Yoke of the Spirit.
Fourthly, Therefore it is good to come under it betimes, and why?
Firſt, That the Spirit hath his Yoke. There is ſuch a thing upon the conſciences of Sinners at one time or other as the Yoke of the Spirit. As the Spirit hath his joys and comforts, ſo he hath his Yokes and Bonds; as he hath a liberty which he brings ſome into, ſo he hath a thraldom which he brings ſome under. And it is firſt bondage, and then liberty. He is a Spirit of liberty to none, but to whom he is firſt a Spirit of bondage.
The Spirits Yoke deſcribed.And if you ask me, What this Yoke of the Spirit is? It is that ſtate he brings the Sinner into, and holds him in, before his converſion, to prepare him for his converſion; and that is a ſtate of ſenſibleneſs of ſin and wrath, which flows from the convincing work of the Spirit. The Spirit of the Lord, whereever he comes to work a ſaving change, doth firſt put his Yoke upon the Sinners neck; that is, he doth convince the ſoul of the evil of ſin, and of its liableneſs to the wrath of God, and ſo fills it with fear and horrour; ſo that the poor Creature looks upon it ſelf as utterly loſt and undone ſo long as it abides in that ſtate. This is the Spirits Yoke: It is called ſo in Scripture, Lam. 1.14. The Yoke of my tranſgreſſions is bound by his hand, they are wreathed and come upon my neck; the Lord hath delivered me into their hands from whom I am not able to riſe up. Into their hands, that is, into the hands of ſin, and ſhe was not able to riſe up from under them,Prov. 5.22. and why? Becauſe the Spirit had bound them upon her as a Yoke.
Secondly, Why are the convictions of the Spirit compared to a Yoke?
Firſt, A Yoke is very heavy and burdenſome. So is ſin when once the conſcience is truly convinced of it, Mine inquities are gone over mine head, as an heavy burthen they are too heavy for me, Pſal. 38.4. And therefore a ſoul under the ſenſe of ſin is ſaid to be heavy laden, Matth 11.28.
Secondly, A Yoke bows the Back by reaſon of its weight. Hence is that expreſſion of the kindneſs of God to Iſrael, Lev. 26.13. I have broken the Bonds of your Yoke, and made you go upright; implying that the Yoke cauſes a man to bow and ſtoop under it; ſo doth conviction of ſin, it bows the ſoul under it, I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the day long, Pſal. 38.6.
Thirdly, A Yoke is a galling, wounding thing; ſo is conviction: O how it wounds with the ſenſe of ſin, and dread of wrath,Prov. 18.14. and a wounded Spirit who can bear?
Foarthly, A Yoke is a taming thing. It tames the wildeſt Beaſt; ſo conviction tames the moſt unruly Sinner, though he be never ſo raging in his luſts, yet when the Spirit of God doth but ſet ſin cloſe to the conſcience; O how pliable is he! So it was with Saul, he breathed nothing but threatnings and ſlaughter againſt the Diſciples of the Lord, Acts 9.1. but Chriſt no ſooner ſmites him with a word from Heaven, but how tame and pliable is he! He trembling and aſtoniſhed ſaid, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? v. 6. And hence the convictions of the Spirit are fitly compared to a Yoke.
Thirdly, Every Sinner that ever ſhall be ſaved muſt come under this Yoke of the Spirit, he muſt be brought to a conviction of his loſt eſtate. There is a neceſſity for this, and I will ſhew you why?
Reaſon 1. Becauſe it is eſſential to ſound converſion. What is converſion but a turning from ſin to God? and how can a man turn from ſin without a true ſenſe of ſin? or how can he turn to God till he be made to ſee and feel the want of God? therefore it is abſolutely neceſſary.
Reaſ. 2. It is the conſtant method of God with all that are capable of the work. Firſt, He ſhews man his ſin, then his Saviour; firſt his wound, then his cure; firſt his malady, then his remedy; firſt his danger, then his Redeemer.Gen. 3.10, 15. Thus God began with Adam and Eve, he firſt opens their eyes to ſee their ſin and miſery, their nakedneſs and ſhame, and then makes them a promiſe of the ſeed of the Woman. God will have ſenſe of miſery go before the participation of mercy, He look upon man, and if any ſay, I have ſinned, and it profited me not; he will ſave his ſoul from going down to the pit, and his life ſhall ſee the light Job 33.27, 28. The Iſraelites are firſt ſtun… with the fiery Serpents,Numb. 21.6, 8. and then the Braze… Serpent is ſet up for them to look to for healing. Peter's three thouſand Converts wer… firſt pricked in their hearts, and then he applies the promiſe, Acts 2.37, 39. The Gaol… is firſt ſtruck with a Spirit of trembling, an… then Jeſus Chriſt is held out to him for ſalv… tion, Acts 16.29, 31.
Reaſ. 3. God will not fruſtrate and mak… void the uſe of the Law. There would be … conviction of ſin, no ſight of the miſery of natural ſtate, but for the Law; therefore ſay St Paul, I had not known ſin but by the Law. Rom. 7.7.How could he? what ſhould diſcover it to him? Sin had not been ſin but for the Law, and therefore nothing can diſcover it but the Law, which is Index ſui & obliqui, 1 Joh. 3.4.for ſin is a tranſgreſſion of the Law.
The Spirit himſelf could not faſten this Yoke upon the Sinners neck, but by the bond of the Law;Rom. 5.13. for ſin is not imputed where there is no Law. Look how the Needle goes before to pierce the Cloth, and ſo makes way for the Thred to ſew it; ſo the Law goes before to break the heart, and ſo makes way for the Goſpel to heal it. The Spirit makes uſe of it as a School-maſter to bring us to Chriſt. Gal. 3.24.Bonnerges makes way for Barnabas, and John for Jeſus.
Reaſ. 4. The ſoul lyes under no promiſe of good from Chriſt, till it come under the Yoke of the Spirit. Then it is ſenſible of ſin, and ſenſible Sinners lye under the promiſe of Chriſt. There is not one promiſe in all the Goſpel made of Chriſt to a Sinner, as he is a Sinner; if there were, it would be in vain. For, as ſuch, he could not receive it, nor can it belong to him, for he is under another Covenant.
Reaſ. 5. Without this he can never ſet a true eſtimate upon the blood and Grace of Jeſus Chriſt. The Pearl of Pardoning Grace ſhall never be caſt before Swine that wallow in their ſins. Though Chriſt be free of his bloud, yet we ſhall ſee the want of it before we have it, that we may know the worth of it when we enjoy it. He diſcovers himſelf in ſuch a way as the Sinner may prize him moſt; and when is that, but when ſin lyes with the greateſt load upon conſcience? When the Yoke of the Spirit is heavieſt, then redemption by Chriſt is ſweeteſt. When he ſees his Caſe at worſt, then he prizes Chriſt moſt. When he is made to know how wretched his ſtate is, then he conſiders how precious the bloud of Chriſt is.
Reaſ. 6. Till the ſoul comes to bear the Yoke of the Spirit, it can never be brought to cloſe with Chriſt upon Goſpel terms. It is ſenſe of ſin and miſery that muſt bow the ſoul to Gods conditions of mercy. The reaſon why ſo many Sinners periſh under the Call of Chriſt, is not becauſe they totally reject him, but becauſe they don't make a right cloſe with him; they don't come up to God's terms. There are ſtated Conditions which every one that would have Chriſt, and benefit by Chriſt, muſt come up to; and what are they? Why, he that would have Chriſt, muſt have whole Chriſt, Chriſt in all his Offices, not only as Prieſt, but as King and Prophet. And this neceſſarily ſupoſes a renouncing all ſin and luſt, a reſolute owning and adhering to his Truths and Ordinances, and an unfeigned reſignation of heart and ſoul to his will in all things. This is the right receiving of Chriſt. Now there are but few that can come up to this; they would have Chriſt, but they would not part with their luſts; they would have a juſtifying Chriſt, but not a ſanctifying Chriſt; a Chriſt to pardon and ſave them, but not to purge and cleanſe them. There is ſuch a cloſe League between the natural man and his luſt, that till conſcience be convinced, and ſin imbittered, the ſoul will not be divorced; and ſo long Chriſt can't be received: therefore there is a neceſſity that every Sinner that would be ſaved, ſhould come under the Spirits Yoke.
Fourthly, It is good to come under the Spirits Yoke betimes, to bear the Yoke in a mans Youth. A mans Youth may have a twofold reſpect, either to the earlineſs of profeſſion, or to the earlineſs of being.
Firſt, To the earlineſs of profeſſion. Our firſt entrance into the ways of God is called in Scripture our Youth,Jer. 2.2. I remember the kindneſs of thy Youth, that is, of her firſt eſpouſals to God, as the next words explain it. It is a bleſſed thing when our profeſſion of God and Religion begins in ſound and thorow convictions. It is good to bear the Yoke of conviction in the Youth of our profeſſion: For that profeſſion of Religion that is not founded in conviction of ſin, will never hold out; it cannot laſt long; it is Seed ſown in ſtony ground, which though it may ſpring up for a while, yet when tribulation or perſecution comes, becauſe of the word, it will wither away for want of depth of Earth to take root in, Mat. 13.20, 21. It is good therefore to found an early profeſſion in ſound convictions.
Secondly, It may reſpect the earlineſs of being. And that ſeems rather to be the ſenſe of the place. Vatablus renders it, from his Youth, taking foreign for, foreign early impreſſions upon the conſcience by the convictions of the Spirit are a great good to the ſoul. It is good to bear this Yoke betimes, for three reaſons.
1. Becauſe the ſooner it is done, the eaſier it is done; the longer we are before we come under it, the harder it will be to bear it. The longer thou continueſt in ſin, the harder it will be to bear repentance. If thy conſcience be ſo charged with guilt, that thou dareſt not look into it at ten or twenty years old, what will it come to if thou letteſt it run on till fifty or ſixty. The longer the Debt ſtands in the Book, the heavier the account when we come to reckon for all the arrears of ſo many years actual ſins, added to the grand Debt of original ſin. Therefore it is good to bear this Yoke in your Youth. Strength to bear it is then greateſt, and the burden to be born is then lighteſt. Guilt of ſ…n encreaſes by lying, and new guilt daily added to the old, makes the burden ſtill the heavier; therefore it is good to comply with the ſpirit of God betimes.
Reaſ. 2. The ſooner it is begun, the ſooner it will be done; the ſooner this Yoke is put on, the ſooner it will be put off: For it is but for a time that the ſoul bears it, but how long or how little while is uncertain. Paul lay under it three days and nights;Acts 9.9. Acts 16.33. the Goaler (for ought I can find) not above an hour; the three thouſand in Acts 2. not above the length of one Sermon. But ſome now adays are held days, and months, and years, according as the Caſe requires. But the ſooner we come under this Yoke, the leſs while it is like to lye.
Reaſ. 3. How rich do ſuch grow in Grace that by early conviction paſs through the new Birth betimes. He that ſets up ſooneſt is like to get the faireſt eſtate if be improve his opportunities.Ford of Bondage. p. 75. If one go to be an Apprentice when he is a man, there is a double inconvenience in it. Firſt, His ſervice will be much more irkſome and tedious. Secondly, The prime of his days will be gone wherein he ſhould have been trading for himſelf, had he been his own man. Though the work of the Spirit be better late than never, yet it is an unknown loſs the ſoul ſuſtains by a late work.
He loſes much joy and peace, the thought of his living ſo long without God becomes many times a new wound when the old is healed, the after pains of the new birth do abide upon ſome to their dying day. And in this Caſe there is but little comfort though the work be real.
He loſes much ſweet communion with God;
He loſes many rich experiences;
He loſes a great acceſſion of Grace. Growth in Grace is a work of time; and he that hath but little time, can make but little improvement.
He loſes many opportunities of ſervice;
Nay, he loſes much in the degrees of Glory. Hadſt thou had more time to ſow, thy Harveſt would have been …ater; for as a man ſows, ſo ſhall he reap … …refore he that ſpends the beſt of his time in the ſervice of the fleſh (if he ſhould be converted at laſt, which yet few are) he is like to prove but a feeble Chriſtian.
The more our opportunities of ſervice are if improved, and the more our ſeaſons of communion are if uſed aright, the richer muſt we needs be, both in grace, experience and comfort: therefore it is the moſt thrifty courſe to be an early Convert, to bear the Spirits Yoke in our Youth.