Sermon Preached to Young People, Sermon
A SERMON Preach'd to Young People, January the Firſt, 1697. AND NOW Publiſh'd at their Requeſt.
By SAMƲEL POMFRET.
LONDON; Printed for Richard Mount, at the Poſtern on Tower-Hill, MDCXCVIII.
LAM. iii. 27. It is good for a Man that he bear the Yoke in his Youth.
THE Royal Preacher ſaith, Every Thing is beantiful in its Seaſon: And if ſo, then I promiſe my ſelf, in this great Aſſembly of young People, a ſweet Harmony of Votes that my Text is ſo; like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver, as being a Word ſpoken in Seaſon.
It is good for a Man that he bear the Yoke in his Youth.
In which Words there are two general Parts.
I. Somewhat impoſed, or required as matter of Duty, viz. To bear the Yoke in his Youth.
II. Somewhat propoſed, or offered as matter of Encouragement, viz. It is good for a Man ſo to do.
The latter making way for the more chearful performance of the former; as we ſweeten bitter Pills to our Children, that they may ſwallow them the better: Such is God's Condeſcention here to young Ones, knowing how backward Youth is to bear the Yoke, he is pleaſed to court and allure them to it; by aſſuring them that it is their own Good and Benefit that is contained in it.
The Words being thus divided, there remaineth only one thing needful to be cleared, before I lay down the Doctrine, and that is the Word (Yoke) an hard and heavy Word, grievous for Green Heads, what may be the meaning of it?
Anſw. The Yoke in Scripture is taken two ways. (1.) In a Material; and (2.) In a Myſtical Senſe. A Material Yoke is an Inſtrument made of Wood or Iron, ſerving to tame and ſubdue the Creature for the uſe of Man, Deut. 21. 3. compar'd with 1 Kings 19. 10. which cannot be the meaning of the Word in this Place: For in this Senſe it is proper and peculiar to Beaſts only. But here in the Text we read of a Yoke for a Man to bear; and therefore we muſt look farther, viz. to the Myſtical Senſe of the Word: and herein I find in Scripture a threefold Yoke ſpoken of,
1. The Yoke of Relations.
2. The Yoke of Afflictions.
3. The Yoke of Religion.
1. The Yoke of Relations. As that between Husband and Wife, they are called Yoke-fellows: and the Apoſtle Paul, giving advice to Chriſtians who were entring into this Relation, makes uſe of this Word; Be not (ſaith he) unequally yoked with Ʋnbelievers, 2 Cor. 6. 14. But this is not the meaning of the Word here in my Text; for it is not good for any too early in their Youth to take this Yoke upon them: And I may ſay of many that have been too eager, too early in courting and coveting to come under this Yoke, what the Apoſtle ſaith (in another caſe) of thoſe that make too much haſte to be Rich, They fall into Temptation, and a Snare, and into many fooliſh and hurtful Luſts, which drown Men in Deſtruction and Perdition, 1 Tim. 6. 9.
Moreover the Scripture uſeth this Word (Yoke) in the Relation of a Servant to his Maſter, Let as many Servants as are under the Yoke, count their Maſters worthy of all Honour, 1 Tim. 6. 1. Now this indeed is good, but not the thing intended in the Text.
2. The Yoke of Affliction. So the Word is frequently uſed in Scripture, Deut. 28. 48. Lev. 26. 13. Iſa. 9. 4. And here in this Book our weeping Prophet ſetting forth the grievous Afflictions, and Calamities that God had brought upon his People for their Sins, in the Day of his fierce Anger, calls them by this Name (Yoke) Lam. 1. 14. The Yoke of my Tranſgreſſions is bound by his Hand, that is, the Afflictions brought upon me by my Sins. Now this is one Senſe of the Word here in my Text: and undoubtedly this is a Yoke, that it is good for a Man to bear in his Youth. In this Age the All-wiſe God ſeeth it needful to put on this Yoke, to tame the Pride, and fetch out the Folly that is bound up in the Hearts of young People: and how hard ſoever it may be to bear, yet it certainly is good for them. Youth is ſo apt to run aſtray (like an unruly head-ſtrong Bullock) that a Yoke is of ſingular uſe to reduce and reſtrain them. And this David found true by bleſſed Experience, Before I was afflicted (ſaith he) I went aſtray, but now have I kept they Word, Pſal. 119. 67. And hence he acknowledgeth in the ſame Pſalm, It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might keep thy Statutes, ver. 71. So there are many young Ones, that in their Proſperity have lived in a total forgetfulneſs of God, giving themſelves over to Pride, and Pleaſures, until the Yoke of Straits and Afflictions hath been put on their fair and tender Necks; and then (through Grace) they have come to themſelves by Conſideration, and to God by Converſion; as is ſet forth in the Inſtance of Manaſſeh, and alſo in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, in the 15th of Luke. But it is the third and laſt Acceptation of the Word, which I intend to inſiſt upon, viz.
3. The Yoke of Religion. And in this I find ſeveral Expoſitors take it here in my Text. The great and Learned Calvin preferreth this ſenſe to the other. Indeed the Religion of the Jews (as it ſtood in Rites and Ceremonies) is called a Yoke; and during that Pedagogy, it was an hard and burdenſome Yoke, ſuch as St. Peter ſaith, neither we, nor our Fathers were able to bear, Act. 15. 10. But (bleſſed be God) we, who live in Goſpel-times are graciouſly freed and diſcharg'd from that Yoke of Bondage by Jeſus Chriſt. Stand faſt in the liberty wherewith Chriſt hath made you free, and be not again intangled with the Yoke of Bondage, Gal. 5. 1. What then (my Beloved) are we under the Goſpel Yokeleſs? may we live as we liſt? O, no, that would be not ſo much Liberty, as Libertiniſm: wherefore the Chriſtian Religion is alſo called a Yoke. Accordingly our Bleſſed Saviour ſaith, Take my Yoke upon you, learn of me, for I am meek and lowly, and you ſhall find reſt for your Souls, Mat. 11. 29. And every one that expects Salvation by him, muſt take his Yoke, and yield Subjection to him. And as for thoſe his Enemies that will not have him to reign over them (the ſame Jeſus ſaith) bring them hither, and ſlay them before me, Luke 19. 27. Thus I have explained the Word Yoke, which I told you was the chief thing in the Text that needed opening, before I laid down the Doctrine. As for the encouragement propoſed in theſe words, It is good, &c. there is no difficulty; the meaning of them is obvious and plain, that is, it is eminently ſo, as that which alone can bring you to the enjoyment of God the chiefeſt Good; and ſo may be ſaid to be ſummary of all felicitating Good. The Words thus divided and explained afford us this plain Propoſition.
Doct. That to bear the Yoke of Chriſt, in the time of Youth, is the ſummary of all that is truly Good.
In the handing of this Doctrine, I ſhall ſpeak to theſe three things.
I. To open what Chriſt's Yoke and the bearing of it is.
II. To clear it up to you, that to come under, and bear it in time of Youth, is the ſummary of all that is truly Good.
III. To cloſe all with ſome Motives to excite, and Rules to direct young Ones to come under this Yoke, and to bear it in their Youth.
I. To open what this Yoke of Chriſt is?
To ſet this in its clear light, Man is to be conſidered in a double Relation, (1.) As a reaſonable Creature; and (2.) As a wretched Sinner. Now anſwerable to both theſe, Chriſt's Yoke conſiſts of two parts. (1.) Moral. (2.) Evangelical.
1. The Moral part of this Yoke chiefly reſpects that Duty which Man as a reaſonable Creature oweth to God as his Creator; and that is to ſerve and obey him as his Rightful Lord, and to love him as his chiefeſt Good. Now this ſtill belongeth to us; For Man as a Creature lieth under an eternal Obligation to love and ſerve his Creator; neither ought you to entertain the leaſt thought, as if Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God, the Saviour and Redeemer of loſt Souls, when he came into the World, did ever aboliſh, or diſſolve this Obligation and Bond of Duty, to be in Subjection to our Creator: O, no, that would have been as if Chriſt came to ſupplant his Father, and dethrone him of his Authority and Government over Man. O let this be far from any of us to think; as beſure it was from any deſign or purpoſe of our Bleſſed Redeemer when he came into the World. For you read expreſly, that he came to redeem us to (not from) God, Rev. 5. 9. and when he ſuffered for us, the juſt for the unjuſt, it was to bring us to God, 1 Pet 3. 18. i. e. that he might bring poor Apoſtate Man back to love, ſerve, pleaſe and enjoy his God again. And this brings me to the ſecond Part of this Yoke.
2. The Evangelical Part of Chriſt's Yoke, which chiefly reſpects Man's Duty conſidered as a wretched Sinner: And that he is, as ſoon as he begins to be; as the Pſalmiſt acknowledgeth, Behold I was ſhapen in Iniquity: and in Sin did my Mother conceive me, Pſal. 51. 5. Now this State and Condition of Man ſuperinduceth a new Yoke, which tho it was none of that, which Man in Innocency was called to bear: yet now Man having ſinned, and fallen from that Eſtate, God in Chriſt out of his abundant Mercy calleth him to bear: Remember whence thou art fallen, and repent, &c. Rev. 2. 5. The Goſpel Part to Chriſt's Yoke principally ſtands in its Commands and Precepts of Repentance, Faith, Self-denial, and ſincere Obedience, as you may ſee in theſe following Scriptures, Repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, Math. 3. 2. And Jeſus preaching the Goſpel ſaying, the Kingdom of God is at hand, Repent ye, and believe the Goſpel, Mark. 1. 15. Repent and be converted, that your Sins may be blotted out, &c. Acts 3. 19. But now God commands all Men every where to repent, Acts 17. 30. And our Saviour ſaith, I am not come to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance, Math. 9. 13. And in Luke 13. 3. he ſaith, Except ye repent, ye ſhall periſh. And ſo likewiſe for Faith, without which it is impoſſible to pleaſe God, Heb. 11. 6. And God ſo loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoſoever believeth in him, ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting Life, John 3. 16. And when the poor trembling Jaylour, cried out; what ſhall I do to be ſaved? the Apoſtle ſaid, Believe in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and thou ſhalt be ſaved, Acts 16. 30, 31. And to this purpoſe you read, That this is the will of him that ſent me (ſaith Chriſt) That every one that ſeeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlaſting Life, John 6. 40. And again, This is his Commandment, that we ſhould believe on the Name of his Son, 1 John 3. 23. And our Lord ſeverely threatens, That if we believe not, we ſhall die in our Sins, John 8. 24. And that he who believeth not, ſhall be damned, Mark. 16. 16. And ſo for Self-denial, and Obedience, Jeſus Chriſt affirmeth, If any Man will come after me, he muſt deny himſelf, Math. 16. 24. and Luke 9. 23. And that, Chriſt is the Author of Eternal Salvation to them that obey him, Heb. 5. 9. And the Goſpel-threatning runs, That Chriſt ſhall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels, in Flaming Fire taking Vengeance on them that obey not the Goſpel, 2 Theſſ. 1. 7, 8. And hence it is that the Children of Diſobedience, in Sacred Writ, are called Children of Belial. i. e. Qui nullis legum vinculis teneantur: ſuch as are without Yoke, Maſterleſs, who are not, will not be held by the Bonds of Chriſt's Commandment, So that it is evident, that by the Yoke of Chriſt, is meant his Commands, to repent, believe, and obey the Goſpel; all which have no other tendency, but the Good and Happineſs of fallen Man.
Queſt. But here it may be demanded, why this is called a Yoke: ſince its chief end, and deſign, is to make Man happy.
Anſw. That it is for the Good and Happineſs of Man is moſt certain, as you will ſee in its proper place: But then, it is here to be conſidered, that it is not now, with the humane Nature, as it was, when it firſt came out of the Hands of God; but a quite different thing. It is now become apoſtate, and corrupt, ſince the Fall. The carnal Mind is Enmity againſt God; it is not ſubject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be, Rom. 8, 7. It hates to be reformed, loves to wallow in the filth of Sin, as the Swine in the Mire: It is ſo, woful daily Experience ſheweth it, as well as Scripture. So that now Repentance, Faith, Converſion, &c. tho it be no other, than the recovery of a loſt Soul to God; yet its irkſome, and tedious to our corrupt Natures; like plucking out a right Eye, or cutting off a right Hand. It is a pleaſant thing to behold the Sun; but it is a torment to a ſore Eye: Food is pleaſant to the Healthy, to the Hungry; but loathſome to the Sick. Alas! by Nature, we are ſick unto Death, and love Darkneſs rather than Light: there is an averſneſs to Self-Reflection, (eſpecially in time of Youth) O how backward and unwilling are Youth to retire, and conſider their Sins, and take pains with their Hearts, to get them affected with their Danger? they cannot endure the Yoke of Conviction of Sin, and Reproof for Sin, nor to be reſtrained their vain Company, and ſenſual Pleaſures: but as Zophar ſaith, Man is born like the Aſs his Colt, Job. 11, 12. exceedingly given to ramble, and run a ſtray, eagerly bent upon carnal Sports and Vanities: So that upon this Conſideration the Commands of Chriſt are called a Yoke, and that for theſe two following Reaſons.
Firſt, Upon the account of that Reluctancy and Oppoſition, that is (ſince the Fall) wofully and deeply rooted in our Natures, againſt Obedience and Subjection to the Commands of Chriſt in the Goſpel. A Yoke (you know) is uſed to tame, and ſubdue the unruly Creature, and to bring it into Subjection: So the Yoke of Chriſt, ſerveth to humble and bring down the Proud, and ſtubborn Spirit of Youth; it holdeth an hard and ſtrait Rein, on the Neck of thoſe furious and fooliſh Luſts, which in that Age are uſually (Jehu-like) impetuous and violent, in order to ſtop them in their mad Carrear, and courſe of Sin: it being the very Picture and Property of Youth, by Nature, to affect an uncontroulable Liberty, to run where they pleaſe, do what they liſt, and walk after the Imagination of their own Hearts; ſubmitting to no Government, ſave that of their own Luſts. As the Wiſe Man intimates, in that Ironical taunt of his; Rejoice, O young Man in thy Youth, and let thine Heart chear thee, in the days of thy Youth, and walk in the ways of thy Heart, and in the ſight of thine Eyes: all this is marvelouſly chearing, O it goes ſwiftly and ſwiftly down with Wind and Tide of Youth's corrupt Nature: but then comes in the pinching gauling Yoke, in the reer of the Text; Know thou that for all theſe things, God will bring thee to Judgment, Eccl. 11. 9. as if he had ſaid, O young Man, at thy peril proceed, purſue thoſe forbidden Pleaſures; but wiſely ſtop in time, conſider (in order to thy ſpeedy Repentance) what a fearful fatal end they will certainly bring thee to, if thou ſtop not, if thou turn not; for God will bring thee to Judgment for all: and therefore remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth; before the Evil day of Death and Judgment ſeize thee, as it followeth in the beginning of the next Chapter: Now what need all this? line upon line, precept upon precept, to bind us to the bleſſed Service of Chriſt; were it not for that curſed Reluctancy, and Oppoſition, that is in our corrupt Natures againſt it. And indeed I cannot but think, our Saviour, in uſing the Metaphor of a Yoke, to ſet out his ſweet and ſacred Government by, deſigneth the humbling of the beſt of us all, even of the regenerate themſelves: for as much as we daily need to be yoked to his Service, by reaſon of the Remainders of Corruption in us. My Brethren, what a Reproach doth it lay us under? that the Service of our Redeemer, which in it ſelf is the moſt pleaſant employment in the World, and among the Inhabitants of Heaven, where holy Souls are perfectly freed from the Reliques of Sin, it is their Felicity and Glory, that our Saviour (who never miſcalleth any thing) ſhould with reſpect to us, call it a Yoke; ſurely it calleth us to loath our ſelves, and ſay after him, Rom. 7. 23, 24. I ſee a Law in my Members, warring againſt the Law of my Mind, and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of Sin, that is my Members: O Wretched Man that I am, &c. Alas! there is yet Fleſh in us, luſting againſt the Spirit in this Life, which ſtill needs the Yoke of Chriſt to be ſubduing and mortifying of it. I dare appeal to all who have ſpiritual Life, and Senſe in this thing, whether they do not find it ſo? what elſe meaneth that Hue and Cry that is ever and anon raiſed in the Soul againſt indwelling Sin? O Curſed Sin, what Miſchief haſt thou wrought in me? what Miſeries haſt thou brought on me? the hidings of God's Face, the weakning my Grace, the breaking my Peace, the grieving away my Comforter, the deadning, diſtracting my Heart in Prayer, &c. Hence O Wretched Man that I am, &c. Alas! whenſoever I ſet upon any thing that is good, I find ſomething within me oppoſing more then, than at any time, enticing and drawing off my Heart; a bitter Root ſpringing up to trouble me; Hence, O the Hurries, Tumults, and Diſtractions, many times in the moſt Spiritual Duties! Alas! the Canaanites are yet in the Land lying in waite, to make new Breaches between God and the Soul, and to fill it with renewed Doubts and Fears: So that there is no time to be ſecure, to caſt off the Yoke, until we put off this Earthly Tabernacle. Indeed ſometime (through Grace) the renewed Soul findeth at an Ordinance, ſuch Heavenly Influences, and Incomes of Light, and Love, as enlarge the Heart, ſet it at liberty, like the Chariots of Aminadab, to run the ways of God's Commandments, Pſal. 119. 32. (and as the Spouſe ſaith, when the King ſitteth at the Table, my Spicknard ſendeth forth its Pleaſant ſmell; then ſtay me with Flagons, comfort me with Apples, for I am ſick of Love: She ſings, as if ſhe had put off her Yoke, her Harneſs, and ended her Warfare, and took down her Harp, and ſhould no more need her Militant Graces of Repentance, and Self-denial: but alas! how ſoon doth a fit of Security overtake her, and then her Beloved was withdrawn, and gone, and ſhe mourns.) Thus it is with renewed Souls, when the Spirit of the Lord (which is like the Wind blowing where it liſteth) blows and breathes, draws, and ſhines in, making free and freſh Diſcoveries of the Love of Chriſt (through the Lattice of an Ordinance) to the Soul; then there is Life and Liberty to run the Heavenly Race, as if no Clog, no Yoke were on it; the Love of Chriſt conſtrains, it's like a Corner of Heaven, a Penuel; the Soul ſeeth that of the Glory of a Chriſt, as ſets it a ſinging; Lo the Winter is paſt and gone, the Summer is come, &c. Cant. 2. 11. But as Bernard ſaith, Rara hora, brevis mora; ſapit quidem ſuaviſſime, ſed guſtatur rariſſime. Tho there are ſuch Seaſons, wherein Gracious Souls are ſurprized with theſe ſweet Illapſes of the Spirit as a Comforter; yet they are rare, and but of ſhort continuance, by and by the Feaſt is over, the Ordinance ends, the Bleſſing got; but Jacob goes away halting. Corruption that lay dormant (like a Thief in the Houſe waiting for the Sleepineſs of the Inhabitant) ſoon rouzes up, and is at its old work again, luſting againſt the Spirit, it grows unruly and rebellious, ſo that there is need for the Yoke ſtill, and a Reinforcement of Prayers, Tears, Self-denial, holy Diligence, and Watchfulneſs, to yoke down the Fleſh; thoſe Remanders of Pride, Paſſion, Unbelief, &c. let the beſt ſpeak, if they do not find it ſo: Ah bleſſed Lord! thy Yoke is of conſtant uſe, Sin is ſo deeply rooted in us, and ſo often has deceived us, that without thy Yoke, we ſhould ſoon run aſtray, like Children of Belial. And this may ſuffice for the firſt Reaſon why it is called a Yoke.
Secondly, It is called a Yoke in reſpect of Labour. A Yoke is an Emblem of Labour: it's true indeed our Saviour ſaith, His Yoke is eaſy; but pray don't miſtake that Expreſſion, it no ways imports as if Chriſtians may be idle. No (my Beloved) tho Chriſt's Yoke is eaſy; yet it is not a Yoke of Idleneſs. Tho (praiſed be the Lord) it is not an Iron Yoke of Cruelty, yet it is a Yoke ſtill for Duty: and as it is a Yoke, it imports the neceſſity of Labour, and Diligence. O that the Self-deluding, Soul-cheating Lazy Profeſſors of this ſecure Age, were but convinced of this; thoſe who deem Chriſt's Service, to be no other than an heap of good Wiſhes; alſo thoſe who think it ſtands only in a Circle, and Courſe of dull and drowſy Performances, to pray, hear, ſing Pſalms, &c. (and I wiſh there were but ſo much done by ſome) but our bleſſed Saviour fully detecteth the inſufficiency of theſe, in thoſe two great Inſtances, of the Phariſee in the Temple, Luke 18. and the young Man, in the 19th of Math. All theſe (ſaith he) have I done from my Youth: and yet he was never brought under Chriſt's Yoke, never throughly convinced of the Sin of his Nature, never knew what Poverty of Spirit, brokenneſs of Heart, pangs of new Birth meant; never entred the ſtrait Gate of Regeneration. And O that this were not the ſad condition, of far the greater number among us, under the Goſpel: Alas! what ſhall we think of thoſe, who are wrapt up in Ignorance, blinded by the God of this World, all quiet, while the ſtrong Man armed keeps the Houſe, no Outcries, what to do to be ſaved? others who tho they profeſs high, hear, and know much, yet live idly, and unprofitably, are at eaſe, pampering and indulging their beloved Luſts, making continual Proviſion for the Fleſh to fulfil it in its Luſts; who cannot endure to have their Corruptions croſſed, but hate Reproof, and make their Profeſſion of Chriſt to be a Cloak to their looſe and licentious Practiſes. Surely theſe are as far from the Yoke of Chriſt, as they are from that great mark of true Chriſtians; They that are Chriſt's have crucified the Fleſh with its Affections and Luſts, Gal. 5. 24. Hence we read of work of Faith, the labour of Love, and the Patience of Hope, 1 Theſſ. 1. 3. Wherein you have a Figure which Rhetoricians call Hypallage, i. e. the Work of Faith, for a working Faith; the Labour of Love, for a laborious Love; and the Patience of Hope, for a Hope patiently waiting; that like an Anchor holds out all Storms, Temptations, Conflicts: Hence alſo it is that the Kingdom of Heaven, is ſaid to ſuffer violence, aend the violent take it by force, Math. 11. 12. My Brethren, there is no part of Chriſt's Service but calls for labour, to repent, to believe, to love, to hope, &c. and therefore it's called a Yoke; which brings me to open the other Branch: Namely,
Queſt. What the bearing of this Yoke is?
Anſw. In the general, the bearing of this Yoke is no other than a cordial and unfeigned Subjection to Jeſus Chriſt in the Goſpel; to anſwer to his Calls, to open at his Knocks, to accept of his Offers, to believe his Reports, to obey his Commands: Or if you can conceive it better by other Terms; to bear his Yoke, is our ſincere and hearty conſent, that He, and He only, bear rule over us: But this being the main of our Duty, it requireth a more diſtinct and particular opening; (generalia non pungunt) wherefore I ſhall conſider theſe two Things.
1. What is neceſſarily requiſite to it?
2. What is eſſentially contained in it?
Anſw. For the firſt of theſe, it is neceſſarily requiſite to the bearing of Chriſt's Yoke, that a Man come firſt under it: This is ſo plain and obvious, that it needs no more Proof than it meets with Objection and Doubt; and that is none at all that I know of. For as the Apoſtle, in another Caſe, makes his Appeal to common Reaſon, Rom. 10. 14. How can they believe on him of whom they have not heard? So may I in the preſent Caſe, How can a Man bear the Yoke, unleſs he come under it? This carrieth its own Light in it. So that under this Head, it only remaineth needful to conſider what is requiſite to the coming under Chriſt's Yoke? Now to give a right and clear Anſwer hereunto, two things muſt be conſidered.
1. What is requiſite on God's part?
2. What is requiſite on our part?
1. In order to a Man's coming under the Yoke, there is requiſite on God's part, both the Wheel of his Providence, and the Arm of his Power: The one to bring a Sinner under the Goſpel, and the other to draw a Sinner under the Yoke. For as our Saviour ſaith, No Man can come to me, except the Father which hath ſent me, draw him, John 6. 44. But where and what is this drawing? why, the very next Verſe anſwers it fully; It is written in the Prophets; and they ſhall be all taught of God: every Man therefore that hath heard, and learned of the Father, cometh unto me, v. 45. So that this drawing, is no other than God's teaching a Sinner by his Word and Spirit, under the Goſpel Diſpenſation. Now that this is neceſſary, is evident from the full Teſtimony of Scripture, and the free Confeſſion of all that ever were converted, and brought under the Yoke of Chriſt, Pſal. 110. 3. Phil. 2. 12. Eph. 2. 1, 10. James 1. 18. And as to the Apoſtle's Query, 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another? He propounds it not by way of doubt, but concludeth upon the Teſtimony (as well he might) of every regenerate Perſon, that it was God and not Man. And (my Beloved) whoever ſhall take a right Survey of the Depth of that miſerable Apoſtacy Man is ſunk into by the Fall, together with all its Effects, in that Darkneſs, Filth, Folly, Bondage, Power of Luſts, Enmity, Rebellion, Prejudice againſt God, all which is attended with a Senſeleſs Stupidity; ſo far from being convinced of the evil of ſo wretched and vile a State, as for the moſt part likeing and approving the ſame: I ſay whoever ſurveyeth this aright may juſtly ſtand amazed, that ever there ſhould ſpring up, in any Age of the Church, a Pelagius, a Patron, a Pleader for the power of Man to make himſelf to differ from another. The Lord awaken us to right Apprehenſions touching this Point, viz. the neceſſity of the Arm of God's Power to draw a Sinner under Chriſt's Yoke. Alas! without this, How can of Darkneſs ſuch a Soul be made Light in the Lord? and the Dead hear the Voice of the Son of God and live? How ſhould Satan (called the ſtrong Man) be caſt out? or the ſtony Heart in a Sinner's Breaſt be taken away? or the Enmity, in a carnal Mind be ſlain? or the ſtout fierce Rebellion in the Will quell'd, and conquered? All which muſt be done, if ever a Soul be brought under the Yoke of Chriſt. Alas! there is 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, foreign; 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 coming under Chriſt's Yoke, to ſave, and ſecure your Immortal Souls from the Damnation of Hell? Can their remain then any Doubt in this thing? (viz. The importancy and weight of coming under Chriſt's Yoke, and that betimes, or making over our precious Soul to Chriſt in an everlaſting Leaſe or Bond) when you are a loſt Soul for ever, if you do not; and there remains no way but one with you, even eternal Damnation, unleſs you thus comply with God's eſtabliſhed way of Life and Salvation, as he hath plainly declared in the Goſpel. O then with what continual Solicitude and Carefulneſs ſhould you mind and attend this! one would think, that it ſhould ſwallow up your Thoughts Night and Day; and that to talk of Indifferency, and Remiſſneſs in this Caſe, ſhould be eſteemed, and entertained, as talk of folding the Arms, and betaking your ſelf to ſleep in caſe you were in a Ship that was ready to ſink, or an Houſe that hath taken Fire: So likewiſe one would think (in ſo weighty a caſe) to talk of Difficulties, that there is a Lion in the way, were a ſtrange Impertinency, and trifling, when ſuch an abſolute neceſſity lies upon you, in good earneſt, without delay to come to Chriſt, and yield Subjection to his Yoke, or be ſentenced to an everlaſting Deſtruction from his Preſence, 2 Theſſ. 1. 8, 9. to comply with, and ſtand to his gracious Terms, or fall into the Hands of a Sin-revenging living God. Now ſince its thus, I make a ſolemn appeal to you young People before the Lord of Heaven and Earth this Day; whether ever condemned Malefactor, trembling under the fearful expectation of a ſhameful Death, had more juſt cauſe (ſuppoſing he received ſome hints that upon his Submiſſion a Pardon for Life might be obtained) to eſteem it a Buſineſs of the moſt important deepeſt Concernment, ſpeedily to ſeek, and humbly to ſue, for the King's Grace, and Mercy; than you have, to Day, while it's called to Day, to look upon it, as the moſt ſerious awful Buſineſs, that ever your Thoughts could converſe with, viz. to come in, and comply with this way, which God hath provided for and propoſed to you, not only as the beſt, but the only way: So that if this be refuſed, there is no other, you have no other Choice; eternal Death lies upon the Neglect of it. The Lord awaken you this Day to conſider it. You and I muſt at the Judgment of the Great Day ſtand accountable for this Sermon. I have inſiſted the longer upon it, becauſe of that abounding Sloth and Averſion of our backward Hearts hereunto: Which in courſe leads me in the ſeventh Place to tell you,
(7.) That it is neceſſarily requiſite on your part, in order to come under Chriſt's Yoke to underſtand, that ſince things are as you have heard, ſurely it is no time for ſitting ſtill, when you have a Buſineſs of that Infinite Weight and Importance depending, which muſt be done, or you undone for ever; but to be up and doing, that you may eſcape the final Doom of Unbelievers, and Impenitent Sinners. There remains not the leaſt Doubt, but that (in this Caſe) Diligence and Care is the Duty of all, and every Mothers Child here; but who almoſt among us is there that is ſtirring and ſtriving in the diligent uſe of Means, viz. Retiredneſs from a vain World, deep Muſings, and Soliloquies, ſervent and frequent Wreſtlings in Prayer, vehement Deſires, firm and fixed Reſolutions, &c. O! what a wretched Stillneſs and Careleſsneſs is there to be found in your Cloſets and Conſciences, as to theſe things: Tears are fitter than Words to lament it. There is a Jeſus that hath come to ſeek you, when all were loſt; that hath done much to ſave you, when all were undone and under the condemning Sentence of God's fiery Law: He bore the Yoke of your Guilt, that a way might be made to reſtore you to his gracious and eaſier Yoke of Service, which was ſo neceſſary (with reſpect to your Fallen State) that he could not love, and ſave you, had he left it out, and ſuffered you to follow the Inclinations of your own corrupt and wicked Hearss, and let you had your Wills in a courſe of Rebellion and Sin. Now pray what have you done, towards ſecuring the preſent and eternal State of your miſerable Souls, in coming under his bleſſed Yoke? After all that Chriſt hath done, his Agonies, bloody Sweat, his Death on the Croſs, where are thy Prayers, Tears, Cares, Fears, Tremblings? When did'ſt thou go apart, and ſolemnly ſet thy ſelf to meditate and commune with thy own Heart, about the State of thy poor Soul? uſing ſome ſuch Soliloquy as this, viz. O my Soul! How is it with thee? What State art thou in of Nature or Grace? What are thy Wants, thy Ails, thy Maladies? Art thou in Chriſt, or Chriſtleſs? What are thy Dangers, Temptations, Sins? Haſt thou fled for Refuge under Chriſt's Croſs? When was the time thou did'ſt cloſe with his Perſon? Did'ſt thou ever ſincerely like and comply with his Terms? Can'ſt thou come up before God's Tribunal, and ſtand to it, that thou haſt made a free Surrender of thy Self to him, and with a Loyal Heart given thy Neck to his Yoke? Will thy Evidences hold Weight in God's righteous Ballance? Or are they light, falſe, and deceitful, like Flowers on a dead Corps, or Varniſh on a rotten Poſt? Was't thou ever throughly made ſenſible of, humbled for, and by renewing Grace quickned, raiſed out of that Gall of Bitterneſs and Bond of Iniquity, wherein thy Original Guilt did entomb thee? This ſort of Soliloquies is called in Scripture, communing with ones own Heart, making a diligent Search there, Pſal. 77. 6. And then, upon a Diſcovery of an yet abiding and remaining in the Chaos of corrupted Nature, a ſolemn Enquiry is to be made: O my Soul! what haſt thou been doing? How haſt thou ſpent thy time till now? Did'ſt thou never hear or read of this thy vile State of Apoſtacy and Enmity? Waſt thou never called upon to turn and live e're this time? Have not thy Parents many a time told thee thou waſt conceived and brought forth in Sin, and wert a Child of Wrath by Nature, and that thou muſt be born again, or periſh? Have not God's Miniſters told and taught thee this, altho thy Parents had not? What if Death had come and haled thee out of this World to the Judgment-Seat, in all thy Guilt and Sin? Haſt thou not ſeen many as young as thy ſelf ſnatched away? O how could'ſt thou divert and drive away Melancholly Thoughts of thy preſent Sin, and approaching Miſery, and turn to Sports, and Mirth, and Follies, and the vain Pleaſures of a tranſitory deceitful World? O! What a deſperate Hazard haſt thou run all the Days and Nights thou haſt been in this World? O fooliſh wretched Soul! who hath bewitched thee thus to forget thy ſelf, yea to undo and deſtroy thy own, and only Darling Self (thy Soul) which the whole World, (could'ſt thou gain it) would be infinitely below its worth, and would prove in the end, a breaking, ruining, beggerly Bargain, Math. 16. 26. O what haſt thou done! Had there been no hope, no help, in a ſent and ſealed, in a ſlain and crucified Jeſus? Or had'ſt thou never heard of him, or had a Call to come to him, or an Offer made of him? Why then, thy Sin had not been ſo henious, and thy Sloth ſo odious; but to ſtand idle under the Goſpel, which as it telleth thee thy Sin, and Danger, ſo it directs thee to Chriſt thy only Help and Remedy; and yet to ſit ſtill, all thy Days unconcerned, tho unconverted, and under the Wrath of God, who out of Chriſt is thy Enemy, and telleth thee ſo, Pſal. 7. 11. on purpoſe to awaken thee to a ſenſe of thy Danger, and to chaſe thee to fly for Refuge out of thy Sins, to Chriſt, whoſe merciful Arms ſtand open ſtill to receive thee: and yet to this day, how madly haſt thou (O my Soul) deſpiſed a precious Saviour, and refuſed his pleaſant Yoke, while by thy ſinful Eaſe and Idleneſs, thou haſt ventured to caſt thy ſelf under the cruel Yoke of thy Luſts, and that old Soul-murdering Serpent, the Devil? O how heavy a Guilt lieth upon thy Conſcience within thee? And how dreadful a Charge lieth againſt thee in the Court of Heaven, above thee? And yet, O aſtoniſhing Mercy! thou art ſtill under the Offers of Grace; it is not yet too late to obtain Mercy upon thy preſent Return; O joyful Tidings! But now (O my Soul) thou haſt heard theſe things, what are thy Reſolves for time to come? What! to go on, as thou waſt wont in thy Sloth, and carnal Security: God forbid, that would be a fearful thing indeed; to go on in a neglect of ſuch a Saviour, and ſo great a Salvation, againſt ſo many Goſpel-Arguments, in Rebellion and Oppoſition to ſo Great and God, that profeſſeth if thou remain ſtubborn and gainſaying, he will turn thee into Hell, and the longer thou goeſt on in Sin here, the greater ſhall thy Torments be there. O my wretched Soul! tho thou could be contented to go on in Sin all thy Days on Earth, can'ſt thou be contented to ſuffer for them to all everlaſting in Hell? What mean'ſt thou therefore to demur and hang back from coming under Chriſt's Yoke? What, are his Demands unreaſonable? it's only to yield that he ſhould rule over thee, and thou art happy for ever; ſure nothing can be more reaſonable: and doſt thou not yet ſtir? O up in good earneſt, quickly reſolve, Halt, Halve, Hover no longer; but ſay as the Lepers, If we ſtay here we die, &c. 2 Kings 7. 3, 4. So if I ſtay under the Yoke of Sin, I certainly periſh; if I get under Chriſt's, I ſhall ſurely live for ever: Well, tho I have been a wretched Prodigal, I will ariſe, and go, and caſt my ſelf proſtrate before him, and ſay, Lord Jeſus tho thou don't want a Sinner, yet I vile Sinner, want a Saviour; tho thou don't need a Servant, yet I need a Service, and none but thine; the Service of my Luſts have e'en ruin'd me. Thus breath out thy Deſires and Reſolutions, and tell him thou haſt been a Child of Belial too long already; humbly beſeeching him to accept and pardon thee, as being now reſolved, never to live as thou haſt done in Diſobedience, but in Subjection and Loyalty; and art therefore come in on purpoſe to offer, and yield thy Neck to his bleſſed Yoke.
Thus you ſee, how requiſite our utmoſt Diligence is, in this great and neceſſary Duty treated on, of coming under the Yoke of Chriſt: Without Self-reflexion (or bethinking our ſelves, as it is called in Scripture, 1 Kings 8. 47.) there can be no judicious Self-reſolution to come under this Yoke; and without Diligence, and Self-denial, be ſure, there will be no ſuteable and ſerious Self-Reflexion: For Proof whereof I ſhould not need, if you would but put it to proof within your own ſelves: And as he ingeniouſly proved that there is Motion, againſt one that denied it, by riſing out of his Chair and walking up and down; ſo your own Hearts, without me, would make this clear, if you would but ſolemnly ſet a-part a Portion of Time, choſen for this very purpoſe, to hold a Debate, Conference and Communication within, and with your own Souls; and when you have done ſo, then to enter upon it, with great ſeriouſneſs, and retiredneſs, becoming the nature of ſo weighty a Work, as the ſetting up a Court in thy Conſcience, citing thy ſelf before it's Bar, ſearching, ripping up thy Heart and Life, thy State and Courſe, ſitting in Judgment on, and talking cloſe and home with thy ſelf; till thou ſtand'ſt convicted, that thou art the guilty Perſon, condemned by the holy Law of God, and that Sentence is already paſs'd and muſt be executed upon thee, John 3. 18. compar'd with the 36th. Unleſs thou come under the Yoke of Chriſt; and hereupon the Affections are moved, and the Will is reſolved to yield to his Yoke: Now I ſay, if you would but make Tryal and Experiment of this, your ſelves would ſoon acknowledg, and teſtify that our utmoſt Diligence is requiſite in this Affair. O! it is no eaſy matter to come Home to a Mans ſelf; it's a ſecret, inward and retired Action, that hath no Obſervation, no Oſtentation from without; and our Hearts are bitterly ſet againſt it: There is nothing (through the whole courſe of Religious Duties) that our Wicked Hearts do ſo naturally oppoſe as this. External Acts of Religion, as falling down on our Knees, lifting up our Hands, uttering of Words in Prayer, reading of Chapters, hearing Sermons, and the like, all theſe are eaſy to this. Ah my Brethren! ſad Experience witneſſeth this; I appeal to your own Hearts, if they will but ſpeak the Truth, and I beſeech you to put them to it, whether they had not rather ſpare, and ſpend 20 Hours in publick Attendances as hearing, praying, ſinging, &c. than one in ſecret Retirement, to ſearch and ſee how matters ſtand between God and our Souls: O that we could bewail it! we love to be inquiſite about others, and their Affairs, and in the mean time neglect to conſider and enquire about the State and Affairs of our own Souls. I have the longer inſiſted on this, becauſe it is a Sine qua non, a Duty, without which, it is not poſſible you can ever come under the Yoke of Chriſt; without this there can be no right believing, repenting, and obeying the Commands of Chriſt: Which are the main Eſſentials of bearing his Yoke, and which (according to my purpoſed Order) falls next under Conſideration, having opened what is neceſſarily requiſite to the bearing Chriſt's Yoke.
2. Queſt. What is eſſentially contained in it?
I ſhall briefly (and yet I hope clearly) anſwer and open it, under theſe following Heads.
Firſt, There is contained in it, an intire and Loyal Subjection of our Minds and Underſtandings unto his heavenly Doctrine and Wiſdom, as he is as our Prophet to teach 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 a Chriſtian. The Phraſe, foreign 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 welldoing, 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 Ʋngodlineſs, 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. For the former nothing can be more unqueſtionable and plain, if you do but ſurvey what hath been largely ſpoken of the Nature of Chriſt's Yoke, and the bearing of it: All which amounts to this, viz. That (on his part) it is no other than a reſtoring Apoſtate Man to the Image and Favour of God again; the bringing you under the Goſpel, and there by his Word and Spirit to open your Eyes, to renew you in the Spirit of your Minds, to ſlay the Enmity, to circumciſe your Hearts to love the Lord your God, to alter and change that Helliſh Bias that was on your Wills; whereas otherwiſe you would run upon your own Ruine, and ſoon be made the deplorable Spectacle of a Sin-revenging Juſtice: So that the very Nature and Uſe of Chriſt's Yoke (on his part) is a main part of your Happineſs, and true Felicity; for pray tell me what miſerable Wretches were you, continuing under the Power of a carnal Mind, that is not, cannot be (while ſuch) ſubject to the Holy Law of God; the moſt material Branch of which Law, is to love and delight in the Bleſſed God, wherein ſo much of Heaven it ſelf lieth, that without it, Heaven would be a kind of Hell; for their could be no Agreement, and ſo, no Enjoyment, what Communion can Light have with Darkneſs? Or Chriſt with Belial? Can two walk together (i. e. take delight in living together) that are not agreed? I have read of the Iriſh Earth, that no Venemous Creature can endure to to live upon it: But (my Brethren) the Iriſh Earth would better brook a Toad, than Heaven a carnal Mind, or a carnal Mind Heaven. O young Man! What wilt thou do with that carnal corrupt Heart of thine? It is impoſſible (while ſuch) to obey this Law of Love; which if thou can'ſt not obey, Woe to thee living, Woe to the dying, for enter Heaven and enjoy God thou never can'ſt, if thy Heart before hand be not fram'd to love and take Complacency and Delight in him; and this can never be till Chriſt's Yoke, and Government take place in, and over you, the firſt and chief Branch whereof (on his Part) Is to circumciſe your Hearts to love the Lord your God. Deut. 30. 6. And therefore nothing can be more evident than this; that to bear the Yoke of Chriſt is the ſummary of all that is truly good. And it will be no leſs evident, if you ſurvey (on our part) the nature of coming under and bearing this Yoke; which is no other, than a yielding our whole ſelves to God, Rom. 6. 13. Or a cordial unfeigned ſurrendring upon the Goſpel-Proclamation: which may be ſhadowed forth thus, ſuppoſe in a well-govern'd State, there ſhould be a Conſpiracy among the Subjects, and inſtead of continuing in a Dutiful Subjection, they hatch Rebellion and it breaks out openly: Now in this Caſe, the Law proclaims them Rebels, and juſtly condemns them to a ſhameful Death; but the Prince out of his Grace and Mercy, puts forth a Proclamation of Pardon, upon their throwing down their rebellious Arms, and returning to their Obedience: Now as in all Similitudes, ſome difference is allowed, ſo it muſt be here be ſure; for amongſt Men it may ſo happen, that the Rebelling Party, may be the ſtronger, or upon equal ground; and ſo may ſtand upon their own Terms, treat, and capitulate with their Swords in their Hands, having Strength to defend themſelves, and ſubſiſt without Peace with, or a Pardon from their Prince: But now here it is otherwiſe between the Great, and Almighty God, and poor ſorry rebellious Man! God is infinitely powerful, juſtly provoked, able to deſtroy wretched Rebels, both Soul and Body in a Moment. Now in this State of Things, I demand of thee poor Sinner, art thou able to contend with the Almighty? Can'ſt thou ſubſiſt or live without Peace with him? Should he come forth in a way of Wrath and Vengeance, where would'ſt thou appear or ſhew thy Traitrous Head? Surely in thy State of utter Impotency, thou dareſt not ſay thou art in any capacity of meeting God in the Field: well, notwithſtanding all this Diſparity, yet the High and Lofty One, whoſe Name is Holy, againſt whom you have ſinned, he who ſtands in no need of you, nor your Subjection, nor your Salvation; it is he that ſendeth forth a Proclamation of Pardon, and Peace, founded in the Blood of his own Son; and that at a time, when you lay in your own Blood and Filth of Sin, and all was loſt; and when you were Enemies, whom in Juſtice he might have ſent to Hell in all you Gore, and Guilt, Rom. 5, 6, 7, 8. And when there could have been no remiſſion, without the effuſion of the Blood of Jeſus; then did he commend his Love to you and ſpared not his one, and only Son, but delivered him up to the Death for poor Sinners, and entereth a new Covenant, iſſueth out the Goſpel-Proclamation, viz. That notwithſtanding all your Sin and Unworthineſs, and that dreadful Charge and Sentence of the Law that lieth againſt you, yet hath the Great God made rich Proviſions of Mercy, (upon your Return and Submiſſion) for your gracious Reception, and Remiſſion, he hath found out a Ranſom, viz. the Price of his own dear Son's Blood; and hath ſet him forth in the Goſpel, To be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood, Rom. 3. 25. So that, let the Wicked now forſake his evil ways, and turn in unto this ſtrong Hold, and make Peace, and he ſhall make Peace; I will have Mercy, I will abundantly pardon, tho his Sins be as Scarlet, I will make them as white as Snow; I will not only forego all the Advantages my Juſtice had againſt him, but will be pacified towards him, and embrace, and receive him to favour, and reward him with an eternal weight of Glory, as if he had never offended, and rebelled againſt me. O Infinite aſtoniſhing Condeſcention of the Bleſſed God! thus to beſeech rebellious Sinners to be reconciled to him in his Son: Certainly you will ſay (if there be the leaſt ſpark of Ingenuity towards God, or drop of Tenderneſs and Care left in you towards your own Souls) O wonderous! O joyful News! enough to melt down a Stone; unſpeakable are the ſweet Bonds, and dear Obligations lying on us, to ſurrender our ſelves upon this Proclamation. Why now be it known to you, ye young Ones, that your coming under, and bearing this Yoke, is no other thing, in the nature of it, on your part: Thus an hearty yielding, ſubjecting of your Minds to Chriſt, as your Prophet; ſaying, Lord Jeſus I yield, here is my Mind, bring into it what Light thou pleaſeſt; and ſo of your Wills, and Life, ſubjecting the ſame to him as Prieſt and King, to be your Atonement and Peace, to ſave you from your Sins, and govern and rule you by the gracious Scepter, and Yoke of his ſacred and ſweet Precepts. I now refer it to your ſelves, whether this be not the Summary of all that is truly good? If any ſhould object, 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. Ʋpon 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 ſelfbemoaning 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 ſort not unto Death and Damnation, but unto Life and Salvation, a Repentance never to be repented of: And the ſame Chriſtian will tell you, that he is never ſo ſad as when he feels his Heart hard and unrelenting. So that upon the whole, this Objection againſt the Yoke, as if it were not good to bear, becauſe Repentance is required in it, which you have thought to be ſo ſour and unpleaſant; you ſee it proceeds from a meer palpable Miſtake and Error, it hath been want of Judgment and Underſtanding in you; as Chriſt told the Woman of Samaria, John 4. 10. If thou kneweſt the Gift of God, thou would'ſt have ask'd of him, and he would have given thee living Water: So if thou kneweſt the ſweetneſs of Goſpel-Repentance, thou would'ſt not endure to live a Day longer in an Impenitent State. It's certain Sin hath no ſuch Pleaſure as Repentance hath. Hoſ. 2. 7. I will return to my firſt Husband, for then it was better with me than now. Conſult but thine own Experience, or if thou haſt had none, ask thine own Conſcience, which Day of a Sinner's Life yieldeth the ſweeteſt Reſt and Repoſe at Night? whether the Day wherein he has been a Drudg to his Luſts, heaping Guilt upon Guilt, againſt the Day of Reckoning? Or the day wherein a Man hath been in the Fear of God, confeſſing and forſaking his Sin, that all may be blotted out, when the Times of Refreſhing ſhould come from the preſence of the Lord? O the Hell upon Earth of the former! Could you ſearch the Bed, dig up the Conſcience of ſuch a Man; O what bitings, tormenting Deſpair might you find at the bottom? The deeper they have ſunk in Rebellion the faſter have they tied Damnation to their Souls. O fearful miſerable Condition! But O the Heaven upon Earth of the latter! How welcome may he be to both, to his God and his Conſcience? And ſo how merry may he be in the dark Night on his Bed? After a Seaſonable April-Shower, and breaking out of the Sun again, how are the Flowers and Herbs refreſhed? In like manner after a penitent Soul hath gone forth largely and freely, Weeping and Mourning for Sin, how Sweet an Odour doth it leave in Conſcience? It returneth not aſhamed but refreſhed, eſpecially when it can eſpy a Bow in the Cloud, or The Sun of Righteouſneſs, breaking through it and ſhining upon the Soul? Mat. 4. 2. Thus having cleared up this that the moſt difficult part of Chriſt's Yoke, viz. Repentance it ſelf (which uſually through Satan's Cunning and Malice is repreſented to Youth, as frightful, and formidable) is good, i. e. pleaſant, which (according to the School-diſtinction of Good into jucundum, utile & honeſtum) is a material part of what is Good: I ſay, having done this, and ſo waded through the moſt difficult, craggy part of my way and work, that was moſt liable to Objections, it may ſhorten my work as to what remaineth: This Fort of the Jebuſites being won, we may conclude all will yield; if the moſt exceptionable part of Chriſt's Yoke will paſs Muſter, we need not queſtion the reſt. Thus I have done with the firſt Head of Argument, to prove the Truth treated on, viz. That it is Good in an abſolute Senſe to bear Chriſt's Yoke: Now that it is ſo, eſpecially in time of Youth, I ſhall reſerve the proof of that to the Cloſe of the ſecond Head of Argument. Wherefore I now ſhall paſs on to the ſecond Conſideration mentioned for the clearing up the Doctrine, That to bear the Yoke of Chriſt is the ſummary of all Good, viz.
2. That it is ſo relatively, with reſpect to the Effects and Conquances of it.
For the Demonſtration and Proof of this, it is to be conſidered, that ſome of the bleſſed Effects of bearing Chriſt's Yoke in the time of Youth, do reſpect this preſent Life, and others that which is to come: For what the Apoſtle ſaith of Godlineſs, I may ſay of bearing the Yoke of Chriſt (it being the ſame thing in Senſe tho different in Sound) It is profitable for all things, having the Promiſe of the Life that now is, and that which is to come. 1 Tim. 4. 8.
1. Touching thoſe that concern this preſent Life, take theſe following.
(1.) The bearing this Yoke is good in this reſpect, viz. That now a Man may hereby come to know that his Sins are all pardoned, and that the dreadful Controverſy is at an end, between the Great God and him. This the Prophet David lays down as the ſummary of Bleſſedneſs, Pſal. 32. 1. Bleſſed is the Man whoſe Tranſgreſſion is forgiven, &c. This Load of Sin is laid on Chriſt, So that there is now no Condemnation to him, Rom. 8. 1. O how raviſhing a thing is it to be able to ſay, Well! Here I ſtand under this Yoke of Jeſus with a full, a free, a final Pardon, there is an Act of Grace, and my Name is in it? If Satan come with his Charge of my former Vileneſs, Conſcience ſprinkled with the Blood of Chriſt may diſcharge all; for Chriſt's Yoke and Blood go together. Before a Man come under and bear this eaſy Yoke of Chriſt, he abideth under the cruel Yoke of the Guilt of all his Sins; O curſed Caſe! poor Chriſtleſs Sinner, had'ſt thou but thy Spiritual Senſes reſtored, thou would'ſt find, and feel the Yoke, the Load of Guilt upon thy Soul to be incomparably a greater load than Mountains, or all the dead Weights in the World can be to thy Body: A Giant that can bear a great Stone on his Back can't endure a little one in his Bladder, but roars out; and the Earth it ſelf that can bear the Hurricanes, Tempeſts and Storms on her Surface, can't bear a little Wind in her Bowels, but heaves, and ſets, and roars, and opens, and overturns Cities, &c. So the caſe is here, when a Sinner's Conſcience awakes in Power, and by the Law (which is the ſtrength of Sin) arreſts, chargeth, curſeth, condemneth, throwing (like Fire-Balls) into the Soul an exquiſite Senſe and feeling of its Sins, in all their Aggravations, and Guilt; O till this poor wounded Spirit comes under the ſweet Yoke of Chriſt, it is impoſſible to expreſs the Stabs, the Wounds, the Throws it feels within; ſo true is that of Solomon, The Spirit of a Man may ſuſtain his Infirmity, but a wounded Spirit who can bear? i. e. A Spirit feeling the Yoke of Guilt, or unpardoned Sin; Racks, Stakes, Fire, biting Worms, rendring Tortures, are tolerable to this of a wounded Spirit. The Pſalmiſt felt a great deal of it, Pſal. 38. 4. when he cries out, Mine Iniquities are gone over my head, a Burden too heavy for me to bear, and Pſal. 32. 3. But the greateſt part of unpardoned Sinners are altogether unſenſible of it, and in the greatneſs of their Madneſs and Folly, ſport themſelves under this Yoke of Guilt, Prov. 14. 9. Fools make a mock of Sin, which makes a ſerious Chriſtian ſigh and groan, Thus now Contraries illuſtrate one another; what a Luſtre and Glory doth this reflect and caſt upon the bearing of the Yoke of Chriſt? Under which the Soul is delivered from the intolerable Yoke of Guilt: Now the Man may dwell at eaſe, and in patience poſſeſs his Spirit, all's well, Sin is pardoned; if Death comes, the next remove is to Life Eternal.
(2.) To bear Chriſt's Yoke is good, in reſpect of that comfortable Senſe he may now have of his Adoption. My Brethren, coming under Chriſt's Yoke, is coming into his Family; he is now no longer a Fugitive, a Vagabond, a Foreigner, a Stranger, as he was before, without God, without Chriſt, an Alien from the Covenant, having no hope; but now in Chriſt Jeſus, you who were ſometimes afar off, are made nigh by the Blood of Jeſus; yea Fellow-Citizens with the Saints, and of the Houſhold of God, Eph. 2. 12, 13. compar'd with ver. 19. O how good is it then to come under the Yoke of Chriſt? and ſo be under the bleſſed Order, Rule, Care and Proviſion of his Family: There's bread enough, and to ſpare, in your Father's Houſe. You may conclude upon Paternal Care and Affection. Pſal. 103. 13. As a Father pitieth his Children, ſo the Lord, &c. Jer. 31. 20. Is Ephraim my dear Son? my Bowels are troubled for him. Your Heavenly Father, in caſe of Danger, hath a Boſom for your Refuge; and in caſe of Miſcarriages, he hath Bowels to pity you; he will ſay, it's a Child of mine, I won't cut him off, Temptation has been too hard for him, Corruption has run him down; The Spirit was willing, but the Fleſh was weak; I'le viſit his Sin with Stripes, but my loving kindneſs I will never take away. Again, you may conclude upon Acceſs to God as to a Father, with a Child-like Boldneſs; Sin was that foreign that great Gulph betwixt God and you: now Sin being pardoned, the Partition-wall is removed, and there is no Bar to Communion, but within you a ſweet Spirit of Adoption, and above you an eternal inheritance kept in Reverſion for you. But O! the ſad Condition of thoſe that never came under this Yoke of Chriſt, they lie abroad, open, and expos'd to all the Miſeries of this Life, and Pains of Hell for ever; while out of Chriſt, they are of their Father the Devil, and can look for no Childs Portion from Above, but from Beneath. Is it not then Good to bear this Yoke betimes?
(3.) It is Good, in reſpect of Freedom from the Yoke of Sin's Dominion. O, young Man, do but think what an Helliſh Life the Service of thy Luſt is! its Commands are always unreaſonable, croſs to the great End of Creation, Preſervation, Redemption, &c. and ſometimes they are croſs one to another: So every Sinner, till he come under Chriſt's Yoke, is miſerably haled, pull'd, this way and that way; an Ambitious Luſt calls him up Stairs, a Covetous Luſt calls him down; a moſt fearful intolerable Thraldom! The Lord open your Eyes that you may ſee and eſcape it, e're it be too late. But now when a Man comes under Chriſt's Yoke, he is no longer under the Law, but under Grace, and ſo no Iniquity ſhall have Dominion over him, Rom. 6. 14. His old Sin-mates may call, and knock till they are weary, the anſwer now is, Ego non ſum ego, and with David, Pſal. 119▪ 115. Depart from me ye evil Doers; for I will keep the Commandments of my God. I am a Companion of all them that fear thee: I have ſworn and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous Judgments, ver. 63. and 106. This is (through Grace) now the final Reſolution of one under Chriſt's Yoke, and now the Heart is fixed; till now it was halting between two, and you know a Man can never be quiet, while unreſolved; but now being united to Chriſt, he is at his Center. R…th. 1. 16, 17. Millions of Gold and Silver can't draw him thence. Cant. 3. 4, I held him, and would not let him go. Poor Judas wanted this, therefore his Friends, his Money, his Chapmen, could give no quiet; but under Chriſt's Yoke the Soul is at reſt: As a Woman when married, all her troubleſome Suitors have now done their Solicitations. O how good is it then to bear Chriſt's Yoke?
(4.) It is good in reſpect of acceptation of our Perſons, and performances. Eph. 1. 6. He hath accepted us in the Beloved. It is a fearful caſe for a Man's Perſon and Duties to be rejected of God; yet this is the very caſe of every Child of Belial, i. e. without Chriſt's Yoke. O it's none but thoſe that yield Subjection to Chriſt, that find acceptation with the Father, Believers their Duties (tho attended with much imperfection, like lame Mephiboſheth) yet being themſelves under Chriſt's Yoke, they are not deſpiſed, the Father ſees his Sons Name, and Image on them, and ſo (tho there is much Alloy in the Mettal) yet it paſſeth in the Court of Heaven. And is it not then good to bear Chriſt's Yoke, &c.
(5.) It is good in reſpect of that Peace of Conſcience which it poſſeſſeth the Soul with. O what a Paradiſe of Pleaſures are the Reflexions of a good and peaceable Conſcience! Now bearing Chriſt's Yoke hath a direct tendency to it. Pſal. 119. 165. Great Peace have they that love thy Law, and nothing ſhall offend them. And as many as walk according to this Rule, Mercy, and Peace ſhall be upon them, Gal. 6. 16. When a Man ſubjects himſelf to this Yoke, he meets with Reſt and Peace in his own Conſcience: My Heart (ſaith Job) ſhall not reproach me ſo long as I live. Ah poor rebellious Sinners! do but ſuffer your own Conſciences to tell you all they know, and it is enough to make your Ears to tingle, and your Hearts to tremble, yea to make you Magor-Miſſabib, an Afrightment and Terror round about; Felix his Throne could not ſecure him. Alas! that negative Quiet the Children of Diſobedience have at preſent, is but the effect of their Ignorance, an Hours Sickneſs may break it; and then their Conſcience of Guilt appeareth like Hell, and as the Hand upon the Wall to guilty Belſhazar; O the tremblings, miſgivings, intolerable Torments that ſuch do undergo, after a wretched Courſe of Obſtinacy and Oppoſition; they would not have Chriſt reign, and now they begin to feel Deſpair to reign in their Breaſts, and ſuch a Tempeſt to ariſe in their Conſciences, as is ready every Moment to carry away, and ſink down all to Hell, Soul and Body: This Storm was breeding, and gathering all the time of Rebellion againſt the Lord, they were treaſuring up Wrath, as the Apoſtle ſtiles it, Rom. 2. 5. and the Great God held his Peace, and was ſilent; Sentence againſt their evil Works, was not ſpeedily executed: Hence they bleſs themſelves, and ſay, they ſhall have Peace, and on they go with more Violence and Preſumption than ever. Well, what's the Fruit and Conſequence hereof? Why! an angry Majeſty riſeth up and calleth up his Officer, Conſcience, out of all its Slumbers, gives forth his uncontroulable Order to reprove the Rebel, to ſet all his Sins in order; Well, Conſcience muſt obey, the Book is opened, the Indictment (as with the Voice of Thunder) is read, and the guilty Wretch roars out; as one abandon'd to Deſpair: It is like ſome Writings inviſible till brought to the Fire, and then all is legible. But now on the other hand, after a Man hath come under Chriſt's Yoke, and continueth under it as a Loyal Subject in Faith, Patience, and ſincere Obedience. Now Conſcience hath Peace, and that upon ſure and ſolid Ground, Rom. 5. 1. Being juſtified by Faith, we have Peace, &c. 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our Rejoicing, the Teſtimony of our Conſciences, that in Simplicity, and Godly Sincerity, not with Fleſhly Wiſdom; but by the Grace of God, we have had our Converſation, &c. Is it not then good to bear, &c.?
(6.) It is good in reſpect of that ſecurity a Man hath under it, that whatever befalls him here in this Life, all ſhall now work for good. I may now eat my Bread, or want it, with a chearful Spirit; if I am tempted, afflicted, meet with Croſſes, Loſſes, Diſappointments in my Calling; Well, be it ſo, yet this I know that being found in Chriſt, and under his Yoke, all lieth under that bleſſed Promiſe, Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things work together for good, &c. Afflictions ſhall do thee good, What good? Anſ. Try thy Patience, exerciſe thy Repentance, learn thee Obedience, make thee humble, wean thee from the World, conform thee to Chriſt, ſhew thee more of the Corruptions of thy own Heart, fill thee with more Pity and Compaſſion to others: and finally fit thee more for thy Tranſlation to Heaven. Ah poor Deſolate Sinner! thou haſt not one Syllable of this Promiſe, or any other in the whole Book of God belonging to the while thou art Chriſtleſs, and Yokeleſs, abiding under the Power of Unbelief and Impenitency, thou abideſt under the Terrible Threatnings of Divine Wrath and Vengeance, thou haſt not one poor Tag to hold to hang by for thy good, only Divine Patience at preſent keeps thee out of Hell, and that Darling Attribute thou abuſeſt too; but thou haſt not one Promiſe to comfort thee. Look into the Bible, all's againſt thee while thou refuſeſt Chriſt's Yoke thy Part thy Portion in that Book, lieth only among the Penal Statutes and Curſes contained therein. Look into the World, all the Providences of God are againſt thee, ſculk were thou wilt, ſend from County to County, from one end of the Land to the other, thou art but like a Rebel, a Rogue, Heavens Writs are out againſt thee; ſo that no Place under Heaven is ſafe only under the Yoke of Chriſt, and there thou wilt not come. Ah, my Brethren, who would live in ſuch a Caſe, that but reflects, reviews theſe things? But now turn over a new Leaf, come but over to bleſſed Jeſus, and under his eaſy Yoke, and then all is for thee, every Providence, every Promiſe turns to and ſmiles upon thee, every Wind whatever ſhall blow thee ſome good; but till thou turn, do what thou wilt, thou can'ſt deviſe, conſult, caſt about thee to make thy Life comfortable, all's in vain, Miſeries attend thee, thou dwelleſt on the dark ſide of the World, not a Smile from God, no he is angry with thee every Day; at preſent thou art curſed, and hereafter (abiding out of Chriſt) thou wilt be damned; whereas would'ſt thou be but adviſed and perſwaded to yield thy ſelf to the Lord Jeſus, and his Yoke, then even now in this Life would'ſt thou reap theſe ſix Benefits, Thy Sins pardoned; thy ſelf adopted; the Dominion of thy cruel Luſts ſubverted; thy Duties accepted; thy Conſcience pacified; and all the Providences of God ſanctified to do thee good: And then for the Life which is to come, thy ſelf eternally ſaved. Which is next to be ſpoken to, as falling under the ſecond Branch, viz. The bleſſed Effects and Conſequences of bearing Chriſt's Yoke reſpecting the other World.
2. It is good to bear the Yoke, &c. in reſpect of time to come: And that briefly will appear, if you conſider, That now the grievous Sting of Death is removed, and the glorious Reſt of Heaven remaineth: So that I may now ſay, Bleſſed be God my Eternal State is ſecured; let Death come when it will, I am ſafe as to the other World. O Sirs, when dreadful Fears of miſ…arring for ever fall upon a poor Creature, it's ſad indeed; that Word for ever, the Thoughts of it work ſtrongly and mightily on the Spirit of a tender Doubting Chriſtian, Hence I remember I have read of the Primitive Chriſtians, that they uſe to ſay, Domine hic ſeca, hic ure, &c. i. e. Lord cut here, burn here; ſo thou ſpare hereafter. Ah poor unconverted Sinner! thou art not ſure of this Life another Hour, that Deut. 28. 66. is but a ſad Caſe. O but then, what is it to hang in ſuſpenſe about everlaſting Life! if it were but a meaſuring Caſt, it were enough to diſquiet a Man all his Days, to go up and down in ſuſpenſe about Eternity: Ah I don't know but I may be damn'd for ever! But, my Brethren, when it's ten, twenty, nay an hundred to one, but I am loſt and undone for ever, my next remove will be into Hell! O! how can I eat, or drink, or ſleep, or laugh, when there's but a Paperwall between my Soul and Hell? When eternal Flames are e'en ready to kindle on me? When if I am not found under this Yoke of Chriſt, God's Truth ſtands ingaged for my Damnation? Unconverted young Ones, Have you no Pangs? Can your Youthful Vanities quite drown the Fears, the Thoughts of Eternity? Do you never think of that Day of Judgment? Or dare you in good earneſt? Poor Creature! Suppoſe thou ſhould'ſt make a Shift (at beſt a ſorry one God knows) to rub through the Miſeries that attend a Chriſtleſs State in this Life; Ah! what Shift in all the World can'ſt thou imagine thou can'ſt make, when thou com'ſt to die? and thence to be conſigned to the dreadful Tribunal of an inexorable Judg? This will be a Dilemma thou wilt never be able to anſwer. Each Step of thy preſent Life thou now takeſt, is towards Hell; each Morſel thou now eat'ſt, is but a feeding, a fatning thee for the Day of Slaughter, And what Peace can a Thief take in a long Table of Dainties, with a Gallows at the end of it? Sirs, for the Lord's-ſake, think of the After-claps of Death and Judgment, how bitter the Effects and Conſequences of a vain and ſinful Life will be! What a Recoil, what a Shriek will thy Soul give, when it finds nothing opening before it but the eternal World, and feels it ſelf a ſliding down, a launching forth into that amazing Ocean of Eternity, and has no Chriſt, no Hope to fly to! But now once come under the Yoke of Chriſt, and it ſhall go well with thee to all Eternity; an end will ſhortly be put to the Chriſtians weary days on Earth, his beſt is to come, 2 Cor. 5. 1. and 1 Theſſ. 4. and laſt, Wherefore, comfort one another with theſe Words, ye ſhall ever be with the Lord. Hence ſaith Job, when his Friends cenſur'd him, his Eſtate and Relations fail'd him, yea his Body ready for the Grave, Job 19. 25. I know my Redeemer liveth, and that tho after my Skin, Worms deſtroy this Body, yet ſhall I ſee God. And upon this account you read, 2 Cor. 4. 16. to the end, of the flouriſhing Joys and Comforts of thoſe afflicted Chriſtians, while they by Faith looked not to the things ſeen, that are temporal, but to the things not ſeen, which were eternal. Sinners have but there Hope here, and a very uncertain Tenure of their Enjoyments, all's but (at utmoſt) for Term of Life, and that's but as a Vapour; but the Saint is a Freeholder for ever, and ever: Chriſt makes a Jointure for Eternity, and ſettles it upon every one that beareth his Yoke in time. And thus now I have finiſhed the Proof of this Doctrine, That it is good for a Man to bear Chriſt's Yoke: There remaineth only that Branch of it to be cleared, viz. That it is ſo eſpecially in time of Youth.
Now this I ſhall diſpatch in few Words, and I wiſh they may be piercing, and reach the Conſciences of all this Aſſembly of Young People this Day, that you may ſtand fully convinc'd of the Truth preach'd, and go home, and give Glory to God, acknowledging, That to bear the Yoke in time of Youth is the ſummary of all Good: Wherefore ponder but theſe two Things.
1. The time of Youth, is the fitteſt, and moſt acceptable time, to bear the Yoke.
2. That in time of Youth, to bear the Yoke is the moſt commendable Practice.
1. That this is the fitteſt and moſt acceptable time to bear Chriſt's Yoke in; and this will appear, if you conſider that the time of Youth is the freeſt time; freeſt from bodily Infirmities, and worldly Diſtractions. The Wiſeman doth elegantly ſet out the Infirmities of old Age, in Eccl. 12. 2, 3, 4. all which Youth is free from; for in Youth the Bleſſing of Life is in its Verdure and Flower; thy Body ſtrong for Service, thy Spirits quick and vigorous, thy Mind freeſt from Cares and Incumbrances; which afterwards in a married State, uſually invade and loads both Hand and Head, and Heart too: So that the Obligation now in time of Youth, to bear the Yoke is greateſt, and ſhould make the deepeſt Impreſſion on thy Mind. Beſides this Age is the fitteſt to receive Inſtruction, as being more tender; grown Sinners are more ſtiff, and untractable, as we ſee by Experience: Now upon this Conſideration, it is good to come under Chriſt's Yoke in Youth, before the Heart and Neck become ſo ſtiff, and obdurate, that there is no bowing them to the Yoke: we ſhould endeavour to prevent the Devil and his Temptation all we can, and lay hold of all Advantages for Heaven and Salvation; now you cannot reach this, by any thing you can do, like coming under the Yoke of Chriſt betimes: this is a ſure Rule, the earlier the time the eaſier the Yoke will be; not only becauſe your Sins will be the fewer, your Burden the lighter, but becauſe the evil days of Sickneſs, and Death are coming a main, Eccl. 12. 1. Youth is prone to delay and ſay, I am but a Child as yet, I have time enough; but if you will go into Church-Yards, and meaſure your little Body, you will find as ſhort, if not ſhorter Graves and Coffins than would fit you. Moreover the time of Youth is moſt acceptable to God: Is it ſit (O young Man) that God ſhould accept the Devil's leavings? That thy Youthful Vigor and Spirit ſhould be given to thy Luſts? And when theſe are ſpent in the Service of Sin, ſo that nothing but Skin and Bones remains, then to offer theſe to the Lord. The moſt acceptable Sacrifices under the Law were young Bullocks, and the Firſt-born, and the Firſt-Fruits, &c. So now God deſires the firſt ripe Fruits.
2. It is good to bear, &c. becauſe this is the moſt commendable practiſe in time of Youth. This is the chief Glory of that Age, and it is that which moſt glorifies God, and credits the Goſpel, and is one of the greateſt bleſſings the Church enjoys in the World, when ſhe can ſay with the Church of old, Take us the little Foxes, for our Vines hath tender Grapes. Again how gloriouſly do their Names ſhine like Stars in the Firmament of the Church? And with what Honour doth the Holy-Ghoſt in Scripture make mention of their Names that have liſted themſelves under Chriſt's Yoke in time of their Youth? 1 Kings 18. 12. 2 Chron. 34. 3. 2 Tim. 3. 15. and ordinarily ſuch prove the moſt eminent Inſtruments of Service, and Bleſſing to the Places where they live. Again it is a moſt comfortable Evidence of Sincerity to bear the Yoke in their Youth; it argues that you love, eſteem, and value God's Service above the World, and that it is not extorted meerly from the fear of Hell, as Pſal. 78. 34, 35. And as many when they lie ſick, and are ready to die, O then they are marvelouſly concern'd for their Souls; and all is no more than as an Iron in the Fire, or a Mariner in Storm, like Jonah's Gourd, or a Morning Cloud: But now in time of Youth, and Health, when beſieged with 1000 Temptations to Sin, O then to acquit your ſelves as Loyal Subjects to Chriſt under his Yoke and Banner: how glorious! how commendable is it! And thus I have accounted for the ſecond General Head, viz. To clear it up that to bear the Yoke in Youth is the ſummary of all good. And now I come to the third and laſt General Head propoſed to be treated on, and that is,
3. To give you ſome Motives, and Directions to excite, and aſſiſt you to bear the Yoke of Chriſt, in the time of Youth. Firſt, for Motives, wherein I fear there is but too much cauſe to inſiſt; for altho in leſſer, and lower Matters, where the leaſt Overture of Gain, or Pleaſure appears, Men need no Motives to excite them, our Natures are preſently affected, we are all upon the ſpur, no Stone left unturned: yet in Soul-concerns, ſuch as I have been treating on, viz. the bearing Chriſt Yoke in Youth, Alas! we are like a Company of Stoicks, as if we had no Paſſions about us, ferventiſſimi in terrenis, frigidiſſimi in caeleſtibus (as one hath it) we are red hot for Earth, but Key cold for Heaven. Wherefore to excite you, in order to recover your Souls to Chriſt and his Yoke, Conſider.
1. The Paucity of Converſions, and coming under Chriſt's Yoke in theſe ſinful times of Ours, as alſo the awfulneſ; of ſuch a Conſideration. Ah Friends, let me tell you, Converſion-work is no common thing, we talk in a cuſtomary manner of Converſion (the Lord be merciful to us) and its much to be feared, for the moſt part, it is but Talk: Had we Miniſters a clearer, realizing view of the Truth of Matters between a Holy God, and Multitudes of the Profeſſors of this Age, it were enough to make us with Ezekiel ſtamp with the Foot, lie on our Side, and eat Dung, and with weeping Jeremiah, to cry out, O that our Head were Waters, &c. and with Iſaiah to cry aloud, and lift up our Voice like a Trumpet, to ſhew Profeſſors their Sins, mournfully complaining, who hath believed our Report? To whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed? Ah, I fear, the Lord is angry, his Spirit retired, and withdraw'n from our Aſſemblies, a Spirit of Carnality has broke out, and brought forth a Spirit of Diviſion, in theſe Days of Liberty; Church-Members, many prove rotten, and are become like Salt that hath loſt its Savour; we grow Bulky, inſtead of Holy, run out into Leaves and Stalk inſtead of Fruit; hollow inſtead of hearty, the honour of our Profeſſion is laid in the Duſt, Miniſters die away apace, grey Hairs are on us, but who lays it to Heart. O that this were not our Caſe! Verily unleſs the Lord of Hoſts had left among us a Remnant, we had been as Sodom and as Gomorrha, Iſa. 1. 9. And a Remnant there muſt ſtill be, or the ruin of the Land is near. My ſelf, with many others are upon the Brink of Eternity, and will be removed from you by Death ſhortly: wherefore you young People had need beware, and tremble at any further delays of your Converſion, and coming under Chriſt's Yoke, in ſuch Days as theſe, wherein our Iniquities are increaſed over our Heads, and reach up to the Heavens, and there is ſo much of a dead Formality reigning among Profeſſors, and ſo little of the Power of Chriſtianity. It is ſad to ſee how ſome young Men deſcended of Religious Parents, are ſo yok'd to Evil Company, &c. That Parents Tears, Sighs, Groans, melting Intreaties, and Expoſtulations are weak as Water caſt upon the Ground, and their Childrens Luſts ſtrong as Goliah, or the Sons of Zerviah, too hard for all; ſo that one may (almoſt) as ſoon draw a Camel through a Needle-Eye, or pull one Limb from another, as draw or pull them from their Cups and Evil Companions. Moreover, it is lamentable to conſider (enough one would think to turn this Place into a Bochim) how many Yokeleſs Chriſtleſs young Men, and Maidens, and Children are here before the Lord this Day, and that are like ſo to live, and ſo to die after all our Endeavours to ſave them; O do not think I am uncharitable; the Searcher of Hearts knoweth what my Hearts Deſire and Prayer hath been, and is for you; and how glad I would be (in this Matter) to be miſtaken. O young People, Preſumption is the reigning Sin among you in this ſecure Age, both in City, and Country: Converſion is another manner of matter, than many apprehend, there is (according to Scripture) much required to make it ſound, and beſpeak it ſaving: (The Lord keep you from Flatteries, and Deceits in this thing) ſo that it is upon this Conſideration, that we manage our preſent Intreaty to come under the Yoke; and what can be more awful? Wide is the Gate, and broad is the way to Hell, and many (ſaith Chriſt) go in there: but ſtrait is the Gate, &c. Ah how bitter is it to think how many are now yoked in Chains of Darkneſs with Devils, for refuſing Chriſt's Yoke the laſt Year! How numerous is your laſt Year's Printed Bill of Mortality! near one and twenty thouſand that have died in and about this great City; and it is computed by ſome, that the one half (according to the Term and Date of Man's Life ſet down in Pſal. 90. 10.) had not lived out half their Days; now as many of theſe, as died unconverted, whether Young or Old, are now periſhed, and are paſt all hope of recovery to all Eternity.
But now, what if many of you that have eſcap'd the laſt Year, and now are hearing me, ſhould be found going after them in the ſame Steps of Impenitency, and Unbelief, refuſing the gracious Yoke of Chriſt; and ſo before this New-Year is finiſhed, you ſhould have finiſhed and filled up the meaſure of your Sins, and be turned among them into Hell too; would not that be a Woful and Dreadful thing? Verily, Sirs, it's bitter as Death, to ſee ſome of you juſt of the ſame ſtubborn Temper, making light of all that God, or Man ſay to you; on you go ſtill in your former Courſe of Undutifulneſs, Pride, &c. Notwithſtanding the warnings of Providence, the threatnings of Vengeance, the checks of Conſcience, the waitings of Patience, and all the melting Methods of Divine Clemency and Indulgence, yet mad upon your Youthful Luſt, trifling in the momentous concerns of your precious and immortal Souls, and you ſeem as if you were reſolved to continue ſo; my earneſt deſire is that it may not be ſo, with any of you here this Day: But yet I am not without Jealouſies and Fears leaſt this Sermon ſhould leave divers of you as very Belialites, i. e. refuſing the Yoke of Chriſt, as it found you: Well! the Lord be witneſs between you and I, whether I have not ſet Life and Death, Good and Evil, before you? and whether if any of you ſhould periſh, you periſh for want of warning or no?
2. Conſider how uncertain the youngeſt of you are, of out-living the preſent New-Year. Young Man, what is thy Life? Is it not as a Vapour, Jam. 4. 14. It is wholly conceal'd from every Soul of you, whether the preſent Day may not be your laſt, and a Writ of Ejection be ſerved upon you before another Day, Luke 12. 20. It is but a ſlender weak Thread, that ties thy Soul and Body together, viz. The Breath that goeth out of thy Noſtrils, if that be once ſtopt, which may ſoon be, thou art gone hence; and muſt return no more. Ah how many now in the beginning of this New-Year are big with Projects, and Purpoſes about the World, that will be numbred with the Dead, and be laid in the Duſt, before the half of its Month's be numbred and accompliſhed! Certainly a ſerious Conſideration hereof is enough to enforce and conſtrain you, without one Moments delay, to come under the Yoke of Chriſt. It was Auguſtine's Speech, that he would not for a Million of Worlds, be an Atheiſt one half-hour; becauſe he knew not, but God might take him away in that half-Hour of Atheiſm. O young Man, awake now out of this ſinful Security, and flie for Refuge to Chriſt, and his Yoke; ſince thou knoweſt not but thy next time of Sleep thy Soul may be required, and thou may'ſt awake no more.
3. Conſider, how many of God's own Children walk in the bitterneſs of their Souls to this very day in bearing the reproach of their Youth, for not bearing the 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 …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 of Belial, a Rout of Rebels, a Brood of Vipers, Confederates with the Devil againſt God, Pſal. 68. 21.
7. Conſider Chriſt bore our Sins, in his own Body, on the Croſs, 2 Pet. 3. 24. And ſo he bore the Wrath of God, and the Curſe of the Law, to deliver us from it: O then, How ready ſhould we be to bear his eaſy Yoke?
8. If you bear not his Yoke, it is unreaſonable you ſhould bear his Name upon you, 2 Tim. 2. 19.
9. Conſider, If you bear his Yoke in time of Youth, he will bear you up in time of Death, when Fleſh faileth, Pſal. 73. 25.
10. Conſider, If you refuſe to bear his Yoke, this Sermon will bear witneſs againſt you at the Day of Judgment.
Direction 1. Would you bear Chriſt's Yoke, then bear with Hardſhips, break through all Difficulties, bear the Smitings of Faithful Friends without, and Conſcience within for Sin, eſteem it a Kindneſs; bear with, and be glad of Convictions of the Spirit, and the Interdictions of Providence in ſinful Paths: When you find your vile Hearts oppoſing difficult Duties, as ſecret Prayer, Self-examination, &c. confeſs the Naughtineſs of your Hearts, ſay, Lord, here's a Duty that my wicked Heart ſtands averſe to; O create in me a new Heart, change my Nature, and then oppoſe the neceſſity of it againſt the difficulty in it, ſay, I muſt take pains in coming under and bearing of the Yoke, or I muſt ſuffer the pains of Hell for ever. O my Soul which is hardeſt? Repent or periſh, turn or burn, coming to Chriſt and his Yoke, or departing accurſed into Everlaſting Fire; isn't Hell a more terrible Word, than repent and believe? Is not the ſtroke of Vengeance, worſe than the Yoke of Repentance? Can the Devil name any thing in Chriſt's Yoke, ſo hard as we can prove all things in Sin to be, and all Places in Hell to be? Sure Phyſick is better than Poyſon, letting Blood than a Mortal Stab through the Heart. It's better to be preſerv'd in Brine, than rot in Honey; and whet this on your Heart that there is no Remedy, Sin muſt have Sorrow here, or for ever. Wherefore be nor Slothful in Buſineſs, but fervent in Spirit; in ſecret Duties take heed of three things. 1. Of being Slite and Formal. 2. Sluggiſh and Slothful. 3. Too ſhort and hurrying. The Lord bleſs this to you,
2. Would you bear the Yoke in Youth, be not fond of Heſhly Youthful Pleaſures, if you belong to God he'll make you rue it bitterly, your ſenſual Pleaſures are Satan's Traps, whereby he takes and trapans Multitudes of young Ones to Hell. If the love of Games, Sports, Plays, Meats, Drink, take thy Heart, thou wilt never endure to take Chriſt's Yoke.
3. Labour to get, and when got, to keep and preſerve a tender Conſcience, for want of this when I was young, I ſuffer to this Day. O never make light of any, the leaſt Sin, but keep at the utmoſt diſtance from the appearance of Evil.
4. Accuſtom thy ſelf to continual, Reverent Thoughts of God's Omniſciency, and Omnipreſcency.
5. Keep out of Evil Company, Wiſdom it ſelf hath told you a Companion of Fools ſhall be deſtroyed, Prov. 13. 20.
6. Study the Duties of thy particular Calling, art thou a Servant, keep thy ſelf free from Injuſtice and Defrauding, it is a Sin will make a fearful Noiſe in Conſcience when awaked. But I may not enlarge.
Wherefore to cloſe all, O young People to day, while its called to day, harden not your Hearts, but hear his Voice, &c. Take my Yoke upon you, &c. I have ſpread it before the Lord in ſecret, and now I declare it to you; that I ſhould eſteem it a rich recompenſe before I go hence, and be no more ſeen; if (through the Cooperation and Bleſſing of God) I might Yoke in ſome of you, yea all your Souls to Chriſt this day. O how eaſy would it make my Pilgrimage, my Paſſage through this Vale of Tears? I would not go with the Guilt of the blood of any Soul of you upon me; O that this may be the day of God's Power! I know it is the Lord alone that can convert a Soul: But let me tell you, I would never deſpair of that Soul's Converſion, that is brought on its Knees inceſſantly to cry, with Ephraim, Turn thou me, and I ſhall be turned. O its a bleſſed ſign when Sermons end in Groans and Tears, Lord I muſt be converted or condemned, I will not let thee go without thou bleſs me. The Lord ſay. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Samuel Pomfret, Sermon Preached to Young People (1698)