not to God and some labour to keep conscience void of offence to God but not to man but the yoke of Christ extends to both it lies equally on both shoulders and teaches how to keep a conscience void of offence both towards God and man Acts 24.16 Secondly This Yoke is extensive in regard of the subject It reaches to every man and to every thing in man First To every man to every age of man young and old children and fathers tender years and gray hairs it doth not only lay duty upon young shoulders Eccles 12.1 Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth but upon old ones too They shall bring forth fruit in old age Psal 92.14 To every Sex male and female young men and maidens as David says Psal 148.12 and therefore the fourth Commandment is Exod. 20.10 Thou nor thy son nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant To every Estate this Yoke of Christ reaches duty to them that are out of the Yoke and under the Yoke to the unmarried and to them who are married As the unmarried are to care for the things of the Lord 1 Cor. 7.32 34. so are the married also 1 Cor. 7.29 And therefore it is charged as a great sin upon him who when he was invited to the Wedding-supper refused the Call of Christ upon that pretence I have married a wife and therefore I cannot come Luke 14.20 To every degree and rank of men high and low rich and poor great and small Psal 148.11 Kings of the earth and all people The Law of Christ lays the same Yoke upon all There are none below it because of their meanness none above it because of their greatness Some plead priviledge and exemption from humane Laws and therefore they are compared as Solons Laws were to Spiders webs wherein the lesser flies are intangled and held but the great ones break through But there are none can plead priviledge or pretend immunity from the Law of Christ for it extends to every man Secondly It extends to every thing in man To the outward Members and inward Faculties To the Eye He that looks on a woman to lust after her committeth adultery in his heart Mat. 5.28 To the Ear Incline your ear and come to me hear and your souls shall live Isai 55.3 To the Tongue Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth Ephes 4.29 Let your speech be alway with grace seasoned with salt Coloss 4.6 To the Hands Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needeth Ephes 4.28 To the Feet Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path Psal 119.105 And to the inward Parts also To the Vnderstanding Through thy precepts I get understanding Psal 119.104 To the Will. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Psal 110.3 To the Conscience for that is guided by the Word and accuses or excuses according to the Word Conscience is a rule ruled but it is the Law of God that is the rule ruling To the Affections It teaches us what to love and what to hate what to desire and what to eschew How to rejoyce and how to mourn what to hope after and what to fear God is to be the object of some affections as love Col. 3.2 desire hope joy and delight And sin of others as anger hatred sorrow and fear and both sorts are under the directions of the Word Nay it extends to the very Thoughts To worldâ—y thoughts carking thoughts Matt. 6.25 28 31 34. To vain thoughts Jer. 4.14 To evil thoughts Matt. 9 4. And so brings every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 Thus every thing in man comes under the Yoke of Christ Thirdly This Yoke of Christ is extensive as to the Commands it reaches to every Command First To relative Precepts as well as absolute It doth not only teach us to hear and pray and repent and believe and love God and serve him but it extends to every relative Duty It teaches men subjection to Rulers and Rulers their duty to their Subjects It teaches Parents how to govern and Children how to obey it teaches Masters how to command and Servants how to submit It instructs the Husband how to love and the Wife how to be subject It teaches Ministers how to guide and watch and their People how to obey and submit It lays a special Law upon every person to fill up his relation with all becomingness it allows no churlish sour morose carriage in Superiors to them that are beneath them nor any unfaithfulness or disobedience in Inferiors to them that are above them Secondly It reaches to positive Precepts as well as negative and so provides against our sinful omissions as well as against our carnal practices Negatives in Religion are not sufficient though few go farther like the Pharisee Luke 18.11 not oppressive not unjust not unclean But alas this will not serve turn the barren tree that bears no fruit is as well cut down Luke 13.7 as the tree that bears evil fruit Matt. 3.10 The rich man was cast into Hell not for oppressing Lazarus but for not relieving him he did not exercise cruelty but he shewed no mercy Not only the evil servant is cast into Hell for persecuting his fellow-servant Mat. 24.49 as many now a-days do but the slothful servant hath the same doom that hid his talent in a napkin Mat. 25.30 Our obedience should carry a correspondency with Gods mercies which are not only privative but positive He hath not only delivered us from Hell 1 Thess 2.12 but called us to his Kingdom and Glory And Christ is not come only to save us from death Joh. 3.16 Joh. 10.10 but come that we might have life God promiseth Abraham to be his shield and his exceeding great reward Gen. 15 1. A shield to keep off all evil an exceeding great reward in the communication of all good Thus Grace is intirely dispensed in positive mercies as well as privative and our obedience should be proportionable We should not only abstain from sin but exercise our selves to godliness 1 Tim. 4.7 Amos 5.15 Rom. 12.9 Therefore every command of God is positive as well as negative it hath a Precept as well as a Prohibition if not in express terms yet in sense and meaning When he forbids sin he doth therein command all contrary duties that we may as well owne God as abandon lust and keep up a fellowship with him as well as break our confederacy with corruption Thirdly It reaches to commands for suffering as well as commands for doing For you must know that the Cross of Christ is a part of the Yoke of Christ If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me Matt. 16.24 We
CHAP. XIV Shews our subjection to Christ by such signs as are the genuine effects of it CHAP. XV. Exhorts such as have taken up this Yoke to thankfulness to God who inclined their hearts thereunto The wisdom of taking up this Yoke manifested CHAP. XVI Directs our obedience as to Principles matter manner and end CHAP. XVII Exhorts to perseverance under the Yoke of Christ with arguments to press it and directions to guide in it CHAP. XVIII Contains matter of counsel to Christless sinners with motives and directions to further it THE GOOD OF Early Obedience LAMENT iii. 27. It is good for a man that he bear the Yoke in his Youth CHAP. I. Somewhat Prooemial The Yoke explained what it is Literally taken what Metaphorically THE Apostle tells us that great is the Mystery of Godliness 1 Tim. 3.16 and it is so not only in credendis the things which are to be believed but in agendis the matters that relate to practice There are Mysteries in the Precept as well as in the Promise Psal 55.22 If a man be commanded to cast his burthen upon the Lord then he himself hath none to bear and yet the Lord Christ lays a burthen upon every Believer Matth. 11.30 Rev. 2.24 where he is a Redeemer he sets the soul free from every Yoke it is under and if the Son make a man free John 8.36 he is then free indeed And yet none are more under the Yoke than the Lords Freemen being not without Law 1 Cor. 9.21 but under the Law to Christ When he takes off one he puts on another Take my Yoke upon you Matth. 11.29 Though Christ breaks our Fetters yet he brings us into Bonds though he delivers us from thraldom and slavery yet not from duty he redeems us from the power of sin but not from the power of the Precept and therefore to argue from liberty to licentiousness is a kind of Logick found only in the Devil's School Rom. 6.1 2. Shall we continue in sin that Grace may abound God forbid The right reasoning is from mercy to duty Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your Body and your Spirits which are Gods 1 Cor. 6.20 Redemption and service are in the design of the Gospel Luke 1.74 75. linked together That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life The freedom purchased by Christ makes service necessary for he quits us of our burden but not of our obedience he doth not set us free from service but changes our work and our Master Rom. 6.19 As ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness So that ye are Servants still It was the interest of the Flesh and fleshly lusts that was served before but now it is the interest of God and holiness the freedom then is from the Government of the God of this World who rules in the Children of disobedience Ephes 2.2 unto a voluntary submission and resignedness to the Divine conduct from the brutish drudgery of sin to the excellency of such an Empire Psal 19.11 whose Precepts carry their own reward with them besides the Glory that ensues So then the Yoke that hath a curse in it that Christ hath took off but the Yoke of obedience that he hath call'd us to put on and herein he hath excellently accommodated things to the great advantage of man For as it is his misery and burthen to be under the former Yoke which what it is I shall shew anon so it is as much his interest and happiness to be under the latter and therefore the earlier he takes it up the sooner he begins to be happy It is good for a man that he bear the Yoke in his Youth I shall not speak any thing of this Book in general only a little about the manner of penning it which is somewhat unusual each Chapter the last only excepted being penned according to the Order in which the Letters stand in the Hebrew Alphabet as some of the Psalms of David are For what reason the Spirit of God should direct the Pen-man of it this way it doth not appear Hierom labours to find out great mysteries in it but doth but beat the Air. This way of writing seems to be very useful for the help of the memory and may seem to hint as if God would have such Scriptures peculiarly remarked and remembred and that is the best reason I can give But whereas the first second and fourth Chapters begin with a single Alphabet the several Verses beginning with several Letters in their Order this third Chapter consisteth of a threefold Alphabet every three Verses in course beginning with the same Letter This Text which I have pitched upon falls under the Letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Hierome makes to stand for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Good and accordingly the 25th 26th and the 27th Verses do all begin in the Hebrew with the word Tobh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So in the 25th Verse Tobh Jehovah Lekovau Good is the Lord to them that wait for him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the 26th Verse Tobh vejahhil vedumam It is good a man should both hope and quietly wait 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so here in the Text Tobh Laggebher Ki-jissa gnol bingnoraiu Good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth The only difficulty in the Text that needs explaining is What Yoke it is that is here meant The Yoke is sometimes taken Literally and sometimes Metaphorically A Literal Yoke is an Instrument of Wood or Iron fitted to the Necks of Creatures either to tame them or work them or punish them These are the three chief uses of the Yoke First It is for the taming of wild Beasts and making them tractable The Yoke and the Collar bow down the hard Neck Ecclus 33.25 Ephraim complains of himself As a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoke Jer. 31.18 that is untamed and unruly Secondly It is an Instrument of labour by which Beasts do draw burthens Deut. 21.3 Take an Heifer that hath not drawn in the Yoke And hence ye read in Scripture of a Yoke of Oxen 1 Sam. 11.7 Luke 14.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jugum Boum from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 niph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 copulavit And so in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly It is an Instrument of punishment Deut 28.48 Thou shalt serve thine Enemies in hunger and in thirst and in nakedness and in want of all things and he shall put a Yoke of Iron upon thy neck until he hath destroyed thee These are the uses of the Literal Yoke But then there is a Metaphorical Yoke and
in the dust Lamen 3.28 29. Secondly Affliction is inlightening It is good for discovery There are many excellent Lessons learned in the School of affliction 1. It discovers a man to himself and makes him see what a poor frail inconsiderable thing he is according to that of David Psal 9.20 Put them in fear O Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ager fuit doluit calamitosus fuit that they may know themselves to be but men To be but enosh poor weak and miserable men Affliction makes us know our selves Caligula and Domitian two Roman Emperours in their prosperity would be Gods but when it thundred they were so terrified that then they knew they were but men Prosperity makes a man a Stranger to himself no man knows that pride that impatience that lust that unbelief that frowardness that is in his heart till affliction comes to search him God led Israel forty years in the Wilderness to know what was in their hearts that is to make them know Deut. 8.2 2. It is a means to discover the vileness of sin to the soul When the Patriarchs were distressed and in adversity then they saw and never till then the greatness of their sin in selling their Brother Gen. 42.21 If they be bound in Fetters and holden in Cords of affliction then he shews them their work and their transgressions that they have exceeded Job 36.8 9. Nothing discovers the vileness of sin more than the sufferings of Christ and the afflictions of the Creature 3. God by affliction discovers himself to the soul In the Word we hear of God but in affliction we see him I have heard of thee says Job by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye sees thee Job 42.5 It is said of Manasseh 2 Chron. 33.13 Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God Then When was that When he was caught among the Thorns and bound with Fetters and carried to Babylon till then he knew not the Lord. Thirdly Affliction is good as it is preparatory to Grace and Conversion What excellent Vessels have been formed by the hand of the Former of all things in the Furnace of afflictions It is preparatory to conversion several ways 1. In that it makes us more serious When we are out of the noise of worldly allurements then conscience is apt to reflect and make us bethink our selves If they shall bethink themselves in the Land whither they are carried captive 2 King 8.47 When was it that the Prodigal came to himself but when he was pinched and almost pined with Famine Luke 15.16 17. 2. It is a means to reduce our wanderings Man is a stragling Creature very prone to wander from God and lose himself He is never weary of following his sins till God hedges up his way with Thorns God hath two Hedges which the Scripture mentions The Hedge of protection Job 1.10 Isai 5.5 and The Hedge of affliction Hos 2.6 I will hedge up her way with Thorns The Hedge of protection is to keep his people from danger the Hedge of affliction is to stop them that wander The one is to fence his people from suffering the other is to stop Sinners in the way of sinning and to put them upon returning So when God had hedged up Israel's way with Thorns then She resolves to return I will return to my first Husband for then was it better with me than now Hos 2.6 7. So the Sâ—pâ—â—agint render it in Job 33.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. It opens the ear to Discipline Job 36.8 10. If they be held in the Cords of affliction Then he opens their ear to Discipline There is the outward ear of the senses and the inward ear of the soul the outward ear is seldom stopped but the inward is often and that is the ear intended here the ear of the heart this is naturally stopped against the counsels of God Pride ignorance unbelief impenitency love of sin prejudices and sensual delights are the Ear-Wax that so stop the Sinners ear that he will not hear the voice of the Charmer charm he never so wisely Psal 58.5 Till the ear be unstopped there is no receiving the word therefore God puts the end of his Rod into the ear as Christ did his finger into the deaf mans Mark 7.33 and so unstops it and opens it to Discipline And thus the Rod makes entrance for the word 4. It makes way for convictions to stick and abide upon the heart These are very often stifled in prosperity The noise of the Timbrel and the Harp drown the voice of conscience Man is naturally like the wild Ass Jer. 2.24 which the Prophet says is used to the Wilderness that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure in her occasion who can turn her away they that seek her will not weary themselves in her month they shall find her that is when She is great with young so big and near her time and full of pain that She can hardly stir So the Sinner though stiff and stubborn untractable and unteachable and like the wild Ass snuffs at any that shall reprove him refuses to hear yet in his month he may be found if God brings him into straits and distresses this tames him this was the month in which the consciences of Joseph's Brethren found them when they were in distress themselves then conscience smote them for the wickedness done to Joseph Gen. 42.21 We are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us 5. It stirs up the heart to pray and seek after God They that never pray will pray in affliction The Heathen Mariners call every man upon his God when they are in a Storm Jon. 1.5 Sea-men for the most part are none of the devoutest sort not given much to praying they will swear twice where they pray once yea ten oaths to one prayer and yet Storms and Tempests make them run to God They that go down to the Sea in Ships they cry to the Lord in their trouble Psal 107.23 28. And hence comes that Proverb He that can't pray let him go to Sea When the Storm brings them to their wits end ver 27. then they 'll cry to God when they can no longer help themselves then they come to God for help As extremity is Gods opportunity so it is the time of mans importunity At other times we are lame in Duty but the Rod makes us find our legs and then we run to God Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy chastening was upon them 2 Sam. 14.29 30 31. Isai 26.16 Joab would not come to Absolom at his Call but when he set his Barly-Field on fire then he came Christ had never heard of many if their necessities had not brought them when Palsies Possessions Feavers c. came upon them
that is your season His killing and breaking time is your weeping and mourning time but when his healing time comes then is your time to laugh and dance Be willing therefore to be slain by the coming of the Commandment Rom. 7.9 and to lye dead under the Spirits wounds till the healing and reviving time comes Is there not a promise that the Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 and that he that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again with rejoycing Psal 126.6 bringing his sheavs with him And therefore do not dare to use any indirect means in hopes of relief he that would see a good issue of this work must stay the time Lam. 3.26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. 4. While you are under the Yoke of the Spirit give diligence to make a right use of it by improving your convictions while you are under them lest the Spirit cease his work and leave you and so your convictions die and wither and come to nothing This is a very common case for whence is it that convictions do so seldom end in conversion Many are convinced and yet few converted they have many and strong convictions yet perish under them they are made to see their lost estate and yet never come to Jesus Christ Now whence is this but from the slighting and not improving their convictions Of all duties therefore be sure make Conscience of this when the Spirit strives then do you strive when he works then is your time to work I pray consider four things First Prov. 17.16 What a price to get wisdom this work of the Spirit puts into our hands and shall it be a price in the hand of fools that have no heart to it no desire to obtain it The strivings of the Spirit time your seasons of grace For though every day is a time to repent and believe in yet a man hath not his special seasons and opportunities for this every day Opportunity is more than time it is the nick and season of time it is time fitted for action a conjunction of time and means together to bring a thing about When God shews a man his undone condition by reason of sin and makes a tender of Christ to him and the Spirit strives with him to bring him to accept the tender then is his season As the Lord said to David 2 Sam. 5.24 When thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry-trees then thou shalt bestir thy self for then shall the Lord go out before thee Secondly Consider how easie the conversion is of those sinners that comply with and duly improve the seasons of the Spirit All things are easie in the Spirits seasons Great births are brought forth with easie travail How came Sarah barren Sarah to have a Son at ninety years old Gen. 18.10 why God came according to the time of life and Isaac is born So when the Spirit comes according to the time of life when his season is to bring life to a dead Soul then it lives you must know that Isaac was not so much the Son of Abrahams loyns as of Gods promise begotten by the Power of God making good the promise and therefore called a child of promise Gal 4.28 So is every Believer born not of the will of the flesh Joh. 1.13 but of God By the power of God put forth through the promise And hence all things in conversion become easie How difficult soever they are to the Creature yet in the Spirits season they are easie because of a Divine power How hard a work is it to repent and turn from sin a very difficult duty therefore compared to cutting off a limb But yet in the Spirits season how easie is it Zacheus says Christ make haste and come down Luk. 19. â— here is the season of Christ upon his Soul and how easily is his repentance brought about vers 8. Behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken ought fiom any man by false accusation I restore him fourfold How hard a work is the work of believing no duty more difficult It is easier to keep all the commands of the Law than that one command of believing And yet when the season of the Spirit comes how easie is it For now all things concur to bring it about the Commandment comes the eyes are opened sin is made burdensom the need of Christ is felt and by these means the Spirit draws and then the sinner runs Ah how easie are all things in conversion made by the Spirits seasons to the Soul that complies with them and improves them Thirdly Consider this is the highest and last of means for conversion 1 It is the highest it is that which puts efficacy into all other means which without it can operate nothing It is that which can make the weakest means as successful against the proudest lusts as the Rams horns were against Jericho though her walls reached to Heaven 2 It is the last means that God ever uses to convert sinners he hath appointed no other means to succeed this and therefore if you sin against your convictions you quench the Spirit and he may be so quenched as never to be kindled again and then your conversion becomes a thing impossible And therefore Fourthly Consider what a mischief it brings upon you not to improve the convictions of the Spirit Is it not a mischief when all the Ordinances and means of Grace are rendred fruitless and unsuccessful This is an effect of not improving the Spirits convictions Nay is it not a mischief to turn the edge of that Word against your Souls that was designed against your sins This is a fruit of not improving the Spirits convictions Is it not a mischief when the heart grows harder and harder under softning means This is a fruit of not improving the Spirits convictions Is it not a mischief to be delivered up to a cannot in believing Why he that improves not the convictions of the Spirit provokes him finally to depart and then the sinner is delivered up to a cannot in believing Therefore they could not believe Joh. 12.39 Is it not a mischief when the Oath of God seals up a persons or a peoples destruction Why thus it is when the convictions of the Spirit are not improved I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest Psal 95.11 And who were these They were a people that had long resisted the strivings of the Spirit O therefore be diligent to improve your convictions while you are under them And if you ask me how they must be improved I shall give only this one answer and that is By hastening to Jesus Christ for pardoning and converting Grace You never improve your convictions aright till you are brought by them to a saving
the faith 2 Tim. 4.7 8. there is his obedience henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness there is his confidence Remisness in obedience makes a waste upon our Faith let duty be omitted or lust indulged and Faith languishes and needs it must for sin in the conversation breeds doubts in the condition and it is as natural to do so as it is for a wound to cause pain Could a man obey without swerving he might believe without doubting the strictest holiness is usually attended with the sweetest peace and the highest assurance Isai 32.17 The work of righteousness shall be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever And therefore when any pretend to strong hope in God and talk of their comfort in the Promises and great assurance and yet are careless and remiss in their walking with God and slack in their obedience those pretences are much to be suspected and the state of that man to be questioned For sin doth as naturally breed fear and distrust as obedience doth hope and peace How can a man hope in God when he doth not observe him or expect mercy when he provokes him to wrath by neglect of duty Therefore Satan doth two works at once when he tempts us to the practice of sin he stains our Souls and he weakens our trust He makes us fail in duty and doubt of mercy for sin leaves a guilt and guilt causes fear and the more our fear the less our faith as the one strengthens the other weakens they are like the two Buckets of a Well as one goes up the other goes down That sin that lessens our respect to the precept will proportionably weaken our faith in the Promise a man can never be much in dependance that is little in obedience Therefore duty is necessary for the maintaining our trust in God the Soul never attains to true rest but by taking up Christs Yoke Mat. 11.29 That is one branch of the reason why it is the concernment of every one to take up the Yoke of Christ in his youth because it is good It is a necessary good I have shewed you in six particulars the necessity of it It is necessary by virtue of the Precept Necessary as a means to the great End Necessary to preserve the rectitude of Nature Necessary to adjust our interest in Christ Necessary to manifest our gratitude to a Redeemer Necessary for the stablishing our Faith in the Promises of God Now that which is a good of so great necessity ought to be our greatest concernment we should mind it more than what is not so there are many things that are not necessary it is not necessary we should be rich or great in the world or that we should be gay and gawdy in our dresses or that we should have the cap and knee of by-standers or that we should wallow in pleasures and delights it will not be a pin to chuse e're long what part we have acted here when the Scepter and the Spade shall have one common grave and Royal dust shall be blended with the beggars ashes but it is necessary we should be born again it is necessary we should be acquainted with God and make him our portion it is necessary we should submit to the Yoke of Christ and owne his commands and live to the Lord there is nothing necessary but this Therefore we ought to make it our business to come under this Yoke betimes Secondly Subjection to the Yoke of Christ is a profitable good And there is no argument of greater prevalency than that which is taken ab utili A man will do any thing that he is convinced is for his benefit therefore God quickens us to a holy life by the consideration of our own benefit 1 Tim. 6.6 Godliness is great gain Though God by virtue of his Soveraignty over us might have imposed what commands he pleased without the least injustice yet so gracious he is that he hath not acted by Soveraignty but with a respect to our advantage Not one command of God but the interest of the Creature is greatly promoted by it The most thrifty course a man can take in this world is to come under the Yoke of Christ betimes Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding for the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver and the gain thereof than fine gold she is more precious than rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her Length of days is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour Prov. 3.13 14 15 16. Religion is looked on by many with an evil eye upon this very account as standing in the way of their profit and as being an enemy to their particular advantages What profit shall we have if we pray to the Almighty Job 21.15 Most men follow Christ for the Loaves Joh. 6.26 no penny no Pater noster no profit no prayer Ye have said it is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances Mal. 3.14 They look upon the service of Christ as a very poor trade and thriftless imployment whereas it is a business of the greatest benefit Nothing tends so much to our advantage as a life of godliness and obedience As for instance 1. Is that profitable which sanctifieth every condition to a man This Religion doth To the pure all things are pure Tit. 1.15 Religion sanctifies the heart and affections and all things are sanctified to a sanctified heart 2. Is that profitable which is beneficial to a man in all his circumstances So is Religion If a man abound with the good things of the present life Religion is of admirable advantage to direct the uses and injoyment to guard the heart from its snares by keeping the mind humble under it and setting the affections above it Phil. 4.12 It teaches how to be full and abound how to do good how to make friends of Mammon It makes outward prosperity to forward and promote our eternal interest by applying it to serve the honour of God and others necessities as well as our own If a man be poor Religion is no less useful to befriend a man in this case by teaching contentment with a little Phil. 4.11 by working the heart to a full resignedness to the will of God Phil. 4.12 by teaching how to want and suffer need by setting the heart upon things of a nobler nature and more necessary concernment upon God and heavenly things by fixing the Souls dependance upon those promises made to godliness which do as surely intitle a man to present sufficiencies 1 Tim. 4.8 as to eternal rewards So that when the needy sinner carks and cares murmurs and repines robs and deceives for a supply of his wants the good man having a sure interest in God rests confidently upon the never failing supplies
is magnus in magnis as Austin says yet he is not parvus in minimis though his work be great in some of his children yet it is not little in any and therefore is to be owned in all Shall a Child deny its being because it is not a Man the great Oak was once a little Plant nay a small Acorn The blessing on man in the first Creation was increase and multiply In the second it is grow in grace so that it shall grow for there is a blessing in it And therefore for believers to compare themselves with Saints of the highest attainments and to make those things to be a measure of the truth of Grace which are evidences of Grace in its growth and strength this is a false measure Thirdly Another false rule of judging by is much corruption because they find much filthiness in their natures strong lusts stirring within and too often breaking out into actual sins therefore they conclude they have no Grace Now this is a false rule to judge by For First There is no believer but by this rule would condemn his own state For where is that man that hath not much indwelling sin which too often breaks out into actual sin indwelling lust may be mortified in some more than in others and the habits of corruption more weakned but yet there is much in the best Look on Abraham a great believer the Father of the faithful and yet how much sin did he discover once in Egypt Genes 12.13 another time in Gerar Genes 20.2 Look on Moses a man of great Grace and yet how much doth corruption break forth in that fourth chapter of Exodus what unbelief doth he discover what plea's to excuse his unwillingness to go on Gods errand Exod. 3.11 Exod. 4.1 Exod. 4.10 Exod. 4.13 V. 14. One while who am I that I should go to Pharaoh another while they will not believe me then I am not eloquent at last send by whom thou wilt send as much as to say I will not go so that the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses The like you may see in Samson what corruption doth he discover insomuch that if the spirit of God had not put him into that Catalogue of believing worthies Heb. 11.32 you would hardly have judged him one and yet Samson is recorded for a true Saint Heb. 11.39 though he had much corruption Secondly God will not reject little Grace if it be true where there is corruption though it be much If there be but little Gold in the Ore and much dross yet the Refiner separates the dross and preserves the Gold It is said of Christ his fan is in his hand and what is the use of the fan but to cast out the chaff the chaff is more than the wheat but Christ will not suffer the least grain of wheat to fall to the ground Amos 9.9 Satan hath a sieve in his hand and he sifteth us Christ hath a fan in his hand and he fanneth us now the use of the sieve is to let out the best and keep in the worst the fan casteth out the worst and keepeth in the best Satans work is to sift us Luk 22.31 Satan hath desired to sift you that is to countenance sin and destroy Grace But Jesus Christ he fanneth us that is he purges corruption out of us and nourishes and preserves Grace in us so then though your Grace be never so little it shall be preserv'd and though your corruption be never so much it shall be destroyed And therefore Thirdly You ought to be humbled under sin and make it matter of mourning but not to deny your Grace though under much and great sin There is a great deal in sin to humble us it divests us of our spiritual priviledges it spoils our communion with God that should be matter of humbling it dishonours honours God and grieves the spirit that should be matter of humbling it defiles the soul and wounds the conscience that should be matter of humbling but though every sin ought to be bewailed yet our state is not therefore to be condemned Fourthly Another false rule of judging is by the frame of their hearts because upon search they find their hearts dead carnal listless to duty wandring from or distracted in duty hence they give it against themselves and judge their state carnal because the frame of their heart is so And no wonder that it is so though it ought not to be so if you do but consider three things 1. The goodness of a believers state will give him no acceptance with God in any duty unless the frame of the heart be right in it A carnal frame shall do more to spoil a duty than a spiritual state can do to give it acceptance this is most evident by that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.29 30. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to himself There is a worthiness of state and a worthiness of frame now every believer hath a worthiness of state in an Evangelical sense for every ordinance and therefore for the Lords Supper but yet he may be unworthy in regard of the frame of his heart and where it is so an unworthy frame shall do more to bring judgment than a worthy state can do to prevent it therefore it is said in the next verse for this cause many are weak and sick among you and many sleep 2. God may carry it to a believer under a carnal frame of spirit in duties as if he were no believer when he comes to God in a carnal frame God may carry it to him as if he were in a carnal state he may shut his ear and reject his services 3. A believer may injoy as little peace when the frame of his heart is not right as if the state of his soul were not right for it is common with such a one to judge of his state by the frame of his heart If his heart be dead and carnal he judges his state to be a dead carnal state but this ought not to be for by this rule he will be forced to condemn himself a thousand and a thousand times over even as oft as he finds his heart out of frame And where a believer judges his state to be carnal he can enjoy no more of the peace of his state though it be spiritual than if it were carnal But this is a false rule to judge by For First A carnal frame is one thing and a carnal state is another many a man may be found under a very carnal frame and yet his state be spiritual and good It was the case of Christs own Disciples therefore he tells them Matt. 18.3 Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven The Disciples were converted as to their state but yet they were in a carnal frame for they were contending among themselves about
them in the Lord and they shall walk up and down in his name What or who can be too hard for such as walk in the ways and worship of Christ with the strength of Christ Now the Lord Christ helps two ways 1. By his powerful intercession he is ever praying and pleading for you Heb. 7.25 2. By his Almighty Spirit for how are your sins mortified but by the Spirit Rom. 8.13 And how are your hearts quickened in duty but by the Spirit Joh. 6.63 And how are you guided in the ways of God but by the Spirit Joh. 16.13 And how are you taught but by the Spirit 1 Joh. 2.27 And who upholds you in your course but the Spirit Psal 51.12 Besides the grace the Spirit works in you at first you have spiritual incomes and supplies of the Spirit daily Phil. 1.19 And is not the Believers help then greater than his work now it was not so under the Law there was great service but little assistance but now the Christians help is greater then his work Phil. 2.13 for it is God that works in you to will and to do The works of Gospel Obedience are more sublime more spiritual and therefore more difficult than any of the works of the Law but so far as we have Communion with the power and strength of the Spirit to actuate and inable us they are all easy and pleasant Gospel duties may be difficult in respect of divine imposition but they are easy in regard of divine cooperation The Father sets the Child a Copy and bids it write the Child knows not how but yet takes the Pen and then the Father guides the hand and the Child writes after the Copy Lord sayes Austin give what thou commandest and then command what thou wilt 4. The wisdom of taking up Christs yoke appears in this that under this yoke though the weakness of your obedience is great yet the truth of your obedience is accepted God looks at truth in the inward parts Psal 51.6 O the many weaknesses that God passes by in his people where he finds the heart and affection true to him though there be much commanded yet the least you do is accepted Were it not for this there could be no serving him If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities who could stand But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Psal 130.3 4. God will not take advantage of your fallings and infirmities I will spare them as a man spares his son that serves him Mal. 3.17 O what a sweetness must this put into service how easie must it needs make the yoke of Christ when the least we do is accepted as a handful of goats hair was for the Temple when it came from a willing heart What reason therefore have we to bless the Lord that ever inclined our hearts to stoop to the yoke of Christ The wisdom of taking up Christs yoke is evident in this that herein true liberty consists This may seem a Paradox for sinners do therefore indulge themselves in their lusts because there is liberty and they therefore refuse Christs yoke because it abridges their liberty they cannot live as they list Now you must know there is a twofold liberty 1. A carnal liberty wherein a corrupt base heart takes a latitude to it self to live and act according to its own vitious inclinations without any restraint or controul Indeed the yoke of Christ is an enemy to this liberty and it were not worth the taking up if it should not for this liberty is only the licentiousness of lust and no man such a slave as he that is thus at liberty He is a servant to corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 Under the devils rule led captive by him at his will 1 Tim. 2.26 He is held in the chains of Hell and will you call this liberty are not the Saints at liberty in Heaven and yet there is none of this liberty there will ye call this liberty to be loaded with the guilt of sin to be bound over to damnation to be vexed daily with an accusing Conscience to have all the threats of the word lye against thee to have wrath hanging over thy head every moment and God ready to throw thee into Hell is this liberty when thou art in such a dreadful case that thou darest not think of dying for fear of hell and damnation better be the veryest gally slave in the world then thus at liberty But then 2. There is a Spiritual liberty which is wrought out for us by Christ the purchase of his blood John 8.36 If the son make you free then are ye free indeed And he that partakes of this liberty may well be said to be free indeed for he is freed from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.10 He is freed from the condemning power of sin Rom. 8.1 He is freed from the Spirit of Bondage Rom. 8.15 And he is freed from the dominion of sin Rom. 6.14 And a man never enjoyes this liberty till he comes under the yoke of Christ and is there not reason to bless God for drawing the heart to Christ 6. The wisdom of taking up Christs yoke appears in this that the longer you are under it the easier you will find it I will make it out in three things 1. The longer you wear it the lighter it will be it is not so in other matters A little burden in tract of time is heavy and the longer it lyes the heavyer it is because of a wast of strength by long bearing but Christs burden the longer it is born the lighter it is because though the burden is not diminished yet your strength is increased Psal 84.7 Job 17.9 They go from strength to strength He that hath clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger And as spiritual strength increases so spiritual difficulties must needs abate 2. The more progress you make in obedience the greater testimony you shall have from conscience of the uprightness of your hearts with God and you can't imagine unless you ever felt it what peace this brings in 2 Cor. 1.12 Nothing gives conscience that advantage to witness aloud to our case as godly sincerity in our obedience to Christ 3. Much obedience brings in much comfort The more seed the more sheaves that Christian is likest to injoy most comfort that walks most close with God in the way of obedience He hath comfort in the most difficult duties even in his sufferings for Christ and they are the most pinching part of his Yoke And yet as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ 2 Cor. 1.5 And therefore Christ bids us rejoyce even in persecution Matth. 5.11 12. He hath comfort in the worst of times To the upright there ariseth light in darkness Psal 112.4 When the figtree doth not blossom Hab. 3.18 yet then he can joy in the God of his salvation CHAP. XVI Directs our obedience as to principles matter
salvation of others then we ought not to count our lives dear IV. When external duties are commanded internal obedience is therein required and chiefly intended For every precept is given to the whole man and therefore binds the inward man as well as the outward or else we are obliged to be hypocrites and seem what we are not When we are commanded to repent to hear to pray to do good works they are not the outward acts only that Christ calls for but the inward graces and affections And therefore you never obey the precept whatever duties you perform unless they be done in spirit and truth V. Observe the station and condition God hath set thee in and the circumstances thou art under and attend to the duties thereof For that which is the duty of one may not be the duty of another and that which is a great duty at one time may be no duty at another One man may be a Magistrate another a Minister and so may be obliged to those duties which are no duties to another VI. Lastly whatever duties conduce most to Gods glory whatever have the greatest tendency to our own salvation and the salvation of others whatever may put the greatest honour upon religion and render it lovely among men and put to silence the ignorance of the foolish 1 Pet. 2.15 in these things lye the proper acts and exercises of obedience And therefore these are the works chiefly to be attended to by all that are under the Yoke of Christ but we must not so be concerned in the greatest as to neglect the least Qui minima spernit paulatim decidit Spiritual decays begin in the neglect of lesser duties Remember that of Christ to the hypocritical Pharisees These ye ought to have done and not to leave the other undone Matt. 23.23 And that in Matt. 5.19 Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven 3. If you would carry it becomingly under the Yoke of Christ as you must look that the principles of your obedience be right and that the matter of your obedience be in right exercises so you must see to the manner of your obedience It is not the bare doing what God commands that is obedience unless it be done in a right manner Most men miscarry herein taking up in a bare performance of duty and resting in opere operato in the work done Like the blind Papists that bead out their devotions and serve God by tale How few watch over their hearts in duty or look to the frame of their spirits in obedience whereas this is the great thing God looks at And therefore the precept doth not only direct in the matter to be done but also in the manner of doing not only what but how Take heed how ye hear Luke 8.18 Take heed ye do not your alms before men Matt. 6.1 Now what doth our Lord Christ mean by these take heeds but to shew us how possible it is for a man to miscarry in the very doing of duty if he do not make as much conscience and shew as much care in the manner of doing as in the matter to be done Malum ex quolibet defectu Tho all requisites must concur to make an action morally good yet any defect makes a good thing evil And therefore in all instances of obedience the manner is carefully to be attended to For 1. This is the great distinguishing character between a true believer and an hypocrite It is not in the matter done but in the manner of doing both may be ingaged in one and the same duty and yet it may be an act of grace in one and an act of sin in the other The good man prays so doth the hypocrite but the one prayes with faith and fervency the other draws nigh to God with his lips when the heart is far from him Matt. 15.8 The good man serves God so doth the hypocrite but the one brings the male of the flock Mal. 1.13 the other brings the torn and the lame and the sick The one serves him deceitfully the other acceptably Heb. 12.28 2. A duty that is materially good may be formally evil by failing in a right maner Good becomes evil and duty is turned into sin by an undue manner of performance It is iniquity even the solemn meeeting Isa 1.13 3. It makes God disown his own appointments and reject the very performances which the precept makes a duty When ye come to appear before me who hath required this at your hand to tread my courts Isa 1.12 It was Gods requirement as you may see Deut. 12.5 To the place which the Lord your God shall choose to put his name there to his habitation shall ye seek and thither ye shall come So that they had the command of God for treading his Courts and yet here God rejects his own appointments Who hath required this at your hand Though God required it yet not of such as they were nor in such a manner as they appeared So in v. 13. Bring no more vain oblations incense is an abomination to me But were not these oblations and incense of Gods own institution Yes but because they were feignedly performed therefore they were not accepted and so became vain and abominable But there is a farther hint in the words for oblations were from the people incense was from the priests so that when he saies their oblations are vain and incense an abomination he doth therein reject the specious worship and services both of priests and people He that offereth an oblation is as if he offered swines blood Lev. 11.7 and he that burneth incense as if he blessed an Idol Isai 66.3 And if God rejects that worship which he himself appointed and so was right for the matter because not done in a right manner what shall become of that worship which is neither right for matter nor manner where the commandments of God are made of none effect by the traditions of men this Matt. 15.6 wherever it is renders the worship of God vain for so the Lord Christ himself hath determined the case Matth. 15.9 In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the commandments of men O that our superstitious will-worshippers would consider this who have to use the Phrophets phrase the broth of abominable things in their vessels Isa 65.4 and as ever they would avoid the devils meat let them shun feeding upon his broth For little innovations in the worship of God open a door for the gradual entrance of the most abominable idolatries And so the house of prayer becomes by degrees a den of thieves Matt. 21.13 4 A man may lay himself under great vengeance and judgement from God in the doing the very thing which God commands for want of a right manner Cursed be the deceiver that hath a male in his flock and voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing Mal.
it is the only soyl wherein grace takes root and grows prosperously It is that one thing wherein only the true Chrian can outstrip the hypocrite it is that which crowns all grace with perseverance No wonder therefore that the Apostle is so earnest with God for this grace in behalf of that Church Phil. 1.9 10. Now this I pray that ye may be sincere And that David applies himself so earnestly to God upon this account as he doth Psal 119.80 Make my heart sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed Hypocrisie ends in shame it is the glory of a Christians obedience when it is done in sincerity IV. It must be a constant obedience Tho there may through the strength of remaining lusts the imperfections of grace possibly be many particular unevennesses and sinful deviations in the course of the saints obedience as it was in Noah Lot David Peter c. yet in the main Job 17.9 he holds on his way I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes alwayes to the end Psal 119.112 Not by pangs and fits but alwayes not for a time and then draw back but to the end Judas was a disciple and put on Christs Yoke for a while but Satan enters and the Yoke is cast off Simon Magus takes up Christs Yoke for a fit but Acts 8.21 his heart not being right with God he soon casts it off again There is a great deal of this volatile devotion in the world Many take up Christs Yoke early and cast it off again as suddainly their goodness is as was said of Ephraims Hos 6.4 as a morning cloud and as the early dew that goes away Or like the new moon that shines a while in the first part of the night but is down and disappears before half the night be gone But blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doth righteousness at all times Psal 106.3 Now when obedience is thus circumstanced when it is done willingly fully sincerely and constantly then it is done in a right manner 4. See that your obedience to Christ hath right ends it is a known maxim non actibus sed finibus pensantur officia Duties are not weighed and esteemed so much by acts as by ends Though a good end cannot justifie a bad action yet the best action is corrupted by a bad end Jehu is imployed in a good work a work well pleasing to God a work to which he was called of God 2 King 9.6 7. viz. the destroying the house of idolatrous Ahab And yet when he had done it God threatens to avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu Hos 1.4 God first anoints Jehu for that work to shed the blood of the house of Ahab and then bid him go and do it and then declareth his acceptance of it when done 2 King 10.30 Thou hast done well in executiting that which is right in mine eyes yea promiseth to reward him for doing it 2 King 10.30 Because thou hast done to the house of Ahab all that was in mine heart thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel and yet after all this threatens to avenge this blood upon Jehu's house What should be the reason of this Because though the work was good yet Jehu's end was bad It was not done in zeal for the Lord as he pretended 2 King 10.16 but his end was to get the Kingdom I observe hence two things 1. A man may possibly do that very thing which is commanded by God and yet not do the will of God He may serve his own lusts in doing what God requires 2. God may reward a work in this world and yet punish it in the next A work may be materially good and so may have a reward here and yet our end in it may be carnal and corrupt and for that God may punish it hereafter It is a very mischievous thing for a man to subject a good work to bad ends Our Saviour speaks of some that pray to be seen of men Matt. 6.5 and that devour widows houses and for a pretence make long prayers Matt. 23.14 a bad end to a good action And what follows therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a base contempt that is put upon God when his worship is made a pretence to vile ends Some preach Christ out of envy Phil. 1.15 What work more spiritual what end more carnal this is prostituting Religion to serve our lusts and so make Gods stream to turn the devils mill Or as if we did set up another God besides him as every carnal man doth for he that hath no higher end in all his actions than himself is a God to himself Hence it is that corrupt and false Teachers are said to make their belly their God Phil. 3 19. because their highest end in all they do in the matters of Religion is to feed their belly and to gratifie their carnal appetite in worldly pleasures and preferment a Scripture never more verified then in this day It is of great concernment therefore that in all we do our intentions and ends be right for 1. Our ultimate end doth greatly influence all our actions they are greatly guided and governed by that If a mans end be carnal and selfish it will influence every duty every act of Religion He brings forth fruit to himself in all Hos 10.1 If a mans end be the eternal injoyment of God as his chief good and utmost felicity why then all his duties and performances are directed to his Glory that whatever he doth may please God He lives to the Lord and dies to the Lord. Rom. 14.8 2 Cor. 5.9 He labours that whether present or absent he may be accepted of him 2. A mans state in grace is discovered by nothing more then by fixing a right end Grace is not discovered by what a man doth but by the end he doth it to One sayes three things must concurr to denominate a man truly godly That he be sure to make God his portion That he be nothing in point of self-righteousness That he have a change of his utmost end A man cannot call his most spiritual action an action of grace unless he doth it to a holy end True wisdom lies in three things 1. In propounding and fixing a right end 2. In the chosing proper and suitable means 3. In a diligent use of these means to the attaining to this end and you have all these pointed at in that of the Apostle Phil. 1.11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God Fruits of righteousness must be our work as the means which must be done by Jesus Christ by whom we have strength for performance And they must be done to the praise and glory of God as our end 3. There is nothing in our best duties and performances that
service and subjection therefore call'd Ministring Spirits Heb. 1.14 and said to do his Commandments Psal 103.20 The Angel sayes to John Rev. 22.9 I am thy fellow-servant and of them which keep the sayings of this book So that the highest liberty is consistent with the service of God therefore David puts them together I will walk at liberty Ps 119.45 for I seek thy Precepts Many decline the ways of God and cleave fast to their Lusts for the sake of liberty Whereas it is the greatest slavery in the world to serve sin the little finger of lust is heavyer then the whole loyns of Christ Nothing makes a man such a slave as sin He that lives in the love and service and injoyment of God hath the truest freedom But every sinner is a vassal to lust at the command of every unclean motion Is not he a slave that is at the will and command of Satan That is moved and acted by Satan in his whole course You pity men made slaves by the Turks laid in chains condemned to the Gallyes grinding in Mills broken with burdens drub'd and beat after all I tell you it is an eligible condition to this Nay sin doth not only make a man a slave but a bruit for it bereaves him of all reason and judgment their is no judgment in their goings Isa 59.8 2. This finding rest under the yoke of Christ implyes an easiness in his service And so it follows Matt. 11.29 30. Ye shall find rest for my yoke is easy and my burden is light A Believer in the ways of obedience hath those aids of God those divine quickenings those daily supplyes of the Spirit that Communion with God in all that no duty is difficult or burdensome 3. This finding rest to your souls implyes an after good by your present obedience There remains a rest for the people of God Heb. 4.9 The service of sin is best at first and worst at last Sin in the temptation is taking but sin in the conclusion is vexing It is sweet in the mouth but bitter in the belly Satan shews the pleasure and profit of sin to insnare you and then comes the guilt of sin to torment you But now the service of Christ is worst at first and best at last All the difficulty is in the beginning but the end is peace Psal 37.37 4. This finding rest implyes an end of your service and duty as it is labour So sayes the Holy Ghost Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord Rev. 14.13 for they rest from their labour your yoke shall be put off then But when shall the vassalage of sin end This is such a yoke as shall never be put off an everlasting servitude The sinner goes from a present slavery to a worse His present condition is servile but hereafter it will be dreadful First chains of Lust then chains of death and at last chains of darkness Jude 6. The sinner lyes in yokes and chains for ever for what is guilt of Conscience This is a chain that binds wrath upon the soul for ever He shall be holden with the cords of his own sins Prov. 5.22 What is utter despair This is another Chain the sinner is held in What is Gods power that is another chain And what is the everlasting sentence Mat. 25.41 go ye cursed into everlasting fire He is an Eternal Prisoner there God shuts him up and there can be no opening Job 12.14 He hath the Keys of Hell and Death Rev. 1.18 and who can get them out of his hand O what an everlasting slavery doth sin bring upon the soul Will you therefore hearken to the counsel of Christ and take his Yoke upon you 1. Consider How reasonable a thing this is For 1. God commands nothing that is unsuitable to our reason Look upon this Yoke in such duties as refer more immediately to God Either in External Worship or Internal 1. In External Worship As Prayer how reasonable is it that an indigent creature should go to God for what he wants seeing he can't support himself let him go to him that can Hearing how reasonable it is that if God be to be obeyed and this obedience is not to be by the creatures arbitrement but by Gods precept that then I should labour to know what Revelation he hath made of this 2. Look on Internal Worship Faith How reasonable is it that he who is the Eternal Truth should have credence in all the discoveries of his will and that I should trust him upon the credit of his promise Love It is the most reasonable thing in the world I should love God because he is the chief good and because he is always doing me good Gods love to us comes under no reason but what is in himself but our love to God is founded in the greatest reason 1 Joh. 4.19 we love him because he first loved us The fear of God how rational a duty is it he being the highest Lord and his supremacy absolute He is great and therefore greatly to be feared Look upon the most difficult dutyes Repentance Self-denyal Mortification of lusts c. These may be troublesome to the flesh but not unreasonable What more equal than that I should do whatever God would have me do how contrary soever to flesh and blood and the dictates of a carnal mind 2. He commands nothing that is prejudicial to our interest The end of every Precept is our felicity both our spiritual and eternal good are promoted by it And is there any thing more reasonable then that a man should persue his own good 3. He commands nothing but what answers the end of our being The end though last in execution is first in intention Now what is the great end of your being young ones what do you do in the world let me say as God said to Elijah what make you here What do you think God gave you being for was it to please the flesh to suck the sweet of the creatures to pass away your years in mirth and jollity to live to your selves Hath an immortal soul no other end of being but this Surely yes as God is the Fountain of being so his glory should be the end of being You are come into this world to make provision for another to avoid the snares of death and lay hold on Eternal Life To walk so before God here as that you may secure his favour for ever This is the great end of being and how reasonable is it that every man should attend to that which he was born for and came into the world for Or else the being of man is in vain as David expostulates the case Psal 89.47 Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain 2. Consider the great advantage that comes by this and that whatever your condition be Suppose your extract be mean that you are a branch of a poor Family What an advantage will your subjection to Christ