Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of Jesus as carrying on the great work of mans salvation from first to last / by Isaac Ambrose ...

SECT. IV. Of Christ's easie Yoak, and light Burthen.

3. FOr the easiness of Christs Yoak, and the lightness of Christs burthen, Christ de∣livers it in these words, Take my Yoak upon you and learn of me,—for my Yoak is easie, and my Burthen is light. See the actings of Christ this year in reference to our souls health. 1. He commissionates his Apostles to call sinners in. 2. He stands ready to receive them if they will but come in. 3. He sweetens the way of Christianity to them when they are come in. Many fears and jealousies are in the hearts of men, of the difficulty, austerity, and severity of Christs institutions; and therefore to remove that objection, he tells them plainly, there is no such thing, but rather clean contrary, For my Yoak is easie, and my Burthen is light.

My Yoak (i.e.) my Commandments, so the Apostle John gives the interpretation, His Commandments are not grievous. My Yoak is easie; (i.e.) my Commandments are with∣out any inconvenience; the trouble of a Yoak is not the weight, but the uneasiness of it, and Christ speaks sutably, My Yoak is easie, and my Burthen (i.e.) my institutions; the word primarily signifies the fraight or balast of a Ship, which cuts through the Waves, as if it had no burthen; and without which burthen there were no safety in the Ship: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a ferendo, a burthen which either is laid upon the shoulder, or rather which is put into a Ship, that it may go steadily and safely. My Burthen is light, the Yoak of the Law was heard, and the Burthen of the Pharisees was heavy, but Christs Yoak is easie, and his Burthen is light, every way sweet, and pleasant.

Christian Religion, and the practise of it, are full of sweetness, easiness, and pleasant∣ness; My Yoak is easie, and my Burthen is light.

The Prophets prophesying of this, say thus, Every Valley shall be exalted, and every Mountain and Hill shall be laid low; the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain; the meaning is, that the wayes of Christianity should be levelled and made even; and that all lets and impediments should be removed out of the way; that so we might have a more easie and convenient passage unto Heaven; to the same purpose is that other prophesie, And an high-way (or causway) shall be there; and a way, a causway, and a way; (that is, a way cast up) Isa. 62.10. and it shall be called the way of holiness, (or a way for the Saints of God, and not for the wicked, Matth. 7.14. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for those: (or he shall be with them, or be a guide

unto them by his Word and Spirit, Isa. 30.21.) The Wayfaring men though fools shall not erre therein; Christs way is so easie that the simplest so conducted by his Word and Spirit shall not miss of it, The meek will he guide in Judgment, and the meek will he teach his way.

The Apostles are yet more clear; For this is the love of God, that we keep his Command∣ments, and his commandments are not grievous. And the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and Death. And now are we delivered from the Law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serve in newness of Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. Christ Jesus came to break off from our necks those two great yoaks, the one of Sin, by which we are kept in fetters and prisons; the other of Moses Law, by which we are kept in pupillage and minority; and now Christ having ta∣ken off these two, he hath put on a third; he quits us of our burthen, but not of our duty; he hath changed the yoak of sin, and the yoak of the Law strictly taken, into the sweetness of his Fatherly Regiment, whose very precepts carry part of their reward in hand, and assurance of Glory afterward.

The reasons of the sweetness, easiness, and pleasantness of Christian Religion, and the practise of it, I shall reduce into these heads.

1. Christian Religion is most rational. If we should look into the best laws that the wisest men in the World ever agreed upon, we shall find that Christ adopted the quintes∣sence of them all into this one Law; the highest pitch of reason is but as a spark, a taper, a lesser light, which is involved and swallowed up in the Body of this great light, that is made up by the Son of Righteousness. Some observe that Christ's discipline is the Bre∣viary of all the wisdom of the Best men, and a fair copy and transcript of his Fathers wisdom; there is nothing in the laws of Christian Religion, but what is the perfective of our Spirits, rare expedient of obeying God, and of doing duty and benefit to all capa∣cities and orders of men. Indeed the Greeks, whom the World admired for their hu∣mane wisdom, accounted the Preaching of the Gospel foolishness, and thereupon God blasted their wisdom, as it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the Prudent, 1 Cor. 1.19. the Gospel may be as foolish∣ness unto some, but unto them which are called—Christ the Power of God, and the wisdom of God.

2. Christian Religion hath less trouble and slavery in it than sin, or any thing that is contrary to it; as for instance; he that propounds to himself to live a low, a pious, an humble and retired life, his main imployment is nothing but sitting Religiously quiet, and undisturbed with variety of impertinent affairs; but he that loves the world entertains a∣thousand businesses, and every business hath a world of employments: how easie a thing is it to restore a pledg? but if a man means to defeat, or to cozen him that trusts him, what a world of arts must he use to make pretences? as first to delay, then to excuse, then to object, then to intricate the business, then to quarrel; and all the way to palliate the crime, and to represent himself an honest man: the wayes of sin are crooked, desert, rocky, and uneven wayes: the Apocriphal Book of Solomon brings in such men, as if in hell they were speaking this language, We wearied our selves in the way of wickedness, yea we have gone through deserts, where there lay no way; but as for the way of the Lord we have not known it. Wicked men are in thraldom, but where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. O the pains, troubles, expences that men are at to serve their sensuali∣ty! see how the ambitious man riseth early, and goes to bed late; see how he flatters, dissembles, solicites to obtain nothing but a little wind, a puff, a breath of vain mens mouths! see how the covetous man toyls, as if he were tied in a gally by the leg with a chain to serve by rowing for ever; so I have heard, that Turks use some Christi∣ans; but this is a thousand times worse servitude, for such a one is in servitude to a more base Creature than a Turk, and he lies bound not only by the feet, but also by the hands eares, eyes, heart, and all; only the Christian is at liberty; only Christian Religion and the practise of it sets men at liberty; If ye continue in my word, (saith Christ) then are ye my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

3. Christian Religion is all composed of peace; her wayes are the wayes of pleasant∣ness, and all her paths are peace, Prov 17.3. Christ framed all his Laws in comply∣ance of this design of peace; peace within, and peace at home, and peace abroad; 1. It holds forth a certain Heavenly peace, and tranquility within; Great peace have they which love thy Law, and nothing shall offend them. But on the contrary; The wicked

are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt; there is no peace saith my God to the wicked: their passions were never yet mortified; and such passi∣ons usually range in wicked men as are most contrary, and demand contrary thimgs; the desire of honour cries spend here, but the passion of avarice cries, hold thy hands; lost cries, venture here; but pride saith, no such thing, it may turn to thy dishonor; anger cries, revenge thy self here, but ambition sayes, it's better to dissemble. And here is ful∣filled that of the Psalmist, I have seen violence and strife in the City; the vulgar renders it, I have seen iniquity and contradiction in the self-same City: First, Iniquity, for all the demands of these passions are unjust; And, 2. Contradiction, for one passion cries out against another. But now great peace have they that love thy Law; for by the aid of Christ and his Grace, their passions are in some sort subdued: and they pass on their life most sweetly and calmly, without any perturbations much troubling their Spirits; they have that Peace which passeth all understanding, which the World can neither give nor taste of, as Christ affirmeth.

2. It holds forth peace at home; the Laws of Jesus teach us how to bear with the in∣firmitives of our Relatives, and indeed whosoever obeys the Laws of Jesus Christ, he seeks with sweetness to remedy all differences, he throws water upon a spark, he lives sweetly with his Wife, affectionately with his Children, descreetly with his Servants; and they all look upon him as their Guardian, Friend, and Patron; but look upon an angry man, not subject to these Christian Laws, and when he enters upon his threshold, it it gives an alarm to his house, every little accident is the matter of a quarrel, and every quarrel discomposes the peace of the house, and sets it on fire, and no man can tell how far it may burn. O the sweetness, easiness, pleasantness of Christian Religion! where that is embraced and followed, the man is peaceable, and charitable, and just, and loving, and forbearing, and forgiving; and how should there be but content in this bles∣sed Family?

3. It holds out peace abroad, it commands all Offices of kindness, gentleness, love, meekness, humility, lowliness of mind towards others; and such sweet dispositions are usually received with fondness, and all the endearments of the neighbourhood; it pre∣scribes an austere, and yet a sweet deportment; it commands all those labours of love, as to relieve the stranger, to visit the sick, to wash the feet of the poor; it sends us upon charitable embassies, to unclean prisons, nasty dungeons, and in the cause of Christ to lay down our lives one for another; it teacheth us how to return good for evil, kindness for injuries, a soft answer for the rough words of an Enemy; Oh when I think of this, I cannot but think of him who said, That either that this was not the Christian Religion, or we were not Christians. For my part I am easily perswaded, that if we would but live according to the discipline of Christian Religion, one of those great plagues that vexeth the world (I mean the plague of war) would be no more; certainly this was one of the designs of Christianity, that there should be no wars, no jars, no discontents amongst men; and if all men that are called Christians, were indeed charitable, peaceable, just, loving, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, what sweet peace should we have? how would this world be an Image of Heaven, and of the society of Saints and Angels above in Glory?

4. Christian Religion affords to us all assistances both outward and inward. In some respects, I know the duties of Christianity are hard and heavy; but whatsoever Christ hath imposed as heavy and hard, he hath made it light in aids: I shall shew the helps in these particulars. As—

1. The holy Scriptures be our helps; this was the very scope and aim for which the sacred Volume was sent from Heaven, viz. that we might decline from evil, and do good, that we might die to old Adam, and live to Christ; that we might crucifie sin, and fol∣low Virtue; what are the Scriptures but the Registers of God's Will, the letters of God's Love to invite us to Grace, and to dehort us from vice? O the perswasion, di∣rections and commands of God that we might become holy; and O the disswasions di∣versions, threatnings, and terrifying of God that we might fly prophaneness!

2. The Ministers of Christ be our helps: thou hast the Scriptures, but it may be thou canst not read, or thou canst not understand the sence and meaning thereof; Christ therefore for thy help hath set up a ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ. These are the watchmen over the house of Israel to cry like trumpets, and to blazon the sins of the house of Israel; these are the suitors of God and Christ to speak out his good will in thine ears; they call, they cry, they wait, they woo, they Pray you in Christs stead, that you will be reconciled unto God.

3. The lives of Saints be our helps; we have not only Teachers in word, but the Saints in all Ages, as so many Stars, have given us light how to walk in the darkness of this life. The examples of the godly are very drawing, and much for our imitation, and therefore the Psalmist bids us, Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace. O it's a blessed help to a Christan life to read over, much more to mark, and observe the holy and godly lives of the Saints of God; how doth their Zeal condemn our coldness, their diligence our negligence, their watching and prayer, our sluggishness and indevotion? And how are they as spurs to quicken us forwards in our spiritual voyage towards Heaven?

4. Christs Ordinances be our helpers; as the Word, and Sacraments, and Prayer, and Meditation, and Conference, &c. What are they but Fountains of grace, conduits and conveyances of the blood of Christ? To what end were they instituted, but for the watering of our souls to the encrease of grace, and to the supplanting of sin and vice, and all manner of evil?

5. The encouragements of reward be our helps. Now in the practise of Christian Religion there is a double reward. 1. The reward of duty, In the keeping of thy Com∣mandments there is great reward; he saith not, for keeping them, but in keeping them there is great reward, there is a grace, a beauty, an excellency in every gracious acting. 2. The reward according to the duty; to this exercise of Religion Christ hath annexed many sweet and gracious Promises both for this life, and that to come; and these Promises may be used as helps; He had respect unto the recompence of reward. To this purpose are the glorious things of Heaven set open before us, that we may have an eye to them, and be encouraged by them. So run that ye may obtain.

6. The openings and discoveries of the pains of Hell are as helps to restrain us from sin, and to keep us in the way to Christ. This, some call legal, but Christ in the Go∣spel tells us of this; in the Gospel we find a description of hell-pains, set out by weep∣ing, and wailing and gnashing of teeth; by a worm never dying, and a fire never going out; Oh when I think of those unquenchable flames, those remediless torments, without hope of recovery, remission, or mitigation; when I think of that privation and loss of the sight of Gods face, prepared only for those that serve him in holiness, how should I but look about me, and prepare for my reckoning? Nay how easie should I think any pains in comparison? Some persons in affrightment have been seen to carry burthens, and to leap ditches, and climb walls, which their natural power could never have done; and if we understood the sadness of a cursed eternity, from which we are commanded to fly, and yet knew how near we are to it, and how likely to fall into it, if we continue in sin, it would be able to create feares greater than a sudden fire, or a mid-night alarm.

7. A principle of love (wheresoever it is planted) is our help; be the Yoak never so uneasie, yet love will make it light; Solomon compares the estate of the Church to a cha∣riot, and it is described to have Pillars of Silver, and a Bottom of Gold, and a Covering of Purple, the midst thereof being paved with Love; a strange expression, that the midst of a Chariot should be paved with love; but 'tis plain, the Chariots wherein Christ carries his people up and down in the World, and brings them to himself, is such a Chariot as the midst thereof is paved with love; in this case if there were neither Heaven, nor Hell, yet a soul would be in the duties of Christianity. I remember how Ivo, Bishop of Chartres, meeting a grave Matron on the way with fire in one hand, and water in the other, he asked her what those symboles meant? and what she meant to do with her fire and water? she answered, My purpose is with the fire to burn Paradise, and with the water to quench the flames of Hell, that men may serve God (said she) without the incentives of hope and fear, and purely for the love of God, and Jesus Christ. Surely it was an high expression; for my part I dare not separate those things which God hath joyned together; only this I say, that where true love is, there is an excellent help in our way Heaven-wards.

8. The Angels be our helps; They are ministring spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation, Heb. 1.14. and the kind of their ministration is excel∣lently set forth by the Psalmist, They shall keep thee in all thy wayes, they shall bear thee up in their hands, least thou dash thy foot against a stone, Psal. 91.11, 12. in this place the Angels are compared to Nurses that have a charge over weak Children to keep them and guard them; so the Angels do all the offices of a Nurse, or Mother; they keep us, guard us, instruct us, admonish us, correct us, comfort us, preserve us from evil, and provoke us to good.

9. The Motions, Inspirations, blessed Influences of the Spirit of Christ be our helps; many a time the Spirit cries, and calls on our hearts, saying, This is the way walk there∣in: as the evil Spirit, or Devil in wicked men is continually moving, and inclining them to all evil thoughts, affections, and desires; so the good Spirit of God in good men doth incline, and move them to good thoughts, good affections, good actions; and hence they are said to be led by the Spirit; there are indeed several acts of the Spirit, as some∣times, there is a breathing or stirring; sometimes a quickening, or enlivening; some∣times a powerful effectual inclining, or bending of our hearts unto good things; now in some of these works the Spirit is most-what, for in the progress of sanctification, we need a continual help, and influence, from Gods holy Spirit; and when we obey these con∣ducts, we are said to walk in the Spirit; and as all these are helps in the wayes of Chri∣stianity, so by these helps and assistance of Christ's Holy Spirit, Christianity is made very easie unto us.

10. The Grace of God is our help; many feeling the strength of corruption cry out with Paul, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? O I find a law in my members warring against the law of my mind; but they consider not the comfortable saying of Christ to Paul, My grace is sufficient for thee; by the assi∣stance of grace Paul could do any thing; I can do all things through Christ that strengthen∣eth me; yea, In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us: the Psalmist hath a notable expression to this purpose, I will run the way of thy Command∣ments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart; this enlargement of heart was by the grace of God; grace is compared to oyl: as a dry purse is softned and enlarged by anointing it with Oyl, so the heart drawn together by sin, is opened and enlarged by the pouring of grace into it; and if grace be present, then saith David, I will run the way of thy Commandments; not walk, but run; it is an allusion to a Cart-Wheel, which crieth and complaineth under a small burthen being dry, but when a little Oyl is put into it, it runs merrily, and without noise; and if David could say thus in his time, how much more should we that live in these Gospel-times, when grace in greater measure is effused, and poured out? by the grace of Christ (should we say) we will walk, and run, and fly in the way of his Commandments.

Well then, is Christian Religion and the practice of it, full of sweetness, easiness, and pleasantness? in the first place for conviction, this may take away the cavils of some men; what is said in way of objection I shall reduce to these particulars.—

1. They object that Christ himself confesseth it to be a Yoak, and a burthen; but no that we answer with Christ, his Yoak is easie, and his Burthen is light. Certainly there are burthens which grieve not the bearers at all, as the burthen of feathers upon a Birds back; it is nothing grievous to her, but rather bears her up; and a burthen of Gold and Jewels upon a mans back (supposing it the reward of his portage, and the hire of his labour) it is nothing grievous to him, but rather cheers him up. Men, Brethren, and Fathers, if we will but come and close with Christ, the Spirit is given to enable us, and Heaven is promised to encourage us; the one gives power, and the other stirs up our affections, and how then should we complain of pressure? O it is a sweet burthen! sweetned by his Grace, and sweetned by his Spirit, and sweetned by a principle of love, O how I love thy Law? and sweetned by a principle of delight, Thy Law is my delight; and sweetned with a promise of reward, In the keeping of thy Commandments there is great reward.

2. They object; we feel no such thing; you tell us of sweetness, easiness, pleasant∣ness; but if we must speak out our own experiences, O what a weariness is it?— when will the New-moon be gone, that we may sell Corn? and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat? We feel a sweetness in these present enjoyments of the World, but as for Holiness, Grace, Religion, the Discipline of Christ, we wonder where the sweetness is, we can find no such secret golden Mines in these spiritual diggings.

I answer, 1. This indeed is the speech of carnal and prophane men, they feel no sweetness, easiness, pleasantness in Gods wayes; The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned: but he that is spiritual judgeth or discerneth all things. Poor souls! till God speak to your hearts you cannot understand this hidden Manna: It is ob∣served that God never sent the pleasant Manna unto Israel so long as their Flower and Bread of Aegypt lasted; so never will you tast how good the Lord is, so long as you doat on sin and vanity.

2. Though you feel not these things for the present, yet in time you may do; yea certainly if you belong to God, in time you will do; O but when? you will say, when? I answer, the first tast of this sweetness is usually at the first taking of Christs yoak upon us; as Merchants desire us to sell their waters, are content in the first place to let you see, and handle, and tast, thereby to induce you to buy: so Jesus Christ willing (as it were) to part with Heaven, he is content in the first place to impart a certain tast be∣fore hand, and to sweeten the wayes of goliness unto us; B••hold, I will allure her (saith God) and bring her into the Wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. What is it that God means by alluring of his people? I answer, it contains these things. As,—

1. A discovery of the beauty of holiness; when God first effectually calls the soul home to himself, he sets open the beauty of his service; naturally the heart is possessed with much prejudice against the wayes of Religion, Oh what a strict rule is this to carnal men, to pull out their right eyes, to cut off their right hands, to hate Father, and Mother, and Wife, and Lands, and Life for the Name of Christ, to cross their own desires, to deny their own selves, to mortifie their earthly members, to follow the Lamb through evil report and good report, through afflictions, and persecutions, and manifold temptations whithersoever he goeth, to war with principalities, and powers, and spiritual wickednesses in high places? and hence it is that the Lord is forc'd to set forth the wayes of Christ as beautiful, even under crosses and afflictions; thus when the watchman smote the Church, and wounded her, and took away her vail, yet she still acknowledged Christ (for whose sake she suffered) to be white and ruddy, the fairest of ten thousands. Christ sets forth himself and his wayes in all the grace, and goodness, and beauty, and sweetness, and loveliness that possibly may be; q. d. by these I will al∣lure them that belong unto me.

2. An out-bidding of all the temptations of other Lovers; before Christ come, souls go a whoring from Christ, their hearts are allured by other lovers; the world, the flesh, and the Devil come in, and they proffer Souls such and such contentments; but when Christ comes; he deals with souls in a more Powerful way, and he out-bids all their former lovers, q. d. Did their lovers proffer them comfort? I will bid more comfort; Did their lovers proffer gain? I will bid more gain; Did their lovers proffer honour and respect? I will out-bid them in that also. And indeed, then hath the Gospel a true, and full, and gracious work upon the heart, when it yields to the proffers of the Gospel, as finding that all that the World can bid is now out-bidden; you know, when one comes to offer so much for a commodity, and another out-bids him, he carries it away; so when the World, and lust, and sin proffer to the soul such and such contents, then comes Christ and out-bids all, and so the bargain is made up, and Christ carries the heart away; sin∣ners, it may be as yet you feel none of these things, but in time you may do, and in the mean time you see here is a word for it, Behold I will allure her, &c.

3. They object, the Saints themselves feel no such things, for ought appears to the World; whose spirits are more heavy and sad? as it is said of Christ himself, that he ne∣ver laughed, and as David said of himself, Why art thou cast down O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? So it may be said of some Christians, if they are strict, that they are seldom merry, or pleasant.—

But I answer—1. Christians that keep indeed close to the rule, are for the most part serious, and the word may suppose them, as sad.

2. It may be they are not in their element, in the acts of Religion, and therefore they cannot express their spiritual cheerfulness; a fish cannot delight it self on the Earth, but when it is in the water; a Bird doth not sing on the ground, but when it is got up into the air; Gods people cannot rejoyce in sin, as drunkards and revellers do; but when their hearts are in Religious exercises, and in communion with God, they are merry and pleasant.

3. It may be they are in such company as may make them sad: the men of the World object against Saints, that they are heavy, and sowr, and melancholy men; but in the mean time they consider not that their swearing, revelling, and dishonouring of God hath made them so pensive. Why sinners! your carriage grieves the very Spirit of God, You grieve God at the heart, as it is expressed, Gen. 6.6. and therefore no wonder if the god∣ly cannot rejoyce in your sinful society; you are the cause of their sadness; but admit them once into the company and fellowship of the Saints, and they know how to be joy∣ful.

4. If it be so, that usually they are pensive and sad, it is not because of Religion, but because they are not more Religious; because they find so much want of godli∣ness in their own hearts; this was the cause of Pauls heaviness, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? And yet know, that all these sad∣nesses are true preparatives to joy; and therefore in the very next words, the Apostle breakes out into that sweet Doxology, I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Ne∣ver was true sorrow for sin, but it ended in rejoycings, and praises, and thanksgiving to God,

Why then be convinced; Ah deceived souls! say not that God is an hard Master, reaping where he sowed not, and gathering where he strawed not; say not that his wayes are tedious, and irksome, and uncomfortable wayes; but rather taste, and see, and try how good the Lord is; experience the truth of these words, My Yoak is easie, and my Burthen is light: What is lighter than that Burthen, which instead of burthening Chears up the party on which it is laid? Just like those burthens of Cinnamon, that refresh those that carry them through the deep sands of Arabia. An holy Divine once endea∣vouring to convince men of the sweetness and pleasantness of Gods wayes by his own experiences; I call H••aven and Earth to Record (saith he) that these things are truths of God; they are not notions, or conceits, but certain realities: Another flyes somewhat higher; If men would in earnest (sayes he) abandon the Devils service, and give up their names to Christ in truth; and try, I dare assure them in the Word of Life and Truth, they would not exchange the saddest hour of all their life afterward, with the prime and flower of all their former sensual pleasures, might they have ten thousand worlds to boot; her wayes are wayes of pleasure, saith Solomon.

2. You that are so convinc'd, I beseech you carry on the work of God sweetly, com∣fortably, and with delight: the Psalmist sayes, Blessed is the man that delights in the Law of the Lord. And Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk chearfully in the Law of the Lord. And blessed is the man that delighteth greatly in his Law. And it is written upon the heart of Christ, I delight to do thy will O my God, yea they Law is within my heart; as God loves a cheerful giver, so a chearful server; Come take my Yoak upon you, saith Christ, for my Yoak is easie; it is not an Iron Yoak of Bondage, but a Chain of heaven∣ly Pearls to adorn your souls.

[Quest. 1] Oh, but how should we carry on the Work, the Yoak, the Duty, the Practise of Piety, and of Religion pleasantly? I answer.

1. Be sure to keep the heart right and upright within; let all we do be in sincerity, and let all we are in respect of the inner man be at peace within; sence and reason can tell us, that according to the tempter within, so there is the relishing of things without; he that acts in sincerity, and hath peace within, can easily go through the duties that are required without, with joy and comfort.

2. Exercise saith in the work and office of the Holy Ghost; I mean that work and office to which the Holy Ghost is designed, by the Father, and the Son, both to help his people, and to be the Comforter of his people. 1. The holy Ghost is designed to help his people; Likewise the Spirit helpeth our infirmities; the word in the Original† doth properly imply such an help, as when another man of strength and ability steppeth in, to sustain the burthen that lyeth upon weak shoulders; why, this makes Christs Burthen light, we do not bear all the weight, for the holy Ghost puts under his shoulder. 2. The Holy Ghost is designed to comfort his People. Christ calls him the Spirit, the Comforter; because he brings in a kind of spiritual joy, and spiritual comfort. Mark, it is not a natural, but a spiritual joy; Oh what a vast difference is there betwixt the comforts of a carnal heart, and the comforts of the godly? The one comes from a little meat, or drink, or creature vanity; but the other comes from the exercise of Faith, about the of∣fice of the Holy Ghost, who is designed to this work? surely here is the way to carry on duty sweetly, and comfortably, and with delight (i.e.) to be in the exercise of faith on the work and office of the Holy Ghost, as he is our Helper and Comforter, 1 Pet. 2.9.

3. Understand what is in Christian Religion, and in the practise of it to cause de∣light. As.—

1. In every duty and gracious acting of it, there is more of the Glory of God, than in the whole frame of Heaven and Earth besides; Herein is my Fa∣ther glorified, that you bear much Fruit, John. 15.8. Oh, if we but thus looked at

the profession and practice of Christian Religion, we could not but take pleasure in it.

2. In every duty and gracious acting of it, there is the seed of glory, and eternal life; sometimes there breaks out in the very exercise of duty a joy in the Holy Ghost, a foretast of Glory; but howsoever there is the seed of Glory; and though the seed of Glory be not seen, but lye as it were under ground dead, and unseen, yet in time it will spring up unto eternal life: why, thus look at the practice of Religion, and it will be sweeter to us than Honey and the Honey-Comb, it will be more precious than Gold, yea than much fine Gold.

But how should we know the difference betwixt the natural pleasantness, and this [Quest. 2] spiritual pleasantness in Religion? I know Christians may put a lustre upon the wayes of God by their natural pleasantness, and chearfulness of spirit; but because we speak of a spiritual joy, and comfort, and not of a natural, wherein lies the difference? I answer.—

1. If it be a spiritual pleasantness, it will be serious; I have said of laughter it is mad, and of mirth what doth it? There is much lightness and vanity in such breakings out of natural pleasantness, but in spiritual pleasantness all is grave, and sober, and exceeding serious.

2. If it be a spiritual pleasantness, it can stand with repentance, and humiliation, and the fear of God, rejoyce with trembling, saith the Psalmist; spiritual rejoycing may con∣sist with trembling: And blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his Commandments; the fear of God may consist with these spiritual delights in the Commandments of God.

3. If it be spir••••ual pleasantness, it is our strength; The joy of the Lord is our strength, saith Nehemiah; nothing animates souls more in duties than joy doth; it carries on the soul more fully: it is as oyl that causeth the wheels of Christian practise to go on more freely: we may be naturally pleasant, and then coming to spiritual duties our hearts are dead; but if out pleasantness be spiritual, our hearts will be strengthened in the wayes of God.

4. If it be a spiritual pleasantness, it will bear up the heart in want of all outward pleasantness; Although the Fig-Tree shall not Blossome, neither shall fruit be in the Vines, the labour of the Olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, the Flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls, yes I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. When all is dark abroad in the World, the soul in this frame will rejoyce in God alone; on the contrary, the soul that hath only a natural pleasant∣ness of Spirit, when affliction comes, it is all amort, and down; I appeal to you that have the most delightful spirits, when you have friends, and means, and all you like, you are jocund and merry; but when affliction comes, how quickly are your spirits down? surely your pleasantness is not spiritual, for if so, it would bear up your hearts joyful in affliction.

And now again the Passover, a Feast of the Jews was nigh: our English Annotati∣ons on these words can tell us, that this seems to be the third Passover after Christ's baptisme. And therefore here I conclude the third year of Christ's Ministry; there is but one year more before Christs death, to which now I come, and to some passages therein, most observable in reference to our Souls salvation.

Notes

• Mat. 11.29, 30.
• 1 John 7.3.
• Isa. 40.4.
• Isa. 35.8.
• Psal. 25.9.
• 1 John. 5.3. Rom. 8.2. Rom. 7.6.
• 1 Cor. 1 19.
• 1 Cor. 1.24.
• Wisd. 5.7.
• 2 Cor. 3.17.
• John. 8.31, 32
• Psal. 119.165. Isa. 57.20, 21.
• Psal. 55.9.
• John. 14.27.
• Eph. 4.12.
• 2 Cor. 5.20.
• Psal. 37.37.
• Psal. 19.11.
• Heb. 11.26.
• 1 Cor. 9.24.
• Matth. 8.12. Mark 9.44.
• Can. 3.10.
• Heb. 1.14.
• Isa. 30.21.
• Rom. 8.14.
• Gal. 5.24.
• Rom. 7.24. Ver. 23. 2 Cor. 12.9.
• Phil. 4.13. Rom. 8.37. Psal. 119.32.
• Ʋse.
• Psal. 119.97, 174. Psal. 19.11.
• Mal. 1.13. Amos 8.5.
• 1 Cor. 2.14, 15.
• Hos. 2.14.
• Cant. 5.7, 10.
• Psal. 42.5.
• Gen. 6.6.
• Rom. 7.24.
• Prov. 3.17.
• Ʋse 2. Psal. 1.1, 2. Psal. 119.1. Psal. 40.8.
• Answ.
• †

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. John 14.26. and 15.26.
• Rom. 8.26.
• 1 Pet. 2.9.
• Answ. Eccles. 2.2.
• Psal. 2.11. Psal. 112.1.
• Nehem. 8.10.
• Heb. 3.17, 18.
• John 6.4.
• So Aretius, and others.