THE YOKE OF CHRIST.

SERMON 34.

A

MATTHEW XI. 30.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

CLEAR view of divine truth is of the utmost mo

ment, both to the holiness and comfort of the children of God. They are fanctified by the truth. It is no lefs neceffary, by manifeftation of the truth, to turn finners from the error of their ways; for the word of God is quick and powerful. While we keep these things in view, we ought alfo to remember, that the truths of God are injured, not only by oppofition, but perversion. We are affured that thofe who are unlearned and unftable, wreft this good word of God to their own destruction. If this is the cafe, it follows naturally, that as the bait is moft dangerous, when the hook is most effectually concealed; fo falfhood will be moft apt to infinuate itself, when it wears the habit, and has the greatest resemblance to real truth.

The reafon of my ufing this introduction to what shall be offered on the text now read, is, that it is one of the paffages moft frequently, and most artfully perverted, or moft unhappily mifapplied. It contains a moft important and falutary truth, if taken in its proper meaning, and according to the analogy of faith. But as it is wrefted and VOL. II. Oo

perverted by men of corrupt minds, it is often made to convey a ftupifying and dangerous poifon. What more important, than to deftroy the unjust accufations of the father of lies, as if religion were a heavy and infupportable burden? But if, on the other hand, the fame thing is made use of to few pillows for all armholes, and fing the finner afleep in fecurity, it is equally deftructive. Therefore, in difcourfing of this fubject, through the affiftance of divine grace, I will endeavor,

I. To fhow you what you are not to fuppofe, implied in this declaration of our Lord, "My yoke is easy, and my burden light."

II. What is its true and proper meaning, and

III. In the last place, to apply the fubject.

First, then, I am to show you what you are not to fup. pofe implied in this declaration of our Lord," My yoke is eafy, and my burden light." On this, I beseech you to attend to the following obfervations,

1. When our Saviour fays, "My yoke is eafy, and "my burden light," you are not to fuppofe that he has narrowed the extent, or weakened the obligation of the law of God. There are fome who fpeak in fuch terms, as if they thought that Chrift had granted fome licenfe and indulgence to human corruption: that he had abated the feverity of the law, and would not be fo highly offended by the tranfgreffion of it. Because we are taught that he hath redeemed us from the curfe of the law, or the rigor of its fanction as a covenant of works, they speak as if they thought, or at leaft fo as to lead others to think, that he hath made void the obligation of it as a rule of duty. But the law of God is perfect, eternal, and unchangeable. It is a transcript of his own nature, which he will not, or which, I fpeak it with reverence, he cannot difpenfe with. The fcripture exprefsly fays, that he cannot deny himself.

Now our bleffed Lord himfelf has told us upon this fubject, Matth. v. 17, 18. "Think not that I am come to de"ftroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, "but to fulfil. For verily I fay unto you, till heaven "and earth pals, one jot or one title fhall in no wife

pafs from the law, till all be fulfilled." Agreeably to this, he hath been fo far from narrowing the extent of the law, that he hath afferted its honor, vindicated it from the falfe gloffes and loofe interpretation of the Scribes and Pharifees; and pointed out its fpirituality and influence upon the confcience and heart. See feveral inftances of this in the above cited chapter, particularly verfes 21, 22, and 27, 28. "Ye have heard that it was faid by them of old "time, Thou shalt not kill: and, whofoever shall. kill, "fhall be in danger of the judgment: But I fay unto you, "that whofoever is angry with his brother without a caufe, "fhall be in danger of the judgment; and whofoever shall "fay to his brother, Raca, fhall be in danger of the coun. "cil: but whofoever shall say, thou fool, fhall be in dan"ger of hell-fire. Ye have heard that it was faid by them "of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I fay "unto you, that whofoever looketh on a woman to luft "after her, hath committed adultery with her already in "his heart." How diftant is this from relaxation, or from modifying and accommodating the law to the corruptions of men! And as to the obligation of the law, nothing is more clear, than that our Saviour has not taken from, but added to it in many ways. He has added to it by the clearness of the discovery which he hath made of the divine nature and will; by the moft glorious difplay of divine mercy through him; and as a juft and neceffary confequence, by the awful threatenings which he hath denounced against thofe who fhall continue to defpife the grace of the gospel. Hebrews ii. 2, 3. "For if the word fpoken by angels was ftedfaft, and every tranfgreffion "and difobedience received a juft recompence of reward; "how fhall we efcape if we neglect fo great falvation, "which at the first began to be fpoken by the Lord, and "was confirmed unto us by them that heard him?" And the fame epiftle, ch. x. verfes 26, 27, 28, 29, "For if we "fin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge "of the truth, there remaineth no more facrifice for fins, "but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery “indignation, which fhall devour the adverfaries. He "that defpifed Moles' law, died without mercy under two

or three witnesses: of how much forer punishment; fup, "pofe ye, fhall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden "under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood "of the covenant, wherewith he was fanctified an unholy "thing, and hath done defpite unto the Spirit of grace?" 2. When our Saviour fays, " my yoke is easy, and my burden is light," you are not to fuppofe he means to fay that real, and acceptable obedience to the law of God, is an eafy thing to men, as they are in themfelves, or in a finful and unrenewed ftate. Oh, fay fome, the gofpel is a humane and gentle difpenfation, the fame does not bear hard upon human weaknefs. If we fhould make him to fay this, my brethren, we should make him to speak in direct oppofition to many other paffages of fcripture, as well as to daily experience, and the nature and reafon of the thing. Men may if they pleafe, create to themfelves an image of religion, that fhall be quite gentle and pliant, that fhall have nothing in it offenfive to corrupt nature, or at any time oppofed to the manners of fafhionable life; but nothing can be more diftant from New-Teftament truth. There we are told that, Rom. viii. 7, 8, "Because the "carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not fubject "to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they "that are in the flefh, cannot pleafe God." There we are told, that men are by nature dead in trefpaffes and fins, that their recovery is the work of omnipotence, even the mighty power of God, and that none can bring a clean thing out of an unclean, but God alone. But why fhould we multiply paffages of fcripture to this purpose, when it is manifeft from the nature of the thing and daily experience? If it were eafy in this fenfe to put on Christ's yoke, it would alfo be common. Is not the prevalence of wickedness a proof to the contrary? Can any thing be more oppofite than fin and holinefs? None. Not even. light and darkness. Can any man then ferve two masters? Is it an eafy thing to love fin, and practife holiness? Da. we fee it is fo in any inftance? Do we reckon it is eafy for the drunkard to deny his appetite, when he fees the liquor giving its colour in the cup, and moving itself aright?. Is it eafy for the malicious perfon to govern his tongue, or

the covetous man to open his heart? The truth is, it is a direct contradiction, for the law of the Lord fearches, and chiefly requires the cbedience of the heart; and therefore to fuppofe, or imagine that the generality of men, who are under the dominion of fin, may notwithstanding keep the commandments of God, is an abfurdity which we would not be guilty of, in any other fubject. Either, fays our Saviour, "make the tree good and his fruit good;" &c. "Can a fountain send out at the fame place, fweet water and bitter?"

3. When our Saviour fays "my yoke is eafy, and my burden is light," you are not to fuppofe, that it is an eafy or trifling thing, or what the finner may do at any time by his own ftrength, to turn from fin to God. Nothing can be a more pernicious or a more flupifying dose to a poor careless finner, than to make him fuppose that he may easily at any time repent, when neceffity fhall urge him to it. The whole fyflem of divine truth ftands in direct oppofition to this error. There our condition by nature is confidered as not only miferable, but helpless. It is divine power alone that can effect the change, John vi. 44. "No man can come to me, except the Father, which hath fent me, draw him and I will raife him up at the last day." Pfal. cx. 3. "Thy people fhall be willing in the day of thy power." The greatness of the change neceflary to falvation demonftrates the fame thing, John iii. 3. "Verily, verily I fay unto thee, except a man

be born again, he cannot fee the kingdom of God."The multitudes that perish is a further proof. "Strive to "enter in at the ftrait gate," &c. To this may be added the danger of delay, and the hardening power of habit as frequently mentioned in fcripture, Eccles. xii. 1. "Re, "member now thy Creator, in the days of thy youth, "while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, "when thou shalt fay, I have no pleasure in them. Can "the Ethiopian change his fkin, or the Leopard his spots? "then may ye alfo, who are accuftomed to do evil, learn "to do well." To crown the whole, there are inftances in which the day of God's patience, and forbearance is clofed, and the finners eyes fhall not be opened on his