2. II. Why should we take this Yoke upon us ? 1. We should take the Yoke of His Doctrine upon us ; 1. Because it is Divine, 2 Tim. iii. 16. of His Commands; because, cxix. 116. 2. Easy, S. Matt. xi. 30. 1 S. Joh. V. 3. Vid. Vol. X. Serm. 2d of this Author's. 3 of His Cross. 67, 71. evidencing God's Love to us, Hebr. 4. testifying our Love to Him. S. raising in us Desires of Heaven. Now, to persuade you to take Christ's Yoke upon you; Consider, 1. The Yoke of Obedience, Phil ii. 8. of Punishment, 2 Cor. V. 21. 2. If you take not Christ's Yoke upon you; you must have the Devil's, Š. Matt. vi. 24. 3. Christ's Yoke will free you from That of Satan. 4. It is the Badge of a Chriftian. 5. Take His Yoke on your shoulders now, and He will set His Crown on your Head hereafter, S. Matt, xi. 29. 2 Tim. iv. 8. S. MATT. xii. 6,7 CH 3. 4. S. MATT. xi. 29. And learn of me. 1. From His Precepts. xxviii. 19. Satisfaction for the Sins of Men, His Resurrection and ours, i Cor. XV. 1 2. 1. Repent, S. Matt. iv. 17. should do unto us, S. Matt. yii. 12. X. 31: 2. Spiritual Things before Temporal. 3. To desire but Food and Raiment con venient, Prov. xxx. 8. I Tim. vi. 8. 4. To have a Sense of GOD's Greatness and Mercy, when we come before Him. 5. To praise Him for Mercies receiv'd. [See the Exposition on S. Matt. vi. 9, 10, 11,&c.] 1. From xvi. 24.] 1. From His Practice. Lotto Him in universal Goodness. [ See this more largely explair’d upon S. Matt. 2. How to die: 1. With Patience, Ifa. liji. 7. S. Luk. xxiii. 46. II. Reasons of this Command, or why we are to learn of Christ. 1. He is our Master, S. Joh. xiii 13. 2. This was one End of His Conversing so long amongst Men. UI. Arguments to enforce the Practice of it. Consider, 1. What a Mercy it is, that He hath vouchfafed to teach us, s. Matt. xi. 25. 2. We may be certain, that what He said and did was good, and therefore most fit and necessary for us to do and follow, S. Joh. vii. 46. 3. The Disciples always follow'd Him, 1 Cor. xi. 1. This is the only Mark of our being His Disciples. $Learn of Him, and live with Him. Ŝi Matta S. MATT. xi. 29. I. 1. Meek. 2. Lowly. In the right ordering of the Passion of Anger ; that we be not angry, 1. Without a just Cause, S. Matt. v. 22. 5. Nor so as to utter Folly, Psal. cvi. 33. 1. Consider the Nature of Anger, Prov. xlix. 7. xxvii. 4: 2. the Effects of it. 1. It hinders all Good, S.Jam. i. 20. I Tim. ii. 8. 2. It darkens the Understanding, Gen. xxxiv. 25. 1 Sam. XXV. 13, 22. Oude's uet' oggñs do pan@s Bragueta. Menand. 3. It confounds the Thoughts. An eft quicquam fimilius infania quam irá? Cicero. 4. It stifles all Virtues, Justice, Mercy, S. Jam. ii. 13. Meekness, Patience, Hebr. X. 36. 5. Raises Strifes and Contentions. * 3. ' Anger is giving way to Satan, Ephef. iv. 27. K 4. The 7. . 4. The wise. Man advises not to make Friendship with the Angry, Prov. xxii. 24. Whereas, Meekness 5. Is the Fruit of the Spirit, Gal. v. 22, 23. 6. the Sign of Wisdom, S. Jam. iii. 13. an Argument of Valour, Prov. xvi.32. 8. It allays Strife, Prov. xy. 1. 9. Brings a Blessing, S. Matt. v. 3. Pfal. xxxvii, 11. 10. God will teach the Meek, Pfal. xxv. 9. and establish them, Psal. cxlvii. 6. and fave them, Pfal. cxlix. 4. 11.' Our Saviour was so. 2. What is it to be lowly ? This implies, 1. Humility towards GOD. Consisting, 1. In the Acknowledgment of our Imper fections in Respect of Him, Ifa. xl. 6. Job xlii. 6. of our Sins and Guilt, Rom. iü. 19. S. Luk. xviii. 11. 3. In Submission to His Judgments, 1 Sam. iii. 18. Job i. 21. 4. Admiring His Ways, Rom. xi. 33, 34. 5. Reverence in His Prefence, Gen. xviii. 27. Ecclef. v. 1, 2, 3. Rev. iv. 10. 6. Thinking nothing too low for us to do for Him, Phil. ii. 8. S. Joh. xiii. 14. towards Men; as, d. Not to think ourselves wifer, Prov. xxvi. 12. - nor better than others, Phil. ij. 3. Rom. xii. 10. 1 Tim. i. 15. 3. Not affect Honour and Preeminence, S. Matt. xxiii, 6, 7, 8. 4. Nor to carry ourselves beyond our Degree. 2. 2. 2. |