"commandments" of the gospel " are not grievous" to the soul which is purified "by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." (Titus iii. 5.) Neither are they impracticable, through the grace which is "shed abundantly on on" the sincere servant of the Redeemer. They are not grievous, but delightful; as to David, when he said, "Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein is my delight." "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth." (Ps. cxix. 35. 103.) They are not impracticable, but easy for we are taught by the experience of an apostle to say, in a career of life far more difficult than any we shall have to "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Phil. iv. 12.) run, In this sense the yoke of Christ is really light and easy. Those who try it will find it so; and will certainly find the yoke of this world a heavy burthen in comparison. This is a passage which should lead all to examine themselves, and inquire, whether they have received it into their hearts, and taken the invitation home. Blessed are those who can say, I have understood the labour and the burthen here described, and I have sought the rest here promised. The yoke of Christ was imposed upon me when a child, as that which I was to bear through life: I have now taken it upon myself, of my own free choice and purpose; What he requires is the rest here promised; -something which he can lean upon. I am burthened with the sense of sin; but Christ has eased me of the load; "there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." I am perplexed with the feeling of my infirmities: but Christ has said “ My grace is sufficient for thee." And so he gives me rest. Still it is plain, from all reason and from all Scripture, that an effort must be made on the part of every man to entitle him to this promise; to let him enjoy this rest. And that effort is here described as taking upon us the yoke, the service of Christ, and learning of him. This every one must consent to do, must make it his choice to do. The yoke is not so put upon us that we are to remain ignorant and passive under it; but we must take it upon ourselves. Two inducements, however, are held out; Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart. He who gives this invitation, though "he was in the beginning with God, and was God," yet stoopeth down to behold the inhabitants of earth, nay, even to favour those whom others overlook: he is meek and lowly of heart, not like the Pharisees who spoke of " the people that knew not the law," as "cursed." And further, his yoke is easy, and his burthen light. We must not misinterpret this, so as to contradict other words of our Lord, which tell us, that "narrow is the gate that leadeth unto life;" that those must "strive who would enter in;” which warn us to "watch and pray, that we enter not into temptation," for that "many are called, but few chosen." The meaning is, that the and I desire to carry it unto the end. To the "inward man," the yoke is easy and the burthen light; for "I consent unto the law that it is good;" and in knowing, from a gracious assurance, that whilst I "abide in Christ," he will "abide in me,” and that "the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death;" I find rest unto my soul. Mark ii. 23-28. Luke vi. 1-5. LECTURE XXX. SABBATH DAY. MATT. xii. 1—21. 1. At that time Jesus went on the sabbath-day through the corn: and his disciples were an hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.1 2. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath-day. 3. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did when he was an hungered, and they that were with him: 4. How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? "To do this was allowed by the law of Moses: (Deut. xxiii. 25:) "When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand: but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour's standing corn." 5. Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath-days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? 6. But I say unto you, that in this place is one greater than the temple. 7. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. 8. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath-day. The Pharisees accused the disciples of profaning the sabbath. Our Lord defends them by showing that the law itself did not forbid things needful; preferred mercy to sacrifice; did not intend that a man should perish rather than the letter of the law should be exceeded. For example, the law commanded that the bread called the shew-bread, placed on the altar, should be given, after a certain time, to the priests, and be eaten by them alone: for having been offered to God, it was holy. Notwithstanding, their history told them of a time when David, being persecuted by Saul and flying from him with his band of men, was an hungered, and they that were with him: and in that case of necessity did eat the shew-bread, without blame from his own conscience or from God. The sacrifice regularly made by the priests was an example to the same purpose. It was ordered in the law, that the priests should sacrifice two lambs on the sabbath-day. This was working; working was profaning the sabbath; yet being agreeable to the will of God, this work did not profane it. 2 Hosea vi. 6. Supra, ix. 13. |