ah (1 Kings i. 6; Eccl. ii. 10); who have not displeased
their flesh at any time, nor said, "Why hast thou done so?" who do not
withhold their heart from any joy, and whatsoever their eyes desire, they
keep it not from them; who are like the "wild ass used to the wilderness,
that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure" (Jer. ii. 24), and like "the
swift dromedary, traversing her ways" (ver. 23); who cannot endure to be
enclosed into so narrow a lane as ministers describe the way to heaven to
be. These are like fed oxen, which have room enough in the meadows, but
they are appointed for slaughter, when the labouring oxen, which are kept
under the yoke, shall be brought home to the stall and fed there. Was it
not so with the rich man and Lazarus? Luke xvi. 25. Nay, and many of the
children of God fall into this same error, of making the way of Christ
broader and easier than ever Christ made it, and taking more liberty than
ever he allowed; therefore mark ye well our Saviour's words: "Enter ye in
at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that
leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because
strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and
few there be that find it," Matt. vii. 13, 14. There be but few that seek
it, and yet fewer that find it, but fewest of all that enter in at it.

But how doth all this agree with Matt. xi. 30, "For my yoke is easy, and
my burden is light;" and 1 John v. 3, "His commandments are not grievous."

I answer, 1. That is spoken to poor souls that are labouring and heavy
laden; a metaphor taken from beasts drawing a full cart,--which both labour
in drawing, and are weary in bearing. But my text speaketh to those that
are like undaunted heifers, and like bullocks unaccustomed to the yoke.
The same Christ is a sweet and meek Christ to some, but a sour and severe
Christ to others.

2. Christ's yoke is easy in comparison of the yoke of the law, which
neither we nor our fathers were able to bear.

3. As wisdom is easy to him that understandeth, so is Christ's yoke easy,
and his burden light, to those that are well acquainted with it, and have
good experience of it: "When thou goest, thy steps shall not be
straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shall not stumble," Prov. iv. 12:
this is spoken of the way of wisdom. But he saith, "When thou goest," not
"when thou beginnest," or "when thou enterest." If thou art but once upon
thy progress,