many instances, I shall insist only on one, a notable instance of this year: one of the Pharisees named Simon, invited Christ to eat with him, Luke 7:37. Into whose house when he had entered, a certain woman that was a sinner abiding there in the city, heard of it; a widow she was, and, prompted by her wealth and youth to an intemperate life, she came to Jesus in the Pharisee's house; and no sooner come, but she lays her burden at Jesus' feet, and presents him with a broken heart, and weeping eye, and an alabaster box of ointment, verse 38. "She stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with her tears, and to wipe them with the hairs of her head; and she kissed his feet, and anointed them with ointment." 1. "She stands at his feet, a sign of her humility; O what a change! She that was before married to a noble personage, a native of the town and castle of Magdal, from whence she had her name of Magdalene; and she that now was a widow, and therefore now took her liberty of pride and lust; who so proud and vile as Mary Magdalene? At this time, she comes in remorse, and regret for her sins, and throwing away her former pride, she stoops, and waits, and humbly stands at Jesus' feet. 2. "She stood at his feet behind him;" a blushing sign of faith: it comprehends in it a tacit confession of her sins: she knew herself unwor thy of Christ's presence, she durst not look him in the face, but believingly she waits behind him! her shame speaks her repentance, and her waiting on him, and not flying from him, speaks her faith. 3. "She stood at his feet behind him weeping," her grief burst out in tears, she heeds not the feast or feaster, though usually they are accompanied with joy, and mirth, and music; and such feasts attended with such vanities, she many a time had probably observed, yet now she comes in trembling to this feast, and falling down before Christ, she weeps, and weeps bitterly for her sins. 4. "She began to wash his feet with tears;" her tears were not feigned but fruitful; she wept a shower of tears: one considering her tears, cries out, Terra rigat cœlum, The very earth bedews heaven; her eyes that before were abused to lust, are now fountains of tears, she pours out a flood, great enough to wash the feet of her blessed Jesus: this was the manner of the Jews, to eat their meat lying down, and leaning on their elbows: or if many eat together, leaning on the bosoms of one another: thus at the passover, it is said, That "there was leaning on Jesus' bosom, one of his disciples whom Jesus loved," John 13:23. And in this posture, Jesus sitting or lying at meat, Mary had the conveniency to weep on his feet, which he had cast behind his fellow; and, O how she weeps amain! the tears so trickled, that she begins to wash Christ's feet; she not only waters them, but washes them. That which Jeremiah wished, Jer. 9:1. “O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears!" Mary fulfils, for her head is waters, and her eyes are fountains; rivers of tears run down her eyes, Oh! she had pierced Christ with her sins, and now she weeps over him whom she had pierced; crying out as we may imagine, O my sins! and, O my Christ! O foul sins! and O sweet Jesus!" 5. "She wipes his feet with the hairs of her head;" her hair added to her beauty, sometimes in curling rings, or unseemly sheds; she made it a snare for men, but now she consecrates it to her Lord, and makes it a towel to wipe Christ's feet withal: O here is a worthy fruit of serious repentance, the apostle calls it "a holy revenge," 2 Cor. 7:11. 6. She kissed his feet, in token of her new choice, and new love, and new affections: her kisses had been formerly to wantons, but now she bestows them on the feet of Christ. 7. "She anointed them with ointment," which expression was so great an ecstasy of love, and sorrow, and adoration, that to anoint the

feet of the greatest monarch, was long unknown, and in all the pomp of Roman prodigality, it was never used till Otho taught it Nero. When Simon observed this sinner so busy in the expressions of her religion, he thought within himself, that Christ was no prophet, that he did not know her to be a sinner; for, although the Jews' religion did permit harlots to live and to enjoy the privileges of the nation, save that their oblations were refused, yet the Pharisees, who pretended to a greater degree of sanctity than others, would not admit them to civil usages, or the benefits of ordinary society; and, hence, Simon made an objection within himself, which Jesus knowing, (for he understood his thoughts as well as his words) first he makes her apology, and then his own; the scope giving us to understand that Christ was not of the same superciliousness with the Pharisees, but that repenting sinners should be welcome to him; and this welcome he published first to Simon, Luke 7:47. "Her sins which are many are forgiven;" and then to the woman, verse 48. "Thy sins are for. given thee, verse 50. Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace."

Use. I have been long on the proof: but a word of use, and I have done. What, is Christ most willing to receive sinners? O then be exhorted, Who would not come to Jesus Christ? Methinks, now all sinners of all sorts should say, Though I have been a drunkard, a swearer, an unclean person, yet now I hear Christ is willing to receive sinners, and therefore I will go to Jesus Christ. This is my exhortation, O come unto Christ, come unto Christ! behold, here in the name of the Lord, I stand, and make invitation to poor sinners; Oh, will not ye come? How will you answer it at the great day, when it shall be said, The Lord Jesus made a tender and offer of mercy to you, and you would not accept of it? Oh, come to Christ, and believe on Christ: as Christ is willing to receive you, so be you willing to give up your souls to him. The motives to this I may lay down in these particulars.

1. The doctrine of Christ, "Come unto me,-and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." All the arguments of God and Christ, of which you have heard, the practice of Christ while he was upon the earth, and the heart of Christ now in heaven: lay these together, and apply them to your own souls; Oh, what work will they make!

2. The calls of God and Christ, as they are frequent in the scriptures: consider that text, " Ho, every one that thirsts come ye to the waters," Isa. 5:1. (Ho.) He begins proclamation-wise: we usually say, vocations, interjections speak very affectionate motion towards the distressed. Certainly Christ's love is a very affectionate love: he lays his mouth to the ears of those that are spiritually deaf, and cries aloud, (Ho) every one, Christ invites all: "As many as ye shall find, bid them to the marriage," Matth. 22:9. As the heavens are general in their influence, not one grass on the ground but is bedewed: so are Christ's invitations to his feast: not one man in all the world but he is invited; "(Ho, every one that thirsteth) so the apostle," Let him that is athirst, come; and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely, Rev. 22:17. A thirst and a will is one and the same; it is your will that makes up the match: if you will but sit down at God's table, if you will but have the honey-comb with the honey, if you will drink his wine with his milk; if you will drink, yea, drink abundantly of the flagons of the wine of his kingdom; why, then, "Come ye to the waters, come unto me and drink." Christ's arms are spread abroad to receive sinners: he calls and knocks, and calls and waits, and calls and beseeches: every word here hath such sweetness and dearness in it as it plainly speaks him free and willing to receive you, if you will but come.

8. The wooings of Christ are to gain your hearts: consider him bowing the heavens, and coming down, and laying aside his robes of majesty: consider him going about from place to place on no other errand, but to gain your hearts, and win your souls: and, who ever spake such effectual words as Christ spake when he was upon earth? Who ever gave such precious jewels to a bride, as Christ gave to his spouse? Who ever put on such an apparel as Christ did when he wooed his church? The prophet wonders at it. "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah! Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat!" Isa. 63:1,2. Who ever gave such a love-token as Christ gave when he laid down his life? Oh, consider him living or dying, and say, "Never love like to this." Ah, poor sinner! see your Je. sus hanging on the cross, dropping out his last blood, breathing out his last breath, stretching out his dying arms to encircle sinners; and come, oh, come and throw yourselves into his bleeding arms! away with all prejudicate opinion! who will say, Christ is not willing to save him, and not blaspheme eternal love! Speak truth, corrupt hearts, speak truth, say not Christ is unwilling, but you are unwilling; I would, but ye would not.

4. The weepings of Christ if he cannot prevail. Thus we find him in the gospel expressing himself, not only in words, but in tears. And when he was come near Jerusalem, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Luke 19:41. Christ coming to the city, and seeing, and foreseeing the desolation that should come upon it, his bowels yearned within him towards the people, and he mourned secretly within himself, q. d. O Jerusalem, thou hast had many priests to advise thee, and many prophets to instruct thee in the ways of life, but now these days are gone and past; nay, the great prophet of the world is come to woo thee, but yet thy heart is hardened, and thou wilt not receive the things belonging to thy peace, and therefore I will turn my preaching into mourning and sighing, "Oh that thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day the things belonging to thy peace." And then his heart even breaks, and he weeps again, "but now they are hid from thine eyes!" Sinners, suppose Christ should come and weep over you, as he did over Jerusalem, saying, "O ye sinful souls had but you known, even you in this your day the things belonging to your peace!" And, suppose you should see one tear trickling down after another: what, Christ to weep for you, over you? methinks, if you had hearts of stone, it should melt your hearts: surely it is no light matter that makes Christ weep; children weep often, but wise men seldom, yet here the wisest of men weeps for them that would not weep for themselves: Ob Jerusalem, Jerusalem!

SECT. IV. Of Christ's easy Yoke, and light Burden.

3. For the easiness of Christ's yoke, and the lightness of Christ's bur den, Christ delivers it in these words, Matth. 11:29,30. "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." See the actings of Christ this year, in reference to our soul's health. 1. He commissions 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 Christ's institutions; and therefore, to remove that objection, he tells them plainly, there is no such thing, but rather clean contrary, "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

"My yoke," (i. e.) my commandments: so the apostle John gives the

interpretation, 1 John 5:3. "His commandments are not grievous." My yoke is easy, (i. e.) My commandments are without any inconveniency: the trouble of a yoke is not the weight, but the uneasiness of it, and Christ speaks suitably, "My yoke is easy, and my burden," (i. e.) my institutions: the word primarily, signifies the freight or ballast of a ship, which cuts through the waves, as if it had no burden; and without which burden there is no safety in a ship, (Phortion para to pheresthei) a ferendo, ⚫ a burden, which is laid upon the shoulder, or rather which is put into a ship, that it may go steadily and safely. My burden is light: the yoke of the law was hard, and the burden of the Pharisees was heavy, but Christ's yoke is easy, and his burden is light, every way sweet and pleasant.

Christian religion, and the practice of it, are full of sweetness, easiness and pleasantness; my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. The prophets prophesying of this, say thus, Isa. 40:4. "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 ways 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 easy and convenient passage unto heaven: to the same purpose is that other prophecy. "And an high way (or causeway) shall be there: and a way, a causeway, and a way;" (that is, a way cast up,) Isa. 35:8. "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 err therein." Christ's way is so easy, that the simplest so couducted by his word and Spirit, shall not miss it, Psal. 25:9. "The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way." The apostles are yet more clear, 1 John 5:3. "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous," Rom. 8:2. "And the lawof the Spirit of life in Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death," Rom. 7:6. "And now are we delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serve in the newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." Christ Jesus came to break off from our necks those two great yokes; the one of sin, by which we were kept in fetters and prisons: the other of Moses' law by which we were kept in pupilage and minority: and now Christ having taken off these two, he hath put on a third; he quits us of our burden, but not of our duty; he hath changed the yoke of sin, and the yoke of the law strictly taken, into the sweetness of his fatherly regimen, whose very precepts carry part of their reward in hand, and assurance of glory afterwards.

The reasons of the sweetness, easiness, and pleasantness of Christian religion, and the practice 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 quintessence 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 Sun of righteousness. Some observe, that Christ's discipline is the breviary of all the wisdom of the best men, and a fair copy and transcript of his Father's wisdom. There is nothing in the laws of Christian religion, but what is perfective of our spirits; rare expedient of obeying God, and of doing duty and benefit to all capacities and orders of men.

Indeed the Greeks, whom the world admired for their human wisdom, ac counted the preaching of the gospel foolishness, and thereupon God blast. ed 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 foolishness unto some, but "unto them which are called-Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God," 1. Cor. 1:24. 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 employment is nothing but sitting religiously quiet, and undisturbed with variety of im pertinent affairs, but he that loves the world entertains a thousand businesses, and every business hath a world of employments: how easy a thing is it to restore a pledge? 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 ways of sin are crooked, desert, rocky, and uneven ways: the apocryphal book of Solomon brings in such men, as if in hell they were speaking this language, Wisd. 5:7. "We wea ried ourselves 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," 2 Cor. 3:17. O the pains, troubles, expenses that men are at to serve their sensuality! see how the ambitious man riseth early, and goes to bed late; see how he flatters, dissembles, solicits to obtain nothing but a little wind, a puff, a breath of vain men's mouths! see how the covetous man toils, as if he were tied in a galley by the leg, with in a chain, to serve by rowing for ever! so I have heard that Turks use some Christians; 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, ears, eyes, heart, and all. Only the Christian is at liberty: only Christian religion, and the practice of it, sets men at liberty, John 8:31,32. "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 also composed of peace, "Her ways are the ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace,' Prov. 3:17. Christ framed all his laws in compliance of this design of peace, peace within, and peace at home, and peace abroad: 1. It holds forth a certain heavenly peace, and tranquillity within, Psal. 119:165. "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," Isa. 57:20,21. Their passions were never yet mortified; and such passions usually range in wicked men, as are most contrary, and demand contrary things: the desire of honor cries, spend here: but the passion of av. arice cries, hold thy hands; lust cries, venture here; but saith pride, no such thing, it may turn to thy dishonor; anger cries, revenge thyself here; but ambition says, it is better to dissemble. And here is fulfilled that of the Psalmist, "I have seen violence and strife in the city," Psal. 55:9. 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