I gather it thus, Paul was here strucken down with an apprehension of sin, and being thus exceedingly humbled in the sight of his sins, Christ meets him upon the pliableness of his will, with a word of comfort, (Arise): this word is full of comfort, for it is as if he should have said, Paul be not too much dejected and cast down at the apprehension of thy sins, as if there were not abundant mercy in me to pardon it, but arise, that is, go, and I will show thee what thou shalt do, to save thine own soul; and it shall be told thee, what thou shalt do for me, but fear not, be of good comfort: now that Christ is full of mercy, we will prove it by Scripture, Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you: in these words, there are three things. First, the conditions of the persons that must come, and those are such as are weary and heavy laden. The second thing is the qualification of the persons that are truly weary, and heavy laden: first, they must be meek: secondly, they must be lowly: the third thing is, the pattern or teacher of them, and that ⟨p. 292⟩is Christ; the best, the holiest, and wisest Teacher in the world: learn of Me, I am ready to teach all, and to upbraid no man: and then in the last place, the thing that they must do; they must take Christs yoke, and so they shall be rid of their burden; the sum of it is this, if you be weary and heavy laden with your sins, and have a desire to be eased, it is no more, but come unto Christ, and he will ease you: that is, if you be heavy laden with sin, Christ is ready to take off your burden, and to put upon them the easy yoke of obedience and holiness. Again, in Esa. 57. I dwell in the high and mighty place, with him also, that is of a contrite and broken spirit, that is, there is but two places that God delights to dwell in, the one is in heaven, and the other place is, in a humbled heart: now surely, he will not dwell there where he loves not; for to dwell notes a special presence with them, that is, he will not only dwell in the heart, but he will make his presence to comfort the heart; and again, in Esa. 66. I will be near unto them that are humble, and that tremble at my words; that is, I will take a special care of them that are humble:
I gather it thus, Paul was here strucken downe with an apprehension of sinne, and being thus exceedingly humbled in the sight of his sinnes, Christ meets him upon the plyablenesse of his will, with a word of comfort, (Arise): this word is full of comfort, for it is as if hee should have said, Paul bee not too much dejected and cast downe at the apprehension of thy sinnes, as if there were not aboundant mercie in mee to pardon it, but arise, that is, goe, and I will shew thee what thou shalt doe, to save thine owne soule; and it shall be told thee, what thou shalt doe for mee, but feare not, bee of good comfort: now that Christ is full of mercy, we will proove it by Scripture, Matth. 11. 28. Come unto mee all that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you: in these words, there are three things. First, the conditions of the persons that must come, and those are such as are weary and heavy laden. The second thing is the qualification of the persons that are truly weary, and heavy laden: first, they must bee meeke: secondly, they must be lowly: the third thing is, the patterne or teacher of them, and that ⟨p. 292⟩is Christ; the best, the holiest, and wisest Teacher in the world: learne of Mee, I am ready to teach all, and to upbraid no man: and then in the last place, the thing that they must doe; they must take Christs yoke, and so they shall be rid of their burthen; the summe of it is this, if you bee weary and heavy laden with your sinnes, and have a desire to be eased, it is no more, but come unto Christ, and hee will ease you: that is, if you bee heavy laden with sinne, Christ is ready to take off your burthen, and to put upon them the easie yoke of obedience and holinesse. Againe, in Esa. 57. I dwell in the high and mightie place, with him also, that is of a contrite and broken spirit, that is, there is but two places that God delights to dwell in, the one is in heaven, and the other place is, in a humbled heart: now surely, hee will not dwell there where he loves not; for to dwell notes a speciall presence with them, that is, hee will not onely dwell in the heart, but hee will make his presence to comfort the heart; and againe, in Esa. 66. I will bee neere unto them that are humble, and that tremble at my words; that is, I will take a speciall care of them that are humble:
