Four books on the eleventh of Matthew

2. But you will say, It is real, not in opinion, but real. I but it is so but at the entrance, at the beginning, and it may be the greatest difficulty is but to get the neck into the collar, to get the yoke upon the neck, there lies the great difficulty, when once you are in the yoke, then you will find it easy, the greatest difficulty many find in the ways of Religion it is their first entrance, because they have not been accustomed to such things. You shall have many times some kinds of Bullocks that come into their yoke, there is more stir to get their necks in, to get their yokes upon their necks, then there is for them to bear it afterwards: So there is with many men and women a great deal of stir▪ and a great deal of do to get their necks under Christs yoke, to come under the burden of the yoke of Christ, but were they come in▪ they would not find it so difficult. Sometimes indeed, the work of God in converting of a Soul comes to it so, as the Soul finds a great deal of difficulty: The Ministry of John by way of preparation comes in a terrible way, to make smooth the rough paths, and level the lofty ⟨p. 677⟩hills, comes in a fiery way to prepare them, many times it is very terrible, and they find a great deal of difficulty, much trouble of conscience, and terror at first, I but this is but to get •hy neck into the yoke, this is not the difficulty of Christs yoke, but it is the bringing thee under the yoke of Christ, therefore let not those that God is beginning to stir them in awakening their Consciences, be offended because they find difficulty, because they find the ways of God terrible to them, and conscience terrible to them, and they find the flashes of Hell upon their spirits, be not offended because thou hast more trouble now then before, it is but in getting that unruly spirit of thine under the yoke of Christ, if once thy spirit be subdued to Jesus Christ, and brought under his yoke, thou wilt not find it so terrible and it may be the more terror thou hast now the more sweetness and comfort thou wilt find afterwards.

2. But you will say, It is reall, not in opinion, but reall. I but it is so but at the entrance, at the beginning, and it may be the greatest difficulty is but to get the neck into the collar, to get the yoke upon the neck, there lies the great difficulty, when once you are in the yoke, then you will find it easie, the greatest difficulty many find in the waies of Religion it is their first entrance, because they have not been accustomed to such things. You shall have many times some kinds of Bullocks that come into their yoke, there is more stir to get their necks in, to get their yokes upon their necks, then there is for them to bear it afterwards: So there is with many men and women a great deal of stir and a great deal of do to get their necks under Christs yoke, to come under the burden of the yoke of Christ, but were they come in they would not find it so difficult. Somtimes indeed, the work of God in converting of a Soul comes to it so, as the Soul finds a great deal of difficulty: The Ministry of John by way of preparation comes in a terrible way, to make smooth the rough paths, and level the lofty