therefore there must be a provoking of our selves to them The motion of the Soul to sin is natural but its motion towards Heaven is violent The stone moves easily to the Centre it hath an innate propenseness downward but to draw up a Milstone into the Air is done by violence because it is against nature so to lift up the heart to Heaven in duty is done by violence and we must provoke ourselves to it 2. What it is to provoke our selves to duty 1. It is to awaken our selves and shake off spiritual sloth Holy David awakens his tongue and heart when he went about Gods service Psal. 57. 9. Awake up my glory I my self will awaken early He found a somnolency and dulness in his soul therefore did provoke himself to duty I my self will awake early Christians though they be raised from the death of sin yet often they fall asleep 2. Provoking our selves to duty implies an uniting and rallying together all the powers of our soul and seting them on work in the exercises of Religion A man saith to his thoughts Be you fixed on God in this duty and to his affections Do you serve the Lord without distraction Matters of Religion are done with intenseness of Spirit 3. The third thing is to shew the several duties of Christianity wherein we must provoke and offer violence to our selves I shall name seven 1. We must provoke our selves to reading of the Word What an infinite mercy is it that God hath honoured us with the Scriptures The barbarous Indians have not the Oracles of God made known to them they have the Golden Mines but not the Scriptures which are more to be desired than much fine Gold Psal. 19. 10. Our Saviour bids us search the Scriptures Joh. 5. 39. We must not read these holy lines carelesly as if they did not concern us or run them over hastily as Israel ate the Passeover in haste but peruse them with reverence and seriousness The noble Beroeans did search the Scriptures daily Acts 17. 11. The Scripture is the Pandect of divine Knowledge it is the rule and touchstone of truth out of this Well we draw the water of life To provoke to a diligent reading of the word labour to have a right notion of Scripture Read the Word as a book made by God himself It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given by divine inspiration 2 Tim. 3. 16. It is the Library of the Holy Ghost The Prophets and Apostles were but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Godâ—… Amanuenses or Notaries to write the Law at his mouth The Word is of Divine Original and reveals the deep things of God to us That there is a Numen or Deity is ingraven in mans heart and is to be read in the Book of the Creatures Quaelibet herba Deum But who this God is and the Trinity of Persons in the Godhead is infinitely above the Light of Reason only God himself could make this known So for the Incarnation of Christ God and man hypostatically united in one person the mystery of imputed Righteousness the doctrine of faith what Angel in Heaven who but God himself could reveal these things to us How may this provoke to Diligence and Seriousness in reading the Word which is divinely inspired Other Books may be made by holy men but this Book is indited by the Holy Ghost Read the Word as a perfect Rule of Faith it contains all things essential to salvation I adore the fulness of Scripture saith Tertullian The Word teacheth us how to please God how to order our conversation in the world it instructs us in all things that belong either to Prudence or Piety How should we read the Word with care and reverence when it contains a perfect Model and Platform of Religion and is able to make us wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3. 17. When you read the Word look on it as a soul-enriching Treasury Search here as for a vein of Silver Prov. 2. 4. In this word are scattered many divine Aphorisms gather them up as so many Jewels This blessed Book helps to enrich you it fills your head with knowledge and your heart with grace it stores you with Promises a man may be rich in bonds In this field the Pearl of Price is hid What are all the worlds Riches to these Islands of Spices Coasts of Pearl Rocks of Diamonds These are but the Riches that Reprobates may have but the Word gives us those Riches which Angels have Read the Word as a Book of Evidences How carefully doth one read over his Evidences Would you know whether God be your God Search the Records of Scripture 1 Joâ—… 3. 24. Hereby we Know he abides in us by his Spirit he hath given us Would you know whether you are â—…eirs of the Promise you must find it in these sacred Writings 2 Thes. 2. 13. He hath chosen us to salvation through sanctification They who are vessels of grace shall be vessels of glory Look upon the Word as a spiritual Magazine out of which you fetch all your weapons to fight against sin and Satan 1. Here are weapons to fight against sin The Word of God is a consecrated sword that cuts asunder the lusts of the heart When pride begins to list up it self the Sword of the Spirit destroies this sin 1 Pet. 5. 5. God resists the proud When passion vents it self the Word of God like Hercules-club beats down this angry Fury Eccles. 5. 9. Anger rests in the bosom of fools When Lust boils the Word of God cools that intemperate heat Ephes. 5. 5. No unclean person hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ. 2. Here are weapons to fight against Satan The Word fenceth off temptation When the Devil tempted Christ he three times wounded the old Serpent with the Sword of the Spirit 'T is written Mat. 4. 7. Satan never sooner soils a Christian than when he is unarmed and without Scripture-weapons Look upon the Word as a spiritual Glass to dress your selves by It is a Looking-glass for the blind Psa. 19. 8. In other glasses you may see your faces in this glass you may see your hearts Psal. 119. 104. Through thy Precepts I get understanding This Looking-glass of the Word clearly represents Christ â—…t sets him forth in his person nature offices as most precious and eligible Cant. 5. 16. He is altogether lovely he is a wonder of beauty a Paradise of delight Christ who was vailed over in types is clearly revealed in the Glass of the Scriptures Look upon the Word as a Book of spiritual Receipts Basil compares the Word to an Apothecaries shop which hath all kind of Medicines and Antidotes If you find your selves dead in duty here is a Recipe Psal. 119. 50. Thy Word hath quickned me If you find your hearts hard the Word doth liquefie and melt them therefore is compared to
fire for its mollifying power Jer. 23. 29. If you are poysoned with sin here is an herb to expel it Look upon the Word as a soveraign Elixir to comfort you in distress it comforts you against all your sins temptations and afflictions What are the Promises but divine Cordials to revive fainting Souls A gracious heart goes feeding on a Promise as Sampson on the Hony-comb Judg. 14. 9. The word comforts against sickness and death 1 Cor. 15. 55. O death where is thy sting A Christian dies embracing the Promise as Simeon did Christ Heb. 11. 16. Read the Word as the last VVill and Testament of Christ. Here are many Legacies given to them that love him Pardon of sin Adoption Consolation this Will is in force being sealed in Christs Blood With what seriousness doth a Child read over the Will and Testament of his Father that he may see what is left him Read it as a Book by which you must be judged John 12. 48. The Word I have spoken shall judge him at the last day They who live according to the Rules of this Book shall be acquitted they who live contrary to them shall be condemned There are two Books God will go by the Book of Conscience and the Book of Scripture the one shall be the Witness and the other the Judge How should every Christian then provoke himself to read this Book of God with Care and Devotion This is that Book which God will proceed by at the last They who fly from the Word as a Guide shall be forced to submit to it as a Judge 2. The second Duty of Religion wherein we must provoke our selves is in Hearing of the Word We may bring our bodies to the Word with ease but not our hearts without offering violence to our selves When we come to the Word Preached we come about a business of the highest importance therefore should stir up our selves and hear with the greatest devotion Constantine the Emperour was noted for his reverend attention to the Word Luk. 19. 48. All the people were attentive to hear him In the Greek it is they hanged upon his lip When the Word is dispensed we are now to lift up the everlasting doors of our hearts that the King of glory may enter in How far are they from offering violence to themselves in hearing who scarce mind what is said as if they were not at all concerned in the business they come to Church more for custom than conscience Ezek. 33. 31. They come to thee as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and hear thywords but they will not do them If we could tell them of a rich purchase or of some place of preferment they would diligently attend but when the Word of Life is Preached they disregard it 2. How far are they from offering violence to themselves in hearing who come to the Word in a dull drowsie manner as if they came to Church to take a Receipt to make them sleep The Word is to feed it is strange to sleep at meat The Word judgeth men it is strange for a prisoner to fall asleep at the Bar. To such sleepy hearers God may say Sleep on He may suffer them to be so stupified that no Ordinance shall awaken them Mat. 13. 25. While men slept the enemy came and sowed Tares The Devil is never asleep but sows the tares of sin in a drowsie hearer That we may when we come to the Word offer violence to our selves and stir up our selves to hear with devotion consider 1. It is God that speaks to us If a Judge give a charge upon the bench all listen If a King speaks all give attention When we come to the Word we should think thus with our selves We are to hear God in this Preacher Therefore Christ is said Now to speak to us from Heaven Heb. 12. 25. Christ speaks in his Ministers as a King speaketh in the person of his Embassadour When Samuel knew it was the Lord that spake to him he lent an ear 2. Sam. 3. 5. Speak Lord thy Servant heareth They who slight God speaking in his Word shall hear him speaking in his wrath Psalm 2. 5. Then shall he speak to them in his wrath 2. Let us consider the weightiness of the matters delivered to us As Moses said to Israel Deut. 30. 19. I call Heaven and Earth to Record this day that I havâ—… set before you life and death We preach to men of Christ and the Eternal Recompences here are the magnalia Legis the weighty matters of the Law and doth not all this call for serious attention There is a great deal of difference between a Letter of news read to us and a Letter of special business wherein our whole Land and Estate is concerned In the Word preached our Salvation is concerned here we are instructed to the Kingdom of God and if ever we will be serious it should be now Deut. 32. 47. It is not a vain thing for you because it is your life 3. If the Word be not regarded it will not be remembred Many complain they cannot remember here is the reason God punisheth their carelesness in hearing with forgetfulness He suffers Satan to take away the Word from them Mat. 13. 4. The Fowls of the Air came and devoured the seed The Devil is no Recusant he comeâ—… to Church but it is not for any good intent he gets away the Word from men How many have been roâ—…ed of the Sermon and their souls both at once 4. It may be the last time that ever God will speak to us in his Word it may be the last Sermon that ever we shall hear and we may go from the place of hearing to the place of judgeing Did people think thus when they come into the Houseof God Perhaps this will be the last time that God will counsel us about our souls the last time that ever we shall see our Minister's face with what devotion would they come how would their affections be all on fire in hearing We give great attention to the last speeches of friends A Parents dying words are received as Oracles Oh let all this provoke us to diligence in hearing let us think this may be the last time that Aarons Bell shall sound in our ears and before another day we shall be in another World The third Duty wherein we are to offer violence to our selves is in Prayer Prayer is a duty which keeps the trade of Religlon agoing When we either joyn in prayer with others or pray alone we must use holy violence not eloquence in prayer but violence carries it Theodorus speaking of Luther Once saith he I over heard him in prayer but good God with what life and spirit did he pray It was with so much Reverence as if he were speaking to God yet with so much confidence as if he had been speaking to his friend
Writer but in matters of Religion they are as if their tongue did cleave to the roof of their mouth As we must answer to God for idle words so for sin-full silence Oh let us offer violence to our selves in this in setting abroach good discourse What should our words dilate and expatiate upon but Heaven The world is a great Inne we are guests in this Inne Travellers when they are met in their Inne do not spend all their time in speaking about their Inne they are to lodge there but a few hours and they are gone but they are speaking of their home and the Country whither they are travelling So when we meet together we should not be talking only about the world we are to leave this presently but we should talk of our heavenly Country Heâ—… 11. 16. That we may provoke our selves to good discourse for it will not be done without some kind of violence let these considerations be duly weighed The discourse demonstrates what the heart is As the Glass shews what the face is whether it be fair or foul so the words shew what the heart is Vain speeches discover a light feathery heart gracious speeches are the birâ—…h of a gracious heart The water of the Conduit shews what the Spring is Holy conâ—…erence is very edifying The Apostle bids us edifie one another Ephes. 4. 29 And how more than this way Good conference enlightens the mind when it is ignorant warms it when it is frozen settles it when it is wavering A good life adorns Religion good discourse propagates it Gracious discourse makes us resemble Christ. His words were perfumed with holiness grace was poured into his lips Psal. 45. 2. He spake to the admiration of all his hands wrought Miracles and his tongue spake Oracles Luke 4. 22. All bare him witness and wondred at the gracious words which proceâ—…ded out of his mouth Christ never came into any company but he set good discourse on foot Levi made him a feast Luke 5. 29. and Christ feasted him with holy discourse When he came to Jacob's Well he presently speaks of the water of life John 4. The more holy our speeches are the more we are like Christ. Should not the members be like the head God takes special notice of every good word we speak when we meet Mal. 3. 16. They that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord â—…earkened and â—…eard and a Book of Remembrance was written before him Tamerlain that Scythian Captain had alwaies a Book by him of the names and good deserts of his servants which he bountifully rewarded As God hath a Bottle for the tears of his people so he hath a Book in which he writes down all their good speeches and will make honourable mention of them at the last day Holy discourse will be a means to bring Christ into our company The two Disciples were communing of the death and sufferings of Christ And while they were speaking Jesus Christ came among them Luke 24. 15. While they communed together Jesus himself drew near and went with them When men entertain bad discourse Satan draws near and he makes one of the company but when they have holy and gracious conference Jesus Christ draws near and where-ever he comes he brings a blessing along with him So much for the first the offering violence to our selves 2. We must offer violence to Satan Satan opposeth us both by open violence and secret treachery By open violence so he is called the Red Dragon by secret treachery so he is called the Old Serpent We read in Scripture of his snares and darts he hurts more by his Snares than by his Darts 1. His Violence He labours to storm the castle of the heart he stirs up to passion lust revenge These are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fiery darts Ephes. 6. 16. because they oft set the soul on fire Satan in regard of his fierceness is called a Lion 1 Pet. 5. 8. Your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour Not saith Chrysostom whom he may bite but devour 2. His Treachery What he cannot do by force he will endeavour to do by fraud Satan hath several 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subtil policies in tempting In suiting his temptations to the complexion and temper of the body Satan studies the Physiognomy and laies suitable baits He knew Achan's covetous humour and tempted him with a wedg of Gold He tempts the sanguine man with Beauty 2. Another subâ—…ilty is to draw men to evil sub specie boni under a pretence of good The Pirate doth mischief by hanging out false colours so doth Satan by hanging out the colours of Religion He puts some men upon sinful actions and perswades them much good will come of it He tells them in some cases they may dispense with the Rule of the Word and stretch their conscience beyond that line that they may be in a capacity of doing more service As if God needed our sin to raise his glory 3. Satan tempts to sin gradually As the Husbandman digs about the root of a tree and by degrees loosens it and at last it falls Satan steals by degrees into the heart he is at first more modest He did not say to Eve at first Eat the Apple no but he goes more subtilly to work he puts forth a question Hath God said sure Eve thou art mistaken the bountiful God never intended to debar thee one of the best trees of the Garden Hath God said sure either God did not say it or if he did he never really intended it Thus by degrees he wrought her to distrust and then she took of the fruit and eat Oh take heed of Satan's first motions to sin that seem more modest principiis obsta He is first a Fox and then a Lion 4. Satan tempts to evil in licitis in lawful things It was lawful for Noah to eat the fruit of the Grape but he took too much and so â—…inn'd Excess turns that which is good into evil Eating and drinking may turn to intemperance Industry in ones calling when excessive is covetousness Satan draws men to an immoderate love of the creature and then makes them offend in that which they love As Agripâ—…a poisoned her Husband Claudius in tâ—…t meat he loved most 5. Satan puts men upon doing good out of bad ends if he cannot hurt them by scandalous actions he will by virtuous actions Thus he tempts some to espouse Religion out of policy to get preferment and to give alms for applause that others may see their good works and canonize them This hypocrisie doth leven the duties of Religion and make them lose their reward 6. The Devil perswades to evil by such as are good This sets a gloss upon his temptations and makes them less suspected The Devil hath made use sometimes of the eminentest and holiest men to promote his temptations The
think God will How will Heathens rise up in Judgement against slothful Christians What pains did they take in the Olympian games they ran but for a Garland of flowers and do we stand still who run for a Crown of Immortality Certainly if only the violent take Heaven the idle person will never come there God puts no difference between these two slothful and wicked Matth. 25. 26. Thou wicked and slothful servant 2. It reproves the Formalist who puts all his Religion in gestures and vestures emblems of devotion and thinks this will entitle him to Heaven Rev. 3. 1. Thou hast a name to live and art dead The form and outside of Christianity is judged necessary 1. It is a means to keep up menâ—… credit in the world Should they be visibly prophane such as are sober would not come near them they would be looked upon no better than baptized Heathens therefore they must make a â—…ew of devotion out of policy to gain some repute and esteem among others 2. A form serves to stop the mouth of conscience had not they some kind of outward devotion their conscience would fly in their face and they would be a terrour to themselves therefore they think it expedient to have a form of Godliness But alas what is all this The Text speaks of offering violence to Heaven What violence is there in a form Here is no taking pains with the heart a form but no power 2. Tim. 3. 5. Formalists are like the Tombs in the Church which have their eyes and hands lift up to Heaven but no soul. The Formalists devotion runs out most in punctilioes and niceties he neglects the weightier matters of the Law Faith and Mercy Matth. 23. 23. He scruples superstitious phancies but makes no reckoning of sin he is more afraid of an Hare crossing his way than of an Harlot in his bed He haâ—…es sanctity Christ had no such bitter enemies as the formal Pharisees The formalist is never violent but in persecuting the power of godliness 3. It reproves such as are violent in a bad sense they are violent for Hell they go thither in the sweat of their brows Jer 8. 6. Every one turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel A war-horse rusheth violently among the guns and pikes so did they rush into sin violently Men are violent 1. In opposing Good 2. In pursuing Evil. 1. In opposing Good Several waies 1. They offer violence to the Spirit of God The Spirit knocks at the door of sinners hearts he waits till his head be filled with dew and his locks with the drops of the night but sinners repulse and grieve the Spirit and send away this Dove from the Aâ—…k of their souls Acts 7. 51. Te do alwais resist the Holy Ghost The Spirit offers grace to the sinner and the sinner offers violence to the Spirit Isa 63. 10. They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit and may not the Lord give over striving God who is willing to come in when we open to him hath not promised to come again if we unkindly repulse him 2. They offer violence to conscience Conscience is God's Preacher in the bosom and this Preacher cannot flatter it tells men of their pride coveâ—…ousness abuse of mercy but they instead of being violent against their sins offer violence to conscience they silence and imprison conscience But as the Prophet Zachary when he was dumb called for a table book and did write Luke 1. 63 So when conscience cannot be permitted to speak it will write it writes down mens sins and when at death they shall be forced to read the hand-writing it will make their hearts tremble and their knees smite This I fear is too common for men to offer violence to their conscience and what will be the issue They who will not hear the voice of conscience shall be sure to feel the worm of conscience 3 They offer violence to God's image The Saints who are God's lively picture are opposed and shot at This is a cursed violence Gal. 4 29 As he that was born after the flesh persecuted him who was born after the Spirit so it is now Christ himself is stricken at through Believers The Church hath been alwaies in the Torrid zone The Plowers have plowed upon her back The earth hath been sown with the bodies of the Saints and watered with their blood Persecutors I grant are of an antient Family The first man that was born in the world was a Persecutor namely Cain and he hath had a numerous off-spring Nero Trajan Domitian Dioclesian Maximinus Chrysostom saith that the apples of his eyes fell out Faelix Earl of Wartemburg being at supper at Auspurg did take an oath that before he died he would ride up to the spurs in the blood of the Lutherans but was afterwards choked in his own blood Persecutors are the curse of the Creation being some of those thorns and briars which the earâ—…h brings forth 2. Men are violent in pursuing Evil. 1. They are violent in their Opinions 2 Pet. 2. 1. Privily they shall bring in damnable heresies denying the Lord that bought them Arrius was such an one and afterwards his bowels gushed out And truly the spirit of Arrius is yet alive at this day while men dare deny the Deity of the blessed Son of God Many of the Hereticks of old were so violent that their Opinion was to them a Bible and some of them died in maintaining their heresies These were the Devil's Martyrs 2. They are violent in their Passions Anger is a short frenzy Jam. 3. 9. The tongue is a fire a world of iniquity In this little member there is a great world viz. a world of sin such as would be counted sober yet are drunk with passion Their prayers are cold but their anger hot They spit fire as the Serpent doth poison Fiery passions without Repentance bring men to the fiery furnace 3. They are violent for their lusts Tit. 3. 3. Serving divers lusts Lust is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inordinate desire or impulse provoking the soul to the gratifying its carnal desires Aristotle calls them brutish lusts because when lusts are violent they will not let reason or conscience be heard but a man is carried brutishly to the satisfying the flesh 1. Men are violent for their drunken lusts Though death be in the cup they will drink it off One having almost lost his eye-sight the Physitian told him there was no cure for him unless he would leave off his excessive drinking then saith he Farewell sweet light he would rather lose his eye-sight than leave his drinking 2. They are violent for their unclean lusts Men are said to burn in lusts Rom. 1. 27. The Apostle intimateth that lust is a kind of feavour Feavourish heats are not more pernicious to the body than lust is to the soul. O what folly is it for a drop of pleasure to drink