How confident are some of salvation yet never examine their title to Heaven 3. Men are not forward to examine themselves because they rest in the good opinion of others how vain is this Alas one may be Gold and Pearl in the eye of others yet God may judge him Reprobate Silver others may think him a Saint and God may write him down in his black-book Judas was looked upon by the rest of the Apostles as a true Believer they would have been ready to have given their hands to his certificate yet he was a Traitor Standers by can but see the outward carriage they cannot tell what evil is in the heart Fair streams may run on the top of a River but vermin may lie at the bottom 4. Men are hardly brought to examine themselves because they do not believe Scripture The Scripture saith The heart is deceitful above all things Jer. 17. 9. Solomon said there were four things too wonderful for him that he could not know Prov. 30. 19. He might have added a fifth The Way of mans heart The heart is the greatest Impostor it will be ready to put one off with seeming Grace instead of saving The heart will perswade that a slight tear is Repentance a lazy desire is Faith Now because the generality of people do not believe that there is such fallacy in their hearts therefore they are so slow to examine them This natural backwardness in us to self-reflection should cause us to offer the more violence to our selves in making a thorow disquisition and search of our hearts Oh that I might prevail with Christians to take pains with themselves in this great work of Examination Their salvation depends on it It is the note of an Harlot she is seldom at home Prov. 7. 11 12. Her feet abide not in her house now is she without now in the streets It is a sign of an Harlot Professor to be altogether abroad spying the faults of others but is never at home with his own heart Oh let us try our Hearts as we do Gold by the Touchstone Let us examine our sins and finding out this leven burn it Let us examine our Grace whether it be of the right kind One went into the field to gather herbs and he gathered wild gourds and then Death was in the Pot. 2 Kings 4. 40. So many think they have Grace the right Herb but it proves a wild gourd and brings death and damnation That we may offer violence to our selves in this great business of Examination let these few things be seriously weighed 1. Without self-examination we can never know how it is with us If we should die presently we cannot tell to what Coast we should sail whether to Hell or Heaven It is reported of Socrates when he was going out of the World he had this speech I am now to dye and the gods know whether I shall be happy or iniserable That man who is ignorant of the state of his Soul must needs heve the trembling at the heart as Cain had a shaking in his flesh By a serious serutiny of our hearts we come to know to what Prince we belong whether to the Prince of peace or the Prince of the aiâ—… 2. If we will not try our selves God will try us He will examine us as the chief Captain did Paul by scourging Act. 22. 24. He will ask that question as Christ Whose image â—…d superscription is this And if we cannot shew him his own image he will reject us 3. There is secret corruption within which will never be found out but by searching There are in the heart as Austin saith hidden pollutions When Pharaoh's Steward accused Joseph's Brethren of having the Cup they durst have sworn they had not the Cup in their sack Little doth a man know what Atheism Pride Uncleanness is in his heart till he searcheth 4. The great advantage which will accrew to us the benefit is great which way soever things turn If upon examination we find that we have not grace in truth then the mistake is discovered and the danger prevented If we find that we have grace we may take the comfort of it How glad was he that had found the Pearl of great priâ—…e He that upon search finds that he hath but the minimum quod sic the least degree of grace is like one that hath found his Box of Evidences he is Heir to all the Promises and in a state of Salvation And that we â—…ay go on the more successively in this work let us desire God to help us to find out our hearts Job 34. 32. That which I see not teach thou me Lord take off the vail shew me my heart let me not perish through mistake or go to Hell with hope of Heaven The sixth duty wherein we must offer violence to our selves is The Religious sanctifying of the Lords day That there should be a day of holy rest dedicated to God appears from the institution Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day Our Christian Sabbath comes in the room of the Jewish Sabbath it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. from Christ the Author of it Our Sabbath is altered by Christ's own appointment He arose this day out of the grave and appeared on it often to his Disciples 1 Cor. 16. 1. To intimate to them saith Athanasius that he transferred the Sabbath to the Lords day And St. Austin saith That by Christ's rising on the first day of the week it was consecrated to be the Christian Sabbath in remembrance of his Resurrection This day was antâ—…tly called Dies Lucis the day of Light as Junius observes The other days of the week would be dark were it not for the shining of the Sun of Righteousness on this day This day hath been called by the Antients Regind diâ—…rum the Queen of days And St. Hieroni preferrs this day above all solemn Festivals The Primitive Churâ—…h had this day in high veneration it was a great badge of their Religion for when the question was asked Servasti Dominicum Keepest thou the Sabbath the answer was made Christianus sum I am a Christian and dare not omit the celebration of the Lords day What great cause have we thankfully to remember this day As the benefit of Israel's deliverance from the Babylonish captivity was so great that it drowned the remembrance of their deliverance from Egypt Jer. 16. 14. So the benefit of our deliverance from Satan's captivity and the rising of Christ from finishing the glorious work of our Redemption was so famous that in respect of this his other benefits receive as it were a diminution Great was the work of Creation but greater the work of Redemption It cost more to redeem us than make us In the one there was only the speaking a word Psal. 148. 5 in the other the shedding of blood Heb. 9. 22. The Creation was the work of God's fingers Psal. 8. 3. the
Redemption the work of his arm Luke 1. 5. In the Creation God gave us ourselves in the Redemption he gave us himself So that the Sabbath putting us in mind of our Redemption ought to be observed with the highest devotion Herein we must offer holy violence to our selves When this blessed day approacheth we should labour that as the day is sanctified so our hearts may be sanctified We must on this day rest from all the works of our calling As Abraham when he went to Sacrifice left his Servant and Ass at the bottom of the hill Gen. 22. 5. So when we are to worship God this day we must leave all secular business behind And as Joseph when he would speak with his Brethren thrust out the Egyptians so when we would have converse with God this day we must thrust out all earthly employments Though works of necessity may be done and works of charity for God will have mercy and not sacrifice yet in other cases we must cease from all worldly negotiations It is observable concerning Mary Magdalen that she refused to anoint Christ's dead body on the Sabbath day Luke 23. 56. She had before prepared her ointment but came not to the Sepulchre till the Sabbath was past She rested that day from civil work though it were a commendable and glorious work the anointing of Christ's dead body When this blessed day approacheth we must lift up our hearts in thankfulness to God that he hath put another price into our hands for the gaining of heavenly wisdom These are our spiritual harvest-harvest-daies now the wind of God's Spirit blows upon the sails of our affections and we may be much furthered on in our heavenly voyage Christian lift up thy heart to God in thankfulness that he hath given thee another golden season and be sure thou improve it it may be thy last Seasons of grace are not like the Tyde if a man misleth one tyde he may have another This day approaching we must in the morning dress and fit our souls for the receiving of the Word The people of Israel must wash their garments before the Law was delivered to them Our hearts must be washed by prayer and repentance the Oracles of God being to be delivered to us And being met together we must set our selves as in the presence of God with seriousness and delight to hear God's sacred Word Take heed of distractions which fly-blow our duties We must labour to be bettered by every Sabbath where the Lord laies out cost he looks for fruit Fresh anointings of God are to be thirsted after and new cubits to be added to our spiritual stature We must not be like the Salamander which lives in the fire but is never the hotter Christians should on these daies aspire after communion with God and endeavour to have the illapses of his Spirit and clearer discoveries of his love in Christ. In short we should do on a Sabbath as Moses he ascended the Mount that he might have a sight of God We must dedicate the whole day to God Under the Law a single Sacrifice was appointed for other daies of the week but two Lambs were to be offered upon the Sabbath All this day must be spent with God he must have worship in the publick and when we come home he must have family-worship Many leave all their Religion at Church as I have seen some do their Bibles not hallowing God's name in their own houses Mal. 3. 8. Will a man rob God When men pretend to Worship God in the Temple but cut him short of family and closet-duties on a Sabbath this is to rob God and steal a part of his day from him Good reason we should consecrate the whole Sabbath to God and give him double devotion for God doubles his blessings upon us this day As the Manna did rain twice as much on the sixth day as any of the other daies so the Manna of spiritual blessings falls twice as much on the Sabbath day as any other We must rejoyce in this day as being a day wherein we enjoy much of God's presence John 8. 56. Abraham saw my day and rejoyced So when we see a Sabbath day coming we should rejoyce The Protestants in France called their Church Paradise because there they met with God The Jews called the Sabbath desiderium dierum the desire of daies Isa. 58. 13. Thou shalt call the Sabbath a delight This we should look upon as the best day as the Queen of daies crowned with a blessing Psal. 118. 24. This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it He hath made all the daies but hath sanctified this We should look upon this day as a spiritual Mart for our souls wherein we have holy commerce and traffick with God This day of Rest is the beginning of an eternal rest This day God sets open the Pool of Bethesda in which those waters flow that refresh the broken in heart And shall not we call this day a delight The Jews on the Sabbath laid aside their Sackcloth and Mourning This is in a right manner to sanctifie a duty and it is a duty wherein Christians must excite and offer violence to themselves Above all others how well doth it become those into whose hands God hath-put the power of Magistracy to shew forth holy violence in causing the Lord's day to be strictly observed What a rare pattern hath Nehemiah set all good Magistrates Neh. 13. 15. In those daies saw I in Judah some treading wine-presses on the Sabbath and bringing in sheavs and all manner of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals Vers. 17. Then I contended with the Nobles of Judaâ—… and said unto them What evil thing is this that ye do and prophane the Sabbath day How dare ye infringe the command and make a false entry upon God's freehold My Lord your Proclamation for the pious observation of the Sabbath and your punitive acts upon some offenders have given a publick Testimoney of your zeal for this day The keeping up the honour of the Sabbath will much keep up your Magisterial honour The seventh Duty wherein we must offer violence to ourselves is holy conference and indeed we are backward enough to it therefore had need herein provoke our selves Mal. 3. 17. They that feared the Lord spake often one to another A gracious person hath not only Religion in his heart but in his tongue Psal. 37. 30. The Law of God is in his heart and his tongue talketh of Judgement he drops holy words as Pearls 'T is the fault of Christians that they do not in company provoke themselves to set good discourse on foot it is a sinfull modesty there is much visiting but they do not give one anothers souls a visit In worldly things their tongue is as the Pen of a ready
they be 〈◊〉 that wholly let loose the reins to the flesh and bathe themselves in the luscious streams of carnal pleasure 24. This sweating for Heaven is not to endure long 1 Pet. 5. 10. After â—…e have suffered a while So after ye have offered violence a while there shall be an end put to it Your labour shall expire with your life It is but a while and you shall have done weeping wrastling praying it is but a while and the Race will be over and you shall receive the end of your faith the salvation of your souls 1 Pet. 1. 9. It is but a while and you shall have done your weary marches you shall put off your Armour and put on white Robes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How should this excite a spirit of holy violenceâ—… It is but a sew months or daies and you shall reap the sweet fruit of your obedience The winter will be past and the spring flowers of joy shall appear Doctor Tailor comforted himself when he was going to the stake I have but two stiles to go over and I shall be at my Father's house Christians you have but a little way to go a little more violence a few more tears shed a few more sabbaths kept and then your hopes â—…shall be crowned with the beatifical sight of God When the vapour is blown away then we may see the Sun clearly So when this short vapour of life is blown away then we shall behold Christ the Sun of Righteousness in all his glory 1 Joh. 3. 2. We shall see him as he is 25. If you are not violent for Hâ—…aven you walk antipodes to your own prayeâ—…s You pray that God's will may be done by you on earth â—…as it is done in Heaven Now how 〈◊〉 God's will done in Heaven 〈◊〉 are not the Angels swift in doing the will of God like the stars above the equinoctial that are moved many millions of miles in an hour The seraphints are described with wings to shew how velocious and winged they are in their obedience Isa. 6. 2. Now if you are not violent in your spiritual motion 〈◊〉 you live in a contradiction to your owâ—… prayers You are far from being as Angels you creep as Snails in the way to Heaven 26. This holy and blessed violence would makâ—… Christians willing to die What is it makes men so loth to die they are as a Tenant that is loth to go out of an house why so because their conscience accuseth them that they have taken litâ—…le or no pains for Heaven they have been sleeping when they should have been working and now death looks ghastly they are afraid death will carry them prisoners to Hell Whereas the Christian that hath been active in Religion and hath spent his time in the service of God he â—…an look deâ—…th in the face with comforâ—… He who hath been violent for Heaven in this life need not fear a violeâ—… death Death shall do him no hurt it shall not be a destruction but a deliverancâ—… it shall purge out slit and perfect glory What made St. Paul say 〈◊〉 dissolâ—… I desâ—…re to be dissoâ—…ved Phil. 1. 23. Surely the reason was he had been a mâ—…n of violence he did spend himself for Christ and laboured more than all the oâ—…her Apostâ—…es 1 Cor. 15. 10. And now he knew there was a Crown laid up for him Augustus the Emperour did desire that he might have an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quiet easie death If any thing make our pillow easie at death and we go out of the world quietly it will be this holy violence that we haâ—…e put forth in the business of Religion â—…7 If for all that hath been said you will either fit still or keep your sweat for something else than Heaven know there is a time shortly coming when you will wish you had used this violence When sickness sâ—…izeth on you and your disease begins to grow violent and you think God's Sergeant is at the door then what wishes will you make O that I had been more violent for Heaven O that I had been praying when I was dancing and making merry O that I had had a Bible in my hand when I had a pair of Cards how happy then might I have been but alas my case is miâ—…erable what shall I do I am so sick that I cannot live and so sinful that I dare not die O that God would respiâ—…e me a little longer that he would put a few years more in my lease that a littlâ—… space might be granted me to recover my lost hours As one said on her death-bed Call time again but time will not be called again At the hour of death sinners will awake out of their lethargy and fall into a phrensie of horrour and despair and shall not all these Arguments prevail with men to be violent for the Kingdom what an hardned plece is a sinner's heart We read that at Christ's passion the Rockâ—…rent Mat. 27. 51. But nothing will move a sinner The Rocks will sooner rend than his heart If all that I have said will not prevail it is a sign ruine is towards 1 Sam. 2. 25. They hearkned not to the voice of their father because the Lord would slâ—…y them Yet this Caution I must necessarily insert though we shall not obtain the Kingdom without violence yet not for our violence When we have done all look up to Christ and free grace Bellaâ—…mine saith we merit Heaven ex congruo No though we are saved in the use of means yet by grace too Ephes. 2. 5. By grace ye are saved Heaven is a donative â—…uke 12. 32. It is my Father's good pleasure to give you a Kingdom Why may one say I have used violence for it I have wrought for the Kingdom I but it is a gift that free-grace bestows We must look up to Christ for acceptance not our sweat but his blood saves our labouring qualifies us for Heaven but Christ's dying purchased Heaven Alas what is all that we can do in comparison of glory what is the shedding of a tear to a Crown therefore we must renounce all in point of Justification and let Christ and Free-grace carry away the glory of our salvation God must help us in our working Phil. 2. 12. It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do How then can we merit by our working when it is God that helps us in our working I shall in the next place lay down some Rules or Directions how to get this blessed violence 1. Take heed of those things which will hinder this violence for Heaven 1. Take heed of Unbelief Unbelief is a great remora as it is discouraging When a Christian is working for Heaven unbelief whispers thus To what purpose is all this pains I had as good sit still I may pray and not be heard I may work and have no reward I may come near
lock up our selves at least once a day that we may meditate upon Glory 1. Meditation makes the Word preached to profit it works it upon the Conscience As the Bee sucks the flower so by meditation we suck out the sweetness of a Truth It is not the receiving of meat into the mouth but the digesting of it makes it nutritive So it is not the receiving the most excellent truths in at the ear that nourisheth our souls but the digesting them by Meditation Wine poured into a sieve runâ—… out Many truths are lost because Ministers pour this Wine into sieves either into leaking Memories or feathery minds Meditation is like a soaking rain that goes to the root of a Tree and makes it bring forth fruit 2. Holy meditation quickens the affections Psal. 119. 97. O how I love thy Law It is my meditation all the day The reason our affections are so cold to heavenly things is because we do not warm them at the fire of holy meditation As the musing on amorous objects makes the fire of lust burn the musing on injuries makes the fire of revenge burn so meditating on the transcendent beauties of Christ would make our love to Christ flame forth 3. Meditation hath a transforming powâ—… in it The hearing of the Word may affect us but the meditating of it doth transform us Meditation stamps the impression of Divine Truths upon our hearts By meditating of God's holiness we grow holy As Jacob's Cattel by looking on the Rods conceived like the Rods so while by meditation we look upon God's purity we are changed into his likeness and are made partakers of his Divine Nature 4. Meditation produceth Reformation Psal. 119. 59. I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies Did but people meditate on the damnableness of sin did they but think when they meddle with it there is a Rope at the end of it which will hang them eternally in Hell they would break off a course of sinning and become new Creatures Let all this perswade to holy meditation I dare be bold to say if men would spend but one quarter of an hour every day in contemplating heavenly objects it would leave a mighty impression upon them and through the blessing of God might prove the beginning of an happy conversion But how shall we do to meditate Get a love to spiritual things We usually meditate on those things which we love The voluptuous man can muse on his pleasures the covetous man on his bags of gold Did we love heavenly things we should meditate more on them Many say they cannot meditate because they want memory but is it not rather because they want affection Did they love the things of God they would make them their continual study and meditation 5. The fifth Duty wherein we are to offer violence to our selves is Self-examination a duty of great importance It is a parlying with ones own heart Psalm 77. 7. I commune with my own heart David did put interrogatories to himself Self-examination is the setting up a Court in Conscience and keeping a Register there that by a strict scrutiny a man may know how things stand between God and his own Soul Self-examination is a spiritual Inquisition a bringing ones self to trial A good Christian doth as it were begin the day of Judgement here in his own Soul Self-searching is an Heart-Anatomy As a Chirurgion when he makes a Dissection in the Body discovers the intestina the inward parts the Heart Liver Arteries so a Christian anatomizeth himself he searcheth what is flesh and what is spirit what is sin and what grace Psal. 77. 7. My spirit made diligent search As the Woman in the Gospel did light a Candle and search for her lost Groat Luke 15. 8. So Conscience is the Candle of the Lord Prov. 20. 27. A Christian by the Light of this Candle must search his Soul if he can find any grace there The Rule by which a Christian must try himself is the Word of God Phancy and Opinion are false Rules to go by We must judge of our spiritual condition by the Canon of Scripture This David calls a Lamp unto his feet Psalm 119. 105. Let the Word be the Umpire to decide the controversie whether we have grace or no. We judge of colours by the Sun So we must judge of the estate of our souls by the light of Scripture Self-examination is a great Duty incumbent it requires self-excitation it cannot possibly be done without offering violence to our selves 1. Because the duty in it self is difficult 1. It is act us reflexivus a work of self-reflection it lies most with the heart 'T is hard to look inward External acts of Religion are facil to lift up the eye to Heaven to bow the Knee to read a prayer this requires no more labour than for a Papist to tell over his beads but to examine a mans self to turn in upon his own Soul to take the Heart as a Watch all in pieces and see what is defective this is not easie Reflexive acts are hardest The eye can see every thing but it self It is easie to spy the faults of others but hard to find out our own 2. Examination of a mans self is difficult because of self-love As ignorance blinds so self-love flatters Every man is ready to think the best of himself What Solomon saith of love to our neighbour is most true of self-love iâ—… hides a multitude of evil Prov. 10. 12. A man looking upon himself in Philautiae speculo in the glass of self-love his vertues appear greater than they are and his sins lesser Self-love makes one rather excuse what is amiss than examine it 2. As examination is in it self difficult so it is a work which we are very hardly brought to Thâ—…t which causeth a back wardness to self-examination is 1. Consciousness of guilt Sin clamours inwardly and men are loth to look into their hearts lest they should find that which should trouble them It is little pleasure to read the Hand-writing on the wall of conscience Many Christians are like trades-men that are sinking in their Estates they are loth to look over their Books or cast up their accounts lest they should find their Estates low So they are loth to look into their guilty hearts lest they should find something there which should affright them as Moses was affrighted at the sight of the Rod turned into a Serpent 2. Men are hardly brought to this duty because of foolish presumptuous hopes they fancy their estate to bâ—… good and while they weigh themselves in the Ballance of presumption they pass for currant Many take their salvation on trust The foolish Vâ—…gins thought they had had Oyl in their lamps as well as the wise Mat. 25. Some are not sure of their salvation but secure If one were to buy a piece of Land he would not take it upon trust but examine the title
sweetens that violence St. Paul made Religion his recreation Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man In the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I take pleasure not only Heaven it self is delightful but the way thither What ravishing delight hath a gracious soul in prayer Isa. 56. 7. I will make them joyful in the house of prayer What delight in holy contemplation A Christian hath such illapses of the Spirit and meets with such transfigurations of soul that he thinks himself half in Heaven Serving of God is like gathering of Spices or Flowers wherein there is some labour but the labour is recompensed with delight The way of sin hath bitterness in it The â—…ears while they lick the honey are stung with the Bees So while men are following their lusts they have checks of conscience which are a foretast of Hell Better want the honey than have this sting But the violence for Heaven is spiced with such joy that it is not labour but pleasure V. This violence and activity of Spirit in Religion puts a lustre upon a Christian. The more excellent any thing is the more active The Sun is a glorious creature as a Gyant it runs its Race Psal. 19. 5. Fire the noblest element sparkles vigorously The Angels are described with wings Isa. 6. 2. which is an emblem of their swist obedience The more violent we are in Religion the more Angelical we are 7. How violent was Christ about our salvation He was in an Agony he continued all night in prayer Luke 6. 12. He wept he fasted he dyed a violent death he rose violently out of the grave Was Christ so violent for our salvation and doth it not become us to be violent who are so nearly concerned in it Christ's violence was not only satisfactory but exemplary It was not only to appease God but to teach us Christ was violent in dying to teach us to be violent in believing 8. This holy violence brings Rest motion tends to rest Heb. 4. 9. There remaineth a rest for the people of God Indeed there is a motion which doth not tend to rest they who are violent in a way of sin shall never have rest Revel 4. 8. They rest not day and night Such as are graceless shall be restless But the violence a Christian takes leads to rest As the weary Traveller sits down at night and rests him Psal. 116. 7. Return to thy rest O my soul. Holy violence is like the flying of Noah's Dove to the Ark where it found rest 9. If we use what violence we are able God will help us Phil 2. 12. It is God who worketh in you both to will and to do The Spirit helps us in prayer and so proportionably in all other duties of Religion Rom. 8. 26. The Promise encourageth and the Spirit enableth In all earthly Races a â—…an runs in his own strength but in the Race to Heaven we have the Spirit of God helping us he not only gives us the Crown when we have done running but he gives us legs to run he gives exciting and assisting grace the Spirit of God helping makes our work easie If another helps to carry a burden it is less difficult If the Loadstone draw the Iron it is not hard for the Iron to move If the Spirit of God as a divine Loadstone draw and move the heart in obedience now the work goes on with more facility 10. This blessed violence in Religion would be preventive of much sin While men are idle in the Vineyard they are a prey to every temptation We do not sow our seed in fallow ground but Satan doth sow most of his seed of temptation in hearts that lye fallow When he sees persons unimployed he will find them work to do he will stiâ—… them up to one sin or other Matth. 13. 25. While men slept the enemy sowed tares When Satan finds men in a drowsie condition their sleeping time is his tempting time but by holy violence we prevent the Devil's design we are so busied about salvation that we have no leisure to listen to a temptation St. Hierom gave his friend this advice to be alwaies well employed that when Satan came with a temptation he might find him working in the Vineyard When the bird is flying it is safe when it sits still on the bough then it is in danger of being shot When a Christian sits still and is unactive now the Devil shoots him with his fiery darts 11. The folly of such as are violent for the world but not for the Kingdom above Alas how insipid are all these things that we lay out our sweat and violence upon they will not make us happy King Solomon did as it were put all the creatures into a limbeck and still out the quintessence of them and behold all was vanity Eccles. 2. 8. 1. These earthly things that we so toil for are uncertain 1 Tim. 6. 17. 'T is uncertain whether we shall get them All that are Suitors to a Virgin do not speed All that come to a Lottery have not a prize 2. They are unsatisfactory Could men heap up Silver as dust had they as much as the Devil promised Christ All the Kingdoms of the world and the glory of them yet they can no more fill the heart than a drop of water can fill the cistern Eccles. 5. 16. What profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind 3. They are transient death feeds at the root All worldly possessions are like a Castle of Snow in the Sun or like a posie of flowers which withers while we are smelling to it O what folly is it to put forth all ones violence for the world which is but for a season and not for Christ and grace As if a condemned man should be earnest to get his dinner but never mind getting his pardon 12. The next motive is in the text this violence is for a Kingdom The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence And what will we be violent for if not for a Kingdom Men will wade to a Kingdom through blood This is a Kingdom worth striving for Cyprus is an Island so exceeding fertile and pleasant that it was antiently called Macaria which signifies Blessed This title of Blessed may more fitly be given to the heavenly Kingdom If the Mountains were Gold if every Sand of the Sea were a Diamond if the whole Globe were a shining Chrysolite it were infinitely beneath the glory of this Kingdom 1. The immunities of the heavenly Kingdom are great 1. There shall be a freedom from sin here sin keeps house with us it is as natural to us to sin as to breath The soul that is most refined and clarified by grace is not without some dregs of corruption St. Paul cryed out of a Body of sin He who is inoculated into Christ hath still a taste and rellish of the wild Olive But when we
grace as will keep life and soul together A sick man may have life but is not lively Grace may live in the heart but is sickly and doth not flourish into lively acts Weak grace will not withstand strong temptations or carry through great sufferings it will hardly follow Christ upon the water Little grace will not do God much service A Tree that hath but little sap will not have much fruit It may be said of some Christians though they are not still born yet they are starvelings in grace They are like a ship that comes with much ado to the Haven Oh labour to grow to further degrees of sanctity The more grace the more strength and the more strength the more violence If you would be violent for Heaven take heed of this opinion That it is not so hard to get the Kingdom less violence will serve turn He that thinks he need not run a Race so fast will be apt to slack his pace This hath undone many Who will take pains for Heaven that thinks it may he had at a cheaper rate But if it be so easie what needs Christ say Strive as in an Agony What needed Paul beat down his body Why doth the Text speak of taking the Kingdom by force Is not conversion called a new birth Joh. 3. 7. a Creation Psal. 51. 10. and is that facil O take heed of phancying that work easie which is both above nature and against it 'T is as great a wonder for a soul to be saved as to see a mill stone to be lift up into the middle Region 2. Uâ—…e those means which will promote this holy violence 1. Keep up daily prayer Prayer is the bellows that blows up the affections and a Christian is most active when his affections are most violent Prayer keeps the trade of Religion agoing Prayer is to the soul as the animal spirits are to the body the anmal spirits make the body more agile and lively so doth prayer the soul. That the motion of a Watch may be quicker the spring must be wound up Christian winde up thy heart every day by prayer Prayer fetcheth in strength from Christ and when his strength comes in it sets the soul a working Prayer leaves the heart in a good frame As the morning Sun leaves a warmth in the room all the day after When Christians lay aside prayer or leave off fervency in it then by degrees they lose their holy violence If you would be violent for Heaven get under lively preaching The word is quick and powerful Heb. 4. 12. It puts liâ—…e into a dead heart It is both a sword â—…o cut down sin and a spur to quicken grace The word is a fire to thaw a frozen heart Jâ—…r 23. 29. Is not my Word fire As good almost be without preaching as be under such preaching as will not warm It is a part of the Word not only to inform but to inflame Psal. 119. 50. Thy Word hath quickened me 'T is the lively dispensation of the Oracles of Heaven must animate us and make us lively in our operation If you would be violent for Heaven get your hearts filled with love to Religion This is like the Rod of Myrtle in the Travellers hand Pliny â—…peaks of which makes him fresh and lively in his travel and keeps him from being weary When a man hath warmed himself at the fire now he is sittest for work If you would be violent in working out salvation warm your selves at this fire of love A man will be violent for nothing but what he loves Why are men so eager in their pursuit after gold but because they love it Love causeth delight and delight causeth violence What made St. Paul labour more than all the other Apostles The love of Christ constrained him 2 Cor. 5. 14. Love is like Oyl to the wheels Get love to Religion and you will never be weary you will count those the best hours which are spent with God He that digs in a silver Vein sweats yet love to the silver makes his labour delightful If you would be violent be vigilant The Prophet stood upon his Watch-tower Hab. 2. 1. Why are Christians so listless in their work but because they are so careless in their watch Did they but watch to see how their enemy watcheth they would be violent to resist him Did they but watch to see how their time runs or rather flies they would be violent to redeem it Did they but watch to see how their hearts loiter in Religion they would spur on faster to Heaven The reason there is so little violence in Religion is because there is so little vigilance When Christians neglect their spiritual watch and grow secure now their motion to Heaven is retarded and Satan's motions to sin are renewed Our sleeping time is Satan's tempting time If you would be violent for the Kingdom bind your heart to God by sacred vows A servant will be more diligent after he is bound to his Master Vow to the Lord that by his grace you will act more vigorously in the sphere of Religion Psalm 56. 12. Thy vows are upon me O God A vow binds the votary to duty He looks upon himself now as under a special obligation and that quickens endeavour No question but a Christian may make such a vow because the ground of it is morally good he vows nothing but what he is bound to do namely to walk more closely with God Only remember that we vow not in our own strength but Christs We must confide in him as well for strength as righteousness Isa. 46. 24. In the Lord I have righteousness and strength If you would be violent for Heaven be sure you make going to Heaven your business What a man looks on as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or thing by the by he will never be violent for but that which he makes his business he will be industrious about A man looks upon his trade as the only thing to get a livelihood by and he follows it close So if we would but look upon Religion as the main business wherein our salvation is concerned we should be violent in it Luke 10. 42. But one thing is needfull This is the One Thing to get Christ and Heaven This is the end we came into the world for If we could thus look upon the things of eternity as our business the One Thing how earnest should we be in the pursuit of them If you would be violent have Heaven continually in your eye This made Christ violent to the death he had an eye to the joy set before him Heb. 12. 2. Set the Crown ever before you and that will provoke endeavour immensum gloria â—…alcar habet The Mariner hath his hand to the Sterh and his eye to the Star While we are working let us have an eye to that place where is Christ the bright morning star How