willingly doth a man wade through a deep water that sees the dry Land before him and is sure to be crowned as soon as he comes at shore Every time you cast your eye up to Heaven think above that starry Heaven is the Empyraean Heaven I am striving for Thus did Moses the eye of his faith quickned the feet of his obedience Heb. 11. 26. He looked to the recompence of Reward When Christians lose their prospect of Heaven then they begin to slacken their pace in the way thither If you would be violent for the Kingdom accompany with such as are violent When we want fire we use to go to our neighbours hearth and fetch fire Often be among the godly and so you shall fetch some heat and quickning from them Psal. 119. 63. I am a companion of all them that fear thee Good company quickens The holy discourse and example of one Saint doth whet and sharpen another The Saints never go so fast to Heaven as when they go in company One Christian helps forward another In other Races that are run many times one hinders another but in this Race to Heaven one Christian helps forward another 1 Thes. 5. 11. Edifie one another even as also ye do O let not this Article of our Creed be forgotten The Communion of Saints If you would be violent never leave till you have the Spirit Desire of God to put forth the sweet violence of his Spirit the Spouse begg'd a gale of the Spirit Cant. 4. 16. Awake O North-wind blow a South When God's Spirit blows upon us now we go full sail to Heaven When the Spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels then they moved Ezek. 1. 21. The wheels of our endeavour move apace when the Spirit of God is in these wheels Seeing there are so many violent winds of temptation blowing us backward we had need have the violent wind of God's Spirit blowing us forward to Heaven Let this suffice to have spoken of the means for this holy violence But may some say we have used this violence for Heaven what remains for us to do As the people said to Christ Luke 1. 13. What shall we do You that have been violent for Heaven aged Christians let me beseech you still to keep alive this holy violence Not only keep up duty but violence in duty Remember you have that corruption within you which is ready to abate this blessed violence The brightest coal hath those ashes growing on it as is apt to choak the fire You have those inbred corruptions that like ashes are ready to choak the fire of your zeal How was Peter's grace cooled when he denied Christ The Church of Ephesus lost her keen edge of Religion Rev. 2. 4. Take heed of declining in your affections Be not like a body in an atrophy be most violent at last A stone the nearer it is to the center the more violent it is in its motion You have but a little time now to work for God therefore work the harder Be like the Church of Thyatira Her last works were more than her first Rev. 2. 19. Be as the Sun that shines brightest before its setting As the Swan that sings sweetest before its death Rom. 13. 11. Your salvation is nearer than when you believed If your salvation be nearer your violence should be greater How should you quicken your pace when you are within sight of the Kingdom He is an happy man of whom it may be said spiritually as of Moses literally before his death Deut. 34. 7. His eyes waxed not dim and his natural force was not abated So a Christian's force and violence for Heaven is not abated He keeps the best wine of his life till the last Here is strong consolation to the violent Christian thou art in the way to the Kingdom Though perhaps thou hast not a bunch of Grapes in the way I mean that joy which some meet with yet it is happy that thou art in the way Bless God that while some lye in the totâ—…l neglect of duty God hath given thee an heart to seek him Psal. 105. 3. Leâ—… the hearts of them rejoyce that seek the Lord. Nay God hath not only given thee an heart to do duty but to do duty mixed with love which makes it savoury meat and do duty stamped with fervency which makes it pass currant with God O bless God who hath raised thee off the bed of sloth and stirred up the zeal of thy soul for Heaven He who hath made thee violent will make thee victorious Wait awhile and thou shalt be possessed of a Kingdom When Moses went up to receive God's Commands he staid six daies on the Mount and on the seventh day God called to him Exod. 24. 16. Though we wait long and have not the thing waited for yet let us continue doing our duty shortly God will call us from Heaven Come up hither and we shall go from the Mount of Faith to the Mount of Vision and behold those glorious things which eye hath â—…ot seen nor can it enter into man's heart to conceive But may a child of God say I fear I am none of those violent ones that shall take Heaven I find such a deadness of heart in duty that I question whether I shall ever arrive at the Kingdom This deadness of the heart may arise from natural causes Weakness of body may occasion indisposition of mind Thy prayer may be weak because thy body is weak A Lute that is cracked cannot send forth so sweet a sound as if it were whole 2. This indisposition of soul perhaps is only casual and for a time it may be in a deep fit of melancholy or in desertion When the Sun is gone from our climate the earth is as it were in desertion and the trees are without blossom or fruit but this is only for a time Let but the Sun return again in Spring and now the herbs flourish and the trees put forth their fruit So when God hides his face there is a deadness upon a Christian's heart he prayes as if he prayed not But let the Sun of Righteousness return now he is divinely animated and is as vigorous and lively in his operation as ever he now recovers his first love Therefore thou weak Christian be not discouraged so long as thou dost not allow thy self in thy distemper a dead heart is thy burden look up to Christ thy High-Priest who is merciful to bear with thy infirmities and is mighty to help them THE HAPPINESS OF Drawing near to GOD. PSALM 73. 28. But it is good for me to draw near to God THis Psalm is no less elegant than sacred It is calculated for the Meridian of God's Church in all times but especially it is fit for the godly to meditate upon in times of calamity It is intitled a Psalm of Asaph Asaph was a man divinely inspired a Prophet as also one of the
Reuben unstable as water but was fixed and resolute in Religion and a Prison could make no alteration in him Vers. But what went ye out for to see a man cloathed in soft raiment John did not indulge his senses he wore not silks but Camels hair nor did he affect to live at Court but in a Wilderness Mat. 3. 3 4. Again Christ commends John as being his forerunner who prepared the way before him vers 10. He was the morning Star which did precede the Sun of Righteousness and that Christ might sufficiently honour this holy man he doth not only parallel him with but prefer him before the chief of the Prophets Vers. 9. What went ye out for to see a Prophet yea I say unto you and more than a Prophet Vers. 11. Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist He was eminent both for Dignity of Office and Perspicuity of Doctrine and so the Text is usher'd in From the dayes of John the Baptist â—…ntil now the Kingdom of Heaven suffereâ—… violence and the violent take it by force In which words there is 1. The prefâ—… or introduction from the dayes of Jâ—… the Baptist until now John Baptist was a zealous Preacher a Boanerges or Son of Thunder and after his Preaching People began to be awakened out of their siâ—…s Hence learn what kind of Ministry is like to do most good namely That which works upon the Consciences of men John Baptist did lift up his voice like a Trumpet he preached the Doctrine of Repentance with power Mat. 3. 2. Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand He came hewing and cutting down mens sins and afterwards preached Christ to them First He poured in the Vinegar of the Law then the Wine of the Gospel This was that preaching made men studiously seek after Heaven John did not so much preach to please as to profit he chose rather to discover mens sins than to shew his own eloquence That is the best looking-glass not which is most gilded but which shews the truest face That Preaching is to be preferred which makes the truest discovery of mens sins and shews them their hearts John Baptist was a burning and a shining light he did burn in his Doctrine and shine in his Life and from that time men pressed into Heaven Peter who was filled with a spirit of zeal having humbled his hearers for their sins and opened to them a Fountain in Christs Blood they were then pricked at their heart Act. 2. 37. 'T is the greatest mercy to have a Soul-searching Ministry If one had a desperate Wound he would desire to have it searched to the bottom Who would not be content to have their Souls searched so they may have them saved 2. The matter in the Text The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force What is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven Some interpret it of the Doctrine of the Gospel which reveals Christ and Heaven So Erasmus But I rather by the Kingdom of Heaven understand Glory and so learned Beza and others This Kingdom suffereth violence 'T is a Metaphor from a Town or Castle that holds out in War and is not taken but by storm So the Kingdom of Heaven will not be taken without violence The violent take it by force The Earth is inherited by the Meek Mat. 5. 5. Heaven is inherited by the violent Our life is military Christ is our Captain the Gospel is the Banner tho Oraces are our spiritual Artillery and Heaven is only taken in a forcible way The words fall into two parts 1. The Combate suffereth violence 2. The Conquest The Violent take it by force The right way to take Heaven is by Storm Or thus None get into Heaven but violent ones This violence hath a double aspect It concerns men as Magistrates they must be violent 1. In punishing the nocent When Aaron's Urim and Thummim will do no good then must Moses come with his Rod. The wicked are the bad humours and surfeit of the Common-wealth which by the care of Magistracy are to be purged out God hath placed Governours for the â—…terrour of evil doâ—…rs 1 Pet. 2. 14. They must not be like the Sword-fish which hath a Sword in his Head but is without an Heart They must not have a Sword in their Hand but no Heart to draw it out for the cutting down of impiety Connivance in a Magistrate supports vice and by not punishing offenders he adopts other mens faults and makes them his own Magistracy without zeal is like the body without spirits Too much lenity emboldens sin and doth but shave the head which deserves to be cut off 2. In defending the Innocent The Magistrate is the Asylum or Altar of Refuge for the oppressed to sly to Charls Duke of Calabria was so in love with doing Justice that he caused a Bell to be hung at his Palace gate which whosoever did ring was sure presently to be admitted into the Duke's presence or have some Officers sent out to hear his cause Aristides was famous for his Justice of whom the Historian saith he would never favour any mans cause because he was his friend nor do injusâ—…ice to any because he was his Enemy The Magistrates ballance is the oppressed mans shield This violence concerns men as Christians Though Heaven be given us freely yet we must contend for it Eccles. 9. 10. What thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might Our work is great our time short our Master urgent we had need therefore summon together all the powers of our souls and strive as in a matter of Life and Death that we may arrive at the Kingdom above We must not only put forth diligence but violence For the illustrating and clearing the Proposition I shall shew 1. What violence is not meant here This violence in the text excludes 1. An ignorant violence to be violent for that which we do not understand Acts 17. 23. As I passed by and beheld your Devotions I found an Altar with this Inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the unknown God These Athenians were violent in their devotion but it might be said to them as Christ said to the Woman of Samaria Joh. 4. 22. Ye worship ye know not what Thus the Papists are violent in their Religion witness their pennance fasting dilacerating themselves till the blood comes but it is a Zeal without Knowledge their Metal is better than their Eye-sight When Aaron was to burn the Incenâ—…e upon the Altar he was â—…st to light the lampâ—… Exod. 30. 7. When zeal like incense burns first the lamp of knowledge must be lighted 2. It excludes a bloody violence which is two-fold First when one goes to lay violent hands upon himself The body is an earthly prison where God hath put the Soul we must not break
betook himself â—…o prayer at length rising off his knees he came out of his Closet triumphantly saying to his friends â—…cimus Vicimus We have overcome â—…e have overcome At which time it was obsoâ—…ved there came out a Proâ—…lamal â—…ion from Charles the Fifth that none should be further molested for the Profession of the Gospel How may this encourage us and make us hoise up the sails of prayer when others of the Saints have had such good returns from the holy Land That we may put forth this holy violence in prayer it is requisite there be a renewed principle of grace If the person be graceless no wonder the prayer is heartless The body while it is dead hath no heat in it while a man is dead in sin he can have no heat in duty 2. That we may be the more violent in prayer it is good to pray with a sense of our wants A begger that is pinched with want will be earnest in craving an alms Christian review thy wants thou wantest an humble spiritual frame of heart thou wantest the light of Gods countenance the sense of want will quicken prayer That man can never pray fervently that doth not pray feelingly How earnest was Sampson for water when he was ready to die Judg. 15. 18. I die for thirst 3. If we would be violent in prayer let us beg a violent wind The Spirit of God is resembled to a mighty rushing wind Acts 2. 2. Then we are violent when this blessed Wind fills our sails Jude v. 20. Praying in the Holy Ghost If any fire be in our Sacrifice it comes down from Heaven The fourth Duty wherein we must offer violence to our selves is Meditation a duty wherein the very heart and life-blood of Religion lies St. Bernard calls Meditation animae viaticum a bait by the way And another saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meditation may be thus described It is an holy excercise of the mind whereby we bring the truths of God to remembrance and do seriously ponder upon them and apply them to our selves In meditation there are two things 1. A Christians retiring of himself a locking himself up from the world Meditation is a work which cannot be done in a croud 2. It is a serious thinking on God It is not a few transient thoughts that are quickly gone but a fixing and staying the mind upon heavenly objects This cannot be done without exciting all the powers of our souls and offering violence to our selves We are the more to provoke our selves to this duty because 1. Meditation is so cross to flesh and blood Naturally we shun holy meditation To meditate on worldly secular things if it were all day we can do it without any diversion But to have our thoughts fixed on God how hard do we find it how do our hearts quarrel with this duty what pleas and excuses have we to shift it off The natural averseness from this duty shews we are to offer violence to our selves in it 2. Satan doth what he can to hinder this duty He is an enemy to meditation The Devil cares not how much we hear nor how little we meditate Hearing begets knowledge but meditation begets devotion Meditation doth ballast the heart and make it serious and Satan labours to keep the heart from being serious What need therefore is there of offering violence to our selves in this duty But me-thinks I hear some say when they sit alone they know not what to meditate of I shall therefore surnish them with matter of meditation 1. Meditate seriously upon the corruption of your nature We have lost that pure quintessential frame of soul that once we had There is a Sea of sin in us Our nature is a source and seminary of all evil like Peter's sheet wherein were wild beasts and creeping things Acts 10. 12. This sin cleaves to us as a leprosie This original pollution makes us guilty before the Lord and though we should never commit actual sin this merits Hell The meditation of this would be a means to pull down our pride Nay even those that have grace have cause to walk humbly because they have more corruption in them than grace their dark side is broader than their light 2. Meditate seriously upon the death and passion of Christ His soul was over-cast with a cloud of sorrow when he was conflicting with his Fathers wrath and all this we should have suffered Isaâ—… 〈◊〉 5. He was wounded for our transgressions As David said Lo I have sinned but these sheep what have they done 2 Sam. 24. 17 So we have sinned but this Lamb of God what had he done 1. The serious meditation of this would produce Repentance How could we look upon him whom we have pierced and not mourn over him When we consider how dear our sins cost Christ how should we shed the blood of our sins which shed Christ's blood 2. The meditation of Christ's death would fire our hearts with love to Christ. What friend shall we love if not him who died for us His love to us made him cruel to himself As Rebecca said to Jacob Gen. 27. 13. Upon me upon me be the curse So said Christ Upon me be the curse that poor sinners may inherit the blessing 3. Meditate on your Evidences for Heaven What have you to shew for Heaven if you should die this night 1. Was your heart ever thorowly convinced of sin Did you ever see your self lost without Christ Conviction is the first step to conversion Joh. 8. 16. 2. Hath God ever made you willing to take Christ upon his own terms Zach. 6. 13. He shall be a Priest upon his Throne Are you as willing that Christ should be upon the Throne of your heart to rule as a Priest at the Altar to intercede Are you willing to renounce those sins to which the biass of your heart doth naturally incline Can you set those sins as Uriah in the forefront of the battel to be slain Are you wiling to take Christ for better for worse to take him with his Cross and to avouch Christ in the worst of times 3. Have you the indwelling-presence of the Spirit If you have what hath Gods Spirit done in you Hath it made you of another spirit meek mercifull humble Is it a transforming Spirit Hath it lest the impress of its own holiness upon you These are good evidences for Heaven By these as by a spiritual touch-stone you may know whether you have grace or no. Bewarâ—… of false Evidences None are further from having the true Pearl than they that content themselves with the counterfeit 4. Meditate upon the uncertainty of all sublunary comforts Creature-delights have their flux and reflux How oft doth the Sun of worldly pomp and grandure go down at noon Xerxes waâ—… forced to fly away in a small vessel who but a little before wanted Sea-room for his Navy We say every thing is
then they will begin this No man saith I will learn my trade when I am old It is imprudence for one to begin to work for Heaven when he is past his labour There is a night of sickness and death coming and our Saviour saith The night cometh when none can work Joh. 9. 4. Sure a man can put forth but little violence for Heaven when old age and old sins are upon him Besides how unworthy and dis-ingenuous is it to give the Devil the flower of youth and God the dâ—…egs of old age Therefore God rejected Cain's Sacrifice because it was stale before he brought it Gen. 4. 2. There is little hope of their salvation who are never violent for Heaven till their disease grows violent 6. It reproves those that are so far from using this violence for Heaven that they deride it These are your zealous ones 2 Pet. 3. 3. In the last daies there shall be scoffers Holy walking is become the object of derision Psal. 69. 12. I am become the song of the drunkards This shews a vile heart There are some who though thy have no goodness themselves yet honour them that are good Herod reverenced John Baptist. But what Devils are they who scoff at goodness and reproach others for doing that which God commands This age produceth such as sit in the chair of scorners and throw their squibs at Religion In Bohemia when some of the Martyrs were the next day to suffer they comforted themselves with this that this was their last Supper and to morrow they should feast with Christ in Heaven a Papist standing by asked them in a jear if Christ had any Cooks in Heaven to dress their Supper Oh take heed of such an Ishmael-spirit â—…t is a sign of a man given over to the Devil God scorneth the scorner Prov. 3. 34. And sure he shall never live with God whose company God scorns 7. It reproves them who instead of taking Heaven by force keep it off by force as if they were afraid of being happy or as if a Crown of glory would hurt them Such are 1. The ignorant who shut their eyes against the light and refuse to be taught the way to Heaven Hosea 4. 6. Thou hast rejected Knowledge The Hebrew word signifies to reject with disdain As I have read of a Scotch Bishop who thanked God he never knew what the Old and New Testament was I wonder where that Bishop took his text 2. The prophane who hate to be admonished and had rather die than reform Amos 5. 10. They hate him that rebuketh in the gate These keep off Heaven by force Such were those Acts 13. 46. Seeing you put away the Word from you The Greek word may be rendred seeing you shuff it away with your shoulders As if a sick â—…n should bolt out the Physician lest he should cure him Job 21. 14. Who say unto the Almighty depart from us God is loth to bâ—… gone he woes and beseecheth sinners to accept of terms of mercy he is loth to be gone but sinners will have him gone They say to him Depart May not we say to these quis effascinavit who hath bewitched you What madness beyond Hyperbole is this that you should not only forsake mercy but fight against it as if there were danger in going to Heaven These who put away salvation from them are felo de se they do wilfully perish they would not hear of any thing that should save them Were it not a sad Epitaph to be written upon a man's Tomb-stone Here lies one that murdered himself This is the condition of desperate sinners they keep off Heaven by force they are self-murderers Therefore God writes their Epitaph upon their grave Hosea 13. 9. O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self 3. Let us then examine whether we put forth this holy violence for Heaven What is an empty Profession without this like a Lamp without Oyl Let us all ask our selves What violence do we use for Heaven 1. Do we strive with our hearts to get them into an holy frame How did David awaken all the powers of his soul to serve God Psal. 57. 8. I my self will awake early The heart is like a Bell that is a long while a raising 2. Do we set time apart to call our selves to an account and try our evidences for Heaven Psal. 77. 6. My Spirit made diligent search Do we take our hearts as a Watch all in pieces to see what is amiss and mend it Are we curiously inquisâ—…ive into the state of our souls Are we afraid of painted grace as of painted happiness 3. Do we use violence in prayer Is there fire in our Sacrifice Doth the wind of the Spirit filling our sails cause groans unutterable Rom. 8. 26. Do we pray in the morning as if we were to die at night 4. Do we thirst for the living God Are our souls big with holy desires Psal. 73. 25. There is none upon earth my soul desires besides thee Do we desire holiness as well as Heaven Do we desire as much to look like Christ as to live with Christ Is our desire constant Is this spiritual pulse ever beating 5. Are we skilled in self denial Can we deny our ease our aimes our interest Can we cross our own will to fulfill God's Can we behead our beloved sin To pluck out the right eye requires violence 6. Are we lovers of God It is not how much we do but how much we love Doth love command the â—…astle of our hearts Doth Christ's beauty and sweetness constrain us 2 Cor. 5. 14. Do we love God more than we fear Hell 7. Do we keep our spiritual watch do we set spies in every place watching our thoughts our eyes our tongues When we have prayed against sin do we watch against temptation The Jews having sealed the stone of Christ's Sepulchre seâ—…t a watch Matth. 27. 66. After we have been at the Word or Sacrament that sealing Ordinance do we set a watch 8. Do we press after further degrees of sanctity Phil. 3. 13. Reaching forth unto those things which are before A good Christian is a wonder he is the most contented yet the least satisfied he is contented with a little of the world but not satisfied with a little grace he would still have more Faith and be anointed with fresh Oyl Paul desired to attain unto the resurrection of the dead Phil. 3. 11. that is he endeavoured if possible to arrive at such a measure of grace as the Saints shall have at the Resurrection 9. Is there an holy emulation in us do we labour to out-shine others in Religion To be more eminent for love and good works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do we something which is singular Matth. 5. 47. What do you more than others 10. Are we got above the world though we walk on Earth do we trade in Heaven Can we say as David Psal. 139. 17. I am
for Heaven thou wilt lose all thy pleasures ask him what pleasures are they Satan such as please only the senses they do not delight the mind they do not comfort the conscience they are such delights wherein the bruit creatures do exceed me 3. These sugred pleasures in sin the Scripture saith are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a season Heb. 11. 25. Like fire in straw which makes a blaze but is presently out 1 Joh. 2. 17. The world passeth away and the lusts thereof It passeth away swiftly as a ship under sail Worldly pleasures perish in the using like a flying shadow or flash of lightning and are these to be preferred before an eternal weight of glory 4. The present sweetness which is in fin will turn to bitterness at last Like the Book the Prophet eat Ezek. 3. 3. Sweet in the mouth but bitter in the belly Hony is sweet but it turns to choler Sin is a sweet poison it delights the palate but torments the bowels When once the finner's eyes come to be opened at death and he feels some sparks of God's wrath in his conscience then he will cry out for horrour and be ready to lay violent hands upon himself We may say of the pleasures of sin as Solomon of wine Prov. 23. 32. Look not on the wine when it is red when it shews its colour in the glass afterwards it bites like a Serpent So look not on the smiling pleasures of sin be not delighted with its beauty but affrighted with its sting Do the damned in Hell feel any pleasure now in their sins Hath their cup of wrath one drop of hony in it Oh remember after the golden Crowns and womens hair come the Lions teeth Rev. 9. 8. Thus I have answered the first part of the Objection I shall lose all my pleasures in sin If I put forth this violence in Religion I shall exchange my delight for labour I must dig a way through the Rock and while I work I must weep Resp. Though you must use violence yet it is a sweet violence it is a labour turned into delight Psal. 138. 5. They shall sing in the waies of the Lord. To send out faith as a spy to view the heavenly Canaan and pluck a bunch of Grapes there what delight is here Rom. 15. 13. Joy in believing To love God in whom all excellencies are combined how sweet is it To love beauty is delightful To walk among the promises as among beds of spices and taste the fruit oh how pleasant The labour of a Christian brings peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost Sed juvat ipse labor And whereas it is said that this holy violence takes away our joy and while we work we must weep I answer a Christian would not be without these tears The tears of a Saint saith Bernard have more true joy in them than all worldly delight The Oyl of joy is for mourners Isa. 61. 3. 4. I would use this violence for Heaven but I shall expose my self to the censure and scorn of others They will wonder to see me so altered and think it nothing but a religious phrensie Consider who reproach thee they are the wicked such as if Christ were alive on earth would reproach him They are blinded by the God of the world 2 Cor. 4. 4. It is as if a blind man should reproach a beautifull face 2. What do they reproach thee for 't is for offering violence for Heaven Is it a disgrace to be labouring for a Kingdom Tell them thou art doing the work that God hath set thee about Better they should reproach thee for working in the Vineyard than God damn thee for not working 3. Jesus Christ was reproached for thy sake Heb. 12. 2. He endured the shame of the Cross and wilt not thou be contented to bear reproaches for him These are but the chips of the Cross which are rather to be despised than laid to heart If I use this holy violence and turn religious then I shall lose such yearly profits which my sin hath brought in As Amaziah said What shall I do for the hundred Talents 2 Chron. 25. 9. Is there any profit in sin did ever any one thrive upon that Trade by that time you have cast up the reckoning you will find but little profit 1. By the incomes that sin brings in thou treasurest up vengeance Rom. 2. 5. While thou puttest unjust gain in thy bag God puts wrath in his viol and will you call this profit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whatever mony a man gets in a sinful way he must pay interest for it in hell 2. That cannot be for thy profit which makes thee come off a loser at last Thou losest Heaven and thy soul and what can countervail this loss What is a man profited if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul Matth. 16. 26. God saith Chrysostom hath given a man two eyes if he lose one he hath another but he hath but one soul and if that be lost he is undone for ever But I have so much business in the world that I can find no time for this holy violence As the King of Macedon said when they presented him with a book treating of Happiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am not at leisure See the folly of of this objection What is the main business of life but looking after the soul and for men to say they are so immersed in the world that they cannot mind their souls is most absurd and irrational This is to make the greater give way to the lesse As if an Husbandman should say he is so busie in angling or looking after his Bees that he hath no time to plow or sow What is his occupation but plowing Such a madness is it to hear men say they are so taken up about the world that they have no time for their souls Could God find time to think of thy salvation could Jesus Christ find time to come into the world and be here above thirty years in carrying on this great design of thy Redemption and canst thou find no time to look after it Is the getting a little mony that which obstructs this violence for Heaven Thy mony perish with thee Canst thou find time for thy body time to eat and sleep and not find time for thy soul canst thou find time to employ about thy recreation and no time to employ about thy salvation canst thou find time for idle visits and no time to visit the Throne of Grace Oh take heed thou goest not to Hell in the croud of worldly business Joshua who was a Commander of an Army yet his work as a Souldier was not to hinder his work as a Christian he must pray as well as fight and take the Book of the Law in his hand as well as the Sword Josh. 1. 8. Thou whosoever thou art that makest this
hath turned them away from the profession of Religion Such were Bolsecus Petrus Carolus and others Hos. 8. 3. Israel hath cast off the thing that is good At Ausborough the Papists give ten florens a year to such as revolt from the Protestant Faith Men draw back from God because they never had the Spirit of God to confirm them Such as have the Spirit 's indwelling never take their final leave of God The Spirit in the heart is called an earnest not a pawn A pawn may be called for again and taken away but an earnest remains and is part of the summ behind O how odious is it to draw back from God! The name Judas is had in abomination at this day Sure no Protestant would baptize his child Judas And how dismal was his end he who had no bowels to an innocent Christ his bowels gushed out If it be good to draw near to God it must needs be evil to draw back from him Psal. 37. 27. Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee 3. It exhorts us all to draw near to God 'T is more ingenious to draw near to God voluntarily than to be drawn near to him by affliction God is the terminus ad quem whither should the soul go but to God where can the Bee rest but in its hive To draw near to God is as well a priviledge as a duty There are but two Motives I shall use to perswade to this drawing near to God 1. The first is in the text to draw near to God is a good thing 'T is good for me That it is good appears several waies To draw near to God is our wisdom The price of Wisdom is above Rubies Job 28. 18. No Jewel we wear doth so adorn us as wisdom and wherein is our wisdom seen more than in our appropinquation to God 'T is judged wisdom to keep in with great men Prov. 19. 6. Many will intreat the favour of the Prince A Prince's love is mutable How often doth the sun-shine of his royal favour set in a cloud But it is wisdom to draw near to God he is the sweetest friend and the sorest enemy To draw near to God is our honour It is counted an honour to converse with noble personages What an high dignity is it that the great God will suffer sinful dust to draw near to him Surely the Apostle did speak it with an holy boasting 1 Joh. 1. 3. Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus As if he had said we do not walk with the Pedanticks of the world we are of the blood-royal of Heaven we live above other men Our fellowship is with the Father That the King of Kings will hold forth a Golden Scepter to us invite and welcome us into his presence and bid us draw near this is no small favour 1 Sam. 2â—… 2. Every one that was distressed and in debt drew near to David and he became a Captain over them So that we who are distressed and in debt may draw near to God and that he will not only be our captain but our Husband Isa. 54. 5. What transcendent dignity is this It is a wonder God doth not kick uâ—… out of his presence but that we should be admitted to see the King's face and that he should send us dainties off from his own table is an honour fitter for Angels than men To draw near to God is our safety God is a strong Tower Prov. 18. 10. It is good in times of danger to draw near to a Fort or Castle Haâ—… 3. 4. He had horns coming out of his haâ—…ds and â—…here was the hiding of his power The â—…orns coming out of God's hands are to push his enemies and she hiding of his power is to safeguard his people God is an impregnable strong hold Indeed there is no safety but in drawing nigh to God If the sheep straggles from the fold it is in danger of the Wolf if we straggle and wander from God we are in danger of Satan To draw near to God is our peace The only thing which breaks our peace is when we do not keep close to God but what harmony yea Heaven is in the soul when it draws nigh to God! Psal. 119. 165. Great peace have they that love thy Law This peace like Pearl in broth is cordial David drew nigh to God for he was ever with him Psal. 139. 17. And this made his pillow soft when he went to sleep Psal. 4. 8. I will lay me down in peace As the hony-dew falls upon the leaf O that sweet serenity which drops as hony upon the soul while it is drawing nigh to God! How comfortable is it to draw near the Sun and how sweet is it to approach nigh to the Sun of Righteousness To draw near to God is our riches 'T is good drawing near a golden Mine If we draw near to God he will enrich us with promises and divine consolations he will enrich us with the Pearl of price Ephes. 3. 8. He will reward us as a King yea as a God He will make over his Land and Jewels to us he will give us the spring-flowers of joy here and the harvest of glory hereafter If we draw near to God he will draw near to us If we draw near to him in duty he will draw near to us in mercy When the Prodigal approached to his Father his Father drew near to him and fell on his neck and kissed him Luke 15. 20. If we draw near to God with repenting hearts he will draw near to us with a compassionate heart David prayed Psal. 69. 18. Draw nigh to my soul. It is good to have God draw nigh to us How sweet is his presence he is light to the eye joy to the heart How happy was it for Zacheus when Christ drew near to him This day is salvation come to thy house Luke 19. 9. When God draws near to the soul Heaven and salvation draw near 2. There is a time coming when we shall wish we had drawn near to God We are shortly drawing dear to our grave Psalm 107. 18. They draw near unto the gates of death The wicked who care not for God yet at death they would draw near to him then they cry as Matth. 8. 25. Lord save us or we perish Then mercy mercy They run to God in distress as in a storm men run to a tree for shelter But God will not shelter his enemies The Lord gives the sinner abundance of mercy in his life time as you have seen a loving Father bribing a Prodigal Son with money to see if he can reclaim him but if the sinner be not wrought upon with mercy then at death the Sun of mercy sets and a dark night of wrath overtakes the sinner They who would not draw nigh to God as a friend God will draw nigh to them as an enemy How
143. 11. Beg fresh gales of the Spirit to blow upon you Never leave till you have recovered that holy violence which once you had 2. It reproves those who have quite left off all violence they have left off reading and praying in their family There is not so much as a face of Religion to be seen they are fallen finally Such were Joash Jehu Julian The goodly building of their profession which others admired now hath not one stone left upon another But Why do men thus run retrograde in their motion and quite throw off that violence which they seem'd once to have 1. Because they never had a principle of spiritual life Things that move from a principle of life are constant as the motion of the pulse but things artificial are apt to be at a stand and their motion ceaseth As a clock when the weights are hung on goes but take off the weights and it stands So the Apostate never moves in Religion but for gain and applause and when these weights are taken off he is at a stand he goes no further That branch must needs wither that hath no root to grow upon 2. Men throw off all violence and degenerate into Apostasie because they never did duties of Religion with delight St. Paul delighted in the Law of God in the inward man Rom. 7. 22. It was his Heaven to serve God A man that delights in pleasure will never give over but the Apostate never had any true delight in the waies of God he was rather forced with fear than drawn with love he served a Master that he never cared for no wonder then he leaves his service 3. Men degenerate into Apostasie through unbelief Psal. 78. 22. They believed not in God vers 41. They turned back and tempted God Sinners have jealous thoughts of God they distrust his love therefore desert his service they think they may pray and hear and to no purpose Mal. 3. 14. What profit is it that we have kept his Ordinaâ—…nes We may draw near to God in duty but He will never draw near to us in mercy Thus Unbelief and Atheism prevailing the livery of Religion is presently thrown off and all former violence for Heaven ceaseth Infidelity is the Mother of Apostasie 4. Men leave off their former violence and prove Judasses and Devils be cause they love something else more than Religion There is some lust or other their heart is ingaged to and their violence for sin hath destroyed their violence for Religion Solyman the great Turk seeing many Christians go over to Turcism he asked them What moved them to turn Turks They replyed They did it to be eased of their Taxes They were drawn from God through the prevalency of covetousness If there be any lust in the heart predominant it will get head and destroy all former zeal for Religion Abimeleck a Bastard destroyed threescore and ten of his Brethren upon one stone Judg. 9. 15. If there be any lust the heart runs after this bastard-sin will destroy threescore and ten duties it will murder all that violence for Heaven which a man did once seem to have 5. Men leave off former violence out of pusillanimity if they are violent in Religion they fear they may lose their profits and preferments nay their lives The coward never yet won the field When carnal fear grows violent all violence for Heaven is at an end Incipit esse malus qui timet esse bonus Many of the Jews who were great followers of Christ when they saw the swords and staves left him Prov. 26. 25. In the fear of man there is a snare Carnal fear makes sin appear less than it is but danger greater 6. Men leave off violence for Heaven for want of patience Sensible feeling of joy is with-held and they have not patience to stay for the full recompence of reward Hypocrites are all for present pay and if they have not that suddenly which they desire they bid adieu to Religion and say as that wicked King 2 King 6. 33. Why should I wait for the Lord any longer They consider not that God is a free Agent and will dispense his blessings in the fittest season but they go to tye God up to their time They forget that joy is a part of the reward and would they have the reward and their work not yet finished Doth the servant use to receive his pay before his work is done Jam. 5. 7. The Husbandman waits for his precious fruits of the earth He doth not look to sow and reap in a day But Hypocrites are alwaies in haste they would reap joy before they have done sowing the seed of Repentance and because comfort is a while deferred they are offended they will serve God no longer their patience is at an end therefore their violence is at an end 7. Men leave off holy violence and degenerate into prophaneness out of a just judgement of God leaving them to themselves they oft resisted the Spirit and sent it away sad from them and now as a just judgement God saith My Spirit shall no longer strive and if this wind doth not blow upon their sails they cannot move If this Sun withdraw from their climate they must needs freeze in impenitency They before sinned against clear convictions they silenced conscience and God hath seared it And now if an Angel should preach to them from Heaven it would do them no good O how dismal is this the thoughts of it may strike us into an holy consternation Thus we see why men apostatize and leave off their violence for Heaven Well but what do they get by this let us see what a purchase Apostates make They proclaim their folly for all their former violence for Heaven is lost He who runs half the Race and then faints loseth the Garland Ezek. 18. 24. When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned All mens prayers and tears are lost The Apostate unravels all that he hath been doing He is like a man that with a pensil draws a curious picture and then comes with his spunge and wipes it out again Gal. 3. 4. Have ye suffered so many things in vain Perhaps for Religion a man hath suffered many a reproach and affront and have ye suffered all this in vain Here is folly indeed It will be bitterness in the end Jer. 2. 19. Know therefore that it is an evil and bitter thing that thou hast forsaken the Lord. Men by leaving off their violence for Heaven get a thorn in their conscience a blot in their name a curse in their souls What got Judas by his Apostasie but an halter So that it will be bitterness in the end The Apostate when he dies drops as a wind-fall into the Devil's mouth 5. It reproves those who put off this violence for the Kingdom till old age When they are fit for no other work