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
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
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