fire for its mollifying power Jer. 23. 29. If you are poysoned with sin here is an herb to expel it Look upon the Word as a soveraign Elixir to comfort you in distress it comforts you against all your sins temptations and afflictions What are the Promises but divine Cordials to revive fainting Souls A gracious heart goes feeding on a Promise as Sampson on the Hony-comb Judg. 14. 9. The word comforts against sickness and death 1 Cor. 15. 55. O death where is thy sting A Christian dies embracing the Promise as Simeon did Christ Heb. 11. 16. Read the Word as the last VVill and Testament of Christ. Here are many Legacies given to them that love him Pardon of sin Adoption Consolation this Will is in force being sealed in Christs Blood With what seriousness doth a Child read over the Will and Testament of his Father that he may see what is left him Read it as a Book by which you must be judged John 12. 48. The Word I have spoken shall judge him at the last day They who live according to the Rules of this Book shall be acquitted they who live contrary to them shall be condemned There are two Books God will go by the Book of Conscience and the Book of Scripture the one shall be the Witness and the other the Judge How should every Christian then provoke himself to read this Book of God with Care and Devotion This is that Book which God will proceed by at the last They who fly from the Word as a Guide shall be forced to submit to it as a Judge 2. The second Duty of Religion wherein we must provoke our selves is in Hearing of the Word We may bring our bodies to the Word with ease but not our hearts without offering violence to our selves When we come to the Word Preached we come about a business of the highest importance therefore should stir up our selves and hear with the greatest devotion Constantine the Emperour was noted for his reverend attention to the Word Luk. 19. 48. All the people were attentive to hear him In the Greek it is they hanged upon his lip When the Word is dispensed we are now to lift up the everlasting doors of our hearts that the King of glory may enter in How far are they from offering violence to themselves in hearing who scarce mind what is said as if they were not at all concerned in the business they come to Church more for custom than conscience Ezek. 33. 31. They come to thee as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and hear thywords but they will not do them If we could tell them of a rich purchase or of some place of preferment they would diligently attend but when the Word of Life is Preached they disregard it 2. How far are they from offering violence to themselves in hearing who come to the Word in a dull drowsie manner as if they came to Church to take a Receipt to make them sleep The Word is to feed it is strange to sleep at meat The Word judgeth men it is strange for a prisoner to fall asleep at the Bar. To such sleepy hearers God may say Sleep on He may suffer them to be so stupified that no Ordinance shall awaken them Mat. 13. 25. While men slept the enemy came and sowed Tares The Devil is never asleep but sows the tares of sin in a drowsie hearer That we may when we come to the Word offer violence to our selves and stir up our selves to hear with devotion consider 1. It is God that speaks to us If a Judge give a charge upon the bench all listen If a King speaks all give attention When we come to the Word we should think thus with our selves We are to hear God in this Preacher Therefore Christ is said Now to speak to us from Heaven Heb. 12. 25. Christ speaks in his Ministers as a King speaketh in the person of his Embassadour When Samuel knew it was the Lord that spake to him he lent an ear 2. Sam. 3. 5. Speak Lord thy Servant heareth They who slight God speaking in his Word shall hear him speaking in his wrath Psalm 2. 5. Then shall he speak to them in his wrath 2. Let us consider the weightiness of the matters delivered to us As Moses said to Israel Deut. 30. 19. I call Heaven and Earth to Record this day that I havâ—… set before you life and death We preach to men of Christ and the Eternal Recompences here are the magnalia Legis the weighty matters of the Law and doth not all this call for serious attention There is a great deal of difference between a Letter of news read to us and a Letter of special business wherein our whole Land and Estate is concerned In the Word preached our Salvation is concerned here we are instructed to the Kingdom of God and if ever we will be serious it should be now Deut. 32. 47. It is not a vain thing for you because it is your life 3. If the Word be not regarded it will not be remembred Many complain they cannot remember here is the reason God punisheth their carelesness in hearing with forgetfulness He suffers Satan to take away the Word from them Mat. 13. 4. The Fowls of the Air came and devoured the seed The Devil is no Recusant he comeâ—… to Church but it is not for any good intent he gets away the Word from men How many have been roâ—…ed of the Sermon and their souls both at once 4. It may be the last time that ever God will speak to us in his Word it may be the last Sermon that ever we shall hear and we may go from the place of hearing to the place of judgeing Did people think thus when they come into the Houseof God Perhaps this will be the last time that God will counsel us about our souls the last time that ever we shall see our Minister's face with what devotion would they come how would their affections be all on fire in hearing We give great attention to the last speeches of friends A Parents dying words are received as Oracles Oh let all this provoke us to diligence in hearing let us think this may be the last time that Aarons Bell shall sound in our ears and before another day we shall be in another World The third Duty wherein we are to offer violence to our selves is in Prayer Prayer is a duty which keeps the trade of Religlon agoing When we either joyn in prayer with others or pray alone we must use holy violence not eloquence in prayer but violence carries it Theodorus speaking of Luther Once saith he I over heard him in prayer but good God with what life and spirit did he pray It was with so much Reverence as if he were speaking to God yet with so much confidence as if he had been speaking to his friend
Writer but in matters of Religion they are as if their tongue did cleave to the roof of their mouth As we must answer to God for idle words so for sin-full silence Oh let us offer violence to our selves in this in setting abroach good discourse What should our words dilate and expatiate upon but Heaven The world is a great Inne we are guests in this Inne Travellers when they are met in their Inne do not spend all their time in speaking about their Inne they are to lodge there but a few hours and they are gone but they are speaking of their home and the Country whither they are travelling So when we meet together we should not be talking only about the world we are to leave this presently but we should talk of our heavenly Country Heâ—… 11. 16. That we may provoke our selves to good discourse for it will not be done without some kind of violence let these considerations be duly weighed The discourse demonstrates what the heart is As the Glass shews what the face is whether it be fair or foul so the words shew what the heart is Vain speeches discover a light feathery heart gracious speeches are the birâ—…h of a gracious heart The water of the Conduit shews what the Spring is Holy conâ—…erence is very edifying The Apostle bids us edifie one another Ephes. 4. 29 And how more than this way Good conference enlightens the mind when it is ignorant warms it when it is frozen settles it when it is wavering A good life adorns Religion good discourse propagates it Gracious discourse makes us resemble Christ. His words were perfumed with holiness grace was poured into his lips Psal. 45. 2. He spake to the admiration of all his hands wrought Miracles and his tongue spake Oracles Luke 4. 22. All bare him witness and wondred at the gracious words which proceâ—…ded out of his mouth Christ never came into any company but he set good discourse on foot Levi made him a feast Luke 5. 29. and Christ feasted him with holy discourse When he came to Jacob's Well he presently speaks of the water of life John 4. The more holy our speeches are the more we are like Christ. Should not the members be like the head God takes special notice of every good word we speak when we meet Mal. 3. 16. They that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord â—…earkened and â—…eard and a Book of Remembrance was written before him Tamerlain that Scythian Captain had alwaies a Book by him of the names and good deserts of his servants which he bountifully rewarded As God hath a Bottle for the tears of his people so he hath a Book in which he writes down all their good speeches and will make honourable mention of them at the last day Holy discourse will be a means to bring Christ into our company The two Disciples were communing of the death and sufferings of Christ And while they were speaking Jesus Christ came among them Luke 24. 15. While they communed together Jesus himself drew near and went with them When men entertain bad discourse Satan draws near and he makes one of the company but when they have holy and gracious conference Jesus Christ draws near and where-ever he comes he brings a blessing along with him So much for the first the offering violence to our selves 2. We must offer violence to Satan Satan opposeth us both by open violence and secret treachery By open violence so he is called the Red Dragon by secret treachery so he is called the Old Serpent We read in Scripture of his snares and darts he hurts more by his Snares than by his Darts 1. His Violence He labours to storm the castle of the heart he stirs up to passion lust revenge These are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fiery darts Ephes. 6. 16. because they oft set the soul on fire Satan in regard of his fierceness is called a Lion 1 Pet. 5. 8. Your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour Not saith Chrysostom whom he may bite but devour 2. His Treachery What he cannot do by force he will endeavour to do by fraud Satan hath several 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subtil policies in tempting In suiting his temptations to the complexion and temper of the body Satan studies the Physiognomy and laies suitable baits He knew Achan's covetous humour and tempted him with a wedg of Gold He tempts the sanguine man with Beauty 2. Another subâ—…ilty is to draw men to evil sub specie boni under a pretence of good The Pirate doth mischief by hanging out false colours so doth Satan by hanging out the colours of Religion He puts some men upon sinful actions and perswades them much good will come of it He tells them in some cases they may dispense with the Rule of the Word and stretch their conscience beyond that line that they may be in a capacity of doing more service As if God needed our sin to raise his glory 3. Satan tempts to sin gradually As the Husbandman digs about the root of a tree and by degrees loosens it and at last it falls Satan steals by degrees into the heart he is at first more modest He did not say to Eve at first Eat the Apple no but he goes more subtilly to work he puts forth a question Hath God said sure Eve thou art mistaken the bountiful God never intended to debar thee one of the best trees of the Garden Hath God said sure either God did not say it or if he did he never really intended it Thus by degrees he wrought her to distrust and then she took of the fruit and eat Oh take heed of Satan's first motions to sin that seem more modest principiis obsta He is first a Fox and then a Lion 4. Satan tempts to evil in licitis in lawful things It was lawful for Noah to eat the fruit of the Grape but he took too much and so â—…inn'd Excess turns that which is good into evil Eating and drinking may turn to intemperance Industry in ones calling when excessive is covetousness Satan draws men to an immoderate love of the creature and then makes them offend in that which they love As Agripâ—…a poisoned her Husband Claudius in tâ—…t meat he loved most 5. Satan puts men upon doing good out of bad ends if he cannot hurt them by scandalous actions he will by virtuous actions Thus he tempts some to espouse Religion out of policy to get preferment and to give alms for applause that others may see their good works and canonize them This hypocrisie doth leven the duties of Religion and make them lose their reward 6. The Devil perswades to evil by such as are good This sets a gloss upon his temptations and makes them less suspected The Devil hath made use sometimes of the eminentest and holiest men to promote his temptations The
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
throw it away that thou maist the faster run to the heavenly Kingdom If you would be violent for Heaven take heed of despondency of spirit Be serious but chearfull He whose spirit is pressed down with sadness is unfit to go about his work An unchearful heart is unfit to pray or praise God When the strings of a Lute are wet it will not put forth any sweet harmony Such as go drooping under fears and discouragements cannot be violent in Religion When a souldier faints in the field he soon le ts fall his sword David chides himself out of his melancholy Psal. 43. 5. Why art thou cast down O my soul Why art thou disquieted within me hope yet in God A sad heart makes a dull action We use the Drum and Trumpet in Battel that the noise of the Trumpet may excite and quicken the souldiers spirits and make them fight more vigorously Chearfulness is like musick in battel it excites a Christian's spirits and makes him vegete and lively in duty What is done with cherfulness is done with delight and the soul flies most swiftly to Heaven upon the wing of delight If you would be violent for Heaven take heed of a supine lazy temper A slothful Christian is like a fearful souldier that hath a good mind to the plunder but is loth to storm the Castle So he would fain have Heaven but is loth to take it by storm enerves animos odisse virtus solet Sloth is the soul's sleep Many instead of wo king out of salvation sleep away salvation Such as will not labour must be put at last to beg they must beg as Dives for one drop of water An idle man saith Soâ—…omon putâ—… his hand in his bosom Prov. 19. 24. He should have his hand to the pâ—…ough and he puts it in his bosom God never made Heaven an hive for drones Sloth is a disease apâ—… to grow upon men shake it off A ship that is a slug is a prey to the Pirate A slugish soul is a prey to Satan When the Crocodile sleeps with his mouth open the Indian Rat gets into his belly and eats his entrails While men are asleep in sloth the Devil enters and devours them Take heed of consulting with flesh and blood As good consult with the Devil as the flesh The flesh is a bosomtraitor An enemy within the walls is worst The flesh cries out there is a Lion in the way The flesh will bid thee spare thy self as Peter did Christ Obe not so violent for Heaven spare thy self The flesh saith as Judas What needs all this waste So what needs all this praying and wrestling why dost thou waste thy strength what needs all this waste The flesh cries out for ease it is loth to put its neck under Christ's yoak The flesh is for pleasure it had rather be gaming than running the heavenly Race There is a description of fleshly pleasures Amos 6. 4 5 6. That lie upon beds of Ivory and stretch themselves upon their Couches that chaunt to the sound of the Viol that drink Wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the chief ointments These are the delights of the flâ—…sh Such an one was he spoken of in Beard 's Theatre that did strive to please all his five senses at once He did bespeak a room richly hung with fair Pictures he had the most delicious musick he had all the choise Aromaticks and Perfumes he had all the Candies and curious Preserves of the Confectioner he was lodged in the bed with a beautiful Curtisan Thus did he indulge the flesh and swore that he would spend all his estate to live one week like a God though he were sure to be damned in Hell the next day O take heed of holding intelligence with the flesh The flesh is a bad Counseller St. Paul would not confer with flesh and blood Gal. 1. 16. The flesh is a sworn enemy to this holy violence Rom 8. 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall die You have taken an oath in Baptism to renounce the flesh Take heed of listning to the voice of such carnal friends as would call you off from this blessed violence Fire when in Snow will soon lose its heat and by degrees go out Among bad company you will soon lose your heat for Religion The company of the wicked will sooner cool you than your company will heat them Vinegar will sooner sowre the Wine than the Wine will sweeten the Vinegar How often do carnal friends the same to our souls as infected persons do to our bodies convey the Plague The wicked are still disswading us from this violence they will say it is preciseness and singularity As Christ's friends laid hold on him when he was going to preach Mark 3. 21. They went out to lay hold on him for they said he is beside himself Such as are unacquainted with the spirituality and sweetness of Religion judge all zeal phrensie and therefore will lay hold upon us to hinder us in this sacred violence When we are earnest suitors to Piety our carnal friends will raise some ill report of it and so endeavour to break the match Galeaciâ—…s Marquess of Vico being resolved for Heaven what a block in his way did he find his carnal Relations and what a do â—…ad he to break through that impediment Take heed of a soare in your bosom This is one of the Devil 's great subtilties to hinder us from Religion by our nearest Relations and so to shoot us with our own rib He tempted Adam by his wife Gen. 3. 6. Who would have suspected the Devil there He handed over a temptation to Job by his wife Job 2â—…9 Dost thou still retain thine integrity What notwithstanding all these disasters that have befallen thee dost thou still pray and serve God Throw osf his livery Curse God and die Thus would the Devil have cooled Job's violence for Heaven but the shield of his faith quenched this siery dart Spira's friends stood in his way to Heaven for advising with them about Luther's Doctrine they perswaded him to recant and so openly abjuring his former faith he felt an Hell in his conscience Take heed of such tempters resolve to hold on your violence for Heaven though your carnal friends disswade you 'T is better to go to Heaven with their haâ—…red than to Hell with their love It was a saying of St. Hierom If my Paâ—…ents should peâ—…swade me to deny Christ if my Mother should shew me her breasts that gave me suck if my wife should go to charme me with her embraces I would forsake all and fly to Christ. If our dearest friends alive would lie in our way to Heaven we must either leap over them or tread upon them Take heed of setting up your stay in the lowest pitch of grace He that hath the least grace may have motion but not violence It is a pitiful thing to be contented with just so much