ascend to the heavenly Kingdom this mantle of sin shall drop off That Kingdom is so pure that it will not mix with any corruption Rev. 21. 27. A sinful thought shall not creep in there There is beauty which is not stained with lust and honour which is not swelled with pride 2. In that blessed Kingdom there shall be freedom from the assaults of the Red Dragon 'T is sad to have Satan daily soliciting us by his temptations and labouring to trappan us into sin Temptation is the Devil's Powder-plot to blow up the fort-royal of our graces but this is the blessed freedom of the heavenly Kingdom it is not capable of temptation The old Serpent is cast out of Paradise 3. In that blessed Kingdom there shall be freedom from divisions In this world God's own Tribes go to warr Ephraim envies Judah and Judah vexeth Ephraim The Souldiers Spear pierced Christ's side but the divisions of Saints pierce his heart Christ prayed that all his people might be one as he and his Father are one Joh. 17. 21. But how do Christians by their discords and animosities go about what in them lies to frustrate Christs Prayer But in the Kingdom of Heaven there is perfect love which as it casts out fear so strife Those Christians that could not live quietly together here in that Kingdom shall be united There Calvin and Luther are agreed In that coelestial Kingdom there shall be no vilifying or slandering one another or raking into those sores which Christ died to heal Christians that could not pray together shall sing together in that glorious quire there shall not be one jarring string in the Saints musick 4. In that heavenly Kingdom there shall be freedom from all molestations Our lives now are interlined with troubles Psal. 31. 10. My life is spent with grief and my years with sighing There are many things to occasion disquiet Sometimes poverty afflicts sometimes sickness tortures sometimes unkindness of friends breaks the heart Our lives like the Irish Seas are full of tempests but in the Kingdom of Heaven is nothing to administer grief there all is serene and calm nothing within to humble or without to molest 2. The Royalties and excellencies of that Kingdom are great We may say of Heaven as it was said of Laish Judg. 18. 9 10. We have seen the Land and behold it is very good a place where there is no want of any thing The heavenly Kingdom abounds with Riches Rev. 21. 21. The Twelve Gates were twelve Pearls Earthly Kingdoms are fain to traffique abroad for Gold and Spices In the Kingdom of God are all Rarities to be had all commodities of its own growth therefore figured by the Tree of life bearing several sorts of fruit Rev. 22. 2. How rich is that place where the blessed Deity shines forth in its immense glory infinitely beyond the comprehension of Angels 2. The delights of the heavenly Kingdom are unmixed The comforts here below are checkered Honour may be stained with disgrace joy interlarded with sorrow Our stars are mixed with clouds but the delicacies of Heaven are pure as well as pleasant There iâ—… hony that hath not one drop of gall The Crystal spring of joy hath no settling of sorrow at bottom The Rose in that Paradise is without prickles the Sun in that horizon is without eclipse 3. This Kingdom above is durable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suppose earthly Kingdoms to be more glorious than they are their foundations of gold their walls of pearl their windows of Saphire yet they are corruptible Hos. 1. 4. I will cause the Kingdom to cease Troy and Athens now lye buried in their own ruines But the Kingdom of Glory as it is made without hands so without end It is the everlasting Kingdom 2 Pet. 1. 11. Now methinks if ever we will use violence it it should be for this Kingdom this Kingdom will make amends for all our labour and palâ—…ns Caesar marching with his Army towards Rome and hearing that all the people were fled from it said they that will not fight for this City what City will they fight for So if we will not put forth violence for this Kingdom of Heaven what will we be violent for I sâ—…y to all as the children of Dan in another sense Judge 18. 9. We have seen the Land and behold it is very good and are ye still Be not slothfull to go and to enter to passess the Land 13. The more violence we have used fâ—…r Heaven the sweeter Heaven will bâ—… when we come there As when a man hath been a grafting Trees or seting Flowers in his garden it is pleasant to review and look over his labours So in Heaven when we shall remember our former zeal and activity for the Kingdom it will indulcorate Heaven and add to the joy of it For a Christian to think such a day I spent in examining my heart such a day I was weeping for sin when others were at their sport I was at my prayers and now have I lost any thing by this violence My tears are wiped away and the wine of Paradise chears my heart I now enjoy him whom my soul loves I now have the Crown and white Robe I so longed for O how pleasant will it be to think this is the Heaven my Saviour bled for and I swet for 14. The more violence we put forth in Religion the greater measure of glory we shall have That there are degrees of glory in Heaven seems to me beyond dispute 1. There are degrees of torment in Hell therefore by the Rule of contraries degrees of glory in Heaven 2. The Scripture speaks of a Prophet's Reward Mat. 10. 41. which is a degree above others 3. The Saintâ—… are said to shine as the Stars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now one staâ—… differeth from another in glory So that there are gradations of happiness and of this judgement is Calvin as also many of the antient Fathers Consider then seriously the more violent we are for Heaven and the more work we do for God the greater will be our reward The hotter our zeal the brighter our Crown Could we hear the blessed souls departed speaking to us from Heaven sure thus they would say were we to leave Heaven a while and to dwell on the earth again we would do God a thousand times more service than ever we have done we would pray with more life act with more zeal for now we see the more hath been our labour the more astonishing is our joy and the more flourishing our Crown 15. Upon our violence for the Kingdom God hath promised mercy Mat. 7. 7. Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened to you 1. Ask. Ask with importunity A faint asking begs a denial King Ahashuerus stood with his golden Scepter and said to Queen Esther Ask and it shall be given to half of the Kingdom
HEAVEN Taken by STORM OR The HOLY VIOLENCE a Christian is to put forth in the pursuit after Glory By THOMAS WATSON Minister of the Gospel Phil. 3. 4. I press toward the mark 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost de Poen Hom. 59 LONDON Printed by R. W. for Tho. Parkhurâ—… at the Sign of the Golden-Bible on London-Bridge 1670. TO THE Right Honourable Sir WILLIAM TURNER Knight LORD MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LONDON Right Honourable IT is the happiness of this City to have a Magistrate that bears not the Sword in vain Your place is high God hath lent you his own Title your work is great it lies in the distribution of Justice which according to Aristotle comprehends all virtues in it And in this your high orb you have acted vigorously Your good Government hath helped to raise if not London's structures yet its fame My Lord to be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a publick Good will both render your life honourable and your death comfortable God did reserve you for such a juncture of time as this When is there more need of zeal in superiours than when vice grows heady in inferiours The subject I here humbly dedicate to your Lordship is Violence for Heaven A Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or temperature of soul to be much aspired after for by this you may help to save not only your self but others Put on Integrity as a Robe and let zealous violence more adorn you than the richest Chain of Gold But I have cause to break forth into Panegyricks Indeed your own works praise you in the gates Your prudence and courage your impartiality in deciding Causes your punishing of Oaths and correcting the false ballance your compliance with his Majesties Royal Proclamation against Health-drinking have erected for you a living monument in the breasts of all sober and pious men Among other things your Self-denial hath been eminent in leting go some of your Perquisites for the good of others Posse nolle nobile est The former Governours that had been before me saith Nehemiah were chargeable unto the people and had taken of them Bread and Wine c. but so did not I. What pity is it that London should like Sparta keep such a Governour but one year My Lord I hate to give flattering titles but I have taken this boldness to say this little both for your Lordship's encouragement and the imitation of those that shall succeed in your Chair My Lord this small Tractate comes under your Honours Patronage and entreat your favourable perusal and acceptance of it it was intended you sooner but some emergent occasions intervening prevented If this little spark shall give light or heat to any heart I have my desire The great God who hath placed you at the helm of this City fill you with his heavenly benediction and so animate you with all might by his Spirit in the inner man that you may be an Eben-ezer a stone of help to us that you may do worthily in London and be famous in your Generation so prayeth he who is Sir Your Servant in the Gospel THO. WATSON July 9. 1669. AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE A. APostasie whence it ariseth page 109 Arguments to Violence in prayer 36 B. BAckwardness to Self-examination 56 Bloody violence 9 C. CArnal sriends obstructions 179 Caution about violence 168 Comfort to the violent Christian 191 Company of the Saints to be frequented 188 Covetousness condemned 103 D. DAnger in losing our former strictness 107 Decay of Holiness reproved 104 Degrees of Glory 150 Dividers of Religion 115 Difficulty of Self reflexion 57 Drawing near to God a duty 199 E. EArthly things unsatisfactory 143 Examples of zealous Saints 162 Excellencies of God to be studied 213 Exhortation to draw near to God 209 F. FOrmalists in Religion censured 96 G. GRace when declining 105 H. HEaring of the Word 29 How we may hear with devotion 31 Heart to be bound to God by Vows 186 Help to meditation 55 How we may do to draw near to God â—…14 Hinderances of holy Violence 169 Holy Conference 71 Hypocrisie reproved 207 I. IGnorant Violence 8 Incentives to holy violence 134 Interest in God to be cleared 215 K. KIngdom of Heaven how understood 5 Kingdom of Heaven excelient 144 L. Love draws the heart to God 216 M. MAgistrates to punish the nocent 6 Magistrates to defend the innocent 7 Manner of our drawing near to God 202 Meditation what 42 Moderation in matters of practical Piety dangerous 92 Mortification of sin 17 Motification how effected 19 Motives to draw near to God 209 Motives to meditation 53 O. OBjections against this holy Violence answered 121 P. PRrayer to be kept up in the Family 183 Promise made only to ardent Prayer 39 Provoking our selves to holy duties 20 R. REasons inforcing holy violence 84 Rules for the promoting holy violence 691 S. Saints Objection answered 193 Salvation-work not so facil as some imagine 88 Sanctifying the Lord's Day 63 Self examination what 56 Sinners far off from God 197 Slothful Christianâ—… rebuked 94 Spirit of God to be implored 189 Stirring up of the heart in prayer 34 Subject of Meditation 44 Subtilties of Satan in tempting 75 T. TRial of a violent Christian 118 Truth 's Excellency 11 12 V. VIgilance the way to violence 185 Violence for Heaven what it implies 14 Violence to be offered to Satan 74 Violence to be offered to the world 79 Violence of wicked men how shown 98 100 Violence for Heaven and diligence in a calling not inconsistent 154 Unbelief to be avoided 169 W. WOrd of God how to be read 23 24 World an enemy to Religion 172 HEAVEN taken by Storm MATTH 11. 12. The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force John Baptist hearing in prison the fame of Christ sends two of his Disciples to him with this Question Art thou he that should come or do we look for another verl 3. Not as Tertullian thinks that John Baptist knew not that Jesus Christ was the True Messiah for he was confirmed in this both by the Spirit of God and by a sign from Heaven John 1. 33. But John Baptist hereby endeavoured to correct the ignorance of his own Disciples who had a greater respect for him than for Christ. In the fourth Verse Christ answers their question Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see the blind receive their sight the lame walk the Lepers are cleansed c. Jesus Christ demonstrates himself to be the true Messiah by his Miracles which were real and ocular proofs of his Divinity John's Disciples being departed Christ falls into an high elogium and commendation of John Baptist Vers. 7. What went ye out into the Wilderness to see a reed shaken with the wind As if Christ had said John Baptist was no unconstant man fluctuating in his mind and being shakâ—…n as a Reed from one opinion to another he was no
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
so facil can a man be saved per saltum can he leap out of the Devil's arms into Abraham's bosom Oh no there must be offering violence Some think free-grace will save them but it must be in the use of means Watch and Pray Others say the promises will bring them to Heaven but the promises of the Word are not to be separated from the precepts The promise tells us of a Crown but the precept saith So run 1 Cor. 9. 24. The promises are made to encourage faith not to cherish sloth But say others Christ hath died for sinners and so they leave him to do all for them and they will do nothing Then the text is out of date and all the exhortations to striving and fighting the good fight of Faith are in vain Our salvation cost Christ Blood it will cost us Sweat The boat may as well get to shore without rowing as we can to Heaven without offering violence 2. It shews us the great mistake of ignorant people who think the bare doing of duties though in never so slight superficial a manner is enough The text tells us of offering violence 1. In the business of Prayer They think it is enough to mutter over a few words though the heart be asleep all the while what offering of violence is here Christ was in an Agony at prayer Luk. 22. 44. Many when they pray are rather in a Lethargy than in an Agony Jacob wrestled with the Angel in prayer Gen. 32. 24. The Incense was to be laid upon burning coals Levit. 16. 22. Incense was a type of prayer and the Incense upon coals was a type of fervency in prayer Few know what the spirit of prayer means or what it is to have the affections boil over When they are about the world they are all Fire when they are at prayer they are all Ice 2. In Hearing of the Word Many people think it is enough to bring their bodies to the Assembly but they never look to their hearts They satisfie themselves that they have been at Church though they have not been with God there Others go to a Sermon as to the Exchange to hear news new notions that please their phancy but do not attend to the word as about a matter of life and death They do not go to meet with Christ in an Ordinance to have the breathings of his Spirit and the infusions of his Love Alas what little violence for Heaven is to be seen in most peoples worship In all the Sacrifices of the Law there was fire How can those duties be accepted which have no fire in them no offering of violence 3. If there must be this offering of violence to Heaven then it shews us how dangerous moderation in Religion is Violence and moderation are two different things Indeed moderation in the things of the world is commendable We should moderate our desires here and use the world as if we used it not We may as Jonathan dip the end of the Rod in honey but not thrust it in too far in this sense moderation is good but moderation in matters of practical piety is sinful it is contrary to offering violence Moderation in the world's sense is for one not to be too zealous not to be too fierce for Heaven Moderation is not to venture further in Religion than may stand with self-preservation As the King of Navarr told Beza He would launch no further into the Sea than he might be sure to return safe to Land To keep on the warm side of the hedge is a main Article in the Politicians Creed Moderation in the world's sense is neutrality The moderate person hath found out a medium between strictness and prophaneness he is not for debauchery nor yet for purity It was the advice Calvin gave Melâ—…ncthon that he should not so affect the name of moderate that at last he lost all his zeal To be lukewarmin matters of Religion is far from offering violence to Heaven Rev. 3. 19. Be zealous and repent If any shall ask us why we are so violent tell them it is for a Kingdom If they shall ask us why we make such haste in the waies of Religion tell them we are running aâ—… heavenly Race and a softly moderate pace will never win the prize Moderation hath made many lose Heaven they have not made haste enough they have come too late like the foolish Virgins when the door hath been shut Use 2. Reproof Out of this text I may draw forth several arrows of Reproof 1. It reproves slothfull Christians who are settled on their lâ—…es they make a lazy Profession of Religion but use no violence They are like the the Lillies which toil not neither do they spin The Snail by reason of its slow motion was reckoned among the unclean Levit. 11. 30. St. Austin calls idlness the burial of a man alive There are some faint velleities oh that I had Heaven but a man may desire Venison and want it if he doth not hunt for it Prov. 13. 4. The soul of the sluggard wisheth and hath nothing Neque mola neque farina Men could be content to have the Kingdom of Heaven but they are loth to fight for it They chuse rather to go in a feather-bed to Hell than to be carried to Heaven in a fiery Chariot of zeal and violence How many sleep away and play away their time as if they were made like the Leviathan to play in the Sea Psal. 104. 26. It is a speech of Seneca No man is made wise by chance Sure it is no man is savâ—…d by chance but he must know how he came by it namely by offering violence Such as have accustomed themselves to and idle lazy temper will find it hard to shake it off Cant. 5. 3. I have put off my Coat how shall I put it on The Spouse had laid her self upon the bed of sloth an though Christ knocked at the door â—…he was loth to rise and let him in Some pretend to be Believers but are idle in the Vineyard They pretend to make use of faith for seeing but not for working this Faith is phancy O that Christians had a spirit of activity in them 1 Chron. 22. 16. Arise and be doing and the Lord be with thee We may sometimes learn of our enemy The Devil is never idle he walketh about 1 Pet. 5. 8. The world is his Diocess and he is every day going his visitation Is Satan active is the enemy upon his march coming against us and are we asleep upon our guard As Satan himself is not idle â—…o hâ—… will not endure that any of his servants should be idle When the Devil had entred into Judas how active was Judas He goes to the High Priest from thence to the band of Souldiers and with them back to the Garden and never left till he had betrayed Christ. Satan will not endure an idle servant and do we
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