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others Christ hath died for sinners and so they leave him to do all for them and they will do nothing Then the text is out of date and all the exhortations to striving and fighting the good fight of Faith are in vain Our salvation cost Christ Blood it will cost us Sweat The boat may as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
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
There must be a stirring up of the heart 1. To Prayer 2. In Prayer 1. A stirring up of the heart to Prayer Job 11. 13. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards him This preparing our heart is by holy thoughts and ejaculations The Musitian first tunes his Instrument before he playes 2. There must be a stirring up of the heart in Prayer Prayer is a lifting up of the mind and soul to God which cannot be done a right without offering violence to ones self The names given to prayer import violence It is called wrestling Gen. 32. 24. and pouring out the soul 1 Sam. 1. 15. both which imply vehemency The affection is required as well as the invention The Apostle speaks of an effectual fervent prayer which is a parallel phrase to offering violence Alas how far are they from offering violence to themselves in prayer 1. That give God a dead heartless prayer God would not have the blind offered Mal. 1. 8. As good offer the blind as the dead Some are half a sleep when they pray and will a sleepy prayer ever awaken God Such as mind not their own prayers how do they think that God should mind them Those prayers God likes best which come seething hot from the heart 2. How far are they from offering violence that give God distracted prayer while they are praying they are thinking of their shop and trade How can he shoot right whose eye is quite off the mark Ezek. 33. 31. Their heart goes after their covetuousness Many are casting up their accounts in prayer as Hierom once complained of himself How can God be pleased with this Will a King endure that while his subject is delivering a petition and speaking to him he should be playing with a feather When we send our hearts on an â—…rrand to Heaven how often do they loiter and play by the way This is matter of blushing That we may offer violence to our selves and by fervency feather the wing of prayer let these things be duly weighed The Majesty of God with whom we have to do He sees how it is with us in prayer whether we are deeply affected with those things we pray for The King came in to see the guests Mat. 22. 11. So when we go to pray the King of glory comes in to see in what frame we are he hath a window which looks into our breasts and if he sees a dead heart he may turn a deaf ear Nothing will sooner make Gods anger wax hot than a cold prayer Prayer without fervency and violence is no prayer it is speaking not praying Liveless prayer is no more prayer than the picture of a man is a man To say a prayer is not to pray Aschanius taught his Parrot the Lords Prayer St. Ambrose saith well It is the life and affection in a duty that baptizeth it and gives it a name 'T is the violence and wrestling of the affections that makes it a prayer else it is no prayer But a man may say as Pharaoh I have dreamed a dream Gen. 41. 15. 3. The zeal and violence of the affections in prayer best suits with Gods nature He is a Spirit John 4. 24. and sure that prayer which is full of life and spirit is the savoury meat he loves 1 Pet. 2. 5â—… Spiritual Sacrisices acceptable to God Spirituality and fervency in duty is like the spirits of wine which are the more refined part of the wine Bodily exerâ—…ise profits nothing 'T is not the streaching of the lungs but the vehemency of the desire makes musick in Gods ear 4. Consider the need we have of those things which we ask in prayer We come to ask the favour of God and if we have not his love all that we enjoy is cursed to us We pray that our souls may be washed in Christs blood and if he wash us not we have no part in him These are such mercies that if God deny us we are for ever undone Therefore what violence had we need put forth in prayer When will a man be earnest if not when he is begging for his life 5. Let it provoke violence in prayer to consider those things which weask God hath a mind to grant If a Son ask nothing but what his Father is willing to bestow he may be the more earnest in his suit We go to God for pardon of sin and no work more pleasing to him than to seal pardons Mercy is his delight Micah 7. 18. We pray to God for an holy heart and this prayer is according to his will 1 Thes. 4. 3. This is the will of God your sanctification We pray that God would give us an heart to love him How pleasing must this request needs be to God! This if any thing may excite prayer and carry it in a siery Chariot up to Heaven when we know we pray for nothing but what God is more willing to grant than we are to ask 6. No mercy can be bestowed on us but in a way of prayer Mercy is purchased by Christs blood but it is conveyed by prayer All the promises are bonds made over to us but prayer puts these bonds in suit The Lord had told Israel with what rich mercy he would bespangle them he would bring them to their native Country and bring them thither with new hearts Ezek. 36. Yet this Tree of the Promise would not drop its fruit till shaken with the hand of prayer verse 37. For all this will I yet be enquired The brest of Gods mercy is full but prayer must draw the brest Surely if all other waies are blockt up there 's no good to be done without prayer How should we ply this oar and by an holy violence stir up our selves to take hold of God 7. 'T is only violence and intensness of spirit in prayer hath the pâ—…omise of mercy affixed to it Mat. 7. 7. Knock and it shall be opened Knocking is a violent motion The Aediles among the Romans had their doors alwaies standing open that all who had petitions might have free access to them God's heart is ever open to servent prayer Let us then be fired with zeal and with Christ pray yet more earnestly* 'T is violence in prayer makes Heaven-gates fly open and fetcheth in whatever mercies we stand in need of 8. The large returns God hath given to violent prayer This Dove sent to Heaven hath often brought an Olive-leave in its mouth Psal. 34. 6. This poor man cried and the Lord heard him Crying prayer prevails Daniel in the Den prayed and prevailed Prayer did shut thâ—… Lions mouth and open the Lions Den Fervent prayer saith one hath a kind of Omnipotency in it Sozomen saith of Apollonius that he never asked any thing of God in all his life that he obtained not Sleidan reports of Luther that perceiving the interest of Religion to be low he
Devil tempted Christ by an Apostle Peter disswades him from suffering Abraham a good man bids his wife equivocate Say Thou art my Sister These are his subtilties in tempting Now here we must offer violence to Satan 1. By faith 1 Pet. 5. 9. Whom resist stedfast in faith Faith is a wise intelligent grace it can see an hook â—…der the bait 2. It is an Heroick â—…ce it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above all to quench the fiery darts of Satan Faith resists the Devil 1. As it doth keep the castle of the heart that it doth not yield It is not the being tempted makes us guilty but giving consent Faith enters its Protest against Satan 2. Faith not only not yields but beats back the temptation Faith holds the promise in one hand and Christ in the other The promise encourageth faith and Christ strengthens it so faith beats the enemy out of the field 2. We must offer violence to Satan by prayer We overcome him upon our knees As Sampson called to Heaven for help so a Christian by prayer fetcheth in auxiliary forces from Heaven In all temptations go to God by prayer Lord teach me to use every piece of the spiritual armour how to hold the shield how to wear the helmet how to use the sword of the Spirit Lord strengthen me in the battel let me rather die a Conquerour than be taken prisoner and led by Satan in Triumph Thus we must offer violence to Satan There is a Lion in the way but we must resolve upon fighting And let this encourage us to offer violence to Satan Our enemy is beaten in part already Christ who is the Captain of our salvation hath given Satan his deaths wound upon the Cross Col. 2. 15. The Serpent is soonest killed in his head Christ hath bruised the head of the old serpent The Devil is a chained enemy and a conquered enemy therefore fear not to give battel to him Resist him and he will fly he knows no march but running away 3. We must offer violence to the world The world shews its Golden Apple it is a part of our vow in Baptism to fight under Christ's banner against the world Take heed of being drowned in the luscious delights of it It must be a strong brain that bears heady wine He had need have a great deal of wisdom and grace that knows how to bear a great estate Riches oft send up their intoxicating fumes which make mens heads giddy with pride Jesurun waxed fat and kicked Deut. 32. 15. It is hard to climb up the hill of God with too many golden weights Those that want the honours of the world want the temptations of it The world is blandus Daemon a flattering enemy It is given to some as Michol to David for a â—…are The world shews its two breasts of pleasure and profit and many fall asleep with the breast in their mouth The world doth never kiss us but with an â—…ntent to betray us It is a sâ—…ken halter The world is no friend to grace it chokes our love to heavenly things the earth puts out the fire Naturally we love the world Job 31. 24. If I have made Gold my hope the Septuagint renders it If I have been married to my Gold Too many are wedded to their money they live together as man and wife Oh let us take heed of being intangled in this pleasing snare Many who have scaped the Rock of scandalous sins yet have sunk in the world 's golden quick-sands The â—…in is not in the using of the world but in the loving 1 John 2. 15. Love not the world If we are Christians we must offer violence to the world Believers are called out of the world they are in the world but not of it John 17. 16. As we say of a dying man he is not a man for this world A true Saint is crucified in his affections to the world Gal. 6. 14. He is dead to the honours and pleasures of it What delight doth a dead man take in pictures or musick Jesus Christ gave himself to redeem us from this present evil word Gal. 1. 4. If we will be saved we must offer violence to the world Living fish swim against the stream We must swim against the world else we shall be carried down the stream and fall into the dead Sea That we may offer violence to the world let us remember 1. It is deceitful our Saviour calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The deceitfulness of Riches Mat. 13. The world promiseth happines but performeth nothing less It promiseth us Rachel but puts us off with blear-ey'd Leah it promiseth to satisfie our desires but it increaseth them it gives poison'd Pills but wraps them in Sugar 2. It is defiling Jam. 1. 17. Pure Religion is to keep himself unspotted from the world As if the Apostle would intimate that the world is good for nothing but to spot it spots first mens consciences and then their names It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthy lucre 1 Pet. 5. 7. because it makes men so filthy They will damn themselves to get the world Ahab would have Naboth's Vineyard though he swum to it in blood 3. It is perishing 1 Joh. 2. 17. The fashion of the world passeth away The world is like a flower which withers while we are smelling to it Fourthly We must offer violence to Heaven The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence Though Heaven is given us freely yet we must take pains for it Canaan was given Israel freely but they must fight with the Caâ—…aanites It is not a lazy wish or sleepy prayer will bring us to Heaven we must offer violence Therefore in Scripture our earnestness for Heaven is set out by those allegories and metaphors which imply violence 1. Sometimes by striving Luk. 13. 24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strive as in an Agony 2. Wrestling which is a violent exercise Ephes. 6. 12. We are to wrestle with a body of sin and with the powers of Hell 3. Running in a Race 1 Cor. 9. 24. So run that ye may obtain We have a long Race from Earth to Heaven and but a little time to run it will soon be sun-set Therefore so run In a Race there 's not only laying aside all weights that hinder but a putting forth all the strength of the body a straining every joynt that men may press on with all swiftness to lay hold on the prize Thus Saint Paul presseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towards the mark Phil. 3. 14. Alas where is this holy violence to be found 1. Many have made themselves unfit to run this blessed Race they are drunk with the pleasures of the world A drunken man is unfit to run a Race 2 Others neglect to run this Race all their life and when sickness and death approach now they will begin A sick man is very unfit
sweetens that violence St. Paul made Religion his recreation Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man In the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I take pleasure not only Heaven it self is delightful but the way thither What ravishing delight hath a gracious soul in prayer Isa. 56. 7. I will make them joyful in the house of prayer What delight in holy contemplation A Christian hath such illapses of the Spirit and meets with such transfigurations of soul that he thinks himself half in Heaven Serving of God is like gathering of Spices or Flowers wherein there is some labour but the labour is recompensed with delight The way of sin hath bitterness in it The â—…ears while they lick the honey are stung with the Bees So while men are following their lusts they have checks of conscience which are a foretast of Hell Better want the honey than have this sting But the violence for Heaven is spiced with such joy that it is not labour but pleasure V. This violence and activity of Spirit in Religion puts a lustre upon a Christian. The more excellent any thing is the more active The Sun is a glorious creature as a Gyant it runs its Race Psal. 19. 5. Fire the noblest element sparkles vigorously The Angels are described with wings Isa. 6. 2. which is an emblem of their swist obedience The more violent we are in Religion the more Angelical we are 7. How violent was Christ about our salvation He was in an Agony he continued all night in prayer Luke 6. 12. He wept he fasted he dyed a violent death he rose violently out of the grave Was Christ so violent for our salvation and doth it not become us to be violent who are so nearly concerned in it Christ's violence was not only satisfactory but exemplary It was not only to appease God but to teach us Christ was violent in dying to teach us to be violent in believing 8. This holy violence brings Rest motion tends to rest Heb. 4. 9. There remaineth a rest for the people of God Indeed there is a motion which doth not tend to rest they who are violent in a way of sin shall never have rest Revel 4. 8. They rest not day and night Such as are graceless shall be restless But the violence a Christian takes leads to rest As the weary Traveller sits down at night and rests him Psal. 116. 7. Return to thy rest O my soul. Holy violence is like the flying of Noah's Dove to the Ark where it found rest 9. If we use what violence we are able God will help us Phil 2. 12. It is God who worketh in you both to will and to do The Spirit helps us in prayer and so proportionably in all other duties of Religion Rom. 8. 26. The Promise encourageth and the Spirit enableth In all earthly Races a â—…an runs in his own strength but in the Race to Heaven we have the Spirit of God helping us he not only gives us the Crown when we have done running but he gives us legs to run he gives exciting and assisting grace the Spirit of God helping makes our work easie If another helps to carry a burden it is less difficult If the Loadstone draw the Iron it is not hard for the Iron to move If the Spirit of God as a divine Loadstone draw and move the heart in obedience now the work goes on with more facility 10. This blessed violence in Religion would be preventive of much sin While men are idle in the Vineyard they are a prey to every temptation We do not sow our seed in fallow ground but Satan doth sow most of his seed of temptation in hearts that lye fallow When he sees persons unimployed he will find them work to do he will stiâ—… them up to one sin or other Matth. 13. 25. While men slept the enemy sowed tares When Satan finds men in a drowsie condition their sleeping time is his tempting time but by holy violence we prevent the Devil's design we are so busied about salvation that we have no leisure to listen to a temptation St. Hierom gave his friend this advice to be alwaies well employed that when Satan came with a temptation he might find him working in the Vineyard When the bird is flying it is safe when it sits still on the bough then it is in danger of being shot When a Christian sits still and is unactive now the Devil shoots him with his fiery darts 11. The folly of such as are violent for the world but not for the Kingdom above Alas how insipid are all these things that we lay out our sweat and violence upon they will not make us happy King Solomon did as it were put all the creatures into a limbeck and still out the quintessence of them and behold all was vanity Eccles. 2. 8. 1. These earthly things that we so toil for are uncertain 1 Tim. 6. 17. 'T is uncertain whether we shall get them All that are Suitors to a Virgin do not speed All that come to a Lottery have not a prize 2. They are unsatisfactory Could men heap up Silver as dust had they as much as the Devil promised Christ All the Kingdoms of the world and the glory of them yet they can no more fill the heart than a drop of water can fill the cistern Eccles. 5. 16. What profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind 3. They are transient death feeds at the root All worldly possessions are like a Castle of Snow in the Sun or like a posie of flowers which withers while we are smelling to it O what folly is it to put forth all ones violence for the world which is but for a season and not for Christ and grace As if a condemned man should be earnest to get his dinner but never mind getting his pardon 12. The next motive is in the text this violence is for a Kingdom The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence And what will we be violent for if not for a Kingdom Men will wade to a Kingdom through blood This is a Kingdom worth striving for Cyprus is an Island so exceeding fertile and pleasant that it was antiently called Macaria which signifies Blessed This title of Blessed may more fitly be given to the heavenly Kingdom If the Mountains were Gold if every Sand of the Sea were a Diamond if the whole Globe were a shining Chrysolite it were infinitely beneath the glory of this Kingdom 1. The immunities of the heavenly Kingdom are great 1. There shall be a freedom from sin here sin keeps house with us it is as natural to us to sin as to breath The soul that is most refined and clarified by grace is not without some dregs of corruption St. Paul cryed out of a Body of sin He who is inoculated into Christ hath still a taste and rellish of the wild Olive But when we