How confident are some of salvation yet never examine their title to Heaven 3. Men are not forward to examine themselves because they rest in the good opinion of others how vain is this Alas one may be Gold and Pearl in the eye of others yet God may judge him Reprobate Silver others may think him a Saint and God may write him down in his black-book Judas was looked upon by the rest of the Apostles as a true Believer they would have been ready to have given their hands to his certificate yet he was a Traitor Standers by can but see the outward carriage they cannot tell what evil is in the heart Fair streams may run on the top of a River but vermin may lie at the bottom 4. Men are hardly brought to examine themselves because they do not believe Scripture The Scripture saith The heart is deceitful above all things Jer. 17. 9. Solomon said there were four things too wonderful for him that he could not know Prov. 30. 19. He might have added a fifth The Way of mans heart The heart is the greatest Impostor it will be ready to put one off with seeming Grace instead of saving The heart will perswade that a slight tear is Repentance a lazy desire is Faith Now because the generality of people do not believe that there is such fallacy in their hearts therefore they are so slow to examine them This natural backwardness in us to self-reflection should cause us to offer the more violence to our selves in making a thorow disquisition and search of our hearts Oh that I might prevail with Christians to take pains with themselves in this great work of Examination Their salvation depends on it It is the note of an Harlot she is seldom at home Prov. 7. 11 12. Her feet abide not in her house now is she without now in the streets It is a sign of an Harlot Professor to be altogether abroad spying the faults of others but is never at home with his own heart Oh let us try our Hearts as we do Gold by the Touchstone Let us examine our sins and finding out this leven burn it Let us examine our Grace whether it be of the right kind One went into the field to gather herbs and he gathered wild gourds and then Death was in the Pot. 2 Kings 4. 40. So many think they have Grace the right Herb but it proves a wild gourd and brings death and damnation That we may offer violence to our selves in this great business of Examination let these few things be seriously weighed 1. Without self-examination we can never know how it is with us If we should die presently we cannot tell to what Coast we should sail whether to Hell or Heaven It is reported of Socrates when he was going out of the World he had this speech I am now to dye and the gods know whether I shall be happy or iniserable That man who is ignorant of the state of his Soul must needs heve the trembling at the heart as Cain had a shaking in his flesh By a serious serutiny of our hearts we come to know to what Prince we belong whether to the Prince of peace or the Prince of the aiâ—… 2. If we will not try our selves God will try us He will examine us as the chief Captain did Paul by scourging Act. 22. 24. He will ask that question as Christ Whose image â—…d superscription is this And if we cannot shew him his own image he will reject us 3. There is secret corruption within which will never be found out but by searching There are in the heart as Austin saith hidden pollutions When Pharaoh's Steward accused Joseph's Brethren of having the Cup they durst have sworn they had not the Cup in their sack Little doth a man know what Atheism Pride Uncleanness is in his heart till he searcheth 4. The great advantage which will accrew to us the benefit is great which way soever things turn If upon examination we find that we have not grace in truth then the mistake is discovered and the danger prevented If we find that we have grace we may take the comfort of it How glad was he that had found the Pearl of great priâ—…e He that upon search finds that he hath but the minimum quod sic the least degree of grace is like one that hath found his Box of Evidences he is Heir to all the Promises and in a state of Salvation And that we â—…ay go on the more successively in this work let us desire God to help us to find out our hearts Job 34. 32. That which I see not teach thou me Lord take off the vail shew me my heart let me not perish through mistake or go to Hell with hope of Heaven The sixth duty wherein we must offer violence to our selves is The Religious sanctifying of the Lords day That there should be a day of holy rest dedicated to God appears from the institution Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day Our Christian Sabbath comes in the room of the Jewish Sabbath it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. from Christ the Author of it Our Sabbath is altered by Christ's own appointment He arose this day out of the grave and appeared on it often to his Disciples 1 Cor. 16. 1. To intimate to them saith Athanasius that he transferred the Sabbath to the Lords day And St. Austin saith That by Christ's rising on the first day of the week it was consecrated to be the Christian Sabbath in remembrance of his Resurrection This day was antâ—…tly called Dies Lucis the day of Light as Junius observes The other days of the week would be dark were it not for the shining of the Sun of Righteousness on this day This day hath been called by the Antients Regind diâ—…rum the Queen of days And St. Hieroni preferrs this day above all solemn Festivals The Primitive Churâ—…h had this day in high veneration it was a great badge of their Religion for when the question was asked Servasti Dominicum Keepest thou the Sabbath the answer was made Christianus sum I am a Christian and dare not omit the celebration of the Lords day What great cause have we thankfully to remember this day As the benefit of Israel's deliverance from the Babylonish captivity was so great that it drowned the remembrance of their deliverance from Egypt Jer. 16. 14. So the benefit of our deliverance from Satan's captivity and the rising of Christ from finishing the glorious work of our Redemption was so famous that in respect of this his other benefits receive as it were a diminution Great was the work of Creation but greater the work of Redemption It cost more to redeem us than make us In the one there was only the speaking a word Psal. 148. 5 in the other the shedding of blood Heb. 9. 22. The Creation was the work of God's fingers Psal. 8. 3. the
Redemption the work of his arm Luke 1. 5. In the Creation God gave us ourselves in the Redemption he gave us himself So that the Sabbath putting us in mind of our Redemption ought to be observed with the highest devotion Herein we must offer holy violence to our selves When this blessed day approacheth we should labour that as the day is sanctified so our hearts may be sanctified We must on this day rest from all the works of our calling As Abraham when he went to Sacrifice left his Servant and Ass at the bottom of the hill Gen. 22. 5. So when we are to worship God this day we must leave all secular business behind And as Joseph when he would speak with his Brethren thrust out the Egyptians so when we would have converse with God this day we must thrust out all earthly employments Though works of necessity may be done and works of charity for God will have mercy and not sacrifice yet in other cases we must cease from all worldly negotiations It is observable concerning Mary Magdalen that she refused to anoint Christ's dead body on the Sabbath day Luke 23. 56. She had before prepared her ointment but came not to the Sepulchre till the Sabbath was past She rested that day from civil work though it were a commendable and glorious work the anointing of Christ's dead body When this blessed day approacheth we must lift up our hearts in thankfulness to God that he hath put another price into our hands for the gaining of heavenly wisdom These are our spiritual harvest-daies now the wind of God's Spirit blows upon the sails of our affections and we may be much furthered on in our heavenly voyage Christian lift up thy heart to God in thankfulness that he hath given thee another golden season and be sure thou improve it it may be thy last Seasons of grace are not like the Tyde if a man misleth one tyde he may have another This day approaching we must in the morning dress and fit our souls for the receiving of the Word The people of Israel must wash their garments before the Law was delivered to them Our hearts must be washed by prayer and repentance the Oracles of God being to be delivered to us And being met together we must set our selves as in the presence of God with seriousness and delight to hear God's sacred Word Take heed of distractions which fly-blow our duties We must labour to be bettered by every Sabbath where the Lord laies out cost he looks for fruit Fresh anointings of God are to be thirsted after and new cubits to be added to our spiritual stature We must not be like the Salamander which lives in the fire but is never the hotter Christians should on these daies aspire after communion with God and endeavour to have the illapses of his Spirit and clearer discoveries of his love in Christ. In short we should do on a Sabbath as Moses he ascended the Mount that he might have a sight of God We must dedicate the whole day to God Under the Law a single Sacrifice was appointed for other daies of the week but two Lambs were to be offered upon the Sabbath All this day must be spent with God he must have worship in the publick and when we come home he must have family-worship Many leave all their Religion at Church as I have seen some do their Bibles not hallowing God's name in their own houses Mal. 3. 8. Will a man rob God When men pretend to Worship God in the Temple but cut him short of family and closet-duties on a Sabbath this is to rob God and steal a part of his day from him Good reason we should consecrate the whole Sabbath to God and give him double devotion for God doubles his blessings upon us this day As the Manna did rain twice as much on the sixth day as any of the other daies so the Manna of spiritual blessings falls twice as much on the Sabbath day as any other We must rejoyce in this day as being a day wherein we enjoy much of God's presence John 8. 56. Abraham saw my day and rejoyced So when we see a Sabbath day coming we should rejoyce The Protestants in France called their Church Paradise because there they met with God The Jews called the Sabbath desiderium dierum the desire of daies Isa. 58. 13. Thou shalt call the Sabbath a delight This we should look upon as the best day as the Queen of daies crowned with a blessing Psal. 118. 24. This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it He hath made all the daies but hath sanctified this We should look upon this day as a spiritual Mart for our souls wherein we have holy commerce and traffick with God This day of Rest is the beginning of an eternal rest This day God sets open the Pool of Bethesda in which those waters flow that refresh the broken in heart And shall not we call this day a delight The Jews on the Sabbath laid aside their Sackcloth and Mourning This is in a right manner to sanctifie a duty and it is a duty wherein Christians must excite and offer violence to themselves Above all others how well doth it become those into whose hands God hath-put the power of Magistracy to shew forth holy violence in causing the Lord's day to be strictly observed What a rare pattern hath Nehemiah set all good Magistrates Neh. 13. 15. In those daies saw I in Judah some treading wine-presses on the Sabbath and bringing in sheavs and all manner of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals Vers. 17. Then I contended with the Nobles of Judaâ—… and said unto them What evil thing is this that ye do and prophane the Sabbath day How dare ye infringe the command and make a false entry upon God's freehold My Lord your Proclamation for the pious observation of the Sabbath and your punitive acts upon some offenders have given a publick Testimoney of your zeal for this day The keeping up the honour of the Sabbath will much keep up your Magisterial honour The seventh Duty wherein we must offer violence to ourselves is holy conference and indeed we are backward enough to it therefore had need herein provoke our selves Mal. 3. 17. They that feared the Lord spake often one to another A gracious person hath not only Religion in his heart but in his tongue Psal. 37. 30. The Law of God is in his heart and his tongue talketh of Judgement he drops holy words as Pearls 'T is the fault of Christians that they do not in company provoke themselves to set good discourse on foot it is a sinfull modesty there is much visiting but they do not give one anothers souls a visit In worldly things their tongue is as the Pen of a ready
even thou in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes After the expiration of the day of grace no means or mercies shall prove effectual Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are hid from thine eyes Which is like the ringing a doleful knell over a dying person therefore put forth all violence for Heaven and do it in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before it be too late and the decree be gone forth 19. If you neglect the offering violence now there will be no help for you after death When men shall open their eyes in another world and see into what a damned condition they have sinned themselves O now what would they not do what violence would they not use if there were a possibility they might be saved When once the door of mercy is shut if God would make new terms far harder than before they would readily seal to them If God should say to the sinner after death Wouldst thou be content to return to the earth and live there under the harrow of persecution a thousand years for my sake Yes Lord I will subscribe to this and endure the world's fury may I have but thy favour at last But wilt thou be content to serve an Apprentiship in Hell a thousand years where thou shalt feel the worm gnawing and the fire burning Yes Lord even in Hell I submit to be so that after a thousand years I may have a release and that bitter cup may pass away from me But wilt thou for every lye thou hast told endure the rack wilt thou for every Oath that thou hast sworn fill a bottle of tears wilt thou for every sin thou hast committed lye ten thousand years in sackcloth and ashes Yes Lord all this and more if thou requirest I will subscribe to I am content now to use any violence if I may but at last be admitted into thy Kingdom No will God say there shall be no such condition proposed to thee no possibility of favour but thou shalt lye for ever among the damned and who is able to dwell with everlasting burnings Oh therefore be wise in time now while God's terms are more easie embrace Christ and Heaven for after death there will be nothing to be done for your souls The sinner and the furnace shall never be parted 20. How without all Apology will you be left if you neglect this violence for heaven Me-thinks I hear God thus expostulating the case with sinners at the last day Why did you not take pains for Heaven hath not there been a Prophet among you Did not my Ministers list up their voice like a Trumpet did not they warn you did not they perswade you to use this violence teling you that your salvation depended upon it but the most melting Rhetorick of the Gospel would not move you Did not I give you time to look after your souls Rev. 2. 21. I gave her space to repent Did not you promise in your vow in Baptism that you would take Heaven by force Fighting under my banner against world flesh and Devil Why then did you not use violence for the Kingdom it must be either sloth or obstinacy You could be violent for other things for the world for your lusts but not for the Kingdom of Heavâ—…n What can you say for your selves why the sentence of damnation should not pass O how will men be confounded and left speechless at such a time and God's Justice shall be cleared in their condemnation Psal. 51. 4. That thou maiest be clear when thou judgest Though the Sinner shall drink a Sea of wrath yet not one drop of injustice 21. What a vexation it will be at the last to lose the Kingdom of Glory for want of a little violence When one shall think with himself I did something in Religion but I was not violent enough I prayed but I should have brought fire to the sacrifice I heard the word but I should have received the truth in love I humbled my self with fasting but I should with humiliation have joyned reformation I gave Christ's poor good words I did bid them be warmed but I should have clothed and fed them and for want of a little more violence I have lost the Kingdom The Prophet bade the King of Israel smite upon the ground 2 King 13. 18. And he smote thrice and staiâ—… and the man of God was wroth and said thou shouldest have smiten five or six times then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it So a man doth something in Religion he smites thrice and then states whereas had he but put forth a little more violence for Heaven he had been saved What a mischief is this but to half do ones work and by shooting short to lose the Kingdom O how will this cut a man to the heart when he is in Hell to think had I but gone a little further it had been better with me than it is now I had not been thus tormented in the flame 22. The examples of the Saints of old who have taken Heaven by force David broke his sleep for meditation Psal. 119. 148. His violence for Heaven was boiled up to zeal Psal. 119. 139. My zeal hath consumed me And St. Paul did reach forth unto those things which were before The Greek word signifies to stretch out the neck a metaphor taken from Racers that strain every limb and reach forward to â—…ay hold upon the prizâ—… We read of Anna a Prophetess Luke 〈◊〉 37. She departed not from the Temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day How industrious was Calvin in the Lord's Viâ—…eyard When his friends perswaded him for his health sake to remit a little of his labours saith he Would ye have the Lord find me 〈◊〉 when he comes Luther spent three hours a day in prayer It is said of holy Bradford preaching reading and prayer was his whole life I rejoyce said Bishop Jewel that my body is exhausted in the labours of my holy calling How violent were the blessed Martyrs they wore their fetters as ornaments they snatched up torments as Crowns and embraced the flames as chearfully as Eliah did the fiery Chariot that came to fetch him to Heaven Let racks fires pullies and all manner of torments come so I may win Christ said Ignatius These pious souls resisted unto blood How should this provoke our zeal write after these fair copies 23. If the Saints with all their violence have much ado to get to Heaven how shall they come there who use no violence 1 Pet. 4. 18. If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinner appear If they that strive as in an Agony can hardly get in at the strait gate what shall become of them that never strive at all If Saint Paul did keep under his body by prayer watching fasting 1 Cor. 9. 27. how shall
a Sea of wrath 3. They are violent for their oppressive lusts they wrong and defraud others and by violence take away their right Instead of cloathing the naked they make them who are cloathed naked These birds of prey live upon rapine They are cruel as if with Romulus they had been suckled with the milk of Wolves They smile at the curses of the poor and grow fat with their tears They have forgotten Christ's caveat Luk. 3. 14. Do violence to no man Ahab violently took away Naboth's Vineyard 2. King 21. 11. Hell is taken by this violence Prav 4. 17. Who drink the Wine of violence This wine will turn to poison at last Psal. 11. 5. Him that loveth violence God's soul hates 4. They are violent for their covetous lusts Covetousness is the soul's dropsy Amos 7. 2. Who pant after the dust of the earth They compass Sea and Land to make Mony their Proselyte Their god is made of gold and to it they bow down Those who bowed down on their knees to drink of the waters were accounted unfit Souldiers for Gideon Judg. 7. 6. So are those unfit for Christ that stoop immoderately to the love of earthly things They who are violent for the world what have they but the wind Eccles. 5. 16. What profit hath he who hath laboured for the wind The world câ—…nnot enrich the soul it cannot remove pain If pangs of conscience come the world can no more give comfort than a Crown of Gold can cure the head-ach 4. It reproves them who have in part left off that holy strictness and violence in Religion as once they had Their fâ—…rvour is cooled and abated What they do is so little that it cannot be called violence They serve God but are not â—…ervent in spirit They do not leave off duty but they grow dead in duty They have left their first love Rev. 2. 4. It is with them as fire when it is going out or as the Sun when it is going down Like aguish men before they were in a Paroxysm or hot fit of zeal but now the cold fit hath taken them they are formal and frozen in Religion Time was when they called the Sabbath a delight Isa. 58. 13. How were their hearts raised in duty how diligently did they seek him whom their soul loved but now the case is altered their Religion doth languish and even vanish Time was when they were in an Agony and did send forth strong cries in prayer Now the Chariot-wheels are pulled off and the spirit of prayer is much abated Their prayers do even freez between their lips a clear sign of the decay of grace These persons are grown both lethargical and consumptive 1. Lethargical Cant. 5. 2. I sleep but my heart wakes Though grace was alive in her her heart waked yet she was in a dull drowsie-temper I sleep When the heart burns in sin and cools in duty it is a sure sign of growing to a stupid lethargy 2. Consunptive There are two signs of persons in a spiritual consumption 1. When their desire after Christ and Heaven is not so strong as it was A consumptive man's stomach decaies Christians have not such violent affections to heavenly things they can desire Corn and Wine and the luscious delights of the earth but Christ is less precious they are not in pangs of desire after him a sad symptom their grace is in a consumption 2. When they are not so vigorous in motion A man that is lively and stiring at his work it is a sign he is in health but when he is listless and cares not to stir or put his hand to any thing a sign nature is a declining So when men have no heart to that which is good they care not to put themselves upon the exercises of Religion they have lost a spirit of activity for God they serve him in a faint sickly manner 't is a sign they are consumptive When the pulse can scarce be felt it beats so low men are near dying So when those who were once violent for Heaven but now we can scarce perceive any good in them the pulse beats low grace is ready to dye Rev. 3. 2. To you who have abated in your holy violence and are grown remiss in duty let me expostulate with you as the Lord did by the Prophet Jer. 2. 5. What iniquity have your Fathers found in me What evil have you found in God that you leave off your former strictness Hath not God fed you with Manna from above and given you his holy Spirit to be your guide and comforter Hath he not made you swim in a Sea of mercy What evil have you found in Prayer that you are less violent in it Have not you had sweet intercourse with God Have not you sometimes been melted and enlarged insomuch that you have thought your selves in the subbuâ—…bs of Heaven when you have been upon this Mount Hath not the Dove of Prayer brought an Olive-branch of peace in its mouth What evil have you found in the Word Time was when you did take this Book and eat it and it was hony in your mouth Hath the Word less vertue in it now Are the Promises like Aaron's dry Rod withered and sapless What iniquity have you found in the waies of God that you have abated your former violence in Religion O remember whence you are fallen and repent and do your first works Rev. 2. 5. Consider seriously 1. The less violence for Heaven the less peace Our consciences are never at peace in a drowsie state It is the lively acting of grace makes the heart calm and serene These two go together walking in the fear of God and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost Acts 9. 31. Christian if once thou growest remiss in Religion conscience will chide If thou belongest to God he will never let thee be quiet but will send some affliction or other to awaken thee out of thy security and make thee recover that active lively frame of heart as once thou hadst 2. You that grow more dead in God's service and leave your first love give great advantage to Satan The less violent you are the more violent he is the less you pray the more he tempts and what a case are you now in How can grace that is weak and sickly withstand violent temptations Hence it is God suffers his own people sometimes to fall into sin as a just punishment of their lukewarmness and to make them more zealous and violent for the future 3. Your remisness in Religion though it may not damn you it will dammage you You will lose that degree of glory which else you might have had Though your remisness may not lose your Crown it will lessen it and make it weigh lighter 4. The more lazy a Christian's desires are the more lively his corruptions The weaker the body grows the stronger the disease grows Oh therefore pray for quiâ—…kning grace Psal.
still with thee This requires violence for motions upward are usually violent 11. Do we set our selves alwaies under God's eye Psal. 16. 8. I have set the Lord alwaies before me Do we live soberly and godlily remembring whatever we are doing our Judge looks on If it be thus with us we are happy persons This is the holy violence the text speaks of and is the right way of taking the Kingdom of God And surely never did Noah so willingly put forth his hand to receive the Dove into the Ark as Jesus Christ will put forth his hand to receive us into Heaven 4. It exhorts all Christians to this holy violence for Heaven But before I press the exhortation let me remove some Objections that may be made against this blessed violence 1. But we have no power of our selves to save our selves you bid us be violent as if you should bid a man tied fast in fetter â—…to walk 'T is true We cannot till grace come effectually operate to our own salvation Before conversion we are purely passive and when â—…od bids us convert and turn this is to shew us what we ought to do not what we can do Yet let us do quoad posse what we are able 1. We have power to avoid those Rocks which will certainly ruine our souls I mean gross sins A man needs not to bâ—… in bad company he needs not swear or tell alye nor would he do it if it were by Law death to swear an Oath 2. We have power to put our selves upon the use of means praying reading holy conference this will condemn men at the last day they do not act so vigorously in their sphere as they might they do not use the means and try whether God will give grace God will come with that silencing question at last Why didst not thou put my mony to the Exchangers Matth. 25. 17. Why didst not thou improve that power I gave thee 2. Though we have not power to save our selves yet we must pursue after salvation because God hath made a promise of grace as well as to grace He hath promiâ—…ed to circumcise our hearts to put his Spirit within us to inable us to walk in his statutes Ezek. 36. 27. So that by prayer we are to put the bond in suit and to press God with his own promise Though I will not say with the Arminians upon our endeavour God is bound to give grace yet he is not wanting to them that seek his grace Nâ—…y he denies his grace to none but them that wilfully refuse it Psal. 81. 11. Israel would none of me 2. But this offering violence is hard and I shall never be able to go thorow it Admit it be hard yet it is a duty and there is no disputing duty God hath made the way to Heaven hard To try our Obedience A child obeys his Father though he command him hard things Peter's obedience and love was tryed when Christ bade him come to him upon the water God doth it that he may raise the price of heavenly things Were the Kingdom of glory easily obtained we should not have valued it to its worth Such is our nature that we slight things which are easily come by If Pearls were common they would soon fall in their price If Christ and Heaven might be had without violence these blessings of the first magnitude would not have been had in such high veneration But let not the difficulty be objected What though salvation-work be hard 1. Is it not harder to lye in Hell Is not suffering vengeance worse than offering violence 2. We do not argue so in other things An estate is hard to come by therefore we will sit still No difficulty doth the more wheâ—… and sharpen our indeavour and if we take such pains for these infâ—…riour things how should we for that which is more noble and sublime The profit will abundantly countervail the labour 3. Though the business of Religion at first seems hard yet when once we are entred into it it is pleasant When the wheels of the soul are oiled with grace now a Christian moves in Religion with facility and delight Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God in the inward man Christ's yoke at the first putting on seems heavy but when once it is on it is easie To serve God to love God to enjoy God is the sweetest freedom in the world The Poets say the top of Olympus is alwaies quiet The first climbing up the rocky hill of Heaven is hard to flesh and blood but when we are gotten up towards the top there is peace and delight we see a pleasant prospect and are ready to cry out as Peter on the Mount of transfiguration It is good to be here What hidden Manna do we now find this is the anticipation or forâ—…tast of glory 3. But if I put my self upon this violent exercise in Religion then I shall lose that pleasure I have in my sin my mirth and melody and I shall exchange delight for labour and so I shall be no more Naomi but Marah Voluptuous persons speak as the Fig-tree in the Parable Judg. 9. Shall I leave my fatness and sweetness all my former pleasures and now offer violence to Heaven live a strict mortified life This crosseth the stream of corrupt nature Leave the pleasure in sin The Scripture doth so describe fin that one would think there should be little pleasure in it The Scripture calls it 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a debt Sin is compared to a debt of ten thousand talents Matth. 18. 24. A talent of gold among the Hebrews was valued at almost four thousand pounds Ten thousand talents is a figurative speech to express how great a debt sin is and do you call this a pleasure is it any pleasure for a man to be in debt 2. The Scripture calls sin a disease Isa. 1. 5. The whole head is sick Is it any pleasure to be sick Though all do not feel this sickness yet the less the distemper is felt the moremorta 3. The Scripture compares sin to Gall and Wormwood Deut. 29. 18. It breeds a bitter worm in the conscience What a worm did Spira feel Sin stings a man with wrath Joh. 3. 34. And do you call this a pleasure sure you put bitter for sweet Isa. 5. 20. The pleasures of sin do gratifie only the sensitive part of man not the rational Pleasures are called carnal because they delight only the body How absurd was that speech of the rich man in the Gospel when he was speaking of his store of goods and his barns being full Soul take thine ease Luke 12. 19. He might have said more properly Body take thine ease for his soul was never the better for his riches nor could it feel any delight in them Though his barns were full his soul was empty Therefore when Satan tells thee If thou usest violence
Objection about worldly business let me ask thee Dost thou think in thy conscience that this will be a good excuse at the last day when God shall ask thee why didst thou not take pains for Heaven thou shalt say Lord I was so steeped in worldly business that I was hindered Were it a good plea for a servant to say to his Master he was so drunk that he could not work Truly 't is much like thine to say thou wert so drunk with the cares of the world that thou couldest not be violent for the Kingdom Having answered these Objections let me re-assume the exhortation pressing all Christians to this violence for the heavenly Kingdom As David's three Worthies ventured their lives and brake thorow the hoast of the Philistims for water 2 Sam. 23. 16. Such a kind of violence must we use breaking through all dangers for obtaining the Water of life 1. Consider the deplorable condition we are in by nature a state of misery and damnation therefore what violence should we use to get out of it Were one plunged into quick-sands would he not use violence to get out Sin is a quicksand and is it not wisdom to extricate our selves out David being encompassed with enemies said His soul was among Lions Psal. 57. 4. 'T is true in a spiritual sense our soul is among Lions Every sin is a Lion that would devour us and if we are in the Lion's Den shall we not use violence to get out The Angels used violence to Lot they laid hold on him and pulled him out of Sodom Gen. 19. 16. Such violence must be used to get out of the spiritual Sodom It is no safety to stay in the enemies quarters 2. It is possible that in the use of means we may arrive at happiness Impossibility destroies endeavour but here is a door of hope opened The thing is feasible It is not with us as with the damned in Hell there is a tomb-stone rolled over them But while we are under the sound of Aaron's Bell and the Silver Trumpet of the Gospel is blown in our ears while the Spirit of Grace breaths on us and we are on this side the grave there is great hope that by holy violence we may win Paradise An absolute impossibility of salvation is only for them who have sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost and cannot repent but who these are is a secret sealed up in God's Book else here is a great encouragement to all to be serious and earnest in the matters of eternity because they are yet in a capacity of mercy no final sentence is already passed God hath not yet taken up the draw-bridge of mercy Though the gate of Paradise is strait yet it is not shut This should be as Oyl to the wheels to make us lively and active in the business of salvation Therefore as the Husbandman plows in hope James 5. So we should pray 〈◊〉 hope do all our work for Heaven in hope for the white flag of mercy is yet held forth So long as there was Corn to be had in Egypt the Sons of Jacob would not sit starving at home Gen. 42. 3. So there is a Kingdom to be obtained therefore let us not sit starving in our sins any longer This violence for Heaven is the grand business of our lives What did we come into the world for else we did not come hither only to eat and drink and wear fine cloaths but the end of our living is to be violent for the Kingdom of glory Should the body only be tended this were to trim the scabbard and let the blade rust to preserve the lumber and let the child be burnt God sends us into the world as a Merchant sends his Factor to trade for him beyond the Seas So God sends us hither to follow a spiritual trade to serve him and save our souls If we spend all our time aut aliud agendo aut nihil in dressing and pampering our bodies or idle visits we shall give but a sad account to God when he shall send us a letter of summons by death and bid us give an account of our Stewardship Were not he much 〈◊〉 be blamed that should have a great deal of Timber given him to build him an house and he should cut out all this brave Timber into chips Just so is the case of many God gives them precious time in which they are to provide for a Kingdom and they waste this time of life and cut it out all into chips Let this excite violence in the things of God it is the main errand of our living here shall we go out of the world and forget our errand 4. How violent are the wicked in waies of sin violent for their malicious lusts Prov. 1. 16. Their feet run to evil Violent for their unclean lusts Amnon offered violence to his Sister he would have his lust though it cost him his life Sinners tire out themselves in the Devil's drudgery Jer 9. 5. They meary themselves to commit iniquity They are out of breath with sin yet not out of love with sin Jer. 50. 38. They are mad upon their Idols So violent were the Jews that they would spare no cost in their Idolatrous worship Isa. 46. 6. They lavish gold out of the bag So fiercely were they bent upon Idolatry that they would sacrifice their Sons and Daughters to their Idol godâ—… Jer. 32. 35. They built the high places of Bâ—…al to cause their Sons and Daughters to pass thorow the fire Were men thus violent for their lusts and Idols and shall not we be violent for a Kingdom Nay you that are now ingrafted into Christ how violent perhaps have some of you been formerly in evil how did you once spend your selves in a sinful way like Paul who before his conversion breathed out threatning and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord Act. 9. 1. Perhaps you have been violent in drawing others to sin you have been tempters to them and perhaps some of them whom you have seduced to sin are now crying out of you in Hell and saying They had never come there if it had not been for your example should not the consideration of this humble you should not this make you the more violent in Religion that you may bring some glory to God before you die should not you be as industrious to save souls as you have been to damn them Were you to live to the age of Methusalem you could never do God service sufficient for the dishonour you have done to him 5. This holy violence hath much delight mingled with it Prov. 3. 17. All her waies are pleasantness Though the way of Religion hath thorns in it in respect of persecution yet it is full of Roses in respect of that inward peace and content that the soul finds in it A man is violent at his recreation but there is an inward delight he takes in it which
But God saith more Ask and he will give the whole Kingdom Luke 12. 32. It is observable the door of the tabernacle was not of brass but had a thin covering a vail that they might easily enter into it So the door of Heaven is through Christ's blood made easie that our prayers put up in servency may enter Upon our asking God hath promised to give his Spirit Luke 11. 13. And if he gives his Spirit he will give the Kingdom the Spirit first anoints 1 John 2. 27. and after its anointing Oyl comes the Crown 2. Seek and ye shall find But is it not said Many shall seek to enter in and shall not be able Luke 13. 24. I answer that is because they did seek in a wrong manner 1. They did seek ignorantly setting up an Altar to an unknown god It is ill seeking Pearls in the dark Ignorant people seek Heaven by their good meanings they seek in the dark and no wonder they miss of salvation 2. They did seek proudly They sought Heaven by their own merits whereas we are to seek the Kingdom in Christ's strength and in his name 3. They did seek lazily as the Spouse sought Christ on her bed and found him not Cant. 3. 1. So many seek Christ in a supine manner they seek but they do not strive 4. They did seek hypocrit â—…ally they would have Heaven and their lusts too Like that Protestant Prince Cambden speaks of who set up one Altar in the same Church to the true God and another to the Idol But let not such seekers ever think to find happiness let not them think to lye in Dalila's lap and go to Abraham's bosom when they die 5. They did seek inconstantly Because mercy did not come presently they gave over seeking But else if we seek the Kingdom of Heaven cordially God hath pawned his Truth in a promise we shall find Jer. 29. 13. Then shall ye find me when you search for me with all your heart 3. Knock and it shall be opened Knocking implies violence But we must do as Peter Acts 22. 16. He continued knocking We must continue knocking by prayer and Heaven-gate shall be opened How may this be as Oyl to the wheels how may it excite holy violence when we have so gracious a promise of mercy upon our earnest seeking of it 16. This holy violence will not hinder men in their secular employments Violence for the Kingdom and diligence in a calling are not inconsistent Christians you may work for Heaven yet work in a trade God hath given you a body and a soul and he hath allotted you time to provide for both he hath given you a body therefore be diligent in your calling he hath given you a soul therefore be violent for Heaven These two may well stand together providing for a family and praying in in a family He that doth not exercise himself in some honest employment is guilty of the breach of that Commandment Six daies shalt thou labour God never sealed warrants for idleness The sluggard shall be indicted at the day of judgement for leting his field be over-run with thorns They are hypocrites who talk of living by faith but refuse to live in a Calling Only remember that the pains you tak in Religion must exceed the other Mat. 6. 33. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God First in order of time before all things and first in order of affection above all things Your soul is the nobler part therefore that must be chiefly looked after In your calling shew diligence in Religion violence But some may say We are so incumbred in the world that all time for Relion is swallowed up we cannot get leave from our calling to read or pray Resp. If your trade be such that you cannot allow your selves time for your souls then your trade is unlawful There are two things make a trade unlawful 1. When persons deal in such commodities as they know cannot be used without sin Selling of black spots or idolatrous Pictures and Crucifixes 2. When their trade doth so involve them in worldly business that they cannot mind eternity or make out one sally to the Throne of Grace They are so much in the shop that they cannot be in the closet If there be such a trade to be found doubtless it is unlawful but let not men lay it upon their trade but upon themselves their trade would give them leave to serve God but their covetousness will not give them leave O how many put a fallacy upon their own souls and cheat themselves into Hell 17. There is but a short space of time granted us therefore work the harder for Heaven before it be too late Indeed we are apt to dream of a long life as if we were not sojourners but natives and were to stay here alwaies The blossom of childhood hopes to come to the budding of youth and the bud of youth hopes to come to the flower of age and the flower of age hopes to come to old age and old age hopes to renew its strength as the Eagle But if we measure life by a pair of Scripture-compasses it is very short it is compared to a flying shadow Job 8. 17. to an hand-breadth Psal. 39. 5. as if there were but a span between the cradle and the grave parum abest à nihilo Is the time of life so short and may be shorter than we are aware what need is there zealously to improve it before it be slipp'd away if time runs let us so run 1 Cor. 9. 24. He that hath a gâ—…eat business in hand and the time allotted for doing it is but short had not need lose any of that time A Traveller that hath many miles to ride and the night ready to approach had need spur on the harder that the night do not overtake him So we have a long journy and the night of death is drawing on how should we use spurs to ouâ—… sluggish hearts that we may go on more swiftly 18. A man's personal day of grace may be short There is a time while the Scepter of grace is held forth 2 Cor. 6. 2. Now is the accepted time The Lord hath prefixed a time wherein the means of Grace shall work or not work If a person come not in by such a time God may say Never fruit grow on thee more A sign this day of grace is past when conscience hath done speaking and God's Spirit hath done striving Whether this day may be longer or shorter we cannot tell but because it may so soon expire 't is wisdom to take the present opportunity and use all violence for Heaven The day of grace hastens away no man can like Joshua bid this Sun stand still and if this critical day be once past it cannot be recalled The day of grace being lost the next is 〈◊〉 day of wrath Hierusalem had a day but she lost it Luke 19. 44 If thou hadst known