Heaven Taken By Storm, Sermon 1 (2 of 3)

Heaven Taken By Storm · Sermon 1 (2 of 3)

p. 66When this blessed day approacheth, 2.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 p. 67harvest-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 3.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 4.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 p. 68our 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 5.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 p. 69him 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 6.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**Sleidan.. 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 p. 70the 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 winepresses 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 Juda…, 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 p. 71offenders, 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 7. Duty.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. 'Tis 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 Writer **Verba …oliis leviora. Ovid.; but in matters of Religion, they are as if their tongue did cleave to the roof of their mouth. As we must answer to God for idle words; so for sin-full silence.

Oh let us offer violence to our selves p. 72in this, in setting abroach good discourse! What should our words dilate and expatiate upon but Heaven? The world is a great Inne; we are guests in this Inne. Travellers, when they are met in their Inne, do not spend all their time in speaking about their Inne; they are to lodge there but a few hours, and they are gone; but they are speaking of their home, and the Country whither they are travelling. So when we meet together, we should not be talking only about the world; we are to leave this presently; but we should talk of our heavenly Country, He…. 11. 16.

That we may provoke our selves to good discourse (for it will not be done without some kind of violence) let these considerations be duly weighed.

The discourse demonstrates what 1.the heart is**Verba su…t nuncia cordis. Bern.. As the Glass shews what the face is, whether it be fair or foul: so the words shew what the heart is. Vain speeches discover a light feathery heart: gracious speeches are the bir…h of a gracious heart. The water of the Conduit shews what the Spring is.

Holy con…erence is very edifying. p. 732.The Apostle bids us edifie one another, Ephes. 4. 29, And how more than this way? Good conference enlightens the mind when it is ignorant; warms it when it is frozen; settles it when it is wavering. A good life adorns Religion; good discourse propagates it.

Gracious discourse makes us resemble 3.Christ. His words were perfumed with holiness: grace was poured into his lips, Psal. 45. 2. He spake to the admiration of all: his hands wrought Miracles, and his tongue spake Oracles, Luke 4. 22. All bare him witness, and wondred at the gracious words which proce…ded out of his mouth. Christ never came into any company, but he set good discourse on foot. Levi made him a feast, Luke 5. 29. and Christ feasted him with holy discourse. When he came to Jacob's Well, he presently speaks of the water of life, John 4. The more holy our speeches are, the more we are like Christ. Should not the members be like the head?

God takes special notice of every 4.good word we speak when we meet, Mal. 3. 16. They that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord …earkened and …eard, and a Book of Remembrance p. 74was written before him: Tamerlain that Scythian Captain had alwaies a Book by him of the names and good deserts of his servants which he bountifully rewarded. As God hath a Bottle for the tears of his people: so he hath a Book in which he writes down all their good speeches, and will make honourable mention of them at the last day.

Holy discourse will be a means to 5.bring Christ into our company. The two Disciples were communing of the death and sufferings of Christ; And while they were speaking, Jesus Christ came among them, Luke 24. 15. While they communed together, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. When men entertain bad discourse, Satan draws near, and he makes one of the company; but when they have holy and gracious conference, Jesus Christ draws near, and where-ever he comes, he brings a blessing along with him. So much for the first, the offering violence to our selves.

2. We must offer violence to Satan. 2.Satan opposeth us both by open violence, and secret treachery. By open p. 75violence, so he is called the Red Dragon; by secret treachery, so he is called the Old Serpent. We read in Scripture of his snares and darts; he hurts more by his Snares, than by his Darts.

1. His Violence. He labours to storm the castle of the heart: he stirs up to passion, lust, revenge. These are called foreign, fiery darts, Ephes. 6. 16. because they oft set the soul on fire. Satan in regard of his fierceness is called a Lion, 1 Pet. 5. 8. Your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour. Not (saith Chrysostom) whom he may bite, but devour **foreign, &c..

2. His Treachery. What he cannot do by force, he will endeavour to do by fraud. Satan hath several foreign, subtil policies in tempting.

In suiting his temptations to the complexion 1.and temper of the body. Satan studies the Physiognomy, and laies suitable baits. He knew Achan's covetous humour, and tempted him with a wedg of Gold. He tempts the sanguine man with Beauty.

2. Another sub…ilty is to draw men to evil, sub specie boni, under a pretence of good. The Pirate doth mischief by p. 76hanging out false colours: so doth Satan by hanging out the colours of Religion. He puts some men upon sinful actions, and perswades them much good will come of it. He tells them in some cases they may dispense with the Rule of the Word, and stretch their conscience beyond that line that they may be in a capacity of doing more service. As if God needed our sin to raise his glory.

3. Satan tempts to sin gradually. As the Husbandman digs about the root of a tree, and by degrees loosens it, and at last it falls. Satan steals by degrees into the heart: he is at first more modest: He did not say to Eve at first, Eat the Apple; no, but he goes more subtilly to work; he puts forth a question, Hath God said? sure Eve thou art mistaken; the bountiful God never intended to debar thee one of the best trees of the Garden. Hath God said? sure, either God did not say it; or if he did, he never really intended it. Thus by degrees he wrought her to distrust, and then she took of the fruit and eat. Oh take heed of Satan's first motions to sin, that seem more modest—principiis obsta— p. 77He is first a Fox, and then a Lion.

4. Satan tempts to evil in licitis, in lawful things. It was lawful for Noah to eat the fruit of the Grape; but he took too much, and so …inn'd. Excess turns that which is good into evil. Eating and drinking may turn to intemperance. Industry in ones calling (when excessive) is covetousness. Satan draws men to an immoderate love of the creature, and then makes them offend in that which they love. As Agrip…a poisoned her Husband Claudius in t…t meat he loved most.

5. Satan puts men upon doing good out of bad ends: if he cannot hurt them by scandalous actions, he will by virtuous actions. Thus he tempts some to espouse Religion out of policy to get preferment; and to give alms for applause, that others may see their good works, and canonize them. This hypocrisie doth leven the duties of Religion, and make them lose their reward.

6. The Devil perswades to evil by such as are good. This sets a gloss upon his temptations, and makes them less suspected. The Devil hath made p. 78use sometimes of the eminentest and holiest men to promote his temptations. The 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. **foreign.Whom resist stedfast in faith. Faith is a wise intelligent grace; it can see an hook …der the bait. 2. It is an Heroick …ce; it is said, foreign, 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**foreign. Chrys.. 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 p. 79help: 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**Heb. 2. 10.Heb 2:10. Christ who is the Captain of our salvation **foreign. Ignat., 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 p. 80world. 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 …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 …ntent to betray us. It is a s…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 **foreign. Si posui aurum in conjugium.. Too many are wedded to their money; they live together as man and wife. Oh let us take p. 81heed 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 …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, foreign, The deceitfulness of Riches, Mat. 13. The world promiseth happines, but performeth nothing less. It promiseth p. 82us Rachel, but puts us off with blearey'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 foreign, 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 4.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 Ca…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 p. 83allegories and metaphors which imply violence.

1. Sometimes by striving, Luk. 13. 24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate. The Greek word is foreign, 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 foreign, 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 p. 84death approach, now they will begin. A sick man is very unfit to walk, much less to run a Race. I acknowledge, true Repentance is never too late; but when a man can hardly stir his hand, or lift up his eyes, now is a very unfit time to begin the Race from earth to Heaven.

4. This earnestness for Heaven is compared to fighting, which implies violence. 1 Tim. 6. 12. Fight the good fight of Faith. It is not enough to be labourers, but warriers. Indeed in Heaven, our armour shall be hung up in token of victory: but now it is dies praelii, a day of battel; and we must fight the good fight of Faith. As Hannibal forced a way for his Army over the Alps and craggy Rocks: So must we force our way to Heaven **Non est ad magna faci…is as…nsus. Cyprian.. We must not only pray, but pray fervently, Jam. 5. 16. This is offering violence to Heaven.

The Reasons why there must be this 1.offering violence to Heaven, are

1. God's indispensible command. He hath enacted a Law, that whosoever eats of the fruit of Paradise, shall eat it in the sweat of his brow, 2 Pet. 1. 10. p. 85Give diligence to make your calling and election sure. The Greek word foreign, imports an anxious solicitous care about salvation.

2. God's decree. The Lord hath in his eternal decree joyned the end and the means together; striving and entring; the Race and the Crown. And a man can no more think to come to Heaven without offering violence, than he can think to come to the end of his Journey, that never sets a step in the way. Who expects an harvest without plowing and sowing? How can we expect the harvest of glory without labour. Though our salvation in respect of Christ is a purchase; yet in respect of us, it is a conquest.

3. We must offer violence to Heaven in regard of the difficulty of the work; Taking a Kingdom. First, we must be pulled out of another Kingdom, The Kingdom of darkness **Acts 26. 18.Acts 26:18. To get out of the state of nature is hard, and when that is done, and we are cut off from the wild Olive, and implanted into Christ, there is new work still to do; new sins to mortifie; new temptations to resist; new graces to quicken. A Christian p. 86must not only get Faith, but go from Faith to Faith, Rom. 1. 17. This will not be done without violence.

4. We must offer violence to Heaven, in regard of the violent assaults made against us.

1. Our own hearts oppose us. 'Tis a strange Paradox: Man who doth naturally desire happiness, yet opposeth it: he desires to be saved, yet hates that holy violence which should save him.

2. All the powers of Hell oppose us. Satan stands at our right hand, as he did at Joshuah's, Zach. 3. 2. Shall not we be as earnest to save our souls, as the Dragon is to devour them? Without violent affections, we shall never resist violent temptations.

5. We must be violent, because it is a matter of the highest importance. A man doth not beat his head about trifles, but matters wherein his life and estate are concerned. Violence is to be offered, if we consider,

1. What we shall save: The precious soul. What pains do we take for the feeding and enriching the body, the …rutish part? O then what violence p. 87should we use for the saving the soul? The body is but a Ring of Clay, …he soul is the Diamond. The soul is the glass wherein the image of God is seen**Plato.. There are in the soul some shadows and faint representations of a Deity. If Christ thought the soul worth shedding his blood, well may we think it worth spending our sweat.

2. Consider what we shall gain? a Kingdom. What violence is used for earthly Crowns and Empires; men will wade to the Crown through blood. Heaven is a Kingdom which should make us strive for it, **foreign. Chrysost.Non ad sudorem tantum sed sanguinem, even to blood. The hopes of a Kingdom (saith St. Basil) should carry a Christian chearfully through all labours and sufferings.

There must be offering violence in 6.regard of that aptness and proneness in the best to grow remiss in Religion. When they have been quickned in a duty, they are apt to grow dead again. When they have been heat at the fire of an Ordinance, they are apt to freeze again; therefore they must be still offering violence. The heart, like the Watch, will be apt to go down; therefore p. 88must be ever and anon wound up by prayer and meditation. The fire of devotion will soon go out, if it be not blown up. A Christian's own experience of his inconstancy in good, is cogent enough to holy violence.

If there must be this offering violence Use 1. Inform. 1. Branch.; it shews us it is not so easie a thing as men imagine to get to Heaven. There are so many precepts to obey; so many promises to believe; so many Rocks to avoid, that it is a difficult matter tobe saved **foreign. Ignatius.. Some phancy a fine easie way to Heaven, an idle wish, a death-bed tear; but the text tells us of offering violence. Alas, there is a great work to be done; the biass of the heart is to be changed. Man by nature doth not only want grace, but hate it. He hath an envenomed spirit against goodness, and is angry with converting grace; and is it easie to have the heart metamorphised? for the proud heart to be made humble; for the earthly heart to be made heavenly: can this be done without using violence? It is all up hill to Heaven, and it will make us sweat before we get to the top of the hill. Indeed Hell will be taken without p. 89storm: the gates of Hell, like that Irongate, Acts 12. 10. open of their own accord: but if we get to Heaven, we must force our way: we must besiege it with sighs and tears, and get the scalingladder of faith to storm it. We must not only work, but fight. Like those Jews, who built the wall of Jerusale… Nehem. 4. 17. Every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. A Christian is commanded upon hot service; he must charge through the whole Army of his lusts, every one of which is stronger than Goliah. A Christian hath no time to lye fallow; he must be either praying, or watching; either upon the Mount, or in the Valley; on the Mount of Faith, or in the Valley of Humility. Worldly things are not obtained without labour: what toiling in the shop? what sweating in the furnace? and do we think Heaven will be had without labour? Do men dig for worms, and not for gold? Those who are in Heaven are employed; much more should they who are getting thither. The Angels are Ministring spirits, H…b. 1. 14. The wings of the Seraphims p. 90are hieroglyphical, and shew us how swift they are in God's service. If the Angels in Heaven are busying themselves in noble and honourable imployment, how industrious should we be who are getting up the …ill of God, and have not yet arrived at a state of glory? Is salvation-work 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 p. 91Heaven without offering violence.

2. It shews us the great mistake of 2. Branch.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 p. 92with 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 3. Branch.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 **1 Cor. 7. 31.1 Cor 7:31. 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, p. 93not to be too fierce for Heaven. Moderation is not to venture further in Pelago…se, non ita commissuru… …sset, qui… quandà libet, penem re…erre posset.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 Mel…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 a… 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 p. 94Virgins) when the door hath been shut.

Use 2. Reproof. Out of this text I 1. Branch.may draw forth several arrows of Reproof.

1. It reproves slothfull Christians **Billii Anthol. Sacr., who are —quibus est alto dulce sopore frui—settled on their l…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 **foreign., 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 p. 95away, 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 **Nemo cas… fit sapiens. Sen.. Sure it is, no man is sav…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, …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 **Fas est & … ab hoste doc…i.. 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; …o h… will not endure p. 96that 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 think God will? How will Heathens rise up in Judgement against slothful Christians! What pains did they take in the Olympian games; they ran but for a Garland of flowers, and do we stand still who run for a Crown of Immortality? Certainly if only the violent take Heaven, the idle person will never come there. God puts no difference between these two, slothful and wicked, Matth. 25. 26. Thou wicked and slothful servant.

2. It reproves the Formalist, who puts 2. Branch.all his Religion in gestures, and vestures, emblems of devotion, and thinks this will entitle him to Heaven, Rev. 3. 1. Thou hast a name to live and art dead. The form and outside of Christianity is judged necessary.

1. It is a means to keep up men… credit in the world. Should they be visibly prophane, such as are sober would not p. 97come near them; they would be looked upon no better than baptized Heathens: therefore they must make a …ew of devotion, out of policy to gain some repute and esteem among others.

2. A form serves to stop the mouth of conscience: had not they some kind of outward devotion, their conscience would fly in their face, and they would be a terrour to themselves: therefore they think it expedient to have a form of Godliness. But alas, what is all this? The Text speaks of offering violence to Heaven. What violence is there in a form? Here is no taking pains with the heart; a form, but no power, 2. Tim. 3. 5. **Significat foreign, i a…e pietat is simula…. Bez….Formalists are like the Tombs in the Church, which have their eyes and hands lift up to Heaven, but no soul. The Formalists devotion runs out most in punctilioes, and niceties: he neglects the weightier matters of the Law, Faith and Mercy, Matth. 23. 23. He scruples superstitious phancies, but makes no reckoning of sin: he is more afraid of an Hare crossing his way, than of an Harlot in his bed. He ha…es sanctity. Christ had no such bitter enemies as the formal Pharisees. The p. 98formalist is never violent, but in persecuting the power of godliness.

3. It reproves such as are violent in 3. Breach.a bad sense: they are violent for Hell; they go thither in the sweat of their brows, Jer 8. 6. Every one turned to his course; as the horse rusheth into the battel. A war-horse rusheth violently among the guns and pikes: so did they rush into sin violently. Men are violent,

1. In opposing Good.

2. In pursuing Evil.

1. In opposing Good. Several waies. 1.1. They offer violence to the Spirit of God. The Spirit knocks at the door of sinners hearts; he waits till his head be filled with dew, and his locks with the drops of the night; but sinners repulse and grieve the Spirit, and send away this Dove from the A…k of their souls, Acts 7. 51. Te do alwais resist the Holy Ghost. The Spirit offers grace to the sinner, and the sinner offers violence to the Spirit, Isa 63. 10. They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit; and may not the Lord give over striving? God who is willing to come in when we open to him, hath not promised to come again if we unkindly repulse him.

p. 992. They offer violence to conscience. Conscience is God's Preacher in the bosom; and this Preacher cannot flatter: it tells men of their pride, cove…ousness, abuse of mercy; but they, instead of being violent against their sins, offer violence to conscience: they silence and imprison conscience. But as the Prophet Zachary, when he was dumb called for a table book, and did write, Luke 1. 63; So when conscience cannot be permitted to speak, it will write: it writes down mens sins; and when at death they shall be forced to read the hand-writing, it will make their hearts tremble, and their knees smite. This I fear is too common, for men to offer violence to their conscience: and what will be the issue? They who will not hear the voice of conscience, shall be sure to feel the worm of conscience.

3 They offer violence to God's image. The Saints (who are God's lively picture) are opposed and shot at. This is a cursed violence, Gal. 4 29▪ As he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him who was born after the Spirit; so it is now, Christ himself is stricken at through Believers. The Church hath p. 100been alwaies in the Torrid zone: The Plowers have plowed upon her back. The earth hath been sown with the bodies of the Saints, and watered with their blood. Persecutors, I grant, are of an antient Family. The first man that was born in the world was a Persecutor, namely Cain; and he hath had a numerous off-spring, Nero, Trajan, Domitian, Dioclesian, Maximinus. Chrysostom saith, that the apples of his eyes fell out. Faelix Earl of Wartemburg being at supper at Auspurg, did take an oath, that before he died, he would ride up to the spurs in the blood of the Lutherans; but was afterwards choked in his own blood. Persecutors are the curse of the Creation; being some of those thorns and briars which the ear…h brings forth

2. Men are violent in pursuing Evil.2.

1. They are violent in their Opinions, 2 Pet. 2. 1. Privily they shall bring in damnable heresies, denying the Lord that bought them. Arrius was such an one, and afterwards his bowels gushed out. And truly the spirit of Arrius is yet alive at this day, while men dare deny the Deity of the blessed Son of God. Many of the Hereticks of old were so violent, p. 101that their Opinion was to them a Bible, and some of them died in maintaining their heresies. These were the Devil's Martyrs.

2. They are violent in their Passions **foreign.. Anger is a short frenzy **Brevis insania. Sen., Jam. 3. 9. The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. In this little member there is a great world, viz. a world of sin: such as would be counted sober, yet are drunk with passion. Their prayers are cold, but their anger hot. They spit fire as the Serpent doth poison. Fiery passions without Repentance, bring men to the fiery furnace.

3. They are violent for their lusts, Tit. 3. 3. Serving divers lusts. Lust is foreign, an inordinate desire or impulse, provoking the soul to the gratifying its carnal desires **Prav… cupidit…es sunt port… Inferi, per quas ad mortem descendunt … mines. Augustin.. Aristotle calls them brutish lusts, because when lusts are violent, they will not let reason or conscience be heard; but a man is carried brutishly to the satisfying the flesh **Plurimi cupidita ibus se ma…cipant; etiam in humano corpore plantae brutique vitam agunt; brutum, num usquam in plantam degenerat? & num-planta in lapidem? immò an ulla est qu…, quantum potest, non emicet extra solum, seseque in quras attollat? demque, uno excepto homine, nunquid tot… m…ndo occurat, quod gradum suum, qu…d dignitatem non accuratè tuc… ur & retineat? Mornaeus..

p. 1021. Men are violent for their drunken lusts. Though death be in the cup, they will drink it off. One having almost lost his eye-sight, the Physitian told him there was no cure for him, unless he would leave off his excessive drinking * Vale lumen amlcum.; then saith he, Farewell sweet light: he would rather lose his eye-sight than leave his drinking.

2. They are violent for their unclean lusts. Men are said to burn in lusts, Rom. 1. 27. The Apostle intimateth that lust is a kind of feavour. Feavourish heats are not more pernicious to the body, than lust is to the soul. O what folly is it, for a drop of pleasure to drink a Sea of wrath **O voluptates dum suadet is inungit is, sed postea us … ad mortem … pungitis. Austin..

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 p. 103their 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 **Magis aurum suspiciunt qua… coelum. Minut. Oct.. 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 c…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 p. 1044. Branch.left off that holy strictness and violence in Religion as once they had. Their f…rvour is cooled and abated. What they do is so little, that it cannot be called violence. They serve God, but are not …ervent in spirit. They do not leave off duty, but they grow dead in duty. They have left their first love, Rev. 2. 4. **N… om… ch…itatem ami…, sed … m de illius servere remisiss, inq…it Rib…a.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.

p. 1051. 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; p. 106they serve him in a faint sickly manner; 'tis 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. **foreign, mort… vicina. Paraeus.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 subbu…bs of Heaven when you have been upon this Mount? Hath not the Dove of Prayer brought an Olivebranch of peace in its mouth? What p. 107evil 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 p. 108you 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 qui…kning grace, Psal. 143. 11. Beg fresh gales of the Spirit to blow upon you. Never leave till you have recovered that holy violence which once you had.

2. It reproves those who have quite 2. Branch. Reproof.left off all violence: they have left off reading and praying in their family. There is not so much as a face of p. 109Religion to be seen, they are fallen finally**In quibus principium fervet, medium tepet, exitus alget; illos hypocritas suisse patet, q…i victoriae coronam non consequuntur. Paraeus.. Such were Joash, Jehu, Julian. The goodly building of their profession which others admired, now hath not one stone left upon another.

But, Why do men thus run retrograde in their motion, and quite throw off that violence which they seem'd once to have?

1. Because they never had a principle of spiritual life **foreign.. Things that move from a principle of life are constant, as the motion of the pulse: but things artificial are apt to be at a stand, and their motion ceaseth. As a clock when the weights are hung on, goes; but take off the weights, and it stands. So the Apostate never moves in Religion, but for gain and applause; and when these weights are taken off, he is at a stand, he goes no further. That branch must needs wither that hath no root to grow upon.

2. Men throw off all violence, and degenerate into Apostasie, because they never did duties of Religion with delight. St. Paul delighted in the Law of God in the inward man, Rom. 7. 22. It was p. 110his Heaven to serve God. A man that delights in pleasure will never give over: but the Apostate never had any true delight in the waies of God; he was rather forced with fear, than drawn with love: he served a Master that he never cared for; no wonder then he leaves his service.

3. Men degenerate into Apostasie through unbelief, Psal. 78. 22. They believed not in God, vers. 41. They turned back and tempted God. Sinners have jealous thoughts of God; they distrust his love, therefore desert his service: they think they may pray, and hear, and to no purpose, Mal. 3. 14. What profit is it that we have kept his Ordina…nes? We may draw near to God in duty, but He will never draw near to us in mercy. Thus Unbelief and Atheism prevailing, the livery of Religion is presently thrown off, and all former violence for Heaven ceaseth. Infidelity is the Mother of Apostasie.

4. Men leave off their former violence, and prove Judasses and Devils be cause they love something else more than Religion. There is some lust or other their heart is ingaged to and p. 111their violence for sin hath destroyed their violence for Religion. Solyman the great Turk, seeing many Christians go over to Turcism, he asked them, What moved them to turn Turks? They replyed, They did it to be eased of their Taxes. They were drawn from God through the prevalency of covetousness. If there be any lust in the heart predominant, it will get head, and destroy all former zeal for Religion. Abimeleck a Bastard, destroyed threescore and ten of his Brethren upon one stone, Judg. 9. 15. If there be any lust the heart runs after, this bastard-sin will destroy threescore and ten duties; it will murder all that violence for Heaven which a man did once seem to have.

5. Men leave off former violence out of pusillanimity: if they are violent in Religion, they fear they may lose their profits and preferments; nay, their lives. The coward never yet won the field. When carnal fear grows violent, all violence for Heaven is at an end.

—Incipit esse malus, qui timet esse bonus—

Many of the Jews who were great followers p. 112of Christ, when they saw the swords and staves, left him. Prov. 26. 25. In the fear of man there is a snare. Carnal fear makes sin appear less than it is, but danger greater.

6. Men leave off violence for Heaven for want of patience. Sensible feeling of joy is with-held, and they have not patience to stay for the full recompence of reward. Hypocrites are all for present pay; and if they have not that suddenly which they desire, they bid adieu to Religion; and say, as that wicked King, 2 King. 6. 33. Why should I wait for the Lord any longer? They consider not that God is a free Agent, and will dispense his blessings in the fittest season, but they go to tye God up to their time. They forget that joy is a part of the reward, and would they have the reward and their work not yet finished? Doth the servant use to receive his pay before his work is done? Jam. 5. 7. The Husbandman waits for his precious fruits of the earth: He doth not look to sow and reap in a day. But Hypocrites are alwaies in haste; they would reap joy, before they have done sowing the seed of Repentance: and because comfort p. 113is a while deferred, they are offended; they will serve God no longer: their patience is at an end, therefore their violence is at an end.

7. Men leave off holy violence, and degenerate into prophaneness, out of a just judgement of God, leaving them to themselves; they oft resisted the Spirit, and sent it away sad from them, and now as a just judgement, God saith, My Spirit shall no longer strive; and if this wind doth not blow upon their sails, they cannot move. If this Sun withdraw from their climate, they must needs freeze in impenitency. They before sinned against clear convictions; they silenced conscience, and God hath seared it. And now if an Angel should preach to them from Heaven, it would do them no good. O how dismal is this! the thoughts of it may strike us into an holy consternation. Thus we see why men apostatize and leave off their violence for Heaven.

Well, but what do they get by this? let us see what a purchase Apostates make.

They proclaim their folly; for all 1.their former violence for Heaven is p. 114lost. He who runs half the Race, and then faints, loseth the Garland, Ezek. 18. 24. When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned. All mens prayers and tears are lost. The Apostate unravels all that he hath been doing. He is like a man that with a pensil draws a curious picture, and then comes with his spunge and wipes it out again, Gal. 3. 4. Have ye suffered so many things in vain? Perhaps, for Religion a man hath suffered many a reproach and affront; and have ye suffered all this in vain? Here is folly indeed.

It will be bitterness in the end, Jer. ….2. 19. Know therefore that it is an evil and bitter thing that thou hast forsaken the Lord. Men by leaving off their violence for Heaven, get a thorn in their conscience, a blot in their name, a curse in their souls. What got Judas by his Apostasie but an halter? So that it will be bitterness in the end. The Apostate when he dies drops as a wind-fall into the Devil's mouth.

5. It reproves those who put off 5. Branch.this violence for the Kingdom till old age. When they are fit for no other p. 115work, 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 d…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 6. Branch.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 p. 116them 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! …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 7. Branch.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 p. 117word **foreignsignifies, 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 **Act. & Mon…m.. 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 foreign.rendred, seeing you shuff it away with your shoulders. As if a sick …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 b… 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 p. 118hear 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 Use 3. Examination.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 inquis…ive into the state of our p. 119souls? 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 …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?

p. 1207. 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, se…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 **foreign.. 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?

foreign. p. 121Homer. Il.Do we something which is singular? Matth. 5. 47. What do you more than others **foreign iaem valet quod foreign. Beza.?

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 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 Use 4. Exhortation.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 p. 122Object. 1.selves to save our selves? you bid us be violent, as if you should bid a man tied fast in fetter …to walk.

'Tis true, We cannot till grace …nsw.come, effectually operate to our own salvation. Before conversion we are purely passive; and when …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 b… 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?

p. 1232. 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 promi…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: **D…us volentibus non d…e stN…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, Object. 2., and I shall never be able to go thorow it.

Admit it be hard, yet it is a duty, and Resp. 1.there is no disputing duty. God hath made the way to Heaven hard.

To try our Obedience. A child obeys 1.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 2.price of heavenly things. Were the Kingdom of glory easily obtained, we p. 124should 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 whe… and sharpen our indeavour; and if we take such pains for these inf…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. p. 125I 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 **Olympi cacumen … qui…tum.. 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 for…tast of glory.

3. But if I put my self upon this violent Object. 3.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 p. 126Answ. 1.doth so describe fin, that one would think there should be little pleasure in it. The Scripture calls it,

1. foreign, 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 2.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 p. 127in 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 for Heaven, thou wilt lose all thy pleasures: ask him, what pleasures are they Satan? such as please only the senses, they do not delight the mind; they do not comfort the conscience; they are such delights wherein the bruit creatures do exceed me.

3. These sugred pleasures in sin the Scripture saith are but foreign, for a season, Heb. 11. 25. Like fire in straw which makes a blaze, but is presently out, 1 Joh. 2. 17. The world passeth away, and the lusts thereof. It passeth away swiftly as a ship under sail. Worldly pleasures perish in the using; like a flying shadow, or flash of lightning; and are these to be preferred before an eternal weight of glory?

4. The present sweetness which is in fin will turn to bitterness at last, Like p. 128the Book the Prophet eat, Ezek. 3. 3. Sweet in the mouth, but bitter in the belly. Hony is sweet, but it turns to choler. Sin is a sweet poison **Dulce v… nenum. …ern., it delights the palate, but torments the bowels. When once the finner's eyes come to be opened at death, and he feels some sparks of God's wrath in his conscience, then he will cry out for horrour, and be ready to lay violent hands upon himself. We may say of the pleasures of sin, as Solomon of wine, Prov. 23. 32. Look not on the wine when it is red, when it shews its colour in the glass, afterwards it bites like a Serpent **foreign.. So look not on the smiling pleasures of sin; be not delighted with its beauty, but affrighted with its sting **foreign. Chr. Epist.? Do the damned in Hell feel any pleasure now in their sins? Hath their cup of wrath one drop of hony in it? Oh remember, after the golden Crowns, and womens hair, come the Lions teeth, Rev. 9. 8. Thus I have answered the first part of the Objection; I shall lose all my pleasures in sin.

If I put forth this violence in Religion, 2.I shall exchange my delight for p. 129labour. I must dig a way through the Rock, and while I work I must weep.

Resp. Though you must use violence, yet it is a sweet violence; it is a labour turned into delight, Psal. 138. 5. They shall sing in the waies of the Lord. To send out faith as a spy to view the heavenly Canaan, and pluck a bunch of Grapes there; what delight is here? Rom. 15. 13. Joy in believing. To love God (in whom all excellencies are combined) how sweet is it! To love beauty is delightful. To walk among the promises as among beds of spices, and taste the fruit, oh how pleasant! The labour of a Christian brings peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

—Sed juvat ipse labor—

And whereas it is said that this holy violence takes away our joy, and while we work we must weep; I answer, a Christian would not be without these tears. The tears of a Saint (saith Bernard) have more true joy in them, than all worldly delight. The Oyl of joy is for mourners, Isa. 61. 3.

4. I would use this violence for p. 130Object. 4.Heaven, but I shall expose my self to the censure and scorn of others. They will wonder to see me so altered, and think it nothing but a religious phrensie.

Consider who reproach thee; they Resp. 1.are the wicked **foreign. Epict.; such as if Christ were alive on earth, would reproach him. They are blinded by the God of the world, 2 Cor. 4. 4. It is as if a blind man should reproach a beautifull face.

2. What do they reproach thee for? 'tis for offering violence for Heaven. Is it a disgrace to be labouring for a Kingdom? Tell them thou art doing the work that God hath set thee about. Better they should reproach thee for working in the Vineyard, than God damn thee for not working.

3. Jesus Christ was reproached for thy sake, Heb. 12. 2. He endured the shame of the Cross; and wilt not thou be contented to bear reproaches for him? These are but the chips of the Cross, which are rather to be despised than laid to heart.

If I use this holy violence, and turn Object. 5.religious, then I shall lose such yearly p. 131profits which my sin hath brought in. As Amaziah said, What shall I do for the hundred Talents? 2 Chron. 25. 9.