Hinderances, Directions and Conclusions
blood saves: our labouring qualifies us for Heaven, but Christ's dying purchased Heaven. Alas, what is all that we can do in comparison of glory? What is the shedding of a tear to a crown? Therefore we must renounce all in point of justification, and let Christ and free grace carry away the glory of our salvation. God must help us in our working, Phil. 2:11. 'It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do.' How then can we merit by our working, when it is God that helps us in our working?
Hinderances, Directions and Conclusions I shall, in the next place, lay down some rules or directions how to get this blessed violence.
1. Take heed of those things which will hinder this violence for Heaven.
1. Take heed of unbelief. Unbelief is a great remora‚ as it is discouraging. When a Christian is working for Heaven, unbelief whispers thus, To what purpose is all this pains? I had as good sit still. I may pray, and not be heard; I may work, and have no reward;
I may come near Heaven, yet miss it, Jer. 8:12. 'And they said, there is no hope.' Unbelief destroys hope; and if you cut this sinew of religion, all violence for Heaven ceaseth. Unbelief raiseth a cloud of despondency in the heart. Alas, you will never be able to go through the work of religion; so many precepts to obey; so many temptations to resist; so many afflictions to bear, that you will succumbere oneri, fall under the burden; you will tire in your march to Heaven.
Unbelief raiseth jealous thoughts of God, it represents him as an austere master‚ and that if we fail in never so little a punctilio, he will take the extremity of the law upon us. This discourageth the soul in the use of means. Unbelief doth as Sanballat and Tobiah did to the Jews, Nehem. 6:9. 'They made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work.' O take heed of unbelief, it destroys this holy violence. We read of Jereboam's arm being withered, 1 Kings
13:4. Unbelief withers the arm of the soul, that it cannot stretch itself forth to any spiritual action. Unbelief doth the Devil the greatest kindness; it makes way for his temptations to enter, which do so enchant and bewitch us, that we cannot work. Beware of this sin: believe the promises: God 'is good to the soul that seeks him,' Lam.
3:25. Do but seek him with importunity, and he will open both his heart and Heaven to thee.
Take heed of puzzling your thoughts about election. A christian may think thus, what, should I take pains? perhaps I am not elected, and then all my violence is to no purpose. Thus, many are taken off from the use of means, and the business of religion is at a stand. Whereas no man can justly say, he is not elected. It is true, some of God's children have said so in temptation: but as Peter in a transfiguration said be knew not what; so these in a temptation. But no man can say on just grounds, he is not elected, unless he can prove that he hath sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost. For any one to assert nonelection is a sin; for that which keeps him in sin, must needs be sinful: but this opinion keeps him in sin; it discourageth him from the use of means, and cuts the sinews of all endeavours; do not therefore perplex your thoughts about election; this book is sealed‚ and no angel can unclasp it. The rule Christians are to go by, is, God's revealed will, not his secret. God's revealed will is, that we should pray and repent; by this we make our calling sure; and by making our calling sure, we make our election sure. If I see the beds of spices grow and flourish, I know the sun hath been there. And if I find the fruits of obedience in my heart, I may conclude God's electing love hath shined upon me, 2 Thess. 2:13. 'God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification.'
Take heed of too much violence after the world; the world cools good affections.—The earth puts out the fire. The world's silver trumpet sounds a retreat, and calls men off from their pursuit after Heaven.—
The world hindered the young man from following Christ; 'he went away sorrowful:' whereupon saith our Saviour, 'How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God?' Luke 18:24.—
Demas's religion lay buried in the earth, 2 Tim. 4:10. 'Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world.' It was a saying of Pius
Quintus, 'When I first entered into orders, I had some good hope of my salvation; when I became a Cardinal, I doubted of it; but since I came to be Pope, I do even despair of it.' Jonathan pursued the victory till he came at the honey-comb, and then he stood still, 1 Sam.
14:27. Many are violent for the kingdom of God, till gain or preferment offers itself; when they meet with this honey, then they stand still. The world blinds men's eyes that they do not see the way; and fetters their feet that they do not run in the way of God's commandments.' Mithridates, king of Pontus, being worsted by the Romans, and fearing he should not escape them, caused a great deal of silver and gold to be scattered in the ways, which while the Roman soldiers were busy in gathering, he got away from them. The like stratagem Satan useth, knowing what tempting things riches are, he throws them in men's way, that while they are eager in gathering these, he may hinder them in their pursuit of happiness.—I have observed some who did once, Jehu like, drive on furiously in the cause of religion, when the world hath come in upon them their chariot-wheels have been pulled off, and they have 'driven on heavily.'—Were a man to climb up a steep rock, and had weights tied to his legs, they would hinder his ascent. Men's golden weights hinder them in climbing up this steep rock which leads to salvation.
The world's music charms men asleep, and when they are asleep, they are not fit to work. A thing cannot be carried violently to two extremes at once. The ship cannot go full sail to the east and west at the same time: so a man cannot be violent for Heaven and earth at once: he may have Christ and the world, but cannot love Christ and the world, 1 John 2:15. He that is all fire for the world, will be all ice for Heaven. Take heed of engaging your affections too far in these secular things. Use the world as your servant, but do not follow it as your master.
Take heed of indulging any lust. Sin lived in will spoil all violence for Heaven. Sin enfeebles; 'tis like the cutting Samson's hair, and then the strength departs. Sin is ægritudo animi, the soul's sickness.
Sickness takes a man off his legs, and doth so dispirit him, that he is unfit for any violent exercise. A sick man cannot run a race.—Sin lived in, takes a man quite off from duty, or makes him dead in it.
The more lively the heart is in sin, the more dead it is in prayer. How can he be earnest with God for mercy, whose heart accuseth him of secret sin. Guilt breeds fear; and that which strengthens fear, weakens violence. Adam having sinned, was afraid, and hid himself,
Gen. 3:10. When Adam had lost his innocence, he lost his violence.
Therefore lay the axe to the root; let sin be hewn down; not only abstain from sin in the act, but let the love of sin be mortified, and let every sin be put to the sword. Many will leave all their sins but one; save one sin, and lose one soul. One sin is a fetter; a man may lose the race as well by having one fetter on his leg, as if he had more. I have read of a great monarch, that flying from his enemy, he threw away the crown of gold on his head, that he might run the faster: so that sin which thou didst wear as a crown of gold, throw it away that thou mayest the faster run to the heavenly kingdom.
If you would be violent for Heaven, take heed of despondency of spirit. Be serious, but cheerful. He whose spirit is pressed down with sadness, is unfit to go about his work. An uncheerful heart is unfit to pray, or praise God. When the strings of a lute are wet, it will not put forth any sweet harmony. Such as go drooping under fears and discouragements, cannot be violent in religion. When a soldier faints in the field, he soon lets fall his sword. David chides himself out of his melancholy, Psa. 43:5 'Why art thou cast down, O my soul? why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God.' A sad heart makes a dull action. We use the drum and trumpet in battle, that the noise of the trumpet may excite and quicken the soldier's spirits, and make them fight more vigorously. Cheerfulness is like music in battle, it excites a christian's spirits, and makes him vigorous and lively in duty. What is done with cheerfulness, is done with delight, and the soul flies most swiftly to Heaven upon the wings of delight.
If you would be violent for Heaven, take heed of a supine lazy temper. A slothful christian is like a fearful soldier, that hath a good
mind to the plunder, but is loth to storm the castle: so he would fain have Heaven, but is loth to take it by storm. —— enerves animos odisse virtus solet. Sloth is the soul's sleep. Many instead of working out of salvation, sleep away salvation.—Such as will not labour, must be put at last to beg; they must beg as Dives, for one drop of water.
An idle man (saith Solomon) 'puts his hand in his bosom,' Prov.
19:24. He should have his hand to the plough, and he puts it in his bosom. God never made Heaven an hive for drones. Sloth is a disease apt to grow upon men; shake it off.—A ship that is a slug, is a prey to the pirate. A sluggish soul is a prey to Satan. When the crocodile sleeps with his mouth open, the Indian rat gets into his belly, and eats his entrails. While men are asleep in sloth, the Devil enters and devours them.
Take heed of consulting with flesh and blood. As good consult with the Devil as the flesh. The flesh is a bosom traitor. An enemy within the walls is worst. The flesh cries out, their is a 'lion in the way.' The flesh will bid thee 'spare thyself,' as Peter did Christ: O be not so violent for Heaven, 'spare thyself.' The flesh saith as Judas, 'What needs all this waste?' So, what needs all this praying and wrestling? why dost thou waste thy strength? what needs all this waste? The flesh cries out for ease; it is loth to put its neck under Christ's yoke.
The flesh is for pleasure; it had rather be gaming, than running the heavenly race. There is a description of fleshly pleasures, Amos 6:4,
5, 6. 'That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their oouches, that chaunt to the sound of the viol; that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments.' These are the delights of the flesh. Such an one was he, spoken of in Beard's theatre, that did strive to please all his five senses at once. He did bespeak a room richly hung with fair pictures; he had the most delicious music; he had all the choice aromatics and perfumes; he had all the candies and curious preserves of the confectioner; he was lodged in the bed with a beautiful courtezan: thus did he indulge the flesh, and swore that he would spend all his estate to live one week like a god, tho' he were sure to be damned in hell the next day. O take heed of holding intelligence with the flesh! The flesh is a bad
counsellor. St. Paul would 'not confer with flesh and blood,' Gal. 1:16.
The flesh is a sworn enemy to this holy violence, Rom. 8:13. 'If ye live after the flesh ye shall die.' You have taken an oath in baptism to renounce the flesh.
Take heed of listening to the voice of such carnal friends as would call you off from this blessed violence. Fire when in snow, will soon lose its heat, and by degrees go out. Among bad company you will soon lose your heat for religion. The company of the wicked will sooner cool you, than your company will heat them. Vinegar will sooner sour the wine, than the wine will sweeten the vinegar. How often do carnal friends the same to our souls as infected persons do to our bodies, convey the plague. The wicked are still dissuading us from this violence; they will say, it is preciseness and singularity. As Christ's friends laid hold on him when he was going to preach, Mark
3:21. 'They went out to lay hold on him; for they said, he is beside himself.' Such as are unacquainted with the spirituality and sweetness of religion, judge all zeal frenzy; and therefore will lay hold upon us to hinder us in this sacred violence. When we are earnest suitors to piety, our carnal friends will raise some ill report of it, and so endeavour to break the match. Galeacius, marquis of Vico, being resolved for Heaven, what a block in his way did he find his carnal relations! and what ado had he to break through that impediment!
Take heed of a snare in your bosom. This is one of the Devil's great subtilties, to hinder us from religion by our nearest relations, and so to shoot us with our own rib. He tempted Adam by his wife, Gen. 3:6.
Who would have suspected the Devil there? He handed over a temptation to Job by his wife, Job 2:9. 'Dost thou still retain thine integrity?' What, notwithstanding all these disasters that have befallen thee, dost thou still pray, and serve God? Throw off his livery, curse God and die. Thus would the Devil have cooled Job's violence for Heaven; but the shield of his faith quenched this fiery dart. Spira's friends stood in his way to Heaven, for advising with them about Luther's doctrine, they persuaded him to recant, and so openly abjuring his former faith, he felt an hell in his conscience:
Take heed of such tempters; resolve to hold on your violence for
Heaven, though your carnal friends dissuade you. 'Tis better to go to Heaven with their hatred, than to Hell with their love. It was a saying of St. Hierom, if my parents should persuade me to deny Christ; if my mother should shew me her breasts that gave me suck; if my wife should go to charm me with her embraces, I would forsake all and fly to Christ. If our dearest friends alive would lie in our way to Heaven, we must either leap over them, or tread upon them.
Take heed of setting up your stay in the lowest pitch of grace. He that hath the least grace, may have motion but not violence. It is a pitiful thing to be contented with just so much grace as will keep life and soul together. A sick man may have life, but is not lively. Grace may live in the heart, but is sickly, and doth not flourish into lively acts.
Weak grace will not withstand strong temptations, or carry through great sufferings: it will hardly follow Christ upon the water. Little grace will not do God much service. A tree that hath but little sap, will not have much fruit. It may be said of some Christians, though they are not still-born, yet they are starvelings in grace: they are like a ship that comes with much ado to the haven. Oh labour to grow to further degrees of sanctity. The more grace, the more strength; and the more strength, the more violence.
If you would be violent for Heaven, take heed of this opinion, that it is not so hard to get the kingdom; less violence will serve turn. He that thinks he need not run a race so fast, will be apt to slack his pace. This hath undone many. Who will take pains for Heaven, that thinks it may be had at a cheaper rate? But if it be so easy, what needs Christ say, strive as in an agony.—What needed Paul beat down his body?—Why doth the text speak of taking the kingdom by force? Is not conversion called a 'new birth?' John 3:7 a 'creation,'
Psa. 51:10 and is that easy? O take heed of fancying that work easy which is both above nature, and against it. 'Tis as great a wonder for a soul to be saved, as to see a millstone to be lift up into the middle region.
2. Use those means which will promote this holy violence.
1. Keep up daily prayer. Prayer is the bellows that blows up the affections; and a christian is most active, when his affections are most violent. Prayer keeps the trade of religion agoing. Prayer is to the soul, as the animal spirits are to the body; the animal spirits make the body more agile and lively; so doth prayer the soul. That the motion of a watch may be quicker, the spring must be wound up.
Christian, wind up thy heart every day by prayer. Prayer fetcheth in strength from Christ; and when his strength comes in, it sets the soul a working. Prayer leaves the heart in a good frame: as the morning sun leaves a warmth in the room all the day after. When christians lay aside prayer, or leave off fervency in it, then by degrees they lose their holy violence.
If you would be violent for Heaven, get under lively preaching. The word is 'quick and powerful,' Heb. 4:12. It puts life into a dead heart.
It is both a sword to cut down sin, and a spur to quicken grace. The word is a fire to thaw a frozen heart, Jer. 23:29. 'Is not my word fire?'
As good almost be without preaching, as be under such preaching as will not warm. It is a part of the word, not only to inform, but to inflame. Psalm 119:50. 'Thy word hath quickened me.' 'Tis the lively dispensation of the oracles of Heaven must animate us, and make us lively in our operation.
If you would be violent for Heaven, get your hearts filled with love to religion.—This is like the rod of myrtle in the traveller's hand, (Pliny speaks of,) which makes him fresh and lively in his travel, and keeps him from being weary. When a man hath warmed himself at the fire, now he is fittest for work. If you would be violent in working out salvation, warm yourselves at this fire of love. A man will be violent for nothing but what he loves. Why are men so eager in their pursuit after gold, but because they love it. Love causeth delight, and delight causeth violence. What made St. Paul labour more than all the other apostles? 'The love of Christ constrained him,' 2 Cor. 5:14. Love is like oil to the wheels. Get love to religion, and you will never be weary; you will count those the best hours which are spent with God.
He that digs in a silver vein sweats, yet love to the silver makes his labour delightful.
If you would be violent, be vigilant. The prophet stood upon his 'watch tower,' Hab. 2:1. Why are christians so listless in their work, but because they are so careless in their watch. Did they but watch to see how their enemy watcheth, they would be violent to resist him:
Did they but watch to see how their time runs, or rather flies, they would be violent to redeem it: Did they but watch to see how their hearts loiter in religion, they would spur on faster to Heaven. The reason there is so little violence in religion, is, because there is so little vigilance. When christians neglect their spiritual watch, and grow secure, now their motion to Heaven is retarded, and Satan's motions to sin are renewed. Our sleeping time is Satan's tempting time.
If you would be violent for the kingdom, bind your heart to God by sacred vows. A servant will be more diligent after he is bound to his master. Vow to the Lord, that by his grace you will act more vigorously in the sphere of religion, Psa. 56:12. 'Thy vows are upon me, O God.' A vow binds the votary to duty. He looks upon himself now as under a special obligation, and that quickens endeavour. No question but a christian may make such a vow, because the ground of it is morally good; he vows nothing but what he is bound to do, namely, to walk more closely with God.—Only remember, that we vow not in our own strength, but Christ's. We must confide in him as well for strength as righteousness. Isaiah 45:24. 'In the Lord I have righteousness and strength.'
If you would be violent for Heaven, be sure you make going to Heaven your business. What a man looks on as an indifference, or thing by the bye, he will never be violent for; but that which he makes his business, he will be industrious about. A man looks upon his trade as the only thing to get a livelihood by, and he follows it close: so if we would but look upon religion as the main business wherein our salvation is concerned, we should be violent in it, Luke
10:42. 'But one thing is needful.' This is the one thing, to get Christ and Heaven; this is the end we came into the world for. If we could thus look upon the things of eternity as our business, the one thing, how earnest should we be in the pursuit of them.
If you would be violent, have Heaven continually in your eye. This made Christ violent to the death; he had an eye to the joy set before him, Heb. 12:2. Set the crown ever before you, and that will provoke endeavour.
Immensum gloria calear habet.
The mariner hath his hand to the stern, and his eye to the star. While we are working, let us have an eye to that place where Christ is, the bright morning Star. How willingly doth a man wade through a deep water, that sees the dry land before him, and is sure to be crowned as soon as he comes at shore? Every time you cast your eyes up to Heaven, think, above that starry heaven, is the empyræan Heaven I am striving for. Thus did Moses; the eye of his faith quickened the feet of his obedience, Heb. 11:26. 'He looked to the recompence of reward.' When christians lose their prospect of Heaven, then they begin to slacken their pace in the way thither.
If you would be violent for the kingdom, accompany with such as are violent. When we want fire, we use to go to our neighbour's hearth and fetch fire. Often be among the godly, and so you shall fetch some heat and quickening from them, Psalm 119:63. 'I am a companion of all them that fear thee.' Good company quickens. The holy discourse and example of one saint doth whet and sharpen another. The saints never go so fast to Heaven, as when they go in company. One christian helps forward another. In other races that are run, many times one hinders another; but in this race to Heaven, one christian helps forward another, 1 Thess. 5:11. 'Edify one another, even as also ye do.' O let not this article of our creed be forgotten, 'The communion of saints.'