wards it bites like a serpent. So look not on the smiling pleasures of sin; be not delighted with its beauty, but affrighted with its sting? Do the damned in Hell feel any pleasure now in their sins? Hath their cup of wrath one drop of honey in it? Oh remember, after the golden crowns, and women's hair, come the lion's teeth, Rev. iv. 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, I shall exchange my delight for labour. I must dig away through the rock, and while I work I

must weep.

Though you must use violence, yet it is a sweet violence; it is a labour turned into de.. light, Psalm cxxxviii. 5. They shall sing in the ways 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. xv. 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 Benard) have more true joy in them, than all worldly delights. The oil of joy is for mourners, Isaiah Ixi. 3.

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

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

2. What do they reproach thee for? 'tis for offering violence to 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. xii. 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 religious, then I shall lose such yearly profits which my sin hath brought in. As Amaziah said, What shall I do for the hundred talents? 2 Chron. xxv. 9.

Is there any profit in sin? did ever any one thrive upon that trade? by the time you have cast up the reckoning you will find but little profit.

1. By the incomes that sin brings in, thou treasurest up vengeance, Rom. ii. 5. While thou puttest unjust gain in the bag, God puts wrath in his viol; and will you call this profit? Whatever money a man gets in a sinful way, he must pay interest for it in hell.

2. That cannot be for thy profit, which makes thee come off a loser at last. Thou loseth Heaven and thy soul; and what can countervail this loss? What is a man profited if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Matt. xvi. 26. God (saith Chrysostom) hath given a man two eyes; if he lose one, he hath another; but he hath but one soul, and if that be lost, he is undone for ever.

But I have so much business in the world, that I can find no time for this holy violence. As the king of Macedon said, when they presented him with a book treating of happiness, I am not at leisure.

See the folly of this objection, what is the main business of life, but looking after the soul? and for men to say they are so immersed in the world, that they cannot mind their souls, is most absurd and irrational. This is to make the greater give way to the lesser.-As if an husbandman should say, he is so busy in angling, or looking after his bees, that

he hath no time to plough or sow. What is his occupation but ploughing? Such a madness is it to hear men say they are so taken up about the world, that they have no time for their souls.

Could God find time to think of thy salvation? could Jesus Christ find time to come into the world, and be here above thirty years in carrying on this great design of thy redemption, and canst thou find no time to look after it? Is the getting a little money that which obstructs this violence for Heaven? Thy money perish with thee.

Canst thou find time for thy body? time to eat and sleep? and not find time for thy soul? canst thou find time to employ about thy recreation? and no time to employ about thy salvation? canst thou find time for idle visits? and no time to visit the throne of grace?

Oh take heed thou goest not to Hell in the croud of worldly business. Joshua, who was a commander of an army, yet his work as a soldier was not to hinder his work as a Christian: he must pray as well as fight; and take the book of the law in his hand, as well as the sword, Josh. i. 8.

Thou, whosoever thou art that makest this objection about worldly business, let me ask thee, dost thou think in thy conscience that this will be a good excuse at the last day, when God shall ask thee, why didst thou not take pains for Heaven? thou shalt say, Lord, I was

so steeped in worldly business that I was hindered. Were it a good plea for a servant to say to his master, he was so drunk that he could not work! Truly, 'tis much like thiné, to say, thou were so drunk with the cares of the world, that thou couldest not be violent for the kingdom.

Having answered these objections, let me reassume the exhortation, pressing all Christians to this violence for the heavenly kingdom. As David's three worthies ventured their lives, and brake through the host of the Philistines for water, 2 Sam. xxiii. 46. Such a kind of violence must we use, breaking through all dangers for obtaining the water of life.

1. Consider the deplorable condition we are in by nature; a state of misery and damnation; therefore what violence should we use to get out of it! Were one plunged into quicksands, would he not use violence to get out? Sin is a quicksand, and is it not wisdom to extricate ourselves out? David being encompassed with enemies, said, His soul was among lions, Psalm lvii. 4. 'Tis true in a spiritual sense, our soul is among lions. Every sin is a lion that would devour us, and if we are in the lion's den, shall we not use violence to get out? The angels used violence to Lot; they laid hold on him, and pulled him out of Sodom, Gen. xix. 16. Such violence must be used to get out of the spiritual Sodom. It is no safety to stay in the enemy's quarters.