have rest, Rev. iv. 8. They rest not day and night. Such as are graceless, shall be restless. But the violence a Christian takes, leads to rest. As the weary traveller sits down at night and rests him, Psalm cxvi. 7. Return to thy rest O my soul. Holy violence is like the flying of Noah's dove to the ark, where it found rest.

The

9. If we use what violence we are able, God will help us, Phil. ii. 12. It is God who worketh in you both to will and to do. spirit helps us in prayer, and so proportionably in all other duties of religion, Rom. viii.

26. The promise encourageth, and the spirit enableth. In all earthly races a man runs in his own strength; but in the race to Heaven we have the Spirit of God helping us; he not only gives us the crown, when we have done running; but he gives us legs to run; he gives exciting and assisting grace; the spirit of God helping, makes our work easy. If another helps to carry a burden, it is less difficult. If the loadstone draw the iron, it is not hard for the iron to move. If the spirit of God, as a divine loadstone, draw and move the heart in obedience; now the work goes on with more facility.

10. This blessed violence in religion, would be preventive of much sin. While men are idle in the vineyard, they are a prey to every temptation. We do not sow our seed in fallow groand; but Satan doth sow most of his

While When

seed of temptation in hearts that lie fallow. When he sees persons unemployed, he will find them work to do; he will stir them up to one sin or other, Matt. xiii. 25. men slept, the enemy sowed tares. Satan finds men in a drowsy condition, their sleeping time is his tempting time; but by holy violence we prevent the Devil's design; we are so busied about salvation, that we have no leisure to listen to temptation. St. Hierom gave his friend this advice, to be always well employed, that when Satan came with a temptation he might find him working in the vineyard. When the bird is flying it is fafe, when it sits still on the bough, then it is in danger of being shot. When a Christian sits still, and is unactive, then the Devil shoots him with his fiery darts.

11. The folly of such as are violent for the world, but not for the kingdom above. Alas, how insipid are all these things that we lay out our sweat and violence upon, they will not make us happy. King Solomon did as it were put all the creatures into a limebeck. and still out the quintessence of them, and behold all was vanity, Eccles. ii. 8.

1. These earthly things that we so toil for, are uncertain, 1 Tim. vi. 17. 'Tis uncertain whether we shall get them. All that are suitors to a virgin do not speed. All that come to a lottery have not a prize.

2. They are unsatisfactory. Could men heap up silver as dust; had they as much as the Devil promised Christ, All the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; yet they can no more fill the heart, than a drop of water can fill the cistern, Eccles. v. 16. What profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind? 3. They are transient; death feeds at the root. All worldly possessions are like a castle of snow in the sun or like a posy of flowers which withers while we are smelling to it. O what folly is it to put forth all one's violence for the world, which is but for a season, and not for Christ and grace. As if a condemned man should be earnest to get dinner, but never mind getting his pardon.

his

12. The next motive is in the text; this violence is for a kingdom. The kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence. And what will we be violent for, if not for a kingdom? Men will wade to a kingdom through blood: This is a kingdom worth striving for. Cyprus is an island so exceeding fertile and pleasant, that it was anciently called Macaria, which signifies blessed. This title of blessed may more fitly be given to the heavenly kingdom. If the mountains were gold; if every sand of the sea were a diamond; if the whole globe were a shining crysolite; it were infinitely beneath the glory of this kingdom.

1. The immunities of the heavenly kingdom are great.

1. There shall be a freedom from sin; here sin keeps house with us; it is as natural to us to sin, as to breath. The soul that is most refined, and clarified by grace, is not without some dregs of corruption. St. Paul, cried out of a body of sin. He who is inoculated into Christ hath still a taste and relish of the wild olive. But when we ascend to the heavenly kingdom, this mantle of sin shall drop off. That kingdom is so pure, that it will not mix with any corruption, Rev. xxi. 27. A sinful thought shall not creep in there. There is beauty which is not stained with lust, and honour which is not swelled with pride.

2. In that blessed kingdom there shall be freedom from the assaults of the red dragon. 'Tis sad to have Satan daily soliciting us by his temptations, and labouring to trappan us into sin. Temptation is the Devil's powder-plot, to blow up the fort-royal of our grace; but this is the blessed freedom of the heavenly kingdom, it is not capable of temptation. The old serpent is cast out of Paradise.

3. In that blessed kingdom there shall be freedom from divisions. In this world God's own tribes go to war. Ephraim envies Judah, and Judah vexeth Ephraim. The soldiers' spear pierced Christ's side; but the divisions of saints pierce his heart. Christ prayed that all his people might be one, as he and his father are one, Job xvii. 21. But how do Christians by their discords and ani

mosities go about what in them lies to frustrate Christ's prayer. But in the kingdom of Heaven there is perfect love, which as it casts out fear, so strife. Those Christians that could not live quietly together here, in that kingdom shall be united. There Calvin and Luther are agreed. In that celestial

kingdom there shall be no vilifying or slandering one another, or raking into those sores which Christ died to heal. Christians that could not pray together, shall sing together in that glorious choir: there shall not be one jarring string in the saints' music.

4. In that heavenly kingdom there shall be freedom from all molestations. Our lives now are interlined with troubles, Psalm xxxi. 10. My life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing. There are many things to occasion disquiet: Sometimes poverty afflicts; sometimes sickness tortures; sometimes unkind. ness of friends breaks the heart. Our lives, like the Irish seas, are full of tempests; but in the kingdom of Heaven is nothing to administer grief; there all is serene and calm; nothing within to humble, or without to molest.

2. The royalties and excellencies of that kingdom are great. We may say of Heaven, as it was said of Laish, Judg. xviii. 9, 10 We have seen the land, and behold it is very good; a place where there is no want of any thing.