ii. 11. If the flesh doth war against us, good reason we should war against the flesh. How may one do to offer violence to himself in mortifying the flesh?

1. Withdraw the fuel that may make lust burn. Avoid all temptations. Take heed of that which doth nourish sin. He that would suppress the gout or stone, avoids those meats which are noxious. They who pray they may not be led into temptation, must not lead themselves into temptation.

2. Fight against fleshly lusts with spiritual weapons; faith and prayer. The best way to combat with sin, is, upon our knees. Run to the promise, Rom. vi. 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you or as the Greek word is, it shall not lord it. Beg strength of Christ, Phil. ix. 13. Sampson's strength lay in his hair, ours lies in our head Christ. This is one way of offering violence to one's self by mortification. This is a mystery to the major part of the world, who do rather gratify the flesh than mortify it.

2. The second thing wherein offering violence to a man's self consists, is, in provocation to duty. Then we offer holy violence to ourselves, when we excite and provoke ourselves to that which is good. This is called in Scripture, a stirring up ourselves to take hold of God, Isa. Ixiv. 7. Consider, there is to stir

1. What absolute need

ourselves to holy duties.

up

In respect of the sluggishness of our hearts to that which is spiritual; blunt tools need whetting; a dull creature needs spurs. Our hearts are dull and heavy in the things of God, therefore we had need we had need spur them on, and provoke them to that which is good. The flesh hinders from duty when we would pray, the flesh resists; when we should suffer, the flesh draws back. How hard is it sometimes to get leave of our hearts to seek God? Jesus Christ went more willingly to the. cross, than we do to the throne of Grace. Had not we need then provoke ourselves to duty? If our hearts are so unstrung in religion, we had need prepare and put them in tune.

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The exercises of God's worship are con trary to nature; therefore there must be a provoking of ourselves to them. The motion of the soul to sin is natural, but its motion towards Heaven is violent. The stone moves easily to the centre; it hath an innate propenseness downward; but to draw up a millstone into the air, is done by violence, because it is against nature: so to lift up the heart to Heaven in duty, is done by violence, and we must provoke ourselves to it.

2. What it is to provoke ourselves to duty.

1. It is to awaken ourselves and shake off

spiritual sloth. Holy David awakens his tongue and heart when he went about God's service, Psalm lvii. 9. Awake up my glory, I myself will awaken early. He found a

somnolency and dullness in his soul, therefore did.provoke himself to duty. I myself will awake early. Christians, though they are raised from the death of sin, yet often they fall asleep.

2. Provoking ourselves to duty implies an uniting, and rallying together all the powers of our soul, and setting them on work in the exercises of religion. A man saith to his thoughts, be you fixed on God in this duty; and to his affections, do you serve the Lord without distraction. Matters of religion are done with intenseness of spirit.

3. The third thing is to shew the several duties of Christianity, wherein we must provoke and offer violence to ourselves; I shall

name seven.

1. We must provoke ourselves to reading of the word. What an infinite mercy is it that God hath honoured us with the Scriptures! The barbarous Indians have not the oracles of God made known to them: they have the golden mines, but not the Scriptures, which are more to be desired than much fine gold, Psalm xix. 10. Our Saviour bids us search the Scriptures, John v. 39. We must not read these holy lines carelessly, as if they did not concern us, or run them over hastily; as Israel eat the passover in haste, but peruse them with reverence and seriousness. The noble Bereans did search the Ser ptures daily, Acts xvii. 11. The Scrip

ture is the Pandect of divine knowledge; it is the rule and touchstone of truth; out of this well we draw the water of life. To proyoke to a diligent reading of the word, labour to have a right notion of Scripture.

Read the word as a book made by God himself. It is given by divine inspiration, 2 Tim. ii. 16. It is the library of the Holy Ghost. The prophets and apostles were but God's amanuensis or notaries to write the law at his mouth. The word is of divine original, and reveals the deep things of God to us. That there is a numen or deity is engraven in man's heart, and is to be read in the book of the creatures;

quælibet herba Deum;

but who this God is, and the Trinity of persons in the Godhead, is infinitely above the light of reason, only God himself could make this known. So for the incarnation of Christ, God and man hypostatically united in one person; the mystery of imputed righteousness; the doctrine of faith what angel in Heaven, who but God himself could reveal these things to us? How may this provoke to diligence and seriousness in reading the word which is divinely inspired. Other books may be made by holy men, but this book is indicted by the Holy Ghost.

Read the word as a perfect rule of faith it contains all things essential to salvation.

adore the fullness of Scripture, saith Tertullian. The word teacheth us how to please God; how to order our conversation in the world: it instructs us in all things that belong either to prudence or piety. How should we read the word with care and reverence, when it contains a perfect model and platform of religion; and is able to make us wise to salvation, 2 Tim. iii. 17.

When you read the word, look on it as a soul-enriching treasury. Search here as for a vein of silver, Prov. ii. 4. In this word are scattered many divine aphorisms, gather them up as so many jewels. This blessed book helps to enrich you; it fills your head with knowledge, and your heart with grace: it stores you with promises: a man may be rich in bonds. In this field the pearl of price is hid what are all the world's riches to these? Islands of spices, coasts of pearl, rocks of diamonds? These are but the riches that reprobates may have, but the word gives us those riches which angels have.

Read the word as a book of evidences.How carefully doth one read over his evidences ? Would you know whether God be your God? search the records of Scripture, 1 John iii. 24. Hereby we know he abides in us by his spirit he hath given us. Would you know whether you are heirs of the promise? you must find it in these sacred writings, 2 Thes. ii. 13. He hath chosen us to salvation