3. The difficulty of obtaining; it is no easy thing to get to Heaven; you must labour if you would ⟨p. 31⟩enter into this Rest, Heb. 4. 11. you must strive if you would enter in at the strait gate, because many shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able, Luk. 13. 24. You must take the Kingdom of Heaven by violence, if you would take it at all, Matb. 11. 12. not as if there were opposition from within, for God is willing to entertain you, the Lord Jesus is ready to set open the door before you, the Spirit is ready to help you; but there is opposition about the walls (as it were) of the place; Satan he buildeth Forts and strong Holds, and casteth forth his fiery darts, to drive you off, when you make any attempt this way: You will meet with opposition from the Devil and the World, and chiefly from within your selves, when you do in good earnest set your faces towards Heaven; therefore you had need labour and strive, and make it your chief care and business to get into this Kingdom. You are in a Sea as it were, where there are waves of trouble beating upon you, a tide of inward corruptions working against you, and a boisterous wind of temptation to carry you back; you had need to row hard, if you will get to the Haven. You are travelling in the narrow path, where there are many by-paths, and many enemies to oppose you; you had need look well to your way, to get on the spiritual Armour, and fight the good fight of Faith, if you would obtain the Crown at the end of your way, and at last lay hold on Eternal Life. To conclude, let me exhort you so to seek that you may find, so to run that you may obtain, so to fight that you may overcome, that after all your travail and pains you may sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of God.
3. The difficulty of obtaining; it is no easie thing to get to Heaven; you must labour if you would ⟨p. 31⟩enter into this Rest, Heb. 4. 11. you must strive if you would enter in at the strait gate, because many shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able, Luk. 13. 24. You must take the Kingdom of Heaven by violence, if you would take it at all, Matb. 11. 12. not as if there were opposition from within, for God is willing to entertain you, the Lord Jesus is ready to set open the door before you, the Spirit is ready to help you; but there is opposition about the walls (as it were) of the place; Sathan he buildeth Forts and strong Holds, and casteth forth his fiery darts, to drive you off, when you make any attempt this way: You will meet with opposition from the Devil and the World, and chiefly from within your selves, when you do in good earnest set your faces towards Heaven; therefore you had need labour and strive, and make it your chief care and business to get into this Kingdom. You are in a Sea as it were, where there are waves of trouble beating upon you, a tide of inward corruptions working against you, and a boisterous winde of temptation to carry you back; you had need to row hard, if you will get to the Haven. You are travelling in the narrow path, where there are many by-paths, and many enemies to oppose you; you had need look well to your way, to get on the spiritual Armour, and fight the good fight of Faith, if you would obtain the Crown at the end of your way, and at last lay hold on Eternal Life. To conclude, let me exhort you so to seek that you may finde, so to run that you may obtain, so to fight that you may overcome, that after all your travail and pains you may sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of God.
