Heaven taken

This violence for Heaven is the grand ¹business of our lives: What did we come into the world for else? we did not come hither only to eat and drink, and wear fine clothes; but the end of our living is, to be violent for the Kingdom of glory. Should the body only be tended, this were to trim the scabbard, and let the blade rust: to preserve the lumber, and let the child be burnt. God sends us into the world as a Merchant sends his Factor to trade for him beyond the Seas. So God sends us hither to follow a spiritual trade, to serve him and save our souls. If we spend all our time aut aliud agendo, aut nihil, in dressing and pampering our bodies, or idle visits, we shall give but a sad account to God, when he shall send us a letter of summons by death, ⟨p. 137⟩and bid us give an account of our Stewardship. Were not he much […] be blamed that should have a great deal of Timber given him to build him an house, and he should cut out all this brave Timber into chips? Just so is the case of many; God gives them precious time in which they are to provide for a Kingdom, and they waste this time of life, and cut it out all into chips. Let this excite violence in the things of God; it is the main errand of our living here; shall we go out of the world and forget our errand?

This violence for Heaven is the grand ¹business of our lives: What did we come into the world for else? we did not come hither only to eat and drink, and wear fine cloaths; but the end of our living is, to be violent for the Kingdom of glory. Should the body only be tended, this were to trim the scabbard, and let the blade rust: to preserve the lumber, and let the child be burnt. God sends us into the world as a Merchant sends his Factor to trade for him beyond the Seas. So God sends us hither to follow a spiritual trade, to serve him and save our souls. If we spend all our time aut aliud agendo, aut nihil, in dressing and pampering our bodies, or idle visits, we shall give but a sad account to God, when he shall send us a letter of summons by death, ⟨p. 137⟩and bid us give an account of our Stewardship. Were not he much 〈…〉 be blamed that should have a great deal of Timber given him to build him an house, and he should cut out all this brave Timber into chips? Just so is the case of many; God gives them precious time in which they are to provide for a Kingdom, and they waste this time of life, and cut it out all into chips. Let this excite violence in the things of God; it is the main errand of our living here; shall we go out of the world and forget our errand?