That which is in the Text, called working, hath various appellations in Scripture. First, Sometimes it is called Striving, Luk. 13. 29. Strive to ⟨p. 6⟩enter in at the strait gate, [Greek or Hebrew]: strive as in an agony, or bloody sweat. Secondly, sometimes it is called Seeking, Mat. 6. 33. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, [Greek or Hebrew]. As a man that hath lost a treasure, seeks diligently for it. We have lost salvation. Adam by eating the tree of knowledge, lost the tree of life. Now seek, take Davids candle and lantern, and search for salvation. The word seek, (as a learned writer notes) signifies to pursue a thing with inflamed desires,1 as a condemned man desires a pardon. Thirdly, Sometimes it is called running in a race, 1 Cor. 9. 24. So run that ye may obtain, [Greek or Hebrew]. The Apostle seems to allude to the games of Olympus, which were celebrated every fifth year in the honour of Jupiter; in those games they did put forth all their strength. Whence that phrase, pulvere Olympico desudare. 'Tis along race from earth to Heaven; lay aside all weights of sin which will ⟨p. 7⟩hinder you in the race, and reach forward with a winged swiftness to lay hold upon the mark. Fourthly, Sometimes it is called offering violence to Heaven, Matthew 11. 12. The Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence. There must not only be diligence, but violence; we must not only pray, but pray fervently, Jam. 5. 16. not only repent, but be Zealous and repent, Rev. 3. 19. not only love, but be sick of love, Cant. 2. 5. This is offering violence; the Greek word [Greek or Hebrew] is a Metaphor taken from a Castle that holds out in a siege, and will not be taken but by storm: So the Kingdom of Heaven holds out against a supine lazy Christian, and will not be taken but by storm.
That which is in the Text, called working, hath various appellations in Scripure. First, Sometimes it is called Striving, Luk. 13. 29. Strive to ⟨p. 6⟩enter in at the strait gate, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉: strive as in an agony, or bloody sweat. Secondly, sometimes it is called Seeking, Mat. 6. 33. Seek ye first the Kingdome of God, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. As a man that hath lost a treasure, seeks diligently for it. We have lost salvation. Adam by eating the tree of knowledge, lost the tree of life. Now seek, take Davids candle and lanthorn, and search for salvation. The word seek, (as a learned writer notes) signifies to pursue a thing with inflamed desires,1 as a condemned man desires a pardon. Thirdly, Sometimes it is called running in a race, 1 Cor. 9. 24. So run that ye may obtaine, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. The Apostle seemes to allude to the games of Olympus, which were celebrated every fifth year in the honor of Jupiter; in those games they did put forth all their strength. Whence that phrase, pulvere Olympico desudare. 'Tis along race from earth to Heaven; lay aside all weights of sinne which will ⟨p. 7⟩hinder you in the race, and reach forward with a winged swiftnesse to lay hold upon the mark. Fourthly, Sometimes it is called offering violence to Heaven, Matthew 11. 12. The Kingdome of Heaven suffers violence. There must not only be diligence, but violence; we must not only pray, but pray fervently, Jam. 5. 16. not only repent, but be Zealous and repent, Rev. 3. 19. not onely love, but be sick of love, Cant. 2. 5. This is offering violence; the Greek word 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 is a Metaphor taken from a Castle that holds out in a siege, and will not be taken but by storme: So the Kingdom of Heaven holds out against a supine lazy Christian, and will not be taken but by storme.
- 1Rem acerrimè expctere. Beza.
