Beams of Divine Light, Sermon 5 – Title page 6
VIOLENCE VICTORIOVS.
MAT. 11.12.
From the daies of Iohn Baptist untill now the Kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force.
IOHN Baptist and our blessed Saviour gave mutuall testimonies one of another, hee witnessed of Christ before hee came, and our Saviour Christ gives witnesse of him here. The occasion of this you have in the second verse:Occasion of the words. Iohn being in prison sends two of his Disciples to Christ, to know whether he were the Christ or no; not that Iohn did doubt, but to confirme his Disciples. Christ returnes a reall and a verball answer, Tell Iohn (saith he) what ye have seene and heard, &c. and then he closeth up all, Blessed is he that is not offended with me. Upon this occasion Christ enters into a commendation of blessed St. Iohn Baptist, even unto a comparative commendation, amongst them that were borne of woemen there had not yet risen a greater then Iohn the Baptist, 1From the excellency of his ministry.not so much in eminency of grace (though that may have a truth) as in regard of the dispensation of his Ministery, Iohn living in more glorious times: For the excellency of the Church is from Christ: he doth ennoble and advance times and places and persons, Bethlehem, a little Citty, yet not a little Citty in regard that Christ was borne there, and saith Christ,Luk. 10 23. Happy are the eyes that see that which your eyes see, every thing is advanced by Christ. So Iohn Baptist in regard of his office, being the immediate fore-runner of Christ, was greater then all that were before him: yet he saith the least in the Kingdome of Heaven is greater then be▪ not in grace, but in prerogative, in regard of the revelation and manifestation of more things. For Iohn Baptist died before he saw the death and resurrection and ascention of Christ accomplished, before he was glorified. Therefore in regard of these prerogatives, the least in the Kingdome of Heaven, that is, in the Church of the New Testament is greater then he. It is a rule that the least of the greater, is greater then the greatest of the lesse. Iohn was greater then the greatest of them that were before him; but lesser then the least of those that were after him.
Then Christ commends Iohn from the efficacie of his Ministery,2From the efficacie of his Ministery. From the daies of Iohn Baptist untill now the Kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force; so you see how the words depend upon the former. For the points wee are to consider in them.
First, here you have the state of the Church in the New Testament, (It is a Kingdome, and the Kingdome of Heaven) together with the quality of the meanes whereby it comes to be a Kingdome, the meanes of grace, the Gospell. The Gospell and the people that are wrought on by the Gospell in the New Testament, they are both called the Kingdome of Heaven.
Then secondly, here is set downe the affection of those people that seeke this Kingdome at that time, and so forward to the end of the world; the disposition of the persons is, they are violent.
The third is, the issue or successe of this eagernesse and violence; though the manner be violent, yet the successe is good, the violent take it by force.
The fourth is, the date or time when it begins, and how long it continues; it beares date from the preaching of Saint Iohn Baptist to the end of the world; untill now, that is, to the end of the world, as it was said, till now, in the Evangelists time, so posterity may say untill now, from the first comming of Christ, till his second comming, while there is a Gospell preached, which is the Ministerie of the Spirit, the Spirit will bee working, and there are such glorious things in the Gospell, that there will bee violence offered, so while there is a people to bee gathered, and a Gospell to be preached to gather them, and a Spirit that workes by that Gospell, there will be violence in the Church offered to the meanes of salvation.
Doct. 1.First, The state of the Church, together with the meanes, The Church the Kingdome of Heaven.the Gospell preached, it is called The Kingdome of Heaven.
Besides others, there are three maine significations of these words, The Kingdome of Heaven.
Threefold signification of the Kingdome of Heaven.First, the famous, leading, proper signification is the state, and place where God himselfe, and his people are most glorious, The Kingdome of Heaven;1Heaven. all the other significations end in that. But secondly, because all that shall come into that glorious Kingdome, they must bee Kings here first in the state of the kingdome of grace,2State of grace. which consists in righteousnesse, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, in the graces and comforts of the Spirit, therefore the state of grace comes to have the name too of The Kingdome of Heaven ▪ And thirdly,3Meanes of grace because grace in this world cannot be attained without an order, and meanes, and dispensation from God; hereupon, the dispensation of the meanes whereby we come to have grace is also called The Kingdome. The unfolding the mysteries of salvation in the Gospell, is called the Kingdome of God. As Christ saith, The Kingdome of God shall bee taken from you, that is, the preaching of the Gospell, therefore the Gospell is called the Gospell of the Kingdome, and the Word of the Kingdome, because by this Word wee come to have grace, and by grace, glory; there is no glory without grace, and no grace without the Word, one makes way for another. The preaching of the Gospell doth cause a Church (which is the Kingdome of Christ) wherein hee rules by the Scepter of his Word, by which Word, Christ and all his riches, and glory, and prerogatives are unfolded, and thereby grace is wrought, and grace leades to glory. This connexion and subordination is to bee observed.
First,1A ground of conviction. for the conviction of those who doe not indeed belong to the Kingdome of Heaven; every man is ready to talke of the Kingdome of Heaven, and the glory there; I but there is a subordination of grace, and of the meanes of grace; how standest thou affected to the meanes of salvation, to the Word of the Kingdome, the Word of life, The Word of reconciliation? for it hath the name from all the excellencies to which it brings us, to shew, that as we valew life, a Kingdome, reconciliation, and all that is good, so we must valew this Gospell, or else it is a presumptuous confidence; if the priviledges of grace and glory belong to us, wee must come to them by these steps; those that regard not the Gospell and meanes of salvation, they have nothing to do with grace nor glory, they are hereby convinced of arrogant folly.
2Of comfort.Againe, it is a ground to comfort weake Christians that regard the meanes of salvation, and yet feare their falling away; be of good comfort whosoever thou art, God hath knit and linked these together, all the power of earth and hell cannot breake one linke of this chaine; conscionable attending upon the meanes and grace and glory will go together. Therefore hold on, attend upon the meanes of salvation, and waite with comfort; The Gospell of the Kingdome will bring thee to grace, and grace (though it be but an earnest, but a little measure) will bring thee to glory. Where God hath begun a good worke he will finish it, he will second one benefit with another, diligent attending on the meanes with grace, and grace with glory.
In Scripture, works have their denomination from that they aime at, as the Apostle saith, Yee have crucified the old man, and yee are crucified with Christ, because yee are in doing it, and ye shall do it perfectly; so we are Saints, because wee shall be so; we are Kings now, because we are in part so, and we shall be so fully hereafter; so grace is called the Kingdome of Heaven, because it is the undoubted way to the Kingdome of Heaven and glory. God would helpe our faith by the very title, for wee are not elected to the beginnings onelyonly of glory, but to the perfection, as it is excellently set downe, Ephes. 1. We are elected to glory by meanes and beginnings; therefore undoubtedly we may hope for the accomplishment when we see the beginnings.
Why is the state of grace and the meanes of grace and glory it selfe called the Kingdome of Heaven?Quest.
Answ. Answ.Because they are all of and from Heaven,Why grace and the meanes of it are called the Kingdome of Heaven the one is in Heaven the Kingdome of glory, and the other the Kingdome of the Word here, and truth and grace which are by it are from Heaven, the truth we have and grace from the truth come from Heaven, yea and Christ the Author of all is from Heaven and they all leade to Heaven.
Which should teach us with what minds to converse in the hearing and reading of these things,Why the things of the Gospell are slighted. with heavenly affections. And it shewes likewise why worldlings and base people are no more affected with the things of the Gospell, because it is the Kingdome of Heaven. If it were of the world we should have it sought with eagernesse enough, though it were a lesse matter then a Kingdome: but it is a Kingdome of Heaven remote from flesh and blood, there must be a new Spirit to worke a new sight and a new taste, to worke a change in the heart of man, and then he shall know the things of the Kingdome of Heaven. He must come out of the world that will see this Kingdome, as in Reve. 18. Come out of Babylon. A man must come out of Antichrists Kingdome, to see the basenesse of it, he cannot see it in the middest of it, so we must come out of the world if we would see the glorious Kingdome of Christ, it is a heavenly Kingdome. Therefore the greatest potentates of the world must abase themselves, there is no greatnesse in the world can helpe them to this heavenly Kingdome.
Quest.But why should the Gospell and the state of the Church in the New Testament bee called the Kingdome of Heaven and receive the date now; was it not the Kingdome of Heaven before?
Answ.J answer, it is the manner of the Scripture to give titles to things from the glorious manifestation of them, things are said to bee when they are gloriously manifested. The Mystery of Christ is said to be revealed now in the time of the Gospell, it was knowne before to Adam and Abraham and the rest: but now there was a more apparent glorious manifestation of it, therefore now the manifestation of Christ and the good things by him, they are called a Kingdome; before it was kept inclosed in the pale of the Iewish Church, it was vailed under Types, it was hid in promises that were darke and obscure, but when Christ came, all was taken off and Christ was unvailed. It is said in the Gospell, The Holy Ghost was not given yet, Iohn 7.39.because Iesus was not yet glorified. The Holy Ghost was given before, but not so fully and plentifully: So there was a state of Heaven before men were saved, before the comming of Christ: But it was not called the Kingdome of Heaven, it was not a state of liberty and freedome from the bondage of ceremonies, &c.
And there is reason that there should be violence offred to this state and meanes, and grace wrought by it, it is a Kingdome: it is no great wonder that a Kingdome should suffer violence, especially such a Kingdome as the Kingdome of Heaven. In a Kingdome there isWhat is in a Kingdome?
There is first of all freedome from slavery and danger,1Freedome. a Kingdome is an independent state, there is none above it, he that is a King is free, independent and supreame.
Then againe a Kingdome is a full state,2Plenty. there is aboundance and plenty of people and good things in a Kingdome.
Againe,3Glory. in a Kingdome there is glory and excellency: (where is it to be had else?) all the glory and sufficiency and contentment that Earth can afford.
Now in that the state of the Church by reason of the glorious Gospell is called a Kingdome. First it is a free state: as indeed the Word doth make us free from former bondage. In particular the Gospell of Christ it frees us from Jewish bondage, and from all kind of bondage spirituall.Iohn 8.36. If the Sonne make you free yee are free indeed. A Christian is above all, he is over sin and Satan and the Law, he is free & supreame and independent all are under him. A Christian as a Christian, he is under none but Christ, under no creature.1 Cor. 2.15. The spirituall man judgeth all things, yet hee himselfe is judged of no man. I speake not of civill differences: But as a Christian is a member of Christ, and a citizen of the Kingdome of Heaven, he hath a kind of independent state, his conscience is onelyonly subject to God and Christ; but all earthly things he commands, they are under him.
Christiaenity a full state.And 2. the sta…e of a Christian is a full state:1 Cor 3.21. God is his, Christ is his, All things are his, so much as shall serve to bring him to Heaven, that which is truly good is directly his, and indirectly all other things are made his by Christ, who hath the authority and power and strength of a King to command all things to worke together for his good: death and sinne and all that befalls him are thus his. And then he hath a spirit of contentment in the want of good and of patience in the suffering of ill,Phil. 4.13. that he can doe all things (as St. Paul saith) through Christ that strengtheneth him. What he wants in outward things, he can fetch supply from the promises of the Gospell, he can fetch supply from Christ, and from the state to come, and what he wants in other things he hath in grace which is better.
A state of glory3. It is a state likewise of glory and excellency: but it is a spirituall glory, and therefore it consists together with outward basenesse and meanenesse, it is a glorious state to be the Sonne of God, to be heires of Heaven, heires of all things in Christ, by the Spirit of Christ in him he rules over all. How glorious is the Spirit of God in a Christian in the time of temptation and affliction, when he hath a Spirit ruling in him, that is stronger then the world and all oppositions whatsoever?1 Iohn 4.4. The state of a Christian is glorious even in this world in the beginnings of it. What then is the glory that is to be revealed on the Sonnes of God in the day of revelation? Rom. 2.5.It cannot enter into our thoughts, it is above our expression, nay it is above our imagination and conceit; Thus you see there is great cause why the Kingdome of Heaven should suffer violence. When Crownes and Kingdomes are laid open to people with hope of getting them, especially such a one as the Kingdome of Heaven is, it is no wonder if there be violence offered to get them.
The next thing is the affection of those that seeke after this Kingdome, it is violent.
The Kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence.
How doth the Kingdome of Heaven, the Gospell and meanes of grace suffer violence.
First, because when these good things were revealed by Iohn Baptist and then by Christ,1In regard of the multitude. and after by the Disciples and Apostles, many thronged into the Church, which is the gate of the Kingdome of Heaven: they all pressed to be of the Church, to heare the Word of God. They hung as it were upon the word of Christ; upon his mouth;Luk. 12.1. Mat. 3.5. they pressed so, that they trod one upon another; and it is said they all came out to heare Iohn Baptist, Ierusalem and all Iudea and all the region round about Iordan, so that in regard of the multitude there was violence.
2In regard of the affection.And then in regard of their affections, their zeale to the good things of the Gospell was eager, and earnest: To be Citizens of a Kingdome, to partake of the meanes of salvation, to come to grace, and so to glory, it made them wondrous violent.
3The persons which wereIn regard likewise of the persons, the Kingdome of Heaven suffered violence, the persons being such as might be judged to have no right unto it.1Sinners. Alas for poore wretched sinfull men and woemen, that had beene notorious sinners to come to receive a Kingdome, to become Kings, this was strange. What had sinners to doe with grace? This doctrine was not heard of in the Law, that there should be hope for such wretched persons as these, if such might be admitted surely there must needs bee great violence.
2Poore. Luk. 7.12.Then again, they were poore and meane people, The poore receive the Gospell; for beggars to become Kings, poore men, that were advantaged by their outward abasement to come to spirituall poverty.
3Stran…ers. Mat. 8.12.Againe, they were Gentiles, Alients from the common-wealth of Israell and strangers from the Covenant of promise, Heathen people. The Iewes were the children of the Kingdome, the Gentiles were forreiners and strangers; now for these to come in, and the children of the kingdome to be shut out, it must needs suppose violence; where there is no apparant right, there is force. Now what right had the Gentiles (that were little better then dogs) could they have any thing to doe with the kingdome? I saith Christ, they take it by violence, and the Jewes, and the proud Scribes and Pharisees that seeme to be the apparant children of the kingdome shall at length be shut out. Mat. 20.16.They that were first (in outward prerogatives) shall bee last, and they that were last (the Gentiles, sinners, meane people that take the advantage of their basenesse, and sinnefullnesse, to see their unworthinesse, and to magnifie the grace of God in Christ) shall bee first. In these respects the Kingdome of Heaven is said to suffer violence. People will to Heaven what ever come of it, when these good things are discovered they will have no nay. Hence wee may learne this,
That it is the disposition of those that are the true members of the Church of God to be eager and violent.Doct. The disposition of Christians eager and violent.
Those that intend to enter into the Kingdome, they must throng, and strive to enter; and when they are in, they must keepe the fort, and keepe it with violence.
There is indeed a violence of iniquity and injustice,Ob. and so the people of God of all others ought not to be a violent people; Doe violence to no man, saith the Baptist to the souldiers, Luke 3.14. violence rather debars out of the kingdome of Heaven, then is any qualification for it: But this is another manner of violence which our Saviour here speakes of, necessary for all that desire to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven,Answ. and that for these reasons.
Grounds of this violence.First, betwixt us and the blessed state wee aime at there is much opposition, and therefore there must be violence.1Opposition. The state of the Church here, the state of grace, and the enjoying of the meanes of grace it is a state of opposition. Good persons, and good things, they are opposed in the world. Christ rules in this world in the middest of his enemies, Psal. 110.….hee must have enemies therefore to rule in the middest of, he must bee opposed, and where there is opposition betweene us and the good things that wee must of necessity have, wee must breake thorough the opposition, which cannot bee done without violence. Now the meanes, and graces of salvation they are opposed every way, within us, and without us.
From the flesh.1. They are opposed from within us, and that is the worst opposition: for Satan hath a partie within us that holds correspondencie with him, our owne traiterous flesh; in all the degrees of salvation there is violence hence; in effectuall calling, when we are called out of the kingdome of Satan, he is not willing to let us goe, hee would keepe us there still, and when we come to have our sinnes forgiven in justification, there is opposition, proud flesh and bloud will not yeeld to the righteousnesse of the Gospell; it will not rest in Christ, it will seeke somewhat in it selfe. In Sanctification there is opposition betweene the flesh and the Spirit: every good worke wee doe, it is gotten out of the fire (as it were) it is gotten by violence, in every good action, whether it be to get grace, or to give thanks to God, how many carnall reasonings are there? If a man be to give to others, the flesh suggests, I may want my selfe. If he be to reforme abuses in others, he is ready to thinke, others will have somewhat to say to me, and I shall be offencive to such and such men. And then the affection to earthly things chaines us to the things below, and selfe-love prompts a man to sleepe in a whole skinne; we love our wealth, and peace, and favour with men, so that a man cannot come to the state of grace without breaking through these, and hereupon comes the necessity of violence from the opposition from within us, wee must offer violence to our selves, to our owne reason, to our owne wills and affections, You have not yet resisted unto blood, Heb. 12.4.saith the Apostle; wee doe not resist by killing others, but we ourselves resist to death, when rather then we will misse of Heaven, and happinesse, and rather then we will not stand for the truth we will suffer death.
2. Againe there is opposition from the world,From the world on the right hand, by the snares and delights of the world, to quench the delight in the good things of the Spirit, and on the left hand, by feares, and terrors, and scandalls to scare us from doing what we ought to doe.
From Satan.3. And then there is opposition from Satan in every good action, he besets us in prayer with distracted thoughts, and in every duty, for hee knowes they tend to the ruine of him and of his Kingdome. There is no good action but it is opposed from within us, and without us; the meanes of salvation, and the attending on them, they are not without slander and disgrace in the world. God will have this violence therefore, because there is opposition to the meanes, to the attendance on them, to grace, to every good action, to every thing that is spiritually good.
God seemes an enemy.Nay, sometimes God himselfe becomes a personated enemie, in spirituall desertions he seemes to forsake and leave us, and not onelyonly to forsake us, but to be an enemy, to write bitter things against us, Iob. 13.26.and that is a heavie temptation.
2To difference true Christians from others.Againe, God will have this violence, and striving, as a character of difference, to shew who are bastard professors, and who are not, who will goe to the price of Christianity, and who will not. If men will goe to Heaven they must be violent, they must be at the cost and charges, sometimes to venture life it selfe and whatsoever is deare and pretious in the world. A man must be so violent, that hee must goe thorough all, even death it selfe, (though it be a bloudie death) to Christ; this discards all luke-warme, carnall professors, who shake off this violence; in all estates of the Church it is almost equally difficult to bee a sound Christian; for God requires this violence even in the most peaceable times. Now the truth and religion are countenanced by the lawes, yet the power of it is by many much opposed. Therefore hee now that in spight of reproach, in spight of slander will beare the scornes cast upon the Gospell, that will goe with Christ without the gate, Heb. 13.13.bearing his reproach, such a man may be said to be thus violent; it is an easie thing to have so much Christianity as will stand with our commodity, or with pleasure, &c. but to have so much as will bring us to Heaven (I say) it is equally hard in all times of the Church, it requires violence to carry us thorough these lesser oppositions.
Againe,3To set a higher price on this Kingdome. God will have us get these things with violence, that we may set a greater price on them when we have them; when we have things that are gotten by violence, that are gotten hardly, O we valew them much, Heaven is Heaven then, things that are hardly gotten, and hardly kept, are highly prized.
Againe,4The excellencie of the things. the excellencie of the thing inforceth violence; it is fit that excellent things should have answerable affections. Now it being a Kingdome, and the Kingdome of Heaven, what affection is answerable but a violent strong affection?
5The necessity.Againe, together with the excellencie, the necessity requires it; for the Kingdome of Heaven, it is a place of refuge, as well as a Kingdome to inrich us. There were Cities of refuge among the Jewes, when a man was followed by the avenger of blood, he would run as fast as he could to the Citie of refuge and there he was safe, so when a guilty conscience pursues us, when there is a noise of feare in the heart, when Gods judgements awaken us, & hell is open, when a man apprehends his estate, and is convinced what a one he is, and what he deserves, of necessity he will flie to the Citie of refuge, and where is that, but in the Kingdome of Heaven, in the Church? happie is he that can but get in at the gate of this Kingdome, there is no doubt of his going in further; but there must be a striving to enter in at the gate, Luke 13.24.and then there he shall be hid in his Sanctuary; as the pursued Doves, get into their nests, and the Connies hide them in the rock, when they get that over their heads then they are safe: so a Christian, when he is pursued with conscience, and with the temptations of Satan, he flies to his Sanctuary, doe you wonder that a guilty man should flee to his sanctuary, and the pursued creatures to their hold and refuge? In this respect the Kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence.
Herein it is compared to some great rich Citie that hath some great treasure and riches in it, and it must be besieged, and beleagured a long time, and those that can enter into it they are made for ever. Or it is like the entrance or gate of a Citie where there is striving and thronging, and where besides enemies are, that if men strive not, they are cut, and mangled, and killed, so it is in the state of this Kingdome, when a mans eyes be opened, he sees the divell, and hell behind him, and either he must enteror be damned, and being entered, it makes him rich, and advanceth him for ever; so he is strongly mooved to offer violence on both sides: if he looke behind him there is the kingdome of Satan, darknesse, and misery, and damnation, (for as Pharaoh pursued the Israelites when they were got out of his kingdome, so the divell pursues a man when he is broken out of his dominion) And then before him there is the kingdome of happinesse and glory, the feare of that that followes them, and the hope of that that is set before them, both make them strive to enter into the gate of that Citie.
What should this teach us?
First,Vse To judge of our estates by our violence. let it be a rule of tryall to know, & judge of our estate, whether we be entred into this gate of Heaven or no? our lives are very short, very uncertaine; let us consider if we be in the way to Heaven; what striving, what strugling, what violence have we ever offered? There are a company that regard not the meanes of salvation at all, either in private or publique. Some come to the Word, and heare, but they doe not heare it as the Word of God, to bee ruled by it, but as a discourse to delight themselves for the time, to have matter to speake of, and to censure, not with a spirit of obedience to be guided by it as the Scepter of the Kingdome. What violence is this, now and then to heare a Sermon, now and then to reade a Chapter, now and then to utter a yawning prayer betweene sleeping and waking, perhaps when thou knowest not what thy selfe saist? how then wouldest thou have God to regard it? What violence is in the lives of most Christians, what strength to enforce good actions, how doe they improove the meanes of salvation? many meanes are wholy neglected: some perhaps they use that may stand with their convenience now and then, whereas there must be an universall care of all the meanes, there cannot one be neglected without the losse of grace; and there must be attendance on them with violence. There is none of the meanes can profit us without rouzing, and stirring up our spirits; we cannot heare, nor pray, without drawing up, and raising up our soules; the flesh will stop the comfortable performance of any action else, and Satan will kill them in the very birth if he can.
Men violent for outward things.To search a little deeper, doe but compare your courses toward these good things of Heaven, with your courses towards the world. If there be hope of preferment, the doores of great men are sure to suffer violence with favourites. The Courts of justice suffer violence, to have our right in earthly things. The stages, and such places are thronged, and suffer violence. If a man could but over-looke the courses of men abroad in the Citie, he should see one violent for his pleasures running to the house of the Harlot as a foole to the stocks. Pro. 7.22.Another to the exchange to increase his estate. Another to the place of justice, to detract his neighbour, or to get his owne right, perhaps neglecting his title to Heaven in the meane time. Another to the Court to get favour to rise to some place of preferment. These places suffer violence: but what violence doth the poore Gospell indure? Alas, it is sleighted, and men will regard that when they can spare time, &c. It is not regarded according to the worth and valew of it; if ever wee looke to have good by the Gospell, our dispositions must be violent in some proportion answerable to the excellency of it.
Alas we may justly turne the complaint on our selves,Heavenly things offer violence to us that whilest we spend our strength in violence about the base and meane things of this life, the Kingdome of Heaven it offereth violence to us, and yet we will none of it. How doth God beseech us in the Ministery, Wee beseech you to bee reconciled, 2 Cor. 5.20. Ezek. 18.31.and Why will yee die O house of Israel? As if the Gospell and grace were commodities that God were weary off, he comes and puts them upon us whether we will or no, and yet we refuse them, we are so farre from offering violence to the Gospell and to grace, that God offers violence to us, as if we should doe him a favour to receive the Gospell and to doe good to our owne soules, and yet the vile, proud, base heart of man will not regard and receive these heavenly things. How will it justifie Gods sentence at the day of judgement, when hee shall alleadge there was a discovery of such things unto you, and instead of violence in seeking them, you sleighted and neglected them? Nay; there is a worse sort of men then these, those that oppose the Kingdome of Heaven in the meanes of it, in the persons of it, what kinde of men are these, thinke you?
What violence may stand with wisedome.Againe, we see here that there is a blessed violence that may stand with judgement. A man cannot be violent and wise in the things of this world, because the things are meane, and eagernesse is above the proportion of them. A man cannot be violent after honour, or riches, and be as he should be; these are things that he must leave behind him and they are worse then himselfe: much lesse after filthy pleasures can a man be violent and wise, a man must become a foole in this respect, 1 Cor 3.18.as the Scripture saith. But in respect of heavenly things a man may be violent and wise: for there is such a degree of excellency in the things, that no violence can be too much. Men talke of being too strict and too holy: Can there be too much of that which wee can never have enough of in this world? I speake it the rather to confound the base judgement that the world hath of a holy disposition, which is carried with a sweet, eager violence to t…ese things. They are thought to be franticke, to be out of their wits, as they thought St. Paul was;2 Cor. 5.13. but he answers, If wee be out of our wits, besides our selves, it is to God. Christ himselfe was sometimes laid hands on, as if he had beene out of himselfe, and as Festus told blessed St. Paul, That much learning had made him mad, when he saw him eager in the cause of Christ. So many, when they see a man earnest in the matters of God, they thinke surely these men have lost their discretion: No it is the highest discretion in the world to be eager and violent for things that are invaluable, and if men be not eager for these, they are fooles, they know not how to prize things, the most judicious men here are most violent, so that it be violence that hath eyes in its head, violence guided with judgement from the knowledge of the excellency of the good things in the Gospell, I speake of such a violence as that.
Away then with base reproaches,Not to heed idle reproaches. let us not, be affrighted with the ill reports of idle braines and rotten hearts of people, that know not the things that belong to the Kingdome of Heaven. Alas they know not what they say, they are to be pittied and not censured. Is there any thing that a man should be earnest for, if not for these things? Were our foules made to pursue things that are earthly and base, worse then our selves? Were our wits made onelyonly to plod in our temporall, and to neglect our heavenly calling? If any thing may challenge the best of our indeavours, the marrow of our labours, the utmost of our spirits and wits, certainely it is these, grace and glory, that will stand by us, when all things will faile us. Therfore let not your owne hearts besot you, nor the vaine speeches of others affright you. It will be acknowledged by every one ere long, that there is nothing worth a mans eagernesse but these things. The worldling is violent and eager, he troubleth himselfe and his house about a vaine shadow, for pleasures and profit, &c. and what comes of all his violence? He is turned naked into his grave and thence into Hell, and there is an end of all the violence about all other things besides these.
The dispositiō of true professorsWe see then the disposition of true professors, they are violent in respect of heavenly things. Those therefore that are not earnest in the cause of Religion when the state of things requires it; they have no Religion in them, they are not in the state of grace. We must be earnest first of all against our owne sinnes: Violence must begin there, to subdue all to the Spirit of Christ, to suffer nothing else to rule there; and after that violence to maintaine the cause of Christ. To contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints, to contend with both hands, not to suffer it to be wrested from us or to be betraied, and if it be opposed to vindicate it: we must be violent both to propagate the truth of God, and in case of opposition to vindicate it,Mat. 12.30. He that is not with me (saith Christ) is against me. If a man be not with Christ, he is against him: it may seeme a strange speech, but Christ cannot abide luke-warme neuters, he cannot abide nullifidians, he cannot indure cold persons, his stomacke cannot brooke them, he will cast them up, as he saith, Reve. 3.15, 16. I would thou wert hot or cold. A man had better be nothing in Religion then be luke-warme. The reason is, if a man will have good by any Religion he must be earnest in it.1 King. 18.21. If Baal be God stand for him, if you would have good by him, if the Lord bee God stand for him, be earnest in his cause: if Popery be good then stand for that, if you hope for good by it, and if our Religion be good, then stand for that, if you hope for good by it. There is no good received by Religion, if wee be not earnest for it, Religion is not a matter to be dallied in.
Therefore they are bitter,Newters hatefull to Christ. sowre, profane scoffing Atheists that trifle with Religion, as if it were no great matter what it bee. They will bee earnest in all things else, earnest to scrape riches to satisfie their base lusts: but for Religion i… is no matter what it be, it is a thing not worthy the seeking after, the old Religion or the new or both or none. These are persons to be taken heed off, breeding a temper opposite to Religion more then any other, Christ can least brooke them: there is great reason for it; who can brooke any favour to be neglected and sleighted? Especially for these excellent things to be under-valued and sleighted, it canno… be that God can indure it. There will be a faction in the world while the world stands, Christ and Antichrist, Good and evill, light and darkenesse, but a man cannot be of both, he must shew himselfe of one side or other in case of opposition. Therefore the temper of the true pofessor is to be earnest in case of opposition of Religion, and in case of opportuninity to advance his Religion; in civill conversation and dealing with men that are subject to infirmities, he must be gentle and meeke.Mat. 3.16. Act. 2.3. The Spirit of God descended in the shape of a Dove upon Christ, as well as in fiery tongues upon the Apostles. But in the cause of Christ, in the cause of Religion, he must be fiery and fervent. No man more mild in his owne cause then Moses, Exo. 32.19.he was a meeke man: but when occasion served, when God was offended, downe he throwes the Tables of stone, he forgate himselfe, though he were the meekest man in the world otherwise in his owne matters: So I say the Spirit is both meeke and gentle as a Dove, and earnest and zealous and hot as fire. In Acts. 2, The Spirit of God comes downe as a mighty winde. The winde is a powerfull thing, if it be in a mans body. There is no torment like to windy sicknesses, as their complaints witnesse well enough that feele them: and if a little winde be inclosed in the earth it shakes the whole vast body of the earth. The Spirit is like winde, it makes men bold, it fills them with a great deale of eagernesse in the cause of God. Againe, the Spirit appeared to the Apostles in the likenesse of fire, it inflamed their zeale and made them fervent that were cold before;Mat. …6.69, 70 as we see in Peter, the voice of a damsell terrified and affrighted him, but when the Spirit came upon him, it so fiered him that he accounted it his glory (Act. 5.41.) to suffer any thing for the cause of Christ. Therefore those that hope for any thing by religion, let them labour to be for that Religion in good earnest, they shall finde God in good earnest with them else.
Againe,Religion taketh not away, but ordereth the affections. hence we see that Religion takes not away the earnestnesse of the affections, it doth direct them to better things, it changeth them in regard of the object, It takes not away any thing in us, but turnes the streame another way; Violence requires the height and strength of the affections: Religion taketh them not away, but turnes them that way that they should goe. If a streame runne violently one way, if it be derived by skill and cunning another way, it will runne as fast that way when it is turned as it did before. So it is with the heart of man: Religion takes nothing away that is good, but lifts it up, it elevateth and advanceth it to better objects. There are riches and honours and pleasures when a man is in Christ: but they are in a higher kinde, therefore they draw affections and greater affections then other things: but these affections are purified, they runne in a better, in a cleaner channell: whereas before they ran amaine to earthly, dirty things below, the same affections (of love, of desire and zeale) doe remaine still, he that was violent before is as violent still, onelyonly the streame is turned: For example take St. Paul for an instance, he was as earnest when he was a Christian as before, he was never more eager after the shedding of the blood of Christians and breathing out slaughter against them, as he was afterwards in breathing after the Salvation of Gods people and a desire to enlarge the Gospell. Zaccheus was never so covetous of the world before, as he was covetous of Heaven when he became a Christian. I say Religion takes not away any thing, onelyonly it turnes the streame: But it is a miracle for the streame to be turned, it was God that turned Iordan: so it is a greater work then man can doe to turne the streames of mans affections that runne amaine to earthly things, to make them runne upward, it is onelyonly Gods worke. This is the excellency of Religion, it ennobles our nature, that which is naturall it makes it heavenly and spirituall, that a man shall be as earnest for God and good things as ever he was before after the things of this life. So much for that point.
The third thing is the successe.The successe of this violence
The violent take it by force.
The earnestnesse of affection, and violence, it is successefull, they take it. The good things of God, they are here compared to a Fort, or to a well fenced and well armed Citie strengthened with bulwarks and munition, that is a long time besieged, and at length is taken; for this clause, The violent take it by force, it doth as well shew the issue of these violent ones striving for the Kingdome of Heaven, to wit, that they doe at length take it, as the manner how it is taken,Doct. namely, by force. The violent, and onelyonly the violent, and all the violent, doe at length certainely obtaine what they strive for, the Kingdome of Heaven.
Why?1The violent have promises. Mat. 7.7. Rev. 3.19, 21. 1. Because it is promised to the violent, Knock and it shall bee opened unto you, Bee zealous, and repent, (that is the meanes to cure all former transgressions, repent, and bee zealous, and doe the former workes) and To him that overcommeth, (that is, he that is earnest, that will never leave off till he hath overcome) to him will I grant to sit with me on the throne, Rev. 2.7.and To him that overcommeth will I give to eate of the tree of life; all the promises are to him that overcomes, to him that is zealous and earnest.
2They have a victorious spirit.Then againe, the spirit whereby a man is earnest, is a victorious spirit, as Christians have the Word and promise to build on, that leades them on, and incourageth them: so they are led by a mighty Spirit, that hath the force of winde and fire, that beates downe all before it, that breakes thorough all oppositions, and difficulties, being lead with a divine Spirit, what earthly thing can oppose that which is divine? it brings under, and subdues all; therfore the violent take it, the Spirit of God seizing upon, and possessing the heart, and carrying it with strength after these things.
3God hath set Heaven at this rate.And then onelyonly the violent take it, because God hath set it at this rate, he that heareth, and doth, he that perseveres to the end, he that sells all for the pearle, for the treasure in the field, there must be nothing retained, all must bee parted with, we must be at any cost, and charge, and perill, and all little enough; it is offered to us upon these termes of parting with all, of induring any thing, of breaking thorough all difficulties; onelyonly such, and all such shall obtaine it by force.
4The violent onelyonly can prize it.And againe, onelyonly the violent, because onelyonly they can prize it when they have it. They onelyonly can prize grace, and Heaven, they know how they come by it, it cost them their pleasures, and profits, it cost them labour, and danger, and losse of favour with men, and this paines, & cost, & losse, it indeares the state of grace, and glory to them: for God will never bring any man to Heaven, till he have raised his affections to that pitch to value grace and glory above all things in the world. Therefore onelyonly those shall take it by violence; for onelyonly those shew that they set a right price on the best things, they weigh them in the ballance of the Sanctuary, they value things as God would have them valued.
But, is not the Kingdome of Heaven,Ob. and grace free? therefore what needs violence to a thing that is free, and freely offered?
I answer,Answ. because it is free, therefore it is violently taken:Freedome of grace inforceth violence. for alas, if it were offered to us upon condition of our exact performing of the Law, it might dampe the spirits of men, as indeed usually such if they be not better informed, they end their daies in despaire: but being freely offered, The Publicans and Harlots (saith Christ) goe into the Kingdome of God before the proud Pharisees; because it is free, it is free to sinners that feele the burthen of their sins: Come unto mee all yee that are weary and heavie laden, &c. Mat. 11.28.Blessed are the poore in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven. Mat. 5.3, 6.Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, they shall be satisfied. Thereupon he that hath a guilty conscience, he makes haste, and offers violence, when he heares of free pardon. What makes the condition of the divels so desperate? There is no hope of free pardon to them, what makes men so eagerly to imbrace the Gospell notwithstanding their sinnes? Because it is freely offered. Thereupon it was that the Gentiles were so glad of it, that had beene sinners and under Satans Kingdome before, and that makes miserable persons (that are humbled with afflictions and abasement in the world) glad of it; it being so great a thing, the Kingdome of Heaven, the favour of God, and freedome from misery, and so freely offered. It is so farre from hindring violence because it is free, that therefore the humble afflicted soules that desire grace are the more eager after it. The proud Pharisees thought the Kingdome of Heaven belonged only to them; and therefore they despised Christ, and despised the Gospell, because it was propounded to sinners, and to such meane persons that they thought were viler then themselves: but now when the meaner sort of people, and others that were abased with crosses in the world saw what a kinde of Gospell it was; what great matters were offered, and that it was offered freely; they justified wisedome,Mat 11.19. Luke 7.29, 30 and the counsell of God which others despised, and pressed for it with violence.Holy violence hopefull.
It is little comfort to heare of the excellency, and the necessity of these heavenly things, if there were not hope of them.1Hope stirres up diligence. Hope stirres up diligence and indeavour in the things of this world; what makes men adventure to the Indies, east and west? They hope for a voyage that shall inrich them all their life; hope in doubtfull things stirres up industrie. What makes the poore husbandman diligent to plow and to sow? …he hope that he shall have a harvest; yet this is under a providence that may guide it another way. But spirituall things are more certaine, therfore hope in spirituall things must needs stirre up indeavour, we need not call them into question.2To use meanes constantly. And as it stirres up to diligence, so it stirres up in the use of the meanes, not to give over till we see our hopes accomplished. Then in the third place hope of successe,3To waite. that wee shall not loose our labour, it inables and strengtheneth us to beare the tediousnesse of the time, and the incombrance of afflictions, and whatsoever is betweene us and the thing wee expect, though wee have not that comfort from God that we would have, yet it makes us waite upon God.
Therefore when hee saith,Christians indeavours successefull. the violent take it by force, it is to incourage us, the violent, eager, strong indeavours of a Christian in the waies of God, in the meanes of salvation, they are no successelesse indeavours.
He labours for that he knowes he shall have, his violence is not in vaine; he that is violent in good things hath a promise, hee that wrastleth with God shall overcome, and he that overcommeth shall have a crowne, here is a promise to build on: therfore here is incouragement to bee earnest and violent, he shall overcome, hee shall enter the Castle at the last, if he continue striving and give not over. Hence there is a difference to be observed betweene the indeavours of a Christian and of three sorts of other men.Difference betweene the indeavours of a Christian, and
1Enemies of the Gospell.First of all, if those only that offer violence to the Kingdome of Heaven, that set on it with incouragement, shall get it and that by force, what a great difference then is betweene them, and those that in a contrary way offer violence to the Kingdome of Heaven, that is, those that wrong Christ in his members, and hinder the meanes of salvation, what promise have they to speed? Surely they have no promise nor hope at all, onelyonly their malice carries them amaine in spight; because the Gospell reveales their hollownesse, and hypocrisie to all men, and forceth upon them a necessity to be other men then they list to be for the present, therefore they are eager in hating the Gospell. There are threatnings enough against such as are violent against the Gospell, they are violent in vaine,Acts 9 5. for they kicke against the prickes; they run themselves against a stone wall, and they shall dash themselves against it. Those that have ill will to Sion shall perish, Psal. 2.there is one sits in Heaven that laughs all their attempts to scorne. A Christian hath comfort in his indeavours; there is hope of good successe though there be inward and outward opposition, he shall prevaile. Those that are enemies have nothing but discouragement, they shall bee as grasse on the house top, Psal. 129.6, &cthat no man blesseth but is cursed of every one, no man bestowes a good word on them, it is a fruitlesse indeavour, they are under a curse.
Againe, it shewes us how to judge of the courses of other men,2Worldly men. that are violent in other courses about the world. A Christian he takes his Kingdome at the last and injoyes it for ever: but those that are violent for the world after pleasures, after baser things then themselves, alas when they have it, they have but a shadow and they become shadowes in imbracing it: Vanity imbraceth vanity and how soone are they stripped of all. If a man by violence scrape a great estate, he must leave it shortly; here he found it, and here he must leave it in spight of his heart ere long; and all is but vanity in the censure of him that knew all things the best of any man; even Salomon, that had gone thorow the variety of all things. And oft times they misse of that they labour for, They doe not rest that they get in hunting;Pro. 12.27. they hunt after preferment and after riches, but oft times they doe not enjoy them, and if they doe, they get the curse of God with them and ere long they are stripped of all; but here is that that may strengthen our indeavours, The Kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it, it is not an indeavour that is lost.
3Sluggish Christians.Then againe, this shewes that the state of true Christians is different from the state of persons that are carried to good things, but not violently; The violent take it, he surprizeth the city at the last, he laies his siege and will not remoove till death▪ he will not give over till he have it, he will have it or he will dye in the businesse, and so at last he obtaines his desire. The sluggish carelesse man he goes a little way. As Agrippa said to Paul, he was almost perswaded to be a Christian, Act 26.28.so it is with such men, in some things they will be Christians, but there they are at a stand, they will go no farther, and so all they have done is to no purpose,Pro. 13 4. The sluggard desireth and wisheth, but his soule hath nothing. A sluggish, cold, lazie Christian he looseth all his paines. If a man be to goe ten miles, and goe but nine, and there sit downe, he shall never come to his journies end. If a man will give but 7 or 8. shillings for that which is worth 10. he shall goe without it. Grace and Glory are set at this price, there is required such strength of labour and indeavour and violence: therefore without this a man shall never attaine it, unlesse he stretch himselfe to such a pitch,1 Pet. 1.9. He shall never come to the end of his Faith, the salvation of his soule, to the high calling of God in Christ Iesus. The sluggard wisheth and gets nothing, the reason is, because he is a sluggard, because he will not strive, but the striver gets the fort and hath all in it, and is a man made for ever.
Pro. 26.26.The sluggard thinkes himselfe wiser then many men that can give a reason. The sluggish discreete Christian, I warrant you he hath reasons for what he doth. It is not good to be too earnest, it will incurre the disfavour of such a man or such a man, J shall bee accounted so and so for my paines: But a wise man he seeth the excellency of the things, and he knowes that his courses and his conscience will justifie him at the last, and therefore he goes on what ever comes of it.
God is not so weary of these precious things,The preciousnes of the things require violence. these precious jewels of grace and glory, as to force them upon us. Is the Kingdome of Heaven such a sleight thing, that it should be obtruded to us whether we will or no? Shall we thinke to have it when our hearts tell us wee esteeme other things bet…er? No; there are none ever come to Heaven but their hearts are wrought to such an admiration of grace and glory, that they undervalue all things to it: therefore there is no hope for any to obtaine it, but he that takes it by violence. We see Moses esteemed the basest thing in the Church better then the greatest excellencies in the world that men are so violent after, he esteemed the very afflictions of Gods people better then the treasures and pleasures of sinne for a season, nay then the pleasures of a Court. When men shall esteeme the base things of the world, above all the treasures of Heaven, above the state of Christianity, they have no hope of comming there: they may pretend God is mercifull and Christ dyed, &c. I but whosoever he brings to salvation; he workes such a sence of misery in them and such an apprehension of grace and of the meanes of grace that there is an undervaluing of all other things. God will not bring them to Heaven that shall not glorifie him when they come there, and how shall they glorifie him here, or there when they value the world and these base things that they must leave behind them more then the things of Heaven? This is the reason that few are saved, because they content themselves with easie, dull and drowsie performances, and never consider with what proportion they are carried to things: when they had rather loose the advantage of that which will bring everlasting good to their soules, then loose the petty commodities of this world and yet think themselves good Christians, what a delusion is this? It is the violent only that are successefull, they take it by force.
Ob.I but what if the opposition grow more and more.
Answ.Then the grace of God and courage will grow and increase more and more;Grace increaseth with opposition. As Luther said well, the more violent the adversaries were the more free and bold was he. So the more the enemies rage the more the spirit of grace growes in Gods people, it inceraseth by opposition. As Noahs Arke, the higher the waters were, the nearer still it was carried to Heaven. So we are nearer to God and nearer to the Kingdome of Heaven, the more opposition swells and rages, True courage growes with opposition. As the Palme-tree riseth up against the burden that presseth it downe: so the divine spirit being a heavenly thing, and all opposition below of the Divell and divellish minded men being but earthly, what are they to the divine Spirit which sets us on and encourageth us? They cannot quell it, but the Spirit growes more and more in opposition. The Apostles they ran all from Christ when he was to be crucified, they had but a little measure of the Spirit, but when the Holy Ghost was shed more plentifully on them, they beganne to stand couragiously for the cause of Christ when there was more opposition; the Spirit grew more and more, till they sealed the Truth with their blood.Exhortation to holy violence. Therefore though opposition of enemies and their fury and rage grow: let us know whose cause we mannage and with what assurance of successe, the violent at length shall take it by force, Let us meditate upon this that successe is tyed to violence: therefore when you pray to God, if he seeme to deny your request, offer violence, wrastle with him, let him not goe without a blessing, when he seemes to be an enemy, as sometimes he doth, to try our strength, we must use an holy violence; when we are dull and not fit to pray, nor fit for holy things, Let us stirre up the Spirit of God in us, and labour to get our of that estate, let us use violence and violence will overcome at the last. A man that hath the Spirit of God gets the victory of whatsoever opposeth him. If there be snares offered from the world he withstands them, if Satan come with his temptations he resists him, he hath a promise for it,Jam. 4.7. resist the Divell and hee will flee. Let us hold out and we shall get the victory and overcome even God himselfe, how much more all other things? Therefore when either opposition without or indisposition within sets upon us in the course of Religion and Piety, let us thinke here now is time and place for violence. I know if I set my selfe about it J shall have the victory and the Crowne. A Christian is alway in a hopefull state and condition, he hath somewhat to encourage him, he hath arguments to prevaile over the state of opposition, he knowes he shall winne all at last if he goe on, and that makes him couragious in what estate soever he is. Let us not be discouraged to heare of opposition. And let us be incouraged when we heare of good things, when we heare that the Kingdome of Heaven and grace is offered in the preaching of the Gospell.Pro. 8.34. Rom. 14.17. Let us attend upon the posts of wisdomes doores, and not give over till we come to pea… of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost. If wee heare of comfort in the Word of God against distresse of conscience, let us never give over till we finde it. If we heare that God is a God hearing Prayer, let us never leave knocking at Heaven Gate, never leave wrastling till our prayers be heard, when we heare what ill is to be avoided, and what good is offered; let us not cease till we avoid the one, and obtaine the other, The violent take it by force.
The last point is,The time when this violence began. the date of time from whence this Kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence.
From the daies of Iohn Baptist untill now.
Was there not a Kingdome of Heaven that suffered violence before Iohn Baptists time,Quest. did the Kingdome of God begin then, was Christ a King, and was Heaven opened onelyonly then?
I answer no,Answ. but now the things of God were more gloriously discovered; therefore Iohn 1.51. Henceforth you shall see Heaven opened. The Kingdome of Heaven was opened now by the preaching of the Gospell more gloriously then before. Therefore the state of the Gospell is called the Kingdome of Heaven, partly in regard of the times before, and partly in regard of the times after.
The Law was full of servile bondage to Ceremonies,Bondage of Ceremonies in the Law. it was a heavie darke state, they were laden with a multitude of Ceremonies, which were but cold things to the spirit of a man that desires peace, though they were Ceremonies of Gods appointing, yet they were but outward empty things in comparison, weake and beggarly elements, as the Apostle saith, Gal. 4.9. They were costly, and painefull, and cold things, that had not the efficacie of spirit in them.
Iohns preaching and living powerfull.And secondly, then it was entayled to the Jewes onelyonly. Now since Christs time, it is enlarged, and being more large and free, this blessed estate is called a Kingdome, Iohn Baptist now opening Christ clearely, and a better state then the Church had yet enjoyed, when people saw an end of the Ceremonies, and the beginning of the glorious liberty in Christ, this made them violently set on them.
Againe, Iohn Baptist made way for Christ, levelling the soules of men by his powerfull preaching, and his holy life; he taught them in what need they stood of Christ; hee was the messenger sent before Christ for that end, he was as the morning Starre to the Sun, hee was powerfull in his preaching, and holy in his life, he told every man his owne: he told the Pharisees that they were a generation of vipers; he shewed men their state by nature, and told them of a better state, that the Kingdome of Heaven was at hand;Mat. 3.2. and although he wrought no miracles, yet himselfe was a miracle; to teach such holy doctrine, and to live an austere holy life in those evill daies, it was no lesse then a miracle; therefore this violence to the Kingdome of Heaven it hath the date from Iohn Baptists time, from his preaching, not from his birth, he being so excellent a preacher, no wonder there should be violence.
This shewes the reason why the Gospell in later times was imbraced so greedily,Why the Gospell in Luthers time was imbraced with violence. when Luther began to preach, alas people had beene in a worse condition then Jewish in respect of Ceremonies, and otherwise foolish idle men they will set God to schole, they will have some fooleries alway that they will make as much of as of the worship of God, and so it had beene in the times before Luther. In Saint Austins time, he was pestered with many vaine ceremonies, and good man he yeelded to the streame and custome in many things, though he could hardly indure the slavery of those things. Now when the times grew better, it was no wonder that the world imbraced the Gospell with violence; as in Luthers time, when there was a freedome proclaimed from those beggarly rudiments and traditions. Antichrist had hampered the consciences of men with an intollerable masse of foolish groundlesse ceremonies, making them equall with the Word of God, as wee see in the Counsell of Trent; and this vexed the consciences of people like scorpions, as it is Rev. 9.5. they oppressed the people with a multitude of weights and burthens, which when people could not assent unto, it stung their consciences. No wonder then if people thronged after Luther when he opened the doctrine of free justification by faith, that the consciences of men were not to be hampered with these things; He taught that Gods people were only to have a few ceremonies for present order, but for the rest, to trouble mens consciences, and to make them of equall valew with the Word of God, he shewed it was an abhominable doctrine and wrote against it learnedly and sweetly: and therefore it is no marvell though the truths he taught were soone and chearefully by multitudes embraced.
Why the Gospell now is disesteemed.And the reason why now the Gospell begins to be so little imbraced and esteemed, is because, by reason of the long continuance of it, we are weary of this heavenly Manna. As the people in Saint Iohn Baptists time, as eager as they were after Iohns preaching,Iohn 5.35. yet it was but for a time that they rejoyced in his light, they grew weary of him; we never felt the burthen of those Romish Ceremonies, and therefore now grow weary of our liberty, whereas in the beginning of Luthers time, because they were eased from many beggarly, and which is worse, tyrannicall ceremonies of Rome, therefore with much joy and eagernesse they embraced the truth when it came to be preached amongst them.
To be thankfull for liberty from Popish thraldome.Therefore we are to praise God for the liberty of the Church at this time, that we have the Word of God to rule our consciences, and that other matters are not pressed on us but as matters of decencie and order. Alas if wee were in bondage to those proud Popish wretches, our consciences would be inthralled to a world of snares.
Last of all, From the daies of the Baptist and so forward the Kingodme of Heaven did suffer violence, because from that time forward the Spirit begā to be more plentifully given. Christ comes with his Spirit, which is the soule of our soule, and the life of our life, the Spirit it is like a mighty winde that mooves the ship in the water. The ship is becalmed it cannot moove unlesse there be a winde, so the soule cannot moove to that which is good without the Spirit. Now there is more abundance of the Spirit since the comming of Christ. Christ who is the King of his Church, the Lord of Heaven and Earth, he reserved the abundance of the Spirit till his owne comming, especially till he entred into Heaven, then the Spirit came in abundance.Ioel 2.28. It was powred upō al flesh, it was but (as it were) dropped before, but then it was powred out. Then the Gentiles came in, and the Apostles received the Spirit in abundance, therefore no wonder that there was violence offered to the Kingdome of Heaven, then hence we may observe,
That the more clearely Christ, The Spirit effectuall in the Ministery of the Gospelland the blessed mysteries of Christ are opened, the more effectuall the Spirit is, and the more heavenly men are, and more eagerly disposed to spirituall things.
The reason and ground of it is in nature, the affections follow the discovery of the excellency of things. When first the necessity of being in Christ is laid open; that there are but two Kingdomes, the Kingdome of Christ, and the kingdome of the divell, and that a man must either enter into the Kingdome of Christ or bee of the Divells kingdome still.
2The excellency of Christs Kingdome.And when secondly together with the necessity, the excellencie of Christs Kingdome is discovered; that it is a state that will make us all Kings, a state wherein we shall at length overcome all opposition of hell, sinne, death, the wrath of God, that whereas earthly Kingdomes are opposed and inthralled, and one dash against another, the Kingdome of Heaven is a state that subdues all that is against it by little and little: (as Christ overcame death, and the wrath of his Father, and now rules in Heaven in his person, so all his members shall overcome all in time) when the excellencie of this Kingdome is laid open to the understandings of men, is it a wonder that their affections are set on fire, will any thing doe it more then such a Kingdome?
3Hope of obtaining it.Then in the third place, when it is hopefull too, when together with the necessity and excellency of it, there is assurance given us that we shall obtaine it if we strive for it, when it is offered freely, even grace and glory, and wee are intreated to receive grace, Come unto mee yee that are weary, &c. nay we are threatned if we doe not come, and we have example of the worst sort of people; of Zaccheus, and the poore woman out of whom the divels were cast, of Peter that denied Christ, of Paul that persecuted him, such as had beene wretched persons, that have come out of Satans kingdome, when these things are propounded, and understood, and apprehended, men that are in their wits, that are not besotted by the divell, men that are not in love with damnation, and hate their owne soules, they will imbrace them. When they see a state discovered in Christ wherein they are above Angels (in some sort) above death, and hell, that they triumph over all in Christ, that because it is as sure that they shall bee crowned Conquerors with Christ in Heaven as if they were there alreadie. When it is propounded thus hopefully, who would not offer violence to this Kingdome? When Iohn Baptist laid it open so clearely to them, this is the Lambe of God that takes away the sinnes of the world, Iohn 1.29.it made them offer violence to it.
And this is another reason why in the latter, the second spring of the Gospell, (for there was a Winter in the time of Popery, it being a Kingdome of darknesse, keeping people in ignorance) so many nations so suddenly imbraced the truth; Luther was a man that was wondrously exercised and afflicted in conscience, this made him relish the doctrine of justification by grace in Christ, and thereupon to lay open the mysteries of Christ, and the bondage of Poperie; and this being once a foot, the peoples mindes being prepared out of the sence of their former bondage, whole kingdomes came in presently. As in the Spring time when there comes a fine Sunne-shine day, the prisoners are let loose out of the earth after a cold winter: So after the winter of affliction and persecution inward and outward came the Sunne-shine of the Gospell and made all come foorth and flourish presently. Wheresoever Christ is taught powerfully and plainely and the excellency, and necessity of the sta…e we have by him, and that men may partake of it, if they be not false to their owne soules, there is alwaies violence offered to these things, because where the riches of Christ are opened, the Spiri… goes with it, and goes with violence that it carries all before it.
Why Papist soppose preaching.Hence againe, we may see that Popish spirits are witty in opposing the unfolding of the Gospell in the Ministery, especially where there is conscience and skill to unfold Christ plainely, they know when Christ is opened all their fopperies and inventions will grow base, the more Christ is unfolded, the more people will grow in hatred of Antichrist, the more they s…e the light, the more they will hate darkenesse, for this cause they oppose the unfolding of the Gospell to the understanding of the people, they would keepe people in ignorance that they may make them dote upon them. It argueth a disposition dangerous, that shall never taste of the good things of God, to be in a bitter temper against the unfolding of the Gospell of Christ: For we see here the discovery of it makes it wondrous effectuall, Iohn Baptist laying open Christ clearer then he was discovered before, the Kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence.
Here we are instructed,How to get thi… holy violence. what way we should take if we would bring our selves or others into a temper fit for Heaven, to an earnest temper after holy things, not to beginne with dead outward actions; but to beginne as becomes the condition of reasonable men, as God deales with man, befitting the nature of man; beginne with the understanding. Let us meditate seriously of the truth of Christs comming in the flesh, of the end of his comming, To dissolve the works of the Divell, to bring us out of the state of nature to a better condition, meditate of the excellency of the state of grace, of the eternity and excellency of the state of glory. Let us warme our hearts with these things, when a man hath once these things and believes them, let him be cold and dull if he can; And so if we would gaine others to a fit disposition for Heaven, let us labour to instruct them what their state by nature is, what Kingdome they are borne in, that they are liable to Hell and damnation, that they are under the possession of the strong man, the Divell, if the stronger man bring them not out and dispossesse him; and let them know withall the infinite love and mercy of God in Christ, offering a better state, giving the Gospell and promising his Spirit with his truth, and if they belong to God this will worke upon them or else nothing will. Other courses to punish men in their purse, or imprison them, or the like, may subdue them to outward conformity, but if we would bring their soules to Heaven, le… us indeavour to enlighten their understandings to see the danger they are in, and to see the riches of grace and salvation that is proffered in Christ, and this will compell them to come in, Luk. 14.23. there will be no need of any other compulsion, no more then there can be need to bid a man escape away that sees wild beasts about him, or to bid a guilty person to flee to the City of refuge and take hold of the Hornes of the Altar. Let Iohn Baptist come before Christ to make way for him, and presently the Kingdome of Heaven suffers violence, and after Christs time when the Spirit was more aboundantly given and the Gospell more clearely opened, the world stooped to the Gospell, …he Gospell at length overcame the proud Scepter of the Roman Empire, they laid their Crownes downe before Christs Gospell: the Crosse of Christ gat above the Crowne in the preaching of the Gospell it was so powerfull. Thus if we would have the number of Heaven inlarged, let us desire that Gods truth may be opened plainly and powerfully. Iohn Baptist was a plaine and powerfull preacher, a man of a holy life, they al reverenced Iohn as a holy man, thereupon his doctrine came to be so effectuall: This is the way whereby God will doe good to those he delights in, For others that are bitter Atheists whom God hath appointed to damnation, the Gospell hardens them and makes them worse. The Pharisees were the worse by the preaching of Christ, when the Gospell is preached, some are made worse by it and maligne and persecute it as farre as they dare, as the Apostle saith, God is glorified in the damnation of such bitter opposers. We are not to looke to gaine all by preaching: those that withstand it are sent by it with the more just damnation to Hell, but those that doe belong to him are gained this way.
Let us labour therfore for a cleare manifestation of Christ, there is the treasure of all goodnesse in Christ, whatsoever is necessary to bring us to Heaven, and the more he is discovered and applied the more we are inriched with grace and comfort. Times of change may come, and if times of opposition and persecution come not, yet temptations will come, and the houre of death will come, when we shall have occasion to use all the strength and comfort we have, and the more dangerous the times are, the more sound and cleare knowledge of Christ we should labour for, and that will breede this holy violence that shall break thorow all oppositions whatsoever.
FINIS.
THE CHVRCHES Complaint and Confidence.
In three Sermons, By the late Reverend and Learned Divine RICHARD SIBS, Doctor in Divinity, Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher at Grayes-Inne.
LAM. 1.20.
Behold O Lord for I am in distresse, my bowells are troubled, mine heart is turned within mee, for I have grievously rebelled, abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.
LONDON, Printed by G.M. for Nicholas Bourne and Rapha Harford, 1639.