The Zealous Christian Taking Heaven by Holy Violence, Sermon 3
MATTHEW 11. 12.
And from the dayes of John the Baptiſt untill now, the Kingdom of heaven ſuffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
Sermons Preacht at Lawrence Jury, April 29, 1629. SERMON 111.IN the third place, this doctrine may ſerve for inſtruction touching ſeverall things. 1 The nature Uſe 3. Inſtructionof this holy violence. 2 The neceſſity of it. 3 The diſcovery of it. 4 The differences betwixt an heady and holy violence.
Queſt. 1. If you ask, what is the nature of this holy violence?1 What is the nature of this violence.
I anſwer, 1 It is a full and vehement bent of a mans deſires, affections, and endeavours after Jeſus Chriſt in the Goſpel; ſo that no difficulties or diſcouragements whatſoever ſhall take him off from his purſuit after Chriſt in the way of his ordinances.
2 For the neceſſity of it, that appears in 2 The neceſſity of it.5 regards. 1 In regard of God. 2 In regard of ourſelves. 3 In reſpect of the devil. 4 In reſpect of other men. 5 In reſpect of heaven it ſelf.
1 In regard of God, Eccleſ. 9. 10. Whatſoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy 1 In regard of God. Rom. 12: 11. foreign. boyling in ſpirit.might. God requires this at your hands, Rom. 12. 11. Not ſlothfull in buſineſſe, fervent in ſpirit, ſerving the Lord. The word ſignifies boiling in ſpirit.
2 In regard of our ſelves, and that for two reaſons.
1 We have violent temptations againſt us, our affections muſt be equal to our temptations 2 In reſpect of our ſelves.; if our affections be not violent, how can we reſiſt violent temptations? ſhall not we be as violent to ſave our ſouls as the Devil is to damne them? Satan invades the ſoul with fierce and furious aſſaults.
2 We have been violent in the wayes of ſin. Shew as much violence in the wayes of God, as you can, and when you have done all, it will come ſhort of your former violence in the wayes of ſin, Rom 6. 19. As Rom. 6. 19ye have yielded your members ſervants to uncleanneſſe, and to iniquity unto iniquity: even ſo now yield your members ſervants to righteouſneſſe unto holineſſe. There are three To's in the expreſſion of the ſervice of ſin, to uncleanneſſe, to iniquity, and unto iniquity, but in the ſervice of God there are onelyonly two To's, to righteouſneſſe, and unto holines. To note that we were more addicted to ſin formerly then now we are to grace; the reaſon is, then there was nothing but ſin in the ſoul, now there is ſomething elſe beſides grace, a ſtream of corruption to oppoſe it. We ought to be as violent in good as in evil: the ſame word which ſignifies to perſecute, Act. 26. 11. is uſed to ſet out his earneſt preſſing towards heaven, Phil. Acts 26. 11. foreign Phil. 3. 14.3. 14.
3. In regard of the devill. He hath violent temptations and ſuggeſtions, 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be ſober, be vigilant; becauſe your adverſary the Devil as a roaring lion walketh about, ſeeking In reſpect of the Devill.whom he may devour. 1 He is ſaid to be an adverſary. Now an adverſary will 1 Pet. 5. 8.watch all opportunities for your hurt, and wil be intently ſet upon it. 2 He is a lion, not a lamb; a lion, a ſavage, fierce, and furious creature. 3 He is not aſleep, but a roaring lion. 4 Not a lion ſtanding ſtill, contented with the prey when he hath gotten it, but ſtill going about for more: he is not contented with what he hath gotten, though he hath been going about ever ſince Adams fal, yet he goes about ſtill for more, he labours to ſill hell with ſouls. 5 He Vigilat diabolus, & tu do mis. In reſpect of other men bad men.ſeeks whom he may devour. The devill watcheth, and doeſt thou ſleep?
4 In regard of other men, and thoſe either bad or good.
1 In regard of bad men.
1 Conſider, they are violent againſt the truth, and wilt not thou be as eager and violent in the profeſſion of the Goſpel, as they are in their oppoſitions againſt it? As Zeno ſaid to one of his acquaintance, who was enticed to bear falſe witneſſe againſt another, and walked privately, becauſe he would avoid the man that ſought to ſuborn him. Oh, ſaid Zeno, Shall he not be aſhamed of ſin, and wilt thou be aſhamed to ſet thy ſelfe againſt ſin?
2 Bad men rage and are violent in wayes of wickedneſſe: Wicked men are as ſwift as dromedaries in the wayes of ſin, and wilt thou be as a dull aſſe in the ſervice of God? ſhall a man run faſt in a way of ſin to deſtroy his ſoul, and will you but creep in the wayes of God to ſave your ſoul? ſhall wicked men run poſt to hell, and wilt thou but creep ſlowly to heaven? Shall a man make ſpeed to the place of execution, and wilt thou but move ſlowly towards a crown and throne? ſhall wicked men not be aſhamed to ſhew their rage in a ſinfull courſe, and ſhall godly men be aſhamed to be zealous in the wayes of God? Jer. 8. 6. Jer. 8, 6.They turn to their courſe as the horſe ruſheth foreign i…ruit more in undantis aquae.into the battel, Jer. 9. 5. They weary themſelves to commit iniquity, will not you do as much for God as they do for Satan?
2 In regard of good men. How eager 2 In regard of good men, Num. 14. 24. foreign Implevit ire poſt me, He went after me with full ſail.and earneſt are they after God? Caleb and Joſhua followed God fully, Numb. 14. 24. vvhen hypocrites follow God partially and by halves. Pſal. 132. 4, 5. David vvas ſo violent for God, that he would give no ſleep to his eyes, nor ſlumber to his eye-lids, untill he found out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. As on the contrary, thoſe wicked men, Prov. 4. 16. were ſo violent in wickedneſſe, that they could not ſleep, except they cauſed ſome to fall. Pſal. 69. 9. The zeal of thine houſe hath eaten me up, and the Pſal. 132 4, 5.reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon Pſal. 69. 9.me.
5 In reſpect of heaven it ſelf, Luke 13. 24. Strive to enter in at the ſtrait gate; for many Luke 13. 24.I ſay unto you will ſeek to enter in, and ſhall 5 In regard of Heaven it ſelf. foreign more pugilum certate.not be able. Strive to an agony, or as in an agony men ſtrive for life: it is not enough to ſeek; many ſeekers ſhall never finde, but there muſt be ſtriving: there muſt be a kinde of holy impatiency to get into heaven, 1 Cor. 9. 24, 25. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize: So run that ye may obtain. And every man that 1 Cor. 9. 24, 25.ſtriveth for the maſtery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. 2 Tim. 2. 5. 2 Tim. 2. 5.And if a man alſo ſtrive for maſteries, yet is he not crowned except he ſtrive lawfully. Heaven is compared to a hill, and hell to a pit. It Facilis deſcenſ…s Averni. Virgil.vvill coſt a man ſweat and labour to get up an hill, but it is an eaſie thing to go down into a pit. Heaven is as Canaan (the type of it) was, though a land of promiſe, yet of conqueſt too. There were many Giants there, the ſons of Anak in the land. Heaven is not had vvithout eagerneſſe, Luk 16. 16. Every man preſſeth into it. It is an foreign. Paraeus.alluſion to ſouldiers that ſtorm a City or ſtrong Garriſon, vvith all the ſpeed and violence they can. Should ſouldiers go about that great vvork in a marching pace, they might all be cut off. And thus much ſhall ſuffice for the ſecond thing, to ſhevv the neceſſity of this holy violence.
The 3 thing is the diſcovery of this holy 3 The diſcovery of this violence.violence. Novv it is diſcovered by theſe follovving marks. A violent or zealous perſon is one,
1 Who is patient in his ovvn cauſe, but impatient in Gods cauſe. This vvas the temper of David. What the enemies did to David vvas but as a pin in the fleſh, but vvhat they did againſt God vvas as a ſvvord in his bones. Iſal. 42. 1 As with a ſword in my bones mine enemies reproached …, whileſt they ſay daily unto me, Where is thy God? The reproaching of God vvas as death to him, as though he had been ſlain by it, as ſlaying foreign Num. 12 3.in my bones. Moſes vvas a man very meek in his ovvn vvrongs, Numb. 12. 3. Moſes was very meek above all the men that were upon the face of the earth; but in the cauſe of God, Exod 32. he carried himſelfe as if he had Exod. 32.been a man made up all of paſſion, he broke the tables of ſtone. So Jeſus Chriſt vvas famous for his gentleneſſe, he vvas a lambe for meekneſſe, and yet in the cauſe of his Father, he applied that to himſelfe; The zeal of thine houſe hath eaten me up, John 2. John 2. 17.17.
2. He never thinks that he began to ſerve God ſoon enough, or did him work enough, Pſal. 63. 1. Early will I ſeek thee, and v. 8. Pſal. 63. 1.My ſoul followeth hard after God. Act. 13. 22. God gave David this teſtimony, and ſaid, Acts 13. 22.I have found David the ſon of Jeſſe, a man after mine ovvn heart, vvhichwhich ſhall fulfill all my vvill. Pſal. 119. 6. Then ſhall I not be Pſal. 119 6.aſhamed, when I have reſpect to all thy commandments.
3. He is deſirous to glorifie God by ſuffering as vvell as by doing, to follow the lamb whitherſcever he goes; to the vvilderneſſe, as vvell as to paradiſe; to a priſon, as vvell as to a palace. Jer. 2. 2. I remember the kindeneſs Jer. 2. 2.of thy youth,—when thou wenteſt after me in a land that was not ſowne. Cant. 8. 5. Who is Cant. 8. 5.this that cometh up from the wilderneſſe, leaning upon her beloved, from the wilderneſſe of afflictions. Matth. 8. 19. A certain Scribe Matth. 8 19.came to him, and ſaid, Maſter, I will follow thee whitherſoever thou goeſt. He would follow Chriſt in doing, but not in ſuffering, as cloth doth laſt in wearing, but ſhrink in wetting; for when Chriſt told him, The foxes have holes, the birds of the air neſts, but the ſon of man hath not where to lay his head, verſe 20. his courage was abated.
4 He lookes more after duty then reward, and complains more of his defects in it, then for want of expected returnes to it. Many men are content to follow God, ſo long as there is any advantage in ſo doing; they wil do their duty, but they do not care for duty, but upon expectation of rewards. Remiſs ſpirits follow God as a dog doth his maſter, till he comes by a carrion, then he leaves his maſter, and turns aſide to it: So wicked men follow God till they come at a carrion, till they meet with ſome ſtinking luſt, ſome occaſion or object of ſin, but then they depart from God, and cloſe with it. But on the contrary David followed after God, and thirſted for God even then when he was in a drie and thirſty land, where no water was, Pſal. 63. 1. Had we been in Pſal. 63. 1.Davids caſe, we ſhould have ſaid, O Lord, give me drink; had we been in a barren land, we ſhould have ſaid, O Lord, give me food: but David in a barren and thirſty land cries, O Lord, give me thy ſelf. That is the ſpirit of a man that is truly zealous after the Goſpel.
5 Difficulties and oppoſition do rather quicken then abaſe his endevours; what adventures will he not make? what paines will he not take? what hazards will he not run for God? And as it is with the fire in the Smiths forge… that growes hotter and more violent when the water is ſprinkled upon it, or as fire burnes the moſt vehemently in a cold and froſty day: So that oppoſition that is made againſt a zealous man doth but make it the more eager and fervent by a holy Antiperiſtaſis. Thus it was in the dayes of Chriſt, the harder it was to get to him, the more violent and reſtleſſe were they till they came to him. They trod one upon another, being an innumerable multitude of people, Luke 12 1. Some forced their Luke 12. 1.paſſage to Chriſt (as we ſay hunger doth to meat) through ſtone walls, Mark 2. 4. And Mark 2. 4.when they could not come nigh unto Chriſt for the preaſſe, they uncovered the roof where he was, and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed, &c. Such was the temper of that Syrophenician, whoſe zeal vvas not quenched but increaſed by oppoſition, though even Chriſt did ſet himſelfe againſt her as an adverſary; When Chriſt ſaid, It is not meet to take the childrens bread and give it to dogs, Mark 7. 27.Mark 7. 27. Here is cold vvater (one vvould think) enough to quench the zeal of many a profeſſour, but the fire of her zeal made fuel of this cooling expreſſion; She anſwered, Yet the dogs under the table, eat of the childrens crumbs, verſe 28. One compares a violent Chriſtian to a burre, the more paines Verſe 28.you take to get it off, it ſticks the faſter on: So a zealous Chriſtian, the more you endevour to pull him from God, he cleaves the cloſer to him. This vvas Davids diſpoſition, vvhen he danced before the Lord, vvhen Michal deſpiſed him, and reproved him, and fell foul upon him for it; he anſvvers, I will yet be more vile then thus, & will be baſe in mine own ſight, for it was before the Lord, 2 Sam 6. 21, 22. And thus much for the third particular, the diſcovery of this 2 Sam. 6. 21, 22.holy violence. I novv come to the fourth.
The fourth particular is the difference 4 The difference between a raſh and a holy violence.betvvixt an heady and raſh, and an holy and religious violence. Novv I ſhall ſhevv that in 10 particulars.
1 It is moſt ſeen in triviall and circumſtantiall matters. Such vvas the violence of the Phariſees, about vvaſhing their veſſels and their hands before meat, but they never lookt after the vvaſhing of the heart. So the Prelaticall party ſhevved much heat and violence about ceremonies, vvhereas they vvere lukevvarm, yea cold in more ſubſtantiall matters, the obſervation of the Sabbath, and the ſtrict exerciſe of holineſſe, &c. They were very violent for the linnen Ephod, though it may be there was a leprous skin under it; they took great care to have railes about the Communion-table, but never took care to make a rail to keep prophane perſons from the prophanation of the Sacrament; but now a godly man is moſt converſant about that which may be moſt advantagious to him, which will bring him neereſt heaven, which will be of moſt uſe to him to glorifie God, and to ſave his ſoul.
2 It is kindled by paſſion and vain glory in the one, by a zeal and holy indignation in the other. Thus many men are zealous in the broaching of errours; when they cannot get glory by holding the truth, then they will give up themſelves to vent errours. Whereas true violence comes from a better principle, and aimes at an higher end. The fire of the Altar was to come from heaven, Levit. 9. 24. And when Nadab and Abihu Levit 9. 24.offered ſacrifice with ſtrange fire, it was not accepted, nay they were ſlain in their enterprize. Our zeal ſhould be a fire from heaven. God accounts that ſtrange fire we fetch from our own hearts.
3 Violent raſh zeal makes a man go beyond the bounds of his place and calling. Samuel reprov'd Saul for his heady violence, 1 Sam. 13. 13. When Saul had taken upon 1 Sam. 13 13.him to offer ſacrifice, Samuel ſaid, Thou haſt done fooliſhly. Yet Saul pleaded a fair excuſe. verſe 11, 12. Saul ſaid, Becauſe I ſaw V. 11, 12.that the people were ſcattered from me, and that thou cameſt not within the dayes appointed, and that the Philiſtines gathered themſelves together to Michmaſh, therefore ſaid I, The Philiſtiſtines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made ſupplication unto the Lord. I forced my ſelfe therefore, and offered a burntoffering.
You ſee Saul had much to ſay, yet all would not ſerve to juſtifie his invaſion into the Prieſts office. Such was the violence of Peter, Matth. 26. 51. He ſtretched out his hand, and drew his ſword and ſtrook a ſervant Mat. 26. 51.of the High Prieſt, and ſmote off his ear. But an holy violence makes a man zealous in his place. A zealous Magiſtrate will ſeverely puniſh ſin, let other Juſtices indulge it. A zealous Miniſter will be faithfull and fervent in the reproving of ſin, though others prove dumb dogs, or flatterers that ſowe pillowes under mens elbowes: So a zealous maſter of a family reſolves with good Joſhua, That he and his houſe will ſerve the Lord, Joſh. 24. 15. whatever other maſters and other families do. Fire in its place Joſh. 24. 15.is good and uſefull, but out of its place how hurtfull and deſtructive?