The Zealous Christian Taking Heaven by Holy Violence, Sermon 2
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 22, 1649. SERMON 11.THe doctrinall part being finiſhed, I now come to application. And this doctrine may be uſefull in five reſpects. 1 For reproof. 2 For comfort. 3 For inſtruction. 4 For caution. 5 To ſtirre up our lamentation.
Uſe. 1 1 This will reprove ſeverall ſorts of perſons. Out of this Quiver I may draw ten arrowes of reproof, that may pierce into the hearts of ten ſeverall ſorts of men.
Reproof 1 1 It reproves thoſe who are violent in the wayes of ſin, that put forth themſelves to the utmoſt, and draw out their ſtrength in wayes of wickedneſſe: that like thoſe in Jerem. 8. 6. that turn to their courſe, as the herſe rusheth into the battel; as an horſe that Jer. 8. 6.is ſo fierce in the war that he ruſheth into it without fear of danger: So the Spirit of God ſetteth forth the wickedneſſe of mens hearts; by nature they ruſh into ſin, not conſidering what they do, as the horſe. See what Job ſaith concerning the horſe, Job 39. 19. Haſt thou given the horſe ſtrength? haſt thou cloathed his neck with thunder? 20. Cauſt thou make him afraid as a graſſe-hopper, the glory of his noſtrils is terrible. 21. He paweth in the valley, and rojoyceth in his ſtrength, he goeth on to meet the armed men. 22. He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted, neither turneth he back from the ſword. Verſe 25. He ſaith among the trumpets, Aha, Aha, and he ſmelleth the battel afar off, the thunder of the captains and ſhooting. Even in this manner do wicked men ruſh into wickedneſſe; no fear, nor wit can reſtrain them; no dangers, nor threatnings either from God or man can keep them in. Jerem. 2. 23. They are as a ſwift Jer. 2. 23Dromedarie, traverſing her wayes. Their courſe is evill, and their force is not right. Jeremy 23. 10. Their hearts are fully ſet in them to do evill, Eccleſ. 8. 11. They weary themſelves to commit iniquity, Jeremy 9. 5. The people labour Eccleſ. 8. 11.in the fire, and weary themſelves for very vanity, Habak. 2. 13. They ſleep not except Hab. 2. 13.they have done miſchief, and their ſleep is taken away, except they cauſe ſome to fall, Prov. 4. 16.Prov. 4. 16.
2 This reproves thoſe that inſtead of an holy violence are guilty of tumultuous violence, that by force and power diſturbe humane ſocieties, deſtroying laws and government, that do as Antiochus did, Dan. 7. Dan 7. 25.25. He ſpoke great words againſt the moſt high, and were out the Saints of the moſt high, and thought to change times and laws.
3 This reproves thoſe that inſtead of an holy violence, are guilty of oppreſſing violence, which is the ſin chiefly of rich men Mic. 6. 12. For the rich men thereof are full violence. Micah 6 12.It is they that grinde the faces of the poor. Mic. 2. 2. They covet fields, and take them by violence, Micah 2 2.& houſes, & take them away, and ſo they oppreſſe a man and his houſe. Amos 3. 10. They Amos 3. 10.know not to do right, who ſtore up violence and robbery in their palaces. Prov. 4. 17. They eat the Prov. 4. 17.bread of wickednes, & drink the wine of violence.
4 This reproves thoſe who are eager & violent in their purſuits after the things of this life, but not ſo after ſpiritual things; we are all upon the ſpur, all upon the wing after the world, here is violence upon violence, labour upon labour for theſe things which we may have, and yet be never the better, and want them, and yet be never the worſe. Covetous men are ſaid to pant after the duſt of the earth, Amos 2. 7. So eager are they in Amos 2. 7.their purſuit after the world, as if they were almoſt out of breath. Pſal. 59. 6, 14. They return at evening, they make a noiſe like a dog, Pſal. 59. 6, 14.and go about the city. No creature is ſo ſenſible of hunger as a dog. Covetous men are like dogs towards the world, as if they were made up all of deſires, but towards the things of eternity we are as if we were all Stoicks, and had no paſſions in us. As hot Ferventiſſimi in terrenis. ſ…gidiſſimi in coeleſtibus.as fire for earth, and as cold as any ice for heaven. Oh how many pant after the earth who have no breathing after heaven!
5 This reproves thoſe who are violent oppoſers of the Goſpel. As the former may be called a worldly violence, ſo this may be called a perſecuting violence. Such was the violence of Paul before his converſion, Act. 26. 11. I puniſhed them oft in every Synagogue, and compelled them to blaſpheme, and Acts 26. 11.being exceedingly mad againſt them, I perſecuted them even unto ſtrange Cities. The Scribes and Phariſees are ſaid to be filled with madneſſe, againſt Chriſt after the miracle was wrought in curing the man with the withered hand, Luke 6. 11. There are ſome that underſtand my Text of this perſecuting violence. Luke 6. 11.This is called a rage reaching up to heaven, 2 Chron. 28. 9.
6 This reproves ſuch, who account an 2 Chron. 28. 9.holy zeal and violence in the wayes of religion to be onelyonly a furious frenſie. Such were they, Act. 2. 13. that ſaid, Theſe men Acts 2. 13.are filled with new wine, vvhen the Apoſtles were zealous in the preaching of the Goſgel. Such were the friends of Chriſt, when he was zealous and ſervent in the doing of his Fathers will, and ſo intent upon it that he had no leaſure to eat his meat, They went to lay hold of him, for they ſaid, He is beſide himſelf, Mark 3. 21. The like cenſure did Feſt us paſſe on Paul, when he was zealous Mark 3. 21.to win men to the Goſpel; he ſaid, Thou art beſide thy ſelfe, much learning doth make thee mad, Act. 26. 24. Baſil, when he was paſſionately eager againſt the Arrian hereſie, Acts 26. 24.it was interpreted a ſymptome of his dotage. If men will not be bafled out of their religion, reformation, &c. they are eſteemed but furious zealots, men of violent ſpirits. Thus it fared with zealous Paul, 2 Cor. 5. 13. Whether we are beſide our ſelves, it is to God, or whether we be ſober, it is for your 2 Cor. 5. 13.cauſe.
7 This reproves thoſe who were once violent and zealous in religion, but now their zeal is abated. We have a proverb: Nothing that is violent is durable; if the violent motion proceeds from ſome externall Nullum vi…lentum eſt perpetuum.artificiall cauſe, and not from a rooted ſtirring principle within Many that go in the wayes of God meerly from an externall principle, it may be credit or profit, though they may be ſeemingly violent for a time, yet their violence will not laſt, they will not be ſtedfaſt in the wayes of religion and in a Chriſtian courſe. Some who have flouriſhed in the Spring have had a withering time, their fruit decayed as the leaves fall off in Autumn. It may be ſaid of many in regard of their ſouls, as it was ſaid of David in regard of his body: When he was old and ſtricken in years, they covered him with cloaths, and he gat no heat, 1 King. 1. 1. Many, 1 Kings 1. 1.though they are plied with ordinances, can get no heat in them. Auguſtine obſerves it of many in his dayes, that would at their firſt converſion pray frequently & live holily, but after a while they would grow more remiſſe, and pray more coldly and ſlightly then they did before. There are few of whom after a long profeſſion of religion it can be ſaid, as was ſaid of Moſes, Deut. 34. 7. His eye was not dim, nor his naturall force abated. Many are like Aſa, their Deut. 34. 7.end is worſe then their beginning.
8 This reproves thoſe that content themſelves with moderation in the matters of religion, that account a dram of zeal enough for a talent of diſcretion, as Mr. Greenham ſaid. Many men are of this opinion, that religion is dangerous, and that an holy violence in religion is attended with troubles and dangers, and therefore it is beſt to be moderate in religion. There are many of theſe men in our dayes, otherwiſe religion had never come to ſo low an ebbe as now it is. It was the ſaying of one, that men may be religious, but then they muſt not be too zealous: they muſt not be too violent for the wayes of God, for then they are called men of hot & furious ſpirits; Men (it ſeemes) muſt not love religion too much. Amama quotes Tarnovius, who mentions a ſort of men that brought in an opinion, which he cals a new Goſpel, that if a man perform the externall duties of religion, if he go to the Church, hear the word, pray, &c. it was ſufficient for ſalvation. Of this temper Gallio was, Act. 18. 17. Gallio cared for none of thoſe things. A Acts 18. 17.little religion will ſerve the turn. Moſt of the Statiſts and Politicians of this world are of this temper, which God will one day account a Laodicean lukewarmneſſe or timerous cowardize. Geographers, who write of the ſituation of England, ſay, that it is between the Torrid and the Frigid Zone, neither hot nor cold; I wiſh our hearts were not like our land.
9 This reproves thoſe that expreſſe more violence outwardly then they have inwardly.
There are many men that wil hear Sermons on Lords dayes, & Lectures on week-dayes, ſpeak well of religion, and of the wayes and people of God, but if you look to them in their families, and in their cloſets, you ſhall finde them of another temper. Theſe men are like pepper, hot in the mouth, but cold in the ſtomack. I may reſemble ſuch to a pot boiling over the fire, hot at the top, cold at the bottome. So ſome men are boiling hot in the mouth, but their hearts are cold and frozen. As it is with men ſick of a feaver, the face and hands and other externall parts of the body burn, when the heart ſhakes and quivers with cold.
10 This reproves thoſe who all their life remain dull and ſluggiſh in religion, that like Carriers horſes keep their ordinary pace, they will not go beyond their bating place, they are like Dromedaries, ſwift in the wayes of ſin, but like the dull Aſſe, ſlow in the vvayes of God. The firſtling of other beaſts was to be offered to God, but not the firſtling of an aſſe, Exod. 13. 13. And every firſtling of an aſſe thou ſhalt redeem Exod. 13. 13.with a lamb, and if thou wilt not redeem it thou ſhalt break its neck; to note that of ſluggiſh and dull hearts, the very beſt ſervices are not acceptable to God. The ſnail is reckoned among the unclean creatures, Levit. 11. 30. Thoſe hearts that are of this Levit. 11 30.dull conſtitution are impure and odious in the ſight of God. And thus much ſhall ſerve by way of reproof.
2 This doctrine is uſefull for comfort, Uſe 2. For Comfor.and that 1. To Miniſters. 2. To hearers.
1 To Miniſters; and that for 3 reaſons.
1 Though here is matter of trouble, 1 To Miniſters for three Reaſons.yet no fear of guilt, if thou diſcharge thy duty faithfully, though not ſucceſfully. Ezek. 3. 19. If thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedneſſe, Ezek. 3. 19.nor from his wicked way, he ſhall die in his iniquity, but thou haſt delivered thy ſoul. Act. Acts 20. 26.20. 26. when Paul had uſed his utmoſt endeavours at Epheſus, he vindicates himſelfe thus; I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. Act. 18. 6. when Acts 18. 6.Paul preached to the Jews, and they would not obey the Goſpel, He ſhook his raiment, & ſaid unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads, I am clean: from henceforth I will go to the Gentiles. Though a Miniſter doth all his dayes plow the rocks, and ſowe the ſands, and ſpend his ſtrength in vain, yet this will bring no guilt upon a Miniſters conſcience: for though it be the Miniſters duty to preach the Word, yet it is Gods work to convert the ſoul.
3 God rewards Miniſters according to their labour, not ſucceſſe, 2 Cor. 2. 15. For we are unto God a ſweet ſavour of Chriſt in 2 Cor. 2. 15.them that are ſaved, and in them that periſh.
The father payes the nurſe, though the childe die. The Apothecaries bill muſt be paid, though the patient die: So God will reward Miniſters, though ſucceſſe be not anſwerable to their endeavours, Iſa. 49. 4. Then I ſaid, I have laboured in vain, and Iſa. 49. 2.ſpent my ſtrength for nought and in vain, yet ſurely my judgement is with the Lord, and my work with my God; or the reward of my work.
3 The word may live in the hearers hearts when the Miniſter is dead, John 4. 36, 37. He that reapeth, receiveth wages, and John 4. 36, 37.gathereth fruit unto life eternall, that both he that ſoweth and he that reapeth may rejoyce together. And herein is that ſaying true, One ſoweth, and another reapeth. As a wicked man doth hurt after his death, ſo a good man doth good, 2 King. 23. 15. Jeroboams 2 Kings 23. 15.wickedneſſe proved a ſnare to Iſrael in the dayes of Joſiah, which was 360 years after his death. And Davids example did good on Joſiah 400 years after, 2 King. 22. 2. Joſiah did that which was right in the ſight of the 2 Kings 22. 2.Lord, and walked in all the wayes of David his father.
2 As here is comfort for Miniſters, ſo Comfort to hearers for three reaſons.alſo here is comfort to hearers, and that for 3 reaſons:
1 God never expected all ſhould attein the ſame meaſure of grace. Although, Luk. Luk. 8. 88. 8. the ſeed that fell in good ground is ſaid to bear an hundred fold, yet, Matth 13. 23. the grounds differed, and ſome brought Mat. 13. 23.forth but ſixty, ſome but thirty. Chriſt hath lambs in his fold as well as ſheep, Babes in his houſe as well as ſtrong men.
2 It may be what is wanting in a ſudden and ſhort violence, is made up in ſolidity. Oakes grow not ſo faſt as the Willow-trees, but they grow more ſolidly.
3 God will cheriſh the ſmalleſt beginnings of good in the hearts of his people, Cant. 7. 12. Let us go up early to the vineyards, let us ſee if the vine flouriſh, whether the tender Cant. 7. 12.grape appear, the pomegranates bud forth, there will I give thee my loves. The Lord Jeſus took notice not onelyonly of the ſtrong and grown grapes, but alſo of the tender grapes, not onelyonly of the fruit, but of the buddings. The very buddings of grace are accepted. And how ſhould this comfort weak Chriſtians, and incourage them to increaſe with the increaſe of God, and to get more of this holy violence in heavenly things, Matth. 12. 20. A bruiſed reed he will not break and a ſmoaking flax he will not quench, till he ſend forth judgement into victory. He ſpeaks there of new converts holy deſires, and gracious reſolutions in a poor ſoul, though they do but ſmoak, and not burn, yet Jeſus Chriſt will not quench them till he have brought forth judgement to victory, by which he meanes, till they come to be perfect men and women in Chriſt Jeſus.