willing people in the day of thy power And this was to be when God should send forth the rod of his power out of Sion as it is vers 2 You know what Hushai said of David 2 Samuel 17. 8. He and his men were mighty men and chased in their mindes as a Beare robbed of her whelps in the field And yet he that is feeble shall be as David Deodate referres this promise to the beginning of the Gospel and so Cartwright That is the second reason Reson 3 3 The Lord did this to put a greater glory upon the Gospel and to raise the estimation of it in the hearts of men for had the Gospel had but a few converts and had it had but a little successe at the first promulgation of it the people would not so much have taken notice of it neither would they so much have admired it nor so highly esteemed of it as they did Reson 4 4 This comes to passe because of the perspicuity of the doctrine of the Gospel above that of the law The Gospel came now to be preached to the peoples capacity more then it was in the time of the law Though it is true that pure Gospel for the substance of it was preached in the time of the Law yet not so plainly as in the time of the Gospel For the law is nothing else but a dark Gospel and the Gospel nothing else but a clear law The law was hid and vailed under dark shadowes and ceremonies But the Gospel was clear and evident This you have fully set forth 2 Cor 3. 15. When Moses was read there was a vail upon their hearts v. 6. and when they turn to the Lord the vail shall be taken away And vers 18. But we all with open face behold as in a glasse the glory of the Lord c. This is also foretold Isa 30. 26. at the promulgation of the Gospel The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the ligho of the Sun shall be sevenfold as the light of seven dayes c. Reson 5 5 Because of that great and glorious liberty which the Gospel instated them in above the law I do not mean sensuall but a Christian and holy a Gospel-liberty Thus Baptisme was appointed in the room of Circumcision Our Saviour made this proffer Come unto me all you that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Matth. 11. 28. Which place is not onely to be understood of labouring under the burden of sin but also under the bondage and yoke of the Ceremoniall law under all those costly painfull and toilsome rites imposed upon them which were a yoke that neither they nor their fathers were able to bear as Peter speaks of Circumcision Acts 15. 10. And so you have the reasons for the Gospels successe in the dayes of John And thus much for the first question The second question is this How comes it to passe that the Ministery of the Word is not so successefull now as it was in the dayes of the first preaching of it I anwer many reasons may be given Some from the Minister some from the people 1 In regard of the Minister and they are five Reson 1 Because Ministers are not so powerfull in preaching and exemplary in life as John was Joh. 5. 35. He was a burning and a shining light There was his zeal in preaching there was the holinesse of his conversation Luke 1. 16. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God and he shall go before them in the spirit and power of E lias to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdome of the just c. Nazianzen said of Basil that he thundred in his doctrine and lightened in his life Reson 2 Ministers preach not the Gospel so purely and perfectly as John did Mark 1. 1. John preached the Gaspel of Jesus Christ Verse 3. He preached repentance and remission of sins Although John did bring in the Gospel yet withall he preached up duties and not cried down duties he pressed on duties and did not cast them off he did earnestly presse on the duties of the morall law he preached repentance whereas many Ministers now a dayes account this but a legall and servile work not fit for Christians under the Gospel to be employed about not fit for Ministers to preach or people to hear And this is one great reason why men take up such sinfull liberty to follow their own wayes and lusts and by which meanes the Gospel comes to be the lesse successefull But this you see was far from Johns minde and temper for said he Repent for the Kingdome of heaven is at hand Matth. 3. 2. Oh generation of vipers how can ye escape the damnation of hell was our Saviours language Matth 22. 33. Jerem. 23. 22. But if they had stood in my counsell and had caused my people to hear my words then they should have turned them from their evill way and from the evill of their doings and 32. Behold I am against them that prophesie false dreams saith the Lord and do tell them and cause my people to erre by their lies and by their lightnesse yet I sent them not nor commanded them therefore they shall not profit this people at all saith the Lord. 2 Cor. 4. But we have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in crastinesse nor handling the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God It doth enervate and emasculate the power of the Word to have it mixed with falshoods Much truth is preached in the Church of Rome yet conversion is not ordinarily amongst them because they adulterate the truth by many errours The Scribes did little good by their preaching because they did mingle so many ungrounded traditions which they taught without any authority Matth. 7. 29. Christ taught as one having authority and not as the Scribes Reson 3 3 Because Ministers preach not so plainly as John did either in matter method or manner of expression 1 Cor. 14. part of the 5 verse Greater is he that prophesieth then he that speaketh with tongues except he interpret that the Church may receive edifying Many Preachers are like Heraclitus who was called the dark Doctour they affect sublime notions obscure expressions uncouth phrases not making difficult truths plain but plain truths difficult They darken counsell by words without knowledge Job 38. 2. Reson 4 4 Because Ministers preach not so methodically as John did Matth. 3. 2. John preached saying Repent for the Kingdome of heaven is at band Mark saith the Gospel begun with Johns Ministery Mark 1. 1. and his doctrine began with repentance Men take up other methods now adayes and so prove unsuccessefull Reson 5 5 Because there is not that
harmony among Ministers now that was formerly John preached what the Prophets taught and Christ trod in Johns steps and the Apostles exactly agreed with and continued in the doctrine of their predecessours But now in our time Ministers are divided one preacheth one thing another preacheth another thing and this doth very much trouble the mindes of people and makes many stumble at the word and so the Gospel proves unsuccessefull 2 This comes to passe from the people and that for four reasons 1 People do more question the office and calling of the Ministery now then they did question Johns Matth. 21. 26. All men hold John as a Prophet The reason why Pauls Ministery was ineffectuall to many Corinihians was this because they questioned his calling and therefore he labours to vindicate his Apostolicall authority all along the Epistle This doth take off that awe and majesty that should be in men to the Word As on the contrary the reason why the Ministery of Paul was so effectuall to the Thessalonians was this Because when they received the Word of God they received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth as the Word of God which effectually worketh in them that believe 1 Thess 2. 13. I know that some question the lawfulnesse of our Ministery upon this ground because miracles do not attend our preaching as they did at the first promulgation of the Gospel But this is no just reason and that I may remove this obstacle of the successe of the Gospel I shall by the way briefly disprove it 1 John had his calling from heaven Mat. 21. 25 26. and yet John did no miracle John 10. 41. 2 Miracles are not necessary now as they were at the first planting of the Gospel There was more need of miracles then that the people might give attendance to the Ministery in those days The Jews require a signe 1 Cor. 1. 22. 1 Cor. 14. 22. Tongues are for a signe not to them that believe but to them that believe not but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not but for them which believe 3 Miracles were signes of the Apostleship but not of the Ministery 2 or 12. 12. The signes of an Apostle were wrought among you in signes and wonders and mighty deeds Timothy and Titus could work no miracles yet no man doubts of their authority So that want of miracles doth not at all invalidate the authority of the Ministery So I have removed the first impediment of the successe of the Gospel in our dayes That is the first reason Reson 2 The long continuance of the Word makes it unsuccessefull such is the corruption of mens hearts The nature of man is for new things and in tract of time the love of men to the Word is eaten out whereas at the first people flocked to the Gospel as Doves to the windowes yet afterward they grew carelesse and negligent in Gods Ordinances Manna at first was loved but afterwards it cloyed the Israelites and they loathed it Many men are Christ and Gospel glutted Reson 3 Another reason is because Discipline is not joyned with Doctrine The Church is the garden of God the Doctrine is the flowers of this garden Discipline is the hedge Neither Christ nor John the Baptist by their comming would destroy the government of the Church among the Jews and when that was taken down Christ set up another in its stead Now look as it is in a State the intervals of government breed many State-heresies if I may so call them mutinies factions and parties among the people interrupting the peace of the land So it is in the Church when the reines of government are let loose in-come errours and disorders and the good seed is choaked by that meanes Reson 4 4 This comes to passe from the dis-use of family-family-duties The reason why the reformation succeeded so well in Germany was because the peoples catechizing went along with Luthers preaching It was laid as a charge upon masters of families that they should catechize their children Deut. 6. 6 7. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house c. People do not back the Ministers preaching of the Word with this duty of prayer that God would sanctifie the word preached to their souls and make it successefull It is an observable passage which you finde Mark 4. 24. Take heed what you hear for with what measure you were it shall be measured to you and unto you that hear shall more be given Sometimes this expression is referred to rash judgement as Matth. 7. 2. sometimes to works of mercy but here it is used as an argument to stir up people to prepare their hearts for the hearing of the Word with care and conscience For if it be your care to fit your selves for the Word and to settle it in your hearts and practise it in your lives God will then measure the same back unto you by his blessing of the Word to the salvation and edification of your souls whereas the neglect of this duty is a great cause why the word is not so successfull now as it was formerly 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 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 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
of those things A 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 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 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 and that 1. To Ministers 2. To hearers 1 To Ministers and that for 3 reasons 1 Though here is matter of trouble 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 nor from his wicked way he shall die in his iniquity but thou hast delivered thy soul Act. 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 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 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 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 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 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 Lord and walked in all the wayes of David his father 2 As here is comfort for Ministers so 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. 8. 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 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 grape appear the pomegranates bud forth there will I give thee my loves The Lord Jesus took notice not onely of the strong and grown grapes but also of the tender grapes not onely 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 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 IN the third place this doctrine may serve for instruction touching severall things 1 The nature of 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 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 5 regards 1
THE ZEALOVS CHRISTIAN Taking Heaven BY HOLY VIOLENCE In severall SERMONS Tending to direct men How To hear with Zeal To pray with importunity Preached by that faithfull servant of JESUS CHRIST Mr. CHRISTOPHER LOVE Late Minister of Laurence Jury LONDON The violent take it by force Mat. 11. 12. London Printed by R. and W. Leybourn for John Rothwell at the Sun and Fountain in Pauls-Church-yard 1653. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Reader THE good acceptance which this Authors Treatises already published by us have found and the good successe they have had among the people of God together with the importunate desires of many godly persons that were 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 SERMONS have put us upon recommending them to the World The subject of those Sermons is not only Pipus but Seasonable Euery thing saith Solomon i◠beautifull in its season Eccles 3. 11. The times wherein we live are famous for a Ferm of godlinesse and no lesse infamous for the want of the Power of it Nothing is more common then for men to hear and pray and perform the outside-duties of Religion Nothing more rare then for man to do these things as becomes the Gospel Men have so inured themselves to disputes about the Circumstantials of Worship that Substantials are lost in the scuffle And therefore it is commendable in a Minister to reduce the thoughts and hearts of people from needlesse controversies to the practicals of Christianity As Socrates was commended for bringing down Philosophie from high and sublime speculation to use and practice It was the case of this Reverend Author not so much to gratifie the fancies of men as to work upon their affections and to direct them in the ordering of their conversation and that the father because he observed most men had more heat in their Brains then in their Hearts That zeal that once appeared in the Professours of this Nation is evaporated That violence that sometimes was in the people of this Nation after Sermons and all Ordinances is now abated and grown remisse nay in some the hatred wherewith they hate the Ordinances and people of God is greater then ever was the love wherewith they loved them That praying Spirit that not long ago was shed abroad in the hearts of Gods people is now as it were departed It is therefore high time to be speak this carelesse Nation or rahter the Professors of this Nation with that message which GOD sent to the Church of Ephesus Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works or else I will come against thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick out of his place And oh may these ensuing Sermons be usefull to revive those sparks of zeal and importunity that lie as it were under the ashes That was the end which the Author aimed at when he preached them to his Congregation and that is a main end that we look to and hope for in the publication of them The times wherein we live are times of much hypocrisie There are many among us that say they are Jews and are not that have a name to live and are dead yea there are many that seeme to be religious and yet not only deceive others but also deceive their own selves And therefore it is time for every man to search and trie if there be any way of wickednesse in him All is not gold that glisters nor are all Saints that so call themselves or are so called by others Here then is a Touch-stone by which you may examine your selves Here is a Balance of the Sanctuary wherein you may weigh your graces and see whether they be light or no. It is one of the vainest and most foolish things in the world for men to cheat themselves of eternall happinesse We count it folly for a man to suffer himself to be cheated in a bargain and yet what is lost in one bargain may be regained in another But here he that is cheated is cheated irrecoverably The losse of the soul is irreparable Precious is the redemption of souls and it ceaseth for ever And yet there is a strange stupidity among the sons of men whereby they are willing to be deceived and jugled out of their soul-happinesse They are willing to rest themselves upon any groundlesse presumption though it be so weak that they dare not put it to triall in their own hearts themselves being Judges O all you poor deluded souls How long will you love vanity and follow after lies When you may go a sure way why will you run a hazard Awake therefore O thou that sleepest and seriously betake thy self to this weighty necessary and profitable duty of examination and in this work we hope this Treatise will be usefull and acceptable which if it be done and the other branch not left undone the Authors desire in preaching is satisfied and our expectation in publishing answered and that both those ends may be obtained is the earnest desire of Those that seek not yours but you EDMUND CALAMY SIMEON ASHE JER WHITAKER WIL. TAYLOR MATTHEW POOL MAT THEW 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 THis Text is part of the largecommendation that Christ gives of the person and Ministery of John the Baptist John was a crier in the wildernesse to publish the glory of Christ and Christ an Herauld to proclaim the praise of John And this he doth 1 For his constancy in the doctrine of Religion vers 7. What went you out to see a read shaken with the winde a light fickle and inconstant Preacher that like a reed turnes with every winde of doctrine John was no such man not like a reed to yield to the stream or blast of every winde but like the oake or cedar that stands unmoveably in the midst of the greatest stormes 2 For his holinesse and high measure of mortification vers 8. What went you out to see A man cloathed in soft raiment John was no such man He was not at all addicted to the garbe and pompe of the Court but He had a raiment of camels hair and a leathern girdle about his loines Matth. 3. 4. 3 By comparing him with the former Prophets with those Teachers that went before him vers 9. What went you out to see a Prophet Yea I say to you and more then a Prophet v. 11. Verily I say unto you Amongst them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater then John the Baptist He gives him the precedency above all his predecessours not in regard of the dignity of his office but in respect of the perspicuity of his doctrine Yet lest he might be proud himselfe or others too much admire him it is added by way of qualification in the end of the 11 verse He that is least in the Kingdome of heaven is greater then he Those Disciples and Apostles that should