By an heavenly Election They are the Congregation of the first born whose names are enrolled in heaven Heb. 12 23. And 2. They are taken and bought from the earth by a speciall work of Redemption out of every Country and Kindred and People and Nation Revel. 59. and cap. 14.3 4.3 They are singled out from others by a powerfull conversion upon which ground they are saluted Holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling Heb. 3.1 And 4. Their trading and traffique is not for the things of this world but their conversation is in heaven Phil. 3 20.5 Their inheritance and portion is not in the earth for here they are but strangers and pilgrims out of their own Country but they have an inheritance immortall undefiled reserved in the heavens for them 1 Pet. 1.4 In these and divers other respects the Saints which are members of the Church though they live in the earth yet they are accounted in Scripture the Citizens and Inhabitants of heaven 5. The Lawes and Ordinances which the Church is governed by are all extracts taken from an heavenly originall copies and draughts derived from the Pattern in the Mount as Moses Tabernacle and Solomons Temple were {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The Church of God saith Nazianzen which is the inferiour Tabernacle and House of God here below it is in all its institutions rites and Ordâ—nances commensurable to its pattern and prototipe for the heavenly Tabernacle which is above 6. The Acts and administrations of the Church if they be such as they should be divine and Spirituall they sent not of the earth breathe not of the world but the whole savour and rellish of them is heavenly when the Word is Preached it is not the Wisdome and Spirit of man but the Lord from heaven that speakes Heb. 12.25 Mat. 10.20 And the Apostle tels us likewise that when men Prophecy there is such a demonstration of divine power that unbeleevers comming in are convinced by it saying God is in you of a truth 1 Cor. 14.25 The like may be sayd of prayer it s the Spirit that must frame every request and indite every Petition if it be according to Gods Will Rom. 8 27. So the execution of Church censures and generally all Church administrations they are not such as they should be if they carry not with them a certaine perfume as it were or odor of heaven This may suffice for the first point I defer the Use of it till I have done with the next which is this Where the Lord raiseth up choyce Instruments to Preach the Gospell as he did here in the dayes of Iohn and of our Saviour there the Kingdom of heaven comes in amaire and multitudes take hold of it For the proof of this see the truth of it in cleer predictions and prophecies foretelling that it should be so Esay 2.1 2 3. It shall come to passe in the latter dayes that the Mountaine of the Lords house shall be lifted up not onely on the Mount Marlah at Jerusalem but on the top of the Mountaines and all nations not the Jews only shall flow unto it but how shall this be brought about the Law of the Lord shall go out of Sion and the Word of the Lord out of Jerusalem and then he shall rule among the Nations If the Gospell be preached the Kingdome of God will advance and get ground among all the Nations of the world The like Prophecy we have Psal. 110.2.3 When Christ sends out his Gospell which is that rod of his power out of Sion he will then be ruler in the midst of his enemies In the day when he sends out his Armies to wit of Apostles and Prophets His people shall be a willing people or as some Interpretors turn it they shall be all voluntiers in the beauty of his holinesse and the dew of his youth that is the multitudes of children that shall be born unto him shall be as numerous as drops of dew in a spring or summers morning 2. See the reall performances and accomplishment of these Prophecies In the first dawning of the Gospell when the state of the Jewish Church was exceeding corrupt even then by the preaching of Iohn great numbers of people came over unto Christ and by Solemn Baptisme took the oath of allegeance unto him Mat. 3.5 6. And the Ministery of Christ and his Apostles was yet more effectuall their diligence was such that they went through every City and Village preaching and shewing the glad tydings of the Kingdome of God Luk 8.1 And the people flocked after them in such multitudes that they trode one upon another Luke 12.1 And they were so eager and violent for the Kingdom of God that they came by break of day to seek Christ in the desert and they layd hold of him that he should not depart from them Luk. 4.42 And the successe of those endeavours was such that Satan fell from heaven like lightning Luke 10.18 All this came to passe whiles the Gospell and Kingdom of Christ was yet penâ—â—o as it were in a corner confined only to the Jews but after that Christ was once by his Ascention lifted up unto heaven then he drew all men after him John 12.32 then was fulfilled and not before as some learned conceive that prediction of our Saviour Mat. 16.28 Verily I say unto you there be some standing here that shall not taste of death till they have seen the Kingdome of God come with power The Kingdom of God came with power when the Holy Ghost came down like a mighty rushing wind and shooke the place where the Apostles were on the day of Pentecost gathered together Act. 2.2 This violent rushing wind was an Emblem of the great power of the Gospell which shooke the foundations of Sathans Kingdom and overthrew all his strong holds demolished Idols subdued all the learning policy and power of the world and captivated all Nations to the obedience of faith The Jewes had most of them a strong prejudice against Christ yet S. Peter with his Fishâ—rs net came over them and caught 3000. of them at one draught Act. 2.41 The Samaritans had for a long time been held under the power of Sathan by the Inchantments and Sorceries of Simon the Conjurer but the Gospell comming among them those Magick Spells lost their force and were un-witched by a more potâ—nt and effectuall charm Act. 8.12 It s recorded there That when they beleeved the things that were spoken by Philip concerning the kingdome of God and the Name of Jesus Christ they were Baptized both men and women When the Word is Preached it s as possible to keepe down the Sun from rising as to hinder Christ from getting up into his Kingdom But how comes the empty breath of a few weak and despised men to be so effectuall and prevalent The Reasons are 1. This is the Institution and Ordinance of God which therefore must needs be
Rome the Imperiall City and not onely so but even grow famous too in Caesars Palace the Apostle tooke notice else-where of a great doore and effectuall which was opened unto him when yet there were many adversaries 1 Cor. 16.9 which plainly imports great successe in despight of great resistance when the Dragon lay in waite to devoure the Churches man-childe as soone as it was borne he was frustrate of his hopes notwithstanding all his rage the childe was caught up to the Throne of God Revel. 12.5 So in Dioclesians time when there was set up an Edict in the Market place for the utter extirpation of Christianity the whol world soon after turned Christian See then how great and singular a blessing it is which God affords unto any people when he raiseth up store of precious and choyce Instruments to Preach the Gospell among them Howsoever we may haply despise the day of small things and make but slight account of such a mercy yet it is a favour certainely of as much worth in the intendment and consequence of it as the kingdome of heaven amounts unto It s a sign that God is comming to Keep his Court of residence where he sends out harbingers to take up roomes and to prepare lodging and entertainment for him When Saviours come upon mount Sion the next newes is this That the Kingdom is the Lords Obad. v. 21. God abates nothing to a people of the height of his favours when he vouchsafes unto them this mercy Jer. 3.14 15. It s promised as a speciall token and pledge of Gods matrimoniall love Return unto me ye back-sliding children for I am married unto you how doth that appeare I will give you Pastors according to my own heart which shall feede you with knowledge and understanding and would you know of what consequence that is vers. 17. At that time they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord the Lord Raignes to be sure and hath a Throne where he is pleased to plant a faithfull and powerfull ministery and where the Lord Raignes there is 1. The greatest Honour and advancement that can befall a Nation It s that which makes a Country to be the land of Immannel Esay 8.8 A glorious high Throne Jer. 17.12 A Crown of glory and a Royall Diadem in the Lords hand Esay 62.3 In a word this is it which lifts up a people as high as heaven Mat. 11.23 Let Italy glory in this That it is for pleasure the garden of the world we shall never neede to envie them whilst it may be truly said of great Britain That it is the Court and presence Chamber of the great King this is the Churches peculiar honour The name of it shall be called from henceforth The Lord is There Ezech. 48 35. 2. As the greatest honour so the greatest safety and protection attends where the Lord Raignes The Church it is the Kingdom of heaven upon Earth and it is a strong City having Salvation for its walls and Bulwarkes Esay 26.1 It may indeed before assaulted and battered but cannot be overcome it may be endangered but not destroyed Christ must be plucked out of heaven and the Scepter wrested out of his hands before the Church can miscarry 3. The Kingdome of heaven is a storehouse of all blessings temporall Spirituall and Eternall the blessings of the heaven above and of the deepe that coucheth beneath Irriguum superius irriguum inferius the upper springs and the nether springs yea all Gods fresh springs have their course here Psal. 87.7 Christ hath unsearchable riches of grace and glory and he makes them all over together with himself to those that receive him That State can never be bankrupt that possesseth him who is the possessour of all things looke over all the world and consider what good thing we would have in reference to our private or publike well-fare whether it be riches honour wealth peace liberty policy plenty prosperity or whatsoever else which heaven can afford they come in as additions with the Kingdom of God Mat. 6.33 We value our Magna Charta much our civill rights and liberties we count them precious and yet they are but for this life but the grand Patent and Charter of heaven Feoffes us in the promises of the life that now is and of that also which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 To winde up therefore this clew Wheresoever the Lord is pleased by the Ministery of his Servants to establish himselfe a Kingdom among men there is a Throne of honour a myne of wealth a store-house of blessings an Ocean of comforts In a word there is the spring-head where all happinesse flourisheth and all misery withers 2. Here 's matter of comfort and encouragement That wheresoever the Gospell is preached there the Kingdom of heaven comes in and no opposition can keep it out The Prophets are wont to make this as a ground of greatest comfort even in the midst of sad times How beautifull are the feete how welcome the accesse of those which bring this good tydings unto Sion Thy God raignes Esay 52.7 We may feede upon this cordiall even on our solemne Fast in our greatest mourning in the midst of all our teares this may excite us to some expressions of thankfulnesse and strains of gratulation The Lord raignes saith the man after Gods own heart and what then let the earth rejoyce let the multitudes of the Isles be glad thereof Psal. 97.1 If any other people in the world surely wee of this Island have great cause to rejoyce and be glad in this regard howsoever it be with us in other respects yet blessed be God it may not it cannot be denyed but that the Lord raignes and hath had his Throne among us for a long time Tertullian observed long since that Christ set up his colours and came in as a conquerer before the Roman Eagles could spread their wings here and S. Hierom hath an expression to this purpose That the Court and Kingdom of heaven is as open at great Brittaine as at Jerusalem and although in the generall Apostacy of Antichrist the Kingdom of heaven was here fast locked and barred up for many hundreds of yeares yet it was afterward by the happy reformation in the dayes of our Fathers here also as well as in other Churches set open againe according to that prediction Revel. 15.5 After this I looked and behold the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in heaven was opened I neede not tell you what store of excellent and glorious Instruments the Lord then raised up both of Magistrates and Ministers nor how mightily they carried on the work though against a world of opposition It sufficeth that we all know that the foundation of the Temple and Tabernacle of God was layd and the street and walls of the heavenly Jerusalem built though in troublous times and from that day forward to this the Lord that
and restrained fence which is all one with oppression and rapine pillaging spoyling plundering and other such practises which Jehoiakim that wicked Prince is branded for Jer. 22.17 John the Baptist reads a Lecture to the Souldiers that came to his Baptisme to beware of this violence it being such a character as least of all suits with those that pretend towards the Kingdome of heaven S. Paul is peremptory that none such shall ever come there 1 Cor. 6.10 It is a violence quite of another nature and straine which is here hinted unto and commended An honest and just violence an holy Rapine a lawfull and heavenly Robbery a divine Sacriledge which to give you in a word a rude and cursory description of it is nothing else But a vehement bent of desires affections endeavours intensively aspiring and reaching after the Kingdome of God and greedily laying hold of all helpes meanes and advantages which may conduce and tend thereunto We have sundry instances in Scripture of such a violence as this The woman of Canaan Mark 7.27 she was so obstinate in driving on her design that she could not be beaten off no not with repulses the more Discouragements she had so much the more resolute and violent she grew taking a strong hold-fast of Christ and cleaving to him like a bur and never giving him over till she had got what she came for So the blind man which sate begging by the high-way-side you may enter him into same List When he heard that Jesus passed by he cryed after him with a loud voyce and when the Disciples discouraged him he cryed yet out the more a great deale and clamored after him Jesus thou son of David have mercy on me Luke 18.35 And were not those Auditors of Christ exceeding violent who thronged after him in such crowdes that they trode upon one another Luke 12.1 and those also no lesse who forced their accesse unto Christ by digging through stone walls and uncovering the roofe of the house where he was Mark 2.4 What should I neede to stand upon particular Instances the Scripture is full of them every where The Souldiers Publicans and Harlots in those dayes they rose up in great numbers and took the Kingdome of heaven by force whiles the Pharisees and Scribes and those profound Schollers were left behind Those that seemed first were the last and they that were last proved first This violent Disposition and straine of Spirit I shall endeavour to shew wherein it consists how it workes and wherefore it is so requisite and necessary 1. Therefore this violence consists in earnest and vehement desires 2. In stedfast purposes and Resolutions 3. In stirring and impetuous indeavours To begin with the first of these Earnest and vehement desires They are the next and most immediate issues and out-goings of the soule the feete on which it runnes the wings on which it mounts and flyes towards the object desired and longed for and these desires are either good or evill carnall or spirituall thereafter as the object is on which they fix and the order and manner in which they move A man may know what the constitution and temper of his spirit is in relation to the Kingdome of God if he can but discerne how the pulses of his desire beate and what the chiefe and principall thing is which the most quick and violent motions and ebullitions of his heart workes after If a man be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as the Philosopher spake a Citizen and inhabitant of this world his desires grovell on the earth he pants after riches honours pleasures relisheth nothing else but now on the other side if a man be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a Citizen and inhabitant of another world then the currant and full streame of his desires is still rising and working up towards heaven He will pant after God as the chased Hart doth for the water brookes Psal. 42. And thirst for him as the dry and parched ground doth for showres of raine Psal 63 1. He will long like a woman with child for his Salvation Psal 119.174 and if it be deferred he will faint and fall into a swoune Psal. 119.81 82. And be sick of love Cant. 5.8 Such desires as these are violent and they are of such force and prevalence that nothing can withstand them A man may do what he will and carry what he will in matters of Religion if he have but earnest and vehement desires Matth. 7. Aske and it shall be given you seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened unto you This asking seeking knocking is nothing else but prayer and prayer is nothing else but the ejaculation or darting out of earnest and impetuous desires which pierce the clouds and strike up unto God get into his bosome charme his wrath opens or shuts his hands extorts mercies removes Judgements and never will away without its errand This is that golden Key as one fitly calls it which can open all lockes remove all barres raigne over all Impediments in heaven and earth It s a kinde of omnipotent thing that can prevaile with God and man above all expressions and thoughts As they write of Proteus that when any came to consult with him and to receive Oracles from him he would at the first turne himselfe into a thousand varieties of colours and shapes but if they pressed on him with importunity and held him hard and close to it he would then give them at last satisfactory oracles So the Lord though he seeme for a while to neglect and take little or no knowledge of the desires of his people and seemes to put them off and winde from them yet when their desires grow violent and when they knock at his gates with importunitie then he lets them be their owne carvers and is content that they should ravish from him whatsoever they will By this you may see how strong and forcible desires be though they seeme but of a soft and gentle straine they ravish the objects they are set on As if a man looke upon an object of beauty and lust after it you know what interpretation our Saviour makes of that so if a man look upon the Kingdom of heaven and lust after it he hath already ravished it in his heart 2. This violent disposition and straine of spirit discovers it selfe in stedfast purposes and resolutions Resolution it is the spring of Action It s that which poyseth and steeres a mans course such as our purposes and resolutions are such be our actions and enterprizes the hand of the dyall goes without as the weights and wheels of the clock turn it within so the head plots the hand acts according to the sway of a well or ill setled Resolution The heart saith if it be set right for heaven I must and will have the Kingdom of God let honours and wealth go which way they will to set up Christ upon his
Throne that he may raigne in heaven and earth and in the hearts of men Though it be a difficult a painefull and chargeable designe yet this I must and will drive to the worlds end let other things sink or swim prosper or wither it skills not the Gospell of Christ shall prevaile with me universally let the world lye at six and seven this course I must and will follow though all the dust of the earth sands on the shore and tyles of houses were devills this I will set in hand with come what will come such a resolution as this is violent and it will overcome all resistance and make a man with a full purpose of heart cleave unto God Act. 11.29 We may see a lively portraict of such a spirit in the Apostle S. Paul Act. 20.22 He went bound in the spirit as in a chaine to Jerusalem and though he knew himselfe and others told him too by the inspiration and instinct of the spirit That nothing but bonds and imprisonments waited for him in euery City yet all this could not move him he had such a magnanimous and adamantine resolution to go through with his work and fulfill his ministery that his life was not at all deare unto him neither did he set any value on it in comparison of the service which he was now upon So true is that of the Spouse Cant. 8.6 7. Love is as strong as death zeale as hard i.e. inexorable as the grave much water cannot quench it neither can the floods drown it no difficulties or oppositions can allay or abate much lesse extinguish the heate of it If a man would give all the substance of his house for it it would be utterly contemned The whole world though vayled with the most glorious and glistering temptations would be scorned as too meane and poore a bribe to draw off the heart of a man from the kingdom of God when it is once well fixed and steeled with a firme and adamantine resolution no diswasions sloth feare policy covetousnesse ficklenesse nor any other thing can either divert or stop or interrupt him in his enterprize When a man is thus obstinately and couragiously bent unto his worke this is violence well pleasing unto God The Jewes have a saying That a man should set his face as a flint and that his countenance should be like a Leopard stout and stearn and obstinate to do the will of his father in heaven 3. This consists in strong and serious endeavours A man is not violent in matters of the Kingdome of God if he do not put forth himselfe into action trying every conclusion rolling every stone and leaving nothing unattempted that may conduce to the atchieving of his end Every man saith the Philosopher workes as he is and his acts and operations are such as his principles If the inward principles of his desires beat faintly if his purposes faulter and reele and be not steady and constant then his Actings in like manner will either be none at all or feeble and unspirited and consequently fruitlesse and bootlesse as an arrow weakely shot off will not carry home but fall short of the mark and short shooting we say looseth many a game it doth so in religion also but now when the desires are as hot as a flame and the purposes as strong as steele then to be sure vigorous and Spirited endeavours will follow unavoydably The Church in Solomons Song may serve for an instance to cleer this for a long time she lay languishing and as I may say wind-bound no excitations wooings or entreaties of her lover could prevaile to get her up out of her warme bed her secure and slumbring condition some velleities and imperfect wishings and wouldings she had but still the door was locked against Christ her will was not bowed there lay the inward impediment the will was but halfe stirred and therefore no arising no motion till Christ comes and puts in his hand to the hole of the doore and takes away the bar shoots the bolt removes the Impediments and then her bowels were affected and moved towards him Then she arose and sought him with a curious diligence every where her hands bestirred themselves till they sweat till they dropt againe her feete trudges up and down the streets to finde him whom her soule loved and a world now for them that could tell her of any tydings of him Cant. 5.2 3 4 5 c. It s a true saying That love is the roote and principle of all the motions of the soul for though there be other affections and those active yet all are reducible to love and in the strength thereof they Act and put all the wheeles of the soule in motion as David when his heart was caught with a violent passion of love towards God how doth he extend and spread out his armes and put forth all oares and sailes in a strong pursuance after him Psal. 63.8 My soule followeth hard after thee there was never a more difficult and in humane view a more unfeasible design then that of the Jewes in Nehemiahs time when they were to build the house of God they had a potent faction at Court and malignant Councellours at home to retard and stop the proceedings of the work they were faine to build with a trowell in one hand and a sword in the other yet they prevailed against all difficulties and this is given in account at the reason of it The people had a minde to worke Neh. 4.6 You see now what this violence is and wherein it consists see in the next place how it workes either in relation to the good which it reacheth after and would obtaine or else in relation to the evill which it would remove and be rid of In the relation to the good which it desires to obtaine 1. It stirreth up a generous and mighty ambition to excell in the inward gifts and graces of the Spirit which are necessary qualifications for all them that would have a share in the Kingdome of God A man that is in a violent straine he cannot rest in any mediocrities never thinkes he hath vertue and grace enough still he is aspiring and reaching after more He gives all diligence to adde unto his faith vertue knowledge temperance brotherly kindnesse godlinesse all the rest of that chaine of pearls which the Apostle stringeth up 2 Peter 1.5 6 7 as well knowing that if these be in him and abound they will make that he shall neither be barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of Christ and then to be sure an entrance shall be ministred unto him abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ v. 11. As a scholler thinkes he can never have learning enough and a covetous man thinks that he can never have wealth and riches enough so is it with a Christian of a violent Spirit he never rests contented with his present pitch but labours still to abound
imputations of treason and Rebellion Jehoiada did but endeavour to put down unjust usurpation and to set up the right heire in this throne and to draw the people into a Covenant with God and yet Athalia cryed Treason treason Oh but sayes Saint Peter if ye suffer reproach for Christs sake hapyy are ye for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you 1 Pet. 4 14. A Christian is never so glorious as when he suffers most reproach and ignominy for Christs sake There is nothing in the world saith Chrisostome nothing at all comparable to that glory When men revile and persecute you and say all manner of evill against you falsly for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad saith our Saviour for great is your reward in heaven Math. 5.11 A dram of credit well lost in a good cause and for a good conscience will amount to as much in the returne of it as an eternall Crown of glory is worth but we may haply yet further endanger our liberties forfeit our dearest contentments incurre the displeasure of our friends lose our interests yea our lives and all we have in this world we could never bring them to a better market we shall gaine an hundred for one take his Word for it who cannot lye you cannot desire better assurance it being all which heaven and earth have to shew for their continuance Luke 18.29 Verily I say unto you there is no man that hath left house or Parents or brethren or wife or children for the Kingdome of Gods sake who shall not receive manifold more in this present time and in the world to come life everlasting It s a thriving trade indeede thus to part with transitory things and gaine eternall to exchange drosse for gold peebles for pearles withering flowers for an inaccessible crown Who would not traffique in such a merchandize Anselme hath a saying That if a man could serve God with all fervency of zeale and devotion for a thousand yeeres yet all this were as nothing in comparison of the happinesse to be for one halfe of a day in heaven I will say yet more If a man could performe all the vertuous exploytes and suffer all the most exquisite tortures which all the Saints and Martyrs have suffered from the beginning of the world yet all this would not beare up the scales nor hold any proportion of weight so as in any sort to be judged worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed Rom. 8.18 We can never therefore be over violent for this prize 3. And as in respect of God and his Kingdom this is necessary so in respect of the enterprisers themselves who except they strain hard presse on with much violence might as well sit down and set their hearts at rest giving over the Kingdome of heaven and eternall Salvation as a lost prize cast your eyes about which way you will whether on God or your selves or the world enemies or friends nothing can set before us the least door of hope that ever we shall come to heaven Except we strive to enter in at the straight gate Mat. 7.13.1 Looke upon God and you shall finde that he hath fixed it as an irreversible order that such as strive for mastery shall not be crowned except they strive lawfully 2 Tim. 2 5. We must conquer before we triumph win the Garland before we weare it we are too well conceited of our selves and presume too much upon Gods love without any just ground if we expect that he should bring us by a nearer way and shorter cut unto eternall glory than he did his onely begotten son who came not easily by his crowne his conquest over death and hell and the spoyles taken from them were not Salmacida spolia sine sanguine sudore spoyles got without sweat or blood-shed for he did both sweat and bleed in his striving and strugling for them and I do not finde where entrance into heaven is proposed unto us but upon such like termes in quality I meane not in equality which is impossible Revel. 2.3 To him that overcommeth will I give to sit with me on my Throne even as I also overcame and am set downe with my Father in his Throne Loe here God hath held out his Kingdome as a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} an honourable prize for brave spirits to contend and scuffle for this is the just price which he hath pitcht He that overcomes the Crown is his upon other termes it cannot be expected The old rule was {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The Gods sell all for sweate and it is indeed true that there is nothing of worth in all this world which can be got better cheap a Scholler cannot compasse any competency of skill in the Arts and Sciences without much study and travell Multa tulit fecitque puer sudavit alsit it will cost much sweat and much toyle to excell in learning A mechanicall artificer cannot thrive nor grow rich in his ordinary trade without more then ordinary diligence and shall we think the Kingdome of heaven will come dropping in our laps whilst we sit still and fold our hands and will do nothing or that which is to as little purpose as nothing for it I confesse that of Tertullian in proper speech is most true That nothing of or belonging unto God can be either bought or sold God is a most liberall Benefactor and gives us all things even his Kingdome too freely we have nothing that good is in relation to time or eternity but it comes in upon us as a gratuity and we for our parts {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} we have no price in our hands to give in exchange for such blessings especially the Kingdom of heaven which his more worth then all the world though turned into a Globe of gold or mountaine of Diamonds yet it is as true in another sence That all the blessings of God yea even the Kingdome of heaven too must be traded and trafficked for Salomon calls in customers to the shop of truth and he requires them to buy it and our Saviour commends this practise in two parables The one of a rich Treasure the other of a precious pearle Mat. 13.44 c. Many such like expressions we meete with every where in the Scripture all which import a kinde of trading and trafficking with God for the great things of his Kingdom which must be bought and purchased by laying out whatsoever we are or have for them When we offer him the flower of our desires the highest pitch of our affections and the marrow of our best endeavours this is pretium legitimum God will accept of it as of a just and currant price and if any bid short of it and will not be at such cost for heaven I can give him no other comfort but this He may go to hell if he please good cheap 2. Looke we
remission of sins Mar. 1.4 did manifestly pre-ingage the people to beleeve in him that should come after him that is on Christ Jesus Acts 19.4 Now the gospell being preached which is the word of the Kingdom it never returnes back without successe but like a draw-net when it is let down some or other are caught and converted unto Christ by it 2. Johns ministery was mighty and powerfull above the proportion of former times the people lived under shadowes and dark clouds before which cast forth but little light and yeelded lesse heate their hearts were as cold and frozen as yee under the Ministery of the Pharisees and Scribes but Iohn was a burning and shining light Ioh. 5.35 His Doctrin and conversation kindled a light of knowledge and an heat of zeal in the hearts and consciences of men which drew them to Christ with much violence 3. When Iohn had once begun this course soone after our Saviour with his twelve Apostles and 70. Disciples came after him advancing and carrying on the work to a greater height and progresse and look how far Iohns ministery excelled all that went before so far did the ministery of our Saviour and his followers excell and go beyond him both in respect of a more cleer manifestation of glorious truths and also in respect of a more forcible operation upon the consciences of men And now having rubbed out these eares of Corne come we in the next place to reap from them such fruits of instruction as they will afford the points arising hence are foure 1. That the Church and people of the New Testament is the Kingdom of heaven 2. Where it pleaseth God to raise up choyce and prâ—â—ious Instruments to Preâ—ch the Gospell as he did here there the Kingdom of Christ will forcibly come in and numbers will as forcibly presse and throng into it though there be never so much opposition against it 3. Those that would have a share in this Kingdome they must not be dull and remisse but earnest and violent in their pursuit 4. All those and onely those which are thus earnest and violent shall prevaile in their design and carry the prize which they are so eager for For the first of these That the Church and people of the New Testament is the Kingdom of heaven This is coucht in the Text and implyed onely as a ground and therefore to insist upon it at large would be a little impertinent I shall therefore hint you to some reasons for this manner of denomination and so passe it over First therefore the Church of the New Testament is called The Kingdom of heaven because in the Church and in it onely the * Heavens govern and that not onely in a generall way of power and providence for so is all the world under that government Nebuchadnâ—zzâ—r when he had been schooled by grazing 7. yeeres among the bruits he came to see this cleerly that the heavens do rule Dan. 4.26 But the Church is under the rule and government of the heavens in another manner then the world is God raignes over the world onely in a Providenciall way ordering and disposing all things according to his secret Councell but he raignes over the Church according to his own hearts desire by the Scepter of his Word and Spirit looke upon which you will of all the States and Governments in the world even those that are most exactly ordered according to the rules of Civill Policy Justice and prudence and you shall finde that they are but men at the best and often worse then men beasts and sometimes worse than beasts devils that beare all the rule and carry all the stroak The foure great Monarchies which have been so glorious in the world would you know what Emblem the Holy Scripture sets them forth by Dan. 7.17 They are foure great beasts which arise out of the Earth and to the last beast of this litter the worst of all the former though in outward respects the most glorious the Dragon resigned his power and his Throne and great authority Rev. 13.2 S. Augustin is in the right for this Magna Regna Magna lâ—troâ—ima the great Kingdomes of the world what are they else in plain English but Tabernacles of Robbers dens of Lyons and mountaines of Leopars Job 12.6 Cant. 4.8 Copernicus his conceit is here no paradox the earth mooves and the heavens are at a stand the Wisdome the Councell the Policy and Interests of the Earth turne all the spheares move all the Engins and do all in all but the Wisdome the Councell the Policie and Interests of heaven stand still and strike never a stroke carries no sway at all But in the Church it s otherwise there the Lord alone raignes in a peculiar manner and his Will is done in earth as it is in heaven c. that is the princiall reason others are of inferiour remark which I shall briefly glyde over 2. The Church is the kingdom of heaven because the Prince that commands there is the Lord from heaven * The stone cut out of the mountaine without hands heavenly in respect of his extraction and originall as being sprung from the bosome of his Father by an eternall and ineffable generation and from the womb of his Mother by a Divine and miraculous conception without any concurrence or help of man and heavenly to in respect of his Inauguration and entrance into his Kingdome which was neither by popular Election which course he declined John 6.15 nor by succession for his Kingdome rests solely in his own hands and never did nor can passe from predecessour to successor nor yet by conquest or force of Armes as other Princes enter Christ waved all these wayes and came into his Throne by an Ordinance from heaven Dan. 7.13.14 When Peter drew his sword he commanded him to put it up For my Kingdome saith he is not of this world it s in this world but not of this world the prime source and originall of it is not from hence John 18.36 3. The first planting establishing and the continuall advancement and propagation of this Kingdome proceeds not from any councell policy or strength of the world but from the Wisedome and Power of God It is God alone and no other That plants the heavens and layes the foundation of the Earth and saith unto Sion Thou art my people Esay 5.16 As they say of Thebes That it was built by the sound of Amphious harpe so its true much more of the Church and Kingdome of God it was built by the Fishermen of Galilee and not any other way but onely by the preaching of the Gospell Micah 7.11 In the day that thy walls shall be built the Dâ—cree shall be far removed which Piscator Interprets thus longe latique propagalitur Evangelium the Gospell shall be propaged far and wide all the world over 4. In respect of the Subjects who are not of this world but severed and separated from it 1.
the Land have they not been discouraged oppressed and persecuted with all extremity of rigour onely for that power of godlinesse which they held out as if they that are themselves and would gladly draw others to be subjects in the Kingdom of heaven were for that reason not worthy to live upon the earth That which we reade of the Jewes Ezek. 11.15 It was me thinkes an exact image and portraiture of the late face of our times The great ones that bare the sway cast out all the Ministers and people of God saying Get ye far hence from the Lord to us is this Land given in possession oprression was in power superstition in credit Luxury Idlenesse in favour Ignorance cherished prophannesse countenanced negligence harboured all Impiety fostered and maintained onely the faithfull servants of Christ were and eye-sore and a burthen which the land could not beare and what was the quarrell Why they could not reconcile their Consciences to the piety of those times the new revived Popery would not rellish antiquated superstitions then obtruded were not pleasing they could not concoct Idolatry with witty distinctions In a Word they could not swallow the doctrine of Balaam which some great Prelates and their adherents set abroach teaching men to bow to a piece of wood or stone the work of the hands of the Mason or Carpenter no doubt a right worshipfull block therefore the enemies either drove them out and persecuted them into strange Cities as Jeroboam did the conscientious Levites 2 King 17.21 Or if they tarried still in the Land they were appointed out as sheepe to the slaughter Zach. 11.45 consult the place and it will seeme a Prophecy calculated for our Meridian 5. To affect our hearts with just griefe yet more see if there be not a mighty Reigne of all manner of Iniquity almost every where in the Land Is there not an overflowing Deluge of Popery Atheisme Heresies Sects Schismes Idolatry Tyranny Simony Bribery Sacriledge Oppression Rapine Whordom Drunkennesse Adultery Murther with all other abominations that can be named are not all these as you heard worthily from the reverend Doctor in the morning broken in like a torrent or winter land-flood upon us It was a sad complaint of a learned and worthy Divine of ours divers yeeres since That there was such a generall corruption of manners here that all things seemed to be lawfull and might be acted freely and with impunity enough except medling with the Prelates Myters which only were so sacred that they might not be toucht the Jewes have a saying That when all the creatures were destroyed by the flood Noah had a copy of them in the Arke which was after re-printed to the world and sure I think were all the corrupt Religions and all the notorious sinnes of the world lost a new Edition might be soon supplyed and sent out by the Copies and Paternes of them that are among us Where these things are and abound it may be questioned whether the Lord raigns but it is out of all doubt that so far forth at least Sathan hath a Throne there as in the Church of Pergamus Revel. 3.13 6. That which may heighten our griefe as it doth our misery yet further since the beginning of the Reformation none of all out former Princes or Parliaments have ever yet so laid these mischiefes to heart as to make any effectuall provision against them Daut animum ad libere loquendum ultimae miseriae Extreame miseries will force a man to speak out more freely then otherwise were perhaps fitting Let me therefore intreate you most honoured Senators to lay your hands on your brests and tell me whether this be not true What law hath ever yet been enacted to enforce diligence and painfulnesse in preaching or to establish a learned and faithfull ministery Nay hath not the doore unto the Ministry been set wide open and Sacred Orders prostituted to all sorts of persons though never so apparently unfit or unworthy And hath there ever yet been any sollid well-grounded course either to prevent the entrance of such at the first or to eject and remove them afterwards The like may be said of the unsuppressed growth of scandalous sinnes dangerous errours destructive opinions and heresies besides the prodigious ignorance next to Barbarisme which hath been suffered to overflow the Dominion of Wales and the neighbouring Kingdom of Ireland to say nothing of the blinde corners in our own Land in all which there is so little knowledge of Christ and the Gospell that a man could hardly take it upon his conscience that the most of the people are not Infidels surely very few would suspect them to be Christians Who would think that such a Kingdom as this professing the Gospell and faith of Christ should suffer such abuses and prophanations and take no effectuall course for the redresse and reformation of them It may be a just griefe and shame unto us that such things may be layd to our charge and that we cannot answer for them 7. But this is yet worse then all the rest and more to be lamented That the Publique State of the Kingdome hath heretofore by Parliamentary Acts and Decrees Legitimated some of the former and sundry other mischiefes and is it not a strong conviction of sin reigning in a land where the throne of Iniquity establisheth mischiefe by a Law Psal. 94.20 Other sins may be charged upon private persons but the publique state must beare the guilt of those evills which it might have hindred and did not much more of those which it did command and how can that State be excused from commanding of sin which enacteth lawes against Gods Lawes what should I neede to tell you of the errours and oversights of former times in which the civill Authority and sanction of Parliaments hath confirmed and ratified not onely Non-residency Pluralities Impropriations and a dumb Ministery with other like corruptions but that which hath given growth and spreadth to all these and many other horrible abuses a pompous high towring and most unprofitable Hierarchy with a multitude of Chauncellours Commissaries Surrogates and other inferiour Officers depending thereupon the most of which have beene ever found by constant experience very bitter enemies to the Kingdom of God and now the whole faction of them with all its dependants is risen up in Armes to oppose Religion and Liberty and to sacrifice to their unbounded ambition the prosperity honour and happinesse of three Kingdomes It was a harsh expression but too true Religion is never in danger but among the Right Reverend 8. Once more look upon all these great evills not as sinnes onely but as Judgements also especially that Church-destroying soul-damning curse of a corrupt Ministery which is one of the forest plagues that God is wont to punish a wicked people with It s undeniable this upon the former grounds for if Pastors after Gods own heart be such undoubted pledges of speciall favour
consciences by the Scepter of his Word and Spirit and the Kingdome of God be within us as the expression is Luke 17.21 We shall then straine our indeavours with all violence to make our houses Bethels little Temples and Sanctuaries and courts for Christ to keepe residence in there shall be roome for no swearers drunkards scorners of Religion or any other children of Belial that turn the broad side against Christ and will not have him reigne over them 2. We may hold fast what we have got already not suffering any enemy to take our crown and Kingdom from us there is a holy art of violence if we could hit on it by which the King may be detained and held in our galleries by the chaines of an acceptable and well pleasing captivity Cant. 7.5 If he see us earnest and zealous with all our most serious desires and affections winding about him and passionately enamored and sick of love for him and stedfastly resolved to retaine him with us in despight of all oppositions it will not then be in the power of any enemies to drive him out or pluck him away from us It may be we cannot prevaile to advance the Kingdom of heaven to a further extent and progresse and to the achieving of new acquisitions but we may if we be zealous and resolute make good the ground which it hath already won maintaine and defend all the Forts and strong Holds which it hath already taken in and conquered We cannot be all Souldiers to fight the Lords battels in the field but there is an holy war which we all may and must wage against Christs and our enemies which would if they knew how plunder him out of his Imperiall Soveraignety and us out of our Salvation S. Jude would have all Christians {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} earnestly to contend and wrastle for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints Here it behooves us all to be stout and invincible Champions to take up the Armes of our Christian warfare against Sathan and Antichrist and all their Ensigne-bearers whosoever go about to encroach upon our consciences and to raigne over us in matters of faith and Religion besides Christ we must hold our owne against them to the last gaspe 3. If we can do nothing else yet we may help forward the propagation of the Gospell by our prayers S. Paul often moves the people to pray that a doore might be opened unto him and that the Word of the Lord might run and be glorified Habebat ille verbi tonitruum sed dari ei viam querebat saith Gregory He had the thunder of the Word and yet he desired the peoples prayers that it might get the easier entrance and make the swifter progresse through all the difficulties and rubbs which he knew it would meete with There are great mountaines of opposition that lye in the way of Christs Kingdome but prayer if it be earnest and faithfull will remove them Mat. 7.20 This was the Engine which the Prophet plyed when he would with his breath blow downe the great Monarchy of Babylon which so long hindred the Churches restitution Esay 64 12. Oh that thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down that the mountaines might flow down at thy presence when the spirit of prayer growes hot and violent it melts mighty mountaines and makes them flow downe as snow before the sun or wax before the fire There be many faithfull Ministers which now lye in chaines and suffer Imprisonment as Peter did when Herod set a strong guard of Souldiers to keepe him the enlargement of them were a great advantage to the Kingdome of God a strong Gale of prayer would turne the lock of the Prison doores shake off all their fetters and fetch them out with safety there be many blinde corners in the Land where the people sit in darknesse and the shadow of death having scarce any more knowledge of Christ and the Kingdom of heaven then those that live in the wild deserts of America how miserable is the condition of such poore soules which are besieged with hell fire and yet know not their owne danger The key of knowledge not being with them the kingdom of heaven is fast locked and shut up upon them with Iron gates and barres If we can do nothing else yet we may at least pitty such poore soules and weep over them and pray for them that the Lord would thrust some faithfull labourers into his harvest among them Mat. 9.38 4. We may and must with our prayers joyne our endeavours imploy our Interests friends purses withall the contributions talents and advantages that we have to help forward the propagation of Christs Gospell and Kingdom that it may prevaile and prosper every where especially in our own Land We all pray that his Kingdom may come we are not in good earnest but do in effect mock God when we use not all possible meanes to accomplish what we pray for If we be desirous to have a Kingdom of heaven upon earth we must spare for no cost but like the wise Merchant man venture all we have for this pearl Wherefore were our estates given us but to honour God advantage our selves and helpe our neighbours which we can no way procure more effectually then by laying them out to purchase a sound Ministery we can never put out our wealth to a nobler use riches are then Goods when they are thus imployed if there be any other this is the best way to make our selves friends of the unrighteous Mammon Luke 16.9 We may at once ingage God and man to be our friends by this course For what can be more to the honour of God or benefit of man What more acceptable to both then to do with our Estates as 〈◊〉 did after its conversion write upon them Holinesse to the Lord Lâ—in 23.18 Happy are those stones saith the Philosopher of which Temples are made and happy is that Sacred Revenue say I which is imployed {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to make a bridge for men to go to heaven by Oh that some common stock might be raised for this purpose There was an honourable design on foot some few yeeres since for the buying out of Impropriations and the redeeming of the Churches patrimony it was a worke of as eminent piety and charity as ever any this Age hath produced and the stopping of it by some execrable instruments was an act of as pure Sathanicall malice against the glory of Christ and the Soules of men as ever issued out of Hell and were there no other exception against some great Incendiaries but this it were enough to render their persons hatefull and their memory infamous to all generations But howsoever all are interessed in this yet the Ministers of the Gospell it belongs to them in a more speciall manner to endeavour the prosperity honour and enlargement of Christs Kingdome their very office and calling
bespeakes this at their hands wherefore else are they appointed of God and separated from others but to be both by their preaching and conversation builders of his house Stewards in his family Watchmen in his City Labourers in his Vineyard burning Lamps in his Temple the successe and fortune of Christs Kingdome depends next unto God upon the Issue of their endeavours If they whose office it is to attend the Sanctuary had but the fire of the Sanctuary burning on the Altar of their own hearts If they were like John the Baptist Burning and shining lights oh what a goodly light of knowledge and flame of zeale would be kindled in the hearts of the people How would multitudes come flowing in to borrow fire from their hearth and light their candles at their Lampes What a singular honour would this be to have it recorded as 't is here of John That from the days of such and such a Minister since the time of his arivall and continuance in such and such a Congregation with the parts adjacent there hath bin great contention much wrestling and violence for the Kingdome of heaven great trading and trafficking for remission of sinnes the Graces of the Spirit which before were scarce at all looked after How much better were this then to have it left upon record That since the entrance of such and such a Dumbe Minister or lazie Drone there hath been a great decay of Religion and piety a great famine of the Word with a Mighty Inundation of Popery Atheisme and all Prophannesse since the entrance of such Idoll Sheepheards and Priests of Baalam all vices have grown all vertues withered What a wofull account will such men have at the day of judgement when it shall be charged upon them as upon the Pharisees That they neither entred themselves into the Kingdome of God and that they hindred others that were desirous to enter molesting discouraging and doing what they could to cast them out with a rage that reached as high as heaven with such a violence as this they will finde that God was not nor ever will be well pleased I descend to that part of this Exhortation which concernes our honourable Senators If powerfull and plentifull preaching of the Gospell be the next way to bring down the Kingdome of heaven among us you see then Worthy Patriots what it is which the Lord and his people expect and call for at your hands The generall complaint is from every corner of the Land That the people have been for a long time almost quite without the true God and without a teaching Priest and without the Law as the Israelites were 2 Chron. 15 3. No Ministery no Worship no Ordinances or that which is little better then none and the generall request and desire is like to that motion of the man of Macedonia That you would send some over to helpe them If therefore the glory of Jesus Christ and the Salvation of his people bought with his own blood be deare and precious unto you as we know they are If ever you desire to have the honour of being the chiefest Instruments to plant a new heaven and a new earth in this Land Helpe every Congregation to faithfull Pastors and pure Ordinances you are as Joshuah and Zerubbabel the two Olive-branches or the two anointed ones which stand before the Lord of the whole earth Oh let the golden Oyle still stream out in abundance from you to feede the Lamps of the golden Candlestick Zach. 4.12 14. God hath made you nursing fathers and nursing mothers to his Church blessed be God we have found you such Go on still with your honour and make yet more full and liberall provisions for all the children of his family by this meanes Religion and the Church shall flourish more than ever and thousand thousands shall blesse God for you If you would straine your selves to do a work of the richest merit and grandest importance for the Churches of Christ I do not know any other that may be of superiour or but of equall consideration with this which among many things usefull is without all doubt That one thing mainely necessary Luke 10.42 The Kingdome of God cannot be held up without this The key of knowledge you know the custody of it in the Priests lips it is the key of heaven take away this and suppose the whole land were paved with gold and walled with rockes of Adamant suppose we were crowned like the fortunate Islands with the richest confluence of all worldly prosperity honour and happinesse what would all this availe whiles the heavens are shut up and fast locked against us Take away a right Ministery and what is the most flourishing Common-wealth but as a Paradise without the tree of life as the firmament without the Sun or as a goodly Palace richly furnished and hung about with stately ornaments but without any windowes to let in the light of heaven Among all the Religious and worthy Acts of Jehoshaphat this is recorded as one of the chiefe 2 Chron. 17.7 8 9. That he sent his Princes and with them the Levites to teach the People in the Cities of Judah and I neede not tell you for it s well knowne how prosperous and successefull that design prooved I doubt not but this practise of that incomparable Prince will be set up unto you as a pattern for imitation Blessed be God ye have begun well I shall neede to say nothing but as that Greek Commander said unto Teucer {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} go on and prosper Gather out of the Kingdome of our God {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} all things and persons that are offensive and that do Iniquity Mat. 13.41 Ye have displaced sundry unworthy and scandalous ones which like drones cumbred the hive and preyed upon the honey which should have served for the laborious Bees take the same course with the rest Remove the stumbling blockes prepare the way of the people lift up a standard that they may flocke to it as doves to their windowes this is the way to leave the Church a Pallace of Marble which you found as a cottage of brick I have insisted but too long upon this wherefore I passe it over and come to the next Those that would put in for a share in this Kingdome they must not be dull and sluggish but earnest and violent in pursuance of it There is indeed a violence nothing praise-worthy held out in Scripture which is either 1. In generall when men put forth themselves to the uttermost and draw out their strength in any sinfull way be it what it will As the Priests and people when Ahab-like they sold themselves over to Idols and the full bent and sway of their spirits was unto sin here was a violence such as it was Jer. 23.10 Their course was evill and their force not right Or 2. There is a violence taken in a more speciall
must be excommunicated for the Pontificall tribe had made a Canon That whosoever confessed Christ should be put out of the Synagogue John 9.22 34. If once we begin to advance in good earnest and set forward towards heaven it will not be long to be sure ere some furious storme of persecution be raised to drive us back againe if possible to the gates of hell In all these and sundry other respects there must be much fervency in our desires affectionate obstinacy in our resolutions and endeavours much wrestling and conflicting with God and our selves friends and enemies or else admission and entrance into the Kingdome of heaven is a thing to be despaired of I come now to inferences of use and practise and to omit others which offer themselves in variety I pitch upon three onely 1. For Instruction 2. For Reproofe 3. For Exhortation For Instruction in two Branches 1. This may informe us That Salvation is a prize not so easily won as it s commonly Imagined There is an opinion in the world Paulus Tarnovius calls it Novum Evangelium A new Gospell that if so be a man professe the true Religion and be Orthodox in his Judgement and not grosly notorious for any enormious crymes in his conversation if he come to Church and heare the Word and receive the Sacraments and have forme of Godlinesse though not the power and life of it why then such a man shall certainely be saved This new Gospell as that Reverend and worthy Divine calls it is an old Delusion and fallacy of Sathan which hath prevailed in the world from the beginning and in all ages jugled thousands out of their Salvation and wheresoever it is received and entertained it will be the destruction not of particular persons alone but of whole States and Kingdomes as it was of the old world and the Jewish Common-wealth and of Germany too now of late if the judgement of that learned man mistooke not its marke Oh this {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as Nazianzen speakes this new Gospell without charges this cheap Religion which would open us such an easie way with a few good words with a little wholsome breath to purchase the Kingdome of heaven we could rellish it well its marvellous pleasing and delightfull to our lazie and sluggish dispositions As Marcus Lepidus when he stretched himself and lay along on the grasse O utimam hoe essâ—t laborare Oh saith he that this were to labour and to get the Mastery so many of us when we stretch ourselves on our beds like them in Amos and live at ease in Sion denying nothing to our carnall affections and appetites which we have a minde to Oh say we that this were to be violent for the Kingdom of heaven for then we would list our Names and be as forward as who most but let us not be deceived The Kingdome of God consists not in Words but in power I Cor. 4.20 If Christianity were a soft and delicate profession were the way to heaven over green meddowes and floury plaines strewed with Roses and Violet and not beset with tryers and thornes with difficulties encumbrances and oppositions every Agrippa would then be not onely almost but altogether perswaded to be a Christian every prophane Esau would come in for a share none would sit out but heaven is not got with a wish nor Paradise with a song Remission of sinnes and the Graces of Regeneration they are not obtained with a sigh victory over all oppositions from earth and hell is not atchieved with a breath it s not dull and faint wishes cold and languishing velleities feeble and heardlesse endeavours that can hope to win the crowne of Glory there must be passionate longings and breakings of the heart with continuall desires after God the operation of Gods Word upon us must be as a burning fire shut up in our bones Jer. 20.9 Our zeale for God must eate us up Psal. 69.9 We must be valiant for the truth Jer. 9.3 Resist oppositions and temptations unto blood Heb. 12.4 Else were there as many heavens as there be dayes in the yeere we are never like to arrive in any of them 2. This may let us see what we are to judge of temper and moderation in matters of Religion In other things it is a vertue and worthy of much praise and it is not to be denyed That even in Religion too there are some things in which it may have place When there was too much heate in the Church of Rome about some matters of indifferency not much importing any way the Apostle to calme both parties and to compose them unto moderation and mutuall bearing with one another The Kingdome of God saith he is not meate and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 All truth carries Gods stampe and is pretious but not alike there be some truths of such moment and consequence as that they cannot be over violently striven for but there be others of an inferiour alloy which need not be held much lesse pressed upon others with so hard a hand such are not a few speculative opinions and rituall practises in matters of externall Worship in contending about which if the excesses of zeale were corrected and allayed with a little cooling of moderation no doubt it would be much better then now it is with the Church of God It s a good rule to this purpose that of the famous Chauncellour of Paris Honey is good with the honey comb and so is the Savour of Devotion when it is seasoned with a discreete mixture of moderation But although it be true that in these punctilioes as it were in Religion moderation is a Jewell yet in the profession and practise of those maine fundamentalls of Faith and Worship with other superstructions neerly bordering and coasting thereupon it is far otherwise In these things its easie to be too moderate but impossible to be over violent If we seeme to be transported into an extasie so as the world judgeth us to be besides our selves it matters not much If we be besides our selves it is unto God 2 Cor. 5.13 Religion is a tender businesse and of great concernment the glory of God and our Salvation depends on it and as Calvin said of drawing too much water out of the well of life so may I of drawing out our Spirits in too much violence for the honour of God I do not know where any man is blamed in all the Scripture for such a fault If it were possile that in hearing the Word a man were all eare if in prayer he could be rapt up into an extasie in mourning for sin if he could melt out his soule at his eyes in all the other parts of worship and practises of piety could he be all devotion and pure pure zeale it would become him well and there should be no danger of excesse How is it possible that we should have
uniformity and to labour the extirpation of heresies sects and schismes which how we can make good if every one take liberty to reare up a modell and platforme according to his owne principles without respect unto publique Authority I cannot see How can it be avoyded but there will be divisions in the worke when those that should carry it on act severall wayes without any regard to one another I wish such would consider that zeale in Religion though it be exceeding good and necessary yet it needes a sober guide much wisedome is requisite to prescribe when and where and how far and in what manner and order to proceede in carrying on a worke of so great consequence as a publique Church-Reformation is Zeale except it be ordered aright in conflicting with corruptions and abuses whether reall or pretended useth the razor sometimes with such eagernesse that Religion it selfe is thereby endangered and through hatred of tares the good corne in the field of God is pluckt up That which Isocrates said of strength is as true of zeale that if it be tempered with sound wisedome and a right Judgement it doth much good but without such a mixture it doth much mischiefe to our selves and others like Granadoes and other fire Workes which if they be not well looked to and discreetly ordered when they break do more hurt to those that cast them then to the enemy no man can be ignorant of the ill effects of an indiscreet and ill governed zeale which like unto a fire when it burnes out of compasse sets all the house and towne in a combustion It may perhaps justly be doubted whether a too slack moderation or an over-violent zeale be worse seeing the one does no good and the other does much hurt discretion without zeale is slow paced and zeale without discretion heady take therefore St. Bernards counsell let zeale spur on discretion and discretion reine zeale joyne them both together and the conjunction will be lovely I would not willingly drop one word to quench one sparke of any true Heaven-bred zeale my errand is as our Saviours was rather to kindle this fire Luke 12.49 which every Sacrifice must be salted with Marke 9.4 Let us all labour to blow up and to keepe alive this Sacred fire upon the Altar of our hearts that it may inflame our devotion towards God kindle our love towards men and burne out all our owne corruptions let it never coole with age nor abate with opposition nor be quenched with any floods of persecution whatsoever 1. As the Apostle said of patience so may I of zeale we have all neede of it especially Reformers 1. Because of the glory of God which we ought to have a tender resentment of more then of our owne lives or whatsoever is deare or precious unto us in this world Our Saviour resented the injuries and reproaches offered unto God as done unto himselfe Rom. 15.2 Because of the honour and happinesse of the Church which we ought to prefer before all our owne Interests Psal. 137.6 I have read of Ambrose that he was so zealous for the Church that he wished any storme might light upon himselfe rather then the State of it should be endangered Reverend Calvin would be content to saile over ten Seas for an uniforme draught of Religion amongst the Evangelicall Churches Moses and Paul were so transcendent in this kinde of zeale that they would have redeemed the Churches losses with their owne damnation 3 Because of the great difficulties and obstructions which we must make account to encounter with If you set your faces towards Sion the Jebusites hold it which you must remove with an Host of Idolls to boote even the blind and the lame the abhorring of Davids soule or else you shall never take the Fort 2 Sam. 5 6 7. If you will endeavour with Elias to put down the Priests of Baal Jezabel will send you a message of defiance threatning to make the Land too hot for us There are many Lyons that lye in our way it s onely a zealous violence that can Sampson-like get victory over them and honey out of them If we declare our for heaven all the faction and power of hell will be up in Armes against us Therefore we have neede of much violence 2. This will stand us in much stead 1. It will make us bold and daring it will put us upon the uttermost adventures Love and zeale will if neede be run upon the Cannons mouth dare through deaths gauntlet Cant. 8.7 Esther knew not whether she should prevaile yet she would venture though to the apparent hazarding of her Crowne and life Est 4.16 Zeale and love blush at the Name of difficulty 2. It will quicken you up to mighty endeavours a bow full bent will violently deliver the Arrow and carry it home to the marke with full strength a peece full charged will go off with great force A zealous Christian is like a ship saith Clemens carried on with full sayles towards heaven 3. It will make you constant and steady That 's no heaven-borne violence which tract of time or opposition weares out True zeal is like the Philosophers {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a sparkling firy stone no floods can quench it 4. It will make us prevalent and successefull in our endeavours if any thing in the world can Love is a pleasing Tyrant saith Chrysostome the power of it is above all power it raignes over all impediments in heaven and earth prevailing both with God and man as Jacob did This zeale then being so necessary and usefull labour we to get our hearts stored with it and see that it be of the right stampe sincere and upright ayming onely at the right end Gods glory and the Churches good Let there be no sonnes of Zebedee among us to project for themselves places of honour at the right hand or the left when Christ comes into his Kingdome away with all private designes preserve we our intentions single and sincere and we shall prosper the better 2. Let our zeale flame out upon all occasions let nothing smother the operation of it Aristotle writes of the bathes in the Pythecusian Islands that they are fiery hot yet send out no flame I cannot commend such a zeale which is smothered and pent up in the heart and gets no vent hath no externall operation a treasure concealed and an hidden vertue are both alike When that prophane King had burnt the Roll the Prophet wrote it over againe with an addition of many other like words Jer. 36.32 The more Gods Worship Ordinances Servants are opposed the more will true-hearted Zealots appeare for them to assist and vindicate them They write of a fish that hath a sword but no heart but I hope better things of you 3. Let your zeale be guided by the right Rule which is the Word of God In al your consultations and
resolutions let the Law and the Testimony be your Oracle It s a Kingdome of heaven that you are bound for and therefore your course must be like that of the Mariners guided by the heavens If you steere your course by any other line sure you will never arive where you would be at the faire havens The Heathens themselves never undertooke any great worke about the affaires of state till they had consulted the face of the Heavens what they did out of blind superstition do you from a principle of true Religion 4. When you have taken your aimes right and made choyce of fit meanes to compasse them let God alone with the successe he will make good the issue and turne all to the best As Quintillian said of a Pilot so may I of you whiles you hold the stearne and guide the compasse right you cannot be blamed although the great vessell of the State should be cast away and wracked in the storme which yet I hope it never will be Furthermore it concernes us all in common but you more especially most worthy Patriots not onely to labour for our owne particulars to take hold on this Kingdom with all violence but also to prepare way for others that they may come up to it or rather indeede that it may come downe to them As David therefore in a violent ravishment of desire that the Temple might be built cryed Psal. 24.9 10. Lift up your heads oh ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doores and the King of glory shall come in So let me addresse the like desire to you that are the Heads of our Tribes and have the keyes of the Kingdome of Great Brittaine hanging at the doores of your Honourable Senate House Oh let all the gates and doores of the Kingdome and of all the Counties Cities Parishes in it be set wide open That the King of Glory may come in The eyes of many thousands in the Land and a great part of Christendome too are now upon you you are in the hearts of all the Saints in all the Churches especially those at home who are ready to live and dye with you and what is their expectation and desire other then this That Christ may raigne as an All-Commanding King over his owne house That Doctrin Worship Government may be all exact according to the Patterne in the Mount Helpe on this much-desired Work 1 By setting a faithful pious and learned Ministery Be not offended that I touch upon this string once more How meane apprehensions soever any may have of this great Ordinance of God Preaching of the Gospell yet it is no other thing then the Scepter of Christs Kingdome the Royall Mace that is lifted up and born before him his triumphing chariot in which he rides conquering and to conquer Revel. 6.2 God is wont to hang the greatest weights upon the smallest wires The Salvation of the world depends upon this foolishnesse of preaching 1 Cor. 1.21 Blessed be God he hath given us his Word and if we could but adde what is next in the Psal. 68.11 Great is the multitude of them that publish it Sathan would soone fall downe like lightning and we should have an heaven upon earth We are zealous against Babylon and it s well that we are so I will shew you a way how to storme downe the proud walls and battlements of it without any Petards or Cannon shot or Engines of warre not so much need of these The sound of Rammes hornes will serve the turne Revel. 14.6 When the Angell flyes in the midst of heaven with an everlasting Gospell to Preach the next Newes is vers. 8. Babylon is fallen This preaching it will be the ruine of the man of sin it will spring a Myne under his Thron and beat down all his power and glory into the dust 2. If you would have a learned consciencious ministry do as Hezekiah Command the people to give the Priests and Levites their portion that they may be incouraged in the Law of the Lord 2 Chron. 31.4 Let there be due provision of oyle for all the Lamps of the Sanctuary and let there be worthy incouragements for all the severall professions of learning especially the sacred If learning should decay as some I hope without ground feare it will what can we looke for but an Inundation of Popery Atheisme prophanenesse sects heresies with all manner of Barbarity In the memory of our Fathers when it pleased the Lord to raise up Luther Melancton Calvin and many other choyce spirits it was unto the Churches even like unto a resurrection from the dead the Resurrection of learning brought with it a resurrection of Religion and a fresh spring of the Gospell which blessed be God continues still and flourishes to this day 3 But now that I have made mention of learning I may not without piacular neglect passe over the two Seminaries and seed-plots of it without a word or two It was a sad complaint of Luther against most of the Universities of Europe that they were become chaires of Pestilence and the very stewes and brothels of Antichrist God forbid that any should harbour any such apprehension of ours Blessed be God they have beene worthy Nurseries and schooles of the Prophets both of them and I hope they will continue so still Howsoever it were good to cast a little more salt into these Springs that the waters of life issuing from them may be more sweete and wholesome and that there may be no death nor barrennesse nor any thing causing miscarriage in them 2 King 29.10 The common complaint is That the two breasts though they be not quite dryed up yet they yeeld neither so much milke nor so wholesome now of late as in former times that it is now adulterated and brewed with mixtures its easie to know whence The way to heale all were to plant more wholesome heavenly and powerfull preaching there St. Basil tells That when men were desirous in his dayes to store themselves with Doves in their houses they tooke some of a milke white colour and perfumed them with odours and sweete oyntments and they flying abroad allured home with their sent all they met withall oh that we had a brood of such Doves richly perfum'd with Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia men anoynted I meane with the spirit and graces of Jesus Christ which are more sweet and odoriferous then all the unctions else in the world If there were some of these sent abroad into Country City Court and University how would multitudes flocke after them like Doves into their windowes Esay 60.8 4. If you would have Christ raigne fully freely universally all the Kingdome over let the Reformation then which is intended advance freely and fully and let it be first thorow and exact that no Rome be left for a throne of Sathan in any corner we would be loath that God should put us off with halfe a deliverance why should
like manner when men are so lazie and languishing so cold and slack in dealing for a Kingdome It s a shrew'd argument against them that sure they are not in earnest they do but play with Religion the precious treasures of heaven are set before them and they resent them not at all or but a very little make no great haste are not a whit sollicitous take no paines about the matter as if the things were of no great importance they are very moderate and delicate in making towards them neither that high hand that holds th for t h nor that blood that bought them nor that worth that is in them workes much but all is slighted God comes waiting upon them with calls and calls and with gracious offers and is not regarded hence no doubt is this black cloud risen which darkens the heavens over us The glory of God and the Salvation of our soules we do nothing many of us but jest and dally with them I have read of Anastatius the Emperor that he was by the hand of God shot to death with a hot thunder-bolt because he was luke-warme in the Catholique cause and not zealous against the Arrian faction 6. In other things where the least overture of gaine honour pleasure appeares how eager are we panting after the dust of the earth as the Prophet speakes and ready to run our selves out of breath for it if a rich purchase may be made a profitable bargaine driven an honourable and wealthy match gotten or any such other secular Commodity which we are affected with oh then we are all upon the spur upon the wing no haste no alacrity no labour or diligence is thought too much or but enough now there is violence upon violence all oares and sailes must now be plyed and shall we be thus earnest for frivolous unconcerning low things which we may have and be never the better want and be never the worse and yet carry our selves in matters of eternity as if we were all Stoicks and had no passions about us Ferventissimi in terrenis frigidissimi in caelestibus shall we be red hot as fire for earth and key cold as any Ice for heaven 7. If all this will not move looke upon wicked men how violent a bent have they to sinne Their hearts are fully set to doe mischiefe Eccles. 9.3 They inflame themselves with Idols Esay 57.5 They are as swift Dromedaries traversing their waies Jer. 2.23 Their whole force is evill and their course not right Jer. 23.10 How violent were the Israelites for their Idolatry when they offered their sonnes and daughters unto Devills Deut. 32.17 Had they so much devotion for Idols and have we so little for the true God what care did they not take what cost did they not cast away when they made haste as David hath it to poure out meate and drink offerings to another God Psal. 16.4 and shall we esteeme our true God and Religion at such a low under-hand rate as if gold and silver were too deare and precious then to be offered up upon the sacrifice and service of them as if hell and lyes were pearles never over-bought but truth and heaven meere trash and nothing worth since they would doe any thing for the one and we nothing for the other 8. Looke upon your enemies how more then Hyperbolically violent they are in carrying on their designe of Rome and Hell how furious is their march how resolute are their spirits how quick their endeavours how do they compasse sea and land to Spaine France Holland Denmarke whither do they not dispatch their Emissarie what vaste treasures do they not lay out what expence of blood do they stick at what stones do they not roll what conclusions do they not try what project have they not hammered what corner of the earth have they not searched even till hell from beneath was moved to meete them and all to drive their desperate and pernicious designe to cast downe if it were possible Jesus Christ out of his Throne and to set up Belzebub in his roome hedging fencing planting watering what could they have done more for that wilde vine that false Antichristian Religion and Church which is the vine of the earth and not of heaven it having no rooting growth nor blessing thence Rev. 14.11 If there be any to whom the Syrens voyce sounds sweete Heark what Father Campian professeth of himselfe and his fellow Jesuites Quamdiu vel vnus quispiam e nobis supererit qui Tiburno vestro fruatur fruatur that is his word whiles there was any of them left to enjoy a Tyburn tippet as old Bishop Latimer was wont to speak whiles any of them remained for the gallowes torment and imprisonment they vowed never to desist nor let fall their weather-beaten cause and what shall we be coole and moderate when they are so extreame violent Acrius illi ad perniciem quam nos ad salutem Shall they be more zealous to procure their owne and others destruction temporall and eternall then we for our owne and others Salvation 9 If we be resolute we shall prevaile and carry away the prize which we are contending for This should have been a doctrine entire of it felfe I onely touch it and but lightly too as a motive to quicken us up What will not men do upon uncertaine and often most unlikely hopes to advantage themselves but we have this hope as an Anchor sure and stedfast That if we be violent for it this Kingdome is ours none can hinder us of it such as sell all shall have the pearle Mat. 13.44 Those that shrinke not from Christ in his temptations for feare of the Crosse when he comes in his glory they shall sit upon thrones and raigne with him Luke 22.28 and for the publique cause now depending whiles we continue faithfull with and stout for God feare not the issue let the oppositions be what they will all those great Mountaines before Zerubbabel shall become a plaine Zach. 4.8 The Lord reignes though the earth be never so unquiet he will bring about his designe when men and devills have done their worst What though the pillars of the Land tremble and all the foundations of it shake as in an earth quake what though we be in danger whiles we are so violent for heaven to lose all we have on earth as the Orator sometimes told the Athenians yet we shall not have an haires harme If we serve our God with reverence and godly feare we shall receive a Kingdome that cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 Unto the which God of his infinite mercy bring us through the Merits of Christ Jesus who hath purchased it for us To whom c. FINIS Die Mercurii 29. Maii. 1644. IT is this day Ordered by the Commons Assembled in Parliament That Mr Harman do from this House give thankes unto Master Hall for the great paines he tooke in the Sermon he preached this day at the
of heaven and to omit the various use of the notion if yet it be taken at all in a various use for I rather hold with the Judicious Cameron that it imports alwayes one and the same thing even the Kingdom of Christ the mediator over the Church and people of the New Testament with the preaching of the Gospell and the other Ordinances of Evangelicall and Christian worship which properly belong thereunto There is first a Kingdom of power and providence which Christ hath as God over all the world Angels and men and devils being put in subjection under him and of this the Prophet speakes Psal. 102. v. 19. The Lord hath prepared his Throne in heaven and his Kingdom ruleth over all this is not meant here 2. There is a Kingdom of Grace which Christ as Mediator exercised in a more especiall and peculiar manner over the Church and Common-wealth of the Jewes before the time of his Incarnation and comming into the world for even the Jewes as well as we were unto God a Kingdom of Priests and an holy Nation Exod. 19.5 and the Lord was their King Judge and Lawgiver Esay 33.22 and Salomon after David his Father is said to raign over Israel sitting upon the thron of Jah 1 Chron. 29 23. and hence as one of the Ancients * well observes out of Josephus The Politick State and form of Government among the Jewes It was neither a Monarchy nor an Aristocracy nor a Democracy but a Theocracy or Divine Government the Son of God being in that Common-wealth Commander in Chief and ordering all things therein according to his own will Christ therefore reigned over the Jewes as mediator many hundreds of yeeres before he was born of the Virgin Mother the Kingdom and government even then was upon his shoulders yet you shall never finde throughout all the whol Scripture that State and manner of Christs Raign over the Church of the Old Testament called The Kingdom of Heaven and the principall reason seemes to be this because the whol policy and form of it was Typicall and Ceremoniall all things being carried then in clouds and shadows and mysticall prefigurations of good things to come the truth and substance whereof was not yet exhibited and revealed Hence the Apostle shuns not to call the Jewish Tabernacle a worldly Sanctuary Heb. 9.1 and their Ordinances and rites of Worship carnall Ordinances imposed onely untill the time of reformation vers. 10. the like censure he is bold to passe upon their sacrifices and offerings They were only patterns and * figures of things in the heavens and not the heavenly things themselves vers. 23. the people also were in comparison of the Christian Church a carnall people and the whole oeconomy and frame of their Religion worship and government was to be shaken and removed as with an earth-quake at Christs comming Heb. 2.27 * therefore that pollicy and ceremoniall forme of Church administration was not fit to be called by so high and glorious a Title The Kingdom of heaven But now in the dayes and by the ministery of John the Baptist the Leviticall Paedagogie with all the carnall rudiments and umbrages of it began to wax old and to weare out of date another manner of Church State much more spirituall entring then upon the Stage and comming in by degrees in the roome of it which therefore in the New Testament is commonly called The Kingdom of heaven The mother place in Scripture from which this notion was derived is Dan. 2.44 In the dayes of those Kings the God of heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed c. this passage Aben-Ezra and the Jewish Rabbins do generally interpret as Cameron observes of the Messias his Kingdom which they were wont to call {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Kingdome of heaven * The denomination is not taken as is commonly thought from the subject or place of residence but from the efficient rather for with them in their Dialect the Kingdom of the Messias or Son of God and the Kingdom of the heavens are termes of promiscuous use as they are also in Scripture compare Mat. 70.7 with Luke 10.9 and you shall finde that which in the former place is called the Kingdom of heaven in the latter is the Kingdom of God the difference in the thing it self being none at all but onely in the sound of words But now this Evangelicall state of the Christian Church called the Kingdom of heaven it is either Militant or Triumphant the State of Grace or the State of Glory which for kinde and nature are both one and differ but onely in degrees for the State of grace what is it else but glory begun the way to the Kingdom is not without some first fruits of the Kingdom saith * Bernard And the State of glory on the other side what is it else but grace fully perfect and consummate It is the former of these which is here principally meant to wit the Militant Estate of the Christian Church in which men are brought to live under the gracious and milde government of Christ their minds being inlightned guided and powerfully moved and over-ruled 1. To repent of all their sins and then 2. To accept of the pardon and remission of them in such sort as it is offered in the tenor of the New Covenant 3. To render back as a Tribute of thankfulnesse a free cheerfull universall and constant obedience to all the revealed Will of God The next thing to be cleered is how this Kingdom may be said to suffer violence And here Interpretors varie I shall give a touch of their severall descantings It may be the very discords will help to make the Musick better and the harmony more pleasing the sum of all or most of the tendries I have met with is reducible to these three heads The violence here spoken of may be taken either as it is opposed 1. To Natures 2. To Just and right or 3. As it is opposed to temper and moderation First it may be taken as opposed to that which is according to Nature the Philosophers are wont to distinguish of motion thus That it is either naturall or violent naturall motion springs from naturall principles and tends to naturall objects and ends but the motion saith Hierome of these enterprizers was not such but violent and strained in respect of its principles object and end It was in all these beyond the spheare and compasse of nature those that were by nature born men of an elementary constitution being upon the matter little other then mushromes sprung out of the earth were transported with a more then generous affectation to become Angels and their ambition was so transcendent and supernaturall that nothing could satisfie them under heaven and this seemed to be such an extream violence against the common course and strain of nature as if fishes should affect to leave their watery
Element to live in the earth or as if Camels and Elephants should strive to leave the earth and go live and swim in the Sea 2. But this Interpretation it self is judged by some to be too much forced and violent and therefore Ambrose and Hillary take violence here as opposed to just and right * We are wont you know to call them violent who invade and seize upon that by force which they have no good right nor title unto as theeves and robters do by the high way In like manner the Gentiles say these Authors who had no right unto the Kingdom of Heaven for they were strangers from the Common-wealth of Israell aliens from the Covenants of promise without God and without hope in the world yet they came thronging and crowding in howsoever whether they had any good tenure or no quo jure quaque Injuriâ they came according to our Saviours prediction from the East and from the West and from the North and from the South and seated themselves in the Kingdome of God whiles the Jewes which were the children of the Kingdom were cast out of doores Luk. 13.28.29 Rapuit Ecclesia regnum a Synagogue saith Ambrose the Jewes being Abrahams children thought this kingdom to be an inheritance due unto them onely in respect of their lineall descent and propagation from their Ancestors but the Gentiles came by force and shouldered them out and took all their Ancient rights and Priviledges from them This exposition carries smoothnesse and concinnity enough with it and might well be admitted were it not that it antedates a little too soone the conversion of the Gentiles who sprung not in with such violence nor in such numbers and multitudes till after the dayes of Iohn the Baptist in whose time yet this violence began 3. Therefore the more received and as I think the more judicious interpretation of this violence here takes it as opposed to temper and moderation for so in moralls we account them violent who are not dull and sluggish but earnest and serious in their work warm and zealous in their pursuite impetuous and resolute in their undertakings and such was the disposition of many people in Johns dayes they were so bent and set upon the Kingdom of heaven that no difficulties or discouragements could take them off they would have a share whatsoever it cost them As Souldiers when they lye before a besieged City they set to their long ladders and Scale the walls and when they are got in they flye upon the spoyl and seize upon what ever comes next to hand so was the course of these violent ones The Kingdom of heaven was no sooner opened but they sprung in and took hold of this glorious prize and carried all away before them with maine force But there is yet another Interpretation of this place given by Melancton which though it lye a little out of the common rode and is not much nor so far as I can finde at all taken notice of by others yet it seemes to me very considerable and worthy of due regard as well as any of the former the sum of his notion to give you an account of it in a word it is grounded upon the proper signification and common use of the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which in all sorts of Authors is for the most part taken in the active and but seldom and very sparingly in the passive and if you please thus to take it here the sense will run cleer and smooth to this effect from the dayes of John the Baptist untill now regnum caelorum vi ingruit vi irrumpit the kingdom of heaven breakes in by force As the sun though it may be over-cast with a dark cloud yet the beames of it will at last break out or as a mighty violent flood or winter torrent though it meete with many obstructions to dam up its course yet it will burst through and flow over them so the kingdom of heaven howsoever there were oppositions raised to obstruct the passages and proceedings of it yet it violently rushed in bearing down all resistance removing all rubs and raigning over all impediments that lay in the way of it This Exposition hath nothing forced nor strained in it it agreeth well with that native force and common use of the word and there is another paralell place Luk. 16.16 which much favoureth this sence From the dayes of Iohn the Baptist untill now the Kingdom of heaven is preached and every one presseth into it the word is the same there and here and I know no reason of any force why the Active signification of it may not be admitted here as well as there the places being parallell its probable enough that one and the same line of Interpretation may serve them both Besides the currant use of the word in this sense among other Authors the Septuagint as far as I can finde takes it alwayes thus to wave other places for the present that in Exod. 19.24 is full and punctuall for this {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Let not the Priests and people break through to come up unto God and the next clause to the Text for the Law and the Prophets were untill Iohn fairely admits if not requires this construction his Ministry being the common bound-stone betwixt the Jewish and the Christian Church the limits from which the Law and the Prophets took their conclusion and the Gospell and Kingdome of Christ its commencement and inauguration However because I delight not to recede from the beaten tract unlesse it be upon urgent necessity therefore choose whether sence you please the difference will not be materiall in respect of the observations arising hence which before I enter upon there is yet one thing more to be explained in a word or two and that is Why from the dayes of John the Baptist this Kingdome of the heavens doth thus violently come in or if you relish the former notion better Why it suffered such violence in his dayes more then in former times The Reasons are 1. Because the Law and the Prophets were in force untill those dayes and then upon the expiring of that dispensation Johns ministery with the Gospell and Kingdome of Christ like time and the motion of the heavens took beginning together at one and the same instant therefore the Evangelist hath coupled them both together Mar. 1.1 2 3. and S. Peter hath done the like Act. 10.37 The Word you know which was published through all Judea beginning at Galilee after the Baptisme which John Preached Iohns Ministery it was you see preparatory and introductive unto Christ the whole designe of his Preaching and Baptisme was to discover Christ and to make him manifest unto Israel Iohn 1.31 His preaching being in the Spirit and power of Elias tended unto this to make ready a people prepared for the Lord Luke 1.17 and his Baptisme being a summons to repentance for the