mighty and powerfull to bring about the end it was appointed for this was the sole Apostolicke Weapon whereby they subdued all the world to the Scepter of Christ 2 Cor. 10 4.5 It is not the bare sound of the Word but the concurrence of God with his own Ordinance that did give it such life and successe every where Mark 16. ult. As the woman of Tekoah was subtile because the hand of Ioab was with her so the Preaching of the Apostles was powerfull because the hand of the Lord was with them Act. 11.21 Zabarell gives this account why heate being but a meere accident is yet the cause of all nutrition It is not as it is a bare quality but as the Instrument of the Soule And if any aske How the Preaching of the Gospell workes such rare effects it being so weak and contemptible a thing the answer is Non ut sonus sed ut instrumentum dei not as it is a sound but as the Instrument of God there was never any man more excellently accomplished or more diligent in this great work then the Apostle S. Paul he carried the Word of the Kingdom and set up the Scepter of Christ well neere to the third part of the know world Yet I dare not speak saith he of any thing which Christ hath not wrought by me to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed through the mighty power of the Spirit of God Rom. 15.19 20. 2. In the Gospel there is a discovery of great and glorious things which objectively and morally work upon the apprehensions of men All objects make impressions upon the hearts of men according as the worth and excellency the use and necessity of them is more or lesse apprehended every man is drawn by that which appeares best for him in his own judgment As a sheepe may be led along with a green bow so may an Epicure with pleasures an ambitious man with a baite of honour and covetous men with a bribe a martiall man with feats of Armes and every man with that which carries the greatest stroke with him and which he hath the greatest apprehention of In like manner doth it fall out here the great things propounded in the Gospell when they are seene and understood according to their own worth they attract the heart and ravish the affections the Arminians say That the Word preached workes upon the understanding irresistibly in the Elect no doubt it doth so when the houre is come which God hath appointed and when there is an impression of light set on irresistably upon the minde the will and affections are alwayes in a due proportion equally moved and stirred as the hinder wheeles in a coach are with the former and when both the understanding is conquered and the will caught and the affections ravished what then can hinder men from comming into the Kingdome of Christ If the Pharisees by taking away the key of knowledge debarred men of entrance into the Kingdome of God Mat. 23.13 Luke 11.52 Surely then the preaching of the Gospell and the dispensation of the mysteries of it being the right use of the Keyes of knowledge must needs be a meanes to give people admission and entrance into that Kingdom 3. In the Preaching of the Gospell there is not onely a bare Proposition and discovery of glorious things to whet up and provoke the affections of men but there is an offer and tendry of them upon the easiest and freest termes as if the Lord were weary of his Kingdome and would gladly make it over unto men he offers it for nothing requires nothing but acceptance and thankes more than this he intreats and woo's and sollicites men yea he importunes and urges and in a manner offers violence unto them to make them plyant and tractable to their own happinesse As Lot urged the Angels and offered violence to them to come and lodge with him Gen. 19.3 and Jacob in like manner was urgent with his brother to accept his present Gen. 33.11 and the Levites father-in-law would needs with much importunity heape kindnesse upon him so the Lord he seemes with a loving violence to obtrude as it were his Kingdom upon men and to presse it upon them with such eagernesse of affection as if he knew not how to be happy without them When the guests that were invited to the marriage Supper of the Kings Son refused the offer Go saith he into the high wayes and hedges and Market places and bring in the blinde and the lame and the halt {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Luke 14.23 compell them to enter in that is use all your uttermost endeavours to allure and draw them try all conclusions by perswasions promises threats to work upon them As Lot when he lingred in Sodom and was loth to depart the Angells layd hold on him and pluckt him out so the Lord would have his servants to enforce as it were and hale men into his Kingdom that they might be saved not that he doth in proper speech constrain or enforce the will for that agrees not with its nature it being a rational faculty which cannot be compelled but the Lord drawes it with a sweet and liberall {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a loving and gentle violence a pleasing powerfull necessity which in effect is all one with those cords of a man and bands of love which the Prophet speakes of Hosea 11.4 and when men are thus drawn it s no marvell if they come and offer violence to the Kingdom of heaven when it hath first offered such violence to them 4. The Gospell and Kingdom of Christ is of an increasing and growing nature it spreads like a leaven Mat. 13.33 growes like a graine of mustard seed ver. 31. It got first into families then it crept next into Cities afterwards it advanced into whole Provinces Countries Common-wealths that little stone that was cut out of the mountaine without hands figured the Kingdome of Christ which will break in pieces all other Kingdomes and grow into a great mountaine filling the whole earth Deut. 2.34 35. 5. And that which is yet more observable this Kingdom of Christ it growes by its losses thrives by its decayes prospers by its oppositions it is in this like unto a bed of Cammomill the more it s trodden down the more it gets up and riseth the old rule here if ever holds true Punitis ingeniis gliscit it authoritas opposition makes the Gospell it self and those that bring it gather strength and win the more Authority when the Apostle was cast into prison the Word of the Lord was not bound howsoever the Adversaries thought to stop the proceedings of the Gospell by that course yet it tended rather to the enlarging and propagation thereof Phil. 1.11 12. Lo here how bonds and fetters helped forward the happy spreading and progresse of Christs Kingdome opposition at Jerusalem made it get footing in
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.
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
hath the key of the house of David that opens and none shuts and shuts none opens he hath set before us an open door as he did for Philadelphia Rev. 3.7.8 and although there hath been and still is much opposition and great endeavours to have this door shut and fast bolted yet still it s kept open in despight of Rome and hell and is not this just matter of comfort that God hath by his Word opened us a passage into his Kingdom which no Art or power of the Enemies can block up Doth it not revive and cheer up our Spirits in our saddest droopings that although the Lord suffers our treasures to waste our estates to be drayned our provisions and supplies brought low though he feede us with the bread of adversity and water of affliction as it is in the Prophet Esay 30.20 21. Yet he suffers not our teachers to be scattered into corners notwithstanding all opposition he still continues a fresh Spring of the Gospell and with it the cloud of his presence among us Surely we are injurious to the bounty and goodnesse of our God in this kinde and value it not aright If it beare not such weight in our estimations and thoughts as to counter-vaile and more then countervaile to out-ballance all our afflictions And though there be some that would make us beleeve That we are still in the midst of Babylon and that it is not Christ but Antichrist that hath his Throne among us yet that is not a more malicious then an ignorant slander and tends not a little were it true to the honour of that man of sin For how almost can you honour him more as a reverend and grave Author sayes well then by holding him to be such an one under whose raigne a faithfull and effectuall ministery takes place the Word of the Kingdom being purely preached the Sacraments rightly administred for substance thousands of people converted and the way to Salvation and life eternall as open as in any other place in the world Surely we should be worse scared then hurt with those expressions of horrour and atrocity which the Scripture brands the kingdom of Antichrist with if this were the condition of his raign and government Sed non sic notus Vlysses I hope we are taught of God to know the manners of that man of sin otherwise then so But to passe over this let us descend into a more particular survey and discovery of our present condition and then I doubt me we shall finde but too much ground of just mourning and humiliation for although it is true that there is a Kingdom of heaven among us which prospers and flourishes in a considerable degree yet it hath not spread and got ground in such a large manner as might have beene expected and desired A man would think that we who have been tenants in the Lords land and have had a Patent and Charter of the Gospell leased out unto us for the terme of more than fourescore yeeres with many other great advantages above other parts of the world a man would think I say we should have been long since a people so refined in Religion so ripe in knowledge so eminent for the life and power of godlinesse so exemplary for purity of Ordinances Ministery Doctrine Worship and Government as might have rendred us a praise in all the Reformed Churches and a singular pattern and myrrour to the other parts of the world But alas how far short are we of such a condition and what great cause have we of mourning and humiliation in sundry respects 1. Its matter of mourning That although there be some yet we have not workmen enough rightly fitted and furnished with ability and fidelity for the Kingdom of God if we had as many labourers as Solomon had for the building of the Temple and he had many hundreds of thousands 1 Kings 5.15.16 yet all this would be no more then sufficient in respect or the great Work of God now in hand and upon the wheeles among us But alas we have scarce the tithe of that number the harvest is great and the labourers but few as our Saviour complained in a like case Luke 10.2 The Apostle having mentioned some 4. or 5. men of principall note who assisted him in the great work of Preaching the Gospell hee doth as it were fetch a sigh and breath out his soul in an expression of some griefe for that there were no more such Col. 4.11 These onely saith he are my fellow workers unto the Kingdom of God which have beene a comfort unto me you know how our Saviour mourned and how his bowels yearned with compassion over the multitudes when he observed them to be destitute in this kinde and scattered abroad like sheep without a sheepheard Mat. 9.36 2. It s yet more to be lamented that we are clogged and cumbred with others who in stead of promoting and carrying on do indeed retard and set back the proceedings of the Gospell and Kingdom of Christ {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as the saying of Byas was their very help is a disadvantage and an hinderance rather there be no small numbers imployed in the Service of the house of God whom a man would disdaine to set with the dogs of his flock as Job hath it Chap. 30.1 of this sort are 1. Those troopes of blinde guides ignorant sots priests of Jeroboams order the scum and froth of the people Indeed the silliest creatures in the world if they were but men were good enough as one fayes to make priests for Jeroboams gods which were but calves but what hath the Gospell and Kingdome of Christ deserved that it should be put into the hands of such hucksters 2. Little better upon the matter though some of them are more learned are those Loiterers rather than labourers in Gods Vineyard who feede themselves and famish their flocks Non-residents I meane who through covetousnesse make Merchandize of the Church of God and care not what becomes of the soules of the people bought with Christs blood so they may wallow in their pomp and jollity Master Greenham wished that this Inscription or Motto might be written on their doores and posts on their beds and tables on their study bookes plate and all their furniture precium sanguinis pretium sanguinis The price of blood The price of blood 3. Worse then both the former are those sonnes of Eli or sons of Belial rather who by their corrupt Doctrine or scandalous conversation poyson those who are committed to their charge pulling down the Church and Kingdom of God with both hands but building it up with neither if the people call for bread they give them a stone and when they aske a fish reach them a Serpent are not Christs flock trow ye well provided for when they are set over to the feeding of such Wolves 4. That small sprinkling of faithfull Ministers and people that are in
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
more and more strives if possible to get up a note above Elah sets himselfe no bounds counts all that he hath attained as nothing like the Apostle S. Paul whose zeale and covetousnesse and ambition in this kind was so beyond all measure super superlative that although he had already gotten the greatest measure of grace that ever any mortall man attained on this side of heaven yet he forgot it all and scarce thought it any competencie still pressing forward to an higher marke as if he would pre-occupate the state of glory and attaine even in this world unto the resurrection of the dead Phil. 3.11 2. In the worship and Service of God and in the use of all the Ordinances publique and private the violence of a mans spirit workes much in this the Jewes have a rule That whatsoever a man doth in the solemn Worship of God he should stretch and straine his inventions to do it with all his might else it is not currant nor allowable with God and the Apostle requires the like Rom. 12.11 He would not have a man slight and formall but fervent in Spirit serving the Lord and the word notes an ebullition or boyling up of our spirits to the height The oddes is not great if any at all between the omission of duties altogether and the remisse performance of them seeing a man is a looser both wayes Acts of worship and devotion when they are livelesse and superficiall are like a bow slack bent which will not carry the arrow home to the marke S. Basil observes further That such slighting over duties is not onely unprofitable but hurtfull and prejudiciall to the State of the soule as tending onely to nourish an hypocriticall and barren formality There is nothing in the world more unbecomming the worship of God then such a slight wanton superficiall straine of spirit when a man playes with Religion and serves God as if he served him not It was Davids just praise that the Zeale of Gods House did eate him up Psal. 69.9 And he daunced before the Arke with all his might and when Michael scoffed at him for it I will saith he be yet more vile then thus for God 2 Sam. 6.14 22. Nor was Hezekiah behind him in this of whom to his everlasting honour it is recorded that 2 Chron. 31.27 In every worke which he began in the service of the house of his God and in the Law and in the Commandements to seeke his God he did it with all his heart and prospered The ancient primative Christians when they met and crowded together with one shoulder at their devotions were so earnest that they seemed to besiege the Throne of Grace and to raise a common strength to invade and make a riot upon God in their prayers and this saith Tertullian was a violence right welcome unto God Jacob was honoured and called Israel for this because he wrestled in prayer and by main strength prevailed like a Prince with God Hos. 12.3 4 5. Gen. 32.28 3. Nor is the violence either lesse acceptable or lesse necessary which we are to use for the Word and worship of God either to maintaine and hold it up when we have it or to restore and recover it if lost or endangered S. Jude held it necessary to write unto beleevers to stir them up {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Earnestly to contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints v. 3. and the angell of Pergamos is much commended for holding fast Christs Name and not denying his faith in a time of persecution Revel. 2.13 If wicked men would rob us of the Gospell take from us the Worship and Ordinances of God plunder us of our glory our crown our Salvation here we must hold fast what we have Revel 2.25 Not giving place by subjection no not for an houre Gal. 2.5 nor yeeld to betray one sillable unto them as Basils worthy resolution was we value not the truth of God nor set a right estimate upon his worship and Ordinances if we be not violently bent to maintaine and defend them to the last drop of our blood And if there be a famine of the Word a want or losse of any part or piece of worship it must be violently striven and contended for Solomon would have us buy the truth and not sell it Prov. 23.23 at any rate to purchase it at no rate to part with it a man that is rightly principled for heaven will venture through an Army of Philistims for water of life as Davids worthies did unto the well of Bethlehem the people would part with their very Jewells the most pretious things they had for the erecting the setting up of Gods Tabernacle David would not take an houres rest till he had prepared an habitation for the Arke Psal. 132.3 4 5. and because he set his affection upon the house of God he prepared for the building of it with all his might 1 Chron. 2 3 4 He thought it a thing unbecomming him to dwell himselfe in a house of Cedar when the Arke of God dwelt under curtaines and the Jewes in the sore famine and siege of Jerusalem brought ever the fairest and fattest Cattell for sacrifices though they were constrained themselves to feede upon Rats and Mice and other worse vermine they chose rather to pine and famish their own bodies that the Altars of God should be altogether unfurnished or take up with the worst and when the Tribunes complained for want of gold in the Treasury to offer to Apollo the Romane Matrons plucked off their chaines bracelets and rings freely offering them to the Priests to supply that defect in the service of their gods This certainly was a high straine of devotion in those Jewes and Heathens And what do you think of the Primitive Christians were not they also thus violent when they sold their estates and layd down the price of them at the Apostles feete to purchase the meanes of Salvation for themselves and others If the people of this land would bid so high for the rich pearl of the Gospell The Kingdom of heaven were ours 2. And as in procuring of helpes meanes and advantages for the attainement or advancement of the kingdom of God so in removing the lets and impediments this heaven-sprung-violence will work and bestir it self to the uttermost If the Gospell of Christ the Word of the Kingdom chance to be brewed with humane traditions or the Worship and Ordinances of God adulterated with spurious institutions and impure mixtures Quid non audet amor what will not a man of violence do or suffer What labour or cost will he spare What adventures will he not make What hazards not run rather them suffer if he can helpe it such pollutions He will set his shoulders with Sampson to the pillars of Dagons house and pull them down though himselfe be oppressed in the ruines he will cut down the