Introduction: Taking Heaven by Violence
Greek and Latin languages, have been omitted in this. The propriety of this retrenchment must be self-evident; as they tended rather to embarrass than instruct the great bulk of those into whose hands this little work might fall, while at the same time they greatly enhanced the price.
The publisher well apprised of the value of the tract which he now offers, has been anxious to render it as a cheap as possible; and he sincerely hopes, that it may be the happy means of converting some from the miserable ways of sin and death, to the paths of righteousness and everlasting life.
That this may be the happy lot of all into whose hands this may come, is the sincere wish of.
THE PUBLISHER.
New-York, March 26, 1810.
Introduction:
Taking Heaven by Violence
MATTHEW 11:12.
The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
John baptist hearing in prison the fame of Christ, sends two of his disciples to him with this question, art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? verse 3. Not (as Tertullian thinks) that John
Baptist knew not that Jesus Christ was the true Messiah; for he was confirmed in this both by the spirit of God, and by a sign from Heaven, John 1:33. But John Baptist hereby endeavoured to correct the ignorance of his own disciples, who had a greater respect for him than for Christ.
In the fourth verse Christ answers their question, go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see; the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, &c. Jesus Christ demonstrates himself to be the true Messiah, by his miracles which were real and occular proofs of his divinity. John's disciples being departed, Christ falls into an high eulogium and commendation of John Baptist. Verse 7. What went ye out into the wilderness to see, a reed shaken with the wind? As if Christ had said, John Baptist was no inconstant man, fluctuating in his mind, and being shaken as a reed from one opinion to another; he was no Reuben, unstable as water, but was fixed and resolute in religion, and a prison could make no alteration in him.
Verse 8. But what went ye out for to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? John did not indulge his senses; he wore not silks, but camels' hair; nor did he affect to live at court, but in a wilderness,
Matt. 3:3, 4.
Again, Christ commends John as being his forerunner, who prepared the way before him; verse 10. He was the morning star which did precede the sun of righteousness; and that Christ might sufficiently honour this holy man, he doth not only parallel him with, but prefer him before, the chief of the prophets. Verse 9. What went ye out for to see? a prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
Verse 11. Among them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: he was eminent both for dignity of office, and perspicuity of doctrine; and so the text is ushered in:
From the days of John the Baptist, until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. In which words there is, 1. The preface or introduction; from the days of John the Baptist until now. John Baptist was a zealous preacher, a Boanerges, or son of Thunder, and after his preaching people began to be awakened out of their sins.
Hence learn, what kind of ministry is like to do most good, namely, that which works upon the consciences of men. John Baptist did lift up his voice like a trumpet, he preached the doctrine of repentance with power, Matt. 3:2. Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand:
He came hewing and cutting down men's sins, and afterwards preached Christ to them. First, he poured in the vinegar of the law, then the wine of the gospel. This was that preaching which made men studiously seek after Heaven: John did not so much preach to please, as to profit; he chose rather to discover men's sins, than to shew his own eloquence. That is the best looking-glass, not which is most gilded, but which shews the truest face.—That preaching is to be preferred, which makes the truest discovery of men's sins, and shews them their hearts. John Baptist was a burning and shining light; he did burn in his doctrine, and shine in his life; and from that time men pressed into Heaven. Peter (who was filled with a spirit of zeal) having humbled his hearers for their sins, and opened to them a fountain in Christ's blood, they were then pricked at their heart, Acts
2:37. 'Tis the greatest mercy to have a soul-searching ministry. If one had a desperate wound, he would desire to have it searched to the bottom: who would not be content to have their souls searched, so they may have them saved?
2. The matter in the text, the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
What is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven?
Some interpret it of the doctrine of the gospel, which reveals Christ and Heaven.—So Erasmus.
But, I rather by the Kingdom of Heaven understand glory: and so learned Beza and others.
This Kingdom 'suffereth violence.'
'Tis a methaphor from a town or castle that holds out in war, and is not taken but by storm. So the Kingdom of Heaven will not be taken without violence; 'The violent take it by force.'
The earth is inherited by the meek, Matt. 5:5. Heaven is inherited by the violent. Our life is military, Christ is our captain, the gospel is the banner, the graces are our spiritual artillery, and Heaven is only taken in a forcible way. The words fall into two parts.
1. The combat, suffereth violence.
2. The conquest, the violent take it by force.
The right way to take heaven is by storm: or thus, none get into heaven but violent ones.
This violence has a double aspect.
It concerns men as magistrates; they must be violent.
1. In punishing the nocent. When Aaron's Urim and Thummim will do no good, then must Moses come with his rod. The wicked are the bad humours and surfeit of the commonwealth, which by the care of magistracy are to be purged out. God hath placed governors 'for the terror of evil doers,' 1 Peter 2:14. They must not be like the swordfish, which hath a sword in his head, but is without a heart. They must not have a sword in their hand, but no heart to draw it out for
the cutting down of impiety. Connivance in a magistrate supports vice, and by not punishing offenders he adopts other men's faults and makes them his own. Magistracy without zeal is like the body without the spirits. Too much lenity emboldens sin, and doth but shave the head which deserves to be cut off.
2. In defending the innocent. The Magistrate is the asylum or altar of refuge for the oppressed to fly to. Charles, duke of Calabria, was so in love with doing justice, that he caused a bell to be hung at his palace gate, which whosoever did ring, was sure presently to be admitted into the duke's presence, or have some officers sent out to hear his cause. Aristides was famous for his justice, of whom the historian saith, he would never favour any man's cause because he was his friend, nor do injustice to any because he was his enemy. The magistrate's balance is the oppressed man's shield.
This violence concerns men as Christians. Though Heaven be given us freely, yet we must contend for it, Eccles. 9:10. 'What thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might.' Our work is great, our time short, our master urgent, we had need therefore summon together all the powers of our souls, and strive as in a matter of life and death, that we may arrive at the kingdom above: We must not only put forth diligence, but violence. For the illustrating and clearing the proposition, I shall shew, 1. What violence is not meant here: This violence in the text excludes,
1. An ignorant violence; to be violent for that which we do not understand, Acts 17:23. 'As I passed by and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, to the unknown God.' These
Athenians were violent in their devotion; but it might be said to them, as Christ said to the woman of Samaria, John 4:22. 'Ye worship ye know not what.' Thus the Catholics are violent in their religion, witness their pennance, fasting, dilacerating themselves till the blood comes, but it is a zeal without knowledge: their mettle is better than their eye-sight.—When Aaron was to burn the incense
upon the altar, he was first to light the lamps, Exod. 25:7. When zeal like incense burns, first the lamp of knowledge must be lighted.
2. It excludes a bloody violence, which is twofold: First, when one goes to lay violent hands upon himself. The body is an earthly prison where God hath put the soul; we must not break prison, but stay till
God by death lets us out. The centinel is not to stir without leave from his captain; nor must we dare to stir hence, without God's leave. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 6:19 when we offer violence to them, we destroy God's temple: The lamp of life must burn so long as any natural moisture is left like oil to feed it.
Secondly, When one takes away the life of another. There's too much of this violence now a-days. No sin hath a louder voice than blood,
Gen. 4:10. The voice of thy brother's blood cryeth unto me from the ground. If there is a curse for him that smites his neighbor secretly,
Deut. 27:24 then he is double cursed that kills him. If a man had slain another unawares, he might take sanctuary, and fly to the altar: but if he had done it willingly, the holiness of the place was not to protect him, Exod. 21:14. "If a man come presumtuously upon his neighbour to slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from mine altar that he may die." Joab being a man of blood, king Solomon sought to slay him, though he caught hold on the horns of the altar, 1 Kings
8:29. In Bohemia formerly, the murderer was to be beheaded, and put in the same coffin with him whom he killed. Thus we see what violence the text excludes.
2. What violence is meant here; it is an holy violence. This is twofold.
1. We must be violent for the truth. Here Pilate's question will be moved, "What is truth?" Truth is either the blessed word of God, which is called the Word of Truth. Or those doctrinals which are deduced from the Word, and agree with it as the dial with the sun, or the transcript with the original; as, the doctrine of the Trinity, the doctrine of the creation, the doctrine of free-grace, justification by the blood of Christ, regeneration, resurrection of the dead and the
life of glory: these truths we must be violent for, which is either by being advocates for them, or martyrs.
Truth is the most glorious thing; the least filing of this gold is precious; what shall we be violent for, if not for truth? Truth is ancient; its grey hairs may make it venerable; it comes from him who is the ancient of days. Truth is unerring, it is the Star which leads to Christ. Truth is pure, Psalm 119:140 it is compared to silver refined seven times, Psalm 12:6. There is not the least spot on truth's face; it breathes nothing but sanctity. Truth is triumphant; it is like a great conqueror, when all its enemies lie dead, it keeps the field, and sets up its trophies of victory. Truth may be opposed, but never quite deposed. In the time of Dioclesian, things seemed desperate, truth ran low, soon after was the golden time of Constantius, and then truth did again lift up its head. When the water in the Thames is lowest, an high tide is ready to come in. God is on truth's side, and so long there is no fear but it will prevail: The Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, 2 Peter 3:12 but not that truth which came from Heaven, 1 Peter 1:25.
Truth hath noble effects. Truth is the seed of the new birth. God doth not regenegate us by miracles, or revelations, but by the word of truth, James 1:18. As truth is the breeder of grace, so the feeder of it,
1 Tim. 4:6. Truth sanctifies, John 17:17. Sanctify them by thy truth.
Truth is the seal that leaves the print of its own holiness upon us; it is both speculum and lavacrum, a glass to shew us our blemishes, and a laver to wash them away. Truth makes us free, John 8:32 it bears off the fetters of sin, and puts us into a state of Sonship, Rom. 8:11 and Kingship, Rev. 1:6. Truth is comforting; this wine cheers. When
David's harp and viol could yield him no comfort, truth did, Psalm 119:50. 'This is my comfort in my affliction, for thy word hath quicked me.' Truth is an antidote against error. Error is the adultery of the mind; it stains the soul, as treason doth the blood. Error damns as well as vice. A man may as well die by poison as pistol; and what can stave off error but truth? The reason so many have been trappaned into error, is, because they either did not know, or not
love the truth. I can never say enough in the honour of truth. Truth is basis fidei, the ground of our faith; it gives us an exact model of religion; it shews us what we are to believe. Take away truth, and our faith is fancy.—Truth is the best flower in the church's crown; we have not a richer jewel to trust God with than our souls, nor he a richer jewel to trust us with than his truths. Truth is insigne honoris, an ensign of honour; it distinguishes us from the false church, as chastity distinguisheth a virtuous woman from an harlot. In short, truth is ecclesiæ præsidium, the bulwark of a nation: 2 Chron. 11:17 it is said, the Levites (who were the antesignani, the ensign-bearers of truth) strengthened the kingdom. Truth may be compared to the capitol of Rome, which was a place of the greatest strength; or the Tower of David, on which 'there hang a thousand shields,' Cant. 4:4.
Our forts and navies do not so much strengthen us as truth. Truth is the best militia of a kingdom; if once we part with truth, and espouse
Popery, the lock is cut where our strength lies. What then should we be violent for, if not for truth? We are bid to contend as in an agony
'for the faith delivered to the saints,' Jude v. 3. If truth once be gone, we may write this epitaph on England's tomb-stone, Thy glory is departed.
2. This holy violence is when we are violent for our own salvation, 2 Peter 1:10. 'Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure.'
The Greek word signifies anxious carefulness, or a serious bearing one's thoughts about the business of eternity; such a care as sets head and heart at work: in this channel of religion all a Christian's zeal should run.
3. The third thing is, what is implied in this holy violence. It implies three things, 1. Resolution of will.
2. Vigour of affection.
3. Strength of endeavour.
1. Resolution of the will, Psalm 119:6. 'I have sworn and will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.' Whatever is in the way to heaven, (though there be a lion in the way) I will encounter it. Like a resolute commander that chargeth through the whole body of the army. The Christian is resolved, come on what will, he will have heaven. Where there is this resolution, danger must be despised, difficulties trampled upon, terrors contemned. This is the first thing in holy violence, resolution of will, I will have Heaven whatever it costs me; and this resolution must be in the strength of Christ.
Resolution is like the bias to the bowl, which carries it strongly.
Where there is but half a resolution, a will to be saved, and a will to follow sin, it is impossible to be violent for Heaven. If a traveller be unresolved, sometimes he will ride this way, sometimes that; he is violent for neither.
2. Vigour of the affections. The will proceeds upon reason; the judgment being informed of the excellency of a state of glory, and the will being resolved upon a voyage to that holy land, now the affections follow, and they are on fire in passionate longings after Heaven. The affections are violent things, Psalm 42:2. 'My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God.' The Rabbins note here, that David saith not, My soul hungereth, but thirsteth; because naturally we are more impatient of thirst than hunger. See in what a rapid violent motion David's affections were carried after God. The affections are like the wings of the bird, which make the soul swift in its flight after glory: where the affections are stirred up, there is offering violence to Heaven.
3. This violence implies strength of endeavour, when, we strive for salvation as about a matter of life and death. 'Tis easy to talk of Heaven, but not to get to Heaven; we must operam navare, put forth all our strength; nay, call in the help of Heaven to this work.
4. The fourth thing is, how many ways a Christian must offer violence: four ways,