Beams of divine light breaking forth from several places of holy Scripture, as they…Beames of divine light breaking forth from severall places of holy Scripture, as they…

Labour after it, why? Christ will give it, if he will give it why must we labour after it? and if we must labour for it, how doth he give it? how can these two, gift, and labour stand together?

Labour after it, why? Christ will give it, if he will give it why must wee labour after it? and if we must labour for it, how doth he give it? how can these two, guift, and labour stand together?

I answer, very well, Christ will give himself and forgiveness of sins, and life everlasting, and yet we must labour too: But we must know for what we must labour, we must not labour for any merit to the title unto Heaven and happiness, Christ indeed gives that; But labour in the use of all good means to get knowledge and faith to receive this gift, to get the knowledge of Christ, what he is in his natures and offices, what he hath promised, what ⟨p. 217⟩he hath done and what he hath suffered, what the intent of the Gospel is, what the Giver is, and what the authority is that his Father hath given him, this requires labour, it is a labour to crack the shell, to understand the letter of the Scripture, to know what the gift and what the giver is. And it is likewise a labour to get faith to receive this gift, to get the soul emptied of all self-confidence, of all worth in it self and in the creature, for Christ must be received with a beggars hand, and it will ask much labour to deny a mans self, for proud flesh will always have somewhat to trust to either in it self or in the creature.

I answer, very well, Christ will give himselfe and forgivenesse of sinnes, and life everlasting, and yet we must labour too: But wee must know for what we must labour, we must not labour for any merit to the title unto Heaven and happinesse, Christ indeed gives that; But labour in the use of all good meanes to get knowledge and faith to receive this gift, to get the knowledge of Christ, what he is in his natures and offices, what he hath promised, what ⟨p. 217⟩he hath done and what he hath suffered, what the intent of the Gospell is, what the Giver is, and what the authority is that his Father hath given him, this requires labour, it is a labour to crack the shell, to understand the letter of the Scripture, to know what the gift and what the giver is. And it is likewise a labour to get faith to receive this gift, to get the soule emptied of all selfe-confidence, of all worth in it selfe and in the creature, for Christ must bee received with a beggars hand, and it will aske much labour to deny a mans selfe, for proud flesh will alwaies have somewhat to trust to either in it selfe or in the creature.

So that these two may well stand together, labour and gift: we are taught to pray, Give us this day our daily bread, God will give us our daily bread, we must not therefore stand still and do nothing, but though God will give it, yet he will give it in the use of means, in the use of our lawful callings, so here, God will give us this spiritual food, yet he will give it in labour, it is his ordinance, and whatsoever he gives, he gives not in idleness but in obedience to his ordinance, he will have us to labour in the use of the means, in reading, hearing, receiving the Sacrament, praying, meditating and the like, to have a part in Christ this blessed gift Nay, because he will give Christ, therefore la•our, the one enforceth the other, the like reason Moses giveth the Israelites, Fight (saith he) for the Lord hath given them into your hand, •hey ⟨p. 218⟩might say, if our enemies be given into our hand why should we fight? yes, fight the rather, be encouraged to fight, because you shall be sure to conquer, so here, Labour for the meat that endures to everlasting life, for the Son of man will give it, therefore labour, because he will give it, in labouring we shall be sure to have it, do that which belongs to thee and thou shalt be sure to have that which belongs to God, thou shalt find Christ, and Heaven, and glory, and all in the use of the means: But he gives nothing without labour; there can be no good done in earthly things without labour, and do you think to have Heaven without labour? No, spiritual things are against the stream, Heaven is up the hill, there must be labour, there must be striving against corruptions within and against temptations without, and our labour it is a happy labour, it is not a barren labour,¹ our labour is not in vain in the Lord, as the Apostle saith, we that labour for the food that endures to everlasting life, we labour for somewhat, but worldlings that beat their brains, and tire their spirits, and rack their consciences, and wear out their bodies, it is all for nothing, it is for that which is vanity and vexation of spirit, for that which they must leave behind them. A true Christian (to encourage him to take all the pains that may be) he labours for something, it is a hopeful and not a barren labour:

So that these two may well stand together, labour and gift: we are taught to pray, Give us this day our daily bread, God will give us our daily bread, we must not therefore stand still and doe nothing, but though God will give it, yet he will give it in the use of meanes, in the use of our lawfull callings, so heere, God will give us this spirituall food, yet he will give it in labour, it is his ordinance, and whatsoever hee gives, he gives not in idlenesse but in obedience to his ordinance, he will have us to labour in the use of the meanes, in reading, hearing, receiving the Sacrament, praying, meditating and the like, to have a part in Christ this blessed gift Nay, because he will give Christ, therefore laour, the one enforceth the other, the like reason Moses giveth the Israelites, Fight (saith he) for the Lord hath given them into your hand, hey

And our blessed Saviour to the end he might distinguish true Christians from Hypocrites, enjoins this duty of labouring so much the more, for we have many in the Church that think to have Christ and his benefits without labour, as if Heaven would drop into their mouths, they can say that God is merciful, and Christ died for us, but you shall in the mean time find them careless of reading, of hearing, of praying, of the Communion of Saints, &c. are idle in working out their salvation with fear and trembling, negligent in selling all that they have for the Pearl, will part with nothing for Christ, I say to distinguish these Hypocrites from true Christians, therefore he saith, Labour, to show to us that only they that labour for Christ in the use of all good means, that labour for the true knowledge of him and for faith to receive him, that sell all for him, that take pains to grow in grace and in union with Christ, that make him their best portion in the world, and delight in him, it is they only that have interest in Christ, only the painful Christian is the true Christian.

And our blessed Saviour to the end he might distinguish true Christians from Hypocrites, enjoynes this duty of labouring so much the more, for we have many in the Church that thinke to have Christ and his benefits without labour, as if Heaven would drop into their mouthes, they can say that God is mercifull, and Christ died for us, but you shall in the meane time finde them carelesse of reading, of hearing, of praying, of the Communion of Saints, &c. are idle in working out their salvation with feare and trembling, negligent in selling all that they have for the Pearle, will part with nothing for Christ, I say to distinguish these Hypocrites from true Christians, therefore he saith, Labour, to shew to us that onely they that labour for Christ in the use of all good meanes, that labour for the true knowledge of him and for faith to receive him, that sell all for him, that take paines to grow in grace and in union with Christ, that make him their best portion in the world, and delight in him, it is they onely that have interest in Christ, onely the painefull Christian is the true Christian.

Therefore I beseech you, as you would have it discerned that you are not Hypocrites in the Church, be stirred up to use all sanctified means to know Christ, to believe in him, to know that you are in a communion with him, ⟨p. 220⟩that you belong unto him. Be not discouraged, you shall have rest ere long, There is a rest for the people of God, ¹as the Apostle saith to the Hebrews. Indeed so long as we are here below there is labour joined with weariness, for we have great conflicts with corruptions and temptations, with enemies within, and enemies without, but be of good comfort we shall at last come to a rest, to a rest perpetual and everlasting: It is true, in Heaven there shall be labour, for we shall be alway praising God, but it shall be labour without weariness, labour without conflict, there shall be no corruption within, nor no devil without, Satan could enter into Paradise below, but he shall never enter into that heavenly Paradise, therefore be encouraged to labour for a while, though it be tedious, because of corruptions and temptations, yet there is a rest for the people of God, an eternal Rest.

Therefore I beseech you, as you would have it discerned that you are not Hypocrites in the Church, bee stirred up to use all sanctified meanes to know Christ, to beleeve in him, to know that you are in a communion with him, ⟨p. 220⟩that you belong unto him. Be not discouraged, you shall have rest ere long, There is a rest for the people of God, ¹as the Apostle saith to the Hebrewes. Indeed so long as we are heere below there is labour joyned with wearinesse, for we have great conflicts with corruptions and temptations, with enemies within, and enemies without, but be of good comfort we shall at last come to a rest, to a rest perpetuall and everlasting: It is true, in Heaven there shall be labour, for we shall be alway praising God, but it shall be labour without wearinesse, labour without conflict, there shall bee no corruption within, nor no divell without, Satan could enter into Paradice below, but hee shall never enter into that heavenly Paradice, therfore be incouraged to labour for a while, though it be tedious, because of corruptions and temptations, yet there is a rest for the people of God, an eternall Rest.

FINIS.

VIOLENCE VICTORIOUS: In two Sermons, By the late Reverend and Learned Divine RICHARD SIBS, Doctor in Divinity, Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher at Gray's-Inn.

VIOLENCE VICTORIOVS: In two Sermons, By the late Reverend and Learned Divine RICHARD SIBS, Doctor in Divinity, Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher at Grayes-Inne.

GEN. 32.26. I will not let thee go except thou bless me.

GEN. 32.26. I will not let thee goe except thou blesse mee.

1 COR. 15.57. Thanks be unto God which giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 COR. 15.57. Thankes be unto God which giveth us the victory through Iesus Christ our Lord.

LONDON, Printed by G.M. for Nicholas Bourne and Rapha Harford, 1639.

VIOLENCE VICTORIOUS.

VIOLENCE VICTORIOVS.

MAT. 11.12. From the days of John Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force.

MAT. 11.12. From the daies of Iohn Baptist untill now the Kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force.

JOHN Baptist and our blessed Saviour gave mutual testimonies one of another, he witnessed of Christ before he came, and our Saviour Christ gives witness of him here. The occasion of this you have in the second verse:¹ John being in prison sends two of his Disciples to Christ, to know whether he were the Christ or no; not that John did doubt, but to confirm his Disciples. Christ returns a real and a verbal answer, Tell John (saith he) what ye have seen and heard, &c. and then he ⟨p. 224⟩closeth up all, Blessed is he that is not offended with me. Upon this occasion Christ enters into a commendation of blessed St. John Baptist, even unto a comparative commendation, amongst them that were borne of women there had not yet risen a greater then John the Baptist, ¹not so much in eminency of grace (though that may have a truth) as in regard of the dispensation of his Ministry, John living in more glorious times: For the excellency of the Church is from Christ: he doth ennoble and advance times and places and persons, Bethlehem, a little City, yet not a little City in regard that Christ was borne there, and saith Christ,³ Happy are the eyes that see that which your eyes see, every thing is advanced by Christ. So John Baptist in regard of his office, being the immediate fore-runner of Christ, was greater then all that were before him: yet he saith the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater then be▪ not in grace, but in prerogative, in regard of the revelation and manifestation of more things. For John Baptist died before he saw the death and resurrection and ascension of Christ accomplished, before he was glorified. Therefore in regard of these prerogatives, the least in the Kingdom of Heaven, that is, in the Church of the New Testament is greater then he. It is a rule that the least of the greater, is greater then the greatest of the less. John was greater then the greatest of them that were before him; but lesser then the least of those that were after him.

IOHN Baptist and our blessed Saviour gave mutuall testimonies one of another, hee witnessed of Christ before hee came, and our Saviour Christ gives witnesse of him here. The occasion of this you have in the second verse:

Then Christ commends John from the efficacy of his Ministry,² From the days of John Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force; so you see how the words depend upon the former. For the points we are to consider in them.

Then Christ commends Iohn from the efficacie of his Ministery,² From the daies of Iohn Baptist untill now the Kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force; so you see how the words depend upon the former. For the points wee are to consider in them.

1. 2From the efficacy of his Ministry.From the efficacie of his Ministery.

First, here you have the state of the Church in the New Testament, (It is a Kingdom, and the Kingdom of Heaven) together with the quality of the means whereby it comes to be a Kingdom, the means of grace, the Gospel. The Gospel and the people that are wrought on by the Gospel in the New Testament, they are both called the Kingdom of Heaven.

First, here you have the state of the Church in the New Testament, (It is a Kingdome, and the Kingdome of Heaven) together with the quality of the meanes whereby it comes to be a Kingdome, the meanes of grace, the Gospell. The Gospell and the people that are wrought on by the Gospell in the New Testament, they are both called the Kingdome of Heaven.