Third, It is a state likewise of ylory and excellency. But it is a spiritual glory, and therefore it consists together with outward baseness and mean- ness. It is a glorious state to be the ' Son of God,' to be ' heirs of heaven,'
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heirs of all things in Christ ; by the Spirit of Christ in him he rules over all. How glorious is the Spirit of God in a Christian in the time of temptation and affliction, -when he hath a Spirit ruling in him that is stronger than the world and all oppositions whatsoever? 1 John iv. 4. The state of a Christian is glorious even in this world in the beginnings of it. What then is the glory that is to be revealed on the sons of God ' in the day of revelation?' Rom. ii. 5. It cannot enter into our thoughts, it is above our expression, nay, it is above our imagination and conceit. Thus you see there is great cause why * the kingdom of heaven should suffer violence.' Wlien crowns and kingdoms are laid open to people with hope of getting them, especially such an one as ' the kingdom of heaven is,' it is no wonder if there be ' violence' offered to get them.
The next thing is the affection of those that seek after this kingdom. It is violent.
* The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence.'
How doth the ' kingdom of heaven,' the gospel and means of grace, * suffer violence.'
1. First, Because when these good things icere revealed hy John Bajytist, and then by Christ, and after by the disciples and apostles, many thronged into the church, ivhich is the gate of ' the kingdom of heaven.' They all pressed to be of the church, to hear the word of God. They hung, as it were, upon the word of Christ, upon his mouth. They pressed so, that ' they trod one upon another,' Luke xii. 1 ; and it is said they all came out to hear John Baptist : ' Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan,' Matt. iii. 5. So that in regard of the multitude there was violence.
2. And then in regard of their affections, their zeal to the good things of the gospel was eager and earnest. To be citizens of a kingdom, to partake of the means of salvation, to come to grace and so to glory, it made them wondrous violent.
3. In regard likewise of the jjcrsons, ' the kingdom of heaven suffered violence,' the persons being such as might be judged to have no right unto it. Alas ! for poor wretched sinful men and women, that had been notorious sinners, to come to receive a kingdom, to become kings, this was strange ! What had sinners to do with grace ? This doctrine was not heard of in the law, that there should be hope for such wretched persons as these. If such might be admitted, surely there must needs be great violence. ^
Then again, they were poor and mean people. ' The poor receive the gospel,' Luke vii. 22. For beggars to become kings ; poor men that were advantaged by their outward abasement to come to spiritual poverty ! is 4. Again, they irere Gentiles, ' aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenant of promise,' Eph. ii. 12, heathen people. ' The Jews were the children of the kingdom,'' Mat. viii. 12, the Gentiles were foreigners and strangers. Now for these to come in, and ' the children of the kingdom' to be shut out, it must needs suppose violence. Where there is no apparent right, there is force. Now what right had the Gen- tiles, that were little better than dogs ? Could they have anything to do with the kingdom ? Ay, saith Christ, they take it by violence ; and the Jews, and the proud scribes and Pharisees that seem to be the apparent ' children of the kingdom,' shall at length be shut out. * They that were first,' in outward prerogatives, ' shall be last ; and they that were last,' the Gentiles, sinners, mean people, that take the advantage of their baseness and sinfulness, to see their unworthiness, and to magnify the grace of God in Christ, ' shall be first,' Mat. xx. IG. In these respects the kingdom of
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heaven is said to suffer violence.' People will to heaven, whatever come of it ; when these good things are discovered they will have no nay. Hence, we may learn this,
Doct. That it is the disposition of those that are the true members of the church of God to be eager and violent.
Those that intend to enter into the kingdom, they must throng and strive to enter ; and when they are in, they must keep the fort, and keep it with violence.
There is indeed a violence of iniquity and injustice ; and so the people of God, of all others, ought not to be a violent people. ' Do violence to no man,' saith the Baptist to the soldiers, Luke iii. 14. Violence rather debars out of the kingdom of heaven than is any qualification for it. But this is another manner of violence which our Saviour here speaks of, neces- sary for all that desii'e to enter into the kingdom of heaven ; and that for these reasons :