unto Caesar saith Christ what is Caesars due give it as willingly as if it were a free gift so saith Paul Rom. 13.7 render to all their Dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Hence Christ though he might have pleaded Freedom as being of the blood yet for Peace-sake and to avoid Scandall he paid Tribute Mat. 17.29 They have right to their Tributes both by the Law of God by the Law of the Land and by the Law of Nature We enjoy great blessings under them both Temporall and Spirituall we sit queitly under our owne Vines no Plundering Fireing Crying nor Killing in our streets Now to preserve all these there is a Necessity of Taxes which are the sinews of a State and without which no State can be long kept in Peace Nor can the Church Common-wealth Armies Navies Counsellors Schooles Universities Hospitalls c. be maintained without Taxes and therefore there is a great deale of Equity and Necessity in their payment 2. You that groan before you are sick and murmur without a cause must know that your Blessings are far greater then your Burdens We enjoy Houses Lands Wives Lives Children Peace and above all the Gospel of Peace the Token of Gods speciall presence amongst us for this mercy alone many of our fore-fathers would have given twenty times our Taxes and have thought it nothing if one should give us a 1000 l. per annum provided we would pay a Pepper-corn every yeare to testify our Thankfulnesse we would count him unworthy of so great a gift who should deny so small a favour 3. Suppose superiours should lay unjust Taxes on us yet must we patiently undergoe them remembring that 't is the sins of a people which give strength to Tyrants Things that cannot be remedied must patiently be borne When the Lord told Israel what their King would do to them all that they must do was to cry unto the Lord and acknowledge their sin 1 Sam. 8.11 c not that God approved of such doing but shewing them what the might of a King would draw him to do 4. Especially when Taxes are imposed on the Subject by Authority of Parliament the best and highest Court in the Land they should cheerfully be paid This is the fundamental and most proper Government in the Land 'T is indeed the glorious priviledge of our Nation above all other Nations 'T is that Government which the Lord hath wonderfully owned in all their set battles and miraculously preserved in despight of all opposition 'T is observed by a great Master of the Law Sir Edw. Cook that no Prince ever prospered that did oppose Parliaments and those that have been ruled by Parliaments have flourished wonderfully as King Henry the Eighth King Edward the Sixth and Queen Elizabeth Tacitus observes that the Romans vanquisht the ancient Brittains for want of Parliaments Object Parliaments have done very little good Errors and Disorders still abound c. Answ. Omne invalidum naturâ querulum Weak men are full of complaints when men faint in time of triall it argues their strength is but small 1. Know Parliaments have done much very much considering the Mountaines of opposition which they have met with 2. Had not my sins and thy sins hindred them they had done more We oft murmur at Moses and Aaron when 't is our own Rebellion that keeps us in the wildernesse 3. The Parliament never approved of those Errors and Disorders which are now so rise amongst us For 1. They did expressly Covenant against them 2. They have publisht Ordinances and Acts in Print against them 3. We hope this present Parliament will take further Order for the suppressing of them I have been the larger on this point that I may take off that scandal which the wicked in all ages have cast on the people of God viz. That they are enemies to Caesar Factious Seditious Turbulent c. Thus Haman accused the Jewes for Breakers of the Kings Lawes Hest. 3.8 Paul is counted a pestilent fellow and a troubler of the State Acts 17.18 12.26 24.5 and Christ himself was counted no friend to Caesar. But this I dare boldly affirm That Superiours have no better Subjects in the Land then such as fear the God of heaven These obey for conscience sake when others obey onely for Self and out of Fear These will sacrifice their Lives and Estates in just and Honourable wayes for their Governours when those that serve them for their own Ends will leave them forsake them These pray Pay and Preach for Caesar carefully obeying his just commands whilest the wicked are Cursing Swearing Drinking Murmuring at Taxes and Transgressing their Lawes The honour of Religion should be dear to us and we should walk so wisely that we should give no just cause of offence to any Colos. 4.5 1 Pet. 2.12 much less to our Superiours but by our wise inoffensive walking we should labour to win their hearts to a love of the truth As a wise and vertuous wife may be a means to win her husband 1 Cor. 7.16 So holy humble wise-walking Christians may be a means to convert or at least to convince such as are a verse to the Truth So did the Constancy Courage Patience and Piety of the Primitive Christians 2. We shall encourage the Lord to continue the Blessing of Government amongst us 'T is a great Government amongst us Take it away and you open the Floud-gates to all Licentiousness and Villany men would be like Ishmael wild men every mans hand would be against his Brother Gen. 26.12 when there was no King in Israel every man did what seemed good in his own eyes Iudg. ult ult Without Government one man would be but bread for another as in the Sea the greater fiâ—h devoure the lesser Hab. 1.14 15. Take away Government and what Rapes Rapines Tumults and Disorders would there be every mans lust would be a Law Better have Tyranny then Anarchy a Tyrant then no Government Better live in a State where nothing is lawfull then where all things are lawfvll to be done 'T is a very bad Government indeed that is worse then none at all where there is Magistracy some may be opprest and wronged but none can be righted where there 's none Better poor people should sit under a scratching bramble then have no hedge at all to shelter them from the stormes of popular fury Seeing then that the Magistrate is the Minister of God for our good both Temporall and Spirituall Rom. 13.4 Seeing he is a meanes under God to preserve our blessings to us and to increase them in our hands by a Peaceable enjoyment of them there is all the reason in the world that we should freely and fully contribute to his necessities in the promoting of such just and pious designes And they deserve to be branded for sordid Earth-wormes unworthy to enjoy any Priviledges in a Nation that shall murmur or repine at such just Assessements
rent then whole clothes and scarce a whole garment to be found amongst us 2. Let us shew our dislike of blasphemy by reproving the broachers of it This is the greatest love that we can shew them Hence we are commanded not to hate our Brother but rebuking to rebuke him i. e. freely plainly soundly and sincerely Levit. 19.17 The converted Thief reproves his fellow for blasphemy Luke 23.39 40. So when the Devill began to utter blasphemy and to challenge all the world for his own and began to call for worship our Saviour cuts him short and in a holy detestation bids him begone for he would reason no longer with him Matth. 4.10 yet if we perceive that men are incorrigible and incurable Prudence must be used we may not give holy things to dogs which will but rend us for our pains Mat. 7.6 reprove not such lest you increase the flame instead of quenching it This was one Reason why Hezekiah commanded his Commissioners when they heard the blasphemous Menaces of Rabsheka not to answer a word deeming it in vain to make any Reply when it would but incite him to further rage Isay 36.21 But where we see any to be teachable or Tractable and may be wonne by our Reproofes of those let us take compassion pulling them out of this flame They will one day blesse God for you as David did for Abigail when she stopt him in a way of sin 1 Sam. 25.32 33. 3. Let all that professe Religion be exact and circumspect in all their wayes and walking lest they cause the Name of God to be blasphemed The world is apt to accuse us withouâ— a cause as the Devil did Iob and to call us blasphemers as Iezabell did Naboth 1 Kings 21.10.13 and the Pharises Christ. Matth. 9.3 Iohn 10.33 and the Jewes Steven Acts 6.11 13. when themselves were the persons guilty of that crime So those Hypocrites that called themselves Jewes and seemed to worship God when they were the Synagogue of Satan and worshipt the Devill yet could blaspheme and revile the true Saints Revel 2 9. A spot in fine Cambrick is soon seen and one dead flye marres a whole boxe of pretious oyntment when a hundred may fall into a barrell of pitch and no body regards it The sinnes of a David will quickly cause Gods Name to be blasphemed and therefore Gods hand vvas sharp upon him and upon the Jewes rather then the Gentiles Ram. 2.9.24 Hence the Apostle exhorts Wives and Servants to walk as becomes the Gospel that the Name of God be not blasphemed Titus 2.5 1 Tim. 6.1 Some are afraid of blasphemous words but how many live blasphemous lives they praise God with their words and reproach him with their covetous cruell unrighteous conversations These are botches in Christianity Let the falls of others make us fear when Cedars fall let the Firre-tree howle Zach. 11.2 The Falling-sicknesse was never so common as now One falls to Atheisme another to Papisme one falls to Quakerisme and another to Rantisme How many professors that could have pull'd out their eyes to have done us good formerly yet now be ready to pull out their Ministers eyes Many that prayed and prized Ordinances formerly yet now have cast off all and are become scandalous both in their Practice and in their Principles This is a Lamentation and should be to us all matter of Lamentation for this our eyes should run down with Tears even for the slain in a spirituall sense of the daughter of Gods people Ier. 9.9 4. Instead of blaspheming get a habit of good speaking God loves to do good to those that speak good of his Name As in our hearts we should have High and Reverentiall thoughts of God so with our words we should Blesse him that is the proper use and end of the Tongue Psal. 51 15. Iames 3.9 with the Tongue we bless and praise God declaratively and God blesseth us imparatively and this is the advantage a man hath above other creatures that we can be distinct and explicite in Gods praise Psalm 145.10 all thy works praise thee and thy Saints shall blesse thee The creatures offer the matter but the Saints publish it their Tongue is as the Pen of a ready Writer to set forth Gods praise Psal. 45.2 Hence our Tongue is called our Glory Psal. 16.9 and 30.13 and 57.9 Gen. 49.6 what David calls his Glory the Apostle applyes to the Tongue Acts 2.26 because with it we should praise and glorify God Let your words be alwayes modest and Gracious The Jewes were so carefull of their speeches and so abhorred blasphemy that they would not name the word but by an Antiphrasis and Euphemisme they called it by the contrary and oft put the word Blessing for cursing and blaspheming and this did not only holy Iob 1.5 but even wicked Iezabel 1 King 21.10 Iobs wife Iob 2.9 yea the devil himself Iob 1.11 we should Answer all Satans Temptations this way as pious and couragious Polycarp did the Pro-Consul who bid him deny and blaspheme Christ and he should live He sweetly answered Fourscore and six years have I served Christ neither hath he ever offended me in any thing how then can I revile my King that hath thus kept me It had been good for wicked men if they had never any Tongues rather then to abuse them to the dishonour of that God that gave them Now since the sin of Blasphemy is Epidemical and very common in the land I shall set down some considerations against it 1. Consider that the sinne of Blasphemy is one of the highest and most horrid sins in the world Some sinnes are more directly and immediately against mens own persons as idleness prodigality c. some are against other mens persons as coveting lying slandering but the Blasphemer fights directly against God Other sinners strike at God but this pierceth him and strikes through his name with his maledictions execrations and therefore God will have him stricken dead Levit. 24.10 11. Isay 36.6 Hab. 3.14 2. 'T is an high contempt of of God 't is a desperate flying in his face and charging him with folly cruelty and Tyranny Iob 1. ult This provokes God to wrath so that he beares not with blasphemers as he doth with other sinners but cuâ—s them off more speedily as a people ripe for ruine 3. It argues the highest Ingratitude in the world For a man like a mad dog to fly in the face of his Master who keeps and feeds him and to use that Heart and Tongue which God made for his praise to the dispraise and disparagement of his Creator to load him with injuries who every day loads us with mercies and to curse him who blesseth us What greater Ingratitude These crucify Christ afresh to themselves Hâ—b 6.6 and are in a worse condition then many of those who did actually crucify him for they did it ignorantly but these willfully against light and
unpunished as a Reverend Divine hath very well observed but as they have been notorious in sin so shall they be notorious for shame Hence a Truce-breaker is here reckoned among the vilest of Christians and a Covenant-breaker is listed amongst the worst of Heathens Rom. 1.32 God accounts this so far from service and duty that he looks upon it as horrible profanenesse and perjury what doth more provoke a man then Treachery and perfidiousnesse and what greater Treachery then to break so solemn and sacred a Covenant this provoked the Lord against Iudah Hos. 6.7 but they like men have transgrest the Covenant there even there have they dealt treacherously against me There where they should have been most fast and faithfull there they were most false and perfidious What we barely promise we ought to perform but a Vow is a double and stronger bond and so more carefully to be observed Hence Gods hand hath been remarkable against Covenant-breakers in all ages Sauls posterity was plagued for their breach of Covenant with the Gibeonites 2 Sam. 21.1 1.6 So the Heathen that were Covenant-breakers were given up to Reprobate sense Rom. 1. Sampson breaking his Vow had his eyes put out by the Philistines and is made to grind Iudg. 6.21 Absolon under pretence of a Vow seeks his Fathers life but it cost him his own 2 Sam. 15.17 King Zedekiah is punisht with death for breaking Covenant with Nebuchadnezzar a Heathen and an Idolater Ezek. 17.15 to 22. 't is a signall place and worthy our serious meditation So Ier. 34.18 to 22. God will send a sword on such to avenge the quarrell of his Covenant Levit. 26.25 'T is reported of the Egyptians that if any man did swear by the life of the King and did not perform his Oath that man was to dye without mercy no gold no silver could redeem his life We have sworne not by a King but we have lifted up our hands to the King of Kings and unlesse we mean to dye eternally we must perform it The Jewes have a Proverb Non est poena super Israelem in qua non sit Vncia Vituli aurei That was such a Transgression that God remembred it every time he plagued them So Non est poena super Angliam in qua non sit Vncia foederis In every punishment there 's somewhat of the Covenant in it I shall conclude with the words of some Reverend Divines lamenting the Breach of the Covenant amongst us That so solemn a Covenant say they so gravely and piously penned so dreadfully obliging the Conscience in all sincerity and fidelity to take and keep it so ratified by authority of Parliament ordering of it with instructions exhortations and satisfactions to scruples that this Covenant should be by so many without any sense of Religion both taken and broken as if it were but a King at Chesse set upon the board for a game and so shut up in a bagge when the game is done this is that which may make us hang down our heads and with heavie hearts say as Ezra 9.6 O our God we are ashamed to lift up our faults c. So they Now as Covenant-breaking is a God-provoking sin so Covenant-keeping is a Sacrifice most pleasing and acceptable to him and the most compendious way to exalt a Nation as we see in the times of Moses and Ioshua 24 25 c. Asa. 2 Chron. 15.12.15 Iosiah 2 Kings 23.3 c. Nehem. 9. when they brought their people into Covenant they prospered presently No sooner did England enter into Covenant but from that very day did the Lord blesse us and gave admirable successe to the Armies of his people Hag. 2.18 19. The Reason is because then we engage God more especially in our cause we bring him into the field with us we put all we are and have into his hand we are not now our own people but the Lords people the Lords Kingdome The Lords Warre the Lords Castles the battle is not ours but the Lords So long as Creature opposeth Creature they may make some resistance but when the Creator comes against the Creature Omnipotency against Impotency and Wisdom against Folly who then can stand Isay 45.9 when people fall to Covenanting then woe to Rebels Ezek. 20.37 There 's no way to preserve and establish a Nation like this Hence Moses exhorts the people to give up themselves by Covenant to God that so he might be their God and establish them Deut. 29.12 13. So when Iehojada had brought the people into Covenant then the Lord gave them rest 2 Kings 11.17 20. This is like a wall of brasse to a Kingdom or rather like a wall of fire as the Prophet speaks Zach. 2.5 which none can scale to defend us and to offend our enemies Now we have speciall interest in the Lord so that all that he hath is ours his Wisdome is ours to direct us his Power to protect us his Goodnesse to save us c. As a woman that 's married to a man partakes of all the Riches and Honours of her husband and as Laban said to Iacob Gen. 51.43 so may we say to the Lord All that thou hast is mine This appeares excellently Psal. 132.2 where the Lord sweares to David and David sweares and by a Vow devotes himselfe to God then followes blessings Temporall and Spirituall 1. They shall have spiritual blessings they shall have Gods speciall presence amongst them God will dwell there V. 13 14. yea such is Gods great condescention that he desires no better habitation then amongst his own people 2. He will fill them with spirituall joy V. 16. singing they shall sing i. e. they shall greatly and they shall surely rejoyce 3. He 'l blesse their posterity V. 11 12. 4. He 'l blesse their provision and satisfy the poor in Zion with bread V. 15. i. e. with all Temporall blessings needâ—ull for them 5. Since the Priests of God are exposed to more danger then others therefore he promiseth to them more speciall protection V. 16. 6. He will subdue their enemies V. 17 18. and will make the horne i. e. the power and might of his people to prosper and increase So that this is the only prevailing way viz. sincerely to give up our selves to God in Covenant and till this be done we are undone 'T is not Fasting Praying Humiliation unlesse we really covenant for Reformation of our selves and ours we do but dodge with God and cannot look to prosper Hence Ezra 10.1 2 3. tells the people they had sinned greatly yet there was hope but what must they do why make a Covenant and all shall be well V. 3. God must and will do great things for his people in Covenant when they be in distresse Psal. 105.8 9 and 106.45 and 111.5 yet he remembred his Covenant and saved them according to the multitude of his mercies with a notwithstanding their Rebellions against him Hence 't is that Gods people in their
is the very formalis ratio the quintescence of zeal to be intense and increased to the utmost 'T is not every degree of Affection for a formalist may have some cold Vellieties and Luke-warm desires and a carnal man may have some joy and fear But zeal is another thing 't is a boiling over again with extremity of heat 'T is sacra ebullitio a holy heat and rising of the heart against sin It makes a man fervent or seething hot against sin Rom. 12.11 Water may be hot in some measure and yet not seeth seething hot is the highest degree of heat But the Hypocrite is affraid of being too zealous and active for God whereas we can never be too zealous in that we know to be good in it self and good for us to do We cannot exceed in our love to God nor in our obedience to him No vertue in its formal reason can be too much intended a man cannot be nimis liberalis tho he may be nimius in largitione Keep the horse under the bridle and in the right way and keep the stream within its banks let it run in a right channel and then the stronger the better 3. It will make us sharp and severe against our own sins but pittiful and compassionate to others As charity so zeal begins at home no man can speak so sharply against him as he doth against himself though others may excuse him yet he 'l not excuse himself 2 Sam. 24.10 But the Hypocrite he 's parcus sibi severus aliis High and harsh in his censures of others but indulgent to himself Matth. 7.4 the worst men are usually the greatest censurers Acts 28.4 4. It makes a man more zealous in great matters then in lesser In great causes he sheweth great zeal and in lesser causes lesser zeal He calls not for a Sword to kill a Flea nor for an Axe to crack an Egge He well knows that the same fire is not requisite for the roasting of an Egge as is for the roasting of an Ox. But the Hypocrite he 's magnus in minimis he 's fiery in small matters and cold in weighty ones With Saul he kills the lean but spares the fat And with the Pharises he Tythes Mint and Cummin but neglects obedience in the great things of the Law Matth. 23.23 5. He 's more zealous in Gods cause then in his own Moses how meek and quiet in his own cause Numb 12.3 Yet how hot in Gods Exod. 32.9.19.27 Hezekiah mourns more for Senacherib's blasphemy then for the Sword that was drawn against himself 2 Kings 19.3 4.16 David when himself was persecuted became as a deaf man but when Gods Law is transgressed his zeal consumes him and rivers of tears run down his eyes Christ himself in his own sufferings was as a Sheep before the Shearer dumb but when Gods house is profaned he doth not onely by words but blows drive them out with an holy violence Nehemiah how silent when himself was reproached but when Gods Sabbaths are profaned he contends even with Nobles about it Ioshua 7.8 is more tender over Gods Name then his own he doth not say what shall our names estates and lives do but what wilt thou do for thy own name The Church of Ephesus could bear any suffering but not sin Rev. 2.2 But the hypocrite is hot in his own case and key-cold in Gods let any wrong him or rob him he 's all on a flame but let Gods Name Sabbaths Servants be wronged he cares for no such things 4. True zeal may be known by it's concomitants and companions which are 4.1 'T is ever attended with wisedom and discretion 'T is not a rash ungrounded zeal but a wise sober well-grounded fervour As a good dish may be spoiled in the dressing so a good reproof for want of observing due circumstances of persons time and place may loose it's due operation Hence Solomon commends a word that 's spoken Beophman super rotis suis running on the wheels of all due circumstances Psal. 25.11 Fire on the hearth is good but fire in the top of the house is dangerous Love allows us to be warm and plain but not scalding hot in our reproofs A well-ordred zeal will teach a Nathan to catch a David in a parable Caut. Yet must we beware least under pretence of discretion we destroy zeal of which see more in the Objections 2. It keeps the bounds of its calling It dares do nothing without a call from God Simeon and Levi were good men and the cause was good but the prosecution of it was ill for they assumed the Magistrates power without a call Gen. 3.4 Excessive heat or excessive cold is poysen 3. He loves to see and to make others zealous It 's the nature of fire to multiply one livingâ—coal kindles another zealous Abraham will not keep his goodness to himself but he 'l communicate it to his family So Moses Numb 11.29 and Paul Acts 26.29 4. 'T is of a growing nature we must grow in zeal as well as in other graces A grain of mustard seed though it be little yet 't is lively Fire on the Altar might not be suffered to go out Levit. 6.13 As natural strength so this is increased by exercise To him that hath true zeal shall be given more Lastly this must quicken us all to an holy zeal and emulation in well-doing Most men seek to excell their Neighbours in riches fine houses fine fare but who labours to excel in vertue The living God delights not in dead hearts dead spirits become not his servants cold wishes and faint desires please not him we must be active and stirring if we desire that God should be with us for our God is not the God of the dead but of the living Who should be zealous and active for God if we be not as Nehemiah said in another case Neh. 6.11 Should such a one as I fly I that am under such special promises special protection special providences should I dishonour my profession and in a fearful manner fly so should such as we be cold and dead who live upon the bread of life and drink the water of life who have lively Oracles and lively Ordinances and all meanes to make us lively Let us therefore do what we do with all our might as David did when he danced before the Ark. 2 Sam. 6.14 Let us oppose sin with all our might Preach Pray and praise God with all our might Iudge 5.12 Psal. 103.23 Rom. 12.11 We should burn and boyl up in our spirits in duty By this meanes we shall prevent aboundance of dangerous temptations which seise on Luke-warm professors When Honey is cold every Fly and Wasp robs us of it but when 't is boyling and scalding hot they dare not come neer it When men are cold and indifferent in Religion every Sectary and Seducer which are the Devils Flies and Emissaries makes a prey of us but when we are hot
terminis for the out-works of Religion but for the Fundamentals and for the whole possession We must contend with Papists about our Justification with Arminians about our Election with Antimonians for the Law with Socinians for the Gospel and with the Antiscripturists for all 2. The Lord commends this in his servants he hath recorded the zeal of Moses Phinees Paul Apollos c. to their everlasting prayse they are the Apple of his Eye which is Oculus Oculi the glory of the Eye Zach. 2.8 They are his jewels he counts himself honoured and adorned by such and therefore he calls them his glory Isay 4.5 These glorifie God on earth and therefore we will glorifie them with himself Iohn 15.8 and 17.4.5 God hath more glory from his little zealous flock then from all the world besides Hence he so much glories in him Iob 2 3. Acts 13.22 3. He Rewards it where ever he finds it Phinees for his zealous execution of Justice was blest both he and his posterity Numb 15.11 12 13. Levi for his zeal in vindicating Gods Honour was exalted to the Priesthood Exod. 32.29 Deut. 33.8 9 10. Zabulum and Napthali that ventured their lives in Gods cause Iudge 5.18 God remembers the kindness and rewards it many years after in sending Christ to preach the Gospel first to them Matth. 4.13.14 yea so greatly is the Lord delighted with zeal that Iehu his Hypocritical zeal went not unrewarded 2 King 10.30 4. It graceth all our graces and is the Honour of our honours All Grace without this is nothing Dead Knowledge Faith Repentance are of no esteem with God dead Prayer is not Prayer As under the Law no sacrifice was acceptable without fire so no duty now is acceptable without the fire of zeal 5. Christ hath paid best for our zeal The fair price that he paid to Redeem us the same precious blood he gave to purchase us to himselfe a zealous and peculiar people Titus 2.14 If any have paid dearer for it or can shew better Title to it let him take it 6. Our zeal doth denominate us that we are that we are zealous for 'T is true we may love the creature but it must be with a subordinate inferior love but our zeal which is the cream of our affections must be given only to God 'T is a glory which he will not suffer to be given to another 7. Our zeal may provoke others the Corinthians zeal provoked many 2 Cor. 9.12 When the Love-sick Church began to commend Christ Cant. 5. ult This is my friend and this is my Beloved in the very next Chapter 6.1 Others begin to inquire Where is thy Beloved that we may seeke him with thee 8. Such help to save a Land from ruine One zealous Moses kept off judgement from Israel Psalm 106.23 One zealous Phinees stayes the Plague One zealous innocent man may save an Iland Iob 22. ult 9. This makes a man to excel we are all by Nature of one blood 't is Holy zeal that makes the difference This makes the Righteous to excel his Neighbour Prov. 12.26 both in life and death one of these Pearles surpasseth ten thousand peebles as one living creature excels a thousand dead ones These are called lively stones 1 Pet. 2.5 1. They are stones in respect of stability and solidness they stir not from their principles but are an everlasting foundation Prov. 10.25 2. Lively because of their Zeale and Activity they are prompt and ready for every good work 2 Timothy 2.21 Their spirits are raised to the highest excellencies and so are capable of the highe stactings They live the life of God Ephesians 4.18 or a godly life because it is from God as the Author it is according to God as the pattern and it tends to God as the end Others may do well but the zealous man excels them all Hence he 's called in Scripture not Adam a common man but Ish quasi Esh a man of fire heat and courage a man of spirit life activity a man of men an excellent man fitted to honour God and rule others 10. You will have no cause to repent of this zeal yea if the saints in Heaven were capable of sorrow they would grieve for nothing so much as that they had not done more for God in their generation How many have repented of their superstitious carnal zeal as Cardinal Woolsy sometimes did Had I served God as diligently as I have done the King he would not have given me over in my gray hairs but this is my just reward for serving men before God 11 There is an absolute necessity of it in respect of the many enemies that oppose us So soon as ever a man begins to look towards Heaven he must look for Giants and sons of Anak to oppose him We have the Devil above us with all his methods Eph. 6.11 depths Rev. 2.24 Devices 2 Cor. 2.11 The world about us with all its baits and snares and an evil heart within us ready to betray us into the hands of our enemies So that unless we be resolute violent men we shall never get Heaven Matth. 11.12 't is not the lazy somnolent Christian but the active and the violent that take Heaven by force 12. All thy gifts and parts without zeal to improve them become useless A Stag or Hart that hath great strength and horns yet doth little with them for want of courage As a bird without wings a body without a soul and salt without savor so is a man without zeal like Ieremiahs rotten girdle that was good for nothing Ier. 13.7 Zeal is to the soul that which spirits are to the body and wine to the Spirits it puts activity and quickning in us 'T is as wheels to the Chariot which make us run the wayes of Gods Commandments as courage to a souldier as mettle to the horse and as manure to the ground which makes it abound in fruitfulness Now that you may get and keep this Gace we must shun those Quenchâ—coals which extinguish this holy fire in us 1. The first is the retaining of any one bosome beloved sin be it Pride Idleness Formality Covetousness either thy zeal must destroy thy sin or thy sin will destroy thy zeal Zealous affections are the wings of the soul but sin like bird-lime intangles them that they cannot fly Heaven-ward They are the feet of the soul but sin like fetters hindereth us from runing They are the fire of the soul but sin like water quencheth this fire We must resolve therefore against all sin if ever we would have the Spirit of zeal to dwell in us 2. Take heed of the inordinate love of the world These thornes will choak our zeal and this outward heat extracts and consumes our inward Cast earth upon fire and you put it out Demas and Iudas the love of the world drew them off we must get our affections loosened from the world and use it as though we used it not Use