zealous otherwise he hath no faith If he have no faith he cannot be saved 3. That man is in the state of damnation that loves not God He that loves not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha that is let him be accursed and accursed for it is the greatest curse in the world it is the curse of the Gospel Let him be accursed and double accursed that loves not Christ Now a man never loves God if he be not zealous qui non zelat non amat He that is not zealous in love does not love love is termed zeal in the Scripture Iehu indeed the truth was he had no love to God he thought he had though and therefore when he would tell Iehonadab he had love to God he tels it in these words Come and see my zeal I have to the Lord of Hosts 2 King 10 16. That is see the love that I bear to the Lord of Hosts Zelus debet esse non modò in affectu verumetiam in intellectu is a saying zeal must be in the minde and zeal must be in the affections both are required to this zeal that I speak of If thou beest not zealous it is most certain thou hast not a jot of true love Zeal is more seen in that affection then any if there be any and therefore if there be no zeal in thee to God and his wayes there is no love thou art yet under wrath 4. That man is in the state of damation that was never taught of God Christ promises that all that are his shall be taught of God taught of God to be holy as he is holy taught of God to love one another taught of God to walk in all newnesse of life Every man look what he is taught in therein he is zealous Paul before he was converted he was taught in the ceremonies and his Fathers and therefore therein was he zealous I was traditions of taught sayes he according to the perfect manner of the Law of the Fathers and was zealous Act. 22. 3. Alas poor soul had he been better taught he had been better zealous I doe not speak of the outward teaching of the ear only but also of the inward teaching of the heart his very heart such was the policy of Satan his very heart was taught in those things and therefore he was zealous of them The covetous mans heart is taught to be earthly therefore he is zealous for the world The proud mans heart is taught to be proud therefore he is zealous for his credit and esteem The voluptuous mans heart is taught to be vain therefore he is zealous of his pleasures Alas such were never taught of God The devil teaches them and their lusts teach them and the examples of others teach them Alas if thou beest not taught of God how to walk in newnesse of life thou canst not be saved it is better to be unborn then untaught and this as you see cannot be without zeal unto God 5. That man is in the state of damnation that cannot yet be pitied If thou beest zealous for the things of this life and not zealous for heaven zealous for thy pleasure and not for Gods glory thou art not to be pitied and thou wilt have pleasures take them and thou wilt to hell goe who will pity thee Deformitas sceleris aufert misericordiam It is true it would pity a mans heart to see a poor soul weeping and howling for his sinnes and yet go to hell It would pity a man to see a blinde Papist whipping himself praying on his Beads giving all his goods to the poor confessing his sins to his Confessor fasting and afflicting his body zealous in his blinde superstition and all to save his poor soul and yet go to hell it would pity a mans heart I say to see such a man goe to hell as how can he otherwise yet it would pity a man because he is zealous for God in the blindenesse of his zeal As it pitied the Apostle to see his brethren go to hell that were blindely zealous for God Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved for I bear them record they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge Rom. 10. 1 2. It pitied him that such as were blindely zealous for God should perish But whom will it pity to see thee go to hell thou hast no zeal at all that way No no thou art zealous after the things of this life and after thy lusts as God told Ierusalem Who shall have pity upon thee O Ierusalem Thou hast forsaken me sayes he Ier. 15 5. Who will pity our drunkards and our whoremongers who will pity you that are zealous in your sins and abominations ye are not so much as the objects of pity Is it so that the zeal of our affections is due only to God Is it so that God does demand it and that we are bound upon pain of death and damnation to give it to God Is it so that we never repented we never beleeved never were in Christ never loved God never were taught of God never can be pitied unlesse we give the zeal of our affections unto God Then O then let us consider the lamentable condition we are in as long as the zeal of our affection runs otherwise I beseech you consider these eight things which may convince you what a woful condition ye are in First Zeal is the fire of the soul Look what thou art most zealous upon that sets thy soul in a fire Every man and woman in the world is set on fire of hell or of heaven Now if heaven have not set thee on fire hell hath set thee on fire thou art set on fire of one of these two As it is the blessedest thing that can be to be set on fire of heaven to be zealous for the glory of God and the saving ones soul zealous for the getting of grace and zealous in the duties of religion so on the contrary it is the cursedst thing that can possibly be to be set on fire of hell Thou which art a swearer a lyar a filthy speaker whose mouth talketh of vanity thy tongue is set on fire of hell the tongue is set on fire of hâ—ll sayes the Apostle Iam. 3. 6. Thou which art a voluptuous man that lovest thy pleasures and delightest in vanity more then in better things thy heart is set on fire of hell thou which yeeldest to the temptations of Satan the devil tempts thee to go proudly in thine apparrel and thou yeeldest the devil tempts thee to smother thy conscience and thou consentest The devil tempts thee to put off thy better obedience till another time and the temptation takes hold there is never a temptation of Satan but it is a fiery dart the fiery darts of the devil Eph. 6. 16. Well does the Apostle call them fiery darts of the devil sayes Saint Chrysostome
private Christians that are said to labour with him in the Gospel This this beloved would cause Religion to thrive here among us Thirdly Consider I pray you thou wilt discourage us that are Gods Ministers except thou be zealous If men would be zealous in hearing and zealous proficients it would make us go cheerfully on in our callings When Titus told Paul the fervent minde of the Corinthians it encouraged the Apostle when he told us your fervent minde we rejoyced the more 2 Cor. 7. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so it is in the Original when he told us your zeal Saint Paul was cheared to hear that What greater discouragement to a Schoolmaster then that his scholars should be dull and not profit What greater disheartning to a Captain then that his souldiers should be fainthearted and without life and what greater grief to a Minister then that his people should be senselesse and livelesse It made Ieremy weary of his life It made the Prophet Micah lament bitterly Wo is me I am like the Grape gleaners It made the Prophet Isay cry out I have laboured in vain On the contrary when the people are zealous and forward and drink in the words of eternal life with all greedinesse and bring forth fruit with abundance this makes a Minister go merrily on in his function Zelo Ecclesia Dei congregatur saith Saint Ambrose It is zeal that does gather a Church the zeal of the Minister and the zeal of the people the Lord quicken us in his mercy that we may encourage one another daily Let us be encouraged by you when ye are reproved be not offended You think the Minister spights you alas we have no reason to wish any of your fingers to ake much lesse to wish that your souls should perish When S. Paul commanded that the incestuous Corinthian should be delivered to Satan did he wish him any hurt No Deliver him unto Satan sayes he for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 5. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. sayes Chrysostome No mortal man loved that offender in Corinth more then Paul did sayes he when he would have him delivered unto Satan It was only that he might know he was a damned wretch unlesse he amended and that the devil should have him unlesse he were humbled What was his reason his reason was this that his soul might be saved in that day O the Minister preaches damation so often he is unmercifull to our souls O my brethren we intend you the greatest mercies of heaven in so saying it is that ye may not run into damnation but may repent and beleeve the Gospel Do not thus discourage us whom God hath sent to you as his Ministers to labour in the word and doctrine among you but stir up your selves to be zealous in hearing and obeying that we may give up an account of your souls unto God with all cheerfullnesse Fourthly consider You can never be excellent if ye be not zealous A Christian should strive to excell aut Caesar aut nullus nothing but the best should suffice a Christian Wouldest thou then be excellent get this same zeal zeal runnes after the best things Covet earnestly the best gifts 1 Cor. 12. 31. The Word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be zealous after the best things Wouldest thou be excellent in prayer and excellent in the duties of religion be zealous therein A Christian is like fire fire mounts up absolutely aloft and ascends above all So does a Christian he is better then all the men of this world put them all together like Iob there is none like him in all the earth Every man else fain would be excellent a worldling strives to excell others in wealth a politician to excell others in wisedom a scholar to excell others in learning a tradesman to excell others in his profession He is of a base spirit that does not desire to excell in some thing and shall not a Christian then desire to excell in grace Fifthly Consider I pray who ye may be like if once ye be zealous ye may be like unto the Angels of heaven they are spirits and flaming fire sayes the Apostle Heb. 1. 7. if thou art zealous for God thou art a bodily Seraphim though thou canst never be without sin as long as thou livest in this world yet as Gregory speaks in the mouth of zeal thou mayst swallow up thy sins nothing will devour and consume sin so well as true zeal O get a coal of this fire then from Gods Altar and heat thy heart with it and while thou mayst be like the blessed Angels of God be not like the brutish sons of the old Adam Zeal is it that maketh an Angel to be an Angel Angeli sine zelo nihil sunt sayes Ambrose the Angels are nothing without zeal If thou hadst zeal unto God then thou mightest be like unto Angels Sixthly Consider what infinite need thou hast of true zeal Suppose a great frost and a tedious cold winter were a coming and then no firing were to be had would not men buy as much fewell as they could get and stack it and store it that they might have it at their need otherwise they were not able to live nor to dresse their own sustenance they would certainly starve if they should have no firing in such a cold time Beloved I speak to such as have ears to hear there 's a cold time of religion a coming and the wrath of God is ready to break forth to plague mens souls with key-coldnesse this way because they have despised the zeal of the Lord and no firing to be had then God knows how soon the power of Gods Word may be taken from us You who love your own souls look about lay up some firing and be not slothfull in all this businesse do all diligence to store up grace for your selves this will help you to zeal not slothful in businesse fervent in spirit Rom. 12. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so it is in the Originall zealous in spirit If ye will not be slothfull in businesse ye shall quickly be zealous in spirit O get quickly the spirit of prayer to be zealous in prayer by faith it will be the best string to your bow it will be your only thing left nothing left you but prayer in secret unto God had not ye need to be diligent for that When a poor cripple hath nothing to trust to but only his begging he will ply that When a poor day-labourer hath never a foot of ground nor any thing but only his fingers end to maintain him and his family he he will be sure to employ them alas if he should have a wound in his hands or he should lose the use of his fingers what shall he do when a mans house leans mainly upon one pillar he will
doth affect most How often is God in Scripture called the most High the most High Act. 7. 48. if he be the most high then the most high of every act and of every affection must be for him The very Heathen call God Deus optimus maximus God the most good and the most great so likewise he is the most terrible and the most holy and the most just and therefore the most of our affections must needs be due unto him Zeal is the most of every one of the affections and that only is sutable to God The affections must be sutable to the thing we affect but nothing of all the affections is sutable to God besides zeal for zeal is the most of every one of them Thirdly As zeal is the most of every affection so it is the peculiar pitch of every affection There cannot be two mosts The superlative degree cannot be two Doctissimus properly is a term peculiar to one body the most learned man in the world is a peculiar word peculiar to one There may be ten learned a thousand learned there may be many learned but most learned is a peculiar title So zeal being the most of the affections it must needs be peculiar to some one thing which cannot be any other but God Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purchase to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2. 14. Those people that are zealous of good works ye see they are people peculiar to Christ They can be no other people but Christs people that are zealous of good works No people under heaven are truly zealous of good works but only his people This is peculiar to Christ to have such people because zeal is peculiarly due unto him Thou canst not possibly be one of Gods people if thou beest not zealous for God A zealous beleever and a zealous repenter and a zealous professor zealous in praying and zealous in hearing the Word Zealous people are peculiar people to Christ Under love and under joy and under hope and under fear are not peculiarly due unto God For I may love my health too and I may delight in the blessings of this life and I may fear a temporary evil I may lend mine under affections to some things else besides God but my zeal being the most of my affections must be given to God zeal is peculiar to him Thou art a worldling then thou art none of Gods if thou beest not zealous for him Thou art of thy father the devil thou art none of Gods unlesse thou be zealous to him Zeal is his peculiar Fourthly As zeal is the peculiar pitch of every affection so it is the most spending part of the affections A man must spend himself upon nothing but God nothing else will quit charges Now zeal is the spendingest strain of every affection It most spendeth the spirits it most busieth the body you may gather what a spending thing zeal is by the passage in the Psalmist David sayes thus My zeal hath consumed me because my enemies have forgotten thy words Psa 119. 139. David was so zealous for God that he did even spend himself to see how his enemies dishonoured his God A childe of God is like a faithful servant to his Master he is willing to spend himself in his service So he is content to spend himself in his employments for God Paul when God employed him for the souls of the Corinthians he sayes thus I will gladly spend and be spent for you why what was the reason I abundantly love you sayes he 2 Cor. 12. 15. that is he was zealous in his love to their souls God had employed him for the good of their souls and he was so zealous in this employment that he could even spend himself and be spent for them And indeed zeal it self is a very spending thing Thou art the devils Martyr that spendest thy self upon the things of this life thou art so wedded thereto that thou spendest thy parts and thy wits hereabouts thou spendest thy thoughts and thy time hereupon thou spendest thy self and thy spirits this way The voluptuous man spends himself as much at his sports as a Minister spends himself in a Pulpit as a godly man spends himself in good duties As for Gods Service thy prayers are so cold and so negligent that thou spendest thy self not at all in them Thy repentance is so overly it spends thee never a jot to go thorow it thou art so eager after thy pleasures they spend thee so earnest after the world that spends thee because thou art zealous about such things But it is otherwise with thee in the Service of God This is another strong reason why zeal is due properly to God because a man must spend himself upon nothing so much as upon pleasing of God and doing his will and seeking his glory It is true he may spend himself in his calling But the greatest part of the spending lieth in this that he may walk with God in his calling He spendeth himself in be labouring his heart to work in obedience to follow his businesses with faith to go about his earthly employments as before God to glorifie God in all his waies A man may ground himself upon nothing so much as upon God Zeal to God makes him a kinde of Martyr for Christ Fifthly As zeal is the spending part of all the affections so likewise zeal is the impatient part of all the affections It is true we may desire a good report among men but our affections must not be impatient if we cannot have it without bating an inch of a good conscience our desire must be patient without it We may grieve for a losse or a trouble but our affection must not be impatient if we see Gods providence hath sent it our grief must be patient under it We may affect these outward blessings of God but our affections must be patient of a privation but our affections must be zealous to God because zealous affections are impatient of the contrary We must so hate sinne against God as to be impatient to endure it so fear to offend him as to be impatient of any boldnesse that way So love the glory of God as to be impatient of any dishonour to his Name so zealous to reprove sinne in a neighbour as not to suffer sinne in him Thou shalt rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne on him Lev. 19. 7. that is thou shalt be zealous in rebuking A high look and a proud heart I will not suffer Psa 101. 5. that is I will be zealous against it I have not suffered my mouth to sin Iob. 13. 30. that is I have been zealous in the ruling of my tongue Zeal is the impatient part of all the affections look what thine affections do zealously affect they will not suffer the contrary And therefore the zeal of thine affections must be unto God Indeed
if thine affections be lukewarm to God thou mayst wish that God might be glorified but if he be not thou canst endure it Thou mayst pray to God for grace to heal thee of thy deadnesse but though he do not thou canst bear it But if thine affections were so farre hereto as to be zealous they would be impatient thou couldest never endure it Zeal is the impatient degree of the affections whereby when the soul does affect a thing it is impatient without it And therefore zeal is due only to God Thus ye discern the evidence of this truth that the zeal of our affection is due properly to God The X. Sermon Colos 3. 2. Set your affections on things that are above c. THE Uses of this are these First Hence we may learn that God demandeth the zeal of our affections If the zeal of our affections be due unto God I beseech you take notice that God demandeth his due Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name and so God demandeth his due in our affections If I be a Father where is my honour if a Master where is my fear Mal. 1. 6. he does not only call for some honour and some love and some fear but he cals for his part where is my part sayes he Where is my fear Gods part of thy fear as I have shewed is the zeal of thy fear Gods part of thy love and thy joy and thy hope and the rest is the zeal of the same This now God demands of thy soul Where is my fear may be thou lovest him a little and his Commandments a little may be thou fearest him a little to offend him and disobey him thou fearest a little this is not Gods part the zeal of thine affection is Gods part and he cals for his part Where is my fear Secondly Hence we may learn that we must upon pain of Gods infinite displeasure give him the zeal of our affections whensoever we pray to pray to him zealously bleeding for our sinnes and melting under our wants and yearning for his graces Whensoever we praise him to praise him thus zealously rejoycing in his mercies and admiring his goodnesse Whensoever we enter his Courts to enter with zeal reverencing his footstool trembling at his Word in all our waies seeking how we may be most zealous of his glory for if God demand the zeal of our affections there is no keeping back Ananias was smitten dead for keeping back a little piece of money when God did demand it Cursed is he that keeps back a blow when God doth call for it God demandeth our zeal and wo is us if we keep back Thirdly Hence we may gather that we are in the state of damnation if we do not give God the zeal of our affections if God require it upon pain of damnation and we are bid to give it him upon pain of his everlasting displeasure then certainly we must needs be in a state of damnation if we do not give it Now this is proved by four Arguments First That man is in the state of damnation that never repents I need not prove that ye know it well enough he is sure to perish that never repents Though thou hast taken up all the outward duties of religion thou never repentest unlesse thou be zealous if thou be zealous then thou hast drawn out of Christ wine-seller as Bernard observes on the Canticles Introduxit me rex in cellam vinariam the King hath brought me into his wine-seller he expounds it of the souls drawing of zeal from Christ but if thou beest not zealous in repentance thou never repentest Be zealous and repent Rev. 3. 19. First he sayes be zealous and then he sayes repent First thou must resolve to be zealous or else thou dost not repent If a man have wronged a neighbour though never so mean he must be sorry for it or else he doth not repent of it if a man have wronged a Noble-man he must be more sorry for as the wrong is the greater the greater the party wronged is so the greater is the sorrow that is required to repentance If a man have wronged the King it must be greater sorrow yet till the sorrow be somewhat answerable to the greatness of the King who is wronged But if a man have wronged a God this must be the greatest sorrow of all sorrows otherwise thou dost not repent Repentance is the rending or breaking of the heart so sayes the Prophet Ioel it is not a lukewarm or a little grief that will break the heart Repentance is the humbling of the soul sayes David it is not a little bowing and a little bending will humble it before God Repentance is the mortifying or the killing of sin as Paul cals it alas sinne is like the heart of Oke that will be a hundred years a dying so sin will be long a dying it is not a little pricking and a little compunction will kill it Repentance is called repentance unto life in the Scripture it is not a little chafing and a little rubbing and a little Aqua-vitae will fetch a man from death untâ— life No no beloved thou never repentest unlesse thou be zealous And therefore the Apostle makes zeal a part of repentance 2 Cor. 7. 11. No zeal no repentance no repentance no salvation 2. That man is in the state of damnation that is not a beleever in Christ If a man be not in Christ by a lively faith he cannot be saved The Prophet prophesying of Christ saith thus Vnto us a childe is born and he shall be called wonderful the Prince of peace and the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this Isa 9 6 7. Never is Christ conceived in any man under heaven but the zeal of the Lord of Hosts doth perform it Doth he enlighten the minde or purge the heart or cleanse the conscience zeal does perform it Can I be so in love with Christ as to deny my self for him and not be zealous to him Can I count all my parts and all my gifts and all that I have as Paul did to be drosse â—nd dung for the worth I finde in Christ and not be zealous of him Can I hunger after him and pant for him and be sick of love till I have him and not be zealous towards him Thus we must doe otherwise we are not in Christ And therefore Moses confounds faith and zeal as if they were all one and both in one Phinehas was zealous for Gods sake Numb 25. 11. That is he was zealous and faithful both for so the Psalmist expounds it that was counted to him for righteousnesse sayes he that was speaking of his zeal in executing of judgement that was counted to him for righteousnesse Now ye know nothing can be counted to a man for righteousnesse but only faith and therefore by zeal there is meant faith This is an undeniable argument If a man have faith he is
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for such sayes he are the sinfull lusts and affections they are all fiery set on fire of hell this is one misery and this not a small one zeal is the fire of the soul and if it be not set upon God it is set on fire of hell Secondly Zeal is the running of the soul If thou beest not zealous for God thou runnest away after the things of this world thou dost not only go after vanities but thou runnest not only go after thy pleasures and thy profits but thou runnest As the affections are the feet of the soul so zeal is the swift running pace of these feet I will run the way of thy Commandments sayes David that is I will be zealous in it It is a long way to heaven especially now since the fall it is a very long way to heaven and death will overtake us before ever we can get there unlesse we run and therefore Saint Paul commands us to run fast enough lest we never get there So run that ye may obtain 1 Cor 9. 24. Now had we not need to set our zeal right for that way we run that way our zeal stands If the zeal of our affection stand to Godwards we run onwards to heaven but if it stand to the things here below we run onwards to hell I reade of Tiberius Nero who when his brother Drusus lay sick in Germany he ran two hundred miles in twenty four hours to visit him But we may finde tanker runners then so in sinne some in drunkennesse and good fellowship as they call it others in security and hardnesse of heart others in one sin and others in another and as they run themselves so if there be any that are stricter then themselves they wonder that they run not with them to the same excesse of ryot 1 Pet. 4. 4. Mark run not with them where note themselves run into ryot May be sometimes they have sudden and violent affections to good as if they were all on a fire for the present like the young man in the Gospel he came running to Christ and kneeled down to him sayes the Text Mar. 10 17. O he was all upon the haste he does not goe to him but he runs as many men and women have very good moods and violent pangs of goodnesse now and then but alas it was nothing but a flash for by and by he was as ready to be gone as ever he was hasty to come and then he ran on in his security and coveteousnesse of minde Do ye not see how fast many of you run on in arerages with God If we could see Gods debt-book might we not there reade Item ten thousand oaths thou hast sworn Item millions of millions of filthy words thou hast spoken Item a hundred millions of millions of wicked thoughts thou hast thought Item a thousand lazie prayers thou hast made Item 20. hundred Sabbaths thou hast prophaned Item fourty Sacraments thou hast unworthily received Thus ye have run on as if ye thought every day seven years till ye are in hell Thus it is with you when your zeal is set any where else then on God Thirdly Zeal is the predominant element in the soul Look what the soul is zealous unto that is the predominant temper of the soul if thou beest zealous for God Christ is predominant in thee if thou beest zealous for the things of this world the world is predominant in thee Non datur temperamentum ad pondus sayes the Philosopher there is no temper but something is predominant You never heard of a soul that had as much of the world in him as of Christ and of Christ as of the world No as he is zealous to one thing so one thing or other is predominant in him Men-pleasing is predominant in one pride predominant in another and pleasure predominant in a third Whatsoever a man is zealous unto that is his predominant element Now if thine affections if the zeal of them be not set upon God then something or other in the world is predominant in thee O what a misery then is it to be lesse zealous for God then for the world the world is predominant in thee this is the character of one that yet is no better then a reprobate Lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God 2 Tim. 3. 4. when pleasure is predominant and not God He that loveth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me c. sayes Christ Mat. 10. 37. when carnal relations are predominant and not spiritual this I say is an evident character of a wicked man for what difference is there between a godly man and wicked man both have sinne in them this is the difference a godly man hath sin in him but grace is predominant and therefore he is called a godly man A wicked man hath many good graces in him but sinne and wickednesse is predominant and therefore he is called a wicked man the denomination is from the part that is predominant The beasts of the earth because the earth is predominant the fishes of the Sea because the water is predominant a brick-house not as though there were no wood in it but because brick is predominant Mark all thy thoughts which is predominant in thee the world or Christ mark all thy speeches which is predominant earth or heaven mark all thy cares which is predominant to busie thee most O what a wofull estate art thou in when sin and corruption is predominant in thee If thou be more zealous after the things of this life then after grace and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Thou canst never enter into Gods kingdom because sin is predominant in thee Fourthly Zeal is the self-cruelty of the soul If thou beest most zealous to God thy zeal is a holy cruelty to thy self Master spare thy self sayes Peter to Christ Get thee behinde me Saran sayes Christ he was zealous for the redemption of the world and he would not spare his own life Zeal is a holy cruelty of the soul it will spare nothing nor life nor credit nor living nor any thing M. Fox that was zealous in his love to the poor he was in a holy manner cruell to himself to give the very clothes off his back rather then the naked should not be covered Love is as strong as death and as cruell as the grave Cant. 8. 6. Durus sicut inferi zelus as Ambrose expounds it zeal is as hard as the grave A man that is zealous is a hard man to himself that he may be free unto God not as though true zeal were hard and cruell indeed unto his own soul but I mean to his own fleshly desires and respects he is the mercifullest man to his own soul under heaven Now then see what a woful estate thou art in if thou beest not zealous for God for if the zeal of thine affections gad any where else
and of Heaven the reason is plain I need not expresse it I know many a childe of God is not assured hereof but there is never a childe of God under heaven but he is restlesse till he be Alas he is never zealous for God if he be quiet without assurance of Gods love in Christ Jesus Can I zealously love him whose love to me I am not assured of for all that I know he will cut my throat he will turn the sorest enemy I have I cannot zealously love him No more canst thou zealously love God as long as thou art quiet without the assurance of his love For all that thou knowest God does not love thee God he may damn thee and cast thee to hell for ever and turn the sorest enemy in the world to thy soul for all that thou knowest and therefore thou canst not zealously love him if then thou be a zealous lover of God either thou art assured of his love or thou canst never be quiet without it give diligence sayes the Apostle to make your calling and election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall 2 Pet. 1. 10. ye shall never fall if ye make it sure but if ye can be quiet without the assurance of election and Gods love ye may fall and for all that I know break your necks for ever and perish for evermore Go to then examine your selves what does your conscience tell you ye are not sure of Gods favour nor your election to life ye hope well ye say but ye are not assured of it neither does it break your sleep a jot nor hinder your sports and your pleasures and your mirth it is certain ye were never zealous for God What a wofull thing is this hast thou but one soul and art thou no more careful of it art thou to live either for ever in heaven or hell when thou diest in all torture and torment world without end and art thou no more diligent to make sure before hand perhaps thou mayst be saved yea but perhaps thou mayst be damned And hast thou no more love to thy soul then to be quiet with uncertainties O how many be there among us that have no assurance from God what he means to doe with them whether to save them or to destroy and to damn them how many go blundring on in an uncertain opinion and conjecturall hope of Gods favour and have no certainty at all of the same how many that are haunted with fears and terrours and doubts this way and never labour to be sure how many that have had pretty assurances a good while ago and now they have lost them and yet they sit idlely and go dreaming on in the duties of religion as if they could shift well enough though they never recover again this is no zeal if thou beest zealous thou canst never endure to be under uncertainties never to be quiet till thou hast gotten the assurance of Gods love The fourth sign of zeal towards God is gladnesse to further and to be furthered in the waies of God If thou beest zealous thou art glad to be reproved and told of thy sinnes glad that the Minister should meet with thy corruptions and rip them up in the Pulpit as a Patient is glad that the Physitian should hit right on his disease When Peter had met with those three thousand in the Acts and told them plainly they were murderers of Christ as ye may reade in the Chapter the Text sayes they gladly received the Word Act. 2. 41. Peter laid a greater sin to their charge then we have unto yours We have told you that some of you are adulterers and some of you drunkards c. which is bad enough and ye are offended hereat but Peter told them they were murderers of Christ and they gladly received the Word they were not angry with Peter but with themselves and were glad to be told of it a sign they were zealous A zealous man is glad to further and to be furthered in all goodnesse he is glad to meet with the godly that so he may be quickned by conference glad to hear news of a Sermon that so he may go to it and be edifyed glad of every opportunity both of doing and receiving good glad to go to a Sacrament which is Christs feast so were the good Israelites glad at the Sacrament of the Passeover they kept that feast with great gladnesse 2 Chr. 30. 21. Glad that there was one glad that they were at it they were very glad sayes the Text If thou beest zealous thou wilt be glad of a Communion and glad to be at it When thou hast been at a Sermon thou wilt be glad that ever thou wert at it O the Word does thee such good that thou goest home with all gladnesse of heart yea though the Word did never so much contradict thy corruptions As the good people in Nehemiah when they had been reproved and rebuked in the Congregation and told of their sins and made to cry out unto God they went home and ate their meat with all joy glad that they understood the words that were told them Neh. 8. 12. Thus thou wouldest to if thou wert zealous towards God but if thou goest about the duties of Gods worship as sorry peeces of businesse if thou dost not delight in prayer and in hearing the Word if thou canst sit wearisomely and when will the Minister have done a man may see it in thy countenance thou art not joyfull to hear this is a sign thou hast not one scruple of zeal towards God The poor impotent man in the Acts when Paul was a preaching he lookt so merrily and so greedily upon him as if he would fain have it faster then Paul could deliver he was a faithfull hearer The same heard Paul speak and Paul stedfastly beheld him and perceived he had faith to be healed Act. 149. He perceived he had faith how did he perceive it he perceived it by his countenance he could give a shrewd guesse by his looks while Paul was preaching he looked so cheerfully and so greedily upon him as if he drunk in every point that he said The man without doubt was zealous to hear The fifth sign of zeal towards God is rejoycing to see the forwardnesse of others I rejoyced greatly sayes Iohn to the elect Lady I rejoyced greatly that I found of thy children walking in the truth 2 Io. 4. Nay if you be zealous though it may seem a disparagement to thee that others should be as gracious and famous as thy self yet thou wilt joy in it it seemed to be a disparagement to Moses that Eldad and Medad of low rank in the Church that such as they should prophesie in the Camp Before Moses was counted the only Prophet of the Lord but now Eldad and Medad prophesie as well as he this I say might have seemed a disparagement to him yet he was so farre from repining thereat as
obsta set thy self against the beginning of sinne if thou suffer thy heart to begin once it will be sure to go farther The Spirit of God hath a good phrase fall into sinne He that stands let him take heed lest he fall A man that stands upon a high rock if he do not look to the beginning of his fall he cannot stop himself till he is quite fallen down to the bottom and if not by meer hap he catch hold somewhere which it 's a thousand to one if ever he do if he do not I say it is a wonder if he break not his neck Thou canst never have the life of grace in thee unlesse thou take heed of the beginnings of sin Be exhorted all ye that fain would fear God to be zealous First consider Ye can never be revenged on your worst enemies unlesse ye be zealous ye would be glad to be revenged on your sworn enemies Sampson begged hard of the Lord that he might be revenged on the Philistims for his two eyes but thou hast worse enemies then the Philistims were to him Sin the World the Flesh and the Devil these are the worst enemies that ever mortall man had it is good to be revenged on them thou canst never be revenged on them except thou be zealous there is no enemy besides that it is lawfull to be revenged on but only upon these on these thou mayst lawfully these have done thee much spight they have brought thee into the estate of wrath and damnation they have made thee accursed and liable to hell-torments for ever they have pluckt out the two eyes of thy soul now if thou wouldest be zealous thou mayst be revenged upon them The Apostle puts zeal and revenge together yea what zeal yea what revenge 2 Cor 7. 11. If thou beest zealous thou mayst be revenged upon sin that hath done thee so much mischief it hath troubled thy peace defiled thy conscience disabled thee from worshipping of God hindred many good things from thee Never hadst thou any hurt or any sorrow or any evil but thou mayst thank sinne for it Just cause hast thou to be revenged upon sinne there is an imbred desire of revenge in a man upon those that wrong him the Heathen could say Est vindicta bonum vitâ jucundius ipsâ Revenge is sweeter then life it self Here it is true and no where else All other revenge is a damnable premunire against God vengeance is mine sayes he and who is he that revengeth himself to intrench upon Gods right but here revenge is commanded yea it 's sweeter then life here revenge and spare not and this is the way get zeal and be as hot as a furnace in anger against sinne and beat it as Moses did the Israelites calf into dust and powder hath thy filthy cousening heart deceived thee so often hereby thou mayst be revenged on it be zealous to search it and curb it and tame it have thy lusts been greedy and proud and sensual this humour they must have and this fashion they must follow and this pleasure they must take and this liberty they must use O if thou wouldest be zealous thou mayst easily be revenged on thy lusts hereby thou mayst be revenged on the devil and spight his kingdom to advance Christs hereby thou mayst be revenged on thy flesh that hath played the traytor so often with thee thou mayst afflict it and master it and block it and subdue it hereby thou mayst tread upon the world that hath so often ensnared thee thou mayst scorn it and contemn it and all the glory of it and count it as drosse and dung in comparison of Christ hereby thou mayst trample Satan under thy feet It is a strange thing how little men study to be revenged on these enemies let our own brother give us but a crosse-word we are at daggers drawing to be revenged but the devil may baffle us and the devil may tempt us and beguile us we put it all up Let a servant but anger us a little and offend us but in a peece of service or an errand O we are so revengefull and ready to make them smart for it but sinne may crosse us in our souls and rob us of Christ and deprive us of grace and mercy and peace and all yet we are good friends with it we take nothing amisse alas these men are monsters and mad men one day thou shalt see that sinne and thy lust and Satan whose temptations thou hast been led by c. they are the worst enemies in the world and if ever thou desirest to be revenged upon them O endeavour to be zealous Secondly Consider thou wilt never be able to do good unto others unlesse thou be zealous When men go dreamingly on in Religion they can never do good upon others what do others think they think basely and meanly thereof as if it were a matter of nothing but when they see a man zealous this affects them indeed if any thing will do it When a man is zealous at a game he laugheth exceedingly he is as merry as he can stand on his legs another man that shall see it will be apt to demand what fine merry pleasant game is that so it is with ambitious men when a man is zealous for a living he rides through thick and thin through frost and snow all the night long this friend he seeks to and that Noble man he flies to to help him in his suit what will folks say certainly he is going about some great living or other he is so eager about it So if thou wouldest be zealous for God and fervent in religion men would be compelled to conceive better of godlinesse and of Christ then thou mightest provoke others to godlinesse Zeal is a provoking grace Your zeal hath provoked very many 2 Cor. 9. 2. As zeal in charity provokes so does zeal in every good work provoke Where Theodoret observes the wisedom of Paul for he provokes the Macedonians by the zeal of the Corinthians and the Corinthians by the zeal of the Macedonians for zeal does mutually provoke one another O what a deal of good mightest thou do in the house where thou dwellest in the Parish where thou livest in the Countrey where thou art if thou wouldst labour to be zealous I knew an old man whether he be dead now or alive I know not that used constantly to go to the labouring men in the field and catechize them and pose them in Religion as they were reaping and working he would go to mens shops where he was acquainted and stir them up to have care of their souls and by this means brought above fourty men and women to seek out for Heaven that before had no more care that way then if they had been like a company of beasts Wouldest thou not be glad to do good thou wilt never be able to do it except thou be zealous Paul had women and sundry
to enlarge his kingdom and his power the reason is this he affects it One would wonder how Baals Priests cut themselves after their manner with knives and with lancers till the bloud gushed out upon them 1 Kin. 18. 28. the reason was this they affected will-worship Any thing is easie when a man does affect it wouldst thou perswade a man to any hardship under heaven do but turn his affections unto it and thou hast prevailed Flectere est victoriae sayes Austin do but bend a mans affections and thou hast prevailed with him O sayst thou I finde it so hard to be heavenly so hard to be zealous so hard to depend upon God what is the reason of this thine affections are earthly if thine affections were set right it would be the easiest of ten thousand My heart hath such a haunt and I finde it so hard to break my self of it I am cholerick and I finde it so hard for to bridle it I am poor and afflicted and I finde it so hard for to bear it alas alas it is the easiest thing in the world if thine affections were to it Wouldest thou not be glad to count it to be easie to serve God easie to walk in all holinesse no such treasure as to live at ease as we say I know thou wouldest be glad to finde it easie to abandon thy corruptions and please God better then thou dost O labour then to set thine affections on God and all things are easie Should we perswade thee to part with thy geegaws thou art so loth it is a hard task to perswade thee that is because thou wilt be proud still should we perswade thee to discard wicked company out of thy house thou keepest an Alehouse and thou art loth to thrust them forth of thy house that is because thou wouldest fain have their custome thine affections are that way and therefore it is not easie to perswade thee but set thine affections aright and every difficulty is easie The second motive is taken from the shamelessenesse of the affections If thou beest once deeply affected with any thing thou wilt never be ashamed of it See a proud phantasticall fool that affecteth his long locks and his love-lock Every one that is sober-minded and sees him is ready to say what a humerous fool is yonder man what a ruffian he is how like a Mastiffe or a Bedlam does he look yet the fool is not ashamed thereof because he affects it See a light-headed wretch that is ever a fooling and ever a jesting and ever a toying and playing and this sport and that sport Every grave man that beholds him is apt for to say what a vain man is this I never saw such a light-headed sot in my life yet the wretch is not ashamed thereof because he affects it The swearer swears and is not ashamed the worldling covets and is not ashamed the mocker mocks and is not ashamed though every man in his wits that does view them marvels at their madnesse and how desperate they be all cry shame on them yet they are not ashamed because they affect it Thou hast a whores forehead thou refusest to be ashamed Jer. 3. 3. The whore whose affections are set on her lovers and her adulterers cannot be ashamed but she dares go on for all the shame of the earth why because she affects them Nero was not ashamed of his villanies in the open market of Rome Vespasian was not ashamed of his stinking coveteousnesse by urine If it be thus O why dost thou not set thine affections on God and on Christ and his laws thou couldest never be ashamed hereof if once thou didst truly affect them When Davids affections were stirred to dance before the Ark of God and put off his garment to do it the better fie upon thee fie upon thee sayes Micol fie for shame what art thou not ashamed to make thy self vile on this fashion I will be more vile yet sayes he if this be vilenesse to rejoyce before God if this be esteemed a vilenesse I will be more vile yet he could not be ashamed because his affections were set upon Gods Ark. Out you Puritan you are a vile companion to be so precise as you are you must be reproving and talking of the Scripture upon every occasion out you hypocrite you are you not ashamed to do thus No no he is not ashamed he can never be ashamed if this be to be a Puritan to be holy and strict against sin I will be more a Puritan yet If this be to be an hypocrite to be labouring to draw others from their lusts I will be a more hypocrite yet If this be singularity not to do as the men of this world do I will be more singular yet I will speak of Gods testimonies and it were before Kings and I will not be ashamed Psal 119. 46. Impudence and not to be ashamed is a very great matter if it be in sin it is desperate it is a sign a man is desperately affected towards sinne but if it be in good it is admirable it is a holy kinde of impudence it is a sign a man is deeply affected towards good so affected that nothing can make him ashamed Never will a man be ashamed of that which he affects fie for shame will you be rich and take in such profits will you be in such credit fie will you be a Lord and a Nobleman in such honor will you be learned and gather so much knowledge He conceives they are all fools that say so though peradventure they do not affect such things yet he does and therefore he will not be ashamed of them So if thine affections be set upon Christ thou wilt never be ashamed of his crosse never ashamed of his badge never ashamed of his Word The children of the devil are not ashamed of their abominations they can drink and be drunken and vomit and reel and not be ashamed they can be proud and carnal and have no more religion in them then the stock and not be ashamed Agesilaus will not be ashamed of his halting Philopaemenes will not be ashamed of his deformednesse when they hold it their credit to be thus as they were O therefore set thine affections on God and thou shalt never be ashamed of his waies The third motive is taken from the hankeringnesse of the affections Look what thou settest thine affections upon that thou wilt hanker after If thou set thine affections on the things of this life thy heart will so hanker after them that they will haunt thee whatever thou goest about they will haunt thee at prayer time and haunt thee at Church time they will haunt thee in the Sabbath and haunt thee at the Sacrament like the Fly in Albertus that was ever hankring after the bald head though he flapt it off again and again yet still it would be hankring he could never be rid of it it would still be a
admittit sayes Quintilian the school admits all sorts of scholars So I may say of you the School of Christ admits all sorts of sinners among you There is never a wretch among you all but if now ye will be content to go to Christs school ye shall be admitted to learn The Lord give you hearts so to do O then set your affections on God the affections are the softnesse of the heart and this is the way for to soften them The XIIII Sermon Col. 3. 2. Set your affections on things that are above c. A Beginning hath been made to perswade you with motives that ye would set your affections on God Five motives have been noted that our Apostle handles in this Chapter and six motives that the theme it self does afford you Give me now leave to go on in the same point and to help you with more For if this point be not copious with motives no point can be copious All perswasion is by moving the affections whatever the theme be now when the affections themselves be the theme the matter of necessity must be copious and abundant other motives remain to set your affections above The first is taken from the everlastingnesse of the affections Our affections are everlasting in our soul especially some of them and those that are not when the soul is in hell the very want of them are a little hell to the soul for there shall be no joy no delight no hope no comfort no love and as the Stomack when it wanteth its meat it devoureth it self so these affections when the matter is wanting they shall eat up and devour up the soul There 's no matter in hell to joy at no matter in hell to delight in no comfortable matter to hope for no amiable thing for to love and this shall vex the soul with weeping and gnashing of teeth neverthelesse many of the affections whether a man go to heaven or to hell are everlasting affections joy and delight and love and all the liking affections shall be everlasting in heaven fear and horrour and hatred and grief and despair and shame shall be everlasting in hell there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth sayes the Text he does not say there shall be love or joy c. Now are the affections everlasting in the soul know this nothing but God can hold the soul tack as we say everlastingly It 's true we may affect meat for a while and raiment for a while and maintenance for a while and houses and wives and husbands and recreations for a while till we die but when death comes death takes off these objects for ever If thine affections were mainly set upon these things when these are all gone alas where art thou then thou art at a losse for ever and ever As Zophar sayes of the wicked though he had the world at will while he was living yet sayes he he shall perish for ever like his own dung they which have seen him shall say where is he Job 20. 7. Before he was at his pleasures and his profits and his businesses in the world there he was where his affections did run but now when his pleasures are all gone his house and his lands and his markets are all gone alas where is he He is now at a losse Zophar knew well enough where he is when he dies he is in hell to be damned and tomented for ever but he expresses it thus to shew that now he is at a losse Set thine affections then upon grace and upon the fear of the Lord for though thou diest this cannot die with thee It was a good answer of Stilpon when he lost his countrey and his children and his wife and his house and Demetrius said to him How now Stilpon where art thou now art thou not at a losse now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at a losse sayes he No no I have vertue still and righteousnesse still so if thou shouldest lose means and maintenance friends stays hopes health and all thou couldest not be at a losse were thine affections set upon Christ thou wouldest have thy faith still thy comfort still thy peace of conscience still assurance of heaven still Thine affections are everlasting and therefore set thine affections upon such things as are everlasting otherwise thou shalt be at a losse one day for ever and ever The second motive is taken from the infinitenesse of the affections the affections are infinite and therefore nothing in this whole world is able to satisfie them He that loveth silver shall never be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with encrease Eccles 5. 10 give him tens he would be glad with twenties give him them he could afford to have hundreds give him them he could desire thousands when he hath thousands he is never the nearer nothing satisfies him Give Alexander a world he desires another Take me a silly man give him a Curateship he desires a Vicaridge give him that he desires a Parsonage give him that he desires two Benefices give him that he desires a Prebendary an Archdeaconry and then a Bishoprick and if he were Pope of Rome he were not satisfied Take a voluptuous man give him pleasure to day he desires more to morrow from Cards to the Tables from them to Bowls from them to huntings and hawkings and so on he is never satisfied till he dies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Eustratius the affections are infinite even as the fire all the forrests and all the woods and all the fewell under heaven can never satisfie the fire give it faggots it could burn logs give it logs it could burn whole trees give it trees it could burn whole houses give it them it could burn the inhabitants Nay Solo compares the affections to the fire of hell aud the mouth of the grave that can never be satisfied Hell and destruction are never full so the eyes of man are never satisfied Pro 27. 20. The eye is never satisfied with seeing the ear is never satisfied with hearing still it desires further what news Pro. 30. 15. he compares them to the Horseleech give give sayes the Horseleech it 's ever sucking more and more and more it 's ever desiring the affections are infinite there 's nothing in this world can ever satisfie them did ever any meals meat so satisfie the stomack that it should never hunger more did ever suit of apparrell so satisfie the back that it should never wish to be cloathed more did ever Rent so sarisfie the Landlord that he should never desire another day to receive more The affections are infinite nothing in the world can ever satisfie them What good reason then is there to set thine affections upon God God is infinite and he can satisfie them He filleth the hungry with good things Luk. 1. 53. If the affections hunger after God he will fill them