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A91897 Christ the perfect pattern, of a Christian's practice, being the substance of severall sermons, about the Imitation of Christ. / Preached by the reverend and faithfull minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Ralph Robinson, late minister of Mary Wolnoth London. Published by Sim. Ash, Wil. Taylor, Sam. Clarke. Robinson, Ralph, 1614-1655. 1658 (1658) Wing R1709; Thomason E1818_1; ESTC R209810 135,574 295

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Baal how zealous were they 1 Reg. 18. 28. The Ephesians for their Diana what extraordinarie zeal when they perceived that by Pauls preaching against gods made with hands was like to overthrow their Religion they cryed for the space of two Iudg. 6. 28 29 30. houres together Great is Diana of the Ephesians Acts 19. 34. Motive 6. If you will be zealous for the House of God God will be zealous for your houses vid. 2 Sam. 6. 10 11. Obed Edom he had a zeal for the Ark when others were afraid of it God blesses him vid. Hag. 2. 18 19. If you will be dead and cold for the matters of God God will be cold for your civil concernments Motive 7. It s one of the best wayes to take off and abate the heat of enemies against the House of God The colder you are the more hot will they be and the more zealous you are the more cold will they be in promoting their designes 2. Rules for zeal 1 Your Zeal must be universal and that 1. In respect of things you must be zealous for everie part of Gods House for all and everie part of Truth against all and everie kind of corruption in Worship some are zealous against Schisme and Heresie but they have no great Zeal against superstition and humane inventions others have a Zeal against Superstition but they have not against Heresie c. This is not right heat vid. Psal 119. 104. Josiah his Zeal was against everie Corruption 2 Reg. 23. 4. ad 20. God commands him vers 25. Such was the Zeal of Christ also He leaves nothing behinde Sacraments Preaching Prayer 2. In respect of persons he that hath a right zeal for Truth will oppose all is contrarie to Truth in one person as well as in another in great as well as in small c. in a Friend as well as in an Enemie Zeal is like God in this there is no respect of persons with it Whosoever defiles the House of God let his Profession his Power be what it will Zeal will oppose him Zeal doth not hate error in a Prelate and love it in another c. Christ will throw down the Tables of the Money-changers whosoever they be that fit there c. 3. In respect of times True Zeal for Gods House hath no winter it burns in one Age as well as in another Manie men were verie zealous against corruption in Worship and Doctrine in the raign of Prelacie which now are cold against the same or worse corruptions in the raign of Heresie These were never truly zealous for Gods House Corruption of Truth and Worship is as bad one year as another c. 2 Zeal must be joyned with prudence and knowledge Rom. 10. 2. God hath given to man an understanding as well as affection Zeal without Discretion is rashness like mettle in a blinde Horse or a sharp edged Sword in a mad mans hand Those 4. Beasts Rev. 4. 8. which represent the Churches of the Gospel they had 6. Wings and they were full of Eyes a Christian must have Eyes as well as Wings Knowledge as well as Zeal Zeal with Knowledge saith one is like an Unicorns Horn in the hand of an Artist verie precious but Zeal without Knowledge is as the Unicorns Horn in the Beasts Head verie dangerous Zeal without Knowledge is like Pegasus without a Bridle or like an Offering without an Eye which God accepts not Lev. 22. 22. Mal. 1. 8. It s like Phaeton in his Fathers Chariot may burn himself and the World too 3 Zeal for Gods House must be confined within the Compasse of our Calling The Minister in his place the Magistrate in his the private person in his place 'T is a good glosse which Calvin hath on this Text. All must imitate Christ all must as much as in them lyeth preserve the Temple of God from defilement yet everie man must take heed that he go not beyond his bounds Non omnibus protinus licet flagellum arripere ut vitia manu corrigamus neque enim eadem nobis potest as data est nec idem injunctum munus Zeal out of its place is like fire in the Thatch Private Christians they must express their zeal by Prayer Teares Dispute complaining to the Church to the Magistrates where they are if they be such as care for Religion He that should being a private person do as Phinehas did and pretend zeal would be a murtherer or as Christ here did would be seditious c. 4 Our zeal for Gods House must be for the glorie of God not either to get our selves a name or to oppose men or to please others c. but meerly discharge of duty respect to Gods Honour This was the ground of our Saviours zeal make not my Fathers House c. Jehu lost all his zeal for want of a right end vid. 2 Reg. 10. He did verie much and he calls it zeal for God vers 16. but the truth is it was meerly for his own house and therefore God threatens Hos 1. 4. to avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the House of Jehu c. look well to this 5 It must be put out against private corruptions in your own case 3. Meanes to get zeal for Gods House 1 Consider often the worth and excellency of Gods House Truth Worship they are glorious things beauties of holiness Psal 110. 3. the glorie of God the glorie is departed from Israel c. 1 Sam. 4. latter end the Tabernacle of God with men c. 2 Beg much of the Spirit of God that spirit of fire the fire of the Altar came down from Heaven so doth the fire of zeal get much of that fiery Baptisme of the Holy Ghost c. vid. Acts 2. 3. 3 Be much in the Company of zealous persons he that kisseth the lips of the Servants of God who are zealous will get heat from them 4 Take heed of too much carnal policie This will make you but cold and dead for the Worship of God He whose zeal is extreme hot for outward things will be extreme cold at least luke-warm for the Worship of God a little Earth cast on a hot fire puts it out Mary Wol●oth Septemb. 30th 1649. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 19. 47. And He taught daily in the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THere are five principal Passages or Stories recorded of Jesus Christ in this Chapter which is the best division can be made of it viz. 1 The story of the Conversion of one Zacheus a Publican a little man but a very great sinner this we have from the first verse to the 11th He came out of curiosity to gaze upon Christs person having heard the fame of his works and he did not only behold his Person but was converted by his Power we may note from his conversion 1. It s good to be in the way in which Christ travels Zach●us being in Christs way was apprehended by Christs power and made partaker of
Tyranni isti ad silentium omnes cogent compescent Doctores nunc conjicient in carceres nunc vero in exilia extrudent nunc etiam denunciabunt mortem nunc mulctabunt aliqua poena vel convitiis repudiabunt habebunt ludibrio ut sint contemptibiles This saith he is the meaning of the Prophet Esa 53. 7 2d Rule This silence or not opening of the mouth doth not exclude prayer or the use of lawful meanes to remove it e. g. A man may be dumb under a Disease and yet may keep dayes of prayer to deprecate it and send for the Physician to apply his skill to cure it vid. Psal 39. 9 10. This is a duty as well as patience Our Saviour prayed Father if it be possible let this Cup passe He indeed prayed with subordination to God and so must we And we must not use any indirect or unlawful meanes to remove it That 's worse than any affliction can be It excludes not complaining against unjust 3d Rule dealings in being Authours of our oppression Our Saviour complains of Judas Pilate c. Psal 69. 21. Psal 109. David complains of Doeg c. 2. Positively To be dumb and not to open the mouth c. implyeth these 4. things 1. A holy calmness of heart and spirit under Gods hand No inward frettings or quarrellings against Gods providence c. No heat of heart no distempered heat No anger in spirit against God Jonah was angry No boyling within Psal 39. 3. My heart was hot within me his spirit did boyl with impatience though his tongue was silent 2. Resignations surrendring and referring our selves to God to be yet further and longer afflicted if he please Thus David 2 Sam. 15. 26. God had put a heavy yoak upon his neck already yet if he please he shall add more weight to it So Eli 1 Sam. 3. 18. So David 2 Sam. 16. 10. Abishai would gladly have been about his eares No saith David Let him alone 3. Satisfaction of Spirit When a soul is well pleased in his heart with the affliction which God hath laid him under as Paul Acts 21. 13. He was not displeased but well satisfied with that Prophecy of Agabus He had never the worse thoughts of God for it or for any other of his sufferings 4. A patient waiting upon the Lord under his hand till deliverance come When a soul is willing to stay the Lords leasure and not surripere liberationem steal a deliverance before God would have him free vid. Psal 62. 5. Psal 37. 7. Thus the Church manifests her patience under troubles Mich. 7. 9. So in Lam. 3. 26. Contrary to this is that frame of Spirit which will not suffer a soul to wait but rather use any foul shift to be freed then wait till God call off the Disease vid. 2 Reg. 6. 33. vid. Heb. 11. 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not accepting of deliverance This is the first thing what it implies what this duty is The 2d thing is to give Motives to this patient and silent bearing for which consider these 1. Motive Consider that all conditions are ordered by and according to the will and providence of God vid. Matth. 10. 29. Iob 5. 6. This was that that silenced Iob under very heavy pressures Cap. 1. ult Not the Sabeans or Chaldeans but the hand of God This very consideration silenced Eli 1 Sam. 3. 18. and so David Psal 39. 9. and in another case 2 Sam. 16. 10. Abishai looks no farther then Shimei and therefore he is all on hot fire let me go and take away his head from him David sees a Commission in his hand from Heaven Ergo. Vid. Acts 21. 13. they took on very much at first hearing but when they were once perswaded that it was from God they did acquiesse the will of the Lord be done And the great Motive which kept our Saviour so silent under all his sufferings was this The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink of it Consider 1. Gods Soveraignty and Regality He hath an absolute right to order of things as he pleaseth to set us higher or lower to bring us into bondage or freedom Ergo vid. Iob Cap. 38. per totum Cap. 39. Cap. 40. 5. There 's no man hath such power over his beast to put him to a fat or lean pasture as God hath over man vid. Iob 11. 10. Not to be silent is either to deny or at best to question and dispute Gods Dominion over him 'T is as much as to say He is his own not the Lords 2. Consider his wisdom All the works which God doth have rayes of Divine wisdom in them Psal 104. 24. Eccles 3. 11. Even the most confused and seemingly disordered wayes and works of God are wrought most wisely and artificially Now not to be silent is to lay to the charge of God folly bungling c. 2d Motive Consider that you have deserved many times more and heavier things from the hands of God Art thou in poverty thou hast deserved beggery Art thou in sickness thou hast deserved death Art thou in a prison Hell is not beyond thy demerits vid. Lam. 3. 39. Mich. 7. This consideration was that which did silence that good Thief upon the Crosse Luk. 23. 41. A Man who hath deserved hanging drawing and quartering may well be silent to undergo whipping or burning in the hand He who had confiscated all his Estate by some illegal Act hath no reason to speak because the Offcer comes to demand 6 d. or 12 d. for a fine Just thus it is with us we have deserved the losse of all and the Lord only takes twelve pence as it were from us The wages of sin is death Rom. 6. ult and that eternal And this is the wages of every sin Now we have committed an innumerable number of sins beside that unfathomed Fountain of corrupt nature which hath all sin in it in the principle And yet God comes but with small rods to whip us and that in measure too we may well hold our peace indeed 3d Motive Consider the great good of this silence and patience under our afflictions 1. T is in it self a very excellent and precious grace full of beauty and glory It renders us most like to Christ 2. T is very precious in the effects of it I will shew you these four effects of it 1. It renders the heaviest burden tolerable That which wil bruise the back of another will lye very light and easie upon the shoulders of a patient Christian Levius fit patientia Quicquid corrigere est nefas Yea it doth take away the whole weight of the burthen For when the spirit is in such a frame t is all one whether poverty or riches whether freedom or restraint c. A patient spirit hath the happiness and comfort of his condition still 2. It makes a soul Conqueror over all conditions The impatient complaining spirit is vanquished under every small
he will soon put to flight all opposers 2d Vse How unlike to Jesus Christ are the greatest part of Christians in our dayes we may take up sad complaints against sundry sorts of persons 1 There are some like Gallio that care for no such things as the worship of God They are Act. 18. 17. indifferent whether they have Religion amongst them or no if they have the worship of God they can be content and if the Tabernacle of God be removed they can bear it without grief it doth not much trouble their spirits though all the Synagogues of God in the Land be burnt up So they may enjoy their civil liberties have free Trading secure their Estates raise their Families fill their Treasuries with the good things of this life they are not much solicitous for the concernments of Religion or the worship of God They will not much dispute against Religion neither will they contend for it with any great life the presence of Religion is no great burden to them and the want of it is no great losse They will not repine if they have the Ark and they will not be greatly offended if they have it not if the Ordinances of God be in the Temple t is well and if the buyers and sellers there be t is not much amisse They stand in aequilibrio as to these matters if Religion dwell in their Coasts they will not thrust it out of doors and if it be removing they will not lament after it nor beg its continuance They are affected with these matters as some men are with their ordinary friends if they will stay with them they will not bid them be gone and if they have a minde to depart they will not desire their stay c. They are concerning Religion of that minde which Paul commands believing Husbands to be of towards their unbelieving Wives 1 Cor. 7. 13. 15. If she be pleased to dwell with him let him not put her away but if she will depart let her depart so they say and so they act concerning Religion and the Ordinances of God I have a few things to say to such They are not like the Gaderenes Matth. 8. 34. Nor are they like the two Disciples Luk. 24. 29. 1. Certainly they are not acted by the Spirit of Jesus Christ his was a fiery Spirit but theirs is a cold Spirit he had life they are dead 2. God hath threatned that he will spue such luke-warm Christians out of his mouth Rev. 3. 15 16. They are just between Heaven and Hell They are like Ephraim Hos 7. 8. Half-baked The Prophet Elijah chides such halters as these 1 Reg. 18. 21. 3. The Ordinances of God are not very like to do much good upon the Spirits of such Christians The Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force Mat. 11. 12. Heaven must be stormed or never entred 2 Others there are who are zealous against the worship of God and against Religion Some are very zealous for superstition the Traditions of their Fathers Unsawful and unwarranted Ceremonies and sinful Inventions of men in the worship of God such was Demetrius and his Associates Acts 19. 24. He was as hot for the golden shrines for Diana as if they had been the golden Plates of the Temple Great is Diana of the Ephesians Such were those old Idolaters with whom the Prophet Jeremiah had to do Jer. 44. 16 17. We will do as we have done We and our Fathers to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven They are grieved to see any endeavour to purge the waters of the Sanctuary from defilements Others are zealous for errors in Doctrine They would have an unlimited Toleration of all opinions and all kindes of worship in the Church of God The Woman Jezebel shall have liberty to vent her falsehoods as well as the Prophets of God to preach their Truths Antichrist shall have his Throne as well as Christ Altars shall be set up to the unknown God as well as to the true God the Ministers of Satan shall keep as free Markets as the Ministers of Christ the envious man shall have Field-room to scatter his Tares as well as the Seeds-men of the Gospel their wheat And if any of the Ministers of Christ out of zeal to Gods glory endeavour to whip out these abuses out of the Temple they are looked upon as firebrands Incendiaries by them who are the true Incendiaries They are reputed worse then Theeves because they disturb this Den of Theeves from nesting in the Temple of God They are looked upon as abominable because they would sweep out these abominations They are thought unworthy to have a liberty in the Kingdom because they will not proclaim a liberty to all these false wayes in the Church the Kingdom of Christ This zeal is certainly none of that which was in Christ It is Diabolical zeal like the unruly Tongue set on fire of Hell James 3. 6. Jesus Christ whipt the buyers and sellers out of the Temple and these lash such as would whip them out Jesus Christ was sore displeased with the Angel of Thyatira for suffering such corruptions Rev. 2. 20. and they are displeased with the Angels of the Churches because they will not tolerate such corruptions Jesus Christ would not have any bid God speed to such 2 Epist John 10 and they would have such embraced and encouraged Jesus Christ saith the mouthes of such as teach false Doctrines must be stopped Tit. 1. 11. And they are ready to stop the mouthes of such as would have these disturbed Jesus Christ layes a Command upon Ministers and Magistrates to apprehend these Foxes but they lay snares for such as would have them apprehended vid. Cant. 2. 15. Take us the Foxes the little Foxes c. Answ By Foxes there we are to understand Hereticks and false Prophets as Ezech. 13. 4. they are Foxes for their subtilty therefore the Apostle calls them deceitful workers transforming themse●ves into the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11. 23. Now Christ would have these taken and rooted out The Church is to take them by censuring confuting and casting them out of the Church and the godly Magistrate is to take them by penal lawes civil punishments c. vid. Deut. 13. 6 7 8 9. which is again Zech. 13. 3. applyed to Gospel-times And that Law was given by Jesus Christ the Mr. Cotton Bloody Tenet washed c. p. 66. 67. Angel of Gods presence whom God promised to send with his People Exod. 33. 2 3. And that Angel was Christ whom they tempted in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10. 9. Therefore Jesus Christ appointed the civil Sword for a Remedy in such a case and hath not repealed it in the Gospel And accordingly the good Kings of Judah exercised this power Asa Joash Josiah and are commended for so doing Nor are only the greater and the worser sort of Foxes to be taken but even the little Foxes the lesser sort of errors