as their peace-offerings it was wholly the Lords so the zeale of Gods house burnt up David he was fully for it The words shew a pious mans study He is zealous 1 In the object and matter of it Gods house 2 In the effect and nature of it it eats him up A man thorowly religious is truly zealous for Gods Church Witnesse David a figure of Christ and Christ the Sonne of David of whom it is written and the Disciples remembred it was written The zeale of thy house hath eaten mee up Iohn 2. 17. Zealous in removing according as God hath called and enabled every man in purging out and opposing with depth of detestation what is corrupt and contrary to Gods will and prejudiciall to his glory revenging his dishonour Thus Iesus found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheepe and doves and the changers of money sitting and when he had made a scourge of small cords he drove them all out of the temple and the sheepe and the oxen and powred out the changers money and overthrew the tables and said unto them that sold doves Take these things hence make not my fathers house an house of merchandise Iohn 2. 14 15 16. A most heroicall act of Christ beholding the Temple most corrupt Verse 14. Hee swept the house Verse 15. moved with the great care and zeale of his fathers house Verse 16. Persons to bee removed as enemies to Christ men of false callings not warranted of God pretending divine right which cannot bee demonstrated out of his Word Men to be dealt withall as polluted priests these sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogie but they were not found therfore were they as polluted put from the priesthood Ezra 2. 62. Let them bee dealt withall as God would have it For the wickednesse of their doings I will drive them out of my house Hosea 9. 15. Idolatrous priests were no more to minister in the Priests office Men that once prosessed themselves for God who fell to idols and by their example and counsell caused others to fall to sinne should beare their shame their sinne but never come neare God in their office any more as it is recorded in the Prophet because they the Levites gone away farre from God ministred unto them before their idols and as stumbling-blockes caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity therefore have I lift up my hand against them saith the Lord God and they shall beare their iniquity and they shall not come neare unto mee to doe the office of a Priest unto me nor come neere unto any of my holy things in the most holy place but they shall beare their shame and their abominations which they have committed Ezekiel 44. 12 13. After this manner did renowned Nehemiah cleansed the chambers and chased out the wicked corrupters who relates it thus I understood of the evill that Eliashib did for Tobiah in preparing him a chamber in the Courts of the house of God Nehemiah 13. 7. And it grieved me sore therefore I cast forth all the houshold-stuffe of Tobiah out of the chamber Verse 8. Then I commanded and they cleansed the chambers Verse 9. And one of the sonnes of Iojada the sonne of Eliashib the High Priest was sonne in law to Sanballat the Horonite therefore I chased him from mee Verse 28. It is to be provided that holy things may be kept from profanation Give not that which is holy unto dogs neither cast ye your pearles before swine lest they trample them under feet and turne againe and rent you Matth. 7. 6. Aime at conformity with that new Ierusalem on earth into which there shall in no wise enter any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie Revel. 21. 27. Men are to be without that be not fit for a congregation of the Lords people but the blemish of our Church For without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie Vers. 22. Doctrines to be opposed unsound and corrupt doctrines be hatefull and to be hated This was good in languishing Ephesus she hated poysonfull doctrines Christ saith This thou hast thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans which I also hate Revel. 2. 6. Thou hast tried them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them liers in regard of their errors and false doctrine Vers. 2. Doctrines that oppose Gods free grace as if it were no grace Rom. 11. 6. which exalt mans free-will as if God did not worke the will Phil. 2. 13. which teach the apostasie of Saints Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. and others like vented and printed are not to be permitted Thyatira was checked for such a permission Christ will have no such toleration I saith hee have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Iezabel which calleth her selfe a prophetesse to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols Revel. 2. 20. Christians are to avoid what is contrary to or besides the doctrine of Christ as very offensive and the cause of divisions and offences The Doctor of the Gentiles told the Romans how to marke them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned and avoid them Rom. 16. 17. Worship to be purged out What is false superstitious idolatrous spirituall adulteries adoration of creatures Altars worshipping wood images and names the images of things invocation of Saints praying about and for the dead and all other appearances and practices of evill Gods jealousie is against image-making or any likenesse to adore bow to or serve Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likenesse of any thing that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth thou shalt not bow downe thy selfe to them nor serve them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me Exod. 20. 45. Where is forbid To make an image for religious worship To worship it In all idolatry the divell is worshipped The things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to divels and not to God 1 Cor. 10. 20. Should not all fellowship with divels be detested and renounced I would not that ye should have fellowship with divels To worship before a thing with reference to a thing is to worship that thing To worship before me Luk. 4. 7. is to worship me Matth. 4. 9. The children are to plead with their mother to put away her idolatries and it is no more than duty to do it Plead with your mother plead she onely is faulty for she is not my wife neither am I her husband Let her therefore put
helper dwell safe by you You are governours for the protection of well-doers 1 Pet. 2. 14. Let it be free for men whose heart is to their work the work of the Lord in preaching praying and in all the offices of the house of the Lord to serve the Lord in the liberty of Christ without feare or snare Say of all such as Cyrus The God of heaven be with them Ezra 1. 3. that they may without hindrance pray for the life of the King and his sonnes and those be cut off that trouble them as was Darius his decree that they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven and pray for the life of the King and his sonnes Also I make a decree that whosoever shall alter this word let timber be pulled downe from his house and being set up let him be hanged thereon and let his house be made a dunghill for this and the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Ierusalem Ezra 6. 10 11 12. The properties of this zeale shewing in part the manner and nature of it 1 It is personall David saith My zeale hath eaten up me a man should be himself a good instance for zeal not thinking it enough others to work and he be idle others to study stand up and speake and he to sleepe sit still and say nothing for the house of God Let a man be exemplary in himselfe in his family his children his servants his followers that as they say of love they may say of zeale your zeale begins at home Let there be admonition and instruction in the words of the Lord let there be discipline and orderly walking This was Davids zeale heare him I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes I hate the work of them that turn aside it shall not cleave to me a froward heart shall depart from me I will not know a wicked person Psal. 101. 3. 4. Let every man be a burnt offering unto the Lord let zeale eat up all corrupt affections in us consume our sinnes and inflame our hearts toward him Rom. 12. 1. 2 It is celestiall it is fire from heaven it is not from the earth it is divine from Gods Spirit not from angered nature or hellish metall set on fire of hell but it is a supernaturall work to have such raised affection and fervent mind for the house of the Lord it is the Holy Ghost baptizeth with this fire Mat. 3. 11. Mens persons and actions will not relish till they be salted with the fire of heavenly doctrine Every one shall be salted with fire Mar. 9. 49. 3 It is regular guided by rule zeale is bold but not blind it is not rash or indiscreet but wisely discerning things that differ There is great odds betweene sinnes and sinnes sinners and sinners one errour and another one time and another Zeale graceth knowledge and knowledge guideth zeale men fervent in spirit had need be prudent and wise in heart It is Gods Word is zeales rule according unto that cast out every evill in the temple and by that make every pin for thetabernacle Thus Moses was admonished Heb. 8. 5. This Iudah missed Rom. 10. 2. 4 It is impartiall a zeale that layeth aside all partiall affection or respect of persons great or small King or people kinsman or countrey-man it will doe right to all without doing a friend a pleasure or a foe a spite Asa did a little to his mother but very lamely he removed her from being Queene because she had made an idoll in a grove 2 Chron. 15. 16. He did not as was covenanted that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether small or great whether man or woman v. 13. Minde how Levi impartiall in zeale recovered his honour is renowned and hath a blessing on him who said unto his father and to his mother I have not seene him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor knew his own children for they have observed thy word and kept thy covenant Deut. 33. 9. 5 It is superlative in power it overcomes great discouragements as Calebs spirit not afraid of Gyants the children of Anak he fully followed the Lord laboured to still the tumultuous and stay the faint-hearted people for he had another spirit with him Num. 14. 24. Moses was a man whose mind was elevated in the Church-cause above honour he refused it Heb. 11. 24. above pleasure which he chose not v. 25. above riches and treasures which he esteemed not v. 26. above favours or feares of mortall man he saw the invisible God v. 27. It is resolute in holy undertakings walks in wayes of good conscience with lion-like courage it spares no Agag as Saul did but hewes him in peeces as Samuel did 1 Sam. 15. 33. It will not be over-powered with wealth worship learning or greatnesse jealousie is cruell as the grave the coales thereof are coales of fire which hath a most vehement flame many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drowne it if a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned neither waters of adversity and feare of punishment nor favours of the world and hopes of preferment can stop zeales mouth it cannot be quenched it will not be bribed Cant. 8. 6 7. 6 It is constant zeal is a fire should never go out but from a sparke increaseth to a most vehement flame it forgetteth those things which are behind and reacheth forth unto those things which are before it presseth forward is not declining You that began well spake well wrought well draw not back grow not weary decay not in zeale as it is good to be righteous still and holy still so it is good to be alwayes zealous till the sons of Levi be purified and the ungodly be no more till errors be abandoned or buried and superstitions abolished till truth be established Christs government erected til all the work about the house of the Lord be finished in every speech in every project in every dayes work let zeale be in you Gal. 4. 18. The meanes for this Zeal to maintaine this heavenly sire so necessary in all the services of the Sanctuary Avoid as quench-coales 1 Vanity of speculation shun vaine janglings and contentions which edifie not in faith and obedience Paul would have men charged before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit but to the subverting of the hearers 2 Tim. 2. 14. and to avoid foolish and unlearned questions v. 23. It is ill spent time and zeale that is spent this way These evaporations hinder the inward zeale and warmth of heart in the truth after godlinesse 2 Vaine companions to be familiar with cold or luke-warm men chils men Vaine society decayed the love of Manna it was the
mixt multitude in Israel which was not of Israel who fell a lusting that brought Israel to lament after the Egyptians flesh Cucumbers Melons Leeks Onions and Garlicke but Manna was looked on as course fare Numb. 11. 4 5 6. Who can be zealous for truth and familiar with the erroneous for pure worship and yet go hand in hand with the superstitious What got Peter in the high Priests hall More inward cold and cowardlinesse than outward warmth by the fire because where iniquity doth abound love of many will waxe cold Mat. 24. 12. 3 Spirituall satiety when men have fulnesse all is well with them poore preaching seldome preaching no preaching contents them Superstitions and inventions of men go downe with them as comely and decent things that when some cry for the Word of God and the wayes and lawes of Christ unknown to them they wonder what they lacke what they would have what they meane darknesse and error be not distinct with them from light and truth this conceipt of all being well brought Laodicea to be luke-warm Thou sayest I have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art poore Rev. 3. 17. 4 Carnall policy feares carnall and sinfull sloth in men hinders their activenesse when men have it in their hands to cast out all evill in the house of the Lord and remove wickednesse from the city of our God that the Canaanite shall no more dwell there then policy overcomes piety and sloth decayes mens might as in Israel it came to passe when Israel was strong that they put the Canaanites to tribute and did not utterly drive them out Iud. 1. v. 28. which brought them under the oppressions of Iabin King of Canaan twenty yeeres Iudg. 4. 2 3. Wherefore whosoever desires to be truly zealous shun vaine speculations and vaine companions beware of spirituall satiety and carnall policy the enemies of zeale II. Provide and minde what zeale needs to keep in this holy fire in the coldest times provide for your firing 1 Gods Spirit works this warmth of affection in the heart By this Spirit Christ comes to be refiners fire where he makes any zealous he gives them his Spirit which baptizeth with fire of pious affection nature doth not bring it forth it is from above by the Holy Ghost is this fire Mat. 3. 11. 2 The Word of God lively taught is a fire to heat mens hearts Ier. 23. 29. Is not my word a fire It is fire in the mouth of Gods messengers Men that need heat must mind this to preserve and increase zeale Great care must be had to enjoy Preachers whose lips are touched with a coale taken from Gods Altar Isa. 6. 67. They who preach the Word of God remissely and coldly as they be cold they leave their hearers cold cold preaching makes cold people Men under such luke-warmnesse in Preachers are daily more cold and come to be hardened by a spirituall frost and zeale perisheth and where vision faileth the people are made naked cold lame and benummed Pro. 29. 18. 3 Zealous company is a live coale to set others on fire one will warme another I onely take in the Preachers phrase If two lie together then they have heat but how can one be warme alone Eccl. 4. 11. When some want fire they fetch then a coale at their neighbours Godly men provoke on another to love and good works Heb. 10. 24. and doe sharpen one another Iron sharpeneth iron so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend Pro. 27. 17. 4 Prayer to God whose Spirit is fire powre out your hearts to the God of heaven for this zeale as Iabez 1 Chro. 4. 10. O that thou wouldest blesse me indeed and inlarge my coast and God granted him his request Put up one petition for zeale for this fire to be kindled on thy haith in thee that the bredth of thy spirit may not be straitned by any coldnes or freezing the duty is quench not the spirit 1 Thes. 5. 19. the mean is pray without ceasing vers. 17. The motives to zeal to excite men to be zealous In regard of God 1 God commands it he requires it we may not deny it he will have it under paine of disobedience to the highest Majesty we may not neglect it his command is the argument of conscience Be zealous Rev. 3. 19. should ye not obey him will ye reject his Word It is God it is God cals on you for zeal for his house it is he saith the mind according to my mind must be as I command zealous 2 God is zealous a jealous God against spirituall fornication 1 in generall all sin a going a whoring from him 2 in speciall idolatry superstition this is hatefull to him Exod. 20. 5. I am a jealous God he will not spare in the day of vengeance when the time of recompence is come he regards not broken wedlock Which my covenant they continued not in and I regarded them not saith the Lord Heb. 8. 9. Your Zeal in taking away defacing every whorish thing every provocation may prevent Gods jealousie that it burn not like fire that none can quench it weigh it in your hearts and the Lord stirre your spirits within you that we may find such a fruit of your zeale that we feel not his fury 3 God ardently loves Zion his Church and the welfare of it Thus saith the Lord of hosts I was jealous for Zion with great jealousie and I was jealous for her with great fury Zech. 8. 2. When you heare God is zealous may not you be zealous Will not you be zealous God is with you in this work of Zion he is ingaged for his sons throne and will establish it he hath set the government upon his shoulder he hath promised all shal be ordered with justice and judgement and his zeale will performe it Isay 9 67. are you to minde and mend the Ministery he is with you Are you zealous for the truth of the Gospell so is he Are you fervent that God may be worshipped according to his own heart he is more abundant May it not embolden any man when it may be truly said to him in his way in his work for Zion The Lord is with thee thou valiant man Go on in your might that you may save our Israel and build up Zion 4 God promiseth most familiar communion with the zealous which should perswade to this zeale he who stomacks the luke-warme loves the zealous and saith he will come in to him and sup with him and he with Christ Christ suppes with us in cheering and delighting himselfe with his owne graces and gifts of his Spirit bestowed on us as one that eats sweet and pleasant meat We sup with Christ when we communicate in all the cates and spirituall delicates of Christ as they that sup together partake in bodily food Would you meet with Christ in his ordinances or be welcomed by him in his house Be zealous lose not such a
presence by our luke-warmnesse and such communion for lack of zeale Rev. 3. 20. In regard of the Church 1 The wall of the vineyard is downe the hedge is full of gaps any beast or Boare may get in it is eaten up it is troden downe it is laid wast in many places over-spread with woods it wants rain hath clouds without raine the hedge corporall helpe without good Lawes good Magistrates the wall a spirituall defence inward as godly Ministers true discipline clouds without raine over it Ministers which make a faire shew and yet are wels without water only barren without goodnesse in their Ministery no refreshing to the vineyard Isa. 5. 56. doth it not pertain to you Men sought out among men to make up the hedge and to stand in the gap it is fallen into the hands of ill husbandmen they have made it desolate the Churches strength is small it is brought very low to it which is afflicted pitie should be shewed from its friends that Zion may be raised off the ground out of dust 2 It is very corrupt in many things in persons vitious the wicked walk on every side and the vilest men are exalted promoted In doctrines how many speake strange things perverse things contrary to the doctrine of Christ In discipline how many eat the sinnes of the people and grow fat by the vertues of the people that Gods house is for such merchandise in corrupt courts made a den of theeves Matth. 21. 12 13. In the worship of God men in most places have set up calves as once in Moses absence Israel did Exod. 32. 4. and all while men slept and wanted zeale while you see these things Let your anger with Moses waxe hot vers. 19. downe with all calves burne them in the fire grinde them to powder to be utterly abolished vers. 20. 3 It is the house of God David saith thy house It is the spouse of Christ maried to Christ for ever Whose bowels yern not to see Christs spouse in the dust O for Zion sake the Zion of the holy one of Israel hold not your peace David tels us his love to Ierusalem because of the house of the Lord our God Psa. 122. 9. what you do for his house you do for him to him It is storied as a worthy act of a religious heart in Terentius a captaine under the Emperour Valens who having done some speciall service for which the Emperour thought him worthy of a recompence and being thereupon willed by him to demand what he would presented this petition That the true Christians might have the liberty of a Church by themselves wherein to worship God apart from the Arrians whose heresie had then spread it self exceedingly The Emperor reading his supplication was much displeased tare it in peeces and threw it away Terentius modestly gathered up the pieces again professing to him that if he could not be heard in Gods cause he would make no suit for his own profit Show you your sincere and faithfull respect to the good and prosperous estate of Gods Church above all personall concernments be not put off with worldly profits peace and civill rights and liberties you have more transcendent matters the good of soules the liberty of consciences the meanes of grace the worship of God the kingdome of Christ the house of the Lord about this let your zeale have a most vehement flame In regard of men many things may kindle zeal Good mens examples they be all zealous of good works Tit. 2. 14. and may you be cold pious men all pray for it as if it were a time of mercy for Zion they take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof Psal. 102. 13 14. and shall it not come into your mindes the martyrs of renowned zeale loved not their lives for the truth of Gods word which they did so affect Revel. 12. 11. and may not mens hearts now be fired for it Moses was a meeke man in his owne case but no Sheep in Gods cause he was angry and very hot against wicked doers Exod. 32. 19. shall men now bee pleased with the wicked Nehemiah was sad for it Nehem. 2. 3. Why should not my countenance be sad he fasted wept prayed 1. 4. shall men now not lay it to heart Phineas was zealous for God for his good in the matter of Zimri and Cozbi Numb. 25. 11. and is it a time to be lukewarme when there be many Zimries and Cozbies Paul was jealous for the Church 2 Cor. 11. 2. Shall these be the dayes to bring forth carelesse ones Godly men to remember Zion wept for its sad condition Psal. 137. 1. wee should as they never be comforted but with its comforts and welfare If I forget thee ô Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning if I doe not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roofe of my mouth if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chiefe joy verse 5 6. Bad men are great Zelots 1. To make many Proselytes to promote Antichrists power how doe they consult plot practise yea compasse sea and land to make one Proselyte Mat. 23. 15. Can they thus imploy their hearts heads and hands for that kingdome a kingdome of darknesse and who shall not will not be quickned for Christs Kingdome and his house 2. To bring downe the house of God perverting the Scriptures corrupting the worship of God suspending the servants of Christ ensnaring the Saints of God Who say of the name of Christ Down to it downe to it even to the ground but of the Church of Christ Down with it downe with it even to the ground old Edoms race Psal. 137. 7. Shall the lewd be thus against it and shall not any man that hath any spirit within him be moved for Zion is their worke better is their lord better is their wages better your worke your cause your conscience may more hearten you Mens conditions minded would quicken zeale The present condition of many under mens burdens impositions oppressions feares shares on every side as Moses went out to his brethren and looked on their burdens and spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew his zeale was kindled to endevor his brethrens liberty Exod. 2. 11 12. You have heard our cryes seene our burdens know our sorrowes you need not goe out to know this the other day you were interest in this the City cryes to you the Country complaines the Preachers be pleading before you the people praying to you as a way of mercy help help help us our consciences our peoples consciences be heavied be endangered ô passe not by us ô let it not be as nothing to you that the blessing of them that are ready to perish may come upon you deliver the poore that crieth and him that hath none to help that you may make our sad hearts sing for joy Vnder Satans power many are you would bee clad with zeale to consider as it deserves your
and therefore be left unread It was not so of old when Moses had in every city them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Acts 15. Vers. 21. 3 Prayer in the Holy Ghost as the Church is charged to pray Iude Vers. 20. customary formes of prayer removed would cause an unworthy unable and dumbe Ministerie to fall to the earth and continued bring most of men to rest in the iniquity of the last and perillous times a powerlesse forme of godlinesse to be shunned 2 Tim. 3.1 5. Christ who commends prayer according to the will of God condemneth vaine repetition in prayer Matth. 6. 7. Gods house is a house of prayer but not for chopping and changing Mat. 21. 12 13. Men for the Ministerie should be as studious in praying as preaching and give themselves to prayer and to the Ministery of the Word they had not the heart of them who rest in a prayer given to them Acts Chap. 6. Vers. 4. II. In the circumstance and externall form Let all things be done decently and in order not intending the inventing of any new thing but the performing of what Christ instituted in a manner come by and consentaneous to the dignity of holy ordinances of the Lord 1 Corinth 14. 40. And that is in that generall rule that all be done for time place and persons as is most to edification Verse 26. Thus the man thorowly religious will bee truly zealous for the Church of God in promoting in it persons materials for it Ministers qualified members sanctified doctrines true and wholesome worshippe pure and spirituall which beleeved as truth will helpe us both by Information and Exhortation I Zeale in and for true religion is a praise-worthy thing Was David zealous it may then become a royall spirit Was Christ our Saviour zealous it may become an heroicall spirit Albeit zeale is out of grace with most men who sit still and love to be at quiet rest yet it is no disgrace to any generous spirit that is regenerate to have the zeale of Gods house to eat him up It is a slander to call it folly Was not zealous David wiser than his teachers than his enemies than the aged Luke-warme men call it fury Gods Spirit names it a live-coale that hath a most vehement flame Why beares zeale the imputation of indiscretion rashnesse puritanisme or headinesse Was it Davids rashnesse It was fervency in religion Was Christ indiscreet The wisedome of his Father Festus called Paul mad with a lowd voice Acts 26. 24. when he spake but words of truth and sobernesse verse 25. Christs kinsmen thought he was beside himselfe Mar. 3. 21. Was the judgement of such solid men any disparagement to our Saviours zeal Nay it is a commendation to root out evill from and to establish good in the house of God is a good thing Gal. 4. 18. All a mans care who is religious indeed is not to be for civill affaires immunities and societies things in their order and measure to be minded David was zealous for Gods house for Zion as well as Ierusalem for religion as well as righteousnesse Mens spirits must be more stirred in them for the Church of Christ his house than their owne houses As many mens industry and activenesse is for great buildings great matches great house-keeping and their owne famous names their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever and their dwelling places to all generations Psal. 49. 11. but while they run every man to his owne house the house of God lieth wast Hag. 1. 9. A pious mans greatest care is that whatever become of him and his liberty credit or creature-comforts vile persons that speake villany may have their mouthes stopped the vaine and prophane persons that pollute the ordinances may be censured the doctrines of divels may be condemned the worship idolatrous and corrupt may be no more in the house of the Lord but be removed and cast out that Pastors after Gods owne heart may be established to feed the Lords flock that they that feare the Lord may dwell in his house that the truth of doctrine may be continued and confirmed among us that the purity of discipline a sacred way of promoting the Gospell without which all Christs Kingdome and Gospell is not received very necessary to the condition of the Church may be introduced that the instituted worship of God may be continued in his Church in a holy and spirituall manner without worthlesse and witlesse innovations and wicked inventions of men of corrupt mindes destitute of the truth that a man may say as David The zeale of thy house hath eaten me up thus those victorious martyrs were willing to lay down as not loving their lives for the word the truth which they held and beleeved Rev. 12. 11. 3 Men thorowly religious being truly zealous we learne It is irreligious to be luke-warme neuters time-servers indifferent men for all companies and religions middle-men betweene truth and errour betweene Christ and Antichrist between holinesse and profanenesse untrue in religion without love or zeale to God as was the luke-warme Angell of Laodicea Mixt worship is under a commination God will stretch out his hand upon them that sweare by the Lord and that sweare by Malcham Zeph. 1. 5. God abhorres mixtures now as much as then It is a defilement to sow a vineyard with divers seeds doctrines of Christ and traditions of men Saints and beleevers not mixt with scandalous infidels and idolaters Deut. 22. 9. But the pure worship kept from superstitions Men may not be linsey-woolsey professors not plow with an Oxe and an Asse those in the Lords plow must not be mixed of the clean and unclean labourers and loyterers of the servants of Christ and Antichrist Verse 10 11. Men may not be key-cold Gallioes in religion a deputy that would not meddle in such matters and cared for none of those things Acts 18. 12 17. This indifferency brings great judgements if men repent not it unchurches a people a Church by it may prove no Church it removes the candlestick and sets Mahomet where the candlestick stood Rev. 2. 5. Yea God abhorres lukewarmenesse as most loathsome he will spue them out of his mouth as Laodicea as the Historians testifie was swallowed up in an earth-quake we were near going in 88. neare a blow by the Powder-treason and how nigh was our trouble these two last yeares and Gods hand lift up as if there were with us but a sport as once Abners men and Ioabs to play Scots and English Ely his remisnesse in dealing with his sonnes an impure paire of Priests ruined his house 1 Sam. 2. Vers. 23 29 31. God is not pleased with neuters neither shall the luke-warme dwell in his presence In that a man thorowly religious is truly zealous for Gods Church Learne the viciousnesse of mens spirits and the naughtinesse of diverse sorts 1 Who blame zeale
DAVIDS ZEALE FOR ZION A SERMON Preached before sundry of the Honourable House of Commons At St. Margarets at Westminster April 4. By THO: WILSON Preacher of the Word at Otham in KENT LONDON Printed for Iohn Bartlet and are to be sold at the Gilt Cup near S. Austins Gate in Pauls Church-yard 1641. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sir EDWARD DERING of Sarendon-Dering in the County of Kent Knight and Baronet SIR IT is Bernards saying Nemo esse bonus plusquà m oporter potest There is not a man alive can be better then he should be and it is without doubt he is not good who would not be better Ubi incipis nolle fieri melior ibi etiam desinis esse bonus adding they be professedly the children of the luke-warm who say We will be no better then our Fathers Nolumus esse meliores quà m patres nostri whereas men are in Religion not to be stinted by any Antiquity but what is divine from God the Ancient of dayes The children of light be proficients they reach forward their spark comes to be a coale their coale a most vehement flame God hath kindled in your breast an ardent love to the house of God your zeale provokes many your zeale makes many a glad heart your zeale honours God who hath put honour upon you For them that honour him he will honour Your present employment in the honourable House of Commons in Parliament cals for zeale It is a fire 1. Active to set all on work the hand the tongue the head the heart 2. Quick speedy it is an utter enemy of delayes in its work 3. Vehement it bestoweth the top of affection and strength of intentions on what it loves 4. Aspiring it is the highest element mounts up nearer heaven nearer the Lord Anciently they who published Books were wont to honor Personages with the patronage of that which they found them to be lovers or professors of To whom then may this present word of zeale which once you heard with patience be Dedicated more properly then unto you Whose abilities in conjunction with zeale graced with magnanimity and modesty render you amiable to all that know you and honourable in mindes that heare of you I humbly pray your acceptance of this my memorizing your zeale for Zion You reade not here swelling words of vanity my study was to be not plausible but profitable Nos autem qui rerum magis quà m verborum amatores utilia potius quà m plausibilia sectamur This I present you withall to deliver my selfe from suspition and imputation of an unthankfull minde towards you who countenanced me with a * mention too honourable for me when I was in contempt who testifie my respect to you much honoured of good men for well-doing Others zeale would have consumed me but that your zeale z consumed you for I have seen God in you yet I have a greater bond of deeper acknowledgement of your zeale then your many favours to me-ward amount unto which is the faithful discharge of that place the Country hath most worthily put upon you and intrusted you withall wherein your forwardnesse for the good of the Church the welfare whereof is above my chiefe joy hath been to my comfort hath warmed many a heart and hath occasioned thanksgiving by many unto God The fruit of true wisdome is credit and confidence Eccl. 8. 1. A mans wisdome makes his face to shine and the boldnesse of his face shall be changed as faultlesse and fearlesse Adorn your personall sufficiencies with the true fear of God a wise mans treasure a zealous forwardnesse for Gods glory goodnes and good causes whereby your publique imployment may be blessed Keep good conscience the dearest jewell your heart can have in it Hold a constant countermotion to the course of the world minde the life of grace as that which farre excels all ornaments of nature art or policy that it animates and ennobles them What you doe for God doe it by his Word all Laws are to be rectified by Gods Law men must set their Watch by the Dyall and the Dyall by the Sun This way the more you labour the more rest will you finde Thus with my unfained prayers to the God of all grace That he may establish your heart unblamable in holinesse and guiding you by his counsell may after receive you to glory Otham in Kent Your Worships Petitioner to the Throne of Grace THO: WILSON DAVIDS ZEALE FOR ZION A SERMON Preached at WESTMINSTER Aprill 4. 1641. PSAL. LXIX IX The zeale of thy house hath eaten me up THis Booke of Praises and spirituall Songs was penned by diverse men This is evident by the various arguments in it It is the breviary of the Bible the anatomie of conscience the art of prayer This Psalme inspired of God was writ by Davids royall pen who was both the father and figure of Christ It is not purely proper to either Christ or David but common both to David and Christ with his Church To David typically to Christ truly to the Church prophetically The Psalme containeth A Petition A Reason I. A Petition most humbly requesting God 1 By supplication to be delivered from manifold troubles called waters Save mee O God Vers. 1. 2. By imprecation with purenesse of spirit against persecutors Let their table become a snare c. Verse 22. II. A reason of his request mentioned in many verses One ground of it was the nature of his cause his cause was good he suffered for his love to God For The Zeale of thy house hath eaten me up Verse 9. The zeale Zeale comes {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to be fervent as hot as fire it is not any single affection but the earnestnesse and increase of all the affections liking or disliking as love and hatred griefe and joy desires delights feares and anger boyled to the highest degree and to the hottest temper and intention 1 It is set against evill as sin and sinners with all that which opposeth Gods will and glory with kindled anger and indignation 2 It is carried towards goods as Gods Word and Glory Name and Worship and not our owne ends with all eagernesse Of thy house Gods house not his owne house or his own name and honour he was moved not so much with his owne injuries and contumelies more private as with that which was more publike 1 He had indignation for the Church corrupted the worship of God polluted his law violated and the things of God unworthily handled 2 He had a studious care and ardent love to have the true religion taught and professed the right worship of God established and preserved holy and pure from superstition errour and corruption in worship and worshippers that they may be Saints and not profane Me may be meant properly and simply both of David and Christ Eaten up Consumed or devoured as the fire fully burnt up the fat of some sacrifices