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
in good and for good as a thing disgracefull and sinfull The divell and his imps never wanted names to discover and deliver their spite and spirit against zeale alas what hath zeale done 1 It is sedition an enemy to government as inconsistent with royall lawes cries Haman a fit accuser whose word is no slander but an unjust judge in this point Haman said unto King Ahashuerus There is a certaine people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdome and their lawes are diverse from all people neither keepe they the Kings lawes Therefore it is not for the Kings profit to suffer them Esther Chap. 3. Verse 8. Zeale in piety is said to trouble the countrey whereas iniquity and luke-warmnesse ruines all as Ahab sinned and Elias is blamed Well did Elias retort it to him Not I but thou hast troubled Israel 1 King Chap. 18. Vers. 17 18. 2 It is singularity and odnesse but till a man seeme odde to the world he is never right in religion and righteousnesse in piety and sincerity A man must doe more than others {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Mat. 5. 47. It was well for Noah that he was a singular man in a sober and sincere singularity when the flood swept away the world of the ungodly and is it now proved bad to excell in following holinesse and approving things that are excellent Or is it onely the safe way to doe as most do and perish in the broad way and not rather to goe in the narrow way to life which few finde Matth. 7. 13 14. 3 It is heresie to receive and follow the truth of Gods fiery Law and everlasting Gospell in the dayes of Paul they called it heresie to preach the faith to defend the faith to keep the truth is by men of an antichristian spirit called heresie and men that keepe the commands of God and the faith of Jesus condemned as hereticall Acts 24. 14. 4 It is schisme to depart from the unhallowed crooked cursed wayes of unblest men If men for peace of conscience and desire to please and not offend God would make Gods law and not mens lusts their rule and so to walke humbly with God walke not in the wayes of men and save themselves from the untoward generation they are presently accused of pestilent schisme the devils scar-crow to keep men from zeale in religion and forwardnesse in godlinesse Acts 28. 22. Who are zealous against the zealous and the house of God as men set on fire of hell It was once Pauls sinne and misery concerning zeal persecuting the Church Phil. 3. 6. As the serpents mouth hath a flood aspersions reproaches accusations edicts and orders to cast after the woman the Church of Christ Rev. 12. 15. Satan hath still instruments full of fire and fury against the house of the Lord 1 Quenching all Zeale in preaching Christ as the High-priest and his complices filled with zeale and indignation put the blessed Apostles in the common goale for preaching Acts 5. 17 18. being as fraid of it as they are of fire one sparke they thinke would set all in a flame Vers. 24. There be men who put preaching of Christ and teaching of the people among their grievances They were grieved that they taught the people Acts 4. 2. crying out of such as unsufferable as they to Paul Away with such a fellow from the earth it is not fit most able judges that he should live Acts 22. 22. Forbidding men to preach in Christs name and Christs words as the very enemies of mens salvation 1 Thes. 2. 16. they would have us blinde and muzzle our mouthes except they may be soothed and smoothed men must be turned out of their places as hindrances in their way Ministers must turne out of the path Gods way cast up and our way to walke in and may not preach sincere sanctification and mortification but Constitutions and Canons Thus they did to the Prophets before us They say to the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not unto us right things speake unto us smooth things prophesie deceits get you out of the way turne aside out of the path Cause the holy one of Israel to cease from before us Isa. 30. 10 11. How many have been made to forsake their allegeance and fealty to Christ our King and break their vowes of obedience to him they gave the Nazarites wine to drinke and commanded the Prophets saying Prophesie not Amos 2. 12. 2 Censuring hearing of Gods Word as the great transgression in people who are to heare it as they would be saved as it is read The next Sabbath day came almost all the city together to heare the Word of God but when the Iewes saw the multitude they were filled with envy Acts 13. 44 45. Men are eaten up with envy at hearers of Sermons who wait on the Word of the Lord albeit men that reject his commands be vexed by God yet they who heare his commands be vexed by men as if they were no ordinary malefactors 3 Crying downe all prayer unlesse given to men and prescribed by a powerlesse prayerlesse Canon and Order which a gracious heart finds empty and heartlesse as once that decree Whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty dayes save of thee O King he shall be cast into the den of Lions Dan. 6. 7. O men greatly in love with prayer An order a godly man had rather lose his life as well as liberty than follow Daniel he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did afore time Dan. 6. 10. Men of Atheisticall spirits have twitted conceived prayer as extemporary and scornfully called it prayer by the spirit 4 Throwing downe the things of God as in elder time was complained of by Elias They have throwne downe thine altars 1 King 19. 10. 1 Rejecting Christs doctrine men cannot away with it the second commandement is cast out by vaine superstitions and the fourth commandement is violated by profane sports of whom it is true the Prophet speaks They have rejected the Word of the Lord Ier. 8. 9. 2 Despising Christs discipline whereby scandals might be prevented or removed that men might set up their own dominion that they may be Lords in the Church over Gods heritage whereas his government is not by any man or men at their pleasure to be taken away diminished or changed they refuse his government saying We will not have this man to raigne over us Luke 19. 14. 5 Disdaining Gods glory by small ones judged silly ones they the chief Priests saw the children crying Hosanna to the sonne of David they were sore displeased though it was according to Scripture and for Gods praise by babes Mat. 21. 15 16. The multitude which then was no multitude acknowledged Christ whom they dishonoured Mat. 21. 9. How many have a flouting spirit when young ones or
mean ones have Christs Word dwell richly in them as many worthies of the Lord wandred in sheep skins and goat skins men here afflicted and destitute 6 Conspiring to hinder reformation of the house of the Lord If any good be undertaken for religion for holinesse pure worship or Christs government in his house with what opposition is it contraried Men are as of old full of wrath indignation and mockery as Sanballat and others conspired against Ierusalem to hinder the building of the wall and the stopping of the breaches Nehem. 4. v. 1 2 3 7 8. These men are zealously affected but not well as Gal. 4. 17. And shall be ashamed for their envy at the people Isay 26.11 Who are not ashamed of zeale for traditions ceremonies superstitions unnecessary burdensome which have proved of no use to edifie the Church but as nets snares and bands to intangle and cumber the children of God in their fathers house and service Paul was once zealous exceedingly for the traditions of his fathers Gal. 1. 14. How many have placed the beauty of holinesse and the glory of religion in things devised by men which can be no meane to sanctifie the worshippers How forward have many beene to contribute their best assistance unto forbidden vanity as they to idolatry The children gather wood the fathers kindle the fire and the women knead their dough to make cakes to the Queene of heaven and to powre out drink-offerings unto other gods Ier. 7. 18. Encouraging their fellowes in and to idolatry as those of old animated one another They helped every one his neighbour and every one said to his brother Be of good courage so the Carpenter encouraged the Gold-smith and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote with the anvill Thus superstitions have beene set up Isay 41. 67. Some with their tongues loud in Pulpits some with their pens allowed in Presses others with their commands forcible in their Courts and not a few forward and obsequious have set to their hand and all for superstitious vanities Few places be so happy as to be without some zealots in these things under well-liked names of decency and order to win credit to vile inventions Whereas in religion we must inquire who how good and great he is that requireth it and appoints it not as the divell turnes it into what and of what quality and how great and decent the thing injoyned is that we may know what to say when God examines our service Who required this at your hand Isa. 1. 12. Receive the words of exhortation all that be thorowly religious to be truly zealous Rest not in knowledge and good principles but be heated with good affection as well as taught With good light have good fire have grace with your knowledge and zeale with religion witty heads and zealous hearts as we are commanded Be zealous Revel. 3. 19. 1 The persons to be zealous 2 The properties of this zeale 3 The meanes for this zeale 4 The motives to this zeale 1 The persons to be zealous the word is spoken to a mixt assembly and is fit for all I would have none here sent away without fire 1 People must be zealous 2 Preachers 3 Magistrates 1 The people are to feed zeale Zeale is good among them It is good to be zealously affected Gal. 4. 18. 1 In taking the kingdome of heaven by violence as Israel tooke Canaan by a holy violence offered to the dulnesse of heart and by withstanding spirituall sloth removing all impediments in the way crowding in as in a great concourse pressing in and unto meanes of grace in their day as a matter of life The kingdome of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Duty requires it necessity urgeth it it is for a kingdome neglect it not Matth. 11. 12. 2 In serving the Lord doing his work with fervency that the hearts of men should burne within them not be cold or luke-warme but fervent in spirit in spirit serving the Lord having a holy fire kindled on the hearth in the heart Rom. 12. 11. 3 In loving the house of God minding meanes of grace and performing holy duties with spirituall affection delighted in God and united to God in whose house we finde such satisfaction and contentment as Davids zeale was Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth his longings were after it to dwell in it Psal. 26. 8. 4 In exciting others with all earnestnesse and importunity to seek the Lord Call on your friends kinsmen neighbours call thy husband thy child thy servant be enlarged in desire after men to seeke and serve the Lord be not unnaturall uncivill to minde goodnesse alone but be spirituall have bowels of compassion to thy brother to thy friend that thou lovest as thy owne soule that they may have communion with God and comfort in the Lord and accesse to the Lord as well as thy selfe as it is in the Prophet The inhabitants of one city shall go to another saying Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts I will go also Zechar. 8. 21. 5 In grieving for mens neglect of Gods Law and the dishonour that is done to God by disobedience I beheld the transgressors and was grieved because they keep not thy word Psal. 119. 158. Rivers of waters run downe mine eyes because they keep not thy lawes My zeale hath even consumed me because mine enemies have forgotten thy words saith the Psalmist Psal. 119. ver. 139. Thus Lot a just and an honest man was vexed passively by sinners and actively voluntarily for sinners Just Let was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked for that righteous man dwelling among them of Sodome and Gomorrha in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their unlawfull deeds 2 Pet. 2. 7 8. 6 In distributing cheerfully to it for the maintenance of the service of God that God may be honoured with mens substance as they for the tabernacle they came every one whose heart stirred him up and every one whom his spirit made willing and they brought the Lords offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation and for all his service Exod. 35. 21. they were so forward in erecting it till an order was made for their restraint so the people by Moses command were restrained for the stuffe they had was sufficient and too much for it Exod. 36. 6 7. Ministring too to the necessities of the Saints as Christs members in which the Corinthians were forward and of exemplary zeale 2 Corinth 9. 1 2. the Apostle commended their zeale which provoked very many Preachers be to be zealous not luke-warme not cold but as men touched with a live coale from the altar that the word of life die not in their mouthes albeit Zeale and the power of the Ministery is not in words nor a loud voice Thus