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
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
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