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
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