fare the better for them every day why is the heap of chaff kept from burning but because there 's some wheat mixt with it but if once the wheat were out the chaff should soon be set on fire When once the number of Gods Elect is accomplisht the world shall not stand a moment 'T is just with God to take them from us for our abusing them we cast dirt and God casts dust on them many great men are fallen of late in this our English Israel nigh an hundred godly Ministers are taken from us within the space of three years past many of them young and eminent for Piety so that we this day are weakned both in Church and State Ioseph is not and Simeon is not and Benjamin is not all these things are against us This is and should be a Lamentation to us Now since there is such aboundance of false fire and fein'd zeal in the world we had the more need to try our own Some are mislead by a blind zeal Rom. 20.2 Others by an indiscreet zeal Matth. 26.51 Luke 9.52 53 54. Iohn 8. ult Others by an hyrocritical zeal they pretend Religion but they intend their own inriching So Demetrius pretended the preservation of Religion when indeed he intended his own silver Trade Acts 19 24. 1. True zeal is known by the Rise and Original of it 1. If it be wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of God we are not born zealous for God his Truth and People but by nature are full of enmity to all these Acts 9.1 Phil. 36. Paul in his natural state persecutes the Church out of a blind zeal many mistake the fire of their own flints and the fire of Hell for this celestial fire But the Author of all true zeal and Heavenly fire is the holy Spirit of God which is oft called fire Acts 2.3 4. Matth. 3.11 because like fire it inlightens and heats our cold and frozen hearts Luke 24.32 A man that hath fire in his bosom will quickly be sensible of it Prov. 6.27 28. 2. T is operative like fire daily burning up our lusts purging out our dross and working out our scumme 'T is the true purgatory fire which all beleevers pass through Isay 4.4 2. It springs from knowledge as David first beleeved and then spake so the zealous man first knows Gods Will and then is zealous in the prosecution of it Blind zeal is rather fury and madness rashness and rudeness then zeal 'T is celeris cursus extra viam It 's like mettle in a blind Horse which carries the Rider into many dangers Like a Ship without a Pilot which runs it self on many Rocks and Sands Like wild-fire in a Fools hand or the Devil in the Demoniack which cast him sometimes into the fire and anon into the water The Jews had a zeal after Legal Rites and Ceremonies but 't was a blind zeal that But spoiled all Rom. 10.2 as without knowledg the mind is not good so neither is the man nor his zeal Prov. 19.2 as blind obedience is no obedience so blind zeal is not zeal Such is the zeal of Papists and Sectaries 3. It springs from a Love to Christ this constrains us to do and suffer for Christ. 2 Cor. 5.14 As Christ loved us and spent himself for us so the sense of this love being shed abroad in our hearts will make us to spend our selves for him This fire of Gods love to us will make us contemn all other fire 4. When it springs from a Love and Compassion to our Brethren when all our admonishions and reproofs come from a spirit of love and tenderness and are mixt with meekness and mourning this is true zeal Thus Samuel 1.16 tells Saul plainely and sharply of his sin yet mourns for his person Lot reproves the Sodomites for their wickedness yet calls them Brethren Gen. 19.7 Christ was angry at the sin yet mourned for the sinners Mark 3.5 So doth Paul 2 Cor. 12.22 Hot and moist is the best temper both in nature and grace When men rave and rage and are full of bitterness then Satan casts out Satan and they do more hurt then good These hate the sinner and not the sin when the good man is merciful to the sinner but cruel and unmerciful to the sin 2. True zeal is known by its End viz. Gods glory It can be content to decrease so Gods honor may increase Iohn 3.30 As true zeal comes from God so 't is for God and his glory and not for self The hypocrite may seem very zealous but 't is for his own ends like the Shecaâ—ites that would be cirumcised that they might get cattle Gen. 34.33 Iehu did an act that for the matter was good but his selfish Vain-glorious ends marred all and made it murder Hosea 1.4 3. By the properties and effects of it which are five 1. It increaseth by opposition Like Fountain-water 't is hottest in the coldest weather As water cast on lime by an Antiperistasis burnes more fiercely The more the wicked oppose Gods Law the more David loves it Psal. 119.126 If Michol mock David for dancing before the Ark he 'l resolve to be yet more vile 2 Sam. 6.22 True zeal over-looks and over-leaps all lets and impediments difficulties are but whet-stones to fortitude Heroick spirits know not what discouragements mean Many waters of opposition cannot quench this ardent love but intend it rather Cant. 8.6 7. As we see in Iacob Gen. 32.24 25 26. and the Woman of Canaan Tell Caleb there are Anakims and he 'l say le ts go up couragiously against them Numb 13.30 Tell Paul of bonds why he fears not death Hypocrites make a great shew till they meet with oppositions and then like snailes they pull in their horns 2. It will make us abound in duty if there be the fire of zeal within there will be a flame of a holy Conversation without love especially zealous love is bountiful it thinks it can never do enough for God he 's glad he hath any thing of worth to lose for him and resolves with the Martyr if he had as many lives to lose as he hath haires on his head and as much blood to venture as there is water in the Sea it should all go for Christ. They are ready to act to their power yea and beyond their power 2 Cor. 8.3 Zeal is a very high and intensive heat of all the affections it makes us burn in our love to God in our desires after him our joy in him our fear to offend him our indignation against all that speak or do any thing against him or his Psal. 139.21 Ier. 13.9 10. 'T is not so much any one Affection as the intensive Degree of all when they are all improved to the utmost for the furtherance of Gods glory and the good of his People A zealous man is a man of mettle and spirit he 's all life and activity 'T
terminis for the out-works of Religion but for the Fundamentals and for the whole possession We must contend with Papists about our Justification with Arminians about our Election with Antimonians for the Law with Socinians for the Gospel and with the Antiscripturists for all 2. The Lord commends this in his servants he hath recorded the zeal of Moses Phinees Paul Apollos c. to their everlasting prayse they are the Apple of his Eye which is Oculus Oculi the glory of the Eye Zach. 2.8 They are his jewels he counts himself honoured and adorned by such and therefore he calls them his glory Isay 4.5 These glorifie God on earth and therefore we will glorifie them with himself Iohn 15.8 and 17.4.5 God hath more glory from his little zealous flock then from all the world besides Hence he so much glories in him Iob 2 3. Acts 13.22 3. He Rewards it where ever he finds it Phinees for his zealous execution of Justice was blest both he and his posterity Numb 15.11 12 13. Levi for his zeal in vindicating Gods Honour was exalted to the Priesthood Exod. 32.29 Deut. 33.8 9 10. Zabulum and Napthali that ventured their lives in Gods cause Iudge 5.18 God remembers the kindness and rewards it many years after in sending Christ to preach the Gospel first to them Matth. 4.13.14 yea so greatly is the Lord delighted with zeal that Iehu his Hypocritical zeal went not unrewarded 2 King 10.30 4. It graceth all our graces and is the Honour of our honours All Grace without this is nothing Dead Knowledge Faith Repentance are of no esteem with God dead Prayer is not Prayer As under the Law no sacrifice was acceptable without fire so no duty now is acceptable without the fire of zeal 5. Christ hath paid best for our zeal The fair price that he paid to Redeem us the same precious blood he gave to purchase us to himselfe a zealous and peculiar people Titus 2.14 If any have paid dearer for it or can shew better Title to it let him take it 6. Our zeal doth denominate us that we are that we are zealous for 'T is true we may love the creature but it must be with a subordinate inferior love but our zeal which is the cream of our affections must be given only to God 'T is a glory which he will not suffer to be given to another 7. Our zeal may provoke others the Corinthians zeal provoked many 2 Cor. 9.12 When the Love-sick Church began to commend Christ Cant. 5. ult This is my friend and this is my Beloved in the very next Chapter 6.1 Others begin to inquire Where is thy Beloved that we may seeke him with thee 8. Such help to save a Land from ruine One zealous Moses kept off judgement from Israel Psalm 106.23 One zealous Phinees stayes the Plague One zealous innocent man may save an Iland Iob 22. ult 9. This makes a man to excel we are all by Nature of one blood 't is Holy zeal that makes the difference This makes the Righteous to excel his Neighbour Prov. 12.26 both in life and death one of these Pearles surpasseth ten thousand peebles as one living creature excels a thousand dead ones These are called lively stones 1 Pet. 2.5 1. They are stones in respect of stability and solidness they stir not from their principles but are an everlasting foundation Prov. 10.25 2. Lively because of their Zeale and Activity they are prompt and ready for every good work 2 Timothy 2.21 Their spirits are raised to the highest excellencies and so are capable of the highe stactings They live the life of God Ephesians 4.18 or a godly life because it is from God as the Author it is according to God as the pattern and it tends to God as the end Others may do well but the zealous man excels them all Hence he 's called in Scripture not Adam a common man but Ish quasi Esh a man of fire heat and courage a man of spirit life activity a man of men an excellent man fitted to honour God and rule others 10. You will have no cause to repent of this zeal yea if the saints in Heaven were capable of sorrow they would grieve for nothing so much as that they had not done more for God in their generation How many have repented of their superstitious carnal zeal as Cardinal Woolsy sometimes did Had I served God as diligently as I have done the King he would not have given me over in my gray hairs but this is my just reward for serving men before God 11 There is an absolute necessity of it in respect of the many enemies that oppose us So soon as ever a man begins to look towards Heaven he must look for Giants and sons of Anak to oppose him We have the Devil above us with all his methods Eph. 6.11 depths Rev. 2.24 Devices 2 Cor. 2.11 The world about us with all its baits and snares and an evil heart within us ready to betray us into the hands of our enemies So that unless we be resolute violent men we shall never get Heaven Matth. 11.12 't is not the lazy somnolent Christian but the active and the violent that take Heaven by force 12. All thy gifts and parts without zeal to improve them become useless A Stag or Hart that hath great strength and horns yet doth little with them for want of courage As a bird without wings a body without a soul and salt without savor so is a man without zeal like Ieremiahs rotten girdle that was good for nothing Ier. 13.7 Zeal is to the soul that which spirits are to the body and wine to the Spirits it puts activity and quickning in us 'T is as wheels to the Chariot which make us run the wayes of Gods Commandments as courage to a souldier as mettle to the horse and as manure to the ground which makes it abound in fruitfulness Now that you may get and keep this Gace we must shun those Quenchâ—coals which extinguish this holy fire in us 1. The first is the retaining of any one bosome beloved sin be it Pride Idleness Formality Covetousness either thy zeal must destroy thy sin or thy sin will destroy thy zeal Zealous affections are the wings of the soul but sin like bird-lime intangles them that they cannot fly Heaven-ward They are the feet of the soul but sin like fetters hindereth us from runing They are the fire of the soul but sin like water quencheth this fire We must resolve therefore against all sin if ever we would have the Spirit of zeal to dwell in us 2. Take heed of the inordinate love of the world These thornes will choak our zeal and this outward heat extracts and consumes our inward Cast earth upon fire and you put it out Demas and Iudas the love of the world drew them off we must get our affections loosened from the world and use it as though we used it not Use
and frequent them 2. We begin to cry down Sabbaths and make every day alike they observe Gods Sabbaths and make Leagues for the strict observing of them We meet to wrangle they meet to pray and instruct each other in the things which they have heard 3. We begin to contemn prayer and think our selves above it they set up Prayer in their families and are earnest in it 4. We grow weary of the Lord and begin to deny him in his Attributes these begin to fear know and acknowledge him 5. We fall away to loose Opinions and loose Practises we are barren under all the meanes of grace dry under all the droppings of the Sanctuary and therefore the Lord may justly take away his Gospel and give it to a people that shall yeeld him better obedience then we have done God hath forsaken better Churches then England The Jewes that were sometimes his peculiar people and adorned with many rich Priviledges are now for their unbelief a dispersed despised accursed people The seven Churches of Asia once so famous are now a wildernesse God hath no need of us he can call them his people which were not his people and them beloved which were not beloved Hos. 2.23 God cannot want a people if he please to call he can raise up out of dead stones and wild Americans children to himself Oh that the poor naked Indians might quicken our backwardnesse and their fruitfulnesse rowse us out of our unfruitfulnesse and their zeale and power of Religion shame us out of our formality As Christ said to Peter Luke 7.44 Seest thou this woman Simon dost thou observe how bountifull and active she hath been for me compare her zeal and love to me with thine and learn to be ashamed As the Lord set Israel to Schoole to learn of the Oxe the Asse the Stork the Ant So he may set us to learne zeale of Indians Many are like dead Wether-cocks they turn and turn and turn again but they never crow against sin nor be active for God Eâ—salice non è quercu orti They are bending Willowes not rooted Oakes The living fish swimmes against the streame 't is the dead fish that goeth down Rest not then content with a form sit not down content with gifts and parts as most do but covet that more excellent way of Holinesse Humility and the power of godlinesse 1 Cor. 12.31 Lastly Prize all Gods Ordinances and walk in the power of them He that despiseth them shall never thrive in Grace if you take away this spirituall fuell the fire of zeale will soon decay Ordinances are services though not Saviours Meanes though not Mediatours to be used but not Idolized we must not cast them away but cast them down at Christs feet as the 24. Elders did their crownes Revel 4.10 God will be found in his own way and though he hath promised us grace yet he hath said we shall seek it before we have it Ezek. 36.37 as Baths have their warmth from the Mineralls which they run through so the soul by Ordinances draweth a spirituall taste and sweetness from them We should therefore shew our love to them by promoting them with our Riches Prov. 3.9 and coming with the first to them Luke 1.21 Prov. 8.17.33 Ezek. 47.10 Acts 10.33 Hereby we shall bring glory to God in all his Attributes We shall continue and increase our communion with God The repetition of the Act will intend the Habit as fire by blowing burns the brighter Object We live not now under the Law but under the Gospel and so are above Ordinances and Duties which are poor low legall dispensations and breed a spirit of bondage in men and therefore ought to be abolisht as appeares Heb. 3.11 1 John 2.27 Rev. 21.22 See these Texts answered in my Sal Terrae cap. 3. Answ. Ordinances do not vanish in Gospel-times but must endure to the end of the world the end of the world 1. The Ministery must endure so long as the world endures Matth. 28. ult Ephes. 4.11 12 13. See my Sal terrae cap 3. 2. Baptisme is of the same continuance Matth. 28.19 20. 3 The Lords Supper must endure till Christs second coming 1 Cor. 11 26. and if there shall be Ordinances in the most glorious times of the Church to come even when the Jews shall be called and the spirit powred out in an abundant measure Isay 2.2 3. 66. Zach. 14. then much more have we need of them And though they be outward Forms yet they are not empty Forms but efficacious to the salvation of believers Rom. 1.16 1. Let such prophane Atheists consider that Ordinances are Formes which Christ hath instituted they are divine Formes and when you reject them you reject Christ himself 2. They are Forms which are the purchase of the Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ therefore when you reject them you reject the purchase 3. They are such Forms as are made by Christ the Conduict of all grace Christ and the grace of Christ are ordinarily conveighed by these Forms They are golden pipes to conveigh grace and blessed and admirable Instruments in the hand of God for the good of our soules 4. Having begun in the spirit will ye end in the flesh was there not a time and was it not your best time when you durst not omit Prayer Meditation Self-examination c. was it not your best time when you practised Self-denial Mortification and all holy duties and will you now turn Libertines and Apostates and so make your latter end worse then your beginning may not the Lord expostulate with you as he did sometime with Israel Ier. 2.5.31 What iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone after vanity have I been a barren wilderness or a land of darknesse to you So what evill did you ever find in God or his Ordinances that ye thus grow weary of them speak now before the Lord what evill did ye ever find in Praying Preaching Sacraments that ye thus reject and contemn them Time was when ye frequented them found joy and sweetnesse in them if you have lost your taste the fault is in your selves and not in the Ordinances you are grown cold dead formall worldly Prophane c. and now instead of falling out with your sins you fall out with Gods Ordinances instead of casting off your iniquities you cast off duties For such I shall onely say Remember from whence you are fallen repent and do your first wâ—rks Rev. 2.5 Use Ordinances and improve them but rest not in a naked formall performance of them beseech the Lord to make you profit by them Isay 48.17 18. In Heaven we shall enjoy God immediately without the use of Ordinances there is and indeed there needs no Temple there Rev. 21.22 but whilst we are on earth we must serve providence in the use of meanes and he that despiseth them despiseth his own salvation both Temporal and Eternal For Ordinances see Mr. Lawrence for
is a perfect Copy his steps we must follow his vertues we must imitate we must shew forth not a vertue or two but all those vertues which did shine in the conversation of Christ and made him glorious in the world all those must not onely be in us but must shine forth in our lives also 1 Pet. 2.9 Matth. 5.16 2. He 's an Example which none can equalize nor sufficiently admire we are apt to excuse our selves for not imitating Christ because he 's too high hence God in his wisdom hath provided Examples of a lower rank of men subject to the like Passions as we are The Scripture recoâ—ds what glorious things they have done and suffered for God and his honour Now these are patterns of our own rank and nature whom we must not onely imitate but labour to equalize and study to out-goe the best pattern of the best Saints that ever were We can have no excuse in these dayes of light if we come not up to the best patterns because we have more of the Spirit more light and more clear manifestation of God then they had Quest. How far must we imitate the Saints and be followers of them Answ. We may not follow any Saint whatsoever simply and absolutely but onely with a Quatenus so far as he is a follower of Christ. 1 Cor. 11.7 the Saints have had their failings and the best have a great deale of the old Adam in them They are Pillars of cloud for us to walk by but this cloud hath its dark part which if we follow we shall fall as they did There are 4. sorts of actions which the Scripture tells us were done by Saints 1. Some were sinfull as Davids adultery Peters deniall and these are recorded not for imitation but for Caution and admonition 1 Cor. 10.6 these things are examples that we might not lust as they did Their sins are Sea-marks for men to shun and not Land-marks to walk by It 's a sad thing to love that in David which he did abominate in himself Yet 5. good Lessons we may learn from the falls of the Saints 1. When thou readest of their sins it should teach thee not to idolize any Saint they were men as well as others and had their naevos and had need of a Mediatour 2. It may teach us that the best Saints may fall into the foulest sins if they do not watch yea into those sins they most abhorre Of all sinnes Peter thought himself most free from that of denying Christ and if a man should have come to Solomon when he had made that rare Prayer before all the people 1 Kings 8.22 23 c. and told him Well Solomon for all this Prayer that thou hast made thou wilt turn Idolater before thou dye would not he have answered with Hazael Am I a dog that I should do such things This shewes that the best have in them the Root of the vilest sins and if we be not upheld and preserved by Gods assisting grace we shall certainly fall 3. We may learn what sins are most prejudicial to us viz. Self-confidence this brought Peter down idlenesse and prosperity this brought David down Effeminatenesse brought Solomon so low 4. We learn that a holy fear is necessary to salvation Prov. 28.14 Phil. 2.12 and to have a holy jealousie over our deceitful hearts be not high-minded but fear for if such great Saints fell to such foul sins what shall such poor shrubs do 5. As you that never fell must read these Examples to preserve you from falling so you that are fallen must not despaire but read them that you may rise again by Repentance as they did Let us therefore watch and pray continually for the best Christian is like a man rowing against Wind and Tyde if he let go his Oares he cannot in a great while recover again what he hath lost 2. Some actions of the Saints were done by speciall instinct and instigation of the spirit these are not for our imitation Elijah calls for fire from heaven which the disciples desiring were checkt by Christ. Luke 9.54 Sampsons pulling the house on his own and the Philistines heads was by an immediate instinct of the spirit So was Phineas his acts Numb 25. we must not expect such extraordinary instincts and impulses of spirit in our dayes we must now to the Law and to the Testimony Isay 8.20 we must suspect such extraordinary impulses rather then expect them 2. Some actions they did by special command from God and if we have not such an extraordinary command we may not imitate them e. g. The Israelites when they went out of Egypt borrowed Jewels of silver and gold which they never paid again because God bid them spoyle them but we may not do so Psal. 37.21 so God commands Abraham to kill Isaack we have now the word for our Rule and must not expect Revelations 3. Some were occasionall actions which they were not bound to in the general but meerly for such a time and in a case of necessity so the disciples must carry no scrip nor gold but preach freely Matth. 10.8 9 10. 't was as a Temporary command as appeares Luke 22.35 such was Pauls practise in working for his living Acts 13.3 and 20.34 4. Some actions of the Saints are acts of Holinesse and Righteousnesse grounded on the word of God and in these it is that we must imitate them There is a magnetical vertue and hidden excellency in good examples to allure us to vertue as there is a divellish efficacy in lewd examples to make us wicked Ieroboams wickednesse drawes Israel to sin so there is an heavenly efficacy in good examples when sanctified to make us holy Iudg. 2.7 the people serve the Lord all the dayes of Ioshua who was a good man and the Elders who out-lived Ioshua so long as they had a good example they served the Lord. If Crispus the Ruler of the Synagogue believe all his house believe with him Acts 18.8 Theodosius by his holy example made his Court a Nursery of Religion The patient sufferings of the Martyrs made many Martyrs Iustin Martyr tells us that the pious lives of the Christians were a meanes to convert him Hence the Scripture ascribes a converting power to good example 1 Peter 3.1 2. Their example will be a Cordial to comfort us in our distresses There is no misery that can befall us but it hath befallen some of the Saints before us Art deserted in thy own apprehension so was Heman Art poor so was Iob. Art persecuted so was David Art called to difficult duties so was Abraham so were the Martyrs called to forsake all If a man be to go through a vast howling wildernesse this is a sad journey yet if he see a beaten high way all along this is a great comfort to him in his journey This is our condition the way to Heaven is through a wildernesse of trouble our comfort is 't is a beaten way
idle drowsie habit but an active lively operative thing hence all Gods servants have been men of fire Abraham how zealous in Praying for Sodom how ready to circumcise himselfe and all the men in his house how ready to part with all at Gods bare command Lot doth not onely abstaine from the sins of Sodom but his soul was tortured and tormented with their wickednesse 2 Peter 2.8 Moses one of the meekest men in the world yet when God was dishonoured in an holy heate he throweth down the two Tables of stone and breaketh them signifying thereby their breach of Covenant with God by their sins yet did not the Lord checke him for it He onely bid him goe make new ones where we may observe the goodnesse of God that if our zeal transport us too far yet the Lord pardons the errour of our fervency rather then the Indifferencies of Security and Luke-warmnesse Thus Barâ—e how earnestly doth he act in Gods work Nehemiah 3.20 Nehemiah forsooke all his Court preferment passed through many dangers and difficulties and contends even with Rulers for profaning the Sabbath he cursed them i. he caused them to be excommunicated and driven out of the Congregation or he sharply reproved them telling them they had made themselves guilty of the curses whereinto they had entered Nehemiah 10.29 and 13.25 Holy David was a man even compounded of zeal as appeareth Psalm 119.53 97.136.139.158.174 How did he prepare with all his might for the House of God and thinketh all the gold and riches he had given to be as nothing 1 Chronicles 29.2 3 4. he prepared an hundred thousand Talents of Gold and a thousand thousand Talents of Silver he gave of his owne proper goods thirteen Millions eight hundred seventy five thousand pound sterling But what makes David so magnificently liberal Why it was his zealous affection to the House of God It is want of affection not want of money that makes men give so basely to the promoting of Gods Worship yet so inlarged was Davids heart that he accounts all this but a poor gift 1 Chronicles 22.14 In my poverty so 't is in the margin of your Bibles have I prepared all this he accounts his 1300. cart load of gold and silver but a poor gift it was noâ— answerable to his desires nor according to that which the transcendent Majesty of God might require but it was according as he was able by reason of his continual troubles and afflictions what a Seraphim was Paul how did he burn with a zeal for Gods Glory how was his Spirit kindled in him when he saw the Idolatry at Athens Acts 17.16 How gladly doth he spend himself for the Church of God 2 Cor. 12.25 What pains did he take what hazards did he run that he might win souls Rom. 15.19 He surpassed Alexander the Great and all the Conquerours of the world for they conquered men by the Sword but Paul by the Word they gained Kingdoms to themselves but Paul for Christ they conquered bodyes he souls they men he devils But where shall we now find a zealous Elijah a man of fire against sin and errors where are our Luthers Lattimers Bradfords that fear not the faces of great ones Blessed be God he hath many in the Land that both in the Pulpit and by their Pens do witness against the enormities of the times yet in comparison of the swarms of idle heretical profane self-seeking Ministers they are thin sowen for 1. Some are ignorant and cannot 2. Others are scandalous and dare not reprove sin for fear of being upbraided themselves 3. Others are Time-servers and to keep their places they go along with the current of the times and say as the great ones would have them Are the times for liberty so are they Are the times for Anabaptists c. so are they Doctores aerei like wax ready to take any impression that the Rulers and great ones will put upon them 4. Others are zealous but 't is against zeal instead of being instant in Preaching they are earnest against zealous Preachers and preaching Instead of heavenly fire they are full of strange fire They are zealous but 't is for Superstition Will-worship Anabaptisme c. When they should use all means to keep in and increase this holy fire as the Priest was commanded Levit. 6.12 13. not to suffer the fire of the Altar to go forth but he must bring wood to it and nourish it that it alwayes might burn yet these by their negligence suffer it to decay 'T is said that the Image of Isis was carried by a dull Asse such a servant may fit such a saint but dead Ministers are no servants for the living God I rejoyce not in these victories of the devil but shall turn my complaint into a prayer that the Lord would purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as gold that they may offer in righteousness Malac. 3.3 And that all Zions Nazarites may be purer then snow and whiter then milk Lam. 47.13 That all those whom the Lord hath set apart for his own immeditate service may in some measure resemble their Lord and Master in the beauty of holiness that they may be like Apollos who was fervent in spirit mighty in the Scriptures and taught diligently the way of the Lord. Acts 18.25 26. that like Micah 3.8 we may be filled with the Spirit of God and so may be enabled to fulfil our duty That he would flame us with the fire of love that we may help to inflame others Did Ministers love their peoples souls more they would be more zealous for their good Love is an active thing it will make one do and suffer much for the party beloved A mother loves her child which makes all her pains with it light One being askt out of what book he got such fiery fervent Sermons answered I get them out of the Book of Love This will make us fervent in prayer for our people and faithfully to discharge our duty by admonishing the wicked comforting the afflicted resolving their doubts sympathizing with them in their sorrows and visiting them in their distresses as Esay did Hezekiah in his sickness 2 Kings 20 1. The false Prophets are branded for feeding themselves but not the flock the sick they did not heal nor bind up the broken Ezek. 34.24 Much of the sins and errors of the times lie at Ministers doors and cold Ministers make bold sinners Hence Christ blames the Angels and Pastors of the Churches for the sins of the Churches Rev. 2. and 3. Our Apostysy makes others to apostatize many begin like thunder but they end like smoak We may say of many Ministers as they say of Butter 't is gold in the morning silver at noon and lead at night or like one Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury whom Pope Vrban greets in the stile of a fervent Monk a warm Abbot a Luke-warm Bishop and a key cold
is the very formalis ratio the quintescence of zeal to be intense and increased to the utmost 'T is not every degree of Affection for a formalist may have some cold Vellieties and Luke-warm desires and a carnal man may have some joy and fear But zeal is another thing 't is a boiling over again with extremity of heat 'T is sacra ebullitio a holy heat and rising of the heart against sin It makes a man fervent or seething hot against sin Rom. 12.11 Water may be hot in some measure and yet not seeth seething hot is the highest degree of heat But the Hypocrite is affraid of being too zealous and active for God whereas we can never be too zealous in that we know to be good in it self and good for us to do We cannot exceed in our love to God nor in our obedience to him No vertue in its formal reason can be too much intended a man cannot be nimis liberalis tho he may be nimius in largitione Keep the horse under the bridle and in the right way and keep the stream within its banks let it run in a right channel and then the stronger the better 3. It will make us sharp and severe against our own sins but pittiful and compassionate to others As charity so zeal begins at home no man can speak so sharply against him as he doth against himself though others may excuse him yet he 'l not excuse himself 2 Sam. 24.10 But the Hypocrite he 's parcus sibi severus aliis High and harsh in his censures of others but indulgent to himself Matth. 7.4 the worst men are usually the greatest censurers Acts 28.4 4. It makes a man more zealous in great matters then in lesser In great causes he sheweth great zeal and in lesser causes lesser zeal He calls not for a Sword to kill a Flea nor for an Axe to crack an Egge He well knows that the same fire is not requisite for the roasting of an Egge as is for the roasting of an Ox. But the Hypocrite he 's magnus in minimis he 's fiery in small matters and cold in weighty ones With Saul he kills the lean but spares the fat And with the Pharises he Tythes Mint and Cummin but neglects obedience in the great things of the Law Matth. 23.23 5. He 's more zealous in Gods cause then in his own Moses how meek and quiet in his own cause Numb 12.3 Yet how hot in Gods Exod. 32.9.19.27 Hezekiah mourns more for Senacherib's blasphemy then for the Sword that was drawn against himself 2 Kings 19.3 4.16 David when himself was persecuted became as a deaf man but when Gods Law is transgressed his zeal consumes him and rivers of tears run down his eyes Christ himself in his own sufferings was as a Sheep before the Shearer dumb but when Gods house is profaned he doth not onely by words but blows drive them out with an holy violence Nehemiah how silent when himself was reproached but when Gods Sabbaths are profaned he contends even with Nobles about it Ioshua 7.8 is more tender over Gods Name then his own he doth not say what shall our names estates and lives do but what wilt thou do for thy own name The Church of Ephesus could bear any suffering but not sin Rev. 2.2 But the hypocrite is hot in his own case and key-cold in Gods let any wrong him or rob him he 's all on a flame but let Gods Name Sabbaths Servants be wronged he cares for no such things 4. True zeal may be known by it's concomitants and companions which are 4.1 'T is ever attended with wisedom and discretion 'T is not a rash ungrounded zeal but a wise sober well-grounded fervour As a good dish may be spoiled in the dressing so a good reproof for want of observing due circumstances of persons time and place may loose it's due operation Hence Solomon commends a word that 's spoken Beophman super rotis suis running on the wheels of all due circumstances Psal. 25.11 Fire on the hearth is good but fire in the top of the house is dangerous Love allows us to be warm and plain but not scalding hot in our reproofs A well-ordred zeal will teach a Nathan to catch a David in a parable Caut. Yet must we beware least under pretence of discretion we destroy zeal of which see more in the Objections 2. It keeps the bounds of its calling It dares do nothing without a call from God Simeon and Levi were good men and the cause was good but the prosecution of it was ill for they assumed the Magistrates power without a call Gen. 3.4 Excessive heat or excessive cold is poysen 3. He loves to see and to make others zealous It 's the nature of fire to multiply one livingâ—coal kindles another zealous Abraham will not keep his goodness to himself but he 'l communicate it to his family So Moses Numb 11.29 and Paul Acts 26.29 4. 'T is of a growing nature we must grow in zeal as well as in other graces A grain of mustard seed though it be little yet 't is lively Fire on the Altar might not be suffered to go out Levit. 6.13 As natural strength so this is increased by exercise To him that hath true zeal shall be given more Lastly this must quicken us all to an holy zeal and emulation in well-doing Most men seek to excell their Neighbours in riches fine houses fine fare but who labours to excel in vertue The living God delights not in dead hearts dead spirits become not his servants cold wishes and faint desires please not him we must be active and stirring if we desire that God should be with us for our God is not the God of the dead but of the living Who should be zealous and active for God if we be not as Nehemiah said in another case Neh. 6.11 Should such a one as I fly I that am under such special promises special protection special providences should I dishonour my profession and in a fearful manner fly so should such as we be cold and dead who live upon the bread of life and drink the water of life who have lively Oracles and lively Ordinances and all meanes to make us lively Let us therefore do what we do with all our might as David did when he danced before the Ark. 2 Sam. 6.14 Let us oppose sin with all our might Preach Pray and praise God with all our might Iudge 5.12 Psal. 103.23 Rom. 12.11 We should burn and boyl up in our spirits in duty By this meanes we shall prevent aboundance of dangerous temptations which seise on Luke-warm professors When Honey is cold every Fly and Wasp robs us of it but when 't is boyling and scalding hot they dare not come neer it When men are cold and indifferent in Religion every Sectary and Seducer which are the Devils Flies and Emissaries makes a prey of us but when we are hot