never true Use 1. How opposite are they to godliness who cry down zeal and count it a Religious phrensie They are for the light of knowledge but not for the heat of zeal When Basil was earnest in preaching against the Arrian Heresie it was interpreted folly and dotage Religion is a matter requires zeal the Kingdom of heaven will not be taken but by violence Mat. 12. 11. Object But why so much fervour in Religion what becomes then of Prudence Answ. Though Prudence be to direct zeal yet not to destroy it because sight is requisite must the body therefore have no heat If Prudence be the eye in Religion zeal is the heart Quest. But where is moderation Answ. Though moderation in things of indifferency be commendable and doubtless it would much tend to the setling the peace of the Church yet in the main Articles of Faith wherein Gods glory and our Salvation lie at stake here moderation is nothing else but sinful neutrality It was Calvins advice to Melancthon that he should not so affect the name of moderate that at length he lost all his zeal Object But the Apostle presseth moderation Phil. 4. 5. Let your moderation be known to all Answ. The Apostle speaks there of moderating our passion the Greek word for moderation signifies candour and meekness opposite to rash anger and so the word is rendred in another place Patient 1 Tim. 3. 3. By moderation then is meant meekness of spirit and that is clear by the subsequent words The Lord is at hand As if the Apostle had said avenge not your selves for the Lord is at hand he is ready to avenge your personal wrongs but this doth not at all hinder but that in matters of Religion a Christian should be zealous 2 What strangers are they to godliness who have no zeal for the glory of God they can see his ordinances despised his worship adulterated yet their spirits are not at all stirred in them How many are of a dull lukewarm temper zealous for their own secular interest but have no zeal for the things of heaven hot in their own cause but cool in Gods The Lord doth most abominate lukewarm professours I had almost said hee is sick of them Rev. 3. 15. I would thou wert cold or hot any thing but lukewarm but because thou art neither cold nor hot I will spue thee out of my mouth A lukewarm Christian is but dough-baked just like Ephraim Hos. 7. 8. Ephraim is a cake not turned To keep up a form of Religion without zeal is to be like those bodies the Angels assumed which mooved but had no life in them I would ask these Tepid neutral professors this question If Religion be not a good cause why did they undertake it at first if it be why do they go so faintly about it why have they no more holy ardours of soul these persons would fain go to heaven in a soft bed but are loath to bee carried thither in a fiery Chariot of zeal Remember God will be zealous against them who are not zealous he provides the fire of hell for those that want the fire of zeal Use 2. As you would be found in the catalogue of the godly labour for zeal as good bee of no religion as not to be zealous in religion Beware of carnal policy This is one of those three things which Luther feared would bee the death of Religion Some men have been too wise to bee saved Their discretion hath quenched their zeal beware of stoth which is an enemy to zeal be zealous and repent Rev. 3. 19. Christians what do you reserve your zeal for is it for your gold that perisheth or for your lusts that will make you perish can you bestow your zeal better than upon God how zealous have men been in a false religion Isa. 46. 6. They lavish gold out of the bag and weigh silver in the ballance The Iews did spare no cost in their idolatrous worship nay Ier. 32. 35. They cause their Sons and Daughters to pass thorow the fire to Molech They were so zealous in their idol-worship that they would sacrifice their Sons and Daughters to their false Gods how far did the purblinde Heathens go in their false zeal 〈◊〉 the Tribunes of Rome complained they wanted gold in their Treasurâ—es to offer to Apollo the Roman Matrons plucked off their chains of gold and rings and bracelets and gave them to the Priests to offer up sacrifice were these so zealous in their sinful worship and will not you bee zealous in the worship of the true God can you loose any thing by your zeal shall it not bee super-abundantly recompenced what is heaven worth what is a sight of God worth was not Jesus Christ zealous for you he sweat drops of blood hee conflicted with his Fathers wrath how zealous was hee for your redemption and have you no zeal for him is there any thing you your selves hate more than dulness and slothfulness in your servants you are weary of such servants do you dislike a dull temper in others and not in your selves what are all your duties without zeal but non entia meer fancies and nullities Do you know what a glorious thing zeal is it is the lustre that sparkles from grace it is the flame of love it resembles the Holy Ghost Act. 2. 2. There appeared cloven tongues like fire which sat upon them and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost Tongues of fire were an Emblem to represent that fire of zeal which the spirit powred upon them Zeal makes all our religious performances prevalent with God When the iron is red hot it enters best and when our services are red hot with zeal they soonest pierce heaven SECT XVI 16. A godly man is a patient man Iam. 5. 11. Ye have heard of the patience of Iob. Patience is a star which shines in a dark night There is a twofold patience 1. Patience in waiting 2. Patience in bearing 1. Patience in waiting A godly man if he hath not his desire presently he will wait till the mercy be ripe Psa. 130. 6. My soul waiteth for the Lord. Good reason God should have the Timing of our mercies Isa. 60. 22. I the Lord will hasten it in his time Deliverance may tarry beyond our time but it will not tarry beyond Gods time Why should not we wait patiently upon God 1. We are servants it becomes servants to be in a waiting posture 2. We wait upon every thing else we wait upon the fire till it burns we wait upon the seed till it grows Iam. 5. 7. Why cannot we wait upon God 3. God hath waited upon us Did not he wait for our repentance How often did he come year after year before he found fruit Did God wait upon us and cannot we wait upon him A godly man is content to stay Gods leisure though the Vision tarry he will wait for
we are here we are complaining of our wants weeping over our sins but there we shall be praising God How will the Birds of Paradise chirp when they are in that Caelestial Country There the Morning Stars will sing together and all the Saints of God shout for joy O what should we aspire after but this Country above Such as have their eyes opened will see that it doth infinitely excel An ignorant man looks upon a Star and it appears to him as a little silver spot but the Astronomer who hath his Instrument to judge of the dimension of a Star knows it to be many degrees bigger than the earth So a natural man hears of the heavenly Country that it is very glorious but it is at a great distance and because he hath not a spirit of discerning the world looks bigger in his eye but such as are Spiritual Artists who have the Instrument of Faith to judge of Heaven will say it is far the better Country and thither will they hasten with the Sails of desire SECT XV. 15. A godly man is a zealous man grace turns a Saint into a Seraphim it makes him burn in holy zeal zeal is a mixed affection a compound of love and anger it carries forth our love to God and anger against sin in the most intense manner Zeal is the flame of the affections a godly man hath a double baptism of water and fire he is baptized with a spirit of zeal hee is zealous for Gods honour truth worship Psal. 119. 139. my zeal hath consumed me it was a crown set on Phineas his head hee was zealous for his God Numb 25. 13. Moses being touched with a coal from Gods altar in his zeal hee breaks the Tables Exod. 32. 19. our blessed Saviour in his zeal whips the buyers and sellers out of the Temple Ioh. 2. 17. the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up But there is a Praeternatural heat something looking like zeal which is not a Comet looks like a Star I shall therefore show some differences between a true and a false zeal 1 A false zeal is a blinde zeal Rom. 10. 2. They have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge this is not the fire of the spirit but wild-fire The Athenians were very devout and zealous but they knew not for what Acts 17. 23. I found an Altar with this Inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the unknown God Thus the Papists are zealous in their way but they have taken away the key of knowledge 2 A false zeal is a self-seeking zeal Iehu cries come see my zeal for the Lord 2 King 10. 16. but it was not zeal but ambition he was fishing for a Crown Demetrius pleads for the Goddess Diana but it was not her Temple but her Silver shrines he was zealous for Such zealots Ignatius complains of in his time that they made a Trade of Christ and Religion thereby to enrich themselves 'T is probable many in King Henry the eights time were forward to pull down the Abbies not out of any zeal against Popery but that they might build their own houses upon the ruines of those Abbies like Eagles which fly aloft but their eyes are down upon their prey If blind zeal be punished seven fold hypocritical zeal shall bee punished seventy and seven fold 3 A false praeposterous zeal is a misguided zeal it runs out most in things which are not commanded It is the sign of an hypocrite to be zealous for traditions and careless of institutions The Pharisees were more zealous about washing of their cups than their hearts 4 A false zeal is fired with passion Iames and Iohn when they would call for fire from heaven were rebuked by our Saviour Luk. 9. 54. Yee know not what spirit yee are off it was not zeal but choller many have espoused the cause of Religion rather out of faction and humour than out of zeal to the truth But the zeal of a godly man is a true and holy zeal which evidenceth it self in the effects of it 1 True zeal cannot bear an injury done to God zeal makes the blood rise when Gods honour is impeached Rev. 2. 2. I know thy works and thy labour and patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil hee who zealously affects his friend cannot hear him spoken against and be silent 2 True zeal will encounter with the greatest difficulties when the world holds out a Gorgons head of danger to discourage us zeal casts out fear it is quickned by opposition Zeal doth not say there is a Lyon in the way zeal will charge through an Army of dangers it will march in the face of death Let news be brought to Paul that he was way-laid in every City bonds and imprisonment did abide him this sets a keener edge upon his zeal Acts 21. 13. I am ready not only to bee bound but to dye for the name of the Lord Iesus as sharp frosts do by an antiparistasis make the fire burn hotter so sharp oppositions do but inflame zeal the more 3 True zeal as it hath knowledge to go before it so it hath sanctity to follow after it Wisdome leads the van of zeal and holiness brings up the rear an hypocrite seems to be zealous but he is vitious the godly man is white and ruddy white in purity as well as ruddy in zeal Christs zeal was hotter than the fire and his holiness purer than the sun 4 Zeal that is genuine loves truth when it is despised and opposed Psal. 119. 126. They have made void thy law therefore I love thy commandements above gold the more others deride holiness the more we love it what is Religion the worse for others disgracing it doth a Diamond sparkle the less because a blinde man disparageth it the more outragious the wicked are against the truth the more couragious the godly are for it When Mical scoffed at Davids religious dancing before the Ark if saith he this be to be vile I will yet be more vile 2 Sam. 6. 22. 5 True zeal causeth fervency in duty Rom. 12. 11. fervent in spirit Zeal makes us hear with reverence pray with affection love with ardency God kindled Moses his sacrifice from heaven Lev. 9. 24. There came a fire out from before the Lord and consumed upon the Altar the burnt offering when we are zealous in devotion and our heart waxeth hot within us here is a fire from heaven kindling our sacrifice how odious is it for a man to be all fire when he is sinning and all yâ—e when he is praying A pious heart like water seething hot boils over in holy affections 6. True zeal is never out of breath though it be violent 't is perpetual no waters can quench the flame of zeal it is torrid in the frigid zone The heat of zeal is like the natural heat coming from the heart which lasts as long as life That zeal which is not constant was
our duties are divinely qualified we do them with pure aims 3. When we have found God going along with us we give him the glory of all 1 Cor. 15. 10. This doth clearly evince that the duty was carried on by the strength of Gods Spirit more than by any innate abilities of our own 7. Gods Spirit hath a comforting virtue disconsolacy may arise in a gracious heart as the Heaven though it be a bright lucid body yet hath interposition of Clouds this sadness is caused usually through the malice of Satan who if he cannot destroy us he will disturb us but Gods Spirit within us doth sweetly chear and revive he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Comforter Ioh. 14. 16. These comforts are real and infallible Hence it is called the Seal of the Spirit Eph. 1. 13. When a Deed is sealed it is firm and unquestionable so when a Christian hath the seal of the spirit his comforts are confirmed every godly man hath these revivings of the spirit in some degree he hath the seminals and initials of joy though the flower be not fully ripe and blown Quest. How doth the Spirit give comfort Answ. 1. By showing us that we are in a state of Grace A Christian cannot always see his riches the work of Grace may be written in the heart like short-hand which a Christian cannot read the spirit gives him a Key to open these dark Characters and spell out his Adoption whereupon he hath joy and peace 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have received the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things which are freely given to us of God 2. The spirit comforts by giving us some ravishing apprehensions of Gods love Rom. 5. 5. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Gods love is a box of precious oyntment and it is only the spirit can break open this box and fill us with the sweet perfume of it 3. The spirit comforts by carrying us to the Bloud of Christ as when a man is weary and ready to faint carry him to the water and he is refreshed so when we are fainting under the burden of sin the spirit carries us to the Fountain of Christs Bloud Zac. 12. 1. In that day there shall be a Fountain opened c. The spirit inables us to drink the waters of Justification which run out of Christs sides The spirit applyes whatever Christ hath purchased it shows us that our sins are done away in Christ and though we are spotted in our selves we are undefiled in our head 4. The spirit comforts by inabling Conscience to comfort the Childe must be taught before it can speak The spirit opens the mouth of Conscience and helps it to speak and witness to a man that his estate is good whereupon he begins to receive comfort Rom. 9. 2. My Conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost Conscience draws up a Certificate for a man then the Holy Ghost comes and sets his hand to the Certificate 5. The spirit conveys the Oyl of Joy through two Golden Pipes 1. The Ordinances 2. The Promises 1. The Ordinances As Christ in prayer had his countenance changed Luk 9. 29. There was a glorious lustre upon his face so often in the use of Holy Ordinances the godly have such raptures of joy and soul-transfigurations that they have been carried above the world and despised all things below 2. The Promises The Promises are comfortable 1. For their sureness Rom. 4. 16. God in the Promises hath laid his truth to pawn 2. For their suitableness being calculated for every Christians condition The Promises are like a Physick-garden there is no disease but some herb may be found there to cure it but the Promises of themselves cannot comfort only the spirit inables us to suck these Honey-combs The Promises are like a Limbeck full of herbs but this Limbeck will not drop unless the fire be put under So when the spirit of God which is compared to fire is put to the Limbeck of the Promises then they distil Consolation into the soul. Thus we see how the spirit is in the godly by its virtues Object But is this the sign of a godly man to be filled with the Spirit Are not the wicked said to partake of the Holy Ghost Heb. 6. 4. Answ. Wicked men may partake of the spirits working but not of its in-dwelling they may have Gods spirit move upon them the godly have it enter into them Ezek. 3. 24. Object But the unregenerate taste of the Heavenly Gift Heb. 6. Answ. It is with them as Cooks who may have a smack and taste of the meat they dress but they are not nourished by it Tasting there is opposed to eating The godly have not only a drop or taste of the spirit but it is in them as river of living water Iohn 7. 38. Use 1. It brands them for ungodly who have none of Gods spirit Rom. 8. 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And if he be none of Christs then whose is he to what Regiment doth he belong 'T is the misery of a sinner he hath none of Gods spirit Me thinks 't is very offensive to hear men say Take not thy holy spirit from us who never had Gods spirit will they say they have Gods spirit in them who are drunkards and swearers Have they Gods spirit who are malicious and unclean It were blasphemy to say these have the spirit Will the blessed spirit leave his Caelestial Palace to come and live in a prison A sinners heart is a Gaol both for darkness and noysomness and will Gods free spirit be confined to a prison A sinners heart is the Embleme of Hell what should Gods spirit do there Wicked hearts are not a Temple but an Hogâ—sty where the unclean spirit makes his abode Ephes. 2. 2. The Prince of the power of the Ayr the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience We would be loath to live in an house haunted with eviâ— spirits a sinners heart is haunted Ioh. 13 27. After the sop Satan entred Satan venter upon the godly but enters into the wicked when the Devils went into the herd of swine they ran violently down a steep place into thâ— Sea Mat. 8. 32. Whence is it men run so greedily to the Commission of sin but because the Devil hath entred into these Swine 2. This cuts them off from being godly who not only want the spirit but deride it Like those Iews Acts 2. 13. These men are full of new wine And indeed so the Apostles were they were full of the wine of the spirit How is Gods spirit scoffed at by the sons of Belial These say they are men of the Spirit O wretches to make those tongues which should be Organs of Gods praise instruments to blaspheme Have you none to throw your squibs at but the spirit Deriding of
grace shine in his soul and the next day his light put out in obscurity This would spill a Christians comfort and break asunder the golden Chain of Salvation but be assured O Christian he who hath begun a good work will ripen it into perfection Christ will send forth judgement unto victory he will make grace victorious over all opposite corruption If grace should finally perish what would become of the smoaking flax And how would that title properly be given to Christ Finisher of the Faith Object No question this is an undoubted priviledge to such as are smoaking flax and have the least beginnings of grace but I fear I am not smoaking flax I cannot see the light of grace in my self Answ. That I may comfort the smoaking flax why dost thou thus dispute against thy self What makes thee think thou hast no grace I believe thou hast more than thou wouldst be willing to part with thou valuest grace above the gold of Ophir How couldst thou see the worth and lustre of this Jewel if Gods Spirit had not opened thy eyes Thou wouldst fain believe and mournest that thou canst not believe are not these tears the Initials of Faith Thou desirest Christ and canst not be satisfied without him this beating of the pulse evidenceth life The iron could not move upward if the Loadstone did not draw it the heart could not ascend in holy breathings after God if some heavenly Loadstone had not been drawing it Christian canst thou say sin is thy burden Christ is thy delight and as Peter once said Lord thou knowest I love thee This is smoaking flax and the Lord will not quench it thy grace shall flourish into glory God will sooner extinguish the light of the Sun than extinguish the dawning light of his spirit in thy heart 2. Let a Christian pursue his duty There are two duties required of believers 1. Love 2. Labour 1. Love Will not the Lord quench the smoaking flax but make it at last victorious over all opposition how should the smoaking flax flame in love to God Psal. 31. 23. love the Lord all ye his Saints The Saints owe much to God and when they have nothing to pay it is hard if they cannot love him O ye Saints it is God who carries on grace progressively in your souls He is like a Father who gives his son a small stock of money to begin with and when he hath traded a little he adds more to the stock So God adds continually to your stock he is every day dropping oyl into the lamp of your grace and so keeps the lamp burning This may inflame your love to God who will not let the work of grace miscarry but will bring it to perfection The smoaking flax he will not quench How should Gods people long for heaven when it will be their constant work to breathe forth love and found forth praise 2. The second duty required of Christians is labour Some may think if Christ will not quench the smoaking flax but make it burn brighter to the Meridian of glory then we need take no pains but leave God to bring his own work about Take heed of drawing so bad a Conclusion from such good premises What I have spoken is to encourage Faith not to indulge sloath Do not think God will do our work for us and we sit still As God will blow up the spark of grace by his spirit so we must be blowing it up by holy endeavours God will not bring us to heaven sleeping but praying The Lord told Paul all in the Ship should come safe to shore but it must be in the use of means Act. 27. 21. Except ye abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved So the Saints shall certainly arrive at Salvation they shall come to shore at last but they must abide in the Ship in the use of Ordinances else they cannot be saved Christ assures his Disciples None shall pluck them out of his hand Ioh. 10. 28. But yet he gives that counsel Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Mat 26. 41. The seed of God shall not die but we must water it with our tears the smoaking flax shall not be quenched but we must blow it up with the breath of our endeavour The second comfort to the godly is that godliness advanceth them into a near and glorious union with Jesus Christ But of this in the next CHAP. XII Shewing the Mystical union between Christ and the Saints CANT 2. 16. My beloved is mine and I am his IN this Book of the Canticles we see the love of Christ and his Church running toward each other in a full torrent The Text contains three general Parts 1 A Symbol of affection my beloved 2 A term of appropriation is mine 3 An holy resignation I am his Doct. That there is a conjugal union between Christ and beleevers The Apostle having treated at large of marriage he windes up the whole chapter thus Eph. 5. 32. This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church what nearer than union what sweeter there is a twofold union with Christ 1 A natural union this all men have Christ having taken their nature upon him and not the Angels Heb. 2. 16. but if there be no more than this natural union it will give little comfort thousands are damned though Christ be united to their nature 2 There is a sacred union whereby we are mystically united to Christ the union with Christ is not personal if Christs essence were transfused into the person of a beleever then it would follow that all which a beleever doth should merit But the union between Christ and a Saint is 1 Faederal my beloved is mine God the Father gives the bride God the Son receives the bride God the Holy ghost tyes the knot in marriage he knits our wills to Christ and Christs love to us 2 This union is vertual Christ unites himself to his spouse by his graces and influences Iohn 1. 16. Of his fulness have we all received and grace for grace Christ makes himself one with the spouse by conveying his Image and stamping the impress of his own holiness upon her This union with Christ may well be called mystical it is hard to describe the manner of it as it is hard to shew the manner how the soul is united to the body so how Christ is united to the soul but though this union be spiritual it is real Things in nature work often insensibly yet really Eccles. 11. 5. we do not see the hand move on the Dial yet it moves the Sun exhales and draws up the vapours of the earth insensibly yet really so the union between Christ and the soul though it be imperceptible to the eye of reason yet is real 1 Cor. 6. 17. Before this union with Christ there must be a separation the heart must be separated from all other lovers as in marriage there is a leaving of