was Isaiah touched by the Seraphim Isay 6. 6 7. Thus Ieremy found the Word of the Lord as a fire not to be kept in Ier. 20. 9. 1 In preaching the word of God constantly without looking backe and diligently without wearinesse and sloth out of love to the Church to be as bellowes to stirre up the fire in others to promote grace in them to warme a cold and thaw a frozen people This is Apollos his praise who being fervent in the spirit he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord Act. 18. 25. 2 In praying for the Church for Gods blessing on their people that they may be setled in the truth and confirmed in the will of God Preachers are to lift up a prayer for the Church by the helpe of Gods spirit King Hezekiah sent to the Prophet Isaiah Not to read out a prayer but to lift up a prayer for the remnant that is left 2 King 19. 4. This zeale in praying is not in being as a boy bound up in a booke nor as a child tied to a forme Paul gives record to the Minister of Colosse that he had a great zeale labouring or striving fervently for the Colossians in prayer this zeale in prayer is Epaphras his praise Col. 4. 12 13. 3 In hating evill with indignation a blessed passion against corruption 1 In doctrine to abhorre lies falsities vanities this was in the Ephesian Angel who could not beare with them which are evill which upon triall were found not Apostles but Apostates deceivers liers Rev. 2. 2. 2 In Worship our spirit should rise against all idolatries superstitions vaine inventions that no man may defile the temple of God Thus Paul his spirit was stirred within him when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry Acts 17. 16. 3 In practice draw out the sword of Gods spirit against all iniquity discover how God doth dislike all lewdnesse in any of their hearers Albeit men be great and bold sinners tell them what is not lawfull for them by a divine law Learne of the Baptist who would venture the liberty of his person rather than neglect the freedome of his Ministery and the delivering of the law of liberty freely and indifferently removing sin in all estates He would rather lose his head than hold his tongue before hypocriticall Herod Mat. 14. 4. 4 In suffering for the Church to confirme it in the truth Herein was Pauls zeale who saith If I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith I joy and rejoyce with you all Phil. 2. 17. Preachers are to let liberties and lives goe for the good of the Church I am ready saith the Apostle not to be bound onely but also to die for the name of the Lord Jesus Acts 21. 13. Yea wee should not onely undergoe the crosse abide the prison but sometimes desire the deferring of our glory for the furtherance of the Church in grace as it is evident in that great strait Paul was in to depart and be with Christ was better for him to live and abide in the flesh was better for them Phil. 1. 23 24. Magistrates Gods Ministers the Ministers of State be ye zealous Feed you this holy fire as Davids zeal eat him up so let zeal of Gods house begin to eat upon you The helpfull friends of afflicted Zion 1 In casting out the filth in Gods house take away the wicked that it may not be a den of theeves stir up your spirits against them that are as the Cretians were alway liers evil beasts slow bellies Let Priests be held as pestilent let Iesuites be as Iebusites reckon false Apostles as withered Apostates Mind ye with all heedfulnesse that of our Saviour Every plant which my heavenly father hath not planted shall be rooted up Mat. 15. 13. Christ intends not topping or lopping of such trees he dislikes the root It is not any cutting or cropping wil be the cure it is the plucking up he intends when your wisdome discovers to you out of Gods Word by divine light What God your father and the father of our Lord Jesus Christ planted not up with that as ill weeds by the root should you shave them with a razor they would grow againe O think it not enough to clip their wings when Christ is against the being of such a body Let your zeale be kindled in your brests against them who have lift up their face against Gods law and by this made themselves contemptible and base before all the people against idolaters that by their fals have caused many to stumble Gird on your sword against cursed swearers prophane Sabbath-breakers the impure persons and those belly-gods drunkards and other of that infamous nature that are a sin and a shame among us Let David be your patterne in your work for the Church I will early destroy all the wicked of the land that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord Psal. 101. 8. where he intended diligence constancy and impartiality Let your hearts be incouraged as that princely spirit of Iehoshaphat His heart was lift up in the ways of the Lord and he took away the high places and groves out of Iudah 2 Chro. 17. 6. Be ye baptized with our Saviours spirit when you meet with doctrines not after godlinesse and worship not after God Say by authority take these things hence 10. 2. 16. 2 In building God a house that the Lord God may dwell among us in zeal prepare him an habitation Exo. 15. 2. Baruch the sonne of Zabbai is renowned who repaired the wall of Ierusalem earnestly he was set on fire yea he fired himselfe burst out into heat as angry with himselfe and others so slothfull in the Lords work Nehem. 3. 20. Be ye of an high spirit bold in promoting the things of Gods house that all your best abilities and deepest projects may be with all stirring of heart subservient to Gods Church and subordinate to his glory Let the love of Christ be so warme in your hearts that whatsoever you perceive is wanting in the ministery in our assemblies in doctrine in discipline or any part of the worship of your God it may be repaired according to the law of the Lord and the counsell of the most High who will save Zion and hath his instruments his sanctified ones that ye may be called the repairers of the breach the restorers of the paths to dwell in Isa. 58. 12. 3 In defending the innocent countenancing well-doers you are for the praise of them that do well disgrace your flatterers and their slanderers plead ye the cause of Ieremy charged with revolt the cause of Paul accused of great and grievous things which cannot bee proved remember ye Christs case when he in his is called seditious Men run under your protection who had no comforter You are the shields of the earth let the cause of the poore come before you and let the needy that hath no
in good and for good as a thing disgracefull and sinfull The divell and his imps never wanted names to discover and deliver their spite and spirit against zeale alas what hath zeale done 1 It is sedition an enemy to government as inconsistent with royall lawes cries Haman a fit accuser whose word is no slander but an unjust judge in this point Haman said unto King Ahashuerus There is a certaine people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdome and their lawes are diverse from all people neither keepe they the Kings lawes Therefore it is not for the Kings profit to suffer them Esther Chap. 3. Verse 8. Zeale in piety is said to trouble the countrey whereas iniquity and luke-warmnesse ruines all as Ahab sinned and Elias is blamed Well did Elias retort it to him Not I but thou hast troubled Israel 1 King Chap. 18. Vers. 17 18. 2 It is singularity and odnesse but till a man seeme odde to the world he is never right in religion and righteousnesse in piety and sincerity A man must doe more than others {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Mat. 5. 47. It was well for Noah that he was a singular man in a sober and sincere singularity when the flood swept away the world of the ungodly and is it now proved bad to excell in following holinesse and approving things that are excellent Or is it onely the safe way to doe as most do and perish in the broad way and not rather to goe in the narrow way to life which few finde Matth. 7. 13 14. 3 It is heresie to receive and follow the truth of Gods fiery Law and everlasting Gospell in the dayes of Paul they called it heresie to preach the faith to defend the faith to keep the truth is by men of an antichristian spirit called heresie and men that keepe the commands of God and the faith of Jesus condemned as hereticall Acts 24. 14. 4 It is schisme to depart from the unhallowed crooked cursed wayes of unblest men If men for peace of conscience and desire to please and not offend God would make Gods law and not mens lusts their rule and so to walke humbly with God walke not in the wayes of men and save themselves from the untoward generation they are presently accused of pestilent schisme the devils scar-crow to keep men from zeale in religion and forwardnesse in godlinesse Acts 28. 22. Who are zealous against the zealous and the house of God as men set on fire of hell It was once Pauls sinne and misery concerning zeal persecuting the Church Phil. 3. 6. As the serpents mouth hath a flood aspersions reproaches accusations edicts and orders to cast after the woman the Church of Christ Rev. 12. 15. Satan hath still instruments full of fire and fury against the house of the Lord 1 Quenching all Zeale in preaching Christ as the High-priest and his complices filled with zeale and indignation put the blessed Apostles in the common goale for preaching Acts 5. 17 18. being as fraid of it as they are of fire one sparke they thinke would set all in a flame Vers. 24. There be men who put preaching of Christ and teaching of the people among their grievances They were grieved that they taught the people Acts 4. 2. crying out of such as unsufferable as they to Paul Away with such a fellow from the earth it is not fit most able judges that he should live Acts 22. 22. Forbidding men to preach in Christs name and Christs words as the very enemies of mens salvation 1 Thes. 2. 16. they would have us blinde and muzzle our mouthes except they may be soothed and smoothed men must be turned out of their places as hindrances in their way Ministers must turne out of the path Gods way cast up and our way to walke in and may not preach sincere sanctification and mortification but Constitutions and Canons Thus they did to the Prophets before us They say to the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not unto us right things speake unto us smooth things prophesie deceits get you out of the way turne aside out of the path Cause the holy one of Israel to cease from before us Isa. 30. 10 11. How many have been made to forsake their allegeance and fealty to Christ our King and break their vowes of obedience to him they gave the Nazarites wine to drinke and commanded the Prophets saying Prophesie not Amos 2. 12. 2 Censuring hearing of Gods Word as the great transgression in people who are to heare it as they would be saved as it is read The next Sabbath day came almost all the city together to heare the Word of God but when the Iewes saw the multitude they were filled with envy Acts 13. 44 45. Men are eaten up with envy at hearers of Sermons who wait on the Word of the Lord albeit men that reject his commands be vexed by God yet they who heare his commands be vexed by men as if they were no ordinary malefactors 3 Crying downe all prayer unlesse given to men and prescribed by a powerlesse prayerlesse Canon and Order which a gracious heart finds empty and heartlesse as once that decree Whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty dayes save of thee O King he shall be cast into the den of Lions Dan. 6. 7. O men greatly in love with prayer An order a godly man had rather lose his life as well as liberty than follow Daniel he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did afore time Dan. 6. 10. Men of Atheisticall spirits have twitted conceived prayer as extemporary and scornfully called it prayer by the spirit 4 Throwing downe the things of God as in elder time was complained of by Elias They have throwne downe thine altars 1 King 19. 10. 1 Rejecting Christs doctrine men cannot away with it the second commandement is cast out by vaine superstitions and the fourth commandement is violated by profane sports of whom it is true the Prophet speaks They have rejected the Word of the Lord Ier. 8. 9. 2 Despising Christs discipline whereby scandals might be prevented or removed that men might set up their own dominion that they may be Lords in the Church over Gods heritage whereas his government is not by any man or men at their pleasure to be taken away diminished or changed they refuse his government saying We will not have this man to raigne over us Luke 19. 14. 5 Disdaining Gods glory by small ones judged silly ones they the chief Priests saw the children crying Hosanna to the sonne of David they were sore displeased though it was according to Scripture and for Gods praise by babes Mat. 21. 15 16. The multitude which then was no multitude acknowledged Christ whom they dishonoured Mat. 21. 9. How many have a flouting spirit when young ones or
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