and therefore be left unread It was not so of old when Moses had in every city them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Acts 15. Vers. 21. 3 Prayer in the Holy Ghost as the Church is charged to pray Iude Vers. 20. customary formes of prayer removed would cause an unworthy unable and dumbe Ministerie to fall to the earth and continued bring most of men to rest in the iniquity of the last and perillous times a powerlesse forme of godlinesse to be shunned 2 Tim. 3.1 5. Christ who commends prayer according to the will of God condemneth vaine repetition in prayer Matth. 6. 7. Gods house is a house of prayer but not for chopping and changing Mat. 21. 12 13. Men for the Ministerie should be as studious in praying as preaching and give themselves to prayer and to the Ministery of the Word they had not the heart of them who rest in a prayer given to them Acts Chap. 6. Vers. 4. II. In the circumstance and externall form Let all things be done decently and in order not intending the inventing of any new thing but the performing of what Christ instituted in a manner come by and consentaneous to the dignity of holy ordinances of the Lord 1 Corinth 14. 40. And that is in that generall rule that all be done for time place and persons as is most to edification Verse 26. Thus the man thorowly religious will bee truly zealous for the Church of God in promoting in it persons materials for it Ministers qualified members sanctified doctrines true and wholesome worshippe pure and spirituall which beleeved as truth will helpe us both by Information and Exhortation I Zeale in and for true religion is a praise-worthy thing Was David zealous it may then become a royall spirit Was Christ our Saviour zealous it may become an heroicall spirit Albeit zeale is out of grace with most men who sit still and love to be at quiet rest yet it is no disgrace to any generous spirit that is regenerate to have the zeale of Gods house to eat him up It is a slander to call it folly Was not zealous David wiser than his teachers than his enemies than the aged Luke-warme men call it fury Gods Spirit names it a live-coale that hath a most vehement flame Why beares zeale the imputation of indiscretion rashnesse puritanisme or headinesse Was it Davids rashnesse It was fervency in religion Was Christ indiscreet The wisedome of his Father Festus called Paul mad with a lowd voice Acts 26. 24. when he spake but words of truth and sobernesse verse 25. Christs kinsmen thought he was beside himselfe Mar. 3. 21. Was the judgement of such solid men any disparagement to our Saviours zeal Nay it is a commendation to root out evill from and to establish good in the house of God is a good thing Gal. 4. 18. All a mans care who is religious indeed is not to be for civill affaires immunities and societies things in their order and measure to be minded David was zealous for Gods house for Zion as well as Ierusalem for religion as well as righteousnesse Mens spirits must be more stirred in them for the Church of Christ his house than their owne houses As many mens industry and activenesse is for great buildings great matches great house-keeping and their owne famous names their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever and their dwelling places to all generations Psal. 49. 11. but while they run every man to his owne house the house of God lieth wast Hag. 1. 9. A pious mans greatest care is that whatever become of him and his liberty credit or creature-comforts vile persons that speake villany may have their mouthes stopped the vaine and prophane persons that pollute the ordinances may be censured the doctrines of divels may be condemned the worship idolatrous and corrupt may be no more in the house of the Lord but be removed and cast out that Pastors after Gods owne heart may be established to feed the Lords flock that they that feare the Lord may dwell in his house that the truth of doctrine may be continued and confirmed among us that the purity of discipline a sacred way of promoting the Gospell without which all Christs Kingdome and Gospell is not received very necessary to the condition of the Church may be introduced that the instituted worship of God may be continued in his Church in a holy and spirituall manner without worthlesse and witlesse innovations and wicked inventions of men of corrupt mindes destitute of the truth that a man may say as David The zeale of thy house hath eaten me up thus those victorious martyrs were willing to lay down as not loving their lives for the word the truth which they held and beleeved Rev. 12. 11. 3 Men thorowly religious being truly zealous we learne It is irreligious to be luke-warme neuters time-servers indifferent men for all companies and religions middle-men betweene truth and errour betweene Christ and Antichrist between holinesse and profanenesse untrue in religion without love or zeale to God as was the luke-warme Angell of Laodicea Mixt worship is under a commination God will stretch out his hand upon them that sweare by the Lord and that sweare by Malcham Zeph. 1. 5. God abhorres mixtures now as much as then It is a defilement to sow a vineyard with divers seeds doctrines of Christ and traditions of men Saints and beleevers not mixt with scandalous infidels and idolaters Deut. 22. 9. But the pure worship kept from superstitions Men may not be linsey-woolsey professors not plow with an Oxe and an Asse those in the Lords plow must not be mixed of the clean and unclean labourers and loyterers of the servants of Christ and Antichrist Verse 10 11. Men may not be key-cold Gallioes in religion a deputy that would not meddle in such matters and cared for none of those things Acts 18. 12 17. This indifferency brings great judgements if men repent not it unchurches a people a Church by it may prove no Church it removes the candlestick and sets Mahomet where the candlestick stood Rev. 2. 5. Yea God abhorres lukewarmenesse as most loathsome he will spue them out of his mouth as Laodicea as the Historians testifie was swallowed up in an earth-quake we were near going in 88. neare a blow by the Powder-treason and how nigh was our trouble these two last yeares and Gods hand lift up as if there were with us but a sport as once Abners men and Ioabs to play Scots and English Ely his remisnesse in dealing with his sonnes an impure paire of Priests ruined his house 1 Sam. 2. Vers. 23 29 31. God is not pleased with neuters neither shall the luke-warme dwell in his presence In that a man thorowly religious is truly zealous for Gods Church Learne the viciousnesse of mens spirits and the naughtinesse of diverse sorts 1 Who blame zeale
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
deepest thoughts how poore people who for their outward being live under a gracious Prince are for their soules in spirituall vassalage under the Prince of darknesse Ephes. 6. 12. the ruler of the darknesse of this world how many perish in darknesse as a blinde people served by a blinking guide where the people perish for lack of knowledge Hosea 4. 6. O how many places and people in this famous Island are yet in the shadow of death who are not under the joyfull sound of Gods word who yet feele no want of the Word of life feare no misery ô their security unlesse God by his providence send it to them they complaine not to you ô doe not I beseech you exspect that of them it is out of their blindnesse deadnesse and as it is in all such men a naturall carelesnesse in them ô that I might in all humility commend their Petition to you this day ô let this come into your minde put on zeale and they shall be relieved It is a death to have the glory depart where it hath beene 1 Sam. 4. 22. With what thoughts can ye take up their case where the glory never was The future condition of our posterity should at this kindle zeale in men ô let us not leave children after us to inherit our follies lies and vanities let your zeale in reforming the house of God according to the word of God prevent their repenting of our corruptioÌ„s wil it be a credit to this present age to have the next generation come to God with grieved hearts and to cleare themselves of our abominations say surely Our Fathers inherited lies vanities and things wherein there is no profit Jer. 16. 19. Surely Reformation will be for the present should be put it not off for after times to doe it doe your utmost that no Canaanite may be left no leaven uncast out or cursed no superstitions be left to posterity but the word of God as an heritage for ever In regard of particular choice men who feare the Lord and heare his word this day to inflame your zeale minde Your place and calling speakes to you Is it not of God that you are sent hither Is it not for Zion that you are imployed here Had you not your Countries Counties hearts voices hands to doe worthily in Zion minde what Mordecai said to Queene Esther 4. 14. Who knows whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time as this May not I with little change say Who knows whether ye be come to the Parliament for such a time as this We hope for such a time as this when was there such a time for such a thing as this when was there such a cause such a call calleth for zeale Your peace and prosperity is in the welfare of Gods house you have a share in that ship in the peace thereof shall you have peace it is said of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love it Psal. 122. 6. will not the beauty of the assemblies a godly Ministery a pure Discipline a spirituall worship bring in unto you much peace and comfort but if truth be suppressed godlinesse oppressed the Ministery corrupt the worship of God polluted what will become of yourselves your soules your families No peace if you stir not this day you and yours may perish for it Esther 4. 14. Your honour is in marching valiantly on for Gods house Barucks slownesse made the journey that he tooke not to be for his honour Iudg. 4. 8 9. what honour will this comming to Parliament be to a man that spake nothing or did nothing for those poore people the children of God who gave their voices in hope of help in the Church in Religion how can yee looke upon them in your returne into your Countries when you have made their eyes to faile their hearts to bleed their condition in spirituall things as heavy helpless but what love wil be to you honor put upon you when you behave your selves worthily as saviours come up on Mount Zion Your happinesse shall bee great in pleading thoroughly for Zion and against Babylon as it is prophesied O daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us Psal. 137. 8. happy in your selves happy in your families happy in your credit happy in your Country happy in your soules happy in your bodies Wherefore that I may not be farther tedious to anies patience let Zion come into our minds and as Ioab animated Abishai 2 Sam. 10. 12. be of good courage and let us play the men for our people and for the City of our God and the Lord doe that which seemeth him good so strengthen your hands for this good work Nehem. 2. 18. take heed what ye doe for it is for the house of the Lord 2 Chron. 19. 6. Let the feare of the Lord be upon you v. 7. Deale couragiously and the Lord shall be with the good v. 11. FINIS Die Iovis 20. Maii 1641. At a Committee of the Commons House of Parliament for licencing of Books It is ordered that this Sermon of M. WILSONS be published in Print Sir Edward Dering Knight and Baronet Bern. Ep. 91. Salvian praef. in lib. de Gubern * in your first speech in Parliament when I was pursued by a Puâ—sevant from the Archbishop of Cant. for not reading the prayer against Scots c. z Ps. 119. 139. 1. Thess. 3. 13. Communis est Psalmus {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Davidis {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Christi {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Ecclesiae Iun. Paral. in loc. Zelus est affectus mixtus ex amore dolore Zelus est impetus mentis erga gloriam Dei cultum divinum {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ab {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} comedit consumpsit Doctrine Zeale consists 1 In removing vvhat is prejudiciall to Gods glory 1 Persons vicious ministers or members 2 Doctrines erroneous and unsound {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} praete doctrinam Trem interpr 3 Worship corrupt and idolatrous An Idolater 1 Materiall is the artificer 2 Formall he that worships the idoll {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 1 In the substance of worship 2 In the circumstance of worship 2 In promoting Gods glory 1 In persons 1 Ministers qualified 2 Members sanctified 2 In doctrines Constantia in doctrina seu in veritate hic est balthcus ille Zanch. in loc. 3 In worship 1 In the substance three things instanced in 2 In the circumstance Inform 1 Zeale is commendable 2 Zeale is not onely in and for things civill Christs care was not to be great in this vvorld but for the truth his fathers house will and glory Lukewarmnesse is irreligious 1639 1640. 4 Viciousnesse of mens spirits 1 Who blame zeale miscalling it 2 Who are zealous against Gods house six ways {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 3 Who are zealous for traditions 2 Exhort 1 People to be zealous in six things 2 Preachers to be zealous in fourâ— things {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 3 Magistrates to be zealous in three things {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Accendit se Trem. 2 The properties of zeale 6. 3 Meanes to be zealous 1 Avoid foure things {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 4 Motives to zeale 1 In regard of God foure motives 2 In regard of the Church three motives 1 Minde foure things 3 In regard of men three motives 1 Good men zealous 2 Bad men Zelots in two things 3 Mens conditions 1 Vnder burdens 2 Vnder Satan 2 The future condition of men 4 In regard of speciall men 4. Motives 1 Their place 2 Their peace 3 Their honour 4 Their happinesse
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