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
away her whoredomes out of her sight and her adulteries from betweene her brests Hos. 2. 2. In the substance of worship it is false and corrupt by mingling mens traditions and inventions with Christs commands and institutions which is a vaine worship In vaine do they worship me teaching for doctrine the commandements of men Matth. 15. 9. To frustrate Gods law and put it by by this meanes For laying aside the commandement of God ye hold the tradition of men as the washing of pots and cups and many other such like things ye do Mat. 7. 8. Full well ye reject the commandement of God that yee may keepe your owne tradition Verse 9. It is thus when men by constitutions make their inventions as thresholds without which you cannot enter into a house into the Church to any office or ordinance or as posts which uphold a house without which the Church will fall and go down They have defiled my holy name saith the Lord in their setting of their thresholds by my thresholds and their posts by my posts Ezek. 43. 8. In the externall forme and circumstance many superstitions be to be cast out injunctions not of God not good after the doctrines and commandements of men Col. 2. 22. to which a Christian redeemed by Christ hath no reason to be subject if ye bee 〈◊〉 with Christ from the rudiments of the world Why as though living in the world are yee subject to ordinances Coloss. 2. vers. 20. Many additions gestures now standing now kneeling are not necessary but cumbersome not to be tolerated any more than diminutions or mutations and alterations in Gods worship Whatsoever I command you observe to do it thou shalt not adde thereto nor diminish from it deuteronom. Chap. 12. Vers. 32. Gods Word is perfect to teach us what to know and what to doe and lackes not a jot nor a tittle Matth. Chap. 5. Vers. 18. The least commands to an iota or a tittle are to be religiously observed and the least additions by the same reason are to be rejected Mat. Chap. 5. Vers. 19. Away with all imagery which provokes God to be gone from his Sanctuary Let every image of jealousie be scene as an abomination and cast out as a provocation Ezek. Chap. 8. Vers. 5 6. That as wee justly abhorre the Romish harlet let us not weare her favour but deface and detest all her trumpery as the Lords Prophet told the people of the Lord Ye shall defile the covering of thy graven images of silver and the ornaments of thy molten images of gold thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth thou shalt say unto it Get thee hence Isa. Chap. 30. Vers. 22. Thus the thorowly religious is to be truly zealous in Gods Church to remove purge out and oppose vicious persons erroneous doctrines superstitious worship 2 Zealous in promoting Gods glory with intension of affection and fervency in all good services for the house of the Lord to establish all in it aright This was in an eminent manner and measure in Nehemiah whom the zeale of Gods house did eat upon Remember me O my God concerning this and wipe not out my good deeds or kindnesses that I have done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof Nehem. 13. 14. In persons who are to be in the house of God Ministers to be countenanced and continued to labour in word and doctrine to stand and minister before the Lord When good Hezekiah beheld how the fathers before him had shut up the doores of the porch he opened the doores of the house of the Lord they had put out the lamps he brought in the Priests that religion might be restored heare him telling his purpose of heart Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel that his fierce wrath may turne away from us 2 Chron. 29. 10. He animateth the Priests my sonnes be not now negligent for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him to serve him and that you should minister unto him and burne incense Verse 10. These must be sent have a good call How shall they preach except they be sent Rom. 10. 15. Well qualified persons apt to teach the Word of God with prudence and utterance 1 Tim. 3. 2. Able well furnished with necessary abilities to instruct others 2 Tim. 2. 2. Vertuous in conversation shewing themselves patternes of good workes Titus 2. 7. Lovers of good men sober just holy temperate 1. 8. Members to be men sanctisied to performe duties and to partake of what is holy Men should be sanctified and that sufficiently for they could not keep the Passeover because they had not sanctified themselves sufficiently 2 Chron. 30. 3. Men upon whom is writ Holinesse to the Lord Zechar. 14. 20. But the Ganaanite is to be no more in the house of the Lord Verse 21. Without shall bee the uncircumcised and the uncleane God is in the assembly of his Saints Psal. 89. 7. God promiseth to dwell in Zion his holy mountaine then shall Ierusalem be holy and there shall no stranger passe through her any more Ioel 3. 17. It is sure men that are to be members are to professe holinesse and it is as true they should be as they professe Saints be calling 1 Cor. 1. 2. Gods way is called a way of holinesse the uncleane shall not passe over it Isay 35. 8. In doctrines zeale contends for truth and strives for the faith of the Gospell Iude v. 3. It was needfull to exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints Pauls care was that the truth of the Gospell might abide with the Church Gal. 2. 5. and would not give place to them the false brethron Verse 4. no not for an houre It is truth is the ornament of mans speech and profession Truth beautifieth mens dealings and is not truth the glory of religion It is a girdle Ephes. 6. 14. In worship The zeale of Elias is as needfull as not able who was jealous for the Lord of hosts to behold what was done in Israel 1 King 19. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was in the worship nor peace to the worshippers of God I. In the substance and inward forme that all Gods worship be in spirituall meanes and true manner with all purity They that worship God must worship him in spirit and truth Iohn 4. 24. 1 Preaching the Word of life and salvation It is the way of Gods good pleasure to save men albeit wittals call it foolishnesse 1 Corinth 1. 21. It is Christs institution established by his commission Goe ye into all the world and preach the Gospell to every creature Marke Chap. 16. Verse 15. 2 Reading the Scriptures not omitting them for Apocryphals Is not that order with some disgrace to Gods Spirit which excepts certaine Bookes and Chapters which bee least edifying and might best be spared
mean ones have Christs Word dwell richly in them as many worthies of the Lord wandred in sheep skins and goat skins men here afflicted and destitute 6 Conspiring to hinder reformation of the house of the Lord If any good be undertaken for religion for holinesse pure worship or Christs government in his house with what opposition is it contraried Men are as of old full of wrath indignation and mockery as Sanballat and others conspired against Ierusalem to hinder the building of the wall and the stopping of the breaches Nehem. 4. v. 1 2 3 7 8. These men are zealously affected but not well as Gal. 4. 17. And shall be ashamed for their envy at the people Isay 26.11 Who are not ashamed of zeale for traditions ceremonies superstitions unnecessary burdensome which have proved of no use to edifie the Church but as nets snares and bands to intangle and cumber the children of God in their fathers house and service Paul was once zealous exceedingly for the traditions of his fathers Gal. 1. 14. How many have placed the beauty of holinesse and the glory of religion in things devised by men which can be no meane to sanctifie the worshippers How forward have many beene to contribute their best assistance unto forbidden vanity as they to idolatry The children gather wood the fathers kindle the fire and the women knead their dough to make cakes to the Queene of heaven and to powre out drink-offerings unto other gods Ier. 7. 18. Encouraging their fellowes in and to idolatry as those of old animated one another They helped every one his neighbour and every one said to his brother Be of good courage so the Carpenter encouraged the Gold-smith and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote with the anvill Thus superstitions have beene set up Isay 41. 67. Some with their tongues loud in Pulpits some with their pens allowed in Presses others with their commands forcible in their Courts and not a few forward and obsequious have set to their hand and all for superstitious vanities Few places be so happy as to be without some zealots in these things under well-liked names of decency and order to win credit to vile inventions Whereas in religion we must inquire who how good and great he is that requireth it and appoints it not as the divell turnes it into what and of what quality and how great and decent the thing injoyned is that we may know what to say when God examines our service Who required this at your hand Isa. 1. 12. Receive the words of exhortation all that be thorowly religious to be truly zealous Rest not in knowledge and good principles but be heated with good affection as well as taught With good light have good fire have grace with your knowledge and zeale with religion witty heads and zealous hearts as we are commanded Be zealous Revel. 3. 19. 1 The persons to be zealous 2 The properties of this zeale 3 The meanes for this zeale 4 The motives to this zeale 1 The persons to be zealous the word is spoken to a mixt assembly and is fit for all I would have none here sent away without fire 1 People must be zealous 2 Preachers 3 Magistrates 1 The people are to feed zeale Zeale is good among them It is good to be zealously affected Gal. 4. 18. 1 In taking the kingdome of heaven by violence as Israel tooke Canaan by a holy violence offered to the dulnesse of heart and by withstanding spirituall sloth removing all impediments in the way crowding in as in a great concourse pressing in and unto meanes of grace in their day as a matter of life The kingdome of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Duty requires it necessity urgeth it it is for a kingdome neglect it not Matth. 11. 12. 2 In serving the Lord doing his work with fervency that the hearts of men should burne within them not be cold or luke-warme but fervent in spirit in spirit serving the Lord having a holy fire kindled on the hearth in the heart Rom. 12. 11. 3 In loving the house of God minding meanes of grace and performing holy duties with spirituall affection delighted in God and united to God in whose house we finde such satisfaction and contentment as Davids zeale was Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth his longings were after it to dwell in it Psal. 26. 8. 4 In exciting others with all earnestnesse and importunity to seek the Lord Call on your friends kinsmen neighbours call thy husband thy child thy servant be enlarged in desire after men to seeke and serve the Lord be not unnaturall uncivill to minde goodnesse alone but be spirituall have bowels of compassion to thy brother to thy friend that thou lovest as thy owne soule that they may have communion with God and comfort in the Lord and accesse to the Lord as well as thy selfe as it is in the Prophet The inhabitants of one city shall go to another saying Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts I will go also Zechar. 8. 21. 5 In grieving for mens neglect of Gods Law and the dishonour that is done to God by disobedience I beheld the transgressors and was grieved because they keep not thy word Psal. 119. 158. Rivers of waters run downe mine eyes because they keep not thy lawes My zeale hath even consumed me because mine enemies have forgotten thy words saith the Psalmist Psal. 119. ver. 139. Thus Lot a just and an honest man was vexed passively by sinners and actively voluntarily for sinners Just Let was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked for that righteous man dwelling among them of Sodome and Gomorrha in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their unlawfull deeds 2 Pet. 2. 7 8. 6 In distributing cheerfully to it for the maintenance of the service of God that God may be honoured with mens substance as they for the tabernacle they came every one whose heart stirred him up and every one whom his spirit made willing and they brought the Lords offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation and for all his service Exod. 35. 21. they were so forward in erecting it till an order was made for their restraint so the people by Moses command were restrained for the stuffe they had was sufficient and too much for it Exod. 36. 6 7. Ministring too to the necessities of the Saints as Christs members in which the Corinthians were forward and of exemplary zeale 2 Corinth 9. 1 2. the Apostle commended their zeale which provoked very many Preachers be to be zealous not luke-warme not cold but as men touched with a live coale from the altar that the word of life die not in their mouthes albeit Zeale and the power of the Ministery is not in words nor a loud voice Thus
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