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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/16423-8.txt b/16423-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7a40a48 --- /dev/null +++ b/16423-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1929 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Coal From The Altar, To Kindle The Holy +Fire of Zeale, by Samuel Ward + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Coal From The Altar, To Kindle The Holy Fire of Zeale + In a Sermon Preached at a Generall Visitation at Ipswich + +Author: Samuel Ward + +Release Date: August 3, 2005 [EBook #16423] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A COAL FROM THE ALTAR, TO *** + + + + +Produced by Jordan Dohms and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + + +A COAL FROM THE ALTAR, +TO KINDLE THE holy fire of _Zeale_. + +In a Sermon preached at a generall _Visitation at Ipswich._ + +By SAM WARD Bach. of Divinity. + +_The third Edition, corrected and much amended._ + +[Greek: Theô kai humin] + +_LONDON_, + +Printed by _E.G._ for _Joyce Macham_, widow; and are to bee sold in +Pauls Church yard, at the signe of _Time_, 1628 + + + + + +To my reverend Friend Mr. SAMUEL WARD. + +_Sir, your Sermon which I copied partly from your mouth, and partly from +your notes, I have adventured into the light; encouraged by the +approbation, and earnest entreaty of such, whose judgements you +reverence, and whose love you embrace: who also have made bolde heere +and there to varie some things, not of any great consequence, if I can +judge. I was loth to smoother such fire in my brest; but to vent it, to +enflame others. If you shall blame me, I know others will thanke mee. +What I have done, is out of Zeale to God and his Church._ + +Your affectionate friend, + +_Ambrose Wood._ + + + + + +Revel. 3. 19. _Be zealous._ + +[Sidenote: Mat. 24. 12.] + +[Sidenote: 1 Kin. 1. 1.] + +This watch-word of Christ, if it be not now a word in season, I know not +when ever it was, or will bee: Would he now vouchsafe to bestow a letter +upon his Church heere on earth; should hee need to alter the tenour of +this? which being the last, to the last of the seaven Churches, why may +it not (saith an Ancient, upon this text) typifie the estate of the last +Age of his Churches? the coldnesse whereof himselfe hath expressely +foretolde. And if God should now send through he earth such surveying +Angels as _Zacharie_ mentions, chapter 1. Could they returne any other +observation of their travailes then theirs; _The whole world lies in +lukewarmnesse?_ which makes mee often in my thoughts proportion these +ends of time, to the like period of _Davids_ age, when no cloathes were +enough to keepe heare in him. _Faith_ I grant is a more radicall, +vitall, and necessary grace; but yet not so wholly out of _grace_ with +the times, as poore _Zeale_; which yet if by any meanes it might once +againe be reduced into favour and practice, before Time sets, and bee no +more; I doubt not but Christ would also yet once againe in this evening +of the world, come and _Sup_ with us; A favour including all other in +it. + +[Sidenote: 2] + +My desire especially is, that this our Iland might take it to it selfe, +as well as if it had by name beene directed to it; what would it hurt us +to make an especiall benefit and use of it? Some of our owne, have so +applyed it; (whether out of their judgements, or affections, I say not.) +Learned _Fulk_ marvels if it were not by a Propheticall spirit penned +for us: others more resolutely have made it a singular type of purpose +for us. Their warrant I know not; especially if it bee true which all +travellers tell you, _That they finde more zeale at home then abroad._ +We are I grant in sundry respects equall to _Laodicea_: Even the very +names thereof, as well the first and oldest in regard of the blessings +of God, [Greek: Dios polis] Gods Darling, as the later in regard of good +Lawes and Civility, _Laodicea_, How well doe they become us? As rich as +they, and that in the very same commodity of woolls; _Abounding as they_ +with many learned _Zenoes_ & bountifull _Hieroes_; _Parallel_ in all +regards; I would I could say lukewarmnesse excepted. But I must bee a +faithfull and true witnesse, and yet this is all I have to say; It was, +as I conceive, _Laodicea's_ complexion and not her constitution, her +practice not her orders, personall lukewarmnesse not legall, which +Christ strikes at. That fault I finde in my text, the same I finde in +our common Christians, whose spirituall condition, and state is too +like the externall situation of our Country, between the Torrid, and the +Frigid Zones; neither hot nor colde: and so like _Laodicea_, that if wee +take not warning, or warming, we may, I feare, in time come to be spued +out of Gods mouth. + +[Sidenote: 3] + +For this present assembly of Ministers, could all the choice and time in +the world have better fitted mee then mine ordinarie Lot? If fire bee +set upon the Beacons, will not the whole Countrey soone be warned and +enlightned? + +[Sidenote: 4] + +For my selfe also, mee thinkes it will better beseeme my yeeres to heat, +then to teach my Ancients; to enkindle their affections, then to enforme +their judgements. And whereas _Paul_ bids _Titus_ preach zeale with all +authoritie; though in mine owne name I crave your patience, and +audience, yet in his name that is the first of the creatures, and +_Amen_, I counsell him that hath an eare, to heare what the Spirit saith +to the Churches; + +[Greek: Zêlôson], _Be Zealous._ + + + + + +_A Coale from the Altar._ + + +Revel. 3.19. [Greek: Zêlôson]: _Be Zealous._ + +Zeale hath been little practized, lesse studied: this heavenly fire hath +ever beene a stranger upon earth. Few in all ages that have felt the +heat of it, fewer that have knowne the nature of it. A description will +rake it out of the embers of obscurity: and it may be that many when +they shall know it better, will better affect it. + +2. Zeale hath many counterfets and allies. There are many strange fires +which having sought to carry away the credit of it, have brought in an +ill name upon it: from these it would bee distinguished. + +3. Zeale is every where spoken against it hath many enemies and few +friends: the world can no more abide it, then beasts can the elementary +fire, the rebukes of many have falne upon it, the Divell weaves cunning +lies to bring downe the honour of it. Oh that wee could raise and +maintaine it, by setting forth the deserved praise of it; and challenge +it from the false imputations of such as hate it without a cause. + +4. Zeale hath in this our earthly molde, little fuell, much quench-coale, +is hardly fired, soone cooled. A good Christian therefore would bee glad +to know the Incentives and preservatives of it, which might enkindle it, +enflame it, feed it, and revive it when it is going out. + +5. Zeale in the worlds opinion, is as common as fire on every mans +hearth, no mans heart without zeale, if every man might be his owne +judge; If most might be heard there is too much of it; but the contrary +will appear if the right markes bee taken, and the true rules of triall +and conviction bee observed, and the heart thereby examined. + +6. Zeale generally handled will break as lightning in the aire, and seize +upon no subject: Application must set it on mens harts, and exhortation +warme this old and colde age of the world, chiefly this temperate +climate of our nation. + + +_First Part_. + +It was sayd of olde, that zeale was an _Intension of love_: of late, +that it is a compound of _love and anger, or indignation_. + +The Ancients aimed right, and shot neere, if not somwhat with the +shortest. The moderne well discovered the use and exercise of more +affections, then love, within the fathome and compasse of zeale; but in +helping that default, went themselves somewhat wide, and came not close +to the marke: which I ascribe not to any defect of eye-sight in those +sharpe sighted Eagles; but onely to the want of fixed contemplation. And +to speake truth, I have oft wondered why poore _Zeale_, a vertue so high +in Gods books, could never be so much beholding to mens writings as to +obtain a just treatise, which hath beene the lot of many particular +vertues of inferiour worth; a plaine signe of too much under-value and +neglect. + +Hee that shall stedfastly view it, shall finde it not to bee a degree or +intension of love, or any single affection (as the _Schooles_ rather +confined then defined zeale) neither yet any mixt affection (as the +later, rather compounded then comprehended the nature of it) but an _hot +temper, higher degree or intension of them all_. As varnish is no one +color, but that which gives glosse & lustre to all; So the opposites of +zeale, key-coldnes and lukewarmnesse, which by the Law of contraries +must bee of the same nature, are no affections, but severall tempers of +them all. + +[Sidenote: Acts 26. 7.] + +_Paul_ warrants this description where hee speakes of the twelve Tribes. +_They served God with intension or vehemency_. + +The roote shewes the nature of the branch. Zeale comes of [Greek: zô], +a word framed of the very sound and hissing noise, which hot coales or +burning iron make when they meete with their contrary. In plaine +English, zeale is nothing but heate: from whence it is, that zealous men +are oft in Scripture sayd to burne in the spirit. [Greek: zeontes +pneumati]. + +Hee that doth moderately or remisly affect any thing, may be stiled +_Philemon_, a lover; he that earnestly or extreamely, _Zelotes_, a +zelot; who to all the objects of his affections, is excessively and +passionately disposed, his love is ever fervent, his desires eager, his +delights ravishing, his hopes longing, his hatred deadly, his anger +fierce, his greefe deep, his feare terrible. The Hebrewes expresse these +Intensions by doubling the word. This being the nature of zeale in +generall, Christian zeale of which wee desire onely to speake, differs +from carnall and worldly, chiefly in the causes and objects. + +It is a spirituall heate wrought in the heart of man by the holy Ghost, +improoving the good affections of love, joy, hope, &c. for the best +service and furtherance of Gods glory, with all the appurtenances +thereof, his word, his house, his Saints and salvation of soules: using +the contrarie of hatred, anger, greefe, &c as so many mastives to flie +upon the throat of Gods enemies, the Divell, his Angels, sinne, the +world with the lusts thereof. By the vertue wherof a _Zealot_ may runne +through all his affections, and with _David_, breath zeale out of every +pipe, after this manner for a taste; + +[Sidenote: Psalme Love.] + +_How doe I love thy Law (O Lord) more then the hony or the hony-combe, +more then thousands of silver and gold!_ + +[Sidenote: Hatred.] + +_Thine enemies I hate with a perfect hatred._ + +[Sidenote: Joy.] + +_Thy testimonies are my delight: I rejoyce more in them, then they that +finde great spoyles, more then in my appoynted food._ + +[Sidenote: Grief.] + +_Mine eyes gush out rivers of teares. Oh that my head were a fountain of +teares, because they destroy thy Law._ + +[Sidenote: Hope.] + +_Mine eyes are dimme with wayting: how doe I long for thy salvation?_ + +[Sidenote: Feare.] + +_Thy judgements are terrible, I tremble and quake, etc._ + +Look what pitch of affection the naturall man bestowes upon his dearest +darling, what unsatiable thirst the covetous worldling upon his Mammon, +the ambitious upon his honour, the voluptuous upon his pleasure; the +same the Christian striveth in equall, yea, (if possible) farre +exceeding tearmes to convert and conferre upon God and his worship. + +In briefe, to open a little crevise of further light, and to give a +little glimpse of heat: Zeale is to the soule, that which the spirits +are to the bodie; wine to the spirits, putting vigour and agility into +them. Whence comes that elegant Antithesis in the Scripture. _Bee not +drunke with wine wherein is excesse, but be filled with the Spirit._ + +[Sidenote: Ser. 41. in Can. 49.] + +[Sidenote: Acts 2.] + +Christ is sayd to lead his Spouse into the wine-cellar: which Simily +_Bernard_ delighting oft to repeat, in two or three Sermons interprets +of a speciall measure of zeale inspired into his Church. Thus (saith +hee) Christ led his Disciples into the wine cellar on the day of +Pentecost; and filled them, and the house with such zeale as they came +forth like Giants refreshed with wine, and seemed to the people as men +drunke with new wine. + +[Sidenote: Heb. 1. 7.] + +It is to the soule, as wings to the foule: this also is a Scripture +embleme to picture the Angels with wings, as in the hangings of the +Temple, and in the visions of the revelation, in token of their ardent +and zealous execution of Gods will: whence also they have their name +_Seraphim_; hee maketh his ministers a flame of fire. + +To this fire and these wings, which we in the Lords prayer desire to +imitate, there is nothing in us answerable but our zeale; as wheeles to +the charriot: which makes us not goe, but runne the wayes of Gods +Commandements, and so runne that we may obtaine. As sailes to the ship, +and winde to the sailes, to which alludes the phrase so frequent in +Scripture, _Plerophorie_. + +As courage to the souldier, mettle to the horse, dust to the ground, +which makes it bring forth much fruit, yea an hundredfold: vivacity to +all creatures. To conclude this, this is that celestiall fire which was +shadowed out unto us by that poore element in comparison, and beggarly +rudiment, the fire (I meane) of such necessary use in the law, which +rather then it should be wanting, the Lord caused it to descend from +heaven, that it might cause the Sacrifices to ascend thither againe, as +a sweet incense unto the Lord, without which no burnt offering was +acceptable. + + +_The Second Part._ + +But now, as then, there are certaine false fires, abhominable to God, +odious to men, dangerous to the _Nadabs_ and _Abihues_ that meddle with +them, bringing thereby coales upon their owne heads, & ill favor upon +all their services; & not onely so, but that which is worse, an ill +report and surmize even on those that offer the right fire, & serve the +Lord in spirit and truth: yet for their sakes is the name of zeale +blasphemed all the day long. + +Against these, as then, so now severe caveats and cleere distinctions +must bee laid, lest such as have not their senses exercised to put a +difference, mistake poysonfull weedes for wholesome hearbes, to their +owne destruction; and for the sake of the one, revile the other to the +wrong of God and his Saints. + +It fares not otherwise with the soule then with the body: besides the +native & radicall heat, the principall instrument of life, there are +aguish and distempered heats, the causes of sicknesse and death. + +To discerne of those, requires some skill and judgement: yet a good +Empirick, a Christian of experience will give a shrewd ghesse at them, +the easier & the better if he marke these following signes and +symptomes, common to all the kinds of false zeale, here also following. + +[Sidenote: 1 Ostentation.] + +First, they are deeply sicke of the pharisaicall humor, they love to be +seene of men, and say with _Jehu, Come and see how zealous I am for the +Lord of hosts_: they proclaime their almes with a trumpet, paint their +good deedes upon Church windowes, engrave their legacies upon tombes, +have their acts upon record: Thus, Comets blaze more then fixed Starres. +Aguish heats breede flushings, & are more seen in the face, then natural +warmth at the heart. Schollers count hiding of Art the best Art: the +godly man studies by all meanes how to conceale the one hand from the +other, in doing well; hiding of zeale is the best zeale. + +Secondly, of _Ahabs_ disease exceeding in externall humiliation, +affected gestures, passionate sighes, lowdnesse of voyce, odde attires & +such like: These know how to rend the garment, hang the head with the +bulrush, to whip and launce their skinnes with _Baals_ Priests; and yet +strangers to a wounded spirit: not but that true and hearty zeale doth +lift up the eyes, knocke the breast, dance before the Arke. Therefore +this character may deceive the unwarie; Let _Ely_ take heede of judging +_Hanna's_ Spirit rashly by the mooving of her lips: yet hypocrites so +usually straine nature and without a cause exceed, and that in publique, +and upon the stage, that for the most part, their actions and affections +are palpable: as _Jesuites, Cappuchins_, &c. yea in many histrionicall +Protestants: Horse-coursers jades will bound, curvet and shew more +tricks, then a horse well mettled for the rode or cart. + +[Sidenote: 3 Complementall.] + +Thirdly, you may know them by their diligence and curiositie in lighter +matters joyned with omission and neglect of greater, wise in +circumstance, and carelesse in substance, tithing mint, straining at +gnats, &c. In all cheape and easie duties, prodigall: niggardly & +slothfull in the waighty things of the Law: these have at command good +words, countenance, yea teares from their eyes, sooner then a farthing +from their purse, having this worlds goods, and see their brother want; +these sticke up feathers for the carcasse, beguiling the simple, +couzening the world, but cheefly themselves. + +[Sidenote: 4 Pragmaticall.] + +[Sidenote: 5 Censorious.] + +[Sidenote: 6 Cruell.] + +Fourthly, these fires cannot keepe themselves within their owne hearths, +these spirits cannot keepe themselves within their owne circles. True +zeale loves to keepe home, studieth to bee quiet in other mens Dioces: +false zeale loves to be gadding, is eagle-ey'd abroad and mole-ey'd at +home: Insteed of burning bright and shining cleere; like brinish lights, +they sparkle & spet at others, or like ill couched fire-workes let fly +on all sides: onely out of their wisdome they know how to spare _Agag_ +and the great ones, and bee sure they anger not their great Masters, and +meddle with their matches: whereas it is the property of fire that comes +from above, to spare the yeelding sheath, and melt the resisting +mettall, to passe by the lower roofes, and strike the towred pinacle, as +_Nathan, David; Elias, Ahab; John, Herod; Jonas, Ninivie; &c._ Note +also in all their proceeding with others, in steede of wholesome +severity (which rightly zealous men never come unto but by compulsion, +and not without compassion of the offender, weeping with _Moses_ and +_Samuel_ over the people, beeing sory with the Emperour, that they know +how to write sentences of condemnation) These delight in cruelty, the +brand of the Malignant Church; feede their eyes with Massacres, as the +Queene-mother. No diet so pleasing to these ravening wolves, as the +warme blood of the sheepe. These are they that cry fire and fagot, away +with them, not worthy to live, their very mercies are cruelty: +especially in their owne cause, they heat the fornace seaven times +hotter then in Gods. + +[Sidenote: 7 Variable and inconstant.] + +Lastly, these Meteors and Vapours have no constant light, or continued +heat (as the fixed starres ever like themselves) but have onely their +aguish fits, & lunatick moods; sometimes in adversity they are good +under the rod, as _Pharaoh_, againe in prosperity like the fat kine of +_Bashan_, ingratefull and forgetfull: sometimes in prosperity when the +sunne of peace shineth on them, & the favourable influence of great +ones, they shoot foorth their blade with the corne on the house top, +running with the streame, & sayling with the winde; sometimes their +zeale depends upon the life of _Jehoiada_; sometimes on the company of +the Prophets: commonly in the beginning they blaze like straw-fire, but +in the end goe out in smoake and smother; whereas in their entrance into +profession, they galloped into shewes, and made some girds at hand, they +tire, give in, and end in the flesh, whereas all naturall motions are +swiftest toward their end. + +[Sidenote: Be not over just hath 7. expositions heere 2. or 3. more +hereafter.] + +The vestall fires were perpetuall, and the fire of the Altar never went +out. Spices and wefts of these evills may bee found in the sincerest +Christians: but they suffer not these dead flies to lie and putrefie in +the precious boxes of true zeale; of all these the Preachers caveat may +be construed, _Be not over just_, though it may also admit other +interpretations, as after shall appeare. + +These are the speciall notes and symptomes of strange fires: the kinds +also are many, and might be distributed into many heads; but I will +reduce them into three, which are known by their names. [Greek: +pseudozêlos], _counterfet Zeale, false fire_. [Greek: tuphlos zêlos] +_blinde Zeale, smoakie fire, or fooles fire, ignis fatuus_. [Greek: +pikros zêlos], _turbulent Zeale, wilde fire_. + +The first, wanting truth and sincerity, propounds sinister ends. + +The second, knowledge and discretion, takes wrong wayes. + +The third, love and humility, exceeds measure. + +The first abounds amongst subtile & crafty professours, and is to be +abhorred and detected. + +The second among simple & devout, is to be pitied and directed. + +The third amongst passionate and affectionate, and is to bee moderated +and corrected. + +The first is the meere vizor of zeale, looking asquint one way and +tending another; pretending God and his glory, intending some private +and sinister end; first, either of honour and promotion, as _Jehu_, who +marched furiously, and his word was the Lord of hosts, but his project +was the kingdome. + +Secondly, at filthy lucre: as _Demetrius_ and his followers, who cried +great is _Diana_ of Ephesus; but meant her little silver shrines. It +cannot bee denied, but many such there were, who helped to pull downe +the Abbyes; not out of any hatred to those uncleane cages, but to reare +their owne houses out of the ruines, and spoyled copes to make cushions. +_Judas_ complained of superfluity, but greeved it fell besides his bag: +many hold temporalities tithes and glebes, unlawfull, because they are +loth to forgo them: If _Jezebel_ proclaime a Fast, let _Naboth_ looke to +his vine-yard; If the Usurer & Trades-man frequent Sermons, let the +buyer & borrower look to themselves. It is too common a thing to make +zeale a lure & stale, to draw customers; a bait of fraud, a net to +entrap; with malicious _Doegs_, to make it a stalking horse for revenge +against the Priest, thereby to discharge their gall at Ministers and +other Christians, for the omission and commission of such things, as +themselves care not for; with the _Strumpet_ in the Proverbs, to wipe +their mouthes, and frequent the Sacrifices, that they may be free from +suspicion. + +All these evils, have I seene under the sunne-shine of the Gospell: but +by how much, zeale is more glorious then common profession, by so much +is dissembled fervency more detestable then usuall hypocrisie; yea, no +better then divellish villany & double iniquity: such painted walles and +whited sepulchers, the Lord will breake downe. Let all _Timothies_ & +_Nathanaels_ learne to descry them, and discard them: The cure of this +was deepely forelayd by Christ; _I counsell thee to buy gold tried in +the fire_: all is not gold that glistereth, an image of faith breeds but +a shew of zeale; many seemed to trust in Christ, but Christ would not +trust them: but such faith as will abide the fire, brings foorth zeale +that will abide the touch-stone. + +[Sidenote: [Greek: kakozêlia].] + +The second is erroneous or blinde zeale, not according to knowledge, +Rom. 10. I beare many devout Papists witnesse (though I feare the +learnedst of them be selfe-condemned) that they have this zeale, +perswading themselves they doe God best service, when they please +the Divell most in their will-worship. The same witnesse I +beare many _Seperatists_; though I feare most of them be sicke of +selfe-conceitednesse, newfanglenesse, and desire of mastership: for who +would not suspect such zeale, which condemnes all reformed Churches, +and refuseth communion with such as they themselves confesse to bee +Christians, and consequentely such as have communion with Christ? It +would greeve a man indeede, to see zeale misplaced, like mettle in a +blinde horse; to see men take such paines, and yet fall into the pit. +This made _Paul_ to wish himselfe _Anathema_, for the sake of such; and +yet the multitude and common people, reason thus; Is it possible but +these men have the right? But alas, how should it bee otherwise, when a +blinde company will follow a blinde sect-master; This being one property +of blinde zeale, a fond admiration and apish imitation of some person, +for some excellency they see in him, which so dazles their eyes, that +they cannot discerne their errours and infirmities, which they oftner +inherit then their vertues; as appeares in the _Lutherans_ and the +Jewes, that would sacrifice their children to _Molech_, in imitation of +_Abraham_: In these the Divell becomes an Angell of light, and playeth +that Dragon, Revel. 12. powring out flouds of persecution against the +Church, causing devout men and women, to raise tragedies, breath out +threatnings, and persecute without measure; then these the Divell hath +no better soldiers: but when their scales fall from their eyes, and they +come into Gods tents; God hath none like unto them. The cure of this +divinely is forelayd by Christ also, to buy eye-salve of him; Angells +have eyes as well as wings to guide their flight: when the ship is under +saile, and hath the freshest way; it hath most neede to looke to the +sterage, keep the watch, have an eye to the Compasse and land-marks. + +The third kinde is turbulent zeale, called by _James_ bitter zeale, a +kinde of wilde-fire transporting men beyond all bounds and compasse of +moderation; proceeding sometime of a weaknesse of nature in men, that +have no stay of their passion, like to Clockes whose springs are broken, +and Cities whose walls are down. Zeale is a good servant, but an ill +master: mettle is dangerous in a head-strong horse. And so the Poets +(which were the Heathens Prophets) shadowed out the cure of this, in +_Minerva's_ golden bridle, wherewith she menaged her winged _Pegasus_. +There is too much of this bitter zeale, of this _Hierapicra_ in all our +bookes of controversies: but especially there hath been too much in our +domesticall warrs; some sonns of _Bichri_ have blowen the trumpet of +contention, trumpets of anger; the Churches of God should have no such +custome: Oh that our Churches understood that saying. + +[Sidenote: Rom. 14. 10.] + +In quarrells of this nature _Paul_ spends his zeale, not in partaking +but in parting the fray, beating downe the weapons on both sides: Who +art thou that judgest? who art thou that condemnest thy brother? as if +hee should say, The matters are not _Tanti_, wee have made the Divell +too much sport already; who threw in these bones to set us together by +the eares, whilst hee lets in the common Enemy upon us. _Charitie, +Charitie_, is the builder of Churches: Strife about trifles, hath wasted +many famous ones, and placed the temples of _Mahomet_, where the golden +candle-sticke was wont to stand. Wee pitty the former ages, contending +about leavened and unleavened bread, keeping of Easter, fasting on +Sundayes, &c. The future ages, will do the like for us. Oh that the +Lord would put into the hearts both of the governours & parties to these +quarrells, once to make an end of these Midianitish warrs; that wee +might joyntly powre out the vialls of our zeale upon the throne of the +beast. + +Thus have you heard the errors and counterfets of zeale, through whose +sides, and upon the backe of which, divers of the malicious world use to +beat those whom it hates, because their workes are better then their +owne; injuriously concluding, that all Zelots are alike. Thus I have +heard our Marchants complaine, that the set up blewes have made +strangers loath the rich oaded blewes, onely in request; this is an olde +sophisme. True judgement would teach us to conclude, that the best +druggs have their adulterates; the most current coins their slipps; and +that vertue which so many hypocrites put on, to grace themselves +withall; is surely some rare and excellent jewell. + + +_The third part._ + +The true Zelot, whose fervency is in the spirit, not in shew; in +substance not in circumstance; for God, not himselfe; guided by the +word, not with humours; tempered with charity, not with bitternesse: +such a mans praise is of God though not of men: such a mans worth cannot +bee set foorth with the tongues of men and Angells. + +[Sidenote: Arguments of commendation.] + +Oh that I had so much zeale, as to steep it in it owne liquour; to set +it forth in it owne colours, that the Lord would touch my tongue with a +coale from his Altar, that I might regaine the decayed credit of it, +with the sons of men. + +[Sidenote: 1. From God's excellency whom zeale only becomes unworthily +placed elsewhere.] + +It is good to bee zealous in a good things: and is it not best, in the +best? or is there any better then God, or the kingdome of heaven? Is it +comely what ever we do, to do it with all our might? onely uncomely when +wee serve God? Is meane and mediocrity, in all excellent Arts excluded, +and onely to be admitted in religion? Were it not better to forbeare +_Poetry_ or _Painting_, then to rime or dawbe? and were it not better to +bee of no religion, then to be colde or lukewarme in any? Is it good to +be earnest for a friend, & cold for the Lord of hosts? For whom doest +thou reserve the top of thy affections? for thy gold? for thy +_Herodias_, &c. O yee adulterers and adultresses, can yee offer God a +baser indignity? What ayleth the world? Is it afrayd thinke we, that God +can have too much love; who in regard of his owne infinite beauty, & the +beames he vouchsafeth to cast upon us, deserves the best, yea all, and a +thousand times more then all? Ought not all the springs and brookes of +our affection, to runne into this Maine? may not hee justly disdaine, +that the least Riveret should bee drained another way? that any thing in +the world should bee respected before him, equalled with him, or loved +out of him, of whom, for whom, and through whom are all things? Who, or +what can bee sufficient for him our Maker and Saviour? In other objects +feare excesse: here no extasie is high enough. + +[Sidenote: 2. From his spirituall nature.] + +Consider and reason thus with thy selfe (O man) canst thou brooke a +sluggard in thy worke, if thou bee of any spirit thy selfe? is not a +slothfull messenger as vinegar to thy teeth, and as smoake to thine +eyes? Hast thou any sharpnesse of wit, is not dulnesse tedious unto +thee? And shall hee that is all spirit (for whom the Angels are slow and +colde enough) take pleasure in thy drowzie and heavie service? Doe men +choose the forwardest Deere in the heard, and the liveliest Colt in the +drove? and is the backwardest man fittest for God? Is not all his +delight in the quickest and cheerefullest givers and servitors? Even to +_Judas_ he saith, That thou doest, doe quickely; so odious is dulnesse +unto him: what else mooved him to ordaine, that the necke of the +consecrated Asse should bee broken, rather then offered up in sacrifice; +doth God hate the Asse? Or is it not for the sake of the quality of the +creature; which hath ever among the Heathens beene an _Hieroglyphick_ of +heavinesse and tardity? + +[Sidenote: 3. Effects of zeale. Revel. 12.] + +[Sidenote: Opus operatum.] + +Thirdly, this zeale is so gracious a favorite with God, that it graces +with him all the rest of his graces. Prayer if it bee fervent, +prevaileth much: the zealous witnesses had power to shut and open +heaven: by this, _Israel_ wrastled with God, overcame, and was called a +Prince with God: this strengthned the heart of _Moses_ (as _Aaron_ and +_Hur_ supported his hands) till the Lord sayd, Let me alone: this made +_Cornelius_ his prayer to come into heaven; whither our colde sutes can +no more ascend, then vapours from the Still, unlesse there bee fire +under it: Repentance, a needefull and primary grace, which the Baptist +so urged: but then wee must bee zealous and repent (as my text joynes +them) or else no repentance pleaseth God; nor are there fruits worthy +repentance. Almes and good deeds are sacrifices pleasing to God; but +without zeale, the widowes mites are no better then the rest; It is the +cheerefull loose, that doubleth the gift. Generally, as some mans marke +and name, furthereth the sale of his commodity; so zeale inhanceth all +the graces of God. It pittieth me for _Laodicea_ that lost so much cost; +had as many vertues, did as many duties as other Churches: but for want +of this, Christ could not sup with them. Furnish a table with the +principallest fare, and daintiest dishes that may be had; let them be +rosted & boyled to the halves, or stand on the table till they bee +lukewarme; what will the guests say? All that we can doe is but the +deede done, unlesse zeale conferre grace. + +[Sidenote: 4. Baptismus Flaminis & Fluminis.] + +Fourthly, zeale is the richest evidence of faith, and the cleerest +demonstration of the Spirit: The Baptisme of water, is but a cold proofe +of a mans Christendome; being common to all commers: but if any bee +baptized with fire, the same is sealed up to the day of Redemption. If +any shall say, friend, what doest thou professe a religion without it; +how can hee choose but bee strucke dumb? Can wee suppose worme-wood +without bitternesse, a man without reason? then may wee imagine a +religion, and a Christian, without spirit and zeale. + +The Jesuite saith, I am zealous; the Separatist, I am zealous; their +plea is more probable, then the lukewarme worldlings, that serve God +without life. If the colour bee pale and wan, and the motion insensible, +the party is dead or in a swoune; if good and swift, wee make no +question. The zealous Christian is never to seeke for a proofe of his +salvation: what makes one Christian differ from another in grace, as +starrs doe in glory; but zeale? All beleevers have a like precious +faith: All true Christians have all graces in their seedes; but the +degrees of them are no way better discerned then by zeale: Men of place +distinguish themselves, by glistering pearles: A Christian of degrees +shines above other in zeale. Comparisons I know are odious to the world, +that faine would have all alike: but the righteous is better then his +neighbour: All Christians are the excellent of the earth, the Zelot +surmounteth them all, as _Saul_ the people by the head and shoulders; +hee is ever striving to excell and exceeds others and himselfe. + +One of these is worth a thousand others, one doth the worke of many: +which made him speake of _Elisha_ in the plurall number, _The horsemen +and Charriots of Israel_; besides his owne worke, hee winns and procures +others, makes Proselytes. It is the nature of fire to multiply, one +coale kindles another: his worke so shines, that others come in and +glorifie God; marvelling and enquiring what such forwardnesse should +meane, concluding with _Nebuchadnezzar, Surely the servants of the most +high God._ + +These are good Factors and Agents, doing God as good service, as +Boutesewes doe the Divell, and Jesuites the Pope, sparing no cost, nor +labour; and what they cannot doe themselves, they doe by their friends, +_Who is on my side, who? &c._ + +As for lets and impediments, they over-looke and over-leape them, as +fire passeth from one house to another; neither is there any standing +for any Gods enemies before them: they make havock of their owne and +others corruptions. If you will rightly conceive of _Peters_ zeale in +converting & confounding, you must imagine (saith _Chrysostome_) a man +made all of fire walking in stubble. All difficulties are but whetstones +of their fortitude. The sluggard saith, _There is a Lyon in the way_; +tell _Samson_ & _David_ so, they will the rather goe out to meet them. +Tell _Nehemiah of Samballat_, hee answereth, _Shall such a man as I +feare?_ Tell _Caleb_ there are _Anakims_, and hee will say, _Let us goe +upp at once, &c_. Let _Agabus_ put off his girdle and binde _Paul_, let +him be told in every City, that bonds await him, hee is not onely ready +for bonds, but for death; tell _Jubentius_, hee must lay downe his life, +he is as willing as to lay off his clothes: tell _Luther_ of enemies in +_Wormes_, hee will goe if all the tiles of the houses were Divells. The +horse neighs at the trumpet; the Leviathan laughs at the speare. They +that meane to take the Kingdome of God by violence, provide themselves +to goe through fire and water, carry their lives in their hands, +embrace faggots; they say to father and mother, _I know you not_: to +carnall Counsellers and friendly enemies, _Get you behinde mee Sathan._ +Zeale is as strong as death, hot as the coales of Juniper; flouds of +many waters cannot quench it. _Agar_, Pro. 30. speakes of foure things, +stately in their kinde; I will make bold to add a fift, comprehending +and excelling them all namely the zealous Christian, strong and bold as +the Lyon; not turning his head for any; as swift as the grey-hound in +the waies of Gods commandements; in the race to heaven, as nimble as the +Goat climbing the steepe and craggy mountaines of pietie and vertue; A +victorious King, overcoming the world and his lusts: _Salomon_ in all +his royalty, is not cloathed like one of these in his fiery Charriot. + +To cut off the infinite praises of zeale, let us heare what honourable +testimonies and glorious rewards, it pleaseth God to conferre upon it; +_Davids_ ruddy complexion and his skill in musique, made him amiable in +the eyes of men: but the zeale of his heart, stiled him a man after Gods +owne heart; and the sweet Singer of Israel. _Abraham_, that could finde +in his heart to sacrifice his _Isaack_, was called the friend of God. +The same vertue denominated _Jacob_ a Prince with God. _Elisha_, The +Charriots and horse-men. _Paul_, A chosen vessell, &c. + +[Sidenote: Revel. 12.] + +[Sidenote: Revel. 7. 3. Ezek. 9. Exod. 12.] + +Neither doth God put them off, with names and empty favours, but upon +these he bestowes his graces: _David_ dedicateth his Psalmes to him that +excelled: God in dispensing of favours, observeth the same rule, to him +that overcommeth will I give, &c, To him that hath, shall bee given. +Husbandmen cast their seede uppon the fertilest ground, which returnes +it with the greatest interest: God gives most talents to those that +improove them in the best banke. _Joseph_ shall have a party coloured +coat, of all kindes of graces and blessings: And because he knowes this +will purchase them hatred and envy, hee takes them into speciall +tuition; if any will hurt his zealous witnesses, there goeth out a fire +out of their mouthes, to devoure their enemies. A man were better anger +all the witches in the world then one of these. If God bring any common +judgements, he sets his seale and _Thau_ on their fore-heads, & +sprinkles their posts; snatcheth _Lot_ out of the fire (who burneth in +zeale, as _Sodome_ in lust) as men doe their plate whiles they let the +baser stuffe burne. In fine, hee taketh _Enoch_ and _Eliah_ in +triumphant Charriots up to heaven, and after their labours and toyles, +setteth them in speciall Thrones, to rest in glory; The Apostles in +their twelve, the rest in their order, according to their zeale. And +though hee may well reckon the best of these, unprofitable servants; +yet such congruity (not of merits, but of favour) it pleaseth him to +observe in crowning his graces, that the most zealous heere, are the +most glorious there. + +Who would not now wonder, how ever this royall vertue should have lost +it grace with the world; how ever any should admit a low thought of it? +But what? Shall all the indignity which hell can cast upon it, make it +vile in our eyes? or rather, shall wee not reason from the opposition, +as _Tertullian_ did of _Nero:_ That religion which _Nero_ so persecutes, +must needs be excellent. + +[Sidenote: 1 Object. Zeale is madd, and makes men mad.] + +[Sidenote: Acts 26. 24 1 Cor.] + +If zeale were not some admirable good, the Divell and World would not so +hate it; Yet lest silence should bee thought to baulke some unanswerable +reasons, let us see how they labour to be madd with reason: Let _Festus_ +bee the Speaker for the rest, for hee speakes what all the rest thinke; +you know his madd objection, and _Pauls_ sober answer in that place, and +the like, 2 Cor. 5.13. whether hee bee madd or sober, it is for God and +you. + +This text bids us bee zealous and repent; the word signifies be wise +againe, or returne to your wits. The prodigall is sayd to come to +himselfe, when he was first heat with this fire. Wee may well answer the +world as old men doe young: You thinke us Christians to bee madd that +follow heaven so eagerly; but we know you to bee madd, that run +a-madding so after vanity. + +[Sidenote: Acts. 2.] + +[Sidenote: Acts. 7.] + +A Christian indeed is never right, till he seeme to the world to be +beside himselfe; Christs owne kindred were afrayd of him. The Apostles +are sayd to be full of new wine; besides, with these the world is madd: +they runn with _Stephan_ like madd men; _Nichodemus_ and such as he, +never offends them. + +[Sidenote: 2 Object.] + +[Sidenote: A makebate.] + +[Sidenote: Tenterden steeple.] + +You know also what _Ahab_ laid to the charge of _Eliah_; with the +Apologie hee made for himselfe. This is a stale imputation in ages. +_Haman_ accused _Mordechay_ and the Jewes of it. The Apostles are sayd +to bee troubles of the whole earth. In the Primitive Church all mutinies +and contentions were layd to the Martyrs. True it is, where zeale is, +there is opposition, and so consequently troubles: Christ sets this fire +on earth, not as an author, but by accident: The theefe is the authour +of the fray, though the true man strike never so many blowes: but the +_Ahabs_ of the world, trouble Israel; then, complaine of _Eliah:_ The +Papists will blow upp the State, then father it upon the Puritans. It is +not for any wise man, to beleeve the tythe of the tales and slanders, +which flie abroad of the zealous: Lewd men would fain strike at all +goodnes through their sides. + +[Sidenote: 3 Object. Proud.] + +You may remember also _Eliabs_ uncharitable censure of _David_, I know +the pride of thine heart. So doe all worldlings measure others by their +owne length; if they see any forwardnesse in the peaceablest spirit, +they ascribe it either to vaine-glory, or covetousnesse; the onely +springs that set their wheeles on going: but of this the knower of the +hearts must judge betweene us. + +[Sidenote: 4 Object. They keep no meane.] + +When slaundering will not serve, then fall they to glavering, cunningly +glancing at zeale, whiles they commend the golden meane wherein vertue +consists. But Christians, take heede none spoyle you through such +Philosophy; or rather Sopistry: for true Philosophy will tell you that +the meane wherein vertue is placed, is the middle betwixt two kindes, +and not degrees: And it is but meane vertue that loves the meane in +their sense. + +[Sidenote: 5 Object. Undiscreet.] + +Oh say they, but some discretion would doe well; It is true, but take +withall _Calvins_ caveat to _Melancthon_: That he affect not so the name +of a moderate man, and listen to such Syrens songs, till he lose his +zeale. + +I have observed, that which the world miscalls discretion, to eat upp +zeale, as that which they call policy, doth wisdome. As _Joab_ stabbed +_Abner_ under a colour of friendship: Antichrist undermineth Christ, by +pretending to be his Vicar. The feare of overdoing makes most come too +short; of the two extreamities, wee should most feare lukewarmnesse: +rather let your milke boyle over then be raw. + +From glavering, they fall to scoffing; yong Saints, will prove but olde +Divels; these hot-spurrs will soone runne themselves out of breath. But +wee say, such were never right bred; such as proove falling starres, +never were ought but meteors; the other never lose light or motion: +spirituall motions may be violent and perpetuall. + +When none of these will take, they fal to right downe rayling; these +Puritans, these singular fellowes, &c. unfit for all honest company. I +hope the states Puritan, and the common Puritan bee two creatures. For +with that staffe the multitude beats all that are better then +themselves, & lets fly at all that have any shew of goodnes. But with +that which most call Puritanisme, I desire to worship God. For +singularity, Christs calls for it, and presseth & urgeth it; What +singular thing doe you, or what odde thing doe you? Shall Gods peculiar +people, doe nothing peculiar? The world thinkes it strange, wee runne +not with them into excesses, and doe not as most doe, that wee might +escape derision: Judge you which of these men shall please: I beleeve +none shall ever please Christ, till they appeare odde, strange and +precise men, to the common sort; and yet neede not bee over just neither +Let them that have tender eares stop them against the charmes of the +world, and scornes of _Michol_, unlesse they were wiser: Let him that +hath a right eare, heare what Christ saith to the Churches, _Be +zealous_. + + +_The fourth part._ + +[Sidenote: Incentives.] + +Yea, but by what meanes shall a Christian attaine this fire, and +maintaine it when he hath gotten it. + +Say not in thine heart, What _Prometheus_ shall ascend into heaven and +fetch it thence; thou mayest fetch it thence by thine owne prayer: as +did _Elias_ and the Apostles, men of infirmities as well as thy selfe; +pray continually, and instantly: the Lord that breathed first thy soule +into thee, will also breath on thy soule: I speake not of miraculous +(which was but a type) but of ordinarie inspiration. Prayer and zeale +are as water and ice: mutually producing each other; when it is once +come downe upon thine altar; though no water can quench it, yet must it +bee preserved fresh, by ordinarie fuell; especially the Priests lipps +must keepe it alive. + +Sermons are bellowes ordained for this purpose. The word read is of +divine use, but doth not with that motion stirre these coales. + +Experience sheweth, the best oration will not so much moove as the +meanest Orator. + +After the sparkles once by these meanes kindled, cherish and feede them +by reading the word: Let it dwell richly in thine heart, excite thy +dulnesse by spirituall Hymnes. Love-songs enflame not lust, more, then +the Song of Songs doth zeale: Reade or sing the 119. Psalme; and if thou +beest not zealous, every verse will checke thee in thy throat: +Meditation is another helpe, approoved by _Isaacks_ and _Davids_ +practice: An Art lately so taught, as I shall neede onely to poynt at +the choyce theames, suiting and furthering this argument. I need not goe +far to fetch this fire: I may strike it out of every word of this +Epistle to _Laodicea_. Behold the Lord God, especially thy Lord Christ +in his glorious titles and Majesty; for so hee beginnes his visions to +_John_; and his Epistles to the Churches, exciting their dull hearts. By +such apparitions did hee set on fire the heart of _Moses_ in the burning +bush; and enflamed _Stephan_, his first Martyr: answerable and +proportionable to which, are our serious contemplations. Behold him as +one that seeth thee, and knoweth thy workes; the rouzing preface of all +these Letters. _Casars_ eye made his souldiers prodigall of their blood. +The Atheist thinks God takes as much notice of him and his prayers, as +hee doth of the humming of Flyes and Bees; and therefore, no marvell if +his service bee formall and fashionable. The faithfull Christian by +faiths prospective sees him at home, and heares him saying, Well done +thou good servant; which maketh him to worke out his heart. Behold him +as the beginning of creatures, especially of the new creature. Oh! what +love hath hee shewed thee in thy redemption? out of what misery, into +what happinesse, by what a price, to what end; but that thou shouldest +bee zealous of good workes? Behold him as the faithfull witnesse, that +witnessed himselfe for thee a good witnesse, and heere faithfully +counsels thee to follow his patterne. Behold him as a speedie and royall +rewarder of his followers. Take thy selfe into paradise, represent to +thy selfe thy crowne, thy throne, thy white robes; looke not on the +things that are seene, but on the farre most excellent wait of glory; +looke upon these, and faint if thou canst. Behold also hee is a +consuming fire, a zealous God, hating lukewarmnesse not onely destroying +_Sodome_ with fire and brimstone, and providing _Tophet_ for his +enemies; but awaking also his drowzie servants, by judgements (as +_Absolon Joab_ by firing his corne) his Israelites by fiery serpents: +whom hee loveth, hee chasteneth, and keepeth them in the fornace of +fiery trialls, till they come to their right temper. Hee standeth and +knocketh: if nothing will arouze us, a time will come, when heaven and +earth shall burne with fire, and Christ shall come in flaming fire, to +render vengeance with fire unquenchable. Wee therefore that know the +terrour of that day, What manner of persons ought we to bee? + +From God turne thine eyes unto man: set before thee the pillar, and +clowde of fiery examples, that have led us the way into Canaan. Hee is +but a dull lade that will not follow: The stories of the Scriptures, the +lives of the Fathers, the acts and monuments of the Church, have a +speciall vertue for this effect. The very pictures of the fires, and +Martyrs, cannot but warme thee. If thou canst meete with any living +examples, follow them, as they follow Christ, frequent their company: +even _Saul_ amongst the Prophets, will prophesie. No bangling hawke, +but with a high flyer will mend her pitch: the poorest good companion, +will doe thee some good; when _Silas_ came, _Paul_ burnt in the spirit: +a lesser sticke may fire a billet; If thou findest none, let the +coldnesse of the times heat thee, as frosts doe the fire; Let every +indignation make thee zealous, as the dunstery of the Monkes, made +_Erasmus_ studious: one way to bee rich in times of dearth, is to +engrosse a rare commodity, such as zeale is: now, if ever, _they have +destroyed thy Law_; It is now high time to be zealous. + +Consider and emulate the children of this generation, to see how eager +every _Demas_ is for worldly promotion. How did that worthy Bishop +disdaine to see an harlot, more curiously to adorne her body unto sinne +and death, then hee could his soule unto life everlasting. It angred +_Demosthenes_ to see a Smith earlier at his anvile, then he was at his +deske. + +When thou hast thus heat thy selfe, take heede of catching colde +againe, as many have done, and brought their zeale to deaths doore. + +[Sidenote: Zeales extinguishers.] + +This fire may goe out divers wayes: first by subtraction of fewell; if a +man forbeare his accustomed meales, will not his naturall heat decay? +The _Levites_ that kept Gods watch in the Temple, were charged +expressely, morning & evening, if not oftner, to looke to the lights and +the fire. Hee that shall forget (at the least) with the _Curfeau-bell_ +in the evening to rake uppe his zeale by prayer, and with the day-bell +in the morning to stirre up & kindle the same, if not oftner with +_Daniel_; I cannot conceive how hee can possibly keepe fire in his +heart. Will God blesse such, as bid him not so much as good-morrow and +good-even? + +Hee that shall despise or neglect prophesie, must hee not needes quench +the spirit? have I not marked glorious professors, who for some farme +sake, or other commodities, have flitted from Jerusalem to Jericho; +where the situation was good, but the waters nought; and their zeale +hath perished, because vision hath failed? + +Such as reade the Bible by fits upon rainy dayes, not eating the booke +with _John_, but tasting onely with the tippe of the tongue: Such as +meditate by snatches, never chewing the cud and digesting their meat, +they may happily get a smackering, for discourse and table-talke; but +not enough to keepe soule & life together, much lesse for strength and +vigour. Such as forsake the best fellowship, and wax strange to holy +assemblies, (as now the manner of many is) how can they but take colde? +Can one coale alone keepe it selfe glowing? + +Though it goe not out for want of matter, yet may it bee put out by +sundry accidents; when it is newly kindled, it may be put out with +scoffes and reproaches, if _Peter_ take not heede, and fence himselfe +well against them; but if once throughly growne, such breath will but +spred and encrease it. + +It is possible fire may bee oppressed with too much wood, and heat +suffocated with too much nourishment: over-much prayer, reading, and +study, may bee a wearinesse both to flesh and spirit: but it so rarely +happeneth, that I neede not mention it; and yet the soule hath its +satiety. There be some such perchance over-nice men in this sense also, +who have not learned that God will have them mercifull to themselves: It +is often smoothered for want of vent and exercise. Let such as use not +and expresse not their zeale, bragge of their good hearts; surely they +have none such, or not like to have them such. If _Nicodemus_ had not +buried Christ by day, we might have feared his zeale had gone out, for +all his comming by night. + +Yet this is not so ordinary, as to extinguish it by the quench-coale of +sinne; grosse sinne every man knowes will waste the conscience, and make +shipwracke of zeale: but I say, the least known evill unrepented of, is +as a theefe in the candle, or an obstruction in the liver. I feare, +_David_ served God but reasonably, till hee published his repentance; +hee that steales his meat, though poverty tempt him, yet giveth thankes +but coldly: zeale and sinne, will soone expell the one or the other out +of their subject; Can you imagine in the same roofe, God and Beliall, +the Arke and Dagon? Lastly, and most commonly, forraine heat will +extract the inward, and adventicious heat consume the naturall. + +The Sunne will put out the fire; and so will the love of the world, the +love of the Father, they cannot stand together in intense degrees, one +cannot serve both these matters with such affection as both would have. +Seldome seest thou a man make haste to bee rich, and thrive in religion. +Christs message to _John_ holds true; The poore are most forward in +receiving and following the Gospell: as thou lovest thy zeale, beware of +resolving to bee rich, lest gain proove thy godlinesse; take heede of +ambitious aspiring, lest Courts and great places, proove ill aires for +zeale, whither it is as easie to go zealous, as to returne wise: +_Peter_ whiles hee warmed his hands, cooled his heart; Not that +greatnesse and zeale cannot agree; but for that our weaknes many times +severs them. If thou beest willing to die poore in estate, thou mayest +the more easily live rich in grace. _Smyrna_, the poorest of the seven +Candle-stickes, hath the richest price upon it. + +The diligent practise of these courses will make easie the practise of +this counsell, _Be zealous, &c_. + + +_The fift part._ + +[Sidenote: 1 Object.] + +But heere mee thinke I heare the lukewarme worldling of our times, fume +& chafe, and aske what needs all this adoe for zeale, as if all Gods +people were not zealous enough. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Such as thinke they are, or can bee zealous enough, neede no other +conviction to bee poore, blinde, naked, wretched and pittifull +_Laodiceans_: Fire is ever climbing and aspiring higher; zeale is ever +aiming at that which is before; carried towards perfection; thinking +meanely of that which is past, and already attained, condemning his +unprofitable service, as _Calvin_ his last Will: this rule tries full +conceited Christians. + +[Sidenote: 2 Object.] + +What would you have us doe? wee professe, keepe our Church, heare +Sermons, as Christians ought to doe. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Affectionate friendship and service is not onely for publique shew and +pomp, upon festivall dayes, in Chambers of Presence; but for +domesticall, ordinary, and private use; to such holy-day and Church +retainers, God may well say, Let us have some of this zeale at home and +apart. + +All affections are most passionate, without a witnesse. Such as whose +families, closets, fields, beds, walkes, doe testifie of their worship, +as well as temples & Synagogues, are right servitors: God much respects +their devotions; and they have strong proofe of the power of godlinesse. + +[Sidenote: 3 Object.] + +Wee would you should know, that wee are such as have prayer sayd or read +in our families and housholds; or else we say some to our selves at our +lying downe, and uprising and more then that, say you what you will, wee +holde more then needs. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +First, know that zeale knowes no such unmannerly courses, as to slubber +over a few prayers, whiles you are dressing and undressing your selves, +as most doe, halfe asleepe, halfe awake; know further, that such as hold +onely a certaine stint of daily duties, as malt-horses their pace, or +mill-horses their round, out of custome or forme, are far from that +mettle which is ever putting forward, growing from strength to strength, +and instant in duties, in season, out of season: and this sayes hard to +lazy Christians. + +[Sidenote: 4 Object.] + +May not wee goe too far on the right hand? + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +It is true: but liberality baulkes, and feares covetousnesse and +niggardize, more a great deale then prodigallity; so does zeale +lukewarmnes and coldnesse, more then too much heate and forwardnesse; +the defect is more opposite and dangerous to some vertues, then the +excesse. + +[Sidenote: 5 Object.] + +Why? are not some thinke you, too straight laced, that dare not use +their Christian liberty in some recreations? sware by small oathes, or +lend money for reasonable use? hath not God left many things +indifferent, wherein some shew themselves more nice then wise? + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Zeale will cut of the right hand, if it cause to offend; much more to +pare the nayles and superfluities: it consumes the strongest, dearest +corruptions; much more will it singe off such haire and drosse as these: +If ought be praise worthy, it imbraceth such things; if any be +doubtfull, carrying shew of evill, of ill reporte, it dares not meddle +with them; it feares that some of these are as indifferent, as +fornication was among the heathen. + +[Sidenote: 6 Object.] + +There are but few such, no not of the better sort, as you speake of. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Graunt there bee any, and zealous emulation culleth the highest +examples. Such as meane to excell in any Art, travell to find out the +rarest workemen, purchase the choysest Copies; hee that hath true zeale, +will strive to purge himselfe, as Christ is pure. + +[Sidenote: 7 Object.] + +Will you have us runne before our neighbours, or live without example or +company? + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Cowards and cravens, stand and look who goes first: souldiers of courage +will cast lots for the onset and fore-rank, for desperat services, and +single combats. Lades will not go without the way be led. + +[Sidenote: 8 Object.] + +So we may soone come to trouble, and danger enough. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +What daunger can there bee, of an honest, peaceable, religious +forwardnesse? + +The slug or snaile, puts out the tender horne to feele for lets in the +way, and puls them in where there is no cause; so doe the fearfull that +shall be without: but zeale either findes no dangers, or makes them +none; it neither feares to doe well, or to reproove ill doers, let who +so will be displeased. + +Some indeed care not whome they offend, they are so harsh and fiery, +they can beare with nothing. + +[Sidenote: 9 Object.] + +Will true Christianity allow us to beare with any sinne? + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Can tinne, or hot iron choose but hisse againe, if cold water be cast on +it? can a righteous soul choose but vexe it selfe at open evill? Such +Ostriches as can digest oathes, prophane and filthie speeches, shew what +mettle they have for the Lord of hosts; who yet will be ready enough to +offer the challenge, or stab, for the least disgrace to themselves, or +their mistresse: _Phineas_ had rather, if it were lawfull, fight in Gods +quarrels then his owne. + +[Sidenote: 10 Object.] + +All are not by nature of so hot dispositions, or so fiery-spirited, as +others. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +If there bee such a dull flegmaticke creature as hath no life nor +spirite in any thing hee goes about, or whome nothing will moove; hee +may plead complexion, and yet grace is above nature: but the best way +is; See every man compare his devotion in matters of God, with his +spirits and mettle in other affayres, wherein his element or delight +lies; if the one equall not the other, the fault is not in nature: the +oldest man hath memory enough for his gold, and the coldest constitution +heate enough where it likes. + +[Sidenote: 11 Object.] + +Well, our harts may bee as good as the best though we cannot shew it. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Fire cannot be long smothered, it will either finde a vent, or goe out; +zeale will either finde word, or deede, to expresse it selfe withall. + +[Sidenote: 12 Object.] + +All have not the gift of utterance. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Violent affections have made the dumbe to finde a tongue; If it be lowe +water the mille may stand; but aboundance of heart will set the wheeles +on going What earnest discourses will unlearned Mariners make of their +voiages? Huntsmen of their game, &c. + +[Sidenote: 13 Object.] + +All have not ability and meanes: many have great charges. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Love and zeale are munificent, make money their servant, not their +master: wheresoever the heart is enlarged, the hand cannot bee +straightned; where the bowells are open, the purse is not shut. _Herod_ +for his pleasure, cares not for halfe his kingdome; what will not some +Gentle-men give for hawks and hounds? not onely the poore woman that +spent the rich oyntment on Christ, the widow that gave all her +substance, the converts that solde all, and threw all at the feet of the +Apostles, but even the bounty of the superstitious Papists shall rise in +judgement against such as professe a religion, wil give it good words & +countenance; but bee at no cost with it, and know a cheaper way to save +charge withall. + +[Sidenote: 14 Object.] + +All have not so much leisure to spend, so much time and study, about +matters of religion, they have somewhat else to doe. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +There are indeede many vanities, which distract and divide the minde of +worldlings; but zeale counts one thing needefull, to which it makes all +other veile and stand by. Is there any so good an husband of his time, +that will not steale some houre for his pleasure; that cannot spare his +God and his soule halfe an houre, morning and evening; that bestowes not +idly, as much time as a Sermon or two would take upp in the weeke? The +soule I confesse hath his satiety, as well as the body; but why should +we sit on thornes, more at a Sermon then at a Play; thinke the Saboths +longer then holi-daies; but for want of zeale? If thou beest not a vaine +and willing deceiver of thy selfe, and others; deale honestly & plainly +with thy soule, try thy selfe by these few rules; and if thou judgest +thy selfe to come short of them, amend and _be Zealous_. + + +_The sixt part._ + +Which little round fire-ball comming to hand, as _Davids_ small stone, +by ordinary lot, knowing the insufficiency of mine owne; I pray that God +with his arme would scatter it farre and wide into those wilde parts of +the world without the pale of Christendome, which lie so frozen and +benummed in their Paganisme, that they feele not the coldnesse of their +religions; as also in those regions that being within the Tropickes of +the Church, have just so much, and so little heat, as to thinke they +have enough, and neede no more: Cheefly mine affections burne within mee +for the good of mine owne Nation, for which I would I had but so much +zeale as truely to wish my selfe _Anathema_, upon condition it had heat +sutable to the light. For I must beare it record, it hath knowledge, I +would I could say, according to zeale. But the spirit, knowing that +which is spoken to all to bee in effect as spoken to none, directs mee +what I should speake to Churches, to speake to particular Angels. Now +the principall in our Church, under that Archangell of the covenant, I +most willingly acknowledge to bee my Lord the King, as an Angell of +light. And why not that very Angell, who by his writing hath begunne to +powre out the fift viall upon the throne of the beast, darkned his +Kingdome, caused them to gnaw their tongues for greefe, and blaspheme +for the smart of their wounds; though as yet they will not repent of +their errours? The Lord annoynt him more and more with this oyle above +all the Princes of the earth, that from his head, it may runne downe +upon our skirts; make him shine in zeale above all other starres, to the +warming & enlightning of this whole Horizon; set him up as a standard +for his people; cloath him with zeale, as with a cloake, to recompence +the fury of the adversaries, that he may strike the Aramites, not three +but five times till they be consumed; that he may put the Ammonites +under the yron sawes, harrowes, axes, which have provoked him as much, +as ever they did _David_, 2. Sam. 12. But yet as in the time of the old +Testament the custody of the fire and light was the charge of the +Priest; so here I observe Christ to lay it upon his Ministers, +interpreting his rule by his practise, _Tell the church, Tell the Angell +of the Church_; honouring that despised office, with that stately stile; +intimating the union betwene People and Minister, that they should bee +as one: what is spoken to the one, is spoken to the other; not as some, +that ever make Clergy and Layty two members, in division and opposition; +neither yet as some spirites that lay all level, but implying a +property, especially in grace and zeale in the Ministers, whom the +Preacher calls the master of the assemblies; that they should exceede as +farre the people, as Angels doe men, and that he will reckon with them +for the religion of the people, because colde Priests make bolde +sinners; zealous _Jehoiada_ may mak _Jehoash_ the King zealous, so long +as hee lives with him. Wee therefore men and brethren, or rather men +and Angels, upon whom it lies to keepe life and heat in the devotion of +the world, to consume the drosse of vices and heresies, that have fallen +into the sinke of our times; wee that are to make ready our people for +the second comming of Christ, is the spirit of _Ely_ thinke wee +sufficient for us? What manner of persons ought we to bee, burning in +spirit, fervent in prayer, thundring in preaching, shining in life and +conversation? Why is it then my brethren (oh let my plainest rebukes bee +the fruits and signes of my best love to mine owne Tribe; let them not +bee as breakings of the head, but as precious balme to those whose +honour with the people, I preferre to my life) why is it that some of us +pray so rarely and so coldly in private (the evills of our times will +not out but by frequent fasting and fervent prayer) in publique so +briefly, so perfunctorily, and feebly, that wee scarce have any +witnesses of what wee say? Why are there yet remaining any Mutes +amongst us? Why are ther any tounges that dare speake against often or +zealous preaching? Doth not _Paul_ adjure us before him that shall judge +the elect Angels, that we preach instantly, in season, and out of +season? Reade wee the commentaries of that text, or let the practise of +Ancients expound it; and tell mee if ever old or new interpreted that +charge, of bare reading, of quarterly, or monethly, yea, or of once on +the Sabbath preaching onely, as if that were fully sufficient, without +endeavoring or desiring any more. If alwaies often preaching bee +prating, what meant the practise I say, not onely of _Calvin_, and +_Beza_ but of _Chrysostome_, _Basil_, _Ambrose_ with other of the +Fathers, preaching every day in the weeke, some of them twise in the +weeke, none of them so seldome, as such would bear the world in hand. +What meant sundry ancient Councells, (the eleventh of _Tolet_ in Spaine) +yea even of Trent it selfe, to excite the torpor of the Bishoppes of +their times, as their Canons speake, enjoyning frequent preaching, +calling for more then almost any man is able to performe? + +But heere I may turne reprooving into rejoycing, that preaching is +growne in any better fashion and grace with our times, by royall and +reverend, both examples and countenance: only I wish that every +_Archippus_ may fulfill his Ministery, be instant and constant in +preaching. _Salomon_ the older, and wiser hee grew, the more hee taught +the people, sharpened his goads, and fastned his nails; whereas many +amongst us are so wise in their youth, as to affect the foolishnes of +preaching; but in their dotage, Ease slayes the foole; when the doore is +oyled, it leaves creaking; they must then fall to make much of +themselves, till contrary with the Prophet they cry out, My fatnesse, my +fatnesse, my belly, my belly; so favouring their lungs, that they will +bee sure never to die of _Davids_ consumption of zeale; let such preach, +say they, that want livings: and if for shame they preach at all, it +must bee rarely and easily, for breaking of their winde (my meaning is +not to tax such, whom God disinables by weaknesse of body; or such as +recompence their rarity with industry, as _Perkins_, &c.) and yet +forsooth these thinke they may justly challenge, and weare the double +honor of countenance and maintenance; I marvell with what right, or with +what face, so long as there remaineth expresse Canon of Scripture, +bequeathing it to those, that toyle in word and doctrine. Neither will +zeale set us on worke onely to preach, or to preach often to avoyd the +infamy of bare readers; but it will teach us to preach painefully, and +that in the evidence and demonstration, not so much of art, or nature, +as of the spirit and grace; regarding onely, that the people know Christ +and him crucified; not caring whether they know what wee have read, how +many quotations our memory will carry levell, how roundly wee can utter +our minde in new minted words, in like sounding, idle, vaine, and +offensive _Paranomasies_; I blush to fall into the least touch of that +kinde: yet at once to shew and reproove that childish folly, It is a +vaine of vaine preaching, turning sound preaching into a sound of +preaching, tickling mens eares, like a tinckling cymball, feeding them, +[Greek: hêdusmati kai ouk edesmasi], spoyling the plaine song, with +descant and division: what is this but to shew our owne levitie and want +of true Art; indeede affecting such a dancing, piperly and effeminate +eloquence (as _Tully, Demosthenes_, or any Masculine Oratour would +scorne) in steade of that divine powerfull deliverie, which becommeth +him, that speakes the Oracles of God. If ever wee meane to doe any good, +wee must exhort and reproove, with all vehemency and authority; lifting +upp our voyce as a trumpet, as the sonnes of thunder; pearcing their +eares, witnessing, striving and contending, according to our gift +whatsoever it bee, to manifest our affections, that wee may worke upon +the people; which all the Art in the world will not teach us to doe: +onely zeale at the heart will naturally produce it, without straining or +affecting. If God require the heart as well as the head; why should wee +not labour to moove the affections, as well as enforme the judgement; +There is a doctrinall, and as some tearme it, a Doctorly kinde of +preaching, which is admired of some that understand it not; of others +that could be content with the Masse againe, because it was gentle, and +had no teeth in it. And such Sermons I have sometimes heard, for matter +voyd of exception, but so delivered, as if one were acting a part, or +saying a lesson by heart. It hath called to minde a song which sometimes +I have met withall, excellently composed, full of sweet ayre, surely and +truely sung; but with flat and dead voyces without spirit, which hath +marred the musique: Of such a Sermon and Preacher, the Countreymans +verdict did well, that said, this man may bee a great scholler, but hee +wants beetle and wedges to heaw our knotted timber withall, our greene +wood will not burn unlesse it be better blown; you shall sometimes see +an excellent horse of shape and colour, having many of those markes _Du +Bartes_ describes in _Caines_ supposed horse; which yet wanting mettle +hath beene of little worth, and lesse use. If there were no other +Preachers then these, which hold themselves the onely profound and +learned Preachers, I muse what should become of conversion of soules, +which they that covet; must come with the spirit of _Elias_, to turne +the hearts of the fathers to their children, I may in truth, and I hope +with modesty speake with the Preacher, that in observing I have +observed, and have found, that divers great Clarkes have had but little +fruit of their ministery; but hardly any truely zealous man of God +(though of lesser gifts) but have had much comfort of their labours, in +their owne and bordering parishes, being in this likened by _Gregorie_, +to the yron on the Smiths anvile sparkling round about. And if for this +any bordering neighbours, whose cold labours worke not the like +successe, shall accuse them of some kinde (I know not what) of policie +in bewitching the people; they may well reply, Behold our zealous +affections are our charmes, and zeale all our witchcraft, as _Latimer_ +well answered one that accused the people of partiality, for not +affecting him that preached one of his printed Sermons, that hee had +indeede his Sticke, but wanted his Rosen; meaning his zealous manner of +preaching and living, without which last, all the former will doe but +little good, if a good ensample of life accompany not their doctrine, as +lightning doth thunder. For there are some (I speake with sorrow of +heart) that seeme to have fire in their preaching, but carry water in +their life; being notoriously proud, covetous, or debauched, stained +with odious vices. Let us heare the summ of all. Doe wee love Christ +more then ordinary? would wee give proofe of our trebble love to him? +Let us then feede his flocke with a trebble zeale, expressed in our +prayer, preaching and living: Let us make it appeare to the consciences +of all, that the top of our ambition is Gods glory: and that wee preferr +the winning of soules, to the winning of the world. + +This title of Angels why may it not also be extended to Magistrates, as +well as that higher stile, of Gods; Sure I am, that the scarlet robe of +zeale would exceeding well become them. _Jethro_ maketh it their prime +and essentiall character; God and _Moses_, their onely and sole, in the +charge and commission to _Jehoshuah_ so oft repeated; _Onely be of good +courage_. And if _David_ were now to re-pen his Psalme; I thinke hee +might alter the forme of his counsell, and say, _Bee zealous yee Rulers +and Judges of the world_, and not wise and politique: or rather under +the tearmes of wisdome, hee comprehends indeede the zeale wee call for, +the most now adayes being _Gallio's_, wise onely for the matters of the +Commonwealth; not having a sparke of that spirit which was in _Phineas, +Daniel_, and _Nehemias_, &c. for the Lord of hosts, or to his Lawes and +Commandements; as if God had made Magistrates keepers onely of the +second Table, governours of men, and not of Christians; guardians onely +of civill societies, and not of his Church, and shepheards also of his +flocke. Are Idolatries, blasphemies, prophaning of Saboths, no sinns? +Why then either have not the lawes force and strength enough in them (as +sometime wee are answered when wee complaine) or why are they not +executed for the suppressing of these raging sins? are not all they +punished with death in the Scriptures, as well as breaches of the second +table? Blood I leave to the malignant Church, and admire clemency in +Rulers, as much as any; but yet I know the prophane dissolutenesse of +the times, requires a three stringed whipp of severity to purge our +_Augean_ stable of the soule abuses, whipt often with penns and +tongues, but spared by them that beare the sword (a man may say of many +Governours) altogether in vaine for matters of religion. Are not kings +of the earth charg'd to render double to the bloody strumpet of Rome? +Why then doth the hurtfull pitty of our times imbolden and increase +their numbers? _Laodicea_ it selfe, I doubt not, for matters of mine and +thine, had (as their name imports) good civill justice and justicers; +but what was God the neerer for it? doth hee not threaten for all that +to spue them out of his mouth? shall hee not curse those that doe his +worke negligently, fearfully & partially? Our times complaine of two +speciall canker wormes of justice, which eat up zeale in Magistrates. +The first is _Covetousnesse_, which makes men of place to transgresse +for a morsell of bread; the zeale of their owne houses consumes the +zeale of Gods house: The building of great houses, keeping of great +houses, and matching with great houses, raising and leaving of great +houses behinde them, makes them so ravenous, that they devoure so much, +as choakes all their zeale; which would teach them to shake their laps +of bribes, and scorne to accept gifts, though men would augment them for +the perverting of judgement. The other is _Cowardice_ and _Fearfulnes_: +which how unfit, and base a quality did _Nehemiah_ thinke it for a man +of his place? no better then shynesse in a fore-horse, whose eyes men +fence on both sides, that they may lead the way, and goe without +starting; unto which, zeale is answerable in Magistrates, causing them +onely to see him that is invisible, without casting a squint eye at men; +to sing to God onely of judgement and mercy, without tuning their songs +to mans eare; to walke in the perfect way, without turning, either to +the right or left hand for feare of favour. Oh that there were such an +heart in our leaders; how easily would our people follow! what a spring +tide of zeale should wee have, if the Sunne and Moone would cast out a +benigne aspect upon them! Doth it not flourish in all those shires and +townes, where the Word and Sword doe joyntly cherish it? In others which +are the greatest number, how doth it languish and wane away, and hang +downe the head? where is it in diverse places of the land to bee seene? +I had almost sayd in my haste and heat, there is none that hath zeale, +no not one, there is no courage for the truth; but that I remember that +_Eliah_ was checked for over-shooting himselfe in his too short and +quicke computation. I hope the Lord hath his fifties amongst us, though +but thinn sowne in comparison of the swarmes of professed Recusants, and +Church-Papists, of prophane Atheists, key-cold worldlings, and lukewarme +professors. The bodies of our many severall Congregations, yea even of +the better sort, whereunto have they beene likened by our separated +adversaries; but unto the Prophet _Hosea_ his cake, halfe baked upon the +hearth, having one side, that is, the one side to the world-ward, in +publique service, scorched a little and browned over; but the inside to +God-ward, in private, and family-duties, no better then dough; many of +them making indeede some shew, as the out-landish fruits that are +plashed upon our walls, but wanting heat never come to maturity. If wee +should make good their resemblances, how then should wee please the +stomacke of God? who hath indeede brooked and borne us a long time, I +doubt but wamblingly. How neare were wee going in 88. and in the powder +treason? Doe we thinke he will ever digest us, in the temper wee are in? +which (to confesse the truth of the fashionable Christian) what is it +but a state of neutrality, indifferency, or such a mediocrity, as will +just serve the time, satisfie Law, or stand with reputation of +neighbours? beyond which, if any step a little forward, do not the rest +hunt upon the stop? If there hap to breake out a sparkle of zeale in any +one house in a parish; is not the whole towne in an uprore, as when the +bells ring awke every man brings his bucket, to the quenching of this +fire? If hell bee in an Ale-house, who cryes out of it? & as for our +Sundayes Church-service, which is all that God gets at our hands; how +perfunctorily, and fashionably is it slubbered over; how are his Saboths +made the voyder and dung-hill for all refuse businesse, divided betweene +the Church and the Ale-house, the May-pole commonly beguiling the +Pulpit? What man would not spue to see God thus worshipped? This want of +devotion makes the foule mouthed Papists to spet at us: this want of +reformation, makes the queasie-stomacked Brownists cast themselves out +of the Church; and shall God alwayes suffer the land to beare us? But +behold, he stands at the door & knocks, by treasons, by plagues, by the +hammer of dearths, discontents, fires, inundations, especially by the +word; his locks are wet with waiting. Oh before hee shake off the dust +of his feet against us, and turne to some other nation more worthy, let +us open the doore, that hee may come in and sup with us; if hee love us, +hee will purge us, and scoure us, by one chastizement or other: if hee +have no pleasure in us, hee cannot but unburthen his stomacke of us; If +all the land besides should turne the deafe eare, yet let mee entreat +and charge you of my flock to heare his voyce, & be zealous. Since my +comming amongst you, I have handled some bookes of the olde Testament, +the Epistles to the Romanes, to the Hebrewes, of Saint _James_, _Peter_ +and _John_, out of them taught the doctrine of the Law, of Faith, Love +and good Workes: now in the choyce of this Epistle of Christ to +_Laodicea_, my desire was to boyle up the former to their just temper: +in which worke I can willingly bee content to spend my strength, and +dayes, if God see it fit. I cannot be a better sacrifice then to God, +and for you, if I waste my selfe, so you may have light & heat; what +else is the end of my life? God hath given you a name, your zeale is +gone abroad, & I hope you have many names among you; the Lord encrease +their number and zeale. If but one of us this day, shall open this +doore of his heart with _Jehoshuah_, let others chuse, I and my house +will serve the Lord more zealously then heeretofore; neither I nor hee +shall have lost our labours. A lively picture casts the eye upon every +one that comes neere it: such is the word with whom, and with which we +have to do; Let him that is now colde, grow colder & colder; but let him +that hath an eare, heare what hath beene sayd to the Churches; and be +zealous and amend. + +The Lord give us not onely understanding, but zeale in all things: he +baptize us with fire: hee breath on us, and inspire into us the spirit +of life & power, &c. So shall wee runn the wayes of his commandements. + + +FINIS. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Coal From The Altar, To Kindle The +Holy Fire of Zeale, by Samuel Ward + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A COAL FROM THE ALTAR, TO *** + +***** This file should be named 16423-8.txt or 16423-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/4/2/16423/ + +Produced by Jordan Dohms and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Coal From The Altar, To Kindle The Holy Fire of Zeale + In a Sermon Preached at a Generall Visitation at Ipswich + +Author: Samuel Ward + +Release Date: August 3, 2005 [EBook #16423] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A COAL FROM THE ALTAR, TO *** + + + + +Produced by Jordan Dohms and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + +<h1>A +COAL FROM<br/> +THE ALTAR,<br/> +TO KINDLE THE<br/> +holy fire of <i>Zeale</i>.</h1> + +<center> +In a Sermon preached at a generall +<i>Visitation at Ipswich.</i><br/><br/> + +By SAM WARD Bach. of Divinity.<br/><br/> + +<i>The third Edition, corrected and much amended.</i><br/><br/> + +<span class="greek" title="[Greek: Theô kai humin]"> +Τεω και ὑμιν</span> +<br/><br/> + +<i>LONDON</i>,<br/><br/> + +Printed by <i>E.G.</i> for <i>Joyce Macham</i>, widow; and +are to bee sold in Pauls Church yard, +at the signe of <i>Time</i>, 1628 +</center> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>To my reverend Friend Mr.<br/> +SAMUEL WARD.</h3> + +<p><i>Sir, your Sermon which I copied partly +from your mouth, and partly from your +notes, I have adventured into the light; +encouraged by the approbation, and earnest +entreaty of such, whose judgements you +reverence, and whose love you embrace: +who also have made bolde heere and there +to varie some things, not of any great consequence, +if I can judge. I was loth to +smoother such fire in my brest; but to vent +it, to enflame others. If you shall blame me, +I know others will thanke mee. What I +have done, is out of Zeale to God and his +Church.</i></p> + +<p align="right">Your affectionate friend,</p> + +<p align="right"><i>Ambrose Wood.</i></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<a name="Revel_3_19_Be_zealous"></a><h2>Revel. 3. 19. <i>Be zealous.</i></h2> + + +<div class="sidenote_l">1</div> +<div class="sidenote_r">Mat. 24. 12.</div> +<div class="sidenote_r">1 Kin. 1. 1.</div> + +<p>This watch-word of Christ, +if it be not now a word in +season, I know not when +ever it was, or will bee: +Would he now vouchsafe +to bestow a letter upon his Church +heere on earth; should hee need to alter +the tenour of this? which being the last, +to the last of the seaven Churches, why +may it not (saith an Ancient, upon this +text) typifie the estate of the last Age +of his Churches? the coldnesse whereof +himselfe hath expressely foretolde. +And if God should now send through +he earth such surveying Angels as <i>Zacharie</i> +mentions, chapter 1. Could they +returne any other observation of their +travailes then theirs; <i>The whole world +lies in lukewarmnesse?</i> which makes mee +often in my thoughts proportion these +ends of time, to the like period of <i>Davids</i> +age, when no cloathes were enough +to keepe heare in him. <i>Faith</i> I grant +is a more radicall, vitall, and necessary +grace; but yet not so wholly out of +<i>grace</i> with the times, as poore <i>Zeale</i>; +which yet if by any meanes it might +once againe be reduced into favour and +practice, before Time sets, and bee no +more; I doubt not but Christ would +also yet once againe in this evening of +the world, come and <i>Sup</i> with us; A +favour including all other in it.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">2</div> + +<p>My desire especially is, that this our +Iland might take it to it selfe, as well as +if it had by name beene directed to it; +what would it hurt us to make an especiall +benefit and use of it? Some of +our owne, have so applyed it; (whether +out of their judgements, or affections, +I say not.) Learned <i>Fulk</i> marvels if +it were not by a Propheticall spirit penned +for us: others more resolutely have +made it a singular type of purpose for +us. Their warrant I know not; especially +if it bee true which all travellers tell +you, <i>That they finde more zeale at home +then abroad.</i> We are I grant in sundry respects +equall to <i>Laodicea</i>: Even the very +names thereof, as well the first and oldest +in regard of the blessings of God, +<span class="greek" title="[Greek: Dios polis]"> +Διος πολις</span> +Gods Darling, as the later in +regard of good Lawes and Civility, <i>Laodicea</i>, +How well doe they become us? +As rich as they, and that in the very same +commodity of woolls; <i>Abounding as +they</i> with many learned <i>Zenoes</i> & bountifull +<i>Hieroes</i>; <i>Parallel</i> in all regards; I +would I could say lukewarmnesse excepted. +But I must bee a faithfull and +true witnesse, and yet this is all I have +to say; It was, as I conceive, <i>Laodicea's</i> +complexion and not her constitution, +her practice not her orders, personall +lukewarmnesse not legall, which +Christ strikes at. That fault I finde in my +text, the same I finde in our common +Christians, whose spirituall condition, +and state is too like the externall situation +of our Country, between the Torrid, +and the Frigid Zones; neither hot nor +colde: and so like <i>Laodicea</i>, that if wee +take not warning, or warming, we may, +I feare, in time come to be spued out of +Gods mouth.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">3</div> + +<p>For this present assembly of Ministers, +could all the choice and time in the +world have better fitted mee then mine +ordinarie Lot? If fire bee set upon the +Beacons, will not the whole Countrey +soone be warned and enlightned?</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">4</div> + +<p>For my selfe also, mee thinkes it will +better beseeme my yeeres to heat, then +to teach my Ancients; to enkindle +their affections, then to enforme their +judgements. And whereas <i>Paul</i> bids +<i>Titus</i> preach zeale with all authoritie; +though in mine owne name I crave +your patience, and audience, yet in his +name that is the first of the creatures, +and <i>Amen</i>, I counsell him that hath an +eare, to heare what the Spirit saith to the +Churches;</p> + +<p><span class="greek" title="[Greek: Zêlôson]"> +Ζηλωσον +</span>, <i>Be Zealous.</i></p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<a name="A_Coale_from_the_Altar"></a><h2><i>A Coale from the Altar.</i></h2> +<br /> + +<p>Revel. 3.19. <span class="greek" title="[Greek: Zêlôson]"> +Ζηλωσον +</span>, <i>Be Zealous.</i></p> + +<p>Zeale hath been little +practized, lesse +studied: this heavenly +fire hath ever +beene a stranger +upon earth. +Few in all ages +that have felt the +heat of it, fewer that have knowne the +nature of it. A description will rake it +out of the embers of obscurity: and it +may be that many when they shall know +it better, will better affect it.</p> + +<p>2. Zeale hath many counterfets and +allies. There are many strange fires +which having sought to carry away the +credit of it, have brought in an ill name +upon it: from these it would bee distinguished.</p> + +<p>3. Zeale is every where spoken against +it hath many enemies and few friends: +the world can no more abide it, then +beasts can the elementary fire, the rebukes +of many have falne upon it, the +Divell weaves cunning lies to bring +downe the honour of it. Oh that wee +could raise and maintaine it, by setting +forth the deserved praise of it; and challenge +it from the false imputations of +such as hate it without a cause.</p> + +<p>4. Zeale hath in this our earthly +molde, little fuell, much quench-coale, +is hardly fired, soone cooled. A good +Christian therefore would bee glad to +know the Incentives and preservatives +of it, which might enkindle it, enflame +it, feed it, and revive it when it is going +out.</p> + +<p>5. Zeale in the worlds opinion, is as +common as fire on every mans hearth, +no mans heart without zeale, if every +man might be his owne judge; If most +might be heard there is too much of it; +but the contrary will appear if the right +markes bee taken, and the true rules of +triall and conviction bee observed, and +the heart thereby examined.</p> + +<p>6. Zeale generally handled will break +as lightning in the aire, and seize upon +no subject: Application must set it on +mens harts, and exhortation warme this +old and colde age of the world, chiefly +this temperate climate of our nation.</p> +<br /> + +<p><i>First Part</i>.</p> + +<p>It was sayd of olde, that zeale was an +<i>Intension of love</i>: of late, that it is a compound +of <i>love and anger, or indignation</i>.</p> + +<p>The Ancients aimed right, and shot +neere, if not somwhat with the shortest. +The moderne well discovered the use +and exercise of more affections, then +love, within the fathome and compasse +of zeale; but in helping that default, +went themselves somewhat wide, and +came not close to the marke: which I +ascribe not to any defect of eye-sight in +those sharpe sighted Eagles; but onely +to the want of fixed contemplation. +And to speake truth, I have oft wondered why +poore <i>Zeale</i>, a vertue so high +in Gods books, could never be so much +beholding to mens writings as to obtain +a just treatise, which hath beene the lot +of many particular vertues of inferiour +worth; a plaine signe of too much under-value +and neglect.</p> + +<p>Hee that shall stedfastly view it, shall +finde it not to bee a degree or intension +of love, or any single affection (as the +<i>Schooles</i> rather confined then defined +zeale) neither yet any mixt affection (as +the later, rather compounded then +comprehended the nature of it) but an +<i>hot temper, higher degree or intension of +them all</i>. As varnish is no one color, but +that which gives glosse & lustre to all; So +the opposites of zeale, key-coldnes and +lukewarmnesse, which by the Law of +contraries must bee of the same nature, +are no affections, but severall tempers of +them all.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_r">Acts 26. 7.</div> + +<p><i>Paul</i> warrants this description where +hee speakes of the twelve Tribes. <i>They +served God with intension or vehemency</i>.</p> + +<p>The roote shewes the nature of the +branch. Zeale comes of <span class="greek" title="[Greek: zô]"> Ζω</span>, a word framed +of the very sound and hissing noise, +which hot coales or burning iron make +when they meete with their contrary. +In plaine English, zeale is nothing but +heate: from whence it is, that zealous +men are oft in Scripture sayd to burne in +the spirit. <span class="greek" title="[Greek: zeontes pneumati]"> +ζεοντες πνευματι</span>.</p> + +<p>Hee that doth moderately or remisly +affect any thing, may be stiled <i>Philemon</i>, +a lover; he that earnestly or extreamely, +<i>Zelotes</i>, a zelot; who to all the objects of +his affections, is excessively and passionately +disposed, his love is ever fervent, +his desires eager, his delights ravishing, +his hopes longing, his hatred deadly, +his anger fierce, his greefe deep, his feare +terrible. The Hebrewes expresse these +Intensions by doubling the word. +This being the nature of zeale in generall, +Christian zeale of which wee desire +onely to speake, differs from carnall +and worldly, chiefly in the causes and +objects.</p> + +<p>It is a spirituall heate wrought in the +heart of man by the holy Ghost, improoving +the good affections of love, +joy, hope, &c. for the best service and +furtherance of Gods glory, with all the +appurtenances thereof, his word, his +house, his Saints and salvation of soules: +using the contrarie of hatred, anger, +greefe, &c as so many mastives to flie +upon the throat of Gods enemies, the +Divell, his Angels, sinne, the world with +the lusts thereof. By the vertue wherof +a <i>Zealot</i> may runne through all his affections, +and with <i>David</i>, breath zeale +out of every pipe, after this manner for +a taste;</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Psalme Love.</div> + +<p><i>How doe I love thy Law (O Lord) more +then the hony or the hony-combe, more then +thousands of silver and gold!</i></p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Hatred.</div> + +<p><i>Thine enemies I hate with a perfect +hatred.</i></p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Joy.</div> + +<p><i>Thy testimonies are my delight: I rejoyce +more in them, then they that finde great +spoyles, more then in my appoynted food.</i></p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Grief.</div> + +<p><i>Mine eyes gush out rivers of teares. Oh +that my head were a fountain of teares, because +they destroy thy Law.</i></p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Hope.</div> + +<p><i>Mine eyes are dimme with wayting: how +doe I long for thy salvation?</i></p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Feare.</div> + +<p><i>Thy judgements are terrible, I tremble +and quake, etc.</i></p> + +<p>Look what pitch of affection the naturall +man bestowes upon his dearest darling, +what unsatiable thirst the covetous +worldling upon his Mammon, the ambitious +upon his honour, the voluptuous +upon his pleasure; the same the +Christian striveth in equall, yea, (if +possible) farre exceeding tearmes to +convert and conferre upon God and his +worship.</p> + +<p>In briefe, to open a little crevise of +further light, and to give a little glimpse +of heat: Zeale is to the soule, that which +the spirits are to the bodie; wine to the +spirits, putting vigour and agility into +them. Whence comes that elegant Antithesis +in the Scripture. <i>Bee not drunke +with wine wherein is excesse, but be filled +with the Spirit.</i></p> + +<div class="sidenote_r">Ser. 41. in Can. 49.</div> + +<div class="sidenote_r">Acts 2.</div> + +<p>Christ is sayd to lead his Spouse into +the wine-cellar: which Simily <i>Bernard</i> +delighting oft to repeat, in two or +three Sermons interprets of a speciall +measure of zeale inspired into his +Church. Thus (saith hee) Christ led his +Disciples into the wine cellar on the day +of Pentecost; and filled them, and the +house with such zeale as they came forth +like Giants refreshed with wine, and seemed +to the people as men drunke with +new wine.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_r">Heb. 1. 7.</div> + +<p>It is to the soule, as wings to the foule: +this also is a Scripture embleme to picture +the Angels with wings, as in the +hangings of the Temple, and in the visions +of the revelation, in token of their +ardent and zealous execution of Gods +will: whence also they have their name +<i>Seraphim</i>; hee maketh his ministers a +flame of fire.</p> + +<p>To this fire and these wings, which +we in the Lords prayer desire to imitate, +there is nothing in us answerable but +our zeale; as wheeles to the charriot: +which makes us not goe, but runne the +wayes of Gods Commandements, and +so runne that we may obtaine. As sailes +to the ship, and winde to the sailes, to +which alludes the phrase so frequent in +Scripture, <i>Plerophorie</i>.</p> + +<p>As courage to the souldier, mettle to +the horse, dust to the ground, which +makes it bring forth much fruit, yea an +hundredfold: vivacity to all creatures. +To conclude this, this is that celestiall +fire which was shadowed out unto us +by that poore element in comparison, +and beggarly rudiment, the fire (I +meane) of such necessary use in the law, +which rather then it should be wanting, +the Lord caused it to descend from heaven, +that it might cause the Sacrifices +to ascend thither againe, as a sweet incense +unto the Lord, without which no +burnt offering was acceptable.</p> +<br /> + +<p><i>The Second Part.</i></p> + +<p>But now, as then, there are certaine +false fires, abhominable to God, odious +to men, dangerous to the <i>Nadabs</i> and +<i>Abihues</i> that meddle with them, bringing +thereby coales upon their owne +heads, & ill favor upon all their services; +& not onely so, but that which is worse, +an ill report and surmize even on those +that offer the right fire, & serve the Lord +in spirit and truth: yet for their sakes is +the name of zeale blasphemed all the +day long.</p> + +<p>Against these, as then, so now severe +caveats and cleere distinctions must bee +laid, lest such as have not their senses exercised +to put a difference, mistake poysonfull +weedes for wholesome hearbes, +to their owne destruction; and for the +sake of the one, revile the other to the +wrong of God and his Saints.</p> + +<p>It fares not otherwise with the soule +then with the body: besides the native & +radicall heat, the principall instrument +of life, there are aguish and distempered +heats, the causes of sicknesse and death.</p> + +<p>To discerne of those, requires some +skill and judgement: yet a good Empirick, +a Christian of experience will give +a shrewd ghesse at them, the easier & the +better if he marke these following signes +and symptomes, common to all the +kinds of false zeale, here also following.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">1. Ostentation.</div> + +<p>First, they are deeply sicke of the pharisaicall +humor, they love to be seene of +men, and say with <i>Jehu, Come and see how +zealous I am for the Lord of hosts</i>: they +proclaime their almes with a trumpet, +paint their good deedes upon Church +windowes, engrave their legacies upon +tombes, have their acts upon record: +Thus, Comets blaze more then fixed +Starres. Aguish heats breede flushings, +& are more seen in the face, then natural +warmth at the heart. Schollers count hiding +of Art the best Art: the godly man +studies by all meanes how to conceale +the one hand from the other, in doing +well; hiding of zeale is the best zeale.</p> + +<p>Secondly, of <i>Ahabs</i> disease exceeding +in externall humiliation, affected +gestures, passionate sighes, lowdnesse of +voyce, odde attires & such like: These +know how to rend the garment, hang +the head with the bulrush, to whip and +launce their skinnes with <i>Baals</i> Priests; +and yet strangers to a wounded spirit: +not but that true and hearty zeale doth +lift up the eyes, knocke the breast, dance +before the Arke. Therefore this character +may deceive the unwarie; Let +<i>Ely</i> take heede of judging <i>Hanna's</i> Spirit +rashly by the mooving of her lips: yet +hypocrites so usually straine nature and +without a cause exceed, and that in publique, +and upon the stage, that for the +most part, their actions and affections +are palpable: as <i>Jesuites, Cappuchins</i>, &c. +yea in many histrionicall Protestants: +Horse-coursers jades will bound, curvet +and shew more tricks, then a horse well +mettled for the rode or cart.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">3. Complementall.</div> + +<p>Thirdly, you may know them by +their diligence and curiositie in lighter +matters joyned with omission and neglect +of greater, wise in circumstance, and +carelesse in substance, tithing mint, straining +at gnats, &c. In all cheape and easie +duties, prodigall: niggardly & slothfull +in the waighty things of the Law: +these have at command good words, +countenance, yea teares from their eyes, +sooner then a farthing from their purse, +having this worlds goods, and see their +brother want; these sticke up feathers +for the carcasse, beguiling the simple, +couzening the world, but cheefly themselves.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">4. Pragmaticall.</div> + +<div class="sidenote_l">5. Censorious.</div> + +<div class="sidenote_l">6. Cruell.</div> + +<p>Fourthly, these fires cannot keepe +themselves within their owne hearths, +these spirits cannot keepe themselves +within their owne circles. True zeale +loves to keepe home, studieth to bee +quiet in other mens Dioces: false zeale +loves to be gadding, is eagle-ey'd abroad +and mole-ey'd at home: Insteed of burning +bright and shining cleere; like brinish +lights, they sparkle & spet at others, +or like ill couched fire-workes let fly on +all sides: onely out of their wisdome +they know how to spare <i>Agag</i> and the +great ones, and bee sure they anger not +their great Masters, and meddle with +their matches: whereas it is the property +of fire that comes from above, to +spare the yeelding sheath, and melt the +resisting mettall, to passe by the lower +roofes, and strike the towred pinacle, as +<i>Nathan, David; Elias, Ahab; John, Herod; +Jonas, Ninivie; &c.</i> Note also in all their +proceeding with others, in steede of +wholesome severity (which rightly zealous +men never come unto but by compulsion, +and not without compassion +of the offender, weeping with <i>Moses</i> and +<i>Samuel</i> over the people, beeing sory +with the Emperour, that they know +how to write sentences of condemnation) +These delight in cruelty, the brand +of the Malignant Church; feede their +eyes with Massacres, as the Queene-mother. +No diet so pleasing to these ravening +wolves, as the warme blood of +the sheepe. These are they that cry fire +and fagot, away with them, not worthy +to live, their very mercies are cruelty: +especially in their owne cause, they heat +the fornace seaven times hotter then in +Gods.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">7. Variable and inconstant.</div> + +<p>Lastly, these Meteors and Vapours +have no constant light, or continued +heat (as the fixed starres ever like themselves) +but have onely their aguish fits, +& lunatick moods; sometimes in adversity +they are good under the rod, as <i>Pharaoh</i>, +againe in prosperity like the fat kine +of <i>Bashan</i>, ingratefull and forgetfull: +sometimes in prosperity when the sunne +of peace shineth on them, & the favourable +influence of great ones, they shoot +foorth their blade with the corne on the +house top, running with the streame, & +sayling with the winde; sometimes their +zeale depends upon the life of <i>Jehoiada</i>; +sometimes on the company of the Prophets: +commonly in the beginning they +blaze like straw-fire, but in the end goe +out in smoake and smother; whereas in +their entrance into profession, they galloped +into shewes, and made some girds +at hand, they tire, give in, and end in the +flesh, whereas all naturall motions are +swiftest toward their end.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_r">Be not over just hath 7. expositions<br/>heere 2. or 3. more hereafter.</div> + +<p>The vestall fires were perpetuall, and +the fire of the Altar never went out. +Spices and wefts of these evills may bee +found in the sincerest Christians: but +they suffer not these dead flies to lie and +putrefie in the precious boxes of true +zeale; of all these the Preachers caveat +may be construed, <i>Be not over just</i>, though +it may also admit other interpretations, +as after shall appeare.</p> + +<p>These are the speciall notes and symptomes +of strange fires: the kinds also are +many, and might be distributed into many +heads; but I will reduce them into +three, which are known by their names. +<span class="greek" title="[Greek: pseudozêlos]"> +ψευδοζηλος</span>, +<i>counterfet Zeale, false fire</i>. +<span class="greek" title="[Greek: tuphlos zêlos]"> +τυφλος ζηλος</span> +<i>blinde Zeale, smoakie fire, or +fooles fire, ignis fatuus</i>. +<span class="greek" title="[Greek: pikros zêlos]"> +πικρος ζηλος</span>, +<i>turbulent Zeale, wilde fire</i>.</p> + +<p>The first, wanting truth and sincerity, +propounds sinister ends.</p> + +<p>The second, knowledge and discretion, +takes wrong wayes.</p> + +<p>The third, love and humility, exceeds +measure.</p> + +<p>The first abounds amongst subtile & +crafty professours, and is to be abhorred +and detected.</p> + +<p>The second among simple & devout, +is to be pitied and directed.</p> + +<p>The third amongst passionate and affectionate, +and is to bee moderated and +corrected.</p> + +<p>The first is the meere vizor of zeale, +looking asquint one way and tending +another; pretending God and his glory, +intending some private and sinister end; +first, either of honour and promotion, +as <i>Jehu</i>, who marched furiously, and his +word was the Lord of hosts, but his project +was the kingdome.</p> + +<p>Secondly, at filthy lucre: as <i>Demetrius</i> +and his followers, who cried great is +<i>Diana</i> of Ephesus; but meant her little +silver shrines. It cannot bee denied, but +many such there were, who helped to +pull downe the Abbyes; not out of any +hatred to those uncleane cages, but to +reare their owne houses out of the ruines, +and spoyled copes to make cushions. +<i>Judas</i> complained of superfluity, +but greeved it fell besides his bag: many +hold temporalities tithes and glebes, +unlawfull, because they are loth to forgo +them: If <i>Jezebel</i> proclaime a Fast, let +<i>Naboth</i> looke to his vine-yard; If the Usurer +& Trades-man frequent Sermons, +let the buyer & borrower look to themselves. +It is too common a thing to make +zeale a lure & stale, to draw customers; +a bait of fraud, a net to entrap; with malicious +<i>Doegs</i>, to make it a stalking horse +for revenge against the Priest, thereby +to discharge their gall at Ministers and +other Christians, for the omission and +commission of such things, as themselves +care not for; with the <i>Strumpet</i> in +the Proverbs, to wipe their mouthes, +and frequent the Sacrifices, that they +may be free from suspicion.</p> + +<p>All these evils, have I seene under +the sunne-shine of the Gospell: but by +how much, zeale is more glorious then +common profession, by so much is dissembled +fervency more detestable then +usuall hypocrisie; yea, no better then +divellish villany & double iniquity: such +painted walles and whited sepulchers, +the Lord will breake downe. Let all +<i>Timothies</i> & <i>Nathanaels</i> learne to descry +them, and discard them: The cure of +this was deepely forelayd by Christ; <i>I +counsell thee to buy gold tried in the fire</i>: all +is not gold that glistereth, an image of +faith breeds but a shew of zeale; many +seemed to trust in Christ, but Christ +would not trust them: but such faith as +will abide the fire, brings foorth zeale +that will abide the touch-stone.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_r"><span class="greek" title="[Greek: kakozêlia]"> +κακοζηλια</span>.</div> + +<p>The second is erroneous or blinde +zeale, not according to knowledge, +Rom. 10. I beare many devout Papists +witnesse (though I feare the learnedst +of them be selfe-condemned) that they +have this zeale, perswading themselves +they doe God best service, when they +please the Divell most in their will-worship. +The same witnesse I beare many +<i>Seperatists</i>; though I feare most of them +be sicke of selfe-conceitednesse, newfanglenesse, +and desire of mastership: for +who would not suspect such zeale, which +condemnes all reformed Churches, and +refuseth communion with such as they +themselves confesse to bee Christians, +and consequentely such as have communion +with Christ? It would greeve +a man indeede, to see zeale misplaced, +like mettle in a blinde horse; to see men +take such paines, and yet fall into the +pit. This made <i>Paul</i> to wish himselfe +<i>Anathema</i>, for the sake of such; and yet +the multitude and common people, reason +thus; Is it possible but these men +have the right? But alas, how should it +bee otherwise, when a blinde company +will follow a blinde sect-master; This +being one property of blinde zeale, a +fond admiration and apish imitation of +some person, for some excellency they +see in him, which so dazles their eyes, +that they cannot discerne their errours +and infirmities, which they oftner inherit +then their vertues; as appeares in +the <i>Lutherans</i> and the Jewes, that would +sacrifice their children to <i>Molech</i>, in imitation +of <i>Abraham</i>: In these the Divell +becomes an Angell of light, and playeth +that Dragon, Revel. 12. powring out +flouds of persecution against the +Church, causing devout men and women, +to raise tragedies, breath out threatnings, +and persecute without measure; +then these the Divell hath no better soldiers: +but when their scales fall from +their eyes, and they come into Gods +tents; God hath none like unto them. +The cure of this divinely is forelayd by +Christ also, to buy eye-salve of him; +Angells have eyes as well as wings to +guide their flight: when the ship is under +saile, and hath the freshest way; it +hath most neede to looke to the sterage, +keep the watch, have an eye to the Compasse +and land-marks.</p> + +<p>The third kinde is turbulent zeale, +called by <i>James</i> bitter zeale, a kinde of +wilde-fire transporting men beyond all +bounds and compasse of moderation; +proceeding sometime of a weaknesse +of nature in men, that have no stay of +their passion, like to Clockes whose +springs are broken, and Cities whose +walls are down. Zeale is a good servant, +but an ill master: mettle is dangerous in +a head-strong horse. And so the Poets +(which were the Heathens Prophets) +shadowed out the cure of this, in <i>Minerva's</i> +golden bridle, wherewith she menaged +her winged <i>Pegasus</i>. There is too +much of this bitter zeale, of this <i>Hierapicra</i> +in all our bookes of controversies: +but especially there hath been too much +in our domesticall warrs; some sonns +of <i>Bichri</i> have blowen the trumpet of +contention, trumpets of anger; the +Churches of God should have no such +custome: Oh that our Churches understood +that saying.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_r">Rom. 14. 10.</div> + +<p>In quarrells of this nature <i>Paul</i> spends +his zeale, not in partaking but in parting +the fray, beating downe the weapons +on both sides: Who art thou that +judgest? who art thou that condemnest +thy brother? as if hee should say, The +matters are not <i>Tanti</i>, wee have made +the Divell too much sport already; who +threw in these bones to set us together +by the eares, whilst hee lets in the common +Enemy upon us. <i>Charitie, Charitie</i>, +is the builder of Churches: Strife about +trifles, hath wasted many famous +ones, and placed the temples of <i>Mahomet</i>, +where the golden candle-sticke was +wont to stand. Wee pitty the former ages, +contending about leavened and unleavened +bread, keeping of Easter, fasting +on Sundayes, &c. The future ages, +will do the like for us. Oh that the Lord +would put into the hearts both of the +governours & parties to these quarrells, +once to make an end of these Midianitish +warrs; that wee might joyntly powre +out the vialls of our zeale upon the +throne of the beast.</p> + +<p>Thus have you heard the errors and +counterfets of zeale, through whose +sides, and upon the backe of which, +divers of the malicious world use to +beat those whom it hates, because their +workes are better then their owne; injuriously +concluding, that all Zelots are +alike. Thus I have heard our Marchants +complaine, that the set up blewes have +made strangers loath the rich oaded +blewes, onely in request; this is an olde +sophisme. True judgement would teach +us to conclude, that the best druggs have +their adulterates; the most current coins +their slipps; and that vertue which so +many hypocrites put on, to grace themselves +withall; is surely some rare and +excellent jewell.</p> +<br /> + +<p><i>The third part.</i></p> + +<p>The true Zelot, whose fervency is +in the spirit, not in shew; in substance +not in circumstance; for God, not himselfe; +guided by the word, not with +humours; tempered with charity, not +with bitternesse: such a mans praise is +of God though not of men: such a mans +worth cannot bee set foorth with the +tongues of men and Angells.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Arguments of commendation.</div> + +<p>Oh that I had so much zeale, as to +steep it in it owne liquour; to set it forth +in it owne colours, that the Lord would +touch my tongue with a coale from his +Altar, that I might regaine the decayed +credit of it, with the sons of men.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">1. From God's excellency whom zeale<br/>only becomes unworthily placed elsewhere.</div> + +<p>It is good to bee zealous in a good +things: and is it not best, in the best? or +is there any better then God, or the +kingdome of heaven? Is it comely what +ever we do, to do it with all our might? +onely uncomely when wee serve God? +Is meane and mediocrity, in all excellent +Arts excluded, and onely to be admitted +in religion? Were it not better +to forbeare <i>Poetry</i> or <i>Painting</i>, then to +rime or dawbe? and were it not better +to bee of no religion, then to be colde or +lukewarme in any? Is it good to be earnest +for a friend, & cold for the Lord of +hosts? For whom doest thou reserve the +top of thy affections? for thy gold? for +thy <i>Herodias</i>, &c. O yee adulterers and +adultresses, can yee offer God a baser indignity? +What ayleth the world? Is it +afrayd thinke we, that God can have too +much love; who in regard of his owne +infinite beauty, & the beames he vouchsafeth +to cast upon us, deserves the best, +yea all, and a thousand times more then +all? Ought not all the springs and +brookes of our affection, to runne into +this Maine? may not hee justly disdaine, +that the least Riveret should bee drained +another way? that any thing in the world +should bee respected before him, equalled +with him, or loved out of him, of +whom, for whom, and through whom +are all things? Who, or what can bee +sufficient for him our Maker and Saviour? +In other objects feare excesse: here +no extasie is high enough.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">2. From his spirituall nature.</div> + +<p>Consider and reason thus with thy +selfe (O man) canst thou brooke a sluggard +in thy worke, if thou bee of any +spirit thy selfe? is not a slothfull messenger +as vinegar to thy teeth, and as +smoake to thine eyes? Hast thou any +sharpnesse of wit, is not dulnesse tedious +unto thee? And shall hee that is all +spirit (for whom the Angels are slow +and colde enough) take pleasure in thy +drowzie and heavie service? Doe men +choose the forwardest Deere in the +heard, and the liveliest Colt in the +drove? and is the backwardest man +fittest for God? Is not all his delight in +the quickest and cheerefullest givers and +servitors? Even to <i>Judas</i> he saith, That +thou doest, doe quickely; so odious is +dulnesse unto him: what else mooved +him to ordaine, that the necke of the +consecrated Asse should bee broken, rather +then offered up in sacrifice; doth +God hate the Asse? Or is it not for the +sake of the quality of the creature; +which hath ever among the Heathens +beene an <i>Hieroglyphick</i> of heavinesse and +tardity?</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">3. Effects of zeale. Revel. 12.</div> + +<div class="sidenote_r">Opus operatum.</div> + +<p>Thirdly, this zeale is so gracious a favorite +with God, that it graces with him +all the rest of his graces. Prayer if it bee +fervent, prevaileth much: the zealous +witnesses had power to shut and open +heaven: by this, <i>Israel</i> wrastled with +God, overcame, and was called a Prince +with God: this strengthned the heart of +<i>Moses</i> (as <i>Aaron</i> and <i>Hur</i> supported +his hands) till the Lord sayd, Let me alone: +this made <i>Cornelius</i> his prayer +to come into heaven; whither our colde +sutes can no more ascend, then vapours +from the Still, unlesse there bee fire under +it: Repentance, a needefull and primary +grace, which the Baptist so urged: +but then wee must bee zealous and +repent (as my text joynes them) or +else no repentance pleaseth God; nor +are there fruits worthy repentance. +Almes and good deeds are sacrifices +pleasing to God; but without zeale, the +widowes mites are no better then the +rest; It is the cheerefull loose, that doubleth +the gift. Generally, as some mans +marke and name, furthereth the sale of +his commodity; so zeale inhanceth all +the graces of God. It pittieth me for <i>Laodicea</i> +that lost so much cost; had as many +vertues, did as many duties as other +Churches: but for want of this, Christ +could not sup with them. Furnish a table +with the principallest fare, and daintiest +dishes that may be had; let them be +rosted & boyled to the halves, or stand +on the table till they bee lukewarme; +what will the guests say? All that we can +doe is but the deede done, unlesse zeale +conferre grace.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">4. Baptismus Flaminis & Fluminis.</div> + +<p>Fourthly, zeale is the richest evidence +of faith, and the cleerest demonstration +of the Spirit: The Baptisme of water, +is but a cold proofe of a mans Christendome; +being common to all commers: +but if any bee baptized with fire, +the same is sealed up to the day of Redemption. +If any shall say, friend, what +doest thou professe a religion without it; +how can hee choose but bee strucke +dumb? Can wee suppose worme-wood +without bitternesse, a man without reason? +then may wee imagine a religion, +and a Christian, without spirit and zeale.</p> + +<p>The Jesuite saith, I am zealous; the +Separatist, I am zealous; their plea is +more probable, then the lukewarme +worldlings, that serve God without +life. If the colour bee pale and wan, and +the motion insensible, the party is dead +or in a swoune; if good and swift, wee +make no question. The zealous Christian +is never to seeke for a proofe +of his salvation: what makes one Christian +differ from another in grace, as +starrs doe in glory; but zeale? All beleevers +have a like precious faith: All +true Christians have all graces in their +seedes; but the degrees of them are no +way better discerned then by zeale: +Men of place distinguish themselves, by +glistering pearles: A Christian of degrees +shines above other in zeale. Comparisons +I know are odious to the +world, that faine would have all alike: +but the righteous is better then his +neighbour: All Christians are the excellent +of the earth, the Zelot surmounteth +them all, as <i>Saul</i> the people by the +head and shoulders; hee is ever striving +to excell and exceeds others and himselfe.</p> + +<p>One of these is worth a thousand others, +one doth the worke of many: +which made him speake of <i>Elisha</i> in +the plurall number, <i>The horsemen and +Charriots of Israel</i>; besides his owne +worke, hee winns and procures others, +makes Proselytes. It is the nature of fire +to multiply, one coale kindles another: +his worke so shines, that others come in +and glorifie God; marvelling and enquiring +what such forwardnesse should +meane, concluding with <i>Nebuchadnezzar, +Surely the servants of the most high God.</i></p> + +<p>These are good Factors and Agents, +doing God as good service, as Boutesewes +doe the Divell, and Jesuites the +Pope, sparing no cost, nor labour; and +what they cannot doe themselves, they +doe by their friends, <i>Who is on my side, +who? &c.</i></p> + +<p>As for lets and impediments, they +over-looke and over-leape them, as fire +passeth from one house to another; neither +is there any standing for any Gods +enemies before them: they make havock +of their owne and others corruptions. +If you will rightly conceive of <i>Peters</i> +zeale in converting & confounding, +you must imagine (saith <i>Chrysostome</i>) a +man made all of fire walking in stubble. +All difficulties are but whetstones of +their fortitude. The sluggard saith, +<i>There is a Lyon in the way</i>; tell <i>Samson</i> & +<i>David</i> so, they will the rather goe out to +meet them. Tell <i>Nehemiah of Samballat</i>, +hee answereth, <i>Shall such a man as I +feare?</i> Tell <i>Caleb</i> there are <i>Anakims</i>, and +hee will say, <i>Let us goe upp at once, &c</i>. +Let <i>Agabus</i> put off his girdle and binde +<i>Paul</i>, let him be told in every City, that +bonds await him, hee is not onely ready +for bonds, but for death; tell <i>Jubentius</i>, +hee must lay downe his life, he is as +willing as to lay off his clothes: tell <i>Luther</i> +of enemies in <i>Wormes</i>, hee will goe +if all the tiles of the houses were Divells. +The horse neighs at the trumpet; the +Leviathan laughs at the speare. They +that meane to take the Kingdome of +God by violence, provide themselves +to goe through fire and water, carry +their lives in their hands, embrace faggots; +they say to father and mother, <i>I +know you not</i>: to carnall Counsellers and +friendly enemies, <i>Get you behinde mee +Sathan.</i> Zeale is as strong as death, hot +as the coales of Juniper; flouds of many +waters cannot quench it. <i>Agar</i>, Pro. 30. +speakes of foure things, stately in their +kinde; I will make bold to add a fift, +comprehending and excelling them all +namely the zealous Christian, strong +and bold as the Lyon; not turning his +head for any; as swift as the grey-hound +in the waies of Gods commandements; +in the race to heaven, as nimble as the +Goat climbing the steepe and craggy +mountaines of pietie and vertue; A +victorious King, overcoming the world +and his lusts: <i>Salomon</i> in all his royalty, +is not cloathed like one of these in his +fiery Charriot.</p> + +<p>To cut off the infinite praises of zeale, +let us heare what honourable testimonies +and glorious rewards, it pleaseth +God to conferre upon it; <i>Davids</i> ruddy +complexion and his skill in musique, +made him amiable in the eyes of men: +but the zeale of his heart, stiled him a +man after Gods owne heart; and the +sweet Singer of Israel. <i>Abraham</i>, that +could finde in his heart to sacrifice his +<i>Isaack</i>, was called the friend of God. +The same vertue denominated <i>Jacob +</i> a Prince with God. <i>Elisha</i>, The Charriots +and horse-men. <i>Paul</i>, A chosen +vessell, &c.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_r">Revel. 12.</div> + +<div class="sidenote_r">Revel. 7. 3. Ezek. 9. Exod. 12.</div> + +<p>Neither doth God put them off, with +names and empty favours, but upon +these he bestowes his graces: <i>David</i> dedicateth +his Psalmes to him that excelled: +God in dispensing of favours, observeth +the same rule, to him that overcommeth +will I give, &c, To him +that hath, shall bee given. Husbandmen +cast their seede uppon the fertilest +ground, which returnes it with the +greatest interest: God gives most talents +to those that improove them in +the best banke. <i>Joseph</i> shall have a party +coloured coat, of all kindes of graces +and blessings: And because he knowes +this will purchase them hatred and envy, +hee takes them into speciall tuition; +if any will hurt his zealous witnesses, +there goeth out a fire out of their +mouthes, to devoure their enemies. A +man were better anger all the witches +in the world then one of these. If God +bring any common judgements, he sets +his seale and <i>Thau</i> on their fore-heads, & +sprinkles their posts; snatcheth <i>Lot</i> out +of the fire (who burneth in zeale, as <i>Sodome</i> +in lust) as men doe their plate +whiles they let the baser stuffe burne. +In fine, hee taketh <i>Enoch</i> and <i>Eliah</i> in triumphant +Charriots up to heaven, and +after their labours and toyles, setteth +them in speciall Thrones, to rest in glory; +The Apostles in their twelve, the +rest in their order, according to their +zeale. And though hee may well reckon +the best of these, unprofitable servants; +yet such congruity (not of merits, +but of favour) it pleaseth him to +observe in crowning his graces, that the +most zealous heere, are the most glorious +there.</p> + +<p>Who would not now wonder, how +ever this royall vertue should have lost +it grace with the world; how ever any +should admit a low thought of it? But +what? Shall all the indignity which hell +can cast upon it, make it vile in our eyes? +or rather, shall wee not reason from the +opposition, as <i>Tertullian</i> did of <i>Nero: +</i> That religion which <i>Nero</i> so persecutes, +must needs be excellent.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">1 Object. Zeale is madd, and makes men mad.</div> + +<div class="sidenote_r">Acts 26. 24 1 Cor.</div> + +<p>If zeale were not some admirable +good, the Divell and World would not +so hate it; Yet lest silence should bee +thought to baulke some unanswerable +reasons, let us see how they labour to +be madd with reason: Let <i>Festus</i> bee the +Speaker for the rest, for hee speakes what +all the rest thinke; you know his madd +objection, and <i>Pauls</i> sober answer in +that place, and the like, 2 Cor. 5.13. +whether hee bee madd or sober, it is for +God and you.</p> + +<p>This text bids us bee zealous and repent; +the word signifies be wise againe, +or returne to your wits. The prodigall +is sayd to come to himselfe, when he was +first heat with this fire. Wee may well +answer the world as old men doe young: +You thinke us Christians to bee madd +that follow heaven so eagerly; but we +know you to bee madd, that run a-madding +so after vanity.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_r">Acts. 2.</div> + +<div class="sidenote_r">Acts. 7.</div> + +<p>A Christian indeed is never right, till +he seeme to the world to be beside himselfe; +Christs owne kindred were afrayd +of him. The Apostles are sayd to be full +of new wine; besides, with these the +world is madd: they runn with <i>Stephan +</i> like madd men; <i>Nichodemus</i> and such as +he, never offends them.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">2 Object.</div> + +<div class="sidenote_l">A makebate.</div> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Tenterden steeple.</div> + +<p>You know also what <i>Ahab</i> laid to the +charge of <i>Eliah</i>; with the Apologie hee +made for himselfe. This is a stale imputation +in ages. <i>Haman</i> accused <i>Mordechay</i> +and the Jewes of it. The Apostles +are sayd to bee troubles of the +whole earth. In the Primitive Church +all mutinies and contentions were layd +to the Martyrs. True it is, where zeale is, +there is opposition, and so consequently +troubles: Christ sets this fire on earth, +not as an author, but by accident: The +theefe is the authour of the fray, though +the true man strike never so many +blowes: but the <i>Ahabs</i> of the world, +trouble Israel; then, complaine of <i>Eliah: +</i> The Papists will blow upp the State, +then father it upon the Puritans. It is +not for any wise man, to beleeve the +tythe of the tales and slanders, which +flie abroad of the zealous: Lewd men +would fain strike at all goodnes through +their sides.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">3 Object. Proud.</div> + +<p>You may remember also <i>Eliabs</i> uncharitable +censure of <i>David</i>, I know the +pride of thine heart. So doe all worldlings +measure others by their owne +length; if they see any forwardnesse in +the peaceablest spirit, they ascribe it either +to vaine-glory, or covetousnesse; +the onely springs that set their wheeles +on going: but of this the knower of the +hearts must judge betweene us.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">4 Object. They keep no meane.</div> + +<p>When slaundering will not serve, +then fall they to glavering, cunningly +glancing at zeale, whiles they commend +the golden meane wherein vertue consists. +But Christians, take heede +none spoyle you through such Philosophy; +or rather Sopistry: for true Philosophy +will tell you that the meane +wherein vertue is placed, is the middle +betwixt two kindes, and not degrees: +And it is but meane vertue that loves +the meane in their sense.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">5 Object. Undiscreet.</div> + +<p>Oh say they, but some discretion +would doe well; It is true, but take +withall <i>Calvins</i> caveat to <i>Melancthon</i>: +That he affect not so the name of a moderate +man, and listen to such Syrens +songs, till he lose his zeale.</p> + +<p>I have observed, that which the +world miscalls discretion, to eat upp +zeale, as that which they call policy, +doth wisdome. As <i>Joab</i> stabbed <i>Abner</i> +under a colour of friendship: Antichrist +undermineth Christ, by pretending +to be his Vicar. The feare of overdoing +makes most come too short; of +the two extreamities, wee should most +feare lukewarmnesse: rather let your +milke boyle over then be raw.</p> + +<p>From glavering, they fall to scoffing; +yong Saints, will prove but olde Divels; +these hot-spurrs will soone runne themselves +out of breath. But wee say, such +were never right bred; such as proove +falling starres, never were ought but +meteors; the other never lose light or +motion: spirituall motions may be violent +and perpetuall.</p> + +<p>When none of these will take, they fal +to right downe rayling; these Puritans, +these singular fellowes, &c. unfit for +all honest company. I hope the states +Puritan, and the common Puritan bee +two creatures. For with that staffe the +multitude beats all that are better then +themselves, & lets fly at all that have any +shew of goodnes. But with that which +most call Puritanisme, I desire to worship +God. For singularity, Christs calls +for it, and presseth & urgeth it; What +singular thing doe you, or what odde +thing doe you? Shall Gods peculiar +people, doe nothing peculiar? The +world thinkes it strange, wee runne not +with them into excesses, and doe not as +most doe, that wee might escape derision: +Judge you which of these men shall +please: I beleeve none shall ever please +Christ, till they appeare odde, strange +and precise men, to the common sort; +and yet neede not bee over just neither +Let them that have tender eares stop +them against the charmes of the world, +and scornes of <i>Michol</i>, unlesse they +were wiser: Let him that hath a right +eare, heare what Christ saith to the +Churches, <i>Be zealous</i>.</p> +<br /> + +<p><i>The fourth part.</i></p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Incentives.</div> + +<p>Yea, but by what meanes shall a Christian +attaine this fire, and maintaine it +when he hath gotten it.</p> + +<p>Say not in thine heart, What <i>Prometheus</i> +shall ascend into heaven and fetch +it thence; thou mayest fetch it thence +by thine owne prayer: as did<i>Elias</i> and +the Apostles, men of infirmities as +well as thy selfe; pray continually, and +instantly: the Lord that breathed first +thy soule into thee, will also breath on +thy soule: I speake not of miraculous +(which was but a type) but of ordinarie +inspiration. Prayer and zeale are +as water and ice: mutually producing +each other; when it is once come +downe upon thine altar; though no water +can quench it, yet must it bee preserved +fresh, by ordinarie fuell; especially +the Priests lipps must keepe it alive.</p> + +<p>Sermons are bellowes ordained for +this purpose. The word read is of divine +use, but doth not with that motion +stirre these coales.</p> + +<p>Experience sheweth, the best oration +will not so much moove as the meanest +Orator.</p> + +<p>After the sparkles once by these +meanes kindled, cherish and feede them +by reading the word: Let it dwell richly +in thine heart, excite thy dulnesse by +spirituall Hymnes. Love-songs enflame +not lust, more, then the Song of +Songs doth zeale: Reade or sing the +119. Psalme; and if thou beest not zealous, +every verse will checke thee in thy +throat: Meditation is another helpe, +approoved by <i>Isaacks</i> and <i>Davids</i> practice: +An Art lately so taught, as I shall +neede onely to poynt at the choyce +theames, suiting and furthering this argument. +I need not goe far to fetch this +fire: I may strike it out of every word +of this Epistle to <i>Laodicea</i>. Behold the +Lord God, especially thy Lord Christ +in his glorious titles and Majesty; for +so hee beginnes his visions to <i>John</i>; +and his Epistles to the Churches, exciting +their dull hearts. By such apparitions +did hee set on fire the heart of +<i>Moses</i> in the burning bush; and enflamed +<i>Stephan</i>, his first Martyr: answerable +and proportionable to which, +are our serious contemplations. Behold +him as one that seeth thee, and knoweth +thy workes; the rouzing preface of all +these Letters. <i>Casars</i> eye made his souldiers +prodigall of their blood. The Atheist +thinks God takes as much notice +of him and his prayers, as hee doth of +the humming of Flyes and Bees; and +therefore, no marvell if his service bee +formall and fashionable. The faithfull +Christian by faiths prospective sees him +at home, and heares him saying, Well +done thou good servant; which maketh +him to worke out his heart. Behold +him as the beginning of creatures, especially +of the new creature. Oh! what +love hath hee shewed thee in thy redemption? +out of what misery, into +what happinesse, by what a price, to +what end; but that thou shouldest bee +zealous of good workes? Behold him +as the faithfull witnesse, that witnessed +himselfe for thee a good witnesse, +and heere faithfully counsels thee to follow +his patterne. Behold him as a speedie +and royall rewarder of his followers. +Take thy selfe into paradise, represent +to thy selfe thy crowne, thy throne, +thy white robes; looke not on the +things that are seene, but on the farre +most excellent wait of glory; looke +upon these, and faint if thou canst. +Behold also hee is a consuming fire, a +zealous God, hating lukewarmnesse +not onely destroying <i>Sodome</i> with fire +and brimstone, and providing <i>Tophet</i> +for his enemies; but awaking also his +drowzie servants, by judgements (as +<i>Absolon Joab</i> by firing his corne) his +Israelites by fiery serpents: whom hee +loveth, hee chasteneth, and keepeth +them in the fornace of fiery trialls, till +they come to their right temper. Hee +standeth and knocketh: if nothing will +arouze us, a time will come, when heaven +and earth shall burne with fire, and +Christ shall come in flaming fire, to +render vengeance with fire unquenchable. +Wee therefore that know the terrour +of that day, What manner of persons +ought we to bee?</p> + +<p>From God turne thine eyes unto +man: set before thee the pillar, and +clowde of fiery examples, that have +led us the way into Canaan. Hee is but +a dull lade that will not follow: The +stories of the Scriptures, the lives of +the Fathers, the acts and monuments +of the Church, have a speciall vertue for +this effect. The very pictures of the fires, +and Martyrs, cannot but warme thee. +If thou canst meete with any living examples, +follow them, as they follow +Christ, frequent their company: even +<i>Saul</i> amongst the Prophets, will prophesie. +No bangling hawke, but with a +high flyer will mend her pitch: the +poorest good companion, will doe thee +some good; when <i>Silas</i> came, <i>Paul</i> +burnt in the spirit: a lesser sticke may +fire a billet; If thou findest none, let +the coldnesse of the times heat thee, +as frosts doe the fire; Let every indignation +make thee zealous, as the dunstery +of the Monkes, made <i>Erasmus</i> studious: +one way to bee rich in times of +dearth, is to engrosse a rare commodity, +such as zeale is: now, if ever, <i>they have +destroyed thy Law</i>; It is now high time to +be zealous.</p> + +<p>Consider and emulate the children +of this generation, to see how eager every +<i>Demas</i> is for worldly promotion. +How did that worthy Bishop disdaine +to see an harlot, more curiously to adorne +her body unto sinne and death, +then hee could his soule unto life everlasting. +It angred <i>Demosthenes</i> to see a +Smith earlier at his anvile, then he was +at his deske.</p> + +<p>When thou hast thus heat thy selfe, +take heede of catching colde againe, as +many have done, and brought their +zeale to deaths doore.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Zeales extinguishers.</div> + +<p>This fire may goe out divers wayes: +first by subtraction of fewell; if a man +forbeare his accustomed meales, will +not his naturall heat decay? The <i>Levites</i> +that kept Gods watch in the Temple, +were charged expressely, morning +& evening, if not oftner, to looke to the +lights and the fire. Hee that shall forget +(at the least) with the <i>Curfeau-bell</i> in +the evening to rake uppe his zeale by +prayer, and with the day-bell in the +morning to stirre up & kindle the same, +if not oftner with <i>Daniel</i>; I cannot conceive +how hee can possibly keepe fire in +his heart. Will God blesse such, as bid +him not so much as good-morrow and +good-even?</p> + +<p>Hee that shall despise or neglect prophesie, +must hee not needes quench the +spirit? have I not marked glorious professors, +who for some farme sake, or other +commodities, have flitted from Jerusalem +to Jericho; where the situation +was good, but the waters nought; and +their zeale hath perished, because vision +hath failed?</p> + +<p>Such as reade the Bible by fits upon +rainy dayes, not eating the booke with +<i>John</i>, but tasting onely with the tippe of +the tongue: Such as meditate by snatches, +never chewing the cud and digesting +their meat, they may happily get +a smackering, for discourse and table-talke; +but not enough to keepe soule +& life together, much lesse for strength +and vigour. Such as forsake the best fellowship, +and wax strange to holy assemblies, (as now the manner of many +is) how can they but take colde? Can +one coale alone keepe it selfe glowing?</p> + +<p>Though it goe not out for want of +matter, yet may it bee put out by sundry +accidents; when it is newly kindled, it +may be put out with scoffes and reproaches, +if <i>Peter</i> take not heede, and fence +himselfe well against them; but if once +throughly growne, such breath will but +spred and encrease it.</p> + +<p>It is possible fire may bee oppressed +with too much wood, and heat suffocated +with too much nourishment: over-much +prayer, reading, and study, may +bee a wearinesse both to flesh and spirit: +but it so rarely happeneth, that I +neede not mention it; and yet the soule +hath its satiety. There be some such perchance +over-nice men in this sense also, +who have not learned that God +will have them mercifull to themselves: +It is often smoothered for want of +vent and exercise. Let such as use not +and expresse not their zeale, bragge of +their good hearts; surely they have +none such, or not like to have them +such. If <i>Nicodemus</i> had not buried +Christ by day, we might have feared his +zeale had gone out, for all his comming +by night.</p> + +<p>Yet this is not so ordinary, as to extinguish +it by the quench-coale of sinne; +grosse sinne every man knowes will +waste the conscience, and make shipwracke +of zeale: but I say, the least +known evill unrepented of, is as a theefe +in the candle, or an obstruction in the +liver. I feare, <i>David</i> served God but reasonably, +till hee published his repentance; +hee that steales his meat, though +poverty tempt him, yet giveth thankes +but coldly: zeale and sinne, will soone +expell the one or the other out of their +subject; Can you imagine in the same +roofe, God and Beliall, the Arke and +Dagon? Lastly, and most commonly, +forraine heat will extract the inward, +and adventicious heat consume the naturall.</p> + +<p>The Sunne will put out the fire; and +so will the love of the world, the love +of the Father, they cannot stand together +in intense degrees, one cannot +serve both these matters with such affection +as both would have. Seldome +seest thou a man make haste to bee rich, +and thrive in religion. Christs message +to <i>John</i> holds true; The poore are most +forward in receiving and following the +Gospell: as thou lovest thy zeale, beware +of resolving to bee rich, lest gain +proove thy godlinesse; take heede of +ambitious aspiring, lest Courts and +great places, proove ill aires for zeale, +whither it is as easie to go zealous, as to +returne wise: <i>Peter</i> whiles hee warmed +his hands, cooled his heart; Not that +greatnesse and zeale cannot agree; but +for that our weaknes many times severs +them. If thou beest willing to die poore +in estate, thou mayest the more easily +live rich in grace. <i>Smyrna</i>, the poorest +of the seven Candle-stickes, hath the richest +price upon it.</p> + +<p>The diligent practise of these courses +will make easie the practise of this counsell, +<i>Be zealous, &c</i>.</p> +<br /> + +<p><i>The fift part.</i></p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">1 Object.</div> + +<p>But heere mee thinke I heare the lukewarme +worldling of our times, fume & +chafe, and aske what needs all this adoe +for zeale, as if all Gods people were not +zealous enough.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Answer.</div> + +<p>Such as thinke they are, or can bee +zealous enough, neede no other conviction +to bee poore, blinde, naked, +wretched and pittifull <i>Laodiceans</i>: Fire +is ever climbing and aspiring higher; +zeale is ever aiming at that which is before; +carried towards perfection; thinking +meanely of that which is past, +and already attained, condemning his +unprofitable service, as <i>Calvin</i> his last +Will: this rule tries full conceited Christians.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">2 Object.</div> + +<p>What would you have us doe? wee +professe, keepe our Church, heare Sermons, +as Christians ought to doe.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Answer.</div> + +<p>Affectionate friendship and service +is not onely for publique shew and +pomp, upon festivall dayes, in Chambers +of Presence; but for domesticall, +ordinary, and private use; to such holy-day +and Church retainers, God may +well say, Let us have some of this zeale +at home and apart.</p> + +<p>All affections are most passionate, +without a witnesse. Such as whose families, +closets, fields, beds, walkes, doe testifie +of their worship, as well as temples +& Synagogues, are right servitors: God +much respects their devotions; and +they have strong proofe of the power of +godlinesse.</p> +<br /> + +<div class="sidenote_l">3 Object.</div> + +<p>Wee would you should know, that +wee are such as have prayer sayd or +read in our families and housholds; or +else we say some to our selves at our lying +downe, and uprising and more then +that, say you what you will, wee holde +more then needs.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Answer.</div> + +<p>First, know that zeale knowes no +such unmannerly courses, as to slubber +over a few prayers, whiles you are +dressing and undressing your selves, as +most doe, halfe asleepe, halfe awake; +know further, that such as hold onely +a certaine stint of daily duties, as malt-horses +their pace, or mill-horses their +round, out of custome or forme, are far +from that mettle which is ever putting +forward, growing from strength to +strength, and instant in duties, in season, +out of season: and this sayes hard to lazy +Christians.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">4 Object.</div> + +<p>May not wee goe too far on the right +hand?</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Answer.</div> + +<p>It is true: but liberality baulkes, and +feares covetousnesse and niggardize, +more a great deale then prodigallity; so +does zeale lukewarmnes and coldnesse, +more then too much heate and forwardnesse; +the defect is more opposite and +dangerous to some vertues, then the excesse.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">5 Object.</div> + +<p>Why? are not some thinke you, too +straight laced, that dare not use their +Christian liberty in some recreations? +sware by small oathes, or lend money +for reasonable use? hath not God left +many things indifferent, wherein some +shew themselves more nice then wise?</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Answer.</div> + +<p>Zeale will cut of the right hand, if it +cause to offend; much more to pare the +nayles and superfluities: it consumes +the strongest, dearest corruptions; +much more will it singe off such haire +and drosse as these: If ought be praise +worthy, it imbraceth such things; if +any be doubtfull, carrying shew of evill, +of ill reporte, it dares not meddle with +them; it feares that some of these are as +indifferent, as fornication was among +the heathen.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">6 Object.</div> + +<p>There are but few such, no not of the +better sort, as you speake of.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Answer.</div> + +<p>Graunt there bee any, and zealous +emulation culleth the highest +examples. Such as meane to excell +in any Art, travell to find out the rarest +workemen, purchase the choysest +Copies; hee that hath true zeale, will +strive to purge himselfe, as Christ is +pure.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">7 Object.</div> + +<p>Will you have us runne before our +neighbours, or live without example +or company?</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Answer.</div> + +<p>Cowards and cravens, stand and look +who goes first: souldiers of courage +will cast lots for the onset and fore-rank, +for desperat services, and single combats. +Lades will not go without the way +be led.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">8 Object.</div> + +<p>So we may soone come to trouble, +and danger enough.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Answer.</div> + +<p>What daunger can there bee, of an +honest, peaceable, religious forwardnesse?</p> + +<p>The slug or snaile, puts out the tender +horne to feele for lets in the way, +and puls them in where there is no cause; +so doe the fearfull that shall be without: +but zeale either findes no dangers, or +makes them none; it neither feares to +doe well, or to reproove ill doers, let +who so will be displeased.</p> + +<p>Some indeed care not whome they offend, +they are so harsh and fiery, they +can beare with nothing.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">9 Object.</div> + +<p>Will true Christianity allow us to +beare with any sinne?</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Answer.</div> + +<p>Can tinne, or hot iron choose but +hisse againe, if cold water be cast on it? +can a righteous soul choose but vexe it +selfe at open evill? Such Ostriches as +can digest oathes, prophane and filthie +speeches, shew what mettle they have +for the Lord of hosts; who yet will be +ready enough to offer the challenge, or +stab, for the least disgrace to themselves, +or their mistresse: <i>Phineas</i> had rather, +if it were lawfull, fight in Gods quarrels +then his owne.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">10 Object.</div> + +<p>All are not by nature of so hot dispositions, +or so fiery-spirited, as others.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Answer.</div> + +<p>If there bee such a dull flegmaticke +creature as hath no life nor spirite in +any thing hee goes about, or whome nothing +will moove; hee may plead complexion, +and yet grace is above nature: +but the best way is; See every man compare +his devotion in matters of God, +with his spirits and mettle in other affayres, +wherein his element or delight +lies; if the one equall not the other, the +fault is not in nature: the oldest man +hath memory enough for his gold, and +the coldest constitution heate enough +where it likes.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">11 Object.</div> + +<p>Well, our harts may bee as good as +the best though we cannot shew it.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Answer.</div> + +<p>Fire cannot be long smothered, it will +either finde a vent, or goe out; zeale will +either finde word, or deede, to expresse +it selfe withall.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">12 Object.</div> + +<p>All have not the gift of utterance.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Answer.</div> + +<p>Violent affections have made the +dumbe to finde a tongue; If it be lowe +water the mille may stand; but aboundance +of heart will set the wheeles on +going What earnest discourses will unlearned +Mariners make of their voiages? +Huntsmen of their game, &c.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">13 Object.</div> + +<p>All have not ability and meanes: many +have great charges.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Answer.</div> + +<p>Love and zeale are munificent, make +money their servant, not their master: +wheresoever the heart is enlarged, the +hand cannot bee straightned; where the +bowells are open, the purse is not shut. +<i>Herod</i> for his pleasure, cares not for halfe +his kingdome; what will not some Gentle-men +give for hawks and hounds? not +onely the poore woman that spent the +rich oyntment on Christ, the widow that +gave all her substance, the converts that +solde all, and threw all at the feet of the +Apostles, but even the bounty of the +superstitious Papists shall rise in judgement against +such as professe a religion, +wil give it good words & countenance; +but bee at no cost with it, and know a +cheaper way to save charge withall.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">14 Object.</div> + +<p>All have not so much leisure to spend, +so much time and study, about matters +of religion, they have somewhat else to +doe.</p> + +<div class="sidenote_l">Answer.</div> + +<p>There are indeede many vanities, +which distract and divide the minde of +worldlings; but zeale counts one thing +needefull, to which it makes all other +veile and stand by. Is there any so good +an husband of his time, that will not +steale some houre for his pleasure; that +cannot spare his God and his soule halfe +an houre, morning and evening; that +bestowes not idly, as much time as a +Sermon or two would take upp in the +weeke? The soule I confesse hath his satiety, +as well as the body; but why +should we sit on thornes, more at a Sermon +then at a Play; thinke the Saboths +longer then holi-daies; but for want of +zeale? If thou beest not a vaine and willing +deceiver of thy selfe, and others; +deale honestly & plainly with thy soule, +try thy selfe by these few rules; and if +thou judgest thy selfe to come short of +them, amend and <i>be Zealous</i>.</p> +<br /> + +<p><i>The sixt part.</i></p> + +<p>Which little round fire-ball comming to hand, +as <i>Davids</i> small stone, by +ordinary lot, knowing the insufficiency +of mine owne; I pray that God with +his arme would scatter it farre and +wide into those wilde parts of the +world without the pale of Christendome, +which lie so frozen and benummed in +their Paganisme, that they feele +not the coldnesse of their religions; as +also in those regions that being within +the Tropickes of the Church, have +just so much, and so little heat, as to +thinke they have enough, and neede no +more: Cheefly mine affections burne +within mee for the good of mine owne +Nation, for which I would I had but so +much zeale as truely to wish my selfe +<i>Anathema</i>, upon condition it had heat +sutable to the light. For I must beare it +record, it hath knowledge, I would I +could say, according to zeale. But the +spirit, knowing that which is spoken to +all to bee in effect as spoken to none, +directs mee what I should speake to +Churches, to speake to particular Angels. +Now the principall in our Church, +under that Archangell of the covenant, +I most willingly acknowledge to bee +my Lord the King, as an Angell of +light. And why not that very Angell, +who by his writing hath begunne to +powre out the fift viall upon the throne +of the beast, darkned his Kingdome, +caused them to gnaw their tongues for +greefe, and blaspheme for the smart of +their wounds; though as yet they will +not repent of their errours? The Lord +annoynt him more and more with this +oyle above all the Princes of the earth, +that from his head, it may runne downe +upon our skirts; make him shine in +zeale above all other starres, to the +warming & enlightning of this whole +Horizon; set him up as a standard for +his people; cloath him with zeale, as +with a cloake, to recompence the fury +of the adversaries, that he may strike +the Aramites, not three but five times +till they be consumed; that he may put +the Ammonites under the yron sawes, +harrowes, axes, which have provoked +him as much, as ever they did <i>David</i>, +2. Sam. 12. But yet as in the time of +the old Testament the custody of the +fire and light was the charge of the +Priest; so here I observe Christ to lay +it upon his Ministers, interpreting his +rule by his practise, <i>Tell the church, +Tell the Angell of the Church</i>; honouring +that despised office, with that stately +stile; intimating the union betwene +People and Minister, that they should +bee as one: what is spoken to the one, is +spoken to the other; not as some, that ever +make Clergy and Layty two members, +in division and opposition; neither +yet as some spirites that lay all level, +but implying a property, especially +in grace and zeale in the Ministers, +whom the Preacher calls the master of +the assemblies; that they should exceede +as farre the people, as Angels doe +men, and that he will reckon with them +for the religion of the people, because +colde Priests make bolde sinners; zealous +<i>Jehoiada</i> may mak <i>Jehoash</i> the King +zealous, so long as hee lives with him. +Wee therefore men and brethren, or +rather men and Angels, upon whom +it lies to keepe life and heat in the devotion +of the world, to consume the +drosse of vices and heresies, that have +fallen into the sinke of our times; wee +that are to make ready our people for +the second comming of Christ, is the +spirit of <i>Ely</i> thinke wee sufficient for +us? What manner of persons ought we +to bee, burning in spirit, fervent in prayer, +thundring in preaching, shining in +life and conversation? Why is it then +my brethren (oh let my plainest rebukes +bee the fruits and signes of my +best love to mine owne Tribe; let +them not bee as breakings of the head, +but as precious balme to those +whose honour with the people, I preferre +to my life) why is it that some +of us pray so rarely and so coldly in +private (the evills of our times will +not out but by frequent fasting and +fervent prayer) in publique so briefly, +so perfunctorily, and feebly, that wee +scarce have any witnesses of what wee +say? Why are there yet remaining any +Mutes amongst us? Why are ther any +tounges that dare speake against often +or zealous preaching? Doth not <i>Paul +</i> adjure us before him that shall judge the +elect Angels, that we preach instantly, +in season, and out of season? Reade wee +the commentaries of that text, or let +the practise of Ancients expound it; +and tell mee if ever old or new interpreted +that charge, of bare reading, of +quarterly, or monethly, yea, or of once +on the Sabbath preaching onely, as if +that were fully sufficient, without endeavoring +or desiring any more. If +alwaies often preaching bee prating, +what meant the practise I say, not onely +of <i>Calvin</i>, and <i>Beza</i> but of <i>Chrysostome</i>, +<i>Basil</i>, <i>Ambrose</i> with other of the Fathers, +preaching every day in the weeke, +some of them twise in the weeke, none +of them so seldome, as such would bear +the world in hand. What meant sundry +ancient Councells, (the eleventh of <i>Tolet</i> +in Spaine) yea even of Trent it selfe, +to excite the torpor of the Bishoppes +of their times, as their Canons speake, +enjoyning frequent preaching, calling +for more then almost any man is able to +performe?</p> + +<p>But heere I may turne reprooving +into rejoycing, that preaching +is growne in any better fashion and +grace with our times, by royall and +reverend, both examples and countenance: +only I wish that every <i>Archippus</i> +may fulfill his Ministery, be instant and +constant in preaching. <i>Salomon</i> the +older, and wiser hee grew, the more hee +taught the people, sharpened his goads, +and fastned his nails; whereas many +amongst us are so wise in their youth, +as to affect the foolishnes of preaching; +but in their dotage, Ease slayes the +foole; when the doore is oyled, it leaves +creaking; they must then fall to make +much of themselves, till contrary with +the Prophet they cry out, My fatnesse, +my fatnesse, my belly, my belly; so favouring +their lungs, that they will bee +sure never to die of <i>Davids</i> consumption +of zeale; let such preach, say they, +that want livings: and if for shame they +preach at all, it must bee rarely and easily, +for breaking of their winde (my +meaning is not to tax such, whom +God disinables by weaknesse of body; +or such as recompence their rarity +with industry, as <i>Perkins</i>, &c.) and yet +forsooth these thinke they may justly +challenge, and weare the double honor +of countenance and maintenance; I +marvell with what right, or with what +face, so long as there remaineth expresse +Canon of Scripture, bequeathing it to +those, that toyle in word and doctrine. +Neither will zeale set us on worke onely +to preach, or to preach often to avoyd +the infamy of bare readers; but +it will teach us to preach painefully, and +that in the evidence and demonstration, +not so much of art, or nature, +as of the spirit and grace; regarding +onely, that the people know Christ and +him crucified; not caring whether they +know what wee have read, how many +quotations our memory will carry levell, +how roundly wee can utter our +minde in new minted words, in like +sounding, idle, vaine, and offensive <i>Paranomasies</i>; +I blush to fall into the least +touch of that kinde: yet at once to +shew and reproove that childish folly, +It is a vaine of vaine preaching, turning +sound preaching into a sound of preaching, +tickling mens eares, like a tinckling +cymball, feeding them, <span class="greek" title="[Greek: hêdusmati kai ouk edesmasi]"> + ηδυσματι και ουκ εδεσμασι</span>, spoyling the plaine song, +with descant and division: what is this +but to shew our owne levitie and want +of true Art; indeede affecting such a +dancing, piperly and effeminate eloquence +(as <i>Tully, Demosthenes</i>, or any +Masculine Oratour would scorne) in +steade of that divine powerfull deliverie, +which becommeth him, that speakes +the Oracles of God. If ever wee meane +to doe any good, wee must exhort and +reproove, with all vehemency and authority; +lifting upp our voyce as a +trumpet, as the sonnes of thunder; +pearcing their eares, witnessing, striving +and contending, according to our +gift whatsoever it bee, to manifest our +affections, that wee may worke upon +the people; which all the Art in the +world will not teach us to doe: onely +zeale at the heart will naturally produce +it, without straining or affecting. +If God require the heart as well as the +head; why should wee not labour to +moove the affections, as well as enforme +the judgement; There is a doctrinall, and +as some tearme it, a Doctorly kinde of +preaching, which is admired of some +that understand it not; of others that +could be content with the Masse againe, +because it was gentle, and had no teeth in +it. And such Sermons I have sometimes +heard, for matter voyd of exception, +but so delivered, as if one were acting +a part, or saying a lesson by heart. +It hath called to minde a song which +sometimes I have met withall, excellently +composed, full of sweet ayre, +surely and truely sung; but with flat +and dead voyces without spirit, which +hath marred the musique: Of such a +Sermon and Preacher, the Countreymans +verdict did well, that said, this man +may bee a great scholler, but hee wants +beetle and wedges to heaw our knotted +timber withall, our greene wood +will not burn unlesse it be better blown; +you shall sometimes see an excellent +horse of shape and colour, having many +of those markes <i>Du Bartes</i> describes +in <i>Caines</i> supposed horse; which yet +wanting mettle hath beene of little +worth, and lesse use. If there were no +other Preachers then these, which hold +themselves the onely profound and +learned Preachers, I muse what should +become of conversion of soules, which +they that covet; must come with the +spirit of <i>Elias</i>, to turne the hearts of +the fathers to their children, I may in +truth, and I hope with modesty speake +with the Preacher, that in observing I +have observed, and have found, that +divers great Clarkes have had but little +fruit of their ministery; but hardly +any truely zealous man of God (though +of lesser gifts) but have had much +comfort of their labours, in their owne +and bordering parishes, being in this +likened by <i>Gregorie</i>, to the yron on +the Smiths anvile sparkling round about. +And if for this any bordering +neighbours, whose cold labours worke +not the like successe, shall accuse them +of some kinde (I know not what) of policie +in bewitching the people; they +may well reply, Behold our zealous affections +are our charmes, and zeale all +our witchcraft, as <i>Latimer</i> well answered +one that accused the people of partiality, +for not affecting him that preached +one of his printed Sermons, that +hee had indeede his Sticke, but wanted +his Rosen; meaning his zealous manner +of preaching and living, without which +last, all the former will doe but little +good, if a good ensample of life accompany +not their doctrine, as lightning +doth thunder. For there are some +(I speake with sorrow of heart) that +seeme to have fire in their preaching, but +carry water in their life; being notoriously +proud, covetous, or debauched, stained +with odious vices. Let us heare +the summ of all. Doe wee love Christ +more then ordinary? would wee give +proofe of our trebble love to him? Let +us then feede his flocke with a trebble +zeale, expressed in our prayer, preaching +and living: Let us make it appeare +to the consciences of all, that the top of +our ambition is Gods glory: and that +wee preferr the winning of soules, to the +winning of the world.</p> + +<p>This title of Angels why may it not +also be extended to Magistrates, as well +as that higher stile, of Gods; Sure I am, +that the scarlet robe of zeale would exceeding +well become them. <i>Jethro</i> maketh +it their prime and essentiall character; +God and <i>Moses</i>, their onely and +sole, in the charge and commission to +<i>Jehoshuah</i> so oft repeated; <i>Onely be of good +courage</i>. And if <i>David</i> were now to re-pen +his Psalme; I thinke hee might alter +the forme of his counsell, and say, +<i>Bee zealous yee Rulers and Judges of the +world</i>, and not wise and politique: or rather +under the tearmes of wisdome, hee +comprehends indeede the zeale wee call +for, the most now adayes being <i>Gallio's</i>, +wise onely for the matters of the Commonwealth; +not having a sparke of +that spirit which was in <i>Phineas, Daniel</i>, +and <i>Nehemias</i>, &c. for the Lord of +hosts, or to his Lawes and Commandements; +as if God had made Magistrates +keepers onely of the second Table, governours +of men, and not of Christians; +guardians onely of civill societies, and +not of his Church, and shepheards also +of his flocke. Are Idolatries, blasphemies, +prophaning of Saboths, no sinns? +Why then either have not the lawes +force and strength enough in them (as +sometime wee are answered when wee +complaine) or why are they not executed +for the suppressing of these raging +sins? are not all they punished with death +in the Scriptures, as well as breaches of +the second table? Blood I leave to the +malignant Church, and admire clemency +in Rulers, as much as any; but yet I +know the prophane dissolutenesse of the +times, requires a three stringed whipp +of severity to purge our <i>Augean</i> stable +of the soule abuses, whipt often with +penns and tongues, but spared by +them that beare the sword (a man may +say of many Governours) altogether in +vaine for matters of religion. Are not +kings of the earth charg'd to render double +to the bloody strumpet of Rome? +Why then doth the hurtfull pitty of +our times imbolden and increase their +numbers? <i>Laodicea</i> it selfe, I doubt not, +for matters of mine and thine, had (as +their name imports) good civill justice +and justicers; but what was God the +neerer for it? doth hee not threaten for +all that to spue them out of his mouth? +shall hee not curse those that doe his +worke negligently, fearfully & partially? +Our times complaine of two speciall +canker wormes of justice, which eat up +zeale in Magistrates. The first is <i>Covetousnesse</i>, +which makes men of place to +transgresse for a morsell of bread; the +zeale of their owne houses consumes +the zeale of Gods house: The building +of great houses, keeping of great houses, +and matching with great houses, raising +and leaving of great houses behinde +them, makes them so ravenous, that +they devoure so much, as choakes all +their zeale; which would teach them +to shake their laps of bribes, and scorne +to accept gifts, though men would augment +them for the perverting of judgement. +The other is <i>Cowardice</i> and <i>Fearfulnes</i>: +which how unfit, and base a quality +did <i>Nehemiah</i> thinke it for a man of +his place? no better then shynesse in a +fore-horse, whose eyes men fence on +both sides, that they may lead the way, +and goe without starting; unto which, +zeale is answerable in Magistrates, causing +them onely to see him that is invisible, +without casting a squint eye at +men; to sing to God onely of judgement +and mercy, without tuning their +songs to mans eare; to walke in the perfect way, +without turning, either to the +right or left hand for feare of favour. Oh +that there were such an heart in our leaders; +how easily would our people follow! +what a spring tide of zeale should +wee have, if the Sunne and Moone +would cast out a benigne aspect upon +them! Doth it not flourish in all those +shires and townes, where the Word and +Sword doe joyntly cherish it? In others +which are the greatest number, how +doth it languish and wane away, and +hang downe the head? where is it in diverse +places of the land to bee seene? I +had almost sayd in my haste and heat, +there is none that hath zeale, no not +one, there is no courage for the truth; +but that I remember that <i>Eliah</i> was +checked for over-shooting himselfe in +his too short and quicke computation. +I hope the Lord hath his fifties amongst +us, though but thinn sowne in +comparison of the swarmes of professed +Recusants, and Church-Papists, of +prophane Atheists, key-cold worldlings, +and lukewarme professors. The bodies +of our many severall Congregations, +yea even of the better sort, whereunto +have they beene likened by our separated +adversaries; but unto the Prophet +<i>Hosea</i> his cake, halfe baked upon the +hearth, having one side, that is, the one +side to the world-ward, in publique service, +scorched a little and browned over; +but the inside to God-ward, in private, +and family-duties, no better then +dough; many of them making indeede +some shew, as the out-landish fruits +that are plashed upon our walls, but +wanting heat never come to maturity. +If wee should make good their resemblances, +how then should wee please the +stomacke of God? who hath indeede +brooked and borne us a long time, I +doubt but wamblingly. How neare +were wee going in 88. and in the powder +treason? Doe we thinke he will ever +digest us, in the temper wee are in? +which (to confesse the truth of the fashionable +Christian) what is it but a +state of neutrality, indifferency, or such +a mediocrity, as will just serve the time, +satisfie Law, or stand with reputation +of neighbours? beyond which, if any +step a little forward, do not the rest hunt +upon the stop? If there hap to breake +out a sparkle of zeale in any one house +in a parish; is not the whole towne in +an uprore, as when the bells ring awke +every man brings his bucket, to the +quenching of this fire? If hell bee in an +Ale-house, who cryes out of it? & as for +our Sundayes Church-service, which is +all that God gets at our hands; how +perfunctorily, and fashionably is it slubbered +over; how are his Saboths made +the voyder and dung-hill for all refuse +businesse, divided betweene the Church +and the Ale-house, the May-pole commonly +beguiling the Pulpit? What man +would not spue to see God thus worshipped? +This want of devotion makes +the foule mouthed Papists to spet at us: +this want of reformation, makes the +queasie-stomacked Brownists cast themselves +out of the Church; and shall God +alwayes suffer the land to beare us? But +behold, he stands at the door & knocks, +by treasons, by plagues, by the hammer +of dearths, discontents, fires, inundations, +especially by the word; his locks are +wet with waiting. Oh before hee shake +off the dust of his feet against us, and +turne to some other nation more worthy, +let us open the doore, that hee may +come in and sup with us; if hee love us, +hee will purge us, and scoure us, by one +chastizement or other: if hee have no +pleasure in us, hee cannot but unburthen +his stomacke of us; If all the land besides +should turne the deafe eare, yet let +mee entreat and charge you of my flock +to heare his voyce, & be zealous. Since +my comming amongst you, I have handled +some bookes of the olde Testament, +the Epistles to the Romanes, to the Hebrewes, +of Saint <i>James</i>, <i>Peter</i> and <i>John</i>, +out of them taught the doctrine of the +Law, of Faith, Love and good Workes: +now in the choyce of this Epistle of +Christ to <i>Laodicea</i>, my desire was to +boyle up the former to their just temper: +in which worke I can willingly bee content +to spend my strength, and dayes, if +God see it fit. I cannot be a better sacrifice +then to God, and for you, if I waste +my selfe, so you may have light & heat; +what else is the end of my life? God hath +given you a name, your zeale is gone abroad, +& I hope you have many names +among you; the Lord encrease their number +and zeale. If but one of us this day, +shall open this doore of his heart with +<i>Jehoshuah</i>, let others chuse, I and my +house will serve the Lord more zealously +then heeretofore; neither I nor hee +shall have lost our labours. A lively picture +casts the eye upon every one that +comes neere it: such is the word with +whom, and with which we have to do; +Let him that is now colde, grow colder +& colder; but let him that hath an eare, +heare what hath beene sayd to the Churches; +and be zealous and amend.</p> + +<p>The Lord give us not onely understanding, +but zeale in all things: he baptize +us with fire: hee breath on us, and +inspire into us the spirit of life & power, +&c. So shall wee runn the wayes of his +commandements.</p> +<br /> + +<center>FINIS.</center> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Coal From The Altar, To Kindle The +Holy Fire of Zeale, by Samuel Ward + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A COAL FROM THE ALTAR, TO *** + +***** This file should be named 16423-h.htm or 16423-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/4/2/16423/ + +Produced by Jordan Dohms and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Coal From The Altar, To Kindle The Holy Fire of Zeale + In a Sermon Preached at a Generall Visitation at Ipswich + +Author: Samuel Ward + +Release Date: August 3, 2005 [EBook #16423] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A COAL FROM THE ALTAR, TO *** + + + + +Produced by Jordan Dohms and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + + +A COAL FROM THE ALTAR, +TO KINDLE THE holy fire of _Zeale_. + +In a Sermon preached at a generall _Visitation at Ipswich._ + +By SAM WARD Bach. of Divinity. + +_The third Edition, corrected and much amended._ + +[Greek: Theo kai humin] + +_LONDON_, + +Printed by _E.G._ for _Joyce Macham_, widow; and are to bee sold in +Pauls Church yard, at the signe of _Time_, 1628 + + + + + +To my reverend Friend Mr. SAMUEL WARD. + +_Sir, your Sermon which I copied partly from your mouth, and partly from +your notes, I have adventured into the light; encouraged by the +approbation, and earnest entreaty of such, whose judgements you +reverence, and whose love you embrace: who also have made bolde heere +and there to varie some things, not of any great consequence, if I can +judge. I was loth to smoother such fire in my brest; but to vent it, to +enflame others. If you shall blame me, I know others will thanke mee. +What I have done, is out of Zeale to God and his Church._ + +Your affectionate friend, + +_Ambrose Wood._ + + + + + +Revel. 3. 19. _Be zealous._ + +[Sidenote: Mat. 24. 12.] + +[Sidenote: 1 Kin. 1. 1.] + +This watch-word of Christ, if it be not now a word in season, I know not +when ever it was, or will bee: Would he now vouchsafe to bestow a letter +upon his Church heere on earth; should hee need to alter the tenour of +this? which being the last, to the last of the seaven Churches, why may +it not (saith an Ancient, upon this text) typifie the estate of the last +Age of his Churches? the coldnesse whereof himselfe hath expressely +foretolde. And if God should now send through he earth such surveying +Angels as _Zacharie_ mentions, chapter 1. Could they returne any other +observation of their travailes then theirs; _The whole world lies in +lukewarmnesse?_ which makes mee often in my thoughts proportion these +ends of time, to the like period of _Davids_ age, when no cloathes were +enough to keepe heare in him. _Faith_ I grant is a more radicall, +vitall, and necessary grace; but yet not so wholly out of _grace_ with +the times, as poore _Zeale_; which yet if by any meanes it might once +againe be reduced into favour and practice, before Time sets, and bee no +more; I doubt not but Christ would also yet once againe in this evening +of the world, come and _Sup_ with us; A favour including all other in +it. + +[Sidenote: 2] + +My desire especially is, that this our Iland might take it to it selfe, +as well as if it had by name beene directed to it; what would it hurt us +to make an especiall benefit and use of it? Some of our owne, have so +applyed it; (whether out of their judgements, or affections, I say not.) +Learned _Fulk_ marvels if it were not by a Propheticall spirit penned +for us: others more resolutely have made it a singular type of purpose +for us. Their warrant I know not; especially if it bee true which all +travellers tell you, _That they finde more zeale at home then abroad._ +We are I grant in sundry respects equall to _Laodicea_: Even the very +names thereof, as well the first and oldest in regard of the blessings +of God, [Greek: Dios polis] Gods Darling, as the later in regard of good +Lawes and Civility, _Laodicea_, How well doe they become us? As rich as +they, and that in the very same commodity of woolls; _Abounding as they_ +with many learned _Zenoes_ & bountifull _Hieroes_; _Parallel_ in all +regards; I would I could say lukewarmnesse excepted. But I must bee a +faithfull and true witnesse, and yet this is all I have to say; It was, +as I conceive, _Laodicea's_ complexion and not her constitution, her +practice not her orders, personall lukewarmnesse not legall, which +Christ strikes at. That fault I finde in my text, the same I finde in +our common Christians, whose spirituall condition, and state is too +like the externall situation of our Country, between the Torrid, and the +Frigid Zones; neither hot nor colde: and so like _Laodicea_, that if wee +take not warning, or warming, we may, I feare, in time come to be spued +out of Gods mouth. + +[Sidenote: 3] + +For this present assembly of Ministers, could all the choice and time in +the world have better fitted mee then mine ordinarie Lot? If fire bee +set upon the Beacons, will not the whole Countrey soone be warned and +enlightned? + +[Sidenote: 4] + +For my selfe also, mee thinkes it will better beseeme my yeeres to heat, +then to teach my Ancients; to enkindle their affections, then to enforme +their judgements. And whereas _Paul_ bids _Titus_ preach zeale with all +authoritie; though in mine owne name I crave your patience, and +audience, yet in his name that is the first of the creatures, and +_Amen_, I counsell him that hath an eare, to heare what the Spirit saith +to the Churches; + +[Greek: Zeloson], _Be Zealous._ + + + + + +_A Coale from the Altar._ + + +Revel. 3.19. [Greek: Zeloson]: _Be Zealous._ + +Zeale hath been little practized, lesse studied: this heavenly fire hath +ever beene a stranger upon earth. Few in all ages that have felt the +heat of it, fewer that have knowne the nature of it. A description will +rake it out of the embers of obscurity: and it may be that many when +they shall know it better, will better affect it. + +2. Zeale hath many counterfets and allies. There are many strange fires +which having sought to carry away the credit of it, have brought in an +ill name upon it: from these it would bee distinguished. + +3. Zeale is every where spoken against it hath many enemies and few +friends: the world can no more abide it, then beasts can the elementary +fire, the rebukes of many have falne upon it, the Divell weaves cunning +lies to bring downe the honour of it. Oh that wee could raise and +maintaine it, by setting forth the deserved praise of it; and challenge +it from the false imputations of such as hate it without a cause. + +4. Zeale hath in this our earthly molde, little fuell, much quench-coale, +is hardly fired, soone cooled. A good Christian therefore would bee glad +to know the Incentives and preservatives of it, which might enkindle it, +enflame it, feed it, and revive it when it is going out. + +5. Zeale in the worlds opinion, is as common as fire on every mans +hearth, no mans heart without zeale, if every man might be his owne +judge; If most might be heard there is too much of it; but the contrary +will appear if the right markes bee taken, and the true rules of triall +and conviction bee observed, and the heart thereby examined. + +6. Zeale generally handled will break as lightning in the aire, and seize +upon no subject: Application must set it on mens harts, and exhortation +warme this old and colde age of the world, chiefly this temperate +climate of our nation. + + +_First Part_. + +It was sayd of olde, that zeale was an _Intension of love_: of late, +that it is a compound of _love and anger, or indignation_. + +The Ancients aimed right, and shot neere, if not somwhat with the +shortest. The moderne well discovered the use and exercise of more +affections, then love, within the fathome and compasse of zeale; but in +helping that default, went themselves somewhat wide, and came not close +to the marke: which I ascribe not to any defect of eye-sight in those +sharpe sighted Eagles; but onely to the want of fixed contemplation. And +to speake truth, I have oft wondered why poore _Zeale_, a vertue so high +in Gods books, could never be so much beholding to mens writings as to +obtain a just treatise, which hath beene the lot of many particular +vertues of inferiour worth; a plaine signe of too much under-value and +neglect. + +Hee that shall stedfastly view it, shall finde it not to bee a degree or +intension of love, or any single affection (as the _Schooles_ rather +confined then defined zeale) neither yet any mixt affection (as the +later, rather compounded then comprehended the nature of it) but an _hot +temper, higher degree or intension of them all_. As varnish is no one +color, but that which gives glosse & lustre to all; So the opposites of +zeale, key-coldnes and lukewarmnesse, which by the Law of contraries +must bee of the same nature, are no affections, but severall tempers of +them all. + +[Sidenote: Acts 26. 7.] + +_Paul_ warrants this description where hee speakes of the twelve Tribes. +_They served God with intension or vehemency_. + +The roote shewes the nature of the branch. Zeale comes of [Greek: zo], +a word framed of the very sound and hissing noise, which hot coales or +burning iron make when they meete with their contrary. In plaine +English, zeale is nothing but heate: from whence it is, that zealous men +are oft in Scripture sayd to burne in the spirit. [Greek: zeontes +pneumati]. + +Hee that doth moderately or remisly affect any thing, may be stiled +_Philemon_, a lover; he that earnestly or extreamely, _Zelotes_, a +zelot; who to all the objects of his affections, is excessively and +passionately disposed, his love is ever fervent, his desires eager, his +delights ravishing, his hopes longing, his hatred deadly, his anger +fierce, his greefe deep, his feare terrible. The Hebrewes expresse these +Intensions by doubling the word. This being the nature of zeale in +generall, Christian zeale of which wee desire onely to speake, differs +from carnall and worldly, chiefly in the causes and objects. + +It is a spirituall heate wrought in the heart of man by the holy Ghost, +improoving the good affections of love, joy, hope, &c. for the best +service and furtherance of Gods glory, with all the appurtenances +thereof, his word, his house, his Saints and salvation of soules: using +the contrarie of hatred, anger, greefe, &c as so many mastives to flie +upon the throat of Gods enemies, the Divell, his Angels, sinne, the +world with the lusts thereof. By the vertue wherof a _Zealot_ may runne +through all his affections, and with _David_, breath zeale out of every +pipe, after this manner for a taste; + +[Sidenote: Psalme Love.] + +_How doe I love thy Law (O Lord) more then the hony or the hony-combe, +more then thousands of silver and gold!_ + +[Sidenote: Hatred.] + +_Thine enemies I hate with a perfect hatred._ + +[Sidenote: Joy.] + +_Thy testimonies are my delight: I rejoyce more in them, then they that +finde great spoyles, more then in my appoynted food._ + +[Sidenote: Grief.] + +_Mine eyes gush out rivers of teares. Oh that my head were a fountain of +teares, because they destroy thy Law._ + +[Sidenote: Hope.] + +_Mine eyes are dimme with wayting: how doe I long for thy salvation?_ + +[Sidenote: Feare.] + +_Thy judgements are terrible, I tremble and quake, etc._ + +Look what pitch of affection the naturall man bestowes upon his dearest +darling, what unsatiable thirst the covetous worldling upon his Mammon, +the ambitious upon his honour, the voluptuous upon his pleasure; the +same the Christian striveth in equall, yea, (if possible) farre +exceeding tearmes to convert and conferre upon God and his worship. + +In briefe, to open a little crevise of further light, and to give a +little glimpse of heat: Zeale is to the soule, that which the spirits +are to the bodie; wine to the spirits, putting vigour and agility into +them. Whence comes that elegant Antithesis in the Scripture. _Bee not +drunke with wine wherein is excesse, but be filled with the Spirit._ + +[Sidenote: Ser. 41. in Can. 49.] + +[Sidenote: Acts 2.] + +Christ is sayd to lead his Spouse into the wine-cellar: which Simily +_Bernard_ delighting oft to repeat, in two or three Sermons interprets +of a speciall measure of zeale inspired into his Church. Thus (saith +hee) Christ led his Disciples into the wine cellar on the day of +Pentecost; and filled them, and the house with such zeale as they came +forth like Giants refreshed with wine, and seemed to the people as men +drunke with new wine. + +[Sidenote: Heb. 1. 7.] + +It is to the soule, as wings to the foule: this also is a Scripture +embleme to picture the Angels with wings, as in the hangings of the +Temple, and in the visions of the revelation, in token of their ardent +and zealous execution of Gods will: whence also they have their name +_Seraphim_; hee maketh his ministers a flame of fire. + +To this fire and these wings, which we in the Lords prayer desire to +imitate, there is nothing in us answerable but our zeale; as wheeles to +the charriot: which makes us not goe, but runne the wayes of Gods +Commandements, and so runne that we may obtaine. As sailes to the ship, +and winde to the sailes, to which alludes the phrase so frequent in +Scripture, _Plerophorie_. + +As courage to the souldier, mettle to the horse, dust to the ground, +which makes it bring forth much fruit, yea an hundredfold: vivacity to +all creatures. To conclude this, this is that celestiall fire which was +shadowed out unto us by that poore element in comparison, and beggarly +rudiment, the fire (I meane) of such necessary use in the law, which +rather then it should be wanting, the Lord caused it to descend from +heaven, that it might cause the Sacrifices to ascend thither againe, as +a sweet incense unto the Lord, without which no burnt offering was +acceptable. + + +_The Second Part._ + +But now, as then, there are certaine false fires, abhominable to God, +odious to men, dangerous to the _Nadabs_ and _Abihues_ that meddle with +them, bringing thereby coales upon their owne heads, & ill favor upon +all their services; & not onely so, but that which is worse, an ill +report and surmize even on those that offer the right fire, & serve the +Lord in spirit and truth: yet for their sakes is the name of zeale +blasphemed all the day long. + +Against these, as then, so now severe caveats and cleere distinctions +must bee laid, lest such as have not their senses exercised to put a +difference, mistake poysonfull weedes for wholesome hearbes, to their +owne destruction; and for the sake of the one, revile the other to the +wrong of God and his Saints. + +It fares not otherwise with the soule then with the body: besides the +native & radicall heat, the principall instrument of life, there are +aguish and distempered heats, the causes of sicknesse and death. + +To discerne of those, requires some skill and judgement: yet a good +Empirick, a Christian of experience will give a shrewd ghesse at them, +the easier & the better if he marke these following signes and +symptomes, common to all the kinds of false zeale, here also following. + +[Sidenote: 1 Ostentation.] + +First, they are deeply sicke of the pharisaicall humor, they love to be +seene of men, and say with _Jehu, Come and see how zealous I am for the +Lord of hosts_: they proclaime their almes with a trumpet, paint their +good deedes upon Church windowes, engrave their legacies upon tombes, +have their acts upon record: Thus, Comets blaze more then fixed Starres. +Aguish heats breede flushings, & are more seen in the face, then natural +warmth at the heart. Schollers count hiding of Art the best Art: the +godly man studies by all meanes how to conceale the one hand from the +other, in doing well; hiding of zeale is the best zeale. + +Secondly, of _Ahabs_ disease exceeding in externall humiliation, +affected gestures, passionate sighes, lowdnesse of voyce, odde attires & +such like: These know how to rend the garment, hang the head with the +bulrush, to whip and launce their skinnes with _Baals_ Priests; and yet +strangers to a wounded spirit: not but that true and hearty zeale doth +lift up the eyes, knocke the breast, dance before the Arke. Therefore +this character may deceive the unwarie; Let _Ely_ take heede of judging +_Hanna's_ Spirit rashly by the mooving of her lips: yet hypocrites so +usually straine nature and without a cause exceed, and that in publique, +and upon the stage, that for the most part, their actions and affections +are palpable: as _Jesuites, Cappuchins_, &c. yea in many histrionicall +Protestants: Horse-coursers jades will bound, curvet and shew more +tricks, then a horse well mettled for the rode or cart. + +[Sidenote: 3 Complementall.] + +Thirdly, you may know them by their diligence and curiositie in lighter +matters joyned with omission and neglect of greater, wise in +circumstance, and carelesse in substance, tithing mint, straining at +gnats, &c. In all cheape and easie duties, prodigall: niggardly & +slothfull in the waighty things of the Law: these have at command good +words, countenance, yea teares from their eyes, sooner then a farthing +from their purse, having this worlds goods, and see their brother want; +these sticke up feathers for the carcasse, beguiling the simple, +couzening the world, but cheefly themselves. + +[Sidenote: 4 Pragmaticall.] + +[Sidenote: 5 Censorious.] + +[Sidenote: 6 Cruell.] + +Fourthly, these fires cannot keepe themselves within their owne hearths, +these spirits cannot keepe themselves within their owne circles. True +zeale loves to keepe home, studieth to bee quiet in other mens Dioces: +false zeale loves to be gadding, is eagle-ey'd abroad and mole-ey'd at +home: Insteed of burning bright and shining cleere; like brinish lights, +they sparkle & spet at others, or like ill couched fire-workes let fly +on all sides: onely out of their wisdome they know how to spare _Agag_ +and the great ones, and bee sure they anger not their great Masters, and +meddle with their matches: whereas it is the property of fire that comes +from above, to spare the yeelding sheath, and melt the resisting +mettall, to passe by the lower roofes, and strike the towred pinacle, as +_Nathan, David; Elias, Ahab; John, Herod; Jonas, Ninivie; &c._ Note +also in all their proceeding with others, in steede of wholesome +severity (which rightly zealous men never come unto but by compulsion, +and not without compassion of the offender, weeping with _Moses_ and +_Samuel_ over the people, beeing sory with the Emperour, that they know +how to write sentences of condemnation) These delight in cruelty, the +brand of the Malignant Church; feede their eyes with Massacres, as the +Queene-mother. No diet so pleasing to these ravening wolves, as the +warme blood of the sheepe. These are they that cry fire and fagot, away +with them, not worthy to live, their very mercies are cruelty: +especially in their owne cause, they heat the fornace seaven times +hotter then in Gods. + +[Sidenote: 7 Variable and inconstant.] + +Lastly, these Meteors and Vapours have no constant light, or continued +heat (as the fixed starres ever like themselves) but have onely their +aguish fits, & lunatick moods; sometimes in adversity they are good +under the rod, as _Pharaoh_, againe in prosperity like the fat kine of +_Bashan_, ingratefull and forgetfull: sometimes in prosperity when the +sunne of peace shineth on them, & the favourable influence of great +ones, they shoot foorth their blade with the corne on the house top, +running with the streame, & sayling with the winde; sometimes their +zeale depends upon the life of _Jehoiada_; sometimes on the company of +the Prophets: commonly in the beginning they blaze like straw-fire, but +in the end goe out in smoake and smother; whereas in their entrance into +profession, they galloped into shewes, and made some girds at hand, they +tire, give in, and end in the flesh, whereas all naturall motions are +swiftest toward their end. + +[Sidenote: Be not over just hath 7. expositions heere 2. or 3. more +hereafter.] + +The vestall fires were perpetuall, and the fire of the Altar never went +out. Spices and wefts of these evills may bee found in the sincerest +Christians: but they suffer not these dead flies to lie and putrefie in +the precious boxes of true zeale; of all these the Preachers caveat may +be construed, _Be not over just_, though it may also admit other +interpretations, as after shall appeare. + +These are the speciall notes and symptomes of strange fires: the kinds +also are many, and might be distributed into many heads; but I will +reduce them into three, which are known by their names. [Greek: +pseudozelos], _counterfet Zeale, false fire_. [Greek: tuphlos zelos] +_blinde Zeale, smoakie fire, or fooles fire, ignis fatuus_. [Greek: +pikros zelos], _turbulent Zeale, wilde fire_. + +The first, wanting truth and sincerity, propounds sinister ends. + +The second, knowledge and discretion, takes wrong wayes. + +The third, love and humility, exceeds measure. + +The first abounds amongst subtile & crafty professours, and is to be +abhorred and detected. + +The second among simple & devout, is to be pitied and directed. + +The third amongst passionate and affectionate, and is to bee moderated +and corrected. + +The first is the meere vizor of zeale, looking asquint one way and +tending another; pretending God and his glory, intending some private +and sinister end; first, either of honour and promotion, as _Jehu_, who +marched furiously, and his word was the Lord of hosts, but his project +was the kingdome. + +Secondly, at filthy lucre: as _Demetrius_ and his followers, who cried +great is _Diana_ of Ephesus; but meant her little silver shrines. It +cannot bee denied, but many such there were, who helped to pull downe +the Abbyes; not out of any hatred to those uncleane cages, but to reare +their owne houses out of the ruines, and spoyled copes to make cushions. +_Judas_ complained of superfluity, but greeved it fell besides his bag: +many hold temporalities tithes and glebes, unlawfull, because they are +loth to forgo them: If _Jezebel_ proclaime a Fast, let _Naboth_ looke to +his vine-yard; If the Usurer & Trades-man frequent Sermons, let the +buyer & borrower look to themselves. It is too common a thing to make +zeale a lure & stale, to draw customers; a bait of fraud, a net to +entrap; with malicious _Doegs_, to make it a stalking horse for revenge +against the Priest, thereby to discharge their gall at Ministers and +other Christians, for the omission and commission of such things, as +themselves care not for; with the _Strumpet_ in the Proverbs, to wipe +their mouthes, and frequent the Sacrifices, that they may be free from +suspicion. + +All these evils, have I seene under the sunne-shine of the Gospell: but +by how much, zeale is more glorious then common profession, by so much +is dissembled fervency more detestable then usuall hypocrisie; yea, no +better then divellish villany & double iniquity: such painted walles and +whited sepulchers, the Lord will breake downe. Let all _Timothies_ & +_Nathanaels_ learne to descry them, and discard them: The cure of this +was deepely forelayd by Christ; _I counsell thee to buy gold tried in +the fire_: all is not gold that glistereth, an image of faith breeds but +a shew of zeale; many seemed to trust in Christ, but Christ would not +trust them: but such faith as will abide the fire, brings foorth zeale +that will abide the touch-stone. + +[Sidenote: [Greek: kakozelia].] + +The second is erroneous or blinde zeale, not according to knowledge, +Rom. 10. I beare many devout Papists witnesse (though I feare the +learnedst of them be selfe-condemned) that they have this zeale, +perswading themselves they doe God best service, when they please +the Divell most in their will-worship. The same witnesse I +beare many _Seperatists_; though I feare most of them be sicke of +selfe-conceitednesse, newfanglenesse, and desire of mastership: for who +would not suspect such zeale, which condemnes all reformed Churches, +and refuseth communion with such as they themselves confesse to bee +Christians, and consequentely such as have communion with Christ? It +would greeve a man indeede, to see zeale misplaced, like mettle in a +blinde horse; to see men take such paines, and yet fall into the pit. +This made _Paul_ to wish himselfe _Anathema_, for the sake of such; and +yet the multitude and common people, reason thus; Is it possible but +these men have the right? But alas, how should it bee otherwise, when a +blinde company will follow a blinde sect-master; This being one property +of blinde zeale, a fond admiration and apish imitation of some person, +for some excellency they see in him, which so dazles their eyes, that +they cannot discerne their errours and infirmities, which they oftner +inherit then their vertues; as appeares in the _Lutherans_ and the +Jewes, that would sacrifice their children to _Molech_, in imitation of +_Abraham_: In these the Divell becomes an Angell of light, and playeth +that Dragon, Revel. 12. powring out flouds of persecution against the +Church, causing devout men and women, to raise tragedies, breath out +threatnings, and persecute without measure; then these the Divell hath +no better soldiers: but when their scales fall from their eyes, and they +come into Gods tents; God hath none like unto them. The cure of this +divinely is forelayd by Christ also, to buy eye-salve of him; Angells +have eyes as well as wings to guide their flight: when the ship is under +saile, and hath the freshest way; it hath most neede to looke to the +sterage, keep the watch, have an eye to the Compasse and land-marks. + +The third kinde is turbulent zeale, called by _James_ bitter zeale, a +kinde of wilde-fire transporting men beyond all bounds and compasse of +moderation; proceeding sometime of a weaknesse of nature in men, that +have no stay of their passion, like to Clockes whose springs are broken, +and Cities whose walls are down. Zeale is a good servant, but an ill +master: mettle is dangerous in a head-strong horse. And so the Poets +(which were the Heathens Prophets) shadowed out the cure of this, in +_Minerva's_ golden bridle, wherewith she menaged her winged _Pegasus_. +There is too much of this bitter zeale, of this _Hierapicra_ in all our +bookes of controversies: but especially there hath been too much in our +domesticall warrs; some sonns of _Bichri_ have blowen the trumpet of +contention, trumpets of anger; the Churches of God should have no such +custome: Oh that our Churches understood that saying. + +[Sidenote: Rom. 14. 10.] + +In quarrells of this nature _Paul_ spends his zeale, not in partaking +but in parting the fray, beating downe the weapons on both sides: Who +art thou that judgest? who art thou that condemnest thy brother? as if +hee should say, The matters are not _Tanti_, wee have made the Divell +too much sport already; who threw in these bones to set us together by +the eares, whilst hee lets in the common Enemy upon us. _Charitie, +Charitie_, is the builder of Churches: Strife about trifles, hath wasted +many famous ones, and placed the temples of _Mahomet_, where the golden +candle-sticke was wont to stand. Wee pitty the former ages, contending +about leavened and unleavened bread, keeping of Easter, fasting on +Sundayes, &c. The future ages, will do the like for us. Oh that the +Lord would put into the hearts both of the governours & parties to these +quarrells, once to make an end of these Midianitish warrs; that wee +might joyntly powre out the vialls of our zeale upon the throne of the +beast. + +Thus have you heard the errors and counterfets of zeale, through whose +sides, and upon the backe of which, divers of the malicious world use to +beat those whom it hates, because their workes are better then their +owne; injuriously concluding, that all Zelots are alike. Thus I have +heard our Marchants complaine, that the set up blewes have made +strangers loath the rich oaded blewes, onely in request; this is an olde +sophisme. True judgement would teach us to conclude, that the best +druggs have their adulterates; the most current coins their slipps; and +that vertue which so many hypocrites put on, to grace themselves +withall; is surely some rare and excellent jewell. + + +_The third part._ + +The true Zelot, whose fervency is in the spirit, not in shew; in +substance not in circumstance; for God, not himselfe; guided by the +word, not with humours; tempered with charity, not with bitternesse: +such a mans praise is of God though not of men: such a mans worth cannot +bee set foorth with the tongues of men and Angells. + +[Sidenote: Arguments of commendation.] + +Oh that I had so much zeale, as to steep it in it owne liquour; to set +it forth in it owne colours, that the Lord would touch my tongue with a +coale from his Altar, that I might regaine the decayed credit of it, +with the sons of men. + +[Sidenote: 1. From God's excellency whom zeale only becomes unworthily +placed elsewhere.] + +It is good to bee zealous in a good things: and is it not best, in the +best? or is there any better then God, or the kingdome of heaven? Is it +comely what ever we do, to do it with all our might? onely uncomely when +wee serve God? Is meane and mediocrity, in all excellent Arts excluded, +and onely to be admitted in religion? Were it not better to forbeare +_Poetry_ or _Painting_, then to rime or dawbe? and were it not better to +bee of no religion, then to be colde or lukewarme in any? Is it good to +be earnest for a friend, & cold for the Lord of hosts? For whom doest +thou reserve the top of thy affections? for thy gold? for thy +_Herodias_, &c. O yee adulterers and adultresses, can yee offer God a +baser indignity? What ayleth the world? Is it afrayd thinke we, that God +can have too much love; who in regard of his owne infinite beauty, & the +beames he vouchsafeth to cast upon us, deserves the best, yea all, and a +thousand times more then all? Ought not all the springs and brookes of +our affection, to runne into this Maine? may not hee justly disdaine, +that the least Riveret should bee drained another way? that any thing in +the world should bee respected before him, equalled with him, or loved +out of him, of whom, for whom, and through whom are all things? Who, or +what can bee sufficient for him our Maker and Saviour? In other objects +feare excesse: here no extasie is high enough. + +[Sidenote: 2. From his spirituall nature.] + +Consider and reason thus with thy selfe (O man) canst thou brooke a +sluggard in thy worke, if thou bee of any spirit thy selfe? is not a +slothfull messenger as vinegar to thy teeth, and as smoake to thine +eyes? Hast thou any sharpnesse of wit, is not dulnesse tedious unto +thee? And shall hee that is all spirit (for whom the Angels are slow and +colde enough) take pleasure in thy drowzie and heavie service? Doe men +choose the forwardest Deere in the heard, and the liveliest Colt in the +drove? and is the backwardest man fittest for God? Is not all his +delight in the quickest and cheerefullest givers and servitors? Even to +_Judas_ he saith, That thou doest, doe quickely; so odious is dulnesse +unto him: what else mooved him to ordaine, that the necke of the +consecrated Asse should bee broken, rather then offered up in sacrifice; +doth God hate the Asse? Or is it not for the sake of the quality of the +creature; which hath ever among the Heathens beene an _Hieroglyphick_ of +heavinesse and tardity? + +[Sidenote: 3. Effects of zeale. Revel. 12.] + +[Sidenote: Opus operatum.] + +Thirdly, this zeale is so gracious a favorite with God, that it graces +with him all the rest of his graces. Prayer if it bee fervent, +prevaileth much: the zealous witnesses had power to shut and open +heaven: by this, _Israel_ wrastled with God, overcame, and was called a +Prince with God: this strengthned the heart of _Moses_ (as _Aaron_ and +_Hur_ supported his hands) till the Lord sayd, Let me alone: this made +_Cornelius_ his prayer to come into heaven; whither our colde sutes can +no more ascend, then vapours from the Still, unlesse there bee fire +under it: Repentance, a needefull and primary grace, which the Baptist +so urged: but then wee must bee zealous and repent (as my text joynes +them) or else no repentance pleaseth God; nor are there fruits worthy +repentance. Almes and good deeds are sacrifices pleasing to God; but +without zeale, the widowes mites are no better then the rest; It is the +cheerefull loose, that doubleth the gift. Generally, as some mans marke +and name, furthereth the sale of his commodity; so zeale inhanceth all +the graces of God. It pittieth me for _Laodicea_ that lost so much cost; +had as many vertues, did as many duties as other Churches: but for want +of this, Christ could not sup with them. Furnish a table with the +principallest fare, and daintiest dishes that may be had; let them be +rosted & boyled to the halves, or stand on the table till they bee +lukewarme; what will the guests say? All that we can doe is but the +deede done, unlesse zeale conferre grace. + +[Sidenote: 4. Baptismus Flaminis & Fluminis.] + +Fourthly, zeale is the richest evidence of faith, and the cleerest +demonstration of the Spirit: The Baptisme of water, is but a cold proofe +of a mans Christendome; being common to all commers: but if any bee +baptized with fire, the same is sealed up to the day of Redemption. If +any shall say, friend, what doest thou professe a religion without it; +how can hee choose but bee strucke dumb? Can wee suppose worme-wood +without bitternesse, a man without reason? then may wee imagine a +religion, and a Christian, without spirit and zeale. + +The Jesuite saith, I am zealous; the Separatist, I am zealous; their +plea is more probable, then the lukewarme worldlings, that serve God +without life. If the colour bee pale and wan, and the motion insensible, +the party is dead or in a swoune; if good and swift, wee make no +question. The zealous Christian is never to seeke for a proofe of his +salvation: what makes one Christian differ from another in grace, as +starrs doe in glory; but zeale? All beleevers have a like precious +faith: All true Christians have all graces in their seedes; but the +degrees of them are no way better discerned then by zeale: Men of place +distinguish themselves, by glistering pearles: A Christian of degrees +shines above other in zeale. Comparisons I know are odious to the world, +that faine would have all alike: but the righteous is better then his +neighbour: All Christians are the excellent of the earth, the Zelot +surmounteth them all, as _Saul_ the people by the head and shoulders; +hee is ever striving to excell and exceeds others and himselfe. + +One of these is worth a thousand others, one doth the worke of many: +which made him speake of _Elisha_ in the plurall number, _The horsemen +and Charriots of Israel_; besides his owne worke, hee winns and procures +others, makes Proselytes. It is the nature of fire to multiply, one +coale kindles another: his worke so shines, that others come in and +glorifie God; marvelling and enquiring what such forwardnesse should +meane, concluding with _Nebuchadnezzar, Surely the servants of the most +high God._ + +These are good Factors and Agents, doing God as good service, as +Boutesewes doe the Divell, and Jesuites the Pope, sparing no cost, nor +labour; and what they cannot doe themselves, they doe by their friends, +_Who is on my side, who? &c._ + +As for lets and impediments, they over-looke and over-leape them, as +fire passeth from one house to another; neither is there any standing +for any Gods enemies before them: they make havock of their owne and +others corruptions. If you will rightly conceive of _Peters_ zeale in +converting & confounding, you must imagine (saith _Chrysostome_) a man +made all of fire walking in stubble. All difficulties are but whetstones +of their fortitude. The sluggard saith, _There is a Lyon in the way_; +tell _Samson_ & _David_ so, they will the rather goe out to meet them. +Tell _Nehemiah of Samballat_, hee answereth, _Shall such a man as I +feare?_ Tell _Caleb_ there are _Anakims_, and hee will say, _Let us goe +upp at once, &c_. Let _Agabus_ put off his girdle and binde _Paul_, let +him be told in every City, that bonds await him, hee is not onely ready +for bonds, but for death; tell _Jubentius_, hee must lay downe his life, +he is as willing as to lay off his clothes: tell _Luther_ of enemies in +_Wormes_, hee will goe if all the tiles of the houses were Divells. The +horse neighs at the trumpet; the Leviathan laughs at the speare. They +that meane to take the Kingdome of God by violence, provide themselves +to goe through fire and water, carry their lives in their hands, +embrace faggots; they say to father and mother, _I know you not_: to +carnall Counsellers and friendly enemies, _Get you behinde mee Sathan._ +Zeale is as strong as death, hot as the coales of Juniper; flouds of +many waters cannot quench it. _Agar_, Pro. 30. speakes of foure things, +stately in their kinde; I will make bold to add a fift, comprehending +and excelling them all namely the zealous Christian, strong and bold as +the Lyon; not turning his head for any; as swift as the grey-hound in +the waies of Gods commandements; in the race to heaven, as nimble as the +Goat climbing the steepe and craggy mountaines of pietie and vertue; A +victorious King, overcoming the world and his lusts: _Salomon_ in all +his royalty, is not cloathed like one of these in his fiery Charriot. + +To cut off the infinite praises of zeale, let us heare what honourable +testimonies and glorious rewards, it pleaseth God to conferre upon it; +_Davids_ ruddy complexion and his skill in musique, made him amiable in +the eyes of men: but the zeale of his heart, stiled him a man after Gods +owne heart; and the sweet Singer of Israel. _Abraham_, that could finde +in his heart to sacrifice his _Isaack_, was called the friend of God. +The same vertue denominated _Jacob_ a Prince with God. _Elisha_, The +Charriots and horse-men. _Paul_, A chosen vessell, &c. + +[Sidenote: Revel. 12.] + +[Sidenote: Revel. 7. 3. Ezek. 9. Exod. 12.] + +Neither doth God put them off, with names and empty favours, but upon +these he bestowes his graces: _David_ dedicateth his Psalmes to him that +excelled: God in dispensing of favours, observeth the same rule, to him +that overcommeth will I give, &c, To him that hath, shall bee given. +Husbandmen cast their seede uppon the fertilest ground, which returnes +it with the greatest interest: God gives most talents to those that +improove them in the best banke. _Joseph_ shall have a party coloured +coat, of all kindes of graces and blessings: And because he knowes this +will purchase them hatred and envy, hee takes them into speciall +tuition; if any will hurt his zealous witnesses, there goeth out a fire +out of their mouthes, to devoure their enemies. A man were better anger +all the witches in the world then one of these. If God bring any common +judgements, he sets his seale and _Thau_ on their fore-heads, & +sprinkles their posts; snatcheth _Lot_ out of the fire (who burneth in +zeale, as _Sodome_ in lust) as men doe their plate whiles they let the +baser stuffe burne. In fine, hee taketh _Enoch_ and _Eliah_ in +triumphant Charriots up to heaven, and after their labours and toyles, +setteth them in speciall Thrones, to rest in glory; The Apostles in +their twelve, the rest in their order, according to their zeale. And +though hee may well reckon the best of these, unprofitable servants; +yet such congruity (not of merits, but of favour) it pleaseth him to +observe in crowning his graces, that the most zealous heere, are the +most glorious there. + +Who would not now wonder, how ever this royall vertue should have lost +it grace with the world; how ever any should admit a low thought of it? +But what? Shall all the indignity which hell can cast upon it, make it +vile in our eyes? or rather, shall wee not reason from the opposition, +as _Tertullian_ did of _Nero:_ That religion which _Nero_ so persecutes, +must needs be excellent. + +[Sidenote: 1 Object. Zeale is madd, and makes men mad.] + +[Sidenote: Acts 26. 24 1 Cor.] + +If zeale were not some admirable good, the Divell and World would not so +hate it; Yet lest silence should bee thought to baulke some unanswerable +reasons, let us see how they labour to be madd with reason: Let _Festus_ +bee the Speaker for the rest, for hee speakes what all the rest thinke; +you know his madd objection, and _Pauls_ sober answer in that place, and +the like, 2 Cor. 5.13. whether hee bee madd or sober, it is for God and +you. + +This text bids us bee zealous and repent; the word signifies be wise +againe, or returne to your wits. The prodigall is sayd to come to +himselfe, when he was first heat with this fire. Wee may well answer the +world as old men doe young: You thinke us Christians to bee madd that +follow heaven so eagerly; but we know you to bee madd, that run +a-madding so after vanity. + +[Sidenote: Acts. 2.] + +[Sidenote: Acts. 7.] + +A Christian indeed is never right, till he seeme to the world to be +beside himselfe; Christs owne kindred were afrayd of him. The Apostles +are sayd to be full of new wine; besides, with these the world is madd: +they runn with _Stephan_ like madd men; _Nichodemus_ and such as he, +never offends them. + +[Sidenote: 2 Object.] + +[Sidenote: A makebate.] + +[Sidenote: Tenterden steeple.] + +You know also what _Ahab_ laid to the charge of _Eliah_; with the +Apologie hee made for himselfe. This is a stale imputation in ages. +_Haman_ accused _Mordechay_ and the Jewes of it. The Apostles are sayd +to bee troubles of the whole earth. In the Primitive Church all mutinies +and contentions were layd to the Martyrs. True it is, where zeale is, +there is opposition, and so consequently troubles: Christ sets this fire +on earth, not as an author, but by accident: The theefe is the authour +of the fray, though the true man strike never so many blowes: but the +_Ahabs_ of the world, trouble Israel; then, complaine of _Eliah:_ The +Papists will blow upp the State, then father it upon the Puritans. It is +not for any wise man, to beleeve the tythe of the tales and slanders, +which flie abroad of the zealous: Lewd men would fain strike at all +goodnes through their sides. + +[Sidenote: 3 Object. Proud.] + +You may remember also _Eliabs_ uncharitable censure of _David_, I know +the pride of thine heart. So doe all worldlings measure others by their +owne length; if they see any forwardnesse in the peaceablest spirit, +they ascribe it either to vaine-glory, or covetousnesse; the onely +springs that set their wheeles on going: but of this the knower of the +hearts must judge betweene us. + +[Sidenote: 4 Object. They keep no meane.] + +When slaundering will not serve, then fall they to glavering, cunningly +glancing at zeale, whiles they commend the golden meane wherein vertue +consists. But Christians, take heede none spoyle you through such +Philosophy; or rather Sopistry: for true Philosophy will tell you that +the meane wherein vertue is placed, is the middle betwixt two kindes, +and not degrees: And it is but meane vertue that loves the meane in +their sense. + +[Sidenote: 5 Object. Undiscreet.] + +Oh say they, but some discretion would doe well; It is true, but take +withall _Calvins_ caveat to _Melancthon_: That he affect not so the name +of a moderate man, and listen to such Syrens songs, till he lose his +zeale. + +I have observed, that which the world miscalls discretion, to eat upp +zeale, as that which they call policy, doth wisdome. As _Joab_ stabbed +_Abner_ under a colour of friendship: Antichrist undermineth Christ, by +pretending to be his Vicar. The feare of overdoing makes most come too +short; of the two extreamities, wee should most feare lukewarmnesse: +rather let your milke boyle over then be raw. + +From glavering, they fall to scoffing; yong Saints, will prove but olde +Divels; these hot-spurrs will soone runne themselves out of breath. But +wee say, such were never right bred; such as proove falling starres, +never were ought but meteors; the other never lose light or motion: +spirituall motions may be violent and perpetuall. + +When none of these will take, they fal to right downe rayling; these +Puritans, these singular fellowes, &c. unfit for all honest company. I +hope the states Puritan, and the common Puritan bee two creatures. For +with that staffe the multitude beats all that are better then +themselves, & lets fly at all that have any shew of goodnes. But with +that which most call Puritanisme, I desire to worship God. For +singularity, Christs calls for it, and presseth & urgeth it; What +singular thing doe you, or what odde thing doe you? Shall Gods peculiar +people, doe nothing peculiar? The world thinkes it strange, wee runne +not with them into excesses, and doe not as most doe, that wee might +escape derision: Judge you which of these men shall please: I beleeve +none shall ever please Christ, till they appeare odde, strange and +precise men, to the common sort; and yet neede not bee over just neither +Let them that have tender eares stop them against the charmes of the +world, and scornes of _Michol_, unlesse they were wiser: Let him that +hath a right eare, heare what Christ saith to the Churches, _Be +zealous_. + + +_The fourth part._ + +[Sidenote: Incentives.] + +Yea, but by what meanes shall a Christian attaine this fire, and +maintaine it when he hath gotten it. + +Say not in thine heart, What _Prometheus_ shall ascend into heaven and +fetch it thence; thou mayest fetch it thence by thine owne prayer: as +did _Elias_ and the Apostles, men of infirmities as well as thy selfe; +pray continually, and instantly: the Lord that breathed first thy soule +into thee, will also breath on thy soule: I speake not of miraculous +(which was but a type) but of ordinarie inspiration. Prayer and zeale +are as water and ice: mutually producing each other; when it is once +come downe upon thine altar; though no water can quench it, yet must it +bee preserved fresh, by ordinarie fuell; especially the Priests lipps +must keepe it alive. + +Sermons are bellowes ordained for this purpose. The word read is of +divine use, but doth not with that motion stirre these coales. + +Experience sheweth, the best oration will not so much moove as the +meanest Orator. + +After the sparkles once by these meanes kindled, cherish and feede them +by reading the word: Let it dwell richly in thine heart, excite thy +dulnesse by spirituall Hymnes. Love-songs enflame not lust, more, then +the Song of Songs doth zeale: Reade or sing the 119. Psalme; and if thou +beest not zealous, every verse will checke thee in thy throat: +Meditation is another helpe, approoved by _Isaacks_ and _Davids_ +practice: An Art lately so taught, as I shall neede onely to poynt at +the choyce theames, suiting and furthering this argument. I need not goe +far to fetch this fire: I may strike it out of every word of this +Epistle to _Laodicea_. Behold the Lord God, especially thy Lord Christ +in his glorious titles and Majesty; for so hee beginnes his visions to +_John_; and his Epistles to the Churches, exciting their dull hearts. By +such apparitions did hee set on fire the heart of _Moses_ in the burning +bush; and enflamed _Stephan_, his first Martyr: answerable and +proportionable to which, are our serious contemplations. Behold him as +one that seeth thee, and knoweth thy workes; the rouzing preface of all +these Letters. _Casars_ eye made his souldiers prodigall of their blood. +The Atheist thinks God takes as much notice of him and his prayers, as +hee doth of the humming of Flyes and Bees; and therefore, no marvell if +his service bee formall and fashionable. The faithfull Christian by +faiths prospective sees him at home, and heares him saying, Well done +thou good servant; which maketh him to worke out his heart. Behold him +as the beginning of creatures, especially of the new creature. Oh! what +love hath hee shewed thee in thy redemption? out of what misery, into +what happinesse, by what a price, to what end; but that thou shouldest +bee zealous of good workes? Behold him as the faithfull witnesse, that +witnessed himselfe for thee a good witnesse, and heere faithfully +counsels thee to follow his patterne. Behold him as a speedie and royall +rewarder of his followers. Take thy selfe into paradise, represent to +thy selfe thy crowne, thy throne, thy white robes; looke not on the +things that are seene, but on the farre most excellent wait of glory; +looke upon these, and faint if thou canst. Behold also hee is a +consuming fire, a zealous God, hating lukewarmnesse not onely destroying +_Sodome_ with fire and brimstone, and providing _Tophet_ for his +enemies; but awaking also his drowzie servants, by judgements (as +_Absolon Joab_ by firing his corne) his Israelites by fiery serpents: +whom hee loveth, hee chasteneth, and keepeth them in the fornace of +fiery trialls, till they come to their right temper. Hee standeth and +knocketh: if nothing will arouze us, a time will come, when heaven and +earth shall burne with fire, and Christ shall come in flaming fire, to +render vengeance with fire unquenchable. Wee therefore that know the +terrour of that day, What manner of persons ought we to bee? + +From God turne thine eyes unto man: set before thee the pillar, and +clowde of fiery examples, that have led us the way into Canaan. Hee is +but a dull lade that will not follow: The stories of the Scriptures, the +lives of the Fathers, the acts and monuments of the Church, have a +speciall vertue for this effect. The very pictures of the fires, and +Martyrs, cannot but warme thee. If thou canst meete with any living +examples, follow them, as they follow Christ, frequent their company: +even _Saul_ amongst the Prophets, will prophesie. No bangling hawke, +but with a high flyer will mend her pitch: the poorest good companion, +will doe thee some good; when _Silas_ came, _Paul_ burnt in the spirit: +a lesser sticke may fire a billet; If thou findest none, let the +coldnesse of the times heat thee, as frosts doe the fire; Let every +indignation make thee zealous, as the dunstery of the Monkes, made +_Erasmus_ studious: one way to bee rich in times of dearth, is to +engrosse a rare commodity, such as zeale is: now, if ever, _they have +destroyed thy Law_; It is now high time to be zealous. + +Consider and emulate the children of this generation, to see how eager +every _Demas_ is for worldly promotion. How did that worthy Bishop +disdaine to see an harlot, more curiously to adorne her body unto sinne +and death, then hee could his soule unto life everlasting. It angred +_Demosthenes_ to see a Smith earlier at his anvile, then he was at his +deske. + +When thou hast thus heat thy selfe, take heede of catching colde +againe, as many have done, and brought their zeale to deaths doore. + +[Sidenote: Zeales extinguishers.] + +This fire may goe out divers wayes: first by subtraction of fewell; if a +man forbeare his accustomed meales, will not his naturall heat decay? +The _Levites_ that kept Gods watch in the Temple, were charged +expressely, morning & evening, if not oftner, to looke to the lights and +the fire. Hee that shall forget (at the least) with the _Curfeau-bell_ +in the evening to rake uppe his zeale by prayer, and with the day-bell +in the morning to stirre up & kindle the same, if not oftner with +_Daniel_; I cannot conceive how hee can possibly keepe fire in his +heart. Will God blesse such, as bid him not so much as good-morrow and +good-even? + +Hee that shall despise or neglect prophesie, must hee not needes quench +the spirit? have I not marked glorious professors, who for some farme +sake, or other commodities, have flitted from Jerusalem to Jericho; +where the situation was good, but the waters nought; and their zeale +hath perished, because vision hath failed? + +Such as reade the Bible by fits upon rainy dayes, not eating the booke +with _John_, but tasting onely with the tippe of the tongue: Such as +meditate by snatches, never chewing the cud and digesting their meat, +they may happily get a smackering, for discourse and table-talke; but +not enough to keepe soule & life together, much lesse for strength and +vigour. Such as forsake the best fellowship, and wax strange to holy +assemblies, (as now the manner of many is) how can they but take colde? +Can one coale alone keepe it selfe glowing? + +Though it goe not out for want of matter, yet may it bee put out by +sundry accidents; when it is newly kindled, it may be put out with +scoffes and reproaches, if _Peter_ take not heede, and fence himselfe +well against them; but if once throughly growne, such breath will but +spred and encrease it. + +It is possible fire may bee oppressed with too much wood, and heat +suffocated with too much nourishment: over-much prayer, reading, and +study, may bee a wearinesse both to flesh and spirit: but it so rarely +happeneth, that I neede not mention it; and yet the soule hath its +satiety. There be some such perchance over-nice men in this sense also, +who have not learned that God will have them mercifull to themselves: It +is often smoothered for want of vent and exercise. Let such as use not +and expresse not their zeale, bragge of their good hearts; surely they +have none such, or not like to have them such. If _Nicodemus_ had not +buried Christ by day, we might have feared his zeale had gone out, for +all his comming by night. + +Yet this is not so ordinary, as to extinguish it by the quench-coale of +sinne; grosse sinne every man knowes will waste the conscience, and make +shipwracke of zeale: but I say, the least known evill unrepented of, is +as a theefe in the candle, or an obstruction in the liver. I feare, +_David_ served God but reasonably, till hee published his repentance; +hee that steales his meat, though poverty tempt him, yet giveth thankes +but coldly: zeale and sinne, will soone expell the one or the other out +of their subject; Can you imagine in the same roofe, God and Beliall, +the Arke and Dagon? Lastly, and most commonly, forraine heat will +extract the inward, and adventicious heat consume the naturall. + +The Sunne will put out the fire; and so will the love of the world, the +love of the Father, they cannot stand together in intense degrees, one +cannot serve both these matters with such affection as both would have. +Seldome seest thou a man make haste to bee rich, and thrive in religion. +Christs message to _John_ holds true; The poore are most forward in +receiving and following the Gospell: as thou lovest thy zeale, beware of +resolving to bee rich, lest gain proove thy godlinesse; take heede of +ambitious aspiring, lest Courts and great places, proove ill aires for +zeale, whither it is as easie to go zealous, as to returne wise: +_Peter_ whiles hee warmed his hands, cooled his heart; Not that +greatnesse and zeale cannot agree; but for that our weaknes many times +severs them. If thou beest willing to die poore in estate, thou mayest +the more easily live rich in grace. _Smyrna_, the poorest of the seven +Candle-stickes, hath the richest price upon it. + +The diligent practise of these courses will make easie the practise of +this counsell, _Be zealous, &c_. + + +_The fift part._ + +[Sidenote: 1 Object.] + +But heere mee thinke I heare the lukewarme worldling of our times, fume +& chafe, and aske what needs all this adoe for zeale, as if all Gods +people were not zealous enough. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Such as thinke they are, or can bee zealous enough, neede no other +conviction to bee poore, blinde, naked, wretched and pittifull +_Laodiceans_: Fire is ever climbing and aspiring higher; zeale is ever +aiming at that which is before; carried towards perfection; thinking +meanely of that which is past, and already attained, condemning his +unprofitable service, as _Calvin_ his last Will: this rule tries full +conceited Christians. + +[Sidenote: 2 Object.] + +What would you have us doe? wee professe, keepe our Church, heare +Sermons, as Christians ought to doe. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Affectionate friendship and service is not onely for publique shew and +pomp, upon festivall dayes, in Chambers of Presence; but for +domesticall, ordinary, and private use; to such holy-day and Church +retainers, God may well say, Let us have some of this zeale at home and +apart. + +All affections are most passionate, without a witnesse. Such as whose +families, closets, fields, beds, walkes, doe testifie of their worship, +as well as temples & Synagogues, are right servitors: God much respects +their devotions; and they have strong proofe of the power of godlinesse. + +[Sidenote: 3 Object.] + +Wee would you should know, that wee are such as have prayer sayd or read +in our families and housholds; or else we say some to our selves at our +lying downe, and uprising and more then that, say you what you will, wee +holde more then needs. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +First, know that zeale knowes no such unmannerly courses, as to slubber +over a few prayers, whiles you are dressing and undressing your selves, +as most doe, halfe asleepe, halfe awake; know further, that such as hold +onely a certaine stint of daily duties, as malt-horses their pace, or +mill-horses their round, out of custome or forme, are far from that +mettle which is ever putting forward, growing from strength to strength, +and instant in duties, in season, out of season: and this sayes hard to +lazy Christians. + +[Sidenote: 4 Object.] + +May not wee goe too far on the right hand? + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +It is true: but liberality baulkes, and feares covetousnesse and +niggardize, more a great deale then prodigallity; so does zeale +lukewarmnes and coldnesse, more then too much heate and forwardnesse; +the defect is more opposite and dangerous to some vertues, then the +excesse. + +[Sidenote: 5 Object.] + +Why? are not some thinke you, too straight laced, that dare not use +their Christian liberty in some recreations? sware by small oathes, or +lend money for reasonable use? hath not God left many things +indifferent, wherein some shew themselves more nice then wise? + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Zeale will cut of the right hand, if it cause to offend; much more to +pare the nayles and superfluities: it consumes the strongest, dearest +corruptions; much more will it singe off such haire and drosse as these: +If ought be praise worthy, it imbraceth such things; if any be +doubtfull, carrying shew of evill, of ill reporte, it dares not meddle +with them; it feares that some of these are as indifferent, as +fornication was among the heathen. + +[Sidenote: 6 Object.] + +There are but few such, no not of the better sort, as you speake of. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Graunt there bee any, and zealous emulation culleth the highest +examples. Such as meane to excell in any Art, travell to find out the +rarest workemen, purchase the choysest Copies; hee that hath true zeale, +will strive to purge himselfe, as Christ is pure. + +[Sidenote: 7 Object.] + +Will you have us runne before our neighbours, or live without example or +company? + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Cowards and cravens, stand and look who goes first: souldiers of courage +will cast lots for the onset and fore-rank, for desperat services, and +single combats. Lades will not go without the way be led. + +[Sidenote: 8 Object.] + +So we may soone come to trouble, and danger enough. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +What daunger can there bee, of an honest, peaceable, religious +forwardnesse? + +The slug or snaile, puts out the tender horne to feele for lets in the +way, and puls them in where there is no cause; so doe the fearfull that +shall be without: but zeale either findes no dangers, or makes them +none; it neither feares to doe well, or to reproove ill doers, let who +so will be displeased. + +Some indeed care not whome they offend, they are so harsh and fiery, +they can beare with nothing. + +[Sidenote: 9 Object.] + +Will true Christianity allow us to beare with any sinne? + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Can tinne, or hot iron choose but hisse againe, if cold water be cast on +it? can a righteous soul choose but vexe it selfe at open evill? Such +Ostriches as can digest oathes, prophane and filthie speeches, shew what +mettle they have for the Lord of hosts; who yet will be ready enough to +offer the challenge, or stab, for the least disgrace to themselves, or +their mistresse: _Phineas_ had rather, if it were lawfull, fight in Gods +quarrels then his owne. + +[Sidenote: 10 Object.] + +All are not by nature of so hot dispositions, or so fiery-spirited, as +others. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +If there bee such a dull flegmaticke creature as hath no life nor +spirite in any thing hee goes about, or whome nothing will moove; hee +may plead complexion, and yet grace is above nature: but the best way +is; See every man compare his devotion in matters of God, with his +spirits and mettle in other affayres, wherein his element or delight +lies; if the one equall not the other, the fault is not in nature: the +oldest man hath memory enough for his gold, and the coldest constitution +heate enough where it likes. + +[Sidenote: 11 Object.] + +Well, our harts may bee as good as the best though we cannot shew it. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Fire cannot be long smothered, it will either finde a vent, or goe out; +zeale will either finde word, or deede, to expresse it selfe withall. + +[Sidenote: 12 Object.] + +All have not the gift of utterance. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Violent affections have made the dumbe to finde a tongue; If it be lowe +water the mille may stand; but aboundance of heart will set the wheeles +on going What earnest discourses will unlearned Mariners make of their +voiages? Huntsmen of their game, &c. + +[Sidenote: 13 Object.] + +All have not ability and meanes: many have great charges. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +Love and zeale are munificent, make money their servant, not their +master: wheresoever the heart is enlarged, the hand cannot bee +straightned; where the bowells are open, the purse is not shut. _Herod_ +for his pleasure, cares not for halfe his kingdome; what will not some +Gentle-men give for hawks and hounds? not onely the poore woman that +spent the rich oyntment on Christ, the widow that gave all her +substance, the converts that solde all, and threw all at the feet of the +Apostles, but even the bounty of the superstitious Papists shall rise in +judgement against such as professe a religion, wil give it good words & +countenance; but bee at no cost with it, and know a cheaper way to save +charge withall. + +[Sidenote: 14 Object.] + +All have not so much leisure to spend, so much time and study, about +matters of religion, they have somewhat else to doe. + +[Sidenote: Answer.] + +There are indeede many vanities, which distract and divide the minde of +worldlings; but zeale counts one thing needefull, to which it makes all +other veile and stand by. Is there any so good an husband of his time, +that will not steale some houre for his pleasure; that cannot spare his +God and his soule halfe an houre, morning and evening; that bestowes not +idly, as much time as a Sermon or two would take upp in the weeke? The +soule I confesse hath his satiety, as well as the body; but why should +we sit on thornes, more at a Sermon then at a Play; thinke the Saboths +longer then holi-daies; but for want of zeale? If thou beest not a vaine +and willing deceiver of thy selfe, and others; deale honestly & plainly +with thy soule, try thy selfe by these few rules; and if thou judgest +thy selfe to come short of them, amend and _be Zealous_. + + +_The sixt part._ + +Which little round fire-ball comming to hand, as _Davids_ small stone, +by ordinary lot, knowing the insufficiency of mine owne; I pray that God +with his arme would scatter it farre and wide into those wilde parts of +the world without the pale of Christendome, which lie so frozen and +benummed in their Paganisme, that they feele not the coldnesse of their +religions; as also in those regions that being within the Tropickes of +the Church, have just so much, and so little heat, as to thinke they +have enough, and neede no more: Cheefly mine affections burne within mee +for the good of mine owne Nation, for which I would I had but so much +zeale as truely to wish my selfe _Anathema_, upon condition it had heat +sutable to the light. For I must beare it record, it hath knowledge, I +would I could say, according to zeale. But the spirit, knowing that +which is spoken to all to bee in effect as spoken to none, directs mee +what I should speake to Churches, to speake to particular Angels. Now +the principall in our Church, under that Archangell of the covenant, I +most willingly acknowledge to bee my Lord the King, as an Angell of +light. And why not that very Angell, who by his writing hath begunne to +powre out the fift viall upon the throne of the beast, darkned his +Kingdome, caused them to gnaw their tongues for greefe, and blaspheme +for the smart of their wounds; though as yet they will not repent of +their errours? The Lord annoynt him more and more with this oyle above +all the Princes of the earth, that from his head, it may runne downe +upon our skirts; make him shine in zeale above all other starres, to the +warming & enlightning of this whole Horizon; set him up as a standard +for his people; cloath him with zeale, as with a cloake, to recompence +the fury of the adversaries, that he may strike the Aramites, not three +but five times till they be consumed; that he may put the Ammonites +under the yron sawes, harrowes, axes, which have provoked him as much, +as ever they did _David_, 2. Sam. 12. But yet as in the time of the old +Testament the custody of the fire and light was the charge of the +Priest; so here I observe Christ to lay it upon his Ministers, +interpreting his rule by his practise, _Tell the church, Tell the Angell +of the Church_; honouring that despised office, with that stately stile; +intimating the union betwene People and Minister, that they should bee +as one: what is spoken to the one, is spoken to the other; not as some, +that ever make Clergy and Layty two members, in division and opposition; +neither yet as some spirites that lay all level, but implying a +property, especially in grace and zeale in the Ministers, whom the +Preacher calls the master of the assemblies; that they should exceede as +farre the people, as Angels doe men, and that he will reckon with them +for the religion of the people, because colde Priests make bolde +sinners; zealous _Jehoiada_ may mak _Jehoash_ the King zealous, so long +as hee lives with him. Wee therefore men and brethren, or rather men +and Angels, upon whom it lies to keepe life and heat in the devotion of +the world, to consume the drosse of vices and heresies, that have fallen +into the sinke of our times; wee that are to make ready our people for +the second comming of Christ, is the spirit of _Ely_ thinke wee +sufficient for us? What manner of persons ought we to bee, burning in +spirit, fervent in prayer, thundring in preaching, shining in life and +conversation? Why is it then my brethren (oh let my plainest rebukes bee +the fruits and signes of my best love to mine owne Tribe; let them not +bee as breakings of the head, but as precious balme to those whose +honour with the people, I preferre to my life) why is it that some of us +pray so rarely and so coldly in private (the evills of our times will +not out but by frequent fasting and fervent prayer) in publique so +briefly, so perfunctorily, and feebly, that wee scarce have any +witnesses of what wee say? Why are there yet remaining any Mutes +amongst us? Why are ther any tounges that dare speake against often or +zealous preaching? Doth not _Paul_ adjure us before him that shall judge +the elect Angels, that we preach instantly, in season, and out of +season? Reade wee the commentaries of that text, or let the practise of +Ancients expound it; and tell mee if ever old or new interpreted that +charge, of bare reading, of quarterly, or monethly, yea, or of once on +the Sabbath preaching onely, as if that were fully sufficient, without +endeavoring or desiring any more. If alwaies often preaching bee +prating, what meant the practise I say, not onely of _Calvin_, and +_Beza_ but of _Chrysostome_, _Basil_, _Ambrose_ with other of the +Fathers, preaching every day in the weeke, some of them twise in the +weeke, none of them so seldome, as such would bear the world in hand. +What meant sundry ancient Councells, (the eleventh of _Tolet_ in Spaine) +yea even of Trent it selfe, to excite the torpor of the Bishoppes of +their times, as their Canons speake, enjoyning frequent preaching, +calling for more then almost any man is able to performe? + +But heere I may turne reprooving into rejoycing, that preaching is +growne in any better fashion and grace with our times, by royall and +reverend, both examples and countenance: only I wish that every +_Archippus_ may fulfill his Ministery, be instant and constant in +preaching. _Salomon_ the older, and wiser hee grew, the more hee taught +the people, sharpened his goads, and fastned his nails; whereas many +amongst us are so wise in their youth, as to affect the foolishnes of +preaching; but in their dotage, Ease slayes the foole; when the doore is +oyled, it leaves creaking; they must then fall to make much of +themselves, till contrary with the Prophet they cry out, My fatnesse, my +fatnesse, my belly, my belly; so favouring their lungs, that they will +bee sure never to die of _Davids_ consumption of zeale; let such preach, +say they, that want livings: and if for shame they preach at all, it +must bee rarely and easily, for breaking of their winde (my meaning is +not to tax such, whom God disinables by weaknesse of body; or such as +recompence their rarity with industry, as _Perkins_, &c.) and yet +forsooth these thinke they may justly challenge, and weare the double +honor of countenance and maintenance; I marvell with what right, or with +what face, so long as there remaineth expresse Canon of Scripture, +bequeathing it to those, that toyle in word and doctrine. Neither will +zeale set us on worke onely to preach, or to preach often to avoyd the +infamy of bare readers; but it will teach us to preach painefully, and +that in the evidence and demonstration, not so much of art, or nature, +as of the spirit and grace; regarding onely, that the people know Christ +and him crucified; not caring whether they know what wee have read, how +many quotations our memory will carry levell, how roundly wee can utter +our minde in new minted words, in like sounding, idle, vaine, and +offensive _Paranomasies_; I blush to fall into the least touch of that +kinde: yet at once to shew and reproove that childish folly, It is a +vaine of vaine preaching, turning sound preaching into a sound of +preaching, tickling mens eares, like a tinckling cymball, feeding them, +[Greek: hedusmati kai ouk edesmasi], spoyling the plaine song, with +descant and division: what is this but to shew our owne levitie and want +of true Art; indeede affecting such a dancing, piperly and effeminate +eloquence (as _Tully, Demosthenes_, or any Masculine Oratour would +scorne) in steade of that divine powerfull deliverie, which becommeth +him, that speakes the Oracles of God. If ever wee meane to doe any good, +wee must exhort and reproove, with all vehemency and authority; lifting +upp our voyce as a trumpet, as the sonnes of thunder; pearcing their +eares, witnessing, striving and contending, according to our gift +whatsoever it bee, to manifest our affections, that wee may worke upon +the people; which all the Art in the world will not teach us to doe: +onely zeale at the heart will naturally produce it, without straining or +affecting. If God require the heart as well as the head; why should wee +not labour to moove the affections, as well as enforme the judgement; +There is a doctrinall, and as some tearme it, a Doctorly kinde of +preaching, which is admired of some that understand it not; of others +that could be content with the Masse againe, because it was gentle, and +had no teeth in it. And such Sermons I have sometimes heard, for matter +voyd of exception, but so delivered, as if one were acting a part, or +saying a lesson by heart. It hath called to minde a song which sometimes +I have met withall, excellently composed, full of sweet ayre, surely and +truely sung; but with flat and dead voyces without spirit, which hath +marred the musique: Of such a Sermon and Preacher, the Countreymans +verdict did well, that said, this man may bee a great scholler, but hee +wants beetle and wedges to heaw our knotted timber withall, our greene +wood will not burn unlesse it be better blown; you shall sometimes see +an excellent horse of shape and colour, having many of those markes _Du +Bartes_ describes in _Caines_ supposed horse; which yet wanting mettle +hath beene of little worth, and lesse use. If there were no other +Preachers then these, which hold themselves the onely profound and +learned Preachers, I muse what should become of conversion of soules, +which they that covet; must come with the spirit of _Elias_, to turne +the hearts of the fathers to their children, I may in truth, and I hope +with modesty speake with the Preacher, that in observing I have +observed, and have found, that divers great Clarkes have had but little +fruit of their ministery; but hardly any truely zealous man of God +(though of lesser gifts) but have had much comfort of their labours, in +their owne and bordering parishes, being in this likened by _Gregorie_, +to the yron on the Smiths anvile sparkling round about. And if for this +any bordering neighbours, whose cold labours worke not the like +successe, shall accuse them of some kinde (I know not what) of policie +in bewitching the people; they may well reply, Behold our zealous +affections are our charmes, and zeale all our witchcraft, as _Latimer_ +well answered one that accused the people of partiality, for not +affecting him that preached one of his printed Sermons, that hee had +indeede his Sticke, but wanted his Rosen; meaning his zealous manner of +preaching and living, without which last, all the former will doe but +little good, if a good ensample of life accompany not their doctrine, as +lightning doth thunder. For there are some (I speake with sorrow of +heart) that seeme to have fire in their preaching, but carry water in +their life; being notoriously proud, covetous, or debauched, stained +with odious vices. Let us heare the summ of all. Doe wee love Christ +more then ordinary? would wee give proofe of our trebble love to him? +Let us then feede his flocke with a trebble zeale, expressed in our +prayer, preaching and living: Let us make it appeare to the consciences +of all, that the top of our ambition is Gods glory: and that wee preferr +the winning of soules, to the winning of the world. + +This title of Angels why may it not also be extended to Magistrates, as +well as that higher stile, of Gods; Sure I am, that the scarlet robe of +zeale would exceeding well become them. _Jethro_ maketh it their prime +and essentiall character; God and _Moses_, their onely and sole, in the +charge and commission to _Jehoshuah_ so oft repeated; _Onely be of good +courage_. And if _David_ were now to re-pen his Psalme; I thinke hee +might alter the forme of his counsell, and say, _Bee zealous yee Rulers +and Judges of the world_, and not wise and politique: or rather under +the tearmes of wisdome, hee comprehends indeede the zeale wee call for, +the most now adayes being _Gallio's_, wise onely for the matters of the +Commonwealth; not having a sparke of that spirit which was in _Phineas, +Daniel_, and _Nehemias_, &c. for the Lord of hosts, or to his Lawes and +Commandements; as if God had made Magistrates keepers onely of the +second Table, governours of men, and not of Christians; guardians onely +of civill societies, and not of his Church, and shepheards also of his +flocke. Are Idolatries, blasphemies, prophaning of Saboths, no sinns? +Why then either have not the lawes force and strength enough in them (as +sometime wee are answered when wee complaine) or why are they not +executed for the suppressing of these raging sins? are not all they +punished with death in the Scriptures, as well as breaches of the second +table? Blood I leave to the malignant Church, and admire clemency in +Rulers, as much as any; but yet I know the prophane dissolutenesse of +the times, requires a three stringed whipp of severity to purge our +_Augean_ stable of the soule abuses, whipt often with penns and +tongues, but spared by them that beare the sword (a man may say of many +Governours) altogether in vaine for matters of religion. Are not kings +of the earth charg'd to render double to the bloody strumpet of Rome? +Why then doth the hurtfull pitty of our times imbolden and increase +their numbers? _Laodicea_ it selfe, I doubt not, for matters of mine and +thine, had (as their name imports) good civill justice and justicers; +but what was God the neerer for it? doth hee not threaten for all that +to spue them out of his mouth? shall hee not curse those that doe his +worke negligently, fearfully & partially? Our times complaine of two +speciall canker wormes of justice, which eat up zeale in Magistrates. +The first is _Covetousnesse_, which makes men of place to transgresse +for a morsell of bread; the zeale of their owne houses consumes the +zeale of Gods house: The building of great houses, keeping of great +houses, and matching with great houses, raising and leaving of great +houses behinde them, makes them so ravenous, that they devoure so much, +as choakes all their zeale; which would teach them to shake their laps +of bribes, and scorne to accept gifts, though men would augment them for +the perverting of judgement. The other is _Cowardice_ and _Fearfulnes_: +which how unfit, and base a quality did _Nehemiah_ thinke it for a man +of his place? no better then shynesse in a fore-horse, whose eyes men +fence on both sides, that they may lead the way, and goe without +starting; unto which, zeale is answerable in Magistrates, causing them +onely to see him that is invisible, without casting a squint eye at men; +to sing to God onely of judgement and mercy, without tuning their songs +to mans eare; to walke in the perfect way, without turning, either to +the right or left hand for feare of favour. Oh that there were such an +heart in our leaders; how easily would our people follow! what a spring +tide of zeale should wee have, if the Sunne and Moone would cast out a +benigne aspect upon them! Doth it not flourish in all those shires and +townes, where the Word and Sword doe joyntly cherish it? In others which +are the greatest number, how doth it languish and wane away, and hang +downe the head? where is it in diverse places of the land to bee seene? +I had almost sayd in my haste and heat, there is none that hath zeale, +no not one, there is no courage for the truth; but that I remember that +_Eliah_ was checked for over-shooting himselfe in his too short and +quicke computation. I hope the Lord hath his fifties amongst us, though +but thinn sowne in comparison of the swarmes of professed Recusants, and +Church-Papists, of prophane Atheists, key-cold worldlings, and lukewarme +professors. The bodies of our many severall Congregations, yea even of +the better sort, whereunto have they beene likened by our separated +adversaries; but unto the Prophet _Hosea_ his cake, halfe baked upon the +hearth, having one side, that is, the one side to the world-ward, in +publique service, scorched a little and browned over; but the inside to +God-ward, in private, and family-duties, no better then dough; many of +them making indeede some shew, as the out-landish fruits that are +plashed upon our walls, but wanting heat never come to maturity. If wee +should make good their resemblances, how then should wee please the +stomacke of God? who hath indeede brooked and borne us a long time, I +doubt but wamblingly. How neare were wee going in 88. and in the powder +treason? Doe we thinke he will ever digest us, in the temper wee are in? +which (to confesse the truth of the fashionable Christian) what is it +but a state of neutrality, indifferency, or such a mediocrity, as will +just serve the time, satisfie Law, or stand with reputation of +neighbours? beyond which, if any step a little forward, do not the rest +hunt upon the stop? If there hap to breake out a sparkle of zeale in any +one house in a parish; is not the whole towne in an uprore, as when the +bells ring awke every man brings his bucket, to the quenching of this +fire? If hell bee in an Ale-house, who cryes out of it? & as for our +Sundayes Church-service, which is all that God gets at our hands; how +perfunctorily, and fashionably is it slubbered over; how are his Saboths +made the voyder and dung-hill for all refuse businesse, divided betweene +the Church and the Ale-house, the May-pole commonly beguiling the +Pulpit? What man would not spue to see God thus worshipped? This want of +devotion makes the foule mouthed Papists to spet at us: this want of +reformation, makes the queasie-stomacked Brownists cast themselves out +of the Church; and shall God alwayes suffer the land to beare us? But +behold, he stands at the door & knocks, by treasons, by plagues, by the +hammer of dearths, discontents, fires, inundations, especially by the +word; his locks are wet with waiting. Oh before hee shake off the dust +of his feet against us, and turne to some other nation more worthy, let +us open the doore, that hee may come in and sup with us; if hee love us, +hee will purge us, and scoure us, by one chastizement or other: if hee +have no pleasure in us, hee cannot but unburthen his stomacke of us; If +all the land besides should turne the deafe eare, yet let mee entreat +and charge you of my flock to heare his voyce, & be zealous. Since my +comming amongst you, I have handled some bookes of the olde Testament, +the Epistles to the Romanes, to the Hebrewes, of Saint _James_, _Peter_ +and _John_, out of them taught the doctrine of the Law, of Faith, Love +and good Workes: now in the choyce of this Epistle of Christ to +_Laodicea_, my desire was to boyle up the former to their just temper: +in which worke I can willingly bee content to spend my strength, and +dayes, if God see it fit. I cannot be a better sacrifice then to God, +and for you, if I waste my selfe, so you may have light & heat; what +else is the end of my life? God hath given you a name, your zeale is +gone abroad, & I hope you have many names among you; the Lord encrease +their number and zeale. If but one of us this day, shall open this +doore of his heart with _Jehoshuah_, let others chuse, I and my house +will serve the Lord more zealously then heeretofore; neither I nor hee +shall have lost our labours. A lively picture casts the eye upon every +one that comes neere it: such is the word with whom, and with which we +have to do; Let him that is now colde, grow colder & colder; but let him +that hath an eare, heare what hath beene sayd to the Churches; and be +zealous and amend. + +The Lord give us not onely understanding, but zeale in all things: he +baptize us with fire: hee breath on us, and inspire into us the spirit +of life & power, &c. So shall wee runn the wayes of his commandements. + + +FINIS. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Coal From The Altar, To Kindle The +Holy Fire of Zeale, by Samuel Ward + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A COAL FROM THE ALTAR, TO *** + +***** This file should be named 16423.txt or 16423.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/4/2/16423/ + +Produced by Jordan Dohms and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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