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Page 11
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?
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