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Page 15
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?
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