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Page 7
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.
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