Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace: And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.
— Numbers 25:11-13
For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
— Psalm 69:9
For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
— Isaiah 59:17
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
— 1 Corinthians 15:58
Zeale For God’s House Quickned Or, A Sermon Preached Before the Assembly of Lords, Commons, And Divines at Their Solemn Fast July 7, 1643. In the Abbey Church at Westminster. Expressing the Eminencie Of Zeale Requisite In Church Reformers: by Oliver Bowles, Pastor Of Sutton In Bedfordshire. The following contains an excerpt from his sermon.
But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing,
— Galatians 4.18a
Published by Order of both Houses of Parliament. London.
The second Head to be considered, is what influence zeale ought to have into Reformers.
First, Zeale will and must doe her work throughly: It is Gods work, men must not halve it, there is danger least corruptions grow againe, unlesse pull’d up by the roots: Experience hath taught what sad persecutions, a partiall reformation hath made way for: What hope doth such an imperfect proceeding give to the enemies, that wee come on to them againe.
Seconly, Zeal must and will summon all the powers of soul and body, and all that we can prevaile withall, to further the work: God delights in men of activity, he cares not for the dull Asse to be offered in Sacrifice, the neck of it was to be broken: It was earnest Baruch that had the prayse above the rest: The twelve Tribes did serve God, What should wee be earnest for, if not for God and his cause? Wilt thou be earnest for thy friend, thy profit, thy pleasures, and cold for thy God?
Thirdly, Zeale after she is convinced of the justice of the cause, over-looks all dangers though never so great. So Caleb, when hee heard of the difficulties, resolves, Let us goe up at once: So Esther, If I perish, I perish: So Saint Paul, what doe you, weeping and breaking my heart? It also treads under foot all allurements, all hope of great things; God doth now as good as say, That which I have planted, I will pluck up, and seekst thou great things for thy selfe? Is it now a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and Oliveyards, and Vineyards, and sheep and oxen?
Fourthly, Zeale helps a Reformer against the tentation of being alone; This prevailes much, especially where the devill and our carnall friends catch us at an advantage, and amplifie the discouragement: How have the mighty been here overthrown? Zeal takes notice, for the support of her selfe, of Joshua his resolution, Chuse yee whom yee will, but I and my house will serve the Lord: So of Elias his complaint, that he was left alone: So of Paul, At my first answering no man assisted me: Zeale takes notice that numbers begin in one, and had there not beene one first, there had never been two.
Fiftly, Zeale commands perseverance, and holding out in the work: Many begin in the spirit, but end in the flesh; how many brave worthies that blossom’d faire, come on as promising great things, yet have split them upon the rock of an unsound heart, withered away, if not in the end proved false to God and their Countrey; worthy Patriots for a time, but their hearts failing them, they prove such as relinquish their station. In Christianis non initia sed fines laudantur; He only receives the Crown that overcomes. That heat in a Reformer that is from heaven will hold out, not that which is meerely adventitious, set on work from outward causes.
The third Head, how zeale must bee qualified.
1. It must bee founded in knowledge, the understanding is the eye of the soule: As mettall is dangerous in a blind horse, so zeale when not directed by a judgment well informed; zeale, as fire, must have light as well as heat. It is Hell where is is heat and no light but utter darknesse.
The minde, and so zeale, cannot be good without knowledge: The Jewes zeale, defective in that, not according to knowledge: This zeale must not be conjecturall, probably seeming, such only as wee have received from others without examination. Nothing more ordinary then plentifull allegations of Scripture to carry a cause; it matters not how specious and frequent quotations of Scripture there bee, as what they prove upon sound tryall: You whom God hath betrusted with this work take not all for gold that glitters.
2 It must be ordered with wisdome, zeale must be wary, as well as warme: Fire is good, but in a wise mans hands, that will not put it into the thatch; fire is good in the Chimney, but if it catch the rafters of the house it sets all on fire: Sapientis est videre, non quid debeas salum, sed quid possis: In the encounter with vice to bee Reformed, wisedome will not have a Reformer to set upon the Reforming, Quando necesse id, ut sit impar vitio, that will but enrage vice more: Many mischiefes men that meane well are subject to even their good endeavours, but wisdome is profitable to direct. Beware here of that overwary discretion that destroyes zeale.
3 It must bee tempered with love, zeale is apt to bee harsh, but love lines the yoak and makes it easie to be borne: sit zelus, said my Author, but non immoderate sieviens, &c. Love takes us off from all bitternesse to mens persons; Dilige & dic quod voles, love and say what you will: Love allowes us to be warme, sharp, home in our reproofes, but not scalding hot: The stomack admits not that which burnes the lips, nor the eare that reproofe that is contumelious: Love calls upon us as to bee zealous for the truth, so to make it our work to endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephes.4.3. What should rend and divide us one from another, whom the Lord hath united with so many bonds, as to meet in one God, one Christ, one Spirit, one Faith, one Baptisme, one Heaven?
Farre be it from us, on whom the Apostle hath laid so many charges; if any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies fulfill my joy, that ye be of one accord and one mind. Doe not our Adversaries studdy to make rents among us, shall we gratifie them, weaken our selves? Doe not they cry out that if they can but divide us they shall conquer us? It is memorable what is reported of Julian, that hee did nourish dissentions among Christians, ut non timeret postea unanimem plebem.
If zeale bee so requisite in him that God calls to bee a Reformer, then we must give diligence that our zeale may be of the right stamp: As every grace so zeale may and often hath its counterfeit, as
First, if it want a true light, There be false lights that mislead men over bogges and dangerous places; we are exceeding apt to be misled when prejudiced by mens persons, their learning, or holinesse, antiquity, or novelty, as if we were necessarily to receive a thing because ancient, or to reject it because new, by a hasty engaging of our judgments before we be able to judge, and an unwillingnesse to retract when we have judged by an undue enquiry, when we rather seek that things may be lawfull, then whether they be lawfull or not, when transported by selfe conceitednesse of our owne opinion; it is onely the eye-salve of the Spirit by the Word must guide us, To the Law and to the Testimony.
Secondly, If it suffer not it selfe to be ordered by wisedom; This take in right meanes as conducive to a right end; there is a precipitancy whereby he that hasteth in his matters, sinneth. There is a spirit of deliberation and counsell; consider, consult, then give sentence, then practise. A good cause often miscarries by indiscreet handling, The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to goe to the City; Ignorance of the right meanes, tires our men in their endeavours to no purpose.
Thirdly, if it easily fall into wrangling and quarrels: Love, that is and ought to be the orderer of zeale; suffereth long, beareth all things, endureth all things: love knowes that a little breach will quickly bee a great one, It prevents them or speedily makes them up, It gives the water no passage, no not a little; zeale for God, is tenderly respectfull of mens persons; It is wild-fire and not zeale, that casts fire-brands and arrowes, and deadly words, and sayes, I meane no harme, Prov. 26.18, 19.
Fourthly, if zeale bee right, she will not bate ought of what lies under the command of God, no not a hoofe; its false zeale that cryes, neither mine nor thine, but let it bee devided, that makes nothing of small matters: True zeale drives on the work of Reformation so as it leaves not the least remnants of Baal, removes all high places, as considering that great persecutions have been raised upon small matters, and that conscience is a tender thing, as the eye, the least moat troubles it.
Fifthly, if our zeale be only flashy, like those unnaturall heats that come and goe by flushings it is not right, wee have many that begin well, are hot and eager while in such a company, while they have such props, while carried on by such hopes, while not assaulted with such tentations, while they thought the cause would goe thus they were eager and hot in the work of Reformation, but as things alter from without, they alter from within, even to the totall remitting of their zeale.
Sixthly, If true zeale, as that which hath the cause of God in the eye, then tract of time, multitude of discouragements, falsenesse of men deserting the cause, strength of oppositions will not tire out a mans spirit: zeale makes men resolute, difficulties are but whetstones to their fortitude, it steeles mens spirits with an undaunted magnanimity.
If zeale be so necessary in a Reformer, the wee are all first to blesse God for that fire of zeale the Lord hath kindled in many of your hearts, right Honourable and beloved whereby you have been willing to spend and be spent for the common cause: We may read your zeale in your unwearied paines, in your deniall of your selves in matter of profit and pleasure, in the many hazards you have runne, even of all you are, have, or may expect in the railings and speakings against of men: Have not we cause to be thankfull for that zeale of yours whereby you have taken off unsufferable burthens from our backs, for the many snares from which you have for the discovery of and delivery of us from the most dangerous ruining plots, for the many precious Ordinances of Parliament that have issued out for the common good? Have not many unworthy scandalous and soule-starving Ministers been displaced, and good ones placed in their roome? Hath not the Lords day been restored to its pristine sanctification and by burning the book of Sports, with other Commands for the better sanctifying of the day been vindicated from all those former unsufferable profanations? How have superstitious monuments been defaced, secret Idolatries suppressed, Seducers of the people been banished the Land; For all these, and many more, everlasting honour shall be upon the head of you our Reformers, Goe on and prosper You Noble Parliament Worthies doe worthily in our Ephrata, and be famous in our Bethlehem, so shall the Lord make your names as a savoury ointment, crowne you with his best blessings, make your Families flourish when you are dead and gone, remember you according to all the good you have done for Gods cause: But above all, that you have found out a way in these distracted times wherein Religion it selfe, groanes under the wantonnesse of our people, loathing the Manna, and hunting after Novelties, under the uncouth and irreligious opinions crept in among us, under the bitter divisions that overspread City and Countrey to call an Assembly of able and Worthy Divines, with whom you might advise for the settling of Doctrine, Worship, and Discipline. Oh that this work had been sooner in hand Not only have you found such a way, but you have embodied many worthies from among your selves with us: Have not we a a double benefit hereby; first, you by this your association, put honour upon us who should without you in the eyes of many carnall men have been very despicable; secondly, by this happy conjunction, you both help to order us who are ignorant of the nature of such meetings, and withall by a seasonable interposall may stay divisions among us. Only wee have a double suit to you.
1 That you would not suffer the work to be either spun out beyond what is meet, or yet hastily slubber’d over. Not the first, for that the enemy is sowing tares, and much harme may be done, while we are consulting; Error may enter so deeply, that they may prove incurable. Nor yet let it be done negligently: first, for that it is the Lords work, to the negligent doing whereof belongs a curse: secondly, in that it is to us of neare concernment, all our wealth goes in this bottom: thirdly, for that many eyes are upon us from abroad, both of friends who will praise God for what we doe well, and of foes who watch for our halting.
2 Our second suit to you is, that when the Lawes of Christ, for the due administration of his ordinances, shall be discovered, you would be pleased to account it your greatest honour to submit to them. Christs government is the only liberty, thraldome to your lusts is the only true bondage; If you honour God, he will honour you. It is his Gospel that hath clothed you with scarlet, put ornaments of gold upon you, put every precious stone in your garments. Be not jealous, as if Christs government would eclypse your greatnesse. Christs rule and your honours are not incompatible, the Lord Jesus tells us his Kingdom is not of this world, he commands that Cesar have his right. It is the style of the Spirit of God that calls you dignities with respect to which the Schoole allowes that outward Pomp which Magistracy is honoured with; and the same Spirit mentions the pomp of Agrippa, when hee came to sit in Judgement, without dislike, Acts 25.23.
Secondly, as it sets out the unspeakable good of a zealous Reformer, and what a blessing such a one is, so it points out to us what that is, which of all other doth most unbeseeme a Reformer, viz. the want of Zeale, which will render such whom God hath called to this office, most odious to him, most abominable to men; ages present will count themselves unfortunate in such, ages to come will curse such, the opportunities which God afforded them, and which they for want of zeale have squandered away, will rise up in judgement against them. What might such have done, if a spirit of zeal had eaten up their spirits, they might have saved the Churches at home and abroad, given Antichrist that blow that should have thrown him as a mill-stone into the middle of the sea, delivered liberties, lawes, and inheritances to posterity, saved City, Countrey, the lives of millions of men, they might have finished the work they began, all succeeding ages might have blessed God for them, their owne works have praised them in the gate. Now if zeale be wanting, they will undoe all the Churches of Christ, as much as in them lies; they will uphold tottering Babylon, destroy flourishing England, deliver up their posterity to absolute slavery, make themselves the monuments of shame and ignominy to all that now or shall heare of them. Oh tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon, &c. Must it not needs be so when so necessary a correquisite as zeale is wanting? for what is a Reformer without zeale, but as a body without a soule, a Bee without a sting, salt without savour. Oh then you Noble Senators, who are under God the Chariots and Horse-men of our Israel, what ever you part withall, part not with your zeale, let this be your honour and crown and as diadem upon your head, that yet you be zealous for your Religion, your Countrey, your Lawes, and Liberties: shall you but remit your former zeale, a spirit of lukewarmnesse which God forbid seize upon you, sell truth for peace; you will live and die without honour, and render your selves and us the most miserable Nation under heaven.
Let me addresse my selfe to you, Right Reverend and beloved in the Lord. Behold the Lord hath, by a providence of his, singled us out among our Brethren, for this great worke in hand. Both you and we all are desirous this day to lay our selves low before the Lord, importunately to intreat his assistance, that he would be pleased to magnifie his power in our weaknesse. Hee might have made choyce of many of our Brethren every way as able, if not more able then our selves, but so is his pleasure, and we dare not but be at his dispose. The Lord can worke as well by the Oaten Pipe, as by the Silver Trumpet. Be then exhorted by him who reckons himselfe the meanest of you all, and who in respect of his many infirmities might well have been dispensed withall, be I say exhorted to cloath your selves, out of respect to the worke in hand, with zeale as with a cloak, to fall upon the businesse you are designed to, toto animi impetu, you are called out to contend for the truth that was once given to the Saints, which hath beene sealed with the bloud of Martyrs, hath beene justified by the learned pennes and disputes of all the Worthies of this Kingdome, without interruption, for above this 80. yeeres, but of late, by a cunning, ambitious, and corrupt party, we had almost beene cheated of it, even of that truth which ought to be dearer then our lives.
Blessed be our God who hath given a turne, and made a stop of their proceedings, whose worke was, as to put out the eyes of the people of the land by Ignorance, so to have leavened them with Heterodox Opinions: and were we not indeed gone almost as farre as Rome gates in a declining way? Our worke is a noble work, it is servare depositum, to be Feoffees in trust for that saving truth, that patterne of wholesome words, which hath been derived to us, as from the pure fountaine of Scripture, so also by the Channell of purer Antiquity comes with letters of commendation from the sufferings of Gods choysest servants; such they were whom the world was not worthy of. I beseech you in the bowels of Jesus Christ, we may quit our selves like men, doe our utmost, that we may vindicate the truth of God from all the aspersions of evill minded men, cleere it from those ambiguities wherewith ungodly men have perplexed it, and doe such further worke, in worship and discipline, as shall by God and man be requited of us. What would our Ancestours, those glorious lights of former times, have given to have had such a price put into their hands, as we unworthy ones at this time have? May we not justly think, that what opportunity we have, is but the effect of the fervent prayers, the many teares, and sad sufferings of our sage and Reverend Predecessors, that are now with the Lord? Are there not already upon us in this worke for which we are assembled, the eyes of our Brethren of the Reformed Churches, as expecting the issue of this businesse? Nay, is not the whole Nation in expectancy of what this meeting will produce? What manner of persons ought we to be, in humbling of our soules before the Lord, crying mightily to him who alone keeps the key of the Cabinet, unlocks the secrets of his will, opens the eyes of our understandings! Can we looke backward, to the many brave excellent-spirited and well-parted men, who have turned some to Justinian, some to Galen, some to Litleton, others betaken themselves to a retired Privacy, which long agoe might have sate in Moses Chaire, had there not stood the fiery blade of corruptions in worship and government to keepe them out? How many silver Trumpets, that might have made sweet melody in Gods house, have beene hanged upon the willow trees, and all because this worke was not done? How many hundreds of worthy, learned, soule-saving Ministers, men excellently fitted for the worke, have beene driven out of our Land? the Lord lay it not to our charge. No small affliction to be put upon the disserting of ones native Countrey, and all those Charitates which under God are the life of our life, and further to be cast upon forraigne Countries, those sometimes unwholesome for our English bodies, placed among inhumane people, put upon wildernesses, wilde beasts, savage people, and unknowne necessities, because by reason of our sinnes this worke hath not beene yet effected, they saw no hope of it. Oh the swarmes of godly men that like Noahs Dove, could find no rest for the soales of their feet, being hunted up and down, hurried hither and thither, and wasted with vexatious suits, to their utter undoing, who have been in the end forced, they and their whole families, with heavy hearts, and some with poore estates, to bid farewell to deere England, as never to see it againe? these would have beene content to have lied in a smoaky house, and a meane condition with freedome of conscience, Yea they have beene put upon it to commit themselves rather to the mercilesse rage of the tempestuous Seas; to a long, tedious and irkesome Sea-journey, wherewith they were utterly unacquainted, rather then to endure those sad impositions which were charged upon their consciences: and now the Lord puts it into the hands of you the right Honorable that sit at the stern in point of reformation utterly to remove. What shall I say to those millions of souls, who have perished through the negligence, insufficiency, scandalous and corrupt proceedings of that order of men, which it is to be hoped, if our iniquities doe not hinder, will be rectified by that clericalis disciplina, which learned Bucer did so often call for, in King Edward the 6. dayes.
To this end I once againe doe humbly beseech you, Men, Brethren, and Fathers, that you would take up the practise of such holy duties, as may conduce to this so pious, so necessary a worke.
And first let us all stirre up in our selves the gift of Prayer; let it be frequent, fervent, and full of faith: you know the efficacy of prayer, it sets God on worke, and that with a holy kinde of command, it hath an omnipotency with it, it never went of any arrant and returned empty. Be confident if God do but stirre up our hearts in prayer hee will come in and help us in the worke. What if we be weake? yet he is strong. What if wee want, in our own apprehension, those abilities fit for the work? he can lift us up above our selves, & supply us with helpe. What if we want that quicknesse of understanding, activity of parts we see in others? yet if we can but assist and encourage others, God will accept. Only resolve of this, never any man a successfull reformer without a spirit of prayer. Elias and Luther tell us much. To encourage us, Gods promises stands sure, Ask of me and I will shew thee great and hidden things, which thou knowest not. If thou seekest for wisdome as for silver,&c if thou cryest after knowledge,&c. then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord, the knowledge of God. We attaine not truth onely by disputing, but by learning from him who onely knowes, said one of the Ancients. And you know who said, that prayer, reading, meditation, tentation, doe compleat a Divine.
Secondly, that God may impart to us that way of sincerity in his worship, that forme of government, which may be most according to his will, a favour worth the knowing, and which God refuses not to acquaint them with that feare him; but his secret is revealed to such let our study be to be doers of his wil. If the Glasse by cleane and soyle not the cleane water that is poured into it, we poure in more; if otherwise, we hold our hands: so the Lord doth with us that bee ministers, hee will not poure the sweet water of truth, but into the sanctified heart. If any man, saith the Evangelist, will doe his will, hee shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or no. Many perplexed disputes, much difference there is among Brethren, whether this be the forme Christ hath left, the distractions are sadly to be lamented: Would wee be able to winde our selves out of these Labyrinths of disputes, see the good and right way God would have us to walke in, take notice of that promise in Ezekiel, If the house of Israel shall be ashamed of their iniquities, and of all that they have done, I will shew them the forme of the house, &c. onely here we must beware, we dare not to offer to Gods people such a forme, as hath not its ground out of plaine places of Scripture, but such onely as are Typicall and Allegoricall. Allegorica Theologia, unlesse the Lord himselfe make the application non est argumentativa: It is our errour that oft times we doe afferre sensum ad Scripturam non referre: we are oft times in fancying formes of government, like that Sect of Phylosophers, who having drunke in this principle, that all the world was made of numbers, where ever they went, they thought they saw numbers. If the Lord shall but behold us lothing our selves for our wayes that have not beene good, disallowing our sinnes, personall and nationall, setting our hearts in a right frame, then wil he open our understandings that we may know the Scripture.
Thirdly, that God may so farre delight in us, as to make us Instruments of such a glorious worke as this is, let us take all occasions to dispence the holy truthes of God to his people: the more wee poure out, the more God will poure in; the oyle in the Cruse increased by pouring out; the bread wherewith Christ fed his followers multiplyed in the breaking. ‘Tis true that this duty hath been looked upon of late as that which had neither forme nor beauty. Was it not our shame that even Bellarmine, yea the Councell of Trent it selfe, should stile Preaching, Praecipuum Episcopi officium, the chiefe duty of a Bishop, when we suppressed it, put gaggs in the mouthes of the Preachers, cast all scorne upon it? The Lord bee blessed, who hath in a degree restored it to its pristine dignity, opened the mouthes that were stopped, encouraged the faithfull Preachers. Oh that our sinnes may not mke the shadow of the Dyall to goe back! A maine danger here may be from those that will thrust in upon this worke that are not fit for it, that will be Canales before they be Conchae, Channells to let out before they be vessels to retaine. There is in many an effusion before infusion. Excellently spake that Father who said: We cut not greene wood to build withall, but we first season it, lest it shrinke and deceive us.
Why observe we not, that such are not to be admitted to the Ministery that are Novices*. It was the complaint of Greg. Naz Orat. in Laudem, Basil. That though no man could obtaine the name, no not so much as of a Painter, but he must first have mingled many colours, yet men are easily found fit for the Ministery. As the Poets fained the Giants, we make them Saints one day, and we bid them to be wise and learned men another day, which have learned nothing, nor brought any thing to the Ministery, but onely their Velle. And now my deare brethren, whom I love and honour, give me leave to remember you of the Prophet Ezekiels sad threatning, and Saint Pauls deepe charge. If the Watchman see the sword come, and blow not the Trumpet, and the people bee not warned, their blood will I require at the Watchmans hands. Who, saith one of the Ancients, so stony so iron hearted a man as whom this Scripture would not amaze. And Erasmus sayes of these words, they are rather thunderbolts then words, such thunderbolts which the Judge of all the world will dart against negligent Pastors. Bloud-guilt is a sad sinne, but guilt of soule-bloud is more dreadfull and inexpiable. We may have many sinnes, but beware we adde not this to all the residue. No such remarkable plague fell ever upon any Family, as upon Eli for the wickedness of Hophni and Phinehas, who made people to abhorre the offerings of the Lord. The wickednesse of Eli his house shall not be purged with sacrifice or offering for ever. As for Saint Pauls deep charge upon Timothy, weigh it throughly. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead, in that his appearing and in his Kingdome, preach the word, bee instant in season and out of season. At other times it suffices to urge Gods Name, here the sweet Name of the Lord Jesus, that is honey in the mouth, Musicke in the eare, a joyfull shout in the heart, is pressed; At other times the Name of Jesus Christ suffices, here he sets it on by an argument taken from the glorious and last appearing of Christ, and that to judge the quicke and the dead, which will be a day of terrour, and such a day wherein Christ shall cast it in the teeth of every idle Minister, Perditam non quaevisti, thou hast not sought the sheepe that was lost, redde rationaem villicationis, give an account of thy stewardship. How heavy an account will that be to those to whom the Lord has said, Occupy your talents till I come, when the Lord shall call them to a reckoning, and every one come in and say, Lord here bee the soules thou hast given me; and thou an idle or scandalous Minister, who hast built with one hand and destroyed with another, hast nothing to offer but a poore leane ignorant starved Flock, when others bring in large harvests. How sad will thy account bee! If terrour will not affright us, then let the glorious crowne that abides every faithfull Minister worke upon us, for such there is laid up a Crowne of Righteousnesse, 2 Tim. 4.8. a Crown that withers not, 1 Pet. 5.4. an Euge enter into thy Masters joy, thou hast beene faithfull in a little, I will make thee ruler over many. Shall not they that winne many soules unto God shine as starres forever? Dan. 11.3. Doe not all the contents that are apt to Byas us from our work, fall short of that eternall weight of glory? Why consider wee not, other men have other wayes to goe to heaven, Magistrates if they rule well, rich men if they distribute liberally and give to the poore; private men by diligence in their Calling, but a Minister can goe no way to heaven but by faithfully attending the Lords flocke. Yea, if it coud be so that there should be no reward that abides a zealous faithfull Teacher which notwithstanding is surely laid up in heaven yet the very comfort that arises from the diligent doing of our duties, would abundantly recompence all our paines. Ecquod gaudium, ecquod tripudium, &c. Is there any joy, any dance can more cheere up a mans spirit, then the comfort of a soule wonne to Christ? Let other men enjoy their fat and rich preferments, hunt after dignities, be called of men Rabbi; as for us, if we can say, here be the children the Lord hath given us, it suffices. Let others say, who will give us such a Bishopricke, such a Deanry, such a rich Parsonage; a good Minister will say, as the King of Sodome said to Abraham, Give me the persons so many Converts take thou the goods to thyselfe. Was ever Caesar more glorious in his Diademe, when he put downe whom he would, and set up whom he pleased when he rode in triumph before whole Armies of Captives, then Saint Paul when he glories how he had spred the Gospel from Jerusalem, and all the circumjacent is Countryes to Illyricum? I have whereof I may glory through Jesus, &c.
And on the contrary, is there any such wounding crosse, is there any such torturing fury that can so torment and eat up the heart, as when an unfaithfull Minister shall seriously and in cold blood weigh what heapes of soules he hath beene a meanes to plunge forever into the infernall Lake? Can his bravery, his luxury, his good companions, his jollity? can the excellency of his parts and learning, his applause in the world priviledge him, when the hand writing shall appeare upon the wall? Surely when a Minister shall lie upon his death-bed, nothing can uphold his drooping spirit, but the testimony of his conscience, that he hath fought a good fight, kept the faith; This alone must be our Paradise.
Finally my Brethren, why consider we not that God hath engraveed our duties upon our names? we are watchmen, shepheards, workemen, builders, the Lords husbandmen, his souldiers, if we slack or forget our duties, we shall forget our names. Nay, our names will be our accusers; the ground of the Lords quarrell against us. That which of old was given in charge to a Roman Consull, Consul es praesta nomen, the same should every one of us enforce upon our selves, Minister verbi es, hoc age, paster es, praesta nomen tuum. I conclude with that of Hierome, Reade what your name is, and be what you are call’d.
And now, beloved, having endeavoured to quicken you and my selfe to the duty of preaching, give mee leave to suggest something concerning the manner that it may be done to the best purpose; the Lord requires not onely that we preach the Word, but so to preach it as that our hearers may bee brought on to the Faith: Paul and Barnabas are said so to have taught that multitudes beleeved. If it bee an advantage to a hearer in his work how he hears, is it nos so to a preacher how he preaches? That our Ministery may be successeful;
First, we must preach zealously; that was the honour of John the Baptist; that he was a burning light; of Saint Paul, that with respect to the Idolatry at Athens, his spirit was stirred within him; so of Apollos it is witnessed, that he was fervent in spirit. This Zeale must shew it self by a holy indignation against sinne; It is reported of Saint Chrysostome, that he reproved sinne against God, as if he himselfe had received an injury. It appears also by enlarged desires, that the souls of the bearers may be brought to God; so in S. Paul, Rom. 9.3. I could wish my selfe accursed from Christ, &c. This Zeale in Preacher will put life and quicknesse into their expressions; Men of cold and dead spirits, their words die in their mouthes, and usually beget a coldnesse in their hearers; Zeal is as Rosin to the strings of the musicall Instrument, without which it makes no sound. Only, as the good Huswifes fire on the hearth is enlarged or lessens according as the family occasions, so according to the nature of the Offences, as great or small, should the Preachers Zeale be proportioned.
Secondly, we must preach compassionately; what else is insinuated in those phrases, wherein God is brought in, speaking, as putting on the bowels of a man, and teaching us so to do. It is said of Christ, that he had compassion on the people, for that they were as sheepe without a Shepherd; and ib another place speaking to Hierusalem, how compassionately doth he expresse himselfe, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem. how would I have gathered thee together, as a Hen gathereth her Chickens; no compassion greater than that of a Hen to her Chickens: How did he in the foresight of her miseries approaching, weepe over her, and crie, O that thou hadst known,&c. The high Priest was therefore to be taken from among men, that he might have compassion on them that were ignorant and out of the way. Is there any object in the world that deserves more pitie than a lost Soule, in the snare of the Devill; blessing it selfe as if it were well; when it is poore, blinde, beggarly, and naked, and every houre lyable to an insufferable, an eternall destruction.
Thirdly, We must preach convincingly; First, there must be evidence of reason convincing the understanding of that we would perswade men to. Man is a reasonable creature, not drawne hither and thither by a thunder and lightning of blustering termes, which at the utmost onely startle the affections for a time, but afterwards for want of a convicted judgement, they return to their old temper; This is that which is called, The full assurance of understanding.
2. There is also required a conviction of the conscience, whereby we evidence to men, that they be guilty, convincing them that they are the men: That was it that vexed the Priests, that the Apostle taxed them in particular, as guilty of the blood of Christ, He intends to bring this mans blood upon us: The Jewes that stoned Steven, were cut to the heart, when he charged them in particular as stiffenecked and uncircumcised in heart. Men will endure much so be it you let their sinne alone, or them in the practice of their sins, but if they be apprehensive that your reproofes come home to them, they then are stirred and filled with wrath. When the Preacher is manifest in the conscience of the hearers, then they confesse that God is in him, they crie out, You prophecy evill to us. As the Philosophers say, that all action is by touching, so all doctrine works by particular application; he that delivers himself altogether in generalls, seldome workes upon the people: It is the spreading of the Net which is done by particular Application which takes the Fish; Alwayes provided that we must not decipher men by personall circumstances or distinguishing Characters; this will take off the efficacie of our reproof, in that the reproved will question the good affection of the reprover, as not tendring his good name, while does that openly, which should have been done secretly; only, if any mans sinne, or a known circumstance of his sin do discover him,’tis not the reproer, but the offender does discover himselfe. Sinnes must not be passed over in silence which declare themselves, because men complaine that wee particularize.
Fourthly, We must preach feelingly according to the nature of the Doctrine; we doe so when we preach as sensible in our own hearts of what we would have take impression upon another: The best way to speake to the heart, is to speak from the heart; Saint Paul when he would beget in the Corinthians a godly sorrow of heart, he writes unto them out of much affliction and anxiety of spirit, with many tears. He that will make men sensible of wrath and damnation, or make men apprehensive of the greatnesse of Gods love in Christ, must manifest the like afflictions in himselfe: There are many saith my Author clamorous Preachers, who declaiming , or rather thundering against other mens faults, carry a great shew of zeal, and in the meane while are very secure themselves, as if they did onely, per lusu exercere gutiur & latera, sportingly exercise their Throats and Sides: But a godly Pastor must weep himselfe, that he may stirre up compassion in others, and retain more sorrow in himselfe than he seekes to create in others.
Fiftly, When we preach frequently; taking all occasions to dispense the Word; the Apostle calls it, In season, and out of season. The peoples uncapablenesse, their slownesse to beleeve, their aptnesse to be carried away with the torrent of the times, the many wayes whereby the Word may miscarry; all these, besides the iimportant nature of the worke, as tending to bring men from the power of Satan unto God, from hell to heaven, call for our redoubled pains. How constant and assiduous are Merchants, Mariners, Husbandmen, in their attendance on their earthly affairs, which notwithstanding they ordinarily find as they left them? should not we be much more industrious in Soul-work, which we seldom or never return to it but we find it worse than we left it? Of the Lords Watchmen it is said, That they shall not hold their peace all the day nor all the night, Es. 62.6. of Christ it is said, He was daily in the Temple teaching, Lu. 21.37. of the Apostles, That they were daily in the Temple, and from house to house preaching the Gospel, Act. 5.42. The diligence of the Ancients, as Chrysost. Basil, Augustin, the custome of the Church whereof Eusebius reports, ought to be as incitements unto us. If fifteene Masses in a day was not enough for the Popish priests, shall one Sermon suffice us, said learned Hooper. Therefore in the moring sow thy seed, and in the evening let not thy hand cease, thou knowest not whether this or that shall prosper.
Sixthly, We must preach gravely, so as to preserve the honour of that God whose mouth wee are in preaching, of that Christ whose person we represent, of the high nature of the things we treat about. Wee are to to deale with men, and that in the presence of God and his holy Angels, about the recovery of them out of their damnable condition by nature, in setting out of the infinite love of God in Christ, with all the advantages that belong thereto, the soules salvation or destruction to all eternity: How ill doth anything that is ludicrous tending to move laughter me discourses of so high a nature. All our care should bee to preserve the spirits of men in a serious temper, wherein they are fittest to be wrought upon: All laughter in the Churdh is from the Devill saith Chrysostome: Jocular Stories are from this ground to be banished from the Pulpit. A Minister must be an example to the people in all gravity, this gravity must appeare as in our whole conversation, so specially when we stand betwixt God and the people as his Embassadours.
And now having represented to you, my Reverend Brethren, the important and pressing nature of your work, laid before you those generall duties, by which you may be fitted and made successfull in the work, set on those duties by quickning motives; what remaines but that I commend you to God, and the Word of his Grace who alone must enable you for it, and without whom all is done will come to nothing. And for you, our Parliamentarie Worthies, you are as things stand under God the breath of our nostrils, the light of our eyes, as a naile fastned as yet in a sure place; if you goe on to doe the Lords work with wisdome and courage, God will certainely goe along with you,; if you refuse or withdraw your selves however our eyes shall be to the Lord, but in the eye of man wee are but an undone Nation. The God of heaven who hath his way in the Seas, who alone fashions the hearts of the children of men, raise and keep up your spirits, cloath you with Zeale, fit you for all encounters, make way for you through all difficulties: So shall our Religion, our Lawes, and Liberties, be preserved to our selves, and transmitted to posterity; and we have cause to praise God for you so long as the Sunne and the Moone endureth.
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