- A godly man is a zealous man; grace turns a Saint into a Seraphim,1 it makes him burn in holy zeal; zeal is a mixed affection, a compound of love and anger, it carries forth our love to God, and anger against sin in the most intense manner: Zeal is the flame of the affections; a godly man hath a double baptism, of water and fire, he is baptized with a spirit of zeal, hee is zealous for Gods honour, truth, worship, Psal. 119. 139. my zeal hath consumed me; it was a crown set on Phineas his head, hee was zealous for his God. Numb. 25. 13. Moses being touched with a coal from Gods altar, in his zeal hee breaks the Tables, Exod. 32. 19. our blessed Saviour in his zeal, whips the buyers and sellers out of the Temple, Ioh. 2. 17. the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up.
But there is a Praeternatural heat, something looking like zeal, which is not, a Comet looks like a Star: I shall therefore show some differences between a true and a false zeal.
1 A false zeal is a blinde zeal, Rom. 10. 2. They have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge; this is not the fire of the spirit, but wild-fire. The Athenians were very devout and zealous, but they knew not for what, Acts 17. 23. I found an Altar with this Inscription, […], To the unknown God, Thus the Papists are zealous in their way, but they have taken away the key of knowledge.
2 A false zeal is a self-seeking zeal; Iehu cries, come see my zeal for the Lord, 2 King. 10. 16. but it was not zeal, but ambition, he was fishing for a Crown. Demetrius pleads for the Goddess Diana, but it was not her Temple, but her Silver shrines he was zealous for: Such zealots Ignatius complains of in his time, that they made a Trade of Christ and Religion, thereby to enrich (Ignat) themselves. ‘Tis probable many in King Henry the eights time were forward to pull down the Abbies, not out of any zeal against Popery, but that they might build their own houses upon the ruines of those Abbies; like Eagles which fly aloft, but their eyes are down upon their prey: If blind zeal be punished seven fold, hypocritical zeal shall bee punished seventy and seven fold.
3 A false praeposterous zeal, is a misguided zeal; it runs out most in things which are not commanded, It is the sign of an hypocrite to be zealous for traditions, and careless of institutions. The Pharisees were more zealous about washing of their cups than their hearts.
4 A false zeal is fired with passion. Iames and Iohn, when they would call for fire from heaven, were rebuked by our Saviour, Luk. 9. 54. Yee know not what spirit yee are off, it was not zeal, but choller; many have espoused the cause of Religion, rather out of faction and humour, than out of zeal to the truth.
But the zeal of a godly man, is a true and holy zeal, which evidenceth it self in the effects of it.
1 True zeal cannot bear an injury done to God, zeal makes the blood rise, when Gods honour is impeached, Rev. 2. 2. I know thy works and thy labour and patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil; hee who zealously affects his friend, cannot hear him spoken against, and be silent.
2 True zeal will encounter with the greatest difficulties; when the world holds out a Gorgons head of danger to discourage us, zeal casts out fear; it is quickned by2 opposition. Zeal doth not say there is a Lyon in the way; zeal will charge through an Army of dangers, it will march in the face of death. Let news be brought to Paul, that he was waylaid, in every City bonds and imprisonment did abide him, this sets a keener edge upon his zeal, Acts 21. 13. I am ready not only to bee bound, but to dye for the name of the Lord Iesus: as sharp frosts do by an antiparistasis make the fire burn hotter, so sharp oppositions do but inflame zeal the more.
3 True zeal as it hath knowledge to go before it, so it hath sanctity to follow after it: Wisdome leads the van of zeal, and holiness brings up the rear: an hypocrite seems to be zealous, but he is vitious: the godly man is white and ruddy, white in purity, as well as ruddy in zeal; Christs zeal was hotter than the fire, and his holiness purer than the sun.
4 Zeal that is genuine loves truth when it is despised, and opposed, Psal. 119. 126. They have made void thy law, therefore I love thy commandements above gold: the more others deride holiness, the more we love it; what is Religion the worse for others disgracing it? doth a Diamond sparkle the less, because a blinde man disparageth it? the more outragious the wicked are against the truth, the more couragious the godly are for it: When Mical scoffed at Davids religious dancing before the Ark, if (saith he) this be to be vile, I will yet be more vile, 2 Sam. 6. 22.
5 True zeal causeth fervency in duty, Rom. 12. 11. fervent in3 spirit: Zeal makes us hear with reverence, pray with affection, love with ardency. God kindled Moses his sacrifice from heaven, Lev. 9. 24. There came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the Altar the burnt offering: when we are zealous in devotion, and our heart waxeth hot within us, here is a fire from heaven kindling our sacrifice: how odious is it for a man to be all fire when he is sinning, and all yee when he is praying: A pious heart, like water seething hot, boils over in holy affections.
- True zeal is never out of breath; though it be violent, ‘tis perpetual; no waters can quench the flame of zeal, it is torrid in the frigid zone: The heat of zeal is like the natural heat coming from the heart, which lasts as long as life: That zeal which is not constant, was never true.
Use 1. Use 1. How opposite are they to godliness who cry down zeal,4 and count it a Religious phrensie? They are for the light of knowledge, but not for the heat of zeal. When Basil was earnest in preaching against the Arrian Heresie, it was interpreted folly and dotage. Religion is a matter requires zeal; the Kingdom of heaven will not be taken but by violence, Mat. 12. 11.
Object. But why so much fervour in Religion? what becomes then of Prudence?
Answ. Though Prudence be to direct zeal, yet not to destroy it; because sight is requisite, must the body therefore have no heat? If Prudence be the eye in Religion, zeal is the heart.
Quest. But where is moderation?
Answ. Though moderation in things of indifferency be commendable, and doubtless it would much tend to the setling the peace of the Church; yet in the main Articles of Faith, wherein Gods glory and our Salvation lie at stake, here moderation is nothing else but sinful neutrality: It was Calvins advice to Melancthon, that he should not so affect the name of moderate, that at length he lost all his zeal.
Object. But the Apostle presseth moderation, Phil. 4. 5. Let your moderation be known to all?
Answ. The Apostle speaks there of moderating our passion; the Greek word for5 moderation, signifies candour, and meekness, opposite to rash (Beza) anger; and so the word is rendred in another place6 Patient, 1 Tim. 3. 3. By moderation then, is meant meekness of spirit; and that is clear by the subsequent words, The Lord is at hand: As if the Apostle had said, avenge not your selves, for the Lord is at hand, he is ready to avenge your personal wrongs, but this doth not at all hinder, but that in matters of Religion a Christian should be zealous.
2 What strangers are they to godliness,7 who have no zeal for the glory of God? they can see his ordinances despised, his worship adulterated, yet their spirits are not at all stirred in them. How many are of a dull, lukewarm temper, zealous for their own secular interest, but have no zeal for the things of heaven; hot in their own cause, but cool in Gods. The Lord doth most abominate lukewarm professours, I had almost said, hee is sick of them, Rev. 3. 15. I would thou wert cold or hot, (any thing but lukewarm) but because thou art neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth: A lukewarm Christian is but dough-baked, just like Ephraim, Hos. 7. 8. Ephraim is a cake not turned: To keep up a form of Religion without zeal, is to be like those bodies the Angels assumed, which mooved, but had no life in them. I would ask these Tepid neutral professors this question, If Religion be not a good cause, why did they undertake it at first? if it be, why do they go so faintly about it? why have they no more holy ardours of soul? these persons would fain go to heaven in a soft bed, but are loath to bee carried thither in a fiery Chariot of zeal. Remember, God will be zealous against them, who are not zealous; he provides the fire of hell, for those that want the fire of zeal.
Use 2.8 As you would be found in the catalogue of the godly, labour for zeal; as good bee of no religion, as not to be zealous in religion. Beware of carnal policy; This is one of those three things which Luther feared would bee the death of9 Religion. Some men have been too wise to bee saved. Their discretion hath quenched their zeal; beware of stoth, which is an enemy to zeal, be zealous and repent Rev. 3. 19. Christians, what do you reserve your zeal for? is it for your gold that perisheth? or for your lusts that will make you perish? can you bestow your zeal better, than upon God? how zealous have men been in a false religion? Isa. 46. 6. They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the ballance. The Iews did spare no cost in their idolatrous worship, nay, Ier. 32. 35. They cause their Sons and Daughters to pass thorow the fire to Molech. They were so zealous in their idol-worship, that they would sacrifice their Sons and Daughters to their false Gods; how far did the purblinde Heathens go in their false zeal? […] the Tribunes of Rome complained they wanted gold in their Treasuries, to offer to Apollo, the Roman Matrons plucked off their chains of gold, and rings, and bracelets, and gave them to the Priests to offer up (Livy) sacrifice: were these so zealous in their sinful worship, and will not you bee zealous in the worship of the true God? can you loose any thing by your zeal? shall it not bee super-abundantly recompenced? what is heaven worth? what is a sight of God worth? was not Jesus Christ zealous for you? he sweat drops of blood, hee conflicted with his Fathers wrath; how zealous was hee for your redemption, and have you no zeal for him? is there any thing you your selves hate more than dulness and slothfulness in your servants? you are weary of such servants; do you dislike a dull temper in others, and not in your selves? what are all your duties without zeal, but non entia, meer fancies and nullities.
Do you know what a glorious thing zeal is? it is the lustre that sparkles from grace, it is the flame of10 love; it resembles the Holy Ghost, Act. 2. 2. There appeared cloven tongues like fire, which sat upon them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. Tongues of fire, were an Emblem to represent that fire of zeal which the spirit powred upon them.
Zeal makes all our religious performances prevalent with God: When the iron is red hot, it enters best; and when our services are red hot with zeal, they soonest pierce heaven.