Works, Part 3 · Sermon 3
OF ZEALE. THE THIRD SERMON.
Reuel. 3. 19.
Be zealous therefore and amend.
AS Zeale can neuer be sufficiently commended, so much lesse may it effectually be perswaded to many: howbeit, that wee may shadow out some Anatomie thereof, let vsus first see how God commendeth it, then how hee rewardeth it, that so wee may the more freely with greater authoritie speake of the thing it selfe. What is the vse of the first foure Commaundements, but that wee should with zeale worship the Lord? The first precept chargeth all men charwith1 the matter of God his worship, shewing what it is. The second2 geth vsus with the manner, prescribing how wee must vse it. The third imposeth on vsus3 the right end of his worship, and teacheth why we must doe it. The fourth commaundement4 pointeth the time, and instructeth vsus when wee must solemnely professe and exercise this worship of God. Concerning the large promise offered to pure zeale, what is greater than that the Lord should binde himselfe to aduance them into the chaire of honour before all the world, who will honour him? Againe, that he will defame1. Sam. 2. 30▪ them most surely with some notable marke of infamie that dishonour him: yea, and he will vomit them vp as a loathsome burthen, to testifie his vtter misliking of them. First now let vsus consider how true zeale beginneth in our selues, and taketh his proceedingsRules of true zeale. to others. For neuer can that man be zealous to others, which neuer knew to be zealous to himselfe. And as zealous men in their ascendent begin at themselues, and goe to others; so in their retrograde they come from others, & end in themselues. If we consider the zeale of Abraham, Moses, Iosua, Samuel, Daniel, Iehosaphat, Ezekiah, we shall neuer see expressely in the word, that at any time they were more zealous to others than to themselues. We see on the contrarie, how it hath beene a fearefull note of hypocrites, and such as hauehave fallen from the liuing God, that they hauehave waded very deepely into other mens possessions, & gored very bloodily into the consciences of others, who neuer once purged their owne vncleane sinkes at home, no… drew one drop of blood out of theirHypocriticall z…ale. owne hearts. How zealous (as wosull and late experience still crieth in our eares) were some great reformers of the Church, who were readie to burst their bowels with crying▪ Brownisme.against disorders abroad, and yet neuer reformed their owne consciences at home, no… found themselues any whit grieued for their owne sinnes? These men being so zealous to others, but onelyonly through some secret louelove of the world, when they had that they sought for, made knowne their hollow and rotten zeale, in that without any griefe of conscience, they could rush into a profound worldlinesse, and without all godly sorrow, could a…ter they had satisfied their greedie and fieshly zeale, n…t onelyonly more hardly …eare vp their owne consciences, but also be so chaunged that they sowe vp thei… lippes, and …pare their words from speaking in the like manner againe to others, and so are neither zealous to themselues nor others. True zeale casteth the first stone at our selues, and plucketh theMatth. 7. beame out of our owne eyes, that we may the better draw the more out of anothers eye. And this is the condemnation of the world, that eueryevery man can pr…e, and make a priu…e search into the wants of others but they account the same wants no wants in themselues. The father saith, thus the child d…th: so the child saith, in this dutie doth his father faile: the husband knoweth what the wife should doe; the wife seeth the duties of her husband: we thinke in this particular another should behaue himselfe; but yet the father repenteth not of the sinnes which he did being a child, the child repenteth not of his sinnes being a father, we call not in our consciences for those things which we dare challenge and one out for in others.
Here offereth it selfe the second propertie of zeale, that it is sincere, and in the truth, it vrgeth our selues more than others, it maketh vsus the most seuere censurers of our owne soules it is strictest to our …elues, & offereth libertie to others: and this simplicitie appeareth either in inward corruption, or in the liberrie of outward things: the first whereof doth so humble vsus in the wants present, and in those cor…uptions, which hang behind vsus, that we are zealous of those secret …uils which are not onelyonly vnespied of others, but euen vnknowne also to our selues. Although the whole world cannot charge vsus with want of dutie, yet considering our priuie corruptions, wee daily declaime against our selues, and say with the Apostle, though our consciences do not *Or though we know nothing by our selues.oppresse vsus, yet herein we are not iustified. Yea such ought to be ou… familiaritie and acquaintance with secret infirmities in ourselues, so grieuous ought they to be in our eyes, in our eares, to our faces, that where we shall see, heare, and behold the sinnes of others, they may be more tollerable, and so learne by the sense of our owne sores, to deale more mildly and m…ekely with the1 Cor. 4. 4. How to censure other men. sores of others. Neither doe I meane, that we should make other mens sinnes no sinnes, and that wee should hauehave no kinde of censure vntounto others, but that there should be that holy mixture in vsus of the zeale of Gods glorie, and sight of humaine corruption, that for the one we may not spare to rebuke any sinne; and for the other wee may moderate our rebukes with mildnes and meeknes Abraham was so strict to himselfe, that he would not take of the King of Sodom so much as a threed or a latchet, and yet he would not deny Aner, Echol and Mamre their libertie. Iob would not permit to himselfe, nor denie to his children their libertie of feasting: so that it is rather a Pharisaicall pride than a Christian zeale, to be too tetricall in vrging of others so farre, that whosoeuer in eueryevery point is not pure and precise as we, we cast them off as dogs and prophane persons, and such as are vnworthie of any account or countenance.
This then must be our pedagogie in this point, that as for the glory of God which is deere vntounto vsus, we are not to leaue the least sinne vnespied, or the least meanes vnattempted to aduance the glory of God. So for the grieuousnes of sinne, for the easines to fall into sin, for the vilenes of corruption which we hauehave obserued in our selues, for the knowledge of the wrath of God for sinne in vsus, we are loth, for louelove, to see our brother either so vilely infected, & so perillously endangered, to goe without our louing admonition, bothAdmonition. to draw him out of his sinne, and to rescue him from the wrath of God due to his sinne.
Further, this attribute of true zeale maketh vsus as willing to be admonished, as carefull2. Propertie. to admonish: and that not onelyonly of our superiours, which is an easie thing, because it is a thing whereto of necessitie wee must yeeld; but also of our inferiours, whom we may seeme to contemne. For all men will graunt that a child ought willingly to be admonished of his father, or a seruant ought obediently to be reprehēded of his master: but few will in practise giuegive this, that a father should listen to the aduertisement of his sonne, or that the maister should receiue an admonition of his seruant. Howbeit, Iob saith, heTrue zeale and humilitie goe together, Iob 31. durst not contemne the iudgement of his feruant or of his maide when they did contend with him, because in a dutie of pietie he looketh to them not as seruants, but as brethren; he looked not to the speaker onelyonly, which in respect of his calling was his inferiour, but vntounto the things spoken in the ordinance of God, vntounto whom Iob himselfe was an inferiour, and before whom Iob knew there was no respect of persons. Howbeit, to correct the preposterous boldnes of some, we rather adde this much, that inferiours must rather aduiseHow inferiours admonish superiours. than admonish; aduertise rather than reprehend their superiours, that so still they may offer their pure zeale of the glorie of God in vnfained humilitie, least through their corrupt zeale they doe not onelyonly not profit their superiours, but most iustly exasperate them against them. For as Magistrates, Ministers and maisters by God his ordinance, are to admonish, rebuke and reprehend: so subiects, inferiours and seruants, by the same rule are to aduise, obey and aduertise Thus zeale goeth from respect of the person to the truth of the cause.
Another propertie of zeale is to be constant, not to be hot by fits, cold in the end, and3. Propertie. onelyonly so long as the world fauoureth, it must not be earnest in the beginning and secure in the ending, but keepe a continuall tenour and temperature. Iobs wife seemed to goe farre so long as she could wash her paths with butter. Saul and Pharaoh had some good motions by fits, & vponupon some occasion could play fast and loose, being of a strange complexion, that they could be hot & cold in a moment. This propertie of zeale teacheth vsusTo reioyce in the publike prosperitie of the Church, when priuate crosses make vsus sad. how to be affected, in the prosperitie and afflictions of the Church, namely, that the publike prosperitie of Sion should comfort vsus, & cause vsus to reioyce when our priuate crosses might make vsus sad. As Paul being imprisoned was not so grieued at his owne bonds, as he reioyced at the libertie of the Gospell of Christ. Againe, that the affliction of the Saints should moue vsus to a godly griefe, euen when in respect of our selues we might greatly reioyce. As Daniel could not finde cōfort in his priuate prosperitie, though he were in great authoritie, and exempted from the common calamitie, because he knew the Church of God to be in miserie.
But to goe forward, pure zeale is not blinded with naturall affection, but it discerneth4. Propertie. and condemneth sinne, though it be neuer so neerely resident in our kindred. Many offend against this rule, who neuer will rebuke sin in their friends, euen vntill God reuengeTrue zeale not blinde in reprouing sinne in …indred. it from heauen, where they are farre from true friendship: for whereas they might by admonishing them of their faults in time, preuent the iudgements of God, they do through a false louelove and manifest hatred pull the iudgements of God vponupon them, whom they louelove most deerely. He loueth most naturally, that hath learned to louelove spiritually; and he loueth most sincerely that cannot abide sinne in the partie loued, without some holesome admonition. But doe not many now adaies zealously mislike sinne in strangers, who will not mislike the selfe-same sin if it come to kindred, if it be in our wife, in our children, o… in our parents, as though the diuersitie of subiects could make the selfe-same thing sinne in some, and not in other some. This blinde zeale God hath punished, and doth punish in his children. Isaac did carnally louelove his sonne Esau, for meate and for a peece of venison. Dauid was too much affected to Absolom for his beautie, and to Adoniah for his comely stature, so as his zeale was hindred in discerning sinne aright in them. Now Iacob was not so deere to Isaac, and Salomon was more hardly set to schoole and to take paines. But behold God louing Iacob, and refusing Esau, howsoeuer Isaac loued Esau better than Iacob▪ made Easu most troublesome, and Iacob more comfortable vntounto him. Absolom and Adoniah brought vp like cooknies, became corosiues to Dauids heart, Salomon more restrained of God, le…le set by of Dauid, was his ioy, his crowne, his successour in his kingdome. This …sease is so hereditarie to many parēts, louing their children in the flesh rather thanP…r…es …olly. the spirit, that the holy Ghost is fame to call vponupon them more vehem…tly, to teach, to instruct, and to correct, as knowing how easily nature would coole zeale in this kinde of dutie. Indeed many will set by their wiues, children and kinsfolke, if they be thriftie, like to become good husbands, wittie and politike: or if they be such as for their gifts can bring▪ some reuenue to their stocke, or affoord some profit vntounto thē, how deepe sinners soeuer they be against God, that maketh no matter, it little grieueth them: whereby they bewray their great corruption, that they neither are zealous in truth or Gods glorie, nor louers aright of their children, because they can be sharpe enough in reprehension, if they faile but a little in thriftines, & yet are cold enough in admonition if they faile neuer so much in godlinesse. Well, let these fleshly zealous men lay to their heart the blind affection of Hel…, who being the deare child of God, was seuerely punished of the Lord, for that he was not zealously affected to punish sinne against God in his deere children: but blessed are they that can forget their owne cause, and euen with ieopardie of nature can defend the quarrell of God, henceforth labouring to know no man after the flesh, but to endeuour spiritually by faith to see and know Christ Iesus, so as no outward league doe bleare and dazell our eyes, as that we should not espie sinne in the neerest kindred to correct it: or that we should not discerne vertue in the greatest aliens to reuerence it. Casting off then this vaile of fleshly louelove, we must labour to louelove most where the image of God appeareth most, & there shew our affections in lesse measure, where sinne may be as a marke whereby God restraineth our louelove, euen to them where nature may soonest deceiue vsus.
Now whereas many hauehave great courage to rebuke such as either cannot gainsay them, or gainsaying them, cannot preuaile against them, here commeth another propertie ofThe …. note of zeale. zeale to be spoken of, and that is, that it feareth not the face of the mightie, neither is it dis…aied at the lookes of the proud and the loftie. Such a courage was in Iob, who besides that he made the yong men ashamed of their libertie and afraid of his grauitie, made euen the Princes also to stay their talke, and to lay their hands on their mouths. And yet hereIoh. 29. 8. 9. we must beware of their hastie zeale, who will not sticke to charge the children of God to be without zeale, if presently and abruptly they rush not into an open reprehension of men that are mightie in authority, as though no regard of place, time and persons were to be had: which opinion many by weaknes of iudgement defending, finde neither fruit inBrownists. others, nor comfort in their owne consciences, when they do admonish in that presumptuous manner: for that hunting after feruentnes without the spirit of meeknes, and casting off all consideration of a godly oportunitie, they rather exasperate than humble the parties admonished, and they themselues rather depart with confusion and shame, for such posting on without warrant of wisedome, and not according to knowledge, than with comfort of heart for any dutie done. Neither am I here ignorant how great daunger of trouble of minde commeth to many, in that they being so curious obseruers and waitersAdmonition little practised. of oportunitie, doe for some ease of the flesh, vnderunder the cloake of this wisedome, altogether leaue off that godly dutie. Wherefore as we affirme that wisedome and louelove mixed together, doe deepely enter into the most prefract and prodigious spirits: so we mislike their fearefull delay of dutie, who hauing a meane occasion offered them from the Lord, doe not earnestly pu…ue the quarrell of the Lord, and earnestly rebuke sinne though in some higher persona…es.
Out of this may issue another fruit of right zeale, namely, when we are zealous in theirThe 6. note zealous in defence of the poore. behalfe who can neuer recompence vsus againe: for flesh and blood will easily admit to rebuke the iniuries, and reuenge the oppressions vsed to men of credit and abilitie, because it is a warie wisedome to patronage them in lesser things, who can be our patrons againe in greater things▪ Thus Iob deliuered the poore that cried, the fatherlesse & him that had none to helpe him, he was the eyes to the blinde, the foote to the lame, at whose hands no hope of reward was to be looked for.
But to draw to the last and most glorious propertie, this thing in zeale is most commendable,The 7. note. when we are humbled in our owne soules for those sinnes which we espie and censure in others, euen as though we our selues for want of instruction or prayer, were in some sort guiltie of their sinnes. If this rule were receiued in iudgement, and …uerenced in practise of Ministers, Magistrates, and masters, when they are to admonish their inferiours of sinne, it is sure it would breede in them great conscience and religion. Alas wee see many who can mangle and martyr a man for some offence, who neuer learned for cons…nce sake to mourne for those infirmities which so bitterly he would i…ueigh against in others▪ Let vsus consider this in ministers, how the Apostle saith to the Corinthians: I feare le…t when I come, m… God a…ase me among you, and I shall be…aile many of them which hauehave … ned 2. Cor. 12. 2….alreadie, &c. Which no doubt he did as thinking that he did not duty enough, but that there was euen some cause of griefe in himselfe. Did the Apostle who had so little or no cause so to doe, thus lament and suspect himselfe, as though hee had not vsed all good meanes, or with the meanes good affections; and should the ministers of our time, whose gifts and paines are f…rre inferiour, nothing bee moued for the sinnes of them for whomThe sinnes of the flocke are the sinnes of the Pastor. they ought to care and mourne? Well, I hope that euen at this day there are some that feare they hauehave not in preaching publikely, opened al the mysteries of God to them, they thinke they hauehave failed in priuate admonition, they suspect themselues of want of praying for them, they are readie to accuse themselues, that they hauehave not walked so wisely and warily in vsing their libertie before them, or that their life hath not yeelded that example of godlinesse to them, as they ought to hauehave done. And so in the whole discourse almost of the sinnes of the seuerall Churches, the holy Ghost runneth on in this tenour, that whatsoeuer is spoken of the Church, is spoken to the Angels, that is, to the ministers of the Church, who are said to hauehave this or that sinne, which indeede was in the people.
In the Primitiue Church when the credit of the Apostles was called into question, they might seeme to hauehave been much troubled about the matter: but they were much humbled by it, they examined them selues, they accused themselues, and afterward they instituted a new ministerie. But doth not this dutie as deepely charge Ministers and Masters to mourne for the sinnes of their people? Yes doubtles, and for good reason. For if they will confesse that they must reioyce in the good things that befall their children and families, they must also lament the euils which betide them, so long as they are vnderunder their tuition and gouernment.
FINIS.