Forty Sermons, Sermon 11
SERMON XI. ON PHILIPPIANS 3. 6.
foreign.
Concerning Zeal, Perſecuting the Church.
IN which Clauſe the Apoſtle riſeth higher than he did in the former; for although in that he was a Phariſee, he was very high and hot, for in hoc praecelluerunt Phariſaei, the Phariſees above all Zanchy in loc.other Sects were moſt zealous, as appears in their ſtrict obſervances, Matth. 23. 15, 23. Luke 18. 12.their buſie compaſſing of Sea and Land to make Proſelytes, and their hot bouts and bickerings with Chriſt and his Diſciples, yet all of them were not of the like hot temper; Gamaliel one of them, and Nicodemus another, we read to be of a more cool and moderate temper, John 3. 1. with 7. 50, 51. Acts 5. 34, 35, &c. But our ſometimes Saul was an hot-ſpur, foreign, a fiery zelot, exceedingly zealous, Gal. 1. 14. even to madneſs, foreign, being exceedingly mad againſt them I perſecuted Acts 26. 11.them even to ſtrange Cities, as here in the Text, his zeal was ſhewn in perſecuting the Church, as not being able better or more fully to expreſs his burning zeal for the Law, than By breathing out threatnings and ſlaughter againſt the Profeſſors of the Goſpel, who (he Acts 9. 1.thought) would deſtroy and abrogate it. Neque zelus legis melius Zanchy.oſtendi poſſit quàm perſequendo Eccleſiam, quae legemjam irritam voluit. And this no doubt but as it got him great glory with others, ſo he himſelf then much gloried in. Yet now (it ſeemeth) he is become of another mind, and gives us an example to account Note 4.even this alſo, as well as the reſt, loſs and dung in compariſon of Chriſt.
In the handling of which particular according to the true ſenſe and intent of the Apoſtle in this place, I ſhall endeavour to make out theſe three things.
1. That this zeal ſimply in it ſelf is very valuable.
2. So that we naturally are very apt to applaud our ſelves and to reſt in it.
3. That yet in point of our acceptance with God, it's to be accounted loſs and dung that we may win Chriſt.
Firſt, That zeal in Religion in the General is very valuable. So the Apoſtle here rates it, when he puts it into the Inventory of his chiefeſt Phariſaical excellencies, and elſewhere he poſitively makes this appraiſement of it, foreign, It is good to be zealouſly affected, Gal. 4. 18.
1. Zeal, and zeal for Religion are two very great words, and very conſiderable, as frigidum in Religione pectus (as Gualther in Apologiâ ſpeaks) is nauſeous and abominable.
For zeal in its own nature, it's not either a ſingle, or weak faint affection. No. It is a compound of more, partaking both Lud. Vives de anima l. 3. cap. de indignationeof concupiſcible and iraſcible: made up eſpecially of love and anger, as Luther very happily expreſſeth it by amor iratus, Love made angry. And they are two very active paſſions.
Indeed (according to the ſenſe and notation of the word Zeal) foreign a foreign ferveo, intenſio amoris, Aquin. 1. 2ae. q. 28. art. 4.it is the heat and fervour of them both: nay the top, and cream, and vigour of all the affections boil'd up to their full height, the foreign of the whole Soul, Deut. 6. 5.
Thus vigorous is zeal in it ſelf, but if it become once Religious zeal, a zeal for Religion, which (as ſome think) is formally characteriſtical of a man, much more of a Chriſtian; how much more ſpriteful and ſublimate!
If not rightly guided, proves an inflammation in the ſpirits; if pro aris & focis, ſets all on fire. Ʋbi de Religione, ibi quo que de vitâ agitur, ſaith Philo Judaeus. Men act for life. Our meek Jeſus never ſpake more angerly, nor dealt more roughly than in this Caſe, John 2. But if it be (as it was always in him) rightly guided, it proveth foreign Cant. 8. 7. the flame of God, in which the Soul like Elijah mounts up to heaven in a fiery chariot, 2 King. 2. 11. Judg. 13. 20.or the Angel that appeared to Manoah, in the flame of the Altar. It's the fire on the Altar, a live coal whereof we find the glorious Seraphim, having in his hand, Iſa. 6. 6. all the holy Angels being a flaming fire, Hebr. 1. 7. but thoſe Seraphims have in a ſpecial manner their Name from Burning, and are thereby in the upper rank of thoſe Celeſtial Hierarchies, and proportionably zeal makes us God-like, Angelical, ſets ſuch divinely inflamed Souls far above the ordinary forms of Chriſtians, as the fire is above the dull earth and other inferior Elements.
2. And yet (as eſſential to a Chriſtian) is inkindled in the breaſt of the weakeſt and youngeſt Chriſtian: for there is warmth even in conception foreign Pſal. 51. 5. my mother did conceive me, or as the word is, did warm me; and in the very firſt kindlings of our ſpiritual conception and new birth in our firſt converſion, when there was otherwiſe ſo much ſmoak, there was ſome of this Divine fire, yea very much of it, yea and then uſually more lively felt glowing and working for God and againſt ſin than (it may be) afterwards. What a fire did it make of thoſe new converteds conjuring books, Act. 19. 19. Had it then been a dilute flame and not more than ordinarily hot, it would never have ſo burnt aſunder thoſe ſtrong cords of ſin and Satan, which till then we were bound with, as while frigus doth congregare bomogenea & heterogenea, calor doth congregare bomogenea & ſegregare heterogenea: So neceſſary is this natural radical heat, and ſo unſeparable are life and warmth, that we cannot firſt aſcend to the higheſt pitch, no nor ſecondly reach the loweſt degree of true ſpiritual life, without ſome greater or leſſer meaſure of it.
3. At leaſt not to any degree of lively activity. How nimble and active is the fire, whilſt the torpid dull earth either ſinks down or abides ſtill and ſtirs not? How liſtleſs are we to move, and unable to do any thing to purpoſe, whileſt frozen and benummed with cold? but when well warmed how pliable and active? The warm wax then works and the melted metal runs. And when the Prophet had his lips once touched with a live coal from the altar, Iſa. 6. 6, 7.then inſtead of his former wo is me v. 5. you hear him preſently ſaying here am I, ſend me, v. 8. like the Seraphim that touched him with it, who had Six wings v. 2. to expreſs the greater readineſs and ſwiftneſs of thoſe heavenly Miniſters, as in Ezekiels viſion we find their appearance to be like lamps and burning coals, Chap. 1. 13. and accordingly we find they had wings to their hands, and their feet ſparkled for heat and haſt, v. 7, 8. They ran and returned as the appearance of a flaſh of lightning, v. 14. and ſo we muſt be fervent in ſpirit, if we would ſerve the Lord to purpoſe, Rom. 12. 11. be zealous if you would repent or amend, Rev. 3. 19. as John Baptiſt the Preacher of repentance was a burning and ſhining light John 5. 35. And hence it is that God uſeth to inkindle this Divine flame in the hearts of thoſe of his Servants whom he raiſeth up to any more extraordinary and heroick ſervice and employment. We read of Baruch as a ſpecial repairer of Jeruſalems wall, but we read then withal that foreign flagrante animo inſtauravit he did much, but he was warm at his work and hot upon it, Nehem. 3. 20. Apollos, Acts 18. 25. was fervent in ſpirit, and then he ſpake and taught diligently the things of the Lord. Fervet opus. Phineas, Elijah, Jeremiah, Numb. 25. 7, 8. 1 King 19. 14, 14. Jer. 20. 9. Luke 1. 17. 2 King 19. 31. Iſa. 9. 7. 37. 32.John Baptiſt, Luther, Knox, all noted to have been very active in their generations, and that they were very zealous too. In Scripture, when ſome great thing to be done is ſpoken of, it's ſaid the zeal of the Lord ſhall do this, and it is the zeal which he inkindleth in the hearts of his more eminent ſervants, that muſt go through with any ſuch more noble atchievements, whilſt it either breaks or burns through all difficulties and oppoſitions, as whileſt the man that creeps or ſlowly goeth up the hill is wearied before he goes to the top of it, another that putting to his ſtrength runs up, with more eaſe aſcends it; or as whilſt a cold blunt-pointed iron cannot enter, if ſharpned, eſpecially if made red hot, makes its way eaſie. In the cold winter and cool night we freeze and ſleep. It's the warm day and ſummer when we are abroad at our work, and the heat of harveſt that ripens and Iſa. 18. 4.brings in the crop. The Palm-trees which are the enſignes of victory delight to grow in hot ſoiles, on the contrary Bernard well obſerves that Adami voluntas non habuit fortitudinem, quia non habuit fervorem. Great is the proportion of activity in the hotter Elements above that which is in the more cool and heavy. And proportionably there is a far greater riddance made of God… work by them that are warm, than by them that freeze at it. When God waſheth away the filth of the daughters of Zion and Jeruſalem, it's by the ſpirit of burning, Iſa. 4. 4. It's hot water that waſheth out ſuch ſouler ſtains and defilements.
And accordingly it adds much to the valuableneſs of zeal that God ſo highly valueth and eſteemeth of it, that as he makes it the end he aims at in mercies beſtowed (he redeems us to make us a people zealous of good works, Tit. 2. 14.) So when angry he is pacified by it. So he profeſſeth that the heat of Phineas his zeal had quenched the fire of his wrath againſt Iſrael, Numb. 25. 11. that he accepts it, and is prevailed with by it. The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much, James 5. 16. and without ſome meaſure of this lively warmth beſt duties avail nothing. The richeſt ſacrifices if not burnt with this altar-fire, and Berengoſius. Bib. Patr. Tom. 2. pag. 550, 551, 552.the fineſt flowr and ſweeteſt oyl if not baked in this frying pan (as ſome of the Ancients apply it) have no reliſh, make no ſweet ſavour in Gods noſtrils.
No, are very diſtaſtful. He that is a ſpirit therefore will be ſerved in ſpirit and in truth, had rather you would let his work alone John 4. 24.than that you ſhould freeze at it. He will have the dull aſſes neck rather broken than offered to him in ſacrifice, and the ſlow creeping ſnail is among the unclean creatures. His infinite tranſcending excellency he makes account may challenge the utmoſt extent and height of our endeavours, and his zeal for his ſervants good (which the Scripture often mentioneth and we more often reap the benefit of) he expects ſhould warm our hearts and ſet them on a flame for him, and therefore cannot endure that this fire ſhould go out upon the altar, nay that it ſhould but cool: and therefore it is that he ſo loathes lukewarmneſs: that the Church of Laodicea to whom, if ſhe prove zealous and repent, Rev. 3. 19. he will come in and ſup with, v. 20. if ſhe continue lukewarm, he will even ſpue out of his mouth v. 16. (as tepida are vomitoria) and that ſignifieth both a loathing averſation and an utter rejection, for God forbid that the Holy one of Iſrael ſhould Valefit Philoſoph. Sacra. cap. 90.return to his vomit. No he had rather have them quite cold than thus lukewarm, v. 15. it being more diſhonourable to him; the key-cold never having been made partakers or ſenſible of his Divine Rayes, which it ſeems had been darted on theſe lukewarm ones, and had in ſome meaſure warmed them, but yet ſo as that
Either they never roſe higher to be warm at heart indeed; but ſtayed at an indifferency like Iſrael halting between two opinions, and ſo never came up fully to him:
Or if ſometimes more heated, yet now grown cool again in their affections to him, like the man in the law, who after marriage found ſome blemiſh in his wife, for which he leſs loved her. Either, Both, of which are blaſphemouſly derogatory and diſhonourable to his infinite Divine excellency: as though either he
Were not incomparably good, ſo as any thing elſe might come in competition with him; and ſo they were in doubt whether they ſhould not wrong themſelves by accepting him—Or that either ſince they knew him he was grown worſe than he was or than they ſometimes thought; and therefore their affections grow cooler to him, which is the next ſtep to the going far from him, and rejecting him as unworthy of them, Jer. 2. 5, 31.
So juſtly provoking and therefore ſo highly diſpleaſing is the want of zeal to God, which inferreth the preſence of it the more highly grateful to him—and this the more, in that it is ſo ungrateful to ungodly men, nimis vehementes impetus odere cives. Dogs will be ſure to bark at thoſe that paſs by them with more ſpeed than ordinary: nor can wild beaſts more indure the fire than a profane heart zeal in profeſſors. Their fervour doth inflame the others rage, as much as the red cloath doth the Elephant. At the firſt appearance of ſuch a fire kindling, tanquam ad commune incendium extinguendum, they preſently cry out with them, Acts 21. 28. Men of Iſrael, Help. The whole Pariſh is called out as it were to quench a common ſcare-fire. But by its being ſo diſpleaſing to them you may well underſtand how pleaſing it is to God; for it cannot be bad that Nero diſlikes, and it's beſt which he diſlikes moſt.—And ſo from this and the former Conſiderations we may gather how truly valuable zeal in it ſelf is, that Paul might well put it into his inventory of thoſe things which made him ſomebody in the World.
2. Which leads to the ſecond particular propounded, that zeal in matters of Religion being of this remark, we are naturally very ſubject ſo to pleaſe our ſelves in it as to think we are pleaſing to God by it, and ſo to reſt in it; and like the Idolater, Iſa. 44. 16. merrily to ſay, Aha, I am warm, I have ſeen the fire. So our Paul ſome while pleaſed and ſatisfied himſelf in his fiery perſecution of the Church, when he verily thought that he ought to do Acts 26. 9.many things againſt the Name of Jeſus, as they who killed his ſervants thought that in ſo doing they did God ſervice, John 16. 2. Where there is warmth we conclude there is life, and every feveriſh heat we take to be natural and kindly, nay oftentimes the fire of hell for heavens warmth and influence. And ſo not only with the Prieſts of Cybele and other foreign amongſt the Heathens, the Sibyls, the Jewiſh Zealots, and many of our Enthuſiaſts; but it may be many a hot-headed phanſie, yea or inflamed luſt ſometimes, if but pretending to Religion is that which many pleaſe themſelves in as the Coruſcations of ſome Divine Flame; and whilſt in their curſings and blaſphemings, their tongues are ſet on James 3. 6.fire from hell, they account them as repreſentations of the Apoſtles fiery cloven tongues; and as ſome place the element of fire next to Acts 2. 3.heaven, ſo they in theſe fiery raptures conceit themſelves with Elijah to be caught up to heaven in a fiery Chariot. Some ſuch ſelf-pleaſing 2. King. 2. 11.dream I doubt our Paul formerly had, when he was in the Paroxyſm of his high fever and heats againſt the Church of Chriſt, and that he merited much of his Countrymen the Jews, yea of God himſelf for his great zeal of that Religion which he knew he had ſometimes inſtituted.
But after he was once converted, humbled, and caught up into the third heaven, he there learnt another leſſon, ſo that we find him here in the Text of another mind. His zeal indeed was yet continued, but now ſo turned out of the former Channel, that That his former zeal he now finds inſtead of commending him to God had very much provoked him, ſo that he accounts it loſs and dung that he might gain Chriſt, whom by it he had ſo fiercely perſecuted, which leads to
The third thing propounded and principally intended, That it is not even a Religious zeal that (as to our acceptance with God) we ſhould pleaſe our ſelves with, ſo as to reſt in, but we muſt renounce all confidence in it, that we may win Chriſt: and that upon ſeveral accounts. For this zeal may be, and often is
1. Ill pitched as to the object, and ſo it's fire, but beſides the hearth, and ſo inſtead of promoting our peace and ſalvation may do a great deal of miſchief both to our ſelves and others. As
1. If it be about trifles or matters of leſs moment, and ſo prove a blaze in the ſtraw, which oft ſets the houſe on fire. Such was the Phariſees zeal, the heat whereof was ſpent and evaporated in tithing of mint, aniſe and cumin, the Papiſts in the quiſquiliae, Matth. 23. 23.and traſh of their Ceremonies; and much of many of ours in ſorry minims and punctilioes, in which we break our arm in throwing a feather with our whole ſtrength, as uſually it falls out that what is wanting of the ſubſtantialneſs of the matter, is made up by the impetuouſneſs of our paſſion. But would a wiſe man lay his whole weight on a ruſh? or ſhould the furnace be heated ſeven times hotter to burn a ſtraw? or dare we think God to be as unwiſe as we are, to be taken with ſuch trifles? Our Apoſtle telleth us No; that Meat commendeth us not to God, nor doth his Kingdom 1 Cor. 8. 8. Rom. 14. 17. Prov. 8. 21.conſiſt in meat and drink, but in thoſe foreign, Righteouſneſs, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt. It is Chriſt who is ſubſtance that muſt make us ſubſtantially happy, not zeal for trifles, that can afford ſolid comfort.
2. Sometimes our zeal is pitched upon that which is intrinfecally and ſometimes notoriouſly bad and ſinful. So the ſmith ſweats with making an Idol, Iſa. 44. 12. So the Jewiſh Zelots Joſeph. foreign. lib. 4. cap. 11. Hammond on Matth. 10. Annot. c.under that name committing all riots and bloudineſs imaginable. And you will think Paul's zeal here was not very well placed when it was ſo hot upon it in perſecuting the Church. Oh the helliſh heat of many Sinners in their hot purſuits of revenge, malice, luſt, &c. But will zeal (not againſt ſin but) for ſin commend us to God who hateth it perfectly, and puniſheth it in Hell-fire Eternally? No, they muſt be the ſweet ſpices burnt that make the Exod. 30. 34, 35, &c.holy ſweet perfume in his noſtrils. foreign. It's good to be zealouſly affected always, if it be in a good thing, Gal. 4. 18. foreign, zealouſly affect the beſt gifts, 1 Cor. 12. 31. and if we would be a peculiar people to God, we muſt be zealous, but then it muſt be of good works, Tit. 2. 14. It was not for ſin but againſt ſin, that Lot, David and Paul were ſo zealous, that 2 Pet. 2. 7. Pſal. 119. 139. 2 Cor. 11. 29.gained Gods approbation. And when it's only ſin that condemns us, ſurely zeal for ſin cannot juſtifie us.
3. Our zeal may be againſt ſin, and yet not rightly pitched, when it's only againſt other mens ſins, and not our own. So Judah was all fire and tow againſt Tamar for playing the Harlot (bring her forth and let her be burnt, Gen. 38. 24.) till by the ſtaff, ſignet and bracelet he came to know that it was himſelf by whom ſhe was with Child, and then we hear no more of it, the fire was quenched preſently. And it's ſaid, that Davids anger was greatly kindled againſt the man, whileſt he knew not that he was the man, 2 Sam. 12. 5, 7. and our Paul as exceedingly Gal. 1. 14.zealous (as he ſaith he was) yet it was againſt Chriſtians and their ſins (as often it falleth out, that what we are ſo zelous againſt in others in not ſin, but what we conceit and make to be ſo) whereas there was enough in himſelf, and rather than fail even that his miſguided fiery zeal for him to have been zealous againſt, which he rather applauded himſelf in. But this makes ſuch fire of our zeal to be like ſome ſcare-fires in which the fire leapeth over the next Houſes, and ſeizeth on thoſe that are further off; whereas in nature fire warms and burns that firſt and moſt which is neareſt, and ſo in Grace. God over-heareth Ephraim bemoaning himſelf moſt bitterly, Jer. 31. 18. And David when more awakened, cries out of himſelf, Is it not I? even I it is 2 Sam. 24. 17. 1 Chron. 21. 17. Deut. 33. 9.that have ſinned, let thy hand be againſt me, and againſt my fathers houſe. And Levi, when he was zealous for God, acknowledged not his brethren, nor knew his own Children. The righteous man, who is accepted by God, as he is juſtified and liveth by his own faith, ſo he hath moſt indignation againſt his own ſins, not as ſome, who (as the Lamiae) have their eyes in their pocket while they are at home, and only put them on when they go abroad to ſee and to be hot and angry againſt other mens ſins; and (as I ſaid) ſuch often as they will make to be ſins, but indeed are not,—and let me add, though they be indeed ſins, yet out of a natural proud and pettiſh frowardneſs in our ſelves, and want of love to others, that which makes us ſo angry (and as we think zealous) in other mens ſins, is becauſe it diſpleaſeth rather us than God, and rather thwarts our touchy humour or it may be outward deſign or intereſt than Gods holy Nature and will. But this is a diſtempered heat and no true zeal; Paſſion without Compaſſion which our Saviours zeal was ever happily tempered with, as we read, Mark 3. 5. when he looked upon the Jewes with moſt anger, that he was withal grieved and that for the hardneſs of their hearts. And thus in theſe and the like reſpects our even Religious zeal may be far from commending us to God, if firſt thus miſplaced, and miſ-pitched upon wrong objects.
Secondly, if ill grounded for the inward cauſe and principle. To which let me add, and as ill guided in the undue management of it; if not principled and managed with knowledge, ſincerity and love.
Firſt, If principled and managed without knowledge. For this ſharp knife need be in a wary hand and wiſely handled. So our Apoſtle tells us, the Jews had foreign, a zeal, and that of Act. 21. 20.God, a religious zeal, but it was not according to knowledge; as alſo Act. 22. 3.he himſelf had and acted acordingly, but he ſaith he did it ignorantly, 1 Tim. 1. 13. but therefore oftentimes the more headily and furiouſly, as the mettled blind horſe runs headlong. Sedulius on Rom. 10. did minus dicere when he ſaid, Non multum prodeſt habere zelum & non habere ſcientiam, that zeal without knowledge did little good. No, rather knowledge without zeal doth little good; but zeal without knowledge is in danger to do a great deal of hurt. The one is like a Ship that hath a good Card and Pilot, but without Sail and ſo ſtirs not, the other hath a large ſail, but wants Compaſs and Pilot to ſteer it aright, and ſo ſoon runs upon the Rock; and here oftentimes the more blind the more bold, and the leſs light the more heat: more ignorant men are uſually the more zealous. This ſometimes hitteth right, as it hath been obſerved of the Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes, the more unlearned men, and the weaker women were more couragious in the cauſe of Chriſt than the greater Scholars, the ſpirits of the one being more in their heads, but of the other more in their hearts. And here we may uſe Bernards words, Bonum erat tibi ſi ignifer magis eſſes quàm lucifer. But moſt commonly it falls out otherwiſe, Serm. 3. in Iſaiam.that zeal without knowledge (as in the Bores wars in Germany, and our combuſtions at home) proves moſt tumultuous and pernicious, when he is moſt cried up, as Calvin ſaith, ſometimes he was choſen as the beſt Preacher, ut quiſ que clamoſiſſimus erat & ſtolido furore praeditus, quem illi zelum vocant quo nunquam arſit Helias.
To this ignorant zeal referr raſh zeal, when without due conſideration of particulars on the ſudden men engage and ruſh upon action. Moſes anger we read waxed hot when upon his coming Exod. 32. 19.down from the Mount he ſaw the golden calf, and the people dancing, and though his ſudden breaking of the tables upon it was ordered by God to convey a good Moral to us, yet that paſſionate haſtineſs, it may be, had a touch of this Raſhneſs, or if not, as ſome See Calvin in locum. Chryſeſtom, Hierom, Ainſworth.conceive it had not, yet that of Iſraels ſudden reſolution of going to war againſt the two Tribes and half, Joſh. 22. 12. and againſt the Benjamites, Judg. 20. 8. had in it too much precipitancy.
Hitherto refer alſo all indiſcrete zeal when not managed with ſobriety and wiſdom (as Pſal. 112. with zeal v. 1. is joined diſcretion v. 5.) but ſo weakly and indiſcreetly, with ſuch antique looks and geſtures, ſuch fooliſh attempts and actions, as makes all ridiculous. And can that which is ſo juſtly unſightly to men, be in it ſelf, or make us pleaſing in the ſight of God? No, remember the four beaſts, Revel. 4. 8. had alas oculatas, their wings full of eyes, which zelum cum ſcientia ac fide conjunctum deſignavit, Mede.as one well upon that place. The wings expreſſed zeal, but the eyes in them wiſdom and knowledge to guide it, as John Baptiſt was not only a burning, but alſo a ſhining light, John 5. 35. But yet more burning than ſhining. Fervor ei quodammodo ſubſtantialior videtur, as Bernard ſaith of him: and this withal, Serm. 3. de verbo Iſaiae. p. 68.Lucet Joannes, tanto uti que clarius quanto amplius fervet, tanto verius quanto minus appetit lucere; as when David… heart was hot, yet his tongue was ſilent, Pſal. 39. 2, 3. there had need be light as well as heat: elſe there will be more of the ſmothered heat of hell, than of the kindly warmth of heaven in it; eſpecially if,
Secondly, It wants ſincerity as well as knowledge for the groundwork, and carrying on of it: as when in hypocriſy and out of deſign it's wholly or in part counterfeit, for our own ſiniſter ends, worldly advantage, vain-glory and applauſe, and accordingly managed with pride and oſtentation. In all which Jehu's zeal was groſly faulty, when pretending God his eye was on a Kingdom, and yet would have mens eyes on him as a great zealot, Come and ſee my zeal for the Lord, 2 Kings 10. 16. This the Phariſees zeal was alſo deeply guilty of, that they might be ſeen of men, and Matth. 6. …, 5, 10.have glory of them: of which alſo Luther accuſed the Monks and Friars of his time that were very loud and ſeemed to be exceeding zealous: but it was rather for their Paunch than the Pope; whilſt he ſaid of himſelf, At non eram it à glacies & frigus ipſum in defendendo Papam, his zeal for his then-Religion was more plain and honeſt hearted, whilſt theirs was ſelfiſh and counterfeit.—which is ſo far from commending us to God, as it juſtly makes us abominable both to God and Man. Too coſtly a paint to be laid on ſo rotten a Sepulchre: that zeal, that noble ſpark which is the flower, vigour, ſpirit and quinteſſence of all the affections ſhould be ſo debaſed as to be proſtituted and made a ſtalking-Horſe to ſuch poor and low projects: that divine flame to be only a torch to give them light more ſpeciouſly to go about their works of darkneſs. The Apoſtl… gave it too good a Name, when he here called it dung, not only to be loſt, but with deteſtation to be caſt away, that we may win Chriſt.
3. And the like we may ſay of our zeal if it be not principled and guided with love, pity, meekneſs, and moderation. For how ſhould love be abſent from our zeal, which is the chief ingredient of it? It being intenſe love of God and our Brethren that ſhould make us zealous for him, and againſt any practice or perſon; ſo that it ſhould not burn up our compaſſion and meekneſs, even towards them againſt whom we are ſo zealous. The fine flower of the meat-offering in the law was to be baked, we heard, in the frying-pan, which the Ancients (I told you) ſaid typed out zeal, but it was to be mingled with oil, Levit. 2. 7. by which the ſame Authors would have us underſtand meekneſs and gentleneſs, which ſhould always go with our zeal the better to temper it, as the hot heart (in nature) hangs in water the better to cool and moiſten it. And as our Saviour ſent forth his diſciples by pares, ſo he ſuted them when he joined a zealous Luther and a meek Melanchthon together; and ſo the hard ſtone, and the ſoft morter built up the wall the ſooner, as before a zealous Elijah, and a meek Moſes were ſpeaking with Chriſt in the Mount. It's into the Mount (to a great height) that we then get when ſuch a Moſes and an Elijah Matth. 17. 3.meet, if we be meekly zealous, eſpecially if they meet and ſpeak with Chriſt; if they be truly Religious and Chriſtian, not only with whom but in whom a Moſes and Elijah fully and tranſcendently met. Higheſt zeal (you'l ſay) when you ſee it eating him up whilſt he whips the buyers and ſellers out of the Temple, John 2. 15, 17. But you muſt ſay too, and moſt compaſſionate pity and meekneſs at the ſame time, when you read, Mark. 3. 5. that whileſt he was moſt angry, (and you never expreſly read him angry Exod. 32. 19. Levit. 10. 16. Numb. 12. 3. Berengoſius in Bib. Patrum. Tom. 2. p. 556.but there) yet even then and there you read too that out of compaſſion he was grieved for the hardneſs of their hearts, as Moſes we ſometimes find very angry in the cauſe of God, and yet the meekeſt man upon earth, as the ſame ſpirit which appeared upon the Apoſtles in the reſemblance of fire, Acts 2. 3. deſcended upon Chriſt in the likeneſs of the meek dove, Matth. 3. 16.
If therefore on the contrary our zeal inſtead of love be imbittered with hatred and malice, it's foreign, bitter zeal, as the Apoſtle calls it, James 3. 14. zelus amaritudinis non amoris, as Divines ſpeak, the one of which is to be blown up, but the other to be put out, and quite extinguiſhed.—
Or if it be inflamed into diſcontent (a touch whereof David had when his heart was hot and glowed, Pſal. 39. 3. and Ezekiel when he went on God's errand but in the bitterneſs and heat of his ſpirit, Ezek. 3. 14.) or Rage and Fury, that like Solomon's mad Prov. 26. 18.man it caſts fire brands, arrows, and death, Boanerges thunderclaps, all devouring words and actions, as zealous Jehu uſed to drive 2 King. 9. 20. Luke 13. 14. Act. 5. 17, 33. 7. 54. 13. 45. 22. 23.furiouſly: and thoſe whom we read of in the Goſpel, and the Acts that were filled with indignation againſt Chriſt and his Apoſtles, were cut to the heart, gnaſhed with their teeth, contradicted, blaſphemed, laid hands on them, and perſecuted them.—In this caſe we muſt ſay, that as Moderation without zeal is but a benummed cold palſie, ſo zeal without moderation is but a diſtemper'd frenzy, a feveriſh diſtemper, the glowings of Hell fire, hot poyſon, which is more quick and deadly, as the Scripture's compariſon is, a clear heat upon herbs, that ſcorcheth and burns them up: Iſa. 18. 4.as Saul's zeal did to the Gibeonites, 2 Sam. 21. 2. and our Sauls here in the Text to the Church of Chriſt, meer Wild-fire, that ſuch hot-ſpurs prove Ardeliones, the Worlds Phaetons, ſet all on a combuſtion, as the Zelots did in Jeruſalem, and their Succeſſors See Hammond on Matth. 10. Annot. c.in Germany. And the Lord cool ſuch ſpirits among us, that it come not to an univerſal conflagration. And ſhall this then that thus deſtroys men lives be compared with Chriſt that ſaves them? I pray let us be willing to ſuffer the loſs of this, that we be not all loſt. We may well account it worſe than dung that we may win Chriſt. Yea and of all more ſubſtantial, civil, or moral virtues and performances. For theſe alſo Paul puts into his Inventory.