The zealous Christian taking heavenThe zealovs Christian taking heaven

4. An holy importunity, makes a man more enlarged before God in secret, then before men in public. O my Dove that art in the clefts of the rock in the secret places of thy ¹stairs; let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. The voice of Christs Church is sweet, even then when she is in secret, when none but God beholds her, Cant. 8. 13. Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions ²hearken to thy voice; cause me to hear it. But now an hypocrite, doth never care to have any secret communion with God; he cares not to pray alone; and if he be brought to that, he takes no care of his heart, he curbs not his thoughts; all his care is in company, popular applause, and vain-glory, is as the wind to the sails of a Ship, that makes their affections move the faster. An hypocrite, in this regard, may be resembled to a Nightingale, which sings sweetest when any man stands near her. So carnal men when others are witnesses of their actions, then they put forth the utmost of their ability. They are of John's temper, he was zealous only upon that condition, that others would see it.

4. An holy importunity, makes a man more inlarged before God in secret, then before men in publike. O my Dove that art in the clifts of the rock in the secret places of thy ¹stairs; let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voyce, and thy countenance is comely. The voice of Christs Church is sweet, even then when she is in secret, when none but God beholds her, Cant. 8. 13. Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions ²harken to thy voice; cause me to hear it. But now an hypocrite, doth never care to have any secret communion with God; he cares not to pray alone; and if hee bee brought to that, hee takes no care of his heart, he curbs not his thoughts; all his care is in company, popular applause, and vain-glory, is as the wind to the sails of a Ship, that makes their affections move the faster. An hypocrite, in this regard, may be resembled to a Nightingale, which sings sweetess when any man stands neer her. So carnal men when others are witnesses of their actions, then they put forth the utmost of their ability. They are of John's temper, he was zealous onely upon that condition, that others would see it.