So thou mayest be,1 and yet never saved;2 as Jehu; Paul, was zealous when he was a Pharisee, and if he was so for a false Religion and a bad cause, why much more mayest thou be for a good cause; so zealous, as not only to cry out against profaneness in the wicked, but civill honesty of others, and hypocrisy of others, yea, even of the coldness of the best of Gods people: thou mayest be the fore-horse in the team, and the ringleader of good exercises amongst the best men,3 (as Joash a wicked King was the first that complained of the negligence of his best Officers in not repairing the Temple) and so stir them up unto it: Nay, thou mayest be so forward as to be persecuted, and not yield an inch, nor shrink in the wetting, but mayest manfully and courageously stand it out in time of persecution, ⟨p. 136⟩as the thorny ground did: so zealous thou mayst be, as to like best of, and to flock most unto the most zealous preachers that search mens consciences best, as the whole Country of Judea came flocking to Johns ministry, and delighted to hear him for a season, nay thou mayst be zealous, as to take sweet delight in doing of all these things, Isa. 58 2, 3. they delight in approaching near unto God, yet come short of heaven.
So thou mayest be,1 and yet never saved;2 as Iehu; Paul, was zealous when he was a Pharisee, and if he was so for a false Religion and a bad cause, why much more mayest thou be for a good cause; so zealous, as not onely to cry out against prophanenesse in the wicked, but civill honesty of others, and hypocrisie of others, yea, even of the coldnesse of the best of Gods people: thou mayest be the forehorse in the teame, and the ringleader of good exercises amongst the best men,3 (as Ioash a wicked King was the first that complained of the negligence of his best Officers in not repairing the Temple) and so stirre them up unto it: Nay, thou mayest be so forward as to bee persecuted, and not yeeld an inch, nor shrinke in the wetting, but mayest manfully and couragiously stand it out in time of persecution, ⟨p. 136⟩as the thorny ground did: so zealous thou mayst be, as to like best of, and to flock most unto the most zealous preachers that search mens cōsciences best, as the whole Countrey of Iudea came flocking to Iohns ministry, and delighted to heare him for a season, nay thou mayst be zealous, as to take sweet delight in doing of all these things, Isa. 58 2, 3. they delight in approaching neare unto God, yet come short of heaven.
- 1Answ.
- 2Phil. 3. 6. 11.
- 32 Chron. 44. 4, 5, 6.
