A Christian Directory Volume I Part 99

_Direct._ VII. To this end be sure to do all your work as that which G.o.d requireth of you, and that which he hath promised to reward; and believe his acceptance of your meanest labours which are done in obedience to his will. Is it not a delightful thing to serve so great and good a Master, and to do that which G.o.d accepteth and promiseth to reward? This interest of G.o.d in your lowest, and hardest, and servilest labour, doth make it honourable, and should make it sweet.

_Direct._ VIII. Suffer not your fancies to run after sensual, vain delights; for these will make you weary of your callings. No wonder if foolish youths be idle, whose minds are set upon their sports; nor is it wonder that sensual gentlemen live idly, who glut themselves with corrupting pleasures. The idleness of such sensualists is more unexcusable than other men's, because it is not the labour itself that they are against, but only such labour as is honest and profitable: for they can bestow more labour in play, or dancing, or running, or hunting, or any vanity, than their work required; and it is the folly and sickness of their minds that is the cause, and not any disability in their bodies: the busiest in evil are slothfullest to good.

_Direct._ IX. Mortify the flesh, and keep it in an obedient dependence on the soul, and you will not be captivated by sloth. For idleness is but one way of flesh-pleasing: he that is a sensual slave to his flesh, will please it in the way that it most desireth; one man in fornication, and another in ambition, and another in ease; but he that hath overcome and mortified the flesh, hath mastered this with the rest of its concupiscence.

_Direct._ X. Remember still that time is short, and death makes haste, and judgment will be just, and that all must be judged according to what they have done in the body; and that your souls are precious, and heaven is glorious, and h.e.l.l is terrible, and work is various and great, and hinderances are many; and that it is not idleness, but labour, that is comfortable in the reviews of time; and this will powerfully expel your sloth.

_Direct._ XI. Call yourselves daily or frequently to account how you spend your time, and what work you do, and how you do it. Suffer not one hour or moment so to pa.s.s, as you cannot give your consciences a just account of it.

_Direct._ XII. Lastly, watch against the slothfulness of those that are under your charges as well as against your own: some persons of honour and greatness are diligent themselves, and bestow their time for the service of G.o.d, their king and country, and their souls and families (and I would we had more such): but if, in the mean time, their wives and children and many of their servants spend most of the day and year in idleness, and they are guilty of it, for want of a thorough endeavour to reform it, their burden will be found greater at last than they imagined. In a word, though the labour and diligence of a believing saint, and not that of a covetous worldling, is it that tends to save the soul, and diligence in doing evil is but a making haste to h.e.l.l; yet sloth in itself is so great a nourisher of vice, and deadly an enemy to all that is good; and idleness is such a course and swarm of sin, that all your understandings, resolution, and authority, should be used to cure it in yourselves and others.

_t.i.t._ 3. _Directions against Sloth and Laziness in Things Spiritual: and for Zeal and Diligence._

Zeal in things spiritual is contrary to sloth, and coldness, and remissness; and diligence is contrary to idleness. Zeal is the fervour or earnestness of the soul:[582] its first subject is the will and affections, excited by the judgment; and thence it appeareth in the practice. It is not a distinct grace or affection, but the vigour and liveliness of every grace, and their fervent operations.

[Sidenote: The kinds of false zeal.]

_Direct._ I. Be sure that you understand the nature and use of zeal and diligence, and mistake not a carnal, degenerate sort of zeal, for that which is spiritual and genuine. 1. There is a zeal, and activity merely natural, which is the effect of an active temperature of body.

2. There is an affected zeal, which is hypocritical, about things that are good; when men speak, and make an outward stir, as if they were truly zealous, when it is not so. 3. There is a selfish zeal: when a proud and selfish person is fervent in any matter that concerneth himself; for his own opinions, his own honour, his own estate, or friends, or interest, or any thing that is his own. 4. There is a partial, factious zeal:[583] when error, or pride, or worldliness hath engaged men in a party, and they think it is their duty or interest at least, to side with the sect or faction which they have chosen, they will be zealous for all the opinions and ways of their espoused party.

5. There is a superst.i.tious, childish, carnal zeal, for small, indifferent, inconsiderable things: like that of the Pharisees (and all such hypocrites) for their washings, and fastings, and other ceremonious observances. 6. There is an envious, malicious zeal, against those that have the precedency, and cross your desires, or cloud your honour in the world, or that contradict you in your conceits and ways: such is that at large described, James iii. 7.

There is a peevish, contentious, wrangling zeal, which is a.s.saulting every man who is not squared just to your conceits. 8. There is a malignant zeal, against the cause and servants of the Lord, which carrieth men to persecute them. See that you take not any of these, or any such like, for holy zeal.

[Sidenote: The mischiefs of false zeal.]

If you should so mistake, these mischiefs would ensue: 1. Sinful zeal doth make men doubly sinful: as holy zeal is the fervency of our grace, so sinful zeal is the intention and fervency of sin. 2. It is an honouring of sin and Satan: as if sin were a work, and Satan a master, worthy to be fervently and diligently followed. 3. It is the most effectual violent way of sinning, making men do much evil in a little time; and making them more mischievous and hurtful to others, than other sinners are. 4. It blindeth the judgment, and maketh men take truth for falsehood, and good for evil, and disableth reason to do its office. 5. It is the violent resister of all G.o.d's means; and teacheth men to rage against the truth that should convince them: it stops men's ears, and turns away their hearts from the counsel which would do them good. 6. It is the most furious and b.l.o.o.d.y persecutor of the saints, and church of Jesus Christ:[584] it made Paul once exceeding mad against them, Acts xxvi. 10, 11, and "shut them up in prison, and punish them in the synagogues, and compel them to blaspheme, and persecute them even unto strange cities, and vote for their death." Thus "concerning zeal he persecuted the church," Phil.

iv. 6. 7. It is the turbulent disquieter of all societies; a destroyer of love; a breeder and fomenter of contention; and an enemy to order, peace, and quietness. 8. It highly dishonoureth G.o.d, by presuming to put his name to sin and error, and to ent.i.tle him to all the wickedness it doth. Such zealous sinners commit their sin as in the name of G.o.d, and fight against him ignorantly by his own (pretended or abused) authority.[585] 9. It is an impenitent way of sinning: the zealous sinner justifieth his sin, and pleadeth reason or Scripture for it, and thinking that he doth well, yea, that he is serving G.o.d when he is murdering his servants, John xvi. 2. 10. It is a multiplying sin, and maketh men exceeding desirous to have all others of the sinner's mind: the zealous sinner doth make as many sin with him as he can.

Yea, if it be but a zeal for small and useless things, or about small controversies or opinions in religion; 1. It showeth a mind that is lamentably strange to the tenor of the gospel, and the mind of Christ, and the practice of the great substantial things. 2. It destroyeth charity and peace, and breedeth censuring and abusing others. 3. It dishonoureth holy zeal by accident, making the profane think that all zeal is no better than the foolish pa.s.sion of deceived men. 4. And it disableth the persons that have it to do good; even when they are zealous for holy truth and duty, the people will think it is but of the same nature with their erroneous zeal, and so will disregard them.

[Sidenote: The signs of holy zeal.]

The signs of holy zeal are these: 1. It is guided by a right judgment.

It is a zeal for truth and good, and not for falsehood and evil, Rom.

x. 2. 2. It is for G.o.d, and his church or cause, and not only for ourselves. It consisteth with meekness, and self-denial, and patience, as to our own concernments, and causeth us to prefer the interest of G.o.d before our own, Numb. xii. 3; Exod. x.x.xii. 19; Gal.

iv. 12; Acts xiii. 9, 12. 3. It is always more careful of the substance than the circ.u.mstances; it preferreth great things before small; it contendeth not for small controversies to the loss or wrong of greater truths, Matt. xxiii. 22, 23; it extendeth to every known truth and duty, but in due proportion, being hottest in the greatest things, and coolest in the least; it maketh men rather zealous of good works, than of their controverted opinions, t.i.t. ii. 14. 4. Holy zeal is always charitable; it is not cruel and b.l.o.o.d.y, nor of a hurting disposition, Luke ix. 55, but is tender and merciful, and maketh men burn with a desire to win and save men's souls, rather than to hurt their bodies, 1 Cor. xiii.[586] Zeal against the sin is conjunct with love and pity to the sinner, 2 Cor. xii. 21. 5. Yet it excludeth that foolish pity which cherisheth the sin, Rev. ii. 2; 1 Kings xv. 13. 6.

True zeal is tender of the church's unity and peace; it is not a dividing, tearing zeal: it is first "pure and then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits," James iii.

17. 7. True zeal is impartial, and is as hot against our own sins, and our children's and other relations' sins, as against another's.[587]

8. True zeal respecteth all G.o.d's commandments, and is not hot for one, and contemptuous of another. It aimeth at perfection; and stinteth not our desires to any lower degree. It maketh a man desirous to be like to G.o.d, even holy as he is holy. It consisteth princ.i.p.ally in the fervour of our love to G.o.d; when false zeal consisteth princ.i.p.ally in censorious wranglings against other men's actions or opinions: it first worketh towards good, and then riseth up against the hindering evil. 9. It maketh a man laborious in holy duty to G.o.d, and diligent in all his work;[588] and lieth not only in the heat of the brain, or rigid opinions, or heat of speech. 10. It is not a sudden flash, but a constant resolution of the soul; like the natural heat, and not like a fever (though the feeling part is not still of one degree); therefore it concocteth and strengtheneth, when false zeal only vexeth and consumeth.[589]

_Direct._ II. When you are thus acquainted with the nature of true zeal, consider next of its excellency and singular benefits, that there may be a love to it, and an honour of it in your hearts. To that end consider of these following commendations of it.

[Sidenote: The excellency of zeal and diligence.]

1. Zeal being nothing but the fervour and vigour of every grace, hath in it all the beauty and excellency of that grace, and that in a high and excellent degree. If love to G.o.d be excellent, then zealous, fervent love is most excellent.

2. The nature of holy objects are such, so great and excellent, so transcendent and of unspeakable consequence, that we cannot be sincere in our estimation and seeking of them, without zeal. If it were about riches or honours, a cold desire and a dull pursuit might serve the turn, and well beseem us; but about G.o.d, and Christ, and grace, and heaven, such cold desires and endeavours are but a contempt. To love G.o.d without zeal, is not to love him, because it is not a loving him as G.o.d.[590] To seek heaven without zeal and diligence is not to seek it, but contemn it. To pray for salvation without any zeal, is but hypocritically to babble, instead of praying; for no desire of Christ, and holiness, and heaven is saving, but that which preferreth them before all the treasures and pleasures of the world; and that which doth so, hath sure some zeal in it; so that some zeal is essential to every grace, as life and heat are to a man.

3. The integrity and honesty of the heart to G.o.d consisteth much in zeal:[591] as he is true to his friend that is zealous for him, and not he that is indifferent and cold. To do his service with zeal is to do it willingly, and heartily, and entirely. To do it without zeal is to do it heartlessly, and by the halves, and to leave out the life and kernel of the duty: it is the heart that G.o.d doth first require.

4. Zeal is much of the strength of duty; and maketh it likeliest to attain its end. The prayer of the faithful that is effectual must be "fervent," Jam. v. 16. Zeal must make us importunate suitors, that will take no denial, if we will speed, Luke xviii. 1-8. "The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." We must "strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many shall seek to enter and not be able." Not every one that striveth is crowned, nor every one that runneth wins the prize; but he that doth it effectually so as to attain. No wonder if we be commanded to love G.o.d with all our heart, and soul, and might, which is a zealous love; for this is it that overcometh all other love, and will constrain to dutiful obedience. As experience telleth us, it is the zealous and diligent preacher that doth good, when the cold and negligent do but little; so it is in all other duties; the diligent hand maketh rich, and G.o.d blesseth those that serve him heartily with all their might.[592]

5. Zeal and diligence take the opportunity, which sloth and negligence let slip. They are up with the sun, and "work while it is day;" they "seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near;" they know the day of their visitation and salvation; they delay not, but take the "accepted time." When the slothful are still delaying and trifling, and hear not G.o.d's voice while it is "called to-day," but "harden their hearts," and sleep with their "lamps unfurnished," and knock not till the "door be shut."[593] They stand and look upon their work while they should do it; they are never in readiness, when Christ and mercy are to be entertained; they are still putting off their duty till some other time; till time be done, and their work undone, and they are undone for ever.

6. Zeal and diligence are the best improvers of time and mercy; as they delay not, but take the present time, so they loiter not, but do their work to purpose. As a speedy traveller goeth farther in a day, than a slothful one in many; so a zealous, diligent christian will do more for G.o.d and his soul in a little time, than a negligent dullard in all his life. It is a wonder to think what Augustine and Chrysostom did among the ancients! what Calvin, and Perkins, and Whitaker, and Reignolds, and Chamier, and many other reformed divines have done in a very little time! and what Suarez, and Vasquez, and Jansenius, and Tostatus, and Cajetan, and Aquinas, and many other papists, have performed by diligence! When millions of men that have longer time, go out of the world as unknown as they came into it; having never attained to so much knowledge as might preserve them from the reproach of brutish ignorance, nor so much as might save their souls from h.e.l.l: and when many that had diligence enough to get some laudable abilities, had never diligence enough to use them to any great benefit of others or themselves. Zeal and diligence are that fruitful, well-manured soil, where G.o.d soweth his seed with best success; and which returns him for his mercies a hundredfold, Matt. xiii. 8, 23; and at his coming giveth him his "own with usury," Matt. xxv. 27, 28. But sloth and negligence are the grave of mercies, where they are buried till they rise up in judgment against the despisers and consumers of them. Aristotle and Plato, Galen and Hippocrates, improvers of nature, shall condemn these slothful neglecters and abusers of nature and grace; yea, their oxen and horses shall be witnesses against many that served not G.o.d with any such diligence, as these beasts served them; yea, many gallants of great estates never did so much service for the common good in all their lives as their very beasts have done. Their parts, their life, and all are lost by them.

7. Zeal and diligence are the victorious enemies of sin and Satan.

They bear not with sin: they are to it as a consuming fire is to the thorns and briers. Zeal burneth up l.u.s.t, and covetousness, and pride, and sensuality.[594] It maketh such work among our sins, as diligent weeders do in your gardens; it pulleth up the tares, and burneth them.

It stands not dallying with sin, nor tasting or looking on the bait, nor disputing with and hearkening to the tempter; but casteth away the motion with abhorrence, and abstaineth from the very appearance of evil, and hateth the garment spotted by the flesh, and presently quencheth the sparks of concupiscence; it chargeth home, and so resisteth the devil that he flieth:[595] when sloth and negligence cherish the sin, and encourage the tempter, and invite him by a cold resistance. The vineyard of the sluggard is overgrown with nettles; his heart swarmeth with noisome thoughts and l.u.s.ts, and he resisteth them not, but easily beareth them. If he feel sinful thoughts possessing his mind, he riseth not up with zeal against them; he hath not the heart to cast them out, nor make any effectual resistance; he famisheth his soul with fruitless wishes, because his hands refuse to labour.[596] Negligence is the nurse of sin.

8. Zeal and diligence bear down all opposition against duty with power and success. Those impediments which stop a sluggard, are as nothing before them; as the cart-wheels which go slowly are easily stopped by a little stone or any thing in their way, when those that are in a swifter motion easily get over all. The lion that is in the sluggard's way, is not so much as a barking whelp in the way of a diligent, zealous christian. The cold doth not hinder him from ploughing.[597] A very scorn, or mock, or threatening of a mortal man, will dismay and stop a heartless hypocrite; which do but serve as oil to the fire, to inflame the courage of the zealous so much more. The difficulties which seem insuperable to the slothful, are small matters to the zealous; he goeth through that which the slothful calls impossible.

And when the slothful sits still and saith, I cannot do this or that, the zealous, diligent christian doth it.

9. Zeal and diligence take off the toil and irksomeness of duty, and make it easy. As a quick-spirited, diligent servant maketh but a pleasure of his work, which a lazy servant doth with pain and weariness; and as a mettlesome horse makes a pleasure of a journey, which a heavy jade goeth through with pain; so reading, and hearing, and prayer are easy to a zealous soul, which to another are an unwelcome task and toil.

10. Zeal is faithful, and constant, and valiant, and therefore greatly pleaseth G.o.d: it sticks to him through persecution; the fire consumeth it not; many waters quench it not. But others are false-hearted: and those that have but a cold religion will easily be drawn or driven from their religion. They are so indifferent, that a little more of the world put into the balance, will weigh down Christ in their esteem. The hopes or fears of temporal things prevail with them, against the hopes and fears of things eternal. No wonder therefore if G.o.d disown such treacherous servants, and turn them away as unworthy of his family.[598]

_Direct._ III. Let the great motives of holy zeal and diligence be set home and printed on your hearts:[599] and often read them over in some quickening books, that you may remember them, and be affected with them. I have given you so many of these moving, exciting considerations, in the third part of my "Saints' Rest," and my "Saint or Brute," and "Now or Never," and in my sermon against "Making Light of Christ," that I shall be but very brief in them at present.

[Sidenote: Motives of zeal.]

1. When you grow cold and slothful, remember how great a Master you serve: should any thing be done negligently for G.o.d? And remember how good a Master you serve; for whom you are certain that you can never do too much; nor so much as he deserveth of you; nor will he ever suffer you to be losers by him.

2. Remember that he is always present; in your converse with others, in your prayers, your reading, and all your duties: and will you loiter in his sight? when a very eye-servant will work while his master standeth by.

3. One serious thought of the end and consequence of all thy work, one would think, should put life into the dullest soul! Say to thy sleepy, frozen heart, Is it not heaven that I am seeking? Is it not h.e.l.l that I am avoiding? And can I be cold and slothful about heaven and h.e.l.l?

Must it not go with me for ever according as I now behave myself? And is this the best that I can do for my salvation? Is it not G.o.d that I have to please and honour? and shall I do it slothfully?

4. One thought of the exceeding greatness of our work, one would think, should make us be zealous and diligent! To think what abundance of knowledge we have to get! and how much of every grace we want! and how much means we have to use! and how much opposition and many temptations to overcome! The humble sense of the weakness of our souls, and the greatness of our sins, should make us say, that whatever the rich in grace may do, it is labour that becomes the poor.

5. To remember how short our time of working is, and also how uncertain!

How fast it flieth away! how soon it will be at an end! And that all the time that ever we shall have to prepare for eternity is now! and that shortly there will be no praying, no hearing, no working any more on earth![600] To look into the grave, to go to the house of mourning! to consider that this heart hath but a little more time to think, and this tongue but a little more time to speak, and all will end in the endless recompence; methinks this should quicken the coldest heart!

6. To remember how many millions are undone already by their sloth and negligence! how many are in h.e.l.l lamenting their slothfulness on earth, while I am hearing, or reading, or praying to prevent it, one would think should waken me from my sloth: what if I saw them, and heard their cries? would it not make me serious? What if one of them had time and leave and hope again as I have? would he be cold and careless?

7. To think how many millions are now in heaven, that all came thither by holy zeal and diligence, and are now enjoying the fruit of all their labour and sufferings! to think of the blessed end of all their pains and patience, and how far they are now from repenting of it!

methinks should stir us up to zeal and diligence.

8. To foresee what thoughts all the world will have of holy diligence at last! how the best will wish they had been better, and had done much more for G.o.d and their salvation! and how the worst will wish, when it is too late, that they had been as zealous and diligent as the best! How earnestly they will then knock and cry, "Lord, open to us,"

when it is all in vain! and say to the watchful, diligent souls, "Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out," Matt. xxv. To think how glad the most unG.o.dly would then be, if they might but have "died the death of the righteous, and their latter end might be as his!" Numb.

xxiii. 10. And what heart-tearing grief will seize upon them for ever, to think how madly they lost their souls, and sluggishly went to h.e.l.l to spare their pains of that sweet and holy work that should have prevented it! Will not such forethoughts awaken the most sluggish, stupid souls, that will but follow them till they can do their work?

9. Remember that thou must be zealous and diligent in this or nothing; for there is nothing else that is worth thy seriousness, in comparison of this. To be earnest and laborious for perishing vanities, is the disgrace of thy mind, and will prove thy disappointment, and leave thee at last in shame and sorrow; when holy diligence will recompense all thy pains.

10. Remember also that thou hast been slothful and negligent too long!

And how dost thou repent of thy former sloth, if thou wilt be as slothful still? Art thou grieved to think how many duties slothfulness hath put by, and how many it hath murdered, and frustrated, and made nothing of, and how much grace, and mercy, and comfort, it hath already deprived thee of? and how much better thy case were, if thou hadst lived in as much holy diligence as the best thou knowest? And yet wilt thou be slothful still?

11. Remember that thou hast thy life, and health, and wit, and parts, for nothing else but by thy present duty to prepare for everlasting joys: that all G.o.d's mercies bind thee to be diligent; and every ordinance, and all his helps and means of grace, are given to further thee in the work; and sun, and moon, and air, and earth, and all, attend thee with their help. And yet wilt thou be cold and slothful, and frustrate all these means and mercies?