A Coal From The Altar, To Kindle The Holy Fire of Zeale - In a Sermon Preached at a Generall Visitation at Ipswich by Samuel Ward
page 10 of 51 (19%)
page 10 of 51 (19%)
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To this fire and these wings, which we in the Lords prayer desire to imitate, there is nothing in us answerable but our zeale; as wheeles to the charriot: which makes us not goe, but runne the wayes of Gods Commandements, and so runne that we may obtaine. As sailes to the ship, and winde to the sailes, to which alludes the phrase so frequent in Scripture, _Plerophorie_. As courage to the souldier, mettle to the horse, dust to the ground, which makes it bring forth much fruit, yea an hundredfold: vivacity to all creatures. To conclude this, this is that celestiall fire which was shadowed out unto us by that poore element in comparison, and beggarly rudiment, the fire (I meane) of such necessary use in the law, which rather then it should be wanting, the Lord caused it to descend from heaven, that it might cause the Sacrifices to ascend thither againe, as a sweet incense unto the Lord, without which no burnt offering was acceptable. _The Second Part._ But now, as then, there are certaine false fires, abhominable to God, odious to men, dangerous to the _Nadabs_ and _Abihues_ that meddle with them, bringing thereby coales upon their owne heads, & ill favor upon all their services; & not onely so, but that which is worse, an ill report and surmize even on those that offer the right fire, & serve the Lord in spirit and truth: yet for their sakes is the name of zeale blasphemed all the day long. Against these, as then, so now severe caveats and cleere distinctions |
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