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 29 of 51 (56%)
page 29 of 51 (56%)
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not with them into excesses, and doe not as most doe, that wee might
escape derision: Judge you which of these men shall please: I beleeve none shall ever please Christ, till they appeare odde, strange and precise men, to the common sort; and yet neede not bee over just neither Let them that have tender eares stop them against the charmes of the world, and scornes of _Michol_, unlesse they were wiser: Let him that hath a right eare, heare what Christ saith to the Churches, _Be zealous_. _The fourth part._ [Sidenote: Incentives.] Yea, but by what meanes shall a Christian attaine this fire, and maintaine it when he hath gotten it. Say not in thine heart, What _Prometheus_ shall ascend into heaven and fetch it thence; thou mayest fetch it thence by thine owne prayer: as did _Elias_ and the Apostles, men of infirmities as well as thy selfe; pray continually, and instantly: the Lord that breathed first thy soule into thee, will also breath on thy soule: I speake not of miraculous (which was but a type) but of ordinarie inspiration. Prayer and zeale are as water and ice: mutually producing each other; when it is once come downe upon thine altar; though no water can quench it, yet must it bee preserved fresh, by ordinarie fuell; especially the Priests lipps must keepe it alive. Sermons are bellowes ordained for this purpose. The word read is of divine use, but doth not with that motion stirre these coales. |
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