A· I confumedwith a fire fetcht from a common hearth,could never have acbowledged ' what relation the Sacrifice had to God; had never percetved that God took notice ofthe Sacrifice; butnow they fee the fire comming out from the prefenceofGod, they are convinced hoth of the power and acceptation ofthe Almtghty ; Th<;y >re at once amazed and fatisfied to fee the fame God anfwer by firc,which before had fpoken by fire:'God doth notlefle approve our Euangclicall Sacrifices, then theirs under the Llw; but as our Sacrifices are fpirimall,fo are rhe fig,nes ofhis accepration; Faith is our guide,as Senfe was theirs. Yea, even (hll doth God td!ifie his ap1 probation by fenfible evidences: when by a lively faith and fervent zeale our hearts are confecrated to God, then cloth his heavenly fire come down upon our Sacrifices,then are they holy,living, acceptable. . li This Aame, that God kindled, was nor as Come momentany bonfire, for a fudden and fhort rriurnph,nor as a domellicall fire,ro goe our with the day;bur isgiven for a perpetuity,and neither muft dye, nor be quenched. God,as bets htmfelfeterrull, fo he loves permanency and conllancy ofgrace in us: Ifwe bebur a Aafh and away, God regards us not ; all promifes are to perfeverance. Sure, it is but an elementary fire,rh:tt goes our ; that which is celeftiall,continues: it was but fome prefumptuous heat in us that decaies upon evtry occalion. But he that miraculoufiy fent down this f!re at firll,will not renew the mitlcle every day,bya like fupply; It beganimmediately from God,it muft benourilhed by means.Fucll mull maintainthat lirewhich came from Heaven; God will not work mitldes every day : if he have kindled his Spirit in us, we may not expetl he !hall C every day begin agal'n;we havethe fuell oftheW.ord and Sacramenrs,Ptl)'«s,an\1 Meditations,which mull keep it in forever.Ir is from God rhatthefehdps can r/ourifh hisgracrs in us;like as every flame ofour materiall fire bath a concourfeofpro1 viden>e,bllr we may nor expca new infufions: rather know,rha~ God expetts ofus an improvement of thofe habituall graces we have received. While the peoplewith feare and joy fee God lighting his own fire,fire from heaven, the two fons of Aaron, in acareleffeprefumption, will be ferving him with a common Aame;As ifhe might not have leavetochoofe the forms ofhis ownworlhip.Ifrh is had been done Come ag" after,whenthe memoryofthe originall of this heavenly fire had been worn our, it might have beenexcufed with ignorance: bur now,whenGod had newly fenthisfire from above,newly commandedrhecolitinnD ance ofit ; either to let it goe our,or whiles it llill Aamed, to fetch prophane coales to Gods Altar,could favour ofno leffe then prefumpriortand Sacriledge; when we· bring zeale without knowledge,mifconceirs offairh,carnall alfetlions, the dcvioe\r ofour Wil-worfhip, fuperftirious Devotions into Gods Service; we brin'g common lire to his Altar; rhefe flames were never of hiJ kindling; He hates both Altar, Fire,Priell and Sacrific<:. And now behold, the fame tire which confumed the·Sacrifice before, confumes the Sacrificers. It was the fig ne ofhis acceprarion,ia confuming thebeaft; burwhiles it dellroyed men, the fearfull figne ofhis difplealiue. By the fame trieanes can God bewray both love and hatred. We would have plea. ded for Nadab and Abih11; They are but youngmen,the fons of A4Ton,not yetwarm in their 'Funtlion; let both age,and bloud,an.d inexperienceexcufe them as yet. No E ptetences,nopriviledges tail bear offa fin with God:Men think either to patronize; or mitigate evills,by theirfained teafons. That no man may hope the plea eirlter of birth, or ofyouth, or ofthe lirll commiflionofevill, may challenge pntdorr; !fee here young men.fonsofthe R.uleroflfrael, for the firfl' offencdhuck dead. · Yea,thismade God rhemore to llomack,and the ratherto revenge this impiety, becaufe the fons of Aardn did it. God had both pardoned and graced their farher,he had honoured them ; ofrhethoufailds oflfrael,culling them out for his Altar: aad now,as their father fer up a falfe god,fothey bring fa!fe fire unto the True God. Ifthe fons oflnfidels live godlefiy, they doe their kinde; their pt~nilhment !hall be (though juft) yet leffe: but ifthe Children ofreligious Parenrs,after all Chrilli- ~n nurrur~1 fl?all fhame their Education; God ral<es it more hainoufiy,and rev~nges· Itmore ii1arply. Themorebondsof duty,the l{lote plagues ofneglect. If
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