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 God 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 God 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 God'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 God 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 hell: 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 God 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 God 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.