11. True Zeal is for expedition in God's Service As Phinehas Ignis est maxime actuosus maximè mobilis who was zealous for God could not sit still when he saw God so greatly Dishonoured Psal 106. Then stood up Phinehas and executed Judgment Then stood up Phinehas The word may import his readiness and forwardness to appear for God against Sin as occasion was then offered So Nehemiah testified against the Merchants that had lodged but once or twice without Jerusalem under the Wall on the Sabbath threatning to clap them up If they did so again he would lay hands on them Neh. 13.20 21. So David Psal 101.8 I will early destroy all the wicked Though it may point at the usual time of sitting in Judgment in the morning yet withal it may import that he would not be delatory in the work Thus Zeal will set Men early on work for God will make Men quick and speedy in giving check to Sin as they have power and opportunity to put a stop to it as soon as they can Sinful sluggish demurs delays put-offs are contrary to the nature of true Zeal So a listlesness to Duty is no sign of Zeal It is cold that benummeth So it is a sign of the want of Zeal a sign of extream coldness when we cannot find our hands to turn them to any good work when we are like the slothful Prov. 19.24 that hides his hand in his bosom 12. True Zeal makes souls as forward unto so free and lively in God's service What a Man does zealously he does very heartily To be zealous of good Works is not barely to do some good Works but it further implieth earnestness alacrity and fervency of spirit in the doing of Good Works To pray with Zeal is more than saying a Prayer it is no less than to be fervent in Prayer to pray earnestly To be zealous in works of Charity is not meerly to give to such that stand in need but to give willingly and freely Like those of Macedonia 2 Cor. 8.3 that were willing of themselves That needed no spurring on What the Apostle sayes of Love 1 Cor. 13.4 It is kind bountiful this may well be said of Zeal which is the fervour of Love Zeal is bountiful at least in will and desire Cold has a condensing and contracting quality but heat rarifies and extends So Zeal in the Heart enlarges it A zealous Christian would not serve God at an ordinary rate he desires to abound in the work of the Lord. The flame will be mounting upwards A zealous spirit is a raised spirit raised in God's Service But a cold dead heart is still bearing downward We read of Jehoshaphat that his heart was lifted up in the wayes of the Lord 2 Chron. 17.6 So one of a zealous spirit never thinks he does enough for God He will desire still to serve him more and to serve him better 13. True Zeal gives courage in the Cause of God filleth the Soul full of resolution for God And indeed that may be the meaning of Jehoshaphat's heart being lifted up in the wayes of the Lord. A zealous Spirit is a magnanimous Spirit An holy Zeal is indeed Cos fortitudinis the Whetstone of Valour As Esther's Zeal for God and his People put courage into her though she might naturally be timorous as is common to her Sex What an heroick resolution was there Esth 4.16 I will go in unto the King and if I perish I perish If we have no Spirit no Courage to appear for God his Truth and Wayes sure we have no Zeal forthem Indeed of all things Sinners are most offended at holy Zeal They that have nothing to say against Christian Meekness or Charitableness and some other Graces yet can ill endure the heat of Godly Zeal O it is scorching and tormenting to them Here they are ready to cry out Fire fire as one says This oft puts them into a great combustion Yet true Zeal will break thorow opposition Many Waters cannot quench Love neither can the Floods drown it The like may be said of Zeal It is not quenched or cooled but oft more intended and increased when others would discourage it 14. True Zeal that is a cause of such courage and resolution for God that giveth confidence and boldness before Men yet is joyned with Humility and Holy Fear and Trembling before God One gracious disposition is not contrary to another And true Zeal is not blown up with high thoughts of ones self but with high thoughts of God The Dread and Reverence of the most High of an infinitely Glorious and Holy Majesty promotes true Zeal for God helpeth to set an edge upon it and steeleth the Soul with an holy boldness hardeneth it against a base carnal fear of Man Mr. Vines But it is not right when as one says Zeal that should eat us up is eaten up of Pride 15. Right regular Zeal will more dispose and fit us for our Work and Duty not take off from Duty or transport into Sin That is not Zeal but distempered Passion it is not from Grace but from the workings of Corruption when we are discomposed and unhinged 16. If we have true Zeal for God it will be a joy to us to see any zealous and active for God As on the other hand it will be our great grief to see Men generally cold indifferent lukewarm in Religion To see others regardless of God and of the interest of true Religion will move our displeasure and indignation But it will not offend us to see any acted with regular Zeal for God Indeed the Apostle did and would rejoyce that Christ was Preached though some preached Christ out of envy Phil. 1.15 18. How much more would he have rejoyced to have seen as good proof and evidence of their pure Love and Zeal as he saw of their Envy carrying them out in the work If we are truly zealous for God we shall be taken with those whom we see or hear to be zealous for him our hearts will be towards such yea knit to them as Jonathans was to David And we shall bless God for such As Deborah Judg. 5.9 My heart is towards the Governours of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the People Bless the Lord. She desired that the Lord might be praised that put such a spirit into them If others out-shine us here yet if we have true Zeal for God we shall be so far from envying them that the more zealous any are the more we shall honour and be taken with them 17. If we are truly zealous we have an holy emulation a desire to follow yea if it might be to outstrip those that excel in vertue As the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 14.12 Forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts seek that ye may excel As the Corinthians Zeal and forwardness provoked very many 2 Cor 9.2 We should not envy such as have got the start of us and yet should in a good
such conditions but his Grace worketh by means and a conditional Promise is his stablished means to draw Mans Heart to the performance of the Condition which well considered is a sufficient answer to the Arguments that are commonly urged against the conditionality of the Promises As the Spirit worketh powerfully within so he useth that word from without Direct to sound Convers p. 289 290. as his Instrument which worketh sapientially and powerfully to the same work And the like observation we may take concerning the Threatnings in the Word Therein ordinarily some such evil as we naturally abhor and dread is threatned either to excite us to our duty which our corrupt hearts and natures are exceeding backward to or to deter us from Sin to which we are naturally prone and strongly inclined Now to apply these things to the point in hand The Believer is made sensible what a Sinner he has been and what woe and wrath is due to Sin and Sinners that indeed he has deserved Hell for his Portion yet withal he believes according to the Word that God is in Christ reconciling Sinners unto himself that he so loved the World as to give his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have Everlasting Life that Jesus Christ is the only and an all-sufficient Saviour that he is willing as well as able to save those that come to God by him But withal that there is no coming to him only as a Saviour so as to find welcome but he must come to him also as a Leader and Commander resolving sincerely to obey and follow him that without taking his Yoak upon us we cannot find rest for our Souls To these things a Believer cannot but subscribe These things are set home and kept close to his Heart and such Truths as these being mixed with Faith firmly assented to they work effectually Thus he deliberately makes choice of Christ as the only meet help for his Soul in all the World Now go to Hypocrites and Unbelievers and it appears they have but some faint and weak Assent to the foresaid Truths Did they really believe Heaven and Hell and that without an interest in Christ there is no hope of Heaven but to Hell they must go all the World cannot save them how is it possible they should make so light of Christ as they do preferring a momentary pleasure or a little worldly pelf before him which a true Believer accounts but dung and trash If you tell a Man there is a Lyon in the way behind him with open mouth ready to devour him and he flees not as for his Life does it not plainly shew that he believes not what you say So that Sinners do not flee to Christ it shews they do not believe their misery and danger out of Christ Or if sometimes they have strong Convictions that startle and terrify them they have Arts and Devices to put them off They will not suffer them to stay Their corrupt Wills and Affections call off their thoughts from such things as most nearly concern them As we read Mat. 13.15 Their Eyes they have closed lest at any time they should see with their Eyes and hear with their Ears and should understand with their Heart and should be converted and I should heal them Their Eyes they have closed Thus poor Sinners wink hard shut the Windows to keep out the Light that they may still sleep on in Sin Or when they can be no longer quiet as they are then they bribe their Consciences and deceive themselves with a seeming Faith a seeming Conversion a seeming Reformation which they take up with as sufficient as poor Laodicea thought her self rich Thus by one means or other they are kept off from a serious and deliberate closing with the Lord Jesus But then come to a sound Believer and he is as sure that the Word of God will prove true as that there is a God which is as sure as that there are any Creatures in the World and so that Heaven and Hell are not Fancies which have a being only in Mens imaginations but unquestionable realities that all Miseries and Sufferings in this life are case and pleasure compared with the Torments of Hell and Miseries of the Damned and all the Pleasures and enjoyments of this Life but pain and loss compared with the Joys of Heaven that if ever he be saved he must be saved by Christ and that he cannot hope to be saved by Christ but in his own way Thus he sees it unquestionably his grand concern to accept of Christ as he is offered And such Truths being set home by the Spirit with Power and Evidence they have a mighty force to pull down strong-holds and carnal reasonings in the Heart against them to bring into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ And thus the Will and Affections are wrought upon And what sorrow then See Dr. Preston of Effectual Faith p. 204. to think of ones former natural and sinful State and what Fear O what will become of me if I get not a Part and Interest in Christ If I fall short of Heaven at last then where am I how miserable shall I be to Eternity And what vehement desire after Christ Give me Christ or I die And what resolution in the Will I will go to Christ and give up my self to him and cast my self upon him If I perish I perish Lord whither should I go Thou hast the words of Eternal Life Thus a Believer consents and closeth with Christ deliberately upon clear conviction that he has no other way to take 3. A true Believer consents unfeignedly and heartily True Faith is Faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 A Sound Believer does not take up with a profession of Faith in Christ and of subjection to him does not think it enough to say Lord Lord to speak honourably of him but hath his heart opened to receive the King of Glory The Lord Jesus Christ is his desire and choice indeed And as he had rather have Christ alone for his Portion than the whole World without him so he had rather be subject to the Laws of Christ than freed from them Though the Flesh is still lusting in him against the Spirit and the Law in his Members rebelling against the Law of his Mind yet he can truly say his Will is more to Christ and to his Service than to please and gratify the Flesh and to serve Sin And he repents not of any thing he does for Christ but is grieved and ashamed that he does no more and that what he hath done has been done in no better manner but he heartily repents of his serving Sin heretofore and of what he hath done displeasing unto Christ And in the ordinary habitual and prevailing bent of his will he is for taking part with Christ and his Laws against the lustings of the Flesh against the motions and workings of remaining corruption in him He is so
could not but express his Zeal for God at Athens when he had none to back him Acts 17. Come see my Zeal for the Lord says Jehu a Kings 10.16 An Hypocrite is not well pleased if he have not some to take notice of his Zeal some that will applaud him for it His Zeal in a good cause is soon cooled if he have not some about him such as would encourage and help to blow it up Whereas true Zeal will burn still when there are none about it but such as endeavour to blow it out As Lot's Soul was vexed from day to day in Sodom with their unlawful deeds 2 Pet. 2.8 If a Zealous Christian hath his lot cast in a wicked prophane Place or Family even there will his Zeal be breaking forth True Zeal will not be smothered or put out with the coldness and deadness of others about it but rather useth to be more excited and intended As Fire burns hottest in cold frosty Weather 5. True Zeal is not Partial but would appear for all that wherein God's Honour and Interest lieth It is as Extensive as sincere and sound Obedience It is Quantitas intensiva obedientiae according to Dr. Ames Thus to be Zealous of good works in the whole kind of them ready to promote any good Work earnestly desirous to abound in every good Work would shew our Zeal to be right But a partial Zeal as a partial Obedience is not right As partial heats in the Body are no signs of good Health To be Zealous for works of Charity but no friends of Holiness and true Piety Or to seem forward for pious Exercises but to be careless of other Moral Duties To be negligent in the duties of our particular Callings and Relations cannot be right True Zeal in a Magistrate will make him active for God as a Magistrate as Nehemiah was True Zeal in a Minister will make him diligent in the work of his Ministry Like Apollos who being fervent in Spirit spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord Acts 18.25 True Zeal in the Master of a Family will make him Industrious in his Place To instruct his Houshold in the Way of the Lord and to engage them in God's Service after Abraham's example Yea one that is truly Zealous of good Works will act uniformly Not be hot in Prayer Hearing Conference and Cold and Heartless as to other Duties 6. True Zeal sets against all Sin as it is discovered This will cause ones Blood to rise against Sin So a Man will be ready to reprove and shew his dislike of Sin as he has opportunity So he will endeavour in his Place according to his Power to oppose Sin to prevent suppress it True Zeal will make a Man an enemy to Sin wheresoever he sees it wheresoever he meets with it To appear very forward to condemn the faults of an Enemy of such as bear no good will to us and to bear with Sin in our Friends in such as are nearly related to us this is not right True Zeal would make one like Levi in God's Cause Who said unto his Father and to his Mother I have not seen him neither did he acknowledg his Brethren nor knew his own Children Deut. 33.9 As Asa would not bear with Idolatry in his own Mother 2 Chron. 15.16 In the trial of your Love observe its working at a distance as this will better appear in its workings towards those that are farthest off in its being extended to Strangers Enemies than in its workings towards Friends and Relations that are near you But in the trial of your Zeal on the contrary especially observe how it worketh near hand To condemn Sin in others but to indulge and spare our own Sins is not right Some are so Zealous against others Offences De Adventu Dom. Ser. 4. as Bernard says that they might seem to hunger and thirst after Righteousness if they had the same judgment also of their own Sins But now a weight and a weight as he alludes is an abomination to the Lord. True Zeal would least endure Sin in its own Territories As Fire has most power on what is next it Zeal where it is in truth will be firing out ones own Corruptions Like an Hearth of fire among Wood and like a Torch of fire in a Sheaf As the Psalmist says My Zeal hath consumed me Psal 119.139 So Zeal will be consuming ones Lusts Are we salted with this Fire according to the expression Mark 9.49 A truly Zealous Christian has the greatest indignation against his own Sins and is most forward to take revenge on himself and them 2 Cor. 7.11 And he would not spare one of his Sins Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel yet this shewed his Zeal was not right that he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam he was still for the Golden Calves 2 Kings 10.28 29. A resolved indulgence and allowance of any known Sin and true Zeal are inconsistent 7. A right and regular Zeal is most vehement in the greatest Matters As Fire the grosser the substance that it takes hold Ignis in materia densiori acriùs urit and feeds upon the hotter it burns True Zeal is more for plain and necessary Duties than for any disputable point or matter of Controversie So likewise it riseth against Sin according to the quality and aggravations thereof What one noteth to have always been the Hypocrites guise Dr. Downam on Psal 15. p. 33. is the genius of false Zeal scil To neglect the greater Duties and to affect the observation of the less to prefer Circumstances before the Substance and Ceremonies before the works either of Piety or Charity to place the height of their Religion either in observing or urging Ceremonies or contrariwise in inveighing against them Observe it to be more Zealous for or against a Ceremony than for the weightiest and most substantial Duties or than against great and foul Enormities to be more Zealous about some disputable Point and Opinion wherein sound Christians may have different apprehensions than for main matters of Faith and Godliness matters essential to true Christianity wherein all that are Christians indeed must agree both as to Belief and Practice is no good sign You would not take him for a wise and careful Builder that laid the greatest weight on the weakest part of the Wall So it must be indiscreet Zeal or worse than indiscreet which is more for unnecessary Opinions than for the most substantial Duties and fundamental Truths Is that true Zeal for God Or rather is it not a selfish Zeal which is for ones own Opinions neglecting those things which make most for the Honour of God and wherein the main interest of Religion lieth Though many warm themselves at these Sparks many comfort themselves that they are Zealous in their way for their own Parties and Opinions yet in the end they may lie down in sorrow for it But some will say Would you not have us Zealous for
and alacrity Spiritual Joy where it comes exceeds and as we may say swalloweth up carnal worldly Joy The Joy of the Holy Ghost is far more pleasing than the Joy of Harvest 10. That is a kind of Spiritual Joy when we heartily unfeinedly rejoyce in the good of others Spiritual Joy is promoted especially by the Spiritual good of others The good found in others As when Barnabas saw the Grace of God among the Disciples at Antioch he was glad Act. 11.23 And when Paul and Barnabas had declared the Conversion of the Gentiles they caused great Joy unto all the Brethren Act. 15.3 So Titus was comforted in the Believing Corinthians and Paul rejoiced much on their account 2 Cor. 7.7 So David rejoyced to see the Peoples forwardness 1 Chron. 29.17 And now have I seen with Joy thy People which are present here to offer willingly unto thee Psal 122.1 I was glad when they said unto me Let us go into the House of the Lord. Again when the Good vouchsafed to others is matter of Joy to us Especially the Good of God's Chosen This may be spiritual Joy To rejoice and be glad with Jerusalem when she is rejoicing to be comforted with her consolations as Isa 66.10 11. when it is not from a selfish but a publick spirit this is good But they that rejoyce in iniquity or rejoyce at others Calamities they who rejoice over God's People in the day of their destruction or of their distress their Joy is so far from being right Spiritual Joy that it is devilish 11. Spiritual Joy is such as cannot be kept and maintained but in a way of holy walking and working Righteousness As it is Joy to the Just to do Judgment Pro. 21.15 So the Lord meeteth him that rejoiceth and worketh Righteousness Isa 64.5 These things have I spoken unto you says our Saviour that my Joy might remain in you and that your Joy might be full Joh. 15.11 Now what things were those see v. 7. If ye abide in me and my words abide in you And v. 10. If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my Love Thus we can have no more evidence of the soundness of our Joy than we have of the sincerity of our Obedience Psal 64.10 The Righteous shall be glad in the Lord. Psal 97.11 Light is sown for the Righteous and gladness for the upright in heart Bonum vinum ex hydria purificationis hauritur as Bernard speaks alluding to that Joh. 2.6 c. Spiritual Joy is drawn out of a pure Conscience A Conscience that is peaceable but not pure is a meer cheat Never expect to have Spiritual Joy in a course of Sin Such a course as grieves the holy Spirit of God will never bring a Man to true Peace and Joy 12. Spiritual Joy quickens and enlargeth the heart in God's Service Joy dilateth and enlargeth the heart * Laetitia q. laetitia So does Spiritual Joy It enlargeth the heart in Duty It is a great furtherance in God's service Rom. 14.17 18. Spiritual Joy is as Oil to the Wheels It makes Souls like the Charoits of Aminadib How are Souls carried out for God when Spiritual Joy fills their Sails This raiseth the Soul Trouble of Spirit is dejecting Why art thou cast down O my Soul And dejected spirits drive on but heavily in Duty But Spiritual Joy elevates the Soul To serve the Lord with gladness is to be raised in his Service Spiritual Joy will make Souls more vigorous This would strengthen weak hands and confirm feeble knees The Joy of the Lord is our strength Neh. 8.10 When Daniel hears the voice of Joy and Gladness Dan. 10.19 O Man greatly beloved fear not peace be unto thee be strong yea be strong he could say When he had spoken unto me I was strengthened and then he said let my Lord speak for those hast strengthened me But there is no true comfort or pleasure to be taken in such Joy as does not further fit us for our work and duty Such Joy is but a flash 13. As was noted before of sound Hope Spiritual Joy is a special incentive to praise and thankfulness As it comes in usually in a way of Prayer So it is wont to carry out the Soul in Praises As we find these joyned Psal 9.2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee I will sing praise to thy Name O thou most High And Psal 68.3 4. Let the Righteous be glad let them rejoice before God yea let them exceedingly rejoice Then it follows Sing unto God sing Praises to his Name Nothing puts the Soul in better tune for praising God than Joy in him When a Soul is thus raised and lifted up by him it will be for extolling and lifting him up Psal 30.1 I will extoll thee O Lord for thou hast lifted me up And v. 11 12. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing Thou hast put off my Sackcloth and girded me with gladness To the end that my Glory may sing praise to thee and not be silent O Lord my God I will give thanks unto thee for ever So Col. 1.11 12. Giving thanks unto the Father there followeth joyfulness Now hath your Joy this effect are you much in God's praise 14. Spiritual Joy can keep alive and keep the Heart alive in the midst of outward troubles Hab. 3.18 Loquor quod expertus novit inexpertus ignorat to borrow the expression of Bernard I speak what the experienced Christian knows though the unexperienced neither apprehends nor beleives it Spiritual Joy will hold up a Mans Head in such afflictions under which others Hearts that know nothing of it would quite sink and be overwhelmed Yea in sufferings for Christ and Righteousness sake this Joy is so far from being damped that it is ordinarily more heightened not checked this way but increased 2 Cor. 1.5 As the Sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ Though Men may strip the Faithful of their outward enjoyments yet this inward Joy no Man can take away Joh. 16.22 The Believing Hebrews took joyfully the spoiling of their goods Heb. 10.34 Manifold Trials here could not dash the Joy of those who by Faith foresaw their future glorious Triumph 1 Pet. 1.6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations In this sense also the Joy of the Lord is our strength helping to bear the Cross not only patiently but chearfully As the Apostles departed from the presence of the Council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of Christ Act. 5.42 Spiritual Joy is an Heavenly Spark that floods of Trouble and Persecution cannot quench And while Heaven smiles on a Saint he cannot but rejoice though the World frowneth This Note may discover the Joy of many to be unsound That Joy which openeth at the smiles of the World and shuts at its frowns is not a flower of the Sun