Treachery The settled bent of their Hearts and so the general course of their Lives is right 16. The upright Man is striving after and growing up towards full Perfection The Righteous shall hold on his way And he that hath clean Hands wax stronger and stronger Thus the Way of the Lord is strength to the Upright And his Word does good to the Upright Mic. 2.7 It is an ill sign when one is at a constant stay in Religion When one holds on in a round of Duties without going forward And commonly Hypocrites go out at last in a stinking snuff But the Path of the Just is as the shining Light which shineth more and more unto the Perfect Day Prov. 4.18 Such are pressing towards the Mark Phil. 3.14 15. Of Zeal TIT. 2.14 A peculiar People zealous of good Works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accensum studio bonorum operum as Beza fervently given unto good Works as in our old English translation Zeal is a word of various acceptation In general it signifies heat and fervour From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ferveo In Heb. 10.27 there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we read fiery indignation in our old Translation violent Fire This Word is transferred to the heat and fervour of the Spirit and Affections which is of diverse kinds As 1. There is a natural Zeal As some naturally are of lively active spirits full of mettle as we use to say Luther seemeth to have been naturally of such a temper As Bucer said of him Nihil in eo non vehemens What an happy thing it is when such a temper is guided and acted by Grace Ordinarily such will do more for God 2. There is a carnal Zeal We find emulations among the works of the Flesh reckoned up Gal. 5.19 20 21. In the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Apostle James condemns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bitter Zeal Jam. 3.14 Envy is a kind of Zeal but not of the right kind It is bitter Zeal It is a sort of wild Grapes There is a Blind Zeal Such as Idolaters Papists Persecuters may be acted by A blind zeal when Men are Zealous in a false way and Zealous against the Truth Taking light for darkness and darkness for light Calling good evil and evil good There is a superstitious extravagant and erratick zeal when Men are Zealous about such things where it would be a vertue to be cool and moderate And there is an Hypocritical Zeal when Men have or seem to have great Zeal for the Truth and against Errour and falshood but it is only for self-respects and carnal ends Thus carnal Zeal moves in a large Sphere takes a great compass 3. There is a Spiritual Zeal A being zealous of good Works indeed and zealous for God even for his sake An holy Zeal This is both commanded Rev. 3.19 Be zealous And commended Num. 25.11 Phinehas the Son of Eleazer hath turned my wrath away while he was zealous for my sake So this Zeal should not go unrewarded Many commend lukewarmness and indifferency in Religion under the terms of Moderation Prudence and Discretion But Christ and the World are not of a mind A lukewarm temper the Lord cannot endure Rev. 3.15 16. Because thou art luke-warm and neither cold nor hot I will spue thee out of my mouth But as Bishop Hall observes Vol. 1. p. 903. The goodness of God winks at the Errors of honest Zeal and so loveth the strength of good Affections that it passeth over their Infirmities Again ib. p. 938. He Pardoneth the Errours of our fervency rather than the indifferencies of lukewarmness Indeed where there is no Zeal for God there is no Love to God Qui non Zelat non amat Where there is Life there will be some heat Here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be spiritually alive and to be lively are not more alike in sound than really akin Zeal in one degree or other is as inseparable from spiritual Life as heat is from fire It 's true as every sincere Christian is not a Nathaniel for degree and measure of Sincerity and plain-heartedness So neither is every such Soul a Moses a Phinehas an Elias for Zeal Yet the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force Mat 11.12 And it is one property of Christ's redeemed ones his peculiar People to be zealous of good Works This holy Zeal of which I am to speak as was said of Vprightness and Sincerity is not any distinct particular Grace but a modus or respect of other Graces Though some define it as a compound of Love and Anger Zelus est affectus ex amore irâ mixtus cum scil irascimur ei à quo laeditur id quod amamus Yet I cannot so confine it There must be Zeal accompanying our Repentance 2 Cor. 7.11 And Zeal in our Love We must love fervently 1 Pet. 1.22 and 4.8 And it is the symtom of corrupt times when love waxeth cold Mat. 24.12 Zeal is the spritely vigour and activity of all Grace the ardor of all the Affections with the earnestness and intention that is in all spiritual actings Indeed the chief heat of it is in the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.11 This Fire is burning in the gracious Heart in the sanctified Will and Affections yet its heat is further diffused into the Conversation All our Spiritual Sacrifices must be offered up with this Fire Fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. Prayer must be Zealous fervent Prayer Jam. 5.16 Col. 4.12 13. Ministers must Preach zealously as Apollos Act. 18.25 None are allowed to do the work of the Lord negligently remisly There must be Zeal in hearing the Word Here our hearts should burn within us as Luk. 24.32 we should be zealous in reproving as Gal. 2.11 Yea no good work is well done without Zeal We must be zealous of and zealous in good Works It s not enough barely to do good Works but we must be earnest upon it and vigorous in the Work Quest But how shall we know whether our Zeal be right Answ 1. True Zeal is guided by a right Judgment a judgment regulated by the Word To allude to that Isa 4.4 The spirit of judgment must go along with the spirit of burning A blind ignorant rash Zeal is not good nor will it prove ones estate good Such a Zeal Paul had while a desperate Persecuter Act. 26.9 which afterwards he saw to be fury and madness rather than Zeal v. 11. This made him Mad once not his learning as Festus would have had it v. 24. such a Zeal the carnal unbelieving Jews had Rom. 10.2 Let Men be never so zealous in their way if it be not God's way their Zeal runs waste God is not honoured but dishonoured not well pleased but displeased with that Zeal which is not according to his Word To be zealous for what he hath not commanded and much more to be zealous for what he hath forbidden to be zealous against
what he allows and much more to be zealous against what he approves and commandeth is contrary to his Will Interest and Honour This is not in a true account Zeal for God but rather against him That Zeal which is not according to knowledg which is not guided and warranted by the Word hath an errour in the foundation It hath nothing to difference it from the Zeal of the grossest Idolaters in the World A Papist may be heartily zealous in his way zealous to promote his Religion and gain Proselytes to it zealous against the soundest Christians crying out against such as dangerous Hereticks wishing that they might come to their old work again to burn such as Hereticks In this his Zeal he may follow his judgment thinking he should do God good service as Joh. 16.2 even in persecuting the faithful to the death if it was in his power when alas he is miserably mistaken This will not justifie any in their Zeal for Idolatry that they think God best served most honoured that way This will not warrant any in their rage against the Saints and Servants of the most High God that they take them to be Hereticks or Hypocrites But they shall find it was their duty to have informed themselves better and not to condemn the righteous and not to call good evil The Devil that cannot endure but is an utter enemy to right Zeal is ready to promote a false blind Zeal all he can He is never weary of blowing this coal This he knows would do him Knights service He cannot but account such his best servants who are zealous in his service Such do as much as can be to credit his Cause who put the honourable title of Zeal for God upon the service they do his grand enemy Such fight against God while they carry his Colours blind Zeal is a piece of the greatest disservice to the interest of God and Religion Sometimes blind Zeal fights with a shadow strikes at a Sign-post but letteth the enemy quietly pass by And which is worse it sometimes falleth foul on those whom it ought to defend A Man acted with Blind Zeal is like one that shoots at Rovers who is more likely to do mischief than hit the Mark or like one that fighteth blindfold striking Friends as soon as Foes What sad havock what woful work hath blind Zeal oft made in the Church Even like a violent Fire that getting head layeth all waste before it The Devil has no stiffer prop to uphold his Kingdom and no fiercer engine of Persecution or battering Ram to employ against the Kingdom of Christ Therefore let not any please themselves in this that they are Zealous in their way when perhaps they are out of the way And if so the more haste the worse speed Zeal in a false way casts Men more behind No Offering acceptable to God without Fire yet to offer strange-Fire here is very perillous And that is not Fire from Heaven where there is heat without Light Where these go alone either Heat without Light Zeal without Knowledg or Light without Heat Knowledg without Zeal it is sadly ominous but where they go together very comfortable Are you zealous but who and what are you zealous for And what is your Zeal against I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Hosts says Elijah because the Children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant thrown down thine Altars and slain thy Prophets c. 1 King 19.14 Is thy Zeal against Sin indeed So that thou canst not indure to see God dishonoured his Worship neglected and contemned his Truth opposed his Saints and Servants evil intreated c. Is thy Zeal for that which is good Gal. 4.18 It is good to be zealously affected alwayes in a good thing The Apostle Paul was very zealous before his Conversion but of the traditions of his Fathers Gal. 1.14 Many have a Zeal but for their own fancies and private opinions Oh what pitty is it that such spirits should evaporate and be lost Let a Man's Zeal be never so hearty if the Mettal have not a right stamp it is not currant Zeal unless it be rightly guided sayes learned Hooker when it indeavoureth most busily to please God Eccl. polit l. 5. §. 3. p. 190. forceth upon him those unseasonable Offices which please him not For which cause if they who this way swerve be compared with such as are sincere sound and discreet as was Abraham the friend of God the service of the one is like unto flattery the other like the faithful sedulity of friendship 2. Right Zeal burns within before it flames out Hypocrites can be hot in their expressions but are not fervent in spirit Hot in the Mouth but cold at Stomach cold at Heart Like Glow-worms fiery in appearance yet really cold in themselves Blind Zeal is strange Fire an hypocritical fained Zeal is false Fire But true Zeal is not all in shew though it will shew it self It lieth chiefly in the fervency and intention of the Spirit and Affections The life of Zeal is in the Heart As when the Apostle Paul was at Athens seeing the City wholly given to Idolatry his spirit was stirred in him and this stirred him up to dispute and Preach against their Idolatry Act. 17.16 c. As Ezekiel's hearers with their mouth shewed much love Ezek. 33.13 it is possible that many in their outward expressions may shew much Zeal declaming freely and often against the Sins of the Age as the horrible increase of Prophaneness growth of Popery c. and may seem to bewail the woful declining state of true Piety amongst us but are our hearts deeply touched and affected with the sense of these things Surely that Zeal which is only from the teeth outward is not true but feigned 3. True Zeal hath respect to God it pointeth towards God As Fire ascends Sparks fly upwards That is not right Zeal which is flashy vain-glorious in pretence for God but really for self To pretend Zeal for the Lord as Jehu did but really to design and aim at self-applause and self-advantage this is to mock God or this is but to flatter him And certainly that God which searcheth the heart will put a difference betwixt such flatterers and his true friends They that have a true Zeal for God will ordinarily prefer God's Honour and Interest before their own concerns True Zeal is accompanied with self-denial Such can be zealous for God when they are like to suffer for their Zeal They could better endure to suffer themselves than that the Truth should suffer They could take it more patiently to be reviled themselves to have their names cast out as evil than that the good wayes of God be evil spoken of 4. True Zeal will burn alone As Elijah was zealous for the Lord God of Hosts even when he seemed to himself to be left alone when he knew not of one that would take his part 1 Kings 19.10 As the Apostle Paul
the Truth and in the Cause of God Answer 1. It concerns you to be well assured that it is God's Truth you are Zealous for How many that take their own private conceits for Divine Truths 2. All Truths are not of equal importance And though the least Truth may not be denied or opposed yet lesser Truths may be silenced and concealed when a Zealous contending for them would be to the wrong and prejudice of far greater and more necessary Matters That is not to defend but to betray the Interest of God and his Truth when Men care not perdere substantiam propter accidentia to lose the substance of Religion for Accidents and Circumstances And that is Erratick Zeal and Mischievous like Fire out of its place when Men are so hot and earnest in contending about lesser Points that they themselves neglect and do what in them lieth to hinder others minding the main of Religion Zeal like Fire in its proper place is of great use and benefit But out of its place very dangerous and destructive And remember Sirs that true Zeal for God is most for those Truths and Duties wherein the great interest of Religion lieth And is most against such things whereby God is most dishonoured the Gospel obstructed Religion most wronged discredited c. 8. Right Zeal is joyned with Christian Moderation is for Christian Concord One of a truly zealous Spirit is also of an healing closing Spirit is of a publick Spirit Right Zeal is more for the common interest of Religion than for private Opinions It is no Firebrand no Incendiary in the Church It is moved at what it sees amiss it is for Reformation but will not hurry Men upon disorderly actings in their passionate sense of Disorders It is against extreams on both Hands Passionate Transports and rash heady Courses are not the effects of an holy but of a bitter Zeal Right Zeal keepeth within due compass It is for Edification not for Destruction It is for Peace and Unity It is for Sodering and Cementing not for Separating such as should Joyn. As Fire though it separate Heterogenials congregates Homogenials Yea it will melt divers Metals into one Lump True Zeal is not for perverse Disputings tending to Strife but for godly Edifying in Faith It is not for kindling Dissentions or causing Offences and Divisions amongst Christians but is moved with great Grief at the sight of such things As the Apostle Who is offended and I burn not It is for maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace And they that are more zealous to maintain some By-opinions than to maintain Union and Communion with their Fellow-Christians are quite besides the Mark. The Churches Peace and Edifying one another in Love are far greater Matters than any unnecessary Opinions which too many too zealously contend for Yea Vnnecessary is too good a word for some of them I should have said unsound Opinions O that the Guilty here would seriously consider whether it would not be more for the Honour of God the Credit and Interest of the Gospel and the securing of true Religion amongst us to joyn with their Fellow-Christians so far as they can to hold together to their mutual help strengthening and encouragement than to be so hot for their Opinions which if they were true yet are far remote from the Foundation and so far from being necessary to Salvation that not one of hundreds that are saved and now in Heaven was ever of their Way and Opinion here To be so rigid in their Way to carry as if all were unfit and unworthy for them to hold Christian Communion with that come not over to such Opinions of theirs alas this is Wild-fire not true Spiritual Zeal And verily I cannot think of any thing that will probably more harden and encourage Papists at this Day than the sad Rents and Dissentions amongst Protestants As he said Is not the hand of Joab in all this So it is probable enough the Heads of Jesuites have been in this Divide impera They know a Kingdom divided against it self is not likely to stand long and hope to raise themselves on our Ruines 9. That is right Zeal when we are more moved with Indignities offered unto God than with any Injuries done to our selves When we are more zealous in God's Cause than in our own We find Numb 12.1 2. Miriam and Aaron speak against Moses yet he seemed not at all concerned for himself We find not any reply that he made He was meek in his own cause Whereas upon sight of the Peoples Impiety their Idolatry in the Cause of God he was presently all on a flame His anger waxed hot Exod. 32.19 To be mild in our own cause but zealous in God's is a sign that we are indeed zealous for God As it is a sign of the contrary when we are remiss as can be unmoved unless when our own Interest is wrapt together with God's Interest As most Parents and Masters can bear it well enough though Children fail never so grosly in respect of the Duty that they owe to God though Servants plainly neglect and contemn God's Service They can bear with their Impiety with their taking God's Name in vain with the prophaning of his Day c. And yet many times they are all Fire and Tow if such do but fail in point of good Manners to them if they be not very observant of them and their commands Now it is true the least Irreverence towards Parents and so negligence in Servants are Sins against God But if upon that account you are most moved and displeased then you will be displeased at other Sins as well and more displeased at greater Sins than you are at these You will be zealous for God when Self is not so much concerned 10. Right Zeal for God is joyned with real Love and true compassion towards Men towards Sinners Thus while we hate their Sins we should yet love and heartily wish well to their Persons While we cannot bear with them that are evil in that which is evil yet we should be glad to do them good and glad indeed if by any means we might be helping to make them better As great Enemies as the Jews were to the Gospel and to the Apostle Paul yet he could not but pity them and his hearts desire and prayer to God was for them that they might be saved Rom. 10.1 Zeal against Sinners hath anger and grief in it not hatred As in the Apostle 2 Cor. 12.21 True Zeal desires their Conversion rather than Confusion And would rejoyce more in their Reformation than in their Ruine Our Saviour checked the furious Zeal of the Disciples when they would fain have been calling down Fire from Heaven to consume those poor Creatures that would not receive him Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of Luke 9.54 55. They were too hasty at that time a spirit of Revenge was stirring in them which was not Elias's spirit
not the Love of God in them Alas shall not such be judged out of their own Mouths Even these to whom our Saviour here speaketh were the People of God in Profession and would have spoken him as fair as we can do With their Mouths they shewed him much Love whereas it was not found in their Hearts As he that knew what was in Man and whose Judgment is ever according to Truth pronounceth of them But I know you that ye have not the Love of God in you And when you have the Notes of true Love to God plainly laid down then you may know and judg whether the Love of God be in you or no. To be loved of God is the Creature 's highest Felicity and to love God is its highest Duty yea it is the Sum and Abridgment of the whole Duty of Man The Love of God is as the Heart and Soul of Religion It is a necessary Principle of all sound Obedience And the most specious Acts that any Man can possibly perform though one should give all his Goods to feed the poor or give his Body to be burned are not acceptable unto God without it It is the Rule and Measure as it were of other Graces Charitas est virtus virtutum reliquae virtutes sine charitate Figuram habere possunt Veritatem habere non possunt Lud. Carthus in Psal 47.12 Sorrow for Sin is not kindly if it proceed not from the Love of God and tend not to promote our walking with him in holy Love No tears are desirable as * Mr. Baxt. Christian Directory p. 147. §. 21. one says but those that tend to clear the Eyes from the filth of Sin that they may see the better the Loveliness of God Absque hoc timor poenam habet honor non habet gratiam Servilis est timor quandiu ab amore non manumittitur qui de amore non venit honor non honor sed adulatio est Bern. in Cant. Serm. 83. And Fear degenerates when it is not joyned with Love when it begets hard and black thoughts of God when it drives not the Soul to God but rather from him All Grace in the kindly exercise thereof tends to cherish and increase this of Love The Love of God is as the Queen Regent on whom the whole Train of other Graces must attend whom they must serve Faith and Hope are eminent Graces yet the Apostle gives the preheminence to Charity or Love 1 Cor. 13.13 Now abideth Faith Hope Charity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love but the greatest of these is Charity Where some Copies instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest of all is Charity And Charity first and most properly agrees to that Love we ow to God who ought to be summè charus dear to us above all other The account that is commonly given why Love hath the preheminence of Faith and Hope is because of its everlasting duration Faith and Hope abide here but Love abideth in Heaven where Faith is swallowed up in Vision and Hope in Fruition And yet note further that it is not simply for its duration that it excelleth but because of its excelling Nature it is to endure The moral Image of God true Holiness eminently consists in Love And Faith and Hope though necessary Graces here while we are in statu viatorum yet they cannot properly be exercised by those who are Comprehensores in the actual enjoyment of full and compleat happiness whereas Love is not only necessary in the way to Happiness but in the full fruition of it Yea it is a main part of our happiness And without perfect Love we could not be perfectly happy There is no perfect enjoying of God without perfect Love to him and perfect delight in him And as Christ as Mediator is the principal means of bringing us to God so Faith is a means to beget and increase the Love of God in us True Faith worketh this way And this is the end and principal scope of the Commandment 1 Tim. 1.5 Whereby it sufficiently appeareth that it is a matter of so great concern that every one ought seriously and strictly to inquire whether he hath the love of God in him or no Now the Love of God in short is an intense willing of God More plainly it is the disposition or motion of the Will the rational appetite renewed and rectified by the Holy Spirit whereby the Soul cleaveth to God is united to him and fixed on him as the chiefest Good Or thus It is a being well pleased with God above all things in the World with a desire to please him in all things The most proper principal and formal act of Love is a complacency or wel-pleasedness with the Object loved So the Love of God if it be right is the highest complacency of the Soul a being most taken with God as the most transcendent as an Universal and Infinite Good And hence though the Love of God and the Love of Christ be inseparable yet they must be distinguished The Love of Christ as Mediator is the Love of the principal means to our ultimate end as he is the new and living way by whom we must come to God but Love is terminated upon God as our very ultimate end that we look no further Now to the Question How we may know whether we have the Love of God in us or no Answ 1. Sound Love to God is founded in a sound Knowledg of God Ignoti nulla cupido There may be some knowledg of God where there is no true Love to him but there cannot be Love to God where there is no knowledg of him But the eyes of the understanding being truly enlightened with the knowledg of God by this means the heart comes to be affected Ex aspectu nascitur amor We read Psal 9.10 They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee So they that know his Name aright will set their love on him And therefore Psal 91.14 Because he hath set his love upon me and because he hath known my Name are used promiscuously And so the Apostle praveth Phil. 1.9 that their love may abound in knowledg As the Saints the more they know God the more they love him As in Heaven where they have the clearest sight of Gods excellencies and fullest manifestation of his Love there they have perfect Love to him are as full of love to God as their Souls can hold The Love of God is founded in Knowledg And there is especially a knowledg of these two things viz. of his Love to Man and of his loveliness that makes the soul in love with him How great is his Goodness and how great is his Beauty to enamour us 1. There is a knowledg of the Love of God especially of his Love in Christ A knowledg of God in Christ and so a love to God in Christ As we read of love in Christ Jesus 2 Tim.
hope for the Grace that is to be brought unto them at the Revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.13 They are to look for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal Life Jud. v. 21. They that are highly conceited of themselves and their own works build on a sandy foundation lean on a roten prop. And yet there is preparing Grace such as God hath made the condition of the Promise a futable qualification and disposition of the subject in some measure fitting for the Mercy promised the Good to be received And for any to look for the Good promised without looking after that which God hath made the Condition in the Promise this is but to build Castles in the Air this may not be called Hope but Presumption I pray observe it to hope in the Mercy of God through the Merits of Christ quite over-looking the way and method wherein not looking after the condition upon which the Mercy hoped for is promised this is not sound Hope in God it is a rash and false Hope It has no bottom in the Word 4. True Hope as it is an Hope in God so it is an hoping for him A Believers Hope looks chiefly at God as the best Object he can hope for as he is the chiefest Good As he acteth for God and suffers for God so he longeth waiteth hopeth for God And methinks that expression Act. 24.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having Hope towards God looks this way So when God is said to be his Peoples Hope In Psal Qui habitat Ser. 9. As Bernard takes it Convenientiùs siquidem Spes nostra dicitur quod speramus quà m in quo speramus He is our Hope whom we hope for As Christ is called our Hope The enjoyment of God in Christ is the top of a Believer's hopes As the Psalmist said Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon the Earth that I desire besides thee The Hope of others useth not to rise so high Their desires indeed are not this way Gold is the Worldling's Hope rather than God The praise of Men is the Hypocrites Hope rather than the Favour and Fruition of God The Heaven that carnal unsanctified Hearts dream of and hope for is not the true Happiness in a full Conformity to God and full Fruition of him but an imaginary Happiness in a meer freedom from such Miseries as they are sensible of here and a Life of perpetual ease and pleasure abstracted from the other 5. Sound Hope in God is accompanied with an holy fear of him Psal 33.18 Behold the Eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his Mercy Psal 147.11 The Lord takes pleasure in them None hope aright in his Mercy but such as truly fear him Psal 118.4 Let them that fear the Lord say that his Mercy endureth for ever Luke 1.50 His Mercy is on them that fear him from Generation to Generation Psal 85.9 Surely his Salvation is nigh them that fear him But such as are void of God's Fear are without any true solid ground of Hope in their present State Some as Dr. Preston noteth have neither Faith Hope nor Fear as Atheists others have some Fear but no Hope as Devils and desperate Men others have some Hope but no Fear as presumptuous Men. But they that have Hope and Fear mingled with it may rather hope that their Hope is sound 6. Sound Hope is accompanied with sound Obedience Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments And ver 80. Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes that I be not ashamed And ver 166. Lord I have hoped for thy Salvation and done thy Commandments Heb. 10.35 36. Cast not away your Confidence that after ye have done the Will of God ye might receive the Promise But it is a vain Confidence to expect the good of the Promise without observing the Command There is no peace to the Wicked That is a false Hope which is maintained with a plain neglect of Duty and a bold adventuring upon Sin Prov. 10.28 The hope of the Righteous shall be Gladness But the expectation of the Wicked shall perish 7. True Hope is not maintained but by Diligence and Watchfulness It is contrary to Negligence and Security 1 Pet. 1.13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your Mind be sober and hope to the end or hope perfectly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Integre Hope soundly A dull stupifying Hope such Hope as inclines to a drowsie frame is not a sound Hope neither will it hold long Such as are lulled asleep with their Hopes shall be awaked again with Terrors True Hope is a Lively Hope 1 Pet. 1.3 A dead Man in true account is not a Man So a dead Hope is not true Hope The Devil never envies Men such Hope as makes them remiss and careless 8. A true Hope of Happiness is a great help to a progress in Grace and Holiness Though Hope is compared to an Anchor that stays the Ship yet here Non remorae sed calcaris instar est It is no remora but a spur in a way of Duty As the Apostle exhorteth 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these Promises dearly Beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of God And the Apostle John lays down this Note most plainly 1 John 3.3 Every man that hath this Hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure A lively Hope of Heaven will quicken us in Heavens way That we shall follow after Holiness that we may be made meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in light True Hope promotes Holiness 9. Sound Hope produces Patience As we read of Patience of Hope 1 Thess 1.3 Remembring without ceasing your Patience of Hope Though we read of Patience working Experience Perer. in Pol. Synops and Experience Hope Rom. 5.4 yet as one no teth Spes patientem praecedit sed spem hîc vocat Spei robur c. Hope precedes Patience but here he speaks of Hope improved and grown up Patience and Experience add to the strength and firmness of Hope But without Hope Patience could not subsist There is Patience in expecting future good and happiness Rom. 8.25 And this is as I may say the elicit act of Christian Hope Again there is Patience in bearing present evils and miseries and this is as it were the imperate Act of Hope That is not a good Hope which makes us no fitter to bear evils here As Hope may be called the Daughter of Faith so Patience the Daughter of Hope Hope is compared to an Helmet 1 Thess 5.8 And for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation This would help on to bear furious blows Again it is compared to an Anchor Heb. 6.19 which Hope we have as an Anchor of the Soul both sure and steadfast This Anchor would stay one in tempestuous Waves and boistrous Storms 10. Sound
Hope will give Courage will put a Man in heart and make him resolved for God A true Christian to maintain his Hope will not care to quit present worldly Possessions If we could be perswaded to disclaim all interest in and Hope of Heaven to embrace this present World if we could be content to take up with the World for our Portion then certainly we have no sound Hope of Heaven It is a weighty saying O that it may be well weighed They are no true Hopes of Glory to come Mr. Baxt. Ep. ded before his 32. Directions c. if you cannot cast over board all Worldly Hopes when the Storm is such that you must hazzard the One. 11. A sound Hope will raise ones Thoughts Heart and Desires Heaven-ward What is Hope but an expectation with desire or a desiring expectation As the Apostle speaks of his earnest expectation and Hope Phil. 1.20 So we cannot have a lively Hope of Heaven without lively desires after Heaven Rom. 8.23 We which have the first-fruits of the Spirit groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body It cannot be that such as have a sound Hope of Heaven should place their happiness or terminate their desires in the World 12. A lively Hope will quicken and raise the Heart in praise and thankfulness to God Psal 71.14 I will hope continually and will yet praise thee more and more This Hope is called good Hope through Grace 2 Thes 2.16 And Souls that have it cannot but see cause greatly to admire extol and magnifie Divine Grace 13. Sound Hope is a furtherance of Spiritual Joy Rejoycing in Hope As Bernard sed nunquid tantae laetitiae spes erit sine laetitia Yea this Hope oft causeth Joy even in Affliction Psal 119.49 50. Remember the Word unto thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope This is my comfort in my affliction for thy Word hath quickened me The word of promise giving Hope thus brings in Joy and comfort too Sound Hope will chear the Heart and keep it alive under troubles without which it would faint and sink If our Hearts die within us like Nabals under worldly Troubles this would shew we have not a lively Hope of Heaven Such as rejoyce in Hope of the Glory of God will be ready even to glory in Tribulations as Rom. 5.2 3. Of Spiritual Joy ANd so I come to the Trial of Mens Joyes As there are counterfeit Graces so there are false Joyes As we read of the Hope of the Hypocrite so likewise of the Joy of the Hypocrite Job 20.5 A Joy that will end in sorrow and consternation Yea It is possible for Souls that have true Grace yet to be mistaken in their Joys As we find the Seventy Disciples returning with Joy Luk. 10.17 saying Lord even the Devils are subject unto us through thy Name Notwithstanding says Christ v. 20. in this rejoyce not that the Spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven Where he at once corrects and directs their Joy As one says Many times the more excellent a Sermon is Mr. A. Burg. the more carnal the heart of the Preacher may be So Christians may rejoyce carnally in Spiritual Enlargements and Spiritual Experiences As Grace can find something even in natural comforts to feed and increase Spiritual Joy Joy in the Lord So Corruption sometimes prevailes on the contrary making Spiritual Duties and Spiritual Priviledges and Mercies the matter and ground of carnal rejoycing And further as some Christians through weakness yield to needless fears and take up sad conclusions against themselves and their own Estates debarring themselves of comfort belonging to them So others again through heedlesness please themselves erroneously in their own fancies and rejoyce in sparks of their own kindling which they take for the comforts of the Spirit That we should not only try our Graces but our Comforts For which purpose take these following notes 1. Spiritual Joy is not wont to come in till Godly Sorrow hath prepared and made way for it Bernard Opportunè post tristitiam gaudium subit post laborem quies post naufragium portus Thus the Lord oft turns Water into Wine turns his Peoples Sorrow into Joy Christ was anointed to give the Oyl of Joy for mourning the Garments of Praise for the spirit of heaviness Isa 61.3 They that sow in Tears shall reap in Joy Psal 126.5 6. Hearts that were never broken are not yet prepared for Christ to bind them up Paul had a casting down to the Earth before he was caught up to the third Heavens They that have great elevations of Joy and yet were never humbled for Sin have cause enough to suspect their Joy is not right 2. Spiritual Joy hath the Holy Spirit for its Authour Thus it is the Joy of the Holy Ghost 1 Thes 1.6 As I said of a lively Hope it is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Ministers may be helpers of a Believers Joy as 2 Cor. 1.24 but under the Spirit He is the principal efficient Now they that have not the Holy Ghost their Sanctifier cannot have him their Comforter The Disciples were filled with Joy and with the Holy Ghost Act. 13.52 This fruit of the Spirit never grows alone but hath other fruits accompanying it Indeed there may be Saving Sanctifying Grace without actual Joy and Consolation but there cannot be true Joy without Saving Sanctifying Grace 3. Spiritual Joy is never to be found without Saving Faith Rom. 15.13 Now the God of Hope fill you with Joy and Peace in believing No other way that it can be attained Sound Joy is the Joy of Faith Phil. 1.25 Being justified by Faith we have Peace with God and rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God Rom. 5.1 2. Without true Saving Justifying Faith no Peace with God and without Peace and Reconciliation with God no ground for Joy So then if we would know whether our Joy be right we must inquire after the truth of our Faith Certainly a temporary Faith can have no betrer than a temporary Joy following it 4. Spiritual Joy ordinarily is not attained without self-probation without self-searching Gal. 6.4 Let every Man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoycing in himself The ground of an Hypocrites Joy ordinarily is out of himself in the good opinion and esteem of others But says the Apostle 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience And this we see is the Scripture-way and method for attaining Spiritual Joy to commune with our own Hearts to ask our own Consciences seriously what evidence they can give that we are in a state of Grace that our works are done in Sincerity And when Conscience can give testimony of our Godly Sincerity and Integrity then indeed we have good ground to rejoyce But therefore such as are great strangers to themselves and fear examining their Consciences strictly lest
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
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