groves and idols. John the Baptist was a burning and shining light, and his hearers and disciples burned with zeal for him, his ministry and baptism, and envied, on his account, the increasing interest of Christ; but it was but for a season they rejoiced in his light: so the Galatians were zealously affected towards the apostle Paul, to such a degree, that they would have been willing to have plucked out their eyes and given them to him; whom they first received as an angel of God, even as Jesus Christ, so acceptable was his ministry; and yet he became their enemy, because of his preaching the same truths.

VIII. True zeal is no other than a fervent ardent love to God and Christ, and a warm concern for their honour and glory; such who are truly zealous for the Lord of hosts, love him with all their heart, with all their soul, and with all their strength; they love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, as well as one another fervently; it is accompanied with a saving knowledge of God and Christ; of God in Christ, and of Christ and him crucified; and such prefer the excellency of the knowledge of Christ above all things else, and prefer him to all created beings, they have faith in God, and also in Christ; a faith which works by love, and this love constrains them, inspires them with zeal to seek their honour and glory; whatever they do, whether in things civil or religious, they do all to the glory of God. To true zeal there must be spiritual knowledge, unfeigned faith, and undissembled love; and this stands opposed,-1. To a neutral spirit in religion, to a halting between two opinions, condemned by Elijah in the Jews, 1 Kings xviii. 21. There can be no true zeal to the truth of worship, doctrines, and ordinances, where there is no stability; but a continual wavering and inconstancy.-2. To carelessness and indifference about religious matters; when men, like the Jews of old, regard their own ceiled houses, and not the house of God; when they mind their secular affairs more than the interest of religion; when, as to the church of God, the truths of the gospel, and the ordinances of Christ, Gallio like, they care for none of these things.-3. To lukewarmness, with respect to divine and spiritual things; which the Laodicean church is charged with, and resented by Christ, Rev. iii. 15, 16. I proceed to consider.

II. The objects of zeal.

1. The object of it is God; even a false zeal is called, a zeal towards God; and that which is not according to knowledge, is said to be a zeal of God; Jehu called his hypocritical zeal, a zeal for the Lord; true zeal most deservedly bears this name; so Phinehas had the covenant of an everlasting priesthood given him, because he was zealous for his God, Numb. xxv. 13; which springs from a principle of love to God, and its end is his glory; and it has for its objects the worship of God, the word of God, and the truths contained in it.

1. The worship of God; who must be known, or he cannot be worshipped aright: the Samaritans worshipped they knew not what; and the Athenians erected an altar to an unknown God; and therefore, though they were both zealous of worship, their zeal was not according to knowledge; but true believers worship God in the Spirit, whom

they know in a spiritual way; through faith in Christ, and with a zealous concern for his glory and they worship him in truth, and keep close to the pattern of worship shown them; to which they are zealously attached, and will not depart from it. Wherefore, 2. The word of God is the object of their zeal; to the law and to the testimony they appeal for the truth of all they say and do; they make that the standard of their faith and practice, and the rule of their worship; they earnestly contend for the perfection and integrity of it; and endeavour, with all their might and main, to preserve it pure and incorrupt, 2 Cor. ii. 17.-3. The truths contained in the word; they who have a true zeal are valiant for the truth; and can do nothing against it, but every thing for it, in defence of it, and for the continuance of it; they will buy the truth, give a great price for it, and highly value it; but will not sell it, nor part with it at any rate.

II. The cause of Christ is another object of zeal, and which is a good one, and the apostle says, It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, Gal. iv. 18; and those who are possessed of this zealous affection seek not their own things, but the things of Christ; they have a sort of natural care, as Timothy had, for the state of the churches, and interest of Christ, and of true religion, and for the support of it; not only in that branch of it to which they more peculiarly belong, but in others; as the Corinthian church, who was not only zealously concerned for their own welfare, but for that of others; and the apostle testifies that their zeal in their liberal ministration to the saints had provoked very many, 2 Cor. ix. 2. True zeal for the cause of Christ is concerned about the gospel of Christ, the ordinances of Christ, and the discipline of his house.

1. The gospel of Christ: great reason there is to be zealous for that; since it is the gospel of the grace of God, which displays the free grace of God in every part of our salvation; and therefore the apostle was so zealously concerned for it, as not to count his life dear to himself, so that he might finish his course with joy, by bearing a testimony to it: and because it is the gospel of salvation, which publishes salvation by Christ, and declares, that whosoever believes in him shall be saved: and because it is the gospel of peace, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, and by the blood of his cross; and because in it forgiveness of sin is preached in the name of Christ, and justification by his righteousness. 2. The ordinances of Christ, which every true Christian should be zealous for, that they be kept as they were first delivered, without any innovation or corruption; that the mode of administration of both baptism and the Lord's Supper should be strictly adhered to; and that none be admitted to them but believers in Christ, or such who profess faith in him.-3. The discipline of Christ's house should be the object of our zeal, as it was of his, who said, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and this is shown when the rules of discipline are strictly observed, both with respect to private and public offences: when churches and the members of them, like the church at Ephesus, cannot bear them which are evil, to continue them in fellowship with them; whether men of immoral lives, or have imbibed false doctrines; but

withdraw from them that walk disorderly, and reject such who are not

sound in the faith.

III. Every thing that is evil is the object of zeal, or against which true zeal should be expressed. As,

1. Against all false worship, particularly idolatry, or the having more and other gods than one, whether found among the heathens, or any that bear the Christian name; as was by Moses, when his anger, zeal, and indignation waxed hot against the Israelites for their idolatrous worship of the calf, and he broke the tables of the law which were in his hands, and ordered the Levites to put their swords by their side, and slay every man his brother, companion, and neighbour: and so Elijah, who was jealous for the Lord God of hosts, because Israel had forsaken the covenant of the Lord, had thrown down his altar, and slain his prophets; and where there is true love for God, and zeal for his worship, there will be a hatred of every false way, be it in what shape it may.-2. Against all errors in doctrine, especially such as affect the persons in Deity, Father, Son, and Spirit, with all others which are the fundamental doctrines of religion; such as deny them are to be rebuked sharply, warmly, vehemently with a becoming zeal, that they may be sound in the faith; such who bring not the doctrine of Christ, respecting his person, office, and grace, are not to be received into the houses of saints, nor to be bid God speed. - 3. Against all immorality in practice; true zeal will be as much levelled against a man's own sins as against the sins of others; he will be concerned to remove the beam out of his own eye, as well as the mote out of his brother's; he will be severe against right-hand and right-eye sins, such as are dear to the flesh as these be; and real godly sorrow for sin, and true repentance unto salvation, is always productive of zeal. What zeal it wrought in you? against a man's own sins more especially, as against others; and that which is against the sins of others, is tempered with commiseration and pity to the sinner, 2 Cor. vii. 11, and xii. 21.

IV. True zeal is concerned in all the duties of religion, and shows itself in them; in the service of God in general, we should be fervent in spirit, warm, hot, zealous, serving the Lord, in such a manner, and not in a cold indifferent way, and in the ministration of the gospel; it is said of Apollos, that being fervent in spirit he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, the doctrines of the gospel, so far as he was then acquainted with them, Acts xviii. 25. It is also very requisite in prayer to God; it is said of Epaphras, that he was always labouring fervently in prayers for the church at Colosse; and it is the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man that availeth much, Col. iv. 12, James v. 16. And it should be shown in the love of the saints to one another, 1 Pet. i. 22, and iv. 8. In short, believers in Christ ought to be zealous of good works, careful to maintain them, diligent in the performance of them, especially of those which are the greater and weightier duties of religion, though they are not to neglect and omit the lesser ones. To say no more, good men are the objects of true zeal; the apostle Paul was informed of the fervent mind or zeal of the Corinthians towards him, of the warm love and ardent affection they

had for him; and he advises them to covet earnestly, to desire the best gifts, spiritual ones, fitting for public service, even prophecy or preaching, 2 Cor. vii. 7, 1 Cor. xii. 31.

III. Motives or arguments exciting to the exercise of true zeal.

1. The example of Christ, whom David in prophetic language personated, saying, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up, consumed his spirits, his strength, and life; so much did he exert himself in his public administrations: he showed his zeal for the doctrines of the gospel by his warm and constant preaching them, even with power and authority, as the scribes and Pharisees did not; in the indefatigable pains he took, travelling from place to place to do it, running the risk of his life, and exposing himself to frequent dangers on that account: and for the worship of the house of God, as appears by inveighing so severely against the traditions of men; by asserting the purity of worship in spirit and in truth; by expressing his resentment at the profanation of the house of God, driving out the buyers and sellers from it, which brought the above passage to the mind of the disciples, who clearly discerned the fulfilment of it: the zeal of Christ against immorality was seen also in his sharp reproofs of the vices of the age, both in professors and profane, and in all he is a pattern worthy of our imitation. - 2. True zeal answers a principal end of redemption by Christ, Tit. ii. 14; and where there is no zeal for God, and for that which he requires an observance of, the claim to redemption seems very precarious. The love of Christ in redeeming his people will constrain them to show a zeal for his glory, both with respect to doctrine and practice.-3. It is good, the apostle says, to be zealously affected in and for that which is good; and it is approved and commended by Christ, as the church at Ephesus was for it; because she could not bear them that were evil; and a contrary disposition, that of lukewarmness, is disapproved of and resented; as in the church of Laodicea, threatened to be unchurched for it, and therefore strongly exhorted to be zealous and repent, Rev. iii. 15, 16, 19, 20.-4. A lukewarm temper, which is the opposite to zeal, seems not consistent with true religion, which has always life and heat in it; to be neither cold nor hot is condemned as having no religion at all.— 5. The zeal of persons shown in a false way, should stimulate the professors of the true religion to show at least an equal zeal; for that all people will walk every one in the name of his God, and appear zealous for his worship, we will walk in the name of the Lord our God, at least we ought to do so, and determine upon it. The Pharisees showed great zeal, and took great pains, compassing sea and land to make one proselyte, though made worse than he was, and worse than themselves; and should not we Christians exert ourselves to the uttermost for the interest of the Redeemer, this must be a becoming zeal. And in order to keep up and promote such zeal, it will be proper frequently to meditate on the love of God and Christ, the blessings of the gospel of the grace of God, the excellency of the Christian religion, the benefits and privileges of the house of God, and to converse often with warm and lively Christians, and to sit under a savoury and fervent ministry.

OF WISDOM OR PRUDENCE.

ZEAL without wisdom or prudence, and unless tempered with it, will be either ignorant, and not according to knowledge, or be rash and precipitant. I say wisdom or prudence, because they are much the same thing, and go together; I wisdom dwell with prudence; hence wisdom and prudence, and the characters of wise and prudent, are often mentioned together. Prudence lies in wisely fixing upon a right end of all actions, and in wisely choosing the best means conducive to that end, and in using them at the best time and in the properest manner; The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, Prov. xiv. 8; in divine and spiritual things, to understand the way of salvation and the way of his duty, and how to glorify God. Concerning which may be inquired,

I. What spiritual wisdom is, as it is an internal grace, or inward disposition of the mind respecting divine things; a man's duty, the salvation of his soul, and the glory of God. And,

1. It is in general, grace in the heart; which is called wisdom in the hidden part, Psalm li. 6; in the hidden man of the heart, where it lies hid, and is only seen in a hearty and sincere profession of religion, and in outward actions becoming such a profession; hence those who are truly wise, are said to be wise in heart; and these are the prudent ones; The wise in heart shall be called prudent, Prov. xvi. 21; and such is a man when wisdom entereth into his heart; for it is not originally there; it is not of himself, it comes elsewhere, from without, from above, from God, who gives it entrance, and puts it there. The heart of man is naturally foolish; as it is desperately wicked, it is extremely foolish; their foolish heart was darkened, and yet this is said of some thought to be very wise; and man is such by nature, by birth; vain man would be wise, would be thought to be so, though man be born like a wild ass's colt, as stupid as that creature is; foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, in the heart of every child of Adam, and it is only the power of divine grace that can drive it far from him: this is the case of every man; there is none that understandeth divine and spiritual things, or things pertaining to salvation; not even so as to know God, and to glorify him as God, and to be thankful for mercies received from him: and this is not only true of a few illiterate men, or of such who have not the advantage of a good education, but even of the wisest philosophers that ever were in this world; for of them these things are said, who, professing themselves to be wise, became fools, Rom. i. 21, 22; yea, this is the case, and this the character of God's elect, whilst unregenerate, and until the grace of God takes place in their hearts; We ourselves also were sometimes foolish, &c. There is enough of carnal wisdom, of that which is earthly, sensual, and devilish, of wicked subtlety, and too much; men are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge; but in that respect are foolish, sottish, and without understanding, Jer. iv. 22; they have a quick and fruitful