Thirdly, ' Yea, ivhat indignation^ or stomach, dyavaxrjjff/g, wrath unto grief. It notes the very rising of the stomach with rage, and a being angry unto fretting, fuming, and sickness. Again, it notes the very height of anger and rage. The true penitent is not so exceeding angry with himself for anything, as he is angry with himself for his sins. Indignation here imports the turning of all the passions of the soul wholly against sin. There are no men in the world so hot and angry against themselves for their sins as penitents are. Witness those that polluted the idols that they had perfumed, Isa. xxx. 22 ; witness David, Ps. Ixxiii. 22 ; witness Ephraim, Hosea xiv. 8 ; and witness Paul, Rom. vii. 22, 23. There are none that fret, and fume, and chafe at themselves for sin, as penitent souls do ; there are none that loathe themselves, that abhor themselves, and that are weary of themselves, upon the account of their sins, like penitent souls. It is not this thing nor that, nor this enemy nor that, nor this party nor that, nor this design nor that ; but sin that is the main, the grand object of a peni- tent's hatred, scorn, wrath, rage, reproach, disgrace, and contempt, &c. He that would be angry and sin not, must be angry at nothing but sin. If some men would but spend more of their anger and indignation against their sins, they would not be so angry as they are with their brethren, that in disputable things differ from them.
Fourthly, ' Yea, what fear' of God's displeasure, and of doing any more so wickedly before the Lord. Penitent souls are of all souls the most trembling souls, the most timorous souls : Prov. xxviii. 14, ' Blessed is the man that feareth always.' The penitent Christian has still a jealous eye upon his own heart, words, and ways. He is very apt to suspect a snake under every flower, and to fear a snare in every creature- comfort. The burnt child dreads the fire. He that has been once stung hates a snake ; he that has been in danger of drowning, trembles at the thoughts of going by water ; and he that has once broke his leg, rides and walks with a fear of diligence and vigilancy all his life after. I have read of the dove, that she is afraid of every feather that hath
• As the child makes his defence and apology to his father, not hy denying or defend ing his faults, but by confessing and disclaiming of them ; so does the penitent soul carry it towards God.
400 A CABINET OF JEWELS. [ChAP. III.
grown upon a hawk ; the very sight of any of the hawk's feathers brings as much terror upon her as if she had seen the hawk herself Such a native dread is, it seems, implanted in her, that it detests and abhors the veiy sight of any such feather. In every penitent, God implants such a holy fear, such a filial fear, such a reverential fear, such a fear of diligence and vigilancy, that the penitent Christian's heart rises, detests and ab- hors, not only gross sins, but the least motions, inclinations, and temp- tations to sin. They that have paid dear for past guilt, that have known what an aching heart, a wounded conscience, and a bleeding soul means ; that have experienced what the frowns of God, the threatenings of God, and the wrath of God means, will certainly beware of sin, watch and war against it, and fear to fall into it.
Fifthly, ' Yea, what vehement desire,' 'E.'xtz6Sr,(Sti. It signifies such a desire of fervency that can admit of no delay ; it notes such a desire as produces diligence, activity, and industry. The true penitent is full of fervent and vehement desires to be rid of his sins. Rachel was never more vehement and fervent in her desires after children, nor David after the water of the well Bethlehem, nor the hunted hart after the water- brooks, nor the betrothed virgin for her marriage-day, nor the appren- tice for his freedom, nor the captive for his ransom, nor the soldier for the conquest, nor the sick man for his cure, nor the condemned man for his pardon, than the true penitent is vehement and fervent in his desires to have his lusts subdued, mortified, and destroyed, Rom. vii. 22-24. Many a day have I sought death with tears, said blessed Co^vpe^, not out of distrust, impatience, or perturbation, but because I am weary of sin, and fearful of falling into it.* If you ask the penitent, Why do you hear, pray, read, and apply 3'ourself so seriousl}", so frequently, so un- weariedly, and so constantly to all sin-subduing ministrations ? he will tell you, it is out of a vehement and fervent desire that he has to be rid of his sins. If you ask him again, why he is so much in complaining against sin, in mourning over sin, and in warring against sin ? &c., he will tell you, out of a vehement and earnest desire that he has to be fully and finally delivered from sin.
iSixtldy, ' Yea, what zeal.' Zeal is an extreme hea,t of all the affec- tions set against sin, and working strongly towards God. David's zeal did eat up his sin as well as himself. And Paul was as zealous in pro- pagating the gospel, as he had been furious in persecuting of it. Many men's zeal is hot and burning, when scorns and reproaches are cast upon them ; but the penitent man's zeal is most hot and burning, when religion is scorned, saints persecuted, truth endangered, and the great and dreadful name of God blasphemed, &c. The zeal of a true penitent will carry him on in a course of godliness, and in a course of mortifica- tion, in spite of all the diversions and oppositions that the world, the flesh, and the devil can make. Holy zeal is a fire that will make its way through all things that stands between God and the soul. The true penitent is unchangeably resolved to be rid of his sins, whatever it cost him. Whoever escapes, whoever lives, he is fully determined his lusts shall die for it. Only remember this, though zeal should oat up Gur sins, yet it must not eat up our wisdom, no more than policy should eat up our zeal.
' Seo Index, *. r». for otLer references.— O.
Chap. III.] a cabinet of jewels. 401