TeR. 139.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 471
his garments to be contaminated, and not his body sanctified), and he tore off his belt, renounced his honour, rather than he would do any- thing that should be contrary to his religion ; and for .this Julian sent him into banishment, and within a year and a few months, the story tells us, that he received the reward of his holy confession and own- ing of Christ, the Eoman empire. For the soldiers, being weary of this pagan emperor, as soon as he died chose Jovinianus (that had been banished, and a fellow sufferer with him), who recalled him and other Christians from theii- exile, and after having reigned not full eight months, he died, and Valentinian was chosen emperor in his stead.
(3.) The third thing we should be zealous for is God's servants; when they are oppressed we should own and cherish them, as good Obadiah did the prophets, who ' hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water,' 1 Kings xviii. 4 ; and Jonathan owned David though his father was greatly displeased with him, and flung a javelin at him, 1 Sam. xx. 32 ; and Esther pleads for the Jews when they were doomed to destruction, Esther vii. 3 ; and Nicodemus pleads for Christ that he might not be condemned unheard : John vii. 50, 51, * When the council was ready to condemn him, Nicodemus saith to them (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them), Doth our law judge any man before it hear him? And then they went their -way,' That stopped the persecution for that time. Certainly they liave little zeal for God, that can see good men perish before their eyes, and have not a word to speak for them. This Nicodemus, that was before infirm and weak, that sneaked unto Christ, that came to him by night, gets courage in the time of need to speak for Christ.
[3.] What are the acts of zeal with respect to these objects ?
(1.) It quickens us to our duty, and makes us publicly active for God : Gal. iv. 18, ' It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing.' Oh ! how remiss and sluggish would we be otherwise in mat- ters of God's kingdom and glory, if we had not a strong degree of love to stir us up to appear for God, in the worst times, and in the way and places that is proper for us ! Paul when he saw the whole city given to idolatry, it is said, his ' spirit was stirred in him,' Acts xvii. 16 ; he could not contain ; and again, Acts xviii. 5, Paul 'was pressed in spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.' That heroi- cal act of Phinehas when he saw the laws of God broken, and nobody ready to vindicate the honour of God ; he took a javelin in his hand and thrust the offenders through, Num. xxv. 7 ; and the Lord saith afterwards, ver. 11, ' Phineas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.' He had an extraordinary call to do that; he was high priest, but he went then upon jus zenorum} So Elijah, 1 Kings xviii. 40, ' He took the prophets of Baal and brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.' There was an ex- traordinary call ; but we are all to be active in spreading and defend- ing the truth, and promoting the purity of God's worship, and welfare of his people, as far as our calling and places permit.
(2.) It maketh us spare no cost, yea, it judgeth that best done for 'Gt)d which costs us most, as David would not serve God with that
' So in the original edition. — Ed.
472 SERMONS uroN PSALM cxix. [Ser. CLVI.
wliich cost nothing, 2 Sam. xxiv, 25. Tliat is worth nothing that cost nothing in reh'gion. Jezebel she was zealous for Baal, and maintained four hundred of his priests at her table. In the primitive times they sold all things that they had, and had all things common : and the Israelites they offered so plentifully to the tabernacle, that Moses was fain to forbid them, to put a stop, because there was enough given for the advancement of God's worship, Exod. xxxviii. 8. And therefore certainly they are cold, and have little zeal for God, that love as the Corinthians did, dhuTravov evayyeXcov, a gospel without charges, would be at no cost for Christ. Tliis was Paul's case ; there the poor saints of Macedonia Avliich had but from hand to mouth, they ministered to him, and maintained him when he was at Corinth, a rich and opulent town. Paul would depart from his right rather than prejudice the gospel. Therefore they that will be at no cost for Cln-ist, maintaining his truth, upholding his worship, relieving his people, have no zeal.
(3.) It vents itself by holy grief and anger when any of tliese are violated. (1.) With holy grief. We should be touched, and that to the quick, with other men's sins, when they neglect their duty, pervert all that is right and honest, and seem not to be concerned with the glory of God, 1 Peter ii. 7, 8. It is said of Lot, ' his righteous soul was vexed ' at the wickedness of the Sodomites ; and ' he vexed himself,' not with Sodom's injuries, but with Sodom's impurities ; he could not redress the evils, but he mourns for them. So the prophet Jeremiah for the stubbornness of the people : Jer. xiii. 17, ' But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride, and mine eye shall weep sore,' &c. Though they would not hearken, amend, nor any way regard these things, yet it grieved him exceedingly. So you shall see tlie like of Ezra, chap. x. 6, ' He mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.' The transgression of God's people was very grievous to him. Thus we read of Eli, 1 Sam. iv. 13, 'Eli sat by the wayside watching; for his heart trem- bled for the ark of God.' The glory of God was dear to him ; and when religion is in danger, God dishonoured, it leaves a mighty im- pression upon the hearts of those that have a zeal and strong love to God. (2.) It vents itself by indignation and holy anger ; as Christ whipped the buyers and sellers out of the temple, and showed his ' divine power therein, John ii. 15. And ' remember them, 0 God, that defile the priesthood,' Neh. xiii. 29; and Exod. xxxii. 19. Meek Moses, yet his anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hand ; and Ezra ix. 3, ' When I heard tliis thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked oif the hair of my head, and of my beard, and sat down astonied.' Thus deeply are God's cliildren affected with God's public dishonour, though not occasioned by themselves, but occasioned by others, and this is to have a zeal for God.