The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 179

obnractcr impressed itself on every detail of his life. When he v.e.s still far off from Jezr~el, the watchman upon the city wall was able to distinguish him in the dim distance by the way he drove his horses. "The driving is like the drivin" of Jehu the son of Nimsbi; for 'ae driveth furiously." He did not waste many word~. When the messengers of King Jehoram rode out to meet him with the question, "Is it peace?" his answer to one after the other of them, without reining in his horses for a ~oment, WILS, "·what hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me." Neither did he waste words when he ea.me to deal with Jezebel and Jchoram. He knew that in such work as he was engaged there is danger in delay. We may learn much from what was good in Jehu's character. Zeal itself is a grand thing. It is men of zeal who have revolutionized the world. Moses was a man of zeal. So was Elijah. So was Daniel. So was St. Paul. So was Martin Luther. So was John Knox. All these men were mocked at as fools and fanatics and enthusiasts in their time. But every one of those men has left his mark for good upon the history of the world. We may say the same of s!lch enthusiasts as ViTilliam Wilberforce and John Howard, and, to come lo more modern times, as Plimsoll, the sailors' friend. It is the worl<l's enthusiasts th~t have been its greatest benefactors. Yes; we want more zeal; we want more enthusiasm. It is the fashion amongst many to sneer at enthusiasm, and to mock at zeal. But let those who mock at enthusiasm show what they can do compared with what the enthnsiasts have done. Give me the man who has an enthusiasm a.bout something. Give me the man who thinks that life is worth living, and that there is sonwthing worth living for. Let it be study, let it be business, let it be one of the learned professions,-the man who has enthusiasm in his work is the man that is most likely to succeed. If there is any one who should show enthusiasm, it is the Christian. V{ho should be so full of zeal? Who has so much ea.use to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory? Who can point to such a leader as the great Captain of our salvation? What example so inspiring as the example of Christ? What name is such a watch- worJ as the precious Name of Jesus-the Name above every name? Who can look forward to such a prospect as that which awaits the faithful Christian? '' lle thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life." Who has such resources at his disposal as the Christian for work and conflict? Zeal I surely the Christian ought to overflow with zeal. Zeal l when he thinks of his Saviour and his cross. Zeal! when he thinks that heaven with all its glory awaits him. Zeal l when he thinks of the welcome from the King. Zeal! when he thinks how short his time is here. Zeal I when he thinks of the perishing and needy all around him. Yes; it is well to have within your heart the glow and fire of Christian zeal. What if the care- less and the callous, the godless and the worldly, mock? You have a heart, you have a hope, you have a strength, that is above their shallow sneers. And, having C~ristian zeal, Jet it not spend itself in mere sentiment, profession, or words. But let 1t show itself in action prompt and decisive, in earnestness and thoroughness of life. "What• ever ye do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men." JI. THERE WAB MUCH TH.AT WAS WRONG, AND THERE WAS SOMETHING WANTING, IN JEm;'s ZEAL. 1. There was much that was wrong mingled with Jehu's zeal. (1) In the first place, there was boastfulness. "Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord." 'l'he man who thus parades his good deeds is lacking in one of the first elements of true goodness and usefulness, and that is humility. Yet there has been a good deal of that kind of zeal for God in all ages. The Pharisees considered themselves very zealous for the Law of God, but they souuded a trumpet before them when they gave their aim,, and loved to pray etanding at the corner of the streets. We havo not the sounding of the trumpet nowadays in the same form, but we have olher ways of making known our generous and philanthropic acts. There is nothing wrong in these acts beiug made known. On the contrary, a public acknowledgment of ch:i,rita.ble. and rcliaious 0 contributions is necessary to guard against fraudulence and deceit. It 1s of use also to remind others of their duty and stimulate them, perhaps, to greater liberalily. But when we give our alms in order that we may be known to have given them-" to ~o seen of men "-we give from a wrong motive-we do that which Christ condemned. It 1s the 8ame with all branches of Christian work. And it seems to be one of the danger11 of mud,·m Christian life that there is too much temptation to boast of mere numbers in our G'hurches, or of 10 much money accumulated, or of so many couverts made. cm, x. 1-36.] THE SECOND IlOOK OF THE KINGfl. 2'21