Zeal

    Zeal must be according to knowledge. We have need of knowledge to guide our zeal. Zeal without knowledge is like mettle in a blind horse. We should be well assured that what we are zealous for is truly good; and that what we are zealous against is truly evil.

    We must be upright in our zeal. A man may be a zealous hypocrite, when his heart is not upright in it. The Pharisees had much zeal. So had Jehu, but he must have his zeal seen, 2 Kings x. 16. That is not true zeal that is anxious to be seen.

    We must be humble in our zeal. Jehu made a boast of his zeal. Not so David—" Who am I, O Lord God?" His zeal was humble. So was Paul's: "I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I."

    We must be charitable in our zeal. Take heed of bitter zeal; see James iii. 14. Even when we reprove for sin we must love the person. The disciples (Luke ix.) were zealous for Christ, but severe to the Samaritans.

    We must be universal in our zeal. Zealous against every sin, and for every duty. Not partial in the law: warm against one sin, and indulgent to another.

    We must be discreet in our zeal. Wisdom is of excellent use to order our zeal: it is like bit and bridle to a mettlesome horse.

    We must be regular in our zeal. Zealous, but keep in our places. It is not for a man to take upon him to be a magistrate or a minister, and say—My zeal puts me on to do it. It is unwarrantable. Zeal is sinful when it draws us out of our station.

    We must be constant in it. It must be like the natural heat of the body, not like an aguefit: burning hot, and then presently key-cold. We must be "zealously affected always in a good thing."