Reflection (i): Maintaining interest in the research

(1) For its altitude. The earth, lying low, is of a baser pedigree; the element which is nearest heaven is purer and more excellent, like the fire.

That country above is the high country; it is seated far above all the visible orbs (Psalm 24:3).

(2) For its fertility; it bears a richer crop. The the country above yields noble commodities. There are celestial pearls; there is the spiritual vine;

there is the honeycomb of God's love dropping; there is the water of life, the hidden manna. There is which that does not rot, flowers which never fade. There is a crop which cannot be fully reaped; it will always be reaping time in heaven, and all this the land yields, without the labor of ploughing and sowing.

(3) For its inoffensiveness. There are no briars there. The world is a wilderness where there are wicked men, and the "best of them is a brier"

(Micah 7:4). They tear the people of God in their spiritual liberties—but in the country above there is not one briar to be seen; all the briars are burned.

(4) For the rarityof the prospect; all that a man sees there is his own. I account that the best prospect, where a man can see furthest on his own ground.

Answer 7: In that country there is better UNITY. All the inhabitants are knit together in love. The poisonous weed of malice does not grow there. There is harmony without division, and charity without envy. In that country above, as in Solomon's temple, no noise of hammer is heard.

Answer 8: In that country there is better EMPLOYMENT. While we are here, we are complaining of our needs, weeping over our sins—but there we shall be praising God. How the birds of paradise will chirp when they are in that celestial country! There the morning stars will sing together, and all the saints of God will shout for joy.

Oh, what should we aspire after but this country above? Such as have their eyes opened, will see that it infinitely excels! An ignorant man looks at a star and it appears to him like a little silver spot—but the astronomer, who has his instrument to judge the dimension of a star, knows it to be infinitely larger than the earth. So a natural man hears of the heavenly country that it is very glorious—but it is at a great distance. And because he has not a spirit of discernment, the world looks bigger in his eye. But such as are spiritual artists, who have the instrument of faith to judge heaven, will say it is by far the better country and they will hasten there with the sails of desire.

15. A Godly Man is a Zealous Man

Grace turns a saint into a seraph—it makes him burn in holy zeal. Zeal is a mixed affection, a compound of love and anger. It carries forth our love to God, and anger against sin—in the most intense manner. Zeal is the flame of the affections; a godly man has a double baptism—of water and fire. He is baptized with a spirit of zeal; he is zealous for God's honor, truth, worship: "My zeal has consumed me" (Psalm 119:139). It was a crown set on Phineas' head that he was zealous for his God (Numb.

25:13). Moses is touched with a coal from God's altar and in his zeal he breaks the tablets (Exod. 32:19). Our blessed Savior in his zeal whips the buyers and sellers out of the temple: "Zeal for your house will consume me" (John 2:17).

But there is a false heat—something looking like zeal, which it is not. A comet looks like a star. I shall therefore show some differences between a true and a false zeal:

1. A false zeal is a BLIND zeal

"They have a zeal of God—but not according to knowledge" (Romans 10:2). This is not the fire of the spirit—but wildfire. The Athenians were very devout and zealous—but they did not know for all that. "I found an altar with this inscription, To the unknown God" (Acts 17:23). Thus the Papists are zealous in their way—but they have taken away the key of knowledge.

2. A false zeal is a SELF-SEEKING zeal

Jehu cries, "Come, see my zeal for the Lord!" (2 Kings 16). But it was not zeal—but ambition; he was fishing for a crown. Demetrius pleads for the goddess Diana—but it was not her temple—but her silver shrines, that he was zealous for (Acts 19:25-27). Such zealots Ignatius complains of in his time, that they made a trade of Christ and religion, by which to enrich themselves. It is probable that many in King Henry VIII's time were eager

to pull down the abbeys, not out of any zeal against popery—but that they might build their own houses upon the ruins of those abbeys, like vultures which fly aloft but their eyes are down upon their prey. If blind zeal is punished sevenfold, hypocritical zeal shall be punished seventy-sevenfold.

3. A false zeal is a MISGUIDED zeal

It occurs most in things which are not commanded. It is the sign of a hypocrite to be zealous for traditions and useless of institutions. The Pharisees were more zealous about washing their cups, than their hearts.

4. A false zeal is fired with ANGER

James and John, when they wished to call down for fire from heaven, were rebuked by our Savior: "You know not what manner of spirit you are of" (Luke 9:55). It was not zeal—but anger. Many have espoused the cause of religion, rather out of faction and fancy, than out of zeal for the truth.

But the zeal of a godly man is a true and holy zeal which evidences itself in its effects:

1. True zeal cannot bear an injury done to God

Zeal makes the blood rise when God's honor is impeached. "I know your works, and your labor, and your patience, and how you cannot tolerate those who are evil" (Rev. 2:2). He who zealously loves his friend, cannot hear him spoken against and be silent.

2. True zeal will encounter the greatest difficulties

When the world holds out of danger to discourage us, zeal casts out fear.

Zeal is quickened by opposition. Zeal does not say, "There is a lion in the way!" Zeal will charge through an army of dangers, it will march in the face of death. Let news be brought to Paul that he was waylaid; "in every city bonds and afflictions" awaited him. This set a keener edge upon his zeal: "I am ready not to be bound only—but also to die for the name of the Lord Jesus!" (Acts 21:13). As sharp frosts by force of contrast make the

fire burn hotter, so sharp oppositions only inflame zeal the more.

3. As true zeal has knowledge to go before it, so it has sanctity to follow after it

Wisdom leads the van of zeal, and holiness brings up the rear. A hypocrite seems to be zealous—but he is wicked. The godly man is white and ruddy; white in purity, as well as ruddy in zeal. Christ's zeal was hotter than the fire, and his holiness purer than the sun.

4. Zeal that is genuine loves truth when it is despised and opposed

"They have made void your law. Therefore I love your commandments above gold" (Psalm 119:126,127). The more others deride holiness, the more we love it. What is religion the worse, for others disgracing it? Does a diamond sparkle the less because a blind man disparages it? The more outrageous the wicked are against the truth, the more courageous the godly are for it. When Michal scoffed at David's pious dancing before the ark, he said, "If this is to be vile, I will yet be more vile" (2 Sam. 6:22).

5. True zeal causes fervency in duty

"Fervent in spirit" (Romans 12:1). Zeal makes us—hear with reverence, pray with affection, love with ardency. God kindled Moses' sacrifice from heaven: "Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering" (Lev. 9:24). When we are zealous in devotion, and our heart waxes hot within us—here is a fire from heaven kindling our sacrifice. How odious it is for a man to be all fire when he is sinning, and all ice when he is praying! A pious heart, like water seething hot, boils over in holy affections!

6. True zeal is persevering

Though it is violent, it is perpetual. No waters can quench the flame of zeal, it is torrid in the frigid zone. The heat of zeal is like the natural heat coming from the heart, which lasts as long as life. That zeal which is not constant, was never true.

Use 1: How opposite to godliness are those who cry down zeal, and count