The Revival of Grace, Part 2 · Chapter 5 · Section 5
CAP. V. Sect. 5. Zeal for Chriſt Improved on Chriſt's Dying a Teſtator.
A Fifth grace ſuiting to the Sacrament, 5th. Sacramental Grace improvable.and improveable by conſidering Chriſt a Teſtator making his will when he Died, is Zeal to his glory and honour. I think it not needful to prove the ſuitableneſs of this grace to the Sacrament. The heighth of love to Chriſt, the indignation againſt former ſins, fervent, ſetled, reſolutions to oppoſe, ſuppreſs and overthrow all luſts, and the ſtirrings of luſts, which, as formerly they have riſen up, ſo now would afreſh riſe up againſt Chriſt (all which, as they are in every prepared communicant, (and which are the conſtitutives of Zeal) ſo they would clearly prove this, but I take it none will deny (or doubt) that Zeal to the glory and honour of Chriſt doth well ſuit with the conſtant ordinary courſe of the Chriſtians converſation; how much more doth it beſeem him in his nearer acceſſes to Chriſt? The people which are his peculiar muſt be Zealous of Good works, Tit. 2.14. Rom. 12.11fervent in ſpirit ſerving the Lord. Now beſide what arguments ariſe from the common profeſſed Friendſhip of the Chriſtian to Chriſt, As
1. The candour and humanity which we ſhew to every man who is dead, of whom either nothing ought be ſaid, or nothing but good; an ingenuous perſon is moved with Zeal for the name and credit of the dead, when they are traduced, eſpecially
2. When the innocency of the perſon was in his whole life well known to all who in any degree of acquaintance knew him we ſhould not take up the buried miſcarriages of of the dead, nor may we diſguiſe the good workes of thoſe that are not by to plead for themſelves.
3. When our Friends were uſeful to all that needed and would make uſe of them, we endure not they ſhould be traduced by ſurviving rancor and envy.
4. When all this Friendſhip, innocency uſefulneſs, and generous beneficence of our Friend met with nothing almoſt but cauſeleſs vexations and troubles, and of theſe one ſucceeding the other without Reſt: we think it hard (as indeed it is very exceeding hard) meaſure, that it neither meet with reſt in life, nor death that it ſhould be defamed where all men have a priviledg ſecuring them from piercing cenſures, and envious reproaches: theſe and ſuch like motives of Zeal for the honour of our dear Friend who Dying from us left his love to live with us, are equally applicable to any ſuch Friend, if any ſuch may be found among the ſons of men. But over and above all theſe in centives there are ſome ſpecial incentives to Zeal for the honour of our Lord on this very account, that he dyed a Teſtator making his Teſtament and laſt Will.
1. Hereby we are embodied into the family whereof Chriſt is the head and cheif; ſo that our zeal for his honour, is a zeal for the honour of our whole family. That we are of his family, is a very high ennobling us, a very great enriching us, it doth exceedingly enhance our worth & honour, & we therefore are highly obliged to contend for his honour; we rightly judge the ſon bound to plead the honour of his dying Father, and we do as rightly judge the Chriſtian much more bound to plead the honour of his dying Lord, whoſe Teſtament hath made him a Son, and gave him a ſhare both in the honour and wealth of the family.
2. In the laſt Will of our Dying Lord we read his Zeal and ſtrength of affection for our peace, our comfort, our ſafety, and our happineſs; all which falleth to the ground and vaniſheth: if the Legacies of our Lord fail us, we had need therefore with Zeal contend for his honour; not as though our plea would in any thing ratify, or confirm, for (as we cannot give) ſo neither needs he to derive ought of his authority from us; he hath received all power from his Father. But yet (after the manner of men be it ſpoken) we are bound to aſſert and defend the glory of his authority and power of diſpoſing and bequeathing to us, and to others, whatſoever he hath by Will and Teſtamentary diſpoſition left to us and to them. If he had given what was not his to give, we muſt either ſoon have parted with it, or for ever have miſſed of it; but herein lieth our advantage and comfort, that the large Legacies of our Lord to us, are as the fruit of ſo much Zealous love for us; ſo they are the Acts of Soveraign power delegated to Chriſt by the Father, as our Lord himſelf intimateth to us, Luk. 22.29. As the Father hath appointed unto me, ſo I appoint a Kingdom unto you.
Our Zeal then for the honour of Chriſt doth as well maintain our hope, comfort and intereſs, as it doth maintain his authority; and what man would ſuffer the power to be nulled which gave him a rich and ineſtimable Legacy?
3. The least degree of good bequeathed to us by the Will of our Testator in his will (remembred by us in the Lords ſupper) doth greatly ſurpaſs all the Zeal we can bear to his glory and honour: read over his will, and ſee there is juſtification in his blood ſhed for remiſſion of ſin, aſſurance of peace with God ſecured by the frequent remembrance of the blood of ſprinkling, Sanctification, conſolation, and future glory; all theſe promiſed by him, who being Mediator of the Covenant, hath reduced the whole to the form of a Teſtamentary diſpoſition, and confirmed it by his death. Now when thou art going to a Sacrament, conſider and judge with thy ſelf, ſhould I not be very Zealous for his honour who hath given many ineſtimable gifts to me? am I not leſs than the leaſt of grace bequeathed? is not remiſſion of my ſin greater love than my love can requite? is not Hope of glory greater than mine obedience can ever equall? ſhall I then ever think I have affection enough? or have done enough for his honour by whom I have received what I have already, by whom I ſhall receive what I hereafter expect? No! No! I muſt be ever blowing my love into a greater flame of Zeal for his honour, and yet his love and Zeal for me will outſhine and overpower all mine for him.
4. View the Will of thy Teſtator, be perſwaded to remember that he is now living in glory, and beholdeth all that Love and Zeal which thou carriest in thy breaſt, which thou expreſſeſt in thy life toward him: he is not like other men, who dying, know no more of the deportment and behaviour of befriended ſurvivours: thou canſt not bury the knowledge (for duſt hath not blinded the eye) of the Lord; he lives for ever, and he knows how thou receiveſt, improveſt and reſenteſt his Love and Zeal for thy good, and with what face wilt thou appear before him one day if thou haſt not been hired (ſhall I ſay?) or bought with ſo great price into the love of, and into a Zeal for thy beneficent, liberal and incomparable Friend and Lord? I obſerve Jacob dying, recommended the care of his burial to Joſeph above all his ſons; it was likely becauſe cauſe Joſeph more than any of his ſons was debtor to the love and care of his Father for a double portion beſtowed on him: of all men we who have a double portion by Chriſt, a portion of bleſſings on earth, and in Heaven, ſhould zealouſly perform his will; we muſt account it ſacredly inviolable, and ſhew it in ſhewing forth his praiſes, 1 Pet. 2.9.