238 The eighth Sign PART III. As fome are much miflaken concerning the Nature of true Bold- nefs for Chrift, fo they are concerning chriftian Zeal. 'Tis indeed a Flame, but a fweet One : Or rather it is the Heat and Fervour Of a fweet Flame. For the Flame of which it is the Heat, is no other than that of divine Love, or chriftian Charity ; which is the fweeteftt and molt benevolent Thing that is, or can be, in the Heart of Man or Angel. Zeal is the Fervour of this Flame, as it ardently and vi- goroufly goes out towards the Good that is its ObjeEt, in Defines of it, and Purfuit after it ; and fo confequentially, in Oppofition to the Evil thatis contrary to it, and impedes it.- There is indeed Oppcfi- tion, and vigorous Oppofition, that is a Part of it, or rather as an At- tendant of it ; but it is againft Things, and not Perfons. Bitternefs againft the Perfons of Men is no Part of it,but is very contrary to it ; infomuch that fo much the warmer true Zeal is, and the higher it is railed, fo much the further are Perfons from fuch Bitternefs, and fo much fuller of Love, both rto the `Evil and to `the Good. As ap- pears fromwhat has been juft now obferved, that it is no other, in its very Nature and Effence, than the Fervour of a Spirit of chiiflian Love. And as to what Oppofition there is in it, to Things, it is firflly and chiefly againft the evil Things in the Perfon himfelf, who has this Zeal ; againft the Enemies of God and Hoiinefs, that are in his own Heart; (as thefe are mat in his View, and what he is molt to do with ;) and but fecondarily againft the Sins of others. And therefore there is nothing in a true chriftian Zeal, that is contrary to that Spirit of Meeknefs, Gentlenefs and Love, that Spirit of a little Child, a Lamb and Dove, that has been fpoken of ; but it is entirely agreeable to it, and tends to promote it. But to fay fomething particularly concerning this chriftian Spirit I have been fpeaking of, as exercifed in thefe threeThings, Forgivenefs, Love and !Mercy ; I would obferve that the Scripture is very clear and exprefs concerning the abfolute Neceffity of each of thefe, as belong- inc. to the Temper and CharaEter of every Chriflian. It is fo as to a forgiving Spirit, or a Difpofition to overlook and forgive Injuries. Chrift gives it to us both as a negative and pofitive :Evidence ; and is exprefs in teaching us, that if we are of fuch a Spi- rit, 'tis a Sign we are in a State of Forgivenefs and Favour our felves ; and that if we are not of fuch a Spirit, we are not forgiven of God ; and feems to take fpecial Care that we Ihould take good Notice of it, and always bear it on our Minds. Matth. 6. 12, 14, 15. ' For- give us our Debts, as we forgive our Debtors.-- -For if ye forgive Men their Trefpaffes, your heavenly Father will alto forgive you But if ye forgive not Men their Trefpafres, neither will your Father forgive your Trefpaffes '. Chrift expreffes the fame again at another Time, Mark 11. 25, 26. and again in Matth. 18. 22, to the End, in the Parable of the Servant that owed his Lord ten thoufand Ta- lents
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