against our own fouls; 'twas for this Christ died, that he might purify to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. This is the great end of our election; God hath chofen us in Chrift before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, Eph. i. 4. which is to be explained by Eph. ii. 10. where God is faid to have before ordained that we fhould walk in good works. And the beginning of the verse minds us, that 'tis for this end God imparts the light of his Word, and the vigour of his Spirit; and for this end he fanctifies and renews our nature; We are his workmanship created in Chrift Jefus unto good works. St. Peter tells us, that this is that which all the great and precious promises of God immediately aim at: firft godliness, then life; firft virtue, then glory. What fhall I fay more? Our Lord, in his narrative of the laft judgment, and elsewhere; and his apostles, in almost innumerable places, have with great power, and great earneftnefs, inculcated this doctrine, that we fhall be judged according to our works that immortality and glory is the portion, not of knowledge, but patience and charity; not of an orthodox belief and fpecious pretenfion, but of righteoufness and zeal; for the incorruptible, the never-fading crown, is a crown of righteoufnefs. Or, if men will be judged by their

Ee 4

faith,

faith, which is not the language of the gospel, this does not alter the matter at all; fince faith it felf will be judged by its works. And as a happy eternity depends upon our zeal; fo nothing elfe can give us any comfortable, any rational affurance of it in this life. The reafon is plain; becaufe 'tis zeal that is the only unquestionable proof of our integrity; and good works are the fruit which alone can evidence the life and truth of our faith and love; hereby we know, that we know him, if we keep his commandments, 1 John ii. 3. Yea, a man may fay, thou haft faith, and I have works: Shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will fhew thee my faith by my works, James ii. 18. Doft thou believe in God? Why art thou not holy as he is holy? Doft thou believe in Jesus? Why doft thou not deny thy felf, take up thy cross and follow him? Why doft thou not walk as he walked ? Doft thou believe a judgment to come Why doft thou not work out thy falvation with fear and trembling? Why doft thou not prepare to meet thy God? Why art thou not rich in good works, that thou mayeft lay up a good foundation against the time to come, and lay hold on eternal life? Nor are good works lefs neceffary to prove our love, than faith. Certainly, if we love holinefs, if we hunger and thirst after righteousness, we fhall never live in a di

rect

rect contradiction to the ftrongest paffions of our foul; we fhall never retufe to gratify an inclination, which is not only fervent in us, but its gratification will procure us eternal rewards too. Certainly, if we love God, we cannot but feek his glory; we cannot but be defirous to maintain communion with him. And if so, do we know any facrifice that is more acceptable to God than good works? Do we know any that he delights in more than zeal? Do we love the bleffed Jefus? Are not good works the very teft of this love which himfelf has appointed? If a man love me, be will keep my commandments, John xiv. 15. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatfoever I command you, John xv. 14. The love of Chrift, faith the apostle, conftrains us what to do, to live not to our felves, but to him that died for us, and rofe again, 2 Cor. v. 15. What other returns can we make to Jefus? What other way can we exprefs our gratitude to him? He fits on the right-hand of God; all power is given him in heaven and in earth: he does not himself need our ministry, nor want our service and charity; but hear what he fays, Inafmuch as you did it to one of thefe my little ones, you have done it to me, Matt. xxv. 40.

2. Our zeal is indifpenfably neceffary to the welfare and happiness of others. Do

we

we regard our neighbour's eternal interest ? 'Tis zeal repreffes fin, and propagates righteousness; 'tis zeal defends the faith and fuppreffes herefy and error; 'tis zeal converts the unbeliever, and builds up the believer; 'tis zeal that awakens the drowsy, quickens the lukewarm, ftrengthens the weak, and inflames the good with a holy emulation; 'tis zeal that baffles all objections, refutes all calumnies, and vanquishes all oppofitions raised against religion, and oppreffes its enemies with fhame and confufion. 'Tis, in a word, zeal, and zeal alone, that can make religion appear lovely and delightful, and reconcile the world to it; for this alone can adorn the gospel; for it renders virtue more confpicuous, more taking in life and example than it can be in the precepts and defcriptions of words. Nor is zeal lefs ferviceable to the temporal, than eternal intereft of mankind. When God laid the foundations of the world, he laid the foundation of virtue and when he formed man, he wove the neceffity of good works into his very nature. How neceffary is juftice to poor creatures who lie fo open to wrongs and injuries? How indifpenfable is charity, or generofity. to thefe, who are expofed to fo many accidents, to fo many wants, to fuch a viciffitude of fortune? And being all fubject to fo many follies and infirmities, to

too;

fo many mistakes and fancies, how ftrong must be our obligation to mutual forbearance, patience, and gentleness? In a word, fin and mifery abounds in the world; and if there were not virtues and good works to ballance the one, and to relieve and fupport us under the other, life would be intolerable. So that revealed and natural religion do neceffarily terminate and center in a zeal for good works, as their ultimate end, and utmoft perfection in this life; and the rule of our Saviour, Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even fo unto them, is an abstract, not only of the law and the prophets, but of the code of nature too; and this fingle principle, if fincerely pursued, will ferment and work us up to the nobleft heights of zeal. I might here, if it were neceffary, eafily shew that zeal has as happy an influence on the publick as the private; that this must animate that justice and mercy that fupports the throne; that is the foul of that honour, integrity, generofity, and religion, which fupport the ftates and kingdoms of the world; and without which all politick fystems must needs tend to a diffolution. But I have faid enough; and from what I have said, the truth of my third confideration naturally appears,

3. Viz.