grees of illumination in our own minds; in fervent prayer that this growing light may operate to the improvement of our practice, that the in fluences of divine grace may become more outwardly perceptible by the increasing correctness of our habits; that every holy affection may be followed by its correspondent act, whether of obedience or of resignation, of doing or of suf fering.

But the effects of a genuine and enlightened zeal will not stop here. It will be visible in our discourse with those to whom we may have a probability of being useful. But though we should not confine the exercise of our zeal to: our conversation, nor our attention to the opin, ions and practices of others, yet this, when not done with a bustling kind of interference, and of fensive forwardness, is proper and useful. It is indeed a natural effect of zeal to appear where it exists, as a fire which really burns will not be prevented from emitting both light and heat, yet we should labour principally to keep up in our own minds the pious feelings which religion has excited there. The brightest flame will decay if no means are used to keep it alive.

Pure

zeal will cherish every holy affection, and by increasing every pious disposition will animate us to every duty. It will add new force to our

hatred of sin, fresh contrition to our repentance, additional vigour to our resolutions, and will impart augmented energy to every virtue. It will give life to our devotions, and spirit to all our actions.

When a true zeal has fixed these right affections in our own hearts, the same principle will, as we have already observed, make us earnest to excite them in others. No good man wishes to go to heaven alone, and none ever wished others to go thither without earnestly endeavouring to awaken right affections in them. That will be a false zeal which does not begin with the regulation of our own hearts. That will be an illiberal zeal which stops where it begins. A true zeal will extend itself through the whole sphere of its possessor's influence. Christian zeal like. Christian charity will begin at home, but neither the one nor the other must end there.

But that we must not confine our zeal to mere conversation is not only implied but expressed in Scripture. The Apostle does not exhort us to be zealous only of good words but of good works. True zeal ever produces true benevolence. It would extend the blessings which we ourselves enjoy, to the whole human race. It. will consequently stir us up to exert all our influence to the extension of religion, to the ad-.

vancement of every well concerted and well conducted plan, calculated to enlarge the limits of human happiness, and more especially to promote the eternal interests of human kind.

But if we do not first strenuously labour for our own illumination, how shall we presume to enlighten others? It is a dangerous presumption, to busy ourselves in improving others, before we have diligently sought our own improvement. Yet it is a vanity not uncommon that the first feelings, be they true or false, which resemble devotion, the first faint ray of knowledge which has imperfectly dawned, excites in certain raw minds an eager impatience to communicate to others what they themselves have not yet attained. Hence the novel swarms of uninstructed instructors, of teachers who have had no time

to learn. The act previous to the imparting knowledge should seem to be that of acquiring it. Nothing would so effectually check an irregular, and improve a temperate zeal, as the personal discipline, the self acquaintance which we have so repeatedly recommended.

True Christian zeal will always be known by its distinguishing and inseparable properties. It will be warm indeed, not from temperament but principle. It will be humble, or it will not be Christian zeal. It will restrain its impetuosity

that it may the more effectually promote its object-It will be temperate, softening what is strong in the act by gentleness in the manner. -It will be tolerating, willing to grant what it would itself desire. It will be forbearing, in the hope that the offence it censures may be an occasional failing, and not a habit of the mind.-It will be candid, making a tender allowance for those imperfections which beings, fallible themselves, ought to expect from human infirmity.It will be reasonable-employing fair argument and affectionate remonstrance, instead of irritating by the adoption of violence, instead of mortifying by the assumption of superiority.

He, who in private society allows himself in violent anger or unhallowed bitterness, or acrimonious railing, in reprehending the faults of another, might, did his power keep pace with his inclination, have recourse to other weapons. He would probably banish and burn, confiscate and imprison, and think then as he thinks now, that he is doing God service.

If there be any quality which demands a clearer sight, a tighter rein, a stricter watchfulness than another, zeal is that quality. The heart where it is wanting,has no elevation; where it is not guarded, no security. The prudence with which it is exercised is the surest evidence

of its integrity; for if intemperate, it not only raises enemies to ourselves but to God. It augments the natural enmity to religion instead of increasing her friends.

But if tempered by charity, if blended with benevolence, if sweetened by kindness, if evinced to be honest by its influence on your own conduct, and gentle by its effect on your manners, it may lead your irreligious acquaintance to enquire more closely in what consists the distinction between them and you. You will already by this mildness have won their affections. Your next step may be to gain over their judgment. They may be led to examine what solid grounds of difference subsist between you and them. What substantial reason you have for not going their lengths. What sound argument they can offer for not going yours.

But it may possibly be asked, after all, where do we perceive any symptoms of this inflammatory distemper? Should not the prevalence, or at least the existence of a disease be ascertained previous to the application of the remedy? That it exists is sufficiently obvious, though it must be confessed that among the higher ranks it has not hitherto spread very widely; nor is its progress likely to be very alarming, or its effects very malignant. It is to be lamented that in ev