tions; when in literature, in arts, in fciences, in political concerns; when in the whole circle of worldly affairs researches and connections, public, private, and domeftic, zeal is esteemed, is applauded, is recognized as the foundation of the highest attainments and the moft exemplary conduct on what ground compatible with reafon do you disparage zeal when exercifed in religion? Do you reply that the principle, however laudable, however ufeful, when applied to other subjects, becomes too hazardous, becomes pernicious, when applied to religion? Would Omniscience then have praised, have enjoined, religious zeal? Do you abhor the fierceness, the extravagance, the enthusiasm, with which religious zeal has frequently been accompanied? Abhor the fierceness, the extravagance, the enthusiasm. But prefume not to extend your abhorrence to a principle which is praised, which is enjoined, by Omniscience. Turn your eyes to the recorded abhorrence of Christ against the lukewarm. They who fervently love God cannot but be zealous for God, Deem not yourself acceptable to the Judge of heaven and earth, until zeal for reli gion gion habitually pervades and animates your breaft. II. Those persons, however, whom a high sense of the value and the neceffity of zeal feems to withdraw from the range of the preceding remarks, ftand in continual need of counfel. Are you numbered among the friends of zeal? Do you confole yourself in the confidence that you are zealous? Scrutinize the principle by which you are actuated. The fpirit of party, the influence of affociation, natural warmth and eagerness, obftinacy in a favourite scheme, a busy and meddling tem per, a carnal thirst of intereft and applaufe; how often have thefe and fimilar motives. of action ufurped the femblance and obtained the honours of zeal! If your object, like that of Jehu, be perfonal aggrandizement; if, like his, the tempers which you display be vain-glorious, furious, malignant; if the measures which you employ. be, like his, fraudulent and hypocritical; if, in fome of its leading distinctions, your life be, like his, in habitual oppofition to the commandments of the God whom you profefs to obey when the pretended zeal of of Jehu fhall be expofed before men and angels, by what disguile fhall your kindred motive be fcreened from detection? Were the fentence of condemnation against Jehu, founding in your ears; what fentence should you forebode concerning yourself? Examine your heart. If examination leaves you self-convicted; if you difcern, not religious zeal, but fome counterfeit, fome adverfe, principle enthroned in your bofom: by fupplication to the Father, through the mediation and merits of the Son, draw down. to your aid the influence of the Holy Ghoft. With weapons of proof from the armoury. of God, with the fhield of faith, with the breast-plate of righteousness, with the fword of the spirit, degrade, expel the ufurper. If your bofom, explored by rigorous investigation, manifefts the dominion of genuine zeal; beware left zeal be corrupted. by an unnatural alliance with human paffions, clogged in its operations by timidity, blinded by the mifts of prejudice, or plunged into difficulties by indiscretion. Be fervent in fpirit: but be fober also, be vigilant. Convert not an inftrument of good into a fource of evil. Let not your good be evil Spoken of (6). Bring not difgrace upon zeal; raise (4) Rom. xiv. 16. not, not, confirm not, prepoffeffions against it. Be fearlefs; yet give no needlefs offence: be ftrenuous, yet be mild: be ftedfast, yet be meek: be earnest, yet be prudent. Finally, let your zeal direct itfelf to suitable objects; and proportion its exertion to their relative importance. While it overlooks not any fcriptural truth; let it mainly labour for the establishment, and the practical energy, of the grand peculiarities of the Gofpel. Be your zeal Christian zeal : zeal for the honour of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft; for thẻ great mystery of Godliness, God manifefted in the flesh; for the falvation of fallen man exclufively through the atoning blood of an incarnate Redeemer; for juftification exclufively through faith in that blood; for habitual holiness and univerfal obedience as the indifpenfable evidences of faith; for the renewal of the heart unto faith and holinefs and obedience exclufively by the fanctifying operation of the Holy Spirit. Difcriminate between that which is circumftantial and that which is effential. Be careful for the one; be anxious and ardent for the other. Be thus zealous for God: be thus zealous for man. Remember that without zeal you cannot truly love, |