trick and artifice, deceit and dissimulation, double-dealing, and undermining practifed among chriftian brethren. A clear, but melancholy proof this, that we have only a name to live, while we are in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity, and doing the works of our father the devil.

ESSAY XXVII.

CHRISTIAN ZEAL, and its OPPOSITES and COUNTERFEITS.

1. Z EAL feemsproperly to fignify, a beat, fervour and impetuosity of mind and action; and is either good or bad, either a virtue or a vice, either religious, or common and profane, according to its objects, and the proportion it bears to their impor

tance.

2. Even religious zeal is not fo much a christian grace or virtue, as a qualification which fhould attend the exercise of every christian grace and virtue.

3. The fcriptures give as many inftances of a bad zeal as of a good one; we cannot therefore be too cautious about what ob jects our zeal is employed, and in what degree, left, while we imagine we are pleafing and honoring GOD, we may in fact be dif honoring and offending him, and increafing our own guilt,

4. As christian zeal is, however, a very important and indifpenfible duty, and as we are exprefsly commanded to be zealous,* it may be right to enquire into the proper ties of a true chriftian zeal; to confider its fpecious and impofing counterfeits, to speak of the obligations we are under to be zealous, and of that temper which is contrary to it; and by doing this we fhall exhauft the fubject.

(1.) Even a religious zeal, is no farther good and commendable, than when it is on the fide of truth and virtue. The cause therefore must be good about which our zeal is concerned, or it will have the most mifchievous confequences. To be zealous, that is, to have a strong and ardent concern, for falfehood, and againft truth; or for vice and against virtue, and to act vigorously in confequence of this zeal, is to do the very greatest mischief, in our power, and to act the devil, as much as our capacities and influence will admit. Such was the zeal of the Jews against Christ, his apostles, and the primitive chriftians. Such, particularly, was the zeal of Saul, afterwards Paul, when he madly, and with uncommon ardor and activity, perfecuted the church of Chrift. The caution therefore of this

*Rev. iii. 19.

+ Acts v. 17, 18.—xiii. 45. Gal. i. 14. Phil. iii. 6.

-xvii. 3. Rom. x. 2.

fame apostle, is extremely appofite and neceffary; "It is good to be always zealously "affected in a good thing."*

(2.) Ignorance of truth and duty, where there is a poffibility and opportunity of coming to the knowledge of them, will not excufe in this matter, otherwise it would have excufed St. Paul and most of the Jews in their mifguided and mifchievous zeal. Therefore, our zeal, efpecially our religious zeal, fhould always be preceded by a careful, ferious enquiry into the truth, and accompanied with knowledge. The reafon of this is plain; for, of all zeal, religious zeal where it is blind and mifguided is the moft furious and mifchievous. It is increased by the importance of its object; and when it is blind and misguided, it rages against the cause and glory of GoD, and the highest concerns of men, which are truth and righteoufnefs. We may fee its dreadful effects in the primitive Jewish and heathen perfecutions, and in the feas of Proteftant blood fpilt by the church of Rome. If the Jews had known Chrift, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; yet Lince they might have known him, their ignorance was no excufe for their zcal againft him. It was their fin, that their zeal of GOD was not according to knowledge.‡

Gal, iv. 18. † Rom. X. 2.

What things Saint Paul did against Christ were ignorantly through unbelief; yea, he verily thought that he ought to have done them; yet was he not thereby justified in doing them.*

(3.) Right and good zeal, must be pro portioned to the value and importance of the objects about which it is employed. As there is diverfity in the importance even of these things which are of divine duty and obligation, fo we fhould be moft zealous about the most important things and duties of religion, and proportionably lefs zealous, about thofe things and duties which are of lefs importance. It is the way of hypocrites to be mighty zealous about trifles; about fmall matters, and ceremonial observances, while they are very lukewarm and indifferent, about the greater duties of piety and morality. They tithe mint, anise and cummin; while they neglect the weightier matters of the law, mercy, judgment and righteousness. How prepofterous and abfurd is it to fee a man break charity with his Christian brother, for the neglect of modes, ceremonies, and human inventions, while he would carefs him, thoughadrunkard, an adulterer, or a profane fwearer, if he obferved thefe? Reafon will teach us, that duties of the highest importance, should

1 Tim. i. 12—15. + Matth. xxiii, 23, #4.

be the most ardently cared for, and the moft diligently performed. We would deem him a fool, who would be more concerned about the fecurity and welfare of his finger or toe, than of his heart or brain. Every thing appertaining to true religion merits our regard and obfervance; but the vitals of religion merit our warmeft zeal. "GoD "loveth mercy more than facrifice, and "righteoufnefs more than all burnt offer"ings."

(4.) True zeal always takes its rife in the heart, and is founded on a right temper and right affections there. It is termed fervency of spirit.* Chriflian zeal is the fprightly vigor, and ftrenuous activity of every holy affection and difpofition; and thefe fprings fet the active powers of the foul and body to work in the cause of GoD and goodnefs. And here we may take notice of the opposites and counterfeits of true zeal, in this view of it;-fuch as, first, a Laodicean, careless, indolent, lukewarm temper of mind: The perfon is neither hot nor cold;-he will not wholly throw up a profeffion of religion; yet is he too indolent and unconcerned to act up to it with becoming earnestness and intenseness, fpirit and refolution. He, as it were, balts between two opinions; his mind is in a Aate of torpid equilibrium, without heat

Rom. xii. 18.