Sermon I.

On Christian Zeal.

REVELATION iii. 19. Be zealous.

THESE words are part of our LORD's epistle to

the church of Laodicea, one of the seven churches of Asia Minor, to each of which the King of Zion addresses counsels and admonitions, reproofs or praises, suited to its peculiar character and state. The letter before us begins with a concise description of the moral state of this church. It represents her as neither cold nor hot, but as lukewarm or indifferent in religion, and expresses the divine abhorrence of such a disposition. In the text it exhorts her to be zealous in religion, in opposition to her present deadness and formality.

As this Laodicean indifference in religious concerns marks too many nominal Christians at this day; while others are misled by a spirit of false zeal; a critical attention to this subject may be equally seasonable and advantageous. Let us, therefore, distinctly consider the nature, obligation and importance of Christian zeal.

Zeal is an equivocal term, equally capable of a good and bad signification. It is not so properly one particular passion, as the heat or fervour of the affections in general. The original word rendered zealous signifies exceedingly hot; which imports a vehement exercise of the passions. Zeal then is either good or bad, according to its direction and management. Accordingly,

the sacred writers frequently use the term in an ill sense, and sometimes in a virtuous one. St. Paul reckons it among the works of the flesh; that is, those vices which characterize the carnal and ungodly world. "The works of the flesh are hatred, strife, emulation," or zeal. So the envying, the bitter envying condemned by St. James is, in the original, zeal. The reason, why it is so often placed among the vices, is because the heat of human passions is for the most part irregular, either in its motiye and object, or in its manner and degree of operation. Zeal becomes a virtue, only when our affeetions are fixed on proper objects, and suited, in manner and measure of exercise, to their nature and importance.

mence.

Genuine Christian zeal takes its rise in a well regulated or sanctified heart, and is equally opposed to careless indolence, and to a selfish, noisy, or censorious veheIt is a meek and humble, a kind and gentle flame, as full of tenderness and goodness, as it is of ardour and boldness. It is, in the first place, enlightened and directed by knowledge. Zeal, without this, is a blind and brutal impetuosity, which tends to precipitate its subject into an endless labyrinth of error, irregularity and mischief. A weak and ignorant mind and strong passions form a dreadful compound, and threaten deplorable consequences. If a man for want of knowledge think that to be the cause of GOD, which is directly the reverse, or that to be heretical or sinful, which is important truth or duty, it is evident that the more zealously he exerts himself in favour of the one, or in opposition to the other, in the same proportion he builds falsehood and vice upon the ruins of truth and virtue. Where there is great heat and no light, it cannot be that illuminating fire which descendeth from above; but is

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rather that dark, polluted flame, which fumes up from be.. neath, which is earthly, sensual, diabolical. Such was the zeal of the bulk of the Jews in the apostolic age: "they had a zeal for GOD, but not according to knowledge." They had a glowing fervour in maintaining those legal rites, which God himself had ordained; and from the impulse of this zeal for the law, they rejected Christ and his gospel, not knowing, as they might, or ought to have done, that HE was the end of the law for rightcousness to every one that believeth. Thus the religious zeal of that generation, and of succeeding Jews to this day, was and is no better than blind, raging, obdurate infidelity. A clear and sound knowledge of the object is, therefore, essential to regular and virtuous zeal,

SECONDLY, it must also be tempered with prudence. For though the object of it be good, yet if there be not discretion to moderate and direct its career, it will be, come a pernicious and ungovernable fury, even in a virtuous cause. In the midst of the most pious zeal we have constant need of that caution, "Be ye wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." Prudence must ad, just our religious ardour to the real weight and impor, tance of things; lest like the ancient Pharisees, we exhaust our zeal upon the outlines and appendages of religion, and become regardless of its vital and essential branches. Great heat about circumstantials, and cold, ness respecting the substance of virtue and piety, argue either great ignorance or gross hypocrisy. Prudence must also direct our zeal in the choice of means for ac complishing our end. No pretended zeal for a good end can sanctify or warrant a bad action. It is a vicious not a virtuous zeal to do evil that good may come; to abdicate truth, justice, decency or honour, for the sake of suppressing error and vice, or for defending, or prop

agating Christian truth and righteousness. This is to commit sin ourselves in the support and under the mask of holiness; it is to stab religion with the very weapons we employ in its defence. Hence Job condemns such conduct in language of mingled surprize and detestation. "Will ye speak wickedly for GOD? Or talk deceitfully for him?" Prudence must likewise temper the degree of our zeal and its mode of operation, Though both our end and means be of the best kind; yet the flame of our passions, when wrought up to a high pitch, will greatly endanger both ourselves and our cause, unless Christian discrétion guard our temper and conduct. Hence the apostle reproves the zeal of the Corinthians, even in the exercise of their extraordinary spiritual gifts, because, for want of wise regulation, it produced great disorder in their religious assemblies; such as one speaking in an unknown tongue, a second singing, a third teaching, another uttering a revelation, and even their women speaking in the church: upon which he remarks, "If a stranger should come in among you, will he not say, ye are mad?" And proceeds to exhort them, and through them all succeeding Christians; "Let all your things be done to edifying;" "let all things be done decently and in order."

THIRDLY. Zeal must ever be accompanied with charity. Charity or love, considered in its due extent, is the principal and most lovely grace of Christianity; and all religion is nothing without it. It must not there, fore be injured or sacrificed on every little occasion. It must not be violated on any occasion, merely to gratify our own humour or passions. We are commanded to follow peace with all men, and to give up every thing but truth and holiness for the sake of pleasing and edifying our brethren. In short, as true zeal is but the fire