given where it is not sought; or, which is an awful consideration, may be withdrawn, where it had been given and not improved as it might have been. man of too ardent zeal restrains its outward expression where it would be unseasonable, or unsafe; while it will evince the same Christian self-denial in the fearful and diffident character, to burst the fetters of tim idity, where duty requires a holy boldness; and when he is called upon to lose all lesser fears in the fear of God. Should this unhappily ever be the case, it would almost reduce the minister of Christ to a mere engine, a vehicle through which knowledge was barely to pass, like the ancient oracles who had nothing to do with the It will then be one of the first objects of a information but to convey it. Perhaps the Christian to get his understanding and his public success of the best men has been, conscience thoroughly enlightened; to take under God, principally owing to this, that an exact survey not only of the whole comtheir faithful ministration in the temple has prehensive scheme of Christianity, but of been uniformly preceded and followed by petitions in the closet; that the truths implanted in the one, have chiefly flourished from having been watered by the tears and nourished by the prayers of the other. his own character; to discover, in order to correct, the defects in his judgment, and to ascertain the deficiencies even of his best qualities. Through ignorance in these res pects, though he may really be following up We will hazard but one more observation some good tendency, though he is even per on this dangerous and delicate subject; in suaded that he is not wrong either in his mo this superficial treatment of which, it is the tive or his object, he may yet be wrong in thing in the world the most remote from the the measure, wrong in the mode, wrong in writer's wish, to give the slightest offence to the application, though right in the princiany pious member of an order which possess ple He must therefore watch with a sus es her highest veneration. If the indefatiga-picious eye over his better qualities, and ble labourer in his great Master's vineyard, guard his very virtues from deviation and has, as must often be the case, the mortifica- excess. tion of finding that his labours have failed of producing their desired effect, in some in stance, where his warmest hopes had been excited;-if he feels that he has not benefitted others as he had earnestly desired, this is precisely the moment to benefit himself, and is perhaps permitted for that very end. Where his usefulness has been obviously great, the true Christian will be humbled by the recollection that he is only an instrument. Where it has been less, the defeat of his hopes offers the best occasion, which he will not fail to use for improving his humility Thus he may always be assured that good has been done somewhere, so that in any case his labour will not have been vain in the Lord. CHAP. XVII. True and False Zeal. His zeal, that indispensable ingredient in the composition of a great character, that quality, without which no great eminence either secular or religious has ever been attained; which is essential to the acquisition of excellence in arts and arms, in learning and piety; that principle without which no man will be able to reach the perfection of his nature, or to animate others to aim at that perfection, will yet hardly fail to mislead the animated Christian, if his knowledge of what is right and just, if his judgment in the application of that knowledge do not keep pace with the principle itself. Zeal, indeed, is not so much an individual virtue as the principle which gives life and colouring, as the spirit which gives grace and benignity, as the temper which gives warmth and energy to every other. It is that feeling which exalts the relish of every duty, and sheds a lustre on the practice of every virtue; which, embellishing every image of the mind with its glowing tints, animates every quality of the heart with its invigorating motion. It may be said of zeal among the vir tues as of memory among the faculties, that though it singly never made a great man, yet no man has ever made himself conspicuously great where it has been wanting. Ir is one of the most important ends of cultivating that self-knowledge which we have elsewhere recommended, to discover what is the real bent of our mind, and which are the strongest tendencies of our character; to discover where our disposition requires restraint, and where we may be safeMany things however must concur before ly trusted with some liberty of indulgence. we can be allowed to determine whether zeal If the temper be fervid, and that fervour be be really a virtue or a vice. Those who are happily directed to religion, the most con- contending for the one or the other, will be summate prudence will be requisite to re- in the situation of the two knights, who meetstrain its excesses without freezing its ener-ing on a cross road, were on the point of gies. fighting about the colour of a cross which If, on the contrary, timidity and diffidence was suspended between them. One insisted be the natural propensity, we shall be in dan- it was gold; the other maintained it was silger of falling into coldness and inactivity ver. The duel was prevented by the interwith regard to ourselves, and into too unre- ference of a passenger, who desired them to sisting a compliance with the requisitions, change their positions. Both crossed over or too easy a conformity with the habits of to the opposite side, found the cross was gold others. It will therefore be an evident on one side, and silver on the other. proof of Christian self-government, when the acknowledged his opponent to be right. Each It may be disputed whether fire be a good ed the execrable Florentine,* when, having or an evil. The man who feels himself cheer- on this occasion invited so many illustrious ed by its kindly warmth, is assured that it is protestants to Paris under the alluring mask a benefit, but he whose house it has just burnt of a public festivity, she contrived to involve down will give another verdict. Not only her guest, the pious queen of Navarre, and the cause, therefore, in which zeal is exert the venerable Coligni in the general mass of ed must be good, but the principle itself must undistinguished destruction. The royal and be under due regulation: or, like the rapidi- pontifical assassins not satisfied with the sin, ty of the traveller who gets into a wrong converted it into a triumph.-Medals were road, it will only carry him so much the fur-struck in honour of a deed which has no parther out of his way; or if he be in the right allel even in the annals of Pagan persecuroad, it will, through inattention, carry him tion. involuntarily beyond his destined point.That degree of motion is equally misleading, which detains us short of our end, or which pushes us beyond it. The apostle suggests a useful precaution by expressly asserting that it is in a good cause,' that we must be zealously affected;' which implies this further truth, that where the cause is not good, the mischief is proportion ed to the zeal. But lest we should carry our limitations of the quality to any restriction of the seasons for exercising it, he takes care to animate us to its perpetual exercise, by adding that we must be always so affected. If the injustice, the intolerance and persecution, with which a misguided zeal has so often afflicted the church of Christ, in its more early periods, be lamented as a deplorable evil; yet the overruling wisdom of Providence educing good from evil, made the very calamities which false zeal occasioned, the instruments of producing that true and lively zeal to which we owe the glorious band of martyrs and confessors, those brightest ornaments of the best periods of the church. This effect, though a clear vindication of that divine goodness which suffers evil, is no apology for him who per petrates it. It is curious to observe the contrary operations of true and false zeal, which though apparently only different modifications of the same quality, are, when brought into contact, repugnant, and even destructive to each other. There is no attribute of the human mind where the different effects of the same principle have such a total opposition: for is it not obvious that the same principle under another direction, which actuates the ty. rant in dragging the martyr to the stake, enables the martyr to embrace it? As a striking proof that the necessity for caution is not imaginary, it has been observed that the Holy Scriptures record more instances of a bad zeal than of a good one. This furnishes the most authoritative argument for regulating this impetuous principle, and for governing it by all those restrictions which a feeling so calculated for good and so capable of evil demands. It was zeal, but of a blind and furious character, which produced the massacre on the day of St. Bartholomew;-a day to which the mournful strains of Job have been so Even glory did not content the pernicious plotters of this direful tragedy. Devotion was called in to be The crown and consummation of their crime. The blackest hypocrisy was made use of to It was this exterminating zeal which made his youth, worse in the superstition of his the fourteenth Louis, bad in the profligacy of age, revoke the tolerating edict which might One species of crime was called on, in his have drawn down a blessing on his kingdom. days of blind devotion, to expiate another committed in his days of mad ambition.But the expiation was even more intolerable than the offence. The havoc made by the sword of civil persecution was a miserable atonement for the blood which unjust aggression had shed in foreign wars. It was this impious and cruel zeal which inspired the monk Dominick, in erecting the most infernal tribunal which ever inventive bigotry projected to dishonour the Christian name, and with which pertinacious barbarity has continued for above six centuries, to af flict the human race. For a complete contrast to this pernicious back into remote history, nor abroad into zeal we need not, blessed be God, travel distant realms. This happy land of civil and religious liberty can furnish a countless catwell directed zeal. Not to swell the list, we alogue of instances of a pure, a wise, and a will only mention that it has in our own age, produced the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, the British and Foreign Bible Society, and the abolition of the African slave trade. Three as noble, and which will, we trust, be as lasting monuments as ever well applied. Let that day perish. Let it not be joined to the days of the year. Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it.'It was a zeal the most bloody, combined with + See Thuanus for a most affecting and exact ac a perfidy the most detestable, which inflam-count of this direful massacre. *Catherine de Medici. national virtue erected to true piety. These fighting a windmill, when we fancy we are are institutions which bear the genuine stamp attacking a fort. We must prove not only of Christianity, not originating in party, whether the thing contended for be right, but founded in disinterestedness, and compre-whether it be essential; whether in our eahending the best interests of almost the gerness to attain this subordinate good we whole habitable globe, without partiality may not be sacrificing, or neglecting, things and without hypocrisy.' of more real consequence. Whether the value we assign to it may not be even imaginary. Why we hear so much in praise of zeal from a certain class of religious characters, is partly owing to their having taken up a notion, that its acquired exertions relate to the care of other people's salvation rather than to their own; and indeed the casual prying into a neighbour's house, though much more entertaining, is not near so troublesome as the constant inspection of one's own. It is observable that the outcry against zeal among the irreligious is raised on nearly the same ground, as the clamour in its favour by these professors of religion. The former suspect that the zeal of the religionist evaporates in censuring their impiety, and in ea gerness for their conversion, instead of being directed to themselves. This supposed anxiety they resent, and give a practical proof of their resentment by resolving not to profit by it. Two very erroneous opinions exist, re specting zeal. It is commonly supposed to indicate a want of charity, and the two principles are accused of maintaining separate interests. This is so far from being the case, that charity is the firm associate of that zeal of which it is suspected to be the enemy.Indeed, this is so infallible a criterion by which to try its sincerity, that we should be apt to suspect the legitimacy of the zeal which is unaccompanied by this fair ally. Another opinion equally erroneous is not a little prevalent-that where there is much zeal there is little or no prudence. Now a sound and sober zeal is not such an idiot as to neglect to provide for its own success; and would that success be provided for, without employing for its accomplishment, every precaution which prudence can suggest?True zeal, therefore, will be as discreet as it is fervent, well knowing that its warmest efforts will be neither effectual, nor lasting without those provisions which discretion alone can make. No quality is ever possessed in perfection where its opposite is wanting; zeal is not Christian fervour, but animal heat, if not associated with charity and prudence. Zeal indeed, like other good things, is frequently calumniated because it is not under stood; and it may sometimes deserve censure, as being the effervescence of that weak but well meaning mind which will defeat the efforts not only of this, but of every other good propensity. That most valuable faculty therefore of intellectual man, the judgment, the enlightened, impartial, unbiassed judgment, must be kept in perpetual activity, not only in order to ascertain that the cause be good, but to determine also the degree of its importance in any given case, that we may not blindly assign an undue value to an inferior good: for want of this discrimination we may be Above all, we should examine whether we do not contend for it chiefly because it happens to fall in with our own humour, or our own party, more than on account of its intrinsic worth; whether we do not wish to distinguish ourselves by our pertinacity, and to append ourselves to the party rather than to the principle; and thus, as popularity is often gained by the worst part of a man's character, whether we do not principally persist from the hope of becoming popular. The favourite adage that le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle, might serve as an appropriate motto to one half of the contentions which divide and distract the world. This zeal, hotly exercised for mere circumstantials, for ceremonies different in themselves, for distinctions rather than differences, has unhappily assisted in causing irreparable separations and dissentions in the Christian world, even where the champions on both sides were great and good men.Many of the points which have been the sources of altercation were not worth insisting upon, where the opponents agreed in the grand fundamentals of faith and practice. But to consider zeal as a general question, as a thing of every day experience. He whose piety is most sincere will be likely to be the most zealous But though zeal is an indication, and even a concomitant of sincerity, a burning zeal is sometimes seen where the sincerity is somewhat questionable. For where zeal is generated by ignorance it is commonly fostered by self-will. That which we have embraced through false judgment we maintain through false bonour.Pride is generally called in to nurse the offspring of error. It is from this confederacy that we frequently see those who are perversely zealous for points which can add nothing to the cause of Christian truth, whether they are rejected or retained, cold and indifferent about the great things which involve the salvation of man. Though all momentous truths, all indispensable duties, are, in the luminous volume of inspiration, made so obvious that those may read who run; the contested matters are not only so comparatively little as to be by no means worthy of the heat they excite, but are rendered so doubtful, not in themselves, but by the opposite systems built on them, that he who fights for them is not always sure whether be be right or hot; and if he carry his point he can make no moral use of his victory. This indeed is not his concern. It is enough that he has conquered. The importance of the object having never depend. ed on its worth, but on the opinion of his right to maintain that worth. The Gospel assigns very different degrees our repentance, additional vigour to our resoof importance to allowed practices and com-lutions, and will impart augmented energy to manded duties. It by no means censures every virtue. It will give life to our devothose who were rigorous in their payment of tions, and spirit to all our actions. the most inconsiderable tythes; but seeing When a true zeal has fixed these right afthis duty was not only put in competition fections in our own hearts, the same princiwith, but preferred before, the most impor-ple will, as we have already observed, make tant duties, even judgment, mercy and faith, the flagrant hypocrisy was pointedly censured by MEEKNESS itself. This opposition of a scrupulous exactness in paying the petty demand on three paltry herbs, to the neglect of the three cardinal Christian virtues, exhibits as com, lete and instructive a specimen of that frivolous and false zeal which, evaporating in trifles, wholly overlooks those grand points on which hangs eternal life, as can be conceived 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 itsel 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 consequent This passage serves to corroborate a striking fact, that there is scarcely in scripture any precept enforced, which has not some actual exemplification attached to it. The historical parts of the Bible, therefore, are o inestimable value, were it only on this single ground, that the appended truths and principles so abundantly scattered through them, are in general so happily illustrated by them. They are not dry aphorisms and cold propositions, which stand singly, and disconnected, ly stir us up to exert all our influence to the but truths suggested by the event, but pre-extension of religion, to the advancement of cepts growing out of the occasion. The re- every well concerted and well conducted collection of the principles recalls to the plan, calculated to enlarge the limits of humind the instructive story which they enrich. man happiness, and more especially to prowhile the remembrance of the circumstance mote the eternal interests of human kind. impresses the sentiment upon the heart. Thus But if we do not first strennously labour the doctrine, like a precious gem, is at once for our own illumination, how shall we prepreserved and embellished by the narrative sume to enlighten others! It is a dangerous being made a frame in which to enshrine it. presumption, to busy ourselves in improving True zeal will first exercise itself in earn-others, before we have diligently sought our est desires, in increasing ardour to obtain own improvement. Yet it is a vanity not higher degrees of illumination in our own uncommon that the first feelings, be they minds; in fervent prayer that this growing true or false, which resemble devotion, the light may operate to the improvement of our first faint ray of knowledge which has imperpractice, that the influences of divine grace | may become more outwardly perceptible by the increasing correctness of our habits; that everv holy affection may be followed by its correspondent act, whether of obedience or of resignation, of doing, or of suffering. fectly 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 we have so repeatedly recommended 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 opinions and practices of others, True Christian zeal will always be known yet this, when not done with a bustling kind by its distinguishing and inseparable properof interference, and offensive forwardness, is ties. It will be warm indeed, not from temproper and useful. It is indeed a natural ef nerament but principle. It will be humble, fect of zeal to appear where it exits, as a fire or it will not be Christian zeal.—It will rewhich really burns will not be prevented strain its impetrosity that it may the more from emitting both light and heat; yet we effectually promote its object.-It will be should labour principally to keep up in our temperate, softening what is strong in the own minds the pious feelings which religion act by gentleness in the manner. It will be has excited there. The brightest flame will tolerating, willing to grant what it would itdecay if no means are used to keep it alive. self desire.-It will be forbearing, in the Pure zeal will cherish every holy affection, hope that the offence it censures may be ocand by increasing every pious disposition will casional failing, and not a habit of the mind. animate us to every duty. It will add new-It will be candid, making a tender allowforce to our hatred of sin, fresh contrition to ance for those imperfections which beings, CHAP. XVIII. fallible themselves, ought to expect from human infirmity. It will be reasonable-employing fair argument and affectionate re- Insensibility to Eternal Things. monstrance, instead of irritating by the adoption of violence, instead of mortifying by the INSENSIBILITY to eternal things, in beings assumption of superiority. who are standing on the brink of eternity, He, who in private society allows himself is a madness which would be reckoned in violent anger, or unhallowed bitterness, among prodiges, if it were not so common. or acrimonious railing, in reprehending the It would be altogether incredible, if the numfaults of another, might, did his power keep berless instances we have of it were only repace with his inclination, have recourse to lated, and not witnessed, were only heard of, other weapons. He would probably banish and not experienced. and burn, confiscate and imprison, and think then as he thinks now, that he is doing God service. a If there be any quality which demands clearer sight, a tighter rein, a stricter watch fulness than another, zeal is that quality. The heart where it is wanting has no eleva tion; where it is not guarded, no security. The prudence with which it is exercised is the surest evidence of its integriy; 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. If we had a certain prospect of a great estate, and a splendid mansion which we knew must be ours in a few days; and not only ours as a bequest, but an inheritance; not only as a possession, but a perpetuity; if, in the mean time, we rented. on a precarious lease, a paltry cottage in bad repair, ready to fall, and from which we knew we must at all events soon be turned out, depending on the proprietor's will, whether the ejectment might not be the next minute; would it argue wisdom or even common sense, totally to overlook our near and noble reversion, and to be so fondly attached to our falling But if tempered by charity, if blended with tenement, as to spend great part of our time benevolence, if sweetened by kindness, if and thoughts in supporting its ruins by props, evinced to be honest by its influence on your To be so absorbed in the little sordid pleas and concealing its decays by decorations? own conduct, and gentle by its effect on your manners, it may lead your irreligious acures of this frail abode, as not even to cultiquaintance to inquire more closely in what vate a taste for the delights of the mansion, consists the distinction between them and where such treasures are laid up for us, and you. You will already by this mildness have on the possession of which we fully reckon won their affections. Your next step may inconsideration, which must be seen to be in spite of our neglect,-this is an excess of be to gain over their judgment They may be led to examine what solid grounds of difference subsists between you and them What substantial reason you have for not go ing their lengths. What sound argument they can offer for not going yours. credited. It is a striking fact, that the acknowledged make sure of every thing depending on it, uncertainty of life drives worldly men to except their eternal concerns. It leads them But it may possibly be asked, after all, to be regular in their accounts, and exa tin where do we perceive any symptoms of this their bargains. They are afraid of risking inflammatory distemper? Should not the ever so little property, on so precarious a prevalence, or at least the existence of a dis-tenure as life, without ensuring a reversion. ease be ascertained previous to the applica. There are even some who speculate on the tion of the remedy? That it exists is suffi- uncertainty of life as a trade. Strange, that ciently obvious, though it must be confessed this accurate calculation of the duration of that among the higher ranks it has not hith-life should not involve a serious attention to erto spread very widely; nor is its progress its end! Strange, that the critical annuitant likely to be very alarming, or its effects very should totally overlook his perpetuity! malignant. It is to be lamented that in ev- Strange, that in the prudent care not to risk ery rank indeed, coldness and indifference, a fraction of property, equal care should not carelessness and neglect, are the reigning be taken to risk eternal salvation! epidemics. These are diseases far more dif We are not supposing flagitious characters, ficult of cure; diseases not more dangerous remarkable for any thing which the world to the patient than distressing to the physi calls wicked: we are not supposing their cian, who generally finds it more difficult to wealth obtained by injustice, or increased by raise a sluggish habit than to lower an occa- drawn aside from God, by the alluring baits oppression. We are only supposing a soul sional heat. The imprudently zealous man, if he be sincere, may, by a discreet regi- of a world, which, like the treacherous love men, be brought to a state of complete sani- of Atalanta, causes him to lose the victory by ty; but to rouse from a state of morbid indif- throwing golden apples in his way. ference, to brace from a total relaxation of shining baits are obtained, but the race is the system, must be the immediate work of the great Physician of souls; of him who can effect even this, by his spirit accompanying this powerful word, 'Awake thou that sleep est, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.' lost! The To worldly men of a graver cast, business may be as formidable an enemy as pleasure is to those of a lighter turn: Business has so sober an air that it looks like virtue, and vir tuous it certainly is, when carried on in a proper spirit, with due moderation, and in |