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we ought to degrade and to disfranchise of persons are all prudence without zeal. all who hold that system. This zeal may Those to whom I now allude, are chiefly be very sincere, but it is not zeal accord- young persons: they are all alive to the ing to knowledge. I believe that the sys-power and excellency of the gospel; their tem of popery is bad-that it is prejudi- ordinary judgment and feelings are laid cial to the spread of knowledge and the aside; they see religion as the one thing cause of true religion-that we should do needful. And in the struggles of their all we can to beat it down-and that it is souls to escape the evil which threatens wrong for any man to be cold or chary in them; and in their desires to obtain the acting against it: still, it comes clearly to salvation which has been wrought out for my mind, that this does not form a disquali- them; and in their anxiety to snatch others fication for the enjoyment of civil privi- from the ruin which awaits them; and in leges; and that zeal against the system is the alacrity with which they proceed in not incompatible with a willingness for the course of obedience; and in the joy the increase of those privileges; and that with which they look forward to the glory this extension of their privileges is the which awaits them;—there is a warmth very way to do them good, to open their and impetuosity of feeling which makes minds, and to remove those barriers which them wonder how any who feel what they have hitherto prevented free inquiry. feel, and know what they know, and who What is perilous at one time may be safe see what they see, should set any bounds at another; and I believe that our zeal to their zeal. While we rejoice in all against the system shall be greater and these, as proofs of real religion, we yet more effective, by granting an extension wait earnestly for the period when their of civil liberties to men who have been zeal shall become tempered with pruunder the influence of early prejudices dence, which shall be at once their safeand education, and who have too fre- guard and their impetus, and enable them quently been borne down by the ungener- effectually to accomplish the very object ous restrictions of a selfish policy. In which they propose. saying this, I mean no offence: I only crave the liberty which I grant to others. I only contend that our zeal in religion, must be zeal according to knowledge; and that in order to have it according to knowledge, we must go to the Scriptures, which alone can enlighten. For want of this, we find men zealous in asserting dogmas which have no foundation but in their own heated fancies; and which have no more resemblance to truth than the most absurd fictions of pagan mythology. If any of you, my brethren, have hith-it with all humility, and practice it with erto been zealous without light, be zealous now, and repent. Examine the Scriptures; and let your zeal be directed to a worthy end, and exerted in the use of suitable means: then shall it be useful to yourselves, and useful to all around.

We should be careful to adopt those measures which are best in themselves, and most likely to accomplish the object we propose. This is what we call PRUDENCE. Prudence does not damp our zeal, but enables us better to accomplish our own object. It teaches us to bring our zeal into action at those times which are most seasonable; and in that manner which is most likely to produce the greatest quantity of good. And as it teaches this, and nothing else, we should cultivate

all diligence. It is said of the good man, that "he will guide his affairs with discretion;" and surely, if he should do this in all his concerns, he should do it especially in religion. It was predicted of Christ, whose zeal was so strong that it was said to consume him, that he should “deal_ prudently;" and it is added, “ he LIGIOUS ZEAL.—I am well aware that many shall be exalted, and extolled, and be very Christian people are afraid of this; they high;" and what was thus his own conare afraid that it springs from indifference duct, he presses on his followers. Soloto the great cause. They are all zeal mon, who was a very wise man, has said, without prudence; just as another class" Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee:

III. THERE MUST BE PRUDENCE IN THE EXERCISE AND MANIFESTATION OF OUR RE

he that reproveth a scorner, getteth to himself shame." And a greater than Solomon has said, "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine; lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." Persecution is what the Christian is told he must expect; and he sometimes seems more ready to cope with it than avoid it, lest any should doubt his sincerity. But Jesus Christ has taught us that we should not provoke this, nor avoid the ordinary means of safety. "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men. When they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another." The Christian feels deeply concerned for the honour of God, and is sometimes ready to imagine that the profane and the wicked should be swept away by an act of violence: but Christ did not so; and lest his followers should desire to go into the field to gather out the tares, he has said, "Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them."

The zeal of Paul was great: it led him to meet every hazard-to encounter every danger; he was "instant in season, out of season ;" he stood constantly prepared to make a sacrifice of his life. Yet he was prudent; he practised himself what he advised ;—“ Walk in wisdom toward them that are without ;"-" Let not your good be evil spoken of;"-cautions these, which, while they check no zeal, are salutary to those who, if they did not act so, would be less excellent in themselves, and less useful to others. You cannot be too zealous in obtaining personal religion; but at the same time you cannot be too prudent in the means you adopt to promote it; and at the same time that this will enable you to abound in all the fruits of righteousness, it will cause you to be instrumental in making others safe and happy.

IV. THE EXERCISE OF CHRISTIAN ZEAL MUST ALWAYS CONSIST WITH MORAL INTEGRITY.-We said at the first that you cannot be too zealous to obtain religion; and this particular may seem to contradict it.

But we spake of true religion; and if in your zeal you act contrary to moral integrity, it is not true religion: you may think so, but you mistake. True religion embraces the whole will of God; and, as moral and responsible agents, it is not more necessary that we should seek a lawful end, than that we should seek the gaining of that end by lawful means. It is never right to do wrong that good may come. Christianity in our own hearts cannot be supported by that which is in itself contrary to its own nature and object. A deliberate or systematic disobedience to any one command of God, is contrary to the very design of the holy God who gave us his gospel to make us holy. We must "abstain from all appearance of evil," and do that which is pleasing in the sight of God.

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A striking instance of this false zeal is furnished by the conduct of the Pharisees, in the days of our Lord. Ye say, whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, it is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, and honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free." These men were very zealous in making vows as to the temple of God, and in devoting property to that effect; but at the same time they kept back that which was due to the support of their parents, and thus brake the fifth commandment. Lord would commend love and zeal manifested to his house; but he condemned it when done at the expense of duty. He could not but be displeased at their pretending to please him by what was diametrically opposed to his will: and had the Pharisees been acquainted with the word of God; had they depended less on the traditions of men and the teachings of the scribes, and more on the pure word of God;-they had not so mistaken, nor pretended to honour God, while they disobeyed his will. This is one instance only; but it contains the principle we would impress upon you. Christ has here taught us that our zeal is unsound and unavailing, when it prosecutes its objects by wrong means. It is not excessive, but altogether wrong; it is not zeal for true religion. It requires, not to be regulated in its ardour, but to be changed

in its object. To please God by break-ever bad things seem at present. By the

ing his will, and to save the soul by an act of disobedience, is one of the strangest ideas that can possibly enter into the mind of man.

If you, my brethren, have had such a zeal; if, you have disregarded honesty and sincerity in search of religion; if you have acted under the influence of the sentiment, that "we may do evil that good may come;" if, under the idea of making the word of God known more extensively, you put up with it something which is not God's word; if, in attempting to promote the truth of God, you resort to means which God does not approve ;-0, "be zealous, and repent ;" and be assured, that without this integrity to accompany your zeal, you can never prosper, be the object you aim at never so great and well conceived.

exercise of this disposition, we shall conciliate the hearts we are anxious to win to the obedience of Christ. Charity will sublime our zeal; it will enable us to use the means with greater effect, and bring them to bear on the circumstances and situations of those whom we wish to benefit.

This charity, however, does not require us to mingle the wicked and the righteous; to imagine there is holiness where there is only sin; or to suppose that men are the servants of God, when they are, in fact, the servants of Satan. This would be but imbecility; and it would injure others, because it would lead them to practise, without compunction, the very things they ought to avoid. Some there are, of whom we cannot speak but with aversion, or of their practices but with abhorrence. Here, however, is room for the exercise of charity ; in qualifying the circumstances which have given rise to the evil, and in finding room for aiming at their conversion, whatever may be the nature of their case. And while charity will lead us to pity them, and to aim at their salvation; it will prevent us from confounding with habits what has only originated in mistake, and from keeping at a distance from that which only waits for the exercise of Christian exertion and instruction, to make all proper and Christian. Charity, therefore, so far from checking our zeal, prompts us to the immediate use of proper means, and gives those means their due effect.

V. OUR RELIGIOUS ZEAL MUST BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF CHARITY.—Great things are said of charity; and while to be destitute of it, is to be destitute of the chief ornament of the Christian character; so to have it and to exercise it aright, is to have the heart purified and made meet for God. And charity is of vast importance to religious zeal. If we have it not, we shall take no pains to do good to those around us; if we see them in darkness and in danger, yet, not loving them, we shall make no effort to do them good; whereas, if we have charity towards them, we shall do them all the good we can. And when we are zealous for their good, then charity comes in to mould it into a better form, and to bring about more effec- If we be zealous for religion, we shall tually the end we propose to accomplish. be zealous for charity, which is an essenIf we have not been taught to love God, tial part of true religion. We therefore and to hate sin-to hate sin, because we exhort you, in the exercise of your zeal love him who first loved us; when we for true religion, for the sake of others to meet with those who are opposed to the invest your zeal with charity. I would plans of God and his salvation, we are especially enforce this on those who have apt to think harshly of them, and would, but lately been brought into the ways of by one act, cast them out at once. Such God. You are apt to consider your fora zeal is unworthy the professors of the mer associates as bad persons; you are gospel of Christ. The more sinful and even ready to consider them as outcasts wretched men are, the more anxious from God's favour, and as something too should we be to bring them into the ways vile to be mended or saved. O, my friends, of Christ. We should exercise the consider that it is but a very little while charity that "hopeth all things ;" and since you also were "in the gall of bitterhope that a change may take place, how-ness and in the bond of iniquity;" you

are but just rescued from "the horrible pit, and the miry clay;" and if God had dealt with you as you deserved, you had been plunged into the pit of destruction. It was by no merit of yours that you were saved. Many of you were in the same state as those on whom you now look with supercilious scorn. Think that they, also, may be saved as well as you; and even outstrip you, and be taken to the realms of bliss, while you are struggling, toiling, and fighting, here below! O take heed! Be zealous, be very zealous, to avoid your former evil associates, that with them you may not be carried down the stream of ruin; be zealous, be very zealous, in urging on your course in the path that leads to heaven; but let charity also have its perfect work. Be zealous to save them; be zealous to bestow on them a boon richer far than any other they can receive. Let them see that you love them; give them no proofs of resentment or hostility. So act and speak, that they may see you have not forgotten "the rock from whence you were hewn, and the hole of the pit from which you were digged." Let them see that your "heart's desire and prayer is that they And so with regard to PEACE. There may be saved." Let them see that you is much puling and whining after this in will gladly do all you can to serve them, the world. If by any word or action we consistently with your duty to God. Let break in upon the harmony which is only them see that yours is not the zeal of sus-purchased by what is subversive of divine picion, or of ill will, but the zeal of charity; truth; if we do any thing of this kind, that of which the apostle speaks so beau- they say directly-" O, all this is very tifully, when he says, it "suffereth long, true; the thing is much to be lamented; and is kind; envieth not; vaunteth not-but do not you kindle war among us; itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave let us alone-let us abide in peace!" itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is Brethren; this is not the peace of the not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; gospel: it is the peace of delusion—it is rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the peace of death! This cannot promote the truth; beareth all things, believeth the cause of God in your own souls, nor all things, hopeth all things, endureth all advance the glory of God in the world things." around. "The wisdom that is from above is first pure, THEN peaceable ;" and we are to" follow peace with all men, and holiness;" and, without these, "no man shall see the Lord." "As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel ;" upon those who seek to do his will, and in whom is no guile. Away, then, with

"out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned;"—it regards purity as the object which it is to promote and secure: it is "out of a good conscience,”'-a conscience reneweda conscience trembling at God's worda conscience zealous for his will in all things; and it proceeds from "faith unfeigned,"-faith in the truth of God, on which it places its unalterable reliance. Such is the charity of the gospel; and under the guidance of this, religious zeal assumes its fairest character, and obtains its greatest success. Very different is the charity of the world;—all soft and mild,-a forgiving spirit, a good disposition, and a generous hand. They have no charity but that which, from the fear of doing what is disagreeable, looks on the righteous and the wicked with equal complacency; which, out of kindness to the sinner, encourages, in fact, the sin he has committed; and which, rather than put on a frown which might disturb his happiness, will let him pursue the course of danger; and which, rather than distress him, will let him go on, provided he goes on smiling and happy, to his ruin!

But let me not be misunderstood.-I do not inculcate zeal for charity by itself. It is too much the practice in the world at present to wish for CHARITY and PEACE. But the charity so greatly in vogue is a spurious charity, and not the charity of the gospel of Christ. It is true, indeed, that it "thinketh no evil;" but it is also true that it rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;"-it is charity this false peace, and charity, and zeal! VOL. I.-19

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Be zealous for the truth; "let all your on coming forth to take its place among deeds be done in charity," but remember that truth is the basis on which it should rest. And while you are zealous for peace, let it be in connexion with that truth, without which there can be no peace. Let truth be established; let it be placed on the throne on which it should reign, and then there shall be peace. Then, PEACE is our watch-word: PEACE WITH ALL MEN-PEACE IN ALL THINGS AND PEACE FOR EVER!

DIVINE REVELATION

THERE was a time when each revelation of the word of God had an introduction into this earth, which neither permitted men to doubt whence it came, nor wherefore it was sent. If, at the giving of each several truth, a star was not lighted up in heaven, as at the birth of the prince of Truth, there was done upon the earth a wonder, to make her children listen to the message of their Maker. The Almighty made bare his arm, and, through mighty acts shown by his holy servants, gave demonstration to his truth, and found for it a sure place among the other matters of human knowledge and belief.

But now the miracles of God have ceased, and nature, secure and unmolested, is no longer called on for testimonies to her Creator's voice. No burning bush draws the footsteps to his presence-chamber; no invisible voice holds the ear awake; no hand cometh forth from the obscure to write his purpose in letters of flame. The vision is shut up, and the testimony is sealed, and the word of the Lord is ended; and this solitary volume, with its chapters and verses, is the sum total of all for which the chariot of heaven made so many visits to the earth, and the Son of God himself tabernacled and dwelt among us. The truth which it contains once dwelt undivulged in the bosom of God; and, |

things revealed, the heavens, and the earth, and nature, through all her chambers, gave it reverent welcome. Beyond what it reveals, the mysteries of the future are unknown. To gain it acceptation and currency, the noble army of martyrs testified unto the death. The general assembly of the first-born in heaven made it the day-star of their hopes, and the pavilion of their peace. Its every sentence is charmed with the power of God, and is powerful to the everlasting salvation of souls.-Irving.

HORRORS OF WAR.

WHEN war is awakened, the judgments of God are abroad in the earth. Thus have we seen to-night a people distinguished for their religious privileges, for their prosperity, and for their separation from all other nations, devoted to destruction because of their transgressions. Let us learn, that whenever the sword is permitted to devour, it is to chastise the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. War is horrible in its nature and in its effects. It separates the dearest and the closest connexions of human nature. One battle renders thousands of wives, widows: thousands of children, fatherless: thousands of parents, childless: thousands of spirits ruined beyond redemption! See, pressing into yonder slippery, impurpled field, throngs of all ages, seeking their own among the dead! In this disfigured countenance the child discerns with difficulty the features of his father. In that mangled body dwelt the spirit which was the prop and the glory of yonder silvery head, now bowed down over it in silent, unspeakable sorrow. There the widow washes the wounds of her husband with her tears. And how few of that dreadful list of slaughtered men were fit to die! Surely war was let loose upon the world as a curse, in the just anger of God.Collyer.

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