good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do." Was St Paul's faith therefore incorrect, inoperative and dead? Is it not obvious that any and all systems are to be estimated according to their principles, and not according to the conduct of those who embrace them? Could it therefore be substantiated, that as a class of Christians we want zeal and earnestness, it could only prove our own unworthiness, but would leave untouched the substantial value of our faith.

I next observe that if the general conduct of any class of Christians be no decisive evidence of the value of their religious system, still less is that excitement and fervency of spirit which is commonly denominated zeal. It is certainly no evidence either of real christian attainment, or of the truth, or of the value of religious opinions.

Not, first, of christian attainment. It is worthy of remark, the Scriptures more frequently speak of a bad and perverted, than of a praiseworthy zeal. If undirected. by higher principles, like any other blind excitement of the feelings, it will become a fever of the heart and brain. Instead of diffusing a cheerful and life-inspiring warmth into the soul, it will become a consuming fire. Instead of exciting all the kind and generous affections into a healthy action, it will call to its aid all the fierce and angry passions; passions which will rage yet more relentlessly, that they are summoned at the call of conscience. "I bear them record," says an apostle, "that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge;" and the world has never been without examples of the same ignorant zeal. An excitement of mind on the subject of religion, which leads men, in a disregard of the proprieties of person, place, time, and occasion, to obtrude sacred themes, where they will only be slighted or ridi

culed; an undue attention to the forms and means of religion, with an utter forgetfulness of its substance and end; a narrow and bigoted attachment to some peculiar doctrines, which closes the mind against further light;all these are examples of an uninstructed zeal. And, again, "we may be zealously affected, but not well." Instances are, by no means, rare of what has been emphatically called a "cursed ungodliness of zeal;" a zeal which sins against the primal law of christian charity; a zeal which has trampled upon all the rights of men; the rights of property, person, and life; the right of private judgment; a zeal which has lighted the fires of persecution, and led forth armed hosts to legislate for men's consciences; and to write its creeds on men's hearts with the sword's point. And shall we, with these examples before us, take mere zeal as the criterion of the christian character?

Nor, secondly, is this zeal any decisive, nay, any evidence at all, of the truth of religious opinions. If it were, the criterion of truth would be feeling, passion, and not judgment and reason; and the greater the heat and ferment which could be excited in behalf of any opinions, the greater would be the evidence of their truth. But are any willing to abide by the necessary consequences of a rule like this? If so, let them remember, that Heathens, Pagans, Mahometans, Infidels, must have their claims allowed; for all, if not zealots, have zealots among them, and zeal is the decisive characteristic of truth. Nor may we stop here. There is not a sect in Christendom that has not been surpassed in zeal by the votaries of dark and dreadful superstitions. And are these to be preferred before those humble followers of Jesus, whose zeal is chastised into a more serene and sober fervency?

Nor, thirdly, is this zeal a criterion of the value or importance of religious opinions. It is matter of obvious remark, that men are often most zealous in regard to things of comparatively little moment. There is no stronger confirmation of this, than is furnished by the history of religious controversy. It is a melancholy truth, to which the annals of the church, in almost every age, bear the fullest attestation, that the most intense and heated zeal has ever been called forth in the support and defence of opinions, in themselves, most unimportant. Minute differences in doctrine, trifling ceremonies, disputes concerning outward apparel, the observance of fasts and feast days, these and numberless other subjects as trifling, have excited a zeal which could only be quenched by the outpouring of innocent blood. Human nature scarcely anywhere appears under so humiliating an aspect, as it wears in the pages of ecclesiastical history. Not only do we find there idle theories and empty forms preferred before the plain and solid truths of the gospel, but an excess of zeal enlisted in their support, which is often extravagant in precise proportion to their insignifi

cance.

Mere zeal, then, is no decisive proof, either of the reality of christian attainments, or of the soundness or value of the religious opinions, with which it is allied. What, then, it may be asked, is zeal of no importance in our religious concerns? Is it to be swept from the catalogue of christian motives and influences? Are we not, in express words, required to be "fervent in spirit?" I answer that it is of great and essential importance; that it is to be cherished and cultivated in our inmost hearts; and that without the fervency it inspires we must despair of spiritual strength and growth. But what zeal is thus

important? This is the great question. It is not an excitement of the feelings, which may have more of earth in it than of heaven; not a zeal which is unenlightened and undirected by God's word; not a zeal which disregards the claims and feelings of others; not a zeal which is dogmatical; not a zeal which is intolerant; not a zeal which is exclusive; not a zeal which is pharisaically proud; not a zeal which "stirreth up the city and maketh tumults;"—but a true christian zeal; a zeal which springs from love to God and love to man; a zeal which animated our Saviour and Lord to live and die for a sinful world; a zeal which prompted the holy apostles to pray and weep before God for all men; to endure contempt and persecution, winds and tempests, seas and prisons, mockings and scourgings, fastings and poverty, labors and wretchedness, and finally to bind their brows with the thorny crown of martyrdom, for their sake; a zeal of humility, a zeal of kindness; in a word, a zeal of a true heaven-born christian charity, which beareth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things; of a charity which never faileth.

We do most highly value a zeal like this. We would enlist all our good affections in the service of our religion. We believe they are necessary to give animation to principle and efficacy to good intentions. We fear being so much afraid of the excesses of fanaticism, as not to allow these affections their rightful influence. We should think it a strong objection to any system of faith, that it had no direct tendency to call them into strong and vigorous exercise. We believe, as fully as any can, that it is utterly vain to bow at the shrines of our religion, if we do not lay our hearts upon her altars.

I have been thus circumstantial, perhaps too circumstan

tial, on this part of the subject, because it brings into plain view a sad and wide spread error; and because it indicates and furnishes the proper reply to the objection which I have undertaken to answer. It is often strangely thought, that religious opinions are to be valued by the degree of zeal, good or bad, right or wrong, they are capable of producing, or that can, by any means, be identified with them; and that this zeal sends back upon the opinions themselves, a redeeming and sanctifying influence. Nothing is more common than to hear persons claiming a preference for their religious belief, on account of their zeal in giving, their zeal in proselytizing, their zeal in making individual sacrifices; and it is a claim which too often passes, without examination, as valid. But it is, nevertheless, true, that it is not the quantity of zeal only which is to be taken into the account, but also its nature and effects.

If the foregoing remarks are just, it is obvious, in the first place, that no legitimate inference against the truth or importance of any system of faith can be derived from the conduct of its professors: and secondly, that the mere quantity of zeal which is enlisted by any form of religious faith, or is, by any means conjoined with it, affords no test, either of christian attainment, or of the truth or value of the opinions holden. Though the fact, then, be admitted, that we want that zeal on which some of our christian brethren value themselves, and decry us, the inference from it is lame, null and worthless.

I might safely, it is believed, rest my reply to the objection, under discussion, on these grounds. But the subject demands a wider range of remark. Be it then observed, in the second place, that there are many considerations which modify our zeal, and the expressions