Tit. 2. 14.

in the Honour of God and the Salvation of Mens Souls are concerned; as when St. Paul tells the Corinthians, that their Zeal bad provoked very 2 Cor, 9. many; and that Christ gave himself for us, to pu-2. rify to himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works; and that he was zealous of the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 11* with a godly Zeal. But in a bad Senfe when ap- 2. plied to a furious Spirit of Perfecution, and to fuch Contentions and Divifions as produce Wrath and ungovernable Paffions. Thus it is faid the Jews were filled with Envy (in the Original, Zeal) A&ts 13. and fpake against those things that were spoken by 45. St. Paul, contradicting and blafpheming: and that the Jews that believed, moved with Envy, (in the Acts 17.5. Original, Zeal) fet all the City in an Uproar. The Gal. 5Works of the Flesh are manifeft, Hatred, Variance, Rom. 10. 19, &c. Zeal, &c. a Zeal for God, but not according to 2. Knowledge.

Q. What is necessary to qualify our Zeal, that it may become a Chriftian Virtue?

A. That it be right in refpect of its Object; that what we contend for be certainly and confiderably good, and that what we oppose be certainly and confiderably evil. That the Measure and Degree of it be proportioned to the good or evil of Things about which it is converfant. And that it be always perfued and prosecuted by lawful and warrantable Means; fince no Zeal for God and his Glory, for his true Church and Religion, will juftify the doing of that which is morally and in itself evil.

Q. When does our Zeal become criminal?

A. When we violently contend for any Doctrine that is erroneous, and are more earnestly concerned for the Externals of Religon, and the Inftruments of Piety, than for folid and fubftan

Pfal. 106.

32, 33.

Exod. 32,

19.

tial Goodnefs which they are defigned to work in us; when it betrays us to the Breach of any of God's Laws in order to promote his Glory, and creates Divifions and Schifms in the Church of Chrift. And when we profecute even Truth itfelf without that Meeknefs and Charity which are effential to the Character of a true Chriftian and we have the more reason to take Care how we govern our Zeal, because Mofes himself, eminent for his Meekness, when zealous for God, at the Waters of Meribah, was fo provoked, that he fpake unadvifedly with his Lips; fo that if our Zeal for God be not well tempered, we may with that great Prophet break the Tables of the Law, and throw them out of our Hands, with Zeal to have them preferved.

Q. What Confiderations are proper to excite our Zeal in the Service of God?

A. The Excellency of the Divine Nature, and the infinite Bounty and Goodness of God towards us. The wonderful Condefcenfion of the Son of God; who ftooped fo low to redeem us, and fuffered fo much to purify to Tit. 2. 14. himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works; The great Importance of working out our Salvation, and the Neceflity of ftriving, if we will enter in at the ftrait Gate. That it is true Wisdom to employ our chief Concern upon Things that are most valuable; and that fuch is the Weakness of our Nature, and the Strength of Temptations, that without conftant Application of Mind, we fhall never be able to attain them. That if we be ftedfaft, unmoveable, and always abounding in the Work of the Lord, our Labour fhall not be in vain in the Lord.

Q. How

Q. How far does Zeal for God extenuate and mitigate the Immorality of any Action?

A. Wicked Things, done out of true Zeal for God, are damnable without Repentance, because the Nature of wicked Actions is not altered by our Perfuafion concerning them; though it may be fome Allay to the Fault of the Person, and may render him more capable of the Mercy of God by Repentance, than if he had done contrary to his Conscience, and the clear Convictions of his own Mind. For it is a much greater Fault to do that which we really believe contrary to our Duty, than ignorantly to tranfgrefs when we are under the Power of an erroneous Confcience. The firft argues, we have a Will to do Evil; the other fhews our Practice to be agreeable to our Judgment; and, though we break God's Law, yet it is with a fincere Intention to ferve him.

Q. How ought we to express our Zeal towards Hereticks and Schifmaticks?

A. By earnest Prayer to God for their Converfion, that he would bring into the Way of Truth all fuch as have erred, and are deceived. By fhewing fuch Kindness to their Perfons as may difpofe them to receive the Impreffion of thofe Arguments that we fhould offer with Meekness for their Recovery. By abstaining from all reproachful and bitter Reflections, which prejudice them against the Truth. By exercifing all Acts of Charity towards them, which is the only Moderation due to thofe that diffent from us, without impairing our own Principles by a mifunderstood Complaifance; for tho' St. Ignatius advises us to be their Brethren in Kindnefs and St. Ignat. Gentleness, yet not to imitate their Ways, but Epift. ad to be Followers of the Lord, and to their Errors Ephef. p.

to

to oppofe Firmness in the Faith. But when they lie under the Cenfures of the Church, we should keep at a Distance from their Conversation, which is but reasonable, that when all Methods have been ufed for their Recovery, we may be careful to avoid any Infection ourselves. As for great Corporal Punishments and Infliction of Death upon thefe Accounts, they appear to me contrary to the Genius of the Chriftian Religion, and inconfiftent with many of the chief Principles of it. For the Gospel of our Saviour engages us to fhew Meeknefs to all Men, and univerfal Love and Good-will even to our Enemies; from whence it must follow, that no Difference of Religion, no Pretence of Zeal for God, can justify a fierce, vindictive and exterminating Spirit.

The PRAYERS.

I.

ForUnity.Almighty God, who haft built thy Church upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jefus Chrift himself being the Head Corner-ftone; grant that all Christians may be fo joined together in Unity of Spirit by their Doctrine, that they may be made an holy Temple, acceptable unto thee, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For true
Piety.

L

II.

ORD of all Power and Might, who art the Author and Giver of all good Things; graft in my Heart the Love of thy Name, increase in me true Religion, nourish me with all Goodness, and of thy great Mercy keep

me

me in the same, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

G

III.

Zeal.

Racious God, who haft endowed me with For true an immortal Soul, grant that I may ap- Chriftian ply my moft ferious Thoughts to work out my own Salvation with Fear and Trembling. Enlighten my Understanding, that I may fee the wondrous Things of y Law; rectify my Will, that I may follow the Rules of Good, and eschew the Ways of Evil; and in all my Actions, fix my Heart entirely upon thy Glory. Let my devout Prayers be offered in Retirements where thine All-feeing Eye only enters. Let my Works of Mercy and Charity be often unknown to be mine, even to thofe that receive the Benefit of them. Make me to consider that the Praife of Men is but a Smoke which vanisheth away, and that thy Favour only is better than Life, and endureth for ever. Teach me heartily to strive that I may enter in at the strait Gate, to fight the good Fight of Faith, and to deftroy the whole Body of Sin. Grant I may be always upon my Guard against my potent and malicious Enemies; and that the fhort Time I have to work, may make me careful to improve it to the best Purposes; and the Uncertainty of all Things here below may call off my Mind from the Objects of fecular Happinefs; that applying myfelf entirely to Devotion and Charity, Juftice and Sobriety, I may be prepared in the Temper and Difpofition of my Mind, for that Happiness which thou haft promifed through the Merits of thy Son Jefus Chrift our Lord. IV. AL

Amen.

E e