unpeopled Cities, trampled upon Law and Liberty, and like a devouring Flame, laid all wafte before it: Nothing is fo fierce, nothing fo cruel. Our Saviour tells his Disciples, that the Time was coming, that John 16. 2. whofoever fhould kill them would think he did God Service. And St. Paul gives us a, very fad Account of himself upon this Score, before his Converfion, in the 26th Chap. of the Acts, at the 9th Verfe, 1 verily thought that I ought to do many Things contrary to the Name of Jefus of Nazareth which Thing I also did in Jerufalem, and many of the Saints did 1 fhut up in Prifon, having received Authority from the Chief Priefts, and when they were put to Death, I gave my Voice against them, and I punished them oft in every Synagogue, and compelled them to blafpheme, and being exceedingly mad against them, I perfecuted them even to ftrange Cities. Here is blind Zeal exemplified to the Life; and if we would see it painted in yet stronger Colours, we need only take a View of the Inquifitions, Maffacres, Affaffinations, Plots, Racks, and Flames, which are the great Inftruments of Perfuafion with the Church of Rome. These are her Arguments to make Men wifer and better; and win them

to the Belief of that Religion, which teaches Gentleness, Mercy and Charity, beyond all other Religions in the World. It is therefore abfolutely requisite that Zeal be enlightned and directed by Knowledge, both of the Goodness of the Object, and Lawfulness of the Means, or otherwise it becomes one of the most dangerous Vices, and is like a Weapon in the Hand of a mad Man; and this is the Idea St. Paul gives of it, when speaking in the Place juft mentioned of his own extravagant Zeal, he fays, he was exceedingly mad.

3dly, Zeal fhould be always directed by Prudence. For it is a Paffion naturally impatient, and apt to proceed precipitantly and incautiously, without mature Counsel, and waiting for the fittest Opportunities, by which means it often defeats its own Ends, or in doing a little Good, will at the fame Time do a great deal of Harm.

We have a Sample of imprudent Zeal in St. Peter, when upon our Saviour's Apprehenfion he drew his Sword, and wounded the Servant of the High Prieft. It was a very rash and paffionate Attempt, to commit fuch an Outrage in the midst of a Mul

titude,

titude, of Enemies, for he could never hope to rescue his Mafter by that weak Effort, but might reasonably expect some fatal Confequences immediately to follow it.

The fame Imprudence appeared in the Zeal of the two Difciples, James and John, when they propofed to call down Fire from Heaven upon the City of Samaria, because the People would not admit our Saviour to come among them. But as well meant as the Zeal in both these Cases might be, yet the Parties did not escape without a sharp Reprimand from their Master,

I might bring a later Inftance of an unfortunate Prince, whose imprudent Zeal and Bigottry pushed on his Measures for establishing Popery and Slavery in these Kingdoms, with fuch Precipitancy as happily defeated his own Designs.

Prudence therefore is abfolutely neceffary for conducting Zeal, as it will make use of the fittest Opportunities, and will wait patiently till Things are ripe for Execution, and will direct how far to proceed, and where to stop, and how to vary Measures according as Circumftances fhall require. It will look to the remoteft Confequences, and

take

take Care not to do Harm in one Place, while it is doing Good in another.

And it will ever choose the gentleft and most inoffensive Methods for obtaining its End.

In fhort, fuch is the Nature of Zeal, that if Prudence does not hold the Rudder, it will run blindfold into Difficulties and Dangers, and be forced to retreat with Lofs and Shame; especially when the Means it uses are unwarrantable, which well meaning Zeal has not fometimes fcrupled to do.

For thefe Reasons Zeal fhould never be trufted alone, but should go Hand in Hand with Prudence: So that the happiest Thing that can befal a weak and imprudent Man is to have a Spice of Stupidity and Indolence mixed up in his Constitution.

4thly, The laft effential Property of virtuous Zeal is, that it must be tempered with Charity.

I

St. Paul in the 13th Chap. of 1 Cor. enumerates the excellent Properties of this Virtue, and fhews the admirable Influences and Effects of it in human Life; but I will ventue to say that it is in no one fingle Inftance so useful and neceffary as in that I am speaking of;

for

for Zeal is a Paffion that is naturally too apt to turn four, and run into Prejudices and Averfions, and there is nothing like Charity to sweeten and correct it. When it inclines to be cruel, Charity foftens it, and blunts the Edge of its Severity. When it begins to be furious and unmanageable, Charity fooths it, and brings it to be gentle and good natured.

If it offers to be cenforious, a Fault too incident to Zeal, Charity is at Hand to put the most favourable Conftructions, and present the best Side of our Neighbour to view.

These are the good Properties of Charity described by the Apoftle in thofe Terms, That it beareth all Things, believeth all Things, and hopeth all Things, Verse 7 of the foregoing Chapter. And happy it is for Zeal, that there is fuch a Virtue as Charity, for Zeal is naturally subject to many Distempers, and Charity brings with her a fovereign Cure for all of them; indeed fo useful and neceffary is fhe, that without her Cultivation, Zeal would grow rank and poisonous, and fit only to be rooted out of human Nature.

These