But most of what concerns this Matter, being already fettled by Law, I will not be fo bold as to meddle in it; and therefore I proceed to the Third Head of my Discourse.

III. The Third Thing I told you we might obferve from this Text, was this, The Apostle's tacit Reprehenfion of the Jewish Zeal upon this account, that it was not according to Knowledge.

The Ufe I make of this is, that from hence we may be able to gather to ourselves a true Rule for the governing our Zeal in Matters of Religion, and likewife for the judging in others what Zeal is commendable, and what is not.

For be our Zal of God never fo great, yet if it be not a Zeal according to Knowledge, it is not the right Chriftian Zeal. And though we fee others never fo fervent and vehement in purfuing a Religious Caufe, and that too out of Confcience; yet if this Zeal of theirs be not according to Knowledge, it is a Zeal that justly deserves to be reproved. And though both we and they may, for our Sincerity in God's Caufe, expect fome Allowances, both from God and Man, yet neither they nor we can juftify it, either to God or Man, that we are thus foolish and ignorantly Zealous.

I wish this Mark of right Zeal, that it ought to be according to Knowledge, were more confidered: For it feems not often to be thought on by thole that are moft zealous in their Way, of what Perfuafion foever they be. This fame Bufinefs of Knowledge, is a Thing that is most commonly forgot to be taken in as an Ingredient or Companion of Zeal, in most fort of Profeffors.

Profeffors. For as the World goes, thofe Meri are generally found to be the greatest Zealots, who are most notoriously Ignorant. Whereas true Zeal should not only proceed from true Knowledge, but should also be always accompanied with it, and governed by it.

But, what is it to have a Zeal according to Knowledge? What doth this Character of jufti. fiable right Zeal contain in it? I answer, It muft at least contain in it these Five following Things.

·First, To have a Zeal according to Knowledge, doth import, that we be not mistaken, as to the Matter of our Zeal; that it be a good Caufe, that we are zealous about. And fince it is Leal for God, that we are here fpeaking of, it must be something wherein our Duty is concerned, that must be the Object of our Zeal.

So that a right Zeal for God implies, that we do fo well inform ourselves of the Nature of our Religion, as not to pretend a Religious Zeal, for any thing that is not a part of our Religion. If our Zeal for God, be as it should be, it must certainly exprefs itself in Matters that are Good; about fuch Objects as God hath made to be our Duty. It is good (faith St. Paul) to be always zealously affected in a good Matter. But if we mistake in our Caufe, if we take that for Good which is Evil, or that for Evil which is Good, here our Zeal is not according to Knowledge.

Secondly, As the Object of our Zeal must be according to Knowledge, fo alfo the Principle from whence our Zeal proceeds, must be ac

cording

cording to Knowledge alfo: That is to fay, We must have solid and rational Grounds to proceed upon in our Concernment for any Thing; fuch as will not only fatisfie ourselves, but all others that are unbyaffed in a Word, fuch as we can justifie to all the World.

If it be every Man's Duty, (as St. Peter tells us it is) to be ready to give an Answer to every one that asketh him a Reafon, or of the Hope that is in him, then I am fure, it is much more every Man's Duty to be able to give a Reason of the Zeal that is in him. Because this Bufinefs of a Man's Zeal doth more affect the Publick, and is of greater Concernment to it, than what a Man's private Faith or Hope is.

But yet how little is this confidered by many zealous Men among us? Some are zealous for a Point to ferve an Intereft or a Faction. But this is not to be owned as the Ground and Reason of Zeal; for indeed, if it should, it would not be allowed of. Others are zealous, for no other Reafon, but because they find their Teachers, or those they moft converfe with, are fo. They follow the common Cry, and examine no more of the Matter. Others, indeed, have a Principle of Zeal beyond all this; for they are moved from within, to ftand up for this or the other Caufe; they have Impulfes upon their Minds, which they cannot refift: But that, in Truth, is no more a juftifiable Ground of any Man's Zeal, than either of the former. For if thefe Motions and Impulses that they speak of, be from God, there will certainly be conveyed along with them, VOL. I.

X

fuch

fuch Reasons and Arguments for the Thing that they are to be zealous about, as will, if they be declared, fatisfie and convince all other rea fonable Men, as well as themselves. For it is a ridiculous Thing to imagine, that God at this Day, doth move or impel Men in any other way, than what is agreeable to the Reafon of Mankind, and the Rule of his holy Word. And if the Man's Zeal can be justified by either of thefe, there is no need of vouching Inspirations for it.

Thirdly, As the Zeal which is according to Knowledge, hath a good Matter for its Object, and proceeds from a right Principle; fo it is alfo regular as to the Measures of it. He that hath it, is careful that it doth not exceed its due Bounds, as the Ignorant Zeal often doth; but he diftinguisheth between the feveral Objects he is zealous for, and allows every one of them juft fo great a Concernment as the Thing is worth, and, no more. If the Thing be but a fmall Matter, he is but in a small mea fure concerned for it: If it be of greater Moment, he believes he may be allowed to be the more carneft about it. But he looks upon it as a rafh and foolish Thing, and an Effect of great Ignorance or Weakness, to be hot and eager for all Things alike. We fhould account him not many Degrees removed from a Child or an Ideot, that upon the Cut of a Finger, fhould as paffionately complain and cry out for Help, as if he had broken a Limb. Why juft the fame Folly and Childishness it is, to make a mighty bustle about small Mat

ters,

ters, which are of no Confequence, in which neither Religion nor the Publick Peace, are much concerned; as if indeed our Lives and Souls were in Danger. It therefore becomes all prudent and fober Men to take Care, that their Zeal do not spend itself in little Things; that they be not too paffionate, and earnest, and vehement for Things that are not worth much contending for. If we lay a greater Weight upon a Caufe than it will bear, and fhew as much Warmth and Paffion for small Matters, as if the Fundamentals of our Faith were at Stake, we are zealous indeed, but not according to Knowledge.

Fourthly, The Zeal that is according to Knows ledge, is always attended with hearty Charity. It is not that bitter Zeal which the Apostle fpeaks of, which is accompanied with Hatred and Envy, and perverse Disputings: But it is kind, and fociable, and meek, even to Gainfayers. It is that Wisdom which is from above; that is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be intreated. It is a Zeal that loves God and his Truth heartily, and would do all that is poffible to bring Honour and Advancement to them: But at the fame Time it loveth all Men. And therefore in all Things where it expreffes itself, it purely confults the Merits of the Caufe before it, but lets the Perfons of Men alone. It is a certain Argument of an Ignorant and ungoverned Zeal, when a Man leaves his Cause and his Concernment for God's Glory, and turns his Heat upon those that he has to deal with; when he is peevifh and angry with X 2 Men