SER M.

X.

of Peace, and of Forbearance, which breathes through Every Page of it. And This will ef✅ fectually dispose them, not to judge, or cenfure; much more, not to condemn and injure, opprefs and torment, the Servants of Another Mafter but to leave their Fellow-Servants, in all Matters of Religious Concern, to ftand or fall, by the Judgment of their one common Lord and Master, to whom alone They muft all give an Account for Themselves.

of

Of ZEAL not according to KNOW

LEDGE.

SERMON XI.

ROM. X. 2.

I bear them record, that they have a Zeal of
GOD, but not according to Knowledge.

EAL, (in the usual Acceptation, of the SER M. Word, and as it may be understood in XI. most Places of Scripture,) is a great and Sincere Concern of the Mind for any Thing. And a Zeal of God, is a fervent Concern of the Mind, founded upon a Religious Principle; a Concern for fomething which a Man thinks of Importance to the Honour, or Worship, of God. But the true Notion of Religion, and of the Honour of GOD, has been fo little known in the World; and Superftitious and fond Opinions about his Will, and his Worship, have taken fuch Root in the Hearts of Man

SER M. kind, and been propagated fo from Age to XI. Age; that the Zeal commonly obferved in the World, has been of more Prejudice to true Religion, and the Honour of God, than the greateft Indifference and Coldness could have been. So ready human Nature has always been to mistake, in such weighty Matters; and to turn the Virtues and Duties of Religion into Vices, by their Misunderstandings, and the undue Management of their Paffions.

A Zeal of God is, in itself, a reasonable and commendable Thing. But when Men mistake in the first Principles, and great Fundamentals of Religion; and fix upon the Deity whom they worship Such Attributes and Qualities as are agreeable to their own Fancies or Inclinations; all that they act is out of the right Way: and their Zeal degenerates into a fuperftitious Fury, and a mere Madness; being not guided by Reason, nor built upon a true Understanding of the Nature of Religion. Thus St. Paul obferves, in the Text, that the Jews, even whilst they rejected and perfecuted Christianity, and adhered to Juftification by their own Law, had a Religious Zeal: but He obferves, alfo, that it was not according to Knowledge; not accompanied with Understanding, or built upon a right Apprehenfion of Matters.

And

And that We, whilft we have a Zeal of SER M. God, and a Concern for what we account Reli- XI. gion, may not fall into the fame Condemna-m tion; it will be proper for Us to spend some Thoughts upon this Subject. And, in order to do this with Advantage, I propose these following Things:

I. To fhew When it is that a Religious Zeal is not according to Knowledge.

II. To lay down the best Rule I can, for regulating our Religious Zeal.

III. To offer fome Motives, in order to our avoiding that Religious Zeal, which is not according to Knowledge.

I. I fhall endeavour to fhew When it is that a Religious Zeal is not according to Knowledge. And, I think, this may be determined, 1. By the Degree of our Zeal, which ought always to be proportioned to the Value of the Object of it. 2. By the Methods in which it

fhews itself. give Life to it.

And 3. By the Motives which

1. A Religious Zeal is not according to Knowledge, when the Object of it is not what it ought to be. Nay, It is Abfurd and Foolish; a Contradiction to All Reason and Understanding; when is employed upon what does

SER M. not deserve any Part of our Regard.

XI.

As We are made Reasonable Creatures, We are obliged to act as Such. And therefore, When Men regulate and fettle their Religious Zeal, for their own private Conduct, which is a Matter of great Moment to them; it ought to be done with the most mature Deliberation, and upon the best Grounds; with Regard to nothing, but what is of real Weight in the Balance of Reafon, and of the Gospel. Otherwife, They may unhappily come to lay out the Strength and Vigour of their Souls upon what cannot profit them; upon what cannot carry forward the great Affair of their Salvation in another World; and to found their warmest Expectations of God's Favour, and Happinefs, upon infignificant Trifles. And then, All their Concern for them, the more Vigorous and Paffionate it is, the more Abfurd it will be alfo. It may be a Religious Zeal, indeed: but it will be, not according to Knowledge, or Underfstanding.

And as the Degree of our Zeal ought to be proportioned by the Value of it's several Objects; it is evident That Our Religious Zeal is not according to Knowledge, when We fhew more Zeal for fome Matters of Little Confideration, than we do for Those of much more Moment, and of greater Importance to us. All Men who believe any Thing

I