towards perfection. Though in these instances there is not a direct sin, even where the zeal is less wary, yet there is much trouble and some danger: (as if it be spent in the too forward vows of chastity, and restraints of natural and innocent liberties).

7. Zeal may be let loose in the instances of internal, personal, and spiritual actions that are matters of direct duty; as in prayers, and acts of adoration, and thanksgiving, and frequent addresses: provided that no indirect act pass upon them to defile them; such as complacency and opinions of sanctity, censuring others, scruples and opinions of necessity, unnecessary fears, superstitious numberings of times and hours: but let the zeal be as forward as it will, as devout as it will, as seraphical as it will, in the direct address and intercourse with God, there is no danger, no transgression. Do all the parts of your duty as earnestly as if the salvation of all the world, and the whole glory of God, and the confusion of all devils, and that all you hope or desire did depend upon every one action *.

8. Let zeal be seated in the will and choice, and regulated with prudence and a sober understanding, (Rom. x. 2.) not in the fancies and affections; for these will make it full of noise and empty of profit, but that will make it deep and smooth, material and devout.

The sum is this: that zeal is not a direct duty, no where commanded for itself, and is nothing but å forwardness and circumstance of another duty, and

* Lavora come se tu havessi a compar ogni hora: adora come se tu haressi a morir all hora.

(Titus ii. 14. Rev. iii. 16.) therefore is then only acceptable when it advances the love of God and our neighbours, whose circumstance it is. That zeal is only safe, only acceptable which increases charity directly and because love to our neighbour, and obedience to God are the two great portions of charity, we must never account our zeal to be good, but as it advances both these, if it be in a matter that relates to both; or severally, if it relates severally. St. Paul's zeal was expressed in preaching without any offerings or stipend, in travelling, in spending, and being spent for his flock; in suffering, in being willing to be accursed for love of the people of God and his countrymen. Let our zeal be as great as his was, so it be in affections to others, but not at all in anger against them in the first there is no danger; in the second there is no safety. In brief, let your zeal (if it must be expressed in anger) be always more severe against thyself than against others. (2 Cor. vii. 11.)

The other part of Love to God, is Love to our Neighbour, for which I have reserved the paragraph of Alms.

Of the External Actions of Religion.

Religion teaches us to present to God our bodies as well as our souls: for God is the Lord of both: and if the body serves the soul in actions natural and civil and intellectual, it must not be eased in the only offices of religion, unless the body shall expect no portion of the rewards of religion, such as are resurrection, re-union, and glorification. Our bodies are to God a living sacrifice, and to present them to God is holy and acceptable. (Rom. xii. 1).

The actions of the body as it serves to religion, and as it is distinguished from sobriety and justice, either relate to the word of God, or to prayer, or to repentance, and make these kinds of external actions of religion: 1. Reading and hearing the word of God; 2. Fasting and corporeal austerities, called by St. Paul, bodily exercise; 3. Feasting or keeping days of public joy and thanksgiving.

SECT. IV.

Of Reading or Hearing the Word of God. READING and hearing the word of God are but the several circumstances of the same duty; instrumental especially to faith, but consequently to all other graces of the spirit. It is all one to us whether by the eye or by the ear the spirit conveys his precepts to us. If we hear St. Paul saying to us, that [Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge] or read it in one of his epistles; in either of them we are equally and sufficiently instructed. The scriptures read are the same thing to us which the same doctrine was, when it was preached by the disciples of our blessed Lord; and we are to learn of either with the same dispositions. There are many that cannot read the word, and they must take it in by the ear; and they that can read find the same word of God by the eye. It is necessary that all men learn it in some way or other, and it is sufficient in order to their practice that they learn it any way. The word of God is all those commandments and reve

lations, those promises and threatenings, the stories and sermons recorded in the Bible: nothing else is the word of God, that we know of by any certain instrument. The good books and spiritual discourses, the sermons or homilies written or spoken by men, are but the words of men, or rather explications of, and exhortations according to, the word of God: but of themselves they are not the word of God. In a sermon the text only is in a proper sense to be called God's word: and yet good sermons are of great use and convenience for the advantages of religion. He that preaches an hour together against drunkenness with the tongue of men or angels, hath spoken no other word of God but this, [Be not drunk with wine wherein there is excess:] And he that writes that sermon in a book, and publishes that book, hath preached to all that read it a louder sermon than could be spoken in a church. This I say to this purpose, that we may separate truth from error, popular opinions from substantial truths. For God preaches to us in the scripture, and by his secret assistances and spiritual thoughts, and holy mótións: good men preach to us when they by popular arguments and humane arts and compliances expound and press any of those doctrines which God hath preached unto us in his holy word. But,

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1. The Holy Ghost is certainly the best preacher in the world, and the words of scripture the best

sermons.

2. All the doctrine of salvation is plainly set down there, that the most unlearned person, by hearing it

read, may understand all his duty. What can be plainer spoken than this, [Thou shalt not kill. Be not drunk with wine. Husbands love your wives. Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to them.] The wit of man cannot more plainly tell us our duty, or more fully, than the Holy Ghost hath done already.

3. Good sermons and good books are of excellent use: but yet they can serve no other end but that we practise the plain doctrines of scripture.

4. What Abraham in the parable said concerning the brethren of the rich man, is here very proper: they have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them: But if they refuse to hear these, neither will they believe though one should arise from the dead to preach unto them. (Luke xvi. 29, 31.)

5. Reading the holy scriptures is a duty expressly commanded (Deut. xxxi. 13. Luke xxiv. 45. Matt. xxii. 29. Acts xv. 21. Rev. i. 3. 11 Tim. iii. 16.) us, and is called in scripture [Preaching:] All other preaching is the effect of human skill and industry, and although of great benefit, yet it is but an ecclesiastical ordinance; the law of God concerning preaching being expressed in the matter of reading the scriptures, and hearing that word of God, which is, and as it is there described. '

But this duty is reduced to practice in the following rules.

Rules for Hearing or Reading the Word of God. 1. Set apart some portion of thy time, according to the opportunities of thy calling and necessary em