These are the effential Properties of that Zeal which is good and virtuous. But because every Virtue has its Counterfeit, and there is likewise a falfe and a vicious Zeal, I shall proceed in the

2d. Place, to lay down the Characters by which we may certainly know and diftinguish this latter, some of which will help us to judge of our own Zeal, and the others, of our Neighbours.

Ift, That is certainly a false Zeal which is founded in the Principles of Education and Prepoffeffion only. And the Reason is plain, because the Foundation is bad; for it does not spring from Knowledge and Conviction, but from meer Prejudice.

A Man is not born to his Religion, as he to his Eftate; it does not defcend to him by Inheritance, but it must be his free Choice, upon Evidence, and a found Judgment. He must be ready to give to every one that afketh, a Reason of the Hope that is in him; otherwise it is the Religion of his Parents, and his Tutors, but not his And yet we may obferve that the Bulk of Mankind are zealous upon this

own.

Foot;

Foot; and that they who have no better a Reason for their Religion than this, are commonly more violent and furious than thofe, who can give a rational Account of it. It is happy for fuch People that they were born under the best Religion, but it is not their Virtue that they are of it. They would for the fame Reason, have espoused as zealously all the Abfurdities of Popery, and Fooleries of the Alcoran, if either of those Religions had taken the firft Poffeffion of them.

2dly, That is a falfe Zeal which is mofe folicitous about the external and ritual Parts of Religion and Devotion, than the Internal and Spiritual, for the Commandments of Men than for the Ordinances of God. The great and effential Duties of Religion are all of divine Original; the circumftantial and ceremonial Parts are of human Authority. The former have a natural Tendency to improve us in real Goodness, and the very Life and Soul of Virtue confifts in the Performance of them: The latter are appointed purely for Decency and Solemnity in the Worship of God. It is therefore a very blind and mifguided Zeal,

that

that makes more Account of the Inftitutions of Men, than of God, and that prefers the Forms and Circumftances of Religion to the vital and nobler Parts. This is just like the Folly of thofe ill Judges of human Life, who value the Drefs, the Air, and the Gestures of a Man, before his good Senfe, his Wisdom, and his Honesty.

When I obferve a Man to be more devout in keeping an Holiday than the Lord's Day; when I fee him zealous to outdo his Neighbours in the fhewy and ceremonious Parts of divine Worship, I am curious to enquire if his Life and Coverfation be of a Piece with his Devotion; if I find it fo, I can with Pleasure imagine, that it was nothing but the injudicious Overflowings of a warm and affectionate Heart: But if he leaves his Religion at the Church Door; if it does not accompany him to his Shop, to the Exchange, to the Market, and to the Courts of Judicature, if it does not follow him into his Family, and mixt Converfation, I have a fhrewed Sufpicion that his great Zeal is calculated, either for vain Glory and Oftentation as was that of the Pharifees, or elfe to distinguish himself to be of a particular Party; or laftly, to com

pound

pound with God and his Confcience for the Neglect of real Virtue, by over doing in those Things wherein it does leaft of all confift.

This is a Part fo much easier than to

mortify our Lufts, and lead a good Life, that it is no wonder that they should be very zealous for the former, who have brought themselves to believe that it will do their Bufinefs, and excufe the Trouble of the latter. But this is quite to pervert the Use and Intention of Ceremonies, which were ordained for the Beauty and Decency of Devotion, but not to be the Subftance of it; for that lies hid in the Heart, and is only known to Men by the Fruits of it in their Life. When a Man's Zeal takes this mistaken Turn, and carries him quite off to external Religion, he is like a Tree that runs away into falfe Wood and Bloffoms, it looks thrifty and flourishing, but will bear no Fruit.

3dly, That is a falfe and vicious Zeal that works its Ends by Means that are plainly immoral and unchriftian. For Instance, When it is cruel and void of Humanity and Mercy, as was that of the Difciples above

mentioned,

mentioned, when they were for destroying the Samaritans by Fire from Heaven; Luke 9.55. whereupon our Saviour tells them, they knew not what manner of Spirit they were of; intimating that it was an immoral Zeal, and quite contrary to that lovely Religion which he came to fet up, and which they were to profeís and teach.

It cannot be denied that the Church of Rome has exceeded all others in Practices of this Kind; witness the Gun Power Plot, and the Maffacre of the Proteftants of this Kingdom in 1641. both which the denies against the strongest Proof; but the holy Inquifition fhe avows, and keeps on foot to this Day, wherever her Power is unbridled by the Wisdom of Princes. Here innocent People, being first robbed of their Estates, are put to the most cruel Deaths, not for Immoralities of Practice, but for meer Matters of Faith: If this be the Religion of Christ, St. John was ignorant of it, 1 Ep. 4. 20. When he declares, that if a Man fay, I love God, and hateth his Brother, he is a Liar; for furely the worst that Hatred can do to any Man is to murder him. So likewife when Zeal is cenforious, and delights in murdering Reputations; when it shews

Men's