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delusions. But it seems that the light which has been exhibited has served to increase the blindness of the blind; and the alarm which has been sounded has served to diminish the fears of the deluded. Hence it appears, that our national disorder lies in the heart, which bids defiance to all human exertions. The effusion of the divine Spirit is our only source of hope. Our present situation resembles the situation of Israel in the days of Jeroboam. No means nor motives could remove their delusions. While prophet after prophet admonished the corrupters and the corrupted, they still remained obstinate and bent to backsliding. God could have effectually reclaimed them by the influence of his Spirit; but it does not appear that he ever poured out his spirit upon Israel, after they yielded to the delusions of Jeroboam. But Judah, who never totally revolted, he frequently reformed, and for that purpose sent down the influences of his Spirit to change their hearts. And if God intends to save our nation, he will remove our delusions by the same divine influence. In this way he can easily confound the designs of the enemies and corrupters of christianity, and make even them the willing and active instruments of moting the cause which they are attempting to destroy. It is, therefore, the special duty of this day of humiliation and prayer, to seek the outpourings of the Spirit. But who are prepared for this duty? Not infidels. They wish not to be undeceived. Their deception is their castle. They perfectly despise prayer, and the great and glorious object of prayer. Not the immoral. They dread all restraint, and especially that restraint which arises from the genuine convictions of the Spirit. Not mere moralists. They feel no need of a divine influence upon themselves or others. Who then are prepared to pray for the special operations of the divine Spirit? They are only real christians, who have seen the plague of their own hearts, and who believe the deep depravity of human nature. Such persons as these have the spirit of grace and supplication. And is there not a remnant of such characters among us, who sigh and cry for our national declension and apostacy? The effectual fervent prayers of these righteous persons will avail much. Let these, therefore, stand in the gap, and cry mightily to God to pour out his spirit, and save our nation from both temporal and eternal ruin. Amen.

SERMON XIV.

FALSE ZEAL.

ANNUAL FAST, APRIL 8, 1802.

THEY zealously affect you, but not well. GAL. iv. 17.

As LONG as the apostle Paul resided among the Galatians, they were highly pleased, both with his person and preaching. But very soon after they had been deprived of his public and private instructions, they became not only disaffected with his character, but extremely opposed to his doctrines. Certain Judaizing teachers crept in among them, who first corrupted their sentiments, and then used all their art and influence to alienate their affections from him who had converted them to the christian faith. Surprised at such a great and sudden change in the faith and feelings of his former friends, the Apostle pointedly reproves both the deceivers and the deceived. "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel; which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." After this severe anathema against these dangerous corrupters, he undertakes to describe and expose their most insinuating mode of seduction. "They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them." They are deceivers, and their power of deceiving lies in their peculiar zeal. They profess to be your warmest friends, whilst in reality they are your worst enemies. It is not your good, but their own, which

they are so ardently seeking. It highly becomes you, therefore, to beware of your danger, and guard yourselves against the fatal influence of their false zeal. This admonition suggests to our consideration a subject, which is by no means foreign from the present occasion. Accordingly, I propose in the ensuing discourse,

I. To describe the nature of zeal in general.

II. To distinguish false zeal from true.

III. To show how false zeal will dispose men to act. I. We are to consider the nature of zeal in general. Zeal is a strong and ardent affection of the heart towards some distant and desirable object. It is not a simple but complicated emotion, which admits of different degrees of ardor and sensibility, accordingly as its object appears more or less agreeable, more or less distant, or more or less important. To give a clear and just description of this peculiar passion, it is necessary to consider the various mental exercises of which it is composed, and by which it is nourished and invigorated.

Zeal always supposes a fixed and steady attention to the object upon which it terminates. A slight and cursory view of any agreeable objects, never excites in our breasts the least degree of zeal to make them our own. But it is a law of our nature, that a close and continued attention to any desirable object should draw all the affections of the heart towards it, and, of consequence, should produce the emotion of zeal. The Psalmist found this to be the effect of his deep meditation. "While I was musing the fire burned." Whatever agreeable subject seizes and absorbs the mind, will naturally enkindle the fire of zeal. We always feel more or less zealous in pursuing any object, or in prosecuting any design, which has weight and influence enough to gain our fixed and constant attention. And what we experience in ourselves, we frequently observe in others. Zeal is one of the first and strongest emotions which we discover in children. The reason is, the smallest trifles are sufficient to fill their minds, and engross their whole attention. And when greater trifles fill greater minds, they produce the same effect. Even philosophers and politicians often suffer the most vain and imaginary schemes to take the entire possession of their thoughts, and to fill their minds with a flame of zeal, which is astonishing to all who have never paid the same attention to the same ideal or trifling subjects.

But whatever be the object of zeal, it always appears to the person who feels this lively emotion to be a matter highly interesting, either on its own account, or on account of its supposed connection with some valuable end. No man can

zealously pursue any object or design which does not appear to himself worthy of pursuit. Though many spend much zeal in the pursuit of phantoms and trifles, yet so long as their zeal continues, these vanities have, in their view, the appearance of important realities. It is well known that the most easy way of exciting and inflaming the zeal of others, is to magnify the object or design which we wish them to espouse and promote. And if we can only impress on their minds a realizing sense that the end we propose is truly interesting and important, we shall most certainly inspire them with the passion of zeal. If we attend to our own feelings, we shall find that our zeal always rises as high as our sense of the importance of the object which excites it, and no higher. Hence it appears that not only a fixed and steady attention to a desirable object, but a realizing belief of its importance is necessary to create and support the emotion of zeal. Besides, those who are zealous in any cause or undertaking whatever, always have a sanguine expectation of accomplishing their design. Though they foresee difficulties and dangers in their way, yet they maintain and cherish a strong persuasion, that they shall eventually succeed. It was a secret and well-grounded hope of victory that inspired David with an ardent zeal to go against Goliah, who had defied the God and armies of Israel. And it was a strong, though vain expectation of revenge, that awakened the zeal of Pharaoh to pursue Moses and his people into the depths of the sea. He said in his heart, "I will purI will overtake, I will divide the spoil: I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them." The prospect of success is essential to the existence of zeal. Fire may as well live without air, as zeal without hope. But as long as men can persuade themselves that they shall sooner or later obtain the object of their pursuit, their zeal will continue to burn.

sue,

Zeal, therefore, is the most bold, active, persevering spirit, that ever possesses the minds of men. It never suffers them to abate their exertions, nor to neglect any opportunity of promoting the cause in which they are engaged. It inspires them with resolution and fortitude to meet and overcome all opposition. It awakens and invigorates all their powers of body and mind, and stimulates them to the greatest activity, patience and perseverance. The fire of zeal, like all other fire, the longer it burns, and the wider it spreads, the more it attracts every thing around it to feed its flame. A growing ardor, resolution and activity always mark the character and conduct of those whose minds are absorbed and governed by the passion of zeal; and it is never to be expected that they will either neglect or relinquish their darling object, until they have lost their power of exertion, or their hopes of success. I proceed,

II. To distinguish false zeal from true.

There is a zeal which forms a beautiful moral character. A strong and ardent desire to promote the public good, justly commands universal approbation and esteem. This the apostle observes, in the verse immediately succeeding the text. "But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing." It is the goodness of its ultimate object which renders zeal virtuous and amiable. When it ultimately seeks the promotion of a good cause, it is according to knowledge, it is agreeable to the dictates of reason and conscience, it is of a godly sort, and it resembles the zeal of the Lord of Hosts. He is the most zealous being in the universe. His whole heart is in his great and complicated scheme. He views every part as essential to the whole, and the whole as dependent upon every part; which necessarily renders his zeal, in accomplishing every part, perfectly uniform and infinitely strong. Those, therefore, who ardently seek the glory of God and the good of their fellow creatures, possess a truly benevolent and godly zeal. But false zeal has a diametrically opposite object, and ultimately seeks a selfish end. It is beyond a doubt, that men may be selfish as well as benevolent in their views and pursuits. And selfishness may pursue a selfish end with as much ardor and engagedness, as benevolence may pursue a benevolent end. Hence it appears that false zeal may rise as high as true, and indeed much higher; because it is extremely apt to estimate its object above its intrinsic and comparative importance. Besides, when a totally selfish heart is awakened into zeal, there is nothing in it to stem the tide of affections, which all unite and harmonize in the ardent pursuit of a selfish end. False zeal, therefore, often differs from true in its appearance as well as in its nature. True zeal is a strong, steady, uniform, benevolent affection; but false zeal is a strong, desultory, boisterous, selfish passion. The way is now prepared to show,

III.

How false zeal will dispose men to act.

It is a powerful stimulus to action, and will dispose all men to act in the same manner, unless restrained by some different passion, or by some insurmountable obstacle. But though restraint may sometimes prevent its operation, yet it will never alter its nature and tendency. It will, if unrestrained, produce the same evil effects in time to come, which it has so often produced in time past. The experience and observation of ages, therefore, may direct us in tracing its fatal influence upon the feelings and actions of men.

1. It will dispose them to combine together in carrying on their destructive designs. This false fervor, like electrical fire, will easily and instantaneously spread from breast to breast among those who are ardently engaged in the same cause.